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Sticky Pomegranate Pigs in Blankets with Bacon and Roasted Pistachios
AKA, my family’s favourite hors d’oeuvre when they come to my place. Yes, the charcuterie board is delicious, packed with great cheeses and all the fixings but it’s the Pigs in Bacon Blankets that I can never seem to make enough of. Thankfully, they’re so quick and easy to prepare that they’re honestly a pleasure…
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Christmas Tree Spinach & Cheese Breadsticks
The christmas tree, an iconic holiday symbol! So much so that we even make foods that look like them 🙂 My take is a Breadstick Tree stuffed with a filling that’s akin to a very spinach-ey spinach dip with cream cheese, parm & your favourite melty cheese. So you know it’s gotta be delicious, right?…
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Fall in love with every bite – Apple Cider Whoopie Pies
It’s officially apple season, which is, according to me, the best time of year. Apple desserts are so complete. When I think of my favourite ones, I think – Tart, sweet, flakey, warm, comforting! Basically, they’re everything. This recipe uses apple a little differently. The flavour and essence of them are baked into this soft…
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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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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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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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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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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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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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Easy Salmon Onigiri
Onigiri are Japanese stuffed rice balls, usually pressed into a triangular in shape with a number of filling options like cooked salmon, raw salmon or tuna, canned tuna or mushrooms to name a few. I always have leftover roasted salmon so I decided to make them using that although I can’t wait to try making…
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Detroit-Style Pizza
This style of pizza, thick and pillowy on the inside with a golden crispy crust just isn’t as popular as it should be, especially here in Canada! Although, I have never been to Detroit, I know this pizza. I like to call it Nonna pizza because both my grandmothers and many other grandma’s I know,…
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Chocolate Chip Tahini Shortbread Cookies
Hold. the. phone. I know I have a lot of great chocolate cookie recipes on this site but these have definitely achieved legendary status. The Tahini makes all the difference here in terms of texture making them delicate and buttery. It’s delicious too, subtly nutty (like me), not overpowering by any means and it ties…
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Spanakopita
What’s not to love? Crispy, buttery phyllo, a dilly spinach and feta filling- served warm or at room temp, and sneakily stolen from the fridge as a midnight snack. It’s heaven to me. When I started to develop a passion for cooking in my early 20’s, I asked (begged) my friend, who is of Greek…
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Apple Cider Doughnut Cake
Fall is in the air and what do we want? Apple desserts! Spice cakes! Cinnamon! Nutmeg! and all of those warm cozy spices! This cake made my whole house smell of apple & cinnamon as it baked evoking happy feelings of sugar and spice and everything nice. Not too sweet, this perfect tea cake is…
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Lemon Ciambella
Hello everyone! It’s been a journey to make an authentic Ciambella. After scouring the internet and watching countless Italian recipe Youtubers, I finally got the right recipe to share with you all. Ciambella is the perfect coffee or snack cake, it’s not overly sweet or too soft where you would need a plate and fork…
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Salted Buckwheat Chocolate Chunk Cookies
I am starting quite the collection of chocolate chip (or chunk) cookie recipes here on this site! I just love them, in any form with any flour any type of fat any type of chocolate. This particular cookie is thin, crispy edged with a chewy centre with delicious large pools of intense chocolate flavour. Using…
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Internet Famous Chocolate Chunk Shortbread Cookies
Chocolate Chip cookies are probably my #1 favourite type of home made cookie! If you peruse my site you’ll find a few for sure and they’re all the ultimate chocolate chip cookie, in their own way. I have my Secret Ingredient Chocolate Chip Cookies and my Nutella Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies. Because these are kind…