It's Official!

As of today, I'm officially on holidays until January 13th and then I start maternity leave for one year.  Woo Hoo!!!  It was so nice not to wake up to an alarm this morning.  Especially after the terrible nights sleep I had.   Everyone says to enjoy the last few weeks of pregnancy before Jelly Bean arrives.  Quite frankly I think they are all out of their minds because it's uncomfortable to sit, stand, lay down and walk.  I just want JB to be here with us so we can hold him/her, cuddle and get to know one another.  


Today is a busy day - somewhat... I'm off to the mall first thing to finish up Ryan's gift and then the grocery store to stock up on baked good supplies and tomatoe sauce supplies.  My two youngest cousins and Aunt are coming over for a spaghetti dinner tonight.  I plan on baking shortbread with the girls tonight so I need to get them supplies to decorate the trees, snowman and any other cookie cutters I can find.  This afternoon is to rest and make the spagetti sauce.  I absolute detest store bought sauce in a can or jar.  YUCK!  Instead I'm going to try this one by Giada (of course!).  

Marinara Suace

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 small onions, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 stalks celery, finely chopped

2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes

2 dried bay leaves

In a large casserole pot, heat the oil over a medium-high flame. Add the onions and garlic and saute until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the celery, carrots, and 1/2 teaspoon of each salt and pepper. Saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and bay leaves, andsimmer uncovered over low heat until the sauce thickens, about 1 hour. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Season the sauce with more salt and pepper, to taste. (The sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Cool, then cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over medium heat before using.)

Now I can't leave you for the day without an image.  It would be so nice to curl up on these chairs to watch a Christmas movie while eating our baked goods tonight.  This room would be perfect for holiday movie watching and those long hours spent watching a TV series you got for Christmas.  

Enjoy the day!  xo

Turner Davis Interiors

Christmas Brunch

Last night I watched Giada bake the most delicious chicken souffle on Giada at Home.  I love everything she makes and I always find it easier to replicate the dishes at home.  I think this souffle would be delicious for Christmas morning or Boxing day brunch.  I would pair it with roast potatoes cut very small (think hash browns) and a fruit salad.  Yummy!!!  At least it sounds delicious to momma-to-be.  :) 

Ingredients

• Unsalted butter for greasing the souffle dish, plus 1/2 stick (4 tablespoons), at room temperature
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk, at room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups shredded mild Cheddar
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
• 2 packed cups baby spinach leaves
• 1 store-bought, rotisserie chicken, breast meat only, skinned and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 2 cups)
• 6 egg yolks, at room temperature, lightly beaten
• 2 (1/2-inch thick) slices country-style white bread, crusts removed, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 6 egg whites, at room temperature

Directions

Special equipment: a 2-quart (8-cups) souffle dish

Arrange an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter the bottom and sides of a 2-quart souffle dish. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan, heat 1/2 stick of butter over medium-low heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in the milk until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture coats the back of a spoon, about 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the nutmeg and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Remove the pan from the heat and add the cheeses, the spinach, chicken, egg yolks, and bread cubes. Stir until combined (mixture will be thick).

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites at high speed until they hold stiff peaks, about 2 minutes. Stir 1/4 of the egg whites into the chicken mixture. Using a spatula, fold in the remaining egg whites. Spoon the batter into the prepared dish and bake until the souffle is puffed and the top is firm and golden, about 55 to 60 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.

Turkey 101

I'm still thinking about Turkey so to continue on yesterdays theme, here is a recipe I found on House & Home.  I think it reads very tasty!!  Even though I have plans to go to my in-laws for next Saturday night Thanksgiving and then home to Kingston on the Sunday morning to celebrate with my family, I may try and make this myself in a few weeks time.  Who's in for a 2nd or 3rd turkey dinner?  Maybe I'll wait till November.  We'll See...

Ingredients:



The most important step in roasting a perfect turkey is purchasing a quality bird. This is about 90% of the work. You can order fresh naturally raised or organic turkeys from independent butchers. Brining is a restaurant trick for intensifying flavour and improving texture, and this "dry" brining method is easy and effective. Using kosher salt is essential; be sure to rinse all traces of the sugar-salt mixture from the bird before roasting.

Turkey Brin Ingredients:
Turkey
3 cups brown sugar, packed
1-1/2 cups kosher salt
2 tbsp dried sage
2 tbsp dried thyme
2 tbsp dried savoury
1/2 tsp allspice
1 13-15 lb. turkey
1 bunch fresh parsley
3 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature

Brin Instructions:



Step 1: Combine brown sugar, salt, herbs and spices in a bowl. Rinse turkey and dry very well with paper towels. Place turkey in a large pan or even a plastic bag, then pack brown sugar mixture all over exterior of turkey, and place some in cavity as well. Cover and refrigerate 24 hours.

Cooking Instructions:

Step 2: Preheat oven to 450°F. Rinse brining mixture from turkey, inside and out, gently rubbing so it all comes off. Pat dry. Stuff parsley into cavity.

Step 3: Place turkey on rack in roasting pan, bend and tuck wings under the body and loosely tie drumsticks together. Rub all over with butter and tent loosely with foil. Roast 10 minutes, then reduce oven to 325°F and roast another 2-3/4 to 3-1/2 hours or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thighs (test both, do not touch the bone) reads 175°F. During the final hour of cooking, remove foil and sprinkle lightly with kosher salt.

Step 4: Remove turkey to a platter, tent loosely with foil and let rest at least 25 minutes before carving.

Step 5: To make gravy, carefully spoon most of fat out of drippings remaining in roasting pan, leaving behind about 4 tbsp, as well as all the browned bits. Place pan on stove over medium-high heat and stir flour into drippings until completely incorporated. Cook for 30 seconds then whisk in 2 cups turkey stock and wine (if using). Cook, whisking constantly, until thickened, scraping up and incorporating all browned bits from pan. Reduce heat to low and whisk in additional stock to reach desired consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Now I couldn't possibly leave you without showcasing a mouth watering turkey or a beautiful kitchen to cook it in. 

Photo by Michael Graydon

The floor is very cool!  Not everyone could live with a patterned floor but it sure does look good.  I love the old harvest table, double oven and huge stainless steel fridge.  It looks like  a chefs kitchen. 

I hope everyone's weekend is wonderful!  Relax and have fun.  I took Monday off work to relax and work on the blog.  See you next week.  xo

Check out the tip left in the comments by Lifebegins@thirty.  It's awesome!

Tasty Marinade

Morning folks!  I hope my fellow Canadians enjoyed yesterday.  Ryan and I spent a lovely day together.  We had a picnic in Belfountain, ate ice cream, toured the little town and conservation park and then had dinner with his parents.  I love when we get the same day off.  It's so rare which makes it all the more special.  :)

Today I'm off to Kingston.  Ryan is staying back here.  Before I leave I wanted to give you my mom's marinade recipe.  I'm sure it can be used on many most meats.  We also use it on peppers before we BBQ them.  It's simple and delicious!!  Try it out on pork tenderloin (our fav!).  I promise you will thank me.

2tbsp Soy Sauce
1tbsp Maple Syrup
1tbsp Rice Vinegar
2tsp Mild Curried Past (or any curried past since mine was not mild it worked fine)
2tsp Dark Sesame Oil

Soak the meat for as long as you want. We usually do a few hours and it's perfect!  Enjoy!!

I can't leave without providing a pretty picture (again!) so I thought I would share this outdoor living space.  Isn't it perfect!  I love the white arches, the armless chairs that look like I could sink into them, the palm trees galore and a fabulous striped outdoor rug to tie it together.  I could definitely have mojitos or two on this patio.

Southern Living

Friday Night Cocktail & Setting

TGIF!!  I have approximately 50 minutes left of being in the office before I can head home and relax.  I won't be relaxing very long since I still have some work to do but at least I'll be in the comforts of my home and Lulu Lemon pants.  :) 

For those of you who don't have plans.  Here's a little Friday night recipe to enjoy. 

Mojitos!!!
1.25 oz rum
12 mint leaves
1 tbsp sugar (or honey to save calories)
0.5 oz lime juice
2 oz soda (I've also heard that using 1oz soda and 1oz white wine is a great mix)
Place mint leaves in bottom of glass. Add crushed ice, Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum, sugar, and lime juice, and muddle. Add soda water and garnish with mint leaves.
 
Enjoy drinking it on the patio...

Coastal LIving

 
with your favourite songs playing in the background and your loved one(s) beside you. 
 
Have a great weekend!! xo

What's cookin?

I have great news.  We bought a house!!! :)  It's a semi-detached, 3 bedroom, 3 bathroom, gorgeous kitchen with top of the line appliances and an unfinished basement just waiting for my design touch.  We're very excited and slightly overwhelmed.  It's ours June 9th!!  YEAH!!!  I'm not sure if I want to share photos of it now or once we're in and I have decorated.  You tell me if you want to see photos now. 

One of my goals this year (other than to purchase a house... check!) is to cook two new recipe's a month.  I haven't kept count but I think I might be one short for February (like it's really hard to count to two!).  Any who, the point is I want to share each new recipe with you.  They are certainly not my own (well, most of the time) but they are delicious and healthy.  The first is Spicy Lentil Soup from Cook It Simply.  I suggest making a double batch in order to have enough to freeze for a future meals.  It serves four perfectly as a meal and six as an appetizer.  


6 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 carrots, chopped
2 sticks celery, chopped
1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon ground coriander
185 g (6 oz) red lentils, washed and picked over
1.2 litres (2 pints/5 cups) vegetable stock
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste


1. Heat oil in a saucepan over a medium heat; add cumin seeds. 
2. As soon as seeds begin to pop, add onion and cook until golden, stirring. 
3. Add garlic, carrots and celery and cook gently for 10 minutes, until soft. 
4. Stir in all the spices and cook for a further 1 minute before adding lentils.
5. Pour in stock and bay leaf and bring to the boil, then simmer for 1 hour, skimming surface
if necessary. 
6. Remove bay leaf and puree soup in a blender or food processor. 
7. Return to pan, season with salt and pepper and reheat. 
8. Serve garnished with fried onion rings and coriander leaves.


Bon Appetit!

I wouldn't mind enjoying my bowl of soup at this table.  This image is inspiring me for our new kitchen. 

Decorpad

An Italian Affair

We consume a lot of risotto, especially during the colder months!!  It's my all-time favourite comfort food.  Well, that and Shepard's pie.  I'll leave that recipe for another day.  
Many of my favourite recipes comes from the Italian beauty Giada De Laurentiis.  She's not only beautiful, has great taste in interior design (see her place below), she is a goddess in the kitchen!!  Every recipe of hers that I try turns out exactly like the picture and tastes better than I imagined.  


Try out her Champagne Risotto .  I promise you will eat it every last bite!

Ingredients

• 4 thin slices prosciutto
• 3 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 12 asparagus spears, cut diagonally into 1-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons butter, divided
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 3/4 cup Arborio rice or medium-grain white rice
• 3/4 cup Champagne
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Place the slices of prosciutto on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake until the prosciutto slices are almost completely crisp, about 6 to 8 minutes. The slices will crisp up even more as they cool. Reserve for garnish.

In a medium saucepan, bring the chicken stock to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer. Blanch the asparagus in the chicken stock for 2 minutes. Remove the asparagus with a slotted spoon. Set the asparagus aside and keep the chicken stock at a low simmer.

In another medium saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add the shallot and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the Arborio rice and stir to coat in the butter. Continue toasting the rice, stirring constantly, for about 3 minutes more. Add the Champagne and simmer until the liquid has almost evaporated, about 3 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of the simmering broth and stir until almost completely absorbed, about 2 minutes. Continue cooking the rice, adding the broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly and allowing each addition of broth to absorb before adding the next, until the rice is tender but still firm to the bite and the mixture is creamy, about 20 minutes total. Remove from the heat. Gently stir in the asparagus, remaining butter, Parmesan, salt, and pepper. Spoon the risotto into serving dishes and garnish by breaking the crisp prosciutto into smaller pieces over the top of the risotto. Serve immediately.

Giada's house is designed by Kevin Fitzsimons and Bonesteel Trout Hall.  Check it out. The house is a bit too modern for my taste.  I love a classic Victorian but that doesn't prevent me from appreciating the good design. The house was made from African teak, glass and stucco.   


The kitchen has 2 dishwashers and 4 ovens!!  Can you imagine?  I love the cookies and cream look of this kitchen.  Ryan would go nuts for all the counter space.  

The window in this bedroom looks fake.  Look at that view!!!  I would die a happy woman if I got to wake up with this view everyday.  

The patio is by far the best part of the house.  I really want her patio set.  Again, wouldn't mind the view as well.  :) 

All pictures via Architectural Digest  

Have a great day everyone!!  

Yummy!

I made the most delicious chocolate tart last weekend!!  Everyone loved it.  The best part, it was incredibly easy to make!  I purchased a frozen pastry tart shell because I didn't have time to make it from scratch prior to leaving for my in-laws.  According to the comments section of this website, everyone found the tart shell to be very easy.  You just need to give yourself time for it to cool before putting the filling in it and cooking again.  Once the filling cooked I let it sit on the counter (and then in the car) for about an hour and a half.  Then I put it in the  refrigerator   for 2 hours before serving.  

Below is the recipe by Tyler Florence from the Food Network.  I love all of his recipes.  He has a very easy way of cooking.  It's fun!  Check him out. 

Photo via Food Network

Ingredients

Tart Shell Pastry:

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

3 tablespoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold and cut into small chunks

1 large egg, separated

2 tablespoons ice water, plus more if needed

Filling:

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup milk

10 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

2 tablespoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs, at room temperature

Directions

To make the pastry: combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the butter and mix with a pastry blender or hands until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in the middle of the pastry. Combine the egg yolk with the ice water in a small bowl, whisking to blend; pour it into the well and work it in to bind the dough until it holds together without being too wet or sticky. Squeeze a small amount together, if it is crumbly, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Form the dough into a disk and wrap in plastic; refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface into a 12-inch circle, about 1/4-inch thick. Carefully roll the dough up onto the pin (this may take a little practice) and lay it inside a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Press the dough into the pan so it fits tightly; press the edges into the sides of the pan. It is important to press the dough evenly into every nook and corner of the ring, especially the scalloped edges. Shave off the excess hanging dough with a knife. Put the tart in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to relax.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the tart pan on a sturdy cookie sheet so it will be easy to move in and out of the oven. Line the tart with aluminum foil and add pie weights or dried beans to keep the sides of the tart from buckling. Bake for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and weights. Using a pastry brush, lightly coat the crust with a beaten egg white. Return to the oven and continue to bake for another 8 minutes until the tart is golden in color, but not brown. Remember the tart will be cooked again with the filling. It should be cooked but light in color so that it will not burn on the second bake. Set aside to cool and lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees F.

To make the filling: Heat the heavy cream and milk in a pot over medium-low flame, until it simmers slightly around the edges. Remove from the heat; add the chopped chocolate and stir until melted and smoothed out. Add the sugar and salt and whisk until well incorporated. Beat the eggs in a small bowl until blended and add them to the chocolate mixture, stir until completely blended. Pour the filling into the cooled tart shell and bake at 325 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes until the filling is set and the surface is glossy. If you see any bubbles or cracks forming on the surface, take the tart out right away - that means it is beginning to become over baked. Cool before cutting.

Recipe can be found on the Food Network .