counting our vanilla beans

After the expensive holiday season, I can’t help but feel a little jittery about the year ahead, when I listen to the news about the financial situation, especially in Europe.  I feel so helpless…people losing their homes.  Losing their jobs.  Or retirees with no money to retire with.  It feels like such doom and gloom, such dire straits.

I wonder if things got this way because as a society, our generation felt entitled.  Entitled to oversized houses, fancy cars, luxurious vacations and exotic meals at restaurants.

Don't get me wrong.  I love luxurious, beautiful, and fancy, just like the next person.  However, as much as I love the finer things in life, I sometimes wonder if that aspiration has attributed to the escalating notion that we need to show that we have more. I once stood behind someone at Starbucks, who ordered a small (Grande) cup of coffee, but asked for it to be put in a large (Venti) cup.  She didn’t want to be seen drinking from a small cup!

I think it hit me right then.  Was I in Starbucks to be seen?  Is the liquid in the cup worth that much more than the one I make at home?  I think I'll just count my blessings that I actually have a home, and enjoy all the things I can do inside it.

Vanilla Bean Hot Chocolate

(recipe adapted from Epicurious)

Ingredients

• 4 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 vanilla bean, split crosswise 
• 1 1/2 pounds high-quality semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 8 ounces milk chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably Dutch process

Preparation

• Place sugar in large bowl. Split half vanilla bean lengthwise, scrape seeds into sugar, and add pod. Work seeds in with your fingers. Cover snugly with plastic wrap and let stand overnight at room temperature.
• In food processor fitted with metal blade, process semisweet chocolate and milk chocolate until finely ground, using 4-second pulses. (Process in two batches if necessary.)
• Remove pod from sugar. Add ground chocolate and cocoa powder to sugar and whisk to blend.
• Store mix airtight at room temperature for up to six months.

To serve

• For each serving, heat 8 ounces milk in small saucepan over medium heat until scalded (or microwave 2 1/2 minutes at full power). 
• Whisk in 1/4 to 1/3 cup mix. 
• Serve with unsweetened softly whipped cream or marshmallows.

Enjoy your luxurious indulgence...at home.

worth a thousand

At The Suvretta House, St. Moritz, Switzerland

Apres ski...just add champagne!

put your hands together

One of the things we try to instill in our children is the understanding that more hands make less work, and if we all contribute, even just a little, the next generation (or even a whole society) can do wonders and make great monumental changes.

My husband is one of the board of directors at our children's school.  They are trying to raise money to build a new building, to provide a facility that will meet the educational demands of our children today, and many generations to come.

It is hard work.  Long hours, conflicting personalities, administrative frustrations...all things that naturally derive from a passion for something much bigger than all of us.

And I'll admit it.  Sometimes I wish he could pull back a little, as it can be at times, overwhelming for him to balance a high stress career, home, school and just life!  However, he pushes forward because fundamentally he always wants to lend a hand.  And I appreciate and love him not just because he is doing good for the community, but our children have a first hand look at an amazing role model.  

Someone with kindness, generosity, and community spirit, that will help and inspire others to do the same.  A legacy of not just being a contributor to building a monument for the future, but an inspiration to those around him...to inspire others to lend a hand. 

Our son's class had created sand prints for Mother's Day last year.  To represent both kids,
we created a clay print of our daughter's hand, placed both hand prints in individual shadow boxes,
and showcased them as art with "plaques" underneath (printed date and ages of our kids, on business cards).

Forever Hand Print

(recipe from Kaboose.com)

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup salt
• 1 cup of water (if you'd like colour to your clay hand, add food colouring to the water)

Preparation

• Mix flour and salt. 
• Slowly add water to get a firm clay-like mixture.
• Create a ball with the dough and press it into a circular shape (or use a rolling pin) on wax paper (the dough should be approx. 1/2 inch thick and large enough to fit a child's hand or foot.
• Push child's hand or foot firmly into dough.
• Let dough dry for several weeks or put in oven at 225 degrees for 2 to 4 hours, depending on the thickness of the dough.

Paint or keep it as it is, as a keepsake of a moment in time.

{Editor's note: Happy Birthday Dude...we love you lots!!!}

take a dip

I'd like to think that our family lives a pretty healthy lifestyle (although with over indulgent consumption of cookies, chocolates and rich foods this past holiday season, it is hard to think that we're even remotely healthy right now!).


One of the things we try to do is participate in a family sport.  Skating and skiing in the winter, and swimming in the summer (hopefully I'll pick up golfing as both the kids and my husband enjoy that sport).  It's something that provides the exercise we need while spending time with each other.

Unfortunately so far this winter, with all the rain we've been having lately, it feels like we should be swimming, not skiing right now.  The temperature has finally started to get colder, so until the snow begins to arrive, skating at the local rink will have to do...although I'd love to head to warmer weather...and take a dip.

Cream cheese fruit dip

• 1 pkg (8 oz cream cheese) 
 
• 1/2 c sour cream (or low fat yogurt) 
 
• 1 c whipped cream 
 
• 1/2 c white sugar 
 (or 1/4 cup of each white and brown sugar)
• 1 tbsp. maple syrup (optional)
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract 

Mix all ingredients together grab a piece of fruit..then dip.

champagne dreams

This year, we had our usual low key New Year's Eve gathering.  Good friends, neighbours and children gathering, enjoying a casual time, having great conversation and comforting food.

We watched the perennial New York/Times Square ball countdown as we rang in the new year.  My husband and I were at that very spot in Times Square a few months ago, and we thought, some day when our kids are older, we'd love to go celebrate one New Year's Eve right there.

This year seems to be the year for travel.  A few nights ago, we had dinner with friends who's own grown children were travelling abroad, and we thought that's something we'd like to do more of as a family...setting a tone for our children to seek the world, learn about different cultures and experience things that no school could ever teach.

I don't believe in"new year's resolutions", however, I do believe in reflecting on where we've been, and re-evaluating the path for where we're going.  And although our dreams of travel come with a hefty price tag, we can still dream about far away destinations, and learn about the world, wherever we go.

Non-Alcoholic Mimosa

This is the easiest drink in the world that my husband whipped together.  On New Year's Day, we had a huge brunch, and served French Toast, Bacon and Eggs with our kid friendly mimosas...we used a peach flavoured non-alcoholic champagne...so yummy, like Fuzzy Navels without the alcohol...good for any celebration!


Ingredients
1 cup of orange juice
1 cup of non alcoholic champagne


Mix and toast!

worth a thousand

Sirocco & Skybar, on the 63rd floor of the Lebua at State Tower in
Bangkok, Thailand is the world's highest alfresco restaurant 

Happy NewYear!!!

May you be on top of the world for 2012!

last year

"...live this year as if it were your last"

I stumbled across a book with this title, and discovered that many people have blogged about their experience of doing this...live and document a year in their lives as if it were going to be their last.  I thought it was an interesting blog concept..slightly morbid, but interesting.  Then I realized that unknowingly, this is something I think myself, and many bloggers have been doing sub-conciously all along.

Now, I don't write as if this is my last year.  But I think as a writer (especially one who likes to touch on personal stories), we write and blog to document all these wonderful moments in our lives.  We do this to remember.  And honestly, to re-live it.  To observe and bring light to small (and not so small) moments.  Then embrace and learn the lessons from it.  Then share them with family and friends, old and new.





And as in life, we don't know how long we will continue, but if we do, we will live our lives with purpose and meaning. We share our observations and dreams, not for fame, but for inspiration.

So it's with this personal note, I wish all of you, a very Happy New Year.  To remember the past year of smiles and tears ...embrace and learn from them, and move forward to laugh and cry, in 2012.

Happy NewYear!!!

impeccably dressed

I remember when I was younger (waaayy younger!), going out for New Year's Eve was like going to the prom.  A bunch of friends from school would plan months in advance on where we'd go, then on New Year's Eve, go to the salon to get all primed and prepped, and go dancing out on the town.  What glorious and carefree we all were!

Funnily enough, no matter what the cold temperature was, I guess we were warm enough in spirit to wear our little fancy black dresses.  To brave the cold (and ice) in high heels, and dance.  Now as an adult, I shudder at the thought of going out in anything less than long johns, jeans, turtlenecks and heavy sweaters anytime between, oh, say December to March.  

It brings back memories when I watch teenaged daughters of our friends, who are now dressing up to go dancing out on the town. The phrases that our own parents used to say to us ("that dress is too short",  "you're NOT stepping out of this house in that") have all of a sudden been repeated, years later.  I can't help but smile, as I know that my husband and I will be saying the same thing when our daughter gets to the teenaged years (and a part of me isn't quite looking forward to that!).  For now, we will enjoy these young years, and hold on to the treasure that is our little girl, and be happy that the only dance outfit she's willing to wear right now, is pink.

Shallot Dressing

(recipe adapted from the Planet Organic book)

Yields 1 3/4 cups

A little goes a long way with this recipe, as it can be quite strong with the onion flavours (and I would only serve it to guests if you have a BIG bowl of mints on the table!).  It's amazing on spinach with mandarin oranges and sunflower seeds...the sweetness of the oranges balances the dressing (I didn't have spinach when I photographed this dressing, but it's just as nice on romaine).

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup Red onions, diced
• 1/4 cup Shallots, diced
• 2 tbsp.  Honey Dijon Mustard
• 1/3 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 tsp. Honey
• 1 1/2 tsp. Salt
• 1/2 tsp. Dill, dried 
• 1 cup Olive Oil

Preparation

• In a food processor or blender, combine all ingredients except oil until smooth.
• Slowly add in oil while continuing to blend until it's incorporated and thickened.  
• Keep refrigerated until needed.

Dress up your salad!

{Attending these beautiful  parties...Debbiedoos Blogging and Blabbing}

in a box

During the craziness of the holidays, when someone asked me if I was looking forward to Christmas (of course, what a question!), I’d jokingly respond that I was looking forward to Boxing Day.

I was only half joking, as Boxing Day is my favourite part of the Christmas vacation.  Because to me, that day is the “vacation” part.

While many people I know brave the cold, long line-ups for some incredible liquidation deals, for me, I’m done with the crowds.  The waiting. I'd rather be underneath a warm blanket than freezing outside like cold peas.

Boxing Day to me is more like keeping me inside the box.  My house.  In my jammies, looking at the wrapping paper skewered all over the floor, kids (and husband) playing with their new toys, sitting together watching a DVD, eating popcorn and having hot cocoa.  No plans.  No dress up.  No lines.  Just hanging out, enjoying the accoutrements of the holidays, and just taking it easy.

So when it comes time to eat, we're always looking to eat whatever we have left (or use up those restaurant/take out gift cards we get at Christmas).  Here’s an easy and heart warming "use-the-left-over" dinner... almost as easy as a meal that comes in a box.

Easy Puff Pastry Turkey Pot Pie

Ingredients:

• 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
• 1 1/3 cups peas and carrots
• 2/3 cup diced cooked potatoes
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups milk
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme, to taste
• 2 cups diced turkey
• salt and ground black pepper to taste

Preparation:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Cut the puff pastry into 8 equal-sized strips..
• Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the milk and stir while cooking until the mixture is smooth. Add the thyme and continue to cook and stir until the mixture thickens. Stir in the cooked vegetables and the turkey. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until heated through, stirring frequently, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Pour the chicken mixture into a 2-quart baking dish. Lay the pastry on top. Bake in the preheated oven until the crust is golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes.

Serve.

wishes