Blogging, PSWs, Cooking, Video Call, Shopping, Favourites,

Over the weekend I thought of several interesting things to write about, but, being an idiot, I didn't write them down, with the end result that I now cannot think of anything to write about. At least we got PSWs both days, Saturday was fairly early so a shower and exercises were achieved, today (Sunday) she came later and Matt was already dressed. Actually, she came unmasked and I wasn't sure it was the same girl. She ended up by getting a mask from me. As she said, and I perfectly understood, she takes her mask off in the car and this time she had forgotten to put it back on. As this was her second visit, I just left her to do Matt's exercises and to make the beds. I also got her to take the recycling downstairs for me. Later I discovered she had made his bed and not mine, boo hoo. Later on I got a call from tomorrow's PSW and he is coming at 9, not 7. Hooray. Mind you, on Saturday I still had my housecoat on as I was doing laundry. That means dragging to our laundry room and back again, four times all together. Had to do more laundry today due to an accident. On Saturday saw the woman who has started cleaning for me, she was just heading out for her vacation.

I did, however, enjoy my champagne and smoked salmon today. Yesterday I cooked a flank steak in the Instant Pot for supper and tonight I cooked Stuffed Peppers. I have kind of invented my own recipe and it is pretty good. Stuffed Peppers in the Instant Pot are so very easy because you don't have to cook the peppers first which I always thought was a pain. I cook the rice in the Pot first and then later mix everything up and stuff the peppers.

Tomorrow I have a joint video chat coming up with Natalie and Stephanie two of the Social Workers in various fields who have been helping us. Partly, Natalie said, to put a face to the voice they have talked to. Nice for me to do the same.

I am hoping Kathy will be home to do my grocery pick-up on Tuesday (forgot it was Canada Day on Wednesday) I am jealous of these people going off on vacations, it is years since we have been away.

Froze some more of that green stuff today and will probably do some more before I go to bed. Just giving myself an excuse to drive over there again LOL. Reminds me, I bought some Portabella mushrooms which we ate on Saturday. I had forgotten how much I loved them too. For some reason, haven't had them for a long time. Artichokes are another thing I love and haven't had for ages. One of the disadvantages of not going to the store I don't get to see when they are available, if they are available of course.

Reading the tips in this recipe, I have underlined one sentence with which I totally concur.

Asparagus and Shrimp Paté

2 lb (1 kg) shrimp, shelled
½ cup (125 mL) chopped green onions
3 Tbs (45 mL) seasoned rice vinegar
1 Tbs (15 mL) chopped garlic
1 Tbs (15 mL) chopped fresh tarragon
2 Tbs (25 mL) chopped parsley
1 egg
1 egg white
½ cup (125 mL) whipping cream
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 lb (500 g) medium-size asparagus spears, blanched
Garnish
Fresh tarragon
Lemon slices, optional

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC).

2. Combine shrimp, green onions, vinegar, garlic, tarragon and parsley in a food processor. Process until mixture is just combined. While machine is running, add egg, egg white and cream. Stop machine immediately. Mixture should have a little bit of texture left. Season well with salt and pepper.

3. Lay a third of shrimp mixture into a buttered loaf pan. Add a layer of asparagus trimmed to fit pan. If asparagus is too short then add a second piece as well. Add second layer of shrimp mixture and another layer of asparagus. Finish with remaining shrimp mixture.

4. Place loaf pan into a second slightly bigger pan. Fill larger pan with boiling water halfway up loaf pan. Cover loaf pan with a piece of buttered parchment paper and cover tightly with foil.

5. Bake for 55 minutes or until white juices begin to rise and pâté is cooked through in the middle. Cool in pan and pour off any liquid that has gathered. Turn out on to a rectangular plate and decorate with fresh tarragon and lemon slices, if desired.

Servings: 10

Tips
Asparagus, when in season, deserves to be used as much as possible. Combining it with a shrimp purée makes an outstanding pate. To blanch asparagus, toss into a pot of boiling water, bring back to the boil, drain well, and run under cold water.

Author: Lucy Waverman
Source: Food and Drink

Have a great day, stay well, stay safe.
 

Cooking, Help,

I'm not too sure I should be blogging right now, I am somewhat down in the dumps. My aches and pains have really been bothering me but I am still having to work my butt off somehow. I decided to make some bean soup today to give us meals in the freezer for when I really can't.  It was a kind of combination between a recipe I already had and my invention. Tastes pretty good and I have enough for 3 meals for the pair of us.

I have some peppers in the fridge which I am planning to stuff asap. They too freeze very well and make a quick, easy meal. Not sure when I will get round to that though. I just seem to be on the go all the time. I take a lot longer these days. Sitting at the dining table to chop stuff doesn't help. It is much easier to end up with stuff on the floor.

Tomorrow I have Sarah, who volunteers to help me with housework, coming in the afternoon. In the morning I do my washing. Not sure why I ended up doing it on Saturday morning but it seems to work as nobody else wants to theirs at that time.

For supper we ended up having a recipe for Shrimp and Sugar Snap Peas. The taste was good, but there was too much liquid, I would adjust that in future if I do it again. I would probably at least leave out the pasta water. The sauce was delicious mind you, but way too much of it. Of course I cooked the pasta in the instant pot. Of course it calls for chili oil so I ended up using Gochujang. I still have the fresh Basil I posted a pic of before, but it is beginning to wilt a tad in places.

Shrimp and Sugar Snap Peas

Recipe By:EAKE

"Quick and easy pasta dish with a little bite that will make anyone look like a gourmet chef. Adjust

the chili oil to your own spice level."

Ingredients

• 1 (16 ounce) package uncooked linguini pasta
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon chili oil
• 1 1/2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 pound sugar snap pea pods
• 2 large cloves garlic, minced

 

• 1 1/2 cups dry white wine
• 1/4 cup reserved pasta water
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add linguini pasta, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup liquid.
2. Heat the olive oil and chili oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Mix in the shrimp, pea pods, and garlic. Cook and stir 2 minutes, until shrimp are almost opaque. Remove from heat, and set aside.
3. Pour the wine into the wok, and bring to a boil. Cook until reduced by 1/3. Return shrimp, peas, and garlic to the wok, and stir in the reserved pasta water. Continue to cook and stir until shrimp are opaque. Remove wok from heat, and mix in the butter, lemon juice, and basil. Toss with the cooked pasta to serve.

Have a great day, stay safe, stay well, stay home.
 

Internet Friendships, Foot Nurse, Cooking,

You know the internet is marvellous, we can talk to all our friends, send them virtual hugs and get them back without any of the health risks which would be involved in f2f contact. I think of previous pandemics where people must have felt so alone and shut in without all the facilities we have today. Not only that, of course, but we can talk to people over vast differences and become close friends with people we may never meet. Or closer with friends we have met, for instance,  ladydog I met through the internet, cookery would you believe. I have been lucky enough to meet face to face with a number of the people I met through the internet and we have always greeted each other like long lost friends. But, I have a number of friends in Australia and other countries whom, unless fortune really favours me, I will never get to see but that doesn't lessen our very close friendships which have been developed over the years. In my case, mostly through cooking.

I got in touch with the young woman who is going to be our new Foot Nurse but she isn't working right now because of the virus. That could be a problem, especially as Matt's toe nails grow rapidly. Mine don't thank goodness, in fact one toe nail doesn't grow at all any more. Part of my Peripheral Arterial Disease I believe.

This afternoon, I finally got up of my lazy rear end and made some tomato soup which I have been meaning to do since we drank the last a few weeks ago. It is, as usual, delicious. I then started chopping and measuring to make the following recipe for supper. It says serve it over rice? It has potatoes in it, why would you want rice as well? I suppose Cubans, being a somewhat poorer nation,  need filling up, and we don't in this part of the world. I have a feeling I am going to be doing a lot of cooking over the next week or two. We ate this for supper, without the rice and it was much better than I expected, in fact it was delicious. I roughly halved the recipe for my 3 qt. Pot and that was fine for two meals. Tina of Boulder Locavore was asking her subscribers if there was anything she could do for us in current times and I said thanks but nothing. I then commented I was hugging my Instant Pot and she sent me her file of IP recipes. I was delighted and will probably make more. Jacky+Amy are another great source for IP recipes. Thanks Ivy for changing my life.

Cuban Instant Pot Beef Stew (Carne Con Papas)

Carne con papas or Cuban Beef Stew is a soul-warming dish with rich spices (thought it's not spicy-

hot), chunks of tender meat and potatoes in a savory broth.

2 Tbs Olive Oil
2 lbs Beef Stew Meat (my butcher uses Top Sirloin)
4 medium Garlic Cloves , peeled and diced
1 medium White Spanish Onion , peeled and chopped
1 medium Green Bell Pepper , cored and chopped
2 medium Potatoes (approximately 1 pound), peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1 cup Low Sodium Beef Broth
½ cup Dry Sherry or Madeira (note: if you prefer not to use any liquor, substitute ½ cup more beef broth)
1 8-ounce can can Tomato Sauce
1 14.5-ounce can can Diced Tomatoes , undrained
1 ½ Tbs Paprika
1 Tbs Distilled White Vinegar
1 tsp Oregano
½ tsp ground Cumin

1. Plugin the power cord of the Instant Pot and when the LED display reads ‘OFF’ (in standby mode), press the SAUTE button (with the lid off).

2. Add the olive oil and the stew meat. Brown the stew meat, allowing it to sit between stirring to develop a sear on each side (note: it can be done in two batches.). Remove and place the meat on a plate or mixing bowl.

3. Add the garlic, onion and green pepper to the Instant Pot and sauté for 3 minutes.

4. Add the beef (with any accumulated juices) and all the remaining ingredients to the Instant Pot. Seal and select MEAT/STEW (which is preset for High Pressure for 35 minutes).

5. When cooking is complete, wait 10 minutes then do a Quick Release. Serve over rice.

Yield: 8 cups stew

Source: Boulder Locavore

Have a great day
 

Ultra Sound, X-ray, Words for Wednesday, Cooking.

At the sound of the alarm, I crawled reluctantly out of bed. I use my CPAP machine's alarm, most expensive alarm I have ever had, never use it for it's proper purpose any more. Anyway, 6 a.m. is far too early for me. I went to get the car and met Matt at the front door. I had told him to bring his walker - it is way easier to fold and put in the trunk than mine is. No wonder his type is so much more expensive. I'm glad the government paid for it though.

I hadn't registered before that it would be dark. These days, I hate driving in the dark and certainly don't do it from choice any more. Especially if it's raining. All the cars seemed to have their headlights on high beam and I felt blind half the time. There was one accident which I could hardly see until cars were coming towards me on the lane I was using. Scary to say the least.

They took Matt in for an ultra sound and the young lady who was doing the job was Asiatic, not sure if she was Chinese or Japanese. Anyway, I didn't think Matt would understand her but luckily he seemed to be able to. She told us he was having an X-ray too. Didn't know that. So he had to move down the corridor and remove his pants and shoes. He said the seat in the change room was extremely hard. I was sitting on his wheelie (walker) which wasn't terribly comfortable either. In the end I walked round the corner where I found some chairs. I waited there whilst he was X-rayed. Eventually it was all over and we headed home. By this time it was light, thank goodness. Matt's breakfast was ready, he likes his cereal well soaked in milk, but I had to cook mine.

Shortly after, I went online and did my Words for Wednesday which is a fun thing to do. It is hosted by Sue at Elephant's Child and I was referred there by Mark Koopmans. One gets a list of words and the idea is to write a poem or a story or something  using as many of the words from the list as you can. I think I left out three, or maybe four, this morning.

After lunch, I threw the chicken thighs I had been defrosting, into a marinade and plan to make French Garlic Chicken in the Instant Pot. It can also be made on the stove top. Click on the Two Sleevers link if you want to try the stove top version.  I then promptly went to sleep for a couple of hours.

French Garlic Chicken

At the risk of sounding conceited, had I been served this Low Carb French Garlic Chicken in a

restaurant in Paris, I would not have complained. And of course, since it’s my recipe it’s stupid simple. An easy recipe that can be made in the Instant Pot Gem or stovetop.

For the Marinade
2 tsp Herbes de Provence.
2 Tbs Olive oil
1 Tbs Dijon mustard
1 Tbs cider vinegar
1/2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Pepper
1 Tbs minced Garlic
1 lb chicken thighs boneless skinless

For Cooking
2 Tbs Butter
8 cloves chopped Garlic
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup Cream

Mix all the ingredients for the marinade, using a wire whisk to emulsify the oil and vinegar together.
Add in chicken thighs and allow it to marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes. If you need to marinate for longer, put in the refrigerator.
1. For Instant Pot

2. When you are ready to cook, turn your Instant Pot to Sauté and when it is hot, add the butter and allow it to melt.

3. Add chopped garlic and sauté for 2-3 minutes.

4. Add in the chicken leaving behind as much of the marinade as you can. Do not discard the marinade.

5. Cook the chicken thighs so that they can lightly brown on one side, 3-5 minutes.

6. Add the marinade and 1/4 cup water.

7. Close the instant pot and set it to cook at High Pressure for 5 minutes. Allow it to release pressure naturally for 10 minutes, and then release all remaining pressure.

8. Remove the chicken on to a plate and add 1/4 cup cream into the pot, mixing well with the liquid in the pot.

9. As soon as the sauce thickens, pour it onto the chicken thighs and serve.

Servings: 4

Source: TwoSleevers

Author Notes
If you don't have Herbes de Provence, sub Italian blend herbs or even Greek blend herbs for a slightly different taste

Go easy on the salt in this recipe. I have reduced it to 1/2 teaspoon based on reader feedback

Have a great day
 

Running Around Again, Holiday Inn, Holiday Wishes, Cooking, Saturday Recipe

What a Friday again. Not sure what it is with us at the moment, seem to be on the go all the time. Friday morning went to the hairdressing salon. Two guys ahead of us which didn't help. Eventually we were done and it was late. I wanted to go to Victoria St. Market for a couple of things - should I go home, lunch, exercise class and then come out again or should I go to the store first. Decisions, decisions. Decided to go to the market. I have never seen the place so busy. The parking is not very big at the best of times, today I was lucky to slide into a spot. The store itself was a zoo. Managed to get what I wanted and get out. Matt wondered what I had been buying.

Got home and by this time it was late. I grabbed a few things to eat, including the Red Lobster biscuits which I had remembered this time. Kind of shoved them in my mouth and then went downstairs to the exercise class. Wanted to be able to wish everyone Merry Christmas. One person brought some Lindt truffles and a candy cane for our instructor. Apparently she cannot eat chocolate. Wish I couldn't LOL. Back upstairs I hunted for a couple of recipes I wanted and then sat down in my arm chair and just zonked out.

Watched a Broadway version of Holiday Inn tonight. Didn't realise I had never seen it before. I was getting it muddled up with White Christmas. Kind of thought they were the same.

Not too sure if I will be posting much next week. Just in case I wish you all a really wonderful Christmas and hope everything goes the way you would like.

And, to anyone else who doesn't celebrate Christmas, I wish you happy Holidays and a wonderful New Year.

Tomorrow I am planning to do a variation on Blue Cheese Crusted Filet Mignon With Port Wine Sauce which I published on August 1, 2015. I have some blue cheese I want to use up anyway. I bought a Sirloin steak and figured this would go well.

Bearing in mind my recent interest in mussels, I figured this sounded a good recipe.

Spaghetti with Mussels, Clams and Shrimp

1/4 cup dry white wine
2 dozen mussels, scrubbed
2 dozen littleneck clams, scrubbed
3 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
8 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1 1/2 pints cherry tomatoes (1 1/2 pounds), halved
1 lb spaghetti
3/4 lb medium shrimp—shelled, deveined and halved crosswise
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbs chopped parsley

1. Bring the wine to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the mussels, cover and cook over high heat until they open, about 2 minutes. Using tongs, transfer the mussels to a bowl. Add the clams to the saucepan, cover and cook until they start to open. Transfer them to the bowl with the mussels. Pour the cooking liquid into a small glass measure, leaving behind any grit. Shell the mussels and clams and return them to the bowl.

2. Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan. Add the garlic and cook over low heat until golden, about 3 minutes. Add the red pepper and half of the cherry tomatoes and cook over moderate heat, crushing the tomatoes with a wooden spoon, until the juices thicken, about 4 minutes. Add the reserved shellfish cooking liquid and simmer over moderate heat until slightly reduced, about 3 minutes.

3. Cook the spaghetti in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Meanwhile, bring the sauce to a simmer over moderate heat. Add the shrimp and cook for 1 minute. Add the remaining cherry tomatoes and the reserved mussels and clams and simmer briefly to heat through.

4. Drain the spaghetti and return it to the pot. Add the seafood sauce and toss to coat. Season with salt and black pepper and transfer to a warmed bowl. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve at once.

Yield: 4 to 6
Source: Food and Wine

Have a great weekend.
 

Unwell Again, Mandarin, Boo-Boo Plants, Cooking

Would you believe, having got over my stint with IBS, I then felt sick and dizzy most of the day. No idea why. I had a touch of a headache too and wondered if I was heading for a migraine but didn't thank goodness. Boring. So, of course, having intended to go bowling this afternoon for a while, I ended up sleeping the time away. Missed the exercise classes too this week. Will have to make up for it next week.

Friday we are going to lunch at Mandarin with ladydog for her birthday. Haven't been there for quite a while - think I mentioned. Had some onion soup today which was tasteless so am looking forward to Mandarin's Hot and Sour Soup. It is the best I have ever tasted.

By the way, I have been keeping up with my Spanish every day. Seem to end up doing it late at night.

Have you come across Boo-Boo Plants? I got an ad from them, in the mail I think. Looked them up today, they are cute. Thinking of giving some as presents. On their website you can see more of these tiny plants in their miniature terrariums.

Now I will have to do my chicken breasts dump and go recipe. Of course, we don't have Target any more (didn't catch on round here) so I just use a Barbecue sauce I can get here. I also used peppers and onions this time. We both enjoyed it and have leftovers for another day. This time I did rice, next time I may well to cauliflower rice. It is so very easy.

INSTANT POT HAWAIIAN BBQ CHICKEN

4-6 Boneless Chicken Breasts (mine were still frozen!)
1 Bottle Archer Farms Hawaiian Style Barbecue Sauce (from Target)
1 20 oz can Pineapple Chunks (do not drain - you need the juice so it will pressurize!)

1. Place frozen chicken breasts in the Instant Pot and cover with sauce. Empty can of pineapple chunks and juice on top. Close the lid and turn the knob to SEALING.

2. Set the timer to 25 minutes if your chicken is frozen or 18 if you chicken is thawed.

3. When it is done, turn the knob to VENTING. When the pressure is released, take the lid off.

4. Shred chicken and return to the Instant Pot so the chicken will be well coated with sauce. Serve over rice or cauliflower rice.

5. Sometimes I also throw in a chopped up green pepper and chopped onion . . . it tastes good with or without it.

 Source: Six Sisters

Have a great day
 

Book Review, Princess Margaret, Bowling, Cooking,

You Beneath Your Skin by Damyanti Biswas
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Horrifying. But at the same time a gripping story. From my perspective, the ending was unresolved, but then so was Gone with the Wind. I certainly would never want to go to Delhi. There is an abundance of corruption and I want to see people get their comeuppance, but that is only my feeling. The thought that a charity is needed for people, mainly women, who have acid thrown in their faces is also horrifying. Is Delhi worse than our western cities? I don't know. I blindly believe our society is more civilised, but is it? I highly recommend this book for two reasons, an excellent read and to support the charities Damyanti has chosen to donate the proceeds to, both of which assist women, the first, those who have acid thrown in their faces. The second underprivileged children. The Chanv Foundation and Project Why.

I'm not all that good at this book reviewing business.

Just watched a documentary about Princess Margaret. Most of her story occurred whilst we still lived in England although it appears some of the later relationships began just as we were emigrating. I wondered why I didn't remember anything about it. She certainly led a very different life from the rest of the royal family at the time although since her day, things have loosened up considerably. In a way she had a hard life, she was neither fish nor fowl as it were. It was an interesting documentary though.

Weather permitting we are, of course, bowling on Monday afternoon. I do hope I do better than the last couple of times. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

Basically a quiet weekend and other than a bit of cooking, we didn't do much at all. Saturday I did a Pot Roast Flank Steak - cooked it before but this time I gave it less time and it wasn't overdone. It was delicious. Mind you, there is no way it came out pink. I used white wine vinegar too, don't have Apple Cider Vinegar.

 Instant Pot Marinated Flank Steak, Dump and Go Dinner

1 lbs Flank Steak
1/4 cups Apple Cider Vinegar
1 tbs Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cups Olive Oil
2 Tbs Onion Soup Mix, Dried

1. Set Instant Pot to sauté.

2. Add flank steak and brown on each side.

3. Add vinegar, Worcestershire, olive oil and onion soup mix.

4. Lock cover into place and seal steam nozzle.

5. Cook on high pressure for 25 minutes.

6. Naturally release pressure for 5 minutes and quick release remaining pressure.

7. I poured off as much oil as I could to use the juices for gravy.

Servings: 2

 Source: Once a Month Meals



Have a great day
 

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
 

Snow, Bowling, Cooking.

Sunday morning when I got up way too early because of the time change, I was greeted by Matt saying it had been snowing when he got up. I looked out of the window and lo and behold all the roofs I could see were white and even the grass in the park had white accumulations in some places. I guess winter is definitely here. Hopefully ladydog will be home today, (Sunday) they managed to change their flights from Chile, but still had to kill 9 hours at the airport. However, they should be home safely by now.

Monday is, of course bowling. By the way, we have ended with the Silver Wolves courtesy of one of our team members who decided wolves were better than foxes. Doesn't have quite the same ring, but I am very fond of wolves too. I do hope I bowl better than last week which was quite disastrous, especially after the previous three weeks.

Having found the following recipe I decided to give it a go on Saturday. First of all I had to defrost my lamb roast enough to cut it in half, way too big for my Instant Pot. That meant - as the author suggested - I cut the cooking time back to 40-45 minutes. I think for us, if I do this recipe again and I am sure I will, that the time should be cut back even further. The meat fell apart and I prefer my lamb to be sliceable. However, Matt liked it, he said the meat was delicious, and thinking about it, he is always complaining about meat being tough these days, particularly fillet steak, so maybe falling apart is how I should present meat to him in future. It just seemed to me a criminal way of treating leg of lamb. It was more like a pot roast. It was, however, delicious. I did end up with way too much liquid though so will have to cut some of that down next time. Also, I did all the sautée work in a frying pan. It is really much easier, as the pot is a bit too high for me anyway and the bottom surface is not very large for such preparation work. (ladydog told me she did that all the time, she might have told me). A tip I recently discovered from World Wide Recipes, is to use dry Vermouth instead of white wine. I am going to try that next time I need white wine. You don't even have to keep that in the fridge.

Greek Instant Pot Leg of Lamb

Greek-style boneless leg of lamb in the Instant Pot, fall apart tender, serve with flavorful pot juices

and Greek potatoes for Easter or any special occasion.

1   4-4½- pound boneless leg of lamb, string mesh removed
Several cloves of garlic, peeled, cut into slivers
Olive oil
Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp paprika
1 onion, peeled and quartered
1 cup dry white wine
1 ¼ cup chicken stock, preferably homemade
½ cup lemon juice from 2 to 3 lemons
7-10 sprigs thyme
3 sprigs rosemary
1 sprig oregano
2 tsp dried oregano
2 bay leaves

1. With a sharp paring knife, pierce lamb and make a hole, slip in a sliver of garlic.  Repeat and insert as many slivers of garlic as you can, evenly distributed all over the roast.

2. Drizzle the lamb with a little olive oil, season all over with the garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper.  Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in the insert on the sauté setting until hot.  Add lamb and brown well on both sides, 4 to 5 minutes per side.

3. Remove lamb to plate.  Add onion and cook until starting to soften.  Add a couple whole cloves of peeled, smashed garlic and cook until fragrant.  Add wine and deglaze pan, stirring up any brown bits and reducing by about half.

4. Turn off sauté setting and add remaining ingredients; chicken stock, lemon juice and herbs.  Give a quick stir to combine and place lamb roast back in pot, seam side down.  The liquid should come up the sides but not completely submerge the roast, about 2¼ to 2¾ cups, add more stock or water, if needed.

5. Seal electric pressure cooker and cook on high for 90 minutes.  Let pressure release naturally for 20 minutes, then release any remaining pressure manually.  Remove lamb to cutting board, rest 10 minutes.  Strain pot juices and skim any excess fat, taste for salt and pepper.  Shred/cut lamb into slices/pieces and arrange on platter.  Surround with roasted potatoes and spoon defatted cooking liquid all over lamb and potatoes.  Enjoy!

Source: The Hungry Bluebird

Have a great day

Cooking, LHIN, Exercises, Ladydog, Pork Roasts,

So I had basically planned to cook stuffed peppers today, Thursday, and was already well under way when the phone rang and it was the woman from the LHIN asking if she could come at 11:30 as she already had an earlier appointment in the building. That kind of threw me out. We both had to start skidaddling as we were still in our night attire. However, we really had plenty of time. Nan from the LHIN came shortly after 11:30 and didn't stay all that long. She basically had most of our information from when she had interviewed us last year after I came out of hospital. Can't believe that's a year ago next  month. Anyway, the upshot is she has allocated me 3 hours a week of respite time (i.e. a PSW - Personal Service Worker - will come and spend time here) so that I can go out for whatever reason, i.e. meeting up with the other people from the TEACH course. Or anything else. I actually don't think I am really going to need 3 hours a week, but...

When she had gone, we had a late lunch. As I asked her,  how come so many medical people make appointments over the lunch hour? Later I finished off the peppers for supper, they were good, and I still have some stuffing left as they weren't the biggest peppers by any means.

Friday will be exercise classes of course, there were only two of us on Wednesday so hope there will be more.

Heard from Ladydog today, she is in Ecuador at the moment. Believe that is a pretty good place to make one's home. They eventually fly home from Chile.

My friend Liz tells me she has bought lots of pork roasts at a terrifically cheap price. I thought this recipe might interest her. Think I posted it before but a long time ago.

Wine-Braised Pork with Chestnuts and Sweet Potatoes

Legendary chef Jacques Pépin sears pork shoulder to make a terrific crust, then braises it slowly with

stock, wine, chestnuts and sweet potatoes until it’s meltingly tender.

1 4-pound boneless pork shoulder
2 tsp kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
Pepper
1 onion, finely chopped
5 garlic cloves, crushed
3 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth
1/2 cup dry white wine
5 parsley sprigs, plus chopped parsley for garnish
3 thyme sprigs
1 1/2 lbs sweet potatoes (about 3 medium), peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 lb vacuum-packed roasted peeled chestnuts (3 cups)

1. Season the pork with the 2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Heat a large cast-iron casserole over moderately high heat. Add the pork, fat side down, and add 1/2 cup of water. Cook until all

2. of the water has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Continue to cook over moderate heat until the pork is golden brown, about 8 minutes. Flip the pork and cook, turning occasionally, until browned all over, about 5 minutes longer.

3. Add the onion and garlic to the casserole and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Add the stock, wine and parsley and thyme sprigs and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook over low heat, turning once, until the pork is just tender, 2 1/2 hours. Add the sweet potatoes and chestnuts, cover and cook until the pork and sweet potatoes are very tender, 30 minutes.

4. Transfer the pork to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sweet potatoes and chestnuts to a platter. Strain the jus into a bowl and degrease with a spoon; season with salt and pepper.

5. Slice the pork and arrange it on top of the vegetables. Garnish with parsley and serve with the jus.

Servings: 8

Author: JACQUES PÉPIN

Author Notes
The braised pork can be refrigerated overnight and reheated before serving.

Have a great day

Victoria St. Market, Books, Cooking, Charity,

One thing I need to do today is go to Victoria St. Market and get some ostrich chicken thighs. Well they are huge with lots of meat on them. Two of them is plenty for Matt and I for a meal. Have to get a few bananas too.

Well, I have run out of books by Susan Gourley Kelley. I have read every one she has written and enjoyed all of them. I especially enjoyed her Futhark Chronicles series. Yes, I have other books to read, but I have really got lost in her stories.

Just started Warriors of Altaii which is a book by Robert Jordan which he wrote many a long year ago and has just been re-issued  although I am not too sure it was ever in print before. I have only read his Wheel of Time series which was a wonderful series of stories. Pity he died before he finished them although Brandon Sanderson finished them for him. Apparently Jordan had written extensive notes as to how the ending should go.

Looking for something else, I found some chili in the freezer, had it for supper. It was good, I had forgotten. I really should use up stuff in the freezer instead of keep cooking. II do so enjoy using my Instant Pot though although I won't be using it tomorrow as I plan to cook the salmon recipe I posted yesterday. Fish on Fridays, no idea why I started that, we aren't Catholics after all.

It turns out that the two appliances I no longer need can be placed in the charity box downstairs which goes to Cerebral Palsy. Which is what I shall do.

There may not be a blog on Saturday. Taking a break.

Kevin Lynch comes up with some great recipes. This one is no exception. I think it could well be cooked in the Instant Pot. I will have to figure it out.

Beef Rendang

An easy to make authentic Indonesia/Malaysia beef curry that just melts in your mouth!

10 dried chilies, soaked in hot water until tender
5 shallots (or 1 small onion), diced
2 Tbs galangal, grated
2 Tbs ginger, grated
4 Tbs garlic, minced or grated
2 Tbs lemongrass, chopped
1 Tbs oil
1 lb beef, cut into bite sized cubes
1 cinnamon stick
3 cloves
3 star anise
3 cardamom pods
1 stalk lemongrass, pounded
1 (14oz) can coconut milk
1 tsp tamarind paste (or concentrate)
2 large kaffir lime leaves (sliced)
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes, toasted
1 Tbs palm sugar (aka coconut sugar) (or brown sugar or sugar)
salt to taste

1. Process the chilies, shallots, galangal, ginger, garlic, and lemongrass in a food processor until it forms a paste.

2. Heat the oil in a large sauce pan and brown the beef on all sides.

3. Add the paste from step 1, along with the cinnamon, cloves, star anise, cardamom, and lemongrass and cook until fragrant, about a minute.

4. Add the coconut milk and tamarind, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the beef is fall apart tender, about 1-2 hours.

5. Add the kaffir lime leaves, coconut and palm sugar and cook another minute before seasoning with salt to taste.

6. Remove the cinnamon stick, cloves, star anise, cardamon and lemongrass stalk and enjoy!

Servings: 4

Author: Kevin Lynch
Source: Closet Cooking

Author Notes
Use short ribs, chuck, or other stewing beef.

Use about 3 stalks lemongrass, the white tender part only.

Slow Cooker: Optionally implement steps 1-3 before throwing everything into the slow cooker and cooking on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 2-4 hours

Have a great day
 

TEACH, Biodiversity, ladydog and her Lady Dog, Cooking, Documentaries,

We have all agreed to meet up but unfortunately one of  the group wasn't there. Her hubby was sick. Asked for my number to be passed on to her. Those who were there have all given me their emails and phone numbers - so guess who has the job of coordinating?

We just watched a fascinating Nature documentary which explained the work of certain scientists starting with Bob Paine 60 years ago, when they discovered the existence of keystone animals in ecosystems - not necessarily, as they had first thought - predators only. By re-introducing such keystone animals or by not culling others, they have shown that ecosystems can recover dramatically.  Bob Paine started it all by removing starfish from tide pools and found that eventually there was no biodiversity in these pools, just mussels. It tickled me they showed pix of the starfish being hurled long distances into the sea away from certain tide pools. I thought it was funny and wondered what the starfish thought of being hurled through the air. It was all very important research. It made me think of another documentary which showed a man in a desert area in some part of Africa, who used termite mounds to accumulate rainwater and eventually turned a large area into a woodland and good land for growing his crops. Took 40 years, but if he could do it, it seems to me deserts could be turned into living land again. We can save the earth we have been destroying.

After my class this morning I went to the grocery store and then to Subway to get lunch for us. Back home and ladydog brought the groceries upstairs for me and then we fed ourselves. Zoey was attending to Matt the whole time because he had been feeding her the dog treats ladydog makes for her. Talk about cupboard love. She is a nosey hound though, wants to know what everyone is doing and what they are handling, be it food or something else. We will miss the pair of them whilst they are away.

One thing ladydog made me think of, cauliflower rice. I made it once before and remembered it as being difficult and not great. However, I made some to go with our supper tonight and it was dead easy. I  think I have a different machine now, not my big food processor but a small one which is part of my hand held blender and using that made it so very easy. More cauliflower rice on the horizon. I was getting tired of stuffing myself with rice all the time.

Just left to go see a programme about The Day the Dinosaurs Died. I had seen it before, but it was interesting to see it again.

Yesterday I cooked Brussels sprouts in chicken stock in the Instant Pot, they were delicious. Today I looked at this recipe and decided I should try it in the near future. Not enough liquid for the Instant Pot I don't think, but adaptation, adaptation, adaptation!!!

Caramelized Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta

The only thing better than a full plate of caramelized Brussels sprouts is a plate of Brussels sprouts

with pancetta.

3 lbs brussels sprouts
6 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
6 shallots, thinly sliced (1 1/2 cups)
2 oz thickly sliced pancetta, cut into 1/4-inch dice
Kosher salt
1/4 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped

1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the brussels sprouts until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and pat dry. Cut the brussels sprouts in half lengthwise.

2. In a large, deep skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil. Add the shallots and cook over moderately low heat, stirring, until lightly browned, 10 minutes; scrape into a bowl.

3. Add the remaining 1/4 cup of oil to the skillet. Add the brussels sprouts, cut side down, and the pancetta. Season with salt and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until the sprouts are browned and tender, 10 minutes. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and shallots and cook, stirring, until warm, 5 minutes. Season with salt, transfer to a bowl and serve.

Servings: 10

Source: Food & Wine





Have a great day
 

Movie, Health, Cooking,

Having watched the actresses in the documentary yesterday, tonight I watched The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel which stars both Judi Dench and Maggie Smith. The pair are wonderful in this movie as in everything they do. I have this movie and the sequel, but unfortunately Matt doesn't enjoy it. He never did even when he was more "with it".

This was a bowling day but I didn't  make it unfortunately. Wasn't feeling to good this morning, my chest felt like I had strained the muscles by lifting something heavy. Which, I hadn't, I was a tad nervous but eventually it faded away and I felt fine later. I was sorry to miss bowling though.

I decided to cook one of ladydog's favourites, Instant Pot Butter Chicken. I used the huge chicken thighs I bought at Victoria Market and found, unsurprisingly, that one thigh each was more than enough meat, which means we have the same dish available again. I have to go to Victoria St. Market  though, I found I have no sausages and certainly no bananas. Also we have run out of both wine and,  horrors, sparkling wine (champers to me).

Matt often has Yucatan Tilapia at Red Lobster, but this looks an interesting variation.

Yucatán Pork Stew with Ancho Chiles and Lime Juice

Butcher-chef Tia Harrison finds making stew a versatile way to use cuts like pork shoulder, shanks

and belly. Here she cooks the stew with pleasantly bitter ancho chiles.

1/4 cup vegetable oil
4 1/2 lbs trimmed boneless pork shoulder, cut into 2-inch pieces
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 large white onions, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
8 garlic cloves, smashed
1 lb carrots, cut crosswise into 2-inch lengths
3 ancho chiles, seeded and cut into very thin strips with scissors
3 bay leaves
pinch of ground cloves
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
6 cups chicken stock
6 plum tomatoes, quartered lengthwise
2 Tbs chopped cilantro
Steamed white rice and sliced jalapeños, for serving

1. In a very large enameled cast-iron casserole, heat the vegetable oil until shimmering. Season the pork with salt and black pepper and add half of it to the casserole. Cook over moderate heat, turning, until browned all over, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pork to a plate. Brown the remaining pork.

2. Return all of the pork to the casserole along with any accumulated juices. Stir in the onions, garlic, carrots, chiles, bay leaves, cloves, lime juice and chicken stock. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Add the tomatoes, nestling them into the liquid. Cover and cook over low heat until the pork is very tender and the carrots are cooked through, about 3 hours. Discard the bay leaves and stir in the cilantro. Serve with rice and sliced jalapeños.

Servings: 8

Tips
The stew can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Reheat before serving

Source: Food & Wine

Have a great day
 

Spanish, Exercises, Cooking, The Highwaymen, Gumbo.

You may remember I am learning Spanish and last night, I was still doing lessons at gone midnight. By the time I had finished, I really didn't want to blog and anyway hadn't a lot to write about, so, sorry, being lazy.

Not that I have a lot to write about today, I had a thoroughly lazy day really. I didn't even go to exercise class, slap hand and go to bed with no tea. My excuse was I was hurting, my reason was I was again being lazy. I just seem to have been on the go lately.

Admittedly Thursday I spent a lot of time making cole slaw. Easy if you are fit, tiring and painful if you are not. Today I made the shrimp and leek recipe I posted on September 25. We both enjoyed it. Matt wasn't too sure at first,  but after he had been eating it for a bit, he decided he liked it. I liked it from the start. Of course it has no spiciness too it which maybe what threw him off. It is really easy to make, I wasn't sure at first, but it was. I cooked the pasta in the Instant Pot of course, then I can forget about it until it's done and concentrate on the rest of the recipe. It is certainly a recipe I will be making again although of course we have leftovers already. Probably eat them Sunday depending on what I decide to cook for Saturday night.

I was wondering, in bed last night thinking about it, does anyone ever cook my recipes? If you don't, you are really missing out on some good nosh.

We just watched "The Highwaymen", with Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash and Chris Christopherson. I could name all of them except Waylon Jennings. We are not supposed to be Country Music fans but we both thoroughly enjoyed the concert and I certainly was familiar with most of the songs. I would love to get the DVD, but not at $50 something. Lot more on the TV of course as they were fund raising once more.

Well, getting pretty late again, did my Spanish earlier, so this is it for tonight.

I haven't made a gumbo since we came back from the Carolinas. This recipe turned up today on MyRecipes.com and I thought, why not. Saving it I noticed they said frozen okra, sorry, I would not use that unless I had to. I haven't seen okra for a while, but there must be somehwere I can get it.

Smoky Shrimp and Chicken Gumbo

Freeze leftover stock up to three months, and use for chowder or risotto.

Stock:
1 lb unpeeled medium shrimp
8 cups water
1 tsp black peppercorns
4 garlic cloves, crushed
3 large celery stalks, chopped
3 bay leaves
3 medium carrots, coarsely chopped
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
Gumbo:
6 Tbs canola oil, divided
2.25 oz all-purpose flour (about 1/2 cup)
6 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 cups finely chopped white onion
1 Tbs Creole seasoning
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 medium celery stalks, chopped
2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
1 large green bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
3 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
2 bay leaves
1 cup frozen cut okra
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco)
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
2 cups hot cooked brown rice

1. To prepare the stock, peel and devein shrimp, reserving shells. Cut each shrimp in half lengthwise; cover shrimp, and refrigerate.

2. Combine reserved shrimp shells, 8 cups water, and next 6 ingredients (through onion) in a large Dutch oven, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 1 hour. Strain mixture through a sieve into a bowl; discard solids. Set aside 3 cups stock; keep warm. Reserve the remaining shrimp stock for another use.

3. To prepare the gumbo, heat a large cast-iron skillet over low heat; add 1/4 cup canola oil. Cook for 2 minutes, swirling to coat pan. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup. Gradually add flour to oil, stirring constantly with a whisk until smooth. Increase heat to medium; cook for 8 minutes or until the flour mixture is caramel-colored, stirring frequently. Cook 2 minutes or until mixture is chestnut-colored, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; slowly add warm shrimp stock, stirring until smooth. Pour stock mixture into a large bowl.

4. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add chicken; cook 7 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Add onion and the next 5 ingredients (through bell pepper); sauté for 3 minutes. Return stock mixture to pan; add broth and bay leaves. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer for 45 minutes.

5. Add okra and next 3 ingredients (through black pepper). Simmer for 30 minutes.

6. Combine shrimp and paprika; toss to coat shrimp. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add shrimp; sauté for 2 minutes or until the shrimp are done. Stir shrimp into okra mixture. Discard bay leaves. Serve over rice.

Servings: 8

Source: Cooking Light

Have a great weekend.
 

Cooking, This 'n That,

I was a very busy girl (OK not girl) on Saturday. I started by doing the laundry which is a regular for Saturday. Then, after lunch, I decided to make sauces in my Instant Pot (surprise, surprise). I started out with Puttanesca Sauce which takes quite a lot of chopping etc. and then you are supposed to cook it on sauté for 40 minutes. No way, I poured it into a saucepan and let it bubble. I then started on a Marinara sauce which also needed some chopped onion at least. Both sauces taste pretty good and ended up in the freezer. Finally, I cooked some pork tenderloin for us, as supper. Just read the recipe and not one of the comments I added applied today. I used 1 cup of stock/white wine and had plenty of liquid. Dunno what I did last time. Served with crispy potatoes done in the Air Fryer and some asparagus. What else? Actually I tried doing some toast in the Air Fryer the other day and was delighted with it. Better than my toaster oven. I think I can only do one slice at a time though.

Forgot to mention, I think I told you that my air fryer was going to be replaced because it cut out around 3 minutes. I just  thought it would be repaired or something. Anyway, the new machine arrived about a week ago so I gave the old one to my cleaner. I haven't used it much because of my tooth problems which are now, thank goodness, all over. Didn't do much all week because of that stupid tooth. I bought extra asparagus because I intended to pickle it, never got round to doing it so I will have to get some more asparagus next week. Maybe today after I have had my ultrasound in the morning. Funny, they phoned to confirm my appointment and told me I had to fast for 4 hours, never heard of that one before, not sure why. Never had to in all my previous ultra sounds and I have had a few of them due to my peripheral arterial disease.

As you will see, it talks about putting the sauce on sauté for 40 minutes. No way I was going to tie up my pot that long so I put it into a saucepan and cooked it that way. Then getting on with the Marinara.

Instant Pot Puttanesca Sauce

No need to spend the day stirring at the stove--leave the homemade pasta sauce to your Instant Pot!

This easy pressure cooker pasta sauce spends just 10 minutes in your cooker.

1 28 oz cans tomatoes
1/2 2 oz can anchovies, drained and chopped or 1 tbs anchovy paste
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 Tbs salt
1/2 Tbs packed brown sugar
1/2 Tbs Blasamic vinegar
3/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1/2 large lemon
3/4 cups olives, slivered
1/4 cup fresh oregano, chopped
2 oz capers, rinsed and drained.

1. Add tomatoes to Instapot. Stir in next seven ingredients (through crushed red pepper).

2. Lock lid in place. Set electric cooker on high pressure to cook 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Let stand 15 minutes to release pressure naturally. Release any remaining pressure. Open lid carefully.

3. Set electric cooker on sauté setting and simmer, uncovered, 40 minutes or until reduced to 4 cups and thickened to a sauce consistency, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, remove 1 1/2 tsp. zest and squeeze 1/4 cup juice from lemon. Stir lemon zest and juice, olives, oregano, and capers into pasta sauce.

4. To freeze, ladle cooled sauce into freezer bags or containers. Seal, label, and freeze up to 3 months.

Servings: 15

Have a great day
 

Cooking, Medical, Bowling, Instant Pot Merger,

I goofed with my chicken and defrosted way too much plus it was chicken thighs not breasts. I had intended to do the Tikka Masala recipe but ended up doing a kind of French Garlic Chicken which had yoghurt in the marinade. As it turned out it was good. Of course I ended up with way too much chicken and not sure how many leftovers I have, one or two days. I need to keep my mind on what I am doing I guess.

Still using the TENS machine on Matt's back and it does seem to be helping him he is moving around a lot better - will be interesting to see what the therapist says on Friday. I had forgotten Matt was getting a bath stool - the kind which is half in and half out of the bath, but when they phoned to say they were delivering it today, I cancelled it as he is getting in and out of the shower OK now. Still waiting for the new "wheelie" (walker) though, not heard anything about that.

Because we are not sure when it's coming, we will be unlikely to be able to go bowling. Maybe Matt should leave it a bit longer although he does have the Tension Belt to wear. We both miss going bowling but them's the breaks I guess.

Just come across an article about Instant Pot merging with Corelle - apparently it is already a huge seller so they figure it may become a world wide phenomenon. It is certainly very popular with me and a number of my friends. Only trouble is, I need to get rid of my slow cooker for a start.

Here's a simple, but interesting way of serving Flank Steak. It is a cut of meat I like but it does need to be tenderised and it should always be cut on the bias. Of course we don't have a barbecue so I would have  to cook it on my indoor/outdoor grill I guess. Even the Instapot can't emulate that I don't think. I noticed Amazon.ca had a whole bunch of Instant Pot accessories on sale today. I tried not to look although they did have things for my smaller pot. Sigh.

Lemon-Garlic-Marinated Flank Steak

Chef Jimmy Bannos, Jr., of Chicago's The Purple Pig, swears by his double-marinating technique. Here, he marinates his steak before it goes on the grill in a tangy lemon marinade and then gives it a

quick dunk in a clean batch of marinade when it's hot off the grill. Bonus: The high amount of acid in the marinade also makes tougher cuts like flank and skirt steak extra tender.

20 garlic cloves, peeled
2 1/4 cups extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt Pepper
2 1 1/4 lb flank steaks
1 1/2 cups fresh lemon juice (from about 8 lemons)
2 Tbs dried oregano

1. In a small saucepan, cover the garlic cloves with 1 1/2 cups of the olive oil and cook over low heat until the garlic is tender and golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes. Strain the garlic through a fine sieve set over a small bowl; reserve the garlicky olive oil for another use. In a small bowl, mash the garlic with 1 1/2 tablespoons of salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons of pepper. Rub 3 tablespoons of the garlic paste all over the flank steaks

2. In a medium bowl, whisk the lemon juice with the remaining 3/4 cup of olive oil and the oregano. Place the steaks in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and coat with 1 1/2 cups of the lemony marinade. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour.

3.  Light a grill. Remove the steaks from the marinade, pat dry and season with salt and pepper. Discard the marinade. Grill the steaks over moderately high heat, turning once, until lightly charred and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part registers 125°, 8 to 10 minutes. Dip the grilled steaks in the remaining marinade in the bowl and transfer to a carving board. Spread the remaining garlic paste on the steaks and let stand for 5 minutes. Thinly slice the meat against the grain and serve.

Serve With French fries.

Yield: 6 to 8

Author Notes
Both the garlic rub and the marinade can be refrigerated overnight. Bring to room temperature before using.

Source: Food and Wine

Have a great day