Saturday, March 13, 2004
Spinach and Strawbeery Salad
Basically, you need a bunch of fresh spinach and strawberries . Thoroughly wash the spinach and spin it dry and then in a seperate bowl, slice the strawberries and I added a bit of sugar or sugar twin to them, but that isn't really nec. You can add some toasted slivered almonds ( about 1/2 cup) and also you can add mandarin orange pieces to the salad, if you like. I don't mix it altogether,until I am ready to serve it. For the dressing, you can use a bottled raspberry vinagrette, or a bottled balsalmic vinegar dressing. My own preference is to make a vinagrette out of olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, and a couple of teaspoons of sugar. I then add some raspberry juice ,or crushed frozen raspberries or some raspberry dressing that I find too strong on its own. I also add a few tablespoons of poppy seeds and some toasted sesame seeds. I shake or stir up the dressing, then pour it over the salad and toss it just before serving. This is a very refreshing salad...enjoy!
Happy Saturday!
Where did Friday go? I guess it was a busy day for me as it seems to have come and gone, ultra fast.I remember going to Physio where Petra tried to tie my arm in a knot just before she eloctrocuted me again...Not all that bad, but a good work-out on the shoulder for sure. Besides getting gas and a short list of groceries, I wondered thru Walmart and found myself a set of spring duds in a pale lettuce green...crop'd pants and a t-shirt and jacket...so I'll look like an easter lily once it warms up enuf to wear them! I bought a set for E's mom for Easter, as she can always use some new little item of clothing.
E came home dead tired on Friday night and by the time he arrived, his bro, L. was already here, having his first wine. I threw together a tummy-warming dinner and after another glass of wine, E. nodded off on the couch. L and I watched Elimindate ( dopey show...four guys and the girl has to choose one for her date. ) One guy was a double for Rockey( I II & III)and couldn't get over himself and his beautiful body. The gal, a bikini model , never dumped him until the last round...too silly!
Youngest daughter , A, arrived around 2:30 this afternoon and L was here to join us for lunch.
A. looked great with a brand new shorter hairdo with chunky strips of colour throughout... right from her new hairdresser in K'lwna. She enjoyed the new shorter drive here and was thrilled to tell us that she has been offered a better position...in lending, at her new job at the Credit Union. She had previously been asked if she was interested in being a traner...so in the two weeks she has been there, she has already moved up a notch or two! This is very good!
I had cute visitors here on Friday morning...four deer...drove Silk crazy in the morning when she spotted them entering the yard. She flew off the bed in such a tizzy that I thought she snapped her legs! It has been quite a few months since we've had our resident deer wandering around. Maybe she had forgotten what they were!
We did a few hours int he hot-tub, then made shish-ka-bobs for dinner...I must say, those were very yummy. Now we are all sleepy fat little piggies that have to go to bed. I'll see if I can get some photos on here tomorrow...just too tired tonight.
E came home dead tired on Friday night and by the time he arrived, his bro, L. was already here, having his first wine. I threw together a tummy-warming dinner and after another glass of wine, E. nodded off on the couch. L and I watched Elimindate ( dopey show...four guys and the girl has to choose one for her date. ) One guy was a double for Rockey( I II & III)and couldn't get over himself and his beautiful body. The gal, a bikini model , never dumped him until the last round...too silly!
Youngest daughter , A, arrived around 2:30 this afternoon and L was here to join us for lunch.
A. looked great with a brand new shorter hairdo with chunky strips of colour throughout... right from her new hairdresser in K'lwna. She enjoyed the new shorter drive here and was thrilled to tell us that she has been offered a better position...in lending, at her new job at the Credit Union. She had previously been asked if she was interested in being a traner...so in the two weeks she has been there, she has already moved up a notch or two! This is very good!
I had cute visitors here on Friday morning...four deer...drove Silk crazy in the morning when she spotted them entering the yard. She flew off the bed in such a tizzy that I thought she snapped her legs! It has been quite a few months since we've had our resident deer wandering around. Maybe she had forgotten what they were!
We did a few hours int he hot-tub, then made shish-ka-bobs for dinner...I must say, those were very yummy. Now we are all sleepy fat little piggies that have to go to bed. I'll see if I can get some photos on here tomorrow...just too tired tonight.
Thursday, March 11, 2004
How-dee
Okay, this has been an awesome sunny spring day again..probably hit over ten degrees. Warm enough for me to turn off the heat all day, in any case. Now I am freezing, if that is any reward for being consciencious! I had my friend J. over for a lunch today of those "Seafood Alfredo" bake thingies I make in the Scallop shells in the oven...along with a Spinach and Strawberry and Oange salad and a warm baquette. It was delicious and pretty easy to prepare, all in all. J. thought it was tasty and wants the recipe, so when I get it all writ out, I will post it here...
Pick up some tiger prawns or the big ones at Safeway while they are on sale...and a fish of any kind of fish, or use fake crab or real crab or scallops...whatever you like that would look good in a cream sauce. Oh yes, you need parmesean cheese also and something to bake the mixture in, or it could be served over fettucini.
Recipe will come once you have the ingredients...lots of butter and cream- a- la Atkins!If you aren't on Atkins get some dry breadcrumbs also!
Well,
I might as well write it out, now that you have half of it.
Assemble your first ingredients... ( 2-3 cups maybe of seafood), crushed garlic, squeeze or three of lemon, butter and toss it all into a fry pan and cook it until the prawns are pinkish white and fish loses its transparency. Don't overcook them ,as you finish it off by cooking it more, later.
While it cooks and forms juices, chop finely a half of a small yellow cooking onion or a quarter of a big one , 2 green onions ,2 stalks of celery and a green pepper if you like,and some parsley if you have it fresh or frozen.
Dump the seafood mixture with all of its' juices out of the frypan, into a tupperware container and set aside until you saute the onions, more garlic if you like, celery and green pepper in a chunk of butter. When they are lightly sauteed ( 3 or 4 minutes),then you must add about two or three tablespoons of flour and stir it around until the flour absorbs the butter and makes what is called a Rue ( yellow lumpies) Now this is where you slowly add cream ( 35%, 33%, or half and half creamo) and stiir until the lumps dissipate and you have a nice creamy mixture. This will take a good two cups of your cream or half and half or cream with some regular milk...whatever you have on hand. Just bear in mind that the more butter and cream you use, the tastier it will be. I usually do half cream and half milk and then a little more cream...and then some more cream, then some milk, more cream, a bit more butter, more milk, more cream......well, you get the idea- do it slowly..You will see that it thickens quite readily, but also remember that your seafood has a lot of liquid that will help to thin it down once it is added to the white sauce.( but don't forget it will thicken again if you bake it so you don't want it too thick!)
(Turn your oven on to 325*)
So...this is where you get to taste it and add salt, white ground pepper, celery salt if you like, and some garllic salt or powder. Once it is pretty yummy in flavour, I add the seafood and a cup or more of parmesean cheese ( depending on how much you are making) You could also add some grated other white cheeses, but I find Mozzarella too stretchy when melted...so I usually stick to Parmasean. Simmer for a minute or two. If it is too thick, you can thin with some white wine or more milk.
Spray Pam in your large scallop shells or ramekins and set them on a cookie sheet ,then fill each one to close to the top.
Melt a few tablespoons of butter in the microwave and add it to about a cup of dry bread crumbs that you have also added some parmesean cheese to. Stir up and use this mixture to sprinkle on the top of each filled dish. You can sprinkle with Paprika for colour before popping in the oven for 15 minutes. Don't overbake as they dry out.
Serve with a salad and some fresh warmed baquette and enjoy. If you don't have the ramekins ( little pyrex or french white dishes, then serve it over a bed of rice or some cooked fettucini) If I am serving it over a pasta , I usually add chopped sun-dried tomatoes ( in oil) and some type of green veggie like brocoli florets or nuked aspargus pieces or nuked snow-peas)
This can all be ready in under and hour. Enjoy! Also it can be frozen and reheated in the oven or nuker.
Here is our lunch of Alfredo Bakes and Strawberry Spinach Salad
A close up of the Seafood
The Spinach and Strawberry Salad
Pick up some tiger prawns or the big ones at Safeway while they are on sale...and a fish of any kind of fish, or use fake crab or real crab or scallops...whatever you like that would look good in a cream sauce. Oh yes, you need parmesean cheese also and something to bake the mixture in, or it could be served over fettucini.
Recipe will come once you have the ingredients...lots of butter and cream- a- la Atkins!If you aren't on Atkins get some dry breadcrumbs also!
Well,
I might as well write it out, now that you have half of it.
Assemble your first ingredients... ( 2-3 cups maybe of seafood), crushed garlic, squeeze or three of lemon, butter and toss it all into a fry pan and cook it until the prawns are pinkish white and fish loses its transparency. Don't overcook them ,as you finish it off by cooking it more, later.
While it cooks and forms juices, chop finely a half of a small yellow cooking onion or a quarter of a big one , 2 green onions ,2 stalks of celery and a green pepper if you like,and some parsley if you have it fresh or frozen.
Dump the seafood mixture with all of its' juices out of the frypan, into a tupperware container and set aside until you saute the onions, more garlic if you like, celery and green pepper in a chunk of butter. When they are lightly sauteed ( 3 or 4 minutes),then you must add about two or three tablespoons of flour and stir it around until the flour absorbs the butter and makes what is called a Rue ( yellow lumpies) Now this is where you slowly add cream ( 35%, 33%, or half and half creamo) and stiir until the lumps dissipate and you have a nice creamy mixture. This will take a good two cups of your cream or half and half or cream with some regular milk...whatever you have on hand. Just bear in mind that the more butter and cream you use, the tastier it will be. I usually do half cream and half milk and then a little more cream...and then some more cream, then some milk, more cream, a bit more butter, more milk, more cream......well, you get the idea- do it slowly..You will see that it thickens quite readily, but also remember that your seafood has a lot of liquid that will help to thin it down once it is added to the white sauce.( but don't forget it will thicken again if you bake it so you don't want it too thick!)
(Turn your oven on to 325*)
So...this is where you get to taste it and add salt, white ground pepper, celery salt if you like, and some garllic salt or powder. Once it is pretty yummy in flavour, I add the seafood and a cup or more of parmesean cheese ( depending on how much you are making) You could also add some grated other white cheeses, but I find Mozzarella too stretchy when melted...so I usually stick to Parmasean. Simmer for a minute or two. If it is too thick, you can thin with some white wine or more milk.
Spray Pam in your large scallop shells or ramekins and set them on a cookie sheet ,then fill each one to close to the top.
Melt a few tablespoons of butter in the microwave and add it to about a cup of dry bread crumbs that you have also added some parmesean cheese to. Stir up and use this mixture to sprinkle on the top of each filled dish. You can sprinkle with Paprika for colour before popping in the oven for 15 minutes. Don't overbake as they dry out.
Serve with a salad and some fresh warmed baquette and enjoy. If you don't have the ramekins ( little pyrex or french white dishes, then serve it over a bed of rice or some cooked fettucini) If I am serving it over a pasta , I usually add chopped sun-dried tomatoes ( in oil) and some type of green veggie like brocoli florets or nuked aspargus pieces or nuked snow-peas)
This can all be ready in under and hour. Enjoy! Also it can be frozen and reheated in the oven or nuker.
Here is our lunch of Alfredo Bakes and Strawberry Spinach Salad
A close up of the Seafood
The Spinach and Strawberry Salad
Wednesday, March 10, 2004
Sunsail: St Martin Bareboat, St Martin, Caribbean
Sunsail: St Martin Bareboat, St Martin, Caribbean
Check out the Beneteau 50 for a look see at what the Captain is sailing! E's bro and Lor's sis R. were the lucky chosen ones to go along on this trip. They left St Maarten's on Monday and should be out of the bay by now! Lucky dogs!
This would be my dream vacation ....as long as the seas weren't rough!
There are 8 on board and after reading a short recounting of the Captain and his brother's last sailing mission, I am sure they can handle anything. J will man the BBQ! R. will keep them on course if she kerplunks herself on the bow with one of those teeny weeny bikinis! We'll keep you posted if we hear anything...Just think...two weeks of floating around in the heat from port to port. You can check out the maps also that suggest the stopovers...Whahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!
Check out the Beneteau 50 for a look see at what the Captain is sailing! E's bro and Lor's sis R. were the lucky chosen ones to go along on this trip. They left St Maarten's on Monday and should be out of the bay by now! Lucky dogs!
This would be my dream vacation ....as long as the seas weren't rough!
There are 8 on board and after reading a short recounting of the Captain and his brother's last sailing mission, I am sure they can handle anything. J will man the BBQ! R. will keep them on course if she kerplunks herself on the bow with one of those teeny weeny bikinis! We'll keep you posted if we hear anything...Just think...two weeks of floating around in the heat from port to port. You can check out the maps also that suggest the stopovers...Whahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!
Happy Sun Wed
How about that!!! It was almost spring today. I had to go into town for physio on my shoulder.The therapist proceeded to electrocute me part way through the treatment!WHAH!!! Wow! OUCH!!!!
She said she DIDN't crank up the juice to max on the electrode do- ma- jiggies that she had glued onto my shoulder, but I nearly lept right off the bed and she was surprised at my reaction......said I must be a sensitive person, cause she only turned it up one point...Ya-right!
By the time I did a few errands, and returned home it was close to three and there went most of the day. I unloaded the car and put groceries away, quickly vacc'd the suite and then raked up a bit more lawn, filled the bird feeders , grabbed the camera and the dog's leash and headed down to the beach for a long walk in the sun while it was still out. The wind died down and it was a perfect day for walking and taking some more pictures.
I took a dozen of footprints of the various animals' prints on the beach, to send to my grand-daughter...Hermione (she calls herself) so she can identify them as a little game.
Here are a few more shots of the beautiful day here.
Looking towards the Ferry
Maybe this one should be turned upside down!
Here is where the shot came from
She said she DIDN't crank up the juice to max on the electrode do- ma- jiggies that she had glued onto my shoulder, but I nearly lept right off the bed and she was surprised at my reaction......said I must be a sensitive person, cause she only turned it up one point...Ya-right!
By the time I did a few errands, and returned home it was close to three and there went most of the day. I unloaded the car and put groceries away, quickly vacc'd the suite and then raked up a bit more lawn, filled the bird feeders , grabbed the camera and the dog's leash and headed down to the beach for a long walk in the sun while it was still out. The wind died down and it was a perfect day for walking and taking some more pictures.
I took a dozen of footprints of the various animals' prints on the beach, to send to my grand-daughter...Hermione (she calls herself) so she can identify them as a little game.
Here are a few more shots of the beautiful day here.
Looking towards the Ferry
Maybe this one should be turned upside down!
Here is where the shot came from
JTL Ultimate Paint Image Editor Homepage
JTL Ultimate Paint Image Editor Homepage
Take a look at this shareware, or of course, you can purchase it or download an older freeware version. I'll try the shareware and let you know how it is.
Take a look at this shareware, or of course, you can purchase it or download an older freeware version. I'll try the shareware and let you know how it is.
Tuesday, March 09, 2004
Photo Albumn
Froggy Morning out there...
Oh my, can't see across the lake or I should say can't see this edge of the lake...very foggy out there and poor E. has to go to parts east this am over the Kootenay Pass. I hope he can find sunshine above this fog.
It was gorgeous yesterday...took Silk for a walk on the beach after I returned from town. I think I snapped off 120 pics...nothing like a digital! Ok, I am obsessive. here is a sampling:
At the low level of water on shore:
Along the edge of the lagoon:
Tracks across the remaining ice on the lagoon:
A line of cottonwoods that is home to bald eagles:
It was gorgeous yesterday...took Silk for a walk on the beach after I returned from town. I think I snapped off 120 pics...nothing like a digital! Ok, I am obsessive. here is a sampling:
At the low level of water on shore:
Along the edge of the lagoon:
Tracks across the remaining ice on the lagoon:
A line of cottonwoods that is home to bald eagles:
Monday, March 08, 2004
Kootenay Lake
If you look at the lake part of the picture and note the white slabs of snow inthe middle of the lake, that is the sandbar that is slowly becoming exposed due to the drop in the level of the lake. Last year, several boats got hung right up on the sand bar and had to get towed out of there to the tune of a $100.00 for the tugboat, I heard! of course, last year it was sunny and balmy and summer like and people were boating. This year it is still in the dead of winter...
Sunday Photos of Winter
Sunday, March 07, 2004
Good SNOWY Morning...
Winter has returned, just as it did on Friday...yech! I am a little tired of it these days, especially since it was so beautiful on Thursday. I was out in the front yard, raking up the oak leaves and raking the lawn where the snow had melted, and all looked like spring had hit! Friday was a day of a different colour...White! I had made an appointment to go to Physio for my shoulder, so I braved the snow and got the old Mazda on the road. Well, after our two kilometer stretch, the roads were nearly bare for the rest of the trip in, with a few exceptions. By the time I reached town, the snowflakes were the size of marshmallows and I did a once around the block before I found parking at physio...Thinking my car would be buried by the time I got out. An hour later , after Petra chatted and did a few exercises on my shoulder and put those electrical impulses on it for ten minutes, I came out to a totally bare car. It was still snowing like crazy, but it was so wet, that it was melting the minute it hit the car. The roads were another story... Wet and starting to mush up, but not bad, so I stopped off at the mall to pick up more Dap ( a long story there about dapping the crown molding in the suite, only to find out it was clear instead of white) . Coles had a book sale on, so I stocked up on sticker books and kids "think and do" books, then ran into my friend Shar'n and so we had a coffee and a bs.
She is quite a funny character...always upbeat and ready for a laugh. She said she would invite me to the next "Badminton Night" that she and few other gals I know, all go to.
Let's say, it started out to be a " Badminton Night", until her and her friends wound up at the school, rackets and birds in hand and all ready to play and before you know the eager players already at the gym were paring them up, on teams and what not to do battle....Yikers! This was NOT what they were there for...they hadn't even touched a badminton racket since grade ten...never mind playing matches and getting serious here. Before they agreed to anything, Sher'n led them back out the door for a little caucus..."Is this what kind of badminton YOU wanted to play?" she asked her other team members. They all wagged their heads "No-o-o-o-o" because they thought it would be a friendly little social "bat-the birdie" around kind of play and not this serious shit. So what to do...It was still early and there stood the four of them...And Dockers ( pub) was only a few kilometers down the road , so they adjourned there for the balance of the badminton game...And that is apparently where they are all held now!
That is my kind of game!!!
Back to Friday...the snow pretty much quit by the time I left Sher'n and Wal-mart. I decided to forget Avoidism for a minute and to go swimming, even if it was almost three o'clock. It was toonie Friday and the gal still punched my card thereby losing me forty or fifty cents, but I never remembered to pay instead of get the card punched...maybe next Friday if I go.
As it was, J. saw my car parked there and swung by after work. It was good that she joined me for a splash and a few laps. Any little bit of exercise can help either one of us...at least to get the heart rate up and get my shoulder operational again.
Yesterday ( Saturday), daughter S. called to say hello and get us up to speed on kids and all. Mads is in Gymnastics and loving it, and K. was at a guide sleepover with her friend. Both kids got a terrific report card and so, mom and grandma were happy.
S. was picking up her mother-in-law to go up to Nan. for the wedding shower of my neice Deeners. I mailed a parcel off to her last week, so I hope it arrived in time. S. was still going shopping for her, yesterday, before she left. Deener's mom, drove to Kel. on snowy Fri and flew to Nan. for the shower and to see the wedding dress and get approval from the bride on what she will be wearing. So far I bought a pair of shoes and have my cameras ready. I will be doing the photos for the wedding,...not till May22nd, so I have some time to practice!
E. made it home, a tired pup, and spent most of Sat just R&Ring while I finished "Dapping" the crown molding in the suite, and suite bathroom, and garage bathroom. Now, who ever heard of crown molding in the garage bathroom??? We had an ample supply of it! Now, if only I could get the living - room done! I touched up the paint on the molding, in the suite bathroom, and called it a day around 4:00. My neck was broken from looking upwards the whole time.
I popped my favourite old movie in to watch, while I was dapping. It is called Brazil and is a futuristic take on our world. It is totally off the wall, but gives is a good barometer on what we can expect when the beurocracy takes over and you become nothing more than a number and a piece of paper in a file somewhere. God help you if you are accidently declared dead, or dead and still assumed to be living. It is a great movie if you made it through Fargo, Barton Fink, Blue Velvet etc...
Ok, E. is shovelling snow. He was up at 4:30 am, so it feels like noon to him. I will attack the ever growing pile of laundry today. Pics of the white stuff, later. Have a great week-end.
She is quite a funny character...always upbeat and ready for a laugh. She said she would invite me to the next "Badminton Night" that she and few other gals I know, all go to.
Let's say, it started out to be a " Badminton Night", until her and her friends wound up at the school, rackets and birds in hand and all ready to play and before you know the eager players already at the gym were paring them up, on teams and what not to do battle....Yikers! This was NOT what they were there for...they hadn't even touched a badminton racket since grade ten...never mind playing matches and getting serious here. Before they agreed to anything, Sher'n led them back out the door for a little caucus..."Is this what kind of badminton YOU wanted to play?" she asked her other team members. They all wagged their heads "No-o-o-o-o" because they thought it would be a friendly little social "bat-the birdie" around kind of play and not this serious shit. So what to do...It was still early and there stood the four of them...And Dockers ( pub) was only a few kilometers down the road , so they adjourned there for the balance of the badminton game...And that is apparently where they are all held now!
That is my kind of game!!!
Back to Friday...the snow pretty much quit by the time I left Sher'n and Wal-mart. I decided to forget Avoidism for a minute and to go swimming, even if it was almost three o'clock. It was toonie Friday and the gal still punched my card thereby losing me forty or fifty cents, but I never remembered to pay instead of get the card punched...maybe next Friday if I go.
As it was, J. saw my car parked there and swung by after work. It was good that she joined me for a splash and a few laps. Any little bit of exercise can help either one of us...at least to get the heart rate up and get my shoulder operational again.
Yesterday ( Saturday), daughter S. called to say hello and get us up to speed on kids and all. Mads is in Gymnastics and loving it, and K. was at a guide sleepover with her friend. Both kids got a terrific report card and so, mom and grandma were happy.
S. was picking up her mother-in-law to go up to Nan. for the wedding shower of my neice Deeners. I mailed a parcel off to her last week, so I hope it arrived in time. S. was still going shopping for her, yesterday, before she left. Deener's mom, drove to Kel. on snowy Fri and flew to Nan. for the shower and to see the wedding dress and get approval from the bride on what she will be wearing. So far I bought a pair of shoes and have my cameras ready. I will be doing the photos for the wedding,...not till May22nd, so I have some time to practice!
E. made it home, a tired pup, and spent most of Sat just R&Ring while I finished "Dapping" the crown molding in the suite, and suite bathroom, and garage bathroom. Now, who ever heard of crown molding in the garage bathroom??? We had an ample supply of it! Now, if only I could get the living - room done! I touched up the paint on the molding, in the suite bathroom, and called it a day around 4:00. My neck was broken from looking upwards the whole time.
I popped my favourite old movie in to watch, while I was dapping. It is called Brazil and is a futuristic take on our world. It is totally off the wall, but gives is a good barometer on what we can expect when the beurocracy takes over and you become nothing more than a number and a piece of paper in a file somewhere. God help you if you are accidently declared dead, or dead and still assumed to be living. It is a great movie if you made it through Fargo, Barton Fink, Blue Velvet etc...
Ok, E. is shovelling snow. He was up at 4:30 am, so it feels like noon to him. I will attack the ever growing pile of laundry today. Pics of the white stuff, later. Have a great week-end.
