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Haunted Ireland

31/10/2012 by Kim McGuire

It’s Halloween and the veil between the living and the dead is slowly drawing back! Tonight all across the land, ghosts and ghouls will roam freely.

In Ireland we have our share of strange and evil figures and haunted places. From Seaforth House to Loftus Hall, Friars Bush to Charleville Castle the spirits of the “other world” are out in force to frighten us.

Leap Castle in County Offaly is owned by the Ryan family. Built on an ancient Druid site, it has a history of murder and death.

Take care as you venture out tonight…the ghosts of Ireland are watching you. Happy Halloween!

Related Articles

More haunted places in Ireland at: http://blog.discoverireland.com/2011/10/irelands-most-haunted-places/

Ghost stories from Ireland at http://blog.discoverireland.com/2012/10/ghost-stories-ireland/

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Halloween and The Irish

30/10/2012 by Kim McGuire

Halloween.

Forget the candy, the costumes, the carved pumpkins.

Strip away the decorations and the slasher movies.

Take away all that is modern and what do you have?

An Irish tradition.

Yes. Halloween is an Irish tradition predating St. Patrick by more than 300 years. It arose from the Celtic fire festival called Samhain (pronounced “sow-in”) and was a celebration marking the end of the harvest period and the beginning of winter.

Being a pagan society, the Celts believed that on the eve of Samhain, the thin veil separating the living from the dead opened briefly allowing for mischief and, sometimes, anarchy. Huge bonfires were lit to keep evil spirits at bay and costumes were worn to protect people from being lifted into the “other world”. The friendly spirits of loved ones were welcomed home at this time and hazel nuts and apples were offered as enticement.

Over time, Samhain was replaced with the Christian holiday of All Hallows Eve but many of the traditions associated with the old Celtic ways remained. These customs traveled with the Irish as they emigrated away from home during the potato famine. By the late 1800’s, Halloween was firmly rooted in America as a day for dressing up and going from house to house asking for sweets or money. Then, in the mid-1990’s, as the Celtic Tiger roared its way through Ireland, the returning Irish brought back to Ireland the now popularised version of Halloween which we celebrate with ghoulish pleasure.

Today carved turnips have been replaced with brightly lit pumpkins and kids running from house to house expect candy instead of nuts and apples. Thankfully, old Irish ways die-hard and there are some remnants of the true Irish spirit in Halloween to be found. Colcannon and Barmbrack are still served at home, parades and festivals run the length of the country, and bon fires light up the chilly night air in estates everywhere.

To learn more about the Irish and Halloween, click on this video link featuring historian Joe McGowan on TV3.

For wickedly more information on haunted castles, eerily silent islands and other scary happenings around Ireland check out these sites: https://inanirishhome.com/2012/10/31/haunted-ireland/ and http://www.discoverireland.com/us/ireland-things-to-see-and-do/whats-on/listings/?l=1all&wo=999229131 and here: http://www.independent.ie/travel/travel-destinations/ten-best-halloween-treats-1502960.html?start=2

Recipe for Colcannon here: http://www.bordbia.ie/aboutfood/recipes/potatoes/pages/colcannan.aspx

For my Barm Brack recipe click here: https://inanirishhome.com/2014/10/27/halloween-irish-barm-brack/

Recipe for Barmbrack here: http://edible-ireland.com/2011/10/31/barmbrack/

Irish words and phrases associated with Halloween may be found at: http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/3Focloir/Halloween.html

To read more about Ireland and Halloween: Halloween in Ireland – GoIreland

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Irish Apples and Homemade Applesauce

26/10/2012 by Kim McGuire

Apples in Our Kitchen Garden

In our kitchen garden we have two espaliered apple trees that are nearly twenty years old. I planted them myself when we finished building our home. For all those years, our little family has had delicious, sweet, juicy red apples to enjoy. Sadly, I never wrote down the names of the trees planted…all I know is they are Irish.

Apples have grown in Ireland for more than 3,000 years. It is said that St. Patrick planted apple trees and famously planted one at Ceangoba, an ancient settlement east of Armagh. Early monastic records show that monks ate apples with their meals and Brehon Laws (dating back 1,000-2,000BC) stated clearly that cutting down an apple tree was a crime.

Today the oldest apple variety still commercially grown in Ireland is the Bramley. It’s about 200 years old. It is the one we most often use for cooking: its tartness makes it an ideal choice for baking and its size makes it easy to work with. As good as it is, however, there are other apples in Ireland worth knowing.

In 2002 a group of Irish apple growers got together and started Celtic Orchards. Their goal is to provide the local economy with the best Irish grown apples. They grow Red Windsor, Red Elstar, Jonagored, Red Prince and about twenty other types.

Buttermilk Russet Apple

In the early 90’s, the Irish Seed Savers Association started searching for the last surviving traditional Irish varieties of apples and identified over 140 types that are still growing around the country today. With names like Bloody Butcher, April Queen, Irish Peach and Peasgood Nonsuch, it’s quite entertaining to read through the list.

I wish our apples had clever names. Scratch that, I wish they just had names! Perhaps the thing to focus on is their taste. Our apples are delicious straight off the tree and they’re also good for juicing and making applesauce. At this time of year, I make a lot of both. My lovely my mother-in-law gave me her simple recipe for applesauce: apples, water and sugar – it’s that easy. This year I’ve taken the recipe one step further and added cinnamon. I’ve also started canning it.

What follows is Mama (pronounced like “Nana”) McGuire’s recipe and my instructions for canning. If you’re fortunate to have an apple tree growing in your garden or you see a well priced box of apples at the farmer’s market, I hope you’ll make your own applesauce. I guarantee that once you do, you’ll never see a need to buy it at the supermarket ever again.  Enjoy!

Homemade Applesauce

Makes 5 Quarts

Ingredients

16-18 pounds apples

4 cups water

juice of 1 lemon

1/2-1 cup sugar, to taste

1-2 tablespoon ground cinnamon (optional)

Directions

1. Prepare canner and sterilize jars by immersing in boiling water for 15 minutes. Keep jars in hot water until ready to use. Warm lids in a second pot of gently boiling water to sterilize.

2. Peel, core and cut apples into small chunks, removing blemishes and bruises.

3. In a large pot, bring apples, water, lemon and sugar to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until apples are soft or fall apart, whichever you prefer. Stir occasionally to prevent scorching.

4. Once apples are soft, taste and add more sugar, if necessary. If you like your applesauce smooth, you may pass the cooked apples through a food mill or use an immersion blender or food processor at this point. Add cinnamon, if desired. Return applesauce to pot and keep hot. It’s important keep the applesauce hot.

5. Ladle applesauce into (hot) jars, leaving 1/2-inch of headspace. (Headspace is the space between the top of the applesauce and the top of the jar.) Do not overfill jars – leaving too little headspace may cause the applesauce to leak out of jars during processing and also when you remove the jars from the canner.

6. Slide a clean plastic knife along inside of jar to force air bubbles up and out of applesauce.

7. Carefully wipe the rim of jars with a clean cloth or kitchen roll (paper towel).

8. Take each lid out of the hot water and place it, rubber gasket side down, on each jar. Remove bands from the hot water and screw onto jars until fingertip-tight. Do not over tighten.

9. Carefully place jars in canner filled with hot water (also known as a “water bath”). Do not place more jars in canner than is appropriate – jars too close together may break during the processing.

10. Add more water, if necessary, to completely cover jars by at least 1-to-2-inches. Be sure to add more boiling water during the processing time to keep the jars covered.

11. Bring water temperature up to a rolling boil, cover pot and process for 20 minutes. If you are 1,000-3,000 feet above sea level, process for 25 minutes. If you are 3,000-6,000 feet above sea level, process for 30 minutes. If you are 6,000 to 8,000 feet above sea level, process for 35 minutes. And, if you are more than 8,000 feet above sea level, process for 40 minutes.

12. When the processing time is up, lift jars carefully from canner and place on a clean tea towel on the counter. Leave to cool completely – 12 to 24 hours. You will hear lids make a popping sound as the centre lid gets sucked down by the contracting air in the jar and seals. This is a very satisfying sound.

12. Test the jar lids to make sure proper sealing took place by depressing the centre of the lids. If the centre of the lid moves up and down, the jar did not seal correctly. Any jars that have not sealed properly should be stored in the refrigerator and the contents should be eaten within 1-2 weeks.

13. Properly sealed jars should be stored in a cool, dark, place for up to one year.

Notes:

1. If applesauce leaks out of a jar during the processing or while being removed from canner, allow it to cool completely and then check seal carefully. If seal is intact, consume the contents of that jar first.

2. If there is liquid at the bottom of your jar after processing, don’t worry. This sometimes happens, just stir the contents of the jar when you open it.

3. Follow processing time for your altitude.

4. If mold grows in the headspace of your sealed jar, do not eat the applesauce.

5. If the jar does not seal properly, refrigerate the jar and eat the applesauce within 1-2 weeks.

6. Cute labels for your jars may be found at: http://www.loveandoliveoil.com/2012/09/homemade-applesauce.html or http://www.according-to-kelly.com/2010/08/mason-jar-jam-labels/ and http://gardenofeatingblog.blogspot.com/2007/12/applesauce.html

Related Articles:

How to Make Applesauce (emmycooks.com)

Applesauce – or – “We’re never buying that again!” (smallworldsupperclub.wordpress.com)

An Appetite for Applesauce (wholefoodsmarket.com)

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Birthdays and Giving the Gift of Happiness!

19/10/2012 by Kim McGuire

October is a great month! The weather is cooling down but it’s not so cold that you have to wear a coat. Candy is everywhere…along with the chance to dress up and be someone you’re not. Soup is back on the stove and on restaurant menus as a main course. And, it’s birthday season – at least for me.

So many people I know and love have a birthday in October…including me! Perhaps it’s the season of birthdays, and the chance to celebrate, that makes me offer you the video clip link below so you too can remember why every year, no-every day, is an opportunity for happiness. You know the old saying…everyday is gift!

Click on the link. Watch the video. Be happy. If you’re a guy, send it to your favourite gal and make her happy. Send it out to all the women in your life. There’s nothing like giving or receiving the gift of happiness.

Go on…you know you want to!

http://www.upworthy.com/finally-pictures-of-gorgeous-women-that-make-you-feel-better-about-yourself-inst?g=2

 

P.S. Thanks Niamh for passing this video along to me!

Posted in Share the Joy | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments »

In an Irish Home Turns One

18/09/2012 by Kim McGuire

It’s official: In an Irish Home is ONE! 52 posts and nearly 10,000 visitors in the first year is pretty good given I had absolutely no idea where this project would go when it began.

What I did know from day one was three things: 1) I wanted an outlet for writing and receiving feedback; 2) I needed to create something outside the realm of mum and wife; and 3) being a committed plan-aholic, I craved a distraction from the growing realisation that our oldest daughter will soon be leaving home (yes, I know it’s still 5+ years away).

A few magazines offered me column space but I’d been down that road before and the deadlines, directed copy, and little or no interaction with readers left me wanting something more intimate and flexible. The blogosphere seemed an ideal fit for all my needs. But how?

The “how” question was overwhelming at first.

How do you start a blog? How do you build a following? How do you know what to write? How do you decide on a blog publisher? How, how, how?!

For a few months I played with ideas and read other blogs. In the end, against “traditional” blog thinking of niche writing and branding, I launched into writing about the things I love (cooking, family, Ireland, gardening and traveling) and decided the rest would sort itself out.

Luckily, things have been great. I settled on WordPress to host this blog and LOVE it! I learned to embed video into a post. I figured out how to use Flickr Creative Commons. I reached out to people I never would have called on. I picked up my Nikon D80. And, I met some lovely, encouraging, people from all over the world.

It’s been a fun first year but there’s still so much room for improvement. For example, my photos are pretty wretched. Somehow I’ve got to learn to use the camera “properly”. Also, I have to write more authentically. The subtitle of this blog is, “What Life is REALLY Like Behind the Hall Door”. So many times I’ve wanted to write about an experience and haven’t because I was afraid of the repercussions. Living in a small community, and having a big voice, can come back to haunt you.

Thankfully, there’s always next year…wait…that’s this year. Oh well, we’ll see what the next twelve months bring.

In the meantime, I hope you will continue this journey of adventure, living between Ireland and America, cooking, raising a family, gardening organically, and traveling with me. Your company is uplifting. Your feedback is motivating. Thank you. Thank you!

And finally, in celebration of a successful first year, here’s a recipe for Rocky Road Biscuits from Avoca Handweaver’s Tea Time cookbook. These more-ish chocolate treats are worthy of any special occasion and they’re absolutely a doddle to make. Enjoy.

Rocky Road Biscuits

Makes 12-15

Ingredients

480g milk chocolate, broken into pieces (I used a combination of dark and milk chocolate)

100g digestive biscuits (works out to be 7 McVitie’s or 7 Graham Crackers)

2 cups marshmallows/80g to 100g (if using large ones, cut them in half)

¾ cup/80g shelled hazelnuts, skinned and toasted

Directions

1. Place the chocolate in a bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water. Melt slowly, stirring occasionally.

2. Line a lightly greased Swiss roll tin with parchment paper.

3. Roughly break up the biscuits by hand and put in the bottom of the tin.

4. Dot half the marshmallows and all of the hazelnuts around the biscuits.

5. Pour the melted chocolate over the top, and shake the tin to get an even mix.

6. Dot with the remaining marshmallows over the top.

7. Chill in the fridge until just set. Remove and cut into squares using a sharp knife.

Posted in Recipes | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments »

Playful Pupcakes…Too Dog Gone Cute

07/09/2012 by Kim McGuire

The Family Circle magazine cover that inspired a day of baking.

I know…I know, it’s not ideal to take long breaks from writing posts but {oh my} our summer has been such fun and I haven’t had a moment to write. From cruising to camping, and even some stand up paddle boarding in the Irish Sea, it’s been go…go…go. Finally the kids have just gone back to school which means things are finally slowing down. My head is screaming, “write girl, write”! So I guess that’s what I have to do…hold on folks, it’s back to life in the Irish fast lane!

This weekend my eldest decided she wanted to have a friend sleep over. Check. Then she and her friend decided they wanted to do some baking. Check, check! Whenever my eldest is willing to step into the kitchen, for something other than dinner, I get a little thrill. She’s not the “cooking” type (not yet anyway) and I want to encourage her as much as possible, even if afterwards it means my kitchen looks like a bomb struck.

The homemade version!

The baking challenge the girls took on was recreating adorable cupcakes inspired by those on the cover of Family Circle magazine in April 2008. Yes, I keep magazines forever but THIS is exactly why…you just never know when a picture or article will inspire a moment. The girls saw these playful cupcakes and knew they had to make them.

Being kids, the girls dispensed with the directions immediately. First and foremost, they wanted to have fun. Second, I was told making cupcakes from scratch would take too long. Third, they just wanted to “do their own thing”! Check, check, check. The girls wrote their shopping list, got some cash from Dad, jumped on their bikes and cycled to the local supermarket for some ingredients. An hour-and-a-half later, they made it home with smiles on their faces (remember when grocery shopping used to make you happy?!) and started baking.

Recipe from Family Circle 2008

The afternoon passed with the smell of vanilla wafting through the air and the sound of laughter and “girl-talk” flowing easily. It didn’t matter that a quarter of the cupcakes looked more like messy mutts than pretty pupcakes. What was most important was two young friends spent time in the kitchen and had a ball. I think you’ll agree the results were pretty sweet.

Recipe – The picture (left) is from Family Circle magazine. If you click on the image, you can read it more clearly. The article was inspired by the book Hello, Cupcake! by Karen Tack and Alan Richardson. If the recipe seems long, by all means “wing it” as my daughter did and use the photos from the article for inspiration.

Related Bits & Bobs to Inspire You:

Website and idea extravaganza from Karen Tack and Alan Richardson, creators of The New York Times bestseller Hello Cupcake – http://www.hellocupcakebook.com/Hello_Cupcake_Book.html

Hello, Cupake!…The App – http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/hello-cupcake!/id463891492?mt=8

Video Interview with Karen Tack, author or Hello Cupcake!, What’s New Cupcake?, and Cupcake, Cookies and Pie, Oh My! –http://www.marthastewart.com/search/apachesolr_search/hello%20cupcake

Cupcakes in Dublin, Ireland at A Cupcake Review (greenseggsandhamstrings.wordpress.com)

How to Frost Cupcakes http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/03/frosting-cupcakes_n_1846665.html

Nutella Cupcakes http://blogs.babble.com/family-kitchen/2011/05/06/nutella-cupcakes-with-nutella-buttercream/

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A Family Day in Dubrovnik

25/07/2012 by Kim McGuire

Yesterday was a day of absolute wonder. Despite the heat, we took the children into the walled city of Dubrovnik and had great fun doing the simplest of things.

The Old City of Dubrovnik Coming into View

First we took a water taxi ride 10 km up the coast from our hotel to the Old Harbor of Dubrovnik. The six of us, the triplets mostly slept, watched in awe as rugged cliffs and an azure sea gave way to a stone fortress and a village teeming with people.

The Harbour and Boats

After walking through one of the ancient archways surrounding the city and rounding a corner, we immediately found ourselves on the main square of Luza. From there it was an easy walk to some of the best sites including the Rector’s Palace, the Cathedral and its Treasury, the Sponza Palace and the Dominican Monastery.

The Cathedral & Treasury

Entrance to Sponza Palace

In need of a break, we stopped for ice cream on the Stradun. With a colourful array of flavours to choose from the difficulty came in picking just one from the artfully presented mounds behind the glass case. In the end I went for my favourite, lemon sorbet, but the sour cherry was very tempting!

Cones for Ice Cream

Cooled and reenergized, we strolled further down the Stradun. The beautiful street is lined with Baroque buildings and is home to many churches, restaurants and shops. We came upon several interesting high-fashion stores including Max Mara, Marella, Dubrovačka Kuća, Maria, Michal Negrin and Ronchi to name but a few. And there were some local street entertainers who kept us enthralled as we walked.

Street Entertainer & His Birds

The afternoon heat did not let up and we were very thankful to find communal drinking fountains, like Onofrio’s Great Fountain which is next to the church of St. Salvation and Onofrio’s Small Fountain at the other end of the Stradun near the Bell Tower. With it’s large dome and sixteen taps going right-the-way-round, the Great Fountain is an ideal respite for those wishing to cool off and refill water bottles. The Small Fountain, whimsically decorated with playful dolphins, is equally lovely.

Onofrio’s Small Fountain

For an early dinner, we ate at a restaurant called Olivia Gourmet (address: Cvijete Zurzoric 2, tel: +385-(0)20-324067). It’s a very relaxed place, with a modern decor, and serves Italian-style food in both an indoor and outdoor setting. The Olivia Pizzeria is right next door and the owners graciously allowed us to order pizza for the five hungry children while we adults enjoyed fresh octopus salads and a bottle of local wine. After dinner the nine of us strolled casually back towards the Old Harbour through tiny streets where people live, work and play.

A Tiny Lane Around the Corner from Olivia Gourmet

As the day came to an end, we weary visitors climbed aboard our water taxi and headed back to the Radisson Blu Hotel. Everyone, even our youngest, had a great day in Dubrovnik.

Eight of Our Nine – All Exhausted but Happy

Related articles

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Visiting Croatia

22/07/2012 by Kim McGuire

Pozdrav iz Hrvatske! (Hello from Croatia!)

Yes, Croatia…Dubrovnik to be exact. It’s been a busy month. Come to think of it, is there such a thing as a slow month? Since my last post, our little Irish family has been to Arizona, Minnesota, Ireland and now Croatia. We’ve relaxed, exercised, gone to cooking school, been attacked by mosquitoes the size of Texas, visited with family and friends, been doused by Irish rain and sizzled under the Croatian sun. It’s been a roller coaster month but it’s been great!

The four of us, along with my brother-in-law, his wife, and their 18 month-old triplets, left Dublin six days ago for a sun holiday and boy what a sun holiday we’re having! It’s hot here, really hot! I’m talking the kind of heat that makes you sweat when you’re standing still! Thankfully the hotel has four swimming pools and access to a pristine beach so, once you’ve jumped into the water and gotten a lounge under an umbrella, it’s gorgeous.

Why Croatia, you ask? Quite simply, my lovely husband has been coming here for a few years on business and has always expressed an interest in bringing us along…this year he got the chance.

Croatia is what Turkey, Spain and Portugal were like many years ago, before they became over run by tourism. The countryside and islands are not spoiled by cheap holiday-home complexes and tacky fish-and-chip shops. There are no gangs of foreign-and-drunk-young-ones running amok. And, while it lacks the sophistication of the Riviera, Italian or French, it’s still magical.

The locals are friendly, the homegrown wines are good, the seafood is “plucked from the sea fresh” and don’t get me started on the ice cream…it’s so good. I’m glad my husband was finally able to bring us.

As for our hotel, I wish I could say this is the best place for all families but it’s really not. We’re staying at the Radisson Blu Resort and Spa, a 5-star hotel located about 10km outside the walled city of Dubrovnik. On face value it is excellent. There is a small Konzum (the equivalent of an Irish Spar or an American mini-mart), several restaurants, an ice cream parlor, two children’s pools, four adult pools, a beach and marina, a spa, two gyms, a kids’ club, a market area for picking up trinkets, and apartments, which the Radisson calls “Residences”.

Sounds wonderful, I know, but if you’re a family staying in one of the residences, which typically a family with several children would do, the downsides are many. For example, the complex is laid-out horizontally, not vertically, so there is a great deal of walking involved just going from the accommodation to a pool, restaurant or other elsewhere. There are, and I kid you not, literally hundreds of steps and only one lift (elevator), which is located over at the hotel. If you have a pram (stroller) be ready for a ten-minute walk. Children under three must be supervised by a parent in the kids’ club, defeating the purpose of a kids’ club in the first place. The indoor pool is “adults” only, which seems particularly cruel when the temperatures climb over 30°C/90°F. There’s the fact you have to be 16 or older to use the gyms. There isn’t an English magazine or newspaper to be found anywhere. There is no chemist (pharmacy) on site or a shop selling pharmaceutical basics. And, lastly, the only English-language television stations are news oriented.

Don’t get me wrong, our little family are having a terrific time. We came prepared
with Calpol and bug spray, an iPad and laptop loaded with entertainment,
sun hats, and light-weight clothes. Also, our children are old enough to take
the heat and walk long distances without complaining. Unfortunately my in-laws, with their young triplets, are not having the same kind of holiday. With our help, they are lugging around two prams, a single and a double, and all the necessary baby accoutrements to the pool and back, and the restaurants and back, several times a day. They have had to hire a service to take them into Dubrovnik to get nappies (diapers) and formula. They have had to sit with the toddlers in the kids’ club (even with our children helping out) and haven’t been able to spend much time by the pool because of the heat.

In my opinion, the Radisson Blu needs to make some changes in order to truly be considered “family friendly”, especially given the prices they charge for the residences. If any of us were coming back to this area of Croatia we might stay at the Radisson again but we’d take a room in the hotel with a sitting area (living room) that comes with a pull out sofa bed. At least at the hotel there aren’t as many steps to climb and it’s not too long a walk to restaurants, the pools and the beach.

To be perfectly honest, my husband and I would really love to come back to this part of Croatia and hire a chartered gulet so we could cruise the coastline, snorkel with the kids, explore remote deserted islands, stop in bustling villages at will and truly get to know Croatia better. Maybe next year…

Tomorrow the nine of us are exploring the walled city of Dubovnik!

Related Articles:

A blog fully dedicated to Croatia, especially the Dalmatian  coast: http://secretdalmatia.wordpress.com/

A useful resource for anyone about to visit Croatia: http://essenceofdubrovnik.com/

An insider view of Croatia at: http://www.croatiaonline.blogspot.ie/

A glossary of fish names and English translations that will be helpful to anyone about to visit Croatia: http://suite101.com/article/help-with-the-names-of-fish-in-restaurants-in-croatia-a350085

A short article in Esquire about what Anthony Bourdain ate when he visited Croatia, along with a recipe for grilled sardines that looks delicious: http://www.esquire.com/blogs/food-for-men/anthony-bourdain-sardines-8334870

A website for learning more about Croatian Wines: http://winesofcroatia.wordpress.com/2012/05/20/wines-of-croatia-news-round-up-for-may-20-2012/

Posted in Trips/Holidays | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments »

Dinner for One: The Perfect Omelet and a Simple Spinach Salad

09/06/2012 by Kim McGuire

Tonight, in this Irish Home, my lovely family is out. I am alone and the feeling is…delicious!

It’s been a hell of a week, I don’t mind telling you. The school year has come to an end and, as is always the case, the last five days have been utter chaos. Final exams, sports days, music recitals, choir concerts, art shows, teacher meetings, desks cleared, books and everything imaginable brought home for sorting and cleaning – wshew. All you Dear Readers who have children understand that this is only the beginning of the end of school madness!

My shoulders are tight. My head hasn’t stopped pounding for two days. Oh, I need this night to myself…if only as a reward for getting our family through another successful school year. Yes, school is out, bring on summer.

So what is the perfect dinner for one? For me, on this evening, it is a light omelet and a simple spinach salad.

And that is exactly what I made tonight, with the help of Alice Water’s The Art of Simple Food cookbook. I set a pretty table in the back garden just for myself. I poured a virgin Rhubarb & Mint Mojito. I lit the candles in my Tipperary Crystal holders and cut lilacs fresh from the tree to complete the picture. With some soft music playing in the background, I dined alone and finally started to unwind.

Tomorrow is the first day of summer in our Irish Home. After a good night sleep (and this evening to myself), I’ll be ready. Hope you are too!

Omelet with Mushroom, Spinach, Tomato and Manchego

Serves One

Ingredients

2 eggs, cracked into a medium bowl

2 tablespoons chopped tomato (no seeds)

1 brown mushroom, sliced

8 spinach leaves, roughly chopped

2 tablespoons Manchego, grated

1 tablespoon butter

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Prepare all the ingredients and have ready before starting to cook.

2. Preheat a six-inch heavy or nonstick pan for 3 to 5 minutes over medium-low heat. When the pan is completely heated, add the butter.

3. While the butter is melting and foaming, beat the two eggs with a fork. Do not beat the eggs into a completely homogenous mixture, just beat until well combined. Grind pepper into the eggs as desired.

4. When the butter stops foaming, add a pinch of salt to the eggs, mix quickly, and pour into the hot pan.

5. Turn the heat up to medium. As the egg begins to set, pull the edges towards the center with a spatula, allowing uncooked egg to flow over the exposed bottom of the hot pan and cook.

6. When most of the egg is set, sprinkle the tomato, spinach, mushroom and cheese over the top. Cook for a moment to heat the cheese. Fold the omelet in half over itself and slide onto a plate. Serve immediately with the spinach salad below.

Spinach Salad

Serves One

Ingredients

a handful of spinach leaves, torn

1/2 tomato, sliced and deseeded

1/2 avocado, sliced thinly

red onion, thinly sliced, to taste

1/2 teaspoon red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon good quality olive oil

salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, add the spinach, tomato, avocado and red onion.

2. Add the red wine vinegar and olive oil.

3. Crack fresh pepper and grind salt, to taste.

4. Mix well and serve immediately.

Additional Notes, Related Articles & Credit:

* Update 5/11/17: I used my garlicky marinated tomatoes in an omelet this morning and my sweet husband commented on how lovely they tasted.

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Rhubarb Mojitos with Mint

30/05/2012 by Kim McGuire

Spring has finally sprung in the Rockies and Ireland and with it has come the first new shoots of mint. The only other edible plant currently of use in our garden just happens to be rhubarb. Hmmm…mint & rhubarb, rhubarb & mint…what’s a girl to do?!

Fortunately, a few weeks ago, Caroline over at Grow It Cook It Can It  posted an article called Mint Syrup & Rhubarb Mojitos. Oh, thank you, thank you, Caroline! I believe I am saved.

Yes, with Caroline’s recipe in one hand and a few pots and pans in the other, I’ve been making mint syrup and Rhubeena (think Ribena but made with rhubarb instead of blackcurrant) every few days for the past week. The two syrups, when combined with seltzer water, some crushed mint, lime and a splash of rum (or not), make a really refreshing cocktail, just perfect for spring.

Rhubarb Mojitos with Mint a la Caroline

Makes 2

Ingredients

ice & seltzer water

2 ounces rhubeena

1 ounce mint simple syrup

6 or 7 fresh mint leaves

3/4 of a lime

1 ounce rum (optional)

Directions

Cut the lime into wedges.  In a pint glass, combine the rhubeena, mint syrup, and rum.  Squeeze the lime wedges into the glass to release the juice and then throw them right in there with everything.  Add the mint leaves.  Add some ice.  Top with seltzer water.  Mix well.

Note: If you make your own Rhubeena be sure to save the pulp…it’s delicious over vanilla ice cream.

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