Christmas Countdown: Day 9 - Quick and Easy Gift Ideas!

'Twas a week before Christmas and all through the shops, people were running and searching for props; the perfect gift for a mom or a dad, all were searching, searching like mad!


Today, I've got a guest post! Chris Lee works as an online researcher alongside his undergrad study, and has written this festive on behalf of Vistaprint. Take it away, Chris!
So, Christmas is nearly upon us. If (like me) you haven’t started your Christmas shopping yet, hopefully this post will give you a few ideas!

The Classics:
Wine and/or chocolate. I was tempted to call this section “fallback options” because these can seem like last resort gifts, but, as with any gift, if you put in the thought and match the gift to the personality and tastes of the recipient, they will be well received and appreciated. Try to figure out what cuisine the recipient enjoys eating and use the taste guide to select an appropriate wine, for example.

Gizmos and gadgets:
Ideal for a teenage audience, but also applicable elsewhere. Most gadget sites will have a “gift finder” or similar service which will allow you to enter variables such as recipients age, desired budget, whether or not to include mature gifts, etc. This can be a great way to find gifts you may otherwise not have considered, although try not to get too distracted and end up buying a selection of fun-but-useless gadgets for yourself!

Home-made gifts:
An old favourite. There’s perhaps nothing better than receiving a hand-crafted gift from a friend or relative. Knowing that they spent time planning and making a unique gift for you is a truly delightful feeling. This is especially fun for children, as they will take great pride in the items they make. Though this category can include almost anything, a few popular suggestions are home-made chocolates, mulled wine, photo frames, storage containers, and ornaments.

Personalised gifts:
Similar to the above, except someone else makes them for you! These days the internet is brimming with sites allowing you to make personalised mugs, calendars, t-shirts, mouse mats, etc. The personal touch on these traditional gifts will be popular whatever the occasion, but Christmas is the perfect time. Seeing a precious memory captured and printed onto an everyday item will lift the spirits of the recipient every time they see the gift.

Thanks for sharing, Chris! One thing I'd like you to know is we've actually been Vistaprint Canada customers for the past three years. We do an annual calendar of TroubleMaker (the pictures are from calendar's past) and the past three, we've ordered from Vistaprint! I was so happy when I was approached to host this post because I can honestly say Vistaprint products and customer service are fantastic!




Need another idea? How about tapping in to that "home made gift" idea? Have 10 minutes, a sewing machine and some fabric? Why not whip up one of these cozy, fuzzy pillow cases! I'll have more pictures and a bit of a tutorial later in the week! Thanks for stopping by and thank you Chris and Vistaprint for sharing some great Christmas gift ideas!

Countdown: Day 12 - Gingerbread Cupcakes!

Barefoot Deliberations Christmas Countdown Introduction!
What I’m doing isn’t new – all over the web are blogs and websites filled with countdowns… I just know, since having TroubleMaker, Christmas has taken on renewed importance for me. And since I love all things festive, I decided to do a countdown here too. I hope you enjoy the next twelve days as I share with you some of my crafty ambitions, family traditions, decorating tips and yummy, tummy tickling recipes! I’m also excited to share with you a Guest post – check back for that on Friday, December 16th!

Day 12 - Gingerbread Cupcakes!
When you think of Christmas, what comes to mind? The one smell I always associate with Christmas and the holiday season is gingerbread… Cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves – it all spells HoHoHo in my books! I’ll be sharing a couple of our family traditional recipes but today, I’m sharing a new (and good) discovery! Back in November, I picked up a magazine at TroubleMaker’s behest – on the cover – a graham cracker train. Throughout the pages of the magazine were crafts and recipes all related to the festive season. As with most of the magazines I pick up, I dog eared the pages of the recipes and crafts I liked. More often than not, I find them again six months after the event but this time, I remembered to look at it.















When I came to the page that housed today’s feature recipe, I couldn’t remember why I marked it – shared on the page was a full 8.5 x 11" picture of a piece for chocolate cake – and since discovering Mrs. Searle’s chocolate cake recipe in 2008, I have no need to search any longer… Tucked up on the corner of the page was an unsuspecting recipe for Gingerbread Cupcakes with Maple Cream Cheese Icing. A small photo accompanied the picture – it wasn’t inspiring but the mounds of maple icing made it hard to resist! Saturday afternoon, I tackled the recipe as TroubleMaker relaxed in the bath (one day, I will reverse that trend – he can bake while I relax in the tub).

It went together well and mixed up light and fluffy. The recipe was like none I’ve worked with before – it didn’t pour like a typical cake batter – it was thick and – well, gelatinous. I used a rubber spatula to “spoon” it into the muffin liners – it kind of glopped out but it was simple and quick to fill the twelve cups with no mess (that made me very happy). I popped them in the oven and waited. I also resisted all temptation to open the oven door. Normally, I’m not superstitious about that but because my mother in law would be sampling these delights, it was especially important to me that they turn out perfect! I even followed the recipe when it said "cool ten minutes in the pan then cool completely on a wire wrack". I have to admit that with the frosting, I just tossed it together - I used a little more cream cheese, more confectioner's sugar and a little less maple syrup. I suppose many years of cooking and baking has allowed me to judge by sight how much of this and that to add!





The house smelled amazing - and the taste - divine! Dense and light and just the right amount of spice truly captured what I think Christmas tastes like (if Christmas had a taste)! They were well received and so perfect to end the tour of the Christmas lights! Try it, it would be a perfect end to Christmas dinner or a yummy treat after an afternoon of tobogganing!

Thanks for stopping in! Come back tomorrow for Day 11!

Sprig Toys: A Review of the Sprigwood Eco-Trucks

Let me start off by saying I have no connection to the Sprig Toy company and I have not in any way been endorsed or encouraged to write this review. As I commenced my Christmas shopping, I decided to revisit a product we first bought for our son for his first Christmas in 2008 and I decided I needed to share my thoughts on this great line of creative kid's toys!

Before our son was born, we began shopping at Scholar's Choice - a Canadian educational toy and learning store. Always on the hunt for interesting, sustainable and creative gifts for our nephews and niece, finding this store was an absolute dream. The staff is knowledgeable, helpful and very much know their products. When we were expecting, it was a no brainer for us to return to this store and find toys for our son.

For us, our toy criteria was simple - good playability, encourages creative, imaginative play, Eco-friendly, simple in design, good construction and when ever possible be "sustainable" and comprised of child safe compounds. Although we only ever planned on one child, we wanted durable construction too!

We found the Sprigwood line based on a suggestion of the clerk. The bright yellow construction vehicles not only smell amazing, they were made in Canada, designed in the United States, made of a composite of wood and recycled plastic and the design and moving parts were simple, durable and well thought out. The first vehicle we purchased was one of the Eco-Trucks - the dump truck to be exact.



We've now had this vehicle for three years. It has been loaded, drug around, crashed, buried, pulled around some more, loaded and crashed and played with over and over by every child that sees it! It has held up better than any other toy TroubleMaker has owned! It looks fantastic still - even if it's a little bit worn on the edges - and it smells as good as it did on the day we bought it! It has as many miles on it as it is a much loved toy and had the string my Dad tied on to it the year TroubleMaker was one finally wore through and fell off this past summer! With a Canadian retail price of $19.99, it is affordable and absolutely a step above all the well known "Construction" type trucks on the market.

Since the first summer brought a few arguments on who was going to get to pull the "Good Guck" around ("Guck is how TroubleMaker says "Truck"), we invested in the "Diggin' Dirt" - the Eco Truck Loader.



Now, TroubleMaker had his perfect toys. A digger to unearth every single rock and stick in every campground we camped in during TroubleMaker's second year of life. Dumping the bucket into the waiting dump truck, emptying the truck and starting all over again. It too had a string tied to it and was lugged around on numerous walks. It too survived several enthusiastic two year old children pulling, tugging and digging!

At some point, we also purchased the Baja Scout. An ingenious product that smells as yummy as the trucks with a clever, faceless character sitting in the driver's seat... The best was yet to be learned about the Scout - when you pump the truck, it charges the helmet on the driver and becomes a batteryless flashlight! Hundreds of pumps, crashes and hours of play later, it is an amazing toy with even more play value as TroubleMaker ages! It's a science lesson and a toy all in one!























And not to be forgotten (well, actually, it was) is the Discovery Rig. Another "kid charged" adventure toy! We bought this last spring for TroubleMaker's 3rd birthday... And forgot to give it to him! My husband just found it, hidden, in our garage two weeks ago... I can't wait to get this one out of the box! Now TroubleMaker and I will each have our own flashlight to play with in our fort!



If you are looking for a well made, well thought out toy, the Sprig Toy line is an excellent choice. With a love for the environment, a dedication to producing a quality product with high play value and durable, kid tough construction any of the offerings will put you in good stead!


All images from the Sprig Toy website.

Menu Plan Monday: Let's Get Healthy

With our weight, our health and our budget spiraling out of the control, I know I have to get my act together and lead by example.

What is my goal? Well, I control what goes in our mouths! My husband does not cook so this makes it my responsibility to ensure that I am doing my best to provide healthy, diverse and satisfying meals to my boys. It is far to easy to cave into simple, quick and instant foods, especially while working full time and dealing with other responsibilities we all face. Don't get me wrong, I will always think that those kinds of meals have a place in menu planning but when most of my menu planning and meal preparation revolves around opening cans and boxes, something has gone wrong. I need to get our grocery budget under control and the time is NOW to teach our son about healthy eating and physical activity. Very often, TroubleMaker helps prepare the food we eat - he needs to understand healthful foods do not generally come from cans.

So where do I start? Research, my friend! Very few things haven't been thought of before and this can be one of those times to use the Internet for positive things!

There are exercise programs abound and eating plans and all of them tell me that once we get rolling, we'll feel better, have more energy and it will become habit. I am hoping they are right because at the moment, I just want my slippies and my chips!

So what is the plan? Well, honestly, I just want to crawl back into bed and let someone else play grownup for me but if I really have to put one foot in front of the other, I'm hoping it will go down something like this...

Walk two nights a week with a longer walk on one weekend morning
-->Walk nights - simple suppers with minimal prep (use the crock pot)
Strength Training three nights a week
-->Based on home routines planned at Spark People
Online Dance Practice
-->One day a week, practice my existing routine or learn new via online tutorials

For meals, I will keep prep time low for weeknights and explore my culinary ability on weekends or holidays. Exercise nights will be crock pot or the prepared type meals. I have to fit it in but I have to be realistic about the time or it will make it too easy to drop it all and resume old habits.

I've been Pinning a bunch of different recipe sites with prepared meal plans, healthy meals, quick meals and the like. This is giving me some renewed interest in cooking. I've also been working on a "Meal Planning" game for a while and I'm hoping that I'll have it to a point where I can test drive it with my family so we can all be involved with the weekly menu planning!

I also know I work much better when I plan a month at a time... So I'm leaping back on that wagon. It's the only reasonable way I can keep our grocery bill in control. Now that my recipe binders are sorted and organized, it should help me too. But I've found electronic tracking does NOT work for me. So I will be going back to using my tried and true template that I developed before I returned to work in 2009.

My Template Later, I'll upload a blank one to ScribD so that you can download it and use it too! Because I dislike the use of paper, I'm working on getting it put on a white or chalk board.

October 3 to 7

Monday Chicken Nuggets & Fries
Tuesday Unstuffed Green Pepper Soup with Baking Powder biscuits
Wednesday Irish Chicken and Dumplings
Thursday Penne with Tuna and Broccoli
Friday Latkes, Poached eggs, Bacon
Saturday Deep Dish Pizza Party
Sunday Oven Roasted Turkey breast, crock pot stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy and steamed vegetables

I do realize not too much of that sounds "healthy" and tonight's soup is pretty reliant on prepared food but it's a start and any step forward is a positive one!

Thanks for stopping by and listening to me wander on and on... For more concise and happy menu plans, why not check out The Org Junkie and the 250+ people who share their weekly meal plans!


Image courtesy of Homemade Simple

Jasper Getaway 2011, Day Four: The Inn Restaurant & Lounge Review

It seems like only yesterday we were anxiously awaiting our departure for our fall getaway... Now, it's four days later and we are all snuggled up, waiting for bedtime.

This morning, we had breakfast before heading out. There are some amazing places to eat in Jasper but for convenience and simplicity, we opted to try the restaurant attached to the hotel.

The Inn Restaurant and Lounge is the dining room attached to the Best Western Jasper. It's decor is semi-formal with plush chairs, a warm and inviting interior with touches of whimsy like the rice paper clad, iron hand rails that work to divide the different levels of the dining room. We were seated this morning by the nice, large gas fireplace. The restaurant is being closed for renovations so I'm excited to see what they've got coming - the chairs are probably the most comfortable I've ever sat in when dining!

They do not have a breakfast menu. The offer a buffet - a continental as well as a hot buffet. The entire buffet is offered for $13.95 per adult and includes juice, coffee or tea. Because my husband is a long standing Best Western rewards member, we received a coupon to eat for $9.95 per person.

I am not really a buffet fan. I have "issues" - mostly the idea of sharing common foodstuffs with other people. However, the restaurant is very clean and each item has it's own set of serving tools. The buffet is set up in their atrium, it is well light and is flooded with natural light.

I started with a glass of orange juice - it was pulp free so it was all good!

Wanting a hot breakfast on the cool, rainy morning, I tried the pork breakfast sausage, scrambled eggs and my personal favourite, hash brown potatoes. I also selected several pieces of fresh fruit - pineapple, strawberries and plump red, seedless grapes. A small croissant and some butter and I went back to the table. My husband chose bacon, scrambled eggs and French toast.

I loved the sausage - they were cooked perfectly and void of any grease! The potatoes had potential, however, the majority of them were uncooked in the middle - and if there is one thing I dislike, it is uncooked potatoes! The eggs were typical buffet fair - squishy, mushy and slightly under cooked. Dousing them with a generous helping of fresh ground pepper did help to mask the texture! The croissant was fresh and light and my husband said the French toast was good but the syrup was lacking...

Keep in mind, we eat 100% Maple syrup that we import from Maine so our expectations of syrup are likely a little high!

For a quick and convenient breakfast, this restaurant fit the bill. They did have a fantastic selection of fruit, cereals, pastries, yogurt and toast. Their hot buffet was less than stellar but as far as hot buffet breakfasts can go, it was likely better than most. The pastries were adequate - cranberries seemed to be the fruit de jour so they had many little specialties prepared with them - which was fine as I am a fan but the muffins should be skipped as they are greasy and flavourless.

Breakfast (with coupon) was $25 including tip. We'd give The Inn Restaurant and Lounge:



Although our time away has ended, I'll be sharing another food review, hotel review and a couple pictorial posts detailing the high points of "things to see"! Thank you for sharing our love and wonderment of Jasper National Park - one of my favourite places on Earth!

Jasper Getaway 2011, Day Three: Cassio's Italian Restaurant Review

Our decision on where to eat tonight was a difficult one. I had thought we'd do one of three things:

Pick up pizza and eat in the hotel room
The L&W Restaurant or Cassio's Italian Restaurant

All day, we weren't sure what we wanted. I was feeling a little off this afternoon and wasn't feeling anything. After another great day of sightseeing and picture taking, we came back to the hotel for a little rest before deciding.

My husband was in favour of going out for dinner - I always agree with him but I decided I didn't feel like either of the restaurants I'd previously suggested. So, back on the Internet I went in search of somewhere else.

I selected two options - based on other reviews I'd read. The options were Karouzo's Steaks & Seafood and the Downstream Bar & Grill.

Karouzo`s has apparently closed for the season. It would have been REALLY handy if their website had said so. Jasper is a year round community - so it was a huge surprise to us as well as the several other bewildered patrons we saw wandering past.

Deterred but not finished, we headed on to Downstream. Not being able to find a menu on line, I really had no idea what to expect. Thankfully, most restaurants in Jasper post their menus outside - reviewing what the Downstream had to offer, we decided to pass.

A little further down Connaught Drive and we happened upon one of my original choices, Cassio's. When we were here two years ago, we went in to this restaurant but left as the menu was not at all something either of us would enjoy. But apparently, things have changed since 2009 and the new menu was very appealing.

The decor is a mash of Mountain inspired Greek. It's dim and potentially romantic and if you want a window seat, a reservation is required. We were tucked back at a private table that over looked the entire restaurant - it was perfect for us.

We ordered the Artichoke and Spinach Dip for an appetizer. First, we were presented with a small loaf of warm bread with a vinegar and oil dip. The bread was fab but neither of us were big oil/vinegar fans so butter would have been a nice option. Very shortly after it arrived, the dip came. It was served with ciabatta crisp and another portion of the dinner bread. The dip was good - very cheesy but a bit oilier than I would have liked. The ciabatta chips were amazing and the highlight of the dish. The spinach would have been better if it had been shredded instead of whole leaf lumps and the artichokes were few and far between.

For our mains, I ordered the Fettuccine Con Polo and my husband had the Cannelloni.

The fettuccine was excellent - although I had to add a table salt for a bit more flavour. The chicken pieces were plentiful and tender and the noodles were fresh, light and cooked to perfection! The sauce was creamy, light and just the perfect combination of garlic and cream.

My husband reported the cannelloni was "good". He felt the Rosé sauce blended harmoniously with the mild flavour of the cannelloni filling.

We both had a glass of wine with dinner and coffee for dessert. My husband ordered the Hot molten lava cake, which is described as "individually baked chocolate cake filled with hot chocolate fudge,topped with vanilla ice cream, raspberry coulis and whipped cream". My husband said it was good - but he doesn't like it when many flavours are brought together. Chocolate should be chocolate, on its own.

Overall, the portions were HUGE - too big even! The value for money was very good and the atmosphere was relaxed. The service was very good - friendly and cheerful and the owner popping around to all the of the tables checking on how the meals were was also an added bonus. Cassio's certainly has a great menu, good value and exceptional quality. Our dinner for two, with appetizer, wine and dessert (including tip) was $105.

We would give Cassio's Italian Restaurant:

Jasper Getaway 2011, Day Two: Evil Dave's Grill

Happy birthday to my amazing husband - he was the inspiration for the selection of our restaurant dinner selection. And it's not because he shares the same name but because we dined there two years ago by random chance. And we still talk about the meal we had!

I booked a reservation - absolutely necessary in the "high" season and likely a good practice in the off season. It is casual but still likely a step above most places and, I'd like to add, it is kid friendly. They have a super kid's menu and one day, I hope to take TroubleMaker there with us.

So, we entered already knowing it was going to be fabulous. And thankfully, we were not at all disappointed!

We started with an appy and a couple of cocktails. I had the Mother's Ruin, my hunny had the Perfect Storm and we'd selected the Holy Cow for our starter.

Holy Cow - that's all I have to say! The green onion cakes were fabulous - not a bit heavy or greasy and the soft inside was lavishly complimented by the banik like crunch of the outside. The beef was butter knife tender with a soft garlic taste. The chili aioli was outstanding!

The cocktails were great - my husband reported the Perfect Storm as one of those dangerous drinks - it didn't taste like alcohol and it could quickly and easily multiply! The Mother's Ruin hit the spot - but I'm a Bombay Sapphire fan to begin with.

For dinner, I ordered the Nefarious chicken. The breast of chicken is encrusted with a panko Parmesan breading, served with sauteed season vegetables presented on a bed of sour cream chive mashed potatoes. Drizzled with a sweet chili sauce and topped with fresh fried tortilla strips.

My husband had the Diabolical Tenderloin (petite). It was a four ounce Angus beef tenderloin served with sauteed vegetables on the same bed of sour cream chive mashed potatoes. The steak was topped with a pico de galo and a peppercorn demi glace. Also added, but not listed, were fried onion straws.

Both meals were perfect.

The chicken was tender, amazingly tender. The breading was light - almost not even there but it had a unique and pleasant flavour. Dipped in the chili sauce and it became a flavour explosion! The vegetables were tender crisp and the potatoes were good - albeit lumpy (I'm not a fan of lumps in my mashed potatoes). The vegetables lacked a little something - they were fresh enough (although we both agreed the carrots tasted a bit "old") and cooked just fine but with the devine chicken they were being served with, they could have been a little more innovative. The potatoes were good - but again, a little more flavour would have been welcome. And the lumps - not distracting from the rest of the meal lumpy, but a smooth whipped may have been more suitable.

The steak, ordered "medium", was just slightly under cooked for my husband's liking - but he ate it as it was because it was very good. He didn't care for the carrots but liked the potatoes. The onion straws and demi glace were absolutely the best compliment to the tender beef.

We each had a glass of wine (his red, mine white) that again only worked to enhance the amazing flavour combinations.

Dessert was a must.

He ordered the Mousse Head and I had the Cheesecake.

I seriously think I died a little death and went straight to heaven when eating the cheesecake. It was a Skor cheesecake, sitting on a bed of drizzled chocolate and caramel sauce, topped with whipped cream and Skor bits. It was simply the best dessert I'd ever eaten. I'm drooling just thinking about it!

The Mousse was a decadent white chocolate mousse layered with an all natural blueberry compote. He loved it and reported it was light and creamy and all the good things such a dessert should be!

We rounded off the meal with a couple of coffees and enjoyed the atmosphere.

The restaurant isn't very large and from certain points, you can see into the kitchen - which gives you a good view of the happening food magic. The decor is fun - all plays on "devil" like themes - devilish masks, fire place TV's, candles and hits of metal. It's dimly lit but creates a romantic and intimate dining experience. its busy and bustling but a refreshing retreat. Windowed well, a panoramic view of the mountains is always available.

The serving staff is light, friendly and helpful. They are attentive, but not "in your face" and it is evident they are proud of the the food they serve.

Our dinner, including wine, cocktails and dessert was $140 before tip. Some may consider it pricey but service, food and ambiance of this caliber is absolutely worth every cent. I would dare to say a finer restaurant could not be found in Jasper National Park. Chef Nicole Langille, owners Cyndi and Mike Day and their staff make Evil Dave's Grill an amazing, fun and real dining experience.

Out of five stars, we give Evil Dave's Grill:

Jasper Getaway 2011, Day One: Jasper Brewing Company Review!

Ahhh... It's 10:30pm, my feet are up, the TV is on, my husband is sitting beside me, feet up, relaxing. This is our first night in the sweetest little hotel suite at the Best Western Jasper. It is a loft queen suite with kitchenette, fireplace and balcony!

I mentioned on my Menu Plan for last week that we were going to sample a series of restaurants and since JNP is my favourite place on Earth, I wanted to share with you our weekend away and share with you all the wondrous things we are experiencing!

As we approached the park gates, my husband spotted our first wild life! After a dash across the highway and shimmying down an embankment, The Moose dashed out of the bush and turned and looked at us!



For dinner, we had planned to go to Jasper Brewing Company. I wanted a casual, relaxed place to eat tonight - something simple, tasty and spirited.

Initially, it wasn't really clear if we were to seat ourselves - finally, I did see a sign and we found our way to a table.

Once seated, the waiter appeared shortly to take our bar order. Being it is a specialty brew house, beer was on 'tap'. My husband selected the "Honey Bear" brew and I queried the waiter on a beer that didn't have a strong after taste.

He recommended one, however, I have to admit, he kind of left a bad aftertaste. He was curt, short and not at all pleasant - or even very helpful. He left and came back about 10 minutes later to take our dinner order.

We decided on the Sucker Punch Nachos for our appetizer and the Bacon Cheddar Burger (with fries) and the Cream Ale Battered Fish & Chips.

The nachos came quickly and were absolutely amazing. The fresh, in house made salsa was the highlight. Just the right amount of spice, flavour and it was easy to taste the fresh, high quality ingredients. The cheese and toppings were plentiful and the chips were fresh, light and not at all greasy. We happy munched away and both our beer selection complimented and highlighted the flavours perfectly.

Our dinners arrived before finishing the nachos - which was fine with us. Eager to sample the food, we both started immediately. The presentation was cool - the chips were in a checked paper wrapper in a coiled-metal stand and the fish, dark and rich in colour, lay on more checked paper. On the side was a dish of coleslaw and their fresh made tartar sauce. My husbands fries were presented in the same way with the burger laying happily beside it - dressed with a queen sized green olive (much to his dismay and my delight).

We both started eating - but first I had to "push" on the fish. It was ripe with oil - oozing out of the batter. I could see the paper was already soiled so I knew what to expect. I tasted the coleslaw - and promptly wished I hadn't. It mostly tasted like old cellar. I pushed it aside and tried a fry. They too were rather oil-laden and we were unable to resolve whether they were hand cut potatoes or cleverly disguised preformed French fries. The taste wasn't quite good enough to be the former but they were hot, appropriately salted and a reasonable accompniment to our pub fair.

My husband reported his burger as "dry". He said it had all the hallmarks of a top quality burger - handmade patty, fresh toppings and a nice bun but it was just not quite to the calibur he was expecting. Being we were in such a fantastic brewhouse, he had been expecting more from the burger. And frankly, I had decided on this restaurant because burgers are his favourite and I thought what better place to have a burger than a brew house. Over all, he thought it was "fine" - and as far as restuarant burgers go, it was probably one of the better ones he had eaten but was just as good as it could have been.

The fish - all the oil aside (I wasn't expecting it to be "dry" - it's deep fried fish, for goodness sakes, but I do expect the kitchen to "blot" some of the oil before serving. I had a pool of oil on the paper and had to continually move around the fish so it wasn't sitting in the newest puddle) was good.

The interior was 'doughy' - not raw or under-cooked, just too much mush from too much batter. I ended up cutting open the fish and scraping some of the mush out.

Once I did this and could taste it, I have to say it was, without one single doubt, the best tasting battered fish I have ever eaten. The batter was amazing - tasty in a way I've never experienced and the tartar sauce? Absolute perfection. I do think, however, the batter would be better suited to a firmer fleshed fish.

The ambiance was OK. It was pretty quiet - but we are in the "off season" so it was expected. The place is dark, I'm not a huge fan of dark restaurants and I would see older clientele having issues navigating the place (occupational hazard - being an interior designer, I see things from a bit of a different perspective). It's moderately noisy but being we chose to sit in the dining room, I think we were spared some of the loud, bar going patrons.

The service... Well, it was an experience. The waiter was not chatty (which I do appreciate, I'm not going to ever be your bestie and I don't care for idle chatter from someone I'm never going to see again) but some interaction may have been nice.

I also wasn't impressed with his "Ahhh... F&^&k." comment as he watched another patron enter the dining room. He was standing right at our table when he said it and, well, if we'd had our son with us, I would have left and complained severely to the manager. He was "surly" for certain and actually didn't speak to us - until he happened to notice me taking notes. But he quickly disappeared and had to be flagged down to get any additional service.

So... Jasper Brewing Company 624 Connaught Drive, Jasper, Alberta, Canada. Overall, it was good. The beer was very good, the food was reasonable and the tab (with tip) was $100 CDN for two (including 5 drinks). The service - I have hard time saying "it was bad" - because really, it wasn't. He brought us what we wanted but it was the odd silence and lack of any conversation that disturbed me. The setting - Rustic Mountain decor - cavernous and dark and not suitable for romance, but a light, positive atmosphere.

Out of Five Stars, we would give it:


Tomorrow, we have 6 o'clock reservations for Evil Dave's!

Menu Plan Monday - Short week, tasty treat!

The past few weeks have been a bit of a nightmare around house... I've been sick and meals have kind of been a last minute toss together (and yes, they were planned). I don't remember the last time we did a proper grocery shop and I haven't posted my menu (on our fridge) in months.

But with a new season comes renewed fervour to get my act together. This last go-round of being sick has reminded me why health is so important... That and my pants are too snug...

This coming week, however, is not the week I will be starting any diet. My wonderful husband and I are heading out of town for a FABULOUS four day, three night stay in Jasper National Park. We will be celebrating his birthday, our love (I tried to convince him to renew our vows but he wasn't as inspired)and a "kid free" weekend. Although as I type that, it makes me sad to think of spending all that time without my kids (furry or otherwise)! TroubleMaker will be having a fun time with his Memere and will get to spend a day with his Indiana Nana and Great Grampa Jack - his great grandparents have not seen him since he was 12 weeks old! Since Memere and TroubleMaker will be at our house, I want to ensure Memere gets the most of her time with her grandson and doesn't have to worry too much about preparing dinners so I'm taking the liberty of preplanning and preparing some 'ready made' meals for them to enjoy!

September 19 to 25
Monday Taco Casserole
Tuesday Spanish Chicken and Rice
Wednesday Crockpot Meatballs & gravy with Egg Noodles
Thursday Perogies

Friday Jasper Brewing Company
Friday YOYO (you are on your own)

Saturday Evil Dave's
Saturday Chicken Nuggets and French Fries with carrots and summer trees

Sunday North Face Pizza or The L&W Restaurant or Cassio's
Sunday Tortellini with meat sauce - FtF (From the Freezer)

We've got a kitchenette suite at the Best Western Jasper so some of our food will be staged there. Our plan is to do some photography, hiking, sightseeing and visit the Miette Hot Springs. So i will be taking along some basics for us - muffins, fruit, juice, coffee to have "in room". But I really wanted to try some of the other places in Jasper that I've seen 1000 times but never tried... I'm hoping to pick up coffee and pastries one morning at The Bear's Paw and maybe we'll grab a sandwich at Patricia Street Deli. While cruising around looking for places to try, I came across a Jasper based coffee roaster, Rocky Mountain Coffee Roasters! While I know I've purchased and had their coffee, I don't think I knew they were located in Jasper - my favourite place on Earth! So, back to Nutters I'll go and pick up some of their delish beans so I can bring a memory or two home with us!

It's going to be a good week and I'm looking forward to our trip and our time together! I also don't mind the ability to let my eyes do the cooking! Have a great week and thank you so much for stopping by! Take care and be sure to check out the Organizing Junkie's Menu Plan Monday for more great meal ideas and menu planning resources!

Menu Plan Monday: Recipe Review! Pronto Spanish Rice & Beef

Last night, I stuck to our menu and made the Kraft Kitchen's Pronto Spanish Rice and Beef for dinner.

Firstly, I had read some of the reviews that said it was good, but bland... Knowing that my husband prefers it when i follow the recipe to the letter the first time, I attempted to not "enhance" the flavour.

That said, I used basil instead of oregano, added a whole green pepper and an entire small onion and I added a touch more rice (like 1/4 cup) and about the same of beef broth. Furthermore, I have a lot of cheese in the house at the moment so I grated mozza and marble to add to it and reduced the amount of parm (mostly because of cost - the parm blend we use is crazy expensive and 3/4 of a cup is nearly half the container). I also topped the finished product with a handful or two of black olives.

It was easy and quick. The taste was satisfying and I like the "all in one" meal concept on weeknights when time of the essence. All around it was a hit and will be added to the usual dinner menu rotation.

I did not find it bland and thought it a perfect 'kid friendly' meal. Could it be 'jazzed up'? Of course - but as the recipe is written, it is good.

TroubleMaker took a picture of his dinner for the blog - I will add it later tonight when I download his camera.

Menu Plan Monday - Trying something New

I'm so proud of me. It's Sunday, before bedtime and my menu is done! It's a shopping week so I'd like to get my act together so we can go back to saving money with Menu Planning! I've been having some trouble sticking to my plan - in part because I'm just blogging it and haven't printed one out and because the things I've been planning just don't appeal to my taste buds. My husband and I have been discussing "getting healthy" and so I'm trying to figure out how to make nutritious, easy meals that would better balance our need for weight reduction, satisfy our tastes and allow TroubleMaker to continue to grow and flourish.

August 8 to 14

Monday Pronto Spanish Rice and Beef Dinner
Tuesday Grilled Cheese Sandwiches and Tossed Salad
Wednesday Fish sticks and fries
Thursday Speedy Chicken Stir Fry
Friday Assorted Submarine Sandwiches
Saturday Easy Refried Bean Burritos and Nachos
Sunday Grilled Roast Beef

I'm trying a few new recipes this week - check back for reviews the day after we had them. I love recipe reviews because there are a lot of bad dishes in the world and I hope to make your finding one a little bit easier!

For more menu planning ideas, tips and inspiration, check out the Organizing Junkie's Menu Plan Monday! Thanks for stopping by and we'll see you again next week!

Menu Plan Monday: Summer Heat

It's summer.

Like really summer. We've had three days of full sunshine. So much sunshine that our sad, soggy vegetables (that didn't die in the June frost) are blooming even though they haven't grown much in weeks.

It also means it is hot. Really hot. Sticky hot.

I don't like being hot.


But today's post is not about my like or dislike of heat. It's about food. Food that one can prepare and eat without charbroiling one's family by turning the house into a sweat lodge.

This is how our week is looking.

July 18 to July 24
Dinners

Monday: Craquelin et fromages avec crudités
Tuesday: Tuna Salad sandwiches with tossed salad
Wednesday: Roast Turkey sandwiches with tomato cucumber salad
Thursday: Falafel Stuffed Pitas
Friday: Hot dogs and burgers with Caesar salad and chips
Saturday: Grilled chicken bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwiches on Ciabatta bread with Greek salad
Sunday: Alberta Cheese steak Sandwiches

I can almost taste the Cheese steak sandwiches - I 'invented' the recipe last year and it was amazing. I'm drooling just thinking about it! And for those who are wondering, yes, I'm going to roast a turkey (breast) roast. My Mom borrowed my counter top roaster, but I figure if I do it on low in the oven with the fans going, it should be too bad? We'll see... At the moment, I just feel like eating left over Sesame Noodles with chicken bouillon and curling up for a nap.

This week, I'm linking up to Joy in My Kitchen as she is graciously hosting the Menu Plan Monday while Laura enjoys a vacation! Thanks for popping by and did you check out my review of the Taste of Thailand?

Menu Plan Monday: Meals in Review

Ahhhh. Thailand... I do believe it is highly unlikely that I'll ever travel to this beautiful island, so I must obtain the culture through ready and culinary experiments! Thankfully, with the globalization of the world, I am no longer required to have the traditional North American fare but can recreate exotic dishes from around the globe with a simple trip to a grocery store!



The special celebratory dinner I had planned was a range of dishes I had not really prepared before. I have done the typical Chinese dinner and have Teriyakied with the best of them... But blending the flavours as required by Thai food, was one I doubted.

I do not like cilantro. Moreover, cilantro makes me wheeze. Badly. I don't think it's an allergy, per se, many things make me wheeze and I'll suffer and eat anyway, however, I don't especially enjoy the taste of cilantro so I always substitute... Cilantro (come parsley) coupled with mint perplexed me.

When we moved to our house, we had a mint patch. I daresay we had a mint field as it had taken over the East flower bed. Lots of digging, some tilling, hand weeding and finally an application of herbicide seems to have killed it all... For which I was just a little sorry for but considering mint is readily available all he time, the hassle of thinning out an out of control mint patch coupled with the nauseating scent of 'skunky' mint smell, I was just as happy to buy a bunch at the store...

But I digress...

After an hour long trip to the store, TroubleMaker and I had assembled the cast of what would eventually be our delectable dinner!

A Taste of Thailand: The Menu
Thai Satay
Thai Cabbage Salad
Sesame Thai Noodles (a last minute substitution)
Thai Iced Tea
Coconut Pudding with mango and fresh coconut for dessert


The reviews work like this:
I'll tell you the selection criteria. I'll tell you what I did different from the way the recipe is written and then I'll rate three ways: ease of prep, taste and whether I'll include the recipe in my regular rotation... Simple enough, hey?

Item 1: Peanut Satay

• minimal work

• simple and easy to put together

• short cooking time

What I did different
I used a different barbecue sauce (Diana's Original). I marinated the chicken in half the sauce for four hours. I baked in my oven (we were out of propane for the barbecue) and we used the reserved sauce as "dipping sauce". Also, I did about half of the chicken in a commercially prepared President's Choice "Taste of Thailand, Sweet Thai Chili sauce. Again marinated for four hours and used extra for dipping.

Ease of Prep: 5
Taste:5
Make again: 5

Everyone loved both types although I think the general thought was the Peanut was better and less "prepared" tasting.

Item 2: Thai Cabbage Salad

• minimal work

• simple and easy to put together

• short resting time

What I did different
I used parsley instead of cilantro. I prepped the salad, tossed it and refrigerated it for about an hour or so before dinner. I added more carrots - not sure how much, just more and I also added more of the cabbage.

NOTE: Napa cabbage is a Asian cabbage that looks similar to Bok Choy but more leafy. I have a head of regular cabbage in the fridge as we purchased it by mistake (thinking that perhaps, Napa Cabbage was in reference to it being grown in the Napa Valley. Keep in mind we are Canadian and have learned to now google foreign to us ingredients)

Ease of Prep: 5
Taste:3
Make again: 2

This was an enormous hit with my mother in law. I didn't mind it, TroubleMaker tried it and declared it tasted funny (he didn't like the flavour of the dressing or the fact he got a huge hunk of red onion). My husband said it was "Ok" but he wasn't fond of it. I think it gave a very clear illustration of Thai food. It was good, mildly spicy, had an interesting flavour and amazing colour and texture.

Item 3: Sesame Thai Noodles

• minimal work

• simple and easy to put together

• short cooking time

What I did different
I added 1/2 cup shredded carrot. I omitted the shrimp paste. I used more red pepper.

Ease of Prep: 4
Taste:3
Make again: 3

Again, my mother in law loved it. TroubleMaker didn't mind it but preferred to eat the plain noodles (I cooked too many noodles) with salt, pepper and a little olive oil. My husband seemed to like them but I think he said they were 'lacking' something. I too found them a bit bland and I think I would have liked them less spicy.

Item 4: Thai Iced Tea

• minimal work

• simple and easy to put together

What I did different
I could not find the Jasmine Essence. So I used Jasmine tea. I also couldn't find anything but the Orange Pekoe but I found a bag of lemon grass and assana in a mixed box of Asian teas I had at home. I reduced the sugar and increased the lime. I also quadrupled it.

Ease of Prep: 5
Taste:2
Make again: 2

I didn't like it but drank it anyway. It tasted bitter (maybe it was the Lemongrass?) and I find too many teas don't provide much in the way of flavour and it always tastes like I'm drinking coloured water. TroubleMaker didn't like it. My husband wasn't impressed either. However, my mother in law loved it and thought it was so refreshing - she asked for the recipe. :)

Item 5: Coconut Pudding

• minimal work

• simple and easy to put together

• Wouldn't melt on the drive home

I took a box of vanilla instant pudding and made it by substituting a half cup of milk with fresh coconut milk. I used Dream Whip made in the same bowl. I toasted 1/2 cup of a blend of sweetened and unsweetened coconut.

Ease of Prep: 5
Taste:4
Make again: 2

It was a perfect 'dessert' after such a flavour unique meal. It capped the dinner well. We served the pudding with fresh coconut and sliced mango. We also had cashew cookies. TroubleMaker didn't like it but everyone else did. I wouldn't likely make this again for us, but if I was to make this type of dinner again, it is, in my opinion, a perfect finish for Thai food. It had a gentle sweetness that didn't over power and it was cleansing.



Thanks for checking out the recipe review - I hope you enjoyed it and I welcome your questions and feedback. Thanks for stopping in and look for the next review - coming to you again the day after we have the meal.

I'd like to extend a huge thank you to my (photographer) husband for capturing the amazing images of the food. I love them! Thank you! All images copyright Blackstone Images. Use only with permission.

Menu Plan Monday - A Week to Celebrate!

It's another Sunday night and I'm just relaxing and watching a piece on a local cable show about the historic homes in my City... Remember this house? Well, we've just learned that we may have been able to get funding to help restore it... Oh well! We're making some great changes to our boring, early 80's bungalow!

Did you catch my recipe review? I've got a new series of recipes on tap this week that I'll post a review on next Sunday!

This week, I'll be celebrating my birthday and the boys are ordering in dinner for me (yum)! We've also been celebrating this weekend as not only are we making headway in our renovation project but I've been offered a new position at work! And the party will continue next weekend as we will be hosting my mother-in-law and our good friend for a joint birthday celebration (our friend's birthday is Tuesday and mine is Wednesday)! What's on your menu this week? Have you checked out everything playing a long with Laura from the Organizing Junkie? Thanks for stopping by - see you again next week!

July 11 to July 17
Dinners

Monday: Cajun Chicken Caesar Pita Wraps
Tuesday: Gramma's Homemade Macaroni & Cheese
Wednesday: My Birthday! The boys are ordering in Chinese for me!
Thursday: Grilled Cheese Sandwiches and Spinach Salad
Friday: Nuggets & Fries
Saturday: A Taste of Thailand featuring Thai Cabbage Salad, Thai Satays, steamed rice, Thai Iced Tea with mango ice cream for dessert!
Sunday: Hamburgers and chips

Note: Underlined menu items have the recipes posted below.

Spinach Salad
5 cups baby spinach, torn to bite size pieces
4 large white mushrooms, sliced
2 to 4 hard boiled eggs, diced
4 strips bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled

Dressing
4 tbsp vinegar
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp mustard
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Mix well - until sugar is dissolved

Mix salad ingredients well - tossing with 2 to 4 tsp of Olive Oil. Coat with dressing and toss again.

Menu Plan Monday - Recipe Review!

I decided it would be nice to review the "new recipes" I try on my Menu Plans. Nothing bothers me more than trying a recipe and wondering if it is good or not. Taste is subjective, of course, and everyone's cooking skills vary.

This week, I changed our Meal Plan up on the fly. I had planned another dish - a cold tortellini Caesar Salad - but late in the afternoon, I just wasn't feeling (or tasting it)... So I jumped online and did a couple of quick, random searches.

Often when I change my mind like this, I use words like "quick" or "easy" because I want something PRONTO and do not want to spend days prepping and cooking my meal. We are fortunate that no one in our house has food allergies or any serious "dislikes" of food (well, I don't like tomatoes, but that's weird story - you'll see why in a second).

I decided on Tortellini in Creamy Tomato Mushroom Sauce for the main course. The selection criteria included:

• had the ingredients on hand

• minimal work

• simple and easy to put together

• short cooking time

I didn't want the standard Caesar Salad to accompany the dish - we'd just a Caesar Salad on Sunday (for dinner) and it felt like a bread. But I dislike the waiting times for usual yeast breads. Then I found this Soft Bread Sticks. It doesn't have yeast, reviews were good and I read a few of the comments so I could incorporate the tastes of my family.

I got home at 4:50 and started cooking with in 10 minutes (so 5).

I commenced the sauce first. Because I am not a tomato fan, I like to cook tomato things a little longer so they break down more and get mushy.

Tomato Cream Sauce
What I did differently:
- Used only about 1/4 of an onion, finely diced. Our dog generally always has a small bit of our dinner on his kibble and onions are toxic for dogs.
- Used one can (398mL) of diced tomatoes with their juices. We further cut them up with scissors.
- Used a can of sliced mushrooms, drained and rinsed. It struck me as weird to have 'shrooms in this sauce. After making it mushrooms, I will, in future completely omit them as they add no benefit to the recipe taste wise.
- Added 1/2 a yellow pepper, diced. Next time, I will add more peppers. Probably a whole red and yellow pepper.
- I added 1 to 2 tablespoons of DRIED basil and 2 tsp of DRIED oregano in place of the fresh.
- I added about a can full of 1% milk instead of the 1 cup of Evaporated milk. I may have added a touch more too because it thickened quickly and we like our sauce a little thinner.
- Added more salt - about 1/2 tsp? I season a lot to taste.
- Used a blend of Parmesan, Asiago and Romano Cheese. This is the one I used. It is expensive ($6.99 for the canister shown, but I do feel it is worth it).
- Used tortellini instead of ravioli

Ease of Prep: 5
Taste:4
Make again: 5

Soft Bread Sticks
What I did differently:
- Scaled the recipe for 8 servings (all ingredients below are based on the up scaled number of servings)
- Used only 1/2 a tablespoon of sugar
- Used 1 to 2 tsp of garlic powder and 1 tsp of dried oregano
- Melted more margarine (oh, yes, I used marg instead of butter)
- Hand kneaded the dough until I got a sticky dough. TroubleMaker helped. he likes to toss it on the counter.
- Rolled the dough into "snakes"
- Poured about 1/2 the marg in the bottom of my cookie sheet
- Placed the "snakes" on the sheet and brushed them with the rest of the melted marg
- Sprinkled very generously with garlic powder, black pepper and oregano. And finally, added a sprinkle of the same cheese mixture used in the pasta sauce.
- Baked at 455 for 14 minutes. My oven is SLOW and doesn't heat properly so most people wouldn't' have to cook this long.

Ease of Prep: 5
Taste:5
Make again: 5

These were the best "no yeast" bread stick I've ever eaten. They had a bread like texture and taste. They are even better cold the next day. I was amazed at the simplicity and taste and would highly recommend this recipe!

Overall, the recipes tried last night were simple, easy and quick. Because I always cook with my three year old, it takes longer but we were seated and eating by 6 o'clock. If I didn't have my little helper, we probably would have saved 20 minutes.

Because I just decided to do this as I was eating last night's leftovers for lunch, I neglected to take a picture of these recipes. I will be more diligent in the future!