What’s Cooking in Durham, Eat, Meet & Greet – Heritage Lunch Series

What’s Cooking in Durham – Eat, Meet & Greet Heritage Lunch Series  I live, I create, I enjoy. My passion for food and love of Durham Region inspired me to create a networking lunch event where friends and local business people can gather and enjoy lunch and casual networking at different restaurants in our area […]

Whitbylicious Summer Edition 2017

Whitbylicious Summer Edition 2017 in Durham Region. Featuring local restaurants offering wonderful prix-fixe menus for lunch and dinner between July 12 through to July 23, 2017.   Click here for website.  

BOWLED Over at the Noodles & Company World Kitchen

While  perusing my daily Facebook posts last Friday, I came across this post about a new Noodle joint opening in our area.  Being a devoted noodle (pasta) lover, I immediately clicked on it.  I thought hey, this is a pretty good deal; it was calling my name so I registered to get my free voucher for a […]

Noodles, thai hot pot Noodles, thai hot pot

Heavenly Lunch Fondly Remembered – A Tavola Experience

Last May I had the pleasure of taking out my assistant for her birthday to a quaint little bistro called ‘A Tavola’. A Tavola means ‘to the Table’.  This Tavola has many little tables nestled in a small plaza on Garden Street, at the corner of Meadow Glen Drive in Whitby.  At the time, A […]

Pete’s Smokey Burger

Summer Sizzling with Pete’s Smokey Burger Ingredients: 1.5 lbs of good quality ground beef 1/8 tspn onion salt 1/8 tsp garlic salt 1/8 tsp onion powder 1/8 tsp garlic powder ¾ tsp salt 4 – 6 dashes Worcestershire 1 Tspn Spanish Paprika (smokey) Vera (see photo) 1 egg Oregano 3 – 4 Tbsp – fresh […]

Pete's Smokey Burger Pete's Smokey Burger

Pizettes with Homemade Pasta Sauce

February 18th, 2013 admin Comments Off on Pizettes with Homemade Pasta Sauce

Pizettes are a great way to use up your leftover spaghetti sauce, bits of veggies, onions and cheese etc.

I always make sure to leave some extra sauce just for this purpose. I love it for lunches and quick snacks.pizette2

This time I utilized whole grain English muffins.  They are good but I confess I prefer white based products for my pizza and pasta fixings.

Top 4 slices of your non toasted muffin with your homemade pasta sauce. (can use can as well but nothing beats home sauce with meat that has simmered for hours).

I had on hand some pasta sauce (with ground beef and Italian sausages from Buckingham’s), try to get one little bitsy piece of sausage on each pizette for more yummilicious factor.  These sausages add so much flavour and depth to many dishes.

  • Add mozzarella cheese (or whatever you can find on hand)
  • Add some bits of onions, peppers (green, red or yellow)
  • Add some fresh tomato slices, not too large, or diced will do.
  • Add some meat salami or ham. (I used up some mortadella for something different and to finish up the last piece)
  • Optional, sprinkle with parm cheese.

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Bake in oven for 20 minutes or so at 375, until bubbling and heated through.

 

 

 

Tomato, Feta, Herb Olive Oil, Mission Fig Balsamic

Petite Salade a Tomate – Winter Version

February 18th, 2013 admin Comments Off on Petite Salade a Tomate – Winter Version

This is a simple salad inspired by a few olive oils and vinegars I had on hand.

During the Christmas holiday season, I visited OliveIt  in Whitby and purchased a sample kit of beautiful oils and vinegars.   I’ve enjoyed this handy mix of oils and vinegars for dipping with fresh breads, but today I decided to try a tomato salad with two of the products which include Black Mission Fig Balsamic and Herb de Provence Infused Olive Oil.

I’m so pleased to have found this lovely little shop. This balsamic isn’t your basic grocery store vinegar.  Right away when you drizzle a drop, you can see the nice thicker texture which gives way to awesome intense flavour.

Try this yummy but simple  tomato salad.  It is a great appetizer or can be enjoyed with various hors d’oeuvres such as prosciutto, genoa salamai, olives and hummus dip.

I enjoyed my salad as a main for my dinner.  Yes I finished all the tomatoes before they started getting too mushy.  As with my pasta, I can’t stand mushy tomatoes.  On many occasions I’ve had to throw them away, just one of these idiosyncrasies I have and I can’t seem to break it. 🙂  Also note, Campari tomatoes are most amazing for salads even in winter.  They cost about 4.99 but are so worth it.  For years I stopped eating tomatoes in the Winter, since they were not very good, but now I can enjoy these red jewels of yumminess in all my salads.  There are some good small cherry or grape tomatoes, however, for this recipe, the Campari works best.

tomato_salade_post

INGREDIENTS:

  • Campari tomatoes
  • Feta Cheese (thinly sliced)
  • Herb de Provence Olive Oil from OliveIt
  • Mission Fig Balsamic Vinegar from OliveIt
  • Sel Fume
  • Iceberg lettuce (shredded)

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Slice your tomatoes.
  2. Pour your vinegar in a small (very small) container.  Place a drop of this vinegar on the tomato with a small spoon.  The vinegar is intense and you don’t need a lot and I don’t drizzle from the bottle because I don’t want to bosh it.
  3. Pour some olive oil in a small container (separate from vinegar).  Again, place a drop of this oil on each tomato slice.
  4. Gently sprinkle salt (fume or your choice of salt) on each slice
  5. Top each slice with a very thin piece of feta cheese.
  6. Top with thin slices of iceberg lettuce.  (this adds a nice crunchiness to the tomato and feta bites)  You won’t need a lot.  Your shreds should be very thin and light on top of the tomato and cheese.

C’est bon n’est ce pas?

 

 

 

Beautiful – Day or Night

February 7th, 2013 admin Comments Off on Beautiful – Day or Night

“Bella” is related to the Italian and Latin words meaning beautiful.

“Notte” means night.

Bella Notte = Beautiful Night!

Almost in my backyard, is a special Ristorante known as Bella Notte.  I’ve been enjoying their fine food for over a decade now.  Florence, Rome, Pompeii, beautiful Italy, look no further, authentic Italian cuisine is closer than you think.  Whether it is a beautiful night (or day) at Bella Notte Ristorante, you will be served classic Italian food.

The Guzzo family has roots in Durham going back at least 50 years.  Their calabriaItalian heritage stems from the Calabria area, part of the little Italian boot.  Calabria is also famous for Lydia’s Italy, featured on the Food Network.  Lydia Bastianich features many simple but delicious dishes from the surrounding region and provinces.  She is one of the most beloved Italian chefs today.

Bella Notte also offers delicious authentic dishes in a traditional comfortable setting.  The décor is simple, yet the tables are nicely dressed with crisp white tablecloths.  I love this look and appreciate this as it isn’t something you see very often in restaurants.

Recently, I had the opportunity of enjoying a fine lunch with a client and as usual Bella did not disappoint.

My starter was the usual scrumptious Crostini, rubbed with fresh garlic, topped with fresh basil, sliced vine tomatoes and shaved parmesan cheese.  This appetizer is a ‘must have’ when you visit Bella Notte.  It isn’t the usual soggy cheese garlic bread you get in fast food joints.  Although garlicky it is extremely worth it.  It’s the only time I enjoy garlic since so many recipes are overdone with garlic spices.  With this Crostini dish you can indulge and welcome it.  Afterwards, just don’t breathe on anyone for 2 days and you will be okay.  🙂

My main course for lunch comprised of a good size serving of lightly breaded veal, thin and crunchy, topped on a bed of mellow arugula, scented with fresh lemon wedges, extra virgin olive oil and sprinkled with capers.  The spicy fresh grated pepper kissed my lips and blended nicely with the peppery zest of arugula, intermingling with the crunchy veal and fresh salad.  Combine this medley and your mouth will experience a Food Somersault™.bella_notte_ristorante_1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bella Notte was very pleased to have been featured as one of the Whitbylicious dining programs which launched January 24 and ended on February 7, 2013.  There were 9 participating restaurants offering a three-course prix fixe lunch and dinner menus envisioned by some of the best culinary virtuosos in the Durham Region.  You can read more about this exciting event at www.whitbylicious.com.  We look forward to the next culinary event.

Is there an upcoming special event in your life?  Bella Notte can be of assistance with their private banquet room.  They can accommodate up to 140 people.  Their catering expertise and background offers an array of delicious options for any occasion.

As they say in Italy, Ciao i miei amici. Please visit their site for more information, (www.bellanotte.ca), their menus and sign up for the newsletters and also visit Facebook as they will be featuring another contest in early March. The Facebook site features delectable photos that will entice your taste buds leading you to their fine Italian eatery.

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