Bacon, Parmesan & Rosemary Sweet Potato Noodles (and where I've been!!!)

     So, my sincerest apologies for bailing on this blog.....whomp whomp! 

     I feel like I've been moving around at a mile a minute, and sitting at the computer has not factored into life right now! In fact, this post has been weeks in the making! WEEKS!!! I manage to sit and write for maybe 15 minutes, then I'm off again! Not to mention sorting through photos and editing/making collages, etc. That takes time ladies and gents, and it's been time I haven't been able to find lately! 

     So, let me catch you up and take you on a journey.....a journey of the last few months.....(insert dream-sequence music here....)     

     In July we packed up and moved into a teeny-tiny cottage at Pleasant Bay Camp, located in Consecon, Ontario, about an hour away from our home in Tweed. We were going to be there for 5 weeks while I was the camp cook. 
 
       I was SO NERVOUS about doing this job!!!!! I for real couldn't sleep for weeks leading up to going, and once I got there, I spent the first week hardly sleeping and waking up every hour through the night for being so worried about being a complete and utter failure!!!  

      For as long as I can remember, I've had a pretty serious case of F.O.F. (fear of failure!). So, stepping out and doing this job was a big deal to me. Also, the fact that my preference is to stay home, and not go anywhere was really being challenged!

     A song that felt like my "theme song" for the summer was "Sparrows" by Jason Gray.  I've included the song here in case anyone wants a little listen and a serious pick-me-up! :)        

    Well, I not only made it through my cooking weeks at camp, I actually enjoyed it!!! I had many failures, but also many successes, and I had such a fantastic collection of whacko staff working with me. It was awesome. We'd blast music and sing at the top of our lungs during prep time and clean-up. Then we'd act moderately normal and quite during meal service so people trusted us and the food we gave them : ) 

    I had such a wonderful time working hard, getting to know the amazing teens I had as staff, knowing my kids were having the best time ever (they got to participate in camp all the weeks we were there!!) and spending the summer in such a beautiful location.

Me and my kitchen staff "family"

    After we'd left Pleasant Bay Camp, we were home for a few days (and those few days at home included a visit from my husband Mother and step-Dad), then we packed up and headed to South-West Ontario to a camp I spent 10 years of my life working and living at - Circle Square Ranch.

     My only original plan for the entire summer was to work at the Ranch for a week while my kids attended day camp. So, even though we were "rushed" finishing up at one camp and getting ready to go another, I wouldn't trade my week at the Ranch for anything! My first campfire on the Sunday night (the first night) of camp I started crying because it felt so much like home. I lived and worked there as a teen, and after getting married and having Caleb I was still there teaching riding lessons, and helping out for weekend retreats. 

     I was worried about this week too though as I hadn't taught horseback riding for a few years...but when my first class started I knew I would be fine! It took me all week to learn all the horses names though, so that was challenging! : )  

Here I am teaching a class, Caleb riding his favourite horse, and Abby & Keziah getting ready to ride!

    Another thing we did this summer was to meet up with some of our relatives from Belgium! We had stayed with them for a week in the summer of 2015 when we were in Europe, and this summer they came to Canada for a visit! 

     We met with them and my in-laws in Toronto for Caribana (a Caribbean festival in Toronto). It was a loud, fairly nude event (haha!), but we had fun seeing our Belgian family again! 
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Caribana Festival in Toronto with our Belgian family

      In the week we had "leftover" from working at camps all summer, we managed to get to the Peterborough Zoo, the Emily Trudeau Splash Pad in Tweed, and get our back to school shopping done. 

At the Peterborough Zoo

     We also attended a cousins wedding this summer, and it was such an amazing time of fun, food, drink and dancing! I love seeing my family, they are a strange, noisy, fun bunch of people!

     In early August we had a birthday party for Caleb too. Caleb's parties are usually big events with lots of people, but because we were at camp, organizing a big event at a house we weren't even at all summer seemed like a bigger job than we could handle. So, we decided to call all the kids in Caleb's class and invite them to the Emily Trudeau Splash Pad and Erin Palmateer Swimming Pool where there is a gazebo with picnic tables. We had a super low-key, no decorations party for him that involved swimming, opening presents, and eating snacks and birthday cake (a very UN-fancy, camp style sheet cake! I had baked it the day before the party while at the camp!)

    It wasn't the kind of birthday party I'd normally throw, but Caleb was pleased, and that's all that matters! 

​     My kooky kitchen staff had come for the party too, and also spent the night at our place in Tweed before we all headed back to camp the next day! It was a hilarious and fun night!!! (I love my kitchen staff!!!)
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    The first day back to school went great! We were prepared, and ready for "normal life" to start again!!! My kids grew like weeds this summer, and I couldn't believe they were heading off to grades, 6, 3 and 1!!! (**tear**) 

   In September my husband surprised me with a birthday party! I was actually really surprised! It was so nice to have some of my friends and family around to celebrate me turning the un-even age of 33! Geepers, that seems so old when I type it out! 3 times this summer people thought I was 18 years old though, so I'm just going to hold onto the feeling I had when people mistook me for a older teenager. : )  

Happy 18th Birthday to me!!! ; )

    Well, I think that's (basically) everything you've missed! 

     I'm sure I"m missing some other things, but you won't know the difference! Haha, well, it's true!!! : )  

      I think we should just move on to a recipe that is easy peasy to make! 

     Um, also, if you're not Paleo, just eat this with cooked gluten-free or regular noodles - it's delicious no matter what because bacon, rosemary and parmesan go together so nicely! 

Bacon, Rosemary & Parmesan Sweet Potato Noodles
(makes 2 servings)

Ingredients: 

• 6 Pieces bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 medium onion (I use Spanish), cut into thin strips
• 2 medium-large sweet potatoes, washed & spiralized or julienned 
• 1 Tbsp fresh, finely diced rosemary (or 1 tsp dried)
• Parmesan cheese, as much as you wish! 

Method:

1. Warm a large skillet (or a large pot) over medium heat. Once warmed, add bacon pieces, and cook until it's slightly browned
2. Now, add the prepped onion into the pan, allowing the onion to cook, get soft, and get a nice brown colour to it
3. Now add in your sweet potato, and allow to soften, turning/tossing very gently until nearly done-about 4 minutes
4. Once the sweet potato has warmed and is getting cooked, add in your rosemary, and gently toss again, allowing the sweet potato noodles to cook fully - this will take 5-7 minutes MAXIMUM! You don't want to overcook the noodles or they'll get too soft and break apart
5. Once cooked, remove pan from heat, and divide noodles between 2 bowls, and top with parmesan cheese
6. Serve hot, and enjoy! : )   

      And there you have it! A recap of the last few months of my life while I've been absent from Bushel & A Peck, and a new, simple, yummy, healthy recipe to add to your quick weeknight meals list! 

     Happy November!!! I've missed writing here, and I hope you've missed me a little too! 


​xoxoxo