Well, this grey & dismal weather is starting to get me down. Let's pray the weatherman is right and we are heading into a sunny stretch for the long weekend. It's almost July and we are still making homemade soups for Pete's sakes!
Our long weekend, weather permitting will include a couple of barbecues, a trip into Costco to get Larry's new summer running shoes and socks (an annual tradition), the Star Trek movie in the theatre, more bagging up of stuff for Clothesline donation on Tuesday morning, a little wander around at the Haney Farmer's Market and Canada Day festivities uptown, the making a bacon & cottage cheese crustless quiche, an Italian Casserole done in the slow cooker on Sunday and a lunch of Sloppy Joes made with turkey.
Of course with the long weekend, we have a month-end, quarter end and the half-year financials to be done so I have oodles of accounting to do on Monday and Tuesday!
Looks like Kauai
Thursday, June 27, 2013
Saturday, June 22, 2013
We've been making some new dishes...
Isn't it funny the things you have never got around to making. This week we made a batch of french toast for supper. I was feeling poorly and that's what happened to appeal to me. This coming week I plan to make our own version of Vegetable Fried Rice. Canada Day weekend we'll be making our first batch of borshch. I can hardly wait! Mmmmm!!!!
About Doukhobor Borshch ...
Borshch is a vegetable soup of Eastern European origin. It is traditionally cooked with beet and cabbage, as well as other minor vegetable ingredients, although certain cultures also include meat.
Doukhobor borshch is unique in the sense that it is strictly vegetarian, with an emphasis on cabbage and tomatoes. Unlike its beet
red cousins, it is pale orange in colour, acquiring its colouration from the use of dairy cream. It is a thick hardy soup and can be a meal in itself, when accompanied with home-baked bread and cheddar cheese. It must be eaten hot, and even then, can be seasoned with black or red pepper.
Borshch Recipe
3 qt. water
5 medium sized potatoes
3/4 cup (180 ml) butter
1/2 cup (125 ml) grated carrots
1 small beet
1 cup (250 ml) chopped onions
2 tbsp (30 ml) fresh chopped dill
1 cup (250 ml) diced potatoes
6 cups (1.5 L) shredded cabbage
1 tbsp (15 ml) salt
1 cup (250 ml) whipping cream
1/2 cup (125 ml) chopped carrots
4 cups (1L) canned tomatoes
3/4 cup (180 ml) green pepper
3/4 cup (180 ml) green onions
1/4 cup (60 ml) chopped celery
Preparing and combining the ingredients:
In fry pan pour 4 cups (1L) of canned tomatoes and mash. Add 1 tbsp (15 ml) butter and 1/4 cup (60 ml) of onions and simmer
until thick.
Place 1/4 cup (60 ml) of butter, 3/4 cup (180 ml) chopped onions, 1/2 cup (125 ml) finely grated carrots and 1/4 cup (60 ml)
chopped green pepper into a frying pan and sautee until transparent - do not brown.
In a separate frying pan, place 2 cups (500 ml) of shredded cabbage and 1/4 cup (60 ml) of butter and sautee until tender - do not
brown.
Boil 3 qts (3L) of water in a pot, add 1 tbsp salt, 1/2 cup (125 ml) chopped carrots, 4 medium potatoes halved, 1 beet, 1/4 cup (60
ml) chopped celery, and add 1/2 of the simmered tomatoes from step 1, continue to boil ingredients in pot until potatoes are tender.
Remove potatoes and mash with 1 tbsp butter, 1/2 cup (125 ml) cream, 1/4 cup (60 ml) green pepper, 1/4 cup (60 ml) green
onions, 1 tbsp dill, then set aside.
To the pot in step 4, add 1 cup (250 ml) of diced potatoes, 3 cups (750 ml) shredded cabbage, 1/2 cup ( 125 ml) cream and bring
to boil.
Pour the mashed potatoes back to pot in step 4, bring to boil.
Remove pot from heat and add remainder of simmered tomatoes from step 1, fried onions and carrots from step 2, the fried
cabbage from step 3, add 1/2 cup (125 ml) green onions, 1/4 cup (60 ml) green pepper, and 1 tbsp dill.
Discard the whole beet. Season to taste with black pepper.
Let sit for a few minutes before serving to allow flavours to mix. Serve hot.
About Doukhobor Borshch ...
Borshch is a vegetable soup of Eastern European origin. It is traditionally cooked with beet and cabbage, as well as other minor vegetable ingredients, although certain cultures also include meat.
Doukhobor borshch is unique in the sense that it is strictly vegetarian, with an emphasis on cabbage and tomatoes. Unlike its beet
red cousins, it is pale orange in colour, acquiring its colouration from the use of dairy cream. It is a thick hardy soup and can be a meal in itself, when accompanied with home-baked bread and cheddar cheese. It must be eaten hot, and even then, can be seasoned with black or red pepper.
Borshch Recipe
3 qt. water
5 medium sized potatoes
3/4 cup (180 ml) butter
1/2 cup (125 ml) grated carrots
1 small beet
1 cup (250 ml) chopped onions
2 tbsp (30 ml) fresh chopped dill
1 cup (250 ml) diced potatoes
6 cups (1.5 L) shredded cabbage
1 tbsp (15 ml) salt
1 cup (250 ml) whipping cream
1/2 cup (125 ml) chopped carrots
4 cups (1L) canned tomatoes
3/4 cup (180 ml) green pepper
3/4 cup (180 ml) green onions
1/4 cup (60 ml) chopped celery
Preparing and combining the ingredients:
In fry pan pour 4 cups (1L) of canned tomatoes and mash. Add 1 tbsp (15 ml) butter and 1/4 cup (60 ml) of onions and simmer
until thick.
Place 1/4 cup (60 ml) of butter, 3/4 cup (180 ml) chopped onions, 1/2 cup (125 ml) finely grated carrots and 1/4 cup (60 ml)
chopped green pepper into a frying pan and sautee until transparent - do not brown.
In a separate frying pan, place 2 cups (500 ml) of shredded cabbage and 1/4 cup (60 ml) of butter and sautee until tender - do not
brown.
Boil 3 qts (3L) of water in a pot, add 1 tbsp salt, 1/2 cup (125 ml) chopped carrots, 4 medium potatoes halved, 1 beet, 1/4 cup (60
ml) chopped celery, and add 1/2 of the simmered tomatoes from step 1, continue to boil ingredients in pot until potatoes are tender.
Remove potatoes and mash with 1 tbsp butter, 1/2 cup (125 ml) cream, 1/4 cup (60 ml) green pepper, 1/4 cup (60 ml) green
onions, 1 tbsp dill, then set aside.
To the pot in step 4, add 1 cup (250 ml) of diced potatoes, 3 cups (750 ml) shredded cabbage, 1/2 cup ( 125 ml) cream and bring
to boil.
Pour the mashed potatoes back to pot in step 4, bring to boil.
Remove pot from heat and add remainder of simmered tomatoes from step 1, fried onions and carrots from step 2, the fried
cabbage from step 3, add 1/2 cup (125 ml) green onions, 1/4 cup (60 ml) green pepper, and 1 tbsp dill.
Discard the whole beet. Season to taste with black pepper.
Let sit for a few minutes before serving to allow flavours to mix. Serve hot.
Saturday, June 15, 2013
I must be feeling nostalgic...
This picture made me think of my Grandma Poznikoff. What a hard working lady she was! This summer, I am feeling the loss of the ladies in my life to another deeper level than ever before. Great Grandmother, Grandma, Mom, Auntie Lucille ... all gone now. My Aunt Elsie and Aunt Mary are still alive but I am not close to either of them. This time of year has always been my reconnect time with my mother's side of the family. It feels so strange and I feel a little at a loss. My cousin's son and his wife are having a family reunion this summer in August back in Glade. I am so torn... go? skip? and if I skip it, is this the end of an era? It really is hard to let go... again!
Saturday, June 8, 2013
It's time for chili!
Here we are just days from the official start of summer and I am still craving all things soups and stews. This weekend we are making a nice batch of slow cooker chili! Just for a change of pace, we are using a different recipe:
Ingredients:
2 cans (15 ounces each) red kidney beans, drained
2 cans (14.5 ounces each) tomatoes
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
2 lbs. lean ground beef, browned and drained
2 medium onions, coarsely chopped
2 ribs celery, coarsely chopped
1 small can (3 to 4 ounces) mushroom pieces, drained
1 green pepper, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 med. size can baked pork and beans with molasses
2 to 3 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
salt to taste
Preparation:
Combine ingredients in slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 9 to 12 hours or 4 1/2 to 6 hours on high.
Ingredients:
2 cans (15 ounces each) red kidney beans, drained
2 cans (14.5 ounces each) tomatoes
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
2 lbs. lean ground beef, browned and drained
2 medium onions, coarsely chopped
2 ribs celery, coarsely chopped
1 small can (3 to 4 ounces) mushroom pieces, drained
1 green pepper, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 med. size can baked pork and beans with molasses
2 to 3 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
salt to taste
Preparation:
Combine ingredients in slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 9 to 12 hours or 4 1/2 to 6 hours on high.
Thursday, June 6, 2013
Gluten Free Rice A Roni!
I love Rice-A-Roni but the ingredients aren't gluten free and I suffer after eating it. Today I found this and I am happy, happy, happy!!!
And here is the recipe:
Homemade Rice-a-Roni
1/2 c. raw spaghetti-broken into 1/2 inch to 1 inch pieces << mine will be rice spaghetti
1 c. long grain rice
2 T. Butter
2-3 T. chicken or beef bouillon granules << mine will be gluten free
3 1/2 c. hot water
Melt butter in a pan and stir in rice and noodles. Cook stirring occasionally until lightly browned. mix in water and bouillon. Stir and cover~simmer about 20 minutes or until all liquid has be absorbed.
And here is the recipe:
Homemade Rice-a-Roni
1/2 c. raw spaghetti-broken into 1/2 inch to 1 inch pieces << mine will be rice spaghetti
1 c. long grain rice
2 T. Butter
2-3 T. chicken or beef bouillon granules << mine will be gluten free
3 1/2 c. hot water
Melt butter in a pan and stir in rice and noodles. Cook stirring occasionally until lightly browned. mix in water and bouillon. Stir and cover~simmer about 20 minutes or until all liquid has be absorbed.
Monday, June 3, 2013
This dirt road has me thinking...
of all the summer days I would walk down the road to meet the ferry and my cousins as they came home from work. There's nothing quite like the sight of a dirt road, or the feel of it on your bare feet to bring dreams of where you'd like to wander, things you would like to do and a world of possibilities to life! It's taken nigh on 60 years to get here but I like a dirt road. I like to dream. I don't actually have to do it all... the dream is enough!
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