Category: Food & Drink

I was given this recipe by a coworker; talk about an easy, hearty meal to make during a hectic work week but it also freezes very well. Instead of ground beef we prefer to used ground moose meat; but I’m looking forward to trying this recipes with ground chicken or turkey for a lighter option.

Ingredients
1 lb of Ground Beef
1 package of Chilli Seasoning
1/2 cup of Water
1 (15 oz) can of Cannellini Beans (rinsed & drained)
1 (15 oz) can of Black Beans (rinsed & drained)
2 (14.5 oz) cans of Crushed Tomatoes
1 (4 oz) can of Green Chillies
2 cups of Rice (cooked)
1.5 cup of Cracker Barrel Marble Cheese

Directions
1. Spray a 9 X 13 casserole dish with cooking spray. In a large skillet scramble fry the meat, add water and chilli seasoning and mix well. Stir in both types of beans, the tomatoes and green chillies. Cook for 5 minutes.

2. Spread the rice into the bottom of the casserole dish then pour the beef and bean mixture over top and sprinkle with cheese. Cover with foil.

3. Bake at 375F for 30 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking for another 15 minutes.

Tip: If you want to freeze this recipe, use a disposable pan instead. Remember to wrap it first with plastic wrap and then foil before freezing. When heating remove the plastic wrap. 

My husband and I had the pleasure of dining at Sabor in Edmonton this time two years ago…and it was AMAZING, in all aspects: from the beautiful interior of the venue itself to the food & drinks and the service. Sabor is an upscale but in no way pretentious eatery offering Portuguese and Spanish cuisine, wine as well as live music. Anyone who knows me, knows I LOVE food and trying new dishes, cuisines and restaurants, so I was more than a little excited when I found out we were going to Sabor. 

My best friend is getting married next month; with restrictions in place we couldn’t have a traditional bachelorette party; so I decided to take her to Sabor now that it is open for dine-in once again 🙂

Food Memories: What my hubby and I ate/sampled…
-Fresh oysters from the incredible raw bar selection
-Meat and Cheese Board-Pan Seared Scallops
-Grilled Piri Piri Prawns
-Oven Roasted Whole Mediterranean Sea Bass
-Lobster Risotto
-Beef Tenderloin with Over Roasted Vegetables
-Roasted Chicken
-Cheesecake
-Tiramisu
-Chocolate Cayenne Mousse

*I should mention that the food for the wedding was served family style when my husband and I went. Oh life before the pandemic!!

What I am looking forward to eating…
-White Sturgeon Caviar from the raw bar
-Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail
-Grilled Calamari
-Avocado & Cucumber Bruschetta
-Chicken, Smoked Duck & Port Pate
-Lobster Bisque
-Beets with Italian burrata, truffle oil and balsamic
-Octopus & Mussel Salad
-Seafood Paella
-Three Boars which includes grilled Iberian black pork, roasted pork belly, braised pork cheeks and boar black bean feijoada

*Obviously not all in one sitting haha… We will have to keep going back!

“Accept what life offers you and try to drink from every cup. All wines should be tasted; some should only be sipped, but with others, drink the whole bottle.”
                                                                                               ― Paulo Coelho, Brida

And with that, I present to you my list of favourite wines!…

Goddess (St. Hubertus & Oak Bay Estate Winery)
This is a cool product; it is a wine made by women for women. It is a multi-varietal white blend with exotic floral notes including Turkish delight, lychee, sweet spices, rose oil and a hint of herbs. Best served chilled with a spicy or Asian dish.

Market White (Sperling Vineyard)
Market White is a blend of Bacchus, Pinot Blanc & Riesling. And has been dubbed as the embodiment of “Okanagan sunshine & freshness in a glass.” Which comes from the scent of yummy fruit like peach, apricot and apple. This is a great choice to go along with a spicy entree, or simply for sipping.

Late Harvest Riesling (Sperling Vineyard)
This is a perfect wine to enjoy with dessert; it is a treat in and of itself. It received the InterVin International Wine Awards 2017, Honours Medal

Old Vines Foch (Sperling Vineyard)
Country Babe is NOT a fan of red wines, however this is one of TWO red wines that she loves. It smells and tastes like black cherry, current, roasted nuts and fresh earth. This rustic wine is made for dinners of featuring red meats, desserts featuring chocolate and cheese plates.

Late Harvest Gewurztraminer (Sperling Vineyard)
An iced wine, that has a  “spicy, peach and honey nose; full-bodied, rich and sweet, well balanced flavours of tropical fruit, barley sugar and cinnamon.”

Speritz (Sperling Vineyard)
Refreshing. Crisp. With bursts of peach, melon, guava and grapefruit. It’s a really good choice for curling up on the couch with your sweetheart and watching a movie and snacking on popcorn.

Old Vines Gamay Noir (Hillside)
This is the second red wine that won Country Babe over. It is a fruity wine featuring raspberry and cedar notes. It tastes luxurious without being overpowering. Fun factoid: gamay is the principal grape of the Beaujolais region.

Voignier (Hillside)
Made in Naramata Bench, although it is dubbed as a “summer chardonnay” it is perfect anytime of the year. This wine smells as delicious as it tastes.  Think, spring blossoms, honeysuckle with a hint of Chai spice.

Pinot Grigio (Barefoot Bubbly)
A light bodied California sparkling wine with a citrus aroma that refreshes the palate. Best served chilled with fish or seafood and appetizers.

My girlfriends and I love bonding over great meals and the cooking/baking process. We never have qualms about splurging on a culinary adventure or an ingredient. One thing we love to do each and every GIRLS WEEKEND is to make a fancy or epic breakfast. We fell in love with this quiche recipe from Tenderflake.ca the first time we made it. Then I made it for my family last Christmas; it was a hit with them as well. It also tastes delicious served cold the next day.

Ingredients
1 Tenderflake All Vegetable Shortening Deep Dish Pie Shell
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 lb fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut in 1″ pieces
1 small sweet red pepper, cut in strips
1 1/4 cups sliced mushrooms
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
3 eggs
1 cup milk
2 tbsp. chopped fresh basil
1 tsp salt

Directions
Thaw pastry shell at room temperature 15 minutes. Place on baking sheet.
Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
Heat oil in large frying pan over medium-high heat. Sauté onion, asparagus, peppers and mushrooms until tender-crisp, stirring often, about 5 minutes.
Sprinkle half of cheese in pie shell. Spoon vegetables on top. Cover with remaining cheese.
Beat remaining ingredients together to blend. Pour over the vegetable mixture.
Bake on lower rack of preheated oven 10 minutes
Reduce temperature to 350°F (180°C) and bake 30-35 minutes longer or until filling is set.
Cool 10 minutes, then slice and serve warm.

For my husband’s birthday I bought him a new K-Supreme Plus Single Serve Coffee Maker because our other one was getting WORN OUT.

When you go to the grocery store you are confronted by an overwhelming selection of K-cups… What one(s) do you choose?

I am always experimenting with K-Cup varieties and over the years the following have become my favourites…

Van Houtte
Original House Blend (Medium Roast)
Creme Brulee
Pecan Praline
Butterscotch

Folgers
Vanilla Biscotti
Caramel Drizzle

Starbucks
Mocha
Vanilla Sweetened Iced Coffee

Twinnings
Chai Flavoured Black Tea
Green Tea

Laura Secord 
Hot Chocolate

This genius recipe comes courtesy of http://happymoneysaver.com; and I LOVE IT! It only has 5 ingredients, it is easy to make and is a great freezer meal option.

Ingredients
8 Chicken Breasts
475 ml Catalina Dressing
350 ml Apricot Jam
1 package of Dry Onion Soup Mix
*8 Servings of Rice (prepared)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350F
Combine the dressing, jam and soup mix together in a 9 X 13 casserole dish; make sure is it mixed well
Add chicken and stir until well coated
Bake for 45 minutes (or until chicken is cooked through)
*Serve over rice

Tip: If am sending this meal with my husband when he goes up north for work; I will portion it out into containers and send a few packages of microwavable Minute Rice with him so he warms both up and adds the rice to his meals the day of.

Over the years we have honed in on our staple ingredients; those necessary to the majority of our recipes, those we love and  those that cut down on frequent trips to the grocery store.

1. Minute Rice
Why: I use my Kraft Kitchen’s Dinner On Hand cookbook A LOT and many of the dishes use rice; so that is why this has become a staple pantry item for me.

2. Canned Tomatoes
Why: These of course are essential for sauces and bases. They are perfect when fresh tomatoes aren’t in season (and therefore ridiculously expensive). And they are flavorful additions to many recipes.

3. Stock/Broth
Why: These come in handy for making soups for fall and winter.

4. Dry Pasta
Why: This is a go to side dish for me; especially alongside Chicken Parm. I also love making pasta salads and baked pastas for potlucks…and we have quite a few at work.

5. Black Olives
Why: I add them to pizza of course and I love taking Greek salads to work.

6. Canned Beans
Why: As a chilli lover; many of those recipes call for beans. Plus I have a killer recipe for a three bean salad that is to die for!

7. Nuts
Why: Most of my dessert recipes call for nuts and even when they don’t I add them. A handful of almonds for example make for a great, healthier snack instead of chips!

8. Tuna
Why: I grew up on tuna fish sandwiches and as I got older I moved on to tuna melts and I love eating it with mini-peppers from Costco.

9. Kraft Dinner Mac & Cheese
Why: I know, I know; this isn’t a healthy food choice but it is a guilty pleasure. I always have a boxes around for when Megan comes to town and we binge watch shows on Netflix.

10. Old El Paso Taco Kit
Why: It is great to have on hand for when my nieces and nephews stop by; it is a great way to get them involved in cooking and spend quality time in the kitchen and around the dinner table.