Monster Invasion, Anole, Olive Garden.

Incredibly Good Morning America, yesterday, was taken over by the Sesame Street gang. Not sure Matt was amused, but I was. You can see some video here but there was a lot more to it than that little segment. Sam was doing the weather with the Cookie Monster and it started raining cookies on Sesame St. and certainly raining something else in Times Square, however, the Cookie Monster produced an umbrella for Sam. I don’t remember all the names now, but one of the other characters took over for George who was on assignment and cracked “who would have thought George’s suits would fit me”. I was sorry not to see my favourite, Kermit the Frog, though. Miss Piggy too, was absent. Maybe they are not such popular characters any more, Elmo was certainly present.
We often sit on the deck with a beer before lunch, yesterday was no exception. Suddenly I jumped as something rushed along the picnic table, then I realised it was a Carolina anole. Much to my surprise it jumped onto my leg, then on to my hand and up my arm. I was moving it about all  over the place, it was a really tiny one, I think a baby, not certain. Matt went in and got the cameras and took a pic on my arm but then it jumped off and he doesn’t really know how to use my camera so we got the Carolina anole on to his arm and I took a pic which is what you see here. Cute little perisher. In the end he had had enough of us and ran off. From reading Wikipedia, I think it was definitely a juvenile. Matt’s may well be the better pic, but he still uses film which means it could be forever before it gets developed.

The afternoon was a washout in more ways than one, it rained heavens hard. Maybe they need it round here, same as we do in Ontario, but not much fun when you are on vacation. I read my Kindle, have a good story on it, The Mandel Files by Peter Hamilton. However, it was finally time to get ready and go out. We got a bit damp getting to the car, guess where the umbrellas were? Yes, in the car. We went to our friend’s house and eventually ended up at The Olive Garden. We had a very good meal and once again I had the mussel dish which was excellent. We all got to taste some stuffed mushrooms and then I ordered a shrimp and chicken recipe which had one thing wrong with it the shrimp had their tails on. This is something which really irritates me. Having to get my  fingers into the sauce in order to remove the shrimp tails. No thanks. Despite arguments from two couples, one person picked up the bill, really not sure why they should pay for our meal, but we were very grateful nevertheless.

I thought this recipe sounded good, I love Pissaladière and like the sound of these little versions. I am copying the complete article.

Petites Pissaladières
By Dana Treat
WebMD Recipe from Foodily.com

Everyone needs a good appetizer recipe in their back pocket, right? For party food, I am currently enamoured with things that can be picked up and popped in the mouth rather than things that require a plate and a fork. I have done three parties in the last six months (one was mine, two I catered) where only finger food was served. I made a different version of this Pissaladière for two of those parties, but this one is even easier and less messy.
The first time I made these mini tartlets was for my rehearsal dinner just over seven years ago. Randy and I had both been married before and we had both had the big fat wedding the first time around. We decided to do something very small and personal and to have the wedding on Lopez Island. A small group of friends and our families caravanned over on ferries to spend the weekend with us on the island.
We had the rehearsal dinner at our families' little house. I use the term “rehearsal dinner” lightly because there was no rehearsal. Our wedding was non-traditional and informal so there was no need to rehearse anything. We had no attendants and we had a Universal Life Minister ferry over from another of the islands to marry us. My dad did not walk me down the aisle (Randy did) and we asked that everyone contribute a heart gift -- something to share with us from their heart. Some people read the vows from their own weddings, my sister-in-law did a Nepalese love dance, a friend impersonated Dr. Ruth, and my brother Michael read an old passage from his journal about how much he loved his sister. Everyone cried at that one.
Anyway, the night before the big night, everyone came to our house for a dinner cooked by me. I remember all the appetizers but I have no memory of what I served as a main course. I was a good cook then. I am a much better and more organized cook now. Still, I did pretty well. I got everything up there without leaving anything behind. I was smart enough to outsource dessert to a very good baker, and we had plenty of wine and beer. I loved these mini onion tartlets and can’t believe it has taken me theses many years to make them again.

Ingredients

1 frozen puff pastry sheet (from a 17 1/4-oz. package), thawed
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 large onion, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/8-inch thick slices
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 tbsp. chopped fresh thyme, plus more for garnish
1/4 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and very thinly sliced lengthwise

Preheat oven to 400°F.
Roll out puff pastry on a lightly floured surface into a 12 1/2-inch square, then trim the edges to form a 12-inch square. Prick sheet all over with a fork. Cut into 36 (2-inch) squares and transfer to 2 baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
Bake in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of pans halfway through baking, until puffed and golden, 12 to 15 minutes total. Transfer to racks to cool until just warm.
While pastry is baking, heat 2 tbsp. olive oil in a large skillet until hot but not smoking, then cook the onion with salt and pepper stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Stir in the thyme half way through cooking time.
Lightly brush tops of pastry squares with remaining tablespoon olive oil. Make a small indentation in center of each square with your finger, then top each with 1 teaspoon onion mixture and a few olive slivers. Sprinkle squares with fresh thyme.
(Pastry squares can be baked 1 day ahead, cooled completely, and kept in an airtight container at room temperature. Reheat in a 350-degree F oven 6 minutes before topping. Onion mixtures can be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Reheat over moderate heat, stirring, until heated through, about 10 minutes.)
Adapted from Gourmet
This recipe serves 18/36 tartlets.

Have a great day

Wheel of Time, Weather, Muppets

I have just started reading The Gathering Storm by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson. For those of you who have been following The Wheel of Time Series, this is the 12th book and equally as large as any of the preceding books. I haven't read a lot yet, but it seems to be very similarly written and Brandon Sanderson seems to have done a good job of putting together all the notes, dictations and other directions which Robert Jordan left behind. He apparently intended to finish with one book but Sanderson and the family found there was way too much material and it will now be three books made into a kind of trilogy called The Memory of Light. Unlike Brandon Sanderson, I haven't re-read any of these books and right now I wish I had. It takes a while to bring back one's memory of all that went before. Jordan wrote so very much and I begin to think maybe I should go back and start at the beginning again. How long will it take me to read 12 books??? By the way, this past couple of days or so has been absolutely beautiful weather with open windows and the sun absolutely pouring in. Our thermometer registered 28°C at one point although I am not sure how accurate that was. This kind of weather suits me down to the ground although I guess I would miss it if we didn't have any snow at all during the winter. We are lucky in as much as it doesn't really affect us any more, we don't HAVE to drive anywhere if its too bad to do so, don't have to work or shovel driveways. We are just able to enjoy seeing it although we are no longer able to play in it (cross country skiing). Incredibly, Sesame Street is 40 years old this year. They had a segment on it on GMA this morning with two or three of the puppets (sorry they objected to that) little creatures, or Muppets, being interviewed along with one of the creators. They are doing a special 40th celebration edition with Michelle Obama as a guest. She will be the first First Lady to have grown up with the programme. She is not the first First Lady to have appeared on the programme though. If you would like to read more about it and see pictures of all the Muppets click here. Bert and Ernie, in the picture, were the first two Muppets to appear in the pilot programme 40 years ago. Miss Piggy and Kermit the Frog have become characters well known apart from the show. I like Tilapia although it is a comparatively new fish on our plates. I am not familiar with the Bluewater on listed in the recipe, but it would not be beyond my imagination to prepare unfrozen tilapia with roasted garlic and butter and then grill them if I am unable to find the one's mentioned. I got this recipe from Mushroom's Canada's email last week and thought it sounded really good. Tilapia with Warm Mushroom and Arugula Salad 4 BlueWater Roasted Garlic & Butter Grill Tilapia Fillets 3 tbsp olive oil, divided 1/2 cup chopped onion 1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper 4 cups sliced Fresh Crimini Mushrooms 1 tbsp each lemon juice and balsamic vinegar 6 cups baby arugula leaves 1 cup halved grape tomatoes 2 tbsp crumbled goat or feta cheese 1/4 cup California Walnut Halves 60 1. Prepare the tilapia according to package directions. Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp of the olive oil in a large, nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, thyme, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes or until softened. 2. Increase the heat to medium-high and add the mushrooms. Cook for 5 minutes or until onion and mushrooms are soft and lightly browned. Remove from heat and drizzle in the remaining olive oil, lemon juice and vinegar. Let the mushroom mixture cool for 5 minutes. 3. Break the fish into large chunks; toss with the warm mushroom mixture with the fish, arugula and tomatoes until evenly coated. Divide the salad evenly between four plates. Sprinkle with cheese and walnuts. Makes 4 servings. Have a great day.