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Cooking, baking and all things food

Food blog posts (intro image)

Calling all foodies! Welcome to the delicious world of cooking, baking, eating and dining!


Introduction

Ahh, food.

If you’re a fellow foodie like myself, then you’re well aware that you can’t be a lover of all things domestic without possessing a deep appreciation for all things food.

Whether it’s cooking it, eating it or having strong opinions on it… I, myself, most definitely have a longstanding affair with food!

I love all aspects of food:

  • I love following recipes, and trying my hand at cooking and baking a wide range of different dishes and desserts
  • I love shopping for cool kitchen gadgets that would make cooking and baking that much more enjoyable
  • I love eating out, and constantly trying new restaurants (as part of my neverending quest in search for the perfect version of every food item!)
  • I love food so much, I sometimes find myself having ranting or musing about random food-related topics!

Cooking and Baking

Natalie Dee comics - cooking Lean Cuisine

My cooking skills definitely involve more than just heating up a TV dinner!

Next to knitting, my second favorite “domestic” hobby of choice would have to be cooking and baking, without a doubt.

I’ve always taken an interest in baking, even when young. It’s just so much fun baking a batch of chocolate chip cookies (plus, eating raw cookie dough is an added bonus!) or a couple dozen banana muffins. And nothing can be simpler than putting together a pan of Rice Krispies Squares (and nothing beats licking the wooden spoon after, either!). Of course, there are also my numerous attempts at making cheesecake, brownies, cakes, shortbread, and much more.

Natalie Dee comics - Girl Scout cookies

It's true, I dare you to find someone who can resist those delicious Thin Mints! Check out my blog for a copycat recipe.

As I got older, cooking and baking was no longer a hobby… it became a full-time job, feeding both my husband and myself on a daily basis. But I’m definitely not complaining! I personally find great satisfaction in finding a new recipe to tackle, then following it through to the end with successful results.

Also, one of my main cooking interests is to find copycat recipes online, and attempt to recreate famous restaurant menu items from home… or even well-known food items such as Girl Scout Thin Mint Cookies or IHOP New York Cheesecake Pancakes!

Showcased Kitchen Gadgets

Like any lover of cooking and baking, I get weak in the knees when it comes to trying out cool kitchen gadgets, tools, accessories, small appliances… you name it! Ever since our wedding, I’ve been in kitchen gadget heaven. I’m now surrounded by a collection of top-of-the-line, brand name kitchen products that make cooking and baking even more fun and enjoyable… if that’s possible!

For all you DIY at-home foodies out there, be sure to check back regularly as I share and review my very favorite kitchen tools and gadgets on this blog.

Image sources: Illustration used in “food” intro image by Claire Hastings, courtesy of AVClub.com/Toronto/, tweaked by Karina of KnittingandPurling.com. Comics courtesy of NatalieDee.com.

Legend

All cooking, baking and food blog posts are unified by a sunny yellow or bright orange color. They can be broken down into the following categories…

Browse recipes by ingredient
Beef recipes Noodle and pasta recipes Pork recipes Poultry and chicken recipes
Browse recipes by ingredient or course
Seafood and fish recipes Vegetable recipes Appetizer and side dish recipes Baking and dessert recipes
Browse recipes by course
Breakfast and brunch recipes Dough and bread recipes Main course and dinner recipes Soup recipes
Browse recipes by Asian cuisine
Authentic Chinese food recipes Authentic Hong Kong style cafe fast food recipes Authentic Japanese and Korean food recipes Authentic Vietnamese and Thai food recipes
Browse recipes by cooking style
Copycat recipes from restaurants Tried and true recipes Cooking tips Thought for Food blog series
Cooking book and magazine spotlights Cooking app spotlights Showcased cookware and kitchen supply stores Cool kitchen gadget reviews
Showcased food items Top food and cooking resources Glossary of food and cooking terms Food gone social!

Any blog post that falls under one of the above categories will display that category’s image.

Note: Categorization system currently being implemented… tune back soon to see it in place!

Oh, and any food-, cooking- or cookware-related “spotlight” review blog post can be identified by this light yellow colored background.

You’ll find below a list of Knitting & Purling blog posts on cooking, baking, and all things food. Enjoy!

Blog Posts on Cooking, Baking and All Things Food

Kitchen Collection outlet store online: Home of refurbished KitchenAid mixers and appliances

2012
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Kitchen Collection outlet store online website screen capture image

Kitchen Collection outlet store online website


Introduction

Welcome to yet another “showcased cookware store” blog post, part of the cooking, baking and all things food section of the Knitting & Purling blog.

Yesterday’s featured kitchenware store was Le Gourmet Chef… so I thought it would be fitting to feature its sister store, Kitchen Collection in today’s kitchen supply store showcase!

Just like with Le Gourmet Chef, The Kitchen Collection brand encompasses both the online Web store in addition to its 200+ outlet store locations across the United States.

Looking for Kitchen Collection stores in your neighborhood?

Did you know? Kitchen Collection shops can be found across the U.S. at most outlet malls! For example, just within the “Tanger Outlets” brand of outlet centers? You’ll be able to find 33 different Kitchen Collection outlet store locations… ranging from being situated in Barstow, California and Lincoln City, Oregon out west to Kittery, Maine and Tilton, New Hampshire out east.

For those of you who wish to shop at one of these 200+ Kitchen Collection shops, I’d recommend utilizing this handy foursquare resource page I’ve compiled as a companion to this blog post. I’ve basically taken everything you need to know about each individual Kitchen Collection outlet store location (including tips, business addresses, contact phone numbers and more)… and listed everything all in one place!

Kitchen Collection retail storefronts

Kitchen Collection retail storefront photos

Why shop online at the Kitchen Collection Internet retail store?

Suffice it to say, although there may be 200+ physical store locations of The Kitchen Collection… the brand is more than just the sum of its local stores. Yes, I’m talking about the Kitchen Collection Web shop.

There are many reasons why you should shop online! For example, do you live too far away from the closest Kitchen Collection local retailer? Or maybe you do live in close proximity to a neighborhood Kitchen Collection store… but during your latest visit, the chef’s tool or kitchen accessory you were looking for wasn’t available in stock. And of course, there’s always the off-chance you’re on the lookout for Internet-only sale opportunities that are only available online and not at any brick and mortar Kitchen Collection outlet store location.

Any one (or all!) of those statements could be considered good reasons to shop online at the Web-based version of The Kitchen Collection outlet store.

Discover 1) the freedom of shopping online from the comfort of your own home, while 2) simultaneously enjoying a larger variety of brands and products (including a vast collection of factory refurbished small appliances, all completely backed up by 90-day satisfaction guarantees and come complete with full warranties!), plus 3) full access to any online-only sale or clearance prices! That’s what you get for shopping online at The Kitchen Collection.

Still not convinced? Check out the following store stats below…

The Kitchen Collection Outlet Store Online

The Kitchen Collection logoSite Description: “Your favorite kitchen brands at factory outlet prices every day!” The Kitchen Collection outlet store has been offering brand name kitchen gadgets, tools and small appliances without charging name brand prices for 25 years, while simultaneously serving up best values on quality factory overstocks, warehouse clearance, factory refurbished small appliances and special buys… all accompanied with full satisfaction guarantees and warranties!” -KitchenCollection.com

Category: Food > Showcased Cookware Stores

Perks of Shopping Online at The Kitchen Collection Outlet Store

Kitchen Collection brand logos

  • Help with Gift Ideas: Looking to purchase a gift for your foodie friend or amateur chef family member, but not sure what to get? Get inspired with Kitchen Collection’s curated list of gift idea suggestions! Just click on the “Shop Now“ text link at the bottom right part of the Kitchen Collection home page to get started

Kitchen Collection gift ideas suggestion link screen capture image

Screen capture showing where you can find the "Show Now" link to access the Kitchen Collection Gift Ideas page

Shop factory refurbished KitchenAid mixers, appliances and more… on sale with warranty guarantees!

One of the main reasons why The Kitchen Collection is different from other bakeware, cookware, kitchen gadget and small appliance stores? Their main focus is on bringing value to the consumer.

Whether in the form of 1) giving customers name brand kitchenware without having to pay brand name prices, 2) offering best values in the form of guaranteed quality factory reconditioned or refurbished merchandise at warehouse prices and special buys, or 3) offering value in the form of a complete personalized customer service experience… it doesn’t matter which way you look at it, because The Kitchen Collection serves up all 3!

Anyway, going back to the topic of factory refurbished kitchen appliances… Kitchen Collection is indeed your top destination for refurbished KitchenAid appliances!

Big savings on KitchenAid refurbished mixers and appliances with warranty

Click the banner above to be taken to a page on the Kitchen Collection online retailer website that’s dedicated to displaying ALL refurbished KitchenAid mixers, food processors, blenders, hand mixers and other products in every color of the rainbow… all priced at a fraction of retail costs!

But don’t fret; as mentioned above, each refurbished item comes fully equipped with a warranty and 90-day satisfaction guarantee.

Image sources: Kitchen Collection screenshot image, logo and banners courtesy of LeGourmetChef.com. Retail storefront photos courtesy of RGLA.com. Picture of Cat Cora’s line of professional cookware and serveware courtesy of faidesigngroup.com.
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Le Gourmet Chef online store: Home of Cat Cora cookware

2012
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Le Gourmet Chef online store website screen capture image

Le Gourmet Chef online store website


Introduction

Welcome to the very first “showcased cookware store” blog post, part of the cooking, baking and all things food section of the Knitting & Purling blog.

Today’s featured kitchenware store is Le Gourmet Chef, which encompasses both the online Web store at LeGourmetChef.com in addition to their 80 store locations across the US.

Le Gourmet Chef store locator

Looking for an outlet or regular retail store location for Le Gourmet Chef, one situated nearby either within your neighborhood or in close proximity to your current location? If so, then I invite you to check out my ultimate foursquare list of all Le Gourmet Chef store locations! Discover tips, business addresses, contact phone numbers and more on all foursquare listings for Le Gourmet Chef… with each one unique to that particular store. It’s a great resource especially for those of you living in the western half of the US, where physical store locations of Le Gourmet Chef are rather sparse (there are only a scattering of them in Oregon, Colorado, Oklahoma and Texas… but aside from that, Le Gourmet Chef stores don’t really stretch any further west than Missouri.)

Le Gourmet Chef retail storefront

Le Gourmet Chef retail storefront photos

Le Gourmet Chef online shop

For those of you who aren’t lucky enough to be situated next to a nearby Le Gourmet Chef store (including most of the population in western half of the US… although there are some exceptions to the rule, where stores are located sparingly in select states such as Oregon & Colorado), you can always shop at the online shop for Le Gourmet Chef!

For more reasons on why you should shop at Le Gourmet Chef’s Internet retail website, check out the following store stats below…

Le Gourmet Chef Online Cookware Store

Le Gourmet Chef logoSite Description: “Shop at Le Gourmet Chef for a huge selection of quality brand-name cookware, bakeware, cutlery, kitchen appliances, gourmet food gifts, and serveware.” -LeGourmetChef.com

Category: Food > Showcased Cookware Stores

Why Shop at Le Gourmet Chef Online Store?

  • Free Shipping Policy: FREE Shipping on $65+ Orders! (Fine Print: Free FedEx ground shipping over period of 1-5 business days in the 48 contiguous United States on orders totaling $65 or more before taxes)
  • Ongoing Clearance Discounts: 20% Off All Clearance Items! (Fine Print: There is none… this is an ongoing offer! Simply visit the clearance page on Le Gourmet Chef)
  • Large Diversity in Product Availability: Shop online for gourmet food gifts (i.e. mixes & ingredients, coffee & tea, sauces & dips, etc.), bakeware, cookware, cutlery products, kitchen electrics & small appliances, barware, serveware and more!
  • Top Kitchenware Brands: Discover popular brand names you know and trust available for sale at Le Gourmet Chef (including Bodum, Breville, Calphalon, Cuisinart, Emeril, George Foreman, Hamilton Beach, Henckels, Keurig, KitchenAid, Melitta, Nordicware, Oneida, OXO, Paula Deen, Pyrex, Tassimo & Wusthof)

Le Gourmet Chef brand logos

  • Browse Free Recipes: LeGourmetChef.com is more than just an online retail store! Discover free recipes (& accompanying photos) for cooking appetizers, entrees, side dishes, desserts, beverages, brunches and other favorites
  • Shop Party Essentials: Planning to entertain for a backyard BBQ, for the big game, for movie night (complete with popcorn!) or for a fondue dinner party? Whatever the occasion, turn to Le Gourmet Chef for everything you need throw the party of your dreams
  • Cat Cora Cookware: The triple C’s! Authorized retailer of world renowned chef Cat Cora‘s line of cookware, cutlery & cooking tools (guess that’s more like 6 C’s…)
About Cat Cora cookware

As stated above, Le Gourmet Chef is an authorized retailer of Cat Cora’s line of professional cookware and serveware.

Shop for Cat Cora cookware and cooking tools online at Le Gourmet Chef

Shop for Cat Cora cookware and cooking tools online at Le Gourmet Chef!

Like most TV chef personalities (such as Gordon Ramsay, Jamie Oliver or Curtis Stone), it’s not surprising that Cat Cora would have a series of kitchen products to her name. What IS surprising though? These products are gorgeous. They’re stunning, really. Check them out…

Showcased kitchen gadgets - Cat Cora professional cookware and serveware

Introducing Cat Cora's line of cookware and serveware: Professional chef tested, modern mom approved!

You can clearly see the juxtaposition between the “hard” and “soft” elements in the cookware design… clear reflections of the two sides of Cat Cora’s personality. You have the “Iron Chef“-esque stainless steel base that’s sturdy, dependable, and sleek. Balance that with a slant towards a green, eco-friendly look in the form of a bamboo-based exterior? The overall look is just (like I said)… stunning.

Showcased kitchen gadget - Cat Cora Cook n Serve Casserole with Bamboo Serving Bowl

Cookware wish list item: Cat Cora's Cook n' Serve Casserole with Bamboo Serving Bowl (excuse me while I drool...)

Unfortunately for me, I already own an 11-piece Gordon Ramsay cookware set AND a 9-piece Curtis Stone cookware set (yup, I’m a sucker cookware by TV chef personalities!)… so there’s no way I can justify purchasing Cat Cora’s cookware. Which is really too bad, because man would I love to own her Cook ‘n Serve Casserole With Bamboo Serving Bowl (in any size!) at the very least. Excuse me while I swoon a bit.

However, if you’re on the lookout for good deals on quality cookware? You can’t go wrong with Cat Cora’s stuff! Once again, you can purchase her entire line of cooking tools and more online at Le Gourmet Chef.

Note to Self: Now, when’s the next showing of Iron Chef America on the Food Channel…? Got a hankering for watching more Cat Cora coverage! She truly is one of my idols, can you tell?

Image sources: Le Gourmet Chef screenshot image, logo and banners courtesy of LeGourmetChef.com. Retail storefront photos courtesy of RGLA.com. Picture of Cat Cora’s line of professional cookware and serveware courtesy of faidesigngroup.com.
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First attempt at cooking a Lobster Bisque creamy chowder recipe by Reader’s Digest

2012
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Mordant Orange comic - lobster in a fish bowl

The good thing about cooking with frozen lobster meat? You don't have to see the lobster suffer!


I had written a blog post a few weeks ago documenting my experience at cooking my very first Bouillabaisse fish stew recipe, taken from “The Ultimate Soup Cookbook: Over 900 Family-Favorite Recipes” by Reader’s Digest.

Seeing how that was a huge success (and also while I was still unable to flip away from the “Fish and Seafood Soups” chapter in the book!), I made the decision to take another stab at a different seafood soup recipe.

When I was shopping for ingredients for the Bouillabaisse recipe, I had picked up a few packages of frozen lobster claw meat at a local Asian grocery store that were on sale. (Note: For those of you who aren’t aware… here in Toronto, large-scale Asian grocery store chains are incredibly good sources for seafood! And I’m talking endless varieties of every type of fish & shellfish imaginable, not to mention endless sizes of frozen shrimp to choose from.). So I had decided to take the remaining, unused lobster claws that were leftover and use the meat to create a lobster bisque soup.

In particular, I was trying to cook the one that’s simply titled “Lobster Bisque” from The Ultimate Soup Cookbook… not to be confused with the more complex (and what appears to be the more time-consuming) version of the soup from the same Reader’s Digest cookbook, aptly named “Classic Lobster Bisque.” I do intend to give that version a whirl at a later point in time, but for now we’re focusing on this simpler version.

Three Word Phrase comic - lobster in boiling water

Another lobster comic for your enjoyment...

A few notes, based on my experience with cooking this soup. In the recipe, the bisque calls for the use of either 8 ounces of “coarsely flaked lobster” or 1 package (8 ounces) of “frozen lobster-flavored, chunk-style fish that’s thawed.” First of all, I decided to double the recipe when making it (I had double of everything that was in the ingredients list, so I figured… why not make twice the amount while cooking it in one go?). I also decided to take a few liberties. In particular, I made the decision to use both 8 ounces of real lobster meat (taken from those frozen lobster claws I had mentioned earlier), mixed in with 8 ounces of “fake” lobster-flavored chunk-style fish.

So even though I did incorporate some real lobster meat in the recipe… I gotta say, it’s definitely not the most legit version of lobster bisque ever created. But hey, it was a good start!

Gloomies comic - lobsters hate being called pinchy

I promise not to call a lobster by any name, period!

One last thing. The end result after following this recipe is a very creamy, chowder-esque kind of lobster bisque.

If you were to ask me on my thoughts of what an ideal lobster bisque should be like, I’d probably describe for you a soup that’s not so much creamy and chowder-esque, but something that’s rather more dense, darker in color, and definitely heavily seasoned with a lot of herbs and spices. I’m hoping the next lobster bisque recipe that I try will result in a soup that more closely resembles this description. Stay tuned to find out!

Until then, here is the recipe that I did try out. You’ll find below a list of ingredients and directions for the recipe, as well as my photographs that I took while going through the entire cooking process. Hopefully the pictures will help you visualize the steps needed to successfully make this “Lobster Bisque” soup. Enjoy!

Reader’s Digest’s “Lobster Bisque” Creamy Chowder Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 3/4 cups low-fat (1%) milk
  • 1 cup half-and-half
  • 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp ground mace
  • 1/4 tsp white or black pepper
  • 8 ounces coarsely flaked lobster or 1 package (8 ounces) frozen lobster-flavored, chunk-style fish, thawed
  • 1/4 cup dry sherry, dry white wine, or half-and-half

Directions:

  • In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine onion, celery & broth
  • Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer (covered) until vegetables are tender (about 5 min)
  • Stir in milk
  • In a small bowl, whisk together half-and-half, flour, salt, mace & pepper
  • Stir into pan and cook, stirring constantly over medium heat until thickened and bubbly (about 10 min)
  • Stir in lobster & sherry and simmer (uncovered) until heated through (about 5 min)

Serves: 4

Partially thawing frozen lobster claws (to be used in Lobster Bisque recipe)

Partially thawing frozen lobster claws (to be used in Lobster Bisque recipe)

Semi cooking partially thawed lobster claw meat (then stopping in ice bath)

Semi-cooking the partially thawed lobster claw meat in a pot of hot water. The partly cooked lobster claws are then placed in an ice bath to stop the cooking process.

Lobster Bisque broth ingredients

Ingredients for cooking the broth (keep in mind I doubled everything): 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth, 2 large yellow onions (finely chopped) & 2 celery stalks (finely chopped)

Cooking the broth for the lobster bisque (onion & celery veggies + broth+ milk)

Cooking the broth by combining the veggies (onion & celery) + chicken broth + milk

Whisking together half-and-half flour and seasonings for the Lobster Bisque

Whisking together half-and-half, flour, salt, ground mace & pepper in a small bowl

Flaked lobster flavored chunk style fish used in Lobster Bisque recipe

8 ounces flaked lobster-flavored, chunk-style fish used in Lobster Bisque recipe

2 bowls of Lobster Bisque soup - the final result!

The end result: 2 bowls of Lobster Bisque soup!

Lobster Bisque creamy chowder soup (collage image of different angles)

Collage image of a bowl of Lobster Bisque chowder, seen at different angles

Image sources: Lobster comics courtesy of MordantOrange.com, ThreeWordPhrase.com & Gloomies.com. All lobster bisque cooking photographs ©2012 Karina of KnittingandPurling.com.
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For those who love seafood: Classic Bouillabaisse Mediterranean fish soup recipe from France

2012
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The Soup Bible cookbook cover image

"The Soup Bible" is without a doubt one of the best soup cookbooks out there!


Yummy, yummy fish in my tummy!

Ever since my mother-in-law gave me “The Soup Bible: All the Soups You Will Ever Need in One Inspirational Collection” cookbook for Christmas one year, I’ve been obsessed with making soups.

They’re just so easy to make! At least the ones that I used to make all the time anyway, which were of the vegetable variety.

All you gotta do is chop up a bunch of veggies, mix them up in a stockpot with some low-sodium chicken broth, then blend the final batch in a blender on high for a minute or two and voila… instant meal in no time, flat!

Although The Soup Bible hits it out of the park in terms of every recipe being top-notch and worthy of repeat cooking time and time again… it’s limited by the sheer number of recipes available (there only 200 or so listed in the cookbook, which itself is only 256 pages long).

Reader's Digest The Ultimate Soup Cookbook cover image

My newly purchased "Reader's Digest: The Ultimate Soup Cookbook"

So when I found myself at a local Chapters bookstore a few weeks ago, I was excited to find a 544-page soup cookbook that featured over 900 recipes!

That cookbook? It’s appropriately named “The Ultimate Soup Cookbook: Over 900 Family-Favorite Recipes” by Reader’s Digest.

I’ve already had the chance to try out quite a few recipes from the cookbook… although just to warn you, I never really had the chance to stray far from the fish and seafood soups chapter! Basically, stay tuned for many, many, maaaaany blog posts coming soon that will be featuring soups of the seafood variety.

You can blame it on me watching too many episodes of the Iron Chef America TV show recently… all of which just happened to feature seafood as the secret ingredient. I’m talking lobster and bigeye tuna… oh my!

La Bouillabaisse illustration

Bouillabaisse (definition): A Provençal fish stew originating from the port city of Marseille, France

First up? “Classic Bouillabaisse,” a Provençal fish soup/stew originating from the port city of Marseille, France. It’s usually made with as many as a dozen different kinds of Mediterranean seafood, including sea bass, eel and scallops.

In this “classic” version, the seafood used in the fish soup include fillets of sole/flounder/halibut, sea scallops, lobster meat and minced clams.

The end result is a lot of chunky seafood goodness in a deliciously seasoned vegetable broth.

I made the effort to take photographs throughout the entire cooking process. Hopefully the pictures will help you visualize the steps needed to successfully make this “Classic Bouillabaisse” fish soup recipe. Enjoy!

Reader’s Digest’s “Classic Bouillabaisse” Mediterranean Fish Soup Recipe (from France)

Ingredients:

  • 8 oz fresh or thawed frozen sole, flounder, or halibut fillets
  • 8 oz fresh or thawed frozen sea scallops
  • 1 frozen small rock lobster tail (8 oz), partially thawed, or 8 oz lobster meat
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 3/4 cups chopped tomatoes or 1 can (14 1/2 oz) low-sodium tomatoes, undrained, cut up
  • 1 cup dry white wine or low-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 tbsp minced fresh parsley
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp fennel seed or celery seed
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp saffron threads, crushed (optional)
  • 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 can (6 1/2 oz) minced clams

Directions:

  • Rinse fish, scallops and lobster and pat dry
  • Cut fish into 2″ pieces
  • Halve large scallops
  • Halve lobster tail lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 6 portions
  • In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat
  • Add onion and garlic and saute 5 min or until onion is tender
  • Stir in broth, tomatoes, wine, parsley, bay leaves, thyme, fennel seed, salt, saffron (if desired) and cayenne
  • Bring to a boil
  • Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for about 30 min
  • Line a large sieve with 2 layers of cheesecloth and set in a large saucepan
  • Strain vegetable mixture, then discard vegetables and seasonings after straining
  • Bring remaining filtered liquid to a boil
  • Add fish, scallops, lobster meat and clams
  • Return to a boil
  • Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered and stirring, for 4 minutes or until fish flakes easily and scallops and lobster are opaque

Serves: 6

Classic Bouillabaisse recipe - lobster claws collage image

Partially thawed frozen lobster claws used in Classic Bouillabaisse recipe

Classic Bouillbaisse recipe - before and after removing lobster claw shells

Weight of lobster claws BEFORE thawing and removing shells = 19.5 oz. Weight of lobster claw meat AFTER de-shelling = 10.2 oz.

Classic Bouillbaisse recipe - frozen sea scallops collage image

10 oz thawed frozen sea scallops (before de-shelling)

Classic Bouillbaisse recipe - fish fillets collage image

11 oz fresh fish fillets

Classic Bouillabaisse recipe - chopped garlic and onion collage image

2 minced garlic cloves and 1 chopped large yellow onion

Classic Bouillabaisse recipe - broth ingredients collage image

Prepared broth ingredients (clockwise, from top left): 1 tsp dried thyme, 2 tbsp minced fresh parsley, 1 tsp fennel seed, 2 bay leaves and 1 3/4 cups chopped tomatoes

Classic Bouillbaisse recipe - white wine used in broth

White wine (that we had received as a Christmas present!) used in making the broth

Classic Bouillabaisse recipe - added broth, tomatoes and wine to onions and garlic

TOP: Added 3 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth, 1 3/4 cups chopped tomatoes and 1 cup dry white wine to sauteed onions and garlic. BOTTOM: Simmering onions, garlic, broth, tomatoes and wine mixture.

Classic Bouillabaisse recipe - added bay leaves, parsley, thyme, fennel seeds, salt, cayenne pepper

TOP: Added 2 bay leaves and 2 tbsp minced fresh parsley. MIDDLE: Added 1 tsp dried thyme and 1 tsp fennel seed. BOTTOM: Added 1/2 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

Classic Bouillabaisse recipe - before and after boiling and simmering broth

BEFORE & AFTER boiling and simmering broth ingredients for 30 minutes

Classic Bouillabaisse recipe - filtering vegetable broth by cheesecloth collage image

Straining and filtering the vegetable broth mixture with a cheesecloth-covered sieve (followed by discarding the vegetables and seasoning)

Classic Bouillabaisse recipe - filtering vegetable broth by cheesecloth (before and after)

BEFORE & AFTER filtering vegetable broth mixture by cheesecloth

Classic Bouillabaisse fish soup collage image

Close-up views of soup after adding fish fillets, fresh sea scallops, partially thawed lobster claw meat and one 6 1/2 oz can of minced clams

Classic Bouillabaisse recipe - finished fish soup

Finally, the finished product! 2 bowls of Classic Bouillabaisse Mediterranean fish soup. Mmm...

Image source: “The Soup Bible” cookbook cover image courtesy of Amazon.com. “Reader’s Digest: The Ultimate Soup Cookbook” cover image courtesy of Amazon.com. All photographs ©2012 Karina of KnittingandPurling.com.
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Top ten twenty milestone events (in the life of Karina!) for 2011

2012
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New Years Resolutions comic - healthy eating means wanting half a cupcake

This comic says it all... didn't it seem like 2011 was all about cupcakes?

Once again, Happy New Year!

Before officially ringing in 2012 (and by official, I mean an entire month late considering it’s already end of January… man, time sure goes by fast!), I wanted to summarize the major events that happened in my life during 2011.

Note: This post is part of my “Best of the Best Top Ten Lists” blog series. But as you can see… it somehow turned into a “Top 20″ list instead of 10 (only because there were too many events that had occured during 2011 to reduce the list to 10!).

Anyway, without further ado, here we go…

Top 20 events of 2011 - New Canon and Sony cameras and lenses
#1 New Cameras, Lenses & Filters… Oh My!
(January 2011 & December 2011)
2011 started with receiving my Boxing Day 2010 camera purchases in the mail: A) Canon EOS Rebel T1i DSLR camera kit (w/ 18-55mm zoom lens) from BestBuy.ca; B) Sony Alpha NEX-3 interchangeable camera kit (w/ 18-55mm zoom & 16mm wide-angle lenses) + camera filters from Henrys.ca
In January, I bought a Canon 75-300mm telephoto lens at J&R while traveling to NYC
For Boxing Day 2011, I bought a 33mm macro lens for my Sony Alpha NEX-3 camera, on sale at Vistek.ca

#2 Vogue Knitting LIVE! Convention in New York
(January 21-23, 2011)
I spent much of 2010 waiting for “The Ultimate Knitting EVENT from the Ultimate Knitting Magazine“… and it finally came in January 2011
I’m talking about attending the 1st ever Vogue Knitting LIVE! in NYC
Highlights include: A) Getting my “Vogue Knitting Knitopedia: The Ultimate A to Z for Knitters” book autographed; B) Meeting Knitterati-member Nicky Epstein; C) Buying more yarn than I could stuff in my carry-on (It’s true, I had to FedEx a box home!); D) Getting tips on designing my own knitwear & learning about different yarn fibers
Top 20 events of 2011 - Voge Knitting LIVE! convention in New York City

Top 20 events of 2011 - Watching Billie Joe Armstrong star in American Idiot Broadway musical
#3 Watching Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong Star as St. Jimmy in American Idiot Broadway Musical
(January 21, 2011)
While in New York for the Vogue Knitting LIVE! convention in January, we were lucky enough to be able to catch Green Day‘s front man Billie Joe Armstrong actually star in American Idiot The Musical, during his month-long stint playing St. Jimmy
We were also lucky enough to accidentally stumble upon him signing autographs outside the theater (watch video here)

#4 2011: The Year Google’s Panda Algorithm Update Changed the Landscape of Search
(The world changed after February 24, 2011)
As someone working in the Search Engine Optimization field, the year 2011 was most definitely a roller coaster ride… dominated by a giant black & white endangered animal that feasts exclusively on bamboo
The Google Panda algorithm update made its arrival in the U.S. after February 24th & would later hit other English-speaking countries April 11th
Regular Panda updates continued every 6 weeks or so all through 2011
Top 20 events of 2011 - Google Panda algorithm update

Top 20 events of 2011 - Rainbow color yarn
#5 Buying Rainbow Colored Yarn of All Fibers
(January to March, 2011)
After receiving a chullo hat & fingerless gloves knitting book from my mother-in-law for Christmas 2010, I became obsessed with knitting winter accessories… and teaching myself how to create my own custom-designed knitwear
It was during early 2011 when I came up with the idea of creating my own Hand Knitted SEO/HTML Geek Wear, to sell online through this site
This led to me being obsessed with the idea of buying yarn of all fiber types (merino wool, alpaca, organic cotton… oh my!) in every single color of the rainbow. I’m talking pinks, reds, oranges, yellows, greens, blues & purples

#6 Goodbye, Long Locks… Hello, New Short Bob Haircut From My New Fave Hair Stylist
(May 2011)
Before 2011, I can’t remember when I last had short hair
I started growing it long prior to my May 12th, 2010 wedding… but kept it long a year later (b/c I was cheap & lazy)
In May, I made an impromptu decision to abandon going to my regular salon & instead went back to trying Toni & Guy
Although I went with a random stylist, the guy became the best I’ve ever had (he knew exactly how to cut my hair based on how it naturally sat on my head). And what did I get? A spontaneous short bob haircut!
I tried finding him last month for haircut #2 of 2011, but turns out he had quit to start his own salon. Went to the new place & had him cut my hair in the same style as before. It looks equally great. So yay, he’s a keeper!
Top 20 events of 2011 - New short bob hair style

Top 20 events of 2011 - New Sony VAIO laptop computer
#7 Upgraded to New Sony VAIO Laptop Computer
(May 2011)
Also in May, I finally bit the bullet & threw away my previously beloved (but wonky) Spring Green colored Dell Inspiron notebook computer (it had a faulty monitor connection & wouldn’t load half the time)
When I noticed a sale on Sony VAIO E Series laptops at Best Buy? I made the decision to buy it… in electric blue
I’ve been using my trusty new Sony VAIO as my go-to, regular home computer since then & I gotta say… Most definitely infatuated with it!

#8 Made the Switch from iPhone to Android & Never, Ever Looked Back
(July 21, 2011)
I’ve had my iPhone 3GS for a while before one fine day in June and BAM! This happened: 1) I lost it by leaving it at a restaurant; 2) One of the staffers took it, then lied about doing so when I went back & inquired
Luckily, the (read: super cheap, under-the-table) phone plan I was on allowed me to get a new smartphone by renewing my contract in July
After consulting with friends, family & people at work, I ended up waiting patiently until nearly end of July so I could purchase the Samsung Galaxy S II 4G the day it was released on Bell Mobility
I gotta say, I love my new Android phone & wouldn’t go back to an iPhone even if you gave me the choice for free! Plus, it doesn’t hurt that Samsung phones are hot. And by hot? I mean sexy.
Top 20 events of 2011 - New Sumsung Galaxy S2 Android smartphone

Top 20 events of 2011 - New house
#9 1st Comes Marriage, Then Comes a New House…
(May 2011 & August 2011)
My husband and I are pros at renting apartments (together as a couple we’ve lived in 5 different rentals!)
In the middle of our 1-year lease at the last apartment, there was an uproar involving the landlord. They threatened to evict us “as long as we get 2 months notice” (which was NOT true)
We decided to be proactive & move out by the end of our lease in August before they forced us out on their terms
We also decided the time was right to buy property. Our tiff with the landlord at the last condo really soured us on the idea of renting. Plus, we had just celebrated our 1 year wedding anniversary, and what comes next after marriage except our very own house?
We started house hunting in May & found the perfect townhouse immediately! Without a doubt, 2011 will forever be remembered as the year we bought our house.

#10 …Then Comes Living in Debt Thanks to a Mortgage on That New House!
(August 2011)
Guess what comes along with buying a brand new house? A brand spankin’ new mortgage loan, that’s what!
Lawyer fees, land transfer taxes, property taxes & maintenance fees aside… it’s good to know that at the end of the day, the money spent throughout this whole house-purchasing process (& money that we’ll continue to spend for years to come) is at least all going towards paying off our house debts
Top 20 events of 2011 - New mortgage debt

Top 20 events of 2011 - House painting fun
#11 House Painting Fun, Fun, Fun!
(August 2011)
>The best part about buying a house vs. renting a condo? You’re free to decorate it however you like! As someone who lives and breathes arts & crafts, I was jumping at the chance to get to work decorating it.
That’s right. I hoarded paint swatches from Home Depot. I clipped pictures of rooms I liked from storage organization/home decor magazines. I made “to-scale” floor plans for each room in the house & where to put the furniture. I literally had a sketchbook of ideas on how to decorate the crap out of the new house… before we even got the place.
At the end of the day, I didn’t really have to do much in terms of decorating the house outside of painting the rooms (since the previous owner had bought it just to completely reno it from top-to-bottom & flip it for profit). But man, did I have fun painting! Let’s just say there were 5 rooms that ended up getting painted & I used 5 different colors of paint!

#12 Furniture Shopping? Even MORE Fun!
(Summer 2011)
Guess what also comes along with buying a brand new house? Shopping for brand spankin’ new furniture, that’s what!
Yes, my husband and I have lived in our share of apartments so most of our furniture had already been purchased. But we’ve never lived in anything bigger than a 2 bedroom apartment! And going from a max. 1080 sq. ft. condo to a 3+1 bedroom 3 storey house? There were definitely additional furniture items needed to bought!
Let’s just say during 2011, I discovered the inner furniture shopaholic in me. I could NOT avoid the neighborhood Urban Barn Outlet, was constantly at Structube & scoured every Toronto indie furniture store in search of custom upholstered sofas & armchairs.
It took me several months to amass everything, but at the end of the day I’d say I’m quite pleased with the furniture pieces that I ended up with!
Top 20 events of 2011 - New furniture shopping

Top 20 events of 2011 - Custom built dream walk-in closet
#13 Turning the Smallest Bedroom into a Custom Built, Dream Walk-in Closet
(August 2011)
Every girl dreams of their perfect, walk-in closet… one that’s the size of an entire bedroom (Hello? Remember the walk-in closet Mr. Big had custom built for Carrie in the 1st Sex and the City movie?). Well, that dream became a reality for me when we moved into our new house.
Back in August when we were about to move in, my dad (being the super awesome handyman that he is) followed my requests to the letter and transformed our smallest bedroom into my ideal, personalized walk-in closet. I’m talking a full wall-to-wall, floor-to-bottom set of PAX wardrobes from IKEA on one side of the room, facing a wall covered top-to-bottom with rows and rows of shelving to house my numerous pairs of shoes and boots. Can we say, heavenly bliss?

#14 Discovered Newfound Rubber Ducky Obsession
(August 2011)
I have no idea where it came from (seriously, this is completely from left field), but I’ve developed a newfound obsession with rubber duckies
It all started when decorating our main floor bathroom in the new house, and I made a spontaneous decision to have the decor revolve around a rubber ducky theme. I’m talking framed scrapbook prints of rubber ducky patterns on the wall, rubber ducky wall decal stickers, rubber ducky hand towels, rubber ducky lotion & soap pumps, plus a current grand total of TWENTY FIVE rubber duckies just, y’know, sittin’ around.
Yuppers. Just call me the rubber ducky hoarder!
Top 20 events of 2011 - New rubber ducky obsession

Top 20 events of 2011 - Food Network channel TV shows
#15 Became Obsessed with the Food Network TV Channel… and Watching It Nonstop While Cooking!
(Starting August 2011)
When we moved into our new house, we were able to enjoy the perks of free access to channels available through Rogers’ VIP digital TV package
OK, so it’s not technically free… it’s actually included as part of our townhouse maintenance fees. But they gave us 3 free boxes!And you know what that means? That’s right. I gots me a brand new flat screen Samsung TV to mount on my kitchen wall… and in white, to match!
As if the new kitchen and its brand new cabinets and fixtures and appliances didn’t make cooking in the new house completely awesome to begin with. Add in the brand new pivoting TV and free access to the Canadian Food Network TV channel? Pure cooking bliss.

#16 Expanded My Pet Bunny Clan to Two
(August 27, 2011)
My husband and I may not have kids (yet!), but we’re currently content with our close knit family that consists of pet bunnies.
We’ve had 2 Mini Rex bunnies before, but both have since passed. In September 2010, we adopted a gorgeous charcoal-colored Netherlands Dwarf rabbit. She looked like a koala, so I named her “The Koala Bunny“… much to my husband’s chagrin. To this day he refuses to acknowledge that was ever her name. She’s now referred to fondly as “The Chicken“… because, well, she clucks! It’s funny, because our old Mini Rex bunnies used to honk like geese, I swear.
Anyway, this relates to 2011 because after moving into our new house, we decided to seek a soul mate for “The Chicken” (because bunnies don’t cope well on their own… they’re social creatures!).
I’ve always longed for a floppy-eared Holland Lop rabbit, one that’s brown with a dark nose. I finally found the perfect dream bunny and we welcomed him into our family on August 27, 2011. This one isn’t “pretty” like the other one (he’s more scrappy looking, a bit scrungy). But he is absolutely beyond adorable because he looks (and acts!) exactly like a perpetually enthusiastic and energetic puppy dog. Which is why he’s officially named “The Puppy.” And boy, do we love him!
So now, our little family of 4 is complete.
Top 20 events of 2011 - New puppy bunny

Top 20 events of 2011 - Intro to sewing classes
#17 Used a Groupon for Intro to Sewing Classes
(September 2011)
At the end of 2010, I purchased a Groupon for 50% off an 8-Week-Long Introductory Sewing course. However, it wasn’t until September 2011 (when the coupon was about to expire) before I put it to good use
I’ve had previous experience with sewing before (in Family Studies class at school & having been taught by my mom when I was young), but I definitely needed a major refresher
I learned quite a lot! It definitely sparked something inside of me to want to continue learning how to sew. So at the end of the day, 2011 will go down in my books as the year I fell in love with sewing again.
Plus, the best part to learning how to sew? Hands down, shopping for fabrics. Especially at Mood Designer Fabrics in New York, the official fabric store for Project Runway… one of my fave TV shows of all time!

#18 Started New KnittingNPurling Etsy Store
(September 28, 2011)
Starting in September, I finally got around to starting up a brand new store on Etsy called KnittingNPurling, where I intend to exclusively sell “handmade geeky gifts for computer nerds“
Currently, you can purchase: 1) gold or silver wire wrapped name necklaces with “geekery” words written in cursive letters, 2) computer keyboard keys & lampwork glass beaded earrings, and 3) computer keyboard keys & chunky layered button rose rings
More items are planned for the near future, including lots of SEO/HTML themed custom knitted geek wear… so stay tuned! And if you’re on Etsy, please feel free to add me to your circles. Cheers.
Top 20 events of 2011 - Handmade computer keyboard jewelry at my KnittingNPurling Etsy store

Top 20 events of 2011 - Toronto Bead Fair and One of a Kind Show
#19 Hi, My Name is Karina and I’m a Bead Hoarder
(Bead Fair in November & OOAK Show in December 2011)
When I restarted Etsy in September, I also rediscovered my love of volunteer group of people who share an abiding love of, and enthusiasm for, beads, beadwork, and related jewelry-making skills.” Sounds like me!
I also attended the twice yearly 2011 Fall Bead & Jewelry Fair in November. It wasn’t a big shindig, but the smorgasbord of beads available (including my coveted handmade lampwork beads by local artisans) made the show to die for. And I got to network with other bead lovers!
Lastly, I made my requisite pit stop at the Christmas Toronto One of a Kind Show, where I got the chance to both buy AND meet up with additional bead connoisseurs. 2011 was definitely a good craft year!

#20 Back From My Longest Hiatus From Blogging (With a Vengeance!)
(December 6, 2011)
I’ve been known to go in on long breaks between blogging (there’s just so much going on in my life all the time that I can never find the time to devote to blogging!) However, the break that elapsed between the last blog post I had written on April 24th, pre-hiatus… vs. the comeback post I had written on December 6th? That was SEVEN months long! Ouch.
Well, just wanted to say I want to end that trend of going on hiatus now that 2011 has come to a close. I’m refreshed. I’ve got the new house, and everything has settled down in my life. So I’m ready to tackle maintaining this Knitting & Purling blog… with a vengeance!
Hopefully you’ll keep returning back to read more of my posts. Cheers and much thanks in advance if you do. XOXO, Karina
Top 20 events of 2011 - Restarting my Knitting and Purling blog (after a 7-month hiatus)
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