We are officially at the halfway mark of summer.
It’s like the quote above says, we are at the pinnacle of summer, the top of the Ferris wheel and soon we’ll feel it in the air as we slowly start our dissent into autumn. I think I’ve used this quote before. It’s from one of my favourite books from junior high and I remember reading those lines and knowing, no, feeling exactly what the author was describing.
The days have begun to get shorter, the nights have begun to get cooler, and the beaches are packed with tourists trying to eek out every last drop of their vacations. This is our last week of visitors and as I look at the upcoming calendar I know I’m in that sweet spot of the lazy hazy days of summer but the prep work to get our fall off on the right foot is right around the corner.
Oh to be a kid again. Not having to worry about those things. To spend your day meeting friends at the beach, running to the corner store to buy candy, staying up late dancing through the weeping willows, and racing down the highway in the back of a truck with the wind in our hair (don’t do this. This was stupid. Fun. But stupid 😉.)
Those were the days.
Having my family here for the past 2 weeks has made me reminisce. Remembering how my Nana and Poppy would stock up on toilet paper, flats of Crush pop, and get out all the floaties to make sure none of them had holes that needed patching. I never thought about all the dinners they made, towels they washed, bedding they changed, cookies they baked, and items they stocked up on to host my Mom and her 3 brothers and all of the Grandkids every summer! Now that we are the ones hosting, I realize how much effort they put into making our summers so very memorable. Those evenings with my cousins will stay in my heart forever. When I look through the pictures of the past 2 weeks, I know that these are the summers that will remain with my children and their cousins too. I am feeling overwhelmed with love for the wonderful childhood that I had with my siblings and my cousins, the fact that we STILL enjoy our summer holidays together and the immense amount of love and gratitude I have to be able to give the same summer memories to my OWN children 💛. I am incredibly lucky.
Check out How Was Your Week, Honey? Episode #288: Go Pee in the Lake HERE! This week topics include: white wine, exes, Oliver, channel float, the beach, public arrest, rough work week, parades, Canadian facts, fires & girl pop/rock.
My Kids LOVE coconut. My Kids do NOT love rice. So I thought I would make a dish using Coconut Rice!! Genius right? Right! They loved it! This was a MAJOR Mommy win! The cashews were absolutely delicious, the chicken was flavourful and the rice was just the perfect match of yummy tastes and textures! This was a super easy recipe that took 30 minutes to make. It would be a great weeknight meal when we go back to school and makes super tasty leftovers for the next day!
Adapted form Half Baked Harvest
3 tablespoons sesame oil
1/2 cup cashews
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
zest of 1 lime
3 chicken breasts, cut into cubes
1 tablespoon corn starch
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoons fish sauce
1/2 teaspoon chili paste (or more if you like!)
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 inch ginger, grated
2 bell peppers, thinly sliced
20 Thai or regular basil leaves, chiffoned
Combine coconut milk and water in a pot. Bring to a low boil. Add rice and a pinch of salt. Stir, cover, then turn the heat down to low.
Cook for 15 minutes.
Turn the heat off and let the rice sit, covered for another 15-20 minutes.
While the rice is cooking, heat 1 tablespoon oil, 1 tablespoon honey, the cashews, chili, powder, and turmeric in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook until caramelized, 3-4 minutes.
Toss together the chicken, cornstarch, and a pinch of black pepper.
Combine 1/4 cup honey, soy sauce, fish sauce, chili paste, ketchup, and sesame seeds.
Remove from the heat and stir in the basil. Serve the chicken and sauce over bowls of rice. Top with cashews, additional basil, and cucumbers, if desired. Enjoy!
