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| Old Fashioned Stove Top Hot Cocoa |
Every time we come inside from tobogganing, building a snowman or playing in the snow, the boys start undressing from their winter gear and ask for hot cocoa. I don't blame them! We live in Canada and it's cold playing in the snow! But I also love these traditions that will become a part of their history, rooted deeply in who they are. I want them to remember these fun moments of snow ball fights and hot homemade cocoa together around the table celebrating the Winter Solstice while we debate over who really won the snowball fight.
I also love making everything from scratch for my family, our meals, our bread, even our furniture and of course the Hot Cocoa. I feel like there is so much more value in homemade goodness, flavours that are imprinted on these childhood memories, hopefully calling them home when they are all grown up.
Today, I am sharing and Old Fashioned Hot Cocoa recipe that is prepared on the stove with you so you can try it yourself! These Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies are even better when dipped in hot cocoa!
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| Old Fashioned Hot Cocoa Recipe |
Have you ever made hot cocoa from scratch and noticed how annoying cocoa is!? It's like a cat and is so stubborn, it never wants to get wet! But the trick is to take a little hot water and whip it before adding your milk. This also keeps it from coming out lumpy. Frothing the hot water with the cocoa adds just a touch of froth to your finished drink, too.
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| Hot Cocoa Recipe |
Old Fashioned Hot Cocoa
Ingredients
1/4 cup of sugar1/4 cup of cocoa powder
1/4 tsp of sea salt
1/4 cup of hot water
2 cups of milk
Method
In a pot, whisk together sugar, cocoa, sea salt and hot water until smooth.
Add 2 cups of milk and combine.
Heat on medium-high heat, stirring constantly until it is plenty hot.
If you enjoyed this recipe, or this post, please consider sharing with your friends on social media where ever you like to hang. Because, sharing really is caring! Sharing this post also supports my rambles and allows me to continue doing just that!
Thank you for taking the time to stop in on our humble blog and we hope you come back soon! If you want to see what we are up to lately, find us on our Facebook page or on Instagram!
always,
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| Easy Keto Recipe: Rosemary Balsamic Pork Chops |
Another Keto dinner! I know, I know.... But you don't need to 'Be Keto' to eat these delicious pork chops, anyone can eat them and I have much more success eating a ketogenic diet if I only have to prepare one meal that everyone in the family will eat. And it's a fun way to dress up the same old pork chops.
The base of the marinade in this recipe is Balsamic Vinegar which can help balance blood sugar, help aid in digestion, balance your cholesterol, help with weight loss, stimulates healthy blood circulation, and is rich in antioxidants! It's also tasty!
Scroll down for the recipe!
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| Easy Keto Recipe: Rosemary Balsamic Pork Chops |
Once you are done here, check out this round up post I did with 5 different Keto dinners your whole family will love! This Rosemary Balsamic Pork Chops came after the round up but is just as worthy of the list, in my opinion. The round up also includes vegetables that are dressed up in case you need some inspiration meal planning this week.
Rosemary Balsamic Pork Chops
Ingredients
6 medium pork chops1/4 of extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp of dijon mustard
1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp of dried rosemary, minced
1/4 tsp of sea salt
1/4 tsp of freshly ground black pepper
Method
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and cover.
Place in the fridge to marinate for an hour or overnight.
When you are ready to cook, preheat oven to 425F.
Remove pork chops from the fridge and place in a large cast iron pan or baking dish.
Bake for 45 minutes or until cooked through.
Enjoy!
If you enjoyed this post, please consider sharing with your friends on social media where ever you like to hang. Because, sharing really is caring! Sharing this post also supports my rambles and allows me to continue doing just that!
Thank you for taking the time to stop in on our humble blog and we hope you come back soon! If you want to see what we are up to lately, find us on our Facebook page or on Instagram!
always,
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| Keto Meals your whole family will LOVE! |
I was browsing through our family recipe box here on the blog while meal planning for next week and realized we have MANY delicious Keto friendly recipes that the whole family will love.
It's not always easy trying to eat Ketogenic with a family of carb monsters or if you have a couple children to feed but I have found if your veggies and meat or poultry is Keto Friendly, you can always has some rice, quinoa or potatoes on the side so they are getting what they need.
So since we have some really great recipes here on the blog that everyone will love, it's time for a round up!
I hate when I hop on Pinterest for a Keto Recipe for dinner and what populates is all just Keto versions of all the carb things I'm trying to avoid like bread, muffins, rolls, pancakes, tortillas, crackers. So this round up, has real, simple, farm food!
Bacon and cream cheese, need I say more?! Actually, I have a child who picks off the cream cheese but still loves being served this Bacon Wrapped Dill Chicken. In the photo above it is served with Broccoli & a Keto Friendly Cheese Sauce.
Any kind of meatball will win over the kids and these are realllllly good! Because these Swedish Meatballs are so saucy I love to serve them with a bunch of cooked Cauliflower and we don't seem to need any additional carb sides for the non-keto people.
This is a more modern and much healthier version of the Canned Mushroom Soup and Pork Chops many of us used to eat. This Pork & Mushroom Garlic Sauce recipe above is pictured with Smashed Parmesan Brussels Sprouts that my youngest child screams in excitement for!
I have been making this Greek Souvlaki Chicken for years but little did I know it was actually Keto Friendly! I love a good marinade recipe because I can prepare it ahead of time and when it is time to cook dinner, it's much quicker to prepare. This recipe above is pictured with Garlic Green Beans (also Keto)!
I think I may have saved the best for last..? My wild boys would agree! Although spicy, they love these breaded Buffalo Chicken Strips or Tenders and I love them because they are kind of like a fried food, but Keto!
Thank you for taking the time to stop in on our humble blog and we hope you come back soon! If you want to see what we are up to lately, find us on our Facebook page or on Instagram!
always,
Easy Vegetable Recipes: Smashed Parmesan Brussel Sprouts
By The Petite Plantation - January 12, 2019
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| Smashed Parmesan Brussel Sprouts |
Benefits to Eating Brussel Sprouts
- Helps protect against cancer with antioxidants
- Builds bone with Vitamin K
- Boosts our Immune System with Vitamin C
- Fights inflammation and heart disease
- Restores out gut health
- Protects our eye and skin health
- Source of potassium for nerve function
- Protects our brain health
- Balances blood sugar and fights diabetes
I try to share these health benefits (source) every we serve Brussel Sprouts to encourage the kids to nourish their body and just eat all the vegetables! And these Brussel Sprouts are really delicious so the grown ups don't mind eating them either, really.
But eating vegetables plain, even the farm fresh or freshly harvested vegetables, can be redundant so we like to dress them up. We've done this with our Garlic Butter Green Beans and our Roasted Parmesan Carrots, too!
These Smashed Brussels Sprouts below are served with Pork & Mushroom Garlic Sauce which is also a Keto meal.
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| Easy Vegetable Recipes: Smashed Parmesan Brussel Sprouts |
KETO Smashed Parmesan Brussels Sprouts
Ingredients:
18 brussels sprouts1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp of sea salt
1/2 tsp of freshly ground black pepper
1 clove of fresh minced garlic
1/4 cup of parmesan cheese
Method:
Preheat oven to 375F.In a medium saucepan, boil Brussels Sprouts for 10 minutes or until partially cooked.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine olive oil, sea salt, pepper and garlic. Set aside.
Once the Brussels Sprouts are cooked, drain and place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
Using the back of a fork, or potato masher, gently smush the Brussel Sprouts to break.
Brush with olive oil mixture.
Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top.
Bake for 15 minutes or until chesse becomes golden.
Enjoy!
If you enjoyed this recipe, or this post, please consider sharing with your friends on social media where ever you like to hang. Because, sharing really is caring! Sharing this post also supports my rambles and allows me to continue doing just that!
Thank you for taking the time to stop in on our humble blog and we hope you come back soon! If you want to see what we are up to lately, find us on our Facebook page or on Instagram!
always,
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| Easy Vegetable Recipes: Smashed Parmesan Brussel Sprouts |
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| KETO Pork & Mushroom Garlic Sauce with Smashed Brussel Sprouts |
And we did love this mushroom dish so of course we needed a healthier version because we love mushrooms! Well, not all of us, my children would never eat a mushroom but husband and I love eating sautéed mushrooms, like a lot!
It turns out that mushrooms are kind of good for you, despite how they come about hah! Below I have listed a few reasons why we should be eating mushrooms (source) and I love to list these off as I serve them to my picky children to encourage them to nourish their bodies!
Health Benefits to Eating Mushrooms
- Help lower your cholesterol levels
- Prevents breast & prostate cancer
- Improves bone health
- Boosts you immune system
- Reduces blood pressure
- Stimulates absorption of iron
- Protects diabetics from infections
Another recipe we love with mushrooms is our Stuffed Mushrooms and although it's made with healthy mushrooms, there is nothing really healthy about all that cream cheese and bacon... But it IS Keto! So is this Pork & Mushroom Garlic Sauce recipe, actually!
This recipe is served with Smashed Brussel Spouts in the photos, if you also want that recipe, it's right here!
Scroll down for the recipe!
Yes, I know it's a pain but hey!
At least you aren't bombarded by pop up advertisements!
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| Easy Keto Recipes: Pork & Mushroom Garlic Sauce |
Pork & Mushroom Garlic Sauce
Ingredients:
6 medium pork chops1/2 tsp of paprika
1/4 tsp of sea salt
1/4 tsp of freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp of arrowroot powder
2 cups of beef broth (needs to be cool or cold)
1/4 cup of butter
8 ounces of fresh sliced mushrooms (canned if you must)
4 cloves of mined fresh garlic (dried will work too)
1 tsp of dijon mustard
Method:
Season pork chops with paprika, sea salt, and freshly ground pepper.
Heat a large cast iron skillet in medium-high heat and add 2 tbsp of the butter.
Sear both sides of your pork chops until golden brown and cooked through.
Remove pork chops and set aside.
In a small bowl combine broth and arrowroot powder. Set aside.
In the same skillet add the rest of the butter, add mushrooms, and cook for 5 minutes.
Add minced garlic and dijon mustard and cook for 2 minutes.
Stir in the broth mixture and whisk until smooth and incorporated.
Reduce heat and return pork chops to skillet for 5 minutes.
Enjoy!
If you enjoyed this recipe, or this post, please consider sharing with your friends on social media where ever you like to hang. Because, sharing really is caring! Sharing this post also supports my rambles and allows me to continue doing just that!
Thank you for taking the time to stop in on our humble blog and we hope you come back soon! If you want to see what we are up to lately, find us on our Facebook page or on Instagram!
always,
I'm bringing you another Keto dinner but anyone can make and enjoy this recipe. I just find it incredibly easy to make Keto dinners, with a veggie and potatoes or rice for the wildlings who aren't eating Keto. In the beginning of my Keto Journey, I was overwhelmed with all the food preparation to feed myself and the rest of the family but when I create a Keto dinner and add the carb side dish for all the boys, it saves my sanity!
Today I am bringing you Swedish Meatballs which happen to be Keto. But if you careless, use bread crumbs instead of almond flour and cornstarch instead of arrowroot powder!
When ever I make meatballs they usually always fall apart, at least a little bit, which I think is okay because usually the diced onions are what fall out and they get cooked into the sauce so it ends up perfect anyway. But I have found adding your meatballs to a hot pan, letting the one side brown, then flipping to brown the opposite side will allow your meatballs to roll around the pan more easily.
Scroll down for the recipe!
Yes, I know it's a pain but hey!
At least you aren't bombarded by pop up advertisements!
Keto Swedish Meatballs
Ingredients
4 tbsp butter divided1 medium white onion finely copped
500 g ground beef
1/4 cup of almond flour
1/2 tsp of sea salt
1/4 tsp of freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp of nutmeg
1/4 tsp of allspice
1/4 tsp of garlic powder
1 large egg lightly beaten
1/2 cup of cream divided
1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cups of beef broth
1 tsp of Dijon mustard
1 tsp of arrowroot powder
Method
Melt a tablespoon of butter in a cast iron skillet or pan over medium heat.
Add chopped onion and sauté for 5 minutes.
Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
In a large bowl, combine onions, ground meat, almond flour, sea salt, pepper, nutmeg, allspice, beaten egg and 2 tablespoons of cream and mix thoroughly.
In a large bowl, combine onions, ground meat, almond flour, sea salt, pepper, nutmeg, allspice, beaten egg and 2 tablespoons of cream and mix thoroughly.
Using your hands, form into round meatballs.
Add meatballs to your skillet on medium-high heat and cook until browned and cooked through.
Add meatballs to your skillet on medium-high heat and cook until browned and cooked through.
Once cooked, remove from pan and set aside.
Add the rest of the butter to the pan with drippings.
Add the rest of the butter to the pan with drippings.
Add in beef broth, the rest of the cream and mustard to the pan and whisk.
Let simmer for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine arrowroot with water and add to pan.
Let simmer until desired thickness.
Return meat balls to the pan and simmer for 5 minutes.
Enjoy!
If you enjoyed this recipe, or this post, please consider sharing with your friends on social media where ever you like to hang. Because, sharing really is caring! Sharing this post also supports my rambles and allows me to continue doing just that!
Thank you for taking the time to stop in on our humble blog and we hope you come back soon! If you want to see what we are up to lately, find us on our Facebook page or on Instagram!
always,
If you enjoyed this recipe, or this post, please consider sharing with your friends on social media where ever you like to hang. Because, sharing really is caring! Sharing this post also supports my rambles and allows me to continue doing just that!
Thank you for taking the time to stop in on our humble blog and we hope you come back soon! If you want to see what we are up to lately, find us on our Facebook page or on Instagram!
always,
We have so much Sourdough Starter on our hands. Jane Dough is a real over achiever! So we have been finding new ways, other than our daily bread, to use up the discarded portions from feeding Jane Dough so it doesn't go to waste.
Even though I am a Keto Mom, I do prepare sourdough baked goods for the wildlings in the family to help keep them fed. But these Sourdough Crackers we prepared by the husband and his only tip is to make sure you roll out the dough as thin as you can because they do rise a little when baking.
You don't really need to flip the crackers half way because they bake for such a short period of time but if you don't, only the side on the pan will brown. So I would recommend flipping them only if you care what they look like because either way, they will be delicious!
I hope you enjoy this cracker recipe and if you are looking for more Sourdough Recipes, we have a bunch. We also have our family recipe box right here if you need some inspiration for dinner tonight!
Sourdough Crackers
Ingredients
1 cup of active Sourdough Starter
1/4 cup of butter
1 tsp of honey
1 cup of whole wheat flour
1/4 tsp of sea salt
1/4 tsp of baking soda
olive oil and sea salt
Method
In a large bowl, combine starter, butter and honey.
In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup of the flour, sea salt and baking soda.
Add the dry bowl to the wet ingredients and mix until smooth/
Add the remaining flour until smooth and a stiff dough results, 1/4 cup at a time.
Cover the dough and let rest for 10 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350F.
On a well floured surface, divide the dough into three balls.
Roll each ball out to 1/8" thick.
Using a knife, cut into 1" squares and place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
Spray the crackers with olive oil and top with sea salt to taste.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden.
If you enjoyed this recipe, or this post, please consider sharing with your friends on social media where ever you like to hang. Because, sharing really is caring! Sharing this post also supports my rambles and allows me to continue doing just that!
Thank you for taking the time to stop in on our humble blog and we hope you come back soon! If you want to see what we are up to lately, find us on our Facebook page or on Instagram!
always,
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| Easy Sourdough Pancake Recipe |
We love making many freshly baked goodness with our Sourdough Starter and decided to try some sourdough pancakes. We love our Sourdough Bread and have even made Soft Sourdough Pretzels but wanted to use up some of the discarded sourdough starter.
These pancakes are moist, fluffy and delicious! If you want to get started making your home baked goods with a Sourdough Starter, I have a helpful post here to help you get started and make your own starter.
Making your breads, and pancakes with sourdough is better for your gut and adds beneficial bacteria to your diet. And to keep your starter alive and thriving, you need to keep feeding it everyday and this usually means you have starter coming out of your ears! Might as well us it up and make some pancakes! I hope you like them, enjoy!
Sourdough Pancakes
Ingredients
1 cup of unbleached flour1 tsp of baking soda
1/2 tsp of sea salt
2 tbsp of sugar
1 large egg
2 tbsp of oil
3/4 cup of milk
1 cup of active sourdough starter
Method
In a large bowl combine flour, baking soda, sea salt and sugar until well combined.Add egg, oil, milk and sourdough starter and mix until smooth.
Heat a seasoned cast iron pan or griddle to medium heat.
Pour 1/4 cup for each pancake, cook until bubbles appear or it begins to golden, flip.
Thank you for taking the time to stop in on our humble blog and we hope you come back soon! If you want to see what we are up to lately, find us on our Facebook page or on Instagram!
always,
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| Chicken Taquitos |
These are the bomb! I have been making these taquitos for my husband and I since our eldest wild boy was just a baby and they are to die for. The recipe has evolved over the years to our liking.
Hubs prefers less cumin and I prefer what this recipes asks for. So if you know you aren't a fan of cumin, use half the amount.
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| Chicken Taquitos |
The recipe is really easy to throw together, too. Simply mix all your ingredients together until combined and spread over your tortillas.
I make my own tortillas but you can use store bought ones if you like. If you want to learn how to make your own, I have a recipe for Homemade Flour Tortillas here.
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| Homemade Chicken Taquitos |
When spreading the chicken and cheese mixture on your tortilla, be sure to leave the last inch without any mixture so it doesn't melt out of the seam and onto your baking sheet because that would be wasteful of the deliciousness!
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| Homemade Chicken Taquitos | I like to bake them seam side down on a lined baking sheet. |
The recipe makes about 4 Chicken Taquitos but if you used the smaller tortillas from the store you might get a couple extra. If you are making these for company, the recipe doubles well.
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| Homemade Chicken Taquitos on Homemade Flour Tortillas |
Chicken Taquitos
Ingredients
1 cup cooked shredded chicken4 oz softened cream cheese
1/2 tsp of ground cumin
1/2 tsp of chili powder
1/2 tsp of garlic powder
Dash of Salt
1 tsp of chopped green onion
1 tbsp of chopped cilantro
1 tsp of lemon juice
1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
4 Small Flour Tortillas
Method
Preheat oven to 425ºF.Combine all ingredients in a bowl and spread evenly over 4 flour tortillas. Roll up and place on your cookie sheet leaving an inch between each taquito.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until absolutely perfect, or golden brown.
Serve with sour cream and salsa. If you can wait that long.
If you enjoyed this recipe, or this post, please consider sharing with your friends on social media where ever you like to hang. Because, sharing really is caring! Sharing this post also supports my rambles and allows me to continue doing just that!
Thank you for taking the time to stop in on our humble blog and we hope you come back soon! If you want to see what we are up to lately, find us on our Facebook page or on Instagram!
always,
Although I wish I could make everything from scratch, I don't make tortillas from scratch too often because it all becomes too time consuming. It is a goal of ours to become self sufficient when it come to feeding our family with all our own home grown food. But, I still need some time management skills and to make these in bulk and freeze hah!
These flour tortillas freeze well in a large Ziploc bag with parchment paper between each wrap to ensure they don't stick together. But they need to be cooled completely before getting them ready for the freezer.
Making up a triple batch is great use of time to stick them in the freezer and have homemade tortillas in a pinch when you don't feel like cooking or there just isn't enough time in the day. We love using these to make banana sushi for the kids or these amazing Chicken Taquitos.
1/2 tsp of baking powder
3/4 tsp of sea salt
1 cup of hot water
4 tbsp of vegetable oil
In a separate bowl, combine hot water and oil.
Pour liquid over dry ingredients and mix with a fork.
Knead for 10 minutes.
Divide into 12 portions and cover with a towel to rest for 30 minutes.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out each portion into a tortilla shape about 1/8" thick.
Heat in a seasoned cast iron pan, or griddle on medium heat.
Cook just until it becomes golden, flip and remove from heat.
If you enjoyed this recipe, or this post, please consider sharing with your friends on social media where ever you like to hang. Because, sharing really is caring! Sharing this post also supports my rambles and allows me to continue doing just that!
Thank you for taking the time to stop in on our humble blog and we hope you come back soon! If you want to see what we are up to lately, find us on our Facebook page or on Instagram!
always,
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| Homemade Flour Tortillas | I knead mine right in the bowl. |
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| Homemade Flour Tortillas | After kneading, it is divided into 12 and rests under a towel for 30 minutes. |
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| Homemade Flour Tortillas |
The recipe calls for baking powder, but we seem to never have this on hand so I substitute it with 1/8 teaspoon of baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice. And you don't need to fry these up in a cast iron pan, but that's all we use and love!
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| Homemade Flour Tortillas |
Flour Tortillas
Ingredients
3 cups of flour1/2 tsp of baking powder
3/4 tsp of sea salt
1 cup of hot water
4 tbsp of vegetable oil
Method
In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder and sea salt.In a separate bowl, combine hot water and oil.
Pour liquid over dry ingredients and mix with a fork.
Knead for 10 minutes.
Divide into 12 portions and cover with a towel to rest for 30 minutes.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out each portion into a tortilla shape about 1/8" thick.
Heat in a seasoned cast iron pan, or griddle on medium heat.
Cook just until it becomes golden, flip and remove from heat.
Thank you for taking the time to stop in on our humble blog and we hope you come back soon! If you want to see what we are up to lately, find us on our Facebook page or on Instagram!
always,
