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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 27, 2014

Tart of the Month - Butternut Squash with Sage, Honey & Chilis



You really can't go wrong with these puff pastry tarts.  They come together in minutes and bake quickly.  They work great as an appetizer, side dish or as a quick lunch.  I keep all-butter puff pastry in the freezer at all times now, and I can whip up a tart at a moment's notice.  



This recipe comes from Bon Appetit.  It's a has a few steps, but it's super easy to do.  Here's what you need:

Sunday, November 23, 2014

The Beer Baron - I Just Had an Epiphany (No. 1)




Belgian beers – especially Trappist beers, which are brewed within the walls of a Trappist monastery under the control and responsibility of the community of monks – are pretty highly regarded by beer geeks.

In fact, when I tried my first really good Trappist beer, Chimay Blue, I was totally wonderstruck. It remains one of my favourite beers and was part of my motivation for visiting Belgium exploring the world of craft beer ever since. Another Trappist beer, Westvleteren 12, is usually at or near the top of the list of greatest beers in the world, so it is safe to say I was more than a little bit excited for the release of Black Oak Brewing Co.’s Epiphany No. 1, an Ontario craft beer made in the Belgian style.




Thursday, November 20, 2014

Jamaican Patties


My Jamaican jerk turkey breast went over so well that I decided to try another Jamaican recipe.  These spicy beef patties are full of flavour.  They take a little time to come together, but they're not difficult at all.  



The dough comes together easily in a food processor and the spiced beef filling cooks quickly.  This recipe is adapted from Serious Eats.  

Here's what you need...

Saturday, November 15, 2014

Jerk Roasted Turkey Breast


I love cooking with turkey.  You flavour it in so many ways.  This Jamaican jerk seasoned turkey breast is a wonderful, flavourful way to enjoy turkey.  It would be great for a spicy Thanksgiving meal for two or three, but it's easy to make for a weeknight dinner too.  



Jamaican jerk combines the flavours of thyme, allspice, cinnamon and nutmeg with hot peppers and sugar for a taste that's more warmly spiced than super hot.  Of course, you can adjust the heat to your preference by adding more scotch bonnet peppers.  

Here's what you need for this very tasty turkey breast:

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Happy Hour - Brooklyn Cocktail


I'm very interested in craft cocktails lately.  Ever since we went on our Southern USA road trip in the spring, I've been more interested in bourbon.  


The Brooklyn cocktail is usually made with rye but I used bourbon.  Here's what you need for one cocktail:

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Bocconcini Stuffed Meatballs


I happened to have some leftover bocconcini (fresh mozzarella balls, packed in water and often sold in a tub in the deli section of the grocery store), so, of course, I decided to stuff them inside some meatballs to see what would happen.  It turned out pretty great!


I served the meatballs with spaghetti tossed with a quick tomato sauce and sprinkled with fresh basil for a very tasty, decadent meal. 

Here's what you need for these crazy meatballs: