xổ số miền nam 60 ngày

Brown Sugar and Chia Steel Cut Oats

I’ve been making this oatmeal for Matthew since he first started spooning food into his own mouth. He’ll be five in February, which is proof it’s got some staying power when it comes to family meals.

My other boys liked oatmeal well enough, but not so much that I committed a specific recipe to memory like I have this one. They would eat it periodically, especially when the view out the dining room window looked more like the inside of a snow globe. My little guy is a bit different though, and instead to chooses to eat oatmeal whenever the opportunity presents itself, especially when it’s topped with creamy peanut butter and fruity jam.

What I like best about this breakfast is that it’s quick cooking and can easily be doubled or tripled to make extra for another day. Something I almost always do. I keep a lidded container full in the fridge and reheat it throughout the week. These types of recipes hold a lot of appeal to me these days, and when I realized I’ve NEVER shared this recipe anywhere before I thought it was high time you got in on this brilliant breakfast as well.

One thing I have to mention is that I make this with quick-cooking steel cut oats, not the regular kind. I like them best, as they’re kind of hybrid between the traditional kind and old-fashioned oats, giving you the best of both worlds in one bowl. I buy mine at Costco, but I’m certain they must exist elsewhere.

 

Brown Sugar and Chia Steel Cut Oats

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 cup quick-cooking steel cut oats
• 3 tablespoons chia seeds
• 2 to 4 tablespoons brown sugar, depending on desired sweetness
• ? teaspoon cinnamon
• Pinch salt
• 2 cups milk of choice (I like oat)
• 1 cup water
• Toppings of choice: cream, milk, fruit, maple syrup, peanut butter, jam, etc.

 

1. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Add the oats and toss to combine, stirring them around the pot for a minute or two, or until they begin to toast and smell fragrant.

2. Quickly add the chia seeds, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt and stir well. Pour in the milk and water and stir to combine. Turn the heat up to medium-high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed and the oats are tender with a bit of bite, stirring intermittently. Spoon into bowls and finish with desired toppings.

 

11 Kid-Approved Crunchy Garnishes for Soup

According to my own personal calendar, it’s SOUPtember. This is the month where I gather all the tools and ingredients necessary to make an (almost) daily pot of soup. It’s easily my favourite food group, and I heavily rely on it to keep everyone well fed in the cooler months. Sometimes I wonder if my fixation on soup has more to do with how much I love the garnishes than what's actually in the bowl, but when you look at the photo above can you blame me?

Hearty, chunky, colourful soups hold up well on their own and need little adornment to look and taste good, but puréed soups can appear a little plain and usually benefit from a final flourish to elevate them once they are in the bowl.

I feel the same about packing soup for the school lunch box. If I include something fun to sprinkle into the thermos, it’s a meal that Matthew gets a little more excited about. Nuts are not an option of course, but other crunchy toppings are definitely his favourite way to boost the enthusiasm of eating soup for lunch, and anything cheesy is just an added bonus.

Why crunchy garnishes? Often comprised of a store-bought snack, they require no additional prep work or cooking time. Also, garnishes with some crunch are usually easier to take on-the-go. Not to mention, they seem a little more fun and unexpected, making them instantly kid-approved! We’re really partial to the Nothing But Cheese puffed cheese bites as they are packed with protein, made with Canadian milk and created right here in Canada.

Here are 11 of our favourite toppings to use on a bowl of soup:

• Pumpkin seeds
• Croutons
• Nothing But Cheese (puffed cheese bites)
• Crostini
• Popcorn
• Crushed potato chips
• Roasted chickpeas
• Baked pie dough trimmings (kind of like crisp crackers)
• Cheese straws
• Saltine crackers
• Fish crackers

How do you like to garnish your soup?

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This post is sponsored by Ivanhoe Cheese. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Family Bites!

Creamy Italian Chicken Noodle Soup

Hello, hello.

After a l-o-n-g hiatus, I’ve decided it might be time to return to blogging. I’m not even sure if blogging is a thing anymore (is it?), but I've missed it, and after almost twenty years of hands-on parenting I finally (finally!) have all of our kids in full-time school, leaving me with more free time than I’ve had in almost five years. So here I am.

I almost didn’t know what to do with myself last week after I left my Matthew at the fenced in Kindergarten doors. It took me a few days to recalibrate and get over sending one of the other boys away to school again (I can confirm that second year university drop off isn’t that much easier than first year), and now I feel like the house is cleaned and organized for the first time in years and I’m ready to see what’s next for me and my work.

I heard from plenty of you over on Instagram who shouted that what you really want to hear about first is the slow cooker chicken noodle soup I posted a picture of last week. It was wise of you all to unanimously request the recipe. This is one of the easiest dinners I’ve put on the table since school started, and it was a hit with everyone, especially this mom who now has a newly developed appreciation for crowd-pleasing, simple weeknight dinners. Despite having the time, I realize that I don’t want to spend as many hours making a Wednesday night dinner as I once did. I’m reserving those more adventurous meals for the weekends now, and I suspect you might feel the same way.

I hope you all enjoy this one. Let me know what you think!

 

Creamy Italian Chicken Noodle Soup

You can cook the pasta directly in the slow cooker, if desired. I have done this but I’m not crazy about the texture of the pasta using this method. To be honest, I find it a little gummy. To give it a try, add the pasta to the slow cooker with the shredded chicken, turn the heat to high and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the pasta has reached the desired doneness. Serves 6.

 

6 cups chicken broth

3 tablespoons pesto, plus extra for serving

5 (about 1 ? lbs.) boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1 cup fresh spinach finely chopped

1 red pepper, deseeded and finely diced

2 garlic cloves, grated or pressed

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 teaspoon salt

? teaspoon dried basil

1 cup 5% or 10% cream

1 tablespoons corn starch

4 cups dried pasta

Optional: grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

 

1. Place chicken stock, pesto, chicken thighs, spinach, red pepper, garlic, oregano, salt and basil in a 6-quart slow cooker and stir to combine. Cook on low for 6 hours, or until the chicken is cooked through.

2. Remove the chicken and transfer to a plate. Whisk together the cream and corn starch and add to the slow cooker. Shred the chicken with two forks and return to the slow cooker.

3. Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the package directions, drain and set aside.

4. To serve, place a cup or so of the pasta in the bottom of a bowl and spoon the soup over top. Garnish with a dollop of pesto and freshly grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Oven to Table: The Cover Reveal

I’ve been so excited to write these words: My next book, From Oven to Table: Over 100 One-Pan and One-Pot Recipes for Your Sheet Pan, Skillet, Dutch Oven and More, will be published by Penguin Random House Canada on February 5^th, 2019.

Note: If you a newsletter subscriber, I apologize for flooding your inbox twice in as many days with this news, so please do forgive me. :)

I started writing this book almost two years ago, and by the time you are able to hold a physical copy in your hands, 26 months will have passed. In that time, my baby has grown into a full-fledged pre-schooler, my oldest son left home in pursuit of higher learning, and the middle one took on his first part-time job. We also experienced a few heartbreaking changes in our extended family, one of which required Rob to make near-daily trips to the hospital for four months. In addition to being incredibly proud of this piece of work, I also feel that so much of my family’s day-to-day life was weaved into the creation of it, and for that reason alone it holds such a special place in my heart.

Corn and Zucchini Risotto, Two Ways

I’ve seen a lot of “what’s saving my life” type of articles floating around the internet this summer, so I thought I would play along. Here’s a look at what I’m feeling an immense amount of gratitude for these days:

Books: On January 1^st, I set an arbitrary goal to read 50 books this year. I’m on book 32 at the moment and feel hopeful that I’ll hit my target. Some of my favourites: Educated; Girl, Wash Your Face; The Wedding Date; It Ends with Us; Beartown; An American Marriage; The Kiss Quotient.

Tissue: Ben leaves for University on Saturday. There really isn’t anything more to say about that other than this: who knew that successfully achieving a goal (loving, caring for and nurturing a child from infancy through to young adulthood before launching them into the next stage of life) could leave you so dang sad and heartbroken? Also, a PSA: if your toddler is a huge Buzz and Woody fan AND you have a child moving away to University in five days DO NOT watch Toy Story 3 this week. Just sayin’.

Orange Le Croix and Aperol: Most days I’m too tired or too lazy to make a proper Aperol spritz, so my weeknight cheat is to grab a large glass and fill it with ice, orange flavoured La Croix, and a generous splash of Aperol. I know “spritzing” is all the rage this summer, but I like to think of my variation as the one that worn out moms are drinking. During the day, I like to mix the aforementioned water with this tea, which I buy from Costco.

This Soundtrack: I know it’s from a Christmas movie – only three more months until they start airing again - but this is my favourite working/cooking/writing background music. It’s also perfect for a dinner party or when you’re having drinks with friends.

The Instant Pot: I know this electric pressure cooker has its critics, but I’m an unapologetic fan. Risotto in six to ten minutes? Perfect brown rice in less than 25? Soup that tastes as though it’s been simmering on the stove all day? A whole frozen chicken cooked in less than an hour? Call me crazy, but this machine has a permanent place in my kitchen and has made getting dinner on the table a cinch this summer, despite demanding jobs, a cranky toddler, and hungry/working teenagers.

What's saving your life these days? I'd love to hear.

 

Corn and Zucchini Risotto (Pressure Cooker Variation)

• 4 ? cups water
• 2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels, divided
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium zucchini, grated
• 2 cloves garlic, grated or pressed
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped 
• 2 cups Arborio rice
• ? cup white wine
• Generous pinch of salt
• 2 tablespoons butter
• ? cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Combine water and 1 cup corn in a blender and process until smooth, about 1 minute. Pour through a fine mesh sieve into a large glass measuring cup and discard the solids. If the liquid doesn’t measure 4 ? cups, add additional water until it does. Set aside.

2. Pour the olive oil into the bottom of a pressure cooker and turn on the sauté function. When the oil is hot, add the grated zucchini and chopped onion, and sauté until the onion is soft and almost translucent, about 4 minutes. Add in the chopped garlic and sauté for an additional 30 seconds. If the pot seems too hot turn it off for a minute or so in order to avoid burning the vegetables.

3. Pour in the rice and stir continuously until it becomes translucent around the edges, about 2 minutes. Add the wine and salt, stir and cook until the liquid evaporates.

4. Add the corn stock and stir. Turn off the sauté function and turn on the manual setting. Set to high for six minutes and secure the lid in place. When the time is up, do a quick release. Remove the lid and set aside. The risotto will look soupy. Stir thoroughly and let it sit for one minute. Stir in remaining corn, butter and parmesan. Taste and season with extra salt, if desired. Serve at once.

Corn and Zucchini Risotto (Dutch Oven Variation)

• 4 ? cups water
• 2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels, divided
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium zucchini, grated
• 2 cloves garlic, grated or pressed
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped 
• 1 cup Arborio rice
• ? cup white wine
• Generous pinch of salt
• 2 tablespoons butter
• ? cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Combine water and 1 cup corn in a blender and process until smooth, about 1 minute. Pour through a fine mesh sieve into a large glass measuring cup and discard the solids. If the liquid doesn’t measure 4 ? cups, add additional water until it does. Transfer to a pot and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low.

2. Heat olive oil in a medium Dutch oven. Add zucchini and onion and cook, stirring often, until the onions are soft and translucent, 4 to 5 minutes. Add in the chopped garlic and sauté for an additional 30 seconds.

3. Pour in the rice and stir continuously until the rice becomes translucent around the edges, about 2 minutes. Add in the wine and salt, stir and cook until the liquid evaporates.

4. Stir in 2 cups of the corn stock, reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring often, until the broth is mostly absorbed. Add 1 cup of stock and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Repeat with 1 more cup of corn stock. Remove from heat and stir in ? cup stock, remaining corn, butter and Parmesan. Taste and season with extra salt, if desired. Serve at once.

Zucchini Parmesan Crusted Chicken

Anatomy of your new favourite weeknight meal…

5:00 p.m. – Put a teenager in charge of the toddler and pull the chicken from the fridge. Preheat the oven and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

5:05 p.m. – Grate the zucchini over a clean tea towel; give it a good squeeze to drain any excess water. Grate the Parm. Combine both in a bowl. Referee argument between toddler and teen.

5:10 p.m. – Place chicken pieces on prepared pan and drizzle with oil. Salt the meat. Top with zucchini and Parm mixture. Add red pepper flakes, if desired.

5:13 p.m. – Set toddler up for colouring. Get teen to set the table. He’ll argue because it isn’t his week to do that chore, but his brother is having dinner with his girlfriend and isn’t home to do the job himself. Remind him that team work makes the dream (family dinner) work. Watch him roll his eyes so far back into his head you’re not sure if they’re ever return to their proper position. Place chicken in the oven.

5:15 p.m. – Make a few quick side dishes. It could be orzo with pesto, garlic bread, roasted baby fingerlings (throw them in the oven with the chicken), salad, steamed veggies, leftover rice, quinoa, quinoa salad…whatever can come together in less than 25 minutes.

5:20 p.m. – Let toddler reset the table because “he didn’t get to help!”

5:35 p.m. – Place side dishes on the table. Assign toddler to the job of cutting some lemons (best job in the world as far as he’s concerned). Get over the fact that each slice is mangled and full of seeds.

5:40 p.m. – Pull chicken from under the broiler and carry to the table. Watch the pieces disappear from the plates. Except the toddler’s. He’s decided that while he loved this dish last week, he really hates it tonight. The beans and potatoes apparently aren’t cutting it either, so he excuses himself/screams his way down from the table and lies on the floor with the dog while the rest of us devour our dinner.

Zucchini Parmesan Crusted Chicken

The size of the chicken thighs will determine whether you need 6 or 8 for this recipe. If you go by weight, you’ll require roughly 1 ? pounds of meat. Feel free to use chicken breasts instead, if that’s your preference, though I would suggest you slice the pieces in half through the equator to make them thinner (alternatively, you can pound them out with a meal mallet but I’m far too lazy to do such a thing). Also, please do not use Parmesan cheese from a can for this recipe; you’re definitely looking to use the real stuff here.

• 6 to 8 boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 1 ? lbs.)
• Olive oil
• Kosher salt
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup grated zucchini, squeezed and drained
• Crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
• Lemon wedge (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper.

2. Place the chicken thighs on the prepared pan and drizzle with olive oil. Season lightly with kosher salt.

3. In a small bowl, stir together the Parmesan cheese and zucchini with a fork. Top each piece of chicken with a thick layer of the zucchini mixture and sprinkle with red pepper flakes, if using.

4. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Turn the oven to broil, and bake for an additional 2 minutes. The top of the chicken should be golden brown. Serve the chicken at once with a lemon wedge.

In the French Kitchen with Kids

It’s been a minute since I’ve taken the time to write a proper book report over here, but the title I’m going to talk about today is definitely worth the wait.

After more than two years of blood, sweat and (lots of) butter, my friend Mardi is finally birthing her book baby into the world today. In the French Kitchen with Kids: Easy Everyday Dishes for the Whole Family to Make and Enjoy is a must-own title for parents who love to cook, parents with young children, people who like simple, mouth-watering recipes, or folks with an affinity for all things French. I bet you know at least two - but maybe even 20 - friends or family members who fall into one of those categories, which means you should probably tell everyone you know to head to their local Indigo to pick up a copy tout de suite.

Designed to prove that cooking French food doesn’t have to be challenging, the result is an approachably elegant collection of recipes tailored for young chefs and their families. The chapters are broken out into the main meals of the day – Breakfast, Lunch, After-School Snacks, Dinner and Dessert – with a few select ones reserved for the Special Occasions section of the book. Perhaps the chapter loaded with the most promise is the Basic Pastry Recipes tucked into the back, where you’ll find a recipe for homemade puff pastry. For real.

While the recipes are truly incredible, one of my favourite parts of the book are the little boxes of bonus information scattered throughout the pages. Denoted by whimsical icons, like a French flag (cultural reflections, historical musings and more), egg timer (tips for timing the components of the recipe properly), whisk (tips for a specific recipe), smiley face (don’t overlook these – they are a gold-mine of tips for cooking with kids) and more, there is so much wisdom to be gleaned from these small crumbs of captivating information.

As you can see, Matthew is as excited about this book as I am.

Summer Eating: A Mid-Season Update

It’s been a delicious summer so far - there’s no denying that - despite the fact that we haven’t grilled as much as in previous years. I’m committed to rectifying that this weekend, but in the meantime here’s a look at what we have been eating this season.

Monochromatic Fruit Salads: Gather all the seasonal fruit you can find in the same colour palate and pile it high onto a serving platter, plate or quarter sheet pan. It’s easy and crowd-pleasing, for sure. Yellow/orange salads would be nice right now with peaches, nectarines, cantaloupe, mangos, and maybe some citrus, or vibrant green fruit salads with honeydew, kiwi, grapes, apples, etc. 

Fish Tacos: On repeat every single week. The easiest dinner we’re eating this summer.

Zucchini and Parmesan-Crusted Chicken: Hands-down my boys’ favourite meal at the moment. With the exception of olive oil, salt and pepper, it’s a three-ingredient dish that is made start to finish in less than 30 minutes. Serve with a side salad and some crusty bread and dinner is done. Stay-tuned for the recipe coming later next week (you can see a sneak peek of it at the top of the above photo)

Instant Pot Rice: How many cups of rice do you cook when you make dinner for your family? I make 4 cups of uncooked brown rice in my Instant Pot twice a week. Each batch does one dinner with some leftovers for lunches for Rob and Ben, who is working full-time this summer. My family would live on rice if I let them, so I always cook a generous amount, and I like to use the Instant Pot for perfectly cooked brown rice that doesn’t leave my kitchen hot and steamy. I use this handy guide for rice cooking times, and the results are always perfect.

Zucchini Bread Waffles: Beloved by everyone, but especially the toddler, this version boasts a combination of whole grain and all-purpose flours, a minimal amount of sugar and two full cups of vegetables.

Banana Bonbons: Use whatever chocolate you like best, and let the kids help you make them. A delicious treat for anyone this season.

Spinach and Strawberry Salad: Spinach, strawberries, avocado, chicken, maple-glazed almonds, goat cheese, and poppyseed dressing come together to make a dinner we all love. For the toddler, I cook a small amount of pasta and toss it with the salad components he likes best, like the chicken, spinach and a smidge of goat cheese. I add some of the strawberries and sweet almonds on the side. Now that strawberry season has passed, feel free to use blueberries in their place.

Esquites (Mexican Corn Salad): If the question is, what side should I serve with dinner the answer should always be Mexican corn salad, at least for the next month or so. Grill your corn first, then shave it off the cob, and follow the recipe as written.

 

Roasted Fish Tacos

Long-time readers already know I’m not much of a summer lover (it’s my fourth favourite season, after all), but this year I have a plan to make it the happiest one yet. I’m arming myself with a few strategies to keep us cool and content during the coming months, and have lists upon lists of ideas, recipes, books, movies and bucket list wishes to keep the kids (who range in age from 3 to 18) happy over the next two months.

First in the lineup is knowing how to make roasted fish tacos. I’m teaching everyone I know this simple, simple dinner recipe (including my own kids), because a) it’s delicious b) it’s quick and easy c) you can rely on several store-bought shortcuts if that’s your jam to make this meal even easier to put together and d) it’s just as easy to make for two people as it is for ten.

The list of ingredients is quite concise. You’ll need:

• Fish (we love salmon, but white fish works just as well)
• Slaw (you can make your own or you can buy a pack of kale slaw - readily available at most grocery stores and Costco. If you buy it – hey, why not? – trash the accompanying dressing and douse the veggies with a generous splash of olive oil, white wine vinegar and salt instead)
• Guacamole (homemade or store-bought) or mashed avocado
• Lime wedges
• Chopped tomatoes
• Sliced green onions
• Corn tortilla (but wheat ones also work if that’s what you prefer)

To make the tacos, do the following:

1. Drizzle the fish with olive oil and lime juice. You can add lime zest as well, if you like. Then sprinkle with salt, chili powder and cumin. Roast at 400°F for 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the size of the fish.

2. While the fish is in the oven, assemble/make the slaw and guacamole, and warm the tortillas (I do mine in a dry skillet, so they get golden and crispy). Chop the tomatoes and green onions.

3. Place the tortillas in a clean dish towel to keep them warm. Flake the fish and pile it onto a plate. Serve with bowls of slaw, guacamole, lime wedges, chopped tomatoes and sliced green onions. Feel free to add some tortilla chips and salsa on the side.

Here’s to having a happier, tastier summer, friends.

Magnolia Lemon Pie

What a wild month this has been!

From a high school prom and Mother’s Day to a royal wedding, the first long weekend of the summer, and university offers and acceptances, I think it’s fair to say that we kind of crushed the past four weeks.

In between those highlights there’s been a photo shoot for the cover of my next book, summer jobs starting, the exciting discovery of superheroes, and a mama who’s learned she can cry on command – usually in the car, but also sometimes in the kitchen -  when she lets herself remember there are only 14 weeks left until her firstborn leaves home for school. The internet is full of articles dedicated to helping parents cope when their kid leaves for college - trust me, I’m reading them - but I’m hoping that if I just let myself feel all the feels now then maybe that first weekend of September won’t be as tough as I’m anticipating.

Alternatively, the other solution might be to open a bakery. It’s no secret that baking is both a form of therapy and procrastination and right now I’m using it for a little of both, which is why I’m making pies even though Matthew and I are the only ones who really like them. Since we can’t possibly consume a whole one between us, having a place to sell some therapeutic creations wouldn’t make me feel so bad about finding comfort in a bag of flour.