Rain in Summer

How beautiful is the rain!

After the dust and the heat,

In the broad and fiery street,

In the narrow lane,

How beautiful is the rain.

-Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

"One cannot think well,
love well, sleep well
if one has not dined well"

- Virginia Woolf

" A Christmas candle is a lovely thing;

It makes no noise at all,

But softly gives itself away;

While quite unselfish, it grows small."

Eva K Logue

" Christmas gift suggestions :

To your enemy, forgiveness.

To an opponent, tolerance.

To a friend, your heart.

To a customer, service.

To all, charity

To every child, a good example.

To yourself, respect."

Oren Arnold

"Merry Christmas and a Safe, Happy and Prosperous New Year for 2010."

Okonomiyaki (Japanese Savoury Pancake)

(Picture from http://www.closetcook.com/)

I found this recipe on one of my favourite food blogs http://www.closetcook.com/ . It has become a family favourite as my girls are learning Japanese at school. We love to go to the local Go Go Mart ( a little Japanese Super Market ) together to get the Dashi (Japanese Seasoning) , Okonomiyaki Sauce (Japanese Worcestershire Sauce) it is thicher and sweeter than ours, Japanese Mayonnaise and to look for Hello Kitty things. The girls love to collect things with Kitty on them. I can't tell you how yummy this pancake really is. You can add any other grated vegetables that you have. You must try it for yourself.

Okonomiyaki (Savoury Japanese Pancake)

Ingredients
1 cup flour (I used whole wheat flour)
3/4 cup dashi (or water)
1 egg
1/4 of a cabbage (shredded)
1 carrot (grated)
1 zucchini (grated)
1 green onion (chopped)
3 slices bacon
okonomiyaki sauce (or Worcestershire sauce)
mayonnaise
green onion (chopped)

Directions:

1. Mix the flour, dashi, egg, cabbage, carrot and zucchini in a large bowl.
2. Heat some oil in pan.
3. Pour in mixture and top with the bacon slices.
4. Cook on medium heat until golden brown on both sides, about 5-15 minutes per side.
5. Top with okonomiyaki sauce, mayonnaise and green onion and slice.

When turning the pancake I use a dinner plate to slide the pancake onto (cooked side). Then hold the nonstick pan over the plate and quickly flip back into pan to cook the other side. It's much easier to do it this way.

Tangy Lemon and Lime Tart.

1/4 cup lime juice, 1/4 cup lemon juice, 1/2 cup castor sugar, 1/2 cup cream, 2 eggs, ready made sweet shortcrust pastry case.

Pre heat oven to 165 degrees C. Lightly whisk lemon and lime juice, castor sugar, cream and eggs, avoid creating too many bubbles. Pre bake ready made pastry case if required. Pour mixture into pastry case and bake for around 20 minutes. Tart is ready once set in the middle, shake tray to test. Once set, remove from oven and cool before placing in refrigerator to finish setting. Dust with icing sugar to serve.