tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30962831254986161992024-03-21T14:04:05.059-07:00Lilibeth in the KitchenLilibeththeMommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06763916585602630128noreply@blogger.comBlogger48125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096283125498616199.post-997927179893945352013-08-21T22:31:00.001-07:002013-08-21T22:31:36.711-07:00Simple, Yet EffectiveSimple, yet effective. What more could you possibly want in a meal? Well ok, I guess delicious is an important factor too, but I've got that one covered with this recipe, I promise. Tonight I thought I would make some spaghetti aglio e olio, but I changed my mind cause I like to put chili in that one and I'm just not feeling it tonight. Soooo, I went with linguine cacio e pepe, instead. In English, that simply means cheese and pepper linguine.<br />
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I am not the biggest fan of pepper, but my husband is, and he tells me it's hereditary, so I humour him and make this for dinner sometimes. All you need is pasta, cheese, butter, olive oil, pepper and salt, -most of which you probably already have in your kitchen, which is why this dish is perfect.<br />
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<b>Linguine Cacio e Pepe</b><br />
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1lb of linguine<br />
1/8 cup of coarsely ground fresh pepper (from your pepper mill)<br />
very generous pinch of kosher salt<br />
1/4 cup of Pecorino Romano (or any Romano)<br />
1/2 cup of Parmigiano-Reggiano<br />
6 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil<br />
6 tbsp of unsalted butter<br />
1/2 cup of starchy pasta water<br />
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I think that the cheese really makes or breaks this dish, so I try to use a nice Parmigiano-Reggiano, but if I don't feel like spending a million dollars on cheese, I'll skimp on the Pecorino Romano and just get whatever Romano is in my comfort zone, price-wise. So if you want to impress your dinner companions, go all the way and splurge on some truly excellent cheeses, you won't regret it.<br />
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Bring some water to a boil in a stock pot, and while that's heating up, toast the pepper in another pot on medium heat, just for half a minute or so. It will start to get very peppery and delicious smelling in your kitchen, but resist the urge to stick your nose in the pot to take a big whiff or you will end up choking/sneezing/coughing rather ungracefully.<br />
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Next, add the olive oil and butter. It will bubble up beautifully and smell delicious! Once your butter is all melted, remove your pot from heat for now.<br />
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<br />Once your water is boiling, ad a very generous pinch of kosher salt to it (I like it cause it's less intensely salty) and throw the linguine in. 9 minutes should do it. Before you throw out the pasta water, make sure to scoop out half a cup to save for later.<br />
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Drain your pasta and add it to your pepper concoction along with 1/4 cup of the pasta water. I like to turn the heat on medium low while I mix it up (use tongs, it's easiest). Take it off the heat and add your cheeses. You can save some of the parm for garnishing your dish later, or you could just grate some more afterwards, up to you.<br />
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<br /><br />Yes mum, cheese is high in cholesterol, and butter and olive oil is fat. Don't worry, we don't eat this every day. (My mother is a dietitian and most likely disapproves. hahaha)<br /><br />A nice cherry tomato and bocconcini salad would pair perfectly with this.<br /><br />Enjoy!<br />LilibeththeMommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06763916585602630128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096283125498616199.post-11225714563780617842012-06-25T11:38:00.000-07:002012-06-25T11:43:08.860-07:00Cravings & Creations Part 2Growing up, my sister had a part time job at Monsieur Felix & Mr. Norton, so this meant I could eat as many cookies as I wanted! My favourite cookie of all time was the Caramelo: chocolately, gooey, with hunks of delicious melted, caramel throughout! The edges of the Caramelo were always a bit crispy with baked caramel -the tastiest part! Anyway, when I came across a recipe for Rolo Chocolate Chip Cookies on Pinterest the other day, I knew I had to make them, because I knew I would fall in love! Plus, the recipe looks so incredibly decadent and bad for you, that you just know it's going to be marvelous! It makes three dozen cookies, and the only thing I would change about this recipe is, the next time, I would make it with mini Rolos and put four in each cookie! I say this because the cookies I decided to put two Rolos in instead of one, turned out to be yummier.<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Rolo Chocolate Chip Cookies</span></b><br />
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1 1/2 cups of unsalted butter, softened (See? Decadent!)<br />
1 cup of granulated sugar<br />
1 cup of brown sugar<br />
1 tbsp vanilla<br />
2 eggs<br />
3 3/4 cup all-purpose flour<br />
2 tsp baking soda<br />
1 tsp Kosher salt<br />
1 1/2 cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used mini chocolate chips)<br />
1 bag of frozen Rolos (frozen for at leat 2 hours. You have to unwrap a bag of Rolos individually, so if you're lazy, buy a few rolls instead, but it's less cost effective)<br />
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Preheat your oven to 350<span style="font-family: Mako, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">°F.</span><br />
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On medium speed in your mixer, beat together the sugars, butter, vanilla and eggs until fluffy. Next, mix in the flour, baking soda and salt. Fold in the chocolate chips by hand, using a wooden spoon.<br />
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Scoop out the dough into 1.5 tbsp balls, then flatten them and place one or two frozen Rolos into the centre. Roll it back up into a ball. Place the dough balls on a cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, or until they are very slightly brown.<br />
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Since they are so filled with gooey yumminess, you'll have to let them cool on the sheet for five minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. Enjoy!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look at the caramel on the bottom!!! Yummmmmmm!</td></tr>
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<br />LilibeththeMommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06763916585602630128noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096283125498616199.post-27227646018033057072012-06-23T22:38:00.002-07:002012-06-23T22:38:35.731-07:00Cravings & Creations Part 1When I'm bored, it can get very dangerous. Not in a fearing for one's life sort of way, but more of a fearing for the disappearance of one's waistline kind of way. As you have probably gathered by now, today was one of those days! My hardworking husband had to go into the office on this rainy/cool turned sunny/warm Pride Weekend Saturday, so I decided to turn the apartment into my own personal kitchen dance party. On the menu tonight was Pancetta & Portobello Mushroom Risotto, and Chocolate Chip Rolo Cookies! I blasted the music (first some 90s R&B) and sang Boyz II Men at the top of my lungs while chopping and simmering and taking pictures to share with you. My gorgeous friend Kaye shared this recipe with me a few months ago, and I will forever be grateful because it's one of my favourite dishes of all time now. <span style="background-color: white;">It takes about an hour, if you're a quick prep chef.<br /><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br />Pancetta & Portobello Mushroom Risotto</span></b><br /><br />2 1/2 tbp of unsalted butter</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;">125g of Pancetta thinly sliced</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;">250g Portobello Mushroom Caps chopped</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;">6 cups good quality chicken stock</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;">1 cup of white wine</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;">1 small yellow onion diced</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;">2 cups of arborio rice</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;">1 or 2 cloves of garlic finely diced</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;">1/2 lemon rind, finely grated</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;">1 cup grated parmesan</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;">black pepper to taste</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">Take half your butter and melt it in a heavy pan, I like to use my big Le Creuset, and cook the pancetta for 5 minutes, until brown. Next, add the mushrooms, and stir for 10 minutes until soft. Transfer your pancetta and mushroom mixture to a bowl and set aside.</span><br />
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Now bring your chicken stock and wine to a boil in a saucepan, immediately bring to a simmer.<br />
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Next, melt the rest of the butter in the heavy pan, and soften your onions for ten minutes. Add your garlic for the last minute, then add your arborio rice. Stir until the rice is nicely coated in butter, then add your pancetta mushroom mixture.<br />
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This is the part that takes patience, because at this point, everything smells SO GOOD. I take a small glass measuring cup and dip it into the wine chicken stock, to scoop up about half a cup of broth and slowly add it to the rice mixture. Keep stirring and allowing the rice to absorb the broth slowly. Repeat this for the next 20 minutes, until all your broth is gone, and the rice has absorbed most of the liquid.<br />
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Remove from heat and add your grated parm, pepper to taste, and your lemon rind. I never add salt because I figure the pancetta and parmesan cheese are plenty salty, but feel free to do so.<br />
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All that's left is to dish it out, add some parmesan on top if you wish, and devour! Stay tuned tomorrow for part 2: Rolo Chocolate Chip Cookies, and a fun way to eat leftover risotto!<br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>LilibeththeMommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06763916585602630128noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096283125498616199.post-41269084952816095542012-05-01T12:25:00.002-07:002012-05-01T14:01:29.614-07:00Lasagna Cups?! Can I Get a "What-what!"Alright, I know it's been literally a year since I last posted, but don't worry, the cooking hasn't stopped! I just had to take a hiatus from blogging for jewelry-making, travelling, learning how to drive, and life in general! The posts won't be as frequent, but I will try to update with fun, yummy things every once in a while. My husband saw my laptop open to three different recipes (from Pinterest), and this particular one caught his eye. I could never refuse that excited face, so into production it went!<br />
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<b><u><span style="font-size: large;">Lasagna Cups</span></u></b><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">Bolognese Sauce (of course, you can use your own recipe!)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 tbsp olive oil</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 small onion</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 pound lean ground beef cooked and drained</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 small zucchini, diced</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 cloves garlic, minced</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">6 oz. can tomato paste</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">8 oz. can tomato sauce</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 tbsp dried basil</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 tbsp dried oregano</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 bay leaf</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 tbsp sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">salt & pepper to taste</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Cheese Filling</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;">10 oz. tub Philadelphia Tomato & Basil Cheese Cooking Cream </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;">1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;">3/4 pound mozzarella cheese, grated & divided</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;">1/3 cup ricotta cheese</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;">1/2 teaspoon pepper</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;">1 egg</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;">21 lasagna pasta sheets</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;">1/4 cup white wine</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;">Parchment paper or aluminum foil, muffin tin</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The state of my counter.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brown your ground beef!<br />
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Brown your ground beef and set it aside. Next, saute your chopped up veggies in olive oil for 5 minutes on medium high heat, or until soft. Add the meat and tomato paste, stirring very well. Next, add your diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, bay leaf and a quarter cup of water to your sauce. I added a generous splash of white wine too, but you don't have to. Add your herbs, and simmer on low heat for at least 30 minutes. (covered, but not sealed with the lid)</div>
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While your sauce is cooking and getting more flavourful by the minute, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a pinch of salt just before it starts to boil, and a tablespoon of olive oil to prevent the pasta from sticking. Then add your lasagna sheets one at a time, cook them for only 10 minutes, and drain immediately. I laid all but 12 of my lasagna sheets out on a cutting board, the rest I left in the colander so I could briefly rinse them in cold water before rolling them into cups.</div>
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Set your oven to 350 degrees farenheit, and make your cheese mixture! This is easy if you've bought pre-shredded packs of cheese. It will be slightly more laborious if you have to shred the cheese yourself (which I did, because I'm cheap, and the blocks of cheese were cheaper than the shredded bags!) Dump everything into a mixing bowl and mix it up really well. </div>
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Now, line your muffin tin with either pieces of parchment paper or aluminum foil. I used foil because it stays put and holds the cup's shape better.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pasta sheets in boiling water</td></tr>
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Roll your lasagna into tubes, and place in your lined muffin tray. You'll want it to be wide enough to stick a spoon in.</div>
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Cut the rest of the lasagna sheets into quarters for layering.</div>
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Spoon about half a tablespoon of sauce into the bottom of each lasagna cup, then layer a piece of pasta on it. Add more sauce, and then the cheese mixture, and more lasagna, etc. Repeat until each cup is quite full. Finish with a layer of cheese. If you have leftover sauce and cheese, don't worry, we can use it for pretty plating later!</div>
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Once you're done layering, pop them in the oven for 25-30 minutes.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What it looks like straight out of the oven! Yum!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dinner is served!</td></tr>
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If you end up with extra sauce, you can spread some on the bottom of your plate, along with a dollop of cheese mixture in the middle, and plop your piping hot lasagna cup right on top of the cheese mixture! Or you can even spread some more bolognese sauce over top of your lasagna cup!</div>
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These are great, because you can really control your portions, and they're super easy to pack for lunch, -just pick it up with your hands and put it in a take away container. </div>
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My husband loves them and so do I! Lasagna Cupcakes, he calls them. :)</div>LilibeththeMommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06763916585602630128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096283125498616199.post-67192402581727167042011-05-31T00:04:00.000-07:002011-05-31T14:49:09.324-07:00Sweet Summer TreatsThis past weekend was the Memorial Day long weekend for the US, and since it was my very first one, I figured I might as well do something fun! We were kindly invited by our friends over to their house for a bbq, so I offered to bring the burgers and dessert. I made my own hamburger meat of course, because I like buying a higher quality ground beef, -which just means I know the beef hasn't been fed any hormones and the cuts of beef used are clearly labeled. It's easier and cheaper to buy pre-made patties, but I trust myself more than I trust a factory that churns out patties using unknown cuts of beef. Plus I honestly believe my burgers are yummy and simple! All you need for 10 burgers is 2 lbs. of ground beef, 2 tbsp. Montreal Steak Spice (or to taste), 1/2 cup bread crumbs, and 3 eggs. The pièce <i></i>de résistance of the weekend though, is something that my husband and I collaborated on: Jell-O Orange Slices! I got the idea from a friend of mine from San Diego who loves to eat! Thanks Di!<br />
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I am proud to say that although this project was my idea, most of the work was done by my wonderful husband! He sliced 6 Navel oranges in half (one was sacrificed for tasting), scooped out the insides, stored the pulp in a Ziploc bag, and even found a way to mend a punctured rind! He was also a superstar at cutting the actual wedges! In case you were wondering, we transported the halves in my trusty two-tiered cupcake carrier and sliced them on premises at the bbq. They were a hit of course, who doesn't love Jell-O?<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">To be used for strawberry-orange smoothies this week! Yum.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Will you choose the red slice, or the blue slice, Neo?</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can also be enjoyed frozen!</td></tr>
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</div>LilibeththeMommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06763916585602630128noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096283125498616199.post-47159352222474512742011-05-27T00:58:00.000-07:002011-05-27T11:03:57.692-07:00A Steak Affair to RememberHello friends! I know it's been a while, I have been a happily busy bee! Friends have visited, I left the country for a couple of weeks, and I aged another year. So, all good stuff! I haven't been too adventurous in trying new recipes because, let's face it, a lot of the things I discovered that I can make have been delicious, so I wanted seconds and thirds! Neither has there been much baking lately because I am way too good at it and sugar is way too addictive and binge-inducing. But as the weather gets ever warmer, my husband and I have inevitably started to crave grilled food. The first and most delicious grilled food that comes to mind is: Steak. Delicious, delicious steak. We don't have an outdoor grill yet, but there is always my trusty cast-iron grill pan, who has yet to make us regret cooking with her (her name is Marge). Tonight we ate flat iron steaks marinated in lemon & pepper, roasted potatoes tossed in olive oil, sea salt, pepper, garlic powder and parsley, and my husband's absolute favourite, boiled asparagus with a pat of butter and dash of sea salt & pepper. Unfortunately, I don't have a finally product photo because it was so good that we got way too excited to eat and then... ate it without documenting, which, in my opinion, is way better testimony of my cooking than a photograph! <br />
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First of all, it's important to get a really great and yet affordable cut of beef. I talk a lot and make friends very easily with random people on the street, so it wasn't hard to become buddies with my local butcher. His name is Carlos, and he is the sweetest! He always takes care of me, points me towards the best and most delicious deals, and feeds me all sorts of yummy samples! You should always trust a man who tells you what meat to buy so that you can "look like an even better cook to your husband"! Carlos is hilarious, and quite right! <br />
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Marinating your steak in lemon juice makes is softer, so you don't have to use a meat mallet. Add a little bit of freshly ground pepper, put it in a dish and cover it in tin foil over night. The next day, always take your steaks out of the fridge an hour before you cook them. They'll cook better, I promise you!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taking the chill off my meat</td></tr>
</tbody></table>While you wait for your meat, you can start your potatoes and asparagus. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees farenheit. Wash your asparagus and snap off the woody ends, set it aside. I like to use Yukon Gold potatoes, they're my favourite, so I peeled (optional) 3 small ones and cut them up into 1.5 inch cubes. Then I put them in a bowl and tossed them with a tablespoon of olive oil, a pinch of sea salt, a dash of garlic powder, a dash of pepper, and some parsley flakes. I like to get down and dirty with my hands and mix it all up, so that I can feel that all the potato pieces have been properly coated! Then you can throw them into a heat-safe baking dish and pop them in the oven for 25-30 minutes.<br />
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We like our steaks medium rare, so for a 0.5" thick cut, 3 minutes on each side on medium heat in a cast-iron grill pan should render the result I like. For a 1"-2" cut, 4-5 minutes should do it. Always remember that it's better to undercook rather then overcook -you can't ever take it back if you've cooked it too much! Finally, in a shallow pan, bring about an inch of water to a boil, add a pinch of kosher salt and throw your asparagus in until it's a nice, bright green, about 2 minutes. Drain and toss with a pat of butter and season it to taste.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mmmmm, so good.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Potatoes are my fave.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Ze0fqETG-DdEYLC6p0EcpoxBmCjf0h2Yadp05RpB9WoGOoG-XEwNTpyMDNoi8bOaAgSdOodLK-HlOhGaUVlAN5IHLNBj14Q_7SQTlgxPpWLzRloX2-xHayUOP8SNbw1HBsZ9aWDwYHk2/s1600/012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Ze0fqETG-DdEYLC6p0EcpoxBmCjf0h2Yadp05RpB9WoGOoG-XEwNTpyMDNoi8bOaAgSdOodLK-HlOhGaUVlAN5IHLNBj14Q_7SQTlgxPpWLzRloX2-xHayUOP8SNbw1HBsZ9aWDwYHk2/s400/012.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look at those beauties!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfuaSNhUl70NGgpaEwVme9rPQygcEFzkRTOrJDwpvcO8p9UhOZ8EalzE8Nh3A54gnYx1topug4ZZQ7DFq6B5LuQodTFmtuodjDj1FyQuK4juDgVAOeXiN4027IIR7gbFdu-MkZYopEHk-a/s1600/005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfuaSNhUl70NGgpaEwVme9rPQygcEFzkRTOrJDwpvcO8p9UhOZ8EalzE8Nh3A54gnYx1topug4ZZQ7DFq6B5LuQodTFmtuodjDj1FyQuK4juDgVAOeXiN4027IIR7gbFdu-MkZYopEHk-a/s400/005.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Edges are a bit more cooked than I like, but it was still delicious!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>I have to admit that I have really gotten the hang of this. Stay tuned this Memorial Day weekend for a cute and yummy summer dessert idea!LilibeththeMommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06763916585602630128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096283125498616199.post-85899170996082517052011-03-24T12:42:00.000-07:002011-03-24T12:42:44.635-07:00Six Months and CountingLast Friday we celebrated our six "monthiversary", the halfway mark of our first year of marriage. I think we've done pretty well, we seem to be fully household compatible! I thank my lucky stars that he is a very clean boy and I know he thanks his that I am slightly obsessive compulsive (all the labels must face forward and all the towels must be clean and folded/hanging properly at all times). The key to our domestic success started, I think, with our mothers. We were both raised in similar environments that coupled common sense with diligence. We respect each other's space and we respect our home. But I'm not going to lie: it helps that we have separate bathrooms! <br />
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Also, right from the get-go we established certain responsibilities in order to avoid resentment and hostility. Since I love cleaning, that is my domain, as long as he doesn't add to the mess, all is well. My husband's responsibility is the garbage and recycling. I do the groceries and cooking, and he does the bill paying.<br />
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We knew each other pretty well before we got married, but now we REALLY know each other. When you're just dating you get to see the final product, when you're both fully primped. When you're married, you get to see everything before the tooth brushing, face washing, nose hair plucking, hair straightening and nose blowing. It's awesome, there is now absolutely nothing that we don't know about each other's quirks, so the fact that we love each other more is astounding and extremely comforting.<br />
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I look forward to the many years to come, everyone tells us this is the easy part, so we are relishing and enjoying and taking everything one day at a time!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGr2VRiERyDCnDiiCvEhyjCVClqGI1pv4A5HZ3vBufBoWVL2cV0SRt9v5Wz6pifWWuGYwdVb2deuHJaiW-ZAsDWxio09EZZ7BSPCJdMXoFOHrvewv4kcRI27MVH50lTSVUNAatH_8RW19v/s1600/B%2526E_0476.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGr2VRiERyDCnDiiCvEhyjCVClqGI1pv4A5HZ3vBufBoWVL2cV0SRt9v5Wz6pifWWuGYwdVb2deuHJaiW-ZAsDWxio09EZZ7BSPCJdMXoFOHrvewv4kcRI27MVH50lTSVUNAatH_8RW19v/s640/B%2526E_0476.jpg" width="427" /></a></div>LilibeththeMommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06763916585602630128noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096283125498616199.post-41100276708560905202011-03-13T03:33:00.000-07:002011-03-13T03:33:22.983-07:00The Land of The Rising SunMy big sister lives in Tokyo. The only thing that could be worse than that right now would be if that statement read: My big sister lives in Sendai. Thank God she doesn't but my heart and prayers go out to everyone who has suffered loss. My sister hasn't slept very well since the big quake because of constant aftershocks and I haven't slept very well because I keep having earthquake nightmares. I've actually had Japan on the brain for several weeks now. As I am typing this post, I am sitting next to my big suitcase that is all packed and ready to go -to Japan. That's right folks, I am on my way to Tokyo in two weeks, I was originally planning to go in mid March but thankfully we decided that the end of March would be better, budget-wise. And yes, I am slightly obsessive complusive, so I pack my suitcases 2 weeks beforehand to see if my clothes, toilettries and in this case my sister's North American wish list, will fit properly. I am a very efficient packer, I never overpack or underpack and I fold everything so that every square inch is properly utilized if necessary. I even put my shoes in shoe bags and my undies in designated undie bags. My sister is also a bit OCD and safety oriented because she's getting me an earthquake pack for when I get to her house! It contains: a helmet, flashlight, knife, and sustenance. No matter what anyone says, I am looking forward to my trip and I can't wait to meet Japan and it's strong people! Thank you for yor prayers.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA3EqZdNw02eVREquqZa7XzrmTGrkegjLJQpzA_UennSXw6sNcAxQQv1CSQUmh9ZhuuwIJu8UosQK0FNQ6Aoc4VlmjC9izUf5USCFGGpVwMHm6ZOynV-kpoh3LKOSm_gJbVx1sNj2KX2ih/s1600/B%2526E_0525.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA3EqZdNw02eVREquqZa7XzrmTGrkegjLJQpzA_UennSXw6sNcAxQQv1CSQUmh9ZhuuwIJu8UosQK0FNQ6Aoc4VlmjC9izUf5USCFGGpVwMHm6ZOynV-kpoh3LKOSm_gJbVx1sNj2KX2ih/s320/B%2526E_0525.jpg" width="214" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgTmISRahKJVwXLc9RI6xHJufkX2agdSJpWKc2GvRVb_in3CBh_aYyrcfhVXtsW3wu9tfacf4R0PRIoUxHByj8YzAcA6YnXYKVK2lXH_uT4CHW3HLKKgAngEBV_nnjD4gNRDoTFc5bbGaV/s1600/cherry+b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgTmISRahKJVwXLc9RI6xHJufkX2agdSJpWKc2GvRVb_in3CBh_aYyrcfhVXtsW3wu9tfacf4R0PRIoUxHByj8YzAcA6YnXYKVK2lXH_uT4CHW3HLKKgAngEBV_nnjD4gNRDoTFc5bbGaV/s320/cherry+b.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>LilibeththeMommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06763916585602630128noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096283125498616199.post-26485625006906078672011-03-10T17:01:00.000-08:002011-03-10T20:25:54.790-08:00You Had Me At RabbitFor many years now, I have been obsessed with a certain adorable, fluffy creature called the rabbit. This may have stemmed from the fact that I was born on Easter Sunday nearly thirty-two years ago and all my presents had something to do with bunnies. I got my first bunny, Hoppity, twelve years ago and my life was forever changed. After he passed I was traumatized and depressed for many years. In fact, when I think about him I still cry and miss him, which you might think is strange because I currently have two very cute balls of fuzz that share our apartment with us. I love my two crazies! Tidbit loves to run around at top speed, she's quite the alpha female and is always very curious about the goings-on of the household. Toby is my blind, one-eyed guy who also loves to run around albeit slowly, and crashing into things sometimes. Toby never stops eating EVER. Anyway, you know how I never make packaged macaroni & cheese anymore? Well, at the grocery store I stumbled upon something totally awesome that made me venture back into the world of pre-packaged food again. (Just for a bit)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibeM0wTQc-tZJNwSC8LT2lfrmcZtHrE0zQGYD0A4ix5yAe1MF91RMDzC4lYx_YoHbzQSUbqIBfP54XIl4RlCiR2Z_eqq4lxqliCwHii4Sq4Ry9PGoexGTEITlZO3wFt8Onn0X1TwQ_KVGk/s400/001.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="300" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That box on the right has actual bunny-shaped pasta!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBi_hn-53exAd594Rc51WJU6LK5IvRLCVl4huGPyNhRW5JEFscvVEteqFM0nnwebwajWBy6vc_e3HdRVsCVhiLDT878XCHzi4keYxQvljmeWLiVXXc_pmotqXXZxVsekGnKB7gi7wE0gD7/s400/002.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Their mascot is a Toby!</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrhG6q1-XLLvijgBNuSoYX42SkJ6xmkBYGkNYq5tKdJi4XAcbA-YBtI1tTiH6ke1lodSQqc-D9RQPS0lyBXNTC2AzaG6GmYG-XBx9n3FwaMENav3jg9-5dP_l7fyncLKb_8dc8h9TlwujY/s1600/003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrhG6q1-XLLvijgBNuSoYX42SkJ6xmkBYGkNYq5tKdJi4XAcbA-YBtI1tTiH6ke1lodSQqc-D9RQPS0lyBXNTC2AzaG6GmYG-XBx9n3FwaMENav3jg9-5dP_l7fyncLKb_8dc8h9TlwujY/s400/003.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And then after the grocery store, if you can believe it, I stopped in at the Urban Outfitters next door, and they had a table full of RABBIT CLOTHING. Well, as you can imagine, I just about lost my marbles from excitement and I proceeded to pull one of everything of the shelf and headed straight for the dressing rooms. I decided that this was the cutest one, plus it's French and looks like Tidbit without the spots.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheSHdbPH7VHMl3dw39STMInKPykamD9G7IrHPeksV9Ck3eybtnmSVK1Tg8q90Mi3BYuKrk1lVK5aUgyb47kPCZIYWlrrVqbaRe8ZlhOGOULLAsFQoU3YxshTPd81Cs57_jNDaTDzxJgrRI/s1600/004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheSHdbPH7VHMl3dw39STMInKPykamD9G7IrHPeksV9Ck3eybtnmSVK1Tg8q90Mi3BYuKrk1lVK5aUgyb47kPCZIYWlrrVqbaRe8ZlhOGOULLAsFQoU3YxshTPd81Cs57_jNDaTDzxJgrRI/s400/004.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> This isn't my only rabbit shirt.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So yeah, I guess one could say that I am a little rabbit obsessed, but hey, that's me, what can you do? *nose wiggle*</div>LilibeththeMommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06763916585602630128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096283125498616199.post-81897519856365292722011-03-08T19:31:00.000-08:002011-03-08T19:35:05.776-08:00Eight EyesMy husband and I went to the optometrist last weekend, I definitely knew my husband was due because he's been complaining and speculating about his vision for the last couple of years and I had an appointment because they scheduled one for me when I went in for the allergy check. We walked out those optometrist doors as human beings who were changed forever. Okay, not really we just found out that we're both ever so slightly far-sighted and should use glasses for reading and computer use. This isn't exactly news of epic proportions, but I for one was completely shocked and a little upset. So much so, that I asked my husband to keep quiet about my prescription. Before the know-it alls step up and say, "what is your problem, this is not a big deal" I just wanted to explain that I can be a very competitive person sometimes (ok most of the time) and having been prescribed reading glasses makes me feel like I just lost, -in what, I don't know, life maybe? The eye lottery? I was making a big to-do about it when the staff at the optometrist's just laughed at me and told us that we have the mildest prescriptions of all time and that I should calm my body. That being said, after ruminating on this situation I have decided that I am totally going to own it and get the best, gosh darned reading/computer glasses a girl could find! My husband is really good at seeing the positive in everything because he's Polyanna Sunshine (why I married him) and he pointed out that this was a chance for me to have a new look, a new fashion accessory. I fell for it hook, line, and sinker. So, this is how I would like to look:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMuymy5tOr-2HWTpurwcQmrLDy6AIBZ1jv8PUB2cHk973zPol7LzJgEiDTg6QlDvWFbsqfkaShw90OmzgwP7IJair7DMGJINQRCGLxlCSrXorXWaaS-Ded9vL4V0zVEl3PtjBGfZfRoTto/s1600/cool+glasses.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMuymy5tOr-2HWTpurwcQmrLDy6AIBZ1jv8PUB2cHk973zPol7LzJgEiDTg6QlDvWFbsqfkaShw90OmzgwP7IJair7DMGJINQRCGLxlCSrXorXWaaS-Ded9vL4V0zVEl3PtjBGfZfRoTto/s400/cool+glasses.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBVZcZ2ch1XCKNojBdwaJzE_IMFAJXj-643Prh9F5ErKPjt-apYZSin1bMFCXT3CP9T2Ic6Z7Ql_g3o1QJNnMnvy-7fzYYNw_C3EEUcN3ZeK3HHeF1z7Burhi6pANB5wl9qygpx4qi_jZv/s1600/scarjo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="395" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBVZcZ2ch1XCKNojBdwaJzE_IMFAJXj-643Prh9F5ErKPjt-apYZSin1bMFCXT3CP9T2Ic6Z7Ql_g3o1QJNnMnvy-7fzYYNw_C3EEUcN3ZeK3HHeF1z7Burhi6pANB5wl9qygpx4qi_jZv/s400/scarjo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdroPbO9f7CO6DzfQ4hWPTtuE8eCILZ32KHhwQH5LjIMOsKS47hWnrZh2XvO9bYjmnHLqnSxmirkjt5uqb-paRKiDt3kEhdhW5lesmRv-MpXPnRs5i_HpyuxqrbPe4amkIJeZYfmz_xHry/s1600/zachy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdroPbO9f7CO6DzfQ4hWPTtuE8eCILZ32KHhwQH5LjIMOsKS47hWnrZh2XvO9bYjmnHLqnSxmirkjt5uqb-paRKiDt3kEhdhW5lesmRv-MpXPnRs5i_HpyuxqrbPe4amkIJeZYfmz_xHry/s400/zachy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>I actually love the way I look as a bespectacled lady. Do you want to know the best thing about them other than helping my eyes? I miss my grandfather so very much but when I put glasses on, I can see his face in mine in the mirror.LilibeththeMommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06763916585602630128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096283125498616199.post-28635379672004849832011-03-01T15:16:00.000-08:002011-03-02T11:28:11.342-08:00Ketchup Chips For President!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfY4Yq0X18xMIjdvvsC34DWPxehqVHk-YUbiAK8qUVFkC9WDS9O54S8wFuSywjTgg9q37e0j5tomg-ek-YbiexjvJMCCjXr-dyjXhqrJVpH5aPGgqzuU0w68gtI5XiD78Kgw_cf_zqnSAo/s1600/003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfY4Yq0X18xMIjdvvsC34DWPxehqVHk-YUbiAK8qUVFkC9WDS9O54S8wFuSywjTgg9q37e0j5tomg-ek-YbiexjvJMCCjXr-dyjXhqrJVpH5aPGgqzuU0w68gtI5XiD78Kgw_cf_zqnSAo/s400/003.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
So sad that this is what I have been reduced to, a girl hugging a bag of ketchup flavoured potato chips. My husband was in Canada last week and there are two things that we always try to bring back from the Homeland: Premium Plus Crackers with salted tops (NOT the same ones in U.S.), and ketchup chips.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2YWzTxCGHIPhtX8VK6Oye558rzdGy9V6To2Yq3PTRqagol5SKCcNxCDRJ4BdUbdpTEf8HicIVAhAtF5xsAmTtFv6fghHrcNe8w7k9SRIs4UBVmdROgII1yziqQYdreFyEFx5WeNlsTtLV/s1600/007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2YWzTxCGHIPhtX8VK6Oye558rzdGy9V6To2Yq3PTRqagol5SKCcNxCDRJ4BdUbdpTEf8HicIVAhAtF5xsAmTtFv6fghHrcNe8w7k9SRIs4UBVmdROgII1yziqQYdreFyEFx5WeNlsTtLV/s400/007.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
I had a little Twilight Zone moment at the grocery store in the junk food aisle when I first moved out here, or maybe it was more of a panic attack/drowning sensation when I realized that they didn't have the ONE chip flavour that I was craving. I don't eat chips all the time, but when I do have a hankering for them, it's usually for 1 of two kinds: Doritos Nacho Cheese Flavour or Lay's Ketchup Chips. They taste like my childhood and are so comforting, I often crave them once a month if you know what I mean. As for my husband, there are three things that he cannot live without, ice cream, Premium Plus crackers, and good, sharp cheese. Of course with our luck, two of those items can only be purchased in Canada. I can't even imagine what it must be like for my sister, living in Tokyo right now. It's no wonder she sent me a wish list the length of my arm for my trip out there at the end of the month! In any case, I am a very happy girl! Lilibeth: 1, Cravings: 0.LilibeththeMommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06763916585602630128noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096283125498616199.post-11388172659645507112011-02-25T18:55:00.000-08:002011-02-25T18:55:41.809-08:00Missing Tim Horton's Sour Cream Donuts (plain & glazed)It's no secret that I miss Canada and everything about it. For example, my husband and I were walking down Pine Street to get our hair trimmed at Raven, when we happened to pass some sort of sports bar -maybe it was just a regular bar with televisions. When I looked at what was on, I saw the very distinct CBC logo in the upper lefthand corner, at which point I started to jump up and down and scream, "CBC! They're watching hockey on CBC!" Also, I haven't heard anyone use the term "double double" here, something I only learned in Ontario but still makes me giggle. (It means two creams & two sugars for your coffee) I haven't been able to find a place that sells sour cream donuts either, even though <a href="http://www.toppotdoughnuts.com/">Top Pot Donuts</a> is pretty amazing. I was looking up the recipe when I stumbled upon a yellow cupcake recipe on <a href="http://joyofbaking.com/">joyofbaking.com</a> that calls for half a cup of sour cream! Well, that got me excited, and instead of a quiet night just watching <i>Shakespeare In Love</i> for the 50th time and drinking tea (household addiction, we have 20 varieties of tea) I had a cozy evening of baking yellow sour cream cupcakes with chocolate frosting! These are REALLY good and I highly recommend that you try the recipe. It's even good without the chocolate frosting, if that's any indication to you of their scrumptiousness. I think next time I'm going to use a plain sugar glaze so that I can get the true sour cream glazed donut effect, and call them: Sour Cream Glazed Donut-Flavoured Cupcakes! Yeah, no, that's too long.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKfeb7Cq26LW6g8GCLoHDoLnDIRsFhT5BC6r-R0rdUqL_9X2n1ID9x8aKw-UBt7vRXl8WNeCwQKOJQE9RPSG_iZQn9alxwAciseE5Kx7OZEyGV7Nb9IVHH2Z6YKtu8zoE-87ExGvZ2fd4r/s1600/004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKfeb7Cq26LW6g8GCLoHDoLnDIRsFhT5BC6r-R0rdUqL_9X2n1ID9x8aKw-UBt7vRXl8WNeCwQKOJQE9RPSG_iZQn9alxwAciseE5Kx7OZEyGV7Nb9IVHH2Z6YKtu8zoE-87ExGvZ2fd4r/s400/004.JPG" width="400" /> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9BBVHtmI7BCa09vTGdi1EGOZAyTpcUZhoaB1o16KikevYrQhG3axRbTEAwXqhEg33MfNBrm1pv2_X6ACm4MNlLKrjk0BE-dmMTYddRA0tB9XlubL4eH5bM4-jqxkIRtikaEo_Fdz7b_1G/s1600/003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9BBVHtmI7BCa09vTGdi1EGOZAyTpcUZhoaB1o16KikevYrQhG3axRbTEAwXqhEg33MfNBrm1pv2_X6ACm4MNlLKrjk0BE-dmMTYddRA0tB9XlubL4eH5bM4-jqxkIRtikaEo_Fdz7b_1G/s400/003.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
This last picture I made for my friend Clementine, who celebrated her birthday this week and who loves cake and cupcakes more than any human being I have ever encountered.<br />
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<div align="left"> <span style="font-size: large;"><span class="bod"><b><span style="font-family: Arial;">Yellow</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial;"><b> Cupcakes</b></span></span><b><span class="bod"><span style="font-family: Arial;">:</span></span></b></span></div><div align="left" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div align="left" style="font-family: inherit;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span class="bod">1 1/2 cups flour<a href="http://www.joyofbaking.com/flour.html"></a></span></span></div><div align="left" style="font-family: inherit;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span class="bod">1 cup granulated sugar<a href="http://www.joyofbaking.com/sugar.html"></a></span></span></div><div align="left" style="font-family: inherit;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span class="bod">1 1/2 tsp baking powder<a href="http://www.joyofbaking.com/bakingsoda.html"></a></span></span></div><div align="left" style="font-family: inherit;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span class="bod">1/4 tsp salt</span></span></div><div align="left" style="font-family: inherit;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span class="bod">1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (cut into pieces)</span></span></div><div align="left" style="font-family: inherit;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span class="bod">1 large egg, room temperature</span></span></div><div align="left" style="font-family: inherit;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span class="bod">2 large egg yolks, room temperature</span></span></div><div align="left" style="font-family: inherit;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span class="bod">1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract</span></span></div><div align="left" style="font-family: inherit;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span class="bod">1/2 cup sour cream<a class="kLink" href="http://www.joyofbaking.com/YellowCupcakes.html#" id="KonaLink9" style="font-weight: inherit ! important; position: static; text-decoration: underline ! important;"><span style="color: blue ! important; font-family: inherit ! important; font-weight: inherit ! important; position: static;"><span class="kLink" style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: 1px solid blue; color: blue ! important; font-weight: inherit ! important; position: relative;"></span></span></a>, room temperature</span></span></div><div align="left" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div align="left" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="bod">Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and lightly butter or line 12 muffin cups with paper liners. In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat to combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the butter, egg, egg yolks, vanilla extract, and sour cream. Beat the wet and dry ingredients together at medium speed until the batter is smooth and satiny, about 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl<a class="kLink" href="http://www.joyofbaking.com/YellowCupcakes.html#" id="KonaLink6" style="font-weight: inherit ! important; position: static; text-decoration: underline ! important;"><span style="color: blue ! important; font-family: inherit ! important; font-weight: inherit ! important; position: static;"><span class="kLink" style="color: blue ! important; font-weight: inherit ! important; position: relative;"></span></span></a>. If necessary, stir the batter with a rubber spatula until the flour is fully incorporated. Evenly fill the muffin cups with the batter and bake for about 20-25 minutes or until pale gold and a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Once the cupcakes have completely cooled, frost with icing. </span></span></div><div align="left" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="bod"><br />
</span></span></div><div align="left"> <span style="font-size: large;"><b><span class="bod"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Chocolate Fudge Frosting:</span></span></b></span></div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div align="left" style="font-family: inherit;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span class="bod">4 oz unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped </span></span></div><div align="left" style="font-family: inherit;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span class="bod">2/3 cup unsalted butter, room temperature</span></span></div><div align="left" style="font-family: inherit;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span class="bod">1 1/3 cups confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar, sifted</span></span></div><div align="left" style="font-family: inherit;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span class="bod">1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract</span></span></div><div align="left" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div align="left" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="bod">Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl <a class="kLink" href="http://www.joyofbaking.com/YellowCupcakes.html#" id="KonaLink7" style="font-weight: inherit ! important; position: static; text-decoration: underline ! important;"><span style="color: blue ! important; font-family: inherit ! important; font-weight: inherit ! important; position: static;"><span class="kLink" style="color: blue ! important; font-weight: inherit ! important; position: relative;"></span></span></a>placed over a saucepan of simmering water. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter until smooth and creamy (about 1 minute). Add the sugar and beat until it is light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Beat in the vanilla extract. Add the chocolate and beat on low speed until incorporated. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until frosting is smooth and glossy (about 2 -3 minutes). </span></span></div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: medium none; color: black; font-family: inherit; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: medium none; color: black; font-family: inherit; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: small;">Keep in mind, the frosting is optional! Mmmmmm!</span></div>LilibeththeMommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06763916585602630128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096283125498616199.post-53729262024435967312011-02-24T01:30:00.000-08:002011-02-24T12:57:18.857-08:00Random Health KickI went for a jog again today, only this time I went a little bit easier on myself and so far my knees feel alright! There is something about physical activity that makes me want to eat healthy foods. So once again, for supper, I made something wonderfully delicious and nutritious: Quinoa with grilled zucchini and marinated tofu steak. I have an enormous amount of tofu left over, so it's going to be a tofu week. And since I wasn't trying to recreate something that I missed back home, I just made it simple and kept it Lilibeth-like. This was the result:<br />
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<b>This is what you need:</b><br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<b>1 small zucchini cut lengthwise</b><br />
<b>1 cup quinoa (health food section of your grocery store)</b><br />
<b>2 cups water </b><br />
<b>1 tbsp olive oil</b><br />
<b>pinch of sea salt</b><br />
<b>tofu steak triangles (recipe in previous post)</b><br />
<b>splash of sesame seed oil </b><br />
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In a small sauce pan, bring the two cups of water to a boil with the 1 cup of quinoa. Reduce to a simmer and cover for 15 minutes. Keep an eye on it so that it doesn't burn.<br />
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Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp of oilve oil in a pan, throw on your tofu steaks and zucchini. Sprinkle the zucchini with salt. Cook on medium heat for 5 minutes or until the zucchini is soft. The tofu should become softer and dark brown.<br />
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Check on your quinoa, you'll know it's ready when all the liquid is absorbed and you can see a ring on each grain. It'll also become fluffy and rice-like. <br />
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Serve with the grilled zucchini and tofu. I added a splash of sesame seed oil to my quinoa for some added flavour and the benefit of omega fatty acids. (Who am I?!) So yummy! Oh and before I forget, the health benefits of quinoa are that it's a good source of dietary fiber, protein, magnesium, iron and it's gluten free! I think that maybe I will suggest that my parents eat this instead of their usual white rice.LilibeththeMommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06763916585602630128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096283125498616199.post-69765692138521654732011-02-23T12:49:00.000-08:002011-02-23T12:50:49.240-08:00Super Protein SaladToday I was craving something I hadn't had a hankering for in a long time. The summer before the wedding I was eating really lean, light foods, not necessariliy for weight loss but because it was what my body wanted. I had also scared myself into not eating sugar for fear of succumbing to the ailments of my ancestors. Clearly, marriage changed that a little bit. I needed to learn the basics of cooking good family meals and I was also craving comfort food, what with being in a foreign place. The thing about Seattle is, it isn't really that different from Toronto. It's just different enough to make you feel like you've entered the <i>Twilight Zone</i>. With my husband gone for a week (skiing up in Canada), it sort of felt like my old single life again, just me and the bunnies, which is probably why I was missing one of my favourite restaurants back home: Fresh. They had this one salad on the menu called the Super Protein Salad that was the most delicious thing in the world! I ate it three times a week, sometimes four. I tried to recreate that salad today, but it just wasn't the same. The neighborhood Safeway didn't have half the ingredients I needed so I had to improvise most of it. What I created was definitely nutritious and tasy, but sadly, not the same way my beloved Fresh made it. Where does one get goji berries, tempeh and puffed quinoa in Seattle? My beautiful sister-in-law gave me a Fresh recipe book the night of the rehearsal dinner (thank you so much!), so I was able to at least substitute real Fresh tofu steak for my tempeh.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Super Protein Salad has:</b></span><br />
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<b>your greens of choice </b><br />
<b>chick peas (check)</b><br />
<b>grape tomatoes (check)</b><br />
<b>cucumbers (check)</b><br />
<b>grilled tempeh (fail) I used tofu instead</b><br />
<b>puffed quinoa (fail)</b><br />
<b>goji berries (fail)</b><br />
<b>slivered pistachios (fail)</b><br />
<b>currants (fail) I used Craisins instead</b><br />
<b>slivered almonds (check)</b><br />
<b>sea salt (check)</b><br />
<b>hazelnuts (fail)</b><br />
<b>I like to top my salad off with tahini dressing, which Safeway miraculously had (check)</b><br />
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</b><br />
<b>Since I was substituting tofu for tempeh, I decided I would try Fresh's Marinated Tofu Steak Recipe, which is as follows:</b><br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<b>1 block of firm tofu</b><br />
<b>2 tsp ground coriander (I used parsley)</b><br />
<b>4 tsp of garlic powder</b><br />
<b>1/2 cup of tamari</b><br />
<b>2 cups of filtered water</b><br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<b>Cut the tofu into 1/4 inch thick slices, then cut the slices diagonally into triangles. Place them in a bowl and pour the rest of the ingredients over the tofu triangles. Marinate for 1 hour. Then I took 7 triangles and browned them over medium-high heat in my frying pan, and added them to my salad.</b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9MBHtWpbK2Yghqfl053YX4DksBUtFztwWoa632d177tFZ-ahqXERPNgp9sGVbuyzKfllqgnVEANPnT-IWBvHFLp3BKpxO8vyeWQqOdZm1_8-NW_K5sBChEiOZDXEHU4RnDhfOpQJSicuc/s1600/002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9MBHtWpbK2Yghqfl053YX4DksBUtFztwWoa632d177tFZ-ahqXERPNgp9sGVbuyzKfllqgnVEANPnT-IWBvHFLp3BKpxO8vyeWQqOdZm1_8-NW_K5sBChEiOZDXEHU4RnDhfOpQJSicuc/s320/002.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAlH9PxO-gc4D-8xViSpEkjvytb4Bon66OYVWi_jPEeLFzQukLVQ0zpDBO0OBNQ3IdUgrQ6yuzE6ETg5GzV6jS16axmkAL46NxTFu-7-1BFKBMcSnd9J6uc6QD2ZLblyl555P8W5x-vUQd/s1600/008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAlH9PxO-gc4D-8xViSpEkjvytb4Bon66OYVWi_jPEeLFzQukLVQ0zpDBO0OBNQ3IdUgrQ6yuzE6ETg5GzV6jS16axmkAL46NxTFu-7-1BFKBMcSnd9J6uc6QD2ZLblyl555P8W5x-vUQd/s320/008.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM-TKTfJVXW9fifkmWUNnJ8UKareKMxNZjr7Q3osiuYcbsaMhjv9vA5Nb94sqHumw_LHkrRS5AzQzBJ-b9SWX5tX-S1yIdCbN1vf_NiznwnfqDRmlgtv20yBAQ7hHvYCYCt2NCkZTK75xi/s1600/005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM-TKTfJVXW9fifkmWUNnJ8UKareKMxNZjr7Q3osiuYcbsaMhjv9vA5Nb94sqHumw_LHkrRS5AzQzBJ-b9SWX5tX-S1yIdCbN1vf_NiznwnfqDRmlgtv20yBAQ7hHvYCYCt2NCkZTK75xi/s320/005.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><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/AVvXsEiHCH3LFiRPUIN0633z_tUQkZgK4la_VpBrt3YdmKrgA9twkK6TwRd-Ev2QWDRU-SFXdzbPKjUg1bE5b8oyCqQTM96EBfn_FYCD8qPS8-wg9q5lgTEwSlrTiZsFL-f1S2bi2ZuIPnNqWVKT/s1600/009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHCH3LFiRPUIN0633z_tUQkZgK4la_VpBrt3YdmKrgA9twkK6TwRd-Ev2QWDRU-SFXdzbPKjUg1bE5b8oyCqQTM96EBfn_FYCD8qPS8-wg9q5lgTEwSlrTiZsFL-f1S2bi2ZuIPnNqWVKT/s320/009.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lilibeth Protein Salad</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
All in all, it was a very nutritious dinner for one but I really need to find a place that sells tempeh. That aside: Happy Birthday Clementine! I made you cupcakes! The catch is, you must come to Seattle to eat them.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTPapCv8AO7V1xhL6avS3mBgqCKAFSXQg0ItK2omj4ipWzVN6vP5hMhaTuriVnAugKAdAhurxx4Fsd7-mKB7IJoM9P0Nv6dF3tenEzZj2EUnQJMkAQhxWZ2OHKT4H-XlRn00HlQU_PUs65/s1600/salad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTPapCv8AO7V1xhL6avS3mBgqCKAFSXQg0ItK2omj4ipWzVN6vP5hMhaTuriVnAugKAdAhurxx4Fsd7-mKB7IJoM9P0Nv6dF3tenEzZj2EUnQJMkAQhxWZ2OHKT4H-XlRn00HlQU_PUs65/s320/salad.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The real Super Protein Salad, so delicious.<br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>LilibeththeMommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06763916585602630128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096283125498616199.post-42544374711380258302011-02-22T14:09:00.000-08:002011-02-22T14:09:11.759-08:00Running Around TownIt has been three and a half weeks since I broke my toe and bone-bruised my foot. I am supposed to avoid strenuous activity for 6 weeks but I have never really liked being told what to do and since I feel fine, I decided I would try my hand at jogging. Here in Seattle, it seems you can never go anywhere without running into a dozen joggers a day. I've never felt the inclination to run simply because it looks hard, but last Friday, I was late for a dinner reservation and thought I'd try to make it on time by running there like a fool. You know what? I discovered that it wasn't <i>that</i> hard and it was kind of enjoyable! Well, I am up for things that are both enjoyable and raises my heart rate and metabolism, so why not? My lovely friend Lindsay suggested I go to a professional running place that could help me find the right footwear and maybe even have classes or groups of people to teach you how to run properly. I did just that at this place called <a href="http://www.fleetfeetseattle.com/">Fleet Feet Seattle</a>, which is not far from where we live, so that gave me extra motivation. A nice newlywed, young man helped me find running shoes for my bunion-y, pronated, low arched feet (my husband has pronated, flat feet, so our kids are screwed), and I ended up with some sweet looking new Brooks runners. They actually had me put on several pairs of shoes, jump on a treadmill and recorded my running feet from behind. From this recording and from watching me walk and run outside, they made recommendations for specific shoes. Very cool. So, I got home and jogged today for the very first time, joining my fellow Seattleites in the time honoured tradition of keeping our bodies fit! Now I won't feel so guilty about eating all the food that I make! It was challenging, even though I started out slowly, but I think I like it.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWaJxhN39gGPokDNEveyqohyU9IAe5SSTNi6zDrxUk2krGomL0697Ffev-CUrvRyL4COejCbM_-aRCb1kWT8RPsNQctrmFDGpz8_DqYeb9PzsIvqoK2iXWXtQs4VH-eLfXmmWY0z3_ae0W/s1600/001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWaJxhN39gGPokDNEveyqohyU9IAe5SSTNi6zDrxUk2krGomL0697Ffev-CUrvRyL4COejCbM_-aRCb1kWT8RPsNQctrmFDGpz8_DqYeb9PzsIvqoK2iXWXtQs4VH-eLfXmmWY0z3_ae0W/s400/001.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
I woke up the day after my first jogging session with a swollen eye and non-stop sneezing. Related? I sure hope not, so I'm going to keep at it but first I need to let my knees heal. I think I just got my first peek at the future, because I have never experienced such joint ache before! Oy.LilibeththeMommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06763916585602630128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096283125498616199.post-73388167702717028022011-02-21T15:17:00.000-08:002011-02-21T17:56:48.504-08:00Allergic To The West CoastThe world is a very interesting place. Either that or I am a very sensitive person. This is the second city I have moved to and the second time I have experienced a whole new set of ailments that stem from an external source. When I moved to Toronto, my skin had a very adverse reaction to the extremely polluted city air. It went away once I got used to it (and also with the help of Clinique's 3 Step System) but would return on the most smoggy, summer days. Since moving to Seattle, I have had to deal with a new problem: eye itchiness. I've been taking anti-histamines that don't work and have been tortured every morning and evening by this gripping itch that feels like it's going to take over my life. By last Friday I had had enough, I woke up with a bloodshot, itchy, watery, puffy eye. Could this be an eye infection? It was time to pay a visit to the eye doctor. It turns out I am very allergic to some new (to me), unknown, west coast allergen. It was a relief to know that it wasn't something worse, but now I'm test-driving an eye drop called Pataday. So far so good, this is the fourth day and my eyes definitely feel relieved. I have been here for nearly five months, and enough is enough! I really need to get used to my environment, which brings me to my next topic: jogging.<br />
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I figure if I am outside for a good chunk of the day, blasting my eyes with this new allergen, I might get used to it faster. This could turn out to be allergic reaction suicide, or my strange theory could actually work! I will keep you posted. (pun intended)<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/AVvXsEjN-Hnv8T3oBYk08SvZ0XiwmW-5pX1hxuR5LkzdIl8h_Y4_EME5aYkwA1uENVIOLrfnGv53HuhLTGrANetgjNkFi-l1v2CQQcFJC574b90OIfWUHula9w-utugbSCkpL8ZWgU276a2p_CDO/s1600/clinique-3-step-skincare.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN-Hnv8T3oBYk08SvZ0XiwmW-5pX1hxuR5LkzdIl8h_Y4_EME5aYkwA1uENVIOLrfnGv53HuhLTGrANetgjNkFi-l1v2CQQcFJC574b90OIfWUHula9w-utugbSCkpL8ZWgU276a2p_CDO/s320/clinique-3-step-skincare.jpg" width="261" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.clinique.com/cms/product/franchise/3step_system_mpp.tmpl">Clinique's 3 Step System</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAJXI72aYivHu1imrchB4bYqZTl0RNaSrVXKIasdhAmMaLHep1_LPd66DyWgd7GqQwodZ0KTaGkrrwtgxsicfKHjfsaA8rn5x7LdxRAkDtu9JbIn1Jgpuor90m3Zt99Q1U3wgBPnCeZ_f7/s1600/Pataday.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAJXI72aYivHu1imrchB4bYqZTl0RNaSrVXKIasdhAmMaLHep1_LPd66DyWgd7GqQwodZ0KTaGkrrwtgxsicfKHjfsaA8rn5x7LdxRAkDtu9JbIn1Jgpuor90m3Zt99Q1U3wgBPnCeZ_f7/s1600/Pataday.gif" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.pataday.com/allergy-season/Allergy-Symptoms.asp">Pataday Eye Drops</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>LilibeththeMommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06763916585602630128noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096283125498616199.post-76046472560536864362011-02-18T11:29:00.000-08:002011-02-18T11:29:39.606-08:00Filipino Style Meaty Pasta SauceMy memories are all food related and scent related. When I smell YSL's Opium, I will instinctively think of my mother. Thinking of my mother makes me crave her spaghetti, which was probably the dish that started it all for me. It doesn't follow a classic Italian recipe but has the same basic ingredients plus a few tweaks here and there, which is why I call it Filipino style, but it's really Myrna Lofranco style. <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Mommy's Spaghetti Sauce:</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">1 tbsp olive oil</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">1/2 tsp dried oregano</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">1/2 tsp dried basil</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">salt to taste</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">1 tbsp of white sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">1.5 - 2 lbs lean ground beef</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">12 large cremini mushrooms</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">1 medium yellow onion</span><br />
2 cloves of garlic<br />
1 large can/jar of store bought tomato sauce<br />
1 small can of tomato paste<br />
1 can of Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup<br />
1 small brick of extra old cheddar cheese<br />
1 lb of whatever pasta your heart desires, my mom always used spaghettini<br />
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<b>Finely chop the onions and garlic, quarter your mushrooms.</b><br />
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<b>In a large pan, brown your ground beef on medium high heat. Season liberally with salt. Set aside.</b><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>In a big pot, soften the onion in the olive oil on medium high heat for 5 minutes. Add your ground beef and garlic. After the meat, onion and garlic are incorporated into each other, add your tomato sauce, tomato paste, oregano, basil, and can of cream of mushroom soup. Bring it to a boil and add your cremini mushrooms. Reduce the heat after 5 minutes, add your sugar and simmer covered for 20 minutes.</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLPofjra-XDZpXSZaVOdMoRBDDnNk9XjFncn3K09GuMQ8upgu7nIkLx6354qBbVKhYh-GIGdH-bFMKMs2jlY81HP9ftECFCgBLhPBCezMv10YnCbDI2hrAy-D8tFNqfsMNITltw2S_E_DD/s1600/008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLPofjra-XDZpXSZaVOdMoRBDDnNk9XjFncn3K09GuMQ8upgu7nIkLx6354qBbVKhYh-GIGdH-bFMKMs2jlY81HP9ftECFCgBLhPBCezMv10YnCbDI2hrAy-D8tFNqfsMNITltw2S_E_DD/s400/008.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXbdPCJUqdJEs-KE1FwgRj4rsZG-M_olZmSgixIgnoFLDaG-Ms-tVs8WsVm4JTOXgDvVCuTMggvnU8mimdbr5UEgRgYlnyVzlili_yir0GI_k2S78j11qw0b7DMrcWNgWmb0krlirXEiB-/s1600/009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXbdPCJUqdJEs-KE1FwgRj4rsZG-M_olZmSgixIgnoFLDaG-Ms-tVs8WsVm4JTOXgDvVCuTMggvnU8mimdbr5UEgRgYlnyVzlili_yir0GI_k2S78j11qw0b7DMrcWNgWmb0krlirXEiB-/s400/009.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The colour lightens and looks creamier after you add the soup!</td></tr>
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Grate as much of the cheddar cheese as you want, it's mainly for serving, you can afford to be generous with it, it only makes it taste better! Trust me on this, I know it's weird. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlQTlN_4e3aktiQfhIJOuT2YpKFwtuNyqtpQzxp8p8m92GPalPi9sFf4icsC9dfsIklZp_ZrDMLo6xJfBJ6SFFN1BCheD4AWbuEpZnF1UMZY7xCYZjsfrk6Lkl09bAzOPjuC4Y7RFfmM85/s1600/012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlQTlN_4e3aktiQfhIJOuT2YpKFwtuNyqtpQzxp8p8m92GPalPi9sFf4icsC9dfsIklZp_ZrDMLo6xJfBJ6SFFN1BCheD4AWbuEpZnF1UMZY7xCYZjsfrk6Lkl09bAzOPjuC4Y7RFfmM85/s400/012.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Voila! Mommy Spaghetti Sauce on some egg noodles, with a sprinkling of sharp cheddar cheese. I ordinarily use white cheddar for looks and cause it's what my mom used, but they taste the same. This dish makes me feel like I'm 6 years old every time. Only takes 30 minutes to make but makes me immeasurably happy!</div>LilibeththeMommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06763916585602630128noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096283125498616199.post-8576676778099355412011-02-17T16:38:00.000-08:002011-02-17T23:54:10.387-08:00Less Than Five Weeks Until Spring!Lately, I have been in the mood for ultra feminine, sweet, soft and classically ladylike things. (This comes as no surprise to many of you) I have absolutely decided that this is the year that I am going to wear a Chanel perfume. There is just something about Chanel that makes me happy. It conjures up images of a strong woman, who is both cutting edge and classic at the same time. My new obsession? Coco Mademoiselle. I drew up a spreadsheet so that I could see which scents I have been drawn to and which top notes and middle notes are found in my most favourite perfumes of all time. Coco Mademoiselle was a perfect match, and I have to say, I am in love. It's been going strong since 1989. It smells nothing like the newer perfumes that have come out in recent years that smell juvenile and way too sweet. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXXFvm7IgH1Smmy7nEbHo8zqZ5PNg8HnDpCo9ILrmFYe4uVN8Tyynm8RN4XTiz2MGvy8O-gJVlIYQVu00i1SQefHzueIK46dRL_BnC7_IELH6z1eUNkdQ0oaMAjOLtsuIOqsmhekFJfiaZ/s1600/Coco+Mademoiselle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXXFvm7IgH1Smmy7nEbHo8zqZ5PNg8HnDpCo9ILrmFYe4uVN8Tyynm8RN4XTiz2MGvy8O-gJVlIYQVu00i1SQefHzueIK46dRL_BnC7_IELH6z1eUNkdQ0oaMAjOLtsuIOqsmhekFJfiaZ/s1600/Coco+Mademoiselle.jpg" /></a></div>I have started wearing headbands and pearls more often, you'd think I was watching a lot of <i>Gossip Girl</i>, but I am not! I think I'm just looking forward to the spring, which leads into summer, which means no more wearing giant, heavy jackets that make men and women all look the same. I enjoy looking like a lady. Much like this lady:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRuwbBQssdIHl-l_jKpZNkvejABGafVRd2sFaYjFGjYA-dMkPry9Jf-CR24XKpiWxj12zvziSF9RX8ZjsUtO564Az_3kkkOvklE-SjCpuLpqFTcRUZF56m-SXz6p2lEUKv2mUu7znRlE4q/s1600/Pearl+Necklace.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRuwbBQssdIHl-l_jKpZNkvejABGafVRd2sFaYjFGjYA-dMkPry9Jf-CR24XKpiWxj12zvziSF9RX8ZjsUtO564Az_3kkkOvklE-SjCpuLpqFTcRUZF56m-SXz6p2lEUKv2mUu7znRlE4q/s320/Pearl+Necklace.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyZaRcRoz9bKxFHWGpbr44Dq54tiA-Nj6FBQcPcYN1IIXVICBjiIJh6NC_ODe1tDbl72AQCeGzwCB_mVJpmQtRQRMHK9dQeK_BS_xbzO-iglUf9iec2jCp921ttddC_0rb1Mx91qorsjpR/s1600/Camellia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyZaRcRoz9bKxFHWGpbr44Dq54tiA-Nj6FBQcPcYN1IIXVICBjiIJh6NC_ODe1tDbl72AQCeGzwCB_mVJpmQtRQRMHK9dQeK_BS_xbzO-iglUf9iec2jCp921ttddC_0rb1Mx91qorsjpR/s320/Camellia.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love the Chanel Camellia.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuMI7G2A2xTLV4lL26MgobJPHLqpmrF6M3r21zHFzVXt8smW74LEEKU_RP-rbQNo3coBe3rhSyFZACtxB8Vw8RFA1YRay0E44dgIRG-AgawAVJ7YQg1UG5QsgC7u3osQQh-zABZVPDAd_2/s1600/Ballet+Flats.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuMI7G2A2xTLV4lL26MgobJPHLqpmrF6M3r21zHFzVXt8smW74LEEKU_RP-rbQNo3coBe3rhSyFZACtxB8Vw8RFA1YRay0E44dgIRG-AgawAVJ7YQg1UG5QsgC7u3osQQh-zABZVPDAd_2/s320/Ballet+Flats.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So cute and spring-like!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZw3IMu2kDn_whXI6rM1X2xTaKqfYlkvNLV3Cam-ArXYbGk9NIY0WPuuHrCx-x1SepOstpaXv5IG_lldeyiSCXfsrUXm_F-SOGhXGolStnVC6GbNT_Nzfni-J2dtYdzq8ipI38y9-zn5gx/s1600/nails.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZw3IMu2kDn_whXI6rM1X2xTaKqfYlkvNLV3Cam-ArXYbGk9NIY0WPuuHrCx-x1SepOstpaXv5IG_lldeyiSCXfsrUXm_F-SOGhXGolStnVC6GbNT_Nzfni-J2dtYdzq8ipI38y9-zn5gx/s320/nails.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I am in love with grey nails</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrgB00Zm14uQT0hmPALm0b9GWPMZgyTTM_hHtVpNnCKt6_e0BPaTpJdrxLAJ7SPVLEYfCGqqhLE6pUdTOYKYqiu13vHYqNi-hWQqj8DKact3BhN2LGpl6ZPVtYeBW4DOPRtrLgG1KAtiUm/s1600/Emma.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrgB00Zm14uQT0hmPALm0b9GWPMZgyTTM_hHtVpNnCKt6_e0BPaTpJdrxLAJ7SPVLEYfCGqqhLE6pUdTOYKYqiu13vHYqNi-hWQqj8DKact3BhN2LGpl6ZPVtYeBW4DOPRtrLgG1KAtiUm/s320/Emma.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Emma Watson</td></tr>
</tbody></table>See? I'm on some weird Chanel kick, I don't know what's going on. I mean, I was wearing high heels in the kitchen the other day for crying out loud! I think I'm going to go put on some ballet slippers and make cupcakes now.LilibeththeMommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06763916585602630128noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096283125498616199.post-4750948641898827822011-02-16T09:51:00.000-08:002011-02-17T09:31:23.969-08:00My Pretend BFFDid you know that Mario Batali was born and raised in Seattle? Just a little bit of Wednesday trivia, -not that I'm obsessed with him or anything... much. Anyway, I've been feeling pretty lazy the last few days, but I had already gotten the groceries for a few Mario Batali meals, so might as well get my butt into the kitchen to make us some dinner. What's on the menu? Pennette with Cauliflower Ragu! It doesn't necessarily sound very appetizing, but the picture in<i> Molto Gusto</i> evoked childhood memories of going to a restaurant to taste my very first restaurant-made Italian food. However, I have to say that something kind of fun and kind of silly occured. As I was dissecting the cauliflower as per Mario's instructions, I realized that I was having a lot of trouble chopping and kept having to get up on my tip toes. I solved this problem by breaking out my highest heels. It was very Desperate Housewives of me, but it made my life easier and my shoulders much more comfortable.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I looked ridiculous, but I don't care. </td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Mario Batali's Pennette with Cauliflower Ragu:</b></span><br />
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1 medium cauliflower (2 lbs)<br />
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil<br />
1 medium white onion, diced<br />
3 garlic cloves, smashed & peeled<br />
Maldon sea salt (or any flaky sea salt)<br />
2 tsps hot red pepper flakes<br />
6 tbsp unsalted butter cut into 6 pieces<br />
pinch of Kosher salt for pasta water<br />
1 lb pennette<br />
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano plus more for serving<br />
1/2 cup of coarse fresh bread crumbs<br />
1 1/2 tsp fresh rosemary, minced (but I wasn't in the mood for it so I skipped it)<br />
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Alright, once I had my high heels on, I halved the cauliflower, cut off the leaves and put them aside for later. I then cut out the core and chopped off the stalks, put them aside with the leaves. Cut the cauliflower into bite-sized florets, set aside in a bowl. Next, chop up the core, stalks and leaves.<br />
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Combine the oil, onion, garlic, leaves, stalks and core in a large pot, season with Maldon salt and cook on medium heat, stirring frequently until the leaves start to wilt. (it will smell so good!) After 3 minutes, reduce the heat to low and cook until the leaves are tender, which is about 20 minutes.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I don't know. I thought if I posed with the spoon, you'd believe I cooked it.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>While you are softening the cauliflower, start your fresh bread crumbs. I took a small hunk of leftover Pugliese bread (enough to make 1/2 cup of bread crumbs) and sliced it up into tiny crouton-sized pieces with my bread knife. In a pan, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat, and once it's hot, add the bread crumbs and stir it until it's lightly toasted. Remove from heat and set aside to cool in a bowl.<br />
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Add your cauliflower florets, red pepper flakes, and 1 cup of water to the rest of the cauliflower mixture, and bring it to a simmer on medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, cover, and stir occasionally until the cauliflower is very soft and almost falling apart. (20 minutes) Add the butter and stir it in until it's melted. Remove from heat.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXoPU9NA4jX4Tz-JF2svHyio8tLjkhSAYn2m6KkULJHo8TV9cOqn4ciGG4Hia8-1sfYJDjpocK484w8GeJVaUiax3HZM54egNbkG82s4O3HR9TQNVwd3pkTMF-FwjylfThSKDRW63Yd584/s1600/018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXoPU9NA4jX4Tz-JF2svHyio8tLjkhSAYn2m6KkULJHo8TV9cOqn4ciGG4Hia8-1sfYJDjpocK484w8GeJVaUiax3HZM54egNbkG82s4O3HR9TQNVwd3pkTMF-FwjylfThSKDRW63Yd584/s400/018.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before adding the butter.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot, add a pinch of Kosher salt (Mario says 3 tbsp, but I'm not comfortable with that). Cook until al dente. Drain your pasta water but make sure to reserve 2/3 of a cup. Add the pasta and 1/3 of the water to the cauliflower ragu and stir and toss over medium heat until the pasta is well coated. Add a bit more of the pasta water if you need to loosen the sauce a bit. Stir in your cheese.<br />
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Serve and sprinkle with the fresh bread crumbs and a sprinkling of cheese. Mmmmm, thanks Mario!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ow_QPUL46palSFTjXY8zwT3LfkTwKmQDlQOhRVIgdcFQS0HW8MmGt3vKfvaI55WL0CuTph7zrGTRgN-Yz19xaxF6Yp3hjVL9PpySP1va1Jd7apPznEjANEGyooKqHWuT0W5pTuvuJz1u/s1600/020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ow_QPUL46palSFTjXY8zwT3LfkTwKmQDlQOhRVIgdcFQS0HW8MmGt3vKfvaI55WL0CuTph7zrGTRgN-Yz19xaxF6Yp3hjVL9PpySP1va1Jd7apPznEjANEGyooKqHWuT0W5pTuvuJz1u/s400/020.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>LilibeththeMommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06763916585602630128noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096283125498616199.post-51538697400246426512011-02-15T12:48:00.000-08:002011-02-16T19:07:50.800-08:00Seattle Fine Dining<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3kf_HZZ00-rEetYcFwxD-XuurAVbwbMuuIqgS3GBsp7BM0kvxpK5FU_5Bn46ql0cbzgeEs4Bsre-SJlpI701A-jrQhZlYXSafSSnGOCDpzrpX7BT9PXL3l-Afz9Nf1GJ7K5En1N40tnwy/s1600/001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3kf_HZZ00-rEetYcFwxD-XuurAVbwbMuuIqgS3GBsp7BM0kvxpK5FU_5Bn46ql0cbzgeEs4Bsre-SJlpI701A-jrQhZlYXSafSSnGOCDpzrpX7BT9PXL3l-Afz9Nf1GJ7K5En1N40tnwy/s400/001.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
My husband and I decided to have a romantic dinner for two out on the town last Friday so that we wouldn't have to compete with all the Valentine's Day lovers on Monday night. Nothing kills romance like having to wait 45 minutes to eat. I don't know why so many people have a problem with Valentine's Day, I think it's a perfectly good day. People are going to buy and consume no matter what, so to those haters, shame on you for hating, just love! It doesn't have to be limited to your partner either, it's just a day for loving everybody, and if you can eat chocolate on that day too: bonus! <br />
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We don't really go out to eat because I love to cook, but there are a few places I've been dying to go to and one of those places is Assaggio. It's situated in downtown Seattle on what I like to call Tommy Douglas Corner. For all I know, it may actually be called this by Seatlleites because Tom Douglas' restaurants Lola and Dahlia Lounge are on this corner. Anyway, I kept my eyes peeled for him just in case we stumbled upon him so I could get his autograph for my cousin. We didn't see him, but we were fortunate enough to just walk into Assaggio on a Friday night and score a table for two at the front of the restaurant. Not only that, but we were greeted at the door by none other than Mauro Golmarvi, who is apparently the owner, chef, manager, Maitre D', and everything of Assaggio Restaurant. Seriously, this man must be an overachieving workaholic. And sweet, very, very sweet. Then for a full five seconds I thought we were sitting next to Bill & Melinda Gates, (we weren't) and there was also some famous guy at the table behind them, but I didn't want to stare so we didn't figure out who it was. The service was great! The appetizers and mains were thankfully, comparable to Toronto prices, the wine was excellent (Friulano wine), and they had this incredible olive oil/pepper/garlic concoction on each of the tables to enjoy with our bread that was divine! I should have asked them what it was now that I think about it. Oh well, next time. I was also praised for eating cannoli with my hands. I guess the hoity toity Seattleites use a fork and knife? I was a bit embarrassed when we left, because Mauro opened the door for us, and unbeknownst to me, he had walked out behind us as I enthusiastically exclaimed, "That man is the awesomest!" When I turned to look at my husband, I noticed Mauro grinning at me. I'm such a dork. Assaggio Restaurant: <a href="http://www.assaggioseattle.com/">http://www.assaggioseattle.com/</a>LilibeththeMommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06763916585602630128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096283125498616199.post-71419915966324344022011-02-14T14:30:00.000-08:002011-02-16T19:12:17.314-08:00Happy Valentine's Day!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>I realize that I may be dwelling on it (hello, extreme aversion to failure) but do you remember that spectacularly failed beef stew I made a couple weeks ago? Well, that very same day I had actually decided to make Boeuf Bourguignon for a small Valentine weekend get together at our house. What better way to kick off our first dinner party than to serve the most epic dish I have made to date? It's perfect because it serves 6, is super delicious and will CERTAINLY erase the feelings of inadequacy I have pertaining to anything remotely related to beef stew. And of course, just to prove to you all that I did it and that it was delicious yet again, I have pictures! It just goes to show that Julia Child was incredible: if the recipe is good, anybody can do it... without inadvertently charring anything.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It took me a bit longer because I had to blanche my bacon to get rid of the smokey flavour first.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Drying off my blanched bacon.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sliced up into thin strips and browned.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Browning my (rinsed and patted dry) meat in batches.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Softening the carrots and onions.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Browning the pearl onions at the end of the beef's cooking time.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The browned mushrooms, to be added along with the pearl onions.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready to eat!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>If you plan on serving Boeuf Bourguignon for a dinner party, I suggest that you make it the day before, that way you are relaxed while preparing and cooking, and you won't smell like food when your guests arrive! Plus, as Julia Child mentions, it tastes even better the next day after the complex flavours have fully infused the dish. Mmm, so good! This time I served it with light, yummy egg noodles, fresh, crusty bread, and we had fabulous guests who brought delicious red wine -one bottle of which was made by someone's dad, so cool! I was going to make ice cream sandwiches for dessert, but one of our said fabulous guests brought us CHOCOLATE COVERED STRAWBERRIES. They were so luscious, I wish I had taken pictures, but I just really wanted to eat them, sorry. What a perfect Valnetine's Day dessert. Since I have no pictures of the pretty strawberries, I won't disappoint you, here's a picture of something else:<br />
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Hooray for not burning anything and hooray for great company! <a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_82459008"><span id="goog_82459004"></span><span id="goog_82459005"></span></a><a href="http://www.oprah.com/food/Boeuf-Bourguignon">http://www.oprah.com/food/Boeuf-Bourguignon</a><br />
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By the way, Happy 21st Birthday to my brother-in-law! And happy 7th birthday to my little friend Emmett! <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>LilibeththeMommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06763916585602630128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096283125498616199.post-66058916531218926972011-02-11T12:16:00.000-08:002011-02-11T12:18:12.046-08:00Lots of Home-MissingBeing on the west coast, and experiencing the mildest winter of my life has definitely earned my respect for this area of the world. Even married life has proved to be rewarding and enriching, as cheesy as that sounds. (Going on five months!) But the fact of the matter is, we are alone out here and the people that we love are all very far away. One of my good friends has just recently become officially enagaged, and it kind of makes me sad that I can't celebrate their joy in person. Neither can I just call my aunt up and ask her if she wants to go to the Eaton Centre for a spot of shopping before a nice dinner, or get hijacked by my cousin to some fancy, fine dining establishment. What if there was an emergency? A couple months ago, my father had to be rushed to the hospital and stayed for almost a week, and all I could do was call his hospital room from three thousand miles away. My best friend just bought a new chandelier. I haven't seen it yet. I'm not complaining, I love that there is this whole new city that I get to explore with my husband, new people to meet, new things to learn and enjoy! But I do miss all of my family and friends. Very, very much. Just know that you are loved and missed.LilibeththeMommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06763916585602630128noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096283125498616199.post-77543970841559723262011-02-10T00:36:00.000-08:002011-02-10T01:08:58.061-08:00Lofranco At HeartMy mother used to joke that I was really an Italian kid at heart because I loved pasta so much. So it was certainly fitting that I grew up with the strangely Italian sounding Filipino surname: Lofranco. Pasta is so perfect, because it can become any taste that you want, comes in many shapes, sizes and textures, and it's pretty. Tonight, my fake best friend, Mario Batali, inspired me to make his Penne alla Papalina, only I am bored of penne, so I used rigatoni. This dish is so good that I am sure I'm going to have pleasant dreams about it tonight!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I have added the peas to the browned prosciutto</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Boiling rigatoni</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Egg, olive oil and pasta water mixture</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A perfectly delicious dinner in 20 minutes.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><b>BFF Mario Batali's <strike>Penne</strike> Rigatoni alla Papalina</b><br />
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Kosher salt<br />
6 tablespoons olive oil<br />
8 oz sliced prosciutto, in one-inch squares<br />
2 cups frozen baby green peas (I only used 1 cup because my husband dislikes peas)<br />
1 pound rigatoni<br />
4 large eggs<br />
1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese<br />
Coarsely ground pepper<br />
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Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add a pinch of salt.<br />
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Meanwhile, in a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat, heat three tablespoons of the oil and cook prosciutto in oil until it turns golden brown, about five minutes. Remove from heat and stir in peas.<br />
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Drop pasta in boiling water and cook just until tender, or al dente. Drain, reserving about a half-cup of the pasta water. I usually just dip my silicon measuring cup in the water and set it aside.<br />
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In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, then whisk in the remaining three tablespoons of oil and 1/4 cup of the pasta water.<br />
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Add drained pasta to the prosciutto/pea mixture and stir and toss over medium heat to mix well. Add egg mixture, remove from heat, and stir and toss vigorously to cook the eggs slightly.<br />
You may add some of the remaining pasta water to loosen the sauce. Stir in the cheese, season with pepper and serve at once with additional grated cheese on the side. Enjoy the deliciousness!LilibeththeMommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06763916585602630128noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096283125498616199.post-55111332483399543422011-02-09T00:26:00.000-08:002011-02-09T00:26:57.993-08:00Extra, Extra! Keener Newbie Chefs Get Lazy Too!Have you ever heard of borsetti? Well, it has bumped both tortelini and ravioli off my pasta list. The people who know me best know that I like things instantaneously if they are: 1. Cute 2. Delicious 3. My bank account allows me to have it. Borsetti look like tiny drawstring bags of pasta, akin to tortelini, filled with meat and/or cheese and are extremely delicious. I would love to attempt to make them myself soon, but I need a pasta maker first. The bonus? They were on special at Safeway this week and they were made in Canada! <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Borsetti photo shoot. So cute!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lazy and mouth-watering lunch</td></tr>
</tbody></table>These particular borsetti contained (are you ready for this?) roasted chicken, prosciutto and parmesan. My sauce? My best friend taught me this trick: I used two tablespoons of cream of chicken soup from a can, added sauteed onions, a bit of milk, 1 tsp of fresh ground pepper and parsley that I stole this from my rabbits). As easy as making a sandwich.LilibeththeMommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06763916585602630128noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096283125498616199.post-43888178478530816752011-02-08T00:19:00.000-08:002011-02-08T00:30:22.551-08:00Mexican Night at the WilsonsYesterday I mentioned family recipes that become a cycled staple and I think I just found one of ours. It's the second time I have made it, and it's just perfect because it's low fat, palatable, nutritious, quick, and leaves you with delicious leftovers: Chilli Turkey Tacos. I was able to make these even after an exhausting day of Ikea and walking around the city with my still broken toe. Easy peasy.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The ingredients, plus a bit of brown sugar, a pinch of salt and your choice of taco or tortilla, & sour cream.</td></tr>
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">For leftovers, you can always turn the turkey chili filling into a giant plate of nachos, just add salsa and some shredded cheese! This would be perfect hockey night in Canada food.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Turkey Chilli Taco Recipe:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 tbsp olive oil</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 finely chopped onion</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 lb 2 oz ground turkey</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2 tsp of chilli powder or flakes</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">440 g tin of chopped tomatoes</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2 tbsp tomato paste</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2 tsp brown sugar</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">pinch of sea salt</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">425 g tin red kidney beans, drained and rinsed</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">taco shells or nacho chips</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">sour cream for topping</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">optional shredded sharp cheddar cheese for topping</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">optional salsa</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Heat the olive oil in a skillet, add the onion and cook on medium heat until soft, about 3 minutes. Increase to high heat and add turkey. Cook until browned. Make sure to break up any large lumps.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Add the chilli powder/flakes, cook for 1 minute. Stir in tomato paste and chopped tomatoes, and 1/2 cup of water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 20 minutes. Stir in the sugar, kidney beans and salt. Remove from heat. Mmmm, so tasty!</div>LilibeththeMommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06763916585602630128noreply@blogger.com1