Simple Recipes for Busy Living
Check out the new logo for the Guelph Swap Shop! Designed by my husband Stuart, I think it looks great!
The Guelph Swap Shop continues to thrive and grow! Despite some minor set-backs this week, with our daughter in the hospital (again) this time for a nasty GI virus, things are moving along. I am pleased to report both the web-site and Gwyneth are up and running!
I started a new Facebook group last week, and I am overjoyed at it’s popularity! We now have 170 members in the GuelphSwapShop group on Facebook…YAHOO!!! I am just so thrilled with the positive and giving people who have become a part of this on-line community. It really warms my heart!
In other news…well, I really have none actually! We just had a very busy day of gardening, and mucking (I said Mucking!) around outside! Completely enjoyable, rain and all!
I promise a recipe this week…promise, promise, promise!
Ta for now…I’m off to swap me some stuff!
A new Facebook group promises to change people’s lives. It will promote sharing, caring and giving to fellow community members. These values are ones I believe very strongly in, and I recently felt a nudge to start a local group which would promote all of these values, and run it with compassion and love 
On April 25, 2008, GuelphSwapShop - Free Stuff Network was born! The new Facebook group, which I initiated only on Friday already has 140 members, and is growing on a daily basis. It’s very exciting to watch
This local group is dedicated to reducing, reusing and recycling good household items! In the spirit of community-based giving, the goal of Guelph Swap Shop is to allow local people to request and offer good household items from clothing, to plants, to appliances, to services and everything in between, without the exchange of cash. The only stipulation is that all items offered must be free of charge! Swapping and bartering items is encouraged…after all, the next best thing to giving, is getting something in return!
If you’d like more information on this exciting new group, and would like to join (you don’t even need to live in Guelph to see what we’re all about) visit the Guelph Swap Shop Facebook Group, and join us! We’d love to have you with us!
We had a fabulous day working outside in the garden today. I feel like I accomplished more in one day than I usually do in an entire week! Now, I am tired, but with a great sense of accomplishment!
We got our daughter’s “Big Girl Bed” painted, and moved into her room…now all it needs is a mattress !
We planted two beautiful trees in the spirit of Earth Week…they really have added a touch of charm and beauty to our back yard. Hooray for Dad (he brought them to us)
I went with a friend to the home of a woman who sells perennials from her garden (and wouldn’t you know it, the proceeds actually go to support mission work through my church) so I was more than happy to pay her fair prices for some beautiful new plants for the garden.
We had a nice dinner today with my Mom, played with the bunny (oh ya, we got a bunny!) We adopted him a week ago from Kijiji…he is the sweetest and cutest bunny ever…hands down! His former name “Killer” (um, ya?) has been changed to the much more appropriate and suitable name “Jack” He’s just the cutest little guy!
So, all in all a great weekend…simple, enjoyable, family time…done!
Back to recipes tomorrow…stay tuned!
Okay, once again I find myself apologizing for a lengthy absence from the blog scene..sorry people! We’ve had sick kids, hospital stays and although we are feeling much better now, we’ve just been crazy busy…Whew! But thank goodness the illness seems to be on its way out. What a greuling few weeks!
Anyhow, first, I would like to share with you my latest project. I love the spirit and community feeling of Guelph, and I want to do all I can to promote and encourage friendship and giving here in this great city…so…I have set up a brand new Facebook group GuelphSwapShop. The goal of Guelph Swap Shop is to allow local people to request and offer their good used household items from clothing, to plants, to appliances, and everything in between!
The only stipulation is that all items offered must be free of charge! Members are encouraged however, to swap and barter items as well…after all, the next best thing to giving, is getting something in return!
So…join us!
And in other news, I just wanted to give a little linky love to Sonja Nimri, internet friend, and creative goddess who has just written her second book, Beadalicious! Way to go Sonya! What wonderful creative inspiration and ideas! Her book is available here.
And finally, recipes anyone? Starting tomorrow (I promise) I will be posting again regularly! More great recipes, more great photos and more creative inspiration!
Well, the new design is finally up and running, and although it’s still missing some of the *key* elements it will eventually have, these things do take time! I need to photograph my newest jewelry creations, get some amazing new recipes added, finish posting the recent photos I have taken of some of the culinary delights that have come from my very own kitchen, find inspiration for posts themselves, find time to post them…etc…etc. You get the point!
Anyhow, baby steps is all I can say…we are getting there bit by bit Although, if the weather continues to be as beautiful as it was today, I may find even less time for it…we were outside for 3 hours today…nuff said!
Anyhow, on the agenda for the rainy day tomorrow, in addition to the regular household duties and kid wrangling, is adding some new photos, and recipes…wish me luck!
The new site is almost ready…prepare yourselves folks…it looks great (and I can say this because I didn’t design it - I left that in the capable hands of my husband Stuart) It has a sort of a vintage artistic feel to it, and new snazzy colours and fun design elements.
More recipes, more photographs, more crafts and creativity…plus the odd surprise or two! Exciting things are in store…
Check back soon…it’s almost show time!
“Listen said the pussy willow, can you hear a brook? Spring is coming, spring is coming. Let’s go out and look.”
Saw our first robin of 2008 on our backyard fence today! Wahoo! Spring *is* on it’s way!
We’re kicking it off with the launch of the all new CatCanCook site this month, featuring more recipes, photos, an all-new store and so much more! The new design is in it’s final stages of preparation as we speak, and there are so many new and exciting changes coming!
On Saturday, a good friend and I got together and enjoyed some girl time cooking in the kitchen! We came up with this wonderful quiche recipe, just by adding and playing with it, til it was just right. Feel free to change is up to suit your tastes, by adding mushrooms, crab, different meats, or no meat to suit the vegetarian palette, different cheeses, or blends of cheeses, more or less of this and that…play with it. You really cannot go wrong.
In a nutshell (or pie-shell rather) har-har, here is the recipe we came up with!
Spinach, Bacon and Turkey Quiche
2 Frozen Pie Crusts (ie: Tenderflake)
1 tsp. Canola Oil
4 Eggs, beaten
4 Cloves of Garlic, pressed
1 Onion, chopped Fine
1 Package Frozen Spinach, thawed
6-8 Slices Bacon
1/2 Pound (or so) Cooked Turkey
1/2 Cup Gruyere, Swiss, Cheddar or firm cheese, shredded
Saute the garlic and onions in the oil. Add bacon, and fry until cooked through. Add spinach and cooked turkey. Remove from heat. Divide mixture between the 2 pie shells, spread with most of the shredded cheese, then pour eggs over top, and top with remaining cheese. Bake in 325 oven for 30-45 minutes. Just keep an eye on it so that it does not burn. Let stand about 5 minutes before serving
Did you ever wonder what to do with all of the huge zucchinis you grow in your garden each summer? Hmm, given the snowy weather, and cold February winds, summer gardens are a distant memory in Canada right now. But, even if you don’t have zucchinis coming out your ears (figuratively speaking of course) I suggest you get some, and try this nice recipe.
When we were little, we always had a huge vegetable garden, and a plethora of zucchini grew there every year. My parents would always jokingly try to give them away as “door prizes” to any lucky summertime visitors (there were many - we had a pool!) but when we were never able to give them all away, Mom always made this delicious cake. Moist and somewhat like a chocolate spice cake, this recipe is a wonderful accompaniment to a good hot cup of coffee. Almost wish I had some right now! You’ll be pleased with it’s simplicity, and quantity…the recipe makes 2 cakes. One to eat now, and one for the freezer, or maybe even a door prize 
Chocolate Zucchini Cake
Cream together:
1 Cup Mayonnaise
1 Cup Vegetable Oil
3 1/2 Cups White Sugar
Add:
4 Eggs
2 tsp. Vanilla
1 Cup Sour Milk
Beat Well
Stir In:
5 Cups White Flour
8 Tbsp. Cocoa Powder
1 tsp. Baking Powder
2 tsp. Baking Soda
1 tsp. Cinnamon
1 tsp. Cloves
After beating, add between 4 and 5 Cups of Shredded Zucchini and mix well. Spread batter into 2 greased 9×13 pans, and sprinkle each cake with a generous handful of chocolate chips. Bake for approximately 40 minutes at 325 degrees.
