Ta Da!

Graduation!

After six years of part time study and full time work I graduated this week from Douglas College. I received a Diploma in Child and Youth Counselling from the Faculty of Child, Youth & Community Studies. It was a very special day and I felt surrounded by friends and family from around the world. Here is a photo from my two wonderful friends. Harvinder is on the left and Cynthia is on the right. We`ve been friends for 21 years!! Mom took the photo and Dad (who wasn`t there) treated us all to a delicious steak dinner.

Cranberry Crackerjacks

A new cookie recipe to try. It is super tasty and I found it in the latest copy of ``Edible Vancouver``.

Cranberry Crackerjacks
1 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 cup brown sugar
3 quarter of a cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1.5 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 cups rolled oats
1 cup fine coconut
1.5 cups puffed rice cereal
1 cup dried cranberries

Notes: I used organic dried cranberries because they are larger and fresh (in the bulk section) and organic rice cereal but you can also use rice krispies.

In a large bowl combine oil,eggs, sugars and vanilla. Beat well. Combine flour, baking powder and baking soda in small bowl and gradually add to the oil mixture, stirring well. Add oats, coconut, cereal and cranberries. Mix thoroughly to combine.

Use hands to tightly pack the mixture into balls about 1.5 inches in diameter. Flatten a bit with fork dipped in water and bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. Between batches, continue to stir well, so you aren`t left with just bits of cranberries and pouffed rice at the end.

Book News!

Earlier last year I was invited to be one of three people involved with a national church book project. I was asked to be an editor of sorts to read through hundreds of blog entries and choose the best ones. I can`t remember how many exactly but I do remember it being a challenging task. I received a financial gift for the job and one amazing opportunity. Now that book has been published and I am mentioned in the introduction. It is called ``Faith in a Time of Change``. Yahoo!

Retreat

My week of study leave begins today and I am so thankful for this time to dig deep into my connection with God through reflection, prayer, silence and outdoor walks. I arrived tonight on Bowen Island, the place of sanctuary that I so love.

I am staying at Rivendell, a place of retreat up high in the mountains. I have my own room and bathroom. It`s a sacred space.Let the creativity, prayers, dreams and reflections begins....

Fairhaven

Mom and I spent the day in Fairhaven, Washington yesterday. It`s one of my favourite places to visit in the area. This isn`t surprising considering there is a bookstore, gardening shop, cooking school and pottery store. The only thing missing is a fabric shop! We had great tasting lunch in a British-styled tea room followed by a great walk in the sunshine. It was a mild and beautiful day and the ocean was gorgeous. Mom and I had a great time. The added bonus being that the border waits in both directions were just twenty minutes. Photo: Standing on the corner in front of the double decker bus. A place to visit in the summer for great tasting fish & chips.

Apple Jam

2011 has begun with vacation time! Last week I was in Toronto to visit friends and to reconnect with a city that I love. On one of the more snowy days we decided to stay at home and make apple jam using apples from around Carmen`s cabin property. I had never tasted apple jam before so it was a new and exciting thing to try. We filled two dozen jars in a matter of hours. It makes for a delicious treat on crackers or toast. Here is a similar recipe I found online so you can try it out.

Apple Jam

Ingredients:
•2 kilograms of apples, cleaned
•3 cups water
•1 lemon
•1 1/5 kilograms sugar
•1 tablespoon cinnamon (optional)

Cooking:
Wash, clean and chop apples and put them in the water with lemon juice.
Pour 1/2 kilogram of sugar in water with apples and cook them till apples soften.
Pour rest of the sugar in boiling apple mix and cook it for 10 minutes more. Stir cinnamon in apples and remove them from the heat.
Pour warm jam in clean jam jars, seal them and process for 10 minutes in boiling water bath.