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mint chocolate whipped shortbread

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My favourite flavours of the holidays are chocolate and peppermint. Whether it be in the form of a hot drink or a dessert, I’m not picky. One staple during the holidays is whipped shortbread. It’s quick to make and always a hit with family and friends. It was about time the two favourites were combined! I chopped up some mint chocolates and added it to the shortbread batter. The result was a buttery chocolatey minty bite that just melts in your mouth. Perfect for cookie exchanges!

Mint Chocolate Whipped Shortbread

1 cup butter
1/2 cup icing sugar
1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup of mint chocolate or peppermint chocolate chips

Cream the butter and icing sugar together.  Add the flour and beat for 10 minutes.  Stir in the chocolate and make into small balls. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes. Makes around 40 cookies

maple roasted carrots

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We bought some maple syrup on the weekend and I’m resisting the urge to pour it on everything. I figure roasting carrots with it would be okay though, seeing as how its veggies. That’s good justification, right? This was a hit with the kids and we will need to make it again very soon!

The syrup caramelizes the carrots making them sweet and delicious while the salt makes them a bit savoury. This makes the perfect vegetable side dish for turkey dinner. 

Maple Roasted Carrots

1 bunch carrots
1 TB olive oil
1 TB maple syrup
few sprigs of thyme
salt

Place the carrots on a baking sheet. Drizzle the oil and maple syrup on the carrots and let them roll around. Sprinkle with salt and add a few sprigs of thyme. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

lavender lemon curd

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It’s the time for giving and there’s nothing better than giving something that you have taken the time to make. Around here, we do a lot of baking. From cookies to tarts to Christmas crack, there is something for everyone.

If you’re looking for something a little different, this Lavender Lemon Curd is the perfect thing! Lavender and lemon make a great combination and they work well together in this luscious curd.

Either on it’s own or paired with some shortbread, the floral citrus curd will definitely stand out. We love to eat it with fresh baked scones. This homemade gift is sure to please any citrus lover on your list!

Lavender Lemon Curd

3 lemons
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tsp lavender
1/4 pound unsalted butter, room temperature
4 extra-large eggs
1/2 cup lemon juice (3 to 4 lemons)
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

Using a carrot peeler, remove the zest of 3 lemons, being careful to avoid the white pith. Put the zest in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add the sugar and lavender and pulse until the zest is very finely minced into the sugar.

Cream the butter and beat in the sugar and lemon mixture. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and then add the lemon juice and salt. Mix until combined.

Pour the mixture into a 2 quart saucepan and cook over low heat until thickened (about 10 minutes), stirring constantly. The lemon curd will thicken at about 170 degrees F, or just below simmer. Remove from the heat and cool or refrigerate.

slow cooker beef ribs

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The slow cooker is always welcomed around here, especially on the weekend. It’s nice to dump things in in the morning, enjoy our day as a family and still sit down to a great home cooked meal. A couple weeks ago, we enjoyed these beef ribs with fig bbq sauce. These saucy ribs are tender and fall off the bone. Easy and tasty – perfect for a busy Sunday.

 
 Slow Cooker Beef Ribs
1 pound beef short ribs
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
3 TB fig spread
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp paprika
salt
pepper
1 cup water

Pat the ribs dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat some oil in a pan and sear the meat on all sides. Place in slow cooker. In the same pan, add a little more oil and add garlic and onions until softened. Add the ketchup, vinegar, fig spread and spices and cook for a few minutes. Add the water and pour the sauce over the ribs. Cook in the slow cooker on low for six to eight hours.
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
3 TB fig spread
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp paprika
1/2 poblano pepper, roasted
salt
pepper
oil
sriracha, as hot as you like it

Heat some oil in a pan and add the onions and garlic. Add the ketchup,
vinegar, fig spread and spices and cook for a few minutes. Add the
mixture to a blender along with the pepper and sriracha. – See more at:

https://foodmamma.com/2015/09/yyc-pizza-week-blogger-challenge.html#sthash.BgiEKbV9.dpuf

extreme bean yam springroll…and a giveaway!

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When it comes to entertaining, it’s always great to have a drink that caters to both the drinkers and non-drinkers. Caesars fit the bill, and Matt & Steve’s Extreme Beans have you covered for your next party. Their Caesar Rimmer is super flavourful and their varieties of pickled beans provide the perfect accompaniment to a Caesar. Hot & Spicy, Garlic & Dill and Sweet & Savoury, there is something for everyone!

I love appetizers so I was excited to come up with one using Matt & Steve’s Extreme Beans. Spring rolls are always a hit but I thought I’d change it up by using some sweet yams. Nestled inside the boiled and mashed sweet yam was a Sweet and Savoury bean, all enveloped in a thin spring roll wrapper. The crisp bean was the perfect contrast to the creamy yam. This was great served with ponzu sauce for dipping and alongside a Caesar, featuring an Extreme Bean!

Want  to win a gift
basket of Matt & Steve’s entertaining essentials with a total value
of $50 mailed directly to you? The basket includes the following:

Plastic bucket
Official Matt & Steve’s Extreme Bean Caesar Glasses
Matt & Steve’s beer Koozies
1 jar of Hot & Spicy Extreme Bean
1 jar of Extreme Bean Garlic & Dill
1 jar of B’n Olive
1 tin of Caesar Rimmer 150gm

Entering is easy, see below. Contest closes Tuesday, December 15th at 11:59pm MST. Good luck!
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nutella brownies…and a baker’s secret giveaway!

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If there’s anything that can bring people to the table, it’s a pan of brownies. Not just any brownies. Nutella brownies. These are not as dense as the 2-ingredient brownies I’ve made before. They are cakey and not as sweet, and totally satisfy a chocolate craving.  The hazelnuts scattered on top roasted in the oven making it the perfect crunchy topping.

When World Kitchen sent me their Baker’s Secret Easy Store 5pce Bakeware Set, I knew that this would be the perfect recipe to test out the pans. I was very impressed with the set, each nonstick pan nesting together for compact, space-saving storage. They are also dishwasher safe, always a bonus when it comes to saving time.

Want a chance to win an 8″ Baker’s Secret Square Cake Pan and bake up your own batch of these brownies? Enter below and let me know what you’ll be making! Open to residents of Canada (including Quebec). Contest closes December 10, 2015 at 11:59pm MST.

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This post has been sponsored by World Kitchen and I have been compensated monetarily and with product. All opinions are my own.

Nutella Brownies

1 cup Nutella
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking pwoder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup hazelnuts, chopped

In a glass bowl, heat the Nutella for approximately 30 seconds in the microwave. Add the sugar and mix well. Add eggs and vanilla until combined. Add the dry ingredients until everything is incorporated. Pour batter into an 8″ x 8″ greased pan. Top with nuts and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 cup pecans – See more at: https://foodmamma.com/2012/08/fudge-brownies.html#sthash.DhFS7GyH.dpuf

holiday gift guide

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It was fun putting together a holiday gift guide this year. These are some of our favourites and sure to be a hit with the foodies in your life.

Robert Rose Cookbooks

Can anyone really have too many cookbooks? Robert Rose has so many great titles out there for the variety of people on your list. From the Best of Bridge to Spiralizer Recipes, there is definitely something for everyone. These books are also filled with so much inspiration for holiday entertaining. Check out their titles: http://www.robertrose.ca/books

Urban Bonfire

Around here, outdoor grilling is a year round activity. We don’t let the snow stop us from firing up the bbq to enjoy a juicy steak and some beef short ribs. Urban Bonfire has you covered for all your grilling needs. From grill accessories to  spices, they have your grillmaster covered.

We loved their spices! We tried their Tico, which was amazing on salmon and and we tried the Montreal Steak Spice which was so delicious. Check them out online at http://www.urbanbonfire.com/.

Yonanas 

Let’s face it, the holidays are a time of over indulgence. Yonanas helps you enjoy a sweet snack without the guilt. The machine makes ice cream out of frozen bananas! No sugar, no cream, just plain bananas and you have yourself a sweet treat. The resulting ice cream is creamy and sweet and the kids loved it! Hubby loved that the soft serve was lactose free. Find out more here: http://yonanas.com/

Cococo Chocolatiers

The holidays require chocolate and only the best will do. Cococo Chocolatiers, owners of Chocolaterie Bernard Callebaut® is a real treat for anyone on your gift list. With a wide variety of award-winning chocolate available, anyone would be happy to receive a box. My favourite are the salted caramels. So delicious! The company is opening a new storefront in the international terminal of the Calgary airport allowing people from everywhere to taste their deliciousness. You can order online at http://www.bernardcallebaut.com/.

Edo Japan

Life is busy and sometimes between all the kids’ activities, we need to grab a quick meal. Edo is a favourite for all of us. It’s tasty, healthy and quick and the kids love it! I think anyone would be thrilled to get a gift card from Edo Japan: http://www.edojapan.com

Want to win a gift card for yourself? Enter below. Let us know what’s on your wish list this year! Contest closes on Sunday, December 13th, 2015 at 11:59pm.  Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

chicken chili

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The days are getting cold and all we want to eat around here is something warm and comforting. This chicken chili hits the spot! I’m always looking for ways to use up leftover chicken, whether it be bbq’d or rotisserie and this is the perfect way to do it.

This chili tastes great if you let it simmer on the stove for a while, let all the ingredients come together. The house will smell incredible and be filled with warmth. Perfect for these cold days.

Chicken Chili

2 pounds cooked chicken, shredded
2 carrots, diced
1 onion, diced
2 cans (540mL) mixed beans
1 can (796 mL) crushed tomatoes
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp cumin powder
2 tsp paprika
1 TB olive oil
1/2 cup water
salt
pepper
chili powder, as desired

In a large pot, add oil and cook the onions and carrots until softened. Add the chicken, beans, tomatoes and spices along with the water and let simmer for 30 – 45 minutes. Top with cheese and cilantro.

1 can mixed beans, drained
1 can crushed tomatoes
2 – 4 tablespoons chili powder
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons coriander powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 cup water – See more at: https://foodmamma.com/2010/09/comforting-slow-cooker-chili.html#sthash.Bl7junxS.dpuf

carrot cake

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Today is my mom’s birthday. She is a special person, always doing what she can for all of us. She doesn’t ask for anything. The least I could do was make her a cake.
This moist cake is warm from the cinnamon and packed with nuts
because that’s what she loves. And since there’s carrots, we can
convince ourselves that it’s okay to eat because we are eating our
veggies.

Carrot Cake

2 cups carrots, grated
1 cup oil
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
1/4 cup almonds, chopped

In a blender, mix together the carrots, oil and eggs. Transfer to a bowl and add the dry ingredients. Carefully fold in the nuts. Put batter into a 9″ cake pan and bake at 350 for 35 to 40 minutes.  Top with cream cheese icing and nuts.