Wonton Magic

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‘Tis the season for parties, potlucks, and drop-ins. It’s the time to get your pretty on, indulge at the table, and not slave over a hot stove. If you are a regular visitor to my blog (and I hope you are, but if this is your first time…welcome!) you know that when it comes to cooking, I have a preference for all things fast and fabulous. In that vein, I’ve developed a couple go-to party bites with simple ingredients. They can be made ahead of time, even frozen, and finished off in minutes. And of course all of them have one thing in common, wonton wrappers!

LEMONY CHEESE WONTONS WITH PESTO

Cheese and pesto wonton wrapper party appetizerThe key to these delicious appetizers is that I treat the wonton wrappers like freshly made pasta sheets. They’re delicious as single serve bites but also make a perfect dinner! As with any recipe, adjust ingredients to suit your taste.

1/2 cup sheep milk cream cheese or regular cream cheese, softened
1 tsp lemon zest
1/2 tsp lemon juice
pinch of salt
25 square wonton wrappers
water
 
Prep Time: 15 minutes     Cook Time: 3-4 minutes 
 

1. Place softened cheese into a bowl and added the lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt. Mix well.

2. Line up a few wonton wrappers and drop about a teaspoonful of cheese mix into the centre.

3. Wet your finger in the water and run it along the edges of the wonton.

4. Fold the wonton in half away from you to form a rectangle, pressing down on the edges to seal well.

5. Bring two corners at the top of the wrapper together and pinch to seal. You make have to dab some water on the wrapper again to stick the corners together.

6. Set aside and repeat with the rest of the wrappers.

7. When ready to cook, boil salted water as if cooking pasta. Once the water comes to a boil throw the wontons in and stir once to prevent them sticking to the bottom.

8. Cook the wontons in the water on high heat for 3-4 minutes for an al dente bite to the wrapper.

9. Drain the wontons and dab with a good dollop of pesto. You can find my pesto recipe here.

10. Plate individually on tasting spoons, pierce with a sturdy toothpick, or plate three together on small plates for a light appetizer.

WONTON TACOS

Wonton wrapper taco party appetizerThese seasonal looking appetizers are delicious any time of year. You can control the heat with the ingredients but a little spice works well with these bites.

1 large rotisserie prepared chicken breast
1 tsp sriracha chili sauce, or any hot sauce you like
1 tsp liquid honey
1/3 cream cheese brick, softened
1/2 avocado
1/2 tsp lemon juice
diced red jalapeno or red pepper
25 square wonton wrappers
 
Prep Time: 15-20 minutes    Cook Time: 12-15 minutes
 

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Shred the cooked chicken breast into smaller pieces and place in a bowl.

3. Drizzle honey and sriracha sauce over the chicken and mix thoroughly. Feel free to add more sauce for more heat.

4. Beat and mix the cream cheese, avocado and lemon juice together until the cheese looks like green cream.

5. Line up the wonton wrappers and divide the chicken on them equally, about a large tablespoonful. Place the chicken down the middle diagonally.

6. Dollop the avocado cream on top and sprinkle with the jalapeno or the red pepper, depending of how much heat you want.

7. Bring the opposite corners of the wrapper together at the top. You may have to pierce them through with a toothpick to hold in position. The toothpick will be removed once you take the wontons out of the oven.

8. Place the wontons on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or oiled with cooking spray.

9. Place in the oven and bake for approximately 12- 15 minutes. Or until the wonton wrappers turn golden brown.

10. Remove from the oven, take out the toothpicks, let cool slightly, and enjoy!

CREAM CHEESE, CHOCOLATE AND POMEGRANATE WONTONS

Chocolate cream cheese pomegranate wonton wrapper party appetizerThese golden beauties are highly addictive, but baking them instead of frying will allow you to indulge without much guilt. Plus using dark chocolate and pomegranate scores high on the antioxidant scale so I guess you could say that this dessert is good for you too!

1/3 brick of cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
1/2 cups of pomegrante seeds
25 square wonton wrappers
water
 
Prep Time: 10-15 minutes     Cook Time: 12-15 minutes
 

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Stir together cream cheese, chocolate chips, and pomegranate seeds until well incorporated.

3. Line up the wonton wrappers and place a heaping teaspoonful of the cheese mix into the centre of each wrapper.

4. Dip your finger in water and run along the edges of the wonton wrapper. Fold the wrapper in half to form a triangle and pinch the edges to seal.

5. Spray both sides of the wonton triangle with cooking spray and place on a cookie sheet.

6.  Put in the oven for 12-15 minutes or until the wrappers are golden brown. Remember to turn half way through.

7. Plate the wontons and sprinkle with icing sugar, or drizzle with chocolate sauce, and garnish with any remaining pomegranate seeds.

8. Serve warm and try to stop at just one!

I hope you try these out at your next get together. Happy munching!

 

Weekend Edition

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Tulips and daisies at a flower shop London, OntarioI feel some serious colour deprivation this time of year  and find myself sneaking into various flower shops around town. My budget has taken a bit of a hit since I tend to come away with at least one bouquet but this simple addition to my living space feels completely indulgent. I’ve discovered a few other things this week that have made me smile and of course I had to share them with you.

  • If you want gorgeous blossoms on your table but are a bit tight on budget, the lovely Aimee Twigger shares a great diy project for some crepe paper peonies.
  • The ultimate cool french girl Isabel Marant takes her 2015 Spring collection inspiration from America cowboys, Elvis Presley and Navajo tribe. Girls everywhere, me included, are sighing and waiting for the warmer weather with bated breath!
  • I found 33 of the yummiest cupcake recipes on the internet. They all look delicious and the hardest part is deciding which one to start with!

If you have some favourite links, I’d love to know what they are.

Destination Dining in London

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Dining Room at Dolcetto Risto in London OntarioIf you’re looking for a casual, modern restaurant that serves housemade Italian food in London, Ontario, look no further than Dolcetto Risto. Located in the southwest corner of the ever expanding city limits, this Italian restaurant is quite the distance from the dining-focused downtown core. The location is actually part of an outdoor mall, surrounded by a gym, a grocery store, a bank, and a coffee shop. That is not necessarily a bad thing since parking is more than ample. And in my opinion, every part of this city deserves a unique dining spot and this one, because of its location, is definitely a destination.

In a style I like to call Scando-italian, the large open dining room features polished concrete floors, streamlined wood furniture and accents, and large windows that allow in generous light and open to a patio in the warmer months. The neutral vibe reads calm, but the atmosphere is lively and energetic, especially when you peek into the kitchen which stands in full display to the rest of the dining space.

View of Bar at Dolcetto Risto in London OntarioDining area at Dolcetto Italian Restaurant in London Ontario Regardless of where you are seated, the food remains the draw. The boy and I have made the visit a number of times. Each time we make an effort to try something different but a few items stand out as favourites. The large veal and ricotta meatballs, the calamari salad, and the creatively garnished, thin crust pizzas top the list.

With the weather on the milder side this weekend, we found ourselves in the Byron area and I suggested Dolcetto as a lunch spot (the boy didn’t need much persuading!). Seated by the large windows and basking in the sun streaming in, we placed our order. We started off with complementary fresh focaccia and an olive oil and balsamic dip. The soft, salty bread soaked up the oil beautifully and helped to bide time before our meals arrived.

The attentive server kept our water drinks filled until our food was served. The boy chose a trio of crispy arancini (risotto balls) on a bed of tomato sauce.They arrived hot and crunchy on the outside and hot and cheesy on the inside. I wanted a heartier meal and chose broad pappardelle noodles topped with a short rib ragu in a wine sauce. I was surprised at the amount and, to be honest, I couldn’t finish the entire plate. Of course, it was a great excuse to have it for lunch the next day.

Foccaccia with olive oil and balsamic dip at Dolcetto Risto in London OntarioArancini at Dolcetto Italian Restaurant in London OntarioPapardelle with short rib ragu at Dolcetto Italian Restaurant in London OntarioA forkful of papardelle at Dolcetto Risto in LondonAnd if you haven’t guessed by now I have a bit of a sweet tooth so no dining experience would be complete without dessert. We chose to share a double plate of cannoli. The sweet ricotta cheese filling was speckled with chocolate from a local producer, Habitual Chocolate (I absolutely love it when local businesses support each other – a huge kudos to Dolcetto!). However, unlike the traditional version of a cannoli shell, Dolcetto makes they’re own using a pizzelle press for a lighter and fresher taste. The result is a large crispy exterior which is the perfect foil to the creamy core. A perfect pairing with a cup of strong coffee!

Double cannoli at Dolcetto Risto Italian Restaurant in London OntarioNow I can’t wait until the weather gets warm and once again I indulge in some freshly baked pizza and a glass of wine on the patio. I hope you guys can find your way here and give this Italian restaurant a try!

Winter Skincare Routine in 4 Steps

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Beauty Products for my Winter Skincare Routine in 4 Steps | Cobblestones and CappuccinosMy skin definitely takes a beating this time of year. With the wet, the cold and the winter wind pelting me outdoors, and the dry, warm air enveloping me indoors, I’m setting off on an epidermal rollercoaster for the next few months. Of course this is nothing new to me, nor I’m sure to any woman living in the northern hemisphere. So just like most of you, I’ve had to develop a tried and true arsenal to keep me glowing until all that humidity returns (yeah… I know…that’s a whole other bag of issues!).

I have four main steps in my winter skincare routine that I follow without fail morning and evening. They are fast and effective. It’s what I do before I put on my make-up and directly after I take it off at night. It’s not brain surgery. Just cleanse and moisturize. Having said that, wading through the multitude of products can be daunting, so recently I have narrowed it down to four that do the job beautifully, and I’d love to share them with all of you.

1. CLEANSE

Over the last few years, micellar water has become the go-to cleanser for most Europeans and is slowly making inroads in North America. Models sing the praises of this miraculous liquid and stock up at french pharmacies whenever they get the chance. The most popular brand is made by Bioderma, a dermatological lab based in Lyon, France. The cleanser is soap-free and pH balanced. It contains microscopic beads of oil suspended in a solution that allows for the cleansing of face and removal of all make-up without drying or irritating the skin. I apply it with a cotton pad and wipe, repeating until my face is clean. No need to rinse with water but definitely dry with a clean towel. My face feels so clean and amazing after use.

I purchased mine in Paris where it’s called Crealine but it is readily available in North America under the name Sensibio. You’ll find it online here or at most drugstores.

2. MOISTURIZE

My go-to facial moisturizer for the last little while has been Moisture Surge Intense Fortifying Hydrator by Clinique and I love it! It’s a long name that keeps dry skin at bay for a long time. The texture is a combination of gel-cream so it absorbs nicely and leaves my skin plump without feeling greasy. There is a lovely floral scent to the product that might not be to everyone’s taste but it doesn’t bother me or irritate my skin. I always put my face products on while my skin is damp to help seal in tge moisture. But sometimes, I layer the Hydrator on more thickly as a moisturizing mask and leave it on while I’m relaxing with a book or even cooking. The steam from all those pots opens my pores and makes absorbing the cream that much easier. After 30 minutes I gently tissue it off to reveal baby soft skin. Feels heaven.

Clinique products are available in many department stores but they also have a great site.

3. PREVENT

I’m starting to see tiny lines around my eyes. Now this doesn’t make me particularly happy but it sure as heck not going to stop me from smiling. Not being a huge fan of injecting things into my face (at least not at this point in my life), I had to find something to plump up those little suckers. Enter Advanced Time Zone eye cream by Estee Lauder. I love that it feels silky smooth when I tap it on around my eye making sure to hit the brow bone area as well. This is a more specialized product aimed specifically at the eye area and age related issues that seem to be creeping up on me. And even though the product cost is high, I’d rather feel the pain in my wallet than on my face!

It’s available to most department stores or online at Sephora.

4. PROTECT

And last but not least, I really look after my lips during winter. More than any part of the face, the lips show the effects of dryness, windburn, and the cold. I try to remember to exfoliate my lips at least once a week, but when I can’t, a great moisturizing/healing product is key.

Here, I fall back on another product that french women stock up on at their local pharmacy and which I product back with me from Paris in multiples, Homeoplasmine by Boiron. This is more of a do-it-all ointment like Elizabeth Arden’s 8 Hour Cream more than a proper lip balm or moisturizer. It provides a long lasting, matte finish barrier on your lips that sinks in to get rid of dryness and flakiness. You are left with baby soft, kissable lips! I use mine both overnight and under lipstick (especially the red ones that really draw attention to my mouth). I can’t say enough about this product, especially since I’ve also used it on other parts of my body since it soothes, protects and moisturizes.

If you can’t fly out to Paris to pick up a tube, you can find a generously sized one here. It’s not inexpensive, but it lasts a long time since a little goes a long way (unless after discovering it’s multiple uses your boy starts lifting it out of your medicine cabinet!).

 

Paper Perfect

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Flowered Paper from The Paper Place in TorontoI was looking for creative inspiration this weekend. Something that would get my mind out of this grey slump. Something that made my eyes open in wonder and my mind spin. Something that made me smile. And I found it in spades! I stumbled upon The Paper Place, a beautiful little shop on Queen Street West in Toronto. They carry a rainbow of decorative and handmade Japanese paper, as well as a large selection of unique papers and products from around the world.

Paper display shelves at The Paper Place in TorontoPaper choices at The Paper Place on Queen St West in TorontoBeautiful craft paper at The Paper Place on Queen St West in TorontoDecorative tape at The Paper Place in Toronto The store is filled with ideas for handmade cards, wedding invitations, origami crafts, beautiful book binding supplies and gifts. The paper itself is stunning enough to be mounted and framed. In fact, I just had to have this fun bicycle print which I plan to transform into a Christmas gift for someone special.

Les Bicyclettes paper at The Paper Place in TorontoI guess paper is no longer just for wrapping gifts this Christmas season. At least not in my house!