Doctors, Viruses, Smoking, Furnishings.

The other day we went to the doctors to discuss changing a medication he is on. She said he would have to see the cardiologist. Got a call from the cardiologist booking him in for an electrocardiogram, a stress test and a complicated BP test which costs us $50 (and is not reimbursed) then in April he will see the cardiologist himself. All to change medication!!! Matt wasn’t very happy about it. I guess we shouldn’t complain about the cost, in the US the whole thing would be expensive, but it’s a bit irritating anyway. His first test is today so that’s our day shot.

If you are on my email list, you will know that my laptop has been sending out spam or malware with gay abandon. I keep running virus scans which find some malware, but then it happens again, so have called my tech guy in. He was coming at 8 yesterday morning but I was reluctant to part with my laptop, however, I got up early and got dressed then opened my email to see that he wouldn’t be coming til Friday because I didn’t want to part with my machine. Damn. He’ll have to take it anyway, no point in him sitting here to run scans. They take a long time.

Can’t remember if I have mentioned how I quit smoking some 16 or so years ago. I used a little gadget called Lifesign. Basically you tell it when you smoke for a week and then it tells you when to smoke for the next month and you press a button to confirm that you did have a cigarette. If you do cheat, you tell the gadget and it will make necessary adjustments. These days they call it QuitKey and there is a key ring version. I keep telling people about it but would like to have some of their business cards to hand out so people could have contact info. available. I contacted them and they, in fact, sent me some leaflets, not just for smoking but for dieting and sleep problems too. I must say its quite a different looking gadget to the one I used. But for me this system was wonderful and I haven’t had a cigarette since I used it. They are not cheap but if you think what it costs to smoke in the first place. I just found a sign “If you want to know more about lung cancer,  keep smoking” very pertinent. I must admit I am interested in their Diet Mate, that gadget looks more like the original Lifesign that I used. I have read a lot of reviews and they seem to be generally favourable for the Diet Mate.

I finally found how to alter the date on my camera. Couldn’t find the book, ended up searching on the internet and there it was. Easy when you know how.

A sale was being held in the building, disposing of furniture, etc. from a person who died recently. We popped up and ended up buying a couch and a lounger. Our couch was getting quite worn and the chair I sit in was getting old too. Matt already has a nice lounger. Mind you, I am not sure when this is all going to happen as we are waiting for the superintendent to help.

I’m always on the lookout for different things to do with vegetables. This one, from Cooking.com is a different recipe for potatoes which certainly appealed to me. They describe them as cocktail food, but I am certain they would be equally as good if you made them part of a meal.

Sinful Spuds

Source: Cocktail Food
Makes 24 Filled Potatoes

The combination of feta, olives, and pine nuts nestled in a potato is divine. For a creative presentation, cut a lemon in half and use it as an oasis for a fresh herb bouquet (cut a thin slice off the bottom so it will lie flat). Rosemary and thyme work well because they don't wilt.

INGREDIENTS
For the Potatoes:
12 small new potatoes, uniform in size and shape
6 cups water
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
For the Feta:
1/2 cup feta cheese
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
2 tablespoons chopped green olives
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon dried currants
1/2 teaspoon chopped lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon pepper
24 parsley leaves for garnishing

DIRECTIONS

FOR THE POTATOES:
Cut a thin slice off the top and bottom of each potato. Cut the potatoes in half crosswise. Place in a large saucepan and cover with the water. Add the kosher salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and let simmer. Cook until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, 10 to 16 minutes. Be careful not to overcook. Strain and let cool.

FOR THE FETA:
Crumble the feta with a fork in a small bowl. Add the pine nuts, green olives, olive oil, currants, lemon zest, oregano, and pepper. Mix well.

TO ASSEMBLE:
Scoop out the center of each potato with a spoon or melon baller. Fill the centers with a heaping teaspoon of the feta mixture. Garnish with parsley leaf.

DO-AHEAD TIPS:
The feta mixture can be prepared up to 2 days in advance and refrigerated. (Do not add the pine nuts until ready to assemble, and let the mixture sit at room temperature 1 hour before assembly.) The potatoes can be assembled up to 4 hours in advance.
Have a wonderful day

Malware, Maple Sap, Herbs and Spices, European Snow, Queen's Jubilee

I said on Saturday that my computer was sending out emails. It turned out that I had Malware on my laptop, luckily I did a virus scan and Avira picked it up straight away. I find that a very good programme.

Heard on the news at the weekend that the sap is rising, the maple sap that is, its about 4 weeks early because of the mild winter we have been having. To tap the maple sap you need warm days and freezing nights. I wonder if that means they will be opening the farms early as well, you can often go there and get pancakes and syrup – we took Matt’s oldest daughter to a maple syrup farm many years ago and I went and tasted the sap itself, doesn’t taste of anything. It takes a heck of a lot of sap to make the syrup, they boil it in a sugar shack for a long time to reduce it for syrup and of course even longer to make maple candies and butter. Deelicious. A lot of people don’t like the candies as they are very sweet, but I love them. Don’t get to eat them very often though. In fact maple candies are supposed not to be too harmful for a diabetic. Here’s some more pictures:











Its incredible that the clear water like sap shown in the bags above turns into a deep golden syrup.

I’m pleased to report our Saturday night dinner party went very well and the birthday boy was well and truly feted. We started with marinated gingered shrimp, for a main course we had Chicken Chasseur, shown in the picture, butter braised endives and twice cooked potatoes. For dessert one of my favourites, Almond Rice Pudding. I was a bit disappointed in the butter braised endives, they were OK but that’s about it. Just about everything got eaten and all the plates were clean, always a good sign. We consumed quite a bit of wine with the meal too. We figured several bottles weren’t breathing so needed mouth to mouth. (See Saturday’s blog).

I was thinking, over the weekend, about the herbs Matt had to buy for the Chicken Chasseur. He needed rosemary, tarragon and thyme which obviously are not available from Canadian sources at this time of year and have to be imported. It occurred to me that as kids, in the UK during war years, herbs were not available to us for various reasons and I have no actual remembrance of when we were able to get such things in the stores after the war. Gradually over the years, we have come to accept that whatever time of year, we can get things out of season, including our herbs. Only trouble is, today we are supposed to not buy imported foods, the 100 mile rule, and to put up with what is available in our neck of the woods. Its sort of come full circle. OK we’re bad, we do buy fresh herbs grown, oddly enough, in Colombia, along with things like coffee and chocolate which isn’t grown anywhere in Canada as far as I am aware. We do keep tea although we don’t drink it ourselves and of course that too isn’t locally grown. In the summer we grow herbs on our balcony, and really don’t want to go without them in the winter.

We’ve been hearing reports all weekend about the snow in Europe. Paris, London, and Rome for a start, have all had snow. Our grandson has been posting snow pictures on Facebook from his home in the UK. In the central States they had as much as 55 inches of snow, which is a lot of the white stuff. Meanwhile, here in our part of Ontario, not a drop of snow in sight.

Today, February 6, is the 60th anniversary of the day King George VI died and Elizabeth II ascended to the throne. I remember it very well, I was 14 at the time and was a weekly boarder at a school in Herne Bay, Kent. I was very annoyed at the time because I had a non uniform dress in George VI’s tartan and I wanted to wear it but was told I had to wear school uniform. Elizabeth and Philip were on a visit to Kenya when the King died so had to come screaming home. This year is, therefore, the Queen’s Jubilee and there are lots of celebrations taking place. There are lots of commemorative pictures on the web showing pictures of when she was a child with her mother and father, pictures of various occasions during her reign and now the official jubilee pictures. I keep wanting to spell jubilee with two l’s. In a way I would love to be there for some of the celebrations. Even Prince William isn’t there right now, he is in the Falklands for a tour of duty.

On Sunday I read it was National Chocolate Fondue Day which naturally made me sit up and take notice, I always enjoy fondues although funnily enough I have never made a chocolate one. Makes me think of Matt’s daughter’s chocolate fountain which we all enjoyed last time we were in the UK.

Chocolate Fondue

Joy of Baking.com
6 ounces (170 grams) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy whipping cream (contains 35-40% butterfat)
1/4 cup (60 ml) milk
2 1/2 tablespoons (35 grams) granulated white sugar
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup Nutella (optional)
1 tablespoon liqueur (such as Frangelico, Grand Marnier, Kahlua, Tia Maria, Amaretto, or a brandy) (optional)

Chocolate Fondue: Place the chopped chocolate in a medium sized stainless steel bowl and set aside.
Combine the cream, milk, sugar, and corn syrup in a saucepan and place over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring often.
Remove from heat and pour immediately over the chocolate. Let stand until the chocolate has melted, then whisk until smooth.
Whisk in vanilla extract, Nutella (if using), and the liqueur (if using).
Place the chocolate sauce in a fondue pot and serve with fresh fruits, chunks of pound, butter, sponge, or angel food cake and cookies (amaretti, ladyfingers, rolled wafer cookies, or biscotti). Reheat the sauce if it becomes too thick.
Makes about 1 1/2 cups. Preparation time 15 minutes.

Have a great day

PC Problems, Russian Kids, Spring.

I am having all kinds of problems with my desktop again, so at the moment I am using my laptop to write. I am not very good at typing on this keyboard so if there are lots of typos, my apologies, not only that I keep touching something which sends my cursor to a different spot, I have no idea what happens or why. I haven’t done much typing on this machine for that reason.

There was lots on GMA about adopted Russian children this morning and it appears some parents have had horrible experiences. Some of the children have had such unhappy experiences either fetally (mothers drinking whilst pregnant) or because of abandonment and they are suffering from reactive attachment disorder, in other words they are totally incapable of bonding with anyone because of what has happened to them. If you would like to know more about this, go to the GMA website where there is a video clip of parents talking about their adopted children.

I shall be perusing my friend Marilyn’s blog this morning, see French Marilyn’s link this page. She tells me she has be writing about Princess Di and has put a lot of research into the article. Another friend, Glenda Larke, is swanning around London, England at the moment, visiting with her daughter. Nice for some. Especially as I understand England is having a beautiful spring this year.“Oh to be in England now that April’s there” Robert Browning.

I just came across some recipes for breakfast or brunch and this one sounded good. I am always looking for breakfast recipes in particular.

Cheesy Polenta & Egg Casserole

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/cheesy_polenta_egg_casserole.html

From EatingWell: May/June 2008

This memorable brunch centerpiece is rich with cheesy polenta, crumbled sausage and baked eggs.

6 servings

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1/3 cup finely chopped onion
• 4 cups water, plus more as needed
• 1 cup yellow cornmeal, (see Shopping Tip)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 6 ounces Italian turkey sausage, casing removed
• 1/2 cup shredded fontina, or mozzarella
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, divided
• 6 large eggs

Preparation

1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until softened, but not browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Add 4 cups water and bring to a boil. Gradually whisk cornmeal into the boiling water. Add salt and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until the polenta bubbles, 1 to 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low and cook, whisking frequently, until very thick, 10 to 15 minutes. (Alternatively, once the polenta comes to a boil, transfer it to the top of a double boiler, cover, and place over barely simmering water for 25 minutes. This is convenient, because you don’t need to stir it as it cooks.)
2. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 teaspoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add sausage. Cook, stirring and breaking the sausage into small pieces with a spoon, until lightly browned and no longer pink, about 4 minutes. Drain if necessary and transfer to a cutting board; let cool. Finely chop when cool enough to handle.
3. Position rack in upper third of oven; preheat to 350°F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
4. When the polenta is done, stir in fontina (or mozzarella) and 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano. If the polenta seems too stiff, add small amounts of water to thin it to a thick but not stiff consistency. Spread the polenta in the prepared pan.
5. Make six 2-inch-wide indentations in the polenta with the back of a tablespoon. Break eggs, one at a time, into a custard cup and slip one into each indentation. Scatter the sausage on the polenta and sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano evenly on top of the eggs.
6. Bake the casserole for 15 minutes. Then broil until the egg whites are set, 2 to 4 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Nutrition

Per serving : 295 Calories; 17 g Fat; 6 g Sat; 6 g Mono; 241 mg Cholesterol; 17 g Carbohydrates; 19 g Protein; 2 g Fiber; 683 mg Sodium; 148 mg Potassium

1 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 1 starch, 2 medium-fat meat, 1 fat

Tips & Notes

• Make Ahead Tip: Prepare through Step 4 up to 2 hours ahead; hold the polenta at room temperature and refrigerate the sausage until ready to bake.

• Shopping Tip: Polenta, a creamy Italian porridge, can be made from any type of cornmeal. Coarsely ground cornmeal, available in many natural-foods stores, is a great option because is has big corn flavor and light texture. It's usually labeled "cornmeal," but some brands are labeled "polenta."

Have a great day