I talk about food, you read it.
Archive for March, 2011
Trader Joe’s Organic Vodka Sauce
01 year ago
Don’t you just love it when you get home from work and all you have to do is put your slippers on because dinner is ready? This doesn’t happen very often so when it does I can’t take it for granted. Last night J made dinner but it was probably because his friend B was over and they had to eat before hockey. Regardless, it was still great and the best part was the sauce J heated up, Trader Joes Vodka Sauce. I was very excited to give this a try. Usually I just throw together a quick homemade tomato sauce since it’s so super easy but it’s always nice to have a backup for occasions like this and there aren’t very many canned or jarred sauces out there that I enjoy.
I should have taken the photo when the sauce was still in the jar, or when it was actually on the pasta, but I forgot. The ingredients are all organic and unlike Canadian organic foods it’s inexpensive. It could be considered a creamy tomato sauce since there is cream and cheese in it but I didn’t feel like it tasted heavy or thick. It was actually on the sweet side which I wasn’t expecting. I couldn’t detect the vodka per say but I am sure it added some tang to the sauce. I added fresh ground pepper, but it definitely doesn’t need any salt. It’s not overly salty but the seasoning is pretty well balanced. We had it served over whole wheat spaghetti but I heard it’s amazing over gnocchi as well. I probably would buy this again for those nights when laziness or time crunches kick in. I think it would also be great kicked up with some peppers!
Karl Lagerfeld and Diet Coke
01 year ago
in Misc
A few years ago I used to LOVE diet Coke and Crystal Lite. Some people say that aspartame isn’t addicting but I would like to beg otherwise. It caught me by it’s sweet tasting claws and wouldn’t let go. I had convinced myself that the negative side effects were written by conspiracy theorists and it was fine to drink. Then one day I poured the remainder of my crystal lite into a dying Christmas cactus and it suddenly grew like it was steroids. Something about that gave me the chills and I decided that it probably wasn’t a good idea to load up on the controversial chemical any longer.
Karl Lagerfeld, a well know fashion designer, also has a strange obsession with the diet drink. So much that he actually lost 90 pounds by drinking only Diet coke and eating stewed vegetables. I guess as a designer it was only a matter of time when his creativity spilled over into the beverage world because he is now rumored to be designing a few Diet Coke labels of his own.
I am kind of loving the new look of Diet Coke but I am not really a fan of the story behind them. Karl Lagerfeld told the world (years ago) he lost the weight by cutting out bad food, drinking lots of water, working out and even published a book. Are these diet coke rumors a marketing ploy? I might still buy one since its pretty cool when the food world merges with the fashion world.
El Gitano
21 year ago
Sometimes J and I like to take quick trips across the border for a couple hours of shopping. I have an obsession with Trader Joes so I often beg him for us to go. I recently had to renew my passport and just got it back in the mail so I was dying to give it whirl and go. When we go across the border it’s also pretty common for us to go for lunch as well, perhaps I can make this a tradition. My parents have told me about El Gitano’s in Bellingham located at 1125 E sunset dr, and it’s just about 2 minutes away from Trader Joe’s so I just drove there without J even knowing where we were going.
It’s in the strip mall where K Mart is, right beside a thrift shop. From the outside it doesn’t seem that big, but on the inside it’s quite large and advertises karaoke as well. Who knew so there were so many die hard karaoke fans in Belllingham? We were seated right away and the waiter also brought us fresh chips and salsa immediately. If you follow my blog then you’ll know how I love free complimentary starters. The salsa was so yummy! It had a good kick to it with the perfect amount of seasoning. The chips were also warm as well which was a bonus. The second someone noticed we were getting low a new bowl of salsa was brought out.
We both ordered Margaritas on the rocks. I am sure for a Sunday lunch this is pretty rare in Bellingham, people are just getting out of church or relaxing but we’re crazy Canadians and anytime is a good time for a cocktail. A word to the wise though, stir your drink first. All the tequila sits on top and if your J ( a person who doesn’t use a straw) you’ll think it’s really strong until you stir it. If you’re me (someone who uses a straw) you’re going to end up drinking the mix first and then when you stir in the tequila after your halfway done it will taste like a double. Now that woke me up!
I ordered a “small” combo, which included a taco, a tamale, rice and beans. I took a bite out of the taco first and it was stuffed full. A lot of seasoned ground beef, lettuce and tomato. Not at all spicy but it had a great taste to it. I tried to steal some of J’s sour cream and guacamole but he karate chopped my fork so I didn’t get much. The guac tasted delicious though. The tamale was also quite good, stuffed with seasoned pork. The rice was hot, fluffy and tasted great too. Quite often it tastes like its been sitting around in a warmer for 3 days.
J ordered flautas with beef. This sort of surprised me because he usually doesn’t like crunchy things but he really enjoyed these. Flautas are similar to a Taquito, which are rolled up flour tortillas stuffed with meat and cheese then fried so they’re crispy on the outside. I had to google the difference because they sound so similar. Flautas are flour torillas, and Taquitos are made of corn tortillas. However, you can also find Taquitos made from flour tortillas and Flautas made from corn……confused? Me to. Whatever you want to call it, J was in Mexican heaven and stuffed him silly. I wish I could have had more of the yummy guacamole.
There are so many Mexican restaurants in Bellingham and I am determined to try them all!!
Pho Phuong Hong
01 year ago
I must have been going through a Vietnamese phase 2 weeks ago because I went to 2 different Vietnamese restaurants one week. Surprisingly both places were in Maple Ridge. Who knew that we were so lucky? Anyway, I was craving a vermicelli noodle bowl so J and I went to Pho Phuong Hong for a quick and inexpensive yummy meal. It’s located at 6-20306 Dewdney Truck rd.
When we walked in there was another couple sitting at a table eating Pho and a second couple waiting for pick up. We didn’t see any staff so J and I just sat down at a table of our choice. We waited about 5 minutes and there was still no hide nor hair of any staff. J walked up to the counter to see if there was menus so we could at least decide on what to order while we waited for someone to show up. I guess they must have seen a super tall 6’4” white guy poking around because a man immediately came out and welcomed him. He brought over the menus and apologized for not being out sooner. After that he was very attentive and provided great friendly service.
We both ordered pork brochette with a spring roll. The menu posted on www.urbanspoon.com is different than the restaurant. Brochette should be skewered pork but it actually comes looking like its grilled or fried flat. Either way, it’s still pork and pretty good as well. They don’t serve this in a bowl but rather a large square plate which is slightly deceiving. At first I didn’t think it was much but it was very filling. The spring roll could have been a little crispier but that’s personal preference. I also could have had a but more carrot but overall I really enjoyed it, and will be back to try the pho!
Frogstone Grill
01 year ago
Last Saturday my mom and I went shopping on our annual shopping spree to Metrowtown all afternoon. In the past we’ve gone for dinner but this time we were done shopping earlier enough that we weren’t ready for dinner so we parted ways and I went home. Unfortunately there was a huge lack of food at home and being that it was a Saturday evening MR Noodles wasn’t going to cut it. J and I picked up his phone and used the urbanspoon restaurant generator, which is basically like a slot machine of local restaurants. We gave it a try a couple times because it kept landing on Sushi and I wasn’t in the mood for Sushi and then it stopped on The Frogstone grill located on 22932 Lougheed Highway. The reviews looked pretty promising on urbanspoon we decided to give it a shot.
The second we walking into the restaurant J and I looked at each other and thought this might be a mistake. This is clearly a family restaurant, and there was even a birthday party for a group of 8 year girls bouncing around. We were starving so we decided to stay and see what this place had to offer. We were seated at a table right by the front door as it was apparently extremely busy. I was fine with that because the last thing I wanted was to sit near a huge family full of annoying children. Our server seemed nice, and was also pretty quick to come over.
I ordered the Seafood Melt-Down, which is an opened faced sandwich topped with smoked salmon, grilled shrimp, onions, tomato, avocado, and melted jackcheese on focaccia bread. I ordered it with a tossed salad and poppyseed dressing. The sandwich itself was decent but didn’t blow me away either. There was an average amount of seafood topping but it lacked something and I am not sure what. I guess it was just a little bland. The salad was served in a small bowl which is really annoying to deal with and the dressing was your basic kraft style dressing.
J ordered the Jerk Chicken Blanket, which is basically a pita or flatbread stuffed or “blanketed” around fillings. The Jerk chicken is obviously smothered in a jerk sauce and has pan seared peppers, onions and jack cheese. J got it with a Caesar salad. I don’t remember seeing much cheese, if not any cheese but there was a good amount of chicken filling. It was sweet and spicy and went well with the soft “blanket”. Not something you can pick up with your hands and eat though. J said it was a little on the sweet side, he mentioned that most Jerk sauces he has had in the past weren’t that sweet but at the same time very spicy. Good thing he ordered a Caesar salad because the creaminess of the dressing probably helped out his flaming mouth. By the end he wasn’t enjoying it anymore as his mouth was completely tasteless and on fire.
The best part about eating at frogstone has to be the frog candies given to you with the bill. That doesn’t really say much for a restaurant that is supposed to wow you with their food. Now, the food isn’t bad by any means it just isn’t a place for J or I. This is a place for families that want something different then white spot or boston pizza. I would prefer the ladder but that’s just me. It did get good reviews so perhaps we just ordered the wrong items. Our server was also attentive and nice so that was a positive as well. I guess that is the last time we let the phone decided what we’re eating.
Obanhmi
01 year ago
About a year ago I tasted my very first banh mi sandwich and instantly because a HUGE fan. I wish I hadn’t waited so long to try these wonderful little sandwiches because soooo good. I have only gone to Golden Pizza in Surrey for Banh Mi’s and I now live too far away to just pop over to Surrey for a sandwich. In general it’s not bad to have a “go to” spot for a great sandwich but I needed to get out of my comfort zone and try some other Vietnamese restaurants sandwiches.
I now live in a town that doesn’t have a lot of ethnicity, but more rednecks then anything. Luckily Maple Ridge actually has Vietnamese restaurants and more then 1. One of them happens to specialize in these amazing sandwiches. It’s called Obanhmi, and its located at 22624 Lougheed Highway. Not only does it sell Banh Mi’s, but it also has Pho and crepes as well. When I first walked in I saw a table of men eating Pho and from my view it looked pretty good. I almost wanted to come back for dinner, but I will save the Pho for another day.
I ordered a Vietnamese cold cut banh mi without cheese. For about 6.50 you get a 12” sandwich and its filled with all the usual Banh Mi toppings including a house made special Banh Mi sauce. They also add onions as well instead of Daikon. I might try it without onions next time but I think the onions were also pickled because they were very mild. The bun was almost identical in texture as Golden Pizza, light and crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. Not too dense either but I am sure the Banh Mi die hards out there might like it slightly less dense. The pate really makes the sandwich in my opinion, in this case it was delicious, not too much but not skimpy either. I might like a tad more jalapenos and cilantro but I won’t hold that against them. I would definitely order this again in a heartbeat!
Irish Onion Soup
2Another recipe I had on my Irish themed dinner was Irish Onion Soup, made with Guinness. I absolutely love French onion soup so I was pretty excited to try this. I was also excited to have a second recipe to use the Guinness Beer that was now in my fridge. There isn’t a lot of difference between French onion soup and Irish onion soup other then the alcohol that is used so it’s super easy.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 5 cloves minced garlic
- 8 cups thinly sliced onions
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
- 1/4 cup sherry vinegar
- 1 1/2 cups Guinness draught
- 6 cups beef stock
- 6 slices country bread cut 1/2-inch thick, toasted
- 1/2 pound Irish Cheddar, sliced thin or grated
Directions
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add garlic and cook briefly to release aroma. Add onions, season with salt, lower the heat to med-low to low and cook for about 20-30 minutes stirring occasionally until the onions are golden brown.
Add the thyme, vinegar, and beer. Reduce beer by half and add the beef stock. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 more minutes.
Preheat the broiler. Transfer soup to an ovenproof serving dish or individual ovenproof soup bowls. Top with toasted bread slices and sliced Cheddar. Broil until cheese melts and starts to brown slightly. Serve piping hot.
I didn’t have Irish Cheddar so I used white cheddar instead and it tasted just fine. The soup initial tasted really sweet but there was definitely a slight bitter aftertaste. This was definitely heavier than regular French onion soup and filled us up but I think I prefer the original French version.
Guinness Chocolate Pudding
0St. Patrick’s Day was last Thursday and on food blogs all over the web bloggers were preparing for an Irish themed meal. I was a few days late but I still wanted to participate and make my own Irish themed meal. Mine was based around the world famous Guinness Beer.
I have never actually had Guinness before and I have no idea why because I love beer. I think people talked me out of it in the past, convincing me that I wasn’t going to like it. This made me slightly hesitant to try it but I cracked open a can and took my first sip. Now, people were right that it was a heavy, dark beer but they were wrong in saying I wouldn’t like it. I LOVED it! I can’t see myself drinking a lot of this because it is quite heavy but it really good. Bitter with almost a chocolate, creamy taste as well, which excited me because one of my Irish themed recipes was a chocolate Guinness Pudding.
Ingredients
- 8 large egg yolks
- 1 cup sugar
- One can Guinness Draught (not Stout, it must be draught)
- 3 cups Whipping Cream
- 7 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (Dark chocolate)
- In large nonreactive mixing bowl, whisk together egg yolks and sugar.
In large nonreactive mixing bowl, whisk together egg yolks and sugar.
Open can of Guinness and slowly pour into 4-cup measuring cup, pouring down side of cup to reduce foaming. Let sit for 2-3 minutes
Pour half of Guinness (about 7/8 cup) into heavy-bottomed 3-quart saucepan. Add 2 1/4 cups cream and whisk to combine. Set over medium heat and heat, whisking occasionally, until bubbles just begin to form at edges. Remove from heat, add chocolate, and whisk until smooth.
Slowly pour hot chocolate mixture into eggs, whisking constantly to prevent curdling. Return mixture to saucepan and set over moderately low heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until mixture thickens and coats back of spoon, about 15 minutes. (Pudding will look separated.) Pour into blender and blend on high for 1 minute. Divide pudding among glasses, leaving at least 1 inch of space at top of each. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled and set.
Meanwhile, pour remaining Guinness into small saucepan and bring to boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to moderately low and simmer, uncovered, until reduced to 1 tablespoon, about 20 minutes. Pour syrup into small bowl and let cool.
Beat remaining cream until soft peaks form. Add Guinness syrup and beat until combined. Divide cream among 6 glasses of pudding and serve.
Be warned; if you are any type of diet do not proceed. This is a very rich dessert! The Beer flavour whipping cream I could have done without. I added 1 tsp of icing sugar to the mix and it was better but it really was like the head on your beer. You look forward to the head to subside so you can enjoy the beer. The pudding on the other hand was amazing. Super rich, chocolaty goodness.
Bobby Sox 50′s Diner
01 year ago
About a month ago J and I were slightly hung over and on the hunt for a delicious burger. We ended up at a pub in pit meadows but they had a Sunday Bruch Buffet and the kitchen was closed. We could have stayed and ravaged the buffet but there wasn’t any burger on the buffet and the craving for a beefy, greasy, meaty filled bun wasn’t going away. We jumped back in the car and decided to just head to White spot until we spotted Bobby Sox 50’s diner. J and I looked at each other, smiled and knew this is where we would be eating.
Walking in the restaurant is like walking in a time machine. Not that I lived in the 50’s but I could imagine that this is exactly what it looked like. There is memorabilia everywhere and the furniture even looked like it potentially couldn’t have been a refurbished version of the original. The menu has quite a large burger section but they also have a pretty amazing sandwich section too.
I ordered the Forty Creek Whiskey BBQ burger, which includes an insane amount of fried onions, Swiss cheese, a 1/3 pound fresh lean beef patty and your usual suspects of red relish, mayo, lettuce, tomato and pickle. This thing was huge, and I could barely fit it in my mouth. It was juicy, tangy, Smokey, sweet and delicious. This was exactly what I was looking for. There was also an obscene amount of home cut fries on my plate as well. This meal was impossibly for me to finish but boy did I try!
J ordered a mushroom burger and added bacon as well. It also included they’re typical toppings over a 1/3 pound beef patty. I could tell by the look on his face that he was also really enjoying his burger thoroughly.
The only complaint I had was the fries. Home cut fries are a little harder to cook and need to be blanched first to reach the perfect crispiness which they did but they didn’t drain the grease off my fries. They were dripping to the point of creating a giant pool of fryer fat on my plate. Then the fries sat in this making them a little soggy and unappetizing. J’s seemed to be okay and we had so much that I just ate his but it was still a waste.
Since we were here for the burgers and they wowed me, we will definitely be back! The fresh patty definitely makes a difference. My mouth is watering just thinking about it!
Cedar Wrapped Sole
01 year ago
in Recipes
A few weeks ago I blogged about a company called Natures Cuisine, and spoke about their wooden cooking planks. I was extremely impressed with the cooking planks, especially because they’re not a throw away product. It was super easy to clean and you can use them over and over again. The same company makes these amazing little cedar wraps for the bbq or oven as well.
I wanted to make a recipe that incorporate cod in the cedar wraps but I couldn’t find any fresh cod so I bought sole fillets instead. White fish is really easy to cook with and has a nice fresh clean taste.
Ingredients
- 2-3 Fish Fillets (sole or Cod)
- 2 Tbsp Maple Syrup
- 1 tsp Butter
- 1 small splash White Wine Vinegar
- ½ Tsp Dijon Mustard
- ½ tsp chopped Fresh Thyme
- ½ tsp Sea Salt
- Pepper to taste
- 4 Natures Cuisines Cedar wraps and Raffia Strings (I used Hemp and soaked it in water. Just don’t use synthetic material or it will melt)
Soak cedar wraps in water for 20 minutes and strings for 5 minutes. Preheat barbecue to medium-high heat or oven to 400 degrees.
In small saucepan, combine maple syrup, butter, cider vinegar, mustard and thyme. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; boil until reduced by half, about 1 minute. Set aside, covering to hold warm. Pat fish dry; season with salt and pepper.
Drain wraps and strings. Place one cod fillet in centre of each cedar wrap, working with the natural curve the wrap gets while soaking. Fold sides of cedar wrap over cod and tie with string.
Place cedar packets on grill seam side up. Do not close lid. Cook packets for 5 minutes; turn and cook another 5 minutes or until fish is cooked through. If you’re using the oven put on a cooking sheet and cook for 8-10 min until cooked.
Place grilled cedar packets on serving platter. Cut off string, leaving fish on cedar wrap and brush fillets liberally with warm maple syrup mixture.
These little fillets were SO GOOD! The cedar permeated the white fish perfectly. The sauce isn’t too sweet either which is nice. If you find it a bit sweet then just add a small splash of stock but you probably won’t need to. I highly recommend Natures Cuisine products. Lots of my family and friends have been asking where to buy these, just call them to order 604-793-7066 or 866-977-5265.