Cooking is Fun... Really

Yesterday, my SIL gave me a head's up that my brother was stopping over with a treat today. I kind of forgot that tomorrow (Feb 16) is Paczki Day. Paczki are glorified filled donuts for those who are not in the know.

So, when I got up to snow, with more snow predicted through the day AND into tomorrow, well, I couldn't be TOO cranky.

I've sent an email to the gentleman who shovels my snow to book a visit after it's all done. I haven't heard from him yet but he's got three weeks off so I'm hoping for timely shovelling.

In the meantime, I've got coffee and donuts to make my day.

I'll post a picture ... whenever.

I ended up with six apple filled paczki.

Shared by my SIL.

I haven't bought any ice cream lately but had cravings so I dug out my last can (10 oz in Canada) of sweetened condensed milk and a container of whipping cream and looked through my 'meal ideas' file.

I came up with this Japanese inspired anko (red bean paste) ice cream ...



and a decadent Nutella-chocolate ice cream.



( Collapse )

I'm asking those who love the outdoors to post a picture on your page. A picture that YOU took. Just a pic. No description. The goal is to regain peace and harmony without negativity. Please copy the text, put a picture on YOUR page, and let's look at these beautiful pictures.

• Oct. 6: "We are flattening the curve," Ford said, when Ontario was averaging 611 new cases daily.


• Oct. 28: "We see the curve going down," Ford said, as the daily average neared 900.


• Nov. 9: "We still have the lowest numbers for any large jurisdiction," he said (average 1,106 cases/day.)


• Dec. 15: "Because of the guidelines we put in … we're seeing a plateau per se," Ford said (average of 1,927 cases/day).

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-covid-19-stay-at-home-order-lockdown-1.5872521

Christmas for One

I wasn't going to do anything special this year cause I had a case of the Christmas blahs, but, at the last minute I bought a fresh leg of lamb and roasted it off with rosemary, garlic and olive oil. Threw in some diced potatoes and carrots as sides. Washed the meal down with a spiked (vodka) cranberry lemonade. Dessert was slices of a bought dark fruit cake. And, it was, on the whole, a good Christmas.



Because I had a lot of leftover meat (sliced lamb and salami), I baked off a quick batch of enriched (eggs, milk, sugar and melted duck fat) kaisers and hamburger buns for sandwiches.





Lunch plate of nibbles ... bought cracker assortment, cheese (smoked Gouda and old white cheddar), Genoa and Hungarian salami and some apple slices (Ambrosia).



Regardless of the way you celebrate this time of year, I hope you were surrounded, virtually or in person, by friends and family (blood or choice).

And here's hoping for a much better New Year.

Found this guy (new) in a closet in a spare room while searching for something else, so I found him a good home.



He's being socially responsible ... still huggable though.

My nephew thought I'd appreciate the Canadian content so he sent me some pictures.

They're selling these cute beavers with a single tooth for charity in Poland and he's bought a bunch. (I'm guessing I may find a little guy under MY tree this Christmas.)

ETA: May be particularly appropriate in light of the dental appliance accident I had recently (posted in previous post).





Just restocked, I guess. :)

A couple of weeks ago, I had to have new glasses made. Not cheap.

And on Friday, I had to have a furnace repair done

And a short while ago, my lower partial denture caught on my upper incisors and the top half of two of the teeth in the denture snapped off.

Now I have to take the day off tomorrow (no work, no pay) AND pay to have them recast etc.

I'm not MADE of money.

( Collapse )

Too lazy to make a real cooking post but I thought I'd share today's lunch, a Hawaiian loco moco.

This version features a bowl of left over basmati rice (long grain, jasmine or sushi rice works too, as does couscous, quinoa or cauliflower rice), topped with a hamburger patty and canned Swiss Chalet beef gravy.



Add a fried sunny side up egg (white is set but the yolk is still runny). A little green onion for garnish.



Dig in.



Fast, easy and delicious.

PS: In Hawaii, a dinner plate also adds macaroni salad and coleslaw.