Happy Birthday Canada!

~ our beautiful country is 148 years old! she doesn't look a day over 147! a day spent with friends, family and fireworks makes for a wonderful day. we love to entertain with our family and friends and wanted to share with you a super easy and delicious dessert Oz made that celebrated the red and white of the true north ~

~ Lemon Cream Cheese Puff Pastry with Strawberries ~

ingredients:

1 package thawed puff pastry

flour {to sprinkle for easy rolling of pastry}

lemon cream cheese filling {recipe below}

strawberries {any berry works. we chose red to represent Canada}

icing sugar {optional ~ for decorative purposes}

~ roll out puff pastry {be sure to liberally sprinkle some flour on your rolling pin and work space as puff pastry sticks}. don't over work it too much, roll out to your desired shape and thickness

~ cut slices in whatever shape you prefer. i did long rectangles because i thought it looked pretty

~ bake according to box instructions but keep an eye on it to be sure it doesn't over bake. you want it raised, golden and flaky, not dark brown and flat

~ allow to cool before spooning mixture. i used about a tablespoon of filling per slice

~ top with strawberries {or whatever berry flavor you desire}

~ voila! a delicious and easy dessert that looks fancy!

Lemon Cream Cheese Filling

~ this filling is a staple of mine. i use it for a variety of different desserts, including tarts. it is very easy to make and freezes well if you make too much ~

1 package cream cheese {softened at room temperature}

1 can sweeten condensed milk

a splash of vanilla extract {or to your own preference}

the rind/peel of one lemon

the juice of one lemon {less/more to your own preference}

~ beat cream cheese until smooth with either a hand mixer or kitchen aid

~ add the full can of sweeten condensed milk and continue beating {mixture will be liquid-like at first but will thicken as mixed}

~ add splash of vanilla, combine

~ add lemon peel and juice, combine

~ pour into a small bowl and allow to set in fridge for about 15 minutes before using

Cinco de Mayo Deliciousness

~ in preparation for Cinco de Mayo tomorrow, we're been sharing some of our favorite recipes. Tarah shared hers on the weekend and now i'm sharing mine. i love appetizers and dessert. when in a restaurant, im much more likely to order multiple appetizers and save room for dessert than to order a meal. i feel like i'd do really well in Spain where tapas are popular. *note to self: travel to Spain* for me, Cinco de Mayo is about getting together with friends, enjoying some delicious bevvies, some dips and chips and ending the night with some yummy dessert. all my taste buds will have been satisfied at this point: salty, sweet, creamy, spicy {mildly spicy ~ i'm a weakling}. i'm sharing my recipes for my homemade guacamole, mango pico de gallo, bluberry lime margarita and churros. yes you read right. churros. the churros were my first attempt and i'll be honest, it took me a couple of attempts to get the right color on them but thanks be the sweet goddess that it ended up deliciously!! new recipe staple *high five* ~

 ~ chips and dips are such a yummy snack to have when the sun is out. sitting in the backyard with the cool breeze of spring weather watching the dogs bask in the sun is a perfect way to spend any day~

Guacamole

1 onion chopped finely

2 garlic cloves) chopped finely

1/8-1/4 jalapêno pepper

2 handfuls cherry tomatoes quartered

2 avocados 

one bunch cilantro chopped

1 lime/lemon

salt & pepper to taste

{i used a regular cooking onion because that's what i had but a red onion is really delicious also}

{you could add garlic to your preference ~ garlic is not a part of traditional mexican guac {as many of my Mexican students have told me} however, one of them most recently told me that some part of Mexico do in fact use garlic ~ thx Maria!!}

{like i said, i'm a weakling when it comes to spice but i was super proud of myself for using jalapêno because i've always avoided it. i also used gloves while removing the seeds and chopping it up. it was the last thing i chopped to avoid any seeds mixing with any of my other ingredients}

{i used cherry tomatoes because that's what i had on hand. also because they're also crisp. they are a bit time consuming so if you're making a larger batch, maybe some regular tomatoes would be easier. just make sure they're nice and firm for easier chopping}

~ chop everything up and put aside

~ in a bowl, mash avocado. you can either leave it lightly mashed and chunky or a smoother mash, totally up to yo

~ add garlic, onions, jalapêno, tomatoes, salt & pepper. combine carefully to not crush the tomatoes

~ add chopped cilantro and the juice of one lemon/lime and combine

Mango Pico de Gallo

1 onion chopped finely

3 cloves garlic chopped finely

2 handful cherry tomatoes chopped in quarters

1 mango chopped

1/8-1/4 jalapêno pepper

1 lemon

salt and pepper

~ chop everything as closely to the same size as you can. a pico de gallo is a very basic type of salsa and it's hard to hide any sloppy chopping. try as best you can to keep some really beautiful knife chops with all your veggies

~ combine everything, salt & pepper to taste and add the juice of one lemon 

{same as with the guacamole, i used whatever i had on hand and adjusted to my own preferences so feel free to do the same as the recipes are quite simple and fool proof}

~ margaritas are always a delicious drink whether celebrating or just having a taco night. i like both blended and on the rocks and enjoy the traditional flavors. however, sometimes its fun mixing it up and trying something new!~

Blueberry Lime Margarita {on the rocks}

1 cup frozen blueberries

2 limes

2 bottles of lime flavored sparkling water {i used Perrier}

1/2 cup Pom juice {this was an adjustment for my family's tastes- can be omitted}

1/4 cup agave {less or more depending on your preference}

1/2 cup tequila {i used Patron but you could use any tequila although i'd avoid a golden tequila for this recipe}

~ combine everything in a blender and pour into preferred glasses with some ice

{truthfully this intended to be a blended drink but my dad forgot to bring me some ice so i adjusted. i also added the Pom juice because my family loves Pom juice. it did give it a yummy flavor but could be omitted or substituted for another berry flavor or mango}

Churro Bites

~ my first experience with churros was when i was 12 and went to Disneyland for the first time. i remember we saw everyone eating these long stems of fried goodness. my brother and i begged our mom to buy us one. we waited in line and were finally able to savor the sweet, fried goodness of a Disneyland churro. any time i think of churros, i think of Disneyland ~

~ i used a this recipe i found on pinterest as it was a first attempt for me with churros. i found that the mixture was too runny. this was simply based of what i remembered from seeing churros made on food network. i ended up adding about 2 extra tablespoons of flour to where i felt it was the right consistency. i'd suggest following the recipe if you're a first timer too and then trust your gut if you need to adjust ~
~ i lucked out and used my dad's deep fryer {it only sees the light of day maybe 4 times a year but comes in handy for a recipe like this! }. as you can see my churros are not perfectly sized but i like that about them. makes them look more homemade
~ rolling the warm, crispy churros in cinnamon sugar is THE best way to enjoy these. i didn't use melted chocolate like the recipe suggested. we enjoyed them as is but whether dipped in chocolate or enjoyed with vanilla ice cream, you're sure to love them!

xoxo
Oz

A Little Cinco De Mayo From Us to You!

~ cinco de mayo is right around the corner and you don't have to be of Spanish descent to celebrate! my love for Mexican flavors started when i first ventured into cooking, i mean who doesn't love fresh fruit and veggies with their cheese and carbs? i found the colors inspiring and the flavors always paid off, plus it was an easy way to include guacamole into every meal! these three recipes can be adapted into everyday life and are all vegetarian but can easily be made for the meat-atarians in your life !

               Green Chile and Sweet Potato Breakfast Burritos              

makes 6

~ this recipe can be adapted for those that like more spice, or meat. i've made mine with the addition of chicken or eggs. the first as an entree for lunch or dinner and the eggs for breakfast. they also freeze well and make an easy meal

ingredients:

- 1 can of diced green chiles
- 2-3 sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into medium dice
- half cup frozen/fresh corn kernals
- half cup cotija cheese or sharp aged cheddar
- torillas
- sour cream, cilantro, various hot sauces for topping and either eggs or chicken if desired
- lime wedges

how to:

- turn your oven to 375, place chopped sweet potatoes on a large sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil and roast for 20- 25 minutes. if adding chicken, either pan fry boneless, skinless chicken thighs and dice or buy a rotisserie chicken and shred the meat and set aside. if adding eggs, do a quick scramble while the potatoes are in the oven.
- once the potatoes are done, pop them into a large frying pan with the green chiles, cheese ( and chicken/eggs if adding). toss until the cheese just starts to melt then scoop out into a bowl for assembly.
- heat your tortillas on the stove top/frying pan until just warmed, and assemble as desired! i like mine with a bit of sour cream, then potato mixture, topped with cilantro and siracha and drizzled with lime.

Mexican Street Corn

makes 2

~ this was a new one for me, i love corn but usually just slathered in butter and salt.  i was skeptical about the mayonnaise but was mind....BLOWN

ingredients:

- 1 corn cob per person, drizzled with olive oil 
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise
- pinch cayenne or chile powder
- chopped cilantro
- parmesan cheese or cotija cheese 

how to:

- preheat your oven to 400 degrees and roast your olive oil drizzled corn cobs in a roasting pan for 20-25 minutes, once done let cool for a few minutes.  spread on 1 tbsp of mayo onto each cob, sprinkle with parmesan, chile powder, salt, pepper and cilantro.  Enjoy!

Trés Leches Cake

~ i made my first tres leches cake when i found out it was my husbands co-workers birthday.  he was working here in Vancouver and had been away from his family in mexico for over 3 years. Carlos was always so polite i had to do something and it was an excuse to eat cake! tres leches means 3 milk in Spanish so you know your calcium intake is covered for the day and that's good right? we won't mention the sugar content!

Ingredients

cake:
vegetable oil
6 3/4 oz cake flour, plus extra for pan
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
4 oz unsalted butter at room temp
8 oz sugar
5 whole eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract ( i used tahitian vanilla extract)

glaze:
1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk
1 (14 oz ) can of sweetened condensed milk
1 cup half and half

topping:
2 cups heavy cream
8 oz sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

how to:

 - preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. lightly oil and flour a 13 by 9-inch metal pan and set aside.

- whisk together the cake flour, baking powder and salt in a medium mixing bowl and set aside.
- place the butter into the bowl of a stand mixer. using the paddle attachment, beat on medium speed until fluffy, approximately 1 minute. decrease the speed to low and with the mixer still running, gradually add the sugar over 1 minute. stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl, if necessary. add the eggs, 1 at a time, and mix to thoroughly combine. add the vanilla extract and mix to combine. add the flour mixture to the batter in 3 batches and mix just until combined. transfer the batter to the prepared pan and spread evenly. this will look like a very small amount of batter. bake on the middle rack of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until the cake is lightly golden and reaches an internal temperature of 200 degrees F.
- remove the cake pan to a cooling rack and allow to cool for 30 minutes. poke the top of the cake all over with a skewer or fork. allow the cake to cool completely and then prepare the glaze.

for the glaze:
- whisk together the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk and the half-and-half in a 1-quart measuring cup. once combined, pour the glaze over the cake. refrigerate overnight.

topping:
- place the heavy cream, sugar and vanilla into the bowl of a stand mixer. using the whisk attachment, whisk together on low until stiff peaks are formed. change to medium speed and whisk until thick. spread the topping over the cake and allow to chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Easter Cake

~ happy Easter lovelies! we hope you are enjoying your long weekend with your loved ones! keeping with the theme of deliciousness over Easter, we'd like to share with you a very easy lightly lime flavored cake and strawberry butter cream frosting recipe topped with toasted coconut and mini eggs made by Oz ~

Strawberry Butter Cream

~ 2 sticks butter {softened to room temperature}

~ 3 1/2 cups icing sugar

~ pinch of sea salt

~ a splash of vanilla {1/2 ~ 1 tsp}

~ 3 tbsp pureed fresh strawberries

 {approximately 1/2 cup strawberries ~ will depend on size}

1. beat butter in stand mixer until soft and fluffy {the longer you beat, the creamier your frosting will be. be sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl every once in a while}

2. add the icing sugar in increments, mixing well and scraping until soft and fluffy

3. add salt and vanilla, mix a few times

4. add strawberry puree and combine well so icing looks light pink

Cake

~ truthfully, the cake is just a plain white cake that i flavored mildly with :

the juice of 1/2 lime

lime zest {one lime}

1. i scooped out equal measurements using a 1 cup measuring cup to pour into two 9x9 non-stick round cake pans so they'd come out looking pretty similar and even

2. i'm not too fancy yet when it comes to cake slicing so i just sliced off the round dome-like top of the base cake piece with a bread knife to try flatten it some before icing it

3. i found that using a small offset spatula was easier for me to try and ice this as a 'naked' cake. since i made this for my family {they don't love icing so i used as little as i could while still making this look pretty}

4. i topped the cake with toasted coconut and then played around with some mini eggs for a cute Easter looking presentation

* hope you enjoy

*

xoxo

Easter Pudding

happy easter to all of our lovely followers! 

- we have taken a moment to bring you two delicious ideas to bring to your celebrations this weekend whether they may be traditional or not.  our first creation is a Pistachio Pudding that Tarah has concocted for those that may want a little something different whether you're hosting or graciously bringing dessert to the party ( don't forget to bring flowers, ours are from Balconi Floral Design Studio ). 

Pistachio Pudding  Serves 4

Ingredients: 

- there are 2 sections to this shopping list! first you need to make a pistachio paste: 

1/2 c. salted pistachio nuts (shelled) 

1/3 c. granulated sugar

2 Tbps water

- and now the pudding: 

2 c. whole milk

2 large egg yolks

1/3 c. granulated sugar

2 tbsp cornstarch

pinch of salt

1 tsp pure vanilla extract ( i used tahitian)

2 tbsp unsalted butter

1/4 c. chopped pistachio nuts/dark chocolate/Cadbury mini eggs

Pistachio Paste How To:

- place pistachios in a food processor and pulse until the nuts are in small bits. 

- add the sugar and water and  blend until relatively smooth

Pudding How To: 

- spoon the pistachio paste into a medium sauce pan, add the milk and whisk over medium heat

- heat until mixture is steaming

- while the milk is heating, whisk together granulated sugar, egg yolks, cornstarch and a pinch of salt, this mixture will be thick, just whisk until smooth

- pour 1/2 of the steaming pistachio milk into the sugar and egg mixture and whisk together.  add the rest and whisk to incorporate. 

- return the mixture to the saucepan over medium heat and heat until thick and bubbly

- remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla extract until incorporated. 

- pass cooked pudding through a fine mesh strainer that's set over a medium bowl

- pour into small ramekins, place plastic wrap over the tops and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight. 

- garnish with chopped pistachios/dark chocolate ( I used Lindt dark chocolate and sea salt) or Cadbury Mini Eggs! 

- stay tuned for Oz's recipe!

Holiday Festivities

~ my family celebrates Christmas on the 24th. i spend Christmas day normally with my best friend's family. we're Persian so Christmas to us is an adopted holiday. i grew up with my cousins whose mother is absolutely bananas {bananas is good} over Christmas so we became accustomed to celebrating every year. i love Christmas mostly for the presents. i'm kidding. its a great time to spend with family and friends and just settle down and enjoy some quality time, good food, drinks and just overall merriment. i bake A LOT over the holidays, gifting everyone i can think of with delicious goodness. i've gotten better over the years, practice making perfect and can now call myself an avid baker. i cook also but i've been cooking for a while, the baking is relatively new. there is something about feeding people that brings me joy. especially baked goods. i think their tummies feel the same. i thought i'd share a bit of my Christmas eve with you all. we had a bunch of family friends over and watched Home Alone 1 & 2. i hope you all had a wonderful day and Santa was good to you ~

~ started my morning with a delicious cup of creamy earl grey tea {i love the one from the secret garden tea house in kerrisdale} in my new monogrammed anthropologie mug. i was so sad i didn't get one last year because it is just the prettiest! i jumped this year when i found it and im glad i did!

~ this adorable entry way table is decorated with all dollar store finds! even the vases. i just spray painted them gold~

~ i love a good bar cart. styling a bar cart is loads of fun! this versatile bar cart was a gift to myself last year. i've used it for so many different things and its so perfect for any kind of event. i got some super pretty lights from martha stewart {thanks tarah} to give it a little glimmer. a mix of target and indigo accessories and bar ware were perfect compliments to the bit of decor on the bottom level. i like scouring home sense and michaels for good deals on decorative items. i thought it worked out in a really lovely, understated way~

~ a closer look. the lights are battery-operated so i had to find a creative way to hide it. a few gold napkins and a champagne glass filled with ferrero rocher chocolates et voila. i included a little DIY sparkly moose i made a few days ago ~

~ couldn't leave out my little fur monsters in their snappy bow ties ~

~ a super delicious appetizer: burrata {from trader joe's} with a tomato compote that Tarah makes from a Jamie Oliver recipe. it is SO good. we usually serve it with proscuitto and baguette. and of course i have a monogrammed cheese plate from indigo ~

~ some of the baked goods i made: raspberry thumprints and coconut thumprints topped with creamy caramel and fleur de sel ~

~ a very delicious lemon cream cheese tart topped with pomegranates and mint chiffonade. i adapted the recipe from joy of baking ~

~ of course no Christmas eve would be complete without leaving Santa come cookies ~

 xoxo Oz

Pie

~ fall is my favorite season. i've told you this before. cozy knits, layers, minimalist beauty and scarves...all the scarves. its also one of my favorite seasons for baking. leading into holiday season, the aroma's of fall baking fill the entire home. i'm relatively new to baking, slowly getting the hang of some basics. pie is my next challenge. in the past, i've always used store bought crust, without any shame, mind you. however, in my quest towards becoming a domestic diva a la Martha, mastering certain baking principles is a must. ergo: pies. pies come in all shapes, sizes and flavors. i don't discriminate. from a basic apple pie to a pecan pie, cranberry flavored pies to bars of all kinds. starbucks has a deadly cranberry bliss bar that i'd like to attempt at home, as well as an oatmeal fudge bar that i have attempted in the past and turned out delish. i pin a lot of baking pins on pinterst {follow along here} and am always inspired by beautiful images of bloggers whose passion is baking. i'm looking forward to trying my hand at different flavors and eventually {soon, hopefully} mastering pie crust. i promise to share as i go along. meanwhile, feast your eyes on some deliciousness below from our most recent pins on pinterest.

 xoxo Oz