I’m gonna let you in on a shameful secret:  I don’t make my own pastry.  That’s right, I said it.  I buy frozen pastry.  Everyone tells me that they have the easiest pastry recipe, and it doesn’t matter.  I always screw it up.  It’s too gooey or too tough and now I’ve completely psyched myself out of making it. 

Now that I’m having this culinary cleanse, I might as well come clean with something else:  I love those ready baked chickens from the Superstore.  You know the ones; they’re marinated in MSG?  Well I love them and if they’re wrong, than I don’t want to be right.  I usually eat a leg on the drive home from the grocery store.

I feel better now.

This recipe contains both of these forbidden ingredients: ready baked chicken and frozen pastry.  You can make both from scratch if you feel so inclined, but why would you?

Chicken Pot Pie

1 ½ -2 cups of diced cooked chicken cooled

3 cups of cooked vegetables cooled.

Cream sauce (2 Tbsp butter melted, 2 Tbsp flour, bubble, mix for 2 minutes, stir in 2 cups of warm milk, tsp salt ½ tsp pepper, ¼ tsp graded nutmeg, it’s my usual).  To go even lazier, just add a half can of cream of celery soup instead of the cream sauce.

Mix together and pour in a buttered ceramic baking dish.  Top with pastry, brush with egg wash, bake at 375 for 30 minutes, or according to pastry directions. 

My friend Mary Ann Feeney came over for a visit and I could think of no better reason to serve a girlie drink.  Well, that and the fact that I haven’t posted a drink recipe in some time and I know you, like me, love a good drink on a nice summer evening.

This I call Rockin’ Red Grapefruit-inni.

And this is how you can have one too.

 Juice 2 pink grapefruits, add a squeeze of lime, 1 TBSP sugar, ½ cup of gin, ¼ cup of Cointreau, chill, shake and serve over ice.  Top with a splash of soda water.

 And it was sweet, but no too sweet, and refreshing, but not nearly as refreshing as the company.

Since the school year is just about officially over, I thought I’d post a recipe for a kid friendly treat.  Having a house full of kids is standard for the summer, and I don’t mind one bit.  But that does mean having to provide some kind of snack.  This one is a favorite for the kids and really easy to prepare. 

Pizza sticks.

 Frozen bread dough (I always have a couple of loaves of frozen bread dough in the freezer.  I’ll share more recipes on what I do with it)

Graded cheddar cheese

Pizza sauce

Olive Oil

Dried oregano

Allow the frozen bread dough to unthaw on the counter (about 2 hours).  Divide it into balls and roll into snakes, then flatten and stick in cheese and close.  Put on a baking sheet seem side down.  Rub with olive oil and sprinkle with oregano.  Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes or until the pizza sticks are golden brown.  Serve to hungry kids with pizza sauce for dipping.

Colin loves to help make them, and serve them.  I know he looks filthy, but his hands were clean I can assure you.

Have you ever seen these Food Loops?  Get them.  They’re wonderful!  They’re great for tying chicken or turkey legs together or a stuffed roast.  I especially love giving them as hostess gifts.

I’ve never forced my kids to participate in anything.  But if I see an area that they excel or witness something they thoroughly enjoy, I’ll lightly nudge them in that direction.

I wrote here about how Colin is really artistic.  Whenever I get the chance, we’ll drag out our paints or I’ll encourage him to help me frost a cake.  When someone asks for birthday present suggestions, I always suggest paints and craft stuff; the messier the better.  

And I thought I was doing a good job in bringing out the Picasso in my Colin.  But I recently learned that I should take more of a leading role.  Let me explain.

Our Home and School Association recently passes a motion to do something special for the junior high school students.  The elementary kids were easy.  For the older kids we tossed around ideas like sock hops and a day at the movies, but settled on doing prom pictures and making a display that tied in with their theme of “Under the Sea.  I totally ate this up and volunteered to do it.  I mean, it’s like I get to re-live my prom, only not wear that ugly puffy dress with a bow on the ass and not have to undergo that awkward corsage moment.  

In preparation, I was in the garage spray painting twigs and branches and getting everything ready.   The afternoon before the prom, I went to Bayview and started to set up.  

And I’m pretty much certain that I had more fun than the kids did.  These guys were fun, and totally look like the Rat Pack.  By the way, that one guy wore his overalls as a dare.  Godda love a guy who’ll keep his word.

Anyway, I got home that night late, and just went to bed.  The next day I went in the garage to put away all of my paints and supplies, and was a bit shocked to see this: 

Colin painted his bike.  And sure I was a bit upset that he painted his new bike, but I was more upset that she could have sprayed himself in the eye.  But he was as proud as punch and drives his bike like it’s an original Colin Hennigar design.

A few days later, I walked into the kitchen and discovered that Colin cut out the people in one of the brand new books from Evans Scolastic book order.  I followed the trail of paper to find Colin making “puffy people”, he called them.  He taped stuffing to the backs of them.  Isn’t that darling.  But look closely.  

See here, he took the stuffing from one of my sofa pillows.  

So how do I explain to him that it’s wrong when it made him so happy?

Easy, I don’t.

These ingredients together might freak a person out, but I love them.  Evan my husband really likes this salad, and he’s a total meat and potatoes guy.  He’s kind of like a Flintstone.

I call it Watermelon  and Feta Salad

Bib lettuce

2 cups of chunked watermelon

1/2 cup of feta chunked

1/4 cup of sliced almonds

dressing-

1 Tbsp orange juice

1 Tbsp honey

1/4 cup olive oil

salt and pepper

Just simple and sweet, different and delicious.

See, even a little item that costs under $5 can make me happy.  I love these little tea light stands that can be inserted in plants, vases or flower beds.  Each one was $3 and the tea light only $1.  I got these in a little shop in Lunenburg, but I have seen them all over the place.  

We only get to enjoy the summer months for a few months, it’s best that we make the most of them.  So put on a sweater and go outside and light a candle or two.

I’m a proud Canadian.  Sometimes arrogantly so. But I’ll admit, I’ve never held a sign and walked the streets to protested injustice.  I’ve thought about inequalities around the world, but not enough to do anything about them. 

No matter what your opinion is about our role in Afghanistan, there’s one thing that isn’t up for debate, and that is the people over there, putting their lives at risk, they’re selfless.  And when I heard someone I knew was there, well I was in disbelief.  Nicole Graven is an Oh Brothers reader, even while she’s over there, and I wanted to talk to her.  I thought you might to.  So I did a blog-interview over Facebook, and I felt a little bit like Oprah, only less rich.  

Where exactly are you and what is your mission? 

I am in KAF, Afghanistan. I am currently on a Temporary Assignment Visit (TAV) in which we will be building 5 aircraft hangers. Until this project is ready to be started we, are helping out by doing some smaller projects for other Canadians in KAF.

What is a typical day like for you? 

Until we start the hangers we will be working from 8-4 (except Saturdays when we get off at noon so we can go to the bazaar). In the morning, myself and another RMS Clk do administrative work, drop off/pick up laundry and pick up supplies and tools. We are not sure what hours we will be working once we start on the hangers; because of the heat we may work evenings. After work I tend to watch movies on my laptop, read and write letters home.

What is the mood like there? 

Its good! We get cards that allow us to call home (35 min/week) and there are computers available so that we can stay in touch with our families and friends. There are places to shop and places to purchase food (Tim Hortons, Subway, Pizza Hut and Burger King). So far morale seems high!

Being there is dangerous and other Canadians have died there. But you went there willingly, in-fact, you wanted to go. What kind of strength does it take to do that for your country and for people in another country?

The strength (for me) comes from having a super supportive family and understanding friends. Plus, I am super proud to be Canadian!!

You have 3 beautiful daughters at home with your husband. What did you tell them? Were you scared?

Basically, I explained to my children that not everyone has the same advantages they have, things we take for granted, such as the right to speak your mind and to go to school.

How are they dealing with not having you here with them?

My Husband and Mother are amazing!! Plus, we have a bunch of super supportive friends who are helping out. My oldest daughter misses me the most and has had some difficulty in the evenings. However, we are staying in constant contact via email and have  had the opportunity to “talk” through Skype. Before I left I prepared some boxes with crafts and small gifts, so that they could open one once a week; it gives them something to look forward to!!

Are you scared of what might happen there?

No. The security here is pretty intense. Other than the occasional missile attack, I almost forget where I am!

How are the people towards you?

I was prepared during my “Cultural Awareness” training to expect the local Afghanistan people to ignore me. However, this has not happened. The workers here always greet me with a smile, hello or a wave. The locals I met at the market were all very friendly and several want to have a picture taken with me! The hardest thing is the language barrier.

What is the creature comforts that you miss most?

Privacy and a bathtub!! 

What about food? What do you miss most?

Nachos and my friend Shannon’s Fajitas!!

What would you like us to know that we may not know?

Its possible to turn cold water into ice…if its HOT enough!

What is the first thing that you’re going to do when you get home?

Hopefully lots of hugs and kisses from my family at the airport!! Other than that I’m looking forward to doing some baking cookies with my girls, swimming, camping and bike rides!!

When you come home the provincial election will be over. Who do you hope it’s going to be? Don’t answer that. It’s none of my business. I’m just trying to be funny before I asked my last gut wrenching question.  What would you like your girls to know about this mission? What is your hope that they will take away from you being gone and in harms way?

I hope they learn to be proud Canadians and not to sit on the sidelines when somebody is being treated unfairly (whether that be at school, at play or in another country!)

I’m so grateful to Nicole for taking the time to have an e-chat with me. I wanted to let Nicole know that I have seen her girls and they are doing well, thou missing her very much.  And Nicole, rest assured, your girls are very proud Canadians, and very proud of their mom. Come home safe.  

Show Nicole some love.

A barbecue isn’t a barbecue without potato salad.  Sure, potato salad with potatoes ,hard boiled eggs, and diced onion smothered in mayonnaise will do, but I think we can do better.

Just for fun, try this:

Sweet Potato Salad

1 big sweet potato diced in 1/2 inch chunks.

6 new potatoes (the small ones) chunked in half or in quarters if the potatoes are a bit larger.

2 TBSP olive oil

1/2 cup of sour cream

1/4 cup of Diane’s BBQ sauce

Tsp red wine vinegar

1 Tbsp brown sugar

salt and pepper

2 springs of green onion and some diced parsley.

Put all the potatoes in a bowl with the olive oil and toss.  Then place potatoes on a cookie sheet that has been sitting in a 400 degree oven for 10 minutes.  This helps the potatoes get brown and they won’t stick.  Toss after 10 minutes and cook for another 15 minutes.  You want as many sides of the potoates to be brown and the inside to be soft.

In the mean time, put all the other ingredients in a mason jar and shake the hell out of it.  Pour over the potatoes and top with the onion and herb.  Can be served warm or cold.

It’s kind of shameful, but my coffee cup cupboard is bursting at the seams with coffee cups, some ugly and some really cool, way too maybe different flavors of herbal teas, and about a half-a-dozen different cream pitchers and sugar bowls.  When I see a cool set, I’m all, I gotta have it.  This one I found at Creative Decor in Bridgewater.  I just love how the creamer sits on the top of the sugar bowl.