Canyon Southwest Cafe - Florida

Canyon Southwest Cafe

http://www.canyonfl.com/
1818 e. Sunrise Blvd.
Fort Lauderdale, Fl
954 765 1950

I'm always up for trying new restaurants. Canyon's in Fort Lauderdale serves up sophisticated and modern Southwest cuisine - some of the best I've ever eaten.  I love the flavors and its so unfortunate that Southwestern isn't that popular in Montreal like it is in the US.



Move over Bobby Flay! (I'm serious)
 

Now, these guys absolutely, under no circumstances take reservations. They are well worth the wait and I'd do it again week after week. 
Both times we went, we were told that there is a 40 minute wait but I did not wait for more than 25 minutes. Here at Canyon, it's small and packed with a hip atmosphere. They have a crowded or "cozy" bar area (as it is affectionately described), where patrons often enjoy the signature drink The Prickly Pear Margarita. Prickly Pears are Cactus Pears - Google 'em. Anyway, I loved it! It was fuity and pink with that salty/sour rim.  This nice couple walked in - looked like regulars - They started some small talk with us and urged us to try this drink! They ordered two at a time for themselves...yes, they had 4 Prickly Pear Margaritas for themselves at one time..lol..So, we tried them..Geez, they must be good!!  and ...just 'cause they're pink and fruity doesn't mean that its exclusively a girly drink. All the men were having one too! There's tequila in there you know ;)


The cuisine is modern southwestern with asian, south + central american influences.

We tried a variety of dishes since we went there twice..:)

As appetizers we had the :
-Blue Corn fried Oysters with Cilantro Cream - Only the interiors were served, no shell They were breaded with blue corn flour - crispy and the cilantro cream just added to the wonderful, light "new" flavor.
-Sweet and Spicy Calamari with thai honey dressing- they were great. The sweet and salty flavor, with a hint of Thai inspired spice!
-Finally...the best thing on the menu!! Comal Grilled Red Chile Chicken Tostada with grilled chicken, goat cheese crumbles, caramelized Bermuda onion , all topped with baby arugula, avocado, serrano chile, white truffle crema! OH!!!!! The flavors were so distinct, so clear! It was a real party in my mouth! The goat cheese and arugula, the sweetness of the onion , the cool avocado..all served on a crispy corn tortilla..it had everything you would want in a dish -  incredible guys.


Some great main courses:


Beef Tenderloin Tip Burrito , very tender- with red chili sauce, red pepper, mushroom, Bermuda onions and Mozzarella.
Comal Grilled Black Florida Grouper, served with swiss chard and potato mash, Chipotle cherry tomato chutney.
and finally, there's always someone in my gang who orders the Filet mignon and as usual, it did not dissapoint! - served with poblano pesto (ai-ya ya!) , goat cheese, zinfandel sauce, micro cilantro chive potato. 
     *ai-ya ya - A Mexican exclamation of glee 


We had a side of Yucca sticks. Yucca is a veggie that has a similar texture to a potato. So it was kinda' like Yucca fries. I had never had them before and they were a great change- They were just a little more firm than potato fries.


We didn't have dessert because we really overate but next time I go I will surely have the Chocolate Bread Pudding..can you imagine??


Enjoy Canyon guys!

Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza

Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza
http://www.anthonyscoalfiredpizza.com/
17901 Biscayne Blvd.
Aventura, FL 33160
305.830.COAL (2625)

Oh my goodness! Oh my goodness! Oh my goodness!

I cannot even put into words how great this place was..They're motto is "Pizza - well done" and it suuuuuure is.

Book your flight, pack your bags...make your way to Anthony's !

They don't take reservations and are packed every single night of the week! There is a 20 minute wait but its well worth it,let me tell you.

Their pizza is on the "well cooked" side literally.  The crust is traditional (not too thin) and crispy. The dough was honestly great on its own..The reason I know this is because my fiance, Andre has a funny way of eating his pizza. He eats the cheese and toppings first and eats the bare crust last..He was like, " try this crust , you won't believe it..try it !!" He was right! The coal-fire must enhance the flavor.

They have the traditional pizza as well as a few special ones like, meatball pizza and arugula pizza, broccoli and sausage pizza, fresh mozzarella and tomato...and many more....


What to eat at Anthony's:

-Pizza - Duhhh

-Anthony's italian Salad - big enough to share

-Side order of Sausage and Broccoli Rabe - wonderful...just wonderful..Both times we went, my dad kept saying..."ohhh just add some pasta to this and it would be even better....just add pasta....." lol

-Side order of Meatballs served with a side of ricotta and fresh basil leaves (They were like my mother's meatballs. Even SHE said it was like her meatballs!! )

**Beware! Side orders are really big and can be shared between 2 to 3 people.
Visit their web site and check out their menu.... http://www.anthonyscoalfiredpizza.com/

Barton G. The Restaurant

Barton G. The Restaurant

http://www.bartong.com/restaurant/

1427 West Avenue

Miami Beach, FLA

(305) 672-8881

Now....This was a fun place! In fact, it was so fun, we went twice.

Barton G has a vibrant bar scene so make sure to have a drink while you wait for your table! You'll most surely have to wait a little because this place is packed every night including Monday and Tuesday..they never rest.

At Barton G. you'll find partons of all ages, from young, hot and single to couples and even some families with kids. However, don't let the fact that there are a few families with children give you the impression that place is not "happening". It is! I don't know why but it does not affect the vibe at all!!  This ain't no TGI Fridays! The food is exquisite and the atmosphere is hip.

The menu is extensive including a really interesting cocktail list including their signature Sub-Zero Martinis. The cocktail arrives with "smoke" billowing out of it, like dry ice. The martini itself is partially frozen so its not like regular ice...its the alcohol that's actually frozen so it stays really cold 'til the very end and your drink never tastes watered down - Must try!

The menu items have interesting names...they intregued me so much that I wanted to order everything! For example...the "Disco Grouper" or the "Lobster Pop-tarts". Then, when we got our orders, we realized that it wsn't only the names that were special..Check this out:

The lobster and cheese pop-tarts were served in a toaster - cute, eh? They were excellent.

Lobster and Gruyere in a lovely flakey crust, served with a trio of sauces - Hallandaise, Brandy Tarragon and Lemon Caper.

 

My Disco Grouper. It was pan seared black grouper with sweet curry and brioche panade, sauteed arugula, cherry tomatoes and grilled Honshimiji mushrooms...There were actually different colored lights under the dish , giving it a disco look :)

 

So not only do the dishes served at Barton G look good and sound good, they taste even better!

My fish was tasty and perfectly cooked..the next time I went I had filet mignon and it was perfect too. I got a little gravy boat shaped like a cow..lol so cute. Oh, they had a great wine list too! You can't pass up the chance to try this place. You'll have a blast.

Devito - South Beach - Florida

Restaurant Devito South Beach
http://www.devitosouthbeach.com/
150 Ocean Drive
South Beach, Florida
(305) 531-0911

Hello Everyone!

I didn't know what to expect from this restaurant. Danny Devito is the owner...seemed pricey, the menu was interesting but very long. Meaning, that there were too many different things on the menu and not all Italian.  I honestly thought it would be commercial. I really wanted to go because my father bears a striking resemblance to Mr. Devito himself. Its no joke - we get stopped everywhere! I guess I was expecting a reaction from the patrons or staff. However this was the one place that he got absolutely NO attention! It makes sense if you think about it 'cause, they've seen the "real Danny" more than once! However when we went to Joe's Stone Crab, people sitting accross the bar asked the bartender if my dad was Danny Devito and he said "yes, but don't go up to him, he doesn't like that" lol too funny!

Anyway, the restaurant was striking - brick walls, television screens built into the wall , framed like a painting, showing classic black and white movies; beautiful marble tables.. but best of all everything we ate was to die for so I was definitely proved wrong about this place. The terrace was really beautiful too. I would have loved to eat there but it was too cold for me that night.

I had the Burrata Mozzarella
Charred Roma tomatoes, basil salsa, grilled eggplant, crostini as a starter which is a fresh Italian cheese, made from mozzarella and cream.

My mom had the Sicilian Crab Cake - which was one of the best I've ever tried.

Jumbo lump crab, tomato, arugula, garlic aioli, chili vinaigrette, they were really great!

Andre had the 2 Big Eye Tuna and Foie Gras Tacos with Chipotle aioli

As you can see from the picture above, even the cutlery was beautiful.

For my main I had Rigatoni - Sunday Gravy

Meatball, sausage, country ribs, San Marzano gravy,whipped ricotta. This really hit the spot! I was in the mood for comfort food.

Andre had the 12 Ounce Barrel Cut Filet with a side of fries It was perfectly cooked.

My sister had the Four Cheese Pear Tortelloni

Pear, Mascarpone, Ricotta, Pecorino, truffle, Zambagiano, Parmigiano. It was great, the slight sweetness of the pear went so well with the creamy, cheesy sauce.

The dessert was super fun. This is the new thing, it seems, to have fair food..here, cotton candy, cheese cake lollipops and mini banana zeppole. Soooo good. 

Make sure to check out the web site to view pictures of the restaurant and to view their extensive menu.

Check this place out the next time you're in the Miami area. Its a little pricey so be prepared :)

Swiss Chard Lasagna

Hello,

You gotta try this fast, easy and somewhat healthy recipe. I say "somewhat" because well....the only really healthy part is the Swiss Chard. The original recipe calls for a lot of Asiago Cheese, a little Mozzarella, one cup of Ricotta and some Romano cheese. That's a whole lot of cheese and lets face it, can be pretty fattening. So, I changed it up putting mostly 2% shredded mozzarella and only a little Asiago.  When it came to the Ricotta, I used regular Saputo.  Light Ricotta is unacceptable and non-fat Ricotta is simply a crime. Please, I don't even know what it is... :(

So basically if you love cheese, this recipe is for you!  The creamy, gooey rich texture of the mozzarella, cream and ricotta married so well with the fresh basil and light garlic flavor of the swiss chard.... It was so well balanced and just heavenly!  I had it last night, today for lunch and now I'm craving it again. This is major comfort food, people.

Option: I had a small piece of lasagna paired with a grilled chicken breast. Swiss chard goes well with Chicken.

Swiss Chard? C'est quoi ca?

This leafy veggie is known as Bette à Carde in French and Bietola in Italian. This is one of my grandmother's favorite things to make.

Chard belongs to the same family as beets and spinach. Swiss Chard is a tall leafy green vegetable commonly referred to as Swiss chard (and scientifically known as Beta vulgaris). (sounds nasty)
Chard has a crunchy stalk to which fan-like wide green leaves are attached. The leaves may either be smooth or curly, depending upon the variety. - Check out the health benefits below - there are tons

Ingredients- Serves 4

• 6 no-boil lasagna noodles - depending on the brand and your baking dish , you may need more
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
• 1 large bunch Swiss chard, finely chopped, leaves and stems separated
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 + 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
• 1/4 cup heavy cream - you can use 10 or 15% cream - don't sweat it
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese - I prefer Romano
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil + extra for garnish
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 7 ounces asiago cheese, shredded (about 2 cups) I used 2 cups of 2% Mozzarella - Asiago has too much of a strong smell for my liking.
• 2 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 1/4 cup)  I used 1/4 cup of Asiago

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Soak the lasagna noodles in a bowl of hot water until they begin to soften, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chard stems and garlic and cook until golden, about 4 minutes. Add the chard leaves and cook until wilted, about 3 more minutes.

Mix the ricotta, cream, egg, Parmesan, basil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste in a small bowl.

Brush a 2-quart baking dish with oil and add 3 noodles in a single layer. Top with half of the ricotta mixture, chard and asiago. Repeat with the remaining noodles, ricotta mixture, chard and asiago. Cover with foil and bake until the cheese melts, about 20 minutes. Remove the foil, sprinkle with mozzarella and bake until bubbly and golden, about 5 more minutes.

Before serving your lasagna, garnish each piece with chopped fresh basil, and drizzle a little bit of good quality olive oil. It adds another dimension of flavor. - Trust moi!

Health Benefits
Both the leaves and the roots of Swiss chard have been the subject of fascinating health studies. The combination of traditional nutrients, phytonutrients (particularly anthocyans), plus fiber in this food seems particularly effective in preventing digestive tract diseases. Our rating system awards Swiss chard with excellent marks for its concentrations of vitamin K, vitamin A, vitamin C, magnesium, manganese, potassium, iron, vitamin E, and dietary fiber. Swiss chard also emerges as a very good or good source of copper, calcium, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, protein, phosphorus, vitamin B1, zinc, folate, biotin and niacin.


I love this recipe - Enjoy!

Super-duper Double Chocolate Cookies with Peppermint-chocolate Drizzle

Hi Guys!

These chocolate cookies are THE most decadent cookies I've ever tasted!

The cookie recipe is from the Food Network Chef, Nigella Lawson. She's the pretty one from the UK! When you watch Nigella on the "telly", you'll see that she has the power to inspire...maybe its the British accent. I don't know.

Anyway, her original recipe does not include the drizzle. You may choose not to use it but I just love the subtle mint flavor.

They are made primarily with dark chocolate (70%) so they're not too sweet.

Everyone who knows me knows that I'm a huge fan of great cookies, especially the staff at Trattoria Mundo. I'm sure that I'm known as the annoying cookie girl because I never want the cake or other desserts on the menu. I always ask for cookies :)

Cookies are under rated. Prepare these for your next dinner party.
With so many guests asking for "a verrry small piece"...."gimme a sliver" , a cookie like this is perfect, wouldn't you say??  They're pretty big, so you could serve one with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream with a mint leaf on top! I just thought of that now...mmmm.
No dinner party? No ice cram? Have one with a glass of milk - they are so rich and chocolaty, you'll need one! You'll roll your eyes in delight with every bite..hey, that rhymed :)

Since many items are measured in grams, I use a small electronic scale to weigh my ingredients which I picked up at Ares Kitchen Supplies.  I strongly recommend this method for best results. Conversion is complicated and tedious.


Ok now,  practice your British accents, Ladies and Chaps! 

That's right, you must read the recipe aloud in British...I picture people doing this and it makes me giggle..

INGREDIENTS

125g dark chocolate, minimum 70% cocoa solids (I use Baker's chocolate - about 4 squares + 1 quarter square)

150g flour

30g cocoa, sieved

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

125g soft butter

75g light brown sugar

50g white sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 egg, cold from the fridge

350g (1.5 to 2 bags) semi-sweet chocolate morsels or dark chocolate chips (check how many grams are in each bag)

METHOD

1.	Preheat the oven to 170C (Approx. 340F). Melt the 125g (about 4 squares and a quarter of baker's chocolate squares) dark chocolate either in the microwave or in a heatproof dish over a pan of simmering water.
2.	Put the flour, cocoa, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a bowl.
3.	Cream the butter and sugars in another bowl. (I use my hand held mixer, itself an odd source of comfort to me.) Add the melted chocolate and mix together.
4.	Beat in the vanilla extract and cold egg, and then mix in the dry ingredients. Finally stir in the chocolate chips.
5.	Scoop out 12 equal-sized mounds – an ice cream scoop and a palette knife are the best tools for the job – and place on a lined baking sheet about 6cm apart. Do not flatten them.
6.	Cook for 18-20 minutes, testing with a cake tester to make sure it comes out semi-clean and not wet with cake batter. If you pierce a chocolate chip, try again.
7.	Leave to cool slightly on the baking sheet for 4–5 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack to harden as they cool.

Serving Size : Makes 12

FOR THE GLAZE
75g icing sugar
1 x 15ml tablespoon cocoa, sieved
2 x 15ml tablespoons boiling water
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract

Combine ingredients in a saucepan. Heat until combined.
Using a teaspoon, zig-zag the glaze over each cooling cookie


Cheerio, Mates!

Simple and Elegant Sauteed Shrimp in Pernod

Shrimp in Pernod is now my favorite way to eat this crustation these days! My dad makes this once and a while; it's his specialty


What is Pernod, you ask?
Pernod is a french liqueur that has a light black licorice flavor - Lighter tasting than Sambuca.

I personally don't like black licorice flavor at all! In this recipe however, it tastes great. Maybe its the Pernod or the cooking process - don't know :) So if you're not a fan of the flavor, give this a chance anyway.

This recipe great to serve when you have guests over because:

1- its not your usual shrimp dish
2- its quick to put together in a hurry
3- can look very elegant

People that have tried it, love it..We have to beat Alex (my sister's boyfriend) off with a stick! My friend Giovanna made it at Christmas and got rave reviews! Here goes...


NOTE:

Recipe Serves 4

Must be cooked in batches, 6 to 8 shrimp at a time.

Ingredients

-Approximately 24 medium sized shrimp.
-Olive oil
-1 Bunch of green onions - roughly chopped

-Pernod

Directions

Drizzle approx. 1 tsp of olive oil into a medium sized, non-stick frying pan.
Heat on Medium
Sprinkle approx 1tsp of the chopped green onion into the pan
Add  6 to  8 shrimp at a time in the pan and saute until they begin to turn pink. (do not over crowd pan)
Add a splash of Pernod and toss with shrimp

Remove contents of the pan into a serving dish.

Repeat same method with remaining shrimp.

Add salt to taste.

Enjoy it! I do.

Mini Caramelized Banana Cheesecakes (Sucre brûlé on top)

Its so good , so decadent, so crispy!

The Recipe...

 Topping

 Have a bag of white sugar near by - for the brulé topping.

 2-3 bananas (not too ripe)

 1 chef's torch (or any torch you have lying around lol)

Crust

1 box of Oreo crumbs to make pie crust. Follow directions indicated on the box.

You'll need:

1 1/4 c. chocolate cookie crumbs

3-4 tbsp. butter, melted

Either press the crumb mixture into the bottom of the 12 ramekins - (about 2 tbsp or so per ramekin) or press crumb mixture into a 9" spring form pan.

For Cheesecake

• 2 pounds cream cheese at room temperature
• 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 5 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

1. For cheesecake, beat cream cheese until fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl often. Add brown sugar in 2 additions, beating well after each addition. Beat in butter. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat well after each addition. 
2. Pour mixture into your pan or divide equally into your ramekins
3. Bake cheesecake in a water bath: place spring form pan into a baking dish and pour hot tap water around it, to come halfway up the pan.  
4. Bake for 30 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F. and bake for another 30 to 40 minutes, until filling puffs just slightly around edges but still moves a little in center when shaken.
5. Remove pan from water and allow to cool for 2 hours before refrigerating overnight. Cheesecake will set.

See, place your ramekins in a "bain marie" as shown then pop them in the oven!

n. , bain-ma·rie 
A large pan containing hot water in which smaller pans may be set to cook food slowly or to keep food warm.

Start with 2 bananas. Slice them into thin slices, like disks and place them as shown but try to flatten them  so that they're flush or lower than the edge. Press down gently. I didn't do the best job here ..lol..

Spoon a generous amount of sugar over the bananas.

Gently and carefully torch your sugar until it begins to bubble and turn a lovely amber color. 

Serve within 2 hrs. 

The cheesecake may be made ahead of time and refrigerated, however make your banana and sugar topping before serving. 

Note:

(once refrigerated for a couple of hours, the sugar topping will liquify, unfortunately)

----------------------------------

Great Option: 

Drizzle caramel over the cookie crust, before you pour your cheesecake mixture in.

I know...in the pic I'm not drizzling but DRIZZLE!

Here's the recipe for the caramel. Caramel made this way is the best. Do not buy store bought caramel its just not the same. 

I'll be honest, I messed up the first time. My caramel burned and solidified in my little pot...with the spoon in it! I just walked a way for a minute or two! It became like, rock-hard, solid as rock!!..I had to soak it for 2 days. It was like freakin' Sword in the Stone!

Ok , second time's a charm...here goes. 

(It bubbled over a little into my burner, but I still succeeded!) 

Caramel

• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tablespoon corn syrup or lemon juice
• 1 cup whipping cream

1. For caramel topping, combine sugar, water and corn syrup or lemon juice in a pan. Bring to a simmer without stirring and cook, uncovered, until it turns a rich amber color. While cooking, occasionally brush down the sides of the pot with a brush dipped in cool water.

1. Once sugar has reached desired color, remove from heat and carefully stir in whipping cream (watch out for the steam and bubbling). Return to medium heat and simmer until reduced by a third, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Chill until thickened but still fluid, about 15 minutes.

It makes a lot of caramel but I'm sure you'll find something to do with the rest. :)

Teaser!! Mini Caramelized Banana Cheesecakes (Sucre brûlé on top)

Hi Guys!

If you love cheesecake, bananas, an Oreo crust and creme brulee...you will loooove this recipe. This actually has nothing to do with creme brulee though, except for the crispy sugar coating over my sliced banana topping.

I discovered this recipe at a great restaurant which was a favorite of ours. I say "was" because unfortunately it is now closed. It was called Savannah and they were specialized in Southern Soul food with a sophisticated side - kind of Soul food haute cuisine, if you will.  They had a fantaaastic wine list - reasonably priced. The menu was complete with lots of seafood - especicically Crab dishes, spicy shrimp,  gumbo.... they had the best ribs, collard greens, black eyed peas...the whole nine yards! On their brunch menu, they even had Grits!! (Does the mention of grits remind you of "My Cousin Vinny" too?? lol)  - I truly miss you Savannah!

You can make individual cheesecakes, like me or you can make a full sized cake with this recipe.

I used 12 medium sized ramekins (3" in diameter) / or use a 9" spring form pan.


To make the "brulee" sugar topping like the professionals, you should have a chef's propane torch. They're small and easy to use like this one, which I googled. You can find one at Ares kitchen supplies http://www.arescuisine.com/ or at Tzanet http://www.tzanet.com/en/contactus.html
 

However, if you don't have a torch, you can put them in the oven on broil until you get the desired result. Keep your eye on it though! It doesn't take much for it to burn.


Well.......I didn't have a torch so my boyfriend lent me his. As it is not meant for cooking, it was a little bigger ..lol..

 Say hello to my little friend..

I kinda' burned a few along the way.

What do you expect with this freakin' flame thrower!?


Luckily, I had 12 mini cheesecakes to do...lotsa' practice!





Dialog overheard..."Adjust the valve!" 
"The flame is too high...now its too low!"  You're too close....you're too far...move faster!!...It's burning! SHUT IT OFF, I DON'T KNOW HOW!!" ..."YOU BURNT MY EYE! " 
(just kidding - no humans were harmed during this recipe and no eyebrows missing)


They were still excellent but a little on the dark side.

Naan Bread - A l'Italiano

Helloooo,

This easy recipe is a new favorite...so versatile!

What's Naan, you ask?

Naan is a leavened, oven-baked flatbread. It is one of the most popular varieties of South Asian breads and is particularly popular in the India, Afghanistan, Iran, United Kingdom, Pakistan, and the Xinjiang Region of China, where it is considered the staple food.

....and you can't forget that Naan bread is soft, comforting, goes with anything and is usually served warm.  You'd wanna rub them on your cheeks on a cold day.

Its actually Emeril Lagasse's recipe (BAM!) I love him, as you must know by now. However I changed it up and made it "a l'Italiano" .I can't understand it..it was like a compulsion! I couldn't leave them plain.
I had to top them with stuff - must be the Pizza gene.

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon dried active yeast
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 cup warm water, about 110 degrees F
• 1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more as needed while kneading
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup clarified butter or vegetable oil, plus 1 teaspoon

Optional:

• Fresh Rosemary and Thyme - leaves removed and finely chopped
• 2 cloves of minced garlic
• Olive oil
  

Directions

In a glass-measuring cup, combine the yeast and sugar. 

Add the water and stir well. Let rest until foamy, about 5 minutes. Sift together the flour and salt into a large bowl. Make a well in the center of the flour and pour the yeast mixture and oil into the center. Mix together with your fingers until a smooth dough forms, working in a small amount of additional flour as needed. Knead for 3 minutes.

Oil a small bowl with the remaining butter or oil. Place the dough into the bowl, turning to coat, and let rest until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Divide the dough into 6 pieces and gently roll into 6 circles on a lightly floured surface. Bake on a baking stone, or a lightly greased baking sheet, until just golden brown and puffed, about 12 minutes.

Now, after I rolled out my dough, I brushed the dough with olive oil, minced garlic,

Sprinkled Rosemary and Thyme

 

I made some plain ones too and when they were hot outta the oven , I brushed melted butter on them.

SO GOOD!

I have to admit something. I think I overcooked my Naans because they were crispy and they're supposed to be softer.

Next time they'll be better!

Enjoy!

Braised Kale with White Navy Beans

Hi Everyone, Its me again!

This recipe is great because its tasty, comforting, easy but best of all its SUPER healthy! Oh! and its a vegetarian dish.













Ingredients:

• 1 slice of bacon or pancetta, diced (Optional)
• 1/2 cup of canned white navy beans or similar - drained and rinsed with cold water.
  
• 1 or 2 cloves of minced garlic
  
• 2 tbsp of olive oil
  
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 bunch kale, stemmed and torn
• 3/4 cup chicken stock ( you may want to use a little more)

Instructions:
-(Optional)Saute the bacon/pancetta in a deep pan or Dutch oven over medium heat until rendered, about 5 minutes.
-Add the olive oil and when the oil is hot, add onion and cook until translucent, 6 to 7 minutes.
-Add the garlic and saute until fragrant.
-Add the greens, and saute until wilted, about 4 minutes.
-Add the chicken stock and beans, cover and gently braise over low heat until tender, about 40-45 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve with anything from seafood, fish, chicken or even on its own with some fresh crusty bread.

Health Benefits:

Kale is rich and abundant in calcium, lutein, iron, and Vitamins A, C, and K.  
Kale has seven times the beta-carotene of broccoli and ten times more lutein. Kale is rich in Vitamin C not to mention the much needed fiber so lacking in the daily diet of processed food eating Canadians. The "Icing on the Kale" (haw-haw) are the natural occurring phytochemicals -  sulforaphane and indoles which research suggests may protect against cancer. Let's not forget the all important antioxidant Vitamin E. Convinced yet?

Today I went into our kitchen at work and told some friends that I had made this Braised Kale with white beans and most of them looked at me and said "Braised what?!"Its too bad that most people aren't familiar with these super healthy leafy greens. My grandmother made leafy greens a lot so I was lucky to be exposed to them from a young age..Try this recipe with Escarole or even Swiss Chard (Beta Cadre).  Give it a try and you'll be surprised how great and comforting this veggie can be :) I served mine last night with grilled chicken breast and my warm "Italianized Naan Bread" (recipe coming up)..soooo good.

Mamma Rosa's Crespelle (savory crepes for manicotti)

Hi friends,

A friend of mine, Lucy, was asking if I had a recipe for Crespelle, which are savory crepes used to make manicotti. So, its like instant fresh pasta! I told her that I definitely did have this recipe. It's from my friend's mom.
We'll call her Mamma Rosa :)

You can buy ready-made manicotti shells but they are a far cry from the wonderful soft and light texture of crespelle. When prepared the traditional way, stuffed with ricotta and baked in tomato sauce, they soak in the flavors and the texture is " like butta' " They melt in your mouth!

Best of all, they are a sinch to make and can be made in advance and frozen. - stacked with parchment paper in between each crepe.

A bit of history...

Crespelle are the Italian equivalent of crepes. Though the preparation now has a certain ring of elegance to it, in the past crespelle were considered poor people's food. The change came in 1895, when Henri Carpentier, Maitre at Montecarlo's Café de Paris, prepared them at the table for the Prince of Wales. Edward named them after his lady friend -- Crepes Suzette.

Don't you love these interesting little factoids? You can add this to your repertoire of useless information. lol

-----------------------------RECIPE------------------------

Yeilds approx 20-25 crespelle.

Ingredients:
3 cups of flour

5 eggs

3 cups of milk ( but Mamma Rosa uses water instead because she finds the milk makes the batter to thick )

Pinch of salt

PAM cooking spray - it woks best with this recipe.

Cookware:

non-stck frying pan

ladel

Instructions:
In a medium sized bowl, combine the above mentioned ingredients and mix with a wire wisk

Set the heat to medium.

Preheat your non-stick frying pan ( I use a 9" pan). That's the size I want my crepes to be and it ensures size consitency.

Spray some PAM into your pan

With a ladle,  pour the batter into the pan.

Then, swish your pan around so that the batter coats the bottom of the pan evenly.

**The crepe is meant to be paper-thin so it won't take long for the crepe to set.

Flip it over. The flip-side will literally take seconds to cook.

**They are meant to remain pale only very slightly golden (do not brown them)

Remove from heat and the next one.

**You can make a few crepes before having to spray the pan again with PAM.

Notes:
The batter is meant to be thin enough to be swirled around...if its too thick , add some liquid to your batter

Also, if the batter is setting too quickly for you to swirl it, your heat may be too high. (depending on cooktop and pan, tempreatures may vary) On my gas cooktop, I must put it on medium-low.

My first crepes of the batch are always thicker than the rest, 'cause I adjust the heat, the consistancy etc..
So don't worry, you'll get the hang of it.

Suggestions:
Then you stuff them with your favorite filling and bake! (spoon your filling onto the crepe and fold 2 edges around the stuffing - like a cigar or rather like a cannoli :) - Place into your casserole dish - seam side down)
If you're making traditional manicotti with ricotta stuffing and topped  with tomato sauce and melted cheese,
the dish will be ready when sauce is bubbling and cheese cheese on top is melted.
(I use tomato sauce but my buddy, Chef Vito of Trattoria Mundo's uses Butter Cream sauce.)

Enjoy!
Thank you Mamma Rosa!

Chocolate Charlotte Russe VS. the original recipe

Hi guys!

Happy New Year!!

  So, my father-in-law was talking about his favorite dessert again, the Charlotte Russe.

It is a very old recipe. In fact, many bakeries don't even make it anymore so they are hard to come by. Although, he's ordered a few in the past, he claims that none came close to the one he enjoyed as a child, in Trois Rivieres, Quebec. He often reminisces about it, especially around the holidays. He says he used to walk by the local bakery and admire the Charlotte Russe in the window. His family didn't buy this dessert often back then so it was a real treat when he did get to have some.

This dessert has taken many forms over the years and it changes from family to family and region to region. It’s basically a layered dessert made up of sponge cake, fruit, Jell-O or jam, and whip cream. Although many of the ingredients change, the one "constant" is that it is lined with lady fingers. My father-in-law remembered it as a layer of sponge cake, whip cream, fruit (including pineapple) and Jell-O.
 

So, due to the lack of acceptable Charlotte Russes, he decided that he was going to make one exactly the way he remembered it! He was determined! Problem? - he didn't have recipe and he doesn't cook. lol...So I offered my help, my kitchen and I even found him a recipe online to base himself on but he decided that he would make it on his own. He wanted all the glory! Truthfully, I was disappointed because all that talk about cake, whip cream and Jell-O got me in the mood to try it for myself.  
 
My fiancé André, assumed his father's cake would be an utter disaster and challenged him to a competition.  He wanted me to make a chocolate one (of course). His dad accepted the challenge and in the words of Dane Cook,  it was on! - complete with "trash talk" and shameless SPYING!  (My fiancé did the trash-talking and my father-in-law did the spying..lol...I just made my cake)

My Charlotte had a layer of chocolate cake, a layer of chocolate pudding (mixed with a tsp of gelatin). When the pudding set, I added a generous helping of whip cream. I framed the cake with chocolate dipped lady fingers and added fresh strawberries on top. I then tied a pretty bow around the cake for the cookies to hold.

(if you want the complete recipe, let me know!)

Here's the pudding

Here are the three layers, the cake, the pudding and the whip cream.
I added more whip cream afterwards.

So, on January 2nd we were having our New Years party so, so both cakes were presented and family members were asked to vote on their favorite Charlotte. We even had a trophy that the kids made out of Lego...  :-D

Although our cake was pretty and chocolaty, my nieces and nephews voted for their Grandfather's cake and that's fine by me. (I later found out that my father in law actually voted for my cake :)


History of the Charlotte Russe

Charlotte Russe is a dessert invented by the French chef Marie Antoine Carême (1784-1833), who named it in honour of his Russian employer Czar Alexander I (russe being the French word for "Russian"). It is a cold dessert of Bavarian cream set in a mold lined with ladyfingers.

The Winner! - The traditional Charlotte Russe. Pretty hu? but a little like the tower of Pisa, eh?? I'm only slightly bitter about my loss..lol

If anyone wants either recipe, post your request!