A Life, Lived

New Camera

I've done it. After thinking about a new camera for some time, comparing them on-line and talking to folks about the merits of one versus the other, I have finally made the purchase.

My new toy (well, one the them anyway, more on that later) is shown above.

After all the research I bought a Nikon D60.

The Nikon D60 is a compact 10.2 megapixel digital SLR camera with great technical specifications and wide range of accessories. Brilliant image quality, amazing performance and outstanding design are just three of the many benefits of this perfect digital device.

Nikon D60 Digital SLR Highlights . . .

Nikon Integrated Dust Reduction System Dust in front of your camera sensor can mean distracting spots on your pictures. That’s why Nikon does everything to ensure clear pictures, including minimizing the build-up and appearance of dust. Nikon’s exclusive Airflow Control System is one of the two main protections against dust. It leads air within the mirror box towards small ducts near the base, preventing internal dust from settling in front of the image sensor. The D60’s second form of defense is the Imaging Sensor Cleaning function, which was originally built for the D300. Every time you turn the camera on or off, this function uses vibrations to steer dust away from the optical low-pass filter in front of the sensor (deactivation and manual activation are also possible). Nikon engineers have also dealt with dust and other tiny particles in many other ways to prevent such image degrading material from attaching to the filter or being seen by the sensor when you are taking pictures. With all these measures in place, you can concentrate on getting the shot while exploring the wide array of Nikkor interchangeable lenses that a Nikon digital SLR opens up to you.

Rich, Smooth Detail with Active D-Lighting Sometimes, even a perfectly exposed scene will not render an ideal photograph. With difficult lighting conditions, important details can be lost in the highlights and shadows. But with Nikon’s Active D-Lighting, the D60 can correct these exposure issues instantly and automatically, while you shoot. Simply set Active D-Lighting before you start shooting. Active D-Lighting is available when "Matrix" is selected for metering.

Eye Sensor The Eye Sensor activates every time you look through the viewfinder, turning off the information display on the LCD for comfortable shooting.

Compact, Light and Comfortable The D60 is compact, light and ready to go wherever life takes you. The D60’s size is not the only factor to consider; its shape is ergonomically designed to fit in your hand naturally and comfortably. Nikon’s experienced engineers know that operating a camera shouldn’t distract you. That’s why each button and texture on the camera’s exterior has been carefully considered for the most efficient and fluid operation possible.

The D60’s bright, clear optical viewfinder is also designed with the user in mind, its helpful indicators and intuitive icons helping you achieve ideal composition with the optimal settings.

Nikon’s Intelligent Built-in Flash -- Simply Brilliant Proper flash lighting used to require skill, time and patience. With the D60, however, flash photography is simple, instant and accurate. Thanks to Nikon’s cutting-edge i-TTL flash technology, all the complicated calculations happen automatically, giving you balanced flash illumination under almost any conditions, even difficult lighting situations such as backlit subjects. With Auto mode, you just point, shoot and let the camera do the rest. It’s that simple.

Display Format Options The information display in the 2.5-inch LCD monitor lets you check essential camera information quickly and easily. Choose whatever display format fits your taste best: each of the Graphic and Classic formats have three color variations to suit your preferences, while Wallpaper uses one of your own pictures as the background. Graphic format uses visual displays to show shutter speed and aperture, as well as the mode dial every time you turn it to a new setting. The D60 even recognizes whether you are holding the camera horizontally or vertically, and then automatically displays camera information on the LCD monitor accordingly.

Intuitive Menu Navigation The D60 lets you alter settings and functions in many ways. For all the choices it offers, the menu is still amazingly simple and intuitive, with navigation made easy thanks to a carefully considered design. If you are ever unsure about a specific feature or function, simply press the O button for detailed information. It’s like having an onboard instructor to answer your questions. The D60’s convenient assist images help you select appropriate camera settings. These useful reference images help explain the effect that each function has on your photos -- very helpful for exploring new features and making the most of the camera.

Creative shooting is just a quick turn away With the D60, you will always be prepared to shoot a wide variety of subject matter. Just turn the mode dial to fit your shooting situation and beautiful results are yours instantly.

Quick responses, captured moments Amazing moments can pass by quickly, but the D60’s fast 0.19-second startup, split-second shooting time lag and fast, accurate autofocus capture more of these moments with precision. The camera’s high-speed continuous shooting also helps capture fast-moving action at up to 3 pictures per second for as many as 100 (JPEG) pictures.

Lord - that is a lot of features. now I have to figure out how to use them before we get to Italy!

Grilled Tenderloin Steak with Gorgonzola Butter

For me one of the joys of the spring is that I can fire up the grill again. Don't get me wrong, I grill throughout the winter but it is a lot nicer grilling while sitting outside than it is grilling whilst running in and out to sit in front of the fireplace for warmth.

On Sunday I had made those amazing breadsticks and decided to make some gnocchi with a gorgonzola sauce to enjoy them with. I probably would have been good with that but was also craving red meat. I know, I know . . . what don't I crave?

I found this recipe in my Better Homes and Gardens grilling cook book. It seemed perfect - simple and elegant at the same time. I love the combination of beef and blue cheese - a match made in heaven.

We served the steak on top of the gnocchi.

YUM

Grilled Tenderloin Steak with Gorgonzola Butter

4  boneless beef top loin steaks, cut 1 inch thick (about 2 pounds total)
2  tablespoons crumbled Gorgonzola or blue cheese
2  tablespoons soft onion-garlic cream cheese (I used Boursin)
1  to 2 tablespoons butter, softened
1  tablespoon chopped pine nuts or walnuts, toasted
salt
pepper
olive oil
thinly sliced fresh basil or chopped parsley

Bring the steaks to room temperature. Brush lightly with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the steaks on the grill rack of an uncovered grill to desired doneness, turning once. (Allow 8 to 12 minutes for medium-rare doneness or 12 to 15 minutes for medium doneness.)

Meanwhile, for flavored butter, stir together Gorgonzola or blue cheese, cream cheese, butter, and nuts. Shape into 1-inch-diameter log. Wrap in plastic wrap; chill.

Slice flavored butter into 8 slices. Place 1 to 2 slices of flavored butter on each steak. Sprinkle with basil or parsley. Makes 4 servings

Jamie Oliver's Gnocchi with Gorgonzola Cream Sauce

This is my entry for this week's Weekend Herb Blogging round up. This blogging event was started by Kalyn from Kalyn's Kitchen. The round up is hosted this week by Anh from Food Lover's Journey - be sure to pop by to see what other bloggers have come up with.

Last night for dinner we wanted something that would go with our breadsticks (which are equally as impressive on the second day!).

I was also craving the wonderful taste of blue cheese.

I know. I am insane.

We ended up making gnocchi with a gorgonzola cream sauce. Let me be VERY clear that there is NOTHING low-fat about this dish. This is a recipe from our well-used cookbook by Jamie Oliver 'Cook With Jamie'. He provides the directions for making your own gnocchi - we were lazy and bought ours.

This is a quick recipe to pull together and packs a wonderful flavour.

Gnocchi with Gorgonzola Cream Sauce

2 tablespoons gorgonzola cheese (dolce if you can find it)
3 tablespoons butter
6 tablespoons heavy cream
a small bunch of fresh marjoram, leaves picked
Parmesan cheese for grating
freshly ground pepper

Heat a saute pan on low heat. Add 2 T. gorgonzola dolce, 3 T. butter and 6 T. heavy cream with a pinch of black pepper. Mix together using the back of a wooden spoon until you have a smooth melted cheese sauce.

Cook your gnocchi and toss them in the gorgonzola sauce.

Serve with plenty of parmesan and a sprinkle of marjoram leaves.

This was the first time that I have used fresh marjoram in a recipe. It provided a delicious contrast to the tangy and rich gorgonzola sauce.

Marjoram is often compared to – or confused with – oregano, but these two herbs are actually quite distinct. Although the plants look similar and do share a fresh, tangy flavour, marjoram is much milder and sweeter than oregano and tastes slightly earthy.

Marjoram is classified as a perennial and can be grown outdoors in a variety of climates, but should always be brought indoors when the temperature drops because the leafy plant often withers when exposed to frost. Fresh marjoram is at its best in the late summer but can also be found year-round since the spice takes well to being grown hydroponically.

Storing
Fresh marjoram stems can be stored in baggies in the fridge for up to a week, or frozen for maximum flavour maintenance. Try freezing entire stems on cookie sheets, then stripping the leaves from the stems and storing them in the freezer in plastic containers. Finely chopped marjoram leaves can also be combined with olive oil or butter and refrigerated or frozen to use in recipes. Marjoram retains its flavour fairly well when dried, too, especially when stored in an airtight container. Fresh marjoram can easily be dried by spreading the leaves on screens and laying them in a cool, arid place or hanging small bundles of the leaves upside down. Buy small amounts of store bought dried and ground marjoram to use as needed, and keep for up to six months in airtight containers.

How to Use It
The flavour of marjoram lends itself well to a variety of foods, including lamb, beef, pork, chicken, fish, tomato dishes, stuffings, breads, salad dressings, and chowders. It’s widely used in Italian, French, North African, Middle Eastern, and American cuisines and is also prevalent in spice blends such as bouquet garni, fines herbes and sausage and pickle blends.

When cooking with marjoram, bear in mind that its oils are easily destroyed by heat and thus it should be added to dishes just before serving. The aromatic oils in marjoram can also be affected by too much sunlight, so if you choose to grow your own, cultivate the plant in a shady spot and always harvest in the morning before the sun’s heat can affect the fresh flavour of the herb.

Babbo Breadsticks (Grissini)

Krista came up with an idea that it would be fun to get a group of folks together to bake and blog each week. A group of us on Slow Travel are going to do just that. Today is the third entry in our baking challenge as we continue to work our way through Dolce Italiano. This week it was Colleen's turn to select the recipe and she selected these bread sticks which are on pp 270 and 271..

It was nice to try a savoury recipe from the book. Gina makes these breadsticks daily and they are served at the bar at Babbo in NY City. They are easy to make - even for someone who is yeast phobic like myself. One taste of these breadsticks (I dare you to only try one!) and you'll want to hop a plane to NY to check out the other treats at Babbo!

Babbo Breadsticks (Grissini)

1/3 cup warm water

1 pkg yeast

pinch of sugar

2 cups all purpose flour

1 cup '00' flour (you could use 3 cups all purpose if you are unable to find 00 flour)

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1 cup cold water

2 Tbs EVOO

1/2 cup grated parmigiana cheese

1 Tbs unsalted butter

Kosher salt

Pour the 1/3 cup water in a small bowl. Sprinkle the yeast on top. Stir it in the water with a pinch of sugar. Allow to sit until frothy and foaming - about 8 minutes.

In bowl of a stand mixer combine flours, salt and pepper. Make a well in the centre of the mixture. Pour the yeast into the well followed by the water. Using the dough hook attachment, knead the ingredients until mixed for about 2 minutes. Stop the motor and add the 2 tbsp olive oil, butter, and parmigiana cheese. Continue mixing with the cough hook for 2 - 3 minutes until smooth.

Remove the dough from the bowl and place on a lightly floured board. Knead by hand until it is velvety smooth - about one minute. Place the dough in a greased mixing bowl. Cover with a greased piece of saran and set in a warm, draft free spot until double in volume (about 2 hours).

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Arrange two racks in the middle and lower part of the oven. Prepare three baking sheets by either oiling them and covering them with parchment or by covering them with a silpat sheet (I used silpat).

Turn the dough out onto the floured board. Cut into quarters. Leave one quarter on the board and return the rest to the bowl. Cover to ensure that the remaining dough does not dry out. Cut the dough into 1 inch pieces. Roll out each 1 inch sections of dough into a 14-15 inch breadsticks - about 1/8 inch thick. Brush lightly with olive oil - sprinkle with additional cheese.

Bake 12-14 minutes until golden brown (rotate half way through the baking to ensure even browning).

Makes about 30 breadsticks

More Than Meatza Pie

This book and the Podleski sister's other two books; Looneyspoons and Crazy Plates are my best friends in my seemingly never ending weight loss journey. Every meal I make from these books is tasty, the portion sizes are filling and everything is tweaked to be healthier.

Paul doesn't feel like he is "dieting" with me. I love that I can make a satisfying meal and still be on track with my goals. Eat, Shrink and be Merry is my favourite book in the series so far. Everything I have made has been delicious.

My only complaint about the books is that there is an outbreak of puns within. Some of the recipe titles: Crash Test Dumplings, Kernel Austin, Touched by an Angel Hair Pasta, or Buoy Meets Grill. Once you get past the bad humour you'll find that the recipes are well thought out, approachable, and use regular ingredients (as compared to ones that take you on a trip to 7 enthic markets in obscure areas of town).

The information in the margins in between recipes is great as well--tips and tricks for becoming a healthier person, not necessarily a thinner one.

This is one of our favourite recipes from the book. This makes 2 meatloaves, each will serve 4 people. Each meatloaf is like a little pizza- hence the title: More than Meatza Pie! Give it a try, you'll be impressed.

More Than Meatza Pie

1 1/4 lb extra lean ground beef
8 oz light mild Italian sausage, casing removed
1/3 c Italian-seasoned bread crumbs
1/3 c minced onions
1/3 c + 1/2c pizza sauce
1/4 c grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg
2 tsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp each salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 c packed shredded light old (sharp) chedder cheese
1/2 c diced tomatoes
4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 tbsp chopped green onions

Preheat oven to 375F. Spray two 8-inch round cake pans with cooking spray and set aside.

Combine ground beef, sausage, bread crumbs, onions, 1/3c pizza sauce, Parmesan cheese, egg, garlic, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Mix infredients together using your hands. Divide mixture in half. Press divided mixture evenly over bottom of cake pans, spreading to edges. Bake for 25 minutes, until meat is no longer pink.

Remove pans from oven and drain off any liquid. Carefully transfer "crusts" to a cookie sheet. Blot tops dry with paper towels. Spread 1/4c pizza sauce over each "crust." Top with cheese, followed by tomatoes, crumbled bacon, and green onions.

Bake for 10 more minutes, until cheese is completely melted. Serve hot.

Per serving: 239 calories; 12.8 g fat, 6.6 g sat fat, 24 g protein, 8 g carbohydrates, 0.9 g fiber, 88 mg cholesterol, 672 mg sodium.

Lemon-glazed Zucchini Quick Bread

This is my entry for this week's Weekend Herb Blogging round up. This blogging event was started by Kalyn from Kalyn's Kitchen. The round up is hosted this week by Margot from Coffee and Vanilla - be sure to pop by to see what other bloggers have come up with.

A few weeks ago I was searching for something to bake for the department meeting. I was at a loss until I saw a picture for this quick bread. I was hesitant - imagine the thought of zucchini in a bread? EWWWW The pic looked so bloody good though.

I decided to let my colleagues by the guinea pig!

I was shocked at their response. They chowed through it so quickly that there was NONE for me. How evil of them.

This weekend I decided to whip it up again for Paul and I. It didn't take long before I realized what the fuss was about.

Lemon-glazed Zucchini Quick Bread

(from the All-New Complete Cooking Light Cookboook)

2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour (can sub. 1 cup whole wheat flour)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 cup finely shredded zucchini
1/2 cup 1% low-fat milk
1/4 cup canola oil
2 Tbls grated lemon rind
1 large egg
cooking spray
1 cup sifted powdered sugar
2 Tbls fresh lemon juice

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, level with knife. Combine flour and next 6 ingredients in a large bowl; make a well in center of mixture. Combine zucchini, milk, oil, rind, and egg in a bowl; add the flour mixture. Stir just until moist.

3. Spoon batter into an 8 x 4-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray (or muffin tins, half baking time). Bake at 350 for 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack; remove from pan and cool completely on wire rack.

4. Combine powdered sugar and lemon juice; stir with a whisk. Drizzle over loaf.

Zucchini is one of the most common varieties of summer squash. The delicate flavor, soft shell and creamy white flesh of summer squash is a perfect addition to any summer meal. Once only available in the summer, they are now available throughout the year; however, they are in season between May and July when they are at their best and most readily available.

Summer squash, members of the Cucurbitaceae family and relatives of both the melon and the cucumber, come in many different varieties. While each type varies in shape, color, size and flavor, they all share some common characteristics. The entire vegetable, including its flesh, seeds and skin, is edible. In addition, some varieties of the squash plant produce edible flowers. Unlike winter squash, summer squash are more fragile and cannot be stored for long periods of time.

When purchasing summer squash, look for ones that are heavy for their size and have shiny, unblemished rinds. Additionally, the rinds should not be very hard since this indicates that the squash are overmature and will have hard seeds and stringy flesh. Purchase summer squash that are of average size since those that are overly large may be fibrous, while those that are overly small may be inferior in flavor.

Summer squash is very fragile and should be handled with care as small punctures will lead to decay. It should be stored unwashed in a plastic bag in the refrigerator, where it will keep for about seven days. While it can be frozen, this will make the flesh much softer. To do so, blanch slices of summer squash for two minutes before freezing.

Summer squash is an excellent source of manganese and vitamin C. It is also a very good source of magnesium, vitamin A, dietary fiber, potassium, copper, folate, and phosphorous. In addition, summer squash is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, calcium, zinc, niacin, and protein.

Spring Has Sprung

It was a little over a month ago that I was whining about the snow we had been having. A friend commented that she didn't know why anyone would want to live in a cold place like Burlington. Reflecting upon it I think it is because we have clear, well-delineated seasons.

Six weeks ago we had this . . . .

Today this is what I saw when I arrived home from work . . . .

This is what I call seasonal delineation!

Out back, where the sun hits the garden last thing in the day, winter was more slow to depart. Still the lilac tree has budded and the blooms are ready to burst forth.

I love when spring breaks loose in the air. A time of promise. It is funny how quickly one can forget the trials of winter in the rush to slip on some sandals and race out into the garden.

Did You hear the One About . . .?

Sometimes as a blogger you face a dilemma. Things come your way and you think 'hmmm . . . that would be a fine post . . .'

But then the little voice in your head mumbles something about offending folk and you have a moral struggle with which to cope. Should you or shouldn't you?

Moral conscious be damned, I say.

Did you hear the one about the priest who attached himself to helium filled party balloons in an attempt to set a record?

Sadly, this isn't Comedy Central but the evening news.

The Rev. Adelir Antonio Di Carli was trying to break a 19-hour record for the longest party balloon flight to raise money to fund a "spiritual" rest stop for truckers in Paranagua, Brazil.

A spiritual rest stop?

For truckers?

Not touching that piece of this gem. No, not at all.

What would entice someone to think that filling 1000 balloons with helium, attaching the full balloons to your body and then floating away might possibly be a good idea? This is just dumb, dumb, dumb. The wind picks up. You float into the ocean . . . dumb, dumb, dumb.

At the risk of being cruel, offensive, and an all round twit . . . cause and effect exists for a reason and some folk invite things to happen to them.

The sad consequences of this cautionary tale of helium misuse?

Lots of money will be spent trying to rescue this twit. Probably enough money to construct spiritual retreats all over the place.

Those truckers will have to get by without the 'Rev. Adelir Antonio Di Carli Spiritual Retreat' to assist in their soul cleansing.

We'll have the 24 hour round-the-clock 'missing balloon priest watch' on CNN.

The Brazilian navy will be put on full alert.

Manufacturers of party balloons will have to include warning labels on their products: 'attaching too many helium balloons to your body may result in unplanned flight and death'

Update at 11.

Torino

The counter to the left indicates that it is three weeks until our trip to Italy. I've had a few folks ask 'why Torino?'

To be honest I don't really know. It started as a stay at the Baur B and B in Acqui Terme about which the most wonderful things are written. Once it was booked I started thinking about a day trip to Torino. The more I read, the more I was concerned that a day trip just wouldn't do it justice.

What to do?

Tack on three extra days at the START of the trip. Granted, a bustling city isn't the greatest spot to decompress after jet lag but we have never really done things by the rule book!

This little promo video put together in time for the 2006 Olympics gives you a taste of the city (do you recognize the Lord of the Rings imagery and music here?)

This one is static but contains some wonderful images. Yes, we want to see it ALL!

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Tahitian Sunrise

Last Monday when we went to the rum tasting class at the LCBO we were given a number of recipes for rum based cocktails. One in particular caught Paul's attention. Last Friday after a challenging day of work he came home and declared that he needed a drink. His choice? A Tahitian Sunrise.

Happily we had all of the ingredients (except for the juice which I dashed to the store to buy). This was a keeper in our books. We kept trying it all damn weekend long.

Today I had to go out and buy more of the Malibu Mango Rum!

Tahitian Sunrise

4 oz juice (I used a mango citrus blend)
1 oz banana liqueur
1 oz Malibu mango rum
1 tsp grenadine

Measure the ingredients into a shaker filled with ice. Shake to blend.

Fill a glass with ice cubes. Drizzle the grenadine over the ice.

Pour the drink into the glass.

In the summer you can mix this up for a crowd in a pitcher and store it in the fridge.  Another summer tip[ is to make your ice cubes for serving the drink out of the fruit juice - this prevents the drinks form being diluted in the sun as the regular ice cubes melt and water it down.