Real Talk: Working in a Restaurant

Alright folks - let's get to the nitty gritty.

Working in a restaurant.

Sounds busy and it can be.  And it SHOULD be.  Being bored for 8 hours and you're not allowed to use your phone in the kitchen is very frustrating indeed.

Once upon a time I was 19 and a waitress for my aunt for a summer and it was one of the most exciting and exhausting jobs I have ever done (other than motherhood - which is a forever-long gig) so now that I have some experience and have witnessed what the owners have done as well and can perhaps give you some insight on what it's like to work in a restaurant.
Bear in mind - these are based on my personal experiences and every restaurant and person is different.

Waitress

Things you (may/most likely) have to handle or deal with:

• Cleaning the restaurant 
• Washing windows
• Cleaning tables 
• Clearing off tables
• Vacuuming and mopping floors
• Cleaning the bathrooms
• Doing dishes
• Cleaning up accidents (i.e. spilled food, broken dishes, vomit -hopefully not)
• Refilling condiments 
• Salt and pepper shakers
• ketchup or other sauces in little bowls perhaps
• filling a salad bar or buffet
• Customer service
• As a host(ess) finding seating for your customers
• Accommodating customers needs and demands
• Taking their orders
• Serving their food and beverages in a timely manner
• Handling customer complaints
• Packing take-away orders or leftovers
• Handling customer reservations and inquiries on the phone/e-mail
• Processing payments (cash, bank/credit cards, gift cards, coupons and discount vouchers)
• So much math....splitting bills for example and calculating tips if need be.
• Other
• Planning schedules for other staff and handling reservations
• Long hours and on your feet for most of it
• Organizing catering services (includes setting up the location and food perhaps)
• Dealing with extremely flirtatious customers that might not accept "no" for an answer.
• Dealing with alcoholic or troubled customers that may exhaust you mentally and possibly try to hurt you physically if you deny them services.
• Dealing with customers smearing you publicly and privately - for example by word of mouth or describing you on the restaurant's public social media pages.
• AKA bullying

Cooking

Things you may/most likely have to deal with in the kitchen:

• Running out of ingredients
• Naturally this is prime time that customers want that particular meal or dish with those missing ingredients! :)
• Equipment breaking or missing
• It's why it's crucial to know where everything goes and to put things back once you're done!
• Yelling - you're yelling, serving staff yelling, your boss yelling - everyone yells...
• Usually depends on the size of the kitchen!
• Lack of space  - counter space can be limited and you may be bumping elbows with that coworker you can't stand more often than not.
• Also when it comes to unloading a lot of ingredients and stock/supply - it can get pretty cramped!
• Service staff dropping food and having to re-do a dish from scratch.
• Pain
• burning yourself
• cutting yourself
• losing a finger (tip or whole) or other body part *I personally haven't done this or witnessed this - but I've heard stories!)
• bumping yourself by walking into or tripping over something
• dropping heavy things on yourself
• heavy lifting
• Long hours on your feet
• dry skin from excessively washing and disinfecting your hands
• Bear in mind I live in a dry part of Finland.
• Stress
• Customers complaining and returning food
• Large groups of customers ordering at once (or several customers ordering at once)
• Customers changing their orders last moment - usually once their food is about to be served.
• Not having enough staff to assist
• Messing up dishes or plating
• memorizing the menu - especially if it's a large one or changes regularly
• Cleaning
• doing dishes and putting everything away
• emptying the deep fryer and cleaning the grill
• cleaning the gas stove
• cleaning floors
• washing some dishes by hand
• cleaning dishes with hard stuck-on food (this is why rule #1 is to SOAK it all!)
• emptying the food traps in the industrial dishwashers or in the floor (they smell rotten and like death and only the brave can handle it without vomiting all over themselves)
• doing a massive deep clean a few times a year 

Owner/Management

• Planning schedules for catering and staff
• Taking orders via e-mail and phone calls for reservations, dinner parties and catering services requests
• Handling social media accounts and television/radio interviews for promotional purposes
• Handling customer/staff complaints and conflict
• Creating new menus and specials
• Dealing with repair and regular maintenance/check-ups for all equipment and the building itself
• Taxes (ugh)
• Processing everyone's pay
• Interviewing and hiring new staff
• Ensuring they are properly trained for the work environment
• Ensuring there's enough food per shipment and ordering regularly
• Budgeting
• Firing staff
• Handling inquiries within staff (i.e. if someone is stealing tips or possibly stealing from the restaurant)
• Ensuring all bills are paid on time
• Ordering new equipment and dishes/supplies
• Deal with busier times and not so demanding times from customers (ie Christmas time is usually quite busy but after the new year - not so much).
• Little sleep (depending on the hours of the restaurant - you might work from morning to close!)
• Little personal time off or vacation time

I am sure there are a lot of things I am missing and some might not apply to you!

But perhaps this will give you a glimpse into the life of a restaurant worker and show you how difficult it can be.

It is partially why I do not want to have my own place.  I used to think it would be a great way to live but now that I have children - I don't think I could do it until they perhaps were independent and moved out.

It's also why I strongly believe that those who work in a restaurant are super strong mentally - because they have to do and remember so many things and work together as a team to get through the day.
A cook or head chef is no better than a waitress and vice verca.  Both are very demanding jobs and should be respected equally.

XO,
Dominique

Real Talk: The Truth About Cooking School

Ah yes - you want to be a cook/chef (pick your term) and want to know the truth and dirt?  Alright - I'll happily lay it out on the table for you.

Please bear in mind - I studied in Finland (I am a Canadian) and in Finnish (and I'm awful at languages) and I completed a 2-years vocational program.
So I studied the basics and this post is strictly based on my experiences.

Here is what I learned:

• As a cooking student - you're instructed to purchase a white chef coat.  Which is ridiculous because we all know what happens in the kitchen - stains your coat.  Forever.
• The lady who sold me my chef coat sold me one three sizes too big because she said "All first years gain a lot of weight."  Thanks Marta - I didn't gain THAT much....
• You will most likely gain some weight most likely (unless you're mega conscious of what you eat or have a ton of allergies and intolerances/sensitivities). 
• Or you're a die hard gym/work-out fanatic.
• You have to taste test what you are cooking before it goes out to the other students or actual student restaurant (we had one) and you usually eat on site as well.
• Freshly baked bread is hard to avoid.
• Really good smelling and tasting food is hard to avoid.
• It was also not common in the basic kitchens because Finnish food is rather bland in flavour (in terms of spices) but is really healthy and focuses more on natural flavour of the primary ingredients.  Like smoked reindeer or salmon - or potatoes.
• There's always that one (or more) person that might kill you by accident...
• Burning you
• stabbing you
• dropping heavy stuff on you
• not carrying their share of the weight and you're lifting something together so you might pull something...
• You might have an accident at work - keep calm, perform first aid and know it won't be the last time you burn or cut yourself in the kitchen.
• It's a billion times harder to study a subject in a language not native to your own.
• Jelly-roll cakes are far too easy to make.
• Work practices are terrifying but DO prepare you for the real world.
• Sometimes you embrace theory classes and wearing normal clothes and sitting on your butt for a few hours - sometimes you wish you were peeling onions all day with a blunt knife.
• There's always that one in class that references some world famous chef in every. Single. Class.
• There's always that one in class (or more) that think they are world famous chefs.
• Accidents really do and can happen.  
• Just because you don't eat or like the food doesn't mean you're not expected to taste it.  (Unless it's of a religious/cultural reason or you're of a particular strict diet - ie vegan).
• You cannot stress in the kitchen.  Ever.
• You also do not know how to wash your hands properly until they show you how poor of a job you did...doesn't matter if you sang Happy Birthday three times while sudsing up!  Their magic powder they sprinkle on your hands to UV-scan for germs and bacteria AFTER you've washed your hands will show you just how wrong you are.

Here's my advice on surviving culinary arts - especially if it has a very hands-on program like mine did:

• Avoid getting new tattoos that could be exposed in a chef outfit while you're studying.  For the sake of hygiene (both toward your skin and the food) - try and hold off.
• Same with piercings.  We were not allowed any earrings at all - not even studs - when in the kitchen.  One classmate had had hers just pierced before class started and it was still healing - so they allowed her to cover it up with a bandaid.
• Say goodbye to nail polish, jewelry and even your fitness wrist tracker (i.e. Polar, Fitbit etc.) - hello hygiene and food safety.
• Shop for your chef coat second hand if you can nab one in your size.  Get a back-up coat! They get dirty fast! I got a black one - which I'm glad I had for work practices and a future job - because your "It was white when I bought it - now it's various shades of processed stomach lining" won't look so fantastic and stain-free forever.  Black is much more forgiving!
• Don't be a snob - everyone has to clean.  Dirty dishes, emptying drains, scrubbing floors and surfaces.
• There's hand disinfectant for a reason.
• Just because you're of a particular diet - for example, a vegan - doesn't mean you won't be handling meat or other animal-produced products.  The chance of you getting a job in a restaurant that caters to your diet (vegan or otherwise) is slim to none - depending on the popularity of it and where you're located.
• No, I am not dissing vegans or specialty diets.  My BFF back in Canada is a vegan and I adore her and respect her food choices. :) I am just being honest with my statement.
• Of course if you have the ability - financial, physically and mentally - you could always open up a café or small restaurant that does cater to customers with a similar diet lifestyle as yours. :)
• Your hands have seen its better days.  
• I'm not one for having any kind of hand-care routine but I do try to moisturize a lot more now. 
• Your face will acquire a shine like no other - so I recommend skipping makeup - because you may get a steam regularly in the kitchen and you end up wiping your face..or those onions can make everyone tear up a bit...hello panda eyes!
• You'll be on your feet a lot - if you can - invest into the no-slip safety shoes that are super comfy or really good insoles.
• You should be somewhat physically fit when in the kitchen because there will be some heavy lifting required.
• Theory can be boring.  I am more of a hands-on theory learner.
• If you don't swear - you will in the kitchen.  It kinda goes hand in hand with the job.
• Ask questions.  There are rarely such things as stupid questions - so be bold.  Ask.
• It's better to ask than to end up wasting a lot of ingredients because you didn't ask something important.  Regardless of how silly it may be.
• Always have a pen or pencil in your coat sleeve - you may need to calculate different measurements or make notes on the recipe if given a copy.
• Nobody is perfect - even the high class chefs have their flaws.  Even if you don't see it on television or in their cookbook photos ;).  They also have decades of experience and many have traveled all over the world to gain their recipes and experiences!
• A lint brush is your best friend - especially if you have pets!
• Be yourself.  Add a bit of you into the dish - whether it's slightly spicing it differently (within reason - bear in mind allergies) or plating it a particular way.
• If your teacher asks for your opinion - it usually means they think you're doing quite well/know what you're doing and they value your opinion and want to know what you would do!  It's a huge compliment!!
• Learn how to light a gas stove.  My school didn't have them and I felt like a moron at my current job for not knowing how.
• Practice good hygiene.  Remember that people are paying you to cook food some day and they are doing so because they TRUST that the kitchen is cleaned regularly and that the staff are CLEAN and professional.  Even if you're just working at McDonald's or some small café - good hygiene goes a long way!
• So what I mean is put away your phone and have it on silent. 
• Don't pick the dirt from your nose/nails in the kitchen.  Do that in the bathroom and wash/disinfect. (You'd be surprised but I had a classmate that was picking his nails in front of the customers - and thought it was no big deal...)
• Shower regularly.
• Please wear antiperspirant of some kind if you can.  Kitchens can be small or you may have limited counter space to work together...nobody wants to smell the funk.
• Wash your chef clothes regularly too.
• Be polite and know your menu because maybe you'll get a job or a work practice where you have to fill a lunch buffet table for example and customers will want to know specific things about the food available.
• You may learn how to wait tables too - and there's a lot to that as well!  It takes a village to run a successful restaurant - even if it's a student practice one.

That's about all I can think of off the top of my head and seeing as this is 2-days overdue to be posted (I had the kids - that messes everything up scheduling-wise!) - I better hit "publish" so you can read this!
Thanks and enjoy cooking school!

XO,
Dominique

Appetizer: Stuffed Croissants

"Stuffed croissants" might sound all fancy pants but I assure you it isn't.  Want to know why?

I buy the canned ready to roll and bake croissants because it's easier and because it's handy.

Last night I went grocery shopping with a bestie and 2/3 kids and we went a bit longer than expected and while ham and cheese stuffed croissants from the bakery aisle was the easy AF route - it was also quite costly.  3€ for 4 croissants and I have 3 kids - so obviously they need more than one croissant each.

So I opted for the canned croissants (2€ for 6 in a can), a package of hot dogs and knew that I had shredded cheese at home.
They're known all over as "pigs in a blanket".  I told my kids they're hot dogs and they were cool with it.

Once I got a ton of groceries unpacked it was already their bedtime prep time anyway.  So "hot dogs" was their supper last night and I know that sounds like a "thrilling" blog post but I assure you there's more.

Once you pop them open

Once you un-ravel it you'll see triangles

Pigs in a blanket and a couple cheese ones.

Do you know what you can do with these croissants in a can?!

Here's some ideas for filling the croissant triangles before rolling them up and baking them according to your package's instructions:

• Pizza filled: Open up a croissant triangle and brush some tomato puree, sprinkle some spices (pizza spices mix: salt and pepper, rosemary, oregano, thyme, basil and parsley), fill with some pepperoni slices (or chopped bacon) and shredded cheese and roll into croissant shape.  Top with more cheese if you like. 
• Spinach and feta filled: In a pan on medium heat, fry some minced garlic gloves in a bit of olive oil and add spinach until spinach is limp.  Squeeze out any excess liquid.  Fill croissant triangles with this spinach mixture and add a bit of cubed feta.
• Nutella: Spread Nutella in a croissant triangle.
• Ham & Cheese: Line croissant triangle with a slice of deli ham (or flake a can of ham with a fork) or flaky ham and sprinkle with cheese inside and outside after rolling



Pigs in a blanket
200*C for 10 minutes

• Another option for a cheese-filled croissant is to buy a block of your favourite cheese and cut thin stick-like pieces and use those for the inside and shredded cheese on top of the rolled croissant.
• Apple and Cinnamon: make sure your apple is chopped small and soft, sprinkle with cinnamon and a pinch of brown sugar.
• Pigs in a Blanket: put a hot dog/wiener at the base of the triangle and roll it (slice of cheese could fit in there too).
• Chicken: Using cooked and shredded chicken - you can fill the croissant with this and some salsa or pesto!
• Burger: Using cooked ground beef, some relish, ketchup and mustard or whatever condiments you prefer on a burger.

The results are pretty wide open and you can always experiment. 😉

XO,
Dominique

Health Nut: Smoothies! (and Real Talk)

There's a bit of a rant/real talk - just scroll through until you see in super big text "SMOOTHIES" if you want to get to the recipe.  

Frozen mango and pineapple chunks with berries, banana and coconut milk.

"Health Nut" - yeah don't worry I'm not one.  I religiously attend Burger King confessions with a side of McDonald's weekly - I call it "bonding with my God daughter" - but let's face it...it's all a cover up.
I'm just using these Common Categories (found on the right hand side of this blog) so it's easier to find things you might be particularly interested in. 😊

I do try to be healthy for about 90% of the month and that includes a lot of wiggle room...like 50%.

This week is my turn to have the kids (and it's Thursday night as I type this) and I have found myself in a particular situation this week.
I was broke AF.  I'm talking I am working part-time/on-call at a restaurant downtown with not many hours and panicking.  By "not many hours" I mean I haven't worked in awhile and won't be working with them for a total of a month due to lack of demand.  Full-time staff get priority over me of course so - what's a gal gotta do?
I had to think and think hard  (and apply everywhere of course).

I had been re-thinking how productive I have been (or not) lately and decided to bump it up.
Little things to be productive like:

• hang my clothes as soon as they're done in the wash - sounds obvious and whatnot but sometimes the kids just pull me in 3 different directions that I perhaps forget to hang the laundry for a day or two!
• I have now adopted the mindset that "if I hang my laundry to dry - that is being productive because it's not sitting wet somewhere".  
• FYI dryers are not common in Finland at all.  Most people hang their stuff to dry because it saves energy and while it might not get rid of the dog hair - I'm down with saving money and the environment when I can.
• Run the dishwasher AND the washing machine at the same time - and I could take a nap because I literally can nap anywhere (it's a parent skill) and two machines are helping me out.
• Bear in mind my dishwasher is second hand (washing machine too) and it's a piece of sh*t.  It rarely washes EVERYTHING on the first try.  And yes, I've cleaned the filter and washed it out every 2 weeks with some special gel stuff.
• Walk my dog Loki (who is a regular tester in my kitchen and by "tester" I mean he steals food whenever he can and has Level 5000 Ninja skills) while getting the kids and taking them to day-care/school too.
• Because then I can blog in peace afterward.

Then I decided with the financial situation - I need to be smarter.

That also meant being a firmer mother and not bending over backward for my pickiest eater of all - A-Man.  Who is 6, has a 6-pack - yet never did a sit-up/plank or curl up in his life - and eats mostly carbs.  Pasta, bread and fries are his favourite and he totally gets away with it.
(No, he doesn't have any allergies or sensitivities - he is just picky and has some language issues we are trying to help him along with.)

I look at McDonald's and my chubby rolls start doing their own happy dance.

So I decided I was going to cut back on the grocery store trips.  I travel by bus and it was eating up a lot of my time. 15-minutes there and 15-minutes back plus wandering about (it's huge) and sticking to my list...
I decided this week some new rules for myself:

• Clean out the freezer - I save so much and rarely use it due to my picky eater (he doesn't eat a lot of meat which is what I typically freeze) before buying more meat for example.
• 1-2 trips/week maximum to the store: No matter what.  If I am out of milk - tough.  The kids can drink water easily.  So can I.  Unless it was a recipe that required something I had absolute none of that particular ingredient - I am not going out.  If I can manage with less than X amount of sugar or whatever - I'll do so and my waist will thank me later.
• I've also been cutting back my milk consumption and option for dairy-free options due to my excessive bloating and trying to be a "Health Nut".
• Stick to the grocery list.  I use an app to help me out and I usually do pretty well with it.
• Plan Meals in advance: instead of the night before - plan ahead a bit more and let the kids have leftovers - or the same food two days in a row.  
• Their father was never a fan of leftovers so they're not used to the concept of having the same food two days in a row.  Doesn't matter if it gets tastier either - like soup.  They don't like soup anyway - go figure.

So far - it's been going well!

Now that I have that real talk out of the way (I am sure there will be more) - let's get on to the recipe!

Smoothies.  

Smoothies are SO freaking easy!  I noticed that I have a lot of frozen berries in my freezer and I always have bananas on hand - so I decided to whip out the Kenwood Chef Sense (aka my mixer with the blender attachment) and blitz some smoothies regularly.

I love smoothies and they're healthy and tasty...I used to think they were so time consuming but now I think of them as rather quick and easy to toss together.

Because similar to fried rice - you just dump whatever the heck you want into a blender and blend it then drink it. This makes them super filling too!

This is a great way to clear up freezer space and prevent yourself from buying more produce you might not necessarily need - especially for a smoothie which is just a pureed blend of fruit and liquid anyway.

Avocado, banana, strawberry Greek yoghurt with coconut milk and topped with more toasted coconut.

Smoothies are also very forgiving.  So if you make something too sour - add some honey or bananas. If it's too green looking - add some berries for a red or purple hue -or cocoa powder and make it chocolate-y.

I recommend a high power blender - hand blenders (aka immersion blenders) are great for saving space but never seemed to do the trick for me.

I always put my frozen chunks of fruit or berries firs -, some yogurt, some fresh fruit and veggies and then top it off with some liquid like juice, oat drink or nut milk.

Everything I list below are merely suggestions.  You can mix and match to your preference, taste and budget.  I also haven't tried some of the bolder tastes out there or more exotic fruits - so be brave!

If you f*ck up -- add honey.  You'll be fine honey!
Like what I did there? Ok..I'll stop.

What you need:

• A blender with a lid (so when it's on you won't decorate your walls like a blind interior designer)!

What you could use:

• Frozen fruit or berries: In Finland, frozen berries are a staple throughout the year until the next berry-picking season.  Everyone picks berries because they're free and plentiful. So make some space in your freezer by blitzing them in your smoothies, tossing them in your oatmeal to help cool it off, bake muffins, whip up pancakes - I'm going off track here.  Oops.
• If you're really pressed for time or simply cannot physically prep fruits and veggies to freeze - most grocery stores sell frozen packaged pre-chopped and ready to blend frozen chunks of fruit and berries.  
• Depending on the seasons - they may be a cheaper alternative to getting fresh produce.
• Don't hate yourself or others for going the slightly easier route.  It's your/their budget and perhaps it's just easier.  Whether you have kids or not or you're swamped with work - cut a bag open and toss it in the blender. Any extra unused frozen fruit or berries can be tossed back in the freezer for later.
• Honey or agave syrup: agave is lovely and great for those that are vegan.
• Fresh fruit: I always have bananas on hand because if they don't get eaten - they go into a smoothie or banana bread.
• I also have a bag of avocados as part of my weekly grocery list.  They're kind of pricey but once they begin to soften after a couple days at room temperature - I put the whole bag in the fridge and take them out when I need them.  They last so much longer this way!
• Citrus fruit
• Fresh veggies: I prefer juicing the veggies (like root veggies) because they're so hard to process in a blender but something like spinach could be handy.
• Yogurt: whether you go natural, low-fat, regular-fat, Greek, Turkish, frozen, vegan-friendly or already flavoured - yogurt adds that extra oomph to make an awesome smoothie.
• Toasted coconut: I recently made some of Chrissy Teigen's coconut rice and had a bunch of toasted shredded coconut leftover - so I just keep it in a jar and sprinkle it in/on top for the sake of a decent Instagram photo. And it tastes yummy - obviously.
• Spices/other: protein powder, cinnamon or nutmeg, cocoa powder, vanilla, mint leaves, lemongrass, wheat grass
• Liquid: Whether it be juice, crushed ice, milk (cow, goat, lactose-free, chocolate, oat, rice or some kind of nut milk) - this will help everything go smoothly and especially when working with frozen fruits - you'll need liquid to prevent your blender from going into overdrive and possibly burning itself out.

Put together in a blender with the lid on - being sure not to overflow it and blend away until smooth and your preferred consistency.

Enjoy cold and refrigerate whatever isn't consumed for later.

Bottoms up and enjoy!

XO,
Dominique

Classics: Spaghetti & Meatballs

I don't know about you but my kids pretty much hate everything I put in front of them.
I grew up with the whole "don't eat it - don't get to leave the table" method and it didn't work for me as I would secretly dump my green pepper chunks onto my brother's plate secretly....then he caught me and I got busted.

Anyway - my oldest kid (8)  has non-verbal autism and his eating habits are getting much better.
My 6-year old is a jerk when it comes to food.  This kid can eat nothing but carbs and still have a 6-pack without doing a single plank or sit up.
My 4-year old is willing to try things and she is probably one of my favourites when it comes to meal time because she is so darn appreciative of everything she eats.  Even if she doesn't like it - she isn't rude about it and just tells me politely, "Mommy - no thank you.  I don't like it.  It tastes yucky in my mouth."
Which is actually way nicer than my 6-year old screeching how disgusted he is, how he might die and puke and choke (I still haven't figured out which order that will occur) and kind of ruins meal time for everyone by his obnoxious protests.
And if he does try something - it's the size of a grain of rice and he has already decided it tastes disgusting/yucky/awful/stinky etc.

Anyway - back on track here...
I recently discovered Alton Brown has a way of cooking meatballs that are genuinely perfect every time.

Think and think hard - have you ever had a meatball that was truly crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside? I know I haven't.  Sure you can bake them or fry them - but the result is the same.  You get greasy, kinda blegh meatballs every time.  Or even worse - they are *gasp* dry.  Which is almost as bad as a dry chocolate cake....

So, something came up about a month ago on my Facebook newsfeed.  Alton Brown kitchen hacks and one of them being to bake your meatballs in an empty cardboard egg carton!
ABSOLUTELY brilliant!

"Oh but what if the cardboard catches on fire?"

Nope it won't happen unless you leave them in too long or have the heat on too high or your oven is broken and faulty.

I've never had a perfectly crispy on the outside, juice on the inside meatball before until recently and it's thanks to him.

I shared it on Instagram and my friends went nuts.  Of course there were a few that were worried about the cleanliness of the carton - which I agree - it can be risky...but Alton is a scientist.  A genius.  And I was willing to take that risk.
I also live in Finland where the risk of salmonella is quite low because there's a lot of strict regulations regarding livestock, produce and visiting farms is almost impossible.

My American friend has made them regularly herself as well and she shared with me that she even made them with a sauce in the slow cooker (first baked in the oven then in the slow cooker for 4 hours in a sauce) and they held their shape.

So naturally, I had to make spaghetti - which is typical "day 2 with the kids" supper.

What you need:

• Ground beef, pork or lamb (or even chicken)
• 1 medium chopped onion
• 4-6 cloves of minced garlic
• bread crumbs
• 2 large eggs
• Spices: 
• salt
• pepper spice mix (sometimes known as "Montreal Steak Spice")
• rosemary
• roasted garlic
• smoked paprika powder
• splash of worcestershire sauce
• empty cardboard egg carton
• Baking pan with baking paper on it 
• Baking paper isn't really necessary because the magical thing is that the cardboard absorbs the grease like crazy! (Hence the crispy outside...)
• Spaghetti
• pot
• water
• pinch of salt
• splash of oil
• Pasta sauce
• Deep frying pan or wok
• You can also add spices to this:
• oregano, parsley, rosemary, thyme, basil, salt and pepper, pinch of sugar etc.
• You can also add chopped veggies to this:
• garlic, onions, mushrooms, celery, carrot, spinach, zucchini or egg plant are some examples
• Parmesan or shredded cheese on top

What to do:

1. Pre-heat your oven to 400*F (200*C)
2. Mix your meat, chopped onion, minced garlic, brad crumbs, eggs and spices well by hand.
3. Form them into meatballs and place inside the egg carton.
4. Place in oven once it's ready and bake for 20 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, boil water for pasta and once boiling add your pinch of salt and splash of oil and cook according to instructions.
6. Spray or add a small splash of olive oil to your other pan for the sauce and begin to fry your veggies.  Add your sauce and spices and once the meatballs are done - add those as well.
7. DISCARD THE EGG CARTON. You probably don't want to use it again and it got two uses out of it - so toss it away in recycables or composting - whichever is suitable.
8. Drain pasta - reserving a couple spoonfuls of pasta water to stir into the sauce...
9. Serve the meatballs sauce on top of the pasta and enjoy!

1. Option 1: Serve with cheesy garlic pull apart bread!
2. Option 2: Serve with slices of garlic bread.
1. Take sliced bread (homemade or store bought - doesn't matter) and butter it then sprinkle garlic powder on it and cheese.  Bake until toasted and cheese has melte

Another alternative:

• Fry your veggies and meat (not making the meatballs or adding them 4 hours prior to serving) and adding the sauce to a slow cooker on low - stirring on occasion if possible.

Enjoy!

XO,

Dominique

Soup: Spicy Creamy Shrimp Soup

I have never made shrimp soup before.
I was out of town recently and my colleague whipped this up and while I would've loved to add a lot more things to it - I'll share how it was made and my ideas in the "optional" section.

Don't get me wrong! It was filling and lovely - but that's the thing with cooking in someone else's kitchen is that you might not have access to the same spices or tools you would have if you were home or in a more familiar kitchen. :)
This was based on me mildly observing what they were pouring into the pot because I was stuck with the task of dicing an onion with a paring knife...so measurements are approximate.  Fix it to the amount of people you're cooking for...so - more people = more ingredients. 😊

What you need:

• 2% milk - approximately ½ a liter
• 2 dl of heavy cooking cream
• 1 medium sized onion diced
• "Sulatejuusto" is a soft cheese for cooking and is thicker and heavier than cream cheese. You need a good sized chunk to thicken it.
• Spices: salt, pepper, chili flakes
• Bag of frozen chili flavoured shrimp (if this isn't available - natural flavoured is fine)
• Dill
• Slice of bread/dinner roll etc to have on the side

What to do:

1. In a heavy bottom sauce pan warm the milk.
2. In a separate frying pan - fry your diced onion.
3. Add onion to your soup, along with a good sized chunk of the soft cheese.  The Finnish brand is Koskenlaskija.
1. Make sure to stir well so the cheese doesn't stick to the bottom and melts evenly.
4. Add your heavy cooking cream and spices.
5. Once your soup is completely liquid (cheese has melted) and is bubbling slightly - add in your frozen shrimp until soup is bubbling again (about 2-4 minutes) and then serve with dill sprinkled on top.
6. Enjoy with a dinner roll or slice of bread.

What I would do:

• I would add perhaps 4 peeled and chopped cloves of garlic to the pan with the onions.
• Fry the shrimp with the onions and garlic and top the soup with the shrimp.
• Use coconut milk and cream for a lighter taste and to not have such a sore tummy after..
• Maybe a squirt of lime juice with cilantro instead of dill...
• Chili flakes - I love them so much.  Sprinkle that sh*t everywhere...
• Skip the dill - dill and shrimp don't go together for me.
• Maybe add some chopped veggies but I am on the fence about this one...it was just so heavy in dairy and cream - my guts were crying (but yet happily full) afterward.

Minor changes but perhaps if I make it sometime in the future - I will be able to feel what works and that's honestly how I cook.  I more or less wing it and hope for the best and go based on what feels right, tastes and smells good.

XO,
Dominique

Side Dish: Cheesy Garlic Pull-Apart Bread

Who doesn't love garlic bread?  Besides the few that are allergic of course...
And who doesn't love freshly baked bread?  AND CHEESE?! Beside those that have dairy allergies too - that sucks truly...

Anyway - my point is - that I love cheesy garlic pull apart bread and it's wicked easy to make - although mildly time consuming.
And guess what? You can use your bread machine that has been collecting dust since your Aunt Judy dropped it off in fear of making Uncle Bert too heavy with the baked goods from it.

This recipe will be short and sweet.

Here's the recipe I use via Genius Kitchen (which I believe used to be "food.com") to make my Italian bread dough.
Bake according to the recipe and all will be fine.

**If you want it extra garlic-y - and who wouldn't?! Add some garlic powder in the machine too!

Now, here's the recipe part!

What you need:

• One Italian loaf - freshly baked and cooled
• Butter
• Garlic powder
• Minced fresh garlic (optional)
• Parsley (fresh or dry) chopped up
• Shredded/grated cheese (I use a pizza mix from the grocery store)
• Parchment paper
• Bread knife (you know - the long zig-zaggy looking one)

What to do:

1. Pre-heat your oven to 150*C.
2. Melt about ½ cup of butter in your microwave or on the stove with the garlic powder (and or fresh).
1. Add your parsley after butter is melted and give it a good stir.  Keep warm so it is still melted.
3. Cut your loaf of bread in a criss-cross fashion. 
   **Don't cut all the way through the loaf or else you'll be making croutons...
1. Cut approximately 4 vertical cuts then turn the loaf and cut in the opposite direction 4-5 times more. (Think like a checker board).
2. The less you cut - the bigger the chunks.  It's up to you how many chunks of bread you want to make and the size of them.
3. Set your loaf onto the parchment paper lined baking sheet.
4. Put your shredded cheese inside the cracks you've created - both horizontally and vertically.
1. YES you will put more cheese on top! Don't fret! The reason why you should stuff the cracks now with cheese is because it's easier and less messy than once you have butter poured in there and you won't burn your fingers this way either with the hot butter.
5. Pour your garlic butter (watch your fingers!) all over the bread - making sure it's well coated inside each crevice and all over the top.
   Don't be ashamed for how much butter you use!  There shouldn't be a massive pool of it on the paper- but you want to ensure the bread is full of flavour.
6. You can brush more butter on and around the loaf if you fancy and then top with shredded cheese.
7. Bake the loaf on the center rack for about 5-10 minutes- until the cheese is melted and your house is smelling so delicious that the vampires won't be coming over anytime soon...
8. Enjoy!

I should've added more cheese.

Be careful as this will be piping hot because the hot melted garlic-y butter and the cheese will be gooey and yummy and so lovely!
And all you have to do is just pull those chunks of cheesy garlicy bread off as you go and enjoy it!!

Serve this up when having a game night with your friends or as a side for a salad (just kidding!) and pasta night!  Also goes well with a nice stew or soup on a chilly day!

It looks fancy with minimal effort.

Add extra garlic butter for dipping -because why the heck not?!

Enjoy...and don't forget to wear your stretchy pants...it's how I roll personally. :)

XO,
Dominique

Sweet Tooth: Chocolate PIZZA!

No you aren't blind and while your glasses might be dirty like mine - I did write "chocolate pizza" in the same subject heading.

I don't know about you but this thing has been making it's way all over social media.

Via Google Search

Even Finland has it...Canada too apparently.
I wanted to try it but had my doubts.  So I decided to make my own.

I was seriously conflicted with whether or not to make an actual pizza dough (the nice fluffy kind) with cocoa powder mixed in and chunks of chocolate so it'd be all nice and gooey when baked...then I looked at the time and realized my BFF Alison was coming over soon - so I'll nix that idea for another time.

I thought quickly and decided I'll go with option 2.

I whipped up a chocolate chip cookie dough, sprayed my hands with cooking spray, spread it on parchment paper then baked it.
Once it was cooled down - I spread Nutella then I placed sliced strawberries, fresh blueberries and chopped dark and milk chocolate chunks.  I took a veggie peeler and shaved some white chocolate all over and sprinkled toasted coconut on it.

BAM.

It wasn't too sweet and a friend of mine said it looked like "tasty diabetes"...Alison confirmed it was delicious...

Please note something crucial here:

I don't like chocolate that much.  I am NOT that woman that needs chocolate monthly or daily...I'm okay without it.  Once in awhile I'll enjoy chocolate with some kind of filling inside - a piece or two.  That's it. I never get chocolate ice-cream because that's boring to me.  I prefer vanilla or some other fancy pants flavour.

So...want to live dangerously with me and make this yourself?

Let's do this!

What you need:

1. Chocolate Chip Cookie dough (use your favourite recipe for chocolate chip -or other favourite cookie  for the base) - or keep reading and wing it like I did:   

• ½ cup of butter softened
• 2 large eggs
• pinch of salt
• splash of vanilla extract
• ½ cup of brown sugar (softened)
• 2 cups of all purpose flour
• ½ tsp of baking soda
• 1 tsp of baking powder
• a heavy shaking of chocolate chips (I used dark ones - but use what you got or like!)

Place ingredients in mixing bowl and mix as you add the ingredients as ordered above.

• Cooking spray (just a bit for your hands)
• Nutella (or any knock off store brand will do!)
• Dark chocolate cut in small chunks
• Milk chocolate cut in small chunks
• white chocolate 
• fresh berries or fruit of your preference (bananas, kiwi and others could work well for this!)
• toasted coconut (optional)
• veggie peeler for the white chocolate

Before baking

What to do:

1. Pre-heat your oven to 175C and make your cookie dough.    
2. Spritz your hands lightly with cooking spray to prevent sticking to the dough and spread your dough evenly along your lined baking sheet.
3. Once your oven is ready - bake it until golden brown.  About 15 minutes.
4. Let it cool a bit and spread your Nutella evenly all over the giant cookie.
5. Top with mixed chocolate chunks, berries and/or fruit.
6. Using your veggie peeler - shave white chocolate on top.
1. Add toasted coconut too if you like.
7. Cut and enjoy!

The final product!

This is totally flexible with flavours - you can make the cookie base your favourite cookie - a standard single batch recipe should be fine and just stretch it thin enough and evenly to cover your pan.

Other topping ideas I have:

• nuts
• peanut butter sauce
• chocolate sauce
• caramel sauce 
• jam/jelly or marmalade
• various sliced fruit
• other berry combinations
• granola/museli
• mini marshmallows
• crushed cookie crumbs
• candy

I hope you enjoy making this as I did!! It was so easy and delicious!  Definitely something different for your next potluck or baby shower and it's eye catching too!
Let me know if you make it!  I would love to see pictures!

XO,
Dominique

Sweet Tooth: Sea Salt Caramel Sauce

I love caramel sauce - I'm even willing to say more than I love chocolate sauce.  There's just something about caramel sauce that brings the salty and sweet together like no other...well - other than Reese's Peanut Butter Cups - but they're hard to find in Finland and crazy expensive anyway!

This recipe I obtained from cooking school and I love it.  So. Much.
It's to the point that I try not to make it unless super special occasions (like Christmas) so I can avoid the temptation.
I guess if I forget how much I love this stuff - I won't be chugging it...

So! What can one use a jar of SS Caramel sauce on?

• fruit dip (apples, pears, bananas etc.)
• dip for marshmallows (bump up your s'more game!)
• drizzle on ice-cream
• drizzle on desserts that need caramel - like apple pie, baked and stuffed apples, Brie & Pear tart, apple strudel - the list goes on.
• drizzle on cake for decoration
• eat it with a spoon without shame

Anyway, I thought that making my own caramel sauce would be tricky but guess what? It isn't.

What you need:

• 3dl whipping cream 
• ** It's possible to use milk instead of whipping cream but it may take longer to thicken or not be as thick. I've personally used cream.**
• 3 dl brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon of butter
• pinch of sea salt
• sauce pan (I use a non-stick one just in case)
• whisk
• clean mason jar with a lid for storage

What to do:

1. Mix everything but sea salt into the sauce pan and bring to a boil (bubbly) until thickened.  
1. If your butter is cold & hard - put that first.
2. Make sure you stir regularly so it doesn't burn.
2. Sprinkle with sea salt and stir a bit more.
3. Once it's thickened - take the saucer off the burner and pour into your jar carefully.  Allow it to cool before putting the lid on it and store in the fridge.

I can't say how long it'll last because it just doesn't last more than 3 days in my home! I use it for everything...mostly to eat it with a spoon without shame. :P

If it doesn't seem super thick right away - let it cool and it should thicken a bit more.

XO,
Dominique

Sweet Tooth: Brie & Pear Tart

I love fancy looking desserts and trying my own interpretation of them!

Something that I always saw was brie stuffed filo pastry and for me - it didn't really scream "OMG amazing!"  That being said - I have yet to make one myself...but if we are just talking looks and possibly the idea of how it might taste - I'm not sold on it yet.

So last Christmas I decided to whip up a dessert for my at the time boyfriend's family and despite it looking crazy fancy - it wasn't.  It was so simple and easy to do.

Sadly, I only have photos of the final result!

What you need:

• Filo pastry thawed
• A lot of melted butter
• ½ a large pear thinly sliced
• Brie cut in chunks
• Toasted pecans (or slivered almonds or walnuts could work too)
• Homemade sea salt caramel sauce 
• Vanilla ice-cream - I made a no-churn vanilla maple ice-cream actually!
• Ground cinnamon and nutmeg
• Brown sugar

What to do:

1. Pre-heat oven to 175*C.
2. Line your baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. Taking one sheet of filo pastry at a time - lay it on the baking paper and brush melted butter all over and then add another sheet.  Do this repeatedly with the whole package.
1. If you do this while it's still a little frozen it will crack and that's annoying.
2. Whatever isn't being used as you're brushing butter - should be covered with a damp towel to avoid drying out (which can also lead to cracking). Damp - not soaked because then you'll have stuck together sheets that will be a pain to separate and then that leads to holes and you get my drift....
4. Brush melted butter generously on the final top layer and then sprinkle brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg.
5. Spread the toasted nuts, brie and pear slices evenly.
6. Bake for 20-25 minutes- middle rack.  Be sure to check on it regularly to prevent burning.
7. Serve warm with ice-cream and sea salt caramel sauce.

I absolutely loved it and the great thing about this kind of dessert with filo pastry is that it's so flexible and forgiving! My filo sheets were still a bit frozen and they cracked all over.  I just slapped some more melted butter and kept going.

Besides - it all gets chewed up anyway!

This was a nice light alternative to a cake or pie which can be pretty heavy and it was well received by everyone!  It looked super fancy but it wasn't - at all! :D  But don't tell your guests that!

I would definitely recommend bringing this to your next potluck!

XO,
Dominique

Soup: Wonton Soup

I don't make soup very often to be honest.  But due to a recent post of mine on Instagram - a friend/follower asked me if the wontons fell apart when boiling the soup!
Total legit concern and I figured I would tackle it by teaching you via blog post - how to make your own wonton soup!

I'm sticking to basics here because my ex didn't care for seafood - so I kept the recipe simple.  Most wonton recipes call for shrimp and ground pork or chicken but I just stuck with ground pork.  Unless we had a guest coming over that didn't eat pork - then I switched to chicken!

Sorry in advance that my photos are kind of everywhere - one thing that annoys me about the Blogger site is not being able to put pictures exactly where and how I want them to go!

Here we go!

What you need:

• 400g of ground/minced pork or chicken (I find beef to be too heavy and greasy)
• Chopped up raw shrimp (optional)
• 1 package of wonton wrappers - thawed a couple hours prior to making soup
• green onions chopped
• ginger root - peeled and chopped into thin slices and some finely chopped for mixing into the meat
• Thin slices for the soup itself
• salt and pepper
• vegetable or chicken bouillon cube (I use those jelly-like blobs personally)
• Chinese 5 spice
• Noodles (optional) - udon for example work wonderfully
• Bok choy (bottom chopped off and stalks/leaves rinsed well and separated)
• Large pot for boiling water
• small bowl of cold water
• toasted sesame oil
• soya sauce
• *Sriracha optional

What to do:

1. Mix meat, shrimp (if using), half the chopped green onions, finely chopped ginger root and spices (except bouillon cube) and a hearty splash of soya sauce and toasted sesame oil.
2. Fill a large pot with water about half-way and set on medium heat.
1. Add the bouillon cube/jelly blob, ginger slices and splash of soya sauce and toasted sesame oil.
3. Set up your station with your mixed meat, your wonton wrappers and bowl of cold water nearby.
4. Scoop a bit of meat mixture (about a teaspoon and a half or so?) into the center of the wrapper.  
5. Dip your finger in the cold water and trace along the 4 sides of the wrapper.
6. Fold your wrapper from corner to corner (diagonally) so you have a triangle and seal it.
7. Dip your finger and wet the front of the triangle from the center to the mid point and press down both ends of the triangle and pinch down.
8. Continue to do this until you're out of meat mixture and wrappers and bring your pot of broth to a boil.
9. Add your bok choy, noodles and after a couple minutes - the wontons.  Try to plop them in one at a time and not too close together so they won't/shouldn't stick together!
10. When they float - they are ready!  Carefully scoop them out and serve in a bowl with the noodles and bok choy.  Sprinkle chopped green onions on top if you like.
11. I also love drizzling sriracha all over or dipping the wontons in it for more POW in the flavour department.
    
    **You can always add more veggies to this if you want, tofu cubed or whatever floats your boat!  This is super basic and seems to go over quite well with folks when I make these.
    
    **Leftover wontons (not yet cooked) can be frozen for next time in an air tight container  -although they might stick so try to freeze them with some space in between first.

Step 5

Step 7

Step 8

Step 8

ENJOY!

And there you have it! A typical North American Chinese staple - easily made (with some time) in the comfort of your own home!  Most restaurants serve this with only 5-6 wontons in a bowl - but now that you have the knowledge and power - you can slap as many as you want into your bowl and nobody can judge you.  Or say no. Or stop you from having multiple servings!

XO,

Dominique

Breakfast: Omelette

I have never had an omelette until I moved out and quite often, I forget that I love them.

I love the versatility and creativity that can go into an omelette.

Let's face it - an omelette is just a huge circular chunk of beaten eggs that is folded in half and stuffed with whatever is in your fridge.

Quite often I find myself filling it with the basics every time:

• cheese
• baby spinach
• sliced mushrooms
• prosciutto (not the fancy ass stuff but the cheap stuff that tastes just as fine)

Those are the things I have to have in my fridge all the time.  It is partly to make me feel better about my regularly cheating days and because I actually like the stuff.

Now to get fancier - I may add more things (again - it depends what is in my fridge):

• bell pepper (any colour but green - eww)
• bean sprouts
• chopped red onion (which is actually purple but anyway....)
• deli turkey slices or ham
• avocado (or I'll slap that on toast instead of using butter)
• broccoli
• tofu cubed
• cooked bacon (but who ever has leftover cooked bacon?!)

I use 2 large eggs and mix them in a bowl with a fork and add my spices then while I have the frying pan heating up and already sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.

I used to use 3 large eggs but got crazy full and bloated and that just isn't pretty or comfortable!

By spices - I mean:

• salt & pepper mix (often known as 5 Pepper mix or Montreal Steak Spice)
• roasted garlic and pepper mix
• chili flakes
• Chili explosion (some combination of chilis crushed together)
• Dry parsley and coriander
• Spice mixes - whatever I am in the mood for honestly!

Once it's poured into the pan and all spread out evenly - then I go about filling half the omelette with the fillings I have chosen and let it cook a bit more - I might pop a couple slices of whole wheat bread into the toaster and pop open an avocado to spread onto my toast.

Don't get me wrong - I love buttered toast....but I am trying to be good and sound all healthy-like for now.

I carefully fold it over to trap in all the yummy fillings and let it cook a tiny bit more!

Once the toast is out of the toaster and avocado slices on it (or just straight up mashed on top with some honey and chili flakes is nice) - then I slide the omelette onto my plate, take some photos if the lighting is decent and devour it like a pig.

And sometimes I'll splash some soya sauce on top or some spicy sauce..but never ketchup.  That's just weird for me!

Yeah I am one of those people that takes photos of their food and loads it to Snapchat (@fitmama1986)  and Instagram eventually.  I don't HAVE to do it immediately - I'm not that bad...yet.

And obviously I don't eat like this everyday and I rarely bother making them when I have the kids at my place...but every now and again - it's nice to just treat myself!

Especially because I live in a small city in Finland - the concept of going out for breakfast is not very common here.  And Finnish breakfast consists typically of porridge, coffee and some sandwich fixings...maybe some fruit...maybe a bun...nothing terribly exciting.

But anyway - the point of this post is that omelettes are easy and can contain whatever the heck you want them to.  Kinda like fried rice or a stir-fry in the sense that you can fill it with anything and it's going to be awesome.  They're forgiving like that.

XO,

Dominique

Healthy Snacks: Carrot/Orange/Ginger/Oats Muffins (aka COGO)

The good thing about the word "muffin" is that you're thinking one of two things.
You are thinking, "That sounds healthy!" or you're like me and looking at that adorable pudge hanging over your waistband and thinking "Yeah sounds like muffin top!"

Either way is acceptable and my muffin top is very visible with my pajama pants and I don't give a crap!

Now, I don't know about you but I have picky eaters for children. V-Man used to only eat Chiquita bananas, M-Girl isn't too bad and A-Man is the worst picky eater ever.  He's not just a picky AF eater but he is also the jerk-wad kid that has to make a HUGE flipping deal over how much the food disgusts him and it's yucky and so on - to the point that nobody else wants to eat it either...
If I could consume the amount of fatty carbs as he does and still maintain a 6-pack like he does - I would be living the dream!
Sadly, I do NOT have a 6-pack - never mind a 4-pack or even a 2-pack...rocking the keg style honestly!

So I whipped these up a couple weeks ago with the assumption that A-Man was going to be disgusted and not eat them because Heaven forbid - they have a vegetable in it.

But you know what totally worked?!

I told him that a muffin is just a naked cupcake.  A muffin is the same thing as a cupcake but without the frosting and decorations.
He believed me.  Of course I believe it too and the fact that they're "muffins" means they're healthier and I can totally trick myself into thinking it's socially acceptable to devour three of them in one sitting as opposed to just one and calling it quits...

But anyway - to the muffin making!
*I apologize that the measurements are very "wing it" because that's how I really cook and bake.
** 1 cup is a Moomin coffee mug - so 0,4dl size if you want to be specific

What you need:

• 2 cups of grated/shredded carrots
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup each of: (make sure you sift the flours!)
• All-purpose flour
• oat flour
• oats
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp of baking soda
• ½ cup of melted butter
• ~1 cup of orange juice
• Lots of cinnamon
• Grated fresh ginger (to taste)
• Lots of honey
• Less than 1/4 cup of brown sugar
• Optional: raisins and shredded coconut
• I added the shredded coconut but didn't have raisins at home.
• Other option could be nuts
• Muffin pan
• Muffin liners (silicone or paper)
• Mixer (hand mixer or stand one)
• ************ It is also possible to do this with a silicone spatula or spoon instead!

What to do:

1. Pre-heat oven to 200*C (400*F) and line your muffin tin with paper or silicone liners.
2. Mix together the eggs and melted butter.
3. Add the brown sugar, flours and oats.
4. Mix in the cinnamon, baking powder and soda and then add the carrots, orange juice and honey.  
5. Grate some ginger into the mix (and any other optional ingredients you might want to add!) and scoop mixture (it should be goopy and wet) into muffin tin.
6. Bake for 15-20 minutes - be sure to keep an eye on them so they don't burn and a tooth pick (or chopstick) should come out clean when inserted into the center.
7. Enjoy responsibly. :D
1. Some do so with tea, coffee or a glass of milk and some have them buttered too!
2. Some enjoy after a work-out.
3. Some have them for breakfast or as part of their packed lunch.
4. Some just stuff their faces with them and pop their kids mouths with them too for some peace and quiet for 5-minutes.

These were gone within a day! I was floored!  I will try to make them on the weekends and maybe do something bad ass like use zucchini too!

Just remember one thing out of all of this:

"A muffin is just a naked cupcake..."

Enjoy!
XO,
Dominique

Sweet Tooth: Peanut Butter Cookies

I absolutely love peanut butter cookies.  The sweet and salty (and perhaps crunchy!) combo makes me really happy because I actually don't have a huge sweet tooth.

I mean, I'm not the woman in dire need of chocolate whenever "Shark week" occurs every month.  Give me a Big Mac meal and we are good.

But these cookies are fantastic and while I admit - it's not my own recipe (got it from Kraft Peanut Butter jars) - it is a tested and well loved recipe in my household!

What are the perks of this recipe?

1. They're gluten/wheat-free and dairy-free too!  Unless you stick some chocolate in there because I tend to do that sometimes...I'll drizzle some melted chocolate on top or dunk half into melted chocolate to give it some kick...
2. It works with crunchy or smooth peanut butter.  These cookies don't judge what kind of peanut butter you bought.
3. There's not much to them: 1 cup of PB, 1 large egg and 1/2 cup of sugar... = fairly cheap to make, not too much measuring required and hopefully not too much mess!

Finns don't use peanut butter a lot (if at all) - so it's always fun to make these and quickly convert them!  Even one of my colleagues that doesn't have a major sweet tooth loved them!

And yeah, they look absolutely disgusting when you're mixing them - but I promise - they're lovely.  Salty and sweet - just the right combo of amazing in a cookie.

And I forgot to mention that I even made these for Passover for one of my bestie's back home in Canada and her brother in-law couldn't believe that they didn't contain flour or wheat and held together so well! He eventually caved and had one or a few...;)

XO,

Dominique

Sweet Tooth: Rocky Road Ice-Cream

I don't know a single person that does not like ice-cream!  It goes with everything dessert wise and I love it!
I also have to admit that I love the fact that I can make it at home and it's not as sickeningly sweet as the store bought versions or the McDonald's sundae versions too....

I also love the fact that I do NOT need an ice-cream machine for the ice-cream I make because I love the "No Churn Ice-Cream" method.

Pretty much you whip cream until it thickens and there's peaks, add a pinch of salt and a can of condensed milk and your flavours then freeze that sucker in a container for a few hours (or overnight) and poof.  You have ice-cream.
No need for stirring it, or freezing a bowl or container in advance and definitely no need for extra space for your ice-cream machine!

I personally have a kitchen stand mixer - a Kenwood Chef Sense model (the 1100W one) that I got on sale a couple years ago (which I dragged home via sled because I live in Finland and there was a lot of snow and I don't have a car but anyway!) and the great thing about it is that I can get various attachments for it like a meat grinder/sausage maker, juicer, food processor and so on.
But most importantly - I can make some ice-cream!

Of course an electric hand mixer works just as fine - I got rid of mine after my kids dented the beaters and after I invested into this puppy.

So - I made Rocky Road ice-cream today because my friend had been hinting how awfully sugary the one in the store was and I agree.  After I eat store-bought ice-cream I feel a huge sense of guilt and like my teeth are threatening to fall out due to the intensity of the sugar that clung to them.

Here's what you need!

• 4dl of whipping cream
• 1 can of condensed milk
• pinch of salt
• A hearty teaspoon of vanilla extract - ok vanilla extract is crazy expensive here so I've been using vanilla syrup - like for coffee drinks!  It works for me and my wallet...
• Chocolate - I used Fazer Milk chocolate about 100g chopped up roughly but use what you like! Chocolate chips could be doable too!
• 1 sleeve of Grov Marie biscuits (let's say about 14-ish) - the closest thing I could find to a graham cracker here or an Arrowroot cracker - crush them up without shame!
• I used a jar of pasta sauce to crush them up in a stainless steel bowl...
• Candied cherries
• Salty or dry roasted peanuts - couple handfuls should do the trick.  Unless you're allergic (or whoever is going to eat this ice-cream is)- then probably you shouldn't.
• Mini marshmallows - one bag 
• Some sort of mixing device - electric hand mixer or stand mixer - whatever works for you!
• A spatula - I prefer silicone - they're cheap, easy to wash and dishwasher friendly usually!
• A container that can handle freezing with a lid - I just use those empty candy boxes from the bulk candy section that the grocery store leaves behind for customers to take for free.  But I've seen people use loaf pans or large Rubbermaid-kind of containers too.
• A freezer with space - or a very cold balcony.
• 15 minutes or so then a few hours of patience.

What to do!

All my goodies into a bowl.

Aww look at that little peak!

1. Pour your whipping cream into your mixing bowl and begin to mix your whipping cream until thick and peaks are forming.  
2. Sprinkle your pinch of salt and pour your can of condensed milk in there too.  (I find having a spatula very handy for scraping out the layer of condensed milk that can't seem to leave the can!)
3. Mix some more and add your vanilla extract.
4. Add your chopped chocolate, crushed cookies (aka anger management), nuts, mini marshmallows and mix slowly.
   ** You can simply fold it in with your spatula or just slowly mix it with your mixer.
5. Pour into your container and pop it in the freezer for a few hours.

Before it went to the freezer...

That is it.  You don't need to check on it or stir it or whatever you're supposed to do with an ice-cream machine.

Few hours later I had to try it. 
It was a bit soft because it hadn't frozen completely but it was still yummy!

Some other flavour ideas that I have done (you'll have to use your imagination because I may not don't have the photos for them on my phone...):

• Vanilla: Cream + Condensed Milk + Vanilla extract
• Old Fashioned Vanilla:  Cream + Condensed Milk + Vanilla bean pod split and scraped out
• Cookie Monster: Cream + Condensed Milk + Vanilla extract + Blue food colouring + crushed Oreos and crushed chocolate chip cookies This was a Pinterest WIN!
• Vanilla Maple: Cream + Condensed Milk + Vanilla extract + maple syrup (aka some Aunt Jemima stuff) 
• ** I served this with a home-made salted caramel sauce and a brie and pear tart and it was a real decadent treat! **
• Mint Chocolate Chip: Cream + Condensed Milk + Peppermint extract + Green food colouring + dark chocolate chips
• Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough: Cream + Condensed Milk + Vanilla extract + chunks of cookie dough (without eggs) Ben & Jerry's is crazy expensive here so I make my own.

And there you have it!

XO
Dominique