How to make strawberry cheesecake Note to self: my strawberry cheesecake isn’t easy to make. I just wanted to try something fancy and experiment on more complicated recipes. More importantly, cheesecake takes a long time to make. So if you are looking for something fast and easy, this strawberry cheesecake recipe is not it. Make it on the weekends. I remember back when I was 12, I made a terrible tasting cheesecake and my mother kept on reminding me of that incident. For that reason, I wanted redemption and a chance to better my baking skills. Baking, as you know, is not my forte. I was so con ..read more

Monica’s Excellent Foodie Tours to Chicago and Spain Solo travel is a huge passion of mine. 2023 has been a year of outstanding food from Chicago and Northern Spain. Since I don’t have any friends, it’s a regular pastime of mine to dine alone, so please don’t judge me. LOL! Below are a few highlights of my two culinary adventures. Thanks, Europamundo and Comfort Tours for making my trips comfortable and unforgettable. Chicago Gino’s – Diavola Chicago-style deep dish pizza. I know this place is overrated, but the deep-dish pizza was incredible. I came on a Friday so it was super busy – it took ..read more

Best Singaporean Spicy Noodles My Singaporean Spicy Noodles dish happens to be one of my favourites at Congee Wong down the street. In fact, I usually pay over $13 dollars for this dish but now I’m saving $5 plus tips. Lately, I have been going on a spending diet. For my New Year’s resolution, I made a promise to myself to spend less money by eating out less. This is the theme of Foodie2Luv: enjoying delicious comfort food at home instead of splurging on expensive dinners at restaurants. For this Singaporean Spicy Noodles dish, I went to Loblaws to buy a package of vermicelli noodles. The secr ..read more

Toasty Japanese Curry Bread I’d say this Japanese Curry Bread is my best recipe yet. It’s more complicated and time-consuming, but the results are amazing!! I’ve grown up eating steamed buns filled with pork, and I find that this recipe takes comfort food to a whole new level. This is quite an accomplishment since I didn’t mess this up. This Japanese Curry Bread calls for a curry filling that can be filled with your favourite meats and vegetables. I’m using rotisserie chicken and mushrooms, which goes really well with the spicy curry. Dipped in panko, these buns have a crunchy exterior but the ..read more

Nerikiri Wagashi Class at Jelly Bean Cake and Dessert A few months ago, I attended a Nerikiri Wagashi class at Jelly Bean Cake and Dessert on 3336 Yonge St, in Toronto. If it weren’t for Instagram, I wouldn’t have discovered this amazing bakery that made these delicious Japanese and Korean desserts. Just looking at the photos of the cute little cakes shaped like flowers made me want to try making them myself. What is Nerikiri Wagashi? Wagashi is a broad term used to describe traditional Japanese confections that are typically enjoyed with green tea. Wagashi translates to “Japanese sweets” or ..read more

Chinese Salt and Pepper Air Fried Calamari Last Christmas, I received a digital air fryer and I thought that this must be the greatest invention ever. I love how the air fryer can make food less oily and cut my cooking time in half. So today, I decided to make my family recipe, “Chinese Salt and Pepper Air Fried Calamari.” It’s spicy and super salty but so good. You’ll love the crunchy batter that is less greasy and it’s healthier than frying the calamari in oil. Enjoy! Chinese Salt and Pepper Air Fried Calamari February 26, 2022 Servings: 8 Prep: 10 min Cook: 15 min Total: 25 min Difficulty ..read more

Easy Cajun Roasted Turkey Recipe Happy New Year, guys. It’s 2022, and the start of a brand new year. It seems a while since I last updated my blog, but I’ll try to post more delicious recipes up. For my first post of 2022, I’ll show you how to make a proper turkey. This is my favourite Cajun Turkey recipe that I’ve made for many years. I only used three ingredients: hot mustard, Cajun spices, and lots of butter. It’s that easy. Pair this turkey with a glass of Pinot Grigio or any white wine. Do I have to brine the turkey? For me, brining the turkey in chicken stock for eight hours or overnight ..read more

I’d say this Moroccan Braised Lamb recipe is simply superb. On the weekends, I love to spend extra time in the kitchen and cook decadent meals. I happen to love the taste of lamb a lot and love to add spices like cumin and curry to enhance its flavour. You’ll love the fall-off-the-bone tenderness of the lamb that’s soaked in a rich broth. Enjoy with a glass of red wine.   Moroccan Braised Lamb June 23, 2021 Servings: 3 Prep: 10 min Difficulty: easy Print This By: Monica Wong Ingredients 3 lamb shanks 1 can beef broth 1 tablespoon tomato paste 1 teaspoon cumin 1 teaspoon curry 1 onio ..read more

The Best BBQ Eel Fried Rice After I tried BBQ Eel Fried Rice for the first time five years ago at a Japanese restaurant, I knew I had to make it from home. Now that the restaurants are closed, I feel more inclined to create my most favourite restaurant dishes. This Japanese specialty is definitely a dish I want to make again and again. I love the sweetness of the BBQ eel balanced by the saltiness of the fried rice. Where I Buy My BBQ Eel You can buy BBQ eel at any Asian supermarket like T&T supermarket. I got mine for $12 and it comes already cooked and marinated. How to Make the Fried Ric ..read more

Pasta Puttanesca Recipe I’m sure you’re wondering why I’m putting a recipe like Pasta Puttanesca up on my blog. It seems like I’ve been creating a lot of content involving complex Asian dishes so I’ve gone back to basics. A staple in my kitchen is canned anchovies. I love the salty and earthy flavour. Combined with black olives, these anchovies really elevate this simple pasta dish.     Pasta Puttanesca Recipe March 14, 2021 Servings: 4 Prep: 10 min Cook: 20 min Total: 30 min Difficulty: easy Print This By: Monica Wong Ingredients 1 pound spaghetti 1 can diced tomatoes 1/4 cup ka ..read more