Hello everyone! How were your Christmas holidays? We had a fantastic time, celebrating with family and friends. We've had lots of company, which has been very fun. We are looking forward to a quiet New Year's Eve and a few more days off before it's back to school and back to work (for me, my hubby went back to work on the 27th). Now that we are getting back into a routine (and now that we have finally run out of turkey!) - I am back to meal-planning. Here is our meal plan for this week:
Sunday - Homemade Turkey Soup (recipe coming soon!), Dinner Buns
Monday - Slow Cooker Meatballs, Rice and Corn
Tuesday - Tandoori BBQ Pork Chops, Perogies, Grilled Peppers
Wednesday - Steak, Baked Potato, Caramelized Brussel Sprouts, Green Salad
Thursday - Beef Stroganoff (recipe coming soon!), Green Salad
Friday - Sweet & Sour Chicken, Rice, Green Salad
Saturday - Leftovers / Fridge Clean Out (we have a busy day at the hockey rink, no time to cook, good thing for leftovers!)
See you next week, for my first meal plan for 2014!
Join Me in My Addiction!
Thank you for visiting my blog...and for allowing me to share with you my addiction. I love to collect recipes. I love to read cookbooks. I have been collecting recipes for as long as I can remember, and on any given day there are one or two (or more!) cookbooks residing on my nightstand!
This blog is chronicling my adventure as I fulfill my resolution of trying (at least) one new recipe each week. I hope that you enjoy!
I invite you to join me in my journey, simply by clicking the "Join this Site" link below. And please feel free to comment on any of the recipes, and pin away. Thanks, I look forward to sharing with you!
This blog is chronicling my adventure as I fulfill my resolution of trying (at least) one new recipe each week. I hope that you enjoy!
I invite you to join me in my journey, simply by clicking the "Join this Site" link below. And please feel free to comment on any of the recipes, and pin away. Thanks, I look forward to sharing with you!
Monday, December 30, 2013
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
CST - Beyond the Blue Line
Growing up, my brother and I were always involved in something. Whether it was swimming lessons (both of us), skating (on our backyard ice rink). basketball (me), competive cycling (my brother) - and more - we were always on the go. Education was also very important to our family. My brother and I had to keep up our grades in order to keep up with our extracurricular activities - and going to College and/or University after high school was stressed as "an important thing to do".
In a time when RESPs did not exist (we were born in the 70's), my parents still saw the value of saving for our post-secondary educations. In a recent survey completed by CST Consultants, 89% of parents expressed that they believe it is important to them to help pay for their childrens' post-secondary education.
Families often struggle to try to balance paying for extra-curricular activites and saving for post-secondary education. Now that I am all grown up and have a family of my own, I am sure my husband and I are having the same conversations that our parents had when we were kids. My husband grew up in a hockey-playing family, and that love of hockey has been passed along to our boys. We currently have 1 son in hockey, and our second not far behind. Already we are feeling the crunch when it comes to paying for hockey and saving for our kids' educational futures. For us, we do our best to split the expenses. In the months when we need to pay for hockey, our savings towards education may be reduced, but in the non-hockey months, there is more for those education funds. Check out this great info-graphic on the Cost of Hockey.
A lot of people wonder about "when" to start that education fund. For us, we started saving as soon as our kids were born. We figured this way we would have a good start on savings before the kids got into hockey. Plus, there are many grants available to us for education savings. Be sure to check them out! We are also pretty realistic about our kids' hockey futures - even though hockey is in their blood, we have no expectations that either of them will make it to the NHL - all we want is for them to love playing and have fun doing it!
The folks over at Canadian Scholarship Trust Plan love hockey and they recognize that our kids shouldn't miss out on playing sports because we were too busy saving for their post-secondary educations. There is a balance to be found, and the folks at CST can help!
CST Consultants has launched a community education initiative for teams - learn how you can enter your team to win $10,000! Yes, $10,000! Contest is open until December 31, 2013, so don't delay, enter today!
Disclosure: I am part of the C.S.T. Consultants Inc. – Beyond the blue line blogger program with Mom Central Canada and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own
In a time when RESPs did not exist (we were born in the 70's), my parents still saw the value of saving for our post-secondary educations. In a recent survey completed by CST Consultants, 89% of parents expressed that they believe it is important to them to help pay for their childrens' post-secondary education.
Families often struggle to try to balance paying for extra-curricular activites and saving for post-secondary education. Now that I am all grown up and have a family of my own, I am sure my husband and I are having the same conversations that our parents had when we were kids. My husband grew up in a hockey-playing family, and that love of hockey has been passed along to our boys. We currently have 1 son in hockey, and our second not far behind. Already we are feeling the crunch when it comes to paying for hockey and saving for our kids' educational futures. For us, we do our best to split the expenses. In the months when we need to pay for hockey, our savings towards education may be reduced, but in the non-hockey months, there is more for those education funds. Check out this great info-graphic on the Cost of Hockey.
A lot of people wonder about "when" to start that education fund. For us, we started saving as soon as our kids were born. We figured this way we would have a good start on savings before the kids got into hockey. Plus, there are many grants available to us for education savings. Be sure to check them out! We are also pretty realistic about our kids' hockey futures - even though hockey is in their blood, we have no expectations that either of them will make it to the NHL - all we want is for them to love playing and have fun doing it!
The folks over at Canadian Scholarship Trust Plan love hockey and they recognize that our kids shouldn't miss out on playing sports because we were too busy saving for their post-secondary educations. There is a balance to be found, and the folks at CST can help!
CST Consultants has launched a community education initiative for teams - learn how you can enter your team to win $10,000! Yes, $10,000! Contest is open until December 31, 2013, so don't delay, enter today!
Disclosure: I am part of the C.S.T. Consultants Inc. – Beyond the blue line blogger program with Mom Central Canada and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own
Monday, December 16, 2013
Meal Plan Monday
Hello friends, how are you today? How are your Christmas preparations coming along? I'm busy in the midst of writing Christmas cards, wrapping gifts (shopping is all done!), menu planning for the big day, and prepping for company! This week we also have Christmas concerts, a school dance, a daycare Christmas party, hockey, and on and on! All great fun :-) We've even got a little bit of snow at our house, though the rest of our city is still fairly green.
Here is this week's meal plan:
Sunday - Lasagne (with Dawn's Tomato Sauce)
Monday - Leftovers
Tuesday - BBQ Chicken, Caramelized Brussel Sprouts, Perogies
Wednesday - Leftovers
Thursday - Soup & Sandwiches
Friday - Out for dinner!
Saturday - To be determined...
Have a great week!
Here is this week's meal plan:
Sunday - Lasagne (with Dawn's Tomato Sauce)
Monday - Leftovers
Tuesday - BBQ Chicken, Caramelized Brussel Sprouts, Perogies
Wednesday - Leftovers
Thursday - Soup & Sandwiches
Friday - Out for dinner!
Saturday - To be determined...
Have a great week!
Monday, December 9, 2013
Meal Plan Monday
Hello everyone! I am sure that like me, you are in the midst of all the busy-ness that the holidays bring. My recipes posts have been slow - I'm still cooking up a storm, but my blog time has been reduced given all the other commitments these days. As soon as I catch my breath (and get the Christmas cards written and the gifts wrapped and...lol) then I will get back to finishing those 30+ drafts that I have waiting for my attention!
As always, I am planning our weekly meals, and without further delay, here is this week's meal plan!
Sunday - Beef dip and Dawn's Baked Beans (and Cinnabun Cake for dessert!)...and Broccoli Cheddar Soup for lunch!
Monday - Leftovers
Tuesday - Zesty Shrimp
Wednesday - Leftovers
Thursday - Beef Barley Soup (Slow Cooker)
Friday - Out for dinner! Night off from cooking, yay!
Saturday - To be determined...
Happy menu planning, friends!
Monday, December 2, 2013
Meal Plan Monday
Hello everyone! How are things in your world? Tis the season of busy days - it's a busy time at my day job, add in all the added fun around the season...having a blast, but a little slow with my posts lately.
I'm back with my family's meal plan for this week. Here we go!
Sunday - Spaghetti and Meat Sauce
Monday - Sweet and Sour Pork Chops, Perogies and Corn
Tuesday - Homemade Hamburger Helper
Wednesday - Leftovers
Thursday - Savoury Fish
Friday - Leftovers for the kids, Mom and Dad are off to a Christmas party!
Saturday - Still to be determined...hey I can't always be THAT organized! ;-)
Enjoy your week!
I'm back with my family's meal plan for this week. Here we go!
Sunday - Spaghetti and Meat Sauce
Monday - Sweet and Sour Pork Chops, Perogies and Corn
Tuesday - Homemade Hamburger Helper
Wednesday - Leftovers
Thursday - Savoury Fish
Friday - Leftovers for the kids, Mom and Dad are off to a Christmas party!
Saturday - Still to be determined...hey I can't always be THAT organized! ;-)
Enjoy your week!
Monday, November 25, 2013
Meal Plan Monday
Hello friends, welcome back to Meal Plan Monday!
We have another busy week around here, with sports (volleyball, hockey, swimming, tennis), late work nights, and various other projects on the go.
BUT, I did get our meal plan made...and here is what we're having this week:
Here is our plan for this week:
Sunday - Beef Stew and Butter Rolls
Monday - Leftover stew and rolls
Tuesday - Taco Tuesday
Wednesday - Tandoori Chicken, Rice, Peas and Naan Bread
Thursday - Fish and Chips
Friday - Clean out the fridge night! Leftovers :-)
Saturday - Christmas party...we're having Greek!
Have a great week!
We have another busy week around here, with sports (volleyball, hockey, swimming, tennis), late work nights, and various other projects on the go.
BUT, I did get our meal plan made...and here is what we're having this week:
Here is our plan for this week:
Sunday - Beef Stew and Butter Rolls
Monday - Leftover stew and rolls
Tuesday - Taco Tuesday
Wednesday - Tandoori Chicken, Rice, Peas and Naan Bread
Thursday - Fish and Chips
Friday - Clean out the fridge night! Leftovers :-)
Saturday - Christmas party...we're having Greek!
Have a great week!
Snack Happy with Snackbox - Special Offer and #Giveaway!
Are you looking for a unique gift for someone in your life? Are you a snack lover, with a sense of adventure? Have you heard of Snackbox? I've seen Snackbox online, always thought it looked pretty cool (I have a snack-loving husband, and I'm always on the search for healthier quick choices to stash in my desk at work) and recently we were given the opportunity to try a Snackbox of our own. I didn't know what to expect when our Snackbox arrived...but WOW! What a neat idea! It's truly a gift of discovery, when you sign up for (or gift) the program, each month a box full of delicious and healthy snacks are delivered right to your door.
Inside our Snackbox we had:
What an awesome variety of snacks...and in our house, we had not tried any of them before they arrived in our Snackbox. This is a great way for us to try new snacks and find some new favourites.
I also love that included in our Snackbox was an information card telling us about each item in our box, the retail price, and the list of retailers where to find everything. Really makes things EASY for a planner like me :-) The folks at Snackbox have really thought of everything!
SPECIAL OFFER for Addicted to Recipes fans! If you would like to give Snackbox a try for yourself, I have a COUPON CODE for you! The coupon will give you $15 off your first Snackbox. Coupon valid until December 31, 2013, your code is AddictedtoRecipes. Don't miss out on this great deal, head on over to Snackbox today! 1, 3 and 6 month gift subscriptions are available.
Now, I am so excited to tell you that ONE LUCKY READER of Addicted to Recipes is going to win a Snackbox! Contest open to Canada only, enter via the Rafflecopter below. Good luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Inside our Snackbox we had:
- Aurora Creations Gobi Spice
- Enerjive Quinoa Skinny Crackers
- Teas'Tea
- Bella Viva Orchards Pear Slices
- Cocolico Toffee Coconut Dark Chocolate
- La Fourmi Fruit & Nut Medley
- Lara Bar
- Sensible Portions Veggie Straws
- My Smoothie Green
- Pirate's Booty Cheese Puffs
- True to Nature Hemp Protein Bar
What an awesome variety of snacks...and in our house, we had not tried any of them before they arrived in our Snackbox. This is a great way for us to try new snacks and find some new favourites.
I also love that included in our Snackbox was an information card telling us about each item in our box, the retail price, and the list of retailers where to find everything. Really makes things EASY for a planner like me :-) The folks at Snackbox have really thought of everything!
SPECIAL OFFER for Addicted to Recipes fans! If you would like to give Snackbox a try for yourself, I have a COUPON CODE for you! The coupon will give you $15 off your first Snackbox. Coupon valid until December 31, 2013, your code is AddictedtoRecipes. Don't miss out on this great deal, head on over to Snackbox today! 1, 3 and 6 month gift subscriptions are available.
Now, I am so excited to tell you that ONE LUCKY READER of Addicted to Recipes is going to win a Snackbox! Contest open to Canada only, enter via the Rafflecopter below. Good luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Sunday, November 24, 2013
Keep Calm and Cook On - Appetizers
Hello everyone!
Welcome back to Keep Calm and Cook On! With the holiday season upon us, in addition to all the treats we are making, it is also the season for pot lucks and parties...and appetizers!
So this month (and yes, I know I am starting a little early!) I thought I would make the theme for Keep Calm and Cook On APPETIZERS!
Please share your favourite appetizer recipes below! At the end of the party I will do a round up, featuring several of the fantastic appies that you share.
Thank you!
Monday, November 18, 2013
Meal Plan Monday
It's still Monday! Better late than never with Meal Plan Monday :-) I have been prepping my meal plans each week, but have missed the occasional post - we've had a few long weekends, and long weekends tend to throw me off my blogging schedule a little bit (I'm usually busy having fun with the fam on that extra day off!).
When deciding on our plan for this week, hubs asked for ham, which we haven't had since Easter. So, ham it is...and lots of it this week!
Here is this week's meal plan:
Sunday - Ham, Smoky Scalloped Potatoes, Green Beans
Monday - Lefotover Ham, scalloped potatoes, more beans, and perogies for the kids
Tuesday - Yes...more ham. Told you, we are on a ham kick! And salad and perogies.
Wednesday - Pork Chops, Mixed Baby Greens Salad, Peas
Thursday - Out for dinner night - I am working late so we are having dinner brought in, and our oldest has a team pizza party after hockey practice and our youngest is having dinner with Grandma and Papa.
Friday - Creamy Ham and Potato Soup, Homemade Tea Biscuits
Saturday - Homemade Hamburgers, French Fries and Salad
I hope this helps you make your weekly meal plan too!
Thursday, November 14, 2013
The World's Best Pork Loin Roast Rub - Slow Cooker
We've been eating a lot of chicken lately, and I felt it was time to throw in a little pork. And since we are all about the slow cooker these days, it seemed suiting
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons black pepper
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon ground ginger
2 1/4 teaspoons garlic powder
2 1/4 teaspoons onion powder
1/2 tablespoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3/4 teaspoons cumin
3/4 teaspoons paprika
1/3 teaspoon thyme
Mix all of the seasonings together in a bowl. Sprinkle approximately 1/2 cup of the mixture over a 2- 2 1/2 pound pork roast and rub in. Allow the pork to stand for approximately 20 minutes. Place in slow cooker, add a little water to the bottom of the slow cooker, and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
When ready, remove from the slow cooker and allow the roast to rest for 5-10 minute before slicing. Serve, and enjoy!
VERDICT:
This was a nice tasting roast! We all enjoyed the flavours :-)
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons black pepper
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon ground ginger
2 1/4 teaspoons garlic powder
2 1/4 teaspoons onion powder
1/2 tablespoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3/4 teaspoons cumin
3/4 teaspoons paprika
1/3 teaspoon thyme
Mix all of the seasonings together in a bowl. Sprinkle approximately 1/2 cup of the mixture over a 2- 2 1/2 pound pork roast and rub in. Allow the pork to stand for approximately 20 minutes. Place in slow cooker, add a little water to the bottom of the slow cooker, and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
When ready, remove from the slow cooker and allow the roast to rest for 5-10 minute before slicing. Serve, and enjoy!
VERDICT:
This was a nice tasting roast! We all enjoyed the flavours :-)
The Secret to Willpower With Kellogg's Special K - #Giveaway
What fills YOU up? Besides food, of course. What in life fills you up? For me, it's my husband, my kids, my extended family, my friends, my hobbies, and my work.
Check out this You Tube video and see what these Toronto women had to say about What Fills Them Up
Tis the season of indulging. Between all the festivities for Thanksgiving, Halloween, Christmas and New Year's, it is hard to keep that willpower going. This is the time of year when we are surrounded by all sorts of goodies that fill us up.
Recently we received a Special K Willpower Kit from Kellogg's which included products to try as well as some interesting and useful information about protein. I know that I don't eat enough protein in the morning to truly satisfy my hunger and provide me with that boost that we all need from protein. I am sure that is why I am usually starving by lunch!
Lucky for the "me's" out there, Kellogg's has introduced NEW Special K Protein Cereal with 10 grams of protein and 9 grams of fibre to help satisfy that need for protein. I love mixing cereal and yogurt, and adding in the Special K cereal to my morning yogurt snack is an easy no-brainer for me.
Guess what? The nice folks at Kellogg's are giving my lucky readers a chance to WIN a Special K Willpower Kit, valued at $35!! Enter via the Rafflecopter below.
NOTE: One winner, open to Canada only. Winner will be drawn at random via Rafflecopter. Winner will be notified by email and will have 48 hours to respond. Failure to respond within 48 hours will result in a new winner being drawn. Prize supplied by Kellogg's.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Check out this You Tube video and see what these Toronto women had to say about What Fills Them Up
Tis the season of indulging. Between all the festivities for Thanksgiving, Halloween, Christmas and New Year's, it is hard to keep that willpower going. This is the time of year when we are surrounded by all sorts of goodies that fill us up.
Recently we received a Special K Willpower Kit from Kellogg's which included products to try as well as some interesting and useful information about protein. I know that I don't eat enough protein in the morning to truly satisfy my hunger and provide me with that boost that we all need from protein. I am sure that is why I am usually starving by lunch!
Lucky for the "me's" out there, Kellogg's has introduced NEW Special K Protein Cereal with 10 grams of protein and 9 grams of fibre to help satisfy that need for protein. I love mixing cereal and yogurt, and adding in the Special K cereal to my morning yogurt snack is an easy no-brainer for me.
Guess what? The nice folks at Kellogg's are giving my lucky readers a chance to WIN a Special K Willpower Kit, valued at $35!! Enter via the Rafflecopter below.
NOTE: One winner, open to Canada only. Winner will be drawn at random via Rafflecopter. Winner will be notified by email and will have 48 hours to respond. Failure to respond within 48 hours will result in a new winner being drawn. Prize supplied by Kellogg's.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Thursday, November 7, 2013
Balsamic Roast Beef - Slow Cooker
It's that time of year - we are into hockey season, which means that our slow cooker is getting extra use. I am happy to bring back Slow Cooker Thursday! This is the first edition for this Fall/Winter, I hope you will enjoy! Here is the recipe:
Balsamic Roast Beef (Source: Add A Pinch)
1 3-4 pound boneless roast beef
1 cup beef broth
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 cloves garlic, minced
Bring out your slow cooker, Put the roast in the cooker.
In a bowl, mix together the balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, red pepper flakes and garlic. Pour the mixture over the roast. Cook for 4 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low.
When the roast is ready, remove from the slow cooker. Gently break the roast apart, baste the roast with approximately 1/4 cup - 1/2 cup of the gravy from the slow cooker.
You can keep the remaining gravy for future use, just be sure to store in an airtight container in the fridge.
VERDICT:
This was DELICIOUS. We really enjoyed our meal - I turned it into beef dip with homemade Au Jus...so so good!
Balsamic Roast Beef (Source: Add A Pinch)
1 3-4 pound boneless roast beef
1 cup beef broth
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 cloves garlic, minced
Bring out your slow cooker, Put the roast in the cooker.
In a bowl, mix together the balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, red pepper flakes and garlic. Pour the mixture over the roast. Cook for 4 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low.
When the roast is ready, remove from the slow cooker. Gently break the roast apart, baste the roast with approximately 1/4 cup - 1/2 cup of the gravy from the slow cooker.
You can keep the remaining gravy for future use, just be sure to store in an airtight container in the fridge.
VERDICT:
This was DELICIOUS. We really enjoyed our meal - I turned it into beef dip with homemade Au Jus...so so good!
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
Apple Pie Cake
I love apple season. I know, I love a lot of seasons...we are big fruit eaters in our house, and are very lucky to be living in a fruit producing region of Canada that allows us plenty of selection of amazing fruit (and vegetables too!). There's something about apple season though, the smell of apples baking...just so good!
I love apple pie, but I am not a big pie maker. When I stumbled across Martha Stewart's recipe for Apple Pie Cake, I decided that I needed to give it a try. Here is the recipe:
2 cups flour
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 teaspoons cinnamon, divided, plus extra for sprinkling
1 cup unsalted butter, cold, cut into cubes
8-10 apples (the more tart the better)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Preheat oven to 350F.
In a large bowl, mix together the flour, brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon. Using your pastry blender, cut in the butter. You'll know you are done cutting in the butter when the mixture looks like small peas. Measure out 2/3 of the mixture and press into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. I used my hand to press into the pan.
Peel apples, cut into even, thin slices.and place into a second large bowl. Add the second teaspoon of cinnamon and the lemon juice. Toss well. Place the
apples on the base, pressing slightly into the base.
Top with the remaining floir mixture and sprinkle with cinnamon. Place the pan on a foil-lined baking sheet (the apple juice may leak through), and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Remove from oven, allow to cool in the pan so that the cake can set. Before releasing the springform pan, run a knife along the edge to release the cake from the pan.
VERDICT:
We served tha cake slightly warm, and it was so good. A nice variation for us. And pretty easy to make - not a lot of ingredients, and all common pantry ingredients. Will be trying my next piece with a little scoop of vanilla ice cream or some whipped cream.
I love apple pie, but I am not a big pie maker. When I stumbled across Martha Stewart's recipe for Apple Pie Cake, I decided that I needed to give it a try. Here is the recipe:
2 cups flour
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 teaspoons cinnamon, divided, plus extra for sprinkling
1 cup unsalted butter, cold, cut into cubes
8-10 apples (the more tart the better)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Preheat oven to 350F.
In a large bowl, mix together the flour, brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon. Using your pastry blender, cut in the butter. You'll know you are done cutting in the butter when the mixture looks like small peas. Measure out 2/3 of the mixture and press into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. I used my hand to press into the pan.
Peel apples, cut into even, thin slices.and place into a second large bowl. Add the second teaspoon of cinnamon and the lemon juice. Toss well. Place the
apples on the base, pressing slightly into the base.
Top with the remaining floir mixture and sprinkle with cinnamon. Place the pan on a foil-lined baking sheet (the apple juice may leak through), and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Remove from oven, allow to cool in the pan so that the cake can set. Before releasing the springform pan, run a knife along the edge to release the cake from the pan.
VERDICT:
We served tha cake slightly warm, and it was so good. A nice variation for us. And pretty easy to make - not a lot of ingredients, and all common pantry ingredients. Will be trying my next piece with a little scoop of vanilla ice cream or some whipped cream.
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
Recipe Recap #40
Hello friends and welcome to Recipe Recap! I love this weekly walk back down "recipe lane" to remind myself of what I was cooking 1 year ago. It's always neat to see what recipes that were new 1 year ago are now part of our regular repertoire. I hope you enjoy - here are the recipes from November 3-9, 2012:
Meatloaf Cupcakes - STILL a hit at our house!
Remarkable Ratatouille
See you next week!
Meatloaf Cupcakes - STILL a hit at our house!
Remarkable Ratatouille
See you next week!
Monday, November 4, 2013
Meal Plan Monday
Hello everyone, I'm back again with this week's meal plan. I'm sorry if you
missed me last week - I took a little break from the blog - had some stuff going on, and was also busy with Halloween.
How was your Halloween? We had a phenomenal night. We have a great neighborhood with some creative neighbors who like to get right into the fun spirit of Halloween. It's nice because there is no competition in the neighborhood, just everyone wanting to make it a great evening! We welcomed 155 kids to our door - my husband had a blast entertaining the groups when they came to our house, and I had a blast trick-or-treating with the kids. I was so proud of my little guys, at each house they visited they both showed great manners, thanking everyone for their treats, wishing everyone a Happy Halloween, and complimenting homes where there were decorations that they liked.
Now that the "holiday" is over, I'm "back to the grind"...here is this week's meal plan!
Sunday - Slow Cooker Meatballs, Rice and Corn
Monday - Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Sandwiches, Dawn's Baked Beans, and Carrots
Tuesday - Leftovers
Wednesday - Spaghetti with Dawn's Tomato Sauce
Thursday - Butternut Squash Soup with Cheddar, Chive and Sundried Tomato Bread
Friday - Breakfast for Dinner Night - Cinnamon Raisin French Toast, Bacon, Hashbrowns
Saturday - Steak, Baked Potatoes, Grilled Vegetables
I hope you have a fantastic week!
missed me last week - I took a little break from the blog - had some stuff going on, and was also busy with Halloween.
How was your Halloween? We had a phenomenal night. We have a great neighborhood with some creative neighbors who like to get right into the fun spirit of Halloween. It's nice because there is no competition in the neighborhood, just everyone wanting to make it a great evening! We welcomed 155 kids to our door - my husband had a blast entertaining the groups when they came to our house, and I had a blast trick-or-treating with the kids. I was so proud of my little guys, at each house they visited they both showed great manners, thanking everyone for their treats, wishing everyone a Happy Halloween, and complimenting homes where there were decorations that they liked.
Now that the "holiday" is over, I'm "back to the grind"...here is this week's meal plan!
Sunday - Slow Cooker Meatballs, Rice and Corn
Monday - Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Sandwiches, Dawn's Baked Beans, and Carrots
Tuesday - Leftovers
Wednesday - Spaghetti with Dawn's Tomato Sauce
Thursday - Butternut Squash Soup with Cheddar, Chive and Sundried Tomato Bread
Friday - Breakfast for Dinner Night - Cinnamon Raisin French Toast, Bacon, Hashbrowns
Saturday - Steak, Baked Potatoes, Grilled Vegetables
I hope you have a fantastic week!
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Recipe Recap #39
Good morning friends! Happy Tuesday to you!
I am pleased to be back with Recipe Recap #39, sharing with you the recipes that I posted the week of October 27 - November 2, 2012. Here are the recipes!
Eastern Chicken
French Canadian Split Pea Soup - Slow Cooker
Hope you will come back next week to check out another recap! Have a great day!
I am pleased to be back with Recipe Recap #39, sharing with you the recipes that I posted the week of October 27 - November 2, 2012. Here are the recipes!
Eastern Chicken
French Canadian Split Pea Soup - Slow Cooker
Hope you will come back next week to check out another recap! Have a great day!
Sunday, October 27, 2013
Scrumptious Sunday Recipe Link Party #77 & Features
Hello friends! Happy weekend to you! How has your weekend been? Ours has been good. Friday was a professional development day for our local school district, so our oldest didn't have school. I took the day off and he and I hung out together - he had a hockey camp to go to in the morning, and then we went for lunch, and then spent some time over at his Great-Grandpa's house. Was a nice day! There was more hockey on Saturday, and an adult Halloween/Birthday party in the evening. We've also got pumpkin carving on our agenda before the weekend is through! Lots of fun all around :-)
Before we get to this week's party, I wanted to share with you the features from Scrumptious Sunday Recipe Link Party #76. Here they are!
Mexican Carnitas Cobb Salad from Sumptuous Spoonfuls
German Poppy Seed Streusel Cake from Hungry Little Girl
Cookie Butter Donuts from A Peek Into My Paradise
Congratulations everyone!
Now, it's time to party! Please head on over to the party page for Scrumptious Sunday Recipe Link Party #77 and share with everyone your recipes!
Before we get to this week's party, I wanted to share with you the features from Scrumptious Sunday Recipe Link Party #76. Here they are!
Mexican Carnitas Cobb Salad from Sumptuous Spoonfuls
German Poppy Seed Streusel Cake from Hungry Little Girl
Cookie Butter Donuts from A Peek Into My Paradise
Congratulations everyone!
Now, it's time to party! Please head on over to the party page for Scrumptious Sunday Recipe Link Party #77 and share with everyone your recipes!
Thursday, October 24, 2013
Butter Chicken - Slow Cooker
Yes, it's that time again...Slow Cooker Thursday. You know that we love our slow cooker at our house, and that Thursday after school is hockey practice day for our oldest, and coming home to dinner ready in the slow cooker makes life that much easier.
Lately I have been craving butter chicken, and we almost went out for some the other night. But instead, I found this recipe and upon further "investigation", found that we already had most of the ingredients at home, so I decided to make it instead!
Here is the recipe:
Butter Chicken (Source: La Vie Overseas)
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breats, cut into pieces
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons curry powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon garam masala
2 teaspoons tandoori masala
6 oz tomato paste
8 oz tomato sauce
14 oz coconut milk
1 cup plain yogurt, plus extra for garnish
Cilantro
Corn starch (if needed)
In a large skillet and over medium heat, melt the butter with the vegetable oil. Add in the onion, garlic and chicken. Cook until the onions are soft, around 10 minutes.
Add in the curry powder, cayenne pepper, garam masala, tandoori masala, and tomato paste. Mix well and until smooth, 1-2 minutes.
Pour the contents of the skillet into your slow cooker. Add in the tomato sauce, coconut milk and yogurt. Cook on low for up to 6 hours.
Approximately 30 minutes before serving, taste the sauce and check for preferred thickness. I found my sauce was a little more runny than what we would prefer, so I added some corn starch to the sauce to thicken it.
Serve with rice and naan bread.
VERDICT:
So stinkin good! I had tasted the sauce a few hours before serving and figured the kids would end up thinking it was too spicy for them, so I did end up preparing a quick meal just for them. But they loved the naan bread :-) Hubs and I devoured our Butter Chicken...I can't wait for the leftovers!
Lately I have been craving butter chicken, and we almost went out for some the other night. But instead, I found this recipe and upon further "investigation", found that we already had most of the ingredients at home, so I decided to make it instead!
Here is the recipe:
Butter Chicken (Source: La Vie Overseas)
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breats, cut into pieces
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons curry powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon garam masala
2 teaspoons tandoori masala
6 oz tomato paste
8 oz tomato sauce
14 oz coconut milk
1 cup plain yogurt, plus extra for garnish
Cilantro
Corn starch (if needed)
In a large skillet and over medium heat, melt the butter with the vegetable oil. Add in the onion, garlic and chicken. Cook until the onions are soft, around 10 minutes.
Add in the curry powder, cayenne pepper, garam masala, tandoori masala, and tomato paste. Mix well and until smooth, 1-2 minutes.
Pour the contents of the skillet into your slow cooker. Add in the tomato sauce, coconut milk and yogurt. Cook on low for up to 6 hours.
Approximately 30 minutes before serving, taste the sauce and check for preferred thickness. I found my sauce was a little more runny than what we would prefer, so I added some corn starch to the sauce to thicken it.
Serve with rice and naan bread.
VERDICT:
So stinkin good! I had tasted the sauce a few hours before serving and figured the kids would end up thinking it was too spicy for them, so I did end up preparing a quick meal just for them. But they loved the naan bread :-) Hubs and I devoured our Butter Chicken...I can't wait for the leftovers!
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Super Good (and Healthy!) Granola
I love adding granola to my yogurt. I just love that extra crunch, and I do hope some added health benefits too! Unfortunately, most store bought granola contains almonds, or the warning that there may be almonds. And my hubby is allergic to almonds...so I often just go without granola. And then I realized, hey, I'm a recipe blogger, I should be able to make a granola recipe that I like that is almond free...and here we go:
2 cups chopped walnuts
1 cup pumpkin seeds (raw or salted, whichever you prefer)
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 teaspoon salt (skip the salt if you use salted pumpkin seeds)
2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
3 tablespoons honey
1 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup pitted dates, chopped
Preheat oven to 300F. Prepare baking sheet - cover with parchment paper.
In a bowl, mix together the walnuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, coconut and salt.
In a small bowl mix together the melted coconut oil and the honey. Add this mixture to the nut and seed mixture. Stir well. Spread evenly onto the prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 18-20 minutes. Remove from oven, sprinkle on the cranberries and dates. Allow to cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container.
VERDICT:
I took this granola to work, to my team it was an experiment, and they all seemed to like it :-) My hubby and both like it, as does our toddler. Our oldest hasn't tried it yet, he seems a little nervous about it. But hubby and I are happy, and I will make this again (after all, it is almond free - yay!).
2 cups chopped walnuts
1 cup pumpkin seeds (raw or salted, whichever you prefer)
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 teaspoon salt (skip the salt if you use salted pumpkin seeds)
2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
3 tablespoons honey
1 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup pitted dates, chopped
Preheat oven to 300F. Prepare baking sheet - cover with parchment paper.
In a bowl, mix together the walnuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, coconut and salt.
In a small bowl mix together the melted coconut oil and the honey. Add this mixture to the nut and seed mixture. Stir well. Spread evenly onto the prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 18-20 minutes. Remove from oven, sprinkle on the cranberries and dates. Allow to cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container.
VERDICT:
I took this granola to work, to my team it was an experiment, and they all seemed to like it :-) My hubby and both like it, as does our toddler. Our oldest hasn't tried it yet, he seems a little nervous about it. But hubby and I are happy, and I will make this again (after all, it is almond free - yay!).
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
Recipe Recap #38
Hello again...you lucky friends you! I'm back with Recipe Recap #38 (and part two for today!) October was a busy month last year, and I created one of my "signature" recipes for a party this time last year. Check it out below, along with the other recipes from the week of October 20 - 26, 2012.
Nutella Cheesecake Bites (I get asked to make these for pot lucks often!)
Rice Krispies Halloween Treats (fun for the family!)
Beef Barley Soup - SLOW COOKER (just finished another pot of this...this one is very popular with my boys!)
And just in case you missed the earlier recap...pop on over!
See you next week!
Nutella Cheesecake Bites (I get asked to make these for pot lucks often!)
Rice Krispies Halloween Treats (fun for the family!)
Beef Barley Soup - SLOW COOKER (just finished another pot of this...this one is very popular with my boys!)
And just in case you missed the earlier recap...pop on over!
See you next week!
Recipe Recap #37
Hello friends, welcome back to Recipe Recap. With the Thanksgiving holiday last week, and with us being away, I got behind on my posts and missed sharing my recap from last week. So today, you get TWO recaps! Here is the first...and be sure to pop back later for part 2!
Here are the recipes that I shared the week of October 13 - 19, 2012:
Grilled Vegetable Basket (a staple in our house!)
Chicken Stew with Sweet Potatoes (Slow Cooker)
Now be sure to come back this afternoon to check out Recipe Recap #38!
Here are the recipes that I shared the week of October 13 - 19, 2012:
Grilled Vegetable Basket (a staple in our house!)
Chicken Stew with Sweet Potatoes (Slow Cooker)
Now be sure to come back this afternoon to check out Recipe Recap #38!
Monday, October 21, 2013
Finish BOGO Ultimate Kitchen Makeover #FinishYourKitchen
Anyone who knows me, knows that I spend a LOT of time in my kitchen. After all, I am a recipe blogger, and I test every recipe before I share it with my readers. Sundays especially are "heavy" kitchen days for me as I try to prepare meals, snacks, etc in advance of the upcoming school and work week. My family spends a lot of time in the kitchen too - whether it is eating meals together or doing homework or playing games at the table, I would say the kitchen is the most used room in our house.
Lucky for me, I have a kitchen that I am happy with. It is a decent size with good counter space - always a plus for us (messy) cooks! The eating area has a huge 8-seater table and the area has 4 large windows and a (windowed) door to outside to the back patio and back yard - which means that I have a bright kitchen and I can see my kids as I work in the kitchen and as they play in the yard. It was a big selling feature for us when we bought our home, and we have been happy with it.
Of course there are things that I would like to change about my kitchen - I would like a more open concept style into our living/play room, as sometimes I feel closed off from everyone if I am in the kitchen and they are all in the living/play room. That might be a reno for us once kids toys are gone (otherwise those toys would be all over the kitchen). We like to entertain, but I don't feel like our current kitchen is a true "entertainer's kitchen". And I would really like a new stove. I would love one with a double oven and convection. I had a convection oven in our last house that I miss. I feel that our cabinets are a little outdated, but they are in such good shape that I could never justify tearing them out "just because". I'd also love a built in cleaner...to clean up after all my cooking and baking messes! LOL
Fortunately for us, I do have help in the cleaning department - we have Finish Quantum in our house. We switched to the Finish line of products a while back now, and have never looked back. We have always been happy with the quality of clean that we get from Finish Quantum.
Right now, Finish and Bosch have partnered and will be turning the dream kitchens of 10 families into reality with their 10 Ultimate Kitchen makeovers valued at $10,000 as part of their Buy One Get One Free with mail-in-rebate promotion! Head on over to their Facebook page for more details!
Tell me, what would your dream kitchen look like?
Disclosure - I am participating in the Ultimate Kitchen Makeover Blogger Campaign on behalf of Finish. I received compensation as a thank you for participating and for sharing my honest opinion. The opinions on this blog are my own.
Meal Plan Monday
Hello everyone! My apologies for the hiatus last week for Meal Plan Monday.
We were away for Thanksgiving, and I didn't develop a meal plan before we left, and once we got back I had "stuff to do" (groceries, laundry, etc etc etc) and just didn't get to posting the meal plan on time. And then before I knew it, the week was over and I was planning this week's menu!
So...here we go, our meal plan for this week:
Sunday - Slow Cooker Butter Chicken (recipe coming soon!)
Monday - Hubs and I are going out for dinner (Greek!...soccer year-end dinner for coaches), the kids are having pork chops and baked beans with their babysitter
Tuesday - Three "P" Night - Pork (chops), Perogies, and Peas!
Wednesday - Spaghetti
Thursday - Cauliflower Curry Soup & Sandwiches
Friday - Beef Stew
Have a great week!
We were away for Thanksgiving, and I didn't develop a meal plan before we left, and once we got back I had "stuff to do" (groceries, laundry, etc etc etc) and just didn't get to posting the meal plan on time. And then before I knew it, the week was over and I was planning this week's menu!
So...here we go, our meal plan for this week:
Sunday - Slow Cooker Butter Chicken (recipe coming soon!)
Monday - Hubs and I are going out for dinner (Greek!...soccer year-end dinner for coaches), the kids are having pork chops and baked beans with their babysitter
Tuesday - Three "P" Night - Pork (chops), Perogies, and Peas!
Wednesday - Spaghetti
Thursday - Cauliflower Curry Soup & Sandwiches
Friday - Beef Stew
Have a great week!
Sunday, October 20, 2013
Scrumptious Sunday Recipe Link Party #76 & Features!
Hello everyone!
Apologies for the late start this week for the recipe link party here at Addicted to Recipes...but I am pleased to say that this week's party is about to start...once I share with you this week's features!
Here we go...
Candy Coated Popcorn Pumpkins from Celebrating Holidays
Pumpkin Pie Muffins (Paleo) from Prudent Living
Easy Potato Soup from Florida Fitness
Paleo Berry Crumble Bars from Watch Out, Martha!
Congratulations everyone!
Now, it's time to head on over to this week's party! Scrumptious Sunday Recipe Link Party #76 is now live!
Apologies for the late start this week for the recipe link party here at Addicted to Recipes...but I am pleased to say that this week's party is about to start...once I share with you this week's features!
Here we go...
Candy Coated Popcorn Pumpkins from Celebrating Holidays
Pumpkin Pie Muffins (Paleo) from Prudent Living
Easy Potato Soup from Florida Fitness
Paleo Berry Crumble Bars from Watch Out, Martha!
Congratulations everyone!
Now, it's time to head on over to this week's party! Scrumptious Sunday Recipe Link Party #76 is now live!
Thursday, October 17, 2013
Pepper Rubbed Roast
You know that we are fans of the Rosemary and Pepper Crusted Roast recipe that I found earlier this year. It's our new go-to recipe for roast. But the other day I wasn't feeling like making the trip down the hill to seek out some fresh rosemary, so I decided it was time to try something a little different. I came across a recipe for Herb Rubbed Roast, and modified it...here is the recipe:
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon chipotle pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
Mix all the seasonings together, including the olive oil. Rub the seasoning paste all over the roast.
Preheat oven to 350F.
Place roast onto a prepared baking sheet (lined with foil). Roast for 1 hour, or until the roast is cooked to your liking (use that handy meat thermometer!). Remove from oven and let the roast sit for 10 minutes before carving and serving.
VERDICT:
You need to like pepper to like this roast. We like pepper, so we enjoyed it. The crust had a bit of a bite, which was tasty, and added a little kick to the gravy for the mashed potatoes and Yorkshire pudding. We had to give the kids the inside of the slices of meat (too peppery for them) - but us adults were happy :-)
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon chipotle pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
Mix all the seasonings together, including the olive oil. Rub the seasoning paste all over the roast.
Preheat oven to 350F.
Place roast onto a prepared baking sheet (lined with foil). Roast for 1 hour, or until the roast is cooked to your liking (use that handy meat thermometer!). Remove from oven and let the roast sit for 10 minutes before carving and serving.
VERDICT:
You need to like pepper to like this roast. We like pepper, so we enjoyed it. The crust had a bit of a bite, which was tasty, and added a little kick to the gravy for the mashed potatoes and Yorkshire pudding. We had to give the kids the inside of the slices of meat (too peppery for them) - but us adults were happy :-)
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Peach Crisp
Y'all know that I just love peaches. And I love to whip up a crisp (apple...) - unless it is peach season. I like to prep the dessert before I start dinner, so it is baking and has cooled just enough to serve right after dinner. Recently I shared the recipe for Peach Blueberry Crisp. Today I am sharing a recipe for Peach Crisp:
4 cups freestone peaches, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup cold butter
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup oats
Preheat oven to 350F.
Arrange peaches evenly on the bottom of an 8x8 or 9x9 glass baking dish.
In a bowl, mix together the flour, brown sugar, butter, cinnamon and salt - use a pastry blender or two knives - until evenly crumbly. Add in the oats, mix well. Spoon the mixture evenly over the peaches. Sprinkle with a little more cinnamon, pop into the oven, and bake for 30 minutes.
Allow to cool for about 10 minutes before serving. Best served warm.
VERDICT:
A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. Fresh baked peach crisp right out of the oven, with a little homemade vanilla ice cream...oh so darn good! A simple recipe, a staple for us!
4 cups freestone peaches, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup cold butter
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup oats
Preheat oven to 350F.
Arrange peaches evenly on the bottom of an 8x8 or 9x9 glass baking dish.
In a bowl, mix together the flour, brown sugar, butter, cinnamon and salt - use a pastry blender or two knives - until evenly crumbly. Add in the oats, mix well. Spoon the mixture evenly over the peaches. Sprinkle with a little more cinnamon, pop into the oven, and bake for 30 minutes.
Allow to cool for about 10 minutes before serving. Best served warm.
VERDICT:
A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. Fresh baked peach crisp right out of the oven, with a little homemade vanilla ice cream...oh so darn good! A simple recipe, a staple for us!
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