spaghetti carbonara

We don't eat a lot of pasta around here but how can you not eat want to slurp this up?

Spaghetti, cheese, bacon, eggs... mmmmmmm.... I can feel the notch on my belt needing expanding.

Does it count as healthy if it's whole wheat spaghetti?

Yeah... I didn't think so :)

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spaghetti carbonara
serves 4

12 oz spaghetti
6 salami, cut up in small pieces (typically use bacon or pancetta)
4 egg
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper, to taste

Cook spaghetti as per directions on box. Drain, leave in colander.

In a bowl, whisk together eggs, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Set aside.

Cook diced salami for about 5 minutes or until slightly crisp in the pot used for boiling the spaghetti.

Return spaghetti to the pot as well as the egg/parmeson mixture. Toss for about 30 seconds or until pasta is coated and eggs are slightly set.

Recipe adapted from: Spaghetti Carbonara, Food Network Site.

sushi

I took a poll a while back and though I didn't have a large sample size, I came to conclude this...

Most people only really love sushi for the wasabi/soy sauce rush.

I come to think that people love sushi not so much for the actual sushi, since it's sorta bland, but more for it's gateway of the addictive wasabi/soy sauce combo.

Yes, of course, there is the whole experience of eating it that makes it super fun: the chopsticks, the stuffing of whole rolls into your mouth and the dares of who will eat the more adventureous rolls. But, the thing is, everyone that I polled that said that they loved sushi always ate it with wasabi/soy sauce. I didn't find one person who just ate the sushi because they like the taste or texture of the rolls. Everyone-of-them dipped with wasabi and soy sauce.

So, really, the title of this post should be "Wasabi and Soy Sauce, with a side of sushi".

But, like I said, I took a small sample size. I'm sure there are some of you that would prove me wrong. And I'm sure if I went to Japan, they would look at me like I'm crazy, For everytime I scream, eyes- crossed and with fire-breathing gasps, "more, MORE", I'm greedily adding another huge dollop of wasabi to my soy sauce and using the sushi to merely sponge up the next dose of andrenaline rush into my mouth.

Nothing wrong with some addictions.

Happy dipping :)

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sushi

List of ingredients:

smoked salmon
crab meat
tempura shrimp

mango
avocado
fried egg
cucumber

rice
nori wrappers
sesame seeds
wasabi
soy sauce

Roll up in any combination you like.

apple fritters

On occasion we go out and enjoy some doughnuts at our local Tim Horton's with our kids. We don't do this often because I prefer my mid section not to look like a doughnut but who can resist them really?

I thought I'd try my hand at making doughnuts and when I saw this Apple Fritter recipe, it seemed like a good choice, especially since my hubby's favorite doughnut is the apple fritter at Timmies. Almost feels healthy and nutritious with an apple ring in the middle, no?

I remember that this recipe was pretty time consuming. Lots of waiting around and I'm not fond of sitting over a big ole pan of hot oil. My glasses were slick after this, that's for sure.

They were nice, served warm but the next day, I really didn't like them. They were greasy-like. I was a bit dissapointed. I'd recommend that you make a half batch and eat them all at one sitting or do as I will do next time....

Leave the doughnut making to Tim Horton's :)

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apple fritters
makes about 32 fritters

1-1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup cold beer
2 tbsp butter, melted
2 eggs, separated
4 apples (~1 kg)
deep frying oil of your choice
2 tbsp icing sugar

Whisk 1-1/4 of the flour, sugar and salt. Whisk in beer. Whisk the butter with egg yolks and stir into the batter. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or up to 12 hours).

Beat egg whites in separate bowl until stiff. Fold into batter. Place bowl over larce bowl of ice water for 15 minutes.

Peel and core apples. Slice into 1/4 inch thick rings. Pat dry. Sprinkle with remaining flour.

Heat oil until about 350F in wok, deep fryer or saucepan with about 2 inces of oil. Dip apples slices into batter and deep fry until golden brown, about 3-4 mintues. Transfer onto paper towels.

Sprinkle with icing sugar and serve warm.

Recipe from: Apple Fritters, Canadian Living Magazine, December 2007 issue.

ham and pineapple pizza toasts

It's lunch time and the kids are hungry and they're begging for pizza and you're looking at them like "where do you think I'm gonna get pizza within the next 10 minutes?"

Well, here you go. A variation of my pita pizzas.

Quick thinking... us mommies sure come up with great ideas :)

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ham and pineapple pizza toastsmakes 2 pizzas

2 slices of bread, toasted
2-4 Tbsp tomato or pizza sauce of your choice
2 slices of deli ham, chopped up
1/2 can pineapple tidbits
sprinkling of grated cheese, your choice, I used cheddar

Toast the slices of bread. Spread sauce on top. Layer with ham, pineapple and sprinkle with cheese.

Either toast in toaster oven/oven or put in microwave until cheese starts to melt.

macaroni and cheese

When I used to sit down with a plate a food, I would eat the food I like the best, last. I never really realized that I did it until maybe the last year or so. Least favorite food first, eating patiently until I got to the yummiest part. I guess that's why dessert is served after a meal... you have to wait for the good stuff.

Macaroni and cheese. Loved by children and adults. We really enjoyed this recipe, especially the crunchy seasoned crumb and cheese topping. I saved that part for last ;-)

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macaroni and cheese
serves 8

10 oz. elbow macaroni
2 tbsp butter (or margarine)
2 tbsp white flour
2-1/2 cups milk
2-1/4 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese, divided
1/2 cups seasoned bread crumbs

Cook macaroni as per package.

Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour and cook 1 minute. Add milk and cook 6 minutes or until thickened.

Remove from heat and stir in 1.5 cups of cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Pour over noodles and combine.

Transfer to a 9x13 baking dish. Sprinkle with seasoned bread crumbs and remaining cheese.

Bake for 45 minutes at 400F (or until top is crispy and beggining to brown). Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Recipe adapted from: Macaroni and Cheese, Vegetarian Times Magazine, March 2007 issue.