Garlic Chipotle Shrimp and Basil Pesto Fusilli (Recipe)

If you are looking for a great recipe to impress that special someone or anyone who enjoys a home-cooked meal, this combination of spicy garlic grilled shrimp and basil pesto pasta is sure to be a hit.

Grilled Garlic Chipotle Shrimp

Everybody loves Shrimp...and if they don't, they should! They are so delicious, healthy, and they can be marinated and garnished to your palate's content. This recipe was very easy and received rave reviews from my dinner guests.

Ingredients: 

Peeled and deveined large raw shrimps, thaw if frozen

4 garlic cloves, chopped 

1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes 

1/2 salt (I used Himalayan salt)

1/3 cup of extra-virgin olive oil 

1-2 tablespoons of Chipotle mayonnaise 

Fresh rosemary 

Lemon wedges 

Directions: 

Preheat Barbecue or Grill to medium-high heat. 

Thread shrimp onto skewers and place in baking sheet, deep enough to allow marinating 

Mix garlic, red peppers flakes, chipotle mayonnaise, salt and oil in a bowl and brush over shrimp. Garnish with lemon juice and fresh rosemary. Marinate in fridge for desired amount of time. 

Lightly oil grill rack and grill shrimp covered, turning over once, until cooked through, about 1-2 minutes per side. 

Serve immediately as they become cold very quickly. 

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes

Zucchini, Corn and Bacon Fusilli with Basil Pesto

I simply adore pasta, but I don't often prepare it because of its high carb count, but when I stumbled upon this recipe I knew I had to try it. It's a rather light pasta so I used it as a side dish with the shrimp and a garden salad. It goes well with any vegetables you may have in your fridge and it was awesome as a leftover pasta salad for my lunch.

Ingredients:

6 Bacon slices, chopped
1 lb of Fusilli 

3 ears of corn kernels, cut from the cob, or 1 med can of corn
1 zucchini, chopped
half a red and orange pepper, chopped
1 small sweet onion, chopped
1 (5 to 7ounce) container of basil pesto
Fresh basil for garnish
Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Directions:

Begin by cooking the Fusilli according to the package, Al Dente.

Meanwhile, cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp. Drain on a paper towel and set aside.

In a large skillet sauté onions, peppers and zucchini on medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Add corn and chopped bacon and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Add in pasta and pesto and cook for 1-2 minutes until all ingredients are well mixed.

Top with grated cheese and fresh basil.

Start to finish time: 30 minutes

Verdict: Deliciously satisfying duo. Great for entertaining and impressing

Rating: 9/10

White Chocolate Coconut Cake (Recipe)

I searched long and hard to find the perfect recipe for my mother’s birthday cake! As I rarely make the same dessert twice, it had to be something new that my mother would absolutely love! When I eventually came across the recipe for ‘White Chocolate Coconut Cake’, I knew that this would be a big hit!

Ingredients:

1 package of white cake mix
1 cup water
1 can (15 ounces) cream of coconut, divided (I used coconut milk instead)
3 egg whites
1 can (5 ounces) evaporated milk
2/3 cup white chocolate chips
2 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup whipping cream, divided
3-1/2 cups flaked coconut, divided
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup sugar

Directions:

Cake:
For the cake, combine the cake mix, water, 3/4 cup cream of coconut (or coconut milk) and egg whites in a large bowl and beat on low speed for 30 seconds, and then on medium for 2 minutes.

Pour into two or three greased and floured 9-inch round baking pans (decide whether you want two or three layers). Bake at 350° for 22-26 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pans and then cool completely on wire racks.

Filling:
For the filling (which is the best part!), combine the evaporated milk, white chocolate chips, cream cheese, 3 tablespoons whipping cream and the remaining cream of coconut (or coconut milk) in a small saucepan and cook, while stirring, over low heat until chocolate chips are melted. 

Remove from the heat and stir in 1-1/2 cups coconut and 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Then transfer the mixture to a large bowl, and cover and refrigerate until it reaches spreading consistency, stirring occasionally.

Frosting:
For the frosting, beat the remaining cream in a large bowl until it begins to thicken. Then add sugar and remaining vanilla and beat until stiff peaks form.

Assembly:
Use a cake leveling tool to level out the layers of your cake to ensure that the layers will stack properly. Then place the bottom cake layer on a serving plate and pierce it with a fork (this will allow the filling to seep through and moisten the cake). Spread either 1/2 or all of the filling over the cake (depending on how many layers you baked). If necessary, repeat layers. Then top with remaining cake layer and frost the top and sides of the cake. Finish off your masterpiece by sprinkling the entire cake with the remaining coconut.

If you are not immediately serving the cake, you should refrigerate it and take it out roughly 10-15 minutes prior to serving.

In the end, I couldn’t have chosen a better cake, as my mother loved it! And it was definitely a crowd pleaser with the rest of my family as well!

Yields: 12 servings

Verdict: Great texture, soft and moist, with a subtle, yet sweet flavour; recommended to all who love coconut!

Prep Time: 30 minutes + chilling
Bake Time: 25 minutes + cooling
Assembly Time: 10 minutes

Rating: 9/10

Summer Stuffed Peppers (Recipe)

Who doesn't love stuffed peppers? They taste great, are really easy to prepare, and you can experiment with different herbs and spices to add flavor. This particular recipe makes a great side dish to any summer barbecue meal because they are slightly less filling than whole stuffed peppers and they don't contain any meat. They are easy to prepare beforehand so you're not slaving away when company arrives!!

Ingredients: 

- Yellow, red and orange peppers (one half per person is sufficient)
- Cooked brown or white rice (I made two serving sizes and ended up having leftover rice for another meal)
- One or two cloves of garlic
- One small sweet onion, diced into small pieces
- Fresh and dried Basil
- One can of diced tomatoes
- Grated Romano cheese
- Mozzarella cheese
- Salt and pepper
- Red pepper flakes

Directions: 

Cook rice based on package instructions.

Heat oil in a pan and sauté onions and garlic on medium until soft. Add in rice (serving size depends on amount of peppers you are preparing). Add in can of tomatoes, dried and chopped fresh basil, and Romano cheese. Cook for a couple of minutes. Add salt and pepper and red pepper flakes.

Grill halved peppers on the barbecue or in the over for about 10 minutes, until they are soft. Fill the peppers with the rice mixture, top with Mozzarella cheese and some additional fresh basil and broil in the oven for a couple of minutes until the cheese starts to melt.

Serve on the side with desired meat and a fresh salad and you have a great summer barbecue meal.

Verdict: Delicious easy recipe, little prep time, great for summer barbecues

Strawberry Shortcake Skewers (Recipe)

This past weekend, to celebrate our country's birth, Lola and I attended a Canada Day bbq. We wanted to make something easy, yet festive and delicious. So we went with Strawberry Shortcake Skewers, which turned out to be a big hit!

The recipe itself was extremely simple. All we did was string cubes of angel food cake and strawberries onto skewers. We then melted white and dark chocolate and drizzled it over the skewers. We may have had some clumping issues with the dark chocolate (do not heat it too fast)...but aside from this, the skewers were extremely easy to make and took less than 30 minutes!

Verdict: easy, simple treat that pleases most crowds!

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Rating: 7/10

Boston Cream Pie in a Jar (Recipe)

Looking for easy, yet creative way to make your next dessert? Well instead of baking a traditional cake or pie, try assembling your dessert in a jar! Not only does it look appealing, but it is also very practical, allowing for easy transportation and individual-sized portions.

This past Father’s Day, I made my Dad ‘Boston Cream Pie in a Jar’! My Dad is a big fan of Boston cream pie, but I was tired of making it the same old way. So instead, I decided to try something new and use mason jars! I found my jars at the Canadian Tire, but you can also find them at most grocery and home stores.

To begin, dig up your favourite French Vanilla cake recipe. Or if you’re short on time, you can also buy a box of French Vanilla cake mix. Bake the cake according to the recipe/directions, and make sure you use a large flat pan in order to make thin layers of cake. A ½ sheet cake pan (12”x18”), or two 9”x13” pans will work.

While the cake is in the oven, prepare the custard. You can use two boxes of French Vanilla or custard pudding. Prepare and chill the pudding according to the package directions.

After the cake is done and has sufficiently cooled, cut it into circular rounds that will fit in your jar. You can use a circular cookie cutter or the rim of a glass. Or you can simply trace the lid of your jar onto cardboard and use it as a template to cut around.

Next, you can either prepare homemade chocolate frosting, or do as I did and buy a 16-oz can of chocolate frosting. If going the lazy-route, open the can and microwave the frosting for 1 minute to thin.

Now you are ready to assemble! Start with a layer of pudding, followed by a circular cake round, and top it off with chocolate frosting. Repeat these layers until you reach the top of the jar, but make sure you end with the chocolate frosting! When finished, store them in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Just prior to serving, top each jar with a dollop of whipped cream and a maraschino cherry (I forgot to buy the cherries).

Verdict: scrumptious twist on the traditional Boston cream pie; easy to transport and store; simple assembly process; visually appealing

Prep Time: 2 hours (to prepare cake, pudding and assemble recipe in jars)
Bake Time: 35 minutes (per cake sheet)

Rating: 9/10

*My batch yielded 7 jars (500ml) of Boston cream pie (however, I would recommend using 250ml jars instead for smaller portions)

Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars (Recipe)

I would definitely not call myself a skilled baker, but these cookie dough cheesecake bars were fairly simple and turned out deliciously sweet.  They are a perfect sweet treat to bring to any summer BBQ party!

I made one batch with regular chocolate chips and then I decided to spice (well I guess sweeten) things up and substitute them for butterscotch chips. I would definitely recommend these, but they did make the bars even sweeter, so depends on your sweet tooth level.

Ingredients:

For the crust
- 1 1/2 cups of graham cracker crumbs
- 5 tablespoons of unsalted butter, melted

For the cookie dough:
- 5 tablespoons of unsalted butter, room temperature (make sure the butter is at the right temperature, or else the consistency of the dough will be off)
- 1/3 cup of packed light brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon of salt (I never understood the point of adding salt in baking sweets, but apparently it brings out the flavor of the sweet ingredients, so don't miss this important step)
- 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
- 3/4 cups of flour
- 1 cup of sweet chips of your choice (chocolate, peanut butter, butterscotch)

For the cheesecake
- 10oz cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/4 cup of sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325 F. Line a 8inch square baking dish with parchment paper (make sure there is some overhang so you can pull out the bars when they are ready) and spray with nonstick cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, with a stand mixer or electric beater mix together the graham cracker crumbs and butter until combined. Press the mixture into the bottom of the baking dish and bake for 6 minutes. Let cool.

In a medium bowl, beat together the butter, sugars, salt, and vanilla until smooth. Slowly add in the flour until combined and them mix in the chocolate chips. Form into a ball and set aside.

In another medium bowl, mix together the cream cheese and sugar until combined. Slowly add in the egg and vanilla and continue mixing until smooth. Pour the mixture over the graham cracker crust.

Flatten out pieces of the cookie dough ball and place over the cheesecake mixture making sure to cover the whole surface area.

The recipe said to bake for 30 minutes, but I found it took much longer, about 45 minutes. Could have been my oven, but just make sure that the top feels dry and firm. Let cool for a couple of minutes and then pull the bars out with the parchment paper and place on a drying rack to cool completely. Slice into desired sizes and enjoy at your next party...Canada Day is coming soon! They'll be a hit for sure!!

I found the initial recipe on http://www.mybakingaddiction.com/cookie-dough-cheesecake-bars-recipe/.

Verdict: Deliciously sweet. I would recommend doubling the recipe if you are planning on bringing them to a party.

Prep Time: approximately 20-30 minutes
Bake Time: 30-45 minutes

Sweet Tooth Rating: 9/10

Taylor's Genuine Food & Wine Bar (Review)

In honour of my friend visiting from Toronto, we decided to treat ourselves to a fancy meal. While there were many different choices, we went with 'Taylor's Genuine Food & Wine Bar' in the Glebe. I had wanted to try it out for a while, as I am constantly driving past it and was curious as to what it had to offer.

Upon entering the restaurant, I was immediately pleased by the cozy and laid-back atmosphere. We felt both comfortable and welcomed, and were happily greeted by the host. The wait staff were friendly and knowledgeable and lacked the usual snobbiness found in most pricey establishments.

To start, we decided to share the 'Seed to Sausage' charcuterie board, which included an assortment of meats, pickled vegetables and bread and crostini for $35. It was a tough call between sharing the board or ordering the fresh seasonal soup, which was some sort of mushroom creation.

You also have the option to create your own charcuterie board by choosing from a variety of meats and cheeses. But since each one ranges from $7 to $12 I think that the combination board is the best deal.

For our main course, it was again a hard choice. Everything on the menu sounded absolutely delicious. In the end, two of my friends went with the 'Oceanwise Wild Pacific Halibut' with golden quinoa fried rice, organic bok choy and Acorn Greek coriander-coconut chill sauce ($32). They both described it as a very fresh and extremely tasty. 

My other friend and I both chose the 'Crispy Palm D'Or Duck Magret' with Moorish chickpeas, dry Spanish chorizo, and Organic Terre a Terre Calvo Nero ($30). I have to admit, I didn't know what a lot of that was, but it was amazing! The duck was cooked to perfection and the sauce was exquisite! 

For dessert, we decided to treat ourselves. Three of us went with the Vanilla Creme Brûlée ($10), which was just perfect. It rivalled my favourite Creme Brûlée from Geneva, Switzerland. 

My other friend went with the Lemon Bar with strawberry coulis, meringue and lemon sorbet ($10). She raved about it with every bite she took. But she wasn't stingy...she shared a bit with all of us. Usually I am not a big fan of anything lemon flavoured when it comes to desserts, but this was sooo scrumptious! The texture was great and the flavours were sweet and refreshing. It definitely made me question my distaste for lemon!

Overall, it was a fabulous night, with great company and awesome food!

Verdict: Imaginative menu and comfortable atmosphere

Cost: Entrees vary from $24 to $32

Hours: Mon-Sat: 11:30am - 2pm, 5:30pm - 10pm; Sun: 5:30pm - 10pm

Taylor's Genuine Wine and Food Bar, 1091 Bank Street, Ottawa ON