I Believe in Santa Claus and Comforting Cottage Pie

Christmas. Santa. The Elf on the Shelf.

Perhaps it is the snow and the freezing temperatures but the Girl’s minds are ONLY on 2 things: their birthdays and Christmas!

Last week we were all talking and I asked, “so Girls, what are you going to ask Santa for Christmas this year?”

HBear was very quick with her reply, “an iPad!”

😳

Ninja actually sputtered LOL and said, “well Sweetie iPads are very expensive.”

Her face screwed up in complete confusion and quietly she said, “but but but Santa’s workshop is free.”

😳

SBean screamed at the top of her lungs, “my turn! I want a microphone. A real microphone. Not a plastic one that’s going to break but a REAL microphone! And… I don’t believe in Santa!”

😳

You should’ve seen HBear’s little face! She swung her head and looked at SBean and said, “really? Really? Then who do you think brought your piano last year? Hey?”

SBean calmly turned towards her big sister and smugly said, “Mom and Dad.”

😳

HBear looked like she was on the verge of tears so we carefully changed the subject.

This weekend even though I had the first major head cold of the winter, my Dad and I took HBear to the Christmas craft fair. She LOVES the Craft Fair. While we were there we ran into Santa. She was so excited! He asked her if she had been a good girl this year. She looked at me and I nodded and she shyly said, “yes”. Then he asked her what she would like for Christmas. She started wringing her hands and then took a big breath and said, “I would like an iPad please.”

Santa honestly belly laughed! When he stopped ho ho hoing, he said, “well, we only have a few Elves that know how to make iPads. Lots of little children ask for them though. Here’s what we’ll do, you write me a letter to remind me that you would like to be put on the iPad list but please include 2 more things that you would like for Christmas just in case the Elves can’t get them all done. Is that OK?” HBear nodded her head and smiled a great big smile. Then she turned away to run to me to give me a hug and I looked at Santa and mouthed, “THANK YOU”.

It is so interesting to me that my little 4-year old that believes she is a Princess doesn’t believe in Santa, yet my scientific, logical, non-believer of magic, almost 9-year old… Does 🤔.

I’ve had a lot of time to think about this because this weekend I was sick. I hate being sick. I feel so much guilt! While I lay shivering/sweating in bed Ninja has to do it all by himself… Plus he was up at 5 AM shovelling 2 of those days! Because I was out of commission we had to podcast on Sunday night. To hear our latest episode, click HERE!

This week has been cold! Not typical November weather for the Okanagan Valley, that’s for sure 😬❄️! HBear asked me to make my Caramelized Onion & Spinach Lasagna. When I went back to find the post where the recipe is… I realized that the pictures totally sucked! They certainly do not do this lasagna justice, that’s for sure! Here is a picture of what this delicious dish actually looks!

As for last week, I made this super delicious comfort casserole that everybody loved! This is a perfect dish for the cold weather and it reheats so well for lunch the next day!

Comfort Cottage Pie
Adapted from Don’t Go Bacon My Heart
Servings: 6
NUTRITION: 496 calories/serving

1.5lbs ground beef
1 white onion, diced
1 bell peppers, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 cloves of garlic, pressed
1 cup of peas
1 cup of red wine
1/4 cup Worcestershire Sauce
2 cups beef stock
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon rosemary
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon tomato paste

Mashed Potato Layer:
5 potatoes, peeled & chopped into large chunks
1/4 cup margarine
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

In a big pot, saute your onions, garlic, carrot and peppers in oil over medium heat until they begin to soften.

Add your beef, break it up and continue to cook until brown all the way through.

Pour in your wine and leave to simmer for around 5 minutes.

Add your stock, Worcestershire Sauce, tomato paste, thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, salt & pepper (to taste) and leave to simmer over low heat for 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

In the last 5 minutes, add your peas.

Now get started on the mashed potatoes. Place your potatoes in a pot of salted boiling water for around 15 mins or until soft. 

Drain and place back in the pot. Mash with your margarine, nutmeg and generous helpings of salt & pepper until smooth and fluffy.

Set aside and preheat oven 450.

In a baking dish, pour in your meat mixture (removing Bay Leaf), then top the meat with your mashed potatoes.

Pop in the oven for around 20 mins or until golden and crispy on top. Rest for a few minutes and then serve.

The girls got their school pictures back and I am very pleased! They have real-ish smiles, there are no chapped upper lips, and they look so… Old! LOL.

We had our first snowfall of the year and it was the earliest snowfall in 11 years! The night before I asked Ninja, “we have the Girl’s winter jackets or anything out yet? It probably won’t snow but just in case we should be prepared.” At that point we realized that we had not even bought HBear boots yet! Honestly, we don’t get a big dump of snow like this until January usually! When we woke up in the morning and saw that it was tobogganing weather, the kids were so excited! Ninja and Dad went out shovelling early in the morning so the girls crawled in with me and we listened to some Christmas music 🤗. Of course, we were late because I forgot how long it takes to get out the door when you have to put on multiple layers 😂.

Because of Halloween, dance got pushed to another night. Because it wasn’t a normal night the heat wasn’t on in the studio when we got there! Brrr! HBear was at Coding Camp so it was just SBean and I. We cuddled to keep warm ❄️💛. 

After dance Ninja took SBean out for a Daddy/Daughter date to Denny’s (or is she says, Penny’s lol, her favourite).

While he did that, I picked up HBear at Coding Camp. She loves coding! The library is doing a pilot project and she is really enjoying it!

From there I dropped her off at a Sleepover with Gr1Besty and Gr2Besty!

The next morning my head cold hit me with a great big slap across the face so Ninja took SBean up the hill to his parent’s house to play in fresh powder! She was in her snow glory!

 

I hope you enjoyed this post! If you did don’t forget to share, comment, and let me know if you try any of my recipes!

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