Fruit Dip

I like to post with a picture.....it's just how I am....I like to put a picture to the recipe I'm making. Jeff got a bunch of fruit today so I had to make some yummy fruit dip. I have to watch Cooper or he'll eat it by the spoonful. For now you are getting my blah picture.....next time I make it on a fruit tray I'll swap the photos out. Try it....you'll love it.....

1- 250 g block of cream cheese

8 oz marshmallow fluff ( half of the big jar)

1/4 tsp lemon juice

Few drops of red food coloring

Soften your cream cheese, mix together with fluff until smooth. Add in lemon juice and food coloring. Chill in fridge and serve with fresh fruit.

Oven Roasted Potatoes

We tried a new recipe tonight and it had the approval from Jeff so it's a keeper......

1/8 cup olive oil

1 Tbsp minced garlic

1/2 tsp dried basil

1/2 tsp dried marjoram

1/2 tsp dried dill weed

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp dried parsley

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp salt

4 large potatoes, peeled and cubed

Preheat oven to 475F. In large bowl combine oil and spices and mix well. Stir in potatoes until evenly coated. Place in a single layer on roasting pan or baking sheet. Roast 20-30 minutes, turning occasionally to brown.

I found these had some kick to them so be careful on your pepper flakes. I also didn't have marjoram or thyme but they were still awesome!!!

So delicious.....

Roasting perfection.....

Tri Color Pasta Salad

Spring is here and that means more BBQ and salads. Tonight we are having chicken with pasta salad......and who knows what else. This is a must in our house....my kids just came up and they could tell from the smell of noodles what I was making. I had to smack fingers as they kept trying to sneak some from the bowl. It's easy to make and so yummy.....I'm really wishing I had made a bigger batch.....

1/2 green pepper, seeded and chopped

2 chopped tomatoes ( I remove the seeds)

1 small english cucumber, remove seeds and chop

1 carrot, peeled and chopped

500g tri-color fusilli pasta, cooked and cooled

Sauce:

2/3 cup white sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup ketchup

1/4 vinegar

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 tsp paprika

Cook and cool your pasta and put in salad bowl. Add all your chopped veggies and mix together. Put all your sauce ingredients in a separate bowl and whisk together well. Pour over salad and mix up. Put in fridge to cool. Mix before serving as the dressing tends to settle on the bottle.

I like to toss cheese in mine when I serve it. I have one who doesn't like cheese in her salad so I try to get her some up first. I also don't really measure out the salt, pepper and paprika so you want to taste it and see if you want a little more or not. Enjoy!!

Apple Crisp

This is a recipe for apple crisp that is a no fail. Absolutely love to eat this anytime of the year.

4-6 good size apples, peeled and sliced

1/2 cup softened butter or margarine

3/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup oatmeal

1/2 cup flour

1 tsp cinnamon

Peel and slice apples and put in casserole dish. Mix butter and brown sugar together and then mix in the rest of the ingredients. Crumble over apples. Bake at 350F for 35-340 minutes or until golden. Serve with ice cream or whip cream

Baked Macaroni & Cheese

This is a recipe from a Newfoundland cookbook that used to belong to my grandmother Mary Durnford. I used to make this back in the day when I lived at home and still make it now and then. Cooper made some fantastic noises as he enjoyed it tonight. Sorry for the weird measurements........it's how it was in the cookbook.....

25 ml margarine

25 ml flour

2 ml salt

0.5 ml pepper

350 ml milk

250 ml grated cheddar cheese

1 ml Worcestershire sauce

1 ml prep mustard

250 ml macaroni

75 ml bread/cornflake crumbs

25 ml cheddar cheese

Boil pot of water, cook uncooked macaroni noodles and set aside. In pot melt your margarine and stir in your flour, salt and pepper. I don't measure the salt and pepper......just put what I like in. Pour in your milk and continue to stir over medium heat until sauce begins to thicken. Once thickened remove from heat and stir in Worcestershire sauce, mustard and cheddar cheese.....again I add a little extra cheese :) Once your cheese has melted mix noodles into sauce and pour into casserole dish. Top with buttered crumbs and cheddar cheese. I personally use cornflake crumbs and mix with a little melted butter. Bake at 400F for 20-25 minutes.

All mixed up.....waiting for topping

Ready for the oven.....

All ready for my belly....

Blueberry Muffins

I'm not 100% sure where this recipe came from but it's delicious!!! Jessica RAVED about them tonight as she devoured one.

1/2 cup margarine

1 cup white sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups flour

4 tsp baking powder

pinch of salt

1 cup of milk

2 cups blueberries

Cream margarine and sugar, add eggs and vanilla. Sift dry ingredients and add to the above mixture. Add in milk and blueberries. Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown. Makes about 18 muffins......unless you over stuff the pan like me :)

Toblerone Chocolate Caramel Cheesecake

This cheesecake has become a favourite in our house and one that I traditionally make at Christmas time. It's a rich cheesecake but so delicious.....

1 1/4 cups Oreo Baking Crumbs

1/4 cup butter, melted

3- 250g pkgs. cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 Tbsp vanilla

3 eggs

1/3 cup caramel ice cream topping

1- 100g Toblerone Swiss Milk chocolate coarsely chopped.

Heat oven to 350 F. Mix crumbs and butter; press onto bottom on 9-inch springform pan. Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended. Pour over crust. Bake 40-45 minutes; cool before removing rim. Refrigerate 4 hours. Spread caramel topping over cheesecake just before serving. Garnish with chopped chocolate. Enjoy!!!

Hamburger Casserole

This is another recipe that I have gotten from my mother in law Charlotte. It is a favorite in our house and one that's great when you need a quick meal. I'll have to make it so I can post a picture with the recipe.

1 lb hamburger

1 tsp parsley

1 tsp oregano

1/4 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp garlic powder

Cook these all together in a frying pan. Then add in:

1 can Italian tomato soup ( I use a Campbell's Basil & Oregano)

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 1/4 cup water

Mix well and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and mix in 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese and 4 cups shell macaroni uncooked. I then top with a little extra cheese because I love anything with cheese. Pour into a casserole dish and bake at 400F for 15-20 minutes or until cheese is golden. Great to serve with veggies or a salad.

Scalloped Sweet Potatoes

This is a must on the recipe blog. This recipe comes from my brother's father in-law Herbie. He somehow got Michael to try these and in turn Michael has got us hooked. They are a MUST at an holiday dinner and a bonus any other time of the year. Trust me, you will LOVE LOVE them!!!

3/4 cup whipping cream

1/4 cup milk

2 bay leaves

1 large spanish onion

1/4 cup butter

3 good sized sweet potatoes

2/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

salt & freshly ground black pepper

In medium saucepan, combine cream, milk & bay leaves. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Remove bay leaves.

Cut onion in half lengthwise and slice into thin lengthwise strips. Melt butter in large skillet over med-high heat; add onion and cook, stirring often for 15-20 minutes until onion is golden brown. Let cool. Spread 1/4 cup of the cream mixture in generously buttered 12 by 9 shallow baking dish. Arrange layers of sweet potato in dish overlapping slices. Spread with half of the caramelized onions:season with salt and pepper. Repeat layers. Top with layers of sweet potato slices; drizzle with cream mixture, sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Cover dish with foil. Bake in preheated oven at 350F for 45 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake 15-20 minutes more until the top is golden brown and potatoes are tender when pierced with a paring knife. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

Wai-Kiki Meatballs

This is another family favourite that we ate a lot growing up. My kids get super excited when we have this and I have to make a TON of meatballs.......

2 Tbsp corn starch

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup vinegar

1 Tbsp soya sauce

1 19 fl.oz pineapple tidbits.

1/2 green pepper, chopped

To start out with prep your meatballs. I use pre made ones that M&M meat shop sells so I cook them and set them aside. I usually will make around 60-70 meatballs......they aren't big at all and the kids love them so I like to have enough.....

Drain your pineapple and set the juice aside. Mix together your corn starch and brown sugar. Stir in your pineapple juice, vinegar and soya sauce. Cook in frying pan, stirring until thickened and clear. Boil for 1 minute. Add meatballs, pineapple and green pepper. Heat through. We like to serve with basmati rice.

Apple Pecan Cheesecake

I made this a few years ago for Thanksgiving dessert. It's a recipe from the KRAFT website and really delicious!!!!!

1-1/2 cups HONEY MAID Graham Cracker Crumbs

1/4 cup butter, melted

2 Tbsp. brown sugar

4 pkg. (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened

1-1/2 cups packed brown sugar, divided

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup BREAKSTONE'S or KNUDSEN Sour Cream

4 eggs

3 apples, peeled, chopped

3/4 cup chopped PLANTERS Pecans

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

HEAT oven to 325°F.LINE 13x9-inch baking pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides of pan. Mix crumbs, butter and 2 Tbsp. brown sugar; press onto bottom of pan.

BEAT cream cheese, 1 cup brown sugar and vanilla in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Add sour cream; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended. Pour over crust. Combine remaining brown sugar, apples, nuts and cinnamon; spoon over batter.

BAKE 55 min. or until center is almost set. Cool completely. Refrigerate 4 hours. Use foil handles to lift cheesecake from pan before cutting to serve.