An Indian Inspired Dinner

 

What a terrific evening with fabulous people.

I don't think I have ever done a completely Indian inspired menu for a dinner party.

Well this past Saturday was the test.....

I spent ALL day Friday chopping and sautéing and measuring all those wonderful Indian spices.

My house smelled like an Indian spice market..

Saturday we spent cleaning and organizing chairs and tables.

Then it was time to test the apple martinis and wait for our guests.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here was the menu

Apple martinis

Vegetable Samosas

 

Chicken Tikka

Lamb Saag

Mixed vegetable curry

Dahl

Raita

Basmati rice flavoured with cumin, cardamom, and cinnamon

 

Mango panna cotta with mango puree and raspberry

 

 

 

Lots of delicious wines and finishing with decaff coffees and scotch (for some)

 

Lovely Hostess gifts.......

 

 

It was a a lot of fun for us but I know a couple lil ones that are happy these festivities are done.....

 

"Don't let the door hit you in the bum "

 

"Thank goodness I have my arm back"

Grandma Iris

Grandma Iris would have celebrated her 91st Birthday today....

She will always be loved and in our thoughts.

Yay the WeekEnd

Have a glorious weekend 

Oh where oh where did she go????

 Anybody know where the travelling apron is?

 

 

Seems I am out of the loop a bit.

 

 

 I hope she is still on her travels.....

 

Love to know where she has gotten to

Celebrations and a Heartbreak

Had quite a week here at the ole ranch

 

We were invited to celebrate a 1st and 60th birthday party.

HB and I were quite honoured to be included in the celebration.

It was for my walking buddy Deb's retired guy and granddaughter.

You can see the celebration HERE

 

 

Then we got to spend the afternoon with

 

 

Our sweet lil Miss D

 

Terrific weekend you are thinking.

And you would be correct ......

Until we came home Saturday night and found this

 

 

 

 

 

 

The big beautiful locust tree in our neighbour's yard had split and toppled onto our roof.

At first we thought it had been hit by lightening as we had been having some very bad storms.

But it just seems the poor ole tree was rotted.....

 

 

 

 

We found a fantastic arborist --- recommended by another neighbour ---

He came to assess first thing Monday morning and by Monday afternoon was working at getting the tree off our roof.

Unfortunately the tree --- which we have figured out to be close to 60 years old  ---- had to come down.

We are heartbroken over this

 

 

 

Neighbours Tom and Melanie watching the chop down :(

 

 

The arborist came back on the Thursday and took the whole thing down.

They chipped and chopped and took everything away.

Even cleaned up the street of all the rogue branches and saw dust.

 

Tom and Melanie are talking about planting another in its place.

 

After all of this I came down with one heck of a cold but I won't

 bore you with those woes.

Suffice it to say I am still recooping.....

 

 

Gluten Free Scones Make me Feel Happy

 

Gluten Free Scones

 

1 and 3/4 cup gluten free baking mix  (**recipe to make your own at end of recipe)

1/3 of a  cup white sugar

2 Teaspoons baking powder

one half Teaspoon xanthan gum

one half Teaspoon salt

one half cup cold butter

3/4 of a cup dried fruit or fresh blueberries or white chocolate chips or cinnamon chips

zest of one lemon

2 large eggs

1/3 of a cup cold milk

1 Teaspoon vanilla extract

 

 

Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, xanthan gum, and salt.

Work in the cold butter until mixture is crumbly with pea sized pieces of butter.

Gently stir in the fruit or whatever you are using and the lemon zest.

Whisk together the eggs, milk, and vanilla until frothy.

Add to the dry ingredients, stirring until well blended.

The dough should be cohesive and very sticky.

Place on a GF floured surface.

Pat out to about an inch thick disc --- DO NOT roll  --- the dough is too sticky and adding more flour will create a dry dense scone.

Cut into eight triangles and place on a parchment lined baking sheet..

 

Place baking sheet in the freezer for 15 minutes.

 

Preheat oven to 4oo

Bake 15 to 20 minutes.

Let cool --- drizzle with lemon glaze

1 cup icing sugar mixed with juice of one lemon.

 

 

 

**Baking mix

1 cup white rice flour

1 cup brown rice flour

2/3 of a cup potatoe starch

1/3 of a cup tapioca starch

 

Now where is my cup of tea?

 

Hormones and Allergies

Here I am just turning 58 and I am in the throws of PMS.

I have quite a history with my female self that I am not going into.

Let's just say my children are drug induced children.

My menopause has been ..... well .... non existent.

No night sweats. No hot flashes.

However .... it seems if I spend any amount of time with my daughters my body  grabs those hormones and runs with them.

And I have spent a lot of time with my girls this past month.

So yes I am crampy and tired and headachy.

You know ... those dwarf cousins those 7 little guys never talk about.

 

Internet Image

 

 

And to make matters worse my allergies are full blown.

Thank goodness for AC.

I spent the weekend in the luxury of the coolness making meals

 

Cannelloni

Chicken cacciatore

Turkey meatloaf

Chicken meatballs

Calzones

Tomatoe sauce

Rhubarb muffins

 

for the new parents for their freezer.

 

Sio is still recovering from her C section.

Her cat jumped on her belly and tore a bit of her incision so now it will take a few more weeks of recovery.

 

 

 Fist shake at you MacGuffin....

HB and I are taking those meals in today with a lasagna in tow for supper tonight.

 

HB has been working in Toronto (about 4 hours from us) the past few weeks on a contract.

He leaves Sundays and is home Friday nights.

It is a good thing it is only for a few months.

I am not liking this single life.

He is home today and tomorrow as he has a skin lesion that is to be excised.

He has a history of basal cells so another lop off.

 

Hope to talk later this week.

:)

More Nona boasting .......

Chocolate Cigars to celebrate

 

Daphne makes for a very happy Bapa

 

Aunty Holly is visiting from Alberta

 

Ninja kick

Have you ever seen a baby Ninja?

Well here is a quick peek....

 

Tummy Time

 

Relaxin with Momma

Love that they have coordinating outfits...

Happy Birthday Bapa

..... So what's been keeping me busy

Here's a Hint

 

 

 

Daphne Iris Evelyn

July 24 @ 1:14 pm

7 pounds 5 ounces