There are a couple of things that I want to get out to you before the weekend hits.  It's canadian thanksgiving this weekend and it's not so much that I'm looking to give you some great ideas to plot down onto your feast table but more that I've got these things scratching around the back of my head needing to get out.  I want the weekend off.  I want to spend a little time reconnecting with my 13 (!) yr old kid.  I would love to see my husband for a while - we've been texting so I know that he is out there somewhere.  A long weekend really can't go by without a long, enjoyable run in there somewhere.  Maybe a colourful bike ride through the trails.  These things will cause me to 'give thanks'.  Laundry, cooking, baking, cleaning... only by necessity.
I did a weird thing a couple of days ago.  I made ribs.  Ribs are great, awesome even.  Ribs are totally easy and always get gobbled up quickly and.... I NEVER make them.  I'm not sure what exactly possessed me but there I was with two racks of ribs in my hands at the butcher shop and... Oh look, they've come home with me too.  After a few minutes of stupid easy prep and about 3 hours of low heat roasting later I had some happy people around me.


This is not a recipe you want to serve with ribs.  I guess you might want to serve it with turkey but not ribs.  You definitely want to serve it with some crusty, toasted, garlicky buttered bread... but not ribs.  Ribs need to be with ribs.  It's own thing.  Ribs are the thing that wants to take over the world and no matter what you do they will crush you.  They will over power you and they will be better than you ever imagined you could be even in your wildest dreams.  A delicious but subtle, colourful yet meek, meaty but textured dish like this is just destined to sit sad and lonely in the fridge until those damn ribs are gone.  Then, and only then, will this lovely dish get anything close to the recognition it deserves.
I used honey garlic sausages and I used romanescu cauliflower (or broccoli depending on who you talk to.  I like it because it looks like little pine trees but the white fluffy cloud regular cauliflower will do just fine.


If you happen to be someone who likes a little something weird at your thanksgiving table, or you are looking for a non-turkey kind of table, or you are really not observing the whole turkey table, cornucopia thing at all then you might just want to give this recipe a whirl.

Sausage, Cauliflower and Fennel Gratin adapted from TheKitchn.com

1 lb sausage (I used italian honey garlic), casings removed
1/2 cup onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 cup celery, diced
1 cup fennel, coarsely chopped
2 - 3 cup cauliflower, broken into medium sized floret pieces (does that make any sense?)
1 cup spinach, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 cup chopped tomato
1/4 cup honey
1 veggie boullion cube
1/4 cup (scant) juice (I used part of a leftover juice box - apple/grape - from my kid's lunch kit)
3 tbsp worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp oregano
1 1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp cumin
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp pepper sauce

1/2 - 2/3 cup Bread Crumbs
1/2 - 2/3 cup parmesan, shredded
good dash salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375° F
Butter a 9x13 baking dish and set aside.
Bring a large pot with about 2 cups of water to a boil - add the cauliflower and steam with the lid on for 2 minutes. Drain the cauliflower and set aside.
Heat the same large pot over medium heat.  Add about 2 - 3 tbsp oil and the sausage and onion.  Cook briefly together and then add in the garlic, celery and fennel.  Turn the heat down a bit and cook together for about 10 minutes, until the meat is cooked through and the vegetables are softening.
Add in the tomato and spinach and continue to cook until the spinach becomes wilted.
Add in the honey, bouillon cube, juice, worcestershire sauce, oregano, thyme, cumin, salt and pepper sauce.  Mix well and continue to simmer on low heat for about 10 minutes or until the liquid is about halved.
Add the cauliflower to the sausage.  Mix well and pour into the prepared pan.

Combine the bread crumbs, parmesan, salt and pepper together.  Mix and sprinkle over the sausage and vegetables.
Cover and bake for about 25 - 30 minutes or until the edges are browned and bubbling.
Cool for about 10 minutes before serving.

It's really quite ridiculous that I'm even posting a recipe like this.  I bet you have thought of making this in some incarnation or another about a million times.  You've probably  gone through with it and actually prepared the thing maybe about a thousand times.  It's so easy and basic that I feel kinda silly but the truth is that it's all I've got.  Another truth is that I really need to break the ice, break the silence, break the break and pump something out.
Our house being in total chaos - and the large part of that chaos being the kitchen - for the entire summer has just derailed me.  My summer was sanding and staining and taping and painting and trying to find some sanity while not being able to make a morning coffee.  The good news is that the kitchen is done.  I can now make my morning coffee.  I only make it on the weekends though because I truly believe that morning coffee is a ritual that is sacred enough not to be rushed.  Rushed is the only way that morning coffee will happen throughout the workweek.

Is there anyone out there without a potato somewhere in their kitchen?

This recipe is easy enough that you can use whatever veggies you have in your house, you will pretty much be guaranteed to have the other ingredients just about all of the time and lastly, you really have to try hard to screw it up.  Even though I'm back in my kitchen it doesn't feel like my kitchen quite yet - although I'm getting there. Generally, I'm going with some easy, quick and comfortable recipes.  When I'm not making this kind of thing, I'm pretty much either snacking on toast, chips or going out for something.
And this brings me to the story portion of this post.  Last week, on labour day monday to be exact, I took the kids out in a fit of starving, exhausted, desperation.  We went to The Wren (a fantastic little spot about 10 min's walk from my front door with great food and a fantastic craft beer selection).  I happen to read this blog on a regular basis and the blogger also frequents The Wren so every time I'm there I always kinda scan the place just out of interest to see if she might be there.  So I'm sitting with my two kids trying to be sane and sip my beer when who sits down at the large table right beside me but the Yum Yum Factor Lady (at least that what I call her in my head).  I tell the kids while trying to be inconspicuous.  Kid #2 is 8 and hungry and couldn't give a rip and probably didn't even hear what I was going on about.  Kid #1 is riveted and tells me I should say something.  She also tells me that if she can text Misha Collins (?) and some other actor guy that is super important to her about something or other.... well then I can certainly walk up to someone (now I did make the point here that in person and on line are two very different things) and tell them that I like their work.  Truthfully, I felt weird about it but I thought about how I would feel if someone walked up to me and told me that they really liked my blog.  I would be thrilled (I think) and flattered (definitely) and not weirded out at all (unless they proceeded to do something weird or confusing).  So I strategized with kid #1.  She took kid #2 outside once we were done and I - very naturally, politely and casually - interrupted the Yum Yum Factor Lady's meal by telling her how much I loved her blog.  I think that she was happy and asked to take a picture with me.  Kids #1 and #2 stared very conspicuously through the front window.  If you want to see the picture go here (she looks sassy and cool in the hat - I'm the other one)
The moral of this story:
1. Tell people when you like them, their work or their hat.
2. Post more shit on the blog so that maybe someday someone out there will feel inspired enough to introduce themselves to me if they see me somewhere.
3. Go to The Wren.

Still playing with (ie. screwing up) a 35mm camera lens which was an Awesome Gift from D.  My pictures are not happy.

Fridge Frittata
serves 4

3 - 4 med potatoes, washed and cut into 1/2 inch thick slices (very approximate)
1 red or yellow pepper, coarsely diced
1/2 cup onion, coarsely diced
2 lg cloves garlic, crushed
2 cups milk
4 egg whites (you can simply add 3 extra eggs if you don't have egg whites from ice cream hanging around)
4 eggs
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp each - dried basil, marjoram and parsley
2 tbsp worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp pepper sauce (optional)
1 1/2 cups cheddar, shredded
1 med tomato, sliced into 1/3 inch slices

Preheat oven to 375°F
Boil potatoes for about 6 minutes, drain and set aside
Heat a large caste iron (i.e. something big that can go straight to the oven) skillet over medium heat.
Add some oil or fat.
Throw in the pepper, onion and garlic.  Cool for about 4 minutes and turn the heat off.
In a large bowl combine the milk, egg whites, egg, salt, herbs, worcestershire, soy sauce and pepper sauce.  Whisk until fully combined and set aside.
Mix the drained potatoes with the cooked vegetables until they are mixed up well.
Sprinkle the cheese over it all.
Pour the milk mixture over that (it should cover everything)
Place the tomato slices on top and push them down just a little.
Bake for about 40 - 45 minutes or until golden brown and bubbling.  The middle should not be liquid.
Cool for about 10 minutes before serving.

I am typing furiously in a desperate attempt to ignore the panic that is slowly but steadily rising in my soul.  Snow.  We have snow and copious amounts of it.  It has been falling since the morning and although it is now later afternoon, has not abated.  I'm guessing 8cm so far.  D has a gig tonight out of town and I have to head with kid #2 to a concert being given by kid #1's choir.  I want to curl up in a blanket and watch a movie, allowing me to look at the falling and blowing white stuff safe and snug inside my house.  The true source of my panic however is the immediate change in lifestyle that will begin now and extend probably into the end of February - if I'm lucky.  I am watching my biking days go bye bye and I won't be running for a few days until this snow gets cleared.  Wait just a second, I need to go and breath into a paper bag.
It's not that I'm addicted but I'm addicted.  It feels good to be active.  Really really good.  It feels like I've got some control over my life and that's because it probably releases some endorphins or some kind of crap that makes me feel like everything is awesome.  Running and biking also gives me a precious few minutes all by my little lonesome.  Something that is a rare commodity for me.  When it is gone it feels like something has been stolen and I'm a little emptier for it.  The good news is that the temps are supposed to have risen above freezing in a few days so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this snow will pass if only for a little while... it is December after all.  I'm supposing that makes me some kind of grinch or something.  Who doesn't want snow at Christmas?
Speaking of Christmas... it's coming soon so I'm told.  One of my co-workers (who obviously doesn't read my blog!) asked me whether I had my turkey.  I told her that if I didn't see a turkey for an undetermined - but long - period of time that it wouldn't hurt my feelings at all.  Turkey for Christmas?  No way.  We are so sick of turkey thanks to the 18lbs of it that I can now proudly tell you, we have eaten our way through.  This recipe marked the last bag of turkey in the freezer.  Somehow we made our way through 6 bags of the stuff.  I've forgotten exactly how we whittled our way through and much of it I have chronicled here.  Truth is that even though I've marked this as 'leftover #6' this is really about number nine or ten.  Some of my leftover use-ups were really not good at all and I didn't have to heart to bother with them here.


Good news, these turkey buns didn't suck.  In fact, I'm told that they were good.  Really good.  D told me that they were amazing.  The kids didn't even care that they were turkey.  Didn't even ask.  Eight or nine or ten leftover recipes later and I have finally hit the jackpot.  Originally, I wanted to make a sweet and sour pulled pork kind of thing with the turkey but that would have required making something else to go with it.  You know a bun or noodles or whatever.  For one reason or another, I just couldn't bring myself to do it and started to concentrate intently on what a solution could be.
I made these things called beef margaritas a million years ago and posted the recipe here.  They were a huge hit and I haven't made them since.  I thought it would be worth giving them a whirl with bbq'd turkey and decided to take the leap.  Paid off.
Yay for big jumps, paper bags and no more turkey.



BBQ Turkey Buns
serves 4 - 6
makes about 10 buns

Use the dough recipe from this post

1/2 cup onion, diced
3 cloves garlic
1 stalk celery, diced
2/3 cup (about 1) red pepper, diced
1 cup mushrooms, stalks removed and diced
2 1/2 cups cooked turkey, diced
1 bouillion cube, crushed up (I used a veggie one)
3 tbsp worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp mixed herbs (parsley, marjoram, oregano, rosemary)
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
3 heaping tbsp brown sugar
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup bbq sauce
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1 1/2 tsp salt
pepper sauce (optional)


Heat a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat.
Add some oil or grease (about 1 1/2 tbsp)
Add the onion and celery.  Saute for about 3 minutes.  Add the garlic, red pepper and mushrooms.  Add another 1 1/2 tbsp of oil or grease and turn the heat down to med/low.
Cook together, stirring regularly, for about 5 minutes or until the pepper and mushrooms begin to soften and caramelize.
Add in the diced turkey and stir to mix.
Add the bouillon cube, worcestershire, soy sauce and mixed herbs.  Stir and cook together for a few minutes.
Add the apple cider vinegar and brown sugar and cook together for another 2 minutes.
Add the ketchup, bbq sauce, mustard, salt and pepper sauce.
Cook together for about 7 minutes at low heat but the mixture should still be simmering to allow it to thicken up a bit.  If it's too thick then add a couple of tbsp's of water.
Check the taste and adjust if necessary.  Set aside to cool.
Preheat the oven to 350° F.
Line a cookie sheet with parchment or a silicon liner.
Prepare the dough and then roll it out in a rectangle shape to about a 1/2 inch thickness.
Spread the meat mixture over the rectangle of dough.
Roll up the dough from long edge to long edge.
Slice the log about 1 1/2 - 2 inches thick and place each roll sideways on the baking pan leaving some room in between each roll.
Bake for about 35 minutes or until the rolls have risen and spread out and the edges have browned nicely.
Remove and cool for about 10 minutes before breaking them apart and serving.

It seems like yesterday that I was running around Italy with 180 boys.  It wasn't yesterday though, it was last April.  Seven whole months ago.  It seems like yesterday though because I've been running around small town Ontario for the last two days with 180 boys.  Italy vs Small Town Ontario?  I won't comment.
We just finished a very short, whirl-wind tour to kick off our 2013 Christmas Concert Season.  You forget the pain of tour so quickly when it's over and then it hits you so quickly once you are back in the saddle again.  The exhaustion.  The lack of food.  The constant running.  The long hours.  The stress of concert after concert.  The tour becomes your life for that period of time.  You forget that you used to like breakfast and reading the paper.  You forget that eating could be a pleasant experience.  You forget that the internet is a real thing and that news is still happening somewhere.
In the 48 hours while I was away Kid #1 got her first 'Will you go out with me' request (which she declined but they are still friends apparently) and handed in her high school applications, Kid #2 had a play date and skipped Karate class and D played a dance class for a Canadian dance Icon.  That's just the news at our address - the stuff I missed within the walls of the little place we call home.  Just imagine what else happened out there.
When it comes to food on tour it's usually pretty depressing and the last 48 hours have done nothing to lift my mood.  Day one presented pizza, apples and granola bars for lunch and dinner was lasagna, salad and a bun.  Day two brought us pizza for lunch (no apple, no granola bar) and lasagna, salad and a bun for dinner.  I'm sensing a theme here.  I know that it's hard to successfully feed 200 people on a budget but it's like the two churches (in different towns no less) got the same deal or something.  Day one I ate 4 apples and two cartons of chocolate milk, 1 salad and half a bun with two bites of lasagna thrown in there before I gave up.  Day two: 1 salad and a bun with two bites of lasagna before giving up.
Lessons learned from this tour:
1. Most boys under the age of 30 are more concerned with how much food there is rather than what that food tastes like.
2. If given the choice between church coffee and church tea, always choose tea.


This soup is neither pizza nor lasagna and although it tasted great nobody was jazzed about eating it except kid #2 (oddly) I think that a couple of days alone with my tour menu would fix them all right up.


Roasted Celeriac and Fennel with Kale and White Beans Soup
serves 8

1 med sized celeriac (celery root), peeled and cut into 1 1/2 inch chunks
2 small fennel bulbs, thickly sliced
3 cloves of garlic, whole and still in the skin
grease or oil to coat
1 leek, washed and thinly sliced
2 cups kale (I used lacinato/black kale), torn or sliced into rough slices
1 can (about 1 cup) white beans (cannellini or navy bean), drained and rinsed
4 cups good broth (I used leftover turkey broth - surprise surprise)
1 tbsp parsley, oregano, marjoram
1 tsp rosemary
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp salt
1/2 cup parmesan
1/2 - 3/4 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350°F
On a baking sheet, spread out the celeriac chunks, fennel and garlic.  Toss everything in some oil or grease.  Spread out evenly on the baking sheet and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper.  Roast for about 35 - 40 min or until everything is soft and golden brown.
Remove from oven and set aside.
Heat a large soup pot or dutch oven over med/low heat.  Add a little oil or butter (about 1-2 tbsp) and the leeks.  Let them cook over low heat for about 7 - 8 minutes.  Remove the casing from the roasted garlic and add the roasted veggies to the leeks.  Stir to mix.  Add about half of the broth and heat through.
In a blender or using an immersion blender, blitz everything until it is a smooth consistency.  (Pour back into the pot if you took it out to blend) Add the rest of the broth and stir to heat through.  Add the herbs, nutmeg and salt.  Mix well.  Check the taste.
Add in the kale, beans and parmesan and heat through until the parmesan has melted in.
Add about 1/2 cup of milk - more if you would like it a little thinner.
Check the taste and adjust (like by adding pepper sauce) if necessary.

I made these awesome peach muffins that no one is terribly excited about, including myself.  I'll get the recipe off to you all ASAP but for tonight I just didn't have the heart to type it all out because I was so underwhelmed with it.  I didn't have a whole lot of peaches and should have used more.  The fact that I'm not so into the muffins isn't really saying much though because I'm still not really feeling cake or sweets at all... except for ice cream.  For some reason, ice cream is the only sweet that I'm really into... sometimes.  Occasionally, I might enjoy two bites of a wunderbar chocolate bar.  Two bites and I'm done.  D isn't really into baked sweets at all and if he eats them it's for an occasion and then it's over.  Muffins or cookies everyday.  Nah.  Ice cream... now he could do ice cream everyday.  Kid #1 has assured me that the muffins get considerably better by day 2.
I had this whole awesome tabs bar full of articles and crap that you all would have been totally blown away by checking out.  Somehow, it had all magically disappeared after Kid #2 enjoyed some computer time.  That's funny.  I could go and look it all up again but some of it was from a long time ago (because I haven't been the most organized about getting them posted in a timely matter) so I just kind of gave up and had a beer.
I sent a work email to about 5 people this week.  I realised the next day that I referred to one of the addressee's by the wrong name for the entire email.  That's a little bit funny and mostly just embarrassing.  Fortunately, embarrassment has never phased me much.  You giggle a little and then apologize for being an idiot and then move on.
I hope that you never have to experience just how difficult it can be to focus on something that you really really need to accomplish - something that isn't stupid - when someone is watching continuous episodes of 'Community' on Netflix.  I'm not a huge tv fan at the best of times (although 'The Newsroom' has been trending in my house lately), reality tv makes me wish I'd never left the comfort of my mother, sitcom's are wayyyyyy too inconsistent, I can't even tell you just how bored I am with American crime shows right now.  Community can be loud and even turning it down low doesn't drown it out enough to help me focus.  Maybe it's my trouble focussing.  Oh god.
I'm hoping that these anecdotes serve to illustrate to you all just what kind of week it's been.  A little blah and maybe even disappointing.  A little frustrating with a twinge of exasperating.  A large dose of embarrassment and some forehead slapping head shaking.


All of that changed when I made this eggplant recipe.


It might not be too far off the mark to wonder if collective nirvana could be achieved by the ingestion of this eggplant.  There are probably some who would argue that world peace is within reach should this dish be ingested.  Well, at least peace in the middle east.  This dish raises simplicity to an art form.  Given my own issues with simplicity, it was everything I could do to hold my arms down sometimes.  I wanted to add more ingredients.  Different veggies.  Add more flavour to the sauce.  Nope.  I resisted.  Mostly because of focus issues.
You will need a little patience getting through the eggplant but the patience will pay off and you will wish that I had told you about this weeks ago.


Spicy Asian Eggplant adapted from Step by Step
makes about 3 cups, serves 4

2 small or 1 lg eggplant, cut into 1 inch thick strips 3 - 4 inches long
4 shallots or 1 onion, thinly sliced
3 garlic, crushed
1 1/2 tsp salt
pinch pepper
4 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
2 heaping tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp vinegar (I used apple cider vinegar)
1 heaping tsp brown sugar
1 heaping tsp corn starch
dash of pepper sauce (sriracha would be great here)

coriander or flat parsley leaves to garnish

Heat a wok to med/hot.  Once heated turn down just a little.  Add a few tbsp's of oil and add the eggplant in about two batches.  Cook each batch of eggplant until it's softened and browned (you may find that you need more oil).  Remove each batch, set aside and add the next batch.
Once the eggplant is done, add a little more oil to the wok and turn down the heat just a little more.
Add in the shallots or onion and cook until softened and golden (anywhere from 5 - 7 minutes).
Meanwhile, combine the soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, corn starch and pepper sauce together.  Whisk until combined.  Set aside.
Add the garlic and stir briefly - should be just browning and beginning to smell.
Turn the heat down to low and add back in the eggplant.  Stir to mix.
Add the soy sauce mixture and stir to coat.
Turn the heat off and check the taste.  Adjust if necessary.
Sprinkle some coarsely chopped coriander or flat parsley leaves on top.
Serve

We are in the middle of a delicious heat wave in Toronto.  Oh sure, it's not my favourite thing but I'm damned if you find me complaining about it because before we all know it I'll be jumping on my bike in the middle of December cursing the cold and trying desperately to remember what it felt like to have the skin melted off of my bones.  Not one complaint.
There are however, some challenges when houses are built to keep in the heat rather than keeping cool.  We've managed to keep the air conditioning off during the day and use it only at night to ensure that we sleep and to cool the house down just enough for the next day.  Food becomes difficult though.  How do you eat and not heat up the whole house.  Canning hasn't even begun.  I can't imagine doing water bath canning in this heat.  I see all kinds of posts for jam and that kind of thing and I wonder where these people live.  My fruit is chilling out in the freezer.  Baking is absolutely out of the question.  We're not big BBQr's but we've resorted a time or two.  I've been working to come up with some things that we can eat and feel satisfied with but aren't just salads (which no one except me would eat anyway).
This is one of the things that I 'created'.  Almost no cooking required.  Just the couscous which is so barely cooking that it's hardly worth mentioning.


In other challenges...
Here is the food box contents for this week.  Decidedly green but a couple of colourful additions just to get my hopes up.



I am trying valiantly to not lose it in my own house but I swear if I here 'Hey Mom?' or 'Mooooom!' one more time... I just want to have space in my house to do my own thing.  I won't get into serious specifics but there comes a time in every day where I would like them to disappear to their rooms for the duration.  Oh to be able to watch a crappy movie or some trashy show with no questions.  To be able to eat some chips... or a whole bag... without anyone else asking to have some.  To get through the day without Kid #1 asking for money to do something with her friends and then trying to figure out what she can do to earn the money.  It's been all I can do to get them through two meals a day (they usually but not always take care of their own breakfast - thank jeebus)  Sometimes I just retreat to my room and just lie there on my bed with the fan going.  I've discovered that if the fan is going and I close the door then I can almost not hear anything downstairs.

Due to the heat I am working on shifting gears with my workout routine.  Running is a definite challenge in this weather but not just because of heat.  The air quality is more of an issue than heat.  Early morning or late evening are the only times when running for any distance is a possibility because it quickly becomes uncomfortable or even difficult to breathe.  Anything during daytime/rush hour times are that much worse because of the vehicle emissions as well as the temperature.  Fortunately up to now I've been able to find a day during the week that isn't sweltering in order to get my long run in.  The best news is that I'm up to 11k and no pain in either my foot or in my shin.


Corn, Black Bean and Couscous Tortilla's adapted from Food.com
makes 8 - 10 tortilla's

2 cups cooked couscous
1/3 cup onion, diced
1 cup (1 lg) red pepper, diced
1 lg can (1 1/2 cups) black beans, drained
1 1/2 cups corn (roasted would be nice but not necessary)
3 - 4 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp lemon or lime juice
1 tsp cumin
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp chipotle powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
dash of sugar

Combine diced onion and peppers together.  Add in the black beans and corn.  Mix well.
Add the olive oil, lemon juice, cumin, chili powder, chipotle powder, salt and dash of sugar.  Mix well. Add the cooked couscous and mix.  [Couscous - add 1 3/4 cups boiling water to 1 cup of dry couscous.  Cover and set aside for about 5 - 10 minutes (or whenever you need it).  Break it up with a fork and you're good to go]
Add it as filling to tortilla shells - a little cheese, sour cream, thinly sliced radishes and garlic scape sauce.

Garlic Scape Taco Sauce adapted from My Kitchen Addicition
makes about 1 - 1 1/2 cups

4 cups garlic scapes, diced very small
2 jalepeno pepper, seeded (optional depending on how hot you want it) and diced
3 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp lemon zest
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1/3 - 1/2 cup water

Throw everything in a blender (start with just 1/3 cup of water though) and blend until it forms a thick paste - add a little more water to thin out as necessary.  I started the blender on chop and gradually worked up to liquify.

Life is learning.  To learn is to live.
I'm learning with salad.  Salad and I have a love/hate relationship.  I know it's good for me but I think it's lame.  I know that everybody likes when I post salad 'recipes' because we all think that we're better people for eating it... but I still think it's lame.  Sometimes, in my laziest moments, I will wash two or three big leaves of some kind of green and stuff them down my throat just to appease the salad pushing monster in my head.  The last few 'salads' that I made were disgusting.  There is always way too much of a good thing... even with salad.  I now feel that I have adequately explored the too much and am learning to keep it more simple.  My favourite salad used to be a chickpea and carrot adaptation from 'Moosewood'.  So I've kind of channelled that salad while adapting another one that I found online.  Wonder of wonders, I liked it.
This salad process has gotten me thinking.  I was out today with Kid #2.  It was his first day on a two wheeler bike.  I held onto the back while he worked to steer and watch where he was going and keep the pedals turning and balance himself.  Of course I can't let go of that bike but the reality is that he's not really going to be able to truly learn how to ride until I do let go.  The only thing that my holding is doing is keeping him from falling over and/or getting so frustrated that he stops trying.  Everything else he won't get until he can do it on his own.  How much of that learning do we carry with us throughout our entire lives?  I still feel like that's how I learn.  You can tell me.  You can show me.  You can help me.  Ultimately, I won't understand those things until I start trying on my own and making the mistakes I need to make in order to get it.  Cooking and baking are very much like that.  It's not something you just get... at least I didn't.  I've never been scared of it but I've also made my fair share of mistakes, disasters and ho-hum dishes.  At my best, I try to learn from the mistake and at my laziest I simply don't stop trying.  Effort - there it is.  Effort is required.  I have to try - I can't stop trying.  Like Kid #2 on his bike.  It's going to take him a few days but he'll get there.  All of a sudden I won't have to hold on to the back of the bike so that he doesn't fall over and then I'll let go... and he'll fall over but he'll get it.  Motivation will keep him getting back on that bike until he can do it without thinking.


I've made a lot of mistakes lately - a lot.  Fortunately for me, I have people in my life who not only love me but who stick around.  Mistakes are embarrassing.  I am muddling my way through learning new stuff all the time and I'm hoping that it's what keeps us alive on the inside - thinking, feeling (good stuff and bad), challenging and making efforts.  This salad was a lesson for me in simplicity (can we stop with the four kinds of protein in one salad, please), in humility (ok - that absolutely blew, let's try it again) and in satisfaction (this one sucks a whole lot less and maybe salad can not be lame).
I'm probably reading a whole lot into salad because I need to write some crap before I give you the recipe.  Whatever.  I'm not gonna write a book about it or anything but I did get a decent salad and it all made me feel very very healthy... Salad Pushing Monster appeased for another day.


Green Bean and Chickpea, Parsley Salad adapted from Simple Provisions

2 cups fresh green bean, trimmed and cut into about 1 1/2 inch lengths
1 400g tin (about 2 cups) chiced and cut into about 1 1/2 inch lengths
3 green onion, diced
2 med garlic cloves, crushed
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
5 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 tsp salt
dash of pepper
dash of sugar
2 dashes of cayenne
2 cups fresh parsley, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup (approx.) good quality feta, crumbled

Have a bowl of cold water and ice cubes ready.
In a saucepan bring about 3 cups of water to a boil.  Add in the green beans and simmer for 4 minutes.
Immediately drain the beans and throw them into the ice cube bowl for about 5 minutes.  Drain on a clean towel to dry them off.  Set aside.
In a large bowl or dish add the chickpeas (with extra liquid), green onion, garlic, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, sugar and cayenne together.  Mix well.
Add in the dry green beans and mix well.
Add in the parsley and mix.
Add in the feta and mix.
Check the taste and adjust if necessary.
Refrigerate for about 3 hrs.

Having just had a week off I've been wrestling with this nagging issue in my mind.  I found myself, throughout the week, hard pressed for energy to think of something to do that didn't involve getting to a store to pick up things that the kids were needing or plunking myself in front of a screen.  Sure, I can chock it up to exhaustion.  I can blame the crappy, cold weather and lack of sun.  Suffice it to say that it was all I could do to keep up a reasonable yoga and running schedule throughout the week and plan one other thing in the day.


Thank goodness for this book which I've been devouring (although I have to slow myself down sometimes to really take it in).  I'm not just pushing the book because the author is Canadian but because he's also kick-ass deep. Throughout the week I was reading his chapter on the image and the power of the image.  J.R.S. went succinctly through a look at western religious art and the transformations that it went through up to about DaVinci when the 3D reality kicked in.  He talks about how artists were looking for the moment of epiphany when that reality was created... except the epiphany didn't quite happen.  The paradigm didn't shift epically like they thought it would.  And then the still photo was invented and that kind of kicked paintings butt.  A perfect image of whatever it was the photographer wanted to capture.  Further still was the moving picture.  But something happened in all of that 'reality' and along the way the reality of the photo and the moving picture wasn't reality at all.  It was illusion.  It was set up.  It was doctored.  Now, we live by the moving picture.  It informs us in every way about ourselves - our looks, our expectations, our beliefs.  J.R. Saul even goes as far to say that tv is our new religion.  It's the one thing that we do, in the western world at least, ritualistically and en masse.  Except it's all staged.
It got me thinking a lot about how much screen I take in.  It got me thinking about how much I see people talking about tv shows on FB, on their blogs or in everyday conversation.  It's how we talk about it too.
'I've got to make sure I catch the new episode of...'
'I can't believe what they just wrote into that story line...'
'I can't stand that character'
'My PVR only records 2 shows at a time.  How am I going to catch everything'
I don't have either cable or satellite.  The channels we get come through our rooftop antenna.  I don't miss cable.  I don't think that I've ever even considered getting it again and that was about 5 years ago.  But I still watch my fair share of shows and it's still crap.  It's still written in this stilted, formulaic manner.  It's still played by actors who must look a certain way for everything to work.  It still wraps up into a neat little package that leaves you with a feeling of satisfaction but the desire to experience the same banal comfort next week.  Reality tv... worse.  News.... the worst.
I'm going to work toward becoming more aware of what's in front of me all the time.  I'm not going to say 'that's it - I'm cutting it out' because that's not just unrealistic, it's unsustainable.  I think that the key is awareness.


During my week off I also decided to get serious about varying my cooking again.  It's so easy to get in ruts.  My ruts include cream, parmesan cheese, greens and pasta.  That's ain't half bad.  There is, however, only so much of that one family can take.  I made some Trini Stewed Pork and this is the stuff that we made with it.  Callaloo looks kinda gross and goopy but once you put it in your mouth you realize you haven't yet lived until that very moment.  It's amazing, beautiful stuff.  It's also good for you and if you can't find Dasheen leaf you can always try substituting with spinach.  You will get quite a different taste so you might have to adjust a bit but it's still absolutely worth it.

Trini Callaloo adapted from 'Naparima Girls High School Cookbook'

I'm sitting in front of the screen waiting to be inspired.  I decide to start reading some blogs that always do just that.  I read for a few minutes then decide I should just upload my pictures and start dealing with them so that once I finally write this post I won't have to fiddle with the pictures.  Then I think 'That's dumb - the pictures are the easiest part'.  I go back to the blog but a few minutes later find myself almost involuntarily inserting my camera's memory card into the computer slot.  And around we go.
I'm all over the place.  I'm making the adjustment to not having to hustle out the door except I don't want to truly adjust because it's only a week off and then I'm readjusting.  Trust me when I tell you that adjusting to a more relaxed schedule is a lot easier than the adjustment back.  Ick.  I managed to get myself together enough to meet up with KT for lunch.  Still not enough time (for me) but it's a start.  We got to catch up a bit finally.  Up until about 24 hours ago I hadn't cooked anything in a few days.  DAYS.  What does that tell you.  I'm slowly catching up but honestly I think that I've needed to fall apart just a little.
The thought of having to plan a March Break getaway makes me nearly apoplectic.  However, I'm not sure if it's worse having to deal with two kids asking you each day (and possibly multiple time throughout the course of that day) whether 'we're going to do anything fun today'.  'Since when is doing nothing NOT fun'  I ask.  And around we go... March Break.
I'm going to use this week to get back into some kind of running routine because now there are clear sidewalks and the temperature is such that my brain doesn't shutdown when I look outside.  I'm going to take in my poor bike that has gotten me through another winter... but barely.  Poor baby needs some TLC so badly it's not even funny.  While I'm getting my bike seen to (this is a great shop BTW) at the shop, I'm going to start a conversation about commuter bikes.  Shudder.  I know that they were made for people like me who ride everywhere and all the time (ie. through rain and winter).  They make so much sense... but they're so lame looking.  I gotta get over it and then I've gotta scrap up the dough.  I'm also going to contact my tattoo guy about #2 because I've already got an idea for #2 and #3 and I'm just going to do it.  I need some pain in the very best way.
With the kids... maybe we'll go to the theatre... maybe we'll just rent.  We've already gone out once for dinner so that's covered.  We've booked a possible play date and we've got a dentist appointment.  I'd say that if we get to the bookstore and maybe out into the ravine for a good long walk that we've covered some decent parental duties.


When it come to food I'm pretty relaxed this week.  I'm going to venture into sour dough bread but only just a little.  I'm making some beef stock with bones, meat and marrow and of course a few veggies thrown into the pot.  I did something spectacular with cauliflower that surprised even me - you'll be getting that post next.  I made these beauties.  They're all cheesy and green and square like.  I'm trying to convince myself that they're like a savoury custard bar.

The plant that was taken out of the basket that my school sent us for my Father-in-law's Memorial is finally starting to  get some new leaves.

Spinach, Kale and Feta Squares adapted from 'Almonds and Raisins' by Evelyne Pytka
makes 1 9x9 inch pan of squares

1 cup whole wheat flour (I used Red Fife but any whole wheat flour will be fine)
1/2 cup unbleached, all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
6 - 7 tbsp cold butter or lard or a combination, cut into small cubes
1/2 - 3/4 cup cold milk

1/2 cup onion, chopped
3 cups spinach, chopped
3 cups kale (I used Cavolo Nero), chopped
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp dried mixed herbs (I used parsley, basil, oregano, marjoram and rosemary)
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp paprika
1 egg
4 egg whites (or just use 2 more eggs)
3/4 cup plain yogurt
3/4 cup milk
1 tbsp honey
2 tsp dijon (or dried mustard powder)
dash of Worcestershire
dash of pepper sauce (optional)
1 cup feta, crumbled
1 cup cheddar (or any melty cheese), shredded

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Butter or lightly grease a 9x9 baking dish and set aside.
Combine the flours, salt and 6 tbsp's of butter or lard.  Using a pastry cutter or two knives cut the mixture together until it forms a crumbly texture.  Use the extra tbsp of butter if necessary.  Add enough of the milk to form a dough that will stick together when you try to form a ball in your hand.
Pour everything into the baking dish and pat down using your fingers until it is pressed into the bottom fairly evenly throughout.
Bake for about 15 minutes or just until the dough has baked together but hasn't gotten browned.  Set aside to cool slightly.
Remove from the oven and turn the oven up to 375°F.
Meanwhile, heat a heavy bottomed sauce over medium heat.  Add a little oil to the pot and add in the onion.  Stir for a minute or so and then add in the spinach and kale.  Turn the heat off immediately and remove from the heat.  You just want the greens to wilt, not really cook.  Once wilted add in the salt, herbs, nutmeg and paprika.  Mix well.
In a bowl combine the egg and egg whites (or just all the eggs) and whisk for a couple of minutes by hand.  Add in the yogurt and milk and mix.  Add in the honey, dijon, Worcestershire and pepper sauce.  Whisk until combined.
Place the greens evenly over the baked crust.  Sprinkle the feta and cheddar evenly over that.  Pour the egg mixture over the top of everything and spread evenly.  Sprinkle with a little parmesan cheese if you would like.
Bake for about 30 - 35 minutes or until everything has browned nicely on the top and the centre feels fairly firm to the touch.
Cool for about 10 minutes before cutting.

I know that what you are supposed to do is post all of the links that you wish people would read on Friday.  That way, when everyone is not working (on the weekend) they can check out all of the cool ass links that you've been reading yourself ('cause you're a cool ass person).  This is the correct order of things.  The way the blogiverse is supposed to work.  Except it doesn't work for me.  During the week I'm not reading online.  I'm working.  If I'm not working then I'm drinking ('cause it's late already and the kids are in bed).  If I'm not drinking then I'm reading - not online but in my bed... 'cause I'm tired and 'cause I actually read books still.  This being both my reality and my dilemma, I find myself not catching up on anything online until the weekend when I can catch up with all the links that every other blog known to the western world has posted.
Another thing that you are not supposed to do is post a crap load of links along with a recipe.  I guess that the thinking is that we readers need things to be compartmentalized for us.  It's easier to take in all of those links when there is not also a recipe to deal with.  It muddy's up the pictures as well (which are optional with a 'link' post.  Here I've even gone and messed that up.  The blogiverse may kick my cool ass for doing things this way and I'm ok with that.  I've got to send it out the way I get it.  I have the weekend time not just to read but to cook so I'm throwing them both your way.  I'm guessing that you're gonna be able to tackle it.

Holy Sugar - Can I just tell that I laughed and then nearly cried when I read this.  I just get his angle.

Then I read this article and it put a more political slant on the whole parenting 'over-kill' that we live in.

This girl loves every single one of her pounds.  She still runs.  She does it because she loves feeling good.

Here is an example of what is possible when we say no to GMO's and all the crap that comes with them.  Will we all starve?

Ah.. I'm sorry, I didn't quite catch what you said.  I thought that you just suggested that we SELL expired food to poor people.  Oh wait... you did just say that out loud.


And then there is the side dish that has been served with a kick ass roasted chicken, carrots, mashed potatoes and gravy.  The poor turnip and I are working at our relationship.  We've been negligent recently but if nothing else we are motivated to change.  We have agreed not to stop trying until we've found something that works for both of us.  This dish has been a positive step in our work together.


Turnip and Kale Soufflé adapted from Saveur
serves 6 - 8 as a side dish

2 1/2 - 3 cups turnip (peeled and diced), boiled 8 - 10 minutes in salted water and then mashed
3 1/2 cups kale or spinach greens, stems removed and leaves finely chopped
5 eggs, separated
5 tbsp butter
4 tbsp flour
1/2 cup cream
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup parmesan, grated

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Butter an 8 inch round baking dish and set aside.
Have the mashed turnip ready (mine was still warm which turns out perfectly).
Using a mixer (hand or standing, doesn't matter) whip the egg whites until they are about tripled in size and form hard peaks.  Set aside
Heat a large pot over medium/low heat.  Add the butter until the butter melts.  Add in the flour and whisk until it forms a thick paste.  Add the cream and remove from the heat.  Whisk until it forms a slightly less thick paste but shouldn't be clumpy.
Add in the greens and the mashed turnip.  Mix everything well.  Add in the egg yolks, salt, nutmeg and parmesan.  Mix well.
Gently begin to mix in the egg whites.  Start with a smallish amount and gently fold in.  Continue to fold in the whites gradually until the egg whites have been entirely incorporated.  The mixture should be about double it's original size.
Pour into the prepared baking dish.  Sprinkle the top with a little extra parmesan and bake for about 30 - 35 minutes or until the middle of the soufflé feels almost completely firm when you press on it and the top should be golden brown.
Remove from the oven and cool slightly before serving.

Assumptions.  We all have them.  I certainly do.  I assume a lot of things about another person based on how they look: dressed up, dressed down, athletic shoes, Vuitton bag, under 25yrs old with highlights and lowlights, track pants, ear encompassing headphones.  I think that you get the idea.  It's completely normal to make assumptions about the people around you.  It's how we relate, connect and how we make decisions in our mind about whether it might be someone we would like to be around or not.
However, I don't often think about the assumptions people make about me.  Truthfully, I don't even think of myself as someone noticeable.  And then I had a conversation recently with a neighbour and realized,to my surprise, that the assumptions are definitely there.  Of course they are there.  I know on an intellectual level that people will look at me or have a brief conversation with me and make assumptions based on my hair, my clothes and my accoutrements.  I know this but I don't know it.  In the same way I don't think of myself relative to how other women look at the same age.  I don't think of myself as someone who looks like they might have a tattoo.  I just have one.  So I realize quickly that although my neighbour and I don't know each other very well there are certain assumptions that she's made based on the stuff she knows.


She assumes that I don't eat junk food, like, ever.
Not True.
I eat junk food.  I do.  A lot.  I eat chips.  I love (I mean LOVE) wings and beer.  I don't eat stuff like candy or gummy bears because they make my stomach feel weird.  Not because I don't like them.
She assumes that I don't feed my kids anything but homemade.
Not True.
If Kid #2 could get 'cheesy noodles' (you know that awful stuff that comes from the famous box) everyday, he would be the happiest kid on earth.  I've reached a compromise I can live with by buying somewhat 'natural', organic stuff - still from a stupid box - and letting him have it for a treat once in a while (like once or twice a month).
She assumes that I eat 'healthy' and by healthy she's thinking 'low fat'.
Not True.
I eat fat.  I eat fat in the way of butter, cream, bacon, nuts and cheese.  I don't worry about fat at all.  In fact, I welcome it.  I like it.  I eat fat because it tastes really good and I believe that it's not necessarily the fat that's bad for me - especially those fats.
My neighbour was kind of surprised I guess.  If nothing else, she was somewhat better informed about the reality of my life.  I'm guessing she thought I was a '1 tbsp of olive... only, ever' kinda girl.  In addition, I hope that she's no longer beating herself up about not feeding enough vegetables to her kids or for pulling a box out of the freezer or cupboard once in a while.
I've tried and tried to think of a way to tie this together with the recipe I'm giving you.  It's taken a lot of time and effort but I think that I've found a way.  You see, when you roast a Sunday night chicken and you've made mashed potatoes and celery root, beautiful roasted carrots and parsnips with the chicken and then gorgeous gravy out of the drippings OR if you've hustled yourself home from work and maybe bought one of those roasted chickens from the deli and you want to have something tasty but also 'healthy' (i.e. veg) to go with that - and appease your guilt just a little - then this is the recipe for you.  What takes the longest is steaming the veg.  Everything else you've probably got lying around.  You can use whatever veg you've got, if it's root veg stuff then just make sure you've steamed it until it's just softening.  A little cream, a little cheese and some bread crumbs or crumbled crackers or chips or cereal and voila....


10 Minute Winter Vegetable Gratin loosely adapted from Martha Stewart

2 - 3 cups winter squash, peeled and cubed (about 1 inch cubes will do)
2 - 3 cups kale, chard or spinach, washed and chopped
2 - 3 cups broccoli or cauliflower florets, steamed until just al dente
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
3/4 cup cheddar, shredded (any shreddable cheese will do)
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
1/3 cup bread crumbs
1/2 - 3/4 cup cream (more if needed)

Preheat oven to 375°F.
Butter a baking dish and set aside.
Toss the cubed squash in some oil, melted butter or lard just until coated.  Place on a baking sheet and spread out evenly.  Bake for about 30 - 40 minutes or until the squash is browned on the outside and soft on the inside.  Remove from oven and set aside.  (This step can be done days ahead of time as well).
Toss together the vegetables in a bowl until mixed and pour into the baking dish.
Sprinkle with salt and nutmeg.  Sprinkle on the cheddar and then the parmesan.
Sprinkle the very top with the bread crumbs.
Add the cream just until it reaches about half the volume of the vegetables.
Bake uncovered for about 35 - 45 minutes or until golden brown on the top, bubbly and cheesy but not too wet underneath.
Cool for about 10 minutes before serving.

I'm hoping that you will all bear with me while I air out some things that I'm finding myself confused about.  For example, the other day I read a statement that went something like this: (I'm embellishing)
If you are used to seeing an armed guard at your local fast food restaurant, bank, church(!) then wouldn't the 'logic' follow that the schools which house our children for a large portion of the day should also be protected as diligently.  
This was put out the in the alternate universe known as Facebook by one of my 'friends.  'Oh Yes' you say immediately.  That's right.  We absolutely need to protect... wait, what?  Did you just mention your church had an armed guard?  Fast food joints have armed guards?  Ok.  No.  I think that we're a little mixed up here because shouldn't the real question here be why we feel the need to be armed like a military state in a country which purports such unequivocal freedom for the individual?  Sometimes 'logic' just doesn't make sense for me.  I was immediately confused.
I remember when I was a teenager a friends cousin got pregnant.  She was 17.  Most of those who weighed in on the situation (both parent and peer) thought that the logical thing to do was for her to marry the dude.  I was not one of those people.  I really thought that just because you messed up and got pregnant didn't mean that you had to sign up to continue down the same path.  Chances are that in any other circumstances the two wouldn't have stayed together past the summer.  Back then I thought that insisting the two get married would only make mistake number two.  Mistake number one already has some pretty far reaching consequences if you know what I mean.  Fortunately for her and for him they decided not to get married.  For me the same logic follows in the paragraph above.  I was always confused by the 'answers'.
If I'm truthful, both the questions and the answers feel wrong.  They seem upside down and backwards and it feels we're all too confused to really understand what we're nodding our heads to anymore because the language doesn't make sense.  Or maybe we want to find an answer that completely negates the problem.  I get that too.  Let's just find a paint colour strong enough to completely cover the crap underneath.  It can be a lot of work to get the crap off the walls first.  Sometimes I wonder if we've forgotten how to work together to find an answer because we've only been taught the 'black and whites' based on religion, colour and/or income bracket.
Do we only debate anymore?  Does debate matter in the light of 'right' and 'left' positioning.  I'm really struggling with the confusion I feel around governance and what appears to be our progressive and collective lack of understanding regarding the problems (I'm purposely using the word 'problem' as opposed to 'issue').  I'm not trying to stir the pot around gun controls.  It's just the current problem, that's all.  My concern is for the bigger picture.  I'd love to hear from you on your thoughts, not on the smaller, current problems but the larger, over-riding ones.  In other words, I'm not looking for a dissection and/or debate around things like gun control or abortion but a discussion around how we consider and move through these problems.


Now for something completely different: I promised you galette (or Pie) dough.  I promised you a recipe using lard.  I've recently started using lard more.  I've always heard that lard produces the flakiest crust but I've also heard that it's so bad for you that it's worth forfeiting for something healthier.  No longer.  I found out that I can get rendered lard from 'Fresh From the Farm'.  They just put it in yogurt containers.  I went, I saw, I bought.


Truth is that honestly I've never experienced a crust with a crumb so exquisite.  Fantastic.  Delicious.  Amazing.  I've got a crust or two in the freezer now so that I can make this on a whim but the reality is making the crust from scratch is pretty easy too.  If you can find lard from a trusted source then give this a whirl.  If you can't then butter will also do just fine.

This is the broccoli and roasted squash galette that I made with the crust.

Red Fife Galette (or Pie) Dough adapted from 'A Couple Cooks'
makes 2 med sized galettes or 1 double crusted pie

1 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 cup Red Fife or Whole Wheat flour
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup cold butter, cubed
1/4 cup cold lard, cubed or in small bits
1 egg yolk
1/4 tsp apple cider vinegar
6 tbsp (approx) cold water

Combine the egg yolk, apple cider vinegar and cold water together.  Whisk until combined.  Set aside.
Combine both flours and the salt together in a medium sized bowl (not plastic).  Add in the cubed butter and lard.  Cut together the fats with the flour using a pastry cutter or two knives until the texture is crumbly.
Add the egg yolk mixture to the flour mixture.  Mix until it forms a dough ball (I added a little bit more water to mine).  Divide the dough into two balls, cover each with clear film and rest in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
Roll out on a lightly floured surface to about 1/4 or 1/8th of an inch approx.
Use the dough according to whatever recipe directions you are using from there.  If only using one dough ball then freeze the other.