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Happy Thanksgiving Canadians! Gobble gobble :)
Clam Chowder Comfort
Cold weather. Crappy day. Definitely time for a warm comforting bowl of clam chowder. Creamy goodness with potatoes, bacon, and clams. Plus, this version is filled with the vegetable goodness of cauliflower, and it still tastes great! I definitely feel better now that I’ve had a bowl!
From my wonderful and inventive friend Amanda, here is the recipe. I’m definitely making another batch on the next cold and rainy day.
Bon appetit!
- Wendy
click ‘read more’ for the recipe.
Szechuan Spicy Eggplant
This is one of my favorite Chinese dishes; it’s salty, sour, sweet, spicy, all in one dish! The complex sauce is soaked up by the eggplant and minced pork. Such great flavors mixed together and tastes amazing over rice.
The recipe I used was from Martin Yan but I made some modifications. The recipe states to deep fry the eggplant but I stir-fried them instead. I also didn’t put any plum sauce and substituted rice vinegar instead of black. Despite these changes, it still turned out great! It’s also quick, easy, and will be made again.
If Yan can cook, so can you!
~ Joann
click ‘read more’ for the recipe
Breakfast pizza
A few weeks ago I went to a pizzeria that offered the option of adding a cracked egg on top of the pizza as an extra topping. My heart started pounding with excitement. I believe everything tastes better with a runny egg on top. I ordered my pizza with the added egg on top. A few minutes later, the server explained to me that they couldn’t put an egg on the pizza I ordered. What a tease! I was pouty for the remainder of the evening.
Despite my obsession with runny yolk, I have never had it on pizza. I obsessed over that night for a few weeks and decided it was time to change that. Found a post on chow.com on breakfast pizzas and worked off of that. I used pita bread as base, threw some shredded mozzarella cheese on it, sprinkled oregano and chili flakes, and placed some baby spinach and pancetta on top. I left a little bit of room in the middle (like a nest) and cracked an egg in it. Then put it under the broiler for about 5 minutes or until the egg whites are set.
This was simple, quick, and so delicious! The combination of the crunchy and salty pancetta, gooey cheese, and the egg was pure bliss. I love when the knife cuts into the egg yolk and it just pours out onto the pizza, and then you use the pizza to wipe the plate to soak up the all goodness.
I could eat this every morning.
~ Joann
Avgolemono- Greek lemon chicken soup
Fall just arrived and I already got my first cold. Boo! Whenever I get sick, I always make avgolemono soup. It’s a traditional Greek soup made with chicken broth, rice/orzo, eggs, and lemon juice. All perfect ingredients for when you are feeling unwell. It’s nourishing and very comforting.
I usually don’t follow a recipe for this soup, but decided to try out Cat Cora’s version this time. Well, a shortened version of it. Her recipe takes approximately 3.5 hours as you start out by making chicken stock. I used store bought organic chicken broth instead to save some time. They are good to have around for quick dinners or sick days. Her recipe uses arborio rice, but if you prefer orzo, I would suggest cooking the orzo in a separate pot then incorporating it into the soup after. Also, if you prefer the soup to be creamier, make a roux and add it in the soup before adding the egg mixture.
Ahhh, the soup is soothing, refreshing and always does the trick. A warm hug on a dreary day. There’s a reason why my body craves for this soup when I am sick. Now time for a hot bath.
~ Joann
click ‘read more’ for the recipe
Macarons from Ladurée
Not a home cooking post- but I had to share. My friend just got back from Paris and she brought back a box of macarons from Ladurée for me. mmm little bites of heaven! Delicate and full of flavor. They use superb ingredients. My favorite always has been the salted caramel macaron. One of the things I miss most about living in Paris.
~ Joann
Porcini Gnocchi
‘I’m not a chef. I’m Italian!’ – David Rocco
The first time I had Gnocchi was in the Tuscany. They were little bites of heaven- delicate and tender little potato pillows. I was hooked and couldn’t wait to have them again. After I returned to Canada, I rushed to the grocery store to buy a ready-made pack. Big mistake. The store bought ones were rubbery; the texture was not even close to what I tasted. My pillowy potato dream was crushed.
One morning, I was half watching the food network while getting ready for work, and David Rocco was making gnocchi. I was immediately drawn to it. He talked about how they should be ‘fluffy’, which was how I remembered it. I ended up being late to work that morning.
David Rocco’s philosophy is using simple, seasonal and fresh ingredients. It’s about forming a connection and a finding a balance with the flavors. Always put lots of love in it! Even though he gives precise measurements in his recipes, he encourages you to tailor the recipe to your taste. For example, he suggested using 2 cups of flour in this recipe, but add as you go. If you prefer the gnocchi to be less firm, 1.5 cups should do.
These porcini gnocchi turned out very well. The porcini gives it texture and an earthy flavor. The butter sage sauce is so simple to make and pairs perfectly with the gnocchi. Even though it takes time and effort, it was well worth it. The store bought ones don’t even come close.
There are many variations of gnocchi; I can’t wait to try them all!
mmmm dolce vita
~ Joann
click ‘read more’ for the recipe.
Peanut butter frosted banana cupcakes
I’ve had frozen bananas in my freezer for as long as I could remember. Heck, if my place wasn’t new, I would’ve thought they were left behind from the previous owners. But they weren’t. They were sitting there due to my neglect (and to also prove that cryogenics work). But it’s time to do something about it. Something delicious about it, that is.
In enters a cupcake recipe from Cookies & Cups so wonderful, that even if the bananas tasted funny - the frosting, sugar, and the reese’s mini-cups would make you forget it. It would not be a waste - not on my watch.
The recipe was fairly easy to follow and took about 2 hours to make. And it was well worth it. Both Joann and I distributed it friends and coworkers and got rave reviews. It’s definitely worth a try if you’re looking for a sugar rush!
~Wendy
Click ‘read more’ for the recipe.
French onion soup (soupe à l’oignon)
Today was the first day of rain in Vancouver after 45 beautiful summer days. Naturally, I started craving for soup.
My family is obsessed with French onion soup. If we see it on a menu, we have to order it. The soup is fragrant and comforting, with crusty bread soaked in all the goodness, and the melted cheese on top. MMMmmmm.
It’s a simple soup to make and there aren’t many ingredients involved. The Julia Child’s recipe takes a bit longer than others as she really takes the time to caramelize the onions; making sure all of the flavor is extracted.
The recipe starts with chopping 1.5lbs of onions into thin slices. I now understand why people buy those silly onion goggles. I have sharp knives but I was still crying like a baby. Then the onions must be etuvé’d (cooked until tender) first before browning. Once the onions have been browned, the rest should be smooth sailing.
The soup takes approximately 2 hours to make. It can be made the night before but leave the gratiné (melting of bread and cheese) for right before serving.
After having the soup, I feel prepared to face the fall weather.
Bon apetit!
~ Joann
Click ‘read more’ for the recipe.
