Category Archives: Recipes

Sep15

Quick Fix Dinner

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Quick Fix Dinner

There are times in every mother’s life where all she needs is a quick fix dinner because some activity ran too late and bedtime is approaching and there isn’t much time to prepare a “proper” Dinner.

On days like these I often turn to a simple mix & Match of veggies.

Those days I open up my freezer and it’s vegetables feast!!

IMG_5329

So the menu is:
Green Peas & Corn
Brussels Sprouts
“House” Salad with oil & vinegar dressing
Edemame
Cream of Mushroom Soup

Healthy, filling and quick dinner what more can a mom ask for after a hectic day?

So the next time you’re stuck and don’t have time remember Mix & Match what you have and concentrate on Making Life Memorable.

Sep14

One Pot Meal

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One Pot Meal

I am easily inspired on a daily basis by little things I come across to make this blog interesting to different type of moms.

When I say different kinds I mean not every mom is a crafter, baker or “busy body” like me.

But one thing is for sure is that EVERY mom always has the “what’s the meal of the day?”

One of the many E-newsletters I receive is that of Martha Stewart. I am also proud that I have been nicknamed “SAMartha” and hope to someday build an empire like her. But for the time being I’m happy being a mommy that gets to post what I love to do.

Last Friday there was a challenge for a “one pot” meal so I decided to share one of my own creations of a “one pot” meal on the blog since I’d probably not qualify for Martha’s challenge…. I am millions of miles away after all!

Easy Child-Friendly Chili

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
250g Minced Meat
1 large Onion, diced (that means chopped reeeeeally small)
2 cloves Garlic, Crushed
1 Carrot, Diced
1 Green Pepper, Diced
1 Red Pepper, Diced
1 can chopped tomato, undrained
1 can Red kidney beans, undrained
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup water
Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:
In a large pot heat olive oil, add onion & garlic and fry until golden.

Add minced meat and cook stirring constantly until all browned.

Add all other ingredients except the water and combine well, stirring constantly until the carrots are slightly tender.

Add water, mix & let simmer 20 minutes. Stirring occasionally.

ONEPOT
All done!!

I hope that this has inspired you for your next meal!!

Enjoy Making Life Memorable your way!

Sep8

Potato Balls

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Potato Balls

One of the staples I have in my freezer are potato balls. I make a whole bunch for quick dinners, lunchbox food and random no fuss play date food.

It’s a fairly easy recipe just a little time consuming.

Ingredients:

4 Potatoes (boiled & Mashed)
1/4 cup Milk
2 Tablespoons butter
1 Egg beaten
1/2 tablespoon oregano
Salt, Pepper
Bread crumbs

Directions:
Mix all ingredients together except for the breadcrumbs.

Roll the potato mixture into bite size balls and coat with breadcrumbs.

Place onto a cookie sheet and freeze for 1 hour. You can then place them in ziplock bags or freezer containers for up to 6 months.

To Cook:
Heat oven to 275 degrees Celsius

Drizzle Baking sheet & potato balls with olive oil.

Bake for 20 minutes.

(alternative cooking method is off course frying but I don’t particularly like fried food)

Aug28

Brunch Frittata

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Brunch Frittata

I am no chef or culinary expert but I cook from the heart and have been fortunate that it turns out good.

My technique is probably like thousands of other moms around the world… See what we have on hand and make! Luckily with our Middle Eastern habits we tend to have lots of fresh veggies always on hand. So it makes it easy to whip something healthy.

Another habit of all moms is that we don’t have the luxury of time to spend hours in the kitchen. So I came up with a quick Frittata that can be prepared in advance and heated as needed. It’s also perfect for brunch.

Frittata

Heat Oven to 180 Degrees C (about 350F)

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup shredded Squash
1 cup shredded Carrots
1/4 Cup chopped Parsley
1/4 Cup shredded Parmesan
2 Tablespoons Flour
1/4 cup Milk
3 Eggs

DIRECTIONS:
1. Beat Eggs and Milk Together in a bowl.
2. In a larger Bowl mix all the other ingredients.
3.Add the Egg mixture and whisk all ingredients until mixed well.
4. Spray a baking Pan with cooking owl
5. Pour batter into baking pan. Bake for 25 minutes.
 

Here’s to Making Life Memorable in the Kitchen!

Sep30

Banana Ideas

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Banana Ideas

In our household we always have an abundance of Bananas.

I use them daily in my green smoothies, great breakfast/snack for the girls yet we always end up with a few that are too ripe.

The lovely thing about these delectable fruit is that they are soooo versatile. Transformable to several things from Peanut butter & Banana Smoothie, Healthy Oatmeal & Banana cookies or Banana Muffins…. the list is really endless.

Yet at times I just want to save the fruit for a specific purpose ….My smoothie or you have too much to go in a baking frenzy.

As they say the “Necessity is the mother of invention”. I figured out the best way to actually freeze Bananas. It’s amazing because now it actually works well with the smoothie because it makes it even colder.
B1
 

You’ll need:
The ripe bananas (do not freeze unripe bananas they won’t do well in the freezer)
Cookie Sheet
Parchment paper
Knife
Ziploc bags
 
 
 
 
 
 

B2
 
 

Directions:
Peel & slice the bananas into pieces (about 2.5cm)

Place on the cookie sheet lined with Parchment paper.

Make sure that bananas are not touching to avoid sticking to each other.

Place in the freezer (uncovered) for at least 30 minutes until the bananas are solid.
 
 
 
 

B3

 
 
Transfer the banana slices into Ziploc bags.

I like to mark the bags with the date so that I know their “life”.
Squeeze the air out of each bag and seal.

Return back to the freezer.

The banana chunks are good for 3/4 months.

If you plan on using them for baking it’s a good idea to thaw them out.

NOTE: You can also use the same method without slicing the bananas and freezing them whole (peeled) and they will last for the same amount of time. I personally like to slice them as it’s easier to store in the bags.

Sep29

Dinner Salad

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Dinner Salad

Many days I stare at the open refrigerator trying to figure out what to have for dinner.

There’s just too many meals I have to think of in a day… Breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack AND I want to be healthy & creative!!

My husband and I came to the conclusion of not doing “Big Grocery” as we call it. Granted we have to go more often but there are 2 upsides, One we eat everything without anything going bad and Two my best creative days is actually when I’m low in grocery choices.

Today’s Salad of choice is my own mix of what I had on hand….. (if you’re not a fan of quinoa you can substitute with couscous or pasta)
salad
Ingredients:
1 Cup cooked quinoa
1 Red Pepper, diced
5 Radishes, Slices
1 stalk celery sliced
1/4 cup Pecans, chopped
1/2 Cup Feta, cubed
1/4 Cup Olive oil
Fresh ground Pepper

Directions:
Mix it all up and enjoy!!
 
Q-salad
Off course the fun thing about cooking is you can always add or remove things to taste….if I had parsley on hand I would have definitely added some in there.

Have fun with your creations….it makes it all that more Tasty!

Sep26

Chocolate Fudge Cake

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Chocolate Fudge Cake

I love this cake because it’s extra moist so if I bake it a day in advance it doesn’t dry out by the time I serve it at my girls’ birthdays.

I also use this same recipe as I do my vanilla either 24 cupcakes or 2 layered cake.

Ingredients:
2 Cups flour
1 3/4 Cup Sugar
1 teaspoon baking Powder
3/4 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1/4 Salt
1 3/4 Cup Water
1/2 Cup Shortening
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
2 Eggs
3 Squares (3 ounces) Unsweetened Chocolate

Directions:
Preheat oven 175 degrees C (350 degrees F)

Melt the Chocolate in a saucepan at low heat mixing continuously. Make sure you don’t “cook” the chocolate. Remove from the stove and let it cool.

In a bowl mix all ingredients except egg & Chocolate with an electric mixer until completely combined.

Add Eggs and chocolate and mix for an additional 2 minutes.
ChocCupcake
 

For cake use two 9inch round pans (greased & floured) Bake fore 30 minutes

 
For Cupcakes Line cupcake pan with cupcake liners Bake for 15 minutes.

Remove from oven and let cool before frosting.

Sep25

Baked Chicken Strips

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Baked Chicken Strips

I’ve shared with you a few of the “sweet” tasting foods and it’s time to share something from the savory department.

I’m an advocate of home made and freezing over buying something from the frozen section at the grocery store. How can “fresh” meat last for 2 years? Doesn’t make sense to me. PRESERVATIVES!!! If I can avoid it then I will.

Not to say I don’t indulge one in a while but when it comes to the kids I’d rather not.

My baked recipe uses fresh chicken breasts that I prepare and freeze for up to 6 months and tastes fabulous, if I may say so myself. The added health perk is I don’t fry I bake them and they turn out just as crispy.

Ingredients
Ingredients:
4 chicken breasts, cut into strips
1 1/2 Cup breadcrumbs
2 Eggs
1/2 Cup Flour
1/2 Cup Butter

 
 
 
 
 
 

Directions:
Preheat oven 175 degrees C (350 degrees F)

Coat each strip of chicken in the flour followed by dipping in the egg then coating in the breadcrumbs.

Place on a cookie sheet.

If you intend to freeze place the cookie sheet in the freezer for 20 minutes until the breadcrumbs holds, remove from cookie sheet and place in an airtight container place aluminum foil in between layers, return to freezer. Stores up to 6 months.
strips

 
 
To cook:
Melt butter in microwave.

Pour melted butter on each strip. bake in the oven for 15 minutes, turn each strip and bake for additional 5 minutes.

The same baking method is used for frozen strips but add an additional 10 minutes to the baking.

This recipe is great because you can make a really big batch and freeze. Useful for lunch box, birthday party menu, play dates and quick dinners.

chick

Sep24

Vanilla Cake

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Vanilla Cake

My standard Vanilla Cake works well in making either a 2 layered Cake or 24 cupcakes.

It’s really a classic recipe that’s beyond basic but perfect in every way.

The reason I like this recipe is because it’s not too sweet which makes up for the sweetness of the frosting.

Ingredients
3 cups flour
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
1 1/2 Cup Milk
1/2 cup Butter (Softened)
2 teaspoon Vanilla
2 Eggs

Directions
Preheat oven 175 degrees C (350 degrees F)

In a bowl combine All ingredients except Eggs.

Mix with an electric mixer until it’s all combined.

Add Eggs one at a time and continue mixing.

VanillaCupcake
For cake use two 9inch round pans (greased & floured) Bake fore 30 minutes
For Cupcakes Line cupcake pan with cupcake liners Bake for 15 minutes.

Remove from oven and let cool before frosting.

My favorite ButterCream frosting will elevate the taste to the next level!

Special “Butter” Tip
If you’re anything like me and have to make a cake in between your other daily plans then you generally don’t have time to let butter come to room temperature and be naturally softened.

Use this tip! Slice butter into several cubes and microwave for 20 seconds at a time until its soft but not melted. It’ll also make it easier to measure.

Sep23

Recipe Sharing!!

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Recipe Sharing!!

I hope you enjoyed last weeks series of posts about how you can plan your child’s next birthday with my simple tips.

I still have so much more to add to the theme that I’ve decided to have a follow-up series with more details to birthday planning.

I’ll be posting my best recipes that are great to cook ahead of time so you can be free the day of the birthday to do your last minute setup, decorating and socializing with other parents.

On Saturday I posted the best ButterCream frosting in the whole wide world! It’s fail proof and you can store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

Stay tuned for my Vanilla Cake and Chocolate Fudge cake. Both are mild in sweetness and go perfectly with the ButterCream frosting.

I’ll also share a few of my signature savory dishes like “Easy Cheesy Pasta bake” and my famous “Pasta in Pink Sauce.”

Creamy potato Salad and my favorite Asian Salad dressing that’s perfect for any type of green salad.

Finally I’ll also share my freezer friendly Chicken strips and meatballs. I usually prepare loads of these recipes since they’re perfect for lunchbox, quick dinners and impromptu play date meals.

The important thing to always remember is that you’re “making life memorable” with all your special moments and food is an accessory to that!