Friday Art - Cardinal Bird Portrait

 Welcome to Art Friday!  This is my cardinal bird portrait that I am linking to Nicole's Friday Face Off and to Gillena's Art for Fun Friday.

This was my backyard shed in winter.  ACEO (2 1/2" x 3 1/2") mixed media.

Rain's Thursday Art and Dinner Date - Hats and Beef Stir Fry

Welcome to Rain's Thursday Art and Dinner Date! This is my piece (3" x 4") for the 'Hats' theme this week. It is done in watercolour pencil.

Below is my beef stir fry for the Dinner date.  I had made a sirloin tip roast that week and had some bean sprouts on hand.  I added some carrots, celery and red peppers to the dish as well.  I don't enjoy making stir fries but once in a while is ok.  It is the same with sandwiches, I hate making sandwiches. 
 

  

Wednesday Memes

 got the one above from Grannie Annie.

Ground beef and bean thread vermicelli stir fry

 I had bean sprouts and ground beef on hand and decided it had been awhile since I made a stir fry.   This post has photos of the bean thread vermicelli I use. 

2 tbs canola oil

1 lb lean ground beef

package of bean sprouts rinsed an drained

2 cloves garlic minced

3 green onions diced

1 carrot diced

1 stalk celery diced

150g (or 4 small pkgs) bean thread vermicelli

Sauce:

1/4 c oyster sauce

3 tbs soy sauce

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp hot sauce or chili flakes

1 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp ground ginger

Mix all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl.  Soak vermicelli in hot water for 5 minutes until softened.  Drain and cut into shorter lengths. Set aside.

Saute garlic in oil, add ground beef and brown it.  Add celery and carrots and saute for about 3 minutes.  add sprouts for another 3 minutes.  mix in vermicelli, sauce and green onion.

Spelt Bread

 

I tried a spelt bread recipe from Bobs Red Mill.  It turned out ok but I will try different recipes.  I felt the dough should be looser and easier to work with.  It is a very dense bread I know and we love the taste.

3/4c plus 2 tbs warm water (110F)

2 1/2 tbs honey or maple syrup

2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast (7g packet)

2 tbs butter

1 1/2 tsp salt

2 3/4 c spelt flour

pre heat oven 350F

Mix warm water, honey and yeast  and wait 5-7 minutes until it is foamy.  Add butter, flour and salt. Knead 7-10 minutes.  Place in an oiled bowl covered for an hour to rise.  Punch it down, cover and let it rise another 30 min.  In a lightly oiled 8" x 4" baking pan shape the dough into a loaf, cover and let it rise 30 min.  Bake 45 min until golden brown or internal temperature (180-200F).  Cool on a wire rack.

Tahini Dressing

 I came across a tahini dressing on Instagram (@anythingbutramen) and decided to try it.  It seemed to need some added sweetness so I added a teaspoon of sugar and it really enhanced the tahini flavour.  It is great on a salad.  

1/2 c tahini or can use peanut butter

3 tbs soy sauce

2 tbs rice vinegar

1/4 c water

pinch of grated ginger (I used 1/4 tsp grated ginger)

1 tsp sugar

Mix all ingredients well.

Prime Rib Dinner

 We celebrated daughter L's birthday late last month at The Keg Steakhouse restaurant, it is pricey but always very good.  This is my medium rare prime rib au jus meal.  The garden salad was also very delicious and always served with lots of warm bread and herbed garlic butter.  

And don't ask me what I did to create that photo, I was just copying the photo from my phone, I must've pressed something but it has a good effect!

This was daughter L's sirloin steak done medium.  Some of you may prefer medium.