Compost!
Don't worry, my compost is not near my house. I'm not usually a fan of rodents but... awwww, isn't he cute? Everytime my hubby would water the compost, this little guy would come out for air. I guess he'll be looking for a new home soon. Hopefully somewhere away from my house :)
It took a while for things to start blooming around here but finally, FINALLY, my apple trees are in blossom. I love blossoming trees. Spring is probably my favorite season. Fall is a close second I'd say, but spring makes me so very happy after a long, dark winter. Driving around the city this weekend, it's as if someone took out their paintbrushes and painted everything green. The leaves are out and the grass is alive. I was pretty envious of the folks who have beautiful pink or purple blossomed trees. I'll just have to bring my camera out and take a picture or two to put on my computer desktop :)
I don't usually buy a lot of salad dressings, I try to make them at home, but when I do, it's usually a ranch dressing and our favorite, the creamy poppy seed dressing from Kraft.
I have since found a
buttermilk recipe that is really good and works as a great replacement for the store bought ranch dressing. But, no matter how many times we've experimented or tried out a "poppy seed dressing" recipe... it never compared to the store bought one.
Until now.
This one comes the closest out of all the ones I've tried. Worth digging out every damn little seed that is holding on for dear life between your teeth.
Which brings me to another point. Are you someone who will tell a person that there is something in their teeth? I will and have. I know it's embarrassing to tell someone that they do and even more embarrassing to be told you do, but I'd rather know. There has been a few times I've come home and found a delinquent herb in my teeth. sigh.
But, maybe I should just get a different attitude about it? Go around wearing a chef's hat, maybe an apron or some oven mitts in the winter and when someone tells me I have poppy seeds in my teeth, I will just inform them that I'm a foodie and that the poppy seeds in my teeth are bling.
Yeah. I'll start a new foodie movement.
I can't rap or sing but maybe I'll write poems. I can do poem readings in cafe's everywhere!
My first poem will be about poppyseeds. Another one will be about various herbs. Oh, I know you'll LOVE the one about the funky asparagus smell in your pee.
Word on!
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poppy seed dressing
makes 1.5 cups
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1 tsp dry mustard (I used 1 tsp dijon mustard since I didn't have dry mustard)
1 tsp minced onion
1 tsp salt
1 cup vegetable oil
1.5 tsp poppy seeds
Whip in a bowl with a electric mixer, the sugar, vinegar, mustard, onion and salt for 2 minutes on medium-low.
Increase the speed and slowly add oil in a thin stream. Reduce to low speed and add poppy seeds and mix until combined. Chill before serving.
Recipe from: Poppy Seed Dressing, KitchenAid Best-Loved Recipes.
I love looking through cookbooks and food magazines. I love the pretty pictures and the hungry feeling I get every time I turn the page. I often leaf through some pages while watching tv.
The only problem I have with cookbooks is that as a food blogger, I have to then type out the recipe for blog posts. I've tried to use recipes online so I don't have to type them out, but, like I stated above, this doesn't happen to often, since it's not the same when surfing the net.
I think that's the usual holdup with my food blogging. The not so fun side of an otherwise fun hobby.
...
Well, it seems that the weather is finally nice and that the good ole BBQ will be back to work.
I love sinking my teeth into the first hamburger of the season. I look forward to BBQ season every year and am never disappointed with a homemade burger.
Don't get me wrong, there are some pre-made patties we've purchased that were very good but there have been many nasty ones too.
When I only need to make up a small batch (for just the four of us), I tend to make them homemade, more often than not.
This is my go-to recipe for a basic burger. Choose whatever toppings you like.
I chose grilled onion and bacon this time.
Happy BBQ-ing!
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basic burgers
makes 4 patties
500 g ground beef
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup dry crumbs
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
Mix together all the ingredients and form into 1/2 inch patties. Barbecue until done (~ 10 minutes total time).
recipe from Canadian Living, Let's Barbecue!
so I thought I'd warm you up with some pictures of pretty tulips from my yard.
Hope some of you got some planting done yesterday because it's raining right now, as I type this.
Happy Long Weekend!
UPDATE - May 19th:
Hope none of you, here in Edmonton, planted anything outside this weekend! Snow... I can't believe we have SNOW! Spring is a major bust this year.
