Yummy Food Week or Leftovers Beget More Leftovers

Tuesday saw me with medium enthusiasm for making dinner. My better half was not going to be with us and I had enjoyed a good size lunch. However, the starving teenager, always ensures that the responsibility for providing is somehow completed. He too was looking for lite fare because of a big lunch. I popped into the Superstore for staples of milk and eggs and noticed that the BBQ chickens were just coming out of the roaster. I thought for $6.99 and hot off the bricks, I likely could cobble together something that would pass as lite fare. My mission was set on course when the request came in for chicken nachos. There was leftover bits of green onions, re-fried beans, salsa, sour cream and cheese from the Huevos Rancheros from the day before. And so the chicken nachos were born. No matter how dressed you make those nachos I doubt you could use all the meat that comes from one of those little poultry fellas. So I was now doomed for more leftovers. And this is not always a sad fate. Also, being one that has a genetic predisposition to anything recessionary in nature, I had taken my stripped down chicken carcass and transformed it into a rich stock for a future purpose. A purpose that would soon reveal itself. Much like Sudoku and crosswords, the challenge that comes with leftovers really does keep your mind young and active. Now the question before me was, What will Wednesday's dinner be?"

As luck would have it, Tuesday's trip to the Superstore also yielded a 50% off large veggie platter. Again, I was playing to my medium interest in preparing food and the platter seemed like a reasonable deal as the dip at least was good for another 3 weeks. And so the broccoli, when freshened up, went to school lunches and the carrots and celery cried out to me that, matched with the leftover chicken, they would be the perfect thing for Chicken Pot Pie. And how right those carrots and celery were, since I also had leftover white wine and whipping cream in sparse enough quantities. Say nothing of the 10 lbs of potatoes waiting in storage that were purchased for a mere $2.50 for Easter dinner. (I bought 20 pounds! I know, what was I thinking?). Thankfully there was a puff pastry tucked away in the freezer as a hold over from great Christmas hors d'œuvres plans. With just 2 hours until dinner time, I went for the quick thaw method on the counter. I only needed half of the puff pastry but at least I knew I could use up all the chicken, carrots, celery, white wine, whipping cream and some of the potatoes. And voilà, here is my Chicken Pot Pie!



The recipe for Chicken Pot Pie can be found at
http://www.canadianliving.com/food/chicken_pot_pie.php

Thursdays dinner agenda was a bit more purposeful. I had come across a recipe recently called Puff Pastry Pissaladière. Lucky me to have leftover puff pastry! And who doesn't have lots of onions. So by picking up some Gruyère cheese and olives this dish could be mine! We happened to have anchovy paste on hand and that completed the Southern France culinary experience so native to Provence. Although it was quite delightful, I think I prefer the more focaccia style crust that I have enjoyed with other recipes. This would make for a great little appetizer or amuse bouche, as it is rich.



The recipe for Puff Pastry Pissaladière can be found at
http://www.canadianliving.com/food/puff_pastry_pissaladiere.php

As your eyes descend on the plate of Indian dishes below, you will see that this is where my story of leftovers seems to start to falter. But if you know anything about sourdough starters, you might have an idea as to where I am headed. Friday at 1:00 pm I get that frantic phone call informing me that many teenagers are about arrive in close to 4 hours and the expectation has been set for an Indian dining experience. Knowing that I am about 150 days away from an empty nest, I know the only answer is a resounding "YES, THAT WOULD BE GREAT!" And knowing that I am strapped for time, I can't even afford the extra 3.5 minutes to drive to the Superstore. It must be the Carlingwood Loblaws for this run. After a full review of the pantry my list is down to chicken for thousands, diced tomatoes, basmati rice, ginger, mushrooms, naan, yogurt, roma tomatoes, cilantro, and cucumber. A deal had been struck that I would shop and prep but I was not doing the cooking. The chicken was quickly marinating and the raita is put together to develop its flavours. Then the chopping. Lots and lots of chopping. As part of the team of Canada's future leaders trickle in, each takes a recipe and teams with a friend to do their part in the assembly. It was poetry in motion. As the tandoori chicken and warmed naan come in from the barb-b-que, the timer goes off signalling the completion of the rice dish. In the true form of the fishes and loaves story, all were well-fed and there was still food abound.



The recipe for Cool Cucumber Raita was one I found originally in one of my Weber BBQ cookbooks.

CURRIED VEGETABLES
Source: Canadian Living Food Magazine 822

1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tbsp ginger root, chopped finely
3 Clove Garlic, minced, (1 tablespoon)
1/2 cups Onions, chopped finely
1 tsp Cumin, Ground
1/2 tsp Turmeric
1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
14 oz Canned Tomatoes
14 oz Potatoes, drained and diced
14 oz Peas

In large saucepan heat oil until it spatters when a drop of water is added. Cook ginger and garlic until soft; add onion and cook until lightly browned. Add spices and cook for several minutes longer. Stir in tomatoes, breaking them up with a spoon.

Cook over very high heat, stirring constantly, until liquid has almost evaporated. Drain and dice potatoes; add to saucepan, stirring to coat with curry mixture. Add peas and enough of their liquid to make a thick gravy.

Reduce heat and cook gently until vegetables are heated through. Serves 4.

CURRIED BASMATI RICE

1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp Butter
1 Onions, medium, chopped
1 Garlic clove, minced
1/2 cups Mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cups Peas
1/2 Red Peppers, chopped
3/4 tsp Salt
1 1/4 tsp Curry Powder
1 cups Basmati Rice
1 3/4 cups Water
2 tbsp Slivered Almonds, Toasted (optional)

In a medium saucepan, sauté onion and garlic in oil and butter for several minutes. Add curry powder and vegetables and sauté briefly.

Add salt and water and bring to boil. Add rice, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Add almonds during last 5 minutes if desired. Serves 4.

TANDOORI CHICKEN
Source: Sharwood's Tandoori Mix

We have always made this over the BBQ. Sharwood's suggests serving this hot or cold with green salad and lemon wedges. I only use half the oil called for in order to cut down on the fat. And I do not use the melted butter when barbecuing. As well, I use skinned, deboned chicken breasts - its a treat - less fat, less work.

24 ounces chicken breast half, skinned
3 teaspoons Sharwood's Tandoori Barbecue Marinade powder, heaped
2 tablespoons Vinegar
2 tablespoons Lemon Juice
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons Yogurt, plain, optional
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon Salt

Prepare the marinade: Blend together 3 heaped teaspoons of Sharwood's Tandoori Mix with 2 tablespoons each of vinegar, lemon juice and oil, and natural yogurt if desired.

Remove the skin from 4 chicken quarters and make cuts in the flesh, almost to the bone. Pour 2 tablespoons of lemon juice over the chicken, rub in 1 teaspoon of salt. Coat with the Tandoori Marinade rubbing well into the cuts. Cover and let marinate for at least 4 hours in a cool place, turning from time to time. Before cooking, shake off excess marinade, pour on a little melted butter and barbecue or grill for 10 to 15 minutes each side. Serves 4.

***

And so here we sit Saturday, with dinner just hours away, wondering what will be for dinner tonight. The fridge reveals a number of containers storing the 'harvest' of the Indian meal and with careful attention to reheating, we will be returning to New Delhi or Mumbai for a second night of feasting. On and on goes the story of our week of leftovers and 'moving things along'.

Chicken Pot Pie

I picked up some chicken thighs yesterday at the Read Canadian Super Store in Westboro. I think they were $4.41/kg. Not sure if that is good but it seemed like I could make a lot of meal for the $6.00 package. I decided to make Chicken Pot Pie since I also had puff pastry I could move along. And the recipe would also make short order of my last few carrots, sticks of celery and some potatoes. I love moving things along! The recipe is simple but does create a bit of a wow for something that is in the comfort food category and more about soothing than culinary prowess. I found the recipe on the Canadian Living website and it has been through the paces of the Canadian Living Test Kitchen. I do like that kitchen as it has never failed me. So if you find yourself with some of these ingredients and needing an idea, Chicken Pot Pie is just the thing to move it along.

http://www.canadianliving.com/food/chicken_pot_pie.php

I ended up barbecuing the 8+ thighs and using cooked meat in the recipe. It just seemed to me that it would make the meat easier to handle since it was bone in and skin on. That worked just fine. I then used all the bones, etc for making a chicken stock and that has yielded me 15 cups of yummy flavours for another day. My experience isn't quite nose to hoof, or whatever that saying is, but I think I did well with my $6.00 worth of chicken. Now if I could just remember to take a picture next time.

How Do You Decide The Rest Of Your Life?

My days of 'parenthood' are numbered. 66 days until he is 18. 92 days until school is done. And something like 166 days until the Fall Term begins for first year university. The offers are coming in and in order to keep his options open, he cast his net wide when it came to applying to programs. So far, all five letters have been offers. He still waits for 4 more. I have no idea how he will decide. In general, the theme is engineering but the discipline varies. How will he decide? Every school is very different in its own right. Differentiated by size, campus setting, pedigree, diversity of the student population and history. How will he decide? In some ways, this is close to one of the biggest decisions of his life. Where he goes will dictate who will be taking that journey with him and potentially who could become his life long friends. How will he decide?

You've Got Mail!

It is the digital age. Information and communication coming at us from all directions.

My laptop sits at the kitchen table while I work on a special project. Pulling myself from the monotony of the cluttered office setting is going to help my creativity or so I have dictated. Every once in a while I leave my seat to attend to the other parts of my life.

Having the laptop on the main floor for the past little while means I regularly hear that 'bong' so infamous with the arrival of a new piece of e-mail. It is a curiousity for me that I don't seem to be attuned to it emotionally. Some might want to dash to its beckoning call. But that slight reverberating sound in C Major can't conjure up a reaction in me. Maybe too much spam has clouded those long ago moments of anticipation.

It is now 12:35 pm and the Pavlovian feeling that the noon time does evoke in me is purely old-fashioned. Before long I will hear the drop of the heavy cast aluminum lid of my mail box just outside the front door and I will run to see what treasures await.

Now THAT is a sound I do like. One I wait for, and wait for, and wait for.....

Metal on metal, bellowing out to me "You've Got Mail!"

Potty Mouth Chef Leaves A Bad Taste

I follow a number of chefs on Twitter that have fine establishments here in Ottawa. My expectation is that they are using Twitter to sell their restaurants by giving a bit of a glimpse into their work experience. This is by no means a private experience for them. It is an extension of their marketing.

And so here is the rub. One of the chefs I follow on Twitter commonly interjects potty mouth commentary which I find just doesn't sit well with the idea of fine dining. I have quite a list of places that I want to try this year. I feel our tastes are discerning and our cash be reserved for the finest. So far we have ventured to Eighteen, The Black Bistro, Fraser's Cafe, The Urban Pear, and Allium, to name a few. I have considered putting potty mouth's restaurant on our list but I fear his crusty language is holding me back. I don't want to feel like I am having a culinary experience straight from the tar sands.

Interestingly, before the days of Twitter, I am sure I could have easily gone to this Market-area restaurant and never had a whiff of the blue language. I may have been settled into the contentment of the wait staff, the decor and the good food. But with a menu that creeps as high as $35 for a main, I want to live in the fantasy that part of the package is someone running the kitchen that has a solid command of the English language that doesn't require him to profess a lack of capable vocabulary to convey a thought, feeling or idea. So no, I don't want to hear such nuggets as..
* "I admire the efficiency of mcdonalds. But obviously the food is inedible shit."
* "I want to change my menu. It's like waiting for fucking Christmas."
* "broke a geoduck tonight, and served it to [name removed]. Its decent with yuzu and shallots. Those fuckers are nasty to clean."
* "On TV tomorrow. Something about chocolate. What the fuck should I do?"
* "[name removed] pimps the shit out of yet another beet salad. [twitpic link removed]"

Maybe I am being a snob, but the chef's constant use of profanity is leaving a bad taste in my mouth.

Lawrence Hill, Author of The Book of Negros

I attended a book reading, interview and book signing last night. The center of attention was Lawrence Hill, renowned author of The Book of Negros. And as Lawrence read one of his many moving passages from this book, I felt the cadence of his voice call up the image of Maya Angelou of all people. Perhaps it was the softness of his voice and the tenderness of his carefully chosen words. I don't know if Lawrence Hill has ever written poetry but that undulating passage, made me think that he could. I only wish that I had told you sooner to be at the Museum of Civilization at 7:00 pm on Wednesday, February 10th. Because I can't imagine that where you were at that time could have been better.

Suicide, Your Final Bow

British fashion designer, Alexander McQueen, was found dead today at the age of 40. By all accounts, it appears that he took is own life. Suicide represents an act of eliminating the complete and utter pain that comes with living. One wonders if there is ever a way to offer hope to someone so distressed that they see but one solution - the ultimate end. How many funerals have you heard of where the church is filled to capacity and overflowing? The volume of outpouring at the time of death is sometimes misconstrued as the measure of a man. If you were to leave this earth today, who would come to honour you? If you think no one, then maybe you will choose your final bow. But the measure of a man and whether he needs to stay here and finish his life's work, is really quite a simple formula. In fact, only one person needs to weep inconsolably for his loss. And if you know this to be true, then stay. It is your sign that you still have so much more to do. Please, choose to stay and witness a better day.

Why Am I Hiding in Hollywood?

Some people kill off the cold days of winter doing puzzles or crosswords. This year, it seems I have drifted to movies. The irony is that I have a very hard time keeping my attention span through the entire length of a cinematic creation. One day I gave myself permission to go to the movies by myself and to not feel insignificant about it. In fact, there is actually nothing terribly social about sitting in the dark theatre with someone beside you that you usually don't touch in public and for sure someone that you won't be talking to during the event. So does it really matter if the person beside me is a total stranger? I don't think so. I treat myself to movies under the following possible conditions:
1) I have worked very hard on a goal and want to reward myself with a little break for a few hours.
2) The members of the household are already occupied with their own activities and I am without a plan.
3) It is a time when movies are very cheap - Tuesdays or the morning (Rainbow Cinema $2!!). Of course the Bytowne Cinema seems cheap all the time at $6 for members.
4) I just HAVE to see it.

So here is my list from my last addiction...
* The Young Victoria - really enjoyed
* A Single Man - great movie
* The Men Who Stare At Goats - absurd but fun. Wait for the DVD.
* The Blind Side - One of Sandra Bullock's better performances. But wait for the DVD. I thought it got too much hype.
* The Proposal - fine on DVD or free! Not super memorable.
* It's Complicated - worth heading to the theatre now. Meryl Streep is great.
* Up In The Air - George Clooney is not hard on the eyes. Liked it!
* Grey Gardens - Compelling but sad. Drew Barrymore deserves her Golden Globe.
* The Devil Wears Prada - There is Meryl Streep again. She is always on her game.
* Under The Tuscan Sun - I hear the book was better. Cute.
* Brothers - Compelling. I liked it but I hear the original Danish film is better.
* Cairo Time - I liked it. But not a big wow.
* Leap Year - fun and crazy. Makes you ask why you live life so seriously.
* Julie and Julia - Meryl Streep. Need I say more.
* Broken Embraces - Penelope Cruz! I liked it!
* Nine - Skip the theatre. Kate Hudson has a fantastic song and dance in this musical.
* Pride and Prejudice - Classic!
* Beverly Hills Cop - Sometimes you just have to go back to the 80's.
* Taking Chance - Cried even the third time seeing this. Kevin Bacon deserved the Golden Globe
* An Education - Loved it!
* Flame and Citron - Awesome. Gut-wrenching story of German occupation of Denmark.
* Coco Avant Chanel - Enjoyed it.
* Prague - fantastic Danish film. Not as good as After the Wedding though.
* The Reader - I thought it was great.
* In The Loop - a must see if you are a public servant. Lots of profanity but funny.

On my up and coming list...
* Crazy Heart
* The Last Station
* The White Ribbon

Perhaps it is time for the 12 step program.

Sitting in the Coffee Shop

You are sitting in the coffee shop alone.
Caressing your latte and reading the Globe.
The sun warms your table and bakes in its serenity.

I just watch.

Are you waiting for someone?
Or will you find company in print this morning?

If I approach you,
I fear you may feel the sun block,
And a chill settle in.

I wish for a warm welcome.
But I just take my cloud and go.

Is A First Love Always The Sweetest?

How do we learn how to love? Is it just something that happens to us as a special glance comes our way? A brush of the hand? A captivating scent? A closeness that pulls at us like a magnet? Young love starts us on a journey of intimacy and wonderment of how the heart can twist and turn and bleed with hot passion. Whether we stay in our first love or whether it becomes a building block for future relationships better suited for us, that first young love will always hold a coveted place in our heart. Although we have made full disclosure, it is hard not to feel like we are carrying a mysterious secret from your 'now love', as only we can know truly how that person made us feel. And only we know the full range of colours and the sharpness of those memories. Today I am listening to the sound of that voice that captured my heart some 33 years ago. That seven year experience ended in a heart wrenching train wreck. I can't help but think that only he knows me, as it was he who branded my innocent heart with that imprint of first love.

Follow Where Your Heart Leads You

Some days are just like the rest. The chores, the errands, the work and little details of nothingness that someone can't live without. But what happens when a little glimpse of something else sneaks into your head, through all that busy stuff? A flash of an image that just doesn't seem to belong but it is too enchanting to ignore. This happened to me in early March as I spent the afternoon pushing many piles of paper around my desk. The words "I saw you today out of the corner of my eye" just amplified in a loud but pleasant voice. I couldn't ignore it. I scribbled the words on a little scrap of paper and added it to one of the piles. It snuggled its way into the folds, not to be revealed again until Easter weekend. And eventually these words spilled into a poem, leading the first stanza. I am not a poet. I am not a writer. But a feeling compelled me to seize the day and do something completely different. Just live in the moment. Live in the heart.

I SAW YOU TODAY OUT OF THE CORNER OF MY EYE

I saw you today out of the corner of my eye,
strolling the market and discerning the bounty.
You would graze your hand over the colourful foods,
gauging their scents for your next great creation.

I watched very quietly, wanting to approach you.
I longed for your friendship that has faded to past.
Your dark eyes glistened and would dance with sly laughter
and your black hair flirted round the strength of your jaw.

We once talked like sisters about our uncertainties
on how to raise children in these fast moving times.
But our lives have been keeping us so far apart
where I can remember they were once intertwined.

The time that has past holds so many dark secrets
which might just explain our drifting connection.
I know you know lonely since you’ve been there before.
But do you know my lonely? I think it’s the same.

You snatch up a garlic and a basket of romas,
a fresh bunch of basil and some wild pungent onions.
Oh to be at your table tonight for this banquet
For that intimate moment breaking bread with close friends.

Food Indulgence with Knowledge - Can The Ottawa Citizen Help?

By the time we are old enough to enjoy food indulgence without a care to budget, we realize we are old enough that we need to do this indulgence with thoughtfulness. Our doctor is after us about the extra pounds, the cholesterol creeping up, as well as the blood-pressure and hypertension. Making smart food choices and pacing the indulgence means being vigilant to understanding what we consume - all the time. Lately I have enjoyed reading the blog of Yoni Freedhoff called Weighty Matters.
http://bmimedical.blogspot.com
Here is a particular post he has asked his readership to share around the nation's capital in a plea to have the local paper, The Ottawa Citizen, take his interest in nutrition analysis seriously and responsibly as they share their many great food recipes with their readership.
http://bmimedical.blogspot.com/2009/06/ottawa-citizen-nutrition-watch-week-4.html

Needing A Few Books for Your Summer Read List?

I can't say enough about how enjoyable the February, March, April book club meetings were where we delved into The Deptford Trilogy by Robertson Davies. We read the books in order starting with Fifth Business, then The Manticore and finished with World of Wonders. If anyone is stuck for a summer read program, the trilogy won't let you down.

McKellar Park's Traffic Dilemmas

I have come to realize that maybe this blog is a good way to keep in touch with the community issues that affect us too. And so the theme of the blog grows and tries to find its way.

There has been much said about the traffic volumes that are rising in such established neighbourhoods as McKellar Park. Homeowners are becoming uneasy at the unneighbourliness of cut through traffic as drivers look for the most efficient route to reach their destination. Main thoroughfares are not serving them as they would like, so traffic is spilling into residential areas. Recently, frustrated neighbours took matters into their own hands to deal with the intersection at Windermere and Crossfield, which T's into a large community park. This recently made the local paper since the city was quick to notice the new non-city installed stop signs.
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/tragedy+waiting+happen/1660182/story.html
The signs have since been removed and the local councillor, Christine Leadman, is looking to find a solution between her constituents and those who serve the city's directives - our municipal workers.

If this topic is of interest to you, consider attendng the public meeting being hosted by Ms. Leadman on June 24th at Dovercourt Recreation Centre at 7 pm.

In a recent flyer circulating from Leadman's office about the meeting, it says, "City staff, with Councillor Leadman will be on-hand to speak about the situation currently being experienced regarding the stop signs placed at the intersection of Crossfield and Windermere. The signs have been taken down and the City is looking at posting city-sanctioned ones. Staff will provide all the necessary information about this process and the public will be given the opportunity to ask questions."

2nd Annual Rampfest

Recently we attended the 2nd Annual Rampfest up in Lanark County. It was a private gathering of Ottawa's finest food lovers - mainly members of a local cooking club and also some of their good chef friends here in town. What an afternoon. I tell you this only so you can salivate over the many uses of ramps and if this word is new to you, hopefully you will take a read on the Internet about this fine wild leek. Here is the menu we enjoyed.

*** APPETIZERS ***


Lobster and Ramp Salad Canapé (My personal favourite!!)


Baked Brie with Caramelized Ramps & Sun Dried Tomatoes


Bacon Wrapped Tart of Ramps, Potatoes and Cheddar


Smoked Salmon Rillette with Pickled Ramp Mayo on Baguette


Tart of Wild Leeks & Mushrooms in Garlic Cream


Ramps with Spicy Shrimp & Gnocchi


Hot Italian Sausage with Pickled Ramps & Dijon

*** MAIN ***

Smoked, Ramp Marinated BBQ Beef Tenderloin on a Bun [no picture]


BBQ Poached Salmon in White Wine & Ramps


Ramp Coleslaw


German Potato Salad with Pickled Ramps

Cheeses with Ramp Jelly & Fruit [no picture].