A Life, Lived

Back to School

It is back to school next week. Parent's often ask their children how their day was when they return from school. The answer is usually the same 'fine' but it doesn't say much. Here is a list of 50 questions parent can use to dig a bit deeper or to take the conversation in a different direction.

50 Questions To Ask Your Kids Instead Of Asking “How Was Your Day”

1. What made you smile today?
2. Can you tell me an example of kindness you saw/showed? 
3. Was there an example of unkindness? How did you respond?
4. Does everyone have a friend at recess?
5. What was the book about that your teacher read?
6. What’s the word of the week?
7. Did anyone do anything silly to make you laugh?
8. Did anyone cry?
9. What did you do that was creative?
10. What is the most popular game at recess?
11. What was the best thing that happened today?
12. Did you help anyone today?
13. Did you tell anyone “thank you?”
14. Who did you sit with at lunch?
15. What made you laugh?
16. Did you learn something you didn’t understand?
17. Who inspired you today?
18. What was the peak and the pit?
19. What was your least favorite part of the day?
20. Was anyone in your class gone today?
21. Did you ever feel unsafe?
22. What is something you heard that surprised you?
23. What is something you saw that made you think?
24. Who did you play with today?
25. Tell me something you know today that you didn’t know yesterday.
26. What is something that challenged you?
27. How did someone fill your bucket today? Whose bucket did you fill?
28. Did you like your lunch?
29. Rate your day on a scale from 1-10.
30. Did anyone get in trouble today?
31. How were you brave today?
32. What questions did you ask at school today?
33. Tell us your top two things from the day (before you can be excused from the dinner table!). 
34. What are you looking forward to tomorrow?
35. What are you reading?
36. What was the hardest rule to follow today?
37. Teach me something I don’t know.
38. If you could change one thing about your day, what would it be?
39. (For older kids):  Do you feel prepared for your history test?” or, “Is there anything on your mind that you’d like to talk about?” (In my opinion, the key is not only the way a question is phrased, but responding in a supportive way.)
40. Who did you share your snacks with at lunch?
41. What made your teacher smile? What made her frown?
42. What kind of person were you today?
43. What made you feel happy? 
44. What made you feel proud?
45. What made you feel loved?
46. Did you learn any new words today?
47. What do you hope to do before school is out for the year?
48. If you could switch seats with anyone in class, who would it be? And why?
49. What is your least favorite part of the school building? And favorite?
50. If you switched places with your teacher tomorrow, what would you teach the class?

Travel Tuesdays - Rhodes

Rhodes is one of the largest islands in the Greek archipelago and it was one of our favourites. These pics show why . . .

Rosemary Blackberry Limonata

An area steakhouse chain offers a version of this drink. I'm not sure if I have tried it on one of the few times I was there. In fact, I only found out by accident that they had it on the menu. this version might be a copycat recipe or it might be the original and the big, bad (mediocre) restaurant chain copied it.

Here is what I DO know.

This drink is fabulous.

What is not to love about a beverage with rosemary blackberry infused syrup, some limonata, and a splash of vodka?

It is easy to make and packs a wonderful refreshing taste.

 

Rosemary Blackberry Limonata

1 1/2 oz rosemary blackberry syrup (recipe follows)
1 1/2 oz vodka
3 oz limonata, or sparkling lemon soda
fresh rosemary sprigs, to garnish
fresh blackberry to garnish

Filling serving glasses a little over half full of ice.  Add rosemary blackberry syrup.  Follow with vodka and top with sparkling lemon soda.  Stir to combine.  Garnish with fresh rosemary and blackberries

Rosemary Blackberry Syrup:
1 cup water
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup fresh blackberries, rinsed
two 6-inch sprigs of fresh rosemary

In a medium sauce pan, combine water, sugar, blackberries and rosemary. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Smash blackberries and cover pot with lid. Let steep for 20-30 minutes depending on how strong you want the rosemary flavor to be. Strain syrup and store in the fridge until ready to use.

Charred Corn with Zucchini and Basil

A number of years Fine Cooking ran an article about corn sautees that was a revelation for me. Like all people I LOVE corn - I think it must be the safest vegetable that there is - even finicky children will eat cobs of it. As an adult I started to recognize that those cobs of corn dripping with butter and sprinkled with salt might not be the healthiest for me. The Fine Cooking series showed me that there were alternatives.

Like with this recipe that allowed me to use corn, basil and zucchini from the CSA. It is quick, easy, and delicious. Charring the vegetables gives them a smoky richness and makes for mostly hands-off cooking. You pretty well just dump everything in the skillet and let high heat do the rest.

This really is a case of easy meeting excellent! I loved the simplicity of this recipe and great flavor results. Charring the corn really emphasizes its natural sweetness.

This recipe is definitely a 'keeper'.

The recipe is also pretty flexible meaning that you could add in other vegetables and still get some amazing results.

Charred Corn with Zucchini and Basil

2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups fresh corn kernels (from 3 to 4 medium ears)
3/4 cup halved and thinly sliced zucchini
1/4 cup small-diced red onion
Kosher salt
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil

Heat 2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over high heat until shimmering. Add the corn, zucchini, onion, and 1/2 tsp. salt; stir to combine. Cook, stirring only once or twice, until the corn is lightly charred, about 4 minutes. Stir in the basil and serve.

Travel Tuesdays - Maine

Selfie Fails . . .

Grilled Bacon Wrapped Cheddar Stuffed Meatloaf

The past week has been very busy on the work front - it was out Annual Meeting for work. Of course, we could not just have an Annual Meeting  - it was our 20th Anniversary celebration and we decided to pack in a political protest rally at the legislature. Trying to keep on top of all the moving pieces has just tired me out.

Before leaving for the meeting we had some friends over for dinner for the traditional Pre-Annual Meeting dinner. Traditionally the menu has focused on comfort foods but this year we went a it overboard - the entire menu focused on bacon (except for the drinks and dessert). In the end the menu featured 5 pounds of bacon, 3 pounds of cheddar, 3 bricks of cream cheese . . . yes, overboard.

Now about this meatloaf. If you’re North American, chances are you either already have a nice meatloaf recipe you use all the time, or you run to the hills at the slightest mention of “meatloaf” because all you ever had was a dry, bland version of the dish.

If you belong in the second group and somehow still made this far into the post, stop right there. Do not run to the hills! Try this recipe and you will come to realize that meatloaf is not supposed to be dry and bland. Whatever was done  to you in the past, this recipe will fix it. Promise.

Now, if you belong in the first group, just try this recipe out for a 'test drive'. It’s always good to switch things up a bit!

By grilling this meatloaf, you get loads of extra flavor. The trick is to place the meatloaf on a couple of sheets of aluminum foil or an aluminum pan to hold it all together and to grill it indirectly to prevent the bottom from burning. This is particularly delicious when grilled over a charcoal fire. The aluminum pan also catches the grease thereby preventing flareups and fire.

 

(sorry - I forget to get a pic of the finished product!)

Grilled Bacon Wrapped Cheddar Stuffed Meatloaf

2 pounds Ground Beef
1 pound Ground Pork
2 whole Eggs
1/2 cup bread crumbs
4 cloves Garlic, Chopped
1 whole Onion (small) Grated
3 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
1 teaspoon Pepper
1-½ Tablespoon Kosher Salt
8 pieces Bacon (or more - I needed about twice this amount but perhaps i went overboard in bacon excess . . .)
16 ounces of cheddar
your favourite BBQ season blend

In a large bowl combine the ground beef, pork, eggs, breadcrumbs, garlic, onion, tomato paste, pepper and salt. Knead with your hands until just combined. Break off a teaspoon sized bite, put it on a saucer and microwave for about 30 seconds, until cooked. Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary.

Turn ⅔ of the meat mixture onto a sheet of plastic wrap and, with wet hands, pat the mixture into a loaf (approximately 9 by 5 inches). Press the center in, creating a rim outside of the meatloaf and fill the inside with the cheddar cheese (note - I used a block of cheddar so I just laid the block in the centre well - you could use grated cheese as well). Then, add the remaining meat mixture and gently close the gaps, pressing the sides to seal in the cheese. Use your wet hands to make sure the meatloaf is smooth!

Arrange bacon slices over the loaf, overlapping them slightly and tucking them under to prevent curling.

Sprinkle the bacon wrapped loaf with the BBQ seasoning.

Refrigerate until ready to cook.

Grill over indirect heat until cooked through (check with a meat thermometer).

Remove from grill - allow to sit for about 15 minutes before slicing - this will prevent the cheese from oozing all over the counter instead of in each slice of meatloaf.

Cover the meatloaf with bacon slices.

 

Travel Tuesdays -

Heading back to Krakow for Travel Tuesday this week . . .

Canada - Even Our Busses Are Polite

Saturday in Stratford

Last weekend we had tickets to see the Tempest at the Stratford festival. Life has been so hectic lately that I forgot all about it until mom reminded me. Apparently on some mysterious date last fall she asked me to go - none of her friends wanted to see it and she really did. I agreed. She bought the tickets and apparently I paid for them. At some point Paul felt left out and demanded to come as well.  Fast forward to last week and we were off.

Because she hadn't taken us out for our birthdays yet she wanted to treat us to lunch. We opted to go to one of our favourite restaurants in Stratford - Pazzo. There are two restaurants int eh building - both featuring the same kitchen. The basement is more casual and the main level more formal. We opted for formal.

I was still full from breakfast so I didn't have a started. Paul's caprese salad (made with buratta) looked fabulous though.

I ordered spaghetti carbonara for my main course and it was delicious. Carbonara is one of those recipes that is so often mangled. The classic is just guanciale, eggs, cheese, and the pasta water to bind it all together. lots of places add cream and other things - even peas! Porca Miseria. This version was pretty close to the real deal - the only change being pancetta subbed for the hard to find in Canada guanciale.

I LOVED this!

Carbonara done right is the ultimate comfort food and  I was a happy guy eating this.

I was pretty full so I decided on a light dessert. Vanilla tartuffo with honey and candied figs.

Ahhhh.

After lunch we drove to the theatre. The play was at the Festival theatre and we built in some time to enjoy the gardens. They did not disappoint.

The play, thought to be the last one written by Shakespeare,  was interesting.

Martha Henry stars as Prospero - usually the lead is male.

After a remarkable 43 seasons, Ms Henry returns to the play that launched her Stratford career in 1962. Back in 1962 she played Miranda and during her last season on the stage she plays the lead.

In Shakespeare's great drama of loss and reconciliation, Prospero, former Duchess of Milan, uses magical arts to bring within her power the enemies who robbed her of her throne and stranded her on a remote island. With the help of the spirit Ariel, she orchestrates a confrontation with her adversaries - and a new destiny for her daughter, Miranda.

Henry delivers the physicality, timing, cynicism, and humour of a woman who is tired — tired of her obvious skill, tired of having to wield it, tired of arguing for her particular place in a world dominated by men. Nevertheless, she persisted — because Miranda survived the shipwreck with her. And Henry’s moments of tenderness almost always concern Miranda. At first she keeps a cynical distance away from her plot for revenge against Antonio and the nobles that helped him over throw her — observing new lovers Miranda and Ferdinand (Sebastien Heins), son of King Alonso (David Collins), from above, or teasing the doe-eyed innocence of her daughter’s paramour — the release of this burden softens Henry’s edge, lets her relax, and finally show affection for the creatures she had to once view as subjects.

This production is visually stunning - so much so that in the third part of the play the special effects almost seem to overwhelm the actors and the plot. Henry pulls it together in the famous last lines of the play:

Now my charms are all o'erthrown,

And what strength I have’s mine own,

Which is most faint. Now, ’tis true,

I must be here confined by you,

Or sent to Naples. Let me not,

Since I have my dukedom got

And pardoned the deceiver, dwell

In this bare island by your spell,

But release me from my bands

With the help of your good hands.

Gentle breath of yours my sails

Must fill, or else my project fails,

Which was to please. Now I want

Spirits to enforce, art to enchant,

And my ending is despair,

Unless I be relieved by prayer,

Which pierces so that it assaults

Mercy itself and frees all faults.

As you from crimes would pardoned be,

Let your indulgence set me free.

 

With that Henry bids adieu to a fabulous career on the stage. It is a moment full of emotion - an actor still at the height of their career saying goodbye.