Nomination - Canadian Blog Awards

So exciting!

 

I've been nominated for "Best New Blog" in the 2012 Canadian Blog Awards!  Woohoo!

 

Voting in Round 1 is underway, and I would love for you to vote for me!  Just head over to THIS LINK, select the "BEST NEW BLOG" category, and then scroll down and vote for "ADDICTED TO RECIPES". No registering, just a few clicks.

 

Thank you in advance!

P Double B Turkey Burgers

Burgers, burgers, burgers.  I am sure that my boys would eat burgers, burgers, burgers a few times a week!  Don't get me wrong, I too love a good burger, but not all.the.time.  I like variety!  After all, it's the spice of life, isn't it? ;-) 

With the frequency of grilling slowing down now that the weather is changing, I thought it timely to try a little variation on our usual burger.  And, since it's Thanksgiving (Canadian), I figured also a good time to try a little turkey, maybe inspire some folks to try somthing a little different!

This time I came up with what we've called the "P Double B Turkey Burger"...read on to see what the P and B's are!

1 lb ground turkey
1/3 cup panko/dried bread crumbs
1 egg
1/4 cup basil (fresh) - chopped
3 slices bacon, cooked (crispy)
1/3 cup parmesan cheese (fresh, grated)
Pepper - to taste

Cook your bacon, remove from pan, pat with paper towel and allow to cool.

In a large bowl, mix the turkey, panko, egg, basil, parmesan and pepper.  Use your hands, get in there and mix it good!  Crumble the bacon and mix into the turkey mixture.  Form patties. 

Preheat your grill.  When you are ready to put your patties on the grill, be sure to oil them with a little olive oil (on each side).  Grill, and serve!

VERDICT:
These were a nice change from beef!  I am a beef fan, but every once in a while it's nice to shake things up.  We could really taste all the flavours - the parmesan, the basil, and of course, the bacon! (P...double B). 

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Scrumptious Sunday Recipe Link Party #32

Hello everyone!  To all my Canadian friends, HAPPY THANKSGIVING!  I sure hope you're getting your fill of turkey and all the fixins'!

We are in the midst of a busy weekend...we had Thanksgiving dinner last night with my side of the family - my parents hosted, and it was great!  All of my Grandparents were there (I'm lucky to have 5 of them!)...it's always so nice for the little ones to send time with their Great-Grandparents!

We're also prepping our yard for the unavoidable winter...though it is still a ways away, we wanted to re-work some of our landscaping.  No time like a long weekend to do it!  Lots of moving perennials around, re-positioning bulbs, planting new bulbs, cleaning out the vegetable garden, levelling the lawn...all the "fun" stuff which will hopefully recult in a lovely yard and garden next year!

We are looking forward to my MIL arrving on Monday.  The kids are pretty excited to see Grandma!  We haven't seen them since July...that's a long stretch.  Unfortunately Grandpa can't get away from work this week, so it's just Grandma this trip.  But we'll all still have fun!

That's the update on my end!  I sure hope the weekend has been treating you fabulously!!  Now... It's time to share your fabulous recipes HERE for Scrumptious Sunday #32!

Don't forget, all featured recipes will be shared on my blog, and on my Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest pages!

Scrumptious Sunday #30 and #31 - Features

Hello everyone!  As promised, a double shot of features this week!  Again I apologize for not posting features last week...what a week, and I ended it off being sick sick sick.  That back to school cold came home and I was the lucky recipent!  LOL 

Other than my cold, my week has been pretty decent.  I did end up staying home on Monday because I was ill, but I was feeling well enough to go and hide in my office come Tuesday.  On Wednesday I only worked a half day as it was parent-teacher conferences for Big B, and he only had a half-day of school.  This Mama is pleased to report that he got glowing reviews!  Woohoo!  Today I also had a day off as it was a professional development day in the school district, so Big B and I hung out together (Little B went to daycare so that Big B and I could have a "Mama-Big B Day").  I took Big B out for lunch, for sushi, one my my favourite things, and his first time.  He LOVED it!  That's my boy :-)  And now, it's Thanksgiving weekend, and we will be spending our long weekend with family and friends (eating and visiting), working in the yard (fall clean-up), at the pool (swimming lessons) and at the rink (Big B's first hockey game!). 

Thank you SO MUCH for sharing all of your amazing recipes!  I get so hungry everytime I check out the links at Scrumptious Sunday.  All of you ROCK! 

If you are featured, please grab a BUTTON! You've earned it!

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Congratulations to the features from Scrumptious Sunday #30 (first group) and Scrumptious Sunday #31 (second group)!


This looks so fresh and tasty! Tomato, Basil and Mozzarella Sandwich from Lady Behind the Curtain

A great twist on a classic! Chicken Enchilada Lasagne from Go Ahead...Take A Bite!

Ummm, hello!  PB and chocolate and whip in a pie!  Oh wow! Peanut Butter Chocolate Mousse Pie from Frugal Foodie Mama

Words cannot even explain...I SO want to try this!! Cinnamon Roll Caramel Apple Cobbler from Lady Behind the Curtain

I'm totally on an apple kick. This looks delicious! Oatmeal Crumb Apple Pie from Flavors by Four

From Scrumptious Sunday #31:

Such a great idea for our lunches! Lunch Box Smoothies from 'A Casarella

It must be fall, I have soup and stews on the brain...both of these sound so good! Tortellini Vegetable Soup from The Better Baker

and Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Soup from Real Momma

We all know that I am a cookie monster!  Pumpkin Gingersnaps from My Favorite Finds

And these just look dreamy :-)  White Chocolate Truffle Cupcakes from Being Inspired

All of these recipes will be pinned to my Pinterest account, posted on Twitter, and shared on Facebook!

Just a reminder, this week's Scrumptious Sunday Link Party goes live Saturday - at 8 pm PST. Can't wait to see what you bring to the next party!

Pesto Pasta Salad

I'm a big fan of pasta salad...for a number of reasons.  I love salad, but getting my hubby to eat salad regularly is a bit of a chore (sorry hun...but it's true!) and so this is my compromise.  I also like that a little pasta salad goes a LONG way...very good on the budget (things I will need to be mindful of, especially as our BOYS grow...they already nearly eat us out of house and home!).  With my fresh made pesto (check out the recipe!) I decided to make it a Pesto Pasta Salad this time around...here is what I did!

1 cup multi coloured rotini
1/2 cup cucumber, sliced & diced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1/4 cup onion
2 tablespoons pesto

Prepare the pasta according to package directions.  Drain, rinse and cool.  Pour into your serving bowl.

Wash and slice cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, and onion.  Add to serving bowl.

Add 2 tablespoons of pesto (or to taste, as you prefer) and mix well.

VERDICT:
This was a great change to our usual pasta salad!  This made enough for us for two meals, so we got to have the leftovers the next day, and it still was just as delicious!  Love the fresh vegetables, it was a nice mix with the pasta...especially those red, orange and yellow cherry tomatoes from our garden :-)

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Apple Crumb Pie - Guest Post by Maria from Close to Home

My name is Maria, and I am the blogger behind the blog Close to Home. I have been blogging for just over 3 years and write about recipes, entertaining, crafts and reviews of family friendly products. I have 3 children, husband and a puppy and we live in Virginia. I am soo thrilled when Dawn asked me to guest blog on Addicted to Recipes and I hope you will come visit sometime. I just started hosting a weekly Friday Food Frenzy Linky that I would love to have you all join.

Today's recipe I am sharing is a new recipe I just recently tried after our trip to the apple orchards. I usually like to buy Granny Smiths for baking but they only had yellow delicious and Jongold. These proved perfect to be perfect for what I wanted to do.  

I must admit to you all that I am not a homemade crust kind of girl, so I hope you are not offended when I tell you to start with a pre-baked crust. Of course you can make your own and I am sure it will be 100% better but I just don't have the patience and usually the planning to have the crusts prepared in time for my baking adventures. I usually have a few pre made crusts in my freezer for such spontaneous baking moments. The most daunting part of cooking with apples is when you have to peel, core and slice them. We have a victorian apple peeler but it can be fickle so I end up usually have to at least cut and slice them on my own. No biggie b/c the reward is worth it.   This recipe is from Better Homes and Gardens and chose it because as much as I love a double crust apple pie, but I did not have another pre made crusts that you could roll out  and 2 the thought of a struesal topping made my mouth water.

                            

I hope you enjoy this recipe and please come and visit Close to Home soon. You can find Close to Home also at Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest or G+.  Let me know you were visiting from Additcted to Recipes and I will definitely be following you back. Have a great October.

Apple Crumb Pie Recipe compliments of Better Homes and Gardens

• 1/2 15 ounce package rolled refrigerated unbaked piecrust (1 crust)
• 6 cups thinly sliced, peeled cooking apples (about 2-1/4 pounds)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice (optional)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1.Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Let piecrust stand at room temperature according to package directions. Unroll piecrust into a 9-inch pie plate. Ease piecrust into plate without stretching it. Crimp edge as desired.

2.If desired, sprinkle apples with lemon juice. In a large bowl, stir together sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add apple slices; gently toss until coated.

3.Transfer apple mixture to the piecrust-lined pie plate. Sprinkle with Crumb Topping (See below for instructions). To prevent overbrowning, cover edge of pie with foil. Bake for 40 minutes. Remove foil. Bake for 20 minutes more or until apples are tender and filling is bubbly. Cool on a wire rack. To serve warm, let pie cool at least 2 hours. Makes 8 servings.

Crumb Topping Ingredients

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons butter

Directions

In a medium bowl, stir together all-purpose flour and brown sugar. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

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THANKS Maria for sharing this delicious sounding recipe!  Perfect timing for apple harvest time!

Oliver's Labels Room-eez Growth Chart - Review & Giveaway!

Anyone who knows me well knows that in addition to my baking and cooking habits, I also love interior decorating and interior design.  I have done some consulting on decorating in the past. I love decorating my house and looking at magazines with inspirational ideas.  If I watch TV, it's usually on HGTV (or a cooking show..or sometimes Y&R!).  And Pinterest...oh me, oh my!  A girl can spend hours there finding great ideas! It's funny, any house I've had up to this point (aka, before kids) has always seen a lot of effort in painting, decorating, accessorizing, personalizing, etc.  When we bought our current house, the walls were "builder's beige".  Some of the walls still are builder's beige (not really my favourite colour...no offense anyone!)...but slowly I am transforming our house away from the cookie cutter and into more "me".  If you've been reading my blog for a while, you may recall the Bedroom Makeover that we did for our oldest son's birthday earlier this year, where we transformed his room into a space that we all just love.

Because I am always interested in new decorating "stuff", when the opportunity came up for me to review the new line of Room-eez Growth Charts from Oliver's Labels, I jumped at the chance!  I checked out their website and fell in love with all the cute designs.  And...if you were to see what we have been using for a growth chart you would have a serious laugh!  Our oldest son's growth chart is right on the wall in his bedroom.  Started pre-makeover.  Which means that I haven't painted over it (so in all that beautiful new paint in his room, there in a green patch where his height has been marked since we moved into the house, LOL!).

 So, once I checked out the Oliver's Labels website, I selected the Monkey Themed growth chart...for three very obvious reasons...one reason is my oldest son (Monkey #1), the second reason is my yougest son (Monkey #2), and the third reason is that their playroom is decorated with a monkey theme already, the monkey themed growth chart was the perfect fit! 

When our Room-eez Growth Chart arrived, it was in a nice neat package with great instructions.  I was a little nervous about doing the install, so I called upon my wonderful, handy hubby, who took over.  It was silly for me to be nervous, it was SUPER EASY to install!  As soon as the first mark was on the wall to line up the growth chart, our 5 year old took over smoothing the material onto the wall.  Super easy!  I did take a quick "turn" so that I could get a feel for the process - the material is a nice, sturdy feeling material, with good "stick".  Reading up on the decals, it says that they are also easy to remove and won't hurt my walls (woohoo! - the playroom is one room that we have "renovated" and is not builder's beige!).

Now, onto the GIVEAWAY!  Oliver's Labels is so kindly offering one winner from Addicted to Recipes their very own personalized Room-eez Growth Chart!  These are especially great for the 6 and under crowd!  There are a few rules: During the course of the campaign there are other giveaways being promoted to win an Oliver's Labels Room-eez Growth Chart.  You are welcome to enter each of the giveaways, but you may only win one prize.  Giveaway is open to Canada and the United States only. Winner will be contacted by email and will have 48 hours to respond to the email, or a new winner will be selected.  Good luck!

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**Disclaimer - I received product as a thank you for participating in this review.  All opinions are 100% my own.**