Domestic Goodness – Page 6 – Urban Suburban Mommy

Latin Meat Stew (Biste)

Posted on May 17, 2016 by Urban Suburban Mommy Posted in Delicious Dishes, Domestic Goodness, Urban Suburban Mommy .

Who doesn’t love a great stew? Even better when it is super easy, quick and delicious to make. My sister-in-law taught me how to make Latin meat stew (otherwise known as Biste in Spanish) and of course when I make it, I score big points with the hubs.

If you feel like getting adventurous with your cooking by visiting a different culture in the kitchen – give this recipe you a try! I promise you’ll love it.

What you need:

4 large ripe tomatoes (Hot House are a good option), sliced and diced
1 large onion, sliced and diced
1 green pepper, sliced
A splash of olive oil
Salt, pepper and oregano to taste
Sazon Goya (Goya Seasoning) – you can find in Latin America grocery stores or in the international section of some supermarkets (I have made it without – so no stress if you can’t find it)
3-4 packages of thin fry steak (the beauty of this dish is you can substitute the beef for sliced chicken breast or thigh if you like). The fry steak should be cut into small strips

What you do:

Heat a splash of olive oil in a large stock pot. Add the onions and let them sweat for a couple of minutes. Turn up the heat to medium. Now add the tomatoes and green peppers. Stir them around with a wooden spoon. Add the cover to the pot and let the vegetables cook for about 5 minutes. Remove the lid and stir periodically. Reduce heat. The tomatoes, onions and green peppers should cook down into liquid/sauce. As this is happening, add your fry steak. Mix around with a spoon so that the meat browns. Add your salt, pepper, oregano and stir. The add 2 packets of Sazon Goya and stir through. The stew will turn a bright red. Return the lid and let the stew simmer for about 10 minutes.

Serve the stew over our Foolproof Rice. It is so tasty. Feel free to add a little hot sauce to take the dish to a whole other level. Of course, set some stew aside without hot sauce added so the kids can enjoy too!

Lime, raspberry & white chocolate drizzle cake

Posted on May 14, 2016 by Urban Suburban Mommy Posted in Delicious Dishes .

LIME, RASPBERRY & WHITE CHOCOLATE DRIZZLE CAKE:
Cut into hearty chunks and served with a dollop of thick cream or Greek yoghurt this is the best way to round off a lovely picnic lunch. You could use blueberries or blackberries instead of raspberries.

Cut this cake into hearty chunks and take it on a summer’s picnic or slice it in delicate fingers and nestle it amongst other dainty morsels on a fine china cake stand for afternoon tea. You can even serve it as a scrumptious dessert – straight from the oven, with clotted cream or crème fraîche. Aromatic limes with tangy raspberries and sweet velvety white chocolate… sheer bliss! I love making this cake in the summer with freshly picked raspberries, but you can make an equally delectable autumnal version by replacing the raspberries with blackberries.

What you need:

One 22cm (9 inch) square cake tin

FOR THE CAKE:

– 200g / 7oz raspberries (1½ cups)
– 225g / 8oz butter (2 sticks)
– 225g / 8oz golden caster sugar * (1 cup)
– 4 free-range eggs (UK medium / USA large) *
– 30g / 1oz ground almonds * (¼ cup)
– 2 limes, zest and juice
– 100g / 3½oz good quality white chocolate, broken into pieces (½ cup)
– 250g / 9oz plain flour * (2 cups)
– 10ml / 2 tsp baking powder

FOR THE LIME SYRUP:

– 85g / 3oz granulated sugar (6 Tbsp)
– Juice of 2 limes
– 45ml / 3 Tbsp boiling water
– 2.5ml / ½ tsp vanilla extract *
– Zest of 1 lime

What you do:

Makes 12 hearty portions (and many more delicate ones)

Before you start, spread the raspberries on a baking sheet and freeze them for about 30 minutes. (If you mix them into the cake batter without freezing them first, they break up and the cake turns bright pink!)

Preheat the oven to 160ºC / 320ºF.

Line the base and sides of the cake tin with baking parchment.

Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Beat the eggs lightly and add them to the creamed mixture in several batches, mixing well between each addition.

Add the ground almonds. Grate the lime zest directly into the mixture and then add the juice and fold in the white chocolate chunks.

Sift the flour and baking powder into the bowl and mix. Lastly, add the raspberries, taking care not to break them up.

Spoon the mixture into the cake tin. Bake for 35 – 40 minutes, until the cake is firm to the touch and golden in colour. You can also test it with a skewer to be sure it is cooked through.

While the cake is baking, make the lime syrup: Combine all the ingredients except the zest in a small heavy-based pan, stir well to dissolve the sugar and then boil for 3 minutes, until it becomes ‘syrupy’.

As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, prick the surface with a fine skewer. Sprinkle the lime zest onto the cake and spoon the syrup over it.

Leave the cake to cool completely and absorb all the syrup before removing it from the tin.

This cake is perfect as is, but you can decorate it with a drizzle of melted white chocolate or with fresh raspberries and a dusting of icing sugar.

Enjoy the picnic! If you’re craving more royal recipes, there are 100 more delicious dishes created by Robb, in her new cookbook: The Royal Touch: Simply Stunning Home Cooking From A Royal Chef. And if you’d like your very own copy, ACC Art Books is offering Urban Suburban Mommy’s readers a 35% discount, just use promo code: ROYAL to save on your order!

Carolyn Robb was Personal Chef to TRH Prince and Princess of Wales, Prince William and Prince Harry for ten years.

Soda bread

Posted on May 14, 2016 by Urban Suburban Mommy Posted in Delicious Dishes .

SODA BREAD:
I made this bread almost every day during my years as a royal chef. It is very quick and simple to make and I don’t think you will find a more delicious loaf than this. It is best eaten freshly baked, but makes really good toast on day two. If it comes out of the oven just before you go on your picnic you can wrap it in baking parchment and a tea-towel to keep it warm!

Of all the breads in this chapter, this is my favourite. It is simple, wholesome and quick to make. Be careful not to over-mix the dough. Unlike other breads, which require kneading to make them lighter, this dough requires as little handling as possible for a light texture. Don’t be alarmed if, a few hours after baking, you notice that any of the pine nuts or sunflower seeds in the bread have turned bright green. This is caused by a reaction between the anti-oxidants in the seeds and the bicarbonate of soda and it is nothing to worry about.

What you need:

– One flat baking sheet, at least 23cm (9 inches) wide
– 225g / 8oz plain flour * (2 cups)
– 10ml / 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda *
– 5ml / 1 tsp salt
– 225g / 8oz malted granary or whole wheat flour * (2 cups)
– 30g / 1oz soft butter (2 Tbsp) and a little extra butter for greasing the baking sheet
– 375ml / 1½ cups milk
– 125ml / ½ cup plain yoghurt
– 30ml / 2 Tbsp barley malt extract *
– 15ml / 1 Tbsp sesame seeds
– 15ml / 1 Tbsp linseed *

What you do:

Makes 1 round loaf, approximately 23cm (9 inches) in diameter

Preheat the oven to 200ºC / 400ºF.

Rub a little butter onto the baking sheet.

Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt into the largest mixing bowl that you have, tip in any whole grains that don’t go through the sieve.

Rub the butter into the dry ingredients, using your fingertips.

Whisk together the milk, yoghurt and malt extract. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour in most of the milk mixture; reserving a little to add in later if needed.

Working as quickly and lightly as possible with a round-bladed knife, mix the dough and then bring it together into one ball with your hands; it will be soft and still slightly sticky. Tip it onto a lightly floured surface and, without kneading it, shape it into a round of about 20cm (8 inches) in diameter and about 3 – 4cm (1¼ – 1½ inches) thick. The less the dough is handled, the lighter the bread will be.

Lift the bread onto the baking sheet, re-shaping if necessary. Cut a deep cross in the top and sprinkle with seeds.

Bake for 30 – 40 minutes until the bread is golden. To check if it is cooked, tap it on the bottom – it will sound hollow when ready. Cool on a wire rack.

For a crisp crust, leave the bread uncovered. For a soft crust, rub a little butter onto the crust as soon as the bread comes out of the oven then wrap the bread in some baking parchment paper and then in a slightly damp tea-towel.

This is best served very fresh from the oven, while it is still warm. Traditionally, it is broken into quarters and then sliced. It also makes very good toast on day two!

Variations

Add a handful of chopped fresh herbs of your choice: parsley, chives, thyme, rosemary and sage all work well.

For a sweet bread, add a handful of chopped plump dried figs or dates and a few pecans. Sprinkle the top with a little cinnamon sugar instead of seeds.

Carolyn Robb was Personal Chef to TRH Prince and Princess of Wales, Prince William and Prince Harry for ten years.

Asparagus, Swiss chard & goat’s cheese tart

Posted on May 14, 2016 by Urban Suburban Mommy Posted in Delicious Dishes .

ASPARAGUS, SWISS CHARD & GOATS CHEESE TART:
This tart is a must for a picnic; accompanied by a simple salad and minted new potatoes. The filling can be varied according to taste and what ingredients you have available. You can make one large tart or individual ones with different fillings, to satisfy all tastes!

The crust of this tart does more than just hold the filling in place – it is delicious in its own right. I use half malted granary flour, some of my favourite seeds and fresh thyme and chives in the pastry, which give it plenty of texture, colour and flavour. If you are in a hurry you can use pre-prepared pastry, but nothing can surpass home-made pastry.

What you need:

One 23cm (9 inch) metal flan ring or fluted loose bottomed flan tin, ceramic baking beans. *

FOR THE PASTRY:

– 115g / 4oz cold butter (1 stick)
– 85g / 3oz plain flour * (⅔ cup)
– 85g / 3oz malted granary flour * (⅔ cup)
– 5ml / 1 tsp linseed *
– 5ml / 1 tsp poppy seeds
– 5ml / 1 tsp pumpkin seeds
– 1 free-range egg yolk (UK medium / USA large) *
– 20ml / 4 tsp cold water
– Pinch of salt
– 1 tsp finely chopped chives
– ½ tsp fresh thyme leaves

FOR THE FILLING:

– 20 spears of asparagus, (approx 500g / 1lb 2oz)
– 150g / 5oz Swiss chard
– 2 large shallots
– 55g / 2oz finely grated parmesan (½ cup)
– 125g / 4oz goats’ cheese log with a bloomy rind
– 200ml / ¾ cup double cream *
– 200ml / ¾ cup crème fraîche
– 3 free-range eggs (UK medium / USA large) *
– Salt, pepper and nutmeg
– Paprika and a handful of pine nuts *

What you do:

For the pastry: Put all the ingredients into a food processor. Using the ‘pulse’ button, process until the mixture resembles chunky breadcrumbs. (To make by hand: Mix the flour, seeds, salt and herbs. Rub in the butter, then mix in the egg and water). Tip the mixture onto a lightly floured surface and bring it together with the hands to form a smooth ball, working as lightly as possible.

On a lightly floured board, roll out the pastry into a circle of approximately 36cm (14 inches) diameter and to a thickness of 5mm (¼ inch). Line the flan ring with the pastry, leaving the pastry standing at least 1cm (½ inch) above the top of the tin, to allow for shrinkage when it cooks. If you use scissors to trim the top it is less likely to shrink down. Chill for at least 20 minutes before baking.

Preheat the oven to 200ºC / 400ºF.

Line the flan with baking parchment or foil and fill it with ceramic baking beans. Bake for 15 minutes then remove the beans and bake for a further 5 – 10 minutes to crisp up the base.

For the filling: Prepare the asparagus by snapping off the woody end sections of the stems and discarding them, then cut off the tips and keep to one side. Cut the remainder of the stems into 5cm (2 inch) lengths. Cook the tips lightly in boiling salted water, then remove and cook the stems, which will take a little longer. Chill in cold water when cooked, drain and keep on one side.

Wash the Swiss chard. Remove the coarse stems. Blanch the leaves in boiling, salted water for just a few seconds, or longer if the leaves are large and coarse. Drain well.

Chop the shallots very finely and place them in the base of the tart. Sprinkle with half of the parmesan, then lay the asparagus and chard on top, finish with the remaining parmesan.

Slice the goats’ cheese log into 9 rounds and arrange them on the top of the asparagus and chard.

Whisk together the cream, crème fraîche and eggs. Season with a pinch of salt and nutmeg and a few twists of black pepper and pour over the tart. Sprinkle with pine nuts and dust with paprika.

Bake at 190ºC / 375ºF for 30 minutes or until the filling is set and the top is golden in colour. Serve warm.

Carolyn Robb was Personal Chef to TRH Prince and Princess of Wales, Prince William and Prince Harry for ten years.

Curried chicken salad with mango and cashews

Posted on May 14, 2016 by Urban Suburban Mommy Posted in Delicious Dishes .

CURRIED CHICKEN SALAD WITH FRESH MANGO & TOASTED CASHEWS:
‘Coronation chicken’ was originally created to celebrate HM The Queen’s coronation in 1953. This recipe is my interpretation of the dish and what better recipe to use for a picnic in her Majesty’s 90th birthday year!

This is my interpretation of Coronation chicken, a dish that was created especially for Her Majesty The Queen’s Coronation celebrations in June 1953. When I make this, it always brings back fond memories of the many buffet lunches that I prepared aboard HMY Britannia (the Royal Yacht). It was a favourite to put on the menu when we had a large number of guests to feed, particularly when we were in a hot climate. My most memorable lunch was one when the Britannia was at anchor right next to Tower Bridge in London on a beautiful summer’s day. Wherever in the world we were, when we were on board the royal yacht it felt as if we had brought a tiny corner of Britain with us. It had a wonderful feel to it and it always looked very spectacular, with each last tiny piece of brass detail glistening, the paintwork totally immaculate, every corner of wooden deck scrubbed until it was pristine and a fantastically colourful array of flags and ensigns flapping in the breeze.

What you need:

FOR THE SAUCE:

– 45ml / 3 Tbsp curry powder
– 30ml / 2 Tbsp honey
– 45ml / 3 Tbsp white wine
– 60ml / 4 Tbsp mango chutney
– 225ml / 1 cup mayonnaise
– 100ml / ½ cup double cream *
– 4 cooked chicken breasts (approximately 650g / 1lb 7oz)

FOR THE MIXED GRAIN SALAD:

– 225g / 8oz mixed bulgur wheat and red and white quinoa (1½ cups)
– ½ sweet red pepper
– ½ orange pepper
– ½ yellow pepper
– 60g / 2oz sweet corn (½ cup)
– 60g / 2oz peas (½ cup)
– ½ courgette *

DRESSING:

– 30ml / 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
– 90ml / 6 Tbsp olive oil
– 5ml / 1 tsp wholegrain mustard
– 5ml / 1 tsp honey
– 15ml / 1 Tbsp finely chopped parsley
– Salt and pepper to taste

FOR THE GARNISH:

– 55g / 2oz raw cashews (½ cup)
– 1 perfectly ripe mango
– 1 small avocado
– 10ml / 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
– A handful of cress or micro-greens
– A handful of edible flowers, such as nasturtiums

What you do:

Make the sauce: Simmer the curry powder and honey together in a small heavy-based saucepan for a few minutes, watching it closely as it catches and burns very easily.

Add the wine and chutney and cook for a further 3 minutes, then leave to cool.

When completely cold, stir the curry mixture into the mayonnaise. Whip the cream and then fold it into the curried mayonnaise.

Dice the chicken into 1cm (½ inch) cubes and mix it into the sauce. (If possible, leave the chicken overnight before serving.

Make the mixed grain salad: Cook the grains according to the instructions. Drain and leave to cool.

Dice the peppers, cook the peas and sweet corn and grate the courgette. Toss all the vegetables into mixed grains.

Make the dressing by shaking all the ingredients together in a jar. Season to taste. Add the dressing to the mixed grain salad and mix well.

Lightly toast the cashews. Dice the mango. Slice the avocado and sprinkle with lemon juice.

Pile the chicken in the centre of a plate or dish and surround it with the mixed grain salad. Decorate with mango, avocado, cashews, cress and edible flowers.

Carolyn Robb was Personal Chef to TRH Prince and Princess of Wales, Prince William and Prince Harry for ten years.

Salad of prosscuitto-wrapped peaches with figs & buffalo mozzarella

Posted on May 14, 2016 by Urban Suburban Mommy Posted in Delicious Dishes .

SALAD OF PROSCUITTO-WRAPPED PEACHES WITH FIGS & BUFFALO MOZZARELLA:
This is a wonderful way to begin a picnic and the salad can be presented in a salad bowl or in a box for ease of packing and transporting it.

What you need:It is always good to have a recipe up your sleeve that can be put together in a matter of minutes. This salad is extremely quick to prepare. However it is definitely a summer dish, to be made when juicy peaches are at their sweet and succulent best. When peaches are not in season, try combining pears with crispy proscuitto and crumbled Rocquefort cheese. An aged Balsamic vinegar and a fruity olive oil complement the stronger flavours of this salad perfectly.

– 50g / 2oz pecan halves (½ cup)
– 30ml / 2 Tbsp light olive oil
– Salt, pepper, brown sugar & chilli powder
– 2 large, perfectly ripe yellow peaches
– 12 slices of prosciutto
– 4 ripe figs
– 2 balls of buffalo mozzarella (250g / 9oz)
– A handful of washed wild rocket *
– 120ml / 8 Tbsp walnut oil
– 60ml / 4 Tbsp raspberry vinegar
– Freshly ground black pepper
– Freshly milled sea salt

What you do:

To prepare the spiced pecans, place them on a baking tray, drizzle the oil over them and sprinkle with salt, pepper, sugar and chilli powder. Shake the tray to distribute the seasoning evenly. Bake at 170ºC / 325ºF for 12 – 15 minutes. Leave to cool.

Cut each peach into 6 segments. I leave the skin on, but you can peel them for those who don’t like the ‘furry-ness’ of peach skin.

Wrap one piece of prosciutto around each segment of peach.

Cut each fig into 3 segments.

Tear each mozzarella ball into 6 pieces.

Arrange 3 pieces each of peach, fig and mozzarella alternately around each plate in a circle.

Place a little bundle of rocket leaves in the centre.

Sprinkle on a few spiced pecans.

Spoon a little walnut oil and then the raspberry vinegar over the salad.

Finish with a twist of black pepper and a twist of salt. Serve immediately.

Carolyn Robb was Personal Chef to TRH Prince and Princess of Wales, Prince William and Prince Harry for ten years.

Mmmmmmmmm macarons

Posted on April 19, 2016 by urbansuburbanmommy Posted in Delicious Dishes .

We love when Nicole gets into the kitchen. Always creative, here kids are a great inspiration and she enjoys trying out new things! When she made these gorgeous Macarons, we just *had* to ask.

Nicole: Every mom knows that kids (especially little girls for the most part) love and I mean LOV E tea parties. In February I decided to take advantage of one of the seemingly plentiful days off of school to host a tea party for my five-year-old daughter. Call it sleep deprivation, glutton for punishment or I just really like a challenge – but I decided at 4am the morning of her tea party to try my hand at making macarons. Have you ever attempted to whisk eggs without the use of a mixer till stiff peaks form – JUST to avoid waking the small people in your house at a completely unacceptable hour? No? I would suggest that unless you want to avoid a very good arm work out – plan ahead and make these a day ahead!

The recipe that I used called for almond flour, something I didn’t have on hand – however I did have whole almonds. A tip I found after-the-fact – if you are going to make your own almond flour for this recipe, process your almonds as fine as possible (without turning them into almond butter). I put them through my sifter to get out any larger pieces that remained, then process them one more time with the confectioners’ sugar to make sure that everything had a consistent texture. Also, if you do not have superfine sugar, you can process regular sugar in a spice mill/coffee grinder for a few seconds and it comes pretty close! As you can see in the picture – I don’t own a macaron mat however if you are a perfectionist you can trace circles on one side of parchment paper (just make sure you pipe the batter onto the opposite side you draw on, or you can be a rebel like me and free hand it.

What you need:

Macaron:
– 2/3 cup almond meal or ground almonds
– 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
– 3 large egg whites, room temperature and preferably aged up to 3 days
– 5 tablespoons granulated sugar
– 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
optional:
– gel coloring to get the color you want
– flavours like cocoa or various extracts

Creamy filling:
– 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
– 2 egg yolks
– 1/4 cup granulated sugar
– 3 1/2 tablespoons milk
– 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (I swapped this for peppermint extract)
options:
food coloring, gel color or natural food extract color

What you do:

Macaron:

Preheat the oven to 280ºF, and position 2 racks in the lower section of the oven. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. If you have time, draw 1-inch circles on the back of each sheet, spacing the circles at least 1/2-inch apart.
If your almond meal is very coarse, grind it with the powdered sugar in a food processor until fine. Sift the almond meal-powdered sugar mixture twice through a mesh sieve. Add any dry food flavorings to the this mixture.
Place egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer (or use a hand mixer), and begin to beat on medium-high. When the eggs are frothy, gradually add granulated sugar 1 tablespoon at a time until fully incorporated. Continue to beat the egg white mixture until glossy and stiff peaks form when you lift the beaters. Gently stir in the vanilla extract. Add the gel food coloring to meringue. Be careful to not overbeat the meringue (e.g., the meringue takes on a clumpy texture).
Add half of the sifted almond mixture, and gently fold it into the meringue using a flexible silicone spatula. Lift from the bottom, up around the sides, and toward the middle, being careful to not overagitate the meringue and lose too much air. Once the almond mixture is predominantly incorporated, add the second half and repeat the folding motion.
When the almond mixture is just incorporated, you will need to transform the batter into the appropriate texture. Using the flat of the spatula, “punch” down into the center of the batter, then scrape more batter from the sides to the center, and punch again. You will need to repeat this 10-15 times (or more, depending on your arm strength and the beginning texture of your batter) until the batter slowly and continuously drips back into the bowl when you scoop it up with the spatula. Think of the consistency of molten lava. For the best results, punch the batter a few times, check the consistency, then punch a few more times, etc. Do not make the batter too runny or the macarons won’t rise as they should, and you could end up with oil stains on the surface.
Pour batter into a pastry bag fitted with a 0.4-inch tip. In a pinch, you can also use a gallon-size Ziploc bag: just snip a teeny bit from one of the bottom corners. Twist and clip the top of the bag to avoid overflow. On your prepared baking sheets, pipe out 1-inch rounds in the circles you drew (remember to draw the circles on the back side of your parchment to avoid ink or pencil stains on your macarons!).
Holding the baking sheet in both hands, rap each baking sheet firmly on the counter two or three times. This smooths out the tops and helps form the “pied” or frilly foot on the bottoms of the macarons. Allow the piped macarons to dry, uncovered, for at least 15 minutes. The macarons should form a very thin, smooth crust where, if you tap it lightly with your finger, the batter will not stick to your finger. If after 15 minutes, the batter is still sticky, let it dry longer. This may take up to an hour on humid days.
Place both baking sheets in the oven and bake for 15-18 minutes. After the first 2 minutes, open the oven to allow any excess humidity to escape. Halfway through, swap oven racks and rotate the sheets for even baking. The macarons are done when they are baked all the way through and the shells are just hard. Take care to not underbake (insides will still be mushy) or overbake (tops will begin to brown). Remove them from the oven, and cool on baking sheet placed on a wire rack.
When fully cooled, assemble the macarons with your choice of filling. The assembled macarons can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Creamy filling:

Cut butter into pieces, and mash with a spatula until the consistency resembles mayonnaise.
In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks, then add the granulated sugar, and whisk until the mixture lightens to an off-white and you can no longer see the granules of sugar. Add the milk, and whisk to combine.
Pour the egg mixture into a small saucepan, and heat over low heat, whisking frequently to ensure that the mixture does not curdle or scorch. Cook until the mixture becomes thick and custardy, like pudding.
Pour the egg mixture back into its bowl, and whisk constantly until it returns to room temperature. Whisk in the butter in three batches, add the vanilla, add the food coloring and stir until smooth and all ingredients are fully combined. Pipe or spread onto one macaron half and sandwich between the other.

I chose to tint the filling and not the cookie itself – using mint extract in place of vanilla. Believe me when I say I can understand why this is Parisian favorite – who doesn’t like a pillowy cloud of flavored sugar? I know my daughter and her friends sure did! I based mine off of this recipe.

The bottomless piña colada

Posted on April 12, 2016 by urbansuburbanmommy Posted in Delicious Dishes .

We just got back from a wonderful week in Mexico. While I know the “all inclusive resort” life isn’t really Mexico, it was a great – and much needed getaway, where I was able to consume way too many piña coladas and enjoy the beach day after day after day.

I’m back home.

It’s cold.

The harsh, sober reality of no more days by the pool has hit. The only thing to do now is perfect my piña colada recipe and share it. I hope you’ll mix up a batch too, and enjoy some dreams of sunshine and beaches with me.

What you need:

– 3 ounces rum – you can use cocnut rum, golden rum, white rum, light rum – I like Appleton White Jamaica Rum, but Bacardi, Captain Morgan, Royal Oak Trinidadian Rum and the German Old Guadeloupe are delish too.
– 5 ounces pineapple juice
– 3 ounces coconut cream
– 10-15 ice cubes (or frozen pinapple chunks)

What you do:

Easy peasy: Toss it all into the blender until it’s whipped smooth and frothy. Pour into 2 frosted glasses and garnish with a chunk of frozen pineapple.
(Seriously, 3 shots of rum – you should share, though you don’t have to!)

¡Salud!

Chicken Zucchini Poppers

Posted on April 5, 2016 by urbansuburbanmommy Posted in Delicious Dishes .

We love when Nicole cooks. It always looks as good as it tastes with this fabulous photographer, and we think the things she tries out are just amazing. She’s creative in the kitchen and we’d love to take a page out of this mama’s book! If you liked her Beet Chip Massacre and her Baked Butternut Zig Zag Blackbean Taquitos, you’re going to loooooove the Chicken Zucchini Poppers! But let her tell you herself:

If you’re like me, you TRY to get your kids to eat as many fruits and vegetables as possible. Now I admit, my kids are actually pretty good about this however I do know some who are not. I am ALL about packing in anything extra that I can though, because well it certainly can not hurt right? When a recipe also works out so that making extra and freezing it for nights that are hectic (hello, baseball season is upon us – between practices, games and my daughter’s ballet classes I am all for quick and easy dinners).

I have even crazy things like lightly sautéing freshly chopped spinach and tossing that in too. Like I said, I am all for tossing veggies in where ever I can! This is totally a Pinterest find (Adapted from http://www.onelovelylife.com/chicken-zucchini-poppers-gf-df/) that I actually made, and daresay improved upon if for no other reason then I sort of combined it with another recipe I have for sausage balls.

To make ahead for those crazy nights I double the recipe.

What you need:

-1lb Chicken breast
-2 medium zucchinis (grated, peel on)
-2-3 green onions sliced or 1 small onion finely diced
-1-3 tbls Taco seasoning (this is to taste, or you can use just about any seasoning that is a favorite in your family)
-1 clove minced garlic or 1tbs garlic powder
-4oz ricotta cheese (or you can use cream cheese)

Optional: Toss in a tablespoon or so of Milled flaxseed not only does it work well to help “bind” but it’s full of healthy nutrients kids and adults need!

What you do:

Preheat your oven to 400°. Mix the ingredients all together, scoop into meatballs and place onto greased pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown.

Depending on the seasonings you use – kiddos of all ages can dip these into ketchup, salsa, sour cream (my daughter’s choice, regardless of seasoning), guacamole or even barbecue sauce. Really you can take this in any direction you want!

To freeze and reheat: cool and place in a Ziploc bag and toss in the freezer. Depending on your microwave, I typically heat 4 at a time for roughly 1:30.

Organize your front entry DIY project

Posted on April 4, 2016 by kasiawdesigns Posted in DIY .

This simple DIY can be used in a front entry, mudroom or even laundry room. It helps to keep the family organized and ready for school in the morning. It not only adds decor to your space but offers a convenient way to hang your kids backpacks, scarves or even yet your own purse.

STEPS + TOOLS

1. Decide on the species of wood you want to use, knotty or not. You can get your pieces cut down at your local Hardware Store (Home Depot, Lowes) – I used 1×8 Knotty Pine planks that I had cut down into 24″ lengths.

2. Once you bring it home, give the edges some sanding to smooth them out and get rid of any jagged pieces of wood.

3. You can either paint your wood planks a solid color or stain them. I used a wiping stain by Old Masters – I prefer using a wiping stain because it brings out the grain and knots of the wood much better – the stain I used was custom mixed to match my hardwood floors – which in the end ties in really well with the rest of my space.

4.Once you have applied your stain to the edges and both front and back surface your can either finish it off with a clear top coat or leave it as is.

5.Once dry, stick on your frame with a photo of the family member inside (you can also include family pets and hang their leash from the hook), I used the No More Nails tape (extra strength) to stick on both frame and wooden letter.

6. Position your hook on the wooden plank – I drilled two pilot holes for each of my hooks to avoid the wood from splitting. Once the pilot holes are drilled then use screws to secure the hooks. I really like the Ikea Bjarnum hooks because they fold in, which makes it very convenient when they are not in use, everything is flush with no protruding items.

7. Lastly hang them on your wall and enjoy!

Kasia Waloszczyk

Kasia Waloszczyk, Urban Suburban Mommy’s Design and Decor expert is an accredited Interior Stylist/Decorator. She also runs her own design company, Kasia Waloszczyk DESIGNS, a savvy and trendy décor service that caters to clients in the Greater Toronto Area. As a colour expert, Waloszczyk has held independent seminars on colour and pattern trends. She has also worked with design firms overseas, developing textile colours, designs, and patterns applicable for the North American market.

Gifted with a keen eye for colours and shades, Kasia Waloszczyk has been applying her colour and design techniques for more than 15 years in the industry. A design expert on CTV’s The Marilyn Denis Show, Waloszczyk’s work has always kept her ahead of design trends and has also given her an in-depth expertise on fabrics for creative custom window treatments and unique upholstery, for both residential and commercial spaces.

KasiaWDesigns.com

@kasiaw_designs

Seared tuna steaks

Posted on March 29, 2016 by urbansuburbanmommy Posted in Delicious Dishes .

We barbecue everything, and we barbecue all year long – whether it’s snowing, raining or the sun is shining. There’s nothing like the flavour of something hot off the grill. We have a great barbecue, I bought it for my husband from the boys for Father’s Day the year we moved into this house. I even assembled it for him. But the fact is, I like using it just as much as he does – and I’ve got quite the knack for cooking with fire. The kids will eat anything off of the grill.

Anything.

One of the simplest, fastest dishes I make on the grill is Seared Tuna Steaks. I first tried this dish in Jaco Beach in Costa Rica about 16 years ago, and have since had it in a few restaurants, but my version is my fave. Just 2, maybe 3 ingredients, this takes all of 20 minutes from marinade to table.

What you need:

– Tuna steaks (one per person)
– Soy sauce
– wasabi or hosreradish dijon mustard (optional)

What you do:

Get a baking dish that is big enough to put all of the tuna steaks flat into the bottom of the dish, in a single layer. Pour a quarter inch of soy into the dish. Turn barbecue on high while they marinate. Flip the tuna steaks over and let other side marinate until the barbecue is nice and hot.

Cooking is fast work and a little finicky. You need to cook each steak for 1 to 2 minutes per side, plus the edges. Put them down and close the lid. After a minute turn them to create cross-hatch marks. Flip and do the same on the other side. After both sides are cooked, turn one side down to low. Put the finished steaks on the upper shelf on the low heat side while you use tongs to hold the tuna steak up so that you can sear it around the edges. Do this for all steaks. outsides will be cooked and meaty looking, but when you cut into the steaks, they should look cooked about a centimetre or two around the outside, but completely pink through the middle. It’s so deliciously tender with the rare centre.

Kozlik’s Horseradish Dijon

Serve it hot – these cook quickly. Or serve them cooled. You can serve the tuna steaks whole, or slice them into thin strips, almost like half-cooked sashimi. The flavour is amazing on its own, or you can serve it with a side of wasabi soy: Mix wasabi with soy in a small bowl or ramekin. The amount of wasabi depends on how much heat you like. For a different kind of a kick, serve with horseradish dijon. I’m addicted to Kozlik’s Horseradish Dijon, but you can mix your own (or order one – it’s worth it!! Their other flavours, like curried dijon or lime and honey dijon are pretty mouthwatering too, a good pairing for Tuna Steaks.)

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