Gazebo construction has started!!!

Well, I've been talking about this for awhile...but it has finally started!  As with any construction job...there are always delays.  This project was delayed for a week because of a forest fire in the area that Roger was involved with. 

On Tuesday evening, one of the big trees in the back yard had to come down.  Our neighbor Dave, and Roger set to work and got the ladder up to remove as many limbs as possible before they cut the tree.  This was to prevent any limbs from hooking into the eave of the garage when it fell.

After the lower limbs were removed with a small electric saw, one end of a heavy cable was attached  to the tree and the other end was attached to Roger's truck.

 As Dave cut the tree with a chainsaw, Roger slowly drove off, pulling the tree onto the driveway.....

I had lots to clean-up from the tree removal.  On Wednesday evening, Roger completed the foundation work.  He had most of the preliminary work done.  We are now ready to put on the floor.  Roger is using all pressure treated lumber.

Here is a picture of the gazebo we are building....

Our gazebo will be totally screened in, with a screen door.  Roger is also making panels of glass to put in place during the cooler season so we can use it right into fall and again in early spring.  The dimensions are 12' x 16' .  I'll post progress pictures every coupe of days.  I can't wait to pick some new garden furniture to go in it!!!!

Do you have any new garden projects under way???

Raisin Buns & Wine Glasses

Well---as anyone familiar with the weather in Newfoundland & Labrador knows...if you don't like the weather, just wait a minute!  We have had every season in the past 24 hours.

Yesterday morning was beautiful....sunny, but a bit cool at 10 degrees Celsius.  Olive and I went for a ride, and got caught in a vicious downpour of rain.  I came home and had to strip off my wet clothes right in the laundry room.  Thankfully it wasn't too cold at that time.  That changed however, and cold it got as the day and night wore on.  We had minus 3 Celsius overnight with snow (yes SNOW) flurries.

So...needless to say, I spent the remainder of Monday indoors.  I baked some raisin buns........

Here's my recipe:

Raisin Buns

4 cups flour

1 egg

4 1/2 tsp baking  powder

1 cup sugar

 1 cup margarine (or butter)

3/4 cup raisins

Rub together by hand all eight ingredients, then add enough fresh 

milk to make a soft dough. 

Roll out on a floured surfaced and cut into desired shapes. 

Bake at 350* for about 20 minutes, until golden brown.

After that, I spent most of the afternoon experimenting with some wine glass painting.  Which one do you like best??

Little Black Dress

Dragonfly

Hot Lips

 Here are two new designs I tried...back & front views......

Orange Polka Dot Bikini--front

Bikini-Back view

Flip Flops--front view

Flip Flops--back view

I guess I was dreaming of summer and warmer weather!!  Oh well--it'll come, it always does.

Cheers all.....Backyard Gazebo construction starts tomorrow...if it's not snowing! Ha ha

Cajun Crab Cakes, anyone???

Happy Monday!

I had a great weekend....got lots of gardening done...went to the nursery and bought all my annuals...and a few more perennials (which I swore I had enough of and was not going to buy anymore...ha ha).  Isn't it funny how you always imagine the plant at the nursery in a most perfect spot in your own garden....even when know you already have lots!!!

On Saturday, I was stumped about lunch, so I decided to make some Cajun crab cakes.  These are simple, but they are scrumptious.

Here's my recipe:

Cajun Crab Cakes

1 cup crab meat (or two-170 g cans, well drained, will suffice)

1 1/2 cups crushed unsalted crackers

1 cup light mayo

1/4 cup each  (finely diced carrot,red or green 

pepper, and green onion)

1 Tbsp Cajun seasoning

1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp hot pepper sauce

Sal & pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients and form into desired size.

In a nonstick pan, pour small amount of cooking oil, heat on med-high.

Cook crab cakes, turning only once and adding more oil, if necessary.

Cook until golden brown for about 6 minutes total.

These are a great summertime meal.  I have made miniature cakes and used them

for appetizers.  It is great to get such a nice treat from a couple tins of 

crab meat.  (of course, fresh is best)

Here's how mine looked......

Yummy

    What are some of your summertime favorites??  

I love trying new recipes, especially summer treats and barbeque ideas.

 

Stuffed Pork Chops, Chocolate Chip Cookies....and Bridal veils!!!??!!

Well, yesterday was a nice cool, fresh day (12* and sunny)......a great day to bake something.


For supper, I made Stuffed Pork Chops, with Roger's favourite apple stuffing....

 You need some butterfly pork chops...

 The stuffing is almost the same as a regular stuffing for chicken, with the addition of a small chopped apple...

 I fasten the two sides after they are stuffed with stainless steel wire.  It is very

hygienic and quite easy to snip after they're cooked.  I usually bake them in a loaf pan...it keeps everything together nicely.  I cover the loaf pan with heavy duty aluminum foil for most of cooking.

Simply, place stuffing on one side of the chops, fold over and fasten.  place the chops in a loaf
pan with about 1/3 cup of water, then bake at 350* for about 1 1/2 hours.  Don't have water
up past the stuffing, but be careful that they don\t dry out.  
For the last 30 minutes of baking, I place a nice thick slice of peeled apple on the 
top of each stuffed chop.

Here's how it looked when we ate it....Yummmmy!

Stuffed pork chop, diced turnip & carrots, and steamed broccoli

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My nephew Aaron just turned 25, on May 6.  He is an electrician and works away a lot. He is home for a few days now so I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to make him some of his favourite--Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies!

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

3/4 cup margarine

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1 egg

2 Tbsp water

2 tsp vanilla

3/4 cup flour

3/4 tsp baking soda

2 1/2 cup rolled oats

1 cup chocolate chips

Cream first six ingredients, then combine flour, soda, rolled oats and chocolate chips. 

drop dough by heaping spoonful onto a greased baking sheet.  Bake at 350* for

10-12 minutes, until golden brown.  Don't overbake.

NOTE**  

I sometimes add a couple of Tbsps of peanut butter and some chopped peanuts.

Here's how they look:

                      The head pastry chef, Mrs. Pig, was pleased with how they turned out!! (ha ha)

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Last, but not least, I wanted to share a picture of one of my bridal veil bushes.  I have a pair, 
one  on each side of the steps coming onto my front verandah. 
This is the first thing that  blooms in my garden each year!

Cheers to you all ;o)

Dry-Roasted chicken & all the trimmings!

Well, after Olive & I had a early morning bike ride (before the rain) on Wednesday, I came home and got busy in the kitchen.  Please note our typical Newfoundland weather--on Tuesday, it was 31 degrees Celsius and sunny........on Wednesday we had 12 degrees and rain.  Oh well, I guess that's part of what makes us so "hearty"--ha ha!

I had pulled a whole chicken from the deep freeze the night before last and I wasn't sure what I was going to do with it.  I think I was secretly hoping for another nice day so I could barbeque it.  The weather didn't cooperate, so I did the next best thing---a dry roast.  Simply place the completely thawed chicken on a rack, in a roaster, rub it with a dash of olive oil and season it up with your choice of spices.  I use a bit of pepper and some chicken spice.
( NOTE*** Do not put any spices in the cavity, they tend to go all mushy).
Place the roaster, WITHOUT COVER, in a 450* oven for about 20 minutes.  This sears the chicken skin and keeps all the juices in.  Place cover on roaster and turn back heat to 350* for another 1 1/2 hours.  This produces a beautiful golden brown, crispy chicken that is very juicy!!

 

I made us a light garden salad with a little Sweet Onion dressing.....

This dressing is awesome.  I have also used it as a marinade for steak before we barbeque.  The steak literally falls onto your fork and the flavour is scrumptious!!!  The dressing has a blend of fresh Spanish onions and key lime juice.  It's worth checking out....

To top this off, I tried a recipe from my "blog-friend", Jennifer at werelivingafulllife.blogspot.ca.  She has three awesome recipes on her Tuesday post.  I made her Carrot Salad.  The only differences were that I took the lazy approach and put my carrots through the food processor, and I added a teaspoon of brown sugar because I don't have any sugar substitute, but I'm sure the taste is the same.  I added a few raisins, just for color.  It  is a delicious side for any meal.  I will certainly be making it again and again, especially over the summer.  I can't wait to get fresh local carrots for this salad!

To close, I'll show you a great way to use up left-over chicken.  I call it a "Chicken-Veggie Bake"  Here's my recipe:

Chicken-Veggie Bake

1 cup     cubed chicken(cooked)

1/4 cup(each)     chopped celery, green and red peppers, 

fresh mushroom, & cucumbers 

1 Tbsp     black olive slices

1Tbsp     banana pepper slices

1 Tbsp     crumbled feta cheese

1 Tbsp     shredded cheddar or mozzarella cheese

Spray a single serving size baking dish with cooking spray

Place the ingredients in the dish as listed

Bake at 350* for 30-40 minutes

 (I use leftover pork or beef in this recipe as well.  You can use any combination of

veggies that you have on hand)

Delicious!!!!

“I cook with wine, sometimes I even add it to the food.”
― W.C. Fields