Monday Mural

 I'm linking up at Monday Mural

January 2023 - Toronto ON

Discovered on Richmond St. 

The Ballroom is Toronto's original entertainment complex. With two expansive floors of 23,500 square feet, our venue can accommodate up to 900 guests. We’ve got 9 bowling lanes, and live music Thursday, Friday & Saturday.
We’ve also got 55+ flatscreens and mega projectors scattered throughout the venue so won’t miss a second of your favourite game.

10 YEARS OF MONDAY MURAL

I thought for fun, that I would reverse post my Monday Murals, this was posted Apr 7 2013.

OKLAHOMA CITY APRIL 2013

I took these from the car in Oklahoma City a week or so ago. It is painted on a very long wall so I had to take several shots while hoping the traffic lights wouldn't change too quickly.

Joe Carter played for Toronto Blue Jays!

RED

  One Word Sunday

Robin's, a coffee chain in Newfoundland - taken September 2022

My Recipe Box - Pork Meatballs with Apricot Glaze

 February 2023 - Toronto ON

Every now and then I just want meatballs. I have several recipes but I had some apricot jam I wanted to use up. You could use orange marmalade as well.

I used a jar of minced garlic, ginger and chili instead of mincing my own.

Ingredients

Meatballs:

1 pound ground pork

1 tablespoon minced red onion

1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger 

1 large clove garlic, minced

¼ teaspoon salt

Glaze:

1 cup apricot preserves/jam or marmalade

5 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce Gluten free

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 tablespoon sesame oil

2 teaspoons Sriracha sauce, or to taste

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon cornstarch
¼ cup water for making slurry with cornstarch

2 teaspoons chopped fresh cilantro, or to taste (Optional)

Scallions, green onions (Optional)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Mix ground pork, onion, ginger, garlic, and salt together in a large bowl until well combined. Use a tablespoon-sized cookie scoop to form into meatballs. Place on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake in the preheated oven until meatballs are cooked through, about 15 to 17 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 160 degrees F (71 degrees C).


Meanwhile, whisk apricot preserves/jam, soy sauce, Dijon, brown sugar, sesame oil, Sriracha, and Worcestershire sauce together in a saucepan over medium-low heat until well combined. Cook until heated through, 3 to 4 minutes.

Stir cornstarch into water until dissolved, then add it to the saucepan. Cook, whisking constantly, until glaze thickens, 2 to 3 minutes.

Add meatballs to the glaze. Toss to combine and simmer for 2 minutes.

Serve warm, garnished with cilantro/scallions.

T.Kettle

  Linking up at Marg at The Intrepid Reader

Weekend Coffee Share

Sunday Salon

Sunday Post

February 2023 - Toronto ON

January 2023 - Front St. W Toronto

According to Clutterbug 

John has developed arthritis in his neck (x-ray this week and doctor confirmed) so he bought this. Snailax Cordless Neck Back Massager - Shiatsu Neck and Shoulder Massager with Heat, Portable Massagers for Neck and Back, Lumbar, Foot Electric Massage Pillow

John used the golf simulator twice this week.

We received the drawings for the kitchen, gave the contractor some money and got the breakdown of costs.

The opposite wall stays the same except the counter will be replaced to match the other side.

This is where I do most of my cooking and baking. I put my laptop on the end to watch shows, recorded or streamed.

I am rearranging my cupboards to accommodate the growing number of gluten free flours as well as in anticipation of having to empty the cupboards for the kitchen reno.

I moved the slow cooker from the far cupboard above to the other side of the room and left the bread maker there, as I use it on this counter. I plan to take the most used flours from here to beside the bread maker above. The C4C flour is on the counter because I don't have room here for it.

BTW all that mirrored backsplash will be replaced with stone. Also my counter isn't usually that messy!

I went downtown to do some errands on Tuesday. I had to get cash for the contractor and mailed a surprise package to a blogger friend. Then I met my BFF for lunch at our usual spot, Wvrst. This time I tried their smash burger and it was good.

Took this as I was walking to meet her, it was a very cold brisk day but bright.

John was downtown on Wednesday, also getting cash and going to the post office to return some contacts to Clearly, he ran into my cousin's wife! Big hugs!!

I finished the blanket, I do have some finishing touches to do but the knitting is over.

Thursday John took some stuff to the charity store and had a golf club regripped.

I went to get some groceries on what felt like to me, the coldest day this winter, it certainly felt like it walking into the wind.

I took this from the bus as I went downtown.

Well, I thought it was cold until I saw Friday's forecast.

Wiarton Willie may be predicting an early spring in Ontario, but for now, it will stay bitterly cold, with a strong emphasis on Friday’s intense drop that will see temperatures feeling more like -30 C (-22F) in the morning.

Friday

Well, for once the weather forecast was correct, here is one twitter:

It's Frigid Friday , where Fahrenheit and Celsius meet! Extreme Cold Warning in effect!

The only good thing about the current weather forecast is I won’t have to convert from Celsius to Fahrenheit for my U.S. friends. Expect a high of -13C or -25F! Windchill values will be in the -36 to -40 (C and F) range! Stay indoors. If outdoors, cover exposed skin, wear multiple layers, limit exposure.

 Celsius and Fahrenheit scale coincide at -40 degrees. Note: The difference between both scales is the base measurement. The Celsius scale has a melting point of ice as 0 degrees and Fahrenheit scale has 32 degrees.

Sure am glad I picked up what we needed yesterday!

The contractor stopped by to check out some kitchen stuff but really to pick up his cash! Now to do the condo paper work for approval.

I made this sign for the door. Last week John was catching the bus downtown and forgot his wallet, the bus driver waited while he ran back up for it. This week he forgot his phone going to Purolator to return something to Amazon, he needed the QR code (on his phone).

John and his son had a zoom call while they sipped their Friday night beer.

AND IN OTHER NEWS...

Ontario had its own category on Jeopardy this week and the clues were good!

Fans of The Last of Us in and around Boston noticed that the depiction '10 miles west' of their city looked a whole lot like Alberta's Rockies.

And one Canadian province (you won't be surprised by this one) was just ranked as one of the most welcoming places on earth.

COOKING

Saturday roast pork, potatoes, carrots and broccoli. It was the other half of last week's pork, but with the bone and really only made one meal.

Sunday ham and broccoli quiche with beets and pickles.

I made a gluten free bread in the bread maker, using Cup4Cup flour. This turned out really well! Definitely a keeper as it doesn't take much time or effort to make.

Monday I made guacamole for lunch. Dinner - pork chops, mashed cauli potatoes and corn.

Tuesday leftover quiche and kale salad. This piece of ham went far. We had two meals, then two meals of quiche, and a lunch of quiche as well as ham salad sandwiches for another lunch.

Wednesday air fryer chicken thighs these were juicy and crispy, a definite keeper. I used fine bread crumbs, I might use panko instead next time, although John said not to change anything. The recipe says to cook to at least 165F internal temperature, I took them to 170 as normally recommended and they were perfect. In fact in the video with the recipe it shows the thermometer at 169F.

BTW the bread crumbs and flour were gluten free. Served with kale salad.

Thursday pork meatballs with apricot glaze with Greek salad.

Friday steak and sauteed green peppers, mushrooms and onions along with garlic toasted baguette. 

WATCHING

I decided I needed to use the library app for movies, Hoopla. I got settled with my knitting and watched The Help (2011), no, I had neither read the book or watched the movie. And I balled my eyes out!

Then I started the series London Kills Season one.

I like how they interweave an ongoing story through the episodes.

I can only borrow eight items in a month...

I had recorded a British comedy series called The Indian Doctor, a British television comedy drama, set in the 1960s. It is a period comedy drama starring Sanjeev Bhaskar as an Indian doctor who finds work in a South Wales mining village.
The series is based on a true story of culture clash. On a BBC blog site, Sanjeev Bhaskar describes preparing for the role by talking with relatives who lived during the 1960s, but also by having discussions with a doctor, Prem Subberwal, who emigrated from India with his wife Kamini to work as an NHS doctor in a Welsh village. Subberwal explained that one of the major difficulties he had was in understanding and being understood, not because of any difficulty with the English language, but due to the Welsh accent and various colloquialisms that the people used which he, having learned a more formally structured version of English, could not follow.

This week's episode of The Last of Us was just so good!

The third installment of HBO’s post-apocalyptic drama, aptly titled “Long, Long Time” for the pivotal role that Ronstadt’s hit ballad plays in the episode, tells the story of Bill (Nick Offerman) and Frank (Murray Bartlett) and the life they lived together. Their relationship, according to “The Last of Us” co-creator and executive producer Craig Mazin, is “ultimately … the skeleton key to unlock all of this show.”
After the episode aired on Sunday, Spotify announced that streams of Ronstadt’s “Long Long Time” increased by over 4,900% from the week before.

OSCARS 2023

We are going to try and watch as many of the Oscar nominations as we can before the awards, it makes it a lot more fun.

But this week we didn't watch any!

We have already seen:

Elvis

Banshees of Inisherin

Top Gun - Maverick

Blonde

Everything Everywhere All At Once

READING

I'm done with The Palace Papers, I can't read it anymore.

But I started The Midnight Man, and I am hooked. It is a long time since I would say I found a book scary! There are a lot of interesting characters and storylines. I've also had a few "I didn't see that coming" moments. Caroline Mitchell is a new author to me, but I will be reading more!

John and I both got caught on the NYT crossword this week on this word. 

Canadians prefer the spelling grey, although gray is also correct. Grey is the preferred spelling in Britain, while gray is favoured in the United States.

COOKBOOKS

Cook's Illustrated Baking Book by America's Test Kitchen was pretty basic, not many photos. Most recipes I have seen elsewhere. I expected more of a guide to baking techniques.

I revisited Gluten Free and Vegan Bread that I disliked a few weeks ago. I tried it again since I had bought additional flours. Nope, her book wants even more flours! 

The Ultimate Tortilla Press Cookbook was a very educational and interesting book as she covers the history of tortillas. Did you know that tortillas outsell hamburger and hot dog buns since 2010? Many of her recipes are gluten free.

I love gorditas when we are in Mexico. Here is her gluten free recipe.

A copy cat version of her brown rice (GF) tortillas. She uses any vegetable oil.

Breadmaker Bread

 February 2023 - Toronto ON

Finally a breadmaker recipe that I am gladly adding to my recipe box!

Adapted from Celiac in the City

3 ¼cups gluten-free flour mix - I used Cup4Cup/it includes xanthan gum

    brown rice, sorghum & tapioca starch could also be used

1 tablespoon active dry yeast

1 ½ teaspoons salt

1 ⅓ cups warm water

2 large eggs, room temp — place them in a bowl of warm water to speed up the process

2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons oil of choice (I used olive oil)

1 tablespoon honey

OPTIONAL ADDINS

Garlic

Chives 

Olives (not if I'm making it!)

Cheese

Directions

1. In a large bowl combine all of the dry ingredients, except the yeast — whisk together the flours, salt, and guar/xanthan gum, if needed.

2. In a medium bowl, throughly whisk together the water, eggs, oil, and honey. 

3. Pour the wet ingredients into the breadmaker. 

4. Carefully add the dry ingredients on top of the wet ingredients in the machine — you can easily do this by using a ¼ cup measuring scoop and gently scooping the dry ingredients in, creating a layer on top of the wet ingredients. Then, top the layer with the yeast.

5. Set your bread machine to the gluten-free setting (2lb loaf) and get yourself a rubber scraper. While the machine begins the mixing cycle, scrape down the sides of the pan, making sure all of the loose flour is incorporated into the dough. (skipping this step will often leave flour on top or the sides of the loaf, I learned this the hard way).

6. When the baking cycle is complete, REMOVE THE BREAD! Although there is a warming period at the end to keep things nice and toasty, I feel that this steams the bread too much, so I remove it right away and get it onto a cooling rack.

7. Let the bread cool completely (if you can!) before cutting and serving. 

Weekend Roundup

  Welcome to The Weekend Roundup...hosted by Tom The Back Roads Traveller

1. Starts with "E"
2. A Favorite
3. EVERGREEN - chosen by Tom

Starts with E

Newfoundland and Labrador

FAVOURITE

Fan EXPO  Front St. Toronto

EVERGREEN

Fir trees covered in snow

Midweek Madness Challenge

 CMMC – Cee’s Midweek Madness Challenge – February Macro or close up

February 2023 - Toronto ON

My morning fruit.

February Calypso (ocean) Colors
February Pick a Topic from my Photo
February Alphabet Letter c at the middle of a word