New Years 2017

2016 is over.....I had a few worrisome moments that will hopefully get better this year. My family is healthy, I have a job that I love, great people to work with that make my life richer. Lorne cooks wonderful suppers for us when I work and we get to go to fun places!! I've enjoyed watching the happenings in my Facebook friends lives and was sad for them during times of sorrow. You don't have to go to far away places or spend big money to have a good time. Some times sitting and laughing with an old (or new) friend can make for the best memory!! I hope everyone has an amazing 2017 doing things you enjoy with people you love (or even just like) and I look forward to reading about it and sharing it with you. So come on 2017 let's do this!!!!!!

Morning Sky

It's November 6, 2016 and the weather is nice out. No snow, not cold and no wind (yet). The sky was amazing this morning and warranted this beautiful photo!! 

Corn Flake Drop Cookies

 One day at work we were discussing food like usual and since I gravitate to baking I will zero in on any recipe that is easy and no bake!! I mentioned seeing treats made with corn flakes and Kathy says they make one that's a drop cookie and her mom Deena brought the recipe in to work the next day. Well let's just say this is fabulous!!!! Easy to make, simple ingredients and did I mention you can't quit eating them!!!!!

Recipe: Kellogg's Peanut Crackles

Peanut Crackles

1/2 cup maple blended syrup (I used golden corn syrup)

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup peanut butter

3 cups Corn Flakes

optional: I also added a teaspoon of vanilla

Combine first 3 ingredients and just bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir in peanut butter, remove from heat and stir in Corn Flakes. Using a heaped tablespoon drop onto waxed or parchment paper, chill until firm. Makes about 24 treats.  Enjoy!!!!

Sparwood

This one today is about adventuring!! Last weekend we went to Sparwood, BC for a little camping and adventure. First of all we camped at Mountain Shadows Campground in Sparwood, a small mining town in the East Kootenays. The Campground has power (15 and 30 amp), water and sewer as well as unserviced sites, free firewood and limited wifi. It's really close to the highway but we didn't mind because that means you are close to everything else as well. There are several mines in the area with tours as well as the largest mining (rock) truck in the world!! 

Large sites, some are pull through

Coconut (Breakfast time) cookies, caramilk bar and marshmallows make a great s'more!! 

Company in the next site!!  

Frozen Banana treats

These are super easy and great on a hot day or any day for that matter!! Cut bananas in half crossways, place on parchment or waxed paper and put in the freezer for about 20 minutes, just long enough to make them good and cold. Dip them in Smuckers Magic Shell (this is the chocolate you put on ice cream and it hardens to a crack consistency) then roll in your favourite toppings. I use whatever I have on hand, for these ones I used chopped salted almonds. 

Homemade Magic Shell (recipe thanks to Whipperberry)

1 cup chocolate of any kind (chocolate chips or extra Easter bunny)

2 tbs of refined coconut oil (refined means it has triglycerides I was told by Mo at Co-Op)

Melt together and dip the semi frozen bananas, roll in your favourite topping and return to freezer!! I wrap them in cellophane (plastic wrap) and return to freezer. If you thaw them they turn mushy and not really edible, you could maybe use them in banana bread but that's a recipe for another day!!

Enjoy!! 

Sponge Toffee

I went through a lot of recipes before I decided on this one. This one is very easy and only takes about 15 minutes to cook and 2 hours to set.  

Recipe 

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup of light corn syrup

1/3 cup water

1 tsp vanilla

1 tbs of baking soda

Put sugar, corn syrup and water in a large sauce pan (this will expand a lot when the soda is added) stir until it's completely mixed then bring to a boil WITHOUT stirring. Boil until your thermometer reaches 300 degrees, if you don't have a thermometer then boil until it becomes very brittle and snaps in the cold water test. As soon as it reaches 300 degrees remove from heat, add baking soda and vanilla (be very careful as it might spatter and it's the worst burn ever because it sticks). Whisk with a wire whisk for 5 to 7 seconds because if you whisk it too much it will deflate. Pour into a greased 9" pan and let set for 2 hours. Break it by poking it with the handle of a spoon, then dip in chocolate, let the chocolate set then enjoy!! 

Boiling without stirring

Just poured into the pan, it will turn brown after you pour it in!  

Dipped in both milk chocolate and Belgium chocolate! 

Enjoy!!! 

Curling

When my friend Judy called and asked if I wanted to curl I was really excited and a little scared!!! I had never curled before but really wanted to. She had assembled a team but needed one more person so I called my friend Margot and she she said sure. This has been an awesome experience, I have met so many great woman and our team is wonderful!!  Judy, Joann, Hannah, Deb, Margot and myself have had so much fun (and a couple of beer, haha) that I can't wait to play next year!!!

While most curlers use a broom to stabilize themselves I used a stabilizer that we could borrow from the Springbank Curling Club but sometimes they weren't available so Lorne made me one!!! Tomorrow is our last day and I can't wait to use it!!!

Stabilizer pattern - thanks to the Potomac Curling Club

Raspberries and Ice Cream!!

Raspberries are always good fresh but when winter comes and you need that great taste you make sauce!!!! 

Raspberry Sauce

2 cups frozen raspberries

1/4 cup water  

1 tbs cornstarch

Place raspberries in pan, add water and simmer for about 5 minutes. Strain raspberries very well, and return 1 tablespoon of seeds to the pot, discard (or eat) the remainder.  Mix cornstarch in cold water and add to berries, simmer till thick. ENJOY!!!!!

Happy New Year 2016!!!!

I've been neglectful for the last six months so I'm going to behave in 2016!!! 2015 was an interesting year, we went to San Diego, LA, Edmonton, took the ferry from Prince Rupert to Port Hardy, we went to Fernie, Radium, Edson and Palm Springs. I set out to try and go to a new place every month with the exception of January and we did fairly well we only missed one month!!! Here are some photos from last year, I hope this year I can share some great new places and food with you. Cheers!!!!

Home made ice cream sandwiches!!  

Red velvet whoopie pies!! 

My first black canvas acrylic!! 

Black Forest with a perfect chocolate cake. Recipe to follow!!  

Football

The 2015 NFL season has begun and we kicked off last Sunday night with a game between the Dallas Cowboys and the New York Giants. The game went right down to the last minute with excitement !!! We were having company over and asked my daughter what she would like for dinner and she decided that it was a steak and baby potatoe kind of night. 

The menu was bbq steak, oven roasted baby potatoes, whole mushrooms, corn on the cob, brocolli salad and garlic cheese bread. For the dessert we had home made carmels, cream puffs and a chocolate cake that I didn't serve the guests because I smushed the top as you can see in the photos and was very sad!!

The whole point of this post is the cake. I made a chocolate cake from a mix and it was not as good as expected (new kind not available in Canada). I then went on to make it a poke cake with chocolate pudding, let that set up in the pan then turned it over onto the serving plate, that worked out great!! I then covered it with fudge frosting.

Frosting

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup cream

Boil this in a glass bowl in the microwave stirring every minute till it becomes thick, about 3 - 4 minutes, remove and stir again.  Add between a half and a full cup of chocolate chips, stir till smooth let set and let cool. When it's cool (but not cold) then whip with a beater till it's the consistency of icing. This is like actual fudge so when you frost a cake it will be become semi hard. 

The cake turned out very moist and the icing was terrific like usual, so even though I didn't share the cake with our guest it tasted moist and delicious!!! Oh and I ate mine with whipped cream!!