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Showing posts with label Cooking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cooking. Show all posts

May 21, 2014

Pizza on the Grill? Author, Chef and Food Network Star Bob Blumer Shows Us How It's Done

Bob Blumer was on Toronto's Breakfast Television this morning with tips on how to make your homemade pizza on the grill!



Blistered corn, asparagus, and pesto pizza

2 ears corn, husks removed
12 asparagus spears, woody bottoms discarded
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Kosher salt to taste
¼ cup uncooked grits or polenta, for rolling the dough
1 ball prepared pizza dough, at room temperature
1 cup Basil Pesto or store-bought
12 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, cut into 4 strips each
6 ounces Brie, rind removed if preferred, cut into ¼-inch-thick strips, then cut into 1-inch squares
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • Preheat the grill.
  • Brush the corn and asparagus with 2 tablespoons of the oil and season with salt, then place them on the cooking grate directly over the heat and grill, turning occasionally, until they begin to brown, about 8 minutes. Let cool. To remove the kernels, stand the corn upright. Grip the top of the cob and slide your sharpest knife straight down between the cob and kernels. Cut the asparagus tips off, then cut the remaining stalks into 1⁄4-inch pieces. Reserve both for topping.
  • Roll out and shape the dough, then grill the first side of the crust per the master instructions. Use tongs to transfer it from the grill to a peel or rimless baking sheet. Flip the crust to reveal the grilled side.
  • Spread the entire surface with the pesto. Sprinkle with the corn, asparagus, and tomatoes. Top with the cheese.
  • Finish grilling the pizza per the master instructions.
  • Remove from the grill, sprinkle with the red pepper, and season with salt and black pepper. Slice and serve immediately.
Recipe courtesy of Bob Blumer, www.bobblumer.com

March 17, 2014

Learn How to Cook Italian with Jorie Steenson in the Monarch Kitchen Showroom

Jorie Steenson
M & R Catering

What better location to learn how to cook than in a place dedicated to the beauty of the home kitchen?

Join Jorie Steenson of M & R Catering as she hosts an Italian how-to cooking class featuring:
  • homemade herb meatballs
  • spinach and ricotta raviolli
  • béchamel white sauce and a roasted tomato sauce

    When: Saturday, March 29th

    Where: Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre, 1020 Brock Road, Unit 6, Pickering

    Time: 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

    Cost: $70 per person (includes cooking instruction, menu tastings, M & R Cooking Studio recipe cards, a complimentary Pampered Chef item and a special thank-you gift bag)

    For more information and to register, call 905-431-2520 or email mandrcaterings@gmail.com.

    Spots are limited and classes fill up quickly, so register soon.

    October 10, 2013

    Happy Thanksgiving from Monarch Kitchen and Bath Centre

    The holiday weekend forecast for Southern Ontario includes mostly sunny skies and moderate temperatures. We hope you have the opportunity to enjoy some time outside with close friends and family over the next few days.

    For those of you inside cooking up a storm, here are a few videos from Sarah Carey at Everyday Food we thought you might find useful.

    Remember, there's still time to spruce up your kitchen before the Christmas holiday season. Call Monarch today at 905-686-2001 or drop by our showroom and speak with one of our designers.

    Happy Thanksgiving!

    The Monarch Kitchen and Bath Centre team





    December 21, 2011

    What Will You Be Cooking in Your Kitchen this Christmas?

    Whether you're preparing for Christmas in a newly designed kitchen or making design plans for the New Year, we thought we'd invite you into the kitchen of British cookbook author Nigella Lawson. In these two videos, Nigella makes a few Christmas favourites with her family.

    Enjoy!



    May 6, 2011

    This Mother's Day, Instead of a Kitchen-Makeover...try a Kitchen "Take Over"

    What does your mom really want this Mother's Day? If she's like most run-off-her-feet moms, she probably wants a day to relax and not worry about what culinary delight she has to whip up for dinner.

    This year, tell your mom that her kitchen is off limits and treat her to a meal made lovingly by you! These Everyday Food recipes are easy to prepare--she doesn't have to know that--and delicious!

    (And remember, if you're planning on using her kitchen to prepare one of these dishes...clean up afterwards!)







    January 12, 2011

    Surviving a Kitchen Renovation: 5 Things to Include in Your Temporary Kitchen

    Although most major home renovations create some form of family upheaval, nothing quite compares to the drama and trauma of ripping apart the very heart of your home: the kitchen. And while you've probably spent countless hours making decisions about how your new kitchen will look, it's just as important to plan for how your family will cope in a temporary kitchen during the weeks (and often months) your dream kitchen is becoming a reality.

    To maintain your family's sanity and keep frustration to a minimum, you'll want your temporary kitchen to include:

    A Refrigerator
    Whether it's big or small, a refrigerator is an absolute must. Even if it's just for a few staples like milk, eggs, fruits and vegetables.

    A Toaster Oven and/or Hot Plate
    While a microwave will suffice for cooking and reheating some items, you'll need a hot plate--or if you have room, your own full-sized oven--to fry eggs or whip up a batch of pancakes. At the very least, a toaster oven will help you brown meats and, well...make toast. If your temporary kitchen isn't big enough to house your regular oven (or your new one!), a hot plate doesn't take up much room and will give you some added options when you can't face another night of take-out.

    A Sink
    Don't fool yourself into believing you can wash your dishes in the powder room sink or clean them in the laundry basin. Space in those areas is probably tight as it is and carrying dishes to and from your food prep area will get old very fast. If at all possible, try to set up a sink in your temporary kitchen. You won't realize how much you use it until it's not there!

    A Microwave
    If you only use your microwave to make popcorn and reheat your morning coffee, now's the time to explore what it can do! For some culinary inspiration, click here, here or here.


    The Essentials
    Utensils, glasses, cups, plates, bowls, serviettes...being able to find the basics will keep you sane on the craziest days. Don't forget to keep a corkscrew (or a bottle of Tylenol or Advil) on hand, too. Sometimes a glass of wine goes a long way...

    December 16, 2010

    Get Back Into the Kitchen with The Fridge Whisperer

    So you've got a beautifully designed kitchen...now what?

    According to local chef and cookbook author Deb Rankine, it's time to listen to the "whisper, whisper" of your new stainless steel refrigerator and start enjoying more dinners at home.

    In addition to being a seasoned national food writer, caterer and personal chef, Durham Region cooking teacher Deb Rankine is also author to two cookbooks aimed at getting families back to the dinner table every night of the week.

    Her first cookbook, The Fridge Whisperer: 50 Fast & Fabulous Family Faves, was inspired by her Loblaw Cooking School students, many of whom--as Deb was horrified to discover--really didn't know how to boil water.
    "The Fridge Whisperer: 50 Fast & Fabulous Family Faves is chock full of nutritious, budget-friendly and easy-to-follow recipes designed to get people back into their kitchen and families back to their dinner table every night of the week," says Deb. "To make the entire process as painless as possible, I've included a list of pantry must-haves and cooking hints...ideal for students going off to university, newlyweds and parents on-the-go."

    Deb's second cookbook, The Fridge Whisperer: Condiment Confidential, celebrates the return to a homemade weeknight supper with recipes the whole family will love. Using nine easy-to-find condiments--curry paste, mango chutney, basil pesto, chicken cubes, roasted red peppers, sun-dried tomato & oregano dressing, pure maple syrup, jerk seasoning paste and olive tapenade--Condiment Confidential contains over 75 recipe ideas that are as easy to prepare as they are delicious.

    To learn more about the cookbooks, watch Chef Deb's cooking videos or follow "Deb's Daily Dish," visit www.TheFridgeWhisperer.com.