D and I knew that for the Frenchman’s birthday, we could pretty much fix anything and he would be delighted; that is just the kind of guy he is.  We pulled out some old family favourites, that we hadn’t enjoyed together for a while.  Lemon Oregano Chicken is one of the first “grown up” dishes that I had ever acquired a recipe for, completely on my own.  It was a very long time ago when I lived in a gorgeous vintage downtown apartment and worked two jobs: 1) the Winnipeg Art Gallery and 2) The Keg or the Keg ‘n Cleaver as it was called in those days.  I suppose they dropped the latter word as it came off kind of violent.

My boss at the WAG at that time was from a famous artistic Winnipeg family and her Mom was a renowned cook.  I had heard so many descriptions of dinner parties that had been thrown for Winnipeg’s artistic elite.  The Lemon Chicken recipe was passed from Jan’s Mom to her and then to me.  I passed it to my Mom and two sisters and I understand that everyone in our family makes it a slightly different way.  J1 and J2 have recently requested it to treat a new Mom and her husband and so the tradition continues.

But as usual, I digress.  Mushrooms Neptune have been a staple on the Keg menu for years and years and since both D an Sister #3 were Keg prep-cooks at some point in their careers, they both had the recipe memorized.  I know that Sister #3 has included a copy of it in a family cook book that she has been writing.  On the day that I was shopping for ingredients, I didn’t want to test D’s memory, so I did what everybody does now a days I suspect, I Googled it.  This recipe came through the TSN website and I know that it is authentic because there has been a long standing partnership between the restaurant and the network.

So without further adieu.

Love-that is all.

Earlier this week, we were invited over for dinner with beloved friends. At one time, one spouse from all three couples, worked with each at Winnipeg Harvest (in fact Lee was the founder of the amazing organization).  So once again in my life, food (and the sharing of it), drew me to loved ones.  I had been thinking about this particular appetizer recipe for as long as my count down of sleeps for Isla Mujeres, because Parmesan crusted fish is served a couple of places on the island.

The view from the corner table at the Co-op.

My favourite version is offered up at The Fisherman’s Co-op, right on the water and across from the little hotel where we typically stay.

In the end, D made this batch up and so they tasted even better than usual to me, as I didn’t prepare them.  I have posted this recipe today, in case you want to make them for an Oscar watching evening on Sunday.  In our house on Superbowl Day,  D plants himself in his football watching chair and I fix little treats for he and his quests.  On Academy Awards night, the tradition is reversed and he does the same for me.

Me on Isla (ha, ha, this is J2, my legs aren’t long enough to touch the sand).

This is really me on Isla (with Daughter #1)

Alas, this Oscar night I wouldn’t be with D as I will be spending my first night on Isla…

Love-that is all.

Little plates are our favourite way to dine.  When the holidays are over, we still want to entertain friends but we want to lighten it up for everybody concerned.  So this weekend, we hosted a dinner of small plates.  First off we invited, my eldest brother and his wife as she had just recognized a significant birthday and we wanted to extend the time of celebration.  When we had gotten together with them in the last year or so, we had been anticipating and then remembering, our time in Ireland, so we eliminated stew and soda bread as possible menu items.  We all love Mediterranean fare and so that seemed the right choice.  Then we found out that our Sicilian friends were back  in Canada and invited them too.  So here I was cooking tagliatelle for an expert.  I gave myself the jitters.

Treats of sausage, ham, salami and olives sat on the table while we assembled and poured out a beautiful Cab Sauvignon from Sicily and an equally lovely Argentinian Malbec.

We started with a sweet potato and lime soup with just a hint of cinnamon.

We accompanied this with a rosemary flat bread.

Next up were rolls of eggplant.

And tagliatelle with browned butter and mizithra cheese.

The last dinner plate were white wine steamed mussels and even the guests who did not think that they were inclined towards mussels, quite loved them.

D had prepared a special treat for the birthday girl and dessert was banana cream pie (sorry no photo), Bernard Callebaut chocolates and an experiment with an Italian digestive-grappa.  I had found out earlier that day that grappa is a distilled product made from the seeds and skins of grapes.  Italians are very resourceful people and this was not surprising. The taste mind you, was a surprise.  High in tannin, it reminded me of what turpentine might taste like.  It must be an acquired taste, as the Sicilian quite enjoyed it, whereas D renamed it “crappa”.

The conversation was lively and the evening deemed a success, proving to me once again, that it is not so much the richness of the food but the richness of the friendships that makes for a successful dinner.

Kath’s quote: “At a dinner party one should eat wisely but not too well, and talk well but not too wisely.”-W. Somerset Maugham

Love-that is all.

Most of my readers know that I grew up in a large family and that we all live together in the same city (very rare now a days).  We absolutely love the excuse to celebrate milestones as a family.  We invite extended family members and friends that we have known and loved so long, that they feel like family.  This was the case this past Sunday, when the women of our clan assembled for a bridal shower to celebrate the upcoming marriage of our precious niece.

Kelsey is such an angel that her halo is often visible.

We divided the task list up amongst the three sisters and were ably assisted by a 4th Auntie who made a breath-taking fruit tray and lead us in a blessing (the 5th Auntie is vacationing in Hawaii but still contributed Chocolate Cranberry Squares and the 6th Auntie is the Mother of the Bride and provided the wine).

Other desserts were contributed by cousins and friends, Sister #2 made the quiche, decorated and gave the toast; Sister #3 made the salads and was the MC.  There were requests for the Marinated Zucchini Artichoke Salad recipe by Kelsey’s co-workers, so here it is:

I made the punch and in writing this, it seems like I got away task-free.  That is the beauty of coming from a large family.  I am particularly busy with my work right now and so my efforts were limited, but my time is coming!  Set up was accomplished by the Maid of Honour and Sister of the Bride and everyone pitched in when it was time for dishes (even one of the cousins who is eight months pregnant).  We are a well-oiled machine!

Kath’s Tip: Sister #3 always brings a fancy pen and place cards to events like this to label each dish.  This way food is not wasted because you are aware of all of the ingredients (some might upset a tummy and there are allergies in our family).

Kath’s quote: “My face looks like a wedding cake left out in the rain.”-W.H. Auden

Love-that is all.

One of my business associates lives on what my family has always called the Lockport Road-north Henderson Hwy.  I recently had an evening event in Selkirk, so stopping in at his home on the way was a perfect opportunity.  As opposed to meeting in what he jokingly calls “the world headquarters”, that is to say the office in his basement, we met at his dining room table because it was “Happy Hour”.  He poured us both a cocktail and then he briefed me on a new client.  But true to form, he also had a delectable treat warming in the oven (he even had the recipe printed out for me to take with me).

Kath’s quote: “Too much work, and no vacation,
Deserves at least a small libation.
So hail! my friends, and raise your glasses;
Work’s the curse of the drinking classes.”
-Oscar Wilde

Love-that is all.