Today was a quiet day. We went back to Cordina for breakfast. This time we had an English breakfast that had 2 eggs, 2 sausages, a little bit of "bacon", beans and toast. The sausages were far from greasy, and had nice flavour. The bacon was more like ham and a little salty. I had a cappuccino, and Joe had an espresso and a cappuccino. I was able to speak fairly decent Maltese with the waiter. Joe just loved hearing the back and forth.
It seems that we skip lunch. The food we have in the morning seems to hold us for quite a while. We just get a small snack to hold us until supper. Today we had strizzi. Strizzi are strips of almond filled cookie with icing on top. Mom makes them often. They are like strips of figolli. These ones were kind of bland. The icing was too sweet and lacked taste and the almonds could have used more almond essence. We were expecting something like mom's, and were very disappointed. The price was right! 35c for something just a bit smaller than an O'Henry bar. We only got them because the Dates Kiosk was closed; therefore, we couldn't get imqaret. We won't make that mistake again!
For supper, we were invited to our Aunty Tessie's home for a get together with her family. She served us pastizzi, sausage rolls and pizza. The sausage rolls were made with tiny little sausages. I guess we'd call them cocktail weenies. The pizza was homemade, and it reminded us of mom's pizza. Joe and I tried Kinney, which is a common Maltese beverage. It is like a cola, but is bitter with a hint of orange. Joe thought it was interesting, and I still don't like it. I remember trying it when I was visiting 21 years ago. I didn't like it then, and I don't like it now. It looks like watered down coke, but it sure isn't coke!
Tomorrow is a busy day, and I'm sure I'll have some more interesting things to say :)
Ciao,
Lisa
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Friday, October 21, 2011
Malta-Day2
Today we started off at a place called Eddie's. Dad's talked about it many times. We thought we'd have a quick breakfast there. We tried their pastizzi, but they weren't as good as the ones from Cordina's. Everyone makes them slightly different. I fed the pigeons that were walking all around us a few of the flakes from the pastry, and I quickly became popular :)
We seemed to have skipped lunch altogether, but for supper, we met up with Aunty Mary and her friend Eugene. They took us to a place called St. James. It is located in a cultural centre. To get to the restaurant, you pass a number of interesting sculptures and artifacts. Joe and I each had a Pizza Toscana. It was one of the day's specials. The pizza had mozzarella, Parma ham and spinach. It was quite tasty. Being a thin crust, it was cooked well and was able to hold the toppings without them falling back onto the plate. For dessert, I ordered a cannoli and Joe had an interesting ricotta torte. I can't remember the name, but it had marzipan on top. We shared them so that we could sample them both without overindulging.
Something I find interesting here, is that everyone drinks bottled water. Some places charge an exorbitant amount of money for a 2L bottle. When we were walking in a town called Marsaskala today, we saw so many discarded bottles, it was sad. I think they recycle the bottles because there are bins that are specifically labeled.
More adventures to come!
Ciao,
Lisa
We seemed to have skipped lunch altogether, but for supper, we met up with Aunty Mary and her friend Eugene. They took us to a place called St. James. It is located in a cultural centre. To get to the restaurant, you pass a number of interesting sculptures and artifacts. Joe and I each had a Pizza Toscana. It was one of the day's specials. The pizza had mozzarella, Parma ham and spinach. It was quite tasty. Being a thin crust, it was cooked well and was able to hold the toppings without them falling back onto the plate. For dessert, I ordered a cannoli and Joe had an interesting ricotta torte. I can't remember the name, but it had marzipan on top. We shared them so that we could sample them both without overindulging.
Something I find interesting here, is that everyone drinks bottled water. Some places charge an exorbitant amount of money for a 2L bottle. When we were walking in a town called Marsaskala today, we saw so many discarded bottles, it was sad. I think they recycle the bottles because there are bins that are specifically labeled.
More adventures to come!
Ciao,
Lisa
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Malta-Day1
After a crazy travel day, well 36 hours, we finally arrived in Malta. I'm not counting that day.
Today we started off with brunch at a little restaurant called Cordina. I say brunch because it was about 11:30 when we ate. We met up with my Aunty Mary for a day wandering Valletta. At Cordina, it is a very fancy looking place on the inside. The pastries looked to die for, but we will partake in those later. We ordered pastizzi, which are a Maltese pastry filled with either meat/peas or ricotta cheese. They were with puff pastry, which isn't the traditional dough and the kind my mom does, but they were awesome nonetheless. Joe had an espresso, and my aunt and I had cappuccino. That was a great start to our day!
After walking around for about 4 hours, we found a stand that had a common Maltese treat called Imqarret. Imqarret are a traditional date square unlike what we think of as date squares. These are squares of pastry with a date filling that are deep fried. When we got ours, they were piping hot and not greasy at all! I don't ususally like the ones my mom makes, sorry mom, but these were really tasty! We'll have to stop there again!
For supper, we found this nice little place called Capistrano on Old Bakery Street. There were no more than 10 tables, and we were lucky enough to get the second last table. We had an antipasti platter with different salamis, prosciutto, ricotta salata, and brie. It was a nice starter. Then I ordered a penne dish with porcini mushrooms and Joe ordered a sea bass. I must say, the pasta was far from boring. With shaved Parmesan, how could you go wrong? The pasta stayed hot to the last piece, and I was taking my time. I sampled the sea bass, and it was pretty good. I'm not one for fish, but I could handle that one.
I can't wait to see what we find tomorrow!
Ciao!
Lisa
Today we started off with brunch at a little restaurant called Cordina. I say brunch because it was about 11:30 when we ate. We met up with my Aunty Mary for a day wandering Valletta. At Cordina, it is a very fancy looking place on the inside. The pastries looked to die for, but we will partake in those later. We ordered pastizzi, which are a Maltese pastry filled with either meat/peas or ricotta cheese. They were with puff pastry, which isn't the traditional dough and the kind my mom does, but they were awesome nonetheless. Joe had an espresso, and my aunt and I had cappuccino. That was a great start to our day!
After walking around for about 4 hours, we found a stand that had a common Maltese treat called Imqarret. Imqarret are a traditional date square unlike what we think of as date squares. These are squares of pastry with a date filling that are deep fried. When we got ours, they were piping hot and not greasy at all! I don't ususally like the ones my mom makes, sorry mom, but these were really tasty! We'll have to stop there again!
For supper, we found this nice little place called Capistrano on Old Bakery Street. There were no more than 10 tables, and we were lucky enough to get the second last table. We had an antipasti platter with different salamis, prosciutto, ricotta salata, and brie. It was a nice starter. Then I ordered a penne dish with porcini mushrooms and Joe ordered a sea bass. I must say, the pasta was far from boring. With shaved Parmesan, how could you go wrong? The pasta stayed hot to the last piece, and I was taking my time. I sampled the sea bass, and it was pretty good. I'm not one for fish, but I could handle that one.
I can't wait to see what we find tomorrow!
Ciao!
Lisa
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Easy Eggplant Parmesean
When you think of eggplant parmesan, I'm sure you think it is a drawn out process. I used to think that too. I've been watching a show called Best Recipes Ever, and they had a lightened up eggplant parm. I've lightened it up even more. Their recipe had the eggplant breaded. I've found that just roasting the eggplant was sufficient. This is what I did...
1-2 eggplants
parmesean cheese
salt and pepper
jarred or homemade tomato/pasta sauce
Take an eggplant and slice it in 1/2" slices. Arrange the slices on a greased piece of foil on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle the eggplant with a little salt, pepper, and olive oil on both sides. Bake in a 425F oven for about 15-20 minutes, flipping once.
Layer the eggplant on your plate with the sauce and a little sprinkle of parmesean. You control how saucy and cheesy the dish is. I'm not a huge fan of tons for sauce, so this recipe is perfect.
This recipe doesn't take long and is great for a meatless meal! I add extra vegetables by making my own sauce with mushrooms, onions, garlic, herbs, etc. Shredded zucchini, carrots, and peppers are also a great addition.
Enjoy!
1-2 eggplants
parmesean cheese
salt and pepper
jarred or homemade tomato/pasta sauce
Take an eggplant and slice it in 1/2" slices. Arrange the slices on a greased piece of foil on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle the eggplant with a little salt, pepper, and olive oil on both sides. Bake in a 425F oven for about 15-20 minutes, flipping once.
Layer the eggplant on your plate with the sauce and a little sprinkle of parmesean. You control how saucy and cheesy the dish is. I'm not a huge fan of tons for sauce, so this recipe is perfect.
This recipe doesn't take long and is great for a meatless meal! I add extra vegetables by making my own sauce with mushrooms, onions, garlic, herbs, etc. Shredded zucchini, carrots, and peppers are also a great addition.
Enjoy!
Thursday, September 15, 2011
mmmm...I love wheat berries!
Okay, wheat berries doesn't sound as enticing as Turtles, but still good! A few of the cooking shows I watch have mentioned farro as a great substitute for rice. After doing a little bit of research on what the heck farro was, I found out that they are wheat berries. Wheat berries, or hard wheat kernels, are available at your local bulk store. They don't look like much, kind or boring until you cook them and jazz them up. One cup of dry wheat berries will cook up to just over 3 cups! If you soak them for at least 12 hours before cooking them, it really cuts down on cooking time. When you're ready to cook them, drain and rinse the soaked berries. Put them in a pot with about 2 cups water to 1 cup berries. Cook until chewy, about 40 min. I've heard they are great in salads too. They stay a while in the fridge so you can cook a bunch and use them when you'd like.
This is the salad I love. It is a Waldorf salad with homemade dressing. This is what I do.
Per 1 cup of dry wheat berries
Dressing:
1/3 cup mayo or plain yogurt
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1 tsp sweatener (I use honey)
about 2 tbsp fresh lemon or lime juice
1-2 celery stalks, chopped
1 medium apple, chopped
handful of walnuts or pecans
handful of raisins
Beat the dressing with a fork until uniform. Add as much as you see fit. Toss with the celery, apple, nuts and/or raisins.
If you don't think you'll finish eating the batch that day, I recommend adding the nuts when you eat it. That way you still have the crunch. I haven't tried raisins, but I imagine it will balance the dressing nicely. This recipe is great the next day too! Makes a satisfying lunch or side dish.
Hope you like it too!
Lisa
This is the salad I love. It is a Waldorf salad with homemade dressing. This is what I do.
Per 1 cup of dry wheat berries
Dressing:
1/3 cup mayo or plain yogurt
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1 tsp sweatener (I use honey)
about 2 tbsp fresh lemon or lime juice
1-2 celery stalks, chopped
1 medium apple, chopped
handful of walnuts or pecans
handful of raisins
Beat the dressing with a fork until uniform. Add as much as you see fit. Toss with the celery, apple, nuts and/or raisins.
If you don't think you'll finish eating the batch that day, I recommend adding the nuts when you eat it. That way you still have the crunch. I haven't tried raisins, but I imagine it will balance the dressing nicely. This recipe is great the next day too! Makes a satisfying lunch or side dish.
Hope you like it too!
Lisa
Sunday, September 04, 2011
Best Popcorn Ever!
My best friend, Heather, got me hooked on PC Sweet and Salty Kettlecorn. Let me tell you, that stuff if nuts. In a search to find a cheaper way to get my fix, I found the easiest thing ever. The recipe was designed for plain popped popcorn, but I found microwave popcorn works too! This is all it takes.
2 tbsp melted butter
2 tbsp sugar
1 bag of popped popcorn
Pop the popcorn, then melt the butter. Mix the sugar with the butter. Drizzle the butter mixture over the popcorn with a spoon and toss for better distribution. Like the store bought stuff, not every kernel will get covered, but still oh so tasty.
If you like the sweet and salty popcorn, you've got to try this!
Enjoy!
Lisa
2 tbsp melted butter
2 tbsp sugar
1 bag of popped popcorn
Pop the popcorn, then melt the butter. Mix the sugar with the butter. Drizzle the butter mixture over the popcorn with a spoon and toss for better distribution. Like the store bought stuff, not every kernel will get covered, but still oh so tasty.
If you like the sweet and salty popcorn, you've got to try this!
Enjoy!
Lisa
Thursday, September 01, 2011
My Favourite Taco Seasoning
I didn't grow up with many ethnic influences when it came to food. It was mainly Maltese dishes or meat+potatoes types of meals. Since being on my own, I have learned how many other cuisines that are out there and have awesome flavours. One such cuisine is Mexican. I love fajitas, tacos, guacamole and other concoctions of their foods.
After watching a number of episodes of The Rachael Ray Show, I noted her use of a basic taco seasoning in a variety of dishes. I have to give her credit for this one. I use a ton of it, so I make batches and keep it in a jar. Here it is:
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp ground coriander
1 tbsp ground cumin
When I mix this seasoning, I don't add salt until I use it. I just sprinkle the seasoning on the food as I am cooking it, so no added water is needed when starting with raw ingredients. If using on precooked meat or rice, you might want to add some water so when it is warming up, it absorbs the flavour of the spice.
Packaged taco seasoning has so much salt and other junk, it is a turn off. I add salt to taste so I can control how much salt is in our food. This seasoning can be used on turkey, chicken, pork, beef, and even veggies. I haven't tried it on fish or tofu, but I'm sure it would work wonders.
Keep a few batches of this in a jar and add how much of it you want! You won't regret it :)
Bon apetito!
Lisa
After watching a number of episodes of The Rachael Ray Show, I noted her use of a basic taco seasoning in a variety of dishes. I have to give her credit for this one. I use a ton of it, so I make batches and keep it in a jar. Here it is:
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp ground coriander
1 tbsp ground cumin
When I mix this seasoning, I don't add salt until I use it. I just sprinkle the seasoning on the food as I am cooking it, so no added water is needed when starting with raw ingredients. If using on precooked meat or rice, you might want to add some water so when it is warming up, it absorbs the flavour of the spice.
Packaged taco seasoning has so much salt and other junk, it is a turn off. I add salt to taste so I can control how much salt is in our food. This seasoning can be used on turkey, chicken, pork, beef, and even veggies. I haven't tried it on fish or tofu, but I'm sure it would work wonders.
Keep a few batches of this in a jar and add how much of it you want! You won't regret it :)
Bon apetito!
Lisa
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)