Smithfield

My Favourite Holiday Tradition

By in Life, Smithfield 2 Comments

I”m over at Smithfield today talking about one of my favourite Christmas traditions and sharing an equally favourite recipe. I”d love to see you there and hear all about your favourite Christmas traditions!

From the post:

“One of the things I love about Christmas is that each family has their own traditions for how they celebrate the holiday. I am big on traditions. It gives you something to look forward to and get excited about each year. And, there”s something comforting about knowing what to expect.”

Read more about my favourite Christmas tradition, plus get my mom”s recipe for taco dip on Smithfield.com.

P.S. I know there hasn”t been much recipe sharing around here lately but I promise to change that soon. Goodies headed your way next week!

Simplified Stuffing

By in Fall, Sides, Smithfield, Thanksgiving 1 Comment Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Although I never spent much time in the kitchen growing up my mom”s simple, hearty and homemade cooking had a big impact on me and inspires a lot of the way I cook today. She”s an awesome cook and has produced some of my all time favourite recipes. Today I”m sharing her Simplified Stuffing. If you”re like me and have an aversion to soggy stuffing then I encourage you to give it a try. My mom has converted many a stuffing hater with this recipe.

“The best thing about this stuffing is that it”s so easy to make. No having to take the temperature to make sure it”s cooked through, no complicated steps or procedures and no need to use old crusty bread (fresh is actually best!). Just a simple and delicious recipe that can easily be multiplied to feed a crowd.”

Read more and get the recipe on Smithfield.com

Update: The post is no longer active on Smithfield. But, I don’t want you to miss out so here’s the recipe!

Simplified Stuffing

You can make this up to one day ahead and store it covered in the fridge. Do not add water until just before baking.

  • 12 cups cubed bread (1 loaf)
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1.5 cups chopped celery
  • 1 cup margarine or butter
  • 2 tablespoons dried parsley flakes
  • 2 teaspoons dried sage
  • 1.5 teaspoons salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1-2 tablespoons water

Cook onion and celery in butter for 10 min or until softened.

Mix bread and seasonings until well combined. Stir in onions, celery and butter. Toss together.

Put into a large shallow casserole dish or crock pot and pour water around edges.

Bake in the oven at 350ºF for 45 min. or in crock pot on low for 4.5 to 5 hours. Stir occasionally to promote even browning.

Serves: 6

 

Pumpkin-Spiced Hot Chocolate

By in Beverages, Fall, Kids, Smithfield, Warm 11 Comments Tags: , , , , , , ,

I”m not much for Halloween. I love the idea of little kids dressing up and the sense  of community when going door to door for candy. But, I just can”t handle the creepy stuff. I find it too… creepy. I always dreaded having to listen to all the scary stories that the teachers told at Halloween. I just couldn”t handle it and not much has changed since then. You definitely won”t catch this girl watching any horror movies. I wouldn”t be able to sleep for a year! I believe my parents would chalk it up to an over-active imagination. :)

That being said I think there”s plenty to be done without things going over the top with scariness. Today on Smithfield.com I”m sharing some simple ways to add Halloween touches, including this delicious Pumpkin-Spiced Hot Chocolate. I don”t know if I will ever be able to go back to regular old hot chocolate.

“After coming in from the cold this Pumpkin-Spiced Hot Chocolate is the perfect way to warm up, while the kids sort their candy. You can make it extra festive by tinting the whipped cream orange and maybe add some black or chocolate sprinkles. The flavour is mostly hot chocolate with just a hint of pumpkin and spice making it a great beverage for adults and children alike.”

Head over to Smithfield.com to get the recipe and tips.

Update: The post is no longer active on Smithfield. But, I don’t want you to miss out so here’s the recipe!


Pumpkin-Spiced Hot Chocolate

  • 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

  • 1/2 cup sugar

  • pinch salt

  • 1/3 cup very hot water

  • 3.5 cups milk

  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

  • 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger

  • 1/3 cup pumpkin puree

  • whipped cream tinted orange, for serving

Mix together cocoa powder, sugar and salt in a medium sized saucepan. Stir in water. Heat over medium heat until it comes to a simmer. Stirring constantly (so it does not scorch) allow to simmer two minutes.

Pour in remaining ingredients and cook until heated through, stirring occasionally. Do not boil. Ladle into 4 mugs and top with whipped cream.

Serves: 4

*You may use 3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice in place of spices.

*Strain through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth if you don”t want the spices building up at the bottom of the mug.

On the Go Breakfast Bagel

By in Breakfast, Fall, Smithfield 11 Comments Tags: , , , , ,

breakfast bagel

These Breakfast Bagels are my new obsession. I’m a savoury breakfast kinda gal and these are a quick fix substitute for a tradition breakfast. All the flavour without the fuss.

“There’s definitely no need to go through a drive-through when these are on the menu. They take only a couple of minutes to whip up and are so very portable. The way they are cooked ensures they won’t be a messy eat either.”

Read more and get the recipe on Smithfield.com

Update: The post is no longer active on Smithfield. But, I don’t want you to miss out so here’s the recipe!

Breakfast Bagel

  • 1 bagel, sliced and toasted
  • 2 eggs
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 2 tablespoons chopped green onions
  • 1/3 cup grated cheese
  • 4 slices deli ham
  • mayonnaise, to taste

Preheat a skillet over medium heat. Grease lightly. Crack eggs into skillet, making sure they are slightly overlapping. Immediately break yolks, season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with green onions. Allow to cook until edges are set. Flip over and top with cheese and then ham. Cover and let cook until cheese is melted.

Meanwhile, spread mayonnaise over toasted bagel halves. Place cooked eggs, ham side up, on one bagel half. Top with other bagel. Cut in half if making two servings. Wrap in parchment paper for travel.

 

Homemade Pizza Pops

By in Fall, Homemade, Lunch, Main Dish, Smithfield 7 Comments

My mom used to make homemade pizza pops often when I was in elementary school. I was always so proud that my mom could make something from scratch that all the other mom”s bought at the store. In fact they were my birthday meal request for my 8th birthday party. Poor Mom! She had to whip up a wackload of these puppies to feed an army of little girls. I can still remember how special I felt that day and how proud I was.

I have simplified them a bit from the way my mom made them by rolling out the dough and cutting it into squares (she cut out circles and used a press to seal them together). Although they don”t look quite as purty they are an easy alternative to the store-bought variety.

“Throwing something frozen into your child”s lunchbox is a great way to beat the morning rush. It also means that you won”t have to worry about food going bad because the frozen item will slowly thaw throughout the morning and help to keep any other food cool.

When deciding what items you want to freeze for school lunches it”s important to keep in mind how they reheat in the microwave. You don”t want to send something in your child”s lunch that will just become a gloppy unappetizing mess once the lunch hour hits.“

Get some freezer lunch ideas and the recipe for these Deluxe Pizza Pops on Smithfield.com.

Update: The post is no longer active on Smithfield. But, I don”t want you to miss out so here”s the recipe!

Homemade Pizza Pops

These are Deluxe Pizza Pops but you can swap out ingredients to suite your family.

  • 1/2 cup chopped ham

  • 1/2 cup chopped pepperoni

  • 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped

  • 1/4 cup sliced black olives

  • 1 cup grated cheese

  • 1/2 cup pizza sauce

  • 1 (14 oz) package pizza dough

Mix together ham, pepperoni, pepper, olives, cheese and pizza sauce in a large bowl until well combined. Set aside.

Roll pizza dough into a 10×20 inch rectangle. Cut the dough in half lengthwise creating two long strips 5×20 inches. Cut each strip into 4 creating a total of 8 (5 inch) squares.

Divide filling among squares. Brush 2 adjacent edges of squares with water, bring opposites side across filling to seal into a triangle shape (make sure it is sealed well so that no filling will escape). Using your hands, maneuver the filling in the sealed triangles to spread evenly throughout the pocket.

Place pizza pops on a parchment lined baking tray. With a sharp knife, poke three holes in the top of each pop to allow the steam to escape (this will keep the sides from bursting). Bake at 400ºF for 15 minutes or until golden brown and filling is bubbling through holes.

Cool to room temperature before transferring to resealable plastic bags and storing in the freezer.

Makes: 8 pizza pops

 

Make Ahead Babysitter Meals

By in Life, Smithfield 5 Comments

I”m over at Smithfield today sharing tips and ideas for planning a meal that your babysitter can make. Hopefully it will help to inspire some date nights. ;)

From the post:

“When your preparing for a babysitter to come and watch your kids over dinner it”s important to plan ahead for what your children will eat so that the babysitter doesn”t have to scrounge around at the last minute. Keep in mind:

  • Most babysitters are young teenage girls who probably haven”t done a lot of cooking in their lives, so you will most likely need to get most of the work done ahead of time.

  • Keep things simple so that there is minimal work for the babysitter to do. If you have trouble cooking with the kids running around your feet imagine how much harder it will be for them.

  • Make sure you have something that you know your children will love so you don”t have to worry about the babysitter trying to force feed your kids.

Below I have listed two different ways to tackle the meal planning dilemma along with some ideas of what to serve.“

Read more on Smithfield.com

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