GourmAndrea

Vegetable Lasagna

My friend recently had a baby and I like to cook to help out a bit on those frantic first weeks!
Lasagna seemed like a good bet but I decided to choose a vegetarian recipe b/c her husband doesn't eat meat.
I found this lasagna quite delicious and flavourful and the big range of vegetables gave it a beautiful flavour profile. Since I was making this for someone else I did a mini ramekin for myself so I could taste it. I completely forgot to take a "baked" pic-whoops! It looked pretty though, I promise!! :)
I used a big range of veg zucchini,carrots,mushrooms, roasted peppers... It is really versatile and there are so many vegetables you can use as long as you stick with the cup range of about 8-10 cups. There are some lovely pics on the site I got the recipe from, those can be found here... http://www.inspiredtaste.net/22401/fresh-vegetable-lasagna-recipe/

Beef Stew

This is a Beef Stew I made the other day seemed perfect for all the cold weather we've been having. It's a Canadian Living recipe. Here is the link http://m.canadianliving.com/#!/blog-food/old-fashioned-beef-stew-with-winter-vegetables/4bcbb1b3606215b1fffe1192a2e2bb14
I loved that it had lots of parsnips in it and also a new one for me, rutabaga, it gives a lovely texture to the stew. It also has the regulars; peas, carrots, potatoes. It could have used more salt but that can be pretty individual depending on how salty you're stock is etc. I would suggest using a bit more flour if you like your broth really thick this was a bit looser but still a bit thicker than a soup broth, which I really liked.

White Chocolate Brownies

I made these for a valentine party. I love white chocolate brownies they are a real favourite of mine. These are a really fudgey type brownie. I got this recipe from a blog and the recipe can be found here http://www.gourmethousewife.com/2012/01/white-chocolate-brownies/

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G.H.CRETORS Chicago Mix Popcorn

Alright so the first time I heard about Chicago popcorn was yesterday while reading reviews about Cineplex's Vip experience. Today I am walking around Save-On I see this, pick it up like what is this stuff?? Cheddar and Caramel corn.....seriously?? That sounds strange/borderline gross. I have to try it there is no denying it. I literally almost opened it (on my 5! min drive home) I am seriously a curious cat. Anyways so you have half a bag cheddar popcorn mixed with half a bag of caramel corn strait up the weirdest thing ever-thing is it's oddly delicious.

The only thing that would make it better, to me, would be if the cheddar was spicier and saltier but that's just me. If anyone has tried Chicago popcorn I would love to know what you thought, if you like it? It is obviously a "thing" I have only recently heard of. My husband hadn't heard of it either but yesterday was the first time he had heard of trimming a tree, which he thinks is such a ridiculous phrase haha he is right though!!

Halloween Eyeballs

I wanted to make something fun this Halloween and by fun I guess that means picking a recipe that I have nothing for so going into 4 stores to try and get a silicone cake pop pan, who knew silicone would be so hard to find!?! I thought with cake pop craze pffft no problem metal,metal,metal. So my mom (Thank You) went to Barb's Kitchen Center and voila! Yay!!! Anyways.......What I love/hate about these is they have a jello center, which is awesome, and disgusting hahaha! These are by no means something you just "whip up" they are time consuming but so worth it for a fun treat. I used candy melts they are pretty tasty and so forgiving they melt easily, set easily all that so you wont have to worry about them being finnicky. They taste like chocolate. I got them at Michael's. I got this recipe from My Cupcake Addiction it was just a youtube video I followed here's the link. Really fun video to watch.

You do two coats of chocolate you set first coat then apply another so its nice and strong

Your halves full off jello-then you "glue" the halves together with chocolate.

After I put my green and black but I would do black last next time just so you don't get red on the black and all that. Then you put your red veins I would do half the eyeball then set in the mold I had turned upside down wait until it sets then do the other half. I store these in fridge but take them our a few hours ahead of party time because they are quite hard just out of fridge. There is no real recipe for these I bought two bags of white candy melts and one red/black and green. The middle is one package of jello mixed with 1 tbsp gelatin and I had lots leftover jello. Your jello must be room temp or cooler but not set. If it is warm at all it will melt your chocolate.