Beta Testers Needed

I will be beta testing some lesson plans, projects and recipes in the next few months and I'm looking for friends and family to help out. One of my resolutions for the new year is to start measuring ingredients when I make recipes. Tonight we had spaetzle and lentils with a spinach salad. I made a dressing with the lovely Styrian Gold pumpkin seed oil mom bought us at the Winter Market. I mixed it with a glug of balsamic and a glurg of maple syrup. It was really nice with apples, pumpkin seeds and sweet and spicy pecans. I like using maple syrup in salad dressings because it tastes good and it emulsifies so easily in the dressing. Put the ingredients in a jar. Screw on the lid and shake. I like to keep it simple.

We had a really good discussion at the dinner table about the pathology of internet addiction spurred on by Q on CBC radio this morning. We also talked about  internet trolling, online community-building and sexism in birding.

Having tired of nonfiction I read the book I gave Peter for Christmas Called The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker which I devoured in one afternoon. I really enjoyed the book and especially liked the choices the author made in creating the character of the Golem, who will stick with me in my imagination for a long time. My only complaint is that she skimped a bit on the period costume detail.

What Do You Do in the Awkward Zone Between Christmas and New Year's?

taking photos of wasp nests in bared branches

starting to think about new year's resolutions

watching robins and starlings gather in the oak trees

experiencing a fond feeling for brussel sprouts

eating

granola and milk before bedtime

molasses ginger cake with eggnog and rum ice cream or apple sauce and caramel sauce

apples for breakfast

dried biodynamic cherries

really good salads--smoked trout, fennel, grapefruit and salmon roe

leftovers for lunch

indulging in two pots of good, strong tea at Shaktea, grooving to Ella Fitzgerald singing a-tisket a-tasket

sleeping in

discovering an online episode of Morse I had never watched before--like buried treasure

developing new lessons for next year's classes

revelling in warm, fuzzy feelings for family and friends

reading the obits of the famous people we lost this year

eagerly awaiting an autobiography by Nigella Lawson

going for a walk for no other reason than going for a walk (and finding jumbo croissants)

Keep Calm and Carry On Eating Turkey

 Hope you are having a fantastic Christmas.

Woodland Christmas Tree

I saw this at VanDusen and thought it was a cute idea--a woodland themed Christmas tree by the Garden Club of Vancouver: mushrooms, spiders, hummingbirds, deer, owls, ladybugs, squirrels, snails, elves, and pinecones.  Each one is obviously handmade and has its own character.

A Touch of Quebec in our Pumpkin Pie

Now that we are tracking our food miles it seems crazy to use Quebec butter and maple syrup, but at least the pumpkin is from UBC Farm. I went with a deep dish style this year, drizzled with hazelnuts and Manitoba buckwheat honey. We're lucky to live in a country with such amazing food--locally and all the way to the east coast. Sometimes you just have to celebrate by spending the extra food miles. (The store was out of Avalon butter, in case you were wondering.)

I have been using Erica's salad dressing recipe from her raw kale ceasar to make other versions, including cole slaw with sesame seeds--it's good with apples and dried cherries. I think it will be the dressing that launches a thousand salads--thank you Erica. I make the dressing exactly as you do and it is outstanding.

I was blessed to have a big bowl of moose stew from Northern BC last night with a glorious pumpkin pie. It was interesting how one person decided to guard the whipping cream and make sure people didn't take too much so there would be enough to go around. It's true, whipping cream is a precious commodity at this time of the year.

Grandma is going to sit down with our son and figure out the food miles in our feast tonight. It's a project that the whole family can get in on.

The Manuka

Doing research on "the manuka" --fascinating. Melaleuca, manuka and eucalyptus are all in the myrtle family.

Made a fabulous grilled cheese sandwich today the way I like it with butter and parmesan on the outside and cheddar on the inside with fresh tomatoes on the side. I might have to have another one for breakfast!

All this researching honey has made me crave it on butter and white bread.

Tonight we trudged up and down four flights of stairs in our son's high school to meet all his teachers. Peter and I want to take French because they are using sign language and it looks like so much fun! Interesting the choices of posters the teachers use. There was one I wanted to rip off the wall I hated it so much. I liked the drama teacher. She seemed like a real firecracker. The gym teacher looked like he'd been in one too many boxing or wresting matches. Tiny cauliflower ears almost worn right off. God what are they feeding the grade twelve boys? They are giants.

Blackberry Chutney Crumble Squares

I made a plum pie this weekend (butter crust with streusal topping which was eaten with Ernest's Salt Spring Plum ice cream. At one point I added a spoonful of my blackberry chutney made out of the berries I'd macerated for the shrub. A light bulb went on: "I'm going to use this chutney to make bars." And so this morning I combined 1 c flour with 1 cup oatmeal, with 1/2 tsp baking soda, salt, 3/4 cup brown sugar and 1/2 c coconut oil melted with 2 tbs butter. I pulsed a cup of the mixture in the food processor and pressed it into an 8" square pan. I spread a thin layer (just about 1 cm) of the chutney on top. Then I mixed some shelled pumpkin seeds into the remaining crumb mixture and baked at 350 degrees F for about 25 min.

I warned Peter they would be weird. "Why can't you make normal bars? Why do you always have to experiment?" he wined before tasting them. My family, the intrepid culinary explorers. Anyway he actually liked them. I think I will work on this and a recipe of some goat yogurt ice cream to go with them.

It's raining cats and dogs and veternarians today, be careful where you walk. We went out for sushi and I am soaked. The buddleia are dripping. I'm glad I brought my hops inside. This morning I plucked off the fruit in my pajamas while listening to Mr. Enright on CBC radio learning to bird by ear on his excellent "Sunday School" segment on The Sunday Edition.

I have just learned we are losing our local  Legion. End of an era.

I have been watching a lesbian love drama called Last Tango in Halifax which is excellent, but the person who put it on the internet did their own edit, which was unfortunate. This led me to a musical comedy series about dueling choirs called All the Small Things. Some of the characters hit me as being a little too close to home.

And of course I am reading about bees, bees, and more bees. My overdue fines are astronomical. Must do better.

Oatmeal Flax Walnut Cookies

 I baked these while listening to a fabulous CBC documentary about Mickey who mades bespoke suits for the stars for New york's postwar celebrities--radio gold. Another reccomended listen is Sheilagh Roger's extended interview with Ruth Ozeki about Ruth's new novel called A Tale for the Time Being.

I was snacking on black garlic--my new replacement for chocolate. Yes, I gave the latter up because it gives me migraines.

2 c rolled oats

1/4 cup ground flax

1 cup toasted walnut pieces

1/2 tsp cinnamon

2/3 c AP flour

salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking powder

3/4 c brown sugar

3/4 c butter

1/2 tsp Mexican vanilla

1 egg

--modified from a Ricardo Recipe

You know the drill--cream butter and sugar, then eggs and vanilla. Mix flour, baking pwder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt, then mix into the wet ingredients. Add the flax, then nuts, then oatmeal. Drop with a medium sixed 3 tbp ice cream scoop bake 14 min.

Eat with a side of black garlic.

Blackberry Shrub and Chutney

As he washes the dishes Peter looks very puzzled when he asks "what did you do with a whole bottle of apple cidre vinegar?"
"I poured it over the blackberries, I say nonchalantly. I'm making a shrub." He chooses to ignore that comment." I can read his thoughts, "Another crazy culinary experiment that will end in tears." Okay, so I am curious about these shrubs the food bloggers are making. It sounds like a drink that Southerners have on hot summers strumming their banjos on muggy porches. "Hand me another glass of that shrub, would ya Bubba? I got a terrible thirst." Truth is, I've drunk shrubs without knowing what they were. Someone at the farmer's market in the Comox Valley makes "Woo Pop", which is a vinegar-based drink that's deliciously thirst quenching.

There's a bunch of different methods to make shrubs, which involves macerating fruit in sugar or honey and adding a bunch of vinegar, You strain it and then use that to mix with soda to make the shrub. You can also add things like herbs, spices and alcohol. So I've done it. I was decadent and used some honey on ripe blackberries and added a whole bottle of apple cider vinegar. Don't ask me what the proportions were, I just eyeballed it and then tasted it. I let it sit for two days on the counter, covered to protect it from fruit flies, or to protect the fruit flies from it. Then I strained it and put it in my Medalta crock in the fridge. Oh how I love my Medalta crock.

Now I am going to make chutney out of the fruit that was left over. There were some peaches getting overripe on the table, so I've added them and tonight I'm going to finish the chutney by simmering it with with ginger, onions, garlic and spices.

It's that time of the year when I see the preserving women with bags under their eyes and dishpan hands working themselves to the bone puttin' up food for the winter. Let us celebrate those women, pamper them with certificates to spas and give them plenty of whiskey to make it through the season, with the secret hope we might be the beneficiary of some of their hard-won goodies.

I've also been instructed by Peter to make a plum pie, so that is on the go. I think a butter crust and streusal topping would be good. I bought some walnuts to make more oatmeal cookies. Tomorrow maybe I'll make a byriani to use accompany he chutney. I've instructed Peter to make some of his granola.

I am very excited about pumpkin pie season and yesterday I took a class with the Mayan gardeners at UBC Farm and learned how to make a delicious simple squash dessert. I can't wait for the UBC Farm squash market--should be coming up soon. I saw them curing in the greenhouse.

We are finding it very hard to buy clothes for Ullie since he is in between the boys and mens sizes which is very frustrating. I am having a hell of a time trying to find new shoes--a search which seems to lead me near the best bakeries in town. We have lots of cake, but no shoes. The sesame religeuse at Beaucoup Bakery is my new favorite thing to eat in the world. I may have to go shoe shopping near there again this week. No shoes to be found near the new Ernest Ice Cream shop, but plenty of inked hipsters in ice cream induced comas and a cashpoint system that really needs changing. Bring real money. Buy the Saltspring Plum Ice cream. It is delicious and we're having it with honey cake from the Honeybee Centre store up the street tonight for dessert, with fresh plums on the side.

I also went to the UBC Botanical Garden bulb sale this weekend and got garlic for eating and growing and  new tips for planting which was well worth the trip. There was a proper tea room with some really good ginger coconut squares that I really want to learn to make.

Ginger-Studded Oatmeal Cookies

The reasons I love fall:

The weather is comfortable enough for gardening, but also baking. The farmer's markets are bursting with produce. I went up to UBC Farm Saturday and could barely drag my rolly home. I bought tomatoes, tomatillos and beans from the Mayan Gardeners. So today I made tomatillo salsa which we ate with Peter's beef stew on quinoa with UBC Farm greens. That's one of my favorite meals

I made oatmeal and coconut cookies from a Sugar Cube recipe and added candied ginger instead of chocolate chips to half the batch. The chocolate chip ones go with Ullie on his camping trip.

Peter is such a great dad, practicing opening the combination lock for school with Ules, gathering all the camping gear, checking to see if Ules can figure out all the snaps and geegaws. I am preoccupied with other stuff so it's good someone's on the ball. I am putting in long days of work, yes, even on Sundays. But that's the way it's gotta be. I'm upping my health regime to boost my stamina. Stay away from the cookies missus!

I am obsessed with Midsommer Murders and Bergerac, alternating between the two series. Sometimes it is comforting background noise, sometimes just an escape.

People's fall rituals are clicking in. I can feel my friends and family hitting their stride. My parents are booking their Christmas trip. Wow. Christmas.

Fall Rituals: Healing Honey

I thought I'd go back to using this space again to write about daily seasonal family rituals.

Last night was our Labor Day weekend  family Dinner with roast beef, green beans with almonds and bacon, and roast potatoes. Dinner was date squares with two kinds of ice cream made with coconut milk. Peter is very excited that his dad is now keyed onto making his ice cream without lactose since a good quarter of the family has problems with milk. The caramel coconut ice cream delicious, especially with a Barsac.

For the wine, we had a fun time guessing what was in the bottle, a gift from Poplar Grove that is an unlabeled mystery wine that we are supposed to enter our best guesses in their contest. The family guessed cab sauv, merlot, and shiraz in French oak. I can't remember the year we guessed, but C's knowledge of the history of the winery helped us out. Grandpa says it could use another 5 years in the bottle. We were able to eat outside and stay their until dark because it was such a warm day.

We also went shopping for back to school clothes for Ules and had sunch at Chutney Villa which was very busy. I picked a footlong zucchini at the community garden bed and now I've got to make a cake with it for sure.

This morning I got up early to write for an hour, then made scones from my recipes substituting creme fraiche diluted half with water for a treat. I ate mine with a very ripe peach, healing honey from Planet Bee we got in Vernon, and ground flax seed which I was inspired to add because we had it on the table at the yoga centre.

Today I get to put my books on new shelves. Yay! I also get to go to J's birthday, which will be a treat. This morning is cloudy and 18 degrees C.

I am wishing all of you a happy and productive fall.

Hello Again

I have not published here for awhile in what has become my secret garden corner in my ever more public life. I have not crawled into my safe little snail shell and yawned and smiled and raged and screamed against the dark, damp walls.

There seem to be two clear paths taking shape: one towards the unhealthy repressed side, and the other towards healing, creativity and sanity. I am leaving behind the people who do not support my wild side. I am leaving behind the small clattering cliques of singing accountants, to join forces with the people who sing from the heart's hidden passion-- untamed and uncivilized, but not uncivil. I am learning to avoid the people with the brown karma.

I have been having some wild, shape-shifting dreams, which is good. It means things are as they should be. I wake up to feel very surprised to find I am as I was before.

I am so thankful for those friends who have supported my dreams in the slow times, when transitions were painful and hard-won, when I am hope-blind and feeling smaller than a fingernail. Thank you so much.

Lotus Land

It's blossoms blossoming on blossoms these days. Vancouver is lookin' real purdy. There are good things happening to my friends and me. I am experiencing an (almost) unbearable sense of lightness of gardening. I am literally gardening until I drop. My thoughts run like this: how can I fit more blossoms into my life? Where can I perform blossom interventions? I am dreaming in seeds. Seeds spill from the blankets of our bed as I toss and turn, trying to fit it all in to the plot.

The sweet pea seedlings are so vulnerable. I worry them, whispering gentle prayers for them as I stroke their tendrils. I will prick them out and pot them up and give them a good start. I will stay calm and get into the zone, get into their zone. Just grow with the flow.

Sharing kale from my community plot gives me a great sense of purpose and wellness.

Hoary Carrots

We had a most satisfying Sunday--collage in the morning, prepping for Thursday's workshop. This was followed by a pot of Dumni and cucumber sandwiches at Shaktea with my beau. I attended a LOVELY baby shower. Then the sun came out and I did a good two hours gardening. Peter even came down to the allotment with me and we harvested some over-wintered kale, broccoli and lovage as well as some hoary carrots.

I transplanted sweet peas, and nasturtiums and started on my trellises. Why do I hate making trellises? Will the nasturtiums be all right? Will it snow? It did in North Vancouver and Squamish.
I also planted some more seeds: 2 kinds of cukes, purple orach spinach, a fragrant agastache, and red Hopi Dye amaranth. I've decided to give away my sage plant to make room for something more interesting. The buttercup is thriving. Uggh.

I have been watching Season 3 of George Gently and Series 3 of the Land Girls. I also watched Withnail and I and a documentary called Withnail and Us. A trip down memory lane for me. I remember absolutely LOVING that movie and it's been a favorite for a long time. I appreciate it differently now, from a completely different perspective. It does have some of the all time best movie quotes. My favorite today is, "Here hare here." Richard E. Grant is pure genius in this movie. He is one of my favorite actors. I'd forgotten how good Paul McGann was in it too. I love those John Lennon shades. Rest in peace Richard Griffiths, my favorite cooking detective.

We Resume Eating Healthy

And now after Easter chocolate season, we resume to healthy eating:

Kiwi Kale smoothie: yogurt, kale, kiwi, and coconut water.

Shitake miso soup: Homemade chicken stock, garlic, nettles, miso, and leeks from the garden.

I've got some wild rice cooking up in stock right now and I will buy some gojiberries to soak so that I can add these to the next iteration of the soup.

The ramps are getting ready to bloom!

Candy Caps

So I went to Beta 5 today because they're doing this whole forest floor theme, which really appeals to me: mushrooms in caramels and pastries. I LOVE it. I love the flavor profile. More of this please. If you are going to take risks, might as well go for it. This is awesome: https://twitter.com/beta5chocolates/status/320645442071322624/photo/1

I am watching reruns of Jonathon Creek and they are going to make some more new episodes. Hooray!

Happy Spring Moments

Today it is warm and sunny in Vancouver. All is beautiful, except I have a migraine. In spite of this, I managed to go to the market with Peter where we munched on lovely Vij's curries with pickled daikon and I scarfed a lemon poppyseed icecream cone from Earnest Ice Cream. It was a like a cheesecake in a cone. I loved it!

I slept all afternoon, then managed to pop down to the Mount Pleasant Community Garden to choose my plot. I am so excited to have a place to grow a proper amount of veggies, flowers, and herbs for my workshops and home use.

I often get migraines on holidays, so I just have to make the best of it. Peter is cooking some B.C. shrimp for dinner and hopefully tomorrow I can get on with my spring tasks. Spring elicits a kind of joyful panic: I must plant seeds, clean the house, weed the garden, prune the roses and on and on. . . .

Bach and Twigs

I am grooving on the Bach Fugue we are singing in choir--I keep humming it to myself at bus stops. The other day I was forced to wait in line at the bank while the business customers went ahead of me in line (which ALWAYS pisses me off) so I decided to sing while I waited. This made the staff very uncomfortable and I was served quickly. I highly reccommend this tactic and I will use it again.

Collecting twigs for workshops and bits and bobs for supplies.  I'll say this for the 100th time. I NEED to organize my workshop supplies. ACK! Anyway, between Ruby Dog and Urban Source I have been getting fun things to work with at low prices and getting back into the materiality of art.

Picked up a blood-orange curd-filled doughnut at Lucky's today. As my friend Lois says, "What is it with hipsters and fat?" And then there's all these annoying people who have given up some specific ingredient for lent and make everyone run circles trying to accommodate them.  Strewth. Wait--why not try to give up selfishness for Lent?

I'm not giving up doughnuts, obviously. I'm giving up on Lent. Shrug.

The Roots of Liberalism

I am really enjoying the tidbits thrown up by the Open Culture blog, and today I share with you, some of Bertrand Russel's ideas for a healthy democracy through liberalism:

1: Do not feel absolutely certain of anything.

2: Do not think it worthwhile to produce belief by concealing evidence, for the evidence is sure to come to light.

3: Never try to discourage thinking, for you are sure to succeed.

4: When you meet with opposition, even if it should be from your husband or your children, endeavor to overcome it by argument and not by authority, for a victory dependent upon authority is unreal and illusory.

5: Have no respect for the authority of others, for there are always contrary authorities to be found.

6: Do not use power to suppress opinions you think pernicious, for if you do the opinions will suppress you.

7: Do not fear to be eccentric in opinion, for every opinion now accepted was once eccentric.

8: Find more pleasure in intelligent dissent than in passive agreement, for, if you value intelligence as you should, the former implies a deeper agreement than the latter.

9: Be scrupulously truthful, even when truth is inconvenient, for it is more inconvenient when you try to conceal it.

10. Do not feel envious of the happiness of those who live in a fool’s paradise, for only a fool will think that it is happiness.

This American Life

I'm very late to the game I know, but I have just discovered This American Life on DVD st the library. I fell in love with a story about a boy who is fourteen and has decided he is NEVER going to fall in love because of all the problems love causes. I sat down and watched with Ules and Peter and I laugh more every time I see it. Will Joe ever find love? Oh yes, and love will find him. Ira Glass is kinda cute too. The episode is in Season One of the tv show. I watched some of the other episodes with my son--they are more hard-hitting and contain ethical dilemmas, weird Americans and much food for thought.

Feelin' the Luv

Feeling the Luv today. Many thanks! I have been working hard and took the day off today to indulge. Back to the salt mine tomorrow, as my father would say.

RIP Stompin' Tom: As someone who belongs to a choir who can't abide toe tapping in its members I salute you and shall stomp with pride in your memory at the next rehearsal.

Speaking of indulging, I have been bloating myself on old episodes of Lovejoy. Now I have a Lovejoy hangover. I couldn't watch another thing. Some episodes are lite and fun and some are bone-crunchingly bad bad bad. But sometimes bad can be good if you are in the mood to forget about "how bad things are."

David Suzuki on Democracy in the Globe and Mail

Thank God for David Suzuki: "I personally see no reason for the existence of the Senate."

Sketching Fashion

I've been doing a lot of drawing to design a costume and this animated gif --excuse me, cinemagraph--from Ann Street Studio is inspiring. (You may need to wait a while for it to download.)

Quotes spotted on Main Street

Expect problems and eat them for breakfast.

Alfred A. Montapert


Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.

Theodore Roosevelt

Norwegian Wood

Here's an amazing New York Times article on a Norwegian television event about firewood--four hours of documentary about firewood followed by eight hours of a real-time fireplace. Priceless.

“We received about 60 text messages from people complaining about the stacking in the program,” said Lars Mytting, whose best-selling book “Solid Wood: All About Chopping, Drying and Stacking Wood — and the Soul of Wood-Burning” inspired the broadcast. “Fifty percent complained that the bark was facing up, and the rest complained that the bark was facing down.”

A Silly Solfege Song

These guys made me laugh. SongandSound's Youtube channel is full of such delights.

Brush Up on Your Music History

I wish these Youtube videos had been around when I was in school! This one is by Spanish artist Pablo Morales de los Rios.

Sheila Chandra: Speaking in Tongues II

I realize I have been listening to this Sheila Chandra CD for many years, and I still love it more than ever. She is an inspiration.

Dior Spring/Summer 2013 Paris

I'm loving the new Raf Simons designs for Dior--gossamer fairy wings, buds and blossoms, dragon fly iridescence, and still earth-bound with imaginative, but well-executed cuts. Vogue has a video of the show.

Cry Me A River: Ella Fitzgerald

Ella's treatment of this song is beautiful. I think she keeps it from being maudlin.

Desh (An Indian Raga) by Ethan Sperry

Looking forward to singing this piece in choir! (This is the Wicker Park Choral Singers.)

Washboard Envy

I like this New Orleans Street band called Yes Ma'm and especially their dog.

Why Do Birds Sing?

As I was literally pondering why birds sing, I remembered this song by Jimmy Merchant.

Why do birds sing so gay
And lovers await the break of day
Why do they fall in love
Why does the rain fall from up above
Why do fools fall in love
Why do they fall in love
Love is a losing game
Love can be a shame I
Know of a fool, you see
For that fool is me
Tell me why, tell me why
Why do birds sing so gay
And lovers await the break of day
Why does my heart skip a crazy beat
For I know it will reach defeat
Tell me why, tell me why
Why do fools fall in love
Tell me why, tell me why

Motivation and Vision

Sometimes you just can't get motivated because you can't see where the HELL you are going. That was my January 2012. Thankfully the inner fog patch has cleared and I am beginning to see my way  rather than feel around me in order to move forward. I like to have a clear destination to aim for. I like to see that mountain top I'm aiming at, but sometimes ya just gotta wander and look around and wait for the clouds to lift.

I am grateful for the opportunity I had this weekend to go to The Island to see the ocean and my dear sweet friends who help me to see the hummingbirds through the fog.

I always have a great time on my Victoria retreat. I drank a lotta maccha and ate a lotta kale.

Ules is on a Terry Pratchett kick and I've been reading the biography of Alice Waters--a bit like reading a really long Vanity Fair article, but I am enjoying it.

More Music for Singing in the Rain!

Disco makes winter bearable!

Singing in the Rain

This is a YouTube gem with Ukulele Mike. Stay with it to hear the women's chorus--just brilliant!

Here's a link to info about the original musical: The Hollywood Revue.

Tea for Two, Sexy Lady Style

This is my favorite version of the song I've heard. It's by NOON, a Japanese singer with South Korean roots.

Come Fly Away

Here's another cool vid and great song from Jeremy Fisher. I could listen to this song all day.
Feeling tired after a weekend of rehearsing and the concert, but it went well, with about 300 people attending. This morning I was craving coconut, so I made sour cream coconut muffins with chocolate icing. I like baking in the morning while I'm putting Ules' lunch together. I think I should do it every day.

I am hoping to head to Victoria this week and looking forward to checking out some new places to eat. Fun!

Jeremy Fisher's Cool Vid

I like this music video created by Jeremy Fisher on his own, on the cheap. The song is called "Shine a Little Light" and it's on the soundtrack of my new favorite movie, The Big Year.

Buckwheat Noodle Salad with Peanut Tamarind Dressing

The Guardian posted recipes for 10 winter salads and tonight I made the buckwheat noodle salad. I cut the water in the sauce in half so it would take less time to thicken and I would cut back or omit the maple syrup next time. I also added some ground turkey for protein. This is a good Monday night clean-out-the-fridge one dish meal. Thumbs up!

Worry

I have a longstanding appreciation of this fabulous quote by Gertrude Stein:

"Anything scares me, anything scares anyone but really after all considering how dangerous everything is nothing is really very frightening."

Yes, but what do highly educated folks think we should worry about? Edge.org compiled a list of short essays that have me thinking about some of the things I didn't know I should worry about. So many choices!  

Mr. Armstrong, your pants are on fire

This Bingo card is so funny, I am printing it out and hanging it on the wall.

Germ Wars

With so many viruses and the flu going around, I find the news coverage on this subject very frustrating. So why is there a health advisory administered by the  Fraser Health Authority when apparently Vancouver is not having a really bad year for flu? What gives? And which flu is it? Did they match the vaccine with the right flu this year? It always seems like a crap shoot. And since it is a gamble, I'd like to know the odds regarding vaccine efficacy.

I have been downing anti-viral tinctures and potions and doing the voodoo-that-you-do to ward off the germ nasties. I hope y'all avoid them devils.

I tried my first App! It's a birding App called iBird and I drove P crazy last night playing bird calls in his ear. This is my bird call: app! app! app! More apps pleeeze! Does this mean I have to get an iPhone?! Shocking.

One more big rehearsal before the big concert. Still lots of work to do. We had a concert tonight at a senior's home and the best thing was they had a resident cat. He sat right in the middle of the case for the drum kit and walked through the concert during one of the solos, completely taking the spotlight. Ha!

I think the ingredient of the week has got to be red lentils. Apparently they are hella healthy, so garlic, lentils, chicken stock . . . more fodder for the anti-viral voodoo pot.

Craving Nutmeg

Orangette has started a doughnut muffin (or baked doughnut) trend with this lovely recipe and blog post. For those of us who love butter, sugar, and nutmeg, these little babies rock. I made them today in a mini muffin pan, using fine white sugar rather than icing sugar to dredge them. I also just used solely buttermilk and made the proportions more even than the ones in her recipe, just to make it less fussy. They are best warm out of the oven. Are they healthy? No. Healthier than doughnuts? I doubt it. Are they easier to make? Yes. Will they make you break your New Year's Resolutions? Yes.

You will find many tweaked versions of this recipe around the blogosphere and in a coffee shop near you.

Today I had a lovely seasonal salad at the Nat Bailey market at the Le Tigre Food Truck with cauliflower, brussel sprouts, capers and parmesan. The sunshine made the market all sparkly and lovely and it was PACKED which is very good news for the vendors.

Resolution Smoothie

How are y'all doing with your resolutions? Today was a good day for healthy eating starting with homemade granola made with flax, oatmeal, hemp seeds, honey, olive oil and pecans. We had some simple DIY sushi for lunch and for dinner Ules had tofu, rice, and apple and I had wild rice, mushrooms, onions, and kale. Instead of a glass of wine with dinner I made a Resolution Smoothie: 1/2 apple, 1/8 cup ginger "juice", juice of 1/2 a lime, a handful of kale, a cup of coconut water and two ice cubes. Of course we had to have a small dessert: a tiny bit of local vanilla ice cream with salty caramel sauce and crumbled ginger cookies from Trafalgar's bakery--an awesome combo if I do say so!

This is my horoscope for the year from Rob Brezny. I love it!

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): In 2013, I pledge to help you feel at peace and in love with your body; I will do everything in my power to encourage you to triumph over media-induced delusions that tempt you to wish you were different from who you actually are. My goal is to be one of your resourceful supporters in the coming months — to be a member of your extensive team of allies. And I will be working with you to ensure that this team grows to just the right size and provides you with just the right foundation. If all goes well, your extra help will ensure that you finish almost everything you start in the coming year. You will regularly conquer everyday chaos and be a master of artful resolutions.

--Jan 3, 2013. Westender

Retro Potato

I gave our son a cookbook from The Sugar Cube, a "badass dessert food cart" in Portland run by pastry chef Kir Jensen. I love this woman's attitude! We are having a simple casual dinner party tonight, so I made the salty caramel sauce this afternoon for pouring on ice cream. Her directions were easy to follow and spot on. We're having salmon, salad, and a retro potato casserole with a recipe from dear MIL. It involves a can of cream corn, minced onions, and thinly sliced potatoes. I looked at the ingredients in cream corn and balked at the idea you would actually add sugar to corn, so I could not bring myself to buy it. Beloved is making the dish, so I will turn a blind eye to the travesty. I would have used frozen corn and "creamed" it myself.

The sun has left us again, which makes me feel somewhat bereft. I have started the new year on a melancholy note, immersing myself in episodes of the British Wallander. This makes me miss the Swedish production which is SO MUCH BETTER. Instead of one actor hogging all the close-ups, and practically every scene, I miss the complexity and warmth of the supporting actors in the original series and I am so sick of Mr. Drama King Branagh. Wallander was written for a different sort of actor. Anyway, same lovely haunting theme song, although not enough of it.