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.

The salad accompanied these:

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

While I am on the topic of Daughter #2’s birthday, the Frenchman totally surprized her with a birthday barbecue dinner where we assembled for our mandatory Sunday night family supper and a number of her bestie old friends and new school friends were also invited.

You know that you have done a pretty reasonable job raising a child when you see the people that she has chosen to surround herself with.  Every single one of them: engaging, intelligent, creative, demonstrative and authentic.  They all have hearts for social justice on a global scale-this generation is about to change the world!

But I digress.  I volunteered to make her favourite salads knowing that some guests might need to fill up more than others since it was a pot luck invite.  Here are the recipes:

French Potato Salad

2 lbs. small red and white new potatoes

hard cooked eggs to your liking, we start with 4

3 T chopped fresh parsley

2 T chopped fresh dill

4 green onions, chopped

1/3 c finely chopped red onion

Dressing:

1/3 c red wine vinegar

3/4 olive or canola oil

2 t Dijon mustard

1 clove garlic, minced

freshly ground black pepper

Boil potatoes until just tender.  Drain and cut according to your liking (various preferences in our family from almost mashed to almost whole).  Hard boil eggs for 12 mins., cool, peel and slice.  Place both into bowl with remaining salad ingredients.  Combine dressing ingredients, mix well and toss with warm potatoes.  Add freshly ground pepper.  Salad should marinate in dressing for several hours in refrigerator.

Rotini & Mediteranean Veggie Salad

2 c uncooked rotini

12 asparagus spears chopped into 2 inch pieces

Dressing:

3 T white wine vinegar

1 T grainy dijon mustard

1 T honey

2 T coarsely cut fresh dill

1 tsp finely cut capers

1 garlic clove, smashed & chopped

S&P

1/3 olive or canola oil

 

1 c halved cherry or grape tomatoes

1/4 c pitted & coarsely chopped kalamata olives

1 T roasted pine nuts

Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil and add rotini.  Cook for about 15 minutes until el dente, adding asparagus to pot during last 2 mins.  Drain both in a colander, rinse with cold water and set aside.

To Prepare dressing:

In blender or food processor, combine vinegar, mustard, honey, dill, capers, garlic, S&P.  Slowly add oil and continue to emulsify.

Place pasta and asparagus in large bowl and toss with dressing.  Refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving and gently toss in tomatoes, olives and pine nuts.

There were other lovely treats contributed to the dinner including Sam’s amazing sushi and J2’s Chocolate Trifle with real (not instant) chocolate pudding-oh my!

Kath’s quote: “To remember a successful salad is generally to remember a successful dinner; at all events, the perfect dinner necessarily includes the perfect salad.”-George Ellwanger

My D is an incredible cook and everything he does, he does first class.  When he says that he is going to slow roast ribs for Sunday dinner, the process starts the night before.  He pulled out a half dozen full racks of ribs from the freezer to defrost overnight in the sink. In the morning he mixed together this dry rub:

1/2 c paprika
1/4 c garlic powder
1/4 c mild chili powder (use medium or hot to kick up the heat)
3 T salt
3 T black pepper
2 T onion powder
2 T celery seeds
1 T brown sugar
1 T dried oregano
1 T dried thyme
3 t cumin
2 t dry mustard
2 t ground coriander
2 t ground allspice

Mix together all ingredients until well combined.  Approximately 1/2 was used for 6 racks of ribs.  Store the rest in an airtight container.  May be stored for up to 6 months.

Liberally rub the spice mixture all over the surface of the ribs. Place a variety of loosely chopped vegetables like carrots, celery, onions, etc. into the bottom of a roasting pan that has a bottom rack.  Pour in enough water to cover the veggies but not exceed the height of the rack.  Insert the rack over the veggie mixture and then place the ribs in a standing position onto the rack.  Cover with lid or aluminum foil.

Place in a preheated 350 degree over for at least four hours or until a rib bone comes loose from the meat when jiggled.  Cool completely.  Place on a hot barbecue grill and brush with your favourite barbecue sauce.

Kath’s quote:   “Was I catching the contagious enthusiasm of this Canadian? Was I truly euphoric at the sight of fresh-grilled pork?”-Professor M. Aronnax in Jules Verne’s ‘Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea”

I met Stella while I was teaching up in Thompson, Manitoba.  As is often the case, my students teach me as much I teach them.  I learned a great many things about living in the “north” and about perseverance when times are less than opportune. 

Stella has a catering business called Laurayne’s Catering Services and she was willing to share this prized recipe with me.  I have not had a chance to make it since I arrived home this past weekend but wanted to post it here, in case it turns to summer again soon.

I understand that the bannock can also be grilled on the barbecue or it can be skewered and cooked camp fire style.  We often have late night snacks around the campfire at the lake and I am going to for sure make these for the May Long weekend.

Kath’s quote: “A Hamburger is warm and fragrant and juicy. A hamburger is soft and nonthreatening. It personifies the Great Mother herself who has nourished us from the beginning. A hamburger is an icon of layered circles, the circle being at once the most spiritual and the most sensual of shapes. A hamburger is companionable and faintly erotic. The nipple of the Goddess, the bountiful belly-ball of Eve.” –Tom Robbins

 

From post: Daughter #2’s Favourite Salads