Flowering Crab

Curried Cauliflower Recipe

2010-08-11T15:09:00.000-07:00

Lunar Rhubarb Cake

2010-06-01T17:58:00.000-07:00

An amazing rhubarb cake recipe that came from a co-worker a few years back. I love rhubarb and have always wanted a plant in my garden but have never had the good fortune. Luckily I have friends and family in rural New Brunswick who are very happy to donate bag fulls of this tart spring fruit.

1/2 cup softened butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups sifted flour
1 tsp soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup buttermilk
2 cups chopped rhubarb (1/2 inch pieces)
1 tbsp flour

Method: Cream butter and sugar until smooth and creamy; beat in egg and vanilla. Sift together 2 cups flour, soda, and salt. Add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, making 2 dry and 2 liquid additions. Toss rhubarb with 1 tbsp flour and mix gently into batter. Spoon into greased 13 X 9 cake pan and smooth surface.

Topping: 1/4 cup softened butter, 2 tsp cinnamon, 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar. Blend together all ingredients and sprinkle evenly over batter.

Bake at 350F for 45 minutes or until the cake has risen and browned and comes away from the edges of the pan and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Makes about 18 servings.

FACT: did you know that Canadian all-purpose flour is pre-sifted?? No need to get out that old-fashioned sifter, I didn't for this recipe and the cake came out extremely light and fluffy!

Rhubarb Facts

Wordless Wednesday - Banana Boat Breakfast

2010-05-12T03:09:00.000-07:00

Pray for Luke

2010-05-05T06:13:00.000-07:00

Luke Martens is a lively 3 1/2 year old. At birth he was diagnosed with an extremely rare disorder called Mosaic Trisomy 22.

Jody from Mommy Moment has put together an auction to raise funds. We really need YOUR help to make this a success!

The money raised will first be used to get the medical tests done (about $700), if we raise more we would love to be able to bless the Martens family with funds to get some of the things she mentioned such as physio equipment and ASL training.

Items at the auction are:

Free registration at the "I am Unique!" online teen girls Bible Study that starts Fall 2010. This is valued at $30.00
A Mark Slither and Slouch bag (in black) and a Mark Citrus Bloom Fragrance Mist. This is valued at $48.00
A $25.00 gift certificate to KIOKKO's collection of chic baby accessories.
A beautiful crocheted hat for newborns-three months from MOMMAFO. This is valued at $12.00
An 8x10 (unmarked) print from Pominville Photography. This is valued at $25.00
An 8x10 (unmarked) print of your choice from NuggleMe Photography. This is valued at $25.00
A toy from Organic Baby Toys by Dandelion, which is being donated from Nils-Online. This is valued at $40.00
A wooden jumper giraffe from Nils-Online. This is valued at $18.95
A lovely handmade incense holder (from Germany) from Nils-Online. This is valued at $110.00
An Imaginators Membership for 1 year (this is only available to NYC and Hoboken area in the USA, which is being donated by Creative Sitters. This is valued at $225.00
A Label Out Loud Essentials Combo Pack by Mabel Labels. This is valued at $48.00
A $25.00 gift certificate to Discovery Toys (this is only available to Canada), which is being donated by Angela Orfei.
Alphabet Crafts ebook from No Time For Flash Cards. This is valued at $8.00

The Auction is on now at http://www.mommymoment.ca/2010/05/auction-for-luke.html

These are some great items so check out the details . If you're unable to participate in the auction, they also have a Donate Now button on the side bar.

Wordless Wednesday - Caught Red Handed!!

2010-05-05T04:49:00.000-07:00

Family Heritage.ca - New Brunswick and Nova Scotia Genealogy

2010-05-02T04:06:00.000-07:00

Family Heritage.ca - New Brunswick and Nova Scotia Genealogy

Brownies

2010-04-22T18:00:00.000-07:00

So..husband's gone away on business...kids are in bed..feelin kinda bored..feelin kinda hungry.. feelin kinda like BROWNIES!!! Except I don't make them often so I don't have an old standby AMAZING recipe. I have a can of cocoa and a box of Bakers unsweetened chocolate squares...looked up a few recipes on the net..not really impressed. So I pulled out the box of Baker's chocolate and ALAS there is a recipe for brownies right on the box...JACKPOT!

BAKER'S ONE BOWL BROWNIES

4 squares Baker's Unsweetened Chocolate, chopped

3/4 cup butter

2 cups granulated sugar

3 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup flour
1 cup coarsely chopped toasted pecans (optional)

1. LIGHTLY grease a 13x9 inch baking pan.

2. MICROWAVE chocolate and butter in a large microwaveable bowl on MEDIUM 2 minutes or until melted.

3. STIR sugar into chocolate until well blended; mix in eggs and vanilla.
4. STIR in flour and nuts; spread in pan.
5. BAKE in preheated 350 degrees F oven for 30-35 minutes or until done. DO NOT OVERBAKE. Cool completely. Makes 24 brownies.

(source: Box of Baker's unsweetened chocolate)

NOTE: because I am such a chocolate/peanut butter fanatic, I happened to have some chopped peanuts on hand so used those in place of the pecans AND I iced with a peanut butter icing.

PEANUT BUTTER ICING

1/2 cup natural peanut butter

2 tbsp soft butter

1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup icing sugar

1/4 cup heavy cream

1. Cream together the peanut butter, butter and vanilla. Blend in icing sugar. Stir in cream until you get a nice spreading consistency, using more if necessary.

(source: Rebar modern food cookbook)

TASTE TEST: Yum...crispy on outside, moist and chewy on inside. Peanut butter frosting was good too, except I spread it on while brownies were still warm..hence the melted icing look in the picture:) Oh well...I never said I was a professional.

My Beautiful Boys

2010-04-22T17:35:00.000-07:00

Reeses Chocolate Peanut Butter Birthday Cake!

2010-04-21T12:22:00.000-07:00

(picture courtesy of http://www.amazingmoms.com/)

I am a Chocolate Peanut Butter fanatic and I just found this divine looking Chocolate Peanut Butter Birthday cake recipe on the Amazing Moms website. Check it out!

Reeses Chocolate Peanut Butter Birthday Cake

Springtime in My Garden

2010-04-18T16:07:00.000-07:00

Now that spring is officially here, I am SO glad that I planted those 30 Tulip Bulbs on that balmy fall day! Sometimes I find it hard to get back out there once Summer has come to a close and all my gardening tools have been put away. They have not quite opened but are all the way up and loaded with buds...I can't wait!! My Woodland Garden bed is coming along nicely, with Bleeding hearts, Lilies and Irises making their appearance first. My 10+ rose bushes are in bud as well as my Clematis and Honeysuckle vines.

As I drive through the city I am noticing a beautiful Spring shrub currently in full bloom...Forsythia. It is the very first Spring shrub to bloom and is currently holding centre stage with its profuse yellow blossoms. I am going to add this shrub to my "must-haves" this year and keep an eye out for it once shrubs go on sale, usually at the end of July in my city.

Read up on this Springtime Beauty on the Canadian Gardening website!

Forsythias: One of the first signs of spring

Potager plots - Fruit & Vegetable Gardening - Gardens - Canadian Gardening

2010-04-06T16:57:00.000-07:00

What I'm going to try to create in my backyard this spring/summer. Very excited! I love the idea of having a vegetable garden but LOVE flowers and shrubs and didn't want to dedicate so much space to just veggies. This seems like the PERFECT solution!

Potager plots - Fruit & Vegetable Gardening - Gardens - Canadian Gardening

Wordless Wednesday - You'll have to ask Uncle Newie about this one

2010-03-31T12:21:00.001-07:00

Garden Plans - Free Plans for All Kinds of Special Gardens. BHG.com

2010-03-30T16:43:00.000-07:00

Garden Plans - Free Plans for All Kinds of Special Gardens. BHG.com

Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

2010-03-30T16:28:00.000-07:00

If you absolutely LOVE chocolate and peanut butter...check out this recipe posted on my friends blog! It's a moist chocolate cookie studded with Reese peanut butter chips. I've made this recipe before and it is HEAVENLY..trust me:)

Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

(Photo taken by K. Simpson, photographer extraordinaire)

What I'm Reading - LaVyrle Spencer

2010-03-28T17:06:00.000-07:00

I LOVE historical fiction and historical romance novels. Recently I found a new author...LaVyrle Spencer. I don't have the opportunity to do any reading until around 10pm right before bed. By this time of night, I'm tired and really look forward to some "easy reading" fiction. I have read 2 of LaVyrle's novels and am currently reading "November of the Heart", I am really enjoying these novels! They are by no means as detailed as novels by Anne Rice or Diana Gabaldon, but have great character development and storylines and are definately more interesting than a Harlequin romance. Check her out!

LaVyrle Spencer
HarperCollins

Rested, Rejuvenated and Ready for Spring!

2010-03-28T16:46:00.000-07:00

I have returned back home from a 3 week long vacation visiting our families in Calgary. I took full advantage of FREE babysitting, indulged in many fabulous home cooked meals, sampled some amazing sushi and spent WAY too much money at outlet stores!! But it was SO nice to get away for a while, get away from some of my daily responsibilities and spend quality time with friends and family.

While I was away I had time to think and have come to the conclusion that I have WAY too much on my plate. There are so many things that I want to do and my list keeps growing! and now that it is Spring I will be adding outdoor activities to the mix. How am I ever going to accomplish it all?? I really need to start organizing and prioritizing my life.

One thing I realized while away was that I have been spending way too much time on my computer...don't get me wrong, I LOVE all forms of social media...twitter, facebook, email...but realistically I only really NEED to check my email once a day.

I want to spend my time doing things that will fulfill me, things that will help clear my head and relax me. I am looking forward to spending time outside in the fresh air playing with my children and working in my garden. I am looking forward to getting more exercise, either outside or at the gym.

Spring has always been my favourite season...I met the "love of my life" in the spring...I married the "love of my life" in the spring..both my children were born in the spring. I am looking forward to a fresh new start in a fresh new season...Happy Spring!!

My Maritime Roots

2010-03-17T18:48:00.000-07:00

I am VERY excited to post this link to the Keswick Ridge Historical Society. If you check out the pictures, you will find tons of my relatives! I am related to the Jewetts and Hagermans. I moved to the Fredericton area 2 years ago and am so excited to be discovering my roots. My grandfather, Horace Jewett is the tall boy in the middle in the front row.

(photo courtesy of the Keswick Ridge Historical Society)

http://keswickridge.ca/?p=photo

Vintage Images of New Brunswick

2010-03-14T18:52:00.000-07:00

Check out this AMAZING website full of vintage New Brunswick photos. I LOVE history and I have to say that I actually felt emotional viewing these photos. I especially love the ones from Fredericton since I can compare them with how the city looks currently! The photo of the interior of the bank and the bank teller is really neat as well as the pedestrians shown in the streetscape shots. Enjoy!

http://homepage.mac.com/vintagephoto/newbrunswick/Menu9.html

Ginger Fried Beef

2010-03-11T13:27:00.000-08:00

Since I am currently on vacation in Calgary I wanted to share an AMAZING local delicacy, Ginger Beef . Ginger beef is marinated beef strips that are dipped in batter, deep-fried and then coated with a sweet and sour sauce. It is both sweet AND spicy at the same time and SO good! We actually had take-out chinese food last night from the "Ginger Beef" restaurant and savoured this very dish! It is believed that a Chinese chef working in Calgary many years ago came up with this recipe and ever since has been a staple in all Chinese restaurants here in Calgary!

1 lb. flank steak
2 eggs - beaten
3/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup water
vegetable oil
2/3 cup carrots - grated
2 tbsps. green onion-chopped
4 tbsps. fresh ginger root - finely chopped
4 cloves garlic - chopped
3 tbsps. soya sauce
2 tbsps. cooking wine - red or white
2 tbsps. white vinegar
1 tbsp. sesame oil
1/2 cup sugar
dash - crushed chilis (flakes) optional

Slice steak while partially frozen into narrow strips. Mix beef AND eggs. Dissolve cornstarch in water and mix with beef. Pour ample oil in wok. Heat to boiling hot, but not smoking. Add beef to oil, 1/4 at a time. Separate with a fork (or chopsticks if you're talented) and cook, stirring frequently until crispy. Remove, drain and set aside.*
*this much can be done in advance

Put 1 tbsp oil in wok. Add carrots, onion, ginger and garlic and stir fry over high heat. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Add beef, mix well and serve. If your steak is over one pound, cook it all anyway. Serve with steamed rice - of course. Serves 4.

(Grand Slam : more recipes from the best of bridge / the best of bridge publishing ltd. copyright 1988, pg. 120-123 ISBN: 096904254X)

The Roastess with the Mostest

2010-03-03T10:06:00.000-08:00

This is my FAVOURITE roasted chicken recipe and it comes from my FAVOURITE cookbook, Eat, Shrink & Be Merry! The lemon-herb paste is rubbed under the skin so you get lots of flavour right on the meat.

Lemon and herb roasted whole chicken

1 whole roasting chicken (about 4lbs/1.8kg)
1 tbsp Dijon Mustard
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp minced fresh rosemary/or 1tsp dried
1 tbsp minced fresh thyme/ or 1tsp dried
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp each salt and freshly ground black pepper
Grated zest and juice of half a lemon

Move oven rack to bottom third of oven. Preheat oven to 425 deg. F. Place a small rack inside a roasting pan. Pour 1 cup water in pan. Rinse chicken inside and out, and pat dry with paper towels.

In a small bowl, mix together mustard, brown sugar, rosemary, thyme, garlic, oil, salt, and pepper to make a paste. Add lemon zest and mix again. Set aside.

Squeeze juice from lemon inside cavity of chicken, then tuck the used lemon half right inside it. Tie legs together with kitchen string. Rub reserved paste over surface of chicken and, using your fingers, carefully rub paste between skin and meat on breast and thighs.

Place chicken on rack breast-side down. Roast, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Remove chicken from oven and flip over. Add a bit more water to pan if it has evaporated. Return to oven and roast for 35 to 40 more minutes, depending on size of bird. If chicken browns too quickly, cover it loosely with foil. When cooked, legs should move easily in sockets and thigh juices should be clear (not pink) when pierced with a small knife. A meat thermometer inserted in thigh (away from bone) should read 170 deg. F.

Remove chicken from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before carving.

Makes 4 servings

(Eat, Shrink & Be Merry : great-tasting food that won't go from your lips to your hips! / Janet and Greta Podleski, copyright 2005, isbn: 0968063136, pg. 83)

**5 weightwatchers points per serving

Wordless Wednesday - Yo!

2010-03-03T09:36:00.001-08:00

My Favourite Spaghetti Sauce

2010-02-28T16:43:00.000-08:00

I have fond childhood memories of this sauce simmering all afternoon in my mom's big red- orange Le Crueset cast iron pot.

I'm not sure where this recipe "originally" came from, but it was handwritten by my mom into a brown-covered notebook that she has always had on her cookbook shelf. I'm thinking that one day she needs to publish that notebook cause it's chock full of AMAZING recipes that she has gathered over the past 40 years.

Lots of ingredients in this sauce, a few might even seem a bit questionable, like HP sauce?? Trust me, once it's all simmered down you'll agree that it's an AMAZING sauce. This recipe makes a HUGE batch, at least 8 cups, so you will have enough for a big dinner and leftovers to pop in the freezer.

Try it, you'll like it!!...Sorry, I've been watching too much "Yo Gabba, Gabba" with my 3yr old:)

Spaghetti Sauce

1 clove garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

1 lb extra lean ground beef
1 Large can tomatoes
1 can tomato soup
1 can tomato sauce (213 ml)
1 can tomato paste (156 ml)
1 pkg. spaghetti sauce mix
1/4 tsp crushed chilies
1 tsp HP Sauce
1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
salt & pepper to taste

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in pot over medium heat. Saute garlic, onion, green pepper until softened, add ground beef and cook until browned.

Add rest of ingredients plus 2 cups of water and simmer until thickened, at least 1 hour. Serve over hot spaghetti.

Recipe Websites I LOVE!!

2010-02-28T06:41:00.000-08:00

Looking for low-fat/low-calorie but extremely tasty recipes? Check out the links below!!

http://www.eatshrinkandbemerry.com/

http://www.laaloosh.com/

Wordless Wednesday-Go Team Quatchi!!!

2010-02-24T03:32:00.000-08:00

"The Benefit of the Dough"

2010-02-23T16:40:00.000-08:00

Quick-rising, whole wheat and ground flax pizza dough. We topped OUR pizza with turkey pepperoni, red pepper, parmesan and light mozzarella cheese

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

2 tbsp flax meal or ground flaxseed

1 envelope (8g or 2 1/4 tsp) Fleishmann's quick-rising yeast

1/2 tsp salt

2/3 cup very warm water

2 tsp olive oil

2 tsp liquid honey

Olive oil cooking spray

1 tbsp cornmeal

In a medium bowl, combine both flours, flax meal, yeast, and salt. Mix well.

Measure warm water in measuring cup, then stir in olive oil and honey. Pour mixture over dry ingredients and mix using a wooden spoon to form a ball. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 2 minutes. Spray another medium bowl with olive oil spray and place dough inside. Cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until double in size, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, spray a 12-inch pizza pan with olive oil spray and dust with cornmeal.

When dough has risen, turn out onto a lightly floured surface and, using a rolling pin, roll dough into a 12-inch circle. Transfer dough to prepared pizza pan. You can top it with your favorite toppings at this point and bake in a 425 degree F oven for about 15 min. Or, prick crust in several places with a fork and bake untopped for 6 minutes. Remove crust from oven, top with your favorite sauce and toppings, then slide pizza directly onto middle oven rack and bake for an additional 8 to 10 minutes.

Makes 1 12-inch pizza crust

2 WeightWatchers Points per serving (1/8 crust)-calories: 122/total fat: 2.8 g/saturated fat: 0.3 g/protein: 4 g/carbohydrate: 21 g/fiber: 2.6 g/cholesterol: 0 mg/sodium: 148 mg

(Eat, Shrink & Be Merry: great-tasting food that won't go from your lips to your hips! / Janet & Greta Podleski, 2005. ISBN: 0968063136. pg. 181)

Wordless Wednesday

2010-02-17T18:08:00.000-08:00

Make-Ahead Meals for Busy Moms

2010-02-15T17:35:00.000-08:00

My new FAVE blog! Check out these amazing recipes!

Make-Ahead Meals for Busy Moms

And so my Journey Begins...again

2010-02-15T16:40:00.000-08:00

I'm tired...I'm tired of being tired, of feeling weak, of not having energy. I'm tired of not feeling like I'm in control. Today is the beginning of a lifestyle change, today I made the decision that I CAN lose weight and I WILL gain control of my eating.

As far back as I can remember I've had weight issues, funny thing is I was never medically considered "overweight" until I was in my 20s. I grew up as a average-weight, physically fit, healthy child, yet when I looked in the mirror I felt fat. I have a very distinct and hurtful memory of an incident in elementary school when a classmate commented on the size of my butt, funny thing is, this particular classmate weighed at least 10lbs more than me. I realize now that she was just a bully and probably had even lower self-esteem than I did and "bullying" somehow made her feel better about herself.

Throughout my life I've used food as comfort, I became an emotional eater, I ate when I was happy, sad, bored, it became a lifestyle. That unhealthy lifestyle eventually caught up to me in my mid 20s, funny thing is I was over eating because I was happy at this point. My husband and I met when we were 20, we fell in love and happiness and settling into a comfort zone ended up contributing to my weight gain..not to mention nights out drinking at the bar and dates out to fabulous restaurants:)

I always wished I could run, I have exercise-induced asthma and never enjoyed running in school, I struggled just to complete the "kilometer run"! About 5 years ago I signed my husband and I up for a "Learn to Run" clinic in our neighbourhood, it was AMAZING, by using the Run/Walk method I learned to run, and it felt great! I ended up completing a few races, 4km, 8km, and finally a 10km race and really began to enjoy fitness once again. I joined a gym and started to exercise 3-4 times a week and lost about 10 lbs over the course of a year. I was still not happy with my weight but I had proven to myself that I could succeed, I now had the courage to succeed, I was mentally prepared to succeed.

I signed up for the WeightWatchers online program and over the next year lost 28 lbs! It was the hardest thing I ever did, I exercised 4-5 times a week and had to completely change my lifestyle and my eating habits, luckily my husband was interested in becoming healthy as well so I had amazing support.

It's now 4 years later, and 2 children later and it's time to gain back control of my life. While pregnant I had to give up control of my body and as a mother I had to give up control of my schedule. What I eat is one thing that I actually CAN control, no one else but me decides what goes in my mouth. I signed up on WeightWatchers online this morning because I want to be strong, I want to have energy and I want to be happy & healthy. And so my Journey Begins....

My First Guest Post! Check it out!

2010-02-15T16:03:00.000-08:00

How I learned to play- Guest post from -Angela Orfei and Discovery Toys - Because art doesn't have to be boring...

An Ode to Ham

2010-02-12T17:36:00.000-08:00

SMOKED WHOLE PICNIC HAM how do I love thee? Let me count the ways...

I LOVE you sliced with a side of scalloped potatoes & peas

I LOVE you diced in a Potato & Ham casserole covered in cheese

I LOVE you simmered in a Split Pea Soup, "pass the biscuits please!"

All joking aside...as a busy mother of 2 young children I'm learning the benefits of roasting a whole picnic style ham. Buying a whole ham is economical (watch for sales!) and is SO versatile. The last time I baked a ham I managed to squeeze 4 meals out of it and then ground up the last few slices with mayo & relish for sandwiches, something that my mom used to do.

Here is one of my FAVE recipes for leftover ham:

HAM AND POTATOES

Pure comfort food, so cheesy, rich and delicious!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 2.5 quart casserole dish, set aside.

4 tbsp butter
1.5 lbs ham cubed
1 cup chopped onions
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp dry mustard
2.5 cups milk
1 tsp worcestershire sauce
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
3/4 cup sliced celery
3/4 cup chopped green pepper
6 medium potatoes, peeled & cubed

Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat, add onions, celery and green pepper and saute until slightly softened (about 5 min.), stir in flour and cook for 1 min. Whisk in milk, salt, pepper and dry mustard and stir until thickened. Remove from heat and add Worcestershire and cheese, stir until cheese is melted. Partially cover potatoes, add 1tbsp of water and cook in microwave for about 10 min. Drain potatoes and add to cheese sauce, along with ham. Spread into buttered casserole dish. Bake uncovered for 30 min. Serves 4

(Recipe courtesy of my mom)

Why I LOVE Pampered Chef!!

2010-02-12T16:56:00.000-08:00

I recently hostessed a Pampered Chef Cooking party and fell in LOVE with their products. I just have to gush about a few of the products that I have tried out so far.

1. DEEP COVERED BAKER:

Why do I LOVE this baker??

LOVE the colour, it comes in a fabulous cranberry colour that almost matches my Cinnabar Fiestaware perfectly! I'll definately have to buy a few more stoneware items just because of that fact, I definately DO like my kitchenware to coordinate:)

LOVE the ease of cleanup! It came with a plastic scraper to remove all the cooked on bits and the rest washed off beautifully using just hot water.

LOVE the cooking results! It produced the juiciest, most perfectly browned roasted chicken that I've ever had, in only 1 1/2 hours! I used it to make the Smothered Chicken with Garlic, check out the recipe & pic!

2. GARLIC PRESS

Why do I LOVE this garlic press??

LOVE the fact that you don't need to peel your garlic cloves! Stick in an entire unpeeled clove and this thing presses out every last morsel of fresh garlic and leaves the skin behind! Plus it comes with a cleaning tool to scrape off the pressed garlic and punch out any left behind in the little holes of the press. By far the BEST garlic press that I have ever used!

Pictures courtesy of http://www.pamperedchef.com/

Chicken & Broccoli Ring

2010-02-12T16:29:00.000-08:00

This recipe is so versatile, you could substitute ham & swiss or you could make it vegetarian by omitting the meat altogether!

2 packages (8 ounces) refrigerated crescent rolls (I used multigrain)
2 cups coarsely chopped cooked chicken
1 cup broccoli, chopped
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (I used light Old Cheddar)
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper

1/2 cup mayonnaise (I used light)
1 teaspoon dried dill
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg white, lightly beaten
2 tbsp slivered almonds

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Unroll crescent rolls; separate into 16 triangles. Arrange triangles, slightly overlapping, in a circle on Large Round Stone (Large greased pizza pan) with wide ends 3 inches from edge of baking stone (points will extend off the edge of the baking stone). Roll wide ends of dough toward center to create a 3-inch opening.

2. In bowl, combine chicken, broccoli, cheese, bell pepper, mayonnaise, dill, minced garlic and salt; mix well.

3. Scoop filling evenly over dough in a continuous circle. Bring points of triangles up over filling and tuck under dough at center to form a ring. (Filling will show.) Lightly brush dough with egg white; sprinkle with almonds. Bake 25-30 minutes or until deep golden brown.

Makes 8 servings.
(Recipe adapted from "The Pampered Chef : stoneware inspirations" copyright 2005)

Smothered Chicken with Garlic

2010-02-12T16:26:00.000-08:00

If you have never roasted a whole chicken before, you are definately missing out! It is SO easy, SO much tastier, juicier and SO much cheaper (about half the price!) than buying a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store.

The best part about cooking a whole chicken is you can have the chicken legs (thighs & drumsticks) and wings for dinner on the first night and then use the breast meat for the Chicken & Broccoli Ring for dinner #2.

3 tbsp fresh rosemary or 1 tbsp dried rosemary, divided

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1 whole chicken (about 4 lb/1.8 kg)

1 lemon, cut into quarters

1 tbsp olive oil

2 heads garlic, peeled (about 40 cloves)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly spray Deep Covered Baker with oil. Combine half of the rosemary with paprika, salt and black pepper in small bowl; set aside. Remove and discard giblets and neck from chicken cavity. Rinse chicken with cold water; pat dry with paper towels. Trim excess fat, if necessary. Place chicken quarters and remaining rosemary inside cavity of chicken. Tie ends of legs together with cotton string. Lift wing tips up toward neck, then tuck under back of chicken. Place chicken breast side up into baker.

2. Brush outside of chicken with oil; coat completely with seasoning mixture. Arrange garlic around chicken. Bake, covered 60 minutes. Carefully remove lid and continue roasting 25-35 minutes or until meat thermometer registers 180 degrees F in thickest part of thigh and juices run clear. Remove chicken from baker; let stand 10 minutes before carving. Remove garlic from drippings; serve with chicken. Yield: 4-6 servings

Wordless Wednesday - Yummy!

2010-02-10T16:55:00.000-08:00

Boss Gibson and History of Marysville, NB

2010-02-06T18:12:00.000-08:00

I'm a huge History buff and since moving to Fredericton have been so intrigued by the history of Marysville. What an honour to live so close to the only remaining Mill town in Canada!

My son's preschool is in Marysville and so I am in the area often. Even now, the Mill radiates such presence, I am in awe everytime I come down the hill into town and see such a majestic structure in front of me. I stumbled across this video from youtube. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFmEMWH9Xrg

Food Processor Cheddar Cheese Tea Biscuits

2010-02-06T17:30:00.000-08:00

I LOVE biscuits, my mom made them all the time when I was growing up. Preparing biscuits in a food processor is a technique I learned from one of my uncles, they turn out so tender and are so easy! These biscuits are great with soup or stew and leftovers can be used for biscuit egg sandwiches the next morning.

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 cup cold butter, cubed
1 cup shredded old Cheddar cheese
1 cup milk

In food processor mix together flour, baking powder, salt and cayenne pepper. Mix in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs, add cheddar cheese and milk and mix to form soft, slightly sticky ragged dough.

Turn out dough onto lightly floured surface. Gently pat out into 1/2-inch thick round. Using 2-inch floured cutter, cut out rounds. Place on ungreased baking sheet. Gather up scraps and repat dough; cut out more rounds, pressing remaining scraps into final biscuit.

Bake in centre of 425 degree F oven for 12-15 min or until golden. Let cool on pan on racks.

Makes about 12 tea biscuits.

(Recipe adapted from The Complete Canadian Living Cookbook : 350 inspired recipes from Elizabeth Baird and the kitchen Canadians trust most / Elizabeth Baird. ISBN 0679311173 copyright 2001, page.261)

Peanut Butter Cookies

2010-02-04T17:32:00.000-08:00

Super easy and delicious peanut butter cookie recipe to try out with your kids who like to help-out in the kitchen.

1/3 cup butter or margarine

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup peanut butter (I used natural pb)

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 cup flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

sugar for coating

Cream together butter and sugars. Add peanut butter and mix well. Add egg and then the dry ingredients. Roll into balls and then in sugar. Place on greased cookie sheet. Press flat with a fork. Bake at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes. Makes 3 dozen cookies. (The Best of The Best and more/ isbn: 0969042574 copyright 1998, page 250)

Finger Foods

2010-02-04T17:24:00.000-08:00

I remember reading in one of my baby books that when introducing your baby to a "new" food you should let them experience it to the fullest, let them touch it and squish it in between their fingers.

My son was definately getting the full experience at lunch time today:)

My Passions

2010-02-04T06:42:00.000-08:00

Here it goes...I was very hesitant to start this blog, wasn't sure what to write about, wasn't sure if anyone was really interested in what I have to say, but decided to write anyways. I was given the advice to write about "What I love"...so that's what I'll do.

What do I Love? What am I passionate about?

Gardening: I'm in "heaven" upon entering a gardencentre.I love to dig in the dirt..I love nothing more than to spend some good "quality time" with my plants and flowers...definate stress release for me. I'll keep you updated on the status of my garden and fabulous new additions!

Cooking & Baking: I love to try out new recipes and "test" them on my family, I especially love sweets. I'll keep you updated on exciting new kitchen gadgets and products and share my Fave recipes!

My Family: My 2 beautiful boys (3 & 8mo) and my wonderful husband. I will share my experiences as a SAHM complete with pics! (this one's mainly for the grandparents:))

Shopping: boy do I ever LOVE a good deal! I'll let you know where to find them! I'll also let you in on any FAB new products I come across.

Knitting/quilting: My projects have included an afghan, scarf & toque and am currently working on a quilt for my baby..I'll share any cool sites and patterns.

History: I'm a history Major, Love historical novels, museums, historic architecture..it's always been my dream to live in a big 'ol historic home with a walk up attic.

Home Shopping/Direct Sales: Who doesn't like to shop for great products from the comfort of their own home?? Love Pampered Chef, Epicure & Discovery Toys

So that's what I'll write about..maybe you share some of my passions...

Why Flowering Crab?

2010-02-02T18:32:00.000-08:00

My favourite tree...everchanging..lush and fragrant in spring...bearing bright and beautiful fruit in summer..breathtaking foliage in fall...astonishing bark in winter...always changing, always beautiful...season after season.