This and that

Thursday, July 18, 2013

It's a Picnic on #FoodieFriendsFriday Linky Party

Summer is in full swing here in the U.P.

Temperatures are soaring... maybe a little too much....

But what could be better ,than a picnic on the lake shore.

Join us and bring your most favorite picnic foods...

First let's look at last week's party..

Host Favorites

Each week, all of the Foodie Friends Friday Host pick their favorite link. To be picked you must have a link back to either Foodie Friends Friday or the host blog that you link up with. Next week your link may be here. To check out last week's host favorites head over to the Daily Dish Magazine for Host Favorites.

My Host Favorite

As last week's theme was Christmas in July, I found this wonderful way to make Old Christmas Ornaments Look New Again by Vanessa at Vanessa's Values. I can't wait to find some ornaments that I can make new. Thanks for sharing these Vanessa, Great IDEA.

Photo credit: Vanessa's Value

Most Clicks

Rustic Christmas Candle ~ Vanessa's Value
Homemade Christmas Ornaments ~ In the Kitchen with Jenny
Old Fashion Christmas Fudge ~ Yesterfood

This week's Party

Welcome to Foodie Friends Friday!

Please take a moment to read through the rules before getting started, Thank You!

*By linking up you agree that you read these rules and all photos/recipes are original and belong to you. You agree to allow Foodie Friends Friday and any of it's affiliated websites or publications (Social Girls Media, LLC) to use photos, links, and recipes for reprint and/or republishing and distribution without monetary compensation to you. If photos & recipes are used, proper link backs to you will be included.

Adding Links back to Foodie Friends Friday and our Button is our only form of advertising to bring in more people to see YOUR recipes.

Please remember to do this. It benefits you! To thank you, we will continue to feature those with links throughout the year on various outlets.

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An InLinkz Link-up

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Strawberry Raspberry White Chocolate Virgin Daiquiri

Baby it is hot out there... I know, I know it wasn't long ago that I was complaining about all the snow that we have, but it is hot out there! I have never been one to enjoy the heat. At least in the winter you can pile on more and more clothes but you can only take off so much and if you are a blob like me, I know that I wouldn't want to see me in a bikini so I would not submit you to it.

Good news.... I have found the perfect way to cool off. This spring I went to a Dove Chocolate Tasting Party and then last month I hosted a party and got some way cool stuff to cook, bake and experiment with. If you have a chance to go to a party or else have a party yourself ~ Do it!

My first drink is all about strawberries, raspberries and chocolate... Sorry for the long name but I did want to get in that this is a non-alcoholic drink.

Strawberry Raspberry White Chocolate Virgin Daiquiri

This recipe is basically what it says on the package plus a little bit extra. I also had to add strawberries as I had no raspberries in the house, but I think the combination tastes wonderful.

Ingredients:

1 package of Dove Chocolate Discovery White Chocolate Raspberry Daiquiri Mix

7 oz lemon- lime soda

1 cup ice

1/2 cup fresh strawberries ( you could use frozen)

1 square Chef- Series Chocolate (milk Chocolate) melted

whipped cream for garnish (homemade or from the can)

Directions:

Add daiquiri mix, lemon-lime soda, ice, and strawberries in a blender. Blend until smooth.

Melt chocolate. Add 1/2 the chocolate mix to blender and blend well. Chocolate will harden once hits drink, so add a little at a time and blend.

Pour into glass. Makes one 16 oz drink or two 8 oz drinks if you would like to share. Garnish with whipped cream and drizzle the rest of the chocolate over the whipped cream.

Enjoy.

Perfect for these warm days.

Just be careful as the chocolate bits may plug up your straw. You may want to eat this delicious drink with a spoon so you get all the yummy smooth Dove Chocolate.

Keep a watch out for my next drink... It has mangoes in it and chocolate.

Links: Best of the Weekend, Random Recipe Roundup, Sunday Funday, Swap N Share, Dial Moms Mondays

Thursday, July 11, 2013

#FoodieFriendsFriday ~ Christmas in July Linky Party

Are you one that is ready for Christmas early?

Are ready in July?

I used to start buying as soon as the last Christmas was over...

but not anymore.

This weekend we can all have

Christmas in July

At our Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party

Link Up Anything You Like

But first let's see the favorites from last party

Host Favorites

Each Foodie Friends Friday picks their favorite recipe from the party. These recipes are then featured on Monday over at the Daily Dish Magazine. To be picked you must have a link back to either Foodie Friends Friday or the host blog that you link up. Next week your link may be here. To see last week's host favorites head over to Recipe that Caught our Attention at the Daily Dish Magazine.

Most Clicks

Summertime Spaghetti ~ Carol's Corner
Stuffed Chicken Breast & Garlic Cream Sauce ~ In the Kitchen with Jenny
Balsamic Bruschetta Chicken ~ ThisandThat

My Host Favorite

This week I picked Honey Glazed Cinnamon Chicken from Cooks and Facts. The recipe has a multiple of flavours in it.. honey, cinnamon, chilli powder, ginger and tumeric to name a few. She has spices that I would have never thought of putting together and would be a explosion of wonderful in your mouth. I will be making this recipe soon and if I didn't have to work so much it would have made already. Thank you Jeny for this wonderful, flavourful recipe.

Photo credit: Cooks and Facts

Welcome to Foodie Friends Friday!

Please take a moment to read through the rules before getting started, Thank You!

Adding Links back to Foodie Friends Friday and our Button is our only form of advertising to bring in more people to see YOUR recipes.

Please remember to do this. It benefits you! To thank you, we will continue to feature those with links throughout the year on various outlets.

<div align="center"><a href="http://www.foodiefriendsfridaydailydish.com/" title="Foodie Friends Friday" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1271.photobucket.com/albums/jj628/busyvegetarianmom/FFFDDButtonNEW150Darker_zpse238f637.jpg" alt="Foodie Friends Friday" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

Loading InLinkz ...

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Berry Salad with Basil Chia Vinaigrette

I love summer and fresh fruit. We have a small strawberry patch that this year is producing very well. Or at least I think so. I have also been able to get to them before the critters which helps. Before this year, I would pick and throw out the strawberries that had bites taken out but this year I decided to leave them. Low and behold they seem to be coming back to eat the strawberries that they had already started to eat~ I do hope this continue and they don't go for the new ones.

I decided to make a salad with the strawberries and a dressing. My basil is also starting to come up and basil and strawberries go so well together so came up with this recipe.

Berry Salad with Basil Chia Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

sliced strawberries

blueberries

pomegranate seeds

assorted lettuce or spinach ( I used romaine and spinach)

glazed walnuts

sliced chicken (optional)

for vinaigrette:

1/2 cup oil

1/4 cup cider vinegar

1 tsp dijon mustard

2 tsp fresh minced basil

1 tbsp chia seed

1/2 tsp honey powder (or you could use what ever sweetener you like)

Directions:

Make vinaigrette by mixing all ingredients together and let sit while you prepare your salad.

Assemble lettuce, add fruit, walnuts and chicken.

Drizzle vinaigrette over salad and enjoy.

Vinaigrette will keep in the fridge for 3-7 days depending on what you put into them. With fresh herbs, I have read that they don't last as long. I do keep mine longer but I don't recommend it to others. I throw them out when they start smelling bad.. that is my clue that I need to make some more.

Links: Foodie Friends Friday, Thursdays Treasures

Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Italian Roasted Chicken and Potatoes

If you have been following me on facebook you know that my hubby has gone downstate to work for the summer. Last weekend he was able to come home for the first time since he left in May. About 2 weeks ago he sent me a link to a recipe from Food.com for Italian Roasted Chicken and Potatoes.

He has given me recipes before that he thought would taste good but this one was a little bit unusual. For one thing he doesn't like roasted chicken and another thing he doesn't eat a lot of potatoes. But I thought I would make it this past weekend.

So the hottest day in the U.P. I turned my oven on and sweltered to make this recipe. Aren't I the best wife?

Italian Roasted Chicken and Potatoes

adapted from Italian Roasted Chicken and Potatoes

Ingredients:
3 lbs potatoes
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup minced fresh Basil and Italian Parsley ( I used about 1/8 cup basil and the rest parsley)
1 tbsp oregano
sea salt
fresh black ground pepper
4- 5 lbs chicken. ( I used the chicken/thigh)
sliced onions

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F
Wash and cut up potatoes ( I didn't peel mine but you can peel if you would prefer).
Mix the potatoes with 1/2 of the olive oil, basil, parsley, oregano and salt and pepper to taste. Spread over the bottom of a large roasting pan.
In same bowl, mix rest of the ingredients and generous amount of salt and pepper. Layer chicken over potatoes, skin side down.
Bake for 30 minutes at 425 degrees.
Remove chicken and stir potatoes. Replace chicken with skin side up.
Bake for 30 more minutes or until chicken is crisp and brown and potatoes are golden. (Mine took about 45 minutes).
10 minutes before meal is done, slice onions about 1/2 of a small onion over top and return for the remainder of the time.
Enjoy.

This meal was very good but I am glad that I added the oregano and basil. The next time I make it I am going to add more oregano. Hubby thought this meal was very good, although he did add more salt and I thought I had already used lots. As I used 5 pieces of leg/thigh parts there was some leftover and he was able to take a few doggie bags back with him. The next day I cut up my leftover chicken and placed it on a Berry Salad - recipe to come.

A teaser of what is to come

Thursday, July 4, 2013

#FoodieFriendsFriday Linky Party and it is a chicken thing

I hope all Americans are having a wonderful July 4th... Do you have a long weekend or just the 4th off.

I was lucky enough to find someone to work all weekend for me (it was my holiday to work)...

So now get to enjoy it with my hubby as he is coming home for the long weekend... YEAH!

Foodie Friends Friday is having a chicken party...

Bring your best chicken recipes.

Can't wait to see what you have...

First

Last Week's Party Review

Host Favorites

Each Foodie Friends Friday host picks their favorite recipe. These recipes are then featured in a post

on the Daily Dish Magazine. To be featured you must have a link back to either Foodie Friends Friday or the host blog that you link up with. Next week your recipe just might be here.

My Host Favorite

This week the recipe that caught my attention was Blueberry Lemon Cheesecake from Jenn's Random Scraps. Cheesecake is one of my favorite desserts and I was hoping to make this week, but the week just didn't have enough hours in it. Maybe I will still get it done. Thank you Jenn for sharing this wonderful dessert with us.

photo credit: Jenn's Random Scraps

Recipe with Most Clicks

Red, White and Blue Parfait ~ This and That
Firecracker Cake ~ Love Bakes Good Cakes
Strawberry Pie ~ In the Kitchen with Jenny

Now Onto This Week's Party

Welcome to Foodie Friends Friday!

Please take a moment to read through the rules before getting started, Thank You!

Adding Links back to Foodie Friends Friday and our Button is our only form of advertising to bring in more people to see YOUR recipes.

Please remember to do this. It benefits you! To thank you, we will continue to feature those with links throughout the year on various outlets.

<div align="center"><a href="http://www.foodiefriendsfridaydailydish.com/" title="Foodie Friends Friday" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1271.photobucket.com/albums/jj628/busyvegetarianmom/FFFDDButtonNEW150Darker_zpse238f637.jpg" alt="Foodie Friends Friday" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

An InLinkz Link-up

Monday, July 1, 2013

Canada Day and an Iced Capp

♪♪ It's Canada Day, Up Canada Way

On this first day of July ♪♪

This is one of my favorite Canadian songs and sung by Stompin' Tom Connors. This song makes me proud to be Canadian. Canada is and will always be my first love no matter where I call home or what nationality at that time I will be (I am now an American Citizen). I will always be Canadian in my heart.

Canada also has Tim Hortons one of my favorite coffee/doughnut shops. If the police like it, it is good for me. I love their Iced Cappuccinos or as the Canadians would say "give me an Ice Capp". This is one thing that I miss and is usually the first thing that I buy when I get over the border. Driving home Estevan, Saskatchewan is my first Canadian town and they have ~ you guessed it right a Tim Horton's. My first and always my last stop as I leave. Over the years I have just about perfected my Iced Capps... not quite the same but they work, especially if I have Tim Horton's Coffee and English Toffee Cappuccino mix.

Eastern United States also has Timmie's and to my great surprise and luck there was one close to where my husband is staying in Lansing. That shop got to knew me by name (well not quite) as I went for my Timmie's fix everyday.

Timmie's Iced Capp

Ingredients:

4 cups Cold Brewed Tim Horton's Coffee *

4 cups coffee ice cubes **

2/3 cup Tim Horton's English Toffee Cappuccino

1/3 cup condensed milk - if you would like it sweeter use more

optional ice cream ( 1 -2 cups)

Instructions:

Place all in blender and blend until smooth. You can do this in a couple batches. I then place it in the freezer until it is starting to freeze - about 1-1/2 hours. Bring out and re-blend until smooth.
I refreeze the leftovers and bring out and thaw slightly and enjoy.

*To make cold brewed coffee, place 1/2 cup coffee grounds and 4 cups of water in French Press or you could use your coffee pot. Place in Fridge over night. If you use a french press, Press down to bring ground to bottom. If you don't have a fresh press, filter out ground through your coffee pot filter.

** Freeze leftover coffee into ice cube trays so that when you make cold coffee you don't water down your coffee with the ice cubes.

So the next time you see a Tim Horton's go in and ask for a Iced Capp or a Double-Double with a doughnut. A Double-Double is double cream, double sugar.

I wrote an article in the Daily Dish Magazine that I write for with some facts and myths of Canada, a free printable and a quick and easy Canada Day Parfait. Head over to Happy Canada Day for more information about Canada.