Monday, May 21, 2012

Chickpea, Pesto & Sundried Tomato Salad

Dear budding chefs,

As I mentioned earlier, while growing up and living at home, my mother was never that adventurous in the kitchen- hence why I have never been too picky with food or knowledgable with it.  When I met my friend Beth it was pretty much meant to be- we often found ourselves at the ski chalet not knowing what to have for dinner (jarred beets?), finding ourselves out to dinner at local restaurants way too often (lola rosa?), and often having to resort to local restaurant/ take out places to 'create our own salad' (where essentially you tell the employee what you want in your salad- ie lettuce, avocado, dried cranberries- and they put it in a bowl for you... for $10... pretty ridiculous!).  

Since then we have found ourselves in Toronto where we have dinner at least once a month and try to be 'chefs for the night.'  It sounds silly but believe me, it's a great time-- i will most definitely be sharing some of our top dishes/ recipes with you!  In between our chef nights we like to share discovered recipes with one another and that is where this recipe comes from- this salad is created by Beth. 

Just as I have stated before, simple but delicious is key! 

What you will need:
- a can of chickpeas
- sun-dried tomatoes
- pesto
- salt & pepper


Open the can of chickpeas and drain- keep them out for a little so they dry a bit- then place in a bowl.  Put three table spoons of pesto into the bowl and mix with the chickpeas (make sure all chickpeas are covered- add more pesto if that isn't enough).  Then sprinkle salt and pepper to the bowl!  Then take a handful of sun-dried tomatoes- I couldn't find pre sliced ones so I cut whole sun dried tomato sliced into slivers with scissors.  Mix together and voila! 

Simple and delicious- thank you Beth!

Happy eating,
A


Sunday, May 6, 2012

Pizza-za-za


Everyone loves pizza- it is a known fact. true? si!

I for one love pizza but don't enjoy the grease or melted cheddar cheese.
One of my newest favourite things to do is make my own pizza! Whatever toppings I am in the mood for- veggies, super cheesy, or meat lovers- it is very simple, much healthier, and delicious!

First step is get your dough- you can buy pre made pizza dough, make your own, or many authentic italian food shops sell balls of pizza dough!
Second step- what toppings do you want?

This time I wanted something unique, satisfying, and salty and sweet.

What to use:
- fresh dough or grocery bought
- fig jam
- goat cheese (crumbled)
- arugula
- prosciutto

What to do:
Spread the fig jam on the dough, crumble goat cheese, cover in arugula, and place prosciutto on top.

Stick it in the oven for about 30 minutes at 350 degrees and voila!


Happy eating,
A





Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Hors D' oeuvres: Caprese on a Stick


Good evening budding chefs,

One thing about me, maybe it is because I am my mother's daughter, I love to entertain. love it.
Whether it is for someone's birthday (or mine), have a summer bbq or kegger because it is nice out, to celebrate to celebrate, or simply have friends and or family together- there is always food! From sausages in a blanket, to home made mini quiches, cut up veggies and dip, asparagus wrapped in prosciutto, and homemade salsa and chips- needless to say, whatever the occasion, big or small, there is food.

In January it was my birthday for which I invited my closest friends for some hors d'oeuvres and drinks at my cottage.  For this I made a series of platters- the most popular by far was the 'caprese salad on a stick.'


What you need-
- toothpicks
- tomatoes
- buffalo mozzarella (med size)
- fresh basil
- balsamic glaze

How to create:
- cut the tomatoes and medium size balls of buffalo mozzarella into quarters
- put the quarter of mozzarella on the toothpick (through the middle), tear a piece of basil and pierce it with the toothpick
- then place the quartered tomato on the toothpick (pierce through the middle)
- repeat this and place finished 'sticks' onto a plate or tray
- once complete, drizzle balsamic glaze on the caprese salad sticks!

Voila!

Happy eating,
A

I'm Back!

I am back!

Since my last post I have moved to Toronto, finished my undergraduate degree, started a career in human resources, fallen in love, and improved my cooking and baking skills.
By no means have I become a master chef but with the influence of my life-work balance, my hungry boyfriend, and trial and error, I have become to truly enjoy the kitchen.

I currently live in a tiny 600 sq foot apartment in downtown Toronto, I like to call it "the cave."  My "bedroom" truly resembles a cave, it is just a little nook in the hallway that perfectly fits a double size bed and has no windows- a cave.  While many negatives, what did catch my eye is the kitchen (see picture).  It is small, but perfect for one- it is modern, has counter space, plenty of storage, great lighting, and plenty of outlets!
Since moving here last September I have made some great recipes that I have shared friends and now want to share with you!



Stay tune & Happy eating!
A