Boxing Day Lore . . .

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Happy Boxing Day everyone! Boxing Day is a holiday that is celebrated in Canada as well as tbroughout the Commonwealth, but I am not sure it is a day that is celebrated in the United States. Nowadays it is a day that generates a great deal of retail shopping, ie. The Boxing Day Sales, but it has a long history that goes back quite a ways.

Generally speaking Boxing day is the day that follows Christmas, or the 26th of December, and it is always a public holiday, or “Bank Holiday” as we call them over here, although a lot of those working in the retail trade will most certainly have to work today. Traditionally it was the day to open the Christmas Box to share with the poor. This was usually a wooden or clay container that contained money and gifts which had been gathered up and saved for those unfortunate souls.

During the Age of Exploration when great sailing ships were setting off to explore new lands, “A Christmas Box” was used as a good luck device. It consisted of a small box that was placed on each ship while it was still in port, prior to sailing. It was placed there by a priest and any sailors that wanted to ensure the safely of their journey and return home would place coins in it. It would then be sealed off by the Priest and kept on board during the whole voyage.

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If the ship returned home safely the box would be handed back to the Priest, it’s contents intact, and a mass would be said to give thanks for the safety of the voyage. The Priest would then save the box and hand it’s contents out to the poor on the day after Christmas, which then became known as Boxing Day.

Many poorly paid workers were also required to work on Christmas Day, most notably those in Domestic employ. They were then given the day after Christmas Day off to go and visit their families. As they prepared to leave their employers gave them Christmas Boxes, which were always well looked forward to and most welcome to both their employees and their families.

During the 18th century , the Lords and Ladies of the Manor, would box up their leftover food, and sometimes gifts and distribute them to the tenants who lived and worked on their lands. This is a custom that continues still today only now more often than not it is customary for householders to gift small gifts or monetary sumsto the trades people that service them throughout the year, such as paper boys, milk men and dust bin collectors, and also in some work places for employers to give their employees Christmas Bonus’s.

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Boxing Day is also known as St Stephen’s Day. (the day when Good King Wenceslas looked out!) St Stephen was one of Christ’s disciples and was the first man killed for believing in the teachings of Jesus Christ. As he was being stoned to death he looked up into the Heavens and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing on the right hand of God. You can read all about him in Acts 6:1 to Acts 8: 2.

Some people claim he shares this day with another St Stephen who hails from Sweden, St Stephen the patron saint of horses. It makes sense in a way as boxing day is also a day commonly associated with outdoor sports, in particular horse riding and hunting.

Traditionally Boxing Day has been the day for Fox Hunting in particular. Horse riders dressed in red and white, accompanied with packs of hounds, chase foxes through the countryside in hopes of tiring it out enough so that the dogs will be able to catch it and kill it.

Thankfully the practice of hunting with dogs was banned in 2004 and has been a criminal offence since 2005, although it is still legal to exercise dogs, chase out a scent and flush out foxes to be shot.

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Boxing day is the day that families traditionally get together and watch sports or play board games, go for long walks in the countryside and enjoy a feast of all the Christmas leftovers. That is if they are not waiting in long queues for the shop doors to open their way into the sales racks!

We will not be doing any of that on this day! We are blessed to be able to have all FOUR missionaries over to our home for supper tonight, so I am really excited about that! We often have two over for supper, but this will be a first to be able to have all four at once! I have a big ham I am cooking with all the trimmings and plans to cook a chocolate cake! (Todd will quite happily have leftover Christmas pud instead!)

I hope that you are all continuing to enjoy your Christmas Celebrations, and that you are, each of you, surrounded with love!

Here's a tasty gratin that I will be baking later today to go along with our ham. It uses a delicious combination of root vegetables. I just know the lads will love it!



*Root Vegetable Gratin with Blue Cheese*
Serves 10
Printable Recipe

This recipe makes a large portion, but can very easily cut down to serve fewer. It’s also a great make ahead, as you can prepare it a day ahead and then just reheat it, covered when you are ready to serve it. You get a delicious sweetness from the various root vegetables in a deliciously savoury sauce. It’s a great way of making some pretty humble vegetables into something that is quite special and most delicious!

1 ½ pounds of parsnips
1 ½ pounds carrots
1 ½ pounds of rutabagas (Swedes)
2 ½ cups heavy cream
1 cup chicken stock or vegetable stock
4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 tsp minced fresh thyme or ¼ tsp dried, crumbled
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
¾ cup crumbled Gorgonzola or other blue cheese (about 3 ounces)

Pre-heat the oven to 205*C/425*F. Lightly butter a deep 9 X 13 inch baking dish and set aside.

Peel the parsnips and carrots and slice them into ¼ inch thick slices. Peel the swede and cut it in half, then cut each half into ¼ inch thick half rounds.

Mix the cream, stock , garlic and thyme together in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil and then add the swede. Place a cover on top and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the carrots and parsnips, cover again and simmer for another 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Transfer the vegetables and the cream mixture into the prepared baking dish. Bake, uncovered, until thick and bubbly, and the vegetables are quite tender, about 35 minutes. Crumble the blue cheese evenly over top and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes before serving. Delicious!



Over in The English Kitchen today we are doing leftovers!

Service . . .

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Once upon a time, a long time ago, in a faraway place . . . there was a king, who had a great highway built for the members of his kingdom. Once completed, but before it was opened to the public, the king decided to have a contest, inviting as many who desired to participate. Their challenge would be to see who could travel the highway best.

On the day of the contest the people came from miles away. Some of them were dressed in their finest clothing and were driving fine chariots. Still others had the most beautiful hairdos and brought with them the finest food. Younger men came and ran along side of the highway in their track clothes. People from all walks of life and all kinds of places traveled the highway all the day through, but . . . each one, when he had arrived at the end . . . complained to the king that there was a huge pile of rocks and debris left on the road at one spot, which had gotten in their way and hindered their journey.

At the end of the day . . . a lone traveler crossed the finish line and wearily walked over to the king. He was tired and very, very dirty . . . but he addressed the king with the utmost respect, and handed him a bag of gold.

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"I am sorry I took so long, but . . . I stopped along the way to clear away a pile of rocks and debris that was blocking the roadway." he explained. "This bag of gold was laying underneath it all, and I want you to return it to it's rightful owner."

The king looked at him and replied, "You are the rightful owner."

"Oh no," said the traveller, "This is not mine. I have never known such money."

The king looked at him with pride and grace in his eyes . . . "Oh yes," he said, "you've earned this gold, for you won my contest. He who travels the road best is he who makes the road smoother for those who will follow."

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A patient hand,
A steadfast heart . . .
The worth of these we see.
Work is fun
Together done.
The hours pass in sweet remembrance.
This work we do
In love and sisterhood.

And you thought your reward
Awaited you in Heaven!
How little we understood,
For our reward
Was with us all the while
In contentment
For service given.
~Don Stevens

I thank you all so very much for your happy thoughts and prayers this week through. I just know that you will be upholding me today as I go to my Doctors appointment. I am being cautiously optomistic. I had a Priesthood blessing yesterday and I feel more at peace about what will be. What can a person do but what he has to do. One foot in front of the other . . . it's the only way to go forward, but how much easier it is to do, knowing you are loved and cared for and upheld in prayer. Y'all are pretty special to me . . . praying friends are the best of friends. You do me a valuable service in this . . . and I thank you for it.

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I did a completely French meal the other night. We started off with a lovely salad of Endive with celery, walnuts and Roquefort cheese, then the main course was Bouef aux Carottes with all the trimmings, and for dessert a lovely yoghurt cake with berries and cream. My, but it was all very delicious if I don’t say so myself! (When the going gets tough, the tough get cooking!)



*Boeuf aux Carottes*
(Braised Beef Brisket with Carrots)
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

This is a lovely meal that requires very little effort. You end up with meltingly tender beef with a rich broth, sweet and buttery in flavour from the carrots. I served it with a celeriac/potato mash and some lightly steamed haricots verts. (green beans)

2 TBS extra virgin olive oil
1.5 kg of rolled beef brisket (about 3 pounds)
1.5 kg of carrots, peeled and trimmed (about 3 pounds)
150g bacon lardoons (about 1/2 cup)
1 onion, peeled, halved and thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1 fresh bay leaf
1 sprig of fresh thyme
1 small leafy celery stalk
500ml dry white wine, or unsweetened apple juice (2 cups)
Coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat 1 TBS of the olive oil in a large roaster on top of the stove. (Use one with a fitted lid) Add the brisket and brown it slowly on all sides. Once browned, remove it to a plate, salt it generously and then set it aside.

Heat the remaining oil in the roaster and add the carrots, 1 tsp of salt and cook, stirring them occasionally, until they are browned. This will take from 3 to 5 minutes. Remove and set aside.

Put the lardoons and onions into the roaster and then cook them over high heat until nicely browned, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Add the garlic, bay leaf, thyme, celery, beef and carrots. Pour in the wine or juice, and add water almost to cover. Bring to the boil. Skim off any foam that may surface, then top with the lid and roast in a pre-heated oven at 150*C/300*F. Roast for 3 hours, turning the meat over at least once during the cooking time.

Remove from the oven and take the meat out of the liquid. Let rest for about 15 minutes before cutting in thin slices to serve, accompanied with the carrots and lovely juices spooned over top. Delicious!



Cooking in The English Kitchen today, a deliciously creamy Leek and Potato Soup.

Happy Halloween!

Welcome Ghosts and Ghoulies to All Hallow's Eve, or Halloween as it is commonly called! It was not all that big over in the UK when I first moved over here, but it is gaining in popularity all the time. Some people even decorate for it now.



I used to love it when we would visit America around this time of year and see all the decorating and trouble people would go to. Gardens would be festooned with goblins and ghosts and spider webs and such. It was a really big deal.



I loved going Trick or Treating as a child. Great thought would go into my costume each year, which would first be worn at school in the afternoon for our annual school Halloween Party and then again that night for trick or treating (that is if halloween happened to fall on a school day)! We would be to excited and could hardly wait to go out that night. It was all my mother could do to get us to eat our suppers, but the rule was . . . no trick or treating until we had!

I can remember feeling very anxious as other children started to go about knocking on the doors, whilst we were still eating out dinner . . . I was always afraid that the candy would run out before we would have a chance to go out and about! It was inevitable each year that some people would be out of candy by the time we got there, but we always got plenty nonetheless. It was not unsual for us to call on a hundred houses and our bags would be filled to overflowing by the end of the evening.



Some people went way out in decorating their homes. Scary music would be playing and the hallway would be lit with eery spooky lighting. The homeowners would be dressed like scary monsters and it could take quite a lot of courage to approach those doors. Sometimes people would even dress up like pumpkin people and sit in lawnchairs in the garden and when you walked up the path they would move suddenly and scare the living Dickens out of you!!



The air resounded with the sounds of children's voices shouting out Trick or Treat, and the smell of burning pumpkins . . . whilst beneath our feet the sound of scuttling dry autumn leaves as they danced across the pavement gave speed to our steps. It was a magical special evening that I remember always with great fondness. It is a lot warmer here on Halloween night than I remember it ever being as a child. Sometimes we even had snow, although not very often. It was always cold and frosty at the very least, which only added to the atmosphere.



I used to love taking my own children around Trick or Treating. I don't recall anyone ever going with me when I was a child, but then memory can be selective can't it. It was a different age back then . . . nobody seemed to be as afraid of child abduction or poisoning. We heard the odd story of razor blades or pins being put into apples, but I don't remember ever getting anything untoward. We didn't like getting apples really . . . or those toffee bats called beebee bats, or Halloween kisses . . .we wanted packets of crisps or candy bars! We got those too, but not near as many as the other candies. Funny . . . today I would love a beebee bat or a Halloween kiss, if only for nostalgia's sake!



We have never really had trick or treaters at our door over here. When we were down South, I always made up a bag of treats for the little fellow next door and decorated our doorway. The last year we were there our boss had her daughter's in laws staying with them from Germany and they had a lot of children and so they came down and trick or treated at our place, but that's all we have ever had. Each year I buy some candy just in case and poor Todd ends up having to eat it all himself. He doesn't mind.



One of my favourite parts of Halloween used to be dumping out my bag at the end of the evening and going through it all with our mum, just to make sure there was nothing bad in it. There never was. It felt like a pirates gold to me . . . all the candies and coloured wrappers. We didn't get candy all that often when I was growing up . . . cept at Halloween, Christmas, Easter and then Birthday parties. There was no corner store when we lived in Manitoba to go and spend our money at, although once we moved to Nova Scotia there was and candy became a more frequent treat then. We never minded though . . . the scarcity of candy only made the booty from Halloween Night all the more precious in our minds!



Anyways, wherever you are and whatever you may be doing tonight I want to wish each of you a very goulish and spookily Happy Halloween!

Over here the term "Pudding" refers to any kind of dessert which comes after a meal. It can be anything from cake to pie and everything in between. Back home it referred to a custardy milky dessert and we always loved it when I was growing up, although more often than not it came out of a box. Homemade pudding is so much better though and this is one of my favourite recipes. I think I love Butterscotch Pudding best of all!



*Butterscotch Pudding*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

If you were to ask people which flavour of pudding is their most favourite they would probably say chocolate, but my personal favourite is the delicious, sweet and slightly salty flavour of butterscotch. Some people like their pudding ice cold, but I like mine slightly warm. Now that my friends is comfort food, pure and simple . . .

3/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
2 TBS cornstarch
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups milk
1 large egg
1 TBS white sugar
2 TBS butter
1 tsp pure vanilla

Combine the brown sugar, cornstarch and salt in a heavy saucepan. Gradually stir in the milk. (any lumps should smooth out as the mixture cooks so don't worry about them)

Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes to a boil. Remove from the heat.

Beat the egg with the tablespoon of white sugar until light. Gradually stir part of the hot cornstarch mixture into the egg to temper it. Stir this mixture into the cooked mixture and then return the saucepan to the heat and cook for one to two minutes longer.

Remove from the heat and blend in the butter, stirring until it is melted and completely mixed in. Stir in the vanilla. Cool, covered, to help prevent a skin from forming. (Personally I like the skin . . . it's almost my favourite part). Serve warm or cold, with or without some whipped cream on top.



Cooking in The English Kitchen today, some delicious Baked Hotdogs!




It wouldn't be Halloween without it! Enjoy!

Poetry Saturday . . . Touching Shoulders . . .

There's a comforting thought at the close of the day,
When I'm weary and lonely and sad,
That sort of grips hold of my crusty old heart
And bids it be merry and glad.
It gets in my soul and it drives out the blues,
And finally thrills through and through.
It is just a sweet memory that chants the refrain:
"I'm glad I touch shoulders with you!"



Did you know you were brave, did you know you were strong?
Did you know there was one leaning hard?
Did you know that I waited and listened and prayed,
And was cheered by your simplest word?
Did you know that I longed for that smile on your face,
For the sound of your voice ringing true?
Did you know I grew stronger and better because
I had merely touched shoulders with you?



I am glad that I live, that I battle and strive
For the place that I know I must fill;
I am thankful for sorrows, I'll meet with a grin
What fortune may send, good or ill.
I may not have wealth, I may not be great,
But I know I shall always be true,
For I have in my life that courage you gave
When once I rubbed shoulders with you.
~author unknown



I just love this poem. I found it in a book of Poetry that my good friend Lura sent me for my last Birthday entitled, Best Loved Poems of the LDS People. It is just filled to overflowing with inspiration and beautiful verse. I love it.

I am a bit sad today as I won't be able to go to our church Stake Conference this weekend. These special meetings are only held twice a year and it is a chance to see people you havn't seen for six months and a chance to hear our local leaders etc. share what they have been inspired to share with us. They will be sustaining a whole new Stake Leaderships this time as well . . . but it would be irresponsible of me to go and spread my germs, so I'll just have to be patient and wait for Todd to come home and give me all the news.



Although I am still hacking and blowing my nose incessantly, I must be feeling somewhat better as I painted this yesterday afternoon. It reminds me of those school room concerts we used to give when I was a girl . . . everyone wearing their finest dresses and shoes and feeling so proud of what we were doing.

The refrigerator arrived safe and sound and we got everything set up and it is filled. This one we bought has a water dispenser on the door that doesn't need to be plumbed. You just fill it with water through a special filter and it chills it and you can push a lever on the door and it will dispense chilled filtered water . . . except for one thing. We filled it and all the water ran right through onto the floor because . . . the darn valve is missing that holds the water in!! I am quite annoyed about that! We picked this fridge specifically because it had that feature. It renders a great deal of the door area useless for storing anything else, about 1/3 of it. We are trying to see if we can get a part to replace it. I guess that is what happens when you buy at a scratch and dent place!

I am still not cooking much. We had reheated leftovers from our takeaway last night, and it still tasted of cardboard. I am still redoing my earlier recipes though onto printable format so here's a pumpkin pie that is my favourite recipe for pumpkin pie. Some people like to dress their up with a praline topping or some such, but I like mine plain and unadulterated . . . just pumpkin custard in a crisp crust with whipped cream on top does me fine!




*Pumpkin Pie*
Makes one 9 inch open pie
Printable Recipe

You can fancy up pumpkin pie however you want, with a crusted and sweet crunchy pecan topping, or a caramel flavoured filling. Nothing can top a plain old fashioned pumpkin pie however. This is the pumpkin pie of my childhood. It's the best in my opinion.

Basic short crust pastry for one 10 inch tart tin
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 1/2 cups cooked or canned pumpkin, mashed or pureed
1 1/2 cups evaporated milk
1/2 cup whole milk
2 eggs, slightly beaten


Pre-heat the oven to 220*C/425*F. Line a 10 inch tart tin with a removable bottom with the pastry, trimming the sides evenly. Prick the bottom all over with a fork and line it with some tinfoil. Fill with some baking beans or rice and place it on a baking tray. Place in the heated oven and bake for approximately 20 minutes. Remove the foil and beans and bake for 10 minutes longer.

Mix the pumpkin and other ingredients together in a bowl in the order given, whisking all together well, until completely incorporated.

Now comes the tricky bit. I like to leave the tart tin on the baking tray. Pull one of the oven racks about halfway out and place the tart shell on the baking tray on this rack. Carefully pour the pumpkin filling into the pastry shell and carefully slide the oven rack back into the oven. (This helps to keep the filling from slopping over which is what would happen no matter how carefully you tried to carry it from the counter to the stove!)

Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 165*C/325*F and bake for 40 to 45 minutes longer, until the filling is firm, and a knife inserted near the centre comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for at least two hours before serving. A lightly sweetened and spiced whipped cream is the perfect accompaniment.



In The English Kitchen today, a delicious disaster, Five Minute Nutella Mug Cake.

Finding courage . . .

"Life is long, if it is full." ~Seneca



I lead a very full life. It seems each day is stuffed to the hilt with activity of some sort. Now that I am retired, I find myself wondering however did I get everything done that I needed to get done when I worked full time. It boggles my mind, but somehow I did!







I've been working at something quite different these past couple of days, as well as preparing my Relief Society Lesson for Sunday morning. I have been taking an online course, called Flying Lessons. It's being given by an artist named Kelly Rae Roberts, and I have my friend Sheilagh to thank for having pointed me in her direction.



Sheilagh knows how much I have struggled with finding my Artist's Voice and the courage to move forward with my work. It's not easy when you are my age and are beginning to pull in a new direction. I look at my work, and I think that it is good sometimes . . . and then I look at it at other times and the doubt creeps in. I see that nobody seems to want to buy it and then I start to pull it apart and think that it's not very good. I try to promote it when I can . . . but it is always with a little bit of fear . . . and so I probably don't do as much about promoting it as I can and as I should.







"One does not discover new lands without consenting to lose sight of the shore for a very long time." ~Andre Gide



There are days when I am totally discouraged by it all and think to myself . . . "Who do you think you are??? You are far too old to be thinking you can do something like this now. It's too late in your life to begin again." I hear those thoughts whispered in my heart far more often than not.



"The deepest secret is that life is not a process of discovery, but a process of creation. You are not discovering yourself but creating yourself anew. Seek, therefore, not to find out who you are, seek to determine what you want to be” – Neale Donald Walsch



And then I remember that Grandma Moses was in her 70's before she began to paint. Julia Child was in her 50's when she wrote her first book. Laura Ingalls Wilder was 65 when she published her first book . . . and then there is Tasha Tudor . . . the list goes on and on. So many talented people who started late in life. When I remember these fine examples the voice quiets and I can squelch my fears a little bit further down . . .



Anyways, I've spent a bit of time this week exploring a new avenue. I'm not sure if I like it or not . . . not sure what it says to me. This is the first piece I did.







It's been done on a box canvas, with sides. I based it with the scrap papers torn and applied first and then I applied a piece of paper which has the Young Women's Values on it to the canvas. I then washed over it with a wash of blue acrylic paint, just dark enough to obscure a lot of the colour beneath, but not enough so that you can't see what's there or read the words. Then I painted one of my little girls over top. You probably recognize this character. This is Little Miss Sunshine . . . one that I did a very long time ago, probably one of the first ones I ever did. She looks a bit different of course, because my style has naturally evolved since then and of course I had to draw this free hand on top of the decoupage and so it's not an exact copy. Then I applied the message that I wanted this painting to carry, "Dare to Be Different." Finally I antiqued it all with some distressing inks, which you probably can't notice in this picture, but it's there, I promise! A final coat of sealant and it's done.







"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm." ~Winston Churchill



Not sure how I feel about it. It's very different than my usual work for sure, and yet at the same time it holds an essence of what I've always done. I've only done it in a slightly different way . . .and I've held back a bit, because I am still finding my way through the waters of this new technique. What do you think of it??? (Be gentle with me because I am only learning and don't yet have half the equipment I need for all of this . . . I've had to improvise a lot!)



I am not ready to show you the other one yet. I'm not sure about it. I might scrap it and begin all over.



"Most of the shadows of this life are caused by standing in one's own sunshine."

~Ralph Waldo Emmerson



Anyways, I am enjoying the course, finding my voice and trying to be a bit more positive and pro-active about my work. After all . . . if I can't believe in myself, how can I ever expect anyone else to??? . . . you can't bake a cake without breaking a few eggs can you?









On Saturday I am going to a Workshop! I'm very excited about it as it's my very first one! It's called Grandmother's Button Box, and is a gift from my friend Sheilagh for my birthday. I am very much looking forward to it. I have no idea of what it is about, but I know it will be a wonderful day of creativity and when you can spend a day like that and spend it with a friend, it's all the more exciting and enjoyable! Thank you so much Sheilagh! I am just thrilled!



My mouth is feeling a lot better this morning. I am not sure which hurts worse, the empty socket where the tooth once lived, or my gum where they injected the freezing! I actually think it is the latter! Also after having had a very miserable day of weather yesterday, the sun is shining this morning! Yipee!! We were actually almost tempted to put the heat on yesterday but I put my foot down on principle. I will NOT turn on the heat in August! I'd rather freeze! We had a letter earlier this week to say that our electricity and gas will be going up in September. I can't remember how much the electric is going up but the gas is increasing by 18%!! That is outrageous. I'm not sure how we will manage, but we'll have to cope somehow.



Enough of my twaddle for today. I just want to say thank you for all the support you've always given me through the years and for the love. I think my readers are the best in the world, so give yourselves a big pat on the back and a hug from me.



Here's a recipe that I used to make often up at the Big House when I worked there. I sometimes miss those days, but more often than not I thank my lucky stars that I am no longer there! Anyways, I did enjoy the cooking side of it all the time, if nothing else! These delicious chops are perfect for when you have company. I usually just buy a rack of lamb and cut it into chops by myself. Delicious!







*Lamb Chops with Crispy Herbs*

Serves 4

Printable Recipe



Delicious pan fried and succulent Lamb Chops served up with herbs, fried until crispy. This is a perfect company meal!



1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/8 cup red wine vinegar

4 large garlic cloves, chopped

1/8 cup plus 1 TBS rosemary leaves

12 frenched lamb chops, (about 5 1/2 pounds)

Vegetable oil, for frying

8 fresh sage leaves

1/8 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves

Fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste



In a large glass baking dish, whisk the olive oil, vinegar, garlic and 2 tablespoons of the rosemary together. Add the lamb chops to the marinade, turning to coat. Set this aside to stand for 30 minutes.



In a small saucepan, heat 1/2 inch of vegetable oil until shimmering. Add the remaining 1/4 cup of rosemary leaves to the hot oil and fry for 15 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, carefully transfer the rosemary to paper towels to drain. Fry the sage leaves in the same oil, until the bubbles in the oil subside, about 45 seconds. Scoop out and transfer to the paper towels. Add the parsley leaves to the hot oil, covering the pan immediately to avoid splattering. Fry for 15 seconds, then scoop out and add to the other herbs. Season the herbs with salt. Set aside.



Heat a large grill pan. Scrape any marinade off of the lamb chops, and season them well with salt and pepper. Grill the chops over moderately high heat, turning once, just until pink in the center, about 6 minutes total. Transfer the lamb chops to heated plates, sprinkle with the frizzled herbs and serve.







Cooking in The English Kitchen today, a delicious Apple and Blackberry In and Out. This is a traditional pudding with my added twist. Fabulous!

A Father's Day Sunday Six

Welcome to my Sunday Six post for June 19th, 2011! Today we celebrate and honor all the Father's in our lives and I thought it would be quite appropriate to speak about six of the special dad's in my own life! Fatherhood is an eternal principle and these special men embody all that is wonderful about this very special calling!!!



First of all I honor and revere my Heavenly Father. He is very special to me and I know in my heart that I am very special to Him. I have always known that He was there, even if I have not always known that He cared about me and the things in my life. For many years I did not feel as if I was important enough for Him to care, or that my problems in life were important enough to matter to Him. The Gospel has taught me that I am one of His special Daughters, and that He loves and cares for me very much, so much so that even the hairs on my head are counted and known to Him. This earthly life is a beautiful gift from Him and will help me to return back into His presence one day, where I hope He will say to me, Well done my faithful daughter . . . I may not always please Him, but I know He loves me anyways, and that He knows that I am doing my best. He comforts me when I am sad, uplifts me when I am down and carries me when I think I can't walk any further. His love is not a crutch or a burden. It is empowering and gives me the freedom to be the very best that I can be. I love my Heavenly Father with all of my heart.



This is my Dad! I am told that I look just like him! (albeit a lot younger!) I love my Dad very much. It is from him that I got my great love of the written word. When I was a young child, we were inseparable. He took me everywhere with him and he read to me every night. I can still hear his voice reading my favourite stories to me in my head and it warms my heart. He has a wonderful sense of humour and is very easy going. I like to think that I inherited those same qualities from him. He always calls me the "Apple of his eye." For all I know, he calls my brother and sister that same thing, but it doesn't matter because when he says it to me, I feel like the only one! He has always been loyal to me and I know he is proud of me. That means everything to me. Happy Father's Day Dad! I love you with all of my heart!



He is not my dad. He is my husband, but he is the man I would have chosen to be the father of my children had I known him way back when. I wish so much that we could have had a family together. He is patient and kind and tender and true. He would have been a wonderful father to our children, and I just adore him. The Toddster is very special to me and he is a great stepfather to my children. They all love and respect him. He is the voice of reason to me when I am going a bit nuts. He is the yin to my yang!



This is not my dad either, but my eldest son, Anthony. He is a wonderful father to his children, Gabriel and Luke. He spends time with them and loves them with all of his heart. I am very proud of who he is and the man he has become. He may not always have agreed with my choices or actions in life, but he has always supported my right to choose and loved and respected me even when I have fallen flat on my face! He is very special to me.



This is my son Doug, with his wife Kayla and two of their sons, Jon and Josh, shortly after Josh was born. They have a third son now, Jacob, but I don't have a picture of them all together, not yet anyways. I will have to do some scooping around facebook I think!! Doug is my gentle giant. Soft spoken and kind. He is a wonderful father to his three lovely sons. He, too, spends a lot of time with his boys. These past six months or so he has been a stay at home dad, having taken Paternity leave to be with his boys. He is going back to work soon and I know he is going to miss them, and they are going to miss having him around! I love my son very much, as I love all my sons, and I am proud of who he has become and all that he is too!!



This is my son in law Tom. I could not have picked a better father for my only granddaughter or husband for my daughter Amanda. He is patient and kind and has always been very nice to me, and to my family. He is a Godly man, as are my two sons. I don't really know him all that well, but his actions and the way he treats my daughter and the way he has always been towards me have spoken volumes to me about the man that he is.



I don't know what else to say. I am grateful to all these wonderful examples of kind and righteous men in my life and for the love that we share with each other, and for my Heavenly Father who sets the standard of all that men can and should strive to be. On this day I would like to wish each and every one of them a very Happy Father's Day, and to tell them each how very important and special they are to me!

This is man food here today. I don't know a man alive that doesn't like meatloaf, at least not the men I know at any rate!! This is a deliciously spicy version that I know my sons would love. My own father always loved it when my mom made meatloaf for supper. Meatloaf just says "DAD" to me!



*Taco Meatloaf*
Makes 18 slices
Printable Recipe

Moist and tender Meatloaf with a delicious Southwestern flavour! Spicy and oh so good!

2 pounds of lean ground beef
1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
1 cup of fine dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup of finely crushed nacho chips
1 TBS chili powder
2 jalapeno peppers, deseeded, deribbed, and finely chopped (wear gloves)
2 large free range eggs, beaten
1/2 cup of chunky salsa
8 ounces medium cheddar, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
salt and black pepper to taste
1/4 cup of soft light brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup of chili sauce
1 TBS prepared mustard

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Have ready a 9 by 5 by 3 inch loaf tin.

Place the meat into a bowl. Add the onion, garlic, jalapeno, bread crumbs, nacho chip crumbs, chili powder, eggs, salsa and cheddar. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Mix together using your hands until well combined. Pack into the loaf tin, smoothing over the top.

Stir together the brown sugar, chili sauce and mustard. Spread this mixture evenly over top.

Bake for about an hour and a quarter to an hour and a half, until the meat is cooked all the way through. Drain off any fat and allow to sit for about 10 minutes, before cutting into slices to serve. Store any leftovers covered in the refrigerator. (They make great sandwiches! You can also freeze to use another day.)

Todd likes this with mashed potatoes and peas and carrots.



Baking in The English Kitchen today, some delicious Cheese Filled Cornmeal Scones!