Asparagus Prosciutto & Ricotta Crostini with Arugula

My Opa (my grandfather) has sold his home and is moving in less than a month. Besides the many photo albums, fancy barware, and furniture that needs to be cleared from his home, is much of my immediate family's belongings. When we sold our family home almost four years ago, there were so many special treasures that we wanted to keep but had no room to store in our new tiny apartment. Alas, my poor Oma and Opa were left with a basement full of all our old memories (which may be a euphemism for "old junk") until we could figure out what to do with it all. Though we still haven't a clue what to do with all of our old mementos, the time has come to take it all back, which inevitably means a nostalgic walk down memory lane. 

Each time I see my mom I get a delivery of some of my old memories (*cough* junk!) for me to sort through and store in my own home. Though there's surely been a lot of useless crap that I've come across that I haven't a clue why I ever saved, there have been some really memorable and personal belongings that I'm so, so glad I held onto (or my mom coerced me to hold onto). The most special boxes I've come across so far are the ones that contain old sketchbooks! 

For as long as I can remember I have kept a sketchbook. Actually, I should correct that to for as long as I can remember I have kept numerous sketchbooks! I always have one for concentrated illustration, one for practicing my handwriting, one for scrapbooking, one for a journal, one for recipes, one for brainstorming, one for painting, one for - oh dear lord, there's too many to count, and you get the gist! The point is, I clearly have too many sketchbooks for my own good, but my sketchbooks are the main destination where I get to express myself in whichever way I so choose. Coming across an old sketchbook from University, when I first began my blog, was really interesting. Tucked between carefully-written song lyrics (so emo!) and drawings of quirky villains were brainstorming sketches of future recipes. 

It was so amazing to be able to look back on the many different recipe and flavour combinations that I had come up with while my blog was still so new and fresh. Some of them turned into great blog posts and recipes that I've shared right here, though so many of them have remained just a dream. Looking back, I can't help but want to kick myself for never making so many of these fantastic recipe ideas a reality! Though I can't turn back time, I can catch up by reigniting my inspiration for recipe development by making all of my old recipes concepts a reality! 

One of my old recipe concepts that I was really eager to create was a crostini topped with ricotta, roasted asparagus, prosciutto, and arugula. I could tell just by reading it that it was going to be great! I love this combination of ingredients for the way all of the different flavours and textures contrast with one another. I love how the creamy and subtle ricotta plays off of the super salty prosciutto, crunchy asparagus, and peppery arugula. These crostini made the perfect casual weekend lunch for my boyfriend Chris and I, though thanks to there beautiful appearance, these would also be fantastic served for guests! If you plan on serving these for friends and family when entertaining, I recommend making the ricotta mixture in advance and keeping in the fridge until ready to assemble so that you can whip these up in under 10 minutes when ready to serve! 

Note: I chose not to include ingredient amounts in this recipe to encourage you to learn how to taste and season on your own and be able to adapt this recipe from a lunch for two to a party for 10!

Ingredients:

ricotta

lemon zest

asparagus, trimmed

good quality bread (I like to use either a multigrain or light rye loaf from Stonemill Bakehouse), sliced thin

prosciutto

arugula

good quality extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper to season

Maldon Salt, to taste (optional)

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, stir together ricotta (you will need about 1-Tbsp/crostini) with some fresh lemon zest (about 1-pinch/crostini) and some salt and pepper to taste. Keep covered in fridge until ready to assemble. 
2. Lay asparagus (2 spears per crostini) on a toaster oven-sized baking sheet and drizzle lightly with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast at 350º in a toaster oven until tender (about 5-10 minutes). Cut each spear in half and set aside.
3. Toast bread until crisp and golden. 
4. In a small bowl lightly toss a handful of arugula with a very light drizzle of olive oil. 
5. Spread each toast evenly with ricotta. Top with asparagus and then a slice of prosciutto. Top with arugula and drizzle lightly with good quality olive oil and a light sprinkle of Maldon Salt. Serve immediately. 

Listening To:

Leon Bridges - River

Baked Coconut Shrimp

When your city turns into a snow globe and you have the day off work and school, there's not a chance you're going to go out grocery shopping! It was one of those nights where you scour the fridge and pantry for any possible collection of ingredients that could somehow turn into a satisfying meal, allowing you to forget about your inevitable messy commute come the following morning. When I failed to find any leftovers or raw ingredients in the fridge that I could magically whip into something, I immediately turned to my good ol' standby frozen, raw shrimp. There is never a time when my freezer does not contain at least one bag of frozen, raw shrimp so that on nights such as this, I don't have to reluctantly open a box of macaroni and florescent orange cheese powder to sustain me for the evening. With recent dreams of beaches, sand, and coconuts floating through my red head, I couldn't help but be drawn to the bag of unsweetened shredded coconut in the freezer, just begging to be used as a crispy coating for my frozen shrimp. 

I tend to turn my kitchen into a disaster zone whenever there is any type of breading involved, so I expected this evenings dinner of coconut shrimp to be no exception, especially considering this was my first go at making the sweet and savory delight. Thankfully the coconut shrimp production line proved to be far more tidy than the spaetzle and veal scallopini tornado of 2014, and in less than 10-minutes, my little shrimps were coated in a mixture of toasted coconut and panko breadcrumbs and baking in the oven. When a new dish goes as smoothly as that, I can't help but assume it's going to be a bit of a failure come that first bite, but my baked coconut shrimp was an absolute gold medal winner in my books! A little pre-toast of the coconut and panko breadcrumbs in a dry pan proved to be beneficial, giving the shrimp coating a wonderful crunchy texture, and enhancing the nutty flavour of the coconut. It's that great crispy texture that surprised me and made me wonder why I was ever bothering to purchase pre-made frozen coconut shrimp in the past, which had always left me unsatisfied, disappointed in the flimsy, almost-soggy texture that they would always come out as. With such wonderful flavour, texture, and ease of production I will absolutely be adding this recipe to my "Danielle's Favourites" section of the blog. Now excuse me while I slip back into my dream of sun, sand, and coconuts. 

Ingredients:
1 Ib raw shrimp (fresh or thawed from frozen), peeled, deveined, & patted dry with a paper towel
salt, to season
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
3 tbsp flour
1 egg, beaten
oil for baking pan
spicy dipping sauce, for serving (I like to use a Thai dipping sauce)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425º.
2. In a medium pan, add the coconut and panko breadcrumbs and toast at medium heat until golden. Keep a close eye on the pan as they will go from golden to burnt very quickly! Spoon into a small bowl immediately to prevent further browning. Add a pinch of salt to the mixture.
3. Lightly sprinkle a pinch or two of salt over the shrimp to season. 
4. Pour the flour and beaten egg into two separate small bowls. Lightly spray or rub a medium-large baking sheet with olive oil or coconut oil. Line up your station so you have first your shrimp, then the bowl of flour, then the bowl of beaten egg, then the bowl of coconut and panko, then your baking sheet, all in a line.
5. Dip a shrimp into the flour to coat evenly, lightly shaking off any excess. Dip the flour dusted shrimp into the egg mixture to coat, then into the coconut and panko mixture, pressing to coat. Place the coated shrimp onto the baking sheet. Repeat with remaining shrimp. 
6. Bake for 10 minutes. Flip shrimp using tongs, and bake for an additional 6-7 minutes. Serve immediately with spicy dipping sauce. 

Listening To:
Beyoncé - XO

Leftover Lovin': Arancini AKA "What To Do With Leftover Risotto"

Risotto has always been one of my favourite Italian dishes thanks to it's creamy texture with that little bit of bite from the al dente arborio rice, and the subtle savoury flavours that are worked into the rice dish. Risotto has this ability to send me up into foodie heaven, keeping me glued to my chair, never wanting to leave, happily eating bite after bite of risotto until the sun comes up. Except we know that can never happen right? You can never really eat risotto all night long, unless of course you are lucky enough to have someone cooking it for you and fitting the bill all night. The reason why risotto really can't be eaten all night long is yes, because it's very starchy and would fill you up mighty quickly, but also because those starches just get starchier and more gluey in texture as the risotto rests. Think of risotto as the Cinderella character of the meal. Risotto joins the dinner all dressed up, looking like a star, with everyone eying it for just a taste. And just when you start to get to know risotto, indulging in its complex flavours, and getting seduced by its comfort inducing creaminess, it begins to change. That beauty that you saw when the risotto arrived at your table begins to diminish, as does that creamy texture that drew you in to begin with, and before you know it, it's gone! Ok, so maybe that metaphor is a bit of a stretch, but you know what I'm getting at, right? Perhaps it's the immediacy in which risotto must be eaten that adds to the allure of the dish, as does the sheer labour involved in making it.

In Chef Skills class at George Brown Culinary College this year we learned how to make risotto in our Rice & Legumes class. Where every other dish that we prepared that night was to be handed in at 9pm, our risotto had a much earlier "service time". Because of that Cinderella syndrome that risotto seems to have, Chef wanted us to call us over as soon as our risotto left the heat and hit the serving dish, so that he could taste it at its best and test it appropriately. As proud as I was to hand in my near-perfect risotto (that's right!! It was fantastic!), it meant that all that hard work standing over the hot stove, never allowing the risotto to leave my sight, constantly stirring so that the starches didn't fall to the bottom of the pan and burn, and adding ladles of hot stock every few minutes would be for next to nothing. All that hard work for only a brief taste from myself and my teacher. By the time class was finished and I trudged to my boyfriends apartment, hoping for his approval of my near-perfect risotto, it has already turned into a pumpkin...I mean, it had already become gluey and tough. I refused to let all that hard work go to waste! 

The next morning I immediately began looking up methods for making Arancini. You might be wondering, what is Arancini? Arancini (pronounced "A-ran-TCHEE-nee") is one of the best ways to use up leftover risotto. The leftover risotto is combined with a mixture of beaten eggs, more cheese, and breadcrumbs, and rolled into little individual balls. These risotto balls are then stuffed with a surprise cheese filling, and fried until crisp and golden, and served, once again, immediately so that cheesy centre remains all ooey, gooey, and melted. So basically, Cinderella found her glass slipper and is the belle of the ball all over again! Thankfully, after all that labour making the risotto, Arancini is much more simple to prepare and can be made up in next to no time, and still give you those heaven-bound results. So the next time you fret over wasting leftover risotto, think about making a batch of crispy ad creamy Arancini to keep that risotto love going!

Tip: Don't want to fry all the Arancini in one go? Simply roll out all the balls and lay out in a container or, if you have the space, a baking tray in an individual layer and freeze. When frozen, place them in a freezer bag or container, and place back in the freezer until ready to fry up! So easy!

* If you don't have Italian-style, just add your own spices and seasonings to regular bread crumbs

Ingredients:

vegetable oil, for deep frying

2 cups leftover risotto

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

1 1/2 cups Italian-style bread crumbs*, separated 

2 ounces Mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

salt, to season

marinara sauce, for serving (optional)

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, combine the leftover risotto with the beaten eggs, parmesan cheese and 1/2 cup of the breadcrumbs. Place the remaining breadcrumbs in a small-medium bowl. 
2. Begin forming the risotto mixture into balls, just under 2-inches in diameter. Insert a cube of mozzarella into the centre of each ball, and re-form into a ball to seal the cheese inside. Dip the balls into the remaining breadcrumbs to coat the exterior of each ball evenly. 
3. In large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, add enough oil to reach 3-inches in depth. Turn the element to medium-heat and, using a kitchen thermometer to test, bring the oil to 350ºF. Lay out a baking sheet lined with paper towel next to your frying station.
4. Working in batches, carefully add a few balls at a time to the oil (do not crowd the pan!) and fry until golden, crisp, and heated through, about 4-minutes. Turn the balls as needed to ensure even frying. Remove from oil and lay out on paper-towel lined baking sheet. Season immediately with a bit of salt.
5. Serve balls immediately with marinara sauce to dip. 

Listening To:

Sleep The Clock Around - Belle & Sebastian 

Mini Potato & Kale Gratins Featuring Summer Fresh Kale Dip

Getting to take part in the Summer Fresh 2013 Blogger Tour was a ton of fun and a great way to learn about how a large and successful company like that runs, but one of the best parts of the day was getting to try out a number of Summer Fresh's new products! All of the products I got to try were fantastic, but the one that I couldn't get off my mind was, surprise surprise, Summer Fresh Kale Dip.

My love affair with kale continues with this new and easy way to make kale apart of your diet. It's easy to get sick of kale when you are continually using it in the same way, which for me is always a mostly raw salad, but Summer Fresh's new Kale Dip allows you to make kale apart of just about any meal in a new and interesting way. Before ending our day-long tour, Summer Fresh handed each of us a large box full of exciting new Summer Fresh products (with the kale dip being a last minute addition) and asked us to play around with them to create an appetizer AKA "Appy" recipe featuring one of the products they sent home with us. The best part about all this? All of the submitted Appy recipes will be voted on by the public, and the winner will win a grand prize worth $850!

With a fridge full of new Summer Fresh products I was inspired to cook up a storm! I tried making a number of different recipes using the products provided, some of which were tasty successes, and others...not so much. The hands down winner in my book was the Mini Potato & Kale Gratins that I made, featuring Summer Fresh's Kale Dip. I knew I wanted my recipe to feature mostly vegetables, with very few ingredients and steps to make. With scalloped potatoes still fresh in my mind from perfecting them at chef school, I had the idea of creating mini potato gratins using Summer Fresh Kale Dip in between the layers of potato and gruyere cheese, as opposed to the most commonly used milk or cream. I had no clue if my recipe would work out, especially after seeing the disaster that was my  baked bloomin' onion that I had intended to be dipped into Summer Fresh's Jalapeno Greek Yogurt Dip, but amazingly, they turned out so fantastic! The tiny gratins, which were made in muffin tins, are the perfect Appy size, were crazy easy to make, and tasted so incredibly delicious thanks to the creaminess that the Summer Fresh Kale Dip added to the dish. Whether I win the contest or not, I already feel like a winner having this great recipe to turn to for my next party or gathering!

See it up on the Summer Fresh site here!

Ingredients:
3 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled & very thinly sliced
1 x 227g/8oz Summer Fresh Kale Dip
about 3/4 cup gruyere cheese, grated
butter, to grease pan
salt & pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375º. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin with buter.
2. Layer one or two potato slices into the bottom of each muffin cup. 
3. Top with about 1/2 tsp Kale Dip, a very light sprinkle of gruyere, and a bit of salt and pepper. Continue layering potatoes with the kale dip, cheese, salt, and pepper until potatoes reach the top of the cup. 
4. Cover tray with tin foil and bake for about 30-minutes, or until tender when inserted into the centre with a knife. Remove foil half way through cooking. Run a knife around each cup and carefully pop out and serve immediately. 

Listening To:

Arcade Fire - We Exist

Shrimp & Vegetable Summer Rolls

Armed with a new julienne peeler given to me by the Easter bunny herself (didn't you know the Easter bunny is a pretty redheaded woman from Toronto?...who happens to be my mother) I was ready to tackle a slew of new healthy recipes that I had begun collecting that all require the snazzy tool. On the top of my "healthy recipes to make" list? Shrimp & Vegetable Summer Rolls, light and fresh rice paper rolls filled with crisp julienned vegetables and jam packed with some of my favourite fresh herbs. Unlike deep fried spring rolls, summer rolls require no cooking at all, just a simple dip in warm water and the firm rice paper sheets turn malleable, and ready to fill with whatever filling you so choose. 

Dying to try out my new tool, I used carrots and cucumber as my initial inspiration to create this recipe. After picking up the veggies, all it took was a short stroll around my new favourite shopping ground, St. Lawrence market, to finalize the ingredients in the recipe. Wanting a big hit of freshness in every bite, I picked up some of my favourite fresh herbs, basil, cilantro, and mint. For a bit of crunch and substance, I chose kelp noodles as opposed to the more common rice noodles as a healthy alternative. I had first tried kelp noodles in the raw and vegan pad thai from Rawlicious, and was incredibly impressed by their interesting texture that gives you the same satisfied feeling after eating pasta noodles.  Also known as "sea tangle", kelp noodles require zero cooking and are made from kelp, an edible seaweed that is very low in calories. To contrast the crisp texture from the noodles and veggies, I wanted to add something creamy to my rolls. Creamy avocado, full of healthy fats, was an absolute no-brainer. Being on a bit of a seafood kick, I couldn't resist adding in some shrimp that I quickly thawed from the freezer. Picking the ingredients is of course the easy part, then came the production. 

In a matter of seconds I learned that my julienne peeler, the tool that inspired the whole recipe, was absolute garbage. The darned thing didn't want to slice anything but my thumb. I tried to prevail, attempting different techniques, and holding the carrots in different ways, but quite frankly, the peeler is just plain dangerous. A frustrated toss into the sink, and I had resorted back to my mandolin. You will notice that I don't list how much of each ingredient to put into each roll, this is because it's really up to you and what flavours and textures you want to stand out most, and how much you are able to comfortably wrap into the rolls. My first roll was a messy disaster, with the thin rice paper tearing, the filling bursting out all over my kitchen floor, while I quickly (and very unattractively, might I add) tried to catch whatever of the rice paper roll remained into my eager mouth. Although it seemed like a total waste at first, this initial mess of a roll actually helped me to quickly learn what I needed to adjust in the recipe. Another layer of rice paper, a little less kelp noodles and veggies, and a lot more herbs and I had the perfect balance of flavours and textures, as well as a perfect healthy snack! I was so incredibly happy with how my summer rolls turned out, sending off a care package of them to my mom, my sister, and my boyfriend, knowing that they would all love them just as much as I. I am happy to report that they did indeed share the love for the rolls, sending me many praises on my delicious work. I am looking forward to making these rolls as a refreshing snack all through the hot summer months! 

*I like to use VH Spicy Thai Chili sauce to dip my summer rolls into

Tip: Make this recipe vegan by omitting the shrimp!

Ingredients:

20 rice paper sheets (22cm in diameter)

a large handful mixed greens

about 3 medium carrots, julienned

about 1 medium cucumber, seeded & julienned

about 3/4 cup cilantro, roughly chopped 

about 3/4 cup mint, roughly chopped 

about 1/2 cup basil, roughly chopped 

1 large avocado, sliced

1 package kelp noodles

10 medium-sized cooked shrimp, halved

dipping sauce of your choice*

Directions:

1. Fill a medium-large bowl with warm water, lay down a clean dry towel on your work surface, and set up all ingredients in a production line. 
2. Dip one rice paper sheet into the warm water for about 5-seconds, or until malleable. Lay flat on the towel, and lightly dab dry with another clean towel. Dip a second rice paper sheet in the warm water until softened, and lay directly on top of the first sheet. Dap to dry. 
3. Starting with the mixed greens, lay a small amount of each filling ingredient onto the roll, adding 1 shrimp to each roll, about 3/4 of the way up the roll. For the best flavour add lots of the fresh herbs, adding slightly less basil than the cilantro and mint. Gently fold the top lip of the rice paper over the filling, and fold the two sides in. Gently roll the rice paper to create a package with the filling inside. Taste. Repeat with the remaining ingredients. You should be left with 10 rolls (minus the sacrificial first taste-testing roll). 
4. Chill until ready to serve with your choice of dipping sauce. Serve within the first 24-hours of making. 

Listening To:

Queen - Bicycle race

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Dear Landlord, I want to ride my bicycle...

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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Klondike Rose - Jalapeño Popper-Inspired Twice Baked Potatoes

Nothing like answering the door to a FedEx delivery man stating "a box of potatoes for a Danielle Rose....", amazing! When I was contacted by Earth Fresh to work with them on their Klondike Rose Potatoes contest, I jumped at the chance to be involved! Potatoes are always a staple at my house during the summer whether its a baked potato alongside steak, potato salad at our barbecues, homemade french fries, or good ol' home fries with breakfast, potatoes pretty much become part of the Rose family all summer long! Because I've come up with so many delicious potato recipes in the past, I have a tendency to go back to those recipes time and time again, or adjust them just slightly to suit what I have on hand. I love getting to taste my favourite potato recipes again and again, but I've been itching to try something new.  The Klondike Rose Potato contest was the perfect kick to get my potato wheels a turnin' to come up with a new and unique recipe using these delicious red skin golden flesh potatoes. 

Because I missed Cinco de Mayo this year while I was enjoying my falafels in Israel, I haven't been able to get jalapêno poppers, my 2011 Cinco de Mayo dish, out of my head!  With jalapeño poppers on the brain, my Klondike Rose Potato recipe really couldn't go in any other direction, I knew the flavours and textures would be great together! Having never tried this recipe before, improvising as I went, with a deadline on my heels, I was a little nervous that the dish wouldn't turn out. Would the potatoes be too spicy? Bland? Would the texture be off? Would they look nice in a photo? The easiest way to set your nerves aside is to simply begin tasting.  Taste every single step that goes into those potatoes and you can't go wrong!  My potatoes turned out to be a huge success! My family and I absolutely loved the flavours, textures, and even the presentation! What's better? Leftover potatoes can be kept in the fridge to be wrapped in tin foil and popped in the oven when ready to eat, and they still taste fantastic! Because of their smaller size and festive filling, I love the idea of serving these spicy potatoes up for guests at a backyard barbeque to show up the typical potato salad side.  Thanks to Earth Fresh Klondike Rose Potatoes for inviting me to take part in this fun contest!

Tip: I learned the hard way to wear gloves when de-skinning jalapeños. No gloves means severely stinging hands later! If you don't have gloves and have to use bare hands, I found that aloe vera gel gave me some relief. A hot shower made it 100x worse!!

Ingredients:

8 Klondike Rose red skin golden flesh potatoes, washed and scrubbed

olive oil, for frying and coating potatoes

kosher salt

1 250g package cream cheese, softened

2 jalapeño peppers

1/2 onion, chopped

1 tsp garlic, minced

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, grated

1/4 cup cheddar cheese, grated

2 cooked bacon slices, crumbled

2 tbsp cream

about 1/4 cup Panko bread crumbs

1 green onion, chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400º
2. Pierce potatoes several times with a fork. Rub potatoes with olive oil and sprinkle generously with kosher salt. Place potatoes directly on top rack of oven and bake for about 1 hour, or until potatoes are tender when inserted with a fork.
3. Pierce jalapeños with wooden skewers that have been soaked in water for at least 30 minutes. Using a gas stove or BBQ, turn on flame and carefully place jalapeños directly on flame. Char jalapeños on all sides so that they are black and blistered. Remove skewers, place immediately in a glass bowl, and cover the top with plastic wrap. Let stand for 10 minutes. Wearing gloves, rub the jalapeños with your hands until all the skins are removed. Cut jalapeños in half and remove as much of the seeds and membrane to your liking (they are the spicy parts of the jalapeño, so use your discretion!). Chop finely.
4. Warm 1 tbsp of olive oil in a small skillet at medium heat. Add the chopped onion and fry, stirring occasionally, until transparent. Add the jalapeños and continue to cook until softened and onions are golden.
5. In a medium bowl, mix together the cream cheese with the jalapeños, garlic, cayenne pepper, paprika, oregano, and thyme. Mix in the mozzarella, cheddar, and bacon and set aside.
6. Once the potatoes are baked and are cool enough to handle, slice off the top 1/4 of each potato. Using a small spoon, carefully scoop out the filling, leaving a 1/4-inch thick layer around the skin, and place insides in a medium bowl. Mash the potato insides with a potato masher or fork and stir in the cream. Mix in the cream cheese until well combined.
7. Using a small spoon, carefully re-fill the potato skins evenly with the cream cheese and potato filling. Sprinkle the tops evenly with Panko bread crumbs and bake for 20-30 minutes, or until bread crumbs are golden. Top with green onions and serve immediately.

Listening To:

Florence & The Machine - No Light, No Light

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Wild Mushroom Baked Brie

The holidays: a time for love, giving, family...and...repetition. I'm not quite sure how many years it's been going on for, but for as long as I can remember my family has been serving up the exact same meal at Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. For years I loved that tradition, knowing that I only had a few months to wait before I could enjoy that same delicious meal again, but as more and more years have passed, and at a much more alarming pace, both myself and some other family members have grown a little tired with our staple holiday meal. The first time my sister and I suggested switching up our holiday meal, we were returned with either a grimace or a confused deer-in-headlights expression. No one was the slightest bit interested in shaking up the familiar meal. I understood where everyone was coming from, seeing as the meal...actually, make that feast is so damn delicious, but at the same time, I felt it would be more special if we had it less frequently. Another year of the same meal passed and we began to see family members taking our side one at a time. Slowly people began switching up their signature dish (our meal is always a pot luck so that everyone is contributing), either making a variation on their old standby, or sticking to their same theme of either vegetable, starch, protein, salad, dessert etc. but turn it into a completely new dish. By slowly introducing new flavours and menu items, both the family members that were itching for something new and the ones who loved the old meal would walk away with a full belly and a smiling face.

For about three years now, I have been on appetizer duty for our Christmas dinner, a role that I absolutely love to take on! Despite the incredible wide range of delicious appetizer options there are, especially for the holidays, I always crave a good baked brie come Christmas time. Baked brie can be as easy as wrapping a wheel of brie in tin foil and popping it in the oven, but I enjoy playing with different flavours, both savory and sweet, when it comes to my homemade baked brie. In the past I've made everything from caramelized onion brie, cranberry brie, pecan brie, the list goes on, so that no matter if I am making baked brie again, I can still surprise people by turning it into something new and interesting. This year I wanted to use an ingredient I have never cooked with before, dried mushrooms. When it comes to wild mushrooms, many people choose dried as opposed to fresh for the wonderful convenience and concentrated mushroom flavour, so I was curious to finally give them a try myself and see how the flavour measured up. Using a bag of mixed wild mushrooms including shiitake, oyster, and porcini, as well as some caramelized onions, fresh thyme, and balsamic vinegar, I made an insanely quick and easy brie topper and had my yummy appetizer ready to go into the oven before I knew it. Because there is so much cooking and baking being done last minute on Christmas, I made my brie and wild mushroom topper ahead of time so that 20 minutes before our guests arrived all I had to do was simply pop my little brie baker in the oven! Bubbling, oozing, and perfectly melted through, the creamy brie arrived at the table hugging the mushroom mixture layered on top, a dangerously tempting sight! There's no question that I have a tendency to toot my own horn when I'm really happy with how a dish turned out, but there was simply no need to when I served my Wild Mushroom Baked Brie, because the brie baker, which was empty within a matter of minutes, spoke for itself. Easy, convenient, attractive, and incredibly delicious, my Wild Mushroom Brie may have to make another appearance at our next Christmas dinner...or is Easter too soon?

Tip: Make your wild mushroom mixture brie topper ahead of time to save time before your guests arrive. Simply top your brie and bake 20 minutes before guests arrive.

Ingredients:

1/2 medium-large onion, sliced

2 tbsp butter

1 small package dried mixed wild mushrooms (equalling about 1/2 cup dried)

4 tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 tsp fresh thyme leaves

salt and pepper

1 wheel of brie, about 5 inches in diameter

Directions:

1. Rehydrate the dried mushrooms following the package instructions, or place dried mushrooms in a bowl and add just enough boiling water to cover the mushrooms, let soak for about 20 minutes or until mushrooms have softened.

2. In the meantime, heat butter in a medium skillet at medium heat. When butter is hot, add the onions and stir. Place a lid over the onions in the skillet to allow them to steam, stir occasionally. Continue to cook onions in the lid, stirring occasionally, until they are softened and beginning to colour.

3. Strain out the soaked dried mushrooms (you may reserve the soaking liquid for a soup, stew, or sauce!), and squeeze them to remove any remaining water. Roughly chop the mushrooms and stir them into the softened onions on the stove. Cook for about 3 minutes.

4. Turn up heat to medium-high and add the balsamic vinegar, stirring to combine. Continue cooking until mushrooms are almost dry. Turn off the heat and stir in thyme. Season with salt and pepper.

5. Using a serrated knife, cut off the top rind of the brie wheel and place inside a brie baker (or on a large piece of tin foil). Mound the wild mushroom mixture on top of the brie and close the lid of the baker (if using tin foil, wrap the foil around the brie and mushrooms securely). Bake in a 350º oven for about 20 minutes. Serve immediately with fresh baguette and crackers.

Listening To:

TV on the Radio - Ambulance

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Tomato Bruschetta

My dad's office is conveniently located next to a wonderful flower shop. It's easy to see from taking a quick glance around our house that my dad has developed a great relationship with the florists over the years, as they send him home with flowers, herbs, plants, fruits and veggies, sometimes as much as several times a week. So when my dad brought home a big box filled with pounds and pounds of Ontario tomatoes, the pressure was on to quickly think up some delicious summer tomato dishes to use up the fruit before it went bad. With a thriving basil plant in my garden, there was no question in my mind what I was going to make.

Bruschetta is one of my favourite appetizers to order at a restaurant. Just like sushi, bruschetta is one of those dishes that I could be in the mood to eat any time of day, any time of year. Just put a plate of it in front of me and it will surely be devoured in a matter of moments. I remember a few years ago my family fell in love with a packaged tomato bruschetta mix that we used to pick up at Costco all the time. When I say all the time, I absolutely mean that. We loved that bruschetta mix so much we not only topped our toasted bread with it, but added it to omelettes, pastas, quiches, pizzas, you name it! So as soon as I saw all those beautiful ripe tomatoes just waiting to be cooked with, I immediately thought back on those lovely bruschetta memories. I couldn't believe that I had never made bruschetta from scratch before. With only a few simple ingredients, bruschetta is so super simple to make. In fact, you can even prepare the tomato topping in advance, and toast and assemble the bread when it's time for dinner, or, if entertaining, when your guests arrive. I whipped up the bruschetta in no time, and proudly served it to my family, knowing damn well that my fresh tomato bruschetta would blow Costco's out of the water. Sure enough my family went nuts over my bruschetta, proclaiming that we would never again buy bought bruschetta mix ever again!

Note: You may be wondering why I keep specifying that this is a tomato bruschetta. The reason is that bruschetta actually just means toasted bread. Sure we are most familiar to the juicy tomato topping most found in restaurants, but in fact you can top bruschetta with just about anything! I love to get ideas on what to top my bruschetta with from Pizzeria Libretto's menu or twitter feed. They change their homemade bruschetta all the time, always coming up with unique flavour combinations utilizing what's in season. Play around with your bruschetta! You'll be amazed by how versatile it can be!

Ingredients:

2 tomatoes, chopped into about 1/2-inch pieces, with as much seeds removed as possible

6 basil leaves, chopped

1 tsp balsamic vinegar

1 baguette or country loaf cut into about 1/2-inch or 3/4-inch slices

olive oil

fresh garlic

salt and pepper to season

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, stir together the chopped tomatoes with the basil and balsamic vinegar. Set aside.

2. Lay out the slices of bread on a baking sheet and brush the tops with olive oil. Toast in a 350-400º oven until bread is toasted, golden-brown and crisp.

3. Remove from oven and immediately rub the top of each slice with fresh garlic. Top with tomato mixture and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Listening To:

lykke li - knocked up

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Grilled Peaches with Burrata & Prosciutto

Where did the summer go? This seems to be the question on everyones mind for the last few weeks...although when I ask that question it sounds a lot more hostile! I've spent the last few weeks totally in denial that Summer was about to come to an end. With this being my last Summer in my home's beautiful backyard (my family is selling the home that I've lived in my whole life this Fall) I've been scared out of my mind about this chapter of my life coming to an end (and now the tears begin). With this and other factors weighing on my mind for the Summer, I'm sad to say that I've pushed away a lot of responsibilities, commitments, and opportunities. It's one thing to focus on the positive, but it's a whole other ball game when you completely neglect anything that might be a little difficult, stressful, or challenging. It's funny that when you think you are pushing away all the negative, in turn you actually push out a whole lot of positive as well. And that's just what I did. When you don't force yourself to truck through those challenging situations you don't gain anything in the end.

My blog was one of the many things that I pushed away this Summer. I felt paralyzed by all of the stress in my life, and felt like keeping up my blog, cooking, writing, and networking would just add to my stress. Now I look back on my Summer, my few recipes that I've posted, the wonderful opportunities that I failed to act on, and my gorgeous herb garden that will begin to die in only a few weeks, and feel such deep regret that I didn't take advantage of it all. I forgot how incredibly happy it makes me to serve a meal that I'm proud of; to share a recipe with friends, family, acquaintances, and strangers; to feel inspired by a new ingredient; to go outside of my boundaries and take a chance; to have someone tell me how great my dish looked or tasted; to get recognition from an unlikely source. Without trucking through the hard work I was never able to gain any of those wonderful and fulfilling benefits. Refusing to let myself slump back into that paralyzed state with this newfound regret, I'm choosing to look at my Summer as a lesson. Nothing of any value can come about without hard work. Those people that seem to get handed everything? Forget about them! That's not reality and that's not how you're going to feel fulfilled at the end of the day. Do what you love, and don't let anything (I mean ANYTHING) get in the way of that.

So I guess you're wondering what the hell this has to do with grilled peaches? The truth is, I've actually written this very entry about five times in the past two weeks, each time finding myself going off topic and getting lost on a tangent about personal issues that don't have a damn thing to do with peaches! So instead of fighting all those feelings that were dying to be put into words and published for everyone to see, I decided to just give in and get it all out so I can move on...and talk about peaches!

After feeling down and out and overwhelmed, it can be difficult to throw yourself back into the game. When you find yourself in this position, the best advice I can give you is to start simple. My Grilled Peaches with Burrata and Prosciutto recipe reflects this idea. This simple yet elegant dish was the perfect recipe for me to create to get myself feeling motivated again. With it's minimal ingredients, incredibly easy and quick assembly, and the stunning final result, my Grilled Peaches with Burrata and Prosciutto was neither intimidating nor overwhelming. It reminded me how simple it can be to gain all of those amazing and fulfilling benefits that comes from applying yourself. I felt so proud to serve this gorgeous dish to my family and taste how wonderful it turned out, and now I am so excited to be sharing it with you all! I promise you, this recipe will bring you as much joy as it did for me with the wonderful contrast of textures, with the silky, creamy burrata cheese and juicy Ontario peaches, and flavours, from the sweet peaches and salty prosciutto. It's amazing what a mere four ingredients can create! With food this simple and tasty, you really can't help but smile once again!

Tip: Pick up your burrata cheese in Kensington market (if you live in Toronto), they sell it around half the cost of other cheese retailers. And if burrata is still out of your budget, substitute with buffalo mozzarella or even ricotta cheese.

Ingredients:

3 peaches, cut in half with pits removed

1 ball of burrata cheese

4-6 prosciutto slices

about 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Place peaches, cut side down, on an oiled grill or grill pan set to medium-high heat. Allow peaches to grill for about 6-8 minutes or until peach is warm to the touch and grill marks are visible.

2. While peaches are grilling, slice burrata into six slices. Set aside.

3. Once peaches are grilled, lay them out on a serving tray and top each peach halve with a slice of burrata. Tear the prosciutto slices and place them around the dish. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and season with salt and pepper.

Listening To:

Amy Winehouse - Love is a Losing Game

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Tomato and Basil Goat Cheese Tartelettes

It truly borders on creepy how much I adore fresh herbs. All winter long I complain about how none of my dishes seem up to par without the addition of bright and fresh herbs from my garden. So you can imagine my sheer delight when my mom brought home a tiny basil plant for us to keep indoors before it's warm enough to plant in the garden. One of my favourite ways to conceptualize a fantastic dish is to draw inspiration from a single ingredient, and build the flavours from there. My new fresh basil was the perfect ingredient to get my creative wheels turning to come up with this delicious appetizer.

I knew immediately that I wanted to make something with tomatoes as basil and tomatoes are best friends (maybe even secret lovers), their flavours compliment one another perfectly! From there I came up with the idea of making little tomato and basil puff pastry tartelettes, incorporating leftover pressed cottage cheese (also known as bakers cheese) with tangy goat cheese to add a creamy layer atop the pastry that the tomato slices could rest on. With the addition of some seasonings and savory caramelized shallots my tartelettes were delicious! Crispy on the outside with a warm creamy centre, soft, sweet and tangy tomato slices and bright and fresh basil, these tartelettes are perfect served alongside a mixed green salad.

Note: I added pine nuts as an optional addition to the recipe. I always ask my diners what they would suggest to make the dish even better, and pine nuts was the winning suggestion! A nutty crunch would be the perfect touch for this appetizer.

Ingredients:

olive oil, for frying and brushing on pastry

1 shallot, chopped

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

butter, for frying

1/4 cup goat cheese

1/4 cup pressed cottage cheese/bakers cheese (if you can't access any, you may substitute with ricotta or cream cheese)

1 tsp dried thyme

1 package of frozen puff pastry rounds (do not defrost)

1 tomato, sliced into 1/4-inch thick rounds

about 1/4 cup gruyere, shredded

6 basil leaves

handful of pine nuts , lightly toasted (optional)

salt and pepper to season

Directions:

1. In a small saute pan, add a small amount of butter and olive oil and warm at medium-low heat. Add the shallots and saute until softened and golden. Add balsamic vinegar and continue cooking until shallot is sticky and glazed with the balsamic vinegar, about 2-3 minutes. Set aside.

2. In a small bowl, mix together the goat cheese with the bakers cheese and thyme. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

3. Lay out the puff pastry rounds on a baking sheet. Lightly brush the pastry with olive oil. Evenly distribute the caramelized shallots among the centre of the pastries. Top evenly with the goat cheese mixture. Top each pastry with a slice of tomato, and season the top of each tomato slice with freshly ground pepper. Sprinkle the top of each tomato with the gruyere cheese.

4. Bake tartelettes in a 400º oven for 18-20 minutes, or until puff pastry is golden. Season each tart with freshly ground salt and pepper. Top each tatelette with a basil leaf and a sprinkle of pine nuts (optional). Served best warm or at room temperature.

Listening To: New Cannonball Run - TV on the Radio

Fried Zucchini

For all you out there that have become a fan of my Oma's cooking, here's another one for your books. Despite the fact that I think I would enjoy anything my Oma cooks...well...that is except for her pickled herring...ew...pickled herring (I cringe!). She has a handful of recipes that we have come to love as our favourites. You can bet that one of her all-star dishes will be on the table anytime you're invited over to her and my Opa's home. Although it's not too difficult to predict what the entree will be for dinner (especially with an Oma who wants to please everybody and may very well make a number of her specialties all at once!), it's always a bit of a guessing game as to what the sides and dessert will be. There are a few special side dishes and desserts that only show face a few times a year...and you never quite know when that will be. One special side dish in particular that I absolutely love snacking on is my Oma's Fried Zucchini.

Although my Oma doesn't make Fried Zucchini too frequently, that just may be one of the reasons why I love it so much. Eating Oma's Fried Zucchini feels like a special occasion, a special occasion that stirs up memories of my Oma's kitchen in her old house, with the screen door wide open, the sound of popping oil and the faint radio, the smell of batter being fried, and me leaning on the kitchen counter sneaking rounds of Fried Zucchini the moment they hit the paper towels to drain. With a memory so vivid, it wasn't too hard for me to replicate her recipe. With only a few ingredients, my Oma's Friend Zucchini is incredibly easy to make, although I added in an extra ingredient and seasoning step to evolve the dish a bit. Hot, crispy, and salty, with a hint of heat from the paprika, Fried Zucchini is sure to become your new favourite snack as well. The only issue you will run into with this recipe is keeping your friends and families hands away from them as they come off the griddle to cool. Nothing gets tummies growling like the smell of something being fried, so keep an extra spatula next to your work space to swat at people trying to sneak the zucchini before they have a chance to drain of their oils. Oma you have an open invitation to sneaking my Fried Zucchini anytime. This is a recipe that's meant to be served immediately, so unfortunately for the cook, you're going to have to be a bit of a sneak as well, and snack while you fry.

Tip: For fastest, easiest, and cleanest preparation, line up your work station in the following order before you begin frying:

1. Sliced zucchini
2. Flour mixture
3. Batter
4. Griddle with vegetable oil next to it
5. Plate lined with paper towel
6. Salt and pepper grinders

Ingredients:

8 oz. zucchinis, washed and trimmed

about 1/3 cup flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp paprika

vegetable oil for frying

salt and pepper to season

Batter

1/2 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

3/4 cup water

Directions:

1. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the dry ingredients for the batter. Add water and whisk together. Cover and let stand at room temperature for an hour.

2. In a shallow dish, combine the flour with salt, pepper, and paprika. Set aside.

3. Using a mandolin or a very sharp knife, cut zucchini into 1/8-inch thick rounds. Set aside.

4. Heat a griddle or large skillet to medium-high heat. Add a layer of vegetable oil.

5. Lightly coat several slices of zucchini in flour mixture. Carefully dip slices, one at a time, into batter and place on hot, well-oiled griddle. Make sure not to crowd the griddle or pan. Let slices fry for a few minutes, or until golden. Flip slices and fry until the other sides are golden as well. Place fried slices on a paper towel-lined plate and top with more paper towel. Lightly dab at slices with paper towel to remove excess oil. While slices are hot season with salt and pepper. Repeat with remaining zucchini slices. Serve hot.

Listening To:

What's My Name - Rihanna ft. Drake

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You can't help but smile and shake your hips when this one comes on!

Spicy Papaya and Brie Quesadillas

I have no idea when and where exactly my mom came across this recipe, but am I ever thankful that she did! Honestly, one of the best parts of my summer is when my mom makes her Spicy Papaya and Brie Quesadillas. Nothing beats sitting by the pool with a mango daquiri in one hand, and a spicy and exotic quesadilla in the other. And if you've had the privilege of lounging by the Rose family pool, munching on my mom's quesadillas, you know I'm not kidding! I know some of you may be thinking that this is too strange of a combination, or you may not like papayas, but trust me here, no life is complete without trying these. Ok I may sound a bit hyperbolic, but seriously, I have no doubt that you will fall head over heels in love with this quick and easy side. I know all of my friends and family have!

Ingredients:

4 medium-sized flour tortillas, or 6 mini

1 medium-large sized papaya, peeled and cut into thin slices

about 1 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1/4 cup chopped jalapeno peppers (I used jarred jalapenos)

enough brie to spread on half of each tortilla (1 small wheel is enough to be safe)

sour cream (to serve)

Directions:

1. In a small pan, add olive oil. Once heated, add the chopped onion and jalapeno peppers. Sautee until softened and browned. Stirring occasionally.

2. While onion and jalapeno's are cooking, lay out your tortillas on a flat surface. Using a butter knife, carefully and evenly spread the brie onto half of each tortilla.

3. Top the brie-covered side of the tortilla with the sauteed onions and jalapenos. And then top that with the slices of papaya

4. Lightly oil a large baking sheet or line with parchment paper. Fold the empty side of the tortilla over all of your quesadilla ingredients, and transfer to baking sheet. Bake at about 300º for 6-8 minutes, or until brie has melted.

5. Cut into halves or quarters, and serve immediately with sour cream.

Listening To:

Chinatown - Do Make Say Think

Rosemary Crackers with Figs and Aged Cheddar

Last minute guests? There's an app for that! This appetizers/hors d'oeuvres is insanely easy and fast to prepare while not skimping on the taste! Just a quick assembly and you've got the perfect appetizer for hungry guests. Crunchy Rosemary and Olive Olive Triscuits act as the base for this appetizer, which is topped with smooth and creamy cream cheese, a chunk of salty and distinctive aged white cheddar, and a slice of a sweet and exotic fig. Bet your dying to be a last-minute guest at my house huh?

Ingredients:

Rosemary and Olive Oil Triscuit crackers

cream cheese

aged white cheddar

figs, quartered

rosemary sprigs (optional)

Directions:

1. Spread about 1 tsp of cream cheese on each cracker.

2. Top with a tiny chunk of cheddar and a fig slice.

3. Garnish with a rosemary sprig (optional).

Listening To:

Broken Bells - The High Road

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Brie in Puff Pastry with Port Glazed Caramelized Onions

Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a fun and safe New Years Eve and have already made 2010 their best year yet! For New Years Eve this year, a friend of mine had a low key gathering with great people, food, drinks, and games. I have done both the bar and club thing in years past, and have realized that the best New Years parties tend to be the more low key ones. I would much rather go to someone's house and hang out with a few great people than go to an overcrowded club filled with sweaty, drunk strangers, bad music, and no coat check and end up stranded, unable to get a cab...yes, I am recalling a past experience. So my friends small house party was just perfect!

I wanted to contribute to the party by bringing party horns, sparklers, glow stick straws, and, of course, food! I enjoyed my Baked Caramelized Onion Brie in Puff Pastry from Christmas so much that I decided to make it again. Because I had just made it a week earlier, I wanted to make it slightly different. A few months ago I tried the best caramelized onions I have ever eaten at a restaurant. What made the onions so special was that they were cooked with port wine. I just had to duplicate that! Although the difference in flavour was subtle, it made all the difference to me! The subtle flavour of port added a whole new dimension to the dish! I also used a smaller wheel of brie, which allowed me to have leftover scraps of puff pastry. Nothing goes to waste in my house, so I cut out a star shape using a cookie cutter out of the leftover pastry, as well as lines to create a sort of shooting star look. Using an egg wash, I attached the shooting star to the top of my wrapped brie, and TA DA! I now had the most festive looking brie I've ever seen!
Tip: Make the onions a day ahead to save on time. Keep them in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to use.

Ingredients:

1 sheet of thawed puff pastry

1 wheel of brie (5 - 8 inches in diameter)

1 - 1 1/2 onions, chopped or sliced

about 1 tbsp port wine

1/2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tbsp butter

1 egg, beaten (optional)

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil and butter in a medium skillet over medium low heat. Add onions and cook, stirring often, until they have reached a brown colour. Add the port and scrape any bits stuck to the bottom of the pan using a wooden spoon. Continue cooking until the liquid has dissolved and the onions have darkened further and have become sweet and sticky. Reduce heat if burning. You want the onions to cook slowly. The entire cooking process should take about 30-40 minutes.

2. Lay out the thawed puff pastry on your work surface and flour lightly. Using a rolling pin, stretch out the pastry so that it is large enough to fully wrap the wheel of brie.

3. Using a large knife, cut the wheel of brie in half, lengthwise. Spoon the cooked onions onto one of the exposed (not the white rind) halves of brie. Place the other half on top. The onions should be in the middle of the two exposed halves.

4. Wrap the brie wheel in the puff pastry, lightly pressing the edges together. Cut off any extra pastry scraps and, using a cookie cutter, cut shapes out of the scraps. Place the wrapped brie on a baking sheet, seam side down. You may brush your pastry with the beaten egg at this point for a shiny finish. Add the pastry shapes on top of the wheel and brush with more egg wash. The egg wash adds a shiny finish and acts as a glue for the pastry shapes.

5. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until lightly browned in a 350º oven. Serve hot out of the oven with fresh bread and crackers.

Baked Caramelized Onion Brie in Puff Pastry

For my Christmas dinner this year I decided to contribute by making an appetizer. Every year I get the same idea into my head that if I eat hardly anything throughout the day, I will be able to eat more of my Christmas dinner. Well the problem with this is that by the time our guests arrive, I am so starving that I am looking for anything around the house to munch on before dinner is ready, which often leads to me eating handfuls of dry cereal, very old Halloween candy (why is that still even in my house?), or just about anything else I can find. This is precisely the reason I decided to make an appetizer for Christmas dinner '09. I wanted to make something special, that everyone could enjoy to tide them over before the meal was ready. My Caramelized Onion Brie is Puff Pastry did just the trick! It was super fast and easy to prepare and tasted oh so good! I was really happy to hear that everyone loved it...including me...who kept going back for more throughout the night...and had more for breakfast.

Tip: Make the onions a day ahead to save on time. Keep them in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to use.

Tip: To add extra flavour to your onions, add a splash of vinegar or wine towards the end of the cooking process to deglaze the pan. Those bits stuck to the pan are the best! Just be sure to cook off that extra moisture.

Tip: To make your brie really beautiful, cut shapes out of scraps of thawed puff pastry to add on top before baking.

Note: Yes I did slightly burn my brie, as you can see in the picture. The oven was being used to cook the turkey so I used my insanely hot toaster oven.

Ingredients:

1 sheet of thawed puff pastry

1 wheel of brie, about 8 inches in diameter

1/2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tbsp butter

1 1/2 onions, chopped or sliced

1 egg, beaten (optional)

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil and butter in a medium skillet over medium low heat. Add onions and cook, stirring often, until darkened. Reduce heat if burning. You want the onions to cook slowly. This should take about 30-40 minutes.

2. Lay out the thawed puff pastry on your work surface and flour lightly. Using a rolling pin, stretch out the pastry so that it is large enough to fully wrap the wheel of brie.

3. Using a large knife, cut the wheel of brie in half, lengthwise. Spoon the cooked onions onto one of the exposed (not the white rind) halves of brie. Place the other half on top. The onions should be in the middle of the two exposed halves.

4. Wrap the brie wheel in the puff pastry, lightly pressing the edges together. Place the wrapped brie on a baking sheet, seam side down. You may brush your pastry with the beaten egg at this point for a shiny finish.

5. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until lightly browned in a 350º oven. Serve hot out of the oven with fresh bread and crackers.

Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus

Looking for a simple and tasty hors d'oeuvre to serve up at your next dinner or cocktail party? These Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus spears are perfect for such an occasion! They are delcious with the fresh and crisp asparagus, delicately wrapped in salty prosciutto, with just a touch of chives to add another layer of flavour. These little babies taste wonderful, look beautiful, and can be prepared in advance, giving you more time with your guests!

Note: I did not provide specific amounts for the ingredients as it varies depending on how many guests you have. Simply use your judgement.

Ingredients:

asparagus spears, stalks trimmed

olive oil

thin prosciutto slices

fresh chives, chopped

salt and pepper to season

Directions:

1. Toss asparagus in olive oil and place on a baking sheet. Roast in a 400º oven for 4 minutes, or until tender but still crisp.

2. Remove from oven and season with salt and pepper. Let asparagus cool slightly. Wrap each spear of asparagus with a thin slice of prosciutto.

3. Place on a serving dish and sprinkle with chives.

Rustic Mushroom and Cream Cheese Tart

A lot of great things have come out of me creating this blog. For one, I am now experimenting much more with food, and am challenging myself to step outside of my comfort zone. But beyond the actual act of cooking and baking, this blog has has been amazing in terms of connecting with old and new friends, swapping recipes, and inspiring one another to try new and exciting things with food. Recently, one of my friends, Laura Franklin, a very talented photographer, suggested we merge our two passions to collaborate on a day of cooking and photography...which turned into a day of cooking, photography, tanning, and drinking pina coladas!!

For this collaboration, I wanted to create a recipe that would force me to step even further outside of my comfort zone, be visually striking, and be something a number of people could enjoy. One of my favourite indulgences are tarts. Be they sweet or savory, I just can't get enough of them! So I decided to create the ultimate savory tart! I have never been so proud of something I have cooked since making the worlds best onion rings. The tart was bursting with flavour! The mushrooms are creamy with a bit of a bite from the caramelized onions, and were complimented by tart and silky cream cheese. The dish was perfected by buttery and flaky puff pastry, which added a slight sweetness and texture the tart. Just as I said about the onion rings, Whoa Baby! I am soooo making this again!!

Tip: This tart is great for entertaining as it has a beautiful presentation. It can also be cut up into smaller squares to serve as a hors d'oeuvre.

Ingredients:

1 sheet puff pastry

3Il mini bella mushrooms, sliced (you may use other types of mushrooms as well)

1 onion, sliced

1 tsp sugar

1 tbsp oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp thyme

1/4 cup white wine

1/4 cup sour cream or plain yogurt

250g cream cheese

1 tbsp melted butter (optional)

1/2 tbsp chopped thyme (optional)

grated parmesan cheese, enough to make a thin layer on top of mushrooms + more parmesan slices for garnish

1-2 tsp chopped parsley

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a large skillet or sauce pan over low-medium heat and saute onions with sugar until caramelized, about 20-30 minutes.

2. Add the mushrooms and garlic and saute until mushrooms become darkened and liquid has evaporated, about 15 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high and add wine. Cook for another 5-6 minutes, or until wine has cooked down.

3. Remove from heat and stir in thyme and sour cream. Season with salt and pepper

4. Preheat oven to 400º. Place thawed puff pastry on a lightly oiled baking sheet and stretch or roll slightly to create the desired size of rectangle (use your discretion). Spread a layer cream cheese onto the pastry leaving about a 1 inch border all around the outside. Season with salt and pepper.

5. Spoon mushroom mixture on top of cream cheese in an even layer. Fold in border of pastry pinching lightly down. Sprinkle grated parmesan on top of mushroom mixture. Optional: You may lightly brush border with melted butter and sprinkle with chopped thyme.

6. Bake tart for 30 minutes, or until pastry is nicely browned. Remove from oven, sprinkle with parmesan slices and parsley, cool slightly, and serve.

Photography by Laura Franklin Photography.