Cooking lesson with Julie...Aglio e Olio

Our friend Julie came over to visit at Quarter Deck Cottage on Pender Island.

We went for a walk, tootled around the island, saw the sights, went out for lunch, and we visited the antique shop.

I found a Lalique piece of glass at the antique shop.

Which I planned to use as a candle holder 

it was quickly re purposed as a wine coaster!

The Rioja Spanish wine was Julie's suggestion...

I had never tasted it before and it's really a nice wine.

Julie is a friend, whom I consider to be a real  "foodie" 

she is passionate about cooking.

I would call her a gourmet cook. 

She has a catering business...

if you have been a long time reader of my blog you may remember that she catered my 60th birthday party.

So when we perused what was fresh at the grocery store we had many options...

but I was swayed when she described the simple pasta dish Aglio e Olio 

which she described as Italian Fast Food!

I was already salivating!

Here is the link to Chef John's version of the dish.

Thinly sliced garlic cloves cooking very gently in a good quality olive oil.

The pasta water is already boiling on the back burner.

We pounded the chicken breast quite flat, 

coated it in flour 

seasoned it lightly with salt and pepper

before sauteing it in a small amount of oil.

(The pasta is added to the pot of boiling water so that everything will be done at the same time.)

We flipped the chicken breast after it was golden brown...

cooked it on the other side

then added it to the sheet pan with the roasted cherry tomatoes.

We drained the pasta and popped in on top of a platter

added a generous handful of arugula 

sliced the chicken breast

and added it

then

squeezed a half a lemon over top 

drizzled the entire plate with a wee bit of balsamic vinegar.

Here is our tasty dinner.

Thank you to Julie!

Hope you try this recipe and if you do, I would love to hear from you.

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

April in Victoria...

This past week the sun shone and the weather was warm and so mild.
It felt a wee bit like summer.
So I walked to town to meet a friend for lunch at Milestones on the Inner Harbour.

 Beacon Hill Park has many native lilies growing in the grassy sections naturalized under the mighty oak trees.

They are putting on a spectacular show.

a closer look...

I had to get down low to capture this view

they are so delicate

stunning in their simple form and beauty.

The walk was invigorating but I wore fashionable shoes and by the time I had walked around all afternoon and then walked back home I had a blister on my heel and now I am limping around, grimacing with every step.
The silly thing is that I thought I "should" wear my walking shoes, but opted for fashion over function...a mistake I will not make again!

I sat in the sunshine waiting for my friend to arrive and "played tourist" in my own town.

Observing the scenery and people watching.

clear blue skies prevailed

and you can see how crisp they were against the clock tower above the Victoria Visitor's Information Centre

people were out enjoying the sunshine

whale watching boats were loaded with passengers

the little harbour ferries were busy

the street vendors had their kiosks loaded up with wares

buskers were performing

the bag piper was playing and the sound carried across the harbour

the clip clop of the horse drawn carriages as they made their way along the causeway

this pretty combination caught my eye

I might steal this idea and use it here in our garden

We shared a meal...both of us watch our weight and so we opted to split a burger and a salad.

We did indulge in a glass of wine which we normally do not do but it felt like we were on holiday so we thought it would not hurt.

She is planning a trip to San Francisco so we chatted about what to see and do and where they might want to stay. It has been over 10 years since Mr. HB and I enjoyed a week in that lovely city.

SF is a walker friendly city with charming vintage cable cars that you can hop on and hop off on several downtown lines.

I remember that we walked for hours and hours every day exploring the sights and we ate really delicious meals and I did not gain any weight!

I spied this sign on my walk while going to visit Mother.

Mom is on a Spring cleaning and de-cluttering kick.

Helping her sort, pack and donate what my sister and I do not want.

I think she is grappling with her own mortality 

her 89th birthday is coming up this June

and several of the elders in her condo have recently passed away.

Here in Victoria we are having a real estate boom.

The prices have sky rocketed and there are bidding wars.

It is not uncommon for a home to sell for over 150,000 over the asking price.

On our street VERY close to The Humble Bungalow 

a wee 1912 home that straddles two lots is listed at 1.2 million dollars!

We saw on the news that a 1950's bungalow facing the Fairfield Plaza parking lot sold for a cool million!

I cannot help but think that with these prices there will be many young people who will never be able to afford a home and many will have to move away.

Spring sunshine 

 has persuaded the blooms of this lilac to open up and flower.

This week should yield some answers on my shoulder issue...

part of me wants to stay in the dark and not know 

because IF the diagnosis is surgery

or something more sinister

ignorance might be bliss.

One thing that has come out of this experience 

is that I have SO much more empathy for those who live with chronic pain.

Our health is something we should never take for granted

for many many years I have been guilty of this...

Mother has very few aches and pains

she had a bout with breast cancer and has arthritis in her hands but she has a great attitude.

I wonder if it is her nursing career that helped her put things in perspective or if she is just very accepting of her circumstances and presses on...

she rarely whinges or complains about her health.

Get her started on how much tax she pays or politics 

and fasten your seat belt as she will be on a tirade and her rant can go on for a LONG time!

Well this post just went sideways...

it started out with one thing in mind and now has gone off on a tangent.

Thank you for stopping by...

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

It's a bookish post today...

Our lending library had it's official opening last night...
it was a team effort getting this project off the ground but one that is well worth the effort.

I was asked to cut the ribbon...

and when the doors opened we stuffed the shelves with books.

It's going to be a fun spot to browse for books.

(I think I'll bring my mug of tea over and regularly peruse the titles.)

We celebrated with some appetizers in The Common.

The Common is a spare lot on our street.

There are benches, a table and some swings for the children to play on.

Dinner was served in our Humble Bungalow for the planning group.

Hydrangeas were picked for the table.

We served dinner buffet style and people sat wherever they wanted...

~ The menu ~

Dolmades

Assorted Cheeses and grapes on a platter

Stuffed devilled eggs

Salad

Lasagna

Buns

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

Coconut and Chocolate Ice Cream

~ ~ ~

On my reading list are the following books...

I'm taking them on our boat when we go cruising later in the week.

I read Tigers in Red Weather and enjoyed it so I thought I'd take a chance and read her new book.

Ivy's Books on Oak Bay Avenue have a French themed book display...

Heidi was responsible for me buying these two books!

This book was suggested by Madame La-Bas.

My walking partner recommended this book.

Sharon Santoni's new book.

You may know her blog My French Country Home.

I brewed a pot of tea and spent an entire afternoon savouring and reading.

Sharon's friends are a wonderful and very accomplished group of women.

I felt like I was transported back to France...

The pictures are amazing...

and the French chateaus and apartments are enchanting and lavishly decorated.

So much style and creativity is found within this lush book...

If you like to read about French Chic Femmes and their lifestyles

 I think you'd love it.

Anyways that's about it for now...

I'm off for a big walk in the rain now.

I hope this moisture will douse some of the wildfires burning in our province.

Basking in the afterglow....

It's been a heady and dizzy few days of birthday celebrations...
delicious dinners, tasty lunches, flutes of Prosecco and glasses of wine.
Surrounded by family and friends...I've felt honoured and loved.
Thankful and grateful...
for so many lovely comments on my last blog post...

Love this public art...along Dallas Road.

Lunch in Oak Bay on Estevan Avenue at The Village Bistro.

My BFF took me out for lunch on my birthday and we sat outside in the sunshine and it was so warm that we took our coats off!

I opted for the quinoa and roasted vegetable salad on a bed of spinach garnished with roasted kale 

served with a light lemony vinaigrette.

Healthy, tasty and delicious!

Too many meals out with too much wine has tipped the scales...

so I am getting back on track.

Lapsang Souchon Tea 

served in a Paragon fine bone china tea cup that I found at the Oak Bay United Church Rummage Sale.

The $4.00 price tag was too good to pass up,

  the ladies that volunteer their time have such a great time and are chatty and animated

besides they are keen to show and sell their wares.

All the proceeds go to help those in need in our community.

My breakfast today...

toast, peanut butter and half a banana.

That will hold me until lunch time 

then I plan to have a salad with some salmon lightly dressed with some balsamic vinegar.

The weather is lovely so getting outdoors for a walk is a treat.

The Clover Point Boat ramp...

I wonder if this is used very often anymore?

Looking much taller in the shadows...

and if you look closely it looks like I have some wild spiky hair!

This morning I have been busy in the Humble Bungalow.

It's a rather "normal" day for chores...

the bedding has been changed

the sheets and coverlet have been washed and dried

the kitchen has been tidied

the dishwasher has been put through it's cycle

the fridge washed out

the compost emptied

After my walk I plan to read a chapter or two...

I'll be visiting a cave in the Midi-Pyrennes this May.

 John and Cheryl gave me this book so I could read up on the history.

I've read the first two chapters and I am hooked!

What's new in your part of the world?

Have you read a great book that you'd like to recommend?

Be Well and Be Kind

Hostess

XO

Boxing Day thoughts...family, friends, food and flowers...

Post Christmas I'm taking a day off to laze around...

Boxing Day thoughts....

So many busy days of cooking and entertaining and I am knackered.

So I am taking a day to catch my breath.

It's been a whirlwind of activity here in our Humble Bungalow...

I am weary but so very grateful and happy that our family was here for the annual Christmas feast.

(the wee ones make it super special!)

Family, friends, food and flowers ~ not necessarily in that order.

Rebar luncheon with my besties...

Wilted Kale salad with caramelized onions, roasted tomatoes and shaved Asagio cheese.

The dressing was a very light vinaigrette.

Homemade baked beans made by my friend LA.

I have her recipe and have tried making these twice but they never taste as good as hers.

I must try again...

"If at first you don't succeed try try again!"

Last minute I realized that I had forgotten to buy flowers for the Christmas table.

They were purchased on Xmas Eve from my favourite flower merchants...

Thorn and Thistle.

Blush roses in the main bathroom...

The centrepiece on the Christmas table.

Organic free run turkey just before cooking...

it was probably the best tasting bird we have eaten in years.

Brussells Sprouts

new recipe I found online...

Halve the sprouts drizzle them with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.

Grate the rind of a lemon and arrange peel evenly over sprouts then pour the juice of that lemon on top.

Cook at 350 degrees until fork tender.

Top with shaved parmesan cheese put back in oven until just melted.

Serve.

This recipe works with fresh asparagus too!

During the festive season we make an extra effort to make time for those who are near and dear to us.
We arrange to get together, we bake and make food.
We meet with friends and catch up on our busy lives...
we share stories, we cry, we hug.
We eat...celebrate the extraordinary, share the good and joyous, touch gently on the sadness and the struggles...
sharing among caring and supportive friends is part of what links and binds us.

Hold on tight...
life is precious and we must keep those near and dear close to our heart.

Thank you for your wonderful emails this holiday season.
I am so humbled by your kind wishes.