Royal Visit and Pancakes

So we here in Canada have had a thrilling few days with the visit of Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge or as I like to call them, Will and Kate. Because, well...it's just quicker to say and easier to type. ; ) I think they'd be fine with that.

They even visited the very city that I LIVE in! I, like many people around the world, have fallen for their charming ways and was thrilled that I caught a glimpse of them. Well, her.

And here it is....

Yep, it was quick. But so thrilling!

My sister and her 2 kids and myself and my 3 kids, got up at 4am. That's right peeps, 4am! We already had plans to attend the parade but when we found out Will and Kate would be there as well, we figured we needed to leave extra early to beat the crowds. Downtown at 5:30 am and ALREADY so busy! It was worth it though.

My 5 year old said to me 'Mommy, Kate smiled and waved at me!' Who am I to tell her otherwise?! : )

I watched a lot of the coverage of

their visit, she sure has style. And Will is pretty cute too.

My favourite outfits were her gorgeous Canada Day dress, also worn in her engagement photo and the purple dress she wore Canada Day evening. LOVE!

The Maple Leaf brooch borrowed from the Queen is stunning.

So now they have left Canada and we are left with our annual Stampede and free pancake breakfasts of which I will be partaking. A few anyway. That means lots and lots of pancakes!

For those of you unfamiliar with the Stampede, you can eat free breakfasts around the city every day of the 10 day Stampede! As well as head down to the Stampede grounds for loads of fun. After 10 days, I'll be done with pancakes until at least Christmas. : )

Yaaaahoooooo!

Happy Stampede!

Calgary Stampede

Breakfast Bars

My sister-in-law sent me this yummy recipe (her first submission of many, I hope!) that I can't wait to try.  She and my niece made them together and everyone in her household liked them!   Way to go, girls!  This recipe is from the Heart & Stroke website.

~ 3/4 c. packed brown sugar

~ 1/2 c. sugar

~ 1/4 c. soft non-hydrogenated margarine

~ 1/2 c. mashed banana

~ 1 c. plain non-fat yogurt

~ 2 eggs

~ 2 tsp. vanilla

~ 1 1/2 c. whole-wheat flour

~ 1/4 c. ground flax seed

~ 1 tsp. baking soda

~ 1 tsp. cinnamon

~ 3 cups oats, uncooked

~ 1 c. chocolate chips

How to:

Heat oven to 350F.  Beat sugars and margarine together.  Add banana, yogurt, egg and vanilla. Combine flour, flax, baking soda and cinnamon in separate bowl.  Add flour mixture to the wet ingredients.  Mix well.  Stir in oats and chocolate chips.  Spread dough onto ungreased 13 x 19 inch baking pan.  Bake 25 to 30 minutes.  Once cooled, cut into 24 bars.

Nutritional information per serving:

Calories: 154

Protein: 3 g

Fat: 6 g (Saturates 2g, Dietary Cholesterol: 16mg)

Carbohydrate: 25g

Dietary Fibre: 2g

Sodium: 92mg

Potassium: 150mg

~ Courtesy of Lianne V.

Sausage Brunch Dish

Try this one out on a lovely weekend morning!

1 pkg of breakfast sausages (I used johnsonville maple syrup flavored...yum)
Refrigerator crescent-style rolls (8 per tube)
2 cups cheese (whatever kind you like best)
4 large eggs
3/4 cup milk
1 small red or green pepper, diced
1/4 tsp onion salt
1/8 tsp pepper

Fry up your sausages until no longer pink. Cut into bite sized pieces

Unroll and press crescent rolls together to form crust in greased 9x13 inch pan. Sprinkle sausage meat over top. Scatter cheese over sausage.

Beat eggs in bowl until frothy. Add milk, green pepper, onion salt and pepper. Mix. Pour over cheese. Bake, uncovered, in 425 F oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Serves 6. (we didn't have any red or green pepper so I put in some diced tomato and green onion and it was really good! It's like an omlette...throw in whatever you have on hand!)

~ Contributed by Leah C.