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Crispy Zucchini Blossoms, stuffed with Mozzarella and Anchovies
Originally posted on vanillabeanonline.blogspot.com on Sunday, July 31st, 2011 Hello again I made the most awesome fried, stuffed zucchini flowers this weekend! They’re often prepared dipped in batter, deep fried and with a sprinkle of salt. That’s how my Grandmother, Nonna Rosina made them. They have a delicate flavour that goes well with just about…
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The Best Cuban Sandwiches with Slow-Roasted Mojo Pork Shoulder
Since spending a lot of time in Miami last year, I developed an obsession for Cuban sandwiches. At first, I was dubious. I just didn’t get the mix of braised pork and deli ham. Whyyy”, I thought to myself. Have one or the other! Not sure what I’m talking about yet? Let me explain. It’s…
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My Obsession – Calabrian Chili Butter Eggplant & Crispy Chickpeas
The following recipe is my current obsession as stated in the title. I discovered it scrolling through my feed on Instagram and something about it stopped me in my tracks. Part of it may have been the author, Justine Doiron’s calming voice. I could listen to her narrating her posts all day. I tried it…
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“The Bear” French Omelet, My Way
Ok first off, if you haven’t seen the show “The Bear”, you must! It’s a show based on a chef, nicknamed Bear (derived from his family name), his family restaurant, the chaos that ensues and the importance of friendship, hard work and perseverance. How’s that for a quick summary? Anyway, the sous-chef makes a French…
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Rosemary Chicken Meatballs with Orzo
Maybe it’s my Italian upbringing but meatballs are my favourite comfort food, especially when paired with orzo, everyone’s new favorite pastina shape. This rendition of the popular duo is easy & quick to make, perfect for a weeknight. It’s saucy without being heavy, the meatballs are tender and flavourful with the addition of oil-packed sun…
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The Best Red Pepper Jelly Glazed Chicken Meatball Subs
These Banh Mi style subs are so good that even though I had mine just yesterday, I am wishing I had leftovers and so does my husband. In fact, he just said that now as he stands with his head in the fridge looking for snacks. The meatballs alone are full of flavour and have…
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Strawberry & Vanilla Ice Cream Cake with Pretzel Crust
Layers of creamy vanilla bean and strawberry ice creams with a light-as-air angel food cake center and cookie/pretzel crust. Sounds great doesn’t it? It is! I served it to some friends the other day and they loved it! My husband who at first refused the cake said, “I’m not a strawberry ice cream person”, and…
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The Best Key Lime Pie with Biscoff & Graham Crust
Aside from cheesecake, key lime pie is one of my most requested desserts! Even more than chocolate! To be honest, I thought that key lime pie would be daunting to make partly because I knew I liked it but didn’t know what it was made with. What is this mysterious, delicious custardy lime filling? Sounds…
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Juicy Lime & Cilantro Chicken Thighs
This quick marinade containing Lime, garlic, cilantro and a touch of honey hits all the notes we want in a piece of chicken. It’s bright, garlicky, and fresh with a touch of honey for sweetness that also promotes more caramelization which means more flavour. What I like about this is that it pairs equally well…
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Easy Chocolate Oreo Ice Cream (no-churn)
Whenever I think of someone yelling “Ice creeaaaaam!!!” I can’t help but think of Eddie Murphy’s Raw and that makes me happy. Ice cream makes most people happy, in whatever form it is presented. This easy, no-churn chocolate Oreo ice cream so creamy and oh-so chocolatey and not overly sweet. It’s a taste and roll…
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Big Mac Smash Burger Tacos
Sorry, what now? Yup this recipe has gone viral on every single platform and because I like Big Macs, Smash Burgers and Tacos, I obviously had to jump on the bandwagon. The great news is that the hype was real! The recipe I have right here for Big Mac sauce tastes like the real thing…
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Nectarines,Serrano Ham and Blue Cheese with an Agrodolce Vinaigrette
A cheese and charcuterie platter or a salad you don’t need to toss? I say it’s a new member of the family! Fancy cured ham , funky cheese and and juicy delicious fruit with a pleasingly peppery – honey agrodolce dressing. All you need to make this salad amazing is to get the most fragrant…
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Sweet Chili Chicken Bites
This recipe was inspired by my new favourite restaurant in Miami called Uchi. Man, was it good and the stand-out menu item they had was the fried chicken bites, made with thighs, the best part in my opinion. They were drizzled with this sweet chili sauce and served with thinly sliced cucumber and pickled carrot…
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Clam Frites
& Lemony Old Bay Mayo Clams with Fries, the perfect recipe for your next cookout! The idea with this is that you steam clams with garlic, shallot, olive oil and white wine + a secret ingredient 😉 , which creates the most flavorful broth. Then you add a bunch of fries to the bowl of…
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Salmon Poke Bites
I love poke bowls but I think I like these poke bites even better! They’re basically fun-sized where all of best and tastiest parts of a Poke bowl get condensed into a mini size, and who doesn’t love that? They’re filling enough to eat about 3 or a 4 as a main, they make a…
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Andre’s Favourite Mushroom Pasta
This mushroom pasta is so perfect for summer. For one, It’s perfectly balanced; the mushrooms offer a satisfyingly meaty texture, you get loads of flavour (umami) from the few choice ingredients and a touch of creaminess from the sauce that coats and clings to every noodle. It’s totally addictive and scores every time! Oh, and…
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Hibiscus & Mezcal Pitcher Cocktails
Hey all! I’ve got your new favourite summer cocktail right here! I rarely share cocktail recipes so you know it’s gotta be good! It’s easy to make, it’s bright, a little sweet and tart with a touch of smokiness from the Mezcal. Plus, its got Tajin and raw sugar rim that compliments the flavours in…
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Sicilian Citrus Olive Oil Cake
This is the only olive oil cake recipe you will need! It’s bright with citrus flavour, with just the right amount of sweetness and will stay fresh for days! In fact, most often, if the balance is just right, an olive oil cake will taste even better the following day and the day after that;…
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Thai-Inspired Shrimp and Shiitakes in a Coconut-Lemongrass Broth
When you want to cook to impress, this must be your go-to and you won’t believe how quick and easy it is to prepare. Think elegant, flavorful, fragrant, vibrant and comforting. You can serve this as an appetizer or as a main with a side of rice. I love how the rice soaks up all…
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Ham Fried Rice
This easy ham fried rice is so good, you’ll forget all about the chicken 😉 and it can be thrown together within 20 minutes! I’m sure you’ve seen all sorts of fried rice on menus these days such as duck, cauliflower, short rib and even fois gras. Ham is tender, offering great texture and goes…