HAPPY WEEKEND!

It's (almost) the weekend! We have a wedding at Mildred's Temple Kitchen, one of my favourite restaurants (the blueberry pancakes make the best brunch!). The streets of Toronto will be transformed this weekend for Scotiabank's Nuit Blanche, a free all-night art festival that takes place Saturday evening and into the wee hours of Sunday. My friend Louie is involved with StripArt, an interactive installation that lets participants create and collaborate on one giant comic book. It's going to be a fun, sleepless night!

Now, here's a song by two of my favourite artists to get you started on your weekend. It's Mushaboom by Feist, remixed by Postal Service.

I wish you all a very happy weekend!

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RECIPE: BAKED MAC & CHEESE

I don't think you can go wrong when you combine pasta and mounds of cheese. This recipe for baked macaroni-and-cheese is very easy to make...you don't even have to pre-cook the pasta. This is Monkey-approved as he delights in its superb cheesiness.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup cottage cheese
2 cups 2% milk
1 teaspoon dry mustard
Pinch cayenne
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 cups old cheddar cheese, grated
2 cups elbow pasta, uncooked (you can also use 2 1/2 cups penne pasta)

Preheat oven to 375◦F and position an oven rack in upper third of oven.

Use one tablespoon butter to grease casserole dish.

In blender, mix cottage cheese, milk, mustard, cayenne, salt and pepper.

Reserve 1/4 cup grated cheese for topping. In a large bowl, combine remaining grated cheese, milk mixture and uncooked pasta. Pour into casserole dish, cover tightly with foil and bake 30 minutes.

Uncover pan, stir gently, sprinkle with reserved cheese and dot with remaining tablespoon butter. Bake uncovered an additional 30 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes before serving.

To make up for the lack of vegetables, I usually serve this with a big green salad or sauteed spinach.

CURRENTLY LOVING: THIS CARDIGAN

Cardigans are so versatile. Dress it up with a blouse, or go casual with jeans and a simple t-shirt. The Simone Cardigan by Tory Burch is one of my favourite cardigans. It is a staple piece that comes in a variety of colours and is a constant in the clothing line season after season. I have the navy cardigan and it's currently part of my Fall uniform ...


Pants / T-shirt / Ballet flats

DAT NIGHT ... AT HOME

Going out for a date night is a rare treat for us. Our family is not that close and I'm not comfortable having someone Monkey doesn't really know take care of him. So, we have to be creative when it comes to making a date night at home feel a bit different than every other night of the week.

Our new favourite thing is to do is order takeaway food one night of the weekend. I keep leftovers from the week on hand so Monkey has a good (and easy) meal, and then once he's sleeping soundly, we treat ourselves to a meal that we can enjoy at our own leisurely pace. Light some candles, open a nice bottle of wine and voilà, we have a perfect date night at home!

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OUR BOOK LIST

A little while ago I shared Monkey's favourite toys. Now, I'd like to share the books that he loves and wants to read day after day after day ... 

1. Good Night, Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann

2. The Little Fisherman by Margaret Wise Brown, illustrated by Dahlov Ipcar
3. Little People's Cars, Trucks, Planes and Trains
4. My Very First Mother Goose edited by Iona Opie, illustrated by Rosemary Wells
5. Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr. and Eric Carle
6. Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown, illustrated by Clement Hurd

A RAINY DAY

It's a soggy day outside. Here are a few things that are making us smile today ...

Monkey's favourite plaid shirt (he insists on wearing it daily) and his favourite gorilla

Our new rainboots!



Fresh berry crumble with ice cream



Flowers from our market visit

PAINTINGS BY ERIC CATOR

The annual Queen West Art Crawl took place this past weekend at Trinity Bellwoods Park. We spent Saturday afternoon listening to live music by local musicians and browsing the stalls of the many talented artists. Paintings by Eric Cator really caught my attention. His pieces are of everyday things, but I find the way in which he paints mundane objects unique and most interesting.

EMERSON FRY FALL 2012 COLLECTION

I'm a fan of Emerson Fry, a clothing line out of New York City. The clothes are simple yet elegant with pieces that are perfect for work and for running errands around town. Starting today, the Fall 2012 Collection is now available online. Here are a few pieces on my wish list ...



Army coat



Column skirt and slim turtleneck



Emerson pant

DESIGN INSPIRATION: WALL STAMPS

The entryway of our home is very narrow. I'm paralyzed with indecision on how to decorate the walls as this narrow space is prone to scuffs and scrapes from handbags, backpacks, umbrellas, hockey sticks, etc.

My first thought was to use block-printed wallpaper, but John quickly shot down the idea as he imagined my fury with the eventual rips that would replace the scuffs. Then, I found this house tour where wall stamps were used to create the same effect of the wallpaper I so covet. How fun are these golden bumblebees? This tree and this flourish design would also look lovely.

RECIPE: SIMPLE BOLOGNESE PASTA

Pasta is one of my most favourite meals. The first time I went to Italy, I ate pasta for most lunches and definitely for every dinner. I'm addicted. This recipe is for a simple bolognese pasta. I like to add fresh spinach for that extra dose of leafy greens. This dish is a meal-time favourite in our family and makes for delicious leftovers too!

Ingredients:
1 bunch spinach, washed, trimmed and torn by hand
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
500 g extra lean ground beef
2 28 ounce cans of whole, peeled tomatoes
1/3 cup tomato paste
1/3 cup water
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 package of your favourite pasta (I like to use penne, fusilli or rigatoni to make it easy for Monkey)
Fresh grated Parmesan cheese

Heat the olive oil in a large sauce pan over medium-high heat.

Add garlic and onion and cook for about five minutes.

Add ground beef and cook for 10 minutes, or until browned.

Stir in whole tomatoes (with juices), tomato paste, water, sea salt and five grinds of fresh pepper. Bring to a boil. Lower the temperature, cover slightly and let simmer for one hour. Stir occasionally.

Add spinach and continue to simmer (slightly covered) for an additional 20-30 minutes.

When the sauce is almost ready, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add your favourite pasta and cook based on the package directions.

Serve the pasta sauce over the pasta and top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!

FAVOURITE TOYS

I find that it can be overwhelming to visit a toy store with the stacks and stacks of colourful toys. How do you choose a toy that will both amuse and teach your little one? And, how do you choose a toy that will be treasured for more than just a few days? I'd like to share a few of our favourite toys that have had real staying power with Monkey ...


Mouse Wheely Bug
Monkey first started pushing it around, learning to walk.
Now, he's discovered he can sit on it and make it go all by himself!



Charley Harper Nesting Blocks
At first Monkey was thrilled to watch me build a tower and then he'd knock it down.
Now, he wants to be the builder. Next, the blocks will help us learn his ABCs and 123s.



My First Piano
Monkey loves getting a big round of applause for his performances.



Playground Ball
Rolling the ball captivates Monkey for a solid 30 minutes (an eternity in toddler time!).



Stacking Hen
There's a hidden egg inside this special mother hen.
Monkey still can't quite get the stacking down pat, but he keeps trying!

Shape sorter
Monkey is addicted to putting the yellow hexagon in place.
He now knows 'yellow', but I think 'hexagon' is still a ways off.

If you have any toys that have managed to keep your child's interest, please share! I'm always on the lookout for good toys that will entertain and teach Monkey a thing or two.

HAPPY WEEKEND!

Cat Power is one of my favourite musicians, so I'm happy to report that she recently released a new album entitled Sun. Here's one of the first singles to get your weekend started. It's called Ruin.

Happy weekend!

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STREET STYLE INSPIRATION: TOMBOY

This outfit is perfect for the beginning of Fall. It's fun and the epitome of tomboy style. Here's my take on it ...

Shirt / Jeans / Bow tie / Boots

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A COUNTRY ROAD TRIP

My friend lives in a small town north of Toronto. Monkey and I set out for a visit early yesterday morning. The drive takes us over rolling hills, past farmers' fields and through quaint communities. It's a picturesque drive that always leaves me daydreaming about giving up big city life for a charming life in the country.

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RECIPE: BLUEBERRY BREAKFAST STRATA

A breakfast strata is one of my favourite meals because it is made ahead of time (brilliant if you're having company over for breakfast) and it typically includes all food groups in one big dish. This recipe is for a sweet blueberry breakfast strata that has deliciously melted cream cheese cubes throughout (adapted from here).

Ingredients:
8 cups baguette, chopped in 1 inch cubes
2 cups blueberries (fresh or frozen)
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, cut in small cubes
8 eggs
2 1/2 cups milk
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup agave syrup

Spread half the baguette cubes in a greased 9x13 inch casserole dish.

Spread 1 cup blueberries, cream cheese and remaining bread. Top with the remaining blueberries.

Whisk eggs, milk and cinnamon until well blended. Add maple syrup and agave syrup, mix well.

Pour egg mixture over bread. Refrigerate 12 hours or overnight.

The next morning, heat oven to 350°F. Bake strata, covered, for 30 minutes. Remove cover and bake for another 30 minutes or until the centre is set and the top is lightly browned.

And in case you missed it, here's a recipe for a delicious savoury breakfast strata.