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stuffed puff pastry waffles

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You know it’s a great mail day when you get two jars of the new Reese Peanut Butter and Chocolate Spread delivered to your door. I’ve been a fan of the cups for a long time, always trying to resist splurging at the supermarket but most times not succeeding. Well, to have peanut butter and chocolate as a spread – I’m in trouble!

I will admit, some days, dessert has been spoonfuls of this stuff straight from the jar. Chocolatey and nutty, it fulfilled all our cravings. It’s also easy to convince a child to eat their apples when spread with peanut butter and chocolate!

The possibilities of using the spread in recipes was endless. I debated on crepes, cakes and ice cream. I finally settled on waffles. Stuffed waffles. Made with puff pastry. Are you drooling yet?

This recipe is only 2 ingredients! Those are some of my favourite recipes. Just stuff some Reese Peanut Butter Spread into two layers of puff pastry, put them in a waffle maker and voila. Super simple, and definitely a crowd pleaser.

Stuffed Puff Pastry Waffles

Puff Pastry
Reese Peanut Butter and Chocolate Spread

Roll out the thawed dough and cut out circles using a cookie cutter. Using an offset spatula, cover the circle in the Reese spread. Top with another circle and seal the ends.  Place each round in a waffle maker until each waffle is done. Dust with icing sugar or top with whipped cream. Enjoy!

This post has been sponsored by Hershey’s Canada and I have been compensated monetarily and with product. All opinions are my own.

canada beef and karisma resorts

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I first learned about the Canadian Beef Culinary Series last year, when I attended the Canada Beef & Karisma dinner at Rouge restaurant in Calgary. It was there that I sampled amazing beef dishes created by Chefs Allemeier and Rogalski and learned about Karisma resort. It was also there that I won a stay at the hotel in the Mayan Riviera, which turned out to be one of our favourite vacations (Part 1 | Part 2).

I was excited to be invited this month to the Karisma Influencer and Media event held at the new Canadian Beef Centre of Excellence which opened earlier this year in Calgary.

We were fortunate to be treated to a four course meal made by the talented chefs at Karisma Hotels featuring Canada Beef.  With Jeroen Hanlo, VP of Food & Beverage Operations at Karisma Hotels, the chefs kept us entertained and well fed all evening. 

We first toured the amazing centre – fully equipped with a consumer kitchen, commercial kitchen as well as the beef fabrication room. We learned a lot from Marty Carpenter, the Centre Director and Abe van Melle, the Centre Technical Manager.

The evening started out with a tasty bite – beef tartare with habanero aioli. The platter was beautiful arranged with flowers and the beef was served on potato chips.

Our first course was Canadian AAA Spice Rubbed Tri-Tip, Baby Beets, Blue Cheese, Chantrelle Mushroom prepared by Chef Florian Durre, Executive Chef and Elorado Royale.

Our second course was Canadian AAA Petit Tenderloin, Yucatan Sauce “Chimole” prepared by Chef Jonaten Gomez Luna, Executive Chef at La Chique.

Our main course was the Canadian AAA Aged Rib-Eye, Black Corn Truffle, Creamy Sweet Corn  with Traditional Mole and Tamarind. The rib-eye was my favourite cut, soft like butter. This course was prepared by Chef Francisco Perez, Executive Chef and Dorado Seaside Suites.

The final course was an amazing sight. The chefs prepared dessert using liquid nitrogen! The nitrogen was used to make creamy rhubarb sorbet as well as icy beads of carrot juice. This along with some coconut sponge, yogurt foam and cotton candy made for a flavourful dessert with lots of textures.

It was a fantastic evening, combining a couple of my favourite things – beef and Mexico!

banana cake

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There’s something about a bundt cake. It looks great, provides comfort and always seems to impress.

My mom makes really amazing banana cupcakes.They are moist and flavourful and perfect for on the go. I decided to use her recipe but made a bundt to serve for dessert. The ripe bananas made the cake sweet and the chocolate paired so well with the fruit.

The cake itself was fine on its own but I thought I’d make it even better – I added chocolate on top! I made a quick ganache and once it was a little cool, I poured it on top of the cake. It took it to another level. Chocolate always seems to have that effect.

Banana Cake

1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 ripe bananas
2 1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup yogurt
1/2 cup chocolate chips

1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup whipping cream

icing sugar

Cream together the butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, until incorporated. Mash the bananas and add to the mixture.

Add the flour, baking soda and baking powder. Add in the yogurt and the chocolate chips.

Pour the batter into a greased bundt pan or muffin pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

For the topping, heat the whipping cream until it starts boiling. Pour over the chocolate chips. Let cool a bit and then pour on top of the cooled cake. It’s best to place the cake on top of a rack placed on top of a tray. Dust with icing sugar.

strawberry kulfi

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One of the best things about summer is all the great fruit. From cherries and lychees to watermelon and strawberries, there is something for everyone.

The other best thing – ice cream! You don’t really need much of an excuse in the summer, right?

I decided to add some strawberries to one of our favourite ice creams, kulfi. The marriage of the berries with the kulfi mixture was a delicious one.

Kulfi is one of the easiest things to make. You don’t even need an ice cream machine. Just mix everything together and pour into the molds. Easy peasy!

Strawberry Kulfi

1 cup whipping cream
1 can evaporated milk
1 can condensed milk

1/3 cup strawberries, pureed
3 splashes of kewra
essence

Mix everything together and pour into popsicle molds. Once frozen, enjoy!

** Kewra is an Indian essence used in desserts. It can be found in most East Indian grocery stores.

Kulfi

1 cup whipping cream
1 can evaporated milk
1 can condensed milk
3 splashes of kewra essence
roasted almonds

Mix the milks and essence together and pour into a shallow dish and top
with almonds.  The mixture can alternately be put into popsicle molds. 
If using an ice cream machine, add the almonds in the last five minutes.
– See more at:
http://www.foodmamma.com/2011/07/kulfi-two-ways.html#sthash.ujjuXylV.dpuf

win a one year supply of minute rice!

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Rice seems to be a staple around here. It’s perfect for sopping up Indian curry or using it to make a one pot meal to feed a crowd.  I didn’t discover the convenience of instant rice until recently. Since it is pre-cooked and then dried, it significantly cuts down on the cooking time. This is huge, especially on days where the kids have multiple activities.

With “pre-cooked rice” as its only ingredient, Minute Rice® is 100% natural. Available in two varieties – Premium Long Grain White Rice and Premium Whole Grain Brown Rice – Minute Rice® takes only five minutes to prepare for white rice and 10 minutes for brown rice.

At a recent event promoting Minute Rice, Chef John Higgins, Director of the George Brown Chef School and Chopped Canada judge offered these top 10 rice cooking tips:

Boil in broth: When boiling rice, substitute water for broth to add flavour to the rice itself and your dish. Chicken broth, beef broth or vegetable stock are excellent choices. Low-sodium broths add a punch of flavour without the added salt.

Try coconut: Cook rice in coconut milk for a mildly sweet flavoured rice which pairs well with curry dishes and other spicy recipes. Coconut flavoured rice with fresh slices of mango or your kids’ favourite fruit can make a fun, healthy dessert option.

Think flavour: Add spices to the rice’s cooking liquid for an aromatic and flavourful base to your dish. Star Anise, cilantro and turmeric are good choices, with bold, robust flavours.

Season early on: Don’t leave your seasoning until the end. Introduce the flavours of your dish early on. For maximum flavour, add the herbs or spices your recipe calls for into the rice’s cooking water.

Add veggies: Enhance your rice dish by adding frozen vegetables. Rather than cooking the vegetables separately, though, condense your cooking time by adding them to boiling water before you begin cooking the rice. Using pre-cut, frozen vegetables is more convenient than cutting fresh vegetables (while still being nutritious), especially when you are pressed for time.

Sweeten with fruit: Add dried fruit – such as craisins, raisins, dried blueberries and currents – to your cooking water to draw out the sweet fruit flavours which will infuse your rice with a savoury taste the whole family will enjoy.

Try rice for breakfast: Instant rice in particular is quick and easy, making it a convenient and nutritious family option. Add almond or soy milk, or your kids’ favourite flavoured milk, as well as dried fruits or nuts for a complete, oatmeal-like breakfast dish which can be served hot or cold. Prepare the rice the night before to save time in the morning.

Steep your rice: Infuse the rice with your favourite flavour of tea for a fragrant, subtle gourmet taste. Steep a pot of tea and use the liquid to cook your rice instead of using plain water. For those less adventurous, start with a more simple flavour such as Earl Grey, English Breakfast or Chamomile tea. For an economical option, use the tea bag left over from your morning cup of tea.

Add zing with zest: For a zesty citrus spin on your rice dish, grate lemon, lime or orange zest into the rice’s cooking water as it’s boiling. Be sure to thoroughly wash your fruit with warm, soapy water before grating the zest into the water. For a more gourmet taste sensation, try a combination of citrus fruits in one rice dish.

Cut cooking time: Risotto is a wonderful meal or side dish option enjoyed by all ages, but it takes time to make.  Using instant rice in a risotto dish can cut in half the time it takes to make traditional risotto.

Want a chance to win a case of 12 boxes of Minute Rice® 100% Natural Instant Rice ($60 value)? Comment below, or on Facebook or Twitter, with your favourite rice dish. Contest closes on Wednesday, May 23rd, 2015. Only open to residents of Canada.


Here are a few of mine:
Shrimp Fried Rice
Indian Rice Pudding 
Seafood Paella


afternoon tea at the banff springs hotel

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We are so lucky to have the mountains so close to us. With Banff just an hour away, I always feel like we should go more often. One of Banff’s gems is the Banff Springs Hotel. Like a castle among the rockies, this historic hotel is one which we love to visit.

While at a conference there a couple of weeks ago, I had my afternoons free to do what I pleased. I decided afternoon tea for one was in order. Afternoon tea was on the second level of the Rundle Lounge. The view was absolutely stunning!

There was a whole list of teas to choose from, ranging from the classics like Orange Pekoe to some fun ones like Bubble Gum. They had a tea cart holding all the choices and they happily obliged when I wanted to smell them all. I decided to be safe and enjoyed the Earl Grey.

Before the tea even arrived, my lovely server brought a bowl of fruit to start, a palate cleanser.

This was followed by a couple of warm scones served with clotted cream and strawberry jam. Scones and clotted cream – yum!

Next came the three tiered tray filled with sandwiches and dessert. The sandwiches were so tasty and included egg salad, smoked salmon, heirloom tomato, grilled vegetable and waldorf  chicken. These were so good and were more than enough to fill me up. My favourite was the smoked salmon and the grilled vegetable.

Tea service ended on a sweet note with a variety of desserts. Coffee macarons, french Madeleines, cake on a stick and little tarts were part of the finale. By the time I was done, I was stuffed and satisfied.

 It was a great afternoon with a great view. Definitely an experience I’d like to have again with hubby or with some girlfriends.

pampa brazilian steakhouse

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We are so lucky to have some great new restaurants in the city. One of the new additions to Calgary is Pampa Brazilian Steahouse.  I was lucky to be invited to a media dinner for the new restaurant and try out their amazing offerings. This restaurant is every meat lovers dream!

We were greeted by owner Oscar Lopez, who welcomed everyone with a drink – either Caipirinhas or Guarana, Brazilian sodas.

Chef Joao gave us a bit of history before we were treated to a delicious meal. The buffet was unlike any one I have seen at a Brazilian steakhouse. The variety of items was astonishing – from salads and vegetables to beef carpaccio and a wheel of parmesan. Definitely something for everyone.

The meat – oh my! Here’s some of what we enjoyed: marinated chicken thighs, garlic steak, top sirloin, bottom sirloin, ribeye and lamb chops. My absolute favourite was the house specialty – Picanha. Also known as beef rump, it was sooooo tasty and melted in my mouth. The food was delicious and the meat made everyone at the table quite happy.

The evening ended on a sweet note – passion fruit mousse with a red wine reduction and chocolate mousse with an orange and star anise reduction.

The place was fantastic, the food was delicious and I can’t wait to go back for more!

sticky toffee pudding cake

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I’m excited to be participating once again in The Great Cream Challenge! This month, we were asked to come up with a Holiday Classic Dessert. I decided to go with the Sticky Toffee Pudding Cake. The rich date cake is soaked with a sweet and buttery toffee sauce and topped with cool whipped cream. So good, it is a hit with both adults and kids!

To get the recipe, click here. While you’re there, I would love your vote! You will be entered to win a stainless-steel cookware set! Thanks for your support.

5 dips for your grey cup party

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The Grey Cup is this weekend and the Calgary Stampeders will be playing! Whether you’re into football or not, it’s a great excuse to have a party. Here are some great dips that will make your football party a success. Go Stamps Go!

Salsa and Chips
A must have at any sports party!

Roasted Red Pepper Dip
This one seems to make an appearance at most of our family parties.

Hot Spinach and Artichoke Dip
Ooey, gooey, cheesy…need I say more?

Jalapeno Hummus
Delicious with a kick.

Lemon Curd
A citrus dip for your fruit and cookies, perfect for dessert.

guest blogger: bernice’s blueberry lattice pie with lemon zest and spruce buds

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Life has been busy and my blog has been a little neglected lately. I’m so happy to have Bernice from Dish ‘N’ The Kitchen guest blog today. Her blueberry pie sounds scrumptious! Thanks Bernice!

~ 

Sometimes life has a way of grabbing on and taking time away from blogging. Sometimes it’s difficult to keep up with blog post when situations arise…but not all these life situations are bad! My friend and fellow blogger, Fareen at Food Mamma has just become a new mother and she may be just a bit distracted over the coming months. She needs a bit of extra time to settle in with her new family dynamic and to get to know her new little one. I’m excited and honoured to be a guest post on her blog…my first guest post!  Fareen and fellow readers; grab a cuppa and please enjoy this pie post from my kitchen to yours.

Blueberry Pie. Mmmmm. I just couldn’t get it out of my head following Monday’s Masterchef US episode.  Monday’s blueberry pie episode was inspirational; so many lovely pie variations and so many different methods of making pastry as well.  I’ve actually been making a lot more pies than I used to…using different methods and ingredients so that I can find ‘the pastry recipe’ that works for me. I’ve had great success using my KitchenAid mixer but now that I have a food processor it’s almost scary how fast I can whip up a batch of pastry. Sometimes it’s just too convenient!

The pastry method I used for this pie was described by Inspired Taste. Essentially you just add a portion of the flour, salt, and sugar then add all the butter one bit at a time pulsing in between. then you add the remainder of the butter. The butter ends up coating the flour and protecting it from the cold water you add later. In the end less gluten is formed, making the pie crust tender and flaky. I also usually have such a difficult time rolling out pastry dough…but not with this recipe! I was pretty impressed with this pastry method and so was the family. I think it may be a ‘keeper’.

Phew! Now that I have that evil pie essential that is pastry out of the way we can talk filling. Obviously blueberry. What I saw on the show was a plethora of mixes but I wanted to do something completely different. I wanted my filling to be unique and I was inspired by my childhood and a friendly reminder of it during a dessert I had at Q Haute. It was called Blueberry & Pine. These two flavours really work together though really that is no surprise considering how close they are in nature. As a kid I spent many days picking wild blueberries with my grandma in remote bush areas. She would get word on where the picking was good and off we would go, ice cream pails attached to our belts. We wouldn’t go home until they were full. As we picked we breathed in the scent of pine while we stole the odd mouthful of berries. I wanted my pie to contain that memory.

 

I’ve been waiting patiently for the spruce tree in my front yard to bud. I think it happened a bit later this year but last week I was able to pick a container full of the buds. I had enough to pickle a couple of jars for later use with a just enough left over to add to the pie filling. I also added some lemon zest because I think it is an essential ingredient in blueberry pie. Other than that, a large pinch of freshly ground allspice, some sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Pretty simple.

Pie Pastry (from Inspired Taste)

2 1/2 cups (360 grams) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon sugar, optional
1 cup (227 grams) very cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (2 sticks)
6 to 8 tablespoons ice water

Add 1 1/2 cups flour, salt and sugar to a food processor. Pulse 2 to 3 times until combined.
Scatter butter cubes over flour and process until a dough or paste begins to form, about 15 seconds. It will look nice and ‘sandy’.
Scrape bowl, redistribute the flour-butter mixture then add remaining 1 cup of flour. Pulse 4 to 5 times until flour is evenly distributed. (Dough should look broken up and a little crumbly).
Transfer to a medium bowl then sprinkle 6 tablespoons of ice water over mixture. Using a rubber spatula, press the dough into itself. The crumbs should begin to form larger clusters. If you pinch some of the dough and it holds together, it’s ready. If the dough falls apart, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of extra water and continue to press until dough comes together.
Remove dough from bowl and place in a mound on a clean surface. Work the dough just enough to form a ball (do not overwork). Cut ball in half then form each half into discs. Wrap each disc with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour, and up to 2 days. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months (just thaw it overnight in the fridge before using).
Before rolling, take pastry out and let sit for five minutes. Flour your work surface and roll one disk of dough out to 1/8 inch thickness using your pie plate as a size guide.
Fill pie shell with blueberry filling.

Blueberry Filling

3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
good pinch freshly ground allspice
1 tbsp lemon zest
pinch salt
1/2 cup finely cut fresh spruce buds
1 tbsp cold butter cut in tiny cubes
1 egg yolk
1 tsp cream
coarse sugar

Mix all together in a bowl. Place in pie crust.
Pre heat oven to 400 F.
Take the second disk of pastry, roll it out and cut into strips as wide as you like. I ended up with five strips covering the diameter of the pie, then another five in the other direction.
Weave the strips over the filling as you place them and make sure the ends over hang the edges of the bottom pastry.
Tuck the ends under and pinch the crust edge all the way around the pie.
Dot exposed filling in between strips with tiny cubes of butter. Refrigerate pie for another 30 minutes.
Mix egg yolk and cream in a bowl and brush pastry before baking. Sprinkle pastry with coarse sugar.

Place pie on a cookie sheet in bottom 1/3 of oven and bake for 20 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 F and bake for another 35-45 minutes. The crust should be nice and golden and the filling will be bubbly.

WARNING! this is the hard part….let cool for 3 hours so that the filling sets.