Smoreos

Next time you gather your family around the campfire to toast some marshmallows, kick it up a notch and sandwich a toasted marshmallow between Oreo cookies. I started doing this at our cabin because I thought it'd be a less messy way to eat ooey, gooey, sticky marshmallows.

Besides these tasting like heaven, don't you just like saying "Smoreos"?!

One last confession... I've tried this with far too many other cookies as well - Fudgeos, Goodie Rings, Arrowroot Banana. Totally guilty as charged.

Club House

I'm not going to lie. My pantry is ridiculously well stocked with Club House spices & herbs, seasonings, mixes and baking products. They make my life easier and tastier! Here are just a few of my favorites:

Ranch Style Dressing & Dip Mix
I usually do not like Ranch dressing, but this one is super yummy! My favorite is making a quick and simple veggie dip by adding the Ranch Style Dressing & Dip Mix to 1 cup sour cream and 1 cup cottage cheese. Or try out my Wasabi Ranch Party Mix!

Pasta Salad Dressing Mix
No fail way to season pasta salad! I use it in my Greek Pasta Salad.

La Grille Montreal Steak Spice Seasoning
We buy this by the case... my husband uses it on everything from steak to vegetables to potatoes, or even if he's sauteing some onions.

La Grille Salmon Seasoning
This is great to use when grilling salmon or any seafood like shrimp, scallops, etc.

Mushroom Gravy Mix
I like having this gravy mix on hand because I can use it to give my own gravy a boost and is versatile. I can use it for chicken, turkey, or beef!

Butter Chicken
Have you tried butter chicken? It's a melt in your mouth Indian chicken dish. This mix is better than some of the butter chicken I've had in Indian restaurants... give it a try and serve it up with some basmati rice and naan bread.

Pad Thai
I LOVE Thai food, and specifically Pad Thai. I've tried many other Pad Thai mixes... Club House makes the best one! Be sure to top with crushed peanuts and fresh lime and you'll feel like you're in Thailand!

Visit the Club House website for other products, tips & tricks, and ALL their recipes.

Roasted Beets & Sweet Potatoes

Beets and sweet potatoes go together perfectly - they really enhance the flavor of each other! It's best to cook them separated as in photo so the potatoes don't turn color from the beet juices; but when you eat, you'll want to eat together.

Chop and place in baking dish:
1-2 sweet potatoes
4-5 beets

- Season with salt & pepper

- Drizzle with 1-2 tablespoons melted margarine

- Bake @ 350° for 45-60 minutes.

Beer & Clamato

We headed up to the lake this weekend. Here's the equation: Summer + Cabin = Beer & Clamato. This is one of my favorite prairie cocktails. One beer, plus Mott's Clamato to taste in an ice cold mug.

I've heard this thirst quenching beverage called many different things - Red Eye, Clam Eye, or even Brutus (play on the Caesar); however anyone I know, simply calls it Beer and Clam.

Leave me a comment, and let me know what YOUR favorite summertime beverage is!

Greek Pasta Salad

With July celebrations coming up - Canada Day & Independence Day, I thought I'd share my quick and easy, fresh and filling pasta salad. Perfect for any summer lunch, party or BBQ!

Chop into bite size pieces:
1 cucumber

20 grape tomatoes

1/4 red onion

200 grams feta cheese

1/4 cup black olives

Toss with:

400 grams tri-color pasta (rotini), cooked and cooled

Dressing:

Club House Pasta Salad Dressing Mix

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 white vinegar

- Makes 1 large bowl, serves approx. 10

Let It Snow

Let it snow... I certainly hope it doesn't snow in June! Another page done to preserve my son's artwork. He made this snowman last November. I had fun making the snowflakes using Martha Stewart Snow Flake punches, then adding a button to each centre. I used hemp cord on the buttons which has been one of my favorite materials – it has a stiffness to it making it easy to thread.

Artwork
Chalk on black construction paper snowman

Scrapbook Materials

Paper: Martha Stewart Heirloom, We R Memory Keepers Grandma's Kitchen, Bazzill Cardstock

Stamps: Martha Stewart Snow Flakes
Ink: Tsukineko Versa Magic White, Martha Stewart Metallics Aqua and Gold

Punch: Martha Stewart Artic Snow Flakes

Other: Making Memories Mini Shimmer Gold Alpha Stickers, Maya Road Snowflakes Mini Chipboard, Offray Brown Ribbon, Ivory and White Buttons, Hemp Cord

Lemon Zinger Mini Cakes

I love lemon. I love cake. So these little cakes are perfect when I make them in mini loaf tins and serve with fresh blueberries. Perfect for summer! 

Cream together:
1/2 cup margarine
1 cup white sugar
zest of 1 lemon

Beat in:
2 eggs

Stir in:
1/2 cup milk

Then add:
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder

- Spoon into mini loaf tins
- Bake @ 350° for 35 minutes
- While these are baking prepare the lemon zinger drizzle (zest of 1 lemon, juice of 2 lemons, and 4 tablespoons white sugar) which you will immediately drizzle over the cakes once they are finished baking. Then place back in oven under broil for 1-2 minutes
- Makes 8 mini loaves
Note: You can make this into a full loaf, simply adjust the baking time to approx. 60 minutes.

Tasty Kitchen published recipe.

Mosquito Combat

I am determined not to have Mosquitoes ruin my summer. They are annoying. I hate them. They serve no purpose that scientists can determine. Most of all, they WEREN'T invited to my yard. So I've done some reading and came up with a game plan combat these useless, disease spreading, highly annoying insects.

FYI, did you know that the oldest known mosquito with an anatomy similar to modern species was found in 79-million-year-old Canadian amber from the Cretaceous. And an older sister mosquito species were identified to be nearly 100 million years old. Anyway... I don't care. On to my plan of mass repellence and assassination.

1. Limit Breeding & Adult Habitat - Yep, got it... no standing water, cut long grass and weeds down.

2. Love Dragonflies - The dragonfly nymph eats mosquitoes at all stages of development and is quite effective in controlling populations. Dragonflies are attracted to mosquitoes and all the things that mosquitoes are attracted to so there really isn't too much more to do to get them to your yard... it's kinda a catch 22. Although bats and Purple Martins can be prodigious consumers of insects, less than 1% of their diet typically consists of mosquitoes. Neither bats nor Purple Martins are known to control or even significantly reduce mosquito populations.

3. Use Safe Repellents - I've stocked up on OFF! FamilyCare Insect Repellents and OFF! Clip-on for the baby strollers. I'm also going to try the OFF! Eucalyptus Lotion and I keep hearing that Watkins Insect Repellent works really well. We've also been using Raid Yard Guard Outdoor Fogger around the garage and deck.

4. Try Natural Repellents - Apparently these natural, volatile plant oils will effectively repel mosquitoes, but they require frequent reapplication and higher concentrations: Citronella Oil, Lemon Eucalyptus Oil, Cinnamon Oil, Castor Oil, Rosemary Oil, Lemongrass Oil, Cedar Oil, Peppermint Oil, Clove Oil, and Geranium Oil. This is where Citronella Candles fit in. Another plant-derived substance, pyrethrum, is an insecticide. Pyrethrum comes from the flowers of the daisy Chrysanthemum cinerariifolium. Time to plant some Chrysanthemums!

5. Reduce Personal Attractants - Mosquito prefer some people over others. The preferential victim's sweat simply smells better than others because of the proportions of the carbon dioxide, octenol and other compounds that make up body odour. Perspiration attracts mosquitoes because of the chemicals it contains and also because it increases the humidity around your body. Even small amounts of water (e.g., moist plants or mud puddles) will draw mosquitoes. Dark Colors attracts mosquitoes because they use vision to locate hosts from a distance... so dark clothes and foliage are initial attractants. Carbon Dioxide is hard for you to control however you give off more when you are hot or have been exercising. Lactic Acid is released more when you have been exercising or after eating certain foods (e.g., salty foods, high-potassium foods like bananas). Floral or Fruity Fragrances in perfumes, hair products, and scented sunscreens, fabric softeners and dryer sheets all attract mosquitoes.

8. Mosquito Stinger - The Stinger Electronics Zapper lures the insects to the zapper utilizing octenal attractant, and once they are close enough…ZAP! Some experts say these don't do much to control mosquitoes, but I'd have to disagree. We put ours about 10 feet away from our deck to lure mosquitoes away from the house. It's ridiculous how much we hear it ZAP and when we empty it how many THOUSANDS of mosquito's we've assassinated!! We've had ours for a few years, but I just saw it advertised in the Canadian Tire Flyer. It's extremely satisfying to hear zaps of death and I will gladly continue this mosquito torture.

Lastly, we put up a Gazebo so we have some additional protection and I have mosquito netting for the baby strollers so I can take walks with out being paranoid that my kids will be bitten. I think I'm ready you blood suckers.

Father's Day Gazebo

The kids got their "Super-Dad" a Gazebo for Father's Day. We decided on the $200 Walmart 10x12 Leaf Gazebo which came with mosquito netting and a privacy curtain. We looked at the deluxe custom $3000 models at a specialized store, but opted for the cheapo $200 - at this price we can buy a new one every year if this lesser quality one gets damaged.

I hope you and your family had a Happy Father's Day as well!

Farm Ice Tea

I still remember the little jug with the yellow top my Grandma used to make this Ice Tea in. She always had it full and in the fridge during summer. Farm Ice Tea is my favorite!

- Brew 1 pot of tea (approx 1.5 litres)
- Cool, then pour in pitcher

- Mix in 1 can frozen lemonade (concentrate) and LOTS of ice

- I prefer unsweetened but you can and add additional sugar to taste

Now, where it gets fun is over the years I've made this with different herbal teas and frozen concentrates. Here's few combos... don't be scared to mix and match!!
- Strawberry Tea + Pink Lemonade

- Peppermint Tea + Lemonade

- White Tea + Raspberry Lemonade

- Pear Tea + Limeade

What is your favorite summertime drink?

Honey & Ginger Glazed Carrots

Mmmm... mouth watering carrots. We had these carrots for dinner last night alongside some grilled pork with my Caramelized Onion BBQ Sauce. 

2 pounds baby cut carrots, cooked
(I prefer steamed, but boiled or microwaved is just fine)

Glaze - melt together in microwave:

1/2 cup honey

1 tablespoon margarine

1 teaspoon ground ginger

salt

pepper

- Pour glaze over cooked carrots, gently toss to coat.
- If you prepare carrots in advance you can apply glaze in sauce pan with carrots to warm it all up and serve.

A Few Horses

We spent the weekend out at my in-laws on their Saskatchewan acreage. Below are a few photos of my father-in-law's horses. I can't remember all their names so I'm guessing at some of them... I just haven't spent enough time out there recently to know them all!

The black horse is dubbed as mine. I named it Renoir; however I think it is mostly called Magic.

I think this is Satin.

The cat under the fence is Dandelion, and maybe JD? :)

Yard Boss

Do you have a favorite yard tool or machine? What do you spend most of your time using?

My favorite is the STIHL Yard Boss MultiSystem. Last year my hubby brought this home for me primarily to till up the flower beds. It's small so perfect for going in between plants and flowers (and easy to store). It is powerful and has no problem tilling up the red river clay. Lastly, it is light so I have no problem moving it around and using it.

My Yard Boss came with the Cultivator attachment, and I just got the Edger attachment that I'll try out later this week!! I'll let you know how it goes!

It's Just Meatloaf

There is absolutely nothing special about this... it's just meatloaf; however every time I make it my husband will say "What smells so good?", and then him and my son gobble it up. To me there's no sense trying to make meatloaf into something it's not, you can't really make it look pretty, or add extra stuff into it to make it fancy... so here is my very basic recipe.

Prep Time: 10 Minutes | Cook Time: 1 Hour | Serves: 6

Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
1 egg
10 vegetable thin crackers, crushed (or soda crackers)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons mustard

Instructions:
- Combine first 5 ingredients in bowl, form into loaf, and place in baking dish.
- Mix together the remaining ingredients, then pour over meatloaf.
- Bake 375° for 1 hour.

Borscht

"Cheap like Borscht" ...what a great saying that refers to this hearty soup with its' main ingredients being beets and water. I grew up with my Grandma making Borscht out of vegetables from her garden. I'm sure anyone with Ukrainian or Polish or Russian ancestors share similar memories and will always have a special spot in their belly for Borscht!

I recently remembered how as kids we'd go ga-ga over Grandma's Borscht and then thought perhaps my 1 year old would like it as well as I've been trying to get him to eat more veggies. He LOVED it. Borscht is not a picky soup, so don't get caught up on the measurements. Just get it all in the pot!

Chop and put in pot:

4 beets
2 stalks celery
3 carrots
3 potatoes
1 can tomatoes
1 cup peas
1 cup beans
1/2 cup bacon

Add water to top, bring to boil and season with:
salt & pepper
bay leaf
fresh dill (the more the better)

- Simmer and add a tablespoon or two of white vinegar. If you want to get crazy, use vodka. :)
- Dollop with sour cream when served.

Dandelion Wars Update

I wouldn't be so bold as to declare victory in Dandelion Wars, however we have definitely taken care of most of those pesky weeds. Let's just say we found a friend in Curtail® herbicide. Now... on to the next battle - MOSQUITOES. Any ideas?

Farmer's Almanac

Recently, I've been fascinated with the Farmer's Almanac. Since 1792, The Old Farmer's Almanac has spoken to all walks of life: tide tables for those who live near the ocean; sunrise and planting charts for those who live on the farm; recipes for those who live in the kitchen; and forecasts for those who don't like the question of weather left up in the air.

Here's June's weather outlook for Region 4 the prairies (Manitoba, Saskatchewan & Alberta):

June 2010
8th-11th. Clearing Alberta. Unsettled Saskatchewan, Manitoba.

12th-15th. Showers Alberta, Saskatchewan. Dry and pleasant Manitoba.

16th-19th. Clearing skies.

20th-23rd. Dangerous thunderstorms from Alberta east through Prairies.

24th-27th. Fair, hot Saskatchewan, Manitoba.

28th-30th. Showers east to Manitoba.

I found 2 really good almanac websites:
Farmer's Almanac
The Old Farmer's Almanac

Grandma Sue's Brownie

A brownie is cross between a cake and a cookie; however this version is more like fudge; especially when my mom would add a good 1/2" of chocolate icing to the top of it as well! I prefer it "naked", no icing, no ice cream, no whip cream, no nuts... just the ooey gooey chocolaty brownie alone is a guilty enough pleasure.

Mix together:
2 cups brown sugar
4 tablespoons cocoa

1/2 cup melted margarine

2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla

Then add in:

1 cup flour

pinch of salt

- Bake in 9x9 pan @ 350° for 30 minutes.

- Best to chill before cutting.

- Makes 16 square slices.

Kyler's Art

I thought it was fitting to include my son's very first paintings on the title page of his Art Scrapbook. He was only 11 months when he tried out his paints.

Hemp cord (rather than twine) has a little more memory or stiffness to it so I used it coming out of the pencil tip and on the buttons.

Artwork
Craft paint on white paper

Scrapbook Materials
Paper: We R Memory Keepers Grandma's Kitchen, We R Memory Keepers Madame Royale, K&Company Designer Paper, Die Cuts and Alpha Tears
Stickers: We R Memory Keepers Grandma's Kitchen Alpha Chipboard and Die Cut Stickers
Other: Turquoise Ribbon, Jute, Hemp Cord, Buttons, Pencil

Caramelized Onion BBQ Sauce

With Father's Day coming up and grills getting fired up, I thought I'd share my homemade BBQ sauce. It's really the onions that make it soooo good, just be sure to chop them up finely. This sauce is really good on cheeseburgers, chicken, ribs or pork. I'll sometimes make a double or triple batch and store it in mason jars in fridge or give as a gift.

Saute in pot:

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 tablespoon margarine

Once onions are soft and starting to brown, add in:

1 bottle beer
1 can Coke

1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons garlic salt

2 tablespoons Worcestershire

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon Tabasco

pepper

- Bring to boil, then turn down to simmer for about 30 minutes

- Stir frequently to ensure the onions don't stick to bottom or burn

- Reduces down to make about 2 cups of sauce

- Tip: You can use any type of beer and/or different pop (like Root Beer or Dr. Pepper)

Perennial Sage

My Perennial Sage, or as I know it as, Salvia, has started to show it's vibrant violet flowers. My aunt gave me this plant as a transplant from her garden last summer. With little care, it has thrived in my full sun bed and has attracted butterflies - just yesterday I saw a huge monarch butterfly on it.

The name Salvia comes from the Latin salvere, meaning “to save,” referring to the plant’s curative properties to treat ulcers and snake bites, and to improve memory. Sage is also known as a herb with it's popularity in stuffings, soups, stews and sausage.

Next spring, I hope to divide this plant to expand the grouping along the border of my peony bed.

The Plan

After the rain we've had the last few days, my yard has been too wet to get out and do any more planting or work. So I've been indoors studying my yard plan and assessing what to work on next.

When we first moved onto this property I had the local garden centre, Shelmerdine, come out and identify all the existing trees, shrubs and plants, and subsequently draw up a master plan that I can work towards. This really helped me to understand what plants would thrive in my prairie yard, ones that deter deer and other little prairie visitors, and as well provide additional privacy and wind block.

The above is roughly the front half of the yard plan, which is mostly consists of  beds for additional trees, shrubs and perennials. The back half of the yard will be mostly trees, fruit and vegetable gardens. By no means do I expect to get this all done anytime soon, but every year I'll chip away at my 2.5 acres.

Shelmerdine's charged a small fee to come out, consult and review the plan with me. Money WELL spent!