Friday, February 22, 2013

Foodie Friday - Best Brownies You Will Ever Eat

The best?

Yes, the best.



EASY VESTRUM BROWNIES

3/4 Cup Butter, melted
2 Cups Sugar
2 tsp Vanilla
1/2 Cup Cocoa
1 1/2 Cups Flour
4 Eggs

Mix it all together. Grease 9x13 Pan. Bake 350 for 35 min. Cool then cut. Easy Peasy.

They taste best the next day.


Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Snapshot : Take Out Your Real Camera

Having a camera on my phone has been a blessing and a curse. I find myself not taking out my 'real' camera to take photos of my girls for weeks because I always have my phone handy. I like to instragram and easier share photos with Mike and my phone works great for that. Sometimes the point of taking the photos is not to have amazing photos but to document some funny/cute moment and the phone just does the trick. BUT it is worth carrying around my camera and taking good photos of my girls. Last week on a trip to the park I took both my phone and my 'real' camera along to prove to myself it is worth taking out the camera.

Maybe this will encourage you to get your camera out, hangout with your kids and take some pictures!



Friday, February 8, 2013

Foodie Friday - Sweet Potato Soup

On Friday evenings we host some friends for dinner. Because of some allergies these meals need to be dairy and glutton free (among other things.) So watch for some allergy friendly meals here beginning with this one.

Having supper ready at 10:00 is one of the best feelings ever, I love my Crock-pot. I make this soup often on Friday nights and whenever someone is feeling a little sick. I'll give you the amounts the recipe states but I never measure my veggies, I just fill my crockpot but this will give you an idea of where to start.

CURRIED SWEET POTATO AND CARROT SOUP

2 Medium-to-large sweet potatoes, peels and cut into chunks
2 cups baby carrots (or peeled/chopped carrots)
1 small onion, chopped
1 apple, chopped

3/4tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger (or a few slices of fresh ginger)
4 cups of veggie broth

1 Tbsp Maple syrup
3/4 cup half-and-half (optional)

Throw everything except the maple syrup and half-and-half in the crockpot, stir. Cover; cook on low 7-8 hours


Puree soup with a blender or immersion blender. I usually mash mine first to make sure I don't miss any chunk then take some out and blend it in batches, returning soup to the crockpot after each batch.




Once it is all blended add Maple syrup and cream (if you are not worried about dairy) Add salt and pepper if desired. Cook on high for 15 minutes to re-heat.


As usual I don't measure my spices (or anything in this recipe really) and I use more then they call for on almost all the spices.

ps. Throw all your peels and clippings in a pot with water and simmer for awhile to make veggie stock. I usually make mine and freeze it and/or keep some in the fridge then I always have some for making soup or adding water to any recipe.

Enjoy.


Friday, February 1, 2013

Foodie Friday - Raisin Muffins

Welcome to my first Foodie Friday, don't count on a post every Friday but when there is a Food related post it will be posted on a Friday!

These muffins are a thorwback ot my sugar-free days, I still make them all the time because they are easy, sugar-free and delicious, espescially if you love raisins as much as I do. Without further ado...

RAISIN MUFFINS

1 1/2 Cups Raisins
1 Cup Water
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Nutmeg

1/2 Cup Butter
1 Egg
1 tsp Vanilla

2 Cups Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Baking soda
1/4 tsp Salt

1. Bring Raisins, Water and spices to a boil and let simmer for a few minutes.(I don't actually measure my spices, just throw some in there and I often add some allspice as well)
2. While your raisin water is making your house smell so good put butter, egg and vanilla in bowl. No need to melt your butter, the raisins will take care of it.
3. Add raisins and raisin water to the bowl, mix to melt the butter
4. Add flour (I use half whole wheat and half white), soda, powder and salt

For regular sized muffins bake 20min @ 375
For mini-muffins (the best option by far) bake 10 min @ 350

Note these are very raisin-y so if you are not a huge raisin fan perhaps cut the raisins down a bit. Enjoy!