A Life, Lived

Photo Hunt - Gather

This week's Photo Hunt theme is 'gather'. At first I thought I had nothing for this week's theme . . . funny how often we photo hunters go there . . . only to find that in our files we have many more pictures than we ever imagined.

I decided to go with some pictures from our trip to Maine a number of years ago - perhaps I'm thinking about summer now that winter has finally arrived here in the Toronto area!

Seals gathered on a rock scatching some rays . . .

Lobster traps gathered on the pier. . .

Gathered for the 4th of July parade . . .

We wondered how many people still gathered at this old church . . .

Pan-Seared Chicken Breasts with Tomato-Olive Relish

Others have written about the November Cooking Light magazine - page for page there were more recipes in it that looked interesting than just about any other magazine I've seen for years. So many that I am still working my way through them long after I would have normally moved on to other things. Last night's dinner was an example.

This was one of their series of quick recipes that are suitable for weeknight cooking when you get home from the office and don't really feel like doing a damn thing other than ordering in a pizza. Having a collection of these quick low-fat, low-stress recipes is ideal because they won't end up on making your jeans tight like that pizza will! All it takes is some planning to have everything on hand and you're good to go.

Now this recipe did take a bit longer for me because of the size of the chicken breasts - apparently those birds were on steroids. The recipe calls for 6 minutes per side in a grill pan. i'd be serving raw chicken at that point because the centres were VERY pink. I covered the grill pan in foil and baked them until cooked - the down side was that my lovely grilled marks sort of vanished in the oven. sigh - aesthetics vs food poisoning. A tough choice kids.

Giant chicken breasts aside, the recipe was easy to follow and we were both quite impressed with the results. The simple olive-tomato relish would work in so many other preparations - I'm thinking grilled fish - and adds a wee burst of summer which can't go unappreciated in the dead of winter.

Pan-Seared Chicken Breasts with Tomato-Olive Relish

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon finely chopped basil
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar or balsamic vinegar
1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
1/3 cup chopped pitted olives

Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 teaspoon oil; swirl to coat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Add chicken to pan; cook 6 minutes on each side or until done.

While chicken cooks, combine remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil, basil, and vinegar in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add cherry tomatoes and olives; toss to coat. Serve relish with chicken.

Real 911 Calls

 . . . or proof that there are some really, really, stupid folk with phones out there . . .

We even had our own brush with 911 infamy earlier this year when the mayor of Toronto called 911 to seek assistance when a well known comedian showed up in front of his house. Sadly the mayor hurled obscenities at the 911 operator who didn't believe it was a life threatening emergency to have the CBC in front of your house.

Children are taught at an early age to dial 911  . . . but only in very serious situations. No doubt parents spend hours talking about 'serious' and what it means i.e. it isn't serious when Johnny eats the last chocolate chip cookie that you wanted but it is serious when he falls down the stairs and won't move.

At this time of the year, as we look back and reflect (but apparently don't learn a damn thing from sodoing),  top 10 lists appear on just about any topic. Today the local paper printed the top 10 goofy 911 calls as listed by the Chatham-Kent police force. Apparently these folks need some remediation on the concept of 'emergency'!

1. During a snow emergency in early February, a woman called police to complain that snowplows were cleaning her street and making too much noise.
2. A 17-year-old called police to seek advice. He wanted to know if he could disown his mother because she wouldn’t give him money.
3. A man called police because he found a roll of carpet on his front lawn and wanted an officer to attend his residence. He cancelled the call when he found out his wife put the carpet there.
4. A woman called 911 after being denied entry to a local nightclub. She forgot her identification and wanted an officer to attend to verify her name and prove to security staff that she was of legal drinking age. When she was told police don’t do that, she argued that they should.
5. A man called 911 to request an ambulance for a friend. Before the call ended, a man was heard in the background saying, “Don’t worry, I’ll get rid of the dope.” Police were dispatched to the location but were unable to find any drugs.
6. A man called police when he saw a “small lion” cross the road in front of him. He was also quick to point out that he had not smoked any drugs — “that day.”
7. A woman called police to have a man removed from her residence. She no longer wanted his company after they were sharing a sofa to sleep on. She wanted the other end but the man wouldn’t switch.
8. A man called 911 to report that his vehicle was just stolen from his driveway. He provided a description and the direction of travel. Officers scoured the area but were unable to locate it until they attended his house and found it right where he left it. It turned out the man saw a vehicle just like his drive by his house and jumped to the conclusion his had been stolen.
9. Police responded to a 911 call when screaming was heard in the background. The investigation revealed that a couple were arguing because the man wanted to play Xbox while the woman wanted to play Nintendo Wii. The breaking point came when the man opened a new pack of cigarettes while another package was already open.
10. A woman called 911 because her cats ate her Whopper and she wanted another one.

The Happy Side of Being Sick

I, like may folks, don't take time to get sick as a rule. When the twinges of a sore throat stir I pop drugs and send it away. I refuse to allow my routine to be altered by some germ invading my system.

Now in the grand scheme of things a cold, no matter how annoying, is pretty mild as far s illnesses go. You know in a few days it shall pass and then you'll get on with your life.

The timing of this beast sucks. Christmas vacation. I now have a new appreciation for those individuals who used to call me after a vacation and wonder if they could take a few weeks off of work since they spent their vacation ill.

I'm the type of person who tends to see the glass as being both half empty AND dirty so I'm striving to look at the positive side of this beast . . .

1. It's forced me to sleep a lot. This is a good thing since I never get enough sleep.
2. It's forced me to catch up on my reading. I've read 5 books over the past 3 days.
3. It's forced me to not spend money. Normally I'd be in the mall enjoying the wonderful Canadian tradition of Boxing week sales. Feeling like I've been hit by a bag of cement has forced me to sit tight.
4. It's forced me to catch on stuff around the house. Sure I haven't had a ton of energy to do much but when I do rise to the occasion I've been able to tackle some long neglected jobs around here.
5. It's forced me to relax. Yes, relax. This isn't something I do well at all. I wish I did but I don't. I've been relaxing myself to coma level these past 4 days . . . and I've LOVED it.

Travel Tuesdays - Via San Gregorio Armeno in Napoli

Via San Gregorio Armeno, in the heart of Naples' old town, is often called the street of nativity workshops. Lining the narrow pedestrian street are artisan workshops making nativity scenes (presepi in Italian) and terra cotta figures. Tiny shops sell Christmas crib figurines and souvenirs, ranging from very high quality to inexpensive.

Presepe, or nativity scenes, are an important part of Christmas in Italy and are often very elaborate, including more than just the basic Christmas crib. Via San Gregorio Armeno is one of the best places to buy nativities and figures for them.

These are some shots from when I visited the street this fall:

These guys were roasting chestnuts at the base of the street. When you turned and looked the other way you saw a narrow street lined with shops.

(sorry for the crappy exposure, while it wasn't sunny there clearly was too much light in the centre - sigh)

We enjoyed walking up and down the street admiring the work.

This artwork doesn't come cheap!! I can only imagine what the figures and presepi pictured above would cost. The presepi scene we bought home from Fulvio Forte (the shop recommended as one of the best by our guide) was more modest to be sure . . .

The Christmas Wrap Up

As opposed to the Christmas un-wrap - of which we did a good deal of yesterday.

First let me say that I developed the dreaded Christmas cold on the 24th so I didn't have much energy or even desire to do anything yesterday. If it hadn't been Christmas I likely would have spend the day curled up on the couch with a book, blanket, and a fire. However, since it was Christmas and there are certain expectations re Christmas I pulled it together. Today I feel like crapola.

I should warn from the get go that in my feaverish state I took far fewer pictures than I might normally take.

There. Whining done!

Before Paul crawled out of bed I made cranberry gingerbread muffins and a soft gingerbread cake for dessert.  I was worried about the gingerbread cake as it rose more than anticipated in the oven - in fact it escaped the pan and went all over the tray I had placed it on. I posted a pic on facebook and my friend Sandi suggested that it looked like reindeer poop - not the stuff 0f Christmas desserts.

Normally I'd have made somehting else but being sick I thought . . . 'what the heck, maybe I can make it look pretty'. More on that later.

We started the day in the family room with stockings. The cats were in the middle of it all, enjoying the bits of ribbon, paper, and bows. Paul scarfed back two gingerbread cranberry muffins and asked why I hadn't made them before (I've made them every Christmas day for the past 5 years!!!!!!). It must have been the coffee/Baileys Irish Cream talking.

After opening and admiring the loot in the stockings we took a deep breath, piled up the garbage in the first garbage bag of the day, and moved into the living room to open the presents.

It was a good year. . . lots of sweaters, art, and cookbooks (which means next year it will be a vey good year for eating but NOT a good year for fitting into the Christmas clothing - sigh).

Remember what I said about the feaverish state? No pics of presents being opened.

Paul selected the breakfast menu - pannetone french toast, fruit, and some of the amazing chicken sausage with blueberry from the famous Beach Road butcher in Hamilton. We sipped a mimosa while eating breakfast. The booze likely didn't help my cold but it made me forget about it for awhile so that was a joyous thing.

After the breakfast stuff was all cleaned up and put away we started on dinner. I like to have everything made well in advance of the meal so that when the guests are there I don't have to race about cooking instead of enjoying their company. We had six for dinner - I hear about those folks who entertain 25 and think 'how the hell does one do that?' Six is just fine.

Now remember what I said about those pictures? I don't have a single photo from 3:00 PM on.

I can show that table set for dinner:

Everyone had one of these cute felt gift bags filled with treats from our recent travels at their spot. They were a big hit.

Mom was almost on time. That alone was a Christmas miracle. There was another stocking to open (mom, Paul, and I each exchange names and make a stocking for one another). Well, there was a stocking for mom and Paul - none for me. Mom hadn't gotten around to getting it ready yet.

I consoled myself with my new festive drink:

Pine infused vodka from 66 Gilead distillery  in Prince Edward County, Pama pomegranate liqueur, and cranberry juice. MMMMM Cold, what cold?

Mom had wrapped her gifts for us - another sweater, a signed copy of David Rocco's new cookbook, and a lovely piece of stained glass - so even though my stocking will likely arrive in June at least  had something to open.

Mom went around the corner to visit my cousin and Paul and I finished the last dinner prep. Well, I had a nap too.

I have no pictures of any food but I'll share the menu:

Cheese Tray
Cured Meats
Shrimp
Sausage Rolls

Roast Free-range Turkey
Sausage Stuffing with Leeks and Cranberries
Gravy
Rosemary, Orange Cranberry Sauce
Marinated Broccoli Salad
Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Hazelnuts
Norfolk County Silver Corn
Sage, 10 year-old White Cheddar Mashed Potatoes

Cookie 'Assortment'
Mincemeat Tarts
Gingerbread Cake with Cream

It's a shame I have no photos because it all turned out better than normal. Mom made the make ahead gravy (a first for her) and the cranberries. Both were brilliant. The sausage rolls were better than normal - it took us 40 years but mom and I finally realized that the secret to a good sausage roll is a high quality sausage. DUH

Most of the dinner recipes were things I had done before. The marinated salad was new - and delicious. The roasted brussels sprouts were AMAZING! I used some roasted hazelnuts from Piemonte and some local maple syrup. For me this dish was the hit of the evening!

Now about that cake. It looked a mess when I took it out of the pan. Actually, it looked like a BIG mess.  I stuck it on a glass pedestal serving dish and had one of our guests cut a snow flake pattern out of paper which I placed on top of the cake. I sprinkled icing sugar over the snowflake to make a snowflake design when I removed the paper (thereby covering up the mess on the top so it looked pretty). Paired with some whipped cream and a sliver of candied lemon peel from the Amalfi coast and you'd never know it was the same cake that was described as reindeer poop on facebook earlier that morning.  Truth be told, it was freaking delicious.

Everyone was gone and we were cleaned up by 9:00. I was in a coma by 9:05.

Today promises to be a wonderful day of leftovers (not much though since most of the food went home in care packages yesterday), and relaxing on the couch by the fireplace. SIGH

One last shot of the wine rack decorated for Christmas . . .

See that cute carved Santa of to the right? That was one of my gifts from Paul - two new Santas were added to the collection this year.

I hope that you had a great day yesterday and that today is a relaxing day by the fireplace for you as well! :-)

Buon Natale!

It's 7:00 on Christmas.

Santa has been by,

while he visited he filled the stockings,

and carefully placed presents under the tree.

The 'elves' have been busy baking cranberry gingerbread muffins to nibble on while unwrapping gifts.

Christmas dessert, a soft gingerbread cake, is in the oven but I may have a Christmas dessert disaster on my hands as it appears ready to overflow the pan at any given second! SIGH

Happy Christmas from . . .

May YOUR dessert crises be nonexistent today!! *smile*

Phoho Hunt - Surprise

This week's Photo Hunt theme is 'surprise'.

When I was digging through my files of pictures I came upon this set from when we brought our last cat home from the animal rescue centre. It's always a bit of an unknown when you bring a new pet into the household - especially when there is a resident feline there already who thinks he rules!

Fennel Gratin

Fennel is on that list of vegetables that I never knew existed until a few years ago. Once we 'discovered'  it and decided that we LOVED it we have been searching out more ways to prepare it. I found this recipe on the Simply Recipes  blog. While I may be skeptical of some recipes I find on blogs I have learned that if Elise Bauer says something is amazing then it will be!

Here fennel is paired with parmigiano - Elise notes that 'fennel has a special affinity for Parmesan, and in this simple gratin fennel wedges are tossed with breadcrumbs, Mozzarella and Parm, and baked until golden brown.' Put that green can of Kraft cheese product away - you want to use the best parmigiano that you can get your hands on for this dish!

We whipped this up last week for dnner when we had company over. It turned out every bit as good as we had been told it would.  . . proof that sometimes there is truth on the internet!

Enjoy!

Fennel Gratin

2 pounds fennel bulbs (3 lbs with fronds), about 3-4 bulbs
Salt
3-4 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese (about 2 ounces)
1/2 cup bread crumbs (herbed or plain)
2 teaspoons fresh thyme
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (about 2 ounces)
Chopped fennel fronds, for garnish

Cut off the fronds and stems of the fennel and save them for another dish; they are a great addition to stocks and broths. Cut the bulbs in quarters, then 1-2 inch pieces; discard the woody cores.

Grease a casserole pan or gratin pan with 1 tablespoon olive oil and preheat the oven to 375°.

Boil the fennel in a medium pot of salty water for 5-6 minutes, or until the fennel is just about tender. Drain well and toss with a tablespoon of olive oil.

Mix the parmesan, thyme and bread crumbs, then mix half of that mixture with the fennel. Add the fennel to the casserole in an even layer. Top with the mozzarella cheese, then the rest of the parmesan-bread crumb mixture. Drizzle 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil over the top.

Cover the casserole and bake for 20 minutes. Take the cover off and bake until the cheese is well browned, about 15 more minutes. Let the gratin rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with chopped fresh fennel fronds.

Fireside Martini

It's been ages since I featured a drink on these pages!

This martini, from the mixmaster at the LCBO, is perfect for sipping by the fire (hence the name). We made them on Saturday for when our friend Elise came for dinner and we loved them. Just a waring - this is one of those drinks that tastes so smooth you forget there is alcohol in it . . . until you try to stand up!

Fireside Martini

3/4-oz vodka
3/4-oz Bailey's
1/2-oz white Crème de Cacao
shaved chocolate (for garnish)

Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake & strain into martini glass. Garnish with shaved chocolate