Month: December 2012


Dec
2012

Fave Pics of 2012

categories: Personal

With the end of the year around the corner, I was going through my computer seeing what I can get rid of, virtually of course. The stacks of papers in real life just never go anywhere.

While going through it all, I ended up finding all my pics of 2012, and decided to post my favorite pictures of the year. Not surprisingly, most are from the summer time. Hopefully this year Ill have some time in winter to enjoy the outdoors and get some good shots of our canadian winter.


Dec
2012

Lemon Crinkle Cookies

categories: Desert, Recipes, Snack

Yesterday the snow was falling heavily outside, and I watched 90210 (the original) reruns all day in my lounge pants. It was a wonderful day.

Sometimes I just need a day to do absolutely nothing. Catch up on some emails, my fave blogs, and brainless TV while being cozy up on the couch with a hot cup of tea, a fuzzy blanket and some good cookies. Its kind of like hitting pause on the stressors of life, and recuperating the life force thats needed to get through it all.

Yes. It was that kind of week, requiring that kind of day. Requiring a lot of cookies.

These lemon cookies are light, and yummy and go perfectly with a cup of tea. They are also really elegant looking (can you call cookies elegant? Im going with yes), and they are a nice addition to any dessert table or as a gift to a host/hostess.

Lemon Crinkle Cookies

Ingredients:

  • ½ cups butter, softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 whole egg
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • ¼ teaspoons salt
  • ¼ teaspoons baking powder
  • ⅛ teaspoons baking soda
  • 1-½ cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ cups powdered sugar

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Whip in vanilla, egg, lemon zest, and juice.
  3.  Stir in all dry ingredients slowly until just combined, except the powdered sugar. Scrape sides of bowl and mix again briefly.
  4.  Pour powdered sugar onto a large plate. Roll a heaping teaspoon of dough into a ball and roll in powdered sugar. Place on baking sheet and repeat with remaining dough.
  5. Bake for 9-11 minutes or until bottoms begin to barely brown and cookies look matte.
  6. Remove from oven and cool cookies about 3 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.

Source: Laurens Latest

Hope you enjoy these!


Dec
2012

Pasta Bolognese

categories: Meals, Pasta, Recipes

There are a few classic meals that as a home cook, I still havent made. Ive never made hamburgers, wings, anything with turkey, any sort of pie, or jambalaya.

Yes. Jambalaya is a classic meal in my mind.

These dishes and desserts are on my food to-do-list, but on the top of that carefully crafted  list is Pasta Bolognese the all elusive and sexy meat sauce. HmmmHmmm

While it is a sauce I adore, there is unfortunately just one type of bolognese you can never beat your boyfriends mothers. To be fair, it is pretty awesome, but as Ryan so nicely put it Even if I spend 3 days slaving over my meat sauce, it will never be as good as his moms!

Who wants that kind of pressure?!?! Obviously, I do. And obviously my meat sauce was awesome, and got devoured.

But his mothers was better.

Pasta Bolognese

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb lean ground sirloin
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp oregano
  • 1/4-1/2 tsp red chilli flakes
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3/4 cup dry red wine
  • 1 can crushed tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or pot over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, crumbling the meat with a wooden spoon, for 5 to 7 minutes, (until the meat is no longer pink and has started to brown).
  2. Stir in the garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 more minute.
  3. Pour 1 cup of the wine into the skillet and stir to scrape up any browned bits.
  4. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, salt and pepper, stirring until combined. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 25 minutes.
  5. Add the nutmeg, basil, cream, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened.
  6. When serving, add the sauce and 1/4 cup Parmesan to the pasta and toss well.

Note: You can simmer for more or less time, depending on how much time you have. Original recipe calls for simmering for 10 minutes at step 4 and 5, but I found the flavors werent quite ready.

Recipe slightly adapted from Barefoot Contessa 

Enjoy the recipe! And please healthy it up by omitting the cream (doctors orders).


Dec
2012

Cookies n Cream Rice Krispie Treats

categories: Desert, Recipes, Snack

Its holiday time! That means lots of good family dinners, brunches, lunchesso I get to bake! Or not.

Desserts that require minimal to no baking are ideal when you have no time to make elaborate desserts. Last weekend I was busy studying for my surgery exam, but I also had a holiday brunch. A gal like me doesnt want to go to a party empty handed, but I  couldnt spend my study day in the kitchen. Enter rice krispie treats.

While rice krispie treats sound a bit juvenile, when given a tweak they can be a fantastic addition to a dessert table. Ive made cake batter rice krispie treats  in the past that were a hit, and this time around I made a different style of them gangnam style! woohoooo!

I mean

Gosh darn it I just like to dance.

And these cookies and cream rice krispie treats just make me wanna d-a-n-c-ewhile shoving my mouth with marshmallows.

No one judges in my kitchen. Even if  youre my boyfriend, sitting on the couch in our loft, playing assassins creed and oblivious to anything around him. No one judges.

Cookies and Cream Rice Krispie Treats

Ingredients:

Squares:

  • 1/4 cup salted butter
  • 1 (10.5) oz bag mini marshmallows + an additional cup of marshmallows.
  • 6 cups Rice Krispies cereal
  • 10 oreos, chopped into bits

Topping:

  • 1 1/3 cups white chocolate chips
  • 6 oreos, chopped into bits

Directions:

  1. Butter or spray a 13 x 9 pan, set aside.
  2. Melt butter in a large non-stick saucepan over medium low heat, swirling butter up along edges of the pan (this helps the marshmallows stick much less). Stir in marshmallows and stir constantly until melted.
  3. Remove from heat and gently stir in Rice Krispies cereal until evenly coated. Fold in 10 chopped Oreos.
  4. Pour mixture into buttered dish and gently press mixture evenly into dish, set aside.
  5. In a microwave safe bowl, melt white chocolate chips on in 30-45 second intervals, stirring after each interval until melted and smooth.
  6. Spread melted chocolate evenly over Rice Krispie treats and immediately (before chocolate hardens) sprinkle with the 6 chopped Oreos. Gently press the Oreo pieces down with your hands.
  7. Cover and refrigerate about 10 minutes, or alternately let rest on counter until chocolate hardens.

Source: Stylish Cuisine

Enjoy these no bake desserts!

– Jennie