HAPPY EASTER! ( and I still don't have a working oven--BUT) this is what we accomplished!

So I love to entertain, I love to cook, I love to set a pretty table, pick out the wine, etc....and now it is EASTER! yay.  My oven ( Sears!  ) broke down at Christmas and it is still not repaired! Don't even get me started on THAT!...so lets talk about the good stuff instead....

I invited my family and Alan's for Brunch on Sunday, ( I am the type of person that will invite everyone, as the more the merrier and I wouldn't want anyone to feel left out, or celebrate an occasion alone) This stems from our past living in Ottawa. There were many holidays where  Alan and I wouldn't be able to get home to see our families, due to our shift work in Health Care and we were so far away. No one wants to be alone so we decided,   we would let EVERYONE know...WE are having a meal at " _____" time , our place, please come if you are free.  We have had people from all over the world, as people tend to come to Canada to get their medical degrees. I still have the most beautiful basket from one of our  guests that was Muslim.  ( Yes, we had people from every race, every culture, religion, sexuality, etc) We would show them what Canadians normally eat and do on certain holidays and they would share what they did back in their own Country. It was really interesting...some of the best memories!

  One year, little did I know that Braun, a co-worker of mine...a fellow R.N, came for Christmas, and that was was his last year alive. He died of unexpected Cancer before the next Christmas.   Honestly, you just never know...invite everyone possible. Life is too short not to. No regrets!

Well, enough of that rant. After all of that, it turned out that my in-laws were free today, and the rest of the people we had  invited had somewhere  else to celebrate, or they were working or with other family.

It was still a very nice meal, as we tend to eat at my in-laws a lot, so it was nice to return the favour. I told her NOT to bring a thing, it is time for ME to do the work for her...



Grilled Grapefruit  Brûlée- 1st course- an experiment, and turned out really good actually!



Pan seared scallops on a bed of spinach, edamame, strawberries, almonds, carrots and a  honey /lime dressing. Served with Italian Prosecco!



Cleanse the palate with Key Lime Sorbet...

For this dish was got the basic recipe from Food and Drink magazine, but changed it up a bit. Spaghetti with a garlic, wine, Parmesan sauce, with basil, red pepper, crispy pancetta, and lemon asparagus. Topped with a runny, gooey, poached egg that releases all it's yumminess all over your pasta...

I can't " bake" so I put some frozen vanila bean yogurt in a dish, and poured on some caramel Baileys and skor bar bits...served with a biscotti.

Tea, espresso and coffee...

It was a great day!

Valentines Day

We just got home from a very long flight and time change of Hawaii.  For some reason I got my second wind and wanted to try and create something nice for our family meal that night. I had no energy to get to the grocery store, nor time, so it was a FUN challenge to see what I had kicking around the fridge, freezer and pantry to see what I could come up with!

Here it goes!

I found a few veggies in the crisper- made a salad...

I got a little crazy and tried to make pink heart shaped and X's and O's bread...hard to do in my micro oven ( the big oven is still not in operation! Don't even go there! I am so upset)  so it was a little over-baked....perhaps that means my family is over- loved!?  How cheesy!

 and we all love our snails baked in garlic butter and cute shells! Served on a shell!

and I had enough onions to make French Onion Soup with some Brandy on top, swiss cheese and guess what? I had to make mini pink heart shaped buns to toast and put inside....

then I had Lime Sorbet to serve to cleanse our palates but guess what? I forgot!  But I found this picture from wiskblog.com...isn't that a great way to serve it? I usually use mini martini glasses.

I found a couple of nice Beef Tenderloin steaks in the freezer. Defrosted, pan seared in garlic butter and then wrapped in some Phylo Pastry I also found in the freezer.  I didn't have any puffed pastry, and this wasn't ideal, but it worked out just fine.  I got a little crazy again and thinly sliced potatoes , cut into hearts, and seasoned with olive oil and herbs de provence.  Edamame for a garnish of green, as it looked so blah!

I had some strawberries in the fridge, so I dipped them in melted chocolate and made Coconut Macaroons for my very first time. WHO knew they were SO easy to make? I had to dye them pink...and yes, they got a little toasty due to the damn oven situation again!  But I knew we'd be getting chocolate for dessert anyway!  They were actually pretty good.

of course I had to set the table all pretty and lovey....I always happen to have themed decorations stored in the house....I can't believe I even found heart balloons!

I was impressed that I pulled this off without doing any grocery shopping prep!  All with what we had around the house. It wasn't perfect at all, but my gift to my family.  I even included a card with a detailed reason WHY I love each and every one of them SO much. Good days and bad...

What did MY sweetheart bring home for me?

and obnoxious card, chips, cheese, wine and a pack of lighters!  ( lighters!?!)  because we needed some for lighting candles and fires around the house.....and he said I complained that I didn't have enough CHEESE while in Hawaii ( they don't eat much cheese there....not sure why?)  too funny!

what a man....but I wouldn't want it any other way!

Having a formal dinner party tonight! I can't wait! Honestly, this is TOO much fun for me!

Amuse Bouche



Foie Gras Pate with black truffle in shells with  sauteed apple


First Course


Swiss Cheese fondue with baked bread, and tart apple


Second Course


Escargot Bombay


Third Course


Truffle infused Macaroni and Cheese with crispy Pancetta


~Lime Sorbet~


Main Course


Braised Short Ribs- slow roasted in red wine, smashed garlic herbed potatoes, and green beans with carrots, drizzled with au jus.


Dessert


Aged Canadian and French Cheese, Chocolate truffles, Chocolate mints and Chocolate Salted Caramel Cookies


FOODIE PICTURES TO COME!  But I better go for a long hike with the dog first!!!  Lots of calories ahead!

MO-vember!

My husband and I with his MO-vember mustache...gotta love it...but only for one month of the year! thank goodness!

Looking forward to see how much we raised again this year.



here we were last year!


But this year, we added our Casino Fundraiser party to it all.  Sorry, no pictures from this year, but lets just say it was  a great night. Too much fun to even think about picking up a camera- that is a sure sing of a good party!

 Many tuxes, happy, dressed up people, great dealers, great cocktails, dancing and lots of money raised. However...I. AM. EXHAUSTED and this is my last year...sorry folks!  Time for  a  new Charity. We have raised so much for Prostate Cancer, now it is time to find something new...

 and these always cause a bit of fun- perhaps TOO much fun, but everyone is always warned!

Pretty in Pink Girlie Birthday Party ( but for grown up girls!)

So I have a new friend that is a lot like me.   I am a very unique sort.....so this is pretty neat! I have yet to find someone just like me, but Mindy is pretty close!  One of the things we have  in common is our LOVE to entertain and make things " pretty".  Her Birthday is this week, so why not have a perfect little pretty party for her this afternoon!  Let's do it Martha Style! ha!

I found a lovely store called THE FRENCH LAUNDRY in Thornbury, Ontario. All beautiful vintage French Linens from France....so I bought a few washcloths and found some little lavender soaps as favours for the table...packaged in little linen bags and I tied some of my own fresh lavender from the garden to fancy it up a bit..




first course...salad with edamame sauce, crispy panchetta, blueberries, olive oil, tomatoes, crispy fried Parmesan and topped with a jumbo shrimp.



Strawberry Mojito's...






Olive, and roasted red pepper bread with garlic cloves that I roasted on the BBQ with butter and olive oil....


My dear friend Mindy...the Birthday girl with her crepes. I filled them with caramelized onion, herbs de province, sauteed red pepper, grilled portabello's and lots of brie! Topped with a white sauce I made out of the Rose we were drinking...

 Coconut cupcakes...my favourite new recipe! Love, love! Birthday girl blowing out!

Father's Day! The GREEN EGG! surprise!

I have heard raving reviews about this thing called the GREEN EGG.  It is THE newest and best way to eat BBQ food according to many foodie experts.  Many top chefs have them now, so I had to check it out.  It was the PERFECT Fathers' Day gift for Alan!





You should have seen his face when it arrived on Father's day with a big bow!

So I had lots of good meat already to do on the grill and we have a wonderful Father's Day, if I do say so myself. 

I had the table all set with gifts for each dad.  ( A premium oaked  aged beer in it's own box) and a bucket of beers from around the world on ice...  We played down at the water for a bit. Unfortunately couldn't go fishing, due to boat issues, but it was still nice by the Bay. 






and my mother made the MOST amazing cake....a huge hit!


so basically, I am saying...lots of good grilled foods to come when my husband isn't working so much!  He starts holidays next week, while recovering from Surgery....

PINK, girlie luncheon!

Ok, as my husband and kids have said..." you are out of control!"  lol

I love to host parties, and make a table especially pretty. I love pink, I love girlie things, I love cooking and experimenting with recipes, I love making people feel special, I love attention to detail, I love entertaining and challenging myself, and I love my friend Mindy.  Mindy's very similar in all of the above things I just mentioned, plus MINDY is having a Birthday next week. Soooo, guess what!? I'm planning a pretty little luncheon in her honour.  I can't wait. Pictures to come soon!


I just had to post something PINK on here...not my picture though!  via weddings.theknot.com

Excited about my Menu Tonight!

We are having my husbands secretary and her husband over for dinner tonight. I am working on my cook-book and need some "fancy" dinner party recipes...soooo

Here we go!

Cheese/chutney plate at our local vineyard

Icewine seared Scallops in a Vidal cream sauce- Served with Icewine of course.

Lobster and Truffle Twice baked Macaroni and Cheese- Served with a Chardonnay

Blue Cheese Fillet Mignon served on a medley of grilled vegetables with crispy prosciutto bits

or

Key Lime Sorbet

Then I cheated and went to the bakery and got a mixture of different individual pasties and mini cakes for dessert.

Can't do it ALL right!?