Another one bites the dust...

Well 2011 is slowly coming to an end, tomorrow night is the big New Year's eve celebration! The past 2 years I spent New Years on a beach down south, but this year I'm unfortunately staying in the cold. (Single tear)

I normally try to get away because I find the whole thing really over rated and stressful. You attempt to plan this "perfect" New Years night, when in reality it's just another night. In my opinion, the best nights are the simple unplanned ones, this way you don't set yourself for disappointment. No downtown clubbing, or crazy events for me, I would much prefer a nice dinner with friends, followed by strong drinks and great music.

So this seems to be my plan in the end, very low key , nice meal and then party it up with my favorite people!

Here's some mini cupcakes I did for a customer a couple of weeks ago. I think they would look amazing for any New Years Eve party! I'm thinking of making some tonight for tomorrow night's dinner, but I plan on making it a gold, silver and black theme, instead of the pink cake.

 

Cute right?

Cheers xo

Bonne Fête!

Well I woke up this morning with a sore scratchy throat, wonderful. I had a stomach bug for Christmas, why not have a cold for New Years! It's a clear sign that I need to brush up on my vitamins and start working in the health department, because my immune system seems to be shot! I’m hoping I’ll chase off this cold with tonight’s alcohol. (Don’t judge me.)
One of my besties, is celebrating her 24^th today! (Happy Birthday love!) Her sister is throwing her a little potluck shin dig and I’m super excited for this event! With tomorrow being a vacation day for me, today is technically my Friday! Score! Let the celebrations begin!

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Cheers xo



Back to life, Back to reality...

Well back to work...feels like just yesterday I was here, 4 days really just isn't enough time to relax and do all the things you want to do with time off. Looks like I should start playing the loto in 2012 to up my chances in early retirement! (One can dream right?)

I've got some baking to do tonight and my girlfriend visiting from Toronto brought me these really cute cupcake liners for Christmas! I'm super excited to use them... I find Cupcake liners can really jazz up an average cupcake! I've started up quite the collection with Les Gateaux Mignons in full production mode, golds, silvers, florals, poka dots etc, there's alot of variety these days!

After a little online browsing, check out how cute these liners are, one day I hope to have them ALL!

Photo Credit: blog.dressmycupcake.com

Photo Credit: thepartyworks.com

Photo Credit: 20%music

Photo Credit: delish.com

Photo Credit: duluthstartofthenorth.blogspot.com

Photo Credit: thecupcakeblog.com

As you can tell I'm really into florals, I think they're super feminin and fun! But keep in mind, there's endless possibilities for cupcake liners! You can meet any party theme with colors and designs, anywhere from princess to skulls. Cupcake liners come in giant to mini sizes, it's a great way to get your creative cupcake juices flowing!

Cheers xo

Tuesday's Tune - December 27th, 2011

Now I know I've already posted The Black Keys in the past, but I couldn't help myself! Today's tune is off the new album "El Camino", I've had it on repeat since Christmas and one of my instant favorite songs is "Little Black Submarines". Enjoy!

Cheers!

And that's it...

Well, that's it for me. Christmas 2011 is over and done with. Always seems to come and go so fast, much like any big event with months of prepping I guess. Next up is one of my favorite's birthday, followed by New Years! Busy time of year!! Today is dedicated to lounging around in my new pjs, watching movies and nursing this post Christmas hang over.

Cheers!

Merry Christmas!

Christmas is here! I'm currently listening to my new Black Keys album "El Camino" (which is amazing), admiring my new Michael Kors boots, and thinking to myself how spoiled I am. Mom & Dad called me up early November saying 1 gift this year, $100 limit, we have to start cutting back etc... which I agree, I'm not a kid anymore. However, we all know that like myself, my mom couldn't help herself once again when it comes to gifts and went way over the $100 budget. It's just too fun giving people gifts that you know they'll love! So merci Ma & Pa!

We had a delicious brunch, opened gifts and I will be returning later for our traditional turkey dinner. Afterwards, I'll hopefully be meeting up with all my favorite people to celebrate this wonderful Holiday!

I wish you ALL a Merry Christmas! Enjoy the holiday with friends and family & for those of your in the Montreal Area, be safe, the roads are slick!! 

CHEERS XOXO

Christmas Eve

Well it's 4:20pm on Christmas Eve and I'm still battling this hangover, gotta love the holidays! Last night was fun to hang out with old friends that I don't get to see often! I'm sure Christmas night will be along the same lines! Tonight I'm planning on taking it easy, and by easy I mean wine and baileys, no vodka. I'm heading to one of my best friends brother's house for a feast, I can't wait!

 In other news, it looks like its going to be a white Christmas after all, now if Mother Nature could just warm it up afterwards to get back to the spring like weather we've been having, that would be golden! The snow is pretty and all, but the slush and salt is doing a number on my boots.

As mentioned, here are some Christmas Cupcake pictures!

Christmas!

The Candy Cane Cupcake!

Hope you all have a fantastic Christmas Eve!! 

Cheers XO

Snow!

Ok so I'm completely contradicting everything I've been saying about snow with these next few lines but... I woke up to snow and I gotta say I was kind of excited. (for the record I'll be back to my bitter self after Christmas is over with) I’ve come to the conclusion that the main reason I'm not feeling Christmas this year is due to the lack of snow. It was so pretty walking the dog this morning, it seemed so quiet and peaceful as the snow just slowly  came down on us. Every little inch of each tree branch and bush was covered and it was quite stunning to the eye!

I’ll be on a 4 day vacation as of noon today and I cannot WAIT! I’ll be posting a few things over those days, so be sure to check in! I have some really cute Christmas Cupcakes to share with you tomorrow!

As usual, here is your latest Jenna Marbles video... she's really outdone herself this time hahaha... I suggest watching this with headphones if you're at the office or in public! (The name is kind of a give a way)

We made it guys!! Cheers to the freakin' weekend!

xo

Almost there...

This week has been SO busy, work during the day, Les Gateaux Mignons at night, and all while trying to prepare myself for the holidays! Friday is so close, yet feels so far! It’s funny normally when I’m mad busy the days and weeks fly, however it seems to be the opposite right now, so slow!

For some reason I just can’t get into the holiday spirit this year, maybe it’s because Mother Nature has been lacking on the snow? (however I have to admit, I’m happy) But I’ve literally listened to Christmas music, watched Christmas movies and tv specials, decorated, baked friggin’ cookies AND bought and wrapped all my gifts early this year and yet I just don’t feel it? Maybe because it snuck up on us like a picture sneak attack this year, I don’t know… but I just don’t feel it!

One thing I do feel is how exhausted I am, I can’t wait to have a few days off to just relax and spend time with friends and family, feels like it’s been awhile!

On another note, the Montreal region got slammed with freezing rain yesterday. Very stressful driving in those conditions, walking Behr was also a challenge, but I really do think it’s super pretty to see all the trees glistening from the ice! Feels like we’re in a little winter wonderland (minus the snow).

More cupcakes tonight! Will post pictures soon!

Cheers xo

Edible Christmas Tree

So last weekend my friends hosted their annual Christmas Party, and what a night it was! Good times all around. I decided it would be fun to bring some sweets to the drink table, tis the season after all right? I thought of a cute idea that would work for any Christmas party or Brunch! I made a Christmas tree out of 13 cupcakes, what a success! I thought it looked really cute! I went with a basic green tree, but the decor can be changed to fit your Christmas theme! The 13 Cupcakes were placed on a 3 tier Cupcake stand to make up the tree.
I personally find any cupcake stand is a great way to accent a party, Les Gateaux Mignons offers rentals starting at only $10!

Here is a pic of the Edible tree!

Cheers!

P.s It's the first day of Winter aka the shortest day of the year!

Tuesday's Tune - December 20th, 2011

I debated doing a Christmas tune today but then figured that might be a little lame, so I went with my original plan, a little indie garage rock!
Today's song gets me in a great mood, I discovered it through satellite radio about 6 months ago, and although its not new at all, I think its safe to say that new or old, good music, is good music.

Albert Hammond Jr is a member of the garage rock band called "The Strokes". He mostly plays the rhythm guitar, but sometimes plays lead guitar and the keyboard live. While still having a great relationship with the band, Albert released his debut solo album called "Yours to Keep" in 2006, followed by his second album "¿Cómo Te Llama?" in 2008.
Today's tune is off "Yours to Keep" and was his third single off the album. I really dig this song...hope you will too!

Here is "In Transit" by Albert Hammond Jr!

Cheers!

Vacation

So Mel is in Panama until December 31st, (lucky B) so unfortunately Mel's Meals will be put on hold until she's back!
I thought I wouldnt completely rip you off of having no recipes, so today I'm sharing a Sugar Cookie Recipe. Very easy, and very yummy & works great for small gifts or party snacks!



Sugar Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter , softened
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon Almond Extract
• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt

This makes about 36 cookies


Step 1 -  Preheat oven to 400°F.

Step 2-  In mixing bowl, cream butter with sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and extracts. Mix flour and salt; add to butter mixture 1 cup at a time, mixing after each addition.

Step 3- Do not chill dough. Divide dough into 2 balls. On a floured surface, roll each ball into a circle approximately 12 in. wide and 1/8 in. thick. Dip cookie cutter in flour before each use

Step 4- Bake cookies on ungreased cookie sheet 6-7 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned.

Photo Credit: food.chatelaine.com

*This recipe is from wilton.com 

Here is a picture from the gingerbread cookies I made...they were SO good!



Cheers!

Celebrate!

What a weekend! My body totally hates me right now and my liver is begging for a divorce, little does it know we're just getting into the holiday festivities! Love this time of year for the fact that we all get together and dress up! So fun!

Here are some Mini Christmas Cupcakes I did for a client this weekend, they had peanut butter, Skor and Mint centers!

 Mini Santa Hat

Mini Mint

Mini Tree

1 week till Christmas! Although I really don't feel like its already here!

Cheers xo

Sometime's I get a good Feeling...

I've totally had Flo Rida's "Good Feeling" song stuck in my head all morning! I guess it's not the worst song to have stuck in your head and I mean really it's Friday, so it's fitting that I would have a good feeling. My friends will all be done school as of about 4pm this afternoon! It's been quite lonely during their exam time, so I am anxiously awaiting to celebrate with them tonight, tomorrow night and well let's be honest, all throughout the holidays!!

I started working on a cupcake order last night, decorations will go on tonight! I'm eager to share the pictures with you guys but I have a rule of only posting them after my customer has received them! (Seems like a fair rule no?) So I think it's safe to say by Saturday afternoon or Sunday, they'll be up. I did mini's with peanut butter, Skor bar  & mint centers, all with extremely cute Christmas decorations!



Here is Jenna Marble's latest video, she's totally crazy and I freaking love it. Hilarious! Enjoy!!

bahaha She makes me laugh everytime!

Well folks enjoy this glorious Friday!!!

Cheers xo

Getting ready for the holidays!

Keeping it light today!
If you're a daily reader, please feel free to Join my blog! To do so, click on the "Join this site" above my members, on the right side column! It will ask you to sign in, if you do not have a google account, click on "create an account" (below it) and from there add in your email address and it will ask you to create a password. Takes about 5 minutes! Please & thank you!

Behr's getting ready for the holidays! Doesn't he look like an old man with his sweater? ha cute.

Cheers!

Going International

My ultimate dream is to have a cute cupcake café one day. Where I can run Les Gateaux Mignons' Cupcake Catering out of,  but also people can sit down and enjoy a nice coffee or tea with decadent cupcakes! I can literally visualize the entire place in my head, with inspirations of Audrey Hepburn and Marie Antoinette, my place would definitely have a feminine Parisian vibe. *Sighhhh* one day!

I thought I would share with you my top five Cupcake Shops that I would like to visit one day, but also that I am totally inspired by. If you live anywhere near these locations, I highly suggest you check them out, as I have heard amazing reviews! Hopefully one day I’ll be able to write up a review after tasting these cakes for myself J

First off is actually quite close to home, and I suggest to my Toronto friend (shout out!) to check it out! It’s called “The Cupcake Shoppe” and it is located on 2417 Yonge Street in Toronto Ontario.

Photo Credits: thecupcakeshoppe.ca

Next up is over the pond, called "Cox Cookies & Cake". I actually saw these cupcakes in a magazine once and got inspired to start using edible paper. The Shop is located on 13 Brewer Street in Soho, London, England.

Photo Credit: timeout.com

Photo Credit: coxcookiesandcake.com

Cupcakes & Co. is a really cute shop is Paris, France. They are located on 25 rue de la Forgé Royale, 75011 Paris. I would KILL to go try these!

Photo Credit: cupcakesandco.fr

Photo Credit: cupcakesandco.fr

Next is literally on the other side of the Globe for me, "My Little Cupcake" is located in Sydney Australia. This little shop looks so fun! They sell cupcakes but also a wide range of cupcake related products! You can find this sweet shop at 62 Ben Boyd Road, Neutral Bay,NSW 2089.



Photo Credit: mylittlecupcake.com.au

And last but not least, famous for being in the show "Sex & the City", Magnolia Bakery, located in New York City. I have always wanted to try these cupcakes, as I've heard they're delicious! If you're in New York and looking for a tasty treat, pop in to this fab bakery which is located on 401 Bleecker Street. For other locations, refer to their website!

Photo Credits: magnoliabakery.com

Cheers xo

Tuesday's Chune - December 13th, 2011

As mentioned in last week's post, I am a huge Reggae fan. I grew up listening to Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, and Gregory Isaacs, to name a few, and over the years I have developed a strong taste for all types of Reggae artists! About 5 years ago I discovered Sizzla, Damian & Stephen Marley, Jah Cure, Gyptian, etc. and I totally fell in love. There's just something about it, the riddims just excite me and put me in great mood!

 Today's track is one from Stephen Marley, son of the legendary Bob Marley! It's clear in my mind that all the Marleys are blessed with their father's talent, Stephen is a 5 time Grammy award winner as an artist but also as a producer. He pretty much produced all 3 of his brother's Damian Marley's solo albums. Welcome to Jamrock sticks out in my mind, where Stephen performed on the popular track "All Night".
My tune today is off Stephen's debut album called "Mind Control" (released in 2007), the album won a grammy for best Reggae album in 2008.
So here is tuesday's "chune" (as the Jamaican's would say), "Traffic Jam" featuring Damian Marley & Buju Banton.

SO good!

Cheers xo

Mel's Meals - Winter Greek Salad

Mel this recipe is as easy as the other meals, and works great as a side dish (i'd have it with chicken and rice) but it also works as a hearty vegetarian meal on rice. It's super healthy and delicious! As you probably know Mel, I'm a huge Greek salad fan, however I find I don't eat as much of it during the winter. I find I'm much more playful with salads in the summer. I decided it would be fun to put a spin on the classic greek salad, by making it into a warm salad. This time of year I tend to stick with hot meals, seems more comforting on a cold winter night! 
Basically I roasted all of the veggies in the oven, added olives about half way through and once out of the oven I placed a piece of feta on top and let it warm up by covering the dish in tin foil for 5-10 minutes. I was surprised with how well this turned out! I really think you would enjoy this one Mel! The key is to roast the vegetables, as apposed to frying them.

This feeds 4 people as a side dish, or 2 as a meal.

Winter Greek Salad

- 6 Cloves of Garlic

- 1/4 yellow, Red, Orange, Yellow peppers

- 1 head of Broccoli

- 10 Cherry Tomatoes

- 6 Kalamata Olives

- 1/4 tsp fresh Thyme

- 4-6 Fresh Basil leaves
- Feta Cheese (any kind will work, I used sun-dried tomatoes)

- Olive Oil

- Salt & Pepper

Preheat Oven 400 degrees.

 

 Step 1 - Cut off one side of each pepper. Should be about 1/4 of the pepper. Cut the piece of pepper in 3 equal pieces length wise and then in half. Cut Broccoli in half and place the vegetables including the cherry tomatoes in the glass baking dish.

 Step 2- Add the 6 cloves of Garlic, keep the skin on as I find it gives a better cooking result. Pour enough Olive Oil to lightly coat the vegetables. Add 2 tablespoons of water to the bottom of the dish. Now add the fresh basil, thyme and salt & pepper. Mix all together.

Mel I know you're a salt addict, but go easy on it at this stage, as the feta will add a good amount of salt flavor to the dish later on.

Step 3 - Place the dish in the center of the oven and let bake for 25 minutes.

Step 4 -  After the 25 minutes, take the dish out of the oven and add the kalamata olives. Return the dish to the oven and let it bake for another  35 minutes.

Step 5- Remove the dish from the oven and place feta on top of the veggies, cover in tin foil to heat the cheese.

Add to your dish or lay on a bed of rice!

2 weeks till Christmas

 How gorgeous is my friend's tree?

Can you believe it's 2 weeks till Christmas? Bananas.

Winter Wonderland

What a beautiful Saturday morning here in Hudson! I think I often take this place for granted, it really does have a picture perfect landscape.

I decided to take Behr out for a walk down the tracks, he was like a kid on Christmas, SO excited. As much as I dislike snow and wished I lived in a hot climate next to the Ocean, Snow can be very pretty! 

Last night as mentioned on Friday's post, I decorated my buddy's apartment along with a few other friends. It looks absolutely stunning! We made it into a Christmas Winter Wonderland theme, so it seems fitting that finally we get a bit of snow to make this theme come to life. This is my first weekend off  from cupcake making in a long time, bad for business I guess but perfect for relaxation! I can't say that it isn't draining working 2 jobs! My girlfriend is cutting down a tree today with her man, (so jealous, I wish I could fit a real tree in here) and when they get back I'm going to help them install some outdoor lights! When the light mission is complete, we decided its a perfect night for a walk around the gorgeous streets of Hudson to see people's Christmas lights!

Hope you're all enjoying this beautiful day!

Cheers xo

Woot!

FRIIIIIDAY! Hooray! We made it guys! I'm still slightly bitter about last night's vote off on XFactor...how ridiculous! (For those of you who watch it, I'm sure we are in agreement that Nicole screwed this one up big time!)

In other news, tonight I am getting my Christmas deco on with a few friends...and a few drinks... cant wait! It's actually my staff "Holiday" party tonight, however I am skipping it this year due to the fact that I will be driving alone in the dark 45 mins there and back and I am blind as a bat in the dark, so it seems like decorating is a better bet for me this year! My buddy's annual Christmas party is next saturday, so we're spiffing up the place, it going to look snazz!


Well, here is a funny Jenna Marbles video for ya, gotta say I guess I fall under the "White Girl" category, can't say i've never taken my shoes off before.... sometimes those things KILL! But ya gotta do, whatcha gotta do! Sorry Jenna! But for the most part, I totally agree with her!

TGIF! Enjoy!

Cheers

Sweet Treats that make excellent gifts!

If you're on a tight budget this year and don't have room to get gifts for all your friends, coworkers etc, here is a simple and inexpensive way to show someone how much you appreciate them during the holidays!  Last year I made a ton of sugar cookies and packaged them in cute dollar store boxes! This year I plan on doing the same, but I've decided to try a Gingerbread cookie recipe! I have a subscription for Chatelaine and they had great recipe, so it works out perfectly!


Unfortunately I haven't made these yet because I want to give them out as Christmas gifts, so pictures of my creations will follow in the next couple of weeks! I will share the recipe with you though so that if you're in a tight budget like myself, you can still make someone feel special on Christmas!


Gingerbread Cookies

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups (625 mL) all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp (10 mL) ground ginger
• 1 1/2 tsp (7 mL) cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp (2 mL) each allspice, salt and baking soda
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) unsalted butter, melted
• 3/4 cup (175 mL) brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup (75 mL) fancy molasses

Preparation time 20 minutes
Standing Time 5 minutes
Refrigeration Time 30 minutes
Baking Time 7 minutes

Makes 50 cookies

Step 1 In a large bowl, using a fork, stir flour with spices and baking soda. In a medium bowl, using a wooden spoon, beat butter with sugar for 2 min. Beat in egg, then molasses. Make a well in centre of fl our mixture, then pour in molasses mixture. Stir until most of molasses is absorbed. Gently knead until dough is an even colour. Divide into 4 portions.


Step 2 Shape each into a ball, then flatten slightly into a disc . Wrap separately with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 30 min or up to a week. Or overwrap with foil and freeze up to 1 month.


Step 3 When ready to bake, remove dough from refrigerator. Let stand at room temperature until soft enough to roll, 5 to 10 min. Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Lightly spray or oil a baking sheet. Place a disc of dough between 2 sheets of waxed paper. Roll dough no thicker than ¼ in. (0.5 cm). Cut out shapes with cookie cutter. Place on baking sheet about 1 in. (2.5 cm) apart.


Step 4 Bake in centre of preheated oven just until edges begin to darken, 7 to 10 min. Remove cookies to a rack to cool. Repeat with remaining dough. Store in an airtight container in a cool place up to 1 week or freeze up to 1 month.

Photo Credit: Chatelaine.com

This recipe is courtesy of Chatelaine Magazine feel free to check out the link for extra tips! http://food.chatelaine.com/recipes/view/classic-gingerbread-cookies



As promised, here is my little tree!

Cheers xo



Oh Christmas Tree....

So I'm sloowwwly getting into the holiday spirit. Last night I picked up some decos from the dollarama (how awesome is that place). Unfortunately I cant fit a tree in my place, so I bought this little guy that's about 30 cm high, it works! (Picture to follow sometime this week).

Since I'm trying to get into the spirit, I thought I would share some cupcakes I did for a festival in Hudson. My client wanted them to replicate a tree cupcake ornament that she was selling. The result was amazing with thanks to a couple of girlfriends! 

So here are some pics to get you in the spirit!

Cheers xo

Tuesday's Tune - December 6th, 2011

Photo Credit: Carpecupcakes.blogspot.com

According to my buddy, after a few drinks, I sometimes get "lost" in the music. I've always agreed with him that it's something that just takes over me, but I particulary noticed this last friday night after a couple of glasses of wine. I had my ipod on shuffle and a song popped up that I hadn't heard in awhile, it was as if I got sucked out of reality and was placed right in the middle of this song. I enjoyed it so much that I decided it would be today's tune.

I'm positive that all of you know The Police, and if not, well clearly you've been living under a rock for the past 35 years...(semi jk.)

The rock band formed in London in 1977, with Sting as their lead vocals and bass, Andy Summers on the guitar, and Stewart Copeland on the drums. In my eyes, these men are definitely living legends! I saw them perform twice in Montreal and each show was absolutely amazing!
Today's song is off their second album called "Reggata de Blanc" (released in 1979), now I dont know if I mentioned this, but I am a HUGE reggae fan. This band isn't classified as reggae, however I do find this song has a reggae vibe to it. So here's tuesday's tune; "Walking on the Moon" by The Police. Enjoy!

Cheers xo

Mel's Meals- Cherry Tomato Garlic Penne

For those of you who didn't read last week's Mel's Meals, basically Mel asked me to help out her cooking skills with weekly recipes.

Well Mel, today's recipe is just as easy as the last one. The ingredients are fresh and minimal, but pack a ton of taste. I came up with this recipe one night when I noticed I had a bag of tomatoes on the verge of going bad. I hate throwing out food so I decided to make use out of them by making a simple tomato pasta. The tomatoes I originally used were grape vine, however I am in love with cherry tomatoes, and had a dry pint on hand. Plus I find the sweetness from the cherry tomato, goes well with the fresh basil I use.

So Mel here it is! Remember you can play around with the quantities but this generally feeds about 3-4 people, which works well for me living alone, I freeze the left overs.

Cherry Tomato Garlic Penne

Ingredients:

3 Garlic Cloves

1 dry pint of Cherry Tomatoes

1/4 Cup Chicken Stock

5 Fresh Basil Leaves

1/2 Cup Cheese (any cheddar, mozzarella etc, will work)

3 Cups Penne dry Pasta

Olive oil

Salt & Pepper

 Step 1

Chop up the Garlic and fresh Basil, wash tomatoes

Step 2

In a medium sauce pan, add a good amount of Olive Oil to cover bottom of pan, add garlic and cook till light brown, on Medium to High heat.

Step 3

Add 1/4 cup of chicken stock to the oil and garlic, remove the plan before doing this to avoid spraying oil.

Now Mel, garlic can be burned quite easily so really keep an eye on it. The chicken stock makes a good sauce, but it also prevents the garlics from cooking all the way through.

Step 4

Turn down to medium heat and add the tomatoes & basil. Add the salt & pepper and saute the tomatoes until soft enough to mash. (About 20 mins)

 Step 5

Once the tomatoes are cooked, lightly press on them with a fork to release the insides. Turn down to low heat and let cook for another 10 mins while you boil your noodles. 

Preheat oven at 350 degrees

Step 6

Add the pasta to the sauce, I kept 1 tbsp of the pasta water and added it to the sauce. Let cook for about 5 mins so that the noodles absorb some of the sauce.

Step 7

Place pasta in glass baking dish and sprinkle grated cheese

Bake on 350 for 20 minutes or until cheese is cooked.

& Voila! Add fresh basil to garnish and serve.