Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Wishing you all the best over the holidays and into the New Year!

Eat, Drink and Be Merry!!!

November - the month that never was

So this radio silence that I've been on has been because I have been sick since Thanksgiving.  It started with a bad cold, followed by a virus or two, bronchitis and an ear-infection culminating in pneumonia.  It has been a tough two months...  I have never been this sick before.  I could not eat and had a fever for almost five weeks straight.  I am still not 100% and the doctor told me it would be a good two to three weeks before I would be back to myself.  I basically lived on soup, tea and toast.  After a while, my stomach got so messed up by all the antibiotics and anti-viral that I couldn't even drink tea!  Crazy! Basically, I lost all of November.  All the things I wanted to do around the garden, the house and with cooking went up the window.  And this was going to be the year when I would be really prepared for Christmas.  I did manage to do almost all of my shopping on line, but I was quite worried that I would not be able to do anything to prepare us for Christmas.  The only positive thing has been that I lost 13 lbs!  But I have been to sick to enjoy it!
But I am feeling better, relatively speaking.

Another week...

Monday: Spaghetti with tomato sauce
Tuesday:  Pork chops with roasted veggies and coleslaw
Wednesday:  Beef tacos with all the fixings
Thursday:  Turkey pot pie with Cesar salad
Friday: Pierogi with sour cream
Saturday:  tba
Sunday: tba

It's a pretty straight forward meal plan.  I like to keep the weekend meals open to see where we are and who we see, also what may inspire us!  We're going to have friends over for brunch so I am planning that out already - definitely some kind of waffles, baked bacon, fruit salad and something eggy.  Fun!  I baked the pumpkin cupcakes again, and we are really enjoying them!  I will also make some soup so that we can have it for lunch and in case of emergencies!

Meal plan

Monday- Macaroni and cheese with spinach salad
Tuesday- Proscutto wrapped chicken with mac n cheese & broccoli
Wednesday - Salmon with couscous salad & buttered peas
Thursday- Beef barley soup with crudites
Friday - Orange chicken in the slow cooker with rice
Saturday - out
Sunday- tba

Special request: Ribs

 We've all been sick for weeks now, so to cheer us up, I've started taking special requests.  Mr. T asked for ribs.  He is such a little man!  My favourite recipe for ribs is Hubby's Kentucky style ribs done on the barbecue.  I, however, am also sick, so I could not commit myself to such an undertaking.  I decided on an easier, fail safe option: the slow cooker.  I tried a new recipe from Canadian Living : http://www.canadianliving.com/food/fall_off_the_bone_ribs_in_barbecue_sauce.php

I have made ribs in the slow cooker before, but knew that I could do better.  I liked this recipe because it included an overnight dry rub and broiling in the oven, before going into the slow cooker.  Also, I liked how it wasn't drowning in sauce because Mr. T is not a sauce loving guy.

The ribs going into the slow cooker.  The magic will happen while we are out at after school art class.

After six hours on high in the slow cooker.

 The feast awaits!  Boiled baby potatoes and baked beans to accompany the fall-off-the-bone ribs.

 A close up of the ribs - I just couldn't resist this close-up!

 A Halloween inspired creation!

One happy, though sick, foodie!
I loved this meal because, though it required a bit off effort in planning, it was pretty easy to prepare and the results were amazing.  I  put the ribs into the slow cooker in the afternoon and the meal was perfectly ready when we came home after a long Friday.  I think that I will make Friday my slow cooker day from now on.  We have an activity smack in the middle of the dinner hour and by the end of the week, it is just too easy to do take-out. 
I recommend you try this- it's good enough for company, too!

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

I made these the other day for a baking exchange.  Our theme was autum, but I think everyone used pumpkin in their baking!  I considered making an applesauce cake that is super moist and yummy, but wanted to try something new and different.  The recipe I went with was from Canadian Living- I don't love the magazine but their website is pretty good!  I actually used two recipes this week from them. 

Here is the link for the recipe:
http://www.canadianliving.com/food/quick_and_easy/pumpkin_cupcakes_with_cream_cheese_icing.php  

I used more cinnamon in mine and switched to light cream cheese to make things a tiny bit healthier! I also decorated them a bit differently.

I just picked up new baking soda and baking powder and it made a huge difference in how well these muffins rose in the oven.

The kids and Hubby were fighting over the beaters!  Next time I will add a dash of cinnamon and orange liquer to the frosting.

 Frosted cupcakes waiting for delivery.

The final touch to make them more festive!  These were so good that I am going to make them again for school snacks without the frosting.  Maybe I'll add some chocolate chips to make them more fun, but they were so moist and rich tasting that they don't need anythign extra done to them.

The Sick Days of Autumn

Flu season has just started and we're already crazy sick. That means only comfort food for us this week. After a tough night with Little D who had a fever and upset tummy, it was time to call in the soothing powers of oatmeal. He loves it, but we're still working on Mr. T...

Apple and Cinnamon Oatmeal

2 cups water
1 cup large flake oatmeal
1/2 apple, grated
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla
maple syrup to taste
golden raisins to taste
milk
(I also sneak in a teaspoon of ground flax, ground chia and wheatgerm when no one is looking.)

Cook the oatmeal with the grated apple.  Add cinnamon and vanilla to the pot.  Spoon into bowls and top with raisins, maple syrup (the boys like to see how much I put on) and milk.

It's like a hug in a bowl on a cold fall morning.  I could eat oatmeal everyday.  Sometimes I substitute in some peaches and it tastes pretty close to the peaches and cream prepackaged ones that the kids love, but have half the sugar and way more nutrients.  We've been gradually moving towards the healthier, whole grains out there.  We started with the instant and moved on to the large flake.  Next step is steel cut oats, which I really enjoy but the kids and Hubby find have too much "bite."  Slow and steady- I'll have them eating it yet!

Another week

Monday: Pierogi with sour cream and baby carrots
Tuesday: Veggie soup with toast and salad
Wednesday:  Beef and broccoli stir fry (+ baking day!)
Thursday:  Prosciutto wrapped chicken with roasted potatoes and peas
Friday: Shrimp with quinoa and fruit salad
Saturday:  out to dinner
Sunday:  tba

I'm participating in Trail of Crumbs and am searching the web for a pumpkin dessert.  I think cupcakes with a cream cheese frosting- there are so many choices...

Beef-broccoli stir fry with rice and quinoa.

An uninspired meal plan

I've been searching the web all day for inspiration without success.  Yesterday was a quick pasta dinner at 7pm after a busy afternoon of after school activities.  Many of the blogs I visit had very uninspired meal ideas for this week.  But, after a quick visit to the grocery store today I've nailed it down.  It doesn't help that I've been fighting a bad cold for two weeks (I finally caved and am currently medicated).  I hate it when I have something that chicken soup can't heal.... 

Monday: Pasta shells with tomato sauce and spinach salad
Tuesday: Panko Pork Chops with boiled baby potatoes and carrots and peas
Wednesday:  Chicken korma with rice pilaf and cauliflower-potato curry
Thursday:  Garlic-butter shrimp with quinoa and sauteed spinach
Friday:  Beef-barley soup with toast
Saturday:  An anniversary feast -TBA
Sunday:  Meatloaf with mashed potatoes

Thanksgiving 2011

Thanksgiving long weekend came and went.  It was a low key holiday for us this year since we only saw one side of the family.  Nonetheless, I had to made a turkey!  Any excuse available, I like to have a turkey in the house!  There are so many possibilities!  I made it for the Saturday and we had dinner ready for the next three days!

I got a $20 turkey!  ($1.99 / pound at Metro and I got the second last one for that deal!!!)  We got one Thanksgiving feast out of it, hot turkey sandwiches (twice), two pot pies and soup!  Now that was a bargain!  It was the fist time I bough a regular turkey, as in not pre-basted, and it turned out very moist, though I noticed one side of it was more thoroughly cooked than the other, and I did turn it occasionally.  I think- gasp!- my oven is acting up!

This is the recipe I use for my pot pie, thought I use some homemade stock and half and half cream instead of the canned soup.
http://www.kraftcanada.com/en/recipes/grams-chicken-pot-pie-108134.aspx
I've prepared it and it's sitting in the fridge waiting to get popped into the oven.  It's a busy day so I had to plan ahead.  Very looking forward to these left-overs!

Turkey pot pie just out of the oven.

A Day at the Peach Farm

First things first, there was the taste test.

Beauty

Little D. using a step stool to reach the high spots

We couldn't stop picking!

The tractor ride back to the homestead.

The bounty!

Hamming it up!

A chicken wrap for dinner!

All in all, we picked close to 35 lbs of peaches and nectarines.  They were heavenly!  I made a pie, a crumble and a cobbler.  To Die For!  So good.  I know I took some pictures and am searching for them now.  I also froze some sliced up fruit for smoothies and a winter time peach pie.  We're already getting excited fo apples season!

Gotta Eat!

Monday: Gnocchi with sauce and veggies with dip
Tuesday: Chicken noodle soup with a Caesar salad
Wednesday: Waffles and turkey bacon with a fruit salad
Thursday: Pierogi with red barszcz
Friday: Split pea soup with garlic cheese bread
Saturday: Steaks with roasted potatoes and salad
Sunday: Out! (hot dogs for lunch)

We're still trying to figure out our weekly routine- some of our activities start this week but we're really going to nail things down next week when everything does begin. I haven't baked too much lately because we are also in the middle of a renovation and I have been running around picking up odds and ends.   However,  I hope to bake some muffins (for a school snack) and a cake or crumble this week.  I'm also trying to clear out my freezer and pantry because I have a bit of a collection of "in case of emergency" foods!

Food!

Monday: Cheese quesadillas with black-eyed peas salad
Tues: Breaded cod, roasted potatoes and honey carrots
Wed: Shrimp stir fry (with broccoli, zucchini, red peppers) & noodles
Thurs: Breaded pork with roasted potatoes and veggies with dip
Fri: pizza
Sat: out!
Sun: out, too!

Thursday I am going to make zucchini soup so that I can pack it in a thermos for Little D on Friday, plus, it will save me some work too.

Meal Plan Monday.

We're enjoying all the fruits and veggies that the season has to offer.  I picked up a gorgeous cauliflower and broccoli the other day!  They will be featured a few times in the week.  We're trying get a grip on our waist lines, but it is slow going.  There is too much good food around to eat!

Monday:  Pasta primavera with garlic bread
Tuesday:  Grilled chicken with rice and steamed broccoli
Wednesday:  Fish sandwiches with salad
Thursday:  Steak with baked potatoes & grilled veggies
Friday:   Cauliflower soup with bread
Saturday:  Chicken on the barbie with grilled polenta
Sunday: Out!  Probably the Spaghetti Factory!

Some yummy things.

 

 

Zapiekanki out of the oven

We had so many zapiekanki (Polish grilled street food) while on our holiday that we really felt like we were in withdrawal after we returned home.  I decided to remedy that by making some.  They turned out so well, Hubby said that they were tastier than in Krakow (but I'm sure he just said that to get me to make more :-)  They turned out nice and crispy!

Mushroom Zapiekanki

4 Italian sausage buns
1 package of cremini mushrooms, finely chopped
1/2 purple onion, finely chopped
shredded cheese (fontina and cheddar)
butter for sauteing
salt and pepper
Ketchup

Spread some butter on the sliced buns and preheat the broiler.  Saute the onions and mushrooms with salt and pepper until they start to brown.  Top the bread with the mushroom mixture, cover with cheese and place under the broiler until the cheese melts (just a minute or two). Top with ketchup or horseradish cream.

Ready for a bite

Cornmeal waffles with blueberries

 It is blueberry season and we have been indulging!  For breakfast, lunch and dinner we've been enjoying these little gems!

Short Stacked

Blueberry custard pie ready for the oven

Out of the oven

 This is my new favourite pie.  It was so good and easy to make!  I got the recipe from the Martha Stewart site, again.  Originally it was to be made with raspberries, but we ate them up before I could make anything else with them.  I will try that recipe tomorrow since we went raspberry picking today.  I like that there is only one layer of pastry and lots of cream!

Bucket o Berries

Blueberry smoothie

 And when it is too hot to cook a BLT is always welcome.  It's a nice dinner option for families with kids because everyone can customize their sandwich and there is no major fuss with doing that.  Mr. T ate everything separately and had his bread with honey, Little D made a sandwich without any veggies (like Daddy) and this was my creation.  It was lovely!

BLT with avocado

Rainy day

Yikes, it's already Wednesday!  We've been so busy that I haven't even thought about what we're eating this week at all.  Luckily, we ate out a few times and have accumulated a whole fridge of leftovers from my parents.  Today is a rainy day and I feel like I am finally catching my breath.  Rainy days during a hot summer are a blessing.  I get to catch up on things like ironing and laundry without feeling like I'm missing out on all the fun to be had outside, plus the lawn gets watered with me having to drag  the hose all around the garden.  It's also nice to lay in bed and read for a bit.  I decided it would be a good day to make a pie with some of the blueberries left over from our last berry picking excursion.  I found this recipe on Martha Stewart but have substituted blueberries because we used up all the raspberries already (http://www.marthastewart.com/343295/raspberry-custard-pie)  It's in the oven right now and looks very promising.  Fingers crossed.

So here is a quick meal plan for the rest of the week:

Wednesday: Pasta in tomato cream sauce(with all the leftovers), salad  and Blueberry Custard Pie
Thursday:  Bacon, tomato and avocado sandwiches with a salad
Friday: Cherry pierogi with sour cream and sugar
Saturday: Pork chops on the barbecue with some roasted veggies and garlic bread
Sunday: Hamburgers on the barbecue with quinoa salad or more roasted veggies

Raspberry Pie

The raspberries ready to go into the pie

Preparing the crust

Enjoying some mussels in white wine while waiting for the pie

Just out of the oven

Cutting into it

Oh yeah, it was as good as it looked!

Summer Fun

It's been a busy summer so far.  My weekly meal plans keep getting changed.  We roll with the punches and make whatever is easiest- it's far too nice to stay indoors and cook elaborate meals.  We've been eating light  because we are consuming way too much fro yo and ice-cream.  This week, I am going to try to clear out the pantry and freezer a bit.  A few weeks ago my fridge conked out.  I lost lots of food from the fridge and freeze, but I also saved a lot of good stuff.  Now, I don't want to over fill the fridge and freezer, though I have a crazy phobia of having no food to eat (not possible, I know, that's why it's something I'm working on).  We've been enjoying the barbecue and trying to get the boys to try salads.  They like fresh and cooked veggies a lot, but when it comes to fresh lettuce or spinach with dressing it's a no go.  Slow and steady.  Tonight, we're going to have a nice meal since we are staying at home.  The pie will be in the oven soon!  We hit Andrews' Scenic Acres yesterday with some great family and picked many lovely raspberries and blueberries.  Hubby's favourite is raspberry pie.  He did a good job picking all those berries and today he will be rewarded with a lovely pie.  I am going to try a new recipe for the pastry- cream cheese pastry.  It sounds like it will be a nice compliment to the tartness of the raspberries.  Will post photos later!  Now off to work!

Sunday:  Mussels in white wine broth with crusty bread and green salad with raspberry pie
Monday:  Pasta with tomato sauce and salad
Tuesday:  Waffles with bacon and fruit salad (maybe watermelon-feta salad)
Wednesday:  Panko crusted tilapia with rice and peas
Thursday: out
Friday:  Tuna salad sandwiches with crudites
Saturday:  Family barbecue - perhaps chicken wings
Sunday: out

Another meal plan

I've been very disinterested in cooking lately since I don't want to spend any time in the kitchen.  Here are a few things to keep things simple and not use the stove/oven too much.


Monday:  Slaskie kluski with butter (dumplings with butter) & pears
Tuesday: Spaghetti with meatballs & salad
Wednesday:  Chicken kabobs with rice & salad
Thursday: Out
Friday: Breaded tilapia with rice pilaf
Saturday:  Burgers on the BBQ with veggies
Sunday: out! (Marineland here we come!)


If it gets too hot, we're having cereal for dinner.  I've already done it a few times in the past.  The kids think it's fun and it is healthy, so why not.  Sometimes I need a break and we're doing our best to keep away from fast food....  That being said, we had McFlurries for dessert after soccer tonight and they were great!  Win some, lose some.

Summer Meal plan!

Monday: Pasta with tomato sauce & salad with a cherry clafouti (Soccer)
Tuesday:  Hot dogs on a bun with veggies and dip
Wednesday:  Chicken on the barbecue with roasted potatoes
Thursday: Citrus Tilapia with rice & peas
Friday: Chili with nachos (Indy)
Saturday:  Burgers on the grill with roasted veggies
Sunday:  Wild card!

Summer is here and the living is easy....  This week we are doing swimming lessons in the mornings!  We are going to be riding our bikes there and back and just enjoying the laid back feel of not having to rush to and from school.  I'm making a meal plan to help myself relax and not have to scramble at dinnertime. 

Soup de Jour

You know you talk too much about food when you say biscotti and your 4 year old says "That means twice baked."  On that note, I made an awesome soup today.  I got creative with some leftovers and came up with Pea Shooter Soup as it was quickly renamed by the boys as an homage to Zombies Vs. Aliens.  Here is the soup that will keep the undead away(fingers crossed).

Pea Shooter Soup
2 cups chicken broth
1/3 cup diced onion
1/3 cup diced celery
1 1/2 cup frozen peas
1 1/2 cup leftover mashed potatoes
1 bunch of parsley
a few leaves of lettuce
1 tablespoon of sour cream
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon of canola oil

Lightly saute onion and celery in oil in a medium pot.  When it gets fragrant, add broth, peas, celery, lettuce, parsley and potatoes.  Let simmer for about 10-15 minutes.  Remove from heat, add sour cream and puree with a handheld mixer.  Add salt and pepper and enjoy!  We had it with some toast and hummus.  The boys each had three bowls once they renamed it!

Pea Shooter Soup

Meal plan for the last week of school

Monday: Bow tie Alfredo, salad with homemade dressing and a fresh French loaf (Soccer night)
Tuesday: Hot dogs with oven fries (play dates galore)
Wednesday: Steak fajitas with grilled veggies (Cruise night at Applewood)
Thursday: Out  (Last day of school & Capy Gala)
Friday: Chicken souvlaki with lemon potatoes and salad (Canada Day hike)
Saturday:  Chicken tikka with rice pilaf and peas (soccer morning)
Sunday:  Breaded lemon tilapia with leftover rice and fruit salad

This coming week is going to be a nice mix of easy meals because we're enjoying being outside a lot.  The boys have been staying after school and playing with their friends to their hearts' content.  We tend to stay for an hour or two.  I think this year they will be missing their friends over the summer.  I am making plans to keep in touch with the other moms and kids, whom we've befriended over the last two years.  It's been nice finding people that you can chat with while the kids play!

Monday is soccer day so I always try to make an easy meal. I am trying Meatless Mondays and that is going well.  I made bow tie Alfredo (because I didn't have enough fettuccine noodles, though I thought it was great with the fun shape).  I got the recipe from one of my favourite cookbooks, The Joy of Cooking.

Fettuccine Alfredo
1 lbs broad pasta- 1 box of bow ties
1/2 stick of butter, though I used a bit less
1 cup cream
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
salt & pepper
chopped parsley for colour

Boil the pasta.  In the meantime, melt butter in a large pan.  Drain pasta and add to butter.  Pour in cream, cheese and parsley.  Mix together over low heat until everything comes together.  Enjoy!

Magic of Yumminess

It really is so easy to make, it's crazy!  I tend to make it whenever I have leftover whipping cream from baking.  The first time I ever had fettuccine Alfredo was at the Olive Garden about 20 years ago and every time I make it, I think back to that magical meal!  Yum! And now I make it for my family and they love it.  The boys had three servings with lots of fresh bread dipped in olive oil on the side.  I was lucky yesterday and went to the Distillery District and picked up this lovely white loaf with whole grains!  Oh, I wish I'd bought two...

The end is near!

Strawberry Summer Cake and a Cuppa

A beauty!

 Strawberry season is here and we have been enjoying it!  I made this tasty dish earlier in the week and it was amazing and easy!  I found the recipe on one of my favourite blogs.  Here is a link- I recommend trying it for sure! http://smittenkitchen.com/2011/05/strawberry-summer-cake/  I am looking forward to visiting Andrew' Scenic Acres for strawberry picking- I hope to make a pie and some freezer jam.
I also participated in the Trail of crumbs bake exchange and our theme this month was strawberries, as well.  I made Strawberry-Shortcake cookies.  Very nice!  I found them on Martha Stewart's site:  http://www.marthastewart.com/315652/strawberry-shortcake-cookies  They went so fast that there was no opportunity for a photo.  I think that is a good sign!

Little D's burger and chips

Steaks with mushrooms

It's been another week of playing catch-up!  The boys are almost done with school and I am almost done my post vacation organizing.  I just started to look through the photos that we took, but am nowhere close to making an album or anything.  I kinda miss the days when you just dropped off the roll and picked it up a few days later.  Now that we can view everything on the computer, we never make hard copies. I miss flipping through the photos manually...
I've been pretty busy in the kitchen this week and am getting ready to bake some cookies for the boys' year end party today.  I found a great recipes for chocolate chip cookies on a stick and I will fancy them up by throwing in some smarties.  I blabbed about them to some moms at school so there is no turning back now!

 

Vegetarian chili with basmati rice

Back to reality

We have returned from a three week vacation to Poland. (I'll do some posts later about all the amazing things we did, saw and ate!)   I only made occasional breakfasts so I had the longest break from cooking ever-  still did laundry, for the record though not the usual amount.  Now, it is back to reality.  I'm going to scale back our eating and try to go a bit lighter.  We ate a lot of meat and ice-cream on our holiday so I want to have a bit more veggie and seafood meals.  On that note, we finished off our holiday with grilled steak with portobellos, baked potato and green salad.  That was Hubby's idea, I wanted to have veggie burgers....

So this is what the week will look like:

Monday: Vegetarian chili with rice and salad (Soccer)
Tuesday: Tilapia with rice and sauteed bok choy
Wednesday: Turkey burgers with caramelized onion, oven fries and cucumber salad (mizeria)
Thursday: Sausages on the BBQ with grilled mushrooms and quinoa salad
Friday: Pasta with sauce and salad
Saturday:  TBA (maybe steak fajitas) (Soccer)
Sunday: Father's Day BBQ

For lunch we're going to have mostly soups and I am going to have onion sandwiches (Vidalia onions are in season!) And I still need to decide what to make for Hubby for his Father's Day breakfast.  I think we'll go with bacon and eggs and freshly squeezed OJ... Fun times ahead!

I want to learn to make a few more Polish meals in the months ahead and master the art of making zapiekanki and pierogi.

Spring

 

 

Pink Primroses

What we did before the rain

Smoke salmon and creme fraiche canapes

 We hosted Mother's Day this year and were inspired by the Royal wedding to have tea sandwiches for brunch.  The big hits were these salmon bites and the cucumber, watercress sandwiches.  It had turned out to be a beautiful day so we even got to enjoy the back yard a bit!  Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there.

Pizzeria Pizza!

So I tried making my own pizza crust about a year or so ago and I think that I am finally getting the hang of it!  My side had roasted red peppers, olives and anchovies!!!!  So good.  The other side had sausage and cheese and tasted great, too.  Now, I make a big batch of dough and leave half in the fridge for a quick lunch.  We had cheese pizza yesterday and it was so tasty and just as quick as a frozen one and way healthier!  Yay!  The most creative we've gotten so far was with pesto, mushrooms and goat cheese.  I still need to work on rolling it out more evenly, but they are starting to resemble pizza shapes!

Off to pick up soccer gear

Striker ready to score!

Go Limes!  The soccer season is upon us.  This is Little D's third year and he's very enthusiastic.  He knows almost everyone on the team and is very excited about his new cleats and the snacks, of course!