melting hearts and chocolate

It has been commonly documented that chocolate releases endorphins that mimic the feeling of love. A popular cake for birthdays…nothing beats that moment when you take that first bite of chocolate bliss and it melts in your mouth…mmm….just heavenly.

 It gives the same feeling of when your heart is melted…you know, those moments when our hearts flutter or skip a beat? It could be from a simple smile from a loved one. Or a surprise moment when your loved one gives you a special birthday gift.

A gift of love.  A gathering of family and friends.  A glance of the past, cherishing the present and hope for the future.

My heart was melted.

Chocolate Birthday Cake

Ingredients

Cake:

2 cups white sugar

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 cup milk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup boiling water

Icing:

3/4 cup butter

1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder

5 1/3 cups confectioners' sugar

2/3 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

·      Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a bundt pan.

·      Use the first set of ingredients to make the cake. In a medium bowl, stir together the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla, mix for 3 minutes with an electric mixer. Stir in the boiling water by hand. Pour into the pan.

·      Bake for 30 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to cool completely.

·      To make the frosting, use the second set of ingredients. Cream butter until light and fluffy. Stir in the cocoa and confectioners' sugar alternately with the milk and vanilla. Beat to a spreading consistency.

·      Frost the outside of the cake.


Enjoy it melt in your mouth.

the age of innocence and the chocolate chip cookie

When I listen to a child tell a story, it always seems like their view of the world is so pure. I often wonder...at what age do children lose that innocence? Their naivety?

Is it after they begin going to school, and learning to navigate around their territorial world and learn to share? Is it when they have (and lose) their first crush?  Or is it when they begin to listen to the news about the real world outside, and start to realize that sometimes people...even countries, don't get along. Sometimes I wonder, if we as adults have lost our own sense of innocence with the way the world is now.  That sometimes stick and stones aren't the only thing that hurt...

One thing for sure, nothing evokes that feeling of childhood innocence better than biting into a good old fashioned chocolate chip cookie.  It’s simplicity…just a little cookie with little chocolate chips, is a staple in most childhoods…whether ice cream is squished between two cookies, additional ingredients like smarties or nuts are thrown in, or large versions like a “cookie” pizza are made for classroom birthdays.

The world may no longer be innocent, but while eating a simple cookie, maybe we can regain some of that childhood feeling back...even if it's for just for a few moments.

Homemade Chocolate Chip Cookie
(approx. 2 dozen cookies)

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1-3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1-1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Cream the butter with the sugars using an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy (approximately 30 seconds)

2. Beat in the egg and the vanilla extract for another 30 seconds.

3. In a mixing bowl, sift together the dry ingredients and beat into the butter mixture at low speed for about 15 seconds. Stir in the chocolate chips.

4. Drop cookie dough onto a greased cookie sheet at least one inch apart. Bake for about 20 minutes or until nicely browned around the edges. Bake a little longer for a crispier cookie.

lazy tomato salad

Laziness, according to the Merrium Webster dictionary, means "disinclined to activity or exertion : not energetic or vigorous" .  

Photographed in Turks & Caicos

This Tomato Salad falls under that category, when I too, fall under it. (or feel "disinclined")

Tomato Salad

Ingredients

Vine ripened tomato,

Bocconcini or mozzarella (ball) cheese, 

Fresh basil 

Extra virgin olive oil

Directions

Slice tomatoes and arrange on plate

Slice cheese and place on top of tomatoes

Drizzle with olive oil.

Sprinkle with freshly chopped basil.

hot lunch

Sometimes I feel a little sadness for kids today…I think they miss out on the simple things we used to do when we were little.  Play outside with neighbors without parental guidance until the streetlights came on. Coming home (and not going to a hockey or soccer game) to be “bored” doing homework or watching after school specials on television.  Or walking home from school (unescorted to boot!) at noon for a homemade lunch.

It might have been a simple lunch.  But it always tasted like pure goodness.  Straight from Mom’s hands, to our plates.  Maybe it tasted so good because it tasted…comforting. A break from “a hard day” at school, to talk with someone who understands, or at least just listens.

Although it’s now logistically difficult to have children eat a homemade lunch at home, who says they can’t have a little bit of "home" at school?

Homemade Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients

3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
3 3/4 cups elbow macaroni

1 1/3 cups chicken or vegetable stock

1 1/4 cups low-fat milk

1 1/2 tsp vegetable oil

1 1/4 cups shredded cheddar cheese

2 tsp water
6 tbsp grated parmesan cheese

1 tsp. dijon mustard

Preparation

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the macaroni until tender but firm, 8 to 10 minutes.
2. While the macaroni is cooking, whisk the flour, stock and milk in a saucepan until smooth. Place over medium heat and cook, whisking constantly, for 3 minutes or until hot and thickened.
3. Stir in the cheddar cheese, 3 Tbsp of the Parmesan cheese and the mustard. Cook until the cheese melts, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat.

4. Toss the macaroni with the cheese sauce.
5. Place in thermos according to manufacturer’s instructions.

Keeps hot for up to 5 hours for a nice hot lunch.

the countdown

We often begin the summer with a countdown.  How many more days before school is out?   How many more workdays before time off to venture as a family…to the cottage, to the beach, to see family, to the zoo…or just time off to rejuvenate.

Little things are counted too…how many clouds do you see in the sky?  How many ice cream scoops? How many bites does it really take to eat those "two bite" brownies?

Then you feel the turn in the weather.  Things start to get a little cooler in the morning.  There is a different stillness in the air as we start to shift back to preparing for schedules.  It’s another countdown…usually a mixed feeling of anticipation for a new season, but also wanting just one more week, one more day to not have to plan…a more sentimental feeling.

When dusk sets in, and I feel the air get cooler…I know I will once again, have that jittery butterfly feeling as I simultaneously think about the path ahead of us, while reminiscing  about all the quiet (and not so quiet) magical moments spent with loved ones....

…and count my blessings.

Two Bite Brownie Smiles

 
Ingredients
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder, sifted
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 pinch salt
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup icing sugar (for coating)

Preparation
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat.
2. Cream the butter, sugar and vanilla. Add the eggs one at a time and beat until smooth.
3. Combine the flour, baking powder, cocoa and salt, and slowly mix into the creamed butter mixture.
4. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or place in the freezer for 1 hour to firm up the brownie.
5. Spread the icing sugar on a plate. Shape the dough in approx. 1 tablespoon sized balls and coat with icing sugar, shaking to remove any excess sugar. Place on the baking sheet.
6. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. The cracks in the brownies will appear like smiles, from the icing sugar! 


Let cool or serve warm.  Smile.

{This post is linked to Homemaker on a Dime}

sunsets and late night pasta

There's something to be said about sunsets.  The warm glow, the stillness of the air. It is as if the world is slowing down, getting ready to settle in.  It's a time to reflect.  Reflect upon the day you just had.  Or the day that will be.  A time to clear your mind, and just feel the glow.

I often reminisce about the past travels or plan future ones. I yearn to have our children discover the world, learning about cultures, people, and even politics, but yet maintain their innocence, the purity of appreciating all the beauty the world has to offer.

When my husband and I travelled to Europe, it opened our eyes to sights, scents, sounds and tastes that changed our views of how the simple things can be so beautiful.  Late night gatherings while enjoying light fare and wine was popular, and showed us how the day doesn't end just because the sun sets.  

A quintessential Roman dish, usually consumed late at night, called  "Pasta aglio e olio" (or pasta with garlic and oil), was something I learned to make, and is now part of my recipe repertoire.  It's good for lunch or a late night supper with wine.  This recipe is a nod to enjoying both the day and the night.

Simple Pasta with Garlic and Oil

Ingredients

•       1 -500g box of long thin pasta, like linguine.

•       1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

•       1/4 cup of butter

•       6-8 cloves garlic, minced

•       1/4 cup pasta cooking water

•       1 teaspoon salt

•       1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped

•       1 plum tomato, chopped

•       1/4 cup of parmesan

•       1/4 cup of lemon juice

•       Meat or vegetables of choice (chicken, crab, peppers, zucchini...anything goes!)

Preparation

1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. 
2. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds, then add butter, until the garlic browns.
3. Add parmesan, parsley, and tomato. Heat slightly, then remove from heat.
4. Toss with the cooked pasta.
5. Top with parmesan to taste, and serve.

sitting still for s'mores

I think as a society...as a culture, we have learned to keep moving.  That in order to succeed, you must keep doing things and getting stuff.  And in order for your children to succeed, they must be shuttled to a million activities…sports games and practices, music lessons, social activities.  But I am beginning to wonder if that kind of mentality has created a selfish culture that does what they want, without listening to others.  A society that has such short attention spans, that they must be doing something to be entertained.  That someone has to predetermine, sign them up and make the decision for the kids to make them happy and busy, instead of letting them figure out themselves, the answer to “I’m bored!”   I wonder if the children of today learned how to just sit still.

When we stay at the cottage, we usually have a bonfire and make s’mores (and not one from those pre-created kits at the store…really???).  All you can hear is the crackling of the kindling, the fire roaring and the occasional spark of the wood.  The smells of woodsy undertones mixed with the sweet marshmallows is an irreplaceable scent.  Along with this, is the act of roasting the marshmallow.  Sitting still, carefully placing the white fluff of sweetness just in the right spot…not in the fire, but just over the hot coals.  This takes patience…both waiting for the fire to create enough hot coals, as well as waiting for the marshmallow to turn a caramelized tan colour.

It is the act of the roast, the sitting and respecting the flames, feeling the heat on your skin, as you sit.  Being patient.  Being quiet.  Just listening.

I think we all need to make s'mores more often.

S'Mores Recipe

Graham crackers

Marshmallows

Chocolate bar (Jersey Milk bars melt nicely).

Place marshmallow on stick over fire.  Put roasted goodness on graham cracker.  Put chocolate piece on top.  Sandwich between another graham cracker.  Sit still.  Eat.  Enjoy.


{This post is linked up with Centsational Girl}

lobster travels

With Hurricane Irene's arrival at the Eastern seaboard and wishing everyone there stays safe, I've been thinking about our previous trip to Prince Edward Island, a beautiful island on the east coast of Canada.  When we landed, I knew our family would be in for a real treat. The culinary offerings of seafood, specifically lobster, was everywhere, and to watch the boats come in to deliver them while we were waiting for our dinner to be made, was a wonderful experience, especially for the kids.

Climbing light houses or catching a glimpse of the world far away over magnificent red clay cliffs. In awe with the large bridge, running and listening to the “singing sands”, finding lobsters and other creatures in the ocean, and just smelling the salt air…nothing can match the experience.

And nothing can match my first time getting lobster right off the boat, scratching it’s way through a brown paper bag to the cottage we rented, where I had my first foray into lobster cooking. Finding oysters and mussels right on our beach during low tide, and eating a seafood feast from our very own pickings…now that’s fresh seafood!

Sometimes I wonder if the kids would have rather gone to Disney than to this place known as the “gentle island”, but with all the amazing experiences with the ocean and natural surroundings...

...I doubt it.

How to cook a lobster

The best way to cook a lobster is by steaming or boiling. No sauces, no spices. Just dipping the juicy crustacean in simple melted butter. Here's the proper method the lovely cottage owners left behind for us.

"Lobster should be cooked either in clean seawater or salted fresh water (add 2 tbsp./25 ml of salt to each quart/litre of fresh water). Fill a large pot with enough water to cover the lobster and bring it to a boil. Grasp the lobster firmly by the back just behind the claws and plunge it head first into the boiling water. Cover, return the water to a boil and then lower the heat to a bubbly simmer. Lobster will cook in 12-20 minutes depending on the size. Canners will cook in 12-15 minutes, while large lobsters will require up to 20 minutes of cooking time. Timing should start only after the water has returned to a boil. Once cooked, the lobster should be drained immediately, They can now be served hot or chilled quickly by being dipped in cold water. It is important to cool the lobster quickly so that they do not remain in the temperature range in which bacteria multiply rapidly."

(source:  PEI Tourism)

that's amore

As you've seen this past week, my husband and I toured France, Spain and Italy for our honeymoon. It was an amazingly unforgettable experience, and it was wonderful to experience it as the beginning of our marraige together.

When we reminisce with our friends about this wonderful European experience, we are often asked, of all the places we visited, which was our favorite?

Sardinia, Italy.  

The quaint island just off the coast of Italy, both rustic with cliffs and mountains, had the most beautiful beaches in the world (crystal clear water for miles).  We always said if we ever went back, that’s where we’d go.

        

{source:  Sardinia Beaches}

And here's a luxurious place to stay in Sardinia.

{source:  Castello Fort Village Resort }

Cheers to our anniversary…and to all the places we'll go!


XOXO,
Simply Beautiful Now

freshwater pearl

During our stay in Spain, we stayed in Palma de Mallorca (or Majorca), which is similar to Miami...posh and luxe as well as where the European youth stay during their winter break (much like Florida is to North Americans).  In abundance were fresh water pearls (both nature made and man made cultured), seafood paella (a rice dish), sangria...and in true Spanish spirit, late night music and dancing...

Apparently Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta Jones have a villa getaway here...and I can see why.  If you're in the area, here's a lovely place to stay...all that beautiful white decor glistens like a freshwater pearl...

{source:  St. Regis Mardavall}

The sangrias were wonderful in Spain...imagine enjoying one here...