I know it's not just me...

But is it weird to take so many pictures of food? Seriously?
Here are just a few from these past months...
I love making dinners... And enjoy making it look pretty...
Do you take pictures of food?
To me food has always been a very important part of the day... A time to sit, relax, enjoy each others company and taste what we are given from the earth...
So I suppose it's not so weird after all.

It's Groundhog day today, we'll see if we're in for 6 more weeks of Winter!!!! I'm hoping we get a break from the cold this year.

I'll be starting the snow hill mural next week...I'm looking forward to painting those tranquil ski runs and lots of snow covered evergreens.

Until then, have a wonderful day!
Have a great weekend too, and thanks for passing by.

Hugs
Char

crostini per tutti!

thanks to all your suggestions last week...the avocados ripened really well with the apples and bananas...
I made my crostini...or bruschetta...(Crostini are usually smaller,thinner pieces of bread toasted with toppings on)...for Saturday's get together...everyone LOVED them...my favourite were the tomato crostini.They were like an explosion of flavour in your mouth...YUM!
I think I could have added a bit more heat to the guacamole...


TOMATO CROSTINI
the tomatoes I roasted in the oven for 40 minutes...drizzled with olive oil,balsamic vinegar,basil and sea salt...
Toasted thin slices of Focaccia in the oven with Olive oil drizzled on top.
I then sliced some mozzarella, laid the cheese on top of one basil leaf and added half a tomato...grilled again for 5 minutes until the mozzarella started to melt.
EASY and delicious.


GUACAMOLE CROSTINI
This is my recipe for my guacamole...every time it changes depending on what I have in the fridge.
Take 4 well ripened avocados.
Chop up and place in a bowl
Add a pinch of salt and pepper
one whole banana chile pepper(hot but not too crazy) chopped up finely.
6 of the grilled tomato halves chopped up
juice from one whole lime
1/4 cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
Mash it all together...but don't blend.
YUM!


BTW...you may already know this...you can prep the guacamole ahead of time, just keep one of the avocado stones and place it on top of the guacamole and cover with cling film.THIS WAY it won't turn brown.


I hope you're having a lovely Monday.
I'm counting down the days until I see my parents...


HUGS
Char.x

will they...won't they???

please apples...help me out...we're going for Dinner on Saturday...and I'm making this Guacamole Bruschetta...

I bought the avacados yesterday...and NOW I need them to ripen.
will they...won't they?


do you have any tips other than placing apples in the same bowl??


Have a great weekend,
HUGS
Char.x


BTW...Miss A got a bad stitch during the race and came in 65th out of 300 runners. she had a blast and wasn't worried about the placing.(oh to be young again!)

WORDLESS Wednesdays

While I was out...

 Hello lovelies...I know...I didn't think I would be back either...BUT I had to share my buys with you today...
I can say these are from my parents for Christmas...as I was given a little speding money and had to indulge...
Do you own Carla Sonheim's DRAWING LAB for mixed media artists? I love it...I have read SO many fabulous reviews about it...and thought I would check it out in person...I couldn't put it down...so into my basket and home it came.(after paying ofcourse!!!)

 There are 52 creative exercises  in the book and they're all fun and probably not something I would even think to push myself in doing...I know as an artist I seem to get stuck in a rutt and do the same old things, using the same old techniques over and over.

 She helps you see things differently...out of the box rather than trapped in it!

 I really am inspired  by people and there is a whole section dedicated to this...and one dedicated to being inspired by children...it's a MUST!!! It'll give you creative ideas and expand your creativity.I am currently working on LAB 16, and am LOVING it.

THIS amazing book- "Creative Illustration Workshop for mixed media Artists"...truly is a masterpiece in itself...and her work remind's me a little of Mark Chagall's paintings...is written and illustrated by Katherine Dunn.

 ...it's what I need right now. I believe sometimes when you're searching too hard...images don't come. AND yet, all you need to do is "remember" images...we have a life-time of images stored in our memories...I need to use them.
Katherine Dunn amongst MANY other things has taught me to remember.
Thank you Katherine!

 On a COMPLETELY different note...we went grocery shopping today...the above picture is what I would have ONLY bought if Miss J wasn't with me today!!!
The picture below is what Miss J pleaded with me to buy...I have to hide the majority of them as Mr R will devour them if not!!! (heehee...no sweet teeth in this House!!!)

Sometimes a little junk is good for the cold days of Winter..especially chocolate!(uuuhheemmm...cough...cough)

Well...I am off now...signing out...see you tomorrow.

I hope you've had a wonderful day...

 sweet HUGS

Char.x

Tuesdays tastings : OATCAKES...re-vamped

 As you can see...the Banner has been placed back to the original...too many of you prefer it...so,until I have something better...it stays.
Funny what you get used to, I was and am kind of happy to have it back....I missed seeing our entire families...and lets face it...this blog has A LOT of Family Life in it...

THANK YOU all for all your SO sweet comments...it's been a real heart string tugger this past 24 hours...(*SMILES*)

 OATCAKES re-vamped:
I'm not sure if you all caught my last week's OATCAKE post...if not go HERE for the recipe...this week I substituted the rye flour which made the Oatcakes rather crispy...with Oat Flour(much better texture).
I like them, and I can give them to the girls(Miss Ja LOVES them) without worrying about chipping any teeth! lol...

Highly nutritious, delicious and paired with ANYTHING...sweet or savoury...taste GREAT!

If you haven't entered our draw...please do...either by the post below or the link on the right.

Like I said...THANK YOU for making my days brighter...and inspiring me to DO more!

Healthy HUGS
Char.x

OMG...my Friday FIND.

Hello FABULOUS readers...freinds...sweet commenters...and newbies to this World of ours...

As many of you already know...I LOVE Tea, and am a huge Earl Grey fan...

well...late afternoon (yesterday)around 5pm, my Mr.R texts me and says..."I have a surprise for you!"

Hmmm, his surprises are either he's picked up a new gadget from Lee Valley, he's been to the nearest Computer Store, or he's picked up an Art Magazine... BUT no...he went to DAVIDs TEA store in Toronto and was WOW'd by this Tea...he's NEVER WOW'd by any food usually...and isn't a Tea drinker!!!

OMG...you should smell this...it's flavour is me ALL over...(which clarify's the fact Mr.R and I are a match made in Heaven-I do love him dearly-can you tell?) ...you open the Tin and a warmth like a breeze on a Summer's night hits you...along with a sweet nuttiness...surrounded by coconut and pineapple.Divine...

WHOLE walnuts...broken in half...coconut and pineapple pieces, almonds and green tea...just to make it a little more perfect!

The gift bag was filled with a Bodum Tea Egg stainer...and 100grams of Toasted Walnut delight.YUM!!!

Do you live near or in Toronto,Montreal, Quebec,Vancouver or London(Ontario)???

GO and find your nearest DAVIDsTEA bar please...OR check out thier online store...HERE.YOU will be WOW'd

DO you have a FRIDAY FIND?

Link it in the comments below so everyone can take a peak....I'd love to spend a few hours browsing your new "WOW's" and "OMG's"

Thank you Mr.R!

I love you dearly.

Have a great weekend ALL.

Char,ON

Smoking traditions...

every year around Christmas our family has a "eel smoking" afternoon with friends.
Aren't they AMAZING looking...I love this image.
Dad drives up to the Fish Market in London a week prior to smoking and picks up eels.
He salts them and leaves them in the saline solution for about 24 hours...or a little more.
He then rinses them off and hangs them on hooks inside his smoke oven(as seen in the above image).

We invite the regular smokers down to the house and get the Schnapps out(again) and nuts to munch on.
The whole afternoon of drinking and smoking starts at 2pm and ends close to 7pm...
You know when the eels are ready when the skin folds back away from the flesh and the meat of the eel is cooked.

The girls hang out and play soccer on the lawn...eat nuts and get cold very quickly, so they soon disappear and play inside.

It's a wonderful tradition...the eel tastes SO good...we make a big saucepan of rice...a salad and serve the eel on the rice with a dash of sweet terriyaki sauce. YUM...so good...if you're a fan of Japanese cuisine...they eat eel a lot...and usually have it on their menu....try it next time you come across it...it's GOOD!

So...another year is coming to a close.
I know I said I wouldn't be back until the new year...but I really do enjoy spending these few minutes reaching out and then reading what you're all up to...gaining inspiration and seeing so much eye candy!

IF...I am not back before the New Year...HAVE a wonderful Celebration and I hope you'll come on our Journey with us in 2010...thanks for ALL your tremendous support this past year.

HUGS.
Char,ON