Year of the Dog, Book, Saturday Sickness, Olympics.

I've  been needing stamps for international postage for a while and not got round to buying them. However, I did so when in the post office a couple of days ago. I couldn't resist them. Almost don't want to use them. There is another of a different type of dog which I discovered when looking for this one. In case you are unaware, February 16 was the beginning of the Chinese New Year which is the reason Mandarin is offering dumplings both galore and various. I had another fill of them on Friday for lunch. Friend's birthday. I also made sure to have some kelp salad. I really, really like that. As a general rule I try to never eat anything which is not Oriental in preparation. They usually have roast beef or other such items there, but I don't touch them. Only time I might have done so was if we had made it for Christmas. I would certainly have had some turkey. Actually I was thinking, on Friday, should I book for Christmas next year? Maybe I will leave it til later in the year.

A lot of noise is being made about the movie A Wrinkle in Time, Oprah is in it, so I thought I would order it from the library. Seems like it might be a while before I get it. But, as I have three library books, a proof and a Kindle loan, I don't need anything else just now. I investigated buying it but for some reason the Kindle version is more expensive than the paperback!!

Saturday night, having been sick the last two, I was almost too nervous to eat or drink anything. The likelihood of lightening striking a third time on a Saturday is pretty low, but just  the same....  By the time you read this I will know one way or the other. Well, I a pleased to report nothing happened and I was fine all night long. Phew. No, I haven't been to the doctor - I just haven't had time.

Oh well, the Olympic games has come to an end, I will have to wait  two more years for the summer games. I watched the Closing Ceremonies and was certainly impressed with all the technology. Especially the tiger figure in the sky made by drones. They really must have worked hard to achieve that. I enjoyed the ceremonies but I am not too sure Matt did. I think the next Winter Games in Beijing will be something to see as well. I really, really, wanted the Olympic mascot, Soohorong, but looked for it on Amazon and it isn't cheap. I cannot justify buying one sadly. I notice Kurt Browning was referring to them as 'stuffies'. He said he was taking one home for his kid. Lucky kid. Of course the mascot for Beijing with be a Giant Panda.

Having talked about Zoodles or spiralized zucchini noodles, I came across this recipe and thought it sounded good.

Spiralized Zucchini Noodles With Spicy Peanut Sauce

Precut produce helps this staff favorite come together in a flash. Spiralized zucchini and summer squash are in the prepared produce section of many supermarkets; you can also spiralize your own or make ribbons with a vegetable peeler. Squash takes the place of noodles in these bowls, so you'll need a hefty amount for each serving. The zucchini noodles don't require cooking—they'll add freshness

and crunch to the finished dish. Make the sauce while the tofu cooks and have the other vegetables at the ready so you can toss and serve immediately.

1/4 cup cornstarch
1 (12-oz.) pkg. extra-firm water-packed tofu, drained, patted dry, and cut into 1-in. cubes
1 1/2 Tbs canola oil
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
3 Tbs creamy peanut butter
3 Tbs lower-sodium soy sauce
1 Tbs unsalted ketchup
1 Tbs Sriracha chili sauce
1 Tbs water
2 tsp light brown sugar
1 tsp grated peeled fresh ginger
2 (16-oz.) pkg. spiralized zucchini or yellow squash and zucchini (about 4 cups total)
3 cups fresh mung bean sprouts (about 5 oz.)
1 cup matchstick-cut carrots
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided
1/4 cup unsalted peanuts, finely chopped and divided
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
4 scallions, cut into 1-in. pieces
4 lime wedges

1. Place cornstarch in a shallow dish. Add tofu; toss to coat, shaking off excess. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium. Add tofu to pan; cook 8 to 10 minutes or until tofu is brown and crisp, stirring occasionally.

2. Combine lime juice and next 7 ingredients (through ginger) in a bowl, stirring with a whisk. Combine spiralized squash, sprouts, carrots, 1/4 cup cilantro, 2 tablespoons peanuts, and mint in a large bowl. Add tofu and peanut butter mixture to bowl; toss. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cilantro, remaining 2 tablespoons peanuts, and scallions. Serve with lime wedges.

Servings: 4

Source: Cooking Light

Have a great day
 

Tip from my Mom, Doctor, Olympics

I don't know how many of my readers actually cook, but I thought I would pass on this tip I learned from my mother, many years ago, and only recently recalled. When she had to chop fresh herbs, which is a pain to do normally, she put them in a small basin and then using the tip of the scissors, snipped away at the herbs that way. So very easy. I really don't know why I haven't used that tip in years. Obviously senility kicking in!!

Everyone has been nagging advising  me to go to the doctor - however not too easy right now, yesterday was a holiday, today I have to take Matt to the Fracture Clinic. Reading up on IBS I think this may be a symptom of it. I have had IBS for years, although I didn't know it. They told me some 40 odd years ago that I had a spastic colon. I only recently discovered they were one and the same thing. Yes, I will go to the doctor as soon as I can.

Just watched Canada win the Women's Half Pipe Freestyle Gold. Canada is still in third place with the medals. Norway in first is well ahead. Germany is in second. We won a shared 2 man bob sled gold with Germany. Incredible they both did exactly the same time. So often these things are won by 100ths of a second. Ice dancing is on now but have to go to bed as Matt's appointment is at 9:35 am.

Oh dear, once in a while I really enjoy a "noodle bowl" for my lunch. Now I read how unhealthy they are, especially if you eat two bowls a week, which I don't. However, here is a recipe for making your own. Sounds pretty good.

Miso Ginger Noodle Bowl

Think of this comforting soup as a cross between ramen and miso soup. The broth gets instant depth from the bacon drippings in the pan, as well as the miso paste and shiitake mushrooms. You’ll find white miso paste at most supermarkets, either in the refrigerated soy product section or on the international foods aisle. Use it to enrich broths, marinades, or salad dressings, keeping in mind that a

little goes a long way. Give the eggs a quick rinse in their shells since they’ll simmer directly in the broth.

3 center-cut bacon slices, chopped
8 cups stemmed, sliced collard greens or kale
3 garlic cloves, sliced
1 Tbs canola oil
1 (6-oz.) pkg. shiitake mushroom caps, sliced
2 Tbs white miso paste
2 tsp grated peeled fresh ginger
4 cups unsalted chicken stock
4 large eggs in shells, rinsed
4 oz dried flat brown rice noodles (such as Annie Chun's Pad Thai noodles)
1 cup matchstick-cut carrots

1. Heat bacon in a large saucepan over medium-high; cook 5 minutes or until crisp. Add greens and garlic; sauté 6 minutes. Place greens in a bowl; keep warm.

2. Heat oil in pan over medium-high. Add mushrooms; cook 3 minutes or until slightly softened. Stir in miso and ginger; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add stock; bring to a boil.

3. Reduce heat to medium. Add eggs in shells; cover and cook 7 minutes. Remove eggs from pan with a slotted spoon; plunge into ice water. Let stand 3 minutes; drain. Peel and halve eggs.

4. Bring soup to a boil. Add noodles; cook 2 minutes or until tender. Divide stock mixture evenly among 4 bowls; top evenly with greens, eggs, and carrots.

Servings: 4

Source: Cooking Light


Have a great day
 

Bowling, Shopping, Weather, Olympics

Well today Matt bowled two games. He was pretty done in by the end, but I didn't think he would make that many games anyway. I didn't bowl well and have finally lost my high women's average. One of my competitors gained 2 points over me today. I will have to wait two weeks to try and compete because next week is a statutory holiday, Family Day, so the league doesn't bowl. We will be bowling of course, not sure which days, but I/we will be there.

At least I think Matt will be able to help me shopping tomorrow. It's not the shopping itself but the dragging the stuff, in our cart, right across the garage and into the building and then the apartment. Matt pooh poohs it but I find it very hard. He might too with his damaged ankle. We shall see. Mind you our cart is a bit wonky these days, I would like to get a new one but Matt doesn't think it's necessary yet!!!

Although we had quite a bit of snow at the weekend, the roads were pretty well clear and the sun was shining today so it was a lovely day. Only -7°C which isn't that bad, especially when it's sunny. When we used to cross country ski, we thought nothing of that temperature.

Right now on TV there is women's snowboarding half pipe or something. Not my thing. I am now waiting for the individual figure skating. Not sure when that starts. Will have to check  that out. Canada has 2 golds, 4 silvers and a bronze at the moment. Germany has the most golds but Norway has the most medals. I was surprised at how few people I know watch the Olympics. I am not interested in sports generally, but enjoy watching the best in the world.

To update you, I thought my illness was basically Saturday night, but I was still feeling pretty rotten today, shivery in particular. That's why I bowled badly, aha!!! One comment mentioned noro virus so I googled it. Some similarities but I don't think that was it.

These truffles are right up my street. I used to be a bowl licker par excellence.

Decadent Cookie Dough Truffles

These deliciously rich truffles are perfect for cookie dough fanatics and lick-the-bowl-lovers!

4 oz cream cheese, softened
½ cup butter, softened
¾ cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup flour
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 ½ cups milk chocolate chips
1 Tbs vegetable shortening

1. In a mixer, blend cream cheese and butter until creamy. Add brown sugar and vanilla, mixing until combined. Add flour and salt, mixing on low speed until flour disappears. Fold in semi-sweet chocolate chips.

2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll cookie mixture into 1-inch round balls. Place on baking sheet and place in freezer for 25 minutes to set. Remove from freezer and roll truffles in your palms until smooth and round, and return to freezer for 5 more minutes.

3. Place milk chocolate chips and shortening in a microwave safe bowl. Heat at 50% power for 30 second increments, stirring between each time until fully melted.

4. Using a fork or skewer, dip truffles in melted chocolate. Place back on parchment baking sheet and refrigerate until ready to eat.

Yield: approximately 16 truffles

Source: Zoomer Magazine


Have a great day
 

Cartoon, Olympics.

I loved this cartoon, absolutely had to share it because it is so true, Facebook and the like are absolutely littered with pet pix. This came from How to Geek.

I am not too chipper today. I was violently ill on Saturday night, stomach upset - one of those where you don't know whether to sit down or bend over - no idea why except it might be something to do with my IBS. Matt and I basically ate and drank the same things. It was also one of those where you are afraid you are dying and after a while afraid you are not. Used to say that about seasickness.

Been pretty well glued to the TV with the Olympics. I was very disappointed the young Canadian who won the Bronze medal in snowboarding didn't do better particularly as we had previously watched the film about his near death experience. Pretty frightening for all concerned. Mind you they are nuts anyway LOL. As are the ski jumpers, not seen any of those yet. I love speed skating and also enjoy Cross Country skiing. Well I used to do some of that. Figure skating is probably my favourite though. Hope to see some tonight.

No recipe today, sorry. Feel quite washed out. For instance I only ate half a baked potato for supper and a few Brussels sprouts. And I haven't had any chocolate all day!!!!!!!!

Have a great day
 

Bowling Final, PC Points, Olympics,

Hurrah for my team, we ended up in 4th place. Considering we were once at the bottom I think we made a wonderful recovery. If one of our team hadn't forgotten the start date and not turned up, the owner thinks we might have  made it to 3rd. Oh well. Maybe next summer. Next week we have one more bowling session with everyone preceded by a sandwich lunch. We just play fun games as well as bowling bingo which I enjoy but have never been on a winning team.

I have mentioned our grocery store giving us points for certain items every week. Today I used $80 worth to pay for most of our bill today. We still earned some 29,000 points from what we bought today including 15,000 for buying more than $150 worth of groceries. I think this is a wonderful system and we ourselves have used over $1,000 worth of points already. I can't remember if I mentioned we get a percentage back from our Visa expenditures which means we end up with about $300 or so at the end of the period. Not a heck of a lot of money but better in my pocket than theirs.

Boy am I sick of your politics America. On TV right now.

Whilst bowling today they had the Olympics on TV. I saw some canoe slalem. I have never seen that sport before, I didn't know there was such a thing. It didn't look very easy either. I don't know if that is a new sport this year or not.  I think it would be fun to watch mind you.

This is somewhat different.

Shrimp Piccata with Zucchini Noodles

From: EatingWell Magazine May/June 2015


The tangy lemon-caper sauce in this healthy Italian makeover recipe is a natural with shrimp. Serving

it over zucchini noodles (aka zoodles) keeps the dish summery and low-cal, but it's also delicious with whole-wheat spaghetti.

5-6 medium zucchini (2 1/4-2 1/2 pounds), trimmed
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 cloves garlic, minced
Olive Oil Extra Virgin
1 pound raw shrimp (21-25 count; see Tip), peeled and deveined, tails left on if desired
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/3 cup white wine
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 tablespoons capers, rinsed
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Preparation

Using a spiral vegetable slicer or a vegetable peeler, cut zucchini lengthwise into long, thin strands or strips. Stop when you reach the seeds in the middle (seeds make the noodles fall apart). Place the zucchini "noodles" in a colander and toss with salt. Let drain for 15 to 30 minutes, then gently squeeze to remove any excess water.
Meanwhile, heat butter and 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add shrimp and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
Whisk broth and cornstarch in a small bowl. Add to the shrimp along with wine, lemon juice and capers. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp is just cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini noodles and gently toss until hot, about 3 minutes. Serve the shrimp and sauce over the zucchini noodles, sprinkled with parsley.

Tip: Shrimp is usually sold by the number needed to make one pound. For example, “21-25 count” means there will be 21 to 25 shrimp in a pound. Size names, such as “large” or “extra large,” are not standardized, so to get the size you want, order by the count per pound. Both wild-caught and farm-raised shrimp can damage the surrounding ecosystems when not managed properly. Fortunately, it is possible to buy shrimp that have been raised or caught with sound environmental practices.

Have a great day

Medical, Kiev.

I seem to be having trouble with the medical profession lately. Tuesday morning it was snowing, the roads and sidewalks were a mess and parking for the specialist was some distance away so Matt dropped me off. I arrived at 10:45 am for my 11 am appointment. By 10:15 we had been listening to the doctor talk to a colleague and I was getting antsy. Another couple also waiting, I asked them what time their appointment was and they said 11 am. Oh really!! I then spoke to the secretary/receptionist who said my appointment was 12:40 pm which is what she had faxed my family doctor. My response, I phoned and changed the time (I never book lunchtime appointments because of my diabetes). She said did I speak to her, I said if you are the only one here, then yes. In the end she gave me another appointment for Feb 25. Grrrr. Because of the lack of time before bowling, we had made some lunch to carry with us. Got to the bowling alley really early because of not seeing the specialist and discovered that on Tuesdays they have someone come in to cook food. Didn’t know that. Oh well. We munched on our lunches quite happily and they provided us with coffee and water. Matt bowled two really good games. Nuff said.

Pretty serious rioting in Kiev at the moment. My IT guy comes from the Ukraine so I hope, for his sake, it doesn’t affect any of his family. The last report I saw said Kiev was on fire and 18 people were dead in the rioting.  Haven’t really studied it so don’t know what it’s about, will have to check it out. Oh, a struggle over the nation’s identity. There is a protest camp in the centre of Kiev and thousands of police tried to get rid of them. A lot of police were shot and/or injured with seven died along with 11 protesters. What a terrible situation.

I didn’t really watch any Olympics as we were out bowling so can’t tell you what’s happened. I am told Canada is doing well in ice hockey and curling. I do hope so because we have dropped behind lately on the medals.

Rusty Carl mentioned Lemon Meringue Pie in his comment the other day which made me want some. It is one of my favourites and Alton Brown is a source of very good recipes.

Lemon Meringue Pie

Food Network

Recipe courtesy Alton Brown, 2003


6 to 8 servings

Ingredients

• Lemon Filling:
• 4 egg yolks (reserve whites for meringue)
• 1/3 cup cornstarch
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
• 1 (9-inch) pre-baked pie shell
• 1 recipe Meringue, recipe follows
• Meringue Topping:
• 4 egg whites
• 1 pinch cream of tartar
• 2 tablespoons sugar

Directions

Lemon Filling:
Adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Whisk egg yolks in medium size mixing bowl and set aside.
In a medium saucepan, combine cornstarch, water, sugar, and salt. Whisk to combine. Turn heat on medium and, stirring frequently, bring mixture to a boil. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and gradually, 1 whisk-full at a time, add hot mixture to egg yolks and stir until you have added at least half of the mixture.
Return egg mixture to saucepan, turn heat down to low and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 more minute. Remove from heat and gently stir in butter, lemon juice, and zest until well combined. Pour mixture into pie shell and top with meringue while filling is still hot. Make sure meringue completely covers filling and that it goes right up to the edge of the crust. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until meringue is golden. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack. Make sure pie is cooled completely before slicing.
Meringue Topping:
Place egg whites and cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat egg whites until soft peaks form and then gradually add sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form, approximately 1 to 2 minutes. Use to top lemon filling.
Yield: topping for 1 (9-inch) pie

Have a great day.

Holiday. Weekend Cooking, Skating,

Today is Family Day in Ontario. This is a relatively new holiday, first observed in 2008, and is not universal in Canada although most provinces have a statutory holiday in February. It does mean that our bowling alley will be swamped with families with parents and kids so they cancelled our League today. However, many of us are going to bowl tomorrow afternoon instead.

We had quite a lot of snow on Saturday night and Sunday morning. Luckily we haven’t had the snow which has hampered most of the States.

As you may have seen from the comments last week, I changed our planned menu for Valentine’s Day to decrease the calorie intake somewhat. We ended up having spaghetti with a shrimp in white wine and tomato sauce inspired by a recipe by Kevin’s Closet Cooking followed by the Chocolate Volcanoes. Saturday we had our fillet steaks which I served with a Balsamic sauce. Matt did not like the sauce, but I did. When we made the chocolate volcanoes we ended up with three egg whites. Saturday afternoon I turned them into meringues – I am not very good at meringues, but they turned out pretty well. It is one of my favourite things to eat, especially with cream. Cornish cream for preference of course. Sunday we had a favourite standby of Chicken Breasts with Lemon and Capers. Hadn’t had it in a while so it made a nice change.

Been watching a lot of the Olympics over the weekend too. Was so disappointed that Patrick Chan didn’t manage to win the gold especially as the Japanese skater, Yuzuru Hanyu, left the door wide open for him. However, everyone was falling and Patrick Chan was no exception. I though both the winning skate and Chan’s skate were rather boring and I much preferred that of the American skater Jason Brown. However, I am not the judge and I can’t tell one jump from another anyway. I never managed to stay upright on skates without hanging on to someone.

I have posted this recipe for Chicken with Lemon and Capers before, but I thought you might like to see it again as it was a long time ago and it is such an easy but tasty recipe.


Chicken Breasts with Lemon and Capers

1/4 cup Flour
1/4 tsp Black Pepper
1/2 tsp Paprika
2 Skinned, boned chicken breasts about 1 lb, halved and pounded to ¼  in thickness
5 tsp corn oil
1/4 cup chicken broth
2 Tbs lemon juice
2 Tbs Capers, drained

1. FLATTEN the chicken first by putting it between two sheets of Saran wrap and beating it with a mallet, using the side not the spiked part of said mallet.
2. Combine the flour, pepper and paprika on a plate. Press the chicken breasts  into the mixture, coating them evenly all over and shaking off any excess.
3. In a heavy 10 in skillet, heat the corn oil over mod high heat for 1 mins. Add the breasts and cook about 3 mins on each side, do not overcook. Transfer the breast to a heated platter.
4. Add the chicken broth to the skillet scraping up any browned bits on the bottom. Stir in the lemon juice and capers and heat through. Pour the sauce over the breasts and serve.

Have a great day

Fictional Bears, Olympics, Matryoshka Dolls.

Funny, I was thinking about all the books my blogging friends, or their friends, are writing. Some are successful and some don’t get too far which must be so disappointing when you have put your heart and soul into it. Then I was thinking about successful authors and how three very successful authors in Britain wrote about bears. Winnie the Pooh, Rupert Bear and Paddington Bear. I wonder what it is about bears that makes them so popular in the UK. Maybe because the country doesn’t have any bears. Winnie the Pooh was based on a Canadian Bear and Paddington is supposed to have come from Peru. Not sure where Rupert began. So if you want success, obviously you have to write about bears and publish what you write in the UK. The last picture is an actual statue of Paddington Bear which is in Paddington Station in London, England. Rupert Bear was originally seen in a British Newspaper, the Daily Express, and a book was published every Christmas; I always got one in my stocking. More recently it has been wizards of course. Oh, I just found out that Goldilocks and the three Bears originated in the UK as well. I didn’t know that before.

I am thrilled to report that Canada has 7 medals in the Olympic Games three of which are gold, three silver and one bronze putting us at the top of the leader board. Not something that happens very often. Well done to our athletes. I hope they manage to hang on to their really good start. Obviously you can see the results for yourselves. I’ve been thinking I wished I knew someone who is there, I have always wanted one of those dolls. Matryoshka dolls.  I’ve always wanted one, don’t know why.

Forgot to say, I had a good day bowling on Monday again. Not Matt again I am afraid.

Valentine’s is nearly here and this is a recipe from Campbell’s which would be a nice and easy dish to make for that special day. I confess I have never heard of the Campbell’s Cream stock.


Chocolate Ganache Tarts

Ingredients

18 1.5” mini tart shells
¾ cup (185 mL) Campbell's^® Stock First Cream Stock
6 oz (170 g) semisweet dark chocolate, chopped
3 tbsp (45 mL) hazelnut liqueur (option to replace the liqueur with an extract of your choice [1/4 tsp (1 mL) of the extract and 2 tbsp (30 mL) of water]
1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla extract
Coarse salt for garnish (optional)
Pinch of cinnamon for garnish (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 ° F (190 °C).
2. Bake the tart shells according to the instructions on the package.
3. Place chopped chocolate in bowl.
4. In a small saucepan over low heat, heat the cream stock until simmering stirring frequently.
5. Pour hot Campbell's^® Stock First Cream Stock over chocolate and whisk until smooth. Chocolate must melt completely.
6. Add liqueur and vanilla, stir and set aside.
7. When tart shells are done baking, remove from oven and spoon in warm chocolate mixture.
8. Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.

Recipe Tips

Top with a cinnamon heart or dust with icing sugar on top for a festive look

Have a great day.

Year of the Horse, Olympics

I certainly had my fill of dumplings and buns at the Mandarin. I also had a green tea cookie and a special custard tart for New Years as well. Everything was delicious as usual. Our waiter wasn’t terribly good though unfortunately, but not enough to spoil things. Some old boy (like we aren’t old) at the next table walked past and started chatting to us. He was quite funny. He told us he and his wife were in the iron and steel business, I got it straight away, she irons he steals. When we left he told my friend and I to look after the kids we’d brought with us. He was a cheerful soul. I had bought Matt a pair of driving gloves which we had to return because they were too small, they came back today just as we were going out. Good timing. I meant to take a camera, but guess what? I forgot. This is just one type of dumpling, shrimp I think, there are many types of course and I tried as many as I could.

Just caught a news brief about the Sochi Olympics costing $50 billion and therefore being the most expensive winter Olympics ever. The article goes on about widespread stench of corruption and says the Olympics is a costly distraction. Don’t know about that, but with all the threats and suicide bombing, I am glad I am not going to be there in any capacity whatsoever. I didn’t know where Sochi was so I googled the other day and see it is on the Black Sea. Somewhat European venue it seems.

Here is a recipe for green tea cookies. They are flavoured with matcha which is apparently a green tea powder which can be obtained on line – it is very expensive I am told, but you only need a small amount. The ones I ate were not shaped like leaves, just little round cookies. They have a shortbread texture and I enjoyed them.

Green Tea Cookies

Caroline Russock


[Photograph: Tara Straino]

Matcha lends these vibrantly green cookies both color and delicate green tea flavour.

2 dozen cookies

This recipe appears in:
Bake the Book: Green Tea Cookies

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon pure matcha powder
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter,at room temperature
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• Pinch salt
• Sugar, for dusting (optional)

Procedures

1. Mix together the powdered sugar and matcha powder. Add in the butter and beat it all together until smooth and spinach green. Add the egg yolks and beat until mostly incorporated, scraping down the green, sticky stuff off the side of the bowl, as needed.
   
2. Pour in the flour and pinch of salt, half at a time, and beat to combine. It will take a minute for the flour to absorb into the dough, so don’t rush it. Once all the flour is in, use your hands to check for particularly gooey or dry sections of the dough (it will still look very crumby); if you find any, keep mixing.
   
3. Use the warmth of your hands to pull the dough together into a ball. Lay out the ball onto a piece of plastic wrap, seal it up, and form the ball into a flattened disk. Chill it until firm enough to roll, about 30 minutes to 1 hour.
   
4. Preheat the oven 350°F.
   
5. When you're ready to bake, roll out the dough to about 1/2-inch thick. Cut out cookies using a leaf-shaped cookie cutter, or any other shape you'd like. Drop the cookies in the sugar, if using, and flip them to coat both sides. Set them on a parchment-paper-lined cookie sheet and bake 12 to 15 minutes, until barely starting to turn golden. Cool on wire racks.
   

Have a great day

Weekend, Floating Dog, Olympic Closing.

Quiet weekend with lots of rain on Saturday for which we are truly grateful. Although some people complained they would have preferred it to fall during the week. I guess if you are working all week, it makes a difference, we tend not to think about it. We are both in countdown mode for our trip to NC next month, Matt keeps telling me how many weeks now. Right now its four.

There is a picture which I have seen frequently on Facebook and which appeared on Good Morning America on Sunday of a man who takes his dog down to the lake and stands holding him as he floats in the water. This way, it gives the dog pain relief and is the only way he can sleep.

The dog is apparently 18 years of age and is very arthritic. It appears that, the picture having gone viral, people have contacted the veterinarian and offered to help pay the dog’s medical bills. People are so kind sometimes.

Oops, I missed it. The closing ceremonies which everyone appears to be raving about. I meant to watch earlier in the day but got overtaken by other things, when I did turn the TV on later in the evening, the musical part was just about over and I honestly didn’t want to see the parade of athletes. I have read lots of people’s comments that it was a great show, the bit I saw was not really my kind of music although certainly had a good beat. I saw some elderly guy arrive in a London taxi cab who was, apparently very popular, His voice and that of the lead singers of the groups I did see, were definitely not my thing. Maybe I missed the best bits, I don’t know, it all looked pretty spectacular though. The British must be tickled pink to have won so many medals, including 29 gold. It seems to pay being the host nation, as far as medals are concerned that is. I hope they didn’t make a loss on the games themselves.

Today I have to have my X-ray to see what the problem is with the extra bone in my lumbar region. Hope it will lead to some resolution of the problem.

This is another Eating Well recipe which I found on Cooking.com and I thought it sounded pretty good. I don’t usually bother much with dips except for the one with artichokes and cheese which I tend to pig out on. In case you don’t know, crudités is the French way of saying raw vegetables.

Feta and Herb Dip with Crudités

Source: © EatingWell Magazine

Yield: 8 servings, 1/4 cup each

Lots of freshly chopped herbs add zing to our white bean dip. Serve with assorted vegetables, such as baby carrots, bell pepper strips, radishes, snow peas, broccoli and cauliflower florets.
Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

RECIPE INGREDIENTS

1 15-ounce can white beans, rinsed

3/4 cup nonfat plain yogurt

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon garlic salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/4 cup chopped fresh dill

1/4 cup chopped fresh mint

1/4 cup chopped fresh chives

 

Place beans, yogurt, feta, lemon juice, garlic salt and pepper in a food processor and puree until smooth. Add herbs; puree until incorporated. Chill until ready to serve.

Olympics, Medals and Nosegays.

Watching the 100 m sprint on Sunday I thought I heard a reporter say something about a bottle on the track, Monday they was a report that a man had been arrested for throwing a plastic bottle. A Dutch judo competitor says she thumped him because she was so annoyed. Nothing more of the story at the time of writing however. You can just see the bottle behind the middle runner. What a weird thing to do. Luckily it didn’t interrupt the race and of course it was wonderful to see Bolt streak to the winning post.

According to the news, lots of Canadians have reached semi finals or even finals in 1,100 metre kayaking for Adam van Koeverden so hopefully we might see some more medals for Canada soon. A friend is lucky because she will be going to see the semi finals of the Canada-US women’s soccer match in Manchester, she already went to Old Trafford for one game. As an ex pat English woman I am delighted to see the UK doing so well. Being the host nation certainly seems to give athletes a boost. I would also be delighted to see Canada get a few more golds.

Talking of medals, Hilary Melton-Butcher described them in her blog yesterday – she said that in the original games the winners would get wreaths and amphorae of olive oil. Today the medals weigh the same as a can of baked beans. I know which I would rather have. Admittedly the medals last longer, but the olive oil would be of more use to me. The golds are not, of course, solid gold and haven’t been since the 1900 games but, as I wrote a day or two ago, they have to be plated in a minimum of 9 grams of gold. Hilary describes them in more detail.

Sadly the Canadian team did not beat the US in the semi final soccer match yesterday. The match went into overtime and the final result was 4-3 a very good effort on the part of the Canadians.

I was going to talk about the Olympic Bouquet but Hilary Melton-Butcher got there before me. I had been thinking what an attractive posy of flowers, but it never occurred to me that there was significance in the construction of the whole bouquet, or, as Hilary points out, nosegay. Do read her blog about this delightful presentation which is being given to every winning athlete. From the herbs which are being used as well as the flowers themselves, it must smell absolutely delightful, hence the term nosegay being a delight to the nose. Of course nosegays were once used to disguise the smells which were prevalent in the streets of the city in those days. In Charles II time oranges were used for the same purpose frequently stuck with cloves. Pomanders were often carried by the well to do; they hung around their necks and could be sniffed any time there was an offensive odour. Aren’t the bouquets beautiful though? I wouldn’t mind having one of them.

I am not, I must confess, a big fan of Mexican food, but I do like Guacamole and this recipe sounded a good one, plus it can be used in several different ways.

Guacamole with Charred Jalapeño and Scallions

Contributed by Grace Parisi at Food and Wine

SERVINGS:2 cups

F&W's Grace Parisi invented this smoky guacamole, then presented three ingenious ways to use it: in a soup, an hors d'oeuvre and a salad dressing. 

1. 3 medium scallions, white and tender green parts only
2. 2 medium garlic cloves, unpeeled
3. 1 jalapeño, seeded and quartered lengthwise
4. 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
5. 3 Hass avocados, halved and pitted
6. 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro leaves
7. 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
8. Salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Preheat a grill pan. In a small bowl, toss the scallions, garlic and jalapeño with the vegetable oil. Grill over moderately high heat, turning occasionally, until charred all over, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a work surface and let cool.
2. Finely chop the scallions and jalapeño and transfer to a medium bowl. Peel the garlic cloves, mash them to a paste and add them to the bowl. Scoop the avocado flesh into the bowl and coarsely mash with a fork. Fold the cilantro and lime juice into the guacamole, season with salt and pepper and serve.

Make Ahead: Press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the guacamole and refrigerate overnight.

Notes Variation: For a brighter, crunchier guacamole, finely chop the scallions, garlic and jalapeño and stir them in raw.

Have a great day

Dick Francis, Canada Critics,

I have just discovered through reading Karen Miller's blog that Dick Francis has died. He is one of my all time favourite authors and I have every book he ever wrote and re-read them now and again. There is an article about it in the BBC news although there doesn't seem to have been much coverage here. Apparently he was 89 which, in this day and age, is not that old you can read more here. His son will be carrying on the tradition, but the flavour won't be quite the same especially since, as far as I know, Felix Francis hasn't lived and breathed the horse world as Dick Francis did. One thing emphasised in the article is the fact that he wrote all his books longhand. To me that is incredible, but I guess if you never learned to type, a typewriter wouldn't be much use. Maybe his son uses a computer these days but of course in the original days of Dick Francis' novels, there were only typewriters. I gather they lived in the Cayman Islands, so that is at least one author who made it 'big". I do hope some of my friends, who are authors, will also hit the big time.

I actually intended to write about an article I came across yesterday in which Britain is slamming Canada's hosting of the Olympics. I was very distressed to read that the Brits are blaming Canada for the death of the young luger (investigations already having cleared the organisers) and saying we are treating it very casually. One thing Canadians never do is treat death casually, and a service was held for the young man before his remains departed for Georgia. As for our hype about dominating the podium, it is a way of encouraging our athletes and giving them a sense that the coountry is behind them. I am not sure we actually do enough for our athletes but that is not something I really know enough about. As for "thirst for glory" and "perversion of the Olympic movement for national gain; made by a culture of worthless aggrandizement and pride”, isn't that a distorted reflection of the way most countries feel about hosting the games. Maybe the games are held for profit reasons, but that is certainly not exclusive to Canada who really, really want their athletes to do well for a change. We are usually not very high in the medal stakes. As an ex pat Brit, I was very upset to read such criticisms.

Last night we watched the Free Skate programme of the pairs figure skating which was all such a sad fiasco until the end. Every couple we saw had at least one fall which marred their otherwise flawless and beautiful performances. Even the couple who got the bronze, a German pair, fell although their skating generally was a delight to watch. However, the silver and gold were won by Chinese skaters who did deliver flawless performances and were wonderful to watch. As the commentators said at the time "Happy New Year" China - Gung Hai Fat Choy. It is the first time China has gold medalled in the pairs apparently and then they got the silver too. They certainly deserved the accolades. Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo were the gold medallists. One of my favourite skating segments is the men's singles although I guess I love to watch all the figure skating.

I have always loved Jambalaya although the recipe I use for a cold Jambalaya may not be truly authentic as I got it from a local paper. Mine uses shrimp and ham. The following one is for chicken and shrimp with the addition of andouille sausage which is not readily available everywhere - however, any spicy sausage would do if not giving quite the same flavour.

Chicken and Shrimp Jambalaya Source: America's Test Kitchen Yield: Serves 4 to 6

Because andouille varies in spiciness, we suggest tasting a piece of the cooked sausage and then adjusting the amount of cayenne in the jambalaya to suit your taste. If you can’t find andouille, try tasso, chorizo, or linguiça; if using chorizo or linguiça, consider doubling the amount of cayenne. The onion, celery, bell pepper, and garlic can be chopped by hand instead of in the food processor. The shrimp don’t need to be deveined, but you can do so if you prefer. If you’re serving only four people, you may choose to skip the shredding step and serve the chicken on the bone.

1 medium onion, peeled, ends trimmed, and quartered lengthwise 1 medium rib of celery, cut crosswise into quarters 1 medium red bell pepper, stem removed, seeded, and quartered lengthwise 5 medium cloves of garlic, peeled 2 teaspoons vegetable oil 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs 8 ounces andouille sausage , halved lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch pieces 1 1/2 cups long grain white rice (10 ounces) 1 teaspoon table salt 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme , minced 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (see note) 1 can diced tomatoes (14 1/2-ounce), drained, 1/4 cup juice reserved 1 cup clam juice 1 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth 2 bay leaves 1 pound medium shrimp (31 to 35 shrimp per pound), or large shrimp, shelled 2 tablespoons fresh parsley , minced DIRECTIONS In food processor, pulse onion, celery, red pepper, and garlic until chopped fine, about six 1-second pulses, scraping down sides of bowl once or twice. Do not overprocess; vegetables should not be pureed. Heat oil in large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking, about 2 minutes. Add chicken, skin-side down, and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Using tongs, turn chicken and cook until golden brown on second side, about 3 minutes longer. Transfer chicken to plate and set aside. Reduce heat to medium and add andouille; cook, stirring frequently, until browned, about 3 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer sausage to paper towel-lined plate and set aside. Reduce heat to medium-low, add vegetables, and cook, stirring occasionally and scraping bottom of pot with wooden spoon, until vegetables have softened, about 4 minutes. Add rice, salt, thyme, and cayenne; cook, stirring frequently, until rice is coated with fat, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes, reserved tomato juice, clam juice, chicken broth, bay leaves, and browned sausage to pot; stir to combine. Remove and discard skin from chicken; place chicken, skinned-side down, on rice. Bring to boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir once, keeping chicken on top, skinned-side down. Replace cover and continue to simmer until chicken is no longer pink when cut into with paring knife, about 10 minutes more; transfer chicken to clean plate and set aside. Scatter shrimp over rice, cover, and continue to cook until rice is fully tender and shrimp are opaque and cooked through, about 5 minutes more. While shrimp are cooking, shred chicken. When shrimp are cooked, discard bay leaves; off heat, stir in parsley and shredded chicken, and serve immediately.

Have a great day

Games, Books, Valentine's Day.

I've spent a fair amount of time watching the Olympics. On Saturday afternoon watching the young Dutchman, Sven Kramer, win the 5,000 metres speed skating event. I love to watch speed skating, but I didn't realise just how involved the Dutch are with that sport. The Dutch prime minister was even there to watch. Much to everyone's surprise, a young south Korean, Lee Seung-Hoon, came in second with a Russian, Ivan Kobrev, in third place. We also caught a bit of women's hockey, the Canadians were matched against a brand new Slovakian team and on Sunday I heard the score was 18-0 to the Canadians. I felt a bit sorry for the Slovaks. Sunday morning we heard the first Canadian medal had been won, a silver for Jenn Heil in the moguls. Canada is really, really, hoping for a good medals count this time. We should be good at winter sports after all. Now, Sunday night, everyone is so excited because Canada won the gold in the men's moguls. Alexandre Bilodeau was first with a young Australian who was actually born and raised in Canada, taking the silver and the Americans taking the bronze. It is Canada's first gold medal in these games and the first time a gold medal has been won by a Canadian on home soil, this being the third games we have hosted, Montreal first, Calgary second and now Vancouver. So far we have one medal of each type with a speed skater, Kristina Groves having won a bronze. I haven't mentioned my reading lately, I have just finished a couple of books by Chris Evans. A Darkness Forged in Fire and The Light of Burning Shadows. I enjoyed them both but they were slow going. Obviously there is intended to be at least one more book, I am not quite sure if I will read it or not. I am not usually so ambivalent about the books I read, but these two I was. There was lots of magic and lots of odd critters and basically a pretty good story, but it was all about an army called The Iron Elves and the writing was not fast paced, so..... I have also been reading Suzanne Collins' Overlander Chronicles, I think they are classified as young adult fiction. I am enjoying them nevertheless. They are a light read and definitely fast paced. Full of giant rats (baddies) and cockroaches (goodies, cockroaches as goodies???) together with bats who fly their bonded human friends all around the place. The one I have just finished is called the Prophecy of Bane and I have another one to read. I am still listening to The Cat Who Turned On and Off, but I only listen to that when I am using my treadmill. I am gradually using the treadmill for longer and longer periods so I am listening to the book longer too. Its a good murder story. Monday is Family Day in Ontario a relatively new holiday here, the first one was in 2008. However, the bowling alley is usually packed so we are going to be bowling at 10:30 a.m. to avoid the crush. I don't remember this happening last year, I wonder what happened then? However, I am writing this blog in advance so I can publish it early on Monday even though I won't be here. In fact, I am writing this on Sunday, Valentine's day. I have had some lovely roses and a sentimental card from Matt and he got a funny card from me!! Tonight we are planning a fairly simple meal but nevertheless a good one we hope. We are starting with a tomato Bruschetta, then a fillet steak with Portabella mushroms and asparagus followed by a plain cheesecake. Matt does NOT like anything on his cheesecake, I am thinking of making a chocolate ganache to add to mine. Talking of the Bruschetta, I cannot, for the life of me, find my recipe. I know I posted it here once but I can't find it here either. I have found several on the internet, but somehow they don't seem exactly the same. The search will continue. By the way, here is the Chocolate Ganache recipe I plan to use. Looks good dunnit? It tasted good too. Chocolate Ganache AllRecipes Submitted By: INGRIDEVOGEL Servings: 16 "This is a rich, dark chocolate topping or decoration that has lots of uses. It can be whipped as filling or icing, or just poured over whatever cake you like." Ingredients: 9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped 1 cup heavy cream 1 tablespoon dark rum (optional) Directions: 1. Place the chocolate into a medium bowl. Heat the cream in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Bring just to a boil, watching very carefully because if it boils for a few seconds, it will boil out of the pot. When the cream has come to a boil, pour over the chopped chocolate, and whisk until smooth. Stir in the rum if desired. 2. Allow the ganache to cool slightly before pouring over a cake. Start at the center of the cake and work outward. For a fluffy frosting or chocolate filling, allow it to cool until thick, then whip with a whisk until light and fluffy. I found a recipe for the Bruschetta which I liked the look of. Whilst hunting around, I came across a couple of Gordon Ramsey recipes, one for Steak Diane which is one of my favourites, but not really right for fillet, and another for Peppered Steak which works very well with fillet steak although it isn't specified in this recipe. Peppered steak with shallot sauce Source Gordon Ramsey 25g butter 4 shallots, finely sliced 4 Tbs Cognac 200ml red wine 200ml beef stock from 1/2 stock cube, hot Oil, for frying 2 Tbs crushed black peppercorns 4 rump or sirloin steaks 1. Melt the butter in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the shallots and cook for 2-3 minutes, to soften. Pour in the Cognac, boil for 1 minute, then add the wine. Increase the heat and boil for a few minutes to reduce by half. 2. Meanwhile, make up the stock and pour in. Boil until reduced by half again. Stir in the butter, season to taste, and leave over a low heat. 3. Meanwhile, brush a griddle or frying pan with a little oil and place over a high heat. Press the peppercorns all over the steaks. Place in the hot pan and cook for 2-5 minutes each side, depending how you like them cooked. Remove from the pan and set aside for 2 minutes to rest. 4. Divide between plates. Pour over the sauce and serve with thin-cut oven chips and grilled vine tomatoes. Servings: 4 Have a great day