Family Dinner: Savory Casserole

Here is a simple and yummy recipe that we had for family dinner a few weeks ago. The recipe was originally my Nana's and after pestering my mom about making it again, on a cool Monday night, she did just that!

Savory Casserole (Serves 6)

Ingredients:

4 tbsp margarine

1 medium onion, chopped.

1 lb hamburger (we used extra lean)

1 tsp salt and pepper

1 can tomato soup

1 cup water

1 6 oz package noodles (this time around Mom used whole wheat pasta)

1 medium can of kernel worn

1 cup grated cheese

Method

Melt margarine, add onion and brown lightly.  Add meat and brown, salt and pepper.  Place in casserole dish. Add soup and water.  Cook noodles/pasta until tender.  Drain and add to meat mixture with corn.  Top with grated cheese and bake at 350 until hot.

Eat!

 Always take the time to sit down with  family to eat dinner and catch up!

Yum! So comforting and filling! 

Enjoy!!

Yelp Slave Lake Bake Sale

What are you doing this Sunday (May 29) afternoon?
The answer is going to the Yelp Slave Lake Bake Sale downtown at Enterprise Square!
All funds will go to the Red Cross to help those affected by the fires in Slave Lake. The bake sale is on from 12-5 and there will be goodies from all sorts of local business including Credo, Fuss Cupcakes as well as some local bakers! You can make a difference by just buying a few treats!
For more information, check out the event's facebook page! Hopefully I'll see you there!

What is Foam Rolling?

Image from:  http://www.bodywindow.com/foam-rolling.html

Foam Rolling: One of the best things you can do for your poor muscles. Its basically a massage for your whole body, without going for a massage. You get the benefits of stretching along with myofascial release, releasing tension, reducing injury, increasing blood flow, and you can hit some major trigger points. It hurts- but in a good way.

You can hit most of the major muscles and points in your body with a foam roller. If you got to a gym, you've probably seen people rolling around on these and wondering "what the heck is that person doing??"  I refuse to use the ones at the gym... I am kinda grossed out by the idea, but thats just me. I realize its silly, given the fact that I touch everything else in the gym from weights to mats, so whats the difference? None, but anyway... I purchased my own about a year ago and foam roll at home. You can do whatever you like.

How do you use it? The simplest way to explain: You roll around on it. But its a little bit more particular than that. You should roll 30-60 seconds each muscle. Some spots require less rolling and more sitting on pressure points. Explaining this is a little difficult. Once you start rolling you will get the idea. But here is a good beginner video to get you started:

How To Use a Foam Roller - The Sarah Fit Show

I find the points that I get the most benefit from foam rolling are my IT band, chest and back stretches, and my quads. I find it is less effective on my hamstrings. Use a tennis ball for those!!!  (yep!)

Want to learn more? Here are some other good resources to get you started!
http://optimumsportsperformance.com/blog/?p=375
http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-241-285--11556-0,00.html

Delux Burger Bar

Last week Ryan and I went to Delux Burger Bar in West Edmonton Mall...

I got The Delux Burger- 8 oz Black Angus Beef, Bacon, onions, mushrooms, and blue cheese on a ciabatta bun. It was massive. I thought it was okay. It certainly wasn't the best burger I have ever had- I found the burger on the dry side. 

Ryan got the Urban Classic-7 oz beef patty, cheddar, (no mayo), lettuce and onions. 

Ryan liked his burger a lot.

We also got the Delux Duo of Fries- Sweet potato and regular fries. ($5.50)

They come in a cute little shopping cart, because all their fries are "A la Cart." Hehe too cute!

I really really enjoyed the fries! I would go back just for the fries...

I would try Delux Burger Bar again. The prices of the burgers range anywhere from 8 to over 20 bucks. I think mine was $11. So all in all, under $15 for this meal. A little on the expensive side for a burger and half a serving of fries. I wouldn't get the Delux again though. And if I found any of their other burgers to be as dry I wouldn't go back. I do like their monthly celebrity burger idea, so there is always something new and it supports a charity too. Oh, I forgot! Instead of mints, they give you a plate of cotton candy, which I thought was pretty neat! 

Have you been to Delux yet- what did you think? What is your favorite in Edmonton?

Thank You Tzin

This will be short and sweet...

While I go to Tzin on a fairly regular basis, I have never written about it here on Chomp! After our last visit, I felt like it needed a special little thumbs up!

A few weeks ago my dear friend Jason and I went out to catch up and celebrate his completion of his degree. Around 8 pm on a Friday night, we wandered into Tzin Wine and Tapas- essentially our go to wine bar in the city- to find it packed full. If you've never been to Tzin, this should come as no surprise as it is quite tiny and usually busy. The server said he could get us a table in about 15 minutes, but that we should take a walk and he'd phone us when a table became free. After getting a phone call, we returned, only to find that the table that was expected to depart, still had not. While we waited we were given complimentary glasses of champagne. That small gesture made all the difference in our wait!

Once seated we were treated fantastically by the people at Tzin. They have a strong knowledge of wines and always seem to pick exactly what you want (if you are anything like me, I just tell them what I enjoy and they always seem to bring me something new and delicious.) Not only are they knowledgeable but also personable. Every time we go to Tzin we feel like we get to know everyone there a little bit more- and they get to know us too!

At one point a larger party came into Tzin and we were asked if it was okay if we moved tables- as a thank you, we were given free dessert (so delicious- if you have a chance to have any chocolate cake there, just do it, don't even question your decision.)- I wish I had had my camera!!

Thank you to the Tzin team (especially Kelsey, who seems to always be there) for creating such a fantastic place. You wine and tapas are delicious, your space cozy and comforting, but ultimately, your smiling faces bring us back!

Karma- The Indian Bistro

Since I live and work so close to Karma- The Indian Bistro in downtown Edmonton, I've had the chance to dine there a few times now. Generally speaking, I've had good experiences there. Their food is pretty yummy and isn't to hard on the wallet either.

On Friday night a bunch of us went their for a birthday celebration! The restaurant was very quiet (for a Friday evening.) It is two stories (a converted house)- the main floor seemed mostly full but the upstairs was basically dead with the exception of our party of 9 and two couples.

 Two of Karma's Signature Cocktails called Karmasutra and Tantra (Oh my!)

 My sister and I shared coconut rice, butter chicken, Gobhi Masala and naan. She was branching outside of her usual butter chicken to something new!




I really like their Butter Chicken. The Gobhi Masala was pretty good, but very oily. The coconut rice wasn't as coco-nutty (is that a word?) as I would have liked.

The portions were fairly generous (we have leftovers in the fridge! yay!)

 There is a close up shot for ya!

 Also: we got lots of Naan- which is always a good thing in my books!

Almost everyone got a variation of rice, naan, butter chicken and/or a vegetarian dish. 

Overall experience at Karma was only so-so. The food was good, but the service was definitely off.  For one,  we waited almost an hour and a half from the time we were seated to the time we got our food. The server didn't take our orders until about 40 minutes of us being there. It seemed to me like she may have been the only server for the whole restaurant (which is a problem and while not her fault, it definitely showed in her attentiveness.) 

I would give Karma another chance- but probably not in a dinner setting. My lunch buffet experience has been better, and personally, I think that take-out from Karma is the way to go. Skip the erratic service and eat at home with a good company and a movie or something!

What is everyone's favorite Indian restaurant in the city? Let me know!

Urbanspoon rocks!

Hi Everyone!

Lots of changes to my blog! Please check out some of my updates to my blog page and Best of Edmonton pages!
Also, you'll start to see on any restaurant related post a link to urbanspoon.com. If you want to find out more about Edmonton's eating scene or what others have to say, check it out!
I should have some new posts in the next few days! Life has been so crazy these days!

Leslie :)