Turkey Sloppy Joe dinner

Last night we had sloppy joe's for dinner.  I am not sure what happened during my childhood but this was the first time I had had a sloppy joe.

I found a recipe in my Fine Cooking in the quick dinner section and these were really good!  I served mine with roasted new potatoes and parsnips (just tossed in salt, pepper, a bit of oil and paprika) and some steamed bok choy.  Tasty, healthy and quick to make.

Here is a link to the recipe:

Turkey Sloppy Joe Recipe

Now, I made a few changes.  I did not add any cilantro at the end like they say to (tastes like soap to me) and I used a white onion and not a red one because I didn't have a red one.  Other than that I followed the recipe and these were great!  I used a small package of ground turkey and this recipe made enough for dinner for Rob and I - it was too spicy for Loic - plus leftovers for lunch for Rob.

Try it, it is quick and tasty!

-E

Driving (me crazy) in the car with Tyler and back in the 'hood

Today the kids and I took Tyler and Toby out to our old 'hood for a walk on the dike with my friend and her two kids.  It was lovely and I would have pictures if I wasn't chasing Loic, wearing the baby and watching the dogs run like crazy fools up and down the banks and in and out of the grass.  I had forgotten how much they like running along that dike!  We used to walk there almost every day when we lived in Maple Ridge.

Anyways, the other thing that I had momentarily forgotten was how totally annoying Tyler is when we are in the care for any length of time, which is anything over about 4 minutes with him.

When we are in the car the following thoughts go through my head:

1- OMG Tyler!  Stop whining and SIT DOWN!
2- OMG I have had Tyler for over 9 years and he is still *this annoying* in the car
3- Tyler is 10(!) and I can't imagine not having him, annoying faults and all
4- OMG Shut Up!!!
5- How will I ever manage without him?  He is getting grey...

These thoughts just go round and round until we reach our destination.  I honestly cannot believe that after over 9 years, he still whines so much in the car.  At least he now stays in the back and doesn't spend the entire trip trying to vault himself into the front seat.  Small steps people.  I am honestly not sure he even knows he is doing it?  He still barks the entire time he is in the back of the truck, that hasn't changed at all either.  Oh well!

We drove past our old house after our walk and the new owners are doing some crazy landscaping in the front yard; I would have loved to see the back but alas I didn't want to get out of the car and look like a crazy stalker.  There is also a new house going in a few houses down and it is huge!

We had Loic in Maple Ridge and it will always be where we bought our first home.  I love the availability of walks to take the dogs on too, and we have a few friends we still keep in touch with out there.

-E

Another week, another meal plan

This week's meal plan - for Jess, pretty sure no one else cares :)

Tonight - we had a big salad and pasta with pesto (we would have had left overs if we had any!)

Wednesday - Turkey sloppy joe's (Fine Cooking recipe) w/ steamed bok choy - I wish I had my brother's garden to raid for bok choy!

Thursday - Beef Stroganoff (a request from Rob) served with pasta.  Loic isn't a huge fan so I might make him some pesto or something else, pretty sure the baby will like it.

Friday - Dine out Vancouver (we are trying a new place in N.Van with friends)  We usually go once or twice per season, this will be our second and last night out for Dine Out Vancouver.

Saturday - Sausages on the BBQ, quinoa and steamed cauliflower aka White Broccoli according to veggie-loving Loic.

Sunday - Homemade veggie soup (I make my own chicken stock then add a lot of fresh veggies so it is veggie soup but I do use chicken stock)

Monday - Pasta Frittata (Fine Cooking recipe) w/ peas or a plate of cut up veggies

Tuesday - last day in the meal plan so either left overs or something quick from the cupboard or freezer.

Jess, let me know if you want any of the Fine Cooking recipes!

-E

Tasty Chicken quesadillas

Here is something you can make quickly with left over roast chicken.  We had these for dinner and they were really tasty.

Healthy Chicken Quesadillas (baked not fried)

You need:

- veggies - I used two red bell peppers, one onion and some green beans (I use whatever I have in the fridge but I usually use peppers, onions and something else like a zucchini or the beans)
- left over roast chicken, shredded
- chili powder and ground cayenne pepper
- salt and pepper
- tortillas (I used whole wheat)
- cheese (I used white cheddar because I had it on hand)
- fresh tomatoes
- sour cream
- lettuce (this part is optional)

To make them start by slicing your veggies into medium sized pieces/slices (sorry this isn't very descriptive) and sautee them in a bit of oil.  To your veggies add the shredded chicken and the spices.  I used chili powder and cayenne, just add as much as you want.  Oh and add salt and pepper.  Once you have sauteed the veggies and they are nice and tender, you can assemble the quesadillas.

To assemble:

Put your large tortillas on a baking sheet.  On half of them layer some shredded cheese then add quite a lot of your chicken and veggie mix.  Top with more cheese.  At this point I add tomatoes to mine but not Rob's because he "doesn't like cooked tomatoes".  To each their own!

Fold the tortilla in half so that your filling is inside and bake until brown and the cheese is all bubbly.  Serve with sour cream and lettuce if you want on the side.  I really like to add lime slices but I didn't have any.

If you go easy on the cheese and heavy on the veggies like I do, plus if you use whole wheat wraps, these are quite healthy and filling and very, very tasty.

Enjoy!

Also, when I make a roast chicken we eat the chicken one night, usually have chicken quesadillas the next night and I freeze the chicken carcass to make soup.  That means with one chicken we get two dinners for our family plus chicken for stock and soup.  Not a bad way to use one chicken.

-E

Lucky dogs and a potato recipe

My mom and I took the dogs and the kids on a walk today, in the rain.  Neither my mom nor I were totally keen on going for a walk but the dogs needed to get out.  I think she said something along the lines of "we could be sitting on the couch having a coffee!" while she wrested Loic into his muddy buddy for the second time (he had to pee after we wrestled him into it the first time).  But, the dogs won and off we went on an Adventure Hike - that is what Loic calls all of our hikes in the woods.

Yesterday we had a lovely hike in the snow up on Hollyburn; the dogs and the people had a blast!  Duncan rolled down the hills in the snow followed by Loic while Tyler and Toby RACED back and forth along the path and in and out of the snow banks.  I had my phone but forgot to take any pictures.  Oh well, next time.

Here is a potato dish that is easy, tasty AND freezes well.  The measurements aren't exact and you can tailor it to whatever you have on hand.  Mine were not exactly healthy...

Twice Baked stuffed Potatoes

-5 large baking potatoes
-half a package of bacon cooked and crumbled
-4 green onions, sliced
-about 1/2 cup of sour cream
-grated cheddar cheese (I had white cheddar on hand)
-salt and pepper
-a few tablespoons of butter

Bake the potatoes until they are soft all the way through.  Once cool, slice them in half lengthwise.  Scoop out the insides and add them to a bowl with the: bacon, sour cream, butter, salt and pepper, cheddar and onions.  Mash all of that good stuff up then add it back into the potatoes.  Bake until hot and lovely.  Oh and I sprinkled the tops with cheese before I baked them the second time.

We each had half a potato for a side dish for dinner with a roast chicken and sauteed veggies and it was delicious.  I had 8 halves left so I froze them in pairs - a quick and easy side dish to pull out of the freezer when needed!  An easy way to freeze them is to put them on a baking sheet and freeze them solid, then wrap them in saran wrap.  Don't cook them the second time before you freeze them, just pop them in the oven for 30 min or so from frozen when you want to eat them.

-E

Loic is 3.5

Loic turned 3.5 years old today and again, I have no idea where the time goes!  He is still so very, very funny.

He continues to say very funny things.  I wish I could remember everything he says but at the end of the day, when he is in bed, I blank out!  He likes to tell us that he is "so very busy and I have a very busy life you know".  He also very matter of fact tells us that his run bike "is just for walking, not running" :)  He is also very enthusiastic about walking around on said bike wearing his "cool dude" helmet and "super cool, grown up gloves with the moterbikes on them".

He is getting better, finally, about eating.  This isn't to say that he is picky, he isn't really picky, he just doesn't like like to eat large quantities of food.  He would live on fruits and veggies if we let him; I think I am the only parent who has said: "Put down that banana/apple/cucumber/broccoli and eat your chicken!"

He sure loves his sister and his grandparents.  He had such a great time in Hawaii running back and forth between our condo and my folks' condo (right next to each other) that we had to train him out of doing that once my parent's left!

A few things that he loves to do: colour, play with stickers, play with his playmobile guys, read, dance (he has a very eclectic taste in music), walk his bike around, pretend he is a pirate, cheetah, viking or a monkey and just dance around when he says he "feels so crazy right now Mama!".  He also likes to help me cook and bake and loves his duplos.

He is still an awesome cuddler and if he wakes up before Maelle, we cuddle in our bed under the covers so that he can get "nice and comfy cozy!".  Awwww, it is a very nice way to start the day.

He rarely has big fits about anything and if he does, they are very short lived (I hope I don't regret saying this later).  He is really quite reasonable about most things.  We do, however, have a funny struggle every.single.day about putting on his shoes.  He feels that he can't do it and I feel that he can, especially when I am holding his sister, the dogs, bags, backbacks etc.

Loic goes to a play group one morning a week and LOVES it.  I have to run after him to say goodbye. We went to check out a new daycare today and I had to drag him out of there - he wanted to stay and play.  He is really, really good with other kids and other moms are always commenting about how chatty and nice he is with other kids.  I love this about him so much.  He is always saying hi to other kids but at the same time is respectful of their space and feelings.  My brother in law once said he has a high Emotional Intelligence and I think that sums him up quite nicely :)

He still likes to put stickers on Tyler and to shake paws.  Tyler is also the resident Black Panther that we spot when we go camping in our living room (Toby is the Cougar) and Loic likes to shine his flashlight and headlamp on the dogs from the safety of his tent :)  Adorable.

While he does have his moments, we so enjoy this little boy and love him so very, very much.

-E

Cauliflower baked 'Mac and Cheese'

I found this recipe in my current issue of Fine Cooking and it was really tasty!  It is a healthy twist on Mac and Cheese and my kids liked it a lot.  Maelle ate an almost disturbing amount of it for dinner....

Here is what I did.

Cauliflower Mac and Cheese (adapted from a Fine Cooking recipe)

You need:

- 4 cups of cauliflower (broken into smallish pieces, about one small head of cauliflower)
- one onion, sliced
- two cloves of garlic (whole, peeled)

Put the above in a veggie steamer and steam until the cauliflower is soft.  I have a neat counter top veggie steamer that Rob got from his mom when he moved out years and years ago (that steamer has held up well!) and it took about 20 minutes.  Once cooked, put the cauliflower, onion and garlic into your blender with:

- 2 cups of milk (I used 2%, the recipe called for 1%) and puree until smooth.  Add in salt, pepper, one teaspoon of dried mustard and thyme (the recipe called for fresh but I only had dried).  I used a teaspoon maybe?

Take the blended milk, veggies and spices and put on the stove in a small saucepan.  To this add:

-1 cup of shredded white cheddar (I used extra sharp for added flavour) plus one cup of parmesan cheese.  Oh reserve a handful of each cheese to spread on top.  Mix in the cheese until it has melted.  The recipe called for more parmesan and less cheddar but you can really do any combo of any cheese.

While you are making the sauce, cook some pasta.  The recipe called for penne and I used some spiral pasta.  I also used more that the recipe called for, one 454g bag.  It was the perfect amount of pasta.  Cook your pasta until it is not even al dente (it will bake in the oven) and then once it is drained add the hot cheese/cauliflower sauce and mix well.  Put the pasta in a baking dish, sprinkle the remaining cheese on top and bake until bubbly and brown on top.

I actually made this while the baby napped this morning so I just put it in the fridge and baked it before dinner for about 45 min at 350.  Very tasty!  I am going to branch out and do some different veggie combos (maybe spinach and broccoli) and I might add some cayenne next time.  The onion and garlic steamed with the cauliflower was a nice way to add a lot of flavour without using butter and cream.

Enjoy!

-E