Even though some time has past since Mother’s Day, last night was the absolutely perfect time to celebrate with our Mom.  When you are 85 and health issues limit your outings, spreading them out a little bit is a smart strategy.

When the Karsh exhibit was at the Winnipeg Art Gallery we parked just adjacent, had a delightful lunch and spent a leisurely time in the gallery.  Mom had such a lovely day, that she requested that we repeat the scenario so that we could attend the Norman Rockwell exhibit before it leaves the city.

And so it was that we assembled again at Dessert Sinsations.  Being a part of the marketing world, I can’t help but reflect that the name of the restaurant does not really do it justice.  Yes, their dessert case is over the top with selections and I have tasted many delicious treats from that bounty.  But I personally do not live for dessert and this lovely cafe offers so very much more.

The savoury dishes that my Mom chose on her last visit, must have been memorable because she ordered exactly the same thing for this celebration-the garlic and mushroom soup and the poutine (I have obviously inherited her poutine-loving genes).  She ate til her heart was content and then packaged the rest up for her lunch today.

The three sisters, made healthier (but not less delicious) choices.  Sister #2 went with the Black and Blue Salad-blackened steak and blue cheese.

Sister #3 chose The Gardener which looked amazing when it arrived at the table.

And even more so, when we peaked inside.

My gorgeous pear and walnut salad was a masterpiece when it was placed in front of me.

And looked completely different when I placed the addition of the grilled chicken breast.  The light dressing had a slightly maple taste which complimented the ground walnuts of the dish-kind of like having a healthy version of maple/walnut ice cream!

The kind servers (we had three of them popping over to our table) allowed us to stay parked as we ventured over to the Winnipeg Art Gallery (my first post-university job).  We were all enamoured with the exhibit, Mom particularily so with the depiction of a little boy’s discovery of a Santa suit in the bottom drawer of his Dad’s bureau.

Delicious and wholesome food and exquisite artistry which celebrates good old fashioned values and family-the perfect way to celebrate a belated Mothers Day.

Kath’s quote:  “A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie”. ~Tenneva Jordan

“The whole Mediterranean … the wine, the ideas … seems to ride in the sour pungent taste of those black olives … A taste older than meat, older than wine. A taste as old as cold water.”

Lawrence Durrell

My Mother’s Day a couple of weeks ago was perfect in so many ways.  We celebrated on the Saturday so that D could have lunch with his Mom on Sunday and I could head out to the cottage for the day, to get some spring cleaning accomplished.

There was a delay in celebrating my Mom’s special day as she was not feeling well, but the three sisters are taking her out this evening for dinner and a visit to the Winnipeg Art Gallery for the held over Norman Rockwell exhibit.

I spent that Saturday lazing around in our backyard on one of the prettiest days of the year-when all of our fruit trees are in full blossom.

D as always, was busy at the grill and produced my favourite Greek Chicken recipe.  The dish typically starts with the chicken marinating in Greek dressing but in order to cut down on the fat content, D used a dry rub of Greek spices instead.  The brand is Victorian Epicure and it is the basis for their Greek dressing containing herbs, onion, garlic and red and green peppers.

He also grilled zucchini and eggplant to accompany the chicken.

The kids had to disperse and we headed out to a cocktail party that evening but when we got home, it was still pleasant enough to be outside again and so we sat under the illuminated trees and lit the candelabra.  Ahh spring time in Winnipeg.

Kath’s quote: “The whole Mediterranean … the wine, the ideas … seems to ride in the sour pungent taste of those black olives … A taste older than meat, older than wine. A taste as old as cold water.”-Lawrence Durrell

With the arrival of the May Long weekend, our routine of heading out to our little cottage as often as possible, is in full swing.  There aren’t many weekends as busy as May Long (Sister #2 prepared omelets for 17 people), but we do often feed a gang and so I am always on the look out for oven recipes that can be served to many.

When it was my turn on the brunch roster, I prepared these apple bran muffins and blue berry scones.

J1 grilled the sausages on the barbeque for me-such a good boy.

And I put together these Baked Eggs.  These photos aren’t terribly artsy as I was focused on getting hot food in front of the masses.

drizzle of canola oil

1 doz ripe tomatoes

1 doz eggs

grated parmesan to your liking

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Prepare a shallow baking dish by drizzling canola oil into the bottom.  Choose the dish size, so that the tomatoes will stand upright without falling onto their side.  Remove stem and scoop out tomato (set aside inside flesh for another use i.e. salsa).  Place tomatoes with the open top up, into pan.  Crack eggs one by one into tomato cup.  Sprinkle with parmesan.  The easiest way to reduce fat in a dish like this is by sparingly adding the cheese.  On this morning, I had slices of spicy havarti available and so I used it for a heartier version.  Bake for approximately 20 minutes until eggs are cooked to your liking.

Two of the hungry gang.

Kath’s quote: “Hunger is the best pickle.”-Benjamin Franklin

I do not even remember how long ago it was, that I met my friend Bill (but my hair was a completely different colour then).  For decades we have been part of a close knit media community in this city.  Perhaps it is only my perception of this business, but for me it is like a game of golf.  You cheer on greatness and everyone strives to do their best and there never appears to be any losers even when some fall to the bottom of the leader board.  Everyone conducts themselves in a polite and courteous manner and there are very few displays of bad temper.  I love this business and it is because of people like Bill Hanson that it is such a pleasure to be a part of the media scene in Winnipeg.

Some businesses play lip-service to the term “partnerships” but the company that Bill headed up for so many years, lived the philosophy like no other.  We often went to them with our hair-brained media ideas and they listened politely, and then low and behold, they would find a way to make it happen!  In the end, our clients benefited, we certainly did and so did Bill’s station because we went back to them time after time, to plan our clients’ television campaigns together, in this mutually beneficial manner.

Bill always picked up his phone for me and gave me advice about the industry in general and I would do the same for him (from a buyers’ perspective) on the few occasions when it was required.  Bill had a quiet, “behind- the- scenes style”, never taking the spotlight for himself but always shining it on his team.

And speaking of golf-the station golf days were the highlight of June every year, for the many years before belt- tightening had to occur for most media companies.  There was frivolity on the course, a great steak dinner at the clubhouse and the prizes…I came home with a TV one year that took up almost all of my van space!  Bill would make the rounds at the end of a long day and thank us all for coming.  

Things had been tough for Bill over the last year but it was apparent that he had kicked the cancer that had meant surgery and treatments and time away for his beloved gang at the station.  And then he decided to go on an extra vigorous bike ride…

I am sad about many things surrounding Bill’s passing but most of all that he did not get to hold and smile into the face of his newly born grandchild.   He would have made an magnificent Grandpa, just as he was an extraordinary management leader and a good and true friend.

One image that is bringing me comfort at this time, is Bill’s enormous smile and long-armed wave, as he said good-bye to us at the end of our golf days.  Bill you were much loved and will be truly mourned and greatly missed.

Never have I recounted a May Long weekend while it was still going on.  But this morning I am the only one up in a sleeping cottage and I have not yet fully engaged in a good read.  The exception is D who is already on the tennis courts with his Grand Beach tennis buddies.  There may be some sleepy folks this am as the hilarity was still going on when I retired to my cozy bed.  I was actually shaking in bed trying to repress my giggles in order to fall asleep.

Sister #3 stayed with us Friday night and then took our Mom home with her after the birthday celebration of J2.  While she was here, she was responsible for the making and sharing of lunch and produced these gorgeous and healthy dishes.

Crunchy Shrimp Quesadillas

1 T canola margarine
½ c chopped onion
1 c corn (frozen or fresh off the cob)
1 large clove garlic, minced
2/3 c tomato, chopped
2 T minced fresh cilantro
2 T fresh lime juice
1 lb peeled, deveined shrimp
10 large whole wheat tortillas
1 c grated part-skim mozzarella

Heat margarine in a nonstick pan over medium high heat.  Add onion and corn, cook till onion translucent.  Add garlic, tomato and cilantro. Heat through then add shrimp and cook just till no longer translucent.  Keep mixture warm.  Heat a large non-stick skillet.  Place one tortilla in pan, Sprinkle with cheese, top with 1/5 of shrimp mixture.  Sprinkle with more cheese and cover with second tortilla.  After about 3 minutes on one side, then using a cookie sheet to assist you, flip over and continue cooking another 2 or 3 minutes.  Repeat process with remaining tortillas, keeping the cooked ones in a warm oven.  Cut into six with a pizza cutter and serve.  You can top with sour cream or avocado for extra creaminess.

Kath’s quote: “Shucked and boiled in water, sweet corn is edible and nutritious; roasted in the husk in the hottest possible oven for forty minutes, shucked at the table, and buttered and salted, nothing else, it is ambrosia. No chef’s ingenuity and imagination have ever created a finer dish.”– Rex Stout