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Sunday 22 November 2015
Sunday 15 November 2015
Master Cheese Cooking Class
This past weekend I had the opportunity to do an online cooking class with Christine Cushing and Chick Advisor. It was a Master Cheese Cooking Class, which is perfect for me because I am a firm believer that cheese makes anything better!
I wanted to share the recipes today because they are so simple, delicious, and impressive!
First up was Swiss Cheese Fondue. I tried to take picture as I went, but it was pretty fast paced trying to keep up with the live class, so I unfortunately only have a few! You can watch the recording from the class here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EKiYKXRirk
It's totally worth it to watch as you're cooking, as Christine offers a lot of tips and tricks along the way
Creamy Canadian Swiss Fondue
12 ounces grated Canadian Swiss or Raclette cheese
2 Tbsp all purpose flour
3/4 cup dry white wine (175 ml)
Chopped fresh chives
12 mini new potatoes, boiled until tender and cut in half
4 thick slices crusty bread, cut into cubes
1 head broccoli florets, blanched for 2 minutes and drained
1/2 cup cornichons (125 ml)
In a medium bowl toss together the grated cheese and flour until well coated.
Meanwhile in a medium heavy bottom saucepan over medium heat bring white wine to a boil. Reduce to low heat and very gradually add the grated cheese mixture while stirring with wooden spoon. Make sure to melt all cheese before adding more to ensure a creamy smooth consistency.
Add more wine to adjust consistency of fondue if it's too thick.
Transfer immediately to fondue warmer and sprinkle with chives. Dip with potatoes, bread and broccoli or ingredients of your choice on skewers. Cornichons are to be eaten alongside, not dipped in fondue.
Next up was my very first souffle! I'm no stranger in the kitchen, but this was seriously intimidating to me. I didn't get as much height as Christine did, but it looked pretty good.
Canadian Aged Cheddar Souffle
4 Tbsp Butter, divided (45 ml)
Parmesan cheese, grated for baking dish
1/4 cup flour (50 ml)
2 cups milk (500 ml)
3 egg yolks
1/2 cup grated Canadian Aged Cheddar (125 ml)
Pinch of salt and freshly cracked black pepper
Pinch of nutmeg
Several sprigs fresh thyme, chopped
2 Tbsp fresh chives, chopped
4 egg whites
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Brush large round baking dish, at least 3” deep, with one tablespoon butter and dust with grated parmesan to create rough surface for souffle to climb up sides of dish while baking.
In a medium saucepan, heat rest of butter until melted.
Add flour and cook over medium heat until just golden and smooth, stirring with wooden spoon. Remove from heat.
Add milk slowly while whisking until smooth. Return to heat and cook over medium heat until boiling and thickened, for about 4 to 5 minutes.
Remove from heat and add egg yolks, one at a time, stirring well after each addition.
Add grated aged cheddar cheese, seasonings and herbs. Stir well to blend.
Whip egg whites in a clean bowl until light and fluffy. Continue to whip until stiff peaks hold, but are not grainy. Fold into cheese mixture and pour into large round baking dish at least 3” deep and fill only 2/3 full.
Bake at 350°F for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden and puffed. Serve immediately.
Finally, we moved on to making ricotta gnudi, which is little gnocchi-like pasta. What I loved about the gnudi is that it can be frozen and used later, which is like hitting the meal jackpot for busy families.
Canadian Ricotta Gnudi with Parsley Butter
Ricotta Gnudi
2 eggs, lightly beaten
500 g Canadian Ricotta, drained
1-1 ½ cup all-purpose flour (250 -325ml)
Salt and Pepper to taste
Nutmeg Parsley Butter
2 Tbsp butter (25 ml)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/3 cup fresh chopped parsley (80 ml)
¼ cup grated Canadian Parmesan cheese (50 ml)
Cracked black pepper
In a medium bowl combine the eggs and ricotta.
Sprinkle with flour, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Stir until mixture holds together but is still sticky to touch.
Turn out onto lightly floured surface and knead gently. Mixture must hold well together or they will fall apart during boiling. It will be slightly sticky. Shape with 2 spoons dipped in cold water. This will be softer than a traditional potato gnocchi.
At this point gnudi may be frozen in plastic, well-sealed bags, generously dusted in flour, or they must be boiled. Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat. Add the gnudi and boil for 5-7 minutes or until dumplings just hold their texture and float to top. With a large slotted spoon or spider scoop out gnudi and add directly to parsley butter.
Parsley Butter: combine the butter and garlic in a large skillet and sauté for 1 minute until garlic is just golden. Remove from heat and add parsley. Add the cooked gnudi and sprinkle with grated cheese and cracked black pepper. Serve family style.
If you plan on making the gnudi, I would highly recommend watching the video while you make it. Pasta can be notoriously fussy to make it, and it was really helpful watching the demo.
I think what I love most about all these recipes is that they're quick and delicious. You could easily come home from work and whip up the souffle or pull out some frozen gnudi.
Let me know how the recipes turn out for you!
 |
| Chick Advisor sent me a cute little package with an adorable apron, recipe cards and cheese picks! |
I wanted to share the recipes today because they are so simple, delicious, and impressive!
First up was Swiss Cheese Fondue. I tried to take picture as I went, but it was pretty fast paced trying to keep up with the live class, so I unfortunately only have a few! You can watch the recording from the class here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EKiYKXRirk
It's totally worth it to watch as you're cooking, as Christine offers a lot of tips and tricks along the way
Creamy Canadian Swiss Fondue
12 ounces grated Canadian Swiss or Raclette cheese
2 Tbsp all purpose flour
3/4 cup dry white wine (175 ml)
Chopped fresh chives
12 mini new potatoes, boiled until tender and cut in half
4 thick slices crusty bread, cut into cubes
1 head broccoli florets, blanched for 2 minutes and drained
1/2 cup cornichons (125 ml)
In a medium bowl toss together the grated cheese and flour until well coated.
Meanwhile in a medium heavy bottom saucepan over medium heat bring white wine to a boil. Reduce to low heat and very gradually add the grated cheese mixture while stirring with wooden spoon. Make sure to melt all cheese before adding more to ensure a creamy smooth consistency.
Add more wine to adjust consistency of fondue if it's too thick.
Transfer immediately to fondue warmer and sprinkle with chives. Dip with potatoes, bread and broccoli or ingredients of your choice on skewers. Cornichons are to be eaten alongside, not dipped in fondue.
 |
| My completed fondue - it may not be pretty, but it was delicious! |
Next up was my very first souffle! I'm no stranger in the kitchen, but this was seriously intimidating to me. I didn't get as much height as Christine did, but it looked pretty good.
Canadian Aged Cheddar Souffle
4 Tbsp Butter, divided (45 ml)
Parmesan cheese, grated for baking dish
1/4 cup flour (50 ml)
2 cups milk (500 ml)
3 egg yolks
1/2 cup grated Canadian Aged Cheddar (125 ml)
Pinch of salt and freshly cracked black pepper
Pinch of nutmeg
Several sprigs fresh thyme, chopped
2 Tbsp fresh chives, chopped
4 egg whites
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Brush large round baking dish, at least 3” deep, with one tablespoon butter and dust with grated parmesan to create rough surface for souffle to climb up sides of dish while baking.
In a medium saucepan, heat rest of butter until melted.
Add flour and cook over medium heat until just golden and smooth, stirring with wooden spoon. Remove from heat.
Add milk slowly while whisking until smooth. Return to heat and cook over medium heat until boiling and thickened, for about 4 to 5 minutes.
Remove from heat and add egg yolks, one at a time, stirring well after each addition.
Add grated aged cheddar cheese, seasonings and herbs. Stir well to blend.
Whip egg whites in a clean bowl until light and fluffy. Continue to whip until stiff peaks hold, but are not grainy. Fold into cheese mixture and pour into large round baking dish at least 3” deep and fill only 2/3 full.
Bake at 350°F for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden and puffed. Serve immediately.
 |
| My oven-ready souffle! |
Finally, we moved on to making ricotta gnudi, which is little gnocchi-like pasta. What I loved about the gnudi is that it can be frozen and used later, which is like hitting the meal jackpot for busy families.
Canadian Ricotta Gnudi with Parsley Butter
Ricotta Gnudi
2 eggs, lightly beaten
500 g Canadian Ricotta, drained
1-1 ½ cup all-purpose flour (250 -325ml)
Salt and Pepper to taste
Nutmeg Parsley Butter
2 Tbsp butter (25 ml)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/3 cup fresh chopped parsley (80 ml)
¼ cup grated Canadian Parmesan cheese (50 ml)
Cracked black pepper
In a medium bowl combine the eggs and ricotta.
Sprinkle with flour, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Stir until mixture holds together but is still sticky to touch.
Turn out onto lightly floured surface and knead gently. Mixture must hold well together or they will fall apart during boiling. It will be slightly sticky. Shape with 2 spoons dipped in cold water. This will be softer than a traditional potato gnocchi.
At this point gnudi may be frozen in plastic, well-sealed bags, generously dusted in flour, or they must be boiled. Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat. Add the gnudi and boil for 5-7 minutes or until dumplings just hold their texture and float to top. With a large slotted spoon or spider scoop out gnudi and add directly to parsley butter.
Parsley Butter: combine the butter and garlic in a large skillet and sauté for 1 minute until garlic is just golden. Remove from heat and add parsley. Add the cooked gnudi and sprinkle with grated cheese and cracked black pepper. Serve family style.
If you plan on making the gnudi, I would highly recommend watching the video while you make it. Pasta can be notoriously fussy to make it, and it was really helpful watching the demo.
I think what I love most about all these recipes is that they're quick and delicious. You could easily come home from work and whip up the souffle or pull out some frozen gnudi.
Let me know how the recipes turn out for you!
Thursday 5 November 2015
Baby wearing
One thing that really surprised me when I had Andrew was just how much I loved baby wearing. (if you're not familiar with the term, it refers to baby carriers). When I first heard about baby wearing, it became clear that the benefits of baby wearing were plentiful. But there was still a part of me that thought baby-wearing was for crunchy, Birkenstock-wearing tree-hugger types. Boy was I wrong.
When I registered for baby items when I was pregnant with Andrew, I registered for a Baby Bjorn without really thinking about it or researching into different carriers. If you are even the tiniest bit interested in baby wearing, I urge you to research - look around online, talk to other mommas, join baby wearing groups online (Durham Region Baby Wearing Group was a huge help for me). It pays to be educated. Not to be all preachy, but there are serious health risks for bebe if you choose a carrier that is not ergonomically correct (such as the Baby Bjorn that I unwittingly chose). On baby wearing forums you may hear these affectionately called "crotch danglers." Not only are these not so awesome for baby, but it makes a huge difference for you too - in my experience, when carriers are better for baby, they are better for momma. Meaning that you can wear your little one with no pain or discomfort.
Now, I don't mean to bash Baby Bjorn at all - apparently they do have some revamped carriers that are great, I just personally haven't tried them - I am by no means a baby wearing expert.
What I love the most about baby-wearing is always having my babies close to me. Being able to get stuff done while snuggling and kissing the top of their heads...doesn't get much better than that!
After I realized how much I enjoyed 'wearing' Andrew, I upgraded to a pocket sling from Seven Slings - it was a definite upgrade but still not the comfiest for me. It worked for the remainder of my baby wearing days with A - as an energetic, crazy boy, he was born to run wild.
When I was pregnant again, I knew that I would be relying on baby wearing as a way to keep my new baby close while keeping up with an active 3-year old. So my research began - I spent hours on the internet learning all the lingo (I could not figure out for the longest time what SSC was - for the newbies like me, it means soft structured carrier. You're welcome!) and brand names surrounding baby wearing. I picked the brains of the wonderful ladies on the Durham Region Baby Wearing Group on Facebook. Seriously, these women are wonderfully helpful and full of knowledge. If you live in Durham Region and are interested in baby wearing, join the group, you won't regret it! They even have meet-ups to offer support and give newbies a chance to try different carriers. If you live outside the area, look around online for groups in your region, as I am sure they are there! Finally, after months of reading and asking questions, I came to a conclusion. I wanted to get a soft-structured carrier. And I wanted it to be a Tula. I loved the look and the feel of wraps, but I seriously do not trust the safety of my baby to how well I twist and knot a wrap. I have serious admiration for 'wrappers.' I get baby wearing envy when I see their photos posted all over Facebook!
Now, the downfall - Tulas do not come cheap. Even used, they will still run you close to $200. But I finally bit the bullet and bought myself a beautiful brand new Tula!
When I registered for baby items when I was pregnant with Andrew, I registered for a Baby Bjorn without really thinking about it or researching into different carriers. If you are even the tiniest bit interested in baby wearing, I urge you to research - look around online, talk to other mommas, join baby wearing groups online (Durham Region Baby Wearing Group was a huge help for me). It pays to be educated. Not to be all preachy, but there are serious health risks for bebe if you choose a carrier that is not ergonomically correct (such as the Baby Bjorn that I unwittingly chose). On baby wearing forums you may hear these affectionately called "crotch danglers." Not only are these not so awesome for baby, but it makes a huge difference for you too - in my experience, when carriers are better for baby, they are better for momma. Meaning that you can wear your little one with no pain or discomfort.
 |
| My love for baby wearing started with the Original Baby Bjorn |
Now, I don't mean to bash Baby Bjorn at all - apparently they do have some revamped carriers that are great, I just personally haven't tried them - I am by no means a baby wearing expert.
What I love the most about baby-wearing is always having my babies close to me. Being able to get stuff done while snuggling and kissing the top of their heads...doesn't get much better than that!
After I realized how much I enjoyed 'wearing' Andrew, I upgraded to a pocket sling from Seven Slings - it was a definite upgrade but still not the comfiest for me. It worked for the remainder of my baby wearing days with A - as an energetic, crazy boy, he was born to run wild.
 |
| Eventually I moved to a pocket sling |
Now, the downfall - Tulas do not come cheap. Even used, they will still run you close to $200. But I finally bit the bullet and bought myself a beautiful brand new Tula!
One of the main reasons I chose a Tula was for the weight limit - it can go from newborn all the way up to 40lbs - talk about getting bang for your buck! As you can see in the photo, A was 2.5yrs and I carried him comfortably at 4 months pregnant! (Note: Tula also has a toddler-sized version that gives them a little more support through the legs). I also love that as baby gets older, you can switch to a back carry, like a piggy back without all the work!
I also have to give a shout out to a local business, Take a Walk on the Green Side, where I ordered my Tula. Take a Walk on the Green Side focuses on providing greener alternatives for your home, with a heavy focus on products for babies. They had competitive pricing, and fabulous customer service. The owner, Amy, always responds to messages quickly, and ships items promptly. I can't say enough good things about them! If you are interested in a Tula (or green alternatives for your household), please check them out: http://takeawalkonthegreenside.com/
Right after L was born, I decided that I wanted something to baby wear that was quicker than my Tula (and also because buying carriers is slightly addictive - I now understand why some women have entire stashes!). I didn't really feel comfortable having a newborn in the Tula (just me being crazy!), and so I went back to asking questions, and reading on the Facebook group. I quickly decided that I wanted a ring sling, and I received a beautiful ring sling from Say It Ain't Sew, a local business. The ring sling is as beautiful as it is functional! Sorry for the crappy Iphone shot - I can't believe I haven't gotten a better shot of it! Check out everything that Say it Ain't Sew has to offer here: https://www.facebook.com/shopsayitaintsew/
I find now that Lily is four months old, I reach for the ring sling and Tula equally, depending on what I'm doing. I have developed a serious love for babywearing, although I'm still a newbie. Maybe one of these days, I'll get up the nerve to try wrapping!
What's your favourite carrier? Do you have multiple carriers in your collection or do you stay true to one?
Sunday 25 October 2015
The Mamas and Chicks Show + Ticket Giveaway
One of my favourite shopping events for the little ones is coming up in November! Since A was born three years ago, I have been going to the Mamas and Chicks Show. The big difference with this show is that almost all the vendors feature local and handmade items - seriously, the stuff is absolutely gorgeous. I wish I had a fraction of the crafty talent that these vendors have! It's a great place to stock up on gifts for Christmas too!
The show will be taking place on Friday, November 20th at the Quality Hotel in Oshawa. The venue is stroller friendly and there are tons of amazing vendors. Some of my favourite small businesses will be there, such as :
For a full list of vendors, check them out here: http://www.mamasandchicks.com/exhibitors.html
Congratulations to the winners - Laura Sanint, Julie Strazzeri, Lauren Smart-Kennedy, and Courtney Evans. I will be contacting you shortly to arrange delivery of your tickets!
The show will be taking place on Friday, November 20th at the Quality Hotel in Oshawa. The venue is stroller friendly and there are tons of amazing vendors. Some of my favourite small businesses will be there, such as :
- Eva + Dell: Anne makes beautiful handmade accessories for boys and girls - I will do a post at a later time showing off her beautiful items!
- Bearly Used: One of my favourite used clothing stores for kiddies
- Brunchkins: An awesome non-profit
- The Cupcake Place: I love baking and am pretty particular about buying baked goods. The Cupcake Place does not disappoint. I MAYuse their cake pops at every show to bribe A into taking nice photos.
- Little Miss Bows and Bands: Super sweet and girly girls headbands and accessories. When I found out I was pregnant with a girl, she was my first stop to stock up on pretty headbands for photoshoots.
- Sarita Baby: handmade baby accessories and clothing. Bibs, paci clips, toy straps, teethers. You name it, she makes it. And it is awesome quality.
- Say It Ain't Sew: She makes beautiful and functional baby carriers. I have a ring sling from her and it is as pretty as it is comfy!
- Tara Graham Photography: She is on hand at every show to take holiday photos of kids. Beware, she gets busy so be prepared to stand in line if you come at a busy time. She is well worth the wait, and every photo I've gotten of A from her is fantastic!
For a full list of vendors, check them out here: http://www.mamasandchicks.com/exhibitors.html
Admission to the show is $5, but if you bring a sleeve of juice boxes to donate to Brunchkins, you will get $2 off! BUT - you can win a pair of tickets by entering below! It's easy-peasy, all you have to do is visit the brand-spankin' new Facebook page for Bawlers and Crawlers!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Congratulations to the winners - Laura Sanint, Julie Strazzeri, Lauren Smart-Kennedy, and Courtney Evans. I will be contacting you shortly to arrange delivery of your tickets!
Saturday 17 October 2015
Miscarriage and Conception Challenges - Part 2
When A was around 2.5, we decided we were ready for our
little family to grow. We picked what we thought was the “perfect” time to try
to get pregnant, assuming that it would happen the first month we tried, as it
had with the first two pregnancies. We tried…and tried…and tried. And then it
wasn’t fun anymore.
I began furiously searching the internet, figuring there had
to be a quick fix somewhere…something we weren’t thinking of. It happened twice
before with us barely even thinking about it, so what the heck was going on?
Eventually, I began using ovulation tests to try to pinpoint
the best times to try – and found out that some months I wasn’t even ovulating
(which sure wasn’t helping in the baby-making department!). Although it was frustrating, using the tests
gave me some peace of mind – at the very least, I had a possible reason why we
had not gotten pregnant yet…and also gave me a tool that could help better our
odds.
Those months of trying to get pregnant really took a toll on
me emotionally. Being the eternal optimist, I would get excited every month,
thinking “This is the month!”, only to be let down again and again. I was
frustrated, angry, sad and confused. But eventually – it did happen. And I
couldn’t have been happier.
I have been trying to be a strong voice to women I know to share my story, to let women know that they are not alone. That it can happen. That it is normal to feel sad, angry, or embarrassed. I even became a part of First Response’s Conception Success Stories Campaign (and no, they are not paying me to write this…I just feel that strongly about sharing my story!). When they contacted me about becoming part of their campaign, I jumped at the chance.
If you are interested, you can check out my conception story
with First Response here: http://firstresponsestories.ca/en/
and click down until you get to “Baby Girl” – little Miss L didn’t have a name
yet, as I was 9 months pregnant when this was filmed.
 |
| One of my favourite moments of all time - When A came to meet his little sister for the first time |
And so – for better or worse, that was my conception journey. And you want to know what? I ended up with two of the most amazing little beings in the world. Well worth all the heartache. I wouldn’t change it for a thing.
If you are struggling with getting pregnant and want to try First Response Digital Ovulation Tests, click here for a coupon: http://www.save.ca/firstresponse
 |
| Photo by Shannon Nicole Photography |
If you are feeling brave and open, why not share your story? I would love to feature some other journeys to help women on all different paths feel a little more supported. If you are interested in sharing, please feel free to comment or shoot me an email!
Thursday 15 October 2015
Miscarriage and Conception Challenges - Part 1
I wrote this post long time ago, and have been debating
whether or not to share it, as it is of a very personal nature, and contains
personal information…but thought that if I helped one person feel normal, or
less ashamed, that it was worth the risk.
This post is going to be a serious one – and a lot more
personal than normal. I am going to share the journey I went on to become a mom.
I think it is important for people to share the difficulties and challenges
they have encountered in growing their families, because the challenges are not
talked about enough.
Miscarriages and challenges conceiving are SO common. But,
unfortunately, in my experience, women do not hear about them until after they
have experienced loss or challenges. In my opinion – it’s too late by then.
Women need to know that it IS common, it HAS happened to others, and it IS
possible to have perfectly healthy babies afterwards.
The first time I got pregnant, Ryan and I were overjoyed.
Unfortunately, I miscarried at 7 weeks. To say I was heartbroken was an
understatement. In my ‘first pregnancy’ bubble, miscarriage wasn’t even in my
vocabulary. In very simple terms, I was sad, confused, felt hopeless and felt
like I got completely blindsided. Not only was I physically drained –
emotionally I was a wreck. I wanted to talk about it, but I did not even know
where to start.
After I felt ready to try for a baby again, we got pregnant
the first month of trying – we were completely overjoyed! Yet I never had that
same freewheeling giddiness I had the first pregnancy. We were thrilled, but
kept matters private, holding back from telling people or investing too much
into it – just in case. Nine months
later, baby A came along, completely healthy and happy!
Next up – how Little Miss L joined us!
Monday 12 October 2015
Flash Contest!
It's Thanksgiving - and to say thank you for dropping by to have a read, I am offering up two tickets to the National Women's Show this weekend! And to make it even better, there will be TWO winners!
The show is a great excuse for a girls day out - it is being held this weekend (Friday-Sunday) at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre - check it out for more info here: http://www.nationalwomenshow.com/en/toronto/visitor/. The only catch is that you have to be able to pick up the tickets in Durham Region this week!
It's easy to enter - all you have to do is shoot me an email at steph.lue@gmail.com or leave a comment letting me know about what parenting or baby topics or questions you would like to read about!
Thanks for dropping by!
The show is a great excuse for a girls day out - it is being held this weekend (Friday-Sunday) at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre - check it out for more info here: http://www.nationalwomenshow.com/en/toronto/visitor/. The only catch is that you have to be able to pick up the tickets in Durham Region this week!
It's easy to enter - all you have to do is shoot me an email at steph.lue@gmail.com or leave a comment letting me know about what parenting or baby topics or questions you would like to read about!
Thanks for dropping by!
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