Suzie The Foodie

Kawalsa's Salsas, Chutneys & Butters

2012-01-31T10:37:00.000-04:00

"With no prior knowledge in the food industry, I cautiously attended a weekend market in Nova Scotia, over my summer vacation and was absolutely blown away with the results. I was surprised to see that everyone was interested in the salsa, to the point, that people were coming back with their mother and husband to buy more. Needless to say, I came home with empty cases and ideas brewing inside my head." ~ Company owner Kawal in an interview with Simply Fresh

These products from Kawalsa are unlike anything I have ever tasted before. If you have been looking for true homemade salsas with absolutely original flavour, this is your product to buy. The owner is in Ottawa getting ready to sell online but if you want to try them, this year they will be available in Manotick Village Butcher and at the Life of Pie website. Lucky me I got to try them at home!

From front to back I began with the fruit, rhubarb-lime and smoked salsas. I tested them just tortilla chips at first. I did not want anything impacting the flavour of the salsas.

The fruit salsa is sweet but there is an East Indian edge to it. A hint of cumin I think which gives it exotic flavour. The rhubarb-lime is so thick it reminds me of rhubarb jam. Delicious and a bit wild thanks to the lime, which I love. My favourite though was the smoked salsa. So earthy, fiery without too much heat but tons of flavour... I want a giant jar of this one!

Notice how thick the salsas are? Especially the rhubarb lime? In an article with Simply Fresh, owner Kawal expressed how important thick salsa is, "Well, to be totally honest, I HATE runny salsa, so one day I decided that it should be easy enough to make. Fast forward 20 years, and here I am."

I think the most wildly flavoured salsa is the raspberry. This time I put it on a cracker and it literally blew my mind! The flavour is way more intense than I was expecting but the longer it was in my mouth, the more I loved it. Yes, raspberry flavour is definitely there but the chunks of onion went with it surprisingly well. I call this one a flavour bomb... in a good way.

I thought Reg was going to pass out trying this one but same thing, in a moment or so he grew to like it which is saying a lot. He does not like strong flavours like me!

Lucky me I also got to try the vanilla rum banana butter and wow, can you ever tell there is real banana in there. I found that flavour very strong and did not notice the rum very much which is too bad, I think that would have taken it over the edge!

I have been testing this product for a month now and the quality is unmistakable. I find it so impressive Kawal buys most of the ingredients for the dips from the Byward market in Ottawa:

"I would like to believe that I am helping out the little person and local farmer and not some company which produces mass quantity of crap loaded with pesticides."

You can really tell. Every salsa tastes so fresh and, well, REAL. My only issue is I tend not to combine meat with fruit. I know, I am weird that way. I do not like to mix meat and fruit, it bothers my stomach (those who know about food combining will get this).

I did try it though! Last night I made a steak dinner and only seasoned the meat with garlic salt and black pepper, the way my mom makes it. I scooped a little bit of each salsa onto a piece of meat and unfortunately, the flavour of the meat totally disappeared. The great thing about these salsas is they are so super strong with flavour and full of life but even with steak, all I could taste was the salsa.

But you know, that is OK with me. I will enjoy them with my tortilla chips and those who love crazy flavours with their dinners will go gaga over these wild flavours. The quality is unmistakably high and the creativity endless. If you are looking for a totally new high quality salsa that is nothing like you have ever had before, Kawalsa is the brand to get. I give this product four and a half out of five wooden spoons.

This recipe is for you: Martha Stewart's Blueberry Jam Tartlets

2012-01-30T11:42:00.000-04:00

Almonds in the crust of these tarts, the filling, sprinkled on top... with layers of blueberry filling inside. The only catch? These tarts take all day to make!

I had no idea that blueberries and almonds were a match made in heaven! But that is why we adore Martha, isn't it? Her foodie wisdom is endless.

Many of you have requested I share more recipes with you so this post is for you! Who better to recipe test than Martha Stewart from her new book Martha's Entertaining, published by Random House of Canada?

Printing recipes

Hopefully you have noticed the "Print Friendly" button I have added to all my posts to help make printing recipes easier. My posts have a lot of photographs to help show you how things look as you make the recipe but if you want to print it, make sure to select "Remove Images" so all you are left with is the text.

Almond Shortcrust Pastry

The recipe calls for 1/3 cup of whole blanched almonds but I had sliced blanched almonds which I used instead. I finely ground them in a food processor and then added 1 1/2 cup of flour, 1 tbsp sugar and 1/2 tsp of salt. I pulsed together.

Then I added 1/2 cup of cold unsalted butter cut into small pieces.

I pulsed everything until it looked like coarse meal.

I added 1 large egg yolk (I like to separate them in my hands and yes, my hands are freakishly small) and added 1 tbsp of ice water. Then pulsed and the dough did not come together. Too dry!

I had to keep adding quite a bit of water, as usual, for the dough to come together. I stop at this point, knowing everything will stick together without over processing. I put plastic wrap on my counter, add the dough and used the plastic to press the dough into the shape of a disk. It just needs to chill 30 minutes but I took a longer break. I had to pace myself.

The Tart Shells

If you have 3 or 3 1/4" tart pans then roll out the dough into 12 4 1/2" rounds that are 1/8" thick. I used a muffin tin which is why I used a 3" cutter to make my tart shells. I put them in the muffin tin, pressing firmly to the bottom and up the sides, making sure they were quite flushed with the rim.

I ended up using 2 6-cup muffin tins and docked the bottom of the tarts all over with a fork. Then I froze them for 15 minutes.

The Filling

With an electric mixer or whisk, whisk together 2 large eggs and 1/2 cup of sugar until pale and fluffy. Then fold in 1/4 cup flour, 3 tbsp finely ground almonds and 1/4 tsp of salt.

Baking the Tart Shells

I preheated the oven to 375F. "Line each tartlet shell with parchment..." Umm...??? How do I do that Martha? Should they be round? How big should they be? Ugh! More info here would have been nice. I just used scraps that I had but realized after they came out that I could have used cupcake liners. Doh!

You are supposed to fill with pie weight or beans. I like to reuse brown rice because I loathe it so much and never want to eat it again. I used an ice cream scoop to do so to avoid things getting all messy.

Bringing it altogether

After the tart shells have cooled completely, spread 1 1/2 tsp of blueberry jam into each shell. Add 1/2 cup of "fresh wild blueberries" divided on top of the jam. I used frozen wild organic blueberries. Press berries into the jam lightly with a fork.

Top each with 2 tbsp of batter and top with sliced almonds and a sprinkle of sugar. Bake in a preheated 375F oven for 16-18 minutes until the tops have risen and turned golden.

Conclusion

What a ton of work! This seriously took me all day, mostly because I had to rest in between steps.

Was it worth it? Absolutely!!!

I adore blueberries and love baking with them and to have a completely new flavour combination that works so perfectly, I highly recommend this recipe for the patient baker who has a day to have fun in the kitchen. You can really taste the almonds throughout. I love the texture it gives the crust in particular which was perfect. I was amazed the almonds did not overwhelmed the blueberries which were delicious, as always.

I must admit that I was shocked to see Martha allowed me to use blueberry jam and not emphasize that it be homemade, LOL. Considering the time involved to make just 12 tarts, using a good store-bought jam is forgivable but make sure it is a quality jam. You do not want to go to all this effort for mediocre tarts.

Martha, as usual, was right. She said that these could be stored for only one day and I did not believe her. Almost all recipes say to eat right away but in this case, it is true, you really do not want them getting soggy. I wish I had put half of them in the freezer now!

How much did I like them?

I was sitting in my crafts room drinking tea and watching a video on YouTube when I started eating one. I could not believe how good the tart was! As soon I was finished, I had to go have another one. I NEVER do that. I only allow myself one treat a day but not with these tarts. They were made for me and I had a hard time not eating them all myself!

If you love blueberries and dream of a High Tea treat, you will love these. I give them five out of five wooden spoons even though they took so damn long to make. Reg liked them a lot but soon afterwards was asking if we had something chocolatey to eat, LOL. Back to chocolate I go!

A Second Cup in Bayers Lake?! Yes! It exists!

2012-01-29T09:53:00.000-04:00

When our friends Mike and Jen said there was a new Second Cup in Bayers Lake, I could not believe it. Neither could their web site. This spot it so new they are not listed yet!

I adore Second Cup and one thing about the HRM that drives me crazy is there are just not enough cafes. We go to movies at Bayers Lake all the time and as nice as it is to go to the Starbucks in Chapters, it gets very crowded and is not a big comfortable spot to hang out and chat.

You will find the cafe sharing the parking lot of a new Petro Canada gas station on the corner of Chain Lake Drive and Susie Lake Drive. The movie theatre is literally across the street!

When I ordered my hot chocolate with a shot of hazelnut I asked them how long they had been open. Not even two weeks and can you ever tell! It has that wonderful brand-new feeling about it. I really wanted to take a photograph of the baked goods but got into trouble doing so at a Starbucks so I did not want to push it.

Hiding behind a display of Second Cup mugs I did start to take some photographs. It is clear some people have already discovered this cafe's existence which is great!

Hazelnut hot chocolate and Wi-Fi... What else do you need?

As we were leaving taking photos, I could tell I was getting on the staff's radar. Restaurants seem to be cool about me taking photos but cafes? Not so much. It is too bad. I just want to share the love and spread the foodie word.

Before we left I wanted to take one photo of the entrance of the cafe but as you can see, yup, people were starting to wonder about me so I asked Mike and Reg if I could take their photograph. So there, you get a sense of the place. Warm lighting, lots of seating including a couple of couches and the place is open until 11 pm! Most cafes in downtown Halifax close at 6 pm on a Saturday which drives me crazy.

We rarely drink. Cafes are our preferred hangouts and to have one that doesn't have people shopping for books right beside you rocks. We do not have to go downtown or rush. There is lots of space, delicious hot chocolate and adorable baked goods. It is in the perfect location to meet and have a hot beverage and catch up before you go to the movies. Genius!

I must admit. There was a part of me that wanted to keep it a secret so the place does not get swamped and loud when we get together. But everyone reminded me how hard it is for these places to thrive and we want it to stick around forever. So, I am sharing the secret. Damn it.

Embracing disaster in the name of foodie-pseudo-science

2012-01-27T09:38:00.001-04:00

I was so excited by the success of my seafood-stuffed-waffle-pizza-sandwich that I just had to try making something else in my waffle maker. Amy from MoMamma suggested I also try making quesadillas, she makes them for her son with cheese. I loved the idea but I wanted to try making it with vegetarian chilly and cheese.

I put in the tortilla, added the chilli, topped with cheese, added another tortilla and pressed on the hot iron for five minutes. I wanted it nice and crispy so I really pushed down.

Oh good grief! I mean seriously, what an explosion! See, to get the impression I did have to press down to make it nice and crispy but I swear, everything came out the sides. This was a total nightmare to clean up, especially the waffle iron!

I refused to give up though. The next day I made a smaller quesadilla for me, put on less filling and cheese. I put it in the waffle maker for around 3 minutes. I pressed down but not super hard.

OK, I was expecting some mess and this wasn't too bad.

This was a lot of fun but I have to say, in order to get the quesadilla right you end up with very little filling inside. It is making me reconsider ever ordering a quesadilla when I go out again because you really are not paying for a lot of food. I usually stuff mine when I made them on the stovetop so they are more of a meal than an appetizer.

By the way, I really recommend Rachael Ray's Veg-Head Three-Bean Chili, even for non-vegetarians. One of the fastest, easiest and pretty tasty chilis I have had that is super economical and makes a ton!

Nope, I could not stop there. I made our favourite sandwich bread Yummy Yogurt Dill Loaf yesterday and wanted to try using the waffle iron as a panini press, thanks to my foodie friends' suggestions and encouragement on Facebook.

Much better! Very little mess, nice and crispy exterior, the cheese melted inside but the bread was still very soft past the crust. I will definitely use this method again!

A lot of you have recently asked for more disaster stories so here you go. I promise you, cleaning out all that chili from the crevices of my waffle iron was not a fun experience. Nor was having chili end up all over my floor.

So that is my latest disaster story. Do you have one to share? I would love to hear it!

Foodie Gratitude: Random House of Canada

2012-01-26T09:56:00.000-04:00

Random House of Canada has been so good to me. They offered to add me to their media list last year and have sent me the most amazing cookbooks to review. I must have missed the press release for Chef Anne Burrell's Cook Like a Rock Star (due to pneumonia messing around with my foodie life) because I found out about it on The Daily Show!

I had no idea who the publisher was, I just had to have this book. When I found out it was Random House of Canada I would have done a little dance had I not been quite delirious from my fever. I wrote them and they quickly sent me a copy of Cook Like a Rock Star, no questions asked!

In the fall they also sent me this really cool mug that is perfect for not only having a big mug of tea but for soup, awesome for a foodie like me! Currently I am currently putting the following cookbooks of theirs through my test kitchen:

Nadia G's Bitchin' Kitchen: Cookin' for Trouble
Bobby Flay's Bar Americain Cookbook
Martha's Entertaining

So far Martha's book has proved to be the most challenging. It is HUGE! And is mostly not a cookbook but a pictorial peak into a year of her life. And her life is gorgeous! But we all know that...

Here is a sneak peek into Chef Burrell's cookbook. I was so excited to see the forward was written by Mario Batali! You can see in the slideshow that Anne's personality is truly in this cookbook. I love that! "You are the chef of your own kitchen. Rock it out!" Even though some of the names of the dishes are unknown to me like "Polpettini" Anne tells us that means "yummy little meatballs".

Her section dedicated to pasta (AKA her passion) really showcases her voice in the book, "Sure, I LOOOOOVE to cook almost anything, but I LOVE-PLUS pasta." It is like having her not just in my kitchen but her voice in my head!

I just wanted to take the time today to thank Random House of Canada for being so generous and giving me the opportunity to review all these foodie dream cookbooks. And for the super cool mug I use all the time as I am doing so!

Thank you for making me feel like a foodie rock star.

Nutella Hot Chocolate with Frangelico

2012-01-25T08:00:00.001-04:00

Not sure where this recipe originally came from though, sorry, link is broken!

There are so many easy foodie ideas on Pinterest that seem too good to be true, including this recipe for Nutella Hot Chocolate. Thanks to my success making my waffle stuff pizza, I have tried to keep an open mind to the most simplest of ideas if they show up on this site.

Although I did add my own boozy touch!

The recipe says you need 1 cup of milk and 2 spoons of Nutella. Getting out for groceries is a bit of a challenge and I really wanted to make this so I manage to come up with that amount of Nutella thanks to these sample packets. We also have a whole bottle of Frangelico hazelnut liquor and I thought, what the hell?!

You are supposed to heat the milk on medium and then add two spoonfuls of Nutella.

Blend it in and then whisk until frothy. This is as frothy as I could get it with just a whisk.

I poured it into a glass and added half an ounce of Frangelico.

Topped with marshmallows... Wow, was this ever delicious! Absolutely yummy and heart-warming. The Frangelico kicked up the hazelnut flavour a little more which I adored but probably is not necessary. I am sure the Nutella stands up on its down.

I was hoping that this version of hot chocolate would be healthier than the hot chocolate I normally drink but nope. According to Nutella's list of ingredients, it is way higher in sugar, saturated fat and has less protein. Oh well! This is not a hot beverage I will be indulging in all the time but once in a while on a cold winter's night, I will make this again for a treat. It is so easy, fast and delicious!

I give this recipe four out of five wooden spoons.

Chocolate Meringue Valentine's Day Heart Cookies

2012-01-24T09:48:00.000-04:00

After making Nadia G's heart-stopping Chocolate Cheese Brownies I wanted to try making a more heart-friendly dessert for Valentine's Day. I love meringues but have never made chocolate ones before so I thought they would make a great low fat chocolatey treat for that special someone.

After making Bobby Flay's egg yolk-ladden cinnamon crunch ice cream I had all these egg whites to use up. I put four room temperature egg whites in a mixer and beat them until frothy. Then I added 1/4 tsp of cream of tartar and a pinch of salt.

I added 3/4 cup of sugar one tablespoon at a time, giving it time for the sugar to dissolve into the egg whites without deflating them. Then, to make them more marshmallow-y, I added 1/2 tsp of cornstarch. I think next time I will add 1 tsp because they were still a little too crunchy for me.

Beat in 1 tsp of vanilla.

You want to keep beating until the egg whites get nice and smooth and hold their shape. So pretty! There was a big storm coming the day I made these which is bad timing. You want to attempt to make meringues when you have a nice clear day but I think because it is so dry here in the winter, I got away with it, hehe.

I quickly whisked in 4 tbsp of pre-sifted cocoa powder and then used a spatula to make sure everything was combined.

I used my mini ice cream scoop to divvy out two globs of chocolate meringue onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Using a palette knife I brought the meringue from the top corners to a point in the middle to create a heart-shaped cookie. I only did a few of these before it got too tedious. Then I just used a big ice cream scoop to make round chocolate puffs. No, I am not the most patient foodie in the world.

I put them in a preheated 200F oven for two hours. I put the trays on a cooling rack and let sit for a while before eating.

I told Reg I thought they tasted like crunchy chocolate pudding! Very crispy and quite delicious, you can give these too your sweetie without putting his or her heart in danger.

Low in fat, chocolatey and kind of fun, I think these make a terrific gift for anyone's sweetie.

The Birthday Giveaway Winners Are!!!

2012-01-23T13:35:00.000-04:00

Thank you everyone for the fantastic birthday wishes, they totally warmed my heart! You made my birthday so very special.

The turnout was great and took a while to do the printouts, cutting with scissors... to pick out the winners. Yes, I could use a random number generator but what fun is there in that? Winners, please note that because of the winter weather and me recovering from pneumonia, it may take a while for me to get these prizes in the mail. Now the best part, announcing the winners of my bday giveaway:

President's Choice Cookie Tree Kit

PersephonesSoul of the blog Nibbles: From the garden to the plate and everything in between wins the President's Choice Cookie Tree Kit.

Tre Stelle Cheese Tray

The winner of the Tre Stelle Cheese Tray is angiecamp who wrote, "Thank you for your blog, I enjoy it and it makes me want to visit Halifax soon when you review the great restaurants etc..."

Canadian Foodie Coupons

The winners of the Canadian Foodie Coupons are:

Mon, "I guess my wish would be that your health improves-it's taken it's toll on you this year"
Nic, "I wish you and your blog happiness and joy this year!"
Jonnie (JB), "My wish for your blog is that you feel like you are getting as much out as it as you are putting into it."
Linda, "Happy Birthday! Love your blog so much. I dont want you to change a thing."
Amelia, "I live in Canada and my wish would be for you to be able to live back west where your heart is."

Thank you everyone for participating! I wish I could send something to each and everyone one of you, my foodie friends.

~ Suzie the Foodie

Chef's Menu Restaurant, Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia

2012-01-23T07:53:00.000-04:00

Saturday night it was so cold and the roads were crappy. There was so much salt on the highway we could barely see out the front windshield by the time we got home. Because he is a sweetheart, Reg took me out shopping for my birthday but by the time we were done and made it home safely off the invisible roads and the impenetrable windshield, I was done. I did not want to go all the way back into town for my birthday dinner.

Instead, we went to Lower Sackville's latest restaurant Chef's Menu. It had really positive reviews and I have been curious about it ever since it opened.

From the moment you walk in, everything feels warm and cozy yet the restaurant is also prestine. All that golden light made you forget about winter outside for a little while. There was a bit of chaos when we walked in: a broken glass, no sign at the front saying if we should wait to be seated, the staff appeared to be so busy it took a while for them to greet us...

When they did I told them we had a reservation and they said they would get a booth ready for us. Then we were taken to an area without the booths. With my bad back, I gently reminded them they said we could have a booth and they quickly prepared one for us.

Reg really wanted to take me to a fancy place downtown, like many of you, my Twitter and Facebook friends recommended. I really did not want to spend a lot of money and I found that the fancier the restaurant was, the more unusual the flavours and protein. Which normally would not be a big deal for me but on my birthday I want just one thing... Seafood!

For me, that is shellfish in a cream sauce. Hold the curry. Hold the anise. Hold all the unusual spices a lot of chefs are using with seafood these days because they are probably bored of the same recipes I grew up with.

I began with spicy calamari. Actually, when I asked about how spicy it was I found out that it was the marinara sauce that was spicy. Our lovely waitress offered to serve it with their garlic aioli instead and I said, yes please!!! Super light, super crispy, I easily ate this entire plate. The garlic aioli was divine. If you order the calamari, make sure to ask for the aioli! So good...

Our dear friends Mike and Jen were brave enough to drive out to Sackville to go to dinner with us to celebrate on such a cold night. It was great because with me being so sick, we really had not had the chance to get together that much over the holidays so our night went by quickly as we ate and caught up.

Reg ordered one of the nicest spinach salads I have ever seen. It looked perfect to me! I adore spinach salad.

Jen ordered the Pan Fried Almondine Haddock and Mike and I got the Seafood Fettuccini. It was very filling and even though there was a lot of tarragon, it was not overpowering, just right. The seafood was perfectly cooked but I did need to add a little seasoning. I like my seafood to taste like the sea so for me, it needed more salt.

Reg ordered the Triple-A Striploin steak with Duchesse potato and peppercorn sauce. He thought it was good but I think for him there was a bit too much going on on the plate. For me, it looked pretty darn tasty!

By the time we ordered dessert the place was thinning out a little. It was pretty packed when we arrived and our server said that the place is just getting more and more popular solely by word of mouth. To be honest, this is the only cozy modern restaurant in Sackville so I can see why people are flocking to it, especially in the winter. Why go downtown when you can have a nice meal way closer to home?

Our table ordered two warm gingerbreads served with rum sauce and old fashioned vanilla ice cream. Reg said it was the best gingerbread he has ever had. I certainly loved the rum sauce but I think the Sou'Wester Restaurant has spoiled gingerbread for me forever. This gingerbread was very good but the one at Peggy's Cove literally haunts me it was that good.

The chef came to our table and asked us about our meal and it was quite clear from the list of things he had to make the next day, keeping up with demand has been a huge challenge. A great challenge and I think they are doing extremely well. This restaurant makes you feel like you are getting a great deal when it comes to quality and price. The staff were a little frazzled but they were extremely friendly and helpful. The space makes you feel very much at home but is elegant and warm at the same time.

A wonderful change of pace in Lower Sackville. I hope this trend towards more higher-end living and better quality of life continues because it is quite clear, people around here want it and will pay for it. Reg and I, like many others, will be back.

A birthday present from you to me... Thank you!

2012-01-22T06:00:00.039-04:00

Thanks to you, this is my birthday foodie t-shirt! I ordered it on Thursday, they said that it would be put in the mail within 24 hours so I hope it arrives next week so I can do some product testing for you and see if it is worthy of my foodie friends. You know how picky I am! I promise not to hold back.

Feedback

I took everything into account. The comments left on my post asking for your help and the two polls I put up on my blog. It was fascinating that the people who left comments liked the dark and spooky images but in the poll, a lot of people wanted pretty foodie photos.

That is why I chose D. It is kind of both. I also made it into a t-shirt rather than a tanktop because that seems to be what people prefer and it is quite clear most people like dark shirts which is why I hope this company works out. They are one of the few who lets you make your own shirts on black fabric.

Thank you all so much for my birthday present! You helped pick it out and now I can't wait for it to arrive. OK, I am outta here!!!

Birthday Giveaway!

2012-01-20T08:20:00.002-04:00

Contest is now closed! Winners will be announced soon...

My newsletter readers know what today is! My Birthday Giveaway! My birthday is this Sunday and I have decided to enjoy it in the hobbit tradition by holding some fun giveaways for my readers as a thank you for all your support, comments and friendship!

Giveaway #1: Open to non-Canadians only

Yes, you may be shocked to read this but I am finally able to host a giveaway outside of Canada! That is because I am mailing it myself!

Here we have a stainless steel cookie tree kit that comes with 10 star cookie cutters! This way you can build your own cookie tree for Christmas next year or make giant star cookies for birthdays throughout the year. I find star-shaped cookie cutters quite difficult to find so letting go of this set by President's Choice isn't easy but I know it will go to a good home. Scroll down to see how to enter...

Giveaway #2: Open to Canadians

The Can-con of my birthday giveaway is this stunning cutting board compliments of Tre Stelle, complete with a set of beautiful tools. High quality and very elegant, I love my set!

Giveaway #3: Open to Canadians

There will be five winners of three coupons for Dempster's Thin Bagels, $5 off Tre Stelle cheese and Sun-Maid Raisin Bread. Since they are only valid in Canada, only Canadians can enter this contest.

HOW TO ENTER!

In the comments state where you are living: "I am in Canada/America/Latvia..." You get the idea.
If you had one wish for my blog (particular changes, good luck, prosperity) what would it be? (optional)
Be a follower of my blog if you can. The more followers I have, the more giveaways I can do.
If you do not have an email address associated with your profile, please leave either an email address or the URL to your Facebook page so I have some way of contacting you.

Contact info is mandatory!

For example, above is my profile. See how under "Contact me" it says email? If your profile page does not have this and you do not leave contact info, you will not be entered. That goes for everyone. It is just too hard for me otherwise. Last giveaway I had to remove 50% of the entries which sucks so please, leave contact info at the very least!

Contest is open all weekend. Winner will be announced Monday January 23, 2012.

Birthday Celebration

I am still undecided about where to go out for my birthday this year. Let me know if you have any suggestions! I have already gone to: Five Fishermen, Salty's, Wooden Monkey, Chives, The Bicycle Thief, Hamachi Steakhouse, Inn on the Lake, The Keg... Let me know if there are any gems I have left out.

Thanks and good luck everyone!

Feeding my Pinterest addiction with a waffle stuffed pizza

2012-01-19T09:48:00.002-04:00

Want a Pinterest invite? Just email me and I will send you one!

Consider me a Pinterest addict. You can find me here. Feel free to follow and I will follow you back! Basically it is a gallery of photographs of everybody's favourite things and/or ideas they want to try. A lot of foodies hang out there and have some imaginative ideas, like making a stuffed-pizza with a waffle iron.

I first saw the idea on Pinterest thanks to MommyNamedApril who got the idea from MoMamma's blog. Could it really be that simple to make?

I had some leftover homemade pizza dough I did not know what to do with so this idea was perfect for me. The only problem? I did not have any traditional pizza-toppings and/or sauces available. I started to think of the pizza more as a crepe and filled it with seafood, mushrooms and spinach instead. For the sauce I used my favourite, PC Black Label Truffle Aioli (the expiry date is fast approaching!).

I put the "stuffing" on one side and then folded it over, thinking of it like a calzone, then pinched the dough closed. I put it onto the hot greased waffle maker, did my best to kind of close it and let it cook for four minutes.

Wow!!! Cool!!! It did kind of work. Now how did it taste?

I cut it up into sections, added a little more aioli and died and went to heaven. But! It was the darkest day and I was not happy with the above photo so that meant I had to make it again the next day, right?

Since I loved it so much, I made an even bigger version this time, hehehe...

I folded over the edges to make sure it didn't pop open since it was so much bigger. OMG, I could not wait to eat it again!

Much better photo! I loved how it turned to stained glass and you could see all the treats inside! Good, I really wanted to do this dish justice.

Warning though, as you push down on the waffle iron to press the pizza/crepe/sandwich... be careful of the steam that could come out. I had a really close call. Oh and the bigger the pizza, the longer it will take to cook through, this one took about six minutes.

If you are on Pinterest, feel free to share my foodie photos. Please just make sure they link back to this particular post.

It got all nice and crispy, the texture was perfection! I was absolutely shocked. I really thought this was a crazy idea that would leave me totally disappointed. The fact that it was a huge success only feeds my Pinterest addiction even more. My foodie friends on Facebook also told me I could use my waffle iron to make paninis... genius!

Finding new ideas is getting tougher and tougher. Everything is all about efood these days (celebrity culture, food fights and wars...). To come up with new techniques, recipes and actually learn about food I am turning more and more to the internet. And having a blast!

Is there anything better than having fun with food?! I don't think so!

Nadia G's Bitchin Kitchen Chocolate Cheese Brownies

2012-01-18T10:42:00.000-04:00

Yes, Valentine's Day is coming up and whether you celebrate it with your sweetie or want to stab yourself in the heart... chocolate always helps.

Reg and I did not get any homemade Christmas treats this year because I was too damn sick to make any so... I am indulging lately to make up for our pathetic holiday. I decided to make Nadia G's Bitchin' Kitchen chocolate cheese brownies from her latest cookbook Cookin' for Trouble published by Random House of Canada. Reg has always been fascinated by the idea of chocolate cheese (me? not so much) so I made these for him.

The Recipe

To make a double boiler I put some water in a medium pan, brought it to a slight simmer and then put a stainless steel bowl on top. Just make sure the bowl does not touch the water.

I added 1 cup of unsalted butter and 1 cup chopped unsweetened dark chocolate. I let it sit until the melting started (like in the photograph) and then stirred until it all melted together. I put it aside and let it cool down a little.

While the chocolate/butter mixture was cooling, I put 2 cups of brown sugar and 3 eggs into a bowl and whisked together. Then I realized that in the list of ingredients (but not in the directions) it said it was supposed to be dark brown sugar. Crap! Oh well...

I whisked the melted chocolate and butter into the brown sugar and eggs... and hoped for the best.

I folded in 1 cup flour, 1/4 tsp sea salt and 1 cup toasted almonds (recipe says to use walnuts but I prefer almonds). I poured the mixture into a greased 9" x 13" baking dish.

In a large bowl I combined 1 cup of fresh room temperature goat cheese, 1/2 cup of dark brown sugar and 1 egg. I blended together with my hand mixer at low speed.

I globbed it on the top of the chocolate brownie layer and smoothed over the top with a palette knife.

I scored the surface into a pattern and baked in a preheated 350F oven for 40 minutes. That is exactly how long these brownies took to bake through.

Cool them on a rack. I managed to get the whole thing out and divided them up and froze big slices of them to enjoy later. This recipe makes a ton of brownies!

To make these for your sweetheart get out that heart-shaped cookie cutter and cut through the layers of the brownie to make a pretty dessert.

The Review

I have to admit that both Reg and I were at first completely shocked by these brownies. The goat cheese layer is so mega-strong! At first that was all I could taste and I am not one for mixing savoury and sweet together very often. I seriously had a hard time processing it.

Reg on the other hand, who was open to the idea of combining chocolate and cheese from the beginning, ended up loving the brownie by the time he was finished the first one. I had to ponder if for a couple of days, sample it with tea, without tea... to come to my conclusion.

If you like goat cheese, you will probably like, if not love, these brownies. If you hate goat cheese, you will despise them. I personally grew to really appreciate their complex and adult flavour. In the end I was thoroughly impressed with Nadia G's thinking out of the box which is good because I spent almost $7 on the cheese alone.

As a result of over-thinking and pondering, I give this recipe four and a half out of five wooden spoons. It is definitely not for everyone but if you are throwing an elegant foodie party and want a bit of traditional spiced with the unusual that will impress your guests, this is dessert for you.

Product Review: Brod & Taylor Folding Proofer tackles my foodie nemesis...

2012-01-17T07:18:00.000-04:00

When the Brod & Taylor Folding Proofer showed up at my door, I had no idea what to expect. Not really. A folding proofer sounded fascinating but what exactly was I going to do with it?

When I took it out of the package I realized, man, this is huge! When folded down, it is the size of an antique laptop.

When you lift up the cover you find some folded plastic, the cord, a water tray and a wire rack inside.

After removing them you see that the bottom is essentially a hot plate and that folded plastic turns into...

The sides of the folder. You put the wire rack back inside, put the top on top of the plastic square and you are ready to go!

During the holidays I made my favourite cinnamon buns and then let them proof in the proofer on the floor in the draftiest spot in our house, right near the patio doors. And look, they still "poofed" as my sister Shannon would say.

Earlier I had used it to bring butter up to room temperature to make those astounding chocolate chip cookies by Martha Stewart, the proofer booklet's recipe for Country Wheat Sandwich Bread and chocolate covered almonds. Everything worked perfectly! Until

Folding Proofer & My Foodie Nemesis

White chocolate... I have no idea how many times I have either watched white chocolate sit there and refuse to melt or suddenly seize up on me. I wanted to make a white chocolate bark using the Brod & Taylor Folding Proofer but the only white chocolate I had in the house was Chipits' white chocolate chips. Well, why not???

I had read online somewhere that 90F will melt white chocolate. I really did not want it to scorch so I left it at this temperature for like an hour. Then another 20 minutes. Then another half hour. It refused to melt at all! I moved it to a metal bowl, hoping that it would help conduct the heat more...

It just got really, really gross. Ugh! White chocolate bested me again! Instead of deciding that either I had a white chocolate curse... I wrote the company and asked for help.

Julie at Brod & Taylor not only listened to my white chocolate woes but went home and did some product testing of her own! She even wrote up a "fool proof" technique for melting white chocolate in the proofer:

1. Set the proofer temperature to 115F and put the wire rack in place. Do not use the water tray, the proofer should be completely dry.

2. Put 4 oz/113g of white chocolate into a heat-proof bowl (ceramic or glass both work well), set it into the proofer and close the lid. There is no need to finely chop the chocolate, it can be left in one piece as long as it fits into the bowl.

3. Allow the proofer to work while you accomplish other tasks. The chocolate will be completely melted in 60 minutes or less. There is no need to stir, the proofer will provide a constant temperature.

It is worthwhile to note that 4 oz. of chocolate will not scorch even after two hours at this temperature, so there is a very long safety margin.

Which exactly what I did with the last remaining white chocolate Chipits... and failed! Again!!!!

Oh course my brain immediately concluded, "I am cursed!"

So I wrote again to Julie (feeling like an idiot) and she asked me what kind of chocolate I had been using? She suggested I try again but with another kind of white chocolate.

Reg took me to the Bulk Barn and I was amazed to discover that some of their white chocolate wafers did not have cocoa butter in them at all! I browsed until I found a high quality baker's melting white chocolate. To be safe, I chopped up 4 oz and put it in the proofer at 115F for an hour.

I looked through the window and it looked exactly the same. I wanted to cry! But when I took it out and stirred with a spoon, it was perfectly melted. Joy!

White Chocolate Bark with Almonds & Cranberries

I threw in some toasted almonds right away to start making my white chocolate bark.

Then for the hell of it I folded in some dried cranberries.

Delicious and I finally did it! I have tried melting fancy white bakers chocolate in a double boiler and scorched it so for me, the proofer is the way to go. Not only for bringing my butter up to room temp, for helping my dough rise but now also for melting chocolate. Yes, it is a pretty big appliance for some of the smaller jobs but I can move it to my dining room table to save space in my kitchen.

Product Review

I love that this product can do so many foodie tricks! I still have to make yogurt with it which I am really looking forward to doing (and will share) but I feel it is safe to say that the Brod & Taylor Folding Proofer is one of the coolest products I have ever tested and their customer service impressed the hell out of me. Yes, it is expensive (around $150 on Amazon) but for the foodie who has everything, this will become her best friend in the kitchen.

I did keep forgetting the "top" was not on the proofer permanently so it went flying off a few times and I wish it had its own timer but that is a bit of a stretch to find a real complaint. If you have space to store the proofer (I keep mine in my crafts room) and you love to bake, this is a great investment. I give this product five out of five wooden spoons.

Oh and Hershey's Chipits, what the heck is in those chocolate chips of yours?!

Janet & Greta Podleski Looneyspoons' Obi Wonton Kenobi

2012-01-16T09:01:00.000-04:00

It was cold this weekend! Really cold and I am so glad I prepared for it ahead of time and made Janet & Greta Podleski's Obi Wonton Kenobi soup from their The Looneyspoons Collection on Friday so we could enjoy it all weekend!

As I mentioned in my New Year Mulligan post, I am doing my best to not go out and buy specialty food items for recipes. In the case of this recipe, I did buy wonton wrappers but did not buy ground chicken/turkey or use reduced-sodium soy sauce. Instead I chopped up two chicken breasts and used regular soy since I actually have problems with low blood pressure but will write out the recipe Podleski style:

Obi Wonton Kenobi

Combine 8 oz (227 g) ground chicken or turkey with 1/4 cup minced green onions, 2 tsp reduced-sodium soy sauce, 2 tsp sesame oil, 2 tsp cornstarch, 1 egg white and 1/4 tsp salt. (I omitted the salt because I used regular soy sauce)

Mix well. Which for me was easy to do in a food processor because I was using chicken breasts but if you are using ground meat then just use a spoon or your hands.

Working one at a time, place 1 tsp of filling in the middle of a wonton wrapper. Fold one side over the filling to make a triangle. Moisten edges and press down to seal.

Now they did not say what to use to moisten the edges so I just used water. I actually moistened the edges first, then enclosed the filling in the triangle shape and pushed out any air that may be inside.

I moistened a clean towel and kept the dumplings covered as I worked

"Bring the two points of the base of the triangle around filling, overlap them, moisten and press together."

I am terrible with written instructions! I think I did it right but again, I moistened with water first so the two bottom points stuck after I overlapped them. This is almost like a tortellini, it is just missing the cap on top.

This recipe used up one side of the wonton package perfectly! I have the other half in the freezer. No waste, I love it!

I brought a large pot of water to boil over high heat and then added the wontons. I stirred a few times to make sure that they did not stick either to the pot or to each other. I boiled them for 5 minutes and then removed them with a slotted spoon and drained well.

This really is a "Simple Chinese soup" the way the book claims which is good because making all those dumplings is time consuming. I was quite grateful the soup was so easy to make.

Bring 6 cups of sodium-reduced chicken broth to a boil and add 1/4 cup green onions and 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves cut into thin strips. The basil have added to my grocery bill so I just added flat leaf Italian parsley instead. Also add 1 tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce, 2 tsp sesame oil and 1 tsp grated gingerroot. Simmer uncovered for 2 minutes.

Place wontons on the bottom of the bowl and ladle hot brother over wontons. Here is a nice closeup of how the dumplings should look.

I have to say this soup is simplicity at its best. It tastes like Vancouver! It took us back to our old life in little Chinatown. It truly tasted authentic. Reg could not get enough of it and neither could I.

If you do not find this soup flavourful, it actually may not have enough salt. Personally, when I make this again, I will boil the dumplings in salted water and I would stick with using regular soy sauce. If you are on a special diet, however, this will be a treat even with the reduced salt.

I have not enjoyed a soup this much in years. I think it is genius and Reg did too. That is very rare and so is my five out of five wooden spoons rating for it! It is delicious and something I will make all the time now. Again, very rare.

Thanks Janet and Greta!

Special newsletter is on its way!

2012-01-14T14:14:00.000-04:00

And... there is a little bit of a secret inside about what is coming up for me and my blog! Want to be in-the-know? Sign up for free! Find out about giveaways and stuff coming up on my blog ahead of time. If you don't like it, unsubscribe. I don't mind.

Hope you're having a great and delicious weekend!!!

~ Suzie the Foodie

Foodie Gratitude: Healing My Foodie Heart

2012-01-13T09:03:00.000-04:00

My Eggs Charlotte courtesy of Loblaw.

This year one of my dreams is to practice foodie gratitude. Appreciate not just the food I eat and enjoy but those who make my foodie life easier, more interesting and share their products with me. Not to worry, I will still be 100% honest and not hold back if I do not like something. That is just not in my character!

Loblaw noticed via my blog that I could not get PC Black Label's Truffle Aioli that I adored and ended up being my number 1 product of 2011 at my store and sent me some! I was shocked!

THREE bottles of this unbelievably delicious spread. I was blown away! Oh the delicious foodie treats I will create.

I am grateful not only for their generosity but for helping me heal a foodie wound. Almost four years ago after just moving here Reg and I packed our car with all new food since we had nothing when we moved here from BC. There was an un-forecasted ice storm followed by snowstorm that happened while we were shopping. On our way home, we drove one block and had a head-on collision.

After that moment, grocery shopping terrified me. My post-traumatic stress is so severe that I will do anything to avoid shopping in the car with Reg in the winter. I walk on roads without sidewalks covered in snow and ice with cars passing so close they sometimes move the bags of food strapped to my bad back and injury-proned shoulders.

Over the four years, grocery shopping and food in general have gone from reminding me of that horrific day to being my place of solace. My home away from home. I still can not buy the same box of chicken breasts we bought the day of the accident that thawed while we were in the hospital but I can buy bagged greens again. (Long story)

My store has recently had a makeover while I have been sick. I am thrilled they have a bulk section now and I can not wait to go to the olive bar and take some home. It is so much the same that I think I know where everything is but really, I can't find anything yet.

It is nice to have a place where people kind of know me. I am pretty well housebound so this is the only place I actually hang out with the human race. I bought a plant once and the florist said, "Hey, you're the one who's always here!" I am sure the produce guys call me "the crazy shiitake mushroom lady" since I am always asking about them.

May my foodie journey continue to heal my wounded heart and bring more and more delicious joy into my kitchen.

Easy Eggs Charlotte

Before By The Way Cafe was a Middle Eastern Restaurant in Toronto it was a cafe that introduced me to Eggs Charlotte: poached eggs on an English muffin with smoked salmon slathered in Hollandaise sauce. Divine! Every time I visited my family in Toronto I tried to make sure to go there. So much so I had my bridal shower there!

You would think I would have made it myself but make all that Hollandaise sauce just for me?! Nope. Thankfully you could get this dish out west (we lived in BC for eight years) all over the place but now... Now on the east coast I can make it myself and so can you!

Not an easy shot to take!

I referred to my poached eggs tutorial (it had been a while) and brought some water with a little vinegar in it to a boil. Not a rapid boil, close to simmering. I put an egg in a ramekin dish, swirled the water and carefully added the egg.

I got out a wooden spoon and swirled the egg white closer to the yolk. It got all long and whispy but eventually got back together. I let simmer for four minutes.

I removed the egg with a slotted spoon and dried it on some paper towel. Then I made another poached egg as I toasted an English muffin.

Considering the expiry date of the aioli is the end of this month, I put some sauce on the bottom layer, topped with a piece of smoked salmon, added the poached egg, then spooned even more of the aioli on top and sprinkled with chopped chives. I am not letting any of it go to waste!

Unbelievable! The egg was perfect. I like it when the egg yolk is solid around the edges and just a little runny on the inside. The aioli, I have to say, might even be better than the Hollandaise sauce for this dish. And it required no work from me! Divine. Absolutely divine. I went to foodie heaven when I had this and I will make it again today!

Yes, I have come a long way on my healing journey with food and Loblaw/my Superstore has had a lot to do with it. Focusing on food as a beautiful part of my life has healed a deep wound. It has also been liberating. To create my favourite foods in my own kitchen anytime I want? Now that is foodie freedom.

Bobby Flay's Cinnamon Crunch Ice Cream

2012-01-12T09:10:00.000-04:00

I love homemade ice cream! It is so much better than store-bought that even though it can be a lot of work, it is usually worth the effort. As a result, I turned to Bobby Flay's Bar Americain Cookbook published by Random House of Canada for inspiration. I have made custard ice creams before so I felt confident I could make this treat.

Cinnamon Crunch

I began by making the "crunch" part of the recipe, which sounded fascinating. In a food processor I combined 1/4 cup flour, 1/4 cup quick-cooking rolled oats and 1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp of packed light brown sugar. I pulsed a few times and then added 4 tbsp of cold unsalted butter cut into pieces.

Well I am not sure exactly what happened here. I was supposed to pulse until combined but the more I pulsed, the more it turned to dust! And what does "combined" mean exactly? That it will hold together? Become a ball? I decided to move on with the recipe and not risk this becoming more dust-like by pulsing any farther.

You were supposed to pat the mixture evenly into a 4" square on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. As you can see, that meant going quite three dimensional! Did that mean this was supposed to be more like a dough than a crumble? It just did not want to pile that high.

I did my best and then baked it in a preheated 350F oven. I was supposed to bake it for 15 minutes until it turned golden brown and crispy. Well at ten minutes it turned into a dark blob! So I took it out.

The Ice Cream

This recipe contains 8 egg yolks. Which seems like a lot! When I make my coffee ice cream with even more liquid it only takes 4. So yes, after making the crumble, I was nervous! But, I had to stay true to the recipe.

I combined 2 cups whole milk, 2 cups heavy cream and 2 cinnamon sticks in a medium sauce pan. If you have a vanilla bean, scrape it and throw it all in at this point. I put this pan over medium heat the way I was supposed to and it took forever to come to a simmer. A skin kept forming on the top.

Once it came to a simmer I removed it from the heat, added some vanilla bean paste and let steep for 30 minutes. I returned it to the heat and brought it to a simmer. Again, it took forever!

"Prepare an ice bath by placing a medium bowl inside a larger bowl filled half full with ice water." I was looking at the bowls thinking, a medium bowl is going to be too small!!! Just following the recipe Suzie...

Combine the eight egg yolks with 1 cup of sugar.

Which together until the egg yolks turn pale yellow. My house gremlin stole my whisk attachment (and my giant wooden cutting board!) so I used egg beaters instead and as you can see, they worked great.

Slowly whisk in the warm milk mixture into the eggs yolks and sugar. Remove cinnamon sticks and vanilla bean (if using). Return mixture to the pan and cook stirring with a wooden spoon until the mixture coats the back, 3 to 4 minutes.

When it was thick enough to do so I started to notice it looked like it was breaking up a bit so I quickly moved to the next step.

I had to strain the custard into the bowl set in the ice bath and I was right, the original one was not big enough. So I moved the ice bath to another vessel and choose a larger and deeper bowl to go inside it so the whole bowl would cool down. But it didn't! I kept replacing the ice bath but the best I could get was a lukewarm custard. It would not "chill" like the cookbook said it would.

In fact, traditionally most people always put the custard in the fridge to chill completely before churning. I was shocked that at this point you were supposed to "pour the custard into an ice cream maker"!!!

I don't get it. This is not kitchen stadium. I do no have only an hour to make five dishes. And if you watch Iron Chef, the ice cream gets them every time and why? Because it is not cold enough.

On the left you will see just how "soupy" the ice cream was after it finished churning. I knew that was not how it was supposed to look but folded in some of the "crumble" anyway.

My coffee ice cream

This is how ice cream should look after the custard has been chilled and churned.

I put it in a large plastic container, put it in the freezer to chill overnight. My foodie hopes were not high.

Two days later, it was hard as a rock! I left it (accidentally) out for over an hour to "soften" and it was just barely scoop-able:

It does have that deep and rich complex flavour of a custard ice cream but it almost too-custardy for me. I think it is because of all those egg yolks. Reg said it was like having an apple crisp with ice cream and liked it, except for the texture, which was my fault because a lot of it was crystal-ly from being refrozen.

It is a very heavy ice cream and the "crunch" kind of got swept into the whole batch which impacted the texture. When it comes to flavour, I give the recipe three and a half out of five wooden spoons. I give the directions, a weak three out of five. I did not understand what "comes together" meant exactly and I know using an ice bath will not properly chill an ice cream.

What a bummer! I mean, it is a good ice cream but all those eggs and it ending up being frozen like a brick? Not exactly light as air for a cholesterol bomb of a dessert. We will finish the ice cream but I will not be making it again.

I need your advice! Which foodie shirt should I test?

2012-01-11T08:27:00.000-04:00

Yes, I am stepping out into the market with my foodie photos! But I really need your advice. Before I start adding widgets and marketing, I have to do my own product testing with the company. As a result, I would love for you to vote in my poll for which shirt you would like me to order. I would also love some feedback in my other poll about what you potentially would prefer to see in my foodie photo clothing store.

Do you prefer black shirts to light? Keep in mind, white items are cheaper.

Do you just want foodie photos or do you like text too?

What kind of clothing would you be inclined to buy? If you love tank tops, would you be willing to pay more for them? For some reason they cost a bit more.

I wanted to make aprons (of course!) but I was having trouble finding them for sale. Would you only buy an apron or do t-shirts interest you?

It is totally fine if you have no interest in purchasing anything ever. High pressure sales suck!

Suzie goes high tech!

Believe it or not, Reg and I do not have a cell phone but I thought the photos looked so cool as cell phone skins I just had to add them too. Obviously I can not product test these since I do not have a phone but thought you might get a kick out of them.

It is time for me to start thinking bigger and getting creative. I would love to hear anything you have to say on this project. Your opinions mean so much to me so go for it!

This has always been a dream of mine, to have my own store. I find this super exciting. I hope you do too!

Need to Fix Your Kitchen Sink Faucet? Call a Plumber!

2012-01-10T09:11:00.000-04:00

Some time back in early fall, something broke inside our Moen kitchen sink faucet. The lever used to turn the water on the off would no long turn off when you pushed down. Most of the time the lever would just go flying off and crash into the sink. You had to really fight with it to turn the water off and soon life in my kitchen became a battle. You can see the stress marks in the photo above along the ring of the faucet. Over time they just kept getting deeper and deeper.

Then, one day, my wrists started to really hurt while using a knife. I mean, really hurt. I knew it was from fighting with the faucet. That was it! The damn faucet was going to get fixed, one way or another.

I walked over to Kent one day with the lever and cap in my pocket and asked for help. Maybe I just needed to replace them? A nice man told me it was much more complicated than that. I would have to get in touch with Moen and get a full faucet replacement.

Sounded easy enough so that is what I did! And we did eventually get the replacement faucet but...

Look at all those components! Reg is a seriously smart guy but when he looked at all the diagrams and saw everything that was involved, it was quite clear this was a very complicated process and he is not a plumber. I did some digging, found some videos on Youtube for him to study then, one day, he decided to give it a shot.

We put the dish towels in the sink. I can't remember why we did that exactly. Probably to make sure we did not end up losing some of the components.

Reg studied the instructions one more time.

He went under the link only to realize that he could not turn off the hot water to the taps. He could turn off the cold but not the hot. We went to the faucet where the contractor who did our house inspection said was where we turn off the water for the house. (Turns out it turns off the water to the backyard!) That did not work. Reg turned off faucets in the ceiling. That did not work.

That was it. Time to call in the professionals!

I got everything we had out for him and he asked me where the water shut off valve was for the house. I panicked. Um, I don't know... Where is it usually?

"Under the stairs," he said.

Holy crap! I had only been on medication a couple of days for my pneumonia and the crawl space under the stairs is where we store everything.

And I mean everything! And the guy didn't help me at all. Here I was struggling to breathe and I had to pull out all our luggage, camping equipment, Christmas crap... all by myself!

The plumber got to work and it seemed to take a long, long time. Then I heard a blow torch and I knew, this was going to cost us a lot.

Well he fixed it and here is my beautiful new faucet that I treat very carefully! I do not want to hurt it and I do not want it to hurt me. Turns out that we had to get the hot water pipe and dials replaced and when he disconnected the dishwasher, he could not re-connect it because it was so corroded so that had to be fixed. Yup, cost us hundreds of dollars but he said that it is good we got it done now, that we prevented much more serious problems down the road by taking care of it now.

My serious hiatus from real food cooking actually helped my wrists heal (knock on wood) and how nice is it to not have to grapple with the faucet to turn on the water? It was so embarrassing when guests would visit and try and use the faucet and the top would go flying off and smash into the sink. I'm pretty sure that is how I broke a lot of our drinking glasses which we have almost run out of, I made that lever go flying at least a hundred times!

It is good to try and get some things done in the kitchen yourself but when it comes to plumbing? Call a professional. It took us two months to get this addressed because we just did not know what we could and could not do and it is always more complicated than you think. Not to mention expensive!

Call a plumber and get it done right.

My New-Fashioned Breadmaker Vegan Oatmeal Loaf

2012-01-09T07:51:00.000-04:00

During the last six weeks stuck in bed resting, I yearned for homemade bread! Even with my KitchenAid mixer and Folding Proofer, I did not have the energy to make anything because I was so sick. I mourned my old breadmaker's demise.

A Holiday Treasure

We bought Reg's parents this breadmaker during our first Christmas here. That was a while ago and it has been gathering dust. When Lorraine heard that my breadmaker was dead and I was too sick to make some myself, she insisted I have hers. Breadmakers are quite large so it was taking up space in her home and she knew I would get more use out of it. In honour of Lorraine's generosity, I put it to work immediately!

The Recipe

The first thing I did was test it with my Rich White Dinner Rolls with Thyme recipe first. We were getting low on milk so I substituted vanilla rice milk and it worked perfectly! As a result, I used it in this oatmeal loaf making it totally vegan, completely by accident. You're welcome!

In the microwave I warmed up 1 1/3 cup of rice milk so it was just above body temperature (but not hot!) and added it to the pan. Then I added 1 1/4 tsp of salt, 3 tbsp packed brown sugar and 2 tbsp shortening

I topped it with 1 cup of whole wheat flour, 2 cups of all purpose flour and 1/2 cup quick-cooking oats.

Then I added 2 tbsp of wheat germ and 1 1/2 tsp of yeast. I no longer had breamakers' yeast so I just used regular. I put the breadmaker on dough cycle. I stayed and watched. Sure enough, it was too dry and needed more warm rice milk. I was very generous.

The key to making a good dough is to make sure the dough is neither too wet or dry. Be patient! After about 15 minutes it should be in one glob, all the flour picked up and getting pounded into a ball by the paddles.

I took the dough out of the pan, moved it to a lightly floured cutting board, covered with a large clean towel and let rest for 10-15 minutes.

I wanted it to be a free-formed hearth loaf so I shaped it 10" x 3" with a slightly flattened top. I placed it on a lightly greased baking sheet and let rise in a warm spot covered for 45 minutes. I brushed the loaf with milk and sprinkled some oats on top. So pretty!

Then I baked it at 375F and the original recipe (which I totally changed) said to keep it in there for 35-40 minutes but I knew it was done at around 27 minutes. I could smell it, it was dark brown and sounded hollow when I tapped the bottom. There is nothing I hate more than over-baked bread!

Turns out I was right, it was perfect! Sometimes it is good to trust your foodie instincts. This was a surprisingly moist, earthy but not too wheat-y loaf of bread. I made paninis with it, French toast and even slider buns! We lived on this bread over the weekend.

It is funny, it brought me back to the basics of my foodie journey. My dad and his wife gave me the same breadmaker as an engagement present. My kitchen was so small at the time, I had to make bread on the kitchen floor. When we moved to Vancouver, someone stole it out of our storage locker. I gave up on breadmaking until I moved to Nova Scotia and bought another breadmaker with birthday money Lorraine gave me. Funny how things come full circle.

No Breadmaker? No problem!

Of course you do not need a breadmaker to make this loaf. Warm up your milk to just above body temperature and add some of the brown sugar and all the yeast and let it sit for 10 minutes. Combine the dry ingredients, then add the milk, yeast and shortening and knead into a dough for 10 minutes. Put in an oiled bowl, slide the dough around to cover it with oil, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise for an hour. Then follow the rest of my instructions on making the free-fromed hearth bread.

I lived a few months without a breadmaker but was not a happy camper. I do love making bread myself and have tools that can help but a breadmaker is like having foodie elves in my kitchen doing all the hard work when I need rest.

Thank you Lorraine and my foodie elves!

New Year Mulligan

2012-01-07T07:32:00.000-04:00

I love this foodie mural someone did in Sunnyside Mall in Bedford, Nova Scotia, so charming

Our New Year's did not start out super great. I have been in recovery mode since but on Monday, I hope to get back to my foodie routine and make life healthier and taste better.

If I had a "foodie resolution" for the year it is to work more with the foods I have and not go out to spend money on specialty items. Thankfully I have a full pantry when it comes to herbs and spices so anything goes there but beyond that... I hope to keep it more down to earth and economical.

I am looking forward to things getting better in 2012 and just hope they don't get worse.

See you on Monday!

Janet & Greta Podleski's Skinny Dipping Tzatziki

2012-01-05T08:51:00.000-04:00

Two of my favourite foodies in the whole wide world are Janet & Greta Podleski. Two sisters who had a vision for their cookbook and, despite all sorts of challenges and naysayers, made it happen! Not only that, their cookbooks were the first cookbooks I had that not only made food make sense to this particular foodie novice, they made me laugh and not take it too seriously. I also learned so much about nutrition and the power of food along the way.

Recently I had heard there was something about their new/updated The Looneyspoons Collection that I just had to see. I heard about it on Facebook and Twitter but being a house-bound foodie with no bookstore in sight, I had no way of verifying what the heck people were talking about. Turns out "Suzie the Foodie" was in their list of loyal and enthusiastic fan base in the Acknowledgements! What a huge honour! I still can't believe it. I only found this out because when they discovered via Twitter I had no clue what people were referring too and that I had pneumonia, they sent me a copy of their cookbook! What absolutely sweethearts. Have I mentioned that I adore them?

Over the years I have followed their blog, watched their TV show, celebrated when they joined Facebook and have been writing to them over the years with questions and kudos. I would not be a foodie without these hysterical and wild women's influence in the kitchen. I have the beaten up cookbooks to prove it!

Skinny Dipping Tzatziki

As promised a while ago, I will share their recipe and technique for making their low fat tzatziki! At first I choose it to help cool down the PC Jalapeno Popper Potato Chips I was testing but I also used it for so much more!

Peel, seed and finely chop 3/4 cup of English cucumber.

In a bowl add the cucumber and 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice, 1 tbsp minced fresh dill, 1 tsp minced garlic, 1 tsp granulated sugar, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp of freshly ground black pepper. I love that they include very specific measurements for salt and pepper, so helpful for new foodies.

Also add 1 cup of low-fat Greek yogurt. I used PC's but I find when it comes to plain Greek yogurt, they are all quite good so I pick up whichever one is on sale.

After combining in a small bowl, make sure to cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. Amazing that in a 1/4 cup there is only 0.1 total fat but you get 3 grams of protein! Not to mention, it is delicious! Strong, flavourful but not overpowering... yum!

I absolutely loved this tzatziki and enjoyed it not only with the few smokin' hot jalapeno chips I ate but enjoyed it with fresh veggies too. The best was making a Greek chicken wrap and slathering the grilled chicken with this creamy sauce before rolling it up in a tortilla with lots of greens. I give this recipe four out of five wooden spoons.

I love it when food is healthy and tasty! That is what the Podleski sisters do best. Thank Janet & Greta! We are off to a great start!

Foodie Dreams for 2012

2012-01-04T09:57:00.000-04:00

I really am not one for "resolutions" when it comes to planning out my year. When you live with chronic health problems, the idea of committing to a project is kind of a joke and just sets me up for a let-down. I do believe in dreams though, with all my heart. When you are stuck on a couch for over a month barely able to move or breathe, that is pretty much all you have.

One thing I have learned while giving in to the power of pneumonia is I have to find recipes that are much faster and easier to make, but must also be super flavourful. I would feel much better having some quick yummy recipes in my back pocket for time periods when I am out of commission. I invested in a copy of Jamie Oliver's Meals in Minutes, so inspired by his television show. All the recipes are from various regions of the world, inspired by different cultures and uses many flavour profiles.

Jamie Oliver's cookbooks always have stunning photographs and in this case, they also help remind me what episode the series of recipes comes from. He promises you can make an entire meal including dessert in around 30 minutes. All that food photographed above in just minutes. I may not take on all the recipes per meal right away but it will be interesting to see how long it takes me to make just one of them!

The part that worries me is the text. That is a lot of heavy text! I have no space for my cookbook near my stove so I am always running back and forth to look at my cookbook. To read, plan and remember all that? Even just trying to pick out the information for one recipe? This is going to be a challenge!

But if they are fast to make and delicious to boot, I will feel reassured that when my next health sabbatical comes I can whip a few recipes up without spending a ton of time in the kitchen. Hopefully.

So that is just one of my foodie dreams this year: quick, healthy and tasty food!

I would love to hear one of your foodie dreams of 2012!

Suzie the Foodie's Honourable Mentions of 2011

2012-01-03T12:29:00.000-04:00

There were some products that I reviewed this year that may have not been in my top list but I still wanted to mention because they did impress me and I wanted to share them with you. Also later on in the post I comment on some President's Choice products I went out to test all on my own with my own cash for the holidays.

First is just a general comment on the store Cucina Moderna, photographed above. I love going to this store! People are always friendly and there is so much to look at and consider buying. As a result, I go in there with a budget in mind and have come out with some cool treats! I have got my ice cream scoops there, my "Chooper" which I use every day, the autumn cookies cutters I bought for a giveaway two years ago, my cookbook holder and they even donated one for a giveaway last year too. If you live in the HRM, there is a good chance there is a Cucina Moderna near you!

Sun-Maid Cinnamon Swirl Raisin Bread was wonderful to indulge in and made such fantastic French toast. This is a product that really pleasantly surprised me with its flavour and all those yummy raisins. Not something I would buy every week but for holiday French toast I can make it in a snap and not wait until I have time to make my own raisin bread? You bet!

PC Big Box Chocolate and Toffee Collection went on forever! Honestly, Reg and I snacked on these throughout the entire holiday and only just finished them. Which probably is not a good thing considering how many chocolates you get in that huge box for $9.99! This has got to be one of the best holiday deals ever.

So Nice For Coffee is creamy and dreamy! Especially for those who are not able to have dairy, what a treat! I know that when I was going through my almost-vegan-phase I would have bought this on a regular basis. Most soy products completely disintegrate in hot liquid. This one was not perfect but it was pretty damn close.

I must admit my expectations for the cookbook Eva's Kitchen by Eva Longoria were not very high. Celebrity culture annoys the hell out of me but wow, Eva really is passionate not only about food but about those who harvest it and eating healthy and well. She is very politically-motivated about food and continues to impress me with her activism! This is absolutely reflected in her cookbook which is beautiful and full of new and interesting foodie ideas.

Under Cover Shopper & Reviewer

Most of the products you see me testing on my blog are the result of a company sending them to me. Right before the holidays during a fever-inspired shopping extravaganza, I picked up some new products for me to try that were not on anyone's "must try" list.

The first is President's Choice Organics Atlantic Salmon, skinless boneless fillets, which do not appear to be on their site. You get two vacuum sealed salmon fillets for $9.99. Yes, I can buy fresh Atlantic salmon but I know many Canadians can not which is why I bought it. I made it with my version of Michael Smith's Maple Mustard Grilled Salmon recipe (super easy for this sickie) and it was delicious. Super flaky, moist and beautiful. A little expensive but the quality was excellent. I give this product four out of five wooden spoons.

When Reg saw my status on Facebook saying that I was going to have to make plain apple cider for Christmas Eve because I ran out of cranberry juice, he went out and got me this new cranberry cocktail from President's Choice (which also doesn't appear on their site!).

I have to say, this was the best Crockpot Cranberry Apple Cider I have ever had, let alone made! It is also great for adding flavour to drinks. For example, we had raspberry ginger ale and I love cranberry and raspberries together so I added it! Wow, is it ever tart though. This is good quality cranberry juice that has not been sweetened. I added it to some cranberry pop on New Year's Eve and it was awesome! I give this product four and a half out of five wooden spoons.

I was super excited to see that I could pick up Meyer lemons at the Superstore! How many times have I heard chefs talk about these lemons as though they are so superior to regular lemons and I could not try them! Then one day, they were there!

I picked up a 1 lb bag of them for $3.49 and used them in salad dressings, the above fabulous cranberry apple cider and our mango smoothies. My conclusion? I agree with Ava, they are weird! There is something alien about them, they do not look normal to me and I am sorry, I do not see how they are so much more evolved than the ordinary lemon at all. No rating here since I just do not see what the big deal is. They are not bad but I do not think they are superior.

I also picked up PC Single Cream Goat Brie which was my big indulgence. A tiny little circle of cheese for $8.99 was a bit steep for this shopper but I wanted to try it on New Year's Eve. I left it out at room temperature and it got all nice, soft and gooey the way brie should. It is just lighter in colour than your traditional brie and if you know goat's milk and cheese well like I do, you can taste the difference from regular brie, but it is lovely. A big hit at our house with our friends too! A thoughtful alternative for those who can not eat traditional dairy but are OK with goat products, throughly impressed me. I give this product four and a half out of five wooden spoons.

THAT'S IT!

I am done with product reviews for now and once I find strength and some energy I will be back in my kitchen making real food. Hope you enjoyed the 2011 overview and I am looking forward to lots of homemade food in 2012.

Suzie the Foodie's Fromage Awards: Foodie Disasters of 2011

2012-01-01T12:06:00.000-04:00

Sometimes we all just need a little cheese in our lives.

Way back when I used to live with my family we would all gather in front of the TV on New Year's Day and watch Christopher Ward's Fromage special on MuchMusic. Quite hysterically, he would share the worst and cheesiest music videos of the year. This year I intend to share the worst foodie products (with respect) and moments of 2011.

Fromage Moment #13

Dietitians of Canada Cook! cookbook is filled with different recipes by many nutritionists across Canada. As a result, this proved an impossible book to review. I did have one great foodie experience but called it quits when I made the green-hued tasteless orange cranberry flax muffins. The worst was getting criticized for not following instructions perfectly so of course it must be my fault they looked so bad and tasted like cardboard. Or that the broccoli in the broccoli cheese soup turned to dust, and the soup was sweet and insipid.

As a result of my experience with this cookbook, I no longer will review cookbooks with many different collaborators or ones whose focus is solely on "healthy" cooking. In my world, if you make food from scratch you are already eating better than 90% of the people out there and with recipes like these, all that work in the kitchen with those kinds of results are going to make people want to go back to McDs!

Fromage Moment #12

PC Memories Of Argentina Chimichurri Sauce was such a letdown. I really like a good chimichurri sauce but this one really disappointed me. The acidity was offensive and the more I ate it, the less I liked it and soon I could not stand it. It was so thin too and I did try and use it as a marinade and I think for the first time on my blog I said, "I hated it." Definitely cheese worthy!

Fromage Moment #11

PC Dine-In Tonight Creamy Mascarpone, Ricotta, Butternut Squash and Spinach Lasagna was not necessarily horrible but my expectations for a creamy mascarpone-y vegetarian lasagna were quite high. How sad that under seasoning and lack of any textural interest made this product fall flat. I could only get Reg to have leftovers because of how much salt, pepper and Parm that I added before reheating to give it some flavour. Boring flat food is a foodie sin in my world. One that will not be forgiven!

Fromage Moment #10

How to put the head back on a decapitated Kitchenaid mixer was one of the worst disasters in my kitchen last year. I totally did not realize the neck bolt was falling out and then the head came off. I had to wait until Reg got home from being away before trying to get it put back together. Getting it fixed was one hell of an odyssey. I totally deserve a fromage award for that one. Now I always lift the head up and make sure the bolt is securely inside the machine and thank my lucky stars we figured out how to fix it!

Fromage Moment #9

Three Farmers Camelina Oil is one of the sadder fromage stories of 2011. I really, REALLY wanted to like it. Made by Canadian farmers, creating something all their own, kind enough to send me samples... But after awhile the smell of it started to make me sick to my stomach. Way too earthy and grassy at the same time, my body just did not like it (especially my nose). The good news is there are a lot of different tastes out there so I know this product will be good for other foodies, just not me.

Fromage Moment #8

I can sometimes be forgiving if a recipe is kind of bland amongst other winners but after the pizza dough debacle and then the curried noodle nightmare above that almost made me sick, The $5 Takeout Cookbook was so unpredictable and questionable that I was actually afraid to make anything else from the cookbook for fear of wasting food, time and energy. Not worth it!

Fromage Moment #7

PC Thins Multigrain Bagels sounded like a good idea in theory but in practice, they were pretty miserable. They were so thin they would barely toast and when they did, they kind of tasted like cardboard. No moisture, just kind of dried out crusts with a hole in the middle, I would rather eat half of a real bagel than a whole thin bagel. Isn't the point of a bagel for it to be thick and wonderfully chewy?

Fromage Moment #6

The Peanut Butter Brownie Disaster was all my fault! I made it look pretty but a lapse in being able to divide the recipe in half when it comes to eggs meant I wasted a ton of food and it was all because of my fibro brain.

Fromage Moment #5

PC Red Velvet Cake Baking Mix is not horrible when it comes to flavour but it is guilty of being pretty much just like all the other baking mixes out there, none of which I like. One note, no strong flavour and the fact they did not include a pack of icing to help with the whole "give yourself the gift of time" holiday idea, this product totally let me down. I would much prefer to bake a cake from scratch which would not take that long and have something divine than just add some water, eggs and oil to a batter that comes out dry and dull and then have to make my own frosting from scratch anyway. I was expecting so much more from President's Choice and feel they let me down with this one.

Fromage Moment #4

Cavena Nuda Naked Oats was perhaps the most bizarre and laborious of products for me to review all year. None of the recipes really worked and the product always seemed to need more liquid than required. The recipes that came with the product were filled with errors and/or lack of instruction resulting in popping oats jumping all over my oven! The best results I had were after I pulverized the oats into a flour but it was laborious and put my blender's engine in danger of over-heating. This was one product test I was thrilled when it was finally over! Health enthusiasts may love it but for us? No thanks!

Fromage Moment #3

A major mis-communication with my mom resulted in The Blueberry Pie From Hell!!! I can't even go back there, that was one terrible! It totally deserves a stinky cheese award!

Fromage Moment #2

I do not think I have ever been so shocked than when I made some Teatulia Ginger Tea. The name of it sounded tasty enough. The packaging was impressive. The tea looked beautiful...

It was horrifying. Absolutely horrifying! Turns out that it was not just ginger inside the tea, there was also organic vasaka leaf which apparently goats refuse to eat because it is so bitter. For once I can say, goats have good taste! Because this was disgusting and should have come with a warning about the vasaka leaf, I can easily say this was the worst product test for me in 2011.

2011 FROMAGE "WINNER"

I give myself first place for being a fromage foodie thanks to my Homemade Stovetop Smoker Attempt. Here I was oohing and aahing (and videotaping the reveal) of my "smoked chicken" only to discover after I put my camera down that it was completely raw inside! I was devastated. It took me months of building the courage to make this attempt, as well as coming up with my own way to smoke meat only to have it be inedible when I was done. I did end up cooking it through but I felt the queen of cheese that day with everyone on Facebook encouraging me on and waiting for the results. I will wear the crown proudly and try and redeem myself next year!

Hope you had fun looking back at the top foodie disasters of 2012!

Suzie the Foodie's List of Top Products from 2011

2011-12-31T10:00:00.000-04:00

Please Note: If you have a product you want me to try, just email me and let's talk about it! I must warn you that I am super picky and honest about how I feel. If that doesn't scare you off, I would love to hear from you!

Over the year I have been so lucky to try many products that would normally never cross my path. I had so many that made my "top product" list for 2011 that I had to choose more than 10. Tomorrow I will be sharing the "honourable mentions," as well as the worst products of 2011.

I have not officially reviewed the Brod and Taylor Folding Proofer because I am still testing it but so far I am super impressed. Not only that, they have the best and most helpful customer service I have ever experienced. It earned its nickname that my sister Shannon came up with (the "poofer") when I made their Country Wheat Sandwich Bread. More on this product soon!

PRODUCT NUMBER 13

The President's Choice 6 - Mushroom Medley Ultra-Thin Crust Flammekueche. I have bought these since officially testing them and still love them! A very thin, super light pizza filled with mushroom flavour, a tasty creamy sauce and emmental cheese. You will need a side salad and smoothie to make it a complete meal because it is so thin but for a weekend treat? We love this pizza!

PRODUCT NUMBER 12

The GreenPan Bali Series Frying Pans have continued to impress me. I listened to my sister Jamie's warning about them (that they can get worn out) so I have made sure to keep the temperature not super-high and always hand wash them. I can see them getting a little worn but overall, I have been thrilled to have a pan that is so easy to cook eggs in that is not your traditional teflon pan.

PRODUCT NUMBER 11

I bought this Prepara Chef's Center Cookbook Holder at Cucina Moderna which I reviewed here. I do not know how I have lived without it. I do have to put a piece of cardboard at the back to brace printouts and magazines but I can go from having just one piece of paper in the holder to several cookbooks! And, I have not broken it yet. Impressive! This is a MUST in my kitchen. I never want to be without one again.

PRODUCT NUMBER 10

Tre Stella was kind enough to send me a beautiful cheese platter with cutlery and lots of coupons for me to try their products, asking for nothing in return. As a result, I have been ranting and raving about their mascarpone cheese ever since! And their light ricotta made fabulous giant pasta shell filling. I keep going back to their mascarpone cheese though, what a dream come true. I have added it to just about everything and it has made each foodie treat better! From sweet to savoury, Tre Stella's mascarpone cheese impressed the hell out of me.

PRODUCT NUMBER 9

President's Choice Black Label Quebec Wild Blueberry Fruit Spread is divine. Not too-cooked down, not too-raw tasting... It is downright perfect. I did not know there was "bad jam" until I bought some recently and that has given me even more perspective on what a perfect jam tastes like. This is it!

PRODUCT NUMBER 8

Mairlyn Smith's Cookbook Healthy Starts Here was confusing to me at first because I did not realize it is all about how to add super foods to your diet (I thought it was just a healthy cooking cookbook but it is so much more). What was perfectly clear to me is all the recipes I tried from the cookbook rocked. She clearly loves tasty food and can make lighter versions of just about everything (including cookies) without sacrificing flavour. That is my kind of cookbook! Perfect for those looking to eat healthier in 2012, you can find it on Amazon here.

PRODUCT NUMBER 7

I bought this Halloween Skull Dip Bowl at Home Sense in October and it is one of the coolest kitchen items I have come across in a while. Actually Home Sense is my absolute favourite place to go to buy some kitchen Halloween treats. Like this skull, they are always high quality and impressive. This is a personal favourite item I bought last year that makes me smile.

PRODUCT NUMBER 6

Strawberry-Rhubarb Pielets

Martha Stewart's New Pies and Tarts: 150 Recipes for Old-Fashioned and Modern Favorites is an important book for pie-makers and dreamers to have. I made several different kinds of pies from the book and even though some of them drove me crazy with their intricacies, they were always delicious. There are also traditional pies in there so if you want to really learn about pie making from the beginning and you do not mind a bit of work, this could be the book for you. If you are bored of typical pies and want to try new things, this cookbook is definitely calling your name. This is a treasure in my cookbook collection.

PRODUCT NUMBER 5

Artisanal Kitchen's Purple Label Modena Aged Balsamic Vinegar is the balsamic vinegar of my dreams. I had been looking for a vinegar I could dip my olive oil-dripped fresh baguette into without being overwhelmed by too-powerful vinegar yet still get swept away by the complex flavour and subtle bite of this dark elixir. This is it! I was so sad when I ran out, I loved it that much. What a treat.

PRODUCT NUMBER 4

Bitchin Kitchen Cookbook is such a departure from regular cookbooks, what a breath of fresh rockin' foodie air! Edgy, hysterical and downright delicious, this is my favourite cookbook of 2011. It is not for everyone though! If you hate swearing, nudity and rude behaviour you will despise this book. Me? It was exactly what I was looking for. Something fun, fresh and rebellious. Nadia G. is a personal hero of mine and her recipes were fantastic. If she is a hero of yours too, you have to get Bitchin' Kitchen Cookbook: Rock Your Kitchen--And Let the Boys Clean Up the Mess.

PRODUCT NUMBER 3

Danone Oikos was kind enough to send me coupons to try their Greek yogurt products and I fell in love with their Vanilla Greek Yogurt. Super thick, creamy, stunning vanilla flavour, I love, LOVE, LOVE this product! I thin it with juice to turn it into a sauce for my fruit salad, I put it in my smoothies and I just love to eat it period. I buy this all the time. All the time! It is always in my fridge. I really believe in this product and the quality of the yogurt is the best I have ever had. Worth the little extra money, I never let any go to waste.

PRODUCT NUMBER 2

President's Choice Decaffeinated Dulce De Leche Flavoured Ground Coffee is the coffee product I have been waiting for. It smells like toffee and when you brew it, there seems to be a hint of hazelnut. It tastes as good as it smells which is never the case with coffee. A high quality dessert decaf coffee is not something I come across very often. It was not at my store a few weeks ago but I spotted it there the other day and did a little dance! I have been rationing my bag throughout the holidays, not wanting to run out. Hopefully they will keep selling this products because I will buy it. ALWAYS!

PRODUCT NUMBER 1

I am almost sad to say that the product that impressed me the most in 2011 is President's Choice Black Label Truffle Aioli because I just confirmed with my store that they do not carry it! Oh so very sad for me! Right before my original bottle's expiry date came up I discovered it is a fabulous replacement for Hollandaise sauce so you could use it for brunch. I wanted to make a west coast version of Eggs Benedict with smoked salmon, one of my favourite treats in the world. I have been to another Superstore and they do not have it either!

Oh well. I guess my favourite product of 2011 is going to remain a lovely delicious foodie memory.

I would love to hear your favourite product of the last year! What did you pick up that rocked your foodie world?! And make sure to come by tomorrow for my list of the worst stuff I ate last year!

Nadia G's Bitchin Kitchen Split Pea and Bacon Soup

2011-12-30T07:39:00.000-04:00

Oh the problems with trying to recipe test when you are sick! I wanted to do a post on my conversion to liking split pea soup. I figured it any cookbook could make me like it, it would be Nadia G's Bitchin' Kitchen: Cookin' for Trouble published by Random House of Canada. Reg also got super sick and he loves split pea soup so I thought it would be great comfort food for him. Sometimes you just should not cook when you aren't feeling well.

I divided the recipe in half but will write it in full for you. Heat a large soup pot over medium heat and fry 4 slices of finely diced bacon until crisp. Drain on paper towel.

I had to add more oil since my turkey bacon is quite lean, as well as 1 tbsp of unsalted butter. Then I added 1 finely chopped onion. You can tell by this photograph that my hands are shaking from already being exhausted. I don't know how many dishes I have broken in the last month! Anyway, saute onions for about 8 minutes.

Deglaze the pot with 8 cups chicken stock and bring to a boil.

Add in 2 cups of rinsed dried yellow split peas.

Also add 2 finely diced carrots and 1 finely diced rib of celery. Stir and simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours until the split peas are tender. Then stir in 1 tbsp of maple syrup.

I personally had to keep adding broth because it kept drying out. In the end, it still got very clumpy. As a traditional non-split pea fan I was not sure what the consistency was supposed to be but according to Reg, this was more of a stew than a split pea soup.

Also, it turns out he does not like the flavour of bacon in his split pea soup. Crap! I had a feeling he would not like the addition of maple syrup and I tend not to like sweet in savoury, so I think it was a wise move not to add it. As a result though, I found this very plain and one note and Reg could not even eat it, it was way too thick and the bacon flavour too strong.

I had the best of intentions with this recipe, hoping to change my opinion of this soup and make something Reg loves and failed on both accounts. Why did this happen? Could be me, could be the recipe... who knows? This is one recipe test that ended up being inconclusive.

All I do know is I need a little more strength before I am cooking with steady hands and somewhat clear mind in the kitchen again. Pneumonia is unbelievably draining and challenging to recover from. I hope I do better next time.

New Year's Eve Party Food Ideas with PC Products

2011-12-29T09:32:00.000-04:00

Remember how most of you voted for the PC Black Label Fleur de Sel Caramels for me to review next? Well the stores were all out so I guess that was a hugely popular item.

As a result I received the PC Black Label Chocolate Toffee Assortment instead with the other popular product you voted for: the Umami Paste. Now that is going to be interesting to review in the new year!

Inside these pretty chocolate treats you will find handmade toffee pieces! I thought they were going to be super chewy and take forever to eat but they were quite soft with what seemed like tiny toffee pieces inside. Please note: these chocolates also do contain almonds. I think they added to the subtle crunchy sensation as the chocolate quickly melted.

This would be a stunning treat for an elegant New Year's Eve party. These are pretty as a picture with their various mottling of different chocolates and will disappear quickly. You do not get a ton in this 227 g box but they will make a beautiful impression. This small box of chocolates is $5.99 which is a little pricy for just a snack but to bring as a gift to your the host of the New Year's Eve party you are going to? High quality chocolate and toffee for under $10 sounds good to me. I give it four out of five wooden spoons.

Shrimp Mini Hors D’oeuvres Collection

Moving from chocolate snacks to hot seafood appetizers, we have PC Shrimp Mini Hors D’oeuvres Collection for $9.99. The box is quite thin so I wondered how much product you actually get inside...

... Turns out to be quite generous AND! They included a dipping sauce for someone like me who absolutely requires one. You do not buy a product like this and then intend to make your own dipping sauce so kudos to President's Choice for that smart idea.

I put them on parchment and baked them in a preheated 400F oven for 12 minutes. They came out super crispy and golden brown! Impressive.

Overall though, I found the flavours to be quite bland, especially for seafood. They were OK and the sweet chili dipping sauce was fine but did this make me swoon with its seafood-y flavour? This did not wow me in comparison to other PC hors d'oeuvres I have had that are much, much better.

What bothered me most was the pandanus palm leaf that was used to wrap some of the bundles (which was probably entirely unnecessary). Some of them dried out and felt like a twisty tie in my mouth, totally inedible. Others were fine. Chives would be too tender but they could have used a green onion which would have added to the flavour and I doubt would dry up and turn into what felt like wire in my mouth!

As a result, I can only give this product a weak three out of five wooden spoons. If you are buying a bunch of hors d'oeuvres for your New Year's Eve party and want a seafood component, this is a good choice. On their own though...

PC Blue Cheese

Right away, I was impressed that PC Blue Cheese is made with 100% Canadian milk in Canada in small batches at a dairy that was established in 1879. That did add a whimsical historical touch to the cheese that impressed me which is good because this package of cheese costs $5.99.

I used half of it in Bobby Flay's Buttermilk-Blue Cheese Dressing, which is unfortunate since I really did not like the dressing. Once I "fixed it," it was a dream with my Buffalo chicken.

Above I made a simple balsamic vinaigrette salad with candied pecans sprinkled with the blue cheese. We have had similar salads in restaurants that Reg has enjoyed the blue cheese (usually he does not like it) but he found this one very strong. For me, I found it lovely. The cheese was very creamy, flavourful and strong without being overpowering. I have had better blue cheeses before but this is very comparable to ones I have picked up at the grocery store and it is Canadian! I have to give it extra points for that. I give this product four out of five wooden spoons.

The Decadent Molten Chocolate Chip Cookie

PC's The Decadent Molten Chocolate Chip Cookie is the product that seems to have been the big winner and focus of the PC holiday treats marketing campaign. I had a hard time finding it in the store though. It is a frozen treat that was found not in the frozen section but in a freezer near the bakery by the produce section. Had I not asked for it, I would never have found it!

First impressions before I put two of these "cookies" in the oven? They're freakin' huge! This is a cookie?! I had serious doubts I could finish one on my own but I could tell this treat was totally up Reg's alley. He was not going to want to share. Oh the things I do for product testing!

You only get four in one box which is $6.99 which means one cookie is more than a $1 each but considering the size...!!! I put two in a preheated 350F oven for 10 minutes.

I wanted that lava oozing effect when I cut into it with my fork but that did not happen. Also, the cookie was quite hard and crumbly. I was hoping it would be nice and soft. Thankfully dipping it into the sauce made it a more pleasant experience but not the one I was looking for. Still, the center did melt, got very ooey and gooey and overall, it was pretty good. Reg would disagree with me, he would say it was excellent but then I rarely like store bought cookies and he loves them.

I really believe you could easily serve these as a dessert, one per person, at a New Year's Eve party and thrill a lot of people with it! For me it is a novelty item, something I would buy once but probably never again. I have no doubt a lot of people will love this product and even I was impressed with it despite my issues with store-bought cookies. As a result, I give it four out of five wooden spoons.

Brown Sugar Blend Sucrella

I was really surprised to see that President's Choice has gotten into the calorie-reduced sugar industry with their PC Brown Sugar Blend Sucrella. I never use anything but the real deal unless I am baking for someone who is diabetic.

I figured that if you are going to try and reduce calories with this product, a good test would be to make my favourite cinnamon buns. The recipe has white and brown sugar so I used this just for replacing the brown sugar.

This mix is twice as strong as regular brown sugar so I had to use half the recipe called for. (Very similar to Splenda's brown sugar, I might add...) If you want to make a homemade dessert for your New Year's Eve party, make sure to do these ahead of time! They do take a lot of time.

The Sucrella is much darker brown in colour that a regular "golden" brown sugar (see photo above) and you can really smell the molasses which is kind of cool. Here it looks extra dark because of the cinnamon added to it to make the filling.

Now I did also use buttermilk instead of skim when I made these which affected the texture a little but when it comes to the brown sugar flavour, I was impressed. It was a little different, perhaps a little stronger, but it did not taste "chemically" at all to me.

The big test was to make my childhood favourite sinful treat: cinnamon toast which I only allow myself to have when I am sick. It was very similar to the classic brown sugar on toast with cinnamon sprinkled on top that I grew up with. In fact it would be hard for me to tell the difference in a blind taste test.

As I said, this is not the kind of product I would use regularly but the list of ingredients was much shorter than other similar style of products: sugar, blackstrap molasses, table molasses, glycerol, sucralose, natural flavour. Please note, it still does have 10 calories in 1/2 tsp so this is not a sugar replacement. More like a sugar reducer I suppose. Flavour wise, I give it four out of five wooden spoons. One 454 g bag costs $5.49.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I know it isn't the new year yet but it is coming and I am so glad! On New Year's Eve I will be posting my favourite products of 2011 and, in honour of those who remember Christopher Ward's "Fromage" special on Much Music eons ago, I will be sharing the worst products of 2011. I think it will be a cool way to reminisce over the last foodie year. I hope you come and check it out!

Bobby Flay's Buttermilk-Blue Cheese Dressing

2011-12-28T07:15:00.000-04:00

I really appreciate this recipe only makes 1/2 cup, the perfect amount

After making Bobby Flay's chicken pot pie from his recently published Bar Americain Cookbook published by Random House of Canada, I decided to take on a less complicated recipe but one that, if I liked it, would impress the hell out of me.

An Iron Chef salad dressing with only lemons for acidity? If I liked this, it would be a miracle!

When I was at the Superstore I was so excited to see they finally had the fabled Meyer lemon! All the foodie shows talk about its natural sweetness and superiority to the regular lemon. Now I could use it in Bobby Flay's dressing!

Put 1/4 cup buttermilk, 1/4 cup sour cream and 1 tbsp of fresh lemon juice into a blender and blend until combined. I used my mini chopper and then added 2 oz of crumbled blue cheese. I am in the process of product testing PC Blue Cheese right now so that is what I threw in. Blend until smooth and season with salt and pepper.

How did it taste?

Bland and so sour at the same time! So one blech note. Ugh! I put it all over this beautiful huge salad and each bite was so hard to eat. How could a blue-cheese dressing be boring? And no, I do not think it was the Meyer lemon's fault at all. Wish I could just blame the lemon!

I was not going to let that blue cheese go to waste. I thought, OK, maybe it is just missing some acidity. To add some without impacting on the pure whiteness of the dressing I tried white wine vinegar... Nope, still pretty flat. So I took out the red wine vinegar. Better!

But it still wasn't enough. Come on Bobby! Blue cheese dressing has to have some bite, some depth... So I crushed in one clove of garlic and added more salt and pepper.

There! Now it tasted like a real blue cheese dressing and was not boring and (shudder) sour without flavour. The only problem is after adding all that vinegar, it was now super thin so I used it for a light dip for my veggies and Buffalo chicken. Then it was killer!

Perhaps it is just personal preference and my picky tastebuds but I hated Bobby Flay's original recipe. Zero spoons! Now some people with a more subtle palette may like it but I am just glad that I managed to boost the flavours in a way that I could enjoy dressing, especially the blue cheese.

This is perhaps Chef Flay's easiest recipe but if it is, I would rather spend days making his chicken pot pie again.

Experimenting with Holiday Foodie Traditions

2011-12-27T10:29:00.000-04:00

Normally I would not dare touch the recipe for my favourite cinnamon buns but this year, I did! In two ways but I will talk about the second way later. The first way was to use buttermilk instead of skim. I was trying to ration the skim milk and had extra buttermilk so I figured, why not?

What surprised me was how much it changed the texture of the bread and it did not seem as sweet. They were still unbelievably delicious but I will not be making them that way again. Fascinating though!

Crockpot Cranberry Apple Cider

The last time I went to get cheesecloth from my grocery store, it took a woman working there 20 minutes to find it. My store has had a complete facelift since, there was no way I was going to bother going through that again so I decided to snuggle my spices inside a coffee filter instead: two cinnamon sticks, two cloves and a few allspice seeds.

I wrapped them tightly inside the filter with butcher's twine and put it in the crockpot for a few hours on low. Reg was my foodie hero that day and went to the store on Christmas Eve so I could make our cranberry apple cider over the holidays like we used to when we lived in Ottawa.

This year's cider was the best I have ever made but I did change a few other components as well ,which I will get to soon.

Marshmallow Fluff-Topped Sweet Potato Casserole

Every year I spend a ton of time looking for the two recipes I use to come up with a fantastic sweet potato casserole and then decide to change it in some way. This year instead of the streusel pecan topping I smeared (not easy to do!) the top with the marshmallow fluff I had from Halloween. Some people top this kind of casserole with marshmallows so I thought, why not?

Egads, too sweet! Ugh! I did like the roasted flavour and how it souffled but overall, this is just not my kind of food at all. If I ever get that stuff again I will make sure to use it in my pumpkin fudge instead.

When your roast is too big for your tiny crockpot

I always brown the beef before putting it in the crockpot

On Christmas I looked at my roast and then at my crockpot. Crap, it was not going to fit. I love crockpot roast beef, it is always so much more tender than when I roast it so Reg suggested I cut off the ends that would not fit and then try and get them inside the crockpot.

It worked! Reg saved the day. Unfortunately the day that I made this (December 25th) I woke up really late and the roast beef wasn't done until after we got home from going to see Sherlock Holmes near midnight!

As a result, we had our Christmas dinner last night and dang, it was unbelievably good. Had it with mashed potatoes, homemade mushroom gravy, steamed broccoli and some peas. Followed by crockpot apple cider with a cinnamon bun for dessert. Perfect, just a day late.

I can't help it. No matter what day of the year, I have to experiment with food. I also always come up with foodie challenges. That is just life in the kitchen and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Did your holiday cooking and baking go smoothly this year? Did you stick with tradition or think out of the foodie box?

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T12:42:00.000-04:00

I hope those who celebrate today are already feasting and having a beautiful Christmas with friends and family.

I slept in so our crockpot roast beef will probably be ready close to midnight! Good news is yesterday I made the best crockpot apple cider ever. Bad news? Marshmallow fluff does not enhance sweet potato casserole at all. More foodie stories to come.

Brightest Blessings to all!

What is on your holiday menu?

2011-12-24T10:22:00.000-04:00

We still have not decorated our Yule tree completely because we have so little energy and gave up on stocking shopping entirely. But! We will still celebrate the holidays through food.

TONIGHT

Today I will soon begin making my crockpot apple cider. I wish I had cranberry juice leftover to make my favourite kind but this year it will be traditional mulled crockpot apple cider. It will fill the house with the scent of cinnamon, cloves and allspice all day long as the spices entwine with the apple juice.

For dinner I am going to make the stuffed turkey breast again but this time with a few modifications. I will serve it over rice pilaf with homemade sweet potato casserole on the side.

I already roasted the sweet potatoes yesterday. Today I will do the annual "rummage" through tons of paper to find the two recipes that when combined make the perfect casserole. I am also going to finally use up the leftover Marshmallow Fluff I bought for Halloween treats. I am going to cover the casserole with it then top with a streusel made with my candied pecans. Hopefully it does not ruin my dish!

I spent all day yesterday slowly and steadily making my favourite treat of all: Cinnamon Buns and then forgot to eat them for dessert! So, we will be treating ourselves to some during the day and I am sure for dessert tonight too.

Tomorrow

Right away tomorrow morning I will begin by making my crockpot roast beef. I will use the leftover juices to make a mushroom gravy and serve it with mashed potatoes, corn, peas and Yorkshire pudding.

Remember when I made "Instant" Mini Mincemeat Pies? Well I let the filling sit for two weeks in the fridge and then stored in the freezer. So now it should actually taste like real old fashioned mincemeat.

I am going to experiment a little this year with "Blitz Puff Pastry" which I learned about on The Next Iron Chef. The idea of a fast puff pastry intrigues me! I will make the dough today and use it for the Mincemeat Pies tomorrow.

Nothing too crazy over the next few days of celebrating the holidays with my sweetheart. One nice thing about being sick together is we have been catching up on watching silly movies, TV and just hanging out together drinking lots of tea with our heads on each other's shoulders.

We are missing the shopping anarchy that is going on outside this year and considering the temperature has dropped significantly, my lungs are OK with taking it easy at home making some of our favourite dishes of all time.

I would love to hear about your foodie traditions so please share some if you are not already crazy-busy in the kitchen.

May everyone have a delicious, happy and healthy holiday this year!

Homemade Broth: Tutorial, Foodie Emergency Kit & Miracle Cure

2011-12-23T11:43:00.000-04:00

I know now, homemade soup is powerful foodie medicine so I thought I would go over the basics on how to make your own chicken stock so when you are not feeling well, you can use it to kick that winter cold to the curb!

Or at least hold it at bay before you can get some serious drugs which is what I did before I found out I have pneumonia.

I try to always keep a small chicken in my freezer for health emergencies like this one. I usually wait until they have a tiny chicken on sale for a few bucks and then hide it in the freezer. I let it thaw, break it down and put it on the bottom of a big soup pot/Dutch oven.

I also keep a lot of other things in the freezer for this food emergency health kit. I keep parsley stems and the parts of asparagus I snap off. It is my foodie New Year's resolution to keep more bits and pieces of veggie clippings in the freezer too.

I also add rough chopped carrots, celery (especially the leaves), onions, green onions, garlic, thyme, bay leaves, black peppercorns and some ginger. Not a lot, since I just want the health properties and not a ton of the flavour.

I fill the pot with just a few inches of space on top and put it on the stove. I bring it to a boil and then quickly reduce the heat to a simmer. I usually let it go for about 40 minutes.

As the pot is simmering, make sure to skim the foam off the top. Once it is done cooking, season to taste.

I remove the chicken. Do not let the chicken go to waste! I usually just take off the meat and incorporate it into my soup.

Then put cheesecloth on the bottom of a strainer (or in this case a steamer) and pour the broth into another pot. Let the veggies drain. I use a ladle to push out the rest of the broth. I let it come to room temperature and then let it sit in the fridge covered overnight. The fat will harden on the top which makes it easy to remove the next day.

If you can not use it all, do not let it go to waste! Put it in an ice cube tray, freeze it and store it away in Ziploc bags.

If you get sick of making chicken noodle soup, you can make Nadia G's Stracciatella which is so good!

You can of course also use the carcass of your turkey to make my mom's turkey noodle soup instead using the same technique after Christmas. Pure gold!

We woke up to a tsunami of snow today. The biggest consolation to this time of year is soup! I make a lot of it. If you are not feeling well, do yourself a favour and make soup with your own stock! It is the healing medicine of the foodie world. I am living proof!

My Favourite Holiday Treats!

2011-12-22T08:20:00.000-04:00

There are a lot of ways to celebrate this time of year and I want to be as inclusive as possible! With the holidays being so close and us trying to muster enough energy just to put up our Yule tree, it is not looking good that I am going to be doing much holiday baking and cooking. As a result I thought I would some of my favourite holiday treats with you:

Hot Toddies!

Crockpot Apple Cranberry Cider: As much as I enjoy the expensive store-bought mulled ciders, if you are looking for a less expensive version with a cranberry punch, I love this one and will be making it on Christmas Eve.

Soothing Hazelnut Baileys Milk: My first time making nut milk and works fantastic with Baileys! Yum...

My First Grog! What a treat this drink is and perfect for hanging out in front of the fireplace.

Hanukkah

Potato Latkas for Hanukkah: I grew up on these in my old neighbourhood in Toronto and think I did them justice and added my own Latvian touch to them!

Matzah Ball Soup: So glad I had some matzah so I could make my own soup and take away the winter blues!

Homemade Rugelach: This was a first for me and believe it or not I made these with my own roasted chestnuts!

Christmas

My Breadmaker Version of My Mom's Pīrāgi (Latvian Bacon Buns): Oh man, just looking at these makes me hungry and homesick!

Crazy Easy and Fast Holiday Chocolate Fudge: If you are not a baker and want to make something absolutely delicious in no time at all, this is the recipe for you.

Canadian Living's Really Good Rum Balls: These always remind me of my mom who used to get one from my brother Jason every year!

Merry Christmas Meringues: They look like just plain snowy pillows but surprises lie inside!

The Ridler Family Traditional Christmas Sugar Cookies: Reg helped me decorate these cookies which I have made since I was a little kid with my siblings.

Caramel Pecan Treasures: If you want a challenge for Christmas that pays off in the end, these are the cookie for you!

Winter Solstice

Lemon Thyme Cookies: My friend Tammy helps me recreate one of my favourite cookies to celebrate the return of the sun!

Coconut Banana Bread with Lime Glaze: For those who want a break from winter and need some tropical flavour, check out my version of this recipe!

Claire Robinson's Lemon Pie Cookies: Although I had issues with the recipe, these did taste great with tea and took me back to the summertime.

Lemon Sunshine Thumbprint Cookies: Make your life a little sunnier and shinier by these mini lemon-curd-filled cookies.

What I will be making...

Breadmaker Cinnamon Buns: I will be making these even though I no longer have a breadmaker and will go old school with the recipe. This is one of our favourites and if there is any left over makes fantastic French toast and/or bread pudding.

Happy holiday baking, cooking & eating everyone!

President's Choice Holiday Treats Continued...

2011-12-21T12:58:00.000-04:00

PC Mini Assorted Biscotti

When you pick up a massive 655 g tray for $9.99 of PC Mini Assorted Biscotti, you really get what you pay for. Especially when it comes to volume! You get a ton of these adorable tiny biscotti which are perfect for parties, much easier to eat than the traditional giant-style biscotti I tend to avoid.

You get three kinds: roasted almond, white chocolate cranberry and dark chocolate chunk. I thought they were going to taste very similar but each was distinct. I think my favourite was the roasted almond. Classic, clean flavour. These have been hanging around our home for a while so I thought they were going to taste stale but nope, as soon as I dipped it into my decaf coffee it softened, soaked up the flavour of the coffee yet maintained its own flavour perfectly.

The dark chocolate chunk one was the odd one in the bunch. For some reason it tasted like coconut to me, I have no idea why. The white chocolate cranberry was very festive and I seriously can not get over what a difference changing the size makes. So much easier to eat and the cookie does not steal all my coffee!

These are absolutely perfect for parties where tea and coffee are being served. I am generally not a fan of biscotti but these impressed me, especially when you get all of these biscotti for under $10. I give these four out of five wooden spoons.

Candy Cane Ground Coffee

PC Candy Cane Ground Coffee sounded like a really good idea for a product but in reality? Hmm...

Now, I could not drink it because I have serious issues with caffeine but I did smell it. It smelled, well, like coffee with a hint of fake weirdness mixed in. I made a mug of it for Reg (to go with the aforementioned mini biscotti) and I did warn him that it was candy cane flavoured. He took one sip and I can not even quote him because it sounded like he was speaking an alien language. I do not think he could process it at all.

After trying to get through a mug, he stopped halfway which is very odd for him. He loathes waste even more than I do. He said that there is an OK cup of coffee in there with candy canes on top but that it was not a pleasant drinking experience.

Fellow foodie friend Laura wrote on my Facebook Page: This tastes like, not so great coffee, with a bit of mint mixed in. I couldn't even distinguish a "Candy Cane" taste, it didn't sing "Candy Cane" or Christmas special coffee to me. In fact, this was one of the worst coffees I've had in a while!

Now if you love the idea of coffee mixed with candy cane flavour, maybe you will like this one. I could not drink it so I can not rate it. From the smell of it though, for $4.99 for a 250 g bag even I would give it a pass!

Gorgonzola Flavoured Mini Cheese Crackers

PC's Gorgonzola Flavoured Mini Cheese Crackers may be super cute and tiny in nature but wow, do they ever pack a big sucker punch of Gorgonzola flavour! Which is weird because the strong cheese is not listed in the ingredients. I am assuming it is the "natural flavour" amongst all the other many flavourings that go into making these crackers. Even though I photographed them above with my homemade tzatziki, make sure to serve them with something more neutral, these are strong crackers!

I love that they are oven baked, have no colours of artificial flavours and are so flavourful I could eat them all just like this, in a small bowl on their own. The first cracker I had kind of knocked me over until it dissolved into a subtle sweetness, making me want to have more.

If you like subtle flavours, this is not the cracker for you. Gorgonzola is one of the stinky cheeses and is strong, strong, strong. My box of crackers happen to be crazy strong which I adore. At only $1.99 a box, these are mine. All mine! I give them four out of five wooden spoons. Update: Reg likes them too! Guess they are not too strong.

Red Velvet Cake Ice Cream

PC Red Velvet Cake Ice Cream was not a treat I was looking forward to eating after my experience with the cake mix. As soon as I opened it though, I was seduced. It was so pretty! A pink ice cream with these pretty red flecks in it? OK, I will try it!

Wow, this is so much better than the cake! First, I love how easy it was to scoop out of the container. Second, thrilled it is made with 100% Canadian milk. Third, it was yummy! A flavour I have not had before so it was fascinating, very creamy and with very few of the advertised chunks of cake in it which was just fine with me.

President's Choice 20th flavour from the Ice Cream Shop was impressive. I would agree that this is a must try product, especially for only $3. A new festive ice cream experience during the holidays for that price is hard to beat. I give this product four out of five wooden spoons.

Personal Note And Realization

What I do not like it seeing in almost all the packaged treats such as the crackers and mini biscotti (amongst others I have looked at) is the word "sulphites." It reminds me that even though I like to have a treat now and then, one of the best things about making your own food is you do not have to worry about this type of chemical being added as a preservative.

Also, when Reg found out I was doing more taste testing of the Red Velvet Cake Ice Cream first thing this morning so I could confirm how I felt about it he said, "Honey, you have to stop this."

He is right, darn it. I do need to stop. For a little while. I am putting PC product testing on hold until just before New Year's where I will have more recommendations (and probably warnings) for you then. Now? I need to get back to my food!

KitchenAid Holiday Stuffed Turkey Breast with Sweet & Sticky Glaze

2011-12-20T12:02:00.000-04:00

KitchenAid sent me this recipe to test with my own food processor for when I did the giveaway and I thought that as holiday cooking and feasting approaches, this would be a good time to share it with you. Not everyone has a household to feed with a giant turkey. This was a lovely treat for me and Reg and I am going to make it again on Christmas Eve.

Please note that when I made this I was in the height of feverish delirium so there are no pretty photos, just a basic foodie post.

Tear 1/2 French baguette (5 oz) into large chunks and add it to the food processor with 1 small peeled and quartered onion (I used a shallot), 1 cup of cubed aged cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup dried apricots, 1/4 cup of raisins (I used dried cranberries), 1 tbsp of finely chopped fresh rosemary and 1 tsp of dried thyme (I used 1 tbsp of fresh thyme). Pulse until crumbly but still chunky.

Add I egg (it was supposed to be beaten, oh well) and 2 tbsp of melted butter. Pulse until the stuffing comes together uniformly.

I totally didn't realize at the time (fever, remember?) that I was going to have to skin, debone and butterfly the turkey breast on my own. There was no way I could take photos with my hands shaking and covered in turkey goo. I did manage to do it by taking my time but if you can get this already done, I recommend it.

I also recommend once the chicken is butterflied to pound it out a bit to flatten it. I only managed to get half the stuffing inside after seasoning the center with salt and pepper. I ended up having to compost the rest which made me unhappy! I added the stuffing to one side, folded over the other side...

... and closed with butcher's twine that ended up being too thick! It worked but was hard to remove later. Still, at least it worked.

Now the recipe does not say to season to outside of the turkey breast but I highly recommend you do so. It also says to use a mini food processor to make the glaze but you really don't need one.

Blend 1/2 cup melted apricot jam, some finely chopped rosemary (which I forgot) with 2 tbsp each of the following: brown sugar, whole grain Dijon mustard and cider vinegar until smooth.

I divided the marinade. You are supposed to put 1/4 of it all over the completely raw turkey breast before putting it in the over so, just for food safety's sake, I did so with some separated marinade. I was just being extra cautious.

I put the turkey breast on a rack on top of a baking sheet covered with aluminum foil. I put it in a preheated 325F oven for 1 1/2 hours, basting here and there with the rest of the marinade throughout the cooking process to give it a nice thick coat.

Beautiful! You were supposed to check it with an instant-read thermometer until it was 165F but I have never had an instant-read thermometer I liked and trusted. Instead, after 1 1/2 hours I turned off the heat in the oven and let it sit for an additional half an hour, just to be sure and this way it kind of rested at the same time.

That thick butcher's twine and not having a good carving knife does not do this dinner justice!

I served the stuffed turkey breast over rice pilaf and steamed carrots. A simple meal that took a very long time to make! It was not super difficult per se but considering how I was feeling, it did feel endless.

Now that I have done this once I will make it again with half the stuffing, season both sides of the turkey breast and use thinner butcher's twine. Me and Reg really loved this and I think I will enjoy it more now that I am feeling much better.

If I could make this while fighting an outrageous fever, you can too! Just give yourself a heck of a lot of time not only for the cooking but for the entire process. It is the holidays! Don't rush. Enjoy...

Winner of Holiday PC $50 Gift Card Giveaway is...

2011-12-19T18:43:00.000-04:00

Congratulations Joan! You won the Holiday PC $50 Gift Card Giveaway!!!

Joan is a loyal reader and newsletter subscriber who keeps in touch with me via email from out in BC. How sweet that the winner of this contest wished us all a Merry Christmas:

"Merry Christmas, Suzie, and to all of your loyal readers, too! My favourite PC product would have to be their Spanakopita. It only seems to be available at Xmas-time."

Yay Joan! Or Joannie as I know her! Merry Christmas to you and go pick up some of that Spanakopita on President's Choice's tab, LOL.

I would like to comment that many people did not leave their contact information or have an email associated with their profile. If I have no way of contacting you directly, I had to disqualify you so please, next time, leave me some contact info!

On a happier note, Cheryl, I can't wait to try the PC Loads of Ketchup Chips now! Those are totally up my foodie alley but my store was out last time I was there darn it! Ms. Maida and Anonymous who did not leave contact info, LOL, I had no idea PC had Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream!!! Cathy, so glad you ended up liking the Dulce de Leche decaf coffee like I did, LOL. Phew!

There will be more giveaways in the future and if you want to hear about them ahead of time so you can mark your calendar, make sure to sign up for my newsletter. It is free!

President's Choice Holiday Treats Continued...

2011-12-19T12:16:00.000-04:00

Please Note: I want to say thank you to all the people who entered the contest! There were so many entries it is going to take a while for me to go through them but I will pick and announce a winner later on today. In the meantime, here are more PC product reviews!

Loads of Jalapeno Popper Potato Chips

PC Loads of Jalapeno Popper Potato Chips claim to be scorching hot so I have to admit, I was terrified to try these. Over the years I have tried to build up a tolerance to heat but I am no where near being a spicy connoisseur!

But I did it! They looked so flavourful and truly lived up to the term "loaded" which I really appreciate that I could not resist. They are deceiving at first. The first chip seemed tolerable to me so I ate more. The more I ate, the more the heat increased exponentially.

I did not give up though! I made Janet & Greta Podleski's Skinny Dip Tzatziki from their new The Looneyspoons Collection (recipe to come soon). This helped immensely! Reg was skeptical it would be a good match but he ended up liking it too. Still, I could only eat so many but that is fine. Chips are hard for me to not devour so I got to enjoy them without pigging out.

If you love heat and chips with lots of flavour, these are the holiday treat for you! At only $1.67 for a 235 gram bag, I give this product four and a half out of five wooden spoons.

Milk Chocolate Covered Butter Toffee with Roasted Almonds

PC Milk Chocolate Covered Butter Toffee with Roasted Almonds come in an attractive metal tin and you can take the PC wrapping off it and give it as a gift without having to wrap it. The tin does still say "President's Choice" on the bottom though so do not try and claim you made these yourself!

Now my tin was delivered to me so it was very dishevelled and falling apart when I opened it. This photo was taken after I cleaned it up but as you can see, many of the almonds had fallen off. I really thought there would be more treats in this box but you only get 15 pieces for $7.99.

If you put them on a pretty plate, they do end up being quite attractive. They taste like very thick squares of Skor chocolate bar that have been covered in almonds. You like Skor, you will get the toffee stuck in your teeth and these are super, super sweet.

I did not find these to be particularly interesting or original though. To me, these are an OK gift to give but nothing special, especially for the price. I give this product three and a half out of five wooden spoons. Nothing seriously wrong with it but not impressive either.

President's Choice Memories of Morocco

When I saw the bottle of President's Choice Memories of Morocco in with all the PC chocolates and sweets while my health was dwindling, I grabbed it! Oh to make a chicken dinner with very little effort... the idea sounded fantastic to me as my head throbbed and my fever rose.

I was hesitant though. "Sweet and spicy tagine sauce" was not necessarily something we would both like. Especially the "sweet" part in a savoury dish.

As we sat down to eat, Reg and I both did so hesitantly. I did not want to have to make another meal and Reg was wary of its unusual scent. He took a bite and said, "Huh!"

It was good! Not necessarily something we would eat on a regular basis but it was a fascinating dinner. I just cooked up some chicken, sauteed some red peppers, put it together with the sauce and served over scented rice.

"You know, I was prepared to not like this at all," Reg said.

"That's OK, I thought I was going to hate it," I replied.

Very surprising! Deep flavour, sweet yet but the heat gave it balance. I love it when food surprises and fascinates me. Still, this will not be for everyone, even at just $2.49. For us, I give it three and a half out of five wooden spoons.

Dine-In Tonight Creamy Mascarpone, Ricotta, Butternut Squash and Spinach Lasagna

It is quite clear from reading the reviews for PC Dine-In Tonight Creamy Mascarpone, Ricotta, Butternut Squash and Spinach Lasagna that Reg and I are in the minority on this lasagna. We did not like it!

First, for a smaller lasagna it seemed to take forever to cook. I know most frozen lasagnas take a long time but this one took around an hour and a half. The good news is, unlike more frozen lasagnas I have had, it was actually hot all the way through by the time it went through the oven and had time to sit and set. So, it was worth it.

I can forgive a long cooking time but what I can not forgive is lack of seasoning. When I went through the list of ingredients, it does appear that salt is added to each layer but I think they forgot one crucial step: seasoning the noodles as they cooked in boiling water. I could be wrong about where they missed the seasoning but it was quite clear when I heated it up the next day and chopped it up and added salt, pepper and Parmesan that it tasted soooooo much better! And I am not a freak about salt, I use very little of it, especially after cooking but this was so flat I just had to.

It was so unpleasant for Reg he did not want to have leftovers. I assured him that I would add seasoning to it to make it taste better. Thankfully after taking a bite he said, "Definitely way better now."

Also, there was no interesting texture to this lasagna. Everything was so creamy and broken down, the texture itself was also boring. You can add all sorts of expensive ingredients like mascarpone cheese and fire-roasted tomatoes but if the seasoning is off and the dish lacks textural interest, I am not paying $14.99 for it. No way!

I know some people will love this dish so if you think this sounds like heaven, buy it. Me? I can only give it two out of five wooden spoons.

Red Velvet Cake Baking Mix

I was shocked when I opened the PC Red Velvet Cake Baking Mix and saw there was only one package inside! Perhaps it is because I have such high expectations of President's Choice but when I looked at the photo, saw that it was a not a cake mix but labelled a "baking mix" I assumed there would also be an icing mix in the box. The whole premise to the holiday report and the products is that it will save me time.

Having two fully baked cakes and no cream cheese to make the "chef's tip" icing on the back of the box does not save me time. You know what does?

No No Cream Cheese Flavour Frosting that I used for some Halloween treats. I knew I liked the icing and to be honest, had I not remembered I had a can of this I probably would have given up on the cake altogether.

It is the holiday season, I am sick, the only way I am going to bake right now will be thanks to products (which sucks, I love baking from scratch) but a foodie monkey wrench like this one had me considering throwing it in the compost bin.

So how did it taste? Boring. Uninteresting. I have never had red velvet cake before and I am pretty sure it is traditionally more interesting that this cake is. I found it dry, uninspired and absolutely forgettable.

I will say I am absolutely impressed that they achieved bright red colour without using artificial colours. They get kudos for that big time. One of the reasons I like to bake from scratch is to avoid artificial colours and flavours.

Still, Reg who loves cake had one slice and said, that's it. No more and I did not even finish my little slice. I will admit I have never had a cake mix that I like so the tradition continues. I am super picky but, well, Reg isn't, LOL. The fact he agreed with me and would rather not have more made me feel a little justified in not liking this product at all.

I know there are people out there who will disagree with me on this one, that will find it just fine. For me, all those empty calories had better be worth it. These are not and the cake is going in the compost bin, which breaks my heart. What a waste of time, food and energy for $2.99.

I give this product one out of five wooden spoons.

President's Choice $50 Gift Card Giveaway & Some of My Favourite PC Things!

2011-12-16T08:50:00.000-04:00

CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED!

Thank you President's Choice for donating a $50 gift card to one of my lucky readers for the holidays!

In order to be eligible, I guess you need to be living in a place where you can redeem this gift card, of course. To enter, comment about your favourite President's Choice product, preferable one that you like to pick up for the holidays or just your favourite PC product in general. I love getting recommendations!

Contest closes Sunday night and winner will be announced Monday! Now, here are some of my favourite PC things! Please note, some people have been having a hard time finding items from PC Insider Report at their stores so I highly recommend inquiring about the product ahead of time.

Big Box Chocolate & Toffee Collection

I am going to begin with the best President's Choice deal I have come across this season. PC Big Box Chocolate & Toffee Collection appears to be an unending box of chocolate and toffee classics. For $9.99 you get a 900 g box filled with individually wrapped chocolate and toffee treats. Imported from England where they use traditional chocolate-making methods, there are no artificial flavours or colours in these beauties.

"Get two, keep one for yourself." I totally agree! If you are going to a Christmas party that is a potluck and have no time to make your favourite casserole or you are a Secret Santa at work, buy this! You will save money and impress everyone. There is not a bad treat in the bunch. No, the chocolate is not Godiva quality but there was not one I did not like in the whole box.

Some were more forgettable than others but my favourites were the Milk Chocolate Covered Toffee and the Milk Chocolate Coffee Cream. The toffee takes forever to fall apart and melt in your mouth and the coffee cream is a mocha-lovers dream. Some of the colours of wrappers were so close that we were surprised here and there when we ate them. Many times I had the Orange Fondant expecting Coffee Cream but was never disappointed.

All those flavour, that volume of treats for that cheap a price? I have to give it five out of five wooden spoons. Reg and I tried, really really tried to get through the box over the weekend. Three nights of watching movies while I was sick chomping on chocolate. We did not get even close to halfway. Impressive!

100% Sparkling Fruit Juice Grape

100% Sparkling Fruit Juice Grape is the third of President's Choice's sparkling fruit juice line that I have tried and it is definitely my favourite. I can taste the white grape juice and especially the concord grape juice inside.

Best of all, it reminds me a little of the sleepovers I used to throw and we would get Pop Shoppe Pop. Grape was my favourite and all that dye would inevitably end up on our white living room carpet!

Now as an adult I can enjoy this subtle taste of nostalgia without the guilt. This is just fruit juice and carbonated water. No dyes but still a pretty natural colour and thankfully, I personally do not have a while carpet in my living room to worry about.

It is not exactly the same but it does make something that is healthier-than-pop remind me of one I used to love as a kid. I am so glad President's Choice has reduced the price of a case of four cans to only $1.99. I will definitely be buying more of this from now on. I give this product four and a half out of five wooden spoons.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookies

Imagine if you will a generous bite-sized Reese's Pieces Peanut Butter Cup with a shortbread cookie base, sprinkled with dry-roasted peanut pieces. That is what you get when you pick up this box of Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookies.

Now what you do not get, is a ton of them. I think you get just over a dozen cookies but! The box is only $2.99 and these decadent cookies made my knees weak and I loathe store-bought cookies!

These are so cute and pretty, people will probably assume they are homemade, making them the perfect holiday nibble to give to guests and enjoy with tea and coffee.

As much as I love peanut butter cups, one thing I do not like about them is how they melt and fall apart in my hands. These you can devour in one generous bite or two delicate nibbles. The cookie and nutty crunch contrast wonderfully with the creamy peanut butter inside.

It was hard to even photograph these because they were disappearing so quickly! We both adored them and they are totally addicting. I just wish there were more of them so I can only give this product four and a half out of five wooden spoons.

Decaffeinated Dulce De Leche Flavoured Ground Coffee

Last but definitely not least is President's Choice Decaffeinated Dulce De Leche Flavoured Ground Coffee. First, I was thoroughly impressed and pleased there was a decaf coffee that I could actually taste and review myself. Second, it smells heavenly! Third, it tastes as good as it smells...

It reminds me of those powdered flavoured coffees that Reg enjoys so much that I can not have because they contain instant coffee, which of course contains caffeine. Not only that, the one we have also contains sugar, corn syrup solids, hydrogenated coconut oil... This way I can control what goes into my flavoured ground coffee.

The list of ingredients does say "natural and artificial flavours" along with the 100% Arabica decaffeinated coffee but I would have liked to have seen a "Nutritional Facts" breakdown as well. One thing I love is that this decaf coffee is decaffeinated using the "Swiss Water Process" which is an organic and completely chemical-free way to get rid of only the caffeine, not the flavour.

I would like to know if there is a calorie count to this cup of coffee like there is for the powdered kind but nothing is listed. Regardless, this is by far the best decaf coffee I have ever home brewed and potentially ever had in my life. It is like a dream come true for me. Mostly I have to buy generic boring mediocre decaf coffee that has probably been chemically treated. As long as President's Choice keeps making this coffee, I will be buying it. I may end up stockpiling it!

This product is off the charts delicious. If I could give it ten out of five, I would. And do! Now this product seems to be one of the ones that is hard to find so if you spot it, grab it! It is a little more expensive than other coffees. The bag is only 250 grams for $4.99 but that is now much I pay for the smaller, instant dessert coffee filled with sweeteners and additives.

You need to live in an area were you can redeem the PC Gift Card (AKA Canada, LOL) to qualify. Also, I want to hear about your favourite PC product in the comments. Make sure to include contact info. If you don't and there is no email address associated with your blog or you are commenting anonymously without leaving your email address, you will not be included in the draw.

Hopefully some of my reviews will help the winner figure out what to go spend that gift card on!

Contest is open until Sunday night! Winner will be announced Monday. Good luck!

Recipe to Riches SPOILER ALERT!!! Winning Recipe Tutorial Ahead!

2011-12-15T09:13:00.000-04:00

I was up last night watching the Recipe to Riches finale live! I personally loathe spoilers so please, if you do not want to know who won because you have not caught up on the show yet, please leave my site right now! I would hate to ruin the show for you because I will be talking about the winning recipe in-depth.

You are now entering the SPOILER ZONE...

I want to make something very clear. I do not like competition shows. Competition actually, in general, bugs me. What is worse is it seems to be all the rage when it comes to new food show programming and normally, I could care less.

That said, Recipe to Riches was a little different. I loved learning about all these different Canadians, about their love of food, who they are, where they come from and getting to try all of the products myself and having a say in who wins.

Unfortunately, as I was watching the show I saw the people whose food I did not like win against food I thought was amazing. My heart started to break and I was angry! I began to wonder if this was more a popularity contest than one based on the quality of food which irked me. Still, was I ever happy that Glo McNeill was up there in the top three. When she spoke of her mother's good luck with winning contests and said she felt that her mom might be behind all this, I almost cried. It was so moving. Then I did a little dance on the couch when it was announced that she had won the competition.

As someone who was impressed not only with Glo's recipe but her as a person, I just had a feeling she was going to win. My sense of it was so strong that hers is the only recipe I actually made myself and I made it for my mother-in-law's birthday.

Glo's Luscious Lemon Pudding Cakes

Glo was so helpful when I made this cake. The situation was complicated. I was taking it to a party for Lorraine and she would be going home with it on her own. I did not know if I should freeze it or leave it at room temperature. Glo said to cook it for around 45 minutes (a little shorter) so that Lorraine could warm and finish baking it in the oven later on. Glo, you rock!

I finely grated 1 tbsp of lemon zest and squeezed enough lemons to get 1/2 cup of fresh lemon juice.

I actually went out and purchased homogenized milk. In Glo's recipe that she personally emailed me, she calls for "whole milk" which is homogenized. Food Network Canada site's recipe calls for 1 1/2 cup of 2% milk. Uh oh!

Considering I had homogenized milk, I decided that was what I was going to bake with but for the rest of the recipe, I would follow what the site says because that is what everyone else will be doing!

I got my mixer whisking up three room temperature egg whites. They whip better at room temp and make sure there is no egg yolk in them!

I used my hand mixer to whisks the egg yolks until then lightened in colour. I reduced the speed and then added 1/4 cup unsalted melted butter, the lemon zest and juice. Normally I would photograph me doing that but I ran out of hands! I beat everything together for a minute.

Then I alternated adding the 1 1/2 cup homogenized milk with 3 tbsp of flour that was whisked together with 1 cup of granulated sugar. I always finish with the dry ingredients!

I took a third of the soft-peak whipped egg whites and folded them into the batter. Then I tried to fold the rest of the egg whites into the batter.

A trick I learned from the great Anna Olson is to finish off mixing a batter with egg whites with a big whisk.

I did not have a square glass baking dish so I used my 8" square non-stick but buttered baking dish and hoped for the best.

I put the baking dish in a large shallow roasting pan and added hot water halfway up the sides.

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I baked in the centre of a preheated 350F oven for 45 minutes, which is 5-10 minutes shorter than you should bake it because I was going to freeze it once it cooled and then finish baking it in the oven later on.

Well that is not exactly what ended up happening. I had not spoken to Lorraine in a couple of days and she spontaneously took it out of the freezer, let it thaw and ate it cold! Her and her son Chris were a bit confused with the cake since I had not had a chance to tell them the story behind it, that it was in fact a pudding cake with a sauce. I am sure they wondered if it was completely raw as they ate it. How mortifying!

Reg and I went over a few days later to celebrate her birthday and his. Lorraine of course baked a cake for Reg so there was much to be eaten! Even with the less baking time and the chilly temperature, Glo's cake was wonderful. It was the kind of cake Lorraine dreams of. She could not believe how light it was and Reg kept saying it was like a lemon meringue pie which is one of his favourite desserts ever. Most impressive was Lorraine, who has lived her whole life in the Maritimes and is one heck of a baker, had never had a cake like Glo's before in her entire life. Something completely new for the birthday girl that she loved!

Thank you Glo for helping me make your winning dessert for such a special lady and next time, I will make sure to include instructions on how to warm it up in the oven! But now you know, it tastes delicious cold (although I do prefer it warm).

Congratulations to all the contestants of the contest and especially Glo! I do hope one day we get to have tea in Lunenburg together and now you can go buy all the oil paints you want. I look forward to seeing what impression paintings you dream up and bring to life.

President's Choice Holiday Pretzels, Cookies, Coffee & Newsletter Surprise!!

2011-12-14T12:44:00.000-04:00

If you love President's Choice, I HIGHLY recommend you become a newsletter subscriber right now if you are not one already! I have some very cool news that you will want to hear. I write my newsletters spontaneously like this one. I got some very cool intel that will be shared on my blog Friday but if you want to know sooner, sign up.

Newsletter will be sent this afternoon and even if you sign up late, I promise to forward you a copy.

PC Peanut Butter Filled Pretzels with White Frosting

Back in the summer President's Choice sent me the most heavenly treat: PC Peanut Butter Filled Pretzels. This holiday season they have dunked them in either milk chocolate, white frosting or peanut butter! For those who adore the combination of sweet and savoury, this will make you weak in the knees. I received the pretzels that have not only been dunked in white frosting, each one is decoratively drizzled, elevating this treat's appearance and making it holiday treat worthy.

Unfortunately the jar has gone from originally containing 680 grams for $5 to 454 grams for $5.99. I suppose the increased in price is to cover the cost of the coating...??? One good thing about this expensive change is I can now open the damn container without help from special tools! It is much smaller and so much easier to open, even I can do it!

I had the container of these treats by the phone in the kitchen which Reg proceeded to dig into while having a long chat with his mom. By the end of the call he yelled, "Get these the hell away from me!" because he could not stop eating them. I personally found the frosting a bit too sweet for me but you know I prefer more savoury treats. I think if I had the milk chocolate or peanut butter coated versions I would have loved them even more. I give this product four out of five wooden spoons.

Candy Cane "Eat the Middle First" Cookies

Candy Cane "Eat the Middle First" Cookies are a clever idea for a product, I am shocked it has not been done before. Santa's cookies filled with pieces of real candy cane made with a peanut-free factory so all kids can enjoy them? Genius!

My package showed up a little worse for wear but then it came in a giant stunning Christmas cupboard filled with goodies so it's probably only natural that a couple got dinged.

I am not a fan of the "famous stuffed cookie" and to be honest, hate candy canes. I am so not the person that should be taste testing these cookies. But! I ate one and could totally see how someone who loves stuffed cookies and candy canes would adore these. Absolutely not my kind of cookie but if you want to be in the Christmas spirit and have these with a big glass of milk, you will love these.

PRETZELS VS COOKIES

The flavour of the cookies is quite strong and I personally could only eat one. I asked Reg to take the peanut butter pretzels dunked in white frosting, along with the Candy Cane "Eat the Middle First" Cookies, to a get together and there was no competition. The pretzels were gone in seconds and there were some cookies leftover.

That said, I think the cookies are something to be savoured and not necessarily devoured. As much as I dislike store-bought cookies I give these three out of five wooden spoons and believe some foodies out there might think they are the perfect treat and would give them five out of five. This is a very subjective holiday product so I invite you to judge them for yourself. They are only $2.49 a box!

PC Winter Blend Dark Roast Coffee

The PC Winter Blend Dark Roast Coffee is only available for a limited time and is considered to be one of the "must tries" of the PC Insider's Report. Since it is a caffeinated coffee, I could not be the one to do the taste testing so I did a secret one with Reg who has gotten very accustom to PC 100% Hawaiin Medium Roast Whole Bean Coffee, which has also been a big hit with everyone we have served it to.

I used the same amount of coffee grinds I usually do and made him a big old mug of coffee just the way he likes it. It ended up being a secret taste testing because he drank it right away. I had not even had a chance to sit down to brunch when he said, "Awooooga!" and then "Kapow! Now that's a cup of coffee!" I asked him if that was a bad thing and he said hesitantly, "No... but man, is that strong!"

The next morning for brunch I held back on the amount of coffee I put into the coffee maker and he said it was awesome. A robust coffee that will definitely give your winter's day a nice kickstart and keep you going for a while. Since I could not taste it myself, I will refrain from rating it. If this style of coffee appeals to you, get it while you can. It is only here for the holidays. One 454 gram package is $8.99.

Many more PC holiday treat reviews to come!

Recipe to Riches Winner Announced Tonight!

2011-12-14T12:08:00.000-04:00

Don't forget! Tonight we will find out who wins the Recipe to Riches competition!

I am really looking forward to finding out who is going to win the big prize. It was great to see so much foodie talent across Canada from coast to coast. I was very luck to get to taste each and every recipe being judged, thanks to President's Choice and Margaret who brought the items to me at my home. What a sweetheart.

You can read each of my reviews here. Congratulations to Food Network Canada for creating such a great television program showcasing so many foodie rock stars in our country.

Good luck to all the contestants!

Product Testing Extravaganza! Oil, Almonds, Chocolate & Proofer. Yup, crazy, I know!

2011-12-13T12:59:00.000-04:00

Before I was struck with what I call "The Plague" (AKA pneumonia) I was in the midst of testing many products. I started with President's Choice Black Label 100% Pure Roasted Almond Oil $10.99 and Marcona Almonds $9.99.

President's Choice Black Label 100% Pure Roasted Almond Oil

Warning: Do not use a knife to open the canister of oil as photographed above!

Getting the Almond Oil canister open was tricky. Do not attempt to open it with a knife like I did! Luckily I did so unscathed which is unusual for me. I really loathe this style of packaging a product. So often the tab is too flimsy and rips off and then you are screwed. So yes, I used a dull knife instead to pry it off. Don't tell Reg! LOL. (Like he's not going to read this.)

Once I broke into the canister of oil I proceeded to make our favourite salad using the almond oil for the dressing. The smell was so smoky, I made two different salad dressings. I gave Reg the original (he does not like it when I change a "regular" dish of ours) and I had the one with the almond oil.

The first time I had it I thought to myself, this is way too strong and the oil was so thin in comparison to the olive oil I usually use. But then I grew to like it more the next time and by the third I actually kind of liked it. Intriguing! Definitely not for every salad but you could definitely taste the smoky almond flavour.

President's Choice Black Label Marcona Almonds

Yes, $9.99 is a lot of money but even at the Bulk Barn nuts are crazy expensive. Marcona Almonds come from Spain and according to the packaging are chosen for their "exceptional sweetness and delicate texture." The only problem? They are blanched, not roasted. And can you ever tell. They tasted very raw to me and the seasoning is so light that I found they did not have a lot of personality.

So... I roasted them! Yes, I slow roasted them in the oven to draw out the oils and give them some colour. I did so in a low oven (around 275F) for 20-30 minutes. Much better! They darkened on both sides and had a stunning smokey flavour. Still, I wanted to do more than just snack on them!

President's Choice The Decadent Milk Chocolate Chips

I received these PC The Decadent Milk Chocolate Chips in my Christmas gift package from President's Choice and recently used them in Martha's Chocolate Chip Cookies and they were one of the best cookies I have ever had. I taste tested them against the general bulk bag I buy of chocolate chips and these were much richer, creamier and the ones I had been buying were a little chalky in comparison.

Brod and Taylor Folding Proofer

I had read in the manual for the Brod and Taylor Folding Proofer you could melt and temper chocolate! Now I was not ready for tempering (one day) but I did want to see how easily I could melt the chocolate in the proofer. As recommended, I preheated the proofer to 115F for 15 minutes.

I added the Milk Chocolate Chips and it took a while and I had to keep going in there and stirring but the chocolate did eventually melt beautifully. Yes! I love it when a product has more than one function and so far the Brod and Taylor Folding Proofer has been working like a charm.

I took my roasted Marcona Almonds and threw them in the melted chocolate. I coated and removed them using my candy tool set.

I put them on a cooling rack with parchment paper underneath. I even sprinkled some with Himalayan salt that I had to make them fancy and was going to take pretty photographs of them but then I got really sick and could not even hold a camera.

Over the first week, Reg and I snacked on some of them, leaving the prettiest last so I could eventually take a photo of them. By the fifth day of fevers and being stuck at home, this ended up being my lunch and helped keep me alive. They were unbelievably delicious! Reg tried the almonds on their own and said they were good but having them covered in chocolate? Amazing! I totally agree. I will make more of these.

Almond, Spinach and Flat Leaf Parsley Pesto

So no, I did not forget about the Almond Oil! I still had testing to do with it so what I came up with was a pesto sauce that we had for dinner last night. I am still really sick so sorry, no officially recipe. What I basically did was put in like two cups of fresh spinach with one cup of flat leaf parsley. I added half a cup at least of the roasted Marcona Almonds, three chopped up garlic cloves, salt and pepper and around a quarter cup of fresh Parmesan. I drizzled around 1/4 cup of the Almond Oil to bring it all together.

When I whizzed it up together, all I could really taste was parsley so I added more garlic and about 1/4 cup of mascarpone cheese to make it creamy and a little more subtle. I should have added more salt at this point but with the nuts already being pre-salted, I wasn't sure.

I grilled some chicken, sauteed zucchini and mushrooms that I finished with a drizzle of PC Glaze with Balsamic Vinegar of Modena for additional flavour and cooked up a lot of linguini in salted boiling water.

It definitely needed more salt but after we sprinkled some on, all Reg could say last night was, "Oh my God! Oh my GOD! This could be the best thing I have EVER had!" He did not know at the time I had made it from scratch. When I told him he pointed his finger at me and said, "You write this down!" I love it when he likes my food that much.

IN CONCLUSION

If you toast the Marcona Almonds like I did, they are pretty fantastic. Above, you can see the colour difference which also really impacts the flavour. The almonds in the small bowl are roasted and toasty in colour and the ones below are quite anemic in comparison.

If you roast these, I give them four out of five. If you don't, I give them three out of five. If you roast them and put them in a pesto or cover them with chocolate, I give them five out of five.

The Almond Oil is a bit of a challenge to review. I found it had a really strong flavour and for some salad dressings, would be perfect. But others? Could be disastrous. It is definitely an artisan oil that for some applications will take the flavour of your dish over the edge. I personally will be drizzling it over roasted mushrooms with thyme next.

For the true foodie who is creative in the kitchen, I give the Almond Oil four and a half out of five. It would have received a perfect score but how hard it is to open prevented that from happening. For the new cook or someone who does not feel intuitive with food yet, I would give it three and a half. I personally love it and will buy it again but am not thrilled with how hard it is to open! I hope they change that design.

So odd to go from almonds and oil to chocolate but... PC The Decadent Milk Chocolate Chips are top notch and worked fabulously with the almonds and made damn good cookies. I have zero complaints and a 775 g bag for only $6.79 means I will be buying these on a regular basis. I give them five out of five wooden spoons!

I still have a little more testing of the Brod and Taylor Folding Proofer to do, not quite ready yet, so that product review is to come!

Wow, that took me two days to write and now I need a nap. Good news is my doc says my lung are clearing but she said it is going to take a long time before I have energy and feel good again in any way. Luckily President's Choice has uncanny timing for helping me stay alive by feeding me when I can barely do so myself.

OK, nap time...

Sun-Maid Cinnamon Swirl Raisin Bread kept me and my tastebuds alive & happy

2011-12-09T10:24:00.000-04:00

Sun-Maid was kind enough to send me a loaf of their Raisin Bread with Cinnamon Swirl to put through my test kitchen. The timing could not have been more perfect. It showed up just as I was getting sick and my fridge was getting dangerously empty. I think there are some foodie gods up there taking care of me!

Sun-Maid makes sure to include 75 kg of raisins in every 100 kg of flour when they make their bread so there is no skimping on the raisins per slice. This was evident in each slice but I was hoping for a more dramatic cinnamon swirl to boost the cinnamon flavour and add to the visual appeal In reality, I could barely see it!

The bread toasted beautifully. All I did to dress the toast was drizzle some honey and it was delicious. The perfect thickness. Nice and crispy on the outside without getting dry in the middle. OK, I was impressed.

Then I used it to make French toast and wow, did we ever love that! Once again, the thickness of the bread was perfect for making French toast and I did not have to add cinnamon to the batter as I usually do because it was already in the bread. We both thoroughly loved it! Reg in particular spoke about it a lot and he is super picky about French toast. I wanted to make bread pudding with it but it was all gone at this point, LOL.

One of the recipes suggested to me via the media kit was to make Raisin Bread Crostini with Tomato Basil Salsa. I guess they are trying to add a more savoury application for the bread but I just could not go there. I think my foodie tests were classic and what people would really use it for. For me, this was a lovely cinnamon bread that I really liked but feel the cinnamon swirl could have been more pronounced. I give this product four out of five wooden spoons.

PLEASE NOTE

I must apologize to my newsletter readers who marked down on their calendars that I would be doing my Tre Stelle giveaway today. You see I actually have the prize and for me to send it would require me having to go outside. Which I can't do with my pneumonia. It is coming though and I also have some coupons for Sun-Maid beautiful Raisin Bread with Cinnamon Swirl that I will be giving away. It is just going to have to wait I am feeling better but I will send you another heads up in a newsletter.

Nadia G's Bitchin Kitchen Creamy Cream-Less Tomato-Pepper Soup

2011-12-08T12:17:00.000-04:00

Before the migraine marathon and the wheezing and hacking began, I was living on this soup from Nadia G's Bitchin' Kitchen: Cookin' for Trouble cookbook. I think it was keeping me alive and healthy but all soups do eventually come to an end... Here is how I made it.

The page the recipe comes from has a basic creamy (but cream-less) soup base for you to work with. From there you could choose to make the carrot-ginger, spinach or tomato-pepper version. I chose the latter.

You were supposed to cut two leeks into 1/4" rounds and there was no mention of washing them. I sliced mine in half so I could rinse out any grit and dirt. Then I sliced them into crescents instead.

I heated some olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat. I sauteed the leeks for 5 minutes and deglazed with 5 cups low-sodium chicken stock. I brought the stock to a simmer.

Then I added 2 large potatoes, diced.

Then I added 2 cups of cherry tomatoes, halved, and 2 red bell peppers, chopped.

I simmered the soup for 15 minutes until everything was fork-tender. I did not realize I was suppose to add 1 tbsp of maple syrup to the soup. The layout was clever but at times confusing. I missed the maple syrup completely.

There is no way a hand blender, as directed in the cookbook, would break down this soup. Even with using my blender in overdrive I still had chunks of red pepper floating around in it. Make sure to season with salt and pepper to taste.

The soup was bright, healthy and made a ton. I lived on it for days. But, I found the red pepper quite harsh.

When I started adding mascarpone cheese to the soup (OK, now it is officially creamy I know) Reg did not even recognize the soup. He said the other was one was OK but this was a knock out. I totally agree. Perhaps the maple syrup would have smoothed out the soup but I know for sure the mascarpone did.

If you are on a special diet, you will probably be satisfied with the original soup. Me? I needed the creaminess to soften the edginess that the red pepper gave the soup. That said, as soon as I ran out of the soup my road to pneumonia began...

Without the mascarpone I give this recipe three out of five wooden spoons. With the mascarpone, I give it four out of five. I like the idea of the layout of this recipe but did find it quite unclear while I was cooking so I missed an ingredient. That said, it really is not a difficult recipe and would be great for beginner cooks out there. I just needed more. The original recipe was just too simple for me.

Brod & Taylor's Folding Proofer & Country Wheat Sandwich Bread

2011-12-07T09:33:00.000-04:00

First, I just wanted to let everyone know that I did finally hear from the contest winner so the contest is officially over. Thank you all so much for your participation and feedback, I am still processing it all.

Second, I know I should be in bed resting but I have all these posts I have done all the work for that just need to be written up so I am hoping by doing so it will ease my mind without putting my health at risk.

When I received my new Brod & Taylor Folding Proofer the logical choice for testing it was bread. I could not wait! It had been months and months since I baked some bread so I went for it (two weeks ago, before I got pneumonia).

I wanted there to be moisture in the air and the booklet said to add 1/4 cup water to the water tray and set the proofer to 85F.

I tried following their recipe for Country Wheat Sandwich Bread but went off the foodie map. This is how I made it. I mixed together 3 1/2 regular flour with 3/4 cup whole wheat flour and 1 1/2 tsp salt.

In a measuring cup I combined 1 1/4 cup warm (not hot) water with 1/4 cup warm (not hot) whole milk and 2 tbsp sugar. Then I added 1 1/2 tsp old fashioned yeast. I let it sit for ten minutes and then added it to the dry ingredients along with 2 tbsp of softened unsalted butter.

My dough was so dry! So I added like, I don't know, almost another cup of warm water until the dough finally came together. My flour is always so super dry!!!

I brought everything together with the paddle attachment and then switched to my dough hook. I let it knead the dough on the second or third setting for ten minutes. I try and remember to continually check in on the bowl to make sure it doesn't getting wedged. Which it did a little, darn it. Trust me, you don't want the bowl to get stuck on there!

After 10 minutes I put the dough in an oiled steel bowl and put it at the bottom of the proofer. It did not say to use the wire rack so I didn't. I closed the lid and let it proof for at least an hour and sure enough, it got all nice and puffy!

I put the dough into an oiled loaf pan, flipped it over and then shaped it to fit. Once again I put it back in the proofer.

I took it out after around 50 minutes and wow, did it ever rise!

I put it in a preheated 350F oven for around 35-45 minutes until it turned nice and golden brown.

See how big it got?! It's funny. My sister Shannon thought this product was called a "poofer" which I thought was adorable but after looking at this loaf, I am beginning to think I might called it that from now on!

It sliced so beautifully, perhaps the easiest and lightest bread I have ever sliced before.

There was only one problem though, it was so poofy it did not fit into my toaster, LOL!

I have some other tests for the Brod & Taylor Folding Proofer but at this point in the game, I could not be happier with it. Yes, it is a bit of a beast when it comes to its size but it made one of the best loaves of bread I have ever had. Loving it so far!

Recipe to Riches PC Kulfi Karma Ice Cream & Slow and Low Pulled Pork

2011-12-06T09:18:00.000-04:00

Wish I had the final winner Robert Luft up there but been too sick to go take photos!

The show Recipe to Riches is coming to a close! I know I should be lying in bed resting but my PR rep from President's Choice has been kind enough to hand deliver these products to my door every single week. I just can not let her down and the voting starts tomorrow! I just had to share my impressions of the final two products with you.

Rosy Banwait-Soobrattee's Kulfi Karma Ice Cream

Rosy Banwait-Soobrattee won the frozen treats category with her Kulfi Karma Ice Cream. Even though I watched the episode and got a glimpse of seeing how it was made, it was one of the few products being tested and judged that I had absolutely no idea what it would really taste like.

Throughout the ice cream you will see the cardamom seed flecks and pistachios peeking out. I like how easy this ice cream is to scoop out, a sign of a high quality ice cream.

The box of ice cream is quite tiny for $3.49 but once I tasted the ice cream, I understood why. A small scoop takes you to another universe! Still, with the first bite I was immediately scared the rose water would be too strong and start to hurt my throat (I am super sensitive that way) but with each bite that almost-overwhelming flavour dissipated and I fell into an adventurous foodie dream.

Oh what a creamy and wild dessert with a nice bite from the pistachios. It really is difficult to describe the sensation and flavour. It was exotic, stunning and absolutely unique. I have never had anything quite like it so I hope that this product will remain at my Superstore because it transported both me and Reg to somewhere else on the planet. We loved it. If you like traditional flavours, this may be downright shocking to you and you may end up hating it. I personally love food that takes me somewhere completely new. I give it five out of five wooden spoons. Way to go Rosy!

Robert Luft's Slow & Low Pulled Pork

Robert Luft won the entree category for his southern-style pulled pork that has been slow cooked for 12 hours. This is what you get in a package. Two frozen bricks of the flavoured slow-cooked pork.

To cook it you cut out one of the packages and put it in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Cover and every now and then break down with a cooking utensil. In 15 minutes the meat will be ready.

I must admit, I found all of this very off-putting. First, meat in a plastic bag freaks me out. At least they abandoned the idea of the home cook cooking it in hot water in the bag, which I think is just too unhealthy. With the stove-top technique, as the meat thawed and the juice was released, I found it very unappetizing. When it was done, it was kind of mushy.

I made the tiniest slider I could (which took 1/3 of the meat, there is not a lot in the package) and you know what? It was tasty! I did not love it but I did not hate it either. It was pretty darn good and in the end, was impressed.

Do I think the box is worth $6.99? No, I don't, that is not a lot of meat. Do I consider this an entree? No, not at all. It is just meat! I must admit I really wish I was testing the lobster mac and cheese instead. To me, that was much closer to being a real entree than this hunk of frozen meat.

When it comes to flavour, I give this product a weak three out of five. When it comes to the show, I don't think it really qualifies for its category at all.

I think all the women in the competition have kicked some serious foodie butt and I wish them all luck! I know who I will be voting for tomorrow and make sure you vote too! I think this is where we go to vote on Wednesday and may the best foodie win!

Check your email!

2011-12-05T14:10:00.000-04:00

Winner was just chosen and contacted by email so check your inboxes! The winner has until Tuesday night to respond and claim their prize! I'm going back to bed...

BTW, for those of you who don't know, turns out I have pneumonia. When it rains, it pours...

Giant KitchenAid 13 Cup Food Processor Giveaway is officially closed!

2011-12-02T08:20:00.000-04:00

I still can't believe it! KitchenAid Canada has agreed to give away one of their brand spanking new 13-cup Food Processor to one of my lucky readers! Oh I am sooooo super jealous but also thrilled that I can make one of my foodie friends very happy.

CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED!

So sick... So very sick...

2011-11-29T08:36:00.000-04:00

I guess I've been fighting of a cold (or was in total denial) for a while. I should have known when I wrote the post "I need a holiday" I was jinxing myself. I've been doing too much for too long and I am having a hard time breathing, baked a stuffed turkey breast for dinner last night scared I was going to pass out from my fever.

So I am logging off until I feel less like hell. Not to worry, the big giveaway my newsletter readers know all about will still begin on Friday, somehow. It will run all weekend.

When I look and feel less like death I am going to do a video about my favourite things for the holidays. I wanted to add a Q&A session so if you have some questions or stuff you want me to read on the video, just leave a comment here.

OK, I gotta go. Going to curl up into a ball and live on miso soup for a while.

~ Suzie the Foodie