Piccante Dolce

Restaurant Review: Lunch at Pizzeria Libretto Danforth

2012-01-26T22:29:00.000-05:00

marinara pizza

It's no secret I love pizza.

After mac & cheese it's high up there on the comfort food list for me.

My favorite type of pizza is true Neapolitan, with San Marzano tomatoes and fresh mozzarella, cooked in a blazing hot wood-fire oven, I mean is there anything better than that?

Here in Toronto we are lucky enough to have a few places that do amazing pizza. And lucky for me two of them are in the East End. One of our faves has been Queen Margherita Pizza. But just recently the Neapolitan Pizza that has kept West End bellies in a carb and cheese induced coma, Pizzeria Libretto, opened an East End location.

I had lunch with a friend today and convinced her that Libretto on the Danforth was where we should go. The boy and I went a few weeks ago and while we took advantage of their prix fixe lunch we added all kinds of things and had a couple beers, which completely negated the good deal, though it was quite delicious.

Today I decided to do the prix fixe as written on the menu, because $15 for a delicious lunch and three courses is hard to beat and I also wanted to see if I was as satisfied after this meal as I was after the one with the specialty pizza and the beers.

crostini

So here's the deal with the lunch prix fixe for $15 you get a choice of the crostini or salad, the margherita or marinara pizza and a scoop of gelato or biscotti. Not too shabby for lunch right?

First off, what's great about this is that the marinara pizza has no cheese, so it's perfect for vegans or folks who don't eat dairy, which included my lunch companion today. She chose not to do the prix fixe, but did get the marinara pizza and made short order of it which I can only assume means it was delicious.

But on to my journey with the prix fixe. I started with the crostini which was avocado mixed with buffalo ricotta topped with speck, arugula and tomato confit. Now I'll start with saying it was delicious, I inhaled it. I did. But I was a bit bummed because last time I was in the crostini option was roasted eggplant, tomatoes, olives and maybe capers topped with fresh white anchovies. It was insanity. It was so savory and delicious I literally dreamed about it. It was half the reason I wanted to go back. Sadly they didn't have it today. I guess it's not fair to sadly, since I completely enjoyed my crostini it was delicious and flavorful with the creamy ricotta avocado mixture, the smokey speck, peppery arugula and sweet tomato confit it was delicious. Having now tried two versions of their crostini, I feel comfortable saying you won't go wrong whatever the combination is.

pizza margherita

I ordered the Margherita pizza. It's a classic, one you can never go wrong with. My good friend Mama Shack always orders the Margherita her first time at a new pizza place, because she feels it's the best indication of what to expect front he rest of their pizzas. I have to say I don't usually ascribe to this (and didn't on my first trip to Libretto) but it makes sense.

Pretending I hadn't tried another pizza on another trip, if this pizza is the bar with which all of their other pizzas have to meet or exceed, I may move into Pizzeria Libretto. Little blacked bubbles on the crust, just melted mozzarella, with slightly charred basil leaves, sauce that tastes of the summers best tomatoes all on a soft perfectly cooked crust. It was heavenly. Topped with their house made chili oil elevated it into another stratosphere. I'm not a chili oil or hot pepper person on pizza, but this oil is more full of chili flavor that heat and I'm a bit in love with it. When you dine here, try your pizza straight and then try it with the chili oil, you will not be disappointed.

For dolci (dessert) I chose the biscotti because I knew they'd be good to share. They were perfectly crisp and not too sweet, quite honestly the perfect end to the meal. I half with I had asked if they had vin santo to dunk in to complete my trip back to Italy for some authentic food.

If it wasn't already clear, my $15 meal, $20 with tax and tip couldn't have been more satisfying and filling. I didn't feel lie I missed anything by not upgrading my pizza for $5 or having a pint of Moretti. I have to say this might be one of the best lunch deals in town. I'm sure there are cheaper lunch deals, but for the quantity and quality of food I challenge you to show me something better.

Pizzeria Libretto
550 Danforth Ave
Toronto
416-466-0400

Superbowl Bites: Oven Fries and A GIVEAWAY!!

2012-01-25T19:45:00.000-05:00

And we're back with the 2012 edition of Superbowl Bites and I'm not going to lie and couldn't be more excited about this Superbowl.

Why, you ask?

Why because my beloved NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS will be heading down to Indy to (hopefully) destroy the Giants. I promise I'll keep this and future Superbowl related posts free of trash talk, I'm not that kind of fan.

Did you know that the Superbowl is the second biggest food holiday, second only to Thanksgiving?!

Nutty, right?

I guess it makes sense because it is one of the only events (or holidays) I consistently post about, but I always assumed it was because I love football and the big game.

So for my first recipe out of the gate, I'm going with something super easy and delicious and guaranteed to be a crowd pleaser, Oven Fries.

These aren't a flashy bite, but who doesn't love a crispy potato? ANd if your like me and despise the mess that comes from actually frying fries, these are so for you. You hack up some potatoes toss them in oil and seasonings and throw 'em into the oven for an easy peasy batch of french fries.

They go amazingly with some spicy chipotle ketchup and I might just have another dip up my sleeve for them, so stay tuned for that.

Now enough with all this Superbowl talk, I do recognize that not everyone is an NFL fan. In light of that, I have a very special giveaway courtesy of the folks at San Pellegrino. You may have seen my post yesterday about the Almost Famous Chef Competition, well as part of my coverage I get to give one lucky winner a $150 gift certificate to Lee, one of my favorite restaurants in Toronto!

You have THREE opportunities to get entries into the contest and believe me you'll want all of them for this one.

1. Post a comment below saying what your favorite game time food is, if you don't like sports how about your favorite pub food. Since we so often go to the pub to watch games. Just post something to be eligible.

2. Like Piccante Dolce on Facebook and come back and post a comment to tell me you did.

3. Share the contest on Facebook and come back and post a comment to tell me you did.

Comments close on Monday January 30th at 9pm EST.

Come one you know you want to enter, Valentine's Day is coming and this would make an amazing gift for a loved one or just for yourself.

print recipe

Oven Fries

by Jen H January-25-2012

Super simple and healthy "fries" that are guaranteed to be a crowd pleaser.

Ingredients

2 large Yukon Gold Potatoes
avocado oil
1/2 tsp smoked spanish paprika
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 450F. Lightly coat a large baking sheet with avocado oil. 2. Wash the potatoes and cut into wedges, about 10-12 per potato. In a large bowl toss the wedges with some more avocado oil and the spices. 3. Spread the potato wedges in a single layer on the baking sheet and place in the heated oven. 4. Bake for 20 minutes, then pull the pan out and flip the potatoes. Bake for another 10-20 minutes, checking to see how golden brown and crispy they are. 5. Remove from the oven and let sit for a few minutes before digging in for the deliciousness!

Details

Prep time: 5 mins Cook time: 40 mins Total time: 45 mins Yield: 4 servings

An Interview with San Pellegrino Almost Famous Cheftestant Cole Nicholson

2012-01-24T22:22:00.003-05:00

Next week is the Canadian final in the San Pellegrino Almost Famous Chef Competition and I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to interview Cole Nicholson, one of the cheftestants (can you tell I'm a Top Chef fan? That's so my choice of title, not the competition) who currently attends George Brown University here in Toronto.

To be honest, with trying to get the new house set up and prepping to finish and screen a short film I produced, it was an email interview. Though after reading his answers to my questions, I wish we had spoken personally because I LOVE alot of his answers.

I chose my questions carefully to balance typical cheffie questions with some that would help us get to know Chef Nicholson. I'm so glad I did because it's nice to see we have some things in common, things that I may or may not have commented on in italics.

Oh and I have a special little note for my Toronto peeps at the bottom of this post, so you will want to read the whole thing.

1.What is your earliest food memory that influenced the way you think about cooking?

The high school that I went to was originally a trade’s high school when it was opened; it had professional auto shops, carpentry labs and a full production kitchen. Part of the curriculum when I first went to that high school was to take a trade class. You had a choice of Auto, Carpentry, Cosmetology and Cooking. I decided to take cooking because nothing else really interested me and I thought it would be a good life skill to have. I ended up taking it all through high school and I really learned a lot. In my grade eleven year the school got a new cooking teacher. He was completely different from any other teacher at the school, he was only 27 years old, and this was his first teaching job. He was fresh out of the industry and was up on modern cooking techniques and styles. He made me realise that cooking could be cool. He changed a standard cooking class into something so much more; we learned how to make fresh tomato sauce, veal jus, homemade pasta and ravioli, even butchery. That teacher made me realise all that cooking had to offer and gave me a good foundation to learn more, if it were not for him I would have chosen a completely different career.

How cool is that? I always wished my high school had cooking or even just home ec. I guess that's what you get going to a ritzy girls school.

2. Who or what is your inspiration in cooking?

My greatest inspiration in cooking is the ingredients that I cook with. The more you look around and research the better the product you can find. If you have ever tasted something at its peak you really don’t have to do much to it. When I was in Italy I tasted the greatest tomato I have ever tasted before. I don’t really like tomatoes, but this variety I could eat like it was a fruit. I realised that if you get a great product it is really just your job to keep that flavour and not screw it up. Most of the time the best way to prepare something is the traditional way. It requires the least amount of manipulation and the greatest tasting food.

I can't imagine not liking tomatoes, but I can understand how the freshest tomatoes in Italy would make anyone fall in or rediscover their love for tomatoes.

3. What chef do you look up to and why?

The chef that I look up to is Thomas Keller. I had the opportunity to meet him and hear him speak when he was in Toronto a few years ago. He completely changed my life. His whole approach to food and respect for ingredients and people is something to learn from. The French Laundry cookbook is like my bible, not for the recipes necessarily, but for the philosophy and wisdom. I had the opportunity to eat at his restaurant Per Se in New York City last year and it was a life changing experience eating there, I knew after that meal what I wanted to do with my life.

LOVE Thomas Keller from Ad Hoc at Home to Bouchon, to my desire to eat at Per Se or French Laundry I can so relate.

4. I love comfort food, what is your ideal comfort food?

My Ideal comfort food is anything that my mom makes for me. She doesn’t really cook a lot but when she does its always really tasty and satisfying.

5. What ingredient do you hate? love? why?

I don’t really have any ingredient that I hate, I’m not a picky eater and everything is fun to cook every once in a while. The ingredient that I love is potato, it’s a simple ingredient but there are thousands of ways to cook and manipulate it and it’s always satisfying eating a good potato dish.

6. I think dinner and a movie are the perfect date night, what is your favorite food scene in a movie?

My favourite food scene in a movie is the Christmas dinner scene in the movie National Lampoons Christmas Vacation. It’s a classic holiday movie and everyone I know gets a laugh just thinking about that scene when they cut into the dried out turkey.

Totally an amazing scene and one I never think of when thinking of food and film. Dried turkey and Jell-o mold with kitty litter, it doesn't get much funnier than that though.

7. If you could cook and eat a meal with anyone (chef or non chef) dead or alive, who would it be and what would you make?

If I could cook and eat a meal with anyone it would be Chef Thomas Keller. I would make whatever he wanted me to make for him, but if I had to choose it would be Agnolotti. I know that he really enjoys preparing the stuffed pasta, and I learned how to make them while I was working in Italy in the Piemonte region where they come from. I find pasta making very satisfying and relaxing and there are so many things that you can do with it.

Chef Keller, enough said.

8. Where is your favorite place to shop for ingredients in Toronto?

My favourite place to shop for ingredients in Toronto is the St. Lawrence market. It is on my way from George Brown to Union Station and I can stop in there and quickly get some good stuff to make dinner with.

Completely agree, especially the Saturday Farmer's Market.

All I know is I'm excited to see what Chef Nicholson is going to come up with next week. I know I'll be rooting for him.

**Stay tuned tomorrow for a fabulous giveaway from San Pellegrino!**

Meatless Monday feature!

2012-01-23T11:23:00.003-05:00

About a year ago I wrote and shared a recipe for a frittata that featured beefy mushrooms slow simmered in sherry and paired with deliciously tangy goat cheese.

Well today the fabulous folks over at Meatless Monday decided to feature my recipe as their breakfast recipe for the day!

Head on over there to check it out, I promise you won't regret it.

It's a great way to start your day, but also makes an uber delicious lunch or dinner.

Do you observe Meatless Monday or at least one day or meal a week without meat? I'd love to hear what your making in the comments below. Links are welcome!

Raspberry Blueberry Pie

2012-01-22T20:38:00.000-05:00

Over the past week we've had a decent amount of snow.

At least compared the complete lack of snow we've had so far this year. It has actually felt like winter. Which is kinda nuts considering we're more than halfway through January!

Because of the winter-like weather I've been all over comfort food, including an insane Bolognese that I made last night. We had our good friends the Shacks over for dinner, so I had to make a dessert too.

OK, well I didn't have to, I could have asked them to bring dessert, but to be honest I was looking for an excuse to bake and it's much easier to justify if we're having company.

Lucky for me I have a freezer full of frozen Ontario fruit, from my preserving craziness this past summer. It then occurred to me that on a cold wintery day, what could be nicer that a summery fruit pie? Such a contrast to the rich and hearty dinner we were having, that I had to do it.

Raspberries are my absolute favorite, but I also had a ton of wild blueberries and though they'd go perfectly together. So that's what I set out to do.

And boy is this pie delicious?! So delicious in fact that the Shack's son had TWO pieces! You must note that it is quite tart because of the number of raspberries, if you prefer a sweeter pie I'd add the full amount of sugar in the recipe.

If you're looking for something summery to break you're winter blues I'd say this pie is the way to go.

print recipe

Raspberry Blueberry Pie

by Jen H January-22-2012

A fresh and summery pie that is the perfect antidote to winter when you can get your hands on some nice frozen berries.

Ingredients

1 double all-butter crust
5 cups raspberries
3 cups wild blueberries
1 - 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp creme de cassis
5 Tbsps cornstarch
1 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsps cream
1-2 Tbsps turbinado sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375F. In a large bowl gently toss the berries with the sugar, cinnamon, cassis and cornstarch. Let sit while you roll out the crust.2. On a lightly floured surface roll out half of the crust and gently lay into pie plate. Carefully transfer the berries into the crust. Dot with butter.3. Carefully roll out the top crust and transfer to the top of the pie. Trim the excess crust so there is no more than an inch. Roll the excess up and pinch it together. 4. Cut vents in the top crust. Brush with cream and sprinkle with sugar. Place the pie on a cookie sheet and into the heated oven for 80 minutes. 5. When the crust is golden and the pie juices are bubbling, remove the pie from the oven. Place the pie plate on a cooling rack to cool for at least 2 hours, longer is better though.

Details

Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 1 hour 20 mins Total time: 1 hour 30 mins Yield: 1 pie

What I'm cooking this weekend

2012-01-21T17:10:00.000-05:00

Right now bubbling on my stove is a massive batch of Barbara Lynch's Butcher Shop Bolognese.

It smells so insanely delicious I wish I could send smells via the internet. Seriously, it's that good. It's meaty and rich smelling and I'd happily go for a swim in the pot right now if I'd fit.

I really need the bread I'm about to bake to be done so I can drench it in sauce.

I'm sure you can find the recipe online, but since I'm in love with her cookbook Stir and think everyone should own it, I'm not going to post it here in the hopes you'll go out and buy your own copy.

See that meaty goodness in the spoon on the cover? That's the bolognese. Yum!

I've even teased you with a couple of other of her recipes:

Fennel Cucumber and Green Bean Salad with Roasted Potatoes and Creamy Yogurt

Braised Chicken Thighs with Pommes Puree - so perfect on a cold winter day like today.

I promise it's so worth it. Oh and I'm not getting anything from encouraging you to buy the book. I just truly love it and think you will too.

The bolognese is for dinner tonight and I actually made a double batch so I can freeze some since the Boy is in love with meat sauce. I figure it will make for an easy dinner somewhere down the line.

I also have some pie crust chilling in the fridge for a Raspberry Blueberry Pie to be made with Ontario berries I froze this summer. Assuming all goes well I'll absolutely be sharing the recipe later this week.

Tomorrow I'm making Slow Cooker Chicken Pho because I've been craving it and the Boy asked for Pho. So the easiest solution is to make it, right?

What are you cooking this weekend?

All of my creations are full on comfort food, because we finally have snow and it actually feels like winter.

What I'm obsessed with part 2

2012-01-20T17:49:00.001-05:00

Welcome back for another installment of current obsessions.

Today we have a mix of stuff for the home and some delicious looking recipes.

The home stuff I just can't get away from as we are still unpacking and setting up our new house. Plus I consider where you eat and conceive delicious creations as important as what you make. It's all part of what makes the experience, right? At least that's what I'm going with.

Mac & Cheese with Roasted Jalapeno and Pancetta - Does this mac & cheese look divine or what? I think I make a pretty killer mac & cheese, but this one looks pretty unreal and I hope to make it very soon.

Four Cheese Grilled Pimento Cheese and Bacon - There may be a theme emerging here, one that includes cheese, perhaps? But just seeing this photo on Tasteologie and I was in love! I've long had an infatuation with Pimento Cheese and never actually made it. This sammie may be the kick in the butt I need to get on it.

Tomato Jam from Savvy Eats - So I met Julie of Savvy Eats last May at Camp Blogaway. We got talking about canning and preserving and she mentioned these preserves. Well I didn't grow Sungold's this summer of find them at my farmer's market, but I made this jam with rainbow cherry tomatoes and just today had some slathered on a grilled cheese. Wow, is all I have to say. I've also put it on an egg and cheese breakfast sandwich which is equally amazing. I'm currently hoarding the jars I have left so as not to run out before tomato season.

San Pellegrino Pompelmo - The San Pellegrino Almost Chef Toronto competition is coming up and as a gift their PR peeps sent over a case of various San Pellegrino flavors. There were the usual suspects of Aranciata, Limonata, Aranciata Rosso and a flavor I had never seen before, Pompelmo. Pompelmo is grapefruit. Grapefruit is probably my least favorite citrus, but I tried it anyway and am currently in love. It's not too sweet, but also only has the slightest hint of that grapefruit bitterness that I typically find a turn-off but works beautifully here. If you come across it in your store, buy a can and give it a try, I promise you won't be disappointed.

Jug Lights - I think someone shared these beauties on Facebook and I'm so wishing I hadn't already had a light fixture for over my dining table. It's such a cool lamp and one I will be keeping book marked for when we redo our kitchen.

Isn't this table divine? I may need to find a home for it. from West Elm

The color Yellow - In brainstorming color schemes for our home I've been kinda stuck on incorporating some yellow. It's just so warm and welcoming and works so well with all kinds of colors. The folks over at West Elm apparently agree as they've put together this awesome round up of all the yellow they have right now. Can I get one of everything please?!

Brownies - In case you missed yesterday's post 2012 is the year of the brownie and I'll be testing all kinds of delicious recipes. Please share your fave when you have a moment.

The Search for the Ultimate Brownie - Ad Hoc at Home Brownies

2012-01-19T16:18:00.000-05:00

I love brownies.

They are by far one of my most favorite baked goods. They surpass even pie in terms of my most crave-able sweet.

Brownies are this perfectly simple, homey treat that are oh so satisfying. They are reminiscent of bake sales and warm kitchens. There is just something magical about them.

Brownies were actually one of the very first thing I baked from scratch. Back when I was younger, maybe in junior high or high school, I had a hankering for brownies and my parents didn't have a mix in the pantry. So I pulled out my family's go to cookbook, Fanny Farmer, and turned to the brownie recipe. We luckily had all the ingredients I needed, even unsweetened chocolate. So I went about baking them. As I remember it, they were the most perfect brownies, so much better than any box mix I'd ever had.

In the past few years as I've expanded on my baking skills, I haven't baked brownies all that much. It's been all about cakes and pies and cookies. Over the last year I've slowly rediscovered my love of brownies and have decided to make 2012 the year of my quest for the perfect brownie.

So over the coming year I'll be testing all kinds of recipes, including by dearly remembered Fanny Farmer recipe, in my quest for perfection. I'll even tweak and try to come up with my own version if I need to.

When I was back in Boston over the holidays, I cooked out of my Dad's copy of Thomas Keller's Ad Hoc at Home, specifically I made the brownies. For my first brownie recipe out of the gate, this one was pretty amazing and as of right now is the one to top.

print recipe

Ad Hoc at Home Brownies

by adapted from Thomas Keller from Ad Hoc at Home January-19-2012

A rich and fudgy brownie, perfect to cure any chocolate craving.

Ingredients

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup unsweetened alkalized cocoa powder
1 tsp kosher salt
3/4 lb or 3 sticks unsalted butter, cut into 1 tbsp chunks
3 large eggs
1 3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla paste or extract
6 oz 61-64% chocolate, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
powdered sugar for dusting

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 9″ square pan. Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt.2. In a large bowl, place half the amount of cubed butter. In a saucepan, melt the remaining half of the butter over medium heat, stirring. Pour the melted butter over the cubed butter, and stir to combine. The butter should look creamy, with bits of unmelted butter still present.3. In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs and sugar on medium speed for three minutes, until light and doubled in volume. Add the vanilla. On low speed, alternate adding the flour and the butter in several additions. Stir in the chopped chocolate.4. Pour the batter into pan, and bake for 40-45 minutes. Cool and dust with powdered sugar before serving.

Details

Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 45 mins Total time: 55 mins Yield: 12 brownies

To help me in my search for the ultimate brownie, please post or email your go to recipes and I'll give them a try. At some point I hope to have it narrowed down to my top 2 or 3 and I will look to you folks to help me crown the winner!

Here's to a chocolatey 2012!

Tortilla Soup

2012-01-18T22:04:00.004-05:00

Cooking the new house has been great and also a bit of an adventure.

Great because I'm really enjoying all of the new to me that is the kitchen.

An adventure because just when I think I've unpacked and put away all of my tools and pantry items, I reach for something that is so not there. Like with the cornstarch I swore I had last night until I reached for it and remembered running out of it before we moved AND decided to wait until we moved to buy more. Too bad I didn't remember that until I absolutely needed it.

Yeah, that was fun.

Or not.

On top of that, we've been so busy getting the house together that it hasn't left much time to think about, much less spend time shopping for or prepping a meal.

That's where this soup comes in. It comes together so easily (you can even use leftover chicken), is so packed with flavor and is just the right amount of spicy that it warms you through on a cold winter day, so perfectly.

print recipe

Tortilla Soup

by Jen H January-18-2012

A fresh and comforting tomato-based soup that's perfect on a cold winter day.

Ingredients

1 small onion - chopped
1 large clove garlic
1-2 jalapeno(s) - minced
1-2 Tbsps extra virgin olive oil
4 cups chicken or turkey stock
1 liter or 1 large can whole roma tomatoes - chopped
2 limes - juiced
1 1/2 cups shredded chicken
3 soft corn tortillas
canola oil for frying
cilantro (for garnish)
avocado (for garnish)

Instructions

1. In an 8 quart saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add in the chopped onion and minced jalapeno and cook until soft and fragrant, approx 5 minutes. 2. Add in the minced garlic and cook for another 2 minutes, being careful not to let the garlic brown. Add the stock, chopped tomatoes and lime juice. Cook until simmering, then add in the shredded chicken and let simmer until the chicken is heated. 3. In another sauce pan, heat 1-2 inches of canola oil over medium heat to approx 375F. While the oil heats, cut the tortillas into strips. Drop the strips in the heat oil and fry for 2-3 minutes until crispy. Remove from oil with a slotted spoon and reserve on a paper towel lined plate.4. Serve the soup in a deep bowl and garnish with crispy tortilla strips, chunks of avocado and cilantro.

Details

Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 25 mins Total time: 35 mins Yield: serves 4-6

Now that I don't have to worry about not repeating recipes this year, I think I may have to make this one again. The leftovers are perfect for lunches too!

What do you make when you're short on time but want a fresh and delicious dinner?

Restaurant Review: Neptune

2012-01-17T23:15:00.000-05:00

When we were back in Boston over the holidays we had a couple of dinners out with old friends of mine. I typically have a running list of places new and old in Boston to hit on our annual trip, so when dinner plans come up I have a list of places to pick from for suggestions. Neptune was high on the list this year. Mainly because we love seafood and there are few places I'd rather eat seafood that in New England.

When we arrived at the tiny storefront in Boston's North End, I was pleasantly surprised that there didn't seem to be the telltale line in front that so many of the Italian restaurants in the neighborhood so often have. We went inside and saw a couple of openings at the bar, and I thought we'd luck out and get seat before my friend showed up. It was then that the hostess came over and took our name and said it would be a 90 minute wait! On a Wednesday night no less!

Luckily it was early and we weren't too hungry so we gave our name and number and wandered to a bar across the street for a couple of beers. While I'm not often one who likes a long wait, I appreciate the places that take your number so you can go explore the neighborhood or find a local watering hole for a beverage and maybe a nibble while you wait.

After just a beer and a half, about 45 minutes, my phone rang with word that our table was ready. We paid our tab and crossed the street, eager to get a taste of some deliciously fresh shellfish.

Upon sitting down I promptly ordered a glass of Albarino, yes it was a cold December night, but I love a good white wine with oysters. My girl, CS followed suit and we both couldn't have been more pleased with the selection. The Boy went with his go to, a beer. But you can't hate a beer with oysters, at least I can't since it's up there as one of my faves.

To order oysters you are given a checklist, much like at many sushi bars, where you tick off the varieties of oysters you'd like to try.

We picked out the following:

Wellfleet (Wellfleet, MA) - medium, very high salt, sweet butter finish
Katama Bay (Martha's Vineyard, MA) - medium, high salt, buttered popcorn finish
Onset (Onset, MA) - medium, high salt, plump, seaweed finish
East Beach Bonde (Charlestown, RI) - medium, medium salt, mineral finish
Kumamoto (Willapa Bay, WA) - small, sweet, plump, creamy, hints of honeydew melon

We chose these varieties for the most part because they were all from the local area, with the obvious exception of the Kumamotos which are a favorite that we order wherever we go. What was pretty amazing about these oysters and this restaurant was how spot on the descriptions were. The Katama Bay stood out to us based on the note of a buttered popcorn finish and it completely delivered and was a really surprising flavor that absolutely worked.

There is something to be said about eating oysters so close to their source, that burst of briney goodness that tastes even more like the ocean, and just that much fresher. It's hard to quantify, but the oysters we get when we're back in Boston just have something special to them for me. No matter the time of year eating them reminds me of summer days on the beach.

Unbeknownst to me, the boy also ordered a couple of stone crab claws to try. I had never had stone crab and, if I'm honest, am not the biggest fan of crab. It feels like alot of work for not enough reward. I will say that the sweetness of these claws was unlike any other crab I've had and I may be willing to put the effort in again.

After some more Alberino for CS and I and another beer for the Boy, our mains arrived. CS and I both went with the lobster roll, but rather than a traditional Maine-style lobster salad roll, we both opted to try the Connecticut-style with hot butter. Oh boy, was it heavenly! The sweet, tender, warm lobster drenched in butter on a fresh grilled rolled, it was everything that's amazing about lobster but made even better with the added carbs of the delicious roll. I may be a convert to this style of lobster roll moving forward, though I think it will take alot more testing at home this summer when these crustaceans are in season.

The Boy went on a recommendation from our server and got the North End Cioppino. If you;re not familiar, cioppino is a fish stew native to San Francisco and Italian inspired. The Italian flavor made it apropos to have on a menu in the North End, Boston's answer to Little Italy, and the fact that the Boy ordered it made me feel better for only bringing him to the neighborhood for seafood and not the delicious Italian fare it's known for.

This type of dish is not a typical choice for the Boy, so I was interested to hear his thoughts on it. I know it was a win when he didn't say much of anything and just slurped the broth and ate the huge pieces of fish. When he came up for air, I asked him to put together a perfect bite and completely understood his silence and why our server said she ate it 3 times a week. The broth was rich, flavorful, with the slightest bit of heat and just so warming. The fish was perfectly cooked. It was delicious and a strong competition for my lobster roll on our return visit to Neptune.

All in all it was an amazing meal and even though our wait was shorter that anticipated, it would have absolutely been worth the full wait time, especially since we were catching up with a good friend.

Neptune Oyster
63 Salem Street
Boston
617-742-3474

Leftover Meatballs, make delicious pizza!

2012-01-16T22:14:00.002-05:00

Part 2 of our first supper was this amazing Meatball Pizza.

About a week before our move I made these delicious Meatball Subs. Well I made my own version of them, with my go to meatball recipe. Regardless of that I had a bunch of meatballs and sauce leftover. We did spaghetti and meatballs one night, and then they sat in the fridge until the move, just getting more and more delicious with each passing day.

When we set about doing pizza the other night I knew I had to make a pizza version of this sub, first because it sounds delicious and second because I had the ingredients, obviously.

From the leftover sauce that isn't a pizza sauce, but a proper tomato sauce made with good tomatoes to the homemade meatballs and the sweetness of the onions, it's worth just making all of the ingredients for this pizza. I think I will be doing that sometime soon!

Let's just say I got huge brownie points with the Boy for this one.

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Meatball Pizza

by Jen H January-16-2012

Ingredients

1/2 lb ball pizza dough
1/2 - 1 cup leftover tomato sauce
1- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella
3-4, depending on size, mine were just larger than golf balls leftover meatballs, depending on size, mine were just lar
1/4 cup caramelized onions, you can make enough from 1 small onion
1 Tbsp basil oil
seal salt & fresh cracked black pepper
1/2-3/4 cup leftover tomato sauce

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 450F. On a lightly floured surface, roll out your ball of dough until it is very thin and fits onto a lightly oiled cookie sheet or pizza pan. If the dough keeps springing back, let it rest for a couple minutes before you go at it again. Place the dough on the pan.2. Spread the sauce in an even layer all over the dough. Top with mozzarella. Slice the meatballs into discs and layer onto the cheese. Scatter the caramelized onions around the meatball pieces. 3. Drizzle with basil oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place into the oven and bake for 15 minutes or until the cheese is golden and bubbly and the bottom of the crust is nicely browned.4. Remove the pizza from the oven and transfer to a cutting board to cool for 5 minutes before cutting and serving.

Details

Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 15 mins Total time: 25 mins Yield: 1 pizza

Our First Supper, Pizza Bianca

2012-01-15T22:42:00.001-05:00

It seems fitting that our last supper in our old place was the same as our first meal in our new place.

Here's the difference and why it's pretty perfect.

Our last supper in a house neither of us loved, but we did our best to make home, was take-out. It was fine, but so not special and something I quickly ordered because the Boy had been in meetings all day and hadn't eaten AND we still had a ridiculous amount of packing to do.

The only similarity between our last supper and our first supper were that both were pizza.

As we drove home from picking up the pups from the dog walkers, we thought about our options. And while our new neighborhood is great for many reasons, having good restaurant options that aren't fast food or a pub is not one of them. Having eaten take-out almost every night for the past week it was honestly the last thing I wanted, even though I wasn't exactly keen on cooking, especially in a kitchen that hadn't even been fully unpacked and set-up yet.

So I thought for a minute about I could possibly cook without needing to open a box and pizza was the first thing that popped into my head. Now I would typically never use pre-made dough, but is was 6pm and we were hungry, so with a quick stop at our local grocery store for a few key ingredients (dough and shredded mozzarella since I didn't know where the grater was yet) we headed home for a quick and easy pizza dinner.

I made two pizzas, the first being a white pizza. We had a ton of cheese that moved from the old place to the new place and in an effort to use some of it up, I figured why not make a tasty white pizza. In my mind this was to be a Quattro Formaggi pizza, but as I made it it ended up with five and Cinque Formaggi just doesn't have the same ring. So I present, drumroll please, Pizza Bianca.

You should note that my intention was to use fresh basil instead of the oil, but they were out at our local store. So when I saw the basil infused oil I figured it could work, lucky for me it was delicious, but in lieu of the oil you could and should use fresh basil leaves.

All in all it was the perfect meal for our first night in the new home.

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Pizza Bianca

by Jen H January-15-2012

A simple and delicious pizza that can be made with any number of cheeses you may find in your cheese drawer.

Ingredients

1/2 lb ball pizza dough
1 Tbsps garlic oil
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1/4 cup crumbled goat milk cheddar
2 slices provolone - diced
2 Tbsps grated parmigianno reggiano
2 Tbsps mascarpone
1 Tbsp basil oil
sea salt & fresh cracked black pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 450F. On a lightly floured surface, roll out your ball of dough until it is very thin and fits onto a lightly oiled cookie sheet or pizza pan. If the dough keeps springing back, let it rest for a couple minutes before you go at it again. Place the dough on the pan. 2. Brush the garlic oil onto the dough. Top with an even layer of mozzarella cheese and the rest of the cheeses. Finishing by scattering small dollops of mascarpone evenly over the pizza. 3. Drizzle with basil oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place into the oven and bake for 15 minutes or until the cheese is golden and bubbly and the bottom of the crust is nicely browned.4. Remove the pizza from the oven and transfer to a cutting board to cool for 5 minutes before cutting and serving.

Details

Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 15 mins Total time: 30 mins Yield: 1 pizza

Enjoy!

Our new home

2012-01-14T20:19:00.000-05:00

This is on closing day before the ice and snow we got yesterday.

Since today is the big move day and you've already seen my new kitchen, I thought it only fair that I share some photos of the rest of the house. I was here early this morning and thought I'd snap a few pictures of it fresh without any furniture. As we slowly get new stuff and the rooms come together I'll share some more photos, but here you go...

This is just inside the front door. I'm actually sitting on our couch in this room, under my HBC blanket as I write this post.

This room is just around the corner from the living room and is our dining room. We don't have my ideal grand table yet, but it works and I can't wait to host many a dinner party here.

Just up a short 8 stairs is the Master Bedroom. It doesn't look that big in this photo, but our furniture fits (luckily) and I think we'll be happy here. I chose a blue grey for the walls here, I thought it would be soothing and make for a comfy place to rest our heads.

We were really lucky that the previous owners offered us 2 desks, which are perfect for our office, right next tot the Master. That frame there is for a daybed they also left us which will soon be together a super cozy couch area in the office which will also double as a guest room. I painted this room a great lemon-lime to match some curtains I bought and am in love with. This is currently my favorite room and it's not even together yet!

From the main floor down 4 steps is this huge room which right now houses all of the boxes we need to unpack and will be home to the Boy's air hockey table. Once we have enough furniture and we have the fireplace working it will be a cozy place to sit on a cold night.

There are also 2 guest rooms and 2 bathrooms, but these are the main rooms we'll be living in for now, of course including the kitchen. You may be surprised to hear that I even made dinner tonight. We've eaten far too much take-out this past week and I felt like it was time to take my oven for a test spin, but more on that tomorrow.

The Last Supper...

2012-01-13T23:46:00.001-05:00

...in our old house that is.

Now is that a food photo or what? I spent hours setting up this photo.

Not to mention the hours spent putting together this well-balanced gourmet meal.

Super Hawaiian Pizza and a Nonna's Special from Pizza Nova. Is the Boy a lucky guy or what?

More from the new house tomorrow!

What I'm obsessed with...

2012-01-12T22:10:00.002-05:00

So here's the thing with packing up your whole life for a big move, there isn't alot of cooking. So as far as recipes I can't say I have any to share with you. In fact we got Indian food delivered tonight and I have to say, I can't speak for the authenticity of our meal, but it was exactly what my painting exhausted body want tonight.

So in the absence of energy for cooking or writing a restaurant review, I thought I share some things I'm obsessed for right now, that aren't packing new house or home decor related.

Smashed Raspberry Chocolate Chunk Pancakes - I obsessed about pretty much everything Joy the Baker makes and cannot wait for her cookbook, but these look ridiculous and exactly what I want to make for my first real breakfast in the new house.

Enoteca Ascari - I've been wanting to check this place out since before the holidays and LOVE that it got a rave review from the fabulous Mama Shack and fam. The boy and I will absolutely be tagging along and their next excursion there.

Homemade Twinkies - I love the first January posts from of Coconut and Lime because I the trip she takes back in time every New Years Eve. A decade themed movie marathon, complete with the food of the decade? How can you go wrong? These twinkies look like everything you want the packaged ones to be but they so aren't. I may have to get the pan to make these....even though upon packing up my bake wear I learned that I have 38 pans!

An Everlasting Meal - My dad gave me this book for Christmas and I can't wait to dig into and start reading. It is everything from a memoir, to a book that teaches you too cook to even teaching how to fix those things that seems destined for the trash, like burnt veggies.

Maple & Citrus Cured Salmon - I pretty much obsessed with all things Well Preserved, in fact they are one of the reasons I decided to try and post every day for a year. But beyond that they are a wealth of helpful info and delicious recipes. Not the least this one, which I absolutely want to get after making. I love gravlax and having been meaning to make it forever this recipe makes me think that 2012 will be my year of curing. Let's see if I can do it.

Ad Hoc at Home Brownies - I gave my dad this book a couple years ago. I have no idea if he's ever cooked from it, but I did over the break. The chicken pot pie and brownies. They were both amazing. The brownies were so transcendent (yes, I used the word transcendent) that I think I've dreamt about them. I'm buying this book and making them probably once a month. Right now they are winning for my ultimate brownie. If you have a recipe that can compete please share it in the comments.

What are you obsessed with these days?

My new kitchen

2012-01-11T21:31:00.001-05:00

Or more accurately, my new to me kitchen.

Here it is, far from my dream kitchen. But, even without ever having cooked in it, I'm sure a vast improvement over my old kitchen.

I spent the day over at our new home painting and quite honestly all I want right now is a glass of red wine and to watch my favorite Wednesday night comedies. So I thought I'd share with you all some pics of where all recipes moving forward will originate.

My favorite this about the new kitchen is all of the natural light. Next would be appliances that weren't bought in 1980, that barely work, which is what I have now. I'm all for retro and vintage, but 1980 appliances, at least the ones we had, don't have that cool factor.

We will eventually do a kitchen remodel to increase the counter and cabinet space, but right now this so works and I can't wait to get cooking in it.

Are you lucky enough to have your dream kitchen? What would you change about your kitchen if money wasn't an object?

Restaurant Review: Five Guys

2012-01-10T23:06:00.001-05:00

It's closing day!!

That's right, today we close on our new home. As I sit here writing it's really hard to focus on anything other than getting into the house and all of the things we need to do before the movers come on Saturday!

That being said I committed to posting everyday and I'm going to do it.

In the craziness of packing and getting ready to move, we've been eating out alot. Either because we are out running errands and decide we're hungry or I haven't planned a meal and it's easier to go out or order in. We went to Five Guys this past Saturday since our local store is right cross the parking from Lowes, where we had been picking up a brand new, energy efficient Frigidaire chest freezer, which will be amazingly helpful when it comes to preserving.

But you're here for the burgers, right?

Five Guys is relatively new to Canada. I think the last year or so. It's something I have heard friends back in the states rave about for the last few years, but the Boy and I never made it there.

This was my second visit, which in and of itself should be promising in that it was good enough on the first go for a return visit.

If you haven't been to Five Guys, here's the deal. Their burgers are all doubles and you can get a straight burger without cheese, one with cheese or go whole hog with bacon & cheese. Pretty simple right? Here's where it gets nuts, they have a slew of toppings to choose from. And get this, they are all FREE! I LOVE toppings on burgers so this is perfect for me.

No be aware these aren't foo foo fancy toppings. They are classic All-American burger toppings. Exactly what the App-American (Canadian Resident) likes.

I went with the cheeseburger topped with lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle, mayo, ketchup and mustard. The Boy got a bacon cheeseburger with grilled onions, ketchup and mustard and a regular fry.

We sat down with our drinks and the Boy got himself some peanuts to nosh on until our burgers were ready. That's another thing to note about Five Guys, they have peanuts and they fry their fries in peanut oil. Not ideal if you're allergic, but since neither of us are it works and in my opinion makes a damn good fry.

Shortly after our order number was called and as the Boy went up to retrieve our paper bag of burgery goodness I noticed that at no point since we had been there had the line been shorter that four people. And this wasn't because they were slow, on the contrary they've got their service down very well. People just kept coming in to get their Five Guys fix.

meaty, cheesy deliciousness

Down plopped the brown paper bag and I pulled out my burger, labeled 1 since I ordered first, so there was no confusion and handed the Boy his 2. I pulled back the foil to see a mountain of meat and cheese and dug right in.

Here's the thing about a Five Guys burger, it's super juicy with a bun that's a damn good vehicle without overpowering the burger. It's the kind of burger you best not put down unless you're finished and need two hands until you are about halfway through. It's my kind of burger. The best burgers and sandwiches, in my opinion, are messy and require a commitment to eat. That's what a Five Guys Burger is.

sadly i had to put mine down because I just had no more room

I ate a couple of the Boys fries as he devoured his burger, but honestly on this day for me it was all about the burger. It was the perfect way to fill my belly before heading home to finish packing. I won't lie it will be hard not to grab a burg when I'm sure to be spending a ton of time at Lowe's drooling over the new appliances and countertops I'd love for my new kitchen.

Enjoy!

What I'm eating for Breakfast

2012-01-09T22:00:00.000-05:00

Do you ever make something on the fly for yourself and like it so much you eat it almost every day?

I'm kinda funny that way, because I generally can't eat the same thing everyday. Back when I had a proper office job, I had a good friend who would cook on Sunday and eat the same thing for lunch almost everyday that week. I always marveled at that. I think it's because I couldn't commit to eat the same thing everyday. The funny thing is that I've been doing it for the past week.

Sometime in the last year I discovered the joy of breakfast tacos. My understanding from watching Man vs Food and Diners, Drive-ins and Dives is that breakfast tacos can and often heaped with all kinds of delicious toppings. While delicious, that's so not what these are. These are super simple and so yummy that I have eaten then for breakfast for the last 5 days. The only reason I won't eat them tomorrow is because I ran out of corn tortillas and with the impending move I am trying not to grocery shop.

These literally take no more than 6 minutes to make and you will only dirty 1 plate, 1 knife, 1 spatula and 1 fry pan. Meaning a relatively easy clean-up especially when you account for the supreme deliciousness. Once we're settled in the new place, I will absolutely play around with different combinations, but for my easy go to, these a perfection.

What have you been eating for breakfast lately?

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Easy Breakfast Tacos

by Jen H January-9-2012

Ingredients

3 soft corn tortillas
3 slices from a block of cheddar cheese
1 Tbsp butter
2 eggs
sriracha sauce
salt & pepper

Instructions

1. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add in the corn tortillas and cook on each side until soft, about 30 seconds. Remove the tortillas to your plate and keep the skillet on the heat.2. Lay 1 piece of cheese down the center of each tortilla. Add the butter to the skillet. When it's melted crack the eggs directly into the pan. 3. Break the egg yolks with your spatula and gently scramble them in the pan. Constantly turning until cooked through, about 3 minutes. Add salt & pepper to taste4. Evenly divide the eggs between your three tortillas, on top of the cheese. Top each taco with sriracha sauce and enjoy.

Details

Prep time: 1 mins Cook time: 5 mins Total time: 6 mins Yield: 3 tacos

Quick and Easy Apple Tart

2012-01-08T18:21:00.000-05:00

It's so hard to grocery shop when you are preparing to move. You don't want to fill up the fridge to have to move it, but you really don't want to be stuck with a full fridge to either throw out or have to move.

Oh yeah, we're moving. I don't think I officially shared that info yet.

We actually made a grown-up step and purchased our very first home. Super exciting but also pretty scary too.

We are currently living amidst a half-packed or let's be honest a quarter-packed house and trying to decide on paint colors, because we close on Tuesday and move on Saturday! Insanity.

So how does this all fit in with an apple tart? Well I love apples and when I see nice apples at the store it takes alot for me to not buy them, regardless of what's going on it life. I often go overboard and end up whipping up a last minute apple butter or applesauce. Well I bought a bunch of Northern Spys when I was at the store and there they sat in my fruit bowl for almost a week.

That is until I remembered a tasty and simple recipe for an apple tart that I saw in Stir, a book I've mentioned more than once here.

The inspiring recipe is super simple, but I made it even easier by using my homemade, canned apple butter. If you don't have some chilling out in your cabinet, you can usually find it in the grocery store. Or buy Stir and make the original.

Regardless of how you do it, this tart is the perfect answer when you have a couple of apples you need to use and you have a hankering for something sweet.

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Quick & Easy Apple Tart

by January-8-2012

adapted from Stir by Barbara Lynch

Ingredients

1 sheet puff pastry
1 cup apple butter
2-3 Northern Spy apples
2 Tbps granulated sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon

Instructions

1. Pre-heat the oven to 375F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment. and place a pre-rolled sheet of puff pastry on the parchment. Or if necessary roll a piece of puff pastry until it's approx 1/8" thick and a 10" square.2. Place another sheet of parchment on top of the puff pastry and top it with a another cookie sheet, to weigh down the pastry. Place in the heated oven and bake until just golden, approx 15 mins. 3. Remove the cooked pastry from the sheet and transfer to a cooling rack to cool. Lower the oven heat to 325F.4. Peel and core the apples and cut into quarters. Thinly slice either with a mandoline or a very sharp knife. Gently toss the apple pieces in the sugar & cinnamon.5. Once the pastry is cooled transfer back to the parchment lined cookie sheet. Carefully spread the apple butter in an even layer. Then evenly spread the apple slices all over. 6. Place the tart in the oven for 10 minutes to heat it thru. Watch the crust to make sure it doesn't brown too much. Turn on the broiler for just a couple minutes if you'd like the apples more caramelized. Cut into squares and serve.

Details

Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 25 mins Total time: 35 mins Yield: 1 10" tart

My favorite Recipes of 2011

2012-01-07T23:30:00.000-05:00

Now for some of my favorite recipes from 2011. These were tough to pick, basically because I don't share anything here that I don't really like. But as I wrote yesterday's post, I began to realize that my favorite weren't necessarily in line with the posts that got the most traffic.

I started this post wanting it to be a Top 5, like yesterday, but it turned into a Top 6 because I had a tie for my last pick, you'll see why I couldn't pick between them when you get there.

So without further ado, my all-time (for 2011) favorite recipes!

1. Black & Blue Berry Jam - It's no secret that I'm a pretty obsessive preserver. This jam is by far my favorite from last summer. I inhaled one jar all on my own and am hoarding the other jars in the basement. It's fresh and delicious with just the right amount of lemon. It was entirely inspired by the beautiful fruit at the farmers market and I don't know what else to say except you have to try making it this summer. I promise you won't regret it.

2. Grandma's Rouladen Remix - This was a new take on an old recipe of my grandmother's that I shared a couple years ago. I knew I had to make it again with my own spin and couldn't have been happier with the result. It's the perfect Sunday night dinner and one I look forward to making this winter, if it ever gets cold enough!

3. Burgers & Buns on the Grill - The bun recipe in this post is courtesy of Zoe Francois, but this was probably my favorite burger of the summer which is why it made this list. The freshly baked buns, that I was able to make without turning on the oven on a hot summer day, paired with fresh tomatoes and juicy burger was the ideal summer meal and one I still think about sometimes.

4. Pickled Red Onions & Fish Tacos - Let me be clear on one thing, the onions are great, but the real winner here are the fish tacos, which I posted on NoREEATS. Not only is this recipe a winner, but it was the very first time that someone asked me to come up with a recipe for them. On my Facebook page, I asked for any requests and a former roommate was quick to respond with a request for fish tacos similar to what she ate in when she was in Mexico. I've never been to Mexico, but I've had some amazing fish tacos, so I did some research and combined with what I like put this together. Yum!

5. Watermelon Rosemary Lemonade AND Ramp & Arugula Pesto - And here we are at the tie. Both of these recipes are tasty, it goes without saying, but that's not the sole reason they made this list. They are also two recipes that were chosen to be published in two different cookbooks. The lemonade, a boozy version with gin, was voted on to be published in the second Food52 cookbook. This is awesome because it was voted on by Food52 readers, which I consider to be my peers. The pesto will be published in "Ramps: Cooking with the Spring Tonic of the Woods," I'm not sure how widely it will be released, but I'm pumped that an ingredient I'm passionate about and love foraging for in the Spring is getting a cookbook and that I was asked to be a part of it.

And that's that. Now I need to get cooking to share some even tastier treats for 2012. Luckily I'll be in our brand new house with my new-to-me kitchen and I'm looking forward to getting tons of inspiration in my new space.

Crab Cakes - It's what's for lunch

2012-01-05T13:05:00.001-05:00

Happy New Year!

It's been awhile, huh? Almost 5 months to be exactly. I kept up cooking a posting a bit longer over at No ReEATS, but not much I'm sad to say.

Working for three people on a movie completely consumed the bulk of my time this past fall. The craziness of the job, a few quick weekend visits back to Boston, and buying our first house kinda put a damper on my desire to cook and even made me too tired to seek out new restaurants.

Sad, right?

Well after a relaxing trip back to Boston over the holidays and some phenomenal meals courtesy of my parents, dinners out and even a meal cooked by yours truly, the first in quite sometime, my love of food is renewed. So as a result I've decided to make a commitment to myself and my readers in 2012.

What is that commitment you ask?

Here goes, in writing, with the hopes it will keep me honest. I am committing to posting everyday for the rest of 2012. Yep that's right 361 days. My hands are shaking a bit as I type it, but I'm confident I can do it and that I'll be a better blogger, writer, photographer and foodie for doing it. Now each post won't specifically contain a recipe, but each post will be food related. Whether it's sharing an article I read and found to be compelling or an amazing meal or a great market. There will be delicious little tidbits each and every day.

So what do I have for you today?

The delicious crab cakes and remoulade pictured above are what I had for lunch today. I can't take the credit for the cakes, as I bought them from my favorite fish shop here in Toronto, Hooked. They are Toronto's first and only completely sustainable fish monger. Not only is their fish amazing, but they have a kitchen where they concoct things like fish cakes, chowder, lobster rolls and these beauties. If you are in Toronto I have to insist you stop in and check it out.

What goes better with a crab cake than remoulade, at least in my opinion. So I did a quick search for an easy remoulade that I could easily pull of with pantry ingredients. Elise from Simply Recipes provided just that with this super simple remoulade recipe.

Paired with a salad made with mache mix, a delicious hard goat cheese and dried cranberries, I just had a delicious and satisfying lunch. A lunch that made me so happy to have this break from my day job so I could make and enjoy it and share it with you.

What did you have for lunch today? What resolutions or commitments have you made for 2012?

Grilled Corn Salad

2011-08-23T14:24:00.001-04:00

Sweet corn will forever remind me of my childhood.

It has been a favorite summer treat for as long as I can remember. We didn't have alot of farm stands or markets when I was growing up outside of Boston. But one thing you always saw were makeshift stands in the middle of the summer selling fresh sweet corn on the cob. We'd eat these delicious and sugary kernels almost every day.

That meant husking enough cobs for a family of 6 every day. A task that very often fell to me or one of the other kids. Sitting out back in a still wet bathing suit, with a brown paper bag, stripping the husks and trying to get all of the silky threads off of each cob. It's a task that I hate and love today. Hate because it's just a pain and a big ole mess, love because it reminds me of those steamy summer days.

On our way back from the cottage this weekend we stopped at one of our favorite farm stands and picked up a slew of fresh corn. Most of it was blanched, cut from the cob and put in our freezer for the winter but I kept a few cobs for dinner this week. Boy am I glad I did.

By combining fresh corn, tomatoes & jalapeno from my garden and some black beans from the pantry I put together this delicious corn salad that went great with tacos and is perfect for your end of summer BBQs, when you not only want to take advantage of fresh produce but also want something that keeps well.

Even removed from the cob and in a salad, those sweet kernels still bring me right back to summers as a kid.

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Grilled Corn Salad

by Jen August-23-2011

Ingredients

2 ears corn - husked
1 cup black beans - drained & rinsed
24 cherry tomatoes - halved
12 yellow pear tomatoes - quartered
1 jalapeno - minced
1/2 lemon - juiced
2 Tbsps cider vinegar
good olive oil
sea salt & fresh cracked pepper

Instructions

1. Heat the grill over medium heat. Lightly oil the grates and place the husked corn on the grill. Grill about 5-7 minutes per side until the whole cob is covered with golden brown and black kernels. Remove from heat and let cool to touch.2. Cut the cobs in half width wise, so you have a flat edge to place on the cutting board. Carefully, working towards the cutting board, remove the kernels from the cob with a knife. Place into a medium bowl.3. Add the beans, tomatoes and jalapeno to the bowl and toss to combine.4. Add the lemon juice, vinegar and good couple glugs of olive oil to the bowl. Toss to coat. Taste and adjust seasoning with sea salt and black pepper.

Details

Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 25 mins Total time: 35 mins Yield: 4-6 servings

Cheddar & Tomato Tarts

2011-08-18T15:00:00.003-04:00

We have a slew of tomatoes growing in the backyard.

So many green ones that I'm just waiting to turn red. I can't even explain it.

I haven't been posting garden updates lately because I've been swamped at work and weekends have been devoting to preserving the amazing produce I've been finding at local farmer's markets.

But last week when Bon Appetit linked to this recipe from the most recent issue on their facebook page, I knew that I had to make it with tomatoes from the garden.

Cheese and tomatoes, I mean seriously?! Two of my favorite food combined into one of my favorite methods of delivery, a pie! Well it jumped to the top of my list and while I was at the grocery store this weekend I picked up the issue because it has an article on preserving AND an article on summer pies, inaddition to the tomato article that this recipe comes from. I swear to god the editors of Bon Appetit were thinking of me specifically when they put out this issue.

What do you mean they don't even know who I am?

Anyway, I got home before the boy on Monday night and was feeling inspired to make a delicious weeknight meal. I had planned on some type of frittata or breakfast for dinner, but we were having these random bought os intense rain, giving the air a coolness that made me feel like turning on the oven. I glanced over this recipe again, something I had wanted to save for a weekend when I had more time, but I looked at the recipe again since it was seriously haunting me and I had just a pound of tomatoes from the garden and realized I could make it happen this night.

I have to say this is the first time I didn't freestyle a recipe in awhile. It just sounded so good and without planning for it I had everything I needed on hand. The only thing I did was half the recipe and convert it from a pie, into four 4" tarts, since I had mini-tart pans. Seriously though, the full recipe would work beautifully as brunch dish, ladies lunch in place of quiche or a dinner. Perfect for a rainy late summer day or even as you get into the cooler nights of fall.

The Boy commented when he walked into the baking cheese scented house, that he missed the smell of things in the oven. Especially since most things I make in there are of the rich and cheesy variety. This was no exception, incredibly rich but so satisfying. It went perfectly with some dilly beans! and an arugula salad with fresh blackberries.

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Tomato & Cheddar Tarts

by adapted from Bon Appetit August-18-2011

I had to half this recipe, so I turned it into 4 little tarts, as opposed to the large pie the original recipe called for.

Ingredients

1 cup flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp sea salt
3 Tbsps butter
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 lb assorted ripe tomatoes
1 1/4 cup sharp cheddar - grated
1/4 cup parmigiano - grated
1/2 scallion - trimmed & chopped
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 Tbsp chopped dill
1/2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
3/4 Tbsp cornmeal

Instructions

1. Whisk first 4 ingredients in a medium bowl. Using a pastry cutter or your fingertips, cut or rub in butter until coarse meal forms and some small lumps remain. Stir in buttermilk and knead gently with your hands until dough forms. Wrap dough in plastic and chill for 1 hour or 30 minutes in the freezer.2. While the dough chills, lay the sliced tomatoes in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with 2 layers of paper towels. Place another 2 layers of paper towels on top of tomatoes. Let stand for 30 minutes to drain.3. Preheat oven to 425°. Divide the dough into 4 equal balls. Roll each ball out, on a lightly floured surface, into a 6" round. Transfer into tart pans and trim excess dough as necessary. 4. Toss both cheeses in a medium bowl until evenly incorporated. Reserve 2 Tbsps of cheese mixture. Whisk scallion, mayonnaise, dill, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.5. Sprinkle cornmeal evenly over bottom of each crust, then top with 1 Tbsps of cheese mixture for each tart. Arrange tomatoes over cheese, overlapping slightly to cover the bottom of the crust. Divide half of mayonnaise mixture over all 4 tarts. Repeat layering with 1 cup of cheese mixture, 1/2 of remaining tomato slices, and remaining mayonnaise mixture. Sprinkle remaining 2 Tbsps cheese mixture over each tart, then divide the remaining tomato slices. Sprinkle with reserved cheese mixture. 6. Place the tarts on a baking sheet. Bake until crust is golden and cheese is golden brown, about 30 minutes. Let tarts cool at least 30 minutes and up to 3 hours before serving.

Details

Prep time: 45 mins Cook time: 30 mins Total time: 1 hour 15 mins Yield: 4 four inch tarts

Black & Blue Berry Jam

2011-08-16T17:30:00.004-04:00

It's official. I am obsessed with jam.

I can't go to a farmer's market without seeing all of the gorgeous local fruit and thinking of what I can do with it.

I go with a list, a plan of what I'm going to buy and what I'm going to make from jams to sauces to preserves to pickles. And other fruits just jump out at me. Filling my cart and giving me even more to process on my already too short weekend.

But allowing myself the room to freestyle, even if it means I'm a bit exhausted come Sunday night, can end up in a result as delicious as what I'm sharing with you today.

Last weekend was supposed to be all about peaches. The season had just started and I wanted to get my jams and salsas made in one weekend so that I could focus on canning and freezing slices once the full freestone were available in a few weeks. But as I was wandering around the market I was taken in by the gorgeous blackberries. So plump and beautifully sweet and tart. I had to have some. So I picked up 4 small, but overflowing baskets unsure of exactly what I was going to do with them.

I got home and unloaded my bounty of fruit and while I should have tackled the 4 huge baskets of peaches, it was the blackberries that called to me. They weighed about three pound and I found a pound of blueberries in the fridge, another impulse buy. At this point, I figured why not combine my impulse buys into a Black & Blue Berry jam?

Sounds tasty right?

Boy is it ever. It may be my favorite jam that I've made this summer to date. It's a super simple preparation without any fancy herbs or spices and yet it feels like it perfectly captures the summer in a jar for me. The sweet & tart blackberries with the freshness of the lemon and then that sweet punch of blueberry is a simple yet delicious flavor, certain to be served with fresh homemade bread or biscuits.

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Black & Blue Jam

by jen August-16-2011

This jam is usper easy to make and employs a method I learned from Liana Krisoff's book, Canning for a New Generation.

Ingredients

3 lbs blackberries
1 lb blueberries
2 cups sugar
2 large green apples - quartered & cored, with trimming reserved in a cheesecloth pouch
1 large lemon - zested & juiced

Instructions

1. Prepare boiling water canner & jars for canning. Place the jars in the canner, that is heating over high heat. Place the flat lids in a heatproof bowl.2. Gently rinse the berries. Place the berries & sugar in an 8 quart heavy-bottomed pot and stir gently to combine.3. Cook over medium heat until there is enough juice to cover the berries. Transfer the berries into a colander placed over a large bowl. Stir gently to drain the juice. 4. Return the juice to the pot, along with the apple pieces & pouch of trimmings. Cook over medium high heat until boil and boil, stirring frequently for 15 minutes, until the syrup has reduced & thicken slightly.5. Add the berried back to the pot, along with the lemon juice & zest. Stir to combine. Cook over medium high heat for another 10 minutes. 6. Remove the jars from the canner and place on a folded towel. Ladle hot water from the canner over the flat lids. Remove the apple pieces and trimmings and piece from the pot. 7. Carefully fill the jars to 1/4" from the top. Wipe the rims with a damp papercloth. Top with flat lids and turn screw rings until finger tight. Place into the canner and boil for 5 minutes. Remove to the folded towel and let rest, undisturbed for 12 hours. Any lids that don't pop should be place immediately into the fridge and consumed within a month.

Details

Prep time: 5 mins Cook time: 40 mins Total time: 45 mins Yield: 5 1/2 pint jars

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