Cooking, Bowling. Il Volo,

I was delighted to discover how to cook both cauliflower, which I had cooked before and broccoli in my Instant Pot. For a number of years I have had to use distilled water for broccoli as the water here, which is softened, gives it a horrid taste, to me anyway. Doing in the IP I just bunged in a 1/2 cup of tap water, added the steamer basket with broccoli florets and turned it on for 0 minutes. Instant Release. It was perfect. Slightly crisp but not like they serve in restaurants which I consider virtually raw. I didn't have to watch it and could get on with something else. I served it straight away and it made my day. Little things please little minds I guess.

Tomorrow (today to you) I get to see my cardiologist. If I don't have to wait long (sometimes it happens) we will then be going bowling. Might have lunch at the alley anyway. Will be bowling with our new team mates whom, for some reason, I don't remember. They did bowl last year I understand.

Whilst writing this I have set Matt up with a DVD of Il Volo and I am also listening and enjoying it in the other room.They are an excellent group. In this DVD Placido Domingo is conducting. 

I think this recipe looks good and yes, I think one could make it in the Instant Pot. We had soup tonight as it was pretty chilly out - I had some cauliflower soup in the freezer which I had to add cheese to - not sure it was meant to be spicy cheese, but tasted good anyway.

White Bean, Fennel, and Italian Sausage Soup with Parmesan Toast Recipe

Pantry staples and a few fresh ingredients combine to make a comforting soup that’s ready to eat in

less than an hour. This one-pot dish was dubbed “a staff favorite” by our test kitchen, and you’ll see why when you serve it. The White Bean, Fennel, and Italian Sausage Soup is colorful and hearty, and the Parmesan Toast adds a little crunch. You can use any kind of white beans, but our test kitchen professionals recommend cannellinis. The recipe also calls for mild Italian sausage, but you can substitute hot Italian sausage for a spicier soup. When the nights start getting colder, the whole family will enjoy coming to the dinner table for this warm and hearty soup. Don’t forget the Parmesan Toasts on the side for dunking. Everyone will be asking for seconds, so hopefully you’ve made enough.

1 lb mild Italian sausage, casings removed
2 cups thinly sliced yellow onion (from 1 medium)
1 cup thinly sliced celery (from about 3 stalks)
1 cup thinly sliced fennel (from 1 small fennel bulb)
3 garlic cloves, chopped (about 1 Tbsp.)
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1 tsp black pepper, divided
1/4 cup dry white wine
6 cups chicken stock
2 (15-oz.) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15-oz.) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
16 (1/4-inch) French baguette slices (from 1 large baguette)
1 Tbs olive oil
1 oz Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated (about 1/4 cup)
Chopped fresh rosemary

1. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high. Add sausage, and cook, stirring to crumble, until no longer pink, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain, leaving 1 tablespoon of drippings with sausage in Dutch oven. Add onion, celery, fennel, garlic, salt, red pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon of the black pepper. Cook, stirring often, until vegetables have softened, about 5 minutes. Add white wine, and scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the Dutch oven. Stir in chicken stock, beans, and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 10 minutes.

2. Preheat broiler with oven rack 6 inches from heat. Place baguette slices on a rimmed baking sheet, and brush 1 side of each piece with olive oil. Sprinkle evenly with cheese and remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Broil until cheese is melted and beginning to brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from oven.

3. Ladle 1 1/2 cups soup into each of 8 bowls; sprinkle with chopped rosemary, and serve with toasts.

Servings: 8

Source: Southern Living

Have a great day
 

It's War, Diabetes.

Everything has been neglected whilst I went to war. On Sunday we stripped Matt's bed, covered it in Diatomaceous Earth and killed every bug we saw. I then covered the very holey bug protector the exterminators had place on the box spring, with strips of duct tape on every hole I could find and scrubbed at areas where I could see the bed bugs had been. Having washed all the bed linen, we re-made the bed. Tuesday afternoon we upended the mattress and box spring once again and found one lonely little bug who died instantly. After much diligent searching, spraying with bug spray, patching up a couple more small holes, I think we have beaten the little suckers. At this point in time, we haven't yet put the bed back together to allow the spray to dry. The picture shows the bug proof mattress cover I bought from Amazon.ca - I bought it because the  Pest Control didn't put a cover on my mattress only my box spring although the covered both on Matt's bed. It is of much better quality that the ones provided. I was thinking I should buy another one for Matt's box spring but Matt says we have spent such a lot and, providing the duct tape works, it may not be necessary. They are $60 before tax after all. The bug control people charge nearly $100 for theirs if you buy them separately from their service.

I wrote to the Pest Control people and copied it to the Landlords. Guess what, total silence. Unbelievable. Matt says give it to the end of the week. I also asked my cleaners who were due in Tuesday morning if they could come help with the mattress and box spring as a pair of oldsters like us find it a bit difficult. Although they came last time, they wouldn't do so this time. I can see their point, but they are not that easy to pick up if you are careful and they are/were only in one room.

So, I hope this is basically all over bar shouting.

Went to our doctor's for a diabetes clinic and she has now said we don't have diabetes. Matt never did,

he was classified as pre-diabetic. She has given me the go ahead to stop taking Lipitor for 3 months to see what happens. It causes me the most dreadful cramps which I then have to deal with by taking quinine pills and such. A doctor in the States, several years ago, told me every diabetic ends up on insulin. I really would like to go back and give him the bird. I thought it was nonsense at the time.

I tried out a new dish, to us, on Monday night which was an Italian mix of sausage, onions and peppers. It was pretty good. Had to adapt it slightly didn't have any white wine so used red. (I usually keep small bottles of white wine {no not cooking wine} for cooking, but I had run out). It will be replaced this week but we haven't done so yet. Of course I continue to eat asparagus every day and probably will until after the sale closes which will be around July 1. It amuses me in this recipe that they show a whole sausage whereas one actually has to slice it.


Italian Sausage, Peppers, and Onions

All Recipes

Gigi

"My family has been using this very simple and delicious recipe for sausage, peppers, and

onions for years and years now. For an extra kick, try using half sweet sausage and half hot sausage!"

Ingredients

• 6 (4 ounce) links sweet Italian sausage
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 yellow onion, sliced
• 1/2 red onion, sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 large red bell pepper, sliced
• 1 green bell pepper, sliced
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 cup white wine

Directions

1. Place the sausage in a large skillet over medium heat, and brown on all sides. Remove from skillet, and slice.
2. Melt butter in the skillet. Stir in the yellow onion, red onion, and garlic, and cook 2 to 3 minutes. Mix in red bell pepper and green bell pepper. Season with basil, and oregano. Stir in white wine. Continue to cook and stir until peppers and onions are tender.
3. Return sausage slices to skillet with the vegetables. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 15 minutes, or until sausage is heated through.

Have a great day

Silver, Pesticide, The Theatre.

We finally got round to a job we keep putting off – cleaning the silver. Had done a few pieces before we went away, but yesterday we finished off the job. It really doesn’t take that long, especially since we found a recipe for silver cleaning in Hailey’s Household Hints. You pour 1 quart of fairly warm water into a basin, 1 Tbs of Calgon or other water softener and 1 Tbs of salt then add a sheet of foil. Hey presto, you have a very good cleaning agent. The silver must come into contact with the foil and be under water for it to work, but work it does and very quickly. If you have too many curlicues on items, it doesn’t always work because you can’t get them near enough the foil. Once its all done and shining it is such a relief and everything looks so bright and nice - until next time.

I am having a few problems with, I believe, insecticide. Whilst we were away, a bug man came and sprayed the whole rental house. I started coughing a bit shortly after, then one day I was in the bathroom and leant forward to get toilet paper and there was a vent right there and the a/c came on just as I was leaning over it which blasted me with pesticide, I coughed and choked quite a while. These days I am coughing quite a bit and I have a pain in the chest.

This afternoon a friend and I are going to see a production of Twelve Angry Men at the Drayton Entertainment theatre situated in St. Jacobs, The St. Jocob’s Country Playhouse. Not too far away and as I haven’t been to the theatre all year, I am looking forward to it. Did you ever see the movie with Henry Fonda and Lee J. Cobb? A great movie. Jack Klugman was in it too I was surprised to discover. I had forgotten that.

Minestrone is a very popular soup in this part of the world and here is one I recently received in the mail.

Minestrone with White Beans and Italian Sausage

Source: Quick from Scratch - Soups and Salads

The Italian minestra refers to a variety of moderately thick soups. Minestrone is a hearty vegetable-filled minestra that often contains beans and sometimes pasta. We've omitted the pasta here but added some Italian sausage. With minestrone, it seems, there is no end to the delectable variations.
INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 pound mild Italian sausage, casings removed

1 onion, chopped

1 rib celery, chopped
1 carrot

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1 bay leaf

4 cups drained and rinsed canned white beans, preferably cannellini beans (from two 19-ounce cans)

10 cups water

1 cup canned diced tomatoes with their juice

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper

2/3 pound spinach, stems removed and leaves washed well (about 1 1/2 quarts)

Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

DIRECTIONS

In a large pot, heat the oil over moderately high heat. Add the sausage and cook, stirring frequently, until browned, about 5 minutes. Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon.

Reduce the heat to moderate. Add the onion, carrot, celery, garlic, thyme, and bay leaf to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine 2 cups of the beans and 2 cups of the water in a blender and puree until smooth.

Add the tomatoes, the bean puree, the remaining 8 cups water, the salt, and the pepper to the pot. Bring to a boil, skimming any foam that rises to the surface. Stir in the sausage, the remaining 2 cups beans, and the spinach. Simmer until the spinach wilts, about 3 minutes. Serve the soup topped with grated Parmesan, and pass more Parmesan at the table.

Have a great day

Bowling. Snow,

Bowling was pretty good for me on Monday and we earned most of the points. However, we didn't move as a team. For some reason I rarely bowl well on Monday for the league. It is suggested I am trying too hard.

We had a fair amount of snow again this morning, but it stopped way before we went out. The roads weren't too bad luckily. I don't know if we will be going to the Mandarin or not tomorrow  but they are calling for more snow tonight. I don't remember we had a lot of snow last year, we are certainly getting it this year although not as much as some people - especially in the States.

I know I said I don't often use recipes from Closet Cooking and I know this has shades of yesterday's recipe, but I couldn't resist it, it looks so good.

Italian Sausage Stuffed Pepper Soup

All of the flavours of stuffed peppers in the form of a (much easier to make) hearty, and tasty soup

with Italian sausage for even more flavour!

1 cup uncooked long grain white or brown rice
2 cups water or beef broth
1 lb Italian sausage, casings removed
1 Tbs oil
1 onion, diced
2 bell peppers, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce or tomato puree
2 cups beef broth
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbs parsley, chopped

1. Bring the rice ad water to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer until the water has been absorbed, about 20 minutes, before removing from the heat and letting sit, covered.

2. Meanwhile, cook the sausage in a large pan over medium-high heat and set aside, about 7-10 minutes.

3. Add the onions to the pan and cook for 5 minutes.

4. Add the peppers to the pan and cook for 5 minutes.

5. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, while stirring, about 1 minute.

6. Add the tomatoes, broth, sausage, onions and peppers, bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes.

7. Add the rice, season with salt and pepper, remove from heat, mix in the parsley and enjoy!

Servings: 6

Tips
Option: For One-Pot: Make this a one-pot meal by adding the uncooked rice to the soup in step 5 with an extra 2 cups broth and cook until cooked, about 20 minutes.

Option: (Highly recommended) Add 1/2 cup grated parmesan to the soup and let it melt in! Yum!

Option: Replace the rice with quinoa or a blend of whole grains!

Option: Instead of cooking the rice separately, add it and 2 cups up extra broth to the soup at step 6 and simmer unto the rice is cooked, about 20 minutes.

Option: Replace the sausage with ground beef or ground turkey, etc.

Author: Kevin Lynch
Source: Closet Cooking

Have a great day

NSW Fires, Movie, Spelling, Bowling,

I was just reading Elephant's Child's blog Sunday Selections - She lives really close to the dreadful fires raging across New South Wales and today printed the story of a Zoo and a link to how the animal handlers saved the animals. The situation in NSW is dire with thousands of animals having been killed and a number of humans also. As Sue points out, even the surviving animals will have big problems finding food and water and also shelter after all their habitat has been razed to the ground. The air quality for miles around is unbreathable and people are advised to stay inside, but smoke can get through closed doors. Koalas are often shown being rescued, but there are many other less cuddly animals which are affected too. It is a world shattering disaster.

At the moment we have access to various movie channels and tonight, on Starz, we watched Dolphin Tale. I had heard the story of the dolphin who lost her tale and received a prosthetic which is what this movie was based on. It was a lovely movie and Winter, the dolphin, played her part beautifully. It was a pretty well known cast and we thoroughly enjoyed it. Wasn't sure whether Matt would but he definitely enjoyed it too. I thought he might as he has always loved dolphins and whales. Morgan Freeman's character kept calling Winter a fish and nobody corrected him. Annoyed me somewhat as Matt was doing the same thing. Maybe he was annoying me or maybe he had forgotten. It is a wonderful example of what can be done with prosthetics and they are developing new things all the time.

By the way, I keep making typing mistakes tonight. If I don't catch them all, my apologies. Dunno what's the  matter with my fingers or is it my brain (always assuming I have one). That reminds me, I was a tad annoyed with my Spanish lessons tonight. Usually it accepts English spelling and several times it has done so but had the cheek, in one section, to penalise me for a word I had used elsewhere dozens of times. Of course I still use mainly English spelling and Blogger doesn't like that either. Tough cookies.

Bowling Monday but whether Matt can or will, I have no idea. Both his legs are hurting now. He has a physiotherapist coming Tuesday to assess him. Will be interesting to see what she says.

Like Stuffed Peppers? Well Kevin Lynch has come up with an easier version. Although, in fact, stuffed peppers in the Instant Pot is as easy as pie. You know, that's a stupid expression, I find making pies very difficult. Never been much good at pastry. It's pre-made pie shells for me these days.

Italian Sausage Stuffed Pepper Soup

All of the flavours of stuffed peppers in the form of a (much easier to make) hearty, and tasty soup

with Italian sausage for even more flavour!

1 cup uncooked long grain white or brown rice
2 cups water or beef broth
1 lb Italian sausage, casings remove
1 Tbs oil
1 onion, diced
2 bell peppers, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce or tomato puree
2 cups beef broth
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbs parsley, chopped

1. Bring the rice ad water to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer until the water has been absorbed, about 20 minutes, before removing from the heat and letting sit, covered.

2. Meanwhile, cook the sausage in a large pan over medium-high heat and set aside, about 7-10 minutes.

3. Add the oil and onions to the pan and cook for 5 minutes.

4. Add the peppers to the pan and cook for 5 minutes.

5. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, while stirring, about 1 minute.

6. Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, broth, basil, oregano, sausage, onions and peppers, bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes.

7. Add the rice, season with salt and pepper, remove from heat, mix in the parsley and enjoy!

Servings: 6

Option: For One-Pot: Make this a one-pot meal by adding the uncooked rice to the soup in step 5 with an extra 2 cups broth and cook until cooked, about 20 minutes.

Option: (Highly recommended) Add 1/2 cup grated parmesan to the soup and let it melt in! Yum!

Option: Replace the rice with quinoa or a blend of whole grains!

Option: Instead of cooking the rice separately, add it and 2 cups up extra broth to the soup at step 6 and simmer unto the rice is cooked, about 20 minutes.

Option: Replace the sausage with ground beef or ground turkey, etc.


Author: Kevin Lynch
Source: Closet Cooking

Have a great day
 

Travel League, Medical.

Today is our Travel League and we are having lunch at Angel’s Diner, a restaurant chain (not sure if they are in the States) and then bowling at Victoria Bowl which isn’t that far from us although not as close as Towne Bowl where we normally go. Jim from Towne said say hi to the owner, I assured him I have never met the owner in all the times we have been there. Not a bit like town when we know both the owners, their wives and kids. A very nice family. It is also a very nice bowling alley.

As you know, Matt had a bone scan on Friday. We were told the surgeon would have the results in the afternoon. Wednesday I called the office and was told he hasn’t seen them yet because he has been in the hospital all week and wouldn’t be in the office til Friday. Well, after all he is a surgeon I suppose. I can’t say we are very happy about it though.

This recipe looks absolutely delicious. I don’t suppose I will ever make it for just Matt and I. I might get adventurous for dinner guests one day though. On second thoughts, now I have seen the calorie count……. I have added it in tiny figures in case you don’t want to know. I just followed the link below but it turns out it is a place to purchase this Bacon Explosion. I couldn’t find any pictures. I then explored further and found the following link which shows how this should be made. Actually it makes some pretty interesting reading and some of the comments are hilarious.

Bacon Explosion!

By Sharlene~W on February 01, 2009
Food.com


Servings: 8

About This Recipe

"My husband sent me this recipe with a note reading, "You know I HAVE to make this." It is quickly making the internet and tv rounds and I saw it the next day on Good Morning America. It is from the BBQ Addicts website. You can see photos of the process at http://www.bbqaddicts.com/bacon-explosion.html I posted for your Superbowl eating pleasure (but you may not want to see the calorie count)."  (944.9)

Ingredients

• 2 lbs thick cut bacon
• 2 lbs Italian sausage
• 3/4 cup barbecue sauce ( your favourite)
• 3 tablespoons barbecue seasoning ( your favourite rub, recommended Bad Byron's Butt Rub, Rendezvous Famous Seasoning, or Steven Raichlen)

Directions

1. To kick off the construction of this pork medley you’ll need to create a 5x5 bacon weave. If the strips you’re using aren’t wide enough to span 5x5 inches, then you may need to use a few extra slices to fill out the pattern. Just make sure your weave is tight and that you end up with a nice square shape to work with.
2. The next step is to add some barbecue seasoning on top of your bacon weave. (BBQ Addict recommends Bad Byron's Butt Rub, Rendezvous Famous Seasoning, or Steven Raichlen's All-Purpose Rub).
3. Now that you’re pork is well seasoned, it’s time to add more pork. Take two pounds of Italian sausage and layer it directly on top of your bacon weave. Be sure to press the sausage to the outer edges of the bacon creating a patty that is the same thickness all the way across. Most grocery stores carry loose sausage, so just pick out one you like.
4. Next up is bacon layer number two. Take the remaining bacon slices and fry them up the same way you would for breakfast. If you like soft bacon, make it soft. If you like crunchy bacon, make it crunchy.
5. Since this is a barbecue recipe, we need to add another layer of barbecue flavour. Take your favourite sauce and drizzle it all over the top of the bacon pieces. (BBQ Addict recommends Burnt Finger BBQ’s homemade competition sauce). Once you’ve sauced the bacon, sprinkle on some more of the barbecue seasoning you used on the bacon weave.
6. Very carefully separate the front edge of the sausage layer from the bacon weave and begin rolling backwards. You want to include all layers EXCEPT the bacon weave in your roll. Try and keep the sausage as tight as possible and be sure to release any air pockets that may have formed. Once the sausage is fully rolled up, pinch together the seams and ends to seal all of the bacon goodness inside.
7. At this point we can start to see the final shape of our Bacon Explosion, but we’re missing one key item. To complete the construction process, roll the sausage forward completely wrapping it in the bacon weave. Make sure it sits with the seam facing downward to help keep it all sealed up.
8. Sprinkle some barbecue seasoning on the outside of the bacon weave, and now it is ready for the smoker. Cook your Bacon Explosion at 225°F in a constant cloud of hickory smoke until your meat thermometer gives an internal temperature reading of 165°F Normally this will take about 1 hour for each inch of thickness, but that could vary depending on how well you maintain your fire and also how many times you open the smoker to take a peek. BBQ Addict recommends 2.5 hours, for a roll 2.5 inches in diameter.
9. Now that the Bacon Explosion is fully cooked, you need to add some finishing flavours. Remember that barbecue sauce you used for inner flavour? You'll be using that same sauce to glaze the cooked bacon weave. Using a basting brush, coat the entire surface with a thin layer of sauce. Sweet sauces are loaded with sugars, so they’ll give your fatty a nice glossy finish. Spicy and vinegar based sauces don’t contain as much, so they won’t set up as well. If you’re dead set on using those sauces, just cut them with a bit of honey and you’ll get the same effect.
10. Slice the Bacon Explosion into quarter to half inch rounds to serve. If your roll was good and tight, you should now see a nice bacon pinwheel pattern throughout the sausage.
11. Obviously pork is best served by itself, but if you feel the need to make this meat monster into a sandwich, BBQ Addict recommends placing a couple Bacon Explosion slices on a warm Pillsbury’s Grands Biscuit.

Have a great day

Ecoli, Celiac Disease, Mexico, Disney Dream

A quality assurance officer has blown the whistle on his company. The plant manager has been covering up a lab test which showed they have Ecoli 0157 strain contamination in their product. This is a particularly deadly strain apparently. However, further tests cleared the plant and the management describe the officer as a disgruntled employee (ex of course). I hope this whole problem will be thoroughly investigated – it sounds somewhat scary to me. To read the full article go to http://tinyurl.com/4nvks8e

There was yet another shooting in Mexico yesterday, in Mazatlan. A Canadian tourist was wounded in the leg. He in fact pushed his wife onto the ground and lay on top of her. I asked Matt if he would do that for me, he said he didn’t know!!! Truthfully he said how could anyone know how they would react until the time came. Apparently the wounded man is not put off and still plans to buy a house in the area in the future. Sorry with everything going on in Mexico such as the drug wars at the moment, you wouldn’t catch us anywhere near the place. There are lots of other beautiful places to visit which aren’t so dangerous.

Also on GMA this morning, Sam Champion the meteorologist, is cruising on the latest Disney ship, the Disney Dream. There are all kinds of things to do on board many of which were shown on the TV. I’m sorry we wouldn’t go near that ship either. Don’t get me wrong, I love to go on a cruise, but there is too much on the ship and also too many people. Not my idea of a cruise at all. Good food, good weather, a swimming pool and a good bar, that’s all we need on a cruise ship. I don’t need to climb rock walls (even if I could) go waterskiing, rush round a tremendously big water tube, have Broadway shows, etc. etc. not my idea of a relaxing cruise at all. The ship also has 16 decks, I would be scared it was top heavy and would roll over.

Yesterday I posted a gluten free recipe. Today, Good Morning America had a segment about celiac disease talking to Elisabeth Hasselbeck who has published a book called The G-Free Diet: A Gluten-Free Survival Guide. and there are recipes on the GMA site. The following is one of them.

Elisabeth Hasselbeck's Meat-Based Tomato Sauce for Lasagna

From 'The G-Free Diet: A Gluten-Free Survival Guide'

From the Kitchen of Elisabeth Hasselbeck

Servings: Over 8

"This is my mother's basic meat sauce, which I use and which she and my grandmother used, over penne, spaghetti, and other pasta. My mother adapted it and the meatballs to make them gluten-free for me. I serve the meatballs and sausage on the side, with a fresh garden salad. …

The recipe calls for sausage, but a piece of pork, such as a thick boneless pork chop, can be substituted. Pork gives tomato sauce nice dimension. I make the meatballs small so that the sauce penetrates them during simmering, keeping them moist."

Ingredients

1 pound Italian sausage, gluten-free, hot or sweet 1 small onion 3 tablespoons light olive oil or canola oil 3 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes 1 teaspoon sugar 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper 3 or 4 fresh basil leaves meatballs, gluten-free, cooked (recipe follows)

Meatballs

1/2 cup hominy grits or coarse cornmeal (or 1/2 cup gluten-free bread crumbs) 1 1/2 pounds ground chuck 1 egg

1 garlic clove, minced 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 2 tablespoons grated Romano or Parmesan cheese 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions

Cut the sausage into 2-inch pieces and set aside. Mince the onion in a food processor and set aside.

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or large pot, and brown the sausage on all sides in the oil. Add the onion and cook it with the sausage until the onion is soft and light brown.

Add 1 can of crushed tomatoes to the pot. Add about 1/4 can of water to rinse the can and add the water to the pot. Stir, scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the other 2 cans of tomatoes, rinsing each can with 1/4 can of water and adding the water to the pot. Add the sugar, salt, pepper, and basil, and stir to mix. Add the meatballs and stir.

Bring the sauce to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally; then lower the heat to a slow simmer. Simmer sauce for 30 minutes or longer if desired. I like to simmer the sauce until I see that oil has risen to the top. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.

Serve over pasta or in lasagna.

Note: I often use a Crock-Pot to make this sauce. If you use a Crock-Pot, brown the sausage and onion in a large skillet. Add the cooked sausage and onion to the Crock-Pot, using water to scrape up the brown bits with them.

Add the remaining ingredients according to the above directions, and stir. Cook on high for 4–5 hours, then switch to low for 1–2 hours or until ready to use. Or cook on low for 7–8 hours.

Meatballs

In a small bowl, combine 1 1/2 tablespoons of water to grits or cornmeal (or gluten-free bread crumbs). Mix to moisten the grits or cornmeal (or gluten-free bread crumbs), which should be damp, but not wet. Set aside. If using gluten-free rice crumbs, which are harder than cornmeal, use 1/4 cup of water and allow rice crumbs to soften for several minutes.

Place ground chuck in a large bowl. Add the egg, garlic, parsley, grated cheese, salt, and pepper, and mix with a wooden spoon. Add the moistened grits or cornmeal (or gluten-free bread crumbs) and mix, first with the spoon, and then with your hands, just until ingredients are combined.

Shape the meat mixture into meatballs, about the size of golf balls.

Brown the meatballs in a skillet in light olive oil or canola oil. Cook in batches, and do not overcrowd the skillet. Add more oil if needed. Remove the meatballs from the skillet and set aside for use in the tomato sauce, or cover and refrigerate or freeze until you are ready to make the tomato sauce.

Have a great day

St. Jude, Cracked Window.

News reports about St. Jude (funny name for a storm), in the UK, say/show there were lots of downed trees and damaged houses; 5 people died and other damage reports and yet my friends all living in the south of England almost dismissed the storm so I got the impression it didn’t amount to much until the news reports last night. I am assuming we would have heard if anything had happened to Matt’s kids and grandkids, but it was too late to phone by the time we saw the TV reports.

Some of you may remember we had new windows put in all our bedrooms a few months ago. Sunday morning I walked into the bedroom to get dressed and noticed a crack in the window. No idea how it happened unless it was because of heat inside and cold outside. Super came up to look at it and will no doubt get it fixed. I also complained about one of our toilets ‘singing’ or ‘groaning’. He fiddled around with the tank and told me it was fixed. We shall see. But it is nice just being able to call and say ‘fix it’. Friend at bowling was telling me about his chimney needing fixing, we don’t have problems like that. Once in a while I get a hankering to have a house and then I think about all the things we would be responsible for. No thanks, not any more.

Bowling was above average on Monday. Thursday is our Travel League. I have been working very hard trying to persuade one of our buddies to join us. Won’t know if she does til the day.

I don’t eat sausage a lot these days, other than when I was in NC last, can’t resist Jimmy Dean sausage. However, this recipe peaked my interest so I decided to share/save it. It suggests bread for sopping up, I was thinking noodles would go well.

Sausages, Potatoes, and Artichoke Hearts in Tomato Broth

Source: Quick From Scratch - Italian
Serves 4

Simmering chunks of potato, Italian sausages, and artichoke hearts in a tomatoey broth meld their flavours into a savoury stew. Sop up the plentiful broth with crusty bread.

INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 pounds mild Italian sausages
3 cloves garlic, cut into thin slices
1 1/2 pounds boiling potatoes (about 5), cut into 1-inch chunks
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 1/4 cups canned low-sodium chicken broth or homemade stock
1 cup canned crushed tomatoes in thick puree
1 1/2 cups drained and rinsed halved canned artichoke hearts (one 14-ounce can)
6 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS
In a large stainless-steel pot, heat the oil over moderately high heat. Add the sausages and brown well, about 10 minutes. Remove. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat.
Reduce the heat to moderate. Add the garlic, potatoes, and thyme. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and boil until reduced to approximately 3 tablespoons, 2 to 3 minutes.
Stir in the broth, tomatoes, artichoke hearts, 4 tablespoons of the parsley, the salt, and the sausages. Bring to a simmer and cook, partially covered, until the potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons parsley and the pepper.

Variations:
Substitute:
*Rosemary for the thyme
*Red wine for the white wine
*Hot Italian sausage for the mild

Have a great day

Pain, Solar Panels,

Pain in Canada. This article was given to me,  by my doctor, when she was telling me how and why I was being treated like an addict - she told me it made interesting reading. She was right, it does. My Year on Death Row This is from a woman who has worse pain trouble than I do. Suicide has been on her horizon because of such extreme pain. I am not really surprised. The situation in Canada is ridiculous. Basically if you are in pain and take pain pills, you are an addict!!! I have been given Lyrica which, at the moment is doing nothing for pain but it sends me to sleep all the  time. I am being weaned off my Tylenol 3 and if at the end,  I am still in pain, surprise, surprise, they will send  me to a Methadone clinic!!!!!!! Sorry, but I object to being treated like an addict. There are doctors who have lost their licenses because they are not obeying the new laws properly and have actually given their patients sufficient medication for  their pain. I have posted a lot of this on Facebook and am requesting those who can, to share.

Can't remember if I have mentioned this before, but I was re-reading a blog - A View from The Bench - about their installation of solar panels. My comment was surprise it has taken so long for North America to catch on to solar. I was in Greece 60 years ago and they were installing solar panels all over. The farmer at the asparagus farm I go to, has installed solar panels on his home and some farm buildings. A few years ago, he had a field which was going to lie fallow for 20 years so he applied to the local council to be allowed to install solar panels. In the end, they wouldn't let him do so. How stupid he could have provided a lot of power to the local grid.

Bon Appétit have a few Bean recipes I thought I might try. This is one of them.

Sausage, Greens and Beans Pasta

1/3 cup olive oil
2 sprigs rosemary
8 oz spicy Italian sausage, casings removed
1 15.5-ounce can chickpeas or cannellini (white kidney) beans, rinsed, patted dry
¼ cup dry white wine
12 oz paccheri, rigatoni, or other large tubular pasta
Kosher salt
8 cups (lightly packed) torn escarole, kale, or Swiss chard leaves
¾ cup finely grated Parmesan, divided
Freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbs unsalted butter

1. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium-high. Fry rosemary, turning, until crisp, about 2 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain.

2. Add sausage to same pot and cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon and stirring occasionally, until browned and cooked through, 8–10 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a plate.

3. Add chickpeas to pot and cook, tossing occasionally and mashing some chickpeas with spoon, until browned in spots, about 5 minutes. Transfer about half of chickpeas to plate with sausage. Add wine to pot, bring to a boil, and cook until liquid is almost completely evaporated, about 2 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until very al dente, about 3 minutes less than package directions.

5. Using a spider or a slotted spoon, transfer pasta to pot with chickpeas and add escarole and 1 cup pasta cooking liquid. Cook, tossing often, until escarole is wilted, pasta is al dente, and sauce is thickened, about 4 minutes. Add another ¼ cup pasta cooking liquid, then gradually add ½ cup cheese, tossing until melted and dissolved into a luxurious, glossy sauce. Thin with more pasta cooking liquid if needed. Season with pepper, and more salt if needed. Add butter and toss to combine, then mix in reserved sausage and chickpeas.

6. Divide pasta among bowls. Crumble rosemary over top and sprinkle with remaining ¼ cup cheese.

Servings: 4

Author: Claire Saffitz
Source: Bon Appétit

Have a great day
 

Moustronaut, Hair Styles, Bowling Alley.

Gabby Gifford’s (politician who was shot) astronaut husband Mark Kelly, has just written a book called Moustronaut for kids. It is partly inspired by the mice which were taken on one space trip. One of the mice seemed quite at home in zero gravity and floated around eating or drinking with perfect sang froid. The book will, hopefully, be released this fall (isn’t it fall now?). OK, it is available on Amazon so it must have been published recently. It’s a story in pictures and I gather the mouse in question saves the day. Must check it out with my library, just to have a look.

I have been thinking a lot lately about long hair. Particularly ads which talk about styling it. To me it never looks any different, basically long hair which falls over the face all the time and has to be pushed back out of the way. Many years ago I had very long hair but I always wore it in a chignon or as a kid, braids, and when I first lived in London, I went to a hair stylist who really did style it in some of the ways from the Victorian or even earlier periods. He used to do a wonderful job. Then, one day I decided to have it cut and I have never had long hair since. Too much of a nuisance. Luckily my husband thinks long hair is a mess too.

Went bowling yesterday and managed all 3 games again although I was suffering a bit with my legs. I had moderately good games, but that is about all you can say for my performance. Matt, on the other hand, bowled particularly well, so he was happy. We now hear that the alley will be closing at the end of the season because the property owners are planning to build a high rise apartment block. Guess they will make more money that way. However, the guys who own Waterloo Lanes itself are looking for another venue. They would, presumably, have to add lanes and maybe new computers to wherever they choose which I would guess would cost a few sheckels. Of course there were all kinds of rumours flying round. I hope they do find a suitable building, it will be nice to have new lanes.

I haven’t had Pasta e Fagioli in years. It used to be a favourite of mine when we went to a local Italian restaurant in England. Al Fiasco. This one includes sausage, don’t know how that will work out..

Pasta e Fagioli with Sausage

Source: Quick From Scratch - Italian
Serves 4


The much-beloved pasta e fagioli (pasta and beans), adorned here with sliced sausage, is truly a meal in itself. The soup has very little liquid and will thicken as it sits. If you'd like to thin it a bit, add a little more chicken broth or water.

INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound mild Italian sausages
1 carrot, chopped fine
1 onion, chopped fine
1 rib celery, chopped fine
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried rosemary, or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
6 cups drained and rinsed canned kidney beans (three 19-ounce cans)
2 3/4 cups canned low-sodium chicken broth or homemade stock
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup tubetti or other small macaroni
1/2 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS
In a large pot, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over moderate heat. Add the sausages and cook, turning, until browned and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Remove. When cool enough to handle, halve the sausages lengthwise and then cut crosswise into slices.
Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in the pot over moderately low heat. Add the carrot, onion, celery, garlic, and rosemary. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables start to soften, about 10 minutes.
Puree 4 cups of the beans with 1 1/4cups of the broth in a blender or food processor. Add the puree to the pot along with the remaining1 1/2 cups broth, the whole beans, bay leaf, and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 15 minutes.
Stir in the pasta. Cook the soup over moderate heat, partially covered, stirring frequently, until the pasta is done, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the bay leaf. Stir in the sausage and the pepper. Cook until the sausage is warmed through, about 1 minute.

Have a great weekend

PC Problems, Russian Kids, Spring.

I am having all kinds of problems with my desktop again, so at the moment I am using my laptop to write. I am not very good at typing on this keyboard so if there are lots of typos, my apologies, not only that I keep touching something which sends my cursor to a different spot, I have no idea what happens or why. I haven’t done much typing on this machine for that reason.

There was lots on GMA about adopted Russian children this morning and it appears some parents have had horrible experiences. Some of the children have had such unhappy experiences either fetally (mothers drinking whilst pregnant) or because of abandonment and they are suffering from reactive attachment disorder, in other words they are totally incapable of bonding with anyone because of what has happened to them. If you would like to know more about this, go to the GMA website where there is a video clip of parents talking about their adopted children.

I shall be perusing my friend Marilyn’s blog this morning, see French Marilyn’s link this page. She tells me she has be writing about Princess Di and has put a lot of research into the article. Another friend, Glenda Larke, is swanning around London, England at the moment, visiting with her daughter. Nice for some. Especially as I understand England is having a beautiful spring this year.“Oh to be in England now that April’s there” Robert Browning.

I just came across some recipes for breakfast or brunch and this one sounded good. I am always looking for breakfast recipes in particular.

Cheesy Polenta & Egg Casserole

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/cheesy_polenta_egg_casserole.html

From EatingWell: May/June 2008

This memorable brunch centerpiece is rich with cheesy polenta, crumbled sausage and baked eggs.

6 servings

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1/3 cup finely chopped onion
• 4 cups water, plus more as needed
• 1 cup yellow cornmeal, (see Shopping Tip)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 6 ounces Italian turkey sausage, casing removed
• 1/2 cup shredded fontina, or mozzarella
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, divided
• 6 large eggs

Preparation

1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until softened, but not browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Add 4 cups water and bring to a boil. Gradually whisk cornmeal into the boiling water. Add salt and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until the polenta bubbles, 1 to 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low and cook, whisking frequently, until very thick, 10 to 15 minutes. (Alternatively, once the polenta comes to a boil, transfer it to the top of a double boiler, cover, and place over barely simmering water for 25 minutes. This is convenient, because you don’t need to stir it as it cooks.)
2. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 teaspoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add sausage. Cook, stirring and breaking the sausage into small pieces with a spoon, until lightly browned and no longer pink, about 4 minutes. Drain if necessary and transfer to a cutting board; let cool. Finely chop when cool enough to handle.
3. Position rack in upper third of oven; preheat to 350°F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
4. When the polenta is done, stir in fontina (or mozzarella) and 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano. If the polenta seems too stiff, add small amounts of water to thin it to a thick but not stiff consistency. Spread the polenta in the prepared pan.
5. Make six 2-inch-wide indentations in the polenta with the back of a tablespoon. Break eggs, one at a time, into a custard cup and slip one into each indentation. Scatter the sausage on the polenta and sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano evenly on top of the eggs.
6. Bake the casserole for 15 minutes. Then broil until the egg whites are set, 2 to 4 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Nutrition

Per serving : 295 Calories; 17 g Fat; 6 g Sat; 6 g Mono; 241 mg Cholesterol; 17 g Carbohydrates; 19 g Protein; 2 g Fiber; 683 mg Sodium; 148 mg Potassium

1 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 1 starch, 2 medium-fat meat, 1 fat

Tips & Notes

• Make Ahead Tip: Prepare through Step 4 up to 2 hours ahead; hold the polenta at room temperature and refrigerate the sausage until ready to bake.

• Shopping Tip: Polenta, a creamy Italian porridge, can be made from any type of cornmeal. Coarsely ground cornmeal, available in many natural-foods stores, is a great option because is has big corn flavor and light texture. It's usually labeled "cornmeal," but some brands are labeled "polenta."

Have a great day

Car Breathalyzers in France, Card Programme, New Cookbook.

A friend on Facebook drew my attention to an article on the Budget site stating that French cars, including rentals, were going to have breathalyzers installed later this year. I think its an excellent idea although it might be a bit expensive for the private owner. I know these things cost in the region of $2,000 here so heaven knows what they cost in France. Their blood alcohol tolerance levels are lower than those in North America too so it’s a pretty good idea for tourists to know what’s what if they are planning to drive around the country. When, I wonder, will such a law be introduced over here? At the moment, in Canada, anyone convicted of impaired driving is required to have one attached to their car, but I am not sure for how long or whether its permanent. The trouble is, and I’ve seen it on the movies, the drunk driver can get a friend to blow in the machine and then the car will start although God help you if you are caught of course. Driver or friend.

I bought myself a new Hallmark Card programme, not one of the latest because I need to be able to print labels in differing amounts, not one whole page at a time. I did buy the latest but ended up returning it. I was recommended to buy Card Studio 10. I was been playing with it yesterday but was disappointed to find it doesn’t do business cards. I have an even older version on my laptop but it won’t work on a 64 bit version of Windows 7 which is what I have on my desktop. However, I can print business cards from the old programme so I guess I will make do, its not like I print a lot of them. Don’t know if I ever mentioned that I also print a business sized card for Matt and I showing all our medications on one side and operations on the other. Very useful when one is continually going to various doctors or for all kinds of tests and treatments.

A fascinating cookbook is discussed in this article which, among many other things, describes how to cook squirrel and beaver. I know that Brunswick Stew was originally a squirrel recipe although rarely, if ever, made that way these days. The author also describes how to skin and clean animals as well as giving recipes. This is one section of the book with the main purpose being and emphasis on getting back to the land. Martin Picard’s book Au Pied De Cochon Sugar Shack also carries lots of recipes for maple syrup of which he seems particularly fond. Picard is from Montreal where he is a celebrity chef. He has a restaurant close to Montreal where it can take a year to get a table. I wonder if there is an English version of this book, my French isn’t good enough to cope with a whole cookbook in that language.

Here is the recipe of the month from Mushrooms Canada. They recently held a competition called Mushroom Madness and this is one of the winners.

SAUSAGE AND ASIAGO STUFFED MUSHROOMS WITH BALSAMIC GLAZE
Mushrooms Canada – 3rd place winner in Mushroom Madness

Renee Kohlman is a chef and food blogger at Sweet Sugar Bean, living in Saskatoon, Sask. When not whipping up good things in her little green kitchen, you can find Renee outside in the garden, admiring her tomatoes and smelling the sweet peas. Unless it's winter of course, then you can find her cocooned with a good book, DVDs of "Mad Men,” and too much chocolate.

20 large mushrooms, cleaned with damp paper towel, stem removed and saved for later use
2 links Italian sausage
1 tsp dried rosemary OR 2 tsp fresh, finely chopped
1 tsp dried fennel seed
1 onion, diced small
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 ounces (120grams) cream cheese
3 ounces (90grams) Asiago cheese, grated
3 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper
In a large bowl, toss the mushrooms with the balsamic vinegar and 3 tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper. Place onto a parchment lined cookie sheet and place in a preheated 350° oven for about 30 min. Stir once or twice. Remove from oven. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, over medium high heat, squeeze the sausage meat out of the casing and cook until no longer pink, breaking it apart with the back of a spoon. You want it fairly crumbly and in small pieces. Stir in onions and garlic and spices, and cook a few minutes longer, until onion is softened. (If you find that your sausage filling is too greasy, drain it on paper towel first before adding the cheese.) Remove from heat and place into a bowl, along with the cheeses
(save some of the Asiago for topping). Stir well to combine. Take a teaspoon and fill each mushroom cap. Sprinkle with remaining Asiago. Bake at 375° for about 30-40 minutes, until golden. Can easily be doubled if feeding a large crowd.

Have a great day

Happy New Year, Superstition and Pizza.

2010 - its hard to believe its already 10 years since everyone was worrying themselves about what the new millenium would do to computers. Plus I spent most of 24 hours (allowing for a little sleep) watching New Year being greeted all round the year. I bought a video of it all and have never watched it since. We phoned one bunch of kids in the UK just past their midnight, but figured the others would be in bed. Sorry if you weren't. Although we were watching, I didn't really get to see the crystal ball drop, they were too busy showing the countdown numbers - I did see the crystal ball in Buffalo though. The midnight show at New Year's is getting worse and worse it seems to me. They make a big thing of Dick Clarke who had a stroke a few years back. Sorry, he is not good on the New Year show, he is almost incomprehensible. He should retire. I am sure that will upset a lot of Americans, but if you didn't see him last night, you should have. We saw pictures on the news of celebrations in the rest of the world, but Times Square claims to have had a million people there. Buffalo around 40-50,000. You wouldn't catch us anywhere near such crowds.

Today we are going to a friend's house to try out pizza from a new pizzaria in the area. It will be a nice change from cooking for a while, we seem to have been doing nothing but lately. I suspect there is more pizza eaten in North America than there ever is in Italy. They are quite a different animal mind you - or at least from the pizzas I enjoyed many years ago in Calabria and Sicily. There is a heck of a lot more 'stuff' on them for a start and in the old days in Italy there weren't so many crust variations as are available in this neck of the woods. We get pizza flyers all the time in our mail. They mostly end up in the garbage, waste of money. One guy in the building joked to me "I have no pizza flyer today, what on earth am I going to eat?". We really do get a lot of flyers.

Matt has just finished reading my first Blog2Print book. 400 some pages. Its interesting that the pictures have become disarranged and I can't get at them to change it. I wondered what would happen if I had shelled out for a proper book, I would have been somewhat teed off, as it is, I don't really care for a home printed version. I am now thinking I should delete the blogs from say 2007 and 2008 to make room for what I chunter about in the future. Big job for the New Year.

Sadly I didn't have any black eyed peas to make Hoppin' John, which is supposed to bring good luck for the New Year, not did I consume 12 mince pies between Christmas and New Year which is supposed to ensure 12 good months. Oh well, just have to hope it won't matter this year. Trouble is I'm superstitious much to Matt's disgust. His family were too. If members of his family pass two nuns on the way to work they would turn round and go home. Nor, for some reason, would they say the word pig. There was an island which was named Pig Island and was always referred to as Rabbit Island by the locals although pigs were generally referred to as gissies. Where do such superstitions come from I wonder.

Eating Well are talking healthy foods this week and here is a healthy breakfast/brunch recipe from them.

Cheesy Polenta & Egg Casserole From EatingWell: May/June 2008

This memorable brunch centerpiece is rich with cheesy polenta, crumbled sausage and baked eggs. 6 servings

Ingredients •1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided •1/3 cup finely chopped onion •4 cups water, plus more as needed •1 cup yellow cornmeal, (see Shopping Tip) •1/2 teaspoon salt •6 ounces Italian turkey sausage, casing removed •1/2 cup shredded fontina, or mozzarella •1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, divided •6 large eggs

Preparation 1.Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until softened, but not browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Add 4 cups water and bring to a boil. Gradually whisk cornmeal into the boiling water. Add salt and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until the polenta bubbles, 1 to 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low and cook, whisking frequently, until very thick, 10 to 15 minutes. (Alternatively, once the polenta comes to a boil, transfer it to the top of a double boiler, cover, and place over barely simmering water for 25 minutes. This is convenient, because you don’t need to stir it as it cooks.) 2.Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 teaspoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add sausage. Cook, stirring and breaking the sausage into small pieces with a spoon, until lightly browned and no longer pink, about 4 minutes. Drain if necessary and transfer to a cutting board; let cool. Finely chop when cool enough to handle. 3.Position rack in upper third of oven; preheat to 350°F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with cooking spray. 4.When the polenta is done, stir in fontina (or mozzarella) and 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano. If the polenta seems too stiff, add small amounts of water to thin it to a thick but not stiff consistency. Spread the polenta in the prepared pan. 5.Make six 2-inch-wide indentations in the polenta with the back of a tablespoon. Break eggs, one at a time, into a custard cup and slip one into each indentation. Scatter the sausage on the polenta and sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano evenly on top of the eggs. 6.Bake the casserole for 15 minutes. Then broil until the egg whites are set, 2 to 4 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Nutrition Per serving : 295 Calories; 17 g Fat; 6 g Sat; 6 g Mono; 241 mg Cholesterol; 17 g Carbohydrates; 19 g Protein; 2 g Fiber; 683 mg Sodium; 148 mg Potassium 1 Carbohydrate Serving Exchanges: 1 starch, 2 medium-fat meat, 1 fat Tips & Notes •Make Ahead Tip: Prepare through Step 4 up to 2 hours ahead; hold the polenta at room temperature and refrigerate the sausage until ready to bake. •Shopping Tip: Polenta, a creamy Italian porridge, can be made from any type of cornmeal. Coarsely ground cornmeal, available in many natural-foods stores, is a great option because is has big corn flavor and light texture. It's usually labeled "cornmeal," but some brands are labeled "polenta."

Have a great day

Paying it Forward, Poinsettia, Spam.

I have never had an opportunity to do this, but today I was in the grocery store and the person in front of me couldn’t afford some sliced meat they had in their cart, before the cashier could deduct it I said “add it to my bill”. It was not a big amount by the way, less than $1.50 and I am not trying to boast about this, it was so little, but later in the afternoon, an Avon customer who owed me $12.20 gave me $15 and said keep the rest. Less than 2 hours after I had paid for the meat. Just struck me as a good example of how pay it forward really works. I wasn’t even going to mention this at first until my customer “tipped” me. Isn’t it terrible people cannot afford something so inexpensive? She had some kind of one time payment card which didn’t cover everything.

We had just come back from bowling and I had to pick up a prescription then wanted a Poinsettia for our dining table which is why I was in the grocery store. Obviously they have a florist there. We always have a Poinsettia for our Christmas decorations on the dining table. I thought of choosing a pinkish one but Matt thought they looked washed out, neither one thing or the other, so red it was and red we got. Trouble is, I seem to be able to keep them alive for ever and end up chucking them out in late spring. I often think of an apartment several of us rented on the island of Malta when my parents lived there (they didn’t have room for all of us) and outside the bathroom window there was a huge Poinsettia bush in full flower. It was lovely to look at. Nice view for men in particular.

Saw this cartoon today on How to Geek and couldn’t resist sharing.


Everybody is so busy at this time of year that it seems a quick and easy meal for the family would be welcome.

"Classic" Skillet Lasagna

Kraft Kitchens
 

We swapped out the lasagna noodles for bow-tie pasta to make this simple skillet version of an Italian favourite.
prep: 15 min
total: 30 min
6 servings

What You Need

3 cups  farfalle (bow-tie pasta), uncooked
1 lb.  Italian sausage
1 small  onion, chopped
2 cans  (14.5 oz. each) HUNT'S® Diced Tomatoes with Basil, Garlic & Oregano, undrained
1 can  (6 oz.) HUNT'S® Tomato Paste
1-1/2 cups  KRAFT Shredded Mozzarella Cheese, divided
1 cup  POLLY-O Natural Part Skim Ricotta Cheese
1/4 cup  KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese
2 Tbsp.  water
1/4 tsp.  black pepper

Make It

COOK pasta as directed on package, omitting salt.
MEANWHILE, brown sausage in large skillet on medium heat; drain. Add onions; cook 3 min. or until tender, stirring frequently. Add tomatoes, tomato paste and 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese; mix well.
MIX ricotta, Parmesan, water and pepper. Drain pasta; add to skillet; mix well. Top with cheese mixture; sprinkle with remaining mozzarella. Cover; cook on low heat 3 min. or until mozzarella is melted.
Hunt's® is a registered trademark of ConAgra Foods, Inc.

Kraft Kitchens Tips

Serving Suggestion
For added color and texture, serve with a mixed green salad tossed with your favourite KRAFT Lite Dressing.
Substitute
Substitute mafalda or penne pasta for the farfalle (bow-tie pasta).

Have a great day