fri five fave food finds

1. Ming Makes Cupcakes - AWESOME CUPCAKES PERIOD. Original and unique recipes combined with a clean and clear photography style makes for a fabulous cupcake resource. 2. BBQ & BBQ - Because one is never enough, here's two homemade bbq sauce to help you get your grill on. 3. Foodie Crayons - Totally too cool for school. Edible crayons, seriously made out of foods like peanuts, fruity pebbles, and dried carrots. 4. Cinnamon Bun Pancakes - Yes, pancakes with cinnamon bun frosting. 5. 50-best-blogs-for-food-photography - No one said looking at food had any calories.
Add Post To: | | | | | | | | |

fri five fave food finds

I love to cook, don't get me wrong. But I am fairly certain that it is inspired by a desire to eat, and to eat well. Here's some help to get us cooking when perhaps we are a little less than creatively minded, and tired of the same old hum-drum meals. 1. What the Fuck Should I Make for Dinner? Oh my. Yes, that is the title, and my deepest apologies to the language sensitive. However. Once you are finished collecting yourself and your laughter, you will find a new recipe everyday, and even an extra one if you don't like it, or if you don't eat meat. 2. Artisan Bread in Five This just might be the key to making super boring meals into something a little more delicious, and certainly a lot more healthful. Read the ingredient list on hot dog buns lately? You get a gold star if you can pronounce everything. Now make your own. 3. Jamie Oliver's Recipes If you haven't heard of Jamie Oliver, you definitely get a prize for living under a rock. The thing is, most people either like him, or dislike him. Perhaps his cooking isn't authentic enough for you. Whatever that really means. But hey, if he has a recipe that helps you get dinner on the table, then why not? 4. Williams Sonoma Recipes Who woulda thought that a store would have mouth-watering recipes on their website? And there are a LOT of well-organized recipes here, and each recipe has a photo too. 5. MattBites Sometimes a few visual images are all I need to actually dream something up for dinner myself, when I though I was otherwise a recipe desert. Eat up!
Add Post To: | | | | | | | | |

fri five fave food finds

I really do love finding all my newest faves for these Friday posts. It's a little like sharing a few fun secrets. Okay, enough with all the 'f' words; let's get on with the fun. 1. Cooking with Grandma - Family heirloom recipes are presented by Grandma and Grandchild in short and fun videos on chowhound.com. Not only are these videos informative, but also reflect the love of food and for family cooking so many long for. My favourite parts of the videos are the real family moments with a little cheeky humour, a little argumentative, or defensive behaviour that is best displayed in families. I love the video teaching how to make Grandma Paola's gnocchi. 2. Homemade Pull Apart Dinner Rolls - Maybe it's just me, but I swear that just one quick glance at these rolls causes me to inhale a beautiful yeasty scent of freshly baked bread. Gorgeous. 3. Coolhaus Ice Cream Sandwiches - Is there anything wrong with an ice cream sandwich? It's so very classic, and made so very cute by this vendor in LA. The best part is the update on the classic with your choice of cookie, "brioche anyone?", to your choice of ice cream, sign me up for blood orange or lambrusco. How cool is that? 4. MMMMVelopes Bacon Flavored Envelopes - yup, that's right. Envelopes with bacon flavouring. No stickers, no " taste of finely aged butt cheese". I know you are all disappointed that about that part. But these envelopes even look like bacon. I do hope your mail makes it to the destination though! 5. Chorizo Stuffed Squid - Helen Graves' Food Stories are delicious and colourful tales. Grilling is always a nice way to feel a little less claustrophobic, as winter gives way to spring, and so I hope you get a chance to try this delicious looking combo. I know it is on my priority list of things to eat.
Add Post To: | | | | | | | | |

fri five fave food finds

1. Roasted Cauliflower and White Bean Salad with Orange Olive Oil Dressing - it's a mouthful to say, but it also sounds deliciously fantastic. 2. Crack Pie: It's love at first bite - I need to make this NOW. 3. Chefs Take to Twitter to Vent - feeling the heat. 4. David Rocco's Pasta Anto-Te - I have been meaning to make this creamy, pistachio, rosewater pasta for far too long. I have all the ingredients, enough excuses. 5. Crispy Deep-Fried Ribs - these certainly sound anything but shabby. How about over the top delicious? At least the white bean salad is semi-flexible; too bad the pasta, crack pie, and ribs don't quite make a meal that pairs well together. Oh well, with enough spacing in between, perhaps the dishes could be considered separate meals? Have an amazing weekend!
Add Post To: | | | | | | | | |

fri five fave food finds

I haven't been that inspired by the summer yet, and I'm not entirely sure why. However, I am hoping that a few of these recipes and ideas will help me wave goodbye to winter as quickly as possible. 1. I should make some simple and delicious raspberry jam. 2. Find a little summer eating, reading, and travelling at danapop. 3. Lemons are so refreshing, and lovely in the summer. Especially, in a pasta dish like this! 4. Anything with rhubarb is a must. 5. When you really need to cool off, be sure to have gorgeous blueberry lemon popsicles on hand, oh my! It's summer, enjoy it!
Add Post To: | | | | | | | | |

fri five fave food finds

The weather is beautiful; it's finally summer! And here's some tasty food finds to enjoy in case it's raining (or worse!). 1. Irresistible cookies. 2. Glean a few steak tips for the bbq. 3. I've been wanting to make "chicken thighs with spicy basque ketchup" for awhile. 4. Cool off. 5. Awesome food photography tips! Have a great weekend!
Add Post To: | | | | | | | | |

fri five fave food finds

It is Friday evening, and I decided it's time for a little vino. And of course one requires a snack too right? Cherry tomatoes, olives, soppressata, aged gouda, and some amarone of course! This week I have continued to search out Italy-bound items, but a few fun things too. Just for you! 1. I love Faith Willinger's blog. I have been reading it non-stop since about last Saturday or so. Yes, it's that informative! 2. I thought this coffee "gadget", the Aeropress, was pretty cool. 3. Thanks to a friend for sending me the recipe for this gorgeous lemon-yogurt cake with cranberries! 4. This coffee chart is useful. 5. Ruth Reichl really knows how to make me smile.
Add Post To: | | | | | | | | |

fri five fave food finds

Here's this weeks line-up. Enjoy! 1. The Grilled Cheese Invitational. The grilled cheese olympics, if it were. As they say, bread - butter - cheese - victory! Need I say more? 2. The Kitchen Sink is a fabulously gorgeous food blog. Most excellent stuff. 3. Watermelon cubed. It's probably not what you think. 4. sophistimom is a very hip mom indeed, especially if you have an appetite! 5. Under the High Chair is another mommy blog, but it's so cute, yummy, and Canadian too. mmm!
Add Post To: | | | | | | | | |

fri five fave food finds

I'm so ridiculously glad that it's Friday. And not for any really good reason, I mean it was a pretty good week, all in all. OK, so it snowed, and it's the end of April. I'm over it...as if! I just want to sit and do absolutely nothing, and then get back at everything again. Especially the fun stuff, cleaning the car, cleaning out the cupboards, choosing new flooring for the house. Well, really, the flooring is picked out, but no one else agrees that we should spend the money on gray hardwood floors for the main floor. So be it. But it would look soooo good. 1. Bloggers Choice Awards. The food ones. Wow. This is it folks, the blog mecca. I have been reading and perusing non-stop. And voting too - so hop to it! 2. The non-GMO 30-day Challenge. I just wish GMO products things were labeled as such. 3. 100 Ways to Crack an Egg. And what to do with them too! This is a great resource, and inspirational. 4. The Difference between Ice Cream and Gelato. It's all good, but they are not the same. 5. Here's a noodle recipe which uses black garlic. Have a fantastic week, and see you here, same time, same place.
Add Post To: | | | | | | | | |

fri five fave food finds

It is a fantastic day to eat chocolate. It is Good Friday after all. So go ahead. Hopefully, I'll soon have something new and chocolatey from the kitchen for you, but here are some of my favourites of the week, to hold you over until then. 1. Millions of chocolate bunnies, from my favourite chocolatier! 2. The Art of Decorated Easter Eggs: from Hard Boiled to Chocolate. Beautiful. 3. Not chocolate, but oh-so-cute, festive for spring, and pink! How about a Strawberry Milkshake Whopper Marshmallow Cake? 4. Perhaps slow roasted pork belly, instead of a ham? 5. I can't wait to make my own butter for Easter dinner tomorrow, oh my!
Add Post To: | | | | | | | | |

fri five fave food finds

Have you noticed that the sun is rising before you? I am definitely longing for even more daylight, but yet I just seem to find more to do inside. I figure I'll make up for it in a few months; I can't wait to get to Italy this summer. I am always on the look for something to keep me intrigued and excited about the trip, I've found a few things to enjoy in the meantime. Some in Italy and some not, but a good escape nonetheless. 1. Best Trattoria in Rome? NYT Travel article. Enough said. 2. If you love lamb, then Lava Lake Lamb is for you. 3. Love cupcakes, but not actually eating them? This is fun. 4. Do you want to know what steak doneness looks like on the inside? This is a somewhat useful photo. 5. I can't wait to eat at Giusti's. They have top-notch balsamico, but also have a salumeria with a tiny restaurant. Why is it that I planned the trip without being in Modena for the very first meal of the trip? oy, oy! As Jeff would say, it doesn't get much greasier than this:
Add Post To: | | | | | | | | |

fri five fave food finds

The one thing with having the week off work, is the amount of time I have to eat. And sit and think about food, so while I'll be sad that spring break is over, it will be nice to have the clothes fitting again. AND Jeff and I are going to a Bat Mitzvah tomorrow - I can't wait!! 1. These little shoes are so very cute, and chocolatey too. If that's no good, then get the pumps. Don't worry they won't hurt your feet. 2. I love finding new dishes, things I've never heard of before. I had never heard of a sabich, but now I can't wait to make this somewhat simple, and utterly delicious dish. 3. Have you heard of "scanwich"? Well there is a little bit of debate, and controversy with it too. Check it out. 4. Cake on a stick? These are truly adorable little cakes that are like popsicles! 5. I like art and lemons too. I like that there is something quite calm about this blog. Very nice! Just sent Jeff out to pick-up some dessert. Not exactly normal around here, but it is supposed to be a holiday right? It will be interesting to see what he comes up with!
Add Post To: | | | | | | | | |

fri five fave food finds

Ok, so I just don't know where the time has gone. I mean just one post between last "fri five" and now? It's sad and pathetic, sure. But there's just something about teaching junior high school and trying my best to get the kids to focus - when there is a holiday on the horizon! Mind you, a lot did get done, but not without a huge energy expenditure on my part. This means I didn't have many creative juices left by the time the evenings rolled around. The week just flew by! Luckily, now that it's spring break (!!) there is a bit of time to sleep, and time to catch up on everything else too. Don't worry, I will more than likely post all the recipes I've been saving up to tell you all about. Of course, I still had time and energy to sit at the computer and vegetate... 1. If you haven't already heard some extremely compelling evidence of why you should know where your food actually comes from, start with tomatoes. Tomatoes from Florida, or Mexico, just might be something you soon decide to avoid. Those who are paid to pick the tomatoes are virtual slaves. All this for the joy of eating a tomato. Apologies, if you no longer have that joy after perusing the article, although it is much more in depth, and heartwrenching in Gourmet's latest issue. This is important too. 2. I just started going through a fun food blog with delicious recipes, by Chef Wanabe. So cute! 3. I have to admit that I really do spend far too many hours searching out all kinds of things about Italy for our trip this summer. I honestly could spend the entire day doing that every single day. Thankfully, Ms. Adventures in Italy is a wonderful inspiration, with the latest adventure being a wedding in Sicily and a Sicilian food feast! 4. If you want to put things in perspective, be humbled, and feel really darn lucky (I sure do feel lucky!), please check out this article on child hunger in India. Eye-opening. 5. Vancouver area baker, Alicia, makes delicious cupcake treats and is a Bakeaholic. Happy weekend, and happy spring!
Add Post To: | | | | | | | | |

fri five fave food finds

I hope you didn't think I'd forget! No way! 1. So, I told you about Coca-Cola in Venice. And if you haven't heard, Lucca, Italy, is doing quite the opposite. 2. This local blog, at the root, is a little hard to describe, but perhaps best said as "insights, rants, and observations of the local movement in Alberta". Interesting stuff. 3. Make your own NUTELLA. *IMPROVED VERSION* 4. What to make with the nutella. Nutella Cake by Nigella. 5. french broad luscious chocolates - beautiful hand-crafted chocolates, and a LOUNGE! I haven't tried these, or been there. But it looks fantastic, and perhaps this will inspired a new trip. Oh darn.
Add Post To: | | | | | | | | |

fri five fave food finds

Favourites of the week! 1. Cake Failures at slightlywarped. This is beyond hilarious. It probably helps to have a sense of spelling, but even so, it's quite fun. 2. HistoryBites - bits and bites of everything related to food and the history of food. 3. The Extraordinary Dining Society - love it! 4. Forage - as they say, "farm to fork, ready to go!" 5. Butterscotch Pudding @ Caviar and Codfish - you didn't think I'd really leave you without a recipe did you?! Later today, learn more about our Tour of Italy dinner at Capo!
Add Post To: | | | | | | | | |

fri five fave food finds

I can't believe it's only Friday, but hey, at least we made it! 1. Black Garlic - I'm very curious about this stuff! 2. 64 sq ft kitchen - This blog has gorgeous photography and delicious recipes of Warda's, Mediterranean and North African inspired cuisine from her childhood. 3. Dark & Fudgey White Chocolate Chip Cookies - courtesy of the ever-inspiring Hungry Mouse. Caution, she also includes a warning: imposter alert! This is a brownie masquerading in cookie form! Yum! 4. Coke Sponsors Venice - Venice or Disneyland? Okay, this is not so food-like, but interesting and thought-provoking, nonetheless. 5. Homemade Rolled Fondant - I don't plan to make wedding cakes anytime soon, but this recipe makes me want to! Eat well!
Add Post To: | | | | | | | | |

fri five fave food finds

Back at it! I am finding that there are just too many fun things out there that I need to share. 1. Eat Life - I just love this blog! Nothing complicated about it; just little tidbits about this and that. Some neat photos, and a few provocative ideas. Fun. 2. Blackbird Bakery - I can't believe it! A bakery that delivers to Canada too?! That is a first. Oh, and it's gluten-free. 3. My Cooking Hut - A beautiful and inspiring food blog; dessert heavy. 4. Caviar - this is a luxury blog's feature on caviar, for those of you who dream in dollar signs... It is certainly over the top, especially the caviar ice cream. 5. eat me, delicious: Outrageous Oreo Crunch Brownies!! The opposite of caviar ice cream, but creative nonetheless! Have a fantastic-food-filled weekend!
Add Post To: | | | | | | | | |

fri five fave food finds & calzone

The only thing that beats leftover pizza for breakfast; leftover calzone.

Jeff has become quite the master of these fun pockets of goodness. He is in charge of assembly, and takes it very seriously. However, sometimes he is overzealous, and creates monstrous calzones. So, we are often fortunate enough to enjoy some the next day.

There are two secrets: 1. The dough. 2. A hot oven.  

The dough: (start pre-heating the oven, see below) 1 1/4 cups of warm water 1 1/2 tsp traditional yeast 1 tbsp honey 2 3/4 cups flour 1 tsp salt 2 tsp olive oil Make sure the water is warm, but not too warm (read yeast package directions). Dissolve the honey, and then stir in the yeast. Leave it 10-15 minutes. In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt and olive oil.

Once the yeast is activated, combine everything together in the bowl. Knead it, if you feel like it. If you're not grumpy or stressed, just do it a little. (a hardly noticeable difference, unbelievable, I know) Cover the bowl with a towel, and let the dough rise 45min to 1 hour. Knead again. Divide the dough into 3 sections. Use a lot of flour, and shape the dough into a circle. Leaving the edge clean, smother your favourite sauce over the dough.

On half of the dough, place your favourite toppings (capicollo, genoa salami, mortadella, buffalo mozzarella, fresh basil, etc.). Fold over the other half, and crimp the edges together. The dough makes gorgeous pizzas too. Plain pizzas are irresistible snacks when dipped into olive oil and sea salt.
 
The heat: Place a pizza stone in the oven. Heat the oven as hot as it will go, and continue to pre-heat for one hour before baking any calzone's or pizza's.
 
Convection is better; pre-heat on 550 fahrenheit on convection. Turn the convection off before placing the pizza or calzone in the oven. Pizza's take 6-8 minutes. Calzone's take 10-12 minutes. Mangia!
 
Onto the food finds, with a seasonal twist:

1. Pomegranate jam: Cafe Fernando has absolutely stunning photos of this jewel-toned jam, but do check out the recipe.

2. Flagrante Delicia: Forget dessert, I want the Chocolate tagliatelle with chocolate sauce for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. A very sweet blog, literally and figuratively.

3. Gourmet's Favorite Cookie Recipes: Gourmet Magazine's favourite cookie recipes from every year from 1941-2008. Holiday baking here I come!

4. Decadent Pumpkin Torte: I am a pumpkin addict, so I can't think of anything much better than this creamy dessert. If you haven't visited Canary Girl's site yet, do check it out. Her recipe's are fabulous, and her humorous writing style is fun too.

5. Roasted Butternut Squash Farro Salad: A delicious combination of everything the season has to offer, in a healthful, and flavourful dish. Delightful! More hot chocolate to come soon.
Add Post To: | | | | | | | | |

friday five fave food finds

I love our new couch. It's cozy and comfy, and perfect for spending hours curled up watching tv and being a silly computer geek. I'm very glad that I woke up early this Saturday morning, so I can just sit and chill. I tend to overdo it the rest of the week, so Saturday's are generally dedicated to doing nothing. So I'm all squished up into a little ball watching foodtv, and writing my friday five fave food finds of the week - although it is Saturday. 1. David Rocco. I have an obsession with Italy, so it is only natural that I have an obsession with tv shows based in Italy. And David Rocco's show is an addiction. I have been waiting for today ever since it was announced that David Rocco's lifestyle cookbook, Dolce Vita, would be in stores today. I need to get off the couch, and out to the bookstore! 2. Spain a Culinary Road Trip. You might have seen episodes of Mario Batali's latest project, Spain on the Road Again, with Mark Bittman, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Claudia Bassols. The Culinary Road Trip is the accompanying book, and it is absolutely gorgeous. Its pages inspire an instantaneous journey to Spain, or at least into the kitchen. 3. Geobeats. I am in a mood for travel; I love it. One way I try to satiate my desire for travel, is Geobeats. The videos are also helpful for travel planning; it will help you decide what to see, and what to leave out. 4. Order Hong Kong dim sum like a local. When I go to Hong Kong, it will certainly be a requirement to have dim sum this beautiful. 5. Gourmet mag's Politics of the Plate. Articles like this one make me sad, and sick. The content that is; it's well-written. More faves next week.
Add Post To: | | | | | | | | |

friday five fave food finds

The days seem to come and go so embarrassingly quickly; I think the sun is becoming overwhelmingly shy. Although, I don't understand how I could have done it such terrible harm, I really didn't mean for it to disappear. But, I do hope it will come to play again soon. Perhaps it just requires a little pick-me-up of some lovely chocolate, as I often do. Let's just hope that's all the sun needs for a little rejuvenation. In the meantime, I have five fave food posts this week, but with a special twist. I've received an award! It's a super cool honour, especially coming from The Hungry Engineer - her blog is incredible! Now, I am to bestow the award to five recipients; who's blogs are also the friday five fave food finds: 1. Vanessa at ItalyInSF, is super inspiring, which constantly makes me want to fly to Italy immediately. Yes, yes, I know I always want to go to Italy, but seriously, she's that much more convincing! Plus, it's a little like going to Italy just by following her posts. How great is that!? 2. Bentoist writes the most adorable, and addicting blog about all kinds of scrumptious treats placed and served in bento boxes. Bentoism, features her mouth-watering creations, and sublime recipes. 3. Michael Natkin's, Herbivoracious, is certainly a delicious read. Every recipe has perfectly clear photos, and is a very professional site. Basically, everything I want to eat all the time. 4. Jason's BBQ Adventures, keeps me going on the grill. Burn baby burn! Okay, so that isn't the idea, but I can't help but to completely endorse his, "sometimes, simple is good". So very true, and everything on his site is much more than simple. Looks can be deceiving, as nothing tastes simple. Just a single mention of pulled pork, and that would already have been over the top. Yum! 5. Christine, at Love Me, Love My Dog, writes about her dog Wiggles, and his ability to clog the vacuum. I'm not joking, but he is an adorable pup who is into most everything, gotta love him. But she also posts yummy things like Triple Chocolate Chipotle Brownies! Congratulations all!
Add Post To: | | | | | | | | |