#tellthetruththursday

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Next to LOVE, the other subject that causes a stir in the minds and souls of humankind is TRUTH.  It has been written about, talked about, and battled over since time began.  What is it?  Why does it push our buttons and resonate so strongly for us?  It is so fascinating to me in fact that I’ve started a little something over on my Snapchat account (username: blissbakery). It’s an ongoing series called #tellthetruththursdays and the past few weeks have seen tremendous growth in the number of people getting involved.  Sure it is mostly funny stories, but sometimes people have revealed very sensitive information.  And the quote, “you’re only as sick as your secrets” really can be applied.  It takes way more energy to hold these things inside than it does to just let them out!

I also think that it can be hard to get to know people when there is often this notion of (perceived) perfection.  Especially with images projected on social media. With Snapchat in particular you don’t have a “feed” or “wall” and with stories expiring in 24 hours there is an urgency to watch someone’s snaps before they are gone forever.  Sure a person might tell you they are a makeup artist and show some awesome smokey eye tutorial, but it is fun to learn more about what makes them tick. What quirk makes them unique?  What little thing from their past might we never have guessed? Why we do what we do is a combination of all these little aspects of ourselves, many of which we don’t talk about on a regular basis.  But those are precisely the things that engage people’s curiosity!

Every so often there are “tags” that go around Snapchat. The way the game is played is that someone tags someone else to show what is in their hand bag or answer 50 questions and then tag another person to do likewise.  They can be fun, but the 50 questions one seems a bit long and arduous. The person tagged in fact often squirms because the questions are about age, weight, number of tattoos etc.  They are generic questions.  Some don’t even like to answer them because though they may tell you they smoked their first cigarette at age 12,  no way do they want you to know their current weight!  My goodness, TMI (that means too much information for the older generation)!  So that is why this weekly 24 hours of honesty is so cool!  Share whatever you want and you’ll feel lighter AND you might spark a memory in someone else. Or don’t share, your choice.  It isn’t a tag as such, just an invitation to join the TTTT Train!

One of the things that makes us unique as humans is our ability and in fact our need to connect.  And we do this through our stories, shared experiences and yes by revealing our truth.  It really does set us free.  So whether it is about dirty dishes in the sink that have been there since the previous night’s dinner (I’ve done that) or stealing a pencil case as a child (someone else bravely shared that one) or I don’t feel like going to the gym today (me and about a hundred other folks) it gives us a talking point.  A place to start our conversations and say, “OMG I totally get what you mean, I feel the same way.”  And then, we aren’t so alone.

As I have often said, we are just here inhabiting our “meat suits” on this earth trying to muddle our way through as best as we can.  Here’s where another quote springs to mind, “We aren’t human beings trying to be spiritual, but spiritual beings trying to be human.” Some days are better than others. Time alone can be quite therapeutic too, but I say we need time together (not just in each others’ physical space, but our virtual one as well). To love, to support and yes to tell our truths, on Thursdays, or any days!

I honestly LOVE you!

YDP

P.S. Thanks so very much to Melanie Morris (@melanierjmorris on snapchat) who kindly gave me a mention on Image Magazine online regarding her list of truths!

P.S.S. I told my truth today, about how I have a thing for S’Mores!  And I even did a tutorial of some amazing S’Mores Bars on Snapchat.  I posted the recipe on here a while back.  Here is the link if you want to have a go at them yourself. If you do, let me know what you think! I think they are amazingly awesome! That’s the whole truth and nothing but the truth!

Recipe: Woman Crush Wednesday

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Wednesday, as you already know if you’ve been reading thus far in my journey, is my fav day of the week.  And even though I woke this morning feeling unwell, I’m not gonna miss Woman Crush Wednesday.  Especially when this week’s honoree is the phenomenal Domini Kemp.  Besides being a fabulous chef with award winning cookbooks, numerous successful restaurants, as well as her acclaim as an adored food journalist, Domini also embodies the term Wonder Woman. She is a fighter with finesse and female fortitude.  I think there is nothing that she couldn’t achieve or overcome. She quite frankly deserves to be the Woman Crush Everyday!

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While I have made many of Domini’s recipes over the years, all with great success, for #WCW I always do a recipe I’ve never done before and I do it live on Snapchat (my username is: blissbakery).  Since I have never tried her Roasted Chicken recipe and it looks unique I had to give it a go.  First off, you start cooking the bird breast side down which I have never done.  And on the ingredients list, two glasses of white wine.  Not for the cook to drink but for the chicken to bathe in, sounds interesting!  We love to have left over chicken in the house for salads and sandwiches so this will be a hit, especially because my dog Stella loves to have a bit too!

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Ingredients
2 heads garlic, unpeeled
2 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
2 onions, roughly chopped (don’t peel)
1 medium chicken, approx 1.5kg
2 lemons, cut in half
Few sprigs thyme
Salt and pepper
1 tbsp of honey (optional)
2 glasses white wine

Method
Preheat the oven to 190 degrees/gas 4. Make a bed of veg by putting the garlic, carrots and onions in the middle of a roasting tray.
I sometimes slice one head in half, horizontally, and leave the cloves of the other head loose, but unpeeled. Place the chicken breast-side down (yes, upside down) on top of the veg. Then stuff the lemon halves into the chicken. Pour the wine over it and then season generously with thyme, salt and pepper. Roast for about 45 minutes.

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Take the roasting tin out of the oven, flip the bird over and squeeze some honey on top. Season again and cook for another 15-20 minutes. At this stage, take it out and leave for a few minutes.

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Give the legs a wiggle: they should move about freely. If you aren’t sure, slice between the leg and the breast. Check what colour it is. It shouldn’t be too pink, and the juices should definitely be clear. I like to leave it covered in foil or in the oven – which has been turned off – to sit for at least 30 minutes before carving.
The roast bits of veg are an added perk. But if you can, strain some of that delicious jus at the bottom of the roasting pan, which you can always deglaze with a little water.
This is usually tasty enough on its own, with no adornment, but you can also transfer it to a smaller saucepan and simmer away till it’s nice and rich.
If you must, add some “beurre manie” which is equal parts butter and flour (just a spoonful of each) which you can chuck in as it will help thicken and emulsify it. Add some more honey or wine depending on what it lacks. Simmer until everything is just as it should be.
Once you have eaten your fill and just have bones left, put all those bones into a suitably-sized saucepan, fill it with water and gently simmer for as long as you can. I sometimes only manage three hours before bed time.
Go fishing for the bones and discard. Strain it through a colander and then cool it down. I do this by sitting the saucepan in a sink full of cold water to make a water bath. You just want to cool it down so you can then transfer it to the fridge and have it to use in your soups or as a nourishing broth on its own for the week.

 

Wow I am so glad I made this dish! The house was in heaven because it smelled so amazing, Stella was in heaven because I gave her a few bits, and I was in heaven because I had the most moist and flavorful chicken on my salad for lunch.   I put together a salad of mixed leaves, grapefruit, avocado, toasted pine nuts and goats cheese. The subtle lemon, garlic, and herbs that came through in the chicken was just the right touch.

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Now when Hubby gets home we can have a roast chicken dinner with all the trimmings too! And there will probably be some left for a chicken sambo for lunch tomorrow. That is the beauty of a roasted chicken, it’s the dish that keeps giving!

And speaking of giving, I want to give Domini kudos for her latest book called Ketogenic Kitchen.  It is a book she cowrote with Nutritional Therapist Patricia Daly and is based on a high fat and low carb diet. Domini credits this way of eating for helping her regain her strength and energy while overcoming cancer. They are currently on the press tour for the book (you can read about it at Domini’s former journalistic home The Irish Times).  They also have a website (click here) which offers recipes, videos and information about this type of metabolic therapy.

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I can only imagine the stress that Domini had to deal with during her health struggle while she continued to run her businesses, work on her food writing, and look after her family.  But she managed to do it all with grace and openness.  Besides sharing her incredible recipes, she also wrote many candid articles in her eight years with The Irish Times, including her final one this past March.  And while I do miss seeing her in that realm, I sense that wherever Domini gets involved she will make that part of the world a bit better.  And so for her new projects, like helping people to heal through food (such as Alchemy) I wish her all the best.

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Thanks Domini for being the amazing person you are!  Not only in the foodie world, but the the global world.  You are an inspiration for life!

With love and admiration,

YDP

 

 

 

Recipe: A Triple M Way to Start the Week

As it turned out, Monday was not only Meatless but also it was a Museum Monday and a Margarita Monday with my Man!  I awakened with the notion to test out a new recipe I had dreamed up in my sleep:  A hearty stuffed mushroom.  More of a Sunday Brunch variety, but nevertheless eaten as my Monday main meal, minus the meat!   I used what I had on hand in the fridge (mushroom, spinach, feta cheese, sundried tomatoes and eggs) to create a super healthy and delish treat.  I posted the tutorial on Snapchat (username: blissbakery) and got some great feedback.  And my taste buds gave it a thumbs up too (see below for full recipe and pics).

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Later, I met Hubby for an early evening date which started at Wahaca for margaritas and nibbles.  I’ve been wanting to share this place with Snapchat since I did my Woman Crush Wednesday of the founder of the restaurant Thomasina Miers.  I love the food (Mexican is one of my fav cuisines and she knows how to do it right) and I respect the ethos.  To be adventurous we ordered a passion fruit margarita and for the other one, a hibiscus margarita. That way we could share.  And we ordered our ‘go to’ sweet potato taquitos and shrimp tacos for our nosh before we took the tube down to our next stop.

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My hubby and I have a tradition of seeing traveling exhibitions of world photography. This tradition dates back to when we lived in Los Angeles.  I am not a photographer but simply enjoy every aspect of them, the composition, the subject and the mood to name a few. However Hubby has always enjoyed photography as a hobby has been known to take some incredible photos.  Some day I’ll have to swipe them and do a whole post on here!  But yesterday we went to the Somerset House for the Sony World Photography Awards Exhibition.  It was filled to the brim with photos from photographers of every age and every nationality and taken at locations all over the world.  It was a quiet enough night in terms of attendance, but that gave us loads of space to enjoy the plethora of pictures.  My favs included a heart made with water, a heart made with two women who had their hair braided together and an aubergine (eggplant) that was in the shape of a heart.  Yes I have a thing with hearts!

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#snappy and Rose were perplexed by the series taken by an Italian photographer that showed a Barbie doll in various poses!

 

And now for the Egg and Spinach Stuffed Mushroom Brunch Boats

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Ingredients:

4 free range eggs

200 g spinach (one bag, washed)

1/2 onion

1 clove garlic

4 sundried tomatoes (and some of the oil from the jar in which it is packed)

4 large flat mushrooms (such as Porabello) with the insides scraped out (you can use those bits to add to the spinach filling if you like)

Feta Cheese to crumble (or cheese of your choice)

Parmesan Cheese to grate on top

salt/pepper

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 200c/400f

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Steam the bag of washed spinach. While that steams, chop your onion and garlic and sauté them in a frying pan with a little bit of the oil from the jar in which the sundried tomatoes come packed.  Season with a bit of salt and pepper.  Chop the 4 sundried tomatoes and add to the onion and garlic when they have softened.

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When the spinach is done, pour the water left in the pan back over the spinach. Let this drain then squish the spinach with a potato masher. Get all the liquid out so that the spinach can be made into a ball. Then chop up the spinach and add to the onion/garlic/sundried tomato mix.  Crumble a bit of the cheese into this mixture and taste to adjust seasoning if necessary (feta can be salty so if using that type of cheese make sure you taste after you add as you may not need as much salt).

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Put the mushrooms in a baking tray and season them with salt and pepper. Then fill them with the spinach mixture leaving a small well in the center.  Carefully crack each egg into the spinach well and bake for 10 minutes or until egg set.  A few minutes before it is done, you can grate a bit of Parmesan Cheese on top.

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To serve you can spritz a bit of Siracha sauce on top of the mushroom if you want it hot and spicy or drizzle with some of your favorite pesto sauce.  If you’re not afraid of carbs, this can be enjoyed with side of sourdough toast or some nice breakfast potatoes.

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I hope you make some of your own special traditions on a Monday as I know it can be a day many dread on the calendar. You don’t need to make it meatless, attend a museum or have it dripping with margaritas. But if you find an activity that you can stick with, that brings you joy and happiness, then you will start to look forward to the 52 Mondays we are blessed with each year and they won’t be manic madness but instead mellow magic!

Much love of a Monday and everyday!

YDP

P.S. As I mentioned in my post yesterday, #snappy will be departing soon to stay with his new foster momma.  So before he goes we are having fun on these last few adventures with his girl Rose. They sure enjoyed the sights in London!

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The famous London Eye in the distance along the River Thames

 

 

A Snapchat Love Story

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Once upon a time there was a Yankee Doodle Paddy whose purpose it was to spread some LOVE in this world.  Though she was much older than most when she started into social media, she decided to share love there as well.  So while visiting California, she stopped by the headquarters of Snapchat, her favorite social media platform.  She brought custom made donuts (that spelled out the name SNAPCHAT) for all the good people who worked there. It was her way to thank them for creating a space where folks could have fun and interact, use their creativity, be challenged and yet nurtured, and make the world a better place.  Snapchat HQ is kinda of like a momma to all of us “Snap Sistas“.

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What Yankee Doodle Paddy (who was snapping this whole scenario and adding it to her story, username:  blissbakery)  didn’t expect was that upon dropping off the gorge and delish donuts that she too would also receive something. Yes, she was given a pair of sunnies with a Snapchat logo and also an adorable stuffed #snappy!  What a lovely surprise!  Her first impulse was to put it up for a free random draw competition for all those who were watching the escapades.  She often does give aways, one of her fav things to do on Snapchat.  So anyone watching could screenshot and then be entered into the draw to win either the sunnies or #snappy, their choice.  However, because she was traveling she missed some of the screenshots.  And so to be fair she decided to redo the competition once she returned to her soul land, Ireland.

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However, something happen along the way that was unexpected and utterly amazing. Yankee Doodle Paddy and #snappy were crossing the Irish Sea on a ferry and though the seas were rough, there was another storm brewing inside #snappy’s heart. A love storm!  He spotted a beautiful rose pink colored Hello Kitty inside a vending machine that was filled with other stuffed animals.  He thought she was the most beautiful creature in the world. Though separated by a piece of glass, he knew they had to be together. When the Yankee Doodle Paddy realized what was going on, she asked a young boy to help by giving him money to play the vending machine game in hopes of winning Rose Kitty’s heart for #snappy. It took a couple of tries, but the boy succeeded and it was the most amazing sight ever to see the two of them touch for the first time!

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It was a rough and treacherous crossing from the U.K and YDP was concerned it would be another Titanic disaster!  But #snappy and Rose were two young lovers without a care in the world, having fun and feeling like the King and Queen of the world!  When they finally docked in Wexford they were busting to explore some new scenery together.

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All around Ireland the two of them were inseparable!  They went on a Foodie Fieldtrip Friday, built a snowman with the few flakes that fell in Dublin one frosty morning, and even helped bake some Snapchat cookies. They enjoyed the Emerald Isle immensely. Their burgeoning love story was making news in Snapland and even @SweetLivingK designed a wedding favor for the two of them should they get married:  Chocolate Bars with their own logo!

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But Yankee Doodle Paddy had to do the random draw as promised. With over a hundred entries, a lovely woman was chosen by an online random number generator.  She had the choice of taking #snappy or the sunnies as per the contest rules.  But guess what?  The lovely winner decided to take the sunnies as she didn’t want to separate the love birds!!!  It was a miracle!

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So that means they are going to be together forever!  Because of that they have been able to enjoy so many wonderful outings with Yankee Doodle Paddy, such as the Greenwich Observatory,  more Foodie Fieldtrip Friday adventures ( click here and here) and they were even involved in the Snapchetiquette presentation.  They got to meet some of the other Snappers out in Snapland and they took another trip back to Ireland for Easter. As well they took a transatlantic trip to the U.S (Nashville and Chicago) . One of the most exciting things though was climbing the O2 (for the full story, click here).  However, Rose doesn’t like heights so she opted out of that activity and the climb up to the top of The Monument for the 1666 Great Fire of London.

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But still Yankee Doodle Paddy realized that #snappy is a global personality and indeed liked being a traveling man meeting different people.  He is sociable and wants to be an ambassador of peace in the world!  So as a family they decided that he would do a summer tour and stay with different foster families to experience the diversity of lives of all kinds of people from Snapland.

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Therefore, this week #snappy will make his first foray into the foster family world.  He is traveling back to the U.S.A to visit a Snap Sista named Katy Kay (@ktktoo) and is looking forward to his time in South Carolina and going on many GeoCaching explorations with her. And Rose will be going to California to meet some special family.  So stay tuned to see more of the adventures of #snappy and Rose! As they say, absence makes the heart grow fonder!

This is a true “Romance Novel-ty”,

YDP

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P.S. The most incredible part of this tale is the fact that Stella the pretty pit has honored their  love story. She is notorious for ripping apart anything that looks remotely like a dog toy, stuffed animal or even a house slipper. But she knows the bond between #snappy and Rose is for real because she too had one with her Man, the Soul Dog!

 

Foodie Fieldtrip Friday: Tea at Bea’s of Bloomsbury

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This week’s Foodie Fieldtrip Friday became a tea for two when the lovely Leah (from New York) joined me since she was in London for work. While we had intended to extend the trip to another location after our visit to Bea’s of Bloomsbury , we ended up staying there for four hours!  But the good news is that we got in some great “chats, bants and LOLz” and finished our entire tea stand of delectable hand made treats!

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Bea Vo started Bea’s of Bloomsbury back in 2008 and it has grown to include cafes near St. Paul’s Cathedral and Farringdon as well. Though she isn’t involved day to day anymore as she has gone on to other foodie projects, this brand has remained strong. It continues to top various lists (like this one) of best bakeries in London. And while the bespoke wedding cakes along with the famous Duffin and Townie are worthy draws, it is the tea time treats that bring in the crowds. In fact, we were lucky to have gotten a table without a reservation. And the line was out the door.

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There are three options for tea, the standard, gold and champagne. We ordered the gold which included two glasses of Proseco and a macaroon each .  We started with our savory bites of three types of sandwiches all served on lovely soft sweet brioche buns:  Ham and Cheese, Philly Cheese with walnuts and rosemary, and caramelized onions with mozzarella and lettuce. My fav was the later. The onions were so delish and moreish!

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Then we slowly worked our way through the handmade raspberry marshmallows, three types of brownies (one of which was made with white chocolate and Leah especially loved it), coconut meringue kisses, two kinds of cupcakes which were quite fresh and sponge-y. One was a chocolate sponge with a raspberry buttercream and the other was a vanilla sponge with a passionfruit buttercream. I liked that they weren’t overly sweet as some American cupcakes can often be.

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There was also a traditional scone for each of us (served with clotted cream and raspberry jam) and the ultimate highlight, two kinds of macaroons. One was red velvet and the other was peanut butter and jelly. By far the height of my happiness out of everything I tasted! I want to go back just for that! Our choice of tea was a Vanilla Bourbon, which wasn’t boozy but had a mellow aged taste to it. When we asked for milk to go with it our server seemed perplexed. Strange since we both thought milk was standard when having tea over in the U.K. (unless you are drinking mint tea). We both thought it tasted better with a spot of milk in it!

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The cafe itself is smallish and cozy.  It isn’t a fussy decor, and it’s the baked goods that lend the color and flavor to the vibe of the room.  I loved some of the signage and quotes too, very cute!  I happened to read a review online this morning that wasn’t very nice.  I don’t know why people have to be so mean.  But I did agree with one comment that mentioned certain things looked in disrepair.  Maybe because it is the oldest of all the cafes in the group.  Since I used to manage a gourmet food store in Dublin, I know how important it is to maintain the physical aspects of a food establishment.  It is little things like chipped paint that consciously or even subconsciously catch the eye of the patrons.  But I realize how much work goes into running a business and perfection is impossible to maintain at all times.

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While we consumed a lot of carbs and sugar in those four hours, not a crumb was wasted and not a calorie counted.  It was so worth it as it was tasty and also so enjoyable to spend it with Leah.  I have been wanting to visit here ever since we moved to London and so glad it finally came to fruition!  I love the line under Bea’s logo which says, “Life is short, eat more cake” and it reminds me of this Erma Bombeck quote:  Remember all those women on the Titanic who waved off the dessert cart?  Hence, why I thoroughly enjoy these foodie adventures.  And why I like to take along my snapchat friends (my username is: blissbakery).  Many who watch my snap stories aren’t able to travel for health, financial or family reasons.  So they feel a part of what I am doing by my sharing through the videos I post.  So here’s to many more!

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Love and Cheers!

YDP

Recipe: Woman Crush Wednesday

There is a song that goes “I’d drive all night to see you” well I am going change the lyrics to “ I’d fly all night to get back for #WCW”.  I love Wednesdays so much that no amount of jet lag is gonna stop me from giving a gorgeous gourmet girl some good old fashion props and attention!  And this week’s female chef is so deserving that I am beyond excited to recreate her recipe and share more about her. And since I just flew home to London from Chicago, you won’t be surprised who is the chosen recipient!

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Stephanie Izard may only be 37, but her list of achievements in the culinary world is phenomenal. She was one of the youngest James Beard winners at 27, went on to become Top Chef’s first female winner, and also the only winner of Top Chef to also win audience fan favorite. But with her delicious food, awesome smile and infectious personality it is no wonder she is the golden girl of the foodie world.

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Born in Chicago (like I was) Stephanie has several successful eateries in the West Loop area near downtown. The famous Girl and the Goat and across the street the Baby Goat Diner and its bakery next door. She just opened another restaurant Duck, Duck, Goat several blocks away. Besides bringing to life these fab food creations, she and her husband have a baby on the way too!  The sky is the limit for this girl!

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I was just in Chicago for 24 hours on my way back home to London from a visit to Tennessee to see my son and his wife.  But I did take time to visit two of her restaurants and was very impressed with the food, staff, vibe, all of it. On Monday night the line was out the door for the Girl and the Goat.  And on Tuesday morning I got to taste one of Stephanie’s famous and yummy handmade “pop tart” pastries at the Little Goat Diner Bakery. So so good!  But for our Snapchat tutorial today (which you can watch with my username: blissbakery) I decided to make a savoury dish. Stephanie has a fab looking recipe for a Fish with a green curry sauce.  Healthy and tasty!

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Serves: 4
Time: 30 minutes
3 tbsp basil leaves, packed
1 cup cilantro (also called coriander) , chopped with stems, about ½ bunch
¼ tsp ground cumin
¾ tsp ground coriander
1 tbsp garlic, chopped small
1½ tbsp ginger, peeled and chopped small
2 medium shallots, thinly sliced and divided
2 tsp jalapenos, chopped with seeds (omit seeds for less spicy version)
2 Tbsp lemongrass, peeled and bottom 1/3 only, chopped
1 14 oz can (400 g) coconut cream
2 tbsp grapeseed or canola oil
4 (5-oz) fillets of skin on grouper, snapper, or striped bass
1-2 tsp fish sauce
2-3 tsp fresh lime juice
Blend together basil, cilantro, cumin, coriander, garlic, ginger, one shallot, 1 tsp jalapeno, lemongrass, and coconut cream. Taste and add remaining jalapeno to taste, set aside. Sauce may look broken from the coconut cream, don’t worry it will come together in the frying pan.
Turn fish skin side up and score, cutting just through skin. Season with salt spice mix for fish.
Heat oil in large heavy bottom skillet until almost smoking. Lay fish fillets skin side down and cook over
high heat until skin is very crispy, but not burnt. Turn fillets and continue cooking over medium high heat until fish is opaque and flaky all the way through. Remove to serving platter and tent with foil.
Add the other sliced shallot to pan and cook until translucent, about 5-6 minutes. Add curry sauce, fish sauce, and lime juice, simmer for 3-4 minutes so sauce thickens a little and flavors come together. Adjust seasoning if
necessary. Pour half of curry sauce over fish and serve remaining on the side. Serve immediately.

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I absolutely love this dish! It is so flavorful and clean tasting. And it is dairy, sugar and gluten free!  But at the same time very filling and satisfying.  I served it with a coconut rice and when my Hubby tasted it tonight for dinner he asked if I would make it again tomorrow night.  It would also be a perfect dish for a dinner party for four people. Super easy and yet very impressive.  As well, anything with cilantro (coriander) is a go to for me as it has so many health benefits!

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Stephanie is not only innovative in the kitchen but she thinks outside the box when it comes to her philanthropic involvement.  She helps raise funds for Share Our Strength, a charity devoted to helping feed hungry children. When her book “The Girl in the Kitchen” debuted, she did a nationwide promotional tour.  In each stop at the various cities along the way she teamed up with a local chef for a fundraising dinner for SOS.  And if I didn’t already have enough about her to love, she also has a four legged furry friend like I have my Stella!

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Thanks Stephanie for being a wonderful Woman Crush Wednesday. You are truly a star and such an inspiration!  I wish you and your Hubby well on the birth of your new a baby. Very exciting times indeed in your household

Congrats and Chi town love,

YDP

Recipe: Bittersweet Poppyseed Cake

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While I get loads of wonderful comments about my baking, including this Poppyseed Cake recipe, what I am most proud of in life are my two children. They are beyond words, so I won’t even start.  But suffice it to say I love them with every ounce of my being.  And so, while I have spent the weekend here in Tennessee with my son and daughter in law, it is a bittersweet visit.  He will be deployed soon as part of his job and I won’t be able to see him for 9 months.  So when he asked me to bake him his favorite cake, I jumped at the chance.  I usually like to make it from scratch, but had to go with the quicker alternative.  However, the secret ingredient in all my recipes, which is LOVE, was ever present!  I’ll share the longer version another time since I have to head out for the airport now.  But until then, here is what you need for an unforgettable but quick treat!

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Ingredients

1 package Dunkin Hines Butter Golden Cake Mix

1 package Jell-O Vanilla Instant Pudding Mix (3.4 oz)

4 large eggs

1 small container sour cream (8 oz)

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup cream sherry

3/4 of a 2.6 oz bottle of poppy seeds

Powdered sugar

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine cake mix and pudding mix together. Then add eggs, sour cream, oil and cream sherry. Mix until smooth. Gently fold in poppy seeds.

Transfer batter to a greased and floured bundt pan. Bake for about 35- 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 20 minutes. Flip cake onto a plate and let cool another 20 minutes before dusting with powdered sugar.

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My daughter no longer blogs because she is a busy mommy of two and in the middle of getting a masters degree in social work.  However, when she did have a blog she wrote a lovely post about this poppyseed cake.  You can read it by clicking here.  It is amazing how much food can connect us and evoke such powerful feelings. I am excited to say I will be seeing my daughter and her family in a few weeks time.  But I look forward to another chance for all of us to be together in the New Year (which seems a long way away) when my son returns safe and sound. Until then we will savor the bittersweet memory of our time together this weekend with the last bits of this cake.

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Love beyond words,

YDP