Recipes

Translate

Friday, 31 May 2013

Trials and Tribulations

   Too hot to post today! The temperature went up to 29C but the humidex (how it feels taking the humidity into consideration) was registering 33C.
   Tennis in the morning - only played two sets. My face was so red by then (not from the sun, just from exertion) that I knew it was time to quit. Worked in the afternoon - a difficult Grade 1 but it was likely just Friday afternoon syndrome.
    Going to the last night of the Fallingbrook group in an hour. We'll dance until 9-ish then have snacks and treats. I'm baking sausage rolls. Considering the hall isn't air conditioned we may quit early!
   The temperature has fallen a couple of degrees in the last half hour and it looks like a storm is headed this way - quite a dark sky and the wind has picked up. Yes, it's raining - I'm hoping for a big dump as my swimming pool is still half empty and some rain would help my water bill. I've had the hose running off and on for the last couple of days but it still needs another foot or so.

Thursday, 30 May 2013

Potato Pizza

   Sounds like an oxymoron but was surprisingly tasty and easy to prepare. It would be a good substitute for someone who can't eat gluten. I was too hungry to take the time to photograph the end result!

   Slice a couple of potatoes (skin on) very thinly. Thinly slice an onion and half a red pepper. A mandolin would give the correct thickness. Mix them with a tbspn. of olive oil, a minced garlic clove and a tbspn. chopped parsley. Pack mixture in a circle on an oiled cookie sheet or a pizza pan. Try to make sure layer is even and not too thin at the edges as they will burn. Bake in 450F oven for 15 mins. or until potatoes are soft and edges are crisp. Top with your preference in pizza toppings (I used mushrooms and some leftover chicken. Cover generously with cheese. I used cheddar and parmesan. Bake another 5 to 8 minutes until cheese is melted. Allow to cool and cut into wedges.

   Very hot today - hit 30C this afternoon - and very humid after all the recent rain. I got in an hour of tennis this morning before we all expired from the heat. Since then I have stayed indoors with periodic trips outside to empty the bucket that is collecting the drips from the leaky hose that is filling up the pool. Oh, except for a trip to the community centre for a swim. My pool is still a bit on the green side so I wouldn't want to take a dip in it just yet.

Wednesday, 29 May 2013

Last Planting

   We had a humungous storm last night and the garden is quite saturated. However, the good news is that I had not planted the vegetable plants I got yesterday so they weren't swamped. The weather has been somewhat unpredictable recently. Yesterday was cool - stayed overcast and 12C all day until, late in the evening, it shot up a couple of degrees. This morning early it was already 17C and now (late afternoon) it's 24C but feels like 29C with the humidity resulting from all the rain. Tomorrow's forecast calls for 30C!

Swiss Chard

   The last spot in my tiny vegetable garden is now filled with 4 eggplant and 8 Swiss Chard plants. I love Swiss Chard, especially as I can just take a few leaves at a time and it keeps on growing. My last batch lasted well into the fall so I'm hoping for a good crop this year. It's an excellent substitute for lettuce and spinach. Eggplants are a new crop for me so we'll see how they come along. 

Eggplants

Tuesday, 28 May 2013

A Dull Day

   Woke up to rain this morning so knew that tennis was off. Phoned to find out how James was - seemingly he threw up a few times after leaving me yesterday - but he is still sick and staying home with Dad today. I had picked up an afternoon job so spent the morning quietly at home, puttering around, nothing too strenuous but catching up on housework.

   The job this afternoon was an easy one, rotating around several classrooms to give teachers release time. One period consisted of only 2 students who were getting reading remediation - right up my street!

   On the way home I dropped by the Garden Centre and picked up some more vegetable plants as I realized I still had room for a few more things. I will get them in tomorrow, with James' help, if he is well enough by then. Dinner tonight is still leftovers - some rice from the paella and two chicken thighs I cooked up in sofrito with a garnish of onions and mushrooms. It was very tasty yesterday and should be even better today. I will cook some brussel sprouts as well for something green. It is still dull but the rain has stopped. The temperature never budged all day, a decidedly inclement 12C. Hope it warms up tomorrow.