Photo-a-Day 2009

Photohunt is back for December

The new Photohunt is up.

it was so much fun last time!!!

Won't you play along? Just sign up HERE

This is the list for December:

1. 1. Holiday Lights
2. 2. Holiday Spirit
3. 3. A Holiday Treat
4. 4. An Ornament
5. 5. A Gift-Wrapped Package
6. 6. A Window Display
7. 7. A Winter/Holiday Icon
8. 8. A Tree
9. 9. A Tradition
10. 10.Something that says Noel
11. 11. Something Precious
12. 12. Something Peaceful
13. 13. Something Hot
14. 14. Something Cold
15. 15. Something Red
16. 16. Something Green
17. 17. Motion blur
18. 18. Black & White Photo (with selective coloring)
19. 19. Any photo using an Infrared Photography Technique (in-camera OR post-process)
20. 20. A Macro Shot

29 November, 2009 - Leftover Crab-cakes

There was so much crab left last night and the pasta really was rich enough that I didn't want to use too much crab in it. So today I Googled recipes for crab-cakes and looked at about 6 of them and then sort of made my own up from those I read about.

I have to say...they were the best crab-cakes I have ever made and one of the best I have eaten. (That top spot goes to my buddy Linds when she hauls the crab from the ocean and makes them fresh within a couple of hours...OMG!!! You can't compete with that)

So, to the crab I added a couple of teaspoons of Mayonnaise, an egg, green onion(the green part only), cilantro,red pepper, breadcrumbs as needed to bind it together (cautiously..about 1/4 cup I would say) , S&P.

Form the mixture into fat patties without squishing them.

Then place them in a pan with a little oil. Don't squish them..just let them settle on their own as they cook. The fish shop where we sometimes buy crab-cakes told us this. When they are cooked nicely on one side gently flip them over and brown the other side.

Serve and enjoy!

28 November, 2009 - My Favourite Pasta!

We took some crab out of the freezer this evening to have with Pasta. Richard helped me by shelling the legs ...

someone has been watching too much vampire TV apparently. Goofball!

So I decided to go with an Alfredo sauce...you know that low calorie one? I bought a book YEARS ago and I constantly use this recipe from it as you can see from the dirty filthy page ... much loved :-)

The book practically falls open at this page when I go to look for the recipe.

So you need the ingredients...

Cream, Butter and Parmesan cheese..be still my jiggling hips

crabmeat (didn't use all this...we know how to show some restraint...pu-lease!!!)

Melt half the butter in a pan while you bring a pot of salted water to the boil (but you know that part right?)

add the cream...(check out my first action shot!!!)

Heat it all up and thicken it a bit...then add half the cheese (OK..working on the actions shots still OK?)

and the crab

heat it all up

You can have this while you are waiting

meanwhile the pasta should be cooked...YUP

drain it and add it to the pan with the sauce and crab, add the rest of the butter (SHHH!!!!) and the rest of the Parmo and toss it all up together until they are all sharing the goodness

add a little (or a lot) of freshly grated black pepper

toss that all up and serve... as one of my Twitter buddies says NOM NOM NOM

Want the recipe? Please don't make this with skim milk...thats all I ask...

Fettuccine Alfredo

1 lb medium-wide egg noodles (fettuccine)

8 Tbsp Unsalted Butter

1 Cup heavy Cream

1 Cup Grated fresh Parmesan

Black Pepper

In large skillet melt 4 TBSP butter over medium heat. Add heavy cream and continue cooking slowly, stirring all the time, until the sauce begins to thicken. Stir in 1/3 of the cheese, add the pasta and toss gently to coat with sauce. Cut remaining 4 TBSP of butter and add to pan with the remaining cheese and blend into the noodles. Lower heat to barely simmer. Sprinkle with pepper...toss again and serve with extra Parmo on the side.

Crab is optional and you can add whatever you wish.

NOTE: The Parmesan has quite a bit of saltiness to it so  unsalted butter should be used. ESPECIALLY if you are using a processed cheese. You can add a little salt at the end if you need a little more.

NOM NOM NOM

 

27 November, 2009 - Let's go for a little walk by the river

Those of you who visit me know I live near the ocean..but we are just up the road from the mouth of the Fraser River and there is a lovely quiet walk there by the river. Richard dropped me down there with Cara today while he went and ran some errands (altho it is within walking distance of our house)

So let's go...

Here is the little access lane to the river. It is right down by the Musqueam Indian Band Reservation

The river is at the end of this walkway

There are horses walking very often

Dogs to greet

Things to take pictures of with my new macro lens LOL Don't leave home without it!!!

actually all of the previous pictures were taken with the 50mm lens..I LOVE it Macro or not.

Switched to Telephoto for the following

and of course the critter

26 November, 2009 - Stained Glass

My husband at one point owned a glass art studio. He  and his partner did stained glass and sandblasted glass. They really did the most beautiful windows. Richard was the technician Warren was the artist. They also painted on stained glass doors..it was amazing.

This is a bad picture of some of the stained glass in our home..taken really quickly to send to a friend who said she liked stained glass...

can you see the little squiggly bits on the bottom? Those are sandblasted into duo coloured glass. The whole piece looks like a Kimono..Richard designed and built this himself and I LOVE it...it will come with us whenever we move houses. I'll take some pictures of some of the other smaller pieces around the house and share another time. I'll also try to take a better picture of this one LOL

25 November, 2009 - Crafting

I felt inclined to craft something today. On my way home from the crop last weekend I dropped in to see my friend Haroldine who owns the friendliest stamp store in the world . I don't often buy non-Stampin' Up! stamps but I did this time.

Look what I made. I used two stamps. The box sides I stamped, coloured and glittered 6 of, the top I stamped and embossed and coloured 4 for the different layers. I still have to add ribbons. I think I will give my niece her birthday gift in it next month. She loves bling and this has loads of sparkle to it, and there is jewelery going into it..so she will be happy!

Here is how I spent about 5 hours this evening..

one of the six sides..

and the top..

this is it opened..

24 November, 2009 - Snickers Cupcakes

YUM...I made cupcakes. Another adult cupcake..very rich.

I started with THIS RECIPE from The Red Deer. My attempt at her icing was a total failure so I made buttercream icing instead. I also have caramel drizzle on mine..long story..another failure/salvage thing that happened with these cupcakes LOL. Alicia baked  A-Z cupcakes every weekend..you can see all the results HERE

Inside this one there is caramel and peanuts...

23 November, 2009 - Sue C

I drove to the crop in the weekend and my good friend Sue C joined me. I was so grateful for the company as we drove through a horrendous downpour. You know the kind of drive...pitch black, pouring down out of the heaven's in sheets and barely able to see the road ahead.

Sue takes some lovely pictures..although I am not sure the result of this one would be classified as lovely...

22 November, 2009 - Timberline Ranch

I managed to get out and take some pictures of the Ranch where we go to the crop.

 

 

 

21 November, 2009 - Images of a Crop