Road Trip

We're back from a fairly lengthy road trip. Over 4,000 km in the car. With two kids. Somehow, when your car is pointed in the direction of the sunny south, the trials and tribulations of car travel disappear. So how was it?

It hailed in Ohio. You can't tell from this picture but it did. Hard.

We found more Cars for our collection. Thank you Target!

I read five books. This was one of them.

We ate at Chick-Fil-A. Yum.

Java Chip Frappuccino Ice Cream? Double yum.

Polynesian Resort. Sand, sun, surf. Perfection.

Tomorrowland Speedway.

Adventureland, The Jungle Cruise

Fantasyland, Small World

A whole lotta Beakers....

Spicy Shrimp Sushi

And when we were done we got in the car, grabbed some Starbucks and pointed ourselves North.

Break-up Zucchini Tomato Tart

One of the ways I have been trying to challenge myself in the kitchen is to be more creative with cooking vegetables. At this time of year, when zucchini becomes abundant (i.e. is everywhere at market), I typically stir-fry or grill it into submission. It's only ever okay. So I decided to try something completely different and take zucchini to the next level by making Zucchini Tomato Tart. (Which, by the time you add in eggs and cheese and pastry, likely diminishes the nutritional value of the zucchini. Let's overlook that, shall we?)

I'm glad I made this tart because I it has helped me confirm something I've been wondering about for a long time. I don't like zucchini. Zucchini bread, sure (particularly with chocolate) but despite making this lovely tart I still haven't cracked the zucchini code, so to speak. I don't fault the recipe. Besides zucchini this tart features tomato, egg and smoked Gouda cheese. All things that I like. The pastry is frozen puff pastry thawed, rolled thin, gently pressed into a tart pan. (Another reason I'm glad I made this tart - I have never used my tart pan, and I had an excuse to buy puff pastry. Still have half a pack in my freezer.) David actually quite liked this tart which was a surprise to both of us. I didn't even bother offering it to the boys since I could think of no way to 'sell' it. Sell as in 'It's like spaghetti, chicken, scrambled eggs...try it, you'll like it'.

I ate a wedge of this tart the next day for lunch and I liked it a bit better leftover. But still. I think I'm ready to admit I just don't like zucchini and stop buying it. Hence the title of this post. Sorry zucchini. I'm breaking up with you. It's not you, it's me. Really. I'll admit that for years, I never really made an effort to serve you at your best, but this time, this time I really tried and well...you know. See above. Don't worry. We'll still see each other sometimes, when I make zucchini bread or muffins for the kids. And I still like you in Lasagna. But I think it's best we keep this relationship casual. No hard feelings, okay?

Today is not Monday

I've been on a real streak lately in the kitchen. Salad, cake, crisp, chowder....it would appear that we feast on a a never-ending cornucopia of earthly delights every night of the week. We don't. Tonight, for example. Tonight I fed my children cereal for dinner. Because it's hot, and because earlier in the day I thought it was Monday, then later in the day I thought it was Wednesday (it's Tuesday). Some days it's best to just step away from the stove and serve cereal for dinner. That is all.  

Seafood Resolution Resolved: Salmon Caesar Salad

I haven't made nearly enough salads this Summer. With produce at its peak I decided to make more of an effort to make salads a part of lunch and/or dinner around here this past week. Since I had some salmon in the freezer and another resolution (cook with seafood!) to knock off my New Year's Food Resolution list I decided to tackle Salmon Caesar Salad.

Peach Frozen Yogurt

Back in May I spotted a Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker on sale at HomeSense. It was less than half price and an appliance I have had my eye on for quite some time. My 'to-do' file of recipes (the paper one that falls out of my cupboard above my computer whenever I open the door) has more than a few ice cream recipes lurking within, waiting to be brought to life. So I bought it. Flash forward several months. A half dozen peaches sit on the kitchen cupboard. Anna Olsen offers up a tantalizing recipe for peach frozen yogurt in her cookbook Fresh which I peruse on the couch. The perfect storm of events for a maiden ice cream maker voyage.

Comfort Food

Chocolate chip cookies. Scalloped potatoes. Lasagna. Tomato soup. Some of my favourite comfort foods. Fried egg sandwiches are another comfort food that I find myself craving every once in a while. My dad taught me how to make fried egg sandwiches. And I've made plenty in my day, many during my tenure as a sort-of fry cook in a small-town diner. The first few times I offered David a fried egg sandwich he turned up his nose. Then he saw me eating one and remarked how good it looked. All it took was one bite and he was hooked.

Here's how this works. Heat up a frying pan over medium heat and melt a small pat of butter. Crack an egg into the pan and cook to your liking. (I like my egg a bit runny but David prefers the yolk hard.) Grate some cheddar cheese and slice some tomato. Toast two pieces of sourdough bread and spread with some mayonnaise. Top the egg with the grated cheddar. Put the tomato on the bread and the egg on the tomato. Top with the other slice of bread. Serve with a cold Coke. Because it is impossible to eat a fried egg sandwich without a cold Coke. And really, why would you want to?

New Year's (Food) Resolutions - update

Back in January I prepared a New Year's (Food) resolutions list. I meant to update it in June/July, halfway through the year, but I forgot. I did do an update back in March but I haven't revisited this list in a while. I have a few things I wanted to add to the list so...no time like the present!

Just Peachy

We keep pretty busy in August. We have birthdays to celebrate, Summer holidays to enjoy and peaches to eat. Lots and lots of peaches. Seems like every week I come home from the grocery store with peaches once August hits. I can't help it. David loves peaches. Particularly when I bake them into peach crisp.