Not abandoned! Not forgotten!

Posted on February 3, 2014 by Not Crocker

While it may seem that NotCrocker has been abandoned, I am here quickly to assure you that this is not the case. I’ve just had an incredibly busy month, with work, my mom visiting, and thesis buckling downing. I have some recipes in the hopper and some content that I have almost ready to go, I just need to find time to get it to you wonderful folks.

I am trying to wrap up my paper this semester, so once that is out of the way, it will be all NotCrocker, all the time.

With love and food-related affection,

Stacey

Roasted Tomato and Beef Spaghetti Sauce and Spaghetti Squash

Posted on January 2, 2014 by Not Crocker

Well, this is it, a commitment from me to me to cook more paleo and keto foods. I love the creativity needed to come up with new versions of our favourite carb-ladened foods. It is a challenge, and as my last couple months of blogging can attest, I’ve been pretty worn out. But I see the interest (check out my most popular low carb post, Chicken Pizza Crust), and I know that I feel great when I am eating a lot more veggie and protein combos than sugar, so here we go! This is pretty much my first public proclamation of a paleo commitment, but my interest in it has been evident through my many paleo and keto posts over the last year.

So here I am, making a commitment. I will try to post more delicious paleo and keto options that make use of veggies and proteins in ways that I love. Most of my cooking in this style is kind of thrown together, which is why I don’t often post it, but I will make an effort to really document what works, why I did this, that, and that other thing, and will keep on making food that tastes great and makes you feel great!

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Holiday Favourites

Posted on December 24, 2013 by Not Crocker

I am going to have a stack of posts for you fine folks after Christmas. In the meantime, here are a few of my holiday favourites that we will be making!

Campfire Bars (a new favourite!)

Dark Chocolate & Candied Ginger Cookies

Cranberry Sauce!

Homemade Eggnog is always top of my list. I’ve already made a couple gallons (no joke). And I just won the office Christmas Cocktail contest with an eggnog cocktail!
• Mix 1 part brandy, dark rum, and creme de cacao. Top with Eggnog from Scratch. It is a seriously tasty drink that is easy drinking and very festive. If anything, you should probably just whip up a batch of nog to have on hand should the need strike you.

Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies are a chewy, rich take on a holiday favourite

Eggnog Pumpkin Pie

Enjoy the holiday season. Spend time with loved ones, be kind to one another, and eat something delicious!

Campfire Bars – Butter Baked Goods

Posted on December 22, 2013 by Not Crocker

My mom’s 60th birthday was yesterday, December 21st and we kicked it off (and her time in Vancouver) with a surprize visit from my sister, a trip to Cavalia’s Odysseo and dinner at Sula. It was an incredible day, and truly it was also a celebration of my mom’s retirement which began on Thursday! Odysseo was incredible, the horses were beautiful and so well trained. There were often 20 horses on the stage and as many people, moving around without problem. The acrobatics were incredible, as is to be expected from a Cirque du Soliel show. The set was incredible, with a hill climbing up the back, the set was like a real field. It’s hard to describe the vastness of the set, but trust me, it was amazing and I would recommend anyone to go.

Also, and probably most importantly, after my sister, mom, and I finished our dinner, Kellie went up to pay for her part while I went to the washroom. Kellie mentioned that I, her sister, would be paying the other half. The cashier said, “Oh nice, are you all sisters?” Well my mom was just tickled! She does look young for 60, and clearly they thought she was young enough to be a sister to us, her daughters in their 20’s! There mom, now EVERYONE knows!

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Dark Chocolate & Candied Ginger Cookies for the Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap!

Posted on December 11, 2013 by Not Crocker

It’s that time of year again, cookie swap time! I was so thrilled to participate in The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap last year, so of course I hustled to sign up again this year. There is nothing I love more than seeing what other bloggers create and also hearing if they’ve enjoyed my creations!

It was my absolute pleasure to send a batch of these to Gastronomical Sovereignty (soon to be She Eats), Peanut Butter and Onion, and the Savour Sisters. Check out these lovely blogs and help support incredible Canadian Food Bloggers! Of course, food bloggers from around the world participated, and I will post a link to the full list when it is posted on Monday!

Sadly, I have only received two of my three swap batches, but that’s alright because those I did receive we FANTASTIC! Further to this sadness though is that I promptly lost both the cards from both the batches that I did receive so I am going to keep an eagle out for their recipes so I can properly link to them and thank them here. I figured one out!

First, from Sweet Twist of Baking, I received delicious espresso short bread with dried cherries and almonds, which I ate with tea and coffee. They were so buttery and just lightly sweet that they felt appropriate for first thing in the morning… and in the afternoon… and before I went to bed. The other batch were sugar cookies (I believe… I am terrible at naming cookie types). They were thin but sturdy with a good bite. The icing on top was PERFECT, with little silver dragees for sparkle and crunch. These also got promptly gobbled up with tea and coffee. So, thanks to those two wonderful bloggers who I promise I will name when I a) hear from you; b) hunt down your recipe; c)find your cards.

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