Today is the farmer's 65th Birthday!

How can the years have passed so quickly?

On the weekend we purchased his birthday present

Something to replace the very old and tired BBQ that has served us so well for years (and years)...

It was time!

He put it all together and even read the instructions while doing so.

Have you noticed - he's camera shy to boot!

The steak was marinading in my favourite marinade

and just waiting to test out the new equipment.

Favourite Marinade

This is my “go to” marinade. I often cut the recipe in half when bbqing one large or two smaller steaks - just for the two of us.

½ Cup Soy Sauce

½ Cup Sherry or Red Wine Vinegar

3 Tbsp. Vinegar

2 Tbsp. Cooking Oil

2 Tbsp. Sugar

½ tsp. Ginger (I use 1 Tbsp. fresh ground ginger)

¼ tsp. Garlic Powder (I use 3-4 crushed cloves of garlic)

¼ tsp. Pepper

Wisk together above ingredients and then pour over steak.  Marinade steak for 8-10 hours in the refrigerator.  The recipe also suggests that after removing the meat for grilling – pour the marinade into a small saucepan.  Stir 1 Tbsp. Cornstarch into 2 Tbsp. Water.  Add to marinade and cook over medium heat until it boils and thickens.  Use this to baste meat during last part of cooking. We rarely do this part.

Here it is and no parts were left over - always a good sign.

What am I saying - he's a farmer and farmers know how to put things together.

The steak (it's a very large steak) looked a bit small and lonely on the grill 

with only a small packet of sweet potato and onion's on the side.

I think he loves his new BBQ and I can envision many wonderful feasts to come this summer.

Perfection! Just like him.

We are truly blessed with many good years and delicious food ...

(and a new BBQ that works)!

Happy Birthday Jim - love you!

Till next time ... enjoying the taste of Spring and Steak.

Escapees

A week "off the grid"

was a wonderful break!

We loaded up the Escape and went on the lamb

to one of our favourite Great Lakes - Huron!

It didn't take us long to

settle in, get out the books,

build a fire, put on our

camping hats and

enjoy our surroundings.

The bikes were unloaded 

and ready to ride!

Our first meal is typically

a marinated steak.

We had to try out our new

BBQ and it worked 

beautifully.

The roasted potatoes and 

beans from our garden were

also cooked on the grill

as was the lightly roasted

romaine lettuce - thanks to Lovella

for this idea!

The skewer dinner was

also a hit! 

The chicken thighs were marinaded
while we biked, hiked, and relaxed.

Easy and delicious Marinade:
1/2 Cup Olive Oil
1/4 Cup Lemon Juice
4 cloves garlic - minced
2 tsp. honey
1 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. salt
(I used half this recipe for 6 thighs)

One evening we served a 
simple wieners and chili
with guacamole - everything
tastes extra delicious when you dine 
outside on the picnic table!
I noticed that the food even
photographs better outside.

Can you tell by now that
the camping meals were
the "main" event???

There were high winds resulting
in roaring waves, much to
the delight of some brave
wind surfers!

Our evenings were long and relaxing
with beautiful sunsets and campfires......

The warm glow of those 
campfires is what's getting me
through these cool Fallish days
of late since we are
back home - sigh!

We sure feel privileged to have spent some down time
by the lake in our sweet
little Escape!

We are truly blessed.......



Back home on the farm there are lawns to mow, gardens and veggies to attend to,
a new baby great nephew to meet and many more blessings to come!!!

Now that I'm back "on the grid", I need to catch up with all of you!

Till next time - how are you enjoying these last few weeks of summa'?

Roasted Asparagus Wrapped in Prosciutto

For a real treat, we like to roast Asparagus wrapped in prosciutto on the bbq. and serve it as a appetizer.  It's so easy, especially when the farmer does all the bbqing!

It's a great finger food appetizer for any gathering or for just you and the farmer - smile.

Wash the asparagus, snap the tough ends off, slightly dry with some paper towel, split the prosciutto lengthwise and wrap the meat onto the spears.  Pop these tender shoots on the grill and roast for 5-7 minutes until the prosciutto gets nice and crispy (turning several times with your tongs). You can use bacon as well but you should cook the bacon a bit before wrapping the asparagus - it takes longer to "crisp" thus overcooking the asparagus.

Spritz with a bit of lemon and enjoy while you wait for the rest of your bbq to finish!










Till next time ....... enjoying the sunset on the back deck!  Life is good.

BBQ Rib Roast

BBQ'd ribs is one of our favourite meals

Today I made it for our busy Saturday

early supper

We weeded and mulched the flower gardens all morning

and afternoon whilst the ribs roasted

in the oven!

The recipe for this is adapted from one 

I have had for many years from my sis Evelyn!

My husband once told me to throw

away all my other rib recipes and just 

always make this one - so I guess it's the one 

I'll always make?  It is an easy - fall off the bone - recipe!

BBQ SAUCE:

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. paprika

1/2 tsp. celery salt (or celery seed)

1/4 Cup brown sugar

1/4 Cup vinegar

1 Cup ketchup (great way to use up the "almost" empty bottle)

2 Cups hot water

2-3 cloves garlic - crushed

1/4 tsp. pepper

Mix the above ingredients and pour over the ribs.  Bake covered at 350F for 3 hours (basting occasionally).  Uncover and broil a bit in the last 5 minutes, if needed, to get a nice glazed coating.  Enjoy with your favourite side dishes and treat your best little pal with at least one bone :).

After dinner we treated the birthday boy to 

one of the most moving films I've seen in a long while

at the Princess Theatre

"Monsier Lazhar"

It's a must see, awarding winning

Canadian Film!

 I still have a lump in my throat!

Till next time..........heating up the sauna to sooth these old aching muscles - too much gardening for one day!

Lamb Chops

We've always wanted to try grilling lamb chops and tonight we finely did it!  They were really delicious little morsels and I think we just might make these again sometime!

The recipe was given to us by a very friendly local gentleman we met while visiting Victoria, B.C.  We met him randomly outside a seafood shop and started talking about food - go figure!  He happened to have some of his favourite recipes in his vehicle and was willing to share some with us!

Thanks Ken!

Metchosins’ Lamb Chops

Ken wrote on the top of this recipe "The only way Lamb tastes any better than this is to go to Greece and have a Greek Style Lamb Grill, out in the olive groves"!!!!

Thick cut Lamb Chops – fat trimmed (3/person)

Mix merinade in a large plastic bag:

1/3 Cup Greek Seasoning

1 Tbsp. granulated garlic - I used garlic powder

1 Tbsp. Rosemary - I used fresh chopped Rosemary

Add the chops – shaking to coat

Add ¼ Cup Olive Oil and shake again.

Collapse bag, seal and refrigerate overnight or up to 24 hours.

Remove from fridge approx. one hour before grilling – to bring them back to room temperature.

Grill over medium high heat for 2-3 minutes per side.  "If you are the type of person who likes their meat well done, give yourself a treat and try it while it is still very pink and juicey" - Ken's advice!

Remove from grill and tent with foil for 3-4 minutes before serving.

We served these with a side of grilled root vegetables (yellow beets, sweet potatoes, parsnips, onions, quartered red peppers).  While the veggies roasted we nibbled on some mixed marinated olives, fresh baked slabs of Rustic Dutch Oven Bread, and raw vegetables.

This was a memorable Easter Sunday Supper!

Till next time .................don't be afraid to try these!