52 Meals, 52 Countries, 52 Weeks - Japan

I'm a bit behind when it comes to blogging right now since my laptop cord decided to die on me. Finding time on my husband's computer when he's not using it and I actually have time is not an easy task. Despite the fact that I haven't been updating, I have been recording our kitchen adventures. Which brings me to...

Japan! This was Tiernan's first country of choice, and I have to say there were no complaints from me. I love everything about Japan - the people, the scenery, the way of life. Just take away the dolphin slaughtering and you have a perfect place. ;)

For our meal we could have made sushi, but that's a regular occurrence around here, so we went with some Udon Noodle Soup, a Wakame Salad and some Pockys for dessert. Originally I wanted to make an adzuki bean dessert, but my local ethnic food store was completely out of them. Soooo, we opted for one of the kids' favourites - Pockys! Unfortunately you can't get any of the fun flavours here in Belleville, but a Pocky is a Pocky. Dinner was definitely a success with all three kids devouring every bit of it. Tiernan loved it all the same, Rhianna loved the salad best and Avery loved the soup best. Those three are always so different from each other. :) I find the flavouring in Japanese food makes me feel awake and alive!

In Japan you typically sit on the floor with your feet tucked under you, in front of a low table. We don't have any such table, so we sat around a games table with the legs down. Haha, not exactly authentic, but it still did the trick. We were very careful when it came to the Japanese dinner rules - like never leaving your chops sticks sitting inside your bowl, and never using them to point at anyone or anything. To eat the soup we read that we were to eat the noodles and mushrooms (etc) with the chopsticks (slurping welcomed!) and then drink the broth. Feet are to be resting under you, and never pointing out at anyone else. With our dinner we served loose leaf green tea and I think this might have been the kids' favourite part. We made sure to follow the Japanese tea customs as well. For instance, you should never ask for a drink. If you would like some tea and no one has served you any, you can fill up everyone else's cups before topping up your own. It is polite to top up anyone's cup if they have room for more tea. If you don't want any more to drink, you simply leave your cup full. It took some getting used to, but by the end of dinner the kids were all serving the whole table. Fun! The only Japanese words we learned for this was "itadakimasu" which they say before eating which means "I receive" and "gochisousamadeshita" at the end of dinner meaning "It was a feast".

Wakame Salad

10 oz dried wakame

4 tbsp rice vinegar

2 tbsp sesame oil

4 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp ginger, grated

1 tsp sugar

2 large cloves garlic, minced

3 green onions, slived

1 tbsp white sesame seeds

1/2 tbsp black sesame seeds

Place the seaweed in a large bowl and cover with water. Soak for 5-6 minutes until it's tender and tripled in size. Drain.

Meanwhile, combine the vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, sugar, garlic and green onions. Stir until the sugar dissolves.

Toss the seaweed with the dressing and let it sit at least 10 minutes allowing the tastes to mingle.

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Udon Noodle Soup

1 package of dried mixed mushrooms

4 slices of ginger

3 cloves garlic, minced

1400 ml of water

2 tsp sugar

1 tsp salt

4 tbsp soy sauce

4 tbsp sherry

4 single serve packs of udon noodles

2 chopped green onions

Mix the mushrooms, ginger, garlic and water in a pot. Bring it to a boil and simmer for about 10-15 minutes until the mushrooms are rehydrated. Add the sugar, soy sauce and sherry and simmer another minute or two.

In the meantime, cook the udon noodles in a separate pot of boiling for 5 minutes. Drain well.

Divide the noodles among the individual bowls. Ladle some of broth into the bowls to cover the noodles. Top with some green onion and serve.

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Pocky! :)

We now have two countries coloured in on our Asian map! Such fun!

Officially back to my normal updating. :)

I've got a few very simple recipes to share from the last couple of weeks, including a slow cooker recipe from today. Whacky Wednesdays are our crazy nights. Last Autumn/Winter/Spring it was Hella Busy Thursdays... and as much as I tried to keep our running around to a minimum this year ... Wednesdays have become.. well, whacky! It's the day that I find practically no time to sit down and rest with my feet up. It's shopping and banking and sorting and shuffling of children to a million and one activities. You know how it goes - everyone has one crazy night of the week! It goes without saying that Wednesdays are our mandatory slow cooker night, and typically so are Tuesdays. They aren't quite as nuts as Whacky Wednesdays, but we are at the dance studio from 5-8:30. Last night, for instance, I made some comforting chili in the slow cooker to bring with us. Mmmmm! Oh, how I love my slow cooker.

Onwards!

Super Crazy Simple Slow Cooked Artichoke Pasta

2 cans Italian seasoned tomatoes, undrained

2 jars artichoke hearts, drained

6 cloves garlic, minced

3/4 cup whipping cream

pasta of your choice

Add the tomatoes, artichoke hearts and garlic to your slow cooker. Cook on low for 5-7 hours. Puree with an immersion blender. Add the cream, stir and keep warm. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Add pasta to the pot, stir well and enjoy!

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Spaghetti Sesame

(from One Bite Won't Kill You.. altered very slightly)

12 oz spaghetti

1/4 cup peanut butter

2 tbsp hot water

8 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp sesame oil

1 tsp vinegar

1 shake cayenne pepper

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup shredded carrots

1/2 cup shredded cucumber

Cook pasta according to package directions. Whisk peanut butter and hot water in a large bowl. Whisk in soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, vinegar, cayenne and garlic. Toss together with pasta and shredded vegetables.

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Delicious Tofu Marinade

1/3 cup soy sauce

2 tsp mustard

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/3 cup oil

2 tbsp peanut butter

2 tbsp ketchup

Whisk everything together and pour over some dry-fried tofu. Marinate for the day and dry fry once more to heat through.

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Italian Tortellini Salad

(trying to replicate the one I get at the Cafe E near the dance studio)

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 cup cold water

1 tsp salt

2 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried basil

freshly ground black pepper

1 package cheese tortellini

3 bell peppers, diced

1/2 long english cucumber, diced

feta cheese, to taste

Mix together the red wine vinegar, cold water, salt, sugar and spices. Toss together with the bell peppers and cucumber.

Cook tortellini to al dente according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop them from over cooking.

Toss the tortellini with the vegetables, sauce and feta cheese and serve!

Back to school and some yummy grub!

Farewell, Summer 2011. You've been good to us (if not a tad bit too warm .. hehe), and we appreciate all you did for us.

The kids headed back to school this morning a ball of nerves and excitement. Avery started grade 7, and when I remember how I was in grade seven, I start to panic a little. Ha! He has the same teacher he had last year and is super pumped about it. Last year he was in a split class, so all of the kids in his sixth grade class are in the same class again this year. Pretty cool for him. This evening he came out to run a couple of errands with me, and it was just the two of us. I caught myself just standing there watching him at times. His maturity level is astounding to me. He offers me help without being asked, he has conversations with me that make me realize he sees things from a more grown up view point. He's spent a lot of time lately talking about his plans for the future - where he wants to go to University, what he wants to study, what kind of life he wants to lead. My Cheeky Charlie is growing up! Sniff, sniff.

Tiernan started grade five today. Five! Even Avery is having a hard time wrapping his head around his little brother being in grade five. Tiernan has a supply teacher right now because his teacher was held up in Africa where she's been building schools over the summer. He enjoyed his supply teacher, loves that most of his closest friends are in his class this year, and can't wait to hear the stories his teacher is sure to bring back with her. He's in a grade 5/6 split which I think will be really good for him because he's a smart cookie, that one. :) I was a bit worried he wouldn't enjoy this year because he had a fantastic teacher last year and really wished he could stay in her class forever, but so far so good. I have my fingers crossed that it will continue being a good year.

Rhianna, like Avery, has the same teacher she had last year. This is a good thing! A very good thing! She has the absolute best teacher my kids have ever had (and they've had some pretty darn good teachers!). At the end of grade 2 (she's in grade 3 now!), he pulled me aside to ask if it was okay for her to be in his class for a second year in a row because he doesn't normally do that and I practically yelled "YES"! He helps her feel excited and happy with school. He's taught her so much - above and beyond the typical school things. I have no doubt in my mind that this will be as great for her as last year was.

Our back to school dinner was deeee-licious! I actually didn't expect it to be because it was sort of an easy meal, but ohhhh my. YUM. I even saved some leftovers for myself. I never do that. Ever! (Okay, only potato dishes... which this is... and lasagna.) I made a potato casserole with cheese and mushrooms (which doesn't look like much, but is so good!), a two cheese salad with homemade croutons, some tofu marinated in Kobe Tamari Garlic sauce and some leftover lemon poppy seed bread that we made in the bread maker yesterday. Mmm mm mmmmm!

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Potato Casserole with Cheese and Mushrooms

3 large baking potatoes, peeled and sliced thinly

1 tsp salt

3 tbsp olive oil

2 cups sliced mushrooms

3/4 cup parmesan cheese

1 onion, thinly sliced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

2 cups shredded mozzarella (or more)

Preheat the oven to 350.

Toss the sliced potatoes with half of the olive oil and half of the salt.

In a separate bowl, toss the mushrooms with the parmesan cheese, onion, garlic, thyme and black pepper and remaining salt.

Grease a casserole dish and layer 1/3 of the potatoes over the bottom of the dish. Top with half of the mushroom mixture and 1/3 of the mozzarella cheese. Repeat with potatoes, mushroom mixture and mozzarella. Top with the last of the potatoes, the last of the mozzarella cheese and the remaining parmesan cheese. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil.

Bake for 40-45 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

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Two Cheese Salad with Croutons

3 thick slices of Texas bread

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp garlic powder

2 tbsp olive oil

1 large romaine lettuce, ripped into bite sized pieces

1 ripe avacado, cut into small pieces

2 tbsp juice from a lemon

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

lots of feta cheese

lots of parmesan cheese

balsamic vinegar

olive oil

Preheat oven to 400.

Cut the bread into cubes, and put them on a baking sheet. Drizzle them with olive oil, and sprinkle them with paprika and garlic powder. Bake 7-8 minutes until crisp.

Toss the avocado with the lemon juice and black pepper. Toss it together with the romaine lettuce, feta cheese, parmesan cheese, and croutons.

Make some basic balsamic vinegar dressing using the ratio of 3 parts olive oil to 1 part balsamic vinegar. Mix well and drizzle over the salad.

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And for a bit of cuteness... awww. These two are best buddies!

Today was bad, but the salad and dancing was great!

Today was a horrible, terrible, awful, bad day! Seriously. Very! I was late taking Tiernan to his matinee and late picking him up. I have NO CLUE how that happened because I am one of those organized-everything-written-down kind of people. That said, if I am dragging my husband along, I tend to be late. It runs in his family! The curse! And if it's important.. not usually late. This play? Hadn't been rushed once! Until today. I could die of embarrassment. For real. If it was possible, I likely would.

Moving on... most of the day sucked. BUT! Tonight we headed out to Marmora for Classic Cruisers. A group of the girls who dance at Angela Maracle Studios put on a beautiful dance parade. I loved it! Nothing beats a poodle skirt! ;) I have a load of photos to upload to Facebook, but for now here are a couple of my girl.

♥

Showing off her Russian! :)

Dinner was on the go tonight. We had pretty much zero time to sit and have dinner, so I made some chickpea salad sandwiches (with some Guyanese curry instead of the dill, and the beans more pureed with a bit more mayo) on the softest onion buns and a delicious salad that I threw together. We ate it in the van on our hour long ride to Marmora. Fun. At least the scenery was pretty! Tiernan ate the salad and sandwich at the house of some friends of ours - huge thanks to them for letting him hang out and getting him to Oz on time for the first time today! :P

Craisin-Almond-Feta Salad

4-5 cups baby spinach

1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted for 5-7 minutes in the oven

1/2 cup craisins

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

1/2 thinly sliced red onion

3 tbsp red wine vinegar

3 tbsp olive oil

4 tsp honey

1 tsp coarse Dijon mustard

salt and pepper, to taste

Mix the vegetables, craisins, almonds, and cheese in a bowl. In a separate small bowl, mix together the vinegar, oil, honey, mustard and salt & pepper. Combine well. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss well to coat.

An epic fail becomes an epic win!

This weekend had been full of rich, delicious, delightful food. MMmmm.

I was supposed to make some pumpkin chocolate chip muffins (adapted a bit from Vegan with a Vengeance) on Friday night, but as I went to measure out my cane sugar I was 1/4 cup short. That was enough to make me decide I should wait and make them the next day. Haha. So after getting our three paper routes done (last day for one of those routes!) and taking a little nap (love!), I whipped them up so they were cool enough to enjoy when we got back from our library and work (mine) visits.

Dinner last night was so amazingly good. I made the Lentil Mushroom Sliders from Chez Cayenne with only a couple of small changes, along with a Mediterranean Pepper Salad that I found on Eat Me, Delicious that I only tweaked slightly, and some yam fries. Can you say yum? Yeah, I thought so.

Since it was date night in, I decided to use up the leftover canned pumpkin I had from the muffins and made a Chocolate Pumpkin Pudding Cake from Vegan Dad that I'd been meaning to try for months now. The kids gobbled up all the leftovers for dessert after dinner tonight. Haha.

Tonight I started out making a pasta I found in a Vegetarian Times magazine, but it was an epic fail, so I completely morphed it into something incredibly satisfying. The kids couldn't get enough of it, and Tiernan named it Pasta Sauciola. :) We had the pasta with a piece of whole wheat toast and some leafy greens.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

1 3/4 cups flour

1 1/4 cups sugar

1 tbsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp ground allspice

1/8 tsp ground cloves

1 cup pureed pumpkin (fresh or from a can)

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 tbsp molasses

1 cup mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375. Lightly spray a dozen muffin cups (it made 18 for me) with cooking spray.

Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice and cloves. In a separate bowl, mix together the pumpkin, milk, vegetable oil and molasses. Mix the two together and combine it well. Add the chocolate chips.

Fill muffin cups two thirds full. Bake for 18-20 minutes.

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Lentil Mushroom Sliders

2 tbsps olive oil

1 cup onion, finely diced

4 oz cremini mushrooms, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup green lentils, washed

2 cups vegetable broth, divided

1/2 cup quinoa

1/3 cup walnuts

2/3 cup rolled oats

2 tbsp ground flax seed

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp sage

1/2 tsp oregano

1/4 tsp thyme

1/4 tsp salt

Heat oil in a saucepan. Add the onion and cook 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook another 5 minutes. Add garlic and saute another 30 seconds. Stir in the lentils and one cup of vegetable broth. Bring to a low boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 30 minutes until the liquid is absorbed and the lentils are tender.

In a small saucepan, heat the second cup of vegetable broth with the quinoa. Bring to a low boil, reduce heat, cover and cook 15 minutes until quinoa soaks up the broth.

Pulse the walnuts in a food processor until they become powdery (works best with frozen walnuts). Transfer to a medium sized bowl and add the oats, flax seed, soy sauce, spices and salt. When the quinoa has been cooked, add that to the bowl as well.

When the lentils are cooked, pulse gently in a food processor leaving it quite chunky. Add to the bowl with the rest of the ingredients.

Form the mixture into small slider sized patties and cook on an indoor grill.

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Mediterranean Pepper Salad

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 cup cold water

1 tsp salt

2 tsp sugar

1/2 red onion, diced finely

3 bell peppers, diced (I used orange, red and green)

3 roma tomatoes, diced

3 baby cucumbers, diced

1/4 lb feta cheese

salt and pepper, to taste

In a glass measuring cup, mix together the vinegar, cold water, salt and sugar. Leave it out for a bit until the salt and sugar dissolves. Cut up the red onion and put it in the dressing to soften and sweeten.

Chop up the rest of the veggies, and put them in a bowl. Add the feta cheese. Remove the onions from the dressing and add to the bowl. Now add 1/4 - 1/2 cup of dressing over the vegetables. Season with salt and pepper.

It can be served immediately, or chilled for a while to let the flavours mingle.

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Chocolate Pumpkin Pudding Cake

1 cup flour

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup cane sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp allspice

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 cup pureed cooked pumpkin

2 tbsp milk

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup cane sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1 1/2 cups boiling water

1 tbsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350. Get a few cups of water boiling.

In one bowl, mix together the flour, brown sugar, cane sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and ginger.

In a separate bowl, combine the pumpkin, milk, oil. Mix the two bowls together. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Place in an 8x8 pan sprayed with cooking oil.

Mix together the brown sugar, cane sugar and cocoa powder. Pour it over the top of the pan. Pour 1 1/2 cups boiling water over the top, but do not stir. Add the vanilla.

Cook for 40-45 minutes until the top is cracked and firm. Let it cool for a bit before serving.

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Pasta Sauciola

450g spaghetti, split in two thirds

cooking spray

4 cups vegetable broth

1 1/2 cups water

1 large can tomato paste

1 tsp red chilies

1/8 tsp saffron threads

1 tsp basil

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

2 tbsp olive oil

4 oz cremini mushrooms

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

5 cups spinach, roughly chopped

4 oz cream cheese

2 cups mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350.

Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and add the spaghetti noodles. Spray top lightly with cooking spray. Cook the spaghetti noodles for 5-7 minutes, shaking the tray a couple of times to toast evenly.

In a medium sized saucepan, bring water, vegetable broth, tomato paste, chilies, saffron, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper to a boil. Turn the heat to low and simmer, keeping it warm.

In a large pot, heat the olive oil. Add the mushrooms and cook for 5-7 minutes, until browned. Add the garlic and stir another 30 seconds. Add 3 cups of broth, and cook until the liquid has absorbed. Add the rest of the broth mixture, the chickpeas and the spinach. Cover, and cook until most of the liquid has absorbed, and the spaghetti is cooked. Add some more broth if needed. Add the cream cheese and mozzarella cheese, and stir until thoroughly melted.

Mushroom Fettucine & Spinach Salad

I have been cooking with a lot of sherry lately, and I have to say that I just love the flavour it adds to certain dishes. I buy actual sherry vs. the cooking sherry, so it's a bonus since we can also drink it. ;)

Tonight I made a Rachael Ray pasta dish (with sherry!) and a spinach salad that I got from my friend Jill's blog (who got it from a friend of ours, Amanda).

Mushroom Tetrazzini

1 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp butter

1 lb white mushrooms, thinly sliced

1 tsp dried thyme (or 2 tbsp fresh thyme)

salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

5-6 large garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup sherry

1 cup cream

1/2 freshly grated nutmeg

1 cup parmesan cheese

1 cup peas (I used some I got at the farmer's market - yum!)

1 box fettucine noodles

Cook the pasta according to package directions.

Meanwhile, melt the butter and oil together and add the mushrooms and thyme. Cook for 10-12 minutes until the mushroom are golden. Add the garlic and season with salt and pepper. Add the sherry and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the cream and nutmeg. Add 1/2 cup of starchy water from the cooking pasta and the peas. Bring to a boil and simmer for a few minutes until the peas are cooked. Stir in the parmesan and noodles and toss to coat.

Spinach Salad

4-5 cups of spinach

1/2 cup sliced dried apricots

1/2 cup craisins

1/2 cup slivered almonds

1/2 cup feta cheese (but we didn't have any so I used mozza)

dressing:

3 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp honey

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tbsp poppy seeds

salt and pepper, to taste

Blend the lemon juice, honey, olive oil, poppy seeds and salt and pepper in a food processor. Pour over the rest of the ingredients and toss to mix.

A cheesy beer risotto? Oh yes, indeed!

I made a very interesting risotto from my Moosewood: Simple Suppers cookbook! It's called a rarebit risotto... not a typical risotto, but the beer and cheddar cheese was a really yummy combination. I also dry-fried some tofu and marinated it in a sweet and sour marinade from the same cookbook. They tasted great, but I definitely didn't see it as "sweet and sour". Not my perception of it at any rate. I also baked some savory cheese biscuits that I mentioned before (which I love) and a baby spinach and apple salad with a sweet red wine vinegar dressing from La Dolce Vegan. Not my favourite dressing, but Kyle and Rhianna loved it.

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Rarebit Risotto

1 quart vegetable broth

1 tbsp olive oil

1 1/2 cups arborio rice

1 1/2 cups beer (I used a Creemore Springs lager)

3 cups chopped broccoli

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

4 cups loosely packed grated cheddar cheese

heavy sprinkling of freshly ground black pepper

In a saucepan, bring the broth to a boil and then simmer.

In a large, heavy saucepan, heat the oil over med heat. Add the rice and stir to coat in oil. Add the beer, and stir until the beer is absorbed. Once the beer has absorbed start adding the broth a cup at a time, waiting until the liquid is absorbed before adding more.

While the risotto is cooking, steam the broccoli until it is still bright green, but tender. (Just a warning.. if you reheat it like I did, the broccoli will lose some of that bright green colour.) Set aside.

When the last of the broth is absorbed, the rice should be al dente and the risotto moist. Add the mustard and cheese, and stir until combined. Stir in the broccoli and black pepper and serve hot.

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Sweet and Sour Marinade for Tofu (but not to s&s-y!)

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tbsp dark sesame oil

3 tbsp soy sauce

2 tsp fresh ginger root, minced

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tbsp vinegar

1 tbsp maple syrup

Mix it all together!

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Sweet Red Wine Vinaigrette

3 tbsp apple cider vinegar

3 tbsp red wine vinegar

1/4 tsp paprika

1 tbsp maple syrup

1/4 cup flax oil

1/4 cup olive oil

Mix it all together, and keep it in the fridge with a lid until ready to use.

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And just for the cuteness factor....

My boy and his baby. ♥

My girl and her baby. ♥

Have I ever mentioned that I have the best kids in the world? I really do.

Garlic, garlic, garlic!!!

My mouth is pretty much on fire, and I'm sure the rest of my family is the same. Not a complaint from them, though! We are garlic lovers in this house. If you aren't a fan of strong garlic flavour.. this blog post is not for you. If you, like us, cannot get enough garlic... dig in to this super easy and delicious meal!

I made a garlicky pasta (the original is from How it all Vegan, but I changed it a bit) and served it with a caesar-esque salad using this creamy garlic dressing.

Garlicky Pasta

1 box spaghetti

2 tbsp olive oil

15 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup fresh parsley, minced

1 tsp chopped red chilies

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

4 tbsp flax oil

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Cook the spaghetti noodles according to package directions.

Cook the minced garlic, minced parsley, chopped red chilies, salt and pepper in the olive oil until tender. Set aside.

Once the noodles are cooked, toss with the olive oil/garlic mixture, the flax oil and the parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

Sometimes you just need comfort food!

As I mentioned earlier, we caught Stonewall! It took him quite a while to relax in the cage, but he is now curled up and sleeping in a bed that Kyle made for him (out of the Erdinger box you see in the photo). It's pretty cold out there right now, and very rainy. I worry about him being by himself, but we haven't seen Shadow around at all today. I'm not sure if that's because he's too cold and small - smaller than Stonewall, so he's sleeping the cold and rainy days away. Or, he could have been caught by some cat or crow. It's also possible that he got too cold overnight. Or maybe Stonewall is warning him away from our yard after having been caught. I wish I knew the answer to where he is. I keep hoping he'll show up and I'll put him in the cage with his brother (or sister... whichever the case may be). Tonight Stonewall will be spending the night in our garage in the cage. Apparently it's better to keep them somewhere that still feels the change in temperature so that they can get used to it. I worry about him, though.

On my dinner menu I had a Thai Salad from a Moosewood cookbook that I don't have (but found online). My friend Kim mentioned it recently and I just had to have it. She was right about the garlic in it! Very strong, but oh so good! I'm glad Kyle ate it along with me or I wouldn't be getting any kisses for the rest of the night. ;) Anyway, back to the menu. I was planning on making it with the tofu it called for and serving it with a side of leftover potato chips. Instead, I had an emotional weekend and was craving comfort food like you wouldn't believe! I wanted creamy and heavy and warm. I fought the urge to go out and eat... and was quite cranky about it. And then I remembered that I had a container of whipping cream that I bought to go with the fudge brownie, but ended up opting for ice cream instead. And what's my favourite thing to do with whipping cream? Fettucine Alfredo, of course! This is the same way we've been making it since we were living in Paris in 1998/99. It's so easy to make, and everyone in the family loves it.

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Thai Salad Dressing

6 tbsp natural peanut butter

1 cup boiling water

3 cloves garlic, minced

4 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 tbsp sugar

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp crushed red chilies

juice of 1/2 a lemon

Mix the peanut butter in the boiling water until it's dissolved. Add the remaining ingredients. Store in the fridge until ready to use.

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Fettucini Alfredo

1 box fettucini noodles (we usually use spinach, but used cracked black pepper today since that's all we had)

6 tbsp butter

6-8 cloves garlic, minced (amount depending on size)

350 ml whipping cream

salt and pepper, to taste

Cook the noodles according to package directions.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small saucepan. Once melted, add the garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes being careful not to brown the garlic. Add the whipping cream and bring to a boil. Lower the temperature, add salt and pepper to taste and simmer until the pasta is finished, stirring often.

Once the pasta has been cooked and drained, return to the pot. Add the whipping cream mixture. Cover the pot with a lid and let it sit for 5-10 minutes until it thickens a little bit.

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And now I'm off to watch the season finale of Survivor with the family!

My new favourite soup!

I found the most amazing soup on Eat Me, Delicious. I discovered her blog a while ago, and have found a few recipes on there that I plan on making. She got this recipe from someone else who got it from someone else, etc etc. Whoever originally came up with the recipe is my new best friend because I loved this soup. LOVED! I adore mushrooms, immensely. My daughter, Rhianna, doesn't like mushrooms. No, she loathes mushrooms. She also doesn't really like soup very much. But this soup? She gobbled it up as quick as she could and asked if we could have it on the menu next week. Can you say winning recipe?! I didn't even tweak it too much, either.

I served the soup with a spinach salad topped with roasted garlic honey mustard dressing that I got from the Moosewood Low-Fat cookbook, and half of a sesame Montreal bagel.

Hungarian Mushroom Soup

1 tbsp butter

2 tbsp olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

1/2 lb white button mushrooms, sliced

1/2 lb cremini mushrooms, sliced

1 1/2 tsp dried dill weed

1 tbsp paprika

1 tbsp Bragg's (but any soy sauce would do)

2 1/2 cups vegetable broth

1 cup milk

3 tbsp all prupose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

juice of 1 lemon

1/2 cup sour cream

Melt butter over medium heat with the olive oil in a large pot. Add the mushrooms and onions and cook for about 10 minutes until they have released most of their juices. Add the dill, paprika, Bragg's and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes.

Whisk the milk and flour in a separate bowl. Pour into the soup pot and stir well. Cover and simmer for another 15 minutes.

Add the salt, pepper, lemon juice and sour cream, blend well, and heat through.

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Roasted Garlic Honey Mustard Dressing

2 heads of garlic

2 tbsp Dijon mustard

1 1/2 tbsp mild honey (I used clover honey and it was great)

3 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup unsweetened apple juice

1/4 tsp salt

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

First, preheat the oven to 350. Cut the tops off the two heads of garlic and put them in an unoiled pan. Add a tbsp of water to the bottom of the pan and cover tightly with foil. Cook for about 45 minutes until the cloves are soft.

Once the cloves have cooled a bit, squeeze out the garlic into a blender. Add the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth. Tightly cover, and it can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

From spicy to sweet.

What a day, but I am happy to report, I made it through. Our busy Saturdays will soon be over.. what are we going to do with ourselves then? Oh, that's right! Relax, work on the house, work on the yard and go exploring. Oh yes, indeed!

Highlights from today:

-It was absolutely glorious weather. The sun was so bright and warm and everyone was smiling from ear to ear. Gorgeous!

-Rhianna got bowler of the year for the Peewees at our bowling alley.

-We had time for bike rides and playing in the yard.

-Some of my plants are sprouting and all my bushes and trees have buds. I even have one tiny little pink flower open.

-Avery played an INCREDIBLE game of soccer with the rest of his team (Go, Red!) and made it to the final match! That's from being in fifth place out of six. Yahoooo!

-A delicious slow cooker dinner of Jamaican Red Bean Stew (Kyle's favourite) ready for us to eat after our long day.

-A trip to Zwicks Park to play and walk down by the water in the last light of the day. It was breathtaking out there, and we discovered the perfect place to have a picnic. And loons! There were loons!

-DATE NIGHT IN! We're going to eat some Apple Ginger Crisp and finally watch 'Black Swan'. Saturdays evenings are the best.

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And now for the scrumptious recipes of the day. I originally got the Jamaican Red Bean Stew from Savvy and changed it to our liking. I served it with a big chunk of organic sourdough bread (store bought) and a spinach/carrot/sugar snap peas/broccoli sprout salad with a Honey Ginger dressing that I got from the Rebar cookbook. This was our first time trying this dressing and it was so good. Very fresh and light. It complimented the sweet and spicy stew perfectly. Yummy. And for our Date Night snack - Ginger Apple Crisp from Moosewood's Book of Desserts. I changed the recipe up a bit, so I'll put my version on here. Kyle got my apple peeler/corer/slicer up and running for the first time and let me tell you - it is pure awesomeness! Love it.

Jamaican Red Bean Stew

1 tbsp olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups baby carrots, sliced

3 green onions, sliced

1 sweet potato, diced into small cubes

15oz can diced tomatoes, drained

3 tsp curry powder

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

1/4 tsp ground allspice

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/2 tsp salt

1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 can unsweetened coconut milk, well mixed (shake it!)

2 cups vegetable broth

Pour the oil into the slow cooker and set it on high. Add the garlic and put the lid on to cook.

Add the carrots, scallions, sweet potato and tomatoes. Stir in the curry powder, thyme, red pepper flakes, allspice, salt and pepper. Add the beans, coconut milk and broth. Mix well.

Cook on LOW for 6-8 hours. (Don't forget to change it to low after having it on high with the garlic.)

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Honey Ginger Dressing

45g ginger root, minced

2 tbsp fresh ginger juice (I used a juicer, but if you don't have one, use a garlic press)

2 tbsp honey

5 tbsp rice vinegar

1/8 tsp ground white pepper

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup vegetable oil

Add all of the ingredients except for the oil to a food processor and process until smooth. Add the oil and slowly mix.

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Ginger Apple Crisp

Fruit Layer:

6 cups apples, peeled, cored and sliced thin

cane sugar (a few tbsps)

juice from one lemon

Topping:

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/3 cup honey

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 ground ginger

2 cups rolled oats

1 cup ginger snap cookie crumbs (take the cookies, put them in a ziplock and crush them with a rolling pin until they become crumbs)

Preheat oven to 350.

Layer the apples in a non-oiled 9x13 pan. Mix with the lemon juice and sprinkle with cane sugar.

Melt the butter and place it in a large bowl. Add the honey, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. Stir well to combine.

Add the rolled oats and ginger snap cookie crumbs to the large bowl. Stir well.

Add the crumb/oat mixture to the top of the apples. Tap it down. Cook for 35-45 minutes until golden brown.

Serve warm with some vanilla ice cream.

NOT a Soup Monday??

So, you're probably looking at that picture and wondering what the heck happened to my Soup Monday. I know.. that doesn't look like soup, does it? Well, you're right. It's not even close to soup. One of the downfalls to being as obsessive as I am and making my menu a month or more in advance (*coughcrazycough*) is that you forget when a menu item was supposed to be done in a slow cooker. Today's soup? It was a slow cooker recipe. I didn't realize that until this afternoon when I went to start chopping vegetables to make said soup. Seeing as I didn't have 8 hours for it to slow cook, I had to change the menu up. So this week, it will be Soup Tuesday. First it was Slow Cooker Sunday and now Soup Tuesday?? What is the world coming to?!

Now that we've cleared the air about that, let me talk to you about my truly decadent dinner. The pasta is a recipe I got from Jamie Oliver a long time ago. It's purely sinful. All creams and fats and so not good for you... but also insanely delicious. I mean... so. so. so. good! And easy, too (which really worked out for me today)! We also had lots left over for Kyle's lunches. He likes leftovers - he's strange like that. I served the pasta with a simple salad (romaine, carrots, red pepper.. it looks florescent in the photographs... drab day) with a classic french dressing I got from The Mediterranean Vegan Kitchen and a store bought baguette.

Linguine with Spinach, Mascarpone and Parmesan

1 lb linguine

1 tbsp olive oil

2 tsp butter

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 nutmeg, freshly grated

2 cups baby spinach

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup creme fraiche

1 3/4 cups mascarpone cheese

2 handfuls grated parmesan

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook pasta according to directions. Meanwhile, in a pan or wok, melt butter with oil, nutmeg, and garlic. Add the spinach and cook for 5 minutes until the spinach is a nice dark green colour. Season with salt and pepper, add the cream, mascarpone and a little ladle of the cooking liquid from the pasta. Let it simmer and season again.

Drain pasta, reserving some cooking water. Stir the pasta into the spinach sauce. Add some cooking water if it is too thick. Add parmesan and toss together.

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Classic French Dressing

4 tsp olive oil

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1/2 tsp Dijon mustard

1 small garlic clove, minced

salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl, mix and serve.