Scrumptious Foods

And The winner of the Tetley Tea Contest is...

2011-01-20T19:32:00.001-05:00

Thank you to all of you that have entered! A random number generator has been used to determine the winner!

We had 10 entries/comments and chosen at random...

Comment Number 8 was Selected.

And the Winner is TSZ!!

Congratulations Tsz! Please contact me at scrumptiousDOTblogATgmailDOTcom and send me your credentials!

Cheers,
Naho @ Scrumptious Foods!

Nothing Like a Warm Cuppa Tea on a Cold Winter Day!

2011-01-19T09:59:00.002-05:00

Nothing's better on a cold morning or when you have a cold (like me) then a cup of tea. I've been a fan of tea since I was very young, being introduced to it by my mother. She cannot go a day without a few cups of tea - it's a cultural thing as well, everyone drinks tea.

Her favourite brand, no fail is Tetley, Orange Pekoe, time and time again. I have tried to get her into some herbal and flavoured teas, but no avail, she does enjoy the smells though.

Recently I have come across a new link by Tetley, a colour line with differnt moods. I recently tried Dream, which is the lemon chamomile flavour. I can definitely see where the name comes from, it's soothing and has you relaxed in no time, great to have while unwinding before bed.

Here is a little about what Tetley has to say about their new (very awesome) line - Colour Therapy:

Tetley Tea is on a mission to help Canadians get more "colourful" with their new line of herbal teas. As you know, colour influences our lives every day. In the home, a bedroom that's painted paled blue an have a calming affect. Wearing red can illicit a sense of energy and excitement. Our colour choices can have dramatic effects on our mood and well being. Now you can match or even influence your mood using colour with this new line of herbal teas for a little Tetley Colour Therapy.

You know, they are absolutely right about the colours and moods, I always keep moods in mind when buying items, clothing etc.

If you're a tea lover, it's about to get better. We're running a contest for you, the fabulous readers!! The prize: A Tetley Colour Therapy gift basket worth approx. $70 with 2 containers each of tea, a canister/tea pot and 50 mood influencing greeting cards.

Here are a few tantilizing photos :

To enter, all you have to do is leave a comment and tell me what's your favourite flavour of Tetley Tea is and what is your favourite colour and why it helps your mood.

Contest will start on Wednesday, January 19th, 2011 and contest will end Thursday, January 20th, 2011 at 5:00 p.m.. Winner will be announced at 7:00 p.m. January 20th, 2011.

**Contest is open to Canadian residents only (excluding Quebec).

Cheers and Good Luck,
Naho @ Scrumptious Foods

Kraft is Great!

2011-01-13T09:48:00.000-05:00

You're familiar with Kraft right?

Just wanted to share with you Two of the websites I frequent often:

When you want something that's tasty and creative, but don't have all the time in the world, Kraft has some great ideas and recipes to help you get there in a jiffy. Awesome recipes for dinner after work, for a game night get together or even just to make a treat for yourself. Kraft has saved me many times over and I have gone back to some of my favourite recipes time and time again - Mmm Kraft Dinner (Random)...

If you don't know about Delicious Days, Delicious Days is a one-stop site for seasonal cooking videos, recipes, activities, and fun! Their latest series of videos on Kitchen Basics will also teach you how to boil an egg so you get that creamy yellow yolk without the gray-green discoloration, how to minimize those tears when slicing onions (stumps some of the best of us), and more!

Hope these little website gems come in handy, they always does for me!

Cheers,
Naho @ Scrumptious Foods

YUM Avocado!

2011-01-13T09:22:00.035-05:00

I love Avocados, don't you? Okay, maybe not everybody out there loves avocados. I fell in love with avocado's in college, I had guacamole for the first time, and it was a trip to flavour country - if I could, I would have avocados everyday. I have had them plain, with salt and lime (which is my fave), in a shake, in a dip and of course, guacamole. Still looking for even more ways to have avocado, and thats when I learned about avocado oil.

I have known about flavoured oils, especially coming from a nut of sort, I've seen, walnet, hazelnut, sesame, grapeseed, truffle, sundried tomato, garlic, an assortment of herbs such as basil and mint, chili, etc. not forgetting classic everyday oils such as veg, peanut, canola and olive oil (olive oil being a whole new post in itself).

But this post is about the beautiful Avocado and it's oil... It's one of the most nutritious oils out there. Helps you have healthy hair, nails and skin. Olivado has a great product, check it out:

Olivado Organic Avocado Oil combines the best of two worlds - a great tasting health food product

Olivado Organic Avocado Oil combines the best of two worlds - a premium, extra virgin, cold-pressed oil extracted from the avocado that is a superb food dressing or cooking oil and also a health food product that may lower cholesterol levels, reduce the incidence of heart disease and may even relieve prostate conditions.
Olivado Organic Avocado Oil is rich in chlorophylls and lutein that act as antioxidants and may reduce the risk of cancer and age-related macular degeneration. Olivado is an excellent source of Vitamin E, contains no trans fats, is sodium and cholesterol free, and is high in heart healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.
Olivado Organic Avocado Oil meets the Heart & Stroke Foundation’s Health Check Criteria, has ten times more chlorophyll than olive oil and twice as much Beta-Sitosterol, which has been known to reduce cholesterol absorption in the body.
In addition to Olivado’s health benefits, it is an ideal culinary oil for high temperature cooking, promotes nutritional absorption enhancing the natural flavour in food, and is excellent as a base for dressings and dips.
Olivado’s Organic Avocado Oil has been certified Fair for Life by IMO Switzerland. IMO’s Social & Fair for Life Certification ensures that human rights are guaranteed at any stage of production, that workers enjoy good and fair working conditions and that farmers receive a fair price for their avocados. Fair trade improves the lives of small farmers, workers, and their communities, enabling progress and empowerment to a higher level.

For more information go to http://www.olivado.ca/ and if you're wondering where you can by some fabulous Avocado Oil in Canada click here.

Well, all this avocado talk has made me hungry, gonna hunt down some avocado RIGHT NOW.

Cheers,
Naho @ Scrumptious Foods

The Art of Cooking with Jamie Oliver

2010-11-08T21:14:00.008-05:00

I want to share a fantastic event coming to the Metro Toronto Convention Centre with you. The fabulous Jamie Oliver will be in Toronto, ON for The Art of Cooking event. On November 18th, 2010 join Bob Blumer (Glutton for Punishment) along with Jamie Oliver for Jamie's return to Toronto, this will be his only Canadian date, catch him while you can.

You can purchase tickets with a special promo for the readers out there for $10.00 off at The Art of Cooking website. Also when you register 5 or more people, you will save an additional $10.00 off per ticket.

Check out The Art of Cooking event brochure here.

Don’t miss out on your chance to be a part of this fabulous event. This will be a night of fun, learning and entertainment.

Jamie Oliver, November 18th, 7:00 pm., Metro Toronto Convention Centre.

See you there!

(Image courtesy of The Art of Cooking website)

Cheers,
Naho @ Scrumptious Foods

Sucre à la Crème Cupcakes

2010-08-24T21:13:00.009-04:00

Sucre à la Crème, absolutely delicious. I came across this delight by my now husband, then friend, he brought some in for Christmas and shared a piece with me.

For those of you who are not familiar with Sucre à la Crème, here is the to-the-point definition on Wikipedia:

The sugar in the cream is a delicacy made of cream to 35% of sugar and brown sugar, all churned during cooking.

Popular in Québec, this delicacy is usually served in small cubes granules during the holiday season, that is to say during the days preceding and following Christmas.

How I came about this recipe... Just after we were engaged (Christmastime), I asked him if he would make me another batch of Sucre à la Crème and in return he had made me a double batch. Uh WOW, as much as I enjoy this delightful fudge, that is enough for an army.

I thought to myself, what am I to do with this mass amount of fudge (aside from share the wealth - which I did) I decided to turn it into a cupcake. These days you see all sorts of flavours, so why not give it a shot.

Continuing with the flavours of Québec, I decided to add some maple syrup to the glaze before topping it off with a generous morsel of Sucre à la Crème.

Sucre à la Crème Cupcakes
Makes about 18 cupcakes

Ingredients:

-Cupcake Batter-

1/2 cup Softened Butter (unsalted)
1 cup Brown Sugar
2 Eggs - Large
3/4 cup Self-Rising Flour
1/2 cup plus 2 tbls. All Purpose Flour
1/2 cup milk
2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
Approx. 1/2 cup chopped Sucre à la Crème (melted)

Glaze:

1-3/4 cup Icing Sugar
1/4 cup Softened Butter (unsalted)
1/4 cup Milk
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
1 tbls. Maple Syrup
Pinch of Salt

Decoration:

Additional cubed Sucre à la Crème fudge for topping (about 1 piece per cupcake)
Sprinkling of Cinnamon

-Directions-

Preheat Oven to 350.

Place butter and sugar into a bowl and cream until light and fluffy.
Add eggs and vanilla and mix well.
Add melted Sucre à la Crème into the mix and incorporate well. (To melt Sucre à la Crème, place in the microwave for intervals of 15 seconds until reaching a caramel consistency)
Combine All-purpose and self-rising flours and place aside.
Add flour and milk in an alternating cycle until all the flour and milk have been added and the batter has completely been mixed and fluffy.
Spoon into a lined cupcake pan and bake for 15-25 minutes (depending on your oven).

Cupcakes will brown nicely and be soft to the touch, use a toothpick to check if it's fully baked (the toothpick will come out clean).

While you are waiting for the cupcakes to cool, lets make the icing.

Place Icing Sugar, Milk and Vanilla Extract in a bowl and mix well.
Add Softened Butter, Pinch of Salt and Maple Syrup and whisk until a smooth consistency is reached.

Once the glaze has been created, refrigerate for 15-20 minutes, checking on it every so often to mix.

Once the cupcakes have cooled, slowly spread a small amount of glaze on the cupcakes (it may drizzle down the sides) and and top with morsel of Sucre à la Crème fudge.

Sprinkle with Cinnamon and voila, Sucre à la Crème Cupcakes are here.

Hope you enjoy these cupcakes as much as I have!

Cheers,
Naho @ Scrumptious Foods

Greek Pasta Salad - Revisited

2010-04-29T12:48:00.003-04:00

I had actually had made another version of this salad recipe a few years ago with slight variations, but since I wanted to pass this recipe around, I thought I would post the recipe I brought into work today:

Greek Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

1 English Cucumber, Seeded
1 Package Grape or Cherry Tomatoes, (Sliced Optional)
1 Jar Black Olives
1 Small Red Onion
1 Package Pasta (Fuselli, Rotini, etc)
1 Green Pepper
1 Small Bottle Kraft Mediterranean Dressing

Optional:

Extra Dressing / Seasoning
Crumbled Feta Cheese

Directions:

Put on your pasta for the boil, you will need to have this cooked and washed in cold water after cooking as this is a cold pasta.
Cut and prep all your veggies (I chose to keep them julienne and cubed) and place them into a large salad bowl and lightly toss.
Add your pasta to the veggies and top with salad dressing. Toss Well.
The flavours will set over night even better if you choose, serving it right away is also a great option.
Top with Crumbled feta and enjoy!

As the summer starts to creep up on us (not that we mind) I'm sure more great salad recipes will be popping up.

Cheers,

Naho

100 Foods List

2010-04-21T16:34:00.007-04:00

It's been a very long time since I have posted and for that I am sorry. I wish I had a bit more time to sit down and be able to blog and photograph, unfortunately with work, sometimes school and the daily life activities, I bake and read, but rush my photos and don't get to blog as much as I would like. I do however, tweet and you can follow me @ScrumptiousFood!

I came to post today because I came across something on The Eating Project blog that seemed like it would be fun to post, a couple lists of 100 foods you have to try (before you die, and Canadian yummies). Please feel free to do the same on your blog, you might see some new foods you would like to try, if you already haven't

For both:

1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.

2) Bold or cross-out all the items you’ve eaten.

3) Italicize any items that you would never consider eating.

4) Post a comment here linking to your results

100 things you should eat before you die compiled by Food Proof

1. Venison

2. Nettle tea

3. Huevos rancheros

4. Steak tartare

5. Crocodile

6. Black pudding

7. Cheese fondue

8. Carp

9. Borscht

10. Baba ghanoush

11. Calamari

12. Pho

13. PB&J sandwich

14. Aloo gobi

15. Hot dog from a street cart

16. Epoisses

17. Black truffle

18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes

19. Steamed pork buns

20. Pistachio ice cream

21. Heirloom tomatoes

22. Fresh wild berries

23. Foie gras

24. Rice and beans

25. Brawn, or head cheese

26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper

27. Dulce de leche

28. Oysters

29. Baklava

30. Bagna cauda

31. Wasabi peas

32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl

33. Salted lassi

34. Sauerkraut

35. Root beer float

36. Cognac with a fat cigar

37. Clotted cream tea

38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O

39. Gumbo

40. Oxtail

41. Curried goat

42. Whole insects

43. Phaal

44. Goat’s milk

45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more

46. Fugu

47. Chicken tikka masala

48. Eel

49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut

50. Sea urchin

51. Prickly pear

52. Umeboshi

53. Abalone

54. Paneer

55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal

56. Spaetzle

57. Dirty gin martini

58. Beer above 8% ABV

59. Poutine

60. Carob chips

61. S’mores

62. Sweetbreads

63. Kaolin

64. Currywurst

65. Durian

66. Frogs’ legs

67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake

68. Haggis

69. Fried plantain

70. Chitterlings, or andouillette

71. Gazpacho

72. Caviar and blini

73. Louche absinthe

74. Gjetost, or brunost

75. Roadkill

76. Baijiu

77. Hostess Fruit Pie

78. Snail

79. Lapsang souchong

80. Bellini

81. Tom yum

82. Eggs Benedict

83. Pocky

84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant.

85. Kobe beef

86. Hare

87. Goulash

88. Flowers

89. Horse

90. Criollo chocolate

91. Spam

92. Soft shell crab

93. Rose harissa

94. Catfish

95. Mole poblano

96. Bagel and lox

97. Lobster Thermidor

98. Polenta

99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee

100. Snake

100 Canadian Foods to Consume compiled by Maple Syrup and Poutine

1. Arctic Char

2. Ketchup flavoured chips

3. Wild Rice Pilaf

4. Caribou Steak

5. Gourmet Poutine

6. Screech

7. Beaver Tails

8. Maple Baked Beans

9. Bison Burger

10. Bumbleberry pie

11. Nanaimo bar

12. Butter Tarts

13. Cedar Planked B.C. Salmon

14. Wild Blueberries

15. Pure Local Cranberry Juice

16. Chocolate from Ganong or Purdy’s

17. A cup of warm cider from your local orchard

18. Caesar

19. 4 of the following types of apples (Cortland, Empire, Golden Delicious, McIntosh, Spartan, Greensleeves, Liberty, Granny Smith, Red Delicious, Honeycrisp, Golden Russet, Idared, Gala)

20. Freshly foraged mushrooms

21. Dinner cooked by Michael Smith, Susur Lee or Rob Feenie

22. Fondue Chinoise

23. Dish created from a Canadian Living Magazine recipe

24. Peameal Bacon Sandwich from St. Lawrence Market in Toronto

25. Lobster bought directly from a boat in a Maritime harbour

26. Handmade perogies from your local church or market

27. Alberta Beef at an Alberta Steakhouse

28. Leamington Tomatoes

29. Roasted Pheasant

30. Wild Game hunted by someone you know

31. Ice Wine

32. Habitant Pea Soup – entire can

33. Any Canadian Artisinal Cheese

34. Bannock

35. Tourtiere

36. Flapper Pie

37. Jellied Moose Nose

38. Saskatoon Berries

39. Fish and Brewis

40. Screech Pie

41. Fiddleheads

42. Montreal Smoked Meat Sandwich

43. Flipper Pie

44. Montreal Bagels with Smoked Salmon

45. Toutins

46. Jam Busters

47. Bakeapple Pie

48. Bridge Mixture

49. Canadian Style Pizza (bacon, pepperoni. Mushrooms)

50. Shreddies

51. A cone from Cow’s Ice Cream

52. Lumberjack or Logger’s Breakfast

53. Jigg’s Dinner

54. Rappie Pie

55. Pemmican

56. Lake Erie Sturgeon Caviar

57. Belon Oysters

58. Brome Lake Duck(in a way…)

59. Beer from a stubby bottle.

60. A beer from Unibroue or Phillips Brewery.

61. Salt Spring Island Lamb

62. Fry’s Cocoa

63. A bag of Old Dutch Potato Chips

64. Every Flavour of Laura Secord Suckers

65. Chicken Dinner from St Hubert’s or Swiss Chalet

66. Hickory Sticks

67. An entire box of Kraft Dinner

68. Candy Apples (NOT caramel apples)

69. Corn from a roadside stand

70. A meal at Eigensenn Farm

71. Okanogan Peaches

72. Berkshire Pork

73. PEI Potatoes

74. Something cooked in Canola oil

75. Figgy Duff

76. Blueberry Grunt

77. High Tea at the Empress Hotel

78. Fresh maple syrup hardened on the snow

79. Oreilles de Christ

80. Nova Scotia Beer Warmer

81. A cheese plate containing Bleu Bénédictin, Friulano, St. Maure and Oka

82. Black or red currant jam

83. Maple glazed Doughnut from Tim Horton’s with a Large “Double Double”

84. A glass of Mission Hill’s “Oculus”

85. Alberta Pure Vodka

86. Chokecherries

87. Canada Day Cake

88. Boulettes

89. Canadian Iced Tea

90. Mead

91. Fricot

92. Grandperes

93. Local honey

94. Creton on toast

95. Glen Breton Rare

96. A whole box of Smarties, where the empty box is then used as a kazoo

97. Grilled cheese made with Canadian Cheddar

98. A meal from Harvey’s

99. Lake Erie Perch

100. Red Rose Tea

I have to say that I have been lucky to try many of these great foods, how many have you tried?

Cheers.

Nahren

Baklava -- Middle Eastern Style

2009-06-19T22:47:00.006-04:00

I apologize for the lack of blogging in the last while; I know it's been quite some time since my last post. I hope to bring more posts to this blog on a regular basis, so I thought to come back with a fantastic baklava recipe!

This was always a staple in our home around the holidays. After watching my mother make this treat after all those years, I learned to make it myself.

The process of baklava isn't too difficult but it can be tedious and must be neat. You need to watch out that it doesn't become un-even, lumpy and unattractive.

Baklava

Ingredients:

Pastry:

2 Packages Phyllo Pastry
1 pound Unsalted Butter

Filling:

600 grams Walnut halves (coarsely ground)
1 tbls. Sugar
1 tsp. Ground Cardamom
2 tbls. Unsalted Butter, melted

Syrup:

4 cups Sugar
2 cups water
½ tsp. Ground cardamom
1 tbls. Lemon Juice

Garnish:

3 tbls. Unsalted Pistachios, finely ground

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Syrup:

Place water and sugar into a large pot and mix well until sugar is dissolved
Place on medium heat until syrup starts to thicken and come to a boil
Once the syrup reaches a boil, add lemon juice and stir for 2-3 minutes
Remove from heat and add cardamom, stir and leave to cool

Filling:

In a bowl, mix coarsely ground walnuts, sugar and cardamom
Drizzle melted butter over mixture and incorporate so that the mixture binds together

Baklava:

Thoroughly melt butter over low heat
Line a large size cookie sheet (17”x14”) with a sheet of buttered parchment paper
Take two sheets of phyllo pastry at a time, butter with a pastry brush and repeat until you have 1 ½ packages lining the bottom of the cookie sheet
Evenly spread walnut filling over buttered phyllo pastry and firmly press down onto the filling
Using the remaining ½ package of phyllo pastry repeat step three by buttering every two sheets, leaving the final top two sheets unbuttered
Make sure the pastry is well fitted to the cookie sheet, if there is any overhang; trim off all excess
Using a knife pre-cut into desired shapes (squares, diamonds, triangles, etc.)
Place baklava in the bottom rack of the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until bottom is golden brown, whilst checking occasionally so that the pastry does not burn
After the bottom has reached the golden brown stage, place the baklava on the top rack until the top layer reaches becomes golden brown
Remove baklava from the oven and slowly pour 1-2 cups of cooled syrup over the entire slab of hot baklava (feel free to add more if you desire a sweeter baklava)
Sprinkle finely ground pistachios on top and leave to cool for one hour
Cut slices thoroughly and serve

Cheers,
Naho@Scrumptious Foods

Apple Crumble Pie

2008-09-24T09:47:00.006-04:00

*sigh* I really must blog more often. So there are 23 days left until the wedding. I have missed my baking, my bloging and at times my sanity. Seeing as I am not the best at pie crust, I tend to buy the crusts and elabortate on what I would like to make with them. I decided to use what I had on hand and made an apple crumble pie. An apple crumble pie is your typical apple pie with a crumble top crust.

Apple Crumble Pie

Ingredients:

Preheat Oven to 375 Degrees.

Pie Filling:

-3 Apples thinly sliced
-2 tbls Brown Sugar
-1 tps Cinnamon
-1/4 tsp Nutmug
-1 tsp Vanilla
-1 tbls cold water mixed with 1/4 tsp cornstarch

Crumble:

-1 1/2 tbls Brown Sugar
-1 tsp Sugar
-1/2 tsp Cinnamon
-1/4 cup Flour
-1 1/2 tbls butter

Diretions:

1. Add sliced apples to a bowl with brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla. Mix well and add water and cornstarch mixture, mix and let sit for 30 minutes.
2. In another bowl start cruble mixture. Add brown sugar, sugar, cinnamon and flour and mix well. Add in butter and incorporate until it is a crumbly mixture.
3. After 30 minutes add apple filling to the pie crust and top off with crumble mixture.
4. Bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.
5. Slice and serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream

Apple Crumble Pie
Originally uploaded by Nahren

Peanut Butter, Honey, Banana and Nutella Cakies

2008-08-19T12:50:00.002-04:00

Some days, one can't help but experiment lol... Well these were not all that bad, I think they could have used a little less flour, so please play with the recipe to your desire :)!

I wanted a really soft peanut butter cookie, almost cake-like so I made "Cakies". Cakies are a cookie that is soft enough to be a cake. I thought of a sandwich I make every so often, peanut butter, banana and honey. Well from there, add a touch of Nutella and here you have it. Maybe next time I will try these as a cupcake, who knows?

Peanut Butter, Honey, Banana and Nutella Cakies

Ingredients:

- 1 Ripe Mashed Banana
- 1 Egg
- 1 tsp. Vanilla
- 1/4 cup Honey
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 3/4 cup peanut butter
- 1/2 to 3/4 cup flour (Start off with half, and if the batter is still too wet, go up to 3/4 cup)
- Pinch of Baking Soda
- Pinch of Salt
- Nutella for the top

Directions:

Set oven to 350 degrees.

1. In a bowl, combine mashed banana, egg, vanilla, honey,brown sugar and peanut butter; mix well.
2. In another bowl, sift dry ingredients together (Flour, pinch of salt, pinch of baking soda)
3. Slowly add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and incorporate.
4. Spoon drop cookies onto greased or parchment papered baking sheet.
5. Pipe a small dollop of Nutella to the tops.
6. Put into the oven for 10-15 minutes.
7. Once the cakies are done, let cool and enjoy.

Cheers,
Naho @ Scrumptious Foods

Peanut Butter, Honey, Banana and Nutella Cakies
Originally uploaded by Nahren

Guacamole

2008-08-19T12:37:00.002-04:00

Okay so the photos isn't the best, but this guac is really good! One of my favourite summer dips would have to be guacamole... The vibrant colour, refreshing taste go great with some tortilla chips and a nice cool drink. This is a small batch of guac and can easily be doubled.

Guacamole

Ingredients:

- 1 Avocado (Peeled and mashed, keep pit on the side)
- 6 grape tomatoes (quartered) OR 1/4 cup of chopped tomatoes
- 2 green onions (Finely diced)
- Juice of half a lime
- Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Have the peeled and mashed avocado in a bowl and add the diced tomatoes and green onions.
2. Fold ingredients together and slowly add lime juice. You can add more or less lime juice to your desired consistency and taste.
3. Add salt and pepper to taste and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Don't forget to put the pit back into the guacamole so that it keeps it from discolouring quickly.

Cheers,
Naho @ Scrumptious Foods

Guacamole
Originally uploaded by Nahren

Coconut Macaroons w/Milk Chocolate Dip

2008-07-10T09:17:00.011-04:00

I made these coconut macaroons a few times this summer. I heard some pretty great reviews, but sadly this recipe does not belong to me! Check out this AWESOME recipe by Martha Stewart here: www.marthastewart.com/recipe/coconut-macaroons.

I added chocolate to the recipe for taste and decoration, apparently they taste like bounty bars (use milk chocolate).

Cheers,
Naho @ Scrumptious Foods

Coconut Macaroons w/Milk Chocolate Dip
Originally uploaded by Nahren

Simple and quick dessert :)!

2008-07-10T09:17:00.010-04:00

Do you ever find yourself a bit tired to turn the oven on and bake due to the sweltering heat? I do, as much as I hate to admit it lol. This recipe I threw together many years ago when I wanted to mimic a fruit tart.

The Very Simple and Quick Dessert

Ingredients:

-1 pkg store bought dessert shells
-1 pkg Vanilla Pudding, prepared
-1 pint blueberries
-1 can Whipped Cream/Topping
-Powdered Sugar

Directions:

These can be made in small batches or the whole package, it's to your liking:

1. Spoon vanilla pudding in dessert shell
2. Add blueberries in a stylish fashion
3. Add a dollop of whipped cream and another blueberry for decoration.
4. Dust on as much powdered sugar as you like

Note: This can be made with any size dessert shell as well

Cheers,
Naho @ Scrumptious Foods

Simple and quick dessert lol...
Originally uploaded by Nahren

Mediterranean Pasta Salad

2008-07-10T09:17:00.009-04:00

It's been quite a bit since my last post, apologies. With the wedding coming up in 99 days, things are starting to get even more busy by the minute. I made this pasta salad twice this summer, it's very simple and refreshing. Great for a picnic, a potluck or a quick lunch.

Mediterranean Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

-1 pkg fuselli pasta, cooked and chilled
-1 pkg pasta salad seasoning
-1 small red onion, sliced
-1 red pepper, sliced
-1 package grape tomatoes, whole or sliced in half
-1 cup black olives
-3/4 cup chopped cucumber
-200 g of feta cheese
-4 tbls. Mediterranean salad dressing

Directions:

1. In a large bowl add cooked pasta and sprinkle dry seasoning mix. Mix well until evenly incorporated
2. Add in sliced red onion, toss
3. Add in sliced red pepper, toss
4. Add in grape tomatoes
5. Add in black olives, toss
6. Finally add in chopped cucumber and toss. Make sure all veggies and pasta are mixed well and seasoning is even throughout
7. Add chopped or crumbled feta cheese and toss lightly
8. Fold in Mediterranean salad dressing and toss until evenly distributed

Cheers,
Naho @ Scrumptious Foods

Mediterranean Pasta Salad
Originally uploaded by Nahren

Berry Cheesepie (Small Cheesecake)

2008-06-24T11:24:00.002-04:00

Sometimes when I only want a small cheesecake, I make a cheesepie, because it's the size and form of a pie. Others use different ingredients for a softer texture, I just use the same ingredients as I would for a cheesecake.

Cheesepie (Small Cheesecake)

Preheat oven to 350 Degrees.

Ingredients:

Crust:
You can either buy your own ready made crust from the grocery store or make a quick one out of graham cracker crumbs.

1 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 tbls. melted margarine or butter
2 tsp. sugar

Filling:

1 package brick cream cheese, softened
1 egg
2 tsp. Vanilla
1/4 cup plus 1 tbls. sugar

Directions:

Crust:
1.Mix all the ingredients to form a crust and press firmly into a pie dish or an aluminum pie pan.
2. Bake for 10-15 minutes and let cool.

Filling:
3. Soften cream cheese in a bowl and add egg, vanilla and sugar.
4. Using a mixer or blender, mix until smooth getting rid of all the lumps.
5. Once the crust has cooled, add cream cheese mixture and set the cheesepie on a cookie tray and place in the oven for 25 minutes or until top forms a golden brown colour
6. Let cheesepie cool for about 30 minutes
7. Once the cheesepie has cooled down add preferred topping or fruits (cherry, strawberry, blueberry, peach, etc) on top and set in the fridge for at least one hour or until cold enough to preference.

Cut, serve and enjoy!

Cheers,
Naho @ Scrumptious Foods

Vanilla Cupcakes with Pink Whipped Cream and Pink & White Sprinkles

2008-06-17T12:10:00.004-04:00

Another pink treat from the baby shower earlier this month. Vanilla Cupcakes (Magnolia Bakery Recipe) topped with pink sweetened whipped cream and pink and white sprinkles.

Cheers,
Naho

Treats @ The Baby Shower
Originally uploaded by Nahren

Chocolate Brownies

2008-06-17T12:07:00.031-04:00

I tried my first attempt at chocolate ganache and well, it didn't quite work out as I had imagined. I guess when they suggest heavy cream, I should use it! Well this silky concoction was still very tasty and it would be a shame to throw away, so I thought why not make some chocolate brownies. When making brownies I always find I need to make a liquid base anyways, so this would help add to the rich treat. They turned out really great for trying out my own recipe and they got great reviews. Not too over whelming and just a touch of white chocolate to finish it off.

Chocolate Brownies

Ingredients:

1 batch of Chocolate Ganache:
-- 3/4 cup cream
-- 1 1/2 cups Semi-sweet chocolate
1/4 cup melted butter or margarine
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cups flour

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Note: to make the chocolate ganache, have chocolate waiting in a heat proof boil. Bring the cream to a boil and then poor slowly over the semi-sweet chocolate and mix until smooth. Let cool 20 minutes.

1. When the ganache is slightly cooled, add in the melted butter or margarine, mix well.
2. Add in lightly beaten eggs, very slowly as you do not want to cook them in the warm mixture.
3. Once blended, add in vanilla.
4. Add the brown sugar and mix well.
5. Add the flour 1/4 cup at a time to the mix until you've reached a thicker consistancy, you may need a few extra teaspoons depending on ganache mixture.
6. Pour into a greased and floured baking pan or brownie pan and bake for 20-30 minutes.
7. Once baked all the way through, cool and cut into sections. Drizzle with white chocolate or coat with chocolate of your choice.

Cheers,
-Naho

Chocolate Brownies
Originally uploaded by Nahren

Baked Penne with Rose Sauce and Broccoli

2008-06-17T12:07:00.029-04:00

While in Montréal on a weekend get away with my Fiancé and his mother, we had dinner at an Italian restaurant, Mangiamo I believe it was called. Well one of the cousins had a dish that looked rather tasty, a type of pasta gratin. So seeing as we don't have this restaurant in this area I tried to duplicate it and it was not bad at all, except I did not add chicken to mine.

Baked Penne with Rose Sauce and Broccoli

This was a recipe I created for a quick dinner, it's rather simple, nothing fancy.

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups Penne (cooked, as per package directions)
1 jar of Rose sauce (store bought)
1 cup chopped Broccoli
1/2 cup shredded cheese (marble, or more to preference)
Dash of salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Boil the penne as per the package directions and drain
2. Toss in broccoli
3. Mix in rose sauce until well blended, add more or less to preference
4. Pour into a greased oven proof dish/skillet
5. Add a dash of salt and pepper
6. Sprinkle cheese on top and place in the oven for 10-15 minutes

Cheers,
-Naho

Baked Penne with Rose sauce and broccoli
Originally uploaded by Nahren

Dutch Baby w/Bacon

2008-06-17T12:07:00.028-04:00

After seeing so many photos of this scrumptious breakfast/brunch item, I had to try it out for myself. This is a very cool recipe to try out if you like pancakes, crepes or french toast. It's simple and makes enough for 2-4 people depending on your portion preference. I made this for Fiancé and his family for brunch and they all loved it. Add a side of bacon and some fruit and powdered sugar for the dutch baby and enjoy!

Cheers,
-Naho

Dutch Baby w/Bacon
Originally uploaded by Nahren

Cretons

2008-06-17T12:07:00.027-04:00

I did learn a few new things in regards to cuisine whilst in Montréal and one of them was cretons. Cretons is a popular addition to breakfast and brunch in Québec and it's a pork spread eaten with toast, similar to a smoother tuna salad in texture. Emeril has a great recipe that I tried out and you can find it here, and don't forget to read up on cretons if you are interested in trying it out. I made some for my Fiancé's mother and she loved it.

Cheers,
-Naho

Cretons
Originally uploaded by Nahren

Applesauce Spice Muffins

2008-06-17T12:07:00.025-04:00

I had mentioned earlier that I made these really tasty and healthy applesauce spice muffins. Well here they are and you can make them yourself by using this wonderful recipe on Epicurious. And remember, you can always alter the ingredients to adjust them to your personal taste, as I did here with less sugar and butter!

Cheers,
-Naho

Applesauce Spice Muffins
Originally uploaded by Nahren

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

2008-06-17T12:07:00.023-04:00

I just love banana bread and muffins, so I decided to add some semi-sweet chocolate chips to this recipe. I got this wonderful recipe from the Magnolia Bakery cookbook as I have stated before. It was moist and sweet with a great touch from the chocolate chips.

Cheers,
Naho

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
Originally uploaded by Nahren

Shortbread cut-outs - Baby Hands w/ Pink and White Sugar Crystals

2008-06-17T12:06:00.003-04:00

My Future Sister-in-law is going to have a baby in August, so earlier this month there was a baby shower in her honour. I made a few things, one being these Shortbread cut-outs - Baby Hands w/ Pink and White Sugar Crystals. I found the recipe on Martha Stewart website and the recipe was great. You can find the recipe to these shortbread cookies here!

Cheers,
-Naho

Treats @ The Baby Shower
Originally uploaded by Nahren

So Behind...

2008-06-17T11:39:00.003-04:00

I always think of my blog and feel sad that I don't blog as regularly as I would prefer. With the wedding, the baby showers, the summer and its festivities, grad and work, there is just so many things to do.

I have promised recipes and I am going to be honest, they are in scraps or floating around in my head and in need of typing out. What I can do though is bring you some more images. I'd like to really post twice this week that would be great :)!

The following posts are the latest in cooking creations from recent events or endeavours, if I can post a recipe to a recipe that I have used it will be done accordingly. With the exception of the ones I have created and I still need to write those up.

Cheers,
Naho @ Scrumptious Foods

Oh my...

2008-05-20T12:57:00.016-04:00

It's been three weeks since my last blog post, how embarrassing. I do apologize, as mentioned before, the shower/wedding season has begun and it's been keeping me very busy! I've been baking and taking photos, but sadly I haven't gotten around to writing up final drafts of my recipes.

Here are a few photos of the past recipes I have made and I have full intentions of posting the recipes as soon as I can.

The first two photos are the Sucre à la crème coffee cakes I had made a few weeks back and we had an early birthday for my Fiancé this past weekend and his request was a Black Forest Cake, which you can see in the second two photos:

Tonight, I'd like to try something healthier and bake come Applesauce Spice Muffins, I found a wonderful recipe on Epicurious and I'll be sure to take some pics!

Cheers,
Naho @ Scrumptious Foods

Original Recipes

2008-05-01T10:25:00.005-04:00

I must apologize for being two weeks late on my blog posts. It's been rather hectic the last little bit and there is more to come. With it being wedding and shower season, not to mention upcoming birthdays and the end of the school year, it’s been crazy.

Recently I've wanted to create my own recipes. Many of the things I bake and cook are from various recipes I come across or sometimes just trying it out as a go. I've never really sat down and wrote out a recipe, so a few weeks ago I did.

I created a recipe for Sucre a la Crème Coffee Cake with a Maple Glaze; mind you I created them like cupcakes to have an individual feel. It's not bad, but it could use some tweaking, I will post the pics and the recipe when I get a chance this evening. Next I'm thinking I'd like to make a cookie recipe!

Last night I decided to bake some Chocolate Chip Banana Bread from the Magnolia Bakery cookbook. I adore this series of cookbooks; they have such wonderful recipes that never fail. I will have to go home and take photos of the banana bread and post them on our Scrumptious Foods flickr group as well as the next blog entry. The banana bread was moist, delicious and the chocolate chips gave little bit of decadence!

Do you have any original recipes of your own or any you are hoping to create? Let us know and don't forget to post photos @ our flickr group, we'd love to see them!

Cheers,
Naho @ Scrumptious Foods

Stir Fry

2008-04-17T16:33:00.003-04:00

The other night, my Fiancé and I decided to make shrimp stir fry for dinner. It came out really good, full of flavour, colour and was a lot of fun to cook together. Funny thing, just as we're about to eat, he asks me "I thought you were going to take pictures?” of course I was having so much fun I forgot to take out the camera and shoot a few shots. Oh well, I guess I’ll get to take more photos the next time around. Do you enjoy cooking or eating stir fry and if so what kind?

Cheers,
Naho @ Scrumptious Foods

Scrumptious Foods @ Flickr

2008-04-17T16:20:00.003-04:00

If you haven't checked out our Flickr group, now is the time. We've had lots of new members and photo additions to the group. You can find us at http://www.flickr.com/groups/scrumptious/ or if you are a flickr member, you can log in and use the group search bar and type in "scrumptious". Don't forget to check out our flickr flash badge on the right hand side of our blog page, with all the wonderful photos located in our Scrumptious Foods Group. Hope you give our flickr group a visit and feel free to join as well, the more the merrier!

Cheers,
Naho @ Scrumptious Foods

Feelin' a little French...

2008-04-14T14:04:00.004-04:00

Reading the usual blogs and cookbooks as well as looking through the market these days, I've been put into a French (food) mood. I would like to make macaroons and crepes, now I'm thinking of French style breads. Hopefully will get to make a few of these items this week and post up the photos and recipes, which is rather fitting as it's National Bake Week (April 14-21). Speaking of French I really need to brush up on my language skills lol.

Cheers,
Naho @ Scrumptious Foods

Breakfast @ The Village

2008-04-14T13:11:00.003-04:00

This morning (My Fiancé) Justin stopped by a bit earlier on our way to work so we went off to have breakfast. We went to a local place in Stoney Creek called The Village which is a sweet and cozy family-style restaurant that always welcomes you to visit time and time again. I had a side of toast with jam and crispy bacon with coffee while Justin opted for a coffee and French toast, they have great French toast there; light, fluffy and quite the generous order at that.

If you are a breakfast lover, check out this blog of breakfast photos posted daily, called Simply Breakfast, you never know where you'll pick up an idea or two to try something new. So what do you enjoy eating for breakfast? Are you a salty or sweet breakfast person? I think I would like to make crepes for breakfast the next chance I get.

Cheers,
Naho @ Scrumptious Foods

The Infamous Ladurée Macaroons

2008-04-10T15:53:00.004-04:00

This year I started reading many food blogs and learning lots of fascinating tips, ideas and facts about the foodie world. I have always loved food so when I started seeing these gorgeous treats all over the net, known as the Ladurée Macaroons, I had to check out the Ladurée website to learn more.

Ladurée is located in Paris, France and has many locations throughout Europe. The Ladurée macaroons are a small and round, cake like pastry that is crisp on the outside and soft in the middle. Many others have adapted their own version of this macaroon recipe and now can be found all over. I have been looking for recipes online and I would like to try to make this marvellous sweet out for myself.

Keep an eye out in the next couple weeks as I update our flickr Scrumptious Foods Group photostream with new food photos as well as my first attempt with these infamous macaroons, I hear they can be quite tricky.

Cheers,
Naho @ Scrumptious Foods

Welcome to Scrumptious Foods

2008-04-09T16:01:00.010-04:00

Hello Friends,

Welcome to Scrumptious Foods! This is just the beginning but there will be more food posts coming your way. To start off, we will post a few requested recipes from our Facebook Group and we will move on from there.

Cheers,
Naho @ Scrumptious Foods

Scroll down for the full recipe or click the following links to go to their online location and website:

Pumpkin Mousse Tarts
Coconut Cake (Recipe from Parents.com)
Milk Chocolate Truffles (Recipe from Eagle Brand Foods)
Pecan Pie (Recipe from Kraft Kitchens)
Pumpkin Cake (Recipe from Kraft Kitchens)

Pumpkin Mousse Tarts

Ingredients:

Graham cracker Crumb Crust:

1-1/2 cups Graham Cracker Crumbs
1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
1/2 tsp. Nutmeg
1 tbls. Sugar
3 tbls. Margarine (melted)
1/4 cup slivered almonds (toasted)
Caramel topping for Drizzle

Pumpkin Mousse:

1/2 cup pumpkin puree (up to preference, you may add more by a tbls. at a time)
1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice(up to preference, you may add more by a pinch at a time)
1 pkg. (250 g) PHILADELPHIA Brick Cream Cheese, softened
1 cup icing sugar
3 cups thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping (I used a tub but it may need more, I improvised)

Directions:

Pumpkin Mousse:

Beat cream cheese in small bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until creamy.
Add sugar, pumpkin and 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice; mix well.
*Stir in the whipped topping.

*If you fold in the whipped topping, it will be a fluffier mousse, also put in the fridge for about an hour to be a bit more solid and easier to handle :)!

Graham Cracker Crumb Crust:

In a bowl add graham cracker crumbs, cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar and mix well.
Add in melted margarine and with a fork, incorporate so that the mixture is slightly moist.
In a greased mini cupcake pan, press down and pack in about 2 teaspoons of the mixture or more according to your preference.
Place in a 350 degree oven for 5 minutes, remove and check. If they are hard and delicate to pick up, place in the oven for a 2 more minutes.

Assembly:

Once the graham cracker crusts are complete and the mousse has been chilling, time to assemble.
Place a teaspoon (or more to preference) of the pumpkin mousse onto the crust.
Top with a few lightly toasted slivered almonds and drizzle with caramel topping.

Note: These are delicate desserts that may require a spoon.

Mile-High Coconut Cake (Recipe from Parents.com)

16 servings
Prep: 20 minutes
Bake: 30 minutes at 350 degrees F

Ingredients:

3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3-1/4 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups granulated sugar
6 egg whites
1 to 2 teaspoons coconut extract
1 cup light coconut milk or regular milk

Frosting:

1 package (8 ounces) reduced-fat cream cheese
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 box (16 ounces) confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon coconut extract
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 cup prepared lemon curd
1-3/4 cups shredded coconut
Raspberries, to garnish (optional)

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat three 8-inch regular or disposable round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray. Line bottoms with waxed paper; coat paper with spray; dust pans with flour (you can also use flour-and-oil baking spray).
In medium-size bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
With mixer on medium speed, beat butter and granulated sugar in large bowl until light and fluffy. Add egg whites one at a time, beating after each. Beat in 1 teaspoon coconut extract if you are using coconut milk; if using regular milk, use 2 teaspoons extract. On low speed, beat flour mixture alternately with coconut milk (or regular milk) into butter mixture, beating after each addition. Spread into prepared pans; batter is fairly thick.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of layers comes out clean and cakes begin to pull away from side of pan. Cool layers in pans on rack 10 minutes. Remove cakes from pans; cool completely.
Frosting: In large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. On low speed, beat in confectioners' sugar, coconut extract and lemon juice until smooth and good (but thick) spreading consistency. Add a few drops of water, if needed, for easier spreading.
Place one layer on pedestal. Spread with 1/4 cup of the lemon curd. Top with a second layer. Spread with remaining 1/4 cup lemon curd. Top with last layer. Secure with skewers. Spread frosting on side and top of cake. Remove skewers before adding coconut.
Press a handful of coconut gently into side of cake. If your pedestal does not have a lip, keep a bowl underneath area where you are working to catch excess. Continue around side of cake, then sprinkle over top. Garnish with raspberries, if desired.

Chocolate Truffles (Recipe from Eagle Brand Foods)

Servings: Makes about 6 dozen truffles
Serving Size: 1/72 of a recipe
Nutrition: See Below
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

3 cups (18 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 (14-ounce) can EAGLE BRAND Sweetened Condensed Milk (NOT evaporated milk)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Coatings (Optional): Finely chopped toasted nuts, flaked coconut, chocolate sprinkles, colored sprinkles, unsweetened cocoa, confectioners' sugar or colored sugars

Instructions:

In large saucepan, over low heat, melt chocolate chips with EAGLE BRAND®. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla.
Pour into medium bowl. Cover and chill 2 to 3 hours or until firm.
Shape into 1-inch balls; roll in desired coating and/or decorate with frosting and candies. Chill 1 hour or until firm. Store leftovers covered in refrigerator.

Perfect Pecan Pie (Recipe from Kraft Kitchens)

Prep: 20 min
Ready In: 1 hr 5 min
Serves: 8

Ingredients:

3 eggs
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. butter, melted
1 tsp. vanilla
1/8 tsp. salt
1 cup pecan halves
1 unbaked 9-inch pastry shell

Directions:

PREHEAT oven to 400°F. Beat eggs lightly in medium bowl. Add corn syrup, sugar, butter, vanilla and salt; stir until well blended. Stir in pecan halves.
POUR into pastry shell.
BAKE 15 min. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Continue baking 25 to 30 min. or until pie is lightly browned and completely puffed across the top. Cool completely.

Luscious Four-Layer Pumpkin Cake (Recipe from Kraft Kitchens)

Prep: 20 min
Ready In: 1 hr 50 min
Serves: 14

Ingredients:

1 pkg. (2-layer size) yellow cake mix
1 can (14 fl oz/398 mL) pumpkin, divided
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup oil
4 large eggs
1-1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice, divided
1 pkg. (250 g) PHILADELPHIA Brick Cream Cheese, softened
1 cup icing sugar
3 cups thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping
1/2 cup caramel ice cream topping
1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans

Directions:

PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans. Beat cake mix, 1 cup of the pumpkin, the milk, oil, eggs and 1 tsp. of the pumpkin pie spice in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Pour evenly into prepared pans.
BAKE 28 to 30 min. or until wooden toothpick inserted in centres comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 min. Remove from pans to wire racks; cool completely. Beat cream cheese in small bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Add sugar, remaining pumpkin and remaining 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice; mix well. Stir in the whipped topping.
CUT each cake layer horizontally in half with serrated knife. Stack the layers on serving plate, spreading the cream cheese filling between layers. ( Do not frost top of cake.) Drizzle with caramel topping just before serving; sprinkle with the pecans. Store leftover cake in refrigerator.

Substitute:

If you don't have pumpkin pie spice, you can easily make your own by combining 3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon, 1/4 tsp. each ground ginger and ground nutmeg and 1/8 tsp. each ground allspice and ground cloves.