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Appetizers

Smoked Stuffed Mushroom Stuffed Potato

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Double Stuffed Potato Stuffed Mushroom
Double Stuffed Potato Stuffed Mushroom

A handful of years ago I entered a contest using B.C. Warba Potatoes. I was inspired, I was intrigued and I came up with what I thought was a super cool idea. I called it the Stuffed Mushroom Stuffed Potato. Bet your intrigued now too right?!

We started with our favourite stuffed mushroom recipe, Blue Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms. We steamed the potatoes, cooled them, scooped out the middles as though we were making baked stuffed potatoes, found mushrooms to fit inside, stuffed the mushrooms and baked it all together. Dang it was good.

Double Stuffed Potato Stuffed Mushroom
Double Stuffed Potato Stuffed Mushroom

Fast forward 5 years and we are updating this recipe because smoked Gorgonzola! A few of the changes we made: using The Little Potato Company Potatoes Terrific Trio Potatoes adding colour to the recipe. Smoked Gorgonzola cheese from The Italian Store and their Parmesan mixed with Gouda cheese are a couple of my favourite things this year so I tossed both of them into the mix. And the green onions were replaced with chives. Bam we had another winner. Plus I added a new touch. Read on to find out what I did to jazz it up.

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Smoked Stuffed Mushroom Stuffed Potato
Author: 
Serves: 10
 
Ingredients
  • 10 baby potatoes
  • 20 brown small mushrooms
  • 8oz cream cheese, softened
  • 2 tbsp smoked gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
  • 2 tbsp Parrano cheese or gouda, shredded
  • 3 tbsp pecans, toasted and chopped small
  • 1 tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped + extra for garnish
  • sea salt and cracked pepper to taste
  • truffle potato chips, crushed small
Instructions
  1. Place potatoes in a steamer and steam 40-45 minutes or until soft. Alternatively boil for about 5 minutes. Set aside and let cool. Once cooled slice in half and carefully scoop out the insides of the potato leaving the outsides walls sturdy and intact. Set aside potato pulp.
  2. Preheat oven to 350F.
  3. Clean and remove stems from mushrooms and reserve for another use. Set aside caps.
  4. In a bowl beat together cream cheese, gorgonzola and parrano cheese, pecans, chives, basil, a pinch of salt and pepper and 3 tbsp potato pulp, until blended.
  5. Stuff mushroom caps with cheese mixture, mounding slightly. Fit stuffed mushrooms carefully inside cooled potato halves matching sizes as best you can.
  6. To get mushrooms to stick, add a small dab of the cream cheese filling on the inside bottom of the potato half to help the mushroom stay in place. Place stuffed potatoes on a parchment lined baking pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  7. Bake in oven for 15 minutes or until cheese bubbles & browns a little. Sprinkle with the crushed potato chips and chives.
  8. Serve immediately.

What’s your favourite way to use little potatoes?!

Double Stuffed Potato Stuffed Mushroom
Double Stuffed Potato Stuffed Mushroom

Pesto Deviled Eggs

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If you were a child who grew up in the 1970s, you might remember these luscious little devils adorning platters and potlucks on tables during holidays and gatherings. The term deviled egg has been floating around since the 1700s and actual concept is said to have come from Rome. Those Italians and their food right?!

My husband absolutely adores deviled eggs. So much so when we were choosing appetizers for our wedding cocktail hour he choose deviled eggs as they were on the list of choices. I admittedly do not make them that often, maybe a couple times a year, and he always insists on topping them with paprika, they way his mom and Aunt make them. I’m totally OK with that as long as the paprika doesn’t touch my eggs! I think it’s a tradition from the 1970s carried forward that he refuses to give up.

Pesto Deviled Eggs
Pesto Deviled Eggs

Try to use fresh made pesto when making these eggs, it really does taste different and better than the jarred stuff. Freshly grated parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of hot pepper flakes is the perfect finish. Or use paprika if that’s what you grew up with because really anything goes.

Here’s how we do it.

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Pesto Deviled Eggs
Author: 
Recipe type: snacks, appetizers
Serves: 6
 
Ingredients
  • 6 large eggs, hard boiled and cooled
  • 2 tbsp mayonnaise
  • 1 tbsp pesto
  • Sea Salt
  • Cracked Black Pepper
  • Plastic food storage bag
  • 2 tbsp grated parmesan
  • ½ tsp hot pepper flakes
  • fresh basil
Instructions
  1. Halve the eggs lengthwise and place on platter or plate. Gently remove the yolks and transfer them to a food processor or bowl/container. Add the mayonnaise and pesto and process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
  2. Transfer to the plastic storage bag and trim a corner. Pipe filling into egg white halves and garnish with additional salt, pepper, parmesan cheese, hot pepper flakes and fresh basil. Chill until ready to serve.

 

Blueberry Crostini with Thyme & Fresh Ricotta

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B.C. Blueberries are one of my most favourite things about summer. While there are many things to get excited about as summer approaches, being a B.C. girl transplanted in Calgary, I have to say B.C. fruit tops the list for me. My mom had fruit trees, several varieties of berries including a Saskatoon berry bush, currents and gooseberries, not to mention a full garden making me very fortunate to be surrounded by all kinds of fresh fruit and vegetables.

Orange berry sauce is a sauce always requested by my daughter whenever I make crepes. The blueberry crostini with thyme & fresh ricotta inspiration came from the orange berry sauce as I wanted to make something for out of town family with all the pints of blueberries in the refrigerator. Fresh thyme from the garden was an after thought but it worked out perfectly and is not over powering since I added thyme sprigs at the end of the blueberry sauce cooking process.

Fresh thyme sprinkled on top makes it look pretty and taste fresh.

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Blueberry Crostini with Thyme & Fresh Ricotta
Author: 
 
Ingredients
  • 2 cups blueberries
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • ½ cup fresh ricotta
  • 1 tsp zest from one lemon
  • 1 tbsp + 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
  • 3 sprigs fresh thyme
  • ½ cup fresh ricotta
  • 1 baguette sliced thin & slices lightly grilled or toasted
Instructions
  1. In a medium saucepan, combine blueberries with sugar, lemon zest and fresh lemon juice. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer, and cook about 8 minutes. Drop in 2 thyme sprigs and cook an extra 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
  2. Gently pull leaves of thyme sprig. Set aside.
  3. Spread ricotta on to each baguette slice. Remove thyme sprigs from blueberry sauce and top ricotta with a spoonful of sauce finishing with a sprinkle of fresh thyme.
  4. Serve immediately.

Serve this sauce with crepes, pancakes, waffles, on crostini, ice cream or even baked brie.

blueberry-sauce-on-brie

Ras el Hanout Hummus

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Ras el Hanout is an aromatic spice blend common in Moroccan cooking. The name in Arabic means “head of the shop,” and literally refers to the best spices a store has to offer.

It’s a spice blend gaining popularity and becoming more mainstream in kitchen pantries. One interesting fact about this spice is no two Ras el Hanout spice blends are the same. What does this mean? Many will include cardamom, nutmeg, anise, mace, cinnamon, ginger, various peppers, and turmeric. But every company that creates this blend has their own secret combination. In fact they could use up to 30 of their own best spices to create their own blend. To add to the mystique, the list of traditional ingredients has been said to even include hashish and Spanish Fly.

 

Ras el Hanout Hummus
Ras el Hanout Hummus

 

I’ve had this little spice gem in my spice pantry for the last couple of years. It still carries a strong and lovely smell and tastes equally delicious when added to any food. I started adding it to roasted chick peas and that’s what brought us to making this recipe.

The flavour of this hummus enhances as it sits in the fridge. Eat it with with pita, in wraps, with fresh vegetables, even on crispy crackers. Start your kids young eating hummus with their fresh veggies, a healthier option instead of ranch dressing. If you are into trying some new hummus recipes do check out my Cilantro & Black Pepper Hummus and Roasted Jalapeno Hummus.

What’s you favourite flavour of hummus and how do you like to eat it?!

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Ras el Hanout Hummus
Author: 
Recipe type: snack
 
Ingredients
  • 1 540ml or 2 cups can chick peas, drained and liquid reserved
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 1 tbsp + 1 tsp ras el hanout
  • ½ cup tahini
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 lemons, juiced
  • salt and pepper
  • ¼ cup toasted pepitas
Instructions
  1. Add chick peas, garlic, ras el hanout, tahini, ¼ cup olive oil, lemon juice and a good pick of black pepper and salt to food processor, vitamix, ninja or bowl. Process until mostly smooth. Add some of the reserved chick pea liquid and extra oil as needed. I used all the liquid from the can.
  2. Taste and adjust seasoning, add more salt as needed.
  3. Serve on a plate or in a bowl with a good drizzle of olive oil on top, some additional sea salt flakes and toasted pepitas.

 

 

Smoked Salmon on Pumpernickel Rye

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Smoked Salmon on Pumpernickel Rye
Smoked Salmon on Pumpernickel Rye

Coming from the Pacific West Coast, I’ve eaten my fair share of smoked salmon. Even freshly smoked then canned via my momma. As a child my dad would catch river salmon and smoke it regularly. I craved it. When I moved to Vancouver I had a hard time eating smoked salmon that was not his. Eventually lox and cream cheese on bagels won me over and I let go of that craving. But it still resides in my thoughts as a taste I will never forget.

Did you know this recipe’s origins are German? We were asked to bring an appetizer to a recent celebration. An appetizer that celebrates one of our cultures. Since we have a Spanish student living with us, I wanted to hi-light some Spanish food. But he’s 16 and we couldn’t get it together. So I reached out to another former student from Germany, one who has become a second daughter to us. I am partially German with relatives living in Germany so I was intrigued to see what she would suggest. She sent me pictures of lox on Pumpernickel German Rye Bread and advised it’s very popular in Germany. I clearly had no idea! Uber excited, I set off to track down the bread and the lox.

Smoked Salmon on Pumpernickel Rye
Smoked Salmon on Pumpernickel Rye

Pumpernickel German Rye Bread is a heavy, dense and simply flavoured bread. Lox is sold everywhere here but as a touristy item. Fortunately thanks to twitter I located some that was both a decent price and delicious. The bread came from the European deli. #Bam

 

Smoked Salmon on Pumpernickel Rye
Smoked Salmon on Pumpernickel Rye

What I put together really didn’t look much like the photos she sent me but more based on my memory of lox on bagels with cream cheese. And the best part of it all, our Spanish student helped me assemble these German appetizers!

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Smoked Salmon on Pumpernickel Rye
Author: 
Serves: 15
 
Ingredients
  • Smoked Salmon
  • Cream Cheese, room temperature
  • Capers
  • Red onion, sliced thin
  • fresh dill
Instructions
  1. Cut your bread into smaller pieces. It's a firm bread so it will hold up well.
  2. Spread on cream cheese.
  3. Add some of your smoked salmon.
  4. Sprinkle on some red onion, capers and dill.
  5. Serve immediately.

 

Smoked Salmon on Pumpernickel Rye
Smoked Salmon on Pumpernickel Rye

 

Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken Wings

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If you are like me, chicken wings are one of those things you just can’t get enough of. Then there’s my husband who would eat them every night if he could. Even the kids enjoy the non spicy wings now so there’s rarely any left when we make them as it becomes #BattleWings in our house.

When I fry the wings I tend to do it outside on the burner of our BBQ to avoid grease splatter. When winter approaches here in Canada and temperatures drop to low to BBQ I have to find new ways to create recipes as the grease splatter drives me a little crazy. Anyone else?! As a chicken wing lover I do prefer my wings to be crispy vs fatty and as such I’ve been challenged with baking them as they never crisp up the way I like them.

Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken Wings
Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken Wings

We use chicken wings to help make our gravy when ever we roast a turkey. I happened to have a handful left over taking up space in the fridge so I tossed them with some of my favourite ingredients and into the slow cooker. They were done in a little over 2 hours with a little added time for a good broil. So good. I even saved some for the family to try when they got home later (such a good mom/wife, right?!)

These wings are so moist they practically fall off the bone but still have a nice crisp on the outside. I can see this is the beginning of a slow cooker chicken wing love affair!

 

Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken Wings
Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken Wings

 

Here’s how we did it.

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Slow Cooker Chicken Wings
Author: 
Serves: 2
 
Ingredients
  • 20 chicken wings, tips removed
  • ¼ cup soy sauce
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • 2 tsp ginger, freshly grated
  • pepper
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl mix together soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, a pinch of pepper and sesame oil.
  2. Add chicken wings and stir to coat.
  3. Pour all into oval slow cooker.
  4. Cook on high for 2- 2.5 hours.
  5. Preheat oven to broil.
  6. Remove from slow cooker and place on baking sheet with a rack.
  7. Broil for 5 minutes, turn chicken wings over and broil for another 5 minutes. Watch them carefully.
  8. Serve with a little of the slow cooker sauce drizzled over top.

 

Beef & Mushroom Spring Rolls

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One of my favourite things to eat (of many) is well spring rolls. The kids and I enjoy making the fresh salad type rolls but my secret love is for fried spring rolls. Sometimes I visit a local Vietnamese restaurant during lunch and pick up an order of spring rolls all to myself. And eat them in the truck lol. It’s that mom time alone where I don’t have to share with anyone. Even in the truck. I’ll take it.

I’ve made them before, but it’s been awhile. My son has recently started liking them as much as I do, so when we order Vietnamese food we end up fighting over the spring rolls. Note above alone time.

Mushroom-Beef-SR-v1

With a blend and extend challenge upon us thanks to Mushrooms Canada, I’ve been trying to think outside of the box to create a blended appetizer. Spring Rolls came to mind and the flavourings I use in the Thai Salad with Jalapeno & Mint I make. I took inspiration from this recipe and went for it. My son loved them so much he must have eaten four within minutes.

Beef, Mushrooms & Veggies ready for rolling
Beef, Mushrooms & Veggies ready for rolling

Made from ground beef and minced mushrooms, plus a few veggies for good measure, these spring rolls contain minced mushrooms and ground beef. This is how you add another serving of vegetables to the plate.

Here’s the method.

4.0 from 1 reviews
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Beef & Mushroom Spring Rolls
Author: 
Recipe type: Appetizer
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 20
 
Ingredients
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp fish sauce
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1 lb lean ground beef
  • ½ tsp sugar
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp ginger, freshly grated
  • ¾ cup minced mushrooms
  • 3 tsp sesame oil
  • 1 cup napa cabbage
  • 1 cup shredded carrots
  • 2 green onions, sliced thin
  • 1 package of spring roll wrappers (20)
  • 1 egg, whipped up in a bowl
  • 1 wok
  • canola oil
  • 2 tbsp cilantro, chopped
Instructions
  1. In a medium sized bowl, combine the soy sauce, fish sauce and cornstarch. Add in the ground beef and mix well. Set aside to marinate while you prepare and slice your other ingredients.
  2. Thinly slice your napa cabbage, leafy parts only. Peel and grate your carrots. Let carrots sit on a paper towel to absorb some of the moisture. Slice onions.
  3. Heat 2 tsp of sesame oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Add your ground beef and cook until beef starts to get a nice golden brown. Sprinkle on sugar, add garlic, ginger and mushrooms. Continue to cook another couple of minutes until flavours well combined. Remove from heat and onto plate and let cool.
  4. In second pan add 1 tsp of sesame oil. Toss in cabbage, carrots and onions. Cook approximately 3 minutes until vegetables soft. Remove from heat and set aside in pan to cool.
  5. Once meat and veggies are cool mix together. Mix in cilantro. Set aside.
  6. Place spring roll wrapper in a diamond shape with a corner facing you. Place 2 tablespoons of filling near corner - that will be plenty. Fold over corner and roll tight.
  7. Fold over right and left side trying not to allow any pockets. Keep it tight and roll until it looks like an envelope then stop. With your finger rub a little egg wash along the out edge of the wrapper as though you were licking an envelop. Continue rolling and ensure sealed. Set aside and keep under plastic wrap.
  8. Carry on until all rolled. Do not stack. Keep all under plastic wrap until ready to cook.
  9. When you’re ready to fry, heat up 1½″ of canola oil to 350F. I like to use my wok.
  10. Carefully drop spring rolls in frying 4-5 at a time and turning constantly for even browning.
  11. Once they are golden brown place on a rack to cool down and drain.
  12. Serve with Thai Chili Sauce or your favourite dipping sauce.

Mushroom-Beef-rolling
2 tablespoons of filling on the wrapper

 

Mushroom-Beef-blend
Little envelope ready for some egg wash

 

 

Spinach Artichoke Dip

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With so many variations of Spinach Artichoke Dip out there, how do you find just one to love?!

This recipe was inspired by Liz of OMA’s Gourmet Garlic. We started bantering back and forth on this thing called twitter, maybe you’ve heard of it, and I learned she sells garlic grown in her garden in Aldersyde, Alberta.

Growing garlic runs in the family Liz explains, her dad received some garlic from a Russian friend in the mid ’80’s and grew it for years in his backyard garden. Her mom carried on with the growing of the garlic after her father passed away. In 2003 Liz received some garlic from her mom and decided to plant some of the cloves in her own garden. They started to sprout and 9 cloves produced 9 bulbs of garlic. This is where Liz’s story begins.

 

OMA's Gourmet Garlic
OMA’s Gourmet Garlic

 

Garlic is planted in the Spring over 6-8 weeks as this offers the best harvest, Liz says. The garlic cures for four – six weeks before selling the fresh begins in October and November.

Today this naturally grown garlic is sold to several local Chefs, restaurants and stores in fresh or dehydrated forms. And if she’s not busy enough tending her garden and weeds, Liz writes a column affectionately called the ‘Tales of the Stinking Rose, in the Wild Rose Country’ in ‘The Garlic News’, a quarterly Canadian publication.

I recently met Liz for the first time when I picked up some garlic granules and dehydrated garlic. She had me taste just 1 or 2 itty bitty specks of the granules before I left. That’s all you need Liz said and by golly she was right. I was my own sweet stinking rose for the rest of the day from those two little itty bittys samples.

OMA’s Gourmet Garlic is available fresh and dehydrated (powder, granules or spice mill grade). You can find her on Facebook: OMA’s Gourmet Garlic.

I used a light sprinkling of the garlic granules in this Spinach Artichoke Dip. This is a small recipes and serves two nicely. Or one who doesn’t want to share.

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Spinach Artichoke Dip
Author: 
Recipe type: snack, game day, potluck
Serves: 2
 
Ingredients
  • 5 cups fresh spinach
  • 1 14.5oz can of artichoke hearts, rough chopped
  • 1 8oz block of cream cheese
  • ¼ cup mayonnaise
  • ¼ cup sour cream
  • ¼ cup greek yogurt
  • ⅓ cup + ¼ cup parmesan cheese, grated
  • ½ cup old white cheddar cheese, grated
  • red pepper flakes
  • garlic granules or garlic powder
  • ¼ cup water
  • Cooking spray
Instructions
  1. Preheat your oven to 375F.
  2. Spray a small casserole dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
  3. Over medium high heat add a sprinkle of water. Toss in your fresh spinach and cook 1-2 minutes or until spinach is wilted. Put on cutting board and rough chop. Toss into bowl.
  4. Add artichokes through white cheddar cheese reserving ¼ cup parmesan cheese. Mix well.
  5. Toss in a pinch of hot pepper flakes and sprinkle of your garlic granules or powder. Gently mix in and pour into your prepared dish.
  6. Bake for 20-30 minutes and during the last couple of minute sprinkle on the ¼ cup of parmesan cheese. Serve hot with your favourite chips or crackers.
  7. Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/creamy-artichoke-and-spinach-dip-recipe.html?oc=linkback

 

 

Banh Mi Sliders

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Vietnamese food is one of my favourites. It’s a healthy balance between herbs, meats, spices and flavours that kick my tastes buds into over drive. The family loves it as much as I do and since it’s affordable, we eat Vietnamese almost as often as we do pizza. With several Vietnamese restaurants in Calgary, it’s fun to go out and try new ones.

There is never a dull moment when we decide to make some Vietnamese food at home. The kids love to help make salad rolls so we try to make them at least once a month. Fish sauce is a staple here so we buy the large size and use it in several dishes. And the kids adore fresh bean sprouts, cucumber and carrots.

Tips and tricks: make the patties bigger if you prefer manly sized burgers vs sliders. You should get 6 patties out of this lot. If you are short on time, don’t worry about pickling the vegetables for this burger. Fresh sliced cucumbers and peeled carrots work just fine. The sriracha mayo is pretty wicked, cut back on the sriracha if you don’t like the heat. Or add more if you like it spicy. Want to skip the bun? Use a lettuce cup to wrap up the deliciousness.

The flavours in the burger stand out so much I had to convince my 8 year old to not add any ketchup to the burger. He did add a little plain mayo and after a few bites he agreed. Then he proceeded to eat 3.

5.0 from 1 reviews
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Banh Mi Sliders
Author: 
Recipe type: lunch, bbq, snack
Serves: 5
 
Ingredients
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 1 cup rice wine vinegar
  • 1 cup grated or peeled carrot strips
  • ½ cup cucumber, chopped
  • 2 scallions, sliced
  • 2 lbs ground pork
  • 2 tsp sesame oil
  • 1 tbsp grated ginger
  • 1 cloves minced garlic
  • 2 tsp rice wine vinegar
  • 2 tsp fish sauce
  • 1 tsp brown sugar
  • salt and pepper
  • ½ cup fresh jalapeno peppers thinly sliced
  • sprigs of fresh cilantro
  • lettuce leaves
  • buns
Instructions
  1. Quick Pickles: In a bowl or small jar mix together sugar and rice wine vinegar, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Add the carrot strips, cucumbers and scallions. Set aside in refrigerator until ready to use.
  2. Preheat grill to medium high.
  3. Place the pork in a mixing bowl and add in sesame oil, ginger, garlic, rice wine vinegar, fish sauce, brown sugar and a pinch of salt and pepper. Divide the meat into 10 equal parts, and form each part into a slider.
  4. Grill the burgers until the meat is no longer pink inside about 4-5 minutes per side.
  5. Assemble: On a bun slather on some sriracha mayo if using, add your burger, a piece of lettuce and about ¼ cup of the pickle mixture onto the burger. Sprinkle with fresh cilantro and thinly sliced jalapeno peppers.
Notes
To make sriarcha mayo mix together ½ cup mayo, 1 thinly sliced scallion, 1-2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro, 1.5 tsp sriracha (or to taste), pinch of salt, zest and juice of of half a lime. Store in refrigerator until ready to use.

 

 

How to Assemble a Charcuterie Board

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Charcuterie boards have become all the rage in recent years with many restaurants offering it on their menus. When you think about it, charcuterie is a term that’s been in our vocabulary for a long time, just called something different. Like sausage and cheese plate. Right?!

When I put together a charcuterie board, or a cheese board, it’s essentially different every time. It always depends on the season, the event, and what I feel like when I shop for ingredients. Sometimes I go into the store with a plan, other times I wing it knowing I need the basics of meat and cheese.

With the holidays fast approaching, and several gatherings in our future, I will most likely end up preparing charcuterie boards. Here we show you how easy it is to prepare one for your next event.

Charcuterie Board
Charcuterie Board

First thing you need to consider is presentation. How will you display your items? Pieces of tile purchased at a home reno store, wooden boards, pottery or rustic platters, a cake stand or tray with handles along all become the perfect platform for your spread. Pair it with some smaller bowls or dishes and cheese knives, tools or markers. Have extra fresh herbs on hand? Pretty up your board with the addition of herbs.

The Cheese. If you go to a specialty cheese or European store to buy your cheese, the selection can be slightly overwhelming. Plan on purchasing both soft and firm cheese. Consider the type of cheese it is: cow, goat or sheep milk. Choose a couple in each category (soft and firm) including a blue, and an aged cheese. Be sure to include a popular, common cheese. Ask an employee for assistance if you are still uncertain in your selection. Remember to bring your cheese out and let sit on the counter for at least 15 minutes before serving.

The Meat. Pick 3 different types of meat. A salami (ie: sopressata), bresaola, prosciutto or sausage all sliced thin. Try to arrange the meat on your board looking a bit messy or whimsy. Roll it if you choose, layer sausage pieces, in the end it doesn’t have to be perfect. Smoked salmon or pate could also be included on your board. The meat, like cheese, should be served at room temperature.

Sweet, Salty, Crunchy. Think nuts, olives, pickles, artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, peppers, tapenade, dried fruit, compotes, preserves. These items really enhance the flavour element you have created on your board, and are perfect in those smaller bowls or dishes we talked about.

Crackers & Bread. Offer a variety of breads and crackers. Thinly sliced baguette, crostini, bread sticks, and a small selection of crackers are great choices. I really like the thin water crackers and Leslie Stowe style crisps.

Fresh. Ensure you have some fresh fruits or veggies on your board. Have you ever tried apple slices with cheddar cheese or brie? Pear with blue cheese? Grapes or figs are a lovely addition to any board. We encourage you to try different fruits with the cheese you have selected for a little wow factor.

Your board doesn’t have to be jam packed with all the things. Keep it simple, do what works for you. Some boards we’ve created over the years: Greek, Mediterranean, seafood, grilled, meats and mustard’s, cheese and pickles, and even as simple as crudites. A little goes along way, just make sure you have some variety.

 

Blueberry Guacamole

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BC Blueberries have arrived in the stores/markets and I couldn’t be more excited. It’s one of my favourite times of the year. Growing up in BC, my mom used to grow all kinds of berries and vegetables plus had several fruit trees in our yard. Enjoying fresh produce like this every Summer was sure a great way to grow up. I’m always giddy when the fresh BC produce arrives in Alberta.

I am excited to be attending the BC Blueberries 2015 Kick Off to the Season Launch in Calgary this week. I always get inspired and want to create new recipes with blueberries when I know this event is coming up and the blueberries arriving in Calgary. This blueberry guacamole happened almost by accident. Eating blueberries along side guacamole and I decided to combine the two into one bite. I was sold, it’s seriously delicious. Even my guacamole loving kid loved the addition of blueberries. I might try fresh cherries next.

Here’s how you do it.

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Blueberry Guacamole
 
Ingredients
  • 3 ripe avocados
  • ½ cup fresh blueberries, halved if big
  • 1 tbsp fresh jalapeno, chopped
  • juice from 2 limes
  • 2 tbsp cilantro, chopped
  • 1 tbsp green onion, sliced thin
  • olive oil
  • salt
Instructions
  1. Mash avocados in a bowl.
  2. Mix in blueberries through green onion and a good pinch of salt.
  3. Drizzle with olive oil and serve with crackers, pita chips or tortillas.

 

Campfire Baked Brie

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This campfire baked brie is simply delicious. I’m not your average camper where food is concerned. Yes I love smokies, hot dogs, marshmallows, tin foil suppers, and the like. But I like to experiment. Push the limits and see what I can create. Anyone who camps with me knows there will be some tasty bites to try at least once during our trip. Some times the recipes fail, like this past camping trip….I tried a recipe and it burned to a crisp! Win some lose some. One failure, 3 successes. Pretty good odds in my book!

Pick up the largest brie you can find…trust me it goes fast. Bring along your favourite toppers (olives-tapenade , berry compote, sundried tomatoes, fresh fruit, pulled pork, nuts, etc.). Score the top of the brie, add your toppers, wrap in foil and grill carefully for about 10 minutes, turning once. While cooking grill up some sliced baguette or french bread. Winner Winner this could be your dinner. Dinner for one. Or to share. Either way it’s delicious.

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Campfire Baked Brie
Author: 
Recipe type: appetizer, dinner, lunch, breakfast
 
Ingredients
  • 1 large round of brie
  • ½ cup of your favourite toppers
  • olive oil
  • aluminum foil
  • baguette and/or french bread, sliced
Instructions
  1. Place brie on aluminum foil sheet. Score top a couple of times.
  2. Pour toppers on top and spread around.
  3. Wrap foil around brie to seal.
  4. Place in coals in fire for 10 minutes, turning once at 5 minutes.
  5. Drizzle olive oil on your bread slices and grill a couple minutes per side. Set aside.
  6. Remove brie from coals, open packet, drizzle with oil and serve with bread.

 

Campfire Baked Brie
Campfire Baked Brie

Date Energy Bites

0 · · 2 Comments

We are road trippers and campers. With me being from BC, my family living in SK, my husbands family living in MB and us residing in AB, we’ve toured up and down the 4 Western Provinces extensively over the past 15 years. Definitely time to discover and journey to the East and South into America!

I’ve always tried to pack a small cooler for road trips. Fill them with good stuff like cheese sticks, yogurt tubes, and cut up veggies for the road. I wash & cut up a bunch of fruit, put it into larger portable containers and this helps with any hunger that might set in on a trip alleviating the need to stop at a gas station and buy junk food. The kids just pass the container around until they are satisfied, or it is empty. If your kids love hummus, bring it along as a dip for the veggies.

Depending on how long the trip is I will bring along some home made granola or trail mix, and even prepare some Sammy’s On A Stick for the road, or for when we arrive at our destination. Popping some popcorn the night before and separating it into individual ziplock bags, with some pretzels or m&m’s thrown in is one idea the kids love.

These energy bites were created as another road trip option as they are another quick, tasty & healthy bite that can be made a variety of ways. Bites made with dates are naturally sweetened. Also nut free so the kids can take them to school.  So many ways to eat relatively healthy while on the road1

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Date Energy Bites
Author: 
Recipe type: snack, road trip, healthy,
Serves: 10-12
 
Ingredients
  • 1 cup dates
  • ½ cup water
  • 1 cup oats
  • ¼ cup chocolate chips
  • ¼ cup dried cranberries
  • 1 tsp chia seeds
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tbsp agave
Instructions
  1. In a blender, food processor or immersion blender, puree dates with water until smooth.
  2. In bowl mix dates with remaining ingredients.
  3. Put in refrigerator to allow to firm up or roll as is.
  4. Store in covered container in refrigerator.

 

Southwestern Bean Dip

0 · · 2 Comments

I joined a Blog Hop! Well I joined yes but I’ve fallen behind and kind of missed the deadline to submit my post. Mostly due to family health issues, 15 hour driving trips (each way) to visit sick relatives and then returning home to get ready for Easter and finish organizing a City Wide Foodie Treasure Hunt that I had been chatting about putting on in Calgary for almost two years. For the blog hop, I was matched up with blogger Michelle of A Dish Of Daily Life.

In getting to know Michelle through this process I learned we have a lot in common. Besides the fact she lives far away (in Connecticut), has kids, pets and a husband, she’s a runner and also manages social media as do I. I’ve gotten into running a few times and always wanted to be a runner, so hopefully I will find some inspiration as I follow her blog and her adventures to get motivated to start running again. She’s also big into cooking Mexican & Lebanese food, both of which I love, so I will also be on the look out for recipes to try in these areas.

Each blogger in the Blog Hop was asked to pick a recipe from their partner Blogger and make it, photograph it and post it. For weeks I’ve known I was going to make this delicious sounding Southwestern Bean Dip. It’s healthy, gluten free and the perfect snack. Plus I want to get my family eating more beans. So I finally got to it this week. The one ingredient I couldn’t find easily was the Ro*Tel tomatoes. So I googled what they were and made up my own batch. The end result, fantastic. This is a dip perfect for entertaining and for those Hockey Night In Canada Game Nights that are now upon us thanks to our Calgary Flames making the playoffs – woot woot!

I modified Michelle’s version slightly as I wanted to make less and used what I had available in my pantry. Here is my slightly modified version of Michelle’s Southwestern Bean Dip.

5.0 from 1 reviews
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Southwestern Bean Dip
Author: 
Recipe type: appetizer, snack
 
Ingredients
  • ¾ cup mixed peppers (red, yellow, green), chopped
  • ¾ cup red onion, chopped
  • ½ cup carrot, chopped or grated
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seed
  • 1 can of Ro*Tel tomatoes (see note below)
  • 1 540 ml can of black beans
  • ¼ cup cilantro
  • juice from ½ lime
  • salt & pepper
  • water
Instructions
  1. Heat oil.
  2. Sauté the peppers, onions, and carrot in oil until soft.
  3. Add in the teaspoon of cumin seed and continue sautéing until fragrant, only about another minute.
  4. Rinse your beans.
  5. Add the can of Rotel tomatoes and black beans to the vegetables.
  6. Season with salt & pepper. Add a splash of water.
  7. Cook for a few minutes longer on low; remove from heat.
  8. Add cilantro and puree.
  9. Mix in juice from ½ lime. Adjust seasoning as necessary.
Notes
To make Ro*Tel tomatoes: Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a pot. Add 1-2 fresh jalapenos rough chopped (seeds & all). Saute for a few minutes. Add in one 14oz can of diced tomatoes & a pinch of salt. Cook until slightly thickened.

 

 

 

Berry Lentil Smoothie

1 · · 20 Comments

Smoothies and lentils are not two words you would normally find together. I’d never heard of a smoothie being made with lentils before so when a Canadian Lentils Contest came round for Canadian Food Bloggers, I decided to make smoothie made with lentils and enter the contest.

I didn’t win the contest but I won my kids over as they had no clue their smoothies were made with lentils!

It’s important to use cooked lentils in this recipe as they are soft and puree easily. I add everything into my blender or container at once. We enjoy our smoothies thick like milkshakes as they tend to melt quick. Adding smoothies is a great way to get an added protein boost.

5.0 from 1 reviews
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Berry Lentil Smoothie
Author: 
Recipe type: snack, breakfast, lunch
Serves: 2
 
Ingredients
  • ½ avocado
  • 1 tsp fresh ginger, peeled & sliced into coins
  • ½ cup apple, peeled & diced
  • ½ banana
  • ½ cup cooked green lentils
  • 1 cup frozen berries
  • ½ cup fresh spinach
  • ¼ cup water
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • ½ cup coconut milk
Instructions
  1. Add everything into your blender or mixer container and blend until smooth.
  2. Serve immediately.

 

10 Game Day Snack Ideas

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I love Game Day food. Bits, bites and everything in between. A day to be naughty and allow yourself a cheat day, if of course you are following a healthier eating regime. I scour the internet when game day approaches looking for new ideas or inspiration for some tasty bites. This year I decided, albeit kind of late, instead of sharing all my own game day posts individually, I would do a post with some of my favourite game day bites. So I picked my top ten favourites and assembled them into this 10 Game Day [Super Bowl or Grey  Cup] Snack Ideas.

Most of these are simple to make. You got this.

Buffalo Chicken & Bacon Dip

If you love the flavour of buffalo chicken, you will love this simple dip made with added love from Bacon.

Buffalo & Chicken Bacon Dip
Buffalo & Chicken Bacon Dip

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mini Chili Cheese Balls

It’s easy to get carried away eating these as they are small and delicious. Hint: make extra.

Mini Chili Cheese Balls
Mini Chili Cheese Balls

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Baked Potato Skins with Pancetta

Ever go to a restaurant, order something and think I can make it better at home. That’s where these came in. I did make them better at home. And ate them ALL.

Baked Potato Skins with Pancetta
Baked Potato Skins with Pancetta

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Honeyed Chili Chicken Wings

Wings & sports. They just go together. These wings are baked not fried and encompass a sweet & spicy bite.

Honeyed Chili Chicken Wings
Honeyed Chili Chicken Wings

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Curried Up Spinach Dip

My weakness (well there are many) is a good spinach dip. I love curry so the two together seemed like the perfect marriage (I was right).

Curried Spinach Dip
Curried Spinach Dip

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Bakers Beef Chili

What’s a big game without a big ole bowl of steaming Chili. Made in the slowcooker to make life easier. This one is packed full of flavour & I love the addition of the crunchy bits on top (optional).

Bakers Beef Chili
Bakers Beef Chili

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Pizza Burgers

Again when I think game day I think burgers & beer. These Pizza Burgers get a little extra love (pepperoni) and are requested all the time. Winner.

Pizza Burgers
Pizza Burgers

 

Blue Cheese Pecans Stuffed Mushrooms

Whoa do I loves me blue cheese. Pair it with pecans and stuff into mushrooms to bake until melty & delicious kinda melts my heart.

Blue Cheese Pecan Stuffed Mushrooms
Blue Cheese Pecan Stuffed Mushrooms

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Candied Bacon & Brown Sugar Baked Brie

Who doesn’t love a baked brie. How about one with candied bacon? Find the candied bacon recipe here: Candied Bacon

Candied Bacon & Brown Sugar Baked Brie
Candied Bacon & Brown Sugar Baked Brie

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Bites

Bacon & cheese seem to be a reoccurring theme in this post. So why not end it with these delicious bites. I jack up the cream cheese with a little something and add a new level of flavour. Yum. O.

Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Bites
Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Bites

Curried Up Spinach Dip

0 · · 3 Comments

There’s so many great foods ideas and dishes from the 80’s and 90’s that just need to come back. One of them is the spinach dip….but then again, did it really ever leave?

I remember those potlucks from the 90’s where there truly was never enough bread for this delicious dip. So we’d rip apart the bread bowl to savor every last bit. Only crumbs remained. How can something so simple be so delicious. I decided this year for our ladies annual cookie exchange and wine night I wanted spinach dip, well was craving it really, but I wanted to put a spin on it. I wasn’t interested in lighting it up to make it healthier, (although I do sub Greek yogurt into my dips at imes) this was a cookie exchange night in December and so let it be. I kept with the original recipe but added a few touches of my own.

With so many spinach dip recipes floating around, I’ve often wondered who came up with the original recipe? Was it Knorr’s? Was it some unknown cook from a small town? Was it a Chef. Questions for the Universe I guess. But if you have the answer please do let me know!

Full of mayo and all things good, here is my curried up spinach dip.

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Curried Up Spinach Dip
Author: 
Recipe type: snack, appetizer, dinner for one
Serves: 8
 
Ingredients
  • 1 pkg frozen chopped spinach, thawed & drained
  • 1 cup mayo
  • 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • ½ can water chestnuts, drained and chopped
  • 1 pkg dry vegetable soup mix
  • 1 tsp curry paste
  • 1 round loaf bread
  • 1 baguette, cut into chunks
  • ¼ cup sliced almonds, lightly toasted
Instructions
  1. In a medium bowl, mix together chopped spinach, mayonnaise, yogurt, water chestnuts, soup mix, and curry paste. Stir well to combine. If you like more curry flavour add a little more paste tasting as you go. Best to make this a couple hours in advance to let the flavours get happy. Keep in fridge until ready to assemble.
  2. Cut off top of bread. Pull out bread in the bowl to make it slightly hollow and into a bowl shape. Fill with spinach mixture. Tear any extra bread into chunks for dipping.
  3. Cut baguette into chunks for extra dippers. Serve immediately. Try to share.

 

Gingerbread Dip

0 · · 7 Comments

In preparing for our annual Ladies Wine Night & Cookie Exchange I was well, unprepared. There I said it. Sick, bake sales and other life stuff slowed me down.

Our cookie exchange night is something I started 4 years ago. It’s a fun night for us moms/ladies to have a fun evening without kids. We typically all bring a bottle of wine, some bites to share and in this case a dozen cookies per attendee. Since I hadn’t given the night much thought, I started thinking about a cheese ball a friend use to make back in the 90’s. Simply made with cream cheese, butter and cheese. Tasty but not so healthy. As I was thinking about the cheese ball I was eating one of my Orange Gingerbread Cookies. See where I am going with this? Somehow an AHA moment happened. And the 2 ideas collided.

I used the spice list from my gingerbread cookie and started measuring and adding to taste, carefully writing down quantities. Didn’t want it to sweet. Didn’t want it to molasses-e. In the end it turned out delicious despite my suspicions it might not. I always like more feedback when I create a recipe, so I needed me some taste testers. The only ones available were Luisa, our German student and the ladies who were coming over that night. They are always pretty keen to taste my food. Thankfully. In the end, everyone who likes gingerbread liked it. One discovery that came after the fact…if you let it sit a day or two in the fridge, the flavour somehow improves.

This dip in all fairness is a little rich. Not something you could eat tons of but definitely an enjoyable addition to a table filled with goodies. I tried it with veggies and no go. Apples didn’t really cut it for me either. Plain crackers/crisps or macaroons/shortbread did work and tasted really good. This recipe is a keeper.

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Gingerbread Dip
Author: 
Recipe type: Appetizer, dips,
 
Ingredients
  • 1 package cream cheese, softened
  • 3 tbsp butter, softened
  • 3 tbsp brown sugar
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • ½ tsp ginger
  • ¼ tsp nutmeg (fresh ground)
  • ¼ tsp cloves
  • pinch of salt
Instructions
  1. Cream together cream cheese and butter in a bowl. Mix in brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and a pinch of salt.
  2. Pour into your serving bowl and sprinkle with a little more fresh grated nutmeg. Add some sprinkles if you really want to be festive.
  3. Serve with plain artisan crackers, flatbread crackers or shortbread cookies.

 

Thai Beef in Toast Cups with Mango Salsa

0 · · 10 Comments

In my daily activities I come across many contests and challenges out there for food bloggers. What you learn along the way is you have to be picky and choosy with what you take on as recipe testing, buying ingredients, making notes, testing again until you get it right, photographing and the like all takes a tremendous amount of time. Which is why I admittedly do not enter as many as I used to. Although I still love a challenge which is where this Thai Beef in Toast Cups with Mango Salsa recipe comes in.

Weeks ago I caught wind of a contest featuring ground beef and mushrooms encouraging us Food Bloggers to Blend & Extend these two special ingredients to show you can get more vegetables (in this case mushrooms) into your meals without the family knowing. We are fortunate in that our kids love almost all vegetables fresh with mushrooms being one of them. My daughter actually eats them whole and peels them like a banana (there’s one in every crowd)!

Thai Beef in Toast Cups with Mango Salsa
Thai Beef in Toast Cups with Mango Salsa

When I started recipe testing for this challenge I made three separate beef and mushroom dishes over the course of a couple of days. Each recipe had it’s own unique flavour profile and was inspired by recipes I already make. The caveat, they needed to be bite size.

To each recipe I added just over a cup of minced fresh white button mushrooms. I was pleasantly surprised you couldn’t even tell there were mushrooms mixed in with the beef. The kids, not any wiser, enjoyed each recipe for different reasons. As such new recipes have been born and at least one will be entered into the contest.

 

Thai Beef in Toast Cups with Mango Salsa
Thai Beef in Toast Cups with Mango Salsa

 

The inspiration for this recipe comes from two I currently make which are both very popular on the blog. Cesar Salad in Toast Cups and a Pork Thai Salad with Jalapeno & Mint. I took the flavour profile from the Pork Thai Salad and infused it into the beef, mixing in mushrooms, and topping it with a delicious mango salsa. I make varieties of the Salad Toast Cups so using the toast cup itself as the vessel to hold the beef and mushroom mixture worked perfectly. I knew I wanted to top it with something fresh so a minced mango salsa was prepared to top the beef. The flavour combination worked well. Out of six taste testers (young and old) I’d say only 1 gave it a thumbs down.

Here is how I made Thai Beef in Toast Cups with Mango Salsa.

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Thai Beef in Toast Cups with Mango Salsa
Author: 
Recipe type: Appetizer
Serves: 12
 
Ingredients
  • 1½ lbs ground beef
  • 1 cup white button mushrooms, finely diced
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp fish sauce
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 2 tsp sesame oil
  • 2 tbsp soya sauce
  • ½ cup water
  • 1 cup mango, diced small
  • 2 tbsp red onion, small dice
  • 1 jalapeno pepper, remove seeds, small dice
  • 2 tbsp cilantro, chopped
  • salt
  • ½ lime, juiced
  • 6 pieces of normal size bread (like wonderbread) with all 4 sides/crusts removed
  • Cooking spray or melted butter
  • Mini muffin tins
Instructions
  1. Heat 1 tbsp oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat.
  2. Add beef and break it up into smaller crumbles. Cook a few more minutes and add in your mushrooms. Continue to cook until you get a good brown on the beef. Brown = flavour.
  3. In a bowl or cup mix together ½ cup water, fish sauce, sugar, sesame oil, soya sauce and stir. Pour into beef mixture, cook until almost all liquid is gone and flavours combined. Set aside to cool a bit.
  4. To make the salsa, in a bowl mix together mango, red onion, jalapeno, cilantro, pinch of salt and lime juice. Set aside.
  5. To make toast cups, preheat your oven to 350F
  6. Cut the crusts off each piece of bread. Cut each piece into four equal squares.
  7. Spray mini muffin tins with cooking spray or brush with melted butter.
  8. Flatten each piece of bread a little with your hand or a rolling pin. Gently press each bread square into a mini muffin cup. Give another quick spray or brush of melted butter. Continue until you have filled all 12 mini muffin cups or if you have two pans, 24. If you do not have two pans, you will need to do this two times.
  9. Place in oven and bake for 6-8 minutes or until the bread has turned lightly brown. Remove from pan, place on platter and begin assembling.
  10. Scoop a little beef mixture into each toast cup. Top with a small amount of the mango salsa. If you have juice in the salsa sprinkle a little on top. You can either top with a cilantro leaf or serve as is. Serve immediately.

 

Grilled Corn, Radish & Arugula Salad

0 · · 2 Comments

An easy salad that came together quickly the other night. All I knew is I wanted grilled corn. Whole for the family, one cut up for a salad. So we rubbed the corn with oil, salt and pepper and tossed them on the grill for about 10-15 minutes, turning regularly. Adding a little char to your corn really enhances the flavour. Boiling or steaming the corn works to.

Radishes in our garden were reading for picking and some arugula completed the salad. I kept the dressing simple and it worked so well.

Fresh, and simple flavours of summer make it easy to put together this salad any night of the week. It’s incredibly delicious with this Sweet & Spicy Grilled Salmon.

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Grilled Corn, Radish & Arugula Salad
Author: 
Recipe type: salad, main, dinner, lunch
Serves: 4
 
Ingredients
  • 3 cups arugula
  • 2 radishes sliced thin
  • 1 corn cob, grilled
  • 1 lime, juiced
  • olive oil
  • salt and pepper
Instructions
  1. Cut the corn kernels from the cob, and place in a bowl. Mix in radishes and arugula.
  2. In a bowl or measuring cup whisk together lime juice, 1-2 tbsp of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper.
  3. Pour dressing over salad, toss and serve.

 

 

Adventures with S’mores & Camping at Ol’ MacDonalds Resort

0 · · 1 Comment

If you can believe it, I never had s’mores growing up. I know right…sheltered. But I did get my share of roasted, sticky, gooey, delicious marshmallows.

The word S’more appears to be derived from the phrase “some more”. According to Wikipedia, the first recorded version of the recipe can be found in the publication Tramping and Trailing with the Girl Scouts of 1927. The exact origin is unclear but the year 1925 pops up.

S'mores while camping
Oreo Cookie S’mores

There are many ways to eat s’mores. And we have definitely experimented a lot over the years. These days it’s just the norm that we don’t go camping without a bucket (yes I said bucket) full of s’mores supplies. My kids are definitely learning there are more to s’mores than crackers, chocolate and marshmallows.

S'mores Supplies
S’mores Supplies

Ol’ MacDonalds Resort near Stettler is a private campground on Buffalo Lake that we’ve been visiting every year for over 6 years. Sometimes we even go twice during camping season, that’s how much we love it. One of our annual treks here is a family outing where there is a huge group that assembles at the end of the summer. For those who do not like to camp in tents or trailers, there are cabins.

Smores while camping
One of my personal favourites – S’mores made with Brie Cheese & Chocolate

Over the years the campground has grown. There are now a minimum of four playgrounds for the kids to enjoy. I say minimum because you never know if they’ve added another one until you return. When the minions tire of the playground you can head over to the Merry Go Round. Best to note it is not a carnival style Merry Go Round, but rather an older, fairly safe version that will set you back a mere .25 cents a ride. You can even try to toss your shoe in a special bucket while you are on the ride to see if can win a free ride. This runs at pre set times during the day.

Merry Go Round at Ol' MacDonalds
We Merry Go Round

After you’ve rode the Merry Go Round head over to the Train Ride. But first stop for a special coffee…YES I said special coffee. I’m sorry, I know..roughing it right? But this is the only campground I know of that has a coffee shop (squeee) and it’s definitely a nice treat. Important to note the train ride also runs at pre scheduled times. This costs I think $1-2 per ride and moms & dads can walk along side to keep on eye on their little train engineers as it weaves through the campground.

Kayaking on Buffalo Lake
We Kayak

Tractor Wagon Rides and the Go Karts should be on your list. The Tractor Wagon Rides are an annual ritual for us. These evening rides have a sign up sheet and it’s best to book your time early. The go karts are truly fun for kids of all ages. Although the wee ones will have to go with an adult rider and some of those hills, let me tell you, some of those hills might take the wind from your sails. It’s great when the kids get old enough to drive their own go karts. These run all day. A petting zoo, arcade and indoor mini golf really do keep the kids entertained.

Go Karts at Ol' MacDonalds Resort
We Go Kart

Buffalo Lake offers a sandy beach where you can walk out into the water for a long time. There is a boat launch and ice cream shack. Cousins of ours have a sailboat and it comes out every year. Around the corner you can drop a line and try fishing. Fantastic tunes, and a sand castle building contest on Saturdays make this beach a great place to spend a couple hours. Or more.

Floatables at Ol' MacDonalds Resort
We bring Floatables

And if that isn’t enough, you can stop into Gramma’s Kitchen for a bite or supply item you might have forgotten. On Saturday’s they have a small market and we’ve even heard some live music in the evenings.

This is a campground you need to book in advance. The beach sites are typically booked up a year in advance. But there are several great campsites all throughout the campground. If you have never been, definitely put it on your bucket list.

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S'mores | Ol' MacDonalds Resort
Author: 
Recipe type: snack, camping, treats,
 
Ingredients
  • 1 box graham crackers, broken into squares
  • Chocolate Bars, any variety (mint, milk chocolate, nuts, etc.)
  • 1 bag large marshmallows
  • Peanut butter
  • Wooden roasting sticks
Instructions
  1. Roast marshmallows.
  2. Take two graham crackers. Spread one piece with peanut butter. Place piece of chocolate on top of peanut butter. Add roasted marshmallow and second cracker.
  3. Eat immediately.
Notes
Unique S'mores Ideas:
Peanut or nut butter with chocolate, nutella, jam, bacon or bananas
Brie slice with jam, fresh fruit (strawberries) or chocolate
Substituting coconut macaroons, oreo cookies, ginger cookies or other chocolate dipped cookies
Peanut butter cups, caramel sauce
Any kind of chocolate bar, they can be sliced in half.

 

Geocaching at Buffalo Lake
We lead part of our group Geocaching

 

Peach and Bocconcini Pizza

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I loved cooked peaches. They give up their juices as they cook and are so delicious this time of the year. Perhaps these are memories from childhood. Either way this experiment of adding ripe peaches to pizza turned out really, really good. It started with fig jam on a pita, topped with sliced, ripe peaches, and a few other tasty bites. Then became the perfect lunch which left me wanting more. The only thing I would do different next time is add some seasoned grilled chicken or shrimp if I had it.

I will be making these again. Like tomorrow. I have a Ladies/Mom’s Wine Night planned for tomorrow evening, and needed to make a tasty, summery, simple bite. After success with the peach pizza flavour combination, I decided to try and make a smaller, appetizer version for the wine night. Using a glass, I cut small circles out of one of the leftover pitas and proceeded to make mini versions of the peach pizza. Turned out fabulous and these will be my offering for our Wine Night.

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Peach and Bocconcini Pizza
Author: 
Recipe type: snack, lunch, dinner, breakfast, pizza
Serves: 2
 
Ingredients
  • 2 thick whole wheat pitas
  • 2 tbsp of fig jam or fig spread
  • 1 ripe peach, sliced thin
  • ⅓ cup fresh blueberries, sliced in half
  • 1-2 large bocconcini balls, sliced (or any fresh mozzarella)
  • pepper
  • water
  • couple leaves fresh mint, torn into smaller pieces
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 450 F.
  2. In a bowl, mix 1 tsp water with fig jam to loosen. Spread or brush on your pitas.
  3. Add peach, blueberries and bocconcini slices.
  4. Sprinkle with pepper and bake in the over for 5 minutes.
  5. Remove from oven when cheese melted and sprinkle with fresh mint.
  6. Serve & enjoy.

 

Asian Noodle Salad with Spicy Nuts

0 · · 3 Comments

I’ve been absent the last little while as I’ve been dealing with some work stuff and have had to make some big decisions. I am coming out of the fog now and beginning to get inspired again!

Always been a fan of a spicy noodle salad. This Asian Noodle Salad with Spicy Nuts is inspired by all those potluck noodle salads that left me wanting more. I was usually the one sneaking back to the potluck table unnoticed (or so I thought) to get seconds and sometimes thirds of the noodle salad.

With unlimited variations of noodle salads out there, this is one that works for me. The family still hasn’t learned to love it as much as I do but I say give it time. To vary the salad change up the veggies and even try different noodles. Since we love cilantro here (well 2/4 Bakers) I tend to use more then the 2 tbsp listed below.

This salad pairs nicely with any grilled meat, especially kabobs. It’s a lovely side at a potluck, or picnic and keeps nicely in the fridge as leftovers.

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Asian Noodle Salad with Spicy Nuts
Author: 
Recipe type: dinner, lunch, potluck, picnic
Serves: 4-6
 
Ingredients
  • 1 carrot, peeled and shaved or sliced into matchsticks
  • ½ cup snow peas, strings removed and sliced thin
  • 1 green onion, sliced thin
  • ¼ cup radishes, sliced thin or into matchsticks
  • 2 tbsp cilantro, rough chop
  • ½ 500gm pkg of Vermicelli Pasta Noodles
  • ½ tsp hot pepper flakes
  • ⅓ cup spicy peanuts (find recipe in notes)
  • ½ orange zest or 2 tsp orange zest
  • ½ cup marinade (in notes below)
  • Pinch of salt & pepper
Instructions
  1. Bring a large pot of water to boiling and drop your noodles. Cook 3-4 minutes, drain in a colander and rinse with cold water. Shake off any extra water and place in a bowl.
  2. Add in carrots, snow peas, green onion, radishes and cilantro reserving a small amount of each for a garnish. Stir to combine.
  3. Pour in ½ cup of the marinade, the hot pepper flakes and a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir and taste for seasoning. Add more marinade if needed. Stir to allow all noodles to soak up some of the marinade.
  4. When ready to serve top with orange zest, a scoop of the spicy nuts and the reserved carrots, snow peas, green onions, radishes and cilantro.
  5. Place the extra spicy nuts and marinade on the table in case anyone wants more.
Notes
Marinade: Blend/puree together ½ cup fresh orange juice, 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger, 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar, 3 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp white vinegar, ⅓ cup sesame oil, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp sugar, pinch of salt and pepper. Makes 1-2 cups. Set aside.
Spicy Nuts: Mix together 1 cup peanuts or cashews, 1 tsp oil, ¼ tsp paprika (smoked is good), sprinkle of cayenne pepper, sprinkle of chipotle chili powder, ¼ tsp sea salt. Pour on baking sheet and roast in 350F oven for 10-12 minutes. Set aside until ready to use. Keep in sealed container.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Green Lentil Pizza with Prosciutto

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In this Green Lentil Pizza recipe, the lentils are in the crust! Crazy I know, right?!

I’ve been throwing this idea around for a while and only just decided to add in the sweet potato this morning after seeing it staring at me from the counter.

The inspiration for this recipe comes from veggie burgers (believe it or not). I looked at the ingredients used to make my quinoa burger, considered the ever popular cauliflower pizza and decided to combine some of these flavours with green lentils to make a lentil pizza crust. And it worked!

This is my main dish entry for the Canadian Lentils Revelations Recipe Challenge and most likely my fourth and final entry. What fun creating with lentils!

With this recipe, it’s important to note a cauliflower pizza tastes nothing like a bread dough pizza. Nothing at all. And this crust is the same. It gives the allusion and feel you are eating pizza as it holds together remarkably well, especially with the delicious pizza toppings, but it tastes like what it is, veggies n cauliflower crust. You have to go into this knowing and being ok with that. It really is quite tasty and the perfect vegetarian fare (minus prosciutto).

The kids didn’t enjoy the pizza so much, but I liked the taste and would make it again. If you are trying to cut out carbs, and/or you like the cauliflower pizza, this is a good option full of protein. If you want to keep it vegetarian, top your pizza with grilled veggies.

Here’s how I did it.

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Green Lentil Pizza
Author: 
Recipe type: lunch, pizza, supper
 
Ingredients
  • 2½ cups cauliflower florets (no stems)
  • ½ cup cooked sweet potato
  • ½ cup green lentils, cooked and pureed
  • ¼ cup green lentils, cooked and left whole
  • ⅓ cup parsley, chopped
  • ½ cup asiago cheese, grated
  • ½ cup mozzarella cheese, grated
  • 1 egg
  • pinch of salt, pepper
  • ¼ tsp hot pepper flakes
  • ⅓ cup pizza sauce
  • 3 slices prosciutto
  • ½ cup mozzarella cheese, grated
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400.
  2. Put cauliflower in food processor and pulse a few times until the mixture resembles course sand. This will give you about 2 cups.
  3. Put in oven safe bowl and cover. Cook in microwave for about 4 minutes. Remove and set aside to cool (stir occasionally to help speed it up).
  4. In second bowl mash together sweet potato and pureed lentils. Mix in whole lentils, parsley, both cheeses, egg and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Add hot pepper flakes and cauliflower, stirring to combine. Use your hands to form into a ball and place on a piece of parchment.
  5. Roll out ball using rolling pin or hands to flatten evenly.
  6. Place on baking sheet or preheated baking stone and bake for 15 minutes.
  7. Remove from oven and add your pizza sauce, prosciutto and mozzarella cheese.
  8. Place back in oven and back another 5 - 10 minutes or until cheese has started to brown. Remove and eat.