Our pups!

It's been a little while since I have posted about our pups!  This past Monday we started class with our two dogs, and it has been both a huge learning experience and a ton of fun at the same time.

Chloe is now 10 months old, and huge! We have no idea how big she will get, but with the way this dog eats we think she still has some serious growing to do.

Banjo was about 2 1/2 years old when we adopted him at the beginning of the summer. More and more of his hilarious personality is still coming out every day!

so much for a nice picture!

Such a cutie :)

We have had such a blast with these two additions to our household.  I can't wait to see what comes out of these classes, and to see how our two pups continue to grow up!


If you are in the Edmonton area and are looking to add a puppy or grown dog to your family, please consider checking out HART (Humane Animal Rescue Team).  This is where we adopted both of our dogs and they are an absolutely amazing organization!

Toasted Marshmallow Milkshakes

These milkshakes are the equivalent of shoving a summer night around the campfire with friends into a glass to be enjoyed anytime.  


We found this recipe from Joy (of the insanely wonderful site: joythebaker.com) and we were hooked before we had even taken our first sip! These milkshakes are perfect in every way.  They are fantastic for those rare warm summer nights or (more often) when you want to try and convince yourself it is still summer out there.


This recipe makes two medium-ish milkshakes. Feel free to double it up and share with friends!


Tip: bubble tea straws are perfect for thick milkshakes!


Toasted Marshmallow Milkshakes

• 12 marshmallows
• 3 heaping scoops of vanilla bean ice cream
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread out the marshmallows on it
2. Place the baking sheet in the oven on a middle rack and turn on your broiler
3. Carefully watch the marshmallows, and remove them when they are a beautiful golden brown
4. In a blender, add the ice cream, milk, vanilla, and 10 marshmallows
5. Blend until creamy smooth
6. Pour into two tall glasses, and top each with a remaining marshmallow
7. Enjoy!

Banana Chocolate Chip Bread

While my Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins will always be a favourite with my husband, sometimes it is nice to mix things up a little bit when it comes to using up those old bananas.  


This quick bread is perfect, it comes together quickly and bakes up into the perfect loaf of banana bread.  This recipe is a bit denser than that for the muffins, so it is perfect for slicing and eating as dessert or taking with you for breakfast on your commute.

This recipe is from the Company's Coming Mostly Muffins cookbook, and I can't get enough!


Banana Chocolate Chip Bread

• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups mashed banana (about 3 medium or 2 large)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup chocolate chips

1. Grease a loaf pan and preheat the oven to 350 F
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt
3. In a second bowl, cream together the butter and sugar
4. Add the eggs to the butter/sugar mixture and mix well
5. Add the mashed banana, lemon juice, chocolate chips, and vanilla to the other wet ingredients and again mix well
6. Make a well in the dry ingredients, and pour in the wet ingredients
7. Stir until all of the batter is just moistened, and then pour into the prepared loaf pan
8. Bake for 55 - 60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the middle of the loaf
9. Let cool for about 10 - 15 minutes, then remove from pan and set on wire rack to cool completely
10. Enjoy!

Spinach Salad - Our way!

This is one of my favourite salads. We used to have it often when I lived at home, and I still love to make it as a quick and delicious side for lunch or dinner.  I made it twice in one week recently since we love it so much!


I started a garden this year, so I was lucky enough to have some fresh spinach available for this salad. That is, I had fresh spinach available until my dogs discovered that what grew in that particular area was edible!

The spinach is topped with sliced mushrooms, crumbled bacon, a sliced hard-boiled egg,a little bit of grated cheddar, and finished off with a drizzle of French dressing. I have yet to find a great home-made French dressing, so we still use the tasty Kraft version :)


And Voila! A delicious family favourite.  I hope you give it a try and love it as much as my family does!


This recipe makes 6 side salads.  Recipe source? My folks!


Spinach Salad

• 1 bag baby spinach (or enough to fill a medium salad bowl)
• 6 hard-boiled eggs
• 12 small mushrooms
• 6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
• French dressing

1. Separate the spinach amongst 6 salad bowls
2. Slice up a hard-boiled egg on top of each bowl of spinach
3. Slice up the mushrooms and distribute amongst the bowls
4. Add the crumbled bacon and grated cheddar, and then drizzle with the French dressing
5. Enjoy!

Baby Shower Cupcakes

Earlier this summer my mom asked me to whip up some cupcakes for a baby shower. When I asked if it was for a baby boy or girl I was told that it was a 'surprise'!

So I decided to cover all of the bases.  Half of the cupcakes were iced in a two-tone yellow and pink vanilla buttercream, and the other half were iced in a two-tone blue and green vanilla buttercream.  I really love how multi-coloured swirls look!

Rhubarb Cobbler

Yes, my new love for rhubarb desserts this summer continues! In addition to Strawberry Rhubarb Pie and Rhubarb Chocolate Chip Muffins, this rhubarb cobbler is an amazing way to showcase tart rhubarb in a dessert.


I think I love rhubarb desserts for the same reason that I love lemon desserts so much.  There is something about that tart and sweet flavour combination that is so refreshing and satisfying at the same time.

The recipe for this cobbler is from The Pioneer Woman.  This is a fantastic dessert (or quite often at my house: Breakfast!) and a great way to use up that rhubarb that is still taking over your garden.


This is a very sweet dessert so it is awesome when served with some lightly sweetened fresh whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.  I think next time I might add a bit more rhubarb to balance it out.

The recipe fills one large baking dish, or two pie plates (perfect for sharing!).


Rhubarb Cobbler

• 4 cups chopped rhubarb
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 cups flour
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 egg
• extra sugar for the top of the cobbler

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
2. In a large bowl mix together the rhubarb, 1 1/2 cups sugar, salt, and lemon juice
3. In a second bowl whisk together the flour, 2 tbsp sugar, 1/4 tsp salt, and the baking powder
4. Using a pastry cutter or your fingers, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until it resembles coarse crumbs
5. In a small bowl, lightly beat together the egg and the milk
6. Add the egg/milk to the dry ingredients and mix until the dough just comes together
7. Pour the rhubarb into two pie plates
8. Pinch off pieces of dough and cover the rhubarb
9. Sprinkle extra sugar over the cobblers
10. Bake for 30 - 35 minutes, or until golden brown
11. Enjoy!

I may have cut it while still warm :) Delicious!