Water, Birthdays, Scottish Bakery, Doctors, Driving, Prince Andrew,

I forgot that the water was going off once again Tuesday morning. We managed to clean our teeth but not shower. Having had lunch we couldn't wash dishes and I was making some Butter Chicken in the Instant Pot so the kitchen is currently piled with dishes etc. Then I put some chicken in the Pot and horrors, realised I couldn't wash my hands. In the end, I took the lid off the toilet tank and rinsed my hands in there. Chicken'y hands would not be a good idea.

As a reminder, I have my parent's birth dates on my PC calendar. My dad would have been 111 today, 4th December. Not sure why I bother but it is, to me, fascinating to think they were born over a century ago.

In the morning I phoned the Scottish bakery to order some goodies to pick up this afternoon when we went to Cambridge to see the doctor. Left home at 2 and when we got there, I got 8 Cornish Pasties, 8 scones, a Christmas pudding and four individual lemon meringue pies. I left broke. Almost as bad as going to Victoria St. Market.

On to the doctor's and got there way too early, thought it would take us longer to shop. Luckily someone pulled out of a wheelchair parking spot just after we arrived. No way we could walk from the parking to the rear and all the other spots were full. Unfortunately Matt is not good at waiting any more, tends to make him agitated. However, got to see the doc reasonably quickly (in my opinion anyway).

The weather has been grey and miserable all day. We only just got back home before it got dark and I was having a bit of trouble with the lights of oncoming cars. Driving at night is not something I can do with confidence any more. Put all my shopping in my walker basket and headed upstairs. Got into the apartment and dropped the box with the lemon meringues in, luckily only one was a bit squished, not too seriously. The Instant Pot was on countdown to supper, about 8 minutes when we got home. Great machine. I ate the squished pie for dessert LOL.

Have you read all the scandal regarding Prince Andrew? Seems like he has been lying just like someone else from south of our border. What a disgrace for the Royal Family, mind you, they are human like the rest of us. The Queen must be horrified.

Talking of puddings - well Christmas pudding which I used to make every year once upon a time,  but the one I bought today was a Marks and Spencer pud from England - here is another pudding which sound scrumptious. Tickles me that it suggests topping with ice cream or clotted cream, joke, can't get that in this part of the world.

Sticky Toffee and Earl Grey Pudding

One bite of chef Merlin Labron-Johnson’s take on this classic dessert and you’ll understand why he

earned a Michelin star at the tender age of 24 at Portland. Dates are a regular player in sticky toffee pudding recipes; Labron-Johnson steeps them in Earl Grey tea, infusing them with the bright, aromatic lift of bergamot.

2 cups pitted Medjool dates, finely chopped
2 Earl Grey tea bags
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 cups boiling water
2 cups all-purpose flour (about 8 1/2 ounces)
2 tsp baking powder
1 1/4 tsp sea salt, divided
3/4 cup vegetable shortening
1 cup light muscovado sugar, divided
3/4 cup dark muscovado sugar, divided
3 large eggs
1 cup unsalted butter (8 ounces), plus more for greasing
1 cup heavy cream
Vanilla ice cream or clotted cream, for serving

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Place dates, tea bags, and baking soda in a medium bowl. Add 1 1/4 cups boiling water, and let stand 15 minutes. Remove and discard tea bags. Stir mixture with a fork to break apart dates.

2. Stir together flour, baking powder, and 3/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl; set aside. Combine shortening, 1/4 cup light muscovado sugar, and 1/4 cup dark muscovado sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on medium speed until no lumps remain, about 1 minute. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. With mixer running on low speed, gradually add flour mixture just until incorporated. Stir in date mixture. Lightly grease a 9-inch square baking pan with butter. Pour batter into prepared pan, and bake in preheated oven until a wooden pick inserted in center of pudding comes out clean, 30 to 32 minutes.

3. Remove pudding from oven, and immediately prick all over with a wooden or metal skewer, piercing all the way to the bottom of pan. Pour 1 1/2 cups warm toffee sauce evenly over pudding, and let stand until sauce is absorbed, about 30 minutes. Cut warm pudding into 9 (3-inch) squares. Top servings with ice cream or clotted cream; drizzle evenly with remaining 1/2 cup toffee sauce.

Servings: 9

Source: Food and Wine

Have a great day
 

Yosemite, CARP, Driving, Health Card,

Just watched an interesting Nature programme on Yosemite and was particularly interested in the Sequoia which seem to be surviving well despite the drought in Yosemite and the warming trend. They theorise there are water sources under the trees themselves. It is such a beautiful place it is sad to know that the lack of snow is affecting the park and will, of course, continue to do so. When you see the rushing rivers and all the lovely falls, it is hard to believe in eventual water shortage but with global warming that is what's happening. Started watching an interesting programme about Black Holes but then Matt decided to go to bed. so I went to assist.

I recently renewed my subscription to CARP (Canadian Association for Retired Persons) this year there seem to be lots of benefits to doing so. Also they sent me a Tim Horton's card (coffee and donuts) but I have no idea what it is worth, one coffee, or a coffee and donut or a full lunch?? I will have to go in and ask. I can also go to the Swiss Chalet and get a meal for 2 for $25.  That is a shared started, 1/4 chicken dinner as shown and a beverage each. Not a bad deal. The link is to one which is just up the road from us. There are all kinds of deals on other things too for health, entertainment, etc. etc. etc. I can also save 10% off funeral costs. However, as we paid ours years ago, guess I can't cash in on that. We watch Wheel and Jeopardy on a channel which advertises stairlifts - they can give you $500 off on those too. Not that we would need one. The ads for these things drive us nuts, they go on for ever and ever. 

Had forms from the Ministry of Transport saying Matt's license had been suspended. I knew that anyway although I don't think he registered the fact. Have to return the license asap so will drop it in tomorrow. I had hidden it anyway. He is supposed to go for an assessment at some time or other, at which time it will be decided if he can continue to drive. The trouble is this accident thing did shake up his brain considerably. He was driving fine before it happened and had passed all his cognition tests at the driver's place earlier this year. No I guess I mean last year.

Oh yes, the health card, I suddenly thought the hospital would be sending us bills for various things so I phoned Patient Accounts (spoke to them before mind you) and said maybe they had included it with a bill. It turned out the woman I was talking to had just received the card that morning (it had instructions on it NOT to send it to Patient Accounts!! but to leave it in triage for me to collect) anyway, I asked her to mail it to us anyway.

Planning to bowl a couple of games this aft, if I can get away. Fingers crossed.

Here's a dish for those of you who like fire in their food. Not only that it is vegetarian. Did you know hibiscus were edible? I certainly didn't. I think the stuffed chiles look delicious.

Hibiscus-Stuffed Chiles with Walnut Sauce

Traditional chiles en nogada use a pork filling, but hibiscus flowers--typically used in a tart drink--make a surprisingly hearty filling. You can find them at Mexican grocers and specialty stores like Trader Joe's. Mexican cooks often use fresh green walnuts, briefly available in autumn, which have a

creamier texture and less bitterness; standard walnuts work well, too. We add a touch of sugar to the sauce here to balance the slight bitterness of the nuts.

SAUCE:
1 1/4 cups roasted unsalted walnut halves
3 oz goat cheese or fresh ricotta cheese (about 3/4 cup)
1 Tbs white wine vinegar
1 1/2 tsp dry sherry
1 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/3 cup plus
2 Tbs nonfat milk, divided

CHILES:
8 large poblano chiles
Cooking spray
1 cup dried hibiscus flowers (also known as Jamaica), rinsed and drained
1 1/2 tsp olive oil
2 cups chopped white onion
1 Tbs dried Mexican oregano leaves, crumbled
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups chopped tomato
2 cups grated peeled jicama
1/2 cup grated peeled carrot
1 Tbs chopped canned chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
1/2 tsp kosher salt Dash of ground cinnamon
3 1/2 cups cooked long-grain white rice, at room temperature
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves
2 Tbs pomegranate arils

1. To make sauce, place walnuts in a bowl; cover with boiling water. Let walnuts soak 15 minutes. Drain, and rub walnuts with a clean dish towel to remove as much walnut skin as possible. Discard skins.

2. Place walnuts, cheese, vinegar, sherry, sugar, salt, and 1/3 cup milk in a blender; process until smooth. (Sauce will be very thick, more scoopable than pourable.) Stir in remaining milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, to thin sauce, if desired.

3. To make chiles, preheat broiler to high with oven rack 6 inches from heat. Place chiles on a baking sheet; coat chiles with cooking spray. Broil for 10 minutes or until blistered on all sides, but not completely charred, turning after 5 minutes. Place blistered chiles in a bowl; cover tightly with plastic wrap. Reduce oven to 400°F.

4. Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil over high. Add hibiscus flowers; remove from heat. Let stand 30 minutes. Drain flowers well; coarsely chop.

5. Heat oil in a large skillet over high. Add onion; sauté 2 minutes or until lightly browned. Reduce heat to medium-high. Add oregano and garlic; sauté 5 minutes. Increase heat to high; stir in tomato, jicama, carrot, chipotle, salt, and cinnamon. Bring to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is absorbed, about 2 minutes. Place tomato mixture in a large bowl; cool 10 minutes. Stir in chopped hibiscus and rice. Cool to room temperature.

6. Remove chiles from bowl. Peel; discard skins. Using scissors, cut a slit lengthwise in each chile. (Do not cut through the opposite side of the chile.) Remove and discard seeds.

7. Stuff each chile with about 1 cup rice mixture. Place stuffed chiles, cut sides up, on an aluminum foil–lined baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400°F for 15 minutes or until filling is heated through. Place 1 stuffed poblano on each of 8 plates. Top each with about 2 tablespoons walnut sauce. Sprinkle evenly with cilantro and pomegranate arils.

Servings: 8

Source: Cooking Light


Have a great day
 

Operation, Bowling, Driving,

Today, Monday, was the great day for Matt, at last he could have a shower. Not having had one since Friday morning, he was more than ready for one. We got to unwrap his surgery sites to see what they looked like. I was particularly interested to see the one where she had used a skin flap on his leg. Someone at the bowling alley
described it as a smiley face. I must say it's not quite what I expected to see. Kind of reminds me of the things you see on Zombies. The one on his forehead is much smaller and only needed a Bandaid to cover it again. Just noticed the date on this picture, looks like I need to check the date setting.

We went bowling Monday afternoon, I insisted Matt keep his leg up most of the time. He will be

seeing the surgeon on Wednesday anyway. He didn't bowl of course, and I might as well not have. What a disastrous game. My excuse was that I felt exhausted, not really sure why, I have not been that overworked this last few days although someone said it could be stress that was making me like that. Actually my most stressful time was driving home on Friday. I haven't driven much lately as Matt insists on doing so. Not only that, he criticised quite a lot of what I was doing which made me even more nervous. He might not survive this operation for more reasons than one. I have decided I will NOT sit back and let him drive all the time if for no other reason than my discomfort when I do have to drive.

This recipe came from Mushrooms Canada a short while ago, not got around to using it so thought I would do so today. I am not too sure about all that Maple syrup,  but the rest of it sounds pretty good. It is our Thanksgiving on Monday and we have a friend coming to dinner to celebrate on Saturday. I am thinking I might do this as a side.

Sautéed Brussels Sprouts with Mushrooms and Bacon by The Brunette Baker

Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients
1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and cut lengthwise (about 5 cups)
1½ cup white button mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
6-8 slices bacon, cooked, drained, and chopped*
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2-3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
Fresh cracked black pepper, to taste

*For a vegetarian option, omit bacon and replace bacon fat with olive oil to sweat vegetables.

Method
In a large frying pan, cook bacon until crispy. Remove from pan and place on paper towels to drain off excess fat. Reserve bacon fat. 

Sweat sliced mushrooms in reserved bacon fat. Once mushrooms are tender, remove those from pan and set aside. Add chopped onion into the bacon fat and cook until transparent. Add in garlic. 

Toss in shredded Brussels sprouts and cook for about five to seven minutes until tender.

Once tender, add mushrooms and chopped bacon back into the pan. Pour in maple syrup and mix together to ensure all ingredients are incorporated. Top with fresh cracked black pepper.

Serve while dish is still hot.

This dish is delicious with baked chicken legs, meatloaf, or even a fried egg.

Have a great day
 

Cartoon, Book, Barrie's, Health.

The following cartoon really tickled my sense of humour. It was in Monday's edition of How to Geek. It took me a second to really see the funny side.

I have just finished reading Uprooted by Naomi Novik. I enjoyed all her Temeraire books about the fighting dragons taking part in the Napoleonic wars, the first book being Her Majesty's Dragon. Great story telling. However Uprooted is a different departure and more in the tradition of the story tales of old Europe. It sure didn't end the way I expected. In fact I found very little about the story to be predictable. One knew right from the start that she, Agneieszka, the heroine, would be chosen by the wizard known as the Dragon that was obvious from the blurb. But after that, nothing went as I expected. I enjoyed the book so much that I bought the Kindle version. The one I was reading was from the library. I really can't praise it highly enough, I was having trouble putting it down and going to bed. Made a nice change from some of the books I have read lately. Only trouble is, once you get to the end, you wish you hadn't.

I went, Monday afternoon, and got my very last batch of asparagus. I bought myself an extra large batch. I may well freeze some more of it although it isn't as good, it's better than nothing. For some reason I have never been able to buy frozen asparagus round here. Used to get it in the States. I was going to buy some liquid honey too to save myself a journey later on, but they were out. If you get fresh honey there is a terrific difference to that which you buy in the grocery store.

I forgot to mention, my doctor said I can't drive at the moment because of my carotid. Matt drives most of the time anyway. I should also emphasize that I am not unwell, apart from that apparent fainting fit and the odd dizziness which doesn't happen very often and could be caused by anything.

This is the recipe I was going to post the other day and then couldn't find the picture for. I have now discovered how to export pictures from my cookbook file!! You may now find me in a corner crying my eyes out because the asparagus season is ended. Yes, I have bought store asparagus before now but only in extreme emergencies. But since I discovered Barrie's Asparagus Farm I have rarely used anything else, there is such a stupendous difference between farm fresh and store bought. For those of you who also like asparagus, I hope you have enjoyed this recipe journey. It, and my recipes, will be back next year. From now on we will be into more mundane foods.


Asparagus in Bed

Source: Asparagus Growers'Marketing Board

1 lb Ontario asparagus, trimmed
8 eggs
1 Tbs vinegar
2 Tbs unsalted butter, melted
2 Tbs fresh lemon juice
8 slices prosciutto
freshly grated pepper
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 450º F (230º C). Steam or simmer asparagus just until tender-crisp, 3 to 5 minutes; drain well. Fill large skillet with water. Add vinegar and bring to simmer over medium heat. Slip eggs, one at a time, into simmering water; cook until whites are firm and yolks are just set. Remove eggs with slotted spoon and carefully blot dry with paper towel. (Eggs may be poached several hours in advance; transfer to bowl and cover with cold water. Drain well before proceeding.) Divide butter among 4 gratin dishes. Divide asparagus among dishes; drizzle with lemon juice. Drape proscuitto over top. Arrange 2 eggs on top of each prosciutto. Season with pepper to taste. Sprinkle cheese over top. Bake for 3 to 4 minutes or just until cheese melts. Serve immediately.

Servings: 4



Have a great day
 

Medical, Driving.

As most of you know, on Saturday Matt went into the hospital with hip pain, he was X-rayed told nothing wrong and sent home with a few pills. This morning, Tuesday, he suddenly was in even worse pain and couldn’t walk at all. Ambulance came and they had to virtually carry him outside our door to the stretcher. This was shortly after 9. I followed on about half an hour later and we spent the rest of the day in emergency. However, the doctor who eventually saw Matt today was a different kettle of fish, he really went to town on his examination of Matt and then ordered another X-ray, a CT scan, bloodwork and a urine test. We actually got home around 8:30 pm but, this time, we had an answer. Matt has two hip replacements and the one of the left side is around 12 years old. It is, apparently, now shedding miniscule pieces of plastic off the joint socket and this is what is causing the pain which means that, unfortunately, he is going to have to have a new hip. At least a day’s bed rest, other than going for tests, meant that he was more mobile and able to make it home OK. So, now we have to contact the orthopaedic surgeon who did the job in the first place to arrange for a new hip. I guess Matt won’t be doing too much more bowling this season. He won’t be too happy about that. So… at least we now know. I hate to tell you what I have been thinking about the doctor on Saturday. Thanks everyone for all your support.

Today was the first day I have driven for a long time, I went down for my diabetes bloodwork this morning and then later driving to the hospital. I couldn’t have chosen nicer weather, it was snowing lightly and the roads were snowy and slippery although it wasn’t deep or anything but certainly necessitated slow and careful driving. Trouble is, an awful lot of people don’t seem to know this. I wasn’t as happy driving home in the dark as it was difficult to see the road markings. However, we got home OK. That reminds me, another odd thing. Around 6 ish I started feeling a bit shaky and asked if they had a blood sugar monitor I could use. Couldn’t be done because I wasn’t registered as a patient. However, the nurse brought me some orange juice and later I went and got myself a sandwich. Yes, I had had lunch, there is a Tim Horton’s in the hospital so I had a good lunch. I was bad and had a donut for dessert too.

Having made do with a sandwich myself, here is a Weight Watchers recipe for Yakitori Chicken which I something we both enjoy.

Ww 7 Points - Chicken Yakitori (Kebabs)

By mariposa13 

• Servings: 4

 

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons mirin
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of all visible fat, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 2 red bell peppers, seeded and cut into 2-inch pieces
• 8 scallions, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 2 cups cooked brown rice
• skewer

Directions

1. Make sauce: bring soy sauce, mirin, sugar, ginger, and garlic to boil in small saucepan.
2. Cook over med-high heat until sauce thickens, about 5 minute.
3. Remove from heat, set aside.
4. Spray grill or broiler pan with nonstick spray.
5. Thread chicken, bell peppers, and scallions on to skewers, alternating the ingredients.
6. Grill or broil kebabs 5-inches from heat, frequently brushing with sauce, until veggies are tender and chicken is cooked through.
7. Serve with the rice.
8. 7 Points for 2 skewers and 1/2 cup rice.

Have a great day