Lemony Raspberry Bars

When i was little my brother and i had an area of the garden for our sandbox / swing set.

I'm pretty sure my first dump truck ride courtesy of my brother ended with me being unceremoniously deposited there,

and we spent many many days pumping those swings as high as they could go.

Eventually, the thrill of jumping off the swing at it's peak and trying not collide with the shed lost it's luster,

and our playground was replaced with raspberry bushes that produce some of the tastiest little red gems i have ever eaten.

And while that delicious little raspberry patch is sadly some 4000 kms away, 

farmer's markets and grocery stores are brimming with pints of these yummy red berries right now.

I just can't resist them, and suddenly, my fridge is harbouring multiple little green baskets full of juicy goodness.

What to do with all of these fugitive berries?  

Easy!  Bake these luscious creamy lemony squares.  

cool.  slice.  eat.  repeat.   

Crust:

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

6 tbsp butter, melted

1/4 cup sugar

Filling:

2 lrg. egg yolks

1 - 14oz (392grams) can fat free sweetened condensed milk

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice ( i used 1/3 cup bottled lemon juice and could have put in more)

1 tsp. lemon zest

3/4 cup fresh raspberries

Preheat oven 350F. Spray an 8x8 inch baking dish with spray.

Combine the crumbs, butter and sugar in a medium sized bowl until crumbs are moist.

( you can get fancy here and add some lemon zest to the crumbs here too)

Press the crust mixture into your sprayed pan (use a measuring cup) and bake for 10 minutes.

Remove and cool to room temperature.

Then combine the egg yolks and condensed milk, and stir in the lemon juice and zest.

Stir until it begins to thicken, then carefully fold in your little red friends. Be gentle or you will have pink bars!

Pour this mixture over the cooled crust and bake for 15 or so minutes, (mine took a bit longer) or until just set.

Cool to room temperature, then chill for at least an hour before serving.

These can be kept in the refrigerator for up to five days, though i highly doubt they'll last that long...

So easy, so summery, and so damn tasty!

Original recipe from HERE.

Chicken Broccoli Braid

Around here, i am notorious for making super fiddley, time-consuming food.

Case in point: The first time i attended one of Dr. Nails' family gatherings i brought the yummiest individual baked cheesecakes. 

( Ahem, talk about setting the bar high! )

What most people don't know is that (most of the time) these things are actually super easy to make,

and just look really hard.

This recipe is certainly no exception: looks hard, super easy!

Dr. Nails had brought home some of those Pillsbury crescent rolls in a can 

(not something we normally have, but hey, i am not one to let a good ingredient die in the fridge...)

 so i threw together some stuff i had in the crisper and wrapped it up in dough!

Seriously, once anything's wrapped up in dough it's just yummy.

Chicken Broccoli Braid Recipe HERE!

Next time we are contemplating a pepperoni and mushroom filling.

Oohh, or what about seafood? Shrimp? Lobster? Scallops?

Yes Please!

Quesadilla's!

One day last week all of a sudden it was five o'clock and i found myself without a plan.

Now, understand that i almost always have a plan when it comes to food,

so this was a bit of a rare occurrence, and i was somewhat at a loss.

But then i spied the chicken leftover from the night before, and i knew exactly what i had to do,

make quesadilla's!

Quesadilla's are super easy, can be made with any leftover meat/seafood you happen to have,

and are something i almost always have everything for.

Simply take your tortilla, layer up your meat, any veggies you like, and lots of cheese,

fold in half and bake in the oven or fry in a lightly oiled pan until crisp and golden, and cheese is melty and gooey.

I like to use caramelized onions, corn, red peppers and pickled jalapenos with chicken,

but the sky's the limit here, put in whatever you like!

How about leftover turkey, cranberry sauce and brie?  (is it horrible that i am thinking of thanksgiving already?)

Or shrimp, tomato, onion, cilantro, and mango salsa?

Or my fav, leftover bbq'ed steak, caramelized onions and sauteed mushrooms with cheddar!

Top with sour cream, salsa, and guacamole, and life is good indeed : )

Yummy Homemade Biscuits

Growing up, my mom used to make the best buscuits.

It was always a treat to have a fluffy piece of baked dough, hot from the oven and slathered with butter.

She didn't make them nearly enough, which was probably a good thing...

Mmmmmm.  So in honour of mothers day and all good things that emerge from mother's ovens everywhere,

i give you yummy homemade biscuits....just like mom used to make.

Serves four. but actually probably less. 

Preheat oven to 450F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

1 cup flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/8 tsp salt

4 tbsp cold butter, cup up

1/2 cup buttermilk

( you can simply add 1/2 tbsp lemon juice to just under 1/2 cup milk,

let stand for five minutes and viola! )

Whisk together dry ingredients in a medium bowl.

Cut the butter in using a pastry bender, your finger tips, or i even use a wire whisk.

Gently stir in the buttermilk until dry ingredients are just moistened.

Dump the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and shape/pat into a 5 inch round, 3/4 inch thick.

Using a floured knife, cut into four wedges (or use a round cutter or a glass to cut out circles)

Place on prepared baking sheet 1/2 inch apart.

Bake 10 - 12 minutes until rich golden brown on the top and bottom.

Try to let them cool a bit before dousing in butter and promptly inhaling.

Couldn't be easier, truly!

Although this isn't my mom's recipe, (what is your recipe mom?) these taste as good as i remember hers being, 

and i may or may not have eaten the entire batch before dr. Nails came home.

Don't judge me, but do enjoy!

Roasted Red Pepper Mayo

Because sometimes plain old mayo just isn't enough...

So you're out at a restaurant (yes, very occasionally we do venture out of the sticks!)

and you order fries with your meal, because, um, you're out so it's okay to be bad right?

The waitress asks if you would like blahblahblah dipping sauce to go with?  Um, yes please!

Nine times out of ten the flavoured mayo they give you is bomb,

and you proceed to dip the entire meal in it's delicious creamy goodness, not caring if others are staring.

Well, I decided that it was okay to be bad at home every now and then too, 

and if a restaurant can make it, well dammit, i can too.

I went all (ahem) french and ate this with fries, but the next day we put it on sandwiches and were blown away!

Of course, i was too busy eating to take an actual photo, but swap in for mayo on your favorite 

sammy and you might never go back to plain old boring mayo again!

Roasted Red Pepper Mayo

1 Red Pepper, roasted and skin removed (i cheated and used the jarred variety - easy!)

1 large clove of garlic

1/4 cup mayo

A squirt of lemon juice

Salt and Pepper to taste

This is too easy... 

Put the garlic clove in the food processor and give it a few pulses, just for a headstart.

Add everything else and let it go until desired consistency is reached.

Season to taste with S &P.

Enjoy!

Ps - let it sit for a while in the fridge to let the flavours really come together!

Happy Friday : )

Creamy Butternut Squash Lasagne

When i get an idea in my head i usually have to run with it, especially when it comes to food.

And with winter (slowly) fading away, i feel the need to get my fill of cosy comfort food

before i am stuck eating salads and barbecued foods for another summer.

So when i had half a squash left in the fridge and was craving comfort food and lasagne sprang to mind, 

i knew i had to follow through.

Now, like any lasagne, this has various steps, and takes time.

The steps are really easy though, and once you've made this you might never go back to regular old laz again!

Lucky me, I have a child that usually naps for a few hours in the afternoon, 

allowing me to make such yummy things on a weekday.

Like your basic lasagne this consists of four things:  Noodles, Sauce, Filling, and Cheese.  

Lots and lots of cheese. 

Creamy Butternut Squash Lasagne

12 Lasagne Noodles - i used spinach noodles
1 medium Butternut Squash

8 - 10 Mushrooms - use your favorite type - i think these were just regular button mushies

A few handfuls of Spinach

Lots and lots of Cheese - I used Mozzarella and Parmesan

Preheat the oven to 375 Fahrenheit.

Lightly grease a 9 x 13 deep oven proof lasagne pan

Peel, seed and cube the squash and toss with a bit of olive oil and some salt and pepper.

Arrange on a baking tray and roast 30 or so minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and caramelized.

Remove from oven and allow to cool a bit, then squish them up a bit to make it easier to spread.

Cook you noodles as directed on the package, drain and set aside.

Slice up the mushrooms, get your spinach ready, and grate up the cheese.

Having everything ready makes it easier to assemble the lasagne.

Sauce:

2 Tbsp Butter or Margarine

2 Tbsp Flour

2 cups Milk - I use skim to keep calories down

Dash of Nutmeg

1/4 cup Parmesan

Salt & Pepper

In a saucepan melt the butter on medium heat, then add the flour and allow to cook for a minute, stirring.

Slowly add the milk, whisking constantly to avoid lumps.

Allow to cook for a few minutes, stirring often, until bubbling and thickened.

Take off the heat, add nutmeg, S & P, and stir in Parmesan.

Now you just have to put it all together!

Start with a light layer of sauce in the bottom of your pan, then layer 3 noodles side by side.

Layer half of the butternut squash on top of the noodles, then some more sauce.

Add another layer of noodles, then the mushrooms and spinach, then sauce.

More noodles, the rest of the squash, and more sauce.

The last noodles, the rest of the sauce and your grated cheeses

Cover with foil ( i usually spray the side that will be near the cheese with pam to avoid it from sticking)

and put in your already heated oven.  Cook for 30 minutes, until bubbling.

Remove foil and cook another 20 minutes or so, until the cheese is nice and golden.

Remove and let sit for 5 - 10 minutes to set up, then enjoy!

{ This Chick Cooks }

Blueberry Almond Sald with Creamy Poppyseed Dressing

Mmmmmmm.

OK, so i know it's not summer and blueberries are certainly not in season in Nova Scotia.

But after the taste of summer we just had with last week's heat wave, I find myself craving summery food.

So i couldn't help myself when i saw these perfectly juicy blueberries at the grocery store,

and what's more summery than a spinach salad with fresh fruit in it?!

The salad is super simple:  Spinach.  Red Onion for some bite.  Blueberries.  Toasted Almonds.
Or you can use Strawberries, raspberries, cranberries, walnuts, cashews, pecans, whatever blows your hair back.


Dressing: makes 2 - 3 servings

1/4 cup fat free mayo
2 tbsp milk
2tbsp sugar
1 tbsp cider vinegar
1 - 2 tsp poppy seeds
Salt & Pepper to taste

I simply put the ingredients together in a small mason jar and shake them up,
Using a jar makes storing leftovers easy too, just put on the lid and pop it in the fridge for lunch tomarrow!

Enjoy!



{ A Stylish Lady }

Green Pea Pesto

Sometimes there is definitely such a thing as too much of a good thing.

This is NOT one of those cases.

This is a case of precisely enough of every ingredient to make a great thing.

Your regular run of the mill pesto is made up mostly of basil, which can be expensive to buy, or if you've got a super green thumb and manage to grow the stuff you know that only so much grows on one little basil plant at a time.

 This version uses just enough of it to add a gorgeous herby flavour without being super bossy or over-powering, 

and without decimating your stash.  The peas add a nice sweetness, and really stretch out your basil, leaving plenty on your plant for other yummy things, like salsa, or bruschetta. mmm.

You just buzz it all up in your handy dandy little food processor.  Eazy peazy, lemon squeezy.

Toss with hot pasta for a super easy side dish (i like to use orzo, just 'cause),

smear it on crusty bread and top with shaved parmesan for an easy app, or even use it as a dip.

Hell, sometimes I even eat it with a spoon, but don't tell anyone.

Makes approx. 2 cups  (which is a lot - i tend to half the recipe for the two and a half of us)

1 cup frozen peas, thawed

3 tbsp parmesan cheese

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp lemon juice

1/2 cup loosely packed basil leaves, chopped

2 tbsp olive oil

Put everything except the oil into the food processor and let 'er rip.

You're supposed to slowly add the olive oil in a thin stream, but my little processor doesn't have a spot to do that,

so i just add it in two batches, buzzing well in between.

Make it as chunky or smooth as you want, and enjoy!

Homemade Granola Bars

A while ago I professed my love for homemade peanut butter granola.

Naturally i love granola bars too, and the Little and I daily occasionally share one for a snack.

While they might be tasty, the store bought ones are undoubtably full of bad fats and preservatives, 

and i do try to avoid packaged food for the most part, just 'cause.

So that, coupled with the fact that the nearest grocery store is 20 minutes up the road and i was under no circumstance leaving this house today (due to my sheer laziness, and the thought of hauling a 15 month old 

around in the rain is just super unappealing to me today)

I simply decided to make my own!  If only all of life's decisions were so easy...

Homemade Granola Bars

These are really easy, took only one bowl (yes!) and mere minutes to make, and baked in roughly 25 minutes.

I would have barely set foot in the store: )

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and grease a 9 x 13 inch baking pan.

In a large bowl simply mix together:

2 cups Rolled Oats

3/4 cup Brown Sugar

1/2  cup Bran / Wheat Germ - or you could just add more flour

1 cup Flour - I used half whole wheat

3/4 tsp Cinnamon

3/4 tsp Salt

Now add in your fun stuff, which should equal about a cup:

Chocolate chips, raisins, dried cranberries or blueberries, coconut, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, peanuts....etc!

I just took a one cup measure and added raisins, coconut and sunflower seeds until it overflowed a bit.

Make a well in the centre and add in:

1/4 cup Oil (add this first, it will help everything else slide right out of your measuring cup)

1/4 cup Honey

1/2 cup (or more!) Peanut Butter
2 tsp. Vanilla

& One Egg, lightly beaten.

Mix 'er all up with a wooden spoon / your hands and pat it into your prepared pan.

Chuck it in the oven and bake for 25 - 30 minutes, until the bars begin to turn golden at the edges.

Remember - your oven is your own beast!  Mine runs hot, and I left the bars in for 25 minutes which made them crunchy, which is just the way i like 'em.  If you want chewier bars pull them out sooner rather than later!

Cool for only 5 minutes, then cut into your bars while still warm. (they'll be too hard to cut if you let them cool).

Enjoy and Happy Friday!!!!

 { Recipe adapted from HERE }

{ Be Different, Act Normal & Six Sisters Stuff }

Carbohydrates? Yes Please

Okay, so I have a little confession to make:

When I was growing up i LOVED Little House On The Prairie;
 I always thought Laura Wilders was totally living the dream.

Sometimes i believed that i was born in the wrong era, and that i was really meant to churn my own butter
and ride around in the back of a wagon all day with my dog running along side.

Really.  I wanted to be Laura Ingalls.  

Well, except for the bonnet wearing part, hmm, not so much....

So while i may not make my own butter, ( yeah, about that cow milking bit... )

i do love me a homemade loaf of bread.  Really - who doesn't.

And every now and then i try to find some time to flour and knead and rise and bake...

I use this recipe for Quick French Bread from this super old 

House & Garden cookbook that i pretend i inherited from someone's great grandmother.

(Laura Ingill's perhaps????)

And it turns out every. single. time.

i like that in a recipe.  Hell, i like that in life, period.

And i might even venture to say that Pa might have liked this bread too... ; )

{ Recipe: }

1 Package yeast
2 cups lukewarm water
11/4 tbsp. salt
1 tbsp. sugar
5-6 cups flour
Oil, Cornmeal

Stir together yeast and warm water, add salt and sugar.  Stir till dissolved.
Beat in flour one cup at a time, adding as much flour as needed to make a smooth dough.
Knead until smooth, brush with oil, cover and place in a warm cozy spot to double in size.

Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and shape into two long loaves.
Place on a balking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal and let stand to rise 5 mins.
Slash the tops, brush with water and place in a cold oven.
Turn the oven on at 400f, and place a pan of boiling water in with the loaves.
Bake 40 - 45 minutes, until crusty and hollow sounding.
Eat it all day long.

I like to add different things, like sea salt or flax seeds on the top, just because : )
Enjoy!




{ Full Plate Thursday }

A Snappy Ending

Boo, hiss. 

 I know i know, where do i come up with these one liners?

Fortunately i have you guys to take them out on, although Dr. Nails gets his fair share of them too.

He gets the snorts and knee slaps (seriously) that usually accompany them though.

Ah, i'm lucky he sticks around to hear my jokes...

Anyways, as the title of this post would suggest to the more astute of you,

we're talking about ginger snaps. Or in this case they're called Peppery Snaps,

'cause, you know, there's pepper in them.

  mmmmmmmmmmmmm.... 

I have this recipe in one of those magazine cookbooks, (you know, the kind that cost 11 dozen dollars)

but because i'm lazy and don't really feel like typing out the whole recipe

i found it online for you!  You can thank my nifty internetting skills for this one....

{ Recipe }

In other news, did anyone else know that raspberry jello stains?

Um yeah.  Little fingers and hands and cheeks and lips and foreheads and noses.....

Can somebody please warn me about these things!!!

Short Stuff

Do you ever get those cravings that lodge themselves in the back of your brain

 and won't let you sleep at night until satisfied?

Yeah, i don't either...

But shortbread cookies and i have had an ongoing affair for some time now.

I can remember being a little girl and seeing them on cookie plates when we were out visiting,

- my mom didn't make them (it was for the best) -
and they were what i always went for.

Buttery and flakey and downright delicious; melt-in-your-mouth.  

mmmmmmm... what's not to like?!?!

{recipe}

Um yeah, there's a piece missing, no one's going to notice right?

The most dangerous part about being an adult is not having your mother 

around to make your choices for you ; )

Tasty Tuesday

As the little gets big, my quest for finding food he likes that's actually good for him has begun.

The hardest part of this is making something that we ALL like, 

so i'm not making 6 different meals every day.

which happens. sometimes. okay, often.

So when i find something the kid eats, i run with it.

Though his tastes change often on a daily basis, for some reason quinoa (of all things!)

always seems to be a winner.

Lately he has decided that my spoons are no longer desirable,

and that he is far superior at feeding himself.

These quinoa cakes are easy for him to pick up, and are pretty tasty if i do say so meself : )

{ recipe }

Hey, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em : )

The Costco Gods Have Spoken

For some reason every time i go to costco i am inexplicably drawn into the produce fridge.

It's like a black hole or a tractor beam or some star-trekkie thing like that,

and i simply can't escape it's magnetic pull, even though i know it may compromise my mission.

( i spent a lot of time watching captain kirk's shenanigans in my youth, thanks dad : )

and every. single. time.  i buy these monstrous bags of fresh produce.

I simply cannot help myself. 

I am terribly cheap ( thanks again dad ) and i cannot walk away from a deal.

5 heads of romaine lettuce for 4 bucks? sold!

3 pints of raspberries for $5? done! 

 After a costco run we eat mushrooms every day for a week

and my mouth burns as i attempt to eat an entire pineapple by myself before it goes bad.

Lawrdy lawrdy please make it stop!

I am slowly discovering a solution however, one ingredient at a time.

So the next time costco gives you zucchini....

...make zucchini muffins!

{ recipe here }

My father would be so proud ( hi dad! )

Now if only i could figure out what to do with that jumbo-sized container of spinach : )

Tasty Tuesday

The best part about having your family visit is all the junk you get to eat.

(Come on, you know you do it too!)

Let's face it, it's the best excuse, and you can always get back to eating right when they leave. 

So while my Mom and Dad are out visiting us for a few weeks,

 there is a huge NEED for all things baked.

Chocolate Chip Pretzel Cookies

{recipe}

The other great thing about having your family out?

baking with your mom : )

It know it's bad but I just can't help myself....

Fudgy Chocolate Cookies!

I am a Chocoholic.

There, I've said it, it's finally out.

I (heart) Chocolate.  Every day, all day.

So much that I feel the need to capitalize the C.

Especially these Cocoa Fudge Cookies from, brace yourself here, 

Cooking Light Magazine of all places.
Can you even begin to imagine the joy I felt when I found this recipe. 

I have to remind myself that just because they are 'light' 

doesn't mean I can eat the whole batch, besides, I was taught to share....

They are all the things I am looking for in a cookie:

Tall, dark, and handsome; chewy, tasty and downright Chocolaty.

Kinda the way I like my men....er, man I mean.

The only problem I have encountered with these little mounds of deliciousness is that

the batter tastes so freakin' good, not very many cookies actually get made!
Try them, you'll see... I would never lead you astray :p


Remember to click every day on the brown button!
We're trying to spread the Building Bumps love around a little.

btw - feel free to pass our link on to others,
we don't bite, and would love to have  new visitors!


xo, us.

Over the Weekend...

I used to hate mondays, hate hate hate them.

I'm sure many of you still do.

But mondays no longer piss me off like they used to.

Everyone is off at work, leaving just us.

Which means lots of time for snugs on the couch, cuddles and kisses

And they are a good day to reminisce about all the good things we got up to

on the weekend.

My favorite is definitely the flowers from Dr. Nails, just because : )

although I do quite enjoy the latest funny face the little has started to make.

And there was, as always, good things to eat....

Spaghetti & eggs?  Yup.
We tried it.
And it was good.


Happy Monday!

Getting Crunchy

This might be a different type of post for me,
but it's something that was so freaking good I have decided to share it with you.
Seriously, consider yourself blessed.

Granola.
Yes you read that right, Granola.
I was out and blogging about when I came across this recipe
for Peanut Butter Granola here from Summer Harms.
( She has lots of other delicious looking stuff too, have a wander )

I saw it and a strange thing happened to me; I simply HAD to have some...

Come on!  Who MAKES granola?

I do damn it, and I am terribly disappointed that I didn't make it sooner...

because it was GONE long before my brain had a chance to catch up to my stomach :0

You should try it to...

The Weekend

There was lots of good stuff this weekend:

There was a muddy walk because it's almost spring!

Which lead to much sweeping as said mud sticks to paws and boots and stroller wheels.

There were berries
( from somewhere else where it is already spring )
that turned into yummy smoothies.

There was bread baking which meant great sandwich making,
and led to Dr. Nails professing his undying eternal love
just as long as I continue to bake it.

Mmmm, homemade Ciabatta!

There was shopping with Dr. Nails where the dinky fleet increased,

and lunch out at Lefty's where great pictures of food  were delivered for the menu.

There was ice cream eating and art making.

( which will be a whole other post to come soon! )

Then there was readings of great books,

such as 'Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you see?'.

And shingling of the house, painting of the trim,
and other fine works of carpentry.

There was also nap time and one big long sleep through the night!
( All of which certainly makes me happy ; )

Hope you had a good weekend too!