Springtime in Ontario

I'm usually pretty postive about the weather. Afterall, we live in the north and we get to celebrate the beauty of all four seasons.  I walk the dogs mostly every day rain or shine because they love it; but even I was getting a little impatient for signs of spring. Here's the scene out my back door this morning, the temperature was below zero and there is still snow on the ground but there were ICICLES from the melt, indicating that spring is just around the corner. At least, I hope so.

Pickled Eggs

Pickled eggs.... you either love them or hate them! I personally do not care for them much but my older brother LOVES them. So sometimes, I'm a good sister and I whip him up a batch. Over the years, we have fine-tuned the recipe to just where he likes it. No garlic! It's a great high protein snack to grab when you're feeling peckish. Take a walk on the wild side and give this recipe a shot.

Pickled Eggs
12 hard cooked eggs, peeled
375 mL white vinegar
125 mL water
1 tsp salt
2 tsp mixed pickling spice

bay leaf
sliced onion

Place peeled eggs in large jar.
Put next 4 ingredients in medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for
5 minutes. Pour through a strainer over eggs. Cover and refrigerate.
Let stand at least 2 days before using.

Chocolate cookies with an Irish twist

Even though I'm not Irish and have absolutely NO connection to anything Irish, I thought I would jump on the St. Patrick's Day bandwagon and use it as an excuse to bake. Chocolate and mint, a perfect combination to celebrate with the Emerald Isle.
This cookie is so easy, you will want to celebrate too!

Chocolate Cake Mix cookies
1 pkg. chocolate cake mix
1/2 cup oil
2 eggs
1 cup chocolate chips (I used chocolate chunks and Mint M&M's)
Mix
Bake for 8 - 10 min at 350F.
Be careful. They burn easily.

Green, Orange and White

I actually finished my card for Sassy Cheryl's Digital challenge #157; Green, Orange and White early but some significant computer problems prevented me from posting it early. I used the adorable image Callie's Little Umbrella and you can't really see, but her boots and the umbrella have glossy accents as well as a little sparkle on her dress.

March Break One Year Ago

One year ago for March Break, the weather was unseasonably warm and I had the K litter from Lindor. They were able to be outside, basking in the sunshine and enjoying the warm temperatures.

Today, there is another fresh fall of snow and the temperatures are below freezing. What a difference a year makes.

Slow Cooker Barbecue Ribs

Who doesn't love a meal in the crock pot? When you come home, the meal is already decided and you just have to come up with a couple of sides. I recently tried this version which starts with the meat being browned in the oven first and after. I usually par-boil my ribs but I really liked how this version turned out. Meat doesn't make the best photo but you get the idea.

Slow Cooker Barbeque Ribs
4 pounds pork back ribs
salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder (about 1/2 tsp of each)

Sauce:
2 cups of your favourite bbq sauce
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
4 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
2 tsp Worchestershire sauce
2 tsp dried oregano
dash hot sauce (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 F. Place ribs in shallow baking dish and season. Bake for 15 min, turn over and bake for 15 min more. In a medium bowl, combine the sauce ingredients.
Place sectioned ribs in a slow cooker, pour sauce on top and cook for 6 to 8 hours on low.
If you want to carmelize your bbq sauce, put them back in the oven for 15 minutes at 400F.

Kraftin' Kimmie Challenge

I found another Challenge that I wanted to link up to this week. I first found the Lulu stamps by my favourite artist; Cheryl Alger, on the Kraftin' Kimmie site. These stamps are hands-on, meaning they come in rubber cling. I'm also happy that they are a Canadian company so I can get things quickly and without the exorbidant shipping costs.

Here's my take on Challenge 169: Clean and Simple.....