Urologist, Service Ontario, Landlord letters, Cooking,

As I said, there was an appointment with the urologist, turned out it was for me and after a  bit of grousing from me, he changed one of my pills and I have to go back again in January for a test etc. Matt was almost disappointed he wasn't supposed to see the doc. On the way back, we dropped in for some gin for himself, I don't touch the stuff, and as I was close to the pharmacy, I phoned to make sure they had the prescription, if not I had a copy of it. They did so I didn't have to do the long walk to the back of the store. I hate that, sick people have to walk the furthest.

Afterwards, went to Service Ontario to order a new health card for Matt. Mind you his current one doesn't expire til next February, but... we had already been sent renewal forms. Went in and I approached one of the counters and explained about Matt and she dealt with us straight away. She also suggested he should have an ID card as he no longer has a driver's license. They copped me for another $35. Can't go in there without paying that amount of money. However, it will be a good thing for him to have. Had to have two pix taken, one for his health card and another for the ID. There was a long line up, people must have been wondering why we got attended to before them.

Earlier in the day, we got two letters shoved under the door by the super, I assume, one telling us that the ant people will be coming again next Tuesday. Didn't realise they were called Pharaoh ants. They attached a letter explaining about them and asking us not to kill the ants but leave them to go feed on the "stuff" they had put down so they can go feed it to their queen. Here you are your majesty, nice drop of poison for you. Only trouble is, one sees them on the kitchen counter and automatically want to end their lives. Or I do. However, I refrained. It says they feed on sweets and proteins (fat) and ask us to keep our counters, etc. spotlessly clean so they will eat the baits they have put down.

Also had another letter from the landlords about Pre-Authorised Debit. I have wanted them to get with it and arrange this so that I don't have to write 12 cheques every year, better if they take it direct from the bank, however, there are some rather odd conditions so discussed it with a friend, we were both about to go out though so going to talk about it today.

I made the Ginger Stir Fry with Shrimp and Snow Peas for Friday dinner. It was delicious, but needed a bit more zip. I will spice up the remainder a bit more when we eat it. However, do try it, I think you will enjoy it.

I came across this recipe whilst looking up the Ginger Shrimp and thought it sounded pretty good too. I do like stuff cooked in foil, saves such a lot of clean up.

Garlic Dijon Shrimp and Salmon Foil Packs

Bold and savory garlic dijon shrimp and salmon foil packs are loaded with your favorite seafood and

the most incredible tangy honey dijon sauce. Easy to make with no cleanup!

4 salmon fillets I used skin-off
1/2 lb large shrimp, peeled and de-veined I kept tails on, feel free to remove them before beginning recipe if desired
4 Tbs olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp dried Italian seasoning herbs see note

Garlic Dijon Sauce
8 Tbs butter, melted 1 stick or 1/2 cup
2 Tbs honey
2 Tbs dijon mustard
2 tsp whole grain dijon mustard
3 tsp minced garlic
salt and pepper, to taste I used about 1/8 teaspoon each
1 Tbs fresh chopped dill

1. Prepare 4 12x12 inch pieces of foil and set aside. Drizzle salmon with olive oil, rub over whole surface, then season with salt, pepper, and half of the Italian seasoning dried herbs. Repeat process with the shrimp.

2. To make the sauce, stir together all ingredients in a bowl and set aside.

3. Assemble foil packs by placing salmon in the middle, topped with 3-4 shrimp. Drizzle HALF of the sauce over the shrimp and salmon, RESERVE the other half for using later. Fold foil over the shrimp and salmon and pinch edges to seal closed so no juices leak.

These last two lines should be reversed.

4. Drizzle with the reserved sauce (you may need to microwave it for a few seconds first if the butter has cooled) and top with additional fresh chopped dill if desired and serve.

5. For oven cooking, preheat oven to 450°F - bake 16 to 20 minutes on a cookie sheet.

Servings: 4

Source: | lecremedelacrumb.com


Have a great day
 

Wednesday

Well the 'ant man cameth'! and placed some more goop around the kitchen and put a few more traps down but whether they (the ants) bother with those or not I don't know. Turns out that the apartment across the hall has them too. I know of other people who are also bothered by the stupid things. They are absolutely tiny but persistent. Pete, the pest control guy, says they are after food of any kind. They are small as a breadcrumb.

Other than that, it has been a nothing kind of day. Cleaner came in the morning and that was it.

I am sick and tired of Trump.

You may have picked up that one of my favourite foods is Smoked Salmon (or Smoked Arctic Char) and I thought this would be a delightful way of serving it. They suggest brunch but depending on several things, you could certainly serve it as a light supper or even a Sunday breakfast perhaps.

Smoked Salmon and Egg Sandwich

This decadent sandwich would be perfect for brunch. Look for salmon that's labeled "wild Alaskan," and you can be sure you're getting sustainable seafood. You can also use soft-boiled eggs in p

lace of the poached eggs.

4 cups water
1 Tbs white vinegar
4 large eggs
1/4 cup (2 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
2 Tbs minced red onion
1 Tbs chopped dill
3/8 tsp kosher salt
4 (1-ounce) slices whole-grain bread, toasted
1 cup fresh arugula
4 oz smoked wild salmon
1/4 tsp black pepper

1. Bring water and vinegar to a simmer in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add eggs, 1 at a time; simmer 3 minutes or until desired degree of doneness.

2. Combine cheese, onion, dill, and 1/8 teaspoon salt; spread 1 tablespoon cheese mixture over each bread slice. Top each serving with 1/4 cup arugula and 1 ounce salmon. Remove eggs from pan with a slotted spoon; top each sandwich with 1 egg. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper.

Servings: 4

Tips
Sustainable Choice: Look for salmon that's labeled "wild Alaskan salmon," and you can be sure you're getting sustainable seafood

Source: Cooking Light

Have a great day
 

Shopping, Turkey, Dry Aging,

Busy day, went shopping first of all and spent a lot of money, some of which was for Christmas. Actually, although my bill totalled over $200, I had 50,000 points so got $50 knocked off the bill and then earned 26,000 more points. I love this point system. I have been looking at turkeys and was talking to a local market about fresh ones, they are somewhat expensive, but when I looked at the ones in the grocery store today, they were not cheap either and one had a choice of a Butterball which has synthetic basting in it, or a two stuffing turkey which could be stuffed with who knows what. So when I got home I ordered the more expensive fresh turkey. I had never been on the website for the market store, called Victoria Street Market, and when I did I was amazed to find that they do dry aged  meats. We have been buying the odd thing from them for a while, particularly sausages, but now I am going to try their beef. It will be expensive, but better than Matt throwing stuff away because he says it's too tough. The picture shows their dry aging room which is visible from the store.

I have been searching for a Carrot Cake recipe for ever. It was first published in the LCBO (lquor board) magazine Food and Drink but I didn't know when. I did know I had blogged about it once many years ago. I even asked the LCBO if they could find the recipe. However, I was looking for straight carrot cake - it turned out the title was actually Honey Butter Carrot Cake with Toasted Pecans and Citrus Cream Cheese Icing. which explains why I couldn't find it. The picture of the cake was on the cover of that issue of Food and Drink but the picture they have that I can find online, only shows a slice of the cake. I am hoping they can provide me with the cover picture.

When we got home, the bug man had been for the ants. Couldn't see anything. Eventually I found

little bubbles of something all round the apartment. Clear liquid but obviously thicker than water. Not touched it though. Hope it works. Not my hand, but I wanted to show you how tiny these things are. I am not even sure the ones in the picture aren't bigger than ours. I gather they are sugar ants, but, in that case, why the heck are they in the bathroom?

After lunch I was too knackered to go to exercise class so we hung around until it was time to go get my CPAP machine replaced. That didn't take very long at all. The rest of the afternoon we just relaxed. Forgot, picked up The Santa Clause, one of my favourite Christmas movies. Watched it in the evening and Matt said he couldn't understand why I liked it so much. Not sure whether he is a Scrooge or a Grinch. Tomorrow we are joining the Travel League for lunch and then bowling. First time for a while. Not joined them for a couple of months.

Being Christmas time I thought a nice easy dessert might be useful. I love Tiramisu and this looks like a pretty good substitute.

Brownie Tiramisu

Coffee, raspberries and sweet cream cheese take brownies to an even yummier level in this easy-to-

make tiramisu.

6 brownie squares (2-1/4 inch)
1/4 cup brewed strong MAXWELL HOUSE Coffee, cooled
4 oz (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
1-1/2 cups milk
1 pkg. (3.4 oz.) JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding
1 cup thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, divided

1. Cut brownies into bite-size pieces; place in 6 dessert dishes. Drizzle with coffee.

2. Beat cream cheese with mixer until creamy. Gradually beat in milk. Add dry pudding mix; beat on low speed 2 min. Add 1/2 cup COOL WHIP; mix well. Spoon over brownies.

3. Top with remaining COOL WHIP, berries and grated chocolate.

Servings: 6

Source: Kraft

Have a great day

Nothing but Ants.

I have absolutely nothing to write about today. The only thing I picked up from the news was an app which costs you $25 a month and you can have a fake love interest. What a crock of ……..

I went to exercises and none of the ladies said they were cold yesterday although I gather a lot of them are infested with tiny critters they are calling ants although one person said they are not. So far they are on floors below us and above us but, knock on wood, we haven’t seen anything yet. I’m not sure I will make it on Friday because of Matt’s bone scan. Do get to go bowling on Thursday though.

This looks an interesting soup. I wonder how they get it so very green or is that just the photo shopping? I love the taste of Rosemary.

Spinach Soup With Rosemary Croutons

WebMD Recipe from EatingWell.com

Rosemary has a strong flavour, but offers only a subtle hint in this spinach soup. If you like, any seasonal greens you have on hand can be substituted for the spinach.
Ingredients

• 2 cups 1/2-inch cubes country-style sourdough bread
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary, or 1 teaspoon dried
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1  medium onion, coarsely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary, or 1 teaspoon dried
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
  
• 2 cups diced peeled red potatoes
• 4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth, vegetable broth or water
• 6 cups fresh spinach or chard leaves, tough stems removed
• Freshly grated nutmeg for garnish
  

Instructions

1. To prepare croutons: Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Toss bread cubes, oil, garlic and rosemary in a large bowl until well combined. Spread in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Bake until golden and crisp, 12 to 15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, to prepare soup: Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper, reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Stir in potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes. Pour in broth (or water). Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook until the potatoes are soft, about 15 minutes. Stir in spinach (or chard) and continue to simmer until the greens are tender, about 10 minutes more. Puree the soup with an immersion blender or regular blender (in batches), leaving it a little chunky if desired. (Use caution when pureeing hot liquids.)
4. Serve the soup garnished with nutmeg, if desired, and topped with the croutons.

Have a great day