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"A gourmet who thinks of calories is like a tart who looks at her watch." - James Beard


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Thursday, November 28, 2013

Road Trip: Toronto Treats


Toronto is just under two hours away so we go there pretty often for concerts and events.  This time we pretty much just went for the food.  We normally stay at the Westin Harbour Castle on Queens Quay near the harbourfront.  It's a great hotel but the neighbourhood historically wasn't the greatest for food and drink.  It's a close enough walk to St. Lawrence Market though, and we'd usually stop into C'est What or the Bier Markt on the Esplanade for drinks.  


Sunday, November 24, 2013

How To: Home Made Gnocchi


Last time I made store-bought gnocchi I really liked it but I vowed to make the real thing from scratch.  Now that I've done it I can see the benefits of both.  Home made gnocchi is very simple to make with only a few ingredients, but it's somewhat time-consuming and messy.  I wouldn't go all out with home made on a week night, but it is well worth it and actually fun to do if you have a bit of time.  The results are fantastic.  The gnocchi are so tender and full of potato flavour.  


Once you make them, they're also incredibly simple to cook and serve.  I tossed them with some browned butter and sage and a little fresh Parmigiano Reggiano.  


Friday, November 22, 2013

Prime Rib Hash



This is a fantastic second life for leftover prime rib.  You can also use up some leftover mashed potatoes while you're at it.  

Here's what you need:



Monday, November 18, 2013

Small Prime Rib Roast for Two

Small Prime Rib Roast for Two

I've already made grilled prime rib for two, and it turned out great.  But the weather's a little unpredictable for grilling right now.  So I decided to use my favourite cast iron pan to sear and quickly roast this little prime rib.  


Small Prime Rib Roast for Two

This prime rib has just one bone and weighed just over two pounds.  I seasoned it by cutting little slits all over the meat and stuffing them each with a thinly sliced garlic clove.  


Small Prime Rib Roast for Two

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Gnocchi with Broccoli


Gnocchi.  Why didn't I make these sooner?  These little potato dumplings make a hearty main dish or an interesting but simple side dish.  

I fully intend to use my potato ricer to make home made gnocchi in the future, but for now I can pick up a package ready-made at the grocery store and have a meal in minutes. 

Here's what you need for this tasty meal:



Saturday, November 9, 2013

Vegas Happy Hour


Besides slot machines, one of our very favourite things about Vegas is happy hour.  If you don't live in Ontario, Canada like us, it may be hard to believe but we don't really have happy hour here.  


Half price drinks and snacks are a great way to save money in Vegas.  You can even make a meal of it.  Many bars and restaurants have happy hours.  Most fall somewhere between 2:00 and 7:00 pm.  I tried to plan a happy hour stop each day and even made a spreadsheet with different times and locations because that's just the kind of nut I am.

One happy hour stop was completely spontaneous though.  We were driving on Paradise, trying to get away from the strip traffic, when we happened to pass Gordon Biersch Brewery.  We noticed it was 3:00 and decided to check what they might have for happy hour.  Great choice!  We shared sliders and garlic fries and tried some beer and cocktails.  

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Viva Las Vegas!


We've travelled to Las Vegas together almost every year of our marriage.  This year we spent our 7th anniversary in Vegas and had a fantastic time as usual.  

I love Las Vegas.  It is just so much of everything.  Food, drinks, lights, gambling, crowds, shows.  Everything is bigger and brighter there.  



On this trip we stayed in three different hotels! Our first room was a suite at TheHotel at Mandalay Bay. It is the last hotel on the South end of the Strip. This was our first time staying at this hotel, but we love the restaurants here and they have a great pool with a lazy river, wave pool and sand beach.  We loved it!