Bathe in Style
September 30, 2011

Check out this amazing and functional bathtub/shower combination from CAML-TOMLIN- with it's European-inspired, walk-in design, this piece will add sophistication to any bathroom. This is a bathroom I designed for Canadian Crooner Matt Dusk, and in this case I mirrored the front of the tub (though you can add use any material that you like). It adds a reflective element ... Read More
Solutions and Substitutions for Sept. 23rd, 2011
September 28, 2011
By: Reena Nerbas Dear Reena, I am cooking supper for 60 people next week. I would like to know how much Romaine lettuce to purchase for Caesar salad, how much garlic bread should I purchase and what quantity of spaghetti noodles should I buy? How can I cook this large amount of spaghetti without the noodles sticking ... Read More
Shopping Affectively – To Get Design, Not Storage
September 21, 2011

Shopping is a pastime for many North American people: “going to the mall with friends” is something that we hear on a regular basis but the “Mall” is a place to buy things “girls' shopping day” is also something we hear often. I don’t think they mean they are shopping for “girls” – they mean they are ... Read More
Weekend DIY Project – Instant Feature Wall
September 16, 2011

Every time I visit people they always make sure that their house looks good, and they try to “impress me” by doing something new with their home’s décor. I recently visited my good friend Francis in Montreal and he had this DIY feature wall that’s both easy and inexpensive. To make him languished to see what I ... Read More
Refinishing Safety
September 15, 2011

Refinishing wood furniture can be a hazardous job. The chemicals and toxins in many refinishing materials can injure or burn your skin. Others, if swallowed, absorbed or breathed can cause damage to your internal organs. In addition, most stains, lacquers, and varnishes are highly flammable. You should always take great care to your personal protection ... Read More
How to Choose a Luxury Bathtub
September 15, 2011

Bathtubs are the centrepiece to your bathroom, so when considering a new one, there are a lot of options, styles, materials and price ranges to choose from. First, decide what your bathroom's "theme" is to help narrow down your selections of luxury bathtubs. Consider also your budget, how much space you have, and if you ... Read More
Four Tips for Cleaning Your House in the Most Efficient Manner
September 15, 2011

Minimise task swapping The time it takes to swap between tasks is not time spent cleaning and achieving results. Unnecessary task swapping is the mortal enemy of efficiency. Let’s look at Jane vs. Marie in their cleaning efforts to compare efficiency in vacuuming then mopping the floors of several rooms. Jane tackles this in a ... Read More
Stop Cutting Down Rainforests and Use Recycled Timber Today
September 12, 2011

Timber is a product that can have a number of moral and ethical consequences in its production. The first thing, clearly, is that timber needs to come from a living tree which is cut down and then processed into usable pieces of timber. There are many reasons we should attempt to reduce the amount of ... Read More
Choose the Right Savings Account and Watch Your Money Grow
September 12, 2011

Whether you are saving up for a car, a house, or a six month backpacking adventure across Southeast Asia, a savings account with the right features and a good interest rate can help you get there faster. Here is a guide to choosing the best one. What are you saving for? There are many reasons why we ... Read More
Caribbean Cuisine
September 12, 2011

If you are in need of reliving your romantic Caribbean holiday, a great way to do this is to recreate a few of the foods of the beautiful Caribbean Islands to enjoy with your special someone. Caribbean cuisine combines the styles of African, East Indian, French and Spanish cooking. With some help from a recipe, even the most amateur of cooks can make a fabulous meal.
Ingredients
- 1 (2 1/2 – 3 pound) frying chicken, cut up
- 1 lemon cut in half
- 3 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 3 Tablespoons hungarian paprika
- 3 Tablespoons pepper
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 Tablespoons dark soy sauce
- 2 Tablespoons hot sauce
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups vegetable oil
- 2 3.5 oz cans coconut (flaked)
- 2 eggs with the whites separated
- 1/4 cup sugar (should be superfine)
- 1 14oz can sweetened condensed milk
- 1/2 cup key lime juice (should be freshly squeezed)
- 1 teaspoon grated key lime rind
- 1 Tablespoon dark rum
- 1 cup sour cream
- 3 egg yolks
- 3 egg whites
- 6 Tbs granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 medium green plantains, peeled and cut crosswise int 1/2″ slices
- 2 cups salted water
- 1/2 cup chuncky peanut butter
- 3/4 cup coconut milk
- 1 Tablespoon red curry paste (or hot sauce)
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
- 1/4 cup onion finely diced
- 1/8 cup chopped cilantro
- 1 Tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 Tablespoon lime juice
Instructions
- Arrange chicken on a plate in a single layer. Squeeze both halves of lemon all over chicken. Chill for 15-30 minutes. Romove chicken from refrigerator and rub with garlic. Sprinkle chicken with paprika, pepper and salt. Pour hot sauce and soy sauce all over chicken. Generously coat chicken with flour. Fry in oil til golden brown and fully cooked all the way through. Drain excess oil onto paper towels. Serves 4-6.
- Place the coconut in a single layer on 2 10×13″ cookie sheets. Next, toast the cocunut at 350 degrees or until it becomes golden brown. You will want to stir it frequently and watch carefully to ensure that it does not burn. Once it is slightly browned, remove it from the oven so it can cool and while it cools, reduce the oven temperature to 250 degrees. Beat your egg whites with a hand mixer until it is able to form stiff peaks and then carefully beat in the sugar. Once the sugar is completely dissolved, fold in the browned cocunut. Transfer to a 9″ pie pan and cook for 7 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.
- Blend together your condensed milk, the rum, the lime juice and rind. Beat in the egg yolks. Once this is completed, fold in sour cream and then pour into a cooled pie crust. Transfer the meringue on top of the filling. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes or until the peaks of the meringue is browned. You should chill the pie for at least 30 minutes before eating.
- Beat the egg whites in a bowl until the mixture is able to hold soft peaks. Slowly beat in the sugar until it is completely dissolved and the meringue has stiff peaks.
- In a large heavy skillet, heat oil over medium heat til a light haze forms above it. Add plantains one at a time without over crowding the pan. Fry about 2 minutes on each side. Transfer to paper towels to remove excess oil. On a cutting board, use a spatula to press each slice into flat round 1/4″ discs. Dip each one into salt water. Shake off excess water. Heat oil and fry the discs again for 1 minute on each side. Drain on paper towels and serve immediately.
- In an oiled sauce pan, sautee onion, ginger and garlic til soft (about 1 minute). Add all other ingredients except cilantro and peanut butter. Simmer on medium heat til coconut milk is warmed through. Remove from heat and whisk in peanut butter til it is completetly melted. Add cilantro and stir. Makes 1 1/2 cups.
Notes
Recreate one or two of these recipes with your loved one for a nice romantic evening. You can reminisce about your Caribbean holiday and fall in love again. Bringing the Caribbean to your kitchen is fun, but going to the Caribbean is more fun! Explore great romantic resorts in the Bahamas and other Caribbean islands at RomanticCaribbeanResorts.com.






