Moving on

If anyone who reads this is interested I have moved on to a different blog and website. The web address is this  http://prairiewindslife.weebly.com/

Pizza Pretzels!

Okay so I love love love the pizza pretzels you can get from Safeway or a lot of different grocery stores, you know the ones that have poppy seeds in them and have the red sauce and a bit of onions and cheese on top! Ya those ones! Well every once in awhile I just crave them, especially when I am about to go on a road trip because they are very much a road trip food to me. I like to make things because well I am too cheap and lazy to drive 30 minutes just to go to the store and buy them. Here is a recipe that I have put together for my pizza pretzels.

Ingredients:

Bread:
1 1/3 Cup of Water
2 Teaspoons Sugar
1 1/4 Teaspoons Salt
2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons of Poppy Seeds
3 Cups of White Flour
1 Teaspoon of Baking Soda
1 1/2 Teaspoons of Bread Machine Yeast

Toppings:
1 Cup Shredded Mozzarella
1 Shredded Small White Onion
1/2 Cup of Tomato Sauce


Directions:

1) Add the ingredients for the bread to your bread machine in order that is listed. 
2) Set to dough setting and walk away while the machine does the work.
3) Once done pre heat the oven to 350 degrees F
4) Cut the dough into 6 pieces and then roll the dough out to make a long think band (about 15 inches or less) then form into a pretzel shape by taking one end to the middle and making a circle. Repeat with the other side. Place on a cookie sheet that is lined with parchment paper.
5) Let rest for 10-15 minutes.
6) Add toppings to each pretzel and put in the oven for between 15-20 minutes. Check the bottom of the pretzels and if they are not a light brown then let cook for a few more minutes.
7) Let cool and then enjoy!

So I have been a naughty girl again...
Life gets busy and well when you have two kids it gets even busier. But I am back. I am hoping to post at least once a week but we will see how that goes, again life gets busy. But I do like to write and I do like doing this blog and sharing recipes and just things that I have discovered about being a wife and stay at home mom. 
Life has gotten busier since we welcomed our newest into the family on April 3rd. He is a husky little guy and weighed a whopping 9lbs 3oz! The first month I will admit was a bit of a struggle, it is hard to balance two kids at first. You feel bad spending too much time with one over the other and then you just go to bed sometimes feeling guilty that you are not doing a good job. Maybe everyone doesn't feel that way but I know I sure did. There was some days where I felt like I was especially failing my two year old girl. I think that it is an adjustment that every parent goes through from transitioning from one to two, I have heard that, that transition is the hardest. 
I have been pretty lucky to have two really good babies. Olivia was an amazing baby and is a really good kid and so I felt bad when she was acting out because it was a change for her to go from being the only one to well not being the only one anymore. Colton is a good baby but he sure loves to just be held and doesn't like missing out. Now that things have settled down and we are all in a groove now, life is back to normal and we have a system that seems to work. 
Here are a few things that I have found that has helped things to get better and transition easier from one to two kids.

1) Include you toddler as much as possible! 
I make sure Olivia helps me with cleaning, baking, changing the babies diaper, giving him a bath, you name it I try and get her to help. Getting them to help helps them to feel like they are being included and not abandoned. All they want to do is feel loved and like their world has not completely changed so getting them to help seems to help them feel confident in their world.

2) When baby is napping and they are awake spend time with them:
I know holding a new born baby is by far one of the most amazing feelings and moments ever! There is nothing like the smell and cuddling of a little sleeping baby on your chest... but you know what its okay to put them down once in awhile. Especially when you have another one who needs your love and cuddles just as much. Now when Colton is napping and Olivia is awake we go and play or draw or even just veg on the couch together and cuddle.That alone time is just as important to them as it should be to you, I love our one on one times now because I can see how she plays and get to know her little personality as it is growing and changing everyday.

3) Try and let them play together:
I know a new baby doesn't do much, but bring the baby to where your toddler and you are playing. I lay Colton on a blanket on the floor beside us while we build blocks or play in her bedroom and I encourage Olivia to talk to him and "play" with him as well. She thinks its hilarious when he is batting away with his hands and gets excited when he sees her. My husband and I want them to grow up and be best friends and in order to do that we have to encourage them to play from the very beginning and I have to say it is working because she adores him and vice versa.  

4) Patience...
So this is something I so suck at in life, always have. I try and try again but I have some very strong Scottish blood in me and can flair up pretty fast. When my toddler is driving me up the wall because she has digressed in something or she is being crazy, I just take a deep breathe and have to remind myself that her whole world just changed drastically a few months ago. My husband has been so good to help me with this, because I was feeling like a terrible mom a few weeks back because I knew I was losing my patience often at Olivia. So I took a step back and re grouped and then learned to just have lots of love and patience.

Again these are just a few things I felt helped with the whole transition for our little family going from three to four.

Oh man have I ever been bad... it has been almost 6 months since I last wrote a blog entry. That's not to say I haven't been cooking, shopping or making cute things at home, I just have been super busy. But I am back as life is starting to settle down for the fall and winter months. We have some exciting news which was posted on Facebook on Monday, we are expecting number two and really excited about this little peanut to join our family around the beginning of April. 
Today I decided to rant about two products that quite honestly why on earth do we spend the excessive amount of money on products that don't overly satisfy us.

The first product is Pampers... yes the diapers that are on so many commercials and advertised everywhere as the diapers parents prefer. Well not this very unsatisfied mother, actually it is quite irritating that you spend sometimes up to $50.00 for this box of diapers and you have to change your childs sheets every night and strip them down because they are soaking wet! This name brand prides them self and has even named their one brand "Baby Dry" and says how awesome they are. I have been disappointed every time I have tried Pampers and I have officially given up on giving them chances. Actually it's not just them but Huggies as well, so I will tell you the two best brands that I swear by and are HALF the price are Mom 2 Mom that you can get at Safeway and the Presidents Choice name brand diapers at any Loblaws store. I just paid $17.99 for 110 pack of size 5 diapers and Olivia hasn't had a bursting diaper when she wakes up. That to me is worth my sanity.

The second product it Oxy Clean, this product has been okay. But there are just some tough stains that it seemed to never get out, whether it was Olivia's stains or even yellowing in the armpits from Matt and I's clothing. It just never got it out. One time I soaked one of Olivia's onsies that she covered in something for two days and you know what it didn't take out the stain. So I tried it again and again nothing, I was frustrated because Oxy Clean isn't cheap, well thanks to good ol Pintrest someone posted a DIY oxy clean which is just hydrogen peroxide and baking soda. So I said why not give it a shot and tried it out on some of Olivias clothing that I gave the sentencing of having to throw out. Not that hopeful I went about making the paste version and you know what... IT WORKED!! So I took a bunch of clothing that I had some unforgiving stains and some of Matt's church shirts that the collars and arm pits were getting gross and they all look brand new now! The best part is, is that it is pennies to make what you need and if I get snowed in and need to do laundry and have stains no worries because it is all in my house! 

So those are a few things! Here is the link to the blog I got the DIY oxy clean from!

http://myamericanconfessions.blogspot.ca/2012/06/wednesday-diy-oxyclean-at-home.html?m=1   

Quinoa Experiment

    I decided to experiment with Quinoa this week so I made a loaded Quinoa mac and cheese.

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup of uncooked Quinoa
1/4 Cup Velveeta Cheese cut up into cubes
1/4 Cup Ricotta
1/2 Cup Broccoli 
1/4 Cup Red Peppers
1/4 Cup Old Cheddar Cheese
1 Tsp Butter
1 Garlic Clove
1 Egg
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Cook Quinoa accordingly to the package directions. While Quinoa is cooking preheat oven to 350F. 
2. Start cooking the cheese sauce, in a small sauce pan melt the Velveeta cheese and the Ricotta cheese, add salt and pepper to taste. Once melted and bubbly then remove from heat.
3. Cut vegetables into small pieces and mince the garlic. in a small sauce pan melt the butter till bubbly then add the garlic and and veggies and saute for a few minutes. 
4. When quinoa is done cooking add the egg, cheese sauce and veggies. Mix well and then add to a small pirex dish or casserole dish. Sprinkle cheese on top to coat it and then place in the oven. Cook for 20 minutes to 30 minutes, until top is cooked and bubbly. 


*Note: This serves two people and has a calorie content of 466 calories per serving. You can add other veggies as well. I did this recipe because I wanted a healthier option then a regular mac and cheese with noodles, the same size serving would have a calorie content of about 1100 calories. This recipe is packed full of way more nutrients and are not "empty" calories.

So Much Better Making It Yourself!

So I absolutely LOVE the Cajun Chicken Cheddar Sandwich at Earls but I mean I can't go there once a month to eat it, its expensive and well I don't have time for that! So I tend to try and copycat dishes I like and see how it turns out, well and this one is a winner winner chicken dinner... literally! So here is my take on this delectable sandwich.


Copycat Earls Cajun Chicken Cheddar Sandwich:

Ingredients:

2 Chicken Breasts (Slice them in half fat wise to get thinner pieces)
4 Tblsps of Cajun Spice
1 Tblsp of Olive Oil
2 Large Slices of Old Cheddar Cheese (the older and more intense flavour the better)
2 Ciabetta buns or Kaiser Rolls
Toppings for your sandwich


Directions:

1) Take your two chicken breast and cut them fat wise so that they are not so thick. Coat your chicken pieces with Cajun spice, set aside.
2) Heat your skillet to a medium heat setting and then add olive oil, warm the olive oil and then place your Cajun coated chicken pieces to the hot pan. Cook each side till the spices are blackened (if not quite cooked through yet just add a lid on the skillet and cook through.) 
3) Place slices of cheese on top of the chicken in the skillet place lid on top and cook till the cheese has melted. 
4) Fix your buns up with mayo, lettuce, tomatoes and place chicken slices on the bun and then serve and enjoy! 

*Note: I like to add ketchup to mine also a perfect side is sweet potatoes fries, also you can coat the chicken with as much or as little spice as you like. I like it spicier so I add lots :)

Crispy and salty but not bad for you... it's a miracle!

So I have started changing some things diet wise and after Valentines Day I will be cutting out sugar again but this time for longer than a week. After Christmas I cut it out for 1 week and lost 2 pounds in just a week! I was good this last Christmas with the sweets but I still felt nasty, and again I am starting to just get that urge to cleanse myself again. We don't eat that much sugar or bad foods but with diabetes in my family I feel I need to be extra careful, also I don't want to get bigger with each kid I have so in between my goal is to be a hot Mom!! So today I made two healthy but awesome alternatives for snacks, I made baked Kale and Garlic Lemon Hummus:

Baked Kale:

Ingredients:

1 Bunch of Kale
1-2 Tblsps of Olive Oil
Salt

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 300F. Cut out the centre stem part of the kale and then cut them or tear them into chip size pieces, do not cut them too small because they shrink down when they are baking. After cutting rinse the kale and use a salad spinner to dry the kale. To make sure it is completely dry place on a dish towel and let sit for 5 minutes.
2) Add kale and 1 Tblsp of olive oil to a large ziploc bag a massage the kale to coat it with the olive oil, if you need more olive oil add so all of the kale has an even coat on it.
3) Line a large baking tray with parchment paper or a silicone mat, lay kale on the tray so that it is only one layer. Sprinkle with salt, if you like it saltier you can add whatever floats your boat.
4) Bake for 20 mins, but make sure to check on it through out that time because you don't want to over cook it. Once the kale appears to be dried up then let it cool completely. This can be stored for up to two days in a ziploc bag.

*Note: If you have any other spices that you would like to add go ahead and experiment! Also I am telling you right now it won't last the 2 days, it's that good.

Garlic Lemon Hummus:

Ingredients:

1 Large can of Chick Peas
1/4 Cup of Olive Oil
2-4 Garlic Cloves
2 Tablsps of Lemon Juice
1 Tablsp of Peanut Butter
Dash of Salt and Pepper

Directions:

1) Open can of chick peas and drain all the juice into a strainer, save some juice for later, rinse and remove all shells. 
2) In a small sauce pan add chick peas and fill with water so that they are covered. Bring to a simmer and cook them so they are soft, about 10 mins.
3) Once cooked drain and put in a food processor add all the other ingredients plus some of the reserved juice. Just add a bit of juice at a time till it is silky smooth. 
4) When done blending place in a bowl and refrigerate or eat right away. Serve with pita bread, veggies or anything else you would like to dip into it.

*Note: I use peanut butter because I don't know anyone who actually has Tahini paste and so you want that bit of nutty flavour and so peanut butter works great. Also if you like it more garlicy or lemony just add more to suit your tastes. I like more garlic hence the up to 4 cloves.

Name brand versus non name brand

This is an on going thing in today's society whether it is clothing, food or baby products. Pretty much anything that you can buy can be branded with so many different names, honestly there are products that people swear by and they are the name brand ones, but I have to say don't be close minded because a certain product is a no name product. You might be extremely surprised and find that it works better for you and is significantly cheaper. In this post I wanted to share a bit of what I have discovered in this on going battle of the brands and which brands I have tried and have failed or have been successful.

Diapers:
Okay so many people that I know swear by Huggies and Pampers and I have tried them but I have to say that I don't like them. Olivia has had leaks in those brands and they don't hold up for the night. It made me a little annoyed when she was first born because they are so expensive!! I tried a few different kinds, I tried Costco's Kirkland diapers and they were not too bad but Olivia had a few BAD poopy diaper blow outs, one in which it went all down her Daddies arms and legs! So I figured I would look around again, one day at Safeway I noticed a brand that was a fraction of the cost of all the other diapers with the name Mom to Mom. Now this brand is specific for Safeway and is only sold there, I was a little sceptical at first so I just bought a small package, but I LOVE them now and they are the only kind I buy. A added bonus is they go on sale once a month and when they do a box of 96 goes on sale for $10.99 originally $21.99. So if you buy two boxes you pay for the same price as one and it is half the price of Huggies and Pampers.

Soup:
Okay this one yes you can get the no name brand stuff for so cheap but this is one I can't do, I have tried but the no name brand stuff is AWFUL, like barf awful. I swear by Campbells soup products, they can be a bit pricey, but again if you wait for a sale you can get a slamming deal and stock up. Once a month at Safeway a flat of 12 goes on sale for $5.99, when that happens I  stock up because again it is half price.

Butter:
Butter is amazing and we don't use margarine in our house because it doesn't melt at room temperature and it just tastes gross. But butter is much more expensive than its flavourless nasty competitor. But if you price it out right you can find butter for a pretty decent price, Superstore for example has butter with their actual No Name brand and it is only $2.50 for a pound, Costco has name brand butter for around $3.50. I naturally went for the cheaper of them and I actually love the flavour of the butter and my wallet loves it too! 

Babies Formula:
This one again is one of those name brand battles because so many Mom's I know swear by Similac. Olivia was a breastfed baby from day one but I have recently had to start weaning her because, well, she bit me and pulled so yeah you can imagine that I would start cutting her off. I don't need to lose a nipple! I had tried one kind of Similac months ago because we would give her formula when we had to go out or when she was being babysat, but it just bummed her up and the poor girl had such a rough go with it. Recently I tried WalMarts Parents First Choice Calcium fortified 6-18 months formula, it has been so good for her and hasn't caused any problems and for a majour bonus it only is $15.00 for a 900 Gram container. Similac can cost up to $45.00 for the same size!! 

All in all you find what works for you and if you are what they call a name brand snob you might have tried other things and it not work. But if it's because you think it is lesser quality I just encourage you to try and you might like the other brands better and they won't hit your wallet as hard. 
Also whenever it comes to shopping look around for prices and the best deals. One thing I notice is certain things go on sale the same time every month and if you track it then you can better budget your groceries and other house hold expenses. But more on that another day!

Happy budgeting and planning :)

A little something to go on the side!

So I decided to make these parmesan encrusted potatoes, they were pretty good! Next time I will have to use smaller potatoes so they are crispier and have more of the coating!

Ingredients:

• 6 small Red Potatoes
• 1/2 Cup Parmesan Cheese
• 1/4 Cup of Butter
• 2 Tblsps of Parsley Flakes
• 1 tsp Onion Powder
• 1 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1/2 tsp of Salt

1) Pre Heat oven to 400F, scrubbed potaotes and then cut them in half.
2) Melt butter in a 9 by 13 inch pyrex glass pan. Then sprinkle all the spices and cheese on top of the butter.
3) Place potatoes cut side down on the butter, cheese and spice mixture. Place in the oven and cook for 45 mins.

*Note: These were so good and a great side to any dish!

A cupcake made for the God's

Today is boxing day and we are hosting a dinner party for the family. I wanted to make an amazing dessert or cupcake so I decided to do a cupcake, but not just any cupcake, a Ferrero Rochet cupcake! I saw it on Pintrest but didn't really find a recipe I liked so I just used a family heirloom recipe and made up my own icing and they turned out great.

For the cake recipe I used my Great Grandma Skamahorn's chocolate cake recipe which is like 100 years old.

Chocolate cake:

Ingredients:

•  3 Cups of Flour
• 2 Cups of Sugar
• 2 tsps of Baking Powder
• 2 tsps of Baking Soda
• 1/2 Cup of Cocoa
• 3/4 Cup of Butter
• 2 Cups of Hot Water
• 2 tsps of Vanilla
• 3 Tblsp of Vinegar

1) Pre heat oven to 350F. Stir together the first 5 ingredients

2) Melt the butter and water together, let cool, add vinegar and vanilla.

3) Put eggs on top of dry ingredients, then add liquid ingredients and stir. 

4) Place in a cake pan, but I put it in 24 muffin tins that were lined.

5) Bake for 25 mins or until a tooth pick inserted comes out clean.

Chocolate Nutella Butter Cream Icing:

Ingredients:

• 1/4 Cup plus 1 Tblsp of Shortening
• 1/4 Cup plus 1 Tblsp of Butter
• 1/4 Cup of Nutella 
• 2-3 Cups of Icing Sugar
• 1 Tblsp of Milk

1) Cream shortening and butter together, add Nutella and mix well.

2) Add milk and then icing sugar, if you want the icing to be stiffer add more icing sugar and if you want it runnier don't add as much.

Then pipe the icing on the completely cooled cupcakes, then top them with a Ferrero Rochet and then enjoy!

Oodles of savings await

I know two blog posts in one day but I have to share my new discovery. So you know the show Extreme Couponing on TLC, well I have to say I get a little frustrated with that show for a few reasons. First off the ginormous amount of coupons that are available to the American public and secondly the amount of savings the stores give out to their customers. Now that's fine and dandy for them on the show but for some stupid regulation laws and other weird stuff Canada does now allow extreme couponing to that extent. So as a person who budgets and likes to save it can be frustrating to see that I can't get that same savings that they do. My Mom has been couponing my whole life and was really good about going through the flyers for deals and matching it all and I am starting to pick that all up too. But recently I discovered certain websites that you can print coupons off on and they send you them in the mail, and not just dinky little savings, like really good savings too, also these coupons don't expire that quickly and some don't ever expire so yay for that!

So here are the few websites I have been going too:

www.SmartCanucks.ca
www.save.ca
www.brandsaver.ca


The other day I was able to buy the new Cover Girl clump buster mascara for only $6.00 because I had a $2.00 off coupon which made me quite happy!

Anyhow I hope you can find this blog post useful for some future savings tips!

A little less of a brick in my stomach...

As with a lot of the recipes I find this one was on Pintrest. This is one of the simplest yet awesome salads that I have made and when most foods are super heavy tasting this one was light and fresh!

Pomegranate Apple Salad:

Ingredients:

• Seeds from two to three Pomegranates 
• 1 tub of Cool whip, I used No Name brand dessert whip
• 6-8 medium apples or 4 large apples

Directions:

1) De seed pomegranates by filling a bowl with water and cut the pomegranates in half and start digging out the seeds in the water. Its easier to de seed them when they are submerged and it also cuts back on the mess and stains these delicious vessels of goodness can make. After de seeding them pick out any of the skin that may not have come off, drain the seeds of the water and set aside.
2) Peel and cut up the apples, I like to cut them in half length wise and the again width wise and then slice into about 7 slices. Place slices in water with 3 tblsp of lemon juice and let soak until everything is ready to put together.
3) In a large bowl add all pomegranate seeds, except for 1/2 cup, and apples after they are drained of the water and then add the tub of cool whip. Mix it all together and then sprinkle 1/2 cup of pomegranate seeds on top and enjoy!


* Note: this is an excellent dish to start making a tradition to have on the dinner table for the holiday feasts! 

Coziness in a form of a muffin

Today was one of those cloudy dreary winter days where honestly you think you will never see the sun again. On days like that I just want to bake something that is comforting, so today I made chocolate chip banana muffins. I found a good recipe online that is apparently the recipe for a muffin served at a little coffee shop in Banff Alberta called Evelyn's Coffee Bar.

So here is the recipe,

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Cups of White Flour
2/3 Cup Sugar
1 1/2 tsp of Baking Powder
1/4 tsp Salt
1 Cup of Mashed Bananas ( I use my over ripened bananas that I store in the freezer and defrost when needed)
1 Large Egg
1/2 Cup of Butter melted
1/4 Cup of Milk
3/4 Cup of Chocolate Chips

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350F and line 12 muffin tins with paper liners.
2) Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl, then mix all wet ingredients in a small bowl.
3) Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir just until wet, do not over mix.
4) Add chocolate chips and then fill prepared muffin cups to 3/4 full.
5) Bake muffins till tops are pale golden and a tooth pick inserted comes out clean, so about 32 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack and cool.

* Note: It was such a good recipe too that I am going to put it in my book, but I think next time I am going to add some walnuts and maybe a crunchy topping!

Christmas goodies that go straight to my belly!

So I am getting all geared up for the Holidays! I already made a cute dress and a stocking for Olivia and I am working on a blanket for Matt and a tree skirt! So the two goodies I made today are yummy chocolate truffles and peanut butter chocolate balls! So here are the two recipes I used, thank you Pintrest:

Chocolate Truffles

Ingredients:

3 Cups of Semisweet Chocolate Chips, I used Bernard Callebaut chocolate
1 Can of Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 Tblsp Vanilla Extract or Almond Extract

Chopped flaked coconut, baking cocoa and powdered sugar

Directions:

1) In a microwave-safe bowl, melt chocolate chips and milk; stir until smooth.Stir in vanilla. Chill for 2 hours or until mixture is easy to handle.

2) Shape into 1-in. balls with a melon baller. Roll in the coconut,cocoa or powdered sugar. Yield: about 4 dozen.


*So yummy and smooth!

Peanut Butter Balls

Ingredients:

2 1/4 Cups of Peanut Butter
2 Cups of Powdered Sugar
1 1/3 Cups of Graham Cracker Crumbs
3/4 Cup of Salted Butter
1 1/2 Cups of Milk Chocolate, I used Bernard Callebaut chocolate

Directions:

1) In a large bowl combine all ingredients minus the chocolate, mash together till well blended. Form into balls and then cool in the fridge for 30 minutes.
2) Melt chocolate and then dip the peanut butter balls into the chocolate, either set aside in mini cupcake liners or put on parchment paper in a pyrex dish and then chill until serving time.

* These taste just like Reeces Peanut Butter Cups, yummy!!

I know this isn't kitchen related but I wanted to show off my sewing projects... well I guess I did them on the kitchen table so that counts right!

Olivia's Christmas dress:

Olivia's stocking:

A little bit French and a little bit Italian

So tonight on the menu was my French Onion soup and I tried a new twist to a bruschetta I make. I have made French onion soup for a few years and I have perfected a recipe just for my tastes, and its simple to make too! Also I have portioned things to just feed two.

My French Onion Soup:

2 Medium White or Sweet Mayan Onions
3 Tblsp of Butter
6 Cups of Beef Stalk
2 Slices of French Bread
1/2 Cup of Provolone, Mozza and Parmesan Cheese blend
Salt and Pepper to taste

1) Set oven to broil. Cut onions in half and then slice them into 1/2 inch thick slices, the onions cook better when they are cut long but thin. Get a large pot heated to a medium heat and add butter till melted and bubbling, then add onions. Slow cook them till they are a nice caramel colour, if you cook too high of a temperature fast then the onions will not have time to caramelize and get a nice flavour. Remember to stir the onions often so they wont burn.
2) Once onions are cooked add beef stalk, salt and pepper and let heat up, once it is heated up add to your bowls. Toast bread in a toaster so they are a light brown, then put on top of the soup in the bowls and sprinkle the cheese blend on top of the bread.
3) Place bowls on a cookie sheet and then place in the oven. You need to watch carefully because some ovens cook faster and you don't want the cheese to cook too fast. My oven only takes about 4 minutes to have a nice light brown spots on the cheese.
4) When cooked remove them from the oven and place on a plate and let cool for a few minutes because it is extremely hot.
5) Enjoy :)


*Note: to me there is nothing better then sticking my spoon into the crispy yet soft top of the cheese and then taking a scoop of the bread that has soaked in the juice....mmmmm I want to eat another bowl right now, but sad there are no left overs!

Okay onto the Italian part, this is super simple too yet yummy!

Goat cheese Bruschetta:

3 Medium sized Tomatoes (any kind but roma are the best I think)
1 Tblsp basil, if you want fresh then about 4 pieces of fresh
1/4 Cup of Olive Oil
2 Cloves of Fresh Garlic
1/2 Cup Feta Cheese
1/2 Cup of Soft Goat Cheese
6-8 pieces of French bread

1) Set the oven to broil. Cut the tomatoes into little dices and place into a medium sized bowl, add basil, olive oil and garlic.
2) Toast the bread in the toaster to a golden brown. Once toasted spread a nice layer of goat cheese on each piece. If you want more goat cheese then add more or less if you want less. Then place the tomato mix on top and sprinkle the feta cheese on top of the tomatoes.
3) Place on a cookie that is lined with parchment paper and then place in the oven. Only cook for about 3 minutes till they are warm. Then serve and enjoy!

5 tips for a better budget

   While growing up I watched my parents budget to feed a family of 8 and watched my Mom clip coupons and go through flyers looking for the best deals. I haven't quite caught the couponing talent that my Mom has but when it comes to budgeting I feel that's something that I have been successful at. Matt and I have always worked out a budget even when we were dating we broke down our expenses and put it in a spread sheet and made sure we stayed in it. We were able to save enough money for a down payment on a house and to be able to live comfortably.

So for me I have a few important keys to stay in budget every week with groceries:

1) Have a monthly meal plan, if not monthly weekly:

I carry a trusty old fashioned day planner (its cute with owls on it) around with me everywhere, everyday in it I have written down what we will be eating for dinner that night and for the month. This helps for me to go through my cupboards, fridge and freezer to look and see what we have and what I need to get that week.

2) Have a schedule:

Every Monday I go grocery shopping. People are creatures of habit and if you know you need to get groceries on a specific day and plan it and have it written down it will cut back on impulse buying and having to run into the store another day because you have forgotten something. 

3) You can't afford not to shop at Costco:

Some of you may think "Is she crazy Costco is expensive!" well trust me when I say you can't afford to not shop there! My in laws love Costco and my parents liked it too but I thought for the longest time that they were expensive and why would I need that much food for a little family. Well it was the best thing we ever did was get a membership when we first got married. The meat products alone are worth shopping there, its high quality and cheaper then everywhere else I have looked. The best is buying a pork tenderloin and being able to get 6 roasts and around 8 pork chops out of one tenderloin. We actually only buy meat 2 to 3 times a year and spend around $150 when we do but cut it all up and freeze it. If you break that down that is only $6.25 per week for 2 of us to eat high quality meat. Almost all their other products including cereal and peanut butter is $2 to $4 dollars cheaper than all other stores.

*Note: I shop at smaller stores in between Costco trips for smaller ticket items like eggs because we don't go through 4 dozen eggs before they would expire.

4) Never let your pantry go bare, always stock up:

If you have a stock pile in your pantry of certain staples or things that your family use on a daily and weekly basis its important to make sure you keep your cupboards stocked up. The worst is letting your cupboards go bare because that's when your budget will be blown. When I go to the store and I know I have a bit of extra money from my budget I will stock up on some canned goods or even body wash and deodorant. 

5) Be honest and accountable:

If you blow your budget one week don't lie to yourself or your spouse about it. If you tell the truth then you hold yourself accountable and can correct it and your spending won't get out of control. You can always cut back the next week and make sure you are on track.

There you go a few of my budgeting tips! Hope you enjoy!

Mm mm better than Campbell's

    Okay, okay it has been almost a year since I said I was going to start this journey...well its been kind of a busy year! Our little bundle of joy arrived and is now 5 months old, and she is such a fun baby. We moved into our new home with a huge kitchen that I love cooking in everyday. So to kick things off I recently got a bit of a hankering for some kind of a fall soup, maybe it's because I felt like we got robbed from some sort of a fall here; and I was trying to hold onto the magic of the season changing rather than facing the fact that winter was encroaching upon us. One of my favourite soups is a butternut squash but I didn't have any so instead I made a carrot and sweet potato soup, this recipe turned out so smooth and creamy even without milk or cream in it!

Ingredients:

2-3 large Carrots
3 medium Red Potatoes
1 large Sweet Potato
1 medium to large Onion
1 tsp Black Pepper
1 1/2 tsps of Curry powder
1 tsp of Salt
2 tbsps of Chicken Bouillon Flavouring
7 cups of Water
1 tbsp of Salted Butter

Directions:

Peel and cut all vegetables into small cubes, in a large stock pot melt butter and add onions first. Sauté for two mins over medium heat, then add other vegetables and sauté for another 6 minutes till they are slightly cooked. Add water and let it come to a simmer, add curry powder, salt, pepper and chicken bouillon. Let simmer till vegetables are soft. 
Take a hand blender and blend till the mixture is smooth, put it back on the stove and let it heat back up. Serve with home made buns (rolls) and some butter.

*Note: if you like to add more pepper, salt, curry powder and bouillon then feel free too, I always tweek recipes to the way that I like them.


Makes for the perfect fall evening dinner!

A New Adventure

Yes I have joined the blogger world! I have often thought about doing a blog and just recently said "what the heck let's do it". I love to write and I love to cook! So I am wanting to write my adventures in cooking, budgeting and meal planning. 
What has inspired me to start this is the fact that I love to cook it's something that I have loved to do since I was a little girl. I also love seeing my family and friends when they indulge in the food that I have put my heart into cooking. I have some wonderful people who have inspired me when it comes to cooking and baking. 


Here's to new things!