momstown meals

My Favourite Dessert Squares- Hello Dollies and Marshmallow Squares

My mom has some great recipes that remind me of growing up and sneaking into the freezer with my sister for a treat! So it seems fair that I share two of my favourite recipes for easy dessert squares! They are a huge crown pleaser, with requests each holiday for my mom to make them...best part...they freeze beautifully!

Hello Dollies

Melt ¼ cup of butter in square cake tin. Add 1 cup of graham cracker crumbs. Stir and mix well and press to create a crust.

Pour the following in layers:

hello dolly squares, my favourite dessert squares

1 cup choc chips
1 cup coconut
1 ½ cups of white mini marshmallows
½ cup of chopped nuts ( I use sliced almonds)

Drizzle 1 can of Eagle Brand Sweetened Milk on the top and bake at 350°F for approx 25 minutes or until golden brown.

photos from On a Branch

No-Bake Social Tea Marshmallow Squares

1 cup butter
1 cup white sugar
1 egg

no bake social tea and marshmallow squares

Mix in a double boiler and stir. Cook 8 minutes. Beat with a spoon until creamy. Cool slightly and add ¾ pkg. of coloured marshmallows. Crush and add 30 Social Tea biscuits (don’t pulverize them). Mix well and press into a buttered pan and refrigerate.

Alternatively.... create an even MORE decadent treat by adding 1 cup of peanut butter and 11oz of butterscotch chips!

no bake marshmallow squares

Posted by momstown team on 11/15/2012 - 17:13

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Healthy Holiday Dessert: Cinnamon & Brown Sugar Poached Pears

There are so many decadent desserts around the holidays. And while I absolutely enjoy a sweet treat, one of my favourite desserts for the holidays is poached pears. It's festive, easy to make, pretty healthy and always impresses! This recipe also includes cinnamon which is a lovely holiday flavour.

What you need:

3 cups water
1 cup, firmly packed brown sugar
1 cinnamon stick (about a 3 inch piece), roughly broken
3 large, just-ripe Bosc pears, unpeeled, cored, cut into thick wedges
Low-fat vanilla greek yogurt, frozen yogurt or ice cream, to serve

cinnamon and brown sugar poached pears

What you do:

-Combine water, sugar & cinnamon in a large saucepan over low heat.
-Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until the sugar dissolves.
-Add the pear and stir to combine.
-Cook, covered, for 10-15 minutes or until the pear is tender. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the pear to serving bowls.
-Once pears are out, increase to high heat & bring the syrup to a boil.
-Boil, uncovered, for 5-10 minutes or until the syrup thickens slightly.
-Divide the pears into 4 bowls or serving dishes.
-Drizzle the syrup over the pears. Serve immediately with yogurt.

photo credit: the communal kitchen

To add an additional presentation flair, you can add fresh mint, drizzle some melted dark chocolate or use shavings or add a dash of warm liquor over each bowl. Even though this recipe is pretty simple to make, it seems fancy and always gets rave reviews.

For other Holiday entertaining ideas and recipes try; 5 Easy Holiday Desserts, Magic Mint Bars and Cinnamon Polar Bear Cookies

Submitted by Kelly from momstown Oakville

Posted by momstown team on 11/13/2012 - 12:16

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Chuck Hughes' Veggie Sandwich

Chuck Hughes Veggie Sandwich Bored with the same old sandwich? Try these deliciously yummy - and healthy - veggie sandwiches, created by Celebrity Chef, Chuck Hughes. Guaranteed to have you coming back for more!

Ingredients:

2 slices of whole grain bread toasted
1 slice of low-fat Swiss cheese or Havaarti
2 slices of tomato
2 leaves iceberg lettuce
4 slices of avocado
2 slices of roasted red pepper (optional)

Featured mayonnaise options:

Garlic Mayo…

1 cup Hellmann’s® mayonnaise
3 cloves of roasted garlic
1 tbsp of Chopped parsley
1 tsp chopped Dill (optional)
2 tbsp of grated Cucumber (optional)
Salt & Pepper (optional)

Zesty Mayo…

1 cup Hellmann’s® mayonnaise
Half a cup of caramelized onion
Half tsp smoked paprika
Zest of a half lemon
Salt & pepper (optional)

Hellmann's Logo

Recipe courtesy of Hellmann's

Posted by momstown team on 11/09/2012 - 14:51

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Chuck Hughes' Chicken Fingers

Chicken Fingers Have a picky little eater in your home? Celebrity Chef Chuck Hughes has created the ultimate chicken finger recipe that's sure to please both little tummies and grown-up palates alike!

Ingredients:

2 skinless chicken breasts
Half cup of whole wheat flour
Half cup of Hellmann’s® mayonnaise
1 cup whole wheat bread crumbs or panko
1 tsp of cajun spice
Half tsp of garlic powder
Salt and pepper
Zest of a lemon

Directions:

Cut strips of chicken and dredge in whole wheat flour.
Coat the chicken with Hellmann’s® mayonnaise and toss in with the breadcrumbs, zest, cajun spice, garlic powder and salt & pepper.
Place strips on a plaque covered with parchment paper.
Pre-heat oven at 400 degrees.
Place in oven for approx 25 minutes flipping them half-way.
Serve with honey mustard, ketchup and Caesar mayonnaise.

Caesar mayonnaise...

Half cup Hellmann’s® mayonnaise
1 tsp of chopped capers
zest of half lemon and 1 tsp of juice
1 tbsp of chopped parsley
2 tbsp of grated parmesan
Salt and Pepper

Mix everything in a bowl and serve.

Hellmann's Logo

Recipe courtesy of Hellmann's

Posted by momstown team on 11/09/2012 - 14:32

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DIY Sausage Rolls

Making your own sausage rolls can be a bit messy, but it is well worth it! I can remember making these with my Nana, every holiday season and freezing them so that we could have them at our holiday party!

Remember: it's easy to substitute ground chicken to make this a healthier and non-pork choice!

DIY sausage rolls

2 (375 g) rolls frozen pork sausage meat, thawed

1 cup (250 mL) dry, medium breadcrumbs

1 medium onion, chopped fine

2 garlic cloves, chopped fine

3 tablespoons (45 mL) finely chopped fresh sage

2 tablespoons (30 mL) finely chopped fresh thyme

1 teaspoon (5 mL) black pepper

1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) ground allspice

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon (1 to 2 mL) dried crushed hot red pepper

1 (397 g) package frozen puff pastry, thawed

1 large egg, beaten

Honey mustard

In large bowl, combine sausage meat, breadcrumbs, onion, garlic, sage, thyme, black pepper, allspice and hot red pepper; mix with your hands until ingredients are well mixed. Divide into 4 equal portions. On lightly floured board, roll each portion into 12-inch (30 cm) long roll.

On lightly floured board, roll pastry into 4 rectangles, each 12x4 inches (30x10 cm). On each pastry rectangle, place 1 sausage cylinder near one long pastry edge; brush other long edge with egg. Roll up, finishing with moistened edge; pinch edge to seal and roll on board to flatten seal. With rolls seam side down on board, brush top and sides with beaten egg; cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) mini-rolls.

Place mini-rolls, seam side down, on ungreased, rimmed baking sheet. Bake at 450 F (230 C) for about 12 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer rolls to rack. (Make-ahead: Baked mini-rolls can be frozen for up to 2 weeks. To reheat, place frozen rolls on baking sheet and bake at 350 F/180 C for 15 to 18 minutes.) Serve hot or at room temperature with honey mustard.

Makes 48 mini sausage rolls.

Approximate nutritional analysis for each roll: 82 calories, 1.8 g protein, 5.9 g fat, 5.2 g carbohydrate.

photo credit: essentially-england.com

Posted by momstown team on 11/04/2012 - 17:53

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Dishing on Healthier Holiday Entertaining

The holidays are a time overflowing with family, friends and, of course, food. So let's express our special love for those near and dear to us by making this holiday season a much healthier one. And it’s easier to do than you might think! You can decide to modify your favorite recipes or continue to dish up your family's traditional fare…and just eat less of it. It’s also a great time to try some delicious new recipes. Here’s how we’ve started to make the holidays healthier in our home. I hope you find these five tips to healthier holiday entertaining not only helpful but so effortless that they become parts of your new traditions.

Healthy Holiday Entertaining

Five Tips to Healthier Holiday Entertaining…

1. Drink Bubbles: If you customarily say “cheers” with mixed drink cocktails, simply exchange the tonic for seltzer or club soda…or buy calorie-free tonic. An even better option is to serve lower carbohydrate drink options such as champagne and white wine. Your best bet is to forgo the alcohol completely in exchange for bubbly water like Perrier or seltzer. Be sure to serve it festively—in crystal flutes with a few champagne-infused raspberries. And of course, never drink and drive!

2. Move Straight to the Meal: You can clearly prevent overeating by simply serving less food! Skip the hors d’oeuvres and start the celebration with a sit-down appetizer featuring a vegetable and a lean protein. Ideas to consider include roasted asparagus wrapped in a thin layer of smoked salmon or a petite salad of lobster, grapefruit and avocado.

3. Hold “Recess” Periods: Rather than sitting down to eat your holiday meal in three consecutive courses, change the pace this year by holding “recess” periods. Plan two activities—one in between each course—to get you and your guests up from the table and moving around a little bit. Not only will this give everybody time to digest their food but it also affords time for their brains to recognize their levels of fullness. Ideas for these mini breaks include watching a family video montage, playing a game of touch football, opening and sharing gifts…or even playing charades!

4. Recipe Rehab: If you choose to modify your favorite recipe to make it healthier, you can make just a few changes or decide to revamp the entire dish. Examples include using whole wheat pasta instead of white pasta; replacing vegetable oil with canola oil; decreasing the recommended amount of sugar by 25-50% (2 cups become 1 cup); and doubling the amount of vegetables.

5. White Wonderland: White is the magical color of winter…and the most magical color for your plates. Research conducted by Dr. Brain Wainsink and his team at Cornell's Food Lab suggests that using white dinner plates to create contrast between foods and their settings helps to decrease overeating. So, plan to serve your favorite traditional recipes on white plates and just eat less of it to help ensure your (and your family’s) overall health throughout the holidays…as well as every day throughout the year!

By Mom Dishes It Out's Laura Cipullo, RD, CDE and Mom

Posted by Mom Dishes it Out on 11/03/2012 - 10:14

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Christmas Pepper Jelly

Christmas Pepper Jelly This recipe makes a firery golden, translucent jelly with colourful suspended fruit and vegetables. Serve it with cheese or melt it onto grilled or sautéed dishes to add sparkling flavour highlights.

1/3 cup (75 ml) finely sliced dried apricots
3/4 cup (175 ml) white or white wine vinegar
1/4 cup (50 ml) finely diced red onion
1/4 cup (50 ml) finely diced seeded sweet red pepper
1/4 cup (50 ml) finely diced green chili peppers, including seeds (hot or sweet)
3 cups (750 ml) granulated sugar
1 pouch (85 ml) BERNARDIN Liquid Pectin

Place 6 clean 125 ml or 3 clean 250 ml mason jars on a rack in a boiling water canner; cover jars with water and heat to a simmer (180°F/82°C). Set screw bands aside. Heat SNAP LID® sealing discs in hot water, not boiling (180°F/82°C). Keep jars and sealing discs hot until ready to use.
With scissors or knife, cut apricots into 1/8 inch (0.3 cm) slices. Measure into a large deep stainless steel saucepan with vinegar; let stand 4 hours. Add diced, red onion and peppers to apricots. Stir in sugar.
Over high heat, bring mixture to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down. Add liquid pectin squeezing entire contents from pouch. Boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and quickly skim off foam, if necessary.
Quickly pour jelly into a hot jar, dividing solids equally among jars and filling to within 1/4 inch (0.5 cm) of top of jar (headspace). Wipe jar rim removing any food residue. Centre hot sealing disc on clean jar rim. Screw band down until resistance is met, then increase to fingertip tight. Return filled jar to rack in canner. Repeat for remaining jelly.
When canner is filled, ensure that all jars are covered by at least one inch (2.5 cm) of water. Cover canner and bring water to full rolling boil before starting to count processing time. At altitudes up to 1000 ft (305 m), process –boil filled jars – 10 minutes.*
When processing time is complete, remove canner lid, wait 5 minutes, then remove jars without tilting and place them upright on a protected work surface. Cool upright, undisturbed 24 hours; DO NOT RETIGHTEN screw bands.
After cooling check jar seals. Sealed discs curve downward and do not move when pressed. Remove screw bands; wipe and dry bands and jars. Store screw bands separately or replace loosely on jars, as desired. Label and store jars in a cool, dark place. For best quality, use home canned foods within one year.

Makes 6 x 125 ml or 3 x 250ml jars.

BOILING WATER CANNER - ALTITUDE ADJUSTMENTS

* At altitudes higher than 1,000 ft (305 m) increase processing time as indicated in chart.

ALTITUDE (FEET)              ALTITUDE (METERS)       INCREASE PROCESSING TIME
    1,001 – 3,000       306 -    915                           5 minutes
    3,001 – 6,000       916 – 1,830                         10 minutes
    6,001 – 8,000      1,831 – 2,440                         15 minutes
    8,001 –10,000        2,441 - 3,050                         20 minutes

QUICK TIP: Use a variety of coloured peppers for an exotic look. Perfect for gift giving.

Posted by momstown team on 11/01/2012 - 06:54

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Cooking with Kids: Easy Fireman's Chili Recipe

Whether you like two alarm or four alarm...you can choose your own heat for this easy recipe that is great to try with the kids!

Chili is a great meal to have on a busy night of after school activities, reheat for school lunches or even freeze or a quick dinner out of the freezer! With tons of protein and veggies, momstown Milton has the recipe to give the kids all that they need in one bowl!

2 lbs extra lean ground beef

1-29 oz tomato sauce

1-28 oz kidney beans undrained

1-19 oz pinto beans undrained

1 can tomato paste

2 cups water

1 cup of each chopped onion, green pepper, carrots and celery

2 medium seeded and chopped tomato

2 tsp cumin

2 tsp chipotle mango spice

2 tsp salt

ground pepper to taste

1. Cook up ground beef and drain any liquids.

easy chili recipe

2. Cut up vegetables (great job where kids can help).

cooking with kids, easy chili

3. Add all dry ingredients to the pot and stir.

4. Add all wet ingredients.

cooking with kids, easy chili

5. Mix and cook until vegetables are tender.

***If you want a little more heat add more chipotle spice and or add some chili peppers.

Serve it up in bowls with toppings like sour cream, shredded cheddar or tex mex cheese or torilla strips!

easy chili recipe- cooking with kids

Posted by momstown team on 10/31/2012 - 09:14

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Frozen Banana Ghosts

I was working diligently online (ie. perusing pinterest for hours and answering a total of 2 emails) when I stumbled upon these cute looking Banana Ghosts from Skinny Taste!

I realized that they were made with white chocolate which sounds delicious but I was hoping they would be a breakfast treat! (We love breakfast popsicles around here!) I decided to try out the same instructions with plain yogurt instead. It froze nicely and had the same effect, they would be perfect for a Halloween breakfast or potluck! My girls loved them! Next time I'd follow the instructions to wipe off the excess, we also didn't cut them in half lengthwise which worked just fine for us!

What you need:

-Bananas
-Chocolate chips
-Yogurt (plain, vanilla or Greek)
-Popsicle Sticks

healthy Halloween banana treat

Insert the popsicle stick in the banana and dip in yogurt, remove excess yogurt and lay on a cookie sheet (I lined mine with parchment to skip the mess). Place chocolate chips for eyes and freeze for a minimum of 20 minutes.

healthy Halloween banana treat

Enjoy!

healthy Halloween banana treat

momstown, Edmonton

Posted by momstown team on 10/29/2012 - 09:59

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Top 10 Slow Cooker Recipes

I'm having a love affair with my slow cooker. Now that the cooler weather is upon us, I've moved it from the basement shelf to a permanent spot on my counter!

The truth is that I didn't open this wedding gift until we had been married 11 years (unbelieveable, huh?). I really didn't know what I was missing! I started to see recipes all over the internet last fall and I had to jump on this retro cooking bandwagon. I finally took it out of the box and never looked back! While the look of my slow cooker could use an update, I sure do love what I can create for my family!

Reasons I Love the Slow Cooker:

1. It can cook all day while I work!

2. It is a healthy and simple alternative on those crazy days when you rush to your kid's programs and head for the drive thru.

3. My husband thinks I slaved over the stove...but I really went for a manicure while dinner was cooking!

4. It is one pot to clean!

5. My kids love to help with the prep work- it is easy and safe for them.

6. There are incredible recipes on Pinterest and spice packages in the grocery store to add to your own imagination!

Hearty Beef Chili

slow cooker chili