Cheeses, Bears and Books,

On Saturday I didn’t remember the names of the cheeses we had bought. It turned out it was St. Agur Blue and Brie Chateau de Bourgogne, both very expensive, the blue was $75 a kg and the brie was a bit less. The little bit of blue we bought didn’t last long, Saturday night we had Steak au Poivre for supper followed by the cheese and we have no blue left, it was rather a small piece – are you surprised, at that price? Actually I was rather surprised at the winery (Stoneyridge), that they allowed us to taste as many cheeses as we wanted. Maybe that’s why they are so expensive. Matt actually thought the brie was not as good as some of the others we have tasted. It really does have a delicate flavour and is extremely creamy.

On Sunday I read an article in the Mail online http://tinyurl.com/3lq287r celebrating the fact that Winnie the Pooh is 90 years old. As a child I certainly loved the Pooh books. However the articles mention many other children’s authors but there is no mention of Rupert Bear who was created as a comic strip character and who’s books I used to look forward to receiving every Christmas. Nor did the writer mention Michael Bond’s Paddington Bear who is a very famous bear indeed; he was 50 years old in 2008. Paddington appeared in a Marmite commercial a few years ago which provoked lots of reaction from the public as he is primarily known for eating marmalade. The article claimed that England is tops in writing children’s books. There are certainly a lot of them, not least of which are J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter stories.

I carefully avoid posting pictures of friends or mentioning their names other than our sinlaw who is already prominent on the web, but everyone is on Facebook these days and a picture I took on Friday was posted by me there and then reposted by a friend too so I’m not sure why I bother.

I found a recipe for the salad I ate on Friday. I hadn’t realised it was Thai although it was certainly spicy enough, well, for western tastes at least. That reminds me, on Saturday I talked about tasting ice wines and being given a spicy pea, it was actually a Wasabi flavoured pea which is what made it so pungent. One of the cheeses we tasted was flavoured with horseradish – not very hot, but you could taste the horseradish.

Thai Green Papaya Salad Recipe ("Som Tam")

By Darlene Schmidt, About.com Guide

Scrumptiously-Good Green Papaya Salad

This green papaya salad, known as som tam, is popular in most areas of Thailand, and when you taste it, you'll know why. The slightly tart flavor of the green papaya combines well with the spice of red chili pepper and the saltiness of shrimp paste and fish sauce, plus the sweetness of honey. Green papaya salad is a beautifully unique and flavor-filled dish that will make a great impression. It's also easy to make, low-calorie, and very nutritious. So try this Som tam recipe for dinner tonight!

Yield: SERVES 4 as a Side Dish

Ingredients:

• 1 small green papaya, OR 1/2 large (your papaya should be very firm, the flesh white to light orange in color)
• 1/2 cup honey-roasted peanuts OR plain roasted, or glazed cashews (see recipe link below)
• 1-2 cups bean sprouts
• 1 to 2 tomatoes, cut into long thin strips
• 1 red chili, minced (seeds removed if you prefer a milder salad)
• 3 spring onions, sliced into long matchstick-like pieces
• 1/2 cup fresh basil, roughly chopped if leaves are large
• handful of fresh coriander
• DRESSING:
• 1/2 tsp. shrimp paste (if vegetarian, substitute 1/2 Tbsp. Thai golden mountain sauce OR 1/2 Tbsp. soy sauce)
• 2 Tbsp. good-tasting oil, such as olive
• 2 Tbsp. fish sauce OR 2+1/2 Tbsp. soy sauce for vegetarians
• 3 Tbsp. lime juice
• 1/2 to 1 Tbsp. liquid honey, to taste

Preparation:

For a step-by-step version of this recipe (photo instructions), see my: How to Make Authentic Thai Green Papaya Salad.

1. Prepare the dressing by mixing together all dressing ingredients together in a cup. Make sure shrimp paste and honey dissolve fully (if using glazed nuts, you may only need to add 1/2 Tbsp. honey). Set aside.
2. Peel the green papaya, then slice it in half and remove all the seeds. Using the largest grater you have, grate the papaya (or you can use a potato peeler to create thin, ribbon-like strips). Place in a large bowl.
3. Add the sliced tomato, spring onion, chili, bean sprouts, and most of the basil. Add the dressing, tossing to combine.
4. Add the peanuts or cashews* (you can either leave them whole, or roughly chop them). Toss again. Taste-test the salad. If not sweet enough, add a little more honey. If not salty enough, add a little more fish sauce. If too sweet or salty, add more lime juice. If you prefer it spicier, add more fresh-cut chili or dried crushed chili.
5. To serve, scoop the salad into individual bowls or onto a serving platter. Sprinkle with remaining basil leaves plus fresh coriander. Serve immediately and ENJOY!

* To make your own glazed cashews (excellent with this salad!), see my: Easy Sweet & Spicy Glazed Cashews Recipe.

Make Ahead Tip: If you wish to make this salad ahead of time, combine all ingredients except the nuts and the dressing. You can then leave it covered in the refrigerator several hours, or overnight. Add the dressing and peanuts at the last minute, then toss and serve.

Have a great day

Niagara Trip

What a lovely start to our day, no hot water. I phoned the super at 6:45 a.m. and he didn’t know anything about it, luckily the hot water came back on again around 8 a.m. We were picked up at 9 a.m. by one of our friends.

So, we headed off for Niagara-on-the-Lake which is a delightful little town near Niagara Falls. As it turned out we were in the area somewhat early (my fault I was worried about lunch times etc.) and we drove along by the Falls, both the Horseshoe and the American ones – pretty fantastic sight at any time of the year. I always have been very impressed, though, with the rough water before you actually get to the Falls themselves.

We drove along the Niagara Parkway and stopped at a Walker’s Country Market. We sampled lots of items including a jam made with Peach and Jalapeño which was delicious. I ended up buying three miniature jams, Cranberry Marmalade, Garlic Jelly with Hot Red Peppers and Hot 4 Pepper Jelly (for Jelly read preserve or jam). We drove past several wineries and ended up at The Olde Angel Inn http://www.angel-inn.com/ in NOTL. We expected everyone else to be there but they arrived after us. Interesting spot, devoted to being as English as possible so of course their menu included Cottage Pie, Steak and Kidney Pudding, Fish and Chips, etc. etc. The others arrived shortly after and I was thrilled to meet our friends from South Africa. Pictures just aren’t the same. This, of course, was the object of the whole exercise and it was wonderful to meet someone I have been talking to for years. In fact we did talk on Skype once.

Having had a good, if somewhat expensive lunch, Matt had a Caesar Salad, I had a Portobello Burger with a very nice glass of house wine; we walked (well I staggered) to Cows, an ice cream shop which sold a lot of other touristy stuff too. Only two of us (I was one) had an ice cream though. From there we went to The Ice House where we tried their ice wines which have been big winners in Europe. Interesting we tried a white one (Gold Vidal) first, had a sip, and then were given a very spicy pea to eat and were then told to sip the wine again. What a difference. Then we had a red ice wine (Grand Gold Cabernet Sauvignon) I didn’t know there was such a thing as a red ice wine; same thing with the tasting, but this time we were given a chocolate covered coffee bean. A couple of our friends bought ice wines, we like them in moderation, but not enough to actually purchase a bottle. We did chat to one of the wine makers who explained the difference between Canadian ice wines and American ice wines. In Canada the grapes are frozen on the vine and allowed to thaw and refreeze at least three times before being picked. California doesn’t have the same winter so they squeeze their grapes and then freeze the resulting juice. It is a fact that Canadian ice wine makers are winning lots of prizes all over the world.

Next on the list was Coyote Run where, neither Matt and I nor our South African friends liked the tastings we tried. Our chauffeurs were being very cautious at what they tried in order to stay legal. From there we headed towards another winery but passed Chateau des Charmes which I wanted to visit as we know their wines already. Matt and I ended up buying a couple of them, a 2009 Sauvignon Blanc and a 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon. I was unaware before that the family originated in France. From the look of the residence across from the winery, they are doing very nicely.

Travelling quite a distance we ended up at Stoney Ridge Winery having journeyed through a downtown area and crossed the Welland Canal. Very scenic – I don’t think. Still the gardens at this winery were very beautiful with peonies all over the place. One of the features of Stoney Ridge is their cheese tasting bar. There were lots of very unusual cheeses to try and Matt and I ended up with some blue cheese and some very good brie. I cannot, for the life of me, remember what the blue cheese was called. Absolutely delicious both of them. We also bought a bottle of their wine an unoaked Charlotte’s Chardonnay.

Finally ended up at Flat Rock which was where we were going to have supper, from a wagon! el Gastrónomo Vagabundo. In good weather you can sit at outside tables to eat, however, by this time it was quite chilly, so we went up to their dining area which had the most gorgeous views of the surrounding countryside. The food was delicious, in particular the green papaya salad. http://www.elgastro.com/ We had one glass of wine with that meal but were unable to do any tasting there as we discovered that they close tasting bars at 6 p.m. by law we were told. Sadly we then parted and went our separate ways. Our South African friends are off to New York City today.

At one point during the afternoon, we exchanged gifts and I was delighted to receive a serving spoon and a bookmark made of South African beading. You know I will put the bookmark to really good  use. I am not sure if you can see, but the spoon handle is also beaded. Most attractive items. I might say, by the end of the day, my legs were killing me, in particular my feet, and yet I didn’t do a lot of walking. I did get to climb more stairs than I like though! Oh for next week when hopefully my mobility will improve.

I would like to have had the recipe for the salad I had for supper last night, however I don’t, so here is a frittata instead. This recipe is for eight but can easily be sized for lesser numbers. We make frittatas a lot and always enjoy them. As for the pan recommended, we use a regular non-stick pan and wrap the handle with foil to protect it in the oven.

Fresh Herb Frittata

By The Sprouted Kitchen
WebMD Recipe from Foodily.com

Herb frittatas filled with fragrant chives and dill and parsley and enriched by a touch of fresh cream, are as nutrient-dense as they are flavorful and make for a simple, but decidedly fresh breakfast or lunch. Make this dish in summertime, when both fresh herbs and pasture-raised eggs are in full production, easily accessible and inexpensive.

Ingredients

3 to 4 tablespoons clarified butter or ghee
1 dozen eggs
3 tablespoons fresh cream, not ultra-pasteurized
1 1/2 cups tightly packed fresh herbs (parsley, chives, chervil, dill etc.),
Minced additional fresh herbs, to garnish

Instructions

In a 12-inch oven-proof skillet, preferably cast iron or enameled cast iron, heat three to four tablespoons clarified butter over a medium flame until melted.

While the butter is melting, crack one dozen eggs and whisk them vigorously to incorporate a bit of air.

Once the eggs are sufficiently beaten, smooth and creamy with no separation of white and yolk, whisk in three tablespoons cream and minced herbs.

Pour the mixture of eggs, cream, and herbs into the melted fat in the hot skillet.

Shake the pan gently as the eggs set to minimize sticking or gently press the egg away from the sides of the skillet to allow the uncooked mixture of egg to seep through to the sides of the skillet and set.

Allow the egg, herb, and cream mixture to cook over a medium or medium-low flame for about five to six minutes, or until the mixture firms up.

Once the mixture is thick and firm, but for a bit of uncooked egg on the top of the frittata, place it in your oven under the broiler for four to six minutes.

Remove from the oven, either plating the frittata or serving it directly in the skillet.

Garnish with additional fresh herbs, as desired.

Total Servings: 8

Have a great weekend

Canada Post

I was sounding off about the postal strike last week. It now appears, not surprisingly, Canada Post is talking about laying off staff and cutting down delivery days to 3 a week. I see the reasoning behind this, but surely it will make people even less inclined to use the mail. The volume of mail has been very much reduced due to internet and texting. I know these days I tend to send a lot of cards by internet, as you will see above, I like Jacquie Lawson cards, unless they are to someone who doesn’t have internet access and there are getting to be less and less of such people. Of course I am married to a man who does not use the internet, will not in fact and I do know others who have had the opportunity but still don’t pursue computer use. One woman I know has had computers (we even built her one) but no longer, she never used it. However, she has taken computer courses. Seems a tad pointless to me. I personally couldn’t live without my computers now but if I predecease Matt, they will be chucked out.

Well, today I am off to Niagara-on-the-Lake as I have mentioned before. We will be having lunch there and then visiting a couple of wineries ending up at Flat Rock where we will try their meals which are served from a cart and paired with appropriate wines. Looking forward to it, but especially looking forward to meeting my South African friend face to face. Will tell you all about it on Saturday.

This is another recipe I received in my inbox and I thought it sounded delicious. We are both fond of goat cheese for a start and it sounds like figs would really go well with it.

Rustic Fig and Goat Cheese Pizza

By The Sprouted Kitchen
WebMD Recipe from Foodily.com

I’m not sure why I’ve been so intimidated to make my own pizza dough. It has a quick list of about 4 standby ingredients and reaped a priceless amount of self accomplishment. I watched the dough ball slowly expand and immediately texted Hugh to mark my success. I used a combination of unbleached flour and whole wheat, resulting in a hearty, yet pliable dough.

The attractive thing about pizza to any cook, is that it is a blank canvas for flavors. You can use whatever cheese you have, maybe some leftover shredded chicken, marinara sauce, or pesto. I wanted to wish my beloved figs a fond farewell this season, so a savory flatbread was just the place for final enjoyment. At some point this holiday weekend, I’m sure you’ll be eating outside, and likely with other people. I’ve YET to meet someone who does not like pizza … unless you’re some low-carbohydrate, gluten-free, fat-free diner, in which case my husband will gladly consume your portion.

Ingredients

2 Cups Unbleached Flour
1 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
1 to 1 1/4 Cup Water
1 tsp./ Half Packet Quick Rise Yeast
2 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 tsp. Sea Salt
3 tbsp. Fresh Chopped Chives
12 Fresh Figs, Sliced
½ Cup Soft Goat Cheese
½ Cup Fresh Shaved Parmesan Reggiano
¼ Cup Red Onion, VERY thinly sliced
¼ Cup Fresh Chives
2 Cups Organic Mache (Lambs Lettuce)
2 tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar
1 tsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Sea Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper

Instructions

Dough

2 Cups Unbleached Flour
1 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
1 to 1 1/4 Cup Water
1 tsp./ Half Packet Quick Rise Yeast
2 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 tsp. Sea Salt
3 tbsp. Fresh Chopped Chives

Turn your grill to medium high heat.

Activate the yeast using about a 1/2 cup warm water and the pinch of sugar. Add together and let sit until bubbles form.

Combine the yeast, flour, and 2 teaspoons salt in a bowl. Begin mixing and add the remaining 1/2 cup water and olive oil. Continue mixing until the mixture forms a ball and is slightly sticky. If it is too dry, add water a very little at a time until it acquires the desired consistency.

Turn the dough onto a work surface floured with the semolina and knead a few seconds. Grease a bowl with the remaining olive oil, and place the dough in it. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp cloth and allow it to rise in a warm place until the dough doubles in size, about 1 to 2 hours.

Turn the dough out onto your floured surface and (literally) punch it several times. Divide it into desired portions and roll into pizzas. Brush the dough with oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper before adding the toppings, and spread oil on the surface of the sheet pan. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 to 30 minutes, or until crust browns.

Please note I used 2 cups unbleached flour and 1 cup whole wheat flour, which provided both a chewy and crispy texture when pulled thin enough. I also added fresh chives for a bit of color and zing. This needs to be done 2 hours in advance.

Once you’ve made your dough, divide it and pull it out to desired size. With your hands, rub a little bit of oil on one side, and put the oiled side down on the grill. Close the lid and grill for about 3 minutes.

Flip the dough over and push the dough down with a spatula to create a thinner flatbread (if you desire… I desired). Evenly distribute the sliced figs, goat cheese, parmesan, chives, and sliced red onion across the dough. Give it all a generous grind of pepper and sprinkle of salt. Close the lid and grill for another 6 to 8 minutes until all toppings are melted and there are grill marks on the bottom of the dough.

In the meantime, toss the mache lettuce with the balsamic vinegar, olive oil and sprinkle of salt and pepper.

Remove the flatbreads and top with a hefty handful of the dressed mache. Chomp away while it’s hot!

Total Servings: 8

Have a great day

Colour Me Red, Storms.

Yesterday I heard about the world’s most embarrassing dad. It started when his teenage son, Rain, didn’t want dad to wave at him when he left on the school bus. Dad decided to fix this and started to dress up in all kinds of costumes to wave to the school bus as it left every day. I am sure the youngster must have cringed in the beginning, but in the end it became funny and then news. It went on for a year and the most embarrassing of the lot, according to the son, was the Little Mermaid. I saw the picture of that, and many of the other costumes, on Good Morning America and they were hilarious. The dad didn’t rent costumes he jut rummaged around the house and then borrowed from neighbours. Says it cost him around 50 bucks for the whole year. Above you have Batgirl, he has done all the super heroes or heroines, very funny. If you want to see the rest of the costumes go to http://abcnews.go.com/gma and look for Waving Dad. It was even on the news last night.

Today I have to go to the hospital for my pre-op then tomorrow we are off to Niagara Falls to meet up with a friend from South Africa. We have never met f2f before so it will be quite a thrill. We actually plan to meet at Niagara-on-the-Lake for lunch. Not sure if I will get a blog done tomorrow. Also next week when I have to go in for my angioplasty, there may be no blog.

Ontario and Quebec had some really bad storms yesterday which, luckily, we missed. All kinds of power outages, downed trees, roofs blown off apartment buildings and injuries including at least one death. One church lost its steeple. Somehow it seems to have skirted right round us which I am not complaining about. Some of the TV pictures showed intensely black skies, quite incredible, looked like real twister weather, but although tornadoes were reported, the news actually said they weren’t twisters but down drafts, basically the same but they don’t twist I gather.

Here’s a simple little salad recipe, with asparagus, from Kraft.

Italian Style Asparagus

What You Need

1-1/2 lb.fresh asparagus spears, trimmed

1 Tbsp. water

1-1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 cup KRAFT Light Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing

3/4 cup KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Italian* Three Cheese Blend

Make It

MICROWAVE asparagus and water in 10x6-inch microwaveable dish or shallow casserole on HIGH 4 to 5 min. or until asparagus is crisp-tender; drain.

ADD tomatoes and dressing; toss to coat. Add cheese; mix lightly.

LET stand 30 min. or up to 1 hour before serving.

* Made with quality cheeses crafted in the USA.

Kraft Kitchens Tips

Make Ahead

If preparing more than 1 hour in advance, store in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Trimming Fresh Asparagus (not necessary if they are fresh picked that day).

Asparagus spears snap off naturally where they are tough. Simply bend the spear near the bottom end and it will break off at the right point. Or, remove an inch or so of the "woody" portion off the bottom of the stalks with a sharp knife.

Have a great day

Doctor Visit, Basil Café, More Rambling, Sexting

Out and about yesterday, we passed a church with a sign which really amused me, “If you are praying for rain, please stop”. We have had quite a bit of rain lately.

We went to the Basil Café, near our doctor’s for lunch, didn’t get in for my appointment for over an hour and that can be a problem when one has diabetes – if you go too long without stoking up it can cause one to be quite ill. We had basil, prosciutto and brie Paninis.  They were excellent. They toasted them for us and we both enjoyed the results. Also, we were staggered to learn our doctor is moving once again, it can’t be more than 3 years since she moved before. All my health figures were excellent I am pleased to say.

Whilst in the waiting room, some good friends of ours came in. We haven’t actually seen them in some while for one reason or another. So lots of chatting and catching up. Then a woman sitting opposite asked if I remembered her, I didn’t, turned out she was one of the owners of the store where we bought pool supplies years ago. I wouldn’t have remember her, I barely remember we had a pool.

At the Basil Café yesterday, I used the washroom, and was interested to see the door had a toeopener. I’ve never seen one before and didn’t really know how to use it. The idea being once you have washed your hands you can use your foot to open the door to save spreading germs. I tried it and it seemed to unlock the door, but I didn’t manage to actually get it open although I am sure there must be a way to do so. The one shown in this picture is not quite the same, but the principle is. I took pix on my camera phone but can’t download them, not sure why.

One of the big things in the news at the moment is the story of a politician sexting. In case you don’t know that’s texting with a sex twist. It is being said that sexting with someone other than your spouse is being just as unfaithful as if you actually had conjugal relations with that person. Not sure about that, but on the other hand I wouldn’t like to think Matt had been having sexual chats by texting with anyone else. I guess it has to happen in your marriage before you can make a decision about it.

This recipe I found on Dessert du Jour this week made me a) hungry and b) think of England. This is such a typical English dessert from the old days. I think this is somewhat altered as I know we didn’t have low fat milk at that time.

Ginger Pudding

3 cups 1% low-fat milk, divided
1/3 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger
2/3 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
Dash of salt
3 large egg yolks
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine 2 1/2 cups milk and ginger in a medium saucepan; bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; let stand 5 minutes.
Combine 1/2 cup milk, sugar, cornstarch, salt, and egg yolks in a medium bowl, and stir with a whisk until well-blended. Gradually stir one-fourth of the hot milk mixture into egg mixture; add to remaining
milk mixture, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook 1 minute or until thick and creamy, stirring constantly. Remove
mixture from heat; stir in butter, rind, and vanilla. Pour into a bowl; cover surface of the pudding with plastic wrap. Chill.

Makes 6 servings.

Have a great day

Heart, General Ramblings.

Yesterday, my friend Marilyn of French Marilyn’s blog wrote a fascinating and informative article on a new artificial heart perfected by a Frenchman, Prof Alain Carpentier and holds out hope for the rest of the world with ailing hearts. To read Marilyn’s blog go to http://tinyurl.com/5ty3cl7. Marilyn always does lots of research and has all the details up to date. I think this is fantastic news and I hope she is right and the Professor does get a Nobel prize, I think he and his team deserve it.

Hey, I bowled really well yesterday, I was so pleased. Some of the best games I have had in a long time. If only I can bowl that well in the September tournament!!! This morning I have my 3 monthly diabetic appointment with the doctor and then we have to go to the asparagus farm, just for a change. To quote Matt “you’ve run out of bloody asparagus”. Er, yes. Well it only lasts for a few weeks every year!!! I like asparagus, what can I say? The stuff which is available for the rest of the year is pretty punky, the fresh stuff is luscious, delicious, can’t think of any more superlatives right now.

I finally ate my pears, by the way, but didn’t think too much of them, they had very little taste. Wrong time of year really I suppose. Although most foods are available all year round these days, you cannot guarantee the flavour if they are not really in season. I personally don’t think things have the flavour they used to anyway, too much forcing stuff to get it to market and picking or delivering way before things are really ripe. Economical for the supplier, not good for the consumer.

I posted this recipe last year, I had forgotten about it and maybe you had too. I think, if I can find some decent melon, I will have to try it this year.

Grilled Asparagus and Melon Salad

2 oz thinly sliced prosciutto
1 lb asparagus, trimmed
2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbs fresh lemon juice
1/4 small melon (about 12 ounces), peeled, seeded and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
4 oz fresh mozzarella or burrata cheese, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
2 Tbs pine nuts, toasted* see Cook's Note

1. Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the prosciutto in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes until crispy. Drain on paper towels. Chop the prosciutto into 1/4-inch pieces.

3. Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill. In a medium bowl, toss together the asparagus and 2 teaspoons olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Grill for 2 to 3 minutes each side until crisp-tender.

4. In a medium bowl, combine the lemon juice and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Whisk until combined. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Add the melon and mozzarella cheese and toss until all ingredients are combined.

5. Arrange the asparagus on a platter. Using a slotted spoon, spoon the melon and burrata cheese on top of the asparagus. Drizzle any remaining vinaigrette over the top. Sprinkle the prosciutto and pine nuts on top and serve.

Servings: 4

Author: Giada De Laurentiis

Author Notes
To toast pine nuts, arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F oven for 8 to 12 minutes until lightly browned.

Have a great day

Saturday, Pacific Rim, Busy Week.

This time our Saturday dinner with our friends came to fruition. The food was delicious with the main course featured a fruit stuffed pork loin which was delicious. As usual our talk ranged over quite a few subjects not least of which was our various aches and pains or illnesses. How the mighty have fallen when one of the main topics of conversation is one’s health. I recommended the Actipatch to them which I am still very pleased with. I have ordered two more and Matt has promised to try one when it arrives.

I read that yet another volcanic eruption has happened, this time in Chile on Saturday luckily no injuries http://tinyurl.com/3u3xjym it seems to me that the earth is really in turmoil at the moment, especially around the Pacific Rim of Fire. Practically every time one checks on the news there are reports of quakes or eruptions. We are also getting news of tornados of course just to make sure the people who aren’t in the volcanic area don’t feel left out. Meteorologists are predicting a very active hurricane season this year too, hopefully not ones which hit land.

We have a very busy week ahead not least of which is my pre-op on Thursday for my angioplasty the following week. Then we are going down to Niagara-on-the-Lake on Friday to meet up with a couple of friends plus the cyber friends we have never met who are over here from South Africa. I am really looking forward to that.

This is not the recipe we were served on Saturday, but it sounds like a pretty good one.

Fruit Stuffed Pork Loin Roast

Loin of pork, butterflied.

1/4 Cup dried cranberries

1/4 Cup prunes

1/4 Cup dried apricots

1/4 Cup Sultana raisins

2 Peaches peeled, pitted and diced up(or use canned slices diced up)

2 Granny Smith or other firm apples, peeled, cored and diced up

2 Shallots finely minced

1/4 Cup ground walnuts

2 or 3 Cloves roasted garlic

3 Cups (Approximately) homemade croutons

2 Cups unsweetened apple juice

fresh Italian parsley chopped up

sage

thyme

salt

pepper

Peach Brandy & Apple Schnapps

DIRECTIONS

-Night before you will be making roast, take all the dried fruit and chop up to the size of raisins.

Put the dried fruit and the diced peaches into a glass bowl and cover generously with the brandy and schnapps so the fruit can re-constitute. Cover bowl with plastic and place in refrigerator overnight.

- Prior to stuffing roast, remove fruit from fridge and drain off the liquid, reserving it for use later.

- In a large bowl add; shallots, apple and roasted garlic.

Give it all a good mix to mush up the garlic...you can add a little of the liquid to help it along.

- Add the ground walnuts to the mix and stir it all together.

It should resemble a liquid like paste...once again add a little of the reserved liquid if necessary to get the consistency.

- Add the sage, thyme and chopped parsley to your liking.

Fresh sage and thyme are best but dried work as well. Give everything a mix again.

- Add the croutons and mix to incorporate everything.

- Add in the re-constituted fruit to the mix and once again give it a good mixing.

You can save some of the fruit to add to the reduction used to de-glaze the pan or to nibble on while roast is in oven.

- The stuffing mix should look and feel moist but not wet.

Adjust the moisture by adding more of the reserved liquid if necessary.

- Take the "butterflied" roast and spread out on work surface.

- Take the stuffing mix and place onto the roast.

You can either spread the mixture evenly over roast to give you a "pinwheel" effect when sliced or make a loaf in centre of roast that will be completely surrounded by meat when sliced.

- Take the roast and roll it up. Use butcher's twine to tie up the roast at 2" intervals.

- In a large frying pan or dutch oven, sear the roast on all sides in hot oil.

Remove and place in a roasting pan once seared.

- Add 2 cups of unsweetened apple juice to pan and cover with foil wrap.

Place roast in preheated oven to roast at 350 degrees.

Remove the foil about 45 minutes into the roasting.

Baste with the juices as needed.

- The roast is done when internal temperature reaches 160 degrees.

Remove roast to platter and tent with foil.

- De-glaze the pan with some of the reserved liquid and transfer this to a saucepan with the remaining unused liquid (and fruit if any was reserved).

Cook down the mixture to your desired thickness. You can add brown sugar to sweeten it up more if you wish.

Pour a little of the reduction over each slice when serving.

Have a great day

Aging, Cooking, Tiger Spa,

Hopefully we are going out to dinner tonight; last week our friends had to cancel as one of them was unwell, I do hope he will be OK this week. I guess its part of the trials and tribulations of aging. We are living so much longer, parts give out more and its not that easy to replace some of them or to do enough maintenance to keep them working efficiently as long as required. I was looking at people in motorised wheelchairs yesterday – you see them driving down the street, even in winter and that must be bloody cold, I then started wondering why they were like this, what was it that was causing them to be unable to walk. I mean, I have problems with walking but I know why and, with luck it can be cured eventually, I shouldn’t have to end up in a mobile chair of any kind so why are they I wonder? In this age of modern science and medicine, surely they can be enabled to walk normally.

It was a beautiful day yesterday, lots of sunshine, but not warm enough to sit out. Our weather seems to be very varied at the moment and won’t settle down to anything particular. A few days ago it was very hot and humid enough to swim in. The next day it was blowing a gale although still lots of sunshine. The temperatures are bouncing around like a yoyo. In the end I decided to make a large pot of tomato soup, one of my favourites, so I could put some in the freezer as I am just about out. I now have lots of fresh basil on hand which, in my opinion, really makes tomato soup. Especially if you swirl the soup with a dab of pesto when serving it. Gives it that extra little something. I use canned tomatoes as these days getting hold of enough really good flavoured tomatoes seems to be impossible. I could buy them by the bucket load when I lived in North Carolina.

Saw a funny clip on TV this morning, in Florida tigers jump willingly into a bubble bath. Apparently it cools them off and if it is lavender scented it helps keep the flies away. Keeps the tigers smelling good too.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Looking for this video clip, it appears lots of places give tigers bubble baths, who knew?

Another funny story in the news, MI6 hacked into an Al Qaeda web site superimposed a recipe for bomb making with a page of recipes for making cup cakes. Great, I’m all for it.

Cauliflower is a very versatile vegetable and can be used like mashed potato to reduce calories when you eat, or even for thickening in soups. This following recipe sounds interesting and may well appear on our table very shortly. Matt is not a big fan of blue cheeses, but I think this would appeal to him too.

Roasted Cauliflower with Blue Cheese Vinaigrette

By A Nutritionist Eats
WebMD Recipe from Foodily.com

Some vegetables are just plain better when they are roasted. Cauliflower is one of them for me. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll eat some raw cauliflower with hummus any day, but I devour it roasted. Adding a vinaigrette with blue cheese just takes it to the next level. I’ve been thinking of the leftovers ever since I placed them in the fridge.

Ingredients

1 head cauliflower, sliced into 1″ thick pieces
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp white wine vinegar
2 green onions, chopped
1 Tbsp blue cheese crumbles
Salt & pepper

Instructions

Roast cauliflower in a 375° oven, about 20 minutes, or until edges start turning brown. Mix remaining ingredients and drizzle over warm cauliflower.

Total Servings: 4

Have a great weekend

Quinoa, Strike, Sleep to Slim.

Last night we tried the Cold Quinoa Salad which I posted on June 1. The packet of quinoa I bought said cook the whole packet, the recipe said 2 cups, I ended up with probably 4 cups. I will know better next time and there will be a next time, it was very good and we both enjoyed it, the touch of bitterness provided by the radicchio made it delicious. I found lots more recipes for quinoa which I will be trying. I see it can be used as a breakfast food as well as something savoury. Obviously with the addition of some fruit and sweetening. I know it is full of excellent nutritional goodies. I doubt I will change my breakfast because I eat Fibre One which is packed with 14% fibre as opposed to 3% in quinoa. However, I may try it one day just to see what its like.

Today, in Canada, the postal workers have gone on strike. Sorry, but how stupid. A postal service is getting less and less required as more people use the internet or text messaging services, a lot of companies use couriers nowadays and postal services cannot compete efficiently in today’s market – at least not without drastic changes which would include laying off large numbers of employees and the idiots have gone on strike. This could destroy their jobs completely. It’s a well paid job in Canada too, although not one I personally would want to do; the delivery part that is. Can you imagine trudging snowy streets in freezing temperatures or boiling to death in the summer? About the only mail we ever get are bank statements and that is only because I name transactions one thing and they name them another and I guess I am too lazy to make them all match. I suppose I should do so in order to save paper.

I had an email from Real Age this morning who say the health gurus are now saying ‘flick that switch’ in order to lose weight – the theory being you need to get a really good night’s sleep to help lose weight and if your bedroom contains any light at all, you will react to it, that includes clocks with lights or even TVs. This is what they have to say http://tinyurl.com/3u3786l My personal problem is not light in the bedroom, but getting up two or three times a night to visit the bathroom, three cheers for diabetes. Otherwise I sleep like a log.

According to Eating Well, these Truffles should satisfy your cravings but not put weight on (unless you eat too many of course). The theme of their news letter today is about banning foods in order to help lose weight. The article talks about having treats during the day which tend to get increased (just one more scoop) or repeated too frequently. Even these below are going to cause problems in quantity.

Peanut Butter and Pretzel Truffles

From EatingWell: January/February 2010

These peanut butter-pretzel truffles satisfy your craving for something sweet and salty.

20 truffles 

Ingredients

1/2 cup crunchy natural peanut butter

1/4 cup finely chopped salted pretzels

1/2 cup milk chocolate chips, melted (see Tip)

Preparation

1. Combine peanut butter and pretzels in a small bowl. Chill in the freezer until firm, about 15 minutes. Roll the peanut butter mixture into 20 balls (about 1 teaspoon each). Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment or wax paper and freeze until very firm, about 1 hour. Roll the frozen balls in melted chocolate. Refrigerate until the chocolate is set, about 30 minutes.

Nutrition

Per truffle :64 Calories; 4 g Fat; 1 g Sat; 2 g Mono; 1 mg Cholesterol; 5 g Carbohydrates; 2 g Protein; 1 g Fiber; 53 mg Sodium; 65 mg Potassium

Tips & Notes

• Make Ahead Tip: Store airtight in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

• Tip: To melt chocolate, microwave on Medium for 1 minute. Stir, then continue microwaving on Medium, stirring every 20 seconds, until melted. Or place chocolate in the top of a double boiler over hot, but not boiling, water. Stir until melted.

Have a great day

Prey, Free Coupons, Asparagus

On Good Morning America I just saw a segment about a man losing his laptop onto which he had installed Hidden App. This programme tracked his laptop and even sent back pictures of who was using it and where he was. He had a slight problem convincing the cops to go and get it for him, that got resolved in the end. However, my ears pricked up, as now and again I travel with my laptop and sometimes leave it in the car – like going to lunch or something. I investigated, Hidden App is actually for Macs, but there is another app called Prey which is for PCs and not only that, its free for a basic programme. My laptop is now being tracked. http://preyproject.com/

I am always complaining that any coupons, special offers and such like are rarely available in Canada. I got an email yesterday, which I thought was funny, it was basically saying “are you tired of coupons which aren’t right for you?” and then showing pictures offering “90% off snow”, “2 for 1 Iguana grooming” and “free cat dander”. I tried to copy the pix but couldn’t do so. I think coupon sites are pretty dangerous anyway, a good source for a virus or malware, but I was really interested in Iguana grooming LOL

Yesterday we went to get some asparagus and Tim Barrie told me about their asparagus flour. When he first said it I was thinking flower – mature asparagus grows ferns with berries and flowers. Apparently it is made using 5,000 lbs. of whole asparagus which produces 200 lbs. of flour. It is very expensive $15 for a bag which is 100 grams. He told me it is used like a spice and sprinkled on foods. The main reason they make it is for their asparagus tortilla chips as well as now selling it to the public.

As you know, if you are a long time reader, I get a recipe from Mushrooms Canada on a regular basis, this one is their latest and sounds well worth trying to me. Yesterday I bought some quinoa to try the recipe I posted for a Quinoa Salad with chicken. Next I need to get some more mushrooms to try this new recipe.

Balsamic and Chili Glazed Mushrooms with Walnuts

1/4 cup each balsamic vinegar and lime juice
3 tbsp brown sugar
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1/2 - 1 tsp  hot red pepper flakes
1 cup broken walnut pieces
3 tbsp vegetable or olive oil
1 lb. fresh small mushrooms

In a measuring cup or small bowl mix vinegar, lime juice, sugar, garlic and red pepper flakes, set aside. Heat a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add walnuts, cook and stir constantly for 2-3 minutes or until lightly toasted; remove and set aside.

In same skillet heat oil over medium –high heat, add mushrooms and stir-fry for 3-4 minutes. Add walnuts to skillet and stir in vinegar mixture while stirring constantly for 2-3 minutes or until sauce is bubbling and mushrooms are well coated. Serve on hot rice, greens or as a side dish to meats

Makes 4 main course servings.

Have a great day

Il Volo, Heat,

I mentioned this group of young men a couple of weeks ago. Yesterday their CD Il Volo arrived and we played it immediately. They really are an incredible trio of kids, yes kids, two at 16 one at 17. Here is the link to the video which was sent to me and where I first discovered them http://tinyurl.com/3jr9xqm

As usual, spring zipped by without even being noticed and the last couple of days we have had high temps and lots of humidity. It was 31°C today and that is warm I promise you (well unless you are some of my Australian friends). We actually had to pop into our garage because the a/c wasn’t doing its job properly and we turned on the a/c in the apartment as well. I heard one woman say she loved this weather and could take it all year, not me mama. I like some warmth but when we get the high humidity as well, no thank you. At least its going to be cooler for the rest of the week.

Today I had to get up at the crack of dawn to go have my diabetic bloodwork done. I cannot eat until after, so I like to go as soon as they open. Wednesday is generally shopping day too. So, busy morning.

I watched a movie again, on TV, which I had seen not too long ago, I enjoyed it. It was called A Good Year and starred Albert Finney and Russell Crowe. It is an excellent movie if you get the chance to see it, mostly set in the South of France on a French vineyard or winery about a guy who is described as an English Prick, who finally turns into Mr. Nice Guy after all. What fascinated me, both times, was the visitation of scorpions into the house, I had no idea scorpions lived in the South of France, I have since Googled and found that they do although their venom is not terribly potent I understand. I have visited several places in southern France and had never heard of them nor, thankfully, ever come across any. They mentioned lavender, I was not quite sure if the lavender was supposed to keep them away or attract them. I think the former.

Quinoa is becoming more and more popular lately, must confess though, that I have never tried it. Here is a recipe using it so now is my opportunity.

Cold Quinoa Salad with Chicken and Feta

By The Nourished Kitchen WebMD Recipe from Foodily.com

A nutrient-dense, filling winter salad, quinoa combines with faintly bitter radicchio, chicken and salty feta cheese.

Ingredients

2 cups cooked quinoa, chilled 1 small head radicchio, chopped 1 cup cooked chicken, cut in bite-sized pieces 1/2 cup cubed feta cheese 1 small red onion, chopped fine 2 tbsp pine nuts 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley Olive oil and vinegar dressing, to serve

Instructions

Toss cooked quinoa, chopped radicchio, cooked chicken, cubed feta cheese, chopped red onion, pine nuts and parsley together until all ingredients are well distributed.

Dress the salad with olive oil and red wine vinegar

Total Servings: 4

Have a great day