All posts in Foodie Like Me

Wink Wink,Carrot Cake (Recipe Request)

by admin on January 10, 2012 in Domestic Damsel, Foodie Like Me with 1 Comment

For those of you who have smiled nicely but not been willing to try making my ‘healthier’ dishes and dessert, please give this amazingly fluffy, spicy, caramel-y cake a try.  Brave doing it THE SAME way I made it! Change the veggie or the sugar and I can’t guarantee the same results.

CARROT CAKE

1 3/4 cups Organic Palm Sugar
1 1/2 cups Unbleached Flour
1/2 cup Chick Pea Flour
2 tsps Baking Soda
2 tsps Organic Cinnamon (ground)
A good pinch of salt

Mix these first items in a big bowl and set aside.

2 tsps Vanilla (I don’t use the extract)
1 1/4 cup Grape Seed Oil
4 Eggs
3 cups grated YAM

Cream together the wet items then add to the dry and mix well.
Put in a 9×13 inch greased pan and bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes.

Eat hot as is or ice once cooled.  We don’t have a solution for icing being low glycemic for my husband so we eat it warm.  Due to the palm sugar it is very low glycemic and the extra protein of the chick pea really helps balance your blood sugars too.  Yam is supposed to be one of the best veggies for vitamins and minerals so I try to sneak it into my kids diets where ever I can.  Surprisingly easy because of its natural sweet taste.

Post any questions you have:)

TTFN

And WE Made Cookies!

by admin on January 6, 2012 in Adventure and Me, Bits Of My Personality, Domestic Damsel, Foodie Like Me, Mama Heart Mushings with No comments

Two things I have said that I retract… as of today…

ONE, I don’t make cookies and TWO, guess you have to be a chef or a baker and I am no baker anymore.  It is amazing what more time can do for a mom’s self esteem!  With HAVING to make our bread every week I couldn’t help but retain that skill, but with Garnet diagnosed with hypoglycemia I let my baking skills mostly slide.  Especially where cookies where concerned as I always found them such a struggle, so time consuming and so often a failure of mine.

With Garnet’s shoulders both damaged due to two different accidents of late I have been home bound while I let him use our only vehicle more often.  Before his shoulder issues he was commuting by bike YEAR ROUND.  This means I am feeling more domestic as I have no choice but to put off all the run around stuff I have been expected to do since moving to the city, and I am lov’n it!

With more time on my hands I decided we needed cookies.  My little man, who is three now, and I have the mornings alone together and we needed the together project as well as the treats that result from cookie making.  It all became necessary after yesterdays trips to two grocery stores.  He loves grocery trips, even asking when we don’t need to if I will take him anyway.  He loves grocery trips because I figured out what other mom’s apparently knew for years… the baker will let you child have a free cookie!  So he got a gigantic ginger snap from Superstore and a fat chocolate chip from Safeway.  I got a happy little man and a kick out of his deep deep pleasure in cookie eating.  I recalled how much I adored them as a child, pretty much all of us did right?!  I remembered how AMAZING my mothers home made chocolate chip cookies where… we needed home made cookies around here again!  And that!  That would be up to ME!!

Once home I also remembered how badly every single batch of my mom’s famous cookies turned out when I made them… doubt set in… uncertainty… apprehension… but my craving and my boys chocolate smeared smile pushed me through the haze of horrible memory flash backs and I GOT OUT MY BOWL TODAY!  Yes the cookie batter mixing bowl, and the spatula, and the ingredients!  I then called my mom for help and let her walk me through my rough spots over the phone

When I poured in the chocolate chips my boy cheered ‘You put in chocolate!  You are so good mommy’!  When I let him mix he exclaimed, ‘We do dis together Mama, US make cookies.  Iz you and me’!  And my heart glowed.

My tummy glowed too, as I munched down my first… well two first cookies.  My three year old got SOOOO quiet when I set two cookies and a glass of milk before him.  Ironically that spoke deeper then all his adorable praises as we prepared the cookies.

Today was a big day… today we made cookies!

P.S. Oops… burnt tongue…I never ever seem to remember to not put the stray chocolate chips straight into my mouth after removing hot cookies from the pan.  HOT CHOCOLATE!

TTFN

Christmas Eve Snippets

by admin on December 24, 2011 in Domestic Damsel, Feeling It (Thankful), Foodie Like Me, Holiday Messages, Mama Heart Mushings, People In My Heart with 1 Comment

Has been another day of cooking in the kitchen and yet, unlike so many previous years, I am happy there… prepping the ‘pigs in a blanket’ and the cake of ‘gingerbread’.  We will have a house full of family tonight for our Christmas eve ‘Scottish Tea Party’.  This is something we do every year with the kids and this year it just worked out that more people are coming.

 Has been a day of making sure the house is nicely prepared for guests and so I have less to do tomorrow.  New Christmas decorations (like the mitten garland) are up and the floors are sparkling. Fresh sheets are ready for the guest bed and clean towels.  For the first time ever we are also having a sleep over on Christmas!  My sister and her daughter will be with us since her man is away with work.  The home will be all the cozier with extra loved ones to shower with generosity.

Has been a day of receiving early gifts!  Our neighbors are always so kind, today was no different.  They stopped in with WINE and CHOCOLATE for us!  Later my mother arrived (the folks are staying at my big brothers) with my first lesson on my sowing machine AND a pretty box of sowing tools!  Grand moments of generosity sent our way!

The anticipation is building and the kids are almost bursting with cheer and excitement.  We had cornflakes for supper and it just added to their joy at how special holidays are!

I anticipate a lovely evening over tea and shortbread and then a reasonable early night so I can be ready for gifts, stockings and then a brunch with loved ones!

Thank GOD for holidays!

TTFN

Bake Off Day Two

by admin on December 22, 2011 in Domestic Damsel, Foodie Like Me, Four Little Eggs In My Nest, Holiday Messages, People In My Heart with No comments
(My sister and I, in two of my favourite and most faithful aprons!  Working hard, but not too hard!)

 Christmas bake off day two 2011 was a big success!  We got so much accomplished so quickly!  We made many many cranberry tarts and fudge walnut tarts!  I added extra dark chocolate to the fudge ones and MAN the samples we had where LOVELY!

 Add my sisters daughter to the mix and we had an audience of up to five kids and a dog, when all in attendance.  I so appreciate my kitchen at times like this.  The open concept means the kids can literally hang around and easily see what is going on, without being under our feet.  They have gotten very good, and fast, at pulling up chairs to get a spectator spot.

(My youngest two kids hanging off the half wall of my kitchen.  Eyes glued on what their Auntie is making, TARTS!)

 Before the afternoon was through Mirelle got the Dutch Almond Spice rolled out and filled with their soft sweet filling.  Flaky pie crust filled with ground almond flavored with a little spice and lemon, sweetened with icing sugar.  They come out so lovely and golden thanks to an egg glaze. )

(Almond Spice log, ready for the oven)
(Fresh out of the oven! I feel like they could be such pretty little gifts if wrapped with a Christmas ribbon like a wreath is)

We all had such a great day together.  My playlist of favorite Christmas music on repeat; tea and coffee available to us at any time.  A plate of lovely home made treats to refresh and fill us with energy (gifted to me JUST that morning by a good friend).  We rolled up our sleeves, dawned our aprons and joyfully enjoyed one anothers company and conversation, while working in the kitchen!  The kids played really good for us, so in no time we where able to head off to meet and greet the mall Santa.

I feel like Christmas baking should always be a group event.  Good friends and loving family are a must!

Well, other then the fresh cakes of gingerbread, that I will prepare Christmas Eve for our tea, and the pancakes and pigs in a blanket for Christmas brunch (all of which really need to be made the day of to enjoy most), I am done my Christmas baking!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

TTFN

Christmas Treats That Schmeck

by admin on December 20, 2011 in Book Flavor, Foodie Like Me, Holiday Messages, People In My Heart with No comments

‘Food that Really Schmecks’ by Edna Staebler

I have mentioned this favorite old cook book before. I ‘inherited’ it, if you will, from my grandma. Her and my mother have enjoyed their copies of it for many many years, and so I had to have one too. Full of sweet stories and lovely practical Mennonite recipes, I have come to enjoy flipping through it time and time again as well. A favorite recipe that stopped me in my tracks the first time I had a gander was “Cranberry Pie”, or tarts if you put it into little shells instead.

Oh how pretty cranberries are. They are a favorite of mine and yet because of the punch-y bite they carry it can be hard to use them in large amounts. Some might have assumed this pie would be too tart right away, but seeing as my other total favorite pie is JUST rhubarb I figured I could handle it. Well hello cherry pie taste with no pitting! Yup, as lovely as cherry pie but FAR easier when making the filling from scratch!

I just boiled up a batch of filling today, in preparation for day two of my holiday baking cook off tomorrow. It looks so amazing on the stove, such a beautiful colour! I can’t help but feel cheery while cooking it:) This is a beautiful Christmas treat that will brighten up any holiday gathering!

Bellow is the recipe for the filling. Other then that all you need is a top and bottom pie crust from your favourite pastry recipe.

REMEMBER to make this ahead and cool in the fridge, even over night, because it really adds to the flavour!

Cranberry Pie

2 cups whole cranberries (fresh best but frozen are just fine)
1 cup chopped raisins
2 cups organic sugar (or coconut sugar, just add a half cup more)
2 cups water
2 generous tablespoons of unbleached flour
2 tsps vanilla
2 Tbsps butter

  1. Bring all the items listed to boil in a pot.
  2. Stir until nicely thickened.
  3. Turn the temperature down to low and let it stew down for 15 minutes.
  4. Cool thoroughly before putting into a crust. Best if it is cooled overnight in the fridge, for best taste.
  5. For tarts I will roll out the crust for the tops and use cookie cutters to cut out cute shapes in it, then just put a small shape in the middle of each tart.
  6. For pies I put it in a full shell top and bottom, putting a little design in it with a knife and then brushing the top with milk and sprinkling with sugar to give it a glow.
  7. BAKE at 350 degrees for about 30 in pie or tart crust(s).

VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS and GOD BLESS YOU ALL!

TTFN

Day One Of The X-mas Bake Off

by admin on December 17, 2011 in Domestic Damsel, Foodie Like Me, Holiday Messages, People In My Heart with No comments
(Garnet’s sugarless blue berry pies, they are his priority this baking season. Yum, can’t wait.)

Mirelle started it… I was complaining about how I miss eating Christmas baking and she encouraged me to go for it again. We plan to get together during the holidays and make favorite items from our x-mas baking list but I woke up eager to feel like I had accomplished something so I crossed off a few from my list.

My Christmas Baking List

  • -walnut fudge pie or tarts
  • -cranberry pie or tarts
  • -ginger bread cakes (2)
  • -Scottish shortbread
  • -scuffles
  • -pumpkin spice roll out sugar cookies

And the last three are almost done. I am waiting for the scuffle dough to finish rising before I can work it into sweet little crescents. I must break for supper before making the butter icing for the pumpkin sugar cookies. Otherwise I feel well under way with the Scottish shortbread done and in the freezer. We will be enjoying them and the ginger cakes at our yearly Scottish tea on Christmas eve.

I put this off for a lot of years, with good reason… with Garnet being hypoglycemic it isn’t easy to make baking that is family friendly and secondly with moving to the city (and the crazy new life style that involves) and having my fourth child, I felt fine with just sluffing off the Christmas baking. We worked super hard at keeping this season nice and calm and it was so calm I guess I just needed a little nudge to give into the baking bug that was already niggling me.

I will for sure let you know how it goes when (and hopefully if) we, Mirelle and I and perhaps more, manage to do a together bake off night! Merry Christmas!

BESTEST BUTTER ICING 🙂

2 cups organic icing sugar
2 1/2 Tbsps cream (or whole goats milk works great)
4 Tbsps butter
1 tsp vanilla

Over medium heat melt the butter in the cream till smooth. Add vanilla and stir. Mix in sugar till smooth. Remove from the heat and beat with an electric mixer till thick and smooth.

TTFN

Roll Out Pumpkin Sugar Cookies (Recipe Request)

by admin on December 16, 2011 in Domestic Damsel, Foodie Like Me with No comments

(Phew, thought I lost this recipe… It has been a few years since my eldest daughter and I used it last. I am looking forward to making it with the kids again.)

  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup packed organic coconut sugar
  • 1 tablespoon orange zest
  • 1/2 cup solid pack pumpkin puree (or yam)
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups unbleached flour
  • 1/4 cup chick pea flour
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 pinch salt
  1. In a medium bowl, cream the butter, sugar, and orange zest. Stir in the pumpkin or yam. Add the eggs and vanilla, mix well.
  2. Sift together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt; stir into the pumpkin mixture. Chill dough for 30 minutes.
  3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
  4. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes and place onto an unprepared cookie sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven.
  5. Decorate, when cooled off, with frosting or candy.

TTFN

Winter Wonderland Maquerade Tea

by admin on November 27, 2011 in Adventure and Me, Bits Of My Personality, Domestic Damsel, Foodie Like Me with 1 Comment

Trying something knew and having a winter tea was an adventure for me, especially when I decided to have my first masquerade party. After seeing so many pretty masks in October I was looking for an excuse to wear some. My summer tea this year was a grand affair but many important ladies where not able to attend and so I decided to throw a winter-y event.

Most of the evening I wore a lovely brown fur cape I have that has the prettiest satin bow paired with my pink dress gloves, but it got a little warm. My youngest daughter managed to keep her furry red scarf on all night, with her feathered mask, and she must have drank tea all night long. My oldest put on her cat mask and looked adorable in a hand made pink collar that my mother had found. Icing on the cake was finding out last minute that my Mom was going to be able to attend. She was so much help and such a great conversationalist.
It was grand fun to see what everyone picked to wear and all the creativity and uniqueness my circle of women have. One talented friend came in a costume dress she herself had made. Another had made her own lovely blue mask. A third had her daughter make hers in true sweet heart of a mother style. We had a lady who looked the princess in her gown of soft blue and ladies in more modern attire that suited their sophisticated taste.As usual everyone contributed to our snacks and we had a beautiful spread. It was so pleasant to see a collection of modern women drinking from my pretty collection of ‘real’ tea cups and all in all it was a sweet evening.You just don’t fine two women completely alike and they are so fabulous to get to know, each and every one!

TTFN

Dedicated Tea Drinker

by admin on November 24, 2011 in Bits Of My Personality, Foodie Like Me with No comments

I suggest you get a cup of tea and pull yourself, and it, up to this here computer and then read on!

Don’t get me wrong I like my coffee, and espresso especially, a lot but it is a heavy duty drink and I have got myself used to just a cup a day and anymore really does seem HEAVY to me. Tea, on the other hand, is available for every ordinary and extra ordinary occasion in my days. It is a comfort drink to me where coffee is kinda get pumped up and go for it drink. Tea is cozy, coffee is intense.
I wake to my black tea each morning with breakfast. I find it slows me down in a lovely way by being an excuse for couch time; ‘I could use a sit down and a cup of rooibos‘. When my tummy is upset, even just from nerves, then my mint green or mint chamomile are a good friend and confidant. Wrap my hands around a cup of it and breath…drink… think… breath… When I feel like rewarding myself, usually with a side of chocolate, the double chai is there to make me feel like I am having a hurrah moment or a personal little party (any reason will do, did the dishes really fast LETS CELEBRATE, pass me the chocolate and tea).
Ah yes, tis a grand thing to drink tea and to think I used to wonder at the amount my great great aunt Ruth could drink in a day and the amount of times she would break out the tea pot and cups to sit with… I am just as bad if not worse. When I am home for the day I stare down a full cup of tea over and over and over and over and…

Here’s a little facebook post I put up to get some fresh ideas for tea types. And after my post are some of the responses.

Asking all dedicated tea drinkers to share their top 5 favourite teas with me:

Here are the four teas I count as favourites as I go to them through out each and every day… (the teas I own and enjoy are a much longer list for sure)

  1. Rooibos (plain)
  2. Stash’s Double Spice Chai (gotta have my chai SPICY)
  3. Stash’s Mojito Mint Green (the only green I can really enjoy)
  4. Twinnings Earl Grey (my faithful morning friend)
  5. Peppermint Camomile (when I wanna calm right down)


One pal was all about loose leaf tea and a company called ‘Steeped’ in particular, here are her picks:

 1. Machiatto dreram (roobios)
 2. Dark chocolate Chai
 3. Earl grey de la creme
 4. Toffee crunch (roobios)
 5. Eggnoggin (green tea/black tea mix)

My second friend to share had three and I have to say, knowing she ADORES pomegranates and introduced me to pomegranate tea, I wasn’t surprised by her choices:

i like chai, peppermint, or pomegranate (green tea)

Third response was this:

Rooibos Caramello. It’s from my favourite tea store called The Blue Teapot in North Vancouver.

Fourth response:

I like Cherrybana by Paper Street Teas. Fruit combo, great warm, amazing chilled.

Fifth response:

Blooming teas in a glass teapot are my fav… Then a good authentic chai.

The Sixth response was my husband, he needed to put his two cents in:

1) Rooibos Provence is pretty amazing.
2) I also enjoy Mulberry Leaf tea from time to time.
But watch out for teas by a company named BIJA, yes they are healthy, but you might have a nicer drink by simply filling your tea cup with dirt and weeds.

Seventh response:

I have a fav ginger tea….can’t remember who makes it though.

Eighth response was from one of my sisters:

My favourite is Lime Gelato from David’s Tea, it is amazing. My next favourite from there is Buttercream. They are both pricey , but I am always glad I splurged when I have them.

Ninth response:

I love Chai! Twinnings Earl Grey, then Ginger Peach, good ol’ Orange Pekoe, and Lemon zinger for when I’m sick.

TTFN

Apple Sauce Every Where

by admin on September 13, 2011 in Better Check Out Links, Domestic Damsel, Foodie Like Me with No comments

I am SO done with apple sauce this year. I have made more then enough frozen bundles of the stuff for us to have a batch of it a week till June. Over 100 cups of boiled and sweetened apples. My hands are cramping and sore and my feet are killing me so I told my man not to bring another single apple off that tree into my kitchen.

I am really happy with all the work done though. We are really enjoying the treat already and will all winter with the amount I stored up. The apples where nice and big, reddish and juicy this year. I hardly had to add any water. Needed less sweetener this year and we went with coconut sugar so Garnet can enjoy the sweet treat too. I then added a generous amount of organic cinnamon to each batch. All mixed together to a smooth sauce this year. I have done chunky in the past but thought if I want to add the sauce to pie or squares I can just chop up some extra apples at the time. I like my apple sauce smooth.

Not sure how I missed out on rhubarb this year. The whole time I was working on the apples I was kicking myself that I forgot about making our winter store of rhubarb strew! Oh bother… we will have to do without this favorite this year.

Well after days of a kitchen filled with jars and freezer bags and wooden spoons, great big pots boiling away and apples in buckets, in the sink being washed, on the counter being chopped or in the pot being sauced, all of this STICKY, I am thrilled to clean it all up for another year. This mommy is putting it away knowing job well done.

P.s. Related POST HERE:)

TTFN

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