Kid Friendly

Christmas Gingerbread Bowl

0 · Dec 3, 2018 · 14 Comments

The story of this Christmas Gingerbread Bowl goes way back to the 1990’s. It’s been with me for a long time. During one of our office December potlucks, one of the girls brought in a show stopping gingerbread bowl filled with home made gingerbread cookies. I was seriously in awe. These were the days I photocopied recipes from the local newspaper because Internet, Google and Pinterest did not exist. I know, hard to believe right. Even KitchenAid Mixers did not exist back then. BUT we still managed to cook and bake and make fabulous food. Us home cooks.

I made this bowl once or twice during my Vancouver, BC days back in the 90’s and then shuffled the recipe into a folder. Fast forward, I move to Calgary, Alberta which sits well over 1,000 meters above sea level (Vancouver is right about sea level. Being so high affects baking and cooking. It just does.)

In my early Calgary years I found the recipe and attempted to make that exact recipe. Several times I failed. Sometime along the way I created my own Orange Gingerbread Cookie recipe (make with or without the orange) which I make annually, for bake sales or cookie exchanges. I decided this year I wanted to attempt the Gingerbread Bowl Recipe again but then I had an aha moment. My cookies bake beautifully, so why not use my own cookie recipe instead of the one given to me. So I did. BAM it worked.

I will forewarn you it’s a process that takes time. Make the time, refrigerate the dough. Roll the dough out, mould onto a prepared bowl, refrigerate again. Remove bowl, cut out shapes, refrigerate again. Bake bowl, let sit on rack until completely cool. Remove bowl. See, a process.

If you want to attempt this recipe give yourself the day to make it. Follow my Orange Gingerbread Cookie recipe and make the dough. Split into two discs, wrapped into plastic wrap and refrigerate for a couple hours. This step is really important. Remove dough from fridge, let warm up a bit and start to roll. If you start to notice cracks, you need to let it warm up a little longer but not too long!

Christmas Gingerbread Bowl Method:

Tools:

Aluminum Foil
Cooking oil or spray
Cutting board or platter to fit bowl (not too big, not too small)
Small cookie cutter
Baking sheet
1 1/2 quart ovenproof glass bowl

I use a Pyrex Mixing Bowl:

Pyrex Bowl — Pyrex Mixing Bowl, Photo Credit Pyrex

With aluminum foil cover outside of 1 1/2 quart ovenproof glass bowl with a lipped edge. Ensure the foil comes over into the inside about 1/2 inch. Spray or oil the entire surface of the bowl including the lipped edge getting every crack and crevice. Do your best to make sure foil is smooth and has no rough aluminum foil creases.

On floured surface roll out one disc of dough into a circle about 1/4 inch thick. Lift rolled out dough and place evenly onto bowl. Carefully and lightly press dough onto bowl, moulding firmly to shape bowl without stretching. If you end up with a crack, a little bit of water rubbed onto crack will help seal it. Trim dough around edge of bowl with sharp knife. Place on same size cutting board or plate and refrigerate for 15 minutes. Remove from refrigerator, and using your small cookie cutter start carefully cutting out cookies around the middle of the bowl about 1 1/2 – 2 inches apart. Do not go to close to the top or bottom. Refrigerate for an additional 1 1/2 hours. Firming your dough will help stop slippage during baking.

Preheat your oven to 350F.

Place inverted bowl on an ungreased baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Allow gingerbread bowl to cool right on bowl on the sheet. When completely cool, carefully loosen foil and lift foil and gingerbread bowl off your glass bowl. Remove any additional foil.

Until ready to use, store it uncovered in a dry place. With the second gingerbread disk, make cookies for your bowl following the steps in the Orange Gingerbread Cookie recipe.

This recipe will make two bowls or one bowl and cookies.

22 School Lunch Ideas

0 · Sep 1, 2018 · Leave a Comment

Back to school has arrived and for many we are all settling into our routines. For some school started a couple weeks ago, others last week and for ours they always go back after September Long Weekend.

We have survived the first week, are getting used to early mornings again and started to settle in. Which leaves us a little more time to prepare some fun and creative school lunches keeping the kids interested and enjoying lunch!

I’ve volunteered many times at school and one thing has always stood out: the variety of interesting lunches to be found based on culture, allergies, and food choices. I love secretly checking out kids lunches to see what they are eating these days and draw inspiration from I spot.

Since we are all dreading the what to make for back to school lunches, we’ve assembled a fantastic list of recipes to help keep us all inspired in the kitchen. There are 22 School Lunch Ideas and 1 Lunchbox Ideas Printable. The recipes are tried and true, offer a variety of ideas for all kinds of eaters, and shared from several bloggers. I hope you find something your kids will love!

22 School Lunch Ideas

(click on the recipe title or photo to be taken to the recipe!)

Pepperoni Pizza Muffins by me

A recipe that’s stood the test of time and is still a family favourite, we make these Pepperoni Pizza Muffins every Fall for back to school lunches, potlucks and even bake sales! Use your favourite cheese and the pepperoni sticks for more pepperoni taste!

Sammy’s On A Stick by me

My kids have always been into stick food. We’ve put meatballs, fruit salad, meat, dessert – all on a stick! It was a natural progression when they were smaller to start skewering leftover chicken, turkey or deli meat on a stick adding bread, cucumber, tomatoes, cheese turning it into Sammy’s on a Stick!

Easy Chicken Pepperoni Pasta Salad by Carmy Run Eat Travel

Make this easy Chicken Pepperoni Pasta Salad by Carmy Run Eat Travel with a home made lemon garlic dressing for lunches or dinner. The ingredients are simple and it all comes together so quickly making it perfect for back to school or even office lunches!

Pakoras by Limitless Allergies

These fried potato fritters known as Pakoras or Pakodas from Limitless Allergies are common in the rainy seasons in India and Pakistan. Made with chickpea flour, potatoes and spices they are a flavourful back to school lunch or snack idea!

The 5 Minute Turkey Club Ranch Wrap by Food Meanderings

If you are a Ranch dressing lover you will surely enjoy these 5 minute Turkey Club Ranch Wraps by Food Meanderings! Terri suggests using precooked bacon and preshredded carrots to help these wraps come together quickly on busy mornings!

Instant Pot Chicken Tacos by Recipes From A Pantry

Let your Instant Pot do the work making these flavourful chicken tacos by Recipes From A Pantry! With a few of their favourite toppings all prepared and ready to go, the kids can make their own chicken tacos at school! What a fun lunch to have! This recipe is gluten free.

Homemade Gluten-Free + Allergy-Free Uncrustables by Strength & Sunshine

Sure to satisfy even the pickiest of eaters, Strength & Sunshine have created homemade gluten-free and allergy-free Uncrustables! Such a clever idea for kids who do not like to eat the crusts on their sandwiches! I may or may not have one of those in my family! You can make these ahead and they are vegan.

Double Chocolate Protein Muffins by One Clever Chef

These Chocolate Protein Muffins by One Clever Chef will satisfy the chocolate lover in all of us. They are the perfect lunchtime treat boasting double chocolate by incorporating both cacao powder and chocolate chips. These muffins are gluten-free, vegan and dairy-free.

Muffin Tin Sushi Cups by Rhian’s Recipes

Sushi lovers will go crazy over these Muffin Tin Sushi Cups from Rhian’s Recipes. They do not include nori (seaweed) for those who may not like the taste. This is such a cute way to change up sushi and add a new twist to your kids lunches!

Tuna Salad Cucumber Boats by Peas and Crayons

A new fun way to eat tuna salad is to serve them as open-faced cucumber “sandwiches”! Customize them with your favourite vegetables and enjoy them for lunch or even as a snack. These Tuna Salad Cucumber Boats recipe is from Peas and Crayons.

Tuna Hand Pies for Lunch by Good Hearted Woman

As working moms (or dads) we all need to be able to make simple and quick lunches for our kids everyday that are economical. Good Heart Woman created these Tuna Hand Pies for lunches with all that in mind plus keeping the recipe healthy, including a protein, energy and ensuring it tastes good!

Turkey Cheese Apple Sandwiches by We’re Parents

Whether it’s school lunches or after school snacks, these turkey cheese apple sandwiches from We’re Parents using Pink Lady apples if you can find them are definitely game changers. This is how you change up school lunches and keep the kids interested!

Ham and Cheese Pinwheels from Ruffles and Rain Boots

Pinwheels, wraps, whatever you choose to call them are a favourite in our house. Cutting them into smaller sizes and skewering with tooth picks is so clever. These Ham and Cheese Pinwheels are from Ruffles and Rain Boots.

Fried Chicken in Air Fryer or Oven by Low Carb Yum

You can make this Fried Chicken from Low Carb Yum in an Air Fryer or an Oven and pack it up for lunch the next day. A finger licking good alternative!

Peanut Butter & Jelly Sushi by Spaceships and Laser Beams

Taking a classic lunch and changing the game keeps lunches fun and interesting! Spaceships and Laser Beams mixes together peanut butter and jelly in these Peanut Butter & Jelly Sushi bites like her grandma used to do.

Cheddar Bacon Biscuits from Pink Fortitude

These Cheddar Bacon Biscuits from Pink Fortitude are perfect for those who have diet restrictions. They are gluten-free, dairy and egg free. Plus bacon. Need we say more.

Sandwich Sushi Roll Kids will love for lunch via Eating Richly

Bento lunches made easy! Eating Richly offers up some great tips in their post for these Sandwich Sushi Rolls.

Chicken Salad Recipe with Avocado, Lime and Cilantro from Wholesome Yum

We definitely love eating lettuce cups in our house so this Chicken Salad Recipe with Avocado, Lime and Cilantro from Wholesome Yum definitely has our attention! If you one of those who do not like cilantro substitute flat leaf parsley or even basil instead.

Chicken Salad Recipe with Avocado, Lime and Ciilantro

Chicken Salad with Bacon, Avocado and Caesar Dressing from Savory Tooth

Pick up some precooked bacon and precooked chicken to pull together this Chicken Salad with Bacon and Caesar Dressing from Savory Tooth in no time. I’m all about the short cuts when life gets busy and love these tips!

Chicken Salad with Bacon, Avocado & Caesar Dressing

Mini Muffin Corn Dogs from The Anthony Kitchen

Check out these Mini Muffin Corn Dogs from The Anthony Kitchen – they are just that cute! Kelly prepares these muffins for game day snacks, make-ahead lunches and quick-fix dinners. They would be awesome at a bake sale or potluck to!

Macaroni Egg Salad via Dancing Through The Rain

I do loves me a good egg salad and a tasty macaroni salad – now I can have both at the same time thanks to the Macaroni Egg Salad from Dancing through the Rain! I would take this to the office any day forget the kids lunches!

How To Make Hummus from Tasty Galaxy

We love hummus here as it gives us many healthy benefits including a good dose of protein. Tasty Galaxy shows you how to make Hummus from scratch. We like to pack up some fresh veggies with the hummus for lunches or spread it on a pita with your favourite sandwich fixings for an anytime lunch!

FREE Printable: School Lunchbox Idea List from Sharing My Favorites

Figuring out what to make for school lunches just got a whole lot easier thanks to the Free Printable School Lunchbox Idea List from Sharing My Favorites. Get ideas, print the list and hang somewhere you can see it for easy reference!

No Bake Elderberry Syrup Power Balls

1 · Aug 17, 2018 · Leave a Comment

It’s that time of the year where our summer days are becoming shorter and there is a cool crispness to the evening air you can’t deny. Winter is coming. No Bake Elderberry Syrup Power Balls are full of antioxidants help you to boost your immune system while you enjoy a sweet treat.

Back to school shopping is in full swing for supplies, clothes, backpacks and of course school snacks. It’s amazing how much less my kids eat during summer holidays compared to when they are in school and needing fuel throughout the day. Baking snacks in advance, like these No Bake Elderberry Syrup Power Balls, and freezing is one way we like to get ready for back to school before it arrives.

Elderberries are full of antioxidants, vitamins A, B and C plus are anti-inflammatory, anti-viral and are the most commonly used medicinal plants in the world. When it comes to antioxidant power, elderberry is higher in flavonoids than blueberries, cranberries, goji berries and blackberries. Known as a treatment for cold and flu symptoms, Feel Good Elderberry Syrup can also be used when cooking or baking as a food flavouring.

No Bake Elderberry Syrup Power Balls are a protein packed recipe you can freeze and pull out for breakfasts, pop into lunches or enjoy while out hiking or camping. Using only 7 ingredients, they are loaded with nutritional foods like elderberry syrup, chia seeds, nut butter, hazelnuts (also called filberts) and dried cherries. This combination of super foods offer immune boosting antioxidants, protein, fiber and healthy fats.

Ingredients for the no bake Elderberry Syrup Power Balls

Teaching our kids to make healthy choices is easy when you have great ingredients to work with. For more inspiring healthy recipes or back to school snacks check out our Date Energy Balls, or Pepperoni Pizza Muffin recipes.

No Bake Elderberry Syrup Power Balls

Author: Wanda Baker

Serves: 16

Ingredients

1¼ cup natural nut butter
½ cup honey
2 tsp Elderberry Syrup
2 cups oats (combine large flake oats and quick oats)
¼ cup chopped toasted hazelnuts
½ cup dried cherries
2 tsp chia seeds
salt

Instructions

In a whisk together nut butter, honey and Elderberry Syrup.
Add oats, hazelnuts, dried cherries, chia seeds and a pinch of salt.
Stir to combine. Let rest for 15 minutes.
Pick up a small amount and start forming a ball in your hands. Roll into 1 inch balls. You should get close to 16 power balls.
Keep refrigerated when not using due to the natural nut butter. Or freeze and pull out as needed.

We are working in collaboration with Feel Good Syrup on this post. All opinions, views expressed and recipe development are, as always, my own.

Pepperoni Pizza Wraps

0 · Aug 10, 2018 · Leave a Comment

Pepperoni Pizza Wraps are one of those fun recipes I’ve been making for years, and one that my son asks for all the time!

Before my kids started school I used to look after other kids along with my own and would always have fun creating new lunches for them. I had several guinea pigs to test out recipes on and the food was always fresh and never frozen, so I took full advantage of fun kid lunches.

My son is obsessed with everything pizza so I do try to make different “pizza” type meals. Pepperoni Pizza Muffins have been a hit in school lunches and bake sales, our Pizza Soup is one my mom got me hooked on back in the 90s and we take these Pizza Burgers camping with us making them in advance, freezing and they are thawed when it’s time to grill. I wrote about some of these pizza recipes on Food Network Canada, so check them out here: 3 Tasty Ways to Jazz Up Pizza Night.

In our family we all like our pizzas slightly different. The boys like all meat pizzas, the girl jazzes hers up with olives, pineapple, sometimes fresh basil and me, well after putting on YYC Pizza Week for 4 years and trying oodles of combinations, it depends on my mood but my go to is always a flavourful vegetarian.

These pizza wraps can be modified to suit your own tastes with added in mushrooms, peppers, onions, or even olives (we don’t judge here)! They do not have to be cooked or warmed up and we keep them simple with pepperoni and cheese, serving the veggies on the side.

Pepperoni Pizza Wraps

Author: Wanda Baker

Serves: 2

Ingredients

2 medium whole wheat tortillas
2 tbsp pizza sauce
½ tsp pizza seasoning or oregano or basil
8 slices pepperoni sausage
4 mozzarella cheese strings or 4 thick slices mozzarella cheese cut into long strings

Instructions

Brush pizza sauce on tortillas. Add more sauce if you like a little more.
Sprinkle pizza seasonings over top of sauce.
Lay out 4 pieces of pepperoni on each tortilla.
Place cheese on top of pepperoni.
Wrap tortilla up like a burrito, folding the sides in first, then rolling it up from the bottom.
For lunches or picnics I cover our wraps in plastic, add a cold pack and away they go.

Wraps are one way to change up lunches. We do a variety of them including Greek Salad Wraps, BBQ Beef Wraps and Cesaer Salad Wraps to keep lunches fun and interesting! What are your favourite ways to change up lunches?!

Blueberry & Halloumi Quinoa Salad with Charred Corn

0 · Aug 2, 2018 · Leave a Comment

When my parents bought property and built a house, they planted fruit trees, berry bushes, constructed a greenhouse and planted rows and rows of potatoes, beans, corn and any vegetable they could fit in and on their 1/4 acre piece of land. If they could grow it in Northern British Columbia they would, or they would sure try.

Since most of this happened in my teen years I was only able to experience a small amount of the bounty since I left home as soon as I graduated, around the age of 17. I moved home for the summer before I departed for Vancouver to try and save a little extra money for University.

Mom would can a lot of the berries and then she got into making home made wine with her large haul of fruit. She was gifted when it came to wine making, quite possibly learned from some of her Portuguese friends and every so often would some to me in Vancouver. Blueberries was one of those berries she used creatively therefore it’s not surprising I like to get creative with berries and fruit when they are in season.

Blueberry Halloumi Quinoa Salad ingredients minus the corn (it was being charred)

Quinoa is a grain we like to eat and creating a new quinoa salad to love is almost a part time hobby here. If you are looking to add more quinoa into your diet check out some of our other recipes like the Moroccan Quinoa Salad, Quinoa Burgers or Quinoa Stuffed Peppers.

This recipe came to be one summer following the arrival of BC blueberries and our love for quinoa. Charring the corn and the orange for the dressing adds a smokey touch. It’s a good salad to take camping or to potlucks, just double the batch if needed. People loved it during our camping potlucks.

Blueberry & Halloumi Quinoa Salad with Charred Corn

Author: Wanda Baker

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa cooked and cooled
2 ears of corn, husked
olive oil
salt and pepper
1 cup fresh blueberries
1 package halloumi cheese, sliced thick and grilled
⅓ cup orange juice or one large orange cut in half and charred on grill
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp fresh mint, sliced thin

Instructions

Add quinoa to a large bowl. Set aside.
Rub corn with 1 tablespoon oil and a pinch both of salt and pepper. Grill, turning frequently, until corn is charred and heated through, 10-12 minutes. Remove from grill to cool. When cool enough to handle cut kernels from cobs and transfer to bowl with quinoa.
Cut your grilled halloumi cheese into chunks, toss into bowl.
Add blueberries and lightly stir.
Whisk together orange juice, rice wine vinegar and extra virgin olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Pour over quinoa mixture and lightly toss.
Sprinkle on the fresh mint and serve.

Cranberry Orange Muffins

0 · Dec 5, 2017 · 12 Comments

The holidays are busy whether you are expecting guests or plan on traveling during the season. One of the best things I can do to prepare my family for an influx of visitors in our house or even our family heading out on a road trip, is to make a batch of muffins to freeze, having them ready to go for any occasion. Muffins tend to freeze well allowing you to pull them out when guests arrive, or for lunches and snacks as needed.

Muffins were not something we ate growing up. In fact it wasn’t until I was a teenager that my mom started to cook more and became really good at cooking. She changed her own diet to eat healthy, incorporate whole wheat flour into her baking and she started eating better, which meant everyone ate better!

When I finished school I moved to Vancouver and can fondly recall many drive buy coffee and muffin trips while en-route to some big adventure. When my children were born I started making their food from scratch. Muffins were an easy way to get a healthy bite into them, especially mini muffins, and so I would make them regularly as they were requested often. One trick I like to use when making muffins is to combine half all-purpose flour and half whole wheat flour. It makes me feel good knowing I am able to gets some extra nutrients into my family without them knowing. These Blueberry Cardamom Muffins quickly became a family favourite.

My mom recently passed away suddenly and I’ve found myself looking back at many of her recipes including ones we made together. This Cranberry Orange Muffin is reminiscent of our times spent in the kitchen together baking.

5.0 from 3 reviews

Cranberry Orange Muffins

Author: Wanda Baker

Serves: 12

Ingredients

1.5 cups frozen cranberries, halved
¼ cup + ¾ cup sugar
1.5 cups all-purpose flour
1.5 cups whole wheat flour
1½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
3 tbsp or rind from one orange
¾ cup white chocolate, chopped
2 eggs
¼ cup canola oil
1½ cup milk
½ cup orange juice
1 tsp vanilla

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400F.
In a bowl combine cranberries and ¼ cup sugar. Set aside.
Mix together both flours, ¾ cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir in orange rind, white chocolate and cranberries.
In a second larger bowl beat eggs and oil together. Mix in milk and orange juice. Pour flour mixture into egg mixture and stir just until combined. Pour into paper lined muffin tins or use parchment baking cups.
Bake for 18-20 minutes.

Baking with whole wheat products has been a part of my life for such a long time. That’s why for this post I’ve partnered with Life’s Simple Ingredients to talk about wheat and why it’s important. The memory of my mom, her switching up her food routine back in the 80’s and 90’s after consulting a dietician to include wheat and whole grains, and sharing those changes with us is something I will always remember and continue doing with my own family.

There are many ways to incorporate wheat and whole grains into your daily diet. Some include having whole wheat bread, buns, bagels or wraps on hand for a quick, easy lunch or dinner when dinner is rushed due to kids activities. One of my favourite quick lunches is a whole wheat wrap with hummus and lots of fresh veggies, feta or goat cheese and hot peppers!

Enjoy whole grain cereals at breakfast. Change up your pasta routine by choosing the whole wheat variety or try making some whole wheat couscous, which essentially is tiny pasta. If using whole wheat products is new to you, start small. Buy some whole wheat flour and the next time you make muffins use half and half like I do. They really do taste better!

Wheat has been fueling our lives for centuries and is a reliable source of many benefits. So many reasons to include it in your diet and here’s some more facts that may surprise you!

Benefits of Whole Grain Whole Wheat

- - Whole grain wheat provides several grams of protein per serving.
- - The best thing about fibre is it helps you feel full longer which essentially stops the cravings and reaching for a snack. Equally important is how fibre aids digestion keeping bowel movements regular.
- - Sometimes I forget about the minerals in whole grain wheat. There is zinc, iron, magnesium and manganese all important for bones and immune building.
- - Whole grain wheat is high in B vitamins, including niacin, thiamin and riboflavin which help boost metabolism. Folate is another essential vitamin for the body.
- - The buzz word of the century is Antioxidants and for good reason. Phytic acid, lignin and sulfur compounds in whole grain wheat act as antioxidants, which as we’ve all heard are good for your body.

It’s healthy, it’s nutritious and worth learning more about. These Pepperoni Pizza Muffins are one of the most popular recipes here and they include whole wheat!

To learn more about Alberta wheat products, visit the Life’s Simple Ingredients website. You will find delicious recipes and inspiration, information about wheat and features on local Albertans.

This post was sponsored by the Alberta Wheat Commission’s Life’s Simple Ingredient campaign. All opinions and views expressed are, as always, my own.

Dublin Coddle

0 · Apr 1, 2017 · Leave a Comment

Dublin Coddle is not a term you hear every day. Unless you are Irish or from Dublin. The first time I heard it earlier this year I couldn’t stop staying Dublin Coddle. I would even try to add my best and Irish accent and fail miserably.

While channel surfing, You Gotta Eat Here, the Canadian version of Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, popped up and caught my attention. They were in Ireland and were featuring a Chef making a Dublin Coddle. Some things are just meant to be. Dublin Coddle Dublin Coddle. See? It’s catchy.

A coddle is an Irish dish often made to use up leftovers like bacon, potatoes and sausage. It dates back to the 1700s and is traditionally a dish eaten during the colder months. The name ‘coddle’ is most likely derived from caudle, which comes from the French term meaning to boil gently, parboil or stew. Or so the research indicates.

Guess what? I wanted to make it. What I saw on TV was simple enough and reminiscent of another recipe I used to make a long time ago (well ok in the 90’s); smoked sausage, potatoes and carrots, cooked together in a pot with water, salt and pepper. Maybe some parsley for colour.

For my coddle I used a local craft beer from Village Brewery, and bacon. Be sure to have crusty bread to mop up the broth and even better on St. Patrick’s Day. Here’s how we did it.

Dublin Coddle

Author: Wanda Baker

Serves: 6

Ingredients

1 pkg of bacon, cut into a chunks
3 mild Italian sausage, uncooked
1 medium yellow onion, sliced
1 pkg smoked Mennonite sausage, sliced into chunks
2 lbs or 6 medium yellow potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
½ cup parsley, chopped
good pinch salt and pepper
4 cups warmed chicken broth
1 bottle of beer
Crusty bread

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375F.
Heat a large, oven safe Dutch oven or casserole pot over high heat. Add Italian sausage and the bacon and cook long enough to add colour but not cook through, about 5 minutes. Remove them to drain on paper towels. Drain all grease except two tablespoons. Once sausage cools cut on diagonal into large chunks.
Add onions and Mennonite sausage to pot stirring to scrape up and bits on bottom and let cook about three minutes. Add potatoes, cooled sausage, bacon, parsley and salt and pepper.
Pour in chicken broth and beer. Bring to a boil then immediately reduce heat and cover the pot.
Place covered pot in preheated oven and cook for 3-4 hours. After 2 hours check your liquid level and add more stock if needed.
Serve hot with fresh crusty bread.

Hot Chocolate Waffles

1 · Mar 25, 2017 · 2 Comments

Food hacks are everywhere these days. On food shows and in my social media feeds with captions like “55 food hacks that will change your life”, or “39 food hacks that will change the way you cook”. I’ve never understood why I would need so many but captions sell right?!

I came up with a food hack by accident. One day while making Nanaimo bars, I ran out of cocoa, substituted hot chocolate powder instead. Hot chocolate powder! It worked. So well in fact I used it again in these delicious hot chocolate waffles.

The kids poured maple syrup, chocolate syrup, whipping cream and powdered sugar on these bad boys. Spring Break Food.

Super Cool Food Hack: Use hot chocolate in place of cocoa powder for all the things. Or at least two.

Hot Chocolate Waffles

Author: Wanda Baker

Recipe type: breakfast, brunch

Serves: 10

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup hot chocolate powder
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
¼ cup brown sugar
1 tsp salt
2 cups buttermilk
3 eggs, separated
⅓ cup oil
1 tsp vanilla
6 ounces of semi sweet chocolate, rough chopped
Nonstick spray oil
Equipment needed: waffle maker

Instructions

Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Set aside.
Turn waffler maker on to preheat.
In a large bowl whisk together flour, hot chocolate powder, baking powder, baking soda, brown sugar and salt.
In a second bowl add buttermilk, egg yolks, oil and vanilla. Do not mix. Pour wet ingredients into into dry mixture along with chopped chocolate and mix until combined (do not over mix).
Carefully fold egg whites into batter in two batches.
When waffle maker is ready coat with spray oil. This is important otherwise your waffles will stick (talking from experience).
Using a ½ cup measuring scoop add your batter to waffle maker and cook until ready. Transfer to a dish and keep warm in oven until all waffles made and ready to eat.
Serve with maple syrup, icing sugar, chocolate syrup and fresh berries.

Chicken Pot Pie with Puff Pastry

0 · Feb 16, 2017 · Leave a Comment

Chicken pot pie wasn’t something my mom made much of when we were growing up, however she did make a mean beef pie using leftover roast beef. The chicken variation was something I discovered in my Vancouver days during employee potlucks and lunches. I didn’t play with meat pies too much back then, but started to get more involved making them when I got married.

Chicken pot pie is one of those cook once eat twice meals when you have leftover baked or roasted chicken to use up. A few additional and simple pantry items like onions, potatoes, carrots and stock turn this into an easy to make and delicious meal. My frozen peas were getting ready to crawl away so I stirred the last of them into the pie when it came off the heat.

This recipe calls for some spices you may not have access to but don’t worry! Seriously. Grab some thyme, lemon pepper, Mrs Dash, oregano, or whatever seasonings you can find and improvise. Remember this is an easy and simple pie to make.

The puff pastry idea was inspired by a soup I love to have every time I visit a certain pub in Canmore. They serve this spicy cheese soup, which I am going to try to make at home, with a puff pastry topper. I’ve been ordering it for years and love how the puff pastry puffs and hugs the top of the soup while cooking in the oven and flakes into the soup while you eat it. I might just puff pastry everything at this point.

I baked these in individual dishes allowing more for the bigger appetites and less for the littles. Equally delicious if you substitute chicken with leftover turkey after the holidays.

Chicken Pot Pie with Puff Pastry

Author: Wanda Baker

Serves: 6

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
3 medium sized yellow potatoes,, peeled and diced small
½ onion, diced
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
4 tbsp butter
4 tbsp flour
5 cups chicken stock.
2 cups leftover roast chicken, shredded or chopped
2 tsp za'atar
2 tsp fresh rosemary
2 tsp old bay seasoning
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
½ cup frozen peas
Puff Pastry, thawed
1 egg, beaten
6 oven proof bowls

Instructions

In a small sauce pan, heat the chicken stock.
In a large sauce pan over medium high heat add olive oil and potatoes. Cook for 5 minutes stirring regularly. Add onions and carrots cooking for another 5 minutes.
Add butter and flour and cook over low heat stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Pour in the hot chicken stock and simmer until thick. If your sauce doesn't thicken add a mixture of ¼ cup cornstarch mixed with ¼ cup water to help thicken.
Preheat your oven to 400F.
Mix in your chicken, zatar, rosemary, old bay, salt and pepper. Remove from heat and add in your peas.
Pour into individual oven proof bowls and cover with a square piece of puff pastry. Brush with the beaten egg, sprinkle on some additional chopped rosemary, cracked black pepper, sea salt and hot pepper flakes if you wish.
Bake for 25 minutes and serve immediately.

YYC Hot Chocolate Fest 2017

0 · Feb 12, 2017 · Leave a Comment

Entering it’s 6th year, YYC Hot Chocolate Fest returns, featuring unique, traditional and creative hot chocolate beverages at locations all over Calgary. Throughout the month of February, participating cafes, restaurants, and chocolatiers are featuring signature hot chocolate drinks at their locations, and some are even offering both alcoholic and non alcoholic versions.

Calgarians are encouraged to go out and try as many hot chocolates as they like with partial proceeds of every hot chocolate sold going to Calgary Meals on Wheels. Customers are given a Hot Chocolate passport they can get stamped to potentially win prizes and it’s their online ratings that decide which business will win the coveted title of Calgary’s Best Hot Chocolate and Calgary’s Best Spirited Hot Chocolate. So make sure you rate every hot cocoa you try!

Given February is typically a cold month here in Calgary, it’s the perfect time to cozy up with someone you love or love to hang out with, and enjoy a cup of steaming hot chocolate for a good cause.

We’ve been out and about hunting for the best hot chocolate in Calgary and every one we’ve tried has been uniquely delicious.

Have you tried any of the YYC Hot Chocolate Hot Chocolate? If not, what is your favourite kind of hot chocolate?

I was asked to be a Hot Chocolate Ambassador and given some hot chocolate coupons to try a few of the hot chocolates around Calgary during the month of February. Several of the hot cocoas I am featuring were purchased by myself. All opinions remain my own.

Broken Glass

0 · Feb 6, 2017 · Leave a Comment

A popular potluck item for decades, Broken Glass is an easy, pretty and show stopping jello dessert to make for your guests or with your kids. Fun for potluck gatherings, class activities or at home snacks, you can colour code it to a birthday party theme, bridal showers, picnics, or any kind of holiday celebration. Simply pick your favourite jello colours and follow the instructions.

One of my closest friends mom’s made it once for our little girls 2nd birthday party. She made it rainbow coloured and it was such a special treat for us I had to recreate what she did and make it for Valentine’s Day.

Plan in advance of your event as you will need two days to let the jello set up. I have little cookie cutters that I like to use to cut smaller shapes. With the mini heart shaped cutter in hand, instead of cutting cubes I carefully cut out some jello hearts. When adding to the casserole dish they went in just before the milk and were selectively placed. To ensure I had an equal mix of red to white I used only 2 small boxes of jello. You could use more however I like the white to show through.

The instructions are fairly straight forward but do message me if you have any questions! And do pick up some heart shaped cutters if you can find them.

Broken Glass - Valentine's Day

Author: Wanda Baker

Serves: 6

Ingredients

2 small boxes of red jello (cherry, raspberry, strawberry)
2 enveloped unflavoured gelatin
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup boiling water
Supplies: 9x11 casserole dish
Bowl
Whisk
Plastic storage containers that are longer vs high
Small heart shaped cookie cutter for heart shapes

Instructions

Dissolve each box of jello into separate plastic container using only 1 cup of boiling water. Mix well to ensure combined. Chill overnight or at least 24 hours to set.
The next day in a bowl add your gelatin and pour two cups of boiling water over top to bloom the gelatin. Stir well.
Let cool a little and stir in sweetened condensed milk until cool to touch.
Cut the jello into small cubes (they do not need to be the same size but close) or use a heart shaped cookie cutter to get some shapes. Add to 9x11 casserole dish. Pour cooled milk mixture over jello, cover with plastic wrap and chill over night.
Using a flat thin small knife or spatula, carefully cut around the side of the casserole dish to loosen sides. Slide along bottom and remove pieces carefully.
Serve.

Honey Cranberry Cookies

5 · Jan 20, 2017 · 2 Comments

A new year means healthier eating right? But what about the cookies?

With resolutions of healthier eating it’s hard to give up snacks. So let’s talk oatmeal cookies, which come in all shapes and sizes. They really do. Soft and chewy, with ginger, chocolate chips, raisins, cinnamon and more. Everyone has a favourite and/or a favourite recipe they love. When I was a kid, my mom would make us papaya oatmeal cookies. I haven’t had one of those in years. But I found her recipe so it’s coming. To satisfy our sweet tooth and help get us through the first month of the year, we whipped up these Honey Cranberry Cookies.

Honey Cranberrey Cookies — Top view of the cookies

We’ve added cranberries, honey and sunflower seeds into this cookie to make us feel better about eating it. It works! And is the perfect January, get back to healthy, cookie treat to allow yourself on cheat days. Or in between.

5.0 from 1 reviews

Honey Cranberry Cookies

Author: Wanda Baker

Serves: 30

Ingredients

¾ cup butter, softened
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup pourable honey
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla
1½ cups large flake oats
1¼ cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
½ cup dried cranberries
¼ cup sunflower seeds

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F.
Cream together butter, sugar and honey. Beat in egg and vanilla.
Mix in oats, flour, baking soda, salt until combined. Lightly stir in cranberries and sunflower seeds.
Drop onto parchment lined baking sheets in 1 inch spoonfuls.
Bake in oven, rotating pans half way through for 10 - 12 minutes.

Pulled Pork Mac and Cheese

0 · Jan 12, 2017 · Leave a Comment

In our cook it once, eat it 2-3 times series, we have our 3rd meal using the Slow Cooker Beer Pulled Pork we cooked earlier this week. Our first meal using the pulled pork, was pulled pork on buns with fresh toppers. We didn’t add a heavy barbecue sauce to it so as to keep the flavours simple. We put barbecue sauce on the table for those who wanted it.

Second night we enjoyed Pork Carnitas with a variety of fresh add on’s including salsa and sour cream. We even had enough pork to send everyone to school with sandwiches and wraps that day. For our last meal using up the pulled pork from day one, we made pulled pork mac and cheese. Yum right? Cooking once and extending it into a couple of meals especially when you are busy, is a great way to get through a couple of days worth of dinners.

For this recipe I opted to crisp the pork. It went from refrigerator to fry pan to warm it up, to a foil lined baking pan. A drizzle of olive oil and pinch of salt and pepper before broiling it for 5ish minutes watching it closely. You do not have to do this step but I like the change in texture and added bite. My kids were so excited about this dish it was wonderful!

What’s your favourite mac and cheese?!

Here’s how we did it.

Pulled Pork Mac and Cheese

Author: Wanda Baker

Recipe type: lunch, dinner

Ingredients

4 cups cooked macaroni
2 cups pulled pork
3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp flour
3 cups milk
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 tsp old bay seasoning
2 cups old cheddar
2 cups gouda
Pam

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F
In a large pot on low heat melt butter. Add flour and stir for 2-3 minutes to make your roux.
Whisk in your milk and turn up your heat. Continue to whisk as the liquid thickens slightly.
Add salt, pepper and old bay.
Drop the cheese into the pot in handfuls, stirring after each addition until all cheese has been used and melted in.
Taste for seasoning and sprinkle in more salt and pepper if needed.
Spray a 9 x 13 casserole with pam
Add macaroni, pulled pork and pour in cheese sauce. Mix until all combined.
Top with extra grated cheddar cheese or bread crumbs.
Bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

Roast Turkey Pho

0 · Jan 4, 2017 · 2 Comments

Back in the 90’s Robson Street was Vancouver’s outdoor shopping mall with great restaurants and cafes as well as all kinds of high end stores to tickle your fancy in. It was a seen and be seen place to be. In fact it still is. Walking up and down Robson every time I go to Vancouver to visit brings back vivid memories of the time spent living there. At one point I lived in the West End so merely a hop skip and jump over to Robson Street to take it all in.

I was a part time Gapper back in those days, and my time working at The Gap on Robson was extremely adventurous, it was an experience. I ate out a lot (single in the city) and one of my favourite little stops was a little hole in the wall cafe on Robson Street. This eclectic little place served up the best soup I’d ever had and I would visit whenever a cold struck. This soup was Pho, pronounced Fuh. Pho is not the same as Ramen, which is darker and richer cooked entirely from pork bones, but rather traditionally made from beef and scented with star anise, cinnamon and ginger.

Pho is an anytime soup but most comforting in the Fall and Winter on those days you need a bowl that hugs you back and some comfort food. The most important component to a Pho is the broth. Enjoyed in a restaurant, Pho broth is typically simmered for hours on end resulting in a delicious tasting broth with many levels of flavour. For this Roasted Turkey Pho Broth I can honestly say my turkey stock simmered for 4- 5 hours. Was left to sit for several hours while it cooled and then further cooled in the fridge with all it’s aromatics and turkey bones for up to two days. The result, the best tasting turkey stock I’ve ever made.

There was only one thing to do at this point, try to make a pho soup in stead of your basic turkey noodle soup to use up the last of the 15lb roast turkey. While shopping for ingredients for my turkey pho, I discovered Campbell’s offers a new product, Pho Broth. So I did what any virgin pho maker would do and bought a pack, you know just in case the turkey broth was lacking in flavour. After straining the turkey broth and getting 6 cups of intensely flavoured broth, I decided to add in the package of pho broth to make approximately 8 cups. I just knew it was going to be good.

This quick version of pho is layered with each ingredient giving you the full restaurant experience.

Create your Pho Bowl

When you make this recipe you must get your soup bowl ready and start with the cooked noodles, gingerly placing on the bottom of the bowl. Ladle in your hot broth gently moving around the noodles with chopsticks to ensure they are not sticking together. The next layer is the turkey breast, add a good heaping spoonful. At this point you add whatever toppings you prefer that are available. We eat family style here so it makes sense for each person to customize their pho.

Looking for other ways to use up leftover turkey? This soup is very popular and quite tasty: Turkey, Bacon & Corn Chowder.

2.0 from 1 reviews

Roast Turkey Pho

Author: Wanda Baker

Recipe type: dinner, lunch, soup

Serves: 4

Ingredients

8 cups chicken stock, pho stock or home made turkey stock
2 small cinnamon sticks
1 piece of ginger, approximately 1 inch and peeled
4 cloves
2 star anise
2 tbsp fish sauce
½ tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 package flat rice noodles
2 cups cooked cold turkey sliced paper thin
2 cups bean sprouts
½ cup green onion, thinly sliced
2 limes, 1 juiced - the other cut into wedges
1 jalapeno pepper, thinly sliced
1 cup fresh herbs: mint, basil, cilantro rolled and thinly chopped
sriracha sauce

Instructions

In a large pot add all the stock, cinnamon sticks, ginger, cloves and star anise. To keep things easy to fish out I put my cloves and star anise in a tea pincher/infuser for easy removal later on. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low and gently simmer for 30 minutes. Remove spices from broth and stir in fish sauce, salt and sugar. Keep on low heat.
Cook rice noodles according to instructions.
Add prepared bean sprouts, turkey, green onion, lime wedges, jalapeno peppers and fresh herbs into individual bowls and place on table.
Scoop about ½ - 1 cup of noodles into each bowl. Ladle 1⅓ cups of hot broth over noodles and gently swirl noodles with chopsticks or a skewer to ensure they are not sticking. Top with a heaping spoonful of turkey.
Serve each person their bowl with chopsticks and a fork/spoon and let them add their favourite toppings.

Baked Apple Pancake

0 · Dec 31, 2016 · Leave a Comment

The first time we had this baked apple pancake we were hanging out in the Okanogan in B.C. The people we were staying with made breakfast and this was one of the items they served. It was so good I immediately asked for the recipe, wrote it on a recipe card (over 10 years ago people, internet was still blooming) and tucked it away into my little black recipe box.

The little black recipe box made an appearance recently over the holidays, the Baked Apple Pie remade and much to my surprise absolutely adored and inhaled by my two little kids. I added a few of my own touches to the recipe and will be making it again soon using other fruits like pears, plums, summer stone fruit, even grapes.

The really cool thing about this pie is it puffs up while baking and settles back down once it comes out of the oven. Let everyone see it as it comes out of the oven for the ooohs and aaahs. Serve it with a sprinkle of icing sugar and some maple syrup.

Baked Apple Pancake

Author: Wanda Baker

Recipe type: brunch, breakfast, lunch

Serves: 6

Ingredients

1½ cup apples (approximately 4) peeled, cored, sliced
2 tbsp butter
½ cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
3 eggs beaten
¾ cup flour
1 cup milk
½ tsp salt
½ tsp vanilla
Pam
icing sugar

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425F.
Spray a 9inch vessel (baking dish, pie plate, cast iron pan) with cooking spray.
Heat over medium heat and add butter and sugar. Once sugar has dissolved add apples, cinnamon and nutmeg. Cook for about 5 minutes.
In a medium sized bowl lightly beat your eggs. Whisk in milk, flour, salt and vanilla. Sprinkle on a little more cinnamon and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until puffed and the edges are golden. Remove from heat and serve immediately with a sprinkling of icing sugar and drizzle of maple syrup.

Jalapeno Tex Mex Dip

0 · Dec 17, 2016 · Leave a Comment

An upgrade on a classic, this Jalapeno Tex Mex Dip is full of flavour and sure to please at your next potluck, event or even on Game Day.

Found in many homes during gatherings and events back in the day, the 7 Layer Dip is really a North Americanized version of Mexican food, a mash up of Tex Mex cuisine if you will. This dish became so popular when we were kids, you would find it at every gathering you attended whether it was a potluck, shower, office luncheon or holiday gathering. Then it seemed to disappear for awhile only popping up on a rare occasion. Since it was one of my favourite things to eat, I snagged the recipe from a friend and I typed it out. Oh yes I did. Typed it out and taped it to a recipe card. Because that was what you did back in the day before the Internet.

Recently we visited with family and enjoyed a table full of potluck items, goodies and a similar variation of the 7 layer dip. Only with 2 layers. Got me thinking about the 7 layer dip and that it was time to find this recipe I had typed out so many years ago and make it again. Only with a twist.

I’m not a fan of canned black olives so we always use sliced Kalamatas which my girl loves. Jalapenos can be fresh or pickled and if you do not like them, keep them off and replace with chopped up bell peppers instead.

We’ve upgraded the classic 7 Layer Dip with this simple Jalapeno Tex Mex Dip featuring Greek yogurt, to make us feel better about eating it.

Jalapeno Tex Mex Dip

Author: Wanda Baker

Ingredients

4oz cream cheese (half a regular size brick), softened
½ cup greek yogurt
¾ cup sour cream
½ cup mayonnaise
3 tbsp taco seasoning
2 tbsp taco sauce, mild, medium or spicy
2 avocados, diced
½ lemon, juiced
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
1 tomato, diced
2 green onions, sliced
¼ cup sliced kalamata olives
1 fresh jalapeno, sliced thin

Instructions

Add cream cheese to a large bowl. Smooth it down in the bowl. Mix in greek yogurt, sour cream, mayonnaise, taco seasoning and taco sauce. Spread evenly on bottom of small casserole dish or pie plate.
In a small bowl pour lemon juice over diced avocado and mix to prevent browning.
Over your base sprinkle on cheese, tomatoes, avocado, green onion, sliced kalamatas and jalapenos if using.
Set in refrigerator for up to an hour or more before serving.
Serve with tortilla chips.

Raspberry Mango Swirl Smoothie Bowl

0 · Dec 8, 2016 · Leave a Comment

The smoothie bowl breakfast trend continues to be the gift that keeps on giving. They are still all over instagram and this trend doesn’t appear to be slowing down any time soon. The best thing about a smoothie bowl or smoothie in general is almost anything goes. Your favourite fruit, pick a healthy liquid (juice, cold tea, milk), bananas help thicken, vegetables like avocado and spinach, nuts, spices (we put cinnamon in every smoothie), chocolate – yes chocolate! The combinations are endless and you could have a smoothie a day plus get in several servings of much needed fruits and vegetables.

This raspberry mango swirl smoothie bowl combines two simple and easy to make smoothies. Frozen raspberry with orange juice and banana and frozen mango with orange juice and banana. Each have some added ice for thickness and some cinnamon for the antioxidants.

Raspberry Mango Swirl Smoothie Bowl

Author: Wanda Baker

Recipe type: breakfast, lunch, snack

Ingredients

1 cup frozen raspberries
1 cup frozen mango
1 cup orange juice, divided
1 banana, cut in half
2 tsp cinnamon, divided
½ cup ice, divided
additional mango or raspberries cut up

Instructions

Add raspberries, ½ cup orange juice, ½ banana, 1 tsp cinnamon and ¼ cup ice to your blender. Puree until smooth and pour into measuring cup or cup with spout.
Add mango, ½ cup orange juice, ½ banana, 1 tsp cinnamon and ¼ cup ice to your blender. Puree until smooth and pour into second measuring cup or cup with spout.
Get your Smoothie Bowl ready.
With one smoothie in each hand pour both into the bowl at the same time, consistently and keeping pace.
Top with additional raspberries or mango

Beef Stew with Bacon

0 · Nov 17, 2016 · Leave a Comment

A long time ago my mom used to cook the shit out of pork and beef roasts. Truth be known I was in a recent session with Vikram Vij and he also advised his mom would cook the shit out of things to, so I blame him for my potty mouth. The only way I could choke down her roasts was to smother them in HP Sauce – more truths. This continued mistreatment of roasts while I was a child led me to have trust relationships with roast beef. I do enjoy beef, like I really really enjoy steak, satay, stir-fry. We also enjoy roasts on a regular basis as a family, however I still am not a huge fan of roast beef. But I will eat it.

This leads us to stew, another cut I have a strange relationship with. Possibly for the same reasons – it was made regularly and slightly over cooked. My family enjoys stew so it’s made flavourful and moist in this house. Mostly.

In my quest to love stew, I added some sauteed mushrooms, chopped chives and broken chunks of double cream brie. And a few hot pepper flakes. Go big or go home right? Guess what? I LOVED it! We get a flavour punch from adding leftover frozen beef broth from our last Teriyaki Beef Fondue. What you’ve never had a beef broth fondue? You really should. Regular beef broth is also dandy in a handy. Finally some leftover parsnips resembling potatoes went into the stew and nobody was the wiser (winning).

I finished the stew with a few sprinkles of hot pepper flakes cause I like the heat!

Beef Stew with Bacon

Author: Wanda Baker

Recipe type: dinner, lunch

Serves: 6

Ingredients

4 slices thick cut bacon, chopped into 1 inch pieces
2 lbs beef stew cubs (boneless beef chuck cut into 2 inch cubes)
2 tbsp flour
3 carrots, chopped
2 parsnips, peeled and chopped
4 yellow potatoes,c hopped
1 small onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
3 cloves garlic.
2 tbsp tomato paste
3 cups beef broth
1 tbsp fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
salt and pepper
1 lb cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp parsley, chopped
1 tbsp chives, chopped into longer pieces
¼ cup double cream brie, tore into smaller pieces
1 baguette, torn into crusty chunks for dipping

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F.
In a large wide 6-8 quart heavy pot with a lid, fry bacon pan over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add your beef to pot in smaller batches, add flour and stir until lightly browned. Remove bacon and beef to platter. Toss in carrots, parsnips, potatoes, onion, celery and garlic. Stir occasionally and cook for another 6 minutes.
Push vegetables aside, making a hole in the middle of pot and add tomato paste. Stir for about one minute then mix in vegetables.
Pour in beef broth, bay leaves, salt and pepper and thyme. Bring to a boil. Drop in beef and bacon, cover and cook in oven until meat is very tender 1 - 2 hours.
Season with salt and pepper, remove bay leaves and serve hot with mushrooms, chives, brie, a sprinkle of parsley and crusty bread.

Notes

To saute mushrooms add 1 tbsp butter to a hot pan. Toss in mushrooms and stir until moisture is released. Season with salt and pepper and cook until brown.

Chicken Noodle Stir-Fry

0 · Nov 5, 2016 · 1 Comment

Stir-fries can be many things. An easy clean out your fridge dinner, a healthy meal after an all you can eat holiday, a quick dinner on a busy evening or as simple or complicated as you choose to make it. This Chicken Noodle Stir-Fry is a quick dinner on a busy night in our house. You could make this meal every day of the week changing up your proteins, veggies, carbs and flavour add ins and never have the same meal. I definitely need to stir fry more.

I tend to learn towards chow mein noodles or rice when I stir fry, however this time while browsing the International aisle in the grocery store, egg noodles called my name. So I called back and they came home with me. Get the whole family involved in chopping and dinner is ready in no time at all.

Chicken Noodle Stir-Fry

Author: Wanda Baker

Recipe type: Dinner, lunch

Serves: 6

Ingredients

6 chicken thighs cut in small strips
3 carrots
2 cups broccoli florets
2 green onions, sliced on diagonal
1 tbsp ginger, grated
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup bean sprouts
½ cup whole cashews, toasted
½ cup fresh cilantro
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp sherry
¼ tsp sugar
2 tbsp oyster sauce
3 tbsp chicken stock
1 tsp cornstarch
400 gr. instant egg noodles
oil

Instructions

In a plastic bag combine 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp sherry, ¼ tsp sugar, 1 tbsp chicken stock, 1 tsp cornstarch to make your marinade. Add chicken, squish bag to ensure all chicken pieces coated, zip up and set aside. Marinate for minimum 30 minutes.
Trim, peel and thinly slice the carrots on an angle. Cut the broccoli into small florets and slice the green onion in about ½ inch pieces.
Combine ginger and garlic in a bowl and set aside.
Cook the noodles according to packet instructions, then drain and toss in a little oil. Pour into bowl.
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a wok or large frying pan over high heat. Add chicken and stir fry for 2 minutes. Toss in ginger and garlic cooking for another minute or until chicken is golden. Remove chicken from pan and place in bowl.
To make the stir fry sauce whisk together 1 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp oyster sauce, 1 tbsp sherry and 2 tbsp chicken stock. Set aside.
Add a little splash of oil to your preheated wok and add carrots, broccoli and green onions. Stir fry for 2 minutes then add 2 tbsp water and place lid on wok to steam vegetables. After approximately 2 minutes toss in your cooked noodles and chicken .
Stir in bean sprouts and stir-fry sauce. Stir really well, put lid on and and remove from heat.
Top with cashews and cilantro. Serve immediately.

Here’s how we did it.

Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken Wings

2 · Oct 29, 2016 · 3 Comments

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’s all in every time wing night happens.

When I fry the wings I tend to do it outside on the burner of our BBQ to avoid grease splatter. I do not have a deep fryer and really do not want one. 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. 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.

We use chicken wings to help make our gravy when ever we roast a turkey and I always end up with a few leftover in the freezer allowing me the opportunity to play. These wings were tossed with some of my favourite ingredients and added to our slow cooker or they can be done in the Instant Pot.

In a little over two hours the wings were perfectly cooked with a little added time for a good broil in the oven.

These wings are so moist they practically fall off the bone but still have a nice crisp on the outside.

Here’s how we do it.

Slow Cooker Chicken Wings

Author: Wanda Baker

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

In a large bowl mix together soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, a pinch of pepper and sesame oil.
Add chicken wings and stir to coat.
Pour all into oval slow cooker.
Cook on high for 2- 2.5 hours.
Preheat oven to broil.
Remove from slow cooker and place on baking sheet with a rack.
Broil for 5 minutes, turn chicken wings over and broil for another 5 minutes. Watch them carefully.
Serve with a little of the slow cooker sauce drizzled over top.

Crockpot Cinnamon Hot Chocolate

1 · Oct 27, 2016 · Leave a Comment

As Fall approaches my kids remind me it’s time to make hot chocolate. I have a small but legit Starbucks habit (don’t hate) that started when I lived in Vancouver. Whenever I indulge my habit here, the kids seem to be with me and always request hot cocoa. I may or may not have turned them into hot chocolate monsters.

We spend a lot of time outdoors in the winter, sledding, skating, playing in the snow. The promise of warm hot cocoa topped with marshmallows is never far from their minds. It’s easier most days to grab a premade mix. These days I want the kids to experience home made hot chocolate and learn to love it.

This hot chocolate was ready two hours before they came home from school. I was surprised it thickened as it sat on low in the crockpot. They were not used to it being so thick and weren’t sure if they liked it or not.

Crockpot Cinnamon Hot Chocolate

Author: Wanda Baker

Recipe type: beverage

Serves: 6

Ingredients

4 cups milk
¼ cup cocoa
1 cup chocolate chips
1 tsp vanilla
2 cinnamon sticks
2 tbsp maple syrup
pinch of salt

Instructions

Toss all ingredients into a smaller, round (mini) crockpot. Stir in the cocoa powder, put lid on and let it cook for 2 - 2.5 hours.
Around the 2 - 2.5 hour mark, remove lid and stir. Pour into a mug, top with marshmallows or whipping cream.

Googly Eye Halloween Treats

0 · Oct 21, 2016 · Leave a Comment

The last three years we’ve had an International Student living with us. First Germany, China and now Spain. You learn a lot about yourself and sometimes the student when you allow them into your home to share their culture and learn about yours. Of the 3 students, we’ve had two good experiences so far, 1 not so great.

Did you know Halloween is not something celebrated by those who live outside of North America? We North Americans tend to do holidays BIG, HUGE in fact. It humbles me every time a student comes to live with us and I quickly realize bigger is not always better. You soon realize you really don’t need all the things. Except well maybe the food (food blogger, what can I say).

We love to have fun with our food and what’s more fun than putting edible Googly Eyes on snacks and sending them to school with your kids lunches? As I prepared the fruit and juice boxes my kids were chomping at the bit to bring them to school. Keeping their lunches interesting ensures they will continue eating well.

Recently we were in the kitchen with Deb Matejicka from The Weather Network talking about googly eyes and fun Halloween treats for the kids.

Tip: Pick up googly eyes at your local craft store, Bulk Barn or buy them online.

This is how we make these fun treats for the kids!

1. Remove straws from juice boxes. Poke a hole in a strip of white tape and place over drink spout for straw. Wrap juice boxes up in white duct tape, white electrical tape or medicine tape. Add googly eyes and secure with a mummy bandage (piece of tape). Tape straw to back of box.

2. Using a tube of white icing as your glue, glue two eyes to pears, apples, bananas or oranges. Completely edible minus the peels.

3. Make your favourite rice krispie recipe and lay out on a rimmed baking sheet. Chill until firm. Cut into rectangle shapes. Pick up some candy melts and carefully melt the chocolate. Dip one corner of your rectangle rice krispie into the chocolate. Add 2 googly eyes to the chocolate part and lay on baking sheet. Chill to set.

4. Add googly eyes to granola bars, cookies, brownies and squares, chocolate bark, caramel popcorn, cupcakes, vegetables (why not), and using icing glue them on to straws for your smoothies or milkshakes.

Fun for kids Googly Eye Halloween Treats

Here’s the Youtube link with Deb Matejicka.

Have you used edible googly eyes before? What’s your favourite way to use them?!

Armenian Roasted Vegetables

1 · Sep 12, 2016 · Leave a Comment

A sucker for roasted vegetables, I couldn’t wait to make this recipe by Olia Hercules and her Mamushka cookbook. Fall and winter has us roasting vegetables regularly. I’ve roasted cabbage before and loved it so the combination of these Armenian Roasted Vegetables was quite intriguing to me.

Ensure you cut your vegetables thick as illustrated in the recipe. I’ve noticed while making recipes from this cookbook they use a lot of dill and yogurt in Eastern European Cooking. Our student from Spain has advised the same. Things I would have never known had I never joined the cookbook club. My mom used to cook with dill she grew in her garden. Dilled baby potatoes are one recipe that stands out from childhood. It’s an herb I adore. Serve these veggies along side a roasted chicken, pork loin or beef roast.

Olia also suggests to change things up, try adding some feta before serving.

Armenian Roasted Vegetables

Author: Olia Hercules

Recipe type: side, dinner, lunch

Ingredients

half a small head of cabbage, cut into thick wedges
1-2 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 zucchini, thickly sliced
2 celery sticks, thickly sliced
1 small onion, peeled and quartered
1-2 cups cauliflower florets, thickly chopped
1 pepper, cored, seeded and thick slices
3 tbsp olive oil
1 beefsteak tomato, thickly sliced
1 tbsp chopped fresh dill
salt and pepper

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400F. Place all the vegetables except the tomato in a large roasting pan.
Pour the oil over and season well with salt and pepper. Mix everything together with your hands and pop in the oven until the edges of the vegetables start to char, 30 minutes.
Arrange the tomato slices on top, season and place in the oven for another 15 minutes. Sprinkle the chopped dill over, taste for seasoning (adjust if necessary) and serve.

Apple Sponge

1 · Sep 9, 2016 · Leave a Comment

There are only so many days in a month and when you have over half a cookbook flagged with recipes to try, the struggle becomes real. Plus kids, activities, events to attend, life in general! But I’m determined and so I made my way through a good handful of recipes from Olia Hercule’s cookbook Mamushka.

The monthly cookbook club I belong to allows you to try any recipe you want and share it to Instagram. There are no other requirements besides check out what others in the club are making. I have found through this process this year there are several recipes I would make again. This being one of them.

This Apple Sponge contains no rising agent. You create height by beating air into the eggs. The cake was moist and using Fall apples harvested at their peak makes it the perfect Autumn dessert. I added salt to the recipe to enhance the flavour but that’s entirely your choice.

Olia’s mom would make this whenever they had a craving for something sweet, calling it biskvit (“a sponge”).

Apple Sponge

Author: Olia Hercules

Ingredients

Butter for greasing pan
5 eggs
¾ cup + 2 tbsp superfine sugar
1⅓ cups flour
1 tsp cinnamon
4 green apples, cored and thinly sliced
icing sugar for dusting
pinch of salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease an 8x12 inch cake pan with butter.
Beat the eggs and sugar together in a bowl with a handheld mixer for at least 5 minutes (use a timer if necessary) until very thick, pale, and foamy. The amount of air you beat in is essential.
Gently fold the flour and a good pinch of salt into the egg mixture.
Mix the cinnamon with the apples, then tip the apples into the prepared cake pan and pour the cake batter evenly over the apples. Bake until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean, 35 minutes.
Let it cool in the pan. Dust with some icing sugar, cut into squares and serve.

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