Gingerbread

 

classic gingerbread loaf

2 very good pastas

 this hasn't been the best summer for eating exciting foods - work kicked my ass in july, its been so so hot and smoky and funds are low, so there have been some fend for yourself nights, and lots of bits and pieces from the fridge and freezer nights.  but i did make 2 very good pastas lately, and here they are.

first is onion and bacon pasta - fry a package of bacon until crisp, and remove the bacon from the pan.  drain off most of the fat from the pan, then add 2-3 thinly sliced onions and cook slowly over medium-low heat until soft but not brown.  season with salt and pepper.  meanwhile cook some noodles!  when the pasta is  almost done, add a cup of chicken broth or pasta water to the onions and bring to a simmer.  when the pasta IS done, drain and add to the pan along with the bacon.  toss together, add some cheese and it's ready.

oh this zucchini pasta was so good.  i grated a couple of medium zucchinis and sauteed them in some olive oil until starting to slightly brown.  i stirred in a few minced garlic cloves and seasoned with salt and pepper.  when it was looking delicious i added a cup of broth - i used chicken - and let it simmer for a few minutes.  cook your pasta and drain, and add to the sauce.  add in some cheese and enjoy.

book club 39 - VenCo by cherie dimaline

 2026-39

 

chicken with green onion sauce

 

i saw this on tick tok and needed to make it right away.  the star of the show is the green onion sauce - so bright and flavorful.  i finely (ish) chopped a bunch of green onions, and grated some fresh ginger and garlic.  then i warmed some neutral oil over medium heat until quite hot, and added the onions, ginger and garlic and removed from the heat.  after it all sizzled for a few minutes i added some soy sauce, sugar and pepper to taste.  the chicken was a rotisserie chicken, and i added some ginger slices and pieces of green onion to the rice cooker to add some flavor.  we all really enjoyed it and i could have made double or triple the sauce and we would have eaten it all up. 

book club 38 - when breath becomes air by paul kalanithi

 2026-38

 

it's been a while, bread by the mister

 

lunch at my desk - sushi!

 

decluttering part 3

 The Misters coffee maker bit the dust, and I got rid of some old makeup and pharmaceuticals and lotions.

 i found this thing that looks like it attached something to something else, and an old manual.

 and an old pill splitter in a baggie, but we'll call that one item.

 a sad 8 items this time around, bringing our summer declutter to 68

book club 37 - the marriage portrait by maggie o'farrell

 2026-37

 

what i ate

 We picked up some bannock from Kekuli Cafe - some plain and some cheese.  I put strawberry jam on both.

I made a very VERY delicious bruschetta with basil from the garden.  I always make sure there is lots of sauce to soak into the bread.
 

Lemon bars - this batch I made a glaze of powdered sugar and lemon juice.

 Vegan chocolate chip cookies because I had no butter

 The MOST delicious vegan brownie from Brynn's Bakery

 

book club 36 - yesteryear by caro claire burke

 2026-36

 

bbq burgers for dinner

 

a delicious breakfast - yogurt, granola, pb and fruit

 

about 66 cookbooks left

 i sorted all the "keeper" cookbooks together, and here they are - 

 that is 17 books, and my running tally in posts was at 19, but i must have donated a couple after they were reviewed.  i also discovered that i had 2 copies of Aces!  I am thinking that one was mine and one was my moms.  So I donated one.

 this is leaving me with approximately 66 cookbooks left to decide if I should keep them or not.  And this does not include all the bread books that the Mister has quietly stolen from me over the years.  He keeps them separate:

 I do still have quite a task ahead of me.  Some days I imagine just donating all of them - the kids are so picky, and who has the time, energy or money for fussy recipes any more?

  Back on the bookshelf - 17 Donated - 64  Still to come - 66

book club 35 - the empress by kristin cast

 2026-35

 

coconut ice cream in the car

 

lunch at my desk - salad with berries and goat cheese and balsamic vinaigrette

 

honey-lemon vinaigrette

 

i used to be a creamy dressing gal, but lately i would rather make my own vinaigrette than choose a store bought one.

 as long as you have some lemons or vinegar, oil, maybe a bit of dijon and some seasonings they sky is the limit.  use some sugar, or honey, or maple syrup to sweeten.  add some hot sauce or red pepper flakes for a spicy kick.  add a dash of soy sauce instead of salt.  this one was based on this vinaigrette recipe and turned out so well.  i might have added a bit more honey than called for as well as some granulated garlic.  it was amazing on a simple salad of red lettuce, tomato and cheese.

what i ate - chicken and chocolate

 grilled chicken and peanut sauce with rice, brox and potatos

 more grilled chicken with mac salad and blueberries.  peanut sauce added after the photo was taken.

 chocolate - this was on sale

 these are so good in wraps and salads

 

reading watching listening loving eating

 reading - sobbed my way through when breath becomes air.  heartbreaking.

 

watching - traitors canada season 3

 

listening  - the comfort of crows audiobook

 

loving - strawberry pancakes on the weekends

 

eating- lots of wraps with hummus and veg