22.11.11

Winter Apparel Dress List

The weather in Canada can be a little unpredictable – I mean we are nearing the end of November and still haven’t had our first snow fall of the year (at least not in the East).  I can vividly remember it snowing while trick or treating on Halloween!!  To help prepare for the elements – rain, snow and sleet, I have put together a winter apparel dress list.

Here’s what’s on my radar for when the weather outside turns frightful.

I finally took the plunge last year and invested in a Canada Goose winter coat.  I say investment, as I am not typically one to spend over $700 on an article of clothing.  I must admit, I had slight heart palpitations as I walked out with my purchase, but in the end I have no regrets.   


I’m certainly a girly girl in that I love heels (minus the pain of course!), but when it comes to icy slushy sidewalks, I want stable flats with a good layer of insulation to ensure my tootsies stay warm and dry.     

They kind of remind me of moon boots, but they are waterproof, with a wool lining and anti-slip outsole.  Bonus – there is a side zipper so you don’t have to lace them up every time!
Looking back, I’m really not sure how I managed to consistently go out with my hair sopping wet, a short bomber jacket with my legs completely exposed save for a pair of opaque tights and my Doc Martin 8 holes.  While I am sure I was cold, the thought of slapping a hat on was simply unacceptable.  After all, none of the cool kids were wearing them.  Nowadays, I am all for bundling up, especially since I got frost bite on my left ear during my no hat days (not a fun experience)!  
Typical wool mitts do not provide a sufficient barrier against the wind.  With serious wind chill factor I want superior protection.  Enter the:
This neckie even has vents to disperse your breath – ingenious!
Gucci 2890/S - $292 USD
If you have ever been driving or walking on a sunny winter day with the rays reflecting off the snow, you will understand why sunglasses are a must even in the winter.
Here’s to keeping warm this season!



 

17.11.11

Holiday Gift Giving

Holiday gift giving can be a little intimidating, especially if you are strapped for time.  To help alleviate some of this stress, I’ve put together a list of items that I have either received, gifted or plan on gifting.  There are items in all price points, as the holidays are not meant to break the bank, but rather are a time of expressing your love and affection for the people you care about.

HOME
·       Lands’ End Large Natural Open Top Canvas Tote Bag - $29.50 USD + $6  USD for monogramming.  I had heard about these bags for years before I finally put it on my wish list a few years back.  I absolutely LOVE my bags.  I have them in Large and X-Large (and it really is X-Large!) and use them for a plethora of carrying tasks.  The amount of stuff you can cram in these bags without stressing the handles is amazing.  The only caveat - finding someone to carry the X-Large when it is filled to the brim!! 
 


·       Hudson's Bay Company Collection Millenium Point Blanket - $275 to $475 CAD Twin to King.  These blankets are very durable and extremely warm.  Very cosy for those cold winter nights :)



·       Swarovski Christmas Kris Bear Annual Edition 2011 - $140 CAD.  If you are looking to start a holiday tradition, these little Swarovski crystal figures are the cutest!  They also create a beautiful pattern on the walls and ceiling when lit from above. 



·       I started collecting Louise Bousquet’s pottery last year and am eager to continue adding to my collection.  Here's what is on my radar for this holiday season:

o   Cake Pedestal $126 CAD



o   Square Butter Dish $55 CAD

  




TECHY


·       Pico USB FlashDrive in 8, 16 or 32 gigs available at Think Geek - $29.99 to $139.99 USD.  I have my Pico on my key chain and I cannot tell you the number of times it has come in handy.  Amazing that something so small can store so much information!


KIDS
·       Alphabet Flash Cards from Valhalla Cards - $21.99 USD.  I gave these as a gift a few years ago and they were quite the hit with the little one.



 

·       Build A Bear - prices vary depending on style selected.  I gifted these last year to my girlfriend's kids and it was so fun to first give them the “body” and then schedule a date to bring the bears to life.  A gift and an activity all in one!



TRAVEL
·       Smythson of Bond Street Luggage Label Peridot Collection - £60.  For the road warrior.  Bonus - the bright colour will help distinguish from all the other black suitcases!



·       EscapeTM Luxury Travel Sleep Mask from Dream Essentials - $19.95 USD.  For those pesky red eye flights.


BEAUTY
·       MAC Cosmetics Lip Conditioner SPF 15 - $18 CAD.   This is my all-time favorite lip balm - it's the bomb!

  

·       Urban Decay Naked Palette - $48 USD.  I am by no means a make-up guru.  I'm actually relatively new to the whole world of make-up, so this product is stellar for a newbie like me, but would make a make-up pro equally thrilled to be gifted such a classic set.  Be sure to act quickly as this item sells out like hot cakes. 



HEALTH
·       Tracy Anderson Metamorphosis Series = $89.97 USD.  This is most definitely on my wish list.  Her Mat Workout video still kicks my butt!



PET
·       Rhinestone Slide Crown Charms from Here Kitty Kitty - $3.00 USD.  These charms are so cute and the perfect way to treat your pet!  They are offered in Diamond, Pink Sapphire and Blue Sapphire.  Plus, Karen is a pleasure to deal with!


HOSTESS

·       Vice Vodka Icewine Martini - Instead of giving a traditional bottle of wine, why not shake it up a bit and gift them Vice.  Vice retails for approximately $40 CAD.   I was first introduced to Vice while I was at one of my favorite restaurants in Toronto - Sotto Sotto - and they gave us a glass while we were waiting to be seated.  I tend to find icewine to be a little too sweet, but mixed with the vodka is a killer combo.  I cannot tell you the number of liquor stores I hit to try and find this stuff - it took over 6 months, but I finally found some!  Definitely worth the hunt. 



·       Lee Gallery Frames from Pottery Barn - $44.27 to $167.97 CAD .  Perfect for capturing memories of your friends and family.



·       Kusmi Tea – prices vary.  I was introduced to this tea a few years back and I have yet to try a flavor I haven’t enjoyed.  Their Essentials kit includes 24 muslim tea bags of 12 different flavours – the perfect introduction to Kusmi teas.   

Happy holiday shopping!

15.11.11

Corn Fritters

I had always been a French toast kind of girl, but my significant other had fond memories of his father’s corn fritters.  So I set out to try and make a batch that would rival his childhood memories.  In the end, I’ve become a convert to these oh so yummy pancakes.  They are a cold weather Sunday dinner favorite. Yup – you read that right – pancakes for dinner!  Although the fritters are excellent on their own (served up with a little butter and warm maple syrup – so yummy), they are stellar topped with maple bacon, really strong cheddar cheese and warm maple syrup. 

Betcha can’t just eat one!
Enjoy!
Corn Fritters
Created by Shannon Fraser



Serves 6


Preparation Time – 30 Minutes (20 minutes resting time)
Cooking Time – 15 to 20 Minutes

Ingredients

§  1 ½ cups flour
§  1 ¼ tbsp. baking powder
§  1 tsp. sugar
§  Pinch salt
§  30 g butter melted and cooled
§  1 cup milk
§  1 14 oz can cream of corn
§  2 eggs – lightly beaten

Preparation

1.       Preheat oven to 325° Celsius.

2.       In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. 

3.       Make a well in the dry ingredients and add the beaten eggs, milk and cream of corn.  Mix to just combine (a little noticeable flour is fine).  Add in the cooled melted butter. 

4.       Allow the batter to rest covered in the fridge for 20 minutes.

5.       Heat a frying pan over medium heat, melt some butter and add ¼ cup of the batter.  Cook for approximately 2 minutes (until the top is covered with bubbles and the bottom is a nice golden crispy brown), flip and continue cooking an additional 1 to 2 minutes until golden brown.

6.       Place cooked pancakes on a plate in the oven to keep warm while continuing to cook the pancakes.

7.       Serve warm with maple syrup.

* Notes


v  This recipe is adapted from Nigella Lawson’s American Breakfast Pancakes from her How to Be a Domestic Goddess cookbook.

14.11.11

Sausage & Rapini Pasta with Yoghurt & Wine Sauce

The men in my family absolutely love hot Italian sausages, so I am always looking for new ways to incorporate them. This is a dish I made many moons ago that actually stemmed from an urgency to cook the sausages before they went bad and on a day in which I had very little ingredients on hand.

The addition of the rapini occurred at a later date after I came across Giada De Laurentiis' Orecchiette with Spicy Sausage and Broccoli Rabe, included in her Everyday Italian cookbook. I love the bitterness of rapini, but even for those who may not enjoy that sharp taste; this dish can still be appealing. I've tried making this without the greens and, even those who don't like rapini agree that, it just doesn't taste as good. The bitterness imparts a nice contrast to the creamy pasta and the spicy, salty sausage. My camp picks around the rapini, leaving an otherwise empty bowl.
This recipe can be a little finicky. Take your time. Be sure to do your mise en place. The sausage takes a few minutes per side, so if you have all your ingredients ready to go, you can relax a little. Being organized will help you focus on the cooking.
The staple in this dish is the Italian sausage, everything else can be switched out for something that you prefer or have on hand. 
Enjoy!

Sausage & Rapini Pasta with Yoghurt & Wine Sauce
Created by Shannon Fraser






Serves 2

Preparation Time – 10 Minutes
Cooking Time – 20 Minutes

Ingredients
§  3 Hot Italian Sausages
§  1 Small Onion – small dice
§  1 Head of Rapini
§  225 g Rigatoni
§  ¼ Cup White Wine
§  2 – 3 Tbsp. Plain Yoghurt
§  ¼ to ½ Cup Pasta Water
§  ½ Cup Parmesan Cheese
§  Salt & Pepper

Preparation

1.       Set a large pot of water to boil.  Once boiling, add salt and pasta.  Cook approximately 13 minutes or until al dente.  Add the rapini during the last 2 minutes of cooking.  Drain pasta and rapini, reserving ¾ cup of pasta water.

2.       Meanwhile, heat a medium skillet set over medium heat.  While the pan heats up, remove the casings from the sausages and break the meat up into bite size pieces.  Add the sausage and onion to the skillet and cook until the sausage is browned on all sides and the onions are soft – approximately 10 minutes. 

3.       Deglaze the pan with the white wine.  Simmer until reduced. 

4.       Add the pasta, rapini and some of the pasta water.  Season and add the grated parmesan and simmer for 5 minutes.  Off the heat, add the yoghurt to create a creamy sauce. 

11.11.11

Pâté Chinois

This is a very traditional French Canadian dish that is another cold weather favorite (although we do eat it year round!).  This is a family recipe that I have slightly adapted.  There are a few steps to this dish, but each is really quite easy and it is well worth the effort.

Enjoy!
Pâté Chinois
Created by Shannon Fraser


Serves 4 to 6

Preparation Time – 15 Minutes
Cooking Time – 1 ½ Hours

Ingredients
§  1 Lb. of Lean Ground Beef
§  1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
§  1 Onion
§  1 14 Oz. Can Cream of Corn
§  4 Potatoes
§  2 Tbsp. Salted Butter, plus more for greasing
§  ¼ Cup Milk
§  Salt & Pepper
Preparation

1.       Preheat oven to 375°F. 

2.       Steam the peeled and large diced potatoes.  Once fork tender, drain and return to pot over low heat.  Dry the potatoes slightly then add the butter and mash the potatoes a little before adding the milk.  Mash the potatoes until fluffy and season with salt and pepper.  Set aside. 

3.       While the potatoes are steaming, in a medium skillet set over medium heat, cook the ground beef.  Season with salt and pepper and remove from pan.  Set aside.

4.       While the meat is cooking, finely dice the onion.  Once meat is done, using the same skillet set over medium heat, add the olive oil and finely diced onions.  Cook until the onions are soft and translucent.  Add the ground beef and toss to combine.  Set aside.

5.       Butter a square glass baking dish and start layering with the meat and onion mixture.  Then add the whole can of cream of corn, spreading the corn in an even layer over the meat mixture.  Top with an even layer of the mashed potatoes.  Brush the top with melted butter.  Bake for 1 hour until the juices are bubbling and the top is nice and golden brown. 

* Notes

v  Be sure to place your baking dish on top of a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil to catch any spills.

v  I like to mash my potatoes using a hand mixer.  They come out really fluffy!  Just make sure not to over whip them as they will take on glue like texture.