Whiskey and the Pillow Cover

After recently talking about changing the decor of the bedroom I was going through old photos of the apartment and I came across these pics of one evening when I was making pillow covers.

I hadn't had Whiskey very long, but already he was always involved in everything that was going on in the apartment. And without fail, he always looks a wee bit worried about what I'm going to do next. To be honest, I worry about that too sometimes.....

I turned my back for one minute and when I looked back, Whiskey had crawled in under the fabric. All he needs is a deerstalker hat and a little pipe and he'd be the spitting image of Sherlock Holmes. Maybe that will be his Halloween costume next year :)

Still trying to figure out what colour palette to do the bedroom in. I've been looking around while I'm down in Florida on vacation, but I'd love any suggestions from you guys!

Low Fat Leek and Potato Soup

This is a simple, healthy and deliciously creamy soup that hits the spot in these last few weeks of winter (who am I kidding...I live in Canada...it will be months until we see green grass again). I highly recommend making up a batch of this for lunch this week. You'll be glad you did :)

What you'll need:

2 tbsp Olive Oil
1 medium Onion
1 large Leek, chopped into ½” pieces
4 cups Yellow Potatoes, peeled and chopped into ½” pieces
1 cup Fat-Free Chicken Broth
1 2/3 cups 1% milk (or skim)
Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper

To cut the leeks, chop off the root and the green tops, peeling off any layers that are blemished. Leeks hold a lot of sand in them, so it will be easier to chop them up and then wash them.

 

Slice the leek in half lengthwise.

 

Cut each half lengthwise again so that you have four long pieces. Chop into 1/2" pieces.

True Patriot Love

You may be wondering why I am posting this at 3:00 in the morning! Well, that's because I am heading off for a week in Florida. Looking forward to some fun and sun! But, don't worry I still have lots of posts lined up while I'm away and I can't wait to tell you about about the trip when I get back.

In the meantime, I thought I'd share some photos from the other night when my brother, sister and I got into the Olympic spirit and laced up our skates for some fun on the rink. We are lucky to have grown up with a river running behind our backyard, which makes for the best skating rinks. After shoveling off 6 inches of heavy snow (phew!) we finally got to have some fun.

First of all I'd like to apologize for the hideous snowpants. I couldn't find my awesome ones (is that even possible?) and I had to jump in an old pair of my dad's last minute. They made that horrible swish-swish noise when I moved, and all the fabric and the giant elastic band made me look 15 pounds heavier.

The faceoff!

Sis wanted to show off all the skills that she was picking up watching figure skating all day while she was supposed to be studying for midterms. Looks like its paying off though ;)

 

 Even Whiskey came down for a little bit of fun on the rink.

 

But his excitement was shortlived. I think he'd rather be on the couch, with the fire going and the Olympics on :)

Life Altering

I just had to share with you my current obsession - my Le Creuset Dutch Oven that I got for Christmas. To say that this thing "Rocks my Food World" would be an understatement.

Not only does it look drop dead gorgeous in this red colour and makes me as happy as I can imagine fashionistas are about new Manolo Blahniks, but it also it cooks like a dream. Just looking at it makes me want to bake, broil, braise and sauté. Since I took it out of the box, its never been put away. I have it sitting on my stove top all the time, just waiting for me to whip out another recipe.

The first thing that I made in it was my Chunky Beef Chili recipe and it was amazing. The fond that it created was incredible. So much flavour and such consistent cooking. Visions of soups, stews, sauces, roasts and casseroles are dancing in my head!

I look at this pot and just picture all the meals that I'm going to make it in my lifetime, for friends, family, future hubby, kids, grandkids, you get the idea. This is the kind of thing that you pass down to people because you love it so much, like the worn out aluminium baking sheets that my mother got from her grandmother - they still bake the best cookies in the world. And I think its the women in my family who have given me this appreciation of good cooking. Food = Love, and, boy, do I love food that comes out of this thing :)

Go Canada Go!

I don't know if you've been watching the Olympics....well, I have been and I've become a bit obsessed. Its like suddenly I've become an expert on all winter sports. Twice this week I've gone out to the local pub with friends to cheer on our bobsledders over a few pints. Gotta love the camaraderie that comes out of watching the Olympics with a big room full of people.

I've also taken to having the TV while I'm working around the house. I caught myself watching curling on mute while reading scripts this weekend, just so that I could catch the score. Outside of Olympics mayhem, you'd never catch me doing that. After our men's team was beat by the Team USA on Sunday evening I was so wired from stressing the whole game that I couldn't get to sleep for hours. Thankfully our Women's Hockey team renewed my spirits with their 5-0 win against Finland last night. Let's just hope that our boys can kick it into high gear tonight against Germany.

But one of our greatest wins was late last night when Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir were the first North Americans and the youngest pair ever to win the Gold for Ice Dance, beating out the Americans who told Silver and the Russians who took Bronze.

I'm not usually one to watch skating, but I have to say that their program to Mahler's Symphony No. 5 was one of the most graceful, romantic and captivating performances I've ever seen. They're also two of the cutest athletes competing this year - I think that she is absolutely gorgeous. Gold medal smile for sure!

All this rink time is getting me in the mood to play a bit of hockey with my brother tonight. He's spent hours shovelling the river behind our parents' place to make a rink and now its time to head up North and lace up my skates. Go Canada Go!

Hermit Bars

These old fashioned soft spiced bars are said to date back to the late 1800s when the wives of New England sailors would make these for their husbands to take out to sea because they traveled so well.

I love the molasses taste and the plump raisins. I ate so many of these over the weekend. They are perfect with a nice cup of tea.

What You'll Need:

1/3 cup Raisins
1/3 cup Packed Brown Sugar
1 cup All-Purpose Flour
1 1/4 tsp Ground Ginger
1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp Salt
3 tbsp Molasses
3 tbsp Butter, melted
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1  large Egg White

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or spray with nonstick cooking spray.

 In large bowl, stir raisins, brown sugar, flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt until combined.

Stir in molasses, melted butter, vanilla, and egg white just until blended.

The Newest Addition

Just over a month ago my cousin Neil and his positively adorable fiancée, Rachael, had a baby boy named Cayden. Last weekend we couldn't resist stopping by to see the little bundle of joy when we were so close for my Great Aunt's Birthday.

 Its doesn't matter how many times I see a baby, I always look at their little noses and fingers and think "how can they possibly be that small?!?!"

Welcome to the family little guy :)

A Saturday Morning with The Whisk

Despite saying that I want to change the decor in the bedroom, it appears that Whiskey is quite content with the way that things are right now. Last night it was a bit chilly so I let him sleep in my bed between the sheets and the comforter and this is what I discovered when I lifted the covers in the morning....

Getting out of bed in the morning is about a thousand times more difficult when you share it with a warm and cuddly dog.

I think he almost looks like a weird little kangaroo right here. And just look at those worried little eyebrows. Don't worry little buddy, you can stay in bed - it's Saturday!

Hope you're all having a wonderful weekend :)

Feeling Inspired

While going through my pictures for last week's post on Unionville, I came across these photos I took in The Queen's Pantry, a cute interior design store on Main Street. I loved the bedroom displays they had and seeing this again, I'm starting to get the itch to redo the pillows in my bedroom.

I love the dark knit pillow in the middle of this bed. It just looks so cozy and the textures really play off the other fabrics on the bed - like the quilted throw and the elaborate paisley bedspread.

But then again I love the lighter colours of this bed too. The soft blues, creams and tans. It makes me thing about Spring being just around the corner. This chandelier is one of my favorite pieces that they have there. Unfortunately I can't wire anything in my apartment, otherwise I would have one of these hanging up in an instant.

While walking through Pottery Barn the other day (post-holiday clearance sales, woohoo!) I fell in love with some of the new patterned duvet covers that they have. I am not a big paisley fan, but I really liked the wild vibe of this blue set.

I even love the same pattern in this sunny yellow colour - although I think its a bit too much for me.

I think I'm leaning towards cool blue colours like this bedroom from MyHomeIdeas.com. My bedroom is already such a dark room, that it might be nice to let some light colours in.

Well, thats what I think I'm going to start looking at this weekend. I've got that early Spring clean up mood going on, and maybe I should just roll with it and see what comes to mind. Whats better to do on a cold February Saturday morning then hang out in your PJs looking at design websites? Bring on the herbal tea and muffins!

The Long Drive

On the long drive up to my Great Aunt's 90th Birthday Party, we decided to bring the dogs along for the day. Despite driving my parents' big Yukon it is always a pile up of people and dogs in the car, which would explain why I had to make a quick stop along the way to get a lint roller.

Once we were on the road, it was just a matter of everyone getting settled. Apparently the most comfortable position that Shadow could find was using Whiskey as a pillow. She is absolutely out cold in this picture. Possibly even snoring at this point.

Try holding a 12lb mutt and 70 lb doberman on your lap for a 2 hour drive sometime. To say that my legs were numb is an understandment.

Thankfully Whiskey decided to move over to my brother's lap after we had a Tim Horton's break.

Shadow decided that she had better join him for another little snooze :) Despite all their play fighting, these two really do love each other.

90 Years Young

This past weekend I went up North to celebrate my Great Aunt Irene's 90th Birthday. These napkins were right on the money, because this lady is a real firecracker. She probably does more in a week than I ever do.

Here is my Nana and my mother sitting with the birthday girl on the right. After years of both coming to our house for special occasions and living in the same town, my Nana (my mother's stepmother) and my Great Aunt Irene (my father's aunt) have become the best of friends. They are always getting together to play cards or going out on the town. When they get chatting its like a couple of teenage girls - they can't stop laughing.

My cousin Lauren from Colorado came up for her grandmother's big birthday celebration and also to remind me how pale I am :(     I'm the sad Northern cousin who never sees the sun.

Her sister Kara made the trip too and we all couldn't stop fussing over her baby bump. We bought her a little Roots Canada t-shirt for when the baby gets older, just to remind it of all the people who love it North of the border!

Mushroom Orzo

This recipe incorporates three of my favorite things - mushrooms, cheese and pasta! Its a simple side dish that has a nice subtle flavour with a great crunchy texture from the water chestnuts.

What you'll need:

4 tbsp Butter
1 large Onion, finely chopped
10 Mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 cups Orzo, uncooked
1 can Water Chestnuts, drained and sliced
1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
1/4 tbsp Salt or to taste
1/4 tbsp Ground Pepper
Chopped Parsley For garnish

Slice up the mushrooms. I seriously could eat mushrooms with just about everything. I once dated a guy who didn't like mushrooms OR chocolate and I really don't know how we dated as long as we did. It should have been soooo obvious that it wouldn't work out the first time that he turned his nose up at my suggesting that we put mushrooms on a pizza.

 

Chop up the onions finely.

 

Water Chestnuts! Some of you may notice that this can is actually from England. I was visiting family while in Europe on vacation and I found out that Sainsbury's Water Chestnuts were produced in a peanut-free facility, so I snatched up a few cans. I wonder what the security guys thought when they scanned my suitcase. Who travels with cans of water chestnuts?

Happy Valentine's Day!

Its been years since I've been at my parents' place on Valentine's Day and yesterday morning I remembered why I love being home on holidays. When I was younger we celebrated Valentine's Day as a family and we'd wake up in the morning to find that my mother had decorated the dining room with hearts and made us a big breakfast. Plus she'd always have lots of cute little treats for us. As a result, I think that it gave us a really healthy view of the holiday. Its about showing the people you love that you love them.

What shows love better than heart shaped pancakes? 

(Especially when you get a side of maple syrup sausages)

She even made me a Valentine container full of gummie bears and jujubes. I was in sweet tooth heaven all day.

Plus I got to snuggle in bed yesterday morning with my favorite little guy...

While I was whipping up the Valentine Treat Bags this week, I made Whiskey a little heart pillow out of some leftover felt from the holidays. 

Just a little heartbreaker!

Oh, and despite all my bravado about having a single gals' Valentine's Day, I actually went on a date last night :) He was making me dinner and I thought I'd take over a batch of these really good brownies I'd made. I set the container of them on the front hall steps while I was getting ready and then turned my back for 30 seconds while I grabbed my bag, but in that time Shadow managed to open the container and literally inhale all 9 brownies. When I yelled at her, they came out of her mouth like a stack of checkers! I should have known better than to trust her not to devour everything in sight. Otherwise than that slight hiccup, it was a great evening and a nice easy going Valentine's Day :)

My Valentine Gifts to Myself :)

It has been over five years since I've been single on Valentine's Day and instead of being depressed about it, I'm actually kind of happy. It reminds me that I've been doing really well on my own again and that I've learned so much about life and love in the past few years. So, I thought why not buy myself my own Valentine gifts? Those things that I don't need, but would love to have. A little bit of mid-winter indulgence?

Of course, I had to buy myself chocolates, but not just any chocolates - I bought my absolute favorites from Vermont Nut-Free Chocolates. They are the only boxed chocolates that I can eat and I've only ever had them twice in eight years, so this one was a big one for me. They came about a week early and I had to hide the box from myself at the office because I couldn't stop looking at them. Just thinking about these deliciously decadent truffles had me drooling all over my paperwork.

The wait is finally over and I can say with assurance that they really are as good as I remember them. A woman's love of chocolate is a stereotype that I am happy to fulfill!

I also ordered some of their chocolate raisin clusters. I love chocolate covered raisins, but they are impossible to find peanut free, so this is the closest thing that I can find. I even tried their chocolate covered pretzels, which I've never had before. Why did no one ever tell me how amazing they are?!?!?! I could have eaten the whole bag in one go, but I had to remind myself that I only had so many of them, and sadly I don't think ordering chocolate from Vermont can be a regular thing for me.

My other gift to myself was something that I've wanted for a long time, but I've just never found a reasonable justification. Well, a Valentine's Day gift for myself seemed like reason enough :)

Its a silver wishbone necklace from SparkleTrue's Etsy shop. Its similar to the design made by celebrity jewelery designer, Jennifer Meyer (Tobey Maguire's wife), which Jennifer Aniston wore in He's Just Not That Into You. Its' simple, yet tasteful and unique. It hasn't arrived yet, but I can't wait for it to show up!

And to round off my Valentine's gifts I'm planning to buy some nice flowers when I'm out shopping this week. Not roses or anything like that, but just something nice and fresh to liven the apartment up.

So that's my single gal's guide to celebrate the holiday of love. Treat yourself to whatever makes you feel happy, especially if it has chocolate in it ;)

Going for the Gold!

 

Last night I was able to catch the beginning of the opening ceremony for the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics and after looking at these pictures online this morning, I wish that I could have stayed and watch more of it!  Hopefully someone is going to release it online soon so that I can catch up with the rest of the world.

 

I was so excited to hear that Wayne Gretzky was the final torch bearer!

 

Some of my friends have been lucky enough to get tickets the competitions and flew out West this week. I can't wait to hear all about their experiences! I love the Winter Olympics and having it in our home country again is so exciting! Go Team Canada!