Pickled Turnip

You know how you go and get a shawarma and there are delicious pink pickled things on it -- those are pickled turnip, and I love them!   Can't get enough of them.  There is only one problem with them, the grocery stores that I regularly visit NEVER carry them.

What is one to do??  Sit and sulk?   No, what ones does is figure out how to make them!   That way all homemade shawarma, gyros and even salads can have a never ending topping of pickled turnips!

Step #1 - remember to get the turnip and beets at the grocery store... it took me a few trips before I remembered.

Pickled Turnip

Ingredients - about 5 turnips, 1 beet, garlic, vinegar, salt and water.

 Peel the turnips.

 Then cut the into smaller than "french fry" size.  Think of your sandwich and then think if the size you want them.

 Next take your beet and peel the skin then cut unto chunks.    It is at this point your fingers will start to turn red.

 I added garlic, because garlic is good.  And why not?

 While the vinegar, water and salt come to a boil, stuff the jars with the turnip adding a beet and garlic here and there.  You can see the beets start to "bleed" right away.

 Here we have the two jars full.   Into the fridge they go.

 Here they are about 5 days later... Good enough to eat already!

 And about a week and a half later they are good to go!  

Recipe:

5 small turnips

1 beet

3 or 4 cloves of garlic

1 3/4 cup water

1/2 cup vinegar

2 tsp kosher salt

Heat the vinegar, water and salt over medium heat, just until it comes to a boil.  In the meantime peel and cut the turnip into match stick size, peel and cut the beet into chunks and peel the garlic and chop in half.

Start layering the turnip into the jars.  Divide the beets and garlic evenly between the jars and the layers.  Add the hot liquid to the turnips, put in fridge and wait... and wait... and wait a little longer.  After about 10 days they will be ready.

Enjoy!

Maple Syrup Season

This year we decided to tap the Maple trees on our yard, we have lots, we think...  The reason why I say we think is because we tend to go through a cycle - every spring we think about tapping the trees, but we can never remember which trees are Maples.  Then we think in the summer we should mark them.   All of a sudden it is spring again and we realize that yet again, we forgot to mark the trees.  

This year we remembered that these three trees were Maples.  And yes, this summer we will mark the rest, I promise.

Since this is the first time tapping, we were not entirely what to do, how to do it...  We went to our local hardware store to buy the equipment - I love it, they were recycled buckets.

As soon as the tap went in the tree the sap started dipping out...  Taste testing is happening here.

Tap number 2.

Recycled bucket number 1

Flowing sap - drip drip drip.

Taste testing in bucket #4

The season has only just begun.   Please stay tuned for more stories on our maple syrup.  If you have any suggestions, please send them over!   We have no idea what we are doing.... With any luck we will have pancakes with homemade syrup.

For St Patty's Day - Black and Tan Cupcakes

Just in time for St Patrick's Day -- well.. I made these last weekend for a birthday party and they are YUMMY, I digress...  Just in time for St Patty's day ~ Cupcakes made with Guinness and the icing made with Guinness.  The even look like mini "cups" of Guinness.  They are perfectly chocolaty, moist, not too sweet and very flavourful.

These where the birthday cupcakes for the weekend.

The ingredients...   Notice that BIG can of Guinness.

There it is....   The rest went into a belly, and it wasn't mine.

Melt the butter and add the Guinness, heat until it comes to a boil.

As usual, I strayed from the recipe and did it my way...

Sift the cocoa and whisk the sugar.

Add the heated butter mix, then the sour cream.

Add the dry.

Mix, just until combined.

And voila, here you have the finished cupcake.   Yes, very much worth it!   Kids didn't love it, which is ok, that meant more for the adults.

The Guinness added so much flavour.  Not your typical chocolate cupcake.

Black & Tan Cupcakes

1/2 cup butter
1 cup Guinness or other dark stout
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup cocoa
1 cup sour cream
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt

Guinness frosting:
1/2 cup butter, softened
3 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/4-1/3 cup Guinness

In a small saucepan, melt the butter with the Guinness over medium heat; remove from heat, pour into a bowl and whisk in sugar and cocoa. Whisk in the sour cream, eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking soda and salt just until blended. Divide the batter between paper-lined cupcake tins and bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 20-25 minutes, until tops are springy to the touch.

To make the frosting, beat the butter, confectioners’ sugar and Guinness until you have a spreadable frosting. Wait until the cupcakes have cooled completely before frosting.

Recipe taken from The Family Kitchen   (Thanks Christa for posting this on your FB page and giving me the idea to make these in the first place.)

Looftlighter - something everyone needs!

If you have a Kamado or Green Egg or any type of ceramic grill then you need one of these -- a Looftlighter.   It lit the grill with in 2 minutes - no fighting, no grumpiness, no nothing.   Just pure happiness!   

Quote from Calvin "It was amazing" 

"Why didn't I have one of these before?!"

Fresh out of the box... Its maiden light.

 It sounded like a hair dryer, but way more powerful.

 With in seconds, heat.

 30 seconds, more heat.

 A minute - lots a heat.

 A minute and a bit - sparks.

 Just under 2 minutes - flame!!!

A Looftlighter - A must for any grilling family.   We bought ours at Boutique Burro Burracho in Wakefield, QC.

Peanut Butter Butterscotch Chocolate Krispie Squares

Can you say "Yummy?!"

What is not to love in that name -- Peanut Butter Butterscotch Chocolate Krispie Squares??  

Should we call them "Peanutbutterscotch" Squares or "There is so much sugar in these can they possibly be good" Squares?   I was saw the recipe on another blog and thought I would try them at some point.   Finally that night came when we were going to meet up with some friends.  

So, here we start.  Are you ready for this?   Rice Krispies, Peanut Butter, Honey, Sugar, Sugar and more Sugar of varying types.

In a sauce pan on medium heat, add 1 cup sugar and 1 cup honey.  It was at this point that I thought they would be too sweet.

Meanwhile, in a double boiler (or a pot with a heat proof bowl on top) melt one bag of chocolate chips with one bag of butterscotch chips.  Maybe it was at this point where I thought they would be sickly sweet.

While every thing is heating and melting measure out 6 cups of rice krispies and 1 cup of peanut butter, just leave - don't mix yet.

All those chips take a bit to melt, but they look pretty...

 

Here they go, melt until mixture is smooth.

 

As soon as the honey and sugar come to a boil, take off the heat.

 

Then immediately pour directly over top of the peanut butter.

 

The "sugary" heat will melt the peanut butter -- mix well.   

 

I sprayed the pan with cooking spray, then decided to use parchment paper instead.  Way back years ago, I made regular rice krispie squares and did not spray the pan.  Lets just say that memory is still somewhat fresh in my head.  

Press down the krispie mixture in the pan, as evenly as possible.

 

Chocolate mix is almost ready!  Hungry yet?

 

Pour chocolate over top krispie mixture.

 

Use an offset spatula to spread chocolate goodness all over.

 

Put in fridge to let everything harden, then cut into yummy bite size squares. 

I am pleased to report these squares are AWESOME!  One might think they would be sickly sweet, but they are perfect.   There was not even a crumb leftover.

Recipe:
6 cups rice krispie cereal
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup honey
1 cup sugar
12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips*
12 oz. butterscotch chips*

* I used a 300 gram bag of chocolate chips and butterscotch chips which equals 10.5 oz, I think that was just fine... 

Directions:
Combine the puffed rice cereal and the peanut butter in a large mixing bowl -- do not mix yet.  Set aside. 

Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. (I had a 8.5 x 11 pan - use what ever you have)

If you use parchment paper, you can left the squares right out of the pan - makes for easier cutting.

Combine the honey and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.  Cook, stirring occasionally, just until boiling.  Immediately remove from the heat and pour the hot mixture over the peanut butter and rice cereal.  Mix well with a spoon or spatula until the peanut butter is completely melted and all ingredients are evenly combined.

Press the mixture in an even layer in the prepared baking pan.  Combine the chocolate chips and butterscotch chips in a heatproof bowl set over a bowl of simmering water. Heat, stirring occasionally until completely melted and smooth.  Pour over the cereal layer and smooth with a spatula.  Cover and chill until the top layer is set before slicing into bars.

Source: Annies Eats

Summer Day Camps in Chelsea and area

Even though it is only March, summer IS on its way!!!   The days ARE getting longer and the sun IS getting stronger.   Just the other day at the bus stop, while waiting for the kids, I could hear the snow melting - such a beautiful sound!

But with summer on its way, the thought of "what are the kids going to do?" is starting.   Since I am looking into summer camps, I thought I would help and post what I find.

General Day Camps:

Cascades Club Summer Day Camp send them for the entire summer or weeks of your choice.  Registration starts March 9th

The Municipality of Chelsea offered summer camps last year, looks like they will be offered by Culture Chelsea this year. 

Sport Camps:

Soccer Chelsea July 4th-July 8th

Camp Fortune All Summer long Mountain Bike Camps AND Survivor Camps

Cascades Club Paddling Paddling Camp at Cascades Club
Gatineau River Yatch Club  four 2-week sessions for children ages 9-16
Soccer La Peche July 4th- July 8th

Hockey Camps:

Goalie Camps, Power Skate camps MaxTech Hockey 

In Val des Monts Max Puissance
Camp de Perfectionnment Hockey Outaouais

Music/Art Camps:

La Petite Fanfare 3 sessions at Grand Boise School 
Mud Pies Pottery Half day sessions in Wakefield
Film Camp In Wakefield for older kids
Mini Cirque Circus Camp!! In Ottawa or Gatineau - 8yrs - 14yrs old
Camp Art Nature located at 100 Mile Farm in Alcove  - 3 sessions in July - ages 5-12

Horse Camps:

Venturing Hills Farm  Off Mountain Road, close to highway 148 - Camp info will be posted soon

La Troika North of Wakefield

Captiva Farms  In Edelweiss 

Play Groups/Toy Library:
Cabane a jeux  located in Wakefield

Still not sure what camps to put them in...  Need to decide soon - registration for most are starting this week!

Hockey MOM

I am a mom....  A very proud mom....   That is part of who I am, so it should be no surprise that I want to share this....

Matt's 2nd time being goalie!!! 

He did AWESOME!!!   He did more than awesome he was amazing!  This was game #3 in a 2 day hockey tournament - they played against the home team.   OK, I am going a little overboard.  

Check out the video