Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

Source

I halved this recipe and it looks like it is going to make lots! Also, I couldn't find tomato puree so I used tomato sauce instead. I didn't use the onion powder, Italian seasoning or fresh parsley. I added thyme and chopped red pepper. I plan to freeze some and can add more veggies like mushrooms and zucchini later. I hope it tastes good, I'll have to update later!

Ingredients

2 cans crushed tomatoes
2 cans tomato puree
1 small can tomato paste
2-3 tbsp. olive oil
4-5 cloves fresh garlic
1-2 fresh onions
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
2 tbsp. fresh parsley, minced
1/2 tsp. dried basil or 2 tbsp. fresh, minced
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp. salt, or to taste (add near end of cooking)
1/2 tsp. black pepper

In a large heated pot with olive oil, add finely chopped onions. When halfway done, add minced garlic. Cook until browned. Add tomato paste and mix well. Then add tomato puree and crushed tomatoes. Season with salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, parsley, basil and Italian seasoning. Mix well. Cook for at least 6 hours on low heat.

This week's meal plan, hope we stick to this one!

Monday: I'm on my own so I'll have leftover goulash from Sunday.

Tuesday: Beef stew and dumplings (aka dough boys) Recipe to follow

Wednesday: Stuffed Peppers and roasted zucchini and cheese.

Thursday: Grilled chicken Caesar wraps and sweet potato fries

Friday: Homemade pizza and garlic fingers (Will include recipe for garlic fingers later too)

Saturday: Depends on if we go out of town

Sunday: Depends on if we go out of town

My favorite banana bread recipe!

I have been making this recipe for a while now and we both love it! I've made the change of using WW flour instead of white and I cut down on the sugar.  Resource for recipe

Ingredients

• 3 or 4 ripe bananas, smashed
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 1 cup sugar (can easily reduce to 3/4 cup)
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• Pinch of salt 
• 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour (WW flour)

Method

No need for a mixer for this recipe. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). With a wooden spoon, mix butter into the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the sugar, egg, and vanilla. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in. Add the flour last, mix. Pour mixture into a buttered 4x8 inch loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour. Cool on a rack. Remove from pan and slice to serve.

Yield: Makes one loaf.

Picture to follow: Cooking at the moment! 

Somewhat of a meal plan! Not good at sticking to it!

Let's see how well I stick to this! Update, we failed at sticking to this completely!! :P

Monday: Stuffed Peppers (Stuff peppers with ground beef, spinach, mozzarella cheese, cashews, zucchini, rice, onions, and mushrooms), steamed broccoli with cheese sauce.

UPDATE: We didn't have stuffed peppers, I have my fiance sick of them! We had homemade hamburgers on our new BBQ and spinach salad instead.

Tuesday: Weight Watchers Linguine Alfredo
UPDATE: We had Thursday's supper today, it was a late supper and busy day.

Wednesday: Chicken Caesar wraps with roasted sweet potatoes
UPDATE: We had beef tacos today!

Thursday: Three cheese stuffed pasta and spaghetti sauce with garlic bread
UPDATE: Not sure what I'll make today, this plan isn't going well at all!Tonight we had BBQ steak, sweet potatoes, grilled peppers and some baguette.

Friday: Home Made Pizza with Garlic Fingers
UPDATE: We got invited out for dinner so this will get pushed to another day, probably Saturday!

Saturday: Now we'll have pizza and garlic fingers. We didn't have pizza!! Haha, we had homemade chicken burgers and tomato basil soup!

Sunday: Beef Stew with dumplings (aka dough boys)
Probably not having this as my fiance is going away. May have goulash or some meal that he doesn't like!I'm making goulash for supper!

Our trip to Ucluelet and Tofino!

Blueberry Muffins (Made a bit healthier!)

This is a modification to my Mother-in-law's recipe. They are so yummy but I wanted to avoid the white flour. I took a little taste and they taste great! I can't even tell I added whole wheat flour!! I'll see what Evan thinks when he tries them! Stay tuned for my favorite banana bread next week!! (I LOVE it!)

Blueberry Muffins

Ingredients
2 cups flour (I used whole wheat)

2 tsp baking powder 

1/2 tsp salt 

1/2 cup butter 

1 cup sugar (I used 3/4 cup)

2 eggs 

1/2 cup milk 

1 tsp vanilla 

1 cup blueberries (I added an extra 1/4 cup)

*My addition to the recipe - 1/2 cup crushed bran flakes

Directions
Mix dry ingredients in large bowl not the sugar though. In another bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time. Mix in milk and vanilla. Make a well in centre of dry ingredients and pour in mixture. Stir just to moisten. Fold in blueberries. Fill greased muffin cups " full. Bake at 400 ̊ for 20 to 25 minutes until brown.

Notes
Makes about 1 dozen.

Here are some pictures of the process, I'm trying to increase my photography skills so bare with me!

Happy Birthday, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, Happy Valentine's Day and I'm engaged!

A lot has happened since the last time I posted! My golden birthday was in November and my fiance (then boyfriend) proposed while we were on a beautiful hike!! I will try to post pictures later. We are both so happy and cannot wait to get married in just over 6 months (August 27th)!!

We had a great Christmas while we were home with friends and family. I am looking forward to seeing them in August! New Year's came and went, nothing spectacular!

Shortly after New Year's we moved to BC and it's been great! I really miss my family and friends from home but the weather here is making up for it! I've also made some great friends since I've moved here!

Valentines Day was nice and special to enjoy together now that we're settled in BC. We went out for supper to the Keg! Wasn't my best experience there but I enjoyed the company!

My nephew is almost 1 year old and I have another nephew on the way just a few days after his brother's 1st birthday! Crazy hey? I cannot wait to be an Auntie again!!! It was amazing seeing my nephew a few weeks ago. I hadn't seen him for over 8 months! He's such a cutie!

I just thought I'd update a little as it's been forever. I will try to update more often!

Apple Crumb Muffins (Yummy)

Ingredients
1 cup of coarsely chopped apple 

1 tsp of lemon juice 

2 1/2 cups of flour 

6 tbsp of sugar 

1/4 cups of brown sugar 

4 tsp of baking powder 

1/2 tsp of salt 

1 1/4 cups of milk
1 egg 

1/4 cups of melted margarine

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Directions
Cut apples and toss in lemon juice. Mix together flour, 4 tbsp (1/4 cup) of sugar, brown sugar, baking powder and salt. Wisp together milk, egg, and margarine and pour over dry ingredients. Add apples while gently stirring. Mix remaining sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over top of muffins. Bake at 400 ̊ for 15-25 minutes.

Apple Crumble (Delicious!!)

4 c. sliced, pared, cored baking apples
2/3 to 3/4 c. brown sugar, packed
1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. rolled oats
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 tsp. nutmeg (I didn't have any so I added more cinnamon)
1/2 c. butter

1/2 c. All Bran buds (optional for extra fiber and crunchiness)

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Place sliced apples in greased square pan, 8 x 8 x 2 inches, or a baking dish, 10 x 6 x 12 inches, or a 1 1/2 quart baking dish. Blend remaining ingredients until mixture is crumbly. Spread over apples. Bake 30-35 minutes, or until apples are tender and topping is golden brown. Serve warm with cream, ice cream, or hard sauce.
Serves 6.

From Cooks.com

It's been a long while since I've posted...

So here are some pictures that I've taken since my last post! These are the most recent pictures from St. John's, NL. It was while we were on our hike with our dog. I will try to update a bit more.

Top of Cuckhold's Cove

Thought this was kind of peaceful.

This is why I love Fall!!!

Me trying to be artsy!!

One of our beautiful views!