Over the Kitchen Counter: Angie's Place for Cooking and Crafts

Tasty Tiny Meatloaves

I'm all about portion control these days and the Tasty Tiny Meatloaves from the Milk Calendar are perfect pre-measured main dish pleasers! Not only does making individual meatloaf servings cut down on second helpings but they are also much quicker to bake, easy to serve, and leftovers are so convenient to freeze for another meal or sandwich.

My family loves a traditional meatloaf dinner so this recipe works perfectly for us. When I need a quick meal these only cook for 20 minutes in a muffin tin. I can microwave some veggies and rice or mashed potatoes take the same amount of time on the stovetop. You can find the recipe RIGHT HERE at the milk calendar website. I know many people will be rushing dinner to get the trick-or-treating going so you might even be able to make these tonight! Happy Halloween!

 

Oh, It's Blustery! (and a squash recipe)

On a day like today there is only one thing to do: have tea! This lovely package arrived on my doorstep (David's Tea, you make it too easy!). I was able to get some Maple Sugar (currently sold out on line I believe) and an assortment of pumpkin flavoured teas (they are retiring for the season soon!). Also, the Apple Strudel was very nice!

I'm trying to get some dusting and vacuuming done since I will have all the kids home shortly (and then nothing gets done!) but I'm not feeling very motivated. Sitting with a cookbook and some tea feels like the right thing to do!

P.S. Here is a wonderful stuffed squash I made using the recipe on the sticker. It was very tasty! I wasn't sure about adding the meat raw or cooked (since the sticker is kind of vague) so I browned the ground beef first and drained off the fat. It took longer to bake than I anticipated, about an hour and a half. Anyway, I really enjoyed it so if you like squash you might want to give this yummy Fall recipe a try!

 

Sick Pup & Staying Busy

So my poor puppy (he's actually old) spent the day at the vet. It was so sad to leave him but with a trio of problems (respiratory ailment, sore leg, and tender tummy) he needed some tests and observation. $700 later he came home with lots of meds to keep him comfortable and get him on the road to recovery. He is like a 4th child to me and when he doesn't feel well, I know it and will do anything to take of him! It was probably just bad luck that everything happened at once but it totally worried me and stumped the doctor. I'm glad it was nothing more serious, especially after I was led into a different 'consult' office before I could take him home! (Just wanted to go over instructions with me before leaving but I let my imagination take over when I was sequestered like that!).

Over the past few days I've been keeping busy starting my Christmas baking (made three gorgeous fruitcakes that need to ripen for a few weeks), exercising (had some fun getting the old Wii sparked up to use the Wii Fit), and doing a bit of shopping (Costco runs take a day but I got a lot of great stuff!).

 

Know Your Machine

I'm so excited because I'm attending a 'know your machine' class for my Bernina. Although I'm really familiar with all the features and have been sewing away happily on this beautiful sewing machine, I'm always up for free classes and the reading material that comes with it. I'm certainly open to learning new things, tips, tricks and instructors always have something to add to one's knowledge!

I am a quilter and don't really do much utility stitching. I think the class goes through topics like buttonholes and various feet that I wouldn't usually use so I could definitely use some coaching in those departments. Apparently there is a binder given with resource material that I can reference in the future. I figure if I didn't attend the class I would be missing out on a valuable part of the purchase price - and it should be fun! I will meet other Bernina users and enjoy a few hours out (the classes are 4 hours long and there are two). The times happened to work out perfectly with my schedule too, which is jam packed and crazy for the next 5 weeks!

 

Social Butterfly Quilt Finished & Gifted!

It's been over 3 months in the making but the Social Butterfly quilt is complete and in the hands of its new owner, my mother-in-law. I think it turned out beautifully and I was very pleased with both the piecing and the quilting.

You may recall this project started from a kit purchased from The Fat Quarter Shop and the fabric and pattern were designed by Vanessa Goertzen of Lella Boutique. I knew it was the perfect choice for my m-i-l who loves butterflies. She had yet to receive a handmade quilt from me and I wanted it to be just the right one. The cutting for the pattern was quite intensive but once that was done and my pieces were very well organized, it wasn't too bad joining the units. At first, I completed one block at a time so as not to confuse myself but as I got the hang of it I started doing several at a time. There are only 9 blocks in the whole quilt but there were many pieces, some partial seams, and various colour combos to keep straight.

When the quilt top was pieced I knew I wanted to quilt it using the #4 Bernina serpentine stitch. While it's not a difficult way to quilt I was very careful to make sure I always had a full bobbin to avoid having to try to match up an interrupted stitch - a real pain. I did end up with one or two issues of broken thread along the way and I was forced to do my best to hide the flaws. It was also quite tedious to do the quilting, line after line, across the quilt and I got very bored! By the end of it, I was glad it was done!

I hand stitched down the binding to make sure I had a lovely finish to the quilt. I made a custom label with our photo on it and a birthday greeting (along with the when, where, and by whom info). Now that's done I can move on. The temperature is getting colder and it's time now to hunker down with some new piecing projects!

 

Tasty Healthy Options

Hi folks! Here are some of the ideas I've been taking advantage of lately for healthy meals, snacks, and desserts. They've really helped me stay on track and yet be satisfied with my food choices. I've remembered how I need substitutions for those higher calorie selections. It's really simply being mindful and swapping out when I can do so without affecting anything other than my waistline!

Flat Out Pizza

This one is so good and so simple that it is not a sacrifice in any way! Flat Outs are healthy flatbreads that are quite large, filling, and very versatile. They make a great wrap but are even better as pizza crust. You can check out the Flat Out website for a zillion ideas. I really love topping one that's been warmed in the oven for a couple of minutes first with a bit of pizza sauce, veggies, and shredded cheese. Of course, you can add your favourite pizza add-ons. Pop back in the oven for about 4-5 minutes and an amazing pizza is your reward!

The Impossible Pumpkin Pie

There are several versions of this miracle dessert out there but basically, it's a lighter pumpkin pie with no crust. It is so easy to make and creates its own 'crust' layer. This recipe contains regular pumpkin pie ingredients and bakes up in no time. Once I added some Light Cool Whip it was truly as yummy and satisfying to me as 'real' pie. I can't wait to make another one for Thanksgiving!

Pumpkin Oatmeal

Sticking with that pumpkin theme, we have really been enjoying Pumpkin Oatmeal for breakfast most days. I cook the porridge the usual way (McCann's is my favourite, whether steel cut or rolled, they are sweet and delicious oats) and then mix in pumpkin pie spice, raisins, and about a 1/4 cup of pure pumpkin puree per serving. It is subtle but amazing and my favourite cereal.

Sauteed Apples

We have been picking the most wonderful fall apples and a super way to enjoy them is by cooking them in a pan with a bit of water. Once they are tender I sprinkle on some cinnamon and sometimes brown sugar. I usually add the apples on top of yogurt or on my cereal but a new recipe I learned of is so good: topped with some Cool Whip and a crushed graham cracker! Wow, it's so delish!!

Chocolate Pumpkin Cake

This is the easiest cake you'll ever make! Mix one box of chocolate cake mix (I used Devil's Food) with a 15 oz. can of pure pumpkin and bake. That's it! No other ingredients and then are pretty darn good. I made a bunch of mini cakes (in a new 8 portion Wilton pan from Walmart) and they only baked for 18 minutes at 350! The texture is slightly denser and more spongey than a regular cake but still very tasty!

No Sugar Added Caramel Sauce

Ohhh, this stuff is pretty yummy! I use it as a dip for apple slices and it's almost as good as a caramel apple from the fair. I shared it with the fam and they were in 100% agreement! Nice drizzled on the cake above too!

 

 

 

 

David's Tea

I really enjoy some special teas now and again. I bought this sampler pack from David's Tea because it has a selection of flavours to satisfy your sweet tooth. I really like the Blueberry Jam one so far and the Chocolate one was pretty good too! I don't have them every day so it will take me a while to work my way through. I prefer black teas so I'm starting with those but these tiny tins are the ideal way to see which you like.

Fruit Compote

This is just a mishmash of fruit stewed on the stove until thickened. I started with a bag of fresh cranberries and added a cup of water and a couple tablespoons of brown sugar. I added some fresh strawberries, a sliced apple, some frozen cherries and mixed field berries. Once it's cooked (about 15 minutes on low) I added some cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and a tiny bit of ginger. Smells so intoxicating! It is so scrumptious and perfect for on top of yogurt, oatmeal, waffles (very do-able using the "Original" toaster waffles and sugar-free syrup), French toast, or even just on its own. Yum! Makes your teeth a little purple though!

Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

Sorry I didn't take a pic of this one! I baked a spaghetti squash for 45 minutes and then scooped out the flesh. I added it to a pot of my hearty meat pasta sauce and then baked it in a casserole (you can also use the squash halves) with a bit of cheese on top. You can toss in whatever veg you like in the sauce to add to the yum (I used celery, mushrooms, peppers, olives, and carrot). It is so good and very filling. Like a lasagna without the carbs!

Well I guess that's enough for now - I'm making myself hungry! Happy Thanksgiving to Canadians and enjoy some healthy options this weekend. I got most of these ideas from the great friends at Weight Watchers and then adapted them to my kitchen but you can easily Google them to get many other variations. Enjoy!