A Life, Lived

Orange Shirt Day

What is orange shirt day?

10 books to help children understand residential schools.

The Debate

What was with Donald's sniffle?

This New Yorker cartoon is priceless!

Yes, I am with her.

Tyavel Tuesday - Bologna

A heavy heart with this one. Over the weekend a wonderful family I met in Bologna lost their son to leukemia. Today he is memorial service is being held in the church of Santo Stefano. I'll be thinking of the entire Tori family this morning. :-(

Tomato Ricotta Galette

I've been meaning to make this for awhile but it has been so hot I didn't dare turn on the oven. When fall a rived last week cooler temperatures showed up as well. Finally that oven could be turned on - I think for the first time since May!

I'm partial to galettes - the easiest of tarts to make! No fuss, no bother . . . perfect for a busy life.

Dear lord, this was good! It really was a perfect summer evening meal - light, fresh, and not a ton of work. If you happen to have some tomatoes and ricotta laying about - turn on the oven and get busy. I guarantee that you won't regret it.

Tomato Ricotta Galette

1 pre-made pie crust (I always have dough in the freezer that I buy from the Mennonite ladies in St. Jacobs)
1 1/2 tomatoes, sliced in 1/4 inch rounds
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped basil
2 eggs
1 egg yolk beaten with a teaspoon water

Pre-heat the oven to 450 degrees.

Roll the dough into a round, transfer to a baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper.

In a  bowl, mix the ricotta, Parmesan, garlic, eggs, basil; season with salt & pepper.

Spread the ricotta mixture evenly over the galette dough, leaving a 2" border. Starting at the outer circle, arrange the tomato slices in an attractive pattern, overlapping the slices. Brush olive oil over the tomatoes. Fold the dough border over the filling and brush with the egg yolk/water mixture.

Bake the galette until the cheese is puffed, the tomato slices slightly caramelized and the galette is golden (about 30 - 35 minutes). Remove from oven. Allow to stand for about 10 minutes, then slide the galette onto serving dish. Cut into wedges and serve.

Fall

YEAH my favourite season of all arrived last week. I could not be more pleased. :-)

To celebrate I turned the over on last night for the first time since May.

Photo Hunt - Final

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

This is the final photo I took with my last camera . . .

Ahhh . . .

Parking FAIL

I saw this car at the gas station last week.

No, the driver did not have a handicap sticker on his car.

Some folks are just thoughtless!

Transformations

Over the Labour Day Weekend we headed to Bayfield, as we have done every year for some time. Bayfield was once a busy port on Lake Huron, although these days it is used primarily for pleasure boats.

One the main street there was a wooden sculpture of a sailor which was a memory of the days when the harbour was used for day-to-day work pursuits. Every year it got a bit more worse for wear.

This year we noticed that he had been transformed!

Spice-Rubbed Steaks with Grilled Gazpacho Sauce

I made this for dinner last Sunday and while the recipe might have take more work than normal the results were fabulous. I was particularly impressed with the sauce. The recipe made more than what I needed so I was able to put it to other uses - it was great with grilled salmon. I have frozen the rest and will enjoy it on other grilled meats.

Spice-Rubbed Steaks with Grilled Gazpacho Sauce

1 tablespoon coarse kosher salt, or more to taste
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
2 plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise and seeded
1 red bell pepper, quartered and seeded
1/2 red onion, cut into 6 wedges through the root
2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
4 New York steaks, about 1 inch thick, trimmed of excess fat
1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves, plus small sprigs for garnish
2 teaspoons sherry vinegar, or more to taste
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
Hot sauce to taste (optional)
12 olives (black, green, or a combination)

In a small bowl, combine the salt, paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, and onion powder. In a large bowl, toss the tomatoes, bell pepper, and onion with 1 tablespoon of the spice mixture and 1 1/2 teaspoons of the oil. Sprinkle the steaks on both sides with the remaining spice mixture, rubbing it into the meat.

Preheat a grill to medium-high and lightly oil the grate. Grill the steaks, flipping once, until cooked to your liking, about 4 minutes per side for medium rare or 5 minutes per side for medium. Grill the pepper and onion until softened and lightly charred, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Grill the tomato, skin side down, until softened and lightly charred, about 2 minutes. (Return the vegetables to the large bowl as they come off the grill.) Set the steaks aside to rest, lightly covered with foil, for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a food processor, combine the grilled vegetables and any accumulated juices with the oregano, vinegar, cumin, and remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and pulse until coarsely chopped, like a chunky salsa. Taste and add salt, additional vinegar, and hot sauce if you like.

Serve the steaks with the sauce on top, garnished with the olives

Travel Tuesdays - Burano

I used a pic from Burano for my photo hunt pic on Saturday. Guess where I am going for Travel Tuesdays this week?