Personal

Went to Jasper to get some maternity pictures taken. Nothing fancy, just Dane and me and his photo taking skills. He’s the coolest dude in town and is always down for my crazy photo shoots I make him do. I figure it makes up for the countless hours he spends on kijiji looking at motorcycles, dirt bikes, quads, and even snowmobiles. There was even a few weeks where he was obsessed with looking at puppies. Like as if I wouldn’t notice a puppy. Oh Dane, you’re a gem. I’m truly grateful for your support and the fact that you aren’t afraid to tell my to stick my chin out further so I don’t look like a gremlin with a double chin…. which is getting harder and harder to do these days. You’re my best friend and the best guy to put up with my firecracker personality. Thanks for this lovely day in Jasper, despite me thinking I was going into labour. You handled it quite well… despite going white in the face and clammy hands and asking if I was OK every 5 minutes. Basically, Jasper might be one of my favourite places in the world, and it’s even better when you’re with your favourite person.

Dress and denim jacket are from Anthropologie

xoxo,

Food, Sweets

I bought “Linda Lomelino’s Ice Cream” recipe book awhile back after loving all of her creations on instagram. I’ve loved trying her ice cream recipes out, so far I’ve made Vanilla (I added crushed oreos in one, and crushed skor bars in the other), rum raisin, lemon, and now strawberry:) All of her recipes have very little ingredients… which is what ice cream should be, don’t cha think?

If you don’t have an ice cream machine, I suggest you get engaged. That’s when people buy you things you would never go out and buy yourself! No but seriously, get engaged and you’ll get a George Foreman press, ice cream machine, food dehydrator, you name it. If you have no plans on getting engaged cuz your dude is a wuss, or you simply don’t “want to”get married (that’s what we say when our dudes are wusses right? “I don’t need a wedding to prove I love someone.” Ya right, deep down you’re wishing for that ice cream machine and food dehydrator). Anyways, if you aren’t getting one anytime soon, you can totally make this without one! Just google how- pretty sure you just put the mixture in a bowl on top of an even bigger bowl full of ice. And mix every hour.

Strawberry Ice Cream
 
Save Print
Only four ingredients... the way ice cream should be.
Author:
Serves: 4 cups
Ingredients
  • 1 cup of fresh strawberries (sliced)
  • 1 TBLS fresh lemon juice
  • 1 can of sweetened condensed milk (300 ml)
  • 1 cup of whipping cream (whipped)
Instructions
  1. Wash and cut your strawberries. Add to your blender along with the lemon juice. Blend into a puree.
  2. Add your condensed milk and blend again.
  3. Once you have your whip cream nice and fluffy, mix that with your strawberry mixture, until fully incorporated. (I'm sure you can just do that in the blender as well).
  4. Put in your fridge until completely cold.
  5. Add into your ice cream maker and process according to your ice cream machine's instructions.
  6. Freeze until set completely.

 

Ps- I was just teasing you about the whole not wanting to be married… I’m sure there are lot’s of you who don’t want to. You should still consider getting an ice cream machine though… just sayin’.

Personal, Series

IMG_3134I had my baby shower last weekend. It only took me 4 months to plan:) No, but seriously… I started making those tissue flowers in January. I even ordered the peach coloured tissue paper off of etsy. Dane if you’re reading this… I’m sorry. I totally lied. That tissue paper was not from the dollar store. And if we’re telling truths… that dress I bought a few weeks ago? Also not from Value village. It was from anthropologie. Not that you believed me anyways, but still….

Anyways, this baby shower. I think I kinda went DIY crazy and overt the top everything because I wanted to. HA! I dunno… Pinterest became a “thing” after I got married, so my wedding was all DIY, but now with the world of Pinterest helping guide it. Like, lime green bridesmaid dresses? I’m sorry to my bridesmaids. I made you look like Shrek and Fiona. But in fairness, I’ve always been one to make everything myself. I wanna be in control of everything. I learned that when I was planning my wedding. My name is Claudia, and I’m a control freak. Like I get anxious watching Dane cook. Garlic powder? Sure! And we might as well throw in some paprika and cumin in there too. He NEVER follows a recipe. He looks at a recipe only to see what he can change. We’re polar opposites in that sense. So long story short… I made most of everything at this shower. And I truly enjoyed every minute of it. Dane however, did not. There was tissue paper scraps and fake flower petals everywhere since January. I love him. He let me be the nutty DIYer I wanted to be, with only 6 to 8 complaints per day. Which is pretty good.

Thank you to my lovely friend Afton who was just as excited for this shower as I was. Thank you for being the crazy aunty who bought this little one just as much clothes as I have. Thank you for all the pins you sent me on Pinterest, even though I knew you had no intention of touching a glue gun. Thank you for helping set everything up. Thank you for standing in line for over an hour to get the macarons from the duchess. But mostly, thank you for just genuinely being excited for me, and for this babe, and for this shower. Xoxo.

To my Momma. I definitely did not get my DIYness from you. I got my firecracker personality from you. (Poor dad and Dane). But thank you anyways for trying to glue hundreds of coffee filters together to make flowers while Barca was playing. I know it was painful to not fully give Lionel Messi your attention. Don’t worry, they won anyways. Thanks for helping with absolutely everything. And to the people who were wondering if she was actually my mom, and not my sister? I promise she’s my mom. You haven’t seen her “mom” face when we were little. Or have you ever snuck out your window at 16? I did. She’s definitely my mom. But I agree with you too, she’s beautiful. Maybe I’ll get lucky and look like her when I grow up:)

See all these amazing pictures? I didn’t take them. My friend Melissa from http://www.bespoke-photography.com. did. She’s the best. And she totally gets my style and loves a good DIY. Like when I met her, she literally said “DIY is my middle name.” Thanks to Melissa for being so willing to take these for me, and for being good at it. Also, for the adorable moccasins. I’m in love. Go check out her blog:)

Thank you to EVERYONE for coming and making me feel like I’m this glowing, radiant pregnant woman with the cutest little bump. I know you’re all just liars. Trust me, I have a mirror. But thanks for all the warm wishes, hugs, and for just being here, I truly had a great day and loved having you here.

To all my friends who brought food, or volunteered to bring something, again, I know I was a bit of a space case that day, but thank you SO much. I loved the dip (Julie! PS- people were still talking about it after you left), Meliss, your punch was amazing, and clearly my mom thought your dispenser was the coolest. And your cute veggie cups, my dad and Dane both thought that was pretty genius. I mostly ate your fruit dip with a spoon;) Barb, for you banana punch and squares… I don’t think you’ve ever made something I haven’t loved though. (Maybe rare roast beef, but that was Rick’s request, haha!) Brooklyn!! Your cupcakes! My dad legit said “I hate cupcakes, but I ate 3 of the ones at your shower.” When people asked if I had made them, not gonna lie… I totally contemplated saying “why yes. yes I did.” Jenna, your cheesecake only had one slice left over, and that’s because I hid it in the fridge for me to eat later that night. And that’s the truth.

Thank you, thank you, thank you to you all. You’re a pretty neat bunch to have in my life:) And pretty soon, little bean in my tummy will have you all too.

Love, me.

 

 

 

Personal

 

1). English is my second language

2). I can speak 2 languages (Spanish and English)

3.) I’m married to my high school sweetheart

4). I love to travel, and have been to 14 countries

5). I have an irrational fear of my collar bone being touched

6). I love the water

7). My favourite movie is The Count of Monte Cristo

8). I collect cookbooks

9). I love to cook and bake

10). I am a DIY fanatic

11). I love the mountains

12). My favourite flower is a peony

13). I can’t whistle

14). I used to be a massage therapist

15). I was a lumberjack 2 summers ago and chainsawed trees with my best friend

16). I can do a handstand

17). Favourite song is “country roads” by John Denver

18). I could eat chicken fingers everyday (I know… that’s what children order).

19). I have one younger brother

20). I’ve never gotten a speeding ticket

21). I’ve never been hospitalized

22). My birthday is on the longest day of the year

23). I love to read and I reread books all the time

24). My favourite food is my husbands ribs

25). I have no tattoos or piercings

26). I hate ugly feet (go cut your flipping toenails people!!)

27). I always start my diets and workout plans on a Monday

28). I always quit my diets and workouts by Tuesday

29). I love lace and gold spray paint

30). I love boho

31). I enjoy photography

32). I am forever buying unnecessary little trinkets

33). I still can’t figure out which way North or South is (I swear it’s a girl thing… sorry to the girls who actually know)

34). Technically, I don’t know which way East or West is either

35). Every cheesecake I’ve made has been a fail

36). My pie is probably better than your grandma’s though

37). I love canning (basically I’m a grandma in a 28 year old body)

38). Fish and seaweed DO NOT freak me out like it does with 99% of women

39). Mice however……..

40). I saved a calf once in the middle of the night with my friend (It was more like 10:00 pm and Dane did all the work)

41). I saved a moose calf last spring (Again, Dane did all the work, I recorded and freaked out over the mom coming)

42). I saved a baby crow that fell out of it’s nest (Dane did all the work and pretty sure a cat ate him after cuz he fell out again)

43). I don’t cry in movies. Period.

44). I actually like McDonald’s

45). I hate steak

46). I like brussel sprouts and beets

47). I love coke (the drink, and yes, I’m aware it’s bad for me)

48). I always have gum and lip balm with me ( I got your back)

49). I own 4 pairs of Birkenstocks and liked them before they were cool

50). I do crossfit (That’s a lie, but I couldn’t think of another “fact” about me. Here’s one- I’ve never done crossfit in my life)

Peace out homies

 

Food, Sweets

 

Processed with VSCOcam with g1 preset

I hated peanut butter until I started dating Dane almost 13 years ago. It was thick and made you almost choke. Dane, on the other hand feels that peanut butter is an essential food group. He eats it by the spoonful. He’s also eaten a dozen donuts in one sitting though, so that’s not saying much. I slowly started to come around to peanut butter. I now too, strongly feel that peanut butter should be an essential food group. Only took me 13 years. Wether it’s peanut butter ice cream, peanut butter cheesecake, peanut butter on toast.. or chocolate bars with peanut butter … that’s what I’m ordering. And if I can get extra peanut butter, I’ll take that too.

Dane’s mom gave him a cookbook when he was little, and this recipe was one if them. He’s been making them since then. It even made it into their family cookbook that the whole family all contributed to. It’s on page 199 under “Massey meals and munchies” Chewy Peanut Bars—– Dane Redel. It’s actually really cute, haha.

These are super easy to make, and people are always impressed with anything homemade. They’re so easy that even little gaffer Dane could even make them. I mean, he IS a genius according to me, but I may be being a little biased. I’m sure even non genius kids can make these!

      Chop your peanuts

 

 

 

 

Measure out your chocolate chips, honey and peanut butter.

 

      Mix your chocolate and honey

     Add your essential food group until melted and fully incorporated

    Add the peanuts

   Pour into prepared pan, and voila!!

Chewy Peanut Bars (homemade eatmores)
 
Save Print
My husband has loved these bars since he was a little boy, and has actually been making them since then too. I actually got the recipe from him!
Author:
Ingredients
  • 1 cup creamed honey
  • 2 cups dark chocolate chips
  • 1 cup smooth peanut butter
  • 2 cups roughly chopped peanuts, salted
Instructions
  1. Combine the honey and chocolate in a large saucepan over medium heat, making sure to constantly stir until the mixture comes to a low boil.
  2. Add the peanut butter and mix until the peanut butter has been fully incorporated.
  3. Add the chopped peanuts and mix well.
  4. Pour into a prepared pan lined with parchment paper.
  5. You can choose the thickness of the bars based on the size... so you can pick! I normally use and 8x8 pan, and they come out fairly thick.
  6. Spread evenly to edges
  7. Let it set for at least 2 hours, then chill for 15 mins in fridge before cutting

Tips:

  • You can add some oats to this to give it some ‘umph.’ Or to trick people into thinking it’s “healthy.”
  • You can substitute the honey for corn syrup to make it vegan (I’ve never tried, but have seen other recipes that use corn syrup)
  • Cut these into nice, even squares, wrap them in parchment paper and tie with some burlap and make it into a cute little gift.

Thank you for stopping by, I hope you try and make these!!

1 … 5 6 7 8 9