My Recipe Box - Magic Pan Salad Dressings

Does anyone remember the chain Magic Pan? 

The Magic Pan was a small American chain of fast-food and take-away creperies using the recipes of a now-closed chain of full-service restaurants that specialized in crêpes, popular in the early 1970s through early 1990s, which peaked at 110 Magic Pan locations throughout the United States and Canada.

Background to the Magic Pan

The Magic Pan was a restaurant chain started by a Hungarian couple, the Fonos in San Francisco in the 1970's. The original concept had been an Austrian style crepe restaurant mostly with recipes from Mrs Fono's family background. There were ham crepes and spinach crepes and chocolate and strawberry crepes for dessert.

The business expanded and was purchased by Quaker Oats in the 1980's. They took the concept expanded it to a French country kitchen concept and rolled it out across the nation. The centre piece of each Magic Pan was the giant tile enclosed Crepe Wheel which spun around and cooked the crepes and other dishes while the customers looked on. It was one of the first "chain" restaurants in the country in a time when the US was just beginning to discover different foods. The Pan delivered that and at a decent price point. It was also a perfect time for a crepe restaurant as like fondue, crepes were all the rage in the 1970's.

The restaurant designed an automated system to make crepes
at a crepe station, consisting of a motorized conveyor that would heat metal pans. An attendant would dip the bottom of the pans in the crepe batter, to ensure an even coating. And then turn the pans upside down while placing them on the gas flame conveyor, so the thin crepes actually cook on the bottom of a clean & greased pan that’s facing upward. The ‘conveyor’ was a gas flame heated circular “wheel” about normal table height that slowly turned and held eight pans maximum at one time.

Image - Montreal Gazette

They had a location in the Eaton Centre (formerly Les Terrasses) in Montreal and served crepes and salads. Image source

  These restaurants just disappeared one day. While browsing the web for some information on the chain someone reminded me of their chicken divan crepes!!

I would always have the savoury mushroom spinach and cheese crepe.

This salad dressing has always been one of my favourites. I have substituted other fruits such as fresh raspberries in season and use raspberry vinegar instead.

I always add a smidgen of Dijon mustard to my salad dressings as well.

MAGIC PAN ORANGE - ALMOND SALAD

1 tsp. tarragon leaves, crushed
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper, coarsely ground
3 tsp. sugar
1/2 c. tarragon wine vinegar
1 c. vegetable oil
Romaine lettuce
Sliced scallions or green onions
Mandarin orange sections
Toasted sliced almonds

Combine tarragon leaves, salt, pepper and sugar in medium mixing bowl. Add vinegar and mix well to dissolve salt and sugar. Slowly whisk in vegetable oil until mixture becomes creamy in color. Pour over salad of torn Romaine lettuce, sliced scallions and mandarin orange sections. Garnish with toasted sliced almonds. Yield: 1 1/2 cups dressing (more than enough for 1 salad).

SPINACH SALAD (Based on  The Underground Restaurant Chef  recollection of the Magic Pan's recipe)

Dressing:
1 cup vegetable oil
1⁄2 cup tarragon wine vinegar
1 tsp dry tarragon leaves
3⁄4 tsp salt 1⁄8 tsp pepper
1 tsp sugar
1⁄2 tsp Dijon mustard

Combine all ingredients except oil. Slowly whisk in oil.

Salad:
Fresh spinach
Fresh mushrooms, sliced
Chopped bacon
Chopped hard-boiled egg

Wash and dry spinach leaves. Sprinkle mushrooms, chopped cooked bacon and chopped hard boiled eggs over spinach. Toss with dressing.

Wednesday's Words - Dublin

I'm posting a link to another blog today that I really enjoyed.

Since she didn't have any photos I'll put some of mine here from Dublin.

River Liffey

James Joyce Museum

 Writers' Museum

 Dublin Castle

 Entrance to St. Stephen's Green

Gardening

I have a mission to rid my garden of a pesky weed which I usually describe as looking like strawberry leaves for want of a better name. Thanks to Blogland I now know what it is!
According to this article it is Gill-over-the-ground, Creeping Charlie, Catsfoot, Run-away-robin, Hedge maids, Alehoof, Tunhoof ... these are just a few of the names given to ground ivy, a member of the mint family found in moist shady areas, along hedgerows and buildings, and creeping through gardens and lawns. Though often considered a weed, the plant's aromatic leaves have played an important role in culinary history.


 Also based on the comments in this post I am not the only person determine to annihilate this from my garden!! 

Best Time to Book Flights

According to a magazine that I subscribe to - the only one BTW, the best times to book flights are:

Late on Wednesdays and Saturdays. People at work start searching online on Tuesdays but have to wait until they go home and check with family before booking that evening.
Early in the morning or late at night.
After the 7th of the month as people often wait for payday.
6 months in advance.When booking for peak periods do the opposite of most people and book your Christmas flights in summer and in November book your summer trip.
Tuesday and Wednesday flights are cheaper because business travel peaks on Mondays and Fridays.
The same applies to flights that depart at mid-day.

iPad, Writing, Travelling, Photography

Interesting article from The Travel Writer's Life
I struggled with this when we were going to Russia last month. I only wanted to take my iPad but worried about running out of storage space for my photos. I do have the connector required to connect the camera. In the end I did bring along a laptop as well to unload my camera. We use the iPad as a reader as well so it wasn't a real burden to bring it along with a laptop. This article does mention some interesting apps and has some good ideas.


From stock photographer, Shelly Perry…

*** CameraBag for iPad is more of a fun app. You can use filters to make your photos look like retro-styled shots, borders and all. It may not be fit for photos you want to sell, but it’s a lot of fun.  And great for photos you want to post on Facebook or Flickr for family and friends.

** EasyRelease is a nice $9.99 investment but ensures you always have a model release handy in 13 different languages. You can customize your releases with your contact details.  And the model signs directly
on your iPad with her finger.  You can also have the release instantly e-mailed to you, so you never have to fear losing it. I think this might be one of the best and most important apps for travelers, especially those who shoot stock.

** Penultimate is great for writers and/or photographers who like to take notes and make journals.  You can take notes, draw pictures, change colors, and have multiple notebooks. A really great app when you need to take notes on the fly.

From fine art photographer, Rich Wagner…

** Focalware helps photographers calculate the position of the sun and shadows any time of day, any day of the year.  Just stand where you’d like to be standing at a future time and date, point your phone in the
direction you’d like to point your camera, dial in the day, dial in the time, and see where the shadows come from!  If you’re photographing a wedding, you’ll be able to tell when shadows will fall on the bride.  And, if you’re in a location you’d like to revisit at sunrise or sunset, you can move around until you find the perfect spot and return later knowing exactly where to stand and at what time the sun will be where you want it in the sky.

** Viewfinder let’s you see through your phone or iPad what you might see if you were looking through your camera’s viewfinder with different lenses (there is Viewfinder and Viewfinder Pro, you don’t need the Pro.)

** And f/8 is a depth of field calculator. Just enter your camera and details about your lens collection and see how your depth of field changes at different settings.

The iPad can’t do everything your desktop or portable computer can do, but it’s moving closer all the time.

Monday's Child - St. Petersburg

Taken at the Hermitage - he doesn't look very happy in his job!

House Updates

The renovations are ongoing. DH picked up the tiles for the porch.  They are from Home Depot and he finally tracked done the ones we wanted yesterday. they are sand coloured.  This will keep it warmer in the winter and be tidier looking than the carpets that are there now (more for the decluttering project)!!

Carpets soon to be replaced:

 by tiles

365 Decluttering and House Updates

I haven't posted a Decluttering since we got back from Russia. BUT I have been working on it even though I haven't written anything. We have had a wedding and theatre occupying our time as well. Plus it is about time we did some decluttering in the garden.

We have done some furniture rearranging to make space for a new purchase and in preparation for the painters who are scheduled to come in a couple of weeks (does it never stop)??

Oh yes, and had to have some roof repairs done for a leak that was causing damage to our bedroom walls. And the shower glass doors were installed a week or so ago!!

So since we moved the bookcases downstairs I culled them back big time. All the classics I had kept forever (moved from Montreal) are going. I can always download them for free or get them at the library if I really do want to read them again. Now to find a home for them... Some old VHS and DVDs are also ready to go.
UPDATE: a good friend took some of the books and DVDs.
There was an underwater camera that went into charity pile. DH found our newish unused video camera and is now trying to get it hooked up.

I found a large laminated poster a friend had done of our old cat it went into the garbage.

A charity is coming to pick up some stuff on the 22nd so I need to get that ready to put out as well.

The travels photos we had framed in the hallway are down for the painting and will not be going back up. Some are getting new homes but some are going into the charity pile.

Some (3) sweaters went into the office for a friend. Some other clothes went into the charity pile.

DH golfed in a charity tournament last week and won a bag of stuff from RIM. The BBQ set is going to a friend in the office as well.

Happy Father's Day

Recipes To Try

Some great recipes found this week!

Chocolate chip cheesecake bars from Brenda's Canadian Kitchen from right here in Toronto.

A copykat recipe for Subway's orchard chicken salad

Super easy chocolate lava cake

Marinated flank steak looks so yummy!!

My Recipe Box - Sweet and Sour Meatballs

I have made these for years when I get in the mood for meatballs, the recipe is from my trusty Betty Crocker cookbook which I consider to be my only keeper. Photo is from the book as well.

Can also be made and served directly from a crock pot.

Meatballs

1 pound hamburger
1  cup dry bread crumbs gluten free
1/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 egg

Mix ingredients; shape into twenty 1 inch balls. Cook over medium heat, turning occasionally, until brown, about 20 minutes. Or cook in ungreased oblong pan, 13 x 9 x 2 inches in 400 degree oven until light brown, 20 to 25 minutes. 4 servings

Swedish Meatballs: Substitute 1 pound ground pork for  pound and half-and-half for the milk. Mix in 1 teaspoon ground allspice. Cook in skillet.

Sweet-and-Sour Meatballs

Meatballs (from above)
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 can (13 1/4 ounces) pineapple chunks - I sometimes substitute orange juice and some ketchup
1/3 cup vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 small green pepper, coarsely chopped - sometimes I add but most times I don't

Cook meatballs in skillet; remove. Drain fat from skillet. Mix brown sugar and cornstarch in skillet. Stir pineapple (with syrup), vinegar and soy sauce. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly; reduce heat. Add meatballs. Cover, simmer. Stirring occasionally, 10 minutes. Stir in green pepper. Cover; simmer until crisp-tender, 5 minutes. 4 servings

Saturday's Shoes - Wedding

Check out the groom's shoes from a wedding I recently attended.

Oh and the bride is wearing running shoes!

 My foot as we're waiting for the service to begin - don't know the last time I wore stockings and heels!

Bridesmaids' flip flops

Random shoes

My Recipe Box - Quiche

QUICHE

I have made this recipe for years. It forms it's own crust. I now make it gluten-free.



2 cups fillings of your choice (example broccoli, mushrooms, ham, spinach etc.)
1 cup cheese shredded. I've used cheddar and/or mozzarella 
1/4 cup onion chopped
2 cups milk. You can substitute heavy (35%) cream for some/all the milk
1 cup biscuit baking mix (Bisquick) OR Gluten free homemade 
OR GF flour + 1 teaspoon baking powder
4 large eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Quiche Recipe Instructions

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Grease 10 inch pie plate or 8 inch square. Sprinkle fillings, onions and cheese in plate. Beat remaining ingredients until smooth and pour into plate. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until a knife inserted halfway between edge and center comes out clean. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Delicious with homemade bread and salad!

TGIF - June in the Garden

I think June is the most perfect month in the garden. Everything just bursts into bloom and this year the roses are amazing!