Recipes (Main)

Watergate Salad Trifle

Mar 22, 2016 · 11 Comments

Watergate Salad Trifle is a spin on a popular salad invented in the 1970’s following the Watergate scandal that dominated news outlets around the world!

This trifle re-imagines this retro salad in a lighter, tastier variation!

Watergate Salad Trifle

Who remembers this popular green salad from the late 70’s and 80’s called Watergate Salad? The popular salad is known by names such as pistachio delight, shut the gate salad, green goop, green fluff and green stuff and these days can be found on the table during Thanksgiving or Easter celebrations.

According to research efforts, the origin of the name “Watergate salad” is obscure: Kraft Corporate Affairs (who makes the pistachio pudding) says “There are several urban myths regarding the name change, but we can’t substantiate any of them. We developed the recipe for Pistachio Pineapple Delight.” It was in 1975, the same year that pistachio pudding mix came out. According to Kraft Kitchens, when the recipe for Pistachio Pineapple Delight was sent out, an unnamed Chicago food editor renamed it Watergate Salad to promote interest in the recipe when she printed it in her column. Neither the article nor editor has been tracked down, however!

Did You Know

Further to this in in 1922 Helen Keller published a similar recipe, calling for canned diced pineapple, nuts, marshmallows, whipped cream and other ingredients. “I ate it first in California, so I call it Golden Gate Salad”. Similar “fruit salad” and “pineapple salad” recipes had been published in the 1910’s, and “Golden Gate Salad” was served in some U.S. hotels. The question still begs to be answered, who came up with this recipe or was it an accumulation of recipes as we see so often these days?!

Cococo Chocolatiers

We collaborated with Cococo Chocolatiers for this post. They have an assortment of chocolate products including baking items and some of my favourite bars. Visit in person or shop online.

TIPS & TRICKS

Looking for a brighter, greener colour, add a couple drops of food colouring to the mix.
Use pound cake to replace Angel food cake. Make or buy one premade.
Coloured mini marshmallows can be used in place of white.
Use whatever glassware you would like. This can also be made in a trifle dish.
Use all the pineapple and all the juice. The juice mixes with the pudding powder to help create a creamy texture.
We don’t like Cool Whip and have never used it but feel free to use instead of whipping cream.
It serves 6 in individual glasses, however it could serve more if you used smaller bowls or made it in a trifle dish.

Looking for more ideas, here’s some of our most popular desserts!

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Read On →

Grilled Garlic Chicken

Mar 17, 2016 · Leave a Comment

Since about mid January we’ve had mild weather here in Calgary. It’s very unusual for this time of the year as we typically have tons of snow on the ground. I kid you not. In my world we would have 2-3 months of cold winter and snow with the rest of the year sunny and green.

With warm weather comes serious spring fever. Last weekend we did yard work and cleaned up the yard in preparation for planting and Spring. My rhubarb is popping up and I’m ready to start seeding the lawn and eager to start planting. The kids have already advised they will each be having their own pepper and tomatoe(s) plants again this year. Sun and warmth feels so good. With this warmer weather we find we want to grill all the time. Fish and soy sauce are always on hand here and since we are die hard grillers (we will grill in any weather unless it hits -20), it’s not the first time we fired up the BBQ this year. We served up this chicken with our Green Rice.

I prep the food, my husband tends the grill. We make a good team. The longer this chicken can marinate, the more flavour you get.

The flavours in this chicken shine when allowed to marinate up to four hours or overnight. If you do not have the time, give the chicken at least 30 minutes to get cozy with the marinade.

Roasted Poblano Turkey Chili

Mar 12, 2016 · 11 Comments

We put a spin on traditional chili by making Roasted Poblano Turkey Chili using ground turkey and roasted jalapeno and poblano peppers. Served with fresh toppings this delicious bowl of chili comes together easily!

Roasted Poblano Turkey Chili

Chili is comfort food in our house and a recipe we change up regularly. It’s an excellent meal to make ahead and take camping, to the cabin or prepare a large batch for a gathering.

If you love your chili as much as I do try creating a Chili Bar putting out all your favourite toppings and offering a variety of chili recipes. When we host a chili bar everyone has the best time trying new flavours and most have never even considered chili toppers!

Chili Toppers

When I lived in Vancouver I used to make Vegetarian Chili regularly. That’s when I started adding fresh toppers on my chili. It helped elevate it to a whole new level and I felt good knowing I was adding more textures and healthy options.

Leftovers

Sometimes I will purposely double the recipe so I can have leftovers! Here’s a few ways we use leftover chili:

on a baked potatoes
served with mac and cheese
on buns with cheese
chili dog
dollop some chili into hard taco shells and add your favourite chili toppers
in a wrap and roll it up burrito style – you could even add rice
stuffed in peppers or squash and baked
Added to grilled cheese sandwiches or quesadillas
served in hollowed out bread bun bowls

PRO TIPS

You are going to get some mild heat from the jalapenos. If you want spicier keep membrane and seeds or add hot pepper flakes or additional jalapenos as toppers.
We use white kidney beans also known as cannellini beans
If you don’t have ancho chili powder, use regular chili powder
This recipe is Gluten-Free

Here’s more chili recipes to check out:

If you made this recipe tag Wanda Baker on Instagram and hashtag it #bakersbeans and please comment below!

Jicama and Green Apple Slaw

Mar 9, 2016 · 8 Comments

Jicama and Green Apple Slaw is currently my sons favourite salad. He loves green apple and munching on raw jicama so it was natural for me to combine the two into a salad. Enjoy this salad on burgers, hot dogs or as a side to any grilled main!

Jicama and Green Apple Slaw

I created this recipe when I was doing a detox. I had to avoid bread so I ate my burger in a lettuce cup and that was desperately in need of some crunch. The slaw added a nice crunchy texture that was the perfect accompaniment. Exceptionally good with these Homemade Sausage Patties.

The key or tedious part is to cut the apple and jicama into matchsticks. You could add a little cumin or chili powder and honey if you find it too limey. Try to make this at least 30 minutes in advance so the flavours can marry.

My son loves this salad so much he made it once for a Scouts Potluck Banquet!

What is Jicama?

Jicama is a starchy tuber from Mexico! It’s the root of a plant grown in Mexico with a juicy, crunchy texture. The flavour I’d say is a cross between a pear apple and a potato. Crazy right but it’s good.

It’s loaded with antioxidants and packed with nutrients. I’m all about good gut health these days and Jicama contains a prebiotic fiber that helps with gut bacteria. It’s delicious peeled and cut up as a snack throughout the day, with a little lime zest/juice and/or chili salt sprinkled on. Or sometimes just as is.

By the way it’s pronounced hick-uh-muh!

What else can you do with Jicama?

This ingredient is more versatile then you think. Chop it up raw and add to salads. Or munch on it. It can be steamed, boiled, sauteed or fried. It’s delicious dipped in our Roasted Jalapeno Humms, turned into french fries and served with tacos!

Do you make fresh salad rolls? Add thinly sliced jicama to the rolls. You can pickle it or chop it up fine and replace the water chestnut in a classic spinach dip with jicama!

PRO TIPS

Amp the flavour and texture by adding in some sliced cabbage, sliced jalapenos, bell pepper or red Thai chili pepper.
Try as best you can to carefully cut them into matchsticks.
Add za’atar, aleppo pepper, sumac, chili or cumin to the dressing, whisking well to combine.
Like an apple or pear, jicama will start to brown once cut. To avoid this you can put the pieces in bowl of water until ready to use.

Here’s a few other must try vegetarian recipes!

If you made this recipe tag Wanda Baker on Instagram and hashtag it #bakersbeans or #wandabaker

Homemade Sausage Patties

Mar 5, 2016 · 1 Comment

I remember my sister in law serving up sausage patties while we were all out camping one summer. They were these perfectly formed sausage shaped coins (twoonie sized for my Canadian readers) purchased from the local Costco as an easy to cook main to accompany breakfast eggs or a dinner salad. I thought they were pretty cool and was left wondering why I didn’t think to bring something so convenient and easy.

These patties have the delicious addition of roasted garlic. If you can roast your garlic the night before or earlier in the day so it’s ready to go. They are an easy dinner served with green apple & jicama slaw, eggs, a light pasta or a salad. If you have time prep the ingredients the night before allowing the pork to infuse the flavours overnight.

A simple and healthy meal you can have on the table in less than 30 minutes.

Lentil, Roasted Butternut Squash and Black Bean Tacos

Mar 1, 2016 · Leave a Comment

If you are looking to add more plant based meals into your diet, these Lentil, Roasted Butternut Squash and Black Bean Tacos are the way to go. Just omit the bacon!

Lentils Butternut Squash and Black Beans Tacos

Who doesn’t love a good taco. In recent years tacos have become all the rage here in Calgary, maybe even Canada, as taquerias, pop ups and restaurants featuring tacos keep popping up everywhere.

Tacos come in all shapes and sizes to satisfy any appetite. But have you ever wondered where tacos come from? I certainly have and so I decided to find out.

The origin of tacos is more or less unknown and potentially dates back to the 18th century and the silver mines in Mexico. According to Katy June Friesen, a historian writer at the Smithsonian, in those Mexican sliver mines the word “taco” referred to the little charges they would use to excavate the ore. These were pieces of paper that they would wrap around gunpowder and insert into the holes they carved in the rock face. The first references to the taco in any sort of archive or dictionary didn’t come about until the end of the 19th century. And one of the first types of tacos described is called a miner’s tacos.

Childhood memories of tacos for me involved using an Old El Paso Taco Kit. While these taco kits are still available for those who prefer to keep it simple, more adventurous palates delve into beef tongue, lamb neck and octopus tacos available right here in Calgary.

Having had my fair share of meat tacos, we are changing it up and making an almost vegetarian variation.

PRO TIPS

Omit the bacon and sour cream crema if you are looking for a vegan variation
If you use the bacon, cook the beans in the bacon fat for extra flavour
Canned lentils are a quick and easy alternative to cooking your lentils

Banh Mi Sliders

Feb 28, 2016 · 10 Comments

Small and flavourful, these Banh Mi Sliders are a fun twist on a classic Vietnamese street food!

Banh Mi Sliders

Ground Pork Banh Mi Sliders are small and mighty. We serve this flavourful burger patty on soft buns with a sriracha mayo and pickled vegetables.

Allowing the pork mixture or formed patties to marinate for 30 minutes up to an hour, covered in the refrigerator, will provide even more flavour out of these burgers.

Quick Pickle

Quick pickles essentially are refrigerator pickles available in a variety of options. Vegetables are sliced thin or cut smallish and left to sit in a solution of water, vinegar, salt or sugar with optional spices.

It’s important to note these are not fermented pickles, therefore will not taste like a pickle that’s been jarred for awhile. We see chefs on food shows making quick pickles in 30 minutes or less and this can be done as there are a few ways to make a quick pickle. Once made they can sit in a sealed container in your refrigerator until ready to use.

Vietnamese Food

Vietnamese food is a simple food that can be relatively easy to make as long as you have the ingredients on hand and the patience needed to make some of the dishes.

Ingredients can include:

sesame oil (stir-fries, marinades, dressings)
rice wine vinegar (marinades, dressings)
fish sauce (stir-fries, dips, soups)
Fresh ingredients including tamarind, lime, chili’s, green mango, garlic, ginger, scallions, lotus stems and pungent herbs. Using fresh herbs (cilantro) in this recipe is key to making this a flavour packed meal. If you don’t care for cilantro, use a Thai basil, or Italian parsley instead.

We have been fortunate to have Vietnamese students living with us throughout the school year allowing us to ask a lot of questions and learn about the food and culture.

Pro Tips

Make the patties bigger if you prefer manly sized burgers vs sliders. You should get 6-8 burgers vs 10 sliders, out of this recipe.
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.
Sriracha mayo is spicy. Cut back on the sriracha if you don’t like the heat. Or add more if you like it spicy.
Skip the bun and use a lettuce leaf as a cup.
Remember burgers and sliders can shrink slightly so making them a little bigger is a good thing.
If you do not eat pork try substituting lamb or beef.

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 sliders for dinner.

Check out these other Asian inspired recipes:

If you made this recipe tag Wanda Baker on Instagram and hashtag it #bakersbeans or #wandabaker

Fry Bread

Feb 20, 2016 · 30 Comments

Sweeten up Fry Bread for a mid afternoon treat by slathering on hazelnut chocolate spread, or use as a vessel to hold up your tacos or chili.

What is Fry Bread?

Fry Bread, also known as Bannock has been a staple in First Nations communities all over North America for centuries. It is a flat dough bread, typically deep fried in some sort of fat, like lard or oil. It can be served as a sweet treat tasting very similar to Beaver Tails here in Canada, covered in chocolate sauce, caramel, dulce de leche, cinnamon sugar or even a cream cheese frosting.

Turn it savoury by using as a burger bun, taco base, base for hot piping chili or stew, topped with eggs and bacon benny style, or even an opened faced sandwich.

Inspiration

Today’s recipe for fry bread follow similar ingredients and traditions that have been passed down through First Nations families for centuries.

My first introduction to bannock was in Home Economics class in high school in the 1980’s in British Columbia. It was part of the school curriculum to learn how to make bannock and learn the traditions behind bannock making from the local First Nations people. My husband also grew up eating bannock in Manitoba, warmed with jam.

Camping

We’ve dabbled in bannock a little over the years making Bannock on a Stick whenever we go camping. The kids love it as they wrap pieces of dough around hand carved roasting sticks and slowly roast the bannock over the coals until done. We eat it hot slathered in butter and jam.

Fry Bread Cafe

During one of our regular visits to Kelowna, B.C., we discovered the Kekuli Cafe. This Canadian Aboriginal cuisine restaurant has been serving up bannock with a twist for over 10 years. Much of our bannock recipe inspiration comes from this little cafe and all their delicious bannock offerings. Definitely a must stop the next time you are in Kelowna!

The best time to eat this bread is fresh, however it does taste pretty good the next day.

Like this recipe? Check out some of our other popular posts!

If you made this recipe tag Wanda Baker on Instagram and hashtag it #bakersbeans or #wandabaker

Berry Orange Smoothie Bowl

Feb 11, 2016 · 9 Comments

This Berry Orange Smoothie Bowl contains frozen berries, spinach, avocado, fresh orange, coconut milk and mint. A delicious blended smoothie you can make any time of the year – even when berries are not in season.

Berry Orange Smoothie Bowl

Adding fresh orange zest and mint brings this smoothie bowl to a whole new level. Remember if you don’t want to eat your smoothie bowl out of a bowl, drink it out of a glass!

Holiday celebrations

The brightness from this smoothie makes it perfect for breakfast on Valentine’s Day or Canada Day!

I’m currently participating in a Valentine’s Day Blog Hop Recipe round up with local food bloggers and this recipe is included in the round up!

Be sure to check out the other recipes and blogs participating to see what’s cooking in their kitchen this Valentine’s Day which also happens to be a long weekend here in Alberta. They are Merry About Town, Food Mamma, and Edible Life in YYC.

PRO TIPS:

If you do not like coconut milk, substitute for your favourite milk or cooled green tea
Mix the chia seeds in a well and give a few minutes to plump up before consuming
Fresh basil also tastes good in this smoothie
Not into smoothie bowls? Pour it into a glass!

If you made this recipe tag Wanda Baker on Instagram and hashtag it #bakersbeans or #wandabaker

Mango Coconut Smoothie

Jan 27, 2016 · 10 Comments

We top our Mango Coconut Smoothie with chia seeds and toasted coconut creating a delicious tasting anytime smoothie!

Mango Coconut Smoothie

January is typically about smoothies for me. Trying to eat better following December’s eating palooza of treats, binging and alcoholic beverages. By the time New Years comes around I’m feeling it and need a healthy kick. Enter smoothies.

Smoothie Revolution

A smoothie is a quick and easy way to get your daily servings of fruit and vegetables. With so many ways to make a smoothie, you could literally try a new combination every day of the year.

Versatile and delicious, pretty much anything goes. Liquids could include juice, milk, kefir or water, cold teas, or kombucha. Add in frozen fruit, fresh herbs or vegetables including leafy greens. Consider spices like cayenne, cinnamon or turmeric, protein powder, nuts or nut butters, hemp, chia or flax seeds, yogurt or silken tofu.

You’ve got some great ingredient ideas so before you rush out to the grocery store to find ingredients, consider these pro tips.

PRO TIPS

If I don’t have juice on hand, I will make green tea in advance, cool it down and use that as my liquid in the smoothie.
Chia seeds will plump up after about 5-10 minutes taking on the taste of the smoothie. I always add after it’s blended.
If you have frozen bananas kicking around, cut one in half and toss it in too.
Swap coconut milk for whatever milk you like to drink.
I don’t normally add sweeteners to my smoothies but if you want something try a little bit of liquid honey or maple syrup.

Looking for more smoothie recipes? Try our Mango Ginger Smoothie for some zing, Berry Lentil Smoothie for a boost of protein, or go green with this Avocado Green Smoothie!

If you made this recipe tag Wanda Baker on Instagram and hashtag it #bakersbeans or #wandabaker

Tomato Soup with Sausage

Jan 18, 2016 · Leave a Comment

Lately I’ve been craving soup. Specially french onion soup but I haven’t had the booze I needed to make the broth sing. Recently I took some out of town clients to Charbar for lunch, a fairly new Argentinian style restaurant I’ve admittedly been to several times. I ordered the lunch special (and they did to) of half a salad and the daily soup. I encouraged them to have the fugazza (pizza) with their soup. The soup was an Argentinian inspired tomato & sausage soup. Wow was it ever good. In fact all four of us at the table completely enjoyed the soup. I decided to try and make my own version of this soup at home.

Have you heard of Spolumbo’s sausage? They are local sausage maker and the sausage is preservative and chemical free. I use it in pasta sauces, soups and we especially love it grilled on the BBQ. You can use whatever uncooked sausage you love in this soup. I also added a small piece of leftover parmesan rind as I’ve seen chefs do this to add flavour and depth. It did something because the soup was the best tomato soup I’ve ever had.

It’s a simple soup that screams flavour.

Win Passes to the Advance Screening of Kung Fu Panda 3

Jan 13, 2016 · 9 Comments

Who’s a fan of Kung Fu Panda?! Even if you don’t have kids, most kid movies contain small notes of adult comedy and are so much fun to watch!

Kung Fu Panda 3 is having their World Premiere on Saturday, January 16 and I’ve got tickets up for grabs to the advance screening of the movie! There’s a great line up of actors in this movie including Dustin Hoffman, Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Jackie Chan, Kate Hudson, Seth Rogan, Lucy Liu and more.

On January 29th one of the most successful animated franchises in the world returns with its biggest comedy adventure yet, KUNG FU PANDA 3. When Po’s long-lost panda father suddenly reappears, the reunited duo travels to a secret panda paradise to meet scores of hilarious new panda characters. But when the supernatural villain Kai begins to sweep across China defeating all the kung fu masters, Po must do the impossible – learn to train a village full of his fun-loving clumsy brethren to become the ultimate band of Kung Fu Pandas!

This Saturday, January 16th you and three friends or family members can go see an advance screening of Kung Fu Panda 3 at the Sunridge Spectrum Cinemas in Calgary, Alberta, at 1:00pm.

We are giving away 3 packs of passes in Calgary only. Winners will be notified by email and have 12 hours to respond. Please arrive early for best seating. Enter below.
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Baked Ziti

Jan 10, 2016 · Leave a Comment

My mom started buying me cookbooks in the late 80’s, so I blame her for my obsession. I have to blame someone right? It was around the same time she started entering her recipes, my recipes and any family member who was willing to give up a recipe into our local town cookbooks. I’ve got two of these small town family cookbooks with a handful of my recipes in them. Seems so ironic to me with where I ended up in life, as a food blogger and writer with a full time passion for food. Destiny perhaps or, someone knew before I did where my path would go.

My cookbook obsession runs deep. For years I’ve had cooking magazine subscriptions. In fact I’ve only within the past two years cancelled a few of them because I’m running out of room. I’ve also been lucky enough to receive many cookbooks as gifts from media events, and I take them out from the library from time to time. In fact I’m even thinking about joining a 12 month Instagram Monthly Cookbook Club this month because I love cookbooks so much. It could be worse I think.

A recent trip to the library with the kids to pick up some books and I ended up coming home with Guy Fieri’s “Guy on Fire Cookbook”. I refrained from bringing home a huge pile, as I have in the past (new goals right) and only brought home one cookbook. See cookbooks inspire me, and I certainly do enjoy this book by Guy.

After choosing no less than 20 recipes to try I had to narrow it down to one. So I choose pasta. My family loved this recipe. Guy uses olive oil, I used canola oil. I also used less red hot pepper flakes and it was still a bit spicy for one of the minions, but it was oh so delicious. And that fresh rosemary on top – a show stopper.

In this cookbook Guy shares 130 recipes for adventures in the outdoors. I noted several of the BBQ’d meat recipes required brining the night before so you will have to allow yourself the time to do this. After pouring through it several times, I can tell you it’s fun and has several recipes I would like to try. I love that he’s dedicated it to his dad and father-in-law. Lucky “guy”.

My Top Nine of 2015

Jan 7, 2016 · Leave a Comment

I’m a curious one. By nature. Never a leader, but one to watch silently from the shadows to see how things unfold. Always been that way. Loved the bars and festivals for that reason. So much to see and observe.

So of course I’m interested in this new app called My Top Nine of 2015. Sure I could get this information on recipes from googly analytic’s, but this is funner and plus not all posts on Instagram are recipes posts!

So here they are starting with the Number 9…

Roasted Fennel and Broccoli Soup

Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

Plum Pierogi

Whipped Shortbread

Quinoa Stuffed Peppers with Red Chili

Berry Lentil Smoothie

Waffle Cone Fruit Salad

Grilled Peanut Butter & Banana Panini

Pepperoni Pizza Muffins

Tropical Salsa Smoothie Bowl

Jan 4, 2016 · 2 Comments

Smoothies are a quick, easy way to start your day. This Tropical Salsa Smoothie Bowl combines mango, pineapple and coconut making you feel like you are enjoying this beverage on a tropical beach.

The smoothie bowl trend has been an interesting one. I’ve made a few, played with ingredients and while it’s fun, I almost prefer my smoothies in a glass or tall beverage holder. Anyone else feel this way?!

This recipe was created for a local print magazine featuring healthy recipes. We topped our tropical smoothie bowl with a quick fruit salsa, making it pretty and simple plus added some chia seeds.

The second recipe we made for the magazine, another tasty smoothie bowl: Berry Orange Smoothie Bowl.

Both smoothies are delicious and worthy of two straws to share with friends.-

If you made this recipe tag Wanda Baker on Instagram and hashtag it #bakersbeans or #wandabaker

Enter To Win Sweet Treats From Ganong & Calgary Zoo Lights Passes

Dec 16, 2015 · 13 Comments

Who remembers Chicken Bones growing up?! When I was a child they were a candy we looked forward to every year with their chocolately goodness inside and a hard outer candy shell. I haven’t had them for years and was so excited when Ganong asked me to do a giveaway of their Chicken Bones, Chocolates and a couple passes to the Calgary Zoo Lights. Memories of these candies came flooding back!

Chicken Bones have been around since 1885 when Ganong candy maker Frank Sparhawk first invented the Chicken Bones. These spicy cinnamon flavoured hard candy shell filled with bittersweet chocolate soon became a family holiday favourite. Ganong Bros are one of Canada’s oldest independently family owned candy and chocolate maker, originally founded in 1873 in St Stephen, New Brunswick and you can find their products in many retailers across Canada. Run today by fifth generation family members they are still one of the most popular Canadian chocolates on the market.

The Calgary Zoo Lights run from November 27th – January 2nd, 2016. Dress warm and experience over 1.5 million lights, 200 displays, crackling fire pits, steamy hot chocolate, in four fun-filled activity zones. This magical winter wonderland is a fun activity for family and friends this holiday season and one we’ve attended many times over!

Now for the fun part, the giveaway! This contest is only open to Calgary, Canada and surrounding areas. The package contains 2 passes to the Calgary Zoo Lights and must be used by January 2, 2016. 2 boxes of Ganong Chocolates, 1 bag of Chicken Bones and 1 box of Ganong Fruitful Jellies!

Winner will be notified and asked to respond within 24 hours. Will also be required to meet in Calgary for pick up to ensure delivery before Christmas! The perfect snack for taking in the lights at the Calgary Zoo.

Thank-you Ganong Bros for providing samples, product and Calgary Zoo Lights Passes for this amazing holiday giveaway, and for sponsoring this post. As always, all opinions remain my own.

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Find Last Minute Stocking Stuffers for the Family at London Drugs

Dec 14, 2015 · Leave a Comment

Christmas is around the corner and one thing we haven’t purchased yet is stocking stuffers! We love opening our stockings every Christmas morning but always seem to leave this part of Christmas shopping until the last minute – ack!! There are four of us in the family if you don’t include the pets which means I shop for my husband, two kids and well sometimes myself. OK in all fairness my husband does pretty good in the stocking department but I may toss in my own items here and there.

In addition to this each year for the past 5 years we put together two more stockings to support our kids school fundraising initiative. It’s called Warm Feet For The Street for The Calgary Mustard Seed. The kids fill a stocking or sock with useful articles for a person who’s home is on the streets and must carry all their items in one bag. We also have family come for Christmas or we host an International Student on occasion who stays with us over Christmas, and yes, they get a stocking to.

London Drugs Alberta — A few of the London Drugs in Alberta

With all these stockings to stuff, and Christmas closing in on me, I need to be able to do one stop shopping versus running all over town or the mall. Where does one go to get it all done? Well I always find what I need at London Drugs. They have everything I want to stuff all my stockings and then some. I even pick up dog and cat toys for under the tree, because you know, they are part of the family after all.

If you are wondering what to get that special someone or need some suggestions I’m happy to offer up some ideas based on why I pick up my stuffers at London Drugs.

Stuffers for Him:

First thing you need to do is zoom in on what he’s into. Is it cars, mechanics, technology, reading, coffee, cooking, or bubble baths? Find out what the man likes and then visit a London Drugs store near you with a plan that goes beyond underwear and socks. They have everything for the techie geek like all the new hot Apple and tech products. Magazines are good fillers, as are chocolates, coffee, movies or music, and even jerky’s which my man loves. If he’s into BBQing, stuff his stocking with some new spices. Is he a gamer? They’ve got games and headphones that might kind of fit in a stocking depending how big your stocking is. If he travels a lot, check out the accessories in the travel section. Still stumped? Check out the hardware & home accessories section for more ideas. My husband can never have enough smaller flashlights and you will find those in London Drugs. Plus batteries!

Stuffers for Minions

I talk to some parents who don’t know what to put into their kids stockings. So I tell them to break it down. Boy vs girl. Some gifts overlap like the typical chocolate and candies. The seasonal [Christmas] section has all kinds of goodies to choose from and they even have Christmas movies and music. You will find lots of itty bittys in the toy section. My girl loves bath items and my boy does to. Jewelry and make up bags (to store hair stuff and lip gloss if to young) are also a big hit. In the magazine section they have books & magazines for kids. I do love to encouraging reading so my kids will get magazines. Pokemon and hockey cards fit nicely into stockings. As the kids get older (tweens – teens), personal care gift packages, memory cards, usb’s, batteries, cables, headphones and even movies and popcorn make great stuffers. Gift cards to and nail care items like polish or manicure sets (which boys need to).

Stuffers for Her

To me this is the easiest stuffer to fill. Maybe cause I can relate so well. Guys I would follow the same guidelines as stuffers for men. What is she into (cooking, bath & body, technology, games, reading)? Once you can write down 2 or 3 things she loves, your ready to get started shopping. Many women love bath and beauty products and perfume – you can even buy a gift set and take it apart to stuff the stocking! It’s fun to pick up several face masks – they are thin and stocking size. Does she enjoy tea and books? Fitbits and pedometers are a great gift for the lady who is wanting to work out more. Kitchen gadgets are one of my favourite things and many fit perfectly into stockings. Pictures, photo games, scrap booking..you will find all these items at London Drugs.

We make our stockings fun, edible and sometimes a little serious but we love that you can buy Stocking Stuffers for everyone at London Drugs. If you walk in and are not sure where to start, ask one of the employees, they are super helpful and can help you get the job done. Another great thing you may not know about London Drugs is they have a hassle-free return policy and price matching guarantee allowing them to save you trips around Calgary! You can find out more about the London Drugs Guarantee here.

What are your favourite stocking stuffers to buy or receive?!

Thank you to London Drugs for inviting and sponsoring me to write this post. As always, my opinions are my own based on my own experiences.

Israeli Couscous with Butternut Squash and Cranberries

Dec 14, 2015 · 4 Comments

This dish was an easy sell to the kids. They love pasta and Israeli couscous are small, round, pasta-like granules made from semolina and wheat flour. Once they heard the word pasta they were happy to try it and pick out what foreign objects (in their minds it’s squash and red onion) didn’t belong. You even cook this couscous like you would pasta by boiling it in a pot of salted water.

We grew up with the Canada Food Guide with dinners having a serving of carbs (rice, pasta or potato), fruits & veggies, dairy and protein. You kind of carry this mentality with you when you have your own kids. Fortunately those carbs translate into so many other things. Like this couscous salad for example. It counts as a serving of both carbs and you’ve got some veggies in there. We grilled up (yes it was -6 outside but those are minor details) sausage, pita bread and I made some home made tomato soup to serve with dinner. It was a delicious and filling meal. My husband who doesn’t love pasta but tolerates it for the kids sake, said he loved it – even the fresh red onions (which he also does not care for).

This recipe was made using several local ingredients. In fact the only ingredient not local would be the Israeli Couscous and the orange. The couscous was cooked in advance and cooled down in the refrigerator. It served four and there were leftovers so I know what my lunch will be today!

Israeli Couscous with Butternut Squash and Cranberries

Blueberry Mango Smoothie Bowl

Dec 7, 2015 · Leave a Comment

I’m not one to jump on a bandwagon. Never have been, never will be. Instead I view myself as an observer. I like to sit back, watch and see how it all unfolds. Over time. Cautious. Curious. Quiet. Discrete. A people watcher. Have always loved the bars for that very thing.

The smoothie bowl craze has been going on for a while now. And I’ve never really got it. I’ve been making smoothies since the 1990’s (yes it’s true) and the kids simply adore making them. What a great way to get extra good stuff into them. And then it hit me. Why not give it a go. Pour your damn smoothie into a bowl and add toppers to make it all pretty. Can’t be hard. Sounds pretty simple really. But I kept thinking about why would I want to eat my smoothie with a spoon when I’m a straw gal? So curious got to me and I did it. Made 3 of them in 6 days actually and ate my way through that damn bowl.

You know what I liked about it? Well it was a normal smoothie first off, but it had texture, chewy texture from the toppers and I found this uber cool. And I kind of liked eating it with a spoon. Who knew?! I might be a smoothie bowl convert. Maybe.

Celebrate the Season with Cococo Chocolatiers Holiday Delights – Giveaway

Dec 4, 2015 · 70 Comments

The holidays are not quite the holidays in our house without indulging in chocolate. Here you’ll find it in baking, under the tree, in stockings, put out for snacking, and sometimes even in advent calendars and hidden in my closet. We can honestly say December without chocolate is like coffee without the coffee beans. One of our favourite chocolates to have in the house during this time is the chocolate from Cococo Chocolatiers, a local manufacturer and retailer of sorts of chocolately goodness.

Cococo Chocolatiers, owners of Chocolaterie Bernard Callebaut, are based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada and offer their products exclusively at over 30 retail stores in Canada and the United States. It’s also available for online purchasing (winning) and they offer up some tasty recipes for you to try using their chocolate. Recently these guys took home prizes at the Canadian National Chocolate Competition, a nationwide arm of the International Chocolate Awards, including Gold, Silver and Bronze in numerous categories.

There are so many beautiful items to choose when you visit their stores or shop online (Bernard Callebaut), that it’s sometimes hard to choose and even harder to leave with just one item. I am especially fond of their fusion chocolate bars, sea salt caramels…..salted peanut butter chocolates..and well the list might be longer than expected.

So today is Friday and I’m so excited to be offering you the chance to win some Chocolaterie Bernard Callebaut Chocolate just in time for the holidays! We are giving away three prizes on the blog so you have a chance to win 1 of 3 delicious prizes!

First Prize is A Stylish Advent Calendar. If you like chocolate, then you’ll love this take on the holiday classic. For 12 days before the holidays, you can sit back and enjoy selections including flavours like Honey Anise, Apricot Jelly and Nutmeg Orange. The Cococo 12 days of Christmas chocolate box celebrates the holidays in style. A perfect gift!

Our second giveaway is the Tidings of Chocolate Traditional Chocolate Yule Log. The holidays aren’t the holidays without friends, family and a table full of treats. Only available during the holiday season, Cococo Chocolatiers, owners of Chocolaterie Bernard Callebaut® offer a traditional chocolate Yule Log that you will want to add to your holiday spread. Packed with a selection of individual chocolates, this holiday favourite comes in various sizes and can be filled with 16, 24 or 35 chocolates. Yum right?

Our third prize, and a personal favourite giveaway is not one but two Chocolate Bars That Rival Willy Wonka. Experience a new kind of chocolate bar with exclusive spiced fusion bars. These unique bars are infused with various spices and finished with Habanero Sea Salt. With flavours that include Oregano Fusion in dark chocolate and Rosemary Fusion in milk chocolate, these bars are the perfect addition to any holiday charcuterie board or glass of wine by the fire. I agree, they are the perfect accompaniment to a glass of red anywhere.

Enter this amazing chocolate giveaway below. It’s open to Canada only (excluding Quebec – sorry!) and will run until Friday, December 11th, 11:59pm. At that time 3 random winners will be selected and notified by e-mail. They must respond within 48 hours. Winners will receive their chocolate directly from Cococo Chocolatiers.

Thank-you Cococo Chocolatiers, [Chocolaterie Bernard Callebaut] for providing samples of this incredible giveaway, and for sponsoring this post. As always, all opinions remain my own.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Adopt a Kevin

Dec 3, 2015 · 4 Comments

It’s a tough time of the year for so many people, and an even tougher time to be trying to make a little extra money to help get by, only to be caught up in a scam and have your bank account emptied because you made a wrong choice. An empty bank account makes it difficult to pay bills and buy food.

That’s what happened to a friend of ours who many know as Podcast Kevin. Kevin used to live in Calgary. He decided to quit his job at SAIT and move on to follow his dreams and further his career, so he recently moved to Vancouver to go to school. Kevin is well known in the Calgary social media community and well respected. He created a Podcast that gets people talking. He encourages conversations about controversial topics on his social media feeds, sometimes hitting nerves but always creating awareness and a sense of community. Kevin likes to talk and get people talking. And he would most definitely give you the shirt off his back if you needed it.

Kevin hit some bad luck yesterday when he agreed to a Mystery Shopping gig to make some extra money. It was a scam and this scam emptied his bank account. The bank can’t help. The police can’t help. After several discussions today, a small army of us started chatting before lunch and decided to get together to rally around Kevin. We want to help. We decided not to set up a Go Fund Me Account as everyone is doing Go Fund Me’s right now, e-transfer is quicker & easy, and Go Fund Me Costs are 7.9% plus .30 per transaction with a wait time to receive funds. We wanted all the money to go to Kevin immediately.

People make mistakes. We all do, and we all have. If this happened to you, wouldn’t you hope someone would step up and believe in you and try to help?

Myself (Wanda), Donna McTaggart and Merry Kuchle have all been chatting about how to help Kevin. We want to send him a care package. Since Kevin lives in Vancouver, this package can’t be big. We’re looking for things like gift cards to grocery stores, shoppers drug mart, coffee places (he likes Tim’s), maybe a restaurant or two or visa cash cards (he needs to pay bills/rent)…all things he can use right now. Or, if you would rather donate cash to him, you can (just contact us for details on e-transfers)! We know it’s a tough time for people but if 200 people donated $25, we can ensure Kevin has a good Christmas season and starts the new year off right. If you are not able to donate we will gladly accept well wishes, cards, etc.

Donna and myself will be the contacts for picking up any and all items you would like to donate over the next week. We’d like to be able to ship to him on December 14th. Please help us help our good friend Kevin!

Please share on social media and use hashtag #AdoptAKevin

Our contact information is:

Donna: donnamc@kaos-consulting.com, Twitter:@donnamct, Facebook: Donna McTaggart

Wanda: wsbaker@gmail.com, Twitter: @wandabaker_, Facebook: Wanda Baker

How to Assemble a Charcuterie Board

Dec 1, 2015 · 4 Comments

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.

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.

Espresso Cookies

Nov 30, 2015 · Leave a Comment

I like coffee and I love the smell of coffee. But I typically can only drink about half a cup of coffee before I’ve had enough. I even like it cold so the new nitro cold coffee fad was made for me. Unless of course my coffee comes with baileys or some other delectable enhancer.

While I may not drink a lot of coffee, I do like to eat my coffee. In baking and rubs and whatever else might work.

For this recipe I whipped up a batch of cookie dough and dropped in some of my ground espresso. What happened next was this insanely delicious cookie dough. In fact it was hard to stop eating it. The ground espresso showed beautiful flakes in the dough. It’s easy to roll out and doesn’t need to be refrigerated to firm up before baking.

The cookie dough displays a strong coffee flavour. The baked cookie just a hint. In fact my kids love this cookie (they are to young to drink coffee so they don’t really recognize the coffee flavour). You can add some sprinkles or not. Cut out any shape you like, re-roll and start over. These cookies were so good I’m going to go espresso & cookie crazy I think since the combinations could be endless.

Green Apple and Cranberry Quinoa Salad

Nov 26, 2015 · 9 Comments

Our Green Apple and Cranberry Quinoa Salad combines sweet from the cranberries, nutty from the toasted pumpkin seeds, sour from the green apple and umami from the cheese. This is one of our favourite quinoa salads and makes a complete meal, or the perfect side!

Green Apple and Cranberry Quinoa Salad

If you follow my blog you will know how much I love quinoa. It’s not a fad for me, I never jumped on the quinoa band wagon when it was trending, I genuinely like eating it and reaping the benefits from eating this ancient grain.

It’s delicious as a salad, made into quinoa burgers or stuffed into things like quinoa stuffed peppers with red chili. Search quinoa in this blog to see what else we’ve done with this tasty grain!

Quinoa

You may read some quinoa recipes where they insist you rinse or soak the grain. Absolutely not needed. I’ve been making quinoa for years, never soaked or rinsed it and never tasted anything odd, off or bad from the bitter saponin. Perhaps its like when you eat cilantro, some like it some taste soap. Or maybe it’s the brand I buy that makes my quinoa tastes just like I’d ordered it in a restaurant (and I have eaten quinoa many times in restaurants and cafes)! But you do you. If you want to soak or rinse the quinoa, go for it!

Quinoa is a power house grain. It’s a complete source of plant based protein, has fiber, vitamins, minerals and is a complex carb.

Did you know there are 7 different types of Quinoa?! I’ve cooked with the red, white and black but there is also a tri-colour variation, quinoa flour, quinoa flakes and quinoa crisps! I tend to cook more with the white quinoa but they are all fabulous choices!

The perfect quick meal

I like to cook up a big batch of quinoa on Sunday to prepare for the week. It stays fluffy in a sealed contained in the refrigerator and is ready to go when I want to make a quick healthy meal on a busy activity night or whip up a delicious salad for lunch.

It’s the perfect side meal to a grilled piece of chicken or fish, or for me, I could eat this salad by itself every day!

PRO TIPS

I prefer cool quinoa to just cooked and warm so I cook mine the day before.
Change up your cheese. Use an aged cheddar, smoked gouda, asiago, manchego or any cheese with flavour.
This salad is gluten-free.
Keeps in the fridge for next day meals.
Swap toasted pine nuts, pistachios or sunflower seeds for pepitas.

Looking for more quinoa salad recipes to try? Check these out!

Blueberry and Halloumi Quinoa Salad with Charred Corn
Green Quinoa Salad
Thai Inspired Quinoa Salad
Cucumber and Mint Quinoa Salad
Pomegranate and Orange Quinoa Salad (perfect for Halloween)
Leftover Turkey Quinoa Salad

If you made this recipe tag Wanda Baker on Instagram and hashtag it #bakersbeans or #wandabaker.

Recipes (Main)

Watergate Salad Trifle

Did You Know

Cococo Chocolatiers

TIPS & TRICKS

Looking for more ideas, here’s some of our most popular desserts!

Roasted Poblano Turkey Chili

Chili Toppers

Leftovers

PRO TIPS

Here’s more chili recipes to check out:

Jicama and Green Apple Slaw

What is Jicama?

What else can you do with Jicama?

PRO TIPS

Here’s a few other must try vegetarian recipes!

PRO TIPS

Banh Mi Sliders

Quick Pickle

Vietnamese Food

Pro Tips

Check out these other Asian inspired recipes:

What is Fry Bread?

Inspiration

Camping

Fry Bread Cafe

Berry Orange Smoothie Bowl

Holiday celebrations

PRO TIPS:

Mango Coconut Smoothie

Smoothie Revolution

PRO TIPS

Green Apple and Cranberry Quinoa Salad

Quinoa

The perfect quick meal

PRO TIPS

Looking for more quinoa salad recipes to try? Check these out!

wandabaker_

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