Blog Break

 I am going on a blog break starting today, I plan to be back September 15th!  I will be out of the country for a few of these weeks and it may be hard to post and comment during this time.  Until then, take care!

Reflection

 What would your occupation be

If you would have followed your childhood dreams?

I always did like to draw. 

 On another topic, I was talking to the security guard at the grocery store, he is there watching for theft.  With the high price of groceries these days it seems the self check out areas in stores have to be monitored closely.  He said at one drug store he sees people paying $20 and walking out with at least $200 worth of stuff.  When questioned they say 'oh I didn't realize', and just return the unpaid for items.  No charges can be laid for that.  A Walmart store in Ottawa had to close their self checkout lines due to the amount of theft.  My sister in California says people are just walking out of stores with stuff.

Sunday Smiles - Roasting corn in the husk

 

I decided to try roasting corn in husks in the oven, 350F 30 mins.  I trimmed the silk off the top, peeled off the leaves sticking out, rinsed them first.  Once done, I cut the large end off and the husks peeled away easily.  It is good, a change from boiling or microwaving.

Linking to Gillena's Sunday Smiles.
 

New Moon Discrepancy

 It appears many paintings get the 'New Moon' wrong.  This is a new moon.  Compare it to Alex Colville's new moon painting here.  This painting along with others are headed to the moon according to this New York Times article.  

'The Lunar Codex, an archive of contemporary art, poetry and other cultural artifacts of life on Earth, is headed to the moon.'

Friday Art -Supermoon over Athens

 Welcome to Friday Art.  It was around July 4 2023 when the supermoon rose over Athens according to the news.  Here is my inspired ACEO (2 1/2" x 3 1/2").  I put a face in the moon and am linking to Nicole's Friday Face Off and to Gillena's Art For Fun Friday. 

Rain's Thursday Art and Dinner Date - Living Room Furniture Theme and a Pasta Dish

Welcome to Rain's Thursday Art and Dinner Date! I did a modern sofa for the 'Living Room Furniture theme'.

 For the Dinner Date, I made this pasta with Italian sausage and spinach dish based on this recipe.  I made some substitutions and here is my recipe.  I am learning that reducing alcohol in my pasta sauces results in a very tasty residual flavour. 

The other thing I am doing is making the pasta on the side so that my diabetic husband can add however much he can handle in the dish.  That works for me too.

3 cups of penne pasta

4 tbs olive oil divided

3-4 Hot Italian sausages removed from casings

1/2c white wine

5 oz bag of spinach

1/2c grated parmesan

pepper to taste

1 onion chopped

Cook pasta in salted boiling water.  Save a cup of pasta water after cooking.  Drain the pasta and mix in 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil.  Set aside.

Saute onion in 2-3 tbs olive oil.  Add crumbled sausage and cook it for about 10 minutes.

Deglaze with white wine.  Reduce to half.  Add a cup of pasta water and reduce to half again.  Stir in spinach and parmesan cheese for a few minutes until the spinach is wilted.

Serve with pasta on the side.

Wednesday Memes

 

On Cake

 I saw this online 'how to properly cut a cake'.  It makes a lot of sense doesn't it?  

The Rose Family

 I may have heard this before but this is a good reminder of these members of the rose family!

Enjoy this Civic Holiday long weekend!

Sunday Smiles - Tomatoes

 Welcome to Gillena's Sunday Smiles!  I am showing tomatoes growing in my sister's garden in California!  She is very happy with them this year.

Fresh kale salad

 Hope your weekend is going well.  I am showing my kale salad today.  I just cut the leaves into small bits, no massaging required!  My friend S dropped some fresh kale off the other day.

Friday Art - Llama

 Welcome to Friday Art!  I am showing my Llama ACEO (2 1/2" x 3 1/2") in acrylic.

Linking to Nicole's Friday Face Off and to Gillena's Art For Fun Friday.

Rain's Thursday Art and Dinner Date - Dining Room Furniture and Flank Steak Stir Fry

Welcome to Rain's Thursday Art and Dinner Date! For her 'Dining Room Furniture' theme, here is my ACEO (2 1/2" x 3 1/2") in acrylic pen.

 For the Dinner date, I made a flank steak stir fry.  It went well with a veg stir fry that you also see in the photo. 

I had never successfully used flank steak and I will be doing it more often now, this was tender and delicious.  The secret is to cut very thin slices as described below.  

1 lb flank

1 gr pepper sliced

1 red pepper sliced

1 onion sliced

3-4 tbs canola oil

Marinade

2 tbs soy sauce

1 tbs dark soy sauce

4 tbs oyster sauce

1 tsp chili flakes

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp sesame oil

1 tbs cornstarch

2 cloves garlic minced

Cut flank into 1 1/2" strips parallel to the grain

Then cut 1/4" strips against the grain at an angle

Google how to slice flank if in doubt, you need very thin pieces  serious eats has a good video here

Marinate beef with the ingredients listed above for the marinade.  You can leave it for 15 minutes or longer for the flavour to set in.  I am usually too impatient.

Saute beef 3-4 mins on high heat in oil (2-3 mins if using  a hot wok, I just use a saute pan).  It is important not to overcook!  Set the beef aside.

 

In the same pan, saute peppers and onions 3-4 mins, you may need to add couple more tablespoons of oil.  Then mix meat in for another 2 minutes.  Enjoy!

Wednesday Memes

 

On Eggplants

 This came as a surprise to me, I thought of eggplants as vegetables how about you?

Welcome to August!