A Good Book, Bowling, Scammers,

Er, sorry, I forgot. Monday night just about to go to bed and realised I hadn't written a blog for Tuesday. You will have to blame Mercedes Lackey, I was enjoying one of her stories so much, I forgot what the time was and that I hadn't written a blog. Which book you ask? From a High Tower, it is one of her Elemetal stories based on well know fairy tales, this one is based on the story of Rapunzel, but very loosely. I think it is one of the best ones of the series. I have never come across a Mercedes Lackey book that I haven't enjoyed mind you. She is an excellent author and has written a ton of very good stories, most famous being the Valdemar series. So, not my fault really.

Monday bowling was pretty dreadful, not only that, we were the only two of our team there, one member had apparently just lost his father and the other had bowled ahead, but not up to his average by any means. Matt and I had one good game a piece but that was it. Our hard won 5th place will be history I'm afraid.

By the way, can you believe I got another phone call from the scammers on Monday. You'd think they got the message or maybe they thought I could still be conned. Got more phone calls on Tuesday too. One right after another.

Had a phone call today which the id told me was the Rising Dough Bakery, I answered said "The

Christimas puddings are here". She had no idea what I had said, when she did she figured I was psychic. Didn't seem to get it how I had figured it out. Like I get calls from the bakery daily!!! We decided to shoot over there straight away and got the pud, a mince pie, some scones and some Cornish Pasties. Expensive trip. Then, I needed honey, same district. We headed off to the farm only to find one road leading there is shut for 2 years. Horrors, I will have to find out how else to get there before Asparagus comes into season.

I had just finished supper and went on line to look for a recipe, this one made me want to try it right away. If you are entertaining at Christmas and need something for your guests to snack on, this looks like a perfect choice.

Tortellini Skewers

4 Tbs olive oil
2 Tbs jarred pesto
2 tsp red wine vinegar
2 packages spinach tortellini, cooked and cooled
2 pints cherry tomatoes
12 oz fresh Mozzarella, cubed
¼ cup fresh parsley, minced

1. Mix together the olive oil, pesto and vinegar in a bowl.

2. On small skewers, thread 1 tortellini, 1 cherry tomato and 1 mozzarella cube per skewer. Lay the skewers on a platter and lightly drizzle the dressing over

3. Serve immediately or refrigerate. Sprinkle on the minced parsley just before serving.

Servings: 18

Author: Ree Drummond

Have a great day
 

Books, Dinner, Exercise.

Not a lot going on in our lives at the moment, principally because I am trying to read all these library books which have turned up at roughly the same time. The other day I finished the latest Valdemar book Closer to the Heart by Mercedes Lackey. Part of the Herald Spy series. Now I am wading through a huge book by Robin Hobb called Fool's Quest. I think I may have missed the one before so I guess I will have to get hold of it. But boy is it a big book. - 754 pages. Then I have a thriller (I think) called Little Black Lies and yet another David Weber book waiting at the library to be collected. Phew. I do love to read, but this inundation of books is proving a bit much. The trouble is, I reserved the books ages ago, as I've said, but I had no idea they would all become available at once. Not only that, some of the newer books, like Robin Hobb's, are being awaited by other people. I have very much enjoyed all of Robin Hobb's books and this one is proving to be no exception. Being a dragon fanatic I particularly enjoyed the dragon books which are part of the series although written as a separate trilogy.

Saturday night we had pork chops and I was wondering what to do with them so browsing through

my recipe programme, I discovered one which I had invented and of which I had no recollection. I decided to make it again and it turned out very well. It's odd that I don't remember it one little bit. This is my plate. I have lots of green beans because I don't have a potato. These are French sliced flat beans by the way. Basically the only kind we eat these days unless I do something with the other beans, but we don't enjoy them plain at all. Anyway, as you will see the chop has mushrooms on it, I used more than I had written in the recipe but I wanted to use some up which I had had a tad too long. Maybe I will add the recipe tomorrow. It was pretty good.

Today, Monday, is bowling of course, one of our favourite days of the week. I missed not having an exercise class on Friday and there won't be one on Wednesday so I have been trying to do some of the exercises on my own. It's surprisingly difficult to remember all the things we do. I am more concerned with copying the aerobic exercises. Some of the other things I am fine at anyway. Balance in particular. Since learning T'ai Chi it has improved my balance tremendously. I just wish I could persuade Matt to join these classes. Oh well.

This is a new one on me, something I have never seen before. I don't eat pizza much, but I think I would like to try this one.

Rick Easton's Pizza With Potatoes

 Mark Bittman - New York Times

Potatoes may seem an odd topping for pizza, but the Pittsburgh-based baker and cook Rick Easton has developed a crust that is so sturdy it can actually support more than its own weight, and these potatoes – boiled until soft, hand-crushed, flavored with olive oil and rosemary and made even more delicious by the addition of mozzarella – are not only traditional, but amazing. Be sure to bake the pizza until it is good and brown on the bottom; take a peek if you’re not sure.

Ingredients

Pizza dough

• 3⁄4 teaspoon or 2 grams yeast
• 1 7⁄8 cups lukewarm water
• 3 ½ cups or 500 grams bread flour, plus more for dusting
• 3 teaspoons or 8 grams kosher or sea salt
• 4 tablespoons or 40 grams extra-virgin olive oil

Toppings

• 1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes
• 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, torn into small pieces
• 1 tablespoon chopped rosemary leaves
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1. In a comfortably large, preferably rectangular plastic container, dissolve the yeast into 13⁄4 cups of lukewarm water. Mix in the flour with your hand, squishing it together, just until the flour is absorbed. The dough will be very wet and shaggy. Remove what stuck to your fingers, and mix into the dough. Cover with a lid or plastic wrap, and rest for 20 minutes at room temperature.
2. Dissolve the salt in remaining 1⁄8 cup of water, and mix with your hand into the dough. Don’t worry if it doesn’t all mix in. Cover with a lid or plastic wrap, and rest for another 20 minutes at room temperature.
3. With wet hands, release the dough from the sides of the container. Coat the top of the dough with 1 tablespoon of oil, and make a trifold or letter fold by lifting up the dough one-third of the way through and letting the end drop and fold underneath. Repeat this action on the other side so that the seam is on the bottom. Cover with a lid or plastic wrap, and rest for 1 hour in the refrigerator. Repeat this process two more times. After the third fold, rest the dough in the refrigerator for about 24 hours. Sometime halfway through resting, repeat the trifold with oil one last time.
4. If you have a pizza stone, slide it on the lowest rack or on the floor of your oven, and heat oven to 500. Heat for at least 30 minutes and preferably longer before baking. Boil the potatoes in salted water until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain. Once they are cool enough to handle, remove the peels and crush gently into medium chunks by hand; lay on a sheet pan or some wax paper in one layer to allow them to cool.
5. Lightly grease an 18-by-13-inch jellyroll pan with olive oil. (A cookie sheet of a similar size makes a good alternative.) Wipe the pan clean with a dry paper towel; it’s important not to bake the pizza on too much oil. Flip the dough out onto a floured surface, and gently press out into a rectangle 1⁄2-to-3⁄4-inch thick, being careful not to deflate the dough too much. Place one forearm over the dough, and use the other hand to flip the dough over the forearm and then into the pan, leaving the floured side up. Rearrange the dough on the pan, again pressing only lightly.
6. Spread the topping evenly across the dough, drizzle generously with oil and bake on the pizza stone (or directly on the bottom of the oven or lowest rack) for 5 minutes. Move the pizza to the middle rack in the oven, and continue to bake for 10 to 15 more minutes or until golden brown.
7. Using a bench scraper or metal spatula, scoop under the pizza, and scrape to release it from the pan. This may take some blind faith and a bit of elbow grease. Slide out onto a cutting board, and slice into pieces using a chef’s knife, scissors or pizza cutter. Serve immediately or at room temperature, or reheat.

Have a great day
 

Christmas Day, Pictures, Valdemar.

Oh dear. I have just heard that the Waterloo Motor Inn where we were planning to go, with friends, for our Christmas dinner, is closing down on December 15. I am so disappointed. I read an article here which kind of gave me idea they may already have a buyer. However, my friends have just called to say that Bingeman's, which is just up the road from us, also do a Christmas buffet. Hopefully we can get a booking. This place is a huge complex they recently built a 10 pin bowling alley, they have all kinds of water sports areas, a trailer park, etc. etc. together with large halls for dinners and parties, etc. So now I've got my fingers crossed. OK, we have a booking for 4:30 p.m. A tad early but.....Phew, I thought I was going to have to cook both Christmas and Boxing Day.

Today I have been printing up the pictures from the exercise class to distribute to the members. I was trying to get hold of one woman because I know she has a computer, but had no luck so far. Much easier to send them by email.


I have just started Closer to the Heart by Mercedes Lackey, a Valdemar book. I absolutely love the Valdemar world. I think I have read them all, I have bought a number of them.  I have also read everything Mercedes has written too. I have a secret wish to become a Herald and have a Companion although being a Herald is damned hard work so maybe I don't want to know after all.

Tonight (Tuesday) we broke into the last of the Tourtières I made a while back so now I will have to make some more. They freeze really well.

This sounds good but I am not sure about the Fandelion Greens.

Pork Milanese with Dandelion Green Salad


Star chef Anne Burell coats thin pork loin cutlets in panko for her crispy, juicy Milanese.

Ingredients

• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups panko
• Six 3-ounce pork loin cutlets
• Kosher salt
• Pepper
• 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for frying
• 4 bacon slices (4 ounces), cut crosswise 1/4 inch thick
• 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 1/2 small red onion, cut into thin strips
• 1/2 cup apple cider
• 2 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 pound dandelion greens, thick stems discarded, leaves cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 200°. Line a large baking sheet with paper towels. In a shallow bowl, beat the eggs with 1 tablespoon of water. Put the flour and panko in 2 separate shallow bowls.
2. Season the pork cutlets with salt and pepper. Dredge in the flour, then dip in the egg, letting the excess drip back into the bowl. Dredge the coated pork in the panko, pressing lightly to help it adhere.
3. In a large skillet, heat 1/4 inch of olive oil until shimmering. Add 3 of the cutlets and fry over moderately high heat, turning once, until browned and just cooked through, about 5 minutes; transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining cutlets. Transfer the pork to the oven to keep warm.
4. Wipe out the skillet and heat the 1 teaspoon of olive oil in it. Add the bacon and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until browned and crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the apples and onion and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until the apple just starts to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the apple cider and vinegar and cook until the liquid is reduced by half, about 3 minutes.
5. Scrape the apple mixture into a large bowl. Add the dandelion greens and toss well. Season with salt and pepper and toss again. Transfer the pork Milanese to plates, top with the salad and serve right away. 

Have a great day
 

Air Show, Books.

We live close to a small airport, they cannot handle jumbo jets or anything, but they do fly small planes to the Caribbean and business people all round the continent. This weekend (it’s Canada Day on Tuesday) they have had an air show. We don’t go as a) we don’t do crowds and b) I can’t stand for any length of time. However, the Canadian Snowbirds were present and we got some of the benefit of their performance. Couple of times they came really, really close and the noise was tremendous and it amused me that when this happened I ducked. Totally automatic reflex. Couldn’t stop myself. I wondered if it was normal or shades of 9/11. Didn’t see much of their performance of course, but certainly saw them formation flying past our windows. The planes looked really pretty glinting in the sunlight.

Been doing a lot of reading lately I started with Juliet Marillier’s Sevenwaters books which took place in old Ireland and were loosely based on Irish legends. I then discovered that one of my favourite authors Mercedes Lackey had a series about the Elemental Masters which for some reason I had missed. I have now read two of those and have another on order. Of course some of these books I have been waiting for forever and they are all coming in at once. I am now reading Elizabeth Moon’s Crown of Renewal which is the last of her Paladin’s Legacy series but there have been several offshoots from these books so there may be more. My two favourite books of Elizabeth Moon’s are stand alones, Remnant Population and The Speed of Dark. Then I had an email from the library telling me that Brandon Sanderson’s Words of Radiance was ready for pick up. This is the second book in his Stormlight Archive series. The first book The Way of Kings was published in 2010 so been waiting a long time. Admittedly he finished the Wheel of Time series and did a wonderful job, but he has written other things in those 4 years too. I hope I can remember everything that happened in the first book.

I thought this salad which I found on Food and Wine sounded good but then realised it was using chicken instead of seafood. Obviously you can make it with seafood if you like and I probably would. Not sure if I would use rice or orzo, I have both and orzo cooks more quickly.

Paella Salad

Contributed by Quick From Scratch Soups and Salads

• SERVINGS: 4

We've based this salad very loosely on paella, the Spanish rice dish—and you can actually make it with rice if you like. Our choice, though, is orzo, the tiny rice-shaped pasta. The cooking instructions are the same whichever you choose.

1. 3 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
2. 1 onion, chopped
3. 1 green bell pepper, chopped
4. 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
5. 6 ounces dried chorizo or other firm spicy sausage such as pepperoni, quartered lengthwise and sliced thin crosswise
6. 1/4 teaspoon dried red-pepper flakes
7. 1 teaspoon paprika
8. 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 3), cut into 1/2-inch cubes
9. 1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
10. 1/2 pound orzo (about 1 cup)
11. 2 tablespoons lemon juice
12. 1 tomato, diced
13. 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

1. In a large frying pan, heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of the oil over moderately low heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables start to soften, about 10 minutes.
2. Increase the heat to moderately high. Add the chorizo and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes. Stir in the red-pepper flakes, paprika, chicken, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and the black pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until the chicken is almost done, about 3 minutes. Cover the pan and remove from the heat. Steam the chicken for 2 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a large glass or stainless-steel bowl to cool.
3. Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the orzo until done, about 12 minutes. Drain. Rinse with cold water and drain thoroughly.
4. Add the drained orzo to the chicken mixture. Toss with the lemon juice, the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt, the tomato, and the parsley.

Suggested Pairing

Paella's Iberian roots lead us to Spain for a red Ribera del Duero. The name, literally translated as the "slopes along the Duero River," describes an area that is now the source of some of Spain's greatest red wines. Ribera del Duero's wild-cherry, herb, and spice flavours will be superb with this salad.

Have a great day

Passports, TV, Books,

We had an expensive day today, after lunch we went and had passport pictures taken, $33 and then went to the passport office and paid for one each, $174 – its costly to travel today. Canadian passports only last 5 years, we could have British passports which are for 10 years, but they wouldn’t be as convenient travelling to the States.  Our pictures look absolutely terrible of course, but then I have never, in my life, had a decent passport picture. My very first passport picture, I looked like one of the women who ran the prison camps during WWII. At least it didn’t long in the passport office, sometimes the wait time can be pretty horrendous but I guess the whole thing took about half an hour.

I’ve been watching a programme called Missing with Ashley Judd playing an ex CIA operative who hasn’t been active in 10 years, looking for her son who has been kidnapped. She lost her hubby in the first episode. 10 years later her son is kidnapped and she has no idea why. Its quite enjoyable if a bit far fetched. But then I am able to suspend disbelief very easily. As far as reading is concerned I have been getting a lot of free Kindle books some good, some bad, at present I am reading an Anne McCaffery book about the brain ships. I am not sure if that was a freebie or not, I suspect not. I love the brain ship stories. This contains 2 or three. Mercedes Lackey is also involved in the selection

I like Beef Stroganoff and when I saw a Kraft version, it made me decide to share an actual version of the recipe. This one comes from Epicurious.com which is a great site for recipes. This recipe was, reputedly, invented for a Russian general named Stroganov and was ‘discovered’ by soldiers returning from World War II. This recipe uses tenderloin. The Kraft slow cooker version uses stewing beef which would make the meal a lot cheaper, but somehow not the same.

Beef Stroganoff

• 1 2 1/2-pound piece beef tenderloin, well trimmed, meat cut into 2x1x1/2 inch strips
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter
• 1/4 cup finely chopped shallots
• 1 pound small button mushrooms, thickly sliced
• 1 cup canned beef broth
• 2 tablespoons Cognac
• 3/4 cup crème fraîche or whipping cream
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
• 12 ounces wide egg noodles
• tablespoon paprika

Pat meat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat oil in heavy large skillet over high heat until very hot. Working in batches, add meat in single layer and cook just until brown on outside, about 1 minute per side. Transfer to rimmed baking sheet.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in same skillet over medium-high heat. Add chopped shallots and sauté until tender, scraping up browned bits, about 2 minutes. Add button mushrooms. Sprinkle with pepper and sauté until liquid evaporates, about 12 minutes. Add beef broth, then Cognac. Simmer until liquid thickens and just coats mushrooms, about 14 minutes. Stir in crème fraîche and Dijon mustard. Add meat and any accumulated juices from baking sheet. Simmer over medium-low heat until meat is heated through but still medium-rare, about 2 minutes. Stir in chopped dill. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, cook noodles in large pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 8 minutes. Drain. Transfer to bowl. Add remaining 4 tablespoons butter and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Divide noodles among plates. Top with beef and sauce. Sprinkle generously with paprika.

Have a great day

Chia Pets and Books.

Well, how about that, it turns out that the seeds used on Chia pets are actually a very old seed and considered wonderful for Type II diabetes. Read about it here Chia Pet. That reminds me of an old station wagon we had in North Carolina which I think was held together by green mould and which was referred to as our Chia car by the mechanic we went to. The vehicle was green anyway, we just called it the Green Machine. However, getting back to the seeds, I wonder where one can obtain them, I will have to look out for some.

I spent a large amount of time over the last day or two trying to finish off the books I had been loaned so I could return them when our friends come to dinner tonight. I managed it and finished Kings of the North at lunchtime yesterday. As usual, I enjoyed it as I do with everything I have read by Elizabeth Moon. This book is another one written in Pak’s World which, if you have read any of them, you will be familiar with.  Later I started one of Mercedes Lackey’s books, Unnatural Issue, which is an Elemental Masters novel. I am enjoying it very much. Mercedes Lackey is one of my favourite authors. She is probably best known for her Valdemar stories.

So, we are busy cooking today for guests this evening, with the result that this, plus the recipe, is all my blog contains for today.

I don’t actually like milkshakes, but I guess I could force myself to try one of these.

 
Bailey's Milkshakes-For Big Kids

By Mommy Diva 

Ingredients:
Servings: 1
1 cup French vanilla ice cream
1/4 cup Hershey’s Chocolate Syrup
1/4 cup milk, or
1/4 cup eggnog (*can interchange with milk)
1 banana (*if you choose this option,I suggest the milk)
Baileys Irish Cream,  to taste I prefer the heavier hand for flavour
Directions

1. Add in blender ice cream, chocolate syrup, Bailey's, and either the milk (with or without banana) or the egg nog.
2. Blend lightly until just mixed to desired consistency.
3. Pour or spoon into tall glasses and garnish with whipping cream, chocolate swirl, piroulines, or vanilla wafers and a mint sprig.
4. Enjoy! :)

Have a great day

Toilet Rolls, Rolled Ribs, Mexico, Magic.

I heard a snippet on the radio yesterday, in the States, very soon, they are going to be producing toilet rolls without the cardboard centre. There is a new way of rolling the paper which keeps the centre firm until such time as the roll is ended. This is an environmental improvement. I guess the next thing will be paper towels. I wonder, will all toilet rolls be tubeless or only some makes? In that case do you choose for the environment or for your preference in roll? A dilemma!

Saturday night we went to dinner at the home of some friends and were served rolled ribs which is a favourite of mine. For some unknown reason, I have never tried making them. One of these days I must have a go. Apparently that is going to be a problem, I have just hunted all over the place and cannot find a recipe although they are made in several places which originate in Germany. Basically they are baby ribs stuffed and rolled then baked, I think. But that is the limit of my present knowledge. I have asked for my friend’s recipe, but don’t know if she will share.

Yet another visitor, a Canadian businessman, has been found murdered in Mexico. Matt has been saying he would NOT go there on vacation no matter what, it certainly seems a heck of a lot of tourists have been murdered there. I suppose as a ratio to the amount of tourists that visit Mexico it is probably not a large proportion, but guess what, we don’t want to risk being one of the statistics, however small. It makes me think of the book I read the other day, Burning Water by Mercedes Lackey, where an Aztec god was trying to “come back” and his devotees were murdering people. This took place in the States although the devotees were mostly Mexicans and they were driven back to Mexico. Maybe they are still at it????

I am reading a very enjoyable book at the moment, Spellwright by Blake Charlton. It is his first book and well worth reading. Bearing in mind that as a child he was severely dyslexic I think its fascinating that he managed to write a book at all, let alone one I am enjoying so much. What fascinates me is all the magic systems authors think about. For instance Glenda Larke has a different magic system in each of her trilogies, Brandon Sanderson has at least two different magics that I know of, now this guy has another quite different magic. I don’t know how they think them up, but I guess that’s why I am not an author.

This recipe sounded absolutely delicious and suitable for all the parties which will be coming up in the near future, either for US Thanksgiving or for Christmas.

Baked Brie with Cranberries

Source: The Cranberry Cookbook

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

For the Baked Brie:

1/2 cup toasted fresh bread crumbs

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

1 teaspoon chopped thyme

1 tablespoon dried cranberries, finely chopped

4-by-2 ounce pieces of Brie

1 egg

For the Relish:

2 cups cranberries, defrosted, if frozen

3 tablespoons grated orange zest

1/3 cup orange juice

1/2 inch piece of fresh root ginger, peeled and grated

1/2 cup sugar

To serve:

Arugula or assorted lettuce leaves

4 thick slices French bread, toasted

1 garlic clove, cut in half lengthways snipped fresh chives

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Grease a baking sheet.

FOR THE RELISH: Place the cranberries together with the grated orange zest and juice, ginger, and sugar, in a blender or food processor and process to a coarse purée. Leave to stand for 1 hour before serving.

FOR THE BAKED BRIE: Mix the toasted bread crumbs with the parsley, thyme, and dried cranberries. Dip each piece of Brie into the beaten egg and then coat evenly with the bread crumb mixture.

Place the pieces of coated Brie on the baking sheet and bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 8 minutes. Remove the Brie from the oven and leave to cool briefly.

Arrange the arugula or lettuce leaves on 4 plates. Spoon some cranberry relish on to the plates and place the warm Brie on slices of toasted French read, that have been rubbed with a garlic half and extra cranberry relish. Garnish with chives.

Windows Live, Monster, The Moon, Gwenhwyfar.

Microsoft has just updated my Windows Live Writer and my Live Email. In the latter I lost all my “sent” emails except the most recent, or if I haven’t lost them, I can’t find them. As for Live Writer, which is what I use to write my blog, it is totally different. I guess I will get used to it, but right now I am not sure I like it. This regular updating is all very well, but… I had trouble this morning figuring out how to position pictures.

It appears that our latest monster who has been given 2 25 year sentences to be served concurrently, is now no longer a colonel nor a member of the military. Apparently he was very regretful in court and the judge felt he was sincere!!! I wonder. He is apparently going to Kingston Prison which is already holding a couple of serious offenders of the same kind. All kinds of things will be taken from him but at the moment he will still receive his military pension when he becomes the right age. The Prime Minister has said this will be looked into.

I heard an announcement last night that water had been found on the dark side of the moon, a billion gallons in one crater alone which is enough to fill 1,500 Olympic sized swimming pools. They have also found lots of minerals mixed in with the water. Go to http://tinyurl.com/28x278u and read an article plus see a video clip. Unfortunately it seems that NASA does not have much more funding for moon research and I am not sure Obama is pro space exploration. He said, on TV, “we’ve been there once” which does not bode well for the future.

I am presently reading a Mercedes Lackey book called Gwenhwyfar The White Spirit – in other words about the King Arthur legends. It is based on a legend I had never encountered before, that King Arthur actually had three wives called Guinevere, not just one, this book is written from the point of view of the third wife starting at childhood when she was 8 yrs old. I am enjoying it.

Eating Well have published a list of healthy soups and I thought this one looked good. I make batches of my own pesto and keep it in the freezer – I didn’t even know you could buy store bought. I also make my own croutons and freeze them. They taste so much better in my opinion.

Chicken & Spinach Soup with Fresh Pesto

From EatingWell: September/October 2009

This fragrant, Italian-flavored soup takes advantage of quick-cooking ingredients—boneless, skinless chicken breast, bagged baby spinach and canned beans. It features a simple homemade basil pesto swirled in at the end to add a fresh herb flavor. If you are very pressed for time, you can substitute 3 to 4 tablespoons of a store-bought basil pesto.

5 servings

Ingredients

2 teaspoons plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1/2 cup carrot or diced red bell pepper

1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast (about 8 ounces), cut into quarters

1 large clove garlic, minced

5 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 1/2 teaspoons dried marjoram

6 ounces baby spinach, coarsely chopped

1 15-ounce can cannellini beans or great northern beans, rinsed

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/3 cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves

Freshly ground pepper to taste

3/4 cup plain or herbed multigrain croutons for garnish (optional)

Preparation

1. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add carrot (or bell pepper) and chicken; cook, turning the chicken and stirring frequently, until the chicken begins to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute more. Stir in broth and marjoram; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes.
2. With a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken pieces to a clean cutting board to cool. Add spinach and beans to the pot and bring to a gentle boil. Cook for 5 minutes to blend the flavors.
3. Combine the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, Parmesan and basil in a food processor (a mini processor works well). Process until a coarse paste forms, adding a little water and scraping down the sides as necessary.
4. Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces. Stir the chicken and pesto into the pot. Season with pepper. Heat until hot. Garnish with croutons, if desired.

Nutrition

Per serving : 204 Calories; 8 g Fat; 2 g Sat; 4 g Mono; 29 mg Cholesterol; 16 g Carbohydrates; 18 g Protein; 6 g Fiber; 691 mg Sodium; 529 mg Potassium

1/2 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 1 starch, 1 vegetable, 2 lean meat, 1 fat

Have a great day

Alzheimer’s vs Dementia, Burning Water.

Good Morning America are spotlighting Alzheimer’s this week. It has always been something of a bugaboo of mine as I have relatives (not actually in my direct line except for my grandmother) who have ended up with one kind of senile dementia or another if not actually Alzheimer’s. I must admit I am not quite sure what the difference is – look it up Jo. One of the big items on which they have been focusing is care giving and the strain on the care givers themselves. I think care giving is exceptionally hard, having done it briefly when Matt has had operations, I have some idea of what its all about. Better if you are fit, but still it cuts into your life and virtually takes it over. One thing GMA emphasised this morning is finding some kind of peer group with whom you can discuss problems of every day life and also spend some relaxing time away from the patient. I’ve never looked into what kind of assistance one can expect in Ontario, but in the States where so much has to be paid for, it must be pretty stressful all round. Yesterday they said Alzheimer’s is very much more likely for women – there are many millions of women patients in the States with the disease, much higher numbers than males with Alzheimer’s – and they have discovered it is likely to start during menopause but not really develop until some 20 years later. Plus, if you are diabetic it doesn’t help. Thanks guys, just what I wanted to know. That puts me smack in the middle of the the risk category. There was a comedian in the States a few years ago, an elderly man, he used to say “Alzheimer’s is fun because you meet new people every day”!! I suppose when you have the disease you don’t really know what’s going on anyway.  OK I looked it up http://tiny.cc/yi3dr it appears dementia is a symptom and Alzheimer’s is a disease. Dementia can be caused by several things some of which can be treated. Alzheimer’s is one of the illnesses which can cause dementia. In other words you can have dementia but it is not necessarily anything to do with Alzheimer’s.

Huh, Satima described my blog in part as covering the vicissitudes of life, I guess Alzheimer’s definitely comes under that category. If you want to know more of what has been covered by GMA so far, go to http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/ where they have links to all their segments.

I am currently reading Burning Water by Mercedes Lackey. If you have ever read any of her books, in particular the Valdemar series, this is a total departure from her usual subjects. The book is not new, published in 1989, but somehow I have never come across it before nor its partners, there were three of them about a detective and a witch. This is quite a horrific story about Aztec gods and serial killing for ritual sacrifice. I am, however, very much enjoying the story. I wouldn’t have been surprised to get nightmares last night though.

For some reason Mac and Cheese is a staple dish in North America. In many cases bought in a packet made by Kraft. I have seen shopping carts piled high with such packets. Is this a sign of lazy mums or stubborn kids I wonder. Anyway, Cooking.com produced this somewhat lighter version which I thought sounded good and which, somehow, I think will taste better than that found in a packet. Having said that, I will never forget that I made custard from scratch many years ago and found it tasted just like Birds Eye custard from packets.

Lighter Macaroni and Cheese

Source: Martha Stewart Living

Serve 8

To wit, these individual mac-and-cheese casseroles call for pungent Parmesan and extra-sharp cheddar, which means the noodles get away with less-than-usual amounts of cheese. Low-fat milk, chicken stock, and olive oil keep the sauce creamy.

INGREDIENTS

6 small vine-ripened tomatoes, (3-inch) , cut into twenty-four 1/4-inch-thick slices

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, plus sprigs for sprinkling

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

5 slices white sandwich bread, with crust

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 pound elbow macaroni

2 cups homemade or low-sodium store-bought chicken stock

5 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

Pinch of cayenne pepper

2 cups low-fat (1 percent) milk

8 ounces (about 2 1/4 cups) extra-sharp cheddar cheese, grated

1 ounce (about 1/2 cup) Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spread tomatoes in a single layer on 2 rimmed baking sheets. Drizzle each sheet with 1 tablespoon oil; sprinkle each with 1/2 teaspoon thyme, and season with salt and pepper. Bake until tomatoes have softened, about 20 minutes. (Leave oven on.)

Process bread in a food processor until coarse crumbs form. Melt 1 tablespoon butter with remaining tablespoon oil in amedium skillet over medium heat. Add breadcrumbs, and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper; set aside.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon salt and the pasta. Cook pasta until almost al dente, about 5 minutes. Drain, and run under cold water to stop cooking. Transfer to a large bowl; set aside.

Whisk 1/2 cup stock into the flour in a medium bowl; set aside. Melt remaining tablespoon butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in nutmeg, cayenne, remaining 1/2 teaspoon thyme, and 1 teaspoon salt. Add milk and remaining 1 1/2 cups stock. Whisk in flour mixture. Bring to a boil, whisking frequently. Reduce to a simmer. Cook 8 minutes, whisking frequently. Add cheeses; cook, stirring, until melted. Pour over macaroni, stirring to combine.

Put eight 4 1/2-by-1 1/4-inch ramekins on a baking sheet. Put 2 tomato slices in bottom of each ramekin. Divide macaroni mixture evenly among ramekins. Top each with a tomato slice. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and thyme sprigs. Bake until bubbling and golden brown, about 30 minutes. Serve immediately.

Have a great day

Dragons, Bloody PC, Balloons.

I am very sad to be nearing the end of my book by Robin Hobb. Part of her Rain Wilds series (trilogy? I’m not sure) it is called Dragon Haven. I have been enjoying Robin Hobb’s books for years and this one is no exception. As many of you may remember, I love dragons and reading about them. I often wonder where the idea of dragons came from, the Chinese have dragons in their mythology as do the Welsh not to mention that England’s St. George is supposed to have killed a dragon. Where did these dragons come from I wonder. I have always loved dragon books by Anne McCaffery too, different kind of dragon and ones that were bioengineered by man, but dragons, nevertheless. When I am reading these stories I am so envious of people who speak to dragons, work with dragons, etc. etc. I just remembered Mercedes Lackey’s Joust books too. Another favourite author of mine.

I have been playing with my new PC for a while and trying to reload software I used to use, some without any success. In fact a couple of programmes I have been able to load onto the laptop as it has a 32 bit versions of Win 7 and my PC is 64 bit. I confess I don’t really know what the difference is. My phone fax system does NOT want to load at all, and the particular software I was using is no longer available and cannot get it to re-install. All the updates are fax programmes or fax and voice mail programmes and do not allow one to make phone calls from the system. Not what I want at all. I do so wish software manufacturers wouldn’t change things. A friend described her feeling for computers as a kind of love/hate relationship. I know just what she means. Aha, I have finally found a phone dialer system which I think will work for me. Hooray.

I was up pretty early for me and looked out of the window to see a balloon floating by. I once again wondered what time the passengers had risen this morning to be up in the air so early. When I first saw it, the sun was glinting on the balloon although the dawn sky itself was not yet very bright. Even after 10 years of living here I still get somewhat excited to see them.

Here’s another recipe I picked up from Cooking.com today, a Pasta Salad again which includes another favourite of mine, shrimp. I think I would cut this recipe back somewhat and make it for less people but still use lots of shrimp.

Dilly Shrimp Salad

Contributed By: Karlene, MT

Yield: 10 servings

I got this recipe from a friend of mine who likes dill as much as I do. My husband loves it and it has become a family favorite and also a potluck favorite with friends.

RECIPE INGREDIENTS

4 cups cooked small shells or penne pasta

1 lb. cooked large shrimp, deveined and cut into thirds

1 cup frozen peas

1 cup diced celery

1/2 cup chopped green onions, including green tops

1/4 cup minced fresh parsley

8 oz. plain yogurt

1 cup Mayonnaise

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

2 Tbsp. snipped fresh dill

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp white pepper

DIRECTIONS

In a large bowl combine pasta, shrimp, peas, celery, onions and parsley. In a small bowl combine yogurt, mayonnaise, lemon juice, dill salt and pepper. pour over pasta mixture and toss gently. Cover and refrigerate at least two hours.

Have a great weekend.

Whale Tale, Book, Movie.

Did you hear the incredible story about the 40 ft. whale which jumped out of the water and landed on the deck of a sailing boat? It happened off Cape Town and although the whale thrashed around a bit and did a fair amount of damage to the boat, apparently neither the whale nor the humans were hurt. The whale was seen swimming around afterwards. There is one picture of the whale jumping but not of the whale actually on top of the boat. If you want to read the article click here http://tinyurl.com/2arg8e5 and there is a link to pictures. I totally believe the story because sea critters do jump, we have had fish jump into our boat in North Carolina, quite a lot of them into several boats in company. So why not whales? Bit of a shock to have such a large creature land on your boat though. D'you notice the figure on the mainsail? Its what Simon Templar, alias The Saint, used to leave behind when he had been somewhere.

I have just finished The Sleeping Beauty by Mercedes Lackey, one of her Hundred Kingdoms books in which she takes fairy stories and twists them around somewhat with the help of the local Godmother or Godmothers. They are fun reads these books, and I can highly recommend them if you like some light reading with magic all around. I have enjoyed every one of them I have read so far.

Its summertime so there is not much on TV; who said there was much on in the winter either! However, I watched The American President with Michael Douglas and Annette Benning for about the 5th time. The film is loaded with other well known names such as Michael J. Fox and Martin Sheen just to name a couple. Its a lovely romantic story with political overtones and it is one of my favourites. The basic story is: the widowed President falls for a Lobbyist but, of course, they both have different political agendas.

I love Asian noodle dishes; I have now started getting the newsletter from BBC Food so when I saw this today I thought aha that would a recipe I would enjoy. Matt isn’t so keen on this kind of thing so I guess I will be making it just for me.

Malaysian-spiced noodles with tofu

Simon Rimmer – BBC Food

Serves 4.

Ingredients

For the spice paste

25g/1oz fresh ginger, peeled

2 lemongrass stalks

3 red chillies

3 shallots, chopped

1 garlic clove

1 tsp turmeric powder

pinch of salt

2-3 tbsp vegetable oil

For the sauce

400ml/14fl oz can coconut milk

250ml/9fl oz vegetable stock

For the noodles

vegetable oil, for deep-frying, plus 1 tbsp for frying

150g/5oz fresh tofu, cut to 2.5cm/1in squares, dried on kitchen paper

20 oyster mushrooms, finely sliced

8 sugar snap peas or mange tout, blanched, cut in half lengthways

400g/14oz ready-made udon noodles, cooked according to packet instructions

To serve

fresh coriander leaves

lime wedges

crushed peanuts

Preparation method

1. For the spice paste, place all of the spice paste ingredients, except the vegetable oil, into a food processor and blend to a pulp.

2. With the motor still running, gradually add the oil and continue to blend until you get a loose paste (you may not need to use all the oil).

3. For the sauce, place a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the spice paste and fry gently for 2-3 minutes.

4. Add the coconut milk and vegetable stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for a further five minutes.

5. For the noodles, half-fill a deep, heavy-based pan with vegetable oil and heat until a breadcrumb sizzles and turns brown when dropped into it. (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.)

6. Add the tofu cubes and deep-fry for 2-3 minutes, until crisp and golden-brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain onto kitchen paper.

7. Heat the remaining one tablespoon of oil in a clean frying pan over a medium heat. Add the oyster mushrooms and fry for three minutes, or until softened.

8. Add the mushrooms to the sauce.

9. Add the asparagus, deep-fried tofu and udon noodles to the sauce and stir well to combine.

10. To serve, spoon to the curry into serving bowls and garnish each with fresh coriander leaves, lime wedges and crushed peanuts, to taste.

Have a great day

Elantris and the Snow Queen and Oil, Oil, Oil.

I just finished Brandon Sanderson’s first book, Elantris and I thoroughly enjoyed it. If anyone comes up with different types of magic, he certainly does. His characters and worlds are both well built and engage the sympathy of the reader. I think I have now read everything he has written and have always enjoyed the books – of course he is involved in finishing the Wheel of Time books begun by Robert Jordan, now deceased. I read one of these new ones so far – there will be three – and found it to an excellent follow up for Jordan’s work.

I am now well into one of Mercedes Lackey’s books about the Five Hundred Kingdoms which are watched over by Fairy Godmothers who’s job it is to work with “The Tradition” and try and make sure that no sad events occur because The Tradition thinks that’s how a story should enfold. For instance, in one story, there was a Cinderella character but no prince of a suitable age for her to marry. In the end, one of the fairy godmothers took her on as an apprentice. Its a fun way of dealing with the fairy stories we grew up with. My current book is called The Snow Queen which is a turn around of the story we all know but is almost a background to other things which are happening. I have read several of these books and enjoyed all of them. Somewhat different writing from Mercedes Lackey, but fun.

There was an interview with the CEO of British Petroleum this morning and he says the actual oil rig explosion was not their responsibility as the rig was owned and operated by another company, but they accept full responsibility for the oil and all the legitimate costs associated with it. There is a new method under way for getting at the oil source and they are hoping to get this done within the next 6 days. It involves drilling down and then along to the oil source. I tried to find a diagram as shown on GMA today, but cannot do so. I was wrong when I said they could send divers with special equipment, it is deeper than we thought, close on a mile.

We had a good evening with our friends on Saturday and ate well and talked a lot. They recently went to Vegas with a view to going out on the Sky Walk over the Grand Canyon which they did and we looked at the album with all the pictures. Apparently you are not allowed to take anything onto the Sky Walk and you have to wear shoe covers so you don’t scratch the glass. Naturally you cannot take your own pictures.

As a change from asparagus, here is a mushroom recipe which came from Mushrooms Canada’s regular email.

Warm Mushroom Dip with Baked Pita Crisps

2 tbsp butter or vegetable oil 25 mL

1 lb fresh Mushrooms, finely chopped 500 g

2 tsp lemon juice 4 mL

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced,

1 cup light sour cream 250 mL

2 tsp dried dill weed 10 mL

1 tsp paprika 5 mL

1/2 tsp salt 2 mL

1/4 tsp pepper 1 mL

Baked pita crisps (recipe below)

In large skillet melt butter over medium heat; stir in mushrooms, lemon juice, garlic and onions sauté until tender and the liquid given off by the mushrooms has evaporated, about 5 –7 minutes. Reduce heat to simmer; mix in sour cream, dillweed, paprika, salt and pepper and simmer until slightly thickened and warm.

Serve warm with pita crisps, multigrain, low fat crackers or breadsticks

Makes 1 cup (250 mL) or 16 servings

Tip: Substitute 2 tbsp (25 mL) fresh minced dill for the dried and garnish with fresh dill sprigs.

Baked Pita Crisps: Cut 2 whole wheat pita breads in half horizontally with scissors or serrated knife. Cut each half into 8 triangles. Arrange in single layer on cookie sheet; bake in 400ºF(200ºC) for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned.

Variation: Tortilla Crisps: Substitute 4 small whole wheat flour tortillas for pitas.

Have a great day

Floods, Books, Red Cabbage,

As you have probably heard on the news, there has been lots of flooding in the north west of England, the area is Cumbria, commonly known as the Lake District. A friend, who lives in the area, sent me a link to the online page of a BBC Cumbria and I thought you might like to see the pictures, some of which are the aftermath of the risen waters. Click here to go to BBC Cumbria's web site. There are stacks of pictures taken by people and submitted to the BBC for this page. This is one of them. This has been the worst rain in the area for 1,000 years, which is quite a long time!!! Of course there has been flooding in several other areas as well as in Ireland. Now I hear there is flooding in British Columbia, Canada, too. Yesterday I finished The Phoenix Unchained which is the last book in The Enduring Flame Trilogy by Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory. I very much enjoyed the three books and have discovered there is another called The Obsidian Trilogy which I shall have to investigate. I have always loved books by Mercedes Lackey since I first discovered the Valdemar series so I always pick her books when I find them. However, it appears James Mallory is a well established author so I must check out some of his books too. As I mentioned, we went to dinner at the home of some friends on Saturday evening and had a good time with a delicious meal. The main course was a schnitzel with mushrooms and our hostess served red cabbage which I love, but cooked some beans for Matt as he is not so fond of red cabbage in the German style. I was offered seconds but hadn't got the teensiest bit of room left. The German red cabbage is a different thing altogether from the brined red cabbage we have in England and eat as a relish with things like lamb hot pots. I have never actually made the German version, I should ask for a recipe. I have made the other kind, my mother and Matt made it for me once as a surprise and later I tried making it myself. I have asked my friend for a recipe but she doesn't have one, just one of those prepared by taste. Usually the best kind. However, here is a recipe I found on Allrecipes which sounds as though it would be pretty good. German Red Cabbage Submitted By: Ardis Stauffer Photo By: cookin'mama Servings: 6 "If your family likes the sweet-tart flavor found in many German dishes, they'll enjoy this recipe. The cabbage, apples and onions are cooked with vinegar, sugar and a variety of spices-the end result can't be beat!" Ingredients: 1 medium head red cabbage, cored and sliced 2 large tart apples, peeled and sliced 1 medium sweet onion, sliced and separated into rings 1 1/2 cups water 1 cup cider vinegar 1/2 cup sugar 1 tablespoon butter 1 teaspoon salt 6 whole peppercorns 2 whole allspice 2 whole cloves 1 bay leaf 2 teaspoons cornstarch 2 teaspoons cold water Directions: 1. In a Dutch oven, toss cabbage, apples and onion. Add water, vinegar, sugar, butter and salt. Place the peppercorns, allspice, cloves and bay leaf on a double thickness of cheesecloth; bring up corners of cloth and stir with kitchen string to form a bag. Add to Dutch oven. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1-1/4 hours. 2. Discard spice bag. In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and cold water until smooth; stir in cabbage mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Have a great day.

Writing, Tornadoes, Hurricanes, Lockerbie Bomber.

Yesterday I started reading The Phoenix Unchained. On reading the flyleaf I discovered that the world I was about to enter had originally been created in a series called The Obsidian Trilogy which I thought I had missed. There are references to the previous story which was supposed to have taken place 1,000 years ago and gradually I realised I had read the trilogy. However, what fascinates me is that the stories referred to are quite a bit different to what actually happened in those previous books, just as history becomes distorted after 1,000 years so have the memories of the current society and I am impressed with the way Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory have done that. A very interesting exercise in story telling. Especially when one tends to think "oh no, that's not quite how it happened" and then recall the proper story. I never would have been as observant about such story telling artifice if I hadn't been reading a lot of what my author friends are telling me. I never really thought about the art of writing before, just about whether the story was good and well told. I am now much more aware of the skill which is employed in good story telling. One of the things recently discussed on Tropic Temper by Glenda Larke was the use of names to convey backgrounds. Something I had certainly never thought of - maybe I had unconsciously registered that a character had a specific background because of the name, but I certainly never thought about it before. I didn't mention the storm in Ontario on Thursday, there were at least four tornadoes reported, mostly north of us, although we did catch the edge of the storm, but for us, thank goodness, it was only the edge. There was a lot of storm damage and there are some excellent storm photos on this site. Unfortunately one person was killed. I am not sure where you hide from tornadoes in Ontario. A basement would be the best place I guess and most houses have those. In this building I suppose we would head to the underground garage although how sturdy that would be I wouldn't like to guess. Hurricane Bill is due in the Atlantic Provinces on Sunday, but by then it should be well and truly downgraded. Its the warm water which tends to speed up a hurricane. It can still do a lot of damage but earlier it was a category 4 which is not a very nice storm at all. So, they've released the Lockerbie bomber on compassionate grounds because he has cancer. He has since received a hero's welcome when he landed in Tripoli. He showed a lot of compassion when he killed a plane load of people (270), I see no reason why he shouldn't have lived and died, in jail. I am not surprised the relatives of the dead are upset, I know I would be. On GMA they talked about forgiveness, I don't see how you can forgive someone like this, whoever you are. Maybe put it behind you and let it go, but forgive? No way. Of course he still protests his innocence, but there isn't a person in any prison who isn't innocent according to them. I might add that, being in a British prison, Abdel Baset al-Megrahi would have had the best treatment available to anyone in Scotland, better than a great many British themselves would have available to them. Easting Well are emphasising the importance of starting your day with a good breakfast and the following is one of their recipes for doing just that. I get a tad tired of the same ol' same ol' for breakfast although I try and add as much variety as I can. These sound to be something which would make quite a difference and I will certainly try them. I think I might need to buy a new muffin pan though. Mini Mushroom-&-Sausage Quiches These crustless mini quiches are like portable omelets. Turkey sausage and sauteed mushrooms keep them light and savory. Small and satisfying, they’re also a good finger food for your next cocktail party. Makes 1 dozen mini quiches Ingredients 8 ounces turkey breakfast sausage, removed from casing and crumbled into small pieces 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced ¼ cup sliced scallions ¼ cup shredded Swiss cheese 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper 5 eggs 3 egg whites 1 cup 1% milk 1. Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 325°F. Coat a nonstick muffin tin generously with cooking spray (see Tip). 2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage and cook until golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to cool. Add oil to the pan. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer mushrooms to the bowl with the sausage. Let cool for 5 minutes. Stir in scallions, cheese and pepper. 3. Whisk eggs, egg whites and milk in a medium bowl. Divide the egg mixture evenly among the prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle a heaping tablespoon of the sausage mixture into each cup. 4. Bake until the tops are just beginning to brown, 25 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Place a rack on top of the pan, flip it over and turn the quiches out onto the rack. Turn upright and let cool completely. Individually wrap in plastic and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month. To reheat, remove plastic, wrap in a paper towel and microwave on High for 30 to 60 seconds. A good-quality nonstick muffin tin works best for this recipe. If you don�t have one, line a regular muffin tin with foil baking cups. Nutrition Information Per quiche: 90 calories; 5 g fat (2 g sat, 1 g mono); 105 mg cholesterol; 3 g carbohydrate; 9 g protein; 0 g fiber; 217 mg sodium. Have a great weekend.