London Fog Donuts

Sunday just seems like the right day to be in the mood for a London Fog. Which is why, right after yoga this morning, I headed straight to the nearest coffee shop to pick one up. It's perfect for when you're not in a coffee mood but would still like something [caffeinated] to sip on.

If you don't know what a London Fog consists of, let me break it down for you:

                          - Strongly steeped earl grey tea

                          - Vanilla syrup/flavouring of some sort

                          - Steamed milk

            All conveniently stirred into one delicious cup. 

And as it so happens, I was near a David's Tea today, and picked up some "cream of earl grey"- essentially earl grey tea with vanilla. 

And behold, I've taken my recipe for cinnamon sugar donuts, and transformed it (by merely omitting the cinnamon, steeping the milk in earl grey on the stove first, and drizzling a lemon & vanilla bean glaze over top).

**You do need a donut pan if you'd like actual donuts, but I wouldn't doubt that making these in a muffin pan would have a similar effect.

If you'd like some earl grey in your life, here's the recipe:

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

2 cups AP flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

Wet Ingredients

1 egg

1 1/4 cups milk (I used almond milk)- steeped in about 2 tbsp earl grey tea (or about two teabags)

• I steeped mine for about 10 minutes in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, with a metal strainer of the loose tea leaves just resting in the saucepan. Try to make it as strong as possible.

2 tbsp butter, melted

2 tsp vanilla

Glaze (Optional)

~1/2 cup powdered sugar

Seeds from 1 vanilla bean, scraped

1 tsp lemon juice (fresh if possible)

1 tsp milk

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350*F

2. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined.

3. Pour mix into greased donut pan about 3/4 full.

4. Bake for approximately 15 minutes; remove from oven when toothpick is inserted and comes out clean.

5. To make the glaze, simply combine all ingredients and drizzle over cooled donuts

Mac-n'-Cheese Stuffed Portobellos

Happy September, hello comfort-food.

I mean really, when don't we enjoy some heavy comfort food? But this comfort food has some funky twists to it. I used my mom's traditional macaroni and cheese recipe, but threw in some unexpected ingredients...

EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED.

Sorry, I had to. But seriously, the cheese I used is extra old cheddar with whiskey hot mustard! WOAH. If I see something that incredible on the shelf in a grocery store, I can't help myself. Honestly it could have been $30.00 and I wouldn't have even cared (it wasn't though, thankfully).

So what goes well with whiskey, mustard, and extra old cheese? Macaroni noodles. And why not some mushrooms? Why not? I am definitely someone who has to have at least one vegetable in a dish, or else I feel hella guilty.

So here's the scoop:

You'll need...

2 cups uncooked macaroni (I opted for whole wheat)

White sauce
3 tbsp flour
3 tbsp butter
2 cups milk (I used almond milk)
2 cups of a shredded cheese of choice + a bit extra for topping (my opinion= the stronger, the better)

Add in's
1 tsp hot dijon mustard
1 cup sliced mushrooms, lightly sautéed (I just used typical criminis)

& depending how many you want, portobello mushroom caps
--> you can just make a few if desired and cook the rest of the macaroni in a smaller baking dish.

So now what?

1. COOK the macaroni noodles. Drain & set aside.
2. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter, and whisk in the flour (should be pasty)
3. Add in the 2 cups of milk, stirring well. Continue to stir (constantly) on medium heat until the sauce begins to thicken- this could take 5-10 min)
4. WHEN sauce thickens, add in your shredded cheese, and optionally your mustard & sliced mushrooms.
5. Stir in cooked macaroni & preheat oven to 350*F
6. Place your portobellos top-down on a baking sheet or dish, and spoon as much macaroni as you can on top of each, sprinkle with extra cheese.
7. Bake for 15-20 min, until cheese is bubbling and browning on top.

...eat. the next step is always eat.

Strawberry Nesquick Cheesecake!

Excuse me for the crap photography! I had to settle for an iPhone snapshot today.

Hello Mr.'s and Miss's.. (and Mrs.'s and Mz.'s).... I hope your day has been beautiful. Mine definitely had it's up's and down's... it's down's being waiting for almost three hours in the police station for a record check, and then walking out after only 2 numbers had been called in ONE hour! (I was still six away, I would have been there all night), BUT my up was this. This, beautiful, thing. Strawberry Nesquick cheesecake.

Did you ever have strawberry nesquick as a kid? Well I still do. On a regular basis. But that's beside the point. Sprinklebakes is one of my all-time fav's and she always has the greatest recipes. However, this one stood out. I actually couldn't find the powdered nesquick anywhere when I was originally going to make it about a year ago! Luckily, I have friends in high places and the lovely Laura from NYC was kind enough to seek it out and bring me it! Skip ahead a number of months and here we are- about 15 nesquick drinks and a cheesecake later, and the container is empty.

Here's the recipe...

Ingredients

CRUST
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup jimmies or non-pareils... (the rainbow sprinkles- either the little sticks or the tiny dots)
1/2 cup (1 stick) of butter, melted

FILLING
2 1/4 cups whipping cream
2 pkgs cream cheese (softened at room temp)
1 cup nesquick powdered mix
2 tbsp sugar

TOPPING
1/2 cup whipping cream
2 tbsp sugar
non-pareils (sprinkles)

DIRECTIONS
1. DO NOT PREHEAT YOUR OVEN BECAUSE THIS BABY IS A NO-BAKE! YAY!
2. Combine graham crumbs, salt, sugar & sprinkles in a medium sized bowl. Add melted butter and combine until fully incorporated.
3. Press mixture into the bottom & up the sides (using your hands) of a 8- or 9-inch spring-form pan. Set aside.
4. Using an electric mixer, mix the whipping cream until soft peaks form, then slowly add the cream cheese until all incorporated (there may be some little chunks still but no worries- no one even noticed).
5. Add (sift if possible) the nesquick mix and sugar and continue mixing until it is well incorporated.
6. Pour the mixture into the prepared crust just until it reaches the top of where you've pressed the crust to.
7. Whip the remaining topping cream until soft peaks form. Add the sugar, and then continue to whip until stiff peaks form. At this point, you can either 'dollop' some whipped cream on in any fashion you like, or pipe on stars around the outside and centre.
8. Sprinkle some non-pareils on top :)
9. Set in the freezer for 4-6 hours or overnight. You want the cheesecake to be partially frozen when you cut it, but not totally, so remove about 30 minutes prior to serving, or you can keep it in the fridge for an hour or two.

**For easy removal from spring-form pan, soak a tea-towel in hot water and wring dry, then wrap it around the sides of the pan to thaw the sides from the pan. This will help when you release the sides.

Enjoy :)

Protein Packed Veggie Chili

Not sure you could get more meat-free protein in this dish. This chili includes, as usual, a lot of beans. It also includes 'veggie ground' (a meat-free substitute for ground beef) and a ton of quinoa! Triple threat chili! This dish is also effortlessly vegan, provided you don't top it with a handful of cheddar. But I know you wouldn't, it's too good on it's own. ;)

Ingredients

1 red onion, sliced or chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1 pkg veggie ground
1 tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder (or fresh garlic if you have it handy)
1 huge can diced tomatoes
1 can black beans
1 can red kidney beans
1 (small) can of tomato paste
1/2 cup red quinoa

Ok, here's where it gets tricky.

1. First, cook the onion and green pepper on medium heat in a large pot until fragrant & softened.
2. THEN add the spices & veggie ground and let cook for a couple more minutes.

3....THEN...literally add the rest in, one ingredient at a time (down my list). Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and allow to simmer for approximately 30 minutes.

Optional to top with avocado, cilantro and green onion!

TIP: Even better consumed the next day. It continues to thicken overnight.

Spinach Ricotta Enchiladas

NEW POST! I am *trying* as always, to be healthy and not make cheese-slathered meals or buttery baked goods. I did cave earlier this week and bake some raspberry-coconut-lemon scones. Luckily, my colleagues at work eat things like that and happily consumed them all (I might have taken a couple...)

Today, spinach enchiladas. Not covered in cheese. just filled with it (but not all that much)... I also opted not to pour enchilada sauce all over them, as is the default. So alas, I ended up with something moderately healthy. Spinach, onions, tomatoes, garlic, spices, black beans, and some ricotta, all rolled up tight into whole wheat tortillas and baked. Not bad, right?

Changes for next time? Homemade garlicky guacamole for dipping :)

Blackberry & Coconut Tartlets

Tonight I had my dear friend Lesley over for some much needed catching up. As always, our meet-ups revolve around food. We are slowly hopping around Ottawa to all of the foodiest places we can find. Favourites so far include: Moonroom, Oz, Town and Two Six {Ate}. On the list of places yet to be visited: Union, Side Door, Trio, Absinthe. Soon enough!

But when we're feeling a bit more lazy or possibly broke, I just make a dinner for us and we eat in. Tonight the menu included curried cauliflower soup & these beauties of a dessert!... My very own creation of shortbread tartlets with homemade coconut curd, blackberries & lemon zest. Dang.

Alas, the night is not young- not when I have to get up for 5:20 AM... so I'll leave you with some pictures, with the recipes to follow....

Caprese Roll-Up's

Woah, longest period of time I've gone without blogging in years! Sorry guys. I don't know what was wrong with me...

Maybe it was the desire to eat healthier, or the beautiful weather that forced me onto patios instead of into the kitchen- but I'm back. And this one's a doozy. 

Tonight I decided to make simple lasagna roll-up's- caprese style. 

Caprese= Mozzarella, basil, tomatoes. Add in some noodles and a bit of ricotta, and you have the perfect summery meal for a warm night in May. It was very easy, and if you pick your ingredients right- tastes so fresh! (Always opt for the fresh basil and super ripe roma tomatoes and you're set). 

Ingredients

8 lasagna noodles, cooked

about 2 cups shredded mozzarella 

3/4 cup ricotta 

1 egg

black pepper

3 roma tomatoes, thinly sliced

fresh basil, sliced into ribbons

marinara sauce (I admittedly just used store-bought for convenience purposes) 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350*F. 

2. Combine ricotta, egg, and about half the mozzarella. Mix well.

3. Cook your lasagna noodles and drain, do NOT rinse them! Lay them down on parchment.

4. Evenly spread some of the ricotta mixture (about 1/4 cup) over each noodle.

5. Top with tomato slices, basil ribbons & black pepper. Tightly roll up each noodle and lay together (nice and snug) in a large baking dish.

6. Pour a generous amount of marinara sauce over the noodles, ensuring to coat the edges (because they may get too crispy)

7. Sprinkle remainder of shredded mozzarella on top.

8. Bake for approximately 25 minutes.

Enjoy :)