Some like it hot!

Oh yeah baby, we like it HOT! I stumbled this recipe years ago, modified it a bit to make it my own, and let me tell you after 9 years I still get a "oh yeah, Thai Shrimp Curry" from my hubby. No way do the kids eat it, I usually make this when I know I have left overs for them :) . So let me share this oh so yummy recipe with you all.

To start let me introduce you to my favorite brands of Asian ingredients.  

I've tried others but they always disappoint. If I don't have these on hand I don't make it.


Ok so lets get started. 


First you need some grated carrots (I use about 1/2 a bag of baby carrots or more)
2 peppers, I like using red. 
6 green onions, sliced.
4 garlic cloves
2 - 3 tbsp chili paste
2  tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 can of coconut milk
shrimp, peeled (I'm not adding a quantity because I'm not too sure. I usually buy it in bulk at Costco, and then pour out an amount into a pasta bowl. If I were to guess I would go with 1lb)
large handful of chopped cilantro and thai basil (not the regular one. Thai basil has a licorice taste to it)


Get your wok screaming hot, add a couple of tsp of peanut oil or vegetable oil. Add all your veggies. Sauté for a couple of minutes. 


Add the Chili paste, toss until it becomes fragrant. Then add the fish sauce, toss, and then the brown sugar. 


Add the can of coconut milk and bring to a simmer.


The coconut milk will thicken a bit. Then add your shrimp, cook until it turns pink. 


Add your Coriander and Thai basil right at the end. 


Serve with rice. 

Hope you enjoy!!! 

Quinoa Patties

Everyone is trying to eat better these days... Trying being the operative word. So when I find something that is good for you and so easy and yummy I indulge. That is exactly what I do when I make these. 


For those of you who aren't familiar with Quinoa let me introduce you to my new best friend. Quinoa grains are cooked similar to couscous or rice, and contain essential amino acids and good quantities of calcium, phosphorus, and iron. 


Quinoa is so simple and versatile it is easily a great side or light lunch.  This recipe can easily be adapted to your tastes, I chose to make Greek style Quinoa patties, I served them next to some chicken souvlaki's with my favourite store bought Tzatziki. 

Start by boiling 1 1/2 cups of water and 1 1/2 cups of vegetable (or chicken) broth. Once it's boiling add 1 1/2 cups of quinoa. Cover, and lower the heat, allow to simmer until all the liquid has absorbed. (usually about 15 minutes) Once quinoa is cooked allow to cool. 


While you are doing this, chop one small onion, 3 garlic cloves and sauté until lightly golden brown. Add 3 cups of raw spinach and cook until it has completely wilted and all the water has evaporated. Set aside to cool. Then chop it up. 


In a medium bowl beat 3 eggs, 2 tbsp flour, and 1 1/2 tsp baking powder. Add some crumbled feta cheese, a hand full of chopped kalamata olives, some chopped sun-dried tomatoes, lemon zest and about 1 tbsp of sesame seeds (or pine nuts, or sliced almonds). 


To the egg mixture add the cooled quinoa and the cooled chopped spinach. (if they are not cooled you are asking for some scrambled eggs... trust me, give it time to cool).


To make the patties get a large baking sheet and line it with parchment paper. Wet your hands so the mixture doesn't stick, and make your patties. I normally get about 15-18 patties. 


Place them in the fridge for about an hour to firm up. 

In a large skillet with a bit of olive oil fry the patties until they are golden on each side. (they are pretty fragile, so it may be helpful to use 2 spatulas to do the flipping). 


Serve with a salad, or as a side.   

Don't stick to my combo switch it up by omitting or adding what your family likes. Sure to please guaranteed! 

Left Over Halloween Candy- Smartie edition

Again, I'm pretty slow on maintaining this blog... In my defence I just finished working, and gave birth to my fourth child... Sound like an excuse... well kinda. So here we go again. I'm giving it another go, and I have full intention on sticking with it this time.


So after my three older monkeys went trick or treating, and came home with 3 full bags of candy I quickly decided that I could use alot of this for some yummy desserts. First up to get rid of, Smarties. I had a few ideas, but decided to go with Smartie filled Whoopie Pies.


If you still have not tried a whoopie pie, you totally should. They are simple to make, and spongey just like a cake, only stuffed with a yummy butter cream.


Want the recipe?
Here you go.

 For the Whoopie Pies I took the recipe for Vanilla Whoopies from whoopie pies.

Cream together:


4 tbsp butter
4 tbsp vegetable shortening

1/2c. white sugar
1/2c packed brown sugar


Then add:


2 eggs
1/2c buttermilk


Mix together in a separate little bowl:
2 tbsp milk
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vinegar
1tsp vanilla


Add the milk mixture to the batter along with:
2 1/4 c flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt.


Beat until everything is well combined.


Drop about 1 tbsp of batter onto a parchment lined baking sheet and repeat spacing them about 2inches apart. don't over crowed, trust me they spread.

Bake at 350 for about 10 minutes.


After they have cooled completely whip up a batch of your favorit butter cream (or you can always used good old Betty Crocker)


Here is my fav-super-simple- butter cream :


Beat 1 c of butter until it is nice and fluffy and pale in colour.
Gradually add 4 cups of icing sugar.
Finish it off with a splash of vanilla.


For this these ones all I did was add some orange food colouring and some chopped up smarties and VOILA!

Frosting for the Cause... Snickerdoodles

Here is the recipe I did for Frosting for the cause you can see the original post.

This is in honor of my two fabulous grandmothers, who love to live, love and laugh, I have made Toffee Chocolate Chip Snickerdoodles. Why? Just say “Snickerdoodle”; doesn’t it make you smile? That’s why!

Here is what you need:


2 ½ cups flour
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
2 cups of sugar (divided)
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup butter
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp almond extract
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips ( I like to use the minis)
2/3 cup toffee bits

Now before I begin, it must be said: I am a lazy baker. I do not mix my wet, then dry, then combine. No, no. If you want to, by all means go for it: they can only be better. So here goes:

In a bowl mix ½ cup of sugar and cinnamon set aside.

Beat the remaining 1 ½ cups sugar with the butter until well combined.

Add the eggs, vanilla and almond extract, and beat until well combined.

In a separate bowl, OR right on top of the wet ingredients, add the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt.

Mix by hand (that is, with a spoon, rather than like my aunt who once read “mix by hand” and actually mixed by hand!)

Add the chocolate and toffee chips. Roll into balls, depending on how big you want your cookies

Then roll the cookies in the remaining cinnamon sugar mixture and place on cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 for 12-14 minutes depending on the size.
Enjoy and share!

A platter of about 100 cookies was donated to the Ottawa Civic Hospital, Women’s breast Health Center.

Key Lime Pie Oh my.

It's Tangy, It's Sweet, It's Creamy, It's Perfect!

I first found the recipe about 5 years ago. I can not tell you how many people it has spread to. Everyone I give it to gives it to at least 5 more. I'm telling you it is so simple, and so loved. It truely is the go to Dessert for those who "don't bake" and even for those who do!

OK here we go.

First you will need to make a crumb crust. Either use Graham Crumbs or Gingersnaps (home made or even those super cheap crunchy ones you can buy. I think they are Dare, and they are like 2$ or something like that)

So about 1 cup of "crumb"

a couple of tbsp of melted butter or margarine.

Sprinkle of sugar and cinnamon

Press into the bottom of a pie plate or spring form pan like I did.

Bake 325 for 5 minutes.

Now the filling:

Limes, You'll need between 4 and 6 of them.

In a bowl, add 1 3/4 cups of sweetened condensed milk

The zest of 3 limes,

1/2 cup of fresh lime juice,

4 egg yolks.

That's it!

at this point I would like to thank my sis. She decided to move to the Yukon (don't worry she came to her senses and came back) and she gave me her juicer. Saves so much time!

This is pre mixing.

This is post mixing.

Now pour it on the prepared crust. And pop back into the over for 15-20 minutes.

It should be only a little "wobbly" when it's done. Let it cool.

Now anyone who knows me knows that only one thing makes dessert even better!

WHIP CREAM!

so slather it on, don't be cheap!

And Voila! Now really how easy was that??? Super easy!

Oh yeah, don't forget to let the little ones lick the spoon!

ENJOY!

Simple Layered no bake pan of yumminess

So are you ready for an ultra simple yet oh so yummy dessert. One that will impress anyone, but is so simple that I had my 4 1/2 and 3 year old helping me. Actually they did all the assembly.  OK here is all you need.

1 pkg vanilla pudding (prepared as per package)

1 pkg chocolate pudding(prepared as per package)

500ml of whipped cream, whipped (I added a bit of sugar)

I box of Social Tea

1 Box of Chocolate Wafers.

Ok now you'll split the whip cream in 3 (eye ball it) and mix one part with chocolate pudding, one part with vanilla and save some plain whipped cream for the top layer.

 

Now "gently" or so combine.

Now get ready for it. It's time to layer.

So spread a layer of chocolate pudding mix.

Top with Social Tea cookies

Top that with Vanilla mixture, and top that with Chocolate wafers. 

 

You see where I'm going with this??? Repeat now with chocolate pudding mixture, then social tea cookies.

Keep going until you either run out of room in your pan, or run out of cream and cookies.

 

After the final layer of cookies, top with reserved whip cream.

 

Done.

So Simple So yummy!

 

Now before you look at the completed picture I have to say that i forgot to take a proper picture of it before it was finished. So please excuse the messy messy looking desert, but trust me it looks nice when it is cut properly,and regardless it is so great!



Frosting for the Cause

I am so excited to be taking part in this fund raising activity. I think it is such a wonderful idea, and all for a great cause. Everyone knows someone who has been touched by cancer, it is a horrible disease that shows no mercy, no discrimination, and no compassion. If for some reason, you don't know someone let me tell you of two.




Two incredible woman. Two incredible survivors.

My maternal grandmother is first. I call her Puppy Mouse (it's a German thing), she battled and won Breast Cancer at the age of 75. She is still alive and kicking 15 years later! Can you believe it she turned 90 last year!

My other Grandmother, I call her Wapy nanny ( she bought me a bird I named Wapy, and yes I still call her this at age 31). She fought, and won her battle with lymphoma. While she was in palliative care she fell and broke her hip. We all thought that our days with her were numbered. Her incredible spirit, one like none other I've ever seen, is what got her through. This is a picture of her this past December celebrating Birthday # 87 with her 3rd Great grandchild, my baby we call him ZooZoo. She also recently took a trip to Ireland with her daughter to discover her roots! How many can say that we have done that?

I'm encouraging you to go and read the details on their website http://www.frostingforthecause.com/ it will be clearer coming straight from them. It's about sharing recipes, goodies, and donating all for a great cause.

So I have my date booked as May 13th. This is when I get to share my recipe! Now what recipe should I choose??? That is the question. A Yummy cupcake, fabulous cookie??? How can I decide? I know, I'll let you decide.

So here are the details. The entire fund raising done by Frosting for the Cause is based on the honor system. So I will do the same. If i get 50 people to commit to donating any amount to any cancer organization of their choice I will let you choose the recipe. I'll post up a couple of choices and you can tell me what recipe you want from me.

Simply comment on this post once you have donated and once I get 50 of you that donate, I will post up the choices.

Please give generously!

Here are some links for some Cancer Organizations, but you are not limited to these!

http://www.cbcf.org/

http://www.cancer.ca/

So like I said I am making a solid effort to get back into regular blogging. So to kick it off, the easiest thing I can blog about. The best selling, most favorite cookie at Sweet Bites of Joy! You know it, Melting Moments.



These are two short bread, buttery, melt in your mouth cookies, that are only made better by a creamy smooth chocolate chip filling.







Want a closer look??? I thought so





These make such a great gift. The cookies themselves actually stay fresh and fantastic for at least 4 days if not longer! I have a few variations of these that I am dying to try. Chocolate, Mocha, Lemon. Oh the possibilities!

Winter 2011 menu

I'm back at blogging, it's been so long. I am telling myself, this time I will stick to it! Here goes.