The Art of Regifting

My father was a very generous man and a bargain hunter to the core. He believed that the greatest joy in the holidays was derived from watching his children open multiple presents, often choosing quantity over quality, notoriously hitting the discount bins just to find items to wrap. On Christmas I often found myself the new owner of multiple packages of purple pens, geriatric pink slippers, thematic candles, babushka scarves, luridly coloured cosmetics, and cheesy CDs (Stompin’ Tom Christmas tunes anyone?). The majority of these items would simply be banished to storage in a dresser drawer, but in some instances I also found other owners who appreciated the items that I re-gifted to them.

I come from the school of thought that gifts should be given without strings. Once a gift is given, the recipient can do with as they wish: use it, return it, or re-gift it. I believe that almost any gift can be re-gifted depending on

a) how you do it and
b) who you are doing it for.

Admittedly, re-gifting can be somewhat dangerous. If you’re feeling a little wobbly about how to safely navigate this practice, here are a few guidelines to help you in your re-gifting endeavors:

Match The Gift to the Recipient: If you're simply looking to unload something, you'll seem cheap and it may come back to bite you. Remember: nobody really wants a Sponge Bob Chia Pet.

Tell The Truth: There will be times that it will be appropriate to inform the recipient that it is a re-gift – for example, small items like toiletries or something that you have had in your closet for years unused. If you're re-gifting the chocolate fondue pot to your friend who has been dying for one, fine. But don't wrap it up and pass it off as a gift you purchased.

Keep Your Mouth Shut: In other cases, it is not necessary to spoil the moment and inform the recipient that it is a re-gift. If you tell someone that you are giving them the present since you don’t have a use for it, even if they like the item themselves they will likely feel like an afterthought. Use your judgment.

Check and Rewrap: Make sure you check the item over for any personal inscriptions and always rewrap the gift in a new presentation. You will definitely lose points with your landlady when she reads the inscription “Happy Birthday Uncle Crunchy!” in the Dr. Phil book you gave her for Christmas.

Be Organized: Keep track of who gave you the original gift. Taping the original card or a post-it-note to the item will prevent embarrassing moments in the future.

Booze Is Always Welcome: Alcohol is almost always an appropriate re-gift. Except Dad’s gift of a bottle of blackberry brandy in 2003. The 20 pairs of socks he gave me that lasted 3 years, however, more than made up for it.

Mardi Gras 2010 - Week 1

I was recently invited to join a group of my friends for a culinary adventure that takes place each Tuesday, and has been coined "Mardi Gras" (Fat Tuesday). There are 6 of us total (Patrick, Dan, Jude, Julie, Toffer, and myself) and each week, on a rotational basis, each person cooks a 2 or 3 course meal. Not all courses need to be from scratch, but the idea is to generate excitement in cooking and eating and share new recipes. Being the gourmand in my family, I am almost always the one to prepare the meals, and stretch culinary boundaries. Although I do enjoy my own cooking, up until now, my most memorable meals have been those eaten in restaurants. Well, up until last Tuesday that is. Patrick cooked one of the *best* meals that I have had for a very long time. The pork was perfectly cooked, and divinely tender, and the coleslaw had me up for seconds. We laughed, talked, and watched ironically watched "The Biggest Loser" as we gorged on this amazing meal. Here was this weeks menu, along with the recipes as graciously provided by Patrick. I can't wait to see what is being made next week! Cheers.

Menu:

Coleslaw with Old Bay Seasoning
Roast Pork Loin with Potatoes and Sage
Apple Upside Down Cake

Recipes

Coleslaw with Old Bay Seasoning – Serves 8

Ingredients:

1 head green cabbage (about 2 lbs.)
2 large carrots, peeled
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and cut into very narrow strips (capsicum)
4 green onions, finely chopped including green tops
1 tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning
1 cup mayonnaise

Directions:

Cut the cabbage into wedges. Cut out and discard the hard core from each wedge. Using a food processor fitted with the slicing disk cut the cabbage into fine shreds. (The cabbage can also be thinly sliced by hand). Transfer to a large bowl. Fit the processor with a shredding disk and shred the carrots. (The carrots can also be shredded by hand using the largest holes of a box grater-shredder). Add the carrots to the bowl with the cabbage. Sprinkle the cabbage and carrots with the vinegar and mix well. Stir in the bell pepper strips and green onion.
Add the mayonnaise and Old Bay Seasoning and mix well. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours. Serve cold.

Roast Pork Loin – Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

Roast:

1 boneless blade-end pork loin roast (about 2 ½ lbs), tied at even intervals along the length with 5 pieces of kitchen twine and patted dry with paper towels (I used a Boneless Pork Rib Roast and it was already tied for me)
Salt & ground black pepper
1 Tbsp vegetable oil

Jus:

Vegetable oil (if needed)
2 small Shallots, minced
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs fresh thyme
¼ tsp sugar
2 tsps juice from 1 lemon

Directions:

1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 300 degrees. Sprinkle roast evenly with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until smoking. Add the roast, fat-side up, and brown on all sides (fat side last), 8 to 10 minutes, lowering the heat to medium if necessary to prevent the roast from burning. Transfer the roast to a V-rack set inside a roasting pan, but do not wash the skillet

2. Transfer the roasting pan to oven and cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the roast registers 135 degrees, 45 to 55 minutes. (If cooking a larger roast, increase the time to 65 to 75 minutes.) Remove the roast from the oven and transfer it to a cutting board. Tent lightly with foil and let rest 15 to 20 minutes (the center of the roast should register 145 to 150 degrees).

3. While the roast is resting, make the jus. Either pour off fat or add oil to the skillet so that there is about 1 tablespoon of fat in the pan. Heat the skillet over medium heat until the oil is shimmering. Add the shallots and cook, scraping the browned bits from the bottom, until softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the broth, bay leaves, thyme, and sugar and simmer until reduced by half, about 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the lemon juice. Discard the bay leaves and thyme and adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper to taste.

4. Snip the twine off the roast and cut the pork crosswise into thin slices. Serve immediately with the jus.

Variation: Roast Pork Loin with Potatoes and Sage.

Toss 3 pounds large red potatoes, cut into 1-inch wedges, with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper in a large roasting pan (I added paprika and oregano leaves to mine). Place a V-rack in the pan over the potatoes. Follow the recipe for Roast Pork Loin, placing the seared roast on the rack in the pan with the potatoes. After the roast is removed from the oven, add 2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage leaves to the potatoes, increase the oven temperature to 500 degrees, and roast the potatoes, stirring occasionally, until browned and crisp, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve the roasted potatoes with the pork.

Apple Upside Down Cake

Purchase the President’s Choice Apple Upside Down Cake and follow the directions on the box. Serve with Vanilla Ice Cream!

Looking for a simple way to trim your budget? Start with Breakfast & Lunch!

We can often easily underestimate the cumulative amount of money that we spend on a daily basis for take- out. When craving that bagel with egg and cheese for breakfast we might not blink at the $4.00 price tag. For lunch, whether we choose a healthy salad or a burger combo it rarely cost less than $7.00 with tax. Add it all together for 5 days a week and your tab can easily total over $2800.00 for a year. With a little preparation, bringing your own food from home can almost cut that amount in half. Here are a few of my brownbag favorites to help stay on budget and keep you from falling into the PB&J rut.

• For breakfasts buy yourself a bag of bagels or a loaf of bread, a jar of peanut butter, jam, or your favorite toast topping and store it at the office. If your workplace has a fridge & microwave, also consider purchasing a carton of eggs that can easily be beaten and nuked for a minute with a low-fat cheese slice for a more substantial morning protein kick.
• For snacks, buy yourself an assortment of fruit that can be kept in a bowl at your desk. Buy a couple of boxes of healthy granola bars or low fat microwave popcorn when they go on sale to satisfy your salty/sweet cravings. Or try a handful of almonds to munch on for your afternoon energy lulls.
• For lunches, try making an extra portion at dinner time to pack in a microwave safe container. Now that winter is upon us it is a perfect time to break out your crock pot and make large batches of chili, soups, and stews that can be easily frozen in individual portions.
• If you love sandwiches, try mixing it up with a variety of wraps, pitas, and whole grain breads. Choose healthy filling options such as tuna, lean meats, eggs, or cheese. To keep your bread from getting mushy, pack a baggie of extras like sprouts, lettuces, tomatoes, cucumber, or onions to be added before eating.
• Not a star in the kitchen? Frozen entrees, and canned soups can often cost considerably less than what you would spend for take out, and often have choices that are lower in fat and sodium.

LEMONS: FLAVOR, CLEAN, AND DECORATE ALL FOR UNDER A BUCK.

My kitchen drawers are filled with gizmos, many of which are seldom touched since they serve only one obvious purpose: garlic peeler, milk frother, and sushi rolling mat to name just a few. I also have single-purpose cleaners designated specifically for the bathroom, my kitchen sink, and my hardwood floors.

When I find something that can not only flavor my favorite dishes, but decorate my house, and clean my kitchen and bathroom all for less than a buck, I get excited! Here are some of my favorite and lesser-known uses for the lemon, the fruit that more often than not is seen only as a drink garnish.

- Decorate on the cheap by piling a bowl with lemons to add a prosperous looking touch to any counter or table.

- Cut a lemon in half and sprinkle it with baking soda. Clean your counters, sink, stovetop, and copper pots with this abrasive, antibacterial cleaner.

- Lemon juice mixed with vinegar is an effective cleaning solution for any surface including counters, glass, and tile.

- Liberal amounts of juice as well as the rind added to hot boozy tea help relieve a sore throat.

-Refresh your cutting boards with a squeeze of juice. Odors like garlic and onion disappear after being rubbed all over with a half lemon.

- Clean your microwave without scrubbing or chemicals by nuking a bowl filled with the juice of a lemon and a cup of water for about 5-10 minutes. The steam will loosen all the dirt which can then be easily wiped away.

- Soften and exfoliate your hands, feet, and elbows by mixing lemon pulp with sugar (brown or white) or sea salt and scrubbing. Follow up with a good moisturizer.

- Add lemon juice to any cut fruit (apples, pears, avocados) to help prevent browning.

Like an ideal roommate, lemons bake, cook, garnish and clean your life without trashing your budget or the environment. Check back in October for further ways to stretch your dollar and enhance your lifestyle.

Bloom Cafe - What an unexpected treat!

There is something magical that seems to happen as hot water is poured over a small wound ball of grass-like material. Right before my eyes a tiny miniature garden emerges suspended in the lightly colored water. Wonderful floral aromas greet me as I sip from the hand crafted Japanese cup. Unobtrusive and friendly service makes me feel relaxed and comfortable. This was definitely worth the trip outside of my little corner of the world.

Tea not your thing? Bloom also has an extensive list of regular or iced lattes and coffees as well as freshly squeezed juices. Or try a delicious fruit smoothie such as the Blueberry Hill, an icy combination of fresh blueberries, banana and soy milk. For something a little more potent, Bloom is also LLBO licensed and offers a selection of beer, martinis and wine by the glass.

The best food feature is without a doubt their lunch offerings where for $5.99 you can choose any combination of 2 plump red rice triangle packages called onigiri with soup or salad. Want to be adventurous? Try the Umeboshii (Japanese pickled plum) or the spicy tuna fillings. Two not enough? Extras can be purchased at a deal for only $2 each. Other menu items are an eclectic and healthy combination of vegetarian/vegan/gluten free/Asian inspired dishes priced under $11. Want to indulge? There is also an assortment of deserts made by Phipps Bakery in Toronto. Two bite rice treats called mochi ring in at only $1.50 for 2 and will end a meal on a not too sweet note.

Depending on the time of day, the crowd ranges from singles reading or working while they nosh, to couples and small to large groups of chatting friends. The café is small with only six tables and two booths and although often busy it never feels cramped and retains a relaxed friendly air reminiscent of small community cafes. Free Wi-Fi is a bonus offered to customers.

The tasty onigiri, novel teas, and a cool relaxed environment make this small café a great and affordable venue for a casual first lunch date, relaxed afternoon break with a friend, or an affordable and healthy evening bite (they are open until 11:00pm 6 days a week). And although service can be a little slow at times, it is worth the wait as you can enjoy leisurely conversations while never feeling rushed to leave.

Address: 45 Baldwin Street

Phone: 416-850-4200

Hours: Mon-Friday 10am-11pm, Sat 11am-11pm.

Wheelchair Access: No (second storey walk-up)
Website: http://www.bloomtea.ca/

mmmmm crispy oven baked chicken wings

I know that it has been ages since I have blogged, but to be honest I have had a lot of other stuff on my mind and plate. I was shocked and thrilled to see that even though I haven't been actively blogging that my site has had almost 12,000 hits in my absense. That is crazy! So thank you to all of my readers for visiting me. Where was I during this period of absenteeism? Well, I spent a couple of months with no internet up at the cottage, soaking up some sun, enjoying the beauty of the lake, and, of course, the glory of my BBQ. I also read through a whack of really good food writing novels which I will be sharing at a later date. I came back to the city a couple of weeks ago and have been trying to readjust to the noise and speed of the city, as well as using my oven once again. I have also been checking out a few new dining digs, and am excited by some of my finds. I thought that I would kick off this cooler fall season with a recipe that qualifies as comfort food for me - crispy, yummy baked chicken wings. Delish!

Throughout the years I have been experimenting with various ways to prepare wings, both baked and fried, and I think that I have now found a new favorite. The reason why I like it so much is that it is on the healthier side, and although a bit more labour intensive than just banging them in the oven, they seem to produce wonderful crispy results. Credit goes to Alton Brown who introduced me to the steaming technique.

Ingredients:

• 1-2 lbs chicken wing pieces - I like both the drumstick and the wingettes. To save money I buy the whole wings and take kitchen sheers to the joints and separate them. I don't use the very end tips for this preparation. I instead collect and store them in the freezer ready for when I make chicken stock.


• About half a cup of your favorite BBQ sauce


• 1 tbs melted butter


• A couple of shakes of tobasco (or more depending on your tastes)


• Salt and pepper

Directions:

Steam the chicken wings for 10 minutes. This can be accomplished by putting a metal collander over a pot of boiling water if you don't have a commercial steamer. Turn the wings half way through.

Pat the wings dry and place them uncovered for about an hour on a baking rack on a baking pan in the fridge. Line the baking pan with paper towel to catch any juices that might leak out. Do not omit this step - It is the key to the crispy wings.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Remove the wings from the fridge. Replace the paper towel with parchment paper. Shake on the salt & pepper and place them on the middle oven rack.

Bake for 20 minutes and then turn the wings. Bake another 20 minutes until nicely browned.

In a bowl large enough to season all the wings, combine the 1 tbs melted butter, your favorite bbq sauce and the tobasco. Toss the wings in the sauce and serve. Yum!

Kids, eating, and health

My brother in law and his 7 year old grandson Scotty came for a visit this weekend from another province. Knowing that the weekend was planned full of activities I ensured that the fridge was packed full of healthy foods, including snacks that could be easily grabbed and eaten, as well as 100% fruit juices. I even baked a couple of loaves of my favorite healthy breads for breakfast and sandwiches.

Scotty was full of energy and probably the least picky child that I have ever met. He joyously ate whatever was put in front of him including eggplant, zucchini, peppers, avocado, hummus, carrots, olives, chickpeas, and every kind of luncheon meat. This impressed me since I have encountered so many picky children who would rather say no as a rule before ever considering trying any new food. What amazed me the most about Scotty though was not just his openness to trying new foods, but the volume in which he consumed them. Scotty could not only match my brother in law bite for bite at the dinner table, but he also continuously snacked on handfuls of veggies, fruits, and grab ‘n go foods like crackers, nuts, popcorn, granola bars etc. There is no question in my mind that little Scotty was more active than all of us combined, since he didn’t stop moving for a second except to sleep the whole weekend. But what amazed me was the sheer caloric volume that seems to be needed for a growing boy to thrive.

Being fairly ignorant in the area of childhood nutrition I referred to various sites on the web to get the scoop on what the experts were saying and to get some tips for myself for when my time comes. It would seem that the advice is applicable not only to children but to ourselves as well. Here's the best of what I found:

• Children’s appetites are an indicator of what their bodies need and this should be respected (even if it is more than what you may eat). If a child is eating well-balanced meals in sufficient amounts as well as healthy snacks, yet is still hungry all the time, make sure you supply a variety of healthy alternatives to nibble as needed.


• Sometimes hunger can be confused for thirst and dehydration. Have your child drink a glass of water first and then check to see if the hunger is still present.


• A hungry child will often appear cranky, restless, and uncomfortable.


• Children should be put on a regular schedule of snacking and eating meals so that they are hungry at predictable times.


• Children who are active in sports or always on the go need more calories than a sedentary child. So on busier, more active days, let your child eat when he says he's hungry. Offer an extra snack, and make sure you have him choose from a selection of nutritious food rather than processed snacks.


• Avoid eating close to mealtime. A child who nibbles throughout the day simply won't be hungry when lunch or dinner rolls around. So try to limit snacking in the hour or two before a meal.


• Focus on healthy snacking. Since snacks likely make up a major part of your child's intake, make sure that you offer nutritious snack choices. Use the food pyramid as your guide and offer plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and dairy products.


• Talk to your child about the importance of eating healthy foods and learning the difference between a healthy and non-healthy snack. Then model what you teach!


• Involve your child in meal and snack preparation as well as menu planning to build healthy lifelong skills and habits.


• Sit down at the table for meals. This benefits your child both socially and developmentally. It gives you time to talk about your day, and it lets you set a good example by eating healthy food. So even if your child says he's not hungry, invite him to join you at the table. Don't harp on what he is or isn't eating; just enjoy being together as a family.


• If you notice that your child seems to be snacking out of boredom, engage him in an activity that doesn't center around food. Using food as a pacifier can lead to long-term problems with food.


• Ensure that your child has regular medical check ups. Ensure that the hunger is not due to medical reasons such as worms.

I can only hope that when I have kids that they are as good eaters as Scotty was. Cooking for anyone who enjoys what you make for them is a pleasure. But there is something fulfilling and neat about watching a child happy munch on grilled eggplant and zucchini that you have prepared and ask for seconds. Gee, I must be a pretty good cook after all!

Information sources: http://www.healthychild.org/ , http://www.en.allexperts.com/, http://www.raisingkids.co/, http://www.kidsandnutrition.co.uk/, http://www.babycenter.com/ , http://www.whattoexpect.com/

Photo source: http://www.growingkids.co.uk/