May 30, 2016

The Quotidian (30. 5. 16)

Quotidian: daily, usual, or customary;
everyday; ordinary; commonplace.


My Handyman.


Then...


...and now.


Perched.


Ready to re-use.


And the rains came.


Saturday chores.


Immersed.


Better with Butter.


My Composer.


Pretty.

 If we slow it all down and take it all in, we find beauty.
It's there.  Even in the littlest of things.
May the Lord help us this day to open our eyes to see.

Happy Monday!
With Love, Camille

May 23, 2016

The Quotidian (23. 5. 16)

Quotidian: daily, usual, or customary;
everyday; ordinary; commonplace.


Silliness after paper delivery.


Emma's additions.


First burgers of the season.


Motivated to finish well.


Just one of the benefits of home education.


Off to a shoot.


It's a tradition.


We took these five to meet up with five more for a Piano Guys concert.


Fraser in his element.


While the kids were at the concert, we went on a date.


We walked the entire Stanley Park Seawall (9 km/5.6 mi).


Blurry but beautiful ~ at the end of our walk.

Happy Monday!
With Love, Camille

May 13, 2016

Light and Momentary

"When we get to heaven...
...our trials will then seem light and momentary afflictions.

Let us go on boldly; if the night be never so dark,
the morning cometh, which is more than they can say
who are shut up in the darkness of hell.
Do you know what it is thus to live on the future --
to live on expectation -- to antedate heaven?


Happy believer, to have so sure, so comforting a hope.
It may be all dark now, but it will soon be light;
it may be all trial now, but it will soon be all happiness.
What matters it though 'weeping may endure for a night,'
when 'joy cometh in the morning?' "

Quoted from Spurgeon's Morning and Evening ~
May 13th morning reading.

May the Lord seal these precious thoughts to our hearts and lives.
He is so very, very good and truly does all things well.
How wonderful it is to rest our souls in Him.

Happy Friday!
With Love, Camille

May 11, 2016

Soaked Muesli

Calvin is one of my biggest fans when it comes to food.
He's always been that way.  In fact, there's a cute story to tell
from his toddler years that I'm quite sure will be shared at his wedding.
Suffice it to say, he likes most of what gets whipped up in my kitchen.

And, this is no exception.

Muesli is uncooked oatmeal.  Stir everything together at night,
and enjoy in the morning.  Straight from the fridge.
Add in a banana, toss on some chopped nuts, and drizzle
maple syrup over it all.  You can't go wrong.  It's perfect.

At least, Calvin and I think so.  :)


What you will need:

2 cups Old Fashioned Rolled Oats
3 cups Milk (I used Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk)
2 cups Greek Yogurt
1/2 cup Liquid Honey (organic, if possible)
1 and 1/2 cups Craisins (dried cranberries)
1 cup Shredded Unsweetened Coconut
1 cup Almond Meal (ground almond flour)
1 cup Flax Meal (ground flax seed)
3/4 tsp Sea Salt
2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
3 Organic Apples ~ diced

Banana slices, chopped nuts and Maple Syrup for toppings.
(Chocolate chips?  More dried fruit?  Anything goes!)


What you do:

Mix the dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.
Add all the wet ingredients into the same mixing bowl.
At this point, it will be quite sloppy, but, it with thicken up...promise.

Stir together well and put into a glass bowl or storage container.
Cover and set in the fridge overnight.  This is when the magic happens.

In the morning, scoop out the amount desired to fill hungry tummies
into individual cereal bowls, add toppings, and enjoy!
We like sliced bananas, chopped pecans, and a drizzle of maple syrup on ours.


Muesli is flexible, so, feel free to adjust the ingredients
to suit your own taste.  If you want a thicker consistency,
add more oats to your recipe, or, reduce the amount of liquids.
You can substitute water for the milk.  Or use cream to thin it in the morning.

One thing to note, however, is that the yogurt should be kept in
the mix in order for the oats to be properly soaked.
They are more easily digested that way.

This recipe will serve approximately 8 hungry people,
and will keep for up to three days in the fridge.
Happy (stress-free) mornings to you!  :)

With Love,
Camille

**To make this gluten free,
be sure your oats are certified GF.

May 9, 2016

The Quotidian (9. 5. 16)

Quotidian: daily, usual, or customary;
everyday; ordinary; commonplace.


For Mother's Day ~ baked by Emma.


Three of my treasures ~ Mother's Day 2016.


Not too big for the kiddie pool.


A Sunday afternoon game.


All cleaned up and ready for company.


Playing Thomas with Miss E and her little sister, Miss A.


Even Howie takes a turn ~ with Calvin.


I spoke too soon ~ Cheepers suddenly got sick,
and we had to have him put down.
Thankfully, it was a gentle end for him.
He was a sweet little guy, and will be missed by us all.

With Love, Camille

**Image of our hamster courtesy of Calvin ~
Thank you my love XO

May 5, 2016

Butter Chicken ~ For My Sister

We love Indian cuisine around here.
One of our all-time favourite dishes is Butter Chicken.
Creamy, tomato-y, soothing comfort food....yum!

Recently, I came across two recipes and gave them a go.
The family gave their stamp of approval to both,
but, one emerged as the best.  I think it may be the fresh ginger.

On one of my experimentation days I had a phone visit with
my sister and I told her what was for dinner.
We often exchange recipes and food ideas.  It's a tradition.
For proof, click here, here, here, and here.  See what I mean?

"I need that recipe!", was her response.  (Of course.)
And, then, I told her she had to wait until all votes were in.
Now they are, so, here it is.  Ready to share.
For you, J...with much love.

 Originally found here and tweaked by moi.


 What you need:

1 cup Sour Cream (or, yogurt but, don't use *light*)
3 Tbsp fresh squeezed Lemon Juice
4 tsp ground Cumin
2 tsp Paprika
1 and 1/2 tsp ground Cinnamon
1 tsp Cayenne Pepper**
1 Tbsp Sea Salt
2 tsp freshly ground Black Peppercorns
3 Tbsp freshly minced Ginger Root (not powdered)
1 Tbsp freshly minced Garlic Cloves (see above note....it makes a difference!)
4 Tbsp Butter (use the real thing here...it is Butter Chicken, after all)
3 to 4 raw boneless, skinless Chicken Breasts (1 and 1/2 lbs) ~ cubed
1 tin (398 ml or 14 oz) Tomato Sauce
1 and 1/4 cup Heavy Whipping Cream (un-whipped)
1/4 cup Brown Sugar

Optional: 1 medium sized head of Cauliflower ~ Roughly chopped,
and roasted at 400 degrees F for about 20 minutes (until just browning on the edges)

What you do:

Roast your cauliflower, if you plan on using it, in a 400 degree F oven and set aside.
Meanwhile, stir together medium sized glass bowl (and set aside) the following:
sour cream, lemon juice, cumin, paprika, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, sea salt, and pepper.

Cube the chicken meat and set aside.
Mince the ginger root and garlic cloves.  Set aside.

Melt the butter in a medium-large pot over medium heat.
Stir fry the garlic and ginger for a few minutes until fragrant.

Add in the cubed chicken and stir fry until the outsides begin to cook.
Stir the sour cream mixture into the pot
and simmer over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes.

Slowly add in the tomato sauce, stirring constantly.
Bring to a simmer and temper the whipping cream with the hot mixture
by stirring one ladle of the simmering sauce into it.

Add about three ladles full of the simmering sauce to
the whipping cream before adding it slowly (stirring constantly)
into the simmering pot of chicken.

Stir in the brown sugar and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to simmer and cook,
lid slightly ajar, for about 25 minutes.  Check that the chicken is cooked
by cutting a piece open...it should be white throughout.

Stir in the cauliflower, if using, and heat through.
Serve over a bed of freshly cooked rice with Naan Bread on the side.

Happy Cooking!
With Love, Camille
 
**If you don't like things too spicy, cut back on the
cayenne pepper by half or more.  There's quite a bit of heat
in the recipe as presented...you can always add more, but,
you cannot remove it once it's there!  Fair warning?  :)

May 2, 2016

The Quotidian (2. 5. 16)

Quotidian: daily, usual, or customary;
everyday; ordinary; commonplace.


Still with us.  His nails are getting long.  :)


Sunny days.


Revisiting an old favourite for an English assignment.


Off to the beach.


Lawn overhaul ~ encouraging it to grow.


For Austin's grave.


Work for pay.


Schooling rarely happens at her desk.


Rearranged.


Evidence.


Dinner.


Exam week!


My scientist.

Happy Monday Y'all!
 With Love, Camille