Busy Day

Today I plan to make my Basil Pesto and Tomato Soup which will mostly end up in the freezer. Our Basil plants are looking healthy enough to attack now, I need two cups of leaves for the Pesto. I shall also be making a shrimp gumbo for supper, so I will be doing a lot of cooking. I might make some asparagus soup for the freezer too, depending on how the time goes.

We went to Barrie's Asparagus farm yesterday and he tells me they are planning to open an additional business selling jars of homemade asparagus soup. This year they are getting a catering company to do it for them, but the plans are to have an additional building in which to make it themselves and then to market it at the same time as selling the fresh asparagus. I haven't tried Tim Barrie's mom's soup yet, but I plan to do so, Tim assures me it is very good. If you are interested in the recipe, it is on Tim's blog 1st Canadian Solar Farm, the link is on this page. It is apparently so good that they had some available but which wasn't labelled or priced and it sold before they could do that. Maybe I should have got a bigger bag of asparagus.

Having finished The Speed of Dark by Elizabeth Moon which I found an excellent book although I was a little disappointed at the end, Elizabeth Moon assured me she was too, I have now started Havenstar by Glenda Noramly, that is Glenda Larke by another name. Glenda's blog is also linked on this page. The book is apparently out of print, but a very kind friend sent it to me from the UK and I am already enjoying it. Its a fascinating world and I can see why so many people are encouraging her to write more stories set in the same world.

I am enjoying reading the blogs of a number of authors and talking to them about their worlds and their works. It fascinates me that they really are not sure where their characters are going, the characters apparently tend to take on a life of their own. I am learning why I never managed to become an author myself.

This weekend we are having friends over for dinner again, so we have found a chicken recipe we think we will do. In case you wonder, we will be doing the Asparagus Phyllo Bundles to start, well, its the last weekend of the availability of Barrie's Asparagus after all!!

Greek Chicken with Capers and Raisins in Feta Sauce

4 four ounce Skinless boneless chicken breasts 2 tbs All purpose flour 1 tsp dried oregano 1 tbs olive oil 1 cup Thinly sliced onions 3 garlic cloves minced 1 1/2 Cups Chicken broth, bouillon 1/3 cup golden raisins 2 tbs lemon juice 2 tbs capers 1 oz feta cheese (crumbled) 4 thin lemon slices 1 Flatten chicken breasts. Combine flour and oregano and dredge chicken pieces in it 2 Heat oil in a nonstick pan. Med. high heat. Add chicken, cook 5 mins each side, remove from pan and keep warm. 3 Add onion and garlic to pan, sauté 2 mins. Sitr in broth, raisins and lemon juice. Cook 3 mins scraping pan to loosen browned bits. 4 Return chicken to pan. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 10 mins or until chicken is done. Remove chicken and keep warm. 5 Add capers and cheese to pan, stirring with a whisk. Top each chicken breast with 1/4 C sauce and 1 lemon slice. Servings: 4 Recipe Source Cooking Light July/Aug 1999

Have a great day.