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Monday 31 March 2014

Messed Up Recipe

Are you tired of hearing about Lenten Cookbook?

I'm getting there.

Tonight I went for baked beans. The recipe called for pre-cooked beans, which I had a lot of, so it was handy.

The recipe was perfectly easy too for a busy day. Mix the beans with a whole bunch of stuff and bake for 45 minutes.

Well, here's the story of how I messed up with this recipe.

First, I did not bother with the amounts of anything matching the recipe.

I added molasses and brown sugar, but quickly realized that I may have overdone this.

Thought will make up for it with the other ingredients.

So I substituted mustard seed with dijon mustard, ground ginger with fresh ginger and ground cloves with lots of cloves.

Added a hot chili for good measures and baked.

The outcome - weird.

The tastes did not mix well (maybe I should have baked it longer). One spoon of sweet, one spoon of cloves and one spoon of spice was the eating experience.

Maybe it is a sign that I should move to another cookbook (or stop playing with recipes).


Sunday 30 March 2014

Easy Recipe


No my dear readers - the above picture is not of the cracks of the Los Angeles earthquake.

It is from a great, easy fish recipe I tried from Lenten (I am going to cook the whole book soon).

It is simply pre-made rice that is herbed up.

With fish added on top, dressed with lemon, tomato sauce and bread crumbs and baked.

Simple, tasty, fancy looking and for those out there ready to try it, here's the recipe directly out of the mouth of Elsie Stefanuk, one of the Lenten recipe contributors. Thank you Elsie.

 

Saturday 29 March 2014

Last Night's Dessert Recipe

Thank you for tuning back from yesterday's article to check out the dessert.

Not too Persian I regret, but heavy on dates. 

This is a Ukrainian Matrimonial Cake (My Lenten cookbook has four recipes for it - here's the one I chose to make and share).

Prepare crumbs for base and topping by mixing by hand the following:

- 1.75 cups oatmeal
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup butter
- 1.5 cups flour
- 0.5 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda

Prepare the filling by cooking on stove top:
- 0.5 KG dates (take seed out and chop)
- 0.5 cups brown sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1 tsp vanilla and 2 tsp orange juice

Cook stirring constantly until thicken (takes less than 10 minutes).

Grease a 9X9 baking dish and use two thirds of the crumbs to make the base (press by hand until smooth and even).

Spread the dates on top then cover with the rest of the crumbs.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Let cool, cut and serve.

Datey, decadent, delicious. 

We ate it a bit warm, so ice cream was served with it.

Which created a debate whether vanilla or pistachio goes better with dates.

And debates never get resolved, so we compromised.

Friday 28 March 2014

Ghormeh Sabzi At Doorsteps


Yes, those two bags showed up with no prior knowledge, right in time as I am deciding what to make for dinner. You sure know your timing gracious deliverer of goods.

An instantaneous appetizer spread was put together to kick off the evening.

And despite all hungry and cleaning up the appetizers, platters and platters of Ghormeh Sabzi were poured and eaten.


As for dessert, you'd have to tune back in tomorrow to find out (and I will pass on the recipe as a thank you for your patience).


Thank you gracious deliverer for the lovely surprise dinner and visit!

Thursday 27 March 2014

Wacky Cupcakes

What is catsess intrigued with? Read on


It all started when I received this box of cupcakes.

I ripped the box open and prepared to bite when the gift giver warned me.

Those are bath bombs, not cupcakes and this is where they belong.


I restrained from eating them and saved them for a calm bath. 

Of course, I will choose the white and creamy one first.


It was fun seeing the cupcake turn into bubble. Now all I needed was a real cupcake to eat in the bath.

And is kept catsess intrigued and entrained as well.

 

Wednesday 26 March 2014

Malaysian Delight

On West Broadway, way west, a small gem was discovered today - Mamalee Malaysian Delight.

The place is packed. The food authentically Malaysian, tasty and efficiently served.

Hainanese Chicken and Laksa seem to be their specialty - one of each. 

The Laksa is one of the best in the city. The chicken can be worked on, but good enough.

A pleasant place to remember.



Mamalee Malaysian Delight
3144 West Broadway
Vancouver, BC

 


Tuesday 25 March 2014

Wow Cream Puffs

I was given the sweetest gift box today.


Inside the gift box were two cream puffs. The legend is those are the best cream puffs ever.


I resisted touching them until the end of the day where I treated myself to a puff and a purr.


Light crunchy pastry. Real fresh cream. A layer of hand made milk chocolate. Large enough for two but best to be consumed by one. No wonder those are the best cream puffs ever.


Yum - thank you my box gifter for the sweetest box ever.


Notte's Bon Ton
3150 West Broadway
Vancouver, BC

Notte's Bon Ton Pastry & Confectionary on Urbanspoon

Monday 24 March 2014

Minami 炙 Again

I tried Minami just last week (Read Minami).

A week later I had a choice of finding a new discovery in Yaletown or going back to Minami - Minami it was.

Still a new discovery of their virgin cocktails. You choose a puree (passion fruit), a syrup (elderflower) and soda water and voila, a delicious, customized virgin cocktail.

Two hungry guys went for four rolls. Just the right amount of food (and pricy enough).

But they are fresh, fancy and beautifully presented by the friendliest staff in Yaletown.


Red Wave roll is a given. But I tried the Sunset Roll today with spicy tuna, cucumber, smoked salmon and mustard sauce. It is now my all roll favourite here.


The other given is Aburi Salmon Oshi Sushi (pressed salmon with jalapeno pepper) along with the Aburi Ebi Oshi (Ebi version).



Yes, hungry guys indeed.


 Minami
1118 Mainland Street
Vancouver, BC
 
Minami 炙 on Urbanspoon
 

Sunday 23 March 2014

Lent Recipes from Lenten - Lentil Loaf

Back to Lenten and Lent recipes (Read Bean Casserole). Today's recipe is a perfect vegetarian Sunday dinner - Lentil Loaf.


Cook 1 cup lentils in 3 cups water for about 30 minutes, until completely cooked.

Drain and mash with a hand masher.

Add to the mix:
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 0.25 cup minced onions
- 0.25 tsp herbs
- salt, pepper
- 1 egg
- 0.5 cup grated carrots
- 0.5 cup bread crumbs
- some chopped mushrooms
- some chopped green peppers

Now you have a mush like a meat loaf. 

Mix well and put into a greased loaf pan.

Bake in a 350 oven for about 45 minutes.

It does not matter if the mush is moist, with that much time in the oven, it dries out well.

It comes out looking like a perfect loaf and cuts into thick pieces beautifully.

This recipe is a keeper.


 And guess what it was served with at somerville kitchen?