Mommys Daily Dinner Grind

Hello!

2010-06-28T19:26:00.000-06:00

Hello all you wonderful readers! It is as though I am getting lazier all the time with this whole cooking deal! Does anyone else find the same thing? Summer time or any sort of relatively warm weather I do not want to cook. I really prefer to have snacky type food and sit outside watching the kids be crazy wild kids! Perhaps I need an outdoor kitchen in my yard.....I suppose that is something I can put on my goals list! This is really just a nice summer evening, not to be ruined by sweating in a kitchen and watching all the food I worked so hard to make be eaten by bugs! The kids don't feel much like eating and neither do I! Husband is working on his truck in the driveway, kids are playing in the sprinkler and I am watching everyone sitting on my lawnchair.Trying to be invisible to bees!
We are moving into our new place this weekend! Yay! Always so exciting when you are moving into a new place! Hopefully things will settle down a bit and I will get a good flow going on in my life and I can start posting on here again! (recipes!)
Well, just thought I would check in quickly so that everyone knows I am still here and will pick up again soon! Hope this beautiful weather is shining on everyone!

Failed Experiment

2010-06-23T20:42:00.000-06:00

Had a plan to put a new recipe up tonight. Was making meatball soup. Easy right? I thought it would be a quick and easy recipe, something to make when you don't have too many ingredients available.
Apparently this was a giant waste of food, time and energy. I had never made this before, so I did a some research and tried to put a little something together. If anyone ever tells you that you can roll up a meatball and just drop it in the soup to cook, DO NOT believe them! What a disaster. Not one meatball stayed together, the soup was inundated with small pieces of ground beef and just completely filled with fat. I could not even salvage any of it and it just ended up in the trash. In the end tonight ended up being a cheese and crackers with fruit and veggies night. A quick fix for a failed experiment. I must say, this was a very irritating experience. Perhaps it is my intolerance for the heat, or lack of sleep? Perhaps it is because I quit smoking 4 days ago....My hubby has been hinting that I may be a bit on the crabby side......I am not sure I am fully convinced of this!
Stay tuned, my cooking adventures will continue!

DAY 98 RECIPE: OLD MOTHER HUBBARD CASSEROLE

2010-06-21T22:05:00.000-06:00

Well, I had some ground beef to use for dinner tonight. I was racking my brain trying to think of something to make with this, so I looked to my cupboards and fridge for my inspiration. There was not much coming to me. Nothing jumping out. A few things would come to mind and I would find that the only ingredient we had was ground beef! Haha.
It seems I am in desperate need of a grocery shop. So I figured, I would call this creation the Old Mother Hubbard Casserole because it was created from an almost empty cupboard. In fact I was actually laughing to myself when I was searching for ingredients. I said to myself (yes I talk to myself frequently,mostly in my head;)) I fell like old mother Hubbard! hahaha. So That is the story behind the name. I just threw together what I had kickin around in the cupboards.
Anybody else ever get to that point? The I-have-no-food-in-the-house-what-can-I-make-for-dinner? Need to stretch a few bucks? Well here is the answer!! This is not a fancy meal. It does not look amazing, but it tastes good and fills tummies:) Most ingredients can be replaced with something else, if you don't have what's on the list. Experiment and have fun.

Old Mother Hubbard Casserole
INGREDIENTS:
1 Lb Ground Beef
1 Large Onion, finely diced
2 Garlic Cloves, finely minced
Salt and pepper to taste
1 Small Can Mushroom Soup
1 Small Can Sliced Mushrooms, drained
2 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 Small Can Cream Corn
14 (approx) Red Mini (baby) Potatoes, thinly sliced

DIRECTIONS:
Pre heat oven to 400 degrees.
In a non stick fry pan brown ground beef over medium high heat. Season beef to taste with salt and pepper. After about 5 minutes, drain off excess fat. Return to heat and add garlic, onions and mushrooms. Cook another 5 minutes or so.
Add soup and Worcestershire sauce and mix thoroughly. Reduce heat to low and simmer 10 minutes.
Line a 9X9 inch casserole dish with parchment paper. Put a single layer of potatoes to line the bottom of the dish, overlap SLIGHTLY.
Pour meat mixture over top of potatoes.
Pour cream corn over meat mixture.
Top with remaining potatoes.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
Cover and place in oven for 25minutes. Remove cover and continue to bake another 20 minutes, until potatoes are slightly browned and are tender.

Hello My long lost friends!

2010-06-21T10:19:00.000-06:00

Well! It has been almost a month since I have posted on here! I can't believe it! Slacker hey? To make a long story short, things have been upside down hectic lately and will hopefully start to slow down in the very near future! Have not been cooking much at all and nothing new to speak of, with the exception of a few ill fated brownie experiments. When all else fails, go back to the tried and true basics! Lesson learned!

I am hoping to post a recipe tonight, I am feeling the cooking bug today. Ingredients are limited, not sure what I can come up with.....Have some ground beef, guess that will be my starting point! Wish me luck and tune in later to see what comes of this cooking day adventure......

DAY 95, 96 AND 97 RECIPES: FLAX AND OAT CHICKEN NUGGETS, PEASANT SOUP AND ROLO CHEESECAKE PIE!

2010-05-22T19:09:00.000-06:00

Hello! It has been awhile since I have posted on here. I apologize. Things have been crazy! They continue to be crazy and even more crazy as each day goes by! I have a few recipes to post tonight, a bit of catch up! Two recipes on the healthier side of things, and one very unhealthy but totally delicious treat!
My hubby and I had to go move our things from our old house up in Northern Alberta and it had to happen quick! It was haywire and nuts and hard to throw everything together that quickly for a long distance move, especially on a pretty tight budget! But that is the great thing about being back in my hometown! Old friends always seem to come through at just the right moment! My old friend Pete has a moving and storage business here in town and he helped us out! They did such a great job I had to give them a shout out on here! I also thought it would be nice to bake them some nice goodies for a job well done! So that is where the Rolo Cheesecake Pie comes in! It also happens to be Petes birthday this weekend, so that is even better timing!
I will say, if anyone needs any help moving or you are lookinbg for storage in the Cranbrook area, check out Mission View Moving and Storage 250-489-8772.

DAY 95 RECIPE:
FLAX AND OAT CHICKEN NUGGETS

INGREDIENTS:
3 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, Cut in like size pieces
1 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
1 Tbsp Cornmeal
2 Tbsp Oat Bran
1 Tbsp Flax Meal
1 Tsp Garlic Powder
1 Tsp Onion Powder
1 Tsp Poultry Seasoning
½ Tsp Salt
3 Egg Whites
Baking Spray

DIRECTIONS:
Pre heat oven to 400 degrees.
Line a large sheet pan with tin foil. Spray lightly with baking spray.
Take three shallow bowls in one put ½ cup flour. In middle one Put egg whites. In last bowl put ½ cup flour, oat bran, corn meal, flax meal and seasonings, stir to combine.
Dredge chicken pieces through flour, then egg white, then flour/flax mixture, and place on sheet pan. Spray with baking spray and place in oven. Bake for 30 minutes, turning once half way through cooking.

DAY 96 RECIPE:
PEASANT SOUP

INGREDIENTS:
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Very Large Onion, chopped
4 Celery Ribs, chopped
2 Cups Chopped Carrots
1 Can Mushrooms, drained liquid reserved
1 -28 OZ can Diced Tomatoes
½ Head Cabbage, chopped into small pieces
8 Cups Water
1 Tbsp Thyme
1 Tbsp Sage
1 Tbsp Oregano
1 Tsp Salt
1 Tsp Pepper

DIRECTIONS:
In a large soup pot heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, celery, carrots and mushrooms. Sauté for 10 minutes.
Add tomatoes, seasonings and water. Stir and cook 5 minutes. Now add cabbage, stir in gently. Reduce heat to lowest possible setting and let simmer 2 hours.

DAY 97 RECIPE:
ROLO CHEESCAKE PIE

INGREDIENTS:
CRUST:
1 Cup Graham Cracker Crumbs
¼ Cup Sugar
¼ Cup Butter or margarine, melted
FILLING:
8 OZ Cream Cheese
2 Tbsp Butter or Margarine
½ Cup Sugar
2 Eggs
2 Tbsp Milk
1 Tbsp Flour
½ Tsp Vanilla
1 Pkg (about 2 cups) Mini Rolo’s

DIRECTIONS:
CRUST:
Pre heat oven to 350 degrees.
In a medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, and sugar. Pour in melted butter and mix until Everything is fully incorporated.
Press into an 8” Pie plate.
Bake for 7 minutes.
FILLING:
Beat cream cheese, butter and sugar together for 1 minute.
Add eggs, milk, flour, and vanilla. Beat for another 2 minutes.
Spread about 1 cup of Rolo pieces evenly over bottom of prepared crust.
Pour batter on top to fill crust.
Bake for 35minutes.
Let chill for at least 4 hours.
Top with remaining Rolo Pieces. For a nice extra touch drizzle caramel ice cream sauce and melted chocolate over top of cheesecake pie.

DAY 94 RECIPE: WHOLE GRAIN BREAD

2010-05-09T19:29:00.000-06:00

As I mentioned earlier, day 93 recipe was a failed experiment, so I am now posting the recipe for the experiment that turned out well:)
This seems as first glance to be a very time consuming adventure, but if you have a day where you will be kicking around mostly, it is not bad at all. The actual work you put into it is minimal. And you get a very tasty result!
Check it out!
DAY 94 RECIPE:

WHOLE GRAIN BREAD

INGREDIENTS:
1 Cup Lukewarm water
1 Tsp Sugar
2 & 1/4 tsp Quick Rise Yeast

1 Egg
1/3 Cup Oil
1/2 Cup Sugar
1 Tsp Salt
3 Cups Warm Water
1 Tbsp White Vinegar
2 Tbsp Molasses
1/2 Cup Oat Bran
1/2 Cup Wheat Bran
4 Cups Whole Wheat Flour
4 Cups All Purpose Flour

DIRECTIONS:
In a small bowl, dissolve 1 tsp sugar in 1 cup of lukewarm water. Sprinkle yeast over top, cover loosely and set aside.
While yeast is rising, Lightly beat egg in a large mixing bowl. Add sugar, salt, and oil. Mix molasses into 3 cups warm water. Whisk into egg mixture. Add oat bran, wheat bran and 1 cup each of wheat flour and white flour. Mix until smooth, add vinegar and mix again.
Now add yeast mixture, mix again. Start adding flour 1 cup at a time (alternating types of flours). Mix in with your hands. (Take off your rings! This is sticky and messy!) . Knead lightly, adding flour as you go. Sometimes you may not use as much flour as recipe calls for, but it should be pretty close. Dough should be SLIGHTLY tacky, but smooth. Pour a small amount of oil quickly around the outside edges of dough ball. Roll the dough in it to coat (there should not be anymore than 1 - 2 tbsp of oil here). Cover loosely and let rise in a warm (not hot) place for 1 hour. Punch dough down, reshape the ball, re cover and let rise 2 - 3 more hours. Punch down again, shape into loaves or buns and place in greased pans. Cover loosley and let rise one more hour. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Cool on wire racks.

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!

2010-05-09T12:01:00.001-06:00

I would like to begin by wishing all those fabulous moms out there a Happy Mothers Day! I would also like to welcome a few new members to this wonderful club! Happy first mothers day Bonnie, Heather and Jenna!
In anticipation of mothers day, I thought yesterdays recipe would be something I would make for my mom:) She was recently banned (by her doctor) from eating white bread (finally). SO, I thought I would make a a little experimental Whole grain bread for her. I have a one standard recipe that I use for bread, it is wonderful and yummy and you can make about 1000 different variations of it. But for some reason I thought I would go with an entirely different recipe. It did not turn out well. So that recipe was DAY 93 RECIPE, I shall not include it, as it was yucky. No use having other people waste their time on it!
My kids and I took another shot at it today, using my standard recipe with a few new twists, so tonight I will post that recipe for all to share! Looking good already! Have a while to wait for it to finish rising, and then baking, so after it is all done I will try to take some photos and post them with it! There are also a few photos of my son (Riley) helping me out that I will also post!
Again Happy Mothers Day to all, I hope it is great for all of you!
Here are a few pix of my helpers helping me make bread this morning!

Riley :-)

Brooklyn :-)

Riley and Myself :-)

DAY 92 RECIPE: HEALTHY AND TASTY VEGETARIAN PITAS

2010-05-07T19:23:00.000-06:00

Feeling like I have not been eating alot of very healthy things lately. Been indulging in a lot of treats and things. So I was feeling for something light but tasty and filling. These were very nice and were a completely balanced meal in a little pocket! Super quick and really easy!

DAY 92 RECIPE:
HEALTHY AND TASTY VEGETARIAN PITAS

INGREDIENTS:
4 Whole Wheat Pitas
1 Cup Low Fat Cottage Cheese
1 Cup Shredded Low Fat Cheddar Cheese
1 Tbsp Oregano
2 Tsp Garlic Powder
2 Tsp Onion Powder
4 Tomato Slices
16 Cucumber Slices
1 Cup Bean or Alfalfa Sprouts
1 Cup Sliced Romaine Lettuce
1 Cup Sliced Spinach Leaves

DIRECTIONS:
In a bowl combine cottage cheese, oregano, garlic powder, and onion powder.
Split pitas and toast slightly either in toaster oven or regular oven. Should only take a few minutes.
Spread ¼ of cottage cheese mixture in each pita.
Sprinkle ¼ of shredded cheddar in each pita.
Now put 1 tomato slice, 4 cucumber slices, ¼ cup of sprouts, ¼ cup lettuce, and ¼ cup spinach leaves in each pita. Close and serve:)

DAY 91 RECIPE: EASY ITALIAN CHICKEN BAKE

2010-05-07T19:20:00.000-06:00

Yesterday was a LOOOOONGGGG day! Both my kids were a little on the crazy side and were creating many many challenges for me. My recipe never got up, so I am doing it right now! It was really quite easy to make and very delicious! Not many ingredients, and most of them you can get on the cheap:)
Check it out!
DAY 91 RECIPE:
EASY ITALIAN CHICKEN BAKE

INGREDIENTS:
8 Chicken Thighs, bone in, skin on
1 Onion, diced
1 Green Pepper, diced
1 -28 OZ Can Tomato Sauce
3 Tbsp Oregano
2 Tsp Thyme
1 Tsp Basil
1 Tsp Salt
1 Tsp Pepper
5 Garlic Cloves, minced
1 Tbsp Red Pepper Flakes
3 Tbsp Olive Oil

DIRECTIONS:
In a small bowl, mix together garlic cloves, oregano, thyme, basil, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.
Pre heat 350 degrees.
In a large non stick skillet heat 1 tbsp oil over medium high heat.
Drizzle remaining 2 tbsp oil over chicken thighs, take about ½ seasoning mixture and rub into chicken thighs.
Fry chicken thighs for 4 minutes per side and remove from pan.
Place in a casserole dish.
In the fry pan, add onion and green pepper, sauté briefly, about 2 minutes. Now pour tomato sauce in; stir and cook for about 5 minutes.
Pour sauce over chicken thighs in casserole dish. Cover with foil and transfer to oven for 40 minutes. Serve over your favourite noodles(linguini works particularly well).

DAY 89 & DAY 90 RECIPES: GINGER BEEF & VEGGIE CHOWMEIN

2010-05-05T20:22:00.000-06:00

Today is my son Rileys second birthday! Happy Birthday to you baby! I can't even believe it! We made little pizzas(just with store bought crusts) and had some cupcakes from the store for our celebration meal! Don't think I am a lazy terrible mother! we are having a proper birthday party on the 15th, with all the fixings! So I knew I would prefer to spend my time with the kids today instead of cooking and fussing, so I used recipes from last night for both day 89 and day 90.
Yesterday I made the Brandy Version of Chinese Food. I have never liked Chinese food. But I always wanted to eat it. Truth be told, I really wanted to use chopsticks and eat out of bento boxes. So I did alot of experimenting and I came up with the veggie chowmein. I love, love, love it! It is a great way to pack in tonnes of veggies and to use chopsticks! I don't eat the ginger beef, but it certainly gets rave reviews!
I will say that this is a messy, messy adventure, for me at least! After I had prepared this fabulous feast there was food flung from one end of the kitchen to the other, and some in the adjoining rooms. So there is alot of clean up (there is if you are as messy as I am anyhow) and a pretty fair amount of veggie chopping involved, but so worth it! Check it out and try it out!
I will note that with the chowmein you can put all sorts of different veggies in it, my choices often vary, just be mindful of different cooking times of different veggies!
Enjoy!

DAY 89 RECIPE:
GINGER BEEF

INGREDIENTS:
1 LB Strip loin Steak, thinly sliced
¾ Cup Cornstarch
½ Tsp Ground Ginger
1 Tbsp Chilli Powder
1/3 Cup Water
2 Eggs
4 Tbsp Canola Oil
3 Green Onions, Cut into ¼ inch pieces
4 Garlic Cloves, grated
6 Tbsp Freshly Grated Ginger Root
4 Tbsp Soy Sauce
4 Tbsp Rice Vinegar
¼ Cup Honey
1 Tbsp Sesame Oil
½ Tsp Nutmeg
1 Tbsp Sesame Seeds

DIRECTIONS:
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large non stick wok or fry pan over high heat.
In a bowl whisk together cornstarch, chilli powder, ground ginger, water and eggs until smooth.
Toss beef pieces in cornstarch mixture. Add about ½ of the beef strips into the hot oil. Try to keep pieces separate and cook 2 minutes per side. Remove from pan and place on paper towel. Heat another 2 tbsp of oil and cook the remaining beef in the same way. Remove beef from pan and reduce heat to medium.
Add green onions, garlic and ginger. Sauté briefly, about 1 minute. Quickly whisk together soy sauce, vinegar, honey sesame oil, nutmeg, and sesame seeds, pour sauce into pan with veggies. Cook, stirring constantly for 2 minutes. Add Beef, toss to coat and cook for another 2 minutes. Serve Immediately.

DAY 90 RECIPE:
VEGGIE CHOWMEIN

INGREDIENTS:
1 Small Turnip, grated
1 Small Zucchini, grated
1 Cup Match Stick Carrots
2 Celery Ribs, thinly sliced
4 Green Onion Tops, Sliced into ¼ “ pieces
1 Cup Thinly Sliced Mushrooms
1 Cup Broccoli Florets
1 Cup Bean Sprouts
1 Can Baby Corn Cobs, drained liquid reserved.
3 Tbsp Canola Oil

¼ Cup Soy Sauce
Reserved Baby Corn Liquid
½ Tsp Nutmeg
2 Tbsp Sesame Oil
1 Tbsp Garlic Powder
1 Tsp Ground Ginger
3 Tbsp Cornstarch

1 -14 OZ Pkg Chowmein Noodles
Water
1 Tbsp Canola Oil

DIRECTIONS:
Pre heat oven to 325 degrees.
Fill a large pot about 2/3 full of water. Add 1 tbsp canola oil. Bring to a boil. Add noodles, cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain and set aside.
In a large non stick wok heat 2 tbsp canola oil over medium high heat. Add carrots, mushrooms and celery. Sauté 4 minutes. Add Baby corn cobs, saute 2 more minutes. Add broccoli florets and green onions. Saute 2 more minutes.
Transfer all veggies into a large roasting or casserole dish.
Add 2 tbsp canola oil to wok. Add noodles, turnip, zucchini and bean sprouts. Saute for about 5 minutes. Transfer to the casserole dish and toss with veggies.
Now, whisk together reserved corn liquid, soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic powder, nutmeg and ginger. Add cornstarch and stir VERY WELL. Immediately pour over noodles and veggies. Stir everything around to make sure everything is coated with sauce. Put in oven and bake for 25 minutes.

HI! DAY 88 RECIPE: QUICKIE CHEATER BBQ SAUCE

2010-05-02T09:04:00.000-06:00

Hi there everyone! Sorry for the lack of recipes the last few days! I have been very very busy! Friday I was trying to get everything ready for a road trip, had a cheater dinner:) Tasty though! Had some corn on the cob, baby potatoes and some burgers (Bought them from the store), I did make a quickie cheater BBQ sauce for them.....Here is that recipe:
DAY 88 RECIPE:
QUICKIE CHEATER BBQ SAUCE:
INGREDIENTS:
4 Tbsp Ketchup
1 Tbsp Molasses
1 Tsp Worcestershire Sauce
2 Tsp Hot Sauce
1/2 Tsp Pepper
1/2 Tsp Garlic Powder

DIRECTIONS:
Mix everything together in a bowl. Use as BBQ sauce:)

Told you it was quick! Works well, tastes good:)
I will add that I would like to send out some happy birthday wishes to one of my oldest dearest friends, Dustin Mengerink. I would also like to send congrats to Dustin and his girlfriend Taya on their engagement!
One more happy birthday shout out to my wonderful brother in law, Brian Davies! Both of these men share the same birthday, April 30th.
Yesterday I had no recipe what so ever. My hubby and I drove 10 hours up to Lac La Biche Alberta, from Cranbrook BC. It was a very, very long day; filled with chips and candy and pizza for dinner. Incidently, last night was filled with tummy aches and groaning.
For today, the second part of our very long road trip will include, packing our house into a moving truck and driving another 10 hours back to Cranbrook. All to be done in time to have a nice short sleep with my kidlets, so I can take my poor littl girl to the dentist at 8:00 am Monday morning. Todays food will hopefully consist of some nice fruit and maybe some Subway. Try to eat a little healthier today as to avoid sick tummies tonight.
I will try to get a recipe up on Monday, I can't promise anything, as I am not sure how my little girl will be feeling after her traumatic experience at the dentist! I may be completely commited to cuddling and spoiling my little lady!
I hope everyone is having a lovely weekend! I will check in again as soon as possible! Wish me luck!

DAY 87 RECIPE: CINNAMON RAISIN BREAD

2010-04-29T21:27:00.000-06:00

I made some amazing and delicious cinnamon raisin bread today. I thought I would share the recipe tonight instead of a dinner recipe. We just had snack night dinner, so no real recipes there anyhow! The raisin bread is so good and the whole house smells soooo great! This recipe makes a pretty decent amount, but the loaves freeze really well. Kind of a lengthy procedure, pretty easy though! Try it out! My kids really like to help with this one!
DAY 87 RECIPE:
CINNAMON RAISIN BREAD

INGREDIENTS:
1 Cup Lukewarm Water
1 tsp Sugar
2 & ¼ Tsp Quick Yeast

1 Egg
½ Cup Sugar
½ Cup Canola Oil
3 Cups Lukewarm water
1 Tsp Salt
1 Tbsp Vinegar
2+ 6 Cups Flour
2 Tbsp Cinnamon
2 Cups Raisins

DIRECTIONS:
In a small bowl dissolve 1 tsp sugar in 1 cup lukewarm water. Sprinkle yeast over top, cover and set aside.
In large mixing bowl whisk egg until frothy. Add ½ cup sugar, oil, salt, cinnamon and 3 cups of lukewarm water. Whisk together. Now stir in 2 cups flour and vinegar. Stir until all flour is absorbed. Add yeast mixture and stir some more. Add flour 1 cup at a time, kneading and mixing with your hands until flour is absorbed and dough is smooth and the tiniest bit sticky. Now knead raisins into dough.
Cover and let rise in a warm, draft free place for 1 hour. Punch the middle of the dough, flip dough in bowl and re shape into a ball. Cover and let rise for another hour. Now generously grease your loaf pans. Tear pieces of dough off and shape into a general loaf shape. This recipe should yield 6 loaves, remember this dough will rise again and grow even more when baked, so do not make these too big for your pans!
Once dough is shaped and in pans, cover and let rise one more hour.
Bake in pre heated 400 degree oven for 25 minutes.
***When removed from the oven wait 5 minutes and remove from pans. Continue to cool on wire racks. At this point it makes a nice finishing touch if you brush the tops of the loaves with a bit of melted butter.

DAY 86 RECIPE:QUICK PORK STIR FRY

2010-04-29T09:10:00.000-06:00

Was not in the mood for spending much time cooking last night, SO I went with an old stand by. Always delish, really quick and super easy! Another good thing, You can stretch your $$ with this one! Dinner for four with 2 pork steaks, some veggies and rice. Easy Peasey.
Anyhow, I hope you enjoy this! It is the recipe from LAST NIGHT. There will be another one on later today from tonights dinner.
DAY86 RECIPE:
QUICK PORK STIR FRY

INGREDIENTS:
2 Pork Steaks, cut into very thin strips
1 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
1 Red Pepper, thinly sliced
1 Green or Yellow Pepper, thinly sliced
1 Small Onion, thinly sliced
2 Cups Thinly Sliced Mushrooms
1 Cup Thinly sliced Carrots
1 Cup Broccoli Florets
3 Garlic Cloves, minced
¼ Cup Water
¼ Cup Soy Sauce
1 Tsp Ground Ginger
1 Tsp Pepper
1 Tbsp Sesame Seeds
2 Tbsp Cornstarch

DIRECTIONS:
In a large non stick fry pan or wok heat vegetable oil over medium high heat. Add pork, sauté for 5 minutes. Add carrots and sesame oil. Continue to sauté for another 3 minutes. Now add onion, peppers, mushrooms and garlic. Cook for 6minutes more. Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine water, soy sauce, ginger, pepper and sesame seeds. Set aside.
Add broccoli to fry pan, cover and let steam 3 minutes. Right before that 3 minutes is up, whisk cornstarch into the soy sauce mixture, immediately add to the fry pan, stir to coat everything in the pan and cook 2 more minutes.
Serve over rice or noodles.

DAY 85 RECIPE: SPICY CHEESE STEAK SANDWICH

2010-04-27T21:05:00.000-06:00

Nice if you actually happen to have leftover steak kickin around. I always struggled trying to figure out what to do with leftover steak, as youst throw it in the microwave....so this is what I thought I would try! A little kick in it for James and we're ready to go. Check it out!
DAY 85 RECIPE:
SPICY CHEESE STEAK SANDWICHES

INGREDIENTS:
2 Cooked Steaks, thinly sliced
1 Green Pepper, thinly sliced
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
1 Tsp Chilli Flakes
1 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
3-4 OZ Gruyere Cheese, shredded
4 Sub Sized Buns; OR
8 Dinner Buns
4 Tbsp Butter or Margarine

DIRECTIONS:
Heat oil over medium heat in a non stick fry pan. Add steak strips, green pepper, and garlic, saute 2 minutes. Sprinkle chilli flakes over the whole thing and continue to saute for 3 more minutes.
Split buns and butter, place under broiler until golden brown. Pile equal amounts of steak mixture over bottoms of buns. Top with cheese and return to broiler until cheese is melted and bubbly. Replace bun tops and serve.

DAY 84 RECIPE: BACON WRAPPED CHICKEN WITH MUSHROOM SAUCE

2010-04-24T19:39:00.000-06:00

Tonight I made this guilty pleasure dinner. Definately not one to make if you are watching what you eat! Not a figure friendly sort of recipe. Very nice, really tasty, and looks great when served! Not terribly difficult or expensive to make, so try it out next time you have company for dinner! It is a nice little indulgence!

DAY 84 RECIPE:
BACON WRAPPED CHICKEN WITH MUSHROOM SAUCE

INGREDIENTS:
CHICKEN:
8 Skinless Chicken Thighs
16 Bacon Slices
1 Tsp Pepper
1 Tbsp Sage Leaves
1 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
SAUCE:
Pan Drippings
½ Small Onion, diced
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
2 Cups Thinly Sliced Mushrooms
3 Tbsp Butter
3 Tbsp Flour
2 & ½ Cups Chicken Stock

DIRECTIONS:
CHICKEN:
Pre Heat oven to 400 degrees.
Sprinkle pepper and sage leaves over both sides of chicken thighs.
Heat oil in a large non stick fry pan over medium high heat. Brown chicken in pan about 2 minutes per side.
Remove from heat, and let cool just enough to comfortably handle.
Wrap each chicken thigh in 2 pieces of bacon. Place on a rack in a roasting pan. Cover and roast for 40 to 45 minutes, or until fully cooked.
REMOVE COVER AFTER 30 MINUTES TO ENSURE BACON CRISPS UP.
SAUCE:
In the fry pan, melt butter with dripping over a medium high heat. Add garlic, onions and mushrooms. Sauté For 8 minutes. Sprinkle flour over everything in pan,mix it up and cook 2 minutes. Slowly add chicken stock, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium low, cook about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until sauce is thickened.
Spoon sauce over chicken and serve.

DAY 83 RECIPE: PAN SEARED STEAK

2010-04-22T22:08:00.000-06:00

I am sad to report that yesterday I had no recipe to post at all! The kids and fam and I spent the whole day in the yard, enjoying the sun and playing! We had two picnic meals, none of which required much effort or recipes. Veggie dogs with french fries and veggies was dinner last night.
Tonight I made pan seared steak (BBQ was not working) they turned out really great! Moist and tender, and really surprisingly quick and simple. Check it out and enjoy!
DAY 83 RECIPE:
PAN SEARED STEAK

INGREDIENTS:
4 Striploin Steaks, about 1” thick
4 Garlic Cloves, minced
¼ Cup Vegetable Oil
¼ Cup Soy Sauce
¼ Cup Water
1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
1 Tbsp Chilli Flakes
1 Tsp Ginger
1 Tsp Pepper
2 Tbsp Brown Sugar

DIRECTIONS:
Mix together all ingredients except steak. Pour sauce into a large zip top bag. Put steaks the bag with sauce, squish around and let sit for ½ hour.
Heat a large, heavy bottomed non stick fry pan over medium high heat. When pan is hot, place steaks in pan, making sure not to crowd them.
Cook 6 minutes, turn once and cook 6 more minutes. This will give you a medium rare doneness.

DAY 82 RECIPE: TOASTY STUFFED SANDWICHES

2010-04-20T21:18:00.000-06:00

Well, today was another busy day for us! It was so beautiful and warm outside (and in the house) I certainly did not feel like doing too much cooking or heating the house up too much! So I looked at what I had in the house, thought I would try a new twist on an old favourite, and came up with these. It always seems for some reason that whenever I heat up a sandwich, it feels more filling! Anyhow, check it out!
DAY 82 RECIPE:
TOASTY STUFFED SANDWICHES

INGREDIENTS:
4 Big Kaiser Buns
4 Tsp Butter or Margarine
4 Tsp Mustard
4 Tsp Mayonnaise
8 Slices Deli Style Ham
4 Slices Cheddar or Swiss Cheese
4 Slices Tomato
8 Lettuce Leaves

DIRECTIONS:
Pre heat oven to 350 degrees.
Slice tops(about ¼ inch down) off of buns, set aside.
Hollow out buns, leaving about ¼ inch throughout. Spread 1 tsp butter on inside of bun. Spread 1 Tsp mustard on bottom of each hollow. Now layer 2 slices ham and then 1 slice cheese in the bun.
Place buns in the oven for about 10 minutes until cheese is nicely melted.
Place bun tops in the oven for the last 3 minutes or so of cooking to toast them up a bit.
Now, spread 1 tsp of mayo on each bun top. On the bun bottoms layer a tomato slice and a few lettuce leaves, place top on and serve

DAY 81 RECIPE: CHICKEN PASTA SALAD

2010-04-20T21:13:00.000-06:00

My lovely mother in law arrived last night for a visit! So I never had time to post my recipe last night! Too busy visiting! So, this was last nights dinner. Simple quick and so delish! Great to take on picnics or as a nice side for a BBQ! Try it out, you will love it!

DAY 81 RECIPE:
CHICKEN PASTA SALAD

INGREDIENTS:
SALAD:
6 Cups Cooked Rotini Pasta, drained and cooled
2 Cups Cooked Chicken, cooled and cubed
1 Long English Cucumber, cubed
4 OZ Cheddar Cheese, Cubed
½ Red Pepper, diced
½ yellow Pepper, diced
1 Cup Matchstick Carrots
1 Cup Grape Tomatoes (optional)
DRESSING:
¼ Cup Olive Oil (extra virgin is best)
1 Tsp Sesame Oil
2 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
1 Tbsp Oregano
2 Tsp Garlic Powder
1 Tbsp Toasted Sesame Seeds
2 Tbsp Parmesan Cheese

DIRECTIONS:
Salad:
Put all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and toss together.
Dressing:
Put all ingredients in a small bowl, or a large shaker with a lid. Mix well.
Assembly:
Pour dressing over salad. Toss together.

DAY 80 RECIPE: SMOKEY TURKEY SANDWICHES

2010-04-18T19:34:00.000-06:00

As the weather begins to get warmer, I find myself feeding my family much lighter (and easier to make) types of dinners/meals. Sandwiches, fruit kabobs, salads, etc. It certainly seems that most people really enjoy a lot lighter fare in the warmer seasons.
Today was quite beautiful (for the most part), and I thought I would try a new kind of sandwich. Starting with the base - my all time favourite bun...the amazing and delicious cheese bun from Safeway. Any kaiser bun or large sized bun will do though!
I shall be testing quite a few lunch oriented meals in the next while, as I am trying to put together a great menu for a lunch catering service I shall be getting started in the near future. So exciting! Look forward to recipes for great sandwiches, salads, wraps, soups and more!!!!! (PROBABLY SOME GOODIES/ TREATS TOO!!)
Here is tonights recipe!
DAY 80 RECIPE:
SMOKEY TURKEY SANDWICHES

INGREDIENTS:
4 Large Buns (Kaisers are nice)
400 grams Smoked Turkey Breast, deli slices
8 Tbsp Mayonnaise
1 Tsp Ground Cumin
1 Tsp Chilli Powder
½ Small Red Onion, thinly sliced
½ Small Red Pepper, thinly sliced
4 OZ Cheddar Cheese, 8 sandwich sized slices
(If you have it Applewood Smoked Cheddar is
AMAZING here)
About ½ a head of Romaine
Lettuce, washed and dried

DIRECTIONS:
Split and toast buns.
While buns are toasting, mix together mayo, cumin and chilli powder.
On both sides of each bun spread about 1 tbsp of mayo mixture.
Starting on bun bottoms, layer about ¼ of turkey on each bun, followed by 2 slices of cheese, then a few slices of onion, a few slices of pepper, and lettuce leaves to taste. Place bun tops on top of lettuce. Cut in half and serve.
***to make this sandwich even better, try adding a few slices of crispy cooked bacon!

DAY 77, DAY 78 AND DAY 79 RECIPES: HONEY GARLIC CHIKEN WINGS; TURKEY BISCUIT CASSEROLE; AND EGG-Y HASHBROWNS

2010-04-17T19:04:00.000-06:00

I have been so sad at kepping up with the blog! Again, my apologies! Things have been crazy busy hectic and about to get about 100 times more hectic! In the next three weeks,I have to plan and execute my little boys 2nd birthday party, and travel to Northern Alberta (again) pack all of our belongings into a UHaul and drag it all back here. LAME. The birthday party is very exciting, but alot of work. Some may think that I can get a bit over the top with my kids' birthday parties, but I cannot help it!
ANYWAYS, the recipes......The chicken wings are a family favourite, So tasty and can also be grilled on the BBQ if you don't want to heat up your house with the oven. The Turkey Biscuit casserole is just a great way to use up some leftover turkey...very delicious. Now, as some of you may already know, I am a HUGE breakfast fan! If it were up to me, I am sure I would only eat breakfast food (and maybe cotton candy!). So I thought I would be kind enough to share the famous EGG-Y HASHBROWN recipe. My little sister originally introduced me to this concept. I have tweaked it to suit me (my sister appears to not be particularily fond of "cooked" hashbrowns...haha...Dustin will agree with me), so this is my perfected version. One of my all time favourite meals!

DAY 77 RECIPE:
EGG-Y HASHBROWNS

INGREDIENTS:
1 Tbsp Butter or Margarine
3 Cups Frozen Diced Hashbrowns
4 Eggs, slightly beaten
1 Tsp Onion Powder
1 Tsp Salt
½ Tsp Pepper
¾ Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese

DIRECTIONS:
In a large non stick fry pan melt butter over med high heat.
Add hash browns. Stir occasionally and cook about 20 minutes. Add seasonings (onion powder, salt and pepper) in the last 2 minutes or so of cooking).
Now, pour eggs over hash browns and stir around to evenly distribute the egg throughout the hash browns. Cook about 2 minutes (until eggs are cooked). Sprinkle cheese over the top and let melt (stir cheese throughout if you prefer), and serve!

DAY 78 RECIPE:
TURKEY BISCUIT CASSEROLE

INGREDIENTS:
8 Slices Bacon, cut into small pieces
2 Cups Cooked Turkey, shredded or diced
2 Large carrots, sliced
2 Celery Ribs, sliced
1 Medium Onion, diced
3 Tbsp Butter
3 Tbsp Flour
3 & ½ Cups Chicken Stock
2 Tsp Sage Leaves
1 Tsp Pepper
1 Cup Frozen Peas
Biscuit Top:
2 Cups Flour
½ Cup Butter or Margarine
3 Tsp Baking Powder
1 Tsp Garlic Powder
2 Tsp Sage Leaves
½ tsp Salt
1 Cup Milk

DIRECTIONS:
In a large pot over medium high heat cook bacon until slightly crisped, about 8 minutes. Add turkey and saute 3 minutes. Remove meat from pan, reduce heat to medium low and add butter. Stir until melted. Sprinkle in flour, whisk and cook for 2 minutes. Pour in 1 cup of stock, whisk until smooth. Cook 2 minutes. Slowly add remaining stock, stirring constantly and cooking another 4 minutes. Put veggies in (EXCEPT PEAS), return meat to pot, add seasonings and mix everything together. Let simmer over low heat for about 30 minutes (until veggies are tender). Remove from heat and stir in peas. Transfer to an ungreased casserole dish (9X13).
TOPPING:
Pre heat oven to 375 degrees.
In a mixing bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, garlic powder, sage, and salt. Cut butter in until crumbly. Pour in milk and stir just to moisten.
You can either roll out the dough to fit the top of your casserole dish, or you can drop thin pieces of dough across the top.
Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes, or until top is golden brown.

DAY 79 RECIPE:
HONEY GARLIC CHICKEN WINGS

INGREDIETNS:
2.5-3 LBS Chicken Wings
1 Tbsp Butter or margarine
4 Garlic Cloves, Minced
¼ Cup Liquid Honey
3 Tbsp Soy Sauce
3 Tbsp Ketchup
½ Tbsp Sesame Oil
¼ Cup Water
½ Tsp Ground Ginger
½ Tsp Pepper
1 Tbsp Sesame Seeds

DIRECTIONS:
In a small sauce pan over medium heat melt butter. Add garlic and cook about 2 minutes. Add honey, soy sauce, ketchup, sesame oil, water, ginger, and pepper. Stir constantly and bring to a slow boil. Reduce heat and let simmer 10 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in sesame seeds.
Let cool to about room temp(you can make it the night before and keep it in the fridge, but it only takes about 20 minutes to cool enough). Throw chicken and sauce into a large plastic freezer bag and squish around. Throw it in the fridge for 2 hours or so.
Pre heat oven to 400 degrees and cook for 15 minutes, turn chicken over and spoon sauce in the pan over the chicken. Continue to cook 15 minutes more, or until there is no pink left in the meat.

DAY 76 RECIPE: GARLIC DILL MAC N' CHEESE

2010-04-11T19:17:00.000-06:00

It seems tonight was another Mac n' cheese night! As you may already know I am a HUGE fan of Mac n' Cheese and I make many variations of it. you may have also noticed that one of my favourite flavour combinations is Dill and Garlic, so this one, goes down as one of my new favourites! SOOOOOO Delish! Check it out!

DAY 76 RECIPE:
GARLIC DILL MAC N’ CHEESE WITH BACON

INGREDIENTS:
2 & ½ Cups Uncooked Elbow Macaroni
10 Cups Water
1 Tsp Salt
¼ Cup Butter
2 OZ Cream Cheese
3 Tbsp Flour
2 Cups Milk
1 Tsp Garlic Powder
½ Tsp Pepper
1 Tsp Salt
¼ Tsp Nutmeg
1 Tbsp Chopped Fresh Dill
1 Cup Grated Cheddar Cheese
1 Cup Grated Mozzarella Cheese
4 Slices Cooked Bacon, crumbled

DIRECTIONS:
Pre heat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large pot bring water to a boil. Add 1 Tsp salt and noodles. Boil until Al Dente, about 8 minutes. Drain and set aside.
In a large sauce pan over medium low heat, melt butter and cream cheese (when melted enough it will kind of look curdled and gross). At this point whisk in flour, everything will come together in kind of a ball (or a few of them). Pour in 1 cup of milk and whisk, cook 2 minutes. Whisk in remaining milk and add seasonings. Stir continuously cooking until thickened, about 8 - 10 minutes. Add cheddar and stir until melted and smooth.
Mix noodles into sauce and transfer into a casserole dish. Top with crumbled bacon and then mozzarella. Bake for 10 minutes, then broil for about 4 - 5 minutes, or until top is bubbly and slightly browned.

DAY 75 RECIPE: VANILLA BUTTERCREAM ICING

2010-04-10T20:49:00.000-06:00

So as promised, here is the buttercream icing used with the WICKEDLY AWESOME VANILLA CUPCAKES. I use this recipe all the time and have used it for countless years. It is wonderful and easy to make. Add a few drops of liquid food colouring or paste food colouring as desired. I have tried it in every colour of the rainbow and then some! Always lovely. If you want pure white, you can omit the butter and replace it with shortenening and some clear coloured "butter flavouring" available at most cake shops (I find it at "Micheals Craft Store". )
ENJOY!
DAY 75 RECIPE:
VANILLA BUTTERCREAM ICING

INGREDIENTS:
½ Cup Butter, or margarine
½ Cup Shortening
4 Cups Icing Sugar
1 Tsp Vanilla
2 Tbsp (approx) Milk

DIRECTIONS:
In a mixing bowl, cream butter and shortening. Add icing sugar, a little at a time, beating between each addition. At this point it should look crumbly.
Add vanilla and 2 tbsp of milk, continue to beat until light and fluffy.
*some people may like their icing a little less stiff, in which case, just add a little more milk. A little more milk helps make the use of a piping bag a little easier.

DAY 74 RECIPE: WICKEDLY AWESOME VANILLA CUPCAKES

2010-04-10T20:40:00.000-06:00

Well, tonights recipe is one that I actually made yesterday. My fabuous son, who is now 23 months old, used his potty for the first time, so we had a potty party for him. For this occassion I thought I would concoct a new recipe for an amazing and wonderful cupcake(or so I hoped). To my joy and delight, as well as that of my family, the cupcakes came out even better than I had hoped for! They were delicate and moist, light and fluffy, just beautiful!
I topped them with a fabulous buttercream icing (recipe I will post next, that way I will have one recipe for tonight and one for last night!).
I would definately suggest trying this recipe out! I have had, and made many many vanilla cupcakes and I must say these are my favourite thus far!
DAY 74 RECIPE:
WICKEDLY AWESOME VANILLA CUPCAKES

INGREDIENTS:
1 Cup Sugar
½ Cup Butter
2 Egg Whites
1 Whole Egg
2 Tsp Vanilla
1 & ½ Cup Flour
2 Tsp Baking Powder
¾ Cup Milk
1- 102g Pkg Instant Vanilla Pudding

DIRECTIONS:
Pre heat oven to 350 degrees.
In a glass mixing bowl, beat 2 egg whites until stiff peaks form. Set aside. Sift together flour, baking powder and vanilla pudding. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add whole egg and beat 1 minute.
Beat in flour mixture and milk in three additions. Alternate flour mixture additions with milk additions.
Now, as gently as possible, fold in egg whites until fully incorporated.
Fill muffin tins (either greased or lined with paper liners) about 2/3 full.
Bake 25-30 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted comes out clean.

DAY 73 RECIPE: SWEEDISH MEATBALLS

2010-04-08T22:40:00.000-06:00

It is taking forever for me to get this up tonight as it seems I have an amazingly demanding family. They don't seem to want to sleep either. So ANYHOW, finally here is tonights recipe.
DAY 73 RECIPE:
SWEEDISH MEATBALLS

INGREDIENTS:
1Lb Ground Beef
1 Egg, slightly beaten
¾ Cup Fine Bread Crumbs
1 Tsp Thyme
½ Tsp Salt
½ Tsp Pepper
1 Tsp Worcestershire Sauce
¼ Tsp Nutmeg
½ Tsp Garlic Powder
½ Tsp Onion Powder
2 Tbsp Butter or Margarine
2 + 2 Tbsp Flour
1 & ¾ Cup Chicken Stock

DIRECTIONS:
Pre heat oven to 350 degrees.
In a mixing bowl combine ground beef, egg, bread crumbs, thyme, salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, nutmeg, garlic powder and onion powder. Mix together with your hand, and form into little balls, no bigger than 1 inch in diameter.
Melt butter in a non stick fry pan over medium high heat. Add meatballs and brown on all sides. Should take no more than 8 - 10 minutes.
Transfer meatballs to a casserole dish.
Reduce heat under pan to medium low.
Add 2 tbsp of flour to pan drippings, stir rapidly and constantly, cook two minutes.
Add 1 cup of chicken stock, ¼ CUP AT A TIME. Stirring constantly, cook 1 minute between each addition.
Stir remaining 2 tbsp flour into remaining ¾ cup of chicken stock. Stir into pan ¼ cup at a time, stirring constantly and cooking 1 minute between each addition.
Pour sauce over the meatballs in the casserole dish. Transfer to oven and bake for 30 minutes.

DAY 72 RECIPE: CHEDDAR AND DILL BITES

2010-04-07T18:43:00.000-06:00

Tonights recipe is for wonderful little bites of amazing deliciousness!!!!!! Really easy to make and a great appy for parties or appy dinner night! Check it out!

DAY 72 RECIPE:
CHEDDAR AND DILL BITES

INGREDIENTS:
1 Pkg Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
3 Oz Cream Cheese
1 Cup Aged Cheddar Cheese, shredded
1 Tbsp Fresh Dill
1 Tsp Garlic Powder

DIRECTIONS:
Unroll crescent rolls. Keep in one piece. Flatten dough a little with your hands. Trying to seal perforations.
Pre heat oven to 375 degrees.
In a mixing bowl, beat together cream cheese, cheddar, dill and garlic powder until everything is evenly incorporated.
Spread cream cheese mixture over dough leaving about ¼ inch on each end. Roll dough (cream cheese mixture on the inside) as tightly as you can. Press ends in to neaten the roll. Slice in 1 inch pieces. Place on a parchment lined sheet pan and bake about 20 minutes or until golden brown.