There are many food items that stir these feelings in me but the one I’m thinking about at this moment is Toad in a Hole (egg in a hole). You probably know this. It’s a piece of bread with a hole cut in the center and the bread and egg are fried together. I love over easy eggs and toast together so this dish is heavenly in my mind. But, the plan is to try and eat a little healthier this year and that means a little less bread. 

Then I stumbled upon this idea from Shutterbean on Pinterest. I was looking for something completely different and this healthier version of Toad in a Hole caught my eye so I had to try it.

Yum!

I thought I would miss the bread (I mean we’re talking fried bread) but I think I actually enjoyed the pepper version more than the original. More importantly, my kids enjoyed the pepper version more too. I don't profess to be good in the kitchen, I'm as far away from domestically inclined as anyone can be, so I'm thrilled when I discover something I can cook that my kids love and that is healthy for them. You just have to remember to cut the pepper slices thick enough to hold the egg and stick with the middle areas where the pepper is wider. Don’t worry if some egg leaks out therough the space between the pepper and the pan; it’s miniscule. The recipe said to add pepper to the eggs but I added rosemary instead (not a big black pepper fan).

And those end pieces of the pepper? Just cook those in the pan and serve on the side with a salad. Nothing goes to waste. It also proves to me that sometimes you can improve on a family classic.

What starts off as a year full of promise quickly turns into a year of inability, failure and guilt.

That being said, I do believe some resolutions can help people to embrace and hang on to that inspiring feeling that only a new year can bring. Here are 5 resolutions everyone should make this year and every year:

1. Say I Love You. Sure you show your kids you love them by listening to the stories about how their day unfolded. You show your partner love by making coffee for him in the morning, even though you don’t drink it. Maria shares 20 great ways you can show these people in your life how much you love them. But I’m not talking about showing love, which you probably do already; I’m talking about literally saying those 3 words: I Love You. Sometimes we take this for granted that our husband or our children KNOW we love them but hearing it is so important. Say the words I Love You to them at least once a day, every day.
2. Challenge Yourself. It’s easy to get complacent in your everyday tasks, whether it’s with work or your family. Do something you want to do but we’re afraid to try or just never thought of trying. Sharon shared a great piece on taking risks. I particularly love the line: Taking risks is about going outside of your comfort zone. By challenging yourself, I don’t mean take up skydiving or lion taming. Challenge yourself by trying a new recipe this week, by bridging the gap between you an old friend, by learning to wire an electrical outlet. Each challenge will expand your knowledge base and prove to yourself what others around you already knows, you can do anything you set your mind to.
3. Drink More Water. Water has an amazing power. Sure it can quench a thirst but it can also boost your energy level, stop cravings, keep your immunity up by flushing your system, and keep your skin looking younger. It’s really amazing all that water can do yet it’s one of those little things we often ignore. Perhaps we’ve fall into the mind-set that if it’s not hard to do, it can’t be offering much good. Sometimes the best things in life are free (and easy).
4. Be Childish. Have you ever found yourself colouring pictures, building a LEGO set, or working on a puzzle with your kids? You start the task as a way to keep the kids occupied but then you realize you’re having just as much fun. One of the best moments I had was playing hopscotch with my kids after school. Forget that you’re a grown-up for a second and give-in to your inner child. Ignore the world around you and just have fun, jumping, skipping, singing, colouring. Having fun isn’t just for kids.
5. No Yelling Before Noon. I love my kids but being a parent does seem to bring more yelling out of me than any other stage of my life. Although I could say stop yelling all together, following some of the ideas in Christie’s article, but in my mind that’s totally unrealistic and these resolutions are suppose to help you embrace positivity versus bring on more guilt. How you start your morning sets the tone for the entire day. It’s easy to get stressed and yell at the kids to get ready faster or the driver who is going to slow or the garbage truck that’s blocking your way. That aggressive feeling is hard to shake even after the episode and everyone starts his or her morning in a foul mood. Take a deep breath and tone it down and you’ll find what’s aggravating you isn’t really worth the bad day. And if you’re lucky, you’ll get so good at not yelling in the morning it will translate into your entire day. Well, we can be hopeful.

All five of these resolutions or goals are something every one of us can do. No membership fee or special equipment is required. The best part is that each one of these resolutions will make you feel better about yourself and the world around you; they send a positive message out to the world to take and pass on.

Now I’m off to do a little colouring.

In the past we've cooked the big turkey dinner but it always seems like so much work and very stressful, this coming from a non-cook. To avoid spending most of Christmas Day in the kitchen we've tried cooking our big dinner Christmas Eve but we are always  just as busy. We've also tried making something else, like ham or steak, but you still need all the extras and somehow Christmas dinner without turkey isn't Christmas dinner in my mind.

So time for something different; this year, and for the past three years, we have had Christmas dinner catered. Now before you jump to conclusions, I'm not talking personal chef in my kitchen preparing things that a wait staff serves us on fine china; not that kind of catering. I'm talking about someone else preparing all the dishes and then all I have to do is just reheat and serve. As it turns out, I'm not the only one looking for an easier Christmas dinner; there are a few places in the city that will prepare your holiday meal so you don't have to.

Our favourite, Summerhill Market, is a fine foods grocery store/catering company. From their website I ordered a full Christmas dinner that included sliced-free range Turkey (white and dark meat), apple sage dressing, turkey gravy, orange cranberry sauce, buttermilk mashed potatoes, maple roasted butternut squash and fresh green beans. I can order as little as 48 hours before I want my meal and I can pick it up Christmas Eve, which is exactly what we will do. We usually order a few extra place servings for the leftovers.

The Summerhill Market is so organized, having us in and out to pick-up our order before the holiday crowd arrives. Everything is prepared and pre-packed in oven-ready containers and it comes all stored neatly in a box, making it easy to transport home.

So come Christmas morning, instead of running around getting turkey and fixings ready, we enjoyed a wonderful Christmas with our kids. I don’t think about dinner until about an hour before we want to eat. Then all I had to do is pop the various items into the oven, following the preparation instructions on each container: oven temperature and time required for re-heating. The only cooking item I have to pull out is a pot to reheat the gravy, leaving my kitchen tidy too.

Within about an hour and a half we were ready to sit down to our full meal.

After dinner clean up is a breeze enabling us to move on to more important things like pumpkin pie and a family board game.

So I may have taken the easy way out, but I think my family appreciates having more time hanging out together then having me hovering in the kitchen getting dinner ready. And since Summerhill Market makes their food fresh, it’s not as if I am skimping on a healthy meal.

Catering Christmas dinner has easily become another family tradition; one that I fully endorse.

You are probably wondering why I am such a bah-humbug and why I am so negative. I have a good reason. My husband died suddenly on August 31^st at the young age of 44. The love of my life, my best friend and soulmate died. When Darin died, a part of me died as well. The fun loving and spiritual part of Ann that loved the holidays.

The grief books all say to celebrate the holidays. It is important to move forward and continue traditions, especially when there are children in the family. As much as I want to run away and hide I have made a decision. The kids and I are going to celebrate the holidays this year. We are going to buy a new smaller Christmas tree and decorate the house. We are going to do our usual Christmas Eve traditions and spend Christmas Day with Darin’s family. We know that Christmas Eve and Christmas Day will be tough but we need to do this in order to heal.

I know there will be many tears. My eyes well up just thinking about celebrating without him. The kids and I will get through it. We will be surrounded by Darin’s family and together we remember all the Christmas we got to spend with such a wonderful husband and dad.

A visit to your local LCBO can be a little overwhelming with the selection of wines available. Hopefully this food and wine pairing chart will make your wine selection easier. This chart contains wines that are found in the LCBO General List. The wines includes in this pairing chart have all been highly rated by Billy Munnelly author of "Billy's Best Bottles, Wines for 2012". This list has a "shelf life of approximately two months before the vintages change so BUY NOW.

Plus all wines listed below are under $20.00 and available on the L.C.B.O General List, making it easy to serve a nice wine or two this holiday season without breaking your budget.