A Life, Lived

Quick Pickled Red Onions

If you haven't tried pickled red onions you have been missing out. Pickling transforms raw red onions from pungent and crunchy to irresistibly tangy and crisp.I add some red pepper flakes for extra spice and a splash of maple syrup or honey to round out the other strong flavors.

These onions are the perfect condiment for tacos, burgers, salads, and more. The best part?

These quick-pickled onions are ready to serve after a brief 30-minute cooling period. Start your meal prep with these onions, and they’ll be ready to go by the time the rest of your dinner is ready.

They store well in the refrigerator so you can always reach in and grab the jar to add some extra deliciousness to a sandwich, salad, or other dish in need of a 'pick me up'

Quick Pickled Red Onions

1 medium red onion, very thinly sliced
½ cup water
¼ cup distilled white vinegar
¼ cup apple cider vinegar or additional white vinegar
1 ½ tablespoons maple syrup or honey
1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, for heat)

Pack the onions into a 1-pint mason jar or similar heat-safe vessel. Place the jar in the sink, to catch any splashes of hot vinegar later.

In a small saucepan, combine the water, both vinegars, maple syrup, salt, and pepper flakes. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then carefully pour the mixture into the jar over the onions.

Use a butter knife or spoon to press the onions down into the vinegar and pop any air bubbles in the jar. Let the pickled onions cool to room temperature (about 20 to 30 minutes), at which point they should be sufficiently pickled for serving.

Cover and refrigerate leftover pickled onions for later. Quick-pickled onions are best consumed within three days, but they keep for 2 to 3 weeks in the refrigerator.

Travel Tuesday - Winnipeg

Back to shots from our recent trip to Winnipeg . . .

Cat Personalities . . .

This says so much about cats . . .

Creamy Broccoli Salad

I brought a big bag of broccoli florets on our last Costco visit - of course I was soon googling to try to figure out ways to use them up! LOL

I've made broccoli salad for years but wanted to try a different recipe. This one skips the bacon I normally use and adds red onion, cranberries, and cashews. The dressing is simple - mayo, a bit of sugar, apple cider vinegar and milk.

We served it for dinner on Saturday. It is just the sort of salad we enjoy in warmer weather - cool, crunchy, delicious, and easy to make!

Creamy Broccoli Salad

5 cups coarsely chopped broccoli florets
3 ounces cheddar cheese, diced
1/3 cup cashews
1/4 cup diced red onion
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

To make the dressing, whisk together mayonnaise, milk, sugar and apple cider vinegar in a small bowl; set aside.

In a large bowl, combine broccoli, cheese, cashews, onion and cranberries. Stir in mayonnaise mixture and gently toss to combine.

Cover and chill 1 hour before serving.

Asparagus Salad with Eggs & Jambon de Bayonne

This impressive-looking asparagus salad recipe is actually very easy to make. After quickly boiling the asparagus, the same water is used to soft-boil the eggs. Piment d'Espelette is a sweet, spicy ground pepper from the Basque region of France. While it's not essential, it does add a subtle kick to the otherwise mellow flavors of this salad. Look for this spice at specialty stores and well-stocked markets—or substitute smoked paprika.NOTE: - we left this off  . . . mom was coming fro dinner and she is not a fan of spice (or her body is no longer a fan of spice would be a better way of describing things).

We made this for dinner last night and I was very impressed with both the way the flavours came together and how easy this salad was to make. Seriously - tastes amazing and looks amazing - people will think you have been in the kitchen for hours. No need to tell them otherwise.

Apologize for the shadowy pic . . . I should have known better than to take it outside.

 

Asparagus Salad with Eggs & Jambon de Bayonne

24 medium-to-thick asparagus stalks (about 1½ pounds), trimmed
3 large eggs
1 small shallot, very thinly sliced, rings separated
6 paper-thin slices jambon de Bayonne or other cured ham, such as Serrano
¼ cup fresh small basil and/or tarragon leaves
Piment d'Espelette for garnish

Vinaigrette

¼ cup fresh tarragon
¼ cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
¼ cup white-wine vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon raw honey
¼ clove garlic
¼ teaspoon ground pepper
⅛ teaspoon sea salt
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

To prepare salad: Put a large pot of salted water on to boil. Fill a large bowl with ice water and place next to the stove. Boil asparagus until bright green and just tender, about 3 minutes. Immediately transfer to the ice water with a slotted spoon. Add eggs to the boiling water and cook for 6½ minutes. Meanwhile, remove the asparagus to a clean kitchen towel and pat dry. Transfer the eggs to the ice water and let stand until cool.

To prepare vinaigrette: Combine tarragon, cheese, vinegar, mustard, honey, garlic, pepper and salt in a blender; process until the tarragon is finely chopped. With the motor running, drizzle in oil through the feed tube and process until creamy.

To serve: Cut the eggs in half. Arrange the asparagus and eggs on a large platter and drizzle with the vinaigrette. Top with shallot, ham, basil and/or tarragon and a sprinkle of Piment d'Espelette, if desired.

Travel Tuesdays - Ballooning in Montisi

I know I said that the next few travel Tuesday posts would be about our recent trip to Winnipeg but I hadn't counted on Instagram. For the last week or so every day I have had a pic of ballooning in Tuscany slip into my feed. Of course that has me triggered.

So - here are some shots from when Paul and I went Ballooning with our pal Sandi. It was to commemorate our 10th anniversary and her 50th birthday.

Needless to say we had a blast!

Let's Hope This is True!

Doug Ford has been the best possible warning to Canadians about the new Republican/Conservative movement in Canada.

Travel Tuesday - Winnipeg

Even though Paul and I were in Winnipeg for work (well, I was anyway) we still managed to get out and see a few things.

There will be some shots from our adventures for the next few Travel Tuesday posts.

Rhubarb Sour

Rhubarb season is short and this refreshing rhubarb vodka cocktail shouldn’t be missed! Quick and easy to make, the Rhubarb Sour cocktail will become a spring favorite!

This rhubarb vodka cocktail is made from sweetened rhubarb juice from homemade rhubarb puree, and vodka. It’s very simple. The rhubarb vodka cocktail is light and refreshing, with the flavor of slightly sweetened rhubarb; lightly tart and tangy.

Be sure to give it a try before the end of rhubarb season.

Rhubarb Sour

12 ounces (weight) Rhubarb (about 5 stalks) chopped into small pieces
¼ cup water
¼ cup sugar
8 ounces vodka
Sparkling water

Place the rhubarb, water and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir periodically for 5-10 minutes until the rhubarb has broken down into a puree. NOTE: taste the puree and if desired more sugar may be added.

Place a strainer or sieve over a bowl and pour rhubarb mixture into the strainer. With a spatula or pliable spoon, push the rhubarb through the strainer to release the juice. Allow strained juice to cool.

Mix 1 ounce rhubarb puree with 2 ounces Vodka in a shaker with ice. Shake, pour over ice in a lowball glass. Fill with sparkling water.

On the Road Again . . .

We left town and flew to Winnipeg on Friday. I have a meeting in the city and we are participating in the Solidarity Forever Parade to commemorate the Winnipeg General Strike.

It has been a long eight years since we were last in the city. We are only here for a short time - 5 days, and I'll be indoors for much of the time. We plan on touring the new Human Rights Museum that has become such a highlight of the city.

I am also looking forward to spending some time with Paul's sister since we don't see her nearly as often as we would like.