For this simple recipe, we added protein by using slices of turkey deli meat. Any kind works, as well as pre-cooked turkey meat. The turkey adds a savoury flavour to the broth, while keeping the dish light. I always try to fit a healthy protein into our breakfast, which helps keep Alivia energized until snack time. I like my turkey deli meat cut into thin strips, while Stephen prefers his in whole slices. Everything comes together in under 15 minutes and is a lovely way to start the day.

For more inspiration and recipes featuring turkey, visit www.ThinkTurkey.ca.

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post in collaboration with Turkey Farmers of Canada. All ideas and opinions expressed are wholly mine.

Yum

Turkey Deli Macaroni Soup

Prep Time: 1 minute

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 11 minutes

Serving Size: 3-4

Ingredients

• 2 liters of water
• 1 vegetable bouillon cube
• 1 tsp white pepper
• 1 cup frozen peas and chopped carrots
• 200g macaroni noodles
• 100g turkey deli slices
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp chili oil (optional)

Instructions

1. Fill a pot with 2 litres of water and bring to a boil. Add a bouillon cube to the pot, white pepper, then whisk to dissolve.
2. Add frozen peas, carrots, and macaroni to the pot. Cook the pasta by following the instructions on the packaging (8-12 mins).
3. Add the turkey deli slices, optional to chop into strips and serve into bowls.
4. Garnish with sesame oil and chili oil (optional).

0.1

My favourite time to go out these days are Monday to Wednesday, avoiding the weekend rush and being able to take my time at a restaurant. It’s also easier to get a table at more popular venues. I met a friend at Enoteca Sociale on a Wednesday to catch up over wine and Italian food. Often listed as one of the best Italian restaurants in Toronto, I had high expectations.

Atmosphere: A visit to Enoteca starts at their beautiful front doors, wood burned with an intricate map of Rome. The interior was dimly lit, cozy and intimate with simple wooden furnishings. Even on a Wednesday night, the dining room started off full. Conversation levels were quiet and there was no background music to yell over. The restaurant felt elegant without being stuffy.

Service: We mainly interacted with the hostess and our server who were both friendly and attentive. Between the two, we were well taken care of. My friend and I drank at a different pace. When I was ready for my second glass, our server noticed and came by. Ten minutes later my friend finished her glass but our server was busy at another table. The hostess noticed us trying to get her attention and came by to help.

Food: As per usual, I ordered too much food. Luckily, we stuck around for a solid two hours, which gave us enough time to enjoy each dish at a steady pace. Even with a simple menu, I had a hard time narrowing down choices, everything sounded delicious. Our first appetizer was the salumi board that came with two cured meats, chicken liver mousse and a pork terrine. Portions of each selection was generous. I enjoyed the savoury liver mousse while my friend preferred the terrine.

Aracini’s were $4 a piece and a must-try. They’re basically deep fried balls of risotto and cheese. The interior was creamy and the exterior a perfect crispy crust. With a spoonful of the tomato nduja sauce, it was rich bite. For our mains, we split the Pork Belly, a plate of Bucatini and a side of Brussels Sprouts. I think I’ve found my new favourite pasta with bucatini. I loved the thick noodles and the texture at Enoteca was perfect. The simple tomato sauce was well seasoned with a hint of heat.

If you’re looking for a healthy side dish, the Brussels Sprouts might not be the best choice. While delicious, the vegetables were covered with fresh cheese and croutons. A soft boiled egg was also hidden under the cheese shavings, the best kind of surprise. At this point, i was pretty full and for me the Pork Belly was a heavy dish. Charred on the outside, the meat was still really fatty. There was lots of flavour, The polenta was creamy and the mustard seeds added a crunch to each bite.

Overall, my favourite dish at Enoteca Sociale was their pasta. While my high expectations weren’t 100% met, it was a close 90%.

Lobster Mac and Cheese was another dish we served at New Year’s Eve and it was a hit. We updated the classic comfort dish by adding in fresh lobster and topping with panko crumbs. This dish also freezes and reheats well, perfect for lunches during the work week. The recipe is a little intensive and takes some time, but the results are worth the effort.

Lobster Mac and Cheese

2015-01-19 00:31:42

Serves 8

Write a review

Save Recipe

Print

Prep Time

30 min

Cook Time

1 hr

Total Time

1 hr 30 min

Prep Time

30 min

Cook Time

1 hr

Total Time

1 hr 30 min

Ingredients

1. 4 cups of macaroni (or large shell pasta)
2. 4 cups of milk
3. 8 tbsps of butter
4. 1/2 flour
5. 4 cups of Gruyere cheese, grated
6. 2 cups of sharp cheddar cheese, grated
7. 1/2 tsp of ground black pepper
8. 1 1/2 pounds of cooked lobster (Two 1 and 1/2 lb fresh lobsters)
9. 1 1/2 cups of panko crumbs
10. Sea salt to taste
11. 1 tbsp of vegetable oil

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Cook the fresh lobsters, take apart, chop roughly and set aside
3. Cook the pasta as directed on the package, grate cheese and set aside
4. In a small saucepan, heat the milk without boiling it
5. In another large pot, melt the butter, add in the flour while whisking, cook for 2 minutes
6. Continue to whisk and add in the heated milk, continue to whisk until the sauce is smooth and thickens, remove from heat
7. Add in the salt, cheese pepper and stir until the cheese is melted, then add in the cooked pasta, lobster and stir together
8. Pout the entire cheesy pasta mixture into a casserole dish, top with panko crumbs and bake for 30-35 minutes

Notes

1. The pasta will continue to cook in the oven, so initially, cook it a little more al dente than preferred

xiaoEats | Toronto Food Blog http://xiaoeats.com/

Step by Step Photos

Boil and prepare fresh lobster

Remove lobster meat from shell

Roughly chop the lobster meat

Cook the pasta

Melt the butter

Whisk flour into butter

Add in heated milk

Remove from heat, add in salt, pepper and grated cheese

Stir cheesy mixture until smooth, add in cooked pasta, lobster and stir together
Transfer everything to a casserole dish, top with panko crumbs and bake for 30-35 minutes at 375 degrees

I’ve tried to include tips we’ve learned from all the mistakes we’ve made but really, you need to just get your hands dirty and start kneading. My favourite way to serve the pasta is with roasted tomatoes, garlic, fresh basil and tossed in olive oil.

Fresh Pasta

2014-06-26 18:57:06

Serves 4

Write a review

Save Recipe

Print

Prep Time

30 min

Cook Time

5 min

Total Time

35 min

Prep Time

30 min

Cook Time

5 min

Total Time

35 min

Ingredients

1. 2 cups of flour
2. 3 large eggsat room temperature
3. salt and pepper to season
4. olive oil
5. 2 cups grape tomatoes
6. 1 head of garlic
7. 1 stalk of fresh basil

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Toss the tomatoes in olive oil and place on baking sheet with aluminum foil. Cut off the top of the whole head of garlic, wrap in aluminum foil and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 45-60 mins.
3. Measure out the flour on a clean flat surface and pile into a mound. Create a well in the center of the flour for the eggs.
4. Mix the eggs in the well and slowly start incorporating the flour from the sides. Be careful with letting egg escape or getting onto your hands. The dough is fairly stiff so even a small amount of escaped liquid can make a big difference.Tip: Choose the three largest eggs in your carton
5. Once the dough starts to come together, knead for 8-10 minutes until it becomes smooth. Cover the dough with plastic and let it rest for 15-20 minutes.
6. Divide into 4 pieces and start to roll with a pasta roller at the thickest setting until you're able to feed the dough through at the thinnest setting.
7. Once the pasta sheet is thin enough, feed through the cutter, shake out the strands, and boil immediately for 1-3 minutes

Tips

1. As you work with the dough, be sure to keep the rest wrapped, if it starts to dry out, it's painful to roll out.
2. As the dough comes out, keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn't fold over on itself.

xiaoEats | Toronto Food Blog http://xiaoeats.com/

Step by Step Photos

Assemble ingredients

Make your mound of flour and crack the eggs into the well

Knead until smooth, for ~8-10 minutes

Divide your dough and start rolling

Once the pasta dough has gone through the thinnest rolling session, it’s ready to be cut

From dough to linguine

Fresh linguine ready to be boiled

Roasted tomatoes and garlic ready to go

Atmosphere: I made reservations for a Friday night and when we arrived at 7:30pm the restaurant was already in the full swing of dinner service. We were seated in a cozy table at the back of the restaurant. Each wall was filled with oyster themed art, old photographs and maps. The decor and light wood furniture reminded me of a boat cabin, a very fitting feeling. I’d recommend the restaurant for a comfortable date night or casual group dinner; Oyster Boy really is a fit for any occasion that calls for great food.

Service: After battling Toronto traffic we parked and made it to the restaurant 5 mins past our reservation time. We were seated right away with menus. Our server came by to take our drink orders and listed off the daily specials. We had a hard time deciding on which of the baked oysters to go with and she gave us more detailed tasting notes on each of the four choices that helped a lot. Our raw oysters came right away but there was a bit of a lag before the hot entrees arrived. Our server came to check on us before we even noticed the wait, which was great.

Food: To start we ordered a half dozen Pemaquid oysters from New England. I liked that the menu included the size of the oyster, which helped us decide which one to try. After indulging all of my oyster cravings the BF is now more open to eating them and becoming proficient in shucking. He does prefer the sweeter, smaller, not so meaty varieties and the Pemaquid were perfect. Following this, we ordered two each of the Bellwoods, Rustico and Royal baked oysters. These little shells were hot, covered in melted cheese and full of broth. My favourite was the Royal because I liked how the sherry balanced the seafood flavour of the oyster. The Rustico tasted like a pizza and the Bellwoods had a nice spicy kick.

For entrees, the BF ordered the daily special of fish tacos, I had the Dungeness Crab and Bay Scallop pappardelle and we split a plate of Oyster Boy Fries with chipotle mayo. The tacos were really large potions, using at least 6′ flour tortillas (maybe even 8’?). Wedges of lime were served alongside but they weren’t necessary. The sauce on the taco itself had plenty of acidity already. The dish was ok, solid but it was hard to compare to the amazing-ness that was the pappardelle. The pasta was loaded with tender seafood and the lemon butter sauce was rich and savoury in flavour while being light and smooth in consistency. Each strand of pappardelle was thin and served al dente. This was the kind of dish that makes me want to re-visit a restaurant the next day. As a side, the fries were ok and I liked the use of an oyster shell to house the chipotle mayonnaise. I’ve heard great things about Oyster Boy’s onion rings and will have to try that next time.

Near the end of our meal, our server asked my Twitter handle and it turned out she runs the @OysterBoyTO account. She asked if I was interested in an Oyster Boy T-shirt and I got to take home this sweet T-shirt, the icing on the cake of a great dinner.

I walk by Chez Laurent daily on my way to work and am always charmed by the restaurant, housed in a bungalow surrounded by condos. When a sign was erected nearby last year announcing a newly proposed building, I knew I had to stop by Chez Laurent at least once in the near future, just in case the property was being bought out by builders.

Atmosphere: Walking into the restaurant feels like visiting someone’s house for a home cooked meal. We were seated in the dining area with two other tables and it was a cozy night. Conversations easily travelled through the room. After a bottle of wine we were a bit louder and having a great time hopefully not disturbing the other two tables, one couple and a larger group. Each table still felt very intimate in their own bubble of space.

Service: The restaurant owner helped take our orders and checked in on us throughout the meal. She was very friendly and made us feel at home. There was one other server handling the room, and he seemed young (a relative?), a little unsure of where things were but friendly and super polite. Appetizers came out quickly and all our entrees arrived together.

Food: We started with an the antipasti plate and a few orders of escargot. The escargot was buttery, had a good chewiness and was still tender. Each component was the antipasti dish was light and flavourful. The cantaloupe and tomatoes were ripe, both went well with their counterparts of proscuitto and havarti.  I also liked the pickles, which were crispy, a good touch of sour and sweet.

For my entree I ordered the daily pasta special of mussels and spaghetti. The noodles were cooked al dente and a good bounce to each bite. I was surprised with the size of the mussels, which were meaty and tasted fresh. The dish was also served with a healthy portion of tomato sauce. The sauce wasn’t a stand out, but it was a good base and not oily.

The boys both ordered the daily special of slow cooked pork spare ribs, mashed yam and rice. Again, the dish was good, everything was flavourful and cooked well. The ribs were tender and I really liked the mashed yam.

I had a good meal at Chez Laurent, but much of it I could cook myself at home. The appeal of this restaurant for me is the cozy atmosphere in addition to a comforting home cooked meal. I wouldn’t revisit with just the BF, but for a larger group of friends and close to home it’s a great option of French/Italian in the North York area.

Atmosphere: The interior of Quince has a very industrial look with metal tables, exposed brick and concrete and hanging pendant lights. The front of the restaurant are large glass panels looking out onto Yonge where a patio area is set up in the summer months. I love the touch of bright red metal chairs in the central dining area. There’s a more intimate dining area closer to the kitchen, near the bar.

Service: We were about 30 minutes late for our reservation, I called to let them know and they were very understanding. Our server even asked if we were in a rush and was very considerate of the time.  Our entrees arrived just as we were finishing up the bread basket.

Food: I really like the hummus that Quince serves with their bread basket in place of butter. It’s still rich and creamy but less guilt inducing. For entrees, we both had the house made pasta. I ordered the daily pappardelle special with scallops, double smoked bacon and watercress while my friend had the fettuccine with mushrooms, a soft boiled egg and freshly grated cheese. I liked the pappardelle a lot, the flavours of the scallops and bacon were really rich and savoury. The scallops were cooked well. The only off point was that the sauce was a bit oily. The fettucine looked amazing as well and the soft boiled egg was perfect.

In the past, I’ve also visited Quince during winterlicious and tried their flat iron steak grilled panini. The experience is always a nice treat during the workweek.