Maple Walnut and Saffron Cinnamon Apple Pie

Posted in american, breakfast, Canadian, dessert, fruit, fusion, recipe, saffron by

   3

Apple Pie! Yes! For breakfast? Yes! How did you know? Don’t judge me. I’d judge me too, don’t worry.

Buttery, flaky, and decadently sweet from a dark, amber maple syrup, the sweetheart of American desserts has been transformed and turned around with a generous addition of saffron and nutty crunch of walnuts. How wonderful was this with a scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream? SO wonderful not even the word wonderful itself would be enough to describe the feelings the very first and the very last bite evoked. Let me just tell you, there were tears. And a moment of silence. And lots of moaning. Oh, yes.

P.S. I’M BAAAAAAAAAACK. For good. Probably.

Continue reading →

Midnight Chocolate, Chocolate Cake with Espresso Spiked Cream

Posted in brownies, cake, chocolate, dessert, french, fusion by

1

It’s been a few weeks of sporadic updates and I apologize for that :) I had falsely assumed that Tuesday’s arrival would signal the beginning of the end. Alas, my professors are feeling somewhat gung-ho about doling out assignments and extra quizzes so there hasn’t been a lot of time left over for me to hit the grocers or attend to the pile of dishes in the sink. (As per usual.) And the bipolar weather of hot-cold-hot-cold (as is wont this time of year in Beppu) has made my lazy bones ever lazier. But next week seems to call for a more exciting and consistent set of posts! (whispers) I’ll give you a small preview: leek, potato and ricotta soup with sesame croutons | light and airy pancakes with a macadamia nut cream sauce (think Hawaii). Ooooh, boy!

I made this cake a few days before the M.M.M. storm hit but I didn’t have time to edit it. It’s one of those rich, intensely chocolate, CHOCOLATE cakes that pair nicely with a dollop of cream to help balance out the flavours so your taste buds don’t get KO’ed. And we all know coffee enhances the qualities of chocolate, so I thought it would be a match made in heaven. Definitely a cake to make when you’re feeling blue, need to impress a lady friend, or bringing a dessert over to a friend’s dinner party. ;)

Continue reading →

Philly Cheese Steak Stromboli with Sharp Provolone Cheese and a Knockout Tomato Sauce

Posted in american, beef, bread, cheese, pizza, recipe by

0

During my road trip to Nagasaki in early April, we spent a good $30.00 on pizza at S’barro. Everything was about $5.00 each so if my rusty math skills are still somewhat up to par, that would be 6 slices of pizza. Except we only bought 4. Because the other 2 were Strombolis. Philly Cheese Steak Strombolis, to be exact. Glorious, succulent, juicy slices of beef smothered in a rich cheese, stuffed inside a warm, chewy and fresh pizza bread that’s spread with a flavourful tomato sauce before it’s rolled up. Knock your socks off stuff, right there. We loved it so much we had to get another, even though the buttons of our pants were desperately protesting against such a notion. Well. It was worth it.

On another note, M.M.M. is coming to an end! Only one presentation and assignment left to hand in tomorrow and then it’ll be back into the kitchen for me! *cackles* As much as I love boxed lunches at the supermarket (#bentous) and fast food burgers…….with recipes like this and this aaand pictures this and this who wouldn’t want to grab a skillet and fry things up a bit for a flavour-packed meal? ;)

Continue reading →

Fluffiest Ever Vanilla Yoghurt Cake with Kahlua Custard Cream and Maple Almond Crunch Topping

Posted in cake, Canadian, dessert, fusion, recipe by

1

 Hi, everyone! Still in the middle of my midterms a.k.a. clicking away madly on my PC to finish some last minute (typical..) presentation slides a.k.a. scoring every journal, online runner, and textbook available for le research papers a.k.a. pulling my hair out and bingeing on dark chocolate kitkat bars while cramming le brain full with information e.g. how to develop research instruments for marketing research or the ecological sustainability of the tourism industry, etc.

Guh.

*Takes in a big breath* At least I’m not alone in the madness that is school! But I thought an intermission of the sweet variety was needed. To, you know. Recharge. And stuff. Or basically continue my illicit stress-induced affair with sugar. Aaaaand. Stuff.

So, yeah. I realized stress hormones are conducive to Phenomenal Baking. Take this cake, for example. It brings “coffee cakes” to a whole new level with a fancy Kahlua spiked custard cream filling, and its flavour-packed maple almond crunch topping sure pleases even the toughest crowds! (By that I mean The Sweet Tooth, What Sweet Tooth? Boyfriend.) The cake itself is like a long, soothing soak in a hot bath on a trying Winter day….everything just melts away leaving you light, flushed and heady at the delicate after taste.

Convinced yet? Because you need this cake in your life. Right now. Especially if you’re like me and need an outlet.

I’m still floored that you all continue to comment and visit us here at S.E.G. despite my glaring absence. I’m sorry I had to “snub” you all again, so to speak. I will jump right back into the thick of WordPress and all things Blogging (including those who might have sent me emails…ahhh, apologies!!…) once the Midway May Madness week is over. Promise (cross my heart, hope to surrender all my sweets.)

Now go make some cake! :D

Continue reading →

Clean Eating: Sauteed Zucchini and Udon with Toasted Sesame Miso Dressing and Softboiled Egg

Posted in asian, clean eating, easy, eggs, healthy, Japanese, noodles, recipe, vegetarian by

1

If you’ve ever craved for a light, casual lunch on a warm spring or autumn day, the window cracked open just enough to invite in the slight crisp breeze and fresh air, then this is a dish for you. Tangy, vibrant and flavourful, all you need to do is spoon this delightful dressing over your favourite plain noodles, warmed rice, fluffy omelette or crunchy salad, and you’re in for a real treat!

Addendum – wasn’t going to post this today but felt ya’ll needed some eye candy loving! So Happy Wednesday to you! *scurries off to finish equations involving the face value of bonds and par value of stocks* Erk.

Continue reading →

Thyme, Chili, Garlic and Lemon Seafood Parcels with Mixed Veggies

Posted in Canadian, clean eating, European, fusion, healthy, low fat, potato, recipe, seafood by

1

After days on end of hearty burgers, double fried fries and meaty ribs…a desperate feeling pervades the thought and mouth; an undeniable yearning for something lighter. Healthier. A lunchtime meal of fresh, crisp greens; curried couscous or even a side of something tangy. Tossed in an olive oil vinaigrette, fresh herbs and toasted nuts. Or, perhaps, a quinoa porridge loaded with goji berries, shaved almonds and assorted fruit. Today was one such day. And so an amazing seafood parcel was carefully put together; a meal of substance and full-bodied flavour that both satisfies and, thankfully, forgives yesterday’s vittle misgivings.

P.S. definitely great for when you have guests over—try jazzing them up using parchment paper instead of foil, and some brown paper string for a delightful presentation!

P.P.S. originally made these for some dinner guests. The Boy scarfed down 2.5 of the parcels before THAT could happen. No joke.

Continue reading →

Volcano Sushi Salad with Crab, Tako, and Mixed Greens

Posted in american, asian, Canadian, clean eating, fusion, Japanese, low fat, recipe, salad, seafood, spicy by

1

 Salads seem to have an unfortunate rep around town—even Rihanna hates salads, and she quote “doesn’t put a lot of junk into [her] system!” end quote. Either they lack a certain food group (cough “meat?” cough), are doused in disgusting amounts of dressing that you’re more likely sipping a soup than crunching on veggies, or the choreography of greens is, disappointingly, a lackluster performance that leaves your taste buds loudly booing their distaste. Nuts would add character! someone might quip in the audience. Ahh, yes. But there’s a limit to how much peppered peanuts can jazz up a pickled turnip salad, or candied pecans to the classic Caesar. I mean, let’s back up a bit. Nicoise Salads, Chef Salads with “cheese-stuffed, chargrilled chicken slices,” and even the Seven Layer Salad (yes, of the bacon-eggs-mayonnaise variety) might give pause to all the Salad Haters out there. Okay, wait, let’s back up again. So how much time does one want to spend making salads, in general? “NOT MUCH!” You know that’s right, hook, line and sinker. So how about we push those poshy salads aside for a day and focus on this delectable, charming and quick-to-whip-up (score) Volcano Sushi Salad. Because it’s neither lackluster in taste, character, nor doused in a sea of salad gravy. In fact, the Spicy Mayo infused “California sushi”-like topping renders the need for any dressing void. Not overwhelming creamy or rich that when speared along side the crisp lettuce, spinach and explosive red onions, the entire salad is a harmonious interplay of flavours and textures and dance moves in your mouth. Oh yes, this is clearly the winner for this week’s Live on SEG, So You Think You Can Salad. Happy chomping!

Continue reading →

SEG Way Browned Butter Earl Grey Tea Pound Cake with Sweet Yellow Peaches and Vanilla Drizzle (and a Partridge in a Pear Tree)

Posted in my bites around the net, the SEG club, you are what you eat from your head to your feet by

Reblogged from The Peckish Kiwi:

Click to visit the original post
  • Click to visit the original post
  • Click to visit the original post
  • Click to visit the original post

There's something about having good cake. It puts a smile on your face, and a spring in your step. You walk around with a certain air about you. What's wonderful is when you see someone else walking around with that same air about them. Catching each other's eye, you smile and nod, that small gesture shouting quietly oh the joy of good cake.

Read more… 457 more words

Read all about Mr. P's tumultuous but very successful journey to creating SEG's earl grey tea pound cake right in his Kiwi Kitchen! And a riveting third person prose revolving the cake's personification of a woman. Ever charming, and the photos are just swoon-worthy!

No-fry Bang Bang! Chicken …with Aromatic Coconut Red Rice

Posted in american, appetizers, asian, chicken, fusion, menu hacking, recipe, rice, spicy by

1

That’s why they call me Slim Sassy! (I’m back) Guess who’s b-back, back, back; gue-gue-guess who’s back (Hi mom!) Slim Sassy, May 5. And out.

Just kidding. Sorry. It just suddenly took over my mind and my fingers typed the lyrics out on their own accord. Probably shouldn’t have partook in the Coffee-Tea-Coffee Again (and a huge chunk of Chai Tea pound cake) madness of this Sunday morning. Caffeine overload much? But YAY! I’m finally done with all the comment lovin’, spreading peace and happiness all around. Don’t worry I rewarded myself with another slice of cake. Even if it was squishy and spongey and not at all like a pound cake. (The Hazelnut Milk Crumble Topping, though, WILL star in its own post  here at SEG because you all deserve to stuff your face with it by the bowl-full. Hopefully sitting atop a less squidgy pound cake.) But I digress. This no-fry bang bang! chicken made a lot of commotion on my facebook. Lots of bribery happened. Puppy dog looks at school were exchanged. Requests were not-so-subtly made. I theorized it was all the sauce’s fault. Darn glistening and delicious looking thing.

If you’ve ever heard of bang bang shrimp or dynamite shrimp, this is it. With a few modifications here and there to jazz it up even more (garlic and two types of chili always makes everything better, agreed? Agreed.) And I thought chicken was more acceptable as a stand-alone dish for dinner, rather than shrimp which is more light weight = appetizer. At least in my book. The cutting technique takes a bit of time, but the ease of biting into the chicken (and the enjoyment it brings, oh the sheer enjoyment!) when the grub is done cooking, is worth every second spent during its preparation. I promise you, you will not regret making this for lunch/dinner or even some pre-dinner snacking. I think my facebook buddies would happily provide testimonials to that.

P.S. happy 2 months, Blog!!!

Continue reading →

The All-Purpose Waffle Bread…savoury, sweet, or even both!

Posted in bread, breakfast, dessert, European, fusion, recipe by

1

So, there’s a backlog of comments on SEG I need to reply, other posts on both WordPress and Feedly I desperately want to comment on, status updates on my facebook newsfeed to like, daily tumblr dashboard photos to scroll through, emails to check, and people in Canada to call via Skype. Oh, oh, oh. And let’s not forget the Himalayan Mountain of dishes leering at me a few meters away. So. All in all, not the most perfect time to post. I’m going against the very Blogging Code I swear to follow by. But.

But.

I needed (NEEDED) to share with you this amazing waffle bread recipe I stumbled upon last night via Sillyaryu Bakery’s blog. Other than a few characters here and there, it’s basically gibberish to me. But I consulted with google translate, the SEG pantry, and my Friday morning schedule. Everything looked ready for take off! Scribbled down my modified version of the recipe, forwent the instructions, and prepared the dough. Hopped into bed, excited for the morning. BEEP BEEP BEEP. Oh, crap. I’M LATE. Scrambled out of bed to wash up, threw on a random skirt, grey stockings, smeared on the lipstick that won the lottery—Persian Melon—and shoddily drawn eyeliner. Heated the waffle iron, swore a little here and there as I burned a few fingers, threw on the bread dough. Searched the entire room for my wallet, ohmygosh, I could have SWORN it was underneath my jacketpantssockstowel ummmMMM? Anyway. Had 1 waffle to go, spread with a thick layer of ooey gooey Nutella, and the rest was saved for later, an after school snack if you will. (More like a 6pm meal but whatever.)

Seriously easy. Seriously good. RIDICULOUSLY ALL-PURPOSE. I’m already excited to make some version of eggs benedicts with them—guys. Go and make them. Now. Like, NOW now. That is all.

<3

Okay I’m off to watch Hannibal with the boy, do the dishes, 100 squates and then…and then it’s time to adopt the Blogger Code once again and do my proper duty of replying. I owe you major eye candy for all the douchey ignoring I’m so blatantly doing, yikes! Good night everyone!

Continue reading →