Hun... What's for Dinner?

Chicken Stroganoff

2012-02-17T11:00:00.001-05:00

Ever have one of those days, where you're starving, but you just don't know what you want to make for dinner? This use to happen to me often, before the kids came around and I spent many a night alone at home (with Hubby at work). Back in the day I wouldn't have been guilty about having cereal for dinner. Heck, I've even been known to break out the Haggen Daaz for dinner, a few times. But now that I'm a mother and would like to raise healthy children, I can't really do that anymore. I want to instill good eating in my children, so that when they do move out on their own, they'll prefer to whip up a quick dinner, rather than break out the popcorn. Meal planning has helped me out greatly, but there are some nights when I look at the meals I had planned, and don't feel like making them. Or, weeks when I'm just too sick or exhausted to even want to sit down and think of meals for the week. This is when a well stocked pantry and fridge come in handy.

There it was, 3pm and I was leaving to pick Mr.B up from school. There was a little voice in the back of my head nagging me, because I had yet to decide what to make for dinner. I usually make sure I decide in the morning, that way I can thaw meat and not have that nagging feeling all day. While walking to school, I was taking a mental inventory of what I had in the fridge, pantry and freezer. I knew I had a some mushrooms and spinach that I definitely needed to use, before I had to toss them. So I immediately thought Stroganoff! Since we didn't have been in the freezer I went with chicken. Not your typical Stroganoff, I tried to lighten this up a bit, by using some fat free Greek yogurt, rather than sour cream. It worked wonderfully, we ate like kings (and without complaint too!)

Chicken Stroganoff

1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, chopped into bite size pieces
2 Tbs olive oil
1 Tbs butter
1 C sliced mushrooms
1 small shallot, chopped
salt and pepper
2-3 sprigs of fresh thyme, stripped and chopped
2 C fresh spinach, chopped
2 Tbs flour
2 C low sodium chicken stock
1 C fat free plain Greek yogurt
1/2 lb penne pasta

Bring a large pot of water, to a boil. Salt liberally and add in penne. Reduce heat and cook to package directions.

Preheat olive oil and butter in a large skillet, over medium heat. Once butter starts to bubble, add in onion and mushrooms; cook until onions are translucent. Add in spinach and chicken, season with salt, pepper and thyme, and cook for 5 minutes; until chicken is cooked through. Sprinkle chicken and vegetables with flour, tossing to coat; cook for 3 minutes. Slowly add in chicken stock, stirring to ensure no lumps. Bring to a boil and simmer until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in Greek yogurt. Taste for seasonings and adjust to taste. Drain pasta and pour it into the chicken mixture. Toss to coat and serve.

This post linked to

These Chicks Cooked
Full Plate Thursday
Foodie Friday
Friday Favorites
Fit and Fabulous Friday

Baked Potato and Corn Chowder with Bacon

2012-02-14T13:17:00.001-05:00

Last week, everyone was sick and Hubby had to get extensive dental work, so we pretty much lived on soup, LOL. That was fine with me though, since I love soup. There's just something about a nice warm bowl of goodness, perfect for dipping just about anything. Maybe my love of soup comes from growing up. Being Catholic, we didn't eat meat, on Fridays during lent. So, Mom was always making soup. Now some of the soups I do remember from our Lenten Friday dinners, send chills down my spine; and thankfully they didn't ruin my love for a good bowl of soup.

Some of the reasons I love soup, is that they are so easy to make. You can take the simplest ingredients and transform them into an amazing soup. Which is what I did with this chowder. Chowder is just like a thicker version of soup. Not quite stew, since there's more liquid, but like a thick soup. This chowder is so simple, you could have it on your table in just under 30 minutes.

Baked Potato and Corn Chowder with Bacon
printable version

3 tbs olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 large carrot, finely shredded
3 Tbs flour
5 C chicken stock
7 large baked potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 bay leaf
1 can cream corn
1/2 C fat free sour cream
1 C low fat milk
a few shakes of hot sauce
6 slices bacon, chopped
shredded Cheddar, for topping (if desired)

In a dutch oven, or heavy bottomed pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add in onion, carrots and bay leaf and cook until onions are translucent; about 5 minutes. Sprinkle vegetables with flour, stirring to coat; cook for 2 minutes. Slowly add the chicken stock, stirring to ensure no lumps form. Add 2/3 of the potatoes, season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Simmer for 15 minutes.

Remove bay leaf and using an immersion blender, puree the potatoes into the soup, until smooth. Add in the cream corn, remaining potatoes, sour cream, milk, hot sauce and bacon. Cook to heat through. Serve with a sprinkle of Cheddar if desired.

This post linked to

Hearth and Soul
Delicious Dishes
Tasty Tuesday
Things That Make you Say: Mmmm
See ya in the Gumbo
Church Supper

Meal Plan Monday~ Feb. 13, 2012

2012-02-13T09:29:00.000-05:00

Good morning and Happy Monday!!

Boy, what a stressful week, last week. I've been having computer issues and Hubby has been trying to fix them, with no luck. I was stressing, since his laptop doesn't have an SD port and I didn't know how I would get my pictures off my camera card, to write blog posts. We've figured it out though and Hubby is being nice enough to let me use his laptop, when needed, LOL. The kids both have a cold and I think I'm catching it. Hopefully some extra vitamins, echinacea tea and exercise will keep it away.

I didn't meal plan last week, because we were all under the weather. With the kids sick, they hardly eat, so I stuck to things I knew they liked. We ate a lot of soups, grilled cheese and hot dogs, LOL. Now that they are starting to feel better, I'm back at planning. This week won't be too extravagant. I'm trying to use what I have on hand, since we are due to shop until Friday. Here is what I have planned, in no particular order

Creamy Lemon Pepper Turkey Breast over rice (new recipe)
Countryside Chicken (new recipe)
Hamburgers with sweet potato fries
Balsamic Glazed Salmon (new recipe) with couscous
Salmon Patties with roast potatoes and a salad
Black Bean Veggie Bake
leftovers

Head on over to OrgJunkie.com, for tons of other great meal plans.

Red Velvet Waffles with White Chocolate Cream Cheese Sauce

2012-02-11T16:56:00.002-05:00

With Valentine's day just around the corner, I've been busy in the kitchen creating some fun love day eats. The kids aren't as excited about Valentine's day as other holidays, so I try to make things fun, by making some fun treats and themed foods, for them to eat. Waffles are always a hit in this house, so I thought red waffles would be a fun way to get the kids into the "love Day" mood. You could basically turn anything into a red velvet version. All it takes is cocoa powder and red food colouring. Making it taste good is a whole different story, LOL.

Making sure there is enough cocoa powder, but not too much is tricky. My first attempt at these, I was a bit heavy handed with the cocoa. I wanted the slight chocolate taste, but it was a bit over powering in my first batch. I scaled back a bit on the second batch and it was perfect. The kids really got a kick out of these. I wish I would have a hear shaped waffle iron, but they were happy just having their cut up waffles shaped into a heart (lucky me). The sauce just makes these waffles. I don't think anything red velvet would be complete without that cream cheese tang. It is smooth and luxurious and makes these waffles look spectacular.

Red Velvet Waffles with White Chocolate Cream Cheese Sauce

4 Tbs butter, melted
3 Tbs sugar
2 1/2 Tbs cocoa powder
2 eggs
2 Tbs red food colour
2 C flour
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2- 3/4 C milk

For the sauce:

2 Tbs butter
4 oz light cream cheese
1/3 C white chocolate wafers
3 Tbs milk
1/2 tsp clear vanilla extract

Preheat your waffle iron.

In a medium bowl, combine the melted butter with the sugar and cocoa. Add in eggs and red food colour; mix until well combined. In a small bowl mix together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet; also adding 1/2 C of milk. Stir to form a somewhat thick smooth batter, adding more milk if too thick (should be slightly thicker than pancake batter).

Spray preheated waffle plates with non stick spray. Pour batter onto hot plates, making sure to spread and completely cover them. Close lid and cook for 5 minutes.

While waffles are cooking, melt butter in a small skillet. Add the softened cream cheese and milk. Whisk until cream cheese is melted and mixture is smooth. Add in the vanilla and white chocolate; stirring until it is melted and incorporated. Pour sauce over hot waffles and serve.

This post linked to

Friday Favorites
Foodie Friday
Recipe Round Up~ Gooseberry Patch
Weekend Potluck
Sweets for a Saturday
Sweet Indulgences Sunday

VH Sauces Chinese New Year Giveaway Winner!

2012-02-10T09:38:00.003-05:00

Good morning everyone!

I just wanted to say Thank You to everyone who took the time to enter my giveaway. It was so nice to see so many new faces! I hope to see more of you through comments, or on Twitter and Facebook. There were 85 eligible entries and using a Random Number Generator, the winner is.....

comment # 70- roswell, who shared the giveaway on FB. Congratulations!!!! I will be emailing you for your mailing information. You will have 48 hrs to reply, or I will pick a new winner.

Thanks again for all who entered and don't forget that I have another giveaway running until Feb 27th, just for Canadians!

Molasses Banana Loaf

2012-02-09T10:59:00.002-05:00

One of our favourite desserts here, in the Jamieson household, is banana bread. If you go through this blog alone, you will find at least a dozen different banana bread recipes. Which is just a glimpse at how much we enjoy it. A new loaf never lasts longer than a few days. We recently tried the banana flavoured Bear Paws cookies and I really loved the hint of molasses with the sweet banana. Which gave me the desire to incorporate molasses into our banana loaf.

Not only did it lend a beautiful colour, to the loaf; it also added a nice almost smokey/savory undertone to it. The molasses is almost like an after taste, you don't really know it's there, until you are just about ready to swallow the moist banana bread. Everyone thought it was a great addition to the loaf and it also makes it difficult to notice that there is also some whole wheat flour, snuck into it. I personally would like a bit more molasses flavour, while Hubby said it was just right. A perfect after school snack and the perfect way to use up those ripe bananas, that may be hiding in your freezer.

Molasses Banana Loaf
printable version

1/2 C butter, melted
1/4 C sugar
1/3 C molasses
2 eggs
3 Tbs buttermilk
3 large ripe bananas, mashed
1 1/4 C flour
3/4 C whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Liberally grease a loaf pan and set aside.

In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine the melted butter with the sugar and stir well. Add in the molasses and eggs, stirring until all is well combined. Stir in the buttermilk and banana, mixing well.

In a separate mixing bowl, combine the flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir well, with a wire whisk, until combined. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until just combined, being careful not to over mix.

Pour into prepared loaf pan and bake for 50-60 minutes; until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes, before removing loaf to a wired rack.

This post linked to

Bake with Bizzy
Full Plate Thursday
These Chicks Cooked
Sweet Indulgences Sunday
Church Supper

Cheerios Heart Month Giveaway

2012-02-08T11:50:00.002-05:00

As I mentioned earlier this month, February is Cheerios Heart Month. Did you know that eating Cheerios is a great way to lower cholesterol and take care of your heart?? Both original Cheerios cereal and Honey Nut Cheerios cereal contain beta-glucan, a soluble fibre in whole grain oats. This is one specific type of fibre that has been shown in scientific research to help lower cholesterol. This oat fibre acts like a "sponge," soaking up some of the cholesterol in the body so that the body can get rid of it naturally. Lowering cholesterol can lower the risk of clogged arteries and heart disease.

So, something you probably enjoy doing, (eating those delicious Cheerios) is helping your heart! You probably didn't even know it!! Cheerios is also very excited to announce that it has launched it's new site Cheerios.ca, which is packed full of great heart healthy information on cholesterol, ideas on how to lower it and even some pretty yummy recipes. General Mills and Cheerios would like to help one of you, start on the right path to a healthy heart, by giving one lucky HunWFD reader a Cheerios Prize Pack (approx $50 value) which includes

4 heart shaped bowls
1 box of Cheerios
1 box of Honey Nut Cheerios
1 box of the brand new Family sized Chocolate Cheerios

All you need to do, to enter, is share your favourite Heart Healthy tip with us. How easy is that? Contest period is February 7 through 29th 2012 and is open to Canadian residents only. Readers can enter across multiple blogs but only win once.

Additional entries:

head over to Cheerios.ca and 'Like' one of the cholesterol articles (1 entry)
tell me what Cheerios heart healthy recipe you'd like to try (1 entry)
Follow HunWFD through Google Friends Connect, Twitter, or on Facebook (1 entry)
Tweet about this giveaway using: Hey Canadian residents @HunWFD is hosting a great giveaway to celebrate #CheeriosHeartMonth Drop by for a chance to win http://tinyurl.com/84yyxuw - please leave url (1 entry)
Share this giveaway on Facebook- please leave url (1 entry)

“Disclosure: I am part of the Life Made Delicious Blogger program and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.”

Roasted Acorn Squash with Honey and Thyme

2012-02-07T09:39:00.000-05:00

It wasn't until recently, that I fell in love with squash. Mom never really made squash growing up and the few times I did have it, it was so bland and mushy, that I really thought that was the way they were suppose to taste. While working with Hubby, he often made squash during Thanksgiving, as one of the side dishes to go with the meal. Everyone kept raving about it, and asking if I had tried Hubby's squash. I reluctantly tried it and fell in love! It wasn't bland at all, he had transformed what I remembered into something so wonderful and full of flavour. Still to this day, it remains one of my favourites that he makes and I request it often.

Last year, I tried a recipe for butternut squash which included honey and thyme and once again I fell in love with the flavour. The combination of sweet and savoury, really paired well, with the squash. So, the other night, I decided to roast some Acorn squash and incorporate honey and thyme. Let me tell you, the sweetness of the caramelized squash, honey and thyme was fabulous. I could have eaten the whole squash to myself, but decided to share. This is so simple to make, but is so delicious. Who wouldn't be impressed?

Roasted Acorn Squash with Honey and Thyme
printable version

1 Acorn squash, cut into 12 pieces
2 Tbs salted butter, melted
1/4 C honey
1/2 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
fresh cracked pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degree.

Cut the acorn squash in half and cut each half into 3 wedges. Cut each wedge in half and set aside.

In a small bowl, melt the butter. Add the honey and stir well. Place squash into a baking dish and drizzle with honey/butter mixture. Sprinkle with thyme and fresh ground pepper, and toss to coat.

Bake for 20-30 minutes, basting with juices occasionally, until squash is tender.

This post linked to

Hearth and Soul
Things that Make you say: Mmmmm
See ya in the Gumbo
Delicious Dishes
Tasty Tuesday

Chocolate, Strawberry and Banana Muffins

2012-02-04T10:06:00.001-05:00

Part of my healthier eating path, involves finding and creating sweet treats, that I could still enjoy, but that are a healthier alternative. Simply swapping out a few ingredients, sweetening with fresh fruit rather than sugar and adding some healthy whole wheat flour can sure make a big difference. If you use great flavours, it won't matter if it's healthy. When I came up with this recipe, I wanted to make something I would enjoy eating, using ingredients that were healthy and would taste great together. Strawberries, Bananas and Chocolate have always been perfect flavour combinations, so I knew they would make an amazing muffin.

I know you are probably thinking, "how can chocolate be healthy". Yes, not all chocolate is healthy, but good quality dark chocolate, is very healthy. It is good for your heart and keeps your cardiovascular system running well. It can help reduce blood pressure and cholesterol. Not only does dark chocolate taste good, it stimulates endorphin production, which leaves you feeling great and it also contains serotonin, which acts like an anti depressant. Eaten in moderation, dark chocolate has great health benefits, so don't feel guilty indulging in a few pieces everyday. You should try to eat 80% dark chocolate or higher. It won't be as sweet as milk chocolate, but it's still as good!!

Chocolate, Strawberry and Banana Muffins
printable version

1/3 C natural strawberry sweetened apple sauce (no sugar added)
1/4 C honey
1 C dark chocolate 80% or higher, melted
2 egg whites
1 C whole wheat flour
1 C all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3 medium bananas, mashed
1 C strawberries, diced

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

I a medium bowl mix together the apple sauce, honey and melted chocolate, until well combined. Whisk in eggs and mix well. In a small bowl, mix the flours, baking powders, baking soda and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, along with the bananas. Stir until just about combines. Add in strawberries and stir until just combined.

For muffins: Line muffin tins with paper liners and spray them lightly with cooking spray. Using a 1/4 C measure, scoop batter into paper liners. Bake for 15-17 minutes; until a toothpick inserted in the middle, comes out clean.

For mini loaves: Spray bottoms of mini loaf pans with a touch of cooking spray. Line bottoms with parchment paper and lightly spray the bottoms and sides of tins. Using a 1/3 C measure fill tins to half full. Bake for 15-20 minutes; until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

These can be stored in an air tight container for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 weeks.

This post linked to

Fit and Fabulous Friday
Baking with Bizzy
Sweets for a Saturday

Root Beer Pulled Pork ~ Super Bowl Eats

2012-02-02T17:11:00.003-05:00

I've recently been introduced to Pinterest. At first I wasn't very enthusiastic about it. I didn't really get the concept of pinning, but then I realized that I could pin various recipes (either those I wanted to try, or the ones we love) and know exactly where to find them. And I must confess, it's pretty addictive. Some of the recipes I've found on there are amazing. Since I am watching what I eat, I have to confess that I am not pinning as often as I would like. Why torture myself looking at the ridiculously delicious dessert ideas, when I can't even make them and enjoy them, LOL. I did find this recipe on Pinterest and I was very curious about the use of Root Beer, while cooking the tenderloin. We LOVE root beer, so I knew for sure I'd be making this one.

This recipe is so simple, it's crazy! All you do is throw your pork tenderloin in the crock pot, pour in some root beer and let it work it's magic. I love crock pot recipes where there isn't a lot of prep, and you can't get easier than this. I did decide to use some of the cooking liquid and reduce it, to impart more of that root beer flavour into our pork. Great idea. These were Da Bomb!!! The pork was so tender, slightly sweet and a bit savoury, thanks to the BBQ sauce. These were so good, Hubby requested I make them for Super Bowl Sunday. Go Patriots!!!

Root Beer Pulled Pork
via Pinterest
printable version

1- 2 lb pork tenderloin
1- 12 oz can or bottle of Root Beer ( I used A&W)
1 bottle BBQ sauce (I used Guinness Bulls Eye)
fresh rolls or hamburger buns
tomato slices, cheese, lettuce (optional)

In a 6 qt crock pot, place the pork tenderloin and pour root beer over top. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hrs. Remove pork from crock pot, pour 1 C of the cooking liquid into a small sauce pot and discard the remaining liquid. Over medium high heat, bring the cooking liquid to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until it reduces by half. While cooking liquid is reducing, using two forks, shred/pull pork apart. Once cooking liquid has reduced, add the bottle of BBQ sauce and mix well. Pour over shredded pork and mix to coat evenly. Serve on rolls/buns with your choice of toppings.

This post linked to

Full Plate Thursday
These Chicks Cooked
Friday Favorites
Foodie Friday
Recipe Roundup~ Gooseberry Patch
Weekend Potluck

Partridge Fingers

2012-02-01T10:06:00.000-05:00

Photo Courtesy of my Mom

Growing up in Northern Ontario Canada, there are 4 things you need to love. Fishing, hunting, hockey and snow. I guess I'm not a true Northern girl, because I only love 2 of the four, LOL. Hunting and fishing have always been some of my favourite activities to do with my family. Growing up Dad spent any available time at the lake and as soon as hunting season opened, you could bet he was in the bush, wearing his orange vest and hat, looking for partridge and rabbit. Some of my favourite memories are of all us kids piling into the back of my Dad's pick up truck (it was legal back then), and going down a random dirt road, looking for the perfect fishing hole. Even though I'm not a big fan of snow, I really enjoy spending a mild day on a frozen lake, waiting for the fish to bite. It's something I'm hoping to introduce my kids to next winter.

Though I've been hunting several times, I've only ever shot one partridge. It was getting close to dusk and we were heading back to the truck, when we spotted a partridge sleeping in the middle on the dirt road. Dad asked me if I wanted to take a shot and I was so excited and nervous at the same time. I think I was about 14 at the time, so this was a big deal for us Northern gals. Partridge has always been on our table, since I can remember. It has a slight gamey taste, but it is really close to chicken. In fact, my kids think they're eating chicken, anytime we have partridge. If you get the opportunity to try some, I really hope you do.

Growing up, my Mom would serve the partridge 3 ways. In a stew, baked with beans, or as partridge fingers. I remember the crispy fried tender pieces of meat, coated with corn flakes all to well. Since I have been trying to watch what I eat, I decided that rather than fry them, I would try and bake them. Thinking I had corn flakes in the pantry, I thawed my partridge without a second though. Dinner time rolled around and I got ready to make these suckers and wouldn't you know, the corn flakes I thought were in the pantry, were really frosted flakes!! So I had to improvise and I think I like my version better (no offense Mom). Using the bacon crackers added a nice smokey flavour to the meat and mellowed out the gamey taste. I also added some fresh thyme which added a fresh slightly pungent taste and it really complimented the smokiness of the breading. Everyone enjoyed these tremendously and you can bet it will go in our rotation, anytime Dad decides to share his catch with us!

Partridge Fingers
printable version

4 partridge breasts, cut into 1/2 inch wide tenders
2 Tbs olive oil, to coat the tenders
1/2 C bacon flavoured crackers, finely crushed
1/2 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
1/2 C BBQ sauce (optional)
3 Tbs honey (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Place cooling racks onto 2 rimmed baking sheets.

In a bowl, drizzle tenders with olive oil and toss to coat. Finely crush crackers in a zip top bag and add in thyme to combine. Place 1-2 tenders in the crumbs, and coat evenly with crumb mixture. Place coated tenders onto the baking racks, about 1 inch apart. Bake for approximately 20-25 minutes, turning the tenders half way through.

In a small bowl combine the BBQ sauce and honey. Serve with partridge fingers, for dipping (if desired).

This post linked to

Things That Make you Say: Mmmmm
See ya in the Gumbo
Tasty Tuesday
Delicious Dishes

Meal Plan Monday~ Jan 30, 2012

2012-01-30T09:38:00.001-05:00

Happy Monday!

I just wanted to start off by letting you all know that I'm the first guest poster over at Infinite Life Fitness. I was asked to share one of my favourite healthy recipes and I quickly knew which one I wanted to send. Thanks to my friend Lyndsay, The Kitchen Witch, for introducing me to such a wonderful recipe!

I've been exhausted for the past few days, and Hubby and Mr.B both have colds, so I'm not sure if it's just my body fighting hard not to catch what ever crud is going around. So, even though I'm posting a meal plan, I still reserve the right to flake out and not follow it, if I do end up sick, LOL. That and the fact that I have no idea if I'll actually make it to the store this week, is making this week's meal planning a wee bit stressful. So, here is the tentative plan for the week

Chicken soup/stew, using leftover roast chicken from Sunday night, with honey oat bread
Creamy Pistachio and Mango Chutney Pork Tenderloin (new recipe) with skinny au gratin potatoes
Perfect Fall Pork Chops (new recipe)
homemade pizza with tossed salad
Hubby's ribs with baked potato bar (broccoli, cheese, salsa, sour cream, chives, bacon, chili-toppers)
Easy Black Bean Veggie Casserole (new recipe)
Leftovers

Head on over to OrgJunkie.com, for tons of other great meal plans!!

Peanut Butter, Chocolate Chip & Pretzel Bars

2012-01-28T09:23:00.001-05:00

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. You eat with your eyes first. That was totally the case when I first saw the recipe that accompanied the original recipe, to these sinfully delicious bars. Has that ever happened to you? You see a picture of food and know immediately that you have to get into that kitchen and make it? It doesn't happen too often here. Usually it's "hmmm, that looks good, I'll mark it for later", but the photo accompanying this recipe made my tummy rumble so loudly. I just HAD to make it!

This recipe couldn't be easier too. Think chocolate chip cookies, mixed with pretzels, sprinkled with more pretzels and drizzled with a peanut butter chocolate. Crazy right??!!?? We totally flip over peanut butter filled pretzels and the thought of adding chocolate chip cookies into the mix, blew my mind. I could just taste the sweet, salty, chocolate combo and it made my mouth water thinking about it. I did make a few changes to the original recipe. I added peanut butter to the cookie batter and cut down on the sugar a bit. These are crazy good!! I seriously had to give most of them away to my neighbours, because I would have eaten these all night. The kids thought they were phenomenal too, and have been asking for some, since their first bite. These look awesome and taste even better!

Peanut Butter, Chocolate Chip & Pretzel Bars
Adapted from Food &Wine and Brown Eyed Baker, via Dinner with Julie
printable version

1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
1/4 C smooth peanut butter
2/3cup light brown sugar
1/3 cup sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1-2 cups chocolate chunks or chips
1 1/2 cups pretzel twists, coarsely broken (divided)
1/3 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350°F and butter a 9×13″ pan.

In a large bowl, beat the butter and peanut butter, with both sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Add the flour, baking soda and salt and stir until almost combined; add the chocolate chips and 1 cup of the pretzel pieces and stir just until blended.

Spread the batter evenly in the pan and bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden. In a small bowl, melt the peanut butter and chocolate chips in the microwave or over low heat, stirring until smooth. Sprinkle the bars with the remaining crushed pretzel pieces and drizzle with the peanut butter-chocolate mixture. Let cool until set, then cut into squares or bars. Makes about 2 dozen bars.

This post linked to

Baking with Bizzy
Foodie Friday
Sweets for a Saturday
Weekend Potluck

The Perfect Beef Stew

2012-01-26T09:51:00.001-05:00

Have you ever loved eating something, but just never were able to make a really good version of it? That was the case with stew. I love stew! It's warm, comforting, hearty and perfect for those cold winter days. But, I've never been able to find a recipe that made me say "oh yeah, THIS is stew!!". Well, I decided that I was going to go into the kitchen and make the perfect stew, even if we had to eat stew all winter. And, I think I've done it!

I really enjoyed this one. The beef melted in your mouth, the sauce was velvety, savoury, intoxicating. The kids ate this one with gumption and so did I. In fact it was so good, I hid the leftovers in the fridge, so I could have them for lunch the next day. Don't tell hubby.... hiding beef is sacrilege, LOL. I really think the addition of the red wine is what makes this stew. I normally don't cook with wine, since I've never really enjoyed drinking it, but this past year, I've ventured into the world of wine and have found a few that I'd actually enjoy drinking. So please, use a red wine that you would enjoy drinking, when making this stew!

Beef Stew
printable version

1 1/2 lbs lean stewing beef, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 C flour
1/2 tsp salt and pepper
oil, for searing the meat
3 small shallots, cut into thin wedges
1 carrot, chopped
1 rib celery, finely chopped
1/2 C red wine ( I used Cotes de Rhones)
2 C low fat, low sodium beef broth
1 C water
3 springs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
salt and pepper
3 C potatoes, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 C frozen peas
1 Tbs cornstarch
1 Tbs water

In a dutch oven, or heavy bottomed pot, heat 2-3 Tbs oil (such as vegetable oil), over medium high heat. Before starting, using paper towels, pat the beef cubes dry. This will ensure a nice sear on the meat, and that melt in your mouth goodness. In a bowl, combine the flour and 1/2 tsp salt and pepper. Coat dried pieces of beef in the flour. Shaking of the excess flour, place the beef cubes into the hot pot; in a single layer. You may need to do this in batches. Let meat develop a nice brown crust, before turning the beef over to brown the second side; this will take 3-4 minutes. Place browned pieces of meat in a bowl and save for later.

Once all the meat is browned,reduce the heat to medium and add in shallots, carrot and celery; scraping up some of the brown bits at the bottom of the pot. Cook for 3 minutes, then add the red wine; once again scraping up the brown bits. Let wine cook down for 5 minutes and add the beef broth, water, thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and add the beef back into the pot. Simmer, covered, over low heat for 2 hrs.

After 2 hrs, add in potatoes, cover and simmer for 30-40 minutes; until potatoes are tender. Add in peas, to warm through. If you'd like a thicker sauce, mix the cornstarch with water and slowly stir into the pot. Let simmer 5 minutes, to thicken, stirring occasionally. Remove thyme and bay, check for seasonings and serve.

This post linked to

Full Plate Thursday
These Chicks Cooked
Fit and Fabulous Friday
Friday Favorites

Steamed Cod with Gingered Tomatoes~ Chinese New Year &VH Sauces

2012-01-24T10:34:00.001-05:00

Yesterday, was the start of the year of the Dragon. That's right, Chinese New Year, started yesterday. Chinese New Year is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. In China, it is known as "Spring Festival". It is the longest and most important festivity in the Chinese calendar and it's origin is itself centuries old. It is tradition that every family thoroughly cleans the house to sweep away any ill-fortune in hopes to make way for good incoming luck.The Dragon, is the only mythological and “free spirit” of the Chinese Zodiac.This year we celebrate luck, prosperity, longevity, wealth, happiness and peace.

The kids and I really had fun getting ready for our feast. We made a paper dragon (in photo above) and paper lanterns. The kids really love learning about different cultures and enjoyed the tidbits of information I shared during out meal.

I was excited to use VH Sauces for our Chinese New Year dinner. My Mom used VH sauces, when I was growing up, so I know that the sauces are delicious, affordable and reliable. When a particular brand has been around for so long, you know it's good. For our meal, I chose fish, because it signifies good luck. I was intrigued by the combination of tomatoes and ginger. Something I had never thought of putting together. This was absolutely fabulous! The fish was flaky and tender and went perfectly with the tart tomatoes and sweet ginger. It was very different and delicious way to prepare fish and the kids were crazy for it.

To accompany our fish, I also prepared some spring rolls and served it with a VH Hoisin Dip. The dip was sweet and savory, with a nice garlic-y undertone. It went very well with our salty vegetable spring rolls. The kids prefered regular plum sauce, with theirs, but us adults enjoyed this kicked up version, that wasn't overly sweet.

I really enjoyed celebrating Chinese New Year with the family. But, on those nights where we just don't have time to celebrate, we happily enjoy VH Steamers. These are a great way to add some Asian flare to your life, in just a matter of minutes. Full of amazing flavour, these steamers are perfect for those nights when life is just too busy. We enjoy them as a quick lunch as well. My favourite flavour is Zesty Orange Chicken, with tender pieces of chicken, crunchy vegetables and a slightly sweet citrus sauce. Whether is a special Holiday, or just any old day of the week, VH Sauces gives you tons of tasty meal ideas!

“Disclosure – I am participating in the VH Chinese New Year Celebration program by Mom Central Canada on behalf of VH.  I received compensation as a thank you for my participation. The opinions on this blog are my own.”

Steamed Cod with Gingered Tomatoes
Adapted from VH Sauces

Ingredients

    PAM® Original Cooking Spray
    4 x 6 oz (175 gr) cod fillets, boneless
    2 cups (500 mL) grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise
    1 cup (250 mL) VH® Sweet & Sour Sauce
    ¼ cup (60 mL) fresh cilantro or basil, coarsely chopped
    4 tsp (20 mL) fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped

Directions

    Preheat oven to 375˚F ( 190˚F), spray 4 large sheets of foil with PAM® Original Cooking Spray, foil should be large enough to hold 1 piece of fish.
    On the middle of each piece of foil place ½ cup (125 mL) tomatoes, 1 tsp (5 mL) ginger, 1 piece of fish and cover with ¼ cup (60 mL) of VH® Sweet & Sour Sauce. Sprinkle each filet with 1 tbsp (15 mL) cilantro.
    Close up foil packages and cook in oven on lowest rack until fish is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

Serve with cooked white rice.

Spring Rolls with Hoisin Dip
Adapted from VH Sauces

Ingredients

    24 ready-made spring rolls
    ½ cup (125 mL) VH® Garlic Hoisin Sauce
    ½ cup (125 mL) VH® Plum Sauce
    1 tsp (5 mL) sesame seeds (optional)

Directions

    Cook spring rolls as directed on the package.
    In a small bowl stir together VH® Garlic Hoisin Sauce, VH® Plum Sauce and sesame seeds.
    Serve dip with hot spring rolls.

This post linked to

See ya in the Gumbo
Things That Make you Say: Mmmmm
Delicious Dishes
Hearth and Soul
Tasty Tuesday

Meal Plan Monday~ Jan 23, 2012 & an Award

2012-01-23T09:34:00.000-05:00

Happy Monday!!

I should also say Happy Chinese New Year! That's right, today we start to celebrate the year of the dragon. Look for my post and our celebrations, coming up this week. Other than that we don't have much going on this week. Hubby is working, Mr.B is going to school and Queenie and I will do our thing at home. My healthier attempts at eating and exercising is going well. I'm really enjoying working out; a lot more than I thought I would, LOL. I still get horrible sugar cravings, but I'm hoping I can get passed those soon.

I have a few repeats in my menu this week. I kept forgetting to take my pork shoulder out of the freezer (something I'm bad about remembering), so I'm hoping to get to that this week. Tonight, we'll be celebrating Chinese New Year with an amazing Asian inspired meal. I think I'm as excited, as the kids are, LOL. So, here is my plan for the week (in no particular order)

Root beer Pulled Pork sandwiches, with bean salad
baked pork taquitos, with spicy black beans
braised chicken thighs, with couscous
Pasta with beef and rapini
Steamed Cod with Gingered Tomatoes and Spring Rolls with Hoisin Dip (Chinese New Year)
Minestrone with bread machine garlic bread
leftovers

Head on over to OrgJunkie.com, for tons more great meal plans!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Last night Kristen, from Forkful of Comfort, was awarded her first blog award. As a winner of this Versatile Blogger Award, she has to name some other bloggers she thought were also deserving of this award. She picked me as one of them and I couldn't be more thankful.

Now, it's time to name a few other bloggers, who I think deserve this too

Cravings of a Lunatic

Ms.EnPlace

The Kitchen Witch

Cooking with Libby

Everyday Mom Meals

Go on over and check them out!!!

Celebrate Chinese New Year with VH Sauces~ Giveaway!

2012-01-20T14:25:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone! Did you know that it will soon be the Chinese New Year?

This is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. In China, it is known as "Spring Festival." This year, Year of the Dragon, we’re celebrating the only mythological and “free spirit” of the Chinese Zodiac.What better way to celebrate luck, prosperity, longevity, wealth, happiness and peace, than with some delicious and flavourful meal solutions that are sure to be crowd-pleasers all year long.

To help you and your family celebrate this fun and exciting Chinese Holiday, Mom Central along with VH Sauces would like to give one of you a chance to win a Chinese New Year gift pack valued at $60!

All you nee to do is leave me a comment telling me- What’s your favourite VH Sauce / Steamer flavour? That's it! Please include your email address, so I can contact you if you win.

Extra entries:

Follow HunWFD? via Google Friends Connect (by clicking 'join this site', in the right side bar) and leave me a message saying you are- 1 entry
Follow me on Twitter and leave me a message with your Twitter name- 1 entry
Follow me on Facebook and leave me a comment with your Facebook name- 1 entry
Share this giveaway on Facebook or Twitter and leave me a comment saying you did so- 1 entry for each

The giveaway will run until Feb 10th, 2012 and is open to Canadian residents only. Readers may enter across multiple blogs, but may only win one prize.

Ganache-Topped Brownie Bites

2012-01-19T14:30:00.004-05:00

Valentine's Day is less than a month away and that means delicious love day inspired treats are popping up all over the Internet. So I, along with the folks at General Mills~Life Made Delicious, wanted to get in on the action. What I love best about the Life Made Delicious website is that you can always find some delicious and easy recipes. February is considered Heart Month, not only because of Valentine's day, but because The Heart and Stroke Foundation would like to make everyone more aware about the risks of heart disease and stroke. If you can, please take the time to make a donation. But if that isn't possible, adding some amazing low cholesterol foods to your diet would be a great way to prevent the risk of these diseases. One of our favourite breakfast cereals, Cheerios, is making it easy to do just that. Just in time for Heart Month, Cheerios is beyond excited to be launching an all-new site, Cheerios.ca. It’s jam-packed with heart healthy content from recipes, lifestyle tips, information on cholesterol and much more. The perfect first finger food through mid-life goodness, Cheerios takes care of your heart every step of the way.

Now I know this recipe isn't very heart healthy, but I did try to cut the fat a bit. Instead of using the regular brownie mix, I went with Betty Crocker's low fat version. I also substituted 3 egg whites in my brownies, rather than 2 whole eggs and added some good for you 80% dark chocolate (cut into small chunks). Still rich and decadent, you wouldn't even know that these were made just a bit healthier. They are chewy, studded with rich dark chocolate and topped with velvety smooth chocolate ganache. With a beautiful pop of colour, the raspberry brings a fresh tart burst of sweetness to these delicious little gems. Perfect to share with the ones you love, on Valentine's Day!

“Disclosure: I am part of the Life Made Delicious Blogger program and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.”

Ganache-Topped Brownie Bites
Adapted from Life Made Delicious

1 pkg (440 g) Betty Crocker* Chocolate Chunk Supreme Brownies Mix
1/4 cup (50 mL) water
1/4 cup (50 mL) vegetable oil
2 eggs
2/3 cup (150 mL) whipping cream
1 cup (250 mL) semi-sweet chocolate chips
Fresh raspberries, if desired

Method:

    Heat oven to 350°F (180°C).

    Grease 36 mini muffin cups or line with miniature paper baking cups. Make brownie batter as directed on package, using water, oil and eggs. Fill muffin cups about 3/4 full (about 1 tbsp/15 mL batter each).

Bake 14 to 17 minutes or until toothpick inserted in centre comes out almost clean. Cool in pan 20 minutes. Carefully remove paper baking cups; place on cooling rack and cool completely.

    In 1-qt (1 L) saucepan, heat whipping cream over low heat just to boiling. Remove from heat; stir in chocolate chips until melted. Let stand about 15 minutes or until mixture coats a spoon.

    Spoon about 2 tsp (10 mL) chocolate mixture onto each brownie. Garnish with fresh raspberries if desired.

This post linked to

These Chicks Cooked
Full Plate Thursday
Foodie Friday
Bake with Bizzy
Friday Favorites
Sweets for a Saturday
Weekend Potluck

Healthy Peanut Butter Balls

2012-01-17T10:32:00.002-05:00

Part of my healthy eating plan is to seriously cut down on sweets and dessert. The thing is, I find that most nights (especially after dinner) I crave a little something sweet. And if I don't get it, sometimes it's not pretty. Like exorcist, not pretty... It makes me feel like a failure, to crave sugar and let it affect my moods the way it does. So, I've been trying to find and think of healthy sweet treat recipes, that I could enjoy in moderation. I saw a recipe for Healthy PB Balls on Pinterest and altered it to suit my likes and what I had on hand. The result are phenomenal and I don't feel guilty indulging after dinner. Right out of the freezer, these little balls of goodness are fantastic.

These are not as creamy and smooth as your typical Peanut Butter Balls. These are studded with crunchy oats, wheat germ and flax meal. I find I like all these fillers, because I actually have to chew something, which makes me take longer to eat them, and I get to savour and enjoy them better. I decided to coat a few with cinnamon sugar and a few with cocoa powder. I prefer the cocoa powder covered ones when they are frozen and the cinnamon sugar ones at room temperature. Yes, I know..... I'm weird. This is going to be a staple in our house from now on. Even the kids love them and I it makes me happy that they are eating something that is super good for them, without complaining.

Healthy Peanut Butter Balls
printable version

1 C light creamy peanut butter (natural peanut butter would be great as well)
2 Tbs honey
3/4 C large flake rolled oats
1 tsp wheat germ
1 tsp flax meal
2 tsp sweetened shredded coconut, toasted
cocoa powder and/or cinnamon sugar, to coat

In a bowl, mix together the peanut butter and honey, until well combined. In a separate bowl, combine the oats, wheat germ, flax meal and coconut, mixing well. Pour the dry ingredients into the peanut butter mixture and mix until well combined. The mixture will be dry at first, but keep mixing, it will combine into a smooth mixture. Spoon heaping table spoonfuls out and form into a ball. At this point you can roll the balls into the cocoa powder, or cinnamon sugar. If desired leave plain.

Cindy's notes: I find these are more firm if left in the freezer. You can eat them straight from the freezer, no need to thaw.

This post linked to

Hearth and Soul
Things that Make you say: Mmmmm!
Delicious Dishes
Tasty Tuesday
See ya in the Gumbo
EMM: Church Supper
Fit and Fabulous Fridays

Meal Plan Monday~ Jan 16, 2012

2012-01-16T09:53:00.000-05:00

Happy Monday everyone!!

I'm in such a wonderful mood today. I had the opportunity to Skype with some of the great ladies I met during my journey through the Real Women of Philadelphia Canada contest. These are the best bunch of ladies, that I am so happy and proud to call my friends. We have all grown, by leaps and bounds with the confidence the contest gave us and have all celebrated small successes this year. It's great to have a great group of foodie friends to bounce ideas off of and to vent to, LOL.

Well, my first week of healthy eating and exercise went well. I have to say that I feel wonderful and my moods have been constant and great, LOL. I still have tiny sugar cravings, but thanks to some friends who are also trying to be healthier, I've found great alternatives and recipes. Look for a few of them this week! I've yet to do an official grocery trip, but did pick up a few proteins this past weekend. So our menu will be simple, healthy and delicious (I hope). Here's our menu for the week

Pulled Pork sandwiches with a bean salad
baked pork taquitos, with spicy black beans
Spanish Potato and Green Olive soup (new recipe) with Honey Oat Bread
Homemade pizza (new recipe) with a salad
Omelets with fruit salad
Partridge fingers with oven fries/sweet potato fries and a salad (brought over from last week)
Leftovers

Head on over to OrgJunkie.com, for tons of other great meal plans!

Grilled Fish Tacos with Creamy Avocado & the Fibre 1 Chill Challenge

2012-01-13T11:24:00.001-05:00

As I mentioned in previous posts, I've started working on being healthier. Both in what I eat, and by getting more exercise in each day. I know that during the winter, we tend to go into hibernation mode and turn into couch potatoes. I mean who wants to go out in that cold weather. Well Fibre 1 and the Running Room are teaming up to bring you the first ever Fibre 1 Chill Challenge. They would like you to get off that couch and leap into an extra day of fitness. The best part is..... it's totally easy. All they're asking for is 20 minutes of walking, or running at any of the participating Running Room locations. See, that isn't so hard now is it? So register and, on Feb 29, get off that couch and get active!

Sometimes, exercise isn't enough. Sometimes, you have to make better eating choices. I know that though we never really ate unhealthily, I could have been doing more, to get us eating right. Small things like eating more fish, using low fat cheeses, dressing or sour cream. All of those things are great ways of cutting calories, while still having great flavour. That's why I am totally excited that General Mills Life Made Delicious has great healthy recipes, on their website. Not only are they healthy and delicious, they're super easy too!! I was able to get dinner on the table last night, in about 15 minutes. Can you believe that?!?!

Not only are these fish tacos quick and easy, they taste awesome too. I really loved the spicy Taco seasoning on the fish. The creamy avocado added a zesty creaminess, that was perfect with the tender fish. We seemed to prefer them on whole wheat tortillas, rather than hard tacos. I never thought the kids would be eating fish tacos, but Mr.B quickly wolfed two down, LOL. Since it's the dead of winter here, there was no way I was grilling, so I adapted the recipe and broiled the fish for a few minutes on each side. I will include broiling instructions at the end of the recipe.

“Disclosure: I am part of the Life Made Delicious Blogger program and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.”

Grilled Fish Tacos with Creamy Avocado Topping
Adapted from Life Made Delicious

Halibut is a fresh, healthy spin on traditional tacos.

Ingredients:

1 avocado, pitted, peeled and diced
2 tbsp (25 mL) chopped fresh cilantro
1/3 cup (75 mL) reduced fat ranch dressing
1 pkg Old El Paso* Smart Fiesta* Hard Taco Dinner Kit
1 tbsp (15 mL) vegetable oil
1 1/2 lb (750 g) halibut, skin removed, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup (250 mL) shredded lettuce or mixed salad greens
1 small tomato, diced

Method:

Heat gas or charcoal grill. In medium bowl, mix avocado, cilantro and dressing. Set aside. Heat taco shells as directed on package.
Brush fish with oil. Sprinkle fish with 2 to 3 tsp taco seasoning mix. Place halibut in grill basket. Place basket on grill over medium heat. Cover grill; cook 5 to 10 minutes or until fish flakes easily with fork, rearranging twice. Fill taco shells with fish, lettuce, avocado mixture and tomato.

Cindy's notes: to broil, place fish onto a rimmed baking sheet. Brush with oil and sprinkle with taco seasoning. Place under broiler for 4 minutes. Flip fillets over and sprinkle with remaining taco seasoning. Place under broiler for 3-4 more minutes, until fish is opaque and flakes easily.

This post linked to

Full Plate Thursday
These Chicks Cooked
Friday Favorites
Foodie Friday
EMM:Church Supper

Nutty Blueberry-Maple Oatmeal

2012-01-10T10:01:00.000-05:00

Last week, my friend Jeanine, from the Baking Beauties, asked me if I'd be interested in doing a six week diet and exercises program with her. I was already toying with the idea that I needed to buckle down and loose some weight, so I quickly agreed. Let's face it, you're more likely to succeed when there is someone there rooting you on, encouraging and suffering right along with you, LOL.

As part of my healthier eating, I decided to make some new yummy oatmeal recipes. I am not a big oatmeal fan. In the past, if I were to eat it, I would drown it with brown sugar. Knowing that there would be no way of loosing weight following my bad oatmeal habit, I played around with flavours and came up with this one. And I truly enjoyed it! I ate the whole bowl, without the thought of "why am I doing this to myself" playing through my head. The addition of vanilla makes the oatmeal taste sweeter, without the added sugar. I love the crunch of the toasted coconut and walnuts. The bursts of fresh blueberries just add a nice bright surprise. Now I'm actually excited about eating oatmeal, that isn't swimming in sugar!

Nutty Blueberry-Maple Oatmeal
printable version

2/3 C water
1/3 C large flake old fashion oats
1 Tbs maple syrup
1/4 tsp vanilla
1/4 C walnuts, chopped
2 tsp sweetened shredded coconut
1/4 C fresh blueberries

In a small pot heat water to a boil. Add oats, maple syrup and vanilla. Reduce heat and simmer until tender and thick; about 10-15 minutes.

Meanwhile, toast walnuts and coconut in a small skillet, over medium heat; until coconut is the same colour as the walnuts. Set aside.

When the oats are tender, add in the blueberries (saving a few to garnish) and most of the walnut/coconut mixture. Garnish with remaining blueberries and nuts.

1 serving

This post linked to

Delicious Dishes
See ya in the Gumbo!
Hearth and Soul
Tasty Tuesday
Things That Make you Say: Mmmmm

Meal Plan Monday~ Jan 9, 2012

2012-01-09T10:01:00.000-05:00

Happy Monday!

The kids and I all caught the crud, a few days ago. It started with Queenie, last Thursday and snowballed from there. I think it has hit her the worst, and I'm planning of bringing her in to see the Dr, this afternoon. Her cough sounds too suspicious for me to just let it run it's course. My throat, which has been killing me, finally feels better today. It's a good thing, because we are back to school, after 2 weeks of winter break. I hope we get back into the routine quickly; I've grown accustomed to sleeping until 8:30.

We ended up staying at my Mother in law's house last week and didn't return until late Friday night. So, I wasn't able to get to most of last week's meal plan. Since I've yet to do groceries, I'll just carry it over and add a few new dishes. I did find a Moose roast in the freezer and am hoping to make something with that. Here is what I have planned this week

Turkey Stir Fry
baked partridge fingers with oven fries and peas
Tacos with Tex Mex couscous (new recipe)
Ratatouille with Chickpeas, Naan bread
chicken and black bean enchiladas (new recipe)
Pancakes with fruit salad
leftovers

Head on over to OrgJunkie.com, for tons of other great meal plans!!

Stuffed Savory Ham and Cheese French Toast

2012-01-07T09:30:00.003-05:00

This past week, we all went to my Mother in law's to celebrate second Christmas. We spent a really nice time in Buffalo, visited Hubby's side of the family and had a few fun adventures. One of my gifts from my sister in law was a cookbook. A whole cookbook full of breakfast and brunch recipes. I was super excited and when I had the chance, I quickly looked through it, to decide what to make first. I decided to go with this recipe, because my mother in law had all the ingredients on hand.

This recipe is super easy. I love the simplicity of it, but the results are phenomenal. Creamy gooey cheese, slightly flavoured with green onion, pairs perfectly with the salty smoky ham. I wasn't sure about topping it with syrup or powdered sugar, but the sweetness added a nice balance to the savory french toast. This one is definitely a keeper and I'm sure we will be enjoying these on those special weekend mornings.

Stuffed Savory Ham & Cheese French Toast
Adapted from 500 Breakfast and Brunch Dishes
printable version

4 oz cream cheese, softened
1 C Cheddar cheese, shredded
2 scallions, finely chopped
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
4 slices of ham (preferably black forest)
8 thick slices day-old white bread
4 eggs
1/2 milk
few shakes of hot sauce, to taste
butter and vegetable oil, for cooking
powdered sugar and maple syrup, to serve

In a medium bowl, mix the cream cheese and Cheddar with the scallions. Season with salt and pepper. Spread 4 slices of bread generously with the filling, lay a slice of ham on top of each one, and top with the remaining bread slices, making 4 sandwiches.

In a shallow dish, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, pepper, and hot sauce. Dip each sandwich in the batter, turning to coat both sides and allowing each side to soak up some of the batter. Do not soak too long or the sandwich will fall apart when you lift them.

In a large skillet, heat a little butter and vegetable oil. When it's good and hot, lay some sandwiches in the skillet and cool them to a rich brown. Turn and cook the other side. Keep warm while you make the rest. Serve immediately, with a sprinkling of powdered sugar and with maple syrup on the side.

Serves 4

This post linked to

These Chicks Cooked
Full Plate Thursday
Foodie Friday
Friday Favorites
Gooseberry Patch Recipe Round Up

Meal Plan Monday~ Jan 2, 2012

2012-01-02T09:36:00.000-05:00

Happy Monday and Happy New Year, once again!!

I'm still reeling from the fact that we are in 2012 already. The past year just flew by and makes me wish I had a pause button. But I am glad the new year is upon us. We have some pretty exciting milestones happening in the Jamieson household this year. First would be my 10th wedding anniversary. Yes, it's hard to believe that it's been 12 years since I met Hubby and 10 years since we got married. I just love how everyday seems new and that we still enjoy being together and love each other with so much passion. The second milestone will be Queenie starting school this Fall. She will be entering Junior Kindergarten and we are both really excited. I can't wait to see her blossom into an independent little lady. I'm sure I'll be in tears her first day, but I'm also anxious to get more time to focus on myself.

Which brings me to new things that will be happening here on Hun...What's for Dinner? My goal over the next few month, to a year, is to loose weight. I have a good 50+ lbs that I'd love to say good bye to, so you'll be seeing a lot of healthier, lower calorie meals. I'll still post some indulgent stuff, on occasion, but for the most part, I'll be focusing on healthier eating. We don't really eat un healthily, it's just what I get into, once the kids are in bed, that is getting me in trouble.

That being said, this week's menu will be quite interesting. I haven't done groceries since before Christmas, so I'll be using up what it in my freezer and pantry. I also roasted up a nice 15 lb turkey for New Years day, so I'll be using those leftovers this week. We plan on heading down to Buffalo NY, to visit Hubby's family, so I'm sure one of those days we'll be eating out. So,here is my plan for the week

Turkey Stir Fry
Quick Cassoulet (using leftover turkey)~new recipe
out with Hubby's family
baked partridge fingers with oven fries and peas
Ratatouille with Chickpeas, Naan bread
chicken and black bean enchiladas~ new recipe
leftovers

Head on over to OrgJunkie.com, for more great meal plans!!

Irish Cream Rocky Road Waffles~ Happy New Year!!

2012-01-01T10:56:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year everyone!!

I just can't believe how quickly the last year has passed. I wonder if 2012 will be as adventurous for us, as was 2011. To celebrate the New Year this morning, I decided to treat Hubby and I with a special breakfast. This past Christmas, we had brought a bottle of Irish Cream to add to our coffee on Christmas day. Everyone forgot about it, so back home it came. While talking about it with my Mom, I came up with the idea of making Irish Cream Rocky Road Pancakes. But this morning as I was preparing to make breakfast, I decided that pancakes wouldn't be able to stand up to the Rocky Road toppings. Waffles are heartier, so they wouldn't be overwhelmed by the chocolate, nuts and marshmallows.

These were phenominal! I loved how the Irish Cream transformed into a creamy undertone and paired perfectly with the rocky road aspect of the waffles. These had just the perfect amount of sweetness, with the addition of the toppings. I did make a 'virgin' version for the kids, who really enjoyed having chocolate and marshmallows for breakfast. These could even be served as dessert, if sweets for breakfast isn't your thing.

Irish Cream Rocky Road Waffles
printable version

3 Tbs butter, melted
2 Tbs sugar
3 egg whites
2 C flour
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 C Irish Cream liquor
1/2- 3/4 C milk
1/3 almonds, chopped
chocolate chips
mini marshmallows
caramel sauce (option)

In a small skillet, toast almonds over low heat; 3-5 minutes (you will smell when they are ready). Set aside for later.

In a bowl, beat the egg whites and sugar until light and frothy. Add in melted butter and Irish Cream; mix well. Stir in flour, baking powder. Add milk, 1/4 C at a time, until a thick batter is formed (it should ressemble very thick pancake batter). Fold in 1/4 C of the toasted almonds.

Preheat your waffle iron. Once it is ready, spray grates with non stick cooking spray. Pour 1/3 C of batter onto hot grates. Close lid and cook for 5 minutes; until waffles are golden brown. Transfer waffles to a baking sheet and sprinkle with chocolate chips, mini marshmallows and remaining toasted almonds. Place under broiler for 2-3 minutes; until marshmallows start to brown. Serve with a drizzle of caramel sauce, if desired.

Top 11 from 2011

2011-12-30T08:24:00.000-05:00

Well, this year is quickly coming to an end and I thought it would be fun to see what recipes were the most popular for 2011. This year has been an adventurous one for me, with some disappointments, but many accomplishments. Though I did not with the casting of the Real Women of Philadelphia contest, I will however be published in their cookbook coming out in 2011. My venture onto Facebook has also been a success and this was met with great relief, LOL.

With a new year on the horizon, I am full of excitement and anticipation about new food trends, and recipes that I will be sharing with you. I hope that 2012 is as successful, if not better than 2011. Thanks to everyone who takes the time to read my posts and leave a comment. Without you, this top 11 wouldn't be possible. So, let's start things off with

11- Pork and Shrimp Steamed Dumplings

10- Banana Chocolate French Toast

9- Peppermint Stick Sandwich Cookies

8- Pie in a Jar

7- The Sky is Falling Apples! Wraps

6- Spinach Artichoke Mac and Cheese

5- Pastitio

4- Tomato Herb Foccacia

3- Banana Split Cake

2- Baked Honey Mustard Chicken

And the top recipe of 2011 is..... Mini Sausage Meatball Minestra

Buche de Noel~ Yule Log Cake

2011-12-29T09:58:00.002-05:00

Merry Christmas Everyone!!

Well OK, Christmas was a few days ago, but with all the excitement, I didn't have time to wish all of you a Merry Christmas! Since we were celebrating at my parent's this year, Mom decided that we should also celebrate my 34th birthday; which happens to be today!.

Growing up, my Mom would always make her wonderful Buche de Noel, for us to eat after our Reveillon. Reveillon means 'let us wake up', which is a French Canadian Christmas celebration. We celebrate the coming of Christ, with a fabulous feast at midnight, on Christmas Eve/Day. Buche de Noel was always a mandatory dessert, but as we got older, most of the family lost their interest in sweets. So now, Mom doesn't make our Yule Log Cake, except if I am lucky enough to join them for Christmas. It has turned into my birthday cake, which is fine with me.

If you've never had yule log cake, you are really missing out on something spectacular. Not only does it look stunning, it tastes just as good. A moist chocolate sponge cake topped with slightly sweetened whipped cream, is rolled into the shape of a log. There are many versions, white sponge, ice cream; but I am partial to the one Mom makes every year.

Buche de Noel- Christmas Yule Log

Cake:
2/3C flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
4 eggs
1C sugar
2 Tbs water
1/4 C unsweetened chocolate, melted

Filling:
1 1/2 C of heavy whipping cream
3 Tbs confectioners sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla

Grease and line, a jelly roll pan, with waxed paper. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl. In a large bowl, beat eggs at high speed until light in color, about 5 minutes. Gradually add sugar, beating until thick. Blend in water and melted chocolate. Fold in dry ingredients, thoroughly. Spread in prepared jelly roll pan and bake for 15 to 17 minutes, or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Loosen edges and turn cake out immediately onto a large tea towel, generously dusted with confectioners sugar. Remove wax paper and trim any crisp edges.

Beginning with the narrow end, roll up cake, with towel loosely. Cool slightly. Whip 1 1/2 C heavy cream until soft peaks form. Add confectioners sugar and vanilla and beat until stiff. Unroll cooled cake and spread evenly with sweetened whipped cream. Re roll cake and even out the ends, by removing a tiny slice of cake. Frost cake with chocolate frosting and decorate with mint leaf candies and cinnamon candies. Refrigerate until serving.

This post linked to

These Chicks Cooked
Full Plate Thursday
Turning the Table Thursday
Creative Thursday
Bake with Bizzy
Sweets for a Saturday

Shabby Apple Giveaway Winner!

2011-12-21T09:24:00.000-05:00

First off I would like to wish everyone a very Merry and safe Christmas. We are headed North to celebrate with my family, so I will be taking a bit of a break, until after the holidays.

Now, onto the winner of this beautiful bracelet from Shabby Apple. Thank you to Shabby Apple for offering such a wonderful item, in the midst of the Holiday bustle. I used a random number generator and the winner is....

Congratulations to David, who was trying to win the bracelet for his wife! I'm sure she will be pleasantly surprised. Please return my email ASAP, so I can get your info to the people at Shabby Apple and they can ship your prize to you.

Thanks to everyone who entered and once again MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Super Duper Chocolate Kisses

2011-12-20T12:01:00.000-05:00

I've always been a fan of Better Homes and Gardens cookbooks, so a few months ago, I subscribed to their Christmas themed e-news letters. Everyday I was sent emails about tons of awesome baking ideas, decorating ideas and entertaining ideas. While browsing one of the news letters I stumbled upon this recipe and quickly bookmarked it, to make this Christmas. I've always thought the cookies with the kisses on top were so beautiful and these were no exception. Plus, chocolate on chocolate, rolled in chocolate sprinkles???!?!!?? Come on!!

The original recipe calls for packaged chocolate chip cookie dough. I didn't have any, so I just used my go to Nestle Toll House cookie recipe. I added 1/3 C of cocoa to the batter and a bit more flour, to make it stiffer (I'd say anywhere from 1/4-1/2 C more). Queenie, who has been helping me with my Christmas baking this year, really enjoyed forming these into a ball and rolling them into the sprinkles. A bit messy? Sure, but it was worth it, just to be able to spend time in the kitchen with her. These cookies are SO good. You get bits of chocolate throughout, and the dough itself isn't too chocolaty, so it's not like it's a sweet chocolate overload. The kids just love them and I've had to hide them in the freezer, in our basement, so I wouldn't be pestered to have "just 1 more".

Super Duper Chocolate Kisses
adapted from BHG.com
printable version

    1-16 1/2 ounce package refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough
    1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
    2/3 cup chocolate-flavor sprinkles
    2 tablespoons milk
    40 dark chocolate kisses, unwrapped

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease a cookie sheet; set aside. In a large resealable plastic bag, combine cookie dough and cocoa powder. Seal bag; knead with your hands until dough is well mixed. Remove dough from bag.

2. Place chocolate sprinkles in a shallow dish or small bowl. Place milk in another shallow dish or small bowl. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Dip balls in milk to moisten, then roll in chocolate sprinkles to coat. Place balls 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheet.

3. Bake in the preheated oven about 8 minutes or until edges are firm. Immediately press a chocolate kiss into the center of each cookie. Transfer cookies to a wire rack; let cool. Makes about 40 cookies.
From the Test Kitchen

Storage To Store: Layer cookies between waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

This post linked to

Tasty Tuesday
Delicious Dishes
See ya in the Gumbo

Three Farmers Camelina Oil Winner!

2011-12-19T09:44:00.000-05:00

Good morning everyone!

I will not be posting a meal plan this week, since we will be leaving Wednesday afternoon, for my parent's house. I would however like to announce the winner of this truly wonderful Canadian Camelina Oil. There were 5 eligible entries and I used a random number generator. The winner is

Remi Lefebvre, who said "I would love to use this oil to fry up some local Nova Scotian tofu! Mmm!" Congratulations Remi and I will be getting in contact with you, to get your mailing info.

Thanks to everyone who took the time to enter my giveaway!!

Easy Chocolate Truffles

2011-12-17T09:34:00.001-05:00

Truffles are one of my all time favourite treats, that I rarely splurge on. I just love the creamy chocolate, sprinkled with cocoa powder. On occasion, I buy them, around Christmas time, but this year I decided to make some. Since I'm trying not to over indulge this year, I tried to develop a recipes that would be a bit lighter than original truffles are. So, I ditched the heavy cream and subbed in some 95% fat free Cream Cheese. That, paired with quality 80% dark chocolate and some powdered sugar, to tame the tanginess; these are as good, if not better than your usual truffles.

These truffles are a bit tangy, but not enough to make you say "Eewww". The addition of the powdered sugar rounds out the bitter dark chocolate and tangy cream cheese. Dusted with rich cocoa powder, I decided to add another layer of flavour by lightly sprinkling the tops with a bit of coarse sea salt.

Easy Chocolate Truffles
printable version

1 container of 95% fat free Philadelphia Cream Cheese, at room temperature
1 1/2 C 80% cocoa dark chocolate, melted
3/4 C powdered sugar
cocoa powder
coarse sea salt

In a bowl beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar, until fluffy. Add in the melted chocolate and mix until completely combined. Cover and refrigerate for several hours, until stiff. With damp hands, take small amounts of ganache and roll into balls; rinsing hands when too sticky.. Place rolled ganache onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Using a fine mesh strainer, dust the tops of the truffles with cocoa powder. Sprinkle a tiny pinch of sea salt, onto each truffle. Store in an air tight container and refrigerate for up to one week. Can be frozen for up to 3 weeks.

This post linked to

Friday Favorites
Foodie Friday
Sweets for a Saturday

Filipino BBQ Pork Skewers and a Winner

2011-12-16T08:15:00.001-05:00

With the Holidays among us, I know that many of us are trying to watch what we are eating, so we don't gain excess fluff, from all the yummy goodies that come with this time of year. I recently heard about Skinny Taste, from some friends and decided to check it out. That's where I found these skewers. I'm always looking for new things to do with Country Style Ribs and this one sounded delicious. I love the combination of flavours in the marinade, so I decided to give them a try.

The meat ends up so tender, from marinating so long; and it's jam packed with flavour as well. A combination of sweet and savoury. The kids really enjoyed this one and there wasn't a skewer left, at the end of our meal. I served it some brown rice, tossed with green onion and pineapple. Perfect! I did end up baking these in the oven, since it was too cold to grill outside (I'm a wimp!).

Filipino BBQ Pork Skewers
Adapted from Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: about 16 skewers • Serving Size: 4 oz • Points: 4 pts

2.5 lb pork country style ribs, all fat trimmed, cut into 1" x 1" cubes

For the marinade:

6 oz 7-up
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup white vinegar
1 lemon, juice of
1/3 cup brown sugar
6 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp black pepper
crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

Mix all ingredients in a large non-reactive bowl and marinate the meat overnight.
If using wooden skewers, soak in water at least an hour so they don't burn on the grill.
Thread the meat onto skewers and grill. Discard unused marinade. Enjoy!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Now for the winner of my 1000 Facebook Follower Giveaway. Firstly, I wanted to say a big Thank You to everyone who entered, tweeted and share my giveaway on Facebook! It has been my most successful one to date!

I used a random number generator to determine the winner and the number that was chosen is.....

Congratulations to Belinda M!!!

I will be contacting you for your mailing info later this morning. Congrats again and Thanks for taking the time to enter!

This post linked to

Full Plate Thursday
These Chicks Cooked
Turning the Table Thursday

Shabby Apple Giveaway

2011-12-14T13:48:00.002-05:00

'Tis the season for giving! So, when I was contacted by the wonderful people at Shabby Apple, about doing a giveaway for them, I quickly agreed. Shabby Apple is a super cute online woman's dress boutique, but they don't just stop at dresses. They have the most fabulous collection of vintage jewelry! I quickly fell in love with many pieces while browsing their site. Like these simple, yet elegant earings

Gracie Earrings- 14k gold fill links

or this stunning necklace

Silver Long Circle Necklace

And how about this super cute Sterling Silver Cupcake Charm Necklace!!

So, when asked if I'd like to help them giveaway a piece of this beautiful vintage jewelry, I said yes! They've generously agree to give one lucky Hun...What's for Dinner? reader, this beautiful bracelet. It is part of their Alice in Wonderland themed jewelry and this one is playfully called, Poker Face Alice. I just love all the loops and that beautiful gold charms!

Gold metal multi-chain bracelet adorned with several gold charms and finished with a lobster clasp closure. Charms:Heart, poker hand, tea kettle, key, and lock.

To enter to win this amazing bracelet "like" Shabby Apple on facebook and then leave me a comment (on this blog) saying you did so.But, that's not all! Shabby Apple is also offering Hun...What's for Dinner readers 10% off your order. All you have to do is enter "whatsfordinner10off", as the coupon code (expires in 30 days). There are so many beautiful products on this site, from dresses for women and little girls, to accessories. It would be a great place to do a bit of Holiday shopping and surprise someone with something extra special! The giveaway will end on December 21st, 2011 and is open to U.S residents only

disclosure: I received no compensation for this post. I like to offer you, my readers great giveaways.

Parmesan Knots

2011-12-13T08:22:00.001-05:00

Since I shared a soup recipe with you, on Tuesday, I thought today I'd share a great accompaniment to soups. In my mind there is only on thing to serve with soup and that's some nice fresh bread. Whether it's rolls, a loaf of crusty bread, bread sticks, or biscuits; there's nothing better than a nice buttery piece of bread to sop up that yummy soup. So, you can bet you'll find some wonderful fresh baked goodness on our table, when it's soup night.

I love to surprise the kids with new bread shapes, for them to dip into their soups. Sometimes it's clover rolls, sometimes pull aparts; this time I decided on knots. These are super easy to make and only take about an hour from start to finish. I love to serve these with a nice Italian inspired soup, such as Pasta Fagioli, Italian Wedding soup or Minestrone. The addition of melted butter and Parmesan, while they are still hot, give these knots an amazing flavour and keep the crust nice and soft.

Parmesan Knots
printable version

1 1/2 C warm water
1 Tbs yeast
2 Tbs sugar
3 1/2 C flour
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/3 C grated Parmesan cheese, plus some for sprinkling
3 Tbs butter, melted

Dissolve yeast in warm water. Add sugar and let it sit and bubble for a few minutes. To a bowl, add the flour, garlic powder, salt and Parmesan.Mix well. Add yeast mixture and knead for 3 minutes. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes. (I do all of this in my mixer)

Lightly spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray. Divide the dough in half, then divide each half into 8 pieces. Roll each piece of dough into a long 1/2-inch thick rope. Take both ends of the dough and wrap them as if tying a knot. Place on prepared baking sheets and brush with half of the melted butter.

Raise for 10-20 minutes. Preheat your oven to 375 and bake for 20 minutes, or until golden. Once you take them out of the oven, brush them with the remaining butter and sprinkle with extra Parmesan cheese.

This post linked to

See ya in the Gumbo
What Makes you say Mmmmm?
Hearth and Soul
Tasty Tuesday
Delicious Dishes
Bake with Bizzy

Meal Plan Monday~ Dec 12, 2011

2011-12-12T09:26:00.001-05:00

Happy Monday!!!

Can you believe there is only 13 days until Christmas?!?!?! I am not at all ready for it. I have one batch of Christmas cookies made and really no desire to make any more. It's quite sad, actually. I just can't seem to get into the Christmas mood this year. Not sure if it's the lack of snow, that's giving me the blues..... Even after getting our tree this past weekend, I'm still not excited and anxious as years past.

This week is going to be somewhat crazy. Hubby and I need to finish up our shopping, I need to get moving on my Christmas baking, we'll be holding marathon wrapping sessions when the kids go to bed and the kids have planned for us to attend Family Movie Night, at Mr.B's school. I think I'll be sticking with easy family favourites this week. Here is the plan, in no particular order

Porcupine Balls with brown rice and peas
Sweet and Sour Pork Chops with mac'n'cheese and broccoli
Waffles with fruit salad
Creamy Shells with Tomatoes and White beans with bread machine garlic bread
Pizza and snacks at Family Movie Night
Roast chicken breast with potatoes au gratin and honey thyme butternut squash
Leftovers

Don't forget to head over to OrgJunkie.com, for more great meal plans!!

Peppermint Crunch Cookies

2011-12-10T09:59:00.000-05:00

With 15 days left before Christmas, I really can't seem to find the Christmas spirit. I'm not sure if it's the lack of snow, or how overwhelmed I am feeling this year. The days just seem to be getting shorter and my 'to do' list seems to be getting longer. One of my favourite things to do during the holidays is bake and for some reason I'm just not 'feeling' it. But when the mood strikes I like to be able to whip something up that looks amazing and tastes just as good, in a small amount of time.

With Mr.B in school full time, Queenie has become my shadow. That means anywhere Mommy goes, she is sure to follow. So, you can bet that when the mood to bake strikes, she's right there beside me wanting to help. At first it was a tad overwhelming, since I'm a little bit of a control freak. I always see how things should go in my head and get flustered and upset if they do not go that way. Which is bound to happen, with a 3 yr old in the kitchen, LOL. What I love about these cookies is that they are pretty much fail proof. And they are so simple that Queenie could help and pretty much make the cookies by herself. That's what I love about recipes from Life Made Delicious; they are simple and easy, yet stunning and delicious. Your kids are sure to love helping out with these and what a better way to celebrate the Holidays, than with some family baking time.

Peppermint Crunch Cookies
Adapted from Life Made Delicious

1 pkg Pillsbury* Refrigerated Sugar Cookies
1 1/2 cups (375 mL) white vanilla baking chips or semisweet chocolate chips
8 round hard peppermint candies, crushed (about 1/4 cup/50 mL)

Heat oven to 350ºF. In large bowl, break up cookie dough. Stir or knead in 1/4 cup all-purpose flour until well blended. Shape dough into 36 (1-inch) balls. Bake 10 to 14 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from baking sheets to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 5 minutes.

In small microwavable bowl, microwave vanilla chips and 1 tablespoon vegetable oil uncovered on Medium (50%) 2 to 3 minutes, stirring once halfway through microwaving, until melted. Stir until smooth.

Dip half of each cookie into melted chips mixture, allowing excess to drip off; place on waxed or parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Sprinkle each with about 1/2 teaspoon crushed candy. Let stand until set.

“Disclosure: I am part of the Life Made Delicious Blogger program and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.”

This post linked to

Bake with Bizzy
Foodie Friday
Friday Favorites
Sweets for a Saturday

1000 Facebook Followers Giveaway!!

2011-12-10T07:27:00.003-05:00

***Giveaway is now closed***

When I decided to take this blog to Facebook, I was a bit nervous and apprehensive. What if no one was interested in what a Stay at Home Mom of 2 was cooking during the day? What if they thought I was a big joke and my food was too? I never in my life thought I would be at 1000 'likes' on Facebook in such a short time. I was sure it would take at least a year and I cannot say how excited I am about it. I just wanted to say a big THANK YOU, to everyone who takes the time to visit Hun...What's for Dinner?, either here, or on Facebook. Without you, this culinary journey wouldn't mean as much. So, as a thank you, I'd like to give one of you the chance to win a little something, from me. Baking is my passion, so I thought a giveaway full of cute Christmas themed baking goodies would be the way to go. Here's what the winner will be getting

a medium sized Wilton cookie pan
2 sets of 3 Christmas themed Wilton cookie cutters (I especially love the gingerbread boy and girl with a bite missing, LOL)
100 large Wilton cupcake liners and 100 Wilton mini cupcake liners
a set of 3 Wilton goodie boxes and a set of 20 Wilton goodie bags
Holly mix decorations and red/green jimmies (not shown)

All you need to do is leave me a comment here (on my blog), telling me what your favourite Christmas treat is.

Want extra entries? Leave me a comment for each of the following you do, and it will count as another entry

Follow Hun...What's for Dinner? through GFC (by clicking JOIN in the right side bar), or e mail subscription ( also found in the right side bar)
Follow Hun...What's for Dinner? on Twitter and/or Facebook
Tweet about this post using the following text " @HunWFD is celebrating 1000 'likes' on Facebook, with a #Holiday #baking themed #giveaway!! http://tinyurl.com/6o88su8"
Blog about this giveaway, or share it on Facebook

Good luck to everyone and I will be drawing a winner next Thursday Dec 15.

Lemon Thyme Rice Pilaf and a Giveaway

2011-12-08T10:20:00.001-05:00

It's the month of December, so you know what that means.... it's the time for giving! A few weeks ago, I was approached by the Three Farmers, about whether I'd be interested in trying out their Camelina oil. I was immediately on board, since Camelina oil has only been on the market in Canada since Dec 2010. So what's so special about this oil? First of all, it is made and distributed right here in Canada! It's beautiful yellow colour will draw you right too it. It is made from Camelina seeds, which are a member of the mustard family; hence the nice yellow colour. It has a very distinct and wonderful flavour- almost nutty, with a hint of fresh asparagus. And the part I love best is that it's traceable! That means that every bottle made can be traced right back to the exact farmer who grew the seeds. There are only 3 Farmers growing Camelina in Canada, which also makes this a unique product. Not to mention, this oil

has a high smoke point, which makes if perfect for frying
it contains Omega-3, Omega-6 and vitamin E
it is cold pressed, which gives the beautiful yellow hue and nutty flavour
it does not congeal when refrigerated

I've been using this oil for a few weeks now, if a variety of ways. Today I'd like to share a recipe in which I think this oil shines. Used in this rice pilaf, it complimented the lemon and thyme flavours, without getting lost or overpowering them; like other oils might.

Lemon Thyme Rice Pilafprintable version

2 Tbs Camelina oil
1/2 small onion, chopped
1 large clove of garlic, minced
1 1/2 C raw white rice
1/2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
3 C chicken stock
1 pinch of sea salt and fresh ground pepper

In a medium sized pot heat the oil, over medium heat, and add the onion and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and cook until translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Add the rice and cook until golden brown, stirring frequently. Add the stock and thyme, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until rice is tender, about 20 minutes. Fluff with a fork and serve.

So how would you like to win a large bottle of this wonderful oil? The generous people at Three Farmers have generously offered to give one of my Canadian readers a 500 ml bottle of Three Farmers Camelina Oil. All you have to do is follow my blog (here or on Facebook) and leave me a comment (here on this blog) telling me what you would like to make with this fabulous oil. I'll select a winner on Dec 19th. Good Luck!!

This post linked to

Full Plate Thursday
These Chicks Cooked
Turning the Table Thursday

Celery Root Soup

2011-12-06T10:06:00.001-05:00

I cannot say enough, how happy I am to have to cold weather back. Although I'm not a big fan of walking to and from school in the snow, I LOVE to make and eat soup. I love sitting down to a comforting bowl of soup, on a cold snowy day. It just warms you up from the inside and soothes any bad mood. Plus, you can take just about anything and turn it into soup, so it's really hard to get bored of it.

I found this recipe in my 50 Simple Slow Cooker Soups cookbook. I love that this cookbook is all about soup, that is prepared in the crock pot. I get to have one of my favourite meals, without all the fuss. On a recent trip to the Farmer's Market, one of the vendors was selling these HUGE celery roots. Never having eaten or cooked with it before, I decided to be adventurous and buy one. I really didn't know what to make with it, until I found this recipe. I knew that we would all enjoy it and was intrigued that the recipe suggested to garnish it with apple. This soup was so delicious and light. I used a red delicious apple and it added a nice fresh crispy touch to the subtle celery soup. The kids loved picking garnishes for their soup, which helped them enjoy it more than they would have without, LOL.

Celery Root Soup
Adapted from 50 Simple Soups for the Slow Cooker
printable version

2 Tbs butter, or ghee
3 medium leeks, sliced (white and light green parts only)
1 1/2 lbs celery root, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
5 C water
1 C half and half, or soy cream
salt
1 Granny Smith apple, unpeeled and cut into match sticks
1 celery rib, thinly sliced
1/3 cup inner celery leaves

In a large saute pan, melt the butter over medium heat and saute the leeks for about 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Transfer the leeks to a 7-quart slow cooker and add the celery root and water. Cover and cook on LOW for 4-6 hrs, until the celery root is tender.

Add the half and half, then using a handheld immersion blender, puree the soup. Add the salt to taste. Cook for about 30 minutes longer, or until all the ingredients are hot.

Ladle the soup into bowls and top each bowl with a bit of apple, sliced celery rib and celery leaves.

This post linked to

Delicious Dishes
Hearth and Soul
See Ya in the Gumbo
Tasty Tuesday
What's Cooking Wednesday

Meal Plan Monday~ Dec 5, 2011

2011-12-05T10:11:00.001-05:00

Happy Monday!!

Wow can you believe that December is finally here?!? It all just seems surreal! Our snow has melted again and the temperatures have been quite mild. I've really been having a hard time getting into the Christmas spirit, though I am very excited to be able to celebrate with my family this year. I think once I get the decorations up, this week, it will feel more like Christmas. I just love seeing all the lights, garland and transforming the mantle into a winter wonderland.

On a totally different tangent, Mr.B is doing WAY better. His appetite has returned and he's been making up for the week and a half that he couldn't eat. This makes Momma VERY happy!! There's nothing I hate more than seeing one of the kids sick and not eating. That being said, this week will consist of many dishes Mr.B and Queenie love. Here's what the plan is; in no particular order

Spaghetti, Meatballs and Sausage with salad and garlic bread
Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup (new recipe) with homemade bread
Perfect Fall Pork Chops (new recipe)
Pineapple Shrimp and Rice Bake (new recipe)
Salmon Patties with rice and broccoli
Chickpea Pasta
leftovers

Head on over to OrgJunkie.com, for tons of other great meal plans, for the week!

And the Winner Is.....

2011-12-04T11:52:00.000-05:00

Let me start off by saying a big Thank You, to everyone who entered my giveaway!! After a bit of confusion this morning, I finally picked the winner of Cutie Pies: 40 Sweet, Savory and Adorable Recipes cookbook. I used a random number generator and the winning number that came up is...

Peace Love & Poop said...

I love Apple Pie!! Thanks for the chance! (also sorry about the pan) shannonw at peacelovepoop dot com

Congrats and I've sent you a message asking for your mailing info. Please reply within 24 hrs, so I can get the cookbook out to you.

Peppermint Stick Sandwich Cookies

2011-12-03T10:44:00.004-05:00

Can you believe it's Dec 3rd already?1? Christmas is only 22 days away!!! So, that means I've been in the kitchen experimenting with yummy Christmas treats. I plan of giving many gifts from my kitchen this year and am trying to compile a list of all the amazingly delicious, and beautiful recipes. It's been hard deciding if I go with some of my old favourites, or try new recipes this year. Since we will be spending Christmas with my Mom, she'll have tons of my old favourite desserts and treats. That means I have to come up with new stuff that will make them say YUM!!!

This recipes is a result of a few mistakes with a totally different recipe, LOL. First off, I've yet to find a method to crush peppermints/candy canes that doesn't result in me cursing under my breath, and vowing I will never make anything that requires them again. This year's attempt resulted in quite a bit of tiny peppermint dust and quite a few large chunks of peppermint. So, I tossed everything into a fine strainer and collected the dust in a separate bowl. Then, I fished out the pieces that would be way too big and was left with somewhat perfect peppermint pieces. Not wanting to waste, I decided to add the peppermint dust to the cookie dough. But I failed to notice an ingredient, listed in the directions of the recipe I meant to make, rather than in the ingredient list. That resulted in my cookies spreading too much and they came out pretty flat. That's when I decided to forget the intended recipe and turn these into sandwich cookies. These look so beautiful and taste pretty darn good too!

Peppermint stick Sandwich Cookies
printable version

1 tube refrigerated sugar cookie dough
1/4 C peppermint dust
1 C crushed peppermint candy
1 stick salted butter
1/4 C white chocolate chips, melted
3 C powdered sugar
1-2 Tbs light cream

In a large bowl, break up the cookie dough and gently knead in the peppermint dust. shape into a 1 1/2 inch round log, wrap in plastic wrap and place in freezer for about 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.Once dough is firm, cut it into 24 equal slices. Place slices onto cookie sheets and bake for 8-10 minutes; until edges start to brown. Let cool on cookie sheet, before removing.

In a bowl cream the butter and melted chocolate, until light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar, 1 C at a time, beating well after each addition. Once powdered sugar has been incorporated, add the cream, starting with 1 Tbs. Beat for 2-3 minutes, until frosting us super fluffy. If you find it is too thick, add remaining cream and beat until super fluffy. Transfer frosting to a large zip top bag. Cut off a hole at one end and squish all the frosting to that corner.

To assemble: Take 12 of the cookies and flip them over, so the bottoms are facing upward. Pipe equal amounts of frosting onto each cookie bottom. Place a second cookie, flat side down, over the frosting and evenly press gently, to disperse the frosting evenly to the edges of the cookies. Roll edges into crushed peppermints.

This post linked to

Bake with Bizzy
Foodie Friday
Friday Favorites
Sweets for a Saturday
Recipe of the Week
Things that Make you say:"Mmmmm"
Baker's Sunday
12 Days of Christmas Cookies

Nacho Cheese Doritos Meatloaf

2011-12-01T08:26:00.001-05:00

I don't know about you, but my kids came home with an obscene amount of Halloween candy. Especially Nacho flavoured Doritos. So, in hopes of using them up (that way the kids wouldn't be eating them until next Spring), I decided to make a meatloaf, using Doritos, instead of breadcrumbs. Boy was it delicious!! I was truly surprised at how much I enjoyed this meatloaf. I am not a big fan of ground beef, but Hubby and my nephew are always commenting on how good meatloaf would be. So I caved and finally made them one, LOL.

Am I ever glad I did, because this was sensational. The meat was so flavourful and tender. I especially loved the sweet BBQ sauce, that glazed the top. Everyone pretty much inhaled this and there wasn't but a few pieces left, even though I used 3lbs of ground beef! Needless to say, this will be going into permanent rotation, in our meal plan.

Nacho Cheese Dorito Meatloaf
printable version

3 lbs. ground beef
2 egg
1 small onion, chopped
1-1½ C Doritos, crushed
½ bottle ketchup (enough to moisten mixture)
1 tsp garlic powder
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 C barbecue sauce

With clean hands, mix all ingredients together, except barbecue sauce, in a large bowl. Transfer mixture to a 5x9 loaf pan, or rimmed baking sheet, and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until done. After about 35 minutes of baking, top loaf with barbecue sauce and return to oven to finish baking.

This post linked to

What's Cooking Wednesday
These Chicks Cooked
Full Plate Thursday
Turning the Table Thursday

Honey Corn Bread

2011-11-29T09:19:00.000-05:00

With the cold weather arriving, I've been cooking more soups, stews and chili. There is just something about a big pot of goodness, simmering all day, that makes the chill outdoors seems less severe. I think that's why I enjoy cold weather cooking, more than summer cooking. I can make up tons of different soups, give chili new life by changing a few ingredients and throw just about anything into a pot, to make a nice hearty bowl of stew; and never get bored with the yummy soul soothing goodness.

Of course, soup, stews or chili aren't complete unless there is some sort of delicious dipper to accompany them. When I was browsing my Food Network Magazine, a few months ago, I found this recipe for Honey Cornbread, by Emeril Lagasse. I use to watch Emeril when he was on Food Network; unfortunately his show doesn't play on Food Network Canada. I knew this sweet glazed cornbread, would be the perfect compliment to a nice bowl of slightly spicy and savoury chili. I was also excited to finally use my new cast iron skillet!! This cornbread is almost addictive. The sweet honey butter just sinks into the top layer and gives this moist cornbread a wonderful pop of flavour.

Cast Iron Honey Cornbread
Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2007
printable version

    2 cups cornmeal
    1/2 teaspoon baking powder
    1/2 teaspoon baking soda
    1 teaspoon sugar
    1/4 teaspoon salt
    1 1/2 cups buttermilk
    1 large egg, lightly beaten
    5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
    2 tablespoons vegetable oil, for greasing skillet
    Honey-Butter, recipe follows

Preheat a grill to low heat.

In a bowl, combine the cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt and mix well. In a separate bowl, combine the buttermilk, egg and butter and stir to combine. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Use the vegetable oil to coat the insides of a large cast-iron skillet. Spoon batter the skillet. Set the skillet on the grill and close the lid. Grill until the cornbread is firm and a toothpick inserted into it comes out clean, 15 to 20 minutes.

Remove the cornbread from the grill and baste with the Honey-Butter mixture. Let the cornbread sit for 5 minutes before removing it from the skillets and serving.

For the Honey Butter:

    1/2 stick (or 4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
    1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons honey

In a medium bowl, combine the butter and honey and whisk thoroughly until well blended. Set aside until the cornbread is cooked. Baste hot cornbread, with mixture.

Cindy's notes: I baked my corn bread in the oven at 400 degrees, for about 20-25 minutes;until the center was set.

This post linked to

Hearth and Soul
Delicious Dishes
Tasty Tuesday
See ya in the Gumbo!

Meal Plan Monday~ Nov 28, 2011

2011-11-28T09:01:00.000-05:00

Happy Monday!!

I know I didn't post a meal plan last Monday. We had to leave very early for the hospital, since Mr.B had his tonsils and adenoids removed. And to tell the truth, with all the stress and anticipation over the surgery, I really couldn't wrap my head around planning what we would eat for the week. Especially since I didn't know how quickly Mr.B would recover from surgery and would be ready to eat again. He really isn't eating all that much yet, but I'm hoping that changes this week.

Queenie is coming home today! She had been staying at my parent's house, while Mr.B was recovering. I just knew it would be too stressful with him not being able to do much and Queenie pestering him. All I have to say is that we've all been pretty miserable with her gone. Especially Mr.B. He may sometimes seem like his sister gets on his last nerve, but he truly loves her and enjoys having her with him. So, since Queenie will be home as well, I really need to figure out what to make this week. Here is the plan

Pasta Fagioli with homemade bread
Porcupine Balls with brown rice and peas
Bacon Ranch Chicken (new recipe) with mashed potatoes and corn
Pate au Saumon (Salmon Pie) and a spinach salad
Bacon Cheese Burger Meatloaf with Crispy Smashed Potatoes and Honey Roasted Squash Rings (all new recipes)
Easy Black Bean Veggie Casserole (new recipe)
Leftovers

Don't for get to head over to OrgJunkie.com, to check out other great meal plans for the week!

Campfire S'mores Cutie Pies and a Giveaway

2011-11-26T07:25:00.007-05:00

I am a little torn about this giveaway. I recently received this sweet cookbook Cutie Pies: 40 Sweet, Savory and Adorable Recipes, from a generous publisher. This cookbook is full of wonderful ideas for pies. Just looking through the pages, I was instantly eager to get into the kitchen to try these little gems out. My dilemma is, that the recipe I decided to try, was a major fail, in it's original form. How big of a fail? Let me show you

Pretty bad isn't it? I had to throw this mini muffin tin away, since no amount of soaking and chipping away at it, made a difference. So, while I did have one disastrous outcome with this recipe, I had 2 amazingly delicious ones as well. So, you can see my dilemma?!?

One of the options in the book, is to make mini pies or Petit-5s, as Dani Cone likes to call them. In the book, the recipe for S'mores Pies are made as Petit-5s. So, when I decided on this recipe, the whole intent was to make them into Petit-5s. The Petit-5s just did not work for me. By the time the bottom crust was browned, the marshmallows and chocolate had melted and bubbled beyond recognition. Which oozed all over my muffin tin and stuck to it like glue. I'm not sure how Dani got the results she did, for this recipe, because it is virtually impossible to bake the crust and have the marshmallows stay intact. If one was to make these into Petit-5s, I would suggest pre baking the dough in the mini tins, adding the filling and returning them to the oven for 3-5 minutes, to get the chocolate melted and the marshmallows puffed and browned. It is the only possible way I can see this working out. (I used some leftover filling to top the Petit-5s, to make them more photogenic, LOL)

Thankfully, this book includes more than mini pies. Dani also shares great recipes for Flipsides ( handheld turnovers), Piepops (pie lollipops) and the ever popular pies in a jar. She even goes as far as to suggest the different types of Cutie Pies each recipe could be adapted to. Which I loved, because I was able to turn the rest of my s'mores filling into delicious Piepops and Flipsides. Even though I had horrible luck with the Petit-5s, I have to say that Dani's recipe for All Butter Crust, is sensational! It is flaky and is very reminiscent of puff pastry (with wonderful layers of pastry). Both the S'mores Piepops and Flipsides were a huge success. The result is a nice flaky crust, wrapped around a chocolaty gooey filling. So, with the option of choosing what type of Cutie Pie to make for each recipe, I think this is a great cookbook.

Campfire S'mores Petit-5s
Adapted from Cutie Pies by Dani Cone

1(12-ounce) bag of chocolate chips (milk chocolate or semisweet)
5 C mini marshmallows
6 graham crackers, mashed into crumbs (1/2 C)
1/2 C (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 Tbs plus 2 tsp light corn syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
All-Butter Crust (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place a rack in the center of the oven. Spray the cups of minimuffin pans with non stick spray.

To make the filling, in a large bowl, combine the chocolate chips, marshmallows, graham cracker crumbs, butter, corn syrup and vanilla and stir to combine. Set aside.

To make the crust, follow the All-Butter Crust recipe and roll out the dough per the instructions. Cut 36 (3-inch) circles from the dough. Reroll the scraps to make all of the circles and avoid overhandling the dough.

Gently but firmly press each dough circle into a minimuffin cup. For the edges, press them into the sides of the muffin cup. Spoon the filling evenly into the 36 Petit-5 shells, filling to just below the top and making sure to get a good representation of each delicious s'mores component in each pie.

Bake the Petit-5s for about 15 minutes or until the marshmallows are golden brown and the chocolate is a bit melted, just like around the campfire! To see whether the bottom is golden too, use a butter knife to pop a Petit-5 out of a muffin cup. If the bottom is not brown, bake a few minutes longer. If the pie top is browning too quickly, cover with foil for the final few minutes.

For Piepops: Using a 2 1/2-inch round cutter, cut dough into 100 circles. Lay half the circles onto baking sheets and brush lightly with beaten egg. Place a lollipop stick across the center of each circle, with the tip about 1/2-inch from the edge. Top with a spoonful of the filling and lay the second circle of dough onto the filling. Press firmly around the edge, making a good seal. Make a few slits in the dough, for vents and brush lightly with remaining egg. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes, or until golden brown.

For Flipsides: Using a 6-inch round cutter, cut 10 circles of dough. Brush each circle lightly with beaten egg. Spoon filling evenly into the center of each circle. Pull the top half of the circle over to the bottom half, and pinch the seams; starting from one corner to the opposite corner. Make 3 small slits, for vents and brush with remaining egg. Bake for 20-30 minutes, until the crust is golden.

All-Butter Pie Crust

Makes 1 Double Pie, 2 Single pies, 16 Cutie Pies, 36 Petit-5s, 8 Piejars, 10 Flipsides, or 50 Piepops

2 1/2 C all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp granulated sugar
1 C (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3/4 C ice water

In a large bowl combine the flour, salt and sugar and mix well. Add the butter to the flour mixture and mix gently with a pastry blender, a fork or your hands. The goal is to lightly incorporate the butter into the dry ingredients. The butter pieces should be well coated with the dry mixture and somewhat flattened. Gradually add the water the the flour mixture, 1 Tbs at a time and continue mixing the dough until it comes together and forms pea sized or crouton sized crumbs. The dough should look like coarse individual pieces, snot smooth and beaten together like cookie dough.

With yout hands, gather the dough crumbs together to form 2 patties, gently molding the crumb like mixture into a patty shape and being careful not to overhandle the dough. Wrap each patty in plastic wrap. Chill the dough for at least 1 hour, or up to 3 days. THe dough can also be frozen for up to 2 weeks.

When you are ready to use the dough let it sit at room temperature for at least 10 minutes to soften it and make it workable. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each of the 2 dough patties to about a 1/4 inch thickness, lightly dusting it with flour, if needed to prevent sticking and making sure to roll the dough evenly.

So... how would you like to win a copy of this sweet cookbook, full of cute ideas, perfect for giftgiving?? All you have to do is leave me a comment (here on my blog by clicking POST A COMMENT below), telling me your favourite kind of pie. It's that easy!! The giveaway will run until December 3rd and I will announce the winner on December 4th. That way the winner can receive this cute cookbook in time for the holidays.

Want and extra entries?

1. Become a follower of this blog and leave me a comment.
2. Follow HunWFD on Twitter and leave me a comment with your twitter name
3. Follow Hun...What's for Dinner? on Facebook and leave me your Facebook name
4. Tweet about this giveaway using: Check out @HunWFD and a totally CUTE givaway, for a chance to win a Cutie Pies Cookbook http://tinyurl.com/CutiePiesGiveaway
5. Share this giveaway on Facebook and leave me the url.

This post linked to

Friday Favorites
Foodie Friday
Bake with Bizzy
Sweets for a Saturday

Peameal Bacon Sandwiches with Braised Cabbage and Apples

2011-11-24T09:57:00.000-05:00

One thing I missed terribly, while we were living in the U.S, was peameal bacon. It basically is a cured pork loin, rolled in corn/pea meal. Canadians love it!! Fried or grilled, you can be sure you'll find peameal bacon sandwiches at many events. My Mom would buy peameal, every now and then, to serve with our Sunday morning breakfasts. It wasn't until I was a teenager, that I had the opportunity to have peameal in a sandwich. Since then, if I see it on the menu, you can bet I'll be ordering it, LOL.

Pork seems to be one of my great loves. I mean there are so many different cuts of pork; ham, bacon, back bacon, peameal bacon. I just seem to be drawn to the cured, salty, sometimes smoky cuts of meat. I prefer grilling the peameal, rather than frying, since it cuts down on the extra fat. Peameal is a pretty lean meat, so if I can skip frying it in some sort of fat, I'm all for it. Whenever we can find a good deal on peameal, you can bet we'll be having sandwiches for dinner. The whole family seems to share a love for them. And who can blame them. This time I decided to make some sort of braised cabbage to put over the peameal. I loved the crunch of the sweet and tangy cabbage and apples. It added a wonderful depth of flavour to the sandwiches.

Peameal Bacon Sandwiches with Braised Cabbage and Apples
printable version

1 lb peameal bacon slices (cured pork loin rolled in pea meal)
1/2 small cabbage, finely chopped
1 large Red or Golden Delicious apple, peeled cored and chopped
2 Tbs butter
2 Tbs apple cider vinegar
1 Tbs brown sugar
pinch of salt and pepper
6 sandwich rolls, or hamburger buns

Thousand Island Dressing

1/2 C mayonnaise
1/3 C ketchup
3 Tbs sweet relish
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tsp Dijon mustard
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Whisk all ingredients in a medium bowl, to blend.

Preheat grill over medium heat. Lightly grease grill plates and grill peameal, for 3-5 minutes on each side; until the meat is cooked through and lightly browned. Preheat a large saute pan over medium heat. Add butter and cabbage. Cook until cabbage begins to soften; about 5 minutes. Add in apple cider vinegar, brown sugar and apples. Season with salt and pepper and cook until apples are tender; about 4-5 minutes.

To assemble: Slather bottoms of buns with Thousand Island dressing. Place four pieces of peameal on the slathered buns. Top with desired amount of warm slaw, followed by the top buns.

This post linked to

What's Cooking Wednesday
Full Plate Thursday
These Chicks Cooked

Chicken Thighs and Rice with Honey Lemon

2011-11-22T09:15:00.002-05:00

Being a Mom of two kids, who seem to have more energy than possible, I've come to appreciate what is know as one pot cooking. I love when I can find recipes all made in one pot. If there is one thing I'm not quite fond of, it's cleaning up after dinner, when I can be spending time with the kids. With Hubby working evenings, most nights, I often find myself playing single parent at dinner. So, when I can find a dish that uses one pot, instead of two or three, I'm happy.

I found this recipe while browsing the Internet for chicken thigh recipes. I love chicken thigh, finding they have so much flavour, but I often do not know what to do with them. So, when I saw a chicken and rice recipe that had honey and lemon in it, I was very curious to see how it would turn out. Let me tell you, I LOVED this dish. It was salty and sweet all at the same time. The flavours balanced out perfectly, the chicken was tender and the rice was cooked to perfection. I really had to hold myself back and only have one serving of this, LOL. The kids also loved this dish, which they dubbed sweet and salty rice. The bonus was that there was only one pot, to clean up! (Well, acutally I did use a second skillet to sautee my broccoli, but you could throw it right in with the rice and it will be perfectly cooked by the time the rice is tender)

Chicken Thighs and Rice with Honey Lemon
Adapted from Spark Recipes
printable version

2 tbs lemon juice
1 (14 oz) can chicken broth
2 tbs honey
2 tbs soy sauce
1 tsp olive oil
1 medium onion - chopped
1 cup long grain rice - uncooked
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tbs parsley
8 skinless chicken thighs

In a large skillet with tight fitting lid heat olive oil and brown chicken thighs.
Remove thighs when browned and add onion.
Saute until onion is soft.
Add lemon juice, chicken broth, honey, soy sauce, black pepper, parsley, and rice. Stir to combine.
Add browned chicken thighs on top.
Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes or until chicken is done and liquid is absorbed.

Number of Servings: 4

This post linked to

Hearth and Soul
See ya in the Gumbo
Tasty Tuesday
Delicious Dishes

Rocky Road Cookie Pizza and 3 Steps to Wow!

2011-11-19T08:45:00.000-05:00

With the Holidays fast approaching, I've been thinking of all the work and preparation that goes into it all. The shopping, the cooking and baking and the entertaining. As organized as I think I am, every year I get caught off guard by friends or family, who pop in at the last minute. Although I love baking most of my desserts from scratch, I do keep some quick shortcuts, for those times unexpected guest come by and I have nothing to serve them. Life Made Delicious is featuring what they like to call 3 Steps to Wow. They are sharing some super quick, deliciously easy and impressive recipes, that are sure to make the Holidays that much easier for you. Whether it's unexpected guests or that last minute Christmas party, they have you covered with quick, easy and impressive dessert and appetizer recipes.

Not only do these recipes look phenomenal, they taste just as good. I decided to test run the Rocky Road Cookie Pizza, since I have a soft spot for dessert pizzas. This came together in less than 5 minutes and was out of the oven in less than 20. With a quick chill in the refrigerator, you could have a spectacular dessert for your guest, in about 30 minutes. The pizza has a tender chocolate chip cookie crust, with fluffy marshmallows, salty peanuts and a sweet caramel drizzle. Your guests are sure to ask you for the recipe!

Rocky Road Pizza Cookie
Adapted from Life Made Delicious

Classic rocky road ingredients--chocolate, marshmallows and peanuts--top a tender cookie crust in an out-of-this-world decadent dessert.

Ingredients:

1 pkg (roll type) Pillsbury* Refrigerated Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 cup (250 mL) miniature marshmallows
1/2 cup (125 mL) salted peanuts
1/2 cup (125 mL) semisweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup (75 mL) caramel topping

Method:

    STEP 1: Heat oven to 350ºF. Spray a 12-inch pizza pan with nonstick cooking spray. In pan, break up cookie dough. With floured fingers, press dough evenly in bottom of pan to form crust.

    STEP 2: Bake about 15 minutes or until light golden brown. Sprinkle marshmallows, peanuts and chocolate chips evenly over crust and bake 2 to 3 minutes longer or until marshmallows are puffed.

    STEP 3: Drizzle with ice cream topping. Cool completely and cut into wedges to serve.

“Disclosure: I am part of the Life Made Delicious Blogger program and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.”

With the cold weather upon us, I love to serve nice hot beverages, be it a nice gingerbread spice tea, some coffee or this super easy hot chocolate. My daughter recently fell in love with Nutella and though I had tried it when I was a child, I did not remember it tasting quite as good as it does now, LOL. Since we were talking about 3 Steps to Wow, I thought I'd share a recent discovery I've made. I often make hot chocolate by adding chocolate to some scalded milk and thought of trying it with Nutella. Two simple ingredients, transform into a slightly sweet, nutty and decadent hot chocolate. Topped with marshmallows, or whipped cream and a touch of shaved dark chocolate, it's sure to please.

Nutella Hot Chocolate

2 C low fat milk
1/4 C Nutella Chocolate Hazelnut Spread
mini marshmallows
whipped cream
shaved dark chocolate

In a small saucepan over medium heat, heat the milk and Nutella, until the Nutella is melted and well combined. Heat to just boiling; bubble should form around the edge of the pot. Pour into 2 mugs and garnish with marshmallows, or whipped cream and shaved chocolate.

This post linked to

Bake with Bizzy
Foodie Friday
Friday Favorites
Sweets for a Saturday

Roasted Beets

2011-11-17T09:17:00.001-05:00

I recently was lucky enough to receive a copy Betty's Crocker's New Edition Big Red Cookbook. While reading through it the other night, I bookmarked many recipes that caught my eye. This was one of them. During a recent trip to the Farmer's Market, I stumbled upon a farmer that had some white, golden and purple beets and I was so intrigued that I had to buy them. I had no idea what to do with them though. The only way I had prepared beets, was to pickle them, every fall. So, I was super excited to find a roasted beet recipe in the Betty Crocker cookbook. It had all the flavours that I love and the combination of the sweet beets with the slightly sour dressing made me salivate.

Having never had beets anyway but pickled, I was a bit worried that I wouldn't enjoy these. The roasting of the beets just intensified the sweet butteriness of the beets. The dressing coats the beets, adding a great bitter contrast and amazing flavour. I love that the beets didn't loose their colour, while roasting, so the just pop off the plate, creating a beautiful side dish. This recipe couldn't be easier, yet is full of flavour and would be a perfect side to any meal.

Roasted Beets
Adapted from Betty Crocker's 2011 Big Red Book
printable version

2 lb small beets (1 1/2 to 2 inch)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp coarse ground pepper
2 Tbs regular olive oil
2 Tbs chopped fresh basil leaves
1 Tbs balsamic vinegar

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Cut off all but 2 inches of beet tops. Wash beets; leave whole with root ends attached. Place beets in an ungreased 13x9-inch pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Drizzle with oil.

Roast uncovered about 40 minutes or until beets are tender. Let beets cool until easy to handle, about 30 minutes. Peel beets and cut off root ends; cut beets into 1/2 inch slices.

In a medium bowl, toss beets, basil and vinegar. Serve warm or at room temperature.

This post linked to

These Chicks Cooked
Made it on Monday
Full Plate Thursday
See ya in the Gumbo

Homestyle Turkey and Potato Bake

2011-11-15T08:10:00.003-05:00

With the cold weather that arrived a few weeks ago, I've been happy to get back to some good comforting down home type dishes. When I think of cold weather meals, I think of something warm, filling and hearty. During the colder months, I love to cook one protein and use it for various meals. There is so many meals you can make with leftover roast chicken/turkey, or some juicy baked ham. Which is the case with this recipe. It's a great way to use up some leftover roast turkey. And we all know, that after Thanksgiving, there is always some turkey, lingering in the fridge. When I saw this recipe on the Life Made Delicious website, I knew it would be a great way to jazz up my leftover turkey.

This dinner is super quick and easy to put together and the flavours are a perfect take on a pot pie. I love how the potatoes brown up a bit while baking in the oven. I would however add a bit more liquid to the potatoes, I did find them a bit thick and gluey. I did double the batch, so that could also be the reason I didn't have much luck with the potatoes. When it comes to transforming leftovers to something wonderful, it can't get any easier than this.

“Disclosure: I am part of the Life Made Delicious Blogger program and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.”

Homestyle Turkey and Potato Bake

Adapted from Life Made Delicious

1 pouch Betty Crocker* Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes (from family sized box)

1 cup (250 mL) hot water

1/2 cup (125 mL) milk

2 tbsp (25 mL) butter or margarine

2 cups (500 mL) chopped cooked turkey

1 bag (350 g) Green Giant* Frozen Mixed Vegetables

1 can (284 mL/10 FL oz) turkey gravy

1/4 tsp (1 mL) poultry seasoning

Heat oven to 350ºF. Spray 2-quart casserole with cooking spray; set aside. Make mashed potatoes as directed on box for 4 servings--except use 1 cup hot water, 1/2 cup milk and 2 tablespoons butter.
In 2-quart saucepan, heat turkey, vegetables, gravy and poultry seasoning to boiling over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Pour turkey mixture into casserole. Spoon or pipe potatoes around edge of casserole.
Bake uncovered 35 to 40 minutes or until mixture bubbles around edge of casserole.

This post linked to

Tasty Tuesday
What's Cooking Wednesday (Fairy Blogmother)
Delicious Dishes
What's Cooking Wednesday (Kings Court IV)

Meal Plan Monday~ Nov 14, 2011

2011-11-14T09:18:00.000-05:00

Happy Monday!

Well, the snow we were surprised with on Friday, is now melted and gone. To tell the truth I am very happy and relieved about it, LOL. I wasn't ready for having to walk to and from school in the snow. A few more weeks of nice weather, and I'll be a happy girl. I'd even be happy with the lack of snow, until the week before Christmas. Somehow, Christmas without snow doesn't feel like Christmas at all. Spoken like a true Canadian girl!!

This week will be a little busy. Mr.B goes for his surgery next Monday, so this week will be spent preparing for that. Queenie will be going to my parents, for a week or so; to let her brother rest and recuperate nicely post surgery. My Mother in Law came to visit for a few days and is due to leave today, or maybe tomorrow. Depends if the kids can talk her into staying an extra day, LOL. My parents are due in on Wednesday and will spend the night, before bringing Queenie back home with them. The rest of the week will be spent making sure we have tons of cold, soft foods ready and available for our boy, once he gets his adenoids and tonsils removed. So, this week will center around easy, hearty and comforting dishes. Here's the plan

Tacos and Spanish rice
Shrimp Parmesan with couscous (didn't get to it last week)
Bacon Cheeseburger Meatloaf (new recipe) with roast baby potatoes and honeyed squash rings (new recipe)
Family Favourite Roast Chicken and Potatoes with green beans
Black Bean Veggie Casserole (new recipe)
Tuscan White Bean Soup with Olive oil and Rosemary (new recipe), with cheddar scallion scones
Leftovers

Head on over to OrgJunkie.com, for tons of other great meal plans!

Bread Machine Garlic Bread

2011-11-12T09:54:00.001-05:00

I take part in Meal Plan Monday, over at the OrgJunkie. I love reading what everyone makes and this recipe has been on Laura's menu a few times and it caught my eye. I am a bread junkie. I really truly am. I LOVE bread! I love the smell when it's baking, I love the golden crust, pillowy soft inside and love to slather it with butter. Mmmmmm....

OK, I'm having a Homer Simpson moment.... sorry about that!

The title of this recipe is what caught my attention. How could you make garlic bread, in the bread machine. I quickly found out that it wasn't your average garlic bread, it was garlic flavoured bread. This is probably the 3rd time I make this bread. The kids love it (they have inherited my love for bread) and it really is perfect with just about anything. A big bowl of pasta, a soup, stew.... the possibilities are endless. The bread doesn't rise much, which makes you worry that it will be dense and tough, but it bakes up nice, light and fluffy.

Bread Machine Garlic Bread
Adapted from Taste of Home
printable version

1 cup warm water (70° to 80°)
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 tablespoon nonfat dry milk powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
4-1/2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
2 teaspoons garlic powder
3 cups bread flour
2 teaspoons active dry yeast

In bread machine pan, place all ingredients in order suggested by manufacturer. Select basic bread setting. Choose crust color and loaf size if available.

Bake according to bread machine directions (check the dough after 5 minutes of mixing; add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water or flour if needed). Yield: 1 loaf, 16 slices (about 1-1/2 pounds).

This post linked to

Foodie Friday
Friday Favorites
Bake with Bizzy

Artichoke Dip Grilled Cheese

2011-11-10T09:31:00.000-05:00

This past summer, I was lucky enough to win an awesome cookbook, in a giveaway. I totally knew that my family would love Grilled Cheese, Please! And did we!! The first recipe we decided to try was this Artichoke Dip grilled cheese. We are absolutely crazy for artichoke dip and the thought of it sandwiched between two slices of toasty bread, made both me and Hubby drool, LOL. I mean take one of our favourite appetizers and put it together with one of our favourite sandwiches and it's a home run!

This grilled cheese was over the top. It was ooey, gooey and really did taste like artichoke dip. The tangy cheese was perfect with the creamy artichoke filling. And the sourdough bread, just rounded the flavours out, wonderfully. We did think it was a bit tart, so I'd suggest using one can of artichoke hearts in water and 1 jar of marinated artichoke hearts.

Artichoke Dip Grilled Cheese
Adapted from grilled cheese, please! by Laura Werlin
printable version

2 (6-ounce) jars marinated artichokes, drained and coarsely chopped
2 Tbs mayonnaise
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp hot sauce, or to your taste
1/2 tsp garlic powder
4 scallions (white and tender green parts), finely chopped
2 ounces Pecorino Romano cheese, coarsely crumbled (or use Parmigiano-Reggiano)
4 (4-inch-square) pieces focaccia, split horizontally (or use sourdough or Italian bread)
8 ounces fontina cheese, coarsely grated (or use Monterey Jack or Havarti)

In a medium bowl, mix together the artichokes, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, garlic powder, scallions and Pecorino Romano.

To assemble: Place 4 slices of focaccia on your work surface, cut side up. (if your focaccia is especially thick- more than 3 inches- pinch out a small amount of the soft centers to create a better bread-to-filling ratio.) Spread the artichoke mixture on the bread. Distribute the fontina and top with the remaining focaccia slices, cut side down.

For stove top method: Heat a large nonstick skillet, over medium heat for 2 minutes. Put the sandwiches into the pan, cover, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the undersides are golden brown. (Watch carefully, because the high oil content in focaccia can make the bread turn from golden to blackened quickly.) Turn the sandwiches, pressing each one firmly with a spatula to compress the filling slightly. Cover and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the undersides are well browned. Remove the cover, turn the sandwiches once more and press firmly with the spatula once again. Cook for 1 minute, or until the cheese has melted completely. (You might need to peek inside, to make sure.) Remove from the pan and let cook for 5 minutes. Cut in half and serve.

For sandwich maker method: Preheat the sandwich maker. Follow directions or assembly above. Cook according to manufacturer's instructions.

this post linked to

Full Plate Thursday
Made it on Monday
These Chicks Cooked
Turning the Table Thursday

Savoury Three Cheese Cookies

2011-11-08T08:11:00.002-05:00

Savoury cookies?! I bet I have you wondering what the heck, I'm talking about right? These cute little bites are more like mini biscuits than cookies, but because of their size they were called cookies. I book marked this recipe at the beginning of the summer, from the Real Women of Philadelphia Canada website. The creator is one of the awesome ladies I befriended during the contest. Jackie owns a B&B, in the Muskokas just a few hours from here. She's also brilliant in the kitchen! This is one of the many yummy recipes she submitted to the contest. Unfortunately, she did not make the finals either..... but we won't get into that, LOL.

These cookies are crazy good!! I just love the savouriness of them, with the hints of sweet sun dried tomatoes and meaty walnuts. I served these with some red pepper jelly and cranberry lemon marmalade. We all decided that the savoury sweet heat paired best with these cookies. I'll be making these often, over the holidays, for our friends and family that stop by to visit!

Savoury Three Cheese Cookies
Recipe courtesy Jackie Leung via RWOP
printable version

1/2 cup(s) of flour
1 tsp. of baking powder
1/4 tsp. of salt
1/4 tsp. of ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. of paprika
1 cup(s) of Philadelphia Cream Cheese (1 250g brick)
1 egg yolk
1 dash hot sauce (or to taste)
1 cup(s) of grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup(s) of grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup(s) of walnuts, chopped fine
2 tbsp. of sun dried tomatoes, chopped

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line cookie sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, pepper and paprika.

In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat Cream Cheese until smooth. Add egg yolk and hot sauce and beat until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice. Thoroughly beat in cheddar and Parmesan cheeses.

With the mixer on low, add flour, walnuts and sun dried tomatoes. Mix until just combined.

Scoop 1 tablespoon mounds of dough onto cookie sheets, spacing at least an inch apart.

TO MAKE COINS: Dip a flat-bottomed glass in flour and press cookies to flatten.

TO MAKE THUMBPRINT COOKIES: Dip the bottom of a wooden spoon into flour and press an indentation into mound of dough.

Bake until tops are dry, bottoms are golden and edges are turning brown, about 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

To finish thumbprint cookies: Using a piping bag or a small spoon, fill the thumbprints with plain or flavoured cream cheese.

Serve with a smile and a thank you!

This post linked to

Delicious Dishes
Tasty Tuesday
Hearth and Soul
What's Cooking Wednesday (King's CourtIV)
See ya in the Gumbo
What's Cooking Wednesday (Fairy Blogmother)

Meal Plan Monday~ Nov 7, 2011

2011-11-07T10:00:00.001-05:00

Happy Monday,

How was your weekend. Ours started off great and ended not so good, LOL. On Friday the kids and I took some blankets and pillows and headed to Mr.B's school, for Family Pizza and a Movie night. We had fun watching Toy Story 3 in the school gym. It was a bit chaotic at first, but we had tons of fun. The weather was beautiful all weekend and it seems to have followed us, through to today. The only bad part of the weekend was when I accidentally spilled a glass of water onto my laptop. Yup, I did the worst possible thing.... water all over the keyboard. I'm currently on Hubby's laptop, while mine dries and hopefully it will be operational soon. So, I may not post as often this week, since all my photos are on my laptop :o(

This week is going to be nice and quiet, which is good, because this time change has us all a bit cranky. Mr.B was awake at 6am, this morning. I'm hoping the kids get a hang of the time change soon, LOL. Since things will be low key, I'm thinking of trying a few new recipes, this week. Here's the plan (in no particular order)

Doritos Meatloaf (new recipe) with mashed potatoes and corn on the cob
Home Style Turkey and Potato Bake (new recipe)
Filipino BBQ Pork Skewers (new recipe) with slaw and baked beans
Pumpkin Waffles with fresh fruit salad
Celery Root Soup (new recipe) with bread machine garlic bread
Shrimp Parmesan with couscous and a salad
leftovers

Don't forget to head over to Org Junkie, for more great meal plans!!

Candy Bar Cookies

2011-11-05T09:25:00.000-04:00

I don't know about you, but every year after Halloween, I feel compelled to get the Halloween candy out of my reach. I have a gigantic sweet tooth and all the candy that results from Trick-or-Treating can be pretty dangerous. So, every year I try to find new ways to use up the candy. Especially that yummy, yummy chocolate! Cookies and brownies seem to be the easiest route to go, when adding chocolate bars or candy, into them. I've tried a few recipes, and have had some successes, but others were not what I expected. So this year, I decided to go with a more traditional type of cookie. I took my chocolate chip cookie recipe and made a few modifications. The results are quite lovely and the cookies are pretty yummy too.

I've seen cookies with pieces of chocolate placed on top and always think of how pretty they look. So, I decided to top my cookies with pieces of chocolate, rather than incorporate the chocolate inside. These remind me of cookies my Mom use to make when we were growing up. It was a chocolate chip base, without chocolate, but with nice sweet shredded coconut. To make these cookies a bit more hearty, I threw in some large flake oats. The result and sweet, chewy, nutty, chocolaty goodness.

Candy Bar Cookies
printable version

1 C butter, softened
1 C packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 C quick-cooking oats
1/2 C flaked coconut
9 treat size Hershey chocolate bars, into 36 pieces (I used a combination of almond and milk chocolate bars)

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Beat in oats and coconut.

Roll into 1-in. balls. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets; flatten slightly. Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned.

Break each candy bar into 4 pieces; press a chocolate piece into the center of each warm cookie. Remove to wire racks.

This post linked to

Foodie Friday
Friday Favorites
Friday Potluck
Sweets for a Saturday
Bake with Bizzy

Hubby's Bruschetta

2011-11-03T08:21:00.000-04:00

When I married my husband, part of me thought I would be treated to gourmet meals every night. Hubby being a Chef, meant I would never have to cook; right?? Well, I quickly found out that I would spend many lonely nights eating alone and that the last thing Hubby wanted to do, after working 16 hrs in the kitchen, was to come home and cook. Talk about a buzz kill, LOL. So, I am the one who cooks the majority of the meals in the house. About once or twice a month, Hubby treats us and makes dinner, on his day off. I have a love hate relationship with those nights. On one hand, I don't have to make dinner, but on the other, I have to clean up after a man who is used to having others clean up after him. Some nights, it isn't pretty....

This bruschetta is one of my favourites, that Hubby makes. I just love the fresh tomatoes, seasoned with herbs and sweet balsamic vinegar. Paired with savoury garlic bread and salty cheese. It really is sensational. The kids really enjoy helping Daddy make this, and in turn love to eat it too. It's a great way to get them to eat flavours they normally wouldn't. This is the perfect start, or side, to a nice pasta dinner.

Hubby's Bruschetta
printable version

3 large tomatoes, chopped
1 onion, diced
1 Tbs chopped garlic
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp oregano
1 Tbs parsley
2 Tbs olive oil
2 Tbs balsamic vinegar
1 large loaf of garlic bread
2-3 C marbled Cheddar

In a bowl, mix the tomato, onion, garlic, salt, pepper, basil, oregano and parsley. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar and toss to combine. Let sit 10 minutes, so the flavours combine.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Split open the garlic loaf and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Top each half with the tomato mixture. Sprinkle the shredded cheese (2 or 3 C, depending on your preference) over the tomato mixture.

Bake for 20 minutes, or until tomato mixture is heated through and cheese is melted. Cut into 1 1/2 inch slices and serve.

This post linked to

Made it on Monday
These Chicks Cooked
Full Plate Thursday
Turning the Table Thursday

Bacon Wrapped Potatoes with Honey Scallion Sauce

2011-11-01T19:42:00.000-04:00

I have to tell you straight up that these potatoes are amazing!! Just thinking about them, while I type up this post, is making my mouth water. I made these potatoes a few months ago and totally forgot to post the recipe. While browsing through my photos, I saw these and just had to share them with you. I found this recipe on the Food Network website. I just love browsing the recipes over there, since there is such a huge variety of them to choose from. These quickly caught my eye, since we are all big bacon and potato fans.

I was intrigued that these were tossed in a sweet honey scallion sauce. We all know that sweet and salty are an awesome combination, so I knew that we'd probably love these. I didn't, however, think they would be so addictive, LOL. Even though I was full, it didn't stop me from snacking on some of the remaining potatoes, as I tidied up the dinner dishes. I just loved the combination of the creamy potato, salty smoky bacon and sweet honey. The only thing I changed was to use chives, rather than scallions. This fantastic and easy side dish would knock the socks off any dinner guest!

Bacon Wrapped Potatoes with Honey Scallion Sauce
Adapted from Aaron McCargo, Jr. and Food Network
printable version

2 large Idaho potatoes
Canola oil, for frying (about 2 cups)
8 slices apple wood smoked bacon, cut in 1/2 vertically
16 toothpicks
1/4 cup softened butter
1/4 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped scallions
1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley leaves

1. Cut each potato into 8 wedges and parboil until fork tender.

2. In a preheated large saute pan, heat oil on medium-high heat. Wrap each potato wedge with 1 strip of bacon and secure with 1 toothpick on each end. Pan-fry in oil until bacon and potato are golden brown, approximately 8 to 10 minutes, turning frequently with tongs to brown all sides evenly. Remove and drain on paper towels.

3. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, mix butter, honey, black pepper, scallions and parsley. Stir with a spoon until fully mixed.

4. Toss potatoes in the glaze. Remove toothpicks and serve.

Food Network Kitchens have not tested this recipe and therefore cannot make representation as to the results.

This post linked to

Hearth and Soul
Tasty Tuesday
Delicious Dishes
See ya in the Gumbo

We've got a Winner!!

2011-11-01T10:28:00.000-04:00

Sorry I'm late getting the winner of Lynn Alley's 50 Simple Soups for the Slow Cooker. I just did the drawing, using the Random Number Generator and the winner is

Kim B. said...: My favorite thing to cook in my slow cooker is a roast that I serve with mashed potatoes & green beans...YUM!! GREAT giveaway!!
Congratulations Kim!! I you could email me your mailing info and telephone number, I'll get the ball rolling on getting your cookbook sent out to you .
Thanks to everyone who took the time to leave a comment!

Meal Plan Monday~ Halloween , 2011

2011-10-31T10:36:00.000-04:00

Happy Halloween everyone!!

This is one of our family's favourite Holidays and we've been celebrating all weekend. We started off with a Halloween Spooktacular at the Barrie Farmer's Market. The kids, my Mom and I enjoyed a morning full of games, face painting, wagon rides and treats. Sunday was Pumpkin Carving day and we managed to carve 4 of our six pumpkins. I'm hoping to be able to carve the last two today, while Queenie is napping. I also decided to make my final Halloween themed cupcake creation, to finish off our Sunday dinner. The kids totally loved the Graveyard Cupcake Cake that I surprised them with.

Graveyard Cupcake Cake

12 unfrosted cupcakes
1 C butter
1/3 C cocoa
3 C powdered sugar
2 Tbs vanilla
2 Tbs whipping cream
Halloween themed candy- cats, skulls, pumpkins
2 Tbs chocolate cookie crumbs
6-8 head stone shaped cookies
green and black decorator frosting

In a bowl, cream the butter and cocoa; until well combined. Beat in powdered sugar and vanilla. Add in heavy cream, 1 Tbs at a time, until desired consistency is reached. Beat 3 minutes, until fluffy.

Line the cupcakes in four rows of three. Frost with chocolate frosting, making sure to extend frosting slightly, to make a rectangle. Using the black decorator frosting and a fine tip, pipe RIP onto cookies. Insert cookies randomly into cupcakes. Sprinkle cookie crumbs in front of some of the graves.

Place candies randomly onto cupcakes, using frosting to adhere them to the grave stones. To make pumpkin vines, use green decorating frosting with a leaf tip.

************

With all the Halloween excitement I really haven't thought of our meal plan for the week. I think I'll be sticking with easy family favourites, using what I have in the freezer and pantry. Here is my tentative plan for the week

Mummy Dogs, Spider wed pizza, veggies and dip (Halloween)
Porcupine Balls with peas
Patty melts with coleslaw
Philippino BBQ Pork Skewers (new recipe) with rice pilaf
Shrimp Aglio E Olio with bread sticks
Pasta Fagioli soup with homemade bread
Leftovers

Don't forget to pop in at OrgJunkie.com, for tons of other meal plans!

Marbled Banana Loaf

2011-10-29T07:54:00.000-04:00

Are you like me? Do you buy bananas, only to find out they are super ripe a few days later? That's what's been happening in our house lately. I buy my bananas with a slight green at the top and a few days later, they are covered in large brown spots. Now, I may be one of those weird people who prefer their bananas on the not so ripe side; so I end up with tons of bananas in the freezer. They're pretty much over taking the freezer right now, which prompted me to make some banana loaf.

I've had many different versions of banana loaf and though I have my favourites, I'm always ready to try something new. So, I decided to separate my batter into two bowls, add chocolate chips to one and melted semi sweet chocolate to the other. I wanted to layer the batter to create a marbling effect. Plus it would give me two of my favourite versions of banana loaf, in one pan. I used Paula Deen's recipe for her banana loaf and the result is so moist and delicious. The only change I made, was sub in 1/2 C of brown sugar, instead of the white sugar. Also Mom thought 4 bananas wouldn't produce enough flavour, so we added in 2 more small bananas. The kids absolutely loved this one, as did the rest of the household.

Marbled Banana Loaf
Adapted from Paula Deen
printable version

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1/2 C brown sugar
4 large eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups ripe, mashed, bananas
1 C semi sweet chocolate chips
1 C semi sweet chocolate, melted

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9x5x3-inch loaf pans.
In a medium bowl and with an electric mixer at medium speed, beat butter and sugar until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in flour, baking soda, and salt, stirring well. Add bananas, stirring just until combined. Pour half of the batter into a second bowl. Add the chocolate chips to one bowl of batter and stir well. Add the melted chocolate to the second bowl of batter, stirring to ensure it is thoroughly mixed.Spoon batters into prepared pans, by alternating them. Insert a butter knife, upright, into the batter and slowly draw swirls into the batter, to create the marbling.
Bake for 1 hour, or until a tester inserted into center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes; remove from pans, and allow to cool completely on wire racks.

This post linked to

Fat Camp Friday
Foodie Friday
Friday Favorites
Bake with Bizzy
Sweets for a Saturday

New 2011 Betty Crocker Cookbook Winner!!!

2011-10-28T08:03:00.001-04:00

Thank you to everyone who entered the Betty Crocker Cookbook giveaway. I'm super excited about this new revised version of the Big Red Cookbook. It is full of amazing photos, recipes and tips. Our lucky winner today is

Congratulations Jackie! I hope you enjoy this new cookbook! I'll be getting in touch with you, to get your mailing info.

And don't forget to enter the 50 Simple Slow Cooker Soups giveaway, for a chance to win another awesome cookbook

Crock Pot Apple Sauce

2011-10-27T08:26:00.001-04:00

I love homemade apple sauce. Well, I love my Mom's homemade apple sauce. I'm not sure how she makes it, but it just comes out so smooth, with the right amount of sweetness. You knew it was a special dinner, when Mom made apple sauce, to go with our pork chops. Now a days, we eat apple sauce more often. I often top my pancakes or waffles with it. Or, I like to top some apple sauce with nice crunchy granola. So, when we came home with tons of apples, from the orchard, I knew I wanted to make some apple sauce, to have on hand, whenever we'd like it.

I decided to let the crock pot do all the work with this one. That way I didn't have to babysit the sauce all day. I based the apple sauce on one of my favourite apple pie recipe. I recently started adding vanilla to my apple pie filling and I've just fallen in love. Since my apples were on the tart side, I did have to add quite a bit of sugar; but I will include a base amount of sugar and feel free to add as little, or as much as you'd like. This smooth apple sauce just reminds me of my Mom's and those special Sunday night dinners.

Crock Pot Apple Sauce
printable version

12 large apples, skinned ,cored, and cut in quarters
3 tsp lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 C brown sugar
1/4 cup water

Place apples in a 6 quart crock pot. Add in lemon juice, water, sugar and spices; stir to coat apple the apples. Cook on low for 6 hours. After 4 hrs of cooking, mash the apples and continue to cook for remainder of cooking time. While hot, place into sterilized jars; leaving 1/2 in head space. Screw on lids and process in hot water for 5 minutes.

This post linked to

Made it on Monday
Hearth and Soul
These Chicks Cooked
Turning the Table Thursday
Full Plate Thursday
Friday Potluck

Meringue Ghost Cupcakes

2011-10-25T10:44:00.000-04:00

I've been seeing these cute little meringue ghosts over the Internet. I totally fell in love with them and thought they would look super cute on a cupcake. I just love how whimsical and very airy they look and knew that they would be the perfect topper for my next Halloween inspired cupcake. And this is also a first for me. I've never made a baked meringue before, so I was a little apprehensive about this part.

These ghosts are so simple to make and are pretty addictive, LOL. I found a great recipe/video on how to make them over on the Joy of Baking. I used my spice/coffee grinder to turn my sugar into super fine sugar. You want it fine, but not so fine that you make powdered sugar. I really love how the video suggests to touch the meringue and rub it through your fingers to see if all the sugar has dissolved properly. I do think that I should have baked these on the top rack of my oven, since the bottoms did get a little brown, but they are yummy non the less. The only change I made was use almond extract, since I did not have any clear vanilla. I really liked the almond flavour in them. I also piped the eyes on using some black decorator frosting, but feel free to use candy eyes or even mini chocolate chips.

Meringue Ghost Cupcakes
printable version

1 box white cake mix
3 egg whites
1/2 C raspberry/blackberry puree (strained of seeds)
1/3 C vegetable oil
1 C water
1 lb butter
6-7 C powdered sugar
2 Tbs vanilla
2-3 Tbs whipping cream
green Wilton food colour gel

Meringue Ghosts

4 egg whites
1/2 tsp cream of Tartar
1 C super fine sugar
1/2 tsp clear vanilla or 1/4 tsp almond extract

In a large bowl, mix the cake mix, egg whites, berry puree, oil and water according to package directions. Place paper liners in cupcake try and fill them 2/3 full. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until set in center. Cool completely.

For Meringues: Preheat oven to 200 degrees F (105 degrees C) and place the rack in the center of the oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Have ready a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) plain tip.

In the bowl of your electric mixer, with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on low-medium speed until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and continue to beat the whites until they hold soft peaks. Add the sugar, a little at a time, and continue to beat until the meringue holds very stiff peaks. Beat in the vanilla extract. Note: The meringue is done when it holds stiff peaks and when you rub a little between your thumb and index finger it does not feel gritty. If it feels gritty the sugar has not fully dissolved so keep beating until it feels smooth between your fingers.

Before placing the meringue ghosts on the cookie sheet, place a little of the meringue on the underside of each corner of the parchment paper. This will prevent the paper from sliding. Transfer the meringue to the pastry bag and, holding the bag perpendicular to the baking sheet, pipe, with even pressure, about 2 inch (5 cm) high mounds of meringue. Carefully press two candy eyes, edible silver degrees, or two miniature chocolate chips into each meringue ghost.

Bake the meringues for approximately 1 - 1 1/2 hours or until they are dry and crisp to the touch. Turn off the oven, open the door, and leave the meringues in the oven to finish drying several hours, or even overnight.

The Meringue Ghosts will keep several days at room temperature.

Makes 20-24 Meringue Ghosts

For Frosting: In your mixer bowl, beat the softened butter until fluffy. Add powdered sugar, one cup at a time and beat until incorporated. Add in whipping cream, vanilla and a bit of the colour gel and beat until well combined and fluffy.

To Assemble: Transfer frosting into a large pipping bag, fitted with a leaf tip. Pipe small amounts of frosting on the cupcakes, to resemble blades of grass. Gently place a meringue ghost onto the center of each cupcake.

This post linked to

Cupcake Tuesday
Tasty Tuesday
Delicious Dishes
Cast Party
What's Cooking Wednesday

Meal Plan Monday~ Oct 24, 2011

2011-10-24T09:29:00.000-04:00

Happy Monday!

Boy what a beautiful day Sunday was! The sun was shinning, and the temperatures seasonal for a change. We took advantage of it, by going to a near by park and going for a walk in the woods. I just love walking amongst the trees that have started loosing their colourful leaves. The crisp crunch beneath your feet, the crisp fall air and the reds, oranges and yellows just make my soul smile. I wish Fall consisted of more days like that, rather than rainy cold and dreary days.

I am super excited today! My Mom is coming to stay for about a week and will be here through Halloween. I haven't seen my parents since the beginning of the Summer, so having Mom stay for a while is going to be great! I also love that we get to treat her to many foods she loves, but rarely eats. My Dad eats very simple foods, so Mom really enjoys the different meals we make when she's here. She's already requested a few dishes and I am more than happy to make them for her. So, here's the plan

Ham, Indian Fry Bread and roast cauliflower/broccoli
Creamed Cauliflower soup with bread machine garlic bread
Porcupine Balls with brown rice and sauteed green beans
Perfect Fall Pork Chops (new recipe)
Homemade Cheese Manicotti with a salad
Rosemary Chicken and Potatoes with Honey Roasted Squash Rings (new recipe)
Leftovers

Head on over to OrgJunkie.com, for more meal plans for the week.

Honey Apple Muffins

2011-10-22T07:49:00.000-04:00

Recently Mr.B brought home a library book titled The Beeman by Laurie Krebs and Valeria Cis. It is a story about a little boy whose grandfather is a bee keeper. The book tells about bee keeping, bees and how they make honey. In the story, the boy goes on to tell us about how much he loves the Honey muffins his grandmother makes. To our surprise, there was a recipe for Honey Apple Muffins, on the last page of the book. Mr.B excitedly asked me if we could make these together. So, this past weekend, we got into the kitchen and decided to make a short video for all of you. Enjoy!

While making the muffins, I really didn't know if they'd be any good. I mean the addition of dry cereal into the batter.... plus we substituted Cheerios for the bran cereal. Was it a total disaster? Thankfully it wasn't!! The muffins were actually pretty good. They were moist, with a great warm apple taste. The cereal was a bit odd in it, but that may just be because of the kind we used. Regardless, they were pretty tasty and we will probably make these again..... minus the cereal, LOL.

Grandma's Apple and Honey Muffins
Adapted from The Beeman (children's book)
printable version

2 C flour, sifted
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 C whole wheat or bran cereal flakes
1/4 C finely chopped walnuts (optional)
1/2 C raisins
1 C grated apple
2 eggs
2/3 C honey
1/2 C milk
1/4 C vegetable oil

Sift flour with baking soda, salt and spices. Add cereal, walnuts, raisins and apple. Beat eggs well; add honey, milk, and oil. Add liquid mixture all at once to the flour mixture, stirring just to blend. Grease muffin cups and fill 2/3 full. Bake at 400 degrees for 18-20 minutes.

Makes 18 muffins

This post linked to

Friday Potluck
Fat Camp Friday
Friday Favorites
Foodie Friday
Bake Bizzy
Sweets for a Saturday

Shrimp Creole

2011-10-20T10:09:00.000-04:00

I recently decided to take my need to loose weight more seriously. It's not like what we eat is unhealthy, it's just that we love to indulge in a lot of high fat cheeses and cream sauces. Then one day some ladies were talking about Skinny Taste, over at Cooking for your Family. I was intrigued, so I went to check it out and found a god send. Gina has tons of lower fat, Weight Watcher friendly recipe. I didn't know where to begin. Then this recipe caught my eye and I knew that we would all enjoy this. I am always amazed that the kids will sit down and eat shrimp without a complaint.

I made a few modifications to the recipe. First I only used a small amount of Cajun seasoning in the sauce and to season the shrimp. The kids aren't very fond of spicy food, so I wanted them to enjoy this dish as well. Second, I used a 14.5 ounce can of diced tomatoes with peppers, onion and celery; which I pureed in my food processor, instead of tomato sauce. Once the sauce had reduced and the shrimp were cooked, I set some aside for the kids, then added some additional Cajun spice and the hot sauce. The kids servings was mild enough for them, while the remainder was nice and spicy for the adults. I do have to be honest and say that we ate everything in one sitting. It was fabulous! The sweet shrimp tamed some of the spiciness of the sauce. This dish was so full of amazing flavour, we didn't even feel like it was diet food!

Shrimp Creole
Adapted from Skinny Taste
printable version

2 tsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
14-ounce can of diced tomatoes
8 oz tomato sauce
1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp Cajun Seasoning such as Slap Your Mama (more or less to taste)
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp of all purpose flour (leave out for gluten-free)
2 tbsp water
1 lb of large shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp hot sauce, to taste
1 medium scallion, sliced
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
salt to taste

In a large skillet heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, green bell pepper, garlic and celery and saute until tender. Add tomatoes and tomato sauce, cayenne pepper, Cajun spice, bay leaf and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low and simmer 20-30 minutes.

Make a slurry of the flour and water and stir into the tomato mixture. Continue cooking for another 5 minutes. Lightly season the shrimp with the Cajun seasoning and add immediately to the tomato mixture. Add Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce; stir together. Cook for another 5 to 6 minutes, or until shrimp is opaque and cooked through, adjust salt if needed.

Add chopped green onion and parsley and serve

This post linked to

Hearth and Soul
Made it on Monday
These Chicks Cooked
Full Plate Thursday
Turning the Table Thursday

Witch's Hat Cupcakes

2011-10-18T10:55:00.000-04:00

This week's Halloween themed cupcakes are some of my favourites, by far. I just love how beautifully and elegant they turned out. When I had planned these out in my head, they looked no where as impressive as they have turned out, LOL. When I think Halloween, I think witches; so I knew these would be a perfect way to celebrate one of our favourite holidays.

When thinking of how to make the hats, many ideas came to mind. All fondant, molding chocolate, mini sugar cones. Since I didn't want a big ole honkin' piece of fondant on top of the cupcakes, I decided to go with some Rice Krispie Treats, that I made then shaped into small cones. I let them set up over night and covered them with fondant in the morning. One good thing about Hubby making custom cakes, is that there is always fondant available. And I lucked out, in having the perfect shade of 'witch' green coloring gel, to add to the frosting. My neighbour and good friend was over the moon, when I brought her family some and said they were ALMOST too beautiful to eat. I agree, they are almost too beautiful to eat, but we ate them anyway, LOL.

Witch's Hat Cupcakes

1 box French Vanilla cake mix
3 eggs
1/3 C vegetable oil
1/2 C vanilla yogurt
3/4 C milk

Butter Cream Frosting

1 lb butter (4 sticks)
1 bag (1 kg) powdered sugar
4 Tbs vanilla
4 tbs water
juniper green Wilton colour gel

Rice Krispies Square

3 Tbs butter or margarine
1 bag large marshmallows or 4 C mini marshmallows
6 C Rice Krispies cereal

Assembly

Black fondant
purple fondant
white fondant
brown Wilton colour gel
yellow Wilton colour gel

For the cupcakes: In your mixer bowl, add cake mix, eggs, milk, oil and sour cream. Mix at low speed until incorporated. Beat at medium speed for 3 minutes. Line muffin tins with paper liners and fill them 2/3 full with the batter. Bake at 350 degrees, for 18-20 minutes. Cool completely.

For Butter Cream: Beat softened butter until light and fluffy. Slowly add powdered sugar, 1 C at a time. Add in vanilla, water and a bit of the juniper green colour gel, and beat at high speed for 3-5 minutes; until fluffy. Store covered, until ready to use.

Rice Krispie Treats: In a large microwave safe bowl, heat butter and marshmallows for 3 minutes, stirring after 2 minutes. Stir until smooth. Add in rice cereal and mix to coat evenly. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with margarine. With buttered hands, press cereal mixture evenly into baking dish. Let cool completely. Once cooled and set, cut into 24 equal squares. Take each square and press it together to form a small cone. Let set for a few hours, to over night.

Assembly: Lightly sprinkle a clean surface with powdered sugar and roll out some of the black fondant to 1/8 inch thickness. Using a 2 1/2 inch round cutter, cut out 48 circles. Take half of the circles and cover the rice cereal cones (to the bottom, but not covering the bottom). Lightly brush the remaining 24 circles with a damp brush. Gently press the fondant covered cones onto the circles, making sure they are centered. Set the hats aside.

Lightly sprinkle a clean surface with powdered sugar and roll out some purple fondant, to 1/8 inch thick. Cut into 1/3 inch wide strips. Lightly brush one side of the strips with a damp brush and wrap around the base of the cone, so that it lays flush with the brim.

Colour some white fondant with brown and yellow, to achieve a golden copper colour. Roll out to 1/8 thickness and cut into 24- 1/4 inch squares. Brush one side of each square with a damp brush and gently adhere to the center of the purple strip.

Fill a piping bag, fitted with a large tip, with the butter cream; or use a large zip top bag and cut a large hole in one corner. Pipe frosting in a circular motion, starting from the outer edge, to the center of each cupcake. Place a witch's hat on top of each frosted cupcake.

This post linked to

Tasty Tuesday
Cupcake Tuesday
Delicious Dishes
What's Cooking Wednesday
Cast Party Wednesday

Meal Plan Monday~ Oct 17, 2011

2011-10-17T09:13:00.000-04:00

Happy Monday!!

Anyone out there have an ark? It's been raining pretty much since last Wed..... looks like we might have a few rain free days this week. Which would greatly be appreciated, LOL. It's rough on the kids, to be stuck in the house. This past weekend included some baking with the kids, fort making and plenty board games. I'd love to enjoy playing outside more, before the "S" word gets here. Yes, I'm that superstitious... I will not even write the "S" word, LOL.

Well, this week should be quiet. I do have a dentist appt for a crown fitting, which I am super nervous for. Mr.B has a field trip to a Ranch on Wed, that he is super excited about. And we still have to go to one last store, in hopes of finding him the Halloween costume of his dreams. Queenie decided to be a Fairy Princess this year (yay I get to do her make up and curl her hair!) and Mr.B has hopes of being a Wizard (white beard and all). I've also started on a 1500 calorie diet, so dinners will be healthier, lower calorie options (with the occasional splurge, here and there). Here are my plans for the week

Baked ham with mashed potatoes and broccoli
Shrimp Creole (still haven't gotten to it)
Paula Deen's Salmon Burgers (new recipe)
Ham with Indian Fry Bread and carrots/ruttabaga
Chickpea Stew over Couscous (new recipe)
Pierogies with ham and peas in Bechamel sauce (I'll be having brown rice)
Leftovers

Head on over to Orgjunkie.com, for tons of more great meal plans, for the week!

Blueberry-Peach Cobbler with Walnut Biscuits

2011-10-15T08:38:00.000-04:00

Cobbler, what is cobbler? Growing up my Mom never made this and over the years I've heard so many people talk about them. Peach cobble, apple cobbler, cherry cobbler. They all sound delicious, but which recipe do you use? I was thrilled when I found this delicious sounding and easy cobbler recipe, over at Life Made Delicious. It used 2 of my favourite fruits, which seem to pair together perfectly. Peach cobbler would be good, but blueberry peach is way better, LOL.

I just love the colour the blueberries give this dessert. The slightly tart berries compliment the juicy sweet peaches perfectly. They add another depth of flavour to the dessert. The walnut biscuits added an almost savory aspect to the dessert. I have to be honest here and say that I preferred the biscuit topping at room temperature, rather than hot. The sweetness seemed to intensify as it cooled and helped balance out the earthy toasted nut flavour. Served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, this dessert is super yummy!! The kids and Hubby really enjoyed this as well and asked why I don't cook with peaches more often. I guess it's time to start, LOL!

“Disclosure: I am part of the Life Made Delicious Blogger program and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.”
Blueberry-Peach Cobbler with Walnut Biscuits
Adapted from LifeMadeDelicious.ca

Fruit Mixture:

8 medium fresh peaches (about 2 lb), peeled, each cut into 6 wedges
1 cup (250 mL) fresh blueberries
1 tbsp (15 mL) cornstarch
1/2 cup (125 mL) granulated sugar
1 tbsp (15 mL) lemon juice
1/4 tsp (1 mL) ground cinnamon
Dash salt

Biscuit Topping:

1 cup (250 mL) Bisquick* mix
1/4 tsp (1 mL) groung nutmeg
2 tbsp (25 mL) milk
2 tbsp (25 mL) butter or margarine, softened
2 tbsp (25 mL) granulated sugar
2/3 cup (150 mL) chopped walnuts
2 tsp (10 mL) milk, if desired
1 tbsp (15 mL) coarse sugar

Heat oven to 400ºF. In medium bowl, stir together fruit mixture ingredients; let stand 10 minutes to allow sugar to pull juices from peaches. Transfer to ungreased 8-inch square (2-quart) glass baking dish. Bake uncovered about 10 minutes or until fruit is bubbling. Remove from oven; stir. Bake 10 to 12 minutes longer or until bubbly around edges (fruit must be hot in middle so biscuit topping bakes completely).

Meanwhile, in medium bowl, stir all biscuit topping ingredients except 2 teaspoons milk and coarse sugar until firm dough forms.

Drop dough by 6 spoonfuls onto warm fruit mixture. Brush dough with 2 teaspoons milk. Sprinkle with coarse sugar.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until biscuits are deep golden brown and bottom of center biscuit is no longer doughy. Cool 10 minutes on cooling rack. Serve warm.

This post linked to

Foodie Friday
Fat Camp Friday
Friday Favorites
Friday Potluck
Bake with Bizzy
Sweets for a Saturday

Creamed Corn

2011-10-13T07:54:00.000-04:00

This summer, we decided to buy a huge amount of corn, so we could shuck it and freeze it for winter. There is nothing better than sweet corn, frozen at the peak of summer. As I was talking to some of my girlfriends about the corn, Jeanine from The Baking Beauties mentioned that her mother in law made the best creamed corn. Well, she totally peeked my interest and her mother in law was nice enough to share her recipe with me. Let me tell you, this corn is phenomenal. Hubby and the kids practically inhaled the first bit that I made for dinner one night. I love that you can freeze it and it re heats beautifully and tastes delicious.

The recipe is super unbelievably easy. And I must say I like this homemade creamed corn better than what we usually buy in a can. There is bigger kernels of corn throughout and it has a wonderfully creamy buttery flavour. Nothing goes better with corn than butter, in my opinion! I froze 2 bags and we had 3 cups to go with our dinner. It's a perfect side dish for those comforting, down home, cold weather dishes.

Frozen Creamed Corn
Submitted by Jeanine via her MIL
printable version

8 cups corn (raw) about 13 cobs
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. Sugar
1/2 cup Butter (yes butter not margarine)
1/4 – 1/3 cup Whipping Cream

Cut corn off the cob. Scrape cob to get all juice. (I don’t cut really deep so there is bits of corn left on the cob when you scape it.)

To cut the corn off the cob I use one a serrated steak knives. To scrape the cob I use a plane knife.

Melt butter in Dutch oven pot, add cream, salt and sugar. Stir to mix, then add cut corn and stir. Heat over medium heat, stirring
occasionally. Be careful not to burn it. Heat till it is bubbling, not boiling, just good and hot.

Plunge pot into sink filled with ice water. Stir & cool till warm. Put in containers or freezer bags and freeze immediately.

I used the small Ziploc Freezer bags and put in about 1 1/4 – 1 1/2 cups. Yield approx. 6 – 7 pkgs.

This post linked to

Hearth and Soul
Made it on Monday
These Chicks Cooked
Full Plate Thursday
Turning the Table Thursday
See ya in the Gumbo

Spider Cupcakes

2011-10-11T09:20:00.000-04:00

This week's Halloween themed cupcakes are spider cupcakes. I decided to make these, after finding the always growing stash of candy, all our relatives buy the kids when they come visit. I stumbled upon a few bags of licorice laces and thought they would make the cutest spider legs. I wish I would have had some black licorice laces, but I had to make due with pink, LOL. I think it makes the spiders that more interesting.

These are super simple to make. The hardest part it guessing how long to cut the legs. If you make them too long, then you'll run out of licorice; if not, well then your spider will look silly. I really don't think the kids would mind though. Mr.B and Queenie were delighted to see the candy adorned cupcakes. I mean cake, frosting AND candy??!?!

Spider Cupcakes
printable version

1 box white cake mix
1/2 C bittersweet chocolate, melted
3 eggs
1 1/4 C water
1/3 C vegetable oil
2 Pkg licorice laces, any colour (There was about 6-7 laces in my bag)
73 black M&Ms
1 roll of red fruit leather
1/2 C graham cracker crumbs
1/4 C Oreo crumbs

Frosting:
1/3 C butter or margarine
3 Tbs cocoa powder
3 C powdered sugar
3-4 Tbs strong coffee

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare cake mix according to package directions, using eggs, water, oil and melted chocolate. Pour into paper lined muffin tins; only pour to fill to about halfway up. Bake for 15-25 minutes, until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool completely.

For Frosting: In a bowl cream together the butter and cocoa. Slowly beat in powdered sugar; mixture will be very crumbly. Add in coffee, 1 Tbs at a time, until desired consistency is reached.

To Assemble Spiders: In a soup bowl, mix together the graham crumbs and Oreo crumbs; set aside. Cut licorice laces into 1 1/2 inch pieces. Frost each cooled cupcake with frosting and carefully dip into the crumb mixture. Gently press 3 M&Ms into the lower half of the cupcake; to resemble spider eyes. Carefully insert 8 of the licorice pieces into the outer edge of the spiders, on either side. Cut fruit leather into tiny triangles, to resemble fangs. Carefully insert the fruit leather triangles into the front edge of the cupcake, just below the eyes.

This post linked to

Make a Food-"e"-Friend Monday
Cupcake Tuesday
Delicious Dishes
Tasty Tuesday
Tuesday Night Supper Club

Meal Plan Monday~ Oct 10, 2011

2011-10-10T09:07:00.000-04:00

Happy Monday and Happy Thanksgiving to all my Canadian readers! I hope this weekend has been full of family, love and laughs. And don't forget fabulous food!!

We are having out big Thanksgiving meal today, for lunch. Hubby is scheduled to work at 4pm, so lunch is a great way to make sure he can partake in the yumminess. We've had such a beautiful weekend here, with above seasonal temperatures. I hope they last a bit longer and that we can enjoy Halloween, without having to bundle up too much.

This week I'll be using the leftover turkey in a few meals. Making some of our favourites dishes, that use turkey. I think I look forward to the leftovers, more than the actual meal, LOL. These dishes are nothing fancy, but they hit the spot and the kids love them (which is always a small victory now a days). So, here is my plan for the week

Thanksgiving lunch- Lemon Herb Turkey, mashed potatoes, Candied Bacon Pepper Squash, green beans, rolls, Tarte au Sucre and Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie
Turkey Spaghetti with peas and garlic bread
Turkey Fried Rice
Chili with Honey Corn Bread (from last week)
Chili cheese fries with a salad
Shrimp Creole (from last week)
Leftovers

Head on over to OrgJunkie.com for more great meal plans!

Classic Bread Stuffing~ Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-10-08T20:19:00.000-04:00

It's Thanksgiving weekend her in Canada! Although with this amazing weather, you'd think it was still summer. Since we'll be giving Thanks on Monday Oct 10, I thought I'd share a very delicious side dish with you. This is one of the easy Thanksgiving recipes you can find over on the Life Made Delicious site. They have everything you need, to make your Thanksgiving that much yummier. From sides like this stuffing recipe, to tons of seasonal desserts, it's a great place to get some inspiration.

This stuffing really was a snap to put together. The flavours were spot on and reminded me of a nice big turkey dinner; even though I didn't serve this with turkey. The bread gets nice and crispy with a slight crunch of celery. The kids really enjoyed this, which totally surprised me, since they usually snub the stuffing. It's a great simple, yet delicious recipe sure to please your family and guests.

“Disclosure: I am part of the Life Made Delicious Blogger program and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.”

Classic Bread Stuffing Recipe
Adapted from Life Made Delicious

Homemade stuffing is one of those classic, mouthwatering dishes that make a holiday meal irresistible.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup (175 mL) butter or margarine
2 large celery stalks, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup/125 mL)
9 cups (2.25 L) soft bread cubes (about 15 slices)
1 1/2 tsp (7 mL) chopped fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 tsp (2 mL) dried thyme leaves
1 tsp (5 mL) salt
1/2 tsp (2 mL) ground sage
1/4 tsp (1 mL) pepper

Method:

Melt butter in 4 qt (4 L) saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook celery and onion in butter 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Remove from the heat.

Gently toss celery mixture and remaining ingredients, using spoon, until bread cubes are evenly coated.

Use to stuff one 10 to 12 pound (4.5 to 5.5 kg) turkey. Or to bake stuffing separately, grease 3 qt (3 L) casserole or 9x13-inch (23x33 cm) rectangular baking pan. Place stuffing in casserole or baking dish. Cover with lid or aluminum foil and bake at 325°F (160°C) for 30 minutes; uncover and bake 15 minutes longer.

Important Food Safety Tips: Stuff the turkey just before roasting. Do not stuff the day before. Moistened stuffing does not keep well. If desired, ingredients may be prepared the day before and combined just before the turkey is to be stuffed.Do not stuff a fresh turkey before freezing and do not freeze a cooked turkey with stuffing still inside.Remove leftover stuffing from turkey immediately and keep covered in the refrigerator. Use within three days. Reheat just enough stuffing for one meal.

Cauliflower Creme Brulee

2011-10-07T10:17:00.000-04:00

I bet you are all wondering what the heck I'm talking about, right? That's exactly what I thought, when I read the title to this recipe, this past Spring. This recipe was submitted by my friend Elise from LuvCrumbs, to the Real Women of Philadelphia contest. This recipe quickly caught the interest of the judges and snagged Elise a spot in the finals. Not only did she make the finals, but her recipe won her the spot as Side Dish Host, over at RWOP. And I can't blame the judges for picking her. This side dish is so different and fabulous! I first had the chance to try the creme brulee in Toronto, at the RWOP Gala. Let me tell you, it was one of my favourite dishes from the night. Elise had mentioned that the Chef had made a few changes to her recipe, so when I found half a head of cauliflower in the back of the fridge that desperately needed to be rescued, I immediately thought of this recipe.

Photo Courtesy of Cathy Bray

Elise was right, the Chef at the Thompson Hotel had modified it, but the original recipe was just as good as what I remembered. I love how quick this comes together and how you can assemble it before hand, waiting until the last minute to broil and crisp the top. The combination of savory cheeses with a hint of sweetness and heat is intoxicating and almost addictive. Since I didn't have individual souffle cups, I made this in a small casserole dish and served it family style. By the end of dinner, there was only a tiny portion left, which I claimed for lunch the next day. It truly is a recipe, that is so unique and creative; I hope you give it a try.

Cauliflower Creme Brulee
Submitted by Elise Copps-Smith via RWOP

Breaking away from boring side dishes can be a challenge, but with this simple spin on a favourite dessert in your recipe arsenal, vegetables will soon be taking centre stage at your dinner table.

1/2 to whole head cauliflower
1 tsp. of butter
1 small onion
1 tbsp. of brown sugar
3 tbsp. of raw brown sugar
1 tbsp. of Parmesan
1/2 cup(s) of Philadelphia cream cheese
1/8 tsp. of cayenne
1/4 tsp. of salt
1/4 tsp. of pepper

Preheat your broiler. (500 degrees)

Depending on the size of your cauliflower, you will need to use between 1/2 and a whole head. Remove the leaves and core, and chop the florets and stalks into small pieces until you have roughly 4 cups. Place 1 tbsp of water and a pinch of salt into a casserole dish, add your cauliflower, and steam in the microwave for 5-6 minutes until tender.

Heat butter in a pan over high heat. Roughly chop onion and add to pan, stirring until covered with melted butter. Reduce heat to med/med-low and add 1 tbsp brown sugar. Stir until combined. Remove onions from heat when they are translucent and lightly browned.

In a small bowl, combine raw brown sugar and Parmesan cheese. Stir until completely mixed.

In a food processor, combine steamed cauliflower, quick caramelized onions, Philadelphia cream cheese, cayenne, salt and pepper. Blend for a few minutes, scraping sides, until mixture becomes a smooth purée.

Divide mixture evenly among 4 ramekins, and smooth the purée to create a flat surface. Sprinkle a generous portion of your sugar/Parmesan mixture onto each serving, coating the cauliflower completely. Give the ramekins a little shake to level out the sugar.

Place under the broiler on a baking sheet for 1-2 minutes until the sugar has created a hard, brown candy coating. Remove from the oven and serve immediately. To prepare this side dish in advance, refrigerate your ramekins after filling them with purée. Right before serving, add the sugar topping and broil. Whether you are making it for a simple supper, or an elegant dinner party, you will be stunned by how easy this recipe is to prepare. With veggies this delicious, who needs dessert?

This post linked to

Friday Favorites
Foodie Friday
Fat Camp Friday
Friday Potluck

Blue Cheese Potato Soup and a Giveaway

2011-10-05T21:29:00.000-04:00

Recently, the lovely people at Andrew McMeel Publishing sent me a copy of Lynn Alley's new cookbook-50 Simple Soups for the Slow Cooker. I was super excited to receive this cookbook, since I love soup and anything I can make in the slow cooker, is a dream come true. I quickly skimmed through the book, only to bookmark many recipes that caught my eye. This potato soup was one of the first recipes I bookmarked. I mentioned it to Hubby, who agreed that this should be one of the first soups we try.

When Lynn says simple, she means simple. The soup took about 10 minutes to assemble and after the potatoes were done cooking, it literally took a few minutes to finish off. The flavor was fabulous. The pungent and tangy blue cheese made the soup so creamy, despite the absence of cream. I loved the garnish of rosemary at the end, though Hubby would have loved if the rosemary would have cooked with the potatoes, to infuse them with the flavour as well. This is a perfect savory soup for those cold winter nights, that make you want to put on fuzzy PJs and sink into something warm and comforting.

Blue Cheese Potato Soup
Adapted from Lynn Alley's 50 Simple Soups for the Slow Cooker
printable version

2 Tbs butter or ghee
1 medium onion, chopped
2 celery ribs, sliced
1 1/2 lbs small red or white potatoes, skins on
6 C water
8 oz blue cheese (domestic, Roquefort, Gorgonzola, or your favorite)
4 cloves garlic
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Chopped fresh rosemary, for garnishing

In a large saute pan, melt the butter over medium heat and saute the onion for about 10 minutes, or until slightly browned. Add the celery and cook for 2 minutes longer. Transfer the onion and celery to a 7 quart slow cooker and add the potatoes (but no water). Cover and cook on LOW for about 4 hours, or until the potatoes are very tender.

Add the water and blue cheese. Using a garlic press, mince the garlic into the soup. Add the salt to taste.

Using a handheld immersion blender, puree some of the ingredients to give the soup thickness and texture. For a more rustic feel, you can simply mash some of the potatoes with a potato masher. I like to leave it very lumpy and rustic looking with plenty of skin intact.

Ladle soup into bowl. Grind the fresh pepper over the tip and serve garnishes with rosemary.

Since I was so excited about the cookbook, I contacted Andrew McMeel Publishing to thank them for sending it to me. When I mentioned wanting to purchase a copy, to offer to my readers, they generously offered to send one lucky HWFD? reader a copy of this awesome cookbook. With recipes like Black Bean Chili with Cornbread Crust and Spiced Apple Pie Soup, who wouldn't want to win a copy!

So, I am giving you all the chance to win a copy of Lynn's brand new book, which was just released on Sept 27th. All you have to do is leave me a comment, telling me your favourite thing to make in your slow cooker*. The giveaway will run from now, until Oct 31st. I will announce the winner on November 1st.
*If you'd like an extra entry, become a fan of Hun...What's for Dinner? on Facebook and leave me a comment saying you have or already are.

This post linked to

Cookbook Sunday
Hearth and Soul
Full Plate Thursday
Turning the Table Thursday

Skull Cupcakes

2011-10-04T08:03:00.000-04:00

Halloween is in less than 3 weeks and I've been getting us into the spirit with some fun Halloween themed cupcakes. I plan on posting a Halloween inspired cupcake, every Tuesday, until Halloween. The kids are loving it, and so are the neighbours, since I love to share my creations. These skull cupcakes are a combination of fun and creepiness. Slightly spooky, but too yummy to pass up. The perfect Halloween goody.

These cupcakes are so simple to make. I first saw them on the Family Fun website. I was so curious to see how they had extended the cupcake, to make the jaw of the skull.The original recipe called for half of a large marshmallow, but I only had mini ones, so I used two (end to end). Once frosted, they really give these cupcakes a jaw like shape. The kids thought they were super cool, as did Hubby. (And it's hard to impress him with cupcakes, since he's not a big fan of them). I made a homemade white icing, so I will include the recipe for that as well.

Skull Cupcakes
Adapted from Family Fun Magazine

12 marshmallows
Confectioners' sugar
24 unfrosted cupcakes (white or yellow works best)
White frosting
Junior Mints, chocolate chips, and slivered almonds

Cut the marshmallows in half widthwise using kitchen shears dipped in confectioners' sugar (this keeps them from sticking).

Sweet Skull - Step 2 Carefully pull each cupcake liner partially away from the cake and tuck half a marshmallow between the paper and the cupcake to create the skull's jaw.

Frost each cupcake and marshmallow, then add Junior Mints with white frosting dots for eyes, a chocolate chip nose, and slivered almond teeth.

White Frosting

1/3 C shortening
1 tsp almond extract
2 C powdered sugar
2-3 Tbs half and half

Mix the shortening with the almond extract and powdered sugar, until well combined. Thin to desired consistency with half and half; starting with 2 Tbs and adding more if needed.

This post linked to

Make a Food-'e'-Friend Monday
Delicious Dishes
Cupcake Tuesday
Tasty Tuesday
Made it on Monday
These Chicks Cooked
Sweets for a Saturday
Bake with Bizzy

Meal Plan Monday Oct 3, 2011

2011-10-03T09:30:00.000-04:00

Happy Monday!

Well, we are now in October and the start of a new month has also brought the cold weather. We are just getting a glance at what the next few months will bring, LOL. I don't mind one bit, I'll take cold and rainy, over cold and snowy any day, LOL. We are slowly gearing up for the excitement the month of October brings. Next week will be Thanksgiving, here in Canada. Hubby will be working, as usual, so it'll be just me and the kids again this year. Although I'd love to celebrate with the rest of my family, I'm OK with having a small dinner here with the kids. Maybe we'll have a Thanksgiving lunch, rather than dinner, so Hubby can enjoy some of the yumminess. Special occasion lunches seem to be turning into a tradition, LOL.

Not a whole lot going on this week. Hubby will be off Wed-Thurs, so we'll take that time to clean out the garage, so we can get one vehicle in there, during the winter. I have a few new recipes planned for the week and am excited about cooking some of our favourite cold weather foods. There is nothing better than a bowl of soup or chili, when it's cold and rainy outside. So here is out menu for the week

Lemon, Broccoli and Chickpea Pasta (new recipe) with garlic bread
Peameal Bacon sandwiches with roasted squash
Potato and Blue Cheese Soup (new recipe) with homemade rolls
Chili with Honey Corn Bread (new recipe)
Chili cheese fries with a salad
Shrimp Creole (new recipe)
leftovers

Head over to OrgJunkie.com, for more great meal plans!