Banana cake, pansies and daffodils

They're Coming Soon!

Below is my post from April, 2010  'Gone Banana's' and it's that time of year again. Cancer Month. This year I will be adding the colour purple to yellow in support of pancreatic cancer research.  Pancreatic Cancer Canada launched a campaign April  2012 in Ottawa. Pancreatic cancer is a 'silent killer' and much needed research is yet to be done in helping find a cure and treatment for this dreaded disease. Please think about giving. You can read more about Pansies of Pancreatic Cancer HERE.

Gone Banana's

The weekend.
Four black bananas.
Gorgeous weather.
Company arriving.
and what do you have?

You have the recipe for something very special!

As we talked about here, April is the month that the cancer society sells daffodils to raise money to help support the fight against this dreaded disease. Many of us have been touched by cancer in one way or another. Perhaps directly or through a close friend or relative. It makes it's appearance when you least expect it and can turn your world upside down. Have you ever wondered how you would react if you were diagnosed? Ever thought of a positive plan in case that would happen? We plan our escape route in our homes in case of a fire, we plan for our future, for retirement. We plan for our children's education and some seniors prepay their own funerals! We plan, plan, plan...but how many of us plan for a life altering illness? No, we don't want to think about stuff like that! We prefer to think positive and don't like thinking in the 'what if' department of life. Even if you don't have a strong family history of cancer it still makes sense to practice preventative medicine and a healthy lifestyle. Since April is the big fundraising month for cancer perhaps it's a good time to book that annual physical that you haven't had in ten years!

What has all this got to do with four black bananas? Banana cake of course! And healthy too because I made it with whole wheat flour, added raisins, didn't put icing on it and cut the required sugar in half! Then it was 'dressed up' in daffodils. After guests ate and enjoyed, a basket was passed around to collect donations for the cancer society. It was a wonderful weekend!

The ART of French Onion Soup

Making this soup IS an ART! When you experience a true classic such as a bowl of French Onion Soup everything else doesn't matter. The aroma of garlic and onions slowly carmelizing together filtering through the air sends you! Scents of Old Quebec or a small country bistro in Provence plays into the mind....the smells is divine!

This winter I have been experimenting on getting it right. The first episode was an edible disaster because I didn't have all the ingredients on hand and tried to substitute with spices I thought were in line to the original recipe. Well, think again, it doesn't work that way for everything. Lesson learned! You really need to be organized so tonight I was well prepared making sure I had all the ingredients ready to go.

I used a recipe similar to Martha Stewarts that I've included. This recipe does take a little bit to make, but it is well worth it. I serevd the soup with grilled steak and a salad of fresh greens and tomato with a light balsamic vinegarette. The soup is hearty and would have been plenty on it's own. Oh, well... another lesson learned. Isn't that was life is all about?

Classic French Onion Soup

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 pounds (2 or 3 large) yellow onions, sliced ¼" thick
3 to 4 cloves of garlic
1 ½ teaspoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
¾ cup dry red wine
3 ½ cups Homemade Beef or Veal Stock
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 small baguette, sliced into ½-inch pieces
1 ½ cups grated regular Gruyère
1 ½ cups grated smoked Gruyère

Directions:
Melt butter in a large Dutch oven on medium - medium-low heat.
Add garlic and onions, spreading them out in as thin a layer as possible.
Sprinkle with sugar, and cook, stirring just as needed to keep onions from sticking, until they are soft, golden brown, and just starting to caramelize - about 1 hour.
Sprinkle flour over onions, and stir to coat.
Cook flour for about 5 minutes. Add wine, stock, and thyme, and bring to a simmer.
Cook, partially covered, for about 30 minutes, to allow the flavors to combine.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Meanwhile, lightly toast at least 8 slices of bread under a broiler or in the toaster and set aside.
Ladle hot soup into four ovenproof bowls and arrange on a sturdy baking sheet.
Place 2 -3 slices (depending on size) of toasted bread over each bowl of soup.
Mix together the two grated cheeses and sprinkle ¾ cup over bread in each bowl.
Place soup bowls under the broiler until cheese is melted and crusty brown around the edges.
Watch carefully that bread doesn’t burn.
Serve immediately.
I find this soup to be both rustic and elegant...easy to make and delicious to indulge in.

Art of Reading Labels for Health

If you're like me, you read everything on the package before buying it. It takes a little extra time at first but before long you become a real pro and will be able to zip through the label quickly. At least you'll know what you're consuming. I'm in the habit of reading grams of fat, sodium content, sugars, calories and so on. I insist on knowing what I ingest especially when food additives have gone amuck and let's not mention those horrific artificial colours and sweeteners!

I've been on a real health kick stepping it up a notch with extra pilates and making sure of a one hour walk per day. Here I explained that it takes effort to make this happen but the effort is worth it.

I found this scrumptious sun dried raisin bread. Toast it and you're in heaven! Add a small slice of Canadian cheddar, a piece of fruit and your day is off to a great start!

ADDITION:






If you can't read the label it says:
All Natural -Free of chemicals, preservatives & additives
Free of white & refined sugar - Free of added fats!
Feel Good About Your Food

It is expensive at $3.89 which bothers me. I don't understand why company's make it more expensive to eat healthy.

Shrimp

JUMBO

I took this picture about a week ago. I was having company for dinner and wanted to serve something special as an appetizer. These were a big hit. Cooked to perfection with a garlic butter and parsley mix.

I gave in

I'm going to a dinner party tonight and offered to make the dessert. Procrastinating for days- 'what should I make' - searching through every cookbook in my collection - checking GOOGLE on how 'to make a nice rich custard filling' - making myself crazy - Voila! I've always had great luck with Epicurious.com
I give you their Raspberry White Chocolate Mousse Cake


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Check my espresso machine behind the cake in the first photo. Since I purchased that machine a year ago, life has changed - and they all thought I had energy before!

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If you're wondering if I made this cake - answer is simple. No, but I did put the cake on the plate and took the pictures! I know I promised to "make" the dessert but sometimes life gets too busy, sigh. I drove a few miles to a wonderful bakery and for $49.95 I felt it was a good deal. Why? Because the time it took to drive there and back gave me two hours of 'music' time to relax! :)





Photos: CAFREL