Hello lovely!

In the past, I used to walk by the leeks in the grocery store. I could hear them beckoning me, calling my name, but I would just keep walking. It’s not that I didn’t admire their bold appearance or desire to add them to my cart; I just didn’t know what to do with them once I got them home.

Yes, that is an onion in the shot. It snuck in masquerading as a potato. It is not a part of this recipe. Sneaky onion!

Well, that ’s old news now. I have fallen in love, with leek and potato soup. (Not exactly a new recipe idea, but for me it is!) As a matter of fact, this is the 2nd time this week I am making it. I followed a basic recipe online (with a few changes) and added a twist:  I cook it in the slow cooker. Super fast and yet…. and super slow.

Wash your ingredients well.

Here’s what you need:

• 3 good sized leeks
• 2 big potatoes (I used a bunch of little ones.)
• About 6 cups of low sodium chicken stock. (Enough to cover the leeks and potatoes in the pot)
• 3 tablespoons of butter
• Fresh pepper
• A sprinkle of fleur de sel (If desired.)

I split open the leeks a bit with a knife so I could get the dirt out from in between the leaves.

Chop your potatoes. I left this skin on mine for a hearty version of the soup. You can peel them if you like.

Chop your leeks into little circles- not too thick. Only use the white and light green part of leek. (You knew that already, I know.)

Put the Leeks and potatoes in the slow cooker and add your chicken broth.

Add the butter and as much fresh pepper as you like.

Set your slow cooker on low. I am letting mine go for about 7 hours as we are out tonight. The first time I did this, I was freaked that I would overcook, and ruin everything but it was amazing!

Go and gaze at the clouds.

Once the soup is done cooking, let it cool a bit and puree it in a food processor or use a hand blender.

Add salt and pepper to taste and enjoy!

I often get home late after a night of climbing or classes and need a little nourishment before bed. A bowl of this hot and simple soup, curled up on the sofa does the trick. I have also been freezing it for those days when we there is nothing in the house for lunch. It has been a welcome surprise!  ”There’s soup! Hooray!” Or put it on in the morning before work so soup is ready and waiting when you arrive home for dinner.

Autumn leaves.

One of my favorite things to do in fall is put on a big sweater, some rubber boots and take long walks in the Don Valley. The leaves have now just started to change into the deep reds, fiery oranges and florescent yellows that will soon take over the entire province. I took advantage of the few hours of clear sky yesterday to have a little walk and to take it all in.

One of the many entrances in the Don Valley.

Checking out some history.

The beginning of fall.

It is impossible to get bored along these paths as the scenery changes dramatically from day to day.

Aren't we lucky to have the Maple Leaf?

It's easy to forget you are still in the city....

but there are still some gentle reminders along the way.

Is there time in your week to take a breather and wander in your changing surroundings? It’s here for such a short time- take it in!

Wow! We went far!

Thanks to Michael Chan for the romantic walk and the pics!

I am obsessed with tea these days and have become curious about tea traditions and proper brewing instructions. We ran out of the beautiful tea we received as a wedding gift, so on Saturday I went to Ten Ren’s to pick up some more and get a bit of brewing information.

On my way across town, I saw this statue outside of the AGO for the King Tut exhibit. Ok, back to tea!

Upon entering I quickly realized that I could spend a lot of money in a teashop, if I wanted some good tea. (Not to mention the hundreds of clay, glass, china teapots and accessories, bricks of tea and moon cakes beautifully on display.)  The lady at Ten Ren’s was very helpful and answered all of my questions. I was clearly out of my depths. All I knew was I wanted an Oolong to start, so she had me smell and look at various teas and then asked me how much money I was able to spend. I went with a Tung Ting Oolong, a green Oolong that has been baked, that smelled nutty and fruity.

Ten Ren's

I then moved on to a Pu-Erh tea, which is post- fermented and rich. (With Pu-Erh you add water at the 100 degrees.) I have had this tea many times before and love it’s earthy quality.

I picked up a free pamphlet called The Art of Tea Making. The pamphlet emphasized enjoying the tea- the flavour, the look, the smell, colour and the way the tea leaves look before and after brewing.  There were guidelines to making tea, which I found extremely helpful.

Tung Ting Oolong and Puer-eh loose teas.

I had been making tea for the last few months but I was never sure if I was keeping the water too hot, using too much tea, or letting it steep too long. With my questions answered, I rose early Sunday morning and made some Oolong.

I boiled my water and let it sit for a bit afterwards, as it should be about 90 degrees for this Oolong.

I prepped a tablespoon of the oolong. I admired the curled ball-like leaves and smelled the nutty aroma.

I warmed my teapot and cups with hot water. I used a glass teapot so you can see the process. Many people recommend porcelain or clay pots.

I added hot water over the leaves.

I let the leaves steep for about 2 minutes to get the light green color I desired and removed the leaves for another brewing later on. A good tea can be brewed many times through out the day.

The tea is ready!

The first pot was nutty and bold. The second pot, I noticed a much more flowery flavour. (I share this one with Mike at breakfast.) The third pot was seemed subtler, with a lingering citrusy-woody aftertaste. How amazing that all these different tones and notes came from the same leaves.

Tea set.

There a many places to learn more about tea and teashops are popping up everywhere these days. I have been looking for a “tea studies” class in Toronto that would investigate tea history, properties, etiquette and preparation. I find it all fascinating. If you have any references you would like to share please let me know!

Happy Monday!

In the movie Departures there is a scene where the main character and his wife, rosy from an evening in the public baths, exit into the first snow of the winter. In a moment of celebration she says to him, “Shall we go out and have a drink?” He’s says, “I know a perfect place.”  They go home and sit at the counter in their kitchen and drink hot beverages. She says, “We haven’t done this for so long.” It’s a perfect moment.

It made me think: What things did I used to do that I have lost track of or that I haven’t done in ages? Are there old pleasures waiting to be rediscovered?

Nothing better than a matinee movie.

I used to love to sneak away in the afternoon and see every movie under the sun and now I can hardly find the time. So, I have taken my own New Year’s Day advice and started to see a movie a week.  My brain feels alive after a movie, why don’t I go more often? There is nothing like that feeling of anticipation when the lights go down in a theatre.  Where will I be taken? Will I lose myself on the journey? Or will I find myself?

Eggs, salmon, caviar, chives, spelt toast. Heaven.

Mike and I used to make breakfast together every morning before we lived together. We ate at the kitchen counter, he on a bar stool and me on a ladder. It was romantic and started my day off on the right foot. Now that we live together, with an actual table to sit at, we don’t do it very often. I have coffee at my computer and Mike has cereal at his. After seeing this movie, I brought breakfast back. I am in charge of toast and tea and Mike deals with the eggs or oatmeal. It is a gentle way to start the day.

Mmmmm....Saturday paper.

I used to walk to the newspaper box every Saturday morning and pick up a paper and pour over it for hours, over coffee, on the living room floor. But then Saturdays just got too busy and I would buy the paper and half read it and eventually stopped all together…. Well, Saturday papers are back and it feels like an old friend coming to visit again.

I am all about trying new things, so I am not talking about yearning for things in the past that no longer fit, but about re-introducing things into your life that brought you great pleasure and have been forgotten. Things you miss. Some Friday food for thought.

I have wanted a cozy for a hot water bottle for a long while. There are many gorgeous ones on Etsy by many talented artists, but I had this old moth eaten cashmere sweater from 20 years ago that was crying to be repurposed and so I decided to give it a go. Please, no cringing. (I could use a sewing lesson!)

Here’s what you need!

1 large turtle or cowl neck sweater. If it's a turtleneck make sure the neck is big enough to put a water bottle through.

1 hot water bottle. I got this one for $5.97 at the drug store.

Thread, pins, a needle and a button (optional).

What to do:

Turn the sweater inside out and put the filled water bottle inside. Line up the top corners of the water bottle with the shoulders of the sweater.

Pin around the bottle. Be careful not to pierce the bottle when pinning.

Sew straight lines down the sides and bottom, using the pins as your guides. (Sew on the inside of the pin guides for a snug fit.)

Once done sewing, remove the pins and cut off the excess fabric. Be careful not to cut too much.

Take the trimmings and arrange them in a star-like pattern.

Take the water bottle out of the sweater. Turn the sweater inside out again so that the finished side is on the outside and fasten the trimmings to the sweater with a needle and thread. A button can be used on top to finish the look.

Take a strip of remnant sweater from the initial cutting. (A waistband works.) You can also use some pretty ribbon if you wish.

Put the water bottle back in the sweater and wrap the remnant around the neck of the bottle. I tied a loose knot in mine in the back.

Done, one water bottle cozy. You can even display it when it's not in use under the covers!

If you have a sewing machine, this will be done in a flash.  (And you will be able to reinforce the stitching.)

Kitchen dancing while dinner cooks.

A while ago a friend of mine was spending the day cleaning the house and was trying to find ways to make it fun. I suggested my tried and true way to make any activity fun…The Dance Break. I recommend it to all of you.

Clean the bathroom- have a dance break. Do the dishes- have a dance break. Chicken in the oven- dance break. Fold laundry- dance break. Study for an hour- dance break. You get the picture.

How can an activity be a chore when it is followed by a dance break? Air guitar and lip synching posts to follow. Happy Wednesday!

Make sure you get real pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling.

A while ago my fabulous Mom started to bring this amazing pumpkin casserole to our family get togethers. I would basically put the dish in front of me and eat the whole thing.

I've never baked before. I had no ingredients in the house.

With cooler weather and Thanksgiving on the way, this super easy, ridiculously delicious dish is sure to be a big hit and make you look like a super star. The recipe is from allrecipes.com or you can follow below.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Get your ingredients together.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups pumpkin puree
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 1 cup white sugar-BTW- My Mom cuts the sugar in 1/2. I did too and used brown sugar. It’s still really sweet.
• 1/2 cup self-rising flour
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 pinches ground cinnamon

Mix them all together.

Melt the butter and then mix all the ingredients together and then spoon them into a casserole dish and bake at 350 for 1 hour.

You are done, superstar!

After an hour take it out of the oven and let it cool for a minute or two and then enjoy! It can be served as a side dish with your festive meal but we ate it as a mid afternoon snack with coffee, just as the rain started.

The Flatiron building.

I talk a lot about being a tourist in your own city and this weekend I really was!

City Hall. So retro. So cool!

Michael, his parents and I had dinner, saw a show, stayed in a hotel, and went on a bus tour around Toronto, where I have lived for the past 18 years. I know the city inside and out and yet seeing it through the eyes of a tourist made me appreciate the beauty of the parks, the people, the neighborhoods and the history all over again.

St. Lawrence market on a busy Saturday morning.

I got so excited by the Saturday morning energy in the St. Lawrence Market that I suggested we just stay there and forgo the rest of the tour.  Mike gently reminded me that we could come back later in the afternoon, as we did actually live in Toronto.

Old City hall- I go by dozens of times a week but never stop.

Portraits at the ROM.

On the bus tour, I noticed that the Vanity Fair Portraits were coming to the ROM starting on September 26 and there is a Viola Frey exhibit at the Gardiner Museum that I want to visit.

The lobby of the Sheraton- I am crazy about this lamp shade- it is HUGE!

A waterfall garden at the hotel.

Breakfast in bed!

The night view of Nathan Phillips square from the 30th floor.

And staying in a hotel is a luxury that I will never tire of, although I do it much less these days than I used to.

Post show walk home.

We are planning some out of town travel in the coming months, but this was a perfect little get away. If your city offers a bus tour, why wait until friends come into town to site see? Jump on, and see your city as a tourist would. Fall in love all over again!

Your dinner guests are on their way and you want to give them a special welcome. Take 2 minutes and make your own welcome mat for them! Here’s how it works:

Give the sidewalk a little sweep.

Grab some chalk.

Make your mat outline.

Write your message.

Add some details.

2 minutes later- you are ready for your arriving guests!

The best part is: if you want a new mat everyday, just add water and start again. I am off to get some chalk in different colors to decorate the rest of the sidewalk!

Come on in!

Thanks to all the kids who drew hopscotch squares all over the sidewalk for the “chalk” inspiration this morning. This was really fun!!!

It’s Thursday! I am not sure why, but Thursday has always been my favorite day of the week. I thought it would be a good day to post some images that I have been collecting. I hope they brighten your day.

A carrot that looks like legs.

A van covered in astro-turf.

A heart shaped pita.

Poppies that look like winking eyes.

Coffee cup bench.

Really long oven mitts.

Great Grocery Bike!

It would be fun to say you lived on this street.