Coffee Cake Recipe • A Delicious Mid-Afternoon Treat! | Club Foody

I’ve owned a couple of companies in the past that I was doing most of my work from home. There are a lot of pluses and drawbacks with this. The advantages are you’re not stressing yourself going to work – traffic, getting up late, etc. You save money as you don’t spend as much on gas, going out for lunch with coworkers, attire and so on. If you are well-organized and self-motivated, you can schedule your work to have more “free time” compared to working the regular 9-5.
 
Now from the other end of the spectrum, there’s a lack of social interaction with others. Operating your business from home can make you work even more. With Club Foody, I work an average of 100 hours a week and sometimes even more. If I ever open my eyes overnight and my brain starts spinning, I can start my day around 3 am. It’s always on my mind…
 
Although I don’t interact as much as other work force people, I still have my girlfriends popping by just to say “hello”. I love when that happens because it forces me to take a break from CF. I always have a pot of coffee on and something to munch on like apple pie, cookies, muffins or cake such as Coffee Cake!
 
This is a lovely sweet treat to serve when you have company. With a couple of layers of walnut streusel and a nice batter, no wonder Coffee Cake pairs so well with a cup of coffee (or tea)… where it gets its name from. There’s neither actual “coffee” in the ingredients nor does it taste like coffee. The trend of enjoying a slice of cake while drinking coffee originated in Europe back in the 17th century and has been called that ever since then.
 
I love making this Coffee Cake. It’s a flavorful mid-afternoon treat to enjoy when your friends stop over or when you just want to take a little break from your business.
Bon Appétit!
 
P.S. I wrote this around 4 am in the morning, sipping my coffee and enjoying a slice of this cake…
 
Check out these delicious sweet treat recipes…
– Cream Cheese Carrot Cake
– Homemade Apple Sauce
– Pumpkin & Spice Cream Cheese Muffins
– Lemon Meringue Pie
– Ooey-Gooey Cinnamon Buns
– Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie
and for even more dessert recipes, click on this link… Recipe Category • Dessert

For ingredient amounts and much more, visit https://clubfoody.com/recipe/coffee-cake/

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Japanese Chicken Soba Noodles Recipe • Light & Tasty Dish! | Club Foody

David and I shop often at Asian supermarkets. My culinary curiosity gets me to try new ingredients that I’m either not accustomed to cook with or never heard of before. Going to those foreign supermarkets is a great place to satisfy it. It also inspires me to create delicious recipes… I love it!
 
When I walk to their noodle aisle, I’m always amazed to see the wide variety of different noodles such as Udon, Lo Mein, Rice Paper, Shirataki, Vermicelli, Ramen, and many more. There’s one that I enjoy cooking with for a few of my recipes because of their nutty taste and it’s soba noodles. I use it in my Soba Noodle Soup, Seafood Soba Salad, and in stir fries including this featured recipe… my Japanese Chicken Soba Noodles!
 
I love making this dish because within 30 minutes, I can enjoy a beautiful light meal packed with yumminess! This is a quick healthy recipe using fresh ingredients such as carrots, peppers, onion and purple cabbage. I also use my Indonesian Peanut Sauce that I posted a couple of years ago so check it out…
 
Let’s talk about the soba noodles. Cooking them isn’t obvious. They are not typical noodles…! There are a few things that you should be aware of before even thinking of putting them in boiling water. If you want a perfect Japanese Chicken Soba Noodle experience, these steps are important to follow.
 
Before dropping these buckwheat noodles in boiling water, do not (I’m serious) add salt to the water. Also you can’t overcrowd the pot with the noodles… they need space (and who doesn’t?). They are unusual noodles therefore cook them for 3 to 3 1/2 minutes at the most. They have to reach that “al dente” texture.
 
Fine… so about 3 minutes later and they are cooked! After draining the noodles in a colander transfer them to a bowl filled with cold water. Some cooks just add water… not me! I want them to have some firmness, some body to them and certainly not gummy! So far you’ve followed my instructions but there’s another step and it’s swirling them around for a little while in that cold water. It will remove the excess starch, preventing them from becoming sticky – trust me, David and I got frustrated at first when cooking them… From here, continue with the recipe…
 
This is such a satisfying meal to have. I like to call this Japanese Chicken Soba Noodles my eastern comfort food. It is not your typical Meatloaf but I have to say that this dish is definitely one to keep in your folder now that you know how to cook buckwheat noodles…
Bon Appétit!
 
Check out these flavorful inspired Asian recipes…
– Singapore Noodles
– Tuna Tataki with Avocado Slaw
– Pad Thai Noodles
– Spicy Pork Gyoza
– Dakgangjeong – Sweet & Spicy Crispy Korean Chicken
– Asian Cucumber Salmon Rolls
and for even more Asian recipes, click on this link… Recipe Category • International

For ingredient amounts and much more, visit

https://clubfoody.com/recipe/japanese-chicken-soba-noodles/

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French Toast Recipe • A Quick & Easy Breakfast Delight! | Club Foody

Hey everybody… guess what? I’m getting better with eating breakfast in the morning. During the month of December, I like to eat Panettone but when it’s all gone, I switch to something else. It can be a small bowl of granola, grapefruit, boiled eggs or even yogurt. At least now, I eat something which until a year ago might have happened once a month.
 
With Club Foody, I had no choice to force myself to eat something in the morning. Although I might skip a couple days per week, most of the time I do eat in the morning. A delicious breakfast item that I brought back to my morning routine is French Toast also called “Pain Doré” in Québec or “Pain Perdu” in France.
 
I grew up with it because my parents made it often since it was so fast to make. In just 15 minutes, this tasty dish is ready. It can be served with butter, maple syrup, dusted with confectioners’ sugar OR all of the above. The way I like mine is with a little bit of maple syrup and a light dusting of icing sugar… I don’t see the need to add butter when the bread slices are actually browned in it. I like to serve my French Toast with a couple slices of bacon and some fresh fruit. It completes the meal so beautifully.
 
The trick to making great French Toast is the choice of bread. You need to have nice thick slices otherwise they might fall apart and not hold their shape after dipping them in the egg mixture. At the supermarket I go to, they sell thick sliced bread similar to what I used to have when I was a child. If you can’t find it, your other options would be using Brioche or Challah. The other alternative is using a Baguette but it would have to be soaked longer as the bread is more dense.
 
Another tip to making them incredible is using half-and-half instead of regular milk in the egg mixture. The texture will be thicker and therefore less “wet”. The egg mixture will stick to the bread better, the dipping time will be shorter and as a result they will hold their shape better. The bread will also taste better because of the creamier egg mixture.
 
This is an amazing breakfast item to enjoy in the morning. French Toast is quick to make plus much more flavorful than regular toast. It’s a nice recipe to break the monotony of the first meal of the day. It can also be served on special occasions like Mother’s Day brunch…
Bon Appétit!
 
Here are more delicious breakfast recipes for you to try…
– Pineapple Banana Bread with Coconut & Macadamia
– Ooey•Gooey Cinnamon Buns
– Breakfast Quinoa Cereal with Mixed Berries
– Quiche Lorraine
– Strawberry Jam with Orange Zest
– Eggs Benedict
and for even more breakfast recipes, click on this link… Recipe Category • Breakfast & Brunch

For ingredient amounts and much more, visit

https://clubfoody.com/recipe/french-toast/

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Thousand Island Dressing Recipe • An Old Favorite! | Club Foody

Having a little salad every day is something I like to serve. It’s healthy, fresh, packed with nutrients and there are so many ways to enjoy it. Some are made with seafood other with meat such as chicken or just a combination of nuts, fruits and fresh vegetables. Among them, a dressing or vinaigrette might be needed while others don’t.
 
Since Club Foody started, I’ve shared many of my homemade dressing and vinaigrette recipes like my Zippy Ranch Dressing, Raspberry Vinaigrette, Blue Cheese Dressing, Mandarin Orange Vinaigrette with Sesame, Russian Dressing, Italian Vinaigrette, and now this one… Thousand Island Dressing!
 
This is such a flavorful salad dressing! Like the others, this recipe is quick and easy to make and it uses simple ingredients. It is similar to Russian Dressing and many times, I alter between the two for my Crab Louie Salad, Reuben or Tripleta sandwiches.
 
I enjoy making this Thousand Island Dressing from scratch because there are no preservatives in it. I know exactly what goes in it and really… don’t you agree that 5 minutes of your time is worth the effort to have a healthy version for your salad? There’s no comparison when it comes to homemade versus store bought… the freshness tells it all! I use my own mayonnaise as well as my sweet relish from scratch… I know, I’m a foody but if you want the full “homemade” experience, this is the way to go!
 
This American condiment apparently came from the Thousand Island region which is in between Canada and United States in the upper St. Lawrence River. Now to know if it really came from there, no one’s sure but it doesn’t really matter because I’ve been enjoying it since I was a child and I’m sure that I’m not the only one who grew up with it. The only change is now you can make this awesome Thousand Island Dressing at home…
Bon Appétit!
 
Check out these other delicious homemade condiment recipes…
– Spicy Tropical Salsa
– Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
– Tartar Sauce
– Sweet & Savory Homemade Ketchup
– Pickled Jalapeños
– Mango Chutney
and for even more condiment recipes, click on this link… Recipe Category • Condiments

For ingredient amounts and much more, visit

https://clubfoody.com/recipe/thousand-island-dressing/

Don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel by clicking on this link… Club Foody YouTube

Herb Garden • How to Start One - Tips & Tricks | Club Foody

By the end of April beginning of May, every year David and I start our Herb Garden. I cannot imagine not having one. The freshness makes such a difference in my recipes and it’s fun to watch them growing. From the beginning when you plant them to the moment you can finally start to enjoy them is quite rewarding. If you are a foody (yes with a “y”), you definitely need one.
 
This is our typical Herb Garden we grow every year; rosemary, basil, parsley, chives, oregano, tarragon, sage, and thyme. Depending on what I have in mind for recipes, we might switch tarragon, sage or thyme for something else – I do plan ahead… lol! We do have mint as well and let me tell you, these guys are tough! After the first year we planted them, we just leave them out during the winter and sure enough when the weather warms up, there they are coming back again.
 
Besides herbs, we also like to have cherry tomatoes (they are so sweet when you grow them at home), green onions and peppers. This year, we’ll be growing garlic for the first time. We live in a condo with a big deck but if we had a house, I would definitely grow many more vegetables including fruits. When you start growing, it becomes an addiction.
 
A Herb Garden is essential to me. I cook a lot with different herbs and it’s so convenient. When I need a herb for a recipe, I simply step out, get it and return to the kitchen. I also like to make my own herb blends such as Herbes de Provence which is much more fragrant and flavorful than the ones from the store. After you start yours, you’ll understand why it’s so rewarding.
Happy Gardening!
 
Check out these great kitchen tips…
– Buttermilk from Scratch
– Measuring Honey, Syrup or Molasses without Sticking
– Tomato Paste Leftover Solution
– Extract the Most Juice from Citrus Fruits
– Homemade Mixed Spice – Épices Mélangées
– Pumpkin Pie Spice coming on September 19th, 2020
and for even more fun kitchen tips and tricks, click on this link… Recipe Category • Tips & Tricks
 
Don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel by clicking on this link… Club Foody YouTube

For more info, visit

https://clubfoody.com/tips-tricks/herb-garden-•-how-to-start-one/

Cheesy Breadsticks Recipe • Great with Pasta, Salads, Soups... | Club Foody

Who doesn’t like freshly baked bread? With its beautiful aroma and freshness, it’s very hard to resist when it comes out from the oven. It’s actually my biggest weakness and I thank my “self-control” to resist the temptation of eating bread every day.
 
When I go grocery shopping and the bakery section just finished making fresh bread, I take a deep breath enjoying the heavenly aroma and then courageously walk away from there. If it wasn’t for gaining weight, I would eat fresh warm bread every day.
 
I do bake bread but only on special occasions which seems strange because I think there are more then there used to be… I guess I find reasons to make it a “special occasion”… lol! Originating in Italy, there’s a kind of bread I might make more often than others and it’s my Cheesy Breadsticks!
I love baking them because I constantly change up the ingredients. Depending on how I feel, sometimes they are spicier, other times earthier or cheesier. They remind me of pizza dough… a blank canvas ready to be painted… well not literally! I encourage you do the same using spices, herbs and cheeses of your choice.
 
You’ll see in the video that I make these Cheesy Breadsticks from scratch. It’s a little bit more time consuming but the results are fantastic! When I’m running out of time, I use frozen puff pastry. The cooking time is about the same.
 
These Cheesy Breadsticks pair deliciously well with soups, salads, stews, chili or even pasta. They add that little bit of extra yumminess to the dish. It’s like the cherry on top of the sundae well not quite the same but you know what I mean… right?
Bon Appétit!
 
Check out these delicious bread recipes…
– Mediterranean Olive Bread
– Arepas with Beef Brisket
– Mexican Cornbread
– French Baguettes
– Cheddar Biscuits
– Hamburger Buns
and for even more bread recipes, click on this link… Recipe Category • Bread

For ingredient amounts and much more, visit

https://clubfoody.com/recipe/cheesy-breadsticks/

Don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel by clicking on this link… Club Foody YouTube

Cream of Celery Soup Recipe • Light & Creamy! | Club Foody

We never know what to expect with April. Sometimes the month can still be cool especially up here in Canada, and other times it’s surprisingly warm. In general though, we won’t be sun bathing outside (I recall once in my life that I did that in April) drinking a cold margarita during the 4th month of the year.
 
While there are still cool evenings, a nice warm meal is perfect to serve… it warms up your soul! There’s a food category that I enjoy eating quite often during the coldest months and it’s soup. Most soup recipes are easy to make, tasty and freeze very well just like this one… my Cream of Celery Soup!
This is a great soup to make because not only is it flavorful but also light. With a nice combination of ingredients, this is a recipe that can be enjoyed all year round. This can be served hot in the winter or chilled during the summer.
 
Besides celery, one of the key ingredients in this recipe is leeks. Without being overpowering, this vegetable gives just enough onion taste to the dish. If you’re not too sure how to handle leeks, click on this link… How to Trim, Cut & Clean Leeks
 
The other “unusual” ingredient that is utilized in this Cream of Celery Soup is water chestnuts. Not able to find fresh before I filmed this video, I used canned. To somehow restore their flavor, I rinse and then soak them in cold water to get rid of the taste of the can. I honestly wish I could find “the real thing” as the canned didn’t taste near what I’m used to. Please do me a favor… if you cannot find fresh, just forget about it!
 
Definitely different from other soups, this Cream of Celery Soup is another way to enjoy celery. Served hot or chilled with a drizzle of heavy cream and a couple of celery leaves, this is a new addition you’ll enjoy all year round…
Bon Appétit!
 
Check out these delicious hot & chilled soup recipes…
– Cream of Mushroom Soup
– Spanish Gazpacho
– Carrot Soup with Mashed Potatoes
– Classic Vichyssoise
– Minestrone Soup
– Chilled Roasted Pepper Soup
– French Onion Soup Gratinée
and for even more chowder and soup recipes, click on this link… Recipe Category • Soups & Chowders

For ingredient amounts and much more, visit

https://clubfoody.com/recipe/cream-of-celery-soup/

Don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel by clicking on this link… Club Foody YouTube

Rack of Lamb with Herbes de Provence Recipe | Club Foody

I don’t have a “routine” type of personality. The rare time I’ve had a 9 to 5 job, I was the first getting to work early and many times leaving late so I could have some flexibility with my schedule and take some extra time off. I hate “structure” and have no problems working 12 to 15 hours a day.
 
I’ve always enjoyed my entrepreneurial positions. I work very well alone, extremely self-disciplined and self-motivated. I’m detail-oriented and very well-organized. I don’t need someone to tell me what to do as I can see the work that has to be done. OMG! It sounds like I’m applying for a job here… lol!
 
Back to my nonconformist personality…
Every Easter, I like to change my menu. It can be Veal Ossobuco, Holiday Turkey, Brown Sugar Mustard Glazed Ham, Spanish Paella, Roast Duck with Marmalade Glaze, Braised Beef Short Ribs with Sherry & Shiitake, Bouillabaisse à la Marseillaise, Stuffed Pork Tenderloin, Coq au Vin, or this one… Rack of Lamb with Herbes de Provence!
 
Oh my! Oh my! This is INCREDIBLE! This Rack of Lamb with Herbes de Provence is magnificent! Cooked perfectly with a beautiful taste from the herbs, this is a great dish to serve on any special occasion. I like to serve it with Creamy Mashed Cauliflower or my Mixed Mashed Potatoes, and either a side of Roasted Rainbow Carrots, Sautéed Broccolini, Vegetable Tian or Green Beans with Chili-Orange Oil.
 
What makes this dish so spectacular is the herb blend. I use my homemade Herbes de Provence that I posted last month. I also add more ingredients like fresh parsley, garlic, cheese and breadcrumbs.
 
Restaurant quality, this is a dish you’ll want to present at your next dinner party. This Rack of Lamb with Herbes de Provence is so elegant, your guests will definitely be pleased with not only the presentation but also the unbelievable flavor as well!
Bon Appétit!
 
NOTE: If you want them rare, the internal temperature should read 125ºF or 135ºF for medium rare.
 
Check out these delicious lamb recipes…
– African Lamb Tagine
– Mediterranean Leg of Lamb
– Lamb Kofta with Yogurt Sauce
– Lamb Chops with Balsamic & Red Wine ReductionNorth African Merguez
– Greek Dolmades with Avgolemono Sauce
– Turkish Kebabs coming on July 14th, 2020
and for even more elegant recipes, click on this link… Recipe Category • Elegant Cuisine

For ingredient amounts and much more, visit

https://clubfoody.com/recipe/rack-of-lamb-with-herbes-de-provence/

Don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel by clicking on this link… Club Foody YouTube