This weekend I decided to makeover French toast. I was really pleased with the results. Though not as pretty as some, it was delicious and we loaded it with fruit.

This is the overnight version, which makes morning prep so easy. Throw it in the oven and put the coffee on. Yer’ done!

Spray a 13×9 inch pan with non-stick low fat spray.

6 slices of whole grain bread
1 tsp cinnamon
3 eggs
3/4 cup 1% milk
1/2 cup of maple syrup
2 tbsp of low-fat marg melted
1 tsp vanilla

Lay the bread down in the prepped pan in a single layer. Sprinkle the bread with the cinnamon (this is plenty of cinnamon). Mix eggs, milk, maple syrup, margarine and vanilla in bowl then pour over bread. Cover and refrigerate overnight. In the morning take it out and put it in a pre-heated oven at 350 degrees. Makes 3 servings.

Add fruit, more maple syrup or your favourite toppings. Enjoy!

I do this for fun, because I enjoy it and fortunately for me it has allowed me many memorable experiences and introduced me to many amazing people.

This year I found many things in this great city of ours that I loved, 10 in particular . I want to share them with you. I suggest if you get an opportunity to try them do so, I can almost guarantee you will love them too.

Top ten favourites this year:

1. Almond Brioche – Art-Is-In Bakery
Heaven in your mouth. That is all.

2. Latte – Raw Sugar
Nadia and her team really can brew a decent cuppa. A close second is T.A.N. Cafe is Sandy Hill.

3. Breakfast Kaiser – Sandy Hill Lounge and Grill
In fact every brunch item at this neighbourhood pub is worth a try. Wendy’s poached are the best.

4. General Blackie’s Chicken – Le Cafe
Just the right amount of sweet and spicy yumminess.

5. Pistachio Gelato – Stella Luna
Smooth and luscious. I want more always.

6. Shrimp Pad Thai – So Good
Finally found something comparable to Karma’s. It only took 4
years.

7. Potato Latkes – Rideau Bakery
Greasy deliciousness. They need to make them at Rideau on Saturdays. Sweet potato latkes rock during holiday season. You can eat these cold or take them home and re-heat.

8. Veggie Burger – Hintonburger
Falafel patty on a bun. Genius.

9. Meatballs in Aurora Sauce – Parma Ravioli
Perfect meatballs in the best tomato sauce ever. Buy an extra sauce.

10. Bianco Pizza – Tennessy Willems
Pear and gorgonzola on a pizza. Nuff’ said.

Honourable mentions: michaelsdolce jam and Happy Goat Coffee

The fudge layer is dense and chocolatey, the mint layer is light and creamy. They truly are divine!

Fudge Mint Brownies

Brownie Layer:

1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter

4 ounces (114 grams) unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped

1 1/4 cups (250 grams) granulated white sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 large eggs

1/2 cup (65 grams) all purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

Mint Layer:

2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup of icing sugar

1 – 1 1/2 tablespoons of 2% milk

1/2 teaspoon pure peppermint extract

Chocolate Glaze:

1 square of chocolate melted to drizzle across the top!

Brownies: Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and place the rack in the center of the oven. Prepare an 8 x 8 square baking pan that has been lightly greased. Melt the butter and chocolate over medium heat or in the microwave for 2 minutes taking care that they don’t burn by stirring every 30 seconds. Remove from heat and stir in the sugar and vanilla extract. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the flour and salt until the batter is smooth. Pour the batter into the 8 x 8 pan.

Bake in the preheated oven for about 25-30 minutes or until the brownies start to pull away from the sides of the pan. Let cool.

Mint Layer: Beat all the ingredients until smooth. If the frosting is too thick, add a little extra milk. Spread the frosting over the cooled brownie layer. Place in the refrigerator until set.

Drizzle chocolate over the brownies with melted chocolate square.

Makes about 20 squares. You can freeze them.

Enjoy!

When my friend Jillian asked me to go to Restaurant18 to experience visitng Chef Gustav Tragardh’s culinary mastery, I happily went along. I did not have the intention of blogging about it. I wanted to be fully in it to sit back and enjoy the experience without finding words for it. Impossible. I sat at a table of foodies, people who live food experiences daily and really know their stuff. We covered a lot in a few hours. I loved this experience with them.

Hosted in partnership with the Swedish Embassy, Tragardh, Sweden’s 2010 Chef of The Year surprised and delighted his guests with a heavenly five course dinner.

Thanks Nicole for reminding me this week what a lovely evening we had.

Below, venison tartar, whitefish roe and lobster mayo with pickled cucumber, smoked quail egg, watercress and rye bread crisp.

Below, halibut oyster and horseradish with light root vegetables, anchovy and oyster-browned butter broth.

Below, suckling pig served with crispy assorted mushrooms, cauliflower and marrow jus.

Below, goat cheese brioche with cloudberry peserve.

On Restaurant18, if I could sit in the beauty of this space on a daily basis I would. Exquisite.

This weekend we really wanted to take it easy. Nowhere to go and no company meant we were pretty much free. I was missing my foodie friends, so I decided to see how the Ottawa Foodie Challenge was shaping up. We met the foodiePrints crew down at Isobel’s Cupcakes new location in Hintonburg and were able to enjoy a good coffee and great conversation.

Taking time to do a few things we wanted meant a good supper with little work. Before we left I started my pulled-pork in the slow cooker. I have been asked for the recipe several times because it’s so easy and good.

Here it is:

1 really good pork roast 2-3 pounds (not tenderloin)

1 bottle of Root Beer ( the single serving size, I prefer A & W)

Roast, root beer and some salt and pepper in the crock-pot on high for 5-6 hours. At the end of 5 hours drain the root beer off, shred the roast, pour a good bottle of barbecue sauce over the shredded pork (some folks like a little less, use your own judgement) and cook on high for another 30-45 minutes.

Serve on crusty rolls with your favourite coleslaw.

There it is folks an easy recipe that will let you enjoy your day. My good man makes his oven baked fries to serve with this.

It reminds me of the good people at Farm Radio and WUSC

We both started with Goodnight Irene a hurricane maki roll, spot prawn and oyster mushroom with house pickled daikon and sticky soy BBQ paint (yum). These were lovely, fresh little rolls, even the non-sushi man ate them.

In keeping with a fish theme, for my main I chose Swim with the Fishes which is an EV olive oil seared striped bass filet over sun-dried tomato chèvre orzo with fennel basil relish.

This dish was brilliant. The star of the plate was cooked to perfection, tender and flaky. The added attractions were stars on their own, a deliciously creamy orzo left me wanting more and my fave, baby bok choy was heavenly. All of this served in generously perfect portions.

My good man chose Roast the Beast a triple AAA roasted beef rib eye with veal marrow jus served with Yukon potato hay and a side of truffled parmesan aioli. He is learning that beef shouldn’t be cooked well and is enjoying it. The veal marrow jus was a big hit.

For dessert Adrian ordered the CMP. C.hocolate M.arshmallow P.eanut Valrhona chocolate ice cream, hard crack sugar top, marshmallow topping, organic honey baked peanuts. This was a sweet lovers dream. It was a bit of work to get him to share.

I chose the Jerry Garcia cheese cake with graham and pistachio crumble and a neat little serving of the best blueberry sorbet I have ever had. Again, perfect serving sizes which I especially like for dessert.

This fine dining room leaves the sterility of formal behind. It is warm and welcoming, with beautiful lighting and views. The hosts and wait staff were so accommodating. Excellent service all around.

I think the creativity and thoughtfulness that went into developing this menu was genius (love the names and descriptions). Each and every item intrigued me and I will now take the opportunity to try more and take family and friends with me. Well done Chef Blackie!

Details:

What: The Red and White in support of Harmony House. An evening of food and wine demos.

Where: St. Brigid’s Centre for the Arts, 302 St. Patrick’s St. (in the Byward Market)

When: January 18, 2012 7pm

Tickets: $60 each and can be purchased by contacting 613-853-3250 or fundraising@harmonyhousews.com

More details and updates to come. What a great Christmas gift! Will keep you posted.