It's Burger Season

With the summer weather settling in it only makes sense to turn to the BBQ.

One of the first things I made when I returned from Italy (besides a giant salad..) was homemade burgers. A summer time classic that I like to use as my blank canvas - whatever you're feeling that day, throw it in the bowl! For the burgers featured here I was craving a smoky flavour so in went the bacon!

Homemade bacon burgers

Bacon Burgers:

Lean, ground beef

1-2 eggs (depending on amount of beef used)

Several strips of bacon, cut into small pieces

1-2 finely diced garlic cloves

Few dashes of Worcestershire sauce

Few splashes of your favourite BBQ sauce (I used Jack Daniels Barbecue Sauce)

Couple sprinkles of bread crumbs

Salt & Pepper to taste

Mix well with hands, continue to add bread crumbs until beef mixture is firm enough to form patties (but still soft enough to be moist & delicious! - Use your own discretion & go by feel.)

Throw on the BBQ until your desired done-ness, add your favourite bun & condiments, & enjoy!

Bacon burger with old cheddar, mayo, tomato, pickles, & onion

 The great thing about homemade burgers is that they allow you to get creative with flavours (I also like adding salsa to my beef burgers), condiments, & and buns - if you have a favourite homemade burger please post a comment & share!

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Seafood by the seashore

Sorrento is one of my favorite places in Italy. The narrow, winding streets are filled with little shops & quaint restaurants. The Bay of Naples is always just a short walk a way where the view is breathtaking. Plus being on the coast means no shortage of seafood!

Mussels, clams, & prawns oh my!

I had the classics - mussels in a spicey tomato sauce, spaghetti a la clams & seafood risotto. Had to throw in some grilled veggies in balsamic for our conscience!

I will definitely be recreating the spaghetti with clams once I return home (keep an eye out for the post with the recipe!) & have finished my pasta detox. But I can start the grilled veggies as soon as I get home! I just need to find me some authentic Italian balsamic!

Don't forget my daily serving of gelato. Yes, it has become a daily afternoon ritual; a ritual that will sadly come to a halt very soon :(

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Under the Tuscan Sun

I have been surrounded by vineyards & olive trees for the past few days... & I love it (shocker!)

Yesterday we drove through the hills of Tuscany, stopping for photo opps & for a vineyard tour.

Fattoria San Michele a Torri is a 15th century, organic vineyard that produces different varieties of Chianti wine, extra virgin olive oil, bread, cheese, prosciutto, & pancetta. Learning about the wine making is interesting but the tasting is my favorite part!

Pancetta was something I hadn't had before in its simplest form - in English it is referred to as Tuscan bacon for its high fat content, similar to the bacon we know. It is a cured meat & can be eaten without frying it. The pancetta from this vineyard was melt in your mouth goodness, rich with spices & flavour. It was hard to stop eating... Except when I remembered it was more fat than meat!

It is a nice addition to any sandwich or pasta dish though. If you see it in your local grocer treat yourself & give pancetta a try.

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Ahhhh Italiaa

I swear I lived here in another life.
I absolutely love Italy. The wine & pasta of course, but all the history & the beautiful country side just kicks my imagination into high gear.

I was in Venice for the past two days & got caught up in the old world beauty of it that I forgot my foodie duties. My first meal among the canals was pizza! - a very satisfying thin crust with artichokes, mushrooms, & ham. On the gondola I indulged in a Italian fave of mine, Bellini. For dinner I enjoyed some grilled veggies, fresh pesto spaghettini, & gelato (obviously!)

Today took me from Venice cross country to La Spezia & I had a unique pasta dish on the Cinque Terre. I had a local pasta dish called trofini pasta with pesto. Tell me if you can tell the difference between the pasta & a plate of green beans!

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Patios & Perogies

Nothing like an ancient square ringed with open patios to get me in the mood for some Polish fare.

My first meal in Krakow was a traditional Polish soup called Zurek - a nice clear broth with chunks of kielbasa/Polish sausage & potatoes, & a plate of perogies. The English translation read "meat dumplings with greaves"... Wasn't sure what greaves were but it turned out to be little bits of crispy fat! Haha super delicious, especially with a pint of the local beer!

The weather here is similar to back home in Ontario, just a little ahead in the season. Yesterday was grey & rainy but it fitted our tour of Auschwitz.

Today was beautiful, sunny & warm!
a gorgeous day to just stroll around Krakow, taking in the sights & hitting up some patios!

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Who likes cabbage?

I like cabbage... But I cant say I like it enough to eat it every day like I have been here in Krakow.
Cabbage seems to be an essential side dish coming in different salads, steamed & fried & pickled versions. I like the cold salads but I honestly think I'll be happy without seeing cabbage for the rest of my trip!

I couldn't leave Poland without having a traditional Polish sausage & it was deliciously grilled. And served with, of course, cabbage!

The weirdest thing I tried in Krakow was what they serve with your bread. It looks like lard... & it is lard. With chunks of something I don't know... But I had to try it!
Needless to say I don't think I'll have it again!

We are off to Venice tonight! :)

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Off to Europe!

Well I am officially on my European getaway!
First stop - Krakow, Poland!
I will be blogging when I find wifi so keep an eye out :)

I am traveling with my parents & they like to travel with a little extra so I get to tag along in the executive lounges at the airports & fly business class for the first time!
What gets me more excited than my own little bed on board? The delicious food & beverages pre- flight & in the air!

Since I will be in Italy for most of the trip I figured I'd start my trip with a little vino & a few ravioli! My diet is on vacation too...

Ciao for now!

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Pass the carrots please

Another birthday, another cake... but this time I had a less traditional birthday cake request - Carrot Cake!

This would be another first for me so I did a little research & came across Alton Brown's (the host from a guilty pleasure of mine, Iron Chef America) recipe. This recipe does not include anything fancy, no nuts or raisins which is fine by me! It does have 2 cups of carrots though! So that means I can skimp on veggies for dinner right?

Patiently waiting for the cream cheese frosting.

Finished product!

The icing turned out beautifully, very easy to spread over the cake. In hindsight I should have used it for the writing as well. Instead I used CakeMate's Cookie Icing (I had some left over from Christmas baking) & it tends to spread out making it look a little messy. Something to remember for next time!

It was a deliciously moist cake, full of spices & flavour... & a little extra veg in there too!

If you are looking for the recipe you can find it HERE! 

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