Random Acts of Kindness Day

It is really Random Acts of Kindness week...  What have I done today   with kindness?
There are lots of  simple things to do  ,   just a smile and  a hello .
 So today  I chatted to a stranger,  let a person go ahead of me at the check out, and thanked the  cashier for her hard work. I  want to  do one more  act of kindness to a stranger today even if it is as simple as a   hello or a thank-you....
One thing I always do  on a daily basis  is thank someone for holding a door for me.
 If someone takes that moment  I  want them to know I appreciate their kindness.
 Does it make life nicer , I think so.  I feel better.

 Do you take treats to work or to the neighbours? Do you smile at strangers ? Hold doors?
Do you do any  random acts of kindness ?

Supper-Marinated Baked Tilapia with garlic, herbs and lemon

I have always struggled to    cook and eat fish..  Seafood, shrimp , lobster  and crab   I love but    fresh or frozen  fish   I just can't seem to  develop a love for it.  Who doesn't love fresh salmon? Me! Canned is fine  .  Tuna canned is fine..  Tuna steak  just okay...   I will say I did have Mahi Mahi in Hawaii and it was fabulous.  Perhaps I should move there.
I do keep trying to cook and eat fish tho. Found a recipe  at Allrecipes for a marinated baked tilapia. Tilapia being a mild fish I can eat  if not happily.


2 tilapia fillets
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice and some lemon slices.
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove garlic,used both elephant and regular.
1 teaspoon Mrs Dash  lemon and garlic
pepper to taste
Combine;
Marinate for  4 hours in the fridge.

Bake, covered with foil  at 375 for about 30 minutes until fish flaky.
Hubby loved it  ..

Spring Seeding! Indoors.

 It is time to get a jumpstart on spring.   Seed planting.   What a lot  of enjoyment  one gets from   growing plants for the garden . One of the best  parts  about growing   seeds  is the  wider variety rather than having to    settle for the one or  two from a  garden center. It is a rewarding   hobby  plus  one ends up with    a larger quantity of plants which is always good. 
Started   a tray of seeds  under lights.... they have now germinated and I have moved them to natural light by the patio door....where they grow at a cooler temperature..

First foxglove, Camelot mix; a favourite biennial. . 20 babies so far..
Portulaca, doubles. 6 heavily sown trays. 

 Saved the orangey red  geraniums  from last summer,overwintered in the basement  .    Now ,repotted , trimmed back and  hopefully they will  develop into  quite large plants for the   garden by May. I  like   geraniums with out the growth inhibitor  that garden centers put on to control the size...

 

The 2 coleus slips , mocha rose , I loved and saved last fall are holding up quite well. With the decreased light they have lost their colour combo but I am guessing it will appear once we have brighter sun light..

Seeds yet to start Tall African Marigolds,  Zinnas and Sweet Peas... The sweet peas    will be direct sown in the garden ... question is when? Thinking first of April.
 All these little "babies" are  whispering spring to me.

Happy Valentines Day!

LRW # 67

Little Red Wagon challenge this week is use white on white .

Using Manhattan Flower , embossed the white card stock adding just a touch of blue with  torn  blue paper  and ribbon . .

Another touch of spring indoors and possibly a sign of spring?

Yes another indoor  touch of spring. This pot of  bulbs are from Sherry and Rosanne my daughters .  Thank you girls.

It is just starting to open .

How lovely that bright shade of yellow and the scent heavenly.

The sign of spring?
Out the back window a large flock of snow buntings landed. They are lovely, so white.

I believe they winter in the mid US. 
So if I am guessing right they have flown this far north on their way back to the Arctic.
I am not a birder so  my info is coming from a book.
Note  the sunshine, it is very cold here  Arctic like  but there is the  promise of warmer weather next week.
Hope so I am cold!

Indoor spring!

A touch of spring indoors

Lovely scent.
So nice til the real thing comes along.

Coupons and Samples

I have a dirty little secret to share!
I spend  some of my semi retirement time  finding   coupons and free samples.
Why DO  I keep it secret? 
 Decided to   let everyone in on my favourite  spots to  get   coupons and samples....
Found with so many new products   coming out what if I buy  the large size just to find out I don't like that product! That has happened more than once.
 What if that perfume is just not the right scent on me, or the product doesn't work the way claimed. Then I am stuck with  a bottle or whatever  that ends up in the garbage.

Here is my current collection of samples and coupons. 
Soaps, perfume,  snacks , and coupons for coffee and  hair products.



I must say  I prefer  getting the small samples to try first. Once I like a new product then  I try to get a coupon for that product if it doesn't come with the sample. 
I get samples from Proctor and Gamble,  Free Canadian Samples and  most of my coupons from Save.ca.http://save.ca/
I feel so much  better now I have shared my " big" secret.....

Weekend Food- with a highlight of Peanut Caramel Chocolate Tart.

Over the weekend along with lots of others, we had  tailgate food.
 Did we watch the Super Bowl?
 No ,we are hockey fans here.
Did we watch half time and the  commercials? Yes.
We still  enjoy  typical    football fare.. with  a   fantastic finale dessert.
Heard of Killer Desserts well this one is.
So this is what we enjoyed:


Submarine with Caesar Salad





Potato Cheese Chowder


Chili with shredded cheese

and the finale made by daughter Sherry , an absolutely decadent Peanut Caramel Chocolate Tart from Martha Stewart...



 

 
PEANUT, CARAMEL, AND CHOCOLATE TART

Inspired by the Snickers bar, this tart has the same
flavors as the beloved candy. but with a few decadent differences:

TOTAL TIME 2 HOURS 30 MIN.MAKES ONE 9-INCH TART SERVES 10

FOR THE CHOCOLATE CRUST
box (9 ounces) chocolate wafer
cookies, finely ground
(2cups)
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
Salt
1 stick unsalted butter, melted

FOR THE CARAMEL SAUCE
1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup water
1 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup creme fraiche
1cup roasted salted peanuts

FOR THE PEANUT BUTTER MOUSSE
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/2  cup confectioners' sugar
Salt
11/4 cups smooth peanut butter
1/2  teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup heavy cream

FOR THE CHOCOLATE GANACHE
7 ounces semisweet chocolate (preferably56 percent cacao), chopped
1 cup heavy cream

1. Preheat oven to 350°, Make the chocolate crust: Combine cookie crumbs, granulatedsugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in abowl. Stir in butter. Press mixture into bottom and up sides of 9-inch springform
pan. Bake until dry 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool.

2. Make the caramel sauce:
Heat granulated sugar and water in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat,
until medium amber, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, and carefully add heavy cream
(mixture will bubble and steam).

Return to heat, and bring to a boil, making sure caramel that seized up when cream was
added melts. Transfer to a bowl,and stir in creme fraiche.
Refrigerate until cool but still pourable, about 45 minutes.
Fold in peanuts.

3. Meanwhile, make the peanut butter mousse: Beat cream cheese and confectioners' sugar
with a mixer on medium-highspeed until pale and fluffy. Beat in 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add peanut
butter and vanilla, and beat  until combined. Whisk heavy cream in a separate bowl until medium-stiff peaks form. Fold one-third of the whipped cream peanut butter mixture.
Fold in remaining whipped cream in 2 additions.

4. Assemble the tart: Pour caramel sauce into cooled chocolate crust. Gently spread peanut butter mousse over caramel in an even layer, making sure they don't blend together. Refrigerate
for 30 minutes.

5. Make the chocolate ganache:
Place chocolate in a small heatproof bowl. Bring cream to a simmer in a small saucepan
over medium-high heat. Pour cream over chocolate, and let stand for 1minute. Whisk to
combine. (Use immediately.)

6. Remove tart from refrigerator,and pour in ganache to cover surface. Refrigerate for at least
30 minutes.

This dish has a lot of steps but oh my how worth it .

LRW #66 Kraft

The card making challenge this week use kraft paper........
Used brown , kraft and  bluey green papers.

Every February

I find every February I buy  flowering  spring pots. I really do love the change of seasons here in Canada. Still by the time February comes I long for bright colour and a hint of spring.Here is a little crocus pot, purple one of my favourite colours... So now I have  spring flowers on the dining table , crocus in the kitchen   , my orchid is still flowering in the living room  and the terrarium is happy on the sideboard......

It's Ground Hog Day!

Woke up  this  morning to  the blizzard of this winter , this is what I  see ;

freezing drizzle on a window,

 snow drifts  on the front walk and cute little bunny prints on front porch,

snow drifts  on the back patio, 

neighbours out snow blowing and shovelling,

and no sooner having cleared the driveway and walk  it has started to do this again..........

2 good things today;
the ground hog hasn't seen his shadow;so winter is now over, just wonder how long it will take to  see the snow melt and green grass.

The other good thing;   a lovely bouquet of flowers from my Mom for our wedding anniversary...




All the bright spring colours just make my day......

Do  you think we can hold the rodent to  the prognostication of an early spring?

Here it is!

I have very smart  blog readers . Yes, I have made a terrarium. With the threat of a major snow storm for this area tonight how pleasant it was to "play"  in dirt   even for just an hour.Made  one many years ago  not the greatest success but I became reinspired after   seeing Paula Hayes  Terrariums . Her blown glass pieces are amazing.
Had a lovely round shaped  vase that  I love

Added first a

  layer   stones about 1 1/2 inches for drainage, then a thin layer of aquarium charcoal to keep  soil fresh,then some moistened peat rich  potting soil  about  2 inches slightly mounded on one side  and finally the plants.   Those lovely little plants that posted about yesterday were divided into even smaller   plants .  Only had room for  3. Chose baby tears,  Frosty fern and Goldfish plant that have similar needs of light and watering.  Had thought of adding a whimsy piece but not enough room so just a few rocks to add a bit of interest.

Until the terrarium  has acclimatized will keep it on the buffet in the dining room  moving it later to the brighter  living room....

Wonder what I will do  with the   ivy and left over parts of the  3 chosen  plants.