Here is the recipe that includes mint that I promised the other day. Try it and let me know what you think! This recipe was found on Sparkpeople.com.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh mint
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tbsp basil
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
Juice and zest of one lemon
1 tbsp olive oil
4 tsp honey mustard
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

Directions:

1. Mix chopped mint, lemon zest, oregano, basil, garlic powder, salt, lemon juice, mustard and olive oil.
2. Let chicken marinate at room temperature for 10 – 20 minutes.
3. Grill on BBQ on medium heat for 6 minutes and then brush more marinade on the breasts, and then grill until chicken is springy.
4. Remove from grill and serve with lemon wedges.

Number of Servings: 4

I make this side dish often. They are amazing! And a great hit at BBQs. This recipe was found on Sparkpeople.com.

Ingredients:

6 medium red potatoes (about 148 grams per potato)
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp dijon mustard
1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary OR 1 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp black pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and lightly spray a large shallow baking pan with nonstick spray.
2. Mix together EVOO, dijon mustard, rosemary, garlic powder, and pepper in a large bowl.
3. Cut red potatoes into wedges.
4. Add wedges to the seasoning mix, toss gently to coat evenly.
5. Spread wedges in a single layer about 1/4 inch apart on the prepared baking pan.
6. Bake potato wedges, turning occationally until tender and crisp, about 30 minutes. Serve immediately.

Makes 6 servings.

While spending time in the backyard, I realized I have way too much mint! The stuff grows like weeds. What can I possibly do with all this mint?!

The first thing that came to mind was to give it away to family, friends and neighbours.

The second thing I did was look for recipes…I didn’t come across too many. And none that seemed very pleasing.

Finally I thought about writing this post to ask you to submit your favourite or tried and true recipe that uses fresh mint.

So how bout it? I’d love some fresh ideas

Until next time,
Liz

Create different shapes with your patio. Who says it must be square? If you’re using stones or pavers, use different sizes in an irregular pattern and layout. You can even consider two different materials beside each other; use decking or gravel as the main area and stones along the outer edges and as the pathway to the patio.

Choose a style for your patio. Go modern by incorporating straight lines and large, simple planters. Of course a water feature is always very zen and very modern. Maybe you prefer a cottage style. Incorporate old pieces of heavy wooden and iron furniture and a variety if colourful flowers.

A water feature or fountain is a perfect focal point for any backyard. Not only is it lovely to look at, but the soothing sounds will remind you of being by the sea or ocean.

Plant flowers, trees and shrubs of different heights to add visual interest. Also consider adding height be using lattices along your fence or any walls. The plants and flowers that attach themselves will look stunning when in bloom. You can also add a pergola or tent to your patio for added privacy and shade.

Really create an extension of your indoor space by adding items to make you patio a living space. Have comfortable seating, add a jute rug underfoot. Love a cozy fire? Add a fire pit for sharing late night ghost stories and roasted marshmallows. And don’t be afraid of adding potted plants to the edges of your patio.

Now you can sit back and enjoy your hard work on your patio!

Until next time,

Start with a plan. You can  draw it out on paper or do it by eye, either way it’s a good idea to know exactly what you are going to do beforehand so you are well equipped when it’s time to start working! During planning, decide if you will add any large rocks, fountains, lights or any other decorative items along with your plants in your flower beds as well as how your patio will look (we’ll talk more about patio ideas in a later post).

Step outside the box and create fun shapes. Add some dimension and interest by adding curves or actual shapes like a heart, a star or triangle to your flower beds. Make your garden something to talk about! Tip: use your hose as your edge so you can see the shape before digging and dig an edge so it looks neat.

Add your plants. Before you  start digging, place your potted plants on top of the dirt so you know exactly where to pant them. This can make a world of difference to the overall look of your garden. Once they are spaced out and in place, start planting! Tip: loosen the roots before plating.

Consider adding mulch between plants. Mulch helps stop weeds and  helps the soil stay moist longer. Especially helpful if it doesn’t rain a lot and to save water!

Just add water. You must water your plants after planting them.

Now sit back and enjoy your hard work!

Until next time,

One of my absolute favourite dips is artichoke and asiago cheese dip…so yummy! I’ve been searching for a recipe for a while and have found one that tastes just about the same. Since I didn’t have asiago cheese handy, I substituted it with Parmesan which tastes very similar. This recipe was found at Sparkrecipes.com.

Ingredients

2 jars artichoke hearts
1 cup fat free mayonnaise
.5 cup low fat asiago cheese
2 cloves garlic
1 small can mild green chilies (optional)
1 small round sourdough loaf (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. If serving with sourdough, hollow out the bread, don’t discard the bread you take out!
3. In a medium bowl, mix together the artichoke hearts, mayonnaise, cheese, garlic and chili peppers (if using). If serving with sourdough, transfer the mixture to the hollowed out bread.
4. If serving in sourdough, wrap in tinfoil and bake in the preheated oven 50 to 60 minutes, or until lightly browned. Otherwise bake uncovered for about 30 minutes or until bubbly.
5. Serve with sourdough, pita bread, crackers or tortilla chips.

ENJOY!

Number of Servings: 12

Transform old furniture into personalized pieces of art with paint and wall paper. Take a traditional dresser and paint the legs and sides and add a lovely traditional wallpaper to the drawer fronts and top. To protect the new paint and wallpaper add a clear topcoat and/or a piece of beveled glass cut to size on the top. For more modern pieces, paint them out a fresh solid colour or add textured wallpaper or fabric with spray glue or adhesive and finish with upholstery nails. Change hardware to sleek modern hardware.

Add natural accents such as flat pebbles, leaves or pressed flowers to furniture tops. Adhere stones with tile glue then grout in between. Let dry for at least 24 hours. For the leaves and pressed flowers, spray the area with spray-glue then carefully place the leaves and/or flowers. To finish, roll on a protective topcoat and/or cover with a custom sized pieces of glass.

Repurpose old unused furniture or furniture you want to remove from a room to another. Add a fresh coat of paint, change or add hardware or fabric and presto! A small shelving unit or dresser with broken drawers can be easily transformed into a kitchen trolley or storage unit. For the trolley, add casters to the feet or bottom and a towel rod to the side. For the storage unit, add baskets inside and a custom cushion on top (if it’s seat height).

Transform an old frame into a message centre by adding a chalkboard. Classic or modern, any picture or mirror frame can be transformed. Can’t find a chalkboard the right size? Buy  a thin, flat MDF board at your local hardware store and have it cut to size. Then paint it with chalkboard paint.

Change your walls with mouldings. Ever want to create wainscoting but thought it was too hard? Well it’s not! With the right tools, material and time it can be done. Add crown molding at chair-rail height and add thin pieces of molding vertically below it. Paint the chair rail and wall below it the same color as the room’s trim.

Show us your DIY projects. Send us a comment or email.

Until next time,

Talk about heavenly! This has to be the best ever and so easy to make. I didn’t have a pie shell so I made a cookie crust with speculoos cookies and melted butter. You can also create peaks  with the meringue and add coconut that will toast while baking. This recipe was found at Sparkrecipes.com.

Ingredients

FILLING FOR 1 PIE

3/4 CUP SUGAR
2 EGG YOLKS (SAVE WHITE)
1 12OZ CAN EVAPORATED MILK
4 OZ OF REG MILK OR WATER
2 TBS FLOUR
1 TSP VANILLA
1/2 BAG COCONUT (7OZ BAG)

MERINGUE

3 EGG WHITES
6 TBS SUGAR
1/2 TSP VANILLA

Directions

1. BAKE DEEP DISH PIE SHELL AT 400 FOR 10 MINUTES (LET COOL).
2. COOK FILLING INGREDIENTS ON HIGH ABOUT 7 ON ELECTRIC STOVE IN THICK SAUCEPAN LIKE MAGNALITE WORKS BEST. BRING TO BUBBLY STIRRING CONSTANTLY WITH WHISK (DO NOT LET STICK) UNTIL THICK AND SPONGY.
3. THEN MIX IN HALF BAG OF COCONUT. LET COOL
4. MERINGUE - BEAT EGG WHITES AND GRADUALLY ADD SUGAR THEN VANILLA.
5. TOP PIE AND SPRINKLE A LITTLE COCONUT ON TOP THEN BAKE 400 UNTIL BROWNING LIGHTLY.
6. LET COOL THEN CHILL BEFORE SERVING.

MAKES 1 DEEP DISH PIE.
ENJOY!

Number of Servings: 8

Enjoy a cool creamy side this BBQ season. This recipe was found at Sparkrecipes.com.

Ingredients

1/2 CUP OF LIGHT DRESSING
1 TBSP VINEGAR, CIDER OR WHITE
1 TSP SPLENDA
2 TBSP MILK
HALF CABBAGE SHREDDED
1/4 CUP SHREDDED CARROTS

Directions

1. MIX THE FIRST 4 INGREDIENT TOGETHER.
2. PUT IN THE SHREDDED CABBAGE AND CARROTS.
3. TOSS TO COAT EVENLY THEN PLACE IN FRIDGE TO CHILL FOR A FEW HOURS.
ENJOY!

Number of Servings: 8

This is very yummy and MUST be eaten before it cools down completely! If you’d like, you can add thin slices of tomato and a leaf of lettuce. I know the sodium is very high, but use lean, low sodium ham and the value will lessen.

Ingredients

2 slices of whole grain bread, toasted
2 slices of lean ham, sliced thin
1/2 onion, chopped
3 mushrooms, sliced thin
1 tbsp olive oil
1tsp yellow mustard

Directions

1. Pour olive oil into a small pan and heat on medium-low.
2. Chop onion and slice mushrooms then sauté stirring often. Remove from heat once onions are clear.
3. Toast the slices of bread.
4. Slice ham, return the pan to low heat and add the ham to the onions and mushrooms.
5. Once the bread is toasted, spread the mustard.
6. Remove the pan from the heat and pour the ingredients onto the bread.
ENJOY!

Number of Servings: 1