I promised my nieces Halloween Cookies. “Aunt Holly, will you bake some Halloween cookies?” No problem. “Fancy-spooky decorated ones?” Ummm… Sure kids, why not. I used to love baking elaborately decorated sugar cookies for Christmas, but that was back when I had a large kitchen to work in with lots of counter space to roll out dough. Now I have a tiny apartment kitchen … [Read more...]
Four Secret Rules to Making Perfect Nachos at Home {Recipe}
Now, don't laugh, but it took me years to figure out how to make decent nachos at home. Every couple of months I'd give it another go and something always went wrong. The chips were burnt around the edges but the cheese was barely melty, the chips were soggy in the middle, or the toppings were so-so. I would throw up my hands, say "I give up, I can't make nachos!", and a few … [Read more...]
10 Recipes & Crafts to Celebrate Canada Day
Canada's 150th birthday is coming up! How are you planning to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Confederation? It's amazing what differences an invisible border between us and our cousins in the south can do, but divisive it is, and it's led to some interesting foods that we can call uniquely Canadian. In Canada, eh... Milk might be something found the world over, but … [Read more...]
17 Easy Smores Recipes to Enjoy at Home
With the first day of summer just around the corner, it's time to look forward to exciting adventures in the sun with the family in tow. When I dream of summertime fun, I can't help but immediately think of camping. Pitching tents, paddling in a canoe, and the absolute must, setting up a campfire. Campfires are a magical place, filled with laughter, songs & stories, a … [Read more...]
D.I.Y. Mulled Cider Recipe
Forget that powdered stuff, mulled cider is so easy to make at home. It's a favourite cold weather treat in our house. Coming home from school to a warm cup of cider is always something my kids look forward to (particularly on days when the walk home from the bus is chilly). You can get this ready in about two minutes and then leave it simmering on low until you're ready for … [Read more...]
What do you do with pie scraps? You make a Sugar Dog!
When I was a kid my mom used to make these homemade tourtieres each year around Christmas. My favourite part of the whole process was waiting around to see how much leftover pie dough there would be. I'd be hoping my mom would make us kids a "sugar dog" or two. I always worried she would forget. Or that she would somehow use up every last bit of dough in making her meat … [Read more...]
Warm Up Your Cold Winter Nights with Mulled Wine { Recipe Favourites }
Homemade mulled wine is so simple to make. The recipe basically amounts to toss a bunch of things in a stock pot, simmer, and enjoy. You're cutting the alcohol with cranberry juice and apple juice or cider. So it won't get you silly as quick as drinking plain old wine. Plus there is just something so cozy about a warm drink on a cold night. The mere act of holding a warm mug of … [Read more...]
My Mom’s French Canadian Meat Pie Recipe
My mom makes the best French Canadian style meat pie. I've been after her for years to teach me her tourtière recipe. She's been making meat pies for Christmas for as long as I can remember. Each year in late November or December she spends a day in the kitchen, with her tall metal stock pot, cooking homemade tourtières. When I was a kid she would set aside an entire day … [Read more...]
A Recipe for Black Velvet Beef Stew (a.k.a. Snakebite Stew)
Okay, so here's the story. Back in my pub night filled misspent youth I used to like ordering this drink which was a mix of hard cider and stout (usually Guinness). It's known as a Black Velvet, or sometimes it's called a Snakebite. Last night I was making stew for dinner. I often add beer to our stew. This time, thinking back to the taste of that Black Velvet drink, I … [Read more...]
Thick & Chewy Muffin Tin Sugar Cookies
It's been awhile since we last baked something together, so when the big kid asked if we could make cookies for Family Day I said yes. Poking around the kitchen to see what ingredients we had at hand it was decided that we would make sugar cookies. We assembled all of the ingredients on the dining room table, dumped things into our over-sized bowl and mixed and mixed and … [Read more...]
When Life Gives You Chicken Pox, Have an Ice Cream Bar….
This post has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. As always, my words and opinions are my own. #CollectiveBias Did you know you can get chickenpox even if you've had the vaccine? A few weeks back the big kid went camping with Scouts and came home with an unexpected souvenir. The day we picked her up from camp we got an email from her Beaver leader … [Read more...]
Snowstorm Sushi Tuna Bombs {Recipe}
We had planned to go for groceries this afternoon, but we ended up staying home because it was snowing like crazy out. I know, I know, I'm Canadian. It's winter. Snow is expected. And I know many people would just plow on out there, but I figure if the roads are crap and I don't absolutely need to be on them, why risk it? The thing is we needed groceries. We were out of … [Read more...]
PJs & Pancakes: Birthday Party Fun with Fisher Price Little People {plus Pumpkin Pancake Recipe}
Fisher-Price sent me on a mission to check out their new Little People First Birthday site. Now everyone in this family is well past their first birthday, but that didn't stop us from having some Fisher-Price style fun. My kids, yes even the seven year old, still love their Little People and play with them frequently. Browsing through the party planning suggestions I decided a … [Read more...]
Pasta with Scrambled Eggs and Cherry Tomatoes
If there was ever a day when I just wanted to curl up in the corner of my couch with a blanket it's today. Yesterday we spent the entire day pulling weeds and trying to tame the mess that is our backyard and now I am sore, sore and tired; feeling old and like a nap is the most desirable thing in the universe. I'm all stuffed up, blowing my nose constantly, and I'm not sure if … [Read more...]
Big-Batch Shepherd’s Potluck Pie Recipe, #PotluckChallenge #FRD2014
Ingredients: 1 tbsp olive oil 450g pack of ground chicken 2 packs of Compliments Jamie Oliver Herb & Garlic sausages 1 cup of onion, chopped 1 bag of pre-shredded carrots 3 cloves of garlic 1 5.5fl oz. can tomato paste 2 tbsp fresh thyme, leaves only 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped 2 tbsp fresh parsley 1 tbsp red wine vinegar 2 cups low sodium chicken broth 1 cup frozen … [Read more...]
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