April Foodie Update

This has been a busy month and sadly I haven’t made as many new recipes as I normally would. Not a complete wash though!…

FROM THE APRIL BON APÉTIT…

Roasted Cauli version with the Coconut-Tumeric Relish. Delish!

Smashed Cucumber Salad, gorgeous.

We tried the Za’atar and Feta version. It was dreamy and easy. New go to summer salad for sure!

Cherry Upside-Down Cake, yum!

It could have been saucier. I think you could use a variety of other fruit. There just needs to be enough juice to soak in nicely.

Cherry Cake before the up-side-down part.

Kimchi Fried Rice

Add an egg for a complete meal. Extremely easy. I’d add extra Kimchi!

FROM FOOD AND DRINK, SPRING 2018:

Roasted Squash Salad with Maple-Apple Cider Vinegar Gastrique

Perfect combo of sweet and salty. The ricotta dollops were lovely. Super easy too.

BAKE FROM SCRATCH, BREAD SPECIAL EDITION:

To die for Cinnamon buns!

Can’t go wrong with Cream Cheese icing!

 

Rising Cheesy Scallion Pull-Apart Rolls

Soaked in butter and topped with cheese and onion.

OMG!!! Sooooooo tasty.

I still need to look for some May mags. I haven’t seen ones I want yet. There does seem to be a Mexican food theme moving into summer though.

 

 

So Faded, So Not What I Thought

Have you ever started a crafty project and it takes a totally different direction than you initially imagined! When I got this Faded Kit from Tanis Fibre Arts. I was convinced on the colours I was going to use…

I was NOT going to use the pinky, peach one. Well never say never because this happened… What a saga, lol! I’m not frustrated though. It’s more fascinating to me how it has turned out…Follow the progression…

I absolutely love this dark turquoise colour but for some reason I was not happy with the stripes as I faded. I think I could have tried a different fade approach by staggering the rows more e.g. 1 row of each then 2 or 3 to make the switch over more area. Perhaps it’s because spring is coming but I started to have more of a light colour scheme in my head and it was just too dark. I also didn’t like how uniform the turquoise was compared to the speckled nature of the first 2 colours. So…

 I tried the darker ball because despite the pictures the colours they picked up were more similar than the turquoise. It was better and I almost kept going. I really do listen to my inner voice though and it was telling me it wasn’t quite right either. So…

Third time is a charm I think! I brought back the pink colour! What I liked about the other 2 colours was the light base. I love how it truly fades into one another now.

PERSONAL PREFERENCE! I love all 5 skeins of yarn but I’ve learned that I don’t love the stripey fade. Boy, I learned the long way around lol! I’m excited to whip to the finish now.

Oooooooo, in that last pic you also got a sneak peak at my next project. Look at that gorgeous SpinCycle Yarn! I’m doing this new gem from Drea Renee Knits…

The Shift Cowl. Photo Credit Here.

 

Knitting Progress

I’m so excited to start my So Faded sweater by Drea Renee Knits. This pattern has been hugely popular lately. It’s a fingering weight which I love because it’s not too heavy. I’m also excited to finally try some beautiful Tanis Fibre Arts yarn. I got the 5 Skien Fade kit in the Cool palette. I was a bit disappointed that one of the colours had so much pink and peach but it’s ok because you can do the sweater in just 4 no problem (I’m doing the 34 size.) I was envisioning mostly greens and blues so these are the colours I landed on…

They look different rolled up eh!

It’s a super simple top-down pattern but the fun comes in the colour changes. Last night I started the second colour! The thrill…

 

Top-down view

Front

Gus and Gigi say Purrrrrrdy

LOVE those specs of blue.

I think this will whip up fast because I’ll want to see the colours coming together. Also, love a bit of no-brainer knitting!

 

 

Recipe Updates

Happy Spring! Oh wait, it’s still snowing here, ugh. We are getting summer ready here by trying lots of recipes from the Better Homes & Gardens: Cut the Sugar special publication that is on stands until May 28. I’m excited to try some of the frozen pops recipes.

First, I was really happy with this simple waffle recipe (Multigrain Citrus Waffles, p. 16) with no sugar added and a lovely hint of orange zest. Of course, when you drown them in maple syrup it may defeat the purpose…whatever…

I think Gigi wanted some after her cuddle!

We’ve also tried:

Strawberry-Banana Donuts, P.14. More like a heavy donut. Best eaten the same day…

Three-Cheese Tomato Tart, P. 23. I thought of my Grammie when I made this tart because she’s always looking for yummy quick recipes for us veggie folks. It was simple and delicious. It has fennel in it so I was hooked…

Not the best picture, sorry. The wedge salad has the Avocado Ranch Salad Dressing, P. 31. It was amazing but thick. You could use it as a veggie dip. It is totally vegan too!

Roasted Banana Bread, P. 55. This recipe interested me because I wondered if the roasted bananas would really make a difference. Not sure they did but smelled yummy. The bread was on the heavy side but it tasted nice…

It’s wrapped and ready for Easter company. It was gone by the end of the day so I guess it was liked by all.

Tomato Tapenade Dip, P. 73. I think this is a lovely idea of a recipe but I would NOT use the called for canned diced tomatoes again. Just chop up a few fresh I say. The rest is a dreamy combo of olives and spices. Great for entertaining…sorry about the disgusting looking photo in the mixing bowl…

Sweet Potato Brownies, P. 81. Lady Fia helped me make these goodies too. She was intrigued by the sweet potato to make them moist and agreed she wouldn’t tell her brother! They were very fudgy due to the almond butter. I think I’d make them again. Not super chocolatey and a bit odd but worth a try…

We decided to bake them in Peter Rabbit cupcake papers. Worked well for these gooey treats.

John’s New Year’s Resolution, as you may recall, is to make more bread recipes this year so I got him this Bake mag…

Special Issue on stands until June, 18.

 

OMG, probably buy this one everyone! Every recipe looks amazing and we’ve had great luck with the recipes we’ve tried so far…

Classic Hot Cross Buns, P. 39. Amazing and surprisingly easy.

 

Making the Babka, a lovely sweet yeast dough.

 

 

Cover photo, Cheesy Babka with Sun-dried Tomatoes, P. 112.

 

More baking to come!

 

 

 

 

Strolling Cape

March Break helped me to finish my March make early! Hopefully, that means I’ll be able to sew something else this month. I’m working on another pair of Hudson pants for a friend.

I’m pretty happy with this Liesl + Co. Woodland Stroll Cape…

 

Digital pattern. Download, tape and cut out yourself. 

 

I chose the small size but I think the buttons pull it in too much at the sides. I can move them out though. I think I’d make the medium if I was to do it again or do the small with extra length. I’m not sure I love the big matching buttons on the side either. I’d consider making them smaller and really blending in with the fabric. Overall though it’s a super cute quick, lined number that I can see wearing lots. I picked up the fabric cheap at Fabricland on sale. The tweed actually has a hint of sparkle to it. I decided to jazz it up with some extremely soft and silky fuschia…

 

Gigi is so helpful when I want to cut out.

Getting ready to cut the cape back.

Pretty, soft lining.

Ironing out the left front after turning with lining in.

Quick lining!

Finally got my dress form out of the shed. Cute eh!

Finished photo shoot…

 

 

March Break Love

For once I feel quite good about what I accomplished over the break. There is nothing worse than feeling you slept the week away! I got up to some great sewing this week as well but I’ll share that later. For now, you’ll have to check out the magazine recipes I tried.

From Milk Street (March-April 2018):

Gruyère and Chive Omelet with Mustard Croutons p.4.

This seemed an odd recipe at first with the croutons in the middle of the omelet but if you think about it it’s just like eating it with toast. This recipe was truly dreamy and I’ll be making this one again for a quick weekday meal…

 

Egg whipped with chives.

Croutons soaked in a white wine reduction with grainy mustard and then fried. YUM!

Serve with a green salad for the win!

In Rome, Broccoli Is a Sauce, Not a side p.7

Broccoli sauce, weird you say? Yup, a little bit but packs a flavour punch. Broccoli stalks are whizzed up into a sauce with seasonings. I’m just annoyed I didn’t think to make it for St. Paddy’s day. Next year…

From Bon Apétit (March 2018):

Salted Caramel Chocolate Tart p.22

Very sadly I was not a fan of this tart and it took AGES to make! I think I prefer something sweeter. The crust was a bitter chocolate, the caramel was yummy but lacking something and, my fault, I didn’t use the best chocolate on the top so it tasted flat as well. Oh well, they can’t all be winners. The only thing good about this recipe was I got to practice making caramel and that is never a bad thing…

An excellent method for getting tart pastry in the pan. Not like doing a pie crust where you roll the dough on the pin and lay it on top of the shell.

Reserve dough off the edges to fill cracks after the blind bake.

Clearly, my second attempt on the right was correct. You really do need to almost burn it. That light coloured goodness still tasted a treat.

Looks good, right. I know! So sad it didn’t have the flavour for me.

Twice-Roasted Squash with Parmesan Butter and Grains p.89

Soooooooooo tasty. As the weather this break was horribly grey and depressing I felt ok making this fall-like recipe…

 

Roasted Squash for the parmesan butter mash.

Filling. Used farro but I think quinoa would have been nicer.

 

Saving the best for last…

Spiced Sweet Potato Sandwich with Feta P.63

Holy cow, this was the sandwich of champions. I can’t express the awesomeness of this sammy! It had a layer of feta, roasted sweet potato, lemon and garlic mayo, pickled red onion and beets and fresh herbs. I can still taste this dreamy concoction…

I have to make this again soon! Yum, yum, yum.

 

 

March Break Kickoff

March Break is upon us! I’ll be home to witness a lot more daytime kitty antics! I’m looking forward to a weekend of sewing (check out the Spool and Spindle destash sale this weekend), cooking, reading and relaxing. We haven’t ever felt we should go away for March Break. I know it would be wonderful but our summers are precious and we make the most of them, so don’t feel sorry for us lol. July will be here soon enough.

In case you want to make the most of cooking this break you can pick up my new magazine pics. I did get the new Milk Street and Bon Apétit but they are quite meat heavy this month. There is a delightful salted caramel chocolate tart in Bon Apétit though so it may have just been worth getting…

I’m excited about the Side-Dishes one especially. As veggies that is often our main meal. It’s also nice to have new sides to offer up guests. I’m looking forward to some of the potato recipes. Maybe the Cut the Sugar mag will help us get summer ready lol!

February Garment

You’d think I could sew more in one month than this poncho but whatever!

I’m really digging this little number. The Popover Poncho by April Rhodes, too cute!…

I picked up this fabric on sale at Fabricland. It was exactly what I was after for this project.

It was supposed to have this bias binding from the neck fabric, navy jersey knit, around the bottom edge but in the end I just decided to serge and turn up the hem.

Love the cute pocket. It was fun to fussy cut the pattern I wanted.

Always fun to try something new. I opted for the grommet eyelets for a more professional look instead of doing buttonholes. It was super easy!

Love…

Also, love the friends that helped/hindered my sewing progress…

March will be some summer dresses. I’m feeling the stress of getting them ready for July so I need to make a start.

 

Jan-Feb Food Magazine Wrap Up

I know I say this all the time but how did 2 months just whip past! It really frustrates me that I don’t have magical powers to slow down time.

Anyways, March mags are cropping up at Costco (I keep forgetting that Costco is a great cheap option for magazines) and Chapters so I better share some of my food adventures from the last couple of weeks. Look out tomorrow for my February sewing make.

First, I finally made a few things from Bake: The British Issue…

Tradition scone recipe with currants. Noticeably missing the clotted cream. Come on Canada get with the cream scene!

 

Truthful, I was not thrilled with most of the recipes I tried. What I will keep though is the extended section in the middle of the magazine with “must-hit spots in the capital city”. With my lovely husband being British we are lucky to get to London regularly. My time in London usually involves dragging said wonderful, compliant, trained husband to every foodie shop I learn about in the London area. I don’t think he suffers though because it helps us explore like a local and eat well! On pg. 58 I was reminded to check out Spitalfields Market and on pg. 58 Violet (a little bakery, she also has a cookbook). The scone recipe I tried was nothing to write home about. I STILL MAINTAIN THAT THE BEST SCONE RECIPE IS FROM EDNA STAEBLER’S FOOD THAT REALLY SCHMECKS. Amazon link here, an oldie but a goodie. The Strawberry and Ginger Crumble, pg. 36 was sadly NOT good. Possibly user error but if you know my family you’d know we are crisp connoisseurs! There wasn’t enough liquid, not enough butter in the topping, way too bitter even with the most recommended sugar. The only thing I’ll take away is the idea to put ginger in my regular topping…

I’ll move on to the divine Custart Tart, p.37. Please don’t judge my crust edge. I will definitely make this again. It was creamy perfection. The fresh nutmeg on top was a winner too…

Keeping with the dessert theme, from The Best Mediterranean Diet Recipes magazine I made the Semolina Pudding with Almonds and Dates p.92. This Middle Eastern pudding treat is right up my flavour alley. Have I mentioned I LOVE saffron and cardamom anything,yup…

Last, I made one final recipe from the February Bon Apétit. The Wheat Berry Bowl with Merguez and Pomegranate, p.30, minus the sausage of course…

Excellent!

 

 

 

Soup is on

February is cold, rainy, yucky and sometimes depressing. On that positive note…I tried to perk up with two delicious soup recipes from the Jan-Feb issue of Milk Street. I used the Instant Pot to make the Turkish Red Lentil Soup with Aleppo Pepper Oil. (It doesn’t call for the Pot, I just decided to give it a try.) While that was cooking I made the Red Lentil Soup with Coconut Milk and Spinach. Both were good but I personally liked the Coconut one better. Anything with coconut, typical Indian spices and spinach has my vote!

 

Some sautéing in the Instant Pot for the Turkish Red Lentil Soup first.

Cumin I love you. Please don’t notice my lazy garlic in the jar, shhhhhh!

Heat Aleppo Pepper flakes in Olive Oil, yum. I saved this to use on pizza soon.

Top with the oil, mint and a squeeze of lemon.

The Coconut Soup…

 

Such wholesome goodness and quick options for a mid-week meal. Why not serve them with homemade pita .