Another Asparagus Recipe Because I JUST CAN'T GET ENOUGH!!

More asparagus! ALL THE ASPARAGUS!

This time with MEAT AND CHEESE! I can't even...

My recipe was slightly modified from this one. The "slightly modified" part is kind of standard with Lisa Recipes. Sigh...I just can't keep things simple can I?!

Ingredients
- Phyllo dough. I used 4 sheets of dough. The second time I made this I cut smaller squares and it worked much better!

- Prosciutto. As many slices as you need servings. I got mine cut fresh at the deli, then cut each piece in half when I got home.

- Mozzarella. I buy the gooey-est stuff I can find. Can't remember the brand right now...

- Goat's cheese (or feta, depending on your budget)

- Melted butter. Lots of butter. I use unsalted.

Directions
Pre-prep-step: Thaw your phyllo dough (that's kind of a "duh" step).

1. Preheat your oven to 375F.

2. Follow the instructions on the box of phyllo dough for separating and getting the butter on. I didn't do this the first time, and it was a giant pain in my arse. Second time was much smoother! Essentially, pretend your phyllo is a book that is folded in half. Open the first page and paint it with butter. Now flip to the back and paint it with butter. Now flip to page three...and repeat...

3. Repeat the above step for all your layers. I finished with butter, because butter.

4. Cut into squares or smallish rectangles. Use your best judgement on this. The recipe I read and the reality of my phyllo on the first attempt did not mesh, so I had to improvise.

5. Lay one piece of prosciutto in the centre of the square, followed by a small slice of mozza, a generous smear of goat cheese and the asparagus. I used three small sticks of asparagus, but you can adjust the serving size according to your needs. Wants. Desires.

6. Roll 'em up!

7. Place them on a parchment lined baking sheet and brush with more butter. More butter.

8. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden. I finished them off with a quick broil. Wasn't entirely quick enough.

Let them cool a bit before eating to avoid scalding your tongue on the hot, gooey, mmmmmmm cheesey cheese. Mmmmmmmmmmm....ooh baby...

This one is going into the rotation, that's for damn sure.
Lisa

The Busy Early Bee-Bird Gets the Worm

Life lately...

June 18.

Ritchie School looks so beautiful at sunset. Check out those parapets. This is where we will survive the zombie apocalypse.

June 19

MKT CHZBRGR. I asked for an extra pickle. They failed that task. But it comes with two onion rings inside, so I guess I forgive them.

This is me trying to keep in touch without putting too much effort in. I am in a really good place right now...broke, but busy, happy, content. In a really good place. Except I can't sleep. Changing of the seasons I think. Oh well. How does that saying go?

I'll sleep when I'm dead.
xo Lisa

Proscuitto Wrapped Asparagus

This has become my go-to side. And asparagus is in season right now, which means it's super cheap and so very delicious!!

Ingredients
One bunch asparagus spears
One package of proscuitto (don't buy the smoked stuff for this!)
2-3 tbsp Olive oil
3/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 tbsp salt (I like the coarse sea salt myself)
1/2 tbsp fresh ground pepper

One bunch of asparagus makes about seven bundles, depends on how many spears you bundle together.

Preheat oven to 350F. Prep your asparagus by breaking off the bottoms. TIP: Just bend them, and they will break at the right point on their own. Wash and put them aside in a glass baking dish.

Mix olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt & pepper together in a large bowl. Add asparagus spears and toss, making sure they get completely coated.

Wrap a small bundle of spears with one slice of proscuitto. Make as many bundles as you need! Lay in glass baking dish and pour any leftover marinade over the top. Let marinate in fridge about an hour, but the longer the better.

Bake in oven for about 7 mins, then broil for 2. You can also BBQ for 2 mins per side. They don't need very long to cook! Nobody likes mushy asparagus...once they turn a nice bright green and the proscuitto starts to brown they are done!

Your mouth should be watering by now. That is the appropriate response.

Thank you again to Karen for passing this along. I am a hero because of this recipe.

A side dish hero, but it still counts.
Lisa

Mmmm..."Bread"

Thanks to this book, I made my first loaf of sandwich bread last weekend! I hate cookbooks...but I love this one.

I picked it up ages ago because I wanted something IN MY HANDS (aka not on the Internet) full of great "paleo" recipes. Grain free, gluten free, whole food kind of stuff. And it had to be simple. I'm not so good with recipes in general, and really terrible at the ones with lots of ingredients, and steps, and special tools. Blargh!

I marked the "sandwich bread" pretty much immediately, and BFF seemed excited to try it as well. But I have been putting it off. Why? Cause I'm lazy, that's why. And also..umm...nope, just lazy!

And then I had a bit of time to spare on a Sunday afternoon, and I was procrastinating washing dishes and this seemed like the perfect task for that! And look at how PRETTY my bread turned out!

Ingredients
3/4 cup almond butter, smooth
6 eggs
2 tbsp honey
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup golden flax seed, ground
3 tbsp coconut flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp sea salt

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 4 x 8-inch loaf pan with parchment paper and grease well with coconut oil. Getting the parchment paper to stay in the pan was the hardest part of the recipe for me, which is amusing because I used to have a job in paper crafting!

2. In a large bowl, blend the almond butter, eggs, honey, coconut oil, and apple cider vinegar with an immersion blender.
I am in love with my immersion blender. In. Love.

3. In a separate bowl, combine the flax, coconut flour, baking soda, and sea salt. Mix the dry into the wet the immersion blender works great for this (...in love...), pour into the greased and lined loaf pan, and bake for 35 to 40 minutes.

The flavour is slightly nutty thanks to the almond butter, but not overwhelming. And the honey adds just the right amount of sweetness. It's moist, and dense, and so far it's amazing for sandwiches and snacking!

I have a feeling that I'm going to want to make a loaf every week. Even Dude gave it his approval! I mean...look at this sandwich.......

Yes please!

Gluten Free GF

I was listening to CBC Radio at BFF's house the other morning, and they were talking about the recent study that was done that "debunks" the benefits of the gluten free lifestyle for those not suffering from a gluten intolerant disorder. The radio program played some clips from a recent Jimmy Kimmel show during which he asked random people on the street if they a) follow a gluten free life and if yes, b) know what gluten is. (I'm sure you can see where this is going...) No one that was featured on the program knew a stitch about gluten. Ha ha heh heh...sigh.

I don't have Chrohn's and I am not a celiac. If I were to tell you that I was, and then tell you that I'm "gluten free", you would be sympathetic. If I told you I was cutting back on carbs, you might make fun of me for a moment, and then you would probably agree that maybe eating a lot of white bread isn't particularly good for you and nod in agreement. But when I use the "gluten free" buzzword, I get made fun of, and laughed at, and asked more questions about my "diet" and asked if I'm a vegan too. It's mostly annoying. Scratch that. It's always annoying.

I refuse to believe that I have somehow been "brainwashed" by the "gluten free" proselytizers and that somehow my "symptoms" are psychosomatic. That means "all in my head." Big Gluten? THAT'S NOT A THING!

Wanna hear something I think is scarier? I think we have been brainwashed to believe that over-processed, crap food that we put in our body over and over and over again is actually good for us because it has been labelled as "whole grain". I think that's the buzzword. That study that was done way back in the 70s (I think...I don't have it in front of me or anything) that says whole grains are REALLY GREAT for you, and that meat and eggs are super bad because of CHOLESTEROL and blah-de-blah has also been proven to be mostly a load of horseshit. Did you know that? Scientists still don't actually know how cholesterol works and which - if any - is "good" or "bad". Eggs are full of vitamins and good stuff! And as long as you're not eating bottom-of-the-barrel meat, you're probably doing a-okay. And that the wheat we eat today looks nothing like the wheat we were eating even a generation ago, but no one has done a study on that to see how our bodies are reacting to it because it's still called "wheat" so it's probably okay right? I could go on and on and on here, but the point I am trying to make is...HORSE SHIT!

How do you tell the horse shit from the good info when all your news comes from "entertainment news" programs? Sigh...

I eat stuff that makes me feel GREAT! That gives me energy, and helps me move my body. I try not to eat stuff that makes me feel like SHIT, and makes me fart, or makes me itchy (dairy), or makes me crave more, or makes me lethargic, or puts my stomach in knots for hours. Sometimes I eat pizza because it is SO GODDAMN DELICIOUS and nary a week goes by that I don't finish off a 6-pack of PBR. But that is my choice. Cause I love delicious food. And I am not going to apologize for "cheating on my diet"...blargh! That's not even a thing!!!

I am mostly just SICK AND TIRED of celebrities, or celebrity chefs, or radio scientists, or late night talk show hosts telling me what to eat or what not to eat, or making fun of people who have chosen a diet that might be a fad today, debunked tomorrow, then endorsed by one of the above next summer.

I am NOT sick and tired of the people out there who are just trying to get more people to THINK about what they put into their bodies! Whether they be celebrities, cookbook writers, moms at their dayhome, or dads at a soccer game. Or over-posters on Facebook (k...maybe not them ;) All this stuff that we hear in the news, or on late night TV is just information. You have to decide if and how you use that information for yourself! And you have NO RIGHT to judge or ridicule someone for a decision they made based on information they were given, no matter the source.

Do I want everyone to eat healthier, and live better lives? You bet! Am I going to try and educate the haters who make fun of me when I tell them I eat "gluten free"? Of course! Am I going to judge those haters for their food choices? Maybe a little, but ultimately it doesn't matter. I think that we as a food-eating community of people (re: everybody) have to fight for better food, better choices, and better information on which to base those choices. And I think that's really sad.

EAT REAL FOOD PEOPLE!

Rant complete.
Lisa

Tasty Rainbow

One of my new year's intentions is to focus on my health. That means staying active, remembering to breathe and relax, and eating right!

And I think I've been doing pretty good in that area so far. As long as I take the pressure off of making a fancy meal, with lots of ingredients, or variety, or prep time, I actually enjoy cooking! A lot! Never thought I would say that...

And it is really easy to cook REAL food with a small amount of time and ingredients. No fancy recipes and no strange ingredients (unless you count sunchokes which are so flippin tasty!). Just simple stuff you can find in any grocery store. I'm no expert, so if I can figure this stuff out, anybody can.

Last night we had one of my standard go-to meals: chicken thighs, potato fries & gravy. But I changed it up a bit by adding some sweet potatoes and beets to the mix (mmmm...baked beets....). And I cut up some of the beautiful and colourful carrots I've been getting in my organic box, and sauteed them up with a bit of brown sugar and maple syrup.

I didn't get a picture of the meal in its entirety because it was too damn good and it disappeared right away. Even Lucas inhaled everything on his plate. He needed a little encouragement with the carrots when he tried to use the "I'm full" card, but once he took one bite he quickly stuffed his mouth full!

Success!!

Next I want to try cooking a whole chicken! Yikes! Wish me luck...

How are your new year's goals coming along?

Are you trying to eat healthier this year?

later loves

Eat This!

So the first recommendation I have for you in terms of these recipes, is not to try two new recipes on the same night. What the DEUCE was I thinking?! And on a Monday to boot!

Oh gosh, this was ages ago now. Like two to three whole weeks! But I've had lots to post, lots of fun things to choose from. So "trying out some new recipes" kind of gets pushed down the list.

Also, I am not a food blogger or photographer by any means, and I prefer to rotate through my five standard meals on a weekly basis: tacos, sandwiches, pizza, smoked salmon & bagels, BBQ meat, breakfast.

Oh, hello Guinea Pig!

He looks so impressed...

And I tested out a new beer cocktail recipe with this meal. One that I found through something other than Pinterest, because Pinterest was absolutely NO HELP on this. I did find one through Huffington Post that I really wanted to try - beer sangria! - but what the hell is Piso Reservado?! I hate to buy a bunch of new ingredients to try something I might not even like. You know?!

Anyhoo, I quite enjoyed the Rickards Shandy I bought the other day, so I thought I would try my hand at making my own...

And it was awesome! Yay me!

Any new recipes you've tried out this summer?

How do you feel about "beer cocktails"?

later loves

Taste of Edmonton

We try to hit up Taste of Edmonton every year, at least once (sometimes more than once...). And I always complain about the crowds (full of idiots...geeze! have you never stood in a line before?!) and the lack of variety or interesting dishes (really...chocolate covered strawberries...whoopity doo), but I do enjoy myself! And this year I focused on getting some dishes that I wanted to try and dishes that I already know I like and wanted to eat more of!

On my menu this year:

Candied bacon! On a stick!! Yes it was as delicious as it sounds...

Deep fried pickles from Canadian Brewhouse

Dragon Eye rolls from Mikado

Tandoori Chicken samosa from Guru (I think...)

S'mores Fritters from Mercer Tavern (ermagherd so delicious...)

Fresh squeezed Lemonade!

Shared

Crack chicken from the Lingnan (it's not actually called that...)

Pasta with red sauce...yeah, Dude didn't share this!

Some kind of meat samosa that tasted like a chicken pot pie...it was weird.

Sorbetto & gelati from Fantasia for the boys

We have discovered that if you go right after work, you beat the evening crowds. And parking meters are free after six, so get there right at six and you're golden!

Dude really enjoys the big fountains in front of City Hall. No wading tonight, but he was happy to pose for a photo!

The night was so beautiful, I sat out in the yard and did some cloud gazing when we got home. Or maybe that was the next night? Whatever...it's been a wonderful summer! Aside from these sniffles I am fighting with tonight (ARGH!) I am enjoying every minute of it!

later loves

photos taken July 8, 2013. Churchill Square, Downtown Edmonton.

#springishere

And it's about damn time.

So the topic for What to Wear this week is "my favourite spring dress". Well, I don't know if it's my favourite, but it really needs to get more play. And the colours are weird, and the shape & fit. And it's not quite long enough....oh man. Can you tell this was an impulse internet purchase? I've cut myself off!

Dress // Modcloth (I think...)

Sandals // Saltwaters from Modcloth

Full Slip // Thrifted (is that embarrassing? I never can tell.)

Headband // Secondhand scarf

That face is cause I just ate a HUGE burger and some delicious beer-battered onion rings. Full belly! Oh dear...and then I played with my cotton candy. I am a laugh riot people, I tell you. That's why I'm such a popular dork.

For all the What to Wear goodness you could possibly handle on this gorgeous Thursday evening, check out the full link up on Nicole's blog. Cause I guess that was the whole point of this post! And also this...

that is all.

later loves

Homemade Take Out

I've got another simple dinner for you to try, and it is inspired by a couple of my favourite fast food items. This is Taco Time Mexi Fries meets New York Fries Veggie Works.

And you can also adjust quite easily for kids who don't like cheese....except when they get it in their head that this version doesn't taste quite the same as the "real" fast food version and so ipso facto it's not as good and they're not going to eat it any more.

Damn!

Recipe...for those of you so inclined...

Frozen tater tots..."cooked according to package instructions"

Ground beef, cooked & seasoned with chili powder & garlic powder, with a little tomato paste/sauce added near the end of cooking for more flavour & texture, yo!

Diced tomatoes & green onions

Sour cream or Greek yogurt

Grated cheddar cheese

Salsa on the side

Adjust quantities accordingly, to, like, you know, how many people you are feeding.

later loves

Breakfast for Dinner

Another of my go-to easy dinners is breakfast! I mean, what's easier/better than bacon & eggs? Really, what is? I'm thinking nothing, but what do I know...

And when I say "& eggs", I mean I throw whatever veggies I have on hand in the pan with two eggs and some water, steam them just long enough that the whites are solid while the yolks are still runny, and scoop it on to my plate with some goat cheese & avocado. I guess that's getting kind of fancy, but it's still super easy! And delicious, let me tell you!

And sometimes I have a little wine (or beer...surprise surprise) with dinner, but I would never have wine with breakfast! Well, "never" is a strong word...

Dude doesn't like eggs, but he loves "french toast waffles". I'm living the lie for as long as possible! Hopefully at least until he moves out...

Oh. And don't forget the bacon. HA! That's funny....forgetting bacon. Talk about something that could NEVER happen!

photos taken Tuesday, January 15, 2013

later loves

Power Leopard, I Mean Breakfast

Howdy Peeps! I thought I would share with you today my delicious "power breakfast" that keeps me full until early afternoon. No mid-morning snacking for this gal after a bowl of this! And did I mention it's gluten free and JAM-PACKED FULL of protein and fibre and omegas and fairy dust and unicorn glitter? Well, maybe I made up those last two items, but it's still full of lots of "good for you" kind of stuff!

Ingredients:

Chia Seeds

Quinoa Flakes, Coconut flakes, whole almonds

Raw pumpkin seeds, raw sunflower seeds

peanut butter, frozen blueberries

coconut milk

keep in mind: If you don't have whole almonds, use slivered ones. Or pecans. Or cashews.

If you don't have pumpkin seeds, don't worry about it!

And if you come from one of those magical places that can purchase fresh raspberries at this time of year without re-mortgaging your house, use those instead!

I like "recipes" that I can fiddle with, and tweak as I go along. It's way better for my sanity and my follow through! And remember that all the stuff you put in shouldn't have any added salt or sugar. Or added anything really. We are looking for real ingredients, real food. All of the ingredients in this recipe are full of vitamins and nutrients and ENERGY that occur naturally! Say what?!

I eat this slowly throughout the morning, and I literally don't feel any cravings or hunger pains until actual lunch time. While all the other ladies at work are eating their lunches at 11:00am, then snacking the afternoon away!

Remember that seeds & nuts are high in fats and calories so you only need a little sprinkle of them. I think I add maybe 5 almonds to the whole big bowl.

First things first, I add some water to a bowl (or plastic container if this is coming to work with me). Then I add my chia seeds to let them soak, usually just under a tablespoon. These guys plump up quite nicely when wet! And then I throw everything else in the bowl and give it a stir! And that is that!

Yeah....I don't measure anything for this recipe, or for most recipes to be honest. I mostly just want to show you that you don't needs lots and lots of each ingredient. It's the combination of everything, the variety that's important!

And I warm mine up, cause I apparently like a warm breakfast!

This is the breakfast that I prep for two days in advance, then take to work so I don't have to mess around with it in the morning. I keep all of my ingredients on the same shelf in my disaster of a tiny "pantry" so they're easy to grab and clean up after. The rest of the ingredients are in the fridge.

Oh, and if you like a little extra sweet, add some maple syrup. And please would you splurge and buy the real stuff, and not that "maple-flavoured" liquid sugar garbage? You'll thank me for it!

Do you have any fun "superfood" recipes?

Do you have any fun recipes involving, say, Cheetos?

we're equal opportunity here on the blog!

later loves

I Lurve Sandwiches

I sometimes feel like Homer Simpson in my simple requests & desires when it comes to food. Y'know that episode where he saves that giant sub from a party, and slowly whittles away at it day after day, and then finally it turns purple, makes him super ill, and Marge finally just has to toss it. Homer my man, I feel your loss.

I think I could eat a sandwich every day of the week. If I didn't have so many damn leftovers pass through my house I probably would steal a page from BFF's playbook and take one to work for lunch (in a steel lunch box would be awesome too, but probably impractical!)

And I have hit the nail on the head when it comes to why. It's cause you can put pretty much any ingredient in between two slices of anything - bread, "bread", lettuce - and have an amaze-balls taste sensation course its way through your mouth.

I have a nostalgic centre in my brain that's dedicated to sandwiches. I still remember the ones Dad used to make to take to work. Onion bun, lots of iceberg lettuce, a little salt & pepper. Delish! And the ones that we made at Grandma Connie's house with the sandwich-shapers. So we could eat mini sandwiches in the shape of circles and stars. With extra pickles & olives on the side.

Dude does not share my love for sandwiches, but he does enjoy a good "smorg" now and again. This is pretty much the easiest dinner known to man. Cut up some carrots, lunch meat, pepperoni sticks, pickles, and add a couple of crackers and cherry tomatoes, and you have a deconstructed sandwich! 

Great for snacking on while finishing your spelling homework...

later loves

photos taken Thursday, January 10th. At home.

Night Out on the Town

"I want to go out for nachos with my friends", I said to Russel one fateful evening. We were scheduled to go to Gull Lake with my family for a camping trip this weekend. It has traditionally (like for the past 5 years) rained buckets on them for the entire weekend. Last year we ended up sitting in Mom's trailer or in front of the "fire" the whole time. And eating. With my family. Gee...sounds like fun.

SARCASM SIGN

It was not fun. It was boring (sorry family...) And I am not about to jump into boring right now. But Lucas is going, cause he's in seventh heaven in the trailer with Grandma & Grandpa....so...

A weekend without Lucas means adult time for R & I...oh gosh, no dirty thoughts please! When all of this planning started to come unplanned, I promptly emailed V to find out if she would be willing to indulge my desire for nachos out with friends, as it was her blog posts that inspired this thought in the first place. And she said yes! All that was left was to invite my new BFF, and we were set, party of five.

But not for nachos. Russ - and his helpful Groupon - is treating us to pizza! Oh wait...no he's not. Turns out the Groupon is for take out only. Of course! Because the Groupon clearly states "for dine-in only" but that is just to trick those non-committed Groupon-getters. But not us. No way. We did a casual drive by and found that "dine in" is a crazy option considering the place seats about 4.5 people. And also, Russel called them. Have I mentioned he's the clever one of the family. Well, after Lucas. That leaves me holding court for last place!

Anyhoo...

BFF chose Famoso for dinner (from my terrible list) because he had never been. We went to the one in Sherwood Park, which is flippin' huge-mongous by the way! Much larger than the other locations I frequent (shout out to my Little Bro, manager of the South Commons location and NEW DAD!!).

We sat around and chatted for many more hours than Famoso was probably comfortable with us spending there, before parting company with V+A. Dan & I took Russ to our favourite coffee haunt - Transcend in Garneau - for a coffee pick-me-up before heading over to the Varscona for Improvaganza! WOOT!!

It was the late (late) show, and we were all yawning and staring off into space before the show started. But it was so worth staying up past my bed-time! I haven't been to Improv for years, but my memory served me well and I was slapping my knee and guffawing as soon as the lights went down.

Russ is kind of Groupon obsessed lately, which is fine by me! This just means more nights out for us!!

ps. don't you just love R's shirt? That was part of his birthday/father's day present. And for those of you unfamiliar with keyboard shortcuts 'ctrl+z' means undo. It's funny!

Layout Deets: More new Studio Calico. And those Heidi Swapp polaroid frames and social media-related stickers are quite "fun times". I've got a technique post coming up on the Inspiration Blog with these guys. Ooh la la.

later loves

2012 Goals...An Update!

The last update I did for these was back in March. I was doing okay, but I wanted to really get focused and make my 2012 Goals a super-priority for me! And...well...I'm still only doing "okay". But I'm totally okay with that! This year I wanted to create simple, general goals, that would be easy for me to follow through with, and that wouldn't make me feel guilty if I slacked off a little!

I am still making art everyday, and finding a lot of answers and satisfaction in this. I looked up at the stars the other night (giant moon!!) and the sky was totally different than the last time I looked up! So I am going to get a sky map out this month, and spend a couple of nights outside. And I am definitely going to try and catch the Transit of Venus in June!! The books thing is so not a problem, and I am adjusting my reading every month depending on how I feel and how busy I am.

I should have named Goal #3 "The Friendship Goal"...I may not be seeing lots of different friends for coffee dates, but I am spending a good amount of time focusing on one new friendship. And it feels really good, and I am just going to go with it! The spirit of the Goal was to focus on and really work on my friendships, and I think I am doing that in other ways (mail, email, etc.). The coffee date thing is still a great idea, but it is taking to the back-burner right now as I continue to work on my schedule and work out my "free time".

I have decided to add a mini goal to this season. I know I started off wanting to have a "mini goal" every month, but to be honest, that was just too much for me! Too specific, and too time-sensitive! HA!

So for the next little bit (keeping it super non-specific here) I want to try out some new recipes!

Drinks & dinners. I want to branch out a bit. I want to spend more time outside, relaxing with a fun cocktail in my tiny backyard. I want to invite people over (gasp!). I want to "live a little" and try some new things!

I am freaking out!!

I don't do recipes very well. I am a lazy cook. I like pattern and repetition. But I also love all those pretty pictures on the internet of beautiful, delicious food! And cocktails! Oh my....my liquor budget is going to go through the roof this month!

Does anyone out there have any food & drink suggestions for me this month??


So far I'm thinking of this slaw (we love slaw here!), and anything with avocado and eggs is heaven in my opinion. Also, anything with the word "mojito" it. Peach! Strawberry & basil! I can't wait to start muddling!

later loves

lately

I have been playing "Consequences" with Victoria & Jill at a TM LNC.

And making an "art mess"

Making muffins, best batch yet!

Shopping with Russel at the Bay.

Sewing.

Wearing mis-matched everything.

Last night I attended an "Info Week" presentation at NAIT. Russ tagged along (thank goodness). I am no closer to deciding if I want to go back to school and what I want to take, but at least I got some more information. And thankfully I wasn't the oldest person in the room...most of the high school kids brought their parents.

Local Finds

I have noticed my Found! scheduled posts are growing in number, especially in the "local" category. So I thought I would change my Found! Focus to be more local in flava-flave!

And I want to put it out there that I am accepting "submissions" of other local places and faces that might be of interest to the rest of my Edmonton readers! If you have a favourite little breakfast place, or funky boutique, or art store I want to know about it! Take a photo, write a blurb and pass it along...much obliged I will be.

Thai Valley Grill

I first went there with Russ' family for a birthday dinner back in August, and R & I just got back there on Tuesday for a little Date Night.

They are only open in the evenings, and never on Sunday. It is a tiny little hole-in-the-wall of a place, so I would recommend booking a table even if you are in a small party, especially if you are going on a Friday or Saturday night. There were lots of tables still available on Tuesday night, but it was quite full when we went in the summer. They also offer Take-Out, which is a dangerous thought!!

We only ordered two dishes last week. A pork dish with vegetables, called "Something-Something-King". It was #49. We also ordered a Pad Thai, which is kind of standard/boring, but so delicious!

You can choose your spice-level with each dish. Some are naturally hotter than others (some of the curries, for example), but we went with medium and it was just right, but then again, we like spicy stuff!

And you can't go wrong with the coconut rice! But make sure you order enough. One order is only a small bowl. We were lucky that the Pad Thai comes with noodles. I would recommend ordering one bowl of rice per person/per dish.

Pricing was about $16-$17 per dish. The rice is $3.50 per order. They offer loads of (Thai) beer and wine, but we stuck to water. Our bill was around $40. They do have a little note posted on the door stating their prices are going up...

I highly recommend this place for its food, atmosphere, pricing, and local flare!

Wow...that was almost like a real restaurant review! Maybe I've got some more up my sleeves! Remember to get me some recommendations...I'm going to check out the couple of Edmonton food blogs that I am aware of, and see what I can try next!