Thursday, March 24, 2011

Manitoba Spring

Well spring has officially arrived.  You can only realize this by the date, certainly not the weather.  Let me begin with the blizzard we had on March 14.  Al and I had to drive to Winnipeg and the roads were treacherous.

 The visibility was very poor.


 No this is not a mistake!  This was the view from the passenger side.


 The trusty snowplows are always there to the rescue.  The amount of snow this year was record-breaking.  Everyone is worried about flooding this spring.

In spite of the threat of floods, we are very glad when the sun breaks out and we are able to spend time outside.  Earlier, I had promised some wildlife pictures.  This is easier said than done!  We were lucky Al was able to get these shots of a grey owl in our back yard.  I love these beautiful birds.




If you are interested, here is some information on the owl.http://www.naturenorth.com/Gray_Owl/Gray_Owl.html

  Our first lunch in the beautiful sunshine.  




Monday, March 7, 2011

IS IT SPRING YET??????????

Snow and cold continue to be the norm.  We remain determined with our preparations for Peru although I admit I am tired of the relentless cold.  As you can see the snow keeps falling!!!






One way I maintain sanity and motivation is to cook.  I have become a food blog addict and have discovered a vast array of new recipes. 



I loved the food when I visited Portugal and decided to try this recipe I found in a blog called  Taking on Magazines One Recipe at a Time, posted on February 23. 2011 by The Mom Chef   It was so good I decided to share
it with you.  I will try to get into the habit of taking pictures for you to view. 






Portuguese Chicken 
from Bon Appetit Magazine


1 cup all purpose flour
1 tablespoon plus 1/4 teaspoon Hungarian sweet paprika
1 3- to 3 1/4-pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice
4 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, chopped
12 cipolline onions or 1-inch-diameter pearl onions, blanched 1 minute, peeled
2 large roasted red peppers from jar, halved, cut into 3/4-inch-wide strips
6 large garlic cloves, pressed
4 large fresh Italian parsley sprigs
4 large fresh bay leaves, bruised
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup tawny Port
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon butter, room temperature (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. In a large bowl, whisk together 1 cup flour, 1 tablespoon paprika, 11/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Add chicken pieces one at a time to the seasoned flour, coating each piece well. Carefully put the chicken, skin side down, in the skillet and sauté until brown, 3 to 5 minutes per side.

Put chicken pieces in single layer in large ovenproof pot. Pour tomatoes and juice over the chicken, add the prosciutto, onions, roasted red peppers, pressed garlic, parsley, and bay leaves. Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon paprika over everything.

Return the skillet to heat and add the wine and Port to it. Bring to boil, and deglaze the skillet, scraping up browned bits. Off heat, whisk in the mustard and tomato paste. Pour the mixture over the chicken and bring the whole thing to boil. Cover and transfer the pot to the oven.

Braise the for approximately 1 1/2 hours or until very tender. Discard bay leaves and parsley. Remove chicken and toppings to a platter. Return the sauce to the stove and heat it over medium heat. If thicker sauce is desired, mash together 1 tablespoon flour and butter in a small bowl until a paste forms. Add flour paste to sauce and whisk to blend. Simmer until sauce thickens to desired consistency, whisking often. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon over chicken and serve.

Hope you enjoy it as much as we did.