Smells take me back. Certain scents are like neuro time travel, picking me up from my current location in time and dropping me into memories of times that have passed. When I smell construction paper, I think of tearing out pink and red sheets from a colourful array of thick paper and then folding each piece so carefully in half and then starting at about 5cm from the bottom, cutting a diagonal line up the paper. I can hear the old school scissors opening and closing like they need to be oiled, and the smell of the construction paper, as I turn the paper just slightly and cut it into a perfect heart. I made hearts for days! Decorating my room, handing them out, just feeling love through the simple act of crafting. My WinnipegBestie called me, Craftmaster Kristin! Lol
I guess Valentine’s Day, for me, was the anticipation, the feeling of bubbling emotion and excitement to share those feelings. As I aged, Valentine’s Day became my best tip night, as a server. The smells of Valentine’s Day, were the intoxicating aromas coming from the kitchen, the smell of wine as I opened bottles for couples in love, and varying perfumes and colognes on overdressed lovers dining on overpriced meals.
Ninja and I have had some pretty special Valentine’s Day together. Sometimes he has planned them, and sometimes I have planned them. 2 times, 9 months after our Valentine date night, HBear and SydneyBean were born! Lol
This year was relaxed and wonderful. This year, Ninja and I finally used the gift card for Oak + Cru Dome experience. The year that I experienced my first MS symptoms was Christmas 2021. That was the Christmas that Ninja purchased a night out in the brand new domes at the Delta in Kelowna. As I was in a flareup, we had to cancel. This weekend I was finally feeling well enough to go out for an incredible dining experience with my Valentine.
We started with a perfect pairing tasting at Frind Winery. We took the Kids dome dining there last year, but we have never tasted their wine, so in true “live like tourists“ fashion, we enjoyed a flight with pastry pairings to go with their delicious viognier.
Then we were off to the Domes on the water at Oak + Cru. It was decorated in all of its Valentine’s Day finery! There were twinkling lights above, fuzzy warm blankets for our laps, and little heaters at our feet. We had before dinner cocktails with our delicious Caesar salad. Then we each chose a glass of wine and I had the chicken roulade with vegetables and gnocchi while Ninja had a fillet with tiger prawns, mushrooms, mashed potatoes, and roasted vegetables. All of it, was delicious! We finished with a chocolate fondue for 2!
What made this day perfect was the company, obviously lol. I love spending time with Ninja. We talked the entire day! We laughed, and he genuinely looks out for me. He made sure. I always had a seat so I didn’t waste my energy standing. He insisted on dropping me off at the door so I didn’t have to walk and increase the chance of my symptoms rearing their ugly head. He led me through tables so I didn’t bump into anything and embarrass myself because my balance is out of sorts. He made the reservation in a PRIVATE dome so that the noise of the dining room wouldn’t be overstimulating and I could concentrate on what was important, us. PLUS, He made our dinner reservation for 3 PM! Lol because he knows that as the day progresses, so does my fatigue. He was willing to have a delicious fillet dinner at 3 PM in the afternoon, so that he could have a date night that I would still enjoy. If that’s not romantic, I don’t know what it is! I had the best time with my the love of my life on Saturday and we left the house at noon and we were home by 6:30 PM! Valentine’s Day has looked different over the years, but this laid-back relaxed Valentines with my best friend, maybe my favourite one yet.
I was worried that our frosty days were behind us and that I was not going to be able to fit these 3 comfort dishes into a post this season! Over the winter months we have had some delicious and comforting meals using one of my favourite ingredients, chicken! Personally, I am not a huge meat person. Chicken breast is by far my meat of choice lol. It is also damn expensive! We don’t have it often, but when we do, I like to make traditional chicken recipe recipes of my youth and dishes that keep me warm and filled. These 3 dishes, check off all those boxes!
Can you ever go wrong with Chicken Stroganoff? The answer is no, no you can never go wrong with a good chicken stroganoff. Egg noodles and chunks of chicken in a creamy gravy sauce is everything you need as this last stretch of winter hits us.
This Slow Cooker Mustard Herb Chicken and Creamy Orzo isn’t very pretty to look at to be honest lol. However, this is the perfect dish to throw together in the morning before you drive to work in the snow. I know after clearing snow off my car, driving through snow and slush, working all day, and then bundling up to come home, I want a hot dinner waiting for me that tastes delicious and rejuvenates my spirit. This ugly, but delicious dish, can do just that!
One of the most comforting dishes I know is, mac and cheese. SBean has been begging me to make homemade macaroni and cheese since I made it last Thanksgiving lol. However, homemade macaroni and cheese is not a favourite dish for HBear or Ninja so we made Honey Pepper Chicken Mac and Cheese and satisfied everybody in the family, even HBear‘s boyfriend! Lol the corkscrew noodles perfectly hold all the cheesy goodness of the delicious sauce and the sweet heat chicken tenders that go on top… Amazeballs!
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 lb chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch chunks
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1 teaspoon pepper, divided
2 cup cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 shallot, minced
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons white wine
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
2 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon thyme, chopped
1 lb egg noodles, cooked and drained
1/3 cup sour cream
Garnish: sour cream & fresh parsley, chopped
Directions
In a large skillet set over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
Place cut chicken into a bowl. Season with garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, cayenne pepper, and ½ teaspoon each of salt and pepper; toss to combine.
Place the chicken in the hot pan and brown, about 2-5 minutes on each side. The chicken does not need to be cooked throughout. Remove from the pan and transfer to a plate.
Add the the remaining tablespoon of oil to the skillet, and then add the mushroom and cook until brown, about 4 minutes. Then, add the shallot, onion and garlic and stir occasionally until they are soft and translucent.
Pour in the wine and cook for 1 minute, then add the butter and flour. Whisk continuously taking care not to burn. SLOWLY add the chicken stock, whisking to create a smooth sauce. Add the Worcestershire, thyme, and the remaining salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and allow the sauce to thicken.
Toss in the chicken, turn the heat down to medium-low and continue to cook for 5-8 minutes. Add the egg noodles and the sour cream and stir until combined. Cook for 2 more minutes, add salt and pepper to taste, then remove from the heat and garnish with sour cream & parsley, if desired.
Slow Cooker Mustard Herb Chicken and Creamy Orzo
4
servings15
minutes4
hoursIngredients
3-4 boneless chicken breasts
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons thyme, chopped
1 teaspoon dried sage
2 cloves garlic, chopped
salt and black pepper
2 shallots, quartered
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken broth
juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons butter
2 cups dry orzo pasta
1 ½ cups broccoli, chopped
⅓ cup heavy cream
⅓ cup parmesan cheese, grated
Directions
In the bowl of your slow cooker, rub the chicken with the olive oil, mustard thyme, sage, garlic, salt, and pepper. Pour over the wine, broth and lemon juice. Add the shallots. Cover and cook on low for 3- 4 hours or on high for 1-2 hours.
In the last 30 minutes of cooking, crank the heat on the slow cooker to high. Remove the chicken from the slow cooker place it on a baking sheet. Stir in the orzo, broccoli, and 1 cup water. Cover and cook 20-30 minutes, or until the orzo is al dente. If the orzo needs more liquid, add additional water.
Preheat the broiler to high.
Stir in the cream and parmesan.
Place the butter on the chicken, then broil 1-3 minutes, until crisp. Serve the chicken over the orzo.
Honey Pepper Chicken Mac and Cheese
4
servings10
minutes20
minutesIngredients
1 package spiral noodles
12-16 breaded chicken strips
5 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
salt and pepper, to taste
3/4 cup honey
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 cup pineapple juice
juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2-1 teaspoon hot sauce
1/2 cup butter
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
3/4 cup Monterey jack cheese, shredded
2 cloves garlic, minced
basil, chopped
Directions
Cook the chicken by following the instructions on the package. Once cooked set them aside.
Cook the noodles by boiling them according to the instructions on the package until they’re al dente. Drain them.
Combine honey, brown sugar, soy sauce, pineapple juice, lemon juice, vinegar, pepper and cayenne pepper in a saucepan. Bring it to a boil. Let it simmer for 15 minutes until it thickens slightly. Allow it to cool down a bit after simmering.
In a pan melt butter. Add heavy cream to create a cheese sauce. Gradually stir in parmesan, mozzarella and Monterey Jack cheese after each addition. Add minced garlic and season with salt and pepper according to your taste.
Combine the pasta with the cheese sauce. Mix everything well together.
Take your chicken strips. Dip them into the honey pepper sauce so that they are thoroughly coated.
Add pasta to a dish and top with the honey pepper chicken strips. Garnish with basil leaves and bacon.
This week was filled with LOVE! I went to counselling, HBear had an awful head cold and SBean and her Besty had a double sleepover that included cotton candy and a trip to the mall. Ninja and I had date day, it snowed, we watched the 4 Nation Hockey tournament and I made a post that got a ton of views and made me feel hopeful for the future, we also watched the SNL 50th, Ninja shovelled his butt off and then came and fixed the flooding washing machine! It was a gooder!
