Tag: monthly dinner club

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the travelling crockpot – nikki’s dinner no.4

first let me start by saying, hi, hey there!  it’s been awhile!  my life lately has been a sea of boxes.  josh and i moved to a new neighbourhood in toronto and are just getting settled in.  i hope to be less silent on here as soon as the last box is unpacked.  but until then, i think it’s time to share another crockpot dinner, so here she is!  the beauty that was nikki’s dinner.

it started off with vermouth soaked blackberries topped off with prosecco.  i lost count after 3 top ups of this delicious bubbly drink.

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next came a unique fruit salad. grapefruit, avocado, coconut, mint, blackberries and a sprinkling of salt.  super refreshing!

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a single radicchio leaf was topped with a tempura’d egg yolk that oozed when you bit into it, on diced smoked salmon dressed in capers & white wine vinegar.  the flavour combination had me wanting more.

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to end, the most decadent french toast i’ve ever had.  mascarpone-raspberry stuffed french toast with maple candied bacon.
MMM MMM MMM!  take me back to this night please!
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the travelling crockpot – nikki’s dinner |||

so i must confess – i did not have a fun time with my camera this evening and instead of perfecting anything, i dove right in, eating everything put before me.  i mean – can you blame me?  when it comes to describing the delicious food we feasted on that night at Nikki’s, well it’s difficult because sometimes you know, words can’t do the describing.  you gotta be able to taste the deliciousness!

but for you – i shall do my best.

we started off eating the most intriguing bread i’d had in a long time.  laced with blue cheese and walnuts it was amazing on it’s own and then when we got to the boeuf bourguignon – using it to get every last bit of juiciness from the bowl was key!
and don’t let me forget that soup.  that soup – white bean, sage and prosciutto was rich and creamy and smoky.  i’d eat it as a meal on it’s own that’s for sure!  the salad was fresh leafy greens tossed in a mustard-parmesan-garlic dressing and a parmesan crisp to top it off.

and then dessert – oh that cheesecake!  i think i licked the plate if i remember correctly.  the salted caramel sauce that was atop that cheesecake with perfect caramelized apples – delectable!

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until the next travelling crockpot – we actually have two crockpots this month!  a collective holiday feast and my dinner!  holiday pressure!

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the travelling crockpot – marisa’s dinner ||

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| snacks |
air popped popcorn tossed with hot sauce, chili powder and parmesan
candy skewers
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| main |
mini corn dogs served with honey dijon mustard and ketchup
beef sliders with caramelized onions and smoked blue cheese
pulled pork sliders
corn on the cob
veggie sticks with ranch dressing in a cup
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| dessert | strawberry graham cracker ice cream sandwiches
(graham cracker instead of cookie and frozen cool whip instead of ice cream)
| drink | white sangria
ever been to the canadian or pacific national exhibition?  we like to call it the CNE here in toronto and PNE in vancouver.
complete with fair rides, livestock, and ring toss games – marisa’s dinner was inspired by the fair!  i simply must get her recipe for the corn dogs, they were stellar and would teach me to get over my fear of deep-frying.
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the travelling crockpot – nikki’s dinner.

 

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on my walk home from Nikki’s house – i was in pain.  but the good kind.  the kind of pain you get when you stuff your face with the most flavourful food and your tongue and mouth can’t stop saying “more more more!”

the dessert?  silky, smooth, strawberry goodness.  i WILL be attempting to make the goat cheese pudding very soon.  i think it’ll become a new favourite go to.

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the travelling crockpot – marisa’s dinner.

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the ladies gathered for another evening of eating.

the theme?  BACON!

it was in EVERYTHING!

serious!

even in the brownie we had for dessert.
wait – what brownie you say!?
ya… i ate it before remembering i had a camera in my hand.  sorry!

the menu.
appetizer – a deconstructed BLT with avocado thrown in for extra yumminess… salad.
main & sides – bacon & boursin crusted beef tenderloin with braised apple bacon cabbage and bacon wrapped green beans.
dessert – bacon fudge brownies.

so good!  i can’t tell you how happy i am that we started this monthly occurrence… my tummy could though!

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the travelling crockpot – becky’s dinner.

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the week leading up to my dinner – i was panicked and flustered.  day in – day out.  for no good reason i might add.  just my own anxiety creeping up, taking over my body – what am i going to cook?  will they like it?  will it be enough?  all silly worrying in hindsight, but if i hadn’t felt that way. i probably wouldn’t have put as much love and care into my dinner – and no one needs that.

i knew i needed to challenge myself when creating this dinner – and so – i chose two things that made me incredibly nervous to cook – and i practiced them – on mohawk.  creme brûlée and pan frying chicken.

okay, so – you might be thinking – creme brûlée – sure!  but pan frying chicken!?!?!… come on becky.  i know, i know, but it’s true!  it was actually a cooking class where i first learned and gained any confidence to try it in my own kitchen.  before that?  i cooked the crap out of chicken in the oven, and that was it.  there was no other way i knew how (was willing to try) to make chicken.  talk about a dry piece of leather.  yuk!  i just had this fear of under cooking my chicken and therefore killing everyone in my process.  that’s fair right?  i think so.

with only iphones at our hands – and not caring too much about getting a picture – because after all, this is a group about EATING the food – not styling for photo taking – imagine my travelling crockpot dinner through the words on my menu.  i promise – next time – there will be photos.

i’m actually off to the third instalment of the travelling crockpot tonight!  stay tuned!  it’s been a complete mystery up until this point about what we’ll be having for dinner.  i can’t wait!