I know I should not talk about gastro-infections on a food blog, but by now you likely know that I am pretty transparent, so here here goes.  My daughter has just arrived home from South Africa with a group of fellow students from Outtatown, CMU.  They came via Heathrow and left just hours ahead of the airport closures due to the volcano eruption in Iceland.  They missed their connection and had to wait for a later flight.  They had finally boarded the plane for Winnipeg when all of a sudden, fire trucks arrived on the runway and paramedics with face masks, boarded the aircraft.  When the paramedics asked if anyone had any intestinal illness in the past 24 hours, over half of my daughter’s group put up their hands.  Needless to say, they were detained overnight in Toronto.

It is now five days later and her 34 fellow travellers have dispersed to their various homes across Canada.  One such “special” departure was just this morning, when her new boyfriend flew home.  But true to daughter #2’s nature, she made the best of the day, assembling a couple of remaining group members and cooking up a storm.

They were all assigned jobs and then lit the candles and sat down to their shared efforts.  About this time my husband arrived home from playing tennis, he pulled out a batch of leftovers and he and his tennis partner joined the girls in the dining room.

There is nothing that makes me happier than a kitchen and dining room full of people who cherish life and love celebrating life with food.  I am so very glad that I have past this love down to my kids.

Kath’s quote: “To invite someone is to take charge of his happiness during the time he spends under your roof.”   Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin

My husband is a professional “foodie”, that is to say, he studies food for a living, working as a Procurement Management for a large food distribution business.  This weekend was his national conference in Grand Rapids, Michigan and he was blown away by the restored downtown of Grand Rapids , the Amway Hotel where they were staying AND the food that was highlighted over the weekend.

He came home raving about one dish in particular.  It was served as the second course at their formal dinner.  This version of Pozole was a chicken and beef consume with white hominy.  There were platters of garnishes on the table including, radish, onion, lime, cilantro and queso fresco.  Each person also received their own petite bottle of Tabasco sauce for personal fire.   I have come across other recipes which include  sliced avocados, shredded cabbage, crushed chilies, dried oregano and sour cream.

Pozole is a traditional soup that adds enjoyment to many Mexican family gatherings.  There are also four other varieties beside white: verde (green), rojo (red), de frijole (with beans) and elopozole (with sweet corn, squash and meat).

Kath’s quote: “Only the pure of heart can make good soup.”-Beethoven

I have posted about my friend Laura before.  She is a very adventurous cook and whenever there is a special event to host, she uses it as an opportunity to try new dishes.  She put together an amazing Easter dinner and sent me all of her recipes but I have been so busy since then, I have not had a chance to look at them until just now.  Check out this amazing salad recipe:

Pea Salad with Radishes and Feta Cheese
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons honey
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

4 cups fresh shelled peas (from about 4 pounds peas in pods) or 1 pound frozen petite peas
1 bunch radishes, trimmed, halved, thinly sliced
1 cup crumbled feta cheese (about 4 ounces)
3 cups fresh pea tendrils, coarsely chopped, or pea sprouts* (optional)

*Available at natural foods stores and Asian markets.

Heat small skillet over medium heat. Add cumin seeds and toast until aromatic and slightly darker, about 2 minutes. Cool; grind finely in spice mill. Whisk lime juice, honey, and cumin in small bowl. Gradually whisk in oil; stir in dill. Season dressing with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to room temperature.

Cook peas in pot of boiling salted water until almost tender, about 5 minutes for fresh (or about 2 minutes for frozen). Drain; rinse under cold water, then drain well. Transfer to large bowl. Add radishes, feta, and dressing; toss. Season with salt and pepper. If using pea tendrils or sprouts, divide among bowls. Divide salad among bowls. Serve.

Kath’s quote: “I feel a recipe is only a theme, which an intelligent cook can play each time with a variation.”-Madame Benoit

Some people predict that they are going to have a good day but how their hair looks in the morning.  I know that I am going to have a good day when I have both a lunch appointment and a supper date.  Don’t get me wrong-I love to cook, but what I like the most is to eat!

This week, I met a new friend at The Dandelion Eatery.  I feel healthy just walking into this place!  As I waited for my friend I saw lunches being delivered to the next table and decided “I want what he’s having” which turned out to be their Baked Ravioli.  I added meat ragu to the dish and was pleased with my choice.  The “meat” tasted like ground turkey or chicken and it was both light and packed with flavour.  My friend had a chicken wrap which she seemed pleased with.

 That evening I returned to the same corner and met a gang of female friends at Confusion Corner Bar and Grill.  Once everybody departed for other obligations, I sat with a wonderful glass of Shiraz (Red Knot) and got caught up with an equally wonderful old friend.  When I realised that the time was past to share supper at home with my husband, I ordered their Chicken Pesto Pizza –one of my favourite versions because it includes artichokes.   We each had a couple of pieces, I took the leftovers home and my husband and I shared it for lunch.  Two nutritious and scrumptious meals for two people is sure great value at $16.50

Kath’s quote: “Laughter is brightest where food is best.”-Irish Proverb

The Food Network is always on in our house and often times I catch an interesting recipe without even sitting down to watch a show.  That is how I heard about this Spelt Risotto recipe.  Then yesterday, by coincidence I was at Organza Market because I was meeting someone for lunch at the adjoining Dandelion Eatery.  I picked up a bag of spelt in order to experiment a bit.  What I found most intriguing was the fact that spelt being a grain similar to wheat, does not require the same amount of cooking time as a rice risotto.

 So here goes:

 1 cup spelt
8 cups water
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil
butter, to taste
1/2 cup chopped shallots (divided in two)
2 cups sliced mushrooms
2/3 cup white wine (+ 2 tablespoons)
2 cups chicken broth
freshly grated Parmesan cheese 

Soak the spelt in cold water 20 minutes. Drain; rinse. Bring 8 cups water to boil in medium saucepan. Add 1/2 cup oil and the spelt. Simmer 20 minutes. Drain in strainer and rinse.

Clean and slice mushrooms while spelt is soaking. Heat up a small amount of oil in a medium sized skillet, put in 1/2 of the finely diced shallots. Cook for about a minute, then put in mushrooms. After the mushrooms have started to soften, put in a splash of the white wine. Cook until the liquid has evaporated and the mushrooms and shallots start to get sticky and golden. 

Put a little bit of oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots; saute 1 minute. Add spelt and wine. Simmer until almost all liquid evaporates, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Add chicken broth 1 cup at a time and simmer until liquid is absorbed each time. After the third helping of liquid (1 wine and 2 chicken broths), stir in the mushroom mixture. Let the liquid continue to evaporate. This should take about 15 minutes or so. Taste the risotto to make sure spelt is soft. Stir in cheese and butter. Season with salt and pepper.

Kath’s quote: “Nature alone is antique and the oldest art a mushroom.”-Thomas Carlyle