I'm a Twitter...er?

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It's time to see what all this Twitter business is about!

Playing With My Food now has it's very own Twitter account.  You can sign up to follow at @PlayingWMFood.

Does anyone have any Twitter tips to share with a newbie like me?  I am super green with this kind of stuff, and would love to hear from you!

Have a great day!
Megan

Easy Caprese Salad

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My mouth is watering from looking at these pictures.  Five ingredients.  Taste perfection.

Fresh juicy tomatoes, crisp fresh basil, chewy fresh mozzarella, all sliced and topped with balsamic vinegar and olive oil.  Fresh, fresh, fresh.

When I was in Italy earlier this year, The Hubby and I ate Caprese Salad every day.  I loved Caprese Salad so much there that it hurt (my waistline, but what else is new).  Arriving back in Canada, I worried that when I made it at home it wouldn't be the same.  But it was.  Thanks to the two-pack containers of fresh mozzarella at Costco for less than $10, I can make amazing Caprese Salads at home that taste just like someone's mama used to make me back in Italy.

Greek Yogurt Tzatziki

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Yeeeeeesssssssssahhhh I love tzatziki.

I have made tzatziki a few times in the past, and my attempts have been so-so, but I think that I have now finally discovered the best tzatziki recipe known to man.  It's sooooo good, and really easy too!  I found this recipe on Food.com, and made it as an accompaniment to my spanakopitas for a recent Greek-themed Supper Club night.

It's seriously a must-try recipe!  Do it!

Spanakopitas

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Spanakopitas...mmmmmm...I want you.

But!

Phyllo pastry is a total jerk.  The phyllo dough comes in paper-thin sheets, tears easily, dries out easily, gets too wet easily when you are trying, like, your hardest, not to dry it out, and just in general doesn't want to do the things you want it to do, especially when it's almost midnight on a Thursday night because you didn't start making spanakopitas until after Real Housewives of Orange County, and you have Greek Supper Club tomorrow night so you have to finish them, and you have to be up at 6am.

But...

Because your taste buds will be soooo happy, you should probably make these spanakopitas anyways, if you have the time to fuss.  They freeze beautifully, so I've been known to make a triple batch and keep them on hand in my freezer for something quick to pop into the oven and serve as an appy when friends and family come over.

I had Supper Club #2 last Friday at my friend Cleary's house, this time with a Greek theme.  Oh, supper club, and the amount of wine that flows.  Here's an excerpt from the evening:  At one point in the night, I accidentally tipped the glass coffee table over in Cleary's living room, causing it to fall to the floor.  The coffee table was fine, but what was on the coffee table, do you ask?  Oh, nothing...except two full bottles of red wine, three full glasses of red wine, and the game of Taboo (ironic).  I remember looking at the tipped over bottles of wine and slow-motion-watching the red fluid just chug-chug-chugging out them onto the floor.  The 'floor' was white carpet, that was now covered in broken shards of glass, copious amounts of red wine, and a soaked Taboo score-pad.  The next thing you know, all four girls are washing and spraying and vacuuming and wiping, in between all of the laughter.  If that happened at my house, there would have been no laughter, only faces with a look of sheer fear on them when they see my reaction to the disaster.  Kudos to my friend Cleary who actually commented afterwards that her living room looked cleaner than before we arrived.  That's what friends are for!  It's also good to know that I still hold the title for the spilliest girl in the world.  For this reason, my best friend Sheena doesn't approve of me buying white clothing when we are shopping together.  Well Sheena, I was wearing a white t-shirt at Cleary's house that night, so I guess one point for you.

Buffalo Chicken Tacos

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Oh, heyyyy.  How about I just take 3.85 weeks in between writing new posts?  K.  Thanks.

It's been so very sunny and hot, and I have been so very busy.  There's also the problem fact that I am so completely an 'all or nothing' person, that once I get out of a routine I really get out of a routine.  That's the reason that I will occasionally use for how little I go to the gym too (that would be the 'nothing' part of the 'all or nothing' that I refer to above).  And for how often I eat pizza (the 'all' part).  And for how many reality show series recordings I have scheduled on my PVR (again, the 'all' part).  And for how infrequently I water my plants, even in 32 degree Celsius weather (the 'nothing' part).  Routines are important.

Do you like Frank's Red Hot Sauce?  I do.  Of the six hot sauce varieties in our fridge, which yes are all necessary and each have their own important role, Frank's ranks at least second place in my heart/mouth/stomach.  This week, however, it's been in first place.  I just ate it a few minutes ago on popcorn.  And of course I also ate it a few days ago on these tacos.  The chicken in these tacos is doused in Frank's sauce before being wrapped up with all sorts of goodies like fresh avocado, cabbage, cilantro (come to mama), green onions, tomatoes, and ranch dressing.  I like it.  I like it a lot. (said in Lloyd's voice from Dumb and Dumber).

Classic Chicken Jambalaya

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In case you don't want to read this entire blog post, I will summarize.  The lessons to be learned here are that everyone needs a Jeff, and everyone needs this jambalaya.  I will explain...

Lesson 1:  Everyone needs a Jeff
There's something to be said about having a really great platonic friend of the opposite sex.  Some might scoff and say that it's impossible...that it's simplistic or unrealistic to think that two people of different genders can have a healthy, normal, nonphysical friendship.

Don't get me wrong, because for the most part I think that the scoffers are correct.  It is supremely difficult to find a person of the opposite gender who A) wants me to be good friends with someone of the opposite gender, B) wants to be just good friends with someone of the opposite gender, and C) after you get married, still fits into your life really well and even becomes (possibly probably better) friends with your spouse.

Well, I'm here to tell you that my (straight) friend Jeff and I have this type of friendship, and have since that first day in grade 8 when we watched the 1996 MTV Movie Award-winning slasher-film 'Scream,' and did not feel attracted to each other.  Jeff and I have never kissed,  hugging is even awkward, and he's one of my best friends.  It's the perfect male/female friendship.  I actually just got off the phone with him where a good part of the conversation was me tormenting him about how he is going to be the star of this blog post, so I'm tempted to tell a juicy story about him but will save it for another day.  Mwah ha ha, the power I hold!

Beef Stroganoff Casserole

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I'm not a huge craver of red meat, but occasionally the mood strikes.  It struck recently, so I made this Beef Stroganoff, and then The Hubby and I devoured it.

Oh, which reminds me that I should mention, but that way, that you need to make this Beef Stroganoff.

I recommend this as a Sunday night dinner, served with some crusty bread and a green salad.  Or, perhaps an extra-extra-large portion reheated on a Monday night with no side dish at all, while you watch The Bachelorette.  Or, even a few bites for breakfast, cold, out of the dish, standing in front of the glaring judgmental light of the refrigerator.  Any of those methods are all good ways to eat this dish, strictly speaking from experience.

This is the best Beef Strogranoff I have EVER eaten, hands down, and is much better than the Hamburger Helper one that I used to eat in my early 20's (slash ate recently when The Hubby made it for me).  There are quite a few steps involved in the dish, but they are all worth it and each one adds great flavour.    

Pina Colada Fruit Dip

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I'm pretty.

It's actually embarrassing how easy this dip is to make.

I haven't written a new blog post in a week, and yet here I am, just waltzing in with a cavalier attitude and this recipe.

Yawn...stretch

You can't even call it a recipe, really.

It's more like just two or three food items, that are in no way good for you, that you stir together in less than four minutes and serve.

But it's good.  Dang good.

There's something about dipping a food that is good for you into a food that's really bad for you that makes you feel like everything cancels out into net zero calories.  I like that feeling.

Farfalle With Broccoli

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Farfalle:  Fancy name for something that's already pretty dressed up...bow-tie pasta!  Hyuck hyuck hyuck!

Here's a super-easy and super-fast recipe for some pretty darn super-tasty pasta.  You could even call it Pasta Fasta if you wanted to.  No?  Only one lame comment allowed per blog post?  That's fair.

What's up pasta?  I've missed you.  It had been, what, three days after I got home from Italy when I made this recipe?  Forget the detox plan...I've got to have you.

This is an extremely easy recipe that I made because I just happened to have all of the ingredients on hand on a rainy Saturday afternoon.  The flavour was simple but good, and I would definitely make it again.

New Web Address - www.playingwithmyfood.net

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Hi guys,

I just wanted to let you know...

Playing With My Food has a new home at www.playingwithmyfood.net.  The old web addresses, www.ijustcantkeepmymouthshut.blogspot.com and www.ijustcantkeepmymouthshut.blogspot.ca are definitely still active and will redirect to the new address.

Tell me the truth - is this the most boring thing you have read all day?

Have a great day!
Megan

Peach Bellinis

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While in Italy earlier this month, I sampled some of the local bebitas (a very important Italian word that I got very well-acquainted with, meaning...drinks!); wine, beer, and even a bellini.  Ok, two bellinis.  But it was happy hour so technically with every drink purchased I saved more and more money.  It's basic financial management.  Plus...talk about delicious.

Back on this side of the globe, a few girlfriends from work and I have started a Supper Club, and last Saturday night was our first dinner.  The idea of Supper Club is that we get together every couple of months, sometimes with spouses and sometimes just the girls, and eat and drink.  Everything I love.

We all take turns hosting, and the host makes the main course, while the others take a turn at a course such as appetizer, soup/salad, dessert, and drinks.  We pick the theme and divvy up courses ahead of time by throwing names and theme ideas into a hat.  Themes can be anything...cuisine of a certain country, breakfast for dinner, all-meat, all-garlic (ok, that's just my dream theme)...anything goes.

Last Saturday's theme was...ITALIAN!!!!

The course I was put in charge of was...DRINKS!!!!

I'm on it, girls.

I found this Giada De Laurentiis recipe for bellinis online, and it was a major hit with the girls at Supper Club.  It's very simple to make, and a fun, tasty, 'something different' drink to serve at a girls night.

Roasted Asparagus Soup with Spring Lemon Gremolata

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Hello!  I'm sorry!  Come back!

If you are one of my two loyal readers, you may have noticed that Playing With My Food has been on a little bit of a hiatus for the past few weeks.  The Hubby and I have been nomads...Orlando and New Orleans for ten days, then a couple of weeks later over to Italy, Greece and Turkey for three more weeks.  Yep.  Amazing.

The problem with all of this is of course that I have no control of myself when I eat in a restaurant.  And since vacations mean continuously eating in one restaurant after another (my version of paradise in itself), I have had no control of myself for a very, very long time.

But the food...holy macaroni and canoles, the food!

I started off this eating extravaganza in Orlando at a work conference, where we scarfed down filet mignon and lobster for dinner two nights in a row, along with crab, prawns and oysters.  Plus wine and beer, of course.  Then over to New Orleans where it was jambalaya, gumbo, red beans and rice, etouffee, oysters, grits, fried chicken, and Strawberry Abitas.  We were lucky enough to be in N'awlins for crawfish season, and ate boiled crawfish for the first time...amazing!!!  Next was a Mediterranean cruise with out-of-this world cruise food (including all-day ice cream buffet) and stops in Turkey (meatballs, Turkish Delight, beer), Greece (gyros, souvlaki, baklava, beer), and finally over to Italy.  Oh, Italy...is there anything I didn't eat in your wonderful country?  If I thought I had eaten to my maximum capacity on the cruise ship, Italy showed me that I could push through and take it to the next level.  Pizza, Pasta, Gelato, Prosciutto, Pasta, Gelato, Cheese, Bread, Cheese, Pizza, Risotto, Bread, Pasta.  Wine wine wine limoncello wine wine wine.  Happiness.

And now here I am, back at home.  With my same clothes from before all of this last paragraph happened.  And they don't fit.  Definite first world problem.

8-Layered Greek Dip

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This dip is so nice that I made it twice...

within 24 hours of each other...

and ate more than my fair share of it both times...

resulting in a major garlic hangover on both occasions.

And it was soooo worth it.

I am a big fan, big fan, of the 7-layer Tex-Mex dip that everyone knows and loves.  I would guesstimate that I have eaten that dip roughly one million times in my life.  So when I saw the recipe for a 7-layer Greek dip on Pinterest recently, I had to try it.  I traced the recipe on Pinterest back to its original source, Better Homes and Gardens, changed a couple of things around, and added one extra layer for good measure (you're welcome orange and/or yellow bell peppers), for a total of 8 delicious layers of dip.  If you are one of my two regular readers (Hi mom and dad!), you may have noticed that I have been on a bit of a Greek kick lately.

The first night that I made this was as an appetizer for a get-together at our super awesome neighbours' house.  I have to credit my brother for the superb vegetable cutting skills that you see here:

Pretty nice eh?

I doubled the recipe this first night, and the whole thing disappeared (at least half of it in my stomach), with many requests for the recipe.  The next night I brought it as an appetizer to my parents' house for dinner, and again it was a hit.  Both nights I served with pita chips, which I think was the right choice as a scoop.

Let me break this thing down for you:

Classic Creamy Hummus

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Hummus!

Homemade hummus is one of those things that just tastes so much better to me than the store-bought version.  I think it's because the manufacturers of store-bought hummus just don't understand the minimum acceptable garlic requirement.  I want to notice the garlic in my hummus.  I want to feel awkward about my garlic breath after I have eaten my hummus.  I want to know the next day that I ate garlic the day before due to a full-on garlic hangover.  I love garlic.

This hummus recipe is a culmination of about eight different hummus recipes that I have used over the years.  And, I know that I should use dried beans and reconstitute rather than using canned beans, but canned have always tasted great to me (and they are way easier and less time-consuming to use).

I have toiled over how to get creamy and smooth hummus, and have determined that the secret is to puree half of the chickpeas before adding the rest of the ingredients with the second half of the chickpeas.

You can whip this batch of hummus together in less than five minutes, and be dunking carrot sticks and pita bread into it in no time.

Greek Quinoa Salad

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"Kwin-noah?"  - Me

I think I may officially be the last person to join in the craze, and so all I have to say is, "Is this bandwagon headed to the quinoa store please?"  Whole grain, healthy, gluten free, and it has been named one of the most complete foods in existence...no big deal!

And, did you know that this supergrain is actually not a grain at all, but a seed that is part of the spinach family?  I know that because I looked it up.

It's light, it's fluffy, it's fun (ok, maybe I'm pushing it?!), and it's my new favourite thing to cook with.  Keen-wah.

I threw this Greek Quinoa Salad together for dinner for The Hubby and me last week, and served it alongside a sundried tomato and basil marinated chicken breast.  The salad kept in the fridge for 4-5 days, and was awesome for lunches at work last week.  My hatred of leftovers is passionate, but this salad actually seemed to improve as the days passed.