My Recipe Box - General Tao's Chicken

 This recipe was part of a virtual Longo's cooking class in February 2021 at the height of the pandemic when we were locked down completely.

My notes were the pre-work and instructions for John as he was going to be cooking along with the instructor.

John was very pleased when she said that your sauce is perfect if you draw your spoon through it and it "parted like the Red Sea".

Freshly Roasted Coffee

 Linking up at Marg at The Intrepid Reader 

Sunday Salon

Seasons 

Hearth and Soul Link Party

Weekend Coffee Share

February 2021 - Toronto ON

Saturday and John did a greengrocer run, tomatoes, cucumber, red cabbage, radishes, cauliflower, broccoli, celery, grapes, beets, sweet potatoes, green peppers, mushrooms, lettuce. We still have potatoes, onions, carrots, green cabbage, oranges, so we should be good for the week!!!

While he was out I turned in a whirling dervish of a Suzy Homemaker. Don't worry it doesn't last too long. Plants got baths and laundry done.

John went to the LCBO (liquor store) when he was out as his son had asked him to pick up a wine not available in Quebec. 

19 Crimes wines are defiant by nature, bold and always uncompromising, just like the D-O-double-G! Cali red was created as a collaboration with entertainment icon Snoop Dogg.

There is an app to make Snoop Dogg (and other 19 Crimes convicts) speak to you.
Meet the Living Wine Labels app and watch as your favorite wines come to life through Augmented Reality. Listen to history's most interesting Convicts and Rebels share their stories behind the 19 Crimes, interact with the Warden, and defend yourself in a trial with the Magistrate to prove your innocence.

Online orders received - John's workout t-shirts, the jigsaw puzzle mat, a present for me - hidden, oil mister.

We also received one of our wine orders from Niagara, it came within 24 hours.

Click here to see the murals from our Friday outing to Hamilton.

Worked on our jigsaw puzzle.

Tuesday was movie and popcorn afternoon.

We watched 2019 The Hustle, the best thing about it was Rebel Wilson.

We followed that with a much better choice from 2004 Man on Fire. We both think we probably saw it years ago but enjoyed it anyway.

Wednesday we went to Longos to pick up our prepared package of measured groceries for tomorrow's virtual cooking class. The package included everything required to make a three course menu for two $30.

Laid out when we got home.

From there we did some more Lane hunting. This post was from last week's lanes.

Canadian fashion statement?

This long term care (LTC) sign states all residents have been fully vaccinated.

Mural on the back of the Buddies in Bad Times Theatre. Since its founding in 1979, Buddies in Bad Times has served as an inclusive space for Toronto’s LGBTQ community and theatre-lovers of all kinds.

The ever-changing face of Yonge St. I wonder how long these historic buildings will last?

So many places trying to survive on take-out and delivery.

After lunch we went for a walk, 8,400 steps along the lake.

Thursday John took a friend to an appointment and he followed up on his wine order while he waited.

I prepped our cooking class ingredients.

We had tentative plans to go out for a drive on Friday but the weather forecast for dull and wet so we stayed in.

COOKING

We had saved our fries from yesterday's fish and chips and John fried them for breakfast, delicious.

I tried a new recipe for Saturday dinner, hoisin style meatballs, with ground turkey. They were okay, not a keeper to me. I put the remaining meatballs in a beef soup stock that I unfroze for lunch during the week.

This looks like a good gluten free garlic naan.

Sunday I took the last of the ham out of the freezer and had it with cauliflower potato au gratin.

Monday we made gluten free pizza.

Tuesday we decided we were never going to get a snow storm to have mulled wine so we would make it anyway.

This is how we are used to drinking our mulled wine!! December 2019 Christmas Market.

Used this recipe - quick cider-mulled wine using a local cider.

Then we finished the leftover ham and au gratin.

Wednesday we had to pick up the makings for our virtual cooking class so we got sushi for lunch. It was being made as we ordered.

John requested pulled pork for dinner. It is the first time I used my new slow cooker.To John's absolute horror, I used a jar of BBQ sauce I had bought a while ago for chicken. 1 - it needed to be finished 2- we had been out most of the day and I needed to get it into the slow cooker as quickly as possible. He reluctantly, grudgingly  admitted that it didn't taste that bad. BUT I had to make my own sauce in future.

 Thursday was Longo's virtual Asian Flare cooking class. You can check out their schedule here. You can click here to see their Youtube cooking classes.

We were requested to make the rice ahead of time. It was plain white rice, I would use our usual basmati rice.

TIP - hold the chopping knife like a hockey stick!

Prepping the spring rolls.

TIP - sauce is ready when you can drag the spoon through it and it "parts like the Red Sea".

Japanese cheesecakes - delicious!!! TIP - do NOT use convection oven as it will blow air on these. Some participants said their cakes turned out like scrambled eggs, ours were perfect. All they needed was some fruit on the side.

TIP - added cilantro and black and white sesame seeds, could also add scallions.

John ready enjoying cooking this meal. If anyone wants a copy of the recipes let me know.

Friday steak and broccoli.

WATCHING/COOKING

We are continuing with Hannibal the series, but it has to be the goriest thing ever. I even had a nightmare the other night.

Hannibal was filmed in Toronto so we are:

Hannibal's office is set in a building that we walk past frequently and now it will forever be "his office".

I browsed The Joy of Hygge on my laptop. Loved the idea of turning an old sock into a mug cosy.

Found a great selection of patterns to knit here.

And I already made my fairy light lanterns last week!

I already have the house plants recommended in the book to create hygge.

It also made me take my big cushions out of the cupboard. They came with the couch and chair and I didn't like them as they were too matchy-matchy for me. But then I got a 💡 moment and thought I could find new covers for them, so I am on that hunt.

Making soups ✅ popcorn ✅ baking ✅ books ✅

On my phone I have The Scarlet Letter, slow going.

On my tablet I finished Rubbernecker and am totally hooked on Belinda Bauer. I forced myself to borrow something else though, Girls Like Us by Cristina Alger, it has great reviews but I'm not feeling it. Perhaps because Bauer's writing was so good, I am struggling with this.

I also read a quick article about birds in ROM Royal Ontario Museum magazine. I know several readers are birders so I thought I would mention it here.

I also read a fascinating article in The Guardian about The Velvet Mafia the gay men who helped shape music in the 60s. Brian Epstein is mentioned and the Cavern Club.

And to end the week watch the best dance compilation ever!