Cultivating kindness . . .

"Train your minds and your hands that you may be equipped to serve well in the society of which you are a part. Cultivate the art of being kind, of being thoughtful, of being helpful. Refine within you the quality of mercy, which comes as part of the divine attributes you have inherited."
~Gordon B Hinckley

I like to think that I am a kind person. People have not always been kind to me, but I have always tried my hardest to be kind to others. It costs nothing to be kind and thoughtful, and I have found that the dividends that you reap in the long run, far outweigh anything you might perceive it as having cost you . . . things such as pride, or saving face. (pride goeth before the fall you know . . . )



Sometimes when others are being unkind to you, you may feel like you want to be unkind back, but there is more value to be had in turning the other cheek. When a nasty person is faced with a complete opposite reaction to what they were expecting, it often knocks them back a peg or two, and may even make them feel a bit sheepish for having been so nasty in the first place. They may think twice before being unkind to you another time.

When I was growing up, my father had a saying that he used to repeat to me and my siblings all the time. "You catch a lot more flies with honey than with vinegar." I often think about those words, and I can see the value in them now that I am an adult myself and have matured with time and experience. I find that in any given situation if I ask myself, "What would Jesus do" . . . and then follow up on that thought, by actually doing what I think He would do, I have made the wisest choice . . . and taken the higher road.

It's not always easy, in the heat of passion or anger, to do the right thing, or to react in kindness when faced with hurt, or negativity . . . but with time and practice it does come easier, and I can assure you that the feelings you walk away with are a lot nicer to live with than the alternative. The feeling that comes from knowing you have done the right thing is worth more than it's weight in gold, and feels so much better than knowing you could have done better or that the adversary has had another little victory in your life . . .



Try to do one kind thing each day and before long it has become a way of life . . . The truth is you always reap what you sow. Good karma begets good karma and life is so much sweeter. Just my thoughts this morning . . .



I am sorry if you came here looking for Tuesdays With Dorie this week. This week's challenge was Tiramisu Cake on pages 266 to 268 as chosen by My Baking Adventures by Megan. I just did not have the ingredients at hand. We don't do alcohol or coffee in our house either. Normally I would have tried to come up with another version but my brain just wouldn't co-operate this time around. If you want the recipe, do hop on over to Megan's page to check it out and as always you can check out the Dorie Blogroll to see what the others may have done. Next week's recipe is going to be a Lemon Tart, which is something I can do . . . in fact, hmmm . . . is this prophetic or what? (This is what I made yesterday afternoon . . . )



*Lemon and Raspberry Meringue Tart*
Serves 12
Printable Recipe

There was a recipe quite similar to this in the Good Food magazine this month using lemon curd as a filling. I much prefer my own lemon filling. It's creamy and quite delicious.

Pastry (your own or store bought) to fill a 10 inch tart case
For the filling:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup sifted cake flour
1 TBS cornstarch
1/2 cup milk
1 cup boiling water
1 TBS butter
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 egg yolks (save the whites for the topping)
the grated zest of 1 lemon
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups fresh raspberries
For the Meringue:
4 egg whites
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp cornstarch



Pre-heat the oven to 200*C/400*F. Prepare your pastry and line your tart tin, leaving a bit of an overhand all around. Line with some parchment paper and fill with some baking beans or rice. Place on a baking sheet and bake blind for about 15 minutes. Remove the paper and beans and bake for another 15 minutes. Allow to cool. Trim the overhang off with a serrated knife when cool.

To make the filling: Whisk the sugar, cake flour, and cornstarch together in the top of a double boiler over simmering water. Whisk in the milk until smooth. Wisk in the boiling water and butter. Cook and stir for approximately 20 minutes. It will have become quite thick. Whisk the egg yolks, lemon juice and lemon zest together in a small bowl. Whisk in a bit of the hot mixture to temper the eggs, and then wisk this mixture back into the hot mixture. Cook for no more than 5 minutes longer. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Set aside to cool.

Once the filling is cool proceed as follows.

Scatter 1 cup of the raspberries in the bottom of your tart shell. Spread the lemon filling over top.

Whisk the egg whites together in a large clean bowl until they are quite stiff. Whisk in the sugar in two batches, whisking back to shiny stiff peaks each time. Fold in the vinegar and cornstarch. Swirl the meringue over top of the lemon filling. Bake for 10 minutes until it is lightly golden.

Cool for 20 minutes before lifting out of the tin and onto a serving plate. Scatter the remaining raspberries over top and dust with a bit of icing sugar if desired.

The Simple Woman's Day Book . . .

FOR TODAY, May 4th, 2009 ...

Outside My Window...
The early morning sun bathes the earth in the warm glow that only comes at this time of day. Up in the tree tops the song thrush beckons the day forward and the gentle coo coo of the resident morning doves echoes across the early morning garden. It is a lonely sound at times and yet there are other times where it speaks to me of home . . . sweet . . . home . . .

I am thinking...
We have had such a lovely weekend. The weather was so beautiful and whilst not incredibly warm it was quite pleasant. It was nice to have a whole day to spend together on Saturday with nothing pressing to steal our time away from each other. Days like that are real gems. I enjoyed every single moment of it. Driving in the car. Holding hands as we wandered through the beautiful gardens of Scotney Castle. Sharing tender thoughts and smiles with each other. Sometimes it is easy to lose the meaning of why we are together in the business and humdrum of every day. Special days like Saturday are gentle reminders of why we are together and how very much we mean to each other . . . not that we really need reminding, but it's nice to dwell on it from time to time . . .

I am thankful for...
My cup runneth over and I am thankful for that. We may never own our own home, but we do have the next best thing . . . a beautiful home that is ours for now . . . We share an easy and loving companionship, which is something many people never find in their lifetimes. It is a blessing for sure. I love that we walk along side of Christ together. That means the world to me. As I write this, the song, "Better" by Boyzone, is playing on my playlist. Todd truly makes my life better . . . even when he's being irritating . . . as men sometimes are. It's still good, better, best!

From the kitchen...
There's a nice big loaf of Oatmeal bread sitting and just waiting for me to cut into it. I think I shall have me a slice of that for my breakfast this morning with some butter and strawberry jam on it. Soft and fragrant with a nice cup of hot cocoa . . .

I am wearing...
Pink Jammies. Not the same ones as last week, of course! I think I have more pink pajamas than any other colour. It would seem it is my favourite colour, closely followed by blue. I am a simple woman after all . . .

I am creating...
I must finish "the"special project this week. It's taken too long already and I know I am holding it up. I'd tell you what it is, but then I'd have to kill you! (Just kidding.) It's not my place to tell. I have tons of other sketches just waiting for me to bring to life and I was thinking "lap quilt" yesterday as I looked at the boxes under the bed in the spare room that hold my fabric yardage and scraps . . . I have not made a quilt in a very long time now. My mother had an old quilt that my grandmother had made and I loved to lay on it when I was a young girl. Although my grandmother had passed away, it was a wonderful reminder of her to me. I loved to finger the different fabrics that had gone into it and imagine what kind of garments these scraps had come from . . . the lives they had lived, the places they had gone. Every quilt tells a story, or so it seems to me . . .

I am going...
I shall be working all day today. It is what is known as a Bank Holiday over here so most people will be off. I have lots to do to get ready for my employers' return tomorrow. There is food to prepare and a few last minute things to take care of such as dusting etc. I have an appointment with the chiropodist tomorrow afternoon. I love the way my feet feel after he's taken care of them, all soft and fresh and new. My feet are one of my most important tools as I am on them all day. They need to be taken care of . . .

I am reading...
I've been so tired lately when I fall into bed there has been very little reading going on. I can only manage a few paragraphs and my eyes are closing. I am still working on the discourses of Henry B Eyring and "The Master" by Toni Sorenson, and expect if this sleepiness continues, I shall be for a while!

I am hoping...
that the lovely weather continues. They are saying we are going to have a hot, hot summer this year! I am not a great lover of heat. I love warm, but I don't like it when it gets too hot. I don't handle it well. Especially if it is combined with humidity. It seems to sap all my strength and wear me out quicker. And then there is the trying to sleep at night, which is difficult. The last time we had a hot summer like that we were up in Cumbria staying in a stone cottage. It was lovely and quite cool of an evening. This year there shall be no such respite although we are planning on going down to Broadstairs for some time to visit with friends and it's always a lot cooler at the shore isn't it?

I am hearing...
Jess breathing and softly snoring as she snoozes next to my feet. My fingers tap, tap, tapping on the keyboard as my play list quietly serenades me. Home . . . sweet . . . home. Heaven . . . on . . . earth.

Around the house...
Things are quite tidy and there is not a lot that needs to be done. Oh, the floor always could use a bit of a sweep and there is generally a few dishes in the sink that need washing, cups from the night before etc. I could never feel comfortable in a house that was picture perfect all the time. I want to live in a house that is a home and feels like a home. A house with lots of spirit and filled with love. Tidy . . . yes. Immaculate . . . no. This is a "home," and, love . . . lives . . . here.

One of my favorite things...
Is listening to music. I listen to it all the time when I am not watching the telly. I think a life without music in it must be a very empty life. It is one of God's great gifts to us and I hear a song in all things. The gentle breeze that blows past my ears sings a special song to me, as does the bumbling bumble bee, leaves rustling in the trees . . . tis all music to me.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week...
I don't have a lot. There is Young Women's on Thursday night of course and my Seminary Lesson. I have to go to Orpington on Saturday for Seminary Training as well. I think we are doing photography in Young Women's on Thursday evening which will be really interesting. I love taking pictures. That picture of Scotney Castle yesterday was one of mine. I have quite a few others to share with you, but am waiting until later on in the week when I can do a whole post on our little visit there to share with you.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

This is a picture that I took at Scotney Castle on Saturday of a small shed that lies upon the moat that surrounds the castle. I loved the way it was reflected in the water with crystal clarity and the way the trees framed it. It just begged my camera to capture it with it's eye. Tis such a peaceful picture . . . can you not hear the buzzing of the water bugs and the rustling of the leaves in the soft breeze . . . the trickling of the water, the soft splash of the moor hen amongst the reeds at the water's edge . . .

"Spring - an experience in immortality."
- Henry D. Thoreau

And there you have it, my Simple Woman's Day Book for today. Don't forget to hop on over to the Simple Woman to check out the other day book entries! (Or better yet, do a simple day book entry yourself! It's not that hard and I am betting you would enjoy it!)

I thought I would share my oat bread recipe with you this morning. I have made it twice already this weekend, it is that good. Enjoy!

*Bread Machine Oat Bread*
Makes one large loaf
Printable Recipe

I love my bread machine. I have never been really good at making bread by hand. I just don't have the strength and oomph that is needed to give it a really good kneading. My ex husband always made our bread. He used to make the kitchen table practically dance across the kitchen floor as he kneaded it and his loaves were always tall and fluffy and delicious. My bread machine does the same thing, and is a lot less easier to put up with than he was . . .

3 tsp active dry yeast
2 1/2 cups strong white flour
1/2 cup strong whole wheat flour
1/2 cup rolled oats (not instant or quick)
1 1/2 TBS dry milk powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 TBS softened butter
2 TBS mild molasses
1-1/4 cups water



Place all the ingredients into your bread machine in the order in which your machine recommends. If you want a bit of extra texture, add the oats after the first knead or at the beep on the fruit and nut cycle.
Follow the instructions as per your bread maker for the making of a basic loaf.

Marie's Sunday Six Smilemakers . . .

The sun has up and gone this Sunday morning. I mustn't complain though. We've had a beautiful run of it this past week and the gardens are just popping their buttons and bursting with colour! The drive that leads down to our cottage is lined with Rhododendrons that are all in bud and ready to explode in a wonderful frenzy of colour that is truly magnificent to see! It hasn't been too awfully difficult to find something to smile about this week, that's for sure!



Sunny days in England and it's rich green countryside make me smile. I just love this country. It's so very beautiful. Everywhere you look it's rich and green. Even the tree trunks are green, all mossy with ivy climbing everywhere. Rolling hillsides dotted with cotton boll sheep. Clear watered brooks trickling down over moss covered stones and making the most beautiful music to your ears. Ahh . . . to sit in the sun on a blanket on a warm sunny day with big fat bumble bees humming amongst the wild daisies, with sheep bleating off in the distance and a sky as wide and as blue as the universe . . . can anything on earth be more beautiful than that???



Well, the photo of a wonderful little grandson toting his much loved sock monkey around the garden just about does it! My son sent me this picture from his cell phone the other day and it made me smile from ear to ear! This is wee little Gabriel running through the leftover autumn leaves in their garden holding onto the sock monkey I made him for his birthday. Apparently he loves it, and that makes me very happy. Because I live so far away, I can never be a real hands-on Grandmother. I can only be one that loves from a distance. We get home to Canada only very rarely and so I must rely on being able to make an impression and showing him my love from afar. It would be really easy to be sad about this reality in my life, but then again . . . being able to spoil my three grandsons from afar is better than never being able to spoil them at all!! I'm the present giving, praying, telephone calling Grammy, and that can't be bad! Even if I only get to see them every few years or so, it means that when I do I am bound to make a lasting impression! They are sure to never get tired of me, or at least I hope not!



Bluebell woods, all carpeted with beautiful blue flowers and early spring green grasses. Oh, how beautiful they are. The air almost rings with the tinkling of a million little blue bells . . . and one quite expects each brush of the springtime breeze to send up a rush of little fairies dancing in the air around you . . . shh . . . if you stand very still and are very . . . very . . . quiet, you just might hear them singing . . .



Happy dogs make me smile, and our Jess has to be about the happiest, smilingest dog I know! With these warmer and dryer days she is often out on the drive waiting for me when I return home from work. She prances about like a pony, she truly does do a little dance and it makes my heart swell with love for her. She is such a treasure. We gave her her spring time bath this past week and so she is all fresh smelling and sweet now. We may not have been able to have any children of our own, but we do have a Jess . . . and that, my sweet friends, is a very special thing to have in your life.



Castles make me smile. It was such a lovely day yesterday that we took ourselves in the car down the road to visit Scotney Castle. It is truly a beautiful place and has the most beautiful castle. The rhododendrons are all in bloom and it is a real joy to walk it's grounds breathing in all the beauty that surrounds each and every step. We don't have castles in Canada, only in our dreams . . . it is such a blessing to be able to walk about them and to imagine the lives and feet that once walked upon their moss laden stones. Even though many of them are ruins, such splendor and beauty are a blessing to behold . . .



Little newborn grandsons make me smile. Look at that face. Does it not tickle your heart? Do you not want to just reach out and cuddle that? Or at the very least plant a big smoochie upon that little wrinkled brow??? This is wee little Joshua. He's about 2 months old now. I love him to bits! (How could I not?)

As well as visiting a castle yesterday and walking about it's grounds with Todd I also managed to do two new paintings. I love them both.

Uh Oh . . . I wonder what he's done? You'll have to hop on over to Blossomtime creations later on today to find out!

Joy . . . who can't use some of that!!!

I also made us a baked bean supper, with delicious home baked beans, homemade oatmeal brown bread, scalloped potatoes and ham . . . and for dessert a delicious buttermilk cake topped with a sweet fresh berry sauce. Yesterday was just the most smilingest day ever!!





*Buttermilk Cake with a Fresh Berry Syrup*
Serves 8 to 10

Printable Recipe

A lovely moist cake with a crumb quite reminiscent of a pound or Madeira cake. Topped with a delicious berry sauce this is truly a wonderful way to end a meal. You can also serve it with a dollop of whipped cream along side of the berries. In fact I think I may do just that today after church!

4 1/2 ounces butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt

Pre-heat the oven to 180*C/350*F. Grease an 8 inch round cake tin and line with baking paper. Grease again.

Place the butter into a bowl along with the sugar and beat them together with an electric whisk until they are pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. With the mixer on low speed, beat in the buttermilk and the vanilla. Sift together the flour, baking powder and the salt. Add this mixture in two batches, mixing them in well after each addition.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and level off the top. Bake in the heated oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to rest in the tin for 10 minutes before removing completely to a wire rack to finish cooling.

While the cake is cooling make the syrup.



*Fresh Berry Syrup*

This goes perfectly spooned out over the top of slices of this wonderful cake, but it is equally as delicious on top of ice cream or rice pudding as well!

1/2 cup sugar
2 TBS lemon juice
1/4 cup water
8 ounces of mixed berries
a dollop of strawberry or raspberry jam

Stir the sugar, lemon juice and water in a saucepan over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, then add the berries. Lightly crush with the back of the spoon against the side of the pot. Cook for another 3 to 4 minutes. Add the dollop of jam and stir in until it is completely melted. Set aside until ready to use.

How To Build A Happy Home

Can you tell me how to build a happy home?
Integrity must be the Architect, Tidiness the
Upholsterer. It must be warmed by affection,
Lighted up by cheerfulness.
Industry must be the ventilator. But the greatest
requisite of all is "The Sunshine From Above."
~Author Unknown

One of the things the Victorians were well known for was their ability to build houses to last. This great country is bespeckled with wonderful Victorian terraced homes and the such. I found the above words on an old Victorian card and it would seem to me that not only were they masters of construction, and rulers of a vast empire, but that they also relied on a greater Power for true happiness and fulfilment. There is a lesson there that would and could go a long ways towards healing the hurt and disappointment in our Twenty First Century homes.



I'm really excited today for today is the day that I am the featured Creative Woman on my friend Duckie's page A Duck In Her Pond. She is doing a whole feature on just me! I've never quite been the feature of anyone's anything before so this is a first for me! I've known Miranda for a couple of years now. She used to visit me over at my old blog on AOL Journals and left a comment there one day. I followed her back to her pond and we've been fast friends ever since. She is one very talented writer and weaves the most wonderful stories. She serializes them on her page and right now has no less than four going. In between she entertains us with her wonderful wit and whimsy, tales of the babies (her two chiuauas Bitty and Bear), delicious recipes etc. We've been collaborating together on a special project that hopefully we'll be able to reveal to you all soon. In the meantime, do hop on over to her page later on today to see what transpired when she interviewed me for this special post today! (I know I already said it, but I'm SO excited doncha know!)



If you are visiting me from Duckie's page, and it's your first time here at Oak Cottage, I want to wish you a warm welcome to my humble home. I like to think of my page as being like a warm visit with a close and dearest friend. On here you'll find a little bit of everything . . . food for the eyes, the mind, the soul and the tummy! I may not be everyone's cup of tea, but that's ok. I just can't help being me. Feel free to kick your shoes off and have a good mosey around my home, and . . . when you get tired of looking around this page, I have two more . . . Blossomtime Creations, where I post all my artwork, and Marie Cooks Britain . . . where I am cooking my way through Britain and it's culture, one delicious recipe at a time. It's a great culinary adventure.



A house that's built to live in
And not just a place for show,
With growing plants on every sill,
And warmth of fire glow;

A window looking to the lake
With a wide table there,
Where one can eat a simple meal
That tastes like angel's fare;

A bedroom high against the eaves,
Where birds will build a nest;
A home where happiness is found,
And laughter is a guest;

A house where all your dreams are kept,
Untarnished and unspoiled;
A bit of land toward the lake
Where you have sweat and toiled;

A place of dignity and charm,
Shaded by age-old trees -
O God, when folks are tired out,
Let them find homes like these.
~Edna Jaques

Oh, I do so love the poetry of Edna Jaques. My mother used to have an old book called "Fireside Poems," that I read often and there was a lot of Edna's work amongst it's pages. I think Edna was describing the way I feel about my own home when she wrote this one. I wonder . . . how did she know??


I had some leftover chicken sitting in my fridge the other day and so I decided to make a delicious casserole with it for Todd and myself. My, but it was good. I baked a couple of potatoes to serve along side of it and we were both well pleased. It's a recipe that I have had kicking around in my Big Blue Binder forever and a day. You can make it with low fat ingredients if you wish and if you are calorie conscious, or you can go whole hog and make it will full fat everything. The choice is yours. I'm not going to tell you which route I chose to take, but then again . . . you probably already know . . .



*Chicken Special*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

This wonderful dish is a delicious way to use up leftover chicken or turkey and leftover vegetables. It was something I always made after Thanksgiving when I was raising my family, but more often than not I now make it when we have had a roast chicken. There being only two of us here at Oak Cottage, means that a roast chicken goes a very long and delicious way . . .

2 slices bacon (Streaky or back, it's up to you)
1 pound cooked chicken or turkey breast meat, cut into cubes
2 cups cooked broccoli, peas or sweetcorn
2 (1o 3/4 ounce) tins of Campbell's Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup
(Over here use Batchelor's. It's the kind you need to add a tin of water to
if you are having it as soup. You can use the half fat one.)
1 cup good quality mayonnaise (you can use the very low fat one if you wish)
1 TBS lemon juice
1 tsp curry powder
1/2 cup grated strong cheddar cheese
1/2 cup plain potato chips, crushed
(I use the baked ones)



Pre-heat the oven to 180*C/350*F.

Fry the bacon in a hot skillet until crisp. Remove from the pan, drain well and then chop it up into pieces.

Place the chicken (turkey), bacon, and vegetables into an oven proof dish.

Combine the soups, mayonnaise, lemon juice and curry powder in a bowl. Pour this mixture evenly over top of the chicken and vegetables.

Sprinkle the cheese evenly over top and then sprinkle over the crushed potato chips. Bake for 25 minutes until bubbly and lightly browned. Serve hot.

We like baked potatoes with this, but it goes well with rice and pasta as well.

Friday This and That . . .

"The world's favorite season is the spring.
All things seem possible in May."
- Edwin Way Teale

What a beautiful morning it is here at Oak Cottage this morning. The birds are singing and I can see just the faintest hint of a blue sky off in the distance above the orchards to the back of us. The Clematis is blooming along the roof line of the shed. We have another bunch of it that grows in a tree at the far back of our garden and that is decorating our lives as well. We decided to replace the mallow that died with a bed of roses and so Todd has been really busy this past week with putting in new roses and mulching and fertilizing the garden. We had an old Wisteria along the back wall that he tried to cut down several years ago as all we got on it was leaves, but it has come back yet again, and I am glad, for I truly love it . . . whether it flowers or not.



I love this beautiful video I found on Mormon Messages of President Dieter F. Uchtdorf. I watch it every morning, and it inspires me. (If you want to listen to it, and I highly recommend that you do, pause the music on my play list at the bottom of this page now.) He says that the desire to create is one of the deepest yearnings of the human soul . . .

I am a very creative woman, as are many of you. Sometimes I get a bit down about my work. Especially if it isn't selling, or if nobody seems all that interested in it. I start to think that . . . perhaps nobody will ever want it. But then when I have those thoughts I have to ask myself . . . why do I create? Do I create because I want people to buy it? Or do I create because I have a need to? The answer is very clear to me. I create because I have a very strong need to. To not be able to create would be like cutting off my right arm or sucking the very life out of me. It is as much a part of me, this desire . . . this need . . . as is my will to live. And maybe the things that sprout from my fingertips will only ever bring joy to me and to my family, but that's ok, because in the process of being creative I am feeding my soul, and I am fulfilling a part of the measure of my own creation by my Heavenly Father. Something that is so strong an urge in me and that brings me as much joy and pleasure as my painting does, surely must come from above . . .



And then . . . when I think about the simple act of being able to create, I realize that I am constantly creating . . . whether it be a new recipe that I am trying out and adapting, or a poem for a friend, a story for my grandsons, pictures I try to capture with my camera's eye, or sewing, painting, writing letters and e-mails, preparing a lesson for Seminary or Young Women's, whatever . . . they're all acts of love aren't they? And isn't that what creation truly is? An Act of Love? A moving outside of yourself and a giving back to the people around you, the universe, the Great Creator Himself . . .



It's making your mark, and leaving the essence of your being behind, the essence of your love . . . love for family, love for friends, love for the greater community, love for life, love for your Father above . . . it's feeding your soul in a wonderfully magical way, and you don't even have to be really good at whatever it is you are doing for it to bring you joy . . . and it doesn't matter if one person loves it, or hundreds of people love it, or even if nobody loves it but you . . .

it only matters that you create . . .



And so I will continue to create and amuse myself with my little drawings and verses and stories, and I will continue to share them with each of you from time to time. I know that it will bring me joy and perhaps it will bring joy to one or two of you as well. I know it will bring joy to my Heavenly Father, and that is the most important thing of all. ☺

I just love risotto. There is a great comfort to be found in the simple act of making a risotto . . . the sweating of the vegetables, the rice . . . the patient act of adding the broth a little bit at a time, the stirring . . . the cheese . . . Sometimes though, you just don't have the time to stand there and wait and stir. You want all the pleasures of eating a tasty risotto, but you don't really want the trouble of having to stand by the stove to create one . . . there are a bazillion other things you must do instead. That's when a recipe such as this oven baked risotto comes in very handy. all the eating pleasure and comfort of a risotto, without any of the faff! There is a time for all the comfort of creating a delicious dish and then there is a time to let it go and let the oven create that delicious dish instead . . .



*Baked Risotto with Tomatoes, Courgettes and Parmesan*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

I love baked risottos. There is none of the fuss that is involved when you make a stove top risotto and the end result is every bit as delicious. Just less work.

2 TBS extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 tsp sea salt
1 cup arborio rice
1 1.2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 (14 oz) tin of chopped plum tomatoes, undrained
3 medium courgettes, washed, trimmed and finely sliced
2 1/2 ounces freshly grated Parmesan cheese
freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 TBS finely chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
To Garnish:
Fresh shavings of Parmesan cheese (Optional)

Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and sea salt. Cook, stirring until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the rice. Cook and stir for another few minutes. Add the stock and the chopped tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Stir in the courgettes and Parmesan. Season to taste with freshly ground black pepper. Pour into a large oven proof casserole dish with a lid. Cover tightly and bake in the heated oven for 30 minutes, or until the rice is cooked.

Remove from the oven and spoon into a heated serving dish. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley and shaved Parmesan cheese. Serve hot.