Oh! For Convenience Sake!!

 

It is day four of driving kids to activities, cleaning the house, dropping kids at school. I'm heading into day three of volunteering this week and I'm getting ready to host two play dates tomorrow afternoon at an indoor playground, where I too will need to run, jump and climb like a ninja. I'm tapped out My Friends! This mama needs an easy dinner! 

Buying convenience food is a necessity. Everyone needs a break from time to time. Convenience foods, however, are not all created equal. I have a few tips and tricks up my sleeve that will help you find healthier options for you family. 

My first recommendation is find a grocery store that makes food on site, from healthy and wholesome ingredients. Living in a city, I'm very fortunate. Some of my favourite stops for healthy and convenient food are places like Soffrito's, a local oil distributor that sells fantastic homemade pizzas, pastas, casseroles and salads. It'll cost you more than a trip to McDonald's, but your kids need fuel to get through their evening activities after a full day at school. These "homecooked meals" are no different than something you would prepare in your own kitchen, full of fibre, nutrients, proteins and healthy fats. The mess, however, is in someone else's kitchen.  You get all of the glory and the credit for something that someone else prepared! 

 

Another favourite stop is my local Italian Market. Spinelli Italian Centre is a grocery store, a bakery, a deli and a Cafe. Which means I can fuel my body on the best and most affordable cappuccino in town, while picking up healthy ingredients and meals for my family. Better yet, I can book a coffee date with a friend and then bumble through the store. 

I grabbed so many awesome and convenient foods at the market today. When I'm shopping for convenience, I'm looking for minimal ingredients. A short list. Ingredients I know by name. 

 

I picked up these potatoes on a recommendation from my Bestie. She's says they're super delicious, can't wait to munch on my potatoes cooked in duck fat, which by the way crisps up a potato like no other potato.  They'll be lovely alongside some chicken, served with broccoli or a bagged salad. 

 

This sweet kale salad is so good I forgot to photograph the bag. All I'm saying is convenient doesn't need to be unhealthy, it just needs to be quick!

I keep Coco Brooks frozen pizzas in my freezer. I love to pick up the kid's cheese flavoured one. This is a locally made pizza, from a company that offers tons of fundraising opportunities for charities, schools and organized sports. 

 

A cheese pizza is a perfect jumping off point for kids. A great lesson in simple cooking. Sure you could have it plain or you could add your favourite toppings before you cook it up. Your favourite pepperoni, salami or even mushrooms. 

Today we're having Meatball Subs, garlic buttered with marinara sauce, spinach, a sprinkle of parsley and Parmesan Cheese. This recipe is simple especially when you don't need to prep the meatballs!  I purchased these meatballs at the Italian Market, they cost me about $13.00 and they're fantastic. 

 

How about if you don't even need to cook your marinara sauce? Even more simple, right? As you can see the sauce was $6.25, I only needed half of it, I'll freeze the rest for a later date!! I'll use it on a pizza, as a pretzel dip or over pasta. 

 

I picked up torpedo buns for our sandwiches. Mmmm. They were made in the bakery at the market. I buttered the buns with my favourite garlic butter, which I always keep on hand. 

 

I had a few extra minutes, as you can see in this pic, its only 5:09. My first sport drop off was at 6pm. Lots of time! I sautéed some zucchini in my favourite olive oil...Soffritto's Garlic Infused Olive Oil. I buy as much of it as I can, as often as I can! I also added some sea salt, some pepper and some oregano. 

 

These zucchini rounds were a nice touch! I served my kids meatball sandwiches on toasted torpedo buns, with sautéed zucchini, spinach and fresh parsley. They may or may not have removed the zucchini...but I definitely enjoyed it! They did partake in the side Caesar Salad and the heirloom carrots. They even left their spinach on their subs. 

 

There you have it!! Quick, convenient and relatively low cost. I'm calling this one...#winning. 

If you have any questions, comments or you just liked this Big Idea, feel free to comment below! Thanks for reading!!

Turkey Lurkey Soup

 

Turkey soup starts with a delicious turkey dinner. A turkey dinner with all of the fixins'.  Everyone tells you they know the best way to cook a yummy and juicy turkey. I'm no different! The best way to produce a moist and delicious turkey is to brine it first. (Funny side note, the word brine autocorrected to bribe. That also might work! A bribe). Regardless, never make a turkey without brining first.  This is a rule. It is truly the secret to a juicy and tasty turkey. Turkey tastes way better if it has had a 24 hour salt bath, with all of the best poultry friendly herbs. 

 

I always use my cooler to brine my turkey. I add: 

2 cups of sea salt

1 tbsp of whole peppercorns

2-4 bay leaves

Fresh sprigs of thyme, parsley, sage and rosemary

2 cloves of garlic 

1/2 cup of brown sugar or honey

Fill the cooler halfway with above ingredients and cold water; dissolve the salt. Add the turkey and then top off with with more cold water. 

 

Wait 24 hours. When you're ready to cook your turkey, drain off the excess water. If you stuff your turkey; now would be the time. Stuff away!!! Give that turkey a delicious butter massage; whisper sweet nothings to the turkey, place more butter, sage and stuffing under the skin and fill the cavity with as much stuffing as you can manage. Sprinkle poultry seasoning, pepper, chopped parsley, thyme and rosemary all over the skin of the turkey. 

Heat your oven to 400F. Place your turkey inside the oven, uncovered for 20 minutes, to brown the skin. Reduce your heat to 325F and continue to roast, covered, for 15-20 minutes per pound. Baste every 30 minutes.  Make sure you're checking the temperature of your turkey regularly. When it reaches 165F, remove from the oven, leave covered with foil on the counter, to rest. 

Now for the soup!! This is a two day process. After you pick the carcass clean, place the bones (or as many of them that fit) into your slow cooker. Add anything that might add flavour; leftover gravy, stuffing, an onion, a full carrot, celery and bay leaves. Top off the slow cooker with water. Make a bone broth. To do this, turn you slow cooker onto its low setting. When the liquid begins to boil and before you go to sleep, after a high dose of tryptophan, turn your slow cooker down to warm. I leave it on all night and awake to the most delicious smelling broth, in the morning.  Strain your bones through a colander, placed inside a large bowl. Reserve your broth. 

 

Place your broth filled bowl in the fridge. As your soup cools, it will separate.  

 

Remove the layer of fat from the top of the broth. 

 

Discard this layer. 

  

Place your broth into a large stock pot and boil. Taste your broth, as it heats up and decide if it requires salt. Once your soup has begun boiling, turn it down to medium high heat. Add the harder vegetables. Your carrots, potatoes, even parsnips, if you desire. Leave these ingredients to cook for 15 -20 minutes.  At this point, add zucchini, I like to cut mine into ribbons, as I often forego noodles, this is a great substitute. Continue to cook for another 3 minutes. At this point, turn off your pot and add frozen peas. Remove from heat. The peas will cook within the soup broth and will remain firm. 

 

Your turkey soup is now ready for consumption. Enjoy!!  If you like noodles in your soup; cook them separately, and store them separately in the fridge. Noodles in your soup broth will swell and absorb much of the broth. Your bowl of soup will be much more desirable if you place your noodles in the bowl and pour hot soup over them.  Try it with a slice of homemade sourdough!  

http://melsbigideas.blogspot.ca/2017/01/making-sourdough-bread-practicing.html?m=0

 

Thanks for reading! If you have any questions or comments, or you just liked this Big Idea, feel free to comment below. 

 

Pasghetti and Meatballs

 

Kids like video games (ugh), watching TV (anything on Netflix), hanging out with friends, playing outside and COOKING. Last week end my bestie and I took the night off and hired some mini professional chefs. What a blast! We barely assisted...just giggled and salivated because of the delicious aromas coming from the oven and the stove. The excitement of our children was intoxicating. 

The kids chose the recipe earlier in the day. We picked up groceries, unpacked and started planning. The key to a good meal is a solid plan. 

 

I love that they included set the table. They even pulled out a table cloth and candles.  The meal was so special. 

The boys started on the meatballs, the girls started the sauce. 

Easy Marinara Sauce

Finely chop an onion and two cloves of garlic. 

Sauté the garlic and onion over medium heat; in a tablespoon of olive oil. 

When the onions soften and brown, add two 680 ml bottles of Strained Tomatoes to the pan along with 2 tablespoons of tomato paste. 

Add 1 tsp of oregano, 1 sprig of fresh basil, 1 bay leaf and salt and pepper to taste. 

Simmer for 6-8 hours. Time is the most important ingredient in spaghetti sauce! The longer it cooks, the better it tastes. Your tomatoes will sweeten as they simmer; if you feel the sauce isn't sweet enough when you're ready to serve, add 1/2 tsp of dark brown sugar. 

 

The boys used the above recipe to make the meatballs. It's one I pulled out of a Compliments Magazine years ago. Its a fantastic recipe, always delicious and extra special with the milk soaked bread. Due to food sensitivities, we opted to use beef only. 

 

The mixing of the meatballs could not have been more entertaining! Raw meat was was an interesting sensation for the boys. My son, Drew, was less than pleased but watching him was hilarious. Once all of the ingredients were mixed, the boys expertly rolled out meatballs. 

 

While the boys prepped meatballs, the girls put together a Caesar Salad and Isabella made a beautiful garlic bread. 

 

She used 2 baguettes and my favourite spreadable garlic butter. She cut the bread on her own, buttered the bread and sprinkled with fresh Parmesan Cheese. Immediately before dinner, we preheated the oven to 375 F and baked the bread for about 10 minutes. 

 

The girls needed some guidance cooking the meatballs, which they browned in a pan and transferred to a 350 F oven for 15 minutes, checking for an internal temperature of 160 F. 

When it came time to serve, we left some of the meatballs without sauce, for the picky eaters. We mixed the rest right in with the sauce and served over el dente pasta. 

This meal was such a hit!  The kids ravaged the meatballs...so did the adults. Dinner was fabulous. The kids were beyond proud of themselves, willing to try something new and excited about the fact that they that had created a restaurant quality meal.  What a special night. 

 

Thanks for reading!!  If you liked this blog or have any  questions or you just liked this Big Idea, feel free to comment below!

Anything on a Pie Crust

 

Last week I was feeling ambitious! This week, I'm a bit of a disaster. I'm essentially a goldfish mom, easily distracted and not doing a great job completing laundry, cleaning, any of the extra tasks that really organized moms do!  I'd rather be outside hanging out on a walking path with my dog and my kids and that's ok.  Last week, I was an organized mom. I'll get back there!

Last week, hmmmmm....or was that two weeks ago? When I was a super organized, awesome mom, I made pie crust on Monday. I doubled the batch. 

This was the recipe I used. Its my favourite. Grandma's Secret Apple Pie. Poor Grandma, the whole internet has her recipe, but its so good, I feel the need to share. I share all good things: ideas, shopping tips, parenting advice. I probably share too much! This one, is definitely share worthy. Thank you Grandma, whoever you were or are, your pie crust is the bomb! 

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/grandmas-secret-apple-pie-fruit-pie-round-recipe

I still remember the first pie crust I ever made. I was in my twenties, living an apartment with a tiny kitchen; had never baked anything before and I was in charge of the apple pie. I screamed at my husband as I tried to piece it together, I almost threw it off of the balcony. It really made me angry! Pie crust is hard to work with! In the end, the pie turned out great, I apologized to my husband and swore I would never bake another pie. 

I have since learned so many helpful tips and tricks to get the job done! I actually quite enjoy making pies, at this point, but if I'm making pies, I make a lot of pies! Never have I ever made a single batch of pie crust. If I have to clean up an epic mess, there better be one more pie in the freezer for another dinner party. 

Pie crust hates your warm hands. Any of the ingredients you add must be cold, the butter, the water and when you're mixing, use a pastry blender or your fingertips only. Prior to rolling out, chill it in the fridge! 

 

Once you have rolled out your crust, fold it into quarters before placing it in the pan. Always make your pie crust larger than your pan, for ease. Pie crust is easily trimmed and scraps can be rolled up and refrigerated to make tiny pies or turn overs! If you have any rips or tears, join your dough with water and your wet finger tips. 

 

Now fill your pie with anything. I used an apple pie filling I canned from an apple tree in the summer. Or follow the Grandma's Secret Apple Pie recipe. If you've run out of time, leave them wrapped in Saran Wrap for another day!

 

Booze in a pie? Yes. Butter on top of your fruit? Yes. Here's the apple pie filling recipe I follow:

http://www.frugalfarmwife.com/article/home-canned-apple-pie-filling-recipe/

Once your pie is filled and trimmed, pinch the edges; use a fork to seal and create an impression and then vent. Venting couldn't be more important and what an excellent opportunity to add some beauty to your dessert. My favourite way to vent is to use my tiny cookie cutters, though I have been known to hand cut a jack o lantern face at Hallowe'en. 

 

After you egg wash or milk wash your pie crust, be sure to foil the edges of your pie. Pies bake at a high temperature, your edges will brown quickly. Never forget to sprinkle your warm pie with vanilla sugar as it comes out of the oven for an added treat. Mmmmmm!

I baked this pie for my wonderful neighbour. She's always doing nice things for my family, I felt this was the perfect way to say thank you!

 

I used the left over crust to make these mini pies, which I glazed with icing sugar, some vanilla and a tsp of water. They were a hit!!

 

I simply used my mini pie tins and wide mouth Mason Jar to cut. I filled the pies with my canned apple pie filling. 

 

The left over pie crusts became quiche, which my kids love. They freeze supremely well and are extra good with my homemade crust!

http://melsbigideas.blogspot.ca/2017/01/quiche-omelette-doing-two-things-at-once.html?m=0

Time for this mom to hop out of the backyard and get some of that work I keep complaining about done! Thanks for reading! Feel free to comment below with any questions or concerns or if you just liked this Big Idea!

Easter Bunnies Everywhere

 

Easter has invaded my home. I love to switch things up decor-wise and I'm a total sucker for a holiday! These two love birds (bunnies?) have set up camp on my dining table, my dish towels are pink and green, even my bathroom looks like this...

 

Yup. If you know me, you'll realize those are my Christmas "Hope" letters, minus the "E." Do my guests appreciate these little seasonal nods? Probably not, they may not even notice, but I do. They bring me joy, so I'm going to keep these accents around! 

On that note, I've just switched over my Valentine's Printer's Tray to my very favourite lay out. I love the Easter Tray because my kids were so little and sweet when I made it. 

 

So good riddance Valentine's! 

 

I pulled all of my Valentine memories out of my Tray, packed them into the ziplock that I keep in my scrapbooking room and switched to Easter. 

 

Those of you that have read my last article on the Printer's Tray know that the only permanent embellishment on there is the lace border. Everything else switches out. 

http://melsbigideas.blogspot.ca/2017/02/valentine-day-printer-tray.html?m=0

All of the small layouts in the compartments are tightly fit and feature a tab for easy removal. The borders are either sticker borders or have bits of Velcro connected to the back. 

 

As you can see, most of the layouts are decorated with Easter themed paper. I printed all photos in sepia and added orange details with a marker to coordinate with the papers. 

 

I also used a series of stamps with brown archival ink. The tabs are attached with Tom Holtz Tiny Attacher Staples...which are pretty much a tea bag staple.  Super cute!!  I never use just one. 2 or even 3 are much more decorative. 

 

I added details to my son's T-shirt. I had these adorable flocked rub on transfers, which were perfect for this project!  

 

I added this cupcake decoration to the printer Tray handle with appropriately coloured ribbon. Voila! Easter Decor!  Hopefully this inspires you to go out and create!

If you have any questions or you just liked this Big Idea, feel free to comment below. Thanks for reading!!

Bacon Dust Burgers

Mmmmmm....bacon. I love bacon on a burger...but why not put it inside the burger? This past Sunday we hosted family for dinner. The weather as of late has been lovely. Barbeque seemed like an obvious choice and if I'm having BBQ...I want a burger. A Bacon Dust Burger. 

 

I had some help in the kitchen again!!  My amazing niece is a pro with a hand chopper! She helped to make the bacon dust for the patties. 

These patties are simple to mix up and freeze well!!  Can be cooked from thawed or frozen. My preference is frozen!

Bacon Dust Burgers 

Ingredients: 

Half a package of cooked bacon, processed in a food processor or with a chopper to become "Bacon Dust"

1 Family pack of lean ground beef appx 1.75 kg

1 pack regular ground beef appx 0.5 kg

3 cloves of garlic 

1 tsp of onion powder

3 tbsps of Worcestershire Sauce

Salt and Pepper

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and hand mix. To shape your patties, I use a 2 cup, oven safe, flat bottomed bowl. My mother in law uses a peanut butter lid, which is perfect...but mine keeps getting thrown out! 

Make a giant meatball and push it into the bottom of your dish. 

 

Rolling into a meatball first helps your patties to cling together. 

 

I line my platter or container with parchment paper, in order to stack my patties. This recipe makes approximately 20 burgers...you're going to need to stack. 

That's it! Freeze for a later date or cook straight away on your BBQ. I always add a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper and some Worcestershire Sauce to the outside before cooking...I can't pass up the opportunity to add flavour!

 

If you have any questions or you just liked this big idea, feel free to comment below!! Thanks for reading!

 

Bacon Potato Salad

 

I love this potato salad; it pairs wonderfully with BBQ.  It was perfected by my brother, with the addition of pickle juice...he also adds eggs, which I often omit. I'm a purist. I love eggs over easy, in which I dip any bread product available...hard boiled is not my thing. If they're your thing...add them. 

Bacon Potato Salad

9 red potatoes 

1 1/4 cup of Greek Yogurt

1 1/4 cup of full fat sour cream 

3 pickles, finely chopped

3 tablespoons of pickle juice

1/2 package of cooked bacon, roughly chopped

2-3 green onions

1/4 cup of fresh parsley, chopped

Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Quarter the potatoes and add to boiling water. Reduce heat and boil for 15-20 minutes, depending on the size of your potatoes. I often do this step the day before so I don't have to work with hot potatoes. 

Once boiled, cool, strain and cube. 

 

I always prepare this recipe in my serving bowl. The fewer dishes I can dirty, the happier I am!

Next, finely chop your green onions and parsley (reserve some parsley to add to the top of the salad as a garnish) and cube your pickles. Roughly chop your cooked  bacon. Pile these ingredients onto the top of your potatoes. Mixing will occur when you add the wet ingredients to avoid breaking up the potatoes. 

To your serving / mixing bowl, add 1 and 1/4 cup of Greek Yogurt and Sour Cream. Followed by 3 tbsps of pickle juice and salt and pepper.  

 

With a spatula, gently mix the salad together. If you built your salad in your serving bowl, use a piece of paper towel to clean the edges of the bowl and enjoy!!!  

If you have any questions or you just liked this Big Idea, please feel free to comment below.  Thanks for reading! 

Wednesday Wings

 

I love chicken wings. My whole family loves chicken wings. We eat them at least once per week. The trick to enjoying chicken wings and actually having them consumed by your children is...simple ingredients. I love a spicy wing smothered in Frank's Red Hot or honey garlic sauce as much as the next gal. My kids, do not. Let's face it, sauce can be added after the fact! Throw the Red Hot, the BBQ sauce, the honey mustard on the table. Whatever your pleasure. Encourage your kids to try different condiments; be aware, however, that they often add unnecessary sugars, sodiums and calories to your wings, an already fatty cut of meat. This is a Wednesday night meal...not a Pub Fest! Simple ingredients are good for your body, easy to digest and healthy for you and your family. 

In this recipe, I'm featuring my favourite olive oil. We have a local oil store, Soffrittos, filled with wonderful ingredients delicious food and oodles of excellent service. I just love stopping in for a visit and can't live without their garlic olive oil!

Wednesday Wings

 

Ingredients:

Garlic Olive Oil

(this one is a free pour...as much as you like! My recommendation is be generous). 

3 cloves of garlic

Salt and pepper

A handful of thyme 

One club pack of chicken wings

Preheat your oven to 400 F 

Separate your wings removing the tips (set those aside for a quick chicken broth http://melsbigideas.blogspot.ca/2017/02/?m=0) 

from the drumette and the wingette. 

Add your separated wings to a cookie sheet. Crush three cloves of garlic, free pour your garlic olive oil over your wings, add sea salt and pepper and hand mix to gently coat. Place the seasoned chicken wings into the oven for 15minutes. Flip and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes. If you require more of a crisp on the skin of your wings, broil for and flip for 2-3 minutes. When you remove from the oven sprinkle with thyme and serve.