Urban Suburban Mommy

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Golden Margarita

Posted on by Posted in Urban Suburban Mommy .

I have to admit, I’m not much of a ‘fancy drink’ kind of girl. Maybe it’s the “urban” in me?

I like vodka, bourbon and scotch. You’re more likely to find me ordering a well-aged single malt than you are to find me with something that requires a garnish – unless it’s extra olives for a dirty martini.

But I recently discovered margaritas, and that all changed.

It’s something about the salt rim, the pucker of the sour lime, the sharp tequila kick. They’re refreshing on a hot day – like adult lemonade – but I don’t hate having one with dinner when we’re out, either. It’s a big change for me, the margarita is a great addition to my repertoire!

But a good margarita takes some skill.

It’s about real lime juice and not just bar lime. It’s about nice, big, chunky ice cubes that don’t melt on contact. The salt rim has to be just so – thick so it doesn’t melt down the side of the glass after the first sip. And it’s about good tequila.

Really really good tequila.

I just found this recipe and am in love with the idea of gold powder, so I’ll have to pick up a bottle Allaire Cristal Age Tequila – the former bartender in me is thrilled!

What you need:

– 2oz Allaire Cristal Age Tequila
– 2oz Fresh squeezed lime juice
– Lime circles
– Dash organic agave (the sweetener from the same plant which produces the ingredients for tequila)
– Ice
– Rim salt
What you do:

Run a lime wedge around the rim of the glass, and then dip it into salt, creating a thick salt rim. Fill glass with ice. Add tequila, lime juice and agave, but don’t come up close to the salt rim or it will melt. Garnish with gold powder on the surface. Coat a lime circle in gold powder and use to garnish the glass.

¡Salud!

The kabob

Posted on by Posted in Delicious Dishes .

Kind of exotic, so easy and the boys always fight over the leftovers in my house. Doesn’t that sound like the perfect thing to make?

I love making kabobs. I usually use pork, but sometimes chicken and sometimes beef. Lamb would be good too.

Kabobs are great because of the versatility. You can make them in the oven or on the grill. You can prep them a day ahead, or do them up right when you’re going to cook them. You can use whatever type of meat you have on hand, and use up whatever veggies you’ve got in the fridge that are coming to their end.

skewers

What you need:

– 1 nice sized pork tenderloin OR 3 chicken breasts OR a small sirloin tip roast, cut into irregular hunks, about an 1 to 1.5 inches
– 1/3 cup olive oil
– 2 garlic cloves, diced or crushed
– 1 red onion (white, yellow or Spanish will also do) chunked
– 2-3 peppers, chunked (red or green – or a mix)
– splash of lemon juice
– salt & pepper to taste
– 1 1/2 tbsp oregano (fresh or dried)

Optional veggies: zucchini, mushrooms, eggplant, yam

What you do:

Use 6 to 8 metal skewers or bamboo skewers. If you’re using bamboo, make sure to soak them for 30 minutes so they don’t char.

Cube the meat andcut the veggies so that they’re bite sized but not too narrow – all the chunks of meat and veggies have to be able to be skewered.

Put all ingredients into a bowl. Toss well. You can refrigerate and let the meat marinate or you can skewer them up and get grilling. I like to alternate meat and different veggies on a skewer.

Get the grill heated to medium or heat oven to 350° and place skewers on a roasting rack. In either grill or oven, cook on each of the four sides for 4 to 6 minutes – it will cook faster on the grill, slower in the oven. You want to make sure meat is cooked through and veggies are softened and start to caramelize but don’t burn.

Serve with roasted potatoes or this rice. Tzatziki is also a great side to serve with these, it’s the perfect dip!

The leftovers – make sure you have leftovers! Put it all together in a container and the flavours just meld so beautifully. It’s a whole other amazing dish the next day.

 

Egg’s Benny with a twist!

Posted on by Posted in Delicious Dishes .

2017 will be the 40th edition of the Milk Calendar. 40 years of great tips and recipes for meals to make, they’re celebrating by having professional food stylist and recipe developer Heather Trim create a few recipes for our dining pleasure.

eggs-benedict-copyThis old fave is going to be a hit when you dish it up – it’s a great way to take brunch to the next level. Indulge yourself or show off for company, this Eggs Benedict with a Twist (featured in the calendar for December 2017) is surprisingly easy, and if you’re going to try to tell me you don’t like hollandaise I’m going to have to assume someone’s pants are on fire.

What you need:

2 tsp (10 mL) butter
4 tsp (20 mL) all-purpose flour
1 cup (250 mL) milk
½ cup (125 mL) finely grated Canadian Parmesan
½ tsp (2 mL) mustard powder
¼ tsp (1 mL) each, hot sauce and salt
4 small slices olive, cheese or crusty Italian bread
4 eggs
4 thin slices Black Forest ham
4 slices tomato
1 avocado, peeled and thinly sliced
Chives for garnish (optional)

What you do:

Melt butter in a small saucepan. Whisk in flour. Gradually whisk in milk. Stirring continuously, bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer gently 1 minute. Whisk in Parmesan, mustard powder, hot sauce and salt. Remove from heat; sauce will thicken slightly while preparing remaining ingredients.

Toast bread. Poach eggs in simmering water – about 3 minutes. Fold ham to fit on each slice of bread, followed by a slice of tomato, avocado slices then egg. Drizzle with sauce, then sprinkle with chives (if using).

TIP:

Add about 1 tbsp (15 mL) white vinegar to eggs’ poaching water; this helps eggs to hold their shape. Gently pat eggs dry with paper towel after cooking to prevent bread from becoming soggy.

Variation:

Try fried eggs instead of poached and prosciutto instead of ham

Eggs Benedict with a Twist is a take on eggs Benedict includes the fresh and creamy taste of avocado. Simply serve with a salad.

Fondue Chinoise

Posted on by Posted in Delicious Dishes .

You may think you know fondue, but if you haven’t tried Fondue Chinoise, you haven’t seen anything yet.

Fondue Chinoise is two meals in one. First, you create a broth in the pot. Then you take a piece of cheese, and wrap the cheese a piece of thinly shaved slice of meat. You submerge it in the broth and let it cook. Give it three or four minutes, then take it out of the broth, let it cool for a minute, and then pop the cheesy filled piece of meat in your mouth and go “mmmmmmmm!!!”

photo: Kae Yen Wong

photo: Kae Yen Wong

AND THEN, when you’re done dinner, you throw the leftover meat into the broth. Let it simmer and save it for the next day. It’s the most decadent, best beefy onion soup you’ll ever have. Toss in some cheese topped toast and you’ve got French Onion Soup.

What you need:

Broth
– 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
– 2 big bay leaves
– salt & pepper to taste
– 1 cup heavy red wine (or half cup win,e half cup brandy)
– one beef bouillon
– 6 cups water
– 2 large onions – halved and then sliced into long narrow strips, sauteed until deeply caramelized

Meat & Cheese
– 1 pound of cheese, cut to half-inch cubes: Jarlsberg, Swiss or Havarti are best
– 1/3 pound of meet, thinly sliced, per person – usually found in the meat or freezer section

What you do:

Put all contents of the broth into the fondue pot and get it simmering for an hour or two. You may need to top the pot off with water if you let it simmer long. You want to make sure that the onions are very caramelized as this will make the flavour really come out. You’ll get the best results by sauteeing the onions slowly, on medium-low heat in vegetable oil.

The fun of fondue (or “fun”due as my brother likes to say) is that everyone cooks and eats at their own pace. The fondue pot is placed in the middle of the table with a burner beneath on medium to keep the broth simmering. You wrap a piece of meat around the cheese and secure it on the fork (you can pre-roll them or have guests wrap up their own). Then put the fork into the pot for about 3 to 5 minutes, until the meat is cooked through and the cheese has melted. Serve with some crust bread. And wine, this goes great with deep, rich red wine. You can also serve with a garlic aioli dip. It’s great for a dinner party or a family meal – or even an intimate dinner for two!

It’s hands-on and social. Depending on your family and friends, a little stealing may go on, but that’s only because it’s so delicious, and it’s hard to be patient waiting for those little morsels to cook up.

After cooking all that meat and cheese, the broth will be rich and flavourful. Dump the rest of the remaining meat into the broth and let it simmer. Serve the next day as soup, or you can add toasts with melted cheese and it makes the best French Onion Soup!

Thanks for the recipe AP. I’ve made it many, many times, it’s always a hit, and it always reminds me of you!

 

 

 

Easy peanut sauce

Posted on by Posted in Delicious Dishes .

I love peanut sauce. When I go for Thai food I usually end up ordering an extra two or three sides of peanut sauce. It’s one of those flavours that I just can’t get enough of. Some people are like this with Swiss Chalet sauce, some people are like this with plum sauce, I’m like this with peanut sauce. I think part of it was that I so rarely got to have Thai food that it was a real treat. Continue reading →

Cinnamon bun-a-licious

Grilled Prawn and Mango Salad

Posted on by Posted in Delicious Dishes .

prawnsSince you can’t all come down to The Good Son, Chef Vittorio Colacitti has been good enough to let us bring The Good Son to you. When Michelle and I had our Mommies’ Night Out and dined at The Good Son, this dish, Grilled Prawn and Mango Salad was prepared for us – and I have been wanting to go back for it ever since.

“Truth” Dressing

What you need:

– 1 Anaheim chili pepper
– 1 1/2 lime (juiced)
– 2 tbsp Palm sugar
– 1/4 shallot
– 4 tbsp grapeseed oil
– 2 dashes of fish sauce

What you do:

Roughly chop Anaheim chili, shallot and palm sugar. Place in blender.

Blend on low speed until smooth (add a touch of water if needed to loosen mixture). Slowly add grapeseed oil until fully emulsified, then add lime juice.

Mango Salad

What you need: 

– 3 large green mangoes
– 1 large carrot
– 1 medium daikon

What you do:

Using a mandoline, julienne vegetables (or use shredding attachment on food processor) and set aside.

Grilled Prawns

What you need: 

– 5 large prawns
– 2 tbsp red curry paste (Aroy-D brand recommended pinch of salt
– 2 tsp vegetable oil

What you do:

Combine ingredients in a bowl. Marinate for 10 minutes. Grill or roast in oven until translucent (1 minute per side).

Assembly:

Combine “Truth” dressing and julienned vegetables. Top with grilled prawns. For additional garnish and texture add any combination of the following: cilantro, thinly sliced chili, roasted peanuts, squeeze of lime juice.

Serve family style or in portions.

So, what are you going to do? Make this dish or make reservations – it’s definitely worth it either way!

Mommies’ night out

Posted on by Posted in Mommy Approved .

We did it. We went out. Urban met Suburban and the two of us got to spend a long, luxurious evening together, enjoying dinner and cocktails at The Good Son recently.
Chef Vittorio Colacitti at work in the kitchen

Chef Vittorio Colacitti at work in the kitchen

Just to clarify, it was us – Michelle and Elisa. No kids. No husbands. Just a girls’ night out – a mommies’ night out!

It happens so rarely that either of us get out without kids that it was a bit of a shock. And the truth is, most of the time when either of us gets out of the house for an evening, it’s with the hubby.

Getting out with a friend used to be so commonplace. Before getting married I was out every and any night of the week. Before having kids, a night out with friends or husband was always fun but not a special occasion.

Now, finding time, coordinating schedules, making sure nobody’s kid had a soccer game or baseball game or playdate or cold or a boo boo to kiss or… Let’s just say it took a long time to find a date to work for us both.

It was a Tuesday, and it was spectacular.

It’s hard to fathom whether the most delicious part was the cocktails, the dinner, the dessert, or just the fact that we enjoyed a night out without kids. At least we got to discover the most sumptuous of restaurants in Toronto’s West Queen West area. Chef Vittorio Colacitti was kind enough to have us as guests at The Good Son, and we can’t wait to go back again.

Being that both of us are moms to two boys, there was no lack of irony that we were headed to a restaurant called The Good Son.

If you haven’t yet been, and you’re in the area, go. Just go. The room is gorgeous, the menu is full of flavours and enticing ingredients – and the drinks…

Great staff

Great staff

With the wonderfully attentive Adam at our service, he left us wanting for nothing – in fact these two mamas had to cut ourselves off after 2 cocktails (it was a school night and, who are we kidding, those kids get up way too early to have a third on a Tuesday night!).

While I stuck with a classic bourbon sour – it went well with the ambiance, the food and the fab company – Michelle got adventurous and Adam helped her find just the right mix on the menu for her cocktail-drinking pleasure. Enter the Tikki Tikki Bang Bang. Trust us, your life isn’t complete until you’ve tried one. Michelle ended up with what can only be described as a sweet one-two punch of tropical fruit juice and good rum. Later on, she switched over to a martini – Yesterday Once More. (We have the recipe for you if you’d like to try one at home!)

We dined the way friends do. As plates arrived we shared and tasted.

Screen Shot 2016-08-17 at 12.04.12 PM

Scallops

We indulged.

Jerk Shrimp

Jerk Shrimp

Chef Vittorio stopped by, helping us decide on the next course – and the next.  Jerk Shrimp, Steak Tartare, Seared Scallops, even a trio of desserts!

Screen Shot 2016-08-17 at 12.03.59 PM

No grabbing. No snatching. No complaints. No drinks spilled. No hollering that someone wants to leave before mom has finished eating. No eating quickly to anticipate a restless child or his ill-timed bathroom breaks!

Though I did wear an off-white top which will never be the same after drips of several different foods landed on it.

Screen Shot 2016-08-17 at 12.03.28 PM

I always say I can’t wear white because of my boys. I have to stop lying to myself. I’m the reason I cannot wear white. Sad but true, though the wait staff did teach us a great trick with lemon juice and soda water that seemed to work wonders.

You know what you’re missing in your life? A mommies’ night out. We always make time for all of the sports and activities, the playdates and the outings for the kids. Mommy needs some time to herself too. It comes back gradually, as the kids get a bit older, but it’s amazing how long we can put off taking time for ourselves.

Let us know where you go for Mommies’ Night out – we’d love to hear what you discover!

If you’re headed to Toronto, head on over to Queen West and Dovercourt. The Good Son at 1096 Queen St. W. is not to be missed. The 5,000 pound wood-burning oven in the open kitchen is a showpiece, and watching Chef Vittorio Colacitti and his talented team prepare dish after dish is a show in its own right. The Good Son has got a people-watching perch of bar stools and counter facing Queen, while the eclectic and elegant dining room is indulgently comfortable, calm and appealing. High ceilings, low light and lots of great design plus great food, spectacular drinks and NO KIDS! (or bring the kids, they’re welcome too) equals a meal to remember.

For a bit of nightlife, Wayward is located upstairs and has an edgy speak-easy feel, where DJs spin hip-hop and hot beats all weekend. For those outside of the city, Vittorio has just launched Born and Raised. His food and inspiration are as diverse as his clientele, but everything is whole and local and rich with flavor.

Make a date, make a reservation, have a drink and enjoy. You’ll be glad you listened to us!

The Good Son 1096 Queen St. W. 

twitter @thegoodson_TO

facebook icon The Good Son Toronto

instagram The Good Son_TO

 

S’mores

Posted on by Posted in Delicious Dishes .

Summer fun in our family includes camping. I know I usually post about staycations and 4 star hotels, but I know my way around a campsite. And what would camping be without a campfire and some S’mores.

smores

Mmmmmmmm

But you want to know a secret? You don’t need to have a campfire to make s’mores.

What you need:

– 10 Marshmallows
– 20 graham crackers
– 2 bars of milk chocolate

What you do (the easy version):

Melt a marshmallow. You can do this on a poker stick over a campfire or over a stovetop burner. (You can even cheat like crazy and just microwave to melt it, 20-30 seconds should do the trick.)

Put melty molten marshmallow on a graham cracker. Put 1 or 2 squares of chocolate onto the hot marshmallow so it melts.

Place a second graham cracker on top to make a sandwich. Let it cool for a second so you don’t scald the inside of your mouth.

Tell me that’s not what camping tastes like!

What you do (The authentic version):

Sandwich 2 pieces of chocolate and one marshmallow between two graham crackers. Wrap like a packet in tinfoil, making sure the edges are sealed well. Place packet into the campfire – not on the fire, but near enough to cook it through. Give it about 1.5 to 2 minutes there. Check on contents. They should be melted and gooey. If not, replace in the campfire and gauge how much additional time you’ll need. If you’ve got a good set of tongs or fire utensils you can try holding the packet over the fire to grill it. But that trick takes skill.

The cooked graham crackers have a different texture and flavour. This is definitely for the purist. If you want to get a bit creative, you can try adding bits of fruit – bananas and strawberries work well. You can add in nuts – peanuts or almonds. You can add in some caramel, use different kinds of chocolate bars, add trail mix or anything else you want that you think would taste good covered in chocolate and wrapped in warm marshmallow.

 

The Best Mommy Martini – Yesterday Once More

Posted on by Posted in Delicious Dishes .

So last week, Elisa and I had a fantastic Mommies’ Night Out.  We had the pleasure of trying Chef Vittorio Colacitti’s  (Top Chef Canada Finalist – Food Network) restaurant The Good Son.  I honestly died and went to heaven.  The food is unbelievable and the drinks are just as superb. The room is amazing. Read more about our MNO outing this week.

The Good Son - drinks

I delighted in a martini called Yesterday Once More and in all honesty – I keep wishing it was yesterday over and over again. This is the ultimate, delicious and refreshing martini. It is one of the best mixed drinks I have ever had (and yes I have sampled a lot in my day). I highly recommend a night out at the Good Son and you must try this drink.  But, if you can’t make it to Toronto – here’s the recipe for you adventurous mixologists at home.

What you need:

– 1.5 oz. Tromba Blanco (now that’s a smooth tequila)
– 0.5 oz. Aperol
– 0.5 oz Lemon Juice
– 0.25 oz Simple Syrup
– 0.75 oz Watermelon Juice
– 5 Basil Leaves

What you do:

Combine all ingredients in a shaker tin. Shake with ice and double strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Drink.

Repeat.

The result:

Very happy and relaxed mommy.  Here’s to yesterday.

Urban Mommy Elisa adds: Cheers to that!

martini

 

Chef Vittorio Colacitti of The Good Son

Chef Vittorio Colacitti of The Good Son

The Good Son is in Toronto at 1096 Queen St. W. 
Upstairs you’ll find a great little night spot – Wayward
If Hamilton’s your local, you’ll want to check out Colacitti’s newest spot, Born and Raised.
twitter @thegoodson_TO

facebook icon The Good Son Toronto

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Cocoa snack balls

Posted on by Posted in Delicious Dishes .

My friend Ali, the beauty and the brains behind those sensation Au Naturel Artisan beauty and edible products (goingaunaturel.com) showed me this one. Rather, she got my husband hooked on these little pretty-good-for-you treats and I can’t make them fast enough to keep up!

There’s no set recipe, it’s kind of nice that way, you just need to follow the technique and include anything you’ve got a craving for or have on hand. You can make them into balls or bars. You can eat them while they’re still warm or you can wait for them to cool – sometimes it’s hard to wait! Once you try these you’ll see how easy and quick these are and you’ll be making your own versions all the time.

What you need:

– 1/2 cup coconut oil
– 1/4 cup agave or 4 tablespoons maple syrup
– dash of vanilla
– 1 heaping tablespoon cocoa powder

These are approximate, I like to toss the ingredients from the container right into the sweetened coconut oil mixture:
– 1/2 cup steel cut quick oats
– 1/2 cup chia seeds
– 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds (shelled)
– 1/4 cup sunflower seeds (shelled)
– 1/4 cup raw almonds, slivered or crushed
– 2 pinches sea salt

You can add any seeds, peanuts, walnuts, pecans (crush nuts before adding), shaved coconut – even popcorn if you want. You can pack them with protein and make energy bars. You can make them with dried blueberries, goji berries and other superfoods for a power packed pick-up. You can really play with the flavours once you see how the sweetened coconut oil binds the ingredients together.

What you do:

On medium-low melt the coconut oil and then stir in the agave or maple syrup. Stir in the vanilla and cocoa.

Remove the pot from the heat and start tossing in pinches and small handfuls of ingredients. The oats make the balls bigger, helping the nuts and seeds to bind. You can keep adding ingredients until the mixture is thick and starts binding together. If it gets too dry, just return to heat and add a bit more coconut oil to melt – just very briefly. Keep tasting along the way. You can add a dash more sweet or more cocoa – bump up any flavour that you like.

When the mixture is nice and thick and starting to clump, you can either pour out onto a piece of wax paper on a tray or roll into balls and place on a tray.

Sprinkle lightly with sea salt.

Put the tray in the freezer for 15 to 20 minutes to set.

You can eat this warm or cold. You can leave them in the freezer and the cocoa flavoured and sweetened coconut oil is chilled and hard – it’s kind of perfect for the summer heat!