Frozen Yogurt Drops

Roman is becoming more independent every day (*tear*) and lately he prefers to feed himself.  This poses a bit of a problem when I'm trying to feed him pureed food.  I'm all for letting him run wild with chunks of food, but giving a 9 month old a bowl full of pureed food and a spoon, I think not.  So I've been racking my brain trying to come up with recipes for nutritious foods that he can feed himself.

I've seen yogurt drops in bags at the grocery store, but I'm not completely sold on pre-packaged baby food.  I try to steer away from processed food and added sugar as much as I can with Roman.  Plus I'm just too cheap to buy them when I know I can make them for much much less!

I didn't really go by any measurements when making these yogurt drops, more of a mix and taste type system.  I pureed most of the berries and mixed them into the yogurt.  I left some of the blueberries whole because Roman likes texture in his food.  If you have a younger child I would suggest pureeing all the fruit.

The plan was to use a piping bag and make perfectly symmetrical drops of yogurt, but that went out the window when Roman decided naps were for wimps and he needed to play in the kitchen.  Instead of hauling him downstairs with me to find the tools I needed, I decided to drop the yogurt onto a parchment lined baking sheet with a spoon.  If you are going to pipe them, I highly suggest letting your fruit and yogurt mix sit in the fridge to set up a bit which will make it easier to pipe.

I popped them in the freezer and within 30 minutes they were frozen enough to be removed from the parchment paper.  I stored my drops in a plastic tub in the freezer.  Obviously these yogurt drops aren't as easy to travel with as the freeze dried version, but they are still delicious!  They also make a great snack for adults and older children.

These have become the standard "dessert" for the end of every meal for Roman.  He starts smiling and squealing as soon as he sees the container come out of the freezer. Roman loves stuffing these into his mouth and sucking on them until they disintegrate. I'm sure we will all be eating a lot of these this summer.

**NOTE: I am not a dietitian or doctor. Always consult a health care professional before changing your infants diet.

The Great Pierogi Production!

If you have ever made pierogies then you know how much work then can be.  Well a few of the women in my family decided to get together and have a pierogi making day!  This way we all ended up with a good amount of pierogies in a short amount of time.  We did have the assistance of one man, Selby, who was the lucky person to watch Roman while we made out pierogies.  Roman managed to survive the day unscathed, too bad we can't say the same for Selby's beard....

Now the most important part of making pierogies is having a good recipe.  And where else to get a good pierogie recipe than from an old Ukrainian Baba.  Now if you are Ukrainian, or have ever tried to get a recipe from a Baba, then you know that those ladies can be sneaky!  Baba's are notorious for giving you their recipe but omitting an indigent or not giving you actual measurements so their food always tastes better than yours.  Fortunately Mom had a friend that was willing to share her delicious recipe and now I'm passing it on to you!

Pierogies (makes approx. 150 pierogies)
5 cups flour
1 cup milk
1/2 cup oil
1 cup boiling water
5 lbs potatoes, peeled
3 cups shredded cheese
1/4 cup butter, grated
Bacon, onion, or any other ingredients you want to add inside your pierogies

Using a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment, mix flour, milk, oil and boiling water until it forms a sticky dough.

Boil potatoes over high heat until tender, drain, and mash.  Add shredded cheese, grated butter, and any other additions to your pierogie filling, to the mashed potatoes.  *Secret Baba TIP - Cover the potatoes with a lid and allow the cheese and butter to melt into the pierogies.  Once it is completely melted mix up the potatoes.  This method gives you an even distribution of the butter and cheese into your filling!  Using a small ice cream scoop, or your hands, form the potatoes into individual balls 1 inch in diameter.  Set aside.  *Note - the size of the balls will depend on what size rounds you cut from the pierogie dough.  We used a regular drinking glass.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pierogie dough to 1/8 inch thickness.  Using a water glass, cut out rounds of the dough.  Continue rolling and cutting until all the dough is used.

Now the fun part, pinching pierogies!  Place a ball of potato into the centre of a round of dough.  Stretch the dough around the potato and pinch the edges together.  Voila, you have pierogies!  Now you just have 149 more to make!  Place the pierogies on parchment lined baking sheet and freeze, then transfer them into freezer bags.

Too cook the pierogies, boil them in water over high heat until the float to the top.  Top them with sour cream, onions, bacon, or even some mushroom soup.  You can also fry them in a pan after boiling to make the outside crispy.

Saving Money on Groceries

Who doesn't like to save money!?  I personally love a deal and the feeling I get when I feel like I'm stealing something from the store (I do not recommend this!).  We've all seen the shows on TV proclaiming that you need to be a crazy coupon lady or forage for salad greens in the forest to save money.  The reality there are easier ways to save money, and these are a few of the ways I do it!

The first, and I think most important, is meal planning!  I know it's not always fun, and it's not really a big secret, but it really is a HUGE step towards saving money.  I usually plan out my meals for 1-2 weeks at a time.  This way I know I have enough food in the house and I won't have to run out for odds and ends.  At the same time I know that I have ingredients in the house that will actually make an entire meal.  There is nothing worse than having a house full of food but you can't make a meal with it.

Hit the discount rack!  Most stores will have a "reduced for quick sale" rack in the bakery and the produce isles.  Many of the items the bakery discounts are there because they are a day or two old.  I will often pick up a few dozen buns or a few loaves of bread when they are on the discount rack and freeze them.  Treats like brownies or a cake are great finds on the discount rack because, lets be honest, it isn't going to last long enough in the house to go bad.  The discounted produce can sometimes be dicey.  The only item I really pick up here is bananas.  They are usually 1/2 price and are ready for delicious banana bread!  I've even been lucky enough to find organic bananas for the same price as the discounted regular bananas!  No need to store them in the freezer for 5 months.....please tell me I'm not the only person who has a freezer door FULL of bananas....

If the store you shop at has a rewards card, use it!  Whether the points can be used for free groceries or trips around the world, you might as well collect the points since your spending the money anyway!

Make freezer meals!  I LOVE freezer cooking!  I can spend a few hours on a weekend cooking and make enough meals to last us 1-2 weeks.  Not only does this save me a ton of time making supper each night, but it also saves a lot of money!  When your freezer is stocked with tasty, healthy, easy meals, the temptation of take out is obliterated.  Freezer cooking can be intimidating, but if you take the time to plan it will be a walk in the park!  My absolute favorite website for freezer cooking recipes is Once a Month Meals.  They have amazing recipes and I have yet to find one that isn't delicious.

Buy the whole animal!  Why pay someone to cut up your meat when you can?  Whole chickens are great roasted and the meat can be eaten as is, used in wraps, pasta, or soup.  The bones are great to boil and make homemade broth.  Now butchering your own cow or pig may not be an option, but purchasing a half or whole animal from a local farmer can save you a whack of cash!  It is a larger outlay of cash in the beginning, but you won't have to purchase meat for a long time.  Plus many of these farmers raise grass fed, hormone free, happy animals, that the stores charge top dollar for!

Saving money on groceries doesn't always mean sacrificing tasty, organic, or healthy foods.  With these tips you will be well on your way to reducing your grocery budget while still enjoying your favorite meals! 

Basa with Fresh Salsa

Over the winter I got into a bit of a rut cooking beef since we have a 1/4 beef in the freezer.  With spring on it's way so I decided our taste buds, and our waist lines, could benefit from a switch up!  I usually have fish in the freezer so I decided to whip up this summer favorite!

 

Because this is a simple dish, the spice on the fish is super important.  You can really change up the taste of the dish just by switching up the spices.  Let your imagination run wild and play with your spice rack and you might be surprised at the combinations you can come up with. 

 

Basa with Fresh Salsa
4 basa fillets (you can use any type of white fish)
4t coconut oil
3T chili powder
3 tomatoes, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
2 jalapeno peppers, chopped
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 lemon, juiced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup olive oil
2T parsley
salt and pepper

Lay fish on a baking sheet and smear 1t of coconut oil on each piece of fish.  Sprinkle chili powder over fish and bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until fish flakes with a fork.  I also love to cook this type of fish on the BBQ.  It gives the fish a subtle BBQ flavour that is absolutely delicious!  I use a tin tray (as pictured above) and set it right on the BBQ.  This keeps the fish from breaking apart and falling between the grates!

In a bowl toss together, tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, jalapeno pepper, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, parsley, salt and pepper.  Top the fish with the fresh salsa and serve.

This dish is fresh and simple and a great addition to your weekly meal plan!  Quinoa or couscous would be a great pairing for this meal.  I remembered that I was going to make a side just as John was walking in the door, so instead he just had a heaping portion of salsa!  Who says you have to have grains at every meal?

Carrot Swag

What's big, orange, and is sure to make you smile?  A giant carrot swag for Easter of course!  Would you rather have a store bought wreath or bunny face OR a giant carrot?  To me it's a no brainer!  But then again I tend to like decorations that are a little outside the box, and why not with a fun holiday like Easter!  The idea of a giant rabbit delivering candy and leaving behind jelly bean poops isn't exactly an "in the box" idea in itself.

When Mom asked me if I could make her a carrot for her door I jumped at the chance.  It's not every day someone asks you to make a enormous carrot for them.  It took a bit on thinking but I finally found a way to make her carrot.

Supplies
1 wire cone (6" in diameter, 1 foot long)
1 - 12"x35 foot orange deco mesh
1 - 6"x15 yards green deco mesh
1 stem artificial grass
twist ties

Using the green mesh, make a loop that is approximately 4 inches high and attach it to the top wire on the cone using a twist tie.  Make another 4 inch loop and attach it to the second wire on the cone.  Continue this process until there is no space left on the first and second wires.  At the end, trim the excess mesh close to the base of the last loop.

 

With the orange mesh, make a loop that is approximately 4 inches high and attach it to the third wire on the cone.  Make another 4 inch loop and attach it to the fourth wire on the cone.  Continue this process until there is no space left on the third and fourth wire, and until the balance of the cone is filled.  As you work your way down the cone reduce the size of the loops 1/2" per tier.  This will give your carrot a cone look rather than a column.

 

The grass stem will act as the carrot greens.  To attach it to the cone, slide it into the back of the cone and attached it to the vertical wire using the twist ties.

To hang your carrot you will need to make loops from the twist ties and attach them to the top corners of the cone.  Now all that is left to do is fluff up the loops. Don't be afraid to be rough with the mesh. It is incredibly strong, and when you're a little rough on it you end up with a better shape.

 



Mom also asked that I attach a wood "D" to the carrot.  If you are attaching anything to the carrot you want to use a very long length of twist tie.  You want to attach your embellishment without loosing it in the loops or squishing them down.

Haystack Easter Nests

Haystacks, or uncooked cookies as Mom calls them, have always been a staple in our family.  I'm not sure where the recipe originated, but as far back as I can remember there have always been haystack cookies.  The perfect combination of chewy oats, sweet coconut and delicious chocolate make for an irresistible cookie.

 

I decided to give this family favorite a twist and turn it into a festive Easter treat.  With the addition of candy covered chocolate eggs, these simple cookies are instantly transformed into the perfect Easter treat!

Haystack Cookies - Makes 4 dozen
3 cups oats
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup butter
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup milk
1t vanilla
candy covered chocolate eggs (just buy a lot because you know you will eat the leftovers anyway)

Combine butter, sugar, milk and vanilla in a small pot over medium high heat.  Bring to a boil and boil for 5 minutes.  In a large bowl mix together oats, cocoa powder and shredded coconut. 

Pour syrup over the oat mixture and stir until well combined.











Using a teaspoon, drop the mixture onto a parchment lined baking sheet.  While still warm, press a candy covered chocolate egg into the centre of each cookie.  Allow the cookies to cool before removing from the parchment paper.  To speed up the process you can place the trays in the freezer.

These cookies would make a great treat to take to work, or send to school with your kids, for Easter.  These cookies also freeze incredibly well, not that you'll have any left to freeze.  You don't even need to thaw them to eat them.  Just open the bag and stuff them in your mouth.  They are the perfect cookie for hiding in the back of the freezer and snacking on when nobody is looking.  Not that I would know anything about that...

Mesh Easter Wreath

Bring on the color!  The sun is shining, the snow is melting, and it's time to bring back color!  Easter is a great chance to throw caution to the wind and go all out with bright, fresh colors when it comes to decorating your home.  I love the whimsy of spring decor, and you can't get much more whimsical than a rabbit running around house to house to deliver gifts now can you? 

My Mom requested an Easter wreath, but I don't think she knew what she was in for. This wreath is jam packed with bright spring colors and sparkle.  The only way to add more Easter to this wreath would be to wire the Easter Bunny himself to it.  **Note: I do not condone wiring rabbits to wreath frames unless they are stuffed! 

Deco mesh seems to be all the rage when it comes to wreaths lately, and its a great material to work with. Now that deco mesh is available in a wide range of colors, sizes, and even fabric types, you can create a wreath for any occasion quickly and easily.  Once you get to basic steps down you will be a wreath making force to be reckoned with!

Supplies
11.5" diameter wire wreath frame
24" x 10 yard deco mesh
1 1/2" x 3 yard wired edge ribbon
4 Easter eggs on sticks
twist ties

Start by gathering the end of the mesh together and forming a loop.  Using a twist tie, wire the loop to the outside of the wreath frame.  The larger you make the loops the larger your wreath will end up being.  Keep in mind that larger loops with also require more mesh and you may run out before you finish if the loops are too large.  I made my loops approximately 5 inches tall.

Form another loop with the mesh and wire it to the inside of the frame.  Continue forming loops and alternating between the inside and the outside of the frame until the entire frame is filled with loops.  The more loops you have the fuller your wreath will be in the end.  If you have mesh left over at the end, trim it off once you have formed and wired your last loop.

 



Now It's time to lift and separate!  Spread out and fluff the loops so that all of the attachment points are covered.  Don't worry about being gentle, your wreath will actually look better if you're a little rougher with it.  This mesh is very durable and can stand up to some serious pulling and scrunching.  Keep arranging and manipulating the loops until you are happy with the shape and fullness.

Group your eggs together and wire the sticks together.  Attach the cluster of eggs to the wreath using a twist tie.  I wired mine in a location that was a little less full than the rest of the wreath as the eggs and the bow will camouflage it.

Tie a bow in the centre of the ribbon.  The wire edge allows you to manipulate the ribbon so that the right side of the ribbon is showing on both loops as well as the tails.  Insert a twist tie into the back of the ribbon and attach it to the wreath at the base of the egg cluster.

Once the ribbon is attached to the wreath you can then decide on how long you want the tails to be.  I prefer to cut my ribbons in a fish tail end rather than in a straight line.  To cut the fish tail, fold the ribbon in half length wise.  Cut on an angle with the highest point being on the folded side.  This will give you a perfect fish tail every time!

There you have it!  A wreath bursting with so much Easter that even the Easter Bunny himself would be taken aback.  Mom is going to love this wreath!  If her visitors aren't smiling already from the warm temperatures, they definitely will be after seeing this wreath.  If they aren't, well clearly they are the Easter version of Scrooge and they should loosen up and eat a Peep!