Raining now and the temperature is only 13C. I have had to fish out some winter clothes as it is so chilly.
Went to the tennis courts this morning for the Thursday Social but only one other person turned up. It was very cool and windy but we hit for an hour which was all I could manage. . Tomorrow is supposed to be rainy in the morning so that makes it kind of "iffy" for any tennis then. However, I will go anyway unless it is pouring down. At least we can have a coffee and watch the French Open. It's the Men's semi-finals. Today the Women played for the final spots - Serena won easily but Maria had a much harder match. Their final goes on Saturday and I'm betting on Serena to take it.
The Exec. committee of the SSCD group met this afternoon and we finalized the program and arrangements for our Christmas Dance and set the dates for next season's meetings. We are going full out to make the Christmas Dance a huge success as we have decided it will be the last. Numbers are dropping off each year and it is getting harder and harder to break even. But we are determined to go out with a bang. We have the hall and the band booked and have divvied up the jobs so that everything is organized well in advance. It will be a great night or we will die trying!
The White Heather Ball is on Saturday and we have one last practice tonight to make sure all the dances are at least somewhat known. This one is out in Oshawa, but the meal is excellent, making it well worth the drive. I must remember to take my camera!
Thursday, 6 June 2013
Wednesday, 5 June 2013
Rhubarb Recipes
Now that I can start picking my bountiful supply of rhubarb, here are two recipes that I have unearthed from my binder collection. These are recipes that I have gleaned from many sources and it is fascinating to read through them and remember where and from whom they have come. I even have one my daughter pencilled in when she was around 8 or 9, complete with creative spelling and one ingredient that is completely indecipherable, with the comment "Yum-yum!".
Rhubarb Fool
8 oz. fresh rhubarb stalks, trimmed and cut in in 1/2 inch slices
1/4 cup sugar
3 tbspns. orange juice
2 tbspns. Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur
1 cup low fat vanilla yogurt
Bring rhubarb, sugar and orange juice to a simmer over medium-low heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Partially cover pan and cook until rhubarb is very soft, about 6 minutes. Mix in liqueur and refrigerate until cold, about 15 minutes.
Alternate layers of rhubarb mixture and yogurt in 2 large wine goblets or dessert dishes. Using a small knife, swirl mixtures together. Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 1 hour.
Rhubarb Bread
Loaf
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 tsp. grated orange zest
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup chopped rhubarb
1/4 cup chopped pecans (optional)
Topping
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tbspn. butter, softened
1 tsp. grated orange zest
Combine brown sugar, buttermilk, oil, egg and orange zest in a large bowl. Mix well.
Combine flour, baking soda and salt. Add to sugar mixture, mixing until smooth. Fold in rhubarb and pecans. Spread batter in a greased 9 x 5 inch loaf pan.
Prepare topping by combining ingredients with a fork. Sprinkle over batter.
Bake for 55 to 60 minutes at 350 degrees F or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Cool for 15 minutes in the pan then turn out onto a rack and cool completely.
Rhubarb Fool
8 oz. fresh rhubarb stalks, trimmed and cut in in 1/2 inch slices
1/4 cup sugar
3 tbspns. orange juice
2 tbspns. Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur
1 cup low fat vanilla yogurt
Bring rhubarb, sugar and orange juice to a simmer over medium-low heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Partially cover pan and cook until rhubarb is very soft, about 6 minutes. Mix in liqueur and refrigerate until cold, about 15 minutes.
Alternate layers of rhubarb mixture and yogurt in 2 large wine goblets or dessert dishes. Using a small knife, swirl mixtures together. Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 1 hour.
Rhubarb Bread
Loaf
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 tsp. grated orange zest
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup chopped rhubarb
1/4 cup chopped pecans (optional)
Topping
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tbspn. butter, softened
1 tsp. grated orange zest
Combine brown sugar, buttermilk, oil, egg and orange zest in a large bowl. Mix well.
Combine flour, baking soda and salt. Add to sugar mixture, mixing until smooth. Fold in rhubarb and pecans. Spread batter in a greased 9 x 5 inch loaf pan.
Prepare topping by combining ingredients with a fork. Sprinkle over batter.
Bake for 55 to 60 minutes at 350 degrees F or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Cool for 15 minutes in the pan then turn out onto a rack and cool completely.
Tuesday, 4 June 2013
Tennis and more tennis
Tennis in the morning at Bond Park - it was my turn to man the board. We had about 45 people, coming and going so the 6 courts were filled from around 9:00 a.m. to 11:30. I managed to get in 4 sets over the course of three hours and it was very pleasant playing - not nearly as hot as last Friday. However, I was pretty beat by the time I got home.
More tennis tonight at Bridlewood House League - some confusion as to the start time, 7:00 p.m. or 8:30. I will bike over at 7:00 and see what's what. If I'm not playing until 8:30, I will come home, have dinner and return then. Otherwise dinner (leftover Butter Chicken from Sunday) will have to wait until I finish playing. I will be on Court #3 (the easy court) so it shouldn't require expending too much energy.
I have just finished cutting the grass in the back yard. Everything is very green what with all the rain we have had recently, and the grass has been growing full blast. No sign of any action in the potato bin but the tomato plants have lots of flowers - should be a good harvest there.
The pool is nice and blue now, thanks to the administrations of the "pool guys". However, the heater needs servicing so there's no way I'll be in the water any time soon - it's a chilly 67F (18C)!
More tennis tonight at Bridlewood House League - some confusion as to the start time, 7:00 p.m. or 8:30. I will bike over at 7:00 and see what's what. If I'm not playing until 8:30, I will come home, have dinner and return then. Otherwise dinner (leftover Butter Chicken from Sunday) will have to wait until I finish playing. I will be on Court #3 (the easy court) so it shouldn't require expending too much energy.
I have just finished cutting the grass in the back yard. Everything is very green what with all the rain we have had recently, and the grass has been growing full blast. No sign of any action in the potato bin but the tomato plants have lots of flowers - should be a good harvest there.The pool is nice and blue now, thanks to the administrations of the "pool guys". However, the heater needs servicing so there's no way I'll be in the water any time soon - it's a chilly 67F (18C)!
Sunday, 2 June 2013
First Harvest
I'm relaxing with the laptop on my knees as I watch the French Open. Roger Federer has just staged a strong comeback against Giles Simon. It was close for a while. Now Serena Williams is demolishing an Italian player, Roberta Vinci. It's really "no contest" so I expect to see her in the final next weekend.
Earlier today, in between rain showers, I picked the first rhubarb of the season. After a rainy month it has grown like crazy so there's lots still there. The stalks are rather skinny but the fruit at this time of year is good for pies and crumbles. Later in the summer I will use it for a relish.
That's garlic poking up through the leaves - not sure if I planted it there in the fall or if it somehow migrated over the winter!
The pie turned out well but I will put it in the freezer for the next time the family are over for a meal. The secret I find, with most fruit pies, is to sprinkle some flour in the pastry case before adding the fruit. That makes for a nice thick filling. I have to admit to using a pastry mix, but really, the mix is just as good, if not better, than I could make myself. My biggest failing, especially with rhubarb is not making it sweet enough, so today I added 2 tablespoons more of sugar than I thought was necessary. We shall see if that turns out to be sweet enough.
Earlier today, in between rain showers, I picked the first rhubarb of the season. After a rainy month it has grown like crazy so there's lots still there. The stalks are rather skinny but the fruit at this time of year is good for pies and crumbles. Later in the summer I will use it for a relish.
That's garlic poking up through the leaves - not sure if I planted it there in the fall or if it somehow migrated over the winter!
The pie turned out well but I will put it in the freezer for the next time the family are over for a meal. The secret I find, with most fruit pies, is to sprinkle some flour in the pastry case before adding the fruit. That makes for a nice thick filling. I have to admit to using a pastry mix, but really, the mix is just as good, if not better, than I could make myself. My biggest failing, especially with rhubarb is not making it sweet enough, so today I added 2 tablespoons more of sugar than I thought was necessary. We shall see if that turns out to be sweet enough.
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