Tazo Chai Latte

I've mentioned before the many benefits of living in the country - - the serenity, solitude, space, the views, however this does not change the fact that the closest Starbucks is a 20 minute car ride. If I owned a teleporter and Starbucks didn't charge $42 for a small coffee I'd be hittin' that everyday. I have to say, part of the fun of paying and arm and a leg for a latte was getting that special little uplifting quote on the side of my cup.  Because of the recent branding changes I no longer get that spirit lifter. Thanks a lot Starbucks....I digress.

So there I was at Walmart a few days ago. (For the record I try my best to steer clear of Walmart but every so often my errands take me there) and I had a Life.changing.moment. ok, ok, ok, maybe a week changing moment. Tazo, the tea that Starbucks uses has a Chai tea latte concentrate for sale.  A good friend of mine has been using if for quite sometime, however I always assumed she was purchasing a Starbucks brand concentrate that I definitely didn't want to get in the habit of purchasing. It's currently on sale for $6.97 for a 32 oz jug, which makes roughly 7-8 large lattes. It's 70 calories for the concentrate and you use about 1 cup of milk.  Overall a not-too-bad-for-you-treat that tastes great and is cheaper then the real thing. I should probably open a franchise of Starbucks, it might save me a couple bucks.

Milk Frother
My latte loving friend not only gave me a Starbucks gift card for my Birthday last month, but also a milk frother.  A homemade latte truly isn't the same without using this.  They can be purchased in the kitchen section of any department store and usually run between $10-$20.  Thanks KP.

Figures that my longest blog post of all time is about lattes.     

Strawberry Spinach Salad

I've mentioned before that I love spinach and try to slip it into many dishes that I make.  Spinach salad with sliced fruit is my favourite!  Tonight I made a huge salad with a homemade honey dressing with baked chicken breast.  Quick & easy - just the way I like 'em.

Salad
Bowl of baby spinach
4 strawberries, sliced
6 pecans, chopped (I quickly warmed them in a frying pan with a drop of butter)
goat cheese

Dressing
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice concentrate
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons poppy seeds
salt & pepper to taste
*this is enough dressing for more then one salad.  Half if you don't want leftovers

Mix everything together. I always have a few mason jars on hand for mixing up homemade dressings.

Baked Chicken
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
various spices

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Roll chicken in your favourite spices (My husband is obsessed with Montreal steak spice so that is what I put on his and I put rosemary, basil, oregano and thyme on mine). Bake in a ovenproof baking dish, uncovered for 25 minutes.

Steak Sandwiches

I planned my meal last night around the kaisers I was talking about in my previous post.  I was half way through preparing it before I realized the buns were completely mouldy. I ripped through the freezer and found some marble rye bread. A steak sandwich wouldn't be much of a meal without bread. This recipe creation earned a "tastes like restaurant" review from both my husband and myself.  I will be adding this recipe to my regulars for sure!

Yields: 2 large sandwiches

Ingredients
2 steaks, thinly sliced
1/2 onion, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 large mushrooms, slices (optional)
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup red wine
1 beef bouillon cube
1 cup water
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Swiss cheese, sliced
4 pieces rye bread (or two buns)

Method
Warm olive oil over medium heat in a skillet.  Add steak and cook until almost all red is gone.  Add onion and continue cooking until beef is cooked through.  Add remaining ingredients (except cheese and bread).  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Put steak on top of each slice of bread. Cover with Swiss cheese. Put on cookie sheet and bake for 7 minutes.  Remove and form sandwiches.  If you like them crunchier put in oven for 4 additional minutes after you've smacked the two pieces together.  Serve juice from skillet on the side as a dip for sandwiches.    

Local

Buying local foods makes me happy for a few reason.  Since I have become apart of the farming community I am much more aware and appreciative of where my food comes from. Local usually means fresher, little to zero additives/preservatives, tastier and lets face it, it feels wonderful to support those in our community. I was thrilled to find a local bakery selling their products at a grocery store I visit regularly.  Spicers is a family owned bakery that sells amazingly delicious items. Definitely worth the drive to Port Stanley, Aylmer and most recently, St. Thomas for their cookies and cupcakes. Only bummer is they mould much quicker then products with preservatives in them so make sure you keep them in your fridge to extend their life, especially in this humidity.  I was half way through preparing dinner before I realized that the kaisers I needed were speckled with green dots.  Dammit.  Onto plan B....      

Good Things Grow in Ontario

Look for the Foodland Ontario symbol when you're shopping. It's an easy way for you to identify Ontario foods in grocery stores, farmers' markets, and on-farm markets.

(www.foodland.gov.on.ca)

Billy's Strawberry Pie

To celebrate the end of school a few colleagues and I went to Billy's Deli Restaurant on Dundas St. in London for lunch this week.  I had never heard of this place but was told they are known for their pie.  I'm not the hugest pie fan but my God, was the strawberry pie to die for.  Their pie is so popular that you have to reserve a slice on your way into the restaurant ($5.00 a slice but worth every penny).  I will be trying to recreate this rediculously amazing dessert over the next few weeks. 

Raspberry Yogurt Muffins

I've been pretty brutal at posting on here for the last two months but with the time I have off this summer I will be able to cook, bake and post more frequently.  The last two months of school were a whirlwind, and although I'm somewhat sad that it's over I'm in desperate need of some refueling time. Summer, here I come!

My first summertime post: Raspberry yogurt muffins.  I never mess around with baking recipes but this morning I was feeling a little bad ass (My God I live on the edge, eh?).  I reviewed a few recipes and made some healthy modifications and created my own.  My husband and I just sampled them while sipping on starbucks out in the sun of our backyard...and now he's washing my car! Ah, it can't get better then this :)
Ingredients

1 cup white flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/3 cup sugar 

1 teaspoon baking powder 

1 teaspoon baking soda 

1/4 teaspoon salt 

1/4 cup orange juice

1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce 

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup fat-free yogurt (any kind!)
1 egg (I used the whole thing but I'm sure you could use the white only)
1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries 

Method
Preheat oven to 400°.  Grease muffin tray. In a large bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix well. In another bowl, whisk together orange juice, apple sauce, vanilla extract, yogurt and egg. Add to dry ingredients and stir just until moistened (ewww). Fold in berries. Spoon into muffin cups. Bake at 400º for about 20 minutes, or until golden.

Yields: 12 muffins

Birthday Bowls

One of my girlfriends from university and her amazing fiance bought me the most perfect birthday gift!  A beautiful set of colourful, ceramic mixing bowls from Crate and Barrel.  I absolutely love them and cannot wait to get in the kitchen and use them this summer.  4 more days of work then it's two months off for me, which means a lot more posts to come.  Thank you A & B for the thoughtful, generous birthday present.

xoxo

Greek Pasta Salad

This weekend we travelled to my hometown for a surprise birthday party for wonderful friend of mine. We had a fantastic time - ate, drank and laughed a lot!  My contribution to the great spread of food was a gigantic Greek pasta salad.  I needed something that was quick to make an could transport easily. I will absolutely make this again.

Ingredients
2 boxes smart pasta (any shape you wish), cooked, drained and cooled
3/4 bottle light kraft Greek and feta salad dressing
1 container cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1 green pepper, chopped
1/2 cup sliced black olives
1 block feta cheese, crumbled

Method
Cook pasta until its almost done.  When making pasta salad you always want to under cook the noodles since they will absorb the dressing and will become mushy if cooked all the way.  Cool in fridge. Mix in everything but the dressing.  Add dressing just before serving.    

Father's Day French Toast

 

This morning we had my husband's family over for a little brunch get together to celebrate Father's Day.  I wanted a meal that was quick to prepare and didn't require a lot of space in the fridge.  We had company on both Friday and Saturday so there wasn't much room in the fridge.  I decided on a fresh fruit spread, peameal bacon and cinnamon french toast.  The easiest meal EVER!  The kitchen gadget that made it all happen - - the flat griddle. If you don't have one I would suggest investing in one.  We use ours often for grilled sandwiches, bacon, eggs, pancakes etc.  It runs about $50 at Canadian Tire, Zellers, etc.

Yields: 4 slices (2 servings)

Ingredients
3 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
4 slices of bread
butter to grease griddle
powdered sugar to sprinkle on top

Method
Mix eggs, vanilla, sugar and cinnamon together.  Dip bread in egg mixture and coat lightly.  Cook on a greased griddle for 2 minutes on each side, or until browned slightly.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve with REAL maple syrup.

Beer Battered Perch

I don't eat seafood very often but wish I did.  My goal for the next little while is to try out some new yummy recipes that have a variety of seafood in them.  This was my first time frying something.  It tasted great but I definitely won't be using this type of recipe often because I'm not a fan of at home frying.  I'd much prefer to keep that cooking method at the restaurant. 

Yields: 2-3 servings

Ingredients

6 ocean perch fillets (ocean perch are far bigger then lake perch)

1 cup flour (reserve 1/4 for dusting)

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon paprika

1/2 bottle room temp beer
salt & pepper to taste
Canola oil (enough to have a good layer of oil going on the bottom of your pan - I used about 1/2 cup)

Method
In a bowl mix 3/4 cup of flour with chili powder, paprika, salt, pepper and beer. Put in fridge for 20 minutes to chill.  Meanwhile, coat fish with remaining 1/4 cup of flour.  Over medium heat, warm oil in a deep drying pan.  Dip fillets into batter mixture and add to warm oil.  Cook on each side for about 5 minutes.  Remove from oil and serve with tartar sauce (mayo & relish mixture).

A day out and about

This week I took my students a field trip to an herb farm and an apiary.  We had perfect weather and so much fun!  If you have the chance (and have kids) you should definitely check out Clovermead !  We did honey sampling, held bees, fed goats and played like we were back in grade one.  My Mother was even along for the trip. 

 

Sweet Potato & Chick Pea Curry

I have a problem.  When I watch a cooking show I immediately HAVE to cook whatever was on the show.  Last week I was watching "Best Recipes Ever" (The host really annoys me but I like that its a half hour show).  The episode was about vegetarian cooking and the three recipes she made looked very tasty.  There wasn't suppose to be sweet potato in this recipe but I didn't have any squash in the house.  It turned out pretty tasty however next time I would half the recipe because I'm the only one in my house that will eat it...

Servings: 6ish

Ingredients
3 cups cubed peeled sweet potato
1 can chick peas, drained and rinsed
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onions, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp minced ginger root
1 tbsp curry powder
1 can light coconut milk (or ½ cup milk + 1 additional cup of stock)
1 cup vegetable stock (I used chicken)
1 tablespoon peanut butter
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups packed fresh spinach
1 cup frozen green peas
1 tsp coriander

Method
In Dutch oven, fry onion, garlic, coriander and ginger as directed. Add curry paste; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add sweet potato and chickpeas; stir to coat. Add coconut milk, stock and salt; bring to boil. Cover and simmer, stirring twice, until vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes. Gently stir in spinach and peas; cook, stirring, until spinach wilts, about 5 minutes. Serve as a stew.

Pineapple on the BBQ

On the weekend I got together with some of my amazing high school girlfriends.  We sat on the deck and ate, chatted and laughed until our stomachs hurt.  I ate something that I'd never tried before - pineapple on the BBQ.  It was absolutely fantastic.  We had it as a side with our entree however it could also be served as a dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.  It will be making this dessert very soon.  I know the hubby is going to LOVE it.

Ingredients

1 pineapple, peeled and sliced

Method

Heat BBQ on medium.  Throw slices of pineapple on the BBQ and flip after 1-2 minutes.  They take no time to cook!  Yummy!

Rhubarb Crisp

We have about 10 rhubarb plants growing along the side of our barn that are HUGE (that's what she said). I've never weeded, watered or treated these plants in any way over the last 4 years and they never fail to produce an amazing crop.  I have to admit, rhubarb isn't my favourite however my husband is a huge fan.  I've made stewed rhubarb, rhubarb muffins, loaves, and crisps but have never made rhubarb pie.  That will be my next mission.  Tonight I tried out a new crisp recipe.  Hope you like it :)

Ingredients

1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

1 cup flour

3/4 cup quick cooking rolled oats

1/2 cup melted butter

1 teaspoon cinnamon

4 cups rhubarb, chopped

1 cup sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 cup water

1 teaspoon vanilla

MethodIn a bowl, combine brown sugar, flour, oats, butter and cinnamon; mix together until crumbly. Press half of the brown sugar and oats mixture into a buttered square baking dish. Top with rhubarb. In a saucepan combine 1 cup sugar, cornstarch, and the 1 cup of water and vanilla. Cook together until clear, then pour over rhubarb. Top rhubarb with remaining crumb mixture and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Mojitos

The heat has arrive!  The hubby and I spend the evening on the beach.  There is absolutely no better way to welcome this lovely weather then sitting on the beach, listening to live music, surrounded by torches with a mojito in your hand.  Hello summer! Please stay forever.

Ingredients

1 oz white rum

8 mint leaves

1 tbsp sugar

1/2 oz fresh lime juice

splash  of 7 up

fill with soda

Method

Muddle mint leaves and sugar sugar and add to a tall glass. Add crushed ice, rum, and lime juice. Add soda water, 7 up and garnish with mint leaves.

Thai Curry Soup

Rain, rain go away! We've had rain for days and will continue to until the end of the week.  I wanted to make a cozy, warm dish for dinner - Jill's  Make-shift Thai Curry Soup it is.  It does pack a punch but the flavours are amazing... mmm, Thai soup!

Yields 2 Servings
Ingredients
1 tablespoon red curry paste
1/2 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp curry powder
3 cups water
3 green onion, sliced
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 cup milk
1 tablespoons sugar  (*I used milk and sugar as a coconut substitute because I didn't have any)

juice from 1/2 lime
1 large beef steak, cubed
1/3 cup bean sprouts
1/2 package Thai rice noodles


MethodOver medium heat, warm olive oil. Add coriander, cumin, curry powder and curry paste and cook for 3 minutes. Add all other ingredients (except sprouts and noodles) and simmer for 25 minutes.  Meanwhile, add noodles to a pot of boiling a water for 7 minutes (turn heat off once it boils). Drain. Add noddles and sprouts to curry mixture and cook for 3 more minutes.  Serve in a bowl.  Garnish with cilantro if desired.

Reese's Pieces Cookies

We are heading to a friends place tonight to check out some recent renos they've done and I wanted to take a little treat with us.  I decided to put a spin on my favourite cookies and used Reese's Pieces instead of chocolate chips.  I didn't want to use a peanut butter cookie recipe because they tend to be on the dry side. These cookies are delish!

Ingredients

1 3/4 cup flour

3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 c butter or marg, softened (not melted)
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c firmly packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 c Reese's pieces

Method
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Mix flour, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. Set aside. Beat butter and sugars(that's what she said) in large bowl with electric mixer until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla. Gradually beat in the flour mixture. Stir in Reese's Pieces. Drop by heaping tbsp onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 11 - 13 minutes. Remove from tray immediately and put on cooling rack. Makes about 2 dozen cookies

Fried Dough

When I say "breakfast" what are the top three foods that come to mind?  Bacon, eggs and pancakes, right? Well, say that word to an American and chances are donut will be in their top 3. Donuts here are definitely more of a snack.  On Easter weekend my husband and I were lucky enough to spend time with my American side of the family.  It was lovely to see them despite the fact that our time together was quite limited.  While visiting, my wonderful aunt made a yummy brunch treat for us.  Fried Dough Bits.  They were DELICIOUS! 

Yields: 30 ish "tim bit" sized treats
Ingredients

2 packages premade pizza dough (you could also use homemade  - not whole wheat though)

1 cup vegetable or canola oil

icing sugar to sprinkle on top

Method

Flatten out dough to the size of a medium plate (not the saucer size but not a dinner plate...).  Cut into 1 inch x 1 inch squares and dropped about 8 at a time into a deep skillet of hot vegetable oil.  Flip once when golden brown.  Remove before they get to a dark brown colour.  Quickly dust with icing sugar (or a sugar and Cinnamon mixture).  Serve warm. YUM!

*be careful of the oil spitting when you drop the dough in! It can also get a little smokey/stinky so open a window or turn the hood fan on

Sweet Chili Chicken on Rice

Fact: I'm sick of chicken.
Solution: Try cooking different 'cuts' of chicken with different types of sauces

I'm not one for meat bones (that's what she said).  It wasn't until a few years ago that I could stomach having the bone of an animal on my plate.  Over the past year I've been learning to work with and cook meats that are on the bone.  I'm still a work in progress but I'm getting there.  Yesterday at the grocery store I was a total bone cop out.  I purchased boneless, skinless chicken thighs, which I've surprisingly never cooked with.  I created a dish using a prepared sweet chili sauce, which was a success.

Ingredients

6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1 handful fresh snow peas

1/4 prepared sweet chili sauce

5 tbsp soy sauce

1/4 water

1 cups cooked rice

Method
Put everything (except rice and snow peas) in a skillet and bring to a boil.  Lower heat and simmer, covered for 20 minutes. Stir occasionally.  Break up chicken into bite size pieces as you stir. 5 minutes before its done, throw in the snow peas. Serve over a bed of rice.

Here is a homemade version of sweet chili sauce.  I've never made it but will certain try once my bottle runs out.

Ingredients:1/2 cup rice vinegar (or substitute white vinegar)
1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp. white sugar
1/4 cup water
3 Tbsp. fish sauce
2 Tbsp. sherry (or cooking sherry)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 to 1 Tbsp. dried crushed chili (1 Tbsp. makes spicy-hot sauce)
1+1/2 Tbsp. cornstarch dissolved in 3-4 Tbsp. cool water

Method
1.Place all ingredients (except the cornstarch-water mixture) in a pot. Bring to a rolling boil.
2.Reduce heat to medium and let boil for 10 minutes.
3.Reduce heat to low and add the cornstarch-water mixture. Stir to incorporate and continue stirring occasionally until the sauce thickens (about 2 minutes).
4.Remove from heat and taste-test. You should taste "sweet" first, followed by sour, then spicy and salty notes. If the sauce isn't sweet enough, add a little more sugar. If not spicy enough, add more chili.

Homemade Hamburgers

Happy 30th Big Guy!
This past weekend was my husbands 30th birthday.  We celebrated by hosting a backyard BBQ with family and friends in the sun (we completely lucked out and had zero rain all weekend!).  On the menu; a giant bowl of pasta salad, grilled veggie kabobs, dogs and homemade burgers.  I freakin' love summer and cannot wait to have BBQ after BBQ out in the sunshine surround by the people we love so much. 

Happy Birthday to one pretty darn fantastic man.

Yields: 12 patties
Homemade Burgs
3 lbs of lean ground beef
1 package of onion soup mix
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/3 cup bread crumbs
1 egg
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 salt

We have a pattie press which makes like a lot easier.  The press along with the stand mixer (and the help from a not-so-precise Pattie making friend) made the process of making 24 burgers pretty smooth.  Mix all the ingredients together and form into patties.  BBQ through until pink is gone. Serve.

Change.

I used to fight change and I thrived on consistency, predictability and stagnation.  Over the years I've learned to embrace all forms of change and now understand and appreciate that change can be an incredible thing.  It can propel people into new, exciting, positive experiences.  It can open our eyes to new ways of thinking and living.  Change is exciting!  Instead of having your typical Monday night dinner, try something new and change it up a bit.


Hope you like the new changed look!

Vanilla Lemon Cupcakes

 Happy Easter Everyone!

A girlfriends mother travels to Mexico quite frequently (sigh...).  Instead of smuggling cheap booze and cigars back she stocks up on pure vanilla extract.  I never quite understood why until today.  I some how was lucky enough to score a bottle of it and used it today for the first time.  I can absolutely taste a difference between Mexican and Canadian manufactured vanilla.  SO YUMMY!  Thank you for thinking of me JC.

Yields: 10-12 cupcakes

Vanilla Cupcakes Ingredients

1/2 cup butter/margarine, room temperature

2/3 cup sugar

3 eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Zest of 1 lemon

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup milk

Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line 12 muffin cups with paper liners. In stand mixer beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and continue beating. Beat in the vanilla extract and lemon zest. In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and milk.. Evenly fill the muffin cups with the batter and bake for about 17 - 20 minutes. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Once cooled, frost with icing.

Butter cream Frosting Ingredients

2 cups (230 grams) confectioners sugar (icing or powdered sugar), sifted

1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 tablespoons milk or light cream

Assorted food colors (if desired)

Method

Butter cream Frosting: In stand mixer cream the butter until smooth and well blended. Add the vanilla extract. With the mixer on low speed, gradually beat in the sugar. Add the milk and beat on high speed until frosting is light and fluffy. 

Store bought vs. homemade lasagna

I like to think that I'm pretty good with money.  I'm a conscious shopper and my husband and I try not to purchase things that we don't need.  When it comes to groceries however, I don't think twice.  I always compare unit prices to make sure I'm getting the best deal but I never pull things out of the cart if I think I'm spending too much.  Here's how I justify it: Thankfully for me, my main hobby is cooking so my groceries count as two things; a necessity and entertainment.  If I need it, I buy it.  Frozen lasagna used to be a staple in our freezer.  One small lasagna would provide 4 large servings and cost $9.99.  I've been trying not to purchase prepared, processed meals so I've been avoiding that isle and haven't had  lasagna in a very long time.  I decided to keep track of how much a homemade lasagna would cost to see if it was financially wise to make your own.  Here's the breakdown. 

Frozen lasagna

Price: $9.99
Prep time: 0 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour
Serves: 4

Homemade lasagna

Price: $14.28 (*for price breakdown see recipe)

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Serves: 6-8

The choice is your.  In my eyes, homemade always trumps convenience foods.  Fresher, healthier, usually cheaper and it's something you can be proud of!   Here is a basic beef lasagna recipe I created.  The hubby and I thought it was pretty Darn good! 

Ingredients
1/2 box oven-ready lasagna noodles ($1.50)
1 container 1% cottage cheese ($3.29)
1 cup mozza cheese, grated ($3.49)
1 package lean ground beef ($3.96) Sub: 1 package frozen chopped spinach, thawed & drained ($1.99)
1 jar/can pasta sauce ($1.09)

1 onion, chopped ($0.25)

2 cloves garlic, minced ($0.10)

2 tbsp olive oil ($0.10)

1/4 tsp Cayenne pepper

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp basil

1/2 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp salt (all herbs & spices roughly $0.10)

fresh Parmesan cheese to garnish top ($0.40)

Method

In olive oil, over medium heat saute onions, garlic and spices.  Add ground beef and cook until browned.  Pour in pasta sauce and heat until warmed through. In a rectangular glass dish put one layer of noodles down.  Pour a layer of meat sauce over top followed by a layer of cottage cheese and mozza cheese.  Repeat until sauce and cheeses are gone.  Top with grated Parmesan cheese.  Cover with foil and bake at 375 for 45 minutes.  Let stand for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Bulked Up Basmati

I'm a hypocrite.  I used to hate it when my mom would neglect to tell us what we were actually eating for dinner.  One time I thought I was eating minty steak - - nope, it was lamb.  Another time I thought I was eating veggie soup - - nope, it was chicken organ soup.  Last night I made rice cooked in V8 and didn't tell the hubby until after (who happens to hate tomatoes).  He liked it!  I also added spinach to it to add even more nutrient goodness.  Very yummy!

Ingredients
1 cup water
1 cup V8 or tomato juice
1 cup basmati rice (or any rice! Not minute rice - YUCK!)
1/2 package of frozen chopped spinach, thawed
Tabasco sauce (however spicy you like it will depend on how much you put in)
1 tsp pepper
salt to taste

Method
Boil water,V8 and Tabasco.  Pour everything else in, reduce to low heat, cover and cook for 12 minutes. Double check your rice package to ensure you are cooking it for the correct amount of time.  Brown rice tends to take longer.  Serve as a side dish.

Crock Pot Ribs

These are seriously the easiest ribs ever!  I whipped them together while my bread was in the toaster yesterday morning.  No joke, I was done before my toast "popped". 

Ingredients
Fresh pork ribs (not frozen)
1 cup your favourite BBQ sauce
*I didn't have BBQ sauce so I whipped together a homemade one ( I didn't actually measure out anything so it literally took two minutes to do)
1/2 cup ketchup

1/4 brown sugar

2 tbsp vinegar
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste

Method
Throw everything in a crock pot before you leave for work.  You might have to cut the rack in half.  Make sure ribs are coated in sauce. Cook for 8 hours on low.  Once the 8 hours is up it will automatically turn to the 'warming' setting until you get home.  Crock pots are amazing! 

S'mores Pops

Tonight we are off to celebrate the 30th birthday of an amazing friend of ours.  We were told to arrive empty handed but I wanted to bring a tiny treat a long with me.  My amazingly creative sister-in-law recently made beautiful candy kabobs and I thought this was a super cute idea (pic on the right).

Can't go wrong with sweets on a stick! I wanted to put my own twist on it so I decided to make S'mores Pops.  They were super easy and turned out pretty cute.  Hope they are a hit tonight!



Ingredients
24 large 'mallows
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 tbsp butter
graham cracker crumbs
24 short skewers (or 12 large cut in half)

Method
Put marshmallows on skewers.  In a small pot, over medium heat melt butter and chocolate chips, stirring constantly to ensure it doesn't burn.  Once fully melted, remove from heat and dip marshmallows into pot (use a spoon to help cover them).  Remove and immediately roll into graham cracker crumbs.  Lay on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet for 20 minutes to cool.  Plate and serve!  Yummy!

New Parent Snack Basket

A few weeks ago our friends welcomed a precious baby boy into the world.  I wanted to make them some food but figured they'd likely get the typical items like baked pasta dishes, chili's and stews so I opted to do a snack basket.  Included:  Individual baggies of veggies with dip, spinach and cheese dip  with tostitos, naan bread, garlic hummus and a bottle of sparkling juice to celebrate!

Dill Vegetable Dip

1 cup sour cream
½ cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
1 teaspoon dill weed
pinch of salt
* Serve with assorted chopped vegetables

Garlic Hummus
1 can chick peas
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons tahini
1 tablespoon concentrated lemon juice
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon olive oil
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon cumin
*Serve with warmed naan bread.

Cookie Monster Cupcakes

I've said it before and I'll say it again.  I feel so blessed to have such a wonderful job.  Teenagers are the best! Every Friday two Parenting students get to host a kid friend activity hour in class.  They have to pick a theme, create a craft, read stories and bring in a snack.  It's amazing how much focus teenagers have when colouring with crayons.  This week was "Sesame Street" themed and I was beyond impressed with the snack.  Cookie Monster Cupcakes served with apple slices!

They used a rainbow chip cupcake mix with premade white icing.  They mixed regular sugar with food colouring for cookie monsters blue face, a half of a packaged chocolate chip cook for the mouth and black and white fondant for the eyes.  They turned out super cute and yummy! BONUS MARKS!

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Inspired Cheese Ball

A good friend of ours is amazing at making cheese balls. A master with his balls, if you will.  He has yet to reveal his secret recipe so I had to do a little ball experimenting last night.  My ball turn out pretty well, but his is far superior. Here's the recipe I came up with. 

Ingredients
1 cup (1 package) light cream cheese
1 cup old cheddar cheese, grated
1/4 cup mayo
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp oregano
1 tbsp dried parsley flakes (for decorating the outside of the ball)

Throw everything except the parsley flakes into a stand mixer.  Mix on medium for about 1 minute or until everything is mixed.  Form into a ball and sprinkle parsley flakes.  Put into fridge to firm your ball.  Serve with crackers.

*Next time:  I'd like to add a little kick to my ball by adding some crushed chili pepper flakes. I'd also like to mix crushed pecans with the parsley flakes.  Let's face it, balls and nuts go hand-in-hand.



Writing 'balls' that many times in one post gave me so much joy.

Relish; not so delish.

I love going out for meals and I'm usually fairly easy to please at a restaurant.  As a food blogger, I feel like it's my responsibility to tell you my bad resturant experience. Relish is a relatively new gourmet hamburger joint in Wortley Village.  My husband and I have wanted to go for lunch for quite sometime and finally got around to it this past Friday after a nice long walk along the Thames River.  We were both extremely disappointed. We waited 1 and a half hours before our hamburgers came out from the kitchen and they weren't even tasty! I ordered a veggie burger that was disgusting - a soggy bean and corn patty, my husband had a beef patty that was "alright" and we split a vanilla milk shake.  Our bill came to $38.00 and wasn't worth it at all.  A heads up: Relish; not so delish.

Broccoli & Cheddar Soup

If you haven't noticed already I like to rip recipes off from restaurants.  I'm a jerk like that. If I order something that I really enjoy I always try to make an equally tasty dish at home.  Today's rip off recipe: Kelsey's Broccoli and Cheddar soup. I didn't use any cream, only 1% milk with cornstarch and it turned out VERY GOOD!

Yields 6 servings

Ingredients
4 cups vegetable or chicken stock (that's 2 bouillon cubes mixed with 4 cups of water)
4 cups of broccoli, finely chopped
1/2 cup onion, chopped
2 cups of milk
4 tbsp cornstarch added to 1/4 cup of cold water
2 cups of shredded cheddar
1 tsp dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp olive oil
Method
Saute onions for 2 minutes in olive oil. Add stock, oregano, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Add broccoli and cook until broccoli is almost cooked, about 10 to 15 minutes. Add milk, return soup to a boil.  As soon as it starts to boil, add cornstarch (mix it with 1/4 cup cold water to avoid lumping). Stir constantly, scraping the bottom of the pot, until the soup thickens. Once thickened, remove from heat immediately, and stir in half the cheese, melting into the soup. Sprinkle the second cup of cheese on tops of the bowls of soup.

Antipasto Platter

When I was at Bertoldi's last month we had an incredible antipasto platter for an appetizer.   My mom is in town for a visit and I wanted to put together a similar tray.  So freakin' yummy!

Tray items:
Assorted olives
4 year old sharp cheddar cheese
thin slices of fresh cheese bread
olive oil and balsamic bread dipper

prosciutto

spicy salami
roasted grape tomatoes

Roasted Tomato Ingredients

1 container grape tomatoes

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Method
Preheat oven to 400 degrees . In a glass baking dish, mix everything. Roast for 20 minutes, and then stir. Add 1 tablespoon of hot water, if too dry in appearance. Return to the oven and cook for 20 to 30 more minutes. When ready, the tomatoes will have begun to shrivel and the liquid in the dish should have thickened.  I precooked these and chilled them in the fridge before serving on the antipasto appetizer tray.

French Onion Soup

I find that more often then not recipes are far more complex then they need to be.  I think that's what intimidates people the most about cooking - all the steps.  Here is a very simple and delicious french onion soup recipe that I whipped together for lunch.
*keeping a package of chicken and beef bouillon cubes on hand in the pantry has been so helpful for me as many recipes call for stock.

Yield: 4 bowls

Ingredients
1 tbsp butter
1 large onion, halved and sliced
1 teaspoon flour
2 beef or chicken bouillon cubes (or 4 cups chicken or beef stock)
4 cups water
salt & pepper to taste
4 slices bread (I used white rye but french would be the best)
3/4 cup grated cheese (I used fresh Parmesan and mozzarella)
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Method
In a large pot over medium heat melt butter.  Add onions and cook for 15 minutes, stirring regularly.  Add flour and stir.  Pour in water with the dissolved bouillon cubes and salt and pepper.  Simmer for 7ish minutes.  in the meantime, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pour soup into 4 oven safe bowls (I got mine from dollarama).  Top with bread that has Dijon mustard spread on it.  Sprinkle with cheese.  Bake for 10-15 minutes.  Serve!

Ham & Cheese Scalloped Potatoes

The smell and taste of scalloped potatoes always takes me back to my childhood best friend's house.  Growing up we'd spend hours together and in turn eat many meals together.  We still, to this day remain the best of friends despite us living in two different countries.  This past November i flew down to visit her new son (who I fell instantly in love with).  While visiting, I was invited to a family dinner at her parents house where the famous scalloped potatoes were served and quickly inhaled. YUM!  I've never managed to make a batch quite like her mothers.  I've realized that even if I used the exact recipe it will never taste the same because its' who makes the scalloped potatoes and who I used to eat it with that I love so much.  As I prepared this meal this morning I thought of my second family whom I love and miss dearly. 

I ended up creating this recipe myself. I included ham in it so it was more of a one dish meal instead of a side.  You can omit the ham and serve with pork chops or another entree of choice.  This dish can be prepared a day ahead of time and popped in the oven when needed.  Hope you like it!

Ingredients

5 medium potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced

1 cup grated cheese (I used a combo of a few but mostly old cheddar)
1 1/4 cup skim milk
5 green onions, chopped
 1 large onion, halved and sliced
1 cup cooked ham, cubed (small)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 tbsp butter (cubed to add to top after everything is layered)

Method
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Layer each item in a shallow bake proof dish with lid.  top with butter cubes.  Cook for 30 minutes with the lid on.  Remove lid and cook for 30 more minutes or until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.

Carrot Cake

Carrot cake has never been my cup of tea however I had leftover cream cheese icing from brunch on the weekend that I couldn't face tossing.  I've never made carrot cake before and I'm so glad I did.  Turns out I really DO like it.  I guess I just don't like the gross raisin packed store bought carrot cake.  Here is the recipe I used.  I didn't alter anything except for the yield and ended up halving the below recipe.  The cream cheese icing can be found on my cinnamon bun post.  Enjoy!

Ingredients

4 eggs

1 1/4 cups vegetable oil (next time I'd like to try unsweetened homemade apple sauce)
2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 cups grated carrots
1 cup chopped pecans

MethodPreheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13 inch pan. In a large bowl, beat together eggs, oil, white sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Mix in flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Stir in carrots. Fold in pecans. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.

F.L.U. F.U.

Let me introduce you to my two new best friends....

Gravol & Green Tea Ginger Ale. 

Since Monday evening my arse has been plastered to the couch (not by choice). I have not cooked a meal since Sunday's Brunch. This is definitely a record for me. Tonight, if I can stomach it, I will attempt to cook a vegetable packed stir fry to get some vitamins into my beaten up body. Wish me luck.

Sunday Egg Casserole

I wasn't entirely sure how many people were coming for brunch so I needed something that would feed a big group. I decided on an egg casserole with ham, cheese and veggies. I served it with my mom's homemade chili sauce.  Yum!

Ingredients

1 cup cooked ham, cubed

1 onion, diced

1 1/2 cups Cheddar cheese, grated

1/2  of a red pepper, diced
6 mushrooms, sliced

3/4 cup asparagus, chopped
12 eggs
1 cup milk
3/4 cup half & half cream
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Salt & pepper to taste

MethodCook onion in a frying pan over medium heat with a splash of olive oil.  Remove from heat when they are tender (ew, gross word). In a bowl beat eggs. Mix in cream, milk, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Mix remaining ingredients into bowl. Transfer to a greased 13 X 9 inch baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 50 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting.

Brunch Cinnamon Buns

I'd be completely ok if I never saw snow every again after the ridiculousness of this past winter.  Today I was suppose to host a brunch for a group of out of town friends.  Thanks to Mr. Winter, they weren't able to make it.  Thankfully I have a group of wonderful friends close by that stepped up to the plate (literally and figuratively) and helped eat the spread of food that I had premade.  My pitty party for one quickly turned into a great day with wonderful friends, and the food wasn't so bad either.

Cinnamon Buns (Very similar to "Cinnabon")

1 packet dry yeast

1 cup warm milk
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup margarine or butter
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs

4 cups flour

FILLING
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon
1/3 cup margarine, softened

ICING
8 tablespoons margarine
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup cream cheese
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon salt

Method

For the rolls, dissolve yeast in the warm milk in a large bowl. Add sugar, margarine salt, eggs, and flour, mix well. Knead dough using your hands dusted lightly with flour for 5 mins (or throw in stand mixer). Put in a bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour. Roll dough flat on a lightly floured surface, until it is approx 21 inches long by 16 inches wide. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. To make filling, combine the brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. Spread the softened margarine over the surface of the dough, then sprinkle the brown sugar and cinnamon over dough. From the long edge, roll the dough down to the bottom edge. Cut the dough into 2 inch slices, and place in a lightly greased baking pan. Bake for 10 minutes or until light golden brown. For icing, beat well with an electric mixer until fluffy. When the rolls are done, spread generously with icing.

Yields: 1 dozen

Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf

A bunch of my wonderful friends are traveling from the GTA to the farm tomorrow for Sunday brunch.  One of the items we'll have is a lemon poppy seed loaf. I've never made it before so fingers crossed it tastes good.  I decided not to put the glaze on it since I'm also making homemade cinnamon buns with a rich icing on them.  I've included the recipe for the glaze if you decide to use it.

Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf

Ingredients

1/3 cup butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour

2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice (about half a lemon)
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp grated lemon zest (about one lemon)
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp poppy seeds

Lemon Glaze
1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice (about half a lemon)
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla

Method
Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, cream together the sugar and butter with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add eggs and lemon juice. Combine well. In a separate bowl, mix together the flower, baking powder, lemon zest and salt. Gradually add to the creamed mixture alternately with the milk. Stir in poppy seeds and spread into a greased 9-inch loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted.
While the cake is cooling, prepare the lemon glaze by mixing the juice of 1/2 lemon in a bowl with the vanilla, then gradually adding the confectioner’s sugar until well-dissolved. Spread the glaze mixture over the loaf.