Passion Tea Limeade

Let's start today off by saying; I kind of have a tea obsession, ask my bf Nick. I have a huge cupboard full of tea, which I have to mention was specifically bought to house my tea. Whenever I am out and about and I see a new tea I don't have I get kinda excited. I especially love little tea shops like David's Tea and Teaopia. Which I am sad to say Teaopia is my favourite and they were bought out. However, in saying that, it means that everything is on sale!!! I got a really pretty tea pot for super cheap and lots and lots of tea at 75% off.

One of the things I like the most of Iced Teas. Nick and I like to experiment with different tea and juice mixes. One of my favourite tea drinks in the Passion Tea Lemonade from Starbucks. It is just so good. I always get a Venti and it lasts all of 5 minutes :(. Oh and I also should mention I love limes so much more than lemons. So i decided to try to make it at home and this is what we came up with.

Passion Tea Limeade
2 bags Tazo Passion Tea
2 cups boiling water
2 tbsp sugar
1 can frozen limeade
3 cups cold water

Place tea bags and sugar in boiling water and let steep for 10 minutes. In the meantime mix limeade and water in a big pitcher. Once tea is steeped squeeze out bag and discard. Pour tea into pitcher and mix well.
Refrigerate until cold. If you just cannot wait for that then grab a big glass full of ice and pour over.

Enjoy!!

Chili Cheese Dog Casserole

The kids start school tomorrow! Woo hoo! I cannot wait to have some quiet time during the day to do whatever I want; sit on my NEW couch and read, or do some creating in the kitchen without interruptions among other things, but those are my top two.

See since the kids have been home all summer, even though they have their own rec room in the basement they have monopolized the tv room on the main floor, all day every day, someone is in there. And they get upset when Nick or I want to watch something or play a video game or even better yet just sit and read.

I also know with the start of school, also brings swimming lessons, football, music lessons and lots of running around. So I share this quick and easy meal with you for those crazy on the run days.

Chili Cheese Dog Casserole
10 Jumbo hot dogs
10 Large Tortillas
4-6 cups of chili (I use my Homemade N&A Hearty Chili)
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease a large baking dish.

Place 1 hot dog with some cheddar cheese on the bottom third each tortilla and roll up. Place in the casserole dish. Cover with chili. Bake 20-35 minutes until hot.

**I like alot of chili with mine so I use a lot. Use more or less depending on how you like it.
***You can also make this with regular hot dogs and small tortillas.

Apple Pie Crostata!

I joined an online group last week called Sundays with Joy. The group is baking their way through Joy the Baker Cookbook: 100 Simple and Comforting Recipes. Each week we bake a new recipe and post about our adventures. We can make changes the recipes or make them exactly as it says and post our results on Sundays. I will not be posting the recipes unless I have made significant changes. If you want the recipes you can buy her book at the link above. If you want to know more about this group or to join click here.

So this weeks recipe was Apple Pie Crostatas. I made the recipe exactly as it read except for the addition of cinnamon in my pie crust and caramel on top.

They were fun to make and delicious! Especially with vanilla ice cream!

Buffalo Ranch Chicken

I crave medium buffalo wings all the time. I rarely indulge in them as I know they are not very healthy. However I found this recipe a while back on Pinterest and have been making it for months. The kids love it and ask for it almost every week.The nice thing about this recipe is that is makes enough for 3 meals for my family of 5 big eaters. All 3 of my kids are teenagers. So I usually make a batch and freeze it so we always have some on hand.

The other things I like about this recipe is that the chicken is a base for other recipes that I like to make, like my Buffalo chicken taquitos. But we often serve it simply on some nice toasted hamburgers buns.

Buffalo Ranch Chicken

3 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts 

1 bottle buffalo wing sauce (I use president's choice)

1 packet of dry Ranch Mix (found near the salad dressings) 

Place all ingredients into the slow cooker and give a good stir. Cook on high for 5-6 hours until chicken is tender and shreds easily.

Let cool. 

To shred I place the chicken in my Kitchen Aid Stand mixer with the paddle attachment and turn on for 30-60 seconds. Voila! all shredded. or you could do it the slow way and use 2 forks. Totally up to you.!

Enjoy! This recipe is not very spicy once cooked. I often add more buffalo sauce when I serve it to those who like things with a kick.

Mini Corn Dog Muffins

Good Evening Folks. I have to apologize for my lack of posts this summer. I have been super busy, but now that school is starting next week, my house is back on a routine. So... that means regular posts!

This summer has been full of road trips to Manitoulin Island to visit the bf's family and to Thunder Bay to visit my family and attend my cousin Tegin's beautiful wedding! Congrats Tegin and Jeff! Also just been busy with the kids and with work. We did lots of cleaning out junk and decluttering as well. 

Part of this routine I speak of consists of my kids helping with dinner at least one night a week each. We are trying to teach some life skills. So tonight we decided to make mini corn dog muffins. The kids try and get my to buy Pogos and such but I do not like processed foods and rarely buy them. So this recipe made them happy. 

I made the salad and directed one of my kids as he did the rest. Super easy to make!

I saw this recipe a while back on Pinterest. This is the original recipe Mini Corn Dog Muffins.

Mini Corn Dog Muffins
Makes 36

1/2 cup melted butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup buttermilk
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup flour
1 cup cornmeal
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
12 regular hot dogs (I prefer Schneider's Red Hots) cut into 3 pieces each

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and spray mini muffin tins with oil.

In a large bowl combine; butter, eggs, sugar and buttermilk. Mix together well.

In a separate bowl combine; flour, cornmeal, baking soda and salt. Whisk to combine.

Add dry mix into the wet and stir until just moist and combined well.

Spoon 1 tbsp of batter into each muffin cup. **I use 1 tbsp ice cream scoop**

place hot dog into the center and bake for 10-12 min until corn bread is golden around the edges.

Can be reheated for a few seconds in the microwave.

Serve with Ketchup and mustard! I have to say these did not last and I am sure if there were more they would all have been eaten as well.

Chocolate Chip Banana Breakfast Cookies

These delicious bites are an awesome way to start the day! They are fairly healthy, soft and chewy and taste just like banana bread!!!


This is another recipe I found at Once a Month Mom. I made a double batch and divided them up and froze them. The kids love them and so do the adults. They do not last long at all.


1/2 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla
4 med ripe bananas
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
3 cups oats
4 tbsp ground flax seed
2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
1 cup chocolate chips


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.


In a large bowl cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. add vanilla and eggs and stir until combined. 


In a medium bowl stir together flours, oats, ground flax, salt and baking soda.


Add flour mix into wet mix and stir until combined. Stir in chocolate chips. 


Spoon onto cookie sheets. I use 1 tbsp cookie scoop. 


Bake 8-10 minutes. 


**Note: These cookies will not flatten when baking they stay puffy.




To Freeze: cool and place into freezer bag or container. Place in freezer.


To Serve: let thaw before serving

Pepperoni Pizza Puffs

I have been finding myself so busy lately and always scrambling last minute to pull meals together and they have become a little boring or due to time constraints I was running out and buying dinner. Which by the way I am not a fan of and I was doing it way too much.

So in a journey to solve this dilemma as I will call it. I have been searching the web for inspiration. The biggest inpiration has been Once a Month Mom. With their monthly menus that get prepared at the beginning of the month.

I have been taking different recipes from different month menus and making my own meal plan. This recipe is one I have adapted from the website.

Pizza Puffs

3/4 cup flour

3/4 tsp baking powder

3/4 cup milk

1 egg

1 cup shredded cheese

1 cup pepperoni (cut into small pieces) **can be substituted by your favourite pizza toppings

2 tbsp fresh basil 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease muffin cups

Whisk together flour and baking powder. Whisk in eggs and milk until well combined.

Stir in cheese and pepperoni (or other toppings). Let stand for 10 minutes.

Stir again and divide among 12 muffin cups. Sprinkle 1 tbsp basil on top of the cups. Bake 25 min.

Serve with pizza sauce or  ranch dressing for dipping

**Note: These freeze really well. Just cool, place in freezer bag, label and freeze.

To reheat: place in micro wave for 2 minutes/