My Noisy Life, Stand up to Falls, Barrie's Asparagus Farm,

What a short memory I have. Monday morning I heard voices outside and thought it was the tenant upstairs who uses his cell phone on his balcony and talks in a loud voice. Matt reminded me it was the construction workers once more. A couple of hours later, the alarm bells rang. We were warned that they were testing them today but I had forgotten that too. The bells will be rung frequently throughout the day and the construction workers will be there til about 5:30 using their crane which beeps when backed up. Not to mention all the other noises. Ain't life grand. One compensation just occurred to me, once they start working on our wing the cell phone guy won't be able to go out onto his balcony. Three cheers. Unfortunately we can't just disappear because I have exercise classes and the Stand Up to Falls seminar to attend. For two pins I'd say nuts to it and let's go bowling, but I really don't want to miss the seminars.

Oops, having written the above, I went back into my computer room, in my nightdress and this is what I saw.

Guess I will have to be careful from now on. It will be even worse when they are working on our wing. Our living, dining room wall is all window and looks out onto the balcony where they will be working.

Unfortunately, our exercise class, followed by our Stand Up to Falls seminar was rather spoilt because they were drilling right outside the window. With the exercises, she could just do something and we could copy, but the poor young lady who was trying to talk to us about falls had to keep stopping whilst they made one heck of a noise. I even asked them if they could stop drilling for 20 minutes or so, but they wouldn't do so. With any luck, they shouldn't have to do any more drilling there on Friday. Our instructor was laughing at the end, drilling one moment, alarm bell the next. At least we won't have the alarm bells for another year.

As we finished early decided to head out to the asparagus farm. I had $65 worth of orders for both asparagus and rhubarb and then I forgot one friend. I ended up dividing my asparagus with her. I was going to make more soup but don't have enough now. My fault, I goofed. The farmer served me and popped a bag of their Kettle chips in my rhubarb bag as a thanks. I wish he hadn't, I tried some later, they are delicious. Very moreish. I have had to hide them from myself.

Asparagus Shandong-Style (Liang Ban Lu-Sun)

1 ½ lbs asparagus, trimmed and cut crosswise on the diagonal into 2" pieces
1 Tbs Japanese reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tsp Asian sesame oil
2 drops red chile oil
½ tsp toasted sesame seeds

1. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add asparagus to pot and cook until tender-crisp and bright green, 1½–2 minutes. Do not overcook. Drain, then immediately plunge into a large bowl of ice water; set aside to cool, 2–3 minutes. Drain again, then transfer to paper towels, pat dry, and set aside.

2. Whisk together soy sauce, sesame oil, and chile oil in a medium bowl. Add asparagus and toss. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with sesame seeds.

Servings: 2

Source: Saveur

Author Notes
A specialty of Shandong province, this dish is traditionally reserved for banquets because asparagus is so expensive in China. But in the United States, when the price comes down in summer, take advantage of this flavorful dish.

Have a great day
 

Soups, Ontario Amethyst, End of Asparagus.

I have been making lots of soups over the last few days, so many in fact that I had to get Matt to pick me up some more freezer containers. One of my original ones actually split. Guess it must have been getting old and when the soup froze it didn’t resist enough, luckily it was good and solid so I just wrapped it in foil and plastic. Usually the soup expands upwards. Asparagus season is running down so I want to make another batch of asparagus soup – I make it for the freezer and then we keep eating it LOL. I also want to make some Asparagus Pesto which we both enjoy as a snack now and again. Just in case you don’t remember the recipe I will post it again tomorrow. It really is a great recipe and can be frozen very successfully.

Sia having talked about amethysts yesterday I decided I had better wear one of mine so I fished it out. Then I tried to take a photo of it, almost impossible to get a clear, unblurred photo. Matt says its out of focus. Anyway, maybe you can get an idea of my ring from this picture. It is quite a large stone set in silver. I bought it from a work colleague, many years ago, he was into making jewellery and I couldn’t resist this ring I liked it so much. He had another set in gold but that was a but much for my pocket at that time. I also  have a smaller ring and some earrings which Matt bought me in Northern Ontario at the Amethyst Mine in Thunder Bay, which we visited many years ago. I loved that place. The mine itself goes underneath the lake and you used to be able to do a bit of mining yourself – for a fee of course. We had a largish lump which we kept in one of our aquariums for years. I have no idea what happened to it. I have just discovered that the Amethyst is Ontario’s official stone, I didn’t know that. The pendant is much more like the colour of my stone, you can see what a lousy picture it is. Not sure why I can’t take pictures of that colour, it was the same when I was trying to photograph my bowling bag and balls, they came out blue.

After bowling (mediocre) we went over to Barrie’s Asparagus farm and I bought a double whack of asparagus as this is the last I will be able to get this year. Picture me weeping. In fact, I bought about 7 lbs. but as I need at least 2 and for soup, plus another pound or so to make Pesto, it won’t leave me a lot for stuffing down my gullet LOL. They were selling raspberries yesterday, so I bought a punnet and we had them for supper, they were delicious. I want to check on a more local farm which sells strawberries. Barrie’s is a long way to go when there are places closer.

As you know, I am always on the lookout for different ways to serve vegetables. I get tired of the same ‘ol same ‘ol.  I came across this one from Web MD so had to share it with you. I love satay sauces but had never thought of using them for veg.

Vegetable Satay

WebMD Recipe from EatingWell.com

Although usually made with strips of chicken or beef, this Indonesian-style satay can be made with fresh broccoli and cauliflower florets. Hot Madras curry has a bit of a kick; use regular curry powder if you just want the flavor of curry but not the heat. To save time, look for broccoli and cauliflower already cut into florets in the produce section or at the salad bar of your supermarket.

Servings: 12

Yield: 1 dozen skewers

Recipe Ingredients:

1. 24 broccoli florets, (about 10 ounces)
2. 24 cauliflower florets (about 10 ounces)
3. 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
4. 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
5. 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
6. 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger, or ginger juice
7. 1 tablespoon smooth natural peanut butter
8. 1 clove garlic, minced
9. 1 teaspoon hot Madras curry powder
10. 1/4 teaspoon salt

Recipe Steps:

1. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Add broccoli and cauliflower; cook until tender-crisp, about 3 minutes. Drain; rinse under cool water.
2. Whisk soy sauce, vinegar, oil, ginger (or ginger juice), peanut butter, garlic, curry and salt in a large bowl until smooth. Add the florets; gently toss to coat. Let marinate at room temperature for at least 2 hours or cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day.
3. To serve, thread 2 broccoli and 2 cauliflower florets onto each skewer. (Reserve marinade.) Arrange the skewers on a platter in a single layer and drizzle with the marinade.

Have a great day

That Green Stuff, Costco, Surgery, Bowling.

I said we were going to the doctor’s on Monday (for a change) we then went to Barrie’s Asparagus where Tim called me over to see the beginning process for making asparagus flour. I could have cried, pounds and pounds of fresh asparagus being chopped up with a shovel. I ate a couple of spears before they could go in the mix. In fact the flour, which I mentioned last year, is then used for all kinds of foods including asparagus flavoured pasta and asparagus tortilla chips to name a couple. If you are interested you can got to my blog written in June last year. He said the asparagus he was chopping that day would be flour that night. Pretty fast process I guess. I asked if he had any pix and he said there would be a video on Facebook. If you are a member of Facebook you can see the video on their Facebook page. I was actually hoping for a still.

After Barrie’s we dropped in at Costco, bought the place and left. Well it does seem like it, we haven’t been there for ages and our freezer was empty. We bumped into a friend and whilst I was chatting Matt carried on shopping. He picked up some fillet steaks and a man proceeded to tell him how much cheaper it was to buy a whole fillet at $99 a piece. Fine if you happen to have $99 extra. We spent enough money as it was buying various cuts of beef, chicken breasts with and without, salmon steaks, etc. etc. Adding another $100 to that wasn’t needed thank you. I do like the meat at Costco, it may not be as inexpensive as we can get in our local supermarket, but it is wonderful quality. If I had the money I could spend a lot more, but sadly I don’t. Maybe we shouldn’t have stopped buying lottery tickets !!! We ate a couple of the salmon steaks on Tuesday night, they were delicious. Very good salmon. A friend buys sides of salmon there and the two or three I have shared have been excellent.

Bowling yesterday, me, not Matt of course. I had one very good game, one lousy game and one not bad, so I guess I can’t complain. In the summer league we have team points etc. which makes it a bit more fun, somewhat competitive.

Today, whilst you are reading this, Matt is in the local hospital having his Kyphoplasty so I don’t know where I will be. He has to be there at 11:30 a.m. in case they can do it earlier than scheduled if things go quickly. Great if that happens. The surgeon’s secretary said so far they are not that busy today so here’s hoping. Whether I stay or not will depend on the availability of a parking spot not too far from the main doors.

For a change, a nice creamy dessert.

Cream Cheese Almond Bars

Contributed to Cooking.com By: Cheryl, 24 bars

I originally bought some of these at a bake sale (minus the toasted almonds) and couldn't rest until I found a recipe that emulated the total deliciousness I found that day!
INGREDIENTS

Crust:

1 c. butter

1/2 c. powdered sugar

2 c. flour

Filling:

8 oz. Cream cheese, softened

1/2 c. sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. Almond extract

Frosting:

1 1/2 c. powdered sugar

1 1/2 T. Milk

1/4 c. butter, softened

1 tsp. Almond extract

1/2 c. Toasted, sliced almonds

DIRECTIONS

Crust: Cut butter into dry ingredients and pat into 9 x 13 pan. Bake at 350 for 20 - 25 minutes.

Filling: Mix sugar and cream cheese with mixer until well creamed. Beat in Eggs and almond extract until fluffy. Pour over crust while still hot. Bake at 350 for 15 - 20 minutes. Cool completely.

Frosting: Cream sugar and butter, add milk and almond extract, mix well. Spread evenly on baked, cooled filling. Sprinkle toasted almonds on top.

Have a great day

Bowling, Girl’s Night Out, Barrie’s,

Yesterday saw the final fling of our winter bowling league. We played three games a couple of which were basically fun games like the last one which is bingo. We have a sheet listing various pin combinations and the team has to try and get them. We were so close again this year but we just couldn’t get the last one no matter how we tried. Very frustrating. We then had our prize giving and Matt and I picked up quite a bit of moolah between us. The caterers were somewhat late but eventually they arrived and we had been told in which order we could go up. The people who were last decided to go and help themselves to desserts, I am not sure what part of last they couldn’t understand. By the time we got there, there was no longer much choice. Next Monday we start our summer league which lasts for 10 weeks and then there is a break. There usually aren’t very many in the summer league, people go away of course and a lot of the bowlers are also golfers. Matt is not sure if he will be able to golf this year and I gave up the game quite a few years ago.

Just about got home and had a call from a girlfriend – she is going to be in town tomorrow and suggested an early dinner. Also suggested I call another friend to join us. I did and she is coming, Matt is not joining us. I was agonising about where we were going to eat and then this morning Matt said “why not go down the road” meaning Howl at the Moon. Clever man. They serve pretty good food there and it is not overly pricey. Actually they make some very good soups and much as I tried, I could NOT get the recipe for one I particularly liked. They gave me a second bowlful to compensate.

I didn’t mention, we were given a couple of items from Barrie Bros. farm on Saturday, some asparagus pasta and a Mason Jar of their soup. Its actually the soup base and you add to it. It is actually the same soup I have already in the freezer, different storage. We tried the pasta, plain except for a bit of butter. I’m afraid neither of us could taste the asparagus in it. I was quite disappointed. We also got to try the wheat crackers they sell and I thought they tasted good. No they are not asparagus flavoured. One thing I really want to try is pickled asparagus, too much involved in doing it oneself and I don’t have all the gear to do any canning (bottling) any more. Its not the cheapest thing they sell, but maybe I will treat myself from my winnings.

A new recipe site for Asparagus, but no pictures so I found this one from Tasteofhome.com The recipe seems pretty simple though. Getting good crab might be a problem depending where you live. If you buy canned crab, be sure to pick it over well to check for bits of shell.

Asparagus and Crab Quiche

Asparagus Recipes.net

1 cup of chopped cooked crab meat 1 x 8" pastry case. 4 oz Parmesan cheese. 1 ¾ cup of Milk. 3 x beaten Eggs. 10 x Asparagus spears. Nutmeg, salt and cayenne pepper to taste.

Instructions for Asparagus and Crab Quiche:

Sprinkle the crab meat in bottom of pastry case. Cut asparagus spears into half-inch slices and scatter over top of the crab. Sprinkle the parmesan cheese over asparagus and crab. Beat eggs and mix with the milk, season to taste with nutmeg, cayenne pepper and salt. Pour the mixture into the pastry case. Bake in preheated hot oven for about 45 minutes or until set. Leave to sit for around 15 minutes before serving.

Have a great day.

New Blog, Suds Summit, Lyme Rage,

I have added a new Blog to my Bloglist. It is for Barrie's Asparagus. I hadn't realised Tim Barrie had started a new blog until yesterday. It is full of news about the food they are offering. On the principle of buying within 100 miles, they are a good place to go. In fact, we probably won't go except for the asparagus (in season) as there are places a lot closer to us selling much the same things. Sorry I can't support him, but its quite a long way to go. I can't believe all the fuss which is going on about the cop, the President and the professor. The country's at war, the financial situation is dire, and people are worrying about Obama saying "the police acted stupidly" - he didn't say they were stupid, just that they had acted stupidly. Now he is hoping to settle the whole thing over a beer, they are calling it The Suds Summit. Because of this, Obama's ratings have apparently plunged. I think that is stupid, but then nobody cares what I say, I'm not the President. I just don't think it was that bad and a stupid fuss is being made over something stupid. In case you don't know what I'm talking about, the story is here on GMA's site. A report this morning is talking about Lyme Rage, ostensibly caused by Lyme Disease. Apparently it can exacerbate people's tempers and even, in some cases, change their personality. Here is an article by a doctor which talks about it in detail. I must admit the very thought of ticks gives me the heebie jeebies. I guess we were lucky in the Carolinas, we never picked up any kind of tick, but it was always a possibility. For supper the other night, I just threw a few things together, I defrosted some chicken breasts and we had a good meal for two nights running. Not my usual kind of cookery, but it worked... Chicken Casserole 1/2 a large onion, chopped 1/2 lb button mushrooms, sliced 1/2 red or yellow pepper 2 stalks of chopped celery 4 chicken breasts on the bone 1 can each Campbell's mushroom and Campbell's celery soup 1 soup can water Seasoning to taste. I sautéed the onions, mushrooms and peppers then put everything in a casserole and cooked it for about an hour until the chicken was done. It was pretty good. I wouldn't have minded a dash or two of cayenne but Matt is not big on spicey foods so I didn't add it. Have a great day.

Spring, Child Witches,

A couple of pictures I took yesterday, one of a pot of geraniums hanging on our balcony and another of the blossom outside our window. I also took a picture of the dandelions swathed across the parkland, but it seems to have disappeared although I took a video as well which I do have. The park is Heritage Park although Heritage Rd. is not close to it, go figure. As you can tell, it was a beautiful day yesterday although somewhat cool and windy. Today it is supposed to be warmer. Ve shall see.


A very disturbing story out of the Congo this morning about children being accused of being witches and then mistreated, abused, or even murdered. The pastors making the accusations frequently ask a lot of money for an exorcism. To read about this and see the video click here and see how some of these children are being kicked out onto the streets because they are witches. This is all being done in the name of Jesus. When GMA brought it up to the Congolese government they said if the child has brown eyes and a big belly it is probably a witch. What a terrible abuse of power. In the video it showed two gorgeous young boys who were accused, their eyes show confusion and fear. Poor little souls and their parents are too primitive in their upbringing to refute the accusations and actually pay the priests for the exorcisms. Unicef is, apparently, working on the problem, but it is a big one. This picture, by the way, shows a child witch!!!!!

Raiding the Ontario Asparagus Grower's Website again I chose this recipe which I think I will be making fairly soon, it sounds delicious and fairly easy to do. Bit low on asparagus at the moment so I will have to make a trip to Barrie's Asparagus Farm.

Asparagus Strudel
Ontario Asparagus Grower's


12 oz (375 g) Ontario asparagus, trimmed
1 tbsp (15 mL) canola oil
2 shallots, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 oz (90 g) Swiss cheese, shredded
1/4 cup (50 mL) sour cream
 salt and pepper
1/4 cup (50 mL) dry bread crumbs
1 tbsp (15 mL) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
6 sheets phyllo pastry
1/2 cup (125 mL) unsalted butter, melted

Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

2 large roasted red peppers, seeded and peeled
1 tbsp (15 mL) chopped fresh basil

Strudel:

Cut asparagus into 1/2-inch (1.25 cm) pieces; steam or simmer just until tender-crisp, about 3 minutes. Drain and pat dry. Place in large bowl. Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat; cook shallots and garlic until softened, about 3 minutes. Cool slightly. Add to bowl. Add cheese, sour cream and salt and pepper to taste to bowl; mix well.
In small bowl, combine bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese; set aside.

Preheat oven to 350º F (180º C). Lightly grease baking sheet. Place one sheet of phyllo on clean work surface with long side closest to you, keeping remaining sheets covered with waxed paper and damp tea towel. Brush with melted butter; sprinkle with about 1 tbsp (15 mL) of the bread crumb mixture. Cover with another sheet of phyllo, butter and bread crumbs. Top with third sheet of phyllo; butter sheet. Cut in half crosswise to make 2 stacks. Place one-quarter of the filling along one short end of stack, leaving about 1 inch (2.5 cm) uncovered at each end. Roll phyllo up and over filling to completely enclose it. Fold long ends over toward filling; continue rolling strudel. Brush all over with butter. Transfer to prepared baking sheet; brush with butter.

Repeat with remaining stack. Make 2 more strudels with remaining ingredients. (The strudels may be prepared to this point and frozen for up to 1 month; bake frozen.) Bake strudels for 30 to 35 minutes or until filling is heated through and pastry is golden brown.

Roasted Red Pepper Sauce:

In food processor or blender, combine red peppers, basil and 1/4 cup (50 mL) of the vinegar; process until smooth. Taste and add more vinegar if desired. Pour into small saucepan and bring to simmer over low heat. Serve under or beside strudels.

Yield: Serves 4

 Have a great day.

Reprieve, Soups,

I went to Barrie's Asparagus Farm yesterday, I didn't have enough to make the Asparagus Vichysoisse, and discovered they no longer close around Father's Day but around Canada Day which is July 1. Hip hip hooray, another couple of weeks of one of my favourite foods. OK I know, some of you are probably bored with me raving about asparagus, but as Tim Barrie said, its only a few short weeks in a year. If you go on Tim's Blog, Canada's First Solar Farm linked on this page, Tim has posted his Mom's recipe for asparagus soup which looks pretty good too, I will have to give it a try.

I made the Asparagus Vichysoisse (June 4 blog) yesterday and it was very good although I think I might prefer it warm. I love the regular Vichysoisse which is leeks and potatoes and is perfect cold, but I think the Asparagus Vichysoisse might be more enjoyable heated. Makes lots - says enough for 8 but not the way we eat. I cheated, I used cream instead of skim milk as I happened to have some left from Saturday, but I think it would be just as good with the skim, besides being better for me. I need to make a batch of soup for freezing too, most asparagus soup recipes call for garnishing with the tips, but that doesn't work if you are going to freeze the end product. I also have to make some Basil Pesto and some Tomato Soup for the freezer. Our basil plants are too new for that yet, so I shall have to wait a while.

Tim's blog site also has a world oil usage counter, the figures are absolutely incredible, I know we use a lot of oil, but it doesn't really register unless you see that counter clocking up barrels like counting grains of salt.

I had an email this morning telling me that the next book in the dragon series about Temeraire by Naomi Novik was due out in the US in July. If you haven't read any of the Temeraire series and you like dragons, I can recommend them. It starts with the supposition that everyone had fighting dragons during the Napoleonic wars. One of the books is called His Majesty's Dragon and on the right there is a flight of His Majesty's dragons. On Naomi Novik's website there is an excerpt from the latest book. I will try and read that later in the day. She also lists her tour dates for the year. No mention of the Dragon Convention in Atlanta though.

A friend who reads this blog reminded me that I mentioned I was going for a CT Scan a couple of weeks ago. You will be glad to know the result was clear. My husband assures me that means I have no brain in there either.

I happened to mention one of my favourite dishes to someone the other day, so I thought I would post a recipe for it. It is a classic Italian dish and as it is cold, is wonderful for a summer meal. The first time I ever ate this dish it was prepared by a very good friend of ours at his restaurant on the occasion of the christening of his daughter, who is my Goddaughter. It may sound an odd combination, but I promise you it works.

Vitello Tonnato

By Kyle Phillips, About.com

It takes a while to make but is well worth it. To serve 6-8 you will need:

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 pounds(1 k) boned veal, cut from the rump.
• 3/4 pound (320 g) tuna packed in oil
• 3 eggs
• 6 salted anchovies (the canned variety, sold by delicatessens)
• A handful of pickled capers
• 1/2 cup (approx.) olive oil
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• A bottle of dry white wine
• The juice of a lemon
• A rib of celery, thinly sliced crosswise
• A few leaves of sage
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 cloves (some people omit these)
• Salt
• A few more perfect capers, some lemon slices, and sprigs of parsley for garnishing

Preparation:

Put the meat in a bowl with the bay leaves, cloves, sage and celery, and pour the wine over it. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 24 hours, turning the meat occasionally. The next day place the meat in a Dutch oven. Strain the wine and add it to the meat, then add enough water to cover. Lightly salt the pot and simmer the meat for an hour. In the meantime, wash, scale and bone the anchovies. When the hour is up add them to the pot and continue boiling for another half hour; the liquid should be reduced by half.

Hard boil the eggs, run them under cold water, peel them, and extract the yolks (you can discard or fill the whites as you prefer). Rinse, squeeze dry, and mince the capers.

When the meat is fork-tender remove it from the pot and strain the broth into a bowl. Transfer the fish filets to a clean strainer and press them through it, together with the tuna and the yolks, into another bowl. Stir in the minced capers, the vinegar, the lemon juice and the olive oil, and then dilute the sauce to your taste with some of the reserved broth.

When the veal has cooled slice it finely and lay the slices out on one or more platters (you want just one layer). Spread the sauce over the meat, garnish the platters with the lemon slices, capers and parsley. Cover them with plastic wrap and chill them in the refrigerator before serving.

Have a great day.

Blogs, Tomatoes and Dinner Parties.

I have just added another link to my page. Canada's First Solar Farm. I told you about Tim Barrie of Barrie's Asparagus, arranging to have solar panels in his fallow asparagus field, that is what his blog is about. An important issue and one I hope you will have a look at. Hey Tim, how about a few windmills, should think it would work well in your area. There is a panic on at the moment about tomatoes. They have found lots of them, from all kinds of sources, to be contaminated with salmonella. Not just on the outside, but right through the fruit. It is apparently thought to be caused by spraying liquid manure on the growing fields and the plants are absorbing the poison as they grow. The tomatoes affected are mostly the Roma and the round red organically grown ones. Cherry, Grape and vine tomatoes are supposed to be OK. If you want to read the Los Angeles Times article click here in fact it is probably a good idea to check it out in case you are in the habit of eating lots of tomatoes as I am. As far as I can tell, it is not happening in Canada although Matt is panicking about me eating tomatoes! The ones pictured on the left are presently affected, the ones pictured on the right are OK. Our dinner party went well on Saturday and everyone enjoyed themselves and the food provided. The Asparagus Phyllo Bundles, in particular, were a big hit as was the Minted Chocolate Freeze dessert. Well it was all successful. One of our guests suggested you could use the phyllo bundles as a finger food by cutting them up in small portions before cooking them, couldn't do it after, the phyllo pastry would fly everywhere. The picture shows one of our guests really enjoying dessert. I ended up with two dessert pies so I have one in the freezer for future guests which is always convenient. Today is bowling day once again so we will be off early this afternoon. It is supposed to hit 30 C today so we will likely be wearing shorts which will seem odd for bowling. We have had one or two quite big thunderstorms and even a tornado which formed in the area but luckily didn't touch down. We are not as prone to tornadoes as some areas, but they are certainly not unknown. I have never done much Thai cooking but here is a recipe I picked up from Chatelaine, a popular magazine here: Thai Basil Noodles with Tofu Servings: 4 Ingredients: 2 eggs 1/4 cup (50 mL) each granulated sugar, fish sauce and ketchup 2 tbsp (30 mL) each Worcestershire sauce and hot chili-garlic sauce 3 garlic cloves 3 green onions 3 red or green peppers 3 carrots 350- g pkg extra-firm tofu 3/4 400-g pkg rice-stick noodles, about 1/4 in. (0.5 cm) wide 3 tbsp (45 mL) vegetable oil 2 cups (500 mL) vegetable broth 1 cup (250 mL) chopped fresh basil Lime wedges (optional) Instructions: 1. Put a full kettle on to boil. In a bowl, whisk eggs with sugar, fish sauce, ketchup, Worcestershire and chili-garlic sauces. Mince garlic. Slice green onions. Slice peppers and carrots into thin bite-size strips. Cut tofu into 1-in. (2.5-cm) cubes. 2. Place noodles in a large bowl. Cover with boiling water. Following pkg directions, soak until almost tender, 8 to 10 min, stirring often to separate. Drain and set aside. 3. Meanwhile, heat oil in a wide saucepan over medium-high. Add tofu. Turn occasionally until light golden, 5 to 8 min. (Tofu may stick a little.) Remove when done to a bowl. Add more oil to pan if needed, then add peppers, carrots and garlic. Stir-fry for 3 min. 4. Add broth. Using a wooden spoon, scrape up and stir in brown bits from pan bottom. Bring to a boil. Stir egg mixture, then pour into pan. Add tofu. Stir constantly until sauce thickens slightly, 2 min. Add noodles. Pan will be very full. Gently toss until noodles are coated and hot, about 2 min. Sprinkle with onions and basil. Serve with lime wedges. Have a great day.

Transportation - Rhubarb

Well Matt just took our car to the 'doctors' for what, apparently, will not be an inexpensive repair. They never are unfortunately. We have a friend who swears his present vehicle will be his last. We don't believe that will last once he is without one for a while. I know in this day and age of fuel prices and ecological concerns, they are looked on somewhat askance, but I would hate to manage without one. I haven't ridden a bike since I was a kid - I tell a lie, I rode one once in a trailer park when I had had a couple. I was actually surprised I stayed on, its one of those things they say you never forget, but I have always been scared of trying again. The trouble is, riding bikes is a summertime passtime here, you couldn't ride one in the winter - too cold, too much snow and ice, etc. I say that, but as I have mentioned before, the Mennonites drive a horse and buggy all though the winter. They must find that excessively cold, at least on the bike you would keep warm pedalling. The buggy shown here is enclosed, but I have seen some that aren't. I am not sure the driver in this one is totally enclosed either, couldn't be really.

We are lucky in the area where we live, there is a pretty good bus service, but even then, in the winter you have to hang around in the cold waiting for one to arrive. Some bus shelters are partially enclosed, but that only helps with the wind, not with the sub zero temps. I hope the picture can give you some idea, it was one of the best I could find. Not all bus stops have them either, so you have to hope you live close to one. When we first came to Canada, there was a service called 'dial-a-bus' which picked you up at your front door, that was great. Before I had a car here, I used to travel on the 'dial-a-bus' to the bus depot down town and then the driver of my regular bus would let me sit in the warmth until it was time to leave for our destination. Then I got a car. For many years we had one each, but these days we have just the one. Very rare that we are not able to travel together especially since I quit my part time job. When we were both working part time it could sometimes be a problem, but it was easy for me to take the occasional cab.

However, without a car, I couldn't go to Barrie's Asparagus Farm, it is quite a drive and probably isn't on a bus route anyway. We went there yesterday and ended my one day's deprivation. Got myself some more rhubarb - I am quite enjoying it and am glad I decided to start this. Apart from all the pounds of Splenda I have to use up *g*. Matt doesn't know what he is missing.

The cookery group I belong to, on the internet at Yahoo Groups, has made something of a specialty of rhubarb recipes, I figured it was time I shared one. I have never made this myself, I would be the only person to eat it and there would be too much, pity, it sounds good doesn't it?:

Cheese Filled Rhubarb Coffee Cake
Source: RecitopiaUK

Fruit Filling:
1 pound fresh rhubarb, approximately 4 cups chopped
2 tablespoons sugar
1 can crushed pineapple in juice, (16 ounces)
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla

Crust:
5 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, approximately
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 stick unsalted butter
4 eggs

Cheese Filling:
24 ounces cream cheese, room temp
1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla

Topping:
1 cup unbleached all-purpose Flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 stick unsalted butter, chilled, cut into chunks

For fruit filling: Clean the rhubarb and chop it into 1/2 inch pieces. Put in a bowl, sprinkle with 2 tablespoons sugar, and let sit several hours or overnight, till the rhubarb releases some of its juice.

Place the undrained rhubarb in a heavy saucepan, add the 1/2 cup sugar and undrained pineapple, and stir to combine. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture is like thick applesauce. Stir more frequently toward the end of the cooking time, so filling doesn't burn. This will take about 1 hour. Remove from heat and set aside. When cool, stir in vanilla.

For crust: Heat milk and butter, cut in pieces, in a saucepan over medium heat until mixture reaches about 120F. Combine 1 cup flour, sugar, yeast and salt in a bowl. Pour milk mixture over dry ingredients, stirring to mix well. Beat in eggs one at a time, then add an additional 3 1/2 cups of flour, mixing to combine. Turn the dough onto a well floured work surface and knead, adding additional flour as necessary, until dough is smooth and elastic. Place dough in a greased bowl, turning to coat all surfaces, cover bowl, and set in a warm spot to rise until dough is doubled in bulk, about 2 hours.

For cheese filling: Beat the cream cheese, eggs, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Set aside.

For topping: Mix the flour, sugar and cinnamon in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Cut in the butter, as you would for pie crust, working it in until mixture is coarse and crumbly.

To assemble: Butter a 12x18x1 inch rimmed baking sheet (a half-sheet pan). Punch dough down, and divide into two pieces. On a large, well floured surface, roll one piece of dough into a 12x18 inch rectangle. Fit into pan. Spread cheese filling on dough in pan to within 1/2 inch of edge, then top evenly with fruit filling. Roll the second piece of dough into a 14x18 inch rectangle, to stretch over filling. Place it on top of the filling, then seal edges, trimming off any extra dough. Brush top crust with melted butter, and sprinkle with topping. Let rise in a warm place for about 15 minutes, while you preheat the oven to 350F.

Bake cake for 45 minutes, or until cake is golden brown and firm to the touch. Serve warm or at room temperature. Makes 24 3x3 inch pieces.

Have a great day.

Barrie's, Everyday Italian

I published the picture of Barrie's Asparagus Farm yesterday. I was fascinated to read, in the article, that they have 35 acres of asparagus and one acre of rhubarb. That's a lot of asparagus. I don't think even I could put much of a dent in that amount. Yesterday's picture also showed the machine they use to pick the asparagus, I had naively assumed they did it by hand. The man in the centre of the picture is their lead hand, Lam Tram. The crate of fresh asparagus shown at the front of the picture makes me drool. I want to reach out and grab some. Apparently the current owner, Tim Barrie, is a third generation asparagus farmer and the farm used to have a contract with Campbell's Soup. I wonder why they don't now, probably not cheap enough any more. The beauty of the asparagus from Barrie's is there is no waste. Most asparagus you buy has to have the ends snapped off, never from the farm. Do you know what's really sad, I don't have any at the moment *g*.

I have been having some problems with one of my cook book programmes which wouldn't open for me after I had wiped my hard drive and re-loaded everything. I had to prove that I had bought the programme in 2005 in order to get help opening it again. However, I have finally done that and now can use it once again. Very frustrating as I had a lot of recipes from Giada de Laurentiis of Everyday Italian which I would have hated to lose. We frequently watch her programmes and I get the recipes from the Internet if it is something I want to keep. She did a super looking cake from Venice the other day, but I refrained because I shouldn't really eat the stuff. A small slice probably wouldn't hurt, but keeping to one small slice, is very difficult to do. Years ago in England I used to make cakes and Matt would come home from work "for tea" and then go back again. We would have some cake, but by the time he came home for supper, there wasn't too much of that cake left. I never did figure what happened to it, but every time I went into the kitchen it seemed to be smaller. Must have been the dogs.

However, you might like to make the cake so here is the recipe:

Almond, Pine Nut, Apricot Crumb Cake Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis Show: Everyday Italian Episode: Venetian Holiday

1/2 cup whole almonds, toasted, plus 1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted, plus 1/4 cup 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 4 large eggs 1 1/4 cups sugar 1 1/2 sticks butter, melted 1/3 cup milk 1/4 teaspoon almond extract 1/2 cup chopped dried apricots Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 9-inch cake pan. Combine the whole almonds and 1/4 cup pine nuts in a food processor. Pulse the machine until the nuts are finely ground. Transfer the nuts to a medium bowl. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir to combine and set aside. In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer beat the eggs and the sugar until the mixture becomes thick and pale yellow. Add the butter, and milk. Stir in the almond extract and apricots. Gently stir in the dry ingredients. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Sprinkle the top of the cake with sliced almonds and remaining 1/4 cup pine nuts. Bake until the cake is cooked and a toothpick comes out clean, about 50 to 55 minutes. Let the cake cool on a wire rack. Use a knife to loosen the edges. Turn the cake out, slice, and serve. Have a great day.