Bloom . . .

“And the day came when the risk (it took) to remain tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.”
~Anais Nin

For years I resisted change because I was afraid that growth was always a painful process. I guess it had seemed that most of the lessons I had learned in life, and my opportunities to grow had always been accompanied with a lot of agro and misery. It suddenly occurred to me though that in resisting change and growth, I was also wasting a lot of time, creative energy and emotion. Things that could be better spent on other things.

Why does change come with such difficulty? Why do we allow ourselves to become stuck in ruts? I think the greatest stumbling block to freeing ourselves from these chains is fear. Fear of change, fear of stepping out into the unknown, fear of judgement, fear of failure . . . In giving in to our fear, I think we fail ourselves. I think we prevent ourselves from becoming and being the best that we can be. The whole reason for our presence here on earth is to grow and stretch, and to become the best that we can be. We cannot do that without expanding our boundaries.



There is a scripture that says that in our weakness we are made strong. Who has not heard the story of the old man and the butterfly. An old man was once watching a butterfly struggle to emerge from it’s cocoon. As he watched it struggle frantically in it’s cocoon to free itself, he began to feel sorry for it. It was working so hard, and seemingly getting nowhere. He thought to help it a bit by taking a pair of scissors and cutting it free. When he had done, so the butterfly lay there limp and unable to fly. In his eagerness to help, the man had missed the great secret to a butterfly’s strength, for it is in the struggle to free itself from the cocoon that the butterfly strengthens it’s wings enough to be able to actually fly.



And so it is with life. It is through the struggles and the agonies we suffer that we too are made strong and beautiful. It is in the growth that we learn and evolve and become what we were truly sent here to become. Change is not always bad. We need to exercise our wings and break free from our cocoons. It truly is a good thing.

I know it is late in the year, but, if you can, try to find one perfect rosebud in your garden or at a flower shop if need be. Pick it and place it in a small vase on your desk or night table. Watch it bloom. “Each blade of grass has it’s Angel that bends over it and whispers, “Grow, grow.”’ We are likewise blessed. Let us listen to it’s voice and bloom where we are planted.



I always have a few tins of salmon or tuna in my larder. They always come in handy when I feel uninspired and have to come up with a quick meal on the spur of the moment. This is one of our long time favourites.



*Salmon Loaf*
Serves 6
Printable Recipe

This is a wonderful recipe I have been making throughout all of my cooking life. It was my mother’s recipe and most likely my grandmother’s as well. I expect it probably came from off of a tin of salmon at one time. It’s delicious. I like to serve it with a cucumber sauce. (see below)

1 large tin of salmon
½ cup milk
3 cups soft bread crumbs
¼ cup butter, melted
1/3 cup of the juice from the salmon tin
3 egg yolks, beaten
2 TBS finely chopped onion
The juice of one small lemon
½ tsp hot pepper sauce
½ tsp of salt
A good grinding of black pepper
1 tsp dill weed
3 egg whites, beaten stiff

Pre-heat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 5. Grease a loaf tin really well and set aside.

Drain the salmon, reserving the liquid. Remove as much skin and bone from the salmon as you can and then mash it really well.Scald the milk and add the breadcrumbs. Let it sit for 5 minutes. Add the salmon liquid and beat smooth. Stir in the beaten egg yolks, minced onion, lemon juice, black pepper, salt, hot pepper sauce and dillweed. Mix it all in thoroughly. Fold in the egg whites.

Spread into the greased loaf pan. Bake in the heated oven for 50 to 60 minutes, until firm to the touch and a knife inserted in the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let stand for 5 minutes before loosening from the pan and cutting into slices to serve.

Serve with the cucumber sauce below or creamed peas if you wish.

*Cucumber Sauce*
Makes 2 cups

This is a lovely sauce that goes very well with fish of all kinds.
¼ cup butter
¼ cup plain flour
2 cups milk
1 ½ cups grated unpeeled Englishcucumber
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
½ tsp dill weed

Put the grated cucumber into a colander and drain it while you make the rest of the sauce. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium low heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring for about one minute. Gradually whisk in the milk. Stir constantly until the sauce bubbles and thickens. Stir in the salt, cayenne and dill weed. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Add the grated cucumber, blending it in well. Serve.



And in The English Kitchen today, scrummy Chocolate Chocolate Chunk Muffins

Choices . . . Choices . . .

“The greatest gift that God in His bounty made in creation, and the most conformable to His goodness, and that which He prizes the most, was the freedom of the will, with which the creatures with intelligence, they all and they alone, were and are endowed.” ~Dante Alighieri , The Divine Comedy, “Paradiso”, vs. 19

Life is full of choices. Sometimes we make good ones and sometimes we make bad ones . . . but there are always ones to make and they are always our own to make.

When we make good and wise choices, the end result is usually a positive one, for all actions have consequences. When we make bad choices, then usually we reap negative benefits, and sometimes very long reaching consequences. Often . . . we get in the way of other people’s poor choices, which is unfortunate. Such as times when someone decides to squeeze their car into a too small parking space next to our car and just happens to scrape the side of our car on their way in, and then again on their way out . . . and then . . . when they see what they have done, they go to find another place to hide their mistake, or just leave altogether. (this has happened to us twice now, very frustrating) Not fair, I know, but it’s unfortunately the price we pay for having free will, and the freedom to choose for ourselves.



I reckon it’s a beautiful gift from God . . . this right to choose . . . and it’s not something I would relish living without.

When I wake up in the morning I can choose to get up right away or to languish under the covers and doze for a bit longer. Being the early bird that I am, I always choose to get up right away. There’s so much of the day ahead to explore and experience, and I don’t want to miss a minute of it! That means that by the end of the day my energy is definitely flagging and I fall asleep in front of the telly more often than not, but, my oh my, I’ve usually had a full and rewarding day up to that point.

When I go to do something, either for myself or for others . . . I can choose to do the very best that I know how to do . . . or I can be lazy and only do a half job of it. Experience has shown me that any job worth doing, is worth doing to the best of my ability, for anything less than my best has consequences that I am just not willing to live with , and usually just creates more work for me in the long run anyways.



I can choose to look at the glass as half empty . . . or as half full. I choose to always look at it as being half full. That way I don’t miss out on any of the blessings and un-expected pleasures along the way. Being positive has never cost me anything, but it surely has given me a great many benefits and rewards in return.

I can choose to put only good things into my body, such as healthy fruits, vegetables, lean meats and whole grain breads and cereals, or . . . I can fill it up with junk food and empty calories. We all know that the first choice is the better choice, for how many of us are having to now reap the benefits of having made the wrong choice and are now struggling to take off all those extra pounds, or suffering the consequences of poor choices such as ill health, high blood pressure, etc. Experience once again has taught me that that extra piece of pie, or packet of crisps is not really worth the price I will have to pay in the long run for the short term pleasure I get.

Today I can choose to be happy, or I can choose to be sad. For me . . . I choose to be happy. Into each life, rain does and must fall. I am no different than anyone else. I have my own fair share of disappointments and heart aches. Life has it’s ups and downs. Despair and sadness touches each one of us at one time or another. The difference is all in how we choose to handle it. We can give in to it . . . and let it conquer us, or . . . we can choose to rise above it and come out the victor in the end. The choice is ours to make.



Each cloud does have a silver lining and we can find it, if we only look. There will be some lesson learned, some hidden blessing discovered. Sometimes God’s greatest answers come in what we see as unanswered prayers, and sometimes we learn more from losing than we ever would have from winning.

I made Todd a lovely fish pie for his dinner last night. It’s a dish he surely loves and I am quite fond of it myself. Even Mitzie was excited because she could smell it. We did give her a small taste of the fish . . . I know . . . we're so bad. I don't think it hurts to give her a small treat once in a while though, do you?



*Fish and Potato Pie*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

This is a wonderful and homey supper dish. Lovely tender pieces of fish in a deliciously rich sauce, topped with savoury potatoes and cheese. What’s not to like about this!

12 ounces of haddock fillets (un-dyed and smoked can be used if you want)
(3/4 pound)
12 ounces cod fillets (3/4 pound)
12 ounces of salmon fillets (3/4 pound)
1 pint milk (2 cups)
4 fl ounces of brandy (or chicken or vegetable stock, which is what I use) (1/2 cup)
2 ½ pounds potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
Salt and pepper to taste
5 TBS butter, plus extra for greasing
3 TBS plain flour
1 TBS chopped fresh parsley
2 small onions, 1 grated and 1 sliced thinly
1 bag of baby spinach leaves
3 ounces grated cheddar cheese

Pre-heat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. Rinse all the fish, then pat it dry with some kitchen paper towelling. Pour the milk into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and add the haddock and cod, and cook gently for about ten minutes. Lift out the fish, reserving the milk, and set the fish aside to cool. Cook the salmon in the brandy or stock over low heat for ten minutes. Lift out and set aside to cook. Reserving the cooking liquid from that as well. Cut all the fish into small chunks.

Cook the potatoes in a large pan of lightly salted water for about fifteen minutes or until tender.

While you are doing that, in a small saucepan melt the butter over low heat. Stir in the flour and cook for one minute. Stir in the reserved milk and brandy (stock) to make a smooth sauce. Bring to the boil, whilst stirring, and then reduce the heat and let simmer for ten minutes. Remove from the heat and then add the parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Drain the potatoes and then mash, adding the grated onion and seasoning to taste with some salt and pepper.

Grease a large baking dish. Place the pieces of fish in the bottom of the dish. Top with the sliced onion. Pour over the sauce to cover and then add an even layer of spinach. Top with the mashed potatoes. Sprinkle the cheddar cheese over the top to cover. Bake in the heated oven for 39 to 49 minutes, or until the filling is bubbly and the potatoes are lightly browned. Serve hot with some steamed vegetables on the side.



Appearing in The English Kitchen today, a delicious Pear and Almond Tart!

Friday thoughts . . .

There has been a lot on the news lately about young people who, having been bullied mercilessly by their school mates, have taken their own lives . . . it's all so very sad and it breaks my heart.
It takes me back to my own younger teenage years and the abuse I suffered at the hands of school mates and I remember just how very lost and alone I felt.

When I was thirteen my parents bought a house in a small town in Nova Scotia. My father was in the airforce and we had always lived in the married quarters, but my mother had gone back to work and they felt that they were in the position to buy their own home . . . and so we moved into this small house on the edge of this small town.

It was a beautiful little town, filled with old Victorian homes and quaint little shops. The highschool there was very large and had children bussed in from all over the county. I can remember being very excited at the prospect of going to a new school. I was a somewhat shy girl, but friendly all the same and I really looked forward to making some new friends.

At first I made quite a few friends . . . some girls that I went to church with and other's. It seemed that life in this town was going to be very good. Then one Friday night my parents let me attend a dance at the high school. At the end of the evening, a boy that I had a huge crush on wanted to walk me home, along with my friend and her boyfriend. I had never had a boyfriend, and in fact I was not allowed to have a boyfriend until I turned 16, which was a long way off, but I didn't think that it could do any harm for this lad to walk me home.



I drew the line at holding his hand though. It was something I had never done and I knew that my parents would be watching out for me and I didn't want them to think that I was having a boyfriend before I was allowed to have one . . . my parents were quite strict and I knew that if they thought I was going against their wishes that would be the last dance I'd ever be allowed to go to for a very long time!

And so, I wouldn't hold this boys hand, and of course a kiss goodnight was completely out of the question!

That was all it took. A simple innocent walk home with a young lad . . . the rumour went around the school that I was a Lesbian. Simply because I had not wanted to hold this lad's hand or kiss him goodnight.

I didn't even know what a lesbian was . . . but I knew that I didn't want to be one, not if it caused people to call you names and treat you like a pariah. All of a sudden girls didn't want to be my friend at all . . . and boys, well . . . they would stand around in the classroom in between classes and during break times and taunt me, call me names, laugh at me, torment me . . .



We only lived in that house in that town for two years . . . but . . . they were the longest two years of my life. Two years where I felt completely isolated . . . lonely . . . depressed and miserable . . . worthless . . . I wanted to die, but thankfully, just as I hadn't known what a Lesbian was, the idea of killing myself was also something I had no knowledge of either . . . I just knew that I was very unhappy with my life and I wished that I could go to sleep and never wake up again . . . ever.

It got so bad at one point that I literally made myself physically ill and was home from school for several weeks. I didn't mind . . . at least at home nobody called me names, or had crab races around my desk, or taunted and laughed at me . . .

Thankfully at the end of those two years we moved and I was able to start over again in another school . . . the scars were there though and they ran deep. Although I was not teased or tormented in the new school . . . there was something in me that always felt like a pretender . . . and I was always afraid that one day the new kids would discover that and the taunting would begin all over again . . .



Nobody should have to feel like that. It's just plain wrong. There was another girl in that school in my grade who had odd teeth . . . and she had to endure years of being called White Fang, which must have been equally as horrible for her. Something is very wrong with a society, or a school where innocent people should have to endure such torture, quite simply because they are different . . . because they have odd teeth, or walk differently, perhaps have red hair or freckles . . . or because of their sexual orientation. Some kids are stronger, and able to rise above it and handle it . . . but so very many aren't . . .

As adults . . . teachers, neighbours, parents etc. we have a responsibility to the young people of our communities. We must send them the message that bullying of any kind and for any reason is not acceptable, that it is wrong and that it won't be tolerated, not in the least . . . . We must also send them the message that if it is going on, that the perpetrators will be punished and that the victims will be protected. We must teach our young people that they are loved for whomever they are . . . and that is . . . a child of God, our Heavenly Father who loves them so very much, irregardless of their colour, or their disabilities, their faith, or their sexual orientation etc. That they have worth in His eyes, and in our eyes.



We are not all the same. We are each of us a unique individual, and precious in His sight, valuable beyond measure. I don't know how this can be accomplished, I really don't . . . but we need to be aware and we need to act quickly and with solidarity when we see any type of bullying going on whatsoever. We need to let young people know that they are not alone and that we are there for them no matter what, and that we won't judge them either. That we are there to help them unconditionally . . . with love and compassion . . . that all human beings have worth, no matter who or what they are. That bullies never win . . .

What would Jesus do . . . . I think we all know the answer to that one. I hope and pray that nobody else feels that they have to die needlessly . . . simply for being who they are. That is the saddest thing of all.

Just my thoughts this morning . . .

I made us a delicious curry the other evening. Curry is something that people either love or hate. This one is quite different. It's a bit spicy without being overwhelming. We really liked it! I got the recipe from a Junior League cookbook, so you just know it's going to be fabulous! Those books always have the best recipes in them!



*Coconut Chicken*
Serves 5 to 6
Printable Recipe

Nice and spicy. Goes well with rice or couscous!

1 TBS olive oil
5 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts, trimmed and cut into chunks
1 cooking onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 red peppers, seeded, trimmed and finely chopped
1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
1 heaped tsp of curry powder
1 heaped tsp of soft light brown sugar
1/2 tsp of ground ginger
pinch of cloves
1/2 of a 410g tin of chopped tomatoes (1 cup)
250ml of coconut cream (1 cup)
250ml of chicken broth (1 cup)
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 large sweet potato, peeled and chopped
salt and pepper



Heat the oil in a large skillet with a lid. Add the onions, peppers, carrot, chicken, curry powder, ginger, and sugar. Cook and stir for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the vegetables begin to soften. Stir in the tomatoes, coconut cream, chicken broth, garlic, cloves and sweet potato. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, covered for 30 minutes or so until the chicken is tender and cooked through. Stir occasionally. Serve hot and spooned over coucous or rice.



And in The English Kitchen today, French Fridays with Dorie (a delicious Hachis Parmentier) and scrummy Baby Sticky Toffee Pudding Cakes!



Have a great Friday everyone!

Never put off for tomorrow . . .

“Never put off for tomorrow what you can do today.” ~Thomas Jefferson

I had always wondered who first penned that phrase and this morning I looked it up. Now I know, and . . . so do you!

I think a lot of us muddle through life believing that we have to wait for everything to calm down a bit before we get started on pulling things together and beginning to write that first novel, or reading that book we've been meaning to . . . but just haven't gotten around to reading.

The diet always starts tomorrow, or in my case on Monday, and then . . . when Monday comes along, something else gets in the way of it anyways, and so it gets put off again. It’s always tomorrow that we’ll begin enjoying authentic pleasures . . . but . . . the truth is, tomorrow never really does come. Life never really calms down long enough for us to start truly living the lives we deserve to live. Something will always get in the way, and there are always going to be unforeseen changes, movements, something to grab our attention . . . Be it an unexpected phone call, a child falling down, the car running out of petrol, cash that never arrives . . .



The reality is that, as far as life goes, we are never really very far away from dysfunction and if we wait for perfection to begin enjoying the things we have waiting for us to enjoy . . . well . . . it just ain’t gonna happen!

I think we should stop waiting for all the pieces to fall into place, and for life to become perfect. We need to begin to work with what we’ve got right now to make our lives as satisfying as we can. We need to take stock, every day, of our many blessings and give thanks for them, and squeeze all the joy out of the present that we can, for all too soon, it will be our past and we’ll be looking back on it with regret and “wishing we hada’s”.



Grab hold of today. Don’t let procrastination steal any more of your tomorrows and your precious moments! Call a friend today . . . just because . . . Start reading that book or writing that novel. Try something new for lunch . . . dinner . . .bake that cake. Tell someone special that you love them . . . dream that dream and move towards making it a reality. Today, experience joy and be grateful. Look for, find and experience all the little pleasures that today has to offer you. Make all your tomorrow’s today. Do something nice for someone else, and in doing so, enrich your own life.

I’ve always maintained that, it isn’t until you start to give your life away, that you really begin to live it. Live your life today. I promise you that, by the end of the day, when you go to lay your little head on your soft pillow, you’ll feel a lot better for it!!



Life truly is a magnificent ride . . . hang on and enjoy the experience for all it’s worth!!! Don't let tommorrow steal any more of your todays. Or . . . to quote my Todd . . . "It's no good saying it will be alright on the night . . . this is the night."

This is Todd’s very favourite cake. He loves fruit cakes of any kind and especially this one. If you’re looking for soft and squidgy, this isn’t it . . . if you’re looking for rich and satisfying, this hits the mark. (If you don't have a set of scales for baking you really need to get some. I use scales all the time now and their accuracy just can't be beaten when it comes to baking. I highly recommend them!) I have converted the measurements as closely as I can for North American measures. Hope this helps!



*Cherry and Almond Cake*
Serves 12
Printable Recipe

I love the flavour of cherry and almond together. They are the perfect foil for each other. This lovely cake brings together those two flavours in a most wonderful way.

8 ounces butter, softened (1 cup)
8 ounces caster sugar (1 generous cup)
4 large eggs, beaten
8 ounces self raising flour (a scant 2 cups)
8 ounces glace cherries, washed, dried and chopped (approximately 2 cups)
4 ounces ground almonds (1 scant cup)
3 drops almond essence
9 ounces golden marzipan (a generous 1/2 pound)
2 ounces blanched almonds, halved lengthwise for decoration (1/2 cup)
Icing sugar for dusting

Pre-heat the oven to 160*C/325*F. Grease a deep round 8 inch pan and line it with parchment paper. Grease again.

With a hand mixer cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, a little bit at a time, to help prevent curdling, mixing until they are all incorporated. Beat in the flour, in three additions, mixing well after each addition. Fold in the cherries, ground almonds and almond essence. Mix evenly.

Spoon half of the cake batter into the prepared pan. Roll out the marzipan into a 7 inch in diameter circle and place carefully on top of the cake batter. Cover with the remaining batter, smoothing the top.

Bake in the pre-heated oven for about 1 ½ hours until done. You may need to cover it after an hourif it seems to be browning too quickly. It may take a bit longer, mine often does. The cake is done when it begins to shrink away from the sides of the pan and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Let cool in the tin for 20 minutes before removing out to a wire rack to finish cooling completely. Dust with icing sugar to serve.



And, in The English Kitchen today, Rarebit Jacket Potatoes. Delicious baked potatoes with a Welsh Rarebit filling!

The gifts of the year . . .

Cottage Garden by WS Coleman

I think one of the most beautiful miracles of all on this lovely earth we've been given, is how wonderfully our gardens reflect the passing seasons . . .



What could be more appropriate in early Spring than the sight of pure, white snowdrops amidst the grey and dullness of the waning winter?

And then . . . as the days lengthen and warm up, they are followed by pretty little crocus and yellow daffodils . . . a tiny taste of the joys to come . . .



Next come the bluebells, which mirror the skies of early Summer . . . and then . . . as the days grow even warmer still, we feast our eyes on the reds, pinks and oranges of high summer with it's roses and many other blooms . . .



In time they give way to the softer, mellower hues of crystanthemums and dahlias . . . until then . . . with the year itself . . . they fade and pass on . . .



The most wonderful miracle of all is that this beautiful pageant of colour in the garden will return with the spring and begin all over again!!! An eternal never-ending round . . . Heavenly Father's plan . . .

There is always something to look forward to!



I read in the news this morning that the winner of that £113 million whom hasn't come forward to claim the prize as of yet is a little old woman whose husband has binned the ticket, and they have been unable to find it! She had the numbers written down in her notebook, and saw that they were the winning ones . . . but when she asked her husband for the ticket, he had already gotten rid of it! That's one man in this country whose name is now "mud" I'll wager! Can you imagine? They did find a winning £10 ticket in the bin when they were looking though! Hmmm . . . somehow, I don't think it will make up for the loss of £113 million!! I seriously doubt he'll be put in charge of the tickets again!

This is something that you don't see very often on here. Chocolate Cake. Todd hates chocolate cake. I, on the other hand, love it. I don't make it very often though coz I end up having to eat what I can myself and give the rest away . . . sigh . . . sometimes a gal's got to do what a gal's got to do . . . .



*Double Chocolate Layer Cake*
makes 12 servings
Printable Recipe

Can you say "To Die For"? Repeat after me.....to die for...to die for....to die for...deliciously moist chocolate cake with a gorgeously rich and delicious chocolate ganache coating....

FOR CAKE:
3 ounces fine quality semi sweet chocolate
1 1/2 cups hot brewed coffee
3 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups plain flour
1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
1 1/4 tsp salt
3 large eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups buttermilk (well shaken)
3/4 tsp vanilla
FOR GANACHE FROSTING:
16 ounces good quality semi sweet chocolate
1 cup heavy cream
2 TBS caster sugar
2 TBS golden syrup (or corn syrup)
1/4 cup unsalted butter

Pre-heat the oven to 150*C/300*F. Lightly grease two nine inch layer pans. Line bottomms with parchment paper and grease the paper. Set aside.

Finely chop the chocolate and put in a bowl along with the hot coffee. Let stand, stirring occasionally until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Sift together the dry ingredients, stir in the sugar and set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs until they are thick and lemon coloured, about 5 minutes with a hand held electric mixer. Slowly beat in the oil, buttermilk, vanilla and melted chocolate mixture. Mix well. Add dry ingredients, mixing only until they are combined. Divide batter between the two prepared baking pans and bake in the centre of the oven for one hour up to one hour and ten minutes or until a tester inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Cool layers completely in pans on racks. When cold, run a knife carefully around the edges of the pans and invert onto the racks. Carefully remove the paper.

For the frosting chop the chocolate finely. Bring the cream to a boil along with the syrup and sugar, whisking until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate pieces and whisk until melted. Cut the butter into pieces and whisk in a bit at a time, until melted and the mixture is smooth. Set aside to cool, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is of spreading consistency.

Sandwich the layers together on a plate with some of the ganache and then spread the remaining frosting over the top and around the sides of the cake. This cake keeps well, covered and chilled for 3 days. Bring to room temperature before serving. Wonderful!



And if Chocolate Cake doesn't do it for you, check out The English Kitchen today, there's a delicious Cinnamon Pudding Cake over there. ☺