Monday, August 01, 2005

Easy Last Night of Long Weekend Dinner Part 2

Hey there is limited room here!!! So tonight, something quick and easy, and in honour of AKKINS declaring bankruptcy, like it was ever going to last. Pass the bread please. Shrimp with Fettucine 1 frozen pack of tiger shrimp ( hey its Toronto, no fresh shrimp within a million miles) 1 teaspoon of Old Bay ( and or 1/2 teaspoon of red chili flakes) 6 oz of fettucine ( that cooks in 3 minutes) 3 tablespoons of olive oil 1 tablespoon of chopped garlic or garlic puree 1/3 cup brandy ( or sherry or for that matter white wine) Salt and pepper 2 tablepoons chopped Italian parley Parmesean Cheese Have everthing ready as this is a quick recipe. Thaw and peel shrimp. Bring a pot of water big enough for the fettucine to boil, add salt and olive oil if desired. Heat olive oil in a separate pan big enough to hold the pasta. Add pasta to the boiling water, add garlic to the olive oil. Dust the shrimp with Old Bay or chili and add to the olive oil. Add brandy and bring to a boil. Pasta at this point should be 'al dente' drain and add to the shrimp. Cover and let meld for one minute. Sprinkle with parley, serve with cheese, crusty bread, green salad and a dry rose.

Easy Last Night of Long Weekend Dinner Part 1

I was the domestic diva this weekend. I think I was inspired by the Vanity Fair article on Martha Stewart and no slouch either, Tamara Mellon. I brushed off the mental task list of what needed to be accomplished, stroked out a few (sometimes it seems life is too short to whiten the tile grout in the bathroom) , and set down to making curtains. We, ( the 'husband' and I) had debated which colour to paint the kitchen. We always have as a matter of fact. When we first painted, years ago, we painstakingly chose which white and which blue to paint. Ecstatic we got to work with our final selection. What we found was we were painting it the exact same colours as the previous owner. Plan B, Off white, everywhere. In May we went to a flea market, as the 'husband' walked around muttering under his breath, JUNK , I was in heaven. I love the hunt and the kill of bagging 'the unusual' or 'the bargain'. Not a whole lot of success but, but I did manage to pick up a piece of 'Bark Cloth'. It had the most perfect shade of blue that I wanted for the kitchen and bonus it would serve as the window covering. It was funky, eclectic, fun and most importantly cheap! The extra doors for the kitchen showed up this last week and I decided that I should finally get the damn curtains made. Not only did I make the kitchen curtains, I washed, pressed and mended the other window coverings in the house. I finally tore down the horrible master bedroom coverings which started out as a another extremely good bargain........But I was just learning to sew then. They had ended up costing me a fortune and I still hated them . I did also cook this weekend, I had the blotched chicken recipe that did not work on Saturday. It included 'TWO' cups of cream so I was most bitter. I did slow roasted ribs on the barbecue with a rub, smoked with apple chips. Very good but, frankly, a lot more work then popping them in the oven with a good sauce.