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Showing posts with label Canada. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Canada. Show all posts

16 March 2013

A Truth Journal: XL Keystone Pipeline: Why Should America Take All The Risks and No Benefits?

XL Pipeline Protest
XL Pipeline Protest (Photo credit: Talk Radio News Service)



A Truth Journal: XL Keystone Pipeline: Why Should America Take All The Risks and No Benefits?: From Denny:  Once again greedy Big Business seeks to hang the American taxpayers with all the liabilities - while they make billions in profits, free to walk away when it goes bad.

The XL Keystone Pipeline is a huge boondoggle that comes out of Canada.  Apparently, the Canadian firm, TransCanada, along with some American energy partners sum up their business mantra in one chant, "Let the Americans pay for it!"

Our State Department has been on a fool's errand writing up a study on the impact on America's environment, concluding it would not be a problem, in order to act like they are satisfying the environment folks.  As usual, everyone rivets their focus upon the distraction, taking their eye off the obvious.


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Check out the luck of the American Irish!


28 April 2010

Those Funny Mothers Day Quotes and Trivia

From Denny: Check out the sampling from one of many funny posts just in time to enjoy for Mothers Day! From the latest Mothers Day cartoons to funny facts about Mothers Day traditions around the world to funny quotes from mothers and about mothering to laugh out loud "how you know you are a mother when..."






Check this out on the way to facts about Mothers Day:

So when do they think the first celebrations of a Mother's Day were honored? As with so many traditions it goes back to ancient Greece where that culture celebrated the Mother of the Gods, Rhea. Their version of the perfect mother received gifts of cakes made with the sweetest honey, lovely flowers and drinks at dawn. Sounds pretty good to me. Make my drink a Margarita on the rocks with Silver Patron Tequila - though I'm not so sure alcoholic drinks were on that Mother's Day menu. :)

Well, we all know you can't talk "ancient" without bringing up the ancient Egyptians into the conversation. They honored the glorious goddess Isis because she was celebrated as the Mother of the Pharaohs - and we all know it's good PR to talk good about the government when getting your head cut off is at stake.

Speaking of an ancient culture, the Chinese are rather sentimental about how they celebrate motherhood. The tradition with them is that their family name often begins with the character for the word "mother." It's the way they like to honor their ancestral mothers who brought their line into this world.





You Know You Are Really A Mom When...

* You want to take out a contract on the kid who broke your child's favorite toy and made them cry.

* You consider finger paint to be a controlled substance.

* You mastered the art of placing food on a plate without anything touching.

* Your child insists that you read "Once upon a Potty" out loud in the lobby of the doctor's office and you do it.





My Mother Taught Me...

To Value A Job Well Done: If you're going to kill each other, do it outside. I just finished cleaning.

Time Travel: If you don't straighten up, I'm going to knock you into the middle of next week!

Logic: Because I said so, that's why.


*** Make sure to pay a visit to The Mother Post for the full post and all the funny links from several other Mothers Day posts to enjoy:

Funny Mothers Day Quotes and Trivia - Cheeky Quote Day 28 Apr 2010


*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

18 February 2010

Pretty Chocolate Candy Recipes From Canadas Famous Purdys



From Denny: The way the Winter Olymipics are overshadowing news coverage the Canadians are finally getting their respect - long overdue on all fronts for this country of only 30 million. Today Purdy's Chocolate of Canada, one of Canada's most popular chocolate companies, shares how to craft your own handmade chocolates! This video was originally created for Valentine's Day but as far as all chocophiles are concerned: "Didn't you know that every day is Valentine's Day when it comes to chocolate!" :)

Peter Higgins, a scientist at Purdy’s Chocolate of Canada, shares his recipes for blueberry almond bar and hedgehogs. Purdy's signature chocolates are the Hedgehogs made with hazelnuts and Sweet Georgia Browns made with pecans. The company sells over two million chocolate candies a year.

In the hedgehog recipe they use dried blueberries that are farmed in the Vancouver area. Purdy's also uses Himalyan pink sea salt. Why? This area of the world contains the oldest known salt deposit and is considered the purest. Now you know why Purdy's is so famous and well loved in Canada: they use the finest ingredients!

These recipes have just a few quality ingredients and are a breeze to create, enjoy!





Blueberry almond bar

From:
Peter Higgins of Purdy's Chocolate

Makes: four 3-ounce chocolate bars

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup of 70% cocoa chocolate
• 4 ounces of roasted almonds
• 2 ounces of dried blueberries

DIRECTIONS

Melt the 70% chocolate slowly in a microwave oven until the chocolate is about 80% melted, leaving about 20% still solid. Melt the remaining chocolate by stirring the mixture until all solid chocolate has melted.

Add in blueberries and almonds. Mix until completely blended.

Pour mixture into chocolate bar molds, or on to wax paper (for bark) evenly and let dry at room temperature for 30 minutes or refrigerate for 15 minutes.



Hedgehogs

From:
Peter Higgins of Purdy's Chocolate

Makes: 33 mini hedgehogs


INGREDIENTS

Chocolate shell recipe

• 1/2 cup milk chocolate

Center recipe

• 1/2 cup milk chocolate
• 1/2 cup Belgium hazelnut puree

DIRECTIONS

To make the shell

Melt the milk chocolate slowly in a microwave oven until the chocolate is about 80% melted, leaving about 20% still solid.

Melt the remaining chocolate by stirring the mixture until all solid chocolate has melted.

Pour the melted chocolate into your mold (any mold shape will do, if you can't find hedgehog molds) just enough to cover the walls of the mold. Pour the excess chocolate out of the molds so you have a nice thin shell. Let the mold sit to dry.

Prepare the center

By mixing the melted milk chocolate and hazelnut puree.

Ensure both ingredients are at 85F or 15C. Blend the ingredients together.

With a piping bag, pipe the mixture into milk chocolate shells.

Using a spatula, spread the leftover milk chocolate on the mold, and smooth out any air bubbles. This will create the bottom of your hedgehog shell.

Let the mold dry at room temperature for 30 minutes or refrigerate for 15 minutes.


*** THANKS for visiting, come back often, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers - and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe!

10 July 2009

Videos How to BBQ a Turkey on Your Grill & Deep Fry Turkey Safely

From Denny: We love our deep fat fried turkey here in Louisiana but it can be a mess and even dangerous to prepare if you don't know what you are doing. This video is from Canada and these guys had a great idea of how to BBQ a turkey for Thanksgiving on a normal outside grill for just a few hours. How they packed the turkey was smart.

Though they could have added the bacon on top of the turkey at the beginning of the grilling instead of stopping it toward the end, adding raw bacon (hello, bacteria!) and then overcooking the bird just to cook the bacon.

The video is sped up to fast forward that it is witty and funny, really easy to watch - AND you get a great, easy and fast idea of how to cook a turkey on your grill! Why wait until a holiday and do like we do in Louisiana: cook it any time you "have a taste" for a special food!



Here is the smart way to deep fry a turkey - funny AND informative video:



For safety and grilling tips:



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19 June 2009

Recipe: Canada's Famous Nanaimo Bars



From Denny: Have you been over to the Canadian food site Joy of Baking yet? Even though the summer weather has set in with 98 degree F. days, their recipes are enough to coax me into turning on the oven even in this heat - though with this recipe it won't be required!

This is a summer-friendly recipe as it is a no-bake one. Definitely a must-try recipe AND easy - perfect for the weekend!

Here is an excerpt from their site about this cookie bar:

"Nanaimo Bars (or N.B.s for short) are one of Canada's favorite confections. The beautiful City of Nanaimo, British Columbia lays claim to these squares, telling us on their website that it all began when a Nanaimo housewife entered a recipe for chocolate squares in a magazine contest some 35 years ago.

She called her recipe 'Nanaimo Bars' and when she won the contest, not only did her dessert become popular throughout Canada, so did the town they were named after. Whether this story is true or not, we will never know, but what we do know is that these no-bake bars are delicious; a three layered square with a crumb base, followed by a layer of light custard buttercream, that is topped with a smooth layer of chocolate."

Their recipes are given in both American and metric measurements. For the continuation of their tips, history and suggestions about this recipe - worth the read - just click on the title link.

Nanaimo Bars

Ingredients:

Bottom Layer:

1/2 cup (1 stick) (113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated white sugar

1/3 cup (30 grams) unsweetened cocoa (I use Dutch-processed)

1 large egg, beaten

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 cups (200 grams) graham cracker crumbs

1 cup (65 grams) coconut (either sweetened or unsweetened)

1/2 cup (50 grams) walnuts or pecans, coarsely chopped

FILLING:

1/4 cup (56 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

2 - 3 tablespoons milk or cream

2 tablespoons vanilla custard powder (Bird's) or vanilla pudding powder

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 cups (230 grams) powdered sugar (confectioners or icing) sugar

TOPPING:

4 ounces (115 grams) semisweet chocolate, chopped

1 tablespoon (14 grams) unsalted butter

Directions:

Nanaimo Bars: Butter (or use a cooking spray) a 9 x 9 inch (23 x 23 cm) pan.

BOTTOM LAYER: In a saucepan over low heat, melt the butter. Stir in the sugar and cocoa powder and then gradually whisk in the beaten egg. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens (1 - 2 minutes). Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract, graham cracker crumbs, coconut, and chopped nuts. Press the mixture evenly into the prepared pan. Cover and refrigerate until firm (about an hour).

FILLING: In your electric mixer cream the butter. Beat in the remaining ingredients. If the mixture is too thick to spread, add a little more milk. Spread the filling over the bottom layer, cover, and refrigerate until firm (about 30 minutes).

TOP LAYER: In a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, melt the chocolate and butter. Spread over the filling and refrigerate.

TO SERVE: To prevent the chocolate from cracking, using a sharp knife, bring the squares to room temperature before cutting.

Yield: Makes about 25 squares

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16 June 2009

Recipe: Red Velvet Cake

Red Velvet CakeRed Velvet Cake Image by Cheneworth Gap via Flickr

From Denny: Red Velvet Cake is total comfort food! (and a calorie monster too...) We love it in the South and have claimed it as our own since Time began. Read that as no one seems to remember when we discovered the cake and how it grew in popularity.

Have you been to the Canadian food site Joy of Baking? When I stumbled upon it recently, well, I almost fell out of my chair: laughing! The Canadians claim this cake as theirs too!

This is an excellent version of the cake recipe they have up on their site. You will want to return again and again to this site for some wonderful recipes well told! They give their recipes in American and metric measurements. For more of their tips and suggestions about this cake - worth the read - just click on the title link.

Here's an excerpt from their site about this cake:

"Sometimes it is hard to trace a recipe's origin. Take the Red Velvet Cake. There are many theories; some say it comes from the South, others say it originated in the North. But in actual fact all we really know is that it has been a favorite for decades, not only in the States but also in Canada (it used to be sold in Eaton's Department Stores).

It is a very dramatic looking cake with its unusual bright red color that is sharply contrasted by a creamy white frosting. A Red Velvet Cake is really a Devil's Food Cake that has red food coloring added to it. John Mariani tells us in his book "The Dictionary of American Food and Drink" that the name 'Devil's Food Cake' is so called "because it is supposedly so rich and delicious that it must, to a moralist, be somewhat sinful.""

Red Velvet Cake

Ingredients:

Red Velvet Cake:

2 1/2 cups (250 grams) sifted cake flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons (15 grams) Dutch-processed cocoa powder

1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups (300 grams) granulated white sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk

2 tablespoons liquid red food coloring

1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar

1 teaspoon baking soda

Cream Cheese Frosting:

1 1/2 (360 ml) cups heavy whipping cream

1 - 8 ounce (227 grams) cream cheese, room temperature

1 - 8 ounce (227 grams) tub of Mascarpone cheese, room temperature

3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup (115 grams) confectioners' (icing or powdered) sugar, sifted

Directions:

Red Velvet Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Butter two - 9 inch (23 cm) round cake pans and line the bottoms of the pans with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl sift together the flour, salt, and cocoa powder. Set aside.

In bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter until soft (about 1-2 minutes). Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes). Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the vanilla extract and beat until combined.

In a measuring cup whisk the buttermilk with the red food coloring. With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour.

In a small cup combine the vinegar and baking soda. Allow the mixture to fizz and then quickly fold into the cake batter.

Working quickly, divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans and smooth the tops with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 25 - 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean. Cool the cakes in their pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Place a wire rack on top of the cake pan and invert, lifting off the pan. Once the cakes have completely cooled, wrap in plastic and place the cake layers in the freezer for at least an hour. (This is done to make filling and frosting the cakes easier.)

Cream Cheese Frosting: In your food processor, or with a hand mixer, process the cream cheese and mascarpone cheese until smooth. Add the vanilla and confectioners sugar and process until smooth. Transfer this mixture to a large mixing bowl.

Then, in the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, whip the cream until stiff peaks form. With a large spatula, gently but quickly fold a little of the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture to lighten it. Then fold in the remaining whipped cream, in two stages. If the frosting is not thick enough to spread, cover and place in the refrigerator for an hour, or until it is firm enough to spread.

Assemble: With a serrated knife, cut each cake layer in half, horizontally. You will now have four cake layers. Place one of the cake layers, top of the cake facing down, onto your serving platter. Spread the cake layer with a layer of frosting. Place another layer of cake on top of the frosting and continue to frost and stack the cake layers. Frost the top and sides of the cake. Can garnish the cake with sweetened or unsweetened coconut

Makes one - 9 inch (23 cm) four layer cake.

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