Back in the saddle

So, I've gotten a bit lazy with my blogging lately.  I've been making things, and taking pictures, but just not sitting down and taking the time to blog about it!  So I've got about 3 posts I could be putting up.  Baby-steps though!  For today's post, since it is hot outside, I'm going to post the ever tasty, frosty beverage I've frequently talked about on Facebook, the winerita!  So tasty!  Frozen wine bevy!  For those of you who enjoy a frozen margarita, and red wine, this one is for you!  While living in Oklahoma, there was a local winery (yes, they do have them in the dry climates like Oklahoma, where not much really grows!) who sold a "winerita" mix.  I never actually went to the winery myself, or purchased the mix, but friends of mine did, and frequently shared the drink at get togethers!  I fell in love!  No one really knew what was in the mix, but one fellow Canadian thought she figured it out, upon looking at the ingredients and comparing to another popular drink mix...Cherry Kool-Aid and fruit sugar!  So once back in Canada, and getting a craving for a frosty summer beverage, I went to the grocery store and bought me some cherry Kool-Aid!  Once home, I mixed it with the required 1 cup of white sugar (I don't have fruit sugar, and not even really sure what that is), stored it in a jar, and mixed it in the blender with crushed ice.  Tastes almost exactly the same!  Enjoy my red-wine loving friends!

Red Winerita

Ingredients: Winerita Mix

1 pkg cherry Kool-Aid

1 cup white sugar

Directions:

1.  Mix the packet with sugar and store in an air-tight container until ready to use.

Ingredients: Winerita Beverage

2 cups crushed ice

1/3 bottle (750 mL bottle) red wine (doesn't matter what kind)

1/4 cup Winerita mix

Directions:

1. Crush ice in blender until snow-like consistency.

2. Add wine and winerita mix and blend until smooth.

3. Pour into margarita or wine glass (or glass of your desire) and enjoy on a hot day by the pool, lake, or wherever you may be!

One Lovely Blog Award

I got an email the other day saying that my blog had been awarded the One Lovely Blog Award, thanks to my wonderful friend Sabrina Fish!  Thanks so much chica!  I'm glad you have enjoyed reading my blog and find me worthy of this award!

Sabrina is one of the most wonderful people I met while living in Oklahoma.  She was a great friend to me for 3 years while living there.  She is a writer and aspiring fantasy author, currently working on her first book.  Head on over to her blog, Sabrina's Writing Reflections and follower her journey!   

The rules when accepting this award include:

1. Name and thank the blogger.
2. List seven facts about yourself.
3. Award up to fifteen other bloggers this award.

So here are seven facts about myself, that not everyone may know:

1. I have a severe addiction to peanut butter.

2. I need at least one hour of each day to myself, to clear my head, and be alone.  Being a stay-at-home mommy to two very busy pre-schoolers is all consuming and challenging!

3. I really suck at push-ups.  I may workout most days of the week, but I hate push-ups, so I avoid them as much as possible, even to the point of sitting back and watching as a video instructor does them! LOL

4. I like carpet.  With two dogs who shed like crazy, carpet is really good at hiding that instead of leaving dust bunnies of hair flying all over the place!

5. My first career choice was to be a physiotherapist, but I didn't get accepted into any of the programs in Ontario (which was devastating) after I completed my undergrad, even though I had tons of practical volunteer experience.  Apparently my GPA wasn't good enough.

6. I have a very high pain tolerance.  I tend to go into a trance-like state when faced with painful situations, which is probably why I was able to deliver both my children naturally, without pain medication.

7. I am a perfectionist and a neat-freak and it stresses me out when things don't go as planned or when things are a mess, which makes meal-time with young children stressful for me. LOL

Now, since I don't know 15 other bloggers, I'm not really going to be able to award this to them!  I can, however, award it to the lovely Brittany Guindon of The Joy{full} Kitchen!  Like me, she is a food blogger, an anglophone living in Northern Quebec (we were in the same French class on the base) and has some great recipes on her blog! Go and check her out! This One Lovely Blog Award gets passed on to you Brittany!

 

Cheese anyone?

Well friends, it's been a while!  This is a much over-due blog post!  Blogging has been the lowest on my list of priorities these days.  Between getting work done on the outside of the house and the kids having gastro, it's been a bit crazy around here!  So it's actually been a while since I made these mozzarella-stuffed turkey burgers, but I told some of you that I would post it, so here it goes!  They are really very, very tasty so I hope you enjoy!

Mozzarella-Stuffed Turkey Burgers

Ingredients:

1 lb lean ground turkey

1/4 cup whole wheat bread crumbs (or rolled oats)

2 tsp minced garlic

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt

2 thickly sliced slices of mozzarella cheese block (cut each in half)

4 hamburger buns (of your choice)

Directions:

1. Combine gently the turkey, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, oregano, pepper and salt.

2.  Form into 8 thin burgers.

3.  Place a thick slice of cheese in the middle of 4 of the burgers then cover with the other 4 burgers and press down the edges to seal tightly.

4.  Grill the burgers over a medium-high preheated grill (or in a fry pan), flipping once, until thoroughly cooked and no longer pink inside (approximately 8-10 mins.)

5.  Serve inside slightly warmed burger buns and top as desired!

For a slightly spicier burger, feel free to add salsa or jalapeno peppers to your turkey mixture.  Top with a slice of pepper jack cheese, more salsa, and some avocado!  Mmmm...my mouth is watering already!