Holiday Gift Guide 2016

We still have a week to shop for our family and friends for Christmas.

I am sharing with you my Holiday Gift Guide 2016.


COOKBOOKS:

Lemon is a cookbook written by Isabelle Lambert from Les Gourmandises d'Isa.  I have been following her blog for years and all of the recipes that I have tried from Isabelle have been a hit in my house. In this cookbook you'll have 100 delicious recipes using this fragrant and essential fruit. You will find recipes for appetizers, main courses, sides dishes as well as desserts and drinks.

Get your copy at Amazon.

I said it many times on this blog that I like Ricardo's recipes. I tried some of his slow cooker recipes and they were all delicious.  He is back with another slow cooker cookbook, Slower is Better: From a Taco Fiesta to Chocolate Pudding Cakes. This would be a perfect gift for a busy person, a student, a new mom and everybody on your list. 

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Old-Fashioned Doughnuts Recipe

On Sunday my three children were home and we had a nice brunch together. We then spent the afternoon making Old-Fashioned Doughnuts. At this time of the year, I crave holiday food. I like to listen to Christmas music and bake. Creating delicious comfort food and having my two hands in dough is so therapeutic for me, and the smell of baked goods reminds me of childhood memories.

Years ago, I would make these doughnuts with my cousin Michel, it was our own tradition. Since he passed away, I miss it and I am so thankful that I can bake and cook with my children now. I hope we continue this tradition for years to come of baking together for the Holidays!

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Green Juice Recipe

I spent the past two weeks traveling. My husband sent me a message from Norway, two Saturdays ago, to tell me to book a ticket for the next day. He was in Stavanger for a business trip and his boss told him that he had to spend one more week working over there. I had less than 36 hrs to plan and pack my suitcase for my trip. I spent seven days in Stavanger. The weather was very nice and warm, the locals told us that it was unusual for this time of year. We even had the chance to walk on Sola beach one night. After my week in Norway, we went to Quebec City for four days. My son had a conference and we decided to drive him and take a vacation. I always liked Old Quebec City, it's so charming. 

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Let's work together to STOP Illegal Tobacco!

Growing up, I remember going to family gatherings and entering houses full of smoke. At the time, everyone around me was a smoker, except my dad. We grew up in a smoke-free house but it was not the case for the rest of my family. Since my dad had 14 brothers and sisters, during the holidays there were a lot of people smoking. My grandpa would sit by the wood stove and light one cigarette after the other. Around the age of fifteen, I smoked my first cigarette, and for a couple of years I became a social smoker. I am glad that I quit smoking for good before my three kids were born. I remember going to the corner store, not being of legal age, and being able to buy a pack of cigarettes. The cashier would never ask us for ID.

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Chicken Curry with Red Peppers and Coconut Milk Recipe

This Chicken Curry with Red Peppers and Coconut Milk is delicious. I like to serve this dish over basmati rice. It does not take long to prepare and much better than take-out. Curry is always better the next day because the spices continue to release flavour overnight. This curry freezes well but make sure that you eat it within three months. We like to bring this meal when we go camping. I freeze the curry in small portions with the rice. After a day of hiking it's always nice not to have to cook and to have a gourmet meal for supper. This recipe is from Ricardo. Most of his recipes have been a keeper for us.

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15 Must Try Strawberry Recipes

One of my favorite summer fruit is strawberry. Not too far from my home there is a small vegetable/fruit stand along the road. They have strawberries from Île-d'Orléans until September. They are the most tasty strawberries that I had ever tasted. Enjoy these 15 strawberry recipes:

Maple & Strawberry Galette - In Search of Yummy-ness

Strawberry Nectarine Smoothie  - Real Food by Dad

Strawberry, Lime and Mint Infused Water - Back to Her Roots

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#MPChickenHero Twitter Party and Contest

Did you know that since 1992, Chicken Farmers of Canada has served nearly 10,000 sandwiches on Canada Day? This happens every year at the Great Canadian Chicken BBQ at Major's Hill Park in Ottawa.

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Weekend Links

Last Monday I decided to spend the day at Major's Hill Park to take pictures of the tulips. We have over a million tulips in the National Capital Region, in 50 varieties. It was a relaxing day to stroll along this beautiful area. I like to walk around and admire the various colours and views.

Here's a link to some of my pictures on Flickr.

LIFE:

This weekend I will be walking the 10k with my son at the Ottawa Marathon. My sister and brother will also be running. The reason I'm walking is that I have been diagnosed with osteoarthritis in my knee. The specialist does not want me to run. Since it is a degenerative disease there is not much I can do about it. I can't wait to participate but I'm nervous because I know that it will not be easy on my knee.

Some of you may know that I have been a volunteer at my local food bank for years. On Wednesday, I visited the Ottawa Food Bank, where they talked about their Community Harvest Program. One part of the program is that they grow their own crops specifically for donations. They have a new, seven-acre site at Black Family Farm and they need volunteers. If you are interested in helping you can find the information here. 

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Banana Chocolate Chips Muffins Recipe

I have been using this recipe for Banana Chocolate Chips Muffins for years, it's a family favorite. Today, I bought ripe bananas at a discounted price at the grocery store. It's amazing what you can do with bananas!

Try these recipes, they are triple-tested and so delicious:

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Shakshuka with Red Peppers and Cumin

I work from home and I enjoy making meals from scratch three times a day. I also like to eat a variety of things throughout the week. As much as I can, I challenge myself to try new recipes and to include healthy and vegetarian meals, as much as I can. It's not always easy to do so because my family likes to have meat for lunch and supper, I often end up making two recipes for our dinners. For breakfast and lunch, I find it easier when everyone makes what they want to eat. It saves me time in the kitchen.

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Weekend Links

I am looking at my pictures from my trip to Paris in 2014. Paris is the center of fashion, culture and gastronomy. When I travel I like to walk in big cities. I try to avoid the subway or talking taxis as much as I can. I enjoy strolling the streets and taking the time to enjoy what is around me. I take lot's of pictures during trips. One day I will be back to Paris. A week in not long enough to discover this city. Today I am dreaming of traveling to Europe again. I went to Paris with my son and we had an amazing time. These memories will last forever. I will start my weekend links with travel links.

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Blueberry Muffins

Today I am baking. I feel sad doing so because it's for a family that will soon lose their mom . She has cancer and she does not have long to live, so she decided to spend her final days home. She loved to bake and her husband and son miss her baked treats. The mother of my son's girlfriend asked if I could bake them blueberry muffins, I said yes and I became emotional that they even thought of me. Although it is sad, it feels good to do something that I am passionate about for this family.

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