Challenge Accepted

Mar13

So as I mentioned I’m not feeling so hot! When the hubby came to visit me at work he brought be a White Chocolate Raspberry Scone from Cobs bakery

It was heavenly! Light and sweet, with just the right amount of contrast from the raspberries. Loved it!

Googled the calorie content. 310 calories. I have to admit, worth every one of them! However being me I’m pretty sure I can make something a little healthier or at least a little more pocket book friendly!

So it looks like we know what I will be doing tonight! I will post the outcome ASAP!

Weekend Wonders-I’m Aware It’s Wednesday

Mar13

So my weekend wasnt all cooking and baking! I did a few other things and had a bit of relaxing time! Of course I’m not as intense in the relaxation zone as Muffin is!

Of course she earned these naps! She had to venture out to Bosleys pet store to get food and treats! Riding shot gun I’m the sun is a lot of work!

I keep telling you life is hard! So hard in fact I was forced to have a mud bath.

It may look odd but the mud leaves my skin so soft and it is actually very calming. They sell it by the bottle at Spa Utopia! Try it!

I spent some time gardening and was excited to see some of my seeds have sprouted! Very giddy to see the Brussels sprouts sprouted!!

We got a delivery of lumber for the new stairs. Complete with crane truck!

See I to you I did other stuff!! However I did do more baking, I baked cupcakes for Sandra’s birthday party! Vanilla bean filled with Nutella and frosted with chocolate buttermilk. Very rich and delightful.

While they were baking Maple and I played fetch for almost an hour! She is still full of puppy energy! Love her! Thankfully she didn’t mind my cowgirl chic look of muddy boots and lulemons! I’m sexy!

Saturday night a group of us headed to Sandra’s 31st Birthday party

The party was laid back and full of laughs and good conversation. I guess it’s a sign of changing times and our age. I’m glad I went. I’m glad I got to catch up with friends and cuddle Lincoln, the puppy! I was exhausted by the end of the night and very glad to come home to Kevin for a Saturday night of couch cuddles.

I woke up early Sunday morning and needed to get some fresh air, so Emma and I headed to the Sunday market and bought flowers. We got flowers for Krista and my mom as well as for me.

I just feel better about life when there is fresh flowers in the house. After we got the flowers situated, Krista and I took Emma and the dogs for another walk to our local dog boutique for some treats!

I am very excited that the two new pet-stores have opened in Cloverdale. It is nice to take Muffin for a walk and buy her a treat. No kids what can I say!

This week at work has been quiet and good minus the fact I have a horribly sore throat.

I’ve been alternating between cuddling Muffin, drinking tea, and whining about death being near!

Cilantro Lime Turkey Burgers

Mar11

Who says a burger can’t be healthy!!!! These little babies are healthy, filling, and down right delicious!

I invented a version of turkey burger a few years back that have become a staple in our house, as well as at my work! I will share that recipe with you sometime soon! Until then this is another of my own creations that I think you might enjoy! These burgers have a spicy kick thanks to the jalapeño but feel free to omit it if you don’t like jalapeño spice! The cilantro and lime pair well with the feta to liven up dull but healthy ground turkey breast meat!

Ingredients
1 pound ground turkey
1/4 bell pepper (chopped)
Handful fresh basil leaves (1/4 cup chopped)
4 green onions chopped
1 cup loosely packed cilantro chopped
Juice from 1 large lime (1/4 cup)
2 cloves garlic
1 small jalapeño diced (amont dependent upon your taste)
1 egg
1 cup feta
1/3 cup oats
1/3 cup crispy onions (optional)
1 tablespoon garlic
1 tablespoon salt free seasoning
Pinch of salt
Fresh ground pepper to taste

Method
Mix everything together in a large bowl and combine with your hands! Pretty simple!

Form patties, pressing ingredients together firmly. I usually get 6 good size patties out of this recipe.

I like to let the burgers sit so the flavors can meld. This can be as little as 15 minutes or as long as 8 hours covered in the fridge! The longer they sit the better they are in my opinion but let’s face it we don’t always have that kind of time!

Cooking
When I’m at home I like to let Kevin grill these babies on the BBQ. Always be sure to spray the grill well because there is very little fat in these burgers.

When I’m cooking at work I do them in a large skillet with a little olive oil.

I like to flip them frequently to ensure they brown evenly. Cooking this method usually takes about 13 – 15 minutes. Just ensure you cook to a safe temperature.

I’m a big cheese fan and have tried a number of combinations on these burgers. Tonight we went with havariti. Whatever kind of cheese you like! It’s up to you! My favorite is smoked Gouda.

I always like to serve these with guacamole! I posted my recipe for it Here. They also go well with tzatziki or on a bun with your favorite burger toppings!

I hope you give them a try and let me know what you think!

Stuffed Pizza Rolls

Mar9

A few weeks back I posted about making the stuffed pizza rolls using the Pillsbury crescent roll dough. I loved them but Kevin wanted to try the version my girlfriend made. I have to admit after seeing the photos of hers on Facebook I was eager to try her version! Of course being me I had to tweak it to my own liking! I added pizza sauce inside the rolls instead of just using it for dipping.

Ingredients
1 jar of pizza sauce
1 can of Pillsbury grands biscuits
16 slices of pizza pepperoni
1/3 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cup diced red or sweet onion
1/4 cup diced hot peppers (optional)
1.5 cups shredded cheese
1 egg
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese

Method
Flatten the biscuits into rounds and spread with pizza sauce. Add peppers and onions. Top veggies and sauce with 2 slices of pepperoni and cover in cheese.

Carefully bring up edges and pinch together to seal and form a ball.

Place in greased cake pan and continue until all 8 balls are formed. Brush pizza rolls with egg wash and sprinkle with Italian seasoning, Parmesan, and garlic.

Bake at 350 degrees for 18 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining shredded cheese and return to oven briefly to let it melt.
Serve with pizza sauce for dipping!

Enjoy!

Homemade Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies!

Mar8

Here it is friends! My most requested cookie recipe! Chewy Chocolate Chip!!!

These cookies are chewy in the centre but have a nice crisp edge! I made a half batch today but this is the full recipe and makes about 28 good size cookies.

Ingredients

1 cup of room temperature butter
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 tablespoon vanilla
2 eggs

2 cups flour
2 1/4 cups oats
1 tablespoon baking soda
Pinch of salt

1.5 cups chocolate chips

Method

Cream butter with both sugars. Blend in egg and vanilla.

In a separate bowl combine all ingredients and stir.

Add dry to wet and mix until just combined. You can use your hands, a wooden spoon, kitchen aid mixer. Whatever works for you!

I put six on the ungreased cookie sheet at a time. I use a cookie scoop for uniform size but if you don’t have one scoop about 2 tablespoons into a ball and drop onto sheet.

Bake for 12-14 minutes at 350 degrees. The center always look a touch under done if you like a crisper cookie bake a little longer!

Let the cookies cool on a rack. Store in a tightly sealed container. Enjoy!

My Day … A Condensed Version!

Mar7

I’ve had a busy day but managed to snap a few pictures along the way!

My day started stupidly early for some unknown reason! I hate it when I wake up early on my first day off! Oh well! I figured I was awake so I made myself an Almond joy coffee!

I found Belle napping under the blankets on the spare bed!

I whipped up a simple breakfast, vitamin d and gluten free toast. I also had a side of cheese and sliced turkey.

After breakfast I ventured out to get my nails filled, go to the bank and pick up my new Lululemon shorts and sweatpants!

Once I got my stuff done I came home for lunch. Nothing fancy, left over lasagna and a spinach salad. I tried the Trader joes hummus dressing. It was good though not exactly what I expected

After lunch I ventured back out to do some more errands! I went to FedEx . Thankfully I went armed with my marriage certificate, passport and drivers license! I totally neglected to realize I have no government issue id in my married name and my package had been mailed to me in my married name! All my blog related, Twitter, Facebook, etc stuff comes to me in McGavin. Blogger/wife fail! Also didn’t help my name was misspelled on the package! Last weekend I had to explain my name situation at the pub when I picked up my gift card. I should really change my ID!

In case you’re wondering mini Reese peanut butter eggs solve shipping related

After I came home my sister in law and I took the dogs for a nice long walk. Thoroughly enjoyed by all four of us!

I spent a few hours with three of my girlfriends tonight. I actually needed it more then I realized. We all had a good laugh over my wet pants! Apparently the car seat was wet! We had some good girl talk at Starbucks and did some shopping at the mall. I picked up a few candles at Bath and body works. I also bought a new candle holder because it was adorable!

While at the mall we ventured into Purdy’s Chocolates and I got to hold a cocoa pod and cocoa seeds! I didn’t realize how large the cocoa pods were. It was really need to see how the plant grows. The sweet treat didn’t hurt either!

After my girl time I came home and Kevin and I made dinner! Delicious Greek food. We had barbecued souvlaki chicken, lemon potatoes, greek salad and pitas. I adore Greek food!

So my friends that was my stupidly productive day! Of course Kevin and Muffin were busy working from home 😉

So sweet! Well I’m off to bake chocolate chip oatmeal cookies! Check back tomorrow for the recipe!

Waiting!

Mar6

I guess an update about my weekend was overlooked because of my extra day off! Oh well better late then never right?!?? So I have a few more hours at work and I’m done for the week. I have a few things on the Ol’ To do list, most importantly coffee with Patricia and Sandra’s Birthday party! I still haven’t decided what kind of cupcakes I’m going to make for the party but I guess I should figure it out soon!

I have a feeling this weekend will be much busier then last! Last weekend was pretty low key but relaxing. We got a few things done, had a lunch date and enjoyed a long walk and some time at the dog park with Muffin!

The dog park and pup friendly beach area/trails at Crescent beach are great! Muffin was definitely happy for some park time! Pretty sure she enjoyed it more then her trip to the groomer! but seriously look how cute she is!

The only down side to the weekend was my lingering headache and some hip pain. It took a lot for me to take a day off work but I know it was the right choice. I suppose I should make another doctors appointment soon but I don’t really have any interest. I see my Lupus specialist in the Spring and have an MRI coming up.

The upside of my weekend other then the previously mentioned was Emma’s 8th birthday! Time flies!

We had a great lunch at the Townhall pub thanks to a Gift Card they gave me! I had the grilled chicken pesto quesadilla and side salad. It was perfection. Granted I’ve never had bad food at the Townhall! Being free was also a nice touch!

After lunch we ventured to the mall so I could get my new phone. I had my heart set on a new white iPhone and Telus provided! I am very impressed with the level of customer service I was provided.

They say a photo is worth a thousand words so here are a few from my weekend!

I hope everyone has enjoyed my recent recipe posts! There will for sure be many more to come! As for me I think Muff and I are going to go for a walk to Starbucks to pass some time and get some fresh air!!

Does anyone have any recipe idea or requests?!?!

Luscious Lasagna

Mar5

When I think of home cooked hearty, comfort food meals lasagna always makes the list! Yes it is a fairly labour intensive meal but I find I can have the veggies chopped, sauce made, assembled and in the oven in about 45 minutes. Not an every night type of meal but delicious and healthy! Plus the added bonus of leftovers for tomorrow’s lunch or dinner!

I use ground turkey to make my lasagna but I’ve used ground beef, veggie ground round, as well as a beef Italian sausage mix in the past. All turn out wonderful but ground turkey is the leanest and healthiest choice. I mean other then the veggie option of course!

I also like to use the no boil noodles but again in the past have used the traditional type. I just find it adds to the prep time and I’m not a fan of burning my fingers on slippery hot noodles! Quit snickering ladies 😉 I am a big fan of the Trader joes no boil noodles because they have a nice texture once cooked. I am also a jan of the Trader Joes basil marinara sauce. Ummm yum! However if you’re anything like me you will use whatever you have on hand!

So here we go!
Ingredients

1 pound ground turkey (or beef/meat of your choice)
2 cups cottage cheese or ricotta
2 cups mozzarella (I use low fat)
1 bunch of basil (1/2 cup chopped)
1 bunch cilantro (1/4 cup chopped)
4 cloves fresh garlic
1 jar marinara sauce or pasta sauce of choice
1 box of lasagna noodles
1 onion
1 pepper
2 tablespoons finely chopped. jalapeño (optional)
1 can mushrooms (optional)
2 cups baby spinach
1 egg
Olive oil for sautéing
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
Seasoning salt & pepper to taste
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon (optional but delightful)

Sauce prep
Chop onion, pepper, chopped jalapeño, 2 garlic cloves and sauté with a tiny but of olive oil for about three minutes. Add in meat, garlic, seasonings of choice and sauté
until cooked. Once the meat is cooked to a safe temperature add in the marinara sauce and 1.5 cups of water. At this point if you are using the cinnamon add it now! Trust me it makes the flavours really pop. Turn heat down to lowest setting and allow to simmer for a few minutes.

While the meat sauce mix is cooking prep the cottage or ricotta cheese by simply adding the egg, chopped basil, cilantro, garlic seasonings if choice and mixing well!

Assembly
At this point you are ready to assemble start by placing 1/3 of the sauce mix in the bottom of a large casserole pan and topping with a layer of noodles and another 1/3 of sauce. Add another layer of noodles and top them with the cottage cheese mixture. Spread mixture out evenly and top with baby spinach and another layer of noodle! Top those noodles with the remainder of the sauce spread mozzarella cheese on top! Cover with foil and bake at 375 degrees for 55 minutes! I like to spray my foil with Pam to keep the cheese from sticking. I also like to broil the lasagna uncovered for a couple of minutes before removing from the oven.

I bake my lasagna on a cookie sheet because if you ever have to clean bubbled over lasagna out of your oven you will quickly decide you never wish to do it again!!!

Be sure to let your lasagna sit for 10 – 15 minutes before cutting. Enjoy!

Lovely Lemon Bars

Mar5

So I’m at work after an extra day off on the weekend. I caved on Sunday and called into work and took the night off after realizing I just didn’t feel up to going into work. I guess it is all part of the process and I just have to get use to it.

Onto happier, sweeter topics! On Saturday I had some free time and decided to whip up a batch of lemon squares. These little delights require a bit off effort and a lot of eggs but are indeed worth it!

Ingredients
Crust
2 cups of flour
1/2 Powdered sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Pinch of salt
3/4 cup butter

Filling
6 eggs
2 1/4 cups sugar
5 tablespoons flour
Zest from one lemon
1 1/4 lemon juice
1/4 cup milk or cream

Method
Crust
In a large bowl combine dry ingredients (I sift the powdered sugar in) and cut in butter. Mix with hands until mixture resembles crumbs. Press mixture into a greased pan. Bake at 350 degrees until edges turn golden about 15-20 minutes. Prep filling while base is baking!

Filling
Mix sugar and flour together in medium bowl. Lightly beat eggs in a bowl and add in sugar, lemon juice,zest and milk. Once mixed add liquid ingredient mix to the sugar/flour mix. Stir everything together until we’ll mixed.

Pour filling mixture over base and return to oven for 15 -20 minutes until filling mixture sets.

Cool on a rack and store left overs in the fridge or freeze.

I like to use a tart pan to make bars so I can remove the sides to make cutting easier but a lasagna pan lined in foil with extra foil over the edges to lift out works as well.

I like to dust these with powdered sugar before serving, or eat them over the kitchen sink… Which ever 😉

Rainy Day Baking – Cheese Biscuits

Mar2

It is raining sideways! It has been raining for over a week straight!!!! I’m so over it! I woke up this morning and decided to make a country breakfast! I whipped up a batch of cheesy biscuits to make egg and bacon breakfast muffins with organic fingerling home fries!

These biscuits can be made with or without the cheese and cut to any size you desire. They are wonderful fresh out of the oven still warm with a pat of butter, jam, or whatever you love… Lemon curd! They are super easy to make and beat the pants off those can biscuits! Give them a try!

Ingredients
3 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
Pinch of salt
3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup shortening
1 cup buttermilk (if you don’t have buttermilk mix 1 tablespoon of lemon juice in your cup of milk and let stand five minutes)
1 cup grated cheese (optional)
I’ve added herbs, garlic, bacon bits, chives, etc in the past with great results. These biscuits are very versatile.

Method
Mix together dry ingredients and cut in butter and shortening. Mix with hands until mixture forms crumb texture. Pour in buttermilk and work together with hands. Once dough begins to form add in cheese or other yummy bits of your choosing!

Turn mixture out onto floured counter and roll out to about 3/4 to 1 inch thickness.

Use a drinking glass or biscuit cutter to cut dough into rounds. Place on ungreased baking sheet and bake in preheated oven (425 degrees) for 13 – 15 minutes…less time if you make smaller sized biscuits.

Place biscuits on cooling rack as soon as they come out of the oven!

Serve warm with butter, jam, etc. or top them with an egg and bacon for a delicious breakfast muffin!

This morning I only made a half a batch and they still turn out perfect!

Let me know if you try them and what you think!

Life With The McGavins

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