Heat, Cell, FIFA, Oil Spill, Health

At last Sunday morning the intense heat let up – we had some rain on Saturday which I guess helped. It is still pretty warm mind you but NOT the thick, muggy heat which makes it difficult to breathe. I basically stay in doors in weather like that, I can’t hack it unless I have a pool handy to fall into. I miss the one we used to have when we lived in Cambridge some years ago. It was an above ground pool, quite big, a 30 ft. oval I recall, and we spent a lot of time on the deck or swimming in it.

I have spent a lot of time playing with my new phone. I discovered it had a lock on it, I took that off. Although I think it is a good idea, Matt would never manage to deal with that in a thousand years. Technology is certainly not his forté. I sent a couple of text messages to a friend just to try out the little keyboard, what a difference, instead of having to jab a number several times for each letter. Much easier. Of course I only have 40 minutes a month so I cannot do too much sending and receiving. One thing I discovered, my memory card from my old phone works like a charm (they told me it wouldn’t) which makes me wonder if I wouldn’t have done better to have my old SIM card, too late now though. One thing I didn’t realise, if I call 911 which is the emergency number over here (999 in the UK) it is free wherever I/we are so that is useful to know.

So Spain won the cup, I have no doubt the country were celebrating like mad last night. The Netherlands has nothing to be ashamed of, neither of them have ever won the cup or nearly done so before, so I would say that was a pretty good job by both teams. Germany came third which is maybe some consolation for the country, I know our friend here was disappointed. But at least they weren’t disgraced like some of the teams. It is, after all, only a game, but devotees get so emotionally involved with the whole thing, something I do NOT understand.

BP are working on a new cap http://tinyurl.com/39wjteo for the oil leak but meanwhile the oil is gushing free and unrestricted. Maybe I am a  bit slow, but I don’t understand why the proposed drilling from the side can’t be done til August. This picture from CBC shows workers cleaning up oil booms.

Another ezine I get is Real Age and the latest one talks about flat bellies. Apparently dieting  is not the way to achieve one, but exercise is. There is an article here http://tinyurl.com/2vlmnla, there was also a healthy recipe from Eating Well. We enjoy salmon so this will go in our favourites.

Grilled Salmon with North African Flavors

EatingWell.com

Our version of the classic North African herb paste known as chermoula serves as both a marinade and a sauce for this richly flavored salmon. If it is too cool to grill outdoors, you can roast the salmon at 450°F for 12 to 15 minutes.

Serves: 4  

1/4 cup(s) low-fat or nonfat plain yogurt

1/4 cup(s) chopped fresh parsley

1/4 cup(s) chopped fresh cilantro

2 tablespoon(s) lemon juice

1 tablespoon(s) extra-virgin olive oil

3 clove(s) garlic, minced

1 1/2 teaspoon(s) paprika

1 teaspoon(s) ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon(s) salt, or to taste

Freshly ground pepper , to taste

1 pound(s) center-cut salmon fillet, cut into 4 portions (see Tip)

1 lemon, cut into wedges

Directions

1. Stir together yogurt, parsley, cilantro, lemon juice, oil, garlic, paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Reserve 1/4 cup for sauce; cover and refrigerate. Place salmon fillets in a large sealable plastic bag. Pour in the remaining herb mixture, seal the bag and turn to coat. Refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes, turning the bag over once.
2. Meanwhile, preheat grill to medium-high.
3. Oil the grill rack. Remove the salmon from the marinade, blotting any excess. Grill the salmon until browned and opaque in the center, 4 to 6 minutes per side. To serve, top each piece with a dollop of the reserved sauce and garnish with lemon wedges.

Have a great day.

Balloons, Lamb, Talking about Me

Thursday morning I was sitting at the dining table at 6:30 a.m. eating my breakfast and two balloons came floating by. No wonder I hadn’t seen any lately, I am not normally up at 6 in the morning. However, it made me think, I am sitting there moaning to myself about having to be up so early, what on earth time did the passengers on those balloons have to get up? Actually the balloons were whizzing by, for balloons that is, must have been a pretty good breeze up high. I often thought I would like to do a balloon trip but I am not sure I wouldn’t get vertigo, plus once you land, maybe the basket will fall over, and you are expected to help pack everything up, no thank you.

Terrible thing happened this week *g*, we went to Costco to stock up on meats only to find they had no legs of lamb or lamb chops. What a disaster!! Main thing we went for after all. They did have lamb racks, but in my opinion those are an expensive way of getting rid of cheaper cuts of lamb. Yes, they can be made pretty tasty, but have you ever compared prices? Lamb costs enough in this neck of the woods anyway.

I haven’t time to write this morning, I have a new toy to play with, my cell phone arrived yesterday and is now fully charged up, so ready to be loaded with phone numbers and all that!!!

Yesterday I went to have an ultra sound, basically on my femoral artery which stretches down both legs. They are even more ‘bunged up’ than they used to be and I am only getting 70% blood flow to my legs. Once again the doc. said unless it is interfering with my life, they wouldn’t do anything. Er, excuse me, I can’t go grocery shopping, I have trouble walking to the car in the garage, sometimes even from the bedroom to the living room. I think it is interfering with my life don’t you? It then turns out that this doctor is semi retired so doesn’t operate any more and I have to see someone else from Guelph hospital – I can actually consult with them locally, but if and when I have to have an operation, Guelph is where I have to go. A good half hour’s drive away, possibly a bit more. They always seem to want you there at the crack of dawn as well. Our local hospital does not do these ops any more apparently, but there are two doctors in Guelph who do.

On the news this morning, BP are about to try a new cap for the Gulf oil leak which they hope will make a better seal. Its now something like 81 days since this happened and although some oil has been contained, the wild life and ocean damage is unconscionable.

There is a lot of brou ha ha in the States at the moment about Lebron James (I don’t really know if the spelling is right) a basketball player, who has moved from Cleveland to somewhere in Florida. I have never heard so much nonsense about a ball player, people in Cleveland burning his shirt, crying and screaming he has betrayed them and so on. What a lot of nonsense. To us, its unbelievable.

Eating Well sent an email about meatless main meals recently and here is one which appealed to me and may well appear on our table in the near future, especially as I couldn’t get any lamb LOL

Greek Orzo Stuffed Peppers

From EatingWell: March/April 2009

We steam brightly colored bell peppers in the microwave to save time and then stuff them with orzo, spinach and feta. This basic recipe will work with almost any filling—try substituting different types of cheese, herbs or beans. Serve with whole-wheat pita bread and cucumber salad.

4 servings

Ingredients

4 yellow, orange and/or red bell peppers

1/2 cup whole-wheat orzo

1 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

6 ounces baby spinach, coarsely chopped

1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano, or 1 tsp dried

3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese, divided

1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, (not oil-packed), chopped

1 tablespoon sherry vinegar, or red-wine vinegar

1/4 teaspoon salt

Preparation

1. Halve peppers lengthwise through the stems, leaving the stems attached. Remove the seeds and white membrane. Place the peppers cut-side down in a large microwave-safe dish. Add 1/2 inch water, cover and microwave on High until the peppers are just softened, 7 to 9 minutes. Let cool slightly, drain and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add orzo and cook until just tender, 8 to 10 minutes or according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water.
3. Mash chickpeas into a chunky paste with a fork, leaving some whole.
4. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until soft, about 4 minutes. Add spinach and oregano and cook, stirring, until the spinach is wilted, about 1 minute. Stir in the orzo, chickpeas, 1/2 cup feta, tomatoes, vinegar and salt; cook until heated though, about 1 minute. Divide the filling among the pepper halves and sprinkle each pepper with some of the remaining 1/4 cup feta.

Have a great weekend

Just Rambling

Matt came home from the hospital around 2 yesterday afternoon having had a miserable time. Well you do in day surgery, or any hospital time don’t you? If you don’t know, lucky you. I do like St. Mary’s hospital though, they are such an efficient bunch especially in their Emergency room.

Today its my turn although I only have to have an ultra sound at a vascular clinic and then see the doc about my claudicated arteries. This aging bit is great.

It finally rained last night, or this morning, we need rain badly round here. Usual thing, parts of the continent are flooded and we are heading into a drought. It is still pretty hot round here though, the computer room in particular is like an oven although there is a ceiling fan in here. Generally we really don’t need central air conditioning, but when there is a heat wave like this, I would sell my soul for central air. Being the summer, there isn’t too much of anything on TV at the moment. I ended up watching a movie on my laptop and Matt played Bookworm on the desktop. What a sad life!! We are both counting the days til we head south to visit North Carolina. Our summer league bowling ends with our banquet on the 19th although I suspect we will try and play at least once a week until the winter season begins again.

One thing I did achieve yesterday, I called our provider, Rogers, from who we get cable, internet, land phone and cell phone services. Our cell phone contract ends this month and as we hardly ever use it, I have now arranged for a limited service of 40 minutes a month (last month for instance we used 3 mintues) and less than half the current price. I am also getting a new phone for free. I get a few days to decide if I like it or not, it has a pull out QWERTY keyboard although I'm not sure I will use that very much. I only text one person and that once in a very blue moon.

I have just heard a report on TV saying that because of the Twilight movies young people today are biting to draw blood as a way of showing affection!!!! Trying to pretend they are vampires. How ridiculous. Doctors say this can cause hepatatis, syphallis or HIV. What a dangerous craze. I loved the books: I haven’t seen any of the movies, but if they are causing such a dangerous practice, its not good. I have to admit when I saw the Superman movies, I did want to fly, but luckily never tried it!!! For supper last night I made a Jambalaya recipe I got out of the local paper many, many years ago. A friend of ours in NC used to love this dish and would provide me with tons of shrimp to go into it and then he would keep the leftovers and eat them for breakfast, lunch and dinner until it was all finished. After his surgery Matt said he was only allowed to eat soup, he had nothing but cookies or crackers all day, however, having had some soup when he came home, he ate the Jambalaya for supper. Jambalaya

2 cups water 1 cup rice 1 tsp salt 3 tsp red pepper sce (hot/spicy) 1/4 cup vegetable oil 1 garlic clove, crushed 1/2 lb cooked. peeled shrimp (I usually use more) 1 cup diced ham 1/2 med green pepper cut in 1 x 1/4 in strips 4 green onions, with tops, sliced 2 med tomatoes, roughly chopped Bring water to boil, add rice, 1 tsp salt and red pepper sauce. Simmer 20 mins. covered. Remove from heat, let stand approximately five mins til liquid has disappeared. Put in a large bowl. Combine garlic, oil, remaining salt with rice. Add rest of ingredients except tomatoes. Chill a minimum of 3 hours. Stir in tomatoes to serve. Servings: 2 Have a great day

Windows, Hospital

I forgot to mention that I did something on my laptop which screwed it up so I had to renew the Windows 7 files on it. Well and good, after a while it asked me for the product code. I had this typed out on my CD for ease of use. I typed in the code it said invalid. Several times. I was in a panic. I ended up phoning Microsoft and, to cut a long story short, it seems when I typed it up I changed a T to a Y. Phew, it worked. Just shows you how careful you have to be.

As I mentioned, this morning I am taking Matt to the local hospital for a minor day surgery op and he should be out about 2:30 I hope. He will phone me when he is ready to come home. I didn’t know if I would be writing a blog or not. I actually typed this on Wednesday night.

Sorry, no recipe, will try and publish a proper blog tomorrow.

Have a great day

Heat, Luscious Corn and New Books.

The heat wave continues, its bad enough here, but according to reports, places on the US east coast, such as New York and Philadelphia, are having a really bad time of it. So far I have only heard a report of one heat related death, a woman of 92, but it is something the elderly particularly need to be careful of. If you haven’t got air conditioning, there are lots of stores and hotels that do and there are shelters listed on local web sites. Personally I find this heat makes me reluctant to eat which surprises me, nothing has ever done that to me before, I could always eat. We do have air conditioning, but it is not central air. Does a pretty good job though. We also have a fan blowing the cold air down the corridor towards our bedroom.

Corn is in, I had a message from Tim Barrie that they now have it. I really need to get over there as I know they have so me delicious raspberries too. I tried some at my friend’s lunch on Sunday. There is nothing to beat really fresh corn straight off the plant, however, one doesn’t often get a chance to get it that fresh, however, picked that day is pretty good. The picture here from Recipezaar.com makes me really hungry for grilled corn. Asparagus season is now over unfortunately, I had my last mouthful yesterday.

As you know I get all kinds of informative emails and yesterday I got one from Amazon telling me that part 3 of the Void Trilogy by Peter F. Hamilton is shortly to be released. This is a series I have been enjoying and the last one is called The Evolutionary Void and the date is set for August 24. If you like sci fi these are really worth reading. Also, Glenda Larke announced that book 2 of her Watergivers Trilogy would be available in the UK and North America at the end of this month, it is Stormlord Rising. Someone commented they wished they hadn't already read it as it would be something to look forward to, ditto. So far I have thoroughly enjoyed both books in this trilogy and am anxiously awaiting the next one. Also, I just finished Changes another Harry Dresden book by Jim Butcher. However, I am very worried about the ending. Read it, and you will know what I mean.

From my usual Mushrooms Canada email I found this recipe which is certainly going to be on my to try list.

Grilled Oriental Mushroom Salad

Mushrooms Canada

Assorted fresh mushrooms and a zesty oriental style dressing are the stars in this warm zippy salad - perfect for lunch or to accompany grilled meat.

3 tbsp each vegetable oil and soy sauce 45 mL 1/3 cup rice vinegar 75 mL 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 1 tbsp Dijon mustard 15 mL 2 green onions, chopped 2 1 tbsp finely minced gingerroot 15 mL 1 lb. assorted sliced fresh Mushrooms (white 500 g button, crimini, portabella, shiitake, oyster) 3 tbsp teriyaki sauce 45 mL 16 cups mixed salad greens or baby spinach 4 L 1 tbsp sesame seeds 15 mL

In small saucepan, mix oil, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, mustard, onions and gingerroot; set aside. Pile mushrooms in centre of large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Drizzle with teriyaki sauce. Fold edges and ends to seal well. Barbeque on high heat about 5-6 minutes or until steaming. Heat dressing on barbecue or stovetop just until boiling. Divide salad greens evenly among 4 large salad plates. Top with warm mushroom slices and drizzle with hot dressing. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top. Serve immediately. Makes 4 main course servings. Tips: • Prepare dressing in microwave proof bowl or glass measuring cup and heat in microwave until boiling. • Mushrooms could be cooked in 425º F (220 ºC) oven instead of barbeque. Variation: Substitute roasted garlic teriyaki sauce for plain teriyaki sauce. Nutritional Information: Calories: 193, Sodium: 1310 mg, Protein: 8.3 g, Fat: 12.6 g, Carbohydrates: 16.6 g, Dietary Fibre: 5.4 g

Have a great day

Heat Wave, Bowling, Dreaming, Beaches.

Phew it was a hot one yesterday. It reached 33°F here, which, in itself, is not exceptionally hot, but the humidity pushed it up til it felt like 41°F. A friend who works in Toronto said 44°F there. As usual there were lots of warnings out but you still saw TV pictures of people playing tennis and sunbathing in the parks or on beaches. I bet there are a lot of sunburns today. Something a lot of people don’t seem to grasp; you don’t start off white and then lie in the sun for hours. Matt and I sunbathe for about 1/2 an hour at a time until we have built up a tan. There was also a power outage in parts of Ontario yesterday, I felt so sorry for those who did not have their air conditioning. I think I would die. Reports always say how much worse it is for old people in such heat and humidity too. I wonder if retirement homes have back up generators, I was thinking that our apartment building should have.

Of course we were bowling for part of the afternoon and I was told that the pins don’t fall as easily in the heat as they do in the cold. Obviously the alley has air conditioning, but I guess its not on for most of the time, only when there are players in house. That might excuse my summer bowling, not my fault, the pins won’t fall. It is a fact that I kept getting 13s yesterday, meaning that the corner pin just would not fall. Very frustrating. If you are not familiar with 5 pin, the middle pin is worth 5 points, the two on either side of it are worth 3 and the corner pins are worth 2 points. So if you bowl and get them all down except one corner pin, that’s 13. You then have to make a difficult shot and knock down that corner pin. Not easy I assure you. Don’t forget, our bowling balls are not the big monsters of 10 pin either, but small enough to hold in your hand – as in the picture of my ball.

Just watching a bit of TV and there was an Orkin pest control ad which broke my dream. Not quite sure how it started, but everywhere was running with baby cockroaches. What a delightful thing to dream about. Of all the bugs I have ever encountered, cockroaches have got to be the worst.

BP announced yesterday that they have now spent $3 Billion on the Gulf clean up, that’s a billion a month. A lot of money considering the problem isn’t fixed yet. Apparently the beaches aren’t bad down there although thousands of people have stayed away. We saw lots of pictures of people thoroughly enjoying themselves there and on being interviewed said the oil had been no problem. However, the tourist industry is hurting badly in that area. Plus seeing oiled, dying pelicans on the beach can’t be much fun.

Partly because of the heat and partly because we were still full from Sunday lunch, we just had salad sandwiches for supper last night together with a small amount of Brie and crackers. I make the sandwiches the way I have always done, buttering the bread, not slathering it with mayonnaise. I layer lettuce, onion, cucumber and tomato adding salt and pepper on each layer and then cover with the top layer of bread, pushing down firmly. Its refreshing and delicious and does NOT need anything else.

Eating Well have been putting out some low fact frozen treats and the following is one I particularly liked the sound of. Once again this calls for an ice cream maker, but it could be done by hand although it would, of course, take a lot longer.

Brown Sugar & Toasted Almond Ice Cream

From EatingWell: July/August 2010

In a world of designer ice creams, sometimes the simplest can be the best. The full-bodied flavors of brown sugar combined with nutty toasted almonds are all it takes to give this easy-to-make frozen treat a sophisticated distinction. The alcohol in the base mixture acts like an “anti-freeze,” reducing the icy texture sometimes associated with lower-fat ice cream. For a little extra indulgence, try topping a scoop with some crumbled gingersnaps.

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients

1 1/2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin

1 tablespoon water

2 1/2 cups low-fat milk, divided

3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3 large egg yolks

1 12-ounce can nonfat evaporated milk

1 tablespoon vodka or rum

1/2 cup chopped almonds, toasted (see Tip) and cooled

Preparation

1. Sprinkle gelatin over water in a small bowl; let stand, stirring once or twice, while you make the base for the ice cream.
2. Pour 1 1/2 cups milk into a large saucepan. Whisk in brown sugar and cinnamon. Heat over medium heat, whisking often, until steaming. Whisk egg yolks and evaporated milk in a medium bowl until combined. Whisking constantly, gradually add the hot milk mixture to the egg mixture until blended. Return the mixture to the pan and cook over medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the back of the spoon is lightly coated, 3 to 5 minutes. Do not bring to a boil or the custard will curdle.
3. Strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean large bowl (preferably stainless-steel). Add the softened gelatin and whisk until melted. Whisk in the remaining 1 cup milk and vodka (or rum). Cover and refrigerate until chilled, at least 3 hours or overnight.
4. Whisk the ice cream mixture and pour into the canister of an ice cream maker. Freeze according to manufacturer’s directions. During the last 5 minutes of freezing, add almonds. If desired, place the ice cream in the freezer to firm up before serving.

Nutrition

Per serving : 209 Calories; 6 g Fat; 1 g Sat; 3 g Mono; 84 mg Cholesterol; 31 g Carbohydrates; 9 g Protein; 1 g Fiber; 92 mg Sodium; 338 mg Potassium

2 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 1/2 fat-free milk, 1 1/2 carbohydrate (other), 1 fat

Tips & Notes

• Make Ahead Tip: Prepare through Step 3 up to 1 day ahead. After freezing, store ice cream in an airtight container for up to 1 week. For the best texture, let soften slightly before serving. Equipment: Ice cream maker

• Tip: To toast chopped nuts, place in a small dry skillet and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes.

Have a great day

Weekend, Movie.

I hope those who were, or still are, celebrating the 4th enjoyed themselves. I heard on the news this morning that they had a stupendous firework show in New York last night and some bar owner charged a couple $1,400 to stand on his roof to watch!!! As someone commented, were free drinks included? Some people really are nuts.

We drove about an hour to Burlington to spend a few hours with friends for lunch. We ate in the back yard and really enjoyed ourselves. The weather was delightful although it did get a bit warm towards the end. We ate chilled pea soup, a kind of antipasto plate, a delicious chicken dish with a decadent cream sauce accompanied by broccoli salad and potato salad. By this time I was so full I couldn’t finish my chicken or my veg. Shame on me. Later on we had a very good and light dessert with raspberries and a kind of pound cake soaked in orange juice. When we got home we were both very full, but as a diabetic one has to eat three meals at least, so I had some cheese and toast later on.

I bought myself a copy of Stardust a few weeks ago and for various reasons, mostly medical, had not got round to playing it. Friday evening I tried, I could neither play it on my laptop nor on my DVD player. I seem to be having a lot of problems with this movie, I have downloaded it from iTunes without success. Maybe I am just not meant to own this movie?

Incredible picture on TV this morning. People watching a parade yesterday and a couple of horses pulling a carriage bolted, no reason given, but they dragged the carriage along with them and it hit several people in the crowd, including several children, and one 60 yr old woman was killed.

My blogs may be a bit sparse this week, Matt has to have a minor operation on Thursday which necessitates him being in the hospital at 8:15 a.m. (yuk as I have to go along to get the car in order to pick him up later). Then I have some involved appointments on Friday.

On Saturday I mentioned I had found this recipe for Pumpkin and Chocolate Chili, obviously I couldn’t resist it, the picture looks delicious, the ingredients sound great and it includes chocolate, what more could you want in a recipe?

Pumpkin and Chocolate Chili

Serves 4

Sample recipe from The Bittersweet World of Chocolate: With 50 delicious Recipes, a New Internationalist Publication. Sold at many Ten Thousand Villages stores. (Photos by Kam & Co, Denmark)

Ingredients:

3 cups (450g) cooked pumpkin

1 onion, chopped

1 red bell pepper, sliced

3 Tbsp jalapeño, sliced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 cup (240ml) beer

1 cup (240 ml) stock

8 olives, sliced

1-2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp ground coriander

1 can tomatoes with juice

2 Tbsp cilantro/coriander, chopped

1 Tbsp cocoa

1-2 cans beans, such as pinto, white or kidney, drained

4-6 Tbsp scallions/spring onions, sliced

3 Tbsp cheddar cheese, grated

6 Tbsp sour cream or yogurt

oil

salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. Sauté the onion and when it is translucent, add the bell pepper, jalapeño and garlic; stir for 5 minutes.
2. Next, add the beer, stock, olives, chili powder, coriander, and tomatoes with juice. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
3. The pumpkin goes in now, together with the cilantro/coriander, cocoa and beans. Stir well to combine the ingredients and season. Cook gently for 5 minutes or until the mix has cooked down and amalgamated.
4. Serve topped with the scallions/spring onion, cheese, and sour cream or yogurt.

Have a great day.

Aging Gene, Glorious Fourth

To my US friends, Happy Independence Day for tomorrow, I hope you have a good day.

The other day, on TV, there was an interesting segment on aging. They are now saying that people who make it to the 100s have a particular gene which others don’t have. It was also stated that this gene seemed to prevent a lot of age related problems such as senility and Alzheimer’s. Obviously they are now working with this gene to see if they can reproduce it and/or introduce it into people who are not born with it. They can also now tell if a person is going to live to a very ripe old age by checking on the presence of this gene in their makeup.

We are expecting pretty hot temps this weekend, but I understand that in some places in the south, particularly Philadelphia, it is going to be sweltering. In Philly they will be very much involved in celebrations for the 4th of July, according to an interview with the major on GMA today, the celebrations last all week. They had Benjamin Franklin and Martha Washington on TV this morning too!!

Tomorrow we are going to a friend’s for a barbecue at lunchtime. Not particularly to do with the US holiday or even a belated Canada Day celebration. Just the date when we were all free.

I have finally got hold of a copy of Jim Butcher’s latest Dresden Files book Changes. I love these books, full of ghosts and ghoulies and things that go bump in the night. Harry Dresden is a wizard and his job is protecting his part of the US (Chicago) which of course he does very well. The books are written in an almost tongue in cheek style and can be very funny and great reads. I remember one book in which they needed transport and ended running around on a T Rex skeleton from a museum which had been bespelled to convey Harry to where he had to go. He has a half brother who is a white vampire too. Do read them if you never have.

Another email I receive is called Ten Thousand Villages and they have some fascinating information and pictures. This time they also came up with this recipe which I also found very interesting and somewhat different from the usual potato cake. I have also come across one for a Pumpkin Chocolate Chili.

Llapingachos (Ecuador)

Llapingachos (Potato Cakes with Peanut Sauce) (Ecuador)

Serves 6

Sample recipe from Vegetarian Main Dishes From Around the World. Visit your nearest Ten Thousand Villages store or shop online to purchase your own copy. (Photo by Kam & Co, Denmark.)

Ingredients:

2 onions, finely chopped

2 pounds (1kg) potatoes, mashed

2 Tbsp fresh parsely, chopped

2 cups (200g) cheddar or monterrey jack cheese, grated

1/2 cup (110g) peanut butter

1/2 cup (120ml) stock or water

6 eggs

lemon juice

a few lettuce leaves

2 Tbsp margarine

oil

salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. Melt the margarine and cook the onions until they are soft.
2. Transfer them to a bowl when ready and combine them with the mashed potatoes, parsley and cheese, adding salt and pepper to taste.
3. Now shape this potato mixture into cakes about 1 inch (2.5cm) thick. Heat a little oil in a frying pan or use a griddle. When it is very hot, cook the cakes until they are golden on one side and then turn them over to brown the other side. Keep the potato cakes warm.
4. Spoon the peanut butter into a small saucepan and add the stock, stirring well so that it is evenly absorbed. Heat gently.
5. Now poach the eggs in a little water. To serve, place the potato cakes on a dish lined with lettuce leaves, slide the eggs on top and pass the peanut sauce round separately.

Have a great weekend

Canada Day and HST

We had a really quiet day which was nice. For dinner Matt did some Phyllo Asparagus Rollups followed by lamb chops marinated with rosemary and garlic broiled with tomatoes over which he had sprinkled basil and olive oil. Asparagus is no longer available at Barrie’s so now I have to wait for another whole year. I still have some left which will last me a couple more days.

We finished dinner by having strawberries and Crème Fraîche. We haven’t used Crème Fraîche before as it never seemed to be available. It is now though and if one adds a little sweetener of some kind to it and then whips it up with a fork (you can do that with English cream) it becomes a very good topping for strawberries.

I later watched X2 on TV which I enjoyed. Matt will generally not watch anything sci fi. I hadn’t realised that one of the main characters was played by Hugh Jackman, Matt recognised him, not me. Of course Patrick Stuart, one of the lead actors, is a favourite of mine. I would love to have seen him at The Old Vic in London. Maybe Canada can attract him to Stratford to perform.

Her Majesty celebrated Canada Day in Ottawa for the first time in many years. By the way it was Canada’s 143rd birthday. She had some nice things to say about Canada in a speech she made. http://tinyurl.com/2cveoz7 What I wondered was whether they fed her on burgers – after all Obama took the Russian President to a burger joint. Somehow I just don’t see the Queen chomping into a burger with all the fixings, in fact I understand the palace sends out menu requirements wherever she is going to be entertained. I remember many years ago she was on a Weight Watchers’ diet and presumably still follows the programme. I borrowed the picture from CBS News.

Interesting that the Canadian Governor General was not here to meet the Queen but in China. I wonder who planned that and why?

I mentioned the other day that we now have a new Harmonised Sales Tax in Ontario and people have been complaining about the increase in prices for some of the items, including gasoline of course. British Columbia introduced the new HST yesterday too but have decided to not include gas. Please Ontario, do the same, gas is quite expensive enough as it is.

On Good Morning America they had a woman called Sunny Anderson making food suitable for the 4th. She made a Sunny Side Up Burger. Seemed to us that the minute you bite into it you would end up with egg yolk all over you. Not to mention egg on your face!! However, she did have a recipe for a Chocolate Chip Butterscotch Pie which appealed to me.

Sunny Anderson’s Chocolate Chip Butterscotch Pie

Butterscotch Sauce:

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/4 cup light corn syrup

Pinch salt

1/4 cup heavy cream

Pie Filling:

8 ounces mascarpone cheese

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pinch salt

1/2 cup mini-chocolate chips

1 (6-ounce) pre-made chocolate cookie pie crust (recommended: Oreo or Keebler)

For the butterscotch sauce, melt the butter in a sauce pot over medium-high heat. Add the brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Bring to a simmer and stir until golden amber in color, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat and slowly stir in the cream. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

For the filling, add the mascarpone cheese and the heavy cream to a large bowl and whish until combined. Add the sugar, vanilla, and salt. Whisk until soft peaks form, then fold in the chocolate chips. Pour the filling into the crust, smoothing out the pie surface.

Refrigerate for at least 3 hours and serve drizzled with butterscotch sauce.

Have a great day

Canada Day, Breakfast, On TV.

First of all, I wish everyone a very happy Canada Day – hey even Google are acknowledging it today with a Maple Leaf on their name. Maybe not in other countries I suppose. There will be fireworks tonight which we can see from our balcony not to mention all the barbecues and parties which will be taking place. Matt went grocery shopping at about 7:30 a.m. yesterday knowing the stores would be crowded. We normally do our weekly shop on a Thursday but obviously the stores are closed today. Something I never understand, why do people have to crowd the grocery stores the day before a holiday, don’t they have anything in their homes to tide them over a couple of days? We could certainly last more than a week without grocery shopping, let alone one or two days. I know people buy special things for a holiday, but do they have to do it on the day before, surely it would be easier to shop earlier?

This morning I was standing, like a kid, with the fridge door open wondering what on earth to have for breakfast. I have to eat a good breakfast in particular because of diabetes so I always start with Fibre 1 cereal with skimmed milk and flax. Then I have whole wheat toast and something. It was the something I couldn’t decide about. I started thinking about the breakfasts I used to have when I was a youngster at home, things like kippers, herrings fried in oatmeal, salt beef, belly of pork etc. etc. Not a waffle in sight, nor would I want one, that is a breakfast habit I have not acquired over here. I actually ended up with a scrambled egg made in the microwave, not bad, but something I eat a lot. Just thought of another one, smoked haddock with a poached egg on top. Yummy. I don’t think these things are eaten very much in England these days either, unless by old folks like me.  I know even Matt tends to turn up his nose at the thought of fish for breakfast and yet he loves fish. Once in a while if I break open a pack of smoked salmon for lunch, I will have some of it for breakfast the next morning. But oh for those kippers, the real ones I mean, properly smoked not stained with some kind of dye. Yes, we did have bacon and eggs too, but usually back bacon, not the streaky bacon which is generally available in North America and of course we would often have lamb’s kidneys fried along with everything else. In fact a Sunday breakfast would often start with kippers and then be followed up by the egg and bacon deal. Ahhh well, scrambled egg it is.

I hear this morning that Larry King is about to retire. I DO NOT LIKE Larry King. I personally will not miss him one bit, not that I ever saw much of him on TV. He did a lot of commenting one Olympics whilst we were in the States and I/we developed an aversion to him which was not erased by anything I saw of him afterwards.

Talking of

TV, we saw HM the Queen unveiling a statue of Oscar Peterson yesterday. It is really a super statue and very people friendly. This photo is from the Ottawa Citizen  http://tinyurl.com/35erewd Last night it showed people sitting next to the statue and taking photos and Oscar Peterson’s wife was present as well as his daughter and both said it was very like him. Her Majesty is in blue by the way. That reminds me of a pet peeve of mine, particularly in the written word. If you are addressing or referring to a king or queen it is Majesty. Highness refers to a prince or princess NOT their parents.

I had my usual email from Hersheys and picked up a tip I thought was useful, to prevent ice cream from crystalising in your freezer, press some Saran wrap (fling film) down firmly onto the ice cream before replacing the lid. Here’s a very simple sundae recipe from them – bit late for Canada Day but certainly in time for July 4.

Supreme Brownie Sundaes

Hershey’s Kitchens

Ingredients:

1 box BETTY CROCKER® Supreme Brownie Mix with HERSHEY'S Syrup

Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for in brownie mix directions

1/2 gallon ice cream(any flavor)

1-1/2 cups HERSHEY'S Syrup

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F.
2. Make brownies as directed on box for 8x8 or 9x9-inch pan. Cool at least 30 minutes. For 24 brownies, cut into 6 rows by 4 rows.
3, Top each brownie with 1/3 cup ice cream; drizzle with 1 tablespoon syrup.
HOW TO: To make cleanup and cutting brownies easier, line the baking pan with non-stick aluminum foil.
SPECIAL TOUCH BERRY BLAST SUPREME BROWNIE SUNDAE: Top sundaes with HERSHEY'S Strawberry Syrup and fresh berries.

Have a great day

$300 Million Roof, Canadian Distances, Celebratory Weekend

Yesterday I came across a story about a proposed $300,000.000 roof for the Olympic stadium in Montreal. Yes, that is three million dollars. They say the original one rips several times a year and is costly to repair. The 1976 Olympics in Montreal were infamous for the graft and cost overruns and now they want to spend all that money on replacing the roof. I guess they haven’t heard about the financial crisis in the world at the moment. It is something of a catch 22 situation, if they don’t replace it they will continue to shell out money on the repairs, or if they do they will shell out all that money in these difficult financial times on something which is, in the scheme of things, a totally unnecessary adjunct to the city. Politicians never seem to be able to get their priorities right. I bet there are lots of hungry children in the Province of Québec.That is not something which is exclusive to third world countries. Not to mention that there are probably lots of seniors who could use a boost to their pensions, but no, a 3 million dollar roof is more important. If I were living in that city or that province, I would be up in arms about this. I don’t live there but I am up in arms anyway. Matt has just commented “I wonder how much money they have spent on repairs to the existing roof since 1976”. They say they have to repair it 60 times a year.

That is one of the things which points up the incredible distances in Canada. The year before the ‘76 Olympics we emigrated to Canada and I was excited to think I would be close to the games and maybe get to see some of them. Ha!! At the time we lived in Cambridge (quite close to where we are now) which is in Ontario, not in Québec and is close to 400 miles away. Not to mention that the cost of staying there would have been prohibitive. Since that time Canada has hosted the winter Olympics in Calgary, 1645 miles away and Vancouver, 2046 miles away and that’s only going west. Montreal is east of us but going even further, if they ever had the games in St. John’s, Newfoundland for instance that would be another 1300 odd miles east. In fact only yesterday I was looking at a weather map on TV and commented how small the Great Lakes looked – Lake Superior is in fact 350 miles x 160 miles, a very big chunk of water, and that is only one of five Great Lakes. Did you know their names spelled HOMES, Matt’s dad told me that one, Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, Superior.

As many of my readers know, Sunday is the Fourth of July and many Americans will be celebrating Independence Day with all kinds of feasts, picnics and barbecues. Only Canadians seem to know that on July 1st it is Canada Day and we do the same kind of things. In either case, here is a more typical North American recipe for potato salad. I admit straight off that it is not one I would probably enjoy and would likely steer clear of, but it seems I am very much in the minority in this part of the world.

Grandma's Potato Salad

Source: Quick Cooking magazine

Yield: 8 Servings

RECIPE INGREDIENTS

6 to 7 medium red potatoes (about 2 pounds)

3/4 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup plain yogurt

1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions

2 to 3 dill pickle spears, chopped

4 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon prepared horseradish

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon celery seed

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Dash onion salt

Dash garlic powder

4 hard-cooked eggs, coarsely chopped

DIRECTIONS

Place potatoes in a saucepan and cover with water; bring to a boil. Cook for 20-30 minutes or until tender; drain and cool slightly. Slice potatoes into a large bowl.

In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, yogurt, onions, pickles, mustard, horseradish, garlic and seasonings. Pour over potatoes and toss to coat. Gently stir in eggs. Cover and refrigerate for 2-3 hours.

Have a great day.

Dollywood, Statins, Movies and Books.

This morning, on Good Morning America, one of their guests was Dolly Parton. I have always liked her, she is a very clever woman apart from being a big singing star and making successful movies. She is celebrating 25 years of Dollywood which has turned out to be as successful as she predicted. She is also celebrating 44 years of marriage which in her world is pretty incredible. I had to look it up and she herself was 64 last January. She sure doesn’t look it. She sang a new song, Celebrate, in honour of the 25th anniversary of Dollywood, she also sang Jolene which is one of her all time favourites. There are three video links on the GMA website at HTTP://abcnews.go.com/GMA/

I now learn doctors have been giving cholesterol busting drugs to people without high cholesterol. Seems daft to me, but there is a study out which says they are probably not a good idea – the following URL from GMA shows an interview with Dr. Besser who talks about this latest study. http://tinyurl.com/2bzsjwu You can also contact the doctor on the GMA website and ask for information on reducing cholesterol without taking statins or similar drugs Our doctor says reducing cholesterol any other way is like walking somewhere instead of taking the car, you will get there eventually but its pretty slow.

Last night I watched a movie which used to be a great favourite of mine Desirée which was a romantic version of a story about Napoleon Bonaparte’s old love who eventually became Queen of Sweden having ended up marrying Field Marshal Jean Baptiste Bernadotte. The actors were Jean Simmons playing Desirée, Marlon Brando as Napoleon and Michael Rennie as Jean Baptiste. It is still a good movie to watch and still ranks as one of my favourites. Brando played Napoleon a couple of times I believe and always does a good job.

I have also now finished the remaining Deverry books by Katherine Kerr, The Shadow Isle and The Silver Mage both of which were excellent. I am now reading a collection of short stories called Irresistible Forces which are romantic sci fi stories. Included are stories by Lois McMaster Bujold set in her Miles Vorkosigan world and Catherine Asaro set in her Skolean Empire.

Whilst looking at the GMA website this morning, I came across the following recipe for depudged pigs in a blanket. I have a feeling that being “pigs” they should be pork but I suppose that is more fatty than beef.

De Pudged Pigs in a Blanket

Recipe Courtesy of Hungry Girl

Servings: 8

Ingredients

8 fat-free or nearly fat-free franks about 45 calories each (like Hebrew National 97% Fat Free Beef Franks or Hoffy Extra Lean Beef Franks or your favorite hot dog brand)

1 package Pillsbury Reduced Fat Crescent refrigerated dough

Cooking Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cut each hot dog into 4 even pieces. Set aside.

Take one of the eight triangle-shaped portions of the dough and stretch or roll it out slightly, making it into a larger triangle.

Then, cut this piece of dough into four long, narrow triangles.

Beginning at the base of each of these triangles, roll one hot dog piece up in each until the point of the triangle wraps around the center. Place your blanketed pigs on a large, ungreased baking sheet. Repeat with remaining ingredients, so that you have 32 pigs in a blanket. Be sure to evenly space them, as the dough will expand while baking.

Place sheet in the oven, and cook for about 12 minutes, until dough appears slightly browned and crispy. Enjoy!

Per serving (4 pigs in a blanket): 134 calories, 5g fat, 652mg sodium, 16g carbs, 0g fiber, 3g sugars, 8g protein

Makes 8 servings

Have a great day

G20 Riots, Ice Cream, World Cup

I was disgusted about all the riots taking place in Toronto this weekend – riots which ended up in major violence due to what is described as the Black Bloc. http://tinyurl.com/2aot3sc clicking on this link will take you to a series of riot pictures showing people dressed all in black with their faces hidden of course, they don’t want anyone to know who they are, later apparently they divested their black clothing and merged in with the crowd.. The whole thing made me ashamed to be Canadian there were other protesters who were at least peaceful until all this happened.

Yesterday I saw an ad for an ice cream maker and I have a friend in the States who has one. However, it made me think of when I was a kid. My mother used to make ice cream in freezer trays from the very small freezer section of the fridge. In those days the trays had removable dividers. It was delicious stuff. I have an idea she may have got the recipes from Mrs. Beeton’s Family Cookery, which I have. I must check it out although I don’t have that kind of freezer trays of course. I seem to recall one had to keep stirring it well to stop it crystalising too.

Sunday was the Germany-England match in South Africa. Germany won 4-1 although there was one goal which was incorrectly called which would have given England 2 goals, but they lost anyway. I lost $5 because of them LOL. Our German Canadian friend was over the moon because they had one. No, I didn’t watch. The only time I ever watched soccer was when Matt played many years ago. I was once taken to a big match in Birmingham, England, but who was playing I have no idea. I actually enjoyed the match but I never went to another. My uncle was a big fan, but we didn’t live close by and no-one else I knew was remotely interested until I met Matt. His two eldest grandsons are/were big soccer players. I say were as they are both working nowadays and may not have much time. Grandson #4 plays 5 aside.

I looked through my old Mrs. Beeton cookery book (as shown in the picture) which was published in 1935. The book is, as you can see, a bit battered as it was well used by my mother who was a fantastic cook, in fact, I think she was a bit like the Julie in Julie and Julia and worked her way right through it over the years. I found that most of Mrs. Beeton’s recipes for ice creams start with a custard.  I have made a couple of alterations or added notes for non UK cooks. These recipes are more for interest than anything although if you like trying such things you might want to give it a go. I remember I loved my mother’s ice cream.

Custard for Cream Ices

1 UK pint of milk (20 fl. oz.)

1/2 pint of whipping cream (or thicker if you can get it)

4 oz. castor sugar (sugar in North America is just about as fine as castor sugar)

4 yolks of eggs

Bring the milk nearly to boiling point and pour it over the beaten egg yolks, stirring meanwhile. Return to the pan and stir by the side of the fire (on low heat) until the mixture thickens, but do not let it boil or the eggs may curdle. Stir in the sugar, strain and when cool add the cream. Makes about 1 3/4 pts. (Again the UK pint is 20 fl. oz.)

After this, you can proceed to make more or less any kind of ice cream you want by adding whatever flavours appeal to you. There are even some adding fruit jams or, me being a chocaholic, Chocolate Cream Ice.

Chocolate Cream Ice

4 oz. chocolate (I recommend best quality you can buy)

1 UK pint (20 oz.) Custard as above

1 gill of milk (5 fl. oz.)

1/2 gill of cream (2.5 fl. oz.)

sugar to taste

Prepare the custard as above. Dissolve the chocolate in the milk, sweeten to taste and strain it into the custard. Let the mixture cool, then add the stiffly whipped cream and freeze the usual way.

My note: Freeze the usual way means put in a container in the freezer, and periodically, whilst the mixture is freezing, whip it up so ice crystals don’t form, replacing it in the freezer each time until it is cold enough to be ice cream.

Have a great day

Summer in Ontario, Hurricane Alex? The Royals.

Someone commented to me that my blogs give them an insight into life in this neck of the woods. Yesterday I was listening to the radio and heard the camp site report which I have never heard anywhere else before. They list each camping area and say how many serviced (i.e. with electricity, water and sometimes sewage) and unserviced (no facilities) there are available at the time of the report. I have only ever heard it on our local station, not on any other we listen to. However, quite recently there was a flash flood on a camp site which caused several people to lose their lives; I would think that would be a bit discouraging if you were thinking of going camping, especially in a tent. Even a camper/trailer could be pushed around by flood waters. I haven’t heard any report saying camping site usage is down though.

The news from the US today is full of the storm which could become Tropical Storm Alex and maybe even a hurricane and which may, or may not, cross the Yucatan Peninsular and head into the Gulf of Mexico. If it did go there, everyone involved with the oil spill would have to pack up and leave, and BP would have to lift the cap which they are using at the moment allowing the full gusher to pump away as long as the bad weather lasted. Er, its not fixed??? I thought it was. We are getting distressing pictures on the news of baby dolphins dying because of the oil, it is, of course, breeding time for them as well as lots of other species. In fact it has been posited that this disaster will destroy some species forever as they are only found in the Gulf of Mexico.

Also in the news today is Prince Harry’s visit to New York in order to discuss co-operation between the States and the UK regarding assistance to wounded veterans and their families. Its the first time I have ever heard that the Americans play polo, Harry is going to be playing a game with a US team. I remember going to polo matches as a kid and loving to watch and then stomp down the grass clumps between chukkas.

We have lots of protests taking place in Toronto this weekend – not so much against the G20 itself as the security measures being taken by the police to ensure the safety of all the world leaders. There is a big fence around the area of the city which is being used for the meeting and you’d better have a good reason and the right paperwork to approach this fence. I am surprised people are protesting all this. Its only for a few days for goodness sake.

Next week we have the Queen visiting us in Ontario, although I am not quite sure when. I don’t envy her the trip at her age although I am sure everything is done to make it easier for her. I know flying to and from England is pretty tiring which discourages us from making the trip. OK when you are young and the Queen has quite a few years on us.

I wrote about John Isner’s record breaking tennis match in Wimbledon, the next day he was beaten in just over an hour by another unseeded player. Sad really. I would guess he was pretty whacked after his marathon game which finished the day before.

A simple and refreshing salad from Crisco Canada this morning.

Honey Citrus Salad

Makes: 12 cups (3 L), approx. 8-10 servings

VINAIGRETTE:
1/2 cup (125 mL) Crisco® Canola or Vegetable Oil
1/2 cup (125 mL) orange juice
3 tbsp (45 mL) lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp (15 mL) honey
1 tsp (5 mL) salt
1/4 tsp (1 mL) pepper
SALAD:
8 cups (1 L) chopped lettuce
2 cups (500 mL) arugula (optional)
2 cups (500 mL) cherry tomatoes, halved
8 mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 ripe avocado, diced
1 small onion, chopped
1 cup (250 mL) dried cranberries
1/2 cup (125 mL) sunflower seeds
1/2 cup (125 mL) pumpkin seeds

VINAIGRETTE:
1. Place all the ingredients in a jar. Cover and shake until combined. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
SALAD:
2. Place all salad ingredients in large bowl. Toss with desired amount of salad dressing. Serve immediately.

TIPS:
• Use vinaigrette as a marinade for salmon or halibut. Marinate fish for 10 minutes before baking.
• Replace the seeds with toasted nuts (almonds, pine nuts, etc)
• Swap lettuce for spinach and increase your daily intake of calcium, folic acid, vitamin K and iron. A great addition to any family meal.

Have a great weekend.

Wimbledon, HST, More on Gulf, Soccer Rivalry,

The longest tennis match in history finally finished up with John Isner beating Nicolas Mahut 70-68. The match took 11 hours and 5 minutes. Sadly, we couldn’t find it on TV yesterday; we would love to have seen the finish. Here is a picture from Voice of America showing the pair of them beside the final score board. Isner from the US is the taller of the two. Mahut is from France. He sure has nothing to be ashamed of, it was a stupendous exhibition of skill and stamina. Oh if only!!!! I cannot imagine how the pair of them felt, especially on Wednesday when they had been playing for so long.

I mentioned HST or Harmony Sales Tax before, today we got a notice of just what is going to happen. There are two items which will affect us personally, one being gasoline which is going from a 5% tax to 13% and the other is ISP services – same increase. Maybe I can’t afford to write blogs any more!!! Home heating is also going up which may mean a rent increase. I’ve been saying I don’t care because we have to pay it anyway, but of course I do care that it is going to make a bigger hole in our not very deep pockets.

There was mention on the news about how much money BP had already spent on the Gulf disaster which made their stocks plummet again. They still haven’t stopped the leak though. In fact I understand the cap they are presently using shifted the other day and allowed the leak to flow fully for a few hours until they got it in place again. I saw a video the other day of a youngster with a proposal on dealing with the leak. His idea is that a robot should undo a few nuts and then insert an iron plate. His dad is an engineer and says its feasible. There was a video demonstration which I cannot find any more, showing him stop a water leak from a similar device to a well head. The family have informed BP of the idea but they have thousands of ideas being sent to them all the time.

I don’t actually follow soccer even at the level of the World Cup, however, there has been a bit of joking between Matt and a German friend as there is a match between our two birth countries on Sunday, not only that, there was a headline that the British PM and the German leader would avoid one another on Sunday at the G20 conference.

In yesterday’s World Wide Recipes written by Joe Barkson there was a Canadian Bacon recipe which appealed to me. I, in fact, only buy Canadian bacon which I sometimes eat for breakfast. It is the nearest thing to English back bacon although it isn’t quite the same, processing I imagine. Its so long since I have eaten back bacon in the UK that I don’t really remember the differences properly.

Canadian Bacon in Sherry Sauce
World Wide Recipes

1 Tbs (15 ml) vegetable oil
1 Tbs (15 ml) all-purpose flour
1 cup (250 ml) beef stock
2 Tbs (30 ml) sherry
1/2 tsp (2 ml) dried thyme
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 - 1 1/2 lbs (425 - 675 g) Canadian bacon, sliced

Heat the oil in a saucepan over moderate heat and stir in the flour. Cook until medium brown in color, stirring frequently. Stir in the beef stock, sherry, thyme, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Meanwhile, broil the Canadian bacon
until lightly browned around the edges and heated through. Spoon the sauce over the meat and serve immediately. Serves 4 to 6.

Have a great day

Earthquake, Tornado, Wimbledon.

About 1:30 I had an appointment to have my hair cut, not long after, we got back to the apartment building to find several people in the lobby, one couple holding their cats, there had been a tremor in the building and the whole place shook apparently. In fact it took place at 1:41 p.m. according to the news. It was a 5.5 magnitude quake and its epicentre was along the Québec/Ontario border although it was felt as far away as Montreal, Boston and Cleveland (not forgetting little ol’ Kitchener. There were no injuries. Quite a little drama. I remember years ago it happening when I was at work in Cambridge a town nearby. Matt was 10 minutes away and never felt a thing. We didn’t feel anything today either – we would have been driving at the time. A preliminary report http://tinyurl.com/23a5h69 I read another report this morning which said fleeing from buildings was a mistake http://tinyurl.com/2wm7gjz there is also a good map showing the area that was affected by the quake. I knew all those people in our lobby were doing the wrong thing.

To top it off, we ended up yesterday with a suspected tornado in Midland, ON. CBC Canada has the story and pictures. Not sure how they decided a suspected tornado was a real tornado, but obviously there were some pretty lethal winds.

An incredible tennis match taking place at Wimbledon, two young men, John Isner from the US and Nicolas Mahut from France, have been playing for a total of 10 hours and at the moment are 59 all in the 5th set. Play was finally called off last night because it is too dark. It will be interesting to see what happens when they start again today. I must say, watching it yesterday, John Isner looked really wiped and I was surprised how well he kept on going. Nicolas Mahut didn’t look quite as tired somehow. http://tinyurl.com/3az6x87 to read more. They have been setting all kinds of records, the longest match, the most aces, etc. etc. Oh, and not a vuvuzela in sight. I used to be a devoted watcher of Wimbledon every year when I lived in the UK, now I may or may not see any of it. I see a note on the web today that the Queen is going to Wimbledon for the first time in 33 years. I wonder if she will get to see the rest of the historic battle between Isner and Mahut.

I thought this looked delicious. I see they specify bought crêpes, however, the only ones I have ever found tend to be a tad sweet. They are really very easy to make and you can cook up a large batch and freeze them (don’t forget to put wax paper in between each one though).

Summer Vegetable Crêpes

From EatingWell: July/August 2008

Crêpes aren't just for dessert—they make a quick and savory weeknight dinner. Here they're filled with ricotta cheese, green beans, zucchini and corn and topped with a chive-cream sauce. Don't skip the step of placing a piece of parchment or wax paper under each crêpe as you fill it—without it, the crêpes are tricky to roll. Serve with: A tossed salad.

4 servings

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh chives, divided, plus more for garnish
• 3 tablespoons low-fat milk
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cups chopped zucchini
• 1 1/4 cups chopped green beans
• 1 cup fresh corn kernels, (from 1 large ear; see Tip)
• 1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 4 9-inch “ready-to-use” crêpes, (see Tip)

• Preparation

1. Stir sour cream, 1/4 cup chives, milk, lemon juice and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small bowl until combined. Set aside.
2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add zucchini, green beans and corn and cook, stirring, until beginning to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Reduce heat to low; stir in ricotta, Monterey Jack, the remaining 1/4 cup chives, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Cook, stirring gently, until the cheese is melted, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.
3. To roll crêpes, place one on a piece of parchment or wax paper (or leave it on the piece of plastic separating the crêpes in the package). Spoon one-fourth of the vegetable-cheese mixture (about 3/4 cup) down the center of the crêpe. Use the paper (or plastic) to help you gently roll the crêpe around the filling. Place the crêpe seam-side down on a dinner plate. Repeat with the remaining crêpes and filling. Serve each crêpe topped with 2 tablespoons of the reserved sauce and more chives, if desired.

Tips & Notes

• Tips: To remove kernels, stand a cob on its stem end in a bowl and slice them off with a sharp, thin-bladed knife.
• “Ready-to-use” crèpes are fast and convenient. Look for them in the produce section of the market or near refrigerated tortillas.

Have a great day

Jason and the Camels, G20, Inmate Credits, Home Security.

I was so pleased to hear they found Jason, the tiger and the two camels, Sean and Todd, alive and well – someone had obviously given Jason water at least, the camels were not in such urgent need. Police actually received a tip on Monday night apparently. A very odd business. Obviously I was wrong about my animal smuggler or trader suspicions, and very glad I am that I was wrong. It puzzles me that the thieves abandoned the truck in one place and the trailer in another.

This weekend Ontario and in particular Toronto, is gearing up for the G20 summit. Millions of dollars have been spent in preparing for this and the security is horrendous. One of the biggest complaints is the building of a fake indoor lake which has cost around $1.9 million. However, now its getting down to the wire, people are having trouble moving around their own city and many of the roads travelling near the city are restricted. I was told people can’t get to their cottages because of this security. Many Torontonians are up in arms about the whole deal and there will be lots of demonstrations. I wonder whether its worth it just to be the host country.

The US Government seems to have made a bit of a gaffe about their new home buyers credit. They haven’t been asking for proof of purchase, so babies have received these credit cheques as well as prison inmates. What with Canada paying inmates pensions and now the US sending them credit cheques, it pays to be a prisoner.

Talking of inmates there were some horror stories about crooks getting into your home by posing as repair men of one kind or another. GMA were emphasising that you should check on the people you employ to do work whether it be odd jobs or contracting, particularly check the contractor has a license. They also say don’t let a worker wander around in your home on his own and don’t leave out easily lifted pieces of jewellery or other valuables.

Another shrimp recipe which sounds good and will shortly make its appearance on our dinner table especially as we have some nice fresh Tarragon growing on our balcony.

Sautéed Shrimp with Buttery Balsamic Vinegar Sauce

Source: Fine Cooking - Issue No. 29

Serves four Try serving this dish with orzo tossed with butter and grated Parmesan and a salad.

INGREDIENTS

For the Shrimp:

1 3/4 pounds large shrimp in the shell or about 50 frozen, cleaned large shrimp, defrosted

7 tablespoons butter, cut into 1 tablespoon pieces

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Sauce:

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons chopped mixed fresh herbs, such as chives, tarragon, and flat-leaf parsley

Lemon wedges (optional)

DIRECTIONS

FOR THE SHRIMP: If using shrimp in the shell, peel and devein them. If using cleaned, defrosted shrimp, skip this step. Either way, dry the shrimp well with paper towels and set aside.

Put a colander or large strainer in a bowl and set it beside the range. In a large skillet set over high heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. When the butter froths, add the shrimp and season well with salt and pepper. Stir several times as the shrimp cook - they may brown slightly, which is good. They’re done as soon as they’re just cooked through and opaque, 3 to 5 minutes; cut one in half to check. Remove the pan from the heat; transfer the shrimp with a slotted spoon to the colander. Cover the shrimp loosely with foil and set aside to keep warm while making the sauce.

FOR THE SAUCE: Pour off all but 1 or 2 teaspoons of liquid from the pan. Set the pan back over high heat and add the remaining 6 tablespoons butter, swirling the pan once or twice until the butter turns light nut brown, about 2 minutes (Any brown bits that have stuck to the pan will become even browner, but they shouldn’t burn.) Immediately pour the balsamic vinegar into the pan and start scraping up the brown bits. Continue to scrape and cook until the sauce thickens somewhat and starts to appear glaze-like, about 2 minutes. The sauce will reduce to a scant 1/2 cup.

TO SERVE: Turn off the heat and stir in the drained shrimp (discard any accumulated liquid in the bowl) to coat them lightly with the sauce and briefly rewarm them without cooking any further. Taste and adjust the seasonings, if necessary. Sprinkle with the fresh herbs and serve immediately with lemon wedges, if desired.

Have a great day

Health, Montenegro, Books,

Having shot off to the therapists yesterday for Matt, and yes I sat in the car, much comfier and although a beautiful day, not too warm with the windows open, I then went to our family doc for my regular diabetes check which is all lovely with lots of good numbers. I am now told I have to have a pneumonia shot once every 10 years and to see an opthalmologist periodically, just because I have diabetes which isn’t, I am glad to say, a very major problem in my life, whether because I am pretty careful or because I really don’t have a serious diabetic condition, I don’t know. At the moment I pop pills and watch what I eat.

Lying in bed last night I thought about something I wanted to write today; now I cannot for the life of me think what it was. A friend reminded me of Bette Davis’ quote, “Growing Old Ain’t for Sissies”, that is so very true, memory is something which suffers a big hit. One of these days I will remember to have a pad and pencil by the bed. Of course, the minute I post this blog, I will recall what it was.

On Sunday Matt told me the treadmill wasn’t working properly and he couldn’t fix it. After spending an age on the phone with Tempo, we ended up getting in a repair man who sorted it all out for us. Here again, a lot of the problem is old age, we can’t bend and go down on our knees with ease like this young man could. Turned out he was born the year we came to Canada and I assure you that makes us feel old. He was born in Montenegro so we talked a bit about my visit to the area in the late 60’s. He wasn’t even a twinkle in anyone’s eye in those years. He did say the communists killed his grandfather. I wonder if that was in recent years or not, we didn’t ask at the time. They have had so much strife in that part of the world. When I was there it was all relatively peaceful with Tito in charge. It, Yugoslavia to me, is a beautiful country with lots of wonderful castles built by the Franks. However, the power kept going out at all kinds of odd times of the day, and the service at that time was likely to be pretty poor although this young man told me the service situation hadn’t changed a lot in some areas. I said I had been to Budva on the Adriatic coast and he told us that was a place for singles these days, very crowded and certainly not a place to take your family. I do remember the beach there and the snake we saw on it. Kind of sticks in your memory. My cousin trod on a sea urchin too but that can happen anywhere in the world. So, I suppose, can the snake, just I have never seen one on a beach before. It was a lovely beach though.

By the way, no sign of those missing animals. I think I would be talking to the truck driver if I were the cops.

I have been reading some Katharine Kerr books lately, I have read most of her Deverry series before and in fact I have also read the four I have got now (I am not certain about the last one) but I am enjoying them. I have finished The Gold Falcon and have nearly finished The Spirit Stone, with two more to go. If you like fantasy, I can recommend the Deverry series, especially now its all finished so you don’t have to hang around for the next book.

In an email from Cooking.com they had several shrimp recipes – the following one came from Eating Well and looks delicious. Shrimp being one of my favourites. Apologies if you live on the Gulf coast where shrimp is now expensive and in short supply.

Grilled Shrimp with Melon & Pineapple Salsa Eating Well Yield: 4 servings Grilled shrimp is perfectly accented by this light, summery pineapple-melon salsa. The flavors are bright and fresh, just right for a hot day. Use just one melon or any combination of melons—including watermelon—for the versatile salsa. For best flavor marinate the shrimp overnight.

Make Ahead Tip: Marinate the shrimp (Step 1) for up to 24 hours. Cover and refrigerate the salsa (Step 2) for up to 4 hours. | Equipment: Four 8- to 10-inch skewers

RECIPE INGREDIENTS

1 pound raw shrimp (16-20 per pound), peeled and deveined (see Note)

2 tablespoons canola oil, divided

2 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger, divided

2 teaspoons minced seeded jalapeño, divided 2 cups finely diced firm ripe melon 1 cup finely diced fresh pineapple 1/4 cup finely diced red bell pepper 1/4 cup finely diced green bell pepper 1/4 cup finely diced red wine vinegar 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint, plus 4 sprigs for garnish 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 4 large lettuce leaves, such as Boston, romaine or iceberg 4 lime wedges

Note: To devein shrimp, use a paring knife to make a slit along the length of the shrimp. Under running water, remove the tract with the knife tip.

DIRECTIONS

Combine shrimp, 1 tablespoon oil, 1 teaspoon ginger and 1 teaspoon jalapeño in a medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or up to 24 hours.

Combine melon, pineapple, red and green bell pepper, onion, vinegar, chopped mint and salt in a large bowl with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, 1 teaspoon ginger and 1 teaspoon jalapeño. Refrigerate until cold, about 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.

About 20 minutes before serving, preheat grill to high.

Thread the shrimp onto skewers, piercing each twice, once through the tail end and once near the head end. Grill the shrimp until pink and just cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side. When cool enough to handle, slide the shrimp off the skewers.

To serve, arrange one large lettuce leaf on each dinner plate. Spoon salsa onto the lettuce and top with shrimp. Garnish each serving with a lime wedge and a mint sprig, if using.

Have a great day.