This past weekend, we hosted a Chanuka Brunch for some family and friends. I don’t know about you, but I love hosting a brunch.

Chanukah Brunch!!

As always, I found myself on Pinterest looking for unique recipes and of course this website came to my rescue.  PS. Feel free to click on this link so you can see my Pinterest Page…..https://www.pinterest.ca/momwhoruns/

The recipe I found, appealed to me for several reasons:

-I had a bunch of skewers already in the drawer (big surprise)

-I simply needed to buy a baguette, 2 bananas and some strawberries (easy enough)

-I adored the presentation.

Here’s the full recipe  (Originally posted on www.weelicious.com.)

French Toast on a Stick

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup milk (any kind of milk will work but I used whole milk to make it extra delicious)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon honey (I omitted this)
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 4 cups of a baguette cut up into cubes (tip: use scissors)
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 16 strawberries, stems removed
• 2 bananas, sliced into 1/2 inch coins
• 8 wooden skewers

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, (honey) and cinnamon.

2. Dip the bread cubes in the milk mixture to coat each side.

3. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat and cook the bread for 1 1/2 minutes on each side, or until golden brown.

French Toast Bites

4. Skewer the french toast cubes, sliced strawberries and sliced bananas and serve with maple syrup for dipping.

FINAL RESULT:

French Toast Bites on a Skewer

What a hit!

Easy to eat, delicious, and simple to make. Scored.

However I will admit that it was a bit tricky to serve them as I didn’t want them to get cold. I solved this issue by serving them as an appetizer as soon as my guests arrived. #problemsolved.

Promise to blog about a few other dishes that I made. Promise.

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Another Sunday = another opportunity to host a brunch for friends that were visiting form Ottawa. My friend graciously offered to bring bagels and cream cheese but I was eager to try to try out some new recipes that I found on Pinterest. As for the recipes I tested….I scored. They all came out perfect and of course I’m going to share the details with you.

The table looked like this. Don’t you just love the grass runner and those adorable shot glasses (which were perfect to serve mimosas?)

As for the food…. the main attraction was this Easy Overnight Blueberry French Toast Bake from www.thesaltymarshmallow.com. Once again I need to thank Pinterest for helping me find this incredibly easy and tasty recipe!

This fruit salad served in kiwi cups were also an idea I found on Pinterest.

Hope this blog post encourages you to host a brunch one day soon and hope everyone is enjoying their summer too!!

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Every once in a while I have the urge to host a brunch. But I’m pretty sure I have Pinterest to blame as I’d seen some recipes that captured my attention. Next thing  you know, I’m planning a brunch!

The table looked like this.

I was pretty happy with the menu I selected, so today I will share two recipes with you. Deal?

Recipe #1: Mini Pancake Kebabs (original recipe can be found here)

Here’s a formal list of what you need:

-skewers

-2 bananas slices

-about 6 strawberries sliced

-your favourite recipe for pancakes. I must admit making tiny pancakes was a bit challenging!

Nutella or dulce leche

Instructions:

1. Spread nutella or dulce leche on each pancake.
2. Take a skewer and insert the tiny pancake, then a sliced strawberry and then a sliced banana.
3. Repeat!

Final Result:

Recipe #2: Granola Breakfast Pizza (original recipe can be found here)

Once again, all you need is a few ingredients:

Specifically you need:

3 cups of Granola

1 cup of Greek Yogurt (its important that its thick yoghurt)

1 cup of peanut butter

1/2 tbsp of cinnamon

1/2 cup of sliced almonds

Instructions:

1 Mix the granola and peanut butter in a bowl

2. Line parchment paper in a dish, and then spoon the mixture into it.

3. Place in the fridge for an hour or the freezer for 20 minutes. Note: I made the base a day in advance and kept it in the freezer overnight. You want to make sure that the base sticks together!!

4. Remove from pan and place on your serving dish. Spread greek yogurt (the thicker the better) on top of the granola mixture.

 

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Its that time of year where there’s a lot of entertaining going on. So I thought it might be useful to share two recipes for you.

The first recipe is ideal for breakfast or a brunch. I discovered it while flipping through a RICARDO magazine and thought “hmm..this sounds interesting AND easy”.  I tried it and it worked!! In the event you have never heard of Ricardo before, he is a well known media personality in Quebec who launched an English version of his magazine in 2014.

Basically all you need is some cheddar cheese (I used St.-Albert cheddar of course), Wonder Bread and a waffle maker (I used my beloved Breville Waffle Maker)

Place one piece of buttered Wonderbread onto the waffle maker (buttered side facing down), place some cheese on top, place another piece of buttered Wonderbread on top (buttered side facing up)…close the waffle maker for a few minutes and bingo you have these delicious Cheese Waffle Sandwiches (with NO MESS).

The second recipe is ideal for an appetizer for a party.

This Cheesy Spinach Artichoke Bread Dip Ring is once again super easy to make and delicious.

The entire recipe can be found on this video. 

But here’s a recap in case you don’t want to watch the video!!

Basically you take pizza dough and make golf sized balls. Place these balls in a greased, oven-proof dish. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes.

Mix in a bowl: sour cream, cream cheese, parmesan cheese, drained artichoke hearts, drained frozen spinach, garlic powder, salt and pepper

Place the spinach mixture into the centre of the oven-proof dish. Brush dough with an egg wash.

Bake at 350 F for 20 minutes. VOILA – delish appetizer

Happy Holidays!

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Today I hosted a brunch for the first time in a long time. It was a delight to put together the menu as I had seen a recipe on my facebook feed that inspired me (one of those sponsored posts!!).

I didn’t think it would turn out so I tested the recipe during the week to ensure that is was “guest worthy”. Guess what? It worked and was indeed guest worthy.

It’s a freakin’ brilliant recipe. The star of the recipe is …WONDER BREAD (believe it or not) and your rolling pin.

All you need is just a few ingredients and bingo you will have your main course!!

Here’s the recipe for Cinnamon Toast Roll Ups (original recipe here)

8 slices of WONDERBREAD
1/2 cup Ricotta Cheese (I added a touch of cream cheese too)

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 tbsp ground cinnamon

3/4 cup butter, melted

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1. Trim crusts from bread and flatten each slice with a rolling-pin.

2. In a medium bowl, combine Ricotta Cheese with a touch of cream cheese and stir until smooth.

3. In a separate bowl, combine granulated sugar and cinnamon; set aside.

4. Spread about 2 tablespoons of Ricotta Cheese mixture on each slice of bread. Roll up, jelly roll style. Dip in melted butter, then in cinnamon-sugar.

4. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Final Results

I served this along with:

-A gorgeous salad. (hint it was worth the visit to Wychwood Barns Farmers Market to pick up the edible flowers and the gorgeous salad mix)

-Spiralized cucumber salad

-Mozzarella, Basil and Tomato with a Balsamic Glaze (that I made myself. Thank. You. Very. Much!!

-Baked oatmeal cups (oops can’t find the photo)

-Watermelon Skewers dipped in Campari

-Baked eggs in a bun!!

As for refreshments: I served Campari in Soda with the cutest straws that I picked up at Michaels. By the way, I can’t remember the last time I went into Michaels but I clearly need to go more often. I could have bought a lot more than just the straws!!

More recipes in upcoming upcoming blogs K?. I promise.

Happy Brunch-ing

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I had the opportunity to visit the PC Insiders Collection Boutique last week, which is located at 363 King St. W (at the corner of Blue Jays Way and King St. W).  I had been following the hashtag #PCInsidersBoutique on Instagram so I had an idea what I was visiting but it was SO much better to experience it.

Here’s 5 Reasons You Should Visit the PC Insiders Boutique:

1. There are 4 rooms and one room is nicer than the other.  I actually heard that they’ve been decorating the space since August. There’s 4 rooms in total with a theme of Dine, Brunch, Mingle and Gift.

This “Gift” Room put a smile on my face in a nano-second.

2. You will be treated to yummy samples.  Specifically you will sample the PC® Insiders Collection™ line of products!!

The Boutique features more than 70 new and innovative products that have been launched for the holiday season.  Here’s an example of some of the treats you will sample:

Black Forest Stuffed French Toast made with PC® The Decadent® Chocolate Cherry Loaf and the indulgent PC® Poutine Pie, along with new treats like PC® Speculoos Cookie Butter. You won’t be left disappointed.

3. It’s FREE. #sweet

4. It’s a fun activity to put you in the mood for the holidays.

5. You will go home with a gift!!

So head on over to 363 King St. W (corner of King St. W and Blue Jays Way) to experience the PC® Insiders Collection™ line of products in person at the President’s Choice® Insiders Collection™ Boutique. Please note that the Boutique closes on Dec 18th. So Hurry!!

For more information:

Website: www.pc.ca, www.loblaws.ca

Facebook: President’s Choice

Twitter & Instagram: @PresChoice #PCInsidersCollection

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I think I hosted a brunch three times in six weeks. But thanks to Pinterest I didn’t serve the same thing over and over again. All I did was punch in the word “BRUNCH” and a ton of photos came up which provided just the right amount of inspiration.

The last brunch I made consisted of: Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries, Crustless Quiche, Baked Cinnamon French Toast, Baked Granola Cups, and a cheese platter. Needless to say, no one left hungry!

Plus, one of my guests brought this DELICIOUS baked brie.

Here’s one of the recipes that I found on Pinterest and was an instant hit with my guests:

CHEESECAKE STUFFED STRAWBERRIES (original recipe can be found on www.thegirlwhoateeverything.com)

Ingredients:

A container of strawberries

6 tablespoons of soft cream cheese ( a little goes a long way)

1 tsp of vanilla

1 or 2 graham crackers that I smashed into little crumbs!! (again – a little goes a long way)

Instructions:

1. Using a sharp knife, dig a cavity into the top of the strawberry.

2. Using a sharp knife, also take off the bottom of the strawberry so it stands up nice and pretty

3. Mix the cream cheese and the vanilla

4. Carefully spoon the cream cheese mixture into the cavity of the strawberry.

6. Sprinkle the graham cracker on top.

FINAL RESULT

Happy Cooking!!

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Meal planning is a challenge! I admit that often when I’m running on a treadmill, I’m thinking about what I will be serving for dinner or making for lunch.

In particular I find breakfast can be challenging. Mostly cause I’m always running late!!

In fact, according to a recent survey from the Loblaws and President’s Choice® teams, 68 per cent of Canadian parents have less than 10 minutes to make their child’s breakfast on a weekday.

So here’s a suggestion, make this treat THE NIGHT before. Just like you might make lunches the night before too.

With just a few ingredients I discovered a fabulous breakfast idea:

Baked Granola Cups (taken from www.chocolatecoveredkate.com)

Ingredients: 

• 1/4 cup PC® applesauce or mashed banana (I used both)
• 1/4 cup agave or honey
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/4 cup rolled oats
• yogurt

Instructions

Final Result!!

Then take out your favorite yogurt, add some fruit and bingo – you have yourself a tasty and pretty healthy breakfast.  Seeing as I’m always late there’s a good chance I will be eating this in the car! As you can see from this stat, I’m one of the 28%!!

• Twenty-eight per cent even said that they eat on the go (stop at fast food restaurant, ate the meal in the car, etc.) to ensure their children have a proper meal.

If you are looking for more great recipe ideas, please click here.  Loblaws and President’s Choice have put together  some delicious and nutritious recipes Canadian parents can cook in the time they actually have.

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

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As much as I love to discover new restaurants, I must admit that I really like to eat at home and I also love to entertain.

I swear I have been been sharing my food with friends, since I lived in a dorm at Tel Aviv University. Here’s some photos I dug up for proof.

I continued to have people over on a consistent basis throughout the next few decades.

Food unites people. It encourages good conversation, sharing and laughter, and it facilitates a communal experience. No matter where you are from, Real Canadian Superstore® has all the foods that will make you feel at home. I adore this store for many many reasons!!

Please take a peek at this heart-warming video which showcases how Real Canadian Superstore® has committed to uniting people through all of their favourite tastes of home. They believe that family is the secret ingredient to any special meal, so Real Canadian Superstore® brought food and family together for three deserving colleagues.

I really try to entertain at least every month. Lately I’ve been having fun serving brunch. It’s less stressful than serving a dinner and a bit more relaxed.

Last year, I hosted a ton of wine and cheese parties.

I encourage you to entertain as well. It’s not as hard as it looks and it really does bring people together.

Happy Entertaining.

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Long weekends are the perfect time to host a brunch. I started off with a trip to Evergreen Brick Works Farmers’ Market which provided inspiration to go home and start cooking.

For example: I bought a package of this…which I had never seen before and found out that it was totally edible and a member of the legume family!

Here’s what I managed to make in slightly over 2 hours:

1. Chopped Egg: Not only did I add a little cream cheese, but I added a touch of Kozlik’s Horseradish mustard to it. Plus..I decorated the plate with the above mentioned flowers.

2. Chopped Tuna. Here’s my little secret…add a touch of cream cheese when you mix up the tuna and the mayo together.

3. Salad: I bought a package of organic salad mix with edible flowers and threw it in the bowl with some more cut up romaine. How pretty is this?

4. Beet Borsht shooters: These shooters certainly were a conversation starter when guests arrived.

5. Asparagus Tart: SO. EASY. TO. MAKE. Click here for the recipe.

6. Blueberry Cobbler; Um…my guests really liked it. Can you tell? Click here for the recipe.

7. Mint Pea Salad: Always a summer hit however I forgot to take a photo. Can you believe?

8. Avocado Corn Salad: I added a small amount of jalapeno and this made all the difference. Click here for the recipe.

9. Roasted Tomato/Roasted Garlic with St. Albert Twisted Cheese on Pumpernickel Rounds

At the buffet, there were bagels, a small cheese tray, banana muffins and a cucumber salad too but I’m too tired to post anymore photos. Plus I don’t want to bore you!! However, here’s what the buffet looked like.

Can’t wait to entertain again!!

Happy Cooking.

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