23rd...Friday
I only have one photo from Friday...a pic from dinner that Sean and I made at his place using the BBQ. Or really, I prepped the veg and Sean did all the meat and grilling. This is what we had to eat:
Grilled pineapple rings, veggie kebabs (mushrooms, red/yellow pepper and red onion), chicken wings and pork ribs. There was also fresh corn and salad. I skipped on the salad and ate my corn while Sean chose vice-versa. It was fantastic Friday food but too much food. I clearly have issues with cooking for two. The other problem is pre-packaged meat at grocery stores. In fact, that's what I'm going to blame my problem on: the grocery store.===
24th...Saturday
I spent Saturday making cupcakes and prosciutto and grape crostinis with Sean for our mutual friend's condo-warming party. She and her common-law husband had bought their condo six months ago but were finally ready to celebrate these weekend. After a mass email and one person who decided to up the ante, I told Sean we had to go "balls to the wall" and knock everyone's socks off. So after browsing a whole lotta websites, we settled on prosciutto and grape crostinis. Here they are in all their iPhone glory (ugh!):
The making of said crostini involves slicing white bread baguette into 1/4" slices, brushing with olive oil and toasting in the oven for 5 minutes. In the meanwhile, saute some grapes in olive oil and after a five or so minutes, take off heat and add balsamic. (Sean and I forgot to pick some up from the grocery store so we used some kind of wine vinegar instead.) Once the toast has cooled, you then place a basil leaf on top, spread on some goat cheese, layer on a half slice of prosciutto and then place some grapes on top. It was delicious and addictive and the favourite of some of the guests in attendance.Here are the two dozen triple vanilla cupcakes I also made:
Operation Cook To Impress: Complete!Once back home, Sean and I had leftovers for dinner while we wached The Yes Men Fix The World and then half of My Neighbor Totoro. Leftover ribs and wings (Sean had the ribs while I had the wings):
My salad (store-bought mix with Ontario peach):
Sean also had a grilled cheese sandwich on sourdough bread:
I can't remember what kind of cheese he used but there were at least two types. One was a Danish cream cheese. We spent the evening finishing off My Neighbor Totoro (Japanese version with English subs)===
25th...Sunday
The day's eats began with a late breakfast/lunch:
Two eggs sunnyside-up, three leftover crostinis, a peach and two slices of sourdough bread. Yummy and filling!Sean and I then headed downtown to Ed's Real Scoop for some ice cream. They didn't have the flavour I really wanted (mojito) so I rolled with the Macaroon flavour (finely shredded coconut and finely grated flakes of chocolate) while Sean had the Stout, which was flavoured with Guinness. I really liked mine (which had a lot of taste but Sean's was really good and smooth). Afterwards we decided to try our luck at BBQ ribs from The Stockyards only to arrive there shortly after 5:30 with their kitchen closed. Thank goodness ribs were still being served! We ended up getting a rack of ribs:
a fried chicken (which I think was actually a half of a whole):
potato salad (herbed, non-dairy):
and a buttermilk biscuit:
All together now (with half an ear of leftover corn):
Unfortunately the woman behind the counter couldn't guarantee the free-range-ness of the chicken (and she seemed so unwilling to find out, bummer) so Sean only let me have a small bite. It was really good (but a little cold so the skin was no longer crispy). This was after I asked Sean how it was was and his response was "sorry, but it's really good." The potato salad was to-die-for. Seriously. I was kind of obsessed. It had mustard seed, lemon, mint and something else (maybe) and it was just so darn good. Oh and the ribs? I wasn't totally crazy about them. They were a little too peppery for my tastes. Like there was a bit of a peppery aftertaste that I wasn't crazy about. Sean and I did drive all the way back to Stouffville so they were a little cold but still, they were good, just not totally awesome.We had our meal with local beer:
That would be Mill St. Lemon Tea Beer. It was really smooth and I mean really, really smooth. Any beer that is really, really smooth is considered dangerous by me. But I still drink beer really, really slowly--especially when I eat. Blueberry vodka and lemonade is still my drink of choice.===
26th...
Lunch was rib and potato salad leftovers from The Stockyards. No photo as I was in a rush in the morning and it ain't nothing you ain't seen before. See above. After work I went blackberry picking in our backyard. We have tons of these beauties popping up all over two huge bushes:
And this was my haul after picking from one bush:
That's a little under 1.5lbs of berries! This is THE best summer for blackberries I've ever experienced. Of course, it just had to be the worst summer for me yet, and the summer that Sean declared that he officially hates summer but the apricots and blackberries have been amazing!Sean had made me some homemade burgers (beef seasoned with salt, pepper and thyme) that I was supposed to take to Clarissa's condo-warming party but with everything going on, we forgot. So instead my dad cooked 'em up for me and I enjoyed one for dinner. I started out with a sandwich thin that I spread with goat cheese and basil:
and then topped with my homemade burger patty:
with the addition of fresh blackberries and grapes from Ontario, it was a delicious meal:
===27th...Tuesday
No food photos but lots of strawberry picking photos! Sean and I went strawberry picking at Whittamore's for the second time this year in hopes of getting some awesome autumn strawberries. We also *had* to go on this particular day because it was the last day they'd be open late (until 8pm). Starting the next day they'd only be open from 9am to 5pm. Seriously, who decreases the hours of a pick-your-own so early in the summer? I suppose it has something to do with our ridiculously hot summer and the ridiculously good and early crop of produce, but still. Some people work until 5:30pm!
Anyway, here's a plethora of photos from the event. Sean with the ultimate strawberry:
The fields:
A berry close-up:
Flowers waiting to become berries:
These strawberries were amazing and totally made up for the disaster that was strawberry picking on Canada Day. Back then, Sean and I only picked a $1.90 worth of strawberries. This day, we managed to pick a little bit shy of $19. Happy doesn't even begin to explain my reaction.===
28th...Wednesday
All I've got is dinner, which was kind of indulgent and therefore spectacular:
Roasted organic chicken quarter with roast potatoes and Chinese broccoli. Awesome! Any time I get to eat roast chicken is truly an indulgent meal. (You know it must be awesome when I post a large version of a truly horrendous photo. Do not click to see a large version, it's not in focus!)===
29th...Thursday
Lunch was leftovers from the previous night's dinner:
Thigh part of the roast organic chicken with roast potatoes. Fruit included everything local:
Blackberries from the garden, strawberries from Whittamore's and peaches from Ontario. A+ meal.===
30th...it was a No Photo Friday
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31st...Saturday
Just had lunch which was...check it out:
Kraft Dinner with a salad! Yep, that's right, sometimes this girl gets down and dirty with the blue box. But to keep things "healthy" (or just to make myself feel better), I decided to serve it alongside a salad of mixed greens, cucumbers and an Ontario peach (buried at the bottom).That's it...stay tuned for more!
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