gulp

Where is the summer going? I realized the other day that there was only a month left til the boy begins school again, in Grade 4. Wait, what? It's been a wierd couple of weeks.

 The weather has been more west coasty - cloud, rain, and then sun, sometimes in the same day or same hour but after weeks and weeks of sunshine, it is taking some adjustment. We've still had days at the beach with waves to jump around in and if we stay for supper, glorious sunsets.

 And just because it is summer, doesn't mean that life is all summery. There was some sad news for our school community a few weeks ago and my heart breaks for a family in mourning. And our group of friends are gearing up to say adieu to a family moving away for a couple of years. But on the plus side, we are looking forward to a family reunion at the end of the month and the boy is anxious to play with his cousins.

Amongst the sad news at the end of July, came the good news of a new addition in our extended family which prompted a crafting fever by myself. Out of the craft cupboard came the felt and fabric, cutting mats and cutters and projects that have been sitting in waiting for ages are coming to fruition.

an oops cake - delicious but a bit messy after the layers slipped around in the heat

quilt for a new addition

Of course, my sewing machine has mutinied and is off at the shop being repaired, so I dug a serger out that I got at a huge sale eons ago and never managed to learn how to use, and have been using it. Teaching this old mummy dinosaur new tricks!

 I made a couple of felt friends, altering a pattern to make a lion (finally as I'd been thinking about it for ages) and which I find slightly ironic given the media storm around this story. We had a stuffie lion, with a fabulous mane, when we were children, so stuffie lions have always had a place in my heart. Here's the one I made:

I also made a sheep:

Cooking seems to be (pardon the pun) on the back burner during these summer days but one staple has been these easy summer potatoes.

Easy Summer Roasties
1 lb small new potatoes (halve the bigger ones)
dash of olive oil
sprinkling of onion salt
salt and pepper

Place the potatoes in a baking dish and microwave for 5-7 minutes. Once done, add the oil, onion salt and some salt and pepper and make sure all the potatoes are covered. Roast in the oven for about 15 minutes at 375 deg F.

at sea

breakfast

My cooking mojo got up a left a bit ago and I've been struggling to find my way back. Two nights ago I  made what may arguably be the worst meal in my history. The base of the dinner was bento pork which I've made at least monthly since Molly posted the recipe but this time, I left it on too high a burner for too long and it ended up dry and overly salty and horrible. The tacos were bereft of both the slaw or salad they normally have as a topping as both had vanished from the fridge when I wasn't looking and overall it was a sad supper. My husband tried to make me feel better by telling me that one of his former girlfriends would have considered it a culinary masterpiece but I know terrible when I eat it.

smoke or cloud, I couldn't tell anymore

someone waded into ditches all along the trail

While recent dinners haven't been as awful as that one, I've been in a serious rut. Most of my suppers have been more about assembling than cooking.

on his way to kayak camp

 I could blame our unseasonably hot weather and the blanket of smoke that had my car covered in ash last week, thanks to forest fires raging in all directions (see unseasonably hot weather) but it doesn't really explain the blahs my cooking has been in for the past little while.

first zucchini from the garden

picking blackberries in early July?!

Here are some things that have saved my meals:

Almond pesto 
Cucumber and avocado salad
potato salad
scalloped tomatoes
sausages from here (also burgers, meat skewers, meatballs)
tomatoes from the garden

farm fresh fruit and veggies from the fruit stand and market
Dickie's ginger beer (on it's own or in Pimm's Cup - yum!!)

Last night I redeemed myself somewhat with a pesto pasta with chicken and roasted corn using the basil bunch I got from the market a few days ago and whizzed into a pesto. I used my food processor to make a chunky pesto as I am without a mortar and pestle to make authentic pesto. Instead of pine nuts, I added in a couple of spoons of almond pesto that I made the other night to go with some green beans which was the best part of that dinner.

Basil Pesto with almonds
1 bunch of basil, leaves stripped from stems
a few grinds of sea salt
2 tbsp almond pesto
50 grams shaved parmesan

Whiz the basil in a food processor until chunky. Add the salt, pesto and cheese and whiz briefly to mix. Pour in olive oil and mix until a chunky paste is formed.

Pesto Pasta with chicken and roasted corn
1 small package linguini
basil pesto
3 ears of corn, kernels cut of the cobs
1 cup diced cooked chicken (I used this one)
knob butter
parmesan cheese
dash of cream
salt and pepper

Cook the linguini in salted boiling water until al dente. Drain.

In a separate saucepan, large enough to hold the pasta and sauce, add a small knob of butter over medium heat. When the butter has melted, add the fresh corn kernels and saute until some of the kernels take on a golden brown colour. Add in the diced chicken and mix to heat. Add the drained pasta and pesto and toss to mix. Add a dash of cream and salt and pepper to taste. If you have some lemon around, squeeze some lemon over to taste. Add cheese and serve.