Mmmmm.... summer!

For those of you who actually read my blog regularly I am so sorry I've been MIA for so long! I know I've been slacking all summer but I'm going to try to be better. So my first offering to all of you is one of my favourite recipes of my mom's that even I can make- the summer strawberry salad! So let's get right to it.

What you will need:

- spring mix
- strawberries
- feta
- pecans (candied or uncandied, I like candied)
- dried cranberries
- red onion (this one's optional, my mom doesn't put it in but I like it in this salad)

Step 1- If your feta is just a block (like mine) then you'll probably want to break some off into a small bowl and crush it up to your liking.
Step 2- Wash and slice up your strawberries.
Step 3- Throw it all in a bowl.

Now this salad also has a special dressing to go with it (also my mom's recipe) and while the ingredients may sound kinda gross or weird just in list form, you have to believe me it actually ends up tasting good.

What you will need:

These quantities will serve about 4, so adjust accordingly. A little goes a long way with this one!
- 1/2 cup of canola oil
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- a dash of tabasco sauce

Mix well, it should look like this:

Dress to taste... et voila! Enjoy!

:)

Cutest cookies and shoes to match!

So a while back I stumbled upon this Japanese food and gift shop downtown and was blown away by two things- the variety of foods and snacks that I had never even seen before and how there was little to no English found anywhere in the store, which truly made shopping in there an adventure because other than the pictures on the packaging (which were for the most part completely fun and adorable!), there really wasnt any way to tell what you were about to purchase and eat. Fortunately the few things I chose were just as delicious as they were fun, one of my favourites being a box of Hello Kitty shortbread cookies that came packaged in the cutest box and came in the most adorable shapes I just couldn't resist! I'm such a sucker for Hello Kitty, who knows what else they could have got me to buy on Hello Kitty packaging alone... But if you're in the downtown Toronto area but want to feel like you're in a foreign country, I'd highly suggest going down to Sanko and roaming the isles, I dare you to find some English in there!

The picture inspired me to eat them with some hot-chocolate

The cookies really are that cute!

I love how even the inside is adorably decorated!

... and the bag too!

Look at how cute the cookies are!!

Now onto my second item, Hello Kitty has just released their most recent designer collaboration, this time with Vans shoes! With five different prints to choose from in two different styles (lace-up or slip-on) and some even available in children's sizes everyone can step out in Hello Kitty style! I personally can't wait to get my hands on a pair... if only I could decide which ones to get! Available at shop.sanrio.com

Hello Kitty, Hello Yummy

As much as I wish I could take credit for all of these (or even just one), but alas, I remain but a humble admirer. I just recently "liked" the official Hello Kitty page on facebook (I know, I know, what took me so long!?) and I came across their album entitled "Yummy!" that is all photographs of Hello Kitty themed/ inspired food creations. I was so enamored with them that I couldn't help but post some of the more impressive creations that are so adorable and so well done that I would probably feel bad taking even the tiniest little bite out of! I guess we'll never know if they taste as good as they look, but when they look THIS good, does it really even matter?

via Hello Kitty on Facebook

Say it with Baking!

My wonderful and talented friend Ellie has a way of putting a creative and adorable spin on baking for every occasion! Check out some of her edible art!

"Happy Birthday!"

"Congrats on your graduation!"

 

"What a boob"

"Be my Valentine"

"RIP Hedwig"

 

"Stop looking at me SWAN!"

Who knows, we may just have the next cakeboss here!

C is for cookie, that's good enough for me...

Do you like Subway? Do you like COOKIES?! If so, then you're going to want to give this a read:

You're welcome!

Oh hello bagel... have you lost weight?

I have recently found in my parents' kitchen one of the most surprising foods I have ever come across perhaps in my entire lifetime- the bagel thin. It looks like lovechild of a bagel and a pita (it is literally just a bagel that looks like it has been flattened to half it's size) and has a slightly crispier, almost cracker-like taste than the bagels we all know and love. While my immediate reaction was "my beloved bagel- what have they done to you?!", I suppose they fill a need for a lower calorie bagel. Personally, as a regular bagel-enthusiast I don't know if this is something I could get used to because I will always be a fan of the original, but my parents seem to love them. I guess I'm just a creature of habit.