Christmas. Book.

We put our decorations up on Saturday. Every year we swear we aren’t going to do it again, and every year finds us pottering around with tinsel and lights. Matt has turned into Scrooge and doesn’t enjoy any of it any more. I always enjoyed Christmas but sadly all our friends in Canada have families with whom they want to spend the time which leaves us on our own. Not sure how it happened in the States, but we always had lots of fun and friends around at Christmas. Ah well. I always buy the Advent Calendar from Jacquie Lawson every year and also send it to a few friends. Today it began with a new window for every day til Christmas. It is really well done and I have been using them for since they began.

We had a pretty quiet weekend which means I have very little to talk about. I am reading a love story by a friend who lives in Paris and which I am enjoying though it is very different. Not a bit what we expect in a book these days, but very French – her writing conveys her having lived in France sufficiently long to absorb their way of life totally. I will write more when I have finished it.
Of course Monday means bowling again.

This recipe came from Food and Wine and it tickled me because it was headed “glutten free pancakes.” The picture made me feel hungry.

Lemon-Poppy Seed Buttermilk Pancakes

Contributed by Silvana Nardone

One editor said these light but chewy pancakes should be called “awesome cakes (that just happen to be gluten-free).” The poppy seeds add an appealing crunch.

1. 1 1/2 cups Silvana’s Kitchen Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour
2. 2 tablespoons sugar
3. 2 teaspoons baking powder
4. 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
5. 1/2 teaspoon salt
6. 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
7. 2 large eggs, at room temperature
8. 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
9. Finely grated zest of 2 lemons
10. 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
11. 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
12. 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus more for the griddle
13. Warm pure maple syrup, for serving

1. In a large bowl, whisk the flour with the sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk the buttermilk with the eggs, vanilla, zest, lemon juice, poppy seeds and the 6 tablespoons of melted butter. Using a wooden spoon, stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients just until combined.
3. Heat a large nonstick skillet or griddle and brush lightly with melted butter. Scoop 1/4-cup mounds of batter into the skillet and spread 3-inch rounds. Cook over moderate heat until the pancakes are golden on the bottom, about 2 minutes. Flip each pancake and cook until fluffy and cooked through, about 2 minutes longer. Transfer the pancakes to plates and serve with maple syrup.

Have a great day

Victoria Day, Anteater Puzzle.

Today is Victoria Day in Canada. Canada celebrated Queen Victoria’s birthday long before Confederation and Canadians of the time gathered together on the occasion of her 35th birthday to cheer her. After her death in 1901 it became a law that Victoria Day should be marked. It seems from the history to have got muddled up with Empire Day and subsequent royal birthdays. However, today it is celebrated on the Monday before May 25th as a way to mark the present Queen’s birthday as well as celebrating Empire Day. Must be a bit muddling for Queen Elizabeth II, her actual birthday is April 21, her Canadian birthday is in May and her official birthday in the UK is in June. One bit of history I do recall is that Queen Victoria chose Ottawa as the capital of Canada.

Mind you people have been letting off fireworks round here since Friday night although the official displays will be tonight. From our balcony we get quite a good view of quite a lot of the rockets, but the two big displays locally are just out of sight for us.
Odd little story, officials at LEO Zoological Conservation Center in Connecticut, are puzzled at the birth of a baby anteater in an all female pen. The male was removed last August and an anteater needs 6 months gestation period, so the zoo is very puzzled. This is a picture of a baby anteater although not the one in question.

I started reading The Fall of Giants yesterday, what a depressing book, not sure I will be finishing it.

For those of you who are not besotted with asparagus as I am, I thought I would give you a chicken recipe today. I have never seen frozen artichoke hearts round here, so I guess I would us a jar of them. If you are unfamiliar with orzo, it is a pasta which is very small and looks a bit like rice.

Chicken and Sun-Dried Tomato Orzo

WebMD Recipe from EatingWell.com

Sun-dried tomatoes and Romano cheese pack a flavourful punch along with the tantalizing aroma of fresh marjoram in this rustic Italian-inspired dish. Serve with sautéed fresh spinach or steamed broccolini.


Ingredients
8 ounces orzo, preferably whole-wheat
1 cup water
1/2 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes, (not oil-packed), divided
1 plum tomato, diced
1 clove garlic, peeled
3 teaspoons chopped fresh marjoram, divided
1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
2 teaspoons plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
4  boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed (1-1 1/4 pounds)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon
freshly ground pepper
1 9-ounce package frozen artichoke hearts, thawed
1/2 cup finely shredded Romano cheese, divided

Instructions

1. Cook orzo in a large saucepan of boiling water until just tender, 8 to 10 minutes or according to package directions. Drain and rinse.
2. Meanwhile, place 1 cup water, 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, plum tomato, garlic, 2 teaspoons marjoram, vinegar and 2 teaspoons oil in a blender. Blend until just a few chunks remain.
3. Season chicken with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, adjusting the heat as necessary to prevent burning, until golden outside and no longer pink in the middle, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate; tent with foil to keep warm.
4. Pour the tomato sauce into the pan and bring to a boil. Measure out 1/2 cup sauce to a small bowl. Add the remaining 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes to the pan along with the orzo, artichoke hearts and 6 tablespoons cheese. Cook, stirring, until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Divide among 4 plates.
5. Slice the chicken. Top each portion of pasta with sliced chicken, 2 tablespoons of the reserved tomato sauce and a sprinkling of the remaining cheese and marjoram.

Have a great day