Throwback Thursday

This weekend mark's our 8th wedding anniversary!  Time goes by so quickly, it feels like just yesterday that we were in Vegas getting married (yes...a Vegas wedding...and it was SO FUN!) Yet, when I sit down and look at the pictures and think about all the good times (and some challenges) - we've really had a wonderful 8 years of marriage.  I'm lucky to be married to such a great guy!

So, in the spirit of love and anniversaries, this week's Throwback Thursday recipe is one of my hubby's favourites...

 

NANAIMO BAR ICE CREAM CAKE

 

 

 

 What is your partner's favourite dessert?

Salsa Turkey Meatloaf

Me and meat loaf.  I've said it before and I will say it again, never been a big fan.  But my boys love meatloaf.  So, in Addicted to Recipes fashion, I keep trying new recipes, in hopes of finding one that will turn me on to meatloaf.  Here we are with a new recipe, Salsa Turkey Meatloaf.  It's another recipe from the binder - no idea where the recipe came from.

Salsa Turkey Meatloaf

2 eggs
3/4 cup salsa
3/4 cup panko
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1/2 green pepper, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 lbs ground turkey
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Preheat oven to 375F.

In a bowl, beat the eggs.  Add in 1/4 cup salsa, the bread crumbs, onion, green pepper, chili powder, salt, thyme and pepper.  Mix in the turkey.

Pat evenly into 8 x 4 inch pan.  Cover with the reserved salsa (1/2 cup).  Baked for 1 hour 20 minutes, or until meat thermometer registers 185F.

Remove from oven, sprinkle the cheese on top, bake again until the cheese is melted.  Remove from oven, let stand 5 minutes, drain off fat, and serve.

VERDICT:
I made this for my boys for dinner on a night when I had plans with girlfriends.  I came home to a very happy husband...and zero meatloaf left in the fridge.  When my sons got up in the morning, both told me how much they liked their dinner.  Score!

Apple Sauce

One of my favourite desserts when I was a kid was homemade apple sauce.  I just loved the smell of it cooking (I am a huge cinnamon fan).  Warm apple sauce with vanilla ice cream, oh my, so good!  Apple sauce is such an easy recipe to make, and perfect when you have apples that are starting to "go".  Here is how I make my apple sauce:

4 apples
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon honey
Dash cloves
1/4 teaspoon all spice
1 - 2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 cup water

Wash, peel, core and slice the apples.  Put into a pot, turn pot on to medium.  Add in the water, brown sugar, lemon juice, honey, cloves, all spice, and cinnamon.  Once boiling, reduce to medium-low and let the apples cook down until they reach your preferred consistency for apple sauce.  Eat as a snack, or serve warm as a dessert - over ice cream or with cream.  Yum!

Throwback Thursday

Hello friends!  This week for Throwback Thursday I am looking back at a special treat that I made for Valentine's Day a few years ago.  This was a rich, delicious meal that my hubby and I both enjoyed. 

LOBSTER FETTUCINE!

Are you making anything special for your Valentine?

Brie with Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Recently I received a copy of The Complete Best of Bridge Cookbooks, Volume 3, published by Robert Rose.  Once again, I am in love with a cookbook!

There are so many great, classic Best of Bridge recipes in that cookbook - a collection that if you don't have, you should! My mother-in-law had taken a read through the book and commented over and over on the different recipes - so many of them are ones she has used or still uses.  

We were having a late dinner the other night, so I made sure there was a little appetizer to hold the family over until dinner was ready.  I went with a classic, Brie with Sun-Dried Tomatoes.  Here is the recipe:

Brie with Sun-Dried Tomatoes 
Found on page 62 of The Complete Best of Bridge Cookbooks, Volume 3 (snack, appetizer, holidays, entertaining)

4 oz (125 g) sun-dried tomatoes in oil, 
finely chopped

3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced

6 oz (175 g) Brie cheese

2 tablespoons (30 mL) chopped fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 350F.

Mix tomatoes and garlic and pile generously on cheese. Sprinkle with parsley. (it’s not necessary to 
remove rind from cheese.) 

Heat in oven at 350F (180C) for a few minutes until cheese is soft. Serve with bagel chips or crackers.

VERDICT:
Oh so good!  What a great blend of simple ingredients.  Such nice flavour, this snack devoured by everyone in the family!


Excerpted from The Complete Best of Bridge Cookbooks, Volume 3 by The Best of Bridge 
Ladies © 2013 www.robertrose.ca Reprinted with publisher permission.

Banana Coconut Muffins

I was in the mood for some new muffins...I had some ripe bananas to use but didn't feel like making banana bread.  Enter good ole Pinterest, a search for "banana" and in front of my eyes all sorts of inspiration!  I picked this recipe from ZagLeft because it had a short list of ingredients, and had coconut :-)  Here is the recipe:

Banana Coconut Muffins

3 ripe bananas
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup flaked coconut

Preheat oven to 350F.  Prepare muffin tin (I lined with paper liners).

In a large bowl mash the bananas, add in the melted butter, egg and vanilla, mix well. 

In a separate bowl. combine the flour, baking powder and salt.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, combine just to mix.  Fold in the coconut.  Spoon into the prepared muffin cups.  Bake 22-25 minutes.  Remove from oven, cool and serve.  Enjoy!

VERDICT:
I wasn't overly thrilled with these, however, the kids loved them. Inhaled them, actually.  For me, there was something missing...maybe some walnuts.  Yes, I'll have to give them another try with walnuts, because really, I have never met a muffin that I didn't like!

Meal Plan Monday

It's our Family Day long weekend this weekend, and what fun weekend we've been having.  The kids had a sleepover with their cousins at my parents' house, which gave hubs and I a date night!  We went out for dinner and to a hockey game, and while our team lost, it was still a nice evening.  Today is a day off from work and school, and we have created a "Family Day" tradition of having a little bowling party, followed by a pizza party!  So looking forward to that later with my extended family (our in-laws all live out of province, and their family day is next weekend).

However, I still put together a meal plan for the week...and here it is!

Sunday - Beef in Beer Pot Roast

Monday - Family Day Pizza Party (out for dinner)

Tuesday - Leftovers with salad

Wednesday - Spaghetti with meat sauce, salad

Thursday - Broccoli Cheddar Soup (crock pot) and quick bread

Friday - Valentine's Day...dinner to be decided!

Saturday - Butter Chicken

Enjoy your week - and to all my friends also enjoying Family Day - have a GREAT day!