Short week?

Hey there friends! If you live in Alberta, Ontario, or Saskatchewan, Canada, there’s a good chance you enjoyed a shorter work week because of the Family Day statutory holiday. We were one of those lucky families.

Having said that, for me personally, it felt pretty busy for a short week. I’m not complaining because as far as jobs go, my job is pretty fun, but it definitely wasn’t a laid back week. The short week led to Friday creeping up quickly, which was nice. I left work on Friday looking forward to a little grocery shopping (yup, I’m a geek that way), some cooking, then a cousin’s birthday party on Saturday, and hosting lunch on Sunday.

New guests.

This weekend we had the pleasure of hosting some friends who had never been to our place. It was so nice to see them, and the boys were thrilled they came by. They have always been so genuinely good to our kids; and such a positive influence on both of them. It means so much to me and Liz.

What’s on the menu?

For our lunch, I prepared one of our favourite comfort foods, Azores beef stew. As an appetizer I made a roasted red pepper and goat cheese dip–perfect with bite-sized pieces of toasted bread or grilled pita.

This is a really popular type of dip. I experimented a bit until I had a consistency I was happy with. Then I decided to give it a little punch. Sriracha was the perfect addition. It added a subtle kick and nice flavour to the dip. The compliments I received from our guests made me happy.

In the past, we’ve bought red pepper dips that are okay, but knowing I can make a more delicious dip at home in less time than it takes me to get to the store…well that’s a bonus! I’ll be developing more of these in the near future (*hint…stay tuned).

Challenge yourself to create a home-made version of something you might normally get pre-packaged at the grocery store. Taste the difference fresh and home-made can make. I know you’ll be pleased! Go on…eat well, friends.

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