beezus

Ribollita

2010-01-14T16:55:00.003-05:00

This is another great clean out the fridge / freezer soup. I took this recipe , tweaked it based on what I had on hand, and added some spicy turkey sausage to make it more appealing to the carnivore contingent in my household. Unfortunately there were too many greens present....and they barely gave it a glance. Oh well, more for me!

Ribolitta

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
4 celery stalks, chopped
3 medium cloves garlic, chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped
1 medium red onion, chopped
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 pound / 500g bag frozen rapini (or any other green you'd like)
4 cups cooked white beans or a mixture of whatever kind you have on hand- I used navy beans and anasazi beans
1 lb spicy sausage (I used a turkey sausage)
1/2 pound crustless loaf of bread
1 1/2+ teaspoons fine grain sea salt
zest of one lemon
lots of well-chopped oily black olives

In your largest thick-bottomed pot over medium heat combine the olive oil, celery, garlic, carrot, and red onion. Cook for 10 -15 minutes sweating the vegetables, but avoid any browning. Stir in the tomatoes and red pepper flakes, and simmer for another 10 minutes or so, long enough for the tomatoes to thicken up a bit. Stir in the greens, 3 cups of the beans, and 8 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until the greens are tender, about 10 minutes.

Add sausage, if using. I throw mine in frozen, and then fish them out at the end, slice and add back into the soup.

In the meantime, mash or puree the remaining beans with a generous splash of water - until smooth. Tear the bread into bite-sized chunks. Stir both the beans and bread into the soup. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the bread breaks down and the soup thickens, 20 - 30 minutes. Stir in the salt, taste and add more if needed. Stir in the lemon zest.

Serve immediately, or cool and refrigerate overnight. Serve reheated, or "ribollita" meaning reboiled, the next day ladled into bowls. Finish each serving with a drizzle of olive oil and some chopped olives.

Makes a large pot of soup - enough for 10 servings. Freezes well.

Spicy Chicken Stew

2010-01-10T16:29:00.003-05:00

Perfect for a cold day, especially after an afternoon spent outside....serve with fresh baked bread or warmed tortillas.

Spicy Chicken Stew
Serves 6

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 cup red onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans white kidney beans, rinsed and drained (19 oz cans)
1 liter chicken broth
1 cup black olives, pitted and quartered
3/4 cup green salsa
1 can Rotel diced tomatoes & chilies
1/3 cup roasted red pepper, chopped
1 lb cooked chicken, chopped or shredded (see note)
1/4 - 1/2 cup cilantro chopped
1/2 cup light cream (5%) (optional)

Garnishes: sour cream, Montery Jack cheese, cilantro, avacado

Instructions

1. In a 4 quart Dutch Oven heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add red onion, cook and stir 3 minutes. Add garlic, cook and stir 1 minute more.

2. Add beans; cook and stir 4 minutes. Stir in chicken broth, olives, tomatoes, salsa, and red pepper. Bring to boil, reduce to simmer, uncovered about 15 minutes.

3. Add cooked chicken, simmer for 10-15 minutes.

4. Add cream & cilantro. Season with salt & pepper to taste.

5. Garnish with shredded cheese, sour cream and cilantro...or any other toppings that strike your fancy!

Note: To cook chicken, poach skinless, bone-in chicken breast or thighs in chicken broth, until bone pulls easily away from the chicken. Remove chicken, skim broth and then use broth in recipe or reserve for another use. This makes for super flavourful broth and very moist chicken.

New Year's Eve 2009

2010-01-01T11:18:00.008-05:00

Broccoli Barley Soup

2009-11-18T09:00:00.001-05:00

I made this delicious soup the other night and had to share. So good, so good for you!

Broccoli Barley Soup
Recipe By: Dorie, adapted by me!

Ingredients
2 med onions -- chopped
2 garlic cloves -- minced
4 ounce sliced fresh mushrooms
3 tablespoon butter
3 cup chicken broth
3 cup vegetable broth
3/4 cup uncooked pearl barley
1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary -- crushed
1 lbs fresh broccoli -- cut into florets
2 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup cold water
1-2 cups milk (the original recipe called for 2 cups of half & half cream but I wanted a thicker soup and lower in fat, and the milk worked fine)
Salt and pepper
grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions:

In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, saute the first three ingredients in butter until tender. Add the chicken and vegetable broths, barley and rosemary. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until barley is tender. Add broccoli; cover and cook for 10 minutes or until broccoli is tender.

In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and cold water until smooth; stir into the soup. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat; stir in the milk, salt and pepper (do not boil). Sprinkle with Parmesan & serve.

Mad

2009-11-16T22:12:00.008-05:00

I have to vent. Have you read this article in Chatelaine? If not, read it for a fine example of cobbling together random pieces of information, adding some cherry-picked research, and topping it with a healthy dose of personal bias, and putting it all together as a statement of fact. I know this blog is supposed to be about nice things (I hope) but this issue is close to my heart. My son has a severe peanut allergy- documented, diagnosed and proven to be fact. He's almost died. It's a serious thing. So I have to share this in the hopes that it will further educate somebody.

I responded to the article with the following comment:

"This is a ridiculous article with no real point or apparent value to any reader. Comparing lightening deaths and brain injuries, which are random and sometimes just the result of being in the wrong situation at the wrong time, to an anaphylactic reaction to a common food item, which can be avoided with simple measures, lacks logic. This is just enough information, patched together, to further confuse a difficult and confusing situation.

The truth is that, for those of us who have allergic children, there is no definitive information on how to deal with reactions, other than to avoid having one. When to use antihistamines, when to use an epi-pen, unknown side effects (or even effectiveness) of the medications given once you hit the emergency room- ask different doctors and you'll get different answers. No one really knows why some children are allergic and others are not, whether early exposure causes the allergy or whether it prevents it. You can see from the dizzying array of study references in the article that there is no real agreement on the issue. Reactions can range from mild to deadly, and in my experience, can vary from exposure to exposure. A rash or hives can quickly become something much worse. A reaction can re-occur or even worsen after 6-8 hours. Some are sensitive to the smell of peanut, while others need to ingest a certain amount, before having a severe reaction. Unfortunately we don't really know which type of reaction will happen when. The point is that allergies are variable, changing and sometimes unpredictable. You only need to see an allergic reaction happen to know you never want it to happen again.

I certainly don't consider myself a fanatic, or one that overreacts, nor do I want to make my son feel like he's a 'problem' or make this thing a huge deal in his life. I educate my son (age 4), as best I can, about his allergy, and he likely won't eat anything unless it's peanut free. He's learned to ask at a very young age because he remembers almost dying. And it's just a part of his life now and he seems okay with it. But many children will eat things they shouldn't, or touch things without thinking. Accidents happen.

It seems to me that, in the interest of playing it safe and taking care of the most vulnerable members of our society, and until there is a definitive assessment of the cause of these allergies, we can just err on the side of safety, practice a little kindness and foster a spirit of generosity. All we can do at this point, is to avoid the problem, and that is why there are nut free policies in place, and why other life threatening allergens should probably be banned from places small children are. What does it really matter, in the grand scheme of things, if your child can't eat peanut butter, or milk, or soy, or any other potentially life threatening allergen for one meal and two snacks a day? I suspect kids will eat what's available when it's their only option. And you might just be teaching them something about compassion and caring, and doing something for others, just because."

Please educate youself- learn about allergies, know the signs of an allergic reaction, know how to use an Epi-Pen or TwinJect, call 911 ASAP when an anaphylactic reaction occurs. All that information and more here.

Stepping off soap box now...

The foyer

2009-11-08T20:53:00.014-05:00

The foyer is finally done. I have no idea when we even started this project- maybe last spring? The start of the project precipitated the installation of new exterior doors and spiralled into replacing all the baseboard and door trim on the main floor of the house. And then, because the new baseboard was too high, we had to re-route all the wall air/heat vents to the floor as the wall ones were too low. And while we were patching holes up anyways, we moved some thermostats and light switches. And that necessitated repainting pretty much the entire main floor. Of course it did-do we ever do anything halfway around here??

Like many 1960s houses, our front door (which was a drafty hollow core) opens almost directly into our living room, and was separated only by a half wall, complete with a copper lined plant trough in the top and shelving on one side. Made of lovely painted plywood and cheaply trimmed, it was hardly a classy welcome into our home. So, since I am totally addicted to organized storage, and lord knows we need it here, I decided to replace it with a built-in dresser which could house all of our hats, mitts, kid shoes, sports equipment and assorted junk like keys and loose change (or rocks & twigs for the shorter members of the household!). So, as you may know, built-ins are not cheap or fast, and I could see that the actual executor of this project (read:Colin) was less than enthused about designing and building a multi-drawer storage unit anytime soon. Apparently a project of this magnitude requires a workshop renovation, and that's a story for another day! Hello Ikea. Hello $400 dresser that met all my needs and dimension requirements. Hello built-in.....

Before:

During:

Now:

Happiness is....

2009-11-08T16:24:00.006-05:00

...a new camera! Our old one (a mere 5 years "old") bit it a while back, has been repaired once and is now dying a slow and unpredictable death. While I'm ticked at having to replace something that seemed a significant investment such a short time ago, I'm happy to have a new toy- one with many new features and manual settings to take advantage of.

Summer redux

2009-09-25T07:14:00.012-04:00

It's been awhile (again) and it's been busy. Lots of fun this summer- camping, hiking, biking, hanging out....

Cupcakes for Dad

2009-07-15T07:00:00.004-04:00

These cupcakes were a little project the boy and I made for Father's Day....and this is the much delayed post about it! I wanted to share them with you though, because they look so pretty and they were very tasty to boot. I will say this- they are super chocolatey, almost over the top decadent. I suspect that the ganache icing is the overkill element here but try it for yourself and see. This is definitely a special occasion, must-have-chocolate-right-now kind of treat. The sprinkles you can do without- they were requested and handpicked by E, and really, how could I say no??!

Chocolate Ganache Cupcakes

Recipe from Ina Garten, Food Network site

1/4 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 (16-ounce) can chocolate syrup (recommended: Hershey's)
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour

For the ganache:
1/2 cup heavy cream
8 ounces good semisweet chocolate chips
1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
Candied violets, for decoration, optional

Line muffin pans with 12 paper liners. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, 1 at a time. Mix in the chocolate syrup and vanilla. Add the flour and mix until just combined. Don't overbeat, or the cupcakes will be tough.

Scoop the batter into the muffin cups and bake for 30 minutes, or until just set in the middle. Don't overbake! Let the cupcakes cool thoroughly in the pan.

For the ganache, cook the heavy cream, chocolate chips, and instant coffee in the top of a double boiler over simmering water until smooth and warm, stirring occasionally. (or, melt gently in microwave)

Dip the top of each cupcake in the ganache. Decorate with candied violets, if desired. Do not refrigerate.

BBQ Sauce

2009-07-14T07:00:00.000-04:00

I make a big batch of this sauce and freeze it, at the beginning of the summer- usually around the time that baby back ribs go on sale, the weather turns bbq appropriate and the troops start clamouring for ribs and regular grilling. If you are going to make this, I would encourage you to go the big batch route as well. It will be well worth it because, although it is delicous and far superior to whatever you can buy in a bottle, your house will stink, your eyes will water and your sinuses will burn (but, on the upside, also be clear for days!). You really don't want to make this often!

Spicy BBQ Sauce
Makes approximately 2 cups

2 tbsp oil
4 cloves garlic, or more if you like, minced
1 onion, chopped
1 tbsp dry mustard
1 tsp oregano
1 tbsp drained horseradish
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups ketchup
1/3 cup honey
3 tbsp packed brown sugar
2 tbsp worcestshire
1 tsp tabasco sauce
crushed chili pepper (optional)

Finely chop onion and garlic, or use a food processor if you prefer your sauce less chunky (I do!).

Heat oil in pot, on medium-high heat. Saute onion and garlic until they are softened but do not let them brown.

Add mustard and oregano, stir and cook for a few seconds.

Add horseradish and vinegar, stir and cook for a few seconds. Stand back when you do this, or your eyes will tear and your sinuses burn!

Add remain ingredients, adding crushed chilies for heat, to your taste, and stir well. Lower heat and simmer uncovered for approximately 30 minutes. Stir several times to avoid 'crusting' on bottom of pot.

Taste and adjust seasonings.

Use sauce on ribs or chicken. To make falling-off-the-bone ribs or chicken, slather them in sauce and slow cook them in a crock pot (6-8hours on Low) or covered in the oven (approx. 2 hours at 325F), then finish off on the bbq, brushing with more sauce as you grill.

Enjoy.

Grilled Vegetables

2009-07-12T07:46:00.003-04:00

This is one of my all time favourite, versatile, impressive and most requested recipes. It never fails to please and works well for a crowd. Or, you can make a batch and have the basis of dinner for a few days! Use them on their own, tossed in a salad or with hot pasta. The possibilities are endless.

Saldly, I do not have pictures of the finished product....but they are beautiful to look at too! Trust me.

Grilled Vegetables
Serves 6-8

2 red peppers, cut into 1-2 inch chunks
2 yellow peppers, cut into 1-2 inch chunks
2 green peppers, cut into 1-2 inch chunks
1 large red onion, cut into 1-2 inch chunks
12 or more large white mushrooms

Dressing:

6 tbsp lemon juice
6 tbsp water
3 tbsp brown sugar
4 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp crushed garlic
6 tbsp olive oil
Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste

Thread all vegetables onto skewers.

Mix dressing ingredients.

Brush skewers with dressing, marinate for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Grill on high heat until tender crisp, basting with dressing and rotating often, until edges are blackened – about 15 minutes. Reserve some dressing for tossing afterwards.

Remove vegetables from skewers and place in large bowl. Add remaining dressing and toss. Serve immediately.

Use them on their own; tossed with a few handfuls of romaine, some crumbled feta, toasted pine nuts & leftover marinade for a salad; or mixed with hot pasta and some pecorino for dinner.

Mediterranean Salad with Green Beans & Feta

2009-07-11T08:39:00.011-04:00

I threw this salad together last week, adapted from two recipes I had in my 'to try' pile. I'm making a concerted effort to actually try those recipes, instead of sticking with the tried and true whilst the pile grows to epic proportions. My current obsession, since it's pretty much me that eats these and they must last, is salads that will keep for at least a few days in the fridge. This one fits the bill.

Mediterranean Salad with Green Beans & Feta

3 cups green beans, trimmed and cut in half

2 cups grape tomatoes

1/4 large red onion, slivered

2 cups white kidney (cannellini) beans, rinsed and drained

2 oz feta cheese (I used a light one), crumbled

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp white wine vinegar, plus more to taste

kosher salt

fresh ground pepper

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add beans; cook for approximately 4 minutes, until crisp tender and bright green. Drain and immediately plunge into ice water to stop cooking and set color. Drain.

In large bowl, mix green beans, tomatoes, red onion, kidney beans, feta cheese and garlic.

Add oil, vinegar, salt and pepper to taste. You may want to add more vinegar to taste. Refrigerate for a bit to allow flavours to mingle. Eat as is, garnish with scallions and/or toss with lettuce just before serving. I added some canned tuna to make it a complete meal. Enjoy!

Other ingredient possibilities: halved black olives, slivered fennel, marinated artichoke hearts, thinly slice orange or substitute dressing ingredients with pesto.

Summer slacker

2009-07-09T22:21:00.009-04:00

I come and go, don't I? I'm trying for a more diligent posting regimen but once summer hits, and the weather's decent, I'm afraid I'm a lost cause. Which is too bad really, as I have much to share- gardens, summer grilling and accompanying recipes, mastering a mojito, biking adventures, outings and on-going home renovations. I have pictures. I have stories. But I have no time! I will endeavour to do better...

So, I will leave you with these for now.....my boy on a trampoline, at the recent family picnic, one year after tentatively giving it a go for the first time.

How can you not love this face???

Walter Bean is not a cyclist's friend....

2009-05-31T21:06:00.009-04:00

This morning we set out for what was supposed to be a relaxing and fun ride (read:minimal effort) with some friends. We're all fairly experienced cyclists and were looking forward to trying a new-to-us trail - the Walter Bean Trail. It runs alongside the Grand River and is part of the Trans Canada Trail. The cities in this area have done an amazing job of completing their sections of it, with relatively few gaps. The trail is beautiful, well groomed with hard or slightly packed gravel, and winds through forest & fields, affording frequent views of the river, and many spots to stop, rest and enjoy the view. Which is good...because it has a lot of hills. A lot. And big ones. Who knew, in this flat city, that we even had any! And the wind was gusting, at times, to probably 50km/hr...

In the end, it was a beautiful ride and well worth the effort. We only did a small section, and will definitely go back again to try the rest, even if Walter Bean has it out for us!

What I did on my vacation

2009-05-29T19:23:00.016-04:00

We took a week of holidays last week, just because. I got sick with what was probably the swine flu, on Monday. Not one to let that spoil my vacation, I medicated heavily, and moved on! We packed a lot in.

Visited with our friends Moira & Hector in Toronto. Finally saw their new house (purchased, uh, one year ago...). Watched Victoria Day fireworks on the lakefront. And Moira added a new strap to my Henrietta- great bag!

Did some gardening...more garden pictures here.

Ripped out two old doors and installed two new ones....more pictures on that, and our nifty front foyer reno, to come. The trim is supposed to go on this weekend and then it's up to me to paint. This is the front door. The kitchen door, which is directly opposite, is the same style. I love the light it brings in, although there is no longer a safe spot to wander around in one's underwear!

A trip to the Toronto Zoo....where we got to touch stingray and small sharks. They're slimy- there I saved you $3 (the cost of touching a stingray and/or shark). And, did you know that monkeys relieve themselves in the same water they drink from? My kid just reminded me. I'm so glad the trip had lasting educational value and made such an impression.

And Colin even managed to grab a nap.

Summer Berry Pudding

2009-05-17T08:39:00.014-04:00

I made this beautiful and delicious dessert for company yesterday, and was really happy with the results. It was easy to put together and tasted amazing! It's an Ina Garten recipe, which always work for me, and I imagine you could use any combination of berries and perhaps even other fruits- peaches with a splash of amaretto maybe? For the bread, I used two 7 inch long loaves of brioche which I'd made using the recipe and method from Artisan Bread In 5 Minutes A Day.

Summer Berry Pudding

1 pint fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
1 1/2 cup sugar

3 half pints of raspberries
2 pints blueberries
2 Tablespoons of raspberry brandy such as Framboise (I used Chambord)
1 loaf brioche or egg bread (I used 2 loaves of brioche)

Extra berries for garnish

Combine the strawberries , sugar, and 1/4 cup of water in a large saucepan and cook uncovered over medium low heat for 5 minutes. Add 2 cups of the raspberries and all the blueberries and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture reaches a simmer. Simmer for 1 minute. Off the heat, stir in the remaining raspberries and brandy.

Slice the bread into 1/2 inch slices and remove the crusts. In the bottom of a 7 1/2 inch round by 3 inch high souffle dish, ladle about 1/2 cup of the cooked berry mixture. Arrange the bread slices in a pattern. This will be the top so make it look pretty!

Then add more berry mixture to saturate. Continue adding bread, cutting to fit the mold, and berrries. Finish with bread and cooked berries, using all the fruit and syrup.

Place a sheet of plastic wrap loosely over the pudding. Find a plate approx.
the same diameter as the inside of the mold and place it on top. Weight the mold with a heavy can and refrigerate. It will drip liquid, so set it inside another dish to catch the extra syrup. Remove the weigh after 6 to 8 hours. Cover the pudding with plastic wrap and refrigerate over night.

Just before serving, run a knife around the outside of the pudding and unmold it upside down onto a serving plate. Garnish top with berries and drizzle any extra syrup over the top. Serve in wedges with whipped cream or ice cream.

Rainy day gardening

2009-05-09T20:26:00.012-04:00

My Mother's Day gift....the boy and I picked it out on a recent trip to the garden centre and decided to make it so.

Begonias & Boxwood

Dahlias & Spirea

Catching raindrops

Planting the new herb garden

Greek Chicken

2009-04-25T21:16:00.010-04:00

I'm on a bit of a Greek kick this week it seems. Tonight on the Egg, Greek Chicken- a whole chicken marinated in olive oil, fresh lemon juice, oregano, rosemary & thyme. Amazing. Simply amazing. Simple and amazing! Falling apart, but still juicy.....so good.

So, warning- raw chicken shot ahead...not something I usually do (I'm a bit squeamish), but you really have to see how it all starts. Right? I love these little chicken roasting racks- helps the bird roast evenly and there's the added benefit of being able to add some liquid, like wine or beer, to the drip pan to help the flavour along.

I like to use my Foodsaver to marinate things- it allows you to squish the marinade in good and close and keep it there. Removing most or all of the air, speeds up and intensifies the marinating process. I usually remove most of the air, then seal, allowing some room to toss the meat around in the bag. I let these guys marinate a full 24 hours, and lemon & herb flavour was really really nice. If you don't have a Foodsaver, a large Ziploc bag works well too.

Here's the marinade I used:

Greek Chicken (makes enough for 2 - 4lb chickens)

1 cup extra virgin olive oil
6 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
2 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
2 tbsp fresh organo, chopped
4 lemons, juiced- approximately 1 cup of juice

Roast the chicken for 45 minutes at 375F, check to see if it's done. You may have to cook it for another 15-20 minutes- this isn't really an exact science! I pull it off when the chicken's leg is almost falling off when I 'shake' it. If you're using pieces, cooking for 15-20 minutes should do it.

While the chicken is roasting, make your salad and any other accompaniments....

Enjoy!

Spanakopita

2009-04-25T09:00:00.003-04:00

This is one of my all time favourite dishes- full of fresh herbs, green onions (or leeks) & yummy cheeses. And, well, it just looks so good. I've served this as a meal, hot out of the oven, accompanied by a big greek salad, or as an appetizer at room temperature. It's easy, you can make it ahead, and it's even good for breakfast!

Spanakopita
From The Family Circle Encyclopaedia of Cooking

1 cup butter or margarine (I always use butter and only as much as I need, usually 1/2 cup)
1 bunch green onions (sometimes I substitute leeks here)
2 packages (10oz each) frozen chopped spinach
6 eggs, lightly beaten
8oz feta cheese, crumbled
1 container (8oz) cottage cheese
2 tablespoons farina / cream of wheat (I've left this out with no noticeable effect)
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper (I use more and usually white pepper)
1 package (16oz) frozen phyllo pastry

1. Melt butter in small saucepan. Butter a 13x9 baking dish.
2. Sauté green onions / leeks in 2 tbsp of butter in a large skillet until tender.
3. Drain spinach, pressing out as much liquid as possible.
4. Combine onions,spinach, eggs, feta cheese, cottage cheese, farina, parsley, dill, salt & pepper in a large bowl.
5. Preheat oven to 375F. Unfold phyllo sheets and place between damp towels to keep from drying. Remove sheets one at a time and place in baking dish; brush each with melted butter. (Cut sheets to fit dish if necessary). Repeat until there are 6 layers of buttered sheets in dish.
6. Spread spinach mixture evenly over the layers.
7. Butter and stack 8 more phyllo sheets on top of the spinach mixture. Mark top sheet lightly in squares with a sharp knife. Cut partially through in square pattern. (I do triangle for hor d'oevres- it's easier to cut before baking).
8. Place spanakopita in pre heated oven and immediately lower temperature to 350F. Bake about 1 hour or until golden brown and puffed. Cool slightly; cut into squares / triangles all the way through.

Notes: I've assembled this a day ahead and baked before serving and it worked fine.

Enjoy!

A bite of sunshine...

2009-04-24T12:19:00.006-04:00

...to celebrate the fabulous weather we're expecting this weekend! I got this recipe for Good Morning Muffins, from The Pioneer Woman Cooks, and had to make them, like, immediately. Some recipes touch me that way. They involve a lot of sugar and marmalade, but suprisingly (if you read PW Cooks regularly), not a lot of fat. I didn't have shortening in the house, used all butter, and they turned out just fine. And, since they're more like a treat/cake, I used my mini muffin pan, which worked out perfectly. Next time I think I'll try them with apricot jam and maybe incorprate some slivered almonds in the topping.

Get the recipe here. Enjoy!

Easter Weekend

2009-04-13T08:09:00.006-04:00

It's been a busy couple of months, with no time for posting, and now spring is upon us. This weekend flew by, with family gatherings, garden clean up, bike riding and cooking.

The hot cross buns above looked pretty but weren't so great. I'm on the hunt for a better recipe!
The front yard has been overun with voles, which have so far eaten a bunch of lawn, 2 weigelas and a fair amount of a juniper. This has all rubbed Colin the wrong way and he's now become a vole hunter. The front yard is now 'The Killing Fields'. But that's a story for another day....

E is up and running on his new bike (not pictured) and is happily being towed using a TrailGator. We can now resume our regular bike rides, which makes both Colin & I very happy!
Happy Spring!

Can't wait for spring...

2009-02-15T20:56:00.005-05:00

We gave Ethan his birthday gift today. It was a few days early, but given that the gift was a new bike, the sidewalks were clear and the sun was shining, it seemed fitting. And, we've all been holed up in the house all weekend- each of us with some degree of illness. Fresh air was what we were all craving!

We also invested in a TrailGator, so we can tow Ethan when we want to go for a longer ride. It's going to be great! It's been a long winter and now we're really looking forward to spring....

Arroz con Pollo (Puerto Rican Chicken & Rice)

2009-02-11T08:00:00.002-05:00

This is a delicious one pan meal- once you make the sofrito and achiote oil that is! I made more of the sofrito and froze it in 1/2 cup servings. It'll be handy for future bean soups (Cuban Black Bean maybe?) and rice dishes.

The recipe makes a ton of rice- much more than the 6 servings it said it did - maybe 6 linebackers! I added corn, peas and more red pepper to it the following day, and served it with a slow roasted pork shoulder. Then I added the leftover pork to the rice and froze it all for another meal. Like I said...a ton of rice!

Arroz con Pollo

From Viva Daisy by Daisy Martinez

Ingredients:
1/4 cup Achiote Oil - recipe follows
3- 4 pounds of chicken pieces
Fine sea or kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup Sofrito - recipe follows
1/4 cup alcaparrado or coarsely chopped pimiento-stuffed olives
1 teaspoon ground cumin
pinch ground cloves
4 cup long-grain rice
4 cup homemade or store-bought reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 large bottled roasted red peppers -- cut into 1/4-inch strips (about 1 1/2 cups)

Instructions:
In a paella pan or wide, shallow pan with a tight-fitting lid, heat the Achiote Oil over medium-high heat until the oil is rippling.

Season the chicken with salt and pepper and add as many pieces skin side down to the pan as fit without touching. Cook, turning as necessary, until well browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Remove the pieces as they are done and set aside. Adjust the heat under the pan, especially after you start removing chicken, so the chicken browns without the oil darkening.

When all the chicken is removed from the pan, add the Sofrito and alcaparrado. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Raise the heat to high and boil until most of the water is evaporated from the Sofrito. Add the cumin and cloves.

Stir in the rice until coated with oil. Return the chicken to the pan, pour in enough broth to cover the rice by the width of 2 fingers (about 1-inch), and bring to a boil. Cook over high heat until the level of liquid reaches the rice. Stir gently and reduce the heat to low. Cover the pan and cook until the liquid is absorbed, the chicken is cooked through, and the rice is tender but firm, about 20 minutes.

Fluff the rice with a fork. The arroz con pollo can be brought to the table right in the pan or transferred to a large serving platter. Either way, garnish with the red pepper before serving.

Achiote Oil
Ingredients:
1 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons achiote (annatto) seeds

Instructions:

Heat the oil and annatto seeds in a small skillet over medium heat just until the seeds give off a lively, steady sizzle. Don't overheat the mixture or the seeds will turn black and the oil will turn a nasty green. Once they're sizzling, remove the pan from the heat and let stand until the sizzling stops. Strain and reserve in a jar with a tight-fitting lid at room temperature for up to 4 days. Makes about 1 cup.

Sofrito
Ingredients:
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 cubanelle pepper
1 cup chopped spanish onion
4 clove garlic
1 small tomato
1 large bunch of cilantro including stems

Instructions:
Puree in a food process. Store in the fridge until ready to use. Makes about 2 cups.

Wintertime

2009-02-09T19:00:00.001-05:00

Make the best of it....

The Office....

2009-02-07T09:00:00.003-05:00

....is done! Remember this? We started this little project almost a year ago. We got the bulk of it done, but the painting and finishing touches only happened over the Christmas holidays and this past month.

This project was almost exclusively IKEA supplied. We used IKEA kitchen cabinets, countertop and rolling file drawers. We cut down some old Billy bookcases and even re-purposed an old piece of IKEA art (it's not quite done yet...).

My favourite part is the large cabinet which houses all the computer gear, shredder and even our work bags! Colin had to build in a venting system to keep the computer cool, but the effort was worth it because it's hidden and quiet.

And there's even a hook bar for my purse and the assorted bags that find their way to our house.

It's all about being organized around here....now on to the rest of the house!

Two-Pea Soup

2009-02-06T13:53:00.007-05:00

I made this soup last weekend, as part of my "stock the freezer with healthy meals" program...it's very good. The addition of frozen peas (or I suppose fresh when in season), parsley & lemon juice give it a fresher taste than ordinary pea soup. And it's pretty too!

As I usually do, I ramped up the seasonings and probably added more vegetables. I did it in the slow cooker (but you can also do it on the stovetop) and found it needed more salt, pepper & savoury after it was finished cooking. The original recipe also called for ham hocks, which I replaced with plain old ham at the end....the sight of ham hocks is disturbing to me!

Two-Pea Soup
(adapted from Better Homes & Gardens- Feb 2009)

2 large onions, medium dice
4-5 medium carrots, medium dice
4 stalks of celery, medium dice
6-8 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups (1 bag) dry split peas, rinsed & drained
1 1/2 tsp. dried summer savoury or marjoram, crushed (I used summer savoury)
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
4 1/2 cups water, chicken broth or vegetable broth (I used Imagine brand low sodium chicken broth)
1 lb smoked ham, cubed
32oz package frozen green peas
2/3 cup packed fresh Italian (flat leaf) parsley, chopped
4 tbsp plus fresh lemon juice

In a 4 to 5 quart slow cooker, combine the chopped vegetables, dry split peas, summer savoury, pepper and water/broth. You can add some slices of ham for flavour as well. Cook on low for 9-10 hours, or high for 4-5 hours. Remove ham slices if you added them- they will be fairly tasteless at this point.

Thaw peas slightly. Add peas and chopped parsley to soup. Use a hand blender to puree until about half smooth, half chunky. Add ham cubes. Heat until warmed through. Season with salt, pepper and more savoury if required. Stir in lemon juice.

It freezes well....enjoy!

Inspiration & beating the winter blahs

2009-01-29T20:18:00.004-05:00

Need a little pick-me-up? I do. Winter's getting to me this year...too much snow and grey weather. Too much cold.Check out this site, and sign up for regular emails, if you're craving some design inspiration, or just a visual escape. They have the most amazing house tours, like the one shown above, and tons of design ideas for both small and large spaces. There are also companion sites for cooking, green living, high tech homes and more. Enjoy....

The Year of Living Biblically

2009-01-25T09:00:00.006-05:00

Don't worry, that title doesn't refer to what I'm doing! As a lapsed Catholic, who's not really sure where / how organized religion fits in to her life (I'm still working on that....), I'm finding this book really interesting. And funny. It's humourous for sure, but I'm also learning a lot about the Bible. And I'm suprised how interesting it is. Did I mention that?

Anyways, the book caught my eye at Chapters one day, as I stood in line waiting to pay. Someone had apparently changed their mind about purchasing it, and thrown it in one of the sale bins near the check out. I picked it up and randomnly opened it to a page where the author describes trying to adhere to the 'love thy neighbour' commandment, when he doesn't really know his neighbours, or want to, and what little he does know, isn't good (descriptions of foul cooking smells, etc. follow). I started laughing, and kept reading.

It isn't all joking of course, and the author has assembled a team of religious advisors to help him interpret the bible, and its many versions. He's an agnostic who's commited one year of his life to trying to figure it all out, and trying to adhere to the many rules.

It's a good read, and it's making me think.....

Roasted Fillet of Beef Rolled in Herbs & Porcini, & Wrapped In Prosciutto

2009-01-24T14:51:00.010-05:00

This is one of my favourite, never-fail, always a success, 'go-to' company meals. It's a bit time consuming to put together, but it can all be done ahead of time and popped into the oven as company is arriving. Scale it up and feed a crowd impressively! I'm posting the picture from the book because I forgot (the two times I made it in the last month) to take a picture of the finished product....and so it goes.

I first made it years ago, after finding it in the one cookbook Colin owned when we were dating. I think it was also the only book he actually owned, and the only reason he owned it was that he's received a Chapters gift card as an apology from his ISP, for all the service problems he'd had. And that's what I think of everytime I make it! Anyways, it's a Jaime Oliver recipe- Roasted Fillet of Beef Rolled in Herbs & Porcini, & Wrapped In Prosciutto- from The Naked Chef Takes Off. It's delicious. It's fool-proof.

Roasted Fillet of Beef Rolled in Herbs & Porcini, & Wrapped In Prosciutto

As far as roasted meat goes, this is extremely fast and simple, yet decadently rich. One of the tricks, whether you buy it in a deli or a supermarket, is to ask them to slice your prosciutto and lay it side by side on a piece of waxed paper. Serves 4.

12-18 slices prosciutto or Parma ham
3 cloves of garlic, peeled
1 good handful of dried porcini, soaked in around 285ml boiling water
3 good sized pats of butter
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
900g/2lb fillet of beef (preferably from the middle, left whole)
1 good handful of fresh rosemary and thyme, leaves picked and chopped
2 glasses of red wine

Preheat your oven and an appropriately sized roasting pan to 230°C/450°F/gas 8. (If I make it ahead, I skip pre-heating the pan, but make sure to bring the meat and pan to room temperature before roasting).

Make sure there are no gaps in between the laid-out slices of prosciutto. Chop one of the garlic cloves and fry with the soaked porcini in 1 pat of butter for a minute. Then add half of the soaking water (make sure it is grit-free). Simmer slowly and reduce for around 5 minutes before stirring in a squeeze of lemon, the remaining 2 pats of butter and seasoning. Rub your tasty and moist mushrooms over half of the laid-out prosciutto. Season your fillet of beef with salt & pepper, and roll it in the herbs. Place it on the mushroomy end of the prosciutto and slowly roll up the meat. Once the beef is rolled up, pull off the paper and push in the ends of the prosciutto to neaten. Lightly secure with 4 pieces of string (I use Food Loops, which are so handy!).

Place the fillet in the hot roasting tray with a couple of cloves of garlic and cook for 25-30 minutes (rare), 40 minutes (medium), 50 minutes (well-done) or 60 minutes (cremated!). Half-way through, add the wine to the pan. When the meat is done, remove it to a chopping board and leave it to rest for 5 minutes. Pour any juices back into the roasting tray. Simmer the juices on the stovetop, scraping all the goodness from the sides of the pan, and mash up the garlic cloves. Remove from the heat and serve as a light red wine gravy.

Slice the fillet as thick or as thin as you like and serve with some potatoes or some gorgeous greens.

Stuffed Mushrooms with Mushrooms, Lentils and Walnuts

2009-01-19T21:56:00.009-05:00

I think I could happily be a vegetarian, if I could always eat like this! I made these as a main for a vegetarian guest at my mom's birthday dinner and it was delicious. Even some of the carnivores at the table tried it and approved....

The recipe came via the FoodWine list, as most of my favourites do. This one originated from a Seattle vegetarian restaurant- Cafe Flora.

Stuffed Mushrooms with Mushrooms, Lentils and Walnuts

The recipe makes about 3 1/2 cups of stuffing, enough to stuff 6 or 7 portobellos. It would also be great as a stuffing for eggplant, zucchini or bell peppers.

1 pound crimini mushrooms
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup French green lentils
1 1/2 cups cold water
1 bay leaf
1 cup broken walnuts - toasted
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano, or 1 teaspoon dried
1 teaspoon pimenton (smoked Spanish paprika)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled

Roast the mushrooms - preheat the oven to oven 350 degrees. Toss the mushrooms with the oil to coat. Put them on a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer and roast for 20 minutes. Set aside.

Cook the lentils - rinse the lentils and put them in a medium saucepan with the water and bay leaf. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat. Simmer, covered, until tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Drain the lentils, remove the bay leaf and set aside.

Process the mushrooms, lentils and walnuts. When the mushrooms are cook enough to handle, put them in a food processor. Pulse 3 or 4 times and scrape down the bowl. Add the toasted walnuts and pulse several more times, until the mushrooms and walnuts are evenly chopped and the texture of cooked ground beef. Put the mushroom-walnut mixture in a medium bowl, mix in the lentils, feta cheese and seasonings. Taste and correct seasoning.

Clean the portobellos, remove the gills and stuff with the above mixture.
Oven should be at 350 degrees. Roast until tender and stuffing is hot, about 20 minutes.

In the bedroom

2009-01-02T09:00:00.001-05:00

We spent part of our Christmas holidays sprucing up the house, cleaning up the accumulated stuff in the crawl space and generally trying to finish up jobs started and then abandoned when life got in the way.

One room that's been bugging me for a couple of years, was our bedroom. I've been picking away at it slowly. I finally got my curtains ordered, delivered and installed (an ordeal that I won't bore you with). And, I finally found a duvet cover I liked. Then, in a fiscally responsible move (are you listening Colin??!), I went scrounging through my decorating stash and managed to unearth some long lost art in the crawl space- I knew that hanging on to pieces I loved, even though I didn't have a spot for them and someone was grumbling about space limitations, would be good in the long run!

Happy New Year & A Cocktail

2009-01-01T10:41:00.008-05:00

Happy New Year! Last night was spent with a small group of friends, a pitcher of cocktails and assorted snacks. There was good conversation, a lot of laughs and a couple of dicey shooters, which shall remain unnamed in an effort to keep things PC.

The pitcher of cocktails was this....a mixture which I had scrawled on a napkin from somewhere, which I have no name for. Let's just call it what it is (for me anyways)....a Screaming Hangover. Of course, if one were to consume just one or two, like a normal person, it would probably be okay. Nonetheless, it's very tasty!

1/4 oz vodka
3/4 oz Chambord
1 oz cranberry raspberry juice
3 oz sparkling wine

In a martini shaker, shake vodka, chambord & raspberry juice until frothy. Pour, over ice, in to glass. Top with sparkling wine and garnish with frozen raspberries. Makes 1 drink.

If I make it for a group, I scale up the recipe, mix the first three ingredients in a pitcher and add ice and the sparkling wine just before serving.

Cheers!

Christmas Morning...

2008-12-26T15:00:00.003-05:00

...started at 5:38am. This was not because of excitement over Santa & gifts- in fact, E had to be reminded what day it was. It was merely because he wasn't sleepy anymore (aargh). I was somewhat comforted when I glanced across the street at our neighbour's house, and saw the Christmas tree lights on and a camera flash going off- they also have young children.

So, we hustled Colin out of bed and ordered up our Christmas capuccinos....that helped.

E had a great time this year and LOVED everything (he's full of love that boy is!)....it was so much fun to watch.

Colin got his coveted lined rubber boots, and has been happily wearing them ever since.

Hope you all had a happy and fun filled day....

Twas the night before Christmas...

2008-12-24T10:53:00.004-05:00

...and Dad was still busy assembling toys.

A beer always helps!

Ginger Jeweled Salad

2008-12-24T10:38:00.008-05:00

I made this salad for Christmas Eve dinner. I'll let you know if it was well received....my taster bowl for breakfast was pretty good! I'm not sure how the rice will go over with my in-laws...it's a pretty exotic move for them!

I did have trouble finding pluots, which are a cross between a plum and an apricot, so just used apricots instead. I also added some pomegranate seeds, just because. I think some bosc pear might also be good, or even oranges.

Ginger Jeweled Salad

From 101Cookbooks.com

1 tablespoon fresh ginger juice, made by grating a 4-5-inch piece of ginger into a pile and then pressing it against a strainer to extract the ginger juice
2 tablespoons white wine or Champagne vinegar

fine grain sea salt

1/2 teaspoon jalapeno, very finely chopped

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2/3 cup dried figs, stems trimmed, quartered

1/3 cup dried pluots, chopped (I used dried apricots instead- couldn’t find a pluot anywhere!)

1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts, loosely chopped

1 1/3 cup cooked wild rice, room temperature

5 big handfuls of leafy salad greens, washed and dried

In a mason jar or medium bowl make the ginger vinaigrette by whisking together the ginger juice, vinegar, jalapeno, and a couple big pinches of salt. Slowly drizzle the olive oil into the jar whisking all the while. Stop when the dressing takes on a slightly creamy appearance. Taste and adjust the flavors if needed. Set aside.

Hold off dressing the salad until just before you are ready to serve it. This will help to keep the lettuce vibrant and lively. In a large bowl toss the figs, pluots, hazelnuts and wild rice with a generous splash of the dressing. Once they are nicely coated, add the lettuce, a bit more vinaigrette, and a pinch of salt. Gently toss until the lettuce is evenly coated. Taste and adjust if needed. The little bits of fruit and nuts tend to fall to the bottom of the bowl, so before serving scoop them back up from the bottom so you end up with plenty of rice and fruit on top.

Serves about 6.

Christmas prep

2008-12-23T17:51:00.012-05:00

While I'm not hosting Christmas (and that's a first!) this year (thank God!), I am cooking the turkey, stuffing and gravy and bringing it over to my mom's (who was basically guilted in to hosting but still managed to dodge cooking a turkey, for the 19th year in a row!). I'm okay with this, since it's been a busy fall and I just don't have it in me to have 20 people over for dinner this year. I can, however, cook a bird in my sleep.

I was home sick today, but managed to sleep for 12 hours, after which I had energy to start prepping. First up, stuffing....a traditional sage & bread recipe, which I've made forever and seems to be favourite. I suspect that deviating from this recipe would bring howls of protest, so I don't.

Next, I decided to try this, using some dough I'd thrown together on the weekend. While the results were tasty, my technique is lacking....still, it's kind of festive, no?

So, tomorrow, bright and early, I'll stuff the bird and roast it. Hopefully it's done by noon, so I can make gravy and carve it up, and pack it away in the fridge in preparation for Christmas Day. For Christmas Eve at the in-laws, I'm in charge of salad and I'm thinking of making this. Looks pretty and yummy I think.

The presents are wrapped, the tree is decorated and the house is (relatively) clean. The boy is wound up and terribly excited. I'd say we're ready for Christmas. Happy Holidays everyone.....

Mmmmm....Ginger Molasses Cookies

2008-12-19T21:07:00.010-05:00

Okay, so maybe I'm not totally off the Christmas baking after all. I think it's all in the type of cookie, and most importantly, that the cookie does not need to be rolled and cut out. That tries my patience. Or any kind of candy unwrapping / crushing / manipulating....not for me.

Now- mixing up dough, making free form lumps, dipping them in sugar, throwing them on a cookie sheet and having them turn out like my favourite overpriced Starbucks cookies, that's my kind of cookie. It's even better if it involves ginger, cinnamon and a big hit of ground cloves (don't skimp on the cloves!).

Meet my new addiction.....homemade Ginger Molasses Cookies.

They go equally well with a latte, coffee or red wine (and I suspect they would be really excellent with mulled wine)...trust me, I tried them all!

Getting into winter

2008-12-18T19:38:00.001-05:00

Meet Frosty (and how original is that?!!)- a recent Sunday morning project by Ethan and Colin.

Now we're just waiting for the big storm(s) coming our way. There'll be plenty of snow for snowmen and tobogganing, and, of course plowing. Stay warm!

Christmas baking & why I'm leaving it up to the bakery or my mother next time

2008-12-17T21:11:00.007-05:00

We spent a good part of last Friday, baking some cookies for Christmas. I thought I'd mix up all the dough on Thursday night, envisioning a fun filled afternoon of rolling, cutting, sprinkling and baking with the boy. It all started out well...especially when sparkly sprinkles came out (and fell all over the floor), and the icing and candies were a big hit too. I kind of even liked the Picasso cookie people- a bit freakish but what the heck, we were filled with the Christmas spirit.

The button cookies were good, except buttonholes and sprinkles don't really mix (you had to be there)....which was a minor point of disagreement with the three year old, who was armed with a skewer and ready to poke the holes- I won. No holes.

Then we moved on to the stained glass cookies- which were way too much effort for a pretty bad cookie. I didn't even bother taking a picture. This involved unwrapping and sorting a bunch of Lifesaver candies, crushing them, rolling out dough, punching a hole in said dough, painstakingly filling the hole with a mound of candy dust (some of which had also joined the sprinkles on the floor), being careful not to get any dust on the cookie lest it should discolor them. Then you bake the cookie and watch the candy melt back to its original solid candy-like state, making a 'stained glass' window in the middle of the cookie. End result- mediocre cookie with a filling removing centre. So not worth it.

The shortbread cookies were good, just like last year, and they are being consumed at a pace that will result in no cookies by Christmas Day. Oh well, there are always the stained glass ones....

Art Session

2008-12-09T09:00:00.000-05:00

Ethan's Room

2008-12-08T20:49:00.010-05:00

Remember, oh, like a year and a half ago, when I wrote this? I was all ready to start E's room. We'd recently moved him into a new bedroom and I was all excited to get started on the decorating. Well, I painted and moved in furniture and the boy, and then life got in the way. The fabric sat.

Earlier this fall, I finally whipped together a new duvet cover and some throw cushions. I played around with re-purposing some white curtains I had lying around, and then decided it wasn't going to happen. So I ordered some (still waiting), and committed (in my mind!) to making a valance. So, while the window remains bare (save for a blind) pending delivery of curtains and creation of said valance, the room is essentially done.

Me & my boy

2008-12-07T09:00:00.001-05:00

I love this kid.

Christmas art

2008-12-06T09:00:00.001-05:00

By Ethan P.

Decorating the tree is serious business....

2008-12-05T08:10:00.011-05:00

Goat Cheese Pesto Torte

2008-12-02T09:00:00.003-05:00

Another favourite....

Goat Cheese Pesto Torte

12 oz goat cheese
8 oz cream cheese
4-6 cloves garlic, crushed (adjust to your taste)
1/2 cup pesto
1/2 - 1 cup chopped up fine oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, including 1 - 2 tsp of the marinade
Salt & Pepper
Toasted pine nuts

Let cream cheese and goat cheese soften to room temperature. In a food processor, chop garlic, then add cheeses. Process until mixed and smooth.

Check the taste. Add salt and black pepper if you want.

Line a small loaf pan or bowl with plastic wrap.

Put about 1/3 of the goat cheese mix into the bowl.

Top this with the pesto.

Put another 1/3 of the goat cheese mix on top of this.

Put the sundried tomatoes on this.

Top with the rest of the cheese.

Put plastic wrap over the top of this.

Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, and up to four days.

To serve, invert bowl on a serving dish. Carefully remove the plastic wrap.

Garnish with fresh basil, pesto, sundried tomatoes and toasted pine nuts. Serve with crackers or bread.

Roasted Lemon Garlic Shrimp

2008-12-01T09:00:00.003-05:00

This was one of the hits at my cocktail party- very yummy and easy to prepare. The dish was inspired by a few different recipes. Here's my version:

Roasted Lemon Garlic Shrimp

Ingredients

1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 cloves garlic, crushed
Zest of 1 lemon
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
30 large uncooked shrimp, shelled and deveined, tail-on (about 1-1/2 pounds)

Directions

Combine oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl. Place shrimp in a resealable food storage bag or glass bowl. Pour marinade over shrimp; seal bag, or cover bowl.

Refrigerate 1 to 2 hours to marinate.

Preheat oven to 400F.

Remove shrimp from marinade. Spread on sheet pan, leaving lots of space between shrimp. Roast in oven for 6-8 minutes, removing when firm and pink.

Chill shrimp. Place roasted shrimp on platter and garnish with chopped scallions, crushed red pepper flakes and lemon slices. Serve with dipping sauce- lemon paprika aioli or a spicy cocktail sauce are good.

Makes 8-10 appetizer servings.

Spicy Lemon and Paprika Aïoli

1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
6 large garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons hot smoked Spanish paprika (or more!) or 1 1/2 teaspoons Hungarian sweet paprika and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Combine all ingredients in small bowl; whisk to blend. Season aioli to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
Makes 1 3/4 cups.

Birthday Girl

2008-11-30T16:35:00.011-05:00

Tomorrow is my 40th birthday.....where has the time gone??? I can't quite believe I'm out of my twenties, let alone on the way to fifty! I'm okay with it though, probably because I'm happy with my life.....and maybe because I'm still a bit tipsy from my birthday cocktail party last night!

I'm grateful for my wonderful husband & son, and the way they make my life complete, and for my family and good friends who have been around for lots of stuff, both good & bad, but are always more than happy to celebrate, eat & drink with me!

I am a lucky woman.

More photos here.....

A big bowl of goodness

2008-11-14T14:03:00.014-05:00

While I eagerly await shipment of the latest Barefoot Contessa cookbook- Barefoot Contessa Back To Basics: Fabulous Flavor From Simple Ingredients, I tried one of the recipes being raved about on the FoodWine list....Parmesan Roasted Broccoli, and I wasn't disappointed. Lately I've been into big bowls of goodness, i.e. healthy stuff mixed up in a big bowl, preferably involving a minimum amount of dishes. I used the broccoli recipe as a basis to do just that.

First I made the broccoli, with a few modifications to the original recipe. Here's my version:

Roasted Broccoli

4 to 5 lb broccoli
4 cloves of garlic peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 a large red onion, chopped in to chunks
1 lb herbed tofu, cut into bite-sized chunks
Good olive oil
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
2 tsp grated lemon zest
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/3 cup freshly grated Pecorino cheese

Preheat oven to 425. Cut broccoli florets from stalks, leaving an inch or two of stalk attached to the florets. Discard the rest of the stalks. Should have about 8 cups of florets. Place the broccoli florets on a sheet pan large enough to hold them in a single layer. Add the onion and tofu. Toss the garlic on the mixture and drizzle with 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes until crisp/tender and the tips of some of the florets are brown. Remove the pan from the oven and immediately toss with 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil, the lemon zest, lemon juice and pecorino.

While the broccoli was roasting, I cooked up a pound of spiral rice pasta.

Once everything was done, I tossed it together on the sheet pan and served it with an extra grating of cheese. Delicious!
And, since my family won't actually eat this, I have lots of leftovers for my lunches packed away in the freezer...and that works beautifully too!

Halloween

2008-11-02T07:52:00.011-05:00

Boo!

Life's busy

2008-10-30T12:39:00.004-04:00

Despite my long absence, I haven't given up on blogging.....I just took a break. Life's been busy with fall activities (school for me & Colin, E's pre-school stuff, Thanksgiving, yard clean up, Halloween....) and a busy time at work. Now I'm looking forward to finishing up my fall semester at school (yet another project management course) and planning my 40th birthday cocktail party. And finally painting the office that's been renovated and paint-ready for months. And finishing up a few indoor reno projects. And planning Christmas. And doing Halloween with the boy. And trying to squeeze in some outdoor time before the nasty winter weather hits. It never ends, does it???

These are some pictures from a recent afternoon hike, with my mom and E, at the Huron Natural Area.

Back soon!

Home again

2008-07-28T21:37:00.009-04:00

We've been away to the east coast again- this time Prince Edward Island via Maine. It was a wonderful trip- lots of fun & relaxing, seafood and many many good memories. I didn't really want to leave.....I believe I was a Maritimer in another life- I belong by the sea!

Ethan really took to the ocean this year, and declared the "big waves" (picture arms outstretched) his "favourite" (a term used generously and with much abandon these days).

The waves were second only to the thrill of using bar soap. Yes, that's right- bar soap. There was bar soap at the cottage, which I guess we don't often use at home (being a less-mess liquid soap fan myself!) and it was the hands-down winner of new experiences for E. For this we travelled 2000km????

Sigh.

Some more pictures here.

Now, back to the laundry.....more garden stories coming!

The Garden Saga- Part 1

2008-07-12T20:36:00.010-04:00

If you know me personally, or even through this blog, you probably know I love gardening. You may also recall that we bought our current house just days before Ethan was born and were negotiating the final details during labour, taking a brief pause for delivery and recovery. It was all kind of done on a whim, as we weren't planning on moving but this house in our favourite neighbourhood came up for sale, and it just needed a little work, and the price was really right, and how much work could one tiny baby be anyways? Did I mention we bought it in February, under a blanket of snow, and no firm recollection of what the house looked like in summer? Bad idea.

Our old house went on the market when Ethan was 1 week old, sold rapidly and we were set to take possesion of the new one by May 1. After some floor refinishing, painting and minor fix-ups, we moved in when Ethan was 10 weeks old. We already had a feeling that we'd taken on more than we'd bargained for, what with the growing list of issues that needed to be addressed sooner than later (and the baby that was taking up a lot of our time!) and then, spring brought this:

So, breathe deeply....and try not to weep I told myself. It's a few shrubs and perrenials that need a little cleaning up, no big deal. Maybe some weeding. Except, it was just the beginning. We'd already taken down 3 hugely overgrown junipers which took over a third of the driveway, and now it looked like we'd be pulling weeds and digging and seperating perrenials for the rest of our lives. It kept growing and growing. And spreading. And multiplying. And, by August, it looked like this:

We were in violation of several city by-laws and we'd already had neighbours "dropping by" asking us what we were going to do about "cleaning up this shit" (as one of the retirees so nicely put it!). One woman actually showed up armed with gardening books and plenty of advice, treating me like I was a gardening neophyte, but made no offer to get her hands dirty or anything like that. She annoyed me so much, I still barely speak to her! It seems the garden had originally been planted by an environmental scientist, who filled it with native trees, shrubs and perennials.....and yes, even some weeds, because I guess that's authentic. I remember the house from back then, and he actually took care of it and it was under control. It was really nice, if you're into that kind of thing, and it even won some awards. Unfortunately, the most recent owner, had done nothing for 5 years, except for weed-whacking it all down in fall. So, we'd inherited a gigantic weed and wildlife infested mess. And it smelled weird too.

Now, we're not afraid of digging in and doing some hard work- we'd expected to do some projects- but this was beyond what we had time or energy for. So, I did what any frantic, overwhelmed, sleep-deprived new mother with a chronically sore back and infant permanently attached to her, would do- I called professionals. How much to pull it all out and just put it to sod, and we'd deal with it from there? Harry the landscaper (and I really do love Harry- he's very honest) came over, took one look at it, cursed a lot, then cursed the "idiot" that had planted it and told me that he had pretty much no interest in dealing with "this f&*#ing mess". But, if he must, it would be $7000. That was just for the front yard! I told him I'd think about it. Then I wept, called Colin, explained the situation, wept some more, and called Harry back and said no thanks. He thanked me profusely and proceeded to tell me exactly what to do to clear it up ourselves. It involved some power tools, possibly some large machines, and definitely a whole bunch of Round Up. I wrote it all down, wept some more and we made a plan. To be continued.....

Trampoline Boy

2008-07-07T21:03:00.008-04:00

My cautious, shy & careful little boy is growing up, and I'm not sure I like it. I do not have the stomache to be the mother of a hellion. First it was rollerskates, then the stunts on his tricycle and big wheel, and crazy-high swinging at the park. Note the numerous scrapes, bumps and bruises. This weekend he took on a trampoline, along with his older second cousins. At first he wanted no part of it, but after dinner (and isn't that the perfect time to get on a trampoline??!) he snuck out with his dad and climbed on when no one was looking. His giggles and laughter could be heard around the block, and soon every kid at the party was on there with him.

Back in the saddle

2008-07-01T21:18:00.011-04:00

Colin and I used to be avid cyclists. Two or three times a week, we used to head out for rides of fairly significant length- 25km, 40km, sometimes even 60km on a weekend. We loved it. Our favourite ride was always Friday evening after work. We'd get home, get changed, grab a bottle of wine and head up the Iron Horse Trail (a great rails to trails conversion in our city). First stop would be Vincenzo's, for gourmet sandwiches and other treats. Then we'd bike up to Columbia Lake and have a picnic. Kind of romantic, and a nice way to end the week.

Then, along came Ethan, and the romance died....well, not really, but it did put a bit of a kink in our bike rides. The first year, he was too tiny to fit in a bike seat or even in a trailer, and frankly, we were too tired to even contemplate dusting the bikes off. Year two, we bought a bike seat and went out a couple of times. Ethan seemed to enjoy it but only for 30 minutes or so. And still, we were tired and unmotivated, or maybe just old! Last year, he was too big for the seat and we invested in a bike trailer. Now that he's 3, he's really into it. Today was a beautiful day, and we did a big ride, for the first time in 4 years, and we both have the sore butts to prove it! But, it was great and we're so glad we did it.

We headed out this morning, sans wine of course, and followed the Iron Horse Trail up to Waterloo Park and beyond to the Laurel Trail, eventually looping around for a brief stop at Columbia Lake (where Canada Day festivities were just beginning) and then Waterloo Park (where we had to visit the zoo and the playground). We were happy to see that recent development hadn't obliterated our favourite part of the Laurel Trail- the part that winds through the farm fields.

Ethan loved it and was content to sit, greet other cyclists and walkers, and generally urge his dad to go faster, for a good 2-3 hours. Now we can't wait to plan some more trips.....

BBQ

2008-07-01T08:09:00.015-04:00

Sunday was BBQ day....mostly an excuse for Colin to cook a big hunk of meat on the Big Green Egg. We decided to try pulled pork, which involves a long (really long), slow, low temperature cook. It also involves a significant amount of meat, which in turn means we need people to show up and eat! And show up and eat they did.....it was a real crowd pleaser. One of our guests hadn't eaten pork in years but kept going back for more, and more, and more. His wife looked a bit concerned. Now he's in the market for an Egg of his own!

The process started on Saturday, when I went to pick up the pork shoulder I'd ordered from the butcher. When we showed up to pick up the 10lb shoulder I'd ordered, he happily presented me with 16.5 lbs instead....eeek! (or maybe I should say "oink"!). We rushed it home, where I slathered and massaged it with mustard and various rub ingredients and stuck it in the fridge to marinate for a couple of hours at least. We started cooking it around dinnertime on Saturday night and it finished around 4pm on Sunday, so probably close to 22 hours. We had a bit of trouble keeping the temperature steady at 250F (at which point Colin kept bring up the BBQ Guru, which apparently he'd been eyeing up for some time, as in hint hint....he'd love one), ran out of charcoal once and had to bump up the temp to 300F when hungry guests were starting to circle the Egg and we still had 15 degrees to go. The effort was worth it...really tender and juicy, with a nice spicy crust. We'll definitely do this again.

The rest of the meal was rounded out by a bunch of interesting appetizers, salads, condiments and desserts, contributed by various guests & myself, and a giant pitcher of margaritas and lots of beer. The rain stopped and the sun came out, just as everyone was arriving....all in all, a perfect afternoon / evening.

Happy Canada Day!

Pretty

2008-06-21T21:45:00.004-04:00

I came across this recipe for Fresh Fruit Brioche Muffins yesterday. And, I happened to have some brioche dough in the freezer and some fruit on the counter begging to be used up, so how could I not make them? So easy, and so nice to look at....tasty too.

Riverfest

2008-06-07T17:20:00.012-04:00

Today, summer arrived- our cooler-than-usual spring changing abruptly into a classic southern Ontario summer- 30C (feels like 40C!), complete with high humidity, smog & high pollen counts.

Today was also Riverfest- an annual celebration in Cambridge, Ontario. My mom is a member of the Ancient Mariners, a canoeing and hiking club. Every year they enter a team in the Dragonboat races at Riverfest. This year we went to watch, cheer on the team and have a picnic.

What a perfect way to welcome summer. More pictures here....

Brioche

2008-05-19T14:54:00.015-04:00

I made a batch of brioche dough last weekend, but only got around to baking with it this morning. I split the batch and froze portions earlier in the week (when it became obvious that I wouldn't have time to use it!). It defrosted in the fridge overnight, no problem. This weekend's experiment....Apple & Pear Coffee Cake from Artisan Bread In Five Minutes A Day. So easy, so so good. I didn't have an 8 inch cake pan (I know- it's shocking!) that I thought was deep enough, so used an 8x8 square instead.

Streusal topping- oats, sugar, flour, butter & cinnamon.

Apples, pear, more sugar & orange zest.

Assemble.
Bake.

And, make Cinnamon Twists with the scraps of dough.

These were baked a smidge too long, but good with coffee nonetheless.

Art in the trash

2008-05-19T14:43:00.002-04:00

The boy and I spent yesterday morning "making art". As I was cleaning up afterwards, I unearthed these scraps from Ethan's pile. I'm not sure what I loved about them, but as soon as they dried, I had to frame them. They were gloppy with glue, paint and markers.....and the turquoise colour was a result of some chemical reaction between the glue & the paint. Funny what happens when you don't even try!

Anything Bread

2008-05-14T20:42:00.003-04:00

This is a great recipe if you've got anything you need to use up. It was posted some time ago, on the FoodWine list, and I finally got around to trying it a couple of weeks ago, when I had some bananas which were way past their prime. I used raisins instead of nuts...still trying to figure out a good crunchy substitute for the nuts in recipes.

Anything Bread

Ingredients
3 cup flour
1 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoons baking soda
1 tablespoons cinnamon
3 eggs
1 cup oil
2 cup sugar
2 cup "Anything"
3 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup chopped nuts

Instructions:

Sift together flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon and set aside.

Beat eggs in large bowl. Add oil and sugar and cream well.

Add "anything" and vanilla.

Add dry ingredients. Mix well.

Add nuts. Spoon into 2 greased and floured loaf pans or a large Bundt pan.

Bake at 350 F for 40 minutes (loaves) or 50 to 55 minutes (Bundt pan).

Cool in the pan for 15 minutes and then turn out onto rack to cool completely.

Recipe Notes:
The anything in this recipe can be one or any combination of: grated apples, mashed bananas, grated carrots, chopped dates, pumpkin puree, raisins, chopped rhubarb, chopped strawberries (or any other berry), grated squash or zucchini, etc.

Weekend in photos

2008-05-12T07:26:00.019-04:00

This past weekend was packed full of Martha Stewart moments.

More dough making- brioche and a rye bread. I didn't have a chance to bake off anything with the brioche, but will later today maybe. I'm home with the boy.

Rye bread- it's my favourite so far. My mother got a loaf for Mother's Day.

Some gardening...

Dining al fresco on calzone- made from last weekend's herbed boule dough...

Bike riding, including a minor wipe-out in my garden.

Made this salad for my nephew's baptism on Sunday.....very good!

The office reno....a work in progress

2008-05-09T21:08:00.013-04:00

We’ve been really busy these last couple of months….both of us taking courses, taking care of the boy (who knew 3 was so busy??? Not us, not us- why are we so clueless about parenting?), maintaining some semblance of contact with friends and family, and trying to finish up our inside projects before the outside work starts.

You know, that sounds like we’re crazy workaholics or maybe just addicted to projects? Although it sounds like we’re neurotic about getting stuff done, and scheduling it all in tightly, we are also remarkably easy to talk out of doing the stuff. Why, just last weekend we spent the better part of Saturday sitting in a friend’s garage, drinking wine and eating deep fried turkey, with Ethan happily running his trains across the table and eating massive amounts of nacho dip. Was it our fault the community garage sale got rained out??? So there, friends and family…you can stop worrying about us! We do know how to relax.

In the house, we’re working on finishing up the office. Back in January, we moved Ethan into his new room (which was the old office) and decided that his old room would finally be the office we’d always wanted. We’ve grown a little tired of the wires and the piles of stuff and the general lack of organization and storage. So, we came up with a plan…..or actually I had the vision, and my favorite (so far!) husband is making it a reality. There’s been a bit of resistance on his part, but I’m confidant he’ll figure out how to do what I want, er, envision. Apparently installing an eight foot slab of butcher block for a desk, and making it look like it’s floating is too much to ask? And the conduit running along under the back of the desk, for hiding the wires….it’s a phenomenal idea, no? Anyway, we’re on our way, and this one just might get done. Colin has declared that there will be no more projects started until this one is done. We'll see.

This is our old / still in use desk. It's ugly, and all the wires show. I hate that. This is where the new "floating" desk will go, suspended between wall and cabinet. It'll be great. Just as soon as we have time to get it!

Some features so far….wall to wall built in cabinets (thank you Ikea kitchen sale!) which will house every unsightly piece of computer equipment, printer, scanner, cell phone chargers and Palm docks. And the shredder, the filing cabinet and so much more.

The under cabinet lighting is installed, and there's a nifty rack to keep all the little stuff off the work surface.

And, last weekend Colin did all the wiring and finally made us a network. Now we can view all of our photos and home movies on the TIVO / TV, among other things. Very cool. That Colin, he's really a good man.

Of course, the floating desk isn’t there yet but you can imagine it I’m sure. Soon, my friends, soon. I know you can hardly stand the wait. But, in the meantime, we have to peel a billion glow-in-the-dark-stars off the ceiling.....and doesn't that just scream crick in the neck???

Smile!

2008-05-09T06:54:00.004-04:00

Because really, you just can't help it. Doesn't everyone need a pair of bunny sunglasses?

Bread

2008-05-08T22:41:00.007-04:00

I recently picked up Artisan Bread In 5 Minutes A Day, and it's a great little book. It's full of basic "master" dough recipes, with lots of variations, and also some great pastry type recipes. I don't have a lot of experience with bread baking or using yeast doughs in general, and I found the book had some great instructions and tips. Before last weekend, my repetoire had included a couple of decent enough loaves and one batch of very sad dill dinner rolls. The latter took forever to rise, likely due to the drafty old house I was living in at the time. Lesson one....a warm kitchen is good! And they weren't so good either.

So, I don't really need more bread (or pastries) in my life (or on my hips) but I really like making it....kind of stress relieving, no? And, since Ethan was diagnosed with a peanut allergy, I've found it almost impossible to buy baked goods that haven't possibly maybe come in contact with a peanut. Bakery bread and goodies are now out. Bagged commercial breads are okay, but the chemicals in the ingredient lists kind of gross me out. Now that I diligently read all labels in search of peanut products, I'm even more aware of how many chemicals are in the most basic foods. Don't even get me started on how much this is stressing me out! Like I really need more things to worry about. Anyway, I decided to give this a whirl and I'm really liking it.

The book's basic premise is that you make batches of dough which you store in the fridge after a rise of approximately 2 hours. When you're ready to bake, you cut a hunk of the dough off, shape, rest for a bit (the dough, not you, but you certainly can!) and bake. The dough is a snap to make, and there's no kneading required. The loaves are small, so they bake quickly and are easy enough to eat in the couple of days before they go stale. Even day 3 bread made for good toast.

Last Sunday I made a basic Boule recipe, with some herbs added, and proceeded to bake one plain loaf and one olive bread variation. Both were really good- nice texture and a awesome chewy crust. This weekend.....brioche- stay tuned!

I'm so proud....weird, huh?

Sunday funnies

2008-04-06T21:25:00.018-04:00

Sunday mornings....I love them. Lots of time for pyjama wearing, hanging out with the boys, breakfast, coffee and reading the newspaper- all of which is especially great when you're woken at 5:30am by an early riser- it gives you something to dull the pain.

Since I had some time on my hands, I whipped this up. It's sort of a baked pancake thing / breakfast cake. I found the recipe here, and because I can never just leave a recipe alone, I then added one chopped & peeled apple and some raisins on top, and then sprinkled a mixture of brown sugar and cinnamon over that. Served it warm with maple syrup, but it would be even more delicious with berries or sauted apples (which I would have done but we were (uncharacteristically) out of butter). Delicious nonetheless!

I am starting to seriously fear our grocery bills when this kid hits his teens.

And, he's off.....places to go I guess. People to see.

I think he's zeroing in on his Dad.

I love my boys.

Checking in

2008-03-31T13:19:00.004-04:00

Damn, I was really hoping to post more frequently. Where has March gone? Some house painting, furniture moving (because of said house painting), cabinet buying and installing, Easter weekend (that's the Easter table setting above) and more.....Now I'm just wrapping up a course- final project is due on Thursday- and then I'm free until September. As free as I can be, anyways- what with all my self-imposed commitments and all.

Stay tuned for my kid's new room, our office renovation, some new recipes and, if the snow ever melts, my garden...this year we're ripping out last year's patio plantings and starting fresh. And building a fountain. And adding other stuff until I love it. I'm like that, don'tcha know...

I've got a thing for fennel

2008-03-04T21:38:00.009-05:00

Yes, I'm in love with a vegetable. Fennel. Could be worse right? I'm not really sure why I've latched on to it all of a sudden, because I've certainly eaten it before, but now it's a staple on the grocery list. So good, and so versatile, as it sort of takes on whatever flavours you cook it with. Nice licorice undertones.

I do a lot of cooking on the weekend, in preparation for the work week ahead, and I'm finding fennel comes in handy for that. I usually buy 2 or 3 bulbs. To prepare, I cut the stalks off, then quarter the bulbs lengthwise. Remove the core from each quarter, then cut each quarter into slices. Toss all the slices with some olive oil, a bunch of chopped garlic, some sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Roast for 30 minutes or so, at 400-425F. Stir it around often to ensure it browns evenly. Smells divine!

Once it's done, I pop it into the fridge and use it in different things throughout the week. My current favourite is a stir fry with fennel, red onion, garlic, swiss chard, this wonderful herbed tofu, and topped off with some feta cheese.

First I brown the tofu with the onions and garlic.

Then I add a bunch of the roasted fennel, followed by handfuls of chopped swiss chard.

Cook until the chard is wilted but still bright green. Remove from heat and toss with some feta cheese. Voila, dinner. Great on its own or with quinoa, rice or even pasta. Next time I might add some tomatoes.

Enjoy.....

Try this soup

2008-03-03T22:21:00.003-05:00

So good. I thought butternut squash and lentils might be a weird combination, but it works. It's a big bowl of goodness!

Chunky Lentil Soup

From Super Natural Cooking by Heidi Swanson
Makes 4-6 servings

1 1/4 cup dry lentils, green French or beluga lentils (I used small green French lentils)
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 cups butternut squash, 1/4 inch dice
1 - 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth or water
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 tsp sea salt
pinch of smoked paprika (optional)
parmesan cheese for topping (optional)

1. Bring 5 cups of water to a boil, add the lentils and cook for about 2o minutes or until tender.
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil and saute the onion until soft, about 3 minutes. Stir in the squash, tomatoes and broth and continue cooking until the squash is tender, about 10-15 minutes.
3. Drain the lentils and stir them in, along with the salt and smoked paprika. Let soup return to gentle simmer, then taste and adjust seasoning if need be.
4. Serve, topped with parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil. (I used a dollop of yogurt and some green onions for topping.)

Update on my mom.....everything went really well today. The surgery took less time than expected, the surgeon was pleased with the results and my mom is in good spirits and doesn't have too much pain. She should be out of the hospital by Wednesday or Thursday, and on her way to recovery. Hopefully this is the end of it for a while...

Catching up

2008-03-02T15:29:00.006-05:00

I've been busy....very busy. Don't you get tired of hearing people say that? I do, especially about myself. I mean, who isn't busy??? That's my excuse though, for my prolonged absence.

What's been going on? Lots. First there was January, with lots of snow, a friend's engagement (this didn't take a lot of time but it is noteworthy!), starting school again (this time it's a certificate in Project Management)- which has turned into a ton of work, a couple of dinner parties and general busyness at work.

In January I also decided to seriously address why I've been feeling like crap (not so eloquent a word but definitely reflective of what I've been feeling!), off & on, for the better part of four years. I mean, it's nothing life threatening, but an almost constant yuckiness and series of ailments, which have slowly been sucking the happiness and energy out of me. Sometimes I felt fine, most of the time not....digestive issues, discomfort, insomnia, anxiety, all kinds of weird aches and pains. I'd turned into a cliche it seemed...working mom gone over the edge! I've made the rounds of the doctors and specialists, each poking and prodding, scoping and x-raying. And really, that yielded nothing more than bottles of meds and the suggestion that it's stress, it's all in my head....here, have some anti-depressants. No. Truthfully, I kind of blamed myself- working full time, raising a child, sleep deprivation, a sick mom, not taking care of myself, I'd gained weight, I have to exercise more.....what could I expect? But somehow, it just didn't make sense. I know myself, I've had my share of "stress", some worse than this, and I didn't fall apart. I'm stupidly optimistic and generally happy. I soldier on. I've just always been that way.

So, I went to see a naturopath, started a grueling four week cleansing diet, and within a week felt like a new person. New (mostly vegetarian, which is fine by me) diet, some supplements, a couple of homeopathic cures and I'm on my way- I can feel it. No prescription meds for weeks, down 25 pounds, I'm sleeping again, I feel good. I feel happy. I have energy. So, it's been interesting, and a learning experience. It's not like I was an unhealthy eater before (just too much) but I've definitely slid more towards the way my husband eats (he's a commited carnivore with a disdain for most vegetables). His life is changing too, he just hasn't realized it! My body just can't do it anymore I guess....now that I'm on my way to 40. So, I've been trying all kinds of new vegetables in different ways, and I have recipes to share. Cooking for my new regimen has taken a fair amount of time! More to come on that.

And I promise I won't go on and on about my health, I know it's boring when someone gets on a soapbox! If you see me eating something sinful, look the other way....everyone has their weak moments.

So, what else? Ethan turned 3 in February....wow, where does the time go? Big party, lots of fun. I love this kid and I love this age (most of the time).

And, tomorrow my mom goes into the hospital for some more surgery. This time, it's for a pre-cancer condition that has been aggravated by all illness and treatments. It'll be major surgery, with an expected 6-8 week recovery...no lifting, no exertion, no skiing (you have to know my mom to know why I put that in there!) lots of rest.....are you listening Mom? She just finished her radiation 3 weeks ago, so hopefully it's not all too soon. But it must be done, and I guess we have to be grateful, with the medical system in this country, that it's being addressed this quickly. Hopefully all will go well and she'll be out of the hospital by Thursday.

That's it for now I think....take care.

Merry Christmas

2007-12-25T23:08:00.000-05:00

Cookie time

2007-12-23T17:08:00.001-05:00

I found some time today to bake cookies with the boy. We decided on shortbread, which is Colin's favourite. I used an Ina Garten recipe and as usual, it turned out really well!

Shortbread Cookies

From The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, by Ina Garten

Ingredients
¾ pound unsalted butter at room temperature
1 cup sugar (plus extra for sprinkling)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 ½ cup all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix together the butter and 1 cup of sugar until they are just combined. Add the vanilla. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and salt, then add them to the butter-and-sugar mixture. Mix on low speed until the dough starts to come together. Dump onto a surface dusted with flour and shape into a flat disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.

Roll the dough ½ inch thick and cut with your choice of cutter. Place the cut-outs on an ungreased baking sheet and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the edges begin to brown. Allow to cool to room temperature.

The Christmas newsletter that never got sent

2007-12-21T20:38:00.000-05:00

Every year we get some Christmas cards with newsletters from friends and family. I know some people think they're pretentious or braggy, but given the right mix of good news, happy moments and real life stuff, ie. not too much bragging, I think they're a great way to keep up with the people you care about. I really like them and look forward to them every year.

Every year I think- I should do that. And every year I leave it too late and it never happens. This year I actually wrote one, but then ran out of time to pretty it up and get it sent out. My friend Katie suggested I just post it on the blog, which is what I'm doing. So here it is....

This year we thought we'd start a family newsletter for the holidays......no groaning please! We enjoy getting them from friends and family each year, and hope that this one makes you just as glad. We hope this letter finds you well, and looking forward to the holidays and the coming New Year. We've had a year of many things....good experiences and bad, new adventures and more renovations, sadness but also great joy.

We've watched Ethan grow from a baby to a little man, and what an amazing thing it's been! He's now over three feet tall, talks a mile a minute and is getting more independent every day. He's also a bit of a goofball and makes us laugh all the time, even when we're sleep deprived beyond belief! He's mastered the tricycle, sand "cake" building, helps his Dad with projects and has acquired his own tool belt. He knows how to use a drill! This fall, Ethan started pre-school three mornings a week and he's been making new friends and learning new things ever since (some good, some not so good!).

This summer we managed to get away for a much needed holiday- our first road trip with a kid! Being the Powells, who do nothing half-heartedly, we embarked on a three day drive to the east coast via New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. There were plenty of stops along the way- for photo-ops, picnics, running around in playgrounds, sightseeing and shopping (LL Bean in Freeport, Maine was amazing!). We rented a beachfront cottage in southeast New Brunswick for one week, and fit in many day trips including PEI, La Dune de Bouctouche, Hopewell Rocks on the Bay of Fundy. We ate a ton of seafood, enjoyed a few days of beach bumming, shell collecting, and flying kites. We loved every minute and hope to go back again soon. Travelling with a 2 year old wasn't nearly as traumatic as we feared.

Also this summer, Colin's brother Jay and his wife Angela welcomed their new son into the world. Blake is an adorable little boy who is healthy, content and happy, and has brought great joy to Jay & Ange. We're so happy for them and also for Ethan, who will have a cousin nearby to play with.

We've managed to fit in a few home renos- this year's were scheduled, unlike our previous "surprises". The house continues to improve and looks less "dump-like". I continue to have ideas and Colin continues to execute what he calls my "vision". Colin replaced all the nasty yellow siding and soffits, I painted all the doors, the backyard has grass (hooray!) and no major landscape elements (read:overpriced trees) have died this year. The kitchen is done. Yes, a 2.5 year project has finally come to a close...it is indeed a Merry Christmas for me. Next up- moving Ethan and his big bed to a newly decorated room, then organizing our office in his old one. We may build a fountain in the front patio this summer- seriously.

This year we've also watched my mom struggle with illness, after her cancer diagnosis in July. There has been surgery and chemotherapy, and in January she'll begin radiation treatments. It has been a tough journey for everyone, but one also filled with hope and remarkable spirit on my mom's part. Through it all, my mom has remained so strong and upbeat, with her sense of humour intact. She has seized every opportunity to be happy and enjoy what she can, when she can. She has not buried herself in reading and researching and worrying about this disease, which would be her normal reaction. She has probably had private moments of sadness and despair, but we have had far more laughs than tears. She is even suprised at herself in this regard. And I have seen a whole new side of my mom, and I am proud.

From our family to yours, Merry Christmas and wishes for much health, happiness and good fortune in the New Year!

And....eat cookies and be merry!

After the storm

2007-12-17T21:31:00.001-05:00

Last night, after a day in the house, it was time for a walk and some fresh air.

Some fun in the snow...

And some snow clearing.

Then back home for a story and warm milk before bed.

Snowy day

2007-12-16T14:50:00.001-05:00

Today we’re being pounded by a huge snow storm, our second of the year already. Last year at this time, we were still waiting for snow and we had a ridiculously warm and green Christmas. Not this year.....

So, since we're stuck in the house for the day, I decided to try baking bread. I've only made bread once before, and it wasn't so great. All the kneading, rising, punching, etc. is a bit confusing and intimidating. This recipe's been making the rounds on my FoodWine list, and everyone was raving. Turns out that bread's not so difficult after all, not this method at least. There'll be more homemade bread in our future- this was so delicious and half the loaf is gone already! The olive-rosemary variation will be next weekend's project.

ALMOST NO-KNEAD BREAD
Published in: Cook's Illustrated

Ingredients

3 cups (15 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour -- plus additional for dusting work surface
¼ teaspoon instant yeast
1 ½ teaspoon table salt
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons water -- at room temperature
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons mild-flavored lager
1 tablespoon white vinegar

Instructions

1. Whisk flour, yeast, and salt in large bowl. Add water, beer, and vinegar. Using rubber spatula, fold mixture, scraping up dry flour from bottom of bowl until shaggy ball forms. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 8 to 18 hours.

2. Lay 12- by 18-inch sheet of parchment paper inside 10-inch skillet and spray with nonstick cook ing spray. Transfer dough to lightly floured, work surface and knead 10 to 15 times. Shape dough into ball by pulling edges into middle. Transfer dough, seam-side down, to parchment-lined skillet and spray surface of dough with nonstick cooking spray. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until dough has doubled in size and does not readily spring back when poked with finger, about 2 hours.

3. About 30 minutes before baking, adjust oven rack to lowest position, place 6- to 8-quart heavy bottomed Dutch oven (with lid) on rack, and heat oven to 500 degrees. Lightly flour top of dough and, using razor blade or sharp knife, make one 6-inch long, l/2-inch-deep slit along top of dough. Carefully remove pot from oven and remove lid. Pick up dough by lifting parchment overhang and lower into pot (let any excess parchment hang over pot edge). Cover pot and place in oven. Reduce oven temperature to 425 degrees and bake covered for 30 minutes. Remove lid and continue to bake until loaf is deep brown and instant-read thermometer inserted into center regis ters 210 degrees, 20 to 30 minutes longer. Carefully remove bread from pot; transfer to wire rack and cool to room temperature, about 2 hours.

ALMOST NO-KNEAD BREAD WITH OLIVES, ROSEMARY, AND PARMESAN
Follow recipe for Almost No-Knead Bread, adding 4 ounces finely grated Parmesan about 2 cups) and 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary leaves to flour mixture in step 1. Add l/2 cup pitted, chopped green olives with water in step 1.

ALMOST NO-KNEAD WHOLE WHEAT BREAD
Follow recipe for Almost N 0- Knead Bread, replacing 1 cup (5 ounces) all-purpose flour wim 1 cup (5 ounces) whole wheat flour. Stir 2 tablespoons honey into water before adding it to dry ingredients in step 1.

ALMOST NO-KNEAD CRANBERRY-PECAN BREAD
Follow recipe for Almost No-Knead Bread, adding l/2 cup dried cranberries and 1/2 cup toasted pecan halves to flour mixture in step 1.

The kitchen is done!

2007-12-16T14:08:00.000-05:00

After 2.5 years, finally, the kitchen renovation is done....save a few paint touch ups and a new window covering. Hooray!

When we bought this house, it was 10 days before I gave birth to Ethan. We were finalizing the deal as I was in labour. We bought it even though we had no plans to move for a couple of years, and the house we were living in was fine. It was done, decorated and comfortable, just a little small. But, we loved this neighbourhood, the extra space....it was the right house, just a few years too early. It needed work, alot of work. But we loved it, and it felt right, so we talked ourselves into it. How much work could one small baby be, right? We'd reno'd before, no big deal, we could do it. We were wrong. Really wrong. And, that's why we've been picking away at the kitchen for over two years! Of course we've had a few other urgent (surprise!) projects along the way, but that's a whole other story.

So, the pictures are not professional, and it's difficult to get a good angle, but here it is. Please excuse the fridge and all the stuff on it....it's become a play centre for the boy.

I love this floor! And I really really love the wall tile.

Mostly I just love that it's all done, and that I can cook without drywall dust and plaster chunks falling in the food!

Do you think this happens to Martha?

2007-11-25T20:30:00.000-05:00

Sigh. It was supposed to be a fun weekend of Christmas decorating (a bit early this year but we're busy this December). You know.....gather the family, pick out a tree, put lights up outside, the usual. I was so happy that I'd carved out a couple of days to do something fun for the holidays. Clearly my expectations were a bit high!

Picking the tree out went well. Decorating the tree went as well as could be expected when assisted by a two year old who insisted on putting ornament hooks on every single ornament...and then attempting to hang every single ornament on one branch. Even though it went very very sloooowly, it was amusing and pretty cute. We laughed, he was proud. After he got bored and wandered off, I moved the ornaments around and fixed it all up- call me anal, but Christmas is for me too!

Today was the day I was going to make beautiful outdoor arrangements with greens I'd gathered in the woods last weekend. I was going to put lights in all the trees. I was going to deck the house, so to speak. It started out well enough- the sun was shining, it was even warm-ish. I gathered all my branches and made this:

Pretty huh? Yes it was...until it came crashing down two hours after completion! Great. While it was still hanging, I proceeded on to lighting up my trees. I was in a good mood! That's when I discovered that most of the lights that I'd purchased last year, and that had been fine when stored away, were no longer working. So, no lit up trees- just a trash can full of lights. And, of course, just as I was pitching my lights, I heard the crash that was my greens falling off the wall. That's when I started to weep. And curse. Alot. Seems a part of the wall basket had broken. Fortunately Colin hates weeping and hastily dropped what he was doing and fixed the thing all up. A few minor adjustments, and it was all okay.

Except for the state of the patio, which is what we walk through to get into the house.

See all that? That's mud and ice....the result of leaving planter emptying and storing until now. Seems the best way to empty a frozen pot of soil is to soak it in water, alot of water, and then dump it. And then shovel it into my garden. (That wasn't really what I had in mind, but I wasn't asked my opinion!) So, if you come to my house, tread carefully and please wipe your feet!

Sigh.

Mmmm....soup

2007-11-12T21:20:00.000-05:00

This was good soup. Perfect way to use some of the rosemary still growing in the garden. Doubled the recipe, used more rosemary and more garlic, had lots leftover for freezer lunches.

Rosemary White Bean Soup
From The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook

1 pound dried white cannellini beans
4 cups sliced yellow onions (3 onions)
1/4 cup good olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 large branch fresh rosemary (6 to 7 inches)
2 quarts chicken stock
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

In a medium bowl, cover the beans with water by at least 1-inch and leave them in the refrigerator for 6 hours or overnight. Drain.
In a large stockpot over low to medium heat, saute the onions with the olive oil until the onions are translucent, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the garlic and cook over low heat for 3 more minutes. Add the drained white beans, rosemary, chicken stock, and bay leaf. Cover, bring to a boil, and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, until the beans are very soft. Remove the rosemary branch and the bay leaf. Pass the soup through the coarsest blade of a food mill, or place in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until coarsely pureed. Return the soup to the pot to reheat and add salt and pepper, to taste. Serve hot.

Sunday Update

2007-11-04T13:57:00.000-05:00

First of all, if you read my post from last Saturday, and you liked the recipe for the yummy yet healthy Pumpkin Cookies, go back and get the recipe again. I've updated it. I've been playing with it a bit, and this morning, I think I perfected it- according to the cookie experts in the house anyways!

This is the first day in almost a week that I feel somewhat less than teetering on the brink of death. Okay, maybe that's an overreaction, but I've had a really really rotten cold accompanied by a bout of insomnia (which does not for good healing make!). Then I wrenched my back while coughing. Ouch. I was in a sad sad state. Yesterday I dragged (drug?) myself out in the late afternoon, as I was desperately craving fresh air. So, to the park we went, with a pocket full of tissues and a hot drink. It was a beautiful fall day, so I'm glad I ventured out. Last night I finally had a decent night of sleep, so I feel somewhat human again. Good thing, I've probably been a bit unbearable lately.....

And, for those of you that check in to see how my mom's doing, this last round of chemo was much harder on her than the doctors anticipated. She's developed an infection which started in the mouth and progressed through her digestive tract. Very draining, very uncomfortable. She's been on some medication for that for the last few days, and feels a bit better now. So, we shall see what comes next.

Saturday

2007-10-27T20:18:00.000-04:00

It was a rainy, windy, cold fall day today, the kind of day that screams lounge around in your pyjamas, drink coffee, hang out with your family and do a whole lot of puttering, or nothing at all. Colin is sick, I'm fighting a cold and Ethan's had a busy week- we all have- so today we stayed home. Never went out at all. And it was nice, different for us.

So, first thing, I finally finished another hat for my mom. I'd cut out the pieces weeks ago and then it sat. So, now it's done. It's okay, but not as cute as the other one, which I liked better. It's more of a headwrap with ties at the back. I looked kind of unkempt this morning while making it, so a picture on the table will have to suffice.....me modelling in my pyjamas is not something I'm willing to post!

After lunch, when my boys went for a nap, I settled into the kitchen for some cooking and what we call Saturday schlock TV around here, also known as the weekend afternoon movie on W network. It's usually a lame & mindless movie, often based on a Danielle Steel novel (remember her?), but it's just what I do. Now you know my little indulgence :)

First up, Cream of Mushroom soup. Colin loves the Campbell's version but I think I can do a better job with less sodium and less fat. He said he's fine with Campbell's, I told him he doesn't know how good the real thing can be. He rolled his eyes...oh wait, that was me. And so it went. But I'm determined.

So, I think it turned out great. I used portabellos, white mushrooms and a couple of handfuls of dried porcinis. Basic cream soup recipe (actually uses no cream at all, just milk and stock) from the Williams Sonoma Mastering Soups & Stews book. Really yummy. E loved it, had two bowls for a post-nap snack. Colin will have some tomorrow, so we'll see whether I measure up to the mighty Campbell's.

Then, I made these cookies. They're really really good.....all soft and moist and spicy. (Just so you know, I only post the good stuff here....don't want you to think that everything I make is "really really good"- sadly it's not!) They're low fat and I think the possible combinations of flours, and additions of nuts, seeds, whatever, are endless. My "helper" and I had a great time making these.

Whole Grain Pumpkin Cookies
Adapted from a Prevention magazine recipe

(updated after further "testing", on November 4/07)

Ingredients:
1 ½ -2 cups sugar (I used organic raw cane sugar)
2 ½ cups rolled oats
½ cup millet (or substitute some seeds or nuts)
3 cups spelt flour (or other gluten containing flour like all purpose or whole wheat cake & pastry)

1 ½ cups whole wheat cake and pastry flour or amaranth flour (or substitute a non gluten containing flour like soy, quinoa, or arrowroot)
5 ¼ teaspoons baking soda

1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
1 ½ teaspoon salt
6 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2-3 teaspoons ground nutmeg
3 tablespoons flax seeds (optional)

1 cup raisins (optional), or use a mixture of other dried fruits
Seeds and nuts, as desired (optional)
1 ½ cups pumpkin puree
3 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons water
6 egg whites
1 tablespoon molasses

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, oats, flours, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, flax seeds and raisins.
3. Whisk together pumpkin, canola oil, water, egg whites, and molasses.
4. Add dry ingredients to wet. Mix together. Let batter sit for 15-30 minutes, if using whole grain flours like spelt.
5. Form heaped teaspoon size balls, and flatten slightly on a baking sheet.
6. Bake for 8-10 minutes in preheated oven. Cool slightly on cookie sheet before transferring to rack.

Makes 3-4 dozen cookies.

I've been busy

2007-10-26T22:12:00.000-04:00

...so busy, there's been no time to blog! I'm not even sure what I've been so busy with- just life I guess. There was a baby shower for my new nephew, a trip to Toronto with friends to visit our friend Moira (who is making me a fabulous custom bag!) and to do some shopping, putting the garden to bed for the winter (although it's still so warm here I'm not sure when that'll be), some fall decorating outside, working at the preschool and a lot of real-job working, cooking and laundry!

I need to organize my kitchen, the utensils are getting out of control. But, how do you throw out beloved but (perfectly) worn and stained wooden utensils???? They all have a special purpose, or something anyways, that makes me hang on to them. Maybe I just need a bigger bucket for them all? Or better yet, perhaps I should stop buying new ones. I am a sucker for the kitchen stuff. And the cookbooks....two more are on their way and I'm running out of room. I really should weed some out.

Anyways, enough of my drivel. This weekend is mercifully free of commitments....no company, no events, just a whole two days of nothing :) On the agenda- cream of mushroom soup, chicken curry, pumpkin cookies, some sewing (got some great new hat and scarf fabric last weekend in TO), pumpkin carving (um, why did we buy 3????), and assembling Halloween costumes for all of us. Definitely a big walk and a trip to the park if the weather co-operates. Perhaps that's an ambitious list. We'll see. Pictures of successes and failures to follow....

The best thing to ever happen to a turkey...

2007-10-07T08:53:00.000-04:00

...was a serious de-boning! This year, for Thanksgiving, I tried something new. Because we had a smaller group this year (8 instead of the usual 16-20) and didn't need a 25lb bird, I bought a boneless turkey. It was essentially a butterflied turkey, but with legs detached and also deboned. The 6lbs of meat easily fed 8, and we still have leftovers. I am never going back to the the old way! No carcass, no mess, no digging stuffing out (and getting all hot and steamy!) and it all cooked evenly and perfectly. I made my usual dressing recipe, and simply laid the bird parts over it. Brushed on lots of melted butter, sage, summer savoury, salt and pepper. Cooked it for a couple of hours or so at 325F, rested for 15 minutes and sliced it all up. Everything was still hot when it hit the table. The dressing was better than ever (although not even close to being healthy, what with all the turkey juices it was swimming in!).

Because I wouldn't get gravy this way, I also tried a great make ahead method (courtesy of Terry Pogue on the FoodWine list). Basically you roast or brown some turkey parts (necks, wings, thighs) and vegetables (onion, carrots, celery), de-glaze the roasting pan, and then dump it all in a pot with water. Simmer for three hours until you get a rich stock. Let the stock cool, skim the fat off the top and use that to make your roux, then add as much stock as required to make a rich gravy. Add seasonings and a splash of cream, maybe some wine. Perfect and easy, lots of stock leftover for soup.

The rest of the menu included: red cabbage, sweet potatoes & apples, mashed potatoes, a beautiful green salad with berries, seeds & nuts (brought by my friend Barb) and cranberry sauce with orange zest. Dessert was a totally decadent chocolate cake (made by my sister Caroline) and a pumpkin pie, fresh whipped cream on the side. Lots of wine, coffee and liquers, then more wine and liquers to accompany a rowdy round of Trivial Pursuit.

I love Thanksgiving- I think it's my favourite holiday. I love fall, the colours and all the great produce at this time of year. I love setting a nice table, decorating the house and having friends and family around.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Good News

2007-10-07T08:41:00.001-04:00

We had some good news the other day, regarding my mom's chemo treatments. She had her third treatment on Friday and as usual, before proceeding, they did bloodwork. The results were amazing the oncologist said- all levels were normal. He told her that this was remarkable and assured her that she likely wouldn't have any problems or delays getting through the rest of the treatments. So, hopefully, the worst will be behind her by Christmas. Although she's tired and nauseous, there's a lightning of mood and a feeling that the end is in sight. The treatment she had on Friday is the last of the "worst" chemicals they tell her, and the next three won't be so bad. The other piece of good news is that the tumour is not Herceptin receptive, so she will not have to endure a year of regular injections & related side effects, following the chemo, and it is assumed that the type of cancer is not as agressive as it could be. A bit of brightness, for which I am glad.

A Perfect Weekend

2007-09-30T22:07:00.001-04:00

Saturday morning hiking, the start of fall colours.....

An evening with friends, games, and chocolate hazelnut fondue to celebrate Colin's birthday.....

Warm banana muffins (Ina Garten's Banana Crunch Muffins) on Sunday morning....these were very good! One modification...I was sleepy while making them (at 6am, which is when the boy woke me up) and forgot the sugar, only remembering when they were already in the tins. No big deal, the bananas were sweet enough I figured, so I just sprinkled the tops with cinnamon sugar, which gave them the nice crackled effect. Yummy and definitely sweet enough, but next time I'll add some just to see.

Followed by a visit to the pumpkin patch and lunch out at a country hotel.

Loaded the trunk full of pumpkins, wheat and mums, and spent Sunday afternoon decorating the house, just in time for Thankgiving!

And to top it all off, a visit from my mom and Colin's parents, and a tasty Sunday dinner- including my "perfect" cheescake (his words....) for Colin's birthday.

Headcovers

2007-09-16T22:34:00.000-04:00

Something I’ve been working on this past week, are some cool head coverings for my mom. Friday was her second round of chemo, and she’s pretty much lost her hair at this point. This was the thing that she’d feared most, but now appears to be taking it in stride. A week ago, when it started falling out rapidly, she declared it annoying, said it was messing up her house, and asked me to cut it really short. She’d already bought a wig and was ready to get on with wearing it. So off it came, all over my patio. Ethan had great fun telling me to “cut more Mama, cut more!”, then picked it up and carried chunks of it around with a big hair clip. Even showed his Dad who was working in the garage…those that know Colin can imagine how thrilled he was. So much for Ethan being traumatized by Oma’s hair loss. It is at times like this, I thank God that this family has a very warped and dark sense of humour!

Earlier this week, Mom brought the wig to her hairstylist. After she’d shaved what was left of my mom’s hair, she gave the wig a trim to make it look more like my mom’s. Pretty brave for someone who had earlier declared that she wouldn’t be able to handle the hair loss!

However, a wig is not the most comfortable thing to wear all the time. So, I researched a few patterns, found this one, and this is me in my first creation.

My mom is test driving it now and says it has significantly more style than the freebies the hospital and Hopespring (cancer support centre) give you. I’m on holidays for the early part of this week, so I’ll try another one as well. I’m having fun with this and will also make a couple of hats for myself…nothing better for bad hair days and the winter.

Pickles

2007-09-16T20:49:00.001-04:00

It's that time of year again...or maybe I'm a bit late? We went to the market yesterday morning and there they were, dozens of baskets of perfect little cucumbers, just begging to be made into pickles! I wasn't going to do it this year, what with everything else going on, but the cukes just looked so good, and it was a beautiful day, and I figured that I had a spare couple of hours, and well, that's why I'm always cooking. I get suckered in and inspired....by things like cucumbers.

Last year I made pickles for the first time- my first attempt at canning. Actually, it was more like pseudo canning since I went the 'refrigerator' pickle route. That means no boiling and sterilizing and sealing, and then worrying about killing someone via botulism everytime you offer up a pickle. Experienced canners might not worry, but I'm not ready to take the chance. I'm still haunted by the scene in Larry's Party where the daughter-in-law accidently kills the mother-in-law with some home canned beans. After that, the marriage was pretty much never the same. Ha ha.

This method means, for the the uninitiated, that you plop the stuff in a clean jar, cover it in brine, screw on the lid and stick it in the fridge. Ready to eat after 4 days, last a year....as long as you store them in the fridge. Easy. I'm no pioneer woman, so this is my idea of canning! Someday I'll attempt the real thing.

So, since the boys in this family are the primary pickle eaters, I put Colin to work scrubbing the cucumbers while Ethan had his afternoon nap. I'd made the brine earlier in the day, so all I had to do was peel dozens of garlic cloves, slice up the onions, wash the dill. We don't often work together in the kitchen, so this was nice....an actually chance for real conversation! And now, the man appreciates his pickles even more :)

Refrigerator Dill Pickles (adapted from Maggie Johnson's recipe, from the FoodWine list)
Makes approximately 15 - 500ml jars

12 cups water
4 cups vinegar
1 cup kosher salt
Dill seed
Mustard seed
3 onions, sliced
1 bunch fresh dill
2-3 heads of garlic, separated into cloves & peeled
1 - 4 litre basket of small cucumbers, halved, quartered or sliced

Put water, vinegar and salt into a pan and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Allow to cool to room temperature. Put 1/2 teaspoon dill seed, ½ tsp mustard seed, 1 clove of garlic and a few pieces of fresh dill flower in the bottom of each jar. Pack with onions and cucumbers. Put another clove of garlic, ½ teaspoon dill seed, ½ tsp mustard seed and more fresh dill on top. Add more or less of the garlic and spices according to your taste. Pour vinegar solution over the top. Let sit on counter for a few hours, then refrigerate. The pickles will be ready to eat in four days.

Pickles last one year. Store in refrigerator.

Sunday cooking

2007-09-02T19:56:00.001-04:00

In preparation for the work week ahead, and to meet my weeknight "dinner on the table in 30 minutes" goal, I like to spend a couple of hours on a Sunday prepping and cooking. It means less take out (which we're not so fond of anyways!), more nutritous food and an opportunity to try something new. Truthfully, it's for the last reason that I spend Sunday morning, coffee in hand, still wearing pyjamas at 11am, chopping, stirring and mixing. It's why my kid sometimes eats soup for breakfast....he sees it, he wants it, then seats himself at the table and waits. I love that kid. But I digress. The whole ritual is relaxing to me, and it's a little B time.

This morning I woke up around 5:45am, for absolutely no good reason at all. By 6, I figured I wasn't going back to sleep, so I put on a big pot of coffee and made muffins.....banana raisin. They were supposed to be Banana Espresso Muffins with Walnuts, from Super Natural Cooking, but lacking a couple of key ingredients, and a reluctance to use walnuts because of my son's sensitivity to some nuts, I improvised a bit and ended up with just an okay muffin. But I liked the picture, so there you go. I'll have to work on the recipe.

Then E woke up, and after a bit of a chat and a morning cuddle, he took off to play with his trains and trucks for awhile. So then I made the first of what will be several batches of red cabbage this fall. I make huge pots when cabbage is fresh, cheap and in season at the market. It freezes beautifully. E loves it, it's been his favourite since he first started eating solids it seems! This my old family recipe / method.

Braised Red Cabbage

Oil

1 whole red cabbage, cored and chopped into 1 inch chunks

1 large onion, cut into eight chiunks

8 whole cloves, stick one clove in each chunk of onion (this makes it easier to find and remove the cloves after cooking)

1 large apple, peeled and cored, chopped

2 heaping tbsp brown sugar

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

Salt

Lemon juice

Heat oil on medium high heat in a large pot / dutch oven. Dump in cabbage, toss with oil, stir frying for approximately one minute. Add onion, apple, brown sugar and vinegar. Add salt to taste. Toss everything together. Lower heat to a simmer. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until tender, usually 45-60 minutes. Add lemon juice and/or more vinegar, and salt to taste. Remove cloves.

Next up, the Creamy Cauliflower Soup from Super Natural Cooking, while tripping over trucks and cars which had, at this point, been hauled into the middle of the kitchen. Very, very yummy. I didn't make the pesto part, just used some that I had in the fridge. E had his with cheese and pesto, also good! (He actually had 3 bowls...one for 'brunch', then another two later on for lunch). My non-vegetable loving husband (I make poor choices sometimes!), had a very small bowl (because I threatened him), and declared it 'not bad', once you got over the cauliflower taste (why me???)....then he filled up on bruschetta and Fruiliano cheese quesadillas (aaahhh, the wonders our fridge yields sometimes!). Anyways, try the soup, it's really really good.

Creamy Cauliflower Soup with Brazil Nut Pesto from Heidi Swanson’s Super Natural Cooking

For the Soup:

3 tablespoons clarified butter or extra-virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, chopped (I think I used more....love garlic)

1 large onion, chopped

1 tsp. red pepper flakes (I used half, and it was still pretty spicy)

1 large potato peeled and chopped

1 ½ pounds cauliflower, coarsely chopped

5 cups vegetable stock or water (I used a mixture of chicken stock and water)

1/3 cup heavy cream or Cashew Cream (I didn't have heavy cream so used a combo of sour cream and a little milk)

fine-grain sea salt (I used kosher salt)

For the Pesto:

½ cup toasted Brazil nuts

2 handfuls spinach leaves, stemmed

4 cloves garlic

½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

generous pinch of fine-grain sea salt

Heat the butter in a soup pot over medium-high heat, add the garlic, onion, and red pepper flakes and sauté for 2 or 3 minutes, until translucent. Stir in the potato and cauliflower and cook for another couple of minutes. Add the stock, bring to a simmer, and cook until the vegetables are tender. Remove from the heat and puree thoroughly with a handheld immersion blender. Stir in the cream and season to taste.

To Make the Pesto:Puree all the ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth. Taste and add more salt if needed.

Ladle the soup into individual bowls, drop a spoonful of pesto in each one, swirl around with a knife or toothpick.

Last on the agenda, a crunchy coleslaw with apples and walnuts with a dressing from, you guessed it, Super Natural Cooking. I'll say, at this point, that this book has been well worth the money!

I cheated and used a pre-packaged coleslaw that I had in the fridge. Added my own apple and walnuts though! The dressing is from Super Natural Cooking, Crunchy Slaw Salad:

Whisk together:

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Juice of one lemon

Fine grain sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Splash of heavy cream (I didn't have any, used a dollop of plain yogurt instead)

Toss cabbage, apples, toasted walnuts and dressing together. Serve immediately. Leave out the walnuts until serving, if you're not eating right away.

So, that was that for Sunday cooking. Washed some fruit, chopped some veggies, cut up a watermelon, cleaned out the fridge. All that and we had burgers for dinner.....go figure! They were good burgers though...all dressed up with good toppings, coleslaw and corn on the cob on the side.

One skillet dinner & a bowl of soup

2007-08-28T22:25:00.001-04:00

Last night was an empty the fridge / use up the leftovers kind of dinner. On the weekend, I'd made these tasty pork chops and had one left over. I'd also steamed a bunch of new potatoes and had some of those. Sliced and browned up the pork chop and potatoes in a big skillet, added peppers & onions, threw in some steak spice and tossed it all together with lots of fresh chives. Served it with some peaches and cream corn on the cob.....dinner's done in 20 minutes. I love having lots of bits and pieces in the fridge, all available to make a fast and healthy dinner on a weeknight.

I think I've mentioned how much I love soup. I LOVE it. I love making it, smelling it, eating it. But it has to be good, and absolutely has to be homemade. There's just so much good stuff that you can fit in a bowl. My son, thankfully, takes afer me when it comes to food- he will eat anything. Now he loves soup too :) The other day I made our favourite broccoli soup. There was bowl left in the fridge and last night he had it as a pre-bedtime snack....how great is that???? I hope this lasts and he doesn't slide into being a picky eater......

Ethan's Broccoli Soup
This makes a big batch, around 12 servings. It freezes beautifully.

A splash of olive oil
2 onions, chopped
3-4 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 heads of broccoli, cleaned and cut up into chunks and florets
2 potatoes, peeled and chopped small
1 can white kidney beans, drained and rinsed.
2 litres of chicken or vegetable broth
Milk
Salt & pepper
Tabasco sauce
Cheese for sprinkling (optional)

Saute the onions and garlic until soft.
Add broth, broccoli, potatoes and beans. Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are soft, around 20-25 minutes.
Remove soup from heat. Use a stick blender to puree the soup. Add milk to achieve desired consistency. For a more chunky consistency, only puree half the soup.
Add salt and freshly ground pepper (I like white pepper), and a few splashes of Tabasco to taste. The Tabasco isn't meant to add lots of heat, just to brighten the flavour.
Reheat for serving and sprinkle with cheese if desired.

Life lesson

2007-08-28T07:53:00.000-04:00

Cancer and its treatment is an all consuming thing I'm learning....both for the patient and those around them- it affects everything and everyone. I remember this from my father's relatively, and perhaps mercifully, short fight. At the time, my mom provided most of the hands on care and my sister and I were the peripheral support, the cheering section, if you will. This time around, with my mom, my sister and I are 'it'. There is support from friends but I think it's family that takes on the bulk of it. I've had a lot of time to think lately, about what's important and how to deal with the anger and frustration that has threatened to consume me at times. I'm trying to find something here, a lesson maybe? It's been almost 3 months since my mom's tests started, two months since we got the final results, one month since her surgery and now we're almost one week into 18 weeks of chemotherapy treatment. Through it all, my mom has remained relatively strong and maybe even somewhat detached from the whole ordeal. She has instinctively gone into what I call the "dance while you still can" mode of thinking. She has seized every opportunity to be happy and enjoy what she can, when she can. She has not buried herself in reading and researching and worrying about this disease (that is for my sister and I to do), which would be her normal reaction. She has probably had private moments of sadness and despair, but we have had far more laughs than tears. She is even suprised at herself in this regard. And I have seen a whole new side of my mom, and I like it.

And it's got me thinking....about my own struggles with life in the last two years- the adjustments to motherhood, the isolation I felt in E's first year of life, the struggles with my own health, the chaos of life sometimes, the juggling/balancing act I must perform (and have grown to resent) everyday just to get everyone fed, clothed, to the sitter's and to work, the never-ending renovations in the house we bought on a whim- not knowing just how time consuming or expensive a new baby would be, the precious little time my husband and I have together, the worrying over my son that keeps me awake at night. What I've come to realize is not rocket science, and perhaps should even be obvious. What I've learned now, finally, is that everything I have is precious and I am lucky overall, and really, I'm not that badly off. I used to know this, feel this, but somehow it had gotten lost. I am looking at everything with new eyes these days, and weirdly, at this stressful time, for the first time in a couple of years, I am somewhat at peace. And, I too, am enjoying every moment of happiness right now, seizing any opportunity to laugh and taking whatever time I can to play with my son- sucking up pure unadulterated two year old joy, to sit with my husband, to chat with my friends and stay connected with the world. Dishes, laundry, home renos, even work be damned. I know the months ahead will be hard and sad, but I think feel strong enough to deal with it now.

My mom's first chemo treatment was not so bad, even by her own admission....the nurses were upbeat and friendly, and we had a few laughs. There was disappointment on not being able to get the pic line in (bad veins, or perhaps just uncooperative that day) but we decided to go ahead with the chemo anyways, using a more risky injection approach. I think it was important to start as my mom was mentally prepared. So far she has been queasy and tired, which is to be expected. There were a couple of days of feeling like utter crap (she used more colourful language!). No hair loss yet.....but perhaps it is as stubborn as her? She has been able to go out a bit and visit with friends. Every day should be a bit better now, until the next treatment.

The picture, by the way, of Oma (my mom) and Ethan was taken earlier this year, at the Butterfly Museum in Cambridge.

Tomorrow

2007-08-22T22:30:00.001-04:00

Feeling a bit melancholy and a bit manic (hence the cooking and late night posting) these days, as my mom approaches her first chemo session. Tomorrow is the day :( We're all a bit scared and sad and mad that we're going through this once again....it's only been 5 years since we did it with my Dad. A bag of mixed emotions, that's me. My Mom is awesome, and brave, and strong, and while I hate to see her go through this, I know it's the only choice she has. I, we, need her around for a long time to come. There are grandchildrens' weddings to attend, I've told her, so she'd better make it through! She just laughs and shakes her head. One step at a time I guess. We will make it through somehow- many others have and so will we. By the first week of December, the chemo will be over, and the healing can, hopefully, begin.

Tomorrow morning, we'll go to the hospital and she'll have a pic line put in, and a couple of hours later the first chemo treatment will start. Lots of sitting and waiting I suppose. That's okay- lots of time to catch up and chat....something there has been precious little of these past few months. Hopefully the side effects will not be too dreadful- we're hoping for the best, but truthfully, planning for the worst. So, my friends, start directing good energy, big prayers, whatever your thing is....our way.

A Big Bowl of Lentils

2007-08-22T21:54:00.002-04:00

Fall is in the air. I've felt it the past couple of days. That has me thinking of soup! I love soups and stews...could live on them really, and perhaps I should. Last night I made a huge pot of curried lentil soup- all night in the crockpot so the house reeked of curry in the morning. Sometimes I feel sorry for my co-workers.....ha ha....I must really stink!

This is basic goodness in a bowl.....virtually fat free, full of fibre, good protein, low cal, lots of taste, very filling, super easy to make, freezes beautifully. Doesn't get much better than that! Play around with the spices....cook with your nose on this one- the better it smells, the better it tastes.

Curried Lentils

3 cups of red lentils, rinsed and drained

5 cups of water

1 large spanish onion or 2 medium white onions, sliced thin

oil for frying

1 heaped tsp cumin seeds

1 750ml can of dice tomatoes

Approximately 2 heaped tablespoons finely chopped fresh ginger

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp turmeric

2 tsp garam masala

3/4 tsp cayenne pepper, or more if you like it really hot

OR instead of the previous 3 spices, use a couple big spoons of hot curry paste...to your taste

A few handfuls of spinach

Lemon wedges for squeezing

Yogurt, tomatoes, cucumbers and cilantro for garnish

Put the lentils and water in a crockpot or a large pot.

Fry the onions in oil, on high heat, until golden and browned.

Reduce heat to medium and add cumin seeds. When they're slightly toasted, add the other spices or curry paste, ginger and salt. Stir them around until you have a thick fragrant paste.

Add the tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes.

Scrape it all into the pot, stir and cook for 8 hours on low.

At end of cooking, add spinach and stir in. It will wilt and turn bright green.

Serve in big bowls, squeeze a little lemon juice on the lentils. Garnish with yogurt, cucumber, tomatoes, cilantro...whatever you like. Maybe even a tart apple? Dig in, slurp it up.....enjoy!

The Zoo

2007-08-22T21:41:00.000-04:00

Last Friday's trip to the Toronto Zoo was great....beautiful weather, lots of happy and playful animals (so much better than when it's hot!), lots to see. E loved it, we loved it...it was great day away. The polar bear was a big hit......he's retiring this fall and there are no plans to replace him. So nows your chance!

Things I Love

2007-08-15T12:40:00.000-04:00

A fun diversion on a blah-for-me day......

Soap! Check out this great soapery- http://www.oliviersoaps.com/. We found it tucked away on the east coast of New Brunswick, while away on vacation. It's a great little company and their products are really really nice, and after using them for a month, I've noticed a difference in my skin- smoother, softer, and best of all, no weird reaction (my usual story with a new product). We hadn't intended to visit, but a summer storm sent us looking for a diversion just as we arrived at our intended destination, Bouctouche (also lovely and we did eventually make it there). Olivier makes all natural products based on olive oil. They make a great lip balm which can also be used on burns, scrapes, etc. Colin's been using the shaving soap, complete with an old fashioned brush and he's loving it....lasts forever too! I can also highly recommend the Dry-Sensitive Soap and the Lemongrass Exfoliant Soap.

Soup! I love soup....eating it, making it, finding new recipes for it. Check out http://www.soupbase.com/ for delicious soup bases and flavour concentrates, especially the MSG free Minor's Soup Bases. These aren't your standard oversalted boullion cubes and they're way better tasting than the canned or boxed broth. Best of all, you can make only as much as you need and the paste lasts 2 years in the fridge. This is the next best thing to making it yourself....and who has time for that?

Fabric! Just found these two sites, both for fabric....tons of beautiful fabric! I have swatches on the way from http://fabric.com/ ....where I possibly may have found my elusive green fabric for E's room. Then I found this site http://www.designerfabrics.ca/shop/scripts/ which is Canadian, located in Toronto. Looks good, although I haven't ordered anything yet.

My feet! Go to http://www.europeanspaproducts.com/ for all kinds of spa products, including my favourite foot cream by Gehwol. Prices are the same or better than at a spa or salon, and you always get lots of free samples with your order. All orders $45 or more ship free, and I usually have an order at my door in 2 days. It's a Canadian company located in Richmond Hill. Why drive anywhere when it can come to you??!

Shoes.....comfortable, yet fashionable. If you don't have a retail store near you, this isn't a bad option http://www.aerosoles.com/.

Enjoy!

Sunday Dinner

2007-08-12T20:20:00.002-04:00

I like Sunday dinner. I like the idea of having one time during the week when you're guaranteed a special meal, unrushed, in good company, whether it be family or friends. I love spending the afternoon in the kitchen, chopping, cooking, baking and prepping for the week ahead. Sometimes there's a treat ready in time for afternoon coffee. These days I don't often have the luxury of an all afternoon kitchen session, but I'll take what I can get! I think I was probably meant to have a much larger family, because it seems that's who I'm cooking for. We're only a family of three (me, Colin and the boy E) and usually my mom is here on Sundays. So, if you're in the neighbourhood on a Sunday, drop by for dinner....there's always lots of food! I usually try to make something special, or new....sometimes it's good, sometimes it's just okay.

This evening's dinner was good! I tried another recipe from Super Natural Cooking....this time, Millet Fried "Rice", which is pretty much a classic fried rice but using millet instead of rice. For the unaware, millet is a grain most often found in birdseed mixes in North America, but is actually a staple food of almost a third of the world's population. It's really good- nice texture, slightly crunchy and nutty tasting- and chock full of magnesium......see, you learn something new everyday! If you're still leary, consider that Colin, king of all things unhealthy and super refined, said "hmmm, it's actually pretty good....not rice, but good". Then he doused it with the usual slop of soy sauce that must apparently accompany anything that is of even slight Asian influence. Sigh. At least he tasted it first, this in itself is progress. Then he packed leftovers for lunch. So, I guess it passed the test.

Also on the menu- Hoisin glazed chicken breasts with sesame seeds and a mixed green salad with Asian sesame dressing (Renee's- highly recommend it!) and roasted chickpeas (store bought...I haven't gone that far yet...but really, how hard can it be??!!). Dessert was a woefully unhealthy Peach Crisp with vanilla frozen yogurt...but so good and the peach season is short!

Here's my Peach Crisp recipe....

Peach Crisp

Filling:
10 cups of peaches, peeled and sliced
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/3 cup brown sugar, less is fine if fruit is sweet
1/3 cup white sugar, less is fine if fruit is sweet
Heaped 1/4 cup flour
1 tsp cinnamon

Topping:
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup butter

Preheat oven to 375F

Toss peaches with lemon juice. Mix remaining filling ingredients and toss with peaches until fruit is coated. Place fruit mixture in large greased pan.

For topping, mix flour, sugar and cinnamon. Cut in butter to form crumbly mixture. I usually do this in a food processor, but you can also use a fork. Top fruit with crumbs. If you have too much, just freeze the leftovers for your next crisp.

Bake 30-45 minutes, until fruit is bubbling and top is golden. Remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes or so before serving. Serve warm, with ice cream.

Enjoy!

Designing, decorating and dining....

2007-08-11T18:47:00.001-04:00

I'm so excited! I scored at FabricLand today......got almost everything I need for E's new room, either on clearance or sale. First project is a valance which will be made of 9 overlapping and staggered panels of fabric- check out the sketch:

My inspiration is coming from a great fleece blanket I got at Costco- it's really cuddly and I love the colours: navy blue, medium blue and chartreuse / lime green. So, the panels will be a dark denim, a lighter denim and a still-to-be found green, all piped in white. If I can't find the green, I may have to settle for a white denim and applique something green on it. Moira....any of the green I need in your fabric stash???? I only need a yard or so.

Then I found this super soft green fleece with a dotty texture which I'll use to make some throw cushions for the bed. But the best score by far was the clearance bin denim which you can kind of see a corner of in the picture. It's a navy denim with several rows of fringe sewn right in. It'd be great as a skirt or a big bag. But for my boy, and only because he's so cute and I'm in a generous mood today, I'm sacrificing it to make some floor cushions. I hope he appreciates it. (Realistically, I know he will value these floor cushions as much as his father would....which is to say not at all....just one more decorative obstacle to toss out of the way! So, these are for me, yes me, who likes floor cushions, and throw cushions, almost as much as I like bags). I'll use the blanket to make a duvet cover I think. I still have to settle on a paint colour...leaning towards a navy like our room, or maybe a medium blue? This is going to be a fun little project!

And, my other big purchase this week was Super Natural Cooking by Heidi Swanson. Yes, it sounds healthy and it is. But it's a taste good kind of healthy! All part of my plan to improve my health (again) and drag those around me along, read Colin. E already eats everything, so he's not a problem. Did you know that you can hide almost any kind of vegetable in a pureed soup? Or a chili you make lovingly for your husband, who thinks it's just lots of meat and beans? I've been doing that for some time but I've already gleaned some new tips from this book :)

Last night I made Shredded Grean Beans with Lemon Lime Zest & Snipped Chives. Totally yummy. I like green beans anyways, but this way of cooking them was great and totally different. Try them, love them.....

Shredded Green Beans with Lemon Lime Zest & Snipped Chives

3/4 pound of green and/or yellow beans, tops and tails trimmed

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or clarified butter

2 tablespoons water

Grated zest of 1 large lemon

Grated zest of 1 large lime

1/4 cup chopped fresh chives

Fine grain sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Slice beans diagonally into roughly 1.8" thick pieces, like tiny angular zeroes.

Heat olive oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beans and stir until coated with oil, then add the water. Cover and cook 2 or 3 minutes, until the beans are brightly coloured and tender; give the pan a good shake midway through to ensure even cooking. Remove from the heat and stir in the zests and half of the chives. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve garnished with the remaining chives.

Enjoy!

A brand new life

2007-08-08T21:53:00.000-04:00

Introducing Blake Jacob Powell.......

This evening we went for a quick visit to see our new one day old nephew. He is a beautiful, perfect and peaceful (for now!) little boy. Welcome to the world sweetie!

It's a happy day!

2007-08-08T12:06:00.000-04:00

Today I received some wonderful news. My brother-in-law and sister-in-law are in receipt of a brand new healthy baby boy! I have a new nephew! J & A have been trying for years to have a baby and turned to adoption about 1.5 years ago. Yesterday at 2pm they got a call telling them that there was a baby for them and were they ready for him? So, by 8pm last night, they had him home. He was born early in the morning on August 7 and weighed 7lbs10oz, which is almost exactly what my son weighed. So, tonight I will scrounge through the mountain of baby boy clothes and paraphernalia currently being stored in our house, and tomorrow we'll deliver it and have our first visit. I'm so excited and teary and happy :) Who knew I was such a sap!

"Look Mama, I'm making lemon juice!"

2007-08-06T16:14:00.000-04:00

.....um, sure you are E! Just keep stirring. That's the boy wonder helping me make white wine sangria.....he did not get a taste, no matter how much he begged, I promise. Do not call the authorities! He got his own mocktail of juice and "bubbly" in a special cup so he wouldn't feel left out.

Last night we had friends over for sangria and snacks on the patio. It was a beautiful night, and we stayed up talking until past midnight- was fun to catch up and hear about their recent trip to Europe. Here's what we had....I made the White Wine Sangria, Roasted Eggplant Dip and the Avacado Feta Salsa, and Barb brought the cheese platter which included a wonderful creamy blue cheese with pears...so good!

On the home reno front, super-handy (if not always cheery) husband Colin is replacing all the soffits...slowly but surely. This project has not been without its obstacles, of course! Wrong coloured soffits were initially delivered, then numerous delays ensued. Then, the discovery of a carpenter ant nest that had devoured a good portion of a critical (and weirdly, structural, uh oh) piece of fascia board caused even more delay. Despite all that, the portion above the patio is essentially done, and it is there that I shall sit and pretend that it's really all done...while Colin slaves away on the other side of the house. On a positive note, since Colin annihilated the ant nest (and likely some of his own brain cells), we have not had one single ant come marching through the house. Hooray for pesticides......and I never thought I'd say that!

A day at the beach

2007-08-05T10:50:00.000-04:00

Saturday was beach day, because you have to go to the beach on a Canadian long weekend! We've decided recently that we need to stop working around the house so much and simply do nothing and having some family fun. Of course, doing nothing really means doing plenty of prep work so you can spend a few hours doing nothing! So, we spent an hour making a picnic lunch, packing up sand toys and beach umbrellas and suncreen and towels and everything else we'd possibly need for a day at the beach, or a week away if I'm honest about it. Then we spent two hours driving, with a couple of stops for traffic jams, coffee, snacks, my husband's never ending washroom breaks (I'm restricting fluids on these trips now!), and finally a line up to get into the Pinery. Then a trek up and down and up again across the dunes, and finally we're there! Phew.

It was a spectacular day....sunshine, wind, lots of big waves to body surf, sandcastles or "sandcakes", as my son calls them, to build.

On the agenda for today- a little home maintenance, a little cooking, and friends over for drinks on the patio this evening. I have some avocados begging to be made into guacamole, and white wine sangria calling my name.....

And so it begins.....

2007-08-03T20:50:00.000-04:00

Today's the day.....I set up the blog a couple of months ago and then never got around to doing anything to it. Like so many other projects in the last couple of years....fallen by the wayside in a flurry of raising a kid, working, renovating a house, maintaining friendships and taking care of the assorted life crises that keep coming my way.....

So here we go....what's this all about? I'm not really sure yet, so this will be a work in progress. I just feel the need to write lately....and heck, why not put it out there for all the world to see! Maybe a bit on working motherhood and how maybe it's not all it's cracked up to be....how there's no way to keep everyone well taken care of and still take care of yourself so you can take care of everyone else. And so it goes. Maybe when I step back and feel a bit more positive, a bit on the simple joy of seeing that all the effort, all the stress and all the sleeplessness is likely worth it when you see your beautiful boy laugh and smile and he's healthy and good; when your husband tells you 10 times a day that he loves you (even though it gets on my nerves when I'm just trying to get something done so I can FINALLY sit down, deep down I know I'm lucky!); when friends and family sit at your table and enjoy the meal you've made and drink wine (usually too much!) and laugh like crazy people; or when you're pulling weeds in the garden at dawn so you can avoid the oppressive Ontario heat and smog and noticing that the yard you almost died landscaping (because of said heat, smog and godawful weeds!) is really really really beautiful. Maybe it's a way to stay connected with friends and a sister that I just don't see enough of, of letting people who are important know where I'm at, what I'm doing and why they don't hear from me that much! Maybe it's simply a way of tracking my life, and sharing my life, and making myself see that even though it's been stressful and sad lately, there really is a lot of joy. Okay, enough heavy stuff.....I really am a glass is half full person! For sure there will be pictures, recipes and stories of renos gone bad and good!

What am I about? These days, I work full time, try my best to be a great mom to my 2.5 year old son, cook, do laundry, garden, etc. and when I'm done with that I may bless my darling husband with some attention. We're neck deep in home renos and landscaping, I'm super-busy at work, and am about to immerse myself in duties at my son's co-op pre-school (not sure yet how I'll feel about being around all those kids!). I work full time at a job I love, or love most of the time at least. I love to cook and entertain, and I love making and creating- cooking, sewing, painting, crafting, garden, decorating, whatever- just wish I had more time!

Okay, now it's time to go converse with my husband for his alotted 10 miuntes a day :)