Mmm...is for Mommy

Long Weekend Grilling Fever!

2012-05-25T22:25:00.000-03:00

Last weekend was Victoria Day weekend here in Canada, and the American Memorial Day weekend is getting into high gear right about now. Although both of these holidays are observed for different reasons, they both symbolize one thing for many of us... the official start of summer.

It's the best time of the year, before we start whining about having to mow the lawn again or griping that it's just too hot (oh no, it's not the heat, it's the humidity)... all we know is that we don't need to wear multiple layers of clothes just to run to the mailbox, we just got to get out the grill (although I have been known to spark up the 'Q' from time to time in the winter, it is never a totally enjoyable experience), and it feels GOOD!

I was totally pumped earlier today when I received two cookbooks from the awesome group of people at Cooking Light...

I got both Cooking Light Big Book of Salads: Starters, Sides and Easy Weeknight Dinners and

Cooking Light Way to Cook Grilling: The Complete Visual Guide to Healthy Grilling. I've been looking through both of them this evening and these two cookbooks definitely go hand in hand. I am more excited than ever to learn more about cooking on the grill beyond burgers and dogs. I can't wait to make and share a lot of these recipes with you, including the Jalapeño-Lime Slaw and Tequila-Glazed Grilled Chicken Thighs... what a combo that would be! With a menu like that, I think I'll also be testing out Cooking Light's Pina Colada recipe makeover as well.

Thinking beyond burgers and dogs, what is the most creative meal you've made on the grill? I'd love to know what you've had work, and what just well, flopped.

Helllloooooo Summer! I've missed you!
xox

Cooking Light's Spinach, Walnut, and Curried Apple Salad

2012-05-23T00:00:00.000-03:00

We were having ribs last night for dinner and let's face it, baby back ribs are just not going to make it to Cooking Light's pages. Life is all about balance though, so I went looking on CookingLight.com for a healthy side that used ingredients I had on hand.

This warm salad is a nice combo of sweet and spicy, soft and crunchy. I subbed out the bacon for some sliced mini bella mushrooms and shredded mozzarella... one cut of pork in a meal is enough (whoa, did I just say that?). You can find the full recipe here. While you are there, check out these other Great Summer Salads... try a combo you've never done before, it might become a new favourite!

Enjoy!

Special K Cracker Chips Review

2012-05-22T22:40:00.001-03:00

Last week I received a shipment of the new Special K Cracker Chips to try. I got a box of each flavour; Original, Cheddar and Sour Cream & Onion.

While we normally have some sort of similar snack in the house, there hasn't been any that have given me an actual 'chip' feeling, but these do. They are really crunchy, the thickness is just right, as is the size of the chips. At only 80 calories per 18 chips, I don't feel quite so guilty about dipping them (or eating half a box). I liked the Original and the Sour Cream & Onion the most, as did the friends who I had sample the cracker chips with me. The Cheddar were still good, but I didn't love the flavouring, it could use more zip.

As for the chip itself, it is low in saturated fat, trans fat free as well as free of any artificial flavours and colours... hooray!

You can find Special K Cracker Chips in the cracker aisle, even though I agree, they could double in the chip aisle as well.

Disclosure: I received free product to try/review should I choose. Opinions, as always, are my own.

Extraordinary Cheese Dip

2012-05-22T22:19:00.000-03:00

If you're Canadian, and you've ever been to an Epicure party, you've probably tried this hot dip. Since becoming an Epicure consultant myself, I've made this dip a lot... and it rarely leaves the house, hehe. The blend of cheese and herbs in all it's melty goodness is irresistible. Here's the smaller version that I make, that is only slightly different from the original.

Extraordinary Cheese Dip
Adapted from Epicure Selections

1/2 block (1/2 cup) cream cheese, regular or light
1/4 cup sour cream, regular or light
1/4 cup mayo, regular or light
1/4 cup grated sharp or old cheddar cheese
1/4 cup grated mozzarella
1/2 tsp Epicure's Seasoning for Cheese, Chives & Bacon Dip
1/2 tsp Epicure's Lemon Dilly Dip Mix
1/2 tsp Epicure's 3 Onion Dip Mix

Mix all ingredients together well, by hand or in a food processor. Scrape into a small oven-proof dish like Epicure's mini baker, and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 20 minutes.

If you are outside of Canada, I'm sorry for the tease. Perhaps a trip north this summer is in order?

Enjoy! (and feel free to contact me any time if you have any questions about ordering Epicure products, hosting a tasting party or becoming a consultant yourself, I'd love to have you on my team!)

Yello Dolly Bars

2012-05-18T16:39:00.002-03:00

I was at the Bulk Barn last week and instantly transformed into 'crow' mode... I was drawn to anything bright and shiny. This drew me to two brand new items, lemon chips and rainbow coconut. Okay, I've seen rainbow coconut before but never in all my days have I seen or even heard of lemon chips... my head started swirling with all the possibilities. Swapping lemon chips for chocolate chips, adding them to anything blueberry, biscotti... and on and on and on. This morning, the Yello Dolly Bar was born...

Based on the classic Hello Dolly Bars, these totally addictive treats have an Arrowroot cookie crust, almonds, rainbow coconut and of course, lemon chips.

My Yello Dolly Bars

1 1/2 sleeves Arrowroot (baby) cookies

2/3 cups melted unsalted butter

pinch of salt

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 1/3 cups chopped almonds

1 1/3 cups rainbow coconut

1 1/3 cups lemon chips

Line the bottom of a 9 x 13" baking pan with parchment paper. In a food processor, turn Arrowroots into crumbs. Add in the melted butter/salt and pulse to combine. Pat lightly and evenly into bottom of baking pan. Pour entire can of sweetened condensed milk over the crust, no need to spread it out perfectly, then sprinkle with nuts, coconut and lemon chips. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes. Let cool and then cut into small squares. These freeze well, but it won't keep you from eating them... they taste great frozen too!

Oh lemon chips, I love you!

Enjoy!

Dishwasher 101 & Giveaway!

2012-05-17T21:46:00.002-03:00

When I found out that I was going to be a Finish Revolution Blogger, I had no idea that I had so much to learn about dishwashers... no wonder my husband always preferred to look after that job himself. >>READ MORE>>

BHBC - Where She Went

2012-05-17T00:00:00.000-03:00

This month the BlogHer Book Club is reading Gayle Forman's Where She Went, the sequel to her New York Times Bestseller If I Stay. Sadly, I didn't get a chance to read If I Stay before I read Where She Went, but funny enough I am still very excited to pick up a copy.

I love how this book is written, it shows just how much chaos we can create and how many decisions we are forced to make in the run of a day, let alone a lifetime... and how each moment has the ability to colour the rest of our lives. Where She Went takes place three years after the first novel and is written in the perspective of the male lead character, Adam, unlike the first, which was written in the perspective of the female lead, Mia. The raw emotions and extreme anxiety that Adam feels are so evident in Forman's words, making this a hard book to put down... I finished this one so fast my husband actually asked me yesterday when I was going to start reading it, he usually sees me with the same book for a week or so, so he was surprised when I told him I finished it last week.

Thanks #BHBC for selecting yet another great read!

Join the discussion here.

Disclosure: This is a compensated review from the BlogHer Book Club. Opinions, as always,

are my own.

Ham & Lentil Soup

2012-05-15T23:06:00.001-03:00

Last week, when I made my fougasse (my KitchenAid is still out for repair, but she's on the mend), I mentioned that we ate it with soup, well this is the one. Again, like a lot of my non-baking recipes, this recipe was developed out of necessity, using what I had in the kitchen that day.

This is a hearty, stick-to-your-ribs soup, and can easily be dinner on its own with some fresh baked bread or biscuits. The pesto lurks in the background, adding another layer of flavour, but not defining the soup. If you have any leftovers, they will be even more tasty the next day.

Thankfully, no kitchen appliances or utensils were harmed in the making of this soup :)

My Ham & Lentil Soup

Inspired by the soup at Closet Cooking

4-6 servings

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

2 cloves minced garlic

2 tsp herbes de Provence (or simply some thyme, rosemary or sage)

1 bay leaf

1 big handful baby carrots, sliced

1 tomato, chopped

1/4 cup white wine (optional)

1 900ml carton low-sodium chicken broth

1 cup green (or brown) lentils, rinsed

2 cups chopped cooked ham

1/4 cup basil pesto

Juice of 1/2 a fresh lemon

S&P to taste

In a soup pot or large Dutch oven, heat the olive oil and add in the onions and carrots. Cook for a few minutes, until they begin to soften and add in the garlic and herbes de Provence and tomato. Cook, stirring occasionally for another 2 to 3 minutes. Add the white wine and deglaze the pot. Then add in the lentils, ham, broth and bay leaf. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and allow to simmer, cover, for approximately 50 minutes. Stir in the pesto and a squeeze of fresh lemon, season with S&P and...

Enjoy!

Product Review - Swiss Naturals Calcium Chocolate Fudge Brownie Soft Chews

2012-05-14T19:00:00.000-03:00

During the month of April I was testing out the new Swiss Natural Calcium Chocolate Fudge Brownie Soft Chews.

Among so many other things (including heart/nerve health, strong bones and teeth) calcium is involved in regulating blood pressure, and I know sometimes I am just not getting enough calcium in my diet. My doctor put me on blood pressure medication in my mid-20's and I was on it until I was 34. Since my weight has crept up some over the past year, I really don't want to see my blood pressure creep up as well. So while I'm getting back on the ol' portion control and fitness regime, I'm also taking every step I can to avoid returning to medication... so if calcium can help regulate blood pressure, I'm all for it!

A bag contains 60 supplements, enough for one month at the recommended adult dose. You do have to watch the timing of when you eat the chews, you should take them separately from prescription medications and preferably with food, as the calcium carbonate is absorbed best with food as it is dependent on stomach acid for its absorption.

As for the taste, I would not go as far as to say that I had no idea that I wasn't eating a chocolate fudge brownie, to me they tasted like and had the texture of, a kind of malted chocolate bar I used to eat as a child (but cannot remember the name, gah!). Simply 'Chocolate' might have been a more appropriate name. But at only 15 calories a chew, I will certainly be keeping these around for times when I know I am not eating the amount of calcium-rich foods I should be. With a regular recommended selling price of $11.99 a bag, you won't be breaking the bank either for a month's worth of supplements/snacks. FYI: these soft chews are gelatin-free, gluten-free and Kosher.

For more information on this and other Swiss Naturals products, 'Like' them on Facebook.

Disclosure: I received complementary product to review, but opinions, as always, are all mine.

Product Review - Allan's Dessert Bites

2012-05-14T17:01:00.001-03:00

Last week I received a box of candy at my door to try; have I yet mentioned today how much I love being a blogger?

What was in the box was an assortment of the new Dessert Bites from the Allan Candy Company (with the cutest instructions ever). They are the only dessert-flavoured candy available in Canada and come in handy 200g resealable bags. The four flavours available are:

Key Lime Pie
Apple Pie
Strawberry Shortcake
Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake

While I LOVE chocolate, I'm not always a candy person and sadly, I really didn't like these at all (with the exception of the Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake variety, they were okay... probably the chocolate coating). If the flavoured middle had been creamy and not gummy-like, I think I would have liked them more as the flavours themselves weren't bad.

My husband and my sister-in-law however, are more 'candy people' and really liked them a lot. Surprisingly hubs enjoyed the two fruit pie ones best, totally not what I predicted. He thought that it was the type of candy he would take to the movies after dinner.

So if you are a candy person like hubs, I think you'll probably enjoy these and recommend you give them a try. The anti-gummy/jelly folks like me, best stick to the real deal... cheesecake anyone?

For more information on Dessert Bites, 'Like' them on Facebook.

Disclosure: I received complimentary product to review, but opinions, as always, are all mine.

Happy Mother's Day!

2012-05-13T20:27:00.001-03:00

I hope all you Moms got to hang this sign today as well :)

Web Photo

FFwD - Provencal Olive Fougasse

2012-05-11T00:13:00.000-03:00

It's been weeks and weeks since I've participated in a French Fridays with Dorie and when I took a moment last weekend to check out May's selections, I knew I'd have to get back to it this month.

This week's selection, as they seem to always be, was a winner... and one I will always remember because it was while kneading this dough, my KitchenAid Stand Mixer decided to try to hang itself. I'll never know what exactly happened, but between the kneading, life buzzing around and me boisterously pitting olives nearby it somehow managed to fall off the edge of the counter, missing the floor by inches, hanging by what was left of it's power cord!

Luckily I was able to have the cord replaced the next day...

However, when we plugged her in, my stir speed was gone. Since that is the one I use with the ice cream attachment, that just won't work. I searched and searched online and finally after finding the service manual, we tried to adjust the speed control... for well over an hour, but it seems a new part is needed. So my partner in crime, The Precious, Black Beauty, my sister from another transistor, is now out being repaired and getting the help she 'kneads'.

So now that you've all made sure that your small appliances are not dangerously close to the edge of the counter, let's get back to this yummy bread.

Even in the fridge, this dough certainly rises well!

Although it's such a soft dough, it's very workable...

I rolled it and stretched it as good as I could. I decided just to make one Fougasse the first night and save the other half of the dough until the next day.

I had a feeling some of my holes were going to bake together, I was right.

However, we didn't care at all... this bread was insanely good. We had it warm with some olive oil for dipping and a hearty soup (recipe coming soon).

The next day's dough was even easier to work with and stretched thinner. This loaf had a more pretzel-ish texture, for lack of a better term, and though different, was just as delicious.

I will be making these again and again (both ways), once I have my baby back... I don't have the guns to do this dough by hand.

We don't post Dorie's recipes on our blog posts, but we do encourage you to buy your own copy and cook your way through it with us.

Are You A Super Mom? Build-A-Bear Workshop Mother's Day Giveaway

2012-05-08T15:38:00.000-03:00

Super Mom... it's almost a dirty word these days, it's something we were set up to become, shamed into pretending that we are, even when we aren't even close. Wouldn't it be awesome if Super Moms were real super heroes that could come and rescue us when the household is falling in shambles around us and dinner isn't made (although tons of healthy meal ideas have been pinned on Pinterest)...

Well wait no longer, she's here (and the cutest bear I've ever seen)!

The flowers are blooming, the air is warm and breezy...spring is finally here and Build-A-Bear Workshop^® is celebrating Mother’s Day with Champ - A Champion Fur Kids™, dressed in the new Super Mom Costume. Personalize any Build-A-Bear Workshop furry friend with a variety of Mother’s Day clothing and accessories to make a unique gift that will show Mom how much you really care.

Whether you are looking for a unique gift to brighten Mother’s Day, or a thoughtful gift for a friend to officially celebrate spring’s arrival, Build-A-Bear Workshop invites all of its Guests to check out the array of gift options that are sure to bring smiles well into the season.

I am offering one lucky Canadian reader the chance to win the gift of friendship with this Mother’s Day Furry Friend prize pack valued at $65! To enter, simply fill out the Rafflecopter below. This is a quickie, ends Thursday at noon EST!

Visit Build-A-Bear Workshop at www.buildabear.com^® for more spring gift ideas!

Disclosure: I received no compensation for this post, this giveaway was provided through a PR firm, and will be mailed directly to the winner by them... she was just too darn cute to pass up. Happy Mother's Day!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Saputo a la carte Summer Contest & A Giveaway!

2012-05-08T09:28:00.002-03:00

You know I love me some pizza... anything smothered in ooey gooey cheese is high up there on my comfort food wish list. Since I discovered Saputo Mozzarellissima about 2-years ago, it has been my go-to grocery store mozzarella. Not only is it the stretchiest mozzarella I have ever used, it's delicious and just as important, it's easy to find and doesn't cost a fortune.

Mmm... remember this pizza? That's Mozzarellissima!

http://www.mmmisformommy.com/2011/04/perfect-pizza.html

When I was contacted and asked if I would like to review some Mozzarellissima and try out some new recipes, I had no hesitation and responded right away with a huge YES! I had no idea that Saputo had actually been in the cheese-making business in Canada since 1954, I guess that's why they know how to make such great cheese.

Saputo has paired with Quebec-based cookbook author/TV personality Sabrina Tutino to create some very blog-worthy (again, a Seinfeld episode has wormed it's way into my brain) recipes, which I can't wait to try out. Not only can you try the recipes too, but you can also enter to win a $50,000 dream backyard from Saputo! It's easy to enter, you just select your starter, main and dessert and enter your info at saputoalacarte.ca. If the backyard makeover doesn't do it for you, how about a years supply of Saputo cheeses... that's the second prize, and there are ten of them. Mmm... cheese. The contest runs until June 17th, 2012.

In the meantime, I've been offered a great basket of Saputo Mozzarellissima & barbecue gadgets to give away to one of my Canadian readers. To enter, complete the Rafflecopter below.

Win me!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I was supplied with free product vouchers to sample/review product as well as the giveaway basket. I received no other compensation and opinions, as always, are mine.

BHBC - You Have No Idea

2012-05-03T00:00:00.000-03:00

This month the BlogHer Book Club is reading You Have No Idea by Vanessa & Helen Williams. I wasn't sure how much I would enjoy this book, not really knowing much about Vanessa Williams beforehand (I might be the only person who didn't watch Ugly Betty)... by the end of the book I felt like I knew both her and her mom, and I really liked them! I spent a couple of nights up wayyy past my bedtime just because I couldn't put it down.

Web Photo

I really like how this book is written from both perspectives, a mother & her daughters... it's obvious that these two really have a bond, even though they may not have always been traditionally close. They write about the ups and downs of family, friendships, relationships, careers and the things that are best just put behind them in a very open and honest way... nothing is sugar-coated.

This book was very aptly titled, because I really had no idea...

Just in time for Mother's Day, join the discussion here.

Disclosure: This is a compensated review from the BlogHer Book Club. Opinions, as always, are my own.

Cooking Light's Chai Banana Bread

2012-04-30T08:53:00.001-03:00

I was thumbing through the current edition of Cooking Light magazine, and though everything looked amazing (or maybe I was just reallllly hungry, or both perhaps) the Chai Banana Bread jumped out and bit me right in the stomach.

This is such a moist, lightly spiced banana bread and a pleasant change from the norm with the chai spices and glazed top. Chelsea boo even dug right in to this one.

After selecting this recipe to make (sorry guys, I know you voted on the Banana French Toast, but the Chai sung to me!), baking it and even sampling a slice, I visited Matisse's blog. Matisse is the 11-year old food blogger who baked and tested this recipe out and has a recurring feature in Cooking Light called A Kid in the Kitchen... she's also attempted Spaghetti Squash and Fish Tacos. If you think that an 11-year old food blogger is amazing, that is but a small part of her incredible story. There is a link to Matisse's blog at the bottom of the recipe.

PS: Matisse, I agree with your Mom & Spencer on this one :)

Putting Finish Quantum To The Test (again)!

2012-04-29T21:03:00.000-03:00

As you know, I am part of the Finish Revolution and was selected to be one of their bloggers (who better to blog about dirty dishes than a food blogger, right?). This month we were asked to give the Finish Quantum tabs a workout, and this was no problem for me, I just had to pick a day. If I worked as hard as old Frankenwasher did I could be a bikini model... READ MORE>>

April 2012 Daring Bakers' Challenge - Armenian Desserts

2012-04-27T08:20:00.001-03:00

The Daring Bakers’ April 2012 challenge, hosted by Jason at Daily Candor, were two Armenian standards: nazook and nutmeg cake. Nazook is a layered yeasted dough pastry with a sweet filling, and nutmeg cake is a fragrant, nutty coffee-style cake.

Regrettably, it is the ~~night before~~ posting day (whoops, someone fell asleep) and I've only made the Armenian Nutmeg Cake, the Nazook is still to come though, I promise, and I'll post that recipe when I make it.

I made this cake earlier in the month thinking it would just be a regular snack/coffee cake, but I was wrong. We loved this cake and have never had anything quite like it. I love the technique of using half of the crumbs as the base of the cake before adding the liquid ingredients to form the cake layer. What was really outstanding though was the flavour, who knew we loved nutmeg so much? The Armenian nutmeg cake is adapted from a recipe for the same in The Commonsense Cookery Book, by the NSW Cookery Teachers’ Scholarship Fund.

Armenian Nutmeg Cake

Makes 1 9" cake

1 cup 2% milk

1 tsp baking soda

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

2 cups brown sugar, firmly packed

3/4 cup unsalted butter, chilled and cubed

1/2 cup walnut pieces

1 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1 egg

Combine the milk and the baking soda. Set aside. Put the flour, baking powder and brown sugar into a food processor and pulse to combine. Scatter the cubed butter on top and pulse until you get tan-coloured crumbs. Pour half of the crumbs (2 cups) into a greased 9" springform pan, using your fingers and knuckles to press it firmly down. Add the egg and the nutmeg to the crumbs remaining in the food processor and process until combined. Add the milk/soda mixture and and continue to mix until a lumpy sand-coloured batter is formed. Pour over top of the bottom crumb layer, top with walnuts and bake in a preheated 350 degree for 50 minutes, or until it tests as done. Cool in pan and remove sides and serve.

Once again, the Daring Bakers introduced me to something new, that will become a family standard.

Enjoy!

Chickpea-nut Butter Cookies & A Tropical Traditions Giveaway

2012-04-24T23:33:00.000-03:00

I was pretty excited when I was selected by Tropical Traditions to review their Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil. I'm not a dietician, so I won't get into the merits of coconut oil in my post, but I will say that after many years of reading and research on the subject, I have no problems using it when cooking for my family and actually, it is one of my preferred oils. I was very impressed with the quality of this oil, it is top of the line and is so luxurious in every way (I love simply rubbing it into my skin... and it smells so good).

I'll post some more info on coconut oil later in this post, but I want to move on the cookies!

This recipe is adapted from my friend Heather's adapted Weight Watchers recipe and with all of the changes that have been made, it's even healthier and I was astonished when Chelsea came back for a third one! I found these a bit too healthy tasting for me (I think I might use regular whole wheat flour to see if I like them better), but the fact that Chelsea ate them like candy was so nice to see. These cookies are soft and if you find the dough too soft to roll into balls, just drop them like I did... not all cookies have to be perfectly round :) I loved the oh so mild coconut flavour the coconut oil imparted on the cookies, if you didn't know it was an ingredient you probably wouldn't notice, but I could sense it's presence.

Chickpea-nut Butter Cookies

Makes approx. 30 large cookies

1/2 cup canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed plus about 2 tbsp water

1 cup peanut butter (I used Skippy)

1/4 cup Virgin Coconut Oil

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 lg egg

1 cup whole grain spelt flour (I had to use 2 cups because I had used too much water with the chickpeas, so start at 1 cup, but feel free to add more until the dough gets to a consistency where you could roll it)

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional)

In a small food processor or blender, purée chickpeas with water set aside. In stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat together the peanut butter, coconut oil and brown sugar. When light and fluffy, add the egg, vanilla and chickpea puree. Add the flour, baking soda and salt and mix until combined. Stir in chocolate chips (if using) by hand. Drop by tablespoons (or roll into balls like traditional peanut butter cookies) onto an ungreased baking sheet, flatten tops slightly with a floured fork, and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 12 minutes. Allow to cool 1 to 2 minutes on baking sheet before removing. Allow to cool completely on wire racks and store in air-tight container.

For more information on coconut oil, and more specifically, what makes Tropical Traditions Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil so special, read on and watch the short video a bit further down...

Win 1 quart of Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil!

Tropical Traditions is America's source for coconut oil. Their Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil is hand crafted in small batches by family producers, and it is the highest quality coconut oil they offer. You can read more about how virgin coconut oil is different from other coconut oils on their website: What is Virgin Coconut Oil? You can also watch the video they produced about Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil:

Tropical Traditions also carries other varieties of affordable high quality coconut oil. Visit their website to check on current sales, to learn about the many uses of coconut oil, and to read about all the advantages of buying coconut oil online. Since the FDA does not want us to discuss the health benefits of coconut oil on a page where it is being sold or given away, here is the best website to read about the health benefits of coconut oil.

If you'd like to win a 1-quart (32 oz glass jar) of Tropical Traditions Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil, please fill out the Rafflecopter below. Giveaway is open to Canadian & US residents only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer: Tropical Traditions provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product. If you order by clicking on any of my links and have never ordered from Tropical Traditions in the past, you will receive a free book on Virgin Coconut Oil, and I will receive a discount coupon for referring you.

Check Out My New Threads From Fibers.com & A Giveaway!

2012-04-22T20:52:00.001-03:00

A few weeks back, the folks at Fibers.com contacted me to see if I would like to design and then review a t-shirt from their website. I love 'fun' t-shirts, so I was all for this opportunity!

The first thing I did was go to their website to check out their work. There are tons of premade designs if you aren't confident in your design abilities, like this awesomely silly mushroom t-shirt. Although it's easy to get lost in all of the fun t-shirts already there, you really should design one of your own; it's fun and will be original.

When you design your own shirt, you can easily select your own font, and as for designs, you can use one of your own, or do what I did, and select one of their unique pieces of clip art (they have over 8 thousand to choose from). The only limit is your imagination... their website makes the whole process a piece of (cup)cake.

Had to use flash, so my font doesn't show up great like it does in person,
but it does say Mmm... is for Mommy!

My t-shirt shipped within 2 days and got through Canadian Customs quickly, so I was more than pleased with the speed of service (and thanks Customs for not making me wait, I hate waiting). I was so excited to see my finished design, I was barely in the door before I was trying to get into the package.

Hubby caught me again, cooking up a storm.

My t-shirt was even nicer than I had hoped, the sizing was just right thanks to their great descriptions of the various fits (they have over 50 shirts, sweatshirts, pants & shorts to choose from). The t-shirt itself is of very good quality and has been washed & dried with no shrinkage or shape changes. The design on my shirt is so cute (if I do say so myself) and I really like that I could print on the front and the back.

I totally enjoyed shopping with Fibers.com and am loving wearing my very own Mmm... is for Mommy! t-shirt. To test your artistic and/or comedic hand, visit Fibers.com and design one of your own shirts... to help you out, one lucky reader will win a $30 voucher which they can use at Fibers.com! To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter (CAN/US only). Good luck!

Disclosure: I received a $30 voucher to design a t-shirt for review and another to give away from Fibers.com. Opinions, as always, are my own.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Lemon Quinoa

2012-04-18T18:48:00.000-03:00

We just don't eat enough quinoa... I love it, hubby tolerates it and even Miss Picky Pants will eat it, so I have no idea why that is. I was marinating some tandoori chicken tonight and was trying to figure out what I could make as a side because we ran out of basmati last night, when I remembered the box of PC Organics Golden & Black Quinoa I received a while ago to try and had forgotten about. Mmm... quinoa.

I am used to buying quinoa that requires a lot of rinsing prior to cooking, so I was surprised when rinsing wasn't listed in the instructions. I took their word for it and used the quinoa straight out of the box, and there was no bitterness at all... fantastic! I was surprised that Chelsea went for it with both the black and golden quinoa, but she did and I loved its appearance so I will be buying more of this for sure.

I loved the lemon rice that I always used to get with my Indian take out and I wanted to try to make something similar with quinoa... and I was successful. This is a great recipe, especially if you already have the cooked quinoa on hand... just a couple of minutes.

My Lemon Quinoa

2 cups cooked quinoa

2 tsp olive oil

1 tsp grated ginger

1 clove grated garlic

1 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp ground cumin

Juice of 1 lemon

S&P to taste

Heat the olive oil in a non-stick (preferably) frying pan. Add the ginger, garlic, turmeric and cumin and cook in the oil for about a minute. Add in the cooked quinoa and lemon juice (and S&P if using) and heat until the quinoa is cooked through.

I love the look (and then the texture) of quinoa... it's so fun, and luckily for us, a pretty perfect food :)

Enjoy!

Cooking Light's Sweet Potato Chicken Curry

2012-04-16T22:11:00.000-03:00

This week I wanted to be sure to try at least one recipe from Cooking Light. I popped a couple of the ingredients I had on hand into their search and voilà, dinner!

I made the recipe just as written, except I realized when gathering my ingredients that I was all out of peas... I went ahead with it anyway, even though the peas would have made it even more colourful. The recipe was simple, well written, and even though I am a person who loves to play with recipes, I didn't and there was no fiddling required anyway. This curry has a great mix of Indian flavours, vegetables and proteins but is not too hot, so even your kids might dig in (unless they are like mine, then just stick to rice, grr). My husband and I really enjoyed this recipe and I will be making it again... yum!

The complete recipe for Sweet Potato Chicken Curry can be found here.

Enjoy!

Meyer Lemon & Blueberry Trifle (and More Easter Feasting)

2012-04-13T09:26:00.000-03:00

Some people will argue that the internet and social networking is disconnecting us as a society. I think the opposite is true. Not only do I interact and meet with so many great people that I never would have met otherwise through my blog, without my online community, I doubt that this Easter trifle would have ever been made.

The moms in our subdivision have created a Facebook group that has brought a lot of us together... when I had the idea for a trifle for Easter I put out a plea to borrow a trifle bowl, and the moms came through!

This trifle is a combo of ~~two~~ ~~three~~ ~~four~~ five of my favourite things, Dorie's Perfection Pound Cake, Meyer lemon curd, blueberries, cream cheese and whipped cream. You'll want to put this all together at least 8 hours before serving, but you can bake the cake up to a day before that and the lemon curd and blueberry sauce a day or two before that if you want to spread out the work.

My Meyer Lemon & Blueberry Trifle

Serves 12 (or more)

1 recipe Dorie's Perfection Pound Cake

1 recipe Meyer lemon curd (see below)

1 recipe blueberry sauce (see below)

1 cup fresh or frozen (thawed) blueberries

1 8oz package cream cheese

1/4 cup sugar

2 cups heavy cream (whipping cream)

3 tbsp Cointreau

Candied Meyer Lemon Peel (optional)

Meyer Lemon Curd

Adapted from the Lemon Curd recipe in Around My French Table by Dorie Greenspan

1 1/4 cup sugar

4 large eggs

1 tbsp light corn syrup

3/4 cup Meyer lemon juice (about 6 or 7)

1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into chunks

Blueberry Sauce

1 1/2 cup blueberries

1/3 cup sugar

1 tbsp cornstarch

1/2 cup water

To make the lemon curd, grab yourself a bag of Meyer lemons (regular lemons will work as well of course, and it will have more of that lemon tang and less of the Meyer sweetness). Juice enough of the lemons to make the 3/4 cup. Save some of the peel if you want to make some candied peel for the top.

In a medium saucepan, whisk the sugar and eggs together until well blended. Then whisk in the corn syrup and meyer lemon juice.

Add the chunks of butter and then put the pan over medium heat, whisking all the while. In about 8 minutes the curd will be starting to thicken. When the curd thickens and you see the first bubble breaking the surface, remove from heat.

Pour the curd into a bowl...

Cover the surface of the curd with plastic wrap so a 'skin' does not form. Allow to cool to room temperature and then refrigerate until you are putting together the trifle.

To make the blueberry sauce, add 1/2 a cup of the blueberries to a small saucepan and crush them with a fork. Add the sugar and cornstarch and stir. Add the water and remaining blueberries and bring to boil. Allow to simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, transfer to bowl, cool and then refrigerate until needed.

When you are ready to make the trifle, cut the cake into 1 inch cubes, take the lemon curd and blueberry sauce from the fridge and make the cream cheese layer. To do this, whip the cream cheese in a large bowl (stand mixer preferable with whipping attachment). Whip in the sugar and the 2 cups of heavy cream. Whip until stiff peaks form.

To build the trifle, start with a layer of 1/3 blueberry sauce, then 1/3 lemon curd, then 1/3 cake (sprinkled with 1 tbsp Cointreau) then 1/3 of the fresh blueberries and 1/3 of the cream cheese mixture. Repeat layers and garnish top as desired.

If you want to make candied Meyer lemon peel, remove the pith (white membrane) from the peel of one lemon and slice the peel into thin strips. Simmer in 1/2 cup of boiling water for 5 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of sugar to the mixture and continue simmering for another 5 minutes. Remove peel to a small piece of parchment paper to dry before using.

I wanted to share the cute centrepiece I made, it's a Dollar Store special... a glitter egg pick along with some faux pussy willows in a tall vase filled with candy-coated chocolate eggs and finished with a bow. Best part, we raided the chocolates after the trifle was gone.

Before we dug into trifle, we had lasagna... two of them. I made a meat lasagna and also my delicious Mushroom Lasagna.

I also baked a batch of my focaccia and made it in two 9" pie plates instead of a 9x13 pan.

Awesome food and even better company!

Did you have a family gathering over the Easter weekend? Was it traditional or a family favorite?

Special thanks to Ginelle for the use of the Trifle Bowl!

McDonald's Real Fruit Smoothies - Review & Giveaway

2012-04-11T21:17:00.000-03:00

I've got to stop saying 'never'.

A while ago, I mentioned in a post that I would never again be writing about fast food. Well, here I am, and I'm writing about the new McCafe smoothies. I received a few coupons to try them out and just couldn't resist, so Chelsea & I, along with my sister-in-law and niece headed out to the PlayPlace in Tantallon.

We got a small Mango Pineapple and a small Blueberry Pomegranate to try (the Strawberry Banana one has been around for a while and I tried it before). I LOVED them, actually we all did. Funny enough, both Chelsea & I preferred the Mango Pineapple while Sarah & Alex preferred the Blueberry Pomegranate (which, by the way, is uniquely Canadian and was tested first right here in Atlantic Canada).

If you read my blog much, you know that Chelsea is little Miss Picky Pants, and while she went through a spell of drinking smoothies, it's been a while since she's touched one. She loved this one so much that if she caught me drinking it through the PlayPlace window, she'd come running out to stop me... hehe.

Since we all loved them so much, I wanted to make sure they weren't just disguised as healthy. The small of either flavour has 210 calories (only 150 calories in the snack size), you can also add yogurt if you like a more creamy smoothie, which doesn't change the calorie count. As for what's in it, it is actually real fruit... not fresh, there is no chopped up fruit out back, but it was at one time ;)

from McDonalds.ca

Since I loved this smoothie so much, I have no qualms at all about sharing my experience with you all and even was able to get my hands on a $25 McCafe card (Canada only, can be used on any McDonald's menu item) that I can give away to one of you to try out these smoothies too. If you are interested, fill out the Rafflecopter below and good luck!

Disclosure: I received free product coupons to try the smoothies and the gift card provided for giveaway, but no other compensation was received. All opinions, as always, are mine.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wordless Wednesday - Jasper Has Been Breaded!

2012-04-11T15:34:00.003-03:00

Best use for store-bought white bread yet ;) Google it.