Moments D726: Home Cooked Goodness - worth the wait

Today EQ & I planned on a lazy day and then to head to my parents to enjoy the rest of the holiday weekend with family. The Plan: Head home after dinner.

My Mom, on the other hand, had other ideas and she can be very persuasive. Her expertise: she great at finding good reasons for us to join them earlier. (How can you blame her, it's been over a month since we last saw them and the last couple of weeks I've been very MIA studying for my final.) In the end, how could we really say no to a home cooked meal when, afterall, "we have to eat something for dinner"?

And so, we headed out earlier than we had anticipated.

I am so very glad that we did.

The drive out was beautiful as we enjoyed the end of a pretty spring day.

And today's moment really was an amusing one. It was dessert.

Many moons ago the four of us were talking about desserts and at some point the topic turned to how incredible my Mom's pumpkin pies were. To date, EQ has never had the pleasure to enjoy a slice.

Tonight that changed.

After enjoying a very full meal (read that's two platefuls of home cooked goodness), my Mom asked if we were ready for dessert. I could see that EQ's eyes were half glazed over from the big meal he had eaten and I chuckled to myself in anticipation.

He didn't realize it, but I had warned him earlier that my Mom had made something special just for him.

He didn't make the connection, until he went to say no for dessert.

I watched the scene unfold:

Mom: "Are you sure you don't want dessert? I made it especially for you."
EQ: "Oh. [Pause] I'm so full.
Me: "What have you been asking for for months?"
EQ's eyes light up. He pushes his not quite finished plate of potatoes aside and says "Why didn't you tell me sooner. I'm done. I'm ready for dessert."

It was very, VERY amusing.

After his second piece of pumpkin pie, he turned to my Mom and said, "Yes, worth the wait."

Moments tweaking plans to make it home in time for a home cooked meal.

Moments sharing a surprise for dessert that was "worth the wait".

Moments D707: Birthday Presents

Yesterday, just before I dropped Arizona off at home, she gave me my birthday present.  I wasn't expecting one as we had just spent the entire day celebrating our mutual birthdays.  (Her birthday was just last Wednesday!)

Unfortunately we arrived home later than I had anticipated from the spa and I literally dropped my bags (including my present), on the floor in the dining room, made my way to the washroom, brushed my teeth, washed my face and crawled into bed.  Of course, that meant that tonight after work I had much to clean up. Of course, that also meant that I had a birthday present to open today!

Bangarang!

And so I did.  Just after work today.

What a delightful surprise.  Arizona had mentioned that it was a "silly" gift.  I don't believe that for a second.  She knows I'm a foodie and her gift fell right in line with that idea.  

Perfect!  I loved it.  I can't wait to see her tomorrow at work to thank her for the exciting ingredients!

Moments enjoying a late birthday gift.

Moments appreciating that a friend knows you well.

Moments D679: Shared lunch

Today's moment is a random one that brought a big smile to my face.

My CD came over to my desk and dropped off a 1/4 of a freshly cut avocado that had been lightly juice with a fresh lime.  I know he could have eaten it all, but he wanted to share.landed on my desk.

What a delightful, unexpected treat.

Bangarang!

Moments being surprised by a co-worker.

Moments enjoying fresh foods.

Moments D671: Early bird catches the worm.....

.....or in this case the GOLD medal for men's hockey.

Mom, Dad & I were all up early this morning so we could watch the final match in men's hockey.   (After all, how could we call ourselves proud Canadians if we didn't?!!)

What an incredible game it was. They came out hard and fast, tweaked their game to better off-set the unexpected offence of the Swedes and kept fighting hard for the win right to the very end of the game.

It was a little surreal eating breakfast over a game of hockey, but I suppose that was a little less surreal than those drinking beer at 7 am today!

So very proud of our Team Canada this winter Olympics.  We ranked in third place in the medal standings in Sochi with a medal count of 25.  We had some spectacular moments this Olympics.  The first female bobsledders to earn two consecutive gold medal in the women's two-man event.   The bobsled crash, where no one was, miraculously, injured.   Sisters winning gold and silver medals in the same event.  Charles Hamelin, crashing out of his two top events.

Dreams being realized and others being dashed away.

We may not have topped our 2010 medal count, but Team Canada was impressive none-the-less.

Congratulations Team Canada.

Moments enjoying the Canadian sport of hockey.

Moments feeling pride for your country`s athletes.

Moments D670: Family Dinners

This afternoon I headed to Welland so that I could watch my nephew in his hockey tournament.  Typically such a visit is quick and I don't have much of a chance to really interact with my brother, SIL or my nephews.  I join them at the arena, spend some time with my SIL and younger nephew and then we all go our separate ways.  As fast as it is, I am always willing to make the drive, when I can, to cheer on my oldest nephew in the sport he loves.

As I sat enthusiastically cheering on my nephew (playing centre these days) I wondered where he would be in 10 years time.  He's only just turn 10, so there are many paths yet before him.  Will he still be playing hockey?  Would he push himself hard to ever make it to the Olympics?  (What can I say?  I have the Olympics on my brain!) Or, will he be more focused on learning?  Of course, I haven't any answers, but there was that moment today where I was pondering where he might go with his love of hockey.  (And boy-oh-boy does he love his hockey!)

While watching my nephew play is best was a heart-warming moment, the real moment today was a surprise family gathering.  The entire family was coming back for dinner after the game.  Not only my brother and his family, but my Big Sis and her family.  There was 11 of us in all.  What an incredible dinner it was.  Our food was simple, but perfect for the occasion and something we "kids" all love.  Spaghetti and meatballs with ceasar salad.  The dinner table was filled with fast moving conversations, silliness with my nephews and silliness with my "nieces".  Lots of laughter.  The only thing missing was my love.  (He's in California right now.)  I think we all missed him tonight.

I was so very happy that my Mom offered to pull this impromptu dinner together for everyone.  I may have only been in Welland for 18 hours, but I managed to see all my peeps.

That was pretty incredible.

Moments appreciating the effort Mom puts in to pull us busy kids together for dinner.

Moments loving and appreciating my family.

Moments D667: Sharing Chili Love

Two days ago I made a pot of chili.  A very, very large pot of chili.  So much so that I didn't have enough room in the freezer for it and I didn't want what I couldn't freeze to go bad, so I had to figure out something to do with the rest of my chili.

Chica loves food.  Nearly as  much as I do.  And so, I took in a little container for her for lunch and another bigger container for her to take home to her fiancée should she enjoy it.

She squealed with delight when I told her of her lunch option today.  (That always makes me smile!)

Before I had a moment to blink, she had eaten all of the smaller portion.  She came bouncing past my desk grinning ear to ear.  Laughing, I asked her if she enjoyed her lunch.  She was all smiles and said, "I sent you an email."

In the email, not only did she thank me for the tasty, unexpected lunch, but also for the dinner she'd now have to share with her fiancée.  Without getting personal, it meant a lot to her, more than I could have imagined.

That touched my heart.  I think I'll bring her another container tomorrow.

Moments of sharing.

Moments of sharing that go deeper than the act itself.

Moments D665: Comfort foods

Today was Family Day.  A welcomed February statutory holiday here in Ontario.  It ended up being a lazy-stay-in-you-PJ's kind of day.  

Perfect for a lunch filled with comfort foods.  And so, we made fancy grilled cheese sandwiches (okay, who's kidding who, *I* had a fancy grilled cheese sandwich with coriander and avocado in it and EQ had a plain cheddar cheese sandwich) along side, yes, you guessed it, tomato soup!

Delightful.  Simple.  Perfect for a lazy day.

And then I stewed a big (too big) pot of chili for dinner. (Yes, that's right, I overflowed into a second pot!  Whoops!)

Yes, it was a comfort food kind of day.

Moments having a simple quiet day.

Moments enjoying simple comfort foods.

Moments D658: KD - also known as MAC n CHEESE

Tonight was another night in the books.  After tonight, I have only one more night to cram three chapters worth of tax knowledge into my tired brain.  I pushed hard and I persevered through some challenging twists and turns.

But I didn't do it alone.

No.  Tonight EQ sat with me and quietly read.  His presence and calm energy was very welcomed. But the best part, the part that is my moment today was that he made me my favourite "I-am-studying" dinner.  K-D.

Of course, I came to learn that K-D has no meaning to EQ.  Kraft Dinner is what we Canadians know it as.  But to those south of the border, it's known, not by the brand, but by what it is "Mac n Cheese".

No matter what we called it, I called it damn good! 

Not only was it done up special (with a touch of love!), EQ took the time to spice it up a bit.  The attention did not go unnoticed and I had to Instagram it before I even took a bite!

Yes, that's right.  Bread with oil & balsamic as a side with a coriander garnished K-D plate.!

It was heavenly!

Moment appreciating the simple dinners.

Moments being surprised that it wasn't so simple after all!

Moments D642: Christmas in January

There are days when it is not easy to get out of bed.  

Today was one of those days.  

There are days when the weight of the world around you feels to be too much to bear.

Today was one of those days.  

There are days when your mind is simply unable to deal with one more choice.

Today was one of those days.  

There are days when your body says "Take a break girl."

Today was one of those days.  

Today was a slow starting day and though I wasn't feeling the best, I was very much looking forward to seeing BFF for the first time in 7.5 weeks.  Not only was I in great need for a big hug, I knew she had been cooking up a storm.  There was no way I was missing tonight's dinner.

Tonight was our Christmas dinner.  BFF promised me before I left that she would keep all of her Christmas decorations up until we had a chance to do our Christmas together.  It was an incredibly sweet gesture.  Tonight, being with my "chosen family", celebrating the meaning of the holidays was exactly what the doctor ordered.  Love, laughter and good food.  That soothes a soul.

Our Christmas dinner was incredible. Not only were the decorations up, but BFF cooked us a full turkey dinner.  But honestly, it wasn't so much the amazing food (which was indeed amazing!  The pictures below will prove it!), it was the love and support I found myself surrounded in.  That's what it is all about.

Moments feeling like you'd rather stay in bed with the covers over your head all day.

Moments realizing that sharing those feelings with loved ones help ease the pain.

An amazing Christmas dinner with two amazing souls:

Moments D575: Food Surprises

Tonight I had a hankering for Indian food and while I had a good chat with my ND about the best Indian restaurant in the area to order from, I actually ended up making dinner tonight.

Okay, that's not entirely true.  I had some butter chicken with chickpeas that I made up awhile ago and froze the leftovers.  After thawing the main course out, I propped it up a bit by adding more sauce and some paneer to the mix and let it come to a simmer as I made some raita and kachumber as sides.  EQ watched the basmati rice and by the time I was done making the sides we were ready for dinner.

And I was drooling!  Seriously.  Perhaps that's TMI, but I was hungry and I was about to enjoy a meal that I knew I'd love.

EQ, on the other hand was feeling tentative about the meal.  I had no idea.

Just after digging in, I asked EQ how the meal was.  (Every chef wants to know if their offerings were enjoyable!)  His answer surprised me.  "It's good.  Much better than I expected."

Huh?

So I dug into that a bit.  Seems EQ was pretty certain that he wasn't going to enjoy my butter chicken, that it would be okay, but not something enjoyable.  I felt badly!  I was so excited at the prospect of this meal that I hadn't stop to think that maybe it was something that would be outside EQ's comfort zone.  After all, I know he's had curries before!

And then the strangest thing happened.  EQ wanted seconds.  He rarely does seconds.  Bangarang!  

Now that was an awesome moment.

Moments sharing my love of food with the one I love.

Moments where they joyfully connect.

Moments D572: Parking Ticket

Why on earth would I list a parking ticket as a moment that made me smile?

Well, it's a good tale.

Tonight EQ & I met up with Archie & Comic Guy at Arizona's place for dinner.  She had a dinner party to spend some time with EQ before he heads back to SoCal.  Arizona had her best friend join us, so we were a table of six enjoying a delightfully home cooked meal.  We spent the entire evening swapping stories followed by much laughter.  It was, truly, a perfect evening.  

Those of us who drove were somewhat concerned at getting a parking ticket.  (After midnight, in most areas of the city, parking on the streets requires a permit.).  We thought we would play it safe and said our goodbyes around 12:15 am.  When we walked up to the car, it was plain as day that a ticket had already been issued.  {sigh}  The ticket, for $30, was issued at 12:08 am.    

For the briefest of moments I paused and a thought flickered.  EQ & I would have easily spent more than $30 going out for the tasty dinner that we enjoyed tonight.  The fact that we were able to enjoy the home cooked, love infused food prepared by Arizona at the cost of a $30 ticket seemed highly under valued.

And so, I smiled as I pulled the ticket from under my windshield wiper.  A good deal after all.

Crazy?  Ya maybe.  But life's too short.

Moments flipping perceptions around.

Moments finding the silver lining.

Moments D570: Thai Milk Ice Tea

Today's moment comes from a silly moment at dinner.

Tonight EQ and I had dinner with two of his friends at a Thai restaurant near Ryerson University called Sabi Sabi.  While I've never been there before, it came highly recommended by our surprise guest.  After enjoying some delightful Thai tapas there, we shouldn't be surprised at how busy they were so early on a Thursday night.  (Next time we'll know to make a reservation!)

But today's moment stumbled onto me.  It was when we first sat at our table.  I ordered a Thai milk iced tea right off the top.  EQ has never had one, so his friend explained what they were.  When my iced tea arrived, our friend ordered one.  EQ tried mine.  When our friend's iced tea arrived, EQ ordered one for himself.

The poor server.  I'm sure she thought we were a little nuts.  It was fun to see the spreading confusion on her face as we ordered each drink individually.

What a fun, silly moment.  I love those.

Moments being unorganized.
Moments leading to a smile all around.

p.s. The food and atmosphere of the restaurant was great.  Given that it's so close to where I'll be taking classes again come January, I'm sure I'll be revisiting them again!

Moments D565: Southern Love Ice Breaker

Today was a very lazy start to the day, but given my cold it needed to be so that EQ & I could keep our date with Bunny & Bear this evening.  Thank goodness for that because it was the first meeting between my love and my friends and what fun we had!

Not everyone knows this, but EQ is actually pretty darn shy.  It's interesting because he's quite comfortable teaching in front of a room full of strangers,  but one-on-one in a more intimate setting, not so much.  I know he was a wee nervous tonight as it was a first date with new friends.

Today's moment happened almost the instant that Bear opened his front door.  The first thing that we experienced when we entered their home was the delicious aroma wafting to their front door from the kitchen!  Divine! We immediately knew we were going to love the Southern fare that Bear had been preparing all day.  Just as quickly as our noses were taunted, we were briskly enveloped into hugs.  EQ remarked how all my friends are "huggers" and how much he liked that.  The ice was broken!

With a drink swiftly placed in our hands, we sat to chat before digging into dinner.  Bear and EQ quickly fell into conversations about work (technology geeks!) and Bunny & I just laughed and smiled at each other knowingly.  So much so, that at dinner Bunny & I rearranged our seating so they could sit side-by-side.  It was intense!  The Southern fare (pulled pork, collard greens, mac & cheese, baked beans, corn bread) was delicious (as expected), but it was the conversation and laughter that I really loved.

It's great to see EQ fitting in so well with my friends.  It's also so wonderful to see how well my friends are receiving him into their world.  The excitement, the positive energy.  It's all so tangible and frankly, pretty incredible.

Of course, I have awesome friends.
AND
Of course, I have an awesome man that I love.

I shouldn't be so surprised that they mix well, should I?

Yes - I'm still learning.

Moments anticipating a meeting.

Moments enjoying tasty Southern food and watching new friendships form.

Moments D537: No Turkey Thanksgiving

Today I had two of my dearest friends join my Mom, Dad & I for dinner. What an incredible evening it was as we swapped stories and ate way more food than we should have.

Proof:



(you see the containers STACKED....right?)

Today's moment hit me when I paused and looked around the table. Here it was Thanksgiving Weekend and I was suddenly very thankful to have friends and family with me today.

It didn't matter that we weren't having the traditional turkey dinner with all the fixings. We were supping together and sharing our lives with one another. That's what mattered most.

I am thankful to be able to have a fancy table to eat upon.
I am thankful to be able to fill said fancy table with delicious HAKKA food.
I am even more thankful that I have friends that are comfortable sharing an evening with my Mom and Dad.
I am even MORE thankful to have such cool, loving parents.

A good start to my Thanksgiving weekend. No doubt.

Moments pausing to be thankful.

Moments appreciating what I have, and who I have in my life.

Moments D501: New Friends

Today was an other day enjoying time with EQ at work.  I met a few more people (like Tony who made me my tasty wrap for lunch).  I love how easy and laid back the world here is.  I find it very interesting to watch the world around me as even a stern conversation ended with a fancy handshake and a sense of positive energy and support.  Brilliant.

As wonderful as today was, with as many moments as I experienced, from reading about raisins as a good food for heart issues (amougnst other things!), to being told I was half the age of my boyfriend (a good laugh as I'm not, but it's flattering to hear!) to riding through Old Temecula.  I have many beautiful moments to choose from today.  I am grateful for them all.

But the moment I really want to share about today is one that unveiled itself much later and connects with me on a much deeper level.  EQ and I had dinner with close friends of his.  We shared finger foods, and three bottles of delightful wines over the course of the evening.  (We started out with a sauvignon blanc from Australia (Adelaide Hills - Lameka, The Lady) followed by a chardonnay from Gary Farrell, Bacigalupi Vineyard which was very buttery and we finished up with on of EQ's favourites, a chardonnay from Frank Family vineyards.)  It was an incredible evening of flowing conversations (from amusing, to sharing life stories, to quite serious), with pretty ambient lighting in the backyard amplifying both the music and the intimate conversations.  I even had fun enjoying the energy of our guests two loving dogs.  It is easy to see why EQ respects and holds such affection for our hosts, they are a wonderfully positive couple.  All of this culminated into my moment of the day.

As our evening came to a close with our gracious hosts, we walked to the door and I felt a tap on my shoulder.  As I turned, I saw our host with a huge smile upon his face and his arms open wide for a big hug.  In that one moment, more pieces of the puzzle fell into place.  A gesture without words that spoke volumes.  What a wonderful feeling it was to be accepted into EQ's circle.  That hug was followed by one from our hostess who also told me she was looking forward to seeing me again on my next trip down.  Of course, I too am looking forward to that reunion as this evening was easy.  It felt typical and natural.  Simply, it fit.

Moments digging deeper with new friends.

Moments looking forward to digging even deeper.

Moments D500: Shared stories

Today was a brilliant day.  It was laid back, relaxed day without much focus.  I don't have many days like that and I was happy to go with the flow.  I met a couple important to EQ's circle and before I knew it the day had turned into evening and we were off to dinner.

We were expecting another to join the four of us that was a no show but I don't think we suffered a loss in the end.  Sometimes less is more and in this case the dynamic was more intimate between the four of us.  The stories shared in this more intimate setting were ones that in a larger group would have been saved for another day.

The energy of sharing must have been thick in the air as our server for the evening, Alfonso, was also quick to share some of his stories with us.  Upon arrival, he and EQ caught up with the typical pleasantries of friends having not seen one another for some time.  As we waited for the rest of our (no show) party, Alfonso shared some of his recent hardships with us, to which we promised that we would help bring him some smiles and laughter while we were sitting at his table.

As a side bar to today's moment - dinner was delicious!  The four of us luxuriated over it and while the couple we were with took their leftovers home with them, I was a total piggie - I ate it all.    Okay - that's not entirely true.  There was (barely) some rice and beans left on my plate, but I ate 95% of my very large dinner.  It was too damn tasty to not enjoy right then and there.  Good thing I hadn't had much to eat earlier in the day!  It was delightful! ~end side bar.

As dinner came to a close, Alfonso paused after clearing our table and sat with us.  He shared a story about how he and a couple of friends had recently found themselves in a charged up situation where fists were flying.  He explained how he felt about that, what he was hoping to do to rectify the situation and suggested that additional violence might be best.  EQ & I were of the mindset to gently remind Alfonso that leaving well enough alone is sometimes the best course of action.

After 10 minutes or so, Alfonso took his leave and the four of us were looking quizzically at one another.  What had just happened?  Why had it happened?  Questions that will never be answered, however, what was obvious was that Alfonso needed to talk and share his frustrations.  Apparently our table was a safe outlet for that.  I was more than happy to share my energy with Alfonso and help him find some peace in the day.  In the end, while a bit strange, it was also kinda cool that he shared with us.

Moments sharing intimate stories.

Moments inspiring others to do the same.  (even if accidentally!)

Moments D487: Old Haunts

Today was a very special day because my bestie from Haliburton came down to visit.  Not only was Hawk down to visit me, she was also headed home-home to Welland to spend the weekend with my family and was going to meet the man I love.  What an exciting weekend planned!

Today's moment, however, was dinner with Hawk at Fusilli, an area favourite and one that Hawk and I once frequented quite often.  Giuseppe, the owner, was very excited to see Hawk again and he sat with us for awhile as we enjoyed our first glass of wine and appetizer.   We also did a round of photos.  Giuseppe and I, Giuseppe and Hawk, Hawk and I.  It was all quite amusing and silly.  So much fun with many laughs, tasty dinner and delightful company.  Giuseppe was so happy to see us that he even gave us a complimentary cappuccino, which, in the end, with terrible traffic, made us late into Welland.  (EQ arrived before us!)  Still, it's hard to say no to such hospitality!

So today's moment is celebrating old haunts with an old dear friend.  A great way to start a very exciting, life changing weekend.

Moments with friends and food.

Moments eager to start the weekend.

Moments D418: Friends meeting friends

Some of the best times in my life is when one group of friends meet up with another group of friends. Tonight was one of those nights where two of my worlds collided. It was fantastic. Shared stories and laughter over a most delightful mean and then pictures and videos (with more laughter!) later on. I loved sitting on the deck, watching the moon cross the sky as we enjoyed our wine and conversation by candlelight.

Moments of great food, best friends and new friends.

Moments D375: New Neighbourhood Spots

I’ve lived in my neighbourhood for a year and three months. I really haven’t taken a lot of time to explore my new area. I’m not entirely sure why I haven’t ventured out. A part of it would likely be that I spent a lot of time last summer on the beach playing volleyball or on the field playing baseball. There really weren’t many nights that I was home or weekends where I could lazily walk around.

But tonight, a friend and I decided to check out one of the neighbourhood restaurants. So small that it doesn’t have its own website. We were delightfully surprised by Melange. The service was incredibly friendly. The food was delightful. It was obvious that they used fresh, quality ingredients. The chef popped out to make sure that our appetizers were good. He popped out again to check on our mains.

It’s always a lovely surprise when you try a new restaurant that doesn’t look so amazing and it turns out to be just that: AMAZING.

I’ll definitely be back to Melange and I look forward to telling everyone I know just how incredible it was. It also reminds me to get out there and explore my “hood” a little more this coming summer!

Moments taking a risk.

Moments of pleasant surprise and tasty food.

Moments D362: Kale Chips

Today my day started earlier than normal for a weekend. I thought I might sleep in, but it was about 5:30-6am when I woke. But, today was the first day in many weeks (dare I say months?) that I didn't have an agenda for the day. Nowhere to be, nowhere to go. No real errands that had to get done. I had nothing pushing or pulling me. And so, I lounged in bed. I read, and later I pulled out my laptop and watched the final episode of a bad (I can’t even share the name I'm so embarrassed by it!!) reality show. And then at 9:30am, I finally shook myself out of bed.

It was that moment that I decided I was going to get myself back into some kind of routine. The last few months haven’t been good for routine. Too many tasks and not enough time. I’ve been trying to steal time from here and there to get it all done. Truly, the fact that I forgot to update my license plate sticker AND I missed the date on concert tickets a couple of weeks ago only goes to show just how crazy things have been. Now that school is done (for the next two weeks at least) and that my personal life feels more under control in general and that I nearly have things caught up at work, it’s time to set myself some new routines and get back to a few old ones.

So, I vowed to myself today, that I was going to kick up the health and fitness routine once again. (It’s been lagging along with much due to my lack of time!) Today was going to be a day where I picked up groceries for the week (yes I planned my entire week!). The big decision: I was going to juice some very healthy juices and I was going to get a workout in. If you are curious, I did the following: (1) Carrot, Orange (2) Carrot, Beet, Ginger (3) Carrot, Beet, Ginger, Lemon (4) Kale, cucumber, Lemon, Ginger (5) Kale, celery, Lemon, Ginger, apple

And so, I did all of that. I know, not a very “lazy” day, but it was an unstructured day and that’s nearly the same for me. (Besides, later on I was lazy as I played Bioshock2 for a just over an hour as I waited for dinner to cook!)

But the interesting part of my day, my moment today, was the last minute decision to make kale chips. My girlfriend from work was raving about them and I had picked up kale to juice. The kale bunches were on sale, so I actually picked up two while I was out shopping. It wasn’t until I was done juicing (and all my glass bottles filled!) that I realized I had some left over and I was going to try this crazy idea. (Okay - not so crazy since I do love baby kale as a salad base!)

So I tried this recipe and waited for 20 minutes for them to be ready. Wow. I was not disappointed. They were crispy and salty and quite delightful, in fact, I ate the entire baking pan full in short order! I can even imagine them with a hit of cayenne pepper or maybe cumin. So very delightful. So much so, kale may be on my weekly grocery buy now! I wonder if they keep for a couple of days? I’m going to have to try that out - I’ll let you know how it goes! Do give it a try!

Moments enjoying a lazy Sunday.

Moments of surprise with a new recipe.