Feel The Tropics As You Enjoy Baking and Eating This Aloha Bread

April showers are ending and May-flowers are blooming, which excites my family and I, as we have been waiting for the weather to get warmer and soak up some sunshine and enjoy the warm outdoors. Many of you like us are probably waiting for the upcoming celebrations, the long weekend and the school holidays for the summer, which will be here before we know it :) Since I am missing the warmth of the sunshine with the cold rain and wind we are having these days, I decided my family and I need to taste something tropical to lift our moods up. 

Win a copy of Big Book of Kids' Birthday Cakes

It doesn't matter how old we get, our birthdays remain to be a special day. For a child celebrating their birthday with a beautifully structured cake with something they like on it such as dinosaurs or castles will make their day even more special. Although my family and I don't do big birthday celebrations, each year for my children's birthday I enjoy making a cake with their favourite character or liking that tends to change each year. 

Banana Walnut Muffins and Two Giveaways to Celebrate Spring

The weather is becoming warmer, and we are happy to feel and see the sunshine :) The warm temperatures make the bananas I buy ripe very fast, and I like this as I can use the ripe bananas in desserts and snacks. To celebrate the blue skies, fresh air, spring birds and blooms, I can't think of any other dessert but muffins with bananas and walnuts in it. With the long weekend coming soon, these easy to make, quick muffins would be wonderful to make a day ahead and take with us on a picnic or a road trip. These muffins taste even more special with a spread of Gay Lea Spreadables. 

Recipe to Riches

Recipe to Riches aims to discover the best of the best, inviting amateur Canadian home-cooks to create and share their original favourite personal recipes with the country. Each episode features a different food category with home-cooks competing for a weekly $25,000 prize and the opportunity to move on to compete in the series finale for a $250,000 grand prize. 

Red Lentil Fritters

This is our family favourite recipe to make fritters using red lentil, and it makes a wonderful appetizer.

To make the Lentil Fritters...

Carrot, Coconut, Apple Muffins Perfect for Breakfast or Snack

My family and I excited about the upcoming March Break next week. It is a much needed time-off from school and the routine during this long winter season. I just wish we will have some good weather :) 

During school holidays I like to make and keep snacks like healthy muffins, so my family and I can have it for brunch, breakfast, snacks or take with us when we travel to see attractions. This Carrot, Coconut, Apple Muffins recipe from the Model Bakery cookbook makes about 20 muffins. The muffins can be baked and stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day.

Decorating Our Toaster Strudels for the Strudelgram Contest

Usually during school days in the mornings we are busy trying to get on time to school and work. Due to the rush and routine during the weekdays, my family and I like to slow down and take our time to make special breakfasts during the weekend and holidays. 

Cranberry-Nut Chex® Mix and A Chance For You To Win A Red Carpet Hosting Kit

Dressing up for a party and hosting is lots of fun. I like to go with a theme when I am hosting a party, so I can prepare the food and atmosphere to coordinate for everyone to have fun. When we are watching red carpet events like the Oscars, I like to keep our party casual and watch who is winning, which of our favourite movies get the awards, and get to know of movies worth watching.

Recipes using Veal and a $100 Prize Pack Giveaway

This Veal Spring Rolls recipe is inspired by the recipe on The Ontario Veal Cookbook.

8 oz ground veal

1 tbsp oil

1 onion sliced

1/4 tsp garlic grated or minced

1/4 tsp ginger grated

Adding A Little Sunshine

We in Canada do not get as much vitamin D in the winter because the sun's angle changes, and the UV rays that make vitamin D does not reach us. It is known that without vitamin D, calcium levels in our blood drops. To maintain the calcium level our bodies borrow needed calcium from our bones. This can cause the bones to become fragile. Deficiency in vitamin D also has other negative impacts to our health.  We can get vitamin D naturally by eating food such as fatty fish, egg yolk, fortified milk.

Dishes Inspired by the Upcoming Chinese New Year

恭喜发财 (Kung Hei Fat Choy) to everyone celebrating the upcoming Chinese New Year. I find the Chinese New Year zodiac to be interesting and according to it, this year is the Year of the Horse. When I checked the zodiac, I am a rooster. I admittedly believe somethings that are said for this sign is true to me, such as being a practical thinker, observant, paying attention to detail. I did check out the birth year of my family members and found some of the personality traits to be true to them.

Kale Orange Salad

Happy 2014 everyone! New year is a time to make new resolutions, so the beginning of the new year I always start by making resolutions to eat healthy and stay fit. I learned to make this healthy Kale Orange Salad recipe at the Cooking With Cutco event, which is delicious and easy to prepare. This recipe is a good way to add the super food Kale into our healthy eating lifestyle.

Ghirardelli's Holiday Impressions Squares

Ghirardelli's Holiday Impressions Squares are delicious, beautifully detailed Limited Edition Premium Chocolates that everyone in the family will enjoy. The bag of chocolates has seasonal shapes; Snowman, Santa and Christmas tree printed with decadent white chocolate in the middle of a square shaped premium milk chocolate. 

My Pirate Found Treasure Island By Sailing On His Pirate ship

For my son's birthday, I made a Pirate ship and an Island. For the base of the pirate ship, I used the recipe from here and decorated the cake with buttercream icing and whipped frosting.

Sunbites Corn on the Cob

Sunbites, corn on the cob is a truly Canadian, healthy product that is locally grown, picked and vacuum packed on the same day it is harvested. The corn is packed right away to maintain maximum freshness all year long. My family and I enjoyed the flavourful fresh taste. There are no preservatives since the package contains only corn. 

Our Holiday Baking Traditions and Baking Cupcakes

I love baking! The love for baking and cooking is embedded in me probably because of helping out as a young child in the kitchen when my grandma, aunts, cousins and mom get busy making a variety of dishes. We used to get together and make lots of goodies to give family, friends and neighbours during special occasions and festivals. I love continuing this tradition with my family and get everyone in the mood to bake and share.

Perfect Treat to Take to a Holiday Potluck

This cheesecake made with yogurt is flavourful and delicious, it would be a delightful treat to take over to a potluck. We can bake it a day ahead and keep it ready to go in the fridge. Keeping it overnight in the fridge makes it more delicious. I used a Cake Stencil to turn this simple cheesecake more presentable.

Colourful Green Pea Curry and Fabulous Housewarming Gifts From Trudeau

The quality products sold at Trudeau make wonderful, memorable housewarming gifts we can give to our loved ones. Your family and friends who enjoy cooking and entertaining, will like using this professional lifetime warrantied salt mill and pepper mill that is made with German Beechwood. 

Sun-Maid Starry Morning Raisin French Toast

According to the Sun-Maid Raisin Bread's Bring Back Brunch online survey* 80% said they would consider a festive brunch in place of the holiday season dinner. This is so they can enjoy time leisurely with their family, friends and guests. To help us get started and gather around the kitchen and table, Sun-Maid has developed four signature brunch recipes; Starry morning raisin french toast, Berry merry breakfast cups, Leftover makeover french toast, and Rise and shine raisin coffee bake.

Make Rice Krispies Treats and Donate a Toy to a Canadian Child in Need

This holiday season, we can help make a difference to a child in need. Make a treat with Rice Krispies cereal and upload a picture of the treat on the RiceKrispies.ca.