Main Dishes

Make Easy Chicken with Mushroom Cream Sauce for Dinner and Eat

November 6, 2014 by Kathryn 38 Comments

I shop at Walmart for all kinds of things, from clothing to toys to furniture to electronics. But one of the sections of the store that’s impressed me more and more lately is the grocery section. I used to make a separate trip to a grocery store every time I went to Regina to shop, but lately I just haven’t needed to do that. I can get all the food my family needs at Walmart!

And that even includes fresh, Canadian protein choices like chicken, Angus beef, pork and salmon. Recently Walmart Canada sent me a gift card so that I could grab some fresh, delicious meat for my family and see for myself how delicious it is to eat fresh with Walmart. Of course, I was only too happy to oblige. [Read more…]

Mango Chili Peanut Pulled Pork Recipe with Pulo Sauces

September 24, 2014 by Kathryn 35 Comments

I love experimenting with different ethnic cuisines when I cook, I’m guessing partly because my mom was born in Finland and made so many traditional Finnish dishes when we were children. When I learned to cook myself, I tried classic French recipes, Chinese dishes, Mexican cooking and any other unique cuisine that interested me. But I have to admit, I’ve never before tried creating a meal with Philippines flavours and part of the reason for that was that I didn’t know much about the cooking style the country uses.

Then I discovered Pulo. This line of marinades and cooking sauces inspired by the 7000 islands of the Philippines make it easy to create an authentic Filipino meal in just minutes using the flavourful sauces and easy included recipes. Of course, even when trying something new I like to experiment a bit so I decided to forgo the recipes included with the sauces and create something new: Mango Chili Peanut Pulled Pork!

[Read more…]

Best Bolognese Sauce Recipe with T-fal Jamie Oliver Professional Stainless Steel Cookware-Giveaway

July 18, 2014 by Kathryn 544 Comments

I love cooking and I am always excited to learn something new when it comes to perfecting different dishes. And even though I’ve been cooking since I was eight years old, one of my most important lessons in the kitchen didn’t come until I was an adult. That lesson was this: the right tools make a big difference in the results.

When I first moved out on my own, I bought the cheapest set of cookware I could find and I used it for years. After having children, I gradually started upgrading my kitchenware and almost immediately, I knew I’d been missing out. From a few cast iron frying pans to a proper set of quality cooking knives, quality items don’t just make preparation easier, they make the finished dish better too.

But I still hadn’t upgraded to a top-quality set of pots and pans when to my delight, T-fal came to my rescue and offered me the chance to cook up something delicious with the Jamie Oliver 9pc. Professional Stainless Steel cookware set. I ‘d been wanting to master Bolognese Sauce for quite some time but I hadn’t had the proper size pot to do it, so with my new cookware in the cupboard, I set out to tackle this family favourite.

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Get Creative with Your Cooking with Smucker’s Pairings Quick and Easy Recipes

July 7, 2014 by Kathryn 50 Comments

My boys love Smucker’s jam, so keeping a good supply of it in our house is something that I consider essential. But while Zackary and Benjamin are content eating toast and jam day after day, I like to get a little more creative when I have Smucker’s in the house! That’s why I loved the idea of Smucker’s Pairings; easy combinations of Smucker’s jam and other food that let me think outside the box when using jam at home.

It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that Smucker’s jam is only suitable for breakfast, but I know that’s simply not true!

The first Smucker’s Pairings recipe I created was a scrumptious and easy appetizer: Prosciutto and Swiss Baguette Rounds. I simply sliced half of a multigrain baguette into rounds, spread each slice with Smucker’s Apricot Jam and topped the slices with prosciutto and Swiss cheese. Then I broiled the slices for about five minutes until the cheese was melted and bubbly. I served the rounds with some snacks when I had family over recently and they were the first item to disappear.

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Meal Planning Tips and an Easy Recipe from Unilever and Expert Sandi Richard

July 2, 2014 by Kathryn 63 Comments

I have been fascinated by the concept of meal planning for a few years now. I have repeatedly heard that it is one of the best ways to save money on the grocery budget and I know it must be a huge stress saver as well to not have to worry about what to make for supper each day. But I have to admit, I always thought the process was far too complicated for me to be able to manage.

Then Unilever, the makers of numerous dinnertime favourites including Hellman’s, Knorr and Ragu, gave me the chance to chat with expert meal planner Sandi Richard and I had high hopes that her advice might help me to finally figure out this concept and start enjoying the benefits of meal planning. Luckily for me, Sandi understands that busy parents don’t have time for a complex and confusing system when it comes to meal planning. The process should start, she says, with a simple sheet of paper (you can download a blank “Eat Sheet” on her website) and a family meeting.

Sandi was full of practical tips and the first one was that only five meals per week should be planned. She said there should be one day when parents can feel fine about ordering out and one day when eating grilled cheese and soup is acceptable, so five meals can take a family through the week without a problem. To decide on those five meals, she suggests just using a blank sheet of paper and filling in each of the meals. But to make the process work, getting input from the entire family is crucial! [Read more…]

Try One of Three Great Burger Recipes and Enter the Name a Burger Success Story Contest With Bick’s

June 18, 2014 by Kathryn 247 Comments

To me, summer means barbeque and barbeque means burgers, so I spend a lot of the warmer days whipping up different burger creations. I love varying the tasty toppings on my burgers, but one ingredient is always a must for me…Bick’s pickles! There are all kind of different ways of creating a burger success story when Bick’s is involved, and all kinds of different names for those success stories!

Bick’s is sharing some of its favourite burger success story recipes this year and I have to admit, they have my mouth watering! Created to celebrate the diversity of Canada, these provincially themed burgers offer something for everyone, with burgers inspired by Ontario, Quebec, Alberta and British Columbia! Personally, I can’t wait to try the Muskoka Breakfast Burger and the Grouse Mountain Power Burger!

The Muskoka Breakfast Burger

A hearty burger perfect for a weekend breakfast!

Course Main

Prep Time 5 minutes

Total Time 5 minutes

Servings 1

Author Bick's

Ingredients

1 Ciabatta bun toasted
2 Bick’s® Sandwich Savers® 50% Less Salt Tangy Dill Pickles
1 cooked beef burger
1 slice tomato grilled
1 slice back bacon grilled
1 egg fried, sunny side up

Instructions

Place pickles on bottom bun and top with burger and remaining ingredients.
Enjoy!

[Read more…]

Summer Barbeque Fun with a Peanut-Sauced Ribs Recipe and Wet-Nap

May 5, 2014 by Kathryn 18 Comments

This shop is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group™ and Wet-Nap but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #showusyourmess http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV

As soon as the snow melts, my boys and I start spending a lot more time outside in the back yard. And that means that I spend a lot more time cooking outside too. There’s nothing my family likes better than a meal cooked on the barbeque and so this weekend, we decided to welcome spring with our all-time favourite barbequed meal, Peanut-Sauced Ribs.

But ribs are messy, so first I headed to Walmart to pick up a box of Wet-Nap packettes. These handy little individually wrapped packages are an essential in our household because they’re so convenient. I keep them in the house for quick cleanups of sticky hands, in the car for those times when the boys can’t wash up properly and in my purse for all those other little emergencies a mom tends to encounter. And when we’re eating outside, Wet-Nap packettes are always on the table.

With the supplies I needed, I got busy cooking up the ribs. The secret to really good pork ribs is two-fold. First, splurging on back ribs, the meatiest variety of ribs available, is essential. Secondly, precooking the ribs ensures that they are deliciously tender and juicy. Just cut the ribs into two or three rib sections and boil them in a pot of water with about one tablespoon of salt added for 50-60 minutes before barbequing for the best ribs ever. [Read more…]

Welcome Spring with Maple-Balsamic Salmon Fillets and Strawberry & Goat Cheese Salad #WhatsCooking

March 21, 2014 by Kathryn 38 Comments

The ground is covered in snow and the wind is icy cold, but spring is here and I am going to enjoy it one way or another! One of my favourite things about spring is the food and fortunately, I don’t need to wait for sunshine and warm weather to indulge in fresh spring flavours…even if I can’t head outside to barbeque just yet!

Asparagus, rhubarb and spinach are just a few of the classic spring foods but my personal favourite spring flavour is maple syrup! Since trees are traditionally tapped right around the beginning of March, early spring is the time when many families indulge in their favourite maple recipes. And luckily for me, the Kraft What’s Cooking website had plenty of tasty ideas using this delicious Canadian concoction!

What I love about maple syrup is that even though it is sweet, it adds amazing flavour and complexity to savoury dishes. And since I was in the mood for fresh spring flavours, I decided to create the ultimate spring feast: Maple-Balsamic Salmon Fillets with Strawberry & Goat Cheese Salad! [Read more…]