Truffles….It Tastes like Funky.

Nadine Spencer Indulgent Foodie | February 6th, 2010 - 4:50 pm

A truffle is a very powerful delectable. I am not talking about chocolate truffles; those are not true truffles. I am talking about the found in the ground; with a trained pig; looks like fungus – type of truffle.

How do you know if you have ever had the real thing? There’s only one way to describe the experience: It Tastes Like Funky!

There is no other way to describe it. Truffles are complicated oral sensations that are composed of overlapping, complimentary, yet deep tastes.

We recently made a very decadent popcorn in honor of the Toronto Film Festival. It was a huge success and ended up in some very exclusive swag bags for the celebrities in attendance. We wanted to recreate old-style movie popcorn flavor but we ended up surpassing it. I’ve never had popcorn this good. Each mouthful leaves you yearning for the next, before you have even swallowed the first. It is totally delicious and unique.

Christmas Mistake in the Kitchen Turns out to be Sheer Heaven.

Nadine Spencer Indulgent Foodie | January 2nd, 2010 - 4:55 am

I love everything about Christmas morning! So much in fact that Christmas morning for me starts the night before. Whether I’m making my pastry for my incredible Stilton Quiche that I only bake on Christmas morning, or getting pure cocoa from Jamaica prepped for Coco Tea (made from the actual cocoa bean in raw form).

This Christmas breakfast I added side bacon to the Stilton quiche and made home made scones. They were so good!
What made them priceless was that they were home made. Not from-a-box home made, from-scratch home made. As with all hand made products it’s the flaws that make it endearing. I used heavy cream and tripled the required butter (a slight mistake from misreading the line on the butter marker), however the result was heaven. They were little dollops of heaven. Steaming from the oven, we devoured them with double English cream and raspberry plum jam.

Supermarket Chicken with Plum and Onion Preserve

Nadine Spencer Indulgent Foodie | November 21st, 2009 - 1:44 am

chicken-quarterWhen in a rush, I admit it right here, sometimes I cheat :( .

One of my favourite easy to do recipe is to get a store bought rotisserie chicken (we all know about them, the ones the supermarket make on site in the in-store rotisserie that truly lacks flavour).

Add one cup of Chaloner Plum and Onion preserve to supermarket chicken, at 350 for 15 min uncovered. Try it!

Mom Needs Wine! Birthday Party for 18 Teens

Nadine Spencer Indulgent Foodie | October 31st, 2009 - 7:27 am

chYou know you’re good when 18 Teenagers at a Birthday Party loves your cooking.

Smart kids get parents to commit to the outrageous when they are not listening. I vaguely remember my daughter Danielle telling me about some birthday party and blah blah blah on Saturday. Sure I said as long as I’m not involved. Some more “blah blah” she says and I said OK.

Well those oks were that she would be sleeping over the night before the party and arrive at noon to receive guests at 1. As Murphy’s Law would go, things went wrong and Danielle did not get home until after the first two guests arrived. That was how I got to do all the things I had blocked out not hearing the blah blah blah’s.

Thank goodness I have some true and tried recopies. I made my Olive and Chilli BBQ chicken in the oven, home made fries, a slew of dips to go with the chips and veggies.

I only have two pieces of chicken to show as the vultures had the entire pan.

Their comments; “Mrs Spencer that was the best chicken ever”, “I had five pieces” “Wow my mom does not make chicken like that”…on and on.

Nadine’s Olive & Chilli BBQ Chicken
1 large pack of chicken drumsticks
Season to taste with salt and pepper
Add one grated onion and 6 pieces crushed garlic.
mix in 1 cup Chaloner Olive and Chilli preserve and 2 cups Q Gourmet Smokey BBQ Cooking sauce

if time allows let sit overnight in refrigerator (minimum time to marinate 1 hour is ok)

Bake at 350 in covered roasting pan for 1 hour (after hour drain off excess sauce, I usually save for sauces at a later time freeze till required.)

In a separate bowl combine 1 cup Chaloner Olive and Chilli preserve and 2 cups Q Gourmet Smokey BBQ Cooking Sauce and slowly brush on chicken.

Put in oven un-covered for half an hour allowing sauces caramelize on chicken.

Enjoy!

Tastes even better the next day if any left.