I’m been a fan of cereal since I was a kid.

True stories: I have fond memories of my sister and I, spilling Raisin Bran on the counter and then picking out the raisins.

I also remember that I would often invite my high school friend over after school to have a bowl of Life cereal and then watch Days of Our Lives.

I also have a strong memory of Weetabix. It was one of those pure cereals that would absorb the milk just perfectly.

At a recent Weetabix Lunch and Learn, I found out that Weetabix has a manufacturing plant in Cobourg, Ontario where it produces Weetabix and Alpen.

Here’s some cool facts:

Alpen has a cereal with NO SUGAR ADDED. Something tells me that this would appeal to a lot of people.

Weetabix has only 2 grams of sugar per serving and contains 4 simple ingredients. How awesome is that?

If you are looking to increase your daily fibre intake, then these two cereals should be in your cupboard!!

Here’s a recipe that was served at the event that I thought I would share:

Weetabix Adult Mac and Cheese (recipe credit: Jeremy Parsons, 360 Gourmet)

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups of Macaroni

3 cups 18% Cream

1 cup of shredded Gruyere

1 cup of shredded Cheddar

1 cup of shredded Pecorino

Salt and Pepper to taste

CRUST

2 Weetabix

3 tbsp garlic butter

 DIRECTIONS

1. In a non stick sauce pan, add cream and shredded cheese stirring constantly until well combined.

2. Add salt and pepper to taste and keep well heated and reduce so the sauce will stay on a spatula

3. Cook pasta.

4. Combine the pasta and the cream sauce.

5. Spoon into greased ramekins

6. Melt butter and shred Weetabix into the melted butter

7. Sprinkle the “crust” over each ramekin.

8. Place under broiler until brown. (5 minutes)

For more information about Weetabix:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WeetabixNA

Discolour: This is a sponsored blog post, however all opinions are my own

When I was a kid, I had a Barbie™ (or two) and I swear I have a Sun Tanned Barbie somewhere in a box in my storage unit. I also grew up with a message that “I Could Be Anything”. It was repeated to me over and over again, (at a very young age) that if I received good grades, I could attend a University overseas.

I was also active in a youth organization and again the message that “I Could Be Anything” helped me decide to run for International President when I was 17.  (I lost – in the event you want to know the outcome of that election).

I liked this message and took it seriously.  One summer, when I was a university student I wanted to see what it would be like to be a “cook”. So I worked in a hotel kitchen for free!! Yes – I could be anything. However I decided after 3 weeks that it was not going to be a life long profession.

When I found out that Barbie™ is encouraging little ones to be anything they want, with her new campaign: You Can Be Anything!…I knew that I wanted to share this important campaign!!

 With over 155 careers and counting, there isn’t a plastic ceiling Barbie hasn’t broken. From Mermaid to Movie Star, Pet Vet to Police Officer, Fashionista to Fairy Princess, there are countless choices for your little ones to let their imagination soar.

There’s no such thing as too wild a dream, too big a hope or too fantastic a wish when it comes to Barbie and the tradition continues this fall, as we bring this to life with the new “You Can be Anything” campaign!

Please look out for it and discuss with your kids that they “Can Be Anything”. It’s really true and it’s a really important message.

For more information:

Website: www.barbie.ca

Twitter: #YouCanBeAnything

Disclosure: I was compensated for this blog post however all opinions are my own.

I’ve been off the radar for the last 30 days….no blog posts, no events, no movies, no parties, and very little facebook posts or tweets. My life has changed as my dad passed away on October 28th. I know my blog isn’t a ‘Personal Blog” but I feel like I need to write about my dad and how fortunate I was to have a dad like him.

I truly had a wonderful childhood and was raised by an amazing mom and dad who taught me how to enjoy life. People often wonder where I get my “sense of adventure”. Well – the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. My parents worked hard but spent Sundays roaming around the country side going to every fair outside Ottawa, known to man kind (Carp, Navan and Perth to name just a few). We went to Provincial Parks for picnics and to swim, and to local parks to attend Greek Festivals and Rib Festivals. Not to mention, every winter we went to visit some Ice Fishing Competition!

Ive often blogged how I go to the Maple Syrup Festival every year. Again – it’s because my dad took us every year to this Festival for pancakes and maple syrup and I wanted to give my kids that same type of experience!!

Yes – life was not boring in the Gosewich family.

My dad owned a sports store called Ritchie’s  Sport Shop for 45 years and this store was also a major part of my life. I would get on a bus every Saturday (like clockwork) with a friend and visit his store to flirt with the cute staff and visit my dad. Ok – I shopped too!!

His store received PLENTY of media as he was right downtown as well as an independent retailer. Not to mention he was well liked. When he turned 70 I put together this collage of the press clippings that my mom saved over the years.

When I went away to university, my dad wrote me many letters and I was fortunate to keep many of them and read them to him this past year. Those letters are so special and SO funny. For a quiet man that stood 6 ft 4 – he certainly had a great sense of humour. See that press clipping on the right? Well that’s the soap opera column (Feb 22, 1985) so I could keep up with my soap operas while attending Tel Aviv University. My dad was so thoughtful!!

Friends often ask me, “How did I become such a foodie”. I always reply that it was my dad who introduced me to great food. For some reason, it was my dad who did the grocery shopping. He would often come back with unusual fruit or rye bread (with the seeds of course) or some Laura Secord Bark for my mom. He exposed me to oysters at a young age, sushi in the early 1980’s, and kumquats when I was a teenager!

My trips to Ottawa won’t be the same anymore. My mom and my sister and I will miss his presence. However I have many (many) happy memories and he will always be remembered.

Thanks for taking the time to read this blog post!!

 

Toronto Roller Derby: Real Women. Real Hits. Real Heart.

 I knew that Toronto Roller Derby existed (thanks to Twitter)  but what I didn’t know is that between 300 and 1300 people show up to watch these amazing women compete!! This past Saturday night, I finally had a chance to  go to Downsview Park to watch LIVE Roller Derby! You see, back in the 1970’s I remember watching it only on TV. It was pretty popular, back in the “day”. LOL.

I watched the Bay Street Bruisers compete against Killamazoo and it was indeed entertaining. Way better than watching it on TV!! I would certainly go back.

The crowds (well part of the crowd)

For More Information:

Toronto Roller Derby

$12 in advance

$18 at the door

Twitter: @TOROLLERDERBY

Facebook: www.facebook.com/torontorollerderby (which has over 7,000 “likes” – impressive)

Tickets available; Rotate This, Skate Co., Noise, Soundscape, The Purple Purl, or online at TorotoRollerDerby.com

Season Calendar: March 2, March 23, April 13, May 11, May 25, June 15 (Championship),

I grew up with three desserts: icebox cake, the “green dessert” and a lemon poppyseed cake that was made in a bundt pan. If any of my relatives are reading this, they can tell me if I’ve made a mistake!!

This blog post will discuss two of out the three desserts! The first one is truly a favorite. It has only TWO ingredients where as the the second dessert has THREE ingredients. Clearly my mom believed in K.I.S. (Keep it Simple).

ICE BOX CAKE

Whip up a container of  whipped cream:

2. Assemble cookies in a row and then shmeer the whipped cream in between the cookies: Place the finished product in the fridge for a few hours, before serving.

FINAL PRODUCT:

SECOND DESSERT: THE GREEN DESSERT

You need three ingredients: food coloring, the same black wafer cookies, and Shirriff Lemon Pie Filling and Dessert Mix

1. Make the lemon curd according to the directions on the back of the box (basically add water to the powdered mix and stir over medium heat)

2. Add green coloring:

3. ADD EGG WHITES (I forgot this step but it’s on the back of the box) but its important.

4. ASSEMBLE.

FINAL PRODUCT

Thanks Mom!! I had a great childhood with some great memories of amazing desserts!!

I grew up in the east end of Ottawa and have many childhood memories of walking to Westgate Mall to get candy.

I remember pixie stixs, sponge toffee, black balls and more.

Naturally a store like Sugar Mountain is right up my alley. It’s so much fun to take the kids and show them what “mommy use to eat”.

Here’s a few photos of candy that I remember eating when I was a kid.

But the best part of my last trip to Sugar Mountain was to discover that COCONUT M&M’s are in Toronto. I no longer have to find them in the States. HOORAY.

I tweeted this picture immediately(cause I was so happy) and there was a flood of replies from other coconut m&m fans.

So tell me…whats your favorite candy from your childhood? was it a chocolate bar? or was it candy?