Home Sweet Home

Today is the anniversary of our closing date. I would have missed it if Howard didn't remind me because we didn't actually move in until the new year. We spent a good amount of timing scrubbing the place clean and slowly moving pieces of our lives in, and then carefully choosing furniture. Yet, today feels like a momentous occasion to acknowledge. We're adults! We have more responsibilities! We have lots of bills to pay!

Even with the side effects of being in debt, I have had one of the happiest years of my life so far. I still crawl into bed (which I also purchased a year ago) with a smile on my face (that makes Howard think I'm a lunatic) because I feel so lucky and blessed. I have family and friends who are healthy, generous, and supportive. I have a warm home and a great job to go to every day. The luxury of a car and savings to go on small trips. And the best partner to do all of this with! Howard is there as my gentle reminder and backup so that I can go forward without worry. I can't wait for our wedding day next year.

Domo looks happy in his new home too. He has the best view of everything that happens in our place.

I don't even mind that our kitchen is 60 square feet. I've seen those who do more in their small kitchens online and know that my aunt and uncle in New York have an even smaller kitchen space. The stove, oven, fridge, and dish washer works. There's (some) counter space, a small sink, and a set of drawers. We just have to be super selective on which counter-top appliances, dishes, pots, pans, and pantry staples we need. This sounds like a good idea for a future post. I would like to share what works for us in our small space!

Then there are my books, my pride and joy. You'll be pleased to know that I put cookbooks where a DVD player (which we don't own) would normally sit on the media unit. We have one bookshelf that reaches 8 feet high and is pretty much full. I worry that it'll topple over from the weight and break the walls, but so far it has been safe to walk by. I probably have two more bookshelves worth of books still at my parent's house waiting to be moved.

It's a week from Christmas, so I hope you're all grateful for what you have and feel blessed and happy as well. It's been a learning experience and a test of patience for us, but I feel a little wiser and closer to our parents who are experts at all things home and garden. To family!

Banana Pecan Loaf

I'm finding that bananas (and other fruits) ripen very quickly in my new home. Maybe it's a bit warmer and dryer than my previous home, but I feel that I'm constantly rushing to finish the bunch before they get too ripe.

The solution for this baker? Banana loaf. This is the second time I've made this, so I can vouch for it's goodness!

Banana Pecan Loaf

3 ripe bananas, peeled
1/3 cup of unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
1/2 cup of pecans

1. Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F), and butter a loaf pan. Melt butter over medium heat in a sauce pan. Set aside to cool.
2. In a mixing bowl or using your stand mixer, mash the bananas. Add in the melted butter. Mix until combined and then add in the baking soda, salt, sugar, egg, and vanilla extra. When batter is smooth and creamy, add in the flour and gently mix until combined. Don't over mix at this stage, otherwise the loaf won't be light and fluffy.
3. Pour the batter into your buttered loaf pan. Top with pecans (I store mine in the fridge so they stay fresh this way). Bake for 1 hour or until a cake tester (or wooden chopstick) comes out clean after you insert it into the centre.
4. Remove the loaf from oven and cool completely on a rack.

It smells so good cooling in the kitchen. I think two neighbourhood squirrels found the aroma irresistible as they tried to open my screen door.

Disclaimer: We received the pecan product samples from Diamond of California. They also sent us some pistachios! There was no requirement to produce a positive review of their products. All opinions are our own.

Banana Bread

Yes, we have lots of bananas. Some are getting pretty ripe and to prevent my mom from making her usual banana muffins (which I don't enjoy eating), I took a few and made some banana bread.

A banana bread out of the oven is so comforting, almost like a warm blanket for your tummy. This really hit the spot for Sunday morning breakfast.

Top: Batter Before

Bottom: Baked After

Banana Bread
Recipe adapted from Flour
(Makes about 12 banana breads)

1 cup of granulated sugar
2 eggs
210 grams (1 1/2 cup) of all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of salt
100 grams (1 cup) of canola oil
1 1/3 cup of mashed and very ripe bananas
2 tablespoons of Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

1. Preheat your oven to 160°C (325°F) and line your muffin tin.
2. Using a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the sugar and eggs together on medium speed for about 5 minutes. It should look light and fluffy with all the air incorporated.
3. While the machine is whisking, sift the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt together. Set aside.
4. On a low speed, slowly pour in the canola oil, don't do it all at once! It should combine with the sugar and eggs in about a minute.
5. Add in the mashed bananas, yogurt, and vanilla extract. Mix on low until combined.
6. Fold in the flour mixture with a rubber spatula. Evenly divide the batter into the muffin liners.
7. Bake for 23-25 minutes or until the tops are golden brown and a cake tester comes out clean.

Let them cool for 30 minutes or if you're like my family members and can't wait, start eating!

Peanut Macarons

Over the holidays, my dad got to thinking: Why stop at almond flour? Why doesn't Sylvia try making macarons with peanut flour?

Since I got a lovely food processor from my future sister-in-law for Christmas, I have been able to make my own flours at home. So I told my dad that I would give peanuts a try.

French Meringue Macarons
(Makes about 40-50 macarons)

250 grams of peanut flour
350 grams of powdered sugar
1 cup of egg whites (from 6-7 eggs)
A pinch of salt
150 grams of granulated sugar

• Line your baking trays with parchment paper.
• Separate your egg whites 2-3 days before baking. Cover and store them in the refrigerator. Two hours before you start making your macarons, take the egg whites out of the refrigerator, uncover them, and let them come to room temperature.

• Weigh out 250 grams of peanuts and 350 grams of powdered sugar.
• Using a food processor, pulse the peanuts and powdered sugar until they are combined. You'll notice a lovely peanut aroma when you're using the food processor to chop up the nuts. Make sure you do not leave! Keep an eye as you do not want the mixture to start getting clumps, you do not want the mixture to become oily.

• Sift the peanut flour and powdered sugar if you'd like smoother shells.
• Using the whisk attachment on your stand mixer, whisk the egg whites with the salt. Slowly pour in the granulated sugar. When the egg whites reach stiff peaks, turn the mixer off.
• Fold the sifted peanut and sugar mixture with the egg whites. You want to end up with a smooth batter that creates a ribbon when you lift it up from your spatula.

• When the batter is ready, fill your piping bag and pipe equal rounds on a silicone mat or parchment paper.
• Carefully tap your tray against the table or counter to eliminate air bubbles.
• Let the macarons rest in room temperature for about 15 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 300°F/150°C (325°F/160°C for a non-convection oven, although a convection oven is preferred for baking macarons).
• Bake your first tray of macarons for 14-15 minutes.
• When the macarons are done, let them cool, and then gently peel the macarons off the parchment paper.

There are lots of lovely macaron combinations that go with peanut flavoured shells. Think chocolate, jam, marshmallow, and apples to name a few. The first one that popped into my head was banana. And I didn't even make a cream, although you are most encouraged to do so! I simply sliced the bananas and sandwiched them between the macarons shells. Quick, easy, and delicious.

Georgetown Cupcakes

This was a must visit for me while we were in New York! I'm actually quite happy that there's now a good cupcake place to visit while shopping in SoHo.

Georgetown Cupcakes! Their first New York location and I'm secretly pleased I don't have to travel all the way to DC to try them.

That's right. If they sound familiar to you, it's because you've probably seen them on TLC. Sisters Katherine  and Sophie are forever baking, decorating, and coming up with wacky ideas for their clients.

No surprise here, there's a line up for their cupcakes. I feel a little envious of those walking out with large paper bags filled with pink bakery boxes. If only I could bring all these cupcakes back to Toronto!

We're in line now! Can't wait to get close to that display case. We know the menu's right beside us on the wall, but it's more fun to see what the flavours look like.

The shine on that chocolate makes me giddy with joy. You're looking at their classic madagascar bourbon vanilla cupcake with a whipped Callebaut chocolate frosting topped with a fondant flower.

On the left, Chocolate³ which means a Valrhona chocolate cupcake with Callebaut chocolate ganache icing topped with french chocolate sprinkles! To it's right, the Chocolate Ganache is a Valrhona chocolate cupcake with a thin layer of Callebaut chocolate ganache icing topped with a blue fondant flower.

We've found a flavour that Howard likes most - something citrus! This is their fresh key lime cupcake with a key lime frosting topped with a candied lime.

A common favourite for most people, the classic red velvet cupcake with a vanilla cream cheese frosting topped with a red fondant heart.

Which one do you prefer? Chocolate and vanilla or vanilla and chocolate? I can't decide!

Seeing some fall flavours already! The pumpkin spice cupcake has a maple-infused cream cheese frosting topped with a fondant maple leaf.

Chocolate pb swirl is a Valrhona chocolate cupcake with a creamy peanut butter core topped with a rich Callebaut chocolate ganache icing and a peanut butter swirl.

Chocolate Banana is a Valrhona chocolate and fresh banana cupcake with a banana frosting topped with a yellow fondant flower.

Look at that sparkly pink mixer!

Despite the long line up, service was friendly and fast, keeping the order and pick-up lines moving along. We received the best news at the cashier. In celebrating Fashion's Night Out, every customer got one free cupcake. Since there were two of us, we got two free cupcakes!!!

Whatttt! We didn't have to pay for the cupcakes? We got to try Georgetown Cupcakes for free? Incredible! Thank you to whoever thought of that fantastic promotion!

There's a little handy utensil bar if you needed any for your cupcakes and drinks.

We were lucky enough to grab a spot near the front of the bakery. The flowers are such a nice touch!

So what did we get? You already know Howard's pick . . .

I was really appreciative of the care they took in boxing up the cupcakes and making the little divider so that the flavours wouldn't crash together.

The key lime cupcake was light and fluffy, the frosting was pretty good - you can see the zest in it. The frosting is also very smooth and isn't too dense. Overall, thumbs up!

I ordered one of the seasonal cupcakes for the month of September (the other is a Caramel Apple, which I would have also loved to try). The Bananas Foster cupcake! I think I still have New Orleans in my mind. This is a rum-infused caramel cupcake baked with carmelized bananas, topped with a caramel buttercream frosting, a caramel drizzle, and a fondant flower. Delicious!

The Designer Cookie

The Designer Cookie
292 Eglinton Avenue West
Toronto, ON M4R 1B2
(416) 619-1197

The next place we went to was the Designer Cookie! Despite the name of the shop, they do have cupcakes here. Howard and I weren't sure why the gigantic sign was covering the menu, but at least we were given a rundown of all the cupcake flavours.

They have regular sized cupcakes and mini ones - always, always pick mini if you want to sample more flavours!

Here were all the available flavours that Saturday - from top to bottom, left to right: banana caramel, Oreo, crème brûlée, cinnamon, chocolate, and red velvet.

My favourite one? Probably the crème brûlée! While it was really sweet, I liked the crunch of the toppings.

Tender Pancakes

Do you know that feeling when you re-discover how good something is, and then you binge? I think I'm at the point where I can't stop making pancakes for breakfast. Since last week, I have made pancakes three times. Three!

Well, who can blame me? My usual morning routine consists of waking up at 6:30am and rushing to catch a bus, my breakfast consists of cold cereal, a piece of toast, or half a bagel. Not exactly Mmmm worthy.

So when I found a quick and easy pancake recipe, I just couldn't stop. I wanted a nice hot breakfast with fruits and maple syrup!

Tender Pancakes

Recipe adapted from Gale Gand's Brunch!

(Makes about eight to ten 3- to 4-inch wide pancakes)

1 cup of all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon of sugar

3/8 teaspoon of salt

1 1/2 tablespoons of baking powder

1 large egg

1 cup of milk

2 tablespoons of canola oil

unsalted butter, for cooking

1/3 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional but highly recommended)

1. In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder.
2. In a separate bowl, beat the egg with a fork and then mix in the milk and oil.
3. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and combine. It doesn't have to be smooth, lumps are actually encouraged! If you want, add the chocolate chips into the batter.
4. Use a ladle, spoon, or transfer the batter to a pitcher for easy pouring.
5. Heat your griddle/pan over medium heat. Melt 1 teaspoon of butter on it.
6. Pour 2 to 3 tablespoons of the batter. Watch for bubbles that rise to the top of the pancake. This is generally the time to flip! You can also take a peek with your spatula to see if the other side is golden brown.
7. Flip your pancake and when it is golden brown, it is ready to be served!

Those are the instructions from the cookbook, but I found doing a one bowl method to work just as well. I added all the ingredients at once and then gave it a good stir and it was ready to go!

Don't forget to add fresh fruit and maple syrup! Have a lovely weekend everyone.

Chocolate Peanut Butter and Banana Bars

Something neat arrived in an intermodal container this week. (Yes, I had to look up "intermodal container" in order to know what to call them. Learned something new!) The container was marked as private with a Max Gross of 32.500 kgs (71.650 lbs). I don't think I can lift that...

It told me to reveal, so I carefully tugged at the Velcro strip and pulled out Reese Minis!

Tumble out little Minis! Warning: these are dangerous to have around because they are miniature versions of the Peanut Butter Cups and are unwrapped. You'll eat four or five and think nothing of it, but soon the whole bag is devoured!

I was sharing the cool packaging on twitter when Sarah from What Smells So Good? tweeted this:

Done! We're making those! (Click on the image above to see the recipe.) When I told Howard what we were making, he said, "what? We have to bake with it?" Yes. It became a challenge to NOT eat them as they are.

See me covering the black bottom here with more banana batter:

Then scoring out 16 bars with Reese Minis in the center:

Hey, what smells so good?

These bars! Only 2 Reese Minis high, hehee!

Before I ate every last crumb, I noticed this one:

Still showing the black bottom and top layer. =)

So readers, if you were given some Reese Minis, what would you make? Enter our Reese Minis Giveaway:

1. Please tell us what you would do with Reese Minis? Do you prefer them as they are? Or do you want to dress up a dessert or baked good? Maybe something savory? Leave your creative responses in the comments below.
   
2. Don't forget to leave me an e-mail address!
   
3. The Reese Minis Giveaway is open on March 5th 2011 until March 10th 2011. So you have plenty of time to enter! Comments submitted after 12 midnight EST on March 10th will not be considered.
4. The giveaway is only open to those with a Canadian mailing address, sorry folks!
   
5. A lucky winner will be randomly drawn.
   
6. The winner will be announced on March 11th on our blog.

Disclaimer: Thank you to Brittany from M Booth & Associates and those at Hershey's Canada for sending us a sample of Reese Minis and for providing the giveaway.