Double Dinner Post

We've had two more recent successes with dinners I've pinned on Pinterest for Steve to make for our family.

First... Broccoli casserole = Yum!

Here is the original pin that I found the recipe at.

Here is a pic of Steve's version. Super duper good! We ate it almost as a dip with nacho chips. Even crunched some up into our bowls first, then put this cheesy-broccolied goodness on top!

And then, a couple nights ago, he made my favourite one yet. (Watch, I'll be saying every new recipe he tries is my new favourite!! But he really seems to nail it every single time he tries a new recipe!)

Coconut Chicken Strips. Oh maaaannnn that was tasty! The next day, Steve went to work and the kids went to school, and I enjoyed the leftovers for lunch. Just as good the next day!

Here is the original pin...

And here is Steve in action!

Flour them, egg them, stick 'em in the coconut/cereal mixture. Not sure if he exactly followed the recipe, but whatever he did was amazing! One difference I know he did was to bake them, instead of frying them. Then he broiled them on each side at the very end of the baking time.

We also had wild rice and cooked carrots that evening.

Tonight, I made broccoli soup and cheesy dill biscuits... he's a tough act to follow, though, and my dinner, while it was delicious and finished by everyone, isn't really blog-worthy. You see, I used a package for the soup seasoning. And I've blogged the biscuits before. But, I still felt the need to mention that I do cook about half the time :)

My Husband... the chef!

I love it that my husband loves to cook and try new recipes that he finds. The latest delight is something I found on Pinterest, and when he saw this he said, "How does this whole Pinterest thing work?" I seized my opportunity, and created a "Recipes for Steve" board on Pinterest, which he has been happily pinning to ever since. And I have discovered that if I pin it, he will cook it. I love that so much!

Hasselback Potatoes. Try them... Tonight! You will love them. I want them with dinner every day. I don't think I would ever get sick of them. Thanks to Pinterest... we found them and have now tried them. Here's the original link to the recipe: Hasselback Potatoes

Steve did them on the BBQ and they were scrumptious!


Of course... if you give a wife a Hasselback potato, she's going to want some tasty cedar plank salmon to go with it. And if you give her that tasty salmon, she's going to ask if you have any shrimp :)
Yum. Yum. Yum!!!


I wonder what I should pin for Steve to cook tomorrow night! Actually, his cooking habit has become a weekend thing since he has been blessed with a job locally. I don't think I wrote another update since the Valentine post on him driving in Alberta. But he is back for the time being and enjoying his job of driving for a local garden business. He does overnight trips to the Interior of BC, Vancouver Island, as well as local day trips.

Brunch

I don't share many recipes on this blog since that's not my first love, or a huge interest of mine. Now, if my husband kept HIS blog up to date, then I am sure there would be a million recipes on his blog because he is amazing! But, I just came across this super simple, and super yummy-looking brunch idea, so I thought I would share the link with you.

Super Simple Brunch Strata

Hmmm... we're having company over for brunch next weekend - maybe I will try this recipe on them :)

C is for Cookie!!!

Here's something new from Stampin' Up! I love the new cookie stamps from Stampin' Up!

Click on this link for more details and to see it in my online store: Sweet Pressed Cookie Stamps

I bought them last month, but didn't get a chance to try them until now. I finally put them to good use (in time for last Monday's class!!) I cheated a bit on the cookie dough, and bought it through the grade 5 fundraiser at my kids' school. But there are 2 fabulous recipes included in the cookie stamps, so next time I use them (when I have a bit more time....) I will try out those recipes and then report back on them! I also want to try these stamps with my mom's awesome shortbread cookie recipe. That was a favourite growing up.




You can see the Sweet Pressed Cookie stamps in action on the SU! channel on You Tube: VIDEO

Chowder 'n Biscuits

Last night Steve said, "I feel like chowder 'n biscuits - I'll make the chowder if you make the biscuits!" What a deal! I can make biscuits, no problem.

Then, I couldn't find my recipe. Should have it in my head, but it's not there. Happened to be on the phone with my sister at the time, so she pulled out her recipe and I quickly jotted it down. It's a good one, too! I'll be making these again.

Biscuit recipe is below... seafood chowder recipe is a secret :) (only because I don't know what Steve did... but I assure you that it was DELICIOUS!)



Cheesy Dill Biscuits

1 Cup shredded cheddar
1 1/3 Cups flour
1 TBS baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 TBS white sugar
1/2 - 1 tsp dill weed (I used an epicure dill mix that I had on hand)
1 egg slightly beaten
2 TBS oil
3/4 Cup milk

Do the dry ingredients together, wet together, then both together... bake at 375 for 15 - 20 minutes. Makes 12 in a muffin pan.

My sister recommended that I double the recipe... good plan! The kids LOVED them, and we polished off the lonely few leftovers for breakfast this morning. The only thing I will change is I don't think I'll use muffin papers again... just lightly grease the pan instead. It was hard to get them out of the papers. I don't know if that's because of something I did, or what, but I'd rather wash muffin pans than struggle with muffin papers. The ones this morning came out of the papers fine, so maybe they just needed to completely cool - but really, who wants to let fresh biscuits COOL before eating them? Yep, that settles it... I will not use papers next time.

Squash Soup

I don't often share recipes on here... it's not really my thing, and there are so many awesome cooking blogs out there, you hardly need me to add my 2 cents on food! If anything, my husband should have a food blog, not me!

But, after getting some squash from my parents' garden this Fall, I thought I would make some soup. I had some in a restaurant awhile ago, and it was so good. So, I Googled "Butternut Squash Soup." I am not sure what kind of squash this was, but I figured it would do even if it wasn't an official Butternut!!

I'll put the link to the recipe I used below. I changed a few things... I used Onion soup mix instead of the chicken stock, and I used green onions instead of a regular onion. I also added some corn. Other than that, I think it was pretty much the same. I could have used a bunch more baby carrots, but I only had a few, that's why my picture isn't quite as lusciously orange as the one on the link. Before I put the squash cubes in the pot, I cut it in half, took out the seeds, then put the halves in a big bowl with a cup of water and microwaved it for 9 minutes. This softened it up really well, and then I was able to peel it with no trouble at all. Steve and Elise loved it... the boys endured it, but I think it was more the thought of squash soup that did them in, rather than the taste!

BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

Tea for Six, please!

There are six of us that get together on a fairly regular basis for lunch. We have called ourselves "The Ladies Who Lunch." (Lunch Ladies just sounded a bit too cafeteria-ish!!) These gals have become really special friends, and we always share lots of laughs together. I think food just tastes better when you're in good company!

This week we returned to a favourite spot, the quaint "Apeldoorn's" in Chilliwack. Lovely little place (I'm allowed to talk like this because I'm referring to a tea house!).

(l-r) Jill, Me, Andrea, Rhonda, Cindy (holding Andrew - our token male :) and Madelyn is taking the picture.

My tea choice was "Creamy Vanilla" and I must say it was delicious!

I love all the different tea cup and tea pot patterns.

I had a ham and swiss cheese sandwich on sourdough bread... yum! Steve was surprised I picked ham. I like ham. I like swiss cheese. It was a good combination!

And this little number finished it all off for me just right. Pineapple cake. I had to go home and make some sort of pineapple cake after this - so I just made a very simple pineapple upsidedown cake when I got home, and shared some of my teatime joy with my family! But I will be getting some ingredients to make this treat... soon!!

They still had their Christmas decorations out, and these little guys reminded me of the Stampin' Up! stamp called "Dasher." I want to find some to add to my Christmas collection!

Blueberry Lunar

Tonight, we are having our Care Group over for a Summer BBQ social. I am thankful for the cooler weather, but just praying that it doesn't rain! Everyone is bringing their own meat and something to share. My contribution is a Blueberry Lunar cake. I had someone ask what that is... so I thought I would share a pic and a recipe with you. I don't do that very often, but this is so easy to make, and it is soooo good!

The recipe says "Rhubarb Lunar Cake" which just goes to show you that I can't read a recipe... just kidding - it just means that you can substitute with whatever fruit you want - my favourite in this cake happens to be blueberries. And, they are plentiful at this time of year, so it's perfect!

You can see how the buttermilk gives the cake moon like qualities, and I love how the brown sugar mix on top just fills in all the divots! Mmmmm... now that it is out of the oven and cooling, and I can smell all its goodness, I wonder if there will be any left by Care Group time!


Since Buttermilk is not something I keep on hand - ever! (my mom loves to drink it, so you might find some at her house...but I don't much care for the stuff, so you probably won't ever see any in our house!)... I use regular milk with a bit of vinegar in it. I mix that together first - about 7/8 of a cup of milk, and then top it off with vinegar (I don't use any special kind of vinegar, just whatever I have on hand... ). Let that sit for a minute, then dump it in!

Put the fruit along the bottom of a glass pan (the big one... 9X13 or something like that) and then spread your batter over top. Put on the brown sugar topping and bake away. Easy. Yummy. No leftovers!!

Hope you enjoy your lunar cake. It is nice with a little bit of vanilla ice cream on top, too!