Abby Girl

about me

Welcome to my world...where life is good!!

Update: October, 2009. Well...the daughter is married, the guests have gone and I am back to cleaning up my house....again!!! (There seems to be a broken theme to this!!!) It is amazing how dirty it can get when you have a revolving house load of company, especially 2 little kids under the age of 4!!! In preparation of the wedding/family reunion, I had put alot of food put down (thank you OMAC!!!)... so I probably have enough food leftover to sustain us for...at least, 2 months!!! Thanks to my friends at "Zaar, meal planning was one less thing that I had to worry about!! Merci beaucoup!!

This is our "quiet time" with our business where we do our travelling, so I am geering up for my road trips. I am going to Montreal for 2 weeks in October, Phoenix and Palm Springs in November for 2 weeks and a month in Hawaii in January. Yeah!!! I can't wait for that Hawaiian tan!!

My efforts to change old habits in regards to planning and buying foods have paid off!!! I am trying to make a conscious effort not to waste food like I have done in the past. I am planning my menus more around the grocery specials and clean up the "odds and sods" in my cupboards and freezer. I have gone through periods when I input alot of recipes onto the computer...then "life gets in the way" and I sluff off. Well, I am trying to make a decent dent into cleaning up my files and downloading them all on to this site. I just finished "Desserts" section.... so, I have a ways to go!! But, enough of that.....

I originated from an English suburb of Montreal and have lived in British Columbia, for the past 30 years...in the beautiful Fraser Valley. We are fortunate to be surounded by mountains and have Mount Baker (WA) as our focal point! I have two grown girls, who are quite particular in their likes and dislikes when it comes to food...and a brand spanking new son-in-law who will eat whatever I put in from of him...and kiss my cheek afterwards in appreciation! My dear, dear man will eat anything that I put in front of him (my honey...he is such a sweetie!) and rarely complains!!!

I simply love cooking! It relaxes me...energizes me...gets my creative juices "just a mixing"! I have dreams of creating menus for friends....I remember likes/dislikes that my friends have in regards to foods...and have set up a diary of menus I have served to them (now that is just plain weird...right??!!) I love cooking challenges! An example of a challenge is that my DH will always enquire to me whether we should invite a couple over...usually around 4:30 on the weekend and I have to do a mental check of what I have in my fridge and cupboards that would make a presentable meal. Usually what we end up is something grilled on the barbecue, veggies, dessert and if I have time...I make biscuits! I run around for 2 hours, scrambling to get things together and when friends come, everything is ready for the grill and we sit back with some wine and enjoy each other's company.

As for recipes...well, I could spend hours upon hours, just researching!!! I will admit it ...I am a recipe junkie!!! Years ago, I used to have so many recipe clippings, then spend hours sorting them out, putting them neatly into binders....and then came the computer! Well, that opened a whole new world for me!! Now I have thousands, upon thousands of recipes under specific headings so I would be able to find them fast, (yeah, right!!!!) I do have a huge collection of cookbooks and I would love to say I still collect books, but with the 'net being so readily available I haven't bought one in a while. But...when I do look at a new cookbook, it has to have at least 5 recipes in it that I want to try before I will buy it! Alot of those recipes that had intrigued me to buy the book are now sitting in my Private Files, just waiting until I get around to finally make them. I have got alot of cooking to do to even make a dent (loll)!!!

Am I addited to Zaar? Yup...in a big way!!! I absolutely love reading peoples comments and absolutely love having my recipes commented on (so bring it on!!!) I love reading that they are from Australia, Europe, somewhere USA or especially from my home country and that they have a different name for foods (what is Rocket Salad?) I love reading about their life, loves and hates. Some people really crack me up!!! When reviewing a recipe, I like to know everything about the recipe, so I that's how I like to respond in a review. How I cooked the recipe to what I served it with. Was there any complications, etc. I figure that if someone is going to take the time and effort to write a recipe, it is only be fair that I should take the time to give a decent review.

In the past, I have primarily found my recipes off the 'net....mostly Bon Appetit and Gourmet, but I found that I hated reading all the (bitchy?!) comments. I am getting more and more into Cooking Light because 1)their recipes are quite good and 2)I like reading the feedback regarding the dish. Most of the time, I read the feedback before I read the recipe.

As much as I love foods...I am finding that foods do not love me! I am food sensitive and have had to recently take drastic measures of eliminating certain foods from my diet. I just don’t tolerate any fried foods, heavy sauces, rich foods, or anything with any degree of heat (I get severe hickups). I recently had to give up caffine (tea, coffee and chocolate) and anything with large amounts of salt (chips and peanuts) and had to cut my sugar intake down. I can eat muffins, but not rich desserts. So you will find that my cooking leans towards the low fat... just because it is simple cooking at its' best. I am big on veggies, salads, fruit, grains and beans. But that is not to say that I don't occasionally treat myself to a couple bits of dessert when we go out!!

I have very sensitive skin and I find that I do not handle commercial products very well, especially soap. So about 10 years ago, I took some classes in making soaps and bath products and got hooked (in a big way) ending up with a cottage business and selling my product locally. As I am a true "bathaholic", I am always making up recipes for the bath! I get chills just thinking of scent combinations using pure essential oils!!! So if I am not cooking in the kitchen....I am mixing ingredients for bath products!!! (I can't seem to ever get out of the kitchen!!!)

So that is me! I am so glad that you came in for a visit. Drop by again as I as always updating my page!!

Happy cooking!
Abby

Favorite Foods:

I love making bisucits and usually serve them when company come over. If I have company coming for any length of time, I get my sourdough starter going and out comes the buns and pancakes. We eat loads of veggies, salads, beans and I am still trying to incorporate more fish into the diet. Living on the West Coast, we get an abundance of freshly caught salmon and oysters, so we can be very spoilt at times

We also live in a valley that is huge in the production of fresh berries...I can’t get enough of strawberries and blueberries, and I have “died and gone to heaven” when our local Peaches and Cream corn comes out.

One pet peeve I have is when it comes to rating recipes! I know I am guilty of changing recipes, but I do it out of necessity.....but, in fairness, I change things like oil which would not have a huge impact on the recipe. I have a hard time with people who rate recipes, but have not used the proper ingredients. When I try a recipe, I try to keep to the recipe as much as possible. If the recipes says “chili paste” I use that, and not substitute it for something like chili sauce. Why would you even want to rate a recipe that you have basically re-written!! Most people have got to know their own personal likes and dislikes...and if you don’t like anchovies, chilies, hot sauces, etc. why would you want to try the recipe in the first place??!!!

This is now I would rate any recipe I have tried:
5 star: This recipe rocked my world!!! Memorable!!! Top drawer!!! Mouth watering!!! Friends are wanting the recipe!!! I have to admit, I am very stingy when I give these out. So, they have to be outstanding!!! I have dreams about these recipes !!!

4 star: These are still exceptional recipes...not much/or little changes made. Family loved it!

3 star: This is a recipe where I am sitting on the fence. Did I like it or not??!! ....average...food for family nights or to use up leftover ingredients....would not serve to company.

2 star: O.K....sometimes, I goof and I really, really should have known better! Why did I try this one..possibly because it had got good ratings from elsewhere

1 star: Haven’t come across any that would go straight to the garbage bin.

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