tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35196503670303922682024-03-13T11:51:39.588-04:00The Novice Goddess' KitchenThis is my account of the many ups (and some downs) of my culinary journey from novice to Domestic Goddess! Stick around and see what happens!Tamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06523433810148756350noreply@blogger.comBlogger82125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3519650367030392268.post-65154622892373701672012-12-01T09:30:00.000-05:002012-12-01T09:30:02.022-05:00A foodie wine adventureThe current weather is leaving much to be desired except for snuggling up on the couch, under the covers with a book/movie and a cup of tea. It's starting to get ridiculously cold and snow is starting to fall too which I'm not very happy about at all. While trying to not look outside, I thought this would be a perfect time to share photos from an adventure I took in September with my friend Jen.<br />
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I don't think I've ever mentioned it on the blog but I'm not a really big drinker. I like my girlie martinis:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPx-NDjFj5Eu4-ibf9lOyXEPCIP1oXqVfrIqXjQBlV-cIHhPsU7JU_CH99nUGIU-bA2_WuNLrnawRwU9zC2OeIWSo-QZZV_iaqCAZucYMNBrFSfDgfrMbsFoo6rMz6vTEVPRkN7nbYO0R0/s1600/cosmopolitan_martini.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPx-NDjFj5Eu4-ibf9lOyXEPCIP1oXqVfrIqXjQBlV-cIHhPsU7JU_CH99nUGIU-bA2_WuNLrnawRwU9zC2OeIWSo-QZZV_iaqCAZucYMNBrFSfDgfrMbsFoo6rMz6vTEVPRkN7nbYO0R0/s400/cosmopolitan_martini.jpg" width="339" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo credit: <a href="http://vancouver.pedersens.com/planner/recipes/cocktails/Cosmopolitan_Martini">Vancouver Pedersen's</a></td></tr>
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I will also indulge in the occasional glass of wine but I've never been very big into it. However, when over at a friend's having dinner and discovered wine from a small winery in Beamsville, Ontario, called <a href="http://www.organizedcrimewine.com/">Organized Crime</a>. Naturally, I had to go and find some more of their 2011 Riesling because it was heavenly. Thus, on a spontaneous Saturday afternoon, Jen and I loaded into the car and headed off to Beamsville. The joy for me is that the winery is about a 40 minute drive from my place which makes it much too convenient for me to visit on a whim.<br />
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The weather was beautiful and the scenery was breathtaking!!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgevVnisCjRJrFPJ0DvwNvNgwggEDYRJd4PHYYpEJWlroS78rbSCCdDOMAXkNgJEQLGNxqlRjFGD42h0CWLEfTx_XTPzg6ko5MffkbZW7N9QGWPlTGrlzmGhn4vqRK18wg4OrcuckT2H6n/s1600/IMG_4087.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgevVnisCjRJrFPJ0DvwNvNgwggEDYRJd4PHYYpEJWlroS78rbSCCdDOMAXkNgJEQLGNxqlRjFGD42h0CWLEfTx_XTPzg6ko5MffkbZW7N9QGWPlTGrlzmGhn4vqRK18wg4OrcuckT2H6n/s400/IMG_4087.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Pumpkin and tomato patch at the side of the road</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz4ckV_45FYV16vIATW6CNLRq6gFGqg01HMm1lfvlS_vK5kOpl5M5V54B4C6Oa81J92shpitinxcEFm_w1WjHCf209kdTFPSqhx_FXCFpuW7WCsLB9-caST1LGzyGH-RX3uvNil-Sug3xP/s1600/IMG_4088.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz4ckV_45FYV16vIATW6CNLRq6gFGqg01HMm1lfvlS_vK5kOpl5M5V54B4C6Oa81J92shpitinxcEFm_w1WjHCf209kdTFPSqhx_FXCFpuW7WCsLB9-caST1LGzyGH-RX3uvNil-Sug3xP/s400/IMG_4088.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vineyard from the car</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vines at Organized Crime</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCtXzL1A65Tu_MYYSQx42ticcwMsco0eLt1mbWbNDTFRSk05_FpWbVUncP8id-4cBce1E76x8tjMpIHzaZp1lLDdB7GK1n6StDAMVEKvLLIi9jP9zaCWMYNixF0ei-8_XUkKIEAOb4nnkC/s1600/IMG_4090.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCtXzL1A65Tu_MYYSQx42ticcwMsco0eLt1mbWbNDTFRSk05_FpWbVUncP8id-4cBce1E76x8tjMpIHzaZp1lLDdB7GK1n6StDAMVEKvLLIi9jP9zaCWMYNixF0ei-8_XUkKIEAOb4nnkC/s400/IMG_4090.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red Grapes at Organized Crime</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJWb-pKaz1VcAvlp02igWLQK4nlHaiI9lPQlo0uxHNr4lNd9ACNXCXqayY5oh002vwB7wJ2tGe_rA-kIGgopvPzdBSzX_zhnAgZ5ihyphenhyphenNbdg1o5AHCarQsrnzKhqlWLyc6Xjs3aBtSg4DHf/s1600/IMG_4091.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJWb-pKaz1VcAvlp02igWLQK4nlHaiI9lPQlo0uxHNr4lNd9ACNXCXqayY5oh002vwB7wJ2tGe_rA-kIGgopvPzdBSzX_zhnAgZ5ihyphenhyphenNbdg1o5AHCarQsrnzKhqlWLyc6Xjs3aBtSg4DHf/s400/IMG_4091.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We have arrived!!!!!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsfV-5P_t5NkXsVbuqHQdcVQ4fVuPgHYjWC4xUHfXBGW8FC4uLbeWZANgQychs3QwaDjX4W03l2d0H22lf1RSaYs0r6dQZa7Hkz72bYVSQvXFROTQISZ4o77Xt3IRCIMqKOsh7L9UDY9w9/s1600/IMG_4095.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsfV-5P_t5NkXsVbuqHQdcVQ4fVuPgHYjWC4xUHfXBGW8FC4uLbeWZANgQychs3QwaDjX4W03l2d0H22lf1RSaYs0r6dQZa7Hkz72bYVSQvXFROTQISZ4o77Xt3IRCIMqKOsh7L9UDY9w9/s400/IMG_4095.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You guys know how much I LOVE things in neat rows!!!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZw_SkP0kId2Dr287j11ogl7Cohk59aoXBfHsgL4nbMmQ2SpYGLz_lb_GByQhhCjr29W64D235fpKdTdvyfjYCAZNwFTTIqC4xwP3HJp-e7wp5gJOIAh1-oJmLGGufXhvXM6GiOND9XOP-/s1600/IMG_4094.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZw_SkP0kId2Dr287j11ogl7Cohk59aoXBfHsgL4nbMmQ2SpYGLz_lb_GByQhhCjr29W64D235fpKdTdvyfjYCAZNwFTTIqC4xwP3HJp-e7wp5gJOIAh1-oJmLGGufXhvXM6GiOND9XOP-/s400/IMG_4094.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More grapes! </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirckNgfW25qgwJfdjo8W-qwPnfv6abZv0YxbSEU4pIvVW7rGXRot5w1VpQDoli20kf-0LaibL1BU0jdtcLNRDvcGf3_BrrPKjYuIw7le9bfWKcuBOZLA_m8YtLQyLffTAAD1YDP6wU6jQO/s1600/IMG_4093.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirckNgfW25qgwJfdjo8W-qwPnfv6abZv0YxbSEU4pIvVW7rGXRot5w1VpQDoli20kf-0LaibL1BU0jdtcLNRDvcGf3_BrrPKjYuIw7le9bfWKcuBOZLA_m8YtLQyLffTAAD1YDP6wU6jQO/s400/IMG_4093.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Green grapes for white wine!!!! My favourite! </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY_ojMByJjIoMZHWqCF-aWpELtC_WGvIvc9_0sZBj51C3V_qr5-vo-Zbzz7dnM04ngxXKnNW6HYjuMLKFptGPpGCPFu2OmmsILcDVNaA6_ethpAUTB0cgVl5MxEq00MnXiR4WsrRMwRZwC/s1600/IMG_4092.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY_ojMByJjIoMZHWqCF-aWpELtC_WGvIvc9_0sZBj51C3V_qr5-vo-Zbzz7dnM04ngxXKnNW6HYjuMLKFptGPpGCPFu2OmmsILcDVNaA6_ethpAUTB0cgVl5MxEq00MnXiR4WsrRMwRZwC/s400/IMG_4092.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view from Organized Crime's seating area! What a gorgeous day!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_VUwobiNWVGbRKPt9FNM46STvxu76y3xyQPwg0NQNL7-zKy2aEan16fvneDrEmtTSdQrb_mtuiucYX0frKCfI286LaGw0HniuBYKmz3yaTKiY90HwIT4xsgYgi9ICiACt2BOlxP9Pk4lK/s1600/IMG_4096.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_VUwobiNWVGbRKPt9FNM46STvxu76y3xyQPwg0NQNL7-zKy2aEan16fvneDrEmtTSdQrb_mtuiucYX0frKCfI286LaGw0HniuBYKmz3yaTKiY90HwIT4xsgYgi9ICiACt2BOlxP9Pk4lK/s400/IMG_4096.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from Angel's Gate Winery.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFzFsbpsduH-ppWNdA1ijY_AMTfc_OeiPrTbzfzuMoNri7y2S4rLufRzWx3lYzP5tVDNB5B9GaBGNjURPyN9bKD3cBUNeKJ1UmU9U5QK347S1Krs5hwZkYSKvLxi6WVn7M4RI1oXM_ncnh/s1600/IMG_4097.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFzFsbpsduH-ppWNdA1ijY_AMTfc_OeiPrTbzfzuMoNri7y2S4rLufRzWx3lYzP5tVDNB5B9GaBGNjURPyN9bKD3cBUNeKJ1UmU9U5QK347S1Krs5hwZkYSKvLxi6WVn7M4RI1oXM_ncnh/s400/IMG_4097.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Angel's Gate</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaA8fkFIshoBr6xIvbMPgGVM1wFWQiupM37AM-j-C8RPKcS6AcwDfYQqNEJxAEJ5-NbFzQ2RLK6J6eYbpMgYif__k0Qz479Rr6Dj0UuiLltnvGYXh1F_UyhpQwoOl1tevZqLtCKdPUyEmf/s1600/IMG_4098.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaA8fkFIshoBr6xIvbMPgGVM1wFWQiupM37AM-j-C8RPKcS6AcwDfYQqNEJxAEJ5-NbFzQ2RLK6J6eYbpMgYif__k0Qz479Rr6Dj0UuiLltnvGYXh1F_UyhpQwoOl1tevZqLtCKdPUyEmf/s400/IMG_4098.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Angel's Gate's store and restaurant</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjETzfM7xVAgXLwZY7aNMruKUpSRKBdHyT-dEPIIXxQ3QMAeamXlteY3CkBmbNg1i4AcJRGgv3dMuhWyfUkoQoUmI9a8xwire0R4QLjD6GJgqnPjh6IP_l91obY1ThQTAHZOKDpqWgfgy_c/s1600/IMG_4099.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjETzfM7xVAgXLwZY7aNMruKUpSRKBdHyT-dEPIIXxQ3QMAeamXlteY3CkBmbNg1i4AcJRGgv3dMuhWyfUkoQoUmI9a8xwire0R4QLjD6GJgqnPjh6IP_l91obY1ThQTAHZOKDpqWgfgy_c/s400/IMG_4099.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jen eager for more tastings and wine buying</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8pcQXU1zPBL5S4MuhX8zug0bKNeT44WBpGZSkDK1ZkNnpPexOhKE9kCo4epYBnOM28MBNCOzKhR9QRox2vHnacJ59ND1cT-Da3GEzCBT5Bz5mMiRVh91noT7eKOd4bjxLPlxaAflxvmaC/s1600/IMG_4100.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8pcQXU1zPBL5S4MuhX8zug0bKNeT44WBpGZSkDK1ZkNnpPexOhKE9kCo4epYBnOM28MBNCOzKhR9QRox2vHnacJ59ND1cT-Da3GEzCBT5Bz5mMiRVh91noT7eKOd4bjxLPlxaAflxvmaC/s400/IMG_4100.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How gorgeous is this!?!?</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifqEJ0ZSQlbFL5fbT-HXCceWtpQtlcLpuov6bfJsKbaOBM3T176D2rbQyldg86FAnybMNekLw5CS-mMUkqjd6CF-Ibww0it2Bj-wW6mEF6gzkzLWd1MPGzM_tG0dC-k-cIdhGecGPraQ4_/s1600/IMG_4104.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifqEJ0ZSQlbFL5fbT-HXCceWtpQtlcLpuov6bfJsKbaOBM3T176D2rbQyldg86FAnybMNekLw5CS-mMUkqjd6CF-Ibww0it2Bj-wW6mEF6gzkzLWd1MPGzM_tG0dC-k-cIdhGecGPraQ4_/s400/IMG_4104.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwYtymZ-BO2HAuc7TBMd88dcSiSIOZ8Otik9ZgC10dqj2kG_-POIaN5nDPDCuP1HQWTacd3GMF-BTAgcPy_PQ1r3sVsHINfn6EJNbA_OMBAUy8hDX3RQkIBwFH8iS-OTE-0xQpTKtA-jkS/s1600/IMG_4105.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwYtymZ-BO2HAuc7TBMd88dcSiSIOZ8Otik9ZgC10dqj2kG_-POIaN5nDPDCuP1HQWTacd3GMF-BTAgcPy_PQ1r3sVsHINfn6EJNbA_OMBAUy8hDX3RQkIBwFH8iS-OTE-0xQpTKtA-jkS/s400/IMG_4105.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Such a pretty gate... one may even say an angelic gate?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv4B9OrAPcWKnXUhDsGIHs28JbWU_vtSe_gPk6t3vjt2Z7sUnJoeWIA1uZhofBDBzk0HTToqwXARIRzD2zjkxisLSuh-fX3HZyO5TE4bRzE3oNLzgmE9OsoAOXf5BwOz6JL63x8HiHCOg7/s1600/IMG_4107.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv4B9OrAPcWKnXUhDsGIHs28JbWU_vtSe_gPk6t3vjt2Z7sUnJoeWIA1uZhofBDBzk0HTToqwXARIRzD2zjkxisLSuh-fX3HZyO5TE4bRzE3oNLzgmE9OsoAOXf5BwOz6JL63x8HiHCOg7/s400/IMG_4107.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the road out of Angel's Gate</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqQ1oLIhOMzehSEgPZyUDHK7Jg8ii2oPES38rl2JzSQEAw_b9Z6moeC7LC2IR91WFzxib8YhTpO1DAYndYkPqekGLSFQCq2WGVx6fBVd-9ovq9Ur7oxjwrz4kEKr7g_BS04WMj8e1ys5ex/s1600/IMG_4106.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqQ1oLIhOMzehSEgPZyUDHK7Jg8ii2oPES38rl2JzSQEAw_b9Z6moeC7LC2IR91WFzxib8YhTpO1DAYndYkPqekGLSFQCq2WGVx6fBVd-9ovq9Ur7oxjwrz4kEKr7g_BS04WMj8e1ys5ex/s400/IMG_4106.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The most amazing view!!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
If you've ever have the opportunity to visit these wineries, I can't tell you how much I'd recommend it. The street where <a href="http://www.organizedcrimewine.com/">Organized Crime</a> and <a href="http://www.angelsgatewinery.com/">Angel's Gate</a> are located has a whole bunch of wineries on it which makes it so easy to find quite the collection of wines all in the same area. Also, if you're lucky enough to have amazing weather like we did, make sure you stop somewhere to eat and bask in the glorious weather!!!!<br />
<br />
I hope you're all keeping warm and cozy on these cold nights. I've got so many more adventures to tell you all about and can't wait to share them with all of you!<br />
<br />
Happy Friday All!<br />
<br />
tTamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06523433810148756350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3519650367030392268.post-21549391840374197512012-10-28T09:30:00.000-04:002012-10-28T09:30:00.073-04:00Roast Chicken for 4... or 2... or 1! A few weeks back (oh boy, it's actually been 2 months!!!) I was home alone for a whole week and let me tell you it was heavenly! I became a bit of a Suzie Homemaker and spent my time baking, cooking, sewing, knitting and all in all just having a pretty amazing time doing whatever my little heart desired. On one of those lovely nights, I made the most delicious roast chicken dinner for me, myself and I. This meal could definitely feed multiple people or a smaller number of people for multiple meals.<br />
<br />
A roast chicken is truly one of the easiest yet most satisfying things to make. It's so versatile because you can customize it to exactly how you like your chicken to taste. Like things more spicy, DONE! Want some herb flavoured chicken, DONE! Not sure what to do with the spices in your cupboard, slap them on a chicken and roast it! It is one of those things where you can't really go wrong with the seasoning. I know that most times it's very very easy to simply pick up a pre-made roast chicken for dinner but in just over an hour's time (depending on the size of your chicken), you can have a gorgeous little roasted bird waiting for you without all of the other 'funny bits' that are sometimes included in store-bought roast chickens. Also, if buying a bulk package of roast chickens (Costco sells 3 packs), you are definitely saving in the long run. Throw the extras in the freezer and you've got a whole bunch of meals ahead of you. You could even pre-season your chickens before freezing which would make them THAT much easier.<br />
<br />
Years ago, my Mum attended a <a href="http://www.pamperedchef.ca/">Pampered Chef</a> party and came home with a bundt pan with a covered centre (aka no hole in the middle). On the particular night that I was roasting my little chicken, I decided that I would use whatever spices we had in the cupboard but I also wanted to try a new veggie with it. So I picked up a lovely little acorn squash and added it to my sweet potatoes for some variety. Acorn squash is quite lovely, I will admit and will definitely make more frequent appearances in my kitchen in the coming months. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlgY-msgGNsNZbRN66v7ymiH3ysl9cyCh9NVsywFal0TH8WRtvm5dHOBUlLP8XWeRBqIzzW7vXxMDdBJGr0Dqvf4TMq7DXmfzaxN3_VL94HgxcVgl0suBhbSe6ob09fnyvDpmW-PZRBLgH/s1600/DSC01514.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlgY-msgGNsNZbRN66v7ymiH3ysl9cyCh9NVsywFal0TH8WRtvm5dHOBUlLP8XWeRBqIzzW7vXxMDdBJGr0Dqvf4TMq7DXmfzaxN3_VL94HgxcVgl0suBhbSe6ob09fnyvDpmW-PZRBLgH/s400/DSC01514.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7IKIaI8240xzYObxBRnRkmThhKkCd-E1A3l2gA56tDkFnRq_wpsH5jGFRzFXwYq8eNZi5C-QuAugMJUra6b5FP-UuVVaeROuzKjEakOQROfKmWjgLTx9l1nDwmlzKxDLOC_7umkEXuzB4/s1600/DSC01517.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7IKIaI8240xzYObxBRnRkmThhKkCd-E1A3l2gA56tDkFnRq_wpsH5jGFRzFXwYq8eNZi5C-QuAugMJUra6b5FP-UuVVaeROuzKjEakOQROfKmWjgLTx9l1nDwmlzKxDLOC_7umkEXuzB4/s400/DSC01517.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the point where I had cut up all my veggies and put them in the bundt pan before I realized that I forgot to spice them up... UGH! Into the bowl they go for a little spice bath!</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiFJqM5KcsJPwCrNC6YGTducavwW98Tw7I4flBpRBEjRL6qfDYYOE21FasOcsCJ_qUb1SFWW53jvzzmg5dV_GuNKgrIGDnUIwHCnz16fKJvQuRAui1QL6sEmX1CHYs5B4SQdGmL9P0lOeS/s1600/DSC01518.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiFJqM5KcsJPwCrNC6YGTducavwW98Tw7I4flBpRBEjRL6qfDYYOE21FasOcsCJ_qUb1SFWW53jvzzmg5dV_GuNKgrIGDnUIwHCnz16fKJvQuRAui1QL6sEmX1CHYs5B4SQdGmL9P0lOeS/s400/DSC01518.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCTovvFEUHiFAc8nHwNLBgQrjJEt2_AvTbiRrd-jjqgQx8X0z9fzeritV62arP9EgeR7P0n5EXLnPGEzHOEuvnQ1i9N8WsG2nCEC-lzBxxIqL8jfh_r5FPMcIxbu1aOwl7Vdb3UhTi8J6v/s1600/DSC01523.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCTovvFEUHiFAc8nHwNLBgQrjJEt2_AvTbiRrd-jjqgQx8X0z9fzeritV62arP9EgeR7P0n5EXLnPGEzHOEuvnQ1i9N8WsG2nCEC-lzBxxIqL8jfh_r5FPMcIxbu1aOwl7Vdb3UhTi8J6v/s400/DSC01523.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was the cute little chicken that I found at the grocery store. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijnsOE5LvI54VkgmHPsh6qurUm0G7_BD1TIGRUu9L9SRjvp2k5fjY-Q8pwKWYLnyBUFwj89-lVlRq-LoXYXlkLO5iNyTFmeaG2aUYDUwxZf7DkQnYUVjABvJ3ALTKqcZ0S0T910hDdIJ-M/s1600/DSC01527.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijnsOE5LvI54VkgmHPsh6qurUm0G7_BD1TIGRUu9L9SRjvp2k5fjY-Q8pwKWYLnyBUFwj89-lVlRq-LoXYXlkLO5iNyTFmeaG2aUYDUwxZf7DkQnYUVjABvJ3ALTKqcZ0S0T910hDdIJ-M/s400/DSC01527.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pop your little wonder chicken on the center tube of the bundt pan so she stands up all proud and such</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinosUB1XPfCA_z-QFFJ6TGUgzyzSj0ssdcJ1-uFmemsyoN6rrdnCJrpP7isGGmwjYHa1E1pd4hCzy1CDbIqaz4VgQ-UsM-5ebG3lKmc109Y4i77o50Givf5lewrhbzR1P_K6rZo8Te3ugf/s1600/DSC01528.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinosUB1XPfCA_z-QFFJ6TGUgzyzSj0ssdcJ1-uFmemsyoN6rrdnCJrpP7isGGmwjYHa1E1pd4hCzy1CDbIqaz4VgQ-UsM-5ebG3lKmc109Y4i77o50Givf5lewrhbzR1P_K6rZo8Te3ugf/s400/DSC01528.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My spice blend of choice for that night... But I truly say do what feels good! </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4am19t_uPWdSNOc2aThmlw4LNVOvu45CB2O15cTjY3mgjMYbFP0CU1xr9y1mCdmlpWl1gVwY_kECGAjjCy7gjqmWDzCbsfRddBaYkxm33LWz7yMasGUCLGYFJVbZC2n4xNS5bXeww9y2G/s1600/DSC01530.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4am19t_uPWdSNOc2aThmlw4LNVOvu45CB2O15cTjY3mgjMYbFP0CU1xr9y1mCdmlpWl1gVwY_kECGAjjCy7gjqmWDzCbsfRddBaYkxm33LWz7yMasGUCLGYFJVbZC2n4xNS5bXeww9y2G/s400/DSC01530.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All dressed up and ready to party!!!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4CuS-rdbXj61UKQgGoc4qcwaXqJ7ZbOxmXUiRwFOx-GIY5dc4c1-bsbjQGmT2s7nX0ltWnGGB0mKSY9ZVp3gDNso0hAhL68djI9CBOQRexBnU4fafYpR1l5bMqK0MALpCcUyXXaVmFtEH/s1600/DSC01532.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4CuS-rdbXj61UKQgGoc4qcwaXqJ7ZbOxmXUiRwFOx-GIY5dc4c1-bsbjQGmT2s7nX0ltWnGGB0mKSY9ZVp3gDNso0hAhL68djI9CBOQRexBnU4fafYpR1l5bMqK0MALpCcUyXXaVmFtEH/s400/DSC01532.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Add the veggies around your chicken before baking. Everything will cook and mix and be amazing!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOq7UJcerHqXypde3ZK3FGsGl5vAdPa_bk6ANCNorxanZvlyAbrBRN5veVV1yOdz77hZ5YJzMNdY3ESsV748nsZo15-mCfh-C60qzgyvRUQApCGyw3S1pD2YhetdRDPeg76SwZiDIuoT3J/s1600/DSC01536.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOq7UJcerHqXypde3ZK3FGsGl5vAdPa_bk6ANCNorxanZvlyAbrBRN5veVV1yOdz77hZ5YJzMNdY3ESsV748nsZo15-mCfh-C60qzgyvRUQApCGyw3S1pD2YhetdRDPeg76SwZiDIuoT3J/s400/DSC01536.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">HEAVEN!!!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnYl5zGVQQj2uiyWuOmpZV9olJb2qLMe82udJpo-ebeWQjQqYAinv5svics8XmSlkfk9OYPDhFt2IZnsv1xZas3ccCBV5k4j4MabRoRYLho6IZ1_21yaZ8vWTfrrDu4a7zjrTRvsq_KxjI/s1600/DSC01541.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnYl5zGVQQj2uiyWuOmpZV9olJb2qLMe82udJpo-ebeWQjQqYAinv5svics8XmSlkfk9OYPDhFt2IZnsv1xZas3ccCBV5k4j4MabRoRYLho6IZ1_21yaZ8vWTfrrDu4a7zjrTRvsq_KxjI/s400/DSC01541.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Let it rest for a few minutes after baking (I covered it with some foil)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBujRWOiFbrq-qofKan0A27Qy2i6aCQGxzj-Dtspjqiiftbv_QAhD5gtbZitzHcLeMu3Yebzv4xtbVmio8QdYNZZtY87jsQxq2t9QL2DpZFm1-nT8O19XCZzFr-zPlpQzffvQ6HfSwhNOd/s1600/DSC01538.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBujRWOiFbrq-qofKan0A27Qy2i6aCQGxzj-Dtspjqiiftbv_QAhD5gtbZitzHcLeMu3Yebzv4xtbVmio8QdYNZZtY87jsQxq2t9QL2DpZFm1-nT8O19XCZzFr-zPlpQzffvQ6HfSwhNOd/s400/DSC01538.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Once all veggies are removed from the bundt pan, take the liquid in the bottom and heat it quickly in a sauce pan. It will make a glorious sauce that just makes life make sense again.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbZIljE66vHa0BcGPereYnk5sr6NDo95VLen9_rPJLNfq5BV3asgu2Ab52iPUTPBbtnJesX_kaYVCRUb5fTTjBigZh4Lglg22Wy4f_E95sAKW-K55DmqUx6KFNMIsgVS_rUP1dmyAOgssN/s1600/DSC01542.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbZIljE66vHa0BcGPereYnk5sr6NDo95VLen9_rPJLNfq5BV3asgu2Ab52iPUTPBbtnJesX_kaYVCRUb5fTTjBigZh4Lglg22Wy4f_E95sAKW-K55DmqUx6KFNMIsgVS_rUP1dmyAOgssN/s400/DSC01542.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Serve with broccoli and whatever else rocks your boat! Enjoy the sauce too!!!!</td></tr>
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I promise as much as this seems both like a labour intensive dish but it isn't and it is worth every second of it. Try this! Try this! Try this!<br />
<br />
I'm sorry for my distance lately.... As always the insanity of every day life has caught up with me but I'm trying to get a bunch of posts ready for the next few weeks!!! Plus, Christmas baking is already being planned and I can't wait to share it with you all!<br />
<br />
Hope you're having wonderful Saturday nights!<br />
<br />
xoxo<br />
<br />TTamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06523433810148756350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3519650367030392268.post-16749778283826053642012-09-10T10:30:00.000-04:002012-09-10T10:30:02.401-04:00Chocolate Cupcakes on a lazy Sunday evening! A few weeks back, on a rare occasion, all of the grown children of my household were home (barring 1 girlfriend - T-bear, you were missed terribly!!). This sort of thing never happens as we're all in our 20s and usually all over the place. My brother is typically at school somewhere in the US, my step-sister in past years has been at school in Kingston, and I'm just all over the place. Needless to say this was a big deal!<br />
<br />
While we were prepping dinner and catching up on what was going on with everyone, my step-sister mentioned that she had a craving for a simple chocolate cake with plain chocolate frosting. Apparently this is hard to come by which I find to be insanity! How can no one make just simple chocolate cake with chocolate frosting any more? Have we really become so entertained by all of the crazy cake flavours out there that we've forgotten that sometimes the simplest things are the best? Before I go off on a huge tangent about simplicity in the kitchen, I digress!<br />
<br />
So to help the poor girl out in her quest for chocolate cake, I decided to whip up a batch of <a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/">Martha Stewart's</a> <a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/282243/one-bowl-chocolate-cupcakes">One Bowl Chocolate Cupcakes</a>.
I was fascinated by the claim of these actually only using one bowl and
truth be told, it worked... Well... one bowl and one sifter but still!
This batter takes all of 5 minutes to mix and produces results
comparable to cake mix without all the added grossness that goes into
mixes. The ingredients were all found in my kitchen and I think it's
safe to say that they would be found in most other kitchens too. <span style="font-size: small;">I
canno</span>t stress this enough... GO MAKE THESE CUPCAKES! You will not regret
it one single bit! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtZjimkL5QIjKFunoaOEbhME5Jz-PY5y6z550yT7pPiECtdcxVeuWP7BN4H1sKXGiLm48lx06qQ83DHMdkfvAmZC-j_fvzXR_bGXlMqHmgtFUWCUYxCpmMvwSHG3Ff7lBpEM4wOJI0IdpL/s1600/DSC01549.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtZjimkL5QIjKFunoaOEbhME5Jz-PY5y6z550yT7pPiECtdcxVeuWP7BN4H1sKXGiLm48lx06qQ83DHMdkfvAmZC-j_fvzXR_bGXlMqHmgtFUWCUYxCpmMvwSHG3Ff7lBpEM4wOJI0IdpL/s400/DSC01549.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These little beauties have the most gorgeous shiny tops ever. They are good enough to eat <i>sans frosting</i> even!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-p48IQgoUZO7lf5x1_nTUI-r7q-ZR98iRGHarXBSDF0Sp23uZbLFoDyfI5zrsyxWZXbuJmanTHlBvaL2QX17eFrlKNXEErA0AtIouC9V8zO5ZhLSUQ3IAl1HWrdiXKTXaSHDyu80lrwnr/s1600/DSC01553.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-p48IQgoUZO7lf5x1_nTUI-r7q-ZR98iRGHarXBSDF0Sp23uZbLFoDyfI5zrsyxWZXbuJmanTHlBvaL2QX17eFrlKNXEErA0AtIouC9V8zO5ZhLSUQ3IAl1HWrdiXKTXaSHDyu80lrwnr/s400/DSC01553.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The cupcake liners don't hurt either! You can never go wrong with polka dots!</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Once we had the cupcakes made, it was time to frost these
babies up with a simple chocolate frosting. My frosting was made with
butter, icing sugar, a few tablespoons of cocoa powder, some vanilla
bean paste (or you could use vanilla extract) and a touch of milk. I know that usually I am religious at piping my frosting but sometimes you have to live a little and just do what feels right. These were not cupcakes for an order, they were cupcakes for a family dinner in the backyard while playing (slightly intoxicated) ring toss on a 6 foot tall Eiffel tower.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">All I can say is YUMMMMMM! Now, I think the best part about these is that they were enjoyed by all. Exhibit 1 is a montage of my brother, Brandon, devouring his cupcake!!! I can't help but laughing at his facial expressions! </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">We had some strawberry buttercream frosting left from <a href="http://novicegoddesskitchen.blogspot.ca/2012/07/baby-shower-cupcakes-with-strawberry.html">this post</a> and we managed to make little cupcake sandwiches that were devoured as well! Even our cat, Mo, had some!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">So next time your family is over and someone is craving some simple chocolatey deliciousness, promise, promise, promise me that you will give these a try! Pinky promise!!!! </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">I hope you are all enjoying a wonderful weekend now that the rain has finally stopped! </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Happy weekend-ing and happy baking! </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">t</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">xoxo</span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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Tamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06523433810148756350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3519650367030392268.post-47248408673805000952012-08-13T09:30:00.000-04:002012-08-13T09:30:02.223-04:00What am I... REVEALED!<div style="text-align: left;">
At the beginning of July, I posted <a href="http://novicegoddesskitchen.blogspot.ca/2012/07/what-am-i.html">this link</a> with a photo of a recipe in progress. Just to recap, this is the picture that I posted both on the blog as well as on my personal Facebook page: </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG0hyphenhyphenhfmuC3CWIIEYvImZhR7Vz7disKUC3__V5deQBNZG8W8bDqot7gkA_nTWGQnXeuec4gZoYk980HmcBkuunMaoO67HiLXHO7j2a5gVcj7OqVw2UqGLxUa9_Q0_nJ9GDwQU82Si1ah0A/s1600/DSC01408.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG0hyphenhyphenhfmuC3CWIIEYvImZhR7Vz7disKUC3__V5deQBNZG8W8bDqot7gkA_nTWGQnXeuec4gZoYk980HmcBkuunMaoO67HiLXHO7j2a5gVcj7OqVw2UqGLxUa9_Q0_nJ9GDwQU82Si1ah0A/s400/DSC01408.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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I got some really interesting guesses and someone did finally figure out what this was a photo of. </div>
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This is the base of my very first batch of strawberry ice cream! I typically get into the groove of making ice cream particularly during the summer months. Last summer I made coffee ice cream (which was amazing!) and a double chocolate mint ice cream (vanilla ice cream infused with mint from my chocolate mint plant and then white and dark chocolate chunks in it). </div>
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Lately, I've been craving very fruity based things and with two amazing farmers' markets as well as local farms in my reach, how could I not use what I have in my grasp? I'd picked up some local beauties and knew that their sole purpose would be to make ice cream! I found <a href="http://www.blissfullydelicious.com/2011/07/strawberry-ice-cream/">this amazing recipe</a> at <a href="http://www.blissfullydelicious.com/">Blissfully Delicious</a> that I knew would be just what I was looking for. It's simple, straightforward and looked heavenly. I will admit that beyond the above picture, I don't have any pics except for the finished product (yup, another case of <a href="http://novicegoddesskitchen.blogspot.ca/2011/05/food-blogger-cide-maaaybe-deliciousness.html">food blogger-cide</a>!) I promise, the recipe will guide you through everything you need to know :)</div>
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Here goes:</div>
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<em>Recipe borrowed from <a href="http://www.blissfullydelicious.com/2011/07/strawberry-ice-cream/">Blissfully Delicious</a> and is adapted from David Lebovitz via Fine Cooking</em><br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span>
<span style="text-decoration: underline;">Ingredients</span><br />
2 cups heavy cream<br />
1 cup whole milk<br />
3/4 cup granulated sugar<br />
Table salt<br />
5 large egg yolks<br />
1 lb. fresh or frozen strawberries, trimmed, pureed, strained, and mixed
with 1/2 cup sugar (or less, if your berries are very sweet) - I actually skipped the straining, added some small chunks of strawberries into the puree and I only added about 1/4 cup of sugar as my berries were gorgeous!<br />
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span>
<span style="text-decoration: underline;">Directions</span><br />
<ul>
<li>
In a medium saucepan, mix 1 cup of cream with the milk, sugar, and a
pinch of salt. Warm the cream mixture over medium-high heat, stirring
occasionally, until the sugar dissolves and tiny bubbles begin to form
around the edge of the pan, 3 to 4 minutes.</li>
<li>Prepare an ice bath by filling a large bowl with several inches of
ice water. Set a smaller metal bowl (one that holds at least 1-1/2
quarts) in the ice water (be sure to use a metal bowl, it helps cool things down even faster). Pour the remaining cup of cream into the inner
bowl (this helps the custard cool quicker when you pour it in later).
Set a fine strainer on top. Whisk the egg yolks in a medium bowl.</li>
<li>In a steady stream, pour half of the warm cream mixture into the egg
yolks, whisking constantly to prevent the eggs from curdling.</li>
<li>Pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan and cook over low heat,
stirring constantly and scraping the bottom with a heatproof rubber
spatula until the custard thickens slightly (it should be thick enough
to coat the spatula and hold a line drawn through it with a finger), 4
to 8 minutes. An instant-read thermometer should read 175° to 180°F at
this point (My thermometer's battery has died so I just relied on the running my finger on the back of a wooden spoon test and all was well!) Don’t let the sauce overheat or boil, or it will curdle.
Immediately strain the custard into the cold cream in the ice bath.</li>
<li>Cool the custard to below 70°F by stirring it over the ice bath. Stir the strawberry puree into the cooled custard.</li>
<li>Refrigerate the custard until completely chilled, at least 4 hours or overnight.
Then freeze the custard in your ice cream maker according to the
manufacturer’s instructions. </li>
<li>Transfer to an air-tight container, and freeze for at least 4 hours or up to 2 weeks.</li>
<li>NOTE - This recipe made too much mixture for my <a href="http://www.cuisinart.com/products/ice_cream/ice-21r.html">Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker</a> so unfortunately we had to eat some of it like it was a milkshake. Not a single person in my house complained!!!</li>
</ul>
I ended up loving this so much that I made it again a week later! My Dad, who doesn't do desserts EVER, claimed that this was as good as Haagan Dazs' Strawberry ice cream. I'll allow a bit of that to be related to me being his daughter, but otherwise I will take his honest opinion.<br />
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I absolutely love seeing the chunks of strawberry in the ice cream. It made it all that much better. Please, please, please say that you will try this recipe soon!!! It's worth it, I promise.<br />
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Hugs to you all and happy Monday!<br />
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tTamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06523433810148756350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3519650367030392268.post-84661654705395197782012-07-31T09:30:00.000-04:002012-07-31T09:30:03.108-04:00Baby Shower Cupcakes with Strawberry Buttercream<span id="goog_651659630"></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo courtesy of <a href="http://zazzle.com/">Zazzle.com</a> </td></tr>
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I'm just going to come out and say it! I LOVE STRAWBERRIES!!! With the crazy weather we had at the end of the winter and the beginning of the spring, the strawberry crops haven't fared well at all this year. This in itself breaks my heart but I do enjoy when I can get my hands on some tasty berries regardless. In celebration of the delicious berries that I picked up at <a href="http://draft.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3519650367030392268">Strawberry Creek Farm</a> a few days ago on the way home from the cottage, I thought that this was the perfect opportunity to try out a recipe that has scared the pants off of me for the last 3 or so years... Strawberry Meringue Buttercream!!!!<br />
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Let me explain that typically I use a few different kinds of frosting. When I bake cupcakes and know that I will be transporting them all over the place, I use a recipe that can withstand temperature changes. Other times I use a simple recipe of butter, icing sugar and whatever flavouring I'm looking to achieve. I <i>rarely</i> make a traditional buttercream that requires egg whites to be heated and then whipped for ages before adding a ton of butter. These buttercreams are called meringue buttercreams. I have successfully made a chocolate one before and have tried the strawberry one before but needless to say, I ended up crying because it flopped... or so I thought....<br />
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Dina, a friend of ours, first introduced me to this strawberry meringue buttercream and so what better place to start than in her kitchen watching her make it. After watching the master at work, I realized that the last time I made this strawberry buttercream, if I'd just kept beating it, I would most likely have been successful!!! (UGH! Good to know NOW!) Regardless, the ever gracious Dina showed me everything I needed to know and truly boosted my confidence to try again. Thus, when my darling friend Katie (from work) asked me to bake cupcakes for a baby shower she was hosting, I knew that the strawberry meringue buttercream needed to happen.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKlQHnWRtAYFXQiH7IwPwgfdnNqJYb78ghigYQbrG13hxfVX9_p8ZvArE3VadPB8jTGQrQzM9RTCfhRNVAeeN5HvrIgcQ3O01j_OESLPZiAXReJtpzxZg81UaGYr8IHy_kahnPEsj5vGxu/s1600/DSC01413.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKlQHnWRtAYFXQiH7IwPwgfdnNqJYb78ghigYQbrG13hxfVX9_p8ZvArE3VadPB8jTGQrQzM9RTCfhRNVAeeN5HvrIgcQ3O01j_OESLPZiAXReJtpzxZg81UaGYr8IHy_kahnPEsj5vGxu/s400/DSC01413.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I apologize for the over exposure but I wanted to show you the cutest baby bottles that I found to top the cuppies!!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
While I won't go into great detail on the recipe, I will summarize the process:<br />
<ul>
<li>Puree strawberries & strain (or not)</li>
<li>Heat egg whites and sugar to a point where you can only hold your finger in them for 10 seconds before wanting to cry</li>
<li>Whip the egg whites (hopefully with a stand mixer) until cool and huge and fluffy!</li>
<li>Add butter in very small additions. When the frosting looks like it's curdled, keep whipping!!!!! </li>
<li>Add your strawberries (and a tiny bit of strawberry flavouring)</li>
<li>Savour the deliciousness that you have just slaved over!</li>
</ul>
I won't lie, I almost cried!! These cupcakes turned out beautifully!!!! On top of their appearance, they tasted heavenly. I made half of them just my plain vanilla cupcakes and the other half were red velvet. The strawberry buttercream was delicious on both!!!<br />
<br />
Welcome to my heaven:<br />
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We can all die and go to strawberry buttercream heaven! A special thank you to Dina for making sure that I was comfy with this recipe!!! You rock my socks, lady!!!!<br />
<br />
Happy Baking!!!<br />
<br />
T<br />
<br />
xoxoTamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06523433810148756350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3519650367030392268.post-16117307158981474332012-07-24T10:00:00.000-04:002012-07-24T10:00:08.560-04:00Oakland Raiders Birthday CakeMy darling friend, Danielle, emailed me a while back about making a cake for her boyfriend's birthday. Her only requests were that it showcase the Oakland Raiders' logo and team colours and with those requests I went to town! This cake was a pleasure, albeit a little stressful, to make but in the end, I was so pleased with it!!!<br />
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Thanks Danielle for having thought of me and for letting me be part of the party!!!<br />
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For any order inquiries, please contact novicegoddess@hotmail.com.<br />
<br />
xoxo<br />
tTamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06523433810148756350noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3519650367030392268.post-82424191215863952482012-07-18T09:30:00.000-04:002012-07-18T09:30:04.995-04:00Heavenly little squares of joy!!!!Have you ever come across a food where even the mere thought of it makes your mouth water? Tons of people have been jumping on the salted caramel bandwagon and I hate to jump in, but I'm in on this one - HEAD FIRST! It's the perfect balance of sweet and salty all in one.<br />
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The only thing that could possibly make salted caramel any better is by adding a shortbread cookie underneath it. That's right, ladies and gents, I am talked about Salted Caramel Shortbread Squares!!!!! I came across this recipe not too long ago on <a href="http://www.ericasweettooth.com/">Erica's Sweet Tooth</a> which is one of my favourite blogs of all time.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm melting on your behalf just looking at this photo!</td></tr>
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Salted Caramel Shortbread </div>
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Adapted from <a href="http://www.ericasweettooth.com/2012/03/salted-caramel-shortbread-fbf-orlando.html">Erica's Sweet Tooth</a> which was adapted from<a href="http://whatsgabycooking.com/salted-caramel-bars/"> What's Gaby Cooking</a></div>
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<u>For the shortbread layer:</u></div>
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10 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature</div>
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1/2 cup sugar</div>
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1/2 tsp salt</div>
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1 egg yolk</div>
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1-2/3 cups flour</div>
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<u>For the caramel:</u></div>
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1 cup unsalted butter</div>
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1 cup light brown sugar</div>
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3/4 cup light corn syrup</div>
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2 tsp sea salt, plus more for sprinkling on top - I used pink Himalayan sea salt</div>
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4 tbsp sugar</div>
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4 tbsp heavy cream</div>
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1-1/2 tsp vanilla extract</div>
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Line an 9x9 pan with parchment paper, leaving some hanging over the sides to make removal easier.</div>
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In a large bowl, combine the butter, sugar, and salt with a pastry cutter or fork. Add the egg yolk and continue mixing. </div>
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Add the flour and use your hands to combine the dough until coarse
crumbs form. Transfer the dough into the prepared pan and press it down
into one even layer. </div>
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Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake for
25 minutes, until slightly golden brown. Set aside to cool. </div>
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For the caramel, combine the butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, salt,
sugar, and heavy cream. Bring to a boil and stir for about 5-10 minutes
until caramel reaches the "soft ball stage" at around 230 degrees. I didn't have a candy thermometer, so I just kept dropping droplets of the caramel in a glass of cold water and waited until it formed a ball in the water but that remained soft if I picked it up with my fingers. </div>
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Remove from heat, stir in the vanilla and pour caramel over the shortbread. </div>
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Refrigerate for at least 3 hours, then sprinkle with sea salt and cut
into squares. Store caramels in the fridge until you're ready to eat
them.</div>
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Notes:<br />
<ul>
<li>For the love of all things holy, do not do what I did in my last batch which was to add the amount of salt that's intended for the caramel into the shortbread. While your guests will still think it's delicious, you, like myself, may feel that they are a tad too salty!</li>
<li>This recipe doubles very nicely so please feel free to try making more than one! </li>
</ul>
Just to give you a few other images to salivate over, here you go... my gift to you :)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9v8Q4dND1IPIeQl8pBnpyXUj9Gu0lfArTbmfg2CuFS9LOdsvcD07qWSQ2b6u0ZOz5sqBX1T9TfRe8VJzp9Ch4Jg7ZRtnqLBzigoB8p893a2AXJ1R0S6fBVH00Ym7uvdcao2T2sOwml3HC/s1600/DSC01246.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9v8Q4dND1IPIeQl8pBnpyXUj9Gu0lfArTbmfg2CuFS9LOdsvcD07qWSQ2b6u0ZOz5sqBX1T9TfRe8VJzp9Ch4Jg7ZRtnqLBzigoB8p893a2AXJ1R0S6fBVH00Ym7uvdcao2T2sOwml3HC/s400/DSC01246.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu8pHS8Nqdl_qlrJiUrp6-AIzbrfsDh_UghwB4m4OXJYgpROU65UFYhU77KY2LRbNqvNKMUkV9rDnzk6_s8tjWv3dNIugEVo0ROrumwsV14CBtLZO2LrGcyp23vN1htMdRL4eJPNKg9azJ/s1600/DSC01254.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu8pHS8Nqdl_qlrJiUrp6-AIzbrfsDh_UghwB4m4OXJYgpROU65UFYhU77KY2LRbNqvNKMUkV9rDnzk6_s8tjWv3dNIugEVo0ROrumwsV14CBtLZO2LrGcyp23vN1htMdRL4eJPNKg9azJ/s400/DSC01254.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yup! I took a bite out of this one!!! Just for you! I'm that girl!</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxGXJkVyZqQJKKTlLIbZ_5-ZC4HvP4OZkMb7PTviy0RVv16EwkgIlzDV_SX2_Xn-DAlCaxpzwuPY0CmqTz4Yrdd-qWLdDfrxqt-zFpuZCNClbrFQSh5mrexLQ0ehRP5WVJIk6PdMgQt8qJ/s1600/DSC01252.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxGXJkVyZqQJKKTlLIbZ_5-ZC4HvP4OZkMb7PTviy0RVv16EwkgIlzDV_SX2_Xn-DAlCaxpzwuPY0CmqTz4Yrdd-qWLdDfrxqt-zFpuZCNClbrFQSh5mrexLQ0ehRP5WVJIk6PdMgQt8qJ/s400/DSC01252.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghyphenhyphenulnj3FMHjEdnpNwhYMzdSawMAx4M_0dONLMAXEYNuhVYc_nyAmZ09NMpoUxD9zHrydWcOLRAuXiMxxOkHxdRkOa64tiTGTKjKtqteRg34_bJMgeI8BAHPnwXX5haj-Bd0u1xuaxpSM0/s1600/DSC01253.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghyphenhyphenulnj3FMHjEdnpNwhYMzdSawMAx4M_0dONLMAXEYNuhVYc_nyAmZ09NMpoUxD9zHrydWcOLRAuXiMxxOkHxdRkOa64tiTGTKjKtqteRg34_bJMgeI8BAHPnwXX5haj-Bd0u1xuaxpSM0/s400/DSC01253.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZY2-MdcxTOcxtUJyS5SHV0tEZ9MDbn_vRrFG0yMQZi-TMoN4piCnKkvc3Vgp9rj5OZ5PDJEKe79jfZSx4wC8EbyZsecnTq4fpIkGM_vtALeFGxVaAJm_Az3dCSbs8ZU1c02pLLUWZOFWf/s1600/imagejpeg_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZY2-MdcxTOcxtUJyS5SHV0tEZ9MDbn_vRrFG0yMQZi-TMoN4piCnKkvc3Vgp9rj5OZ5PDJEKe79jfZSx4wC8EbyZsecnTq4fpIkGM_vtALeFGxVaAJm_Az3dCSbs8ZU1c02pLLUWZOFWf/s400/imagejpeg_2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thanks to my guest photographer, Dina, for taking this shot!!!!</td></tr>
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Now go and make these! I promise you will not regret them at all!<br />
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Happy Baking!<br />
<br />
t<br />
xoxoTamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06523433810148756350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3519650367030392268.post-63783211253737579502012-07-10T13:00:00.000-04:002012-07-10T13:00:02.038-04:00Buttermilk Apple Muffins..from a while ago!<div style="font-family: inherit;">
I don't actually want to acknowledge how long I've been partially writing this post. Let's just say that my apples were purchased in the fall and the muffins were baked then too!!! Ah well, better late than never! </div>
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I know that I've mentioned before that I adore apples! I think they're fantastic and when they are in season, they make my life better! The only thing that made apples better was spending the day with this little bugger while hunting for perfect pumpkins and buying apples too:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVK87UF9ghJIdmqoYTXJf3aQciCSTv_l692NmRYT0aZPOtzjXpB1rxKFRLtlCcvP68p2km9gP05OPjf-Xf-l6vYJgpwEZBSL_mwCsH6ZutcgGLI8F19SM9iWP7pGQeN9r7JlIe7YyuvGtg/s1600/DSC00883.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVK87UF9ghJIdmqoYTXJf3aQciCSTv_l692NmRYT0aZPOtzjXpB1rxKFRLtlCcvP68p2km9gP05OPjf-Xf-l6vYJgpwEZBSL_mwCsH6ZutcgGLI8F19SM9iWP7pGQeN9r7JlIe7YyuvGtg/s320/DSC00883.JPG" width="212" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjt2X0I3bBC6Zi-hj7bpMKIkRXGr7jilJ1J9cLJFaD870_zjtiHW2gpV9rQ69t9A7V-nkoTsoNyzdA-ard9yqzf84ciNo952UXmXSALSuHqiQ_7kF_ah8k3HFM-oRLaA9OqeHlULQRjV76/s1600/DSC00902.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjt2X0I3bBC6Zi-hj7bpMKIkRXGr7jilJ1J9cLJFaD870_zjtiHW2gpV9rQ69t9A7V-nkoTsoNyzdA-ard9yqzf84ciNo952UXmXSALSuHqiQ_7kF_ah8k3HFM-oRLaA9OqeHlULQRjV76/s320/DSC00902.JPG" width="212" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBF0sU_hTjy0aFbTuUccAS2MU4ld7XZJfVHEDaqK91RSxrZDo878_c2Kniri14ptAw-9cmV5e8jMrPfqzLwjvh818SNp_Shmd1wWpixLsBO6JEsQ7DpZjcP3t4FOvgtW7CqyD49x-lXPmA/s1600/DSC00884.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBF0sU_hTjy0aFbTuUccAS2MU4ld7XZJfVHEDaqK91RSxrZDo878_c2Kniri14ptAw-9cmV5e8jMrPfqzLwjvh818SNp_Shmd1wWpixLsBO6JEsQ7DpZjcP3t4FOvgtW7CqyD49x-lXPmA/s400/DSC00884.JPG" width="400" /></a> </div>
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This is my youngest brother Jordan! He was vital in helping me find just the right apples for these delicious muffins. This kid was a trooper as we hiked through the pumpkin patch and froze our buns off trying to find perfect pumpkins. It was a day of broken pumpkins and cold weather but we had so much fun! Anywhoo, back to the muffins! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjt2X0I3bBC6Zi-hj7bpMKIkRXGr7jilJ1J9cLJFaD870_zjtiHW2gpV9rQ69t9A7V-nkoTsoNyzdA-ard9yqzf84ciNo952UXmXSALSuHqiQ_7kF_ah8k3HFM-oRLaA9OqeHlULQRjV76/s1600/DSC00902.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
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The 20 Minute Supper Club, which is now owned and operated by <a href="http://www.canadianfamily.ca/recipe/buttermilk-apple-cake/">Canadian Family</a>, still has some of the best recipes that I've seen both for meals as well as snacks. I decided to try their recipe for <a href="http://www.20minutesupperclub.com/recipe/buttermilk-apple-cake/">Buttermilk Apple Cake</a> but I decided to make them as Buttermilk Apple muffins instead. I'm a big fan of muffins for breakfast or a snack and even more if they're fruit filled. These muffins fit the bill all around. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQEOd-3O881uH7qcM0q_7ayC0crXMBvnE4pxxLFMYT1Mp7f3ez4SYr7R6_tFbdAsHp8RYfSIlxjB1KrlwM5erRTP61mTju0yQrC0WKphq4LrIkyJinsVvW1dqFePKN7DbNLjlCrt7gLV0V/s1600/DSC00810.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQEOd-3O881uH7qcM0q_7ayC0crXMBvnE4pxxLFMYT1Mp7f3ez4SYr7R6_tFbdAsHp8RYfSIlxjB1KrlwM5erRTP61mTju0yQrC0WKphq4LrIkyJinsVvW1dqFePKN7DbNLjlCrt7gLV0V/s400/DSC00810.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik46w5DDSHmcSHxQNE7FpiEReCl9XhNzA_bC_K3c3W8gL7HKPLlTKIWZ88NMfrmPhtafizwmfPfnQKRYPFqBaEMB99AhYm3po5YO08bi35AHhEnLbqFmFmnaa7b4Hk1kDx6w3SHEmz9b27/s1600/DSC00811.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik46w5DDSHmcSHxQNE7FpiEReCl9XhNzA_bC_K3c3W8gL7HKPLlTKIWZ88NMfrmPhtafizwmfPfnQKRYPFqBaEMB99AhYm3po5YO08bi35AHhEnLbqFmFmnaa7b4Hk1kDx6w3SHEmz9b27/s400/DSC00811.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gorgeous, heavenly apples</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: inherit; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYTeRen5o65ZRGj6R0TwpidWd_ZutJCA2muTbzzTxM40tUVLI6A1UFRCJSCzFAMCHuCVq0OAYV2Czo7NXnLpCebZtiKpRUAVObaK36QkOAqHtn2iZMS1x95CAP6_FLzEgWj_Mcoq4rGV2B/s1600/DSC00813.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYTeRen5o65ZRGj6R0TwpidWd_ZutJCA2muTbzzTxM40tUVLI6A1UFRCJSCzFAMCHuCVq0OAYV2Czo7NXnLpCebZtiKpRUAVObaK36QkOAqHtn2iZMS1x95CAP6_FLzEgWj_Mcoq4rGV2B/s400/DSC00813.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The filling for between the layers of dough.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: inherit; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg4WJJqpAQ-hc1WT0zw3J5Xz60nQZf5ZLlimhX_B6YZ4YntmSWA-9dq0B0rxNZVOuJbjSW0UKzgu-m6_gXpnsFZlksZkGaeoEOEG-5o1pm7-oJbYdOIiV1v9Z0vag4C8jZWP7UJPlZYCGs/s1600/DSC00814.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg4WJJqpAQ-hc1WT0zw3J5Xz60nQZf5ZLlimhX_B6YZ4YntmSWA-9dq0B0rxNZVOuJbjSW0UKzgu-m6_gXpnsFZlksZkGaeoEOEG-5o1pm7-oJbYdOIiV1v9Z0vag4C8jZWP7UJPlZYCGs/s400/DSC00814.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The recipe calls for leaving the skin on... I will next time but I peeled most of mine this time around. So there was slightly less fiber in these than the recipe calls for.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbUMx25g90DRZH66cUddWhd7r-zqdMN4kfdkGAxW64PBrxBDEFXHpZZdzfEzrt5LCc1KOTFeDs9g6DRPJPPhh6YRUSfVsxlKMJbP6_kKnPNdJK7RbhMf_hIAp9b12pr9SOIx1_PlFbxMqb/s1600/DSC00817.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbUMx25g90DRZH66cUddWhd7r-zqdMN4kfdkGAxW64PBrxBDEFXHpZZdzfEzrt5LCc1KOTFeDs9g6DRPJPPhh6YRUSfVsxlKMJbP6_kKnPNdJK7RbhMf_hIAp9b12pr9SOIx1_PlFbxMqb/s400/DSC00817.JPG" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love all of the good bits in the batter - flax, whole wheat flour and buttermilk. Be sure not to overmix the batter!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9gOdsH-HJgqMtMvwoQsSjR4pKDX55usbqbWoyESOT-lCsPpkg_c_0ILOjC9qy7JbPK3wmppkEitg8YaxLaWJi82_OmQscWdhyphenhyphenBxJmJ_TrtGXgtemiqpPCdgPpGUp6D114oL31BZn6Ybnu/s1600/DSC00818.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9gOdsH-HJgqMtMvwoQsSjR4pKDX55usbqbWoyESOT-lCsPpkg_c_0ILOjC9qy7JbPK3wmppkEitg8YaxLaWJi82_OmQscWdhyphenhyphenBxJmJ_TrtGXgtemiqpPCdgPpGUp6D114oL31BZn6Ybnu/s400/DSC00818.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fill the muffin cups half way, add some of the brown sugar topping, and then add another dollop of batter on top!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmLNBtUc0GsnHaHLq9PWpSQHEztapT-IQpDoaT-QnQXqroAfu6i75dgGHWca4cpyXmJ019JsmwXhVVvlWut4uE2OT7Z34nhejwYEtYAjQMLAi1wEssu1mFFhVsPubaWqO1OZrytxjqGFF2/s1600/DSC00827.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmLNBtUc0GsnHaHLq9PWpSQHEztapT-IQpDoaT-QnQXqroAfu6i75dgGHWca4cpyXmJ019JsmwXhVVvlWut4uE2OT7Z34nhejwYEtYAjQMLAi1wEssu1mFFhVsPubaWqO1OZrytxjqGFF2/s400/DSC00827.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These muffins aren't overly sweet but the apples help make them delicious!!!</td></tr>
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I found that this recipe makes 12 muffins which is just perfect. I also think next time I'll add more apples. </div>
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<div style="font-family: inherit;">
Buttermilk Apple Cake</div>
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adapted from <a href="http://www.canadianfamily.ca/recipe/buttermilk-apple-cake/">Canadian Family's Buttermilk Apple Cake recipe</a> </div>
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Ingredients</div>
<div id="recipe_ingredients" style="font-family: inherit;">
<li class="alternate">1/4 Cups butter, softened</li>
<li>2/3 Cups packed brown sugar</li>
<li class="alternate">1 1/2 Cups buttermilk</li>
<li>1 Cup all-purpose flour</li>
<li class="alternate">1 Cup whole-wheat flour</li>
<li>1 tablespoon flaxseed meal</li>
<li class="alternate">1 teaspoon baking powder</li>
<li>1 teaspoon baking soda</li>
<li class="alternate">2 teaspoons cinnamon</li>
<li class="alternate">1/4 teaspoon nutmeg </li>
<li>1/2 teaspoons salt</li>
<li class="alternate">6 apples, finely chopped (leave skin on for more fibre) - I used macintosh apples</li>
<li>1/4 Cups packed brown sugar</li>
<li class="alternate">2 teaspoons cinnamon</li>
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<li><span></span>In a large bowl, beat together butter and sugar until combined. Beat in buttermilk. </li>
<li><span></span>In
another bowl, combine flours, flax, baking powder, baking soda,
cinnamon, salt. Add to buttermilk mixture and stir well. Add apples and
mix until combined. Fill each lined muffin cup just slightly less than halfway with the batter. </li>
<li><span></span>In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle onto batter in each muffin cup. Top each muffin with a dollop of remaining batter. </li>
<li>Bake at 350°F for about 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean. Let cool in pan. </li>
</ol>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5iQEfr6zWGNZJw4xO96Yya0emvMuGL_Ca8DHVxEtN3R7CFkUxircDt4ZxAfPTS3ypOO7H6zUtNQlJnxFHGNw7HW6Xa1Lghq9MU7cDRxsGz-MGOPY1EDsd6AxgLYqL6vf8cs2H1D5ePndk/s1600/DSC00826.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5iQEfr6zWGNZJw4xO96Yya0emvMuGL_Ca8DHVxEtN3R7CFkUxircDt4ZxAfPTS3ypOO7H6zUtNQlJnxFHGNw7HW6Xa1Lghq9MU7cDRxsGz-MGOPY1EDsd6AxgLYqL6vf8cs2H1D5ePndk/s400/DSC00826.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<h5 style="font-family: inherit; font-weight: normal;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Happy Baking Everyone!!!</span></h5>
<h5 style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-weight: normal;">t</span></span></h5>Tamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06523433810148756350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3519650367030392268.post-86729748770228829642012-07-07T21:34:00.000-04:002012-07-08T10:08:59.426-04:00What am I?I spent a slightly hectic afternoon (yesterday) and morning (today) in the kitchen working on a cupcake order that was tons of fun!!!! However, while I was waiting for my frosting to set up, I happened to have had a chance to whip up a batch of something else... I'm going to keep it a secret for now as it's not quite complete yet but I thought I would throw this out there to see if anyone could figure out what I'm making...<br />
<br />
So tell me, oh faithful readers, what am I?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRn2ulGIfoKm4oHdMmJW6zBq8vy5cnO_ws443_OP8wuGgI9JoUuzVeNvRQoTuI4xx3iZKjPI65HS3HM_Y_XfSVkD_10HOlBv2F6XTAKmOullxTYg-Zi5Se_tSh_rr3g8utI83UCMDo9e9V/s1600/DSC01407.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRn2ulGIfoKm4oHdMmJW6zBq8vy5cnO_ws443_OP8wuGgI9JoUuzVeNvRQoTuI4xx3iZKjPI65HS3HM_Y_XfSVkD_10HOlBv2F6XTAKmOullxTYg-Zi5Se_tSh_rr3g8utI83UCMDo9e9V/s400/DSC01407.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
P.S. Anyone living in my house (aka who is able to go into the fridge right now) is not eligible to guess!<br />
<br />
I'll keep you posted!<br />
<br />
Happy Saturday!<br />
tTamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06523433810148756350noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3519650367030392268.post-46511438413666184072012-07-04T12:38:00.000-04:002012-07-05T23:00:45.630-04:00Rosemary Focaccia after a hectic week!!!!<div style="font-family: inherit;">
The past few weeks have been busy as sin at work!!! I know it's officially peak travel season which for us means more complaints, but good lord, I swear these days never end sometimes. Have I mentioned that I work in the complaints department for an airline? Oh yes... This is why the kitchen is my solace! On top of work itself being crazy, we've been super busy the last few weekends so weekends just haven't been weekends. Thankfully, I'm finally on vacation and am working on getting rid of my cold and resting up a bit. I've managed to make it up to my grandparents cottage and hope that a little bit of r & r will be just what the doctor ordered. In celebration of the long weekend that just passed (Happy Canada Day & Happy 4th of July to our neighbours down south) and all the fun that accompanied it, I thought I would share with you one of my latest joys!!</div>
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<div style="font-family: inherit;">
A few weeks back, after work on a Friday night, I booted it out of the office and rushed home to the kitchen. This is typical Friday night after work activity because truly it's my stress relieving place... my happy place... and the place where I'm in my own bubble and don't have to answer to anyone else. This week in particular rosemary focaccia was the only thing on my mind.</div>
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I had just started reading <a href="http://theartofeatingin.com/">'<i>The Art of Eating In: How I Learned to Stop Spending and Love the Stove</i>' by Cathy Erway</a> and was enjoying it!</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: inherit; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLR-62mbjkzmMC3L7b68kwaibLkXp1tVo4SDCUQP-lHbbqcIingF0r9xjLRRikte_ZSuWN2ya1_nIVtZuFcowhxbnD0I1w8TUneq719yABJv9BtwSL-f6C5NB-zf7ebNPU-hj0h_PFHGyu/s1600/bookcover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLR-62mbjkzmMC3L7b68kwaibLkXp1tVo4SDCUQP-lHbbqcIingF0r9xjLRRikte_ZSuWN2ya1_nIVtZuFcowhxbnD0I1w8TUneq719yABJv9BtwSL-f6C5NB-zf7ebNPU-hj0h_PFHGyu/s400/bookcover.jpg" width="242" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo Credit: http://theartofeatingin.com/</td></tr>
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<div style="font-family: inherit;">
Pretty much, the background info on this book is that Cathy decided to stop eating out in restaurants for 2 years (with a few exceptions) and this book documents her return to the kitchen and making her own food. I don't think I've officially mentioned it here yet but I'm looking to move into my own place this coming December and as such will need to cut back on my dinners out and truly get back into the groove of cooking more!! While I got a little sidetracked with the book, the principles are so very important to me. I know that it is lovely to head out and not have to cook or clean up, but there is something so fantastic about knowing every little thing (including your effort) that went into your meal. Cathy went a little farther into foraging in Central Park than I would probably ever venture, the message is clear regardless. I've taken from this book my love of farmer's markets and visiting farms (I do believe that's as close to foraging as this city gal will make it). </div>
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Back to my culinary adventure! I've made rosemary foccacia before and I
love it! As corny as it is to say, there is NOTHING better than fresh
bread. Nothing! Not chocolate, not shopping, nothing! Now why I
endeavoured to start this mission at 7pm on a Friday night may be beyond
you but it truly was worth staying up late for. I found the recipe on
the Pastry Affair, which is one of my favourite blogs to read. Her
pictures are GORGEOUS and her recipes delicious! This recipe is interesting because you start off without adding the herbs so the dough has a bit of rising time first before it gets deflated and herb-ified (yup, that's a word)! </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlbYz23BknhfwXSM2lHZbnRSIqm6ydFDF1y7SIjGUw8D9bcLdLq3i4uks-0UuKTf9EL10coc_qdDSnZzV6v8HoFPoQw9nGMHaENV0e1ab10iil6Epo1WkJw3Ws8Kfi-eiIrYo45OcekIKx/s1600/DSC01190.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlbYz23BknhfwXSM2lHZbnRSIqm6ydFDF1y7SIjGUw8D9bcLdLq3i4uks-0UuKTf9EL10coc_qdDSnZzV6v8HoFPoQw9nGMHaENV0e1ab10iil6Epo1WkJw3Ws8Kfi-eiIrYo45OcekIKx/s400/DSC01190.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It starts to grow...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX0COE7wzyZJBYaq-rsiGW0_19Jx6x-xZNnO6Ny0-K-p84vJ0Zmls32w5evj3Fh2hB7o-Kc4GdwcScoElqODHp6Mi5OaW2owgKlUjyb67sSc260iDn38IbjHs1iTn4PHhJUE1lwNktx7MX/s1600/DSC01196.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX0COE7wzyZJBYaq-rsiGW0_19Jx6x-xZNnO6Ny0-K-p84vJ0Zmls32w5evj3Fh2hB7o-Kc4GdwcScoElqODHp6Mi5OaW2owgKlUjyb67sSc260iDn38IbjHs1iTn4PHhJUE1lwNktx7MX/s400/DSC01196.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Then it grows some more...</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlbYz23BknhfwXSM2lHZbnRSIqm6ydFDF1y7SIjGUw8D9bcLdLq3i4uks-0UuKTf9EL10coc_qdDSnZzV6v8HoFPoQw9nGMHaENV0e1ab10iil6Epo1WkJw3Ws8Kfi-eiIrYo45OcekIKx/s1600/DSC01190.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
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Delicious dimply thigh resembling dough meet herbs. Herbs meet dimply thigh resembling dough.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiNuMf92LIG07jiOAHy0xT1mm7m4ZJ5A9krGQhzdrpWGKhXsd8RbCgpgo40Y0EfYxgd2-L2QGJkQE2ZV8TgzMS6BIHlQy5xb2eT7XExkPtOG177ykMgVWhQJq3Yb6ZjOYqFdDwCGZ04_dz/s1600/DSC01200.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiNuMf92LIG07jiOAHy0xT1mm7m4ZJ5A9krGQhzdrpWGKhXsd8RbCgpgo40Y0EfYxgd2-L2QGJkQE2ZV8TgzMS6BIHlQy5xb2eT7XExkPtOG177ykMgVWhQJq3Yb6ZjOYqFdDwCGZ04_dz/s400/DSC01200.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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The joy of focaccia is that it is airy and is full of air pockets which makes it that much more delicious and soft. Once I started mixing the herbs in, you can see how stringy and full of air the dough really is! This is what excites me in my day to day life - airy dough pockets! </div>
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This bread is worth all of the resting and the time it takes to make it - Even if you are awake until midnight waiting for the bread to come out of the oven so you can try a piece! </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sprinkled with black pepper, salt and olive oil before baking!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hello! I'm gorgeous!!!! Just take a little bit. I know you wanna...</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Here's the recipe:</span><br />
<div style="font-family: inherit;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit;">
<b>Rosemary Focaccia</b></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit;">
adapted from <a href="http://www.pastryaffair.com/blog/2012/2/16/rosemary-focaccia.html">the Pastry Affair</a> </div>
<div style="font-family: inherit;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit;">
Ingredients: </div>
<div style="font-family: inherit;">
4 1/2 to 5 cups all purpose flour<br />
2 3/4 cups warm water</div>
<div style="font-family: inherit;">
2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
<br />
2 teaspoons coarse sea salt, plus extra for sprinkling
(I used pink Himalayan sea salt)<br />
3 tablespoons fresh chopped rosemary</div>
<div style="font-family: inherit;">
1/3 cup and 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil </div>
<div style="font-family: inherit;">
1 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper</div>
<ol style="font-family: inherit;">
<li>In a large mixing bowl, mix together bread flour, water, and active
dry yeast. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm,
dry place for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until dough has tripled in volume
and is bubbly.</li>
<li>If using a stand mixer, attach dough hook and mix in salt and
rosemary. Knead dough for an additional 5-7 minutes. Dough will be loose
and sticky.</li>
<li>If you do not have a stand mixer, turn dough out on a heavily floured
surface and, using your hands or even a wooden spoon, attempt to knead
the dough. Mix in salt and rosemary at this time. Add flour as needed
and fold dough in half in all directions if it will not cooperate enough
to knead. Dough will be very difficult to handle, but try to
incorporate as little flour as possible (it results in a softer bread).</li>
<li>Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for another hour, or until doubled in volume.</li>
<li>In a 13 by 17-inch rimmed baking pan, evenly distribute 2 tablespoons
of olive oil to coat pan. Turn out down onto pan and, with oiled hands,
pull dough to the edges of the pan. The dough may resist at first, but
with a little patience it will stay put. Cover dough with a clean dish
towel and allow to rise for an additional 15-20 minutes.</li>
<li>Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C).</li>
<li>Using your fingertips, poke a couple dozen holes into the top of the
bread. Pour remaining olive oil evenly over bread and sprinkle with a
light dusting of coarse sea salt, rosemary, and freshly cracked pepper.
Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool slightly in pan
before serving warm or at room temperature.</li>
</ol>
<div style="font-family: inherit;">
I hope you all have the chance to make this recipe!!!!! </div>
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Happy Baking!</div>
<div style="font-family: inherit;">
t </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikOtFHNl8iUgV03dRK5XZYrB8m6wshkaIB2jy6l6O1jkvUZraCrctujxPRPaLM-I7gJQqotMBwis7GLrattmfrjwXwJ6lFtXClqyBxD1-yuIttUmzmJDqMXtBYoc2JvBorbd2IBrUNi1Ao/s1600/DSC01220.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikOtFHNl8iUgV03dRK5XZYrB8m6wshkaIB2jy6l6O1jkvUZraCrctujxPRPaLM-I7gJQqotMBwis7GLrattmfrjwXwJ6lFtXClqyBxD1-yuIttUmzmJDqMXtBYoc2JvBorbd2IBrUNi1Ao/s400/DSC01220.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Worth every second!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Tamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06523433810148756350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3519650367030392268.post-32958826416086780782012-03-03T22:12:00.000-05:002012-03-03T22:12:09.449-05:00Beautiful Earl Grey Orange CupcakesA few weeks ago, in addition to the heavenly vanilla cupcakes that I made, I also whipped up some earl grey orange cupcakes. These little cuppies are beautiful and delicious in every way! The addition of the earl grey tea gives them a little hint of 'je ne sais quoi' that truly puts them over the edge. I have been using <a href="http://www.tetley.ca/english/tetleyteas/products.cfm">Tetley's Earl Grey Vanilla tea</a> in this recipe and I think it makes them THAT much better. And if they weren't delightful enough, I add about a bit of grated orange zest to the batter as well which puts them over the top!!!<br />
<br />
Could you say no to these beauties?<br />
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Did I mention that I topped them with an orange zest buttercream frosting? No? Sorry about that! A-MAZING!!! <br />
<br />
Please give these a try next time you have a sweet craving. They will make you happier than a pig in mud! <br />
<br />
<strong>Earl Grey Cupcakes</strong><br />
<strong><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">recipe adapted from <a href="http://patentandthepantry.wordpress.com/2008/09/21/earl-grey-cupcakes-with-lemon-buttercream/">Patent & the Pantry recipe for Earl Grey Cupcakes with Lemon Buttercream</a></span></i> </strong><br />
<ul>
<li>1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened</li>
<li>1 cup sugar</li>
<li>2 egg</li>
<li>1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour</li>
<li>2 1/4 tsp. baking powder</li>
<li>3/4 tsp. salt</li>
<li>1/2 cup milk</li>
<li>2 tbsp grated orange zest</li>
<li>2 tsp freshly squeezed orange juice </li>
<li>the contents of 2 bags of <a href="http://www.tetley.ca/english/tetleyteas/products.cfm">Tetley's Earl Grey Vanilla tea</a></li>
</ul>
Preheat the oven to 350. Beat the butter and sugar together until it
is light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, making sure they are
thoroughly combined before adding the next one. Add the orange juice and zest and gently stir in. Mix together the dry
ingredients, including the tea. Beat in half of the dry mixture with the
wet, then add the milk and the rest of the dry mixture, stirring until
just combined. Line the cupcake pan with 12 cups and scoop the batter in using an ice cream/muffin scoop (about
two-thirds full). Bake 20 to 25 minutes. Cool thoroughly before frosting.<br />
<br />
For the frosting, I used a basic buttercream recipe and also threw in some orange zest and a tiny bit of orange juice as well. Naturally, you have to tint the frosting as well though I guess it would be pretty naturally coloured as well.<br />
<br />
This is love!!!<br />
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I hope you guys are all enjoying a wonderful, restful weekend filled with loveliness, lord knows mine has been!<br />
<br />
Happy baking friends!!!<br />
<br />
tTamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06523433810148756350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3519650367030392268.post-25773842983622330702012-02-21T16:30:00.000-05:002012-02-21T16:30:01.754-05:00A Very Hungry Caterpillar & A Very Happy Birthday Boy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimhrEqPx-UOgraRLQyoeZerB0WFI2EaLUoHgFAVBPy8JeynWOxyc8119gDjD4L0589GQyByxkwLpgZvfCqgl62hX0Ku_I9HGrLnjQqwB7wScEq0YQZBVi90ECuoQR7gSSfKsIQN49FVC1f/s1600/9780399213014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimhrEqPx-UOgraRLQyoeZerB0WFI2EaLUoHgFAVBPy8JeynWOxyc8119gDjD4L0589GQyByxkwLpgZvfCqgl62hX0Ku_I9HGrLnjQqwB7wScEq0YQZBVi90ECuoQR7gSSfKsIQN49FVC1f/s400/9780399213014.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
I feel like it's been forever since I've posted something for a cake order that I've had! My little brother's birthday was in December (poor bug was born right before Christmas) and we postponed his birthday party until recently just so that the Christmas hullabaloo would be over and done with.<br />
<br />
When chatting with a 6 year old about what they'd like their birthday cake to look like, your conversation can truly go in soooo many directions. Jordan loves Pokemon, Iron Man, Spiderman and all sorts of other things that I'm a little clueless on when it comes to cakes. However, I remembered coming across a post from the <a href="http://www.mycakeschool.com/blog/"><i>My Cake School Blog</i></a> about making a <a href="http://www.mycakeschool.com/blog/the-very-hungry-caterpillar-cupcakes/">Very Hungry Caterpillar cake out of cupcakes.</a> It looked pretty straightforward and Jordan and I used to LOVE reading the book together. So truly this was a no brainer that this was the cake for him!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNEy_SplJfgfzNxhno2zittyl6_tmFG6MD5DwGBk-khH8lHg5GN6mYUHJQBEk37AK50lq_zpaljYjVeQgnbGp07PW5kzNHlnp2Rcf6RpmcKteMRgxKuP4B1CvO7o3sSfK1kZBt34efQgkk/s1600/DSC01124.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNEy_SplJfgfzNxhno2zittyl6_tmFG6MD5DwGBk-khH8lHg5GN6mYUHJQBEk37AK50lq_zpaljYjVeQgnbGp07PW5kzNHlnp2Rcf6RpmcKteMRgxKuP4B1CvO7o3sSfK1kZBt34efQgkk/s400/DSC01124.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Start by arranging your cupcakes (including a larger one for the head) and frost random blobs across the gaps of the cupackes</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqlcOaG5Nzd2k1P9GxRwm1-XemDAV9Svhcroc8cX5yl3dwKv785gNCx4x7pyFZPFnqd76R4vM6gnyVZLMiTyEidnez_p_xKQjw5z4egeAb4BKJfAVvTVo057Sblu731Jyh92Ik47xmAosd/s1600/DSC01125.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqlcOaG5Nzd2k1P9GxRwm1-XemDAV9Svhcroc8cX5yl3dwKv785gNCx4x7pyFZPFnqd76R4vM6gnyVZLMiTyEidnez_p_xKQjw5z4egeAb4BKJfAVvTVo057Sblu731Jyh92Ik47xmAosd/s400/DSC01125.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjouJDc7FJxt2LkmANcqS-sH2-e7xq-sTFeVVQrIYSJD1GlG_cgE_13UOtt7YzAZqQNZ-Qd5Ti3eysS1UsMT7ztclXpi1l1yhXcodFkKg5rfFQ5WaQVuz2GGW2HSti2BfaMKJLReWkNSkLX/s1600/DSC01126.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjouJDc7FJxt2LkmANcqS-sH2-e7xq-sTFeVVQrIYSJD1GlG_cgE_13UOtt7YzAZqQNZ-Qd5Ti3eysS1UsMT7ztclXpi1l1yhXcodFkKg5rfFQ5WaQVuz2GGW2HSti2BfaMKJLReWkNSkLX/s400/DSC01126.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Smooth the icing as best as possible and let it crust for 10 minutes before smoothing it with waxed paper.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFZMNrjjzBhV7op3TD3ZZpsDTnZrRO-9ba_2Wr3qURQMXUUVF8dNcJrFGlNiF1ltDuQL4449R2mbKgtCQdJZv8ugWLiXxoO4oa-yd1iBWNp51pwrt4lukuBbyY2D3798K_P5KEyT8sk3Y9/s1600/DSC01129.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFZMNrjjzBhV7op3TD3ZZpsDTnZrRO-9ba_2Wr3qURQMXUUVF8dNcJrFGlNiF1ltDuQL4449R2mbKgtCQdJZv8ugWLiXxoO4oa-yd1iBWNp51pwrt4lukuBbyY2D3798K_P5KEyT8sk3Y9/s400/DSC01129.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Go a little crazy with the designs you include on each section and don't forget to add the chocolate chip feet!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9dIaO5ZYuCcCtUZ2BYHQWimRgNBmXjgAIKEjxa7hQxa94RNd4x_S_usTHOrlBwu3vlu-O86VySQH8icXmVc1DAOJtL5htUUCm5vZPZ2v4B_ra-RNFmElp8oi9inKPhJYyc4BzEdCQTvDR/s1600/DSC01130.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9dIaO5ZYuCcCtUZ2BYHQWimRgNBmXjgAIKEjxa7hQxa94RNd4x_S_usTHOrlBwu3vlu-O86VySQH8icXmVc1DAOJtL5htUUCm5vZPZ2v4B_ra-RNFmElp8oi9inKPhJYyc4BzEdCQTvDR/s400/DSC01130.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Et Voila! Very Hungry Caterpillar Cupcake-Cake</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The boy child truly enjoyed his cake! I mean look how excited he was with his buddies!!!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjNlYNvRrlj5iMT-uy-WlYWR8JuwLBnWBqIwZFi0VOZAKElFV-fMV2T6n9rnR3OrGmJDas775a7r1N4Blu7FGbi5ns_1a8CqAB1KgYEZC1MEDnKrv2__xHvbmQ-FAxUd3vPGo-qRBZ2CX_/s1600/DSC01154.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjNlYNvRrlj5iMT-uy-WlYWR8JuwLBnWBqIwZFi0VOZAKElFV-fMV2T6n9rnR3OrGmJDas775a7r1N4Blu7FGbi5ns_1a8CqAB1KgYEZC1MEDnKrv2__xHvbmQ-FAxUd3vPGo-qRBZ2CX_/s400/DSC01154.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Tamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06523433810148756350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3519650367030392268.post-5127126249883171432012-02-19T10:46:00.000-05:002012-02-19T10:46:01.392-05:00Finally, a Facebook page for the blog!After a lovely suggestion from Leanna at Raptor Toe, I've finally created a Facebook page for the blog. I'm still in the process of figuring out how it all works so if any of you guys have suggestions, I welcome them all!<br />
<br />
But for now, check it out: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/NoviceGoddessKitchen">facebook.com/NoviceGoddessKitchen</a><br />
<br />
I'm off to hit up the grocery store as I've got apple cider glazed pot roast on the brain as well as some cinnamon sugar pretzel bites with icing!!!! I'll keep you posted on how it all goes :)<br />
<br />
Happy Family Day Long Weekend!!!<br />
<br />
tTamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06523433810148756350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3519650367030392268.post-85041822286062905802012-02-04T10:00:00.000-05:002012-02-04T10:00:00.830-05:00Foodie Find - Cultures Unite!!!I've always wanted to find a food that truly captures both parts of my background in one bit. Allow me to explain... Dad's side of the family is Jamaican and Mum's side is Ukrainian.... Thus, what would be the happy medium? Well, after thinking about it for ages, our family decided that jerk chicken perogies would naturally be the perfect mix of the two cultures. I've joked for years that I will one day make them EXCEPT someone has beaten me to it!!!! *shakes fist at the sky* I've been foiled! <br />
<br />
However, <a href="http://raptortoe.com/">Leanna at Raptor Toe</a> appears to have figured out all of the kinks of this delicious dish and I can't wait to try them out! Go check out her post <a href="http://raptortoe.com/2012/01/09/jerk-chicken-perogies/">here</a> and salivate with me!!!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiPXiY6iZ-HuhT3gKakuBosBTGu9ycIiPxBIOSnJN4l3e1ZOifRkWRIvyJI3TE_U0PR-d_9olGY4HEWR4v-y4GDwha_m6YEwB2xxdPpnTRqZQePliypZI52VS3Hctg-QeMiRvQ2JgA2dD-/s1600/img_0029.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiPXiY6iZ-HuhT3gKakuBosBTGu9ycIiPxBIOSnJN4l3e1ZOifRkWRIvyJI3TE_U0PR-d_9olGY4HEWR4v-y4GDwha_m6YEwB2xxdPpnTRqZQePliypZI52VS3Hctg-QeMiRvQ2JgA2dD-/s400/img_0029.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo Credit: <a href="http://raptortoe.com/2012/01/09/jerk-chicken-perogies/">Raptor Toe</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
One day this will happen :)<br />
<br />
Happy cooking!<br />
<br />
tTamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06523433810148756350noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3519650367030392268.post-12620163024643285452012-02-01T23:14:00.001-05:002012-02-01T23:15:12.413-05:00The Return... yet again & vanilla cupcakes galore!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJblIl2eL8riLvBv2dkjpZusLSQI7sm0ZuwOuxvsKDbtDSBfCfGnp-c6jLlWi9FsEYtXme5E74MSqxzvz-PlD9cd4EYGiHdREb-qPiVYjvw0i-1nl0snJKUpbC6Ou1dNWUc9dR3Sb_2QDV/s1600/DSC01086.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJblIl2eL8riLvBv2dkjpZusLSQI7sm0ZuwOuxvsKDbtDSBfCfGnp-c6jLlWi9FsEYtXme5E74MSqxzvz-PlD9cd4EYGiHdREb-qPiVYjvw0i-1nl0snJKUpbC6Ou1dNWUc9dR3Sb_2QDV/s400/DSC01086.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can we still be friends? I come bearing cupcakes!!!!</td></tr>
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This is my peace offering.... I know... I know... This happens EVERY year right around Christmas. I get so overwhelmed with everything else going on for the holidays that I (pathetically) neglect my blog and my blog loves! I'm so so sorry but I have to admit that amidst all of the Christmas hullabulloo, I almost lost feel like I lost the love for documenting my culinary adventures. I still love cooking and baking and I still love my blog but my feelings towards the two together were lack-luster. So I took a little break.... and got to focus on a few other things like spending time with family & friends, actually taking the time to make Christmas gifts for 7 of my closest loves, spending time with a very special boy who has reminded me how to smile more, and working incessantly!<br />
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However, this past weekend I was really thinking about the blog and how much I missed it. And then I picked up my camera (for the first time in a while) and remembered how much I missed playing around with it. So I had some cupcakes to bake for my step-grandmother's birthday party and picked up my camera and it was like I'd never left.<br />
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And on that note, I figured that my reintroduction to the blog should be simple and sweet... an easy progression back into the wacky world of food blogging. What better way to return than with cupcakes. Now, these are not necessarily your typical basic cupcakes but they were simple in design and delicious on taste. A few months ago, I found a recipe on <a href="http://sweetapolita.com/"><i>Sweetapolita</i></a> for <a href="http://sweetapolita.com/2011/11/bakery-style-vanilla-cupcakes/">Magnolia Bakery's Bakery-Style Vanilla Cupcakes</a>. I was intrigued as a) I've never been to the Magnolia Bakery and b) I'm always on the hunt for an amazing vanilla cupcake recipe. I've made them twice now and they're great! Beautiful in presentation, great texture, not too dry and pretty much perfect!<br />
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How could anyone say no to these beauties? Notice, the little black flecks in both the batter and the frosting?<br />
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Yes, my friends... REAL vanilla bean seeds from my favourite vanilla bean paste. I'm telling you, bake with it once, and you'll understand why I am such a convert! it makes a HUGE difference from the stuff you can get at the grocery store! Try it! It's a beautiful thing and you will totally disregard the price tag that comes with it! It's worth every penny!<br />
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I am in love with these cupcakes. Simple, sweet and perfect for about 50000 different occasions. I've got a few events coming up that could be the appropriate time and place for these cupcakes: a baby shower, a few birthdays, Jessica aka <a href="http://jkavanaghevents.blogspot.com/"><i>The Wedding Girl</i></a>'s engagement party and any other occasion I can come up with!!!!<br />
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All I can say is LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!!!<br />
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I hope we can still be friends despite my hiatus!!!! The second batch of cupcakes made for Nana's party will be posted soon!<br />
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Take care and hugs for 2012 to all of you!!!<br />
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Happy baking!<br />
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TamaraTamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06523433810148756350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3519650367030392268.post-46279117415961023892011-11-18T15:00:00.000-05:002011-11-18T15:00:07.245-05:00Foodie Find - Double Chocolate Mousse TorteFollowing my making of the pretzel bites from <a href="http://www.melskitchencafe.com/">Mel's Kitchen Cafe</a>, I did some more browsing around her blog. While I was doing this, I stumbled upon Mel's recipe for a <a href="http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2010/05/double-chocolate-mousse-torte.html">double chocolate mousse torte</a>!<br />
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My goodness this looks amazing!!! I whipped up a batch of chocolate mousse not too long ago and let me tell you, I will use that recipe to make this scrumptious cake sometime soon!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo Credit: <a href="http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2010/05/double-chocolate-mousse-torte.html">Mel's Kitchen Cafe</a></td></tr>
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Thank you Mel for posting such deliciousness! I can't wait to make this and report back on how it turns out!<br />
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Happy Friday!<br />
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tTamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06523433810148756350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3519650367030392268.post-23914313708413144892011-11-16T16:30:00.000-05:002011-11-16T16:30:00.495-05:00Homemade Pretzel BitesIt was in fact a happy Saturday to meeeeee this past weekend! My darling Jen stayed over on Friday night and on Saturday morning I woke up and wanted nothing more than to make some homemade pretzel bites. Who knows why I get these strange cravings but once they hit, they don't disappear!<br />
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So I took a little browse through my bookmarked recipes (my goodness, there are A LOT of recipes. It may be time to start printing them off!) and I managed to find a few recipes. Originally, I was going to use one that looked good but it required the pretzel bites to be both boiled and then baked. Frankly, it seemed a little complicated for bites of pretzel dough. Then I came across a second recipe that I'd bookmarked and I knew I'd found the right one.<br />
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This recipe was from <a href="http://www.melskitchencafe.com/"><i>Mel's Kitchen Cafe</i></a> and the <a href="http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2011/02/chewy-pretzel-bites.html">recipe</a> was so straightforward and easy that you can't help but want to make these delicious bites of the Gods on a daily basis! The pretzels come out with a crisp crust but are so supple in the middle that you can't help but feel that you've died and gone to pretzel heaven.<br />
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The process is quite simple:<br />
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Toss all ingredients in the bowl of your mixer fitted with the dough hook. After about 5 minutes of mixing you will have a lovely smooth dough that needs to do a bit of relaxing. I put mine in a bowl greased with olive oil and let it rest for an hour. It rose quite a bit when the hour was up and I proceeded to turn the dough out on to my trusty granite slab that I greased slightly. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_pdwqsdeeo-VuRTmK2JCHtyho_vphbSW3eBR4X5h-Qj5gjT2Iw78nng5iELxw_9YR74DXZPmG8-7xGEByz3i0-kWyFifOLKtsWztF4XiSuUjhfY56bqC7yU5O65JiMF5A0wuZJkcyNG_Z/s1600/DSC00992.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_pdwqsdeeo-VuRTmK2JCHtyho_vphbSW3eBR4X5h-Qj5gjT2Iw78nng5iELxw_9YR74DXZPmG8-7xGEByz3i0-kWyFifOLKtsWztF4XiSuUjhfY56bqC7yU5O65JiMF5A0wuZJkcyNG_Z/s320/DSC00992.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I LOVE DOUGH! </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The dough is then divided into 4 pieces and rolled into logs (I love my new dough cutter)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Each log is then cut into 6-8 pieces. Next time I make this, I will make each log cut 12-14 pieces because these were HUGE!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Vyx3Fvxef92Gy8taZ3v5hyphenhyphenM6ZhNMpUrowjGT5DRUytCK_GUDGEkorsUs3u85O2D_lou9Z5bL0QNXN4yv0zPx3OTrLRF6R00vbgpVe2UvNxJ89pW7jnY8YvMlxVCGzB1nK7lGYLCAcBwI/s1600/DSC00995.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Vyx3Fvxef92Gy8taZ3v5hyphenhyphenM6ZhNMpUrowjGT5DRUytCK_GUDGEkorsUs3u85O2D_lou9Z5bL0QNXN4yv0zPx3OTrLRF6R00vbgpVe2UvNxJ89pW7jnY8YvMlxVCGzB1nK7lGYLCAcBwI/s320/DSC00995.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Little bites resting before going in the oven. They have been dipped in a water/baking soda mix & then sprinkled with salt</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU8QtJuaWLrCILo5NG-f0n8sadwyUAlyqrYxP9rgOeyky8xGMtUfSPc1B9_icovVfFgCYODf34UyxEThiPsLxofTB2xTfGiZeHkdnDjQShKzbM0DXEYohUDE5LkeAw1icD4DysuZuV9O6m/s1600/DSC00997.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU8QtJuaWLrCILo5NG-f0n8sadwyUAlyqrYxP9rgOeyky8xGMtUfSPc1B9_icovVfFgCYODf34UyxEThiPsLxofTB2xTfGiZeHkdnDjQShKzbM0DXEYohUDE5LkeAw1icD4DysuZuV9O6m/s320/DSC00997.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lovely pink Himalayan sea salt. Do not be afraid of the 500F temperature that you'll have to set your oven to. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4OAgDtUwjfNxJ8XWS2MZV-kY3Q62rk_3TI-Qg6cPPRHrjK0P0XDSimWR00eDxQh20rmcoj5n1reogaiWA2dSTYkUxljRabCnwcvxsApZ7Fo9anwxv26y6OBf9qHYpX5J3-2DIVrHnKpiY/s1600/DSC00998.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4OAgDtUwjfNxJ8XWS2MZV-kY3Q62rk_3TI-Qg6cPPRHrjK0P0XDSimWR00eDxQh20rmcoj5n1reogaiWA2dSTYkUxljRabCnwcvxsApZ7Fo9anwxv26y6OBf9qHYpX5J3-2DIVrHnKpiY/s320/DSC00998.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look at what popped out of the oven! </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsCsczZL9MD00gPy4wMwqEBhi9tZHHhGLDkuY-eZh6gCjhb7pcMT1OqeVMwr3Ds8eoEoWPM-r6mEityKxzK03vFXeLRLE_TD1FNDhwaHqSDtO6_mF4kOaScwje8bAdx32MLZLb5e6ONwBO/s1600/DSC00999.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsCsczZL9MD00gPy4wMwqEBhi9tZHHhGLDkuY-eZh6gCjhb7pcMT1OqeVMwr3Ds8eoEoWPM-r6mEityKxzK03vFXeLRLE_TD1FNDhwaHqSDtO6_mF4kOaScwje8bAdx32MLZLb5e6ONwBO/s320/DSC00999.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A close-up! </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivs7lRmeIWOCc6wueY8SHz0Es9du9xsBFUzlib7WKmXoYTbcdax8xbD6hn4jCRUk8m1pemMCtEPSzbb4DYb5r55gOfgPz9dp4cb85ku5g9PE8Ky7xkK6u77N1YPDpwIP-YFEExclHexfP6/s1600/DSC01000.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivs7lRmeIWOCc6wueY8SHz0Es9du9xsBFUzlib7WKmXoYTbcdax8xbD6hn4jCRUk8m1pemMCtEPSzbb4DYb5r55gOfgPz9dp4cb85ku5g9PE8Ky7xkK6u77N1YPDpwIP-YFEExclHexfP6/s320/DSC01000.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I served them with a spicy tomato sauce! Look at all of the layers inside the dough! </td></tr>
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All in all, I will be making these again and soon at that! I'm thinking they will be making an appearance at our family's Christmas party in a month's time. Like I said, I will probably make them smaller because they do grow even more when they're resting prior to baking. <br />
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I hope you all are having a great week thus far!<br />
<br />
Keep smiling and happy baking!<br />
<br />
TamaraTamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06523433810148756350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3519650367030392268.post-4087436741145818742011-11-14T17:30:00.000-05:002011-11-14T17:30:01.176-05:00Delicious Food Show 2011<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUjZaNxR5Po7g9D1DEFqW_nTjdj6ab-fZV4LpfdVrQrhGwA6Gl2cGmVhnQ91Ay2_r1hyphenhyphenBwpJEuTs8Utp0ieONc48uH-T418WI4K3gP_yep-kF4YSlspKefhpb7bWhQ8yDD-zQSBaMteXXj/s1600/DSC00909.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUjZaNxR5Po7g9D1DEFqW_nTjdj6ab-fZV4LpfdVrQrhGwA6Gl2cGmVhnQ91Ay2_r1hyphenhyphenBwpJEuTs8Utp0ieONc48uH-T418WI4K3gP_yep-kF4YSlspKefhpb7bWhQ8yDD-zQSBaMteXXj/s400/DSC00909.JPG" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Macarons - I'm coming for youuuuuuuu! </td></tr>
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A few weeks back I had the privilege of attending the Delicious Food Show in Toronto put on by the Food Network with my beloved friend Jen. I've been attending these shows more often not only because they feature ample amounts of deliciousness but also because it combines two of my loves: food and event planning (which I went to school for).<br />
<br />
The show's goal was to showcase the <a href="http://deliciousfoodshow.com/">"Best in Cooking, Food & Kitchens"</a> and I truly felt that it delivered on that part. I quickly learned after having gone through the first aisle that us food bloggers were <u>VERY</u> easy to spot. We were the ones with ridiculous cameras around our necks, trying to balance multiple pamphlets while taking photos of everything that caught our eyes and still trying to play off that we weren't going to rush home and recount all of our thoughts to our audience. I had about 6 or 7 booths ask if I was a food blogger and at first I was shy about it but by the end, I was darn proud of it. I love blogging and it's become such a phenomenon that I can't deny it's a huge part of who I am.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Caramel Apple Pie & Skor Cupcakes from Cupcake Diner</td></tr>
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I found it very interesting that the show had a few food trucks actually inside the show. Toronto still hasn't quite caught on to the food truck revolution the way other major cities have (especially in the US) but it's nice to see that they're slowly making their way north of the border. I sampled a cupcake from the Cupcake Diner (Skor, I believe) as well as a delicious soft serve ice cream cone that tasted like creamsicles (and had a very dreamy driver to boot! HA! Double delicious!). There were so many neat things to see that it was very hard to avoid going into sensory overload but I had a great time.<br />
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However, while we were there, we stopped at a booth that was fantastic on so many levels: <a href="http://www.bobbetteandbelle.com/">Bobbette & Belle</a>. <a href="http://www.bobbetteandbelle.com/bandbstory.html">Allyson & Sarah</a>, who own the business, are the most lovely people ever! Not only do they have amazing looking artisan pastries and confections but after chatting with them for a few minutes, you really can't help but want to be best friends with them and take them home with you! Naturally, I had been holding out on buying macarons at the show but I caved with <a href="http://www.bobbetteandbelle.com/macaron.html">Bobbette & Belle's</a> and I wasn't disappointed. I bought some pistachio ones (surprised are you?) as well as milk chocolate caramel ones and they were superb! Check out some of their creations: <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTc_71epyi_6zCxWDB_Lymj_tBZmwQrxSGr9yIXUGnrEiagkCvBdFze6V7UAfHhL413nQFVKEmhOj6VFwTbHvZ_62Q5r6l_x5xZPYnun0nG8n06MKj4UgyTyJlfkrbfMV3SA6WfymiFffm/s1600/DSC00918.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTc_71epyi_6zCxWDB_Lymj_tBZmwQrxSGr9yIXUGnrEiagkCvBdFze6V7UAfHhL413nQFVKEmhOj6VFwTbHvZ_62Q5r6l_x5xZPYnun0nG8n06MKj4UgyTyJlfkrbfMV3SA6WfymiFffm/s400/DSC00918.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgS30xv6N-tQl6wMKverZxDeCKIOccB93kqlo3z5BMmmmhHxe8lMlQPC-ApHK-X9qz3-ZLfkZ7ynFiXr0Re4YeaWnq5DKLmj1RQd9IexsSoZGB4g-EDYLNF04KnWv7tl0UeY2FDl37GbD-/s1600/DSC00920.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgS30xv6N-tQl6wMKverZxDeCKIOccB93kqlo3z5BMmmmhHxe8lMlQPC-ApHK-X9qz3-ZLfkZ7ynFiXr0Re4YeaWnq5DKLmj1RQd9IexsSoZGB4g-EDYLNF04KnWv7tl0UeY2FDl37GbD-/s400/DSC00920.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
Here are some other photos from the show as well:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhypjziu6yOQHa3PK6laxeYBZ9Hvv2ouvfvTYcJNUQBgFhRR3R3CNcs_tVb2EH0m6llHUkDTh5Fq-k1Zt_33wFD5_Y2hDfHww_YSP6v_uDYs47n5szNcgss-1ItWEtBZnV2XfmEmewftrMy/s1600/DSC00914.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhypjziu6yOQHa3PK6laxeYBZ9Hvv2ouvfvTYcJNUQBgFhRR3R3CNcs_tVb2EH0m6llHUkDTh5Fq-k1Zt_33wFD5_Y2hDfHww_YSP6v_uDYs47n5szNcgss-1ItWEtBZnV2XfmEmewftrMy/s400/DSC00914.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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If this show happens again (which I'm sure it will), I highly recommend that you grab some comfy walking shoes and go! It was well worth it!<br />
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Happy Sunday!<br />
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tTamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06523433810148756350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3519650367030392268.post-74778632243997175942011-11-06T00:41:00.001-04:002011-11-06T00:41:48.867-04:00Macarons : versions 1 and 2 and a book review too!How long has it been that that I've been going on and on about my love of macarons? Weeks? Months? Regardless, I decided that this past week was really time to do it! I've been attending a few of food shows in Toronto over the last little while as well as having discovered a local bakery that makes macarons and frankly, I was getting tired of paying disgusting amounts of money for them.<br />
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Thus far, I am in LOVE with pistachio macarons - this is why you have all been subjected to photos of pistachio paste and the like. Well I am proud to say that it is finally happened... Macarons have been born in my very own kitchen from my very own hands... TWICE this week! Allow me to explain.<br />
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Earlier this week I decided that I was going to finally do it. So I whipped out the lovely book that I bought a few weeks ago entitled <i>Macarons</i> by Bérengère Abraham:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKiIiYLFhqekeFM7q7Y8XA2EAq-hA2vMEzZdu44Ae5jxIP2fSLw0cCu_wvUZYTaMxs1M1C67JhSqDRGLKN6WcEYerCyn5JvD5UtmmFaMJhx8z_-nDoBHTGi6fvVwQ5QJ2On8YaKJuBTj7b/s1600/Macarons-Abraham-Berengere-9781846013836.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKiIiYLFhqekeFM7q7Y8XA2EAq-hA2vMEzZdu44Ae5jxIP2fSLw0cCu_wvUZYTaMxs1M1C67JhSqDRGLKN6WcEYerCyn5JvD5UtmmFaMJhx8z_-nDoBHTGi6fvVwQ5QJ2On8YaKJuBTj7b/s400/Macarons-Abraham-Berengere-9781846013836.jpg" width="395" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo Credit: <a href="http://www.betterworldbooks.com/macarons-id-1846013836.aspx">Better World Books</a></td></tr>
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I got this book at a great price and was glad that it had a recipe for pistachio macarons so I gave them a try. Keep in mind, this recipe calls for the egg whites to be refrigerated for 24 hours prior to being whipped, plus the macarons need to sit (once piped) for an hour and pretty much burped and swaddled while I'm at it! As my darling pastry chef on retainer, Sophie, claimed "this recipe has come from the ancient archives of Le Cordon Bleu...." - a place where recipes never come out ever again except in this book. I followed the recipe to a T!!!! and this is what I ended up with:<br />
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Yup... we ended up with lovely little green martian clouds. Granted DELICIOUS ones... but nonetheless, these look NOTHING like what is on the cover of the book (see above!). I was crushed...heartbroken and defeated. Poor Sophie was constantly being texted with updates and the messages of sadness... She vowed to give me her recipe on our next visit so that I could try again. While I accepted this gracious offer, I wasn't quite ready to give up just yet! That being said, I'm not even willing to show you process pictures of how these disasters were made! I feel that pathetic about them! <br />
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This morning I did some wonderful scoping of <a href="http://www.youtube.com/">Youtube</a> videos and came across a video tutorial from <a href="http://www.finecooking.com/">Fine Cooking Magazine</a> on <a href="http://www.betterworldbooks.com/macarons-id-1846013836.aspx">how to make the perfect French macaron</a>. I watched the video featuring chef Joanne Chang and instantly knew I'd found the recipe that would bring me success. Watching her in the video helps IMMENSELY and I recommend that everyone watch it! <a href="http://twitter.com/jbchang">Chef Joanne</a> has saved my (macaron) life! <br />
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I didn't take process photos for fear that today's batch was failure round 2... thankfully it wasn't. Welcome to the world my wonderful little macarons!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg7zsXrkuAdO369R_wL6yHmJBpWerWRUTNInGDCliAouwglKevXleWRz4wx2qS2TSK3M-CZo2Egs0DDq38xPxQ1VPDnQr5U-3e9QO_ssLYvgrc7UxmSlmlxiWbg4He-2Sd6ygejz-lQ7dA/s1600/DSC00948.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg7zsXrkuAdO369R_wL6yHmJBpWerWRUTNInGDCliAouwglKevXleWRz4wx2qS2TSK3M-CZo2Egs0DDq38xPxQ1VPDnQr5U-3e9QO_ssLYvgrc7UxmSlmlxiWbg4He-2Sd6ygejz-lQ7dA/s400/DSC00948.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Prior to baking - crusted over and ready for the oven</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp9ucldlMxuD-IHCl4dlUvZQxh8w7ebJR2pCSsMk0VXK8HKDxyQwmkIGDvE6KWknr4yfvtWVmU818GJZ3TxgKvpyL94O5Bo1rjdaLKY4DF6XgWT6mUKW-IfajRSMgxzV5y50IAYbl_6xKo/s1600/DSC00954.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp9ucldlMxuD-IHCl4dlUvZQxh8w7ebJR2pCSsMk0VXK8HKDxyQwmkIGDvE6KWknr4yfvtWVmU818GJZ3TxgKvpyL94O5Bo1rjdaLKY4DF6XgWT6mUKW-IfajRSMgxzV5y50IAYbl_6xKo/s400/DSC00954.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I LOVE YOU MACARONS! </td></tr>
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I will admit that they could have had a little more strong colour and have been a little less cooked but I don't even care! There is absolutely no comparison to my previous martian clouds to these bits of heavenly goodness... I mean really!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5se81YnuHMoxkAV0KruqAX1ftOY4msBd_Pkp7jgplzAZJY8e_QUKCMg6mbOLgZ1gEZ7hmimq9Z4N0Yykz0pQjqwt3WJqsbOIEldxrRQdvBF4HnIDxs5y-GQ955zcAaha8OxRaWsoJVysh/s1600/Comparison+Cookies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5se81YnuHMoxkAV0KruqAX1ftOY4msBd_Pkp7jgplzAZJY8e_QUKCMg6mbOLgZ1gEZ7hmimq9Z4N0Yykz0pQjqwt3WJqsbOIEldxrRQdvBF4HnIDxs5y-GQ955zcAaha8OxRaWsoJVysh/s400/Comparison+Cookies.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Now, back to my book review.... this book did provide me with one valuable recipe: the pistachio cream filling. HOWEVER while the filling is AMAZING and I would most likely make it again, it is tiresome and grueling to say the least. Watch the process here:<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimH6E4lXuWmqOfgXopHF2iKXoL1GSDhbXWirkR9Z3zr3_v0rAkeVMuXxrTFLFsOvpyPJcS567JQVE8Ycu5Th6fZXo_jL5Lm6eU4VyzDrp2pQPAFuX5_2JX_o6eIwxjcX0U0DUZHKfZOhll/s1600/DSC00926.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimH6E4lXuWmqOfgXopHF2iKXoL1GSDhbXWirkR9Z3zr3_v0rAkeVMuXxrTFLFsOvpyPJcS567JQVE8Ycu5Th6fZXo_jL5Lm6eU4VyzDrp2pQPAFuX5_2JX_o6eIwxjcX0U0DUZHKfZOhll/s400/DSC00926.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Step 1 - Boil Pistachios</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSITUY-XLzLzNWwcW6sHs0QT8HR77Eje7L7SPh5d0LLO-laYd2WViHqzfL89MfvVyJRbB5Wr-srDSvkhtPJCmDqb6AogB4HQ1YVRVx1mDIs-rv7KD4c6cyEoKruK-SOr13Jzs89ZXBjl4D/s1600/DSC00927.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSITUY-XLzLzNWwcW6sHs0QT8HR77Eje7L7SPh5d0LLO-laYd2WViHqzfL89MfvVyJRbB5Wr-srDSvkhtPJCmDqb6AogB4HQ1YVRVx1mDIs-rv7KD4c6cyEoKruK-SOr13Jzs89ZXBjl4D/s400/DSC00927.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Post-boiling... peeling of skin has begun</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIsOfFcaiUDFUNRxkA-md2uZxdxs7-plV1qjr4nQ-WYRSZOPmrLtwPOhBI3Ex3VYw2RULuNwhjRBOXdmmbrWHDm4RVvYGZ48Ws_EcT77HLSto6ok7bROMNzhxvBEDpWnHS9WgM__GFIeTg/s1600/DSC00929.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIsOfFcaiUDFUNRxkA-md2uZxdxs7-plV1qjr4nQ-WYRSZOPmrLtwPOhBI3Ex3VYw2RULuNwhjRBOXdmmbrWHDm4RVvYGZ48Ws_EcT77HLSto6ok7bROMNzhxvBEDpWnHS9WgM__GFIeTg/s400/DSC00929.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mmmmm - pistachio skin</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9OitR-hPtpbf14njTrwNhGJQyhcztwyDTYnfJu4ymC0iy16-lrSMin9R-7zZJWhJg7bP_OYiwAnLLIjz7_5QZzDmOJQlxp_JanjRWwsoR0eWd5FkpiCR6zmilzwj1yej-WgNB3zxeczcN/s1600/DSC00931.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9OitR-hPtpbf14njTrwNhGJQyhcztwyDTYnfJu4ymC0iy16-lrSMin9R-7zZJWhJg7bP_OYiwAnLLIjz7_5QZzDmOJQlxp_JanjRWwsoR0eWd5FkpiCR6zmilzwj1yej-WgNB3zxeczcN/s400/DSC00931.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pretty peeled pistachios</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjubWj-zqzgopS7ixxcqnCbXiS_ilU59bdKhjnf6MH8e6WI5rrRRQ_OI48L6IEXZVBW1Y1FG7SVXOAjL5rtKXvDU6i5jkQzkFM8eqilSzwrY6IjInLjTsnH3WAO_zXiG0ijVlhC1WK1gWbj/s1600/DSC00932.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjubWj-zqzgopS7ixxcqnCbXiS_ilU59bdKhjnf6MH8e6WI5rrRRQ_OI48L6IEXZVBW1Y1FG7SVXOAjL5rtKXvDU6i5jkQzkFM8eqilSzwrY6IjInLjTsnH3WAO_zXiG0ijVlhC1WK1gWbj/s400/DSC00932.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Then dry roast peeled pistachios</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhPxXyelVJuzqhyphenhyphenxNHhIlWPo6TlYpZBB6LzHts_Dgkiqx9Xq2HYIUSMAT2MDaGzOiqzJ7Crfx8Ohyphenhyphenvs4rhV1cAUSiVq6Ektvz1vnhK4sgsat9P1SEKes6reyr9rdbJI1jrHe32nKUVLRnn/s1600/DSC00933.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhPxXyelVJuzqhyphenhyphenxNHhIlWPo6TlYpZBB6LzHts_Dgkiqx9Xq2HYIUSMAT2MDaGzOiqzJ7Crfx8Ohyphenhyphenvs4rhV1cAUSiVq6Ektvz1vnhK4sgsat9P1SEKes6reyr9rdbJI1jrHe32nKUVLRnn/s400/DSC00933.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Then boil sugar and water</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj-Y3mlSP9TuTDOswvq4ptvGgBAbq5XtxjvRvlPIqfOlW6t5V9Ah6XgXNwtcfTx66wLIStj9G0nhaLKIr8CBzaSFvyfjfhiw9igAvkcyi3x9WuWfRL7fVHkQ6WT3rr1T-ZUxpO0MoNMwFj/s1600/DSC00934.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj-Y3mlSP9TuTDOswvq4ptvGgBAbq5XtxjvRvlPIqfOlW6t5V9Ah6XgXNwtcfTx66wLIStj9G0nhaLKIr8CBzaSFvyfjfhiw9igAvkcyi3x9WuWfRL7fVHkQ6WT3rr1T-ZUxpO0MoNMwFj/s400/DSC00934.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Then add pistachios and stir until awkward looking</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRlYKv0GRCoTAgCowhSb-DVFtH7Nc7IaCtKgR9vEV1LTME7nhcg0DtrtVZ2vxWghZkWWEztGwbJcMaCC86h__eXPqo8C0umxniCFnIob6AiQuZycmzaIHkaHH_Mwh5OmSisF6XAklb-CBZ/s1600/DSC00935.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRlYKv0GRCoTAgCowhSb-DVFtH7Nc7IaCtKgR9vEV1LTME7nhcg0DtrtVZ2vxWghZkWWEztGwbJcMaCC86h__eXPqo8C0umxniCFnIob6AiQuZycmzaIHkaHH_Mwh5OmSisF6XAklb-CBZ/s400/DSC00935.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Then pulse to oblivion in food processor until crumbs form. Add in 1 egg white...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXttQhiy9upJDzSJMfGWlWcdLgGSLVNfngR4sfm48HYdv371HG7wPGrFuJAfS9AqWK0ah06tfwBtRiOjZSmaWC7Qja9T9e5VsOn9jxttMVKaNbdNETwuHyZyI1jI6BMCfKZD6ruvmIv6Mx/s1600/DSC00936.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXttQhiy9upJDzSJMfGWlWcdLgGSLVNfngR4sfm48HYdv371HG7wPGrFuJAfS9AqWK0ah06tfwBtRiOjZSmaWC7Qja9T9e5VsOn9jxttMVKaNbdNETwuHyZyI1jI6BMCfKZD6ruvmIv6Mx/s400/DSC00936.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Voila! Pistachio paste... which will be added to other ingredients to make pistachio cream (and you thought we were done!)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaJNrMBnmD1T9WCvTWyoSRZnRPmq5bE0yXxMJVmz1ZZ4-h4rKYvY3Uio3koXV3AodsCefk63iA1war3NWLTWexg-H3XJ6fMPbNzxZT_jcWnuTL94T_hIVHx5Euq4fxyqYbCBZv-kcGknfa/s1600/DSC00937.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaJNrMBnmD1T9WCvTWyoSRZnRPmq5bE0yXxMJVmz1ZZ4-h4rKYvY3Uio3koXV3AodsCefk63iA1war3NWLTWexg-H3XJ6fMPbNzxZT_jcWnuTL94T_hIVHx5Euq4fxyqYbCBZv-kcGknfa/s400/DSC00937.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Add pistachio paste to 35% cream and cook until disgustingly hot</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwueer1B48RvgFcY8IN6i-mJyyWZ19KypK-7nIapd47UsEu42_POIk96zM99Zy-CBS5VODzlFbz_Azp4Qq7RcORqqKB6obApMR6Mc5DhyCskQiPRzf3YRE010hkYsTGFoHpDueHIjywLbc/s1600/DSC00938.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwueer1B48RvgFcY8IN6i-mJyyWZ19KypK-7nIapd47UsEu42_POIk96zM99Zy-CBS5VODzlFbz_Azp4Qq7RcORqqKB6obApMR6Mc5DhyCskQiPRzf3YRE010hkYsTGFoHpDueHIjywLbc/s400/DSC00938.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Add a couple of other things and voila! Now you're done... kinda. Put it in the fridge to cool.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
This delightful filling is simply piped between two cookies and then they're sandwiched together. Without any further delay, here they are in all of their beautiful and artistic glory!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIjfKlxkwkhHLEi58qSrkg-9B8dYV4mmBbuuf-dgY-JMehkRzbtjKoxeIoAKmbsc6H1kfYJbrE0vcHXAycH-uxFlhJw55s_ofRLdpQAYh0va2H-edf5He3oYHjAKIKtxNd1OMjMiF_c5Kh/s1600/DSC00962.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIjfKlxkwkhHLEi58qSrkg-9B8dYV4mmBbuuf-dgY-JMehkRzbtjKoxeIoAKmbsc6H1kfYJbrE0vcHXAycH-uxFlhJw55s_ofRLdpQAYh0va2H-edf5He3oYHjAKIKtxNd1OMjMiF_c5Kh/s400/DSC00962.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is what happens when you peel the macarons off the parchment paper a little too early</td></tr>
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I am in love... and on that note. Good night :)<br />
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Sleep sweet and eat sweet!<br />
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tTamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06523433810148756350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3519650367030392268.post-2226085393460297412011-10-26T16:30:00.000-04:002011-10-26T16:30:00.217-04:00Mushroom Turnovers & a Busy WeekendI truly can't believe how quickly this past weekend flew by. I look forward to being able to just relax and veg for a bit and unfortunately this was not one of those weekends. However, it was full of adventures all around that made it all worth it.<br />
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Friday night was spent with my baby brother, Jordan, who will very politely and proudly tell you that he is "5 and three quarter years old". We had a sibling sleepover which was full of mac'n'cheese (<a href="http://novicegoddesskitchen.blogspot.com/2010/11/i-have-died-and-gone-to-mac-n-cheese.html">Mrs. K's recipe</a>) and movies and snuggles all around. Honestly, how cute is he!!??!?<br />
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Then, on Saturday morning we headed to <a href="http://www.andrewsscenicacres.com/index.php">Andrew's Scenic Acres</a> to pick out some pumpkins. I learned the hard way that when going to get pumpkins at the patch, bring more than on adult because almost 6 year old children do NOT like to help carry pumpkins. That being said, we did have quite the adventure :)<br />
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After our patch adventure, there was some serious pumpkin carving (photos to follow) and then I headed off to the Delicious Food Show at the Better Living Centre in Toronto. I promise there will be an entire post about it within the next few days.<br />
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On Sunday, our family got together to remember my Grandfather (my Dido) since it's been a year since he passed away.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baba, Dido and I in early 1989</td></tr>
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We had a lovely lunch together and I whipped up some mushroom turnovers to bring over to Baba's house. I'm sorry to say that I didn't take any process pictures but the end result was delightful. <br />
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Here's the quick rundown of how I made them.<br />
<ul>
<li>Bring your puff pastry to room temperature (frozen puff pastry makes this RIDICULOUSLY hard to say the least). </li>
<li>Slice 1 pint of mushrooms</li>
<li>Melt 1 tbsp of oil and 1 tbsp of butter in a saute pan and add 1 small onion and 1 clove of finely chopped garlic. Cook on medium heat until softened. Add 1 tsp of fresh thyme leaves. </li>
<li>Stir in 3 tbsp of marsala wine and 1 tsp of maple syrup. </li>
<li>Add the sliced mushrooms and 1/4 tsp of salt. Saute until the mushrooms are soft and cooked through. </li>
<li>Stir in 3 tbsp of heavy (35%) cream and cook until a thick sauce is made. </li>
<li>Roll out your puff pastry into a 9 x 13 rectangle. Cut the rectangle into 12 square-ish rectangles. </li>
<li>Add one spoonful of filling to the middle and fold the square in half and pinch the edges. </li>
<li>Place on a baking sheet and brush with a beaten egg. </li>
<li>Bake at 400F for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. </li>
</ul>
Ta-Da!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look at the delicious layers of pastry! </td></tr>
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I hope you all enjoyed your weekend and that it was slightly more relaxed than mine.<br />
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Happy cooking!<br />
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tTamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06523433810148756350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3519650367030392268.post-41392508713968676752011-10-23T22:28:00.000-04:002011-10-23T22:28:31.285-04:00Foodie Find - Progressing towards Pistachio MacaronsI just came across this fantastically easy recipe for making pistachio cream which is the fundamental component of the pistachio cream in my new favourite macarons.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo Credit - <a href="http://www.cooking-ez.com/recette.php?id=325">Cooking-ez.com</a></td></tr>
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Check out their recipe at <a href="http://www.cooking-ez.com/recette.php?id=325">http://www.cooking-ez.com/recette.php?id=325</a>.<br />
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Happy Baking!<br />
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tTamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06523433810148756350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3519650367030392268.post-71350799444191651572011-10-21T16:30:00.000-04:002011-10-21T16:30:02.030-04:00Lambs & Grass CupcakesMy cake and cupcake orders have calmed down over the last few months and needless to say that when I was approached for an order recently I couldn't say no! Even more so, the order was for the 1st birthday party of one of the little girls that I babysit, Ellie!<br />
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Ellie's Mum, Claire, sent me an e-mail with a few photos of what she was looking for and a few specifications of what she wanted. The request list was for cupcakes that looked like little pink lambs, some with some grass and a few mini cupcakes with some pink frosting for the little birthday girl! I later learned that Miss Ellie is notorious for taking her pink lamb everywhere with her hence the pink lamb cupcakes.<br />
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The mission was on and I have to say I am so delighted with how they turned out! Half of the cupcakes were carrot and the other half were vanilla.<br />
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<br />For any cupcake/cake orders or inquiries, please contact novicegoddess@hotmail.com.<br />
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tTamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06523433810148756350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3519650367030392268.post-63044028517269761152011-10-19T16:30:00.000-04:002011-10-19T16:30:00.312-04:00Foodie Find - Halloween CakeYou guys know without a doubt how much I love the "My Cake School" blog. Not only are their posts informative, but sometimes they're just so darn cute, it makes you want to go and bake up a storm! Well, their <i>Cute Ghost Topper & Pumpkin Border</i> cake is no different! I think this may have to make an appearance at work for our Halloween party! It's boo-tiful! (I couldn't resist... I apologize!)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTUXQemxOUuwgqaLrTpZ5eTxHxWkpGx9s3nHhV69tWvY-N7pZtliKN5yMx2Go16a8q0l6x2Jq2I6parDHmDaR_jU6bUqkNKE0IKZ95h-A9WWWReatXfPIwLu8825zp-7UJi9F0o-oWqJBX/s1600/ppppIMG_4462.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTUXQemxOUuwgqaLrTpZ5eTxHxWkpGx9s3nHhV69tWvY-N7pZtliKN5yMx2Go16a8q0l6x2Jq2I6parDHmDaR_jU6bUqkNKE0IKZ95h-A9WWWReatXfPIwLu8825zp-7UJi9F0o-oWqJBX/s400/ppppIMG_4462.jpg" width="286" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo credit: <a href="http://www.mycakeschool.com/blog/trick-or-treat-how-to-make-a-ghost-topper/">My Cake School</a></td></tr>
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Happy almost Halloween!<br />
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tamaraTamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06523433810148756350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3519650367030392268.post-86641676010998792252011-10-16T17:00:00.000-04:002011-10-16T17:00:01.303-04:00Canada's Baking & Sweets Show<span id="goog_1548787342">On October 1st, 2011, I attended the first ever Canada's Baking & Sweets Show! As per the show's <a href="http://canadasbakingandsweetsshow.com/ca">website:</a></span><br />
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<i>'Welcome to Canada’s Baking and Sweets Show – the first consumer show
of its kind in North America dedicated to those who crave to experience
everything that’s decadent and delicious. It’s a one-of-a-kind event
catering to baking enthusiasts and everybody with a “sweet tooth”.</i><br />
<i>Expect to see, smell, taste and savour the best offerings of Canada’s baking and sweets universe.'</i><br />
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This show was so much fun! The darling Jessica K (aka <a href="http://jkavanaghevents.blogspot.com/">The Wedding Girl</a><i>)</i>, her lovely sister, Olivia and I were there bright and early on the 1st just in time for the show's opening. We had a great time taking pictures and seeing not only the delicious things you could buy, but the cake competition as well as all of the different baking and cooking tools that you could buy!<br />
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This was the show's first time running, and I do think I speak for both myself and the Wedding Girl when I say that I hope that this show happens again next year and that it continues to grow in size and in the number of exhibitors. I think the show was especially exciting for Jess and I because it combined our absolute love of baking with our educational background in Special Events Planning.<br />
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The show really had quite a nice mix of vendors selling baked goods (especially for those with allergies and sensitivities), tools and services. I felt that there was a great balance and that the set-up of the show really allowed you to interact with the exhibitors without feeling too crowded.<br />
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I personally was drawn to the <a href="http://goldaskitchen.com/">Golda's Kitchen</a> booth as well as the <a href="http://www.bonniegordoncollege.com/">Bonnie Gordon College of Confectionary Arts'</a> booth! I have always loved going to Golda's and now I'm trying to find a way to save enough money to take a few classes at the Bonnie Gordon school!<br />
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Here are some photos of the delicious cakes that were found throughout the show. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwqUOrZEj4ZZi2h_EFx5zQAiGM502LrDhBBOlMW4OuKtbL7acZHAZNsayryBtoCNcmF5Gj9pFi_tKM3cYTvxG5m9-N_A7TYtuCfWxGr_yNS4nmfznwNw9eA-IViZynuotno4gYTf689_XV/s1600/Baking+Show+Collage.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwqUOrZEj4ZZi2h_EFx5zQAiGM502LrDhBBOlMW4OuKtbL7acZHAZNsayryBtoCNcmF5Gj9pFi_tKM3cYTvxG5m9-N_A7TYtuCfWxGr_yNS4nmfznwNw9eA-IViZynuotno4gYTf689_XV/s400/Baking+Show+Collage.jpg" width="400" /> </a></div>
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Happy weekend! </div>
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<br /></div>Tamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06523433810148756350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3519650367030392268.post-55080051760128883992011-10-13T22:14:00.002-04:002011-10-13T22:17:46.327-04:00Foodie Find - Baby GarlicI really had intended on posting this when I found it just over a month ago but I completely spaced out on doing it. Here's the story!<br />
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My mum is an avid gardener - and I do mean AVID! When we moved into our current house there was very little garden to speak of. In our few years here Mum has transformed our backyard into an absolute jungle oasis! This summer, while she was weeding, Mum pulled out what she thought was a weed, but it turned out to be garlic in miniature form. I'm assuming it was just really young garlic but it truly was the cutest thing ever. The little bulbs were all perfectly formed and it smelled like a slightly less pungent version of the standard garlic that you find at the grocery store.<br />
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And with that I give you baby garlic! How can you not be in love!?!?!<br />
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