Let's Make...Arugula and Prosciutto Flatbread

I originally made this flatbread a couple of years ago to impress someone. They were so impressed, that every time I offered to cook for them, they requested flatbread. I have since made this really simple and delicious recipe for family and friends with the same response- this is REALLY good!

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon of butter
• 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup Gorgonzola cheese
• 6 slices of prosciutto
• Handful of arugula
• Prepared flatbread

To make:

• Preheat oven to 375
• In a small sauce pan over medium heat, melt butter and stir in flour for about 30 seconds
• Whisk in cream, stirring frequently until mixture thickens (about 6-7 minutes)
• Add in Gorgonzola cheese until melted
• Remove mixture from heat
• Place flatbread on baking sheet and spoon on Gorgonzola mixture and spread to edge of the flatbread
• Top with prosciutto and arugula 
• Bake in oven for 15 minutes
• Remove from oven and cut into pieces, serve hot
• Enjoy!

Notes:

• Blue cheese can be used in place of Gorgonzola
• Prepared thin crust pizza can be used in place of flatbread
• I break the slices of prosciutto into smaller pieces, but can use whole pieces
• I will sometimes sprinkle parmesan cheese over the prosciutto and arugula before placing in the oven

Let's Make...Blended Coffee

I am not a daily coffee drinker, but I am known to enjoy a coffee based beverage from time to time. I hardly say no to a frappuccino, especially on a hot day. I am currently living in rural Ontario and while I love it here frappuccino and other blended coffees are a bit harder to come by. So, I've spent the past few weeks experimenting and I think I have finally mastered a good blended coffee recipe!!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup brewed coffee
• 1/2 cup of milk
• 1 tablespoons of white sugar
• 2 tablespoons of chocolate syrup
• 1 cup of ice

To make:

• Combine all ingredients in a blender
• Blend well
• Enjoy!

Notes:

• I have been using chocolate milk in place of milk and chocolate syrup
• I will sometimes add a tablespoon of vanilla extract
• I've tried two tablespoons of sugar, but found it too sweet for my personal taste
• 1 cup of ice cubes works out to be 6-7 ice cubes

Let's Make...Old-Fashioned Fudge Pie!

A number of year's ago, my cousins decided to put together a cookbook of family recipes to give to their mom for Christmas. Family members had the opportunity to purchase copies of the cookbook, which of course I did. Over the years I have made a few things from the cookbook, recipes that have become 'go to' for me. I decided that one of my COVID-19 projects would be to make something different from the cookbook, and I ended up making my cousin Angela's Old-Fashioned Fudge Pie. 

This was such an easy recipe and just might become my contribution to the next pot luck I attend- if we are every allowed to have pot lucks again!

Ingredients:

• 2 1oz squares of semi-sweet chocolate
• 1/2 cup of butter
• 1 cup of white sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 graham or chocolate cookie crumb crust 

To make:

• Prep pie crust according to package directions
• Preheat oven to 375
• Melt chocolate and butter together in microwave
• Remove chocolate/butter mixture from heat, add sugar and mix well
• Add eggs and mix well
• Pour filling into pie crust
• Bake for 25 minutes or until set
• Enjoy!

Notes:

• You can also use a 9" unbaked pie crust
• Pie can be served warm or cold
• Top with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream for a little something extra

Let's Make...Strawberry Cream Pie!

Years ago, I was having dinner at my great-aunt and uncle's house, and my aunt made Strawberry Pie for dessert. During dinner, it came out that this recipe had been 'lost' to our family. My aunt had lent the handwritten recipe card to another family member. It was unclear what happened next- the family member lost the recipe, the family member passed it on to another family member, the family member gave it back to my aunt and she lost...there were possibilities. The recipe was eventually found and, when my cousins decided to create a (printed) family cookbook, they made sure to include it. 

This Strawberry Pie is simple to make and never fails to impress those who get to enjoy it!

Ingredients:

• 12oz (1 1/2 packages) cream cheese
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 2 cups whipping cream
•  1 9" baked pie shell
• 2-3 cups ripe strawberries, sliced

 To Make:

• In a bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, and almond extract until smooth
• In another bowl, beat whipping cream (not too stiff)
• Fold cream into cream cheese mixture
• Spoon half the cream cheese/whipped cream mixture into pie shell
• Cover with 2/3 of sliced strawberries
• Pour remaining cream cheese/whipped cream mixture over strawberries
• Place remaining strawberries on top
• Chill at least one hour
• Enjoy!

Notes:

1. I use vanilla extract in place of almond extract
2. I usually beat the whipping cream for 5-ish minutes
3. This is a strawberry cream pie, and I personally love strawberries, but think this would be delicious with peaches

Prosciutto & Cheese Rolls

Like everyone else, I lead a busy life so I am always on the hunt for quick and easy recipes. One of my 'go to' things to make is stuffed crescent rolls. Recently, I have been loving prosciutto and cheese stuffed crescent rolls! These roll are great as an appetizer, lunch, or an on-the-go breakfast.

Ingredients:

• 1 package crescent rolls
• 1 package of prosciutto
• 1 package of cheese

 To Make:

• Roll out crescent rolls
• Layer a slice of prosciutto 
• Layer a slice of cheese
• Roll crescent roll
• Bake crescent rolls according to instructions on package
• Enjoy!

Notes:

1. These can be served warm or cold
2. I use Pillsbury Mini Crescent rolls
3. I use gouda cheese

January Favourites

Happy Wednesday and happy last day of January!! This past month- with the exception of the cold I have been battling for two weeks- has been a great month. I could have done without the ice and snow, but I love all the time I spent with family and friends. Girls Night- dinner and Pitch Perfect 3 during a snow storm- was the highlight of January. 

I thought it would be fun to share some of my favourite things from January!

 

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 I am a hot chocolate fan, and I am a Coffee Crisp fan. I tend not to like flavoured hot chocolates because it just doesn't taste like the intended flavour or the flavour is too powerful. But this is the perfect combination! It tastes just like a Coffee Crisp!

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I have purchased jeans from Old Navy before, and I'm not sure what prompted me to buy them. I wish I had discovered these jeans before!! I bought a pair of Boyfriend style jeans and they are so incredibly comfortable! What I really LOVE about these jeans is that while they are cropped, they are actually the perfect length for me and my 5'2"...no hemming necessary. 

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 I received the Caramel Cream lip conditioner by Scentuals in a subscription box months ago and I am addicted to this product! All natural, no real scent or taste to it, applies nicely, isn't sticky...so many things to love about this product! What makes it a favourite for me is that it actually smooths and hydrates my lips- which get super chapped in our cold, dry, Canadian winter. I usually apply when I get up in the morning, when I come home from work, and before bed- no need to constantly reapply for it to work.

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During the Boxing Week sales, I bought a pair of these PJ's from LaSenza. These are so comfortable! The pants are lightweight and the top is a great material- I basically want to live in these! I'm tempted to buy a pair in every colour!

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I had been meaning to buy a 4-port USB charger forever and finally got one. It has been life-changing. The model I have (pictured) has a USB that can plug into your computer or into a wall-adapter (which is what I do), and then there are four ports to plug your electronics in so they can charge. I went from having cables, plugs, and adapters everywhere- and not having enough plugs to plug everything into- to a streamlined, one outlet, charging station. My electronics now have a designated spot in my home and are always charged when I need them.

Favourite Thing- Salted Caramel Mocha

Friday...I thought you would never arrive! I had a super long week and while I do enjoy my job, I have big plans for this weekend! The biggest and the one I am most looking forward to is a Gala tonight put on by the local Chamber of Commerce. My sister, who I love and am extremely proud of always, is nominated for Youth Citizen of the Year!

As everybody know, we are now into Fall. It seems that all of the Starbucks fans love Fall for Pumpkin Spice Lattes. I'm not really a fan. But, I do love Salted Caramel Mochas, making them one of my favourite things!

I have always loved caramel, since I was a kid. I'd take caramel over chocolate any day! So good! If you haven't tried one yet, I suggest you do!

Have a great weekend!

P.S. A new item has been added to my Like page.

Favourite Thing- Starbucks Via Iced Caramel Coffee

Happy Friday! I hope everyone had a GREAT week and has exciting plans for the weekend. I'm heading to my hometown...I haven't been home since the end of June! A friend and I are going to Ikea (I think) to shop for stuff for my apartment. And my couch is being delivered on Tuesday! I've lived here for 24 days and I'm excited to get settled and my make my apartment 'mine.'

I couldn't pick just once 'favourite thing' this week...So here are a four! 

1. Starbucks! I had previously mentioned how much I love Starbucks Via (and I still do) but this week I was introduced to Iced Caramel Coffee. I love this instant coffee which is made specifically to be served cold.

2. Wax tarts/melts. I was introduced to this product by My Dream Sample Box. My apartment must be sandwiched between two apartments that are home to smokers. At various times, different parts of my apartment smell like smoke. Sometimes it's stronger than other times. And sometimes, it's super strong. I've taken to burning wax tarts a lot in an attempt to mask the smoke odour. (A future post will be dedicated to my favourite brands and scents of wax tarts/melts).

3. My Dream Sample Box. I LOVE this company, and Holly, the owner is AMAZING! (she and I were Facebooking back and forth as I wrote this...she had me laughing out loud. I love that girl!) MDSB is great and everyone should check out their website. And order a sample box. I ordered my August boxes last night...I can't wait for them to arrive!

4. I've mentioned many times over what a HUGE Big Brother fan I am. Last night, Boogie got evicted. Britney is one of my all time favourite Big Brother house guests. She is so funny and I love her DR (Diary Room) segments. Including, last nights goodbye message to Boogie!

Ian's goodbye message and Boogie's reaction were great too:

Book, Song, Body

BOOK- I am fan of Maeve Binchy and sad to hear of her passing. One of her books that I had always wanted to read and had owned for a while was:

This is actually a collection of 4 short stories. The Amazon.com books description is:

A society hostess entertains her husband's mistress to dinner; a country girl savours the delights of city life; a student faces the dilemma of unmarried pregnancy; and a drink-ridden photographer tries to relaunch a shattered career...

All of these stories were interesting to me, as they look at people, their individual situation and their relationships with others. I've mentioned before, but I enjoy stories about life and are character based.  Of the four stories, Flat in Rinsend (the second story, about a country girl moving to the city) was my favourite. 

Recommend for anyone who loves Maeve Binchy, is looking to discover a new author, or enjoys character based stories.

SONG- This is one of my favourite songs right now and has been on 'repeat' for awhile:

Some Nights by Fun.

A favourite of my summer playlist!

BODY-A Pinterest find, healthy baking substitutes:

This originally came from Picklee and you can see the original blog post here.

Favourite Thing- Peach Bellini

When I was in university, I always took a class in the summer. I did this so I wouldn't have to take a full course load during the actual school year- giving me more time to focus on the social aspect of university without having my education suffer- and still graduate on time.

One summer, I took Popular Film as my summer course and a friend from high school happened to be taking the same class. It was during this class that she was talking about how much she loved Peach Bellini's and it was her 'go to' drink in the summer. I had never heard of this drink, never mind tried it. She told me that I HAD to try one the next time I was out.

A few days later, I found myself sitting on a patio of a favourite restaurant with some friends and I noticed that they had Peach Bellini on the menu. Remembering that my friend said I HAD to try one, I ordered one.

I right away saw why this was her summer go to drink! Bellini's- which can come in several flavours, but peach is the original- are so refreshing! The drink is a combination of peach puree and sparkling white wine. Some places use white wine spritzer, some places add sangria and some places serve a frozen version of the drink.

The next time you are out for drinks, especially if it's summer, I highly recommend ordering a Peach Bellini. Alternatively, I'm sure you can find a recipe online so you can make it at home. I'd also imagine, you can make a non-alcoholic version of this drink, using peach puree and 7-Up/Sprite/Club Soda.

Favourite Thing- Starbucks Via

I love Starbucks, just like every other person. The closest Starbucks to me is over an hour away- that's Rural Ontario living for you. Needless to say, when I'm going home (to my hometown) I stop and at Starbucks both on my way to and from home. I guess you could say Starbucks is my vice.

One of my favourite things is:

Starbucks Via

I make sure that I stock up on Via Packages every time I'm at a Starbucks. I love these things! They are individual packets of microground coffee, which means it works similar to instant coffee. I've tried both the Italian and 'Blond' roasts and both are  good!

While I keep the box(es) on the counter at home, I keep a couple of packets in my purse and at my desk. They are so simple to use- pour packet into cup, add water, stir, enjoy! I've used Starbucks Via for a cup of coffee, macchiato, iced coffee and blended/frosty coffee. So many uses, all so good.

If you are a fan of Starbucks, or just coffee in general, I highly recommend picking up a box of Starbucks Via!

Favourite Thing- Italian Soda

I have recently been introduced to Italian Soda and am now obsessed with them!

There's this really great shop in the town I live in. It's hard to describe.

They sell homemade ice cream cakes, fudge and chocolate. They carry all natural products such as soap and lip balm. They have a variety of teas and coffees. Boxes of cookies. Minor kitchen stuff (ex mugs, serving platters). And just stuff like ornaments at Christmas, key chains, stationary, etc.

And the back of the shop, they have a little counter which is where you can order drinks. They also have muffins and cookies to go. I've become friendly with the owner and she told me how her sister just LOVES Italian Soda, which is why she offers the drink.

I told her I'd never even heard of an Italian Soda and she insisted that I try one ASAP.

So I did.

Amazing!

It's really simple to make, so I've started making them at home.

All you need is a couple of cubes of ice. A shot of flavour. And club soda. Put the items in the glass in the order I have them listed here, and viola! You're done!

There are so many flavours so I definitely haven't tried them all. But, so far, my favourite is a toss up between watermelon and peach lemon.

If there's a café or something near you that serves Italian Soda, defiantly try one. If not, follow my recipe (above) as it really is super easy to make!

I'm trying to cut back, as I can't imagine they are that healthy for you but I can see this being my summer go to drink- not just for myself, but even for what I serve my guests!


***For flavour, I use either Torani syrup or the same syrup used to make slushies. Torani most likely can be bought from a local café (ask if they'll sell you a bottle if they don't have any advertised as for sale) or online. I buy slushie syrup from Zellers (in Canada), so I'd imagine Wal Mart or Target will also carry it.

Favourite Thing- Peanut Butter M&M's

Peanut Butter M&M's are one of my favourite 'guilty pleasure' foods.

If you've never had them...you should do that asap!

There's just something about the combination of chocolate and peanut butter that tastes SO GOOD! And of course, M&M's are just delicious on their own. The only thing I don't like about them is that they don't come in a small bag, you have to buy the big one. Oh well, just more yummy-ness enjoy...or share.