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taiyo sushi

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My cousin had been raving about a sushi place near her house for quite some time. Located in the NW at the Creekside mall, Taiyo Sushi is a favourite place for dinner for her and her family.  

We finally made it over there last month for a quick bite.  We got there at 12:15pm on a Saturday and the place was already full of people having lunch just 15 minutes after opening.  Definitely a good sign.

We started with the ebi gyoza, little dumplings that were filled with shrimp and vegetables.  These were delicious!  Served with soy, this was a great way to begin our meal.

We ordered the Taiyo Combo so that we could sample a few of what the restaurant had to offer.  The platter came with salmon, tuna, prawns sushi as well as some sashimi.  The rolls included california, cucumber as well as their house roll. 

The presentation was great but the taste was even better.  The sushi was fresh and delicious and the salmon and tuna sashimi was melt in your mouth amazing.  I thought for sure there would be leftovers but we managed to polish off all the food!

Overall the service was great and the sushi was high quality.  Will definitely be back!

Taiyo on Urbanspoon

butter pecan squares

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Pecan tarts are one of my favorites.  The pecans, the gooeyness, even the raisins, who wouldn’t love it? I’ve always wanted to try making these but the idea of making tart shells kind of put me off.  When I found this recipe for squares and an easy shortbread bottom, I quickly put it on my list of baking to do over the holidays.  Although I made these to distribute, none of them made it out the door.  They were delicious and satisfying and by the time I was putting together packages, there weren’t many squares left!

Unfortunately I don’t remember where I found this recipe.  It’s easy and delicious though, so definitely try it out!

Butter Pecan Squares

1 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter

2 TB melted butter
2 eggs
1 cup brown sugar
2 TB flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt
1 cup raisings
1 cup chopped pecans

Combine flour and sugar and cut in the cold butter until the dough is crumbly.  Press the dough into a 9″ square pan and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes

In a bowl, mix together the remaining ingredients.  Pour over the baked base and bake at 350 degrees for another 25 minutes.

chocolate and almond whipped shortbread

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It’s no secret that I love whipped shortbread cookies.  Easy and fast, they are a staple for any occasion. They are even great to give to little kids to decorate, keeping them entertained for some time. 

The addition of chocolate and nuts make these shortbread even more of a favorite.  This recipe can be found in Club Club’s Community Cookbook.

Chocolate and Almond Whipped Shortbread

1 cup butter
1/2 cup icing sugar
1 1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
1/4 cup sliced almonds

Cream the butter and icing sugar together.  Add the flour and beat for 10 minutes.  Add in the chocolate and nuts until well incorporated.  Place spoonfuls on an ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes.  Makes 3 dozen small cookies.

cherry jam palmiers

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One of the easiest cookies to make with minimal ingredients is a palmier.  I decided to change up my usual 2-ingredient version by adding some jam.  I had made some cherry jam over the summer and thought it would go great with the crisp layers of puff pastry.  The sweet jam added so much flavour and the resulting cookies were quite addictive.  I made the mistake of only using one puff pastry sheet, meaning not many left over to share!

Cherry Jam Palmiers

1 roll of puff pastry
3 TB jam of your choice
Sugar

Unroll one sheet of puff pastry. Spread the jam evenly on the pastry.  If making mini palmiers, cut the sheet in half.  Roll the pastry from the horizontal ends into the middle. Refrigerate for 10 minutes and then cut the roll into pieces.  Sprinkle each piece with sugar and place on parchment paper.  Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes.

red velvet crepes

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Ever since I attempted Red Velvet cupcakes last June, it has become a favourite of mine. Always looking to combine a couple of my favourite things, I mixed up a crepe recipe with red velvet and the combination was delicious. My 3 year old, Qais, who is always happy to help in the kitchen enjoyed stirring the batter and of course, taste-testing! I added Chocolate spread to the filling because one can never get enough chocolate.

Head on over to the Anyday Magic website for a recipe of this delicious dessert!

lemongrass shrimp

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Q started unparented swimming classes this week.  It amazes me that he’s already ready to get in the water without mamma and daddy.  Time is flying by so quickly!  Swimming days means crazy days – a quick dinner before rushing out the door and making the trek to another part of the city.  I had to ensure that just in case hubby came home late from work, he would have something he could just grab and go.

A sandwich seemed like the perfect thing but no ordinary sandwich would do.  I had bought lemongrass the day before and thought it would be great with shrimp.  Settled into a bun, it was the delicious Asian fast food at home.

After toasting a whole wheat bun, I slathered it with a little bit of mayo and some sambal oelek.  A few leaves of spinach held the shrimp which was then topped with onions, red peppers, cucumbers and cilantro.  The shrimp was great on its own, but the bun added a great twist.

Lemongrass Shrimp

1 pound shrimp
1 TB chopped lemongrass
1 TB fish sauce
1 tsp grated ginger
1 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp soya sauce
2 tsp teriyaki sauce

Mix everything together and marinate for one hour.  Place on greased sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

chicken tagine

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When planning hubby’s birthday last month, I knew I wanted to make a tagine to keep with the theme of the party, “An Arabian Afternoon”.  I had actually never had tagine, I just knew that it was an earthy Moroccan stew.  I searched many recipes trying to find something easy that had ingredients I already had in the house.  I finally settled on one by Melissa D’Arabian (Ten Dollar Dinners).  Not being a big fan of olives, I left those out.  I tested the recipe a week before the party and it was a success!  Hubby loved it so much, he finished the entire thing – always a good sign.  The combination of the turmeric and cinnamon gave the tagine a deep flavour.  Although preserved lemons were called for in every recipe that I looked at, we both weren’t fans.  When I made the dish for the party, we left that out.  Everyone really seemed to enjoy the tagine and it was wonderful on couscous, a great vehicle to absorb all that yummy sauce.

Chicken Tagine
Adapted from Melissa D’Arabian2 pounds chicken thighs, cut into large pieces
1 TB butter
2 TB olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 TB ginger, minced
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup chicken broth, divided
Flat leaf parsley, handful
Cilantro, handful
Salt Pepper

Pat the chicken dry, and season well with salt and pepper.

Heat the butter and olive oil over medium-high heat, and brown the chicken on all sides. Add the onion, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, and cook until onion is translucent, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, and add the garlic and stir for a minute. Increase heat and deglaze with half the broth, stirring, and allowing it to bubble. Add the remaining broth and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, and cover and simmer gently for 45 minutes.