Caramels for all!

I won't lie to you - these little guys are time consuming, somewhat finicky, and will make a huge mess of your kitchen.

But aren't they fun?



As many of us have, I've been a part of many, many bake sales. They are, after all, great fundraisers and, I think, every one's a winner - baker and buyer. I have, however, grown tired of baking the same old thing, over and over, so I thought I'd change things up this year. I love it don't you? (But I my feet are exhausted, having added a good 10 dozen other - same old, same old - cookies to my bake sale contribution anyhow.)

I think these Caramels would make pretty fun favours for dinner parties or birthday gatherings, too.

Start by unwrapping store bought caramels, and poking them with a flat tooth pick each. Next, grab a few small bowls for sprinkles, coconut, toffee bits, or even crushed pistachios. Now you are ready to melt dark and white chocolate over a double boiler, being careful not to end up with any water drops or steam in the chocolate. I use bulk melting chocolate, it's cheap but doesn't taste cheap. Carefully twirl one caramel at a time in the chocolate, then dip into sprinkles, and onto a parchment paper lined cookie tray they go. Continue until all caramels look stunning, allow to dry for about an hour, then, using a spoon, hit it with some contrasting chocolate for fun detail.

Easy as 1 - 2 - 3. But give yourself at least 2 hours. Especially if you insist on pretty wrapping them with ribbons, like I did.

Deliciousness and a little game of "Where's Waldo"

My Thursday turned out to be a fun day. Even with my strong disappointment in the Canadian public, and for the first time perhaps ever, possibly also a little embarrassment, too. Then again, maybe that's meant for a certain someone named Jamie Oliver, too. I've seen enough of him on my Telly to know he's a pretty chilled out guy, but Thursday, well...

Sadly, I did walk away from spending two hours in the same room as Mr. Oliver wondering. I'm not sure what I was wondering, but I am pretty sure the evening could have been much better. Should I point fingers at an audience that asked insanely stupid questions, like - "How do you do your hair, Jamie?" Or at a host that seemingly had not much more planned for the evening than to answer question after question from an audience more interested in his looks than his cooks. (I really should stop rhyming!)

Okay, okay... so it was really super cool to see him live... stupidity and all, Thursday will still be a day I'll always remember. And most importantly Jamie did kick me into cooking mode again, with a perfectly cooked steak which even I could smell and drool over far, far away from the stage, spanked with rosemary (yes, that would be spanked - ask me later) and tossed in fresh herbs and the ever important olive oil.

No later than Friday did I crack open a nice bottle of red, and before you could sing the Mary Poppins theme song, I had a gorgeous stew simmering away. So Jamie, you still rock. Everyone has off days, I suppose you can, too.

I am sure you've guessed it by now, there is no photo in my possession of Jamie and me, just a few fuzzy 'pics', this one being the best. (Isn't that sad?)

Red Wine Beef Stew with Potatoes & Rosemary

Adapted from Dave Lieberman

Serves 6

2 pounds beef chuck, 1-inch cubes

3 tbsp butter

4 carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise and cut into 1-inch pieces

3 small onions, diced

2 tbsp all purpose flour

2 cups white mushrooms

900 ml low sodium beef broth

2 cups red wine

1 cup canned crushed tomatoes

1 6-inch sprig of fresh rosemary

2 medium russet potatoes, peeled, 1-inch chunks

2 handfuls green and/or yellow beans, ends trimmed

2 tbsp fresh chopped parsley

Season the beef lightly with kosher salt and fresh ground pepper. Heat 2 tbsp of butter in a large, heavy pot over high heat. As soon as the butter starts to brown, add half the beef. Brown beef on all sides then remove from pot to a bowl. Add 1 tbsp of butter and brown remaining beef. Remove from pot also.

Toss carrots and onions into the pot, adjust the heat to medium. Cook until the onions start to turn translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the flour and stir until it has been worked into the veggies and you can't see it anymore.

Now add the beef broth, red wine, crushed tomatoes and toss in whole mushrooms and sprig of rosemary. Stir the beef back into the pot and bring to a boil.

Turn down the heat to a gentle simmer. Partially cover the pot and simmer for 50 minutes. Stir occasionally.

After 50 minutes, add the potatoes and simmer another 45 minutes, stirring once in a while.

Lastly, add the beans and allow them to heat through.

Serve with fresh parsley.

Mood Swing

I'm so very much in the mood lately.

Oh, don't even go there... THAT's not what I'm talking about.

No, every year the Christmas Season seemingly brings out a pregnancy like nesting in me. It's unstoppable. I don't hire designers, or shop at expensive stores. I diy. Do you?

This year things heated up in the bedroom first. NO, don't go THERE again!

After 10 years of hoping to buy that super awesome, solid wood bed I've had my eyes on, I finally gave in and went to IKEA. Why do I even hesitate. They should call the place MONEA. $15 for a wood closet door, a few flush mount brackets and a coordinating white bed skirt later, my husband and I could finally enjoy a proper looking bed. (I know you're smirking.)





Phase #2:
I thought it might be nice for the grown-ups to open stockings this Christmas, too.
So I started with a simple free online pattern, made it my own and went to town on a useless, over sized, heavy white quilt. I made five stockings, since my doggy has stolen a piece of my heart, and I'm pretty sure I'm not getting it back.




Next: Diy doesn't get much simpler than this, and yet I adore the results. Flip a poster in your largest frame so the back of the poster is now in the front. Separately print each desired letter on your home printer, and with as little glue as possible, center and evenly glue them on. Put the frame back together and think, "I could've spent $20 on that, but I didn't. Nice."
Decorating ideas stolen from friends I think pays them homage. Right? Well, I am guilty many times over (although this NOEL is all mine) and at Christmas, these cranberries in water with floating candles is my favourite bounty. It's also very budget friendly, coming in under $5. Changing the water once a week allows these babies to float and shine for many weeks. So start decorating early, November 1st sounds just about right to me.
I've also painted an old black and silver mirror white (white paint is the diy'ers best friend, FYI), and am currently working on transforming old beige curtains into a fun, yet sophisticated Advent Calendar. I am so over bad chocolate first thing in the morning.




And so we come to food. I've not challenged myself as of late. I do need to get back at it. But I do love some good staples, and I'll never tire of this Spicy Roast Chicken, out-of-this-world tender and succulent. A proper homemade gravy is irreplaceable, too. From scratch olive oil, s & p fries are delish along side tender baby greens with my Citrus Honey Vinaigrette. I could eat this every day. (All recipes on this blog.)

Fancy frugality

I am learning some new things these days. After 8 years far from the world of pay cheques and scheduled hours, and instead being my very own boss (ha ha, you know as well as me the kids have taken over!) I have returned and am discovering juggling schedules and priorities once again. Nope, I haven't made bread on a regular basis. Yup, there's packaged pizza in my freezer. And yes, I only work part time. Still, things have shifted, but, I am feeling refreshed and renewed with a new sense of purpose and/or responsibility.

Some things have not changed, however - some things never will. For one, budgeting food expenses. I'm convinced even the super wealthy have some sort of a food budget! And, I still very much enjoy taking budget meals and presenting them fanciful, even with time constraints and slow cookers doing part of my work. The kids are catching on to this idea, too, and are much more interested in dinner lately. "Make sure my potatoes are square, too, Mom!"

Is it as exciting to you as it is to me when "clean out the fridge and use up all the left over bits and pieces" dinners turn out super yummy? Certainly a slow cooker hides many flaws, and with a little plating ingenuity, meals from them can look more than one coloured slop. (Please do take a moment to feel inspired, to put away frustrations, and to get excited about your budget foods!)

So what's in this? And what do I call it? How about Upside Down Shepherd's Pie. If you ask my opinion, this version is much more pleasing to the eye than vice versa.

Towards the end of my grocery week, my choices become slim, and since I do not waste, I use up. I had -

1 onion
2 celery sticks
4 carrots
3 green onions
5 slices Prosciutto
1/2 cup tomato paste
1 cup red wine

To this I added some fresh things -

1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
fresh ground pepper
kosher salt

I first browned the beef with the vegetables, as sauteing adds incredible flavour a slow cooker alone can not achieve. I then added the remaining bits and pieces, threw it all in the cooker, set it on low and walked away. What I do love about cooking this way, is how the aromas start filling the house a few hours in to it. Unfortunately, this also leaves me hungry hours before the dinner table is set.

I love fluffy mashed potatoes, and so, rather than adding them raw into the crock with everything else, I find it very well worth my time to cook these stove top. This extra step also ensures a beautiful jus-like gravy, as the potatoes did not get the chance to soak up those scrumptious liquids. I search my kitchen for an ingenious way to plate the mash, and discover part of my Spaetzle maker works amazingly well. A little fresh parsley, which is still growing like mad in my garden even though it's rather frosty in beautiful Canada these days, chopped and sprinkled adds a little texture and a whole lot of fresh. Seconds, anyone?

Citrus Honey Vinaigrette

We've all done it...

Called recipes our own, when in reality, they've probably either been passed down to us by a loving grandmother, or a google search proved successful, perhaps a favourite TV chef taught us something or other new.

So where do we draw the line in the sand, I mean in our own recipe collection, which will hopefully one day, be passed down to the next generation, only for them to claim it as their very own. I say, change a recipe enough, even if it's still similar to the first, you can call it your own. The fine print is up to you.

And yet, I still want to give credit for my absolute favourite vinaigrette to the very inspiring Martha Stewart, who, in the TV world anyway, is what we as domestic goddesses strive to be - perfection in the kitchen and garden, while gift giving, decorating and knitting. (If only we all had a crew of professionals having our backs to make us so very perfect. Except for the jail thing, of coarse.)

Moni's Citrus Honey Vinaigrette
Serves 6 - 8
Inspired by Martha, changed significantly to call it my own

Juice of one large lemon
2 tbsp creamed honey
4 tsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp finely minced shallot
1/2 tsp coarse salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Vigorously whisk together everything but the olive oil. Once the honey has dissolved, slowly whisk in the olive oil.

Store left overs in the fridge. Olive oil will harden when cooled, simply bring back to room temperature and whisk again.

Perfect Fall Bread

This month Canadian TV celebrates 10 years of Food TV. I think that's quite spectacular, considering less and less people are spending time in their kitchens these days. A short news article had a great explanation for this oddity, stating: ingrained in human nature is a need or instinct to gather around food and be with our circle of friends and, of course, family. Since this is happening less and less, we watch more and more Food TV, which tricks the psyche into having such a need fulfilled. Make sense? I think so. Huh.

My husband won't agree with me, but I don't consider myself to be a great cook. I just love to do it, and so I keep on trying. What makes me smile the most though, even more so than cooking a meal for others, is inspiring people to get their own aprons on and kitchens dirty. And to me there is nothing more down to earth than baking amazing bread, filling the house with that unmistakable aroma, and enjoying simplicity at it's finest.

Now don't get me wrong, I watch a ton of Food TV. Learning while watching TV seems more justifiable, right? Anyway, I've been super inspired to take common foods and adding my own twist. So here's a bread I came up with - I think it's perfect for Thanksgiving. The rustic texture plays well with tart Cranberries. And I adore the leaf design, too.

Rustic Rye, Caraway and Cranberry Bread

Makes 2 loaves

2 1/2 cups white bread flour

1 1/2 cups dark rye flour

2 tsp fine grain salt

1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast

12 fluid ounces warm water

1 cup dried cranberries

1 tsp caraway seeds

Dissolve yeast in the warm water, this takes about 10 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine flours with salt. Once the yeast is ready, add the water mixture to the bowl.

Using your hands, combine until it comes together in a ball, then turn out onto counter top and knead for about 10 minutes.

Fold in the cranberries and caraway seeds.

Shape into a ball and place back in the bowl, cover with a lint free dish towel and set in a warm place (24 C) for one hour.

After the first rise, divide the dough into two, and shape each into a ball. Cover with the dishtowel, and rest for 10 minutes.

Now gently shape each into a 20cm (8 inch) log, dust with flour, place on a cookie sheet (with parchment paper) or baking stone, cover with the dishtowel and rise again, for one hour.

Preheat oven to 375 F (180 C).

To make the leaf design, use a sharp knife to gently cut one long slit down the center and about 5 on each side. Do this gently, without deflating the bread.

Bake in the preheat oven for about 35 minutes, or until it sounds hollow when knocking on the bottom of the bread.

If you want a crunchier crust, spray the inside of the oven 2 or 3 times with a water bottle just before placing the bread in it for baking.

The new. The old. The pretty. Pretty creative!

I had this funny idea the other day which involved me dusting off my hand-me-down sowing machine, and giving it a well deserved second chance. It's been about 6 years since I've touched that thing, and sadly, there are more memories of frustration than fabulous. But some craft bug bit me and I gave in.




From experience I know now more than ever, that one's things certain - Where there is nothing ventured, nothing is gained. Perfection need not be attained, success may not come over night, but I suddenly feel more domesticated than I did two weeks ago and I want more of that! I do find myself rather surprised at being able to do more than I ever would allow myself if I still feared failure like I did once not so long ago. So get out there, do something... start with one step, then add the next... you just never know where it may lead.





With that I want to say, Happy Thanksgiving... or rather Happy giving thanks... Since it's not just about the turkey and an amazing nap which inevitably follows, but about truly taking time to appreciate, to stand in awe of life, to smile with gratitude just because you can.
Here are a few things I am thankful for this year:

Alone time. And writing. I love that I found writing.

Together time. I have an amazing family, and so many super duper friends.

Walks with my dog. If you've never tried it, you really should.

Clearance racks. Any store, any time. And ikea. Even though I wish I could get away from that place, it's easier to just go back.

My new job, which allows me to work while the girls are at school, and only then, with plenty of time left over for my real life: domestic bliss.

My camera. And photoshop. And a husband that can teach me how to use photoshop to rescue my picture taking abilities.

The unconditional love for and from my kids. As you may know, we all have bad days once in a while. Yet they still keep coming back for more lovin. I suppose that also goes for the love of my life, Paul!

Canada. What a beautiful home we have. And to think we celebrate Thanksgiving at the right time, shortly after harvest and while Fall colours are at their prime! (a-hem)

Road trips. Especially spontaneous ones.

Dinosaurs. Because they make my sweet Sydney so happy.

Music. Especially when Hannah sings to it. Wow, that takes me over the moon.

Hair straighteners. These make me happy.

My parents, who embark on a long cross continental trip to visit with us every year.

Toothpaste. I'll forever be thankful for toothpaste. If you ever feel like you have nothing to be thankful for, start there.

My security in God. There's just something very freeing about that.

Felt. For making me feel like I can sew. Even if my oh-so-hip Hannah Banana hands me Sewing for Dummies.