The Cake Mama’s Top 5 Go-To Recipes for Everday Cooking & Baking

Posted in Influencer, lifestyle, Personal, Recipes by The Cake Mama

Ever wondered what I make when I’m NOT baking cakes? Maybe not, LOL, but I’m going to share with you my favorite cooking and baking recipes anyway!

Even when I don’t have an order, you’ll always find me right back in my kitchen either recipe testing or making something delicious for my family to enjoy.

The first I’ll share is a family favorite: BANANA BREAD! I have tried many but this one always puts a smile on my kids (and hubby’s face!) I substitute the canola oil for coconut oil which adds a lovely flavor and I add a nice shake of cinnamon too! You can find my go-to recipe here!

This next recipe is a wonderful and hearty meal that makes you want to put on the stretchy pants, but I promise its sooo worth it! It’s Ina Garten’s Chicken Stew with Biscuits. I love making homemade biscuits, but in a pinch, I’ll grab some Pilsbury cresents or dinner rolls and bake those up with it.

As you might have read in one of my earlier blog posts about changing up our eating style and incorporating more plant-based recipes, those delicious Crispy Buffalo Tofu wraps by Jillian Harris is a big hit! My daughter Olivia absolutely loves the crispy panko crusted tofu and it’s a great way to incorporate a “meatless Monday” to your week!

Some days it totally feels like a take-out night, but I’ve been *trying* to stay away from ordering out and creating dishes that we usually like to get. Our household LOVES food with an Asian flair so it’s no wonder a recipe like Peanut Chicken Stir-Fry gets gobbled up quick. I like to play around with ingredients so sometimes I omit the peanut butter and just do a “teriyaki” style sauce with a mix of soy sauce, brown sugar, a TON of garlic and a bit of oil. Its an AMAZING marinade for just about ANYTHING! I also find that stir-fry’s are the best way to get rid of veggies that may be seeing it’s last days soon so needless to say, we eat stir-fry A LOT. LOL!

Finally, another dessert favorite in our home is an apple crumble. The crumblier, the better! I also like to shred my apples instead of cubing them so that all of the flavor just melts right into them. Pair that up with a delicious ice-cream and you just have to try and pry us away from the dish! Here’s a great recipe to try!

I hope you all take a moment to try some of these recipes! I would love to hear your recommendations as well as it’s common to get into a rut for meal ideas! Share your fave recipes in the comments below!

Thanks for reading!

xo, Izabela

Photo Credit: Pinterest, JillianHarris.com, Taste of Home, Food Network

14Apr2017

Happy Easter! – The Cake Mama Family Traditions

Posted in Influencer, lifestyle, Personal by The Cake Mama

Happy Easter weekend everyone! I hope all of you are enjoying some time with you family and celebrating in whichever way that you do.

In the Cake Mama household we have a few traditions we like to take part in each year. Having two different cultures also makes it fun and interesting and best of all, it’s a chance to get to see all of our families throughout the weekend.

On Good Friday we always color our eggs. I wish I could say I was creative enough this year to dye them naturally à la Martha Stewart but this year we’re using the classic PAAS coloring kit!

Some years we join my husbands family for a traditional Guatemalan fish dish served at dinner. The kids (as always) don’t enjoy it and usually end up eating cheese pizza LOL but it’s a nice excuse to visit the extended family.

My side of the family is Polish so on Saturday we visit the Church for Święconka to get our eggs, kielbasa, bread and just about anything else you’d typically have for brunch in a Polish household blessed.

On Easter Sunday.. the kids hunt for eggs around the house first thing in the morning. We try to make it to mass (with 3 kids now it seems to be even more challenging!) and then we head over to my parents house for lunch.

Bring on the stretchy pants!!

It’s one of my favourite traditional meals. Polish potato salad, kielbasa, fresh sweet bread, ham, deviled eggs AND galaretka – an aspic with chicken and beef with a squeeze of lemon. I swear it’s my FAVE Polish food to eat for Easter and Christmas and I think only the select few enjoy it. It’s sooo good!

Then my kids and my sisters kids go out and hunt for eggs hidden by our parents and we exchange little gifts for all the kids.

The party isn’t over yet! After lunch and a bit of rest, we head over to my husbands mom’s house and have a delicious dinner. Some years it’s turkey with all the fixings and others it’s traditional Guatemalan dishes like enchiladas. The kids have another egg hunt here while the adults sit and digest our big day of eating LOL.

On Easter Monday, we make bunny pancakes for breakfast and the girls and I always make sugar cookies for their classroom to celebrate the end of Lent and Easter. They always have a good time decorating cookies!

Phew! So much to look forward to and we’ve only just begun. Below is a shot of last year’s Easter weekend, I can’t wait to update it! Happy Easter everyone!

Photo Credits: Pinterest, Google, Style By Deanna

30Mar2017

Spring Sneak Peaks

Posted in lifestyle, Personal by The Cake Mama

Hello my sweet dessert friends!

I wanted to take a moment to give you the heads up on what’s coming up for The Cake Mama over the next couple of months.

While it may not quite feel like spring yet around here, it’s definitely the time to start thinking about special occasions surrounding the season: Easter and Mother’s Day!

Leading up to these two special times of the year, I will be popping up at TWO markets! First up is Bloom Baby in Fort Langley this Friday and Saturday (March 31-April 1) and yours truly will be popping up on the Friday only. Starting at 5pm and ending at 9, it’s the perfect way to sneak away from fam, sip some wine and do some serious local shopping!

Find all the details about this market here.

Next week I’ll be a busy little bee preparing for the North Surrey Baker’s Market on Saturday April 8, 2017. Bring your sweet tooth (and your stretchy pants!) and indulge in an array of fresh and homemade baked goods by an amazing line up of local bakers! I don’t know how you’re going to decide on what you’ll take home but I promise it will all be delicious!!

Find all the details of this market here!

So apart from markets, I’ll be announcing a preorder for Easter treats AND a preorder for Mothers Day very soon. For Easter you can expect to see a lovely set of themed sugar cookies and *maybe* some macarons in the mix?! Stay tuned!

(photo credit: Vanessa Marie Studios)

Finally I just wanted to express my gratitude for the incredible influx of messages and orders over the past few weeks, you guys, I whole heartedly want to take on every single one that comes through! But paired with a day job, (that falls on weekends no less) 3 children and a patient husband who deserve just a *teensy* bit of my time, I have to draw the line somewhere. Oh! And perhaps a little self care too right? All these amazing orders I’ve booked already have got me up until 2-3am which I know will catch up with me sooner than later.

What I will promise, is that if there is a cancellation, I will announce that as soon as possible to give you the opportunity to place an order. I also will not be opening summer bookings until the end of May, so I will most definitely announce that as soon as I can!

I love meeting new dessert friends so I hope you’ll come visit me at either one of the two markets happening soon. Hope to see you there!

Xo, Izabela

Ps. My cookie decorating class is 60% full! It’s happening on May 5 from 6-830 at the Highstreet Community Room in Abbotsford. Don’t miss out! Reserve your spot here.