TWICE BAKED SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE

This very VERY good and well worth the effort. It's not just for the holidays!

You will need:

3 pounds sweet potatoes
1/2 cup butter softened
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 large eggs
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon allspice
pinch of mace
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Scrub the sweet potatoes and prick the skin with a fork. Bake uncovered on a baking sheet until they are soft, about 1 hour. Allow potatoes to cool, then peel away the skin using a sharp pairing knife or any utensil you like.. Place the peeled potatoes in a mixing bowl and blend until smooth with a potato masher, whisk, or electric mixer.

Add the butter, cream, eggs, brown sugar and vanilla to the mashed potatoes and use a stiff wire whisk to whip together thoroughly. Add in the allspice and mace, then season with salt and pepper to taste.

TOPPING - You may double the topping for extra yumminess :)

1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped pecans (we used almonds)

ASSEMBLE THE CASSEROLE:

Spoon the sweet potato mixture into a buttered baking dish and dot with pats of butter and sprinkle with the brown sugar and chopped pecans. Bake for 30-40 minutes. The sweet potatoes will puff up slightly and the topping will be bubbly and golden when the casserole is done.

Bon appetit!
Meg

Pepi's Pizza on Old King Street

Tired and hungry after a long drive back from a Muskoka cottage, we decided to continue our search for the best pizza in Waterloo Region. We've liked the Pepi's Pizza on Water Street in Kitchener, so we decided to give the one on Old King Street a try as it is conveniently located near the Fairway Road exit off Highway 8.

I've tried really hard to come up with one good thing about our experience at this Pepi's. The servers were fairly pleasant - there, I did it.

We ordered the large 3-item pizza with one pound of wings feature and waited about 30 minutes for it to be ready. A few minutes later we were home and diving in. I'm not sure how you can ruin a pizza, but there must be a way. The dough was chewy and although the fixings were plentiful, there seemed to be no taste to it. The wings were tiny bullets of fried fat with the sauce on the side. The food was so bad, not one of us is willing to eat the leftovers.

We continue our search for the best pizza. If you have a recommendation, please let us know.

Enjoy!
Arlene

Dim Sum - a true hearts delight on Cameron St.

Dim Sum are the Chinese equivalent Spanish tapas. Little plates of joy. Upon being seated you get the Dim Sum menu and a pen. You check off what you want and it whisked off to the kitchen where they make up your order. Each dish comes from it's own section and you're charged accordingly. There is plenty to choose from adventurous to not so much. Scootor and I always order the same stuff every time. When something comes up that looks interesting we swap it out for something else.

We order:

Har Gow - delicious steamed shrimp balls wrapped in a thin rice shell.

Sticky Rice - Rice and meat steamed in a lotus leaf.

Rice Rolls - Rice dough stuffed with BBQ Pork and steamed.

Spring Rolls - Stuffed with chicken & Taro.

The new guy was Shrimp Dumplings stuffed Chinese mushrooms. A Very good choice!

There are some items on the menu that are NOT for the faint of heart. Tripe is one we haven't tried yet nor have we tried chicken feet. My dearest Papa loved chicken feet. Every Friday our neighbor Marilyn would send my father over a little package of the chickens feet, gizzard, liver, and heart. Having survived the Holocaust food had a whole set of strings attached to it. I can still see him, chicken foot in his hand nibbling each little toe for all the meat there was to be had. Being his eating buddy he would share shnibbles of his package with me like a mother bird feeding her chick. No, he didn't chew it first. Our first dim sum debacle was at the Chrystal Palace on King in Waterloo. I ordered what I misread as Phoenix Prawns,only to have it be Phoenix PAWS - the evil chicken feet. I am sure I'm brave enough now to try them but not a whole order.

So when people ask me where do I go for Dim Sum I tell them Cameron is very good but very expensive. Chrystal Palace is just slightly less good but they have a much better selection.

The choice is now your's.

TTFN

Meg

EVE'S Chocolates - Yummy truffles

I went to the dentist yesterday for some cleaning and filling. (They knock me out for all procedures as I am REALLY Dentalphobic). Earlier that day he stopped in at Eve's Chocolates for a happy

wake up present which I greatly appreciated not having had chocolate of any kind in months. They were warn and smooth and delicious. I had to rush back today to get more! They are still terrific. If you store your chocolate in the fridge let it come to room temperature before you eat. Cold chocolate doesn't have as much flavor. The Truffles and so much more can be had at: EVE'S CHOCOLATES - 75 KING ST. WATERLOO. It is one of cute little boutique shops down the side of Waterloo Square. Their phone number is519-747-0999. If you need an occasion to give chocolates

to your sweetie, for me Happy Friday was a good one.

TTFN

Meg

Our Vet has her office at the Williamsburg Plaza. Friday we had to stop in and get drugs for Puggy Molly. We noticed that a new Japanese Resto was having it's grand opening. We decided to try it out for lunch on Saturday.

Tomoya

325 Max Becker Dr. UNIT 102

Kitchener

519-749-9997

Scootor and I have a two pronged attack when dealing with Japanese Places. The first visit we order just appetizers the second visit we order Sushi. We ordered Gyoza( the Japanese version of pot stickers) Veggie Tempura, Yaki Tori(chicken on a skewer) which came atop a cute little brazier with a tea candle inside to keep the chicken warm, Calamari(squid) fried Oysters, and a salad bar. The dressing was so wonderful I drank what was left. Everything was terrific. The fried stuff was relatively grease free, the Gyoza were vegetarian and delicious, the Yaki Tori was yummy. Scoot and I thought it could have used a bit more sauce. The Calamari was totally unlike what I had imagined when I ordered it. It was all tentacles. Squid has a tendency to be very chewy but this, while al dente was very good. The Tempura was light and crisp. The veggies were also al dente which isn't my preference but Scoot likes his veggies crunchy. Now for the Oysters. I had my first experience with Oyster at the age of 12. I was staying in New York with my friend Karen Burke Murphy. Her father took us all out to Luchows, a famous eatery that has been around for ages. Her father, the head of the household, ordered for all of us. I was about as stunned as a 12 year old could be. I'd been ordering for myself for 10 years so what the hell is going on here? When the Apps. came I was presented with 6 Oysters on the half shell not only raw but still alive. I'd seen my parents eat clams on the half shell before but a shrimp cocktail was about as adventurous as I had gotten. I watched to see how it was done picked up a shell and knocked her back. It was like a giant phlegm ball. I chewed and chewed and I couldn't get it down. I finally had to spit it out into my CLOTH napkin. I offered the 5 remaining to everyone at the table. Faux pas yet again. Nobody EVER shared food of another's plate. It just wasn't done. I was so N.O.C.M.D.

Back to the Oysters. They came 6 on a lovely long plate with a nice ribbon of BBQ sauce. I ordered them because I feel it's silly to let a 12 year old dictate what a 60 year old can eat.

DRUM ROLL please. I bravely picked up the smallest Oyster and took a bite. It wasn't bad, good almost. Scoot picked one up and eyed it suspiciously. He popped it in his mouth and chewed. You'd have thought I have made him eat fishy Play Dough. He was not impressed, not one bit.

The remaining Oyster were mine by default and I ate every one. They weren't fishy but briny like the ocean. Maybe when I go to NOLA I'll be able to order an Oyster Po' Boy and not disgrace myself.

This place has the makings of a very nice place. You should go out and give it a try.

TTFN

Meg

Creme Brulee - Creme Brulee - I could eat you every day

The Keg is the Keg. It makes no apologies it is a steak house. Our Friday night dinner group has eaten there before and while the food is good(Red meat and lots of it) the noise is deafening. After a table change to one of the several alcoves we could sufficiently talk and be heard.

We all ordered our meat and sat back to wait for our carnivorous repast. Starters came and were universally good. I had a Caesar salad w/o croutons (I'm trying not to do wheat) and a whole lot of Parmesan cheese on top. It was very nice. Crisp lettuce. Scouter ordered a Flat-bread with tomato-basil salsa, mozzarella and a Balsamic reduction. Everyone loved it except me due to the wheat thing. It being Lobster Fest at the Keg their new App. was an Escargot dish with chunks of lobster covered with cheese. Tracy, who normally always shares, gobbled down the whole thing.

Tracy and her mother Marilyn took advantage of the Lobster Fest and ordered the Lobster encrusted Sirloin. I ordered the Filet Mignon without the bacon wrap and with steamed veggies and Asparagus. Gino, Tracy's father and Scoot ordered ribs and chicken. My steak was cooked perfectly. I like my meat blue rare and blue rare it came. Marilyn and Tracy liked their meat well enough but in a move I totally missed Tracy was persuaded to order something else. It had a seafood "crust'' but instead of all Lobster there were shrimp on top with "some" lobster. It was OK. Gino who isn't a complained was fine with his dinner but Scootor found both the ribs and the chicken were dry. Interestingly there was a half cob of corn wrapped in bacon on the plate suffering from a monumental lack of flavor. On the negative side I don't like their meat rub and would have preferred my steak au naturel. On the VERY positive side I really liked the BBQ sauce.

Drum roll please..........................................For dessert we had Creme Brulee. Oh my God it was delicious. It is the standard by which all Creme Brunets should be judged. No fruit or coulis or anything else that doesn't belong. Just plain light delicious custard and nothing else. The next time we go I'm just eating Creme Brulee.

So, dinner for 2 ended up at $93.00 with drinks, food, and dessert.

God that Creme Brulee - YUMMO!

Perogi Recipe (or if you're Jewish, Verenicas)

Dough:

1-Cup Flour
1 Egg
1/4 Teaspoon of Salt
About 4 Tablespoons of Water

You may use the processor. Mix the flour, egg, and salt with enough water to make medium soft dough. Knead well. Let rest for an hour or so in the fridge wrapped in plastic wrap.

Filling:

We use potato and fried onions. Leftover mashed potatoes are just fine. We like it oniony, very oniony. The recipe is to combine leftover mashed potatoes and fried onions and mix well. You can use fresh mashed but let them cool well. Taste the filling for salt and pepper.

My youngest likes potato and cheddar cheese, while Ryan (her boyfriend) adds bacon.

Roll the dough out until thin. You may cut into squares or use a nice sized glass or a cookie cutter. Place 1 teaspoon of filling in center of each dough piece. Pinch the edges really well to keep filling from escaping. If the edges don't stick, dab on a drop of water.

Cook in boiling salted water. They are done when they float to the top.

I like mine just boiled (hot or cold). Scoot prefers his fried (after boiling) - in butter, but you may use oil if you prefer. Arlene likes to add sautéed onions and crumble crisply cooked bacon on top.

Serve with sour cream. Yum yum yummy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Meg

Feh!

It being Friday night, we all went to St. Louis Wings and Ribs on Northfield. It was awful - bloody awful as Arlene would say. As Scootor said it was barely OK. The four of us had the special of 6 wings and 3 ribs plus fries and little onion schnibbles. The fries were OK and so were the onion bits. I asked for honey garlic wings and plain ribs. When the plate arrived I grabbed my "succulent" ribs ready to jump into their wonderfulness anf found them stone cold and as far from yummy as they could be. I called the server over and very apologetically she took my plate away saying she'd bring me a new plate. What showed up 15 minutes later was my old plate and still no ribs. Another 20 minutes later when the ribs finally arrived they were warm, but I was full. The wings were small and dry and if there was any of the honey garlic sauce on them it was news to me. They dimmed the lights before we had ordered and it seemed like no one knew what" Inside Voices" were. All said this was not gastronomies finest hour, and I'd advise against a visit.

Meg

We Saw God!!!!! at Verses

May the 13th was my 60th birthday. My dearest Papa died the day before his 60th, so the 12th of May was fraught with concern. Our Friday dinner friends, Tracy and Al, went with us to celebrate to VERSES, my favourite restaurant. It is located on Victoria Street between Margaret and St. Leger streets. Transformed from an old church, it has a real cathedral feeling to it. The staff are both friendly and prompt. The kitchen is VERY user friendly. They respect everyone's food issues and will alter dishes whenever possible. This is so rare in restaurants. Our meals were almost perfection itself. Tracy and I decided to have just apps. You get more choice that way.

Tracy started with a lovely spinach salad. I had Kobe Beef 3 ways, and it was so delicious. It came with a little shooter of light green nectar - To die for. Next came the fois gras and the God part with apan-seared piece of Fois that defies all explanation. We both saw God! Even better were the 3 little shortbreads made with the fois fat. We swooned!!!!!!!!!! Sadly we were not to swoon again. The four seared scallops were sadly overcooked. The time it takes to go from cooked to latex is a few short seconds. The chef sadly miscounted. We told the boss this on the way out, and she would have liked to have been told earlier.

I just love this place. So if you want to have WONDERFUL food and a friendly good time go to VERSES. It's a little on the pricey side, but well worth every dollar. Just think how many bad expensive dinners you've had under the guise of "fine dining", and you put all that wasted money together, you'd be able to eat at VERSES every night! Check it out!

Meg

Sour Cream Rhubarb Coffee Cake - a cake to die for!

To me, rhubarb is the first breath of spring. After a long cold winter it is lovely to have this wonderful fruit come up so quickly. Remember – do not eat the rhubarb leaves as they are poisonous. Enjoy!

Topping:  (I double this topping)
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. chopped nuts (optional)
2 Tbsp butter or margarine (softened)

Combine and stir with a fork until crumbly.

Cake:
 1 1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened (I prefer butter)
1 large egg
1 c. sour cream (regular)
2 c. flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
2 c. chopped rhubarb (1/2-inch)

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a (10 inch) spring form pan or (9 x 13 inch) baking pan with non-stick cooking spray. Cream sugar and butter, then beat in the egg and sour cream. Add the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and ginger and mix until just combined. Fold in the rhubarb and spread the batter in the prepared pan. Sprinkle the topping over the cake batter. Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool slightly before cutting.

Bon Appetit!
Meg

Soup Redux

In my opinion soup is the most magical food ever. In fact, I used to have a soup business called "Soup de Jour”. To me every “jour” can be a “soup de jour”.

The beginning of every soup is a good broth. It's relatively easy to make and makes a difference in the finished product. If you don't feel up to making your own broth, use a low-sodium boxed broth. Today, let’s start with my recipe for a good chicken broth.

Chicken Broth

Regular chicken broth is made with raw poultry. Browned chicken broth is made with roasted poultry. I save all the bones from roasted meat in the freezer and when I have enough, I make stock.

You will need about 4-5 lbs. of poultry. You can use necks, backs, feet, a whole bird or any parts thereof, or if are really lucky and can find one - a soup chicken. (This is an old hen that has quit laying. It is very tough but makes a very flavorful broth.)

Put the poultry in a large pot and add cold water to cover. Simmer (don't boil) uncovered for about 30 minutes. Skim the foam that rises to the surface with a slotted spoon. Now add 1 large onion, 3 ribs of celery, and 2 large carrots cut into large pieces because they will all be strained out. Simmer (don't boil) partially covered for 3-4 hours. Continue to skim and add water to cover if needed. When the veggies are soft they broth is done. Check for seasoning. Strain the veggies out.

Cool the broth and put it in the fridge. When the fat has solidified on the top scrape it off and voila it is done. You now have 2 choices - either freeze it in smaller portions or make soup.

Chicken Soup

In a large pot, measure out 1 cup of broth per person and one for the pot. Chop and add 2 large carrots, 4 ribs of celery plus some leaves, 1 small parsnip and 3 fat cloves of garlic. Simmer (don't boil) for one hour or until the veggies are soft. At this stage you can add any small pasta like Orzo or the alphabet pasta. Investigate your store's pasta aisle and get whatever strikes your fancy. Add the pasta when it is done to package directions, and with a small drum roll your soup is done. If you want some chicken in the soup add some finely sliced chicken to the pot when you add the pasta. Serve with some crusty buttered bread, and you have a really great meal.

Presto Change-o

This broth is very versatile. With just a few additions you can have a soup of unlimited variety. Just use your imagination. For example, to make the chicken soup into a hearty Minestrone just add 1 – 28oz. can of diced tomatoes, two or 3 cans of beans like garbanzos, red or white kidneys, or, if it is Fall, and you can go to the market and buy fresh Romano beans and use them. The difference between the fresh and the canned is like night and day. I saw them at the market and got some as an experiment. Boy was I glad I did.

You can add cubed potatoes and also add some pot barley. Keep tasting and when the carrots and potatoes are done its soup. The crusty bread and butter are even better with this one.

To make this soup  into a gumbo, you'll need to add some kielbasa like sausage, some chicken meat, shrimp, and the much under-rated okra. (I planted some in my garden this year but can't remember where I put it as the weeds have taken over.)

If you like your Gumbo with a little kick add some red pepper flakes. Gumbo will need rice. Use whichever kind you normally use; all kinds are OK. I have never been able to make proper rice and use the quick cook stuff, so when I say any rice I mean it. When the rice is done, add a handful of raw or frozen shrimp, which the heat of the soup will cook in about 2 minutes.

You can "Asian" up the soup by adding some soy sauce, sesame oil and some red pepper flakes. Add thinly sliced onion, garlic, carrots, celery, and Bok Choy. Cook the white part of the Bok Choy first as it takes longer than the greens. When the veggies are done toss the greens in. When they are wilted, they are done. Thinly sliced chicken can be added and the heat of the soup will cook it through. If you can get your hands on some Chinese BBQ pork it makes be a very delicious addition.

Soup is a wonderful change from all the meals we normally eat as the weather starts to get colder. It is food that can be eaten at any time and just warms me up and makes me smile. In Viet Nam most of the people eat soup for breakfast. That has my vote. So try some or all of this semi-liquid deliciousness and enjoy. Food is for experimenting and enjoying. Try new food, and you'll be surprised at just how much fun it be.

TTFN
Meg

Mediterraneo

Almost every Friday night a group of us go out and sample the Restaurants in the Treasures Book. We started doing this a few years ago and it has been fun.


Last night we went to Mediterraneo a Greek place on Bridge St. at University Ave.


My question is how much Lemon juice and Oregano can one person eat?


I have what is called a Geographic Tongue. OMG I hear you all scream.Too much information. Here goes, I have a tongue that looks like a map. Lumps and bumps etc. This genetic giftie gives me a major sensitivity to all things acidy and spicy. I can't stand Cilantro either which adds up to 3 gastronomic strikes.


Mediterraneo is a nice looking place with very comfy seats. It is clean and unrushed. We didn't get the feeling that we needed to hurry up for the next sitting. The best part for me was even though the place was full you could still hear your fellow eaters and not have to shout.

The Food was OK. There was so much of it I felt guilty about leaving any. For the prices I would have expected better. Scootor had the souvlaki and said it was OK. Actually everyone at the table said their meal was OK.

If big salads are your thing this is the place for you. They are huge. I ordered the Lamp chops which came with lemon and oregano rice, roasted lemon and oregano potatoes, and lemon and oregano dressed greek salad. I felt like Trini Lopez had taken up residence in my stomach.

Like I said, the food was OK and lots of people love the place. I just don't happen to be one of them. OK food is just OK food.

Lots of Veggie Soup

I love soup! I'd eat it all year even through the summer. My sainted husband Scootor believes this is just wrong on so many levels. He was raised on a dairy farm, and his Mom NEVER made soup. Meals were big and heavy and soup was for sissies; hell, it was barely food. He has come around some so there is hope. Here is one of my favourite recipes.

I start out with 2 smoked pork hocks. If you prefer not to use pork, use 3 smoked turkey legs instead. Fill your largest pot 2/3 full of water and add the meat. Bring to a boil then lower the heat and simmer for a few hours on low. Remove the meat to a plate and let cool.

Now you can start adding the veggies to the broth. I like using 1 large onion. 1 whole head of garlic, 1 medium parsnip, 4 large carrots, 4 celery ribs, 3 large potatoes all cut up in similar sized pieces and 2 packages of frozen okra. Next add 2- 28 oz cans of diced tomatoes and any combination of 3 cans of beans. I like chickpeas, white beans and pinto beans. If you like barley, throw some in. The amount and kind of Veggies doesn't matter. Just put in what you like.

Simmer for another few hours. When the carrots are tender the soup is done. Gently remove the bones skin and nasty bits from the meat and add it to the soup. If you like your soup spicier add some pepper flakes. If the broth needs that little something added for taste, try some tomato paste.

This may sound complicated but it isn't. You can just take the process and make the soup your own. If you make lots, freeze it in meal-sized containers and thaw for a meal when you just don't feel like cooking. Add some crusty bread and dig in. Soups On!
 TTFN
Meg

Meg's Easter Dinner

MENU:
Roast Beef (Prime Rib)
Pork Roast
Mashed Potatoes
Roasted Potatoes
Melange of Roasted Veggies
Parsnips
Sweet Potatoes
Onions
Butternut Squash
Sweet Red Peppers
Potatoes
Carrots
Roasted Asparagus
Broccoli and Cauliflower
Cheese Sauce
Beef Gravy
Pork Gravy
Apple Sauce
Buns

DESSERT
Plain Cheesecake
Chocolate Swirl Cheesecake
Icebox Cake

If any of you are gasping trying to figure out how I managed to cook all this stuff, I have 2 stoves, 2 fridges, and a BBQ.

My dearest co - blogger suggested that I offer you cooking tips. I'm not sure what tips I can offer. We had a crowd for Easter dinner, which wasn't out of the ordinary. Being rather bored with the usual roasted turkey and ham, we decided to make something totally different. We weren't sure what to make when The Super Store had prime rib for sale really cheap. We trotted over and I asked for an uncut rib roast having forgotten just how huge they are. Taking possession of it I felt like Wilma Flintstone. Big as it was we decided to get a pork roast as well. This is when I found out that the "Butcher" in the store doesn't butcher. Everything comes pre-cut. Bummer!

I ended up choosing one largish one and one smaller. Into the already packed freezer they all went.

TIP #1. Keep a Cook's Journal. Write out your intentions. The process, recipes, ingredients, timings of things and general timings. You can also write yourself notes for the next time you may attempt the same recipe;

I am a list maker. I make lists of everything. Spiral notebooks are the best for me. A cooks journal is a great tool. It will remember what you did and how when you have long forgotten.

TIP #2 Is to plan out when all the stuff has to be done.

Page #1 - I do a menu and guest list.
Page #2 - Is for what needs to be bought
Page #3 - lists what to do and when to do it.

If your "Do" is on say, on Sunday, you shop on Friday and make sure your "Mise on Place" is done on Saturday. This means have everything done and ready to use ahead of time. So have your potatoes in a pot of water, your Veggies cut up, your dessert made, and anythings else that can be done so that all you need to do on Sunday is cook and serve.
First thing on Sunday morning, check page #3 of your cook's journal to make sure your schedule is well timed. Remember that the roast will need 15 - 20 minutes per pound for an internal temperature of 110 degrees. The roast will need to sit tented with tin foil to "settle" the juices before carving. It will continue to cook while it rests so 110 will rise to medium after resting.

TIP # 3. Get yourself an Instant Read thermometer. They are an indispensable tool for all oven and BBQ cooking. You can get them quite cheaply at any hardware store. If you do a lot of roasting you might want a unit with a probe. It goes into the meat and connects to a programmable monitor that sits on the counter and will tell you when your temperature has been reached.

In my case, I started cooking the beef roast around 11 am. My target time was 4:00pm leaving time for it ti rest. The pork roast went in at 2:30pm. The roast potatoes went in with the roast beef then. The Veggies went into the BBQ for their indirect heat roasting. Lid Down. They'll need to be gently turned every 20ish minutes. They'll be done when stuck with a knife. Mashed potatoes are a very personal thing and I wouldn't dream of putting mine above anyone else's. Gravy too is personal. I use the "roux" method. You can use cornstarch, arrowroot, Wondra Flour, or flour and water to name a few. Like I said, gravy is personal. Cheese sauce is also personal. Again I use a roux. I also use old cheddar. (white preferable) I use low sodium chicken broth (boxed or home-made) for the liquid portion of the sauce. I sometimes use a splash of cream for balance.
I'll save the desserts for another time.
So TTFN
Meg

Meg's Asparagus Wraps

I always know it is REALLY spring when the first of the asparagus appears and is ready for wrapping.

You'll need:
Phyllo dough
Asparagus - nice fat spears
White sauce
Melted Butter

There are 2 ways to approach this dish, low fat or to use butter. I love butter so that's what I use but olive oil may be substituted for the butter along with any other "healthy" oil. I use grape seed oil but anything is fine. You can also substitute chicken broth in a box (low sodium) for the Half and Half.  First, let's make the white sauce.

White Sauce:

In a heavy bottomed pot on medium heat, melt 1cup of butter. When melted, stir in the same amount of flour. Whisk it together. When you can smell the nuttiness of the flour add some liquid, either broth, half and half or any combination of the above. There is no way to determine how much liquid because flour can absorb different amounts of liquid depending on the weather. Start with a cup of liquid and stirring add liquid until the sauce it smooth and thickened. If you are a cheese fanatic, you may add any grated cheese you love. Turn off the burner and let the cheese melt into the sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste. Let cool.

Now it's time to put those wee wraps together.  When the sauce is cool, cut up the asparagus in quarters lengthwise. Unbox the phyllo and place it on a damp (not wet) towel. There are 2 ways to handle the making of the wraps - You can put 2 sheets of the dough on a flat surface and brush on the butter or oil on both sheets or just the top one. Put 3 tablespoons of the cooled white sauce at the top middle of the phyllo about 3 inches down..

Put eight of the asparagus quarters on top of the sauce. Fold the top down over the Asparagus and sauce. Fold the sides in. Oil or butter the folds and then roll the package up. Put it on a cookie sheet seam side down and oil the top. Start again. Bake in a 375-degree oven until crisp, golden brown, and yummy. May be eaten hot, cold, or room temperature.

Enjoy!

Cora - Cora - Cora

What can one say about standing in line waiting to eat lunch on a cold and rainy blustery day??????

Why- why - why?

I know I have gone on some about my food oriented pet peeves....well here's another one. I hate big heavy menus full of too much cuteness. Cutsie names of things, drives me nuts! Too many choices confuses me. The service was just fine, the prices are high, the toast was burnt, the home fries were kinda odd, and the food was just OK. If I am ever in need of breakfast all day I just take myself to the Checkerboard on Belmont. They are a little Greek Mom & Pop who just happen to make the best home fries in town and the prices are so low one June we had dinner there every night for the month and spent no more than we would have cooking at home PLUS, no dishes to wash. So if home-made soup is something you enjoy get on over there. Try for Monday, their navy bean soup is really delicious.

Meg

Start Your Own Tradition

Every Good Friday when all the stores are closed we have started a tradition. At 4:30 p.m. we go to Sunny's for fish & chips. There is an air of expectancy as we get in the car. How busy will Sonny's be? How full will the parking be? How long will the line-up be??????? Yes folks there is a line up. when was the last time any of you saw a line up of people pushing to get into a very small place. Sonny's is small, very small with no indoor seating.(There are picnic tables outside) You really have 2 major choices to take home or eat in the car. We did take out for ourselves, our friends, their kids and her parents and only spent $73.00. A good deal by any means. Their regular menu is in effect even though the crowd is there for the fish. The fish is good, the fries are plentiful and the onion rings are delicious.

Hog Tails Bar B Que - Simply Awesome!

After reading the restaurant review in The Record on March 25, we decided to give Hog Tails a try yesterday. I wasn't sure what to expect, so, armed with the review, I went in shortly after 5 pm to check it out. Although the queue for placing orders was short, all tables were occupied and a number of happy people stood around chatting while waiting for pick up orders.

Before I had time to read through their menu, it was my turn to place an order, which was taken with alacrity. As I sat waiting, warm and friendly servers circulated the room ensuring that all were comfortable, well taken care of and advised of the fish fry happening today (Good Friday).  A chorus of praise from satisfied diners for this rib-sticking comfort food surrounded me.

The food was awesome, and we fed our family of three (with a few leftovers) for $25, which included the 3-meat platter and three additional sides.  For more details, check out their website at http://www.hogtailsbbq.com/.

Bon Appetit!

Empress of India - Excellent!

I absolutely love dining out with friends, especially when trying out a new restaurant. Foodie friend, Gary, took me to Empress of India last night, and I had one of the best East Indian meals I've ever had (and I've had quite a few). We did what we like to do best - ordered several dishes and settled in to try them all. All were excellent. I found my Samosa a little on the greasy side; however, Gary's was not. Our server, although very pleasant, could have been a little more attentive.

Gary has dined at Empress many times and tells me that all but one experience have been superb. The restaurant is small, but can easily accommodate a group function, something else that Gary tells me they do very well.

I recommend you drop by and give Empress a try.  Bon Appetit!

Click here to go to Empress of India's website

Yukikos Comtemporary Comfort Food - a grand blend of old and new

I was delighted to receive the promised phone call from Jody, my favourite server at Yukikos, letting me know that Yukikos is open again for business. Judy and Tom closed Yukikos at the end of August 2009 to have their baby boy (a strapping and happy baby I was glad to meet) and renovate the restaurant.  They re-opened last week, and Yukikos is now called Yukikos Contemporary Comfort Food.

I eagerly purused the lunch menu looking for old favourites and most were there with a few welcome new additions. One of my favourites, the Warm Chickpea Salad ($10) still graces the menu, although I found it somewhat blander than the earlier version - perhaps more garlic?  The sauce remains a delicious blend of EVOO, white wine, and fresh herbs. Grilled foccacia wedges are provided for dipping in the sauce while sundried tomatoes, chunks of feta, hot pepper rings and a couple of olives are sprinkled on top.  A healthy dose of fresh spinach completes the salad. This definitely remains one of my favourite comfort foods.

My young friend chose the Classic Grilled Cheese ($8) from the KISS (Keep it Simple) Sandwiches section of the menu. It is made with cheddar, of course, and comes with choice of soup or salad. She chose the Tomato Soup to accompany it and pronounced it a wonderful blend of spices. She was somewhat taken aback by the chunky texture (it's definitely not Campbell's), but we both thought it was the best tomato soup we'd "ever".

Tom and Judy have completely renovated the restaurant to mixed reviews.  Some prefer the "old home" atmosphere we'd all come to love; however, I was quite excited to see the contremporary furnitue complete with wooden tables and booths upholstered in a textured tan material. The walnut flooring makes the perfect compliment to the red and white accents, and they assured me that there is more to come before the grand opening.

The dessert cabinet, although smaller, still holds a prominent spot at the front counter, and more old favourites covered the shelves.  There is now a dessert menu offering a selection of staples that will make your decision even more difficult.

Great news is that they're opening for Sunday brunch starting in April - hooray!

For those who missed the review I wrote for Real Women magazine in 2008, here is it:

Yukiko's Cafe Bistro
Address : 30 William Street West, Waterloo, ON N2L 1J4
Telephone : 519-576-9424

Hours of Operation:
Monday to Thursday 11:30 am – 10:00 pm
Friday 11:30 am – 11:30 pm
Saturday 11:00 am – 11:30 pm

When our publisher, Shelly, asked me to write about comfort food for our winter issue, Yukiko’s Café Bistro topped the list.

Located in uptown Waterloo in a funky, burnt-orange converted house, Yukiko’s has a bistro ambiance with colourful plastered stucco walls and art displays that change every month or two. On recent visits, stills and landscapes by artist Salomé Pérez added to our enjoyment.

Everything about Yukiko’s spells comfort for me. Over the years, I’ve tried almost every item on the menu, and it’s all been consistently well cooked and beautifully presented.

The Caesar salad (sm $5.50, lg $8.50) offers wonderfully crisp romaine lettuce, freshly-grated Parmesan cheese, homemade croutons and real bacon bits. It comes lightly dressed with a creamy dressing that could use a little more garlic for my taste, but it’s a dish I thoroughly enjoy on almost every visit.


If I had to name a number one favourite, it would be the Warm Salad of Chickpeas, Sun-dried Tomatoes, Feta, Garlic & Spinach ($10), all tossed in a pan with extra-virgin olive oil, with a splash of white wine, fresh herbs and a few hot pepper rings for added zip. The baby spinach is very fresh and gives a nice balance to the warmth of the chickpea mixture. This delightful concoction is served with warmed focaccia bread to soak up the sauce. That’s comfort food at its best!


My favourite weekend lunch treat is the omelette feature ($11), and they offer a different variety every week. On this visit, I had an excellent Three Cheese omelette with Brie, orange and white cheddar, choice of soup or salad (I had the Caesar, of course ), and a slice of their fresh daily homemade bread that left me feeling pleasantly stuffed.


If you’re feeling adventurous, try Yukiko’s Tasty Trio ($10). It’s a great way to sample their unique daily salad creation served with a mixed greens salad and your choice of soup. For the sandwich lover, Yukikos offers eight combo platters including long-time favourite the Mediterraneo ($10.50), a warm sandwich stuffed with grilled eggplant, goat cheese, red peppers, sweet onions, and black olive tapanade on herbed focaccia. Their Famous Old-fashioned Burger ($6.50) is thoroughly satisfying and one of the best in town.


Four of us dropped by for dinner, and, as one of my friends said, “A good meal was had by all.” The Grilled New York Striploin Steak with Bourbon-braised Onions ($24) was simply delicious. I tried the Panko-crusted Salmon Fillet ($21), and as the menu says, it is indeed an addictive gorgeous fillet of premium salmon with a crispy crumb crust. The scoop of guacamole added a tasty touch. Our friends enjoyed the Grilled Chicken with a Pineapple Sweet & Sour Sauce ($16) that was just the right blend of tartness and sweetness.


A choice of potato of the day or rice pilaf and vegetables accompanies each entrée. On this visit, the roasted potatoes were the perfect compliment to the steak, and we thoroughly enjoyed the rice blended with sun-dried tomato, zucchini and sautéed onion. If the vegetables, although flavourful and tender crisp, had been hot when served, we each would have declared the perfect meal.


Yukiko’s is renowned for their pastries. Chef Sheena Kobe outdid herself on this visit with an Orange Chocolate Cake ($6.95) with layers of orange cream mousse—simply decadent! The Triple Chocolate Cheesecake ($6.95) blended white, milk and dark chocolate in a classic cheesecake base. There was not one crumb left of either dessert. For those who want something lighter, the dessert counter also offers pies and squares.

Expect to pay around $100 for two with shared appetizer and dessert (if you can bear to share :)) and a ½ Litre of the house wine. If you see me at my favourite table, do drop by and say hi. ENJOY!

Arlene

The Bauer Kitchen Restaurant - Three Strikes

"Why are they trying to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear" was a sentiment I heard as my husband and I settled in for an anniversary dinner at The Bauer Kitchen restaurant.  We arrived a few minutes early for our 5:30 pm reservation and the hostess showed us to our table without delay.

Our server arrived at the table with our food menus before we were seated and asked if we wanted water.  We both answered in the affirmative and asked for lemon; however, I was not surprised when both lemon and lime slices arrived.  It seems that in the time it takes  most servers to travel from the table to the water jug and back again, they either forget which we'd asked for or forget the garnishes all together.  But, as Meg would say, that's a rant for another time.

Our server, for the sake of this blog let's call him Joe, brought our menus along with a small bowl of butter and asked if we'd like to order.  I asked to see the wine menu, and before I had time to do more than open the front cover, he asked again what we'd like to order.  We weren't there ten minutes, and we were already getting the feeling that we'd outstayed our welcome.  I asked him to give us a minute.

We took a couple of minutes making our wine choice, then I set the menu on the table.  Joe hovered nearby looking at us; but strangely for someone who had rushed us before, he did not approach the table.  Another five minutes went by as we exchanged glances before I motioned him over and placed the order.  When he returned with the wine, he asked if we would like to order or hear the features.  Duh - I'm sure it was a big surprise that we wanted to hear the features.  After a decent rendition of the daily offerings, he must have realized he hadn't brought our bread and scuttled off to get it.  Definitely strike one.  At this point, we were only mildly annoyed, although Joe and the sports bar like ambiance provided us with plenty to discuss.

We wondered why a restaurant of the calibre and reputation of The Bauer Kitchen would have walls of boxes stacked beside the bar and along the back wall; it did not add to the decor. Of course, the basketball games on several large screen TVs contributed to the feeling. Like many restaurants, I found the noise level deafening.



Joe returned with the bread and asked again for our order.  Neither of us have large appetites, so we often share. On a positive note, the kitchen did a great job of splitting our shared salad and entree.  The food was decent, but nothing to write home about.  I rarely eat fried food, but fresh cut fries are a weakness, so we opted for the steak with fresh cut fries.  The fries were greasy and mushy, and not even the cute container they were served in was enough to resurrect them.

We had barely put down our cutlery when Joe whisked away our plates.  This was repeated several times, and we began to wonder if The Bauer Kitchen slogan was get 'em in, get 'em fed and get 'em out.  Not once did he ask if we were finished.  My husband was biting into his bread when Joe removed his bread and butter plate and knife along with the remaining bread and butter.  I felt compelled to point out that my husband was still eating.  This resulted in a return of the bread basket without benefit of plate, knife or butter, leaving us to ponder on whether this was just the sheer incompetence of one server of if the Charcoal Group has lowered their service standard.  Strike two.

Dinner for two with a shared salad, entree and half litre of wine came in around the $60 mark; enough to pay to be treated so poorly.

As we left the restaurant, the hostess asked, "How was it?"

"So, so," I replied.

"Excellent," she said as she beamed a 100 watt smile in my general direction.

How sad is that?  Strike three!

Arlene

And then there was dessert.......!

I got ranting so much I forgot my other food peeve. Why mess with with perfection? I just don't get it.
Creme Brulee is the best dessert on the planet. (Arlene would say cheesecake but I'M writing this.) It is both cool and warm and silky and luscious creamy soft - I digress. Why mess perfection. Why add stuff to the cream that creates a dissonance in the flavors. I guess this really belongs with yesterday's too many flavors rant so I'll end now. I need to go and grind the meat for my Tacos for family dinner tomorrow. All will be there except my son and his family but that story is for another day and my other blog.
TTFN
Meg

Today I discovered that I don't like Olive Bread.

What is with chefs today???????
No one ever seems to just make delicious plain food. I can't remember the last time I wanted to lick the plate of something that just screamed "Give Me More!"
My companions and I went out for lunch today to a newish place with(not that this EVER concerns me)a georgeous decor. The special sandwich was a (so called) Philly cheese steak on olive bread with oldish orange cheddar. I don't know if the designer of this sandwich was ever in Philly and had ever had a cheese steak sandwich. I have and quite a few of them. Is it silly of me to expect some resemblance from today's to the original??????? I hope not. In Philly you order "WIT" or "WITHOUT." The "WIT" is the cheese. A cheese sauce that is made of/with Cheese Whiz. The cheese on todays sandwich blocked out the flavors of the meat & veggies. Who ever said this was a gourmet sandwich has clearly never had one. The delishness doesn't end with the cheese, there are still the onions and peppers. Todays sad sack had 3 small pieces of onion and of peppers. It was sadly naked. You want a sandwich where you take a bite and have onion & pepper hanging out of your mouth like spaghetti. This is a working man's sandwich and maybe there needs to be a road trip to Philedelphia to try the real thing!
Meg

The Best Comfort Food

The Menu: Roast Chicken with lemon sauce, baked potatoes and sugar peas

Sunday dinner is the only meal I cook since my husband retired, so I try to make it a good one. A trip to the local farmers market on Saturday to pick up a small corn-fed free range chicken and a cruise through Delia Smith's online collection of recipes, and I was all set.

Of course, I made a few modifications to Delia's recipe for Fast-Roast Chicken with Lemon and Tarragon.  I committed one of the most serious cook's errors - gasp - I didn't check the recipe to ensure I had all of the ingredients.  I also needed to reduce the fat called for in Delia's recipe; Delia would have us smear the chicken with butter. She seems to have an ongoing love affair with fat, and I can feel my arteries harden every tine I read her recipes.

Uncertain of whether I'd like the flavour of lemon rind infused into my poultry, I chose to insert two halved cloves of jumbo garlic instead.  I lovingly massaged the skin with a little best-quality olive oil and dusted it with freshly ground pepper.

I was intrigued and more than a little skeptical of the fast-roast method and certain that the wee bird would burn to a crisp at 475 degrees F.  The secret to this method, according to Delia, is to stop yourself from opening the oven door before the required 45 minutes of cooking if it's a 3 lb. bird.  Mine was 4 pounds, so I chose to leave it in for one hour.  I threw a couple of foil-wrapped potatoes alongside the roaster and hoped for the best.

My hands itched to open the door on several occasions to assure myself that the bird was indeed not charcoal, but I managed to refrain.  However, I gazed through the oven window many times to assure myself all was well and was delighted to see the bird's own fat sizzling under the gently browning skin.

As soon as the cooking time hit the sixty minute mark, I took the chicken out of the oven and promptly took the temperature to ensure that the meat was cooked through, and it was.  I put the bird on a platter to let the juices settle.  We prefer crisp skin on our baked potatoes, so I brushed the skin with olive oil and freshly-ground sea salt before returning to the oven.  At this point, I put the peas in the steamer and set the timer for 15 minutes.

It was time to make the sauce.  I decided to use onion instead of fresh tarragon; mainly because I didn't have any tarragon :).  Since red wine is my drink of choice, I didn't want to open a bottle of white just for this sauce; so I decided to use chicken stock instead.  After skimming the fat from the drippings, I added the stock, diced onion and garlic from the bird's cavity and left it boiling briskly until it reduced by half.

The meal was fabulous, and I've added this to my list of "must have" comfort food dinners.  What is your favourite comfort food?

You can check out Delia's recipe at http://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/cuisine/european/french/fast-roast-chicken-with-lemon-and-tarragon.html

Bon appetit!
Arlene