A Heavy Snowfall

Birds at the feeder

   We had the biggest snowfall of the winter (so far!) on Saturday and I have been working away at my driveway since then. I did two shovellings on Saturday while the snow was still coming down, and then started in earnest on it on Sunday. There's still an area between the sidewalk and the road that isn't cleared, but I have driven over it so often it is getting packed down and may be there until Spring! 
  Today James had fun playing on the snowbanks created by all the shovelling. It was a glorious day today with some warmth in the sun and we stayed out for over an hour.




Climbing Mount Snowbank

At the summit

 

  

Chinese Dumplings

   Terrible weather yesterday - drove out to Markham in a blizzard to look after the grandkids and had a tricky drive home around midnight. But all's well that ends well and I was glad to sleep in my own bed!

Chicken and cabbage filling

    While at the Athertons I had the kids help me make Chinese dumplings to celebrate Chinese New Year. The kids were great helpers, even James (for a while) but not so keen on the finished product, although Elliot ate a few. I cooked the filling beforehand - didn't want the kids working with raw ground chicken - so we just had to fill the won tons. Then they were fried slightly and steamed. Unfortunately I let the pan dry out so they stuck quite badly. However, adding a little more water loosened most of them.

   Today I woke up to a winter wonderland, everything coated with snow. I spent the day shovelling the driveway in installments and finally finished the upper half by 4:30. The snow was very wet and heavy so I had a good workout.

A wonton with filling

 


Ready for cooking

Ready to eat with plum sauce

A Funny Book

   My current reading material is a very funny book I got from the Public Library. It's called "The Rosie Project" by Graeme Simsion, an Australian writer. It's a good weekend to have something amusing to read as we are expecting a heavy snowfall tomorrow (5-10 cms. of wet heavy snow). I will stay inside, nice and cosy with the fire burning away cheerfully. Once the weather has improved, I guess I will be out shovelling again!

Portugese -Goan Food

   Goa is a province on the west coast of India. Formerly a Portuguese colony, it differs quite a bit from the rest of the sub-continent. Christianity is the main religion, and Goan cooks are sought after in India as they have few restrictions, unlike Hindus and Muslims.

   Last night I attended a cooking demonstration of Goan-Portugese recipes and enjoyed some wonderful meals. First samosas, then paelha (a type of paella) and pickled eggplant salad, and finally a rice and fruit pudding. All cooked from scratch before our eyes. Quite delicious though a bit spicier than I am used to.