Saturday, September 29, 2012

Weekly Roundup - September 28, 2012

 CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT
Porter Lounge - On Saturday morning my mom and I escaped Toronto and our troubles for a pre-25th Birthday New York City getaway! Back in the Spring after returning from Israel and itching for another trip, my mom and I had found an incredible deal for flights to New York. Too good to not take advantage of, we booked a 3 day, 2 night trip to New York! It was our first time flying with Porter airlines, and happily it met the high expectations we had thanks to all of the Porter hype we have been hearing for years now. It was such a stress-free and speedy traveling experience! One of my favourite parts was the Porter lounge, complete with big, cushy seating, complimentary Wifi, an espresso machine, snacks including salted almonds and shortbread cookies, beverages, and more!

Markt Croque Monsieur - After arriving in New York and stowing our bags, we were desperate to sit down, relax, and enjoy a delicious New York meal. We hadn't made any reservations beforehand, but we knew we would find great food as long as we kept our eyes open for crowds. On Sixth Avenue we came across Markt Restaurant, a buzzing French café with a cute patio and large open floor-to-ceiling glass windows. We immediately got a table right next to the patio (perfect for people watching) and ordered Eggs Benedict (my mom) and a Croque Monsieur sandwich (myself). This perfect grilled cheese hit the spot to give me the energy to take on New York!

GROM Gelato - After lots of walking, sightseeing, and window shopping, we joined the long line outside of GROM Gelato for a cup of the indulgent Italian treat. One of the best cups of gelato I've tasted, I couldn't get enough of the Espresso and Baccio combo we ordered.

A.O.C Oysters - While strolling around Bleecker St. during the day, we were taken by a cute French restaurant with a beautiful backyard patio and a steal of a Prix Fix menu at $25, including foie gras and Filet mignon. We put our names down for dinner at A.O.C that evening on the spot!
Central Park - Here's me (Danielle Rose), happy as a clam on a beautiful stunner of a day in Central Park. This was my fourth visit to New York and although I've strolled a little bit of the historic park before, I've never really walked through the whole thing, getting to see the beautiful man-made pond filled with happy couples in canoes and even a gondola, the stunning Bethesda Fountain (that I'm sitting on the edge of here), or the striking John Lennon memorial Strawberry Fields. Getting to really experience Central Park this time around made my love for this magical city grow even stronger! 
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Columbus Street Festival - After our leisurely stroll around Central Park, we decided to just walk around and see if anything would catch our interest. Lucky for us, we happened to stumble across the Columbus Street Festival. Full of flea markets, food carts, clothing and perfume stands, and a live band singing the Blues, the festival was just what we needed to cap off the perfect Sunday in New York. Without any agenda, it was great to have the time to take in the festival, dance to the music, drink a pint right on the New York street, and watch as nearby residents stuck their head out their apartment windows to experience the excitement from above. This was one of my favourite parts of the whole weekend!

Converse Stars & Stripes - In the Converse star in Soho I was taken by their striking wall display of rows upon rows of converse shoes in red, white, and blue, lining the walls to symbolize the American flag. I love how patriotic New Yorkers are.

Dos Caminos Tacos - After faking sick to get out of a horrible restaurant (don't worry, we hadn't ordered anything yet) we ended up at Dos Caminos, a modern Mexican restaurant with locations in New York, New Jersey, and Florida. With a heated outdoor patio and killer margaritas, Dos Caminos was a great place to spend our last evening in New York.

M Bar at the Mansfield Hotel  - With prices of New York hotels as sky high as their buildings, we decided to check out some boutique hotel options. Although still expensive (after all, this is still New York) we decided upon the Mansfield Boutique Hotel, located in Central New York, for its reasonable prices, complimentary breakfast, free Wifi, and independent appeal. The complimentary breakfasts, served at the Mansfield's M Bar, were delicious with my favourite of the two mornings being their poached eggs on brioche with truffled hollandaise. We also loved the complimentary espresso machine that ran 24hrs, that we definitely took advantage of!

Eataly Tagliatelle with Short Rib Ragu  - One of the highlights of my trip of course involves food. I had been hearing about Eataly NY for months now, and have been dying to go, but all this time I thought it was just a restaurant. Boy was I ever wrong. So much more than just a restaurant, Eataly is a retail space, culinary school, has numerous restaurants inside, and is, in fact, a philosophy! Bringing the highest quality and most authentic ingredients from across Italy to New York, while collaborating with some of the city's top Italian chefs, Eataly was one of the most well done and special food experiences I have ever had. I'll leave it at that for now, because I could go on and on talking about Eataly, or what I now refer to as 'Heaven on Earth', and I need to save something for my upcoming blog entries on my New York adventures. In the meantime, definitely check out their website and learn about this celebration of all things Italian.
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Eataly - One of my favourite sections to browse at Eataly was La Pizza & La Pasta section where we sat down to enjoy an incredible lunch. While waiting for our table (only a 10 minute wait!) we drooled over the fresh pasta counter filled with the most beautiful and delicious sounding house-made pastas I have ever seen! At the counter we were lucky enough to sample their house-made gnocchi in a wild boar ragu, which absolutely blew me away! Never in life have I tasted such light gnocchi, and the sauce was to die for!

Eataly - I have always loved the look of a beautiful brick pizza oven. Eataly's pizza oven was like a typical pizza oven all dressed up for a night out, covered in glistening gold tiles. They were so stunning, I had to take a photo!

Eataly Margherita Pizza - Because we couldn't possibly choose between ordering just pizza or pasta for lunch, my mom and I decided to order a pasta dish and a pizza to split to taste the best of both worlds. Although Eataly's pizza menu had numerous tempting flavours, we decided to go with a classic margherita pizza to compare it to our favourite pizza in Toronto, Pizzeria Libretto. As much as I go crazy over Libretto's incredible margherita pizza, Eataly's wins as my all-time favourite pizza! What bumped Eataly to number one? It all came down to the cheese! I've always found Libretto a little stingy on the cheese, whereas Eataly topped their delicious thin crust pizzas with a generous amount of mozzarella cheese!

Toronto Sky - It's always hard to return home and go back to reality after a vacation. You always seem to catch a case of "the grass is always greener", imagining living your life in your vacay destination. It's even harder when your vacay is a mere 2 nights and 3 days. The day after returning home, as I begrudgingly walked to catch my bus, I looked to see the sky illuminated in pink, gold, purple, and orange, an incredibly stunning sight, in my incredibly familiar neighborhood. It was a good reminder to see the beauty of things to matter where you are.

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Listening To:
Alabama Shakes - You Ain't Alone

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Thursday, September 27, 2012

Roasted Figs with Goat Cheese Prosciutto & A Balsamic Reduction

Things have been so busy, crazy, and stressful lately that it's been hard to keep track of the little things, including using up food in the fridge. Only 2 days before my mom and I fled Toronto for a NYC early- 25th bday weekend escape, I noticed that there was a completely untouched package of figs in the fridge, about to hit their final day. Just a little too ripe, I wanted to come up with a way to utilize the softer texture of the over-ripened fig. After doing a quick search in the fridge, and some recipe brainstorming, I came up with Roasted Figs with Goat Cheese Prosciutto and A Balsamic Reduction. Perfect for your next cocktail party, or over a bottle of wine with a friend, this simple and delicious appetizer combines the sweetness of fresh figs stuffed with tangy goat cheese, with salty and crispy prosciutto hugging the cheese-stuffed fig in place. Sweet and salty, creamy and crisp, this appetizer is the perfect little bite in between sips of your favorite cocktail or wine!

Tip: Roast your stuffed figs in the toaster oven to save energy. 

Ingredients:
10 medium-large fresh figs
about 1/2 cup goat cheese, chilled
5 slices prosciutto
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp sugar

Directions:
  1. Using a sharp knife, cut an "x" into the top of each fig that cuts about 1/2 way down the fig. 
  2. Cut small slices of goat cheese and stuff into the slits in the top of the figs.
  3. Tear each slice of prosciutto into two, lengthwise. Wrap the prosciutto slices around the stuffed figs, one half per fig. 
  4. Place on a non-stick tray or a tray lined with parchment paper and roast in a 350º oven or toaster oven for 5 minutes, or until prosciutto edges begin to crisp.
  5. While figs are roasting, make the balsamic reduction. In a small pot, bring the balsamic vinegar to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook the balsamic vinegar, whisking constantly. Add the sugar and cook down until reduced by about half while continuing to whisk. Immediately remove from heat.
  6. Place roasted figs on a serving tray and drizzle with the balsamic reduction. Serve immediately.

Listening To:
Ghostface Killah And Kanye West And Pusha T - New God Flow.1

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Tuesday, September 25, 2012

GET YOUR TICKETS: sip & Savour Ontario 2012

The Ultimate Local Wine & Food Experience!
The Best of Ontario Locally Grown Food and Gourmet Cuisine, Paired with Ontario VQA Wines
  • 28 Ontario Wineries - 2 Gourmet Food Trucks - 6 Celebrity Chefs - 3 Culinary Demonstrations, including contestants from Top Chef Canada Season 2
  • Award-winning Ontario VQA wines will be paired with elegant and delectable offerings of regional cuisine inspired by local chefs.
  • Silent auction benefitting Houselink, which provides housing solutions for people living with mental health challenges and at risk of being homeless.
When
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
7:30 to 10:00 PM

Where
The Distillery Historic District
Fermenting Cellar
55 Mill Street, Toronto

Ticket Prices:
$85.00
Special group rates now available! Buy 5 tickets and get 10% off your order!
Price includes tastings, appetizer pairings, complimentary shuttle, and donation to Hosuelink HST extra.

To purchase your tickets visit: www.sipandsavourontario.ca

Complimentary shuttle service with Niagara Airbus from Royal York Hotel to event. Pick-up side entrance on York Street. Intervals of service will vary depending on traffic. Event parking is available at the Distillery. 

Listening To:
Kanye West, Big Sean & Jay Z - Clique

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Weekly Roundup - September 21, 2012

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT
LEGO Cupcakes - Every year as that September chill begins to permeate the air, my sister begins brainstorming the perfect birthday theme for her boyfriend Duncan. In the past Duncan has been thrown everything from a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle party, a Baller party, to this years LEGO party! Despite turning 27 years old, Duncan still has a great appreciation for the simplicity and intricacies of different games and toys, with LEGO being one of his favourites, and really, with such a classic brilliant toy/game, who could blame him? I wanted to make a LEGO themed dessert for for the party, and although I found some really cool LEGO cake recipes out on the web, my sister felt that good 'ol classic chocolate cupcakes with LEGO coloured icing, topped with sweet LEGO candy would do the trick.

Poppin' Bottles - Thanks to my sister Justine's champagne birthday this past April (a champagne birthday is when you turn the age of your birthday date, ie. Justine's turned 22 on April 22 this year!) her boyfriend Duncan discovered his affinity for Moet Champagne. As a special birthday gift to himself, D bought some Moet to share with some of the early arriving guests (myself). Dude sure knows how to do it up big!

Pin the Head on LEGO Man - To fit the birthday theme each year, Justine always creates a pin the ____ on the ___ game, with those blanks being filled with whatever character fits the theme. This year for D's LEGO party, Justine created a pin the head and logo on the LEGO man game. Guests always have a great time letting the kid in them come out as they spin around blindfolded trying to place the pin the the correct spot.

Happy Birthday D! - Here's Duncan and my beautiful sister Justine smiling as we sing happy birthday to D and light up the candles on his LEGO cupcakes! 
Figs - What a delicious indulgence! I had to create something special for these little babies. 
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TO Craft Beer Week - After spending a long day hiking around a ravine, helping my sister with her photography assignment, I needed something to help me unwind. When I heard that my mom was having a tough day as well, I suggested we head to a restaurant participating in Toronto Craft Beer week for a pint. With a pit stop in the Annex that evening, it was super convenient to head to Grapefruit Moon for some grub and craft beer. Our server suggested we try a just-tapped pumpkin ale that other guests had been raving about. With a cool Fall chill in the air, it seemed fitting to try the pumpkin ale. Although festive sounding, I was disappointed with the lack of spice in the beer and how light it was. I was expecting more of a bold flavour. Still new to craft beer, this was a good opportunity for me to learn what types of questions I should be asking when ordering beer, and to help me learn what exactly I like.

Attacked - I love the family-friendly idea of having old games stocked at Grapefruit Moon for guests to grab and play at their table, but I wasn't so fond of this freaky doll that decided to and on me out of nowhere in the middle of dinner. There was no one around to knock the doll. It was possessed. I was scared.

Roasted Figs with Goats Cheese Prosciutto & Balsamic Reduction - It always seems to surprise me how quickly figs can go bad. I always find myself scrambling to try and come up with a use or recipe for the figs as they hit their final days. Just as I always do, the first place I go to for recipe inspiration is my fridge. I see what other ingredients I have that would compliment my inspiration (this time figs), and begin writing out different recipe combos and ideas. After sketching out various fig combos, I decided to make Roasted Figs with Goats Cheese and Prosciutto, and top them with a drizzle of sweet and sticky balsamic reduction. Sweet, salty, creamy, with just a hint of crispness around the edges of the prosciutto, these roasted figs were the perfect little bite to tide me over as a mid-day snack. I'll post the recipe soon so you can make up these easy little dazzlers for your next cocktail party!

Recipe Brainstorm - Here's a pic of the initial process that I go through to come up with a recipe. I start with an idea and build from there, coming up with as many different options that I can think of that tickle my fancy at that particular moment. As you can see here, my roasted fig recipe could have been very different stuffed with gouda instead of goat cheese, and topped with a drizzle of honey. Different, but just as delicious sounding, I think I'll have to try this one out another time!
The Big Cannoli - Although my mom says she hates having so many meetings all the time, I don't mind at all, as she is kind enough to bring me leftover snacks from the meetings almost every time! The leftovers are always delish, but nothing beats the leftover cannoli that my mom brings back for me every so often! One awesome staff member heads out to The Big Cannoli in Woodbridge whenever she can to pickup an order of some of the best cannoli's I've had in Ontario. Here is that perfect, delicious cannoli, with creamy and silky mascarpone and lemon filling, and the crisp outer shell, dusted generously with powder sugar. Mmmm the best! Thanks mom!

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Listening To:
Radiohead - Creep

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Saturday, September 15, 2012

Weekly Roundup - September 15, 2012

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT
Big Foot: I Not Dead - One of my favourite things to do is hang out at my sister Justine's and her boyfriend Duncan's apartment. Not only do I love hanging out with my sister and her boyfriend, who I now consider to pretty much be my brother in law, I love that entering their tiny apartment always feels like a bit of a treasure hunt. There's always some new piece of furniture that Justine's lugged from the end of someone's driveway into their home, new artwork that Justine's created, new toys and games that Duncan is excited about or a new web page that he's completed, new art books and supplies that Justine has blown her whole budget on for school, not to mention two adorable kittens that always unleash a new surprise on me! Last weekend when I went to hang at their place, the found treasure took the form of a picture book entitled Big Foot: I Not Dead by Graham Roumieu, how could I not open a book like that? The picture book turned out to be a hilarious collection of diary like entries from Big Foot himself, totally inappropriate for children, but perfect for my sense of humor. We spent about a half hour handing the book back and forth between myself and Justine, reading out various entries in our "Big Foot Voice", laughing uncontrollably. You've gotta check this book out!

Breakfast Sandwich - I always say that the only way to have a great day is to start it with a great breakfast! I always make sure to take the time to make something special for myself in the morning, which usually includes eggs, toast, bacon, and/or fruit, but this week I was craving something bigger and better! With a fresh loaf of challah bread on the counter, a breakfast sandwich was the way to go! The combo of fresh toasted bread, bacon, a well-seasoned fried egg, mayo, and lettuce, tomatoes, basil, and chives all from the garden, is truly exceptional! As you can see, I like to take my breakfast sandwich to the next level by adding fresh herbs like basil and chives. Deeeelish!

Wedding S'more Kit - One of the cutest things that I forgot to mention from Jamie and John's wedding a few weeks ago was one of the gifts that all the guests took home, homemade s'more kits! Wrapped in a cute little package, and stamped with "Happily Ever After", the s'more kits looked adorable! So adorable, that I had saved mine for weeks, just looking at the pretty package on my kitchen counter. This week when a chocolate craving hit me, I knew it was time to crack open my s'more kit! Filled with two graham crackers, individually tied with red and white twine, dark chocolate, two squishy marshmallows, and a recipe for homemade graham crackers, the kit looked just as cute once opened, and looked so perfectly "Jamie". I cranked up the gas flame on the stove, made a perfectly toasted marshmallow, and indulged in s'more goodness, day dreaming of their perfect wedding just a few weeks ago.

Quickie Bruschetta - There's nothing like bruschetta made with fresh tomatoes and bail from the garden! With tons of leftover hot dog and hamburger buns still left over from our pool party last week, and tons of fresh tomatoes and basil in the garden, bruschetta was the way to go! It's so so simple to whip up a killer bruschetta! All you need are tomatoes, red onions or shallots, fresh basil, fresh garlic, a splash of both olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and a grind of fresh cracked pepper and sea salt. What's my trick for the perfect bruschetta? I like to brush the bread lightly with olive oil, do a long slow toast so the whole piece of bread is super crunchy, then, immediately after toasting, rub the tops of the bread with fresh garlic, so it sort of melts right into the bread. Warning: DO NOT go on a date after eating this bruschetta! Ooooh garlic breath! Check out the recipe for bruschetta here!

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Listening To:
The xx - Chained

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Monday, September 10, 2012

Weekly Roundup - September 9, 2012

 CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT
The Last Pool Party: Salsa Verde - As the summer days dwindle down it's become painfully clear that our time in our beautiful home is coming to an end. Although it will be most certainly be with a heavy heart that we say farewell to the place I've called home my whole life, my sister and I wanted to send it off with a smile (and alcohol) by hosting a pool party in our backyard with some good friends. Of course no Rose family party would be complete without some tasty offerings to serve to our guests. Because my sister and I had a budget to worry about, we decided to make our party BYOM (bring your own meat), with myself and the rest of the family helping out with making and buying additional snacks, hot dog and hamburger toppings, buns, and my sisters killer sangria. One of the snacks we made was nachos on the BBQ. It would have been plain cruel to serve nachos at my party without making my favourite salsa, so I quickly whipped up this vibrant Salsa Verde the day before, which party guests raved over! Get the recipe here!

Pool Party Potato Salad - Another classic BBQ side that I quickly made the morning of our pool party was my Sweet Pepper Potato Salad. Unfortunately I didn't realize that all the dill in my fridge from my grandmothers garden had already gone bad, so I had to sub the herb for basil from my garden, which turned out to be a happy accident as it was delicious! Get the recipe here!

Playa Cabana - Nothing like a little heat on a rainy evening. Last week on a rainy Tuesday by friend Rommi and I met up for margaritas, mojitos, guacamole, and tacos at Playa Cabana, one of my favourite Mexican restaurants in Toronto (although I still have a few that I need to check out). Because their margaritas and guacamole are just so darn incredible, there was no way I was leaving without at least one order of both! I loved my margarita so much and am still kicking myself for not ordering another, and the guacamole was just as spectacular as I remembered from my last visit. So incredibly creamy, spicy, and vibrant, the guac tasted incredible dunked into Playa Cabana's fresh house-made  salty nacho chips.

Playa Cabana - The last time I went to Playa Cabana I tried their Fish Tacos (market fish of the day) and Crispy Short Rib Tacos, which were absolutely incredible, but I wanted to try something new this time around. I love the Tacos Al Pastor from El Trompo in Kensington Market with braised pork and sweet pineapple, a match made in heaven, so I wanted to do a little comparison by trying out Playa Cabana's take on a Mexican classic. Playa's Al Pastor tacos were delicious with super tender pork,  perfect seasoning, and lots of pineapple for that burst of sweetness. Because Playa's tortillas held up better than El Trompo's corn tortillas, they got my vote as my fave!
Churrasco Villa - Just when you thought the party was over, my sister and her boyfriend started up round two, a mere two days after our first pool party. Although it was only a few friends, it felt like a party with lots of alcohol (or what we called "Boozy Fruit", a blended drink made with the leftover fruit from my sisters amazing sangria), loud music, snacks, and a delicious feast of party leftovers and Churrasco chicken wings. Don't get me wrong, chicken wings are great, but chicken wings from Churrasco Villa are in-freaking-credible! You have got to give them a try!
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT
Pool Visitor - This big guy decided to go for a little dip in the pool Tuesday morning, and let me tell you, he did not want to come out!

Hot & Spicy Shrimp Pasta - One of my favourite go-to dishes to turn to when I can't think of what to make for dinner is Hot and Spicy Shrimp Pasta. I love turning to this dish because it is not only delicious, but also features ingredients I always have on hand in my kitchen. I always like to keep a bag of frozen uncooked shrimp in the freezer as well as a package of fresh fettucini in the fridge for emergency dinners. With those two ingredients on hand, some fresh lemon juice, and parsley from my garden, I was all set to make this delicious pasta dish. The recipe is great on its own but I have a few minor adjustments to make this dish extra delicious. Check out the recipe here and add my adjustments!
  • Add the zest of 1/2 a lemon
  • Add more cayenne and red pepper flakes for more of a kick
  • Reserve about 1/2 - 3/4 cup of the pasta cooking water to add to create more of a "sauce".
  • Make fresh breadcrumbs with lots of fresh garlic.
  • Serve with lemon wedges for diners to squeeze over their portion right before serving.
  • Use fresh pasta.
Home - I'm going to miss my backyard in my home most of all. Here's a picture of the entryway to the path in our yard which we call "the secret garden". When I was little I loved the book and movie The Secret Garden and always dreamt of having my own secret garden in my very own backyard. Always one to try and make my dreams come true, my dad created just that for me, a beautiful, secluded secret garden pathway which leads past our pool and into the back of the yard. I'm going to miss this secret garden walk.

Delivery from California - One of the best parts about my trip to Israel this past Spring was getting to meet so many interesting and inspiring people. One of the people that I became closest with is my friend Jacqueline Geller. Jacqueline and I bonded over our love of blogging and unconventional dreams, with Jacqueline passionate about gaming. Another passion of Jacqueline's that I found fascinating was her postcard collection and post card writing goals. Jacqueline loves sending and receiving postcards to/from both friends and strangers from around the world. She sets goals for herself for the number of postcards she sends over various periods of time, and does pretty darn well at fulfilling those goals. At the time of our trip, Jacqueline was feeling uneasy about her future in gaming media and seeing progress come out of all her hard work. I was so incredibly inspired hearing about the work she was doing and knew in my heart that her break was coming. Sure enough, only a couple of months later, Jacqueline was offered her dream job in sunny California as the eSports Network Coordinator for Blizzard Entertainment. Still keeping in touch through letters and postcards of course, here is the stamp from Jacqueline's most recent letter to me. Follow Jacqueline on Twitter to learn more about her exciting work!

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Listening To:
The XX - Coexist 

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

S'more Pie

I am very lucky to have a lot of people in my life that I care deeply about. These are the people that I would do almost anything for, but there are a special select few in that group of people that I would literally do ANYTHING for. We're talkin' going to the moon and back, taking a bullet, above and beyond, I would do anything. Two of the people who have been in this "I would do anything for you" group have been exclusive members since the day they were born, my cousins Lucas and Evan. As I've watched my cousins grow from newborns to the tall boys they are now, I've found myself become more and more amazed by their character. Never before have I known young boys with such wisdom, compassion, curiosity, motivation, and strength...not to mention, they're also insanely cool. At only twelve and nine years old, these boys have become my role models, reinforcing some of the most important basic life lessons that age seems to make us forget, not to mention inspiring me to embrace my talents, set goals, and be the best that I can be. With such intelligence, talent, creativity, and love, I can't help but want to spoil these boys in any way I can. With Lucas and Evan saving up to buy their own toys and gadgets, I choose to spoil them in other ways like playing silly games with them, inviting them over to the house for a swim and yummy snacks, taking them on hikes and to sporting events, and, of course, cooking and baking special treats for them! 
In the past I've made lots of fun treats that we've all enjoyed, but nothing came close to the most recent one I made for Evan on his birthday and as a belated birthday treat for Lucas, S'more Pie! Every summer we make a point of making s'mores, whether that means using the outdoor chiminea, making them in the toaster oven, or even on the gas flame on the stove, it's a summer tradition we can't go without. I had been thinking about doing something special and s'more related for Lucas' birthday in July, but unfortunately, with crazy hours at work and a cottage weekend away, I wasn't able to find the time. A few weeks ago was Evan's 9th birthday, and this time I made sure to fit some baking into my schedule. A quick Google search led me to an incredible looking recipe for S'more Pie that I knew the boys would go crazy over! I knew the boys would love the dessert but I had to find a way to make it adult friendly as well. I decided to substitute dark chocolate for the recommended semi-sweet chocolate to balance out the sweetness from the marshmallows. To give it a bit more complexity I tossed in a splash of vanilla extract to the filling and a pinch of salt to the crust. Next time I make the pie, I'd like to try adding pecans, crushed in a food processor, into the graham cracker crust.

The dessert was absolutely to die for! The boys went crazy over the it, devouring not one, but two pieces in record time, and to my surprise the adults went nuts over the pie as well! My mom, who had originally thought the dessert would be too sweet for her, kept declaring "I LOVE this!!" before going back for just a sliver more a few times. It made me so happy to see Lucas and Evan so happy enjoying the dessert I made! A true success!

Tip: The simplicity of this dessert makes this a great recipe to make with kids! I can't wait to make this with Lucas and Evan one day soon!

Adapted from Pastry Affair
Ingredients:
Crust
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
8 tbsp (1 stick) butter, melted
a pinch of salt
Filling & Topping
3/4 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup milk
10 ounces good quality dark chocolate, chopped (I used dark chocolate chips so I could skip the chop)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt
2 eggs, whisked
about a half a bag of large marshmallows

Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 325º. 
  2. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and salt until evenly coated. Press mixture evenly into a 9-inch pie plate. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Keep oven on.
  3. Create a double boiler by pouring 1-2-inches of water into a saucepan, and topping with a glass or ceramic bowl, so that the bowl creates a tight seal with the saucepan and no water will boil into the bowl. Over medium heat, pour the cream and milk into the bowl. Add the chocolate and stir until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Stir in the vanilla extract. Slowly add the whisked eggs and mix until smooth.
  4. Pour chocolate filling into baked pie crust and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until chocolate filling is set and does not move when lightly shaken.
  5. Using kitchen shears, cut marshmallows in half. Place halves in concentric circles over the top of the pie until covered.
  6. Set oven to broil and place pie under the broiler and lightly toast the marshmallows. DO NOT LEAVE THE OVEN. They will go from lightly toasted to burnt in a matter of seconds, so be ready to take the pie out the oven as soon as the marshmallows are golden!
  7. Chill pie for 2-3 hours. To serve, cut the chilled pie into slices, and individually microwave for 10 seconds to get the perfect velvety texture! 
Listening To:
Miguel - Sure Thing

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