easy grilled chicken wings

So no, this isn't a picture of the chicken wings :)
This is my son Amari.
He had a birthday this weekend, Saturday.
He turned four!

Unfortunately for me, he wasn't here with me to celebrate.
He's in Manchester visiting his grandparents.
He's been gone for a week and a half and has two more weeks to go so needless to say, I'm super lonely!

This was the cake last year when he was obsessed with Diego and Dora.
My cousin Kamilah is a baker and does his cake every year.
This year he had a football cake over in England.
We skyped so I got to see the cake and sing happy birthday and all that.

So let's tie Amari in with these chicken wings shall we.
If he were here, he would have wanted macaroni and cheese with chicken.
I made these wings because he loves chicken and he loves these.
They are small so easy for him to eat.

So as I promised, these are the easiest wings ever and this recipe can easily be doubled or tripled.
You need 8 to 10 wings, a tablespoon of your favourite grill seasoning and a tablespoon of olive oil.
I forgot to take a pic of the ingredients.

Mix the ingredients together in a bowl or plastic bag.
You can marinate them overnight, for a few hours or cook immediately depending on how much time you have.
Either way they will taste great.

When you are ready to cook, heat a grill pan or grill.

Grill until brown on each side, about 5 minutes per side then flip.

Once browned, finish wings in a 400 degree oven until cooked through, about 15 minutes.

Enjoy!


Easy Chicken Wings
8 to 10 chicken wings
1 tablespoon of your favourite grill seasoning
1 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions
1. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl or plastic bag.
2. Marinate for a few hours or cook straight away.
3. Grill on a grill pan or grill for five minutes per side or until browned.
4. Finish in a 400 degree oven until cooked though, about 15 minutes.

local eats

You all know by now how much I love food.
I love to cook and I certainly love to eat :)

But sometimes I can't be bothered to cook especially in this heat.
On the weekends, I rarely cook.
I will either take Amari to Swizzle Inn or throw on hot dogs, turkey burgers or make a quick pizza or nachos.

On Friday evening, I ate at The Newport, a Gastropub at the Fairmont Southampton with the lovely Jamahl Simmons and Xavier, a visiting journalist.
It's been revamped from the old Newport Room, a fine dining and expensive spot.
And has a fabulous maitre'D, Shawn Lekki :)

The Newport is casual, has a new menu, of a ton of beers to try and a relaxed atmosphere.
You don't even need a reservation!
Because it's a Gastropub, it's a modern take on a British pub so there is pub food along with modern, innovative items.

I had no idea what I was going to get, but I started my meal with an Oceantini.
It was soo good.
Very refreshing with a great coconut flavour :)
The amazing thing about this drink is that it isn't on the menu.
I had heard about it for years as a signature drink at the Fairmont Southampton but had never tried it.
Lucky for me, the staff went above the call of duty and got the ingredients to make it for me :)

PS I realise this photo is crap but I wanted to hurry and drink it.
This was my second Oceantini and I couldn't wait to down it!

And because I am greedy, I always start my meals out with an appetizer :)
This menu had appetizers starting at $7, salads, and then heartier appetizers.

There was a starter called Devils on Horseback which were prunes stuffed with blue cheese, wrapped in prosciutto and then flash fried.

But it was the poutine that spoke to me.

I love French fries and I love cheese so I figured it was the perfect starter for me :)
For those of you who aren't familiar with poutine, it started as French Canadian street food, basically fries covered in cheese and gravy.
This was a gourmet version of poutine and it was excellent!

For my main, I couldn't decide between the roast chicken and the steak.
I know, I know, sounds like a silly choice.
I always order steak or fish when I go out because I figure I can always have chicken.
But the waiter assured me the chicken was the best dish in his opinion so I said sure.
Xavier ordered the steak and said we could share.

The chicken was very good, I must say.
It was moist and the skin was crispy.
It came on top of bed of amazing mashed potatoes and a mushroom gravy.
But unfortunately, it wasn't what I would consider the best dish on the menu.

The steak on the other hand was incredible.
Unfortunately, I didn't get a photo of it but it was sirloin with fries, arugula and bone marrow.
It was cooked perfectly and the flavour was outstanding.
I'm such a steak and potatoes girl :)

By now, you would think I would be full.
But oh no, not this girl :)
I am never too full for dessert!
I am obsessed with dessert and 9 times out of 10, will order it.
This time around, I got a chocolate tart with stewed cherries and sour cream ice cream.
I can't quite remember the name of the dish but it was fantastic.

It was the perfect ending to a great meal!

I will be heading back to the The Newport this weekend to celebrate my bestie Alia's birthday.
I will have the steak and be sure to take a proper photo of it :)

the BEST macaroni and cheese

Macaroni and cheese is probably my single favourite thing to eat.
I have loved macaroni for years and years and always pick it over the other sides on the table.
As my fellow Bermudians know, we eat tons of macaroni and it's just about everyone's favourite side.

That being said, not everyone can make amazing mac and cheese.
Some people make it with a tomato based sauce, some do a cream of mushroom and cheese base and others make a white (bechamel) sauce and add cheese to that.

I've tried all of these varieties and while they are pretty good, I always knew I could make better.
Enter this recipe.

I was watching Food Network's Best Thing I Ever Made show and it featured chef Sunny Anderson making spicy mac and cheese.
The recipe intrigued me so I had to find it and try it out.
I did and then added my own tweaks to make it my recipe.

The key to this mac and cheese and using a few different kinds of cheeses.
I use colby, monterey jack and sharp cheddar.
But you can find a mix that works for you.
It's better to buy the cheese and grate it yourself but I had to buy what I could find.
Also, there is so white sauce to make so it's a pretty quick an easy recipe to throw together in 20 minutes.
So let's go!

Here's what you need:

1 box macaroni
1 pint light cream
1 egg
2 tablespoons sour cream
2 tablespoons flour (not in the picture)
4 cups of cheese (monterey jack, colby and cheddar)
few grinds of fresh pepper
salt to taste
few grates of nutmeg
squeeze or two of sriracha

Boil a large pot of water and add macaroni and salt.

While the pasta is boiling, mix the remaining ingredients except cream and cheese.

Whisk together and then add cream.

Drain pasta then add cream mixture to the pot with the pasta.

Then add three cups of the cheeses, a mix of the three would work well.

Mix it all together then taste to see if there is enough salt.
You want there to be plenty salt.

Right now, I just want to eat it by the spoonful!
But I should probably let it bake :)

Next, pour it into a greased casserole dish.

Top with remaining cheese and put in a preheated 425 degree oven.

Bake until cheese is bubbly and brown, about 15 minutes or so.

Oh yea baby!

Do you see why I LOVE macaroni and cheese :)

Get a fork and enjoy!


The Best Macaroni and Cheese
1 box macaroni

1 pint light cream

1 egg

2 tablespoons sour cream

2 tablespoons flour (not in the picture)

4 cups of cheese (monterey jack, colby and cheddar)

few grinds of fresh pepper

salt to taste

few grates of nutmeg

squeeze  or two of sriracha

Instructions
1. Put a large pot of water on the stove and boil.
2. Add macaroni and salt
3. Meanwhile, mix remaining ingredients except cheeses and cream.
4. Whisk together and then add cream.
5. Drain pasta and return to pot.
6. Add cream mixture and three cups of cheese to the pot.
7. Stir together and taste.
8. Add more salt if needed.
9. Pour into a greased casserole dish.
10. Bake in a preheated 425 degree oven until cheese is bubbly and brown.
11. Enjoy!

salted caramel brownies

To say I am excited to share these with you is an understatement. 

I love brownies and have loved them for awhile.
Like many, I grew up making them out of a Betty Crocker or Duncan Hines box.
Sometimes, I would add in chocolate chips or nuts to make them fun.
A few years ago, I made my first batch of homemade brownies and they were amazing.
I've been hooked ever since and try out various brownie recipes from time to time.
Now as I said in the last post, salted caramel is amazing so brownies with salted caramel would have to be absolutely outstanding!
And they are.
I found this recipe on a few sites including Baked Bree and Brown Eyed Baker and knew I had to try them.

So let's go!

You will need:

1 1/4 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

11 ounces bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate

2 sticks of butter

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

5 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 tablespoon Kahlua

sea salt and sugar for sprinkling 

salted caramel

In a small bowl, combine flour, salt and cocoa powder. 

Melt butter and chocolate in a double boiler on the stove or in the microwave.

Stir the chocolate until smooth then add both sugars. 

 Whisk in the eggs.

Then add the Kahlua and vanilla.

Slowly stir in flour mixture.

Line  a 9x13 pan with parchment paper or foil and pour in half the batter, then cover with a few dollops of salted caramel.

Cover with remaining batter.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.

Sprinkle sea salt and sugar on top once the brownies come out.

Cool completely and enjoy!

Salted Caramel Brownies
1 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
11 ounces bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate
2 sticks butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
5 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 tablespoon Kahlua
sea salt and sugar for sprinkling
salted caramel

Instructions
1. Combine flour, cocoa powder and salt in a bowl.
2. Melt butter and sugar in a double boiler on a stove.
3. Stir chocolate until smooth.
4. Add both sugars.
5. Whisk in eggs.
6. Add kahlua and vanilla.
7. Add flour mixture and stir until combined.
8. Line a 9x13 pan with foil or parchment paper and spray with pam.
9. Pour in half the batter then cover with a few dollops of salted caramel.
10. Cover with remaining batter.
11. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.
12. Sprinkle with sea salt and sugar once pulled from oven.
13. Cool completely and enjoy!

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You Go Girl!

So I know this is a food blog, but I plan to throw in a few things here and there about my life that doesn't involve around food :)

Yesterday morning, I did my first road race.
It was sooo exciting!

But let me give you a little back story.

At the end of February, I started a journey to be more fit and healthy.
I trained with a personal trainer, Don Peden and vowed to become healthier and fitter.
My goal was to complete my journey by the start of Bermuda's summer, May 24.
And I did it.
I worked out 5 to 6 days a week and was committed to watching my diet.
I ended up losing 14 pounds and gaining a lot of muscle.
The whole experience was amazing for me and I remain committed to my healthy lifestyle.
You can read about that journey here.

So back to You Go Girl.
My wonderful friend Alia (the gorgeous girl above) convinced me to run in this race.
It is the first of its kind not only in Bermuda, but in the world.
The whole race was 6k and was only open to women!

Each team was comprised of three runners.
The first runner started the race by running 2k.
The second runner joined on the second lap and ran a 2k with the first runner.
The third runner joined on the final lap, and the three girls ran that lap and crossed the finish line together!

The experience was absolutely amazing!
Although I definitely struggled running in the heat, it is an event I will do again.
Next year I will be far more prepared.
As far as the race goes, it started at 8:30am in Dockyard, the other end of the island on a Sunday morning.
And it was incredibly hot.
But the camaraderie between the women was amazing and I would definitely say the event was a huge success.

warm potato salad

So I have a confession to make.
I had a grand idea about warm potato salad, but the execution was horrible.
I love potato salad, classic potato salad to be exact.
For me, that means mayo, chopped eggs, peas and carrots with seasonings.
That's how we do it in Bermuda.

But because I love to recreate traditional recipes, I wanted to do something different.
The boy doesn't like mayo, but I really wanted to make a potato salad so I figured warm would be the way to go.
So I whipped out some olive oil, a lemon, chives, a clove of garlic, salt and pepper.
I whisked everything together then added some sriracha.
Then I thought it needed to be creamy so I added a bit of mayo.

Then I tasted it.
I had put far too much lemon and the flavour was just bad so I threw it out.
Then I started to panic because I had these boiled potatoes and no idea what to do with them.
But then, it came to me :)

We eat a lot of potatoes in the house and I like to mix it up every now and then.
I mean mashed potatoes are great and I could probably eat them everyday, but I shouldn't.

These have similar ingredients to mashed potatoes, but are much lighter.

So here's what we need.

A few grinds of fresh black pepper, a drzzle of olive, a tablespoon of chopped fresh chives, a teaspoon of sea salt, 10 to 12 small russets quarted (or four to five regular sized potatoes), a pat of butter and a splash of cream.

Wash the potatoes and quarter them.
If you are using larger potatoes, quarter each half.

Put them in a pot and cover with cold water.

Cover with a lid and boil over high heat until potatoes are tender.

Meanwhile, chop up about a tablespoon of fresh chives.

You can add any other herbs you have as well, I only had chives in the fridge.

Once the potatoes are tenders, drain them in a colander and return to pot.

Add the chives, drizzle of oil oil, few pats of butter, good splash of heavy cream and tons of cracked black pepper.

Add salt to taste.

Toss everything around with a spoon.

Put potatoes in a serving bowl and garnish with chives.

Enjoy!

Warm Potato Salad


drizzle of olive oil
splash of heavy cream
few pats of butter (maybe a tablespoon)
tablespoon chopped fresh chives
10 to 12 smal russet potatoes or four to five regular potatoes, quartered
cracked black pepper
sea salt

Instructions
1. Quarter potatoes, put in pot and cover with cold water, boil until tender.
2. Chop chives.
3. Once potatoes are cooked, drain in a colander and put back in pot.
4. Add all ingredients to the pot and toss.
5. Pour into serving bowl and enjoy.

sweet and tangy grilled chicken

I don't know about you, but we eat a lot of chicken in my house.
I grew up vegan and then vegetarian and moved to meat when I was 14.
But my meat is limited.
I usually only eat lean protein ie fish, chicken and turkey.
I try to eat as healthy as I can while still enjoying my food so I don't buy high-fat meats.
I love, love steak but usually only eat it when I go out and that's about it as far as my protein goes.

So back to chicken.
It gets boring quickly and I'm always trying to find ways to make chicken exciting without it being monotonous.
Enter this chicken.
It's based off a recipe I found on Pioneer Woman, using similar items that I had in the house.
It totally takes boring away from grilled chicken and I can't wait to make it again!

So let's get started.

Here is what you will need.

Balsamic vinaigrette, brown sugar (I only had regular), chicken breasts, olive oil and grill seasoning.

Combine 1/4 cup of the vinaigrette, a tablespoon of sugar, a tablespoon of grill seasoning and a tablespoon of olive oil in a bowl and whisk. 

Put the chicken in the bowl and toss around in the marinade. 

Pour chicken and marinade into a plastic ziploc bag and marinate in the fridge for at least three hours or overnight. 

This chicken can be grilled on an actual grill/barbecue, a grill pan or a griddle. 

I pulled out my griddle. 

Grill chicken on both sides until cooked through, about 5 to 7 minutes. 

Doesn't it look good :)

This chicken is sweet, salty and tangy with a ton of flavour. 

It's one of my new favourite chicken recipes. 

I served it with a warm potato salad (recipe coming) and steamed broccoli. 

Such a great, yet simple Sunday dinner.

Enjoy!


Sweet and Tangy Grilled Chicken
1/4 cup balsamic vinagrette
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon grill seasoning (I used McCormick chicken rub)
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 chicken breast or 8 chicken tenders

Instructions
1. Combine everything but chicken in a bowl and whisk.
2. Add chicken to the bowl and toss around in marinade.
3. Pour chicken and marinade into a ziploc bag.
4. Marinate for three hours or overnight.
5. Grill on grill, barbecue, grill pan or griddle on both sides until cooked through, about 5 to 7 minutes.

vanilla salted caramel sauce

I've been hearing about salted caramel sauce for a while, but have always been terrified to attempt it.
As a baker, I should be able to make just about anything, but caramel has always scared me.
I've heard horror stories of sugar bubbling out and burning people or the mixture itself going from perfect to burnt in two seconds.
But today, I decided to tackle this amazing sauce!

As I mentioned, I bake for a cafe here in Bermuda, Ten Cafe and Bar.
Each week, I meet the manager to decide what I will bake.
A few weeks ago, I saw a recipe for salted caramel brownies on one of my favourite blogs, Baked Bree and knew they would be perfect for Ten.
So today, I had to try them out.
But first, I made a salted caramel sauce based on Bree's original salted caramel sauce, not the one included in the original brownie recipe.
I've tweaked it for my liking.

Here is the cast of characters.

1 1/2 cups of sugar
1/3 cup of water
1 cup of whipping/heavy cream (Bree calls for 1 1/2)
1 teaspoon of sea salt
1 teaspoon of vanilla

So let's get started.

Add salt to the cream.

Pour the sugar and water into a pot and bring to a boil over medium heat.

Let the sugar cook.

Don't stir the mixture, but you can swirl it around the pot until it reaches an amber colour, 350 on a candy thermometer (I didn't use one).

Once it gets to this point, you have to act quickly otherwise the mixture will burn.

Pour cream and salt mixture into the pot and turn off the heat.

It will bubble violently but continue to whisk.

The mixture might seize up but continue to stir.

Once it comes together, add the vanilla.

It will comes together into a beautiful, smooth caramel sauce.

Possibly the best caramel you've had!

Put in a jar or container and store in the fridge.

Or, be like me and eat it by the spoonful!

Enjoy!


Vanilla Salted Caramel Sauce
1/2 cups sugar
1/3 cup water
1 cup whipping/heavy cream (Bree calls for 1 1/2)
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

1.

Add salt to the cream. 

2. Pour the sugar and water into a pot and bring to a boil over medium heat.

3. Let the sugar cook. 

4. Don't stir the mixture, but you can swirl it around the pot until it reaches an amber colour, 350 on a candy thermometer (I didn't use one).

5. Once it gets to this point, you have to act quickly otherwise the mixture will burn. 

6. Pour cream and salt mixture into the pot and turn off the heat. 

7. It will bubble violently but continue to whisk. 

8. The mixture might seize up but continue to stir. 

9. Once it comes together, add the vanilla. 

10. Put in a jar or container and store in the fridge.