Red Lobster, Hair Cut., Cannabis Scrip, Rent Increase,

Went to the Red Lobster and used our discount coupon for lunch. Apparently if you choose a dinner item, you get the dinner discount. Don't quite understand their logic but I am not complaining. Matt had a tilapia and shrimp dish which is spicy, it has 3 slices of jalapeño (I think) as garnish and Matt ate one. He didn't really know what it was. He found out!! Drank a lot of water. I chose an "Ultimate Feast" again, I particularly wanted some crab legs. I had taken my lobster pick with me which is much smaller than the fork they supply. Enjoyed it. I didn't bother with broccoli or any other veg and no sides of any kind. They knocked $1.25 off for that, nice of them.

Then went to the hair salon - decided I wasn't ready for a cut yet. She cut an amazing amount off Matt, incredible, she did all the things like ears and eyebrows. She also took a straight razor to his neck. Could have cut his throat with that. I forgot, she made me a cup of green tea whilst I was waiting. I was very impressed. She is a very nice woman. Matt doesn't remember going to her before, but he was impressed with her today. Well, when I had my hair cut she did the stringing I mentioned. Fascinating how she gets the string to vibrate and pull out chin hairs etc. Never seen that done before.

I might mention that it is bloody cold outside too. Coldest I have felt in a while.

Today, as I said, I have to go to the Cannabis doc for a renewed scrip. In the afternoon, I want to study the document the superintendent says he has from the Landlords and Tenants Board giving our landlords the right to increase the rent by 4.8%. If this is true, I will be making a noise about why none of us have been so advised by the Board. That, in our case, is over $60 a month. That is going to put a big strain on our budget although, I forgot, Matt just got a $5/month increase on his work pension. Makes the raise $55 I guess!!!

As so often happens, the picture grabbed me on this recipe. Not sure if I can get Spanish chorizo. I know I can get Portuguese but am not sure it is quite the same thing. My mother always had some on hand when they lived in Spain and we used to chomp on it all the time.

Chorizo and Potato Stew

This is the hearty, rustic, and deeply warming comfort food you'll be craving on all snowy days. Yes, it’s a large amount of paprika, but it serves as a base flavor for the stew and gives it a deep red color

and smoky aroma.

6 bacon slices, chopped
2 medium sweet onions, finely chopped
8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
3 Tbs tomato paste
2 ½ lb russet potatoes, peeled, cut into ¾" pieces
2 lb smoked Spanish chorizo, cut into rounds, halved into half-moons
1 lb button mushrooms, cut into ½"-thick wedges
8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
? cup hot smoked Spanish paprika
½ tsp cayenne pepper
Kosher salt
1 cup sour cream
2 cups torn dill
Freshly ground black pepper

1. Cook bacon in a large pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown but not yet crisp, 5–7 minutes. Transfer to paper towels.

2. Add onions to same pot and cook, stirring often, until golden and softened, 8–10 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, until slightly darkened in color, about 2 minutes. Return bacon to pot, then add potatoes, chorizo, mushrooms, broth, paprika, and cayenne and bring to a boil. Reduce heat so liquid is at a bare simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender, 25–30 minutes. Remove from heat; season with salt.

3. Stir sour cream and 2 Tbsp. water in a small bowl to combine; season with salt.

4. Divide stew among bowls and top with sour cream, dill, and a few grinds of pepper.

Servings: 8

Source: Bon Appétit

Have a great day

Rent Increase, Transplanting Hope,

Apart from my big refund yesterday, we had our annual notice of rent increase to take place in January. When I read it, it scared the hell out of me, they are proposing a rent increase of $66 a month because of all the expenses on the building. (I didn't ask for new balconies!). They did tell me they had submitted this to the Rent Tribunal and I would be notified of the hearing. This would be a 4.8% increase. The standard is 1.8%. I phoned the Rent Tribunal office and they told me that our landlords were very unlikely to get more than 2%. Better. He also told me to discuss it with others in the building. I phoned one friend and she told me that a mutual acquaintance was under the impression the approval had already gone through. I assured her that it hadn't and told her what the Tribunal had told me.  I have been complaining for years that rent goes up $20 odd per month/year but pensions rarely go over a couple of a dollars. This kind of increase would really hurt. One very good  thing about this building, we do not have to pay for what is referred to as hydro in Canada, i.e. electricity and water.

Just watched an incredible programme called Transplanting Hope all about organ donations. I must admit I had never really thought about it in detail before. I was aware that finding donors was extremely difficult, as one surgeon said, they lose 1/4 of their patients because of lack of donations. Maybe everyone should see this documentary. The surgeons who do the transplants are absolutely incredible, a lot of the work shown was of Canadian hospitals. However, both in Canada and in Texas work is being done on reviving hearts which were originally considered unusable, often through being deprived of oxygen too long. A heart, for instance, is only viable for a few hours on the death of the donor.

The picture of this recipe attracted me, thought a number of people would find it interesting. That toasted cheese looks absolutely delicious.

Michael's Pizza Soup

2 Tbs olive oil
2 onions, chopped
6-8 cloves garlic, minced
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 Tbs dried oregano
3 cups or so your favourite pizza toppings (such as sliced bell peppers, mushrooms, olives, cooked bacon)
4 oz spicy pepperoni, thinly sliced into rounds and halved
4 cups rich chicken broth or plain old water
lots of freshly ground pepper

1. Preheat your broiler.

2. Splash the olive oil into your soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic. Cook, stirring, as the onions soften, 2 or 3 minutes. Pour in the tomatoes, then stir in the oregano, your pizza toppings and the pepperoni.

3. Pour in the chicken broth and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a vigorous boil for a moment, then immediately reduce the heat to a slow, steady simmer and cover. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the flavours brighten and the textures soften, 10 minutes or so.

Yield: 4-6

Author: Michael Smith

Have a great day
 

Balcony Construction, Debate, Colonising Mars.

Hurrah, we lost the beeping crane today. It has moved round the front of  the building so for a few months we will have some peace and quiet. There is still one crane, but it doesn't make that dreadful noise. (Just discovered they are not cranes, they are boom lifts) Of course, when they finally get round to doing our balconies, sometime next year? we will have to put up with it again. For the first time since we came here 16 years ago, I regret that we don't have blind instead of sheers. We will be having guys working on our balcony who will be able to see into our apartment. Oh well, we will just have to be careful, or I will I guess. Don't want to frighten them right off the balcony.

Talking of our apartment, we had a rent increase yesterday, effective January 1. I immediately

emailed the office about the really threadbare carpet in one of the bedrooms. I submitted a request to get it replaced about a month ago or a bit more, and had no response. Couldn't do much before as we had a treadmill in there as well as a bed so would have been difficult moving stuff out of the way. We keep speculating on just how much this construction work is going to cost the owner in the end. I'm glad I don't have to foot the bill although I guess we are helping, indirectly.

I see Donald Trump is complaining about his microphone after the debate and wondering if it was screwed up deliberately. Trusting guy Mr. Trump. Hilary looks relieved though.

I also heard today that Elon Musk is scheduling to begin the colonisation of Mars in 2024. Incredible man. He just might do it. Not only that, I might still be around to see it happen.

It is coming in to soup weather. In fact round here I found it pretty chilly the last couple of days. So here is a nice warming dish.

Black Bean Soup

This is a zippy Southwestern-flavored black bean soup. We make it with canned beans so it comes

together in minutes. If you have leftovers, pack them up in individual serving containers for lunch the next day.

1 Tbs canola oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 Tbs chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
2 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed
3 cups water
1/2 cup prepared salsa
1/4 tsp salt
1 Tbs lime juice
4 Tbs reduced-fat sour cream, optional
2 Tbs chopped fresh cilantro, optional

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until beginning to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Add chili powder and cumin and cook, stirring, 1 minute more. Add beans, water, salsa and salt. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in lime juice.

2. Transfer half the soup to a blender and puree (use caution when pureeing hot liquids). Stir the puree back into the saucepan. Serve garnished with sour cream and cilantro, if desired.

Servings: 4

Source: WebMD Recipe from EatingWell.com

Have a great day