Welcome to the blog world Martha!

I must be slow but I just discovered that Marth Stewart started her own personal blog in October!

Check it out here.

I love it! It's a personal insight into her life that a lover of reality TV like myself would definitely be chuffed about! You can see her house and things that she does to it, her travels, her pets, etc.

Enjoy!

Happy Banana Xango to me!

...creamy. light banana cheesecake wrapped in a pastry tortilla, dusted with cinnamon-sugar and served with warm caramel, ribbons of chocolate and french vanilla ice cream. (Moxie's Classic Grill)

The Best 5 minute Tomato Sauce!!

I'M BACK!!.. Temporarily.

I had to blog about this because it was ssooooo good and so simple! Just the way I like it.

First of all, I have to say that winter is NOT a motivator for blogging. I get home at 4:30pm and it's already dark. How can I cook and take pictures without natural light? I don't have any fancy shmancy lighting and throughout the summer... the sun is what I relied on. Weekends have been busy with studying and other things so i'm too lazy to cook and take pictures and blog. Hopefully after Christmas I can get back into the blogging world and back to cooking new recipes!

Tonight, however, I was really craving pasta and was so impressed with this recipe that I had to blog about it. I bought fresh ravioli with spinach and ricotta and decided to finally use one of my San Marzano canned tomatoes. I've been saving these cans for a special recipe and even though this is such a simple recipe, it was so worth the wait! I quickly searched the www for a recipe and came across one from a woman who is an unbelievable cook! There are so many recipes of hers that I want to try. This was my first one.

Again, apologies for the crap pics.

My favorite salad

It's been a busy quite stressful week and today is exactly what I needed!! I've finished the last 3 days of my course and now I have 2 weeks to study for my exam. My mind is completely consumed with studying studying studying as I'm worried that I won't pass this exam. I haven't had to study for anything for over 10 years and I admit.. it scares me. I even researched on what foods are good to eat when studying. Of course it was all boring veggies, nuts, fish - not that I'm comlaining cuz I love all that. I was just hoping that there would be some sort of brain nutrition in a Big Mac.

So after being in class for 3 intense days in a row and a day of studying on Saturday, all I wanted to do today was NOTHING TO DO WITH STUDYING!! Lou and I went to Milestones, one of our most favorite restaurants, then watched "Gone Baby Gone" at the cinema (which was pretty good btw), and then took Ziggy for a walk at Queens Quay where I grabbed a Tall Non-Fat No Whip Cafe Mocha at Starbucks. And now, I've finally made some time to blog and read blogs I've been wanting to read all week. Usually I'm on my laptop every night updating myself on everyone's blogs but I've forced myself NOT to get side tracked so I had to put the blogs aside for awhile.

When I woke up this morning at 11am, I knew that I desperately need a serious break. I don't think my brain could have handled another day of studying so when Lou asked me what I wanted to eat, the first thing that popped into my head was MILESTONES Vegetarian Thai Noodle Salad. I NEVER usually order salads when I go out to eat but this salad has me hooked. This time I ordered grilled tiger shrimp with it instead of the usual grilled chicken.

The ingredients of this salad are "Fresh chopped greens and oriental noodles stacked with artichokes, sliced mushrooms, shredded carrots, spicy house-made avocado and papaya salsas, feta and honey mustard vinaigrette".

I could eat it again right now!!!

Lou had the "CERTIFIED ANGUS BEEF® 8oz TOP SIRLOIN With trio of signature Steak sauces: House-made Worcestershire, Kobe mustard, Gaucho sauce with Black Peppercorn & Cognac sauce: Served with a grilled Portabello mushroom.". I would have had taken a picture of it but she said, "HELL NO" when I asked her to wait. Can't blame her really.. it looked so good. You could really taste the cognac.

Now when it comes to steak though, to us, nothing can compare to Ruth Chris Steak House. I'll blog about this next time I go which will HOPEFULLY be in 2 weeks because if I pass my exam, that's the first place I going to celebrate!

Montreal has poutine... Toronto has hot dogs

I remember clubbing in Montreal and starving after last call. I must have asked 3 or 4 Quebecois where I could get a hot dog and no one had a clue. One person actually sent me to a place where they used toast (for the bun) and a boiled hot dog. It was disgusting but I was starving. I wasn't in the mood for poutine. All I wanted was a juicy bbq'd hot dog.

Toronto hot dogs ... aka.. "street meat" can be found on MANY street corners in downtown Toronto and outside of many suburban areas at Canadian Tire & Home Depot stores. It might be the weirdest thing for people from out of town to see but Torontonians can't live without street meat.

3am and most clubs have ended their night.

People spilling into the streets drunk, buzzed, high, but more importantly.. HUNGRY!

They want something fast, cheap, and easy to cure the drunkiness.

Street meat is the answer to all their prayers.

To top off your bbq'd hot dog, you've got a selection of condiments from ketchup, to hot peppers, to sweet corn relish. Personally, I take my dog with loads of onions, 3 or 4 peppers, and tons-o-ketchup!!

Many a times we've taken little Ziggy (my daschund) for a walk by the Harbourfront and we always stop at "Mike's Hotdogs". I keep forgetting the guy who actually makes the hot dog (don't know if he's actually Mike) but I know he's from Japan. Every time he sees Ziggy he says the same thing. "I had a hot dog dog once with my ex girlfriend in Japan. When I left, she took it.". Mike's Hotdogs is located at Bay and Queens Quay on the South West corner. He is by far the friendliest hot dog guy and has the juiciest dogs in Harbourfront.

If you're a hot dog vendor, you're lucky if you get the prime spots in downtown Toronto. Apparently, it's randomly selected each year where each hot dog vendor will be located each year. I remember one hot dog guy I spoke to (who was located on a side street right across the street from a car shop - not exactly a money making location) once said that while Mel Lastman was our Mayor, it seemed as though the Italians were getting all the hot spots like Yonge & Bloor but of course.. paid a nominal "fee" for it. Don't know if it's true but about 3 years a later, I ran into this hot dog guy by University of Toronto. I guess he moved up in the hot dog world! What more could a student want for a cheap and quick lunch. He seemed quite happy at least.

Another way to cure hiccups

I was reading the Amateur Gourmet's "How To" section on his website and I saw "How to cure hiccups". I thought, "Oh.. I wonder if this is the same way I've heard you can cure hiccups.".

Actually... it wasn't.

For Lou's birthday this summer we went to Brownstone Bistro & Bar. One of our friends had the hiccups and someone heard that drinking water backwards was the sure cure for hiccups. Derek was the demonstrator and I'm sure that people were thinking, "What the hell is this guy doing?" lol It's definitely not something you'd just get up and do at a restaurant (or maybe you would) but it works!

lol... it's an odd thing to do but I swear.. it works like a charm. You just have to be careful that you don't spill water all over the place or laugh while you're trying to drink cuz you know you look ridiculous. lol You don't have to drink a lot. Just a big sip.

Make sure the glass is full to the top. It's easier to drink.

Check out this video on how to works.

Crepes a GoGo

Happy Thanksgiving Canada!

I don't think I've EVER experienced Thanksgiving in 25 degrees celcius weather! It was so hot and humid today and I kept thinking that we need to try more restaurant patios before it gets cold. Especially since Sassafraz reopened. Wait a second... what the heck am I talking about. It's bloody October! It should be cold by now. It's bitter sweet really. I hate what's happening with global warming but at the same time... it's 25 degrees in October!!!!! They say that we will be experiencing warmer months than cold in the near future. I remember probably over 5 years ago, it was cold from September to May.

Anyway, I enjoyed my day off today with my friend Sheryl. We walked around Yorkville, checked out Whole Foods (unfortunately... came out empty handed because I didn't want to walk around all day with bags of endless delights), and finally stopped at a place called Crepes a GoGo.

I've only eaten at 2 crepe places before - Cafe Crepe & Le Creperie in Quebec City. When it comes to fruit crepes, the peach crepe at Le Creperie is at the very top of my list of the most heavenly crepes I have ever tasted. I've had a chicken crepe at Cafe Crepe and "eh".. it was ok - Nothing spectacular.

But today... Sheryl and I tried a scrambled egg, swiss cheese, mushroom, red onion and dill crepe. After walking around for over an hour with throbbing heals, it was just what the doctor ordered. The edge of the crepe was crispy just they way I like it and all the flavours of the filling were warm and fresh.

My favorite part of Crepes a GoGo is that it's a small family owned business and the staff speak french! I could have stayed there for hours just watching people coming in and out enjoying the best crepes in Toronto (in my opinion). Crepes a Gogo... I will see you again soon!

Let's give the General a try

I know some will argue that it's not authentic chinese or anything but I have to admit that General Tso Chicken is a chinese dish I really enjoy. Even Wikipedia says it's more for an American/Canadian dish.

I've thought about making it myself but never really looked into finding a recipe until yesterday. I googled it and found many different recipes but found one that looked exactly what I'm used to seeing it look like as the end result. Some of them looked dry or not cripsy.

After preparing the chicken, frying, cooking, and of course eating this tasty delite.. I'm exhausted and admitedly so... too lazy to type out the recipe so you can find it here if you're interested.

The only thing I added was toasted sesame seeds, a bit of lime juice just before serving to add that bit of tang to it and served it with basmati rice.

Chilean Food & Wine Festival

Last night was the 2007 Chilean Food & Wine Festival at the Distillery. I've lived in Toronto all my life and have only been to the Distillery twice. I can't believe I haven't made time to enjoy the Distillery in the summer months.... shame on me. For sure next summer I will make more of an effort to enjoy the restaurants, festivals, and the cobble stone roads that the Distillery as to offer. It kind of reminds me of being in Old Montreal.

This was my first wine festival so I had no idea what to expect. All I knew was that I was for sure going to bring my camera!! When I walked through the doors, I felt like a kid in a candy store. There were so many things that I wanted to try and to see and to take pictures of. There was so much wine to taste and food to savour! Why did I decide to eat dinner before the festival?? There were numerous wine tasting sections and food pairing tables. Unfortunately, the only food picture that wasn't blurred was the chorizo with mild and spicy chili sauce (I blame it on the wine). It was damn spicy alright! I did try other foods such as beef & chicken empanadas and avocado & chicken salsa. Unfortunately, the line up for chili lamb was way too long. I was gutted because it looked so succulent.

Now I'm not knowledgeable by any means when it comes to wine. All I know is that I love white wine over red and prefer fruity versus oakey wines. I love my white wine really cold, dry, and with a hint of sweetness. See... I told you I don't know much about wine. Oh... one other thing I do know is that I like the Sauvignon Blanc grape over any other. Out of all the wines I did taste, the contender was .... drum roll please.... Santa Rita Sauvignon Blanc Reserva 2007 Valle de Casablanca. That's the way uh huh uh huh I like it... uh huh uh huh.

Overall... the food wasn't overly spectacular and the wine was good.. again for someone who doesn't know much about wines. But the highlight for me... odd as it may sound... was the live latin band. Unfortunately, I didn't get the name of the band. For me... next to the food (which is always #1 on my list), the music at a party, wedding, event, festival, etc is what I remember the most when attending functions. Thanks to my parents who made my sister and I take piano lessons, which in turn created an interest for the guitar and saxaphone, I love live music as much as I love to devour food. So cheers to a fun evening and I look foward to attending the next food and wine festival in T.O.

Pasta Night

In my last blog, I mentioned that I stopped by an italian shop by Yonge & Eglinton called Pascale Gourmet. When you open the door to the store and take one step in, it's like stepping into an italian house on a Sunday just before nonna's Sunday lunch is to be served. The smell of fresh italian bread, cured meat, and home made tomato sauce. They sell everything you need for an authentic italian meal... freshly baked herb bread, fresh pasta, home made meatballs, tomato sauce, etc. Sometimes after work, I'm in no mood to cook which I'm sure a lot of you can relate to. And if I do have to cook, I want something fast and easy. So... I couldn't resist to buy fresh spinach & ricotta ravioli and home made tomato sauce and meatballs. Oh and for those of you who are looking for San Marzano canned tomatoes, they sell them there too.

So tonight... I opted for an easy meal. I was in the mood for tagliatelle & meatballs and Lou was in the mood for spinach ravioli so I made both pastas. The best thing about cooking with fresh pasta when you want to make a quick meal is that it doesn't take very long to cook. 7 or 8 mintues tops!

Btw.. it's 7:21pm and IT'S DARK OUTSIDE!!! :o( This is depressing! It's going to be difficult to get home after work, cook, and take pictures of my dishes with natural light. One of these days I'll get the studio lights I want.

A cure for road rage

Today, Lou and I decide to make an early day of our Sunday as we had lots of errands to run like grocery shopping, pet food shopping, and dropping off dvd's. Today was also the CIBC Run for the Cure for breast cancer so a lot of the streets downtown were blocked. We decided to go uptown by Yonge & Eglinton to walk around and find something quick to eat.

As I parked on Yonge Street, I noticed a cupcake shop right beside us called The Cupcake Shoppe. The window was filled with chocolate cupcakes with orange icing (decorated for Thanksgiving & Halloween) and I couldn't take my eyes off of them. We decided to grab something to eat first and then come back and pick up some of these perfect cupcakes for a nice Sunday snack.

After a couple of slices of pizza and a quick shop in an italian food shop (which I will blog about later when I make something with what I purchased), we headed back to the cupcake shop. It was a quaint little shop with 5 cupcake makers in the back and stacks of about 100 cupcakes. On the counter were about 6 different cupcakes to choose from. I wasn't in the mood for chocolate so I chose the "Lov'n Lemon" and Lou choose the "Strawberries in Cream". My mouth was watering when I was paying for them. I couldn't stop staring at the cupcake makers (do I just call them bakers? or is there a special title for them?) decorating each cupcake perfectly. They put the 2 cupcakes in a cute little pink and white box. I took the box into the car and placed it carefully in the back making sure that nothing could make it move or slide so that the cupcakes wouldn't get disturbed.

I have to say, one of my biggest pet peeves is TRAFFIC!!! The Run for the Cure had ended already but they hadn't removed the barriers around the downtown area so everyone was being diverted in every which way but where I actually live. It took me 40 minutes longer to get home from what would have been a 10 minute drive home. If there was a Road Rage Anonymous group I wouldn't only be a member.. I'd be the president! My blood pressure rises and my pulse travels north to my head. This is why I live an 8 minute walking distance from home to work. 8 minutes from my apartment door to my desk. I love it :o)

Anyway, the whole time I was in traffic, I couldn't stop thinking about sitting on the settee with a cup of tea and my beautiful lov'n lemon cupcake. I have to say, after sinking my teeth into this lemon treat I can actually say that it was worth the wait. Lou's saving hers for dessert.

Nikon D80 50mm f1.8

My co-worker Mark recently got a new Nikon D80 and purchased a 50mm f1.8 lens. I wanted to test it out so I took a few shots. There's always people trying to compare the Canon 30D and the Nikon D80 but really, I think that they are equally good cameras.

Not a pretty dessert

My dad has always been a dessert guy. Like having an "All day breakfast" menu... you could also have an "All day dessert" menu. Couldn't you? I'm sure my sister and dad would attest to it be entirely possible! My dad loved having apple or blueberry pie for breakfast and my sister IS and will always be infamous for waffles with ice cream for breakfast. And if I'm not mistaken... I think she even invites Aunt Jemima to the mix as well.

Oh... speaking of Aunt Jemima.. (Sorry have to mention this). Here in Canada, you can buy a bottle of Aunt Jemima's syrup for approx $4.00 CAD. There's no other syrup like it. Just like how I only purchase "Q-tip" brand cotton swabs... I'd only buy Aunt Jemima syrup for my pancakes and waffles. When I was living in the UK, I never had pancakes or waffles simply because I couldn't imagine them without Aunt Jemima syrup. Until one day... at the corner of my eye, I saw Aunt Jemima staring at me! It was if she was saying, "BUY ME... but I hope you have enough money in your pocket!". A smile from ear to ear immediately came upon my face. I was in Selfridges which is probably much like Holt Renfrew here only they serve & sell food that sometimes is completely out of the oridinary like chocolate covered grasshoppers for 19.00 pounds. They also sell imported foods from America and other parts of the world. It was here that I discovered Aunt Jemima at the corner of my eye. Within a split second I grabbed one of the bottles and stared at it lovingly. Then it hit me! My eyes were as wide as a deer in head lights. The cost for this bottle of sweet succulent syrup was 8.00 POUNDS!!!! Which is equivalent to approx $16.00 CAD. I instantly returned the bottle to it's place and walked away sad as ever. There was no way in hell I was going to buy that bottle for 8 POUNDS. That's extortion as far as I'm concerned.

Anyway... sorry for that side track. It actually has NOTHING to do with what I wanted to write about so back to desserts.

One of my favorite desserts that my dad introduced me to when I was a kid was avocado with evaporated milk and sugar. Yes.. you read it right. Avocado... Evaporated Milk... and Sugar. So simple!

I'm sure you're wondering what that tastes like and maybe how it looks like. It's not the most prettiest looking desserts but I promise you, it will surprise your taste buds.

All you have to do is take a ripe avocado and cut it into cubes.

Add approx 1/2 a cup of evaporated milk (I use Carnation Milk) or more if you like.

Then add teaspoon of

All you do is mix everything together.

Now if you don't normally store your avocado in the fridge, then once you've put this concoction together, I would suggest putting in the freezer for 5-10 minutes because to me, it just tastes better when it's cold.

Farmer's Market

Today was my lucky day. The Farmer's Market Ontario was at Nathan Phillips Square today. I'm on course for 3 days for Project Management at the University of Toronto near Nathan Phillips Square so I decided to take my camera with me to experiment with sites around Toronto. I, unfortunately, haven't dedicated any time to my camera. Toronto is such a big city and there's so much to see - so much to capture. I've been wanting to take pictures of flowers, vegetables, and fruits in natural light and today couldn't have been a more perfect setting for this endeavour.

Saucy!

This is going to be short and sweet as I'm in the middle of doing my laundry and waiting for my cup of proper English tea. PJ Tips!

I just happened to be in the mood for one of my favorite dishes tonight. #1 reason why this is my fav is that it's so easy to make. It's not an overly difficult recipe by any means but it sure is delish and spicy!

400g can crushed tomatoes

14 tiger prawns or more if you like. I usually aim for 7 per person.

1/4 cup of water

chopped garlic

chopped onion

olive oil

dried hot pepper seeds

chopped fresh parsley

arugula (rocket in the UK)

salt & pepper to taste

spaghettini pasta (I have a pasta measurer so I cooked enough pasta for 3 so I can have left overs for lunch tomorrow)

juice of 1/4 of a lemon

I wont' go into detail on how to cook pasta as I assume that most people know how to cook it.

Heat up olive oil and saute garlic and onions. Add crushed tomatoes, water, and hot pepper. Let simmer for a few minutes and add parsley. Simmer for another few minutes and add prawns. Cook the prawns until they turn pink and then add the arugula. Simmer for a couple of minutes.

The pasta should be done by now so drain the pasta. Add pasta to the sauce and add the lemon juice. Mix pasta and serve immediately.

VOILA... Spicy Prawn Pasta.

Not your usual fish and chips

I didn't think I was going to have it in me to try a recipe this weekend as it's been so hectic with work, a Filipino 18th Birthday party which is similar to MTV's Sweet 16 parties but without a B-list rapper performing or the Range Rover or tiara as a gift at the end of the night, and the most important event of the weekend.... my grandmother's 98th birthday!

But today, I was compelled to try a fish recipe which I didn't exactly follow because I had the wrong kind of fish and the wrong kind of potatoes. It was originally a Creamy Baked Haddock & Tatties recipe, but I had cod and yukon gold potatoes.

I know it's weird that this dish has french fries with it but if you know anything about the British, you'll know that they eat practically EVERYTHING with "chips" (french fries). Lou eats lasagna, pizza, fish (any kind.. not just battered), chicken, and BREAD with "chips". Yes.. I said bread. Picture this... 2 slices of bread... buttered... with french fries in between to make what is called a "Chip Butty". But it's pronounced "chip bu-eeh". The "t" is silent. It's one of the strangest things I've seen thus far when it comes to British cuisine.

Anyway... the recipe is easy and if you want to try the original recipe, again.. you can find it on BBC GoodFood website. But for now, I'll put the recipe how I made it.

400g cod fish

1 trimmed leak, finely sliced

handful of parsley, chopped

142ml carton double cream

4 yukon gold potatoes, partially boiled

1 cup of grated white cheddar cheese

Firstly assemble the dish. Scatter the haddock, leek and parsley over the bottom of a shallow microwavable dish and mix together with your fingers or a spoon. Drizzle over half the cream and 5 tablespoons of water. Lay the potato slices over the fish and leeks and drizzle over the remaining cream. Season the potatoes with a little salt and plenty of black pepper.

Pre-heat the oven to 450 degrees. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Put the oven on broil and remove foil from dish. Sprinkle the cheese all over the potatoes. Broil for 5-10 minutes until the potatoes turn brown to your liking. Serve straight from the dish.

Asian Persuasion

So I'm on a recipe frenzy!!! This week has been my "Try a new recipe" week. It's probably cuz I love my new camera and just want more excuses to take pictures of food. So far I've tried 2 new recipies - Honey & Soy Chicken with Cashew & Coriander Rice and the Raspberry & Mascarpone Creams. I know... nothing spectacular but I'm getting there.

Tonight was Singapore Noodles! Yet again, I got the recipe from the BBC GoodFood website.

I compared the dish to the Singapore Noodles from Spring Rolls and it was very close. Unforunately, I had to use my crappy T-Fal non-stick pan instead of a wok. (For those who wish to get me a bday gift, I need a wok!) That's got to be why Spring Rolls is better. The recipe also says to put the hot peppers on top of the dish after it has been plated. I wanted the dish to be spicy so I cooked the hot peppers with the onions, red peppers, spices, etc. It still wasn't as hot as I would have liked. Perhaps I'll try some hot pepper flakes next time.

Raspberry & Mascarpone Creams

Raspberries to me are bitter sweet. I love them because they are good for you, they have a vibrant color, and for some reason, I love the texture of the soft mushiness and the crunch of the seeds in my mouth. Are they seeds btw? What are those little things and stick in between your teeth?? (Hope that's not a Miss South Carolina type of question?) I love the sweetness of it but it does have that bit of sourness to it that I hate. I really have to crave fresh raspberries. It's not like a banana where I could probably eat it everyday.

In any case, I wanted a really quick, cold, raspberry dessert recipe and I found the perfect one on BBC GoodFood website. It can't get any easier than 4 ingredients! Raspberries, caster sugar (which is super fine sugar in Canada..thx for googling that up for me Sis), mascarpone, and whipping cream.

Much to my surprise, it wasn't really to my liking, however, it did look pretty in my martini glass. It was kind of boring. I'm not giving up on it yet but I will have to find something to add to it. Perhaps some sort of cake. Stay tuned to see what I come up with!

Stir-fried chicken with cashews & coriander rice

I was surfing the net today looking for something different to cook. When I say different, I mean something outside of my usual menu of chicken pasta, fish or chicken with mashed potatoes, veggies and gravy, Mc Donald's, KFC, and lasagna with chips (yeah I know. It's weird. It's a british thing. Chips go with everything apparently). I wanted something fresh that had a lot of flavour. I came across the BBC GoodFood website and found a lot of great recipes that I want to try this week.

For today, I decided to try the Stir-Fried Chicken with Cashews & Coriander Rice. I thought, "Oh how I miss cashews in cooking." This is the perfect recipe for savory sweet & sour flavours and the freshness of coriander". So, I wrote down the ingredients and headed for the grocery store. Ok, I'm not a professional cook and I'm sad to say that I didn't know that coriander & cilantro were the same thing. :o( But hey, you learn something new everyday! I know that in the UK, it's referred to as Coriander and I've used it a lot there but never really cooked with it here so I had to ask for help from one of the people who work in produce.

Unfortunately, because I didn't start cooking until about 7pm, I didn't get the natural light that I wanted from outside so the pictures aren't as good as I wanted them to be. How sad... it's starting to get dark early!!

The recipe was so easy and only took about 30 minutes to prepare and cook. Now that's what I'm talking about!!

Finally... a new camera!

For the past year now I've wanted a new camera. The one I've had my eye on was the Canon 30D. Now that the 40D is coming, 30D's are now on sale. PERFECT TIMING!!

So stay tuned to see better pictures of food, travel, and fun!

Ziggy loves Strawberry & Rhubarb pie

It doesn't matter what you are eating, Ziggy will stare at you and your food until you give her a morsel to satisfy her curiosity. Apart from daschunds being stubborn, another warning we received from the PJ's Pet store assistant was that daschunds will eat and eat and eat and eat. Over the year, we've discovered that Ziggy loves to eat wood, rubber, foam, tennis balls, couch cushions, chicken, rice, potatoes, and strawberry rhubarb pie just to name a few.

I'm sure if Ziggy knew how to type, her food blog would be a very interesting read.