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Famoso’s Spring Menu

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When Famoso asked us to check out their new Spring menu, we jumped at the chance. We love their pizzas and enjoy all they have to offer. The family and I headed to the Mackenzie Towne location for dinner and while we perused the menu, the kids got to play with pizza dough. What a fun idea!

Famoso Plizza Dough

We started our meal with the Blackberry and Goat Cheese Salad. This is a seasonal salad that is back for the Spring. The mixed field greens with arugula and blackberries was topped with candied pecans and a blackberry vinaigrette. This salad just popped with the addition of the mint which really stood out and brought a freshness to the vibrant salad. We would highly recommend this!

Famoso Blackberry Salad

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marriott calgary airport in-terminal hotel

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When Calgary’s new international terminal opened late last year, the new Marriott In-Terminal Hotel also opened. Located between the international and domestic terminals, the hotel boasts 318 guest rooms, Fitness Centre, a swimming pool and Yakima, the hotel restaurant and bar.

Marriott Exterior

The fact that it’s located right in the airport is so convenient, especially for those early morning flights. Last month, when we headed to Cuba, our friends spent the night since our flight was at 6am. Needless to say, we totally wished we had done the same, as we were heading out the door at 3am.

Marriott Looking Out

My family and I were invited to spend the night and check out the hotel for ourselves. We jumped at the chance to have a mini staycation, especially since I had checked out the hotel during the opening and loved everything about it.

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Candy Cane Kissed Chocolate Chip Cookies and a Cookie Collaboration

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I love the holidays! The lights, the gatherings, Santa…and the baking! It’s the season for butter tarts, chocolates and cookies. Lots of cookies.

These candy cane kissed chocolate chip cookies take a tried and true recipe doctored up a bit for the season . Holiday chips, in red, white and green with a slight minty taste, are added to the batter with semi-sweet chocolate chips. Candy Cane Kisses adorn the tops of the cookies once they come out of the oven. A classic with a holiday spin.

Candy Cane Kissed Chocolate Chip Cookies

I’m happy to be participating in a very special Canadian Cookie Collaboration between the Canadian Food Creatives and the Canadian Christmas Cookie Exchange. #CDNFoodCreatives

Cookie Collaboration

Visit these Canadian Bloggers to save all of these sweet holiday cookie recipes:

Candy Cane Kissed Chocolate Chip Cookies
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Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup butter
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 tsp corn starch
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup holiday baking chips
  • 1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
  • 24-30 Candy Cane Hershey's Kisses

Instructions

  1. Combine the sugars and butter and beat until well combined.
  2. Add the egg and vanilla.
  3. Add the flour, corn starch, baking soda and salt until combined.
  4. Add the two types of chips and mix slowly until incorporated.
  5. Using a small cookie scoop, place dough on a lined cookie sheet.
  6. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 - 12 minutes until the cookies are done.
  7. Wait for 5 minutes and then add one kiss on each cookie.
  8. Let cool.
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https://foodmamma.com/2016/12/candy-cane-kissed-chocolate-chip-cookies/

ford sustainability

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Last month, I was invited to Ford’s Sustainability Feast at The Calary Zoo. It was an enlightening evening learning about how Ford is making waves with its sustainable practices.

I loved that this place took place after hours at The Calgary Zoo. It was a great location given the Zoo’s efforts in being a sustainable facility.  The dishes that were served featured some of the herbs and vegetables grown in the zoo’s Garden of Eatin’.

We started off in the Enmax Conservatory with appies and drinks followed by the sustainability efforts by Ford. I was surprised to learn about all the food materials that were being tested and incorporated into Ford vehicles. From soybeans to coconut to agave and even tomatoes, Ford is using partnerships with Heinz and Jose Cuervo to incorporate food items and make their vehicles more sustainable.

ford_sustainable_products

We then moved into the Botanical Gardens. The setting was stunning! It is here that we were treated to a four course meal  incorporating items that are used in Ford vehicles.

Our first course was dandelion greens, apple wedges, roasted beets, mulled red wine and sugar cane gastrique with pumpkin seed brittle.  This was served in a homegrown bamboo shoot plate and highlighted dandelion. Dandelion is currently being tested as a natural rubber source.

ford_salad

Our second course was a miso glazed sous vide ling cod, grapefruit segments, coconut yam puree, wilted frisee with a soy custard and soy foam. The soy was the highlight of this dish, as it is used to make the foam in the seats of the vehicles. This has been implemented in every single Ford vehicle in North America.

ford_cod

We had a palate cleanser half way through our dinner, coconut midori sorbet. Coconut is used in trunk liners.

ford_palate

Our third course was a wheat grass smoked veal striploin with potato dauphinoise, vanilla bean sugar cane glaze, microgreens and seasonal vegetables. Sugar cane is currently being tested for durability.

ford_veal

Our final course was a s’mores graham shortbread cookie crumble with a dark chocolate ganache, torched vanilla marshmallows, cellulose ingredient and vanilla gelato. Cellulose is being used to replace glass-filled plastic which weighs less, is produced 30% faster and reduces carbon emissions.

ford_dessert

It was a great evening in a spectacular setting with delicious food. It was so interesting to learn about all the advances that Ford is making and how they are doing their part.

canada beef and canadian living family cooking event

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Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! We had a great weekend with a delicious meal enjoyed with family. Luckily I had help with dinner prep from Q, who happily helped with making dessert.

We have had the kids in the kitchen from an early age. From measuring out flour or rolling out dough, there is always something for them to do to get them involved. We learned early on that if they have a hand in making a meal, they are more likely to eat it.

I was excited to be invited, along with Q, to the Canada Beef cooking event in partnership with Canadian Living. This was an interactive session, “Cook With Us”, that allowed us to learn from the folks at the Beef Centre, and arm the kids with basic skills to be confident in the kitchen.

The event took place at the Canadian Beef Centre of Excellence where we were invited to cook with several other families. Each family worked as a team to create one course for a meal to be enjoyed by all at the end of the evening. Of course beef took centre stage and the meal included meatloaf, sliders, stew, a stirfry and a roast.

Q and I were tasked with making mozzarella-stuffed mini meatloaves. We were joined virtually by Publisher Sandra Martin from Canadian Living who helped us prepare the dish. I have to admit, I’ve never made meatloaf. Maybe because I’ve always had this perception that meatloaf is dry. Well, this sure did change my mind! The meat was super moist and the flavours were fantastic. This recipe was a hit, especially with Q who made me promise that we would make it again at home. We did, and it tasted amazing the second time around as well.

The October issue of Canadian Living has a dedicated feature on families cooking together along with some great beef recipes. You can find the recipe for the mini meatloaves here.

Thanks to Canada Beef and Canadian Living for a fun evening!

nutella ferrero no churn ice cream

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It’s been a great few days, weatherwise. If you don’t look at the yellowing leaves, you may almost forget that Fall is on it’s way. We are taking full advantage of the heat and sunshine, and using it as a great excuse to eat some ice cream.

I think this is my new favourite. I’m totally loving the no churn aspect. No worrying about chilled bowls and being able to just make ice cream anytime. This dessert combines my favourite things – Nutella and Ferrero Rocher. The result is creamy, decadent, and so satisfying!

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nobu, las vegas

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Last month, hubby and I escaped for a few days to Las Vegas. It was a much needed break and it was so nice to escape from the real world.  On our first day there, we had dinner at Nobu in the Hard Rock Hotel. This one of our favourite meals and I just had to share it with you.

We had an early dinner since we were heading to the Jennifer Lopez concert. She is amazing by the way, and definitely a concert worth going to!

Once we were seated, we were served with edamame – always a great start to a meal.

Our first course was Tai Sashimi with Dry Miso. The fish was so fresh and the addition of the citrusy Uzu oil made it so refreshing.

Our second course was sushi, which was so fresh. The dish consisted of two pieces of salmon with wasabi, two pieces of scallops and two pieces of tuna. It also had a yellowtail jalapeno roll. It was melt in your mouth sushi. So good!

The third course was rock shrimp tempura with creamy spicy sauce. The shrimp were crispy and the sauce had a kick – it paired so well together.

Black cod with miso was our fourth dish and was so good! The fish was flaky and sweet and we were so happy we chose this for our main course.

We ended our meal on a sweet note with a panna cotta. The dish was beautiful topped with a chocolate wafer.

We had such a great night, we considered coming back for dinner the next night. The food was great, as was the service. Would definitely recommend an evening at Nobu!

Nobu Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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no churn mint chocolate ice cream

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The best part of summer is all the ice cream. Sure we eat ice cream all year round but it just seems more justified in the heat. When I saw that our chocolate mint that we planted in the garden had grown as much as it did, I knew that it was time to make some ice cream.

It seems that this is the season of no churn ice cream and I had to try it for myself. Basically you whip up 2 cups of heavy cream and fold it into 1 can of condensed milk and freeze. Easy peasy!

To make the ice cream minty, I simmered the cream with a big stem of chocolate mint until the flavour was infused. I let the cream cool in the fridge and then whipped it up in my mixer. Condensed milk is a favourite of mine and I can literally eat it like pudding. Needless to say, the whole can didn’t make it into the ice cream mixture. Once everything was combined, I chopped up ten mint chocolates and added it to the mix. The creamy mix was then poured into a pan and frozen for a few hours.

The resulting dessert was creamy and delicious and was a hit with everyone at our house. It’s a bit dangerous to know this easy method. I’m already planning my next batch!

No Churn Mint Chocolate Ice Cream

2 cups whipping cream
1 can condensed milk
1 stem of mint or chocolate mint
10 chocolate mints, chopped

Simmer the whipping cream with the mint until the flavour is infused into the cream, approximately 15 minutes. Let cool. Whip the cream. In a large bowl, add the condensed milk and gently fold the cream into the milk. Add the chopped chocolate and pour the mixture into a loaf pan or an 8″ x 8″ pan. Let freeze for a few hours or overnight.

wonderful watermelon

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It’s almost time for the long weekend! Time for food on the grill, hanging with friends, and of course, watermelon! Watermelon is the ultimate summer time fruit. Summer memories always include hot days eating cold watermelon. It is so refreshing and also so versatile!

Having this delicious fruit as a sweet treat is an easy way to serve it, but I love adding a savoury touch. I drizzle watermelon with some olive oil and balsamic vinegar and finish with a sprinkle of feta and basil. Not a common pairing but oh so good!

The ideas on how to serve watermelon are endless. Check out all the fabulous recipes below!

Minted Watermelon and Cucumber Salad from a Virtual Vegan

Raw Watermelon Candy from The Taste Space

Maple Lemon Fruit Salad from Bake For Granted

Watermelon and Strawberry Fruit Salsa from I Say Nomato

Watermelon Lime Honey Popsicles from Sugar Love Spices

Watermelon, Feta and Tomato Confit Stacked Salad from My Kitchen Love

Skinny Greek Chicken Bowl with Watermelon and Feta from Flavour & Savour

 Detoxifying Watermelon Mint Limeade from Justine Celina

Pink Power Smoothie-Juice from Occasionally Eggs

Grilled Peach, Strawberry & Watermelon Salsa from Bakers Beans

Watermelon Refresher from Bakers Beans

Watermelon Mint Paletas from Satori Design for Living

Vegan Watermelon Pizza Dessert from The Cookie Writer

Watermelon and Coconut Popsicles from The Cookie Writer

Watermelon “Cake” from Making Healthy Choices

Watermelon Rose Smoothie from Food Mamma

Watermelon Lime Spritzer from Food Mamma

Watermelon Feta Salad from Food Mamma

breakfast at disney’s aulani (honolulu)

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This past February, I finally made it to Hawaii! I didn’t need a gift
for my birthday in March, just a trip with my family. We went to
Honolulu with both sets of parents and had a wonderful time. Although we
didn’t spend our ten days at Aulani, Disney’s resort in Hawaii, we did
manage to go there for breakfast.

After
taking a Disney cruise, we have become fans of  all things Disney so we
were very excited for our morning at the Character Breakfast.

The
Disney Character Breakfast takes place at Makahiki, the restaurant
located on the first floor. Our first stop was a picture with the top
mouse himself, Mickey. He took the time to shake hands with the kids and
give out hugs. We were also given enough time to take pictures with him
as a large group as well as smaller groups. The line wasn’t huge and
this one-on-one was a pleasant surprise.

Makahiki
is all about buffet dining and there was so much variety for breakfast.
They had a little kids station which was stocked with Mickey waffles
(!), scrambled eggs and tater tots.  Breakfast also included an omelet
station, smoked salmon, various meats and cheeses, loads of fruit, eggs,
pastries and dessert. There is definitely something for everyone!

We
had visits from Goofy and Minnie who took the time to come by and take
pictures. Aunty entertained with her ukelele and got the kids to
participate in a little performance around the restaurant.  It was such a
memorable day!

If
you are celebrating a birthday or anniversary, be sure to let them know
when making a reservation. In true Disney style, they really do make
you feel special.