Drink: If you can't beat 'em.....

Anyone who has ever had mint growing in their garden knows that it just takes over! And over.....and over. After years of trying to clear mint out of the garden (really, you only need so much of it) I had an epiphany this past weekend as I was gardening, if you can't beat it, you may as well.....well you may as well drink it!

 May Mojitos!!

Wee little mint plants.....it's ok, there is lot's of it!

mint, lime, club soda, Shawn's Plum Mint Syrup

muddle the mint, lime wedges and a wee bit of sugar

Ooops! Don't forget the rum! (2 oz/drink)

a splash of Shawn's plum mint syrup....for a splash of colour, top with club soda and ice!

To be enjoyed outside in the sunshine......maybe near the mint plants!

Drink: 3 Ovens, 11 women and 989 cookies

I've been participating in cookie swaps for the past 7 or 8 years. Often, both my husband and I participate in  swaps with our co-workers, which usually means about 12 dozen cookies! Chatting with my neighbour (the best one ever!! Our surrogate parents/grandparents.......the kind that leave food in your fridge when you are away so you don't have to cook when you return)
Anyway, we were at a church breakfast (love country living) and came up with the idea of doing a cookie swap, where we all gather together and do our baking! So, we booked the church kitchen, invited a few of our friends, and before we knew it we had 11 ladies signed up!
The kids ran, crafted and played while we baked and then packaged up our goodies.
I'm already planning next years.....and maybe a dinner club in the meantime.
Anyway, I did not get any recipes to share, and Shawn is not ready to go public with his ginger snap recipe (which I sadly did not execute as well as he does) BUT I will leave you with this yummy Christmas Tea recipe I came across in yes, a magazine about food:)

Christmas Tea
8 cups boiling water
16 chai tea bags
2 cinnamon sticks
1/2 cup spiced rum
1/2 cup vanilla vodka
2 cans condensed milk

Pour the water into your crock pot over tea bags (If they have strings, leave them hanging out for easy retrieval) Let steep for 10 minutes. Remove tea bags, add rum, vodka and cinnamon sticks. Let cook on low for 2 hours. Stir in milk and serve! Serves about 10 mugs.

Eat, Play, Laugh & Drink......Chapter 1

Can one person keep two blogs? I will certainly try.....My first blog chronicles my family's Culinary World Tour, it's relatively easy to keep, as I have a specific topic to blog about each week. This blog is to house the (seemingly) random things that occur in our daily life.
Like EAT:
When I was trying to pack lunches this morning (while both boys were eating different breakfasts) they both requested different lunches (Iain wanted the "cow cheese" and crackers, and Fintan wanted "Chicken Curry in a Hurry" (my own creation, see below for "recipe")

and PLAY
We are blessed to live in the "country" with a backyard that consists of 2 acres, half wooded and half open space, not to mention the swamp and the lake across the road.  We have the best playground ever.....I wonder why we even buy toys, as the boys mostly play with sticks and mud. Just yesterday, I needed to log in a run (I'm training for a ridiculous race, more on that later) So I ran the hill in front of our house 10 times, while the boys played Survivor Man by the swamp...

and LAUGH
So Fintan (in grade 2) has choir once a week. He was singing "Land of the Silver Birch" the other day, and I joined in. He looked at me in amazement and exclaimed "Mom! You know this song???" (laugh #1) I was taken back to my childhood and now understand a story that involves me, a grade 8 dance and Stairway to Heaven (a favorite story of my Mom's to tell)
Anyhow, I tried to correct him on the way to sing the notes (anyone who knows of my singing ability will be laughing right now) and I asked him if the teacher has taught them cords....you know do, re, mi..... his response? "Oh yes Mommy, she's very fussy about that" (laugh #2) "If she catches us singing the wrong note, she makes us sing alone. But she's really nice"

and DRINK
Hmm, which story to share here? Yesterday was Shawn's birthday + Sunday night curling.....I'll leave it at that for now:)

Well, I'll leave things here, and hope to use this wee space on the "inter-web" to log some memories.....when I've completely lost marbles some day, hopefully I can come back here and remember.
Cheers!

My "recipe" for Chicken Curry in a Hurry

• leftover chicken
• leftover cooked rice
• whatever bits of vegetable are kicking around in the bottom of the fridge (or from the frozen bag in the freezer)
• 1 egg
• spoonful (or to taste) brown sugar
• generous shake of curry powder
• generous shake of soy sauce

1. melt some butter or oil in a fry pan
2. throw chicken, rice and veg into pan
3. stir fry until warm
4. add curry, sugar and soy sauce 
5. crack and egg (or 2) and scramble the whole mixture up

Serve! Hey...your kid's eating curry