Book Club - Eleanor Oliphant is completely fine

2019-38 

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At the office, there was that palpable sense of Friday joy, everyone colluding with the lie that somehow the weekend would be amazing and that, next week, work would be different, better.  They never learn.

It often feels as if I'm not here, that I'm a figment of my own imagination.

Did men ever look in the mirror, I wondered, and find themselves wanting in deeply fundamental ways?

Cookbook Cleanup #6 - rebar modern food cookbook

If you do a search for rebar on my blog, you'll come up with this list of vegetarian deliciousness that I've cooked over the years from rebar modern food cookbook.

One of my all time favorites is still the Brie Bagel Melt.  Such a winner.

For the cleanup challenge I made 7 new dishes - 

2 smoothies - Double Happiness and Dale Evans (below).

I made the deeeeeeelicious Whole Wheat Hotcakes.

I turned the Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes into a No Frosting Needed Chocolate Zucchini Cake.

And this very nice Plain and Fancy Cornbread.

I also made the Chocolate Chip Cookies with Apricots and Walnuts - but I left out the walnuts - and they were so delicious - one of the best cookie recipes of the year.

The last recipe was Thai Sweet Corn Soup made at the perfect time of year for corn, and this was a prefect soup.  Easy to make and delicious.  I left out the siracha so the kids and grandpa would eat it, and The Mister and I spiced up our bowls at the table.  Even more yummy with a bit of heat!

This is a book that keeps on giving - rarely a dud in the lot.  If you come across this one and like vegetarian cooking, pick it up.

Cookbook Cleanup results so far - Bookshelf -3  Donated - 3

Sunday Dinner - Trying out a new pizza dough

We had big plans for the Sunday of the Labour Day Long Weekend (how is it September already.....) that involved a visit to the Fall Fair in Barriere, and the first of two Back To School Dinners. 

The Boy was up first for his choosing of the Back To School Dinner - The Girl gets the next Sunday which makes sense because of the loooooong gradual entry into Kindergarten, and also she couldn't care less about choosing a dinner, because she exists on air and baby corn. 

He chose homemade pizza and brownies for dessert. 

 I wasn't sure what to do about the pizza dough - should I make it in the morning and hope it didn't over proof? Or should I chance that we would be home early enough from the fair to make the dough right before dinner? 

I decided I better not leave the dough to chance and that I should make it in the morning, and I turned to the internet to find a slow rising dough that could wait all day for us. 

Introducing a new favorite here - the Now or Later Pizza Crust!

 

This is a super simple dough that you mix, let sit on the counter to rise for 45 minutes, then pop it in the fridge for up to a day and a half.  

The recipe, from King Arthur Bread, had an optional ingredient of "Pizza Dough Flavor" so I tossed in some mixed Italian spice and some extra basil and oregano.  It added a nice flavor and a pretty design to the crust.

We made a ham and pineapple - The Boys current favorite pizza, and a salami, green pepper and black olive.

They were delicious and the crust was crispy - pretty darn crispy - so if you aren't a fan of super crispy, watch your baking time.

The dough was a hit and I'll be keeping this recipe close for an easy weeknight dinner.

Book Club - Audiobook -Food: A Love Story by Jim Gaffigan

my favorites in august

August flew by in a matter of seconds, I swear.  How did it happen?  How is it September?  SEPTEMBER 2019??????  Aieeeeee.  I have really got to get my shit together.

Here's a list of things I enjoyed in August -

On Netflix -

Bob Ross.  On Netflix!  Oh man, what a treat.  I used to watch his show on PBS and wish I could be a tiny pinch as artistic as him.  I find his shows so soothing.  I watch them before bed and crash out.

Derry Girls - I'm not too far into this one, but I love it.

Schitts Creek - I am deep into Season 2 and already dreading knowing that the show has come to an end.  So, so good.

On CBC Gem -

Workin' Moms Season 3 - Workin' Moms Instagram did me wrong by making me believe Season 3 was coming to Netflix in August.  It didn't - but you can watch Seasons 1-3 on CBC Gem.

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In Book Club news I finished the library book challenge!  On time this year!  Here's my completed list.

One of my favorite books I read for the challenge was Daisy Jones and The Six.  Loved it.  I think I heard that it is being turned into a movie or a tv show?  That's good news.

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Lotions and Potions from Winners - I'm not a Winners shopper for no particular reason but I ended up there twice for back to school shopping, and I got some me stuff - face sprays, a face wash and a body oil.  All well under $10 each.  Winners might be my new favorite store.

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Forever 35 podcast - This has become one of my favorite podcasts - 2 ladies - one of whom wrote a Book Club book - talking about self care and life.

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A local favorite -Cheng Kwong Grocery, head over to 8th Avenue on the North Shore for some amazing shopping for your Asian grocery supplies. Their facebook page is here.