Wild Mushroom, Onion and Pesto Pizza

1 med. Onion (regular or red) thinly sliced
5-7 White button mushroom sliced
10-15 Wild mushroom sliced
2 Large garlic clove (to infused the oil and mushrooms)
1-2 tbs Garlic olive oil
1-2 tbs Grapeseed oil
1 tbs Pesto or homemade
Salt and pepper to taste.
1 PC Pizza crust
1 Cup Mozzarella
1/2 Cup Fresh Parmesan
A palm full fresh basil leaves (if they are large, minced the leaves)

Slice Onion and the mushrooms, heat half the oil in the pan. Add the garlic to infuse the oil further. Add the onions and let them sweat. Add the mushrooms and the rest of the oil on top. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix everything around till the mushrooms soften. Add the pesto and mix well. Set aside for a few minutes.

In the meantime, grade the mozzarella and the fresh Parmesan and set aside.  

Place the pizza crust on a baking sheet, add the onion, mushroom and oil to the crust spreading evenly.  Add the cheeses and sprinkle fresh small basil leaves.

Put the pizza under the broiler till the cheese is melted to your taste.

Enjoy!

A simple thing called Japanese-style steak salad

I made this salad for my partner for dinner and he gave it 4 out of 5 stars.

750 g of steak
3 tsp Wasabi paste
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp Grated fresh ginger
2 tbsp Rice vinegar
3 tbsp Pickled ginger ( optional)
1 tbsp Of the picking liquid from the ginger
2 tbsp Sesame oil
3 tbsp Vegetable oil.
100g (3 1/2 oz) Baby spinach
100g (3 1/2 oz) Mizuna or watercress, trimmed
4 Radish thinly slice with a vegetable peeler
1 Cucumber (short) peeled and cut into ribbons with a vegetable peeler
3 tbsp Toasted sesame seeds



Generously season the steak with salt and pepper, cook in a pan with oil or on the barbecue till desire doneness. Remove, cover and let sit for 5 mins.

to a large bowl, add the wasabi paste, mustard, ginger, rice vinegar, pickled ginger, picking liquid, and 1/2 tbsp of salt and whisk together.   Whisk in the sesame oil and the vegetable oil, then add the spinach, mizuna, radish and cucumber. Toss well together.

Slice the steak across the grain into thin strips, add to salad, give a quick toss. Serve immediately and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.

My favorite cooking tools: The spoon holder

Some men finds the new stronger computer exiting, some find the new video game exiting, I love cooking tools/ gadgets. I love finding ways to make things more efficient, cleaner or simply more fun. The tool of the day is the spoon holder, it clips to any pots and it ensures your dirty cooking utensils to drip in the pots not on your counters. I purchased mine at Wal-mart for a few dollars and I think it was well worth it! I comes in four different colours to suit your taste.

My favorite things: Gourmet Garden Spice Paste

There is nothing better than fresh herbs and spices, but I believe that if fresh isn't available, there are close second best. I've grown to love the Gourmet Garden Spice Paste, which you can find at your local supermarket in the vegetable isle. It definitely has it place, I use to always buy fresh herbs at the grocery store and they would go bad before I had time to use it all, This is how I got to try the herbs in a tube. I also grow fresh herbs in nice pots outside in the summer and bring them in when the weather gets colder. So give it a try and see if you can introduce more herbs to your everyday food!

A simple thing called Hearty tomato and basil soup

Ingrediants:
      2tbsp (25 ml) Vegetable oil
      1 Onion diced
      1 cup (250 ml) Bella Tavola Soup Mix
      28 oz (796 ml) Can diced tomatoes
      4 cups (1 L) chicken stock
      1 cup (250 ml) Water
      1 5,5 oz (156 ml) can tomato juice
      A palm full fresh chopped basil
      A palm full fresh chopped oregano
      2 tsp Gourmet Garden Basil Herb Paste (found in tubes in the vegetable aisle at your super market)
      Salt and pepper to taste

In a large saucepan, heat the oil, add the onion, cook for 5 mins. over MED heat. Add all remaining ingredients and bring to a boil on HIGH heat. Reduce and let simmer for 1 1/2- 2 hours till the peas and barley are tender.

A simple thing called a pantry

I haven't figure out yet if the need for a pantry is a security thing or a feeling of success, but I really wanted one. We are in a rental apartment at the moment and I had to make due with our walk-in storage, we have lots of stuff as we downsized from about half the space so I was only allowed to one side of the storage and only if I could organize it so everything would fit. I believe I succeeded!!! That is very exiting for me.

I have to admit to be kind of messy so being supper organized helps me to have to put things where they go, everything is labeled so no "where should put this now" i'm sure not everyone gets as exited about a pantry like I do, but it makes me very happy. I love other people's pantry also, it gives you ideas on new storage solution and new product to try. I hope you enjoy my pantry and that it can give you some ideas on making your pantry a fun place to be also.  

My Pantry!!!

A simple thing called dessert

I could definitely elaborate on all the great things about dessert, but I assume we all know them, desserts are delicious, they make us happy, a little bit fat at times and often they are so well presented, it is eatable art! But beside the fact that dessert taste good and look good, the smell alone is a joy.

 I find that I make dessert more often in the winter time, so I don't have as many photos at the moment but when I do, I shall share. I will also post recipes later on so stay posted food lover!!  

A simple thing called dinner

Dinner a time for family, a time for friends or simply a time for us. We tend to be demanding of ourselves all day long, so why not sit down and reward ourselves with a fantastic meal. We all deserve it. It doesn't need to be fancy, just have a few touch of love. Love can come in different format, you could take the time to present the food instead of just pilling it quickly in a messy way, you could have a drink in a fancy glass, I love my milk n a wine glass, why not? fold a napkin and put your silverware in it, even set a place mate, make dinner special, make yourself special. Do for yourself as you would for friends and family. 

A simple thing called lunch

Lunch, what is lunch to you? For some it is that annoying thing they have to do mid day, for others, it's the moment to get out of there cubicles and be with others or simply eat a sandwich on a park bench enjoying the fresh air. For me lunch can be fun, I love packing food that can inspire me, make me smile. a part of the day to stop, breath.and enjoy the food. If i'm at home I love to simply eat while watching the food network, it is relaxing. I also love to create, pack and go for pick nicks, I love the moment where you lay the blanket down and take all your little container of well packed food out and you enjoy the food in a calm simple way.  

simple thing called breakfast part 2

I use to feel special when I went out to restaurant, almost like important people could treat themselves to great things. I ended getting sick and never having the money to go out anymore, and they say that out of every hard challenges, there is always something good. Well I fell in love with food, MY food, took the time to present it nicely and I realized that, the love I would put in the details was what made me feel special for the right reasons.

Money was no longer a deciding factor if I could get great food that looked good, but I could do that for myself and others. I guess this is what they mean by"everything happens for a reason" I now found pleasure in researching for the recipes, and shopping for the ingredients and making it also. it's all so special!!

simple thing called breakfast

Breakfast must be the most exiting part of one's morning, I have to say that I'm not always into cooking large amount of food, but I make it my goal to do so on Saturdays and Sundays. I love doing it and it makes my partner very happy. I also think that there is something nurturing about making and serving food to others, it becomes a plate full of love.

Here are some breakfast I have made during the last year since the move to Halifax. Oddly enough my partner isn't fat yet... =)