Eat cheese

A square of homemade banana cake and McCafe coffee for breakfast many mornings is so satisfying, a small pleasure.  The grocery store sells McCafe coffee.

I came upon this article that says cheese sales have been down 60% in France since the start of the pandemic.  They are pleading with people to buy cheese as there will be a lot of wastage.  Rich cheeses such as brie and camembert and in fact 80% of most cheeses have an 8 week shelf life.  Even french fries in Belgium have not been selling.  It seems the increase in  home cooking, less eating out and less accessible farmers markets are to blame.  This problem also applies to Canada.

And here we are at the end of May.

Royal pastry chefs Scone Recipe

Coronavirus meme funnies

One of my sisters sent this link to the Queen's scone recipe. Well it was released by the Royal pastry chefs.  Here is the recipe as per the link:

The Queen’s fruit scone recipe

500g   plain flour
28g     baking powder
94g     butter
86g     sugar
2         whole eggs
140ml buttermilk
100g sultanas (cover in hot water and leave to soak for 30 minutes)

1 Preheat oven to 180C.
2 Mix the flour, baking powder, butter and sugar together in a bowl until a crumb is formed.
3 In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and buttermilk together.
4 Add the liquid to the crumb mixture.
5 Continue to mix the dough until it is smooth.
6 Add the sultanas and mix until evenly distributed (optional).
7 Remove the dough from the bowl, flatten the dough and cover.
8 Leave to rest for approximately 30 minutes.
9 Roll out the dough to a thickness of 2.5 cm and cut to desired shape.
10 Rest the scones for another 20 minutes.
11 Gently egg wash the top of the scones.
12 Bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes until golden brown.
13 Cool before serving with jam and clotted cream.

Paint Party Friday - Australian pink robin ACEO

Welcome to Paint Party Friday! I saw a photo of the cutest little pink bird, it didn't look real. It was an Australian pink robin. I had to paint it. It is an ACEO (2 1/2" x 3 1/2") on cardstock in permanent markers.

Sharing a home safety tip here today from the Canadian Red Cross. I find if I walk away from things I will forget about them so it is a great tip for me anyway:

'Never leave cooking food unattended, not even for a
moment, especially when using high temperatures or
oily food that could splatter'.

Rain's Thursday Art Date - Cracks and Crevices

Welcome to Rain's Thursday Art Date, Cracks and Crevices theme!  Here is my little ACEO (2 1/2"x 3 1/2") for this theme!

Good Sleep (or Not)

This is funny, do you have trouble getting to sleep? This happens to me sometimes, I blame it on hormones or perhaps if there has been too much going on.

Takeout and Delivery

Tulip from above, showing pistil and stamens

candytuft white

These are some spring photos I took for you.

Have you ordered in yet since the Covid lockdown? We got an Uber Eats delivery this past long weekend and enjoyed it very much after about 2 months of doing our own cooking. It was chicken wings from Wild Wings with 'garpar' fries (fries with a garlic parmesan dressing). We enjoyed this treat very much.

Then a few days later we decided to order in some sushi and Japanese food.  It was delicious but after throwing out all the plastic waste I felt guilty about polluting the environment.  There has to be a better way, even if it means cooking our own food at home.  It seems a more simple solution for now.

Washable 'paper' towels

My sister in California bought this roll of washable rayon towels for US$2.99 to try, instead of regular paper towels. What do you think of this idea?

We have had glorious warm and sunny weather all weekend and have been spending more time sitting out in the backyard.  

On Yeast

I became curious on the history of yeast when Baili made a comment on my cinnamon roll post recently.  She was confused about yeast which made me realize how little I knew about it, never having even made bread from yeast.

I have learned that yeast is a fungi like its mushroom relative. There are at least 1500 species of this microorganism. Yeast cells exist in soil, on plants, in the air. They lodge on berries for example and ferment producing alcohol.

Yeast fermentation is used in beer and wine making as well as in bread baking.

Egyptians were making bread using yeast 5000 years ago. Not understanding the science, they thought the resulting baked bread  was a miracle! Around the first century AD the Gauls and Iberians made bread using beer foam. In 1680 the microscope was invented by Anton Van Leeuwenhoek. Now they were able to see the yeast at the cell level. In 1857 Louis Pasteur discovered the fermentation process caused by yeast. It feeds on starches in flour producing carbon dioxide and ethyl alcohol. The dough rises as the carbon monoxide expands inside and the alcohol imparts flavour and aroma.

It is a fascinating study with a lot to learn.  Here are the links I used to find this information:

https://redstaryeast.com/science-yeast/story-yeast/

https://www.breadworld.com/education/history-of-yeast/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yeast

https://www.exploreyeast.com/article/the-history-of-yeast

Coconut Quinoa Pilaf

I decided to try making this quinoa that I have had for awhile.  Using it with some leftover  coconut milk, it became a tasty side dish.  Here is my pilaf recipe:

2c water  (2c if using scented rice)

1/2 can coconut milk

1 c quinoa seeds rinsed

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 stalk celery chopped

1/2 onion chopped

2-3 tbs olive oil

1 tsp dried parsley

1/4c dried cranberries

Heat oil, saute onions, celery add salt, pepper, parsley, and cranberries. Mix in rinsed quinoa,

add coconut milk and water, simmer covered 25 mins.

Paint Party Friday - Gerbera

Welcome to Paint Party Friday! I did this Gerbera to showcase the natural pattern of nature in flowers. It was first showed on Instagram for @alexandrasillos #patternedthingsbyalex.

Rain's Thursday Art Date - Round and Round

Welcome to Rain's Thursday Art Date! Her theme is 'Round and Round' this week. I did a water wheel ACEO (2 1/2" x 3 1/2"), they do go round and round after all as most wheels do.  I was inspired by a photo I saw on Valerie’s blog.

Remain Cautious

One of my sisters sent me this link worth reading.  If you are feeling more relaxed that the pandemic curve has flattened and that things are gradually opening up, you still have to be cautious.  The downward curve will take an equal number of deaths, the smart and cautious ones will be spared.  I am staying away from Walmart and Costco for the time being.   My grocery store has all the real  essentials, it even sells hair colour, haha.

And I am sharing some more coronavirus jokes with you today, I am guilty of that puff pastry one:

Zoom Occasions

I have been hearing of people planning baby showers and weddings via Zoom this month. This baby shower one of my sisters was invited to even had a gift registry. The wedding I read about meant that the couple would zoom the small ceremony to relatives and friends all over the world. It is good to know that people are coping as best they can.

Wild Violets

Sue gave me the idea of doing a waterbowl with wild violets. It was fun and looks so pretty. Thanks Sue!

My daughter told me I can install the OLG lottery app on my phone to check the odd lottery ticket, that is very convenient.  So I did.

My lasagna

lasagna

starts with a meat sauce

This is my third time making this 'World's Best Lasagna' recipe. It started with me trying to use up these old packs of oven ready lasagna I had in my pantry. Here is my adjusted version:

Ingredients


1 pound sweet Italian sausage (I use hot Italian sausages)
¾ pound lean ground beef (I use a large 3 lb pack to make extra sauce)
1/2 onion chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1/2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
1 (13 ounce) can tomato sauce
½ cup water
1 tsp white sugar
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp salt for sauce
1/2 tsp salt for ricotta cheese
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tsp dried parsley
12 lasagna noodles
16 ounces ricotta cheese
1 egg
12 mozzarella cheese slices
¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese




Step 1
In a Dutch oven, cook sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until well browned. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water. Season with sugar, basil, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon salt, pepper. Simmer, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Step 2
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain noodles, and rinse with cold water. In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese with egg, remaining parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Alternately skip this step and use oven ready lasagna.

Step 3
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

Step 4
To assemble, spread 1 1/2 cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Arrange 6 noodles lengthwise over meat sauce. Spread with one half of the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with 6 mozzarella cheese slices. Spoon 1 1/2 cups meat sauce over mozzarella, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers, that is, Arrange 6 noodles lengthwise, Spread the rest of the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with 6 mozzarella cheese slices. Spoon 1 1/2 cups meat sauce over mozzarella, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil over a sheet of parchment paper to prevent sticking, and to make sure the foil does not touch the cheese.

Step 5
Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil, and bake an additional 8-10 minutes until cheese is lightly browned. Cool for 15 minutes before serving.


I boil some spaghetti on the side and use the rest of the meat sauce with it as another meal.

Keeping in Touch

It was my niece's birthday this past week so son K dropped this card over to her house with a monetary gift enclosed. I added the '25' with some stickers.  My niece said they stuck it in a closet for a few days due to covid.  Then she would be allowed to open it.  My sister had email money transferred gifts to my kids for their April birthdays recently. She was unable to go shopping as she usually prefers to.

I called my uncle's partner to see how they were both doing. My uncle has been in a long term care home for awhile now with deteriorating Alzheimer's. He was actually my departed 2nd cousin's husband and was lucky to find a devoted partner after my cousin died. So the partner is as fine as can be these days. Of course she is unable to visit the care home at the moment and does worry about my uncle. However a few of the workers there are kind enough to put her on the phone to speak to him regularly. He doesn't say much but I am sure he can hear her voice and it must do him a world of good. Fortunately his care home has weathered the covid crisis so far, we have had a lot of long term care covid deaths in Toronto.

In other news, I have started weeding a bit every day. Last week I was surprised as the neighbour across the street gave me a big hello saying he had not seen me for awhile. He seemed to be in the mood to talk. I am usually the one to strike up a conversation. People need to socialize, isn't it true, regardless of how private or introverted one might be. I asked him how the grocery shopping was going, to which he replied that we had no choice it is still something we have to do. I told him we were thinking of where and how to get lawn fertilizer. He thought that although places like Home Depot are opening up there might be lines. He seemed to be going off to the grocery store himself. It was a brisk, windy kind of day, not a day to stand talking to neighbours really, albeit socially distanced.

Paint Party Friday - Ram

Welcome to Paint Party Friday! I am showing a Ram (or male sheep) here today. It was a piece I did last month on Instagram for @alexandrasillos #patternedthingsbyalex. It shows off the majestic and symmetrical patterned horns of a brown skinned Ram.

This is the long Victoria Day weekend in Canada, normally many cottage owners head up north with friends and family.  I suspect/hope traffic will be light as everyone is being asked not go to their cottages at this time.

Rain's Thursday Art Date - Historical Events

Welcome to Rain's Thursday Art Date. For her 'historical event' theme I chose to depict the first man on the moon event. It is an ACEO (2 1/2" x 3 1/2") on cardstock in permanent marker. I am old enough to remember when it happened (July 20, 1969), an unforgettable event for sure.

Low carb chocolate peanut butter squares

Jan shared this recipe recently and I decided to try it. Thanks Jan, it is delicious but hard to stop at the recommended one inch square. The serving has 4g of carbs.

In other news, we were invited to a wedding at the beginning of August and received a postponement notice. It will now take place in July of 2021. So sad that young couples have no choice but to replan. In this case, the bride to be is a doctor so that makes it even more challenging in this environment.

Some Goodies

I received the latest batch of free samples from Sample Source. There are some good coupons there too, for free products or $1 coupons. After trying the samples they will ask you for your opinion on the product. Anyone can join. There is a bag of rice and lentil blend, some coffee samples, hardwood cleaner sample, some granola bars, even a small tuna pasta sample from Clover Leaf.

And I got this fun fact from Adam, who has a new blog on Wordpress these days. It is regarding the inventor of the stethoscope.
According to Wikipedia, 'The stethoscope was invented in France in 1816 by René Laennec at the Necker-Enfants Malades Hospital in Paris. It consisted of a wooden tube and was monaural. Laennec invented the stethoscope because he was not comfortable placing his ear directly onto a woman's chest to listen to her heart.'

Easy Cinnamon Rolls

I found this recipe for Easy No Yeast Cinnamon Rolls and gave it a try since I can't find any yeast at my grocery store at the moment. It came together quickly and tasted good. Mind you, I think regular yeast cinnamon rolls are better.  Not that I have used yeast before but hopefully I will eventually.

This recipe also has a youtube video.  These are really helpful and gives you a real idea of what is involved so you can decide if it is for you to try.  In fact I went from here to the actual recipe link.  What did we do before youtube (and Google of course).

The large vase of flowers - Mother's Day 2020

large vase of flowers

vase of flowers

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there!

Daughter L and her boyfriend had these beautiful flowers delivered to me last week as she had trouble getting delivery on Mother's Day itself. 'With love and a virtual hug' the message on the card said.  The reason there are 2 vases of flowers is that when L saw the vase of flowers that arrived (2nd photo) she said 'that doesn't look like the large vase of flowers that I ordered'.   She complained and the next day they sent the larger vase of flowers (1st photo).  It was a good deal larger so L was happier.  What was strange was the flower delivery girl asked that the original smaller vase of flowers be returned.  Apparently it is standard procedure to do that.

It is a good time to remember my own mom and husband M's mom who recently passed away.

Potato Salad

I made this colourful potato salad to go with some pork chops I had baked last week. Some frozen mixed vegetables were a perfect addition to the potatoes. Here is my recipe.

4 medium potatoes peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
3 tbs light mayonnaise
1 tsp butter or margarine
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp dried basil (or your favourite herb)
2 tbs white vinegar
2 hard boiled eggs, chopped or sliced
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 cup of frozen mixed vegetables (can use frozen sweet peas or chopped fresh celery)

Boil the potatoes and eggs in water with 1 tbs salt for 15-20 minutes until the potato is fork tender. Microve the frozen mixed vegetables with a few tablespoons of water for 3-5 minutes. Remove the hard boiled eggs from their shells and slice into thin strips (I have a handy egg slicer gadget). Otherwise you could just chop the eggs. Mix in the mayonnaise, eggs, seasonings and vinegar.

Paint Party Friday - Tulips ACEO

Celebrating spring with a Tulips ACEO (2 1/2" x 3 1/2") for Paint Party Friday today.

Rain's Thursday Art Date - Your Flower

lavender

White Rose ACEO

Welcome to Rain's Thursday Art Date! 'Your flower' is the theme this week. It turns out that my birthday is on the cusp of the Zodiac, Gemini-Cancer. So I am showing an older piece I did of a lavender pot of flowers, and I did an ACEO (2 1/2" x 3 1/2") of a white rose. These are my 'cusp' flowers.

Some memes

I saved some fun memes for your entertainment today:

Physical address book

Toronto has closed their High Park  for the cherry blossom season to avoid dangerous crowds at this time of COVID.  You can however watch the live bloom cam they have set up here.

I decided after many many years to create a new physical address book. The old one we kept by the kitchen phone was outdated and quite messy after many updates scratched in over the years. Do you still use a physical address book?

A lovely story

We had a day of summery, sunny weather yesterday and enjoyed it as best we could, sitting out in the back yard then going out for a walk.  Many wear masks on their walks, we haven't been, just when we go to the grocery store. 

I found this lovely story from an old post I had made in 2010, if you would like to read it. I had titled it 'because of love'. Interestingly my friend Kathy left a comment there, we have been blog buddies for quite a while!

A champagne birthday

Son K delivered a cake I made for daughter L's birthday to her last week.  I also made one for us and we celebrated over Facetime.  Baking cakes is not my specialty but I was pleased with the result.  It is a banana cake with chocolate buttercream icing.  I will be making it again.

A champagne birthday for L apparently meant that she turned 28 on the 28th!  So it is when the date of someone's birth and his age are the same, did you know that?

The Right Foot

How smart is your right foot? This one is entertaining.

Paint Party Friday - My May 2020 Calendar Page

Sharing my May 2020 Calendar page with you today for Paint Party Friday. The quote I chose to go with it says:

"May: The lilacs are in bloom, forget yourself" -Marty Rubin