My Favourite Cookies

If I am making cookies it is usually these ones. They are my ultimate favourite, crispy edges and a little chewy in the middle. Inspired by a Quaker Oats recipe.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

1 cup butter, softened
(you can substitute 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted, for half the butter, delicious!)
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup white sugar

Cream the first three ingredients until well mixed.

2 eggs
2 tablespoons of milk
2 teaspoons of vanilla

Add the next three ingredients into the bowl with the creamed butter and sugars. Mix well. I usually use a hand mixer for blending in the first two steps.

After the first six ingredients are well blended add in:

1-3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda

It is usually recommended to measure the dry ingredients into a separate bowl and then mix into the wet ingredients but it still turns out fine if you just add them directly into the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.

1 cup old fashinioned rolled oats
1-1/2 cups quick oats

Mix until combined.

2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips

Mix and then use a small scoop to drop cookies spaced a couple inches apart on to a cookie sheet line with parchment paper. Bake cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, take them out when just beginning to brown around the edges.

Easy Chicken and Rice Casserole

I have a beautiful new Le Creuset pot that needed more action so Rob and I created the recipe below. It was inspired by Dinner A Love Story's Chicken and Rice for Beginners.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into small cubes

3 carrots, peeled and chopped 

3 celery sticks, chopped

1 onion, diced

2 cloves of garlic

2 tbsp of olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Fresh thyme leaves, two or three sprigs

2 - 1/4 cups of white rice

1 cup white wine

2 - 1/4 cups chicken broth

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sauté veggies over medium heat in olive oil until soft, add chicken and salt and pepper to taste. Cook chicken until opaque. Add rice, toss to coat with oil and pan juices. Add white wine and chicken broth and thyme leaves, bring to a boil. Place in oven with lid on the cooking dish, cook for 45 minutes.

For a modification try using cured chorizo sausage, 3/4 of a cup cubed, along with a 14oz. can of crushed tomatoes. Do not use the the celery, thyme and carrots. Add 1/2 teaspoon of cumin, 1 teaspoon of smoked or regular paprika and at least a teaspoon of salt.

Dressings, Dips and Sauces

Everyday Salad Dressing

1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. dijon mustard
Salt and pepper
Squeeze of honey or pinch of sugar (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a mason jar and shake well.


Herb Dip

1-1/2 cups greek yogurt
1 tbsp. white balsamic vinegar or lemon juice
Lots of chopped herbs (usually parsley, dill, basil)
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together.


Tartar Sauce

1 cup greek yogurt
1 tbsp. lemon juice
2-3 finely chopped dill pickles
2-3 tbsp. chopped fresh dill
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together and serve. Yum!

Best Biscuits

I've made these several times and they have never failed to produce light flaky biscuits.

2 cups of flour

1 tbsp. baking powder

1 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. salt

8 tbsp. butter, cubed

3/4 cup milk

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Mix all the dry ingredients and cut in the butter with a pastry cutter until mixture looks like small crumbs. Pour the milk into the mixture and mix with a spoon. Turn out mixture on to floured counter and knead a few times to combine, form into a flat disk about 3/4 inch thick. Cut biscuits and place on parchment lined baking sheet. Bake at 425 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes until lightly browned.

Easy Sticky Chicken Wings

We mixed up this quick sauce with what we had on hand and let the wings sit for about a half hour. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees, convection setting if you have it.

2 limes plus the zest from half of one lime

1 tbsp. fish sauce

One inch piece of ginger, finely grated

2 cloves of garlic, finely grated

1/2 cup of brown sugar

3/4 cup soy sauce

After letting the wings marinate in the sauce, cover a sheet pan in foil and pour the sauce and wings on to the pan. Cover the pan in foil and put it in the oven for 30 minutes at 450 degrees Celsius. After 30 minutes, remove the foil cover, flip the wings and bake for about 10 minutes more making sure the sauce does not burn. Remove the wings when nicely browned and plate. Pour the remaining sauce in to a saucepan and thicken on the stove top over high heat if you would like more dipping sauce.

First Trip of the Year - Camping Menu

We are heading out to the Okanagan for some much needed fun in the sun! Here is the plan for camping friendly easy meals for the 5 days away.

Breakfasts

We always go for easy breakfasts, no one wants to do a big load of breakfast dishes, we would rather just eat something and get started with our day. 

Blueberries, plain Greek yogurt, homemade granola

Cereal and fruit for the kids.

Coffee, of course.

Lunches

Since it is camping we HAVE to have hot dogs, everyone loves them and camping is the one time of year they get put in the grocery cart!

Hot dogs

Sandwiches, ham or turkey

Cut vegetables and dip

Greek Salad

Snacks

Home made nut mix

Chips

Veggies and dip

Fruit

Dinners

We have 4 dinners needed for the week, we usually put the most effort into making dinner daily. The day is winding down and it is nice to have a big meal after being outside in the fresh air all day. We usually try to keep it simple and only use the BBQ and propane stove outside.

Sausages with peppers, onions and potatoes.

Par boil the potatoes and slice the (pre-cooked) sausages into thirds, combine with chopped pepper and onion on a sheet of foil with whole garlic cloves, butter and fresh herbs. One packet per person. Grill on the fire for 5-6 minutes per side or BBQ for 10 minutes per side.

Steaks, Fire Potatoes and Caesar Salad

Hamburgers with Tomato, Cheese, Pickles, Onion

Burritos on the BBQ

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

1 lb. ground chicken

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp. ginger, minced

3 stalks of celery, finely chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

3 carrots, finely chopped

1 red pepper, finely chopped

Cooking Sauce:

1 tbsp. hoisin sauce

1 tbsp. soy sauce

2 tbsp. dry sherry

2 tbsp. oyster sauce

2 tbsp. water

1 tsp. white sugar

2 tsp. cornstarch

2 heads romaine lettuce

Sauté onion, celery, carrots, ginger and garlic until softened. Add ground chicken, break up ground chicken while it cooks. Add red pepper, cook until softened. Add cooking sauce and stir until thickened. Serve in romaine lettuce cups.