Exotic Pets, Syria, Mars Colony.

People are nuts, there is a report about officials removing a baby alligator from a home close to Winnipeg, Manitoba. At the moment it is a fairly pretty looking animal, but alligators grow and boy do they grow, possibly 4 metres long and up to 450 Kg. by which time they would be very dangerous animals. Not only that, from the animal’s point of view, living in someone’s home is not a good idea, especially when you bear in mind their natural habitat in places like the Everglades, although with the increasing number of pythons there, maybe the Winnipeg home is safer LOL. Some people will do anything to have something different and I am not sure they really care about what it is. Not only that, they are illegal in Manitoba although I am disgusted to find they are not illegal in all Provinces.

I  am pleased to see that both Canada and the UK are against bombing Syria. It really did not make one bit of sense to me. Another way must be found for dealing with them. Using chemical weapons on their own, or any other, people needs to be prevented.

Another report says almost 7,000 Canadians have been attracted to a one way trip to Mars – the objective being to start a colony there. I’m not sure, if I were a young person, that I would want to go in the foreseeable future, I don’t think we know enough about anything to carry out such a project. They are talking about the expedition taking place in about 10 years time so I might well be able to see what happens – not sure how long it takes to get to Mars. Sounds like the Ninja Captain has signed up, one applicant describes himself as a Ninja warrior. Have you Alex? Makes me think of the Ray Bradbury book, The Silver Locusts, which is the name it was given in England, The Martian Chronicles in the US. I think the first title was much more appropriate.

BBC Food frequently come up with dishes that appeal. The following is one which sounds delicious to me. I like goat cheese so where can I go wrong?


Goats' Cheese Cannelloni with Cherry Tomatoes
By Simon Rimmer from Something for the Weekend

Serves 4


Ingredients
400g/14oz cherry tomatoes, halved
125ml/4fl oz extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
salt and freshly ground black pepper
400g/14oz ricotta
300g/10½ oz goats' cheese
300g/10½ oz parmesan (or a vegetarian alternative), grated
200g/7 oz baby spinach
2 garlic cloves, crushed
12 12cm/5in x 10cm/4in sheets fresh pasta
To serve
parmesan shavings
green salad leaves, dressed with olive oil and balsamic vinegar

Preparation method
1. Preheat the oven to 180C/365F/Gas 4.
2. Place the tomatoes into a bowl and drizzle with the olive oil. Add the
thyme and season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
3. Place the ricotta, goats' cheese and parmesan into a clean bowl and
mix well.
4. Add the spinach and garlic and season well with salt and freshly
ground black pepper.
5. Lay the pasta sheets onto a clean work surface. Place a line of the
cheese and spinach mixture along the longer edge of each pasta
sheet, then roll up like a cigar.
6. Drizzle the cannelloni rolls with a little of the oil that the tomatoes
have been sitting in, then pour the remaining oil into the bottom of an
ovenproof dish that will hold all 12 cannelloni.
7. Place the cannelloni tubes into the dish and place the tomatoes
evenly over the top.
8. Transfer to the oven to bake for 15 minutes, or until cooked through.
9. To serve, place three cannelloni onto each of four plates. Sprinkle
with parmesan shavings and place a spoonful of dressed mixed
green salad leaves alongside.

Have a great day