Today is the last day of the first three day weekend of lake season.  On the Canadian prairies this is typically the time when summer cottages are opened for the season.  Many cottage owners draw their water from a pointy pipe driven into the sand where the water table sits.  Typically by May long weekend, the water has melted sufficiently to be drawn up through the pipe.  Once the water is hooked up, the summer can officially begin.

There are nine of us and three dogs in our 500 square foot cabin-thank heavens the rains have stayed away.  Currently a beer tasting is going on the front deck.  This is official research for J1’s brew master’s course.

The weekend has been relatively laid back with walks, naps, movies, books, amazing food, beverages and visits with extended family members (we have three cottages on the same road).

There have been three major foodies finds over the weekend.  Sister #2 has discovered a mini omelet made in a muffin tin.  She precooked red peppers, sausage and bacon and then placed these with green onion and shredded cheddar into the bottom of a muffin tin lined with papers.   She then poured in the eggs and baked them just before the masses gathered around the dining table on the front deck.  She made extra to freeze for her husband who often stays up at the lake to work on the construction of a new cottage.

The second find, occurred when our gang was put in charge of Sunday supper.  Daughter #2 and The Frenchman made a couple of their delicious and nutritious super salads and J1 and J2 assembled the ingredients for prime bib burgers and smokies.  Daughter #1 was in charge of toppers and the big hit were the Durkee crispy fried onions that smacked on flavour and crunch.  Once you selected your meat choice you placed it on a multi-grain tortilla and added your toppings.  Then your selected was wrapped up and placed back on the grill for a second round, thereby melding the flavours together and melting the cheese.  Choosing a tortilla to encase everything, significantly cuts down the carbs and calories, even of a PC thin burger or hot dog bun.

I contributed the desert and it was the perfect opportunity to try out my new sugar cookie recipe using Monk Fruit In the Raw sugar substitute and cutting the sugar content in half.   There were many accolades for the buttery taste of the cookie itself and everyone noticed how the reduced sugar did not jeopardize the taste in the least.  They retained a crispy “snap” to them like a ginger cookie.

Spring takes a long time to arrive on the Canadian prairies and this year, even more so.  The trees are just now starting to sprout their summer foliage.  The green hue is bright and alive and unique to the spring.  In honour of this lovely occurrence, our delicious cookies were decorated accordingly.

Kath’s quote: “Of all the wonders of nature, a tree in summer is perhaps the most remarkable; with the possible exception of a moose singing ‘Embraceable You’ in spats.”
Woody Allen

Love-that is all.

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