House Tour Part I

So BF and I spent this morning and into the early afternoon at our new house!!!! :D

We were there interviewing contractors about our kitchen and the renovations that we want / need to do to it, and while we were there I snapped a bunch of photos that I thought I'd share with y'all.  I'm only going to do bits of the house at a time so I can take the time to explain ideas we have and so on, and since it was the topic of the day, here is the kitchen:

Yeah.  I know.  It's pretty dreadful.  Tiny and impractical and virtually ancient in terms of kitchens.  As people who love to cook, and often cook together, it would be impossible to do in this space - a one butt kitchen for sure.  Most of the super limited counter space is in the corners!  And look at this:

That's a corner cabinet.  The opening you are observing is about ten inches wide and the debt of the area to the left of the opening is about four feet, aka a bunch of useless space.  

Plus, the whole space is, despite the nice big window, pretty dim, dark and dull.  So, we're gonna knock this wall out:

And take out all the icky old cabinets.  We're going to put new, modern and practical base cabs in, and build a counter/bar peninsula along where the above wall is now, as far as about a foot past the door jamb you see.  The room with the green carpet (yes, we are getting rid of the carpet!) and the kitchen will be one big, bright open space.  I mean lookit these windows!

I stole this photo from the Viewpoint website (the best realty website out there, btw) as I forgot to take a pic of the east facing window.  The wall to the left is the one that we're removing, and the peninsula counter will extend pretty much right up to the window frame:

And this, on the opposite side of the green room, our west facing window.

I can't freaking wait!  It's going to be so bright and sunny and open, it'll be a pleasure to spend time there!  I am so stoked I can barely stand it!  BF totally agrees!

We're also hoping to install a couple pantry cabinets on the wall BF is in front of, which will allow us to eliminate any wall cabs in the kitchen prep space, in keeping with the wide open concept we like.

So that's just a tiny peek at our new place.  Our plans are just getting off the ground and could change drastically, but the kitchen is by far the biggest project we have to deal with, and the one we're the most excited / anxious about.  We don't know for sure what is going to happen and how it's going to go down, but I'll keep you posted!  Wish us luck, friends!

Till next time!

Dhal , Pilau.  Pilau, Dhal.

I learned two things while creating this meal and this post.  One:  Indian food is really quite difficult to make pretty in photographs, and especially in unnatural lighting.  Oh!  For the day when my kitchen will be bright and sunny!  And Two:  Indian food is, at the same time, both very simple and quite complicated, and choosing to photograph every step of it's development only seems to double the complexity of the situation.

But don't worry friends, it all worked out in the end, I didn't burn a thing and we have satisfied bellies.

So we're having Indian Pilau and green lentil dhal for supper.  Mmmmm!  I came across both basic recipes for these dishes ages ago, but tweaked them according to my tastes which means, really, that I pretty much doubled the amount of each of the herbs, seeds and spices called for in the original recipes.  

As I stated earlier, Indian food is both simple and complicated.  Simple in that many dishes only have a few food ingredients - for example, the rice only has basmati, onions and garlic.  But then there is most often a list of seasonings half a mile long, and sometimes a very particular order in which everything is added.  The thing is, once you have done a dish a few times, you can prep it in a way that will make things go more smoothly for you. Having everything ready ahead of time makes all the difference. 

So here we go!  First I worked on the dhal since it takes the longest to cook. Here are the guts:

1.5 cups dry green lentils, 1" minced ginger, 1 tbsp garam masala, 2 minced bird's eye chilies, 2 small minced white onions.  Butter, brown sugar, 2 tbsp cumin seeds, 5 crushed garlic cloves.
1.5 tsp tumeric, sea salt.

So I used about a cup and a half of lentils.  Start by boiling them in a few cups of water - though keep an eye on them because they are thirsty little buggers and you'll need to keep adding water 

throughout - and once boiled, add the tumeric.  

Stir it in well and lower the heat until it remains at a slow boil.  In the meantime, in a non stick frying pan, melt some butter, wait until it's just starting to sizzle and toss in the cumin seeds.  Stir them around until they're coated in butter and you can start to smell their lovely smell.

Toss in the onions, sprinkle the salt over them and stir them into the butter too.

Fry the onions until they are soft and then add the ginger, garlic and chillies.

Cook them until they're tender as well, and the room smells like heaven.  Then add them and the garam masala (about 1 tbsp, but add to taste) to the lentils.

Stir it all together and lower the heat. Add the brown sugar.

The consistency of dhal is really personal preference.  I've had dhal that is very thin and liquidy, like a soup, and some that is very thick, like mashed potatoes.  I like mine kind of in between.  Once your  desired consistency is achieved, taste the dhal and season it to you liking with salt and if you want, pepper.

While the dhal was cooking, I got the pilau on the go, since it doesn't take as long.

I soaked a cup and a half of basmati while I was getting the dhal ready.  Otherwise you need:

1 small minced onion, 1.5 cups basmati, veggie broth.
2 tsp fennel seeds, 12 black peppercorns, 1.5 tbsp sunflower seeds, 1.5 tsp tumeric, 2 tsp cumin,
1 tsp sea salt, four cloves, 8 cardamom pods, gently crushed, 6 garlic cloves, crushed.

At this juncture, I would like to point out that the sunflower seeds were an emergency substitute for the sesame seeds I forgot we'd run out of, and that I wouldn't use the sunflowers seeds again, in fact I'd forego a substitute entirely because the sesame seeds are so good in here!  I use 2tbsp.

The cool thing about this recipe, other than it's deliciousness, is that all the seeds and spices go in at once, so you can gather them all together in a little bowl, quick and tidy, for when you need them.

First things first.  Put some veggie oil (doesn't matter what type, just needs to have a high heat tolerance) in a pan, heat it on medium to high and throw in the onions and garlic.  Sautee them until they have released their fragrance, and turn the heat down a little and cook until they are soft, stirring so they don't stick.  Then add all the seasoning.

Stir it all together evenly and cook for a few minutes, until the smell makes you drool.  It will, trust me. If you find the mixture too dry, add tiny bits of your veggie broth until the spices are well dispersed.  

Drain your soaked rice and add it to your mixture.  Toss it all together well and add your veggie broth, about 3 cups.  

Then all you have to do is wait for the liquid to be absorbed, give it a stir and serve it up!!

I served naan bread with mine because I like to use it to scoop up the dhal.  

Though the process takes quite a while on account of all the cooking the lentils require, and is quite involved on account of all the different seasonings, this meal has become one of mine and BF's faves.  I've done it quite a few times now and I'm getting quicker and quicker!  Hope you like it too!

Till next time!

Last Ducks Standing

A few years ago it was decided by the powers that be in our fine city, that people should no longer feed the ducks at the Public Gardens.  The reason behind the seemingly kinda mean decision actually makes sense - the ducks had all gotten used to being spoiled by people at the gardens, eating like kings all throughout the warm season. . . but then they started to not migrate!  Ducks were staying at the Gardens all year, and since the park isn't open in cold weather, many of the ducks went from kings to paupers and starved.

Apparently not all the birds got the memo though.

As I was on my way home from work this evening I noticed two pairs of hold-outs huddled up by the fence on the north side of the park.  I can't imagine what this past weekend's weather was like for a bunch of ducks, or what trying to find food must be like right now with several feet of snow on the ground. They seemed to just be pecking at the snow.

I also noticed that they were exhibiting some odd behavior.  I am certainly no ornithologist, but I've never seen ducks act this way before, so I was curious to see that two of the ducks were laying flat to the ground, stretched out with their feet curled up behind them, and were making a strange clicking sound with their mouths.  

I hope that it's some sort of sexy duck pre-Valentine's Day mating ritual and not that they are freezing or starving.  I don't think BF, my landlords OR my neighbours would dig it if I adopted four mallards for the rest of the winter.

Any duck experts out there who can shed a little light on this topic?  

Till next time!

Storm Stayed

On Friday, BF and I went out and got some groceries so we wouldn't have to go anywhere during the storm unless we really wanted to.  I had stormy day breakfast in mind the whole time we were out and made sure we'd have a few options. We were up in what will be our 'hood soon enough and had lunch at the Italian Market, where we also picked up some delicious chorizo meat and some blue cheese.  We had some other things at home already.  

On Saturday morning as the storm raged on, we eventually rolled outta bed and got to cooking.  This is what we came up with:

Spicy sweet potato home fries, chorizo, poached eggs with blue cheese sauce and mixed greens and grape tomatoes.

Ahhh, isn't it nice to wake up on a crazy stormy winter morning when you don't have anywhere you have to be, head into the kitchen and make a nice big breakfast and a couple good, strong cups of coffee?  

Hope you all had a warm, safe storm weekend.

Till next time!

Bliss-ard

Joyful nomadic penguin settles in under his favorite tree to luxuriate in the perfect afternoon.  

Garlic Babies Update

I know you guys have been waiting with breath bated for this.  I can just picture you all sitting by your computers, clicking the refresh button with fingers crossed.  Well never fear loyal comrades, the time has come.  

I have trimmed the garlic.  Yeah.  That's it.  Sorry, that's all I got.  

This is what the sprouts looked like before:

They were both about nine inches high and stopped growing at all.  I read that once they get used to the pot they are in and stop growing, you should trim the sprouts down and let the plant put all it's energy into the bulbs.  

This is what they look like now:

They're about two inches now.  

So apparently it can take four to six months for the bulbs to grow to a harvest-worthy size.  Too bad I'm an immediate gratification kinda gal.  

But what evs!  With all the craziness about to ensue in the next couple of months we'll be so busy that before you know it there will be garlic all over the place!  Or at least two little bulbs in that one pot. :)

Till next time folks!

The Big Reveal

So over the past few weeks I have alluded to experiencing a bit of stress, to the fact that we've been off doing many mysterious errands and to some big upheavals.  Well, it's time to let you all in on the secret.  Want a hint?  Well, we've been reading a lot of these kinds of books lately:

And combing through this:

And studying that:

And these have become my favorite magazines in the world:

Get it yet?  

. . . . . .

BF and I. . . . BOUGHT A HOUSE!!!!!

Guys, this is our new home:

We are over the moon with happiness about this, but we didn't want to spread it around too much until we knew with absolute certainty that it was ours. . . . and now we do!  

It's in the North West part of the city, in a neighbourhood I am not familiar with at all so it'll be really exciting to get to know a new area.  We have tonnes of space, a beautiful back yard (I predict a wee four-legged friend in our future!), and it's in a nice, quiet area.  Hear that folks?  QUIET!  No more jackhammers and drills and dump trucks - oh my!  I can not wait to get in there . . . just about a month to go if all goes according to the plan.

BF and I have been super busy getting all our ducks in a row with the business end of things, and planning all the improvements and little changes we want to make - perfectly good hardwood floors under the carpet?  What are you doing under there?  It's scary and exciting and overwhelming and thrilling all at once.

So as you can imagine, over the next while, this big news and it's progress will be popping up here a bit.  I can't wait to share some of the projects we're going to do with you (helloooooo penny tiles!).

Whew, glad to finally have the secret out!  :D  Till next time, friends!