Eaton’s Chicken Pot Pie and Toasted Asparagus and Cheese Rolls / April's Full Pink Moon

Happy Earth Day!

It’s been a long winter here on the prairies, and we have just gotten into double digit temperatures this past week.

Everything is a bit behind schedule, including the return of our geese.

We’re a bit late seeing greenery, but at least it isn’t a test of endurance to go outdoors.

Hope you’re enjoying Earth Day with proper Spring weather, birds and foliage.

A few years ago I posted the recipe for the Red Velvet Cake that was served in Eaton’s, a local department store.

Eaton’s was a mainstay of downtown Winnipeg, providing the complete department store experience, plus many delicious meals.

It was torn down and replaced by Bell MTS Place, an indoor arena.

A few people have asked if I had any other Eaton’s recipes.

These recipes are from the book A Store Like No Other: Eaton's of Winnipeg by Russ Gourluck, a book filled with the history of the store and its importance in Winnipeg.

It also had a few surprises. 

Apparently Eaton’s Grill Room had a slightly pudgy ghost!

The chapter The tastes of Eaton’s brought back many memories.

The introduction to the Chicken Pot Pie recipe and Asparagus Rolls says that the recipes come directly from food services manager Alan Finnbogason.

In Winnipeg the individual Chicken Pot Pies were served in oval green bowls.

The Asparagus Rolls were served, three on a plate, with a generous serving of Eaton’s own Thousand Islands Dressing in a silver sauce boat.

A meal in Eaton’s was not eaten with plastic cutlery or on paper plates.

Yes, a meal in Eaton’s was a dining experience.

But times change, and some places are just a memory now.

I hope that pudgy ghost is happy in Bell MTS Place.

Hints:

About the Chicken Pot Pie:

If you have chicken stock you can use 4 Cups of that instead of the water and chicken soup base mixture.

You can also use the puff pastry that can be found in the frozen food section.

These notes weren’t mentioned in the book, but they answer a few questions:

Tuck the crust into the ramekins or casserole and pinch the edges against the sides of the dish. 

Place the ramekins on a baking sheet. The casserole doesn't need a baking sheet. 

Cover the pie(s) loosely with aluminum foil before placing in the oven. 

Check the pie(s) a few minutes before the end of baking time. If the crust isn't browning properly, remove the foil and continue baking.

Bake until the crust is golden brown and crusty: 18-20 minutes if using ramekins, 25 to 30 minutes if using a large casserole.

About the Toasted Asparagus and Cheese Rolls:

Some people add a bit of garlic.

A few people insist that sandwich bread is better than regular bread in this recipe.

In a rush? You can use processed cheese spread and/or canned asparagus.

The rolls can also be served with a spritz of lemon.

                        Chicken Pot Pie 

6 servings

Heat in a medium pot

4 Cups water

Stir in

1 - 1 1/2 Tablespoons chicken soup base

Place in a dutch oven

1/3 Cup margarine

Heat over low heat.

Add

3/4 Cup carrot, sliced

3/4 Cup onions, chopped

3/4 Cup celery, sliced

Cook a few minutes.

Stir in

1/4 Cup cornstarch

Stir in

the heated chicken stock

Bring to a boil.

Add

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon savoury

1/4 teaspoon basil

3/4 Cup green peas

Place cooked chicken in 6 ramekins or a large casserole.

Cover with sauce, mix, then top with raw pastry.

Bake at 350º F 

Bake until the pastry is browned and the contents are heated thoroughly.

                        Toasted Asparagus and Cheese Rolls

Cut the crusts from one large fresh loaf of bread and cut into 3/4 inch slices.

Place a slice of good quality cheddar cheese, sliced thin, on each slice of bread and place some butter and a fresh asparagus spear in the centre of each slice.

Roll each bread slice and hold it together with a toothpick and place them on a cookie sheet.

Add a bit of melted butter to the top of each slice and place under a broiler for 2 minutes, or until golden brown.

Remove toothpicks and serve with Thousand Islands Dressing.

About the sky, thanks to the folks at The Farmers' Almanac…

Hope you enjoyed the Lyrid meteor showers this weekend. Its meteors are often bright. The Lyrid meteor shower has been observed for more than 2,600 years; Chinese records say “stars fell like rain” in the shower of 687 B.C. Quite spectacular displays have also been witnessed at least a dozen times since. These meteors are the dust left behind by Comet Thatcher, which visited the inner solar system in 1861.

If you missed them, don’t fret. They return every April when Earth passes through the dusty tail of the Comet Thatcher, consisting of debris traveling at 110,000 mph, disintegrating as ‘fireball’ streaks of light when they hit the earth’s atmosphere.

April 22 - First Quarter Moon, 5:46 p.m. In this phase, the Moon looks like a half-Moon in the sky. One-half of the Moon is illuminated by direct sunlight while the illuminated part is increasing, on its way toward full.

April 29 - April's Full Pink Moon will be astronomically full at 8:58 p.m. In this phase, the visible Moon is fully illuminated by direct sunlight. Though the Moon is only technically in this phase for a few seconds, it will appear full for about 3 days. This is the first full Moon of the spring season.

Safeway Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake by Margaret Ullrich

I notice that the post for Eaton’s original Red Velvet Cake is currently among the top posts, both for the week and the month.

I posted that recipe in January, 2014.

It’s a sentimental favourite for anyone who remembers Eaton’s Department Store in all its retail glory.

Eaton’s was the place that gave us a bit of warmth every winter, when the staff would “Uncrate the Sun”.

In the midst of a -40º C Canadian winter, we could escape to exotic places like Mexico and Spain for a week without boarding a plane.

Eaton’s, founded in 1869, was a department store chain that strove to be the perfect department store.

It lived by the slogan "Goods Satisfactory or Money Refunded.”

There you could find everything needed or wanted by every member of your family, including pets, and for every room of your home, including your yard and garden.

Eaton's had it all: furniture, appliances, clothes, food, books, toys, tulip bulbs.

You name it, Eaton’s had it, either on its floors or in its catalogue.

Unfortunately Eaton’s didn’t survive long into the twenty-first century.

And people still miss it.

We recently lost another store that we once thought was as permanent as the wide prairie sky - Canada Safeway Limited.

American Safeway Inc. started its Canadian subdivision with nine stores in 1929.

For almost 85 years Safeway was a major grocery chain, especially on the prairies.

It was sold on June 12, 2013 to Canada's second-largest supermarket chain, Sobeys.

And people still miss it.

Safeway, under Sobeys ownership, carries groceries, in a way.

It once could be counted on to have practically any food item you could want.

Since Sobeys took over the inventory has been changing.

Where we used to find staples such as margarine, Sobeys is now stocking bottled carbonated and non carbonated drinks.

Frozen vegetables have been replaced by frozen fried potatoes in an amazing assortment of shapes and sizes. 

French fries instead of broccoli - not exactly what moms want to serve their families.

Safeway's milk products, under the brand name Lucerne, was a mainstay.

Milk, ice cream, sour cream, yogurt, cheeses of all kinds - everyone knew that Safeway would have it.

Now, thanks to Sobeys love of bottled drinks, there isn’t room on the shelves for the items we once took for granted.

About the milk… Safeway also carried instant skim milk powder in family-sized containers, a real boon for the budget.

It seems Sobeys is trying to wean the west by selling smaller bags of milk powder.

Along with the loss in savings, we lost some old favourite recipes which had been printed on the bags.

You know how it is with recipes on packages - you just take for granted that it will always be there.

A neighbour was saying how much her family missed Safeway’s coffee cake.

She wasn’t talking about anything from the store’s bakery department.

There had been a nice simple recipe on the back of the milk powder bag.

Luckily I had a copy of the recipe.

And now so do my neighbour and you.

Hints:

Don’t have walnuts? Chopped pecans or almonds also work in the recipe.

Ma also had a recipe for a coffee cake:

Anna Sultana’s Cinnamon Swirl Sour Cream Coffee Cake.

Don’t usually have sour cream in your fridge?

Then Safeway’s recipe is the recipe for you!

                        Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake

For the Cinnamon Swirl

Place in a small microwave-safe bowl

1 1/2 Tablespoons butter

Melt.

Stir in and mix until blended

1/3 Cup packed brown sugar

1/3 Cup finely chopped walnuts

1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon flour

1 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Set aside.

For the Cake

Preheat oven to 375º

Grease an 8 inch square baking pan

Place in a large bowl

2 1/4  Cups flour

3/4 Cup sugar

1 Tablespoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 Cup instant skim milk powder

Stir together.

Add

1/3 Cup vegetable oil

2 large eggs

1 Cup water

Stir until combined. The batter will be lumpy.

Spoon half the batter into the greased 8 inch square baking pan.

Sprinkle half the cinnamon swirl over the top of the batter.

Spoon remaining batter evenly over the cinnamon mixture.

Sprinkle the remaining cinnamon swirl over the batter.

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the top is well browned.

A toothpick inserted into the centre of the cake should come out clean.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

A Winnipeg Staycation by Margaret Ullrich - Margarita recipes

Is there anything that feels longer for Winnipeggers than the six weeks we have to live through while waiting for Spring to come?

Some folks wimp out and fly off for a few weeks.

They figure it’s a necessary mental health expense.

Most of us tough it out here at home.

A few years ago I posted about how Eaton’s, a Department store, would take pity on Canadians and have a sales promotion known as ‘Uncrate the Sun’ at about this time.

There’d be fancy displays and posters, as well as a few exotic dishes for us to try.

Hard to believe, but in the late 1970s we thought eating a five-cent taco was exotic fare.

Amazing what a minus 40º C week can do to a person.

Well, a little pretending can be fun.

National Margarita Day is celebrated on February 22. 

As Jimmy Buffett sang in Margaritaville: 

But there's booze in the blender

And soon it will render

That frozen concoction that helps me hang on…

It’s time to pull out the straw hats and have a staycation.

The Margarita recipe was first published in the December 1953 issue of Esquire.

Some say it was invented in 1938 by "Danny" Herrera at his restaurant Rancho La Gloria in Mexico.

He created it for former Ziegfeld dancer Marjorie King who, allergic to many spirits, enjoyed tequila.

Marjorie is a variation of Margaret, so I guess he thought the Spanish variation, Margarita, would look better on the menu.

There are a few other stories - most involving women - but I like this one.

A bit of History trivia…

The first frozen margarita machine was invented on May 11, 1971 by Dallas restaurateur Mariano Martinez. 

The machine was originally a soft-serve ice cream machine and now sits in the Smithsonian National Museum of History.

If you’d like to cook something Mexican to go with the Margaritas, here are some spice mixes you could easily make at home:

Spice Blends: Fajita, Chili, Taco Seasoning Mixes 

Crushed Red Pepper / Homemade Chili Seasoning Mix and Taco Seasoning Mix 

It’s National Chili Day on February 25… Celebrate!!   

You could also offer your guests a choice by making a Piña Colada or two.

That drink also inspired a song.

Hints:

Margarita can be served shaken with ice (on the rocks), blended with ice (frozen margarita), or without ice (straight up).

Use glasses ranging from cocktail and wine glasses to pint glasses and schooners.

The drink is traditionally served in the margarita glass, a stepped-diameter cocktail glass that looks like an inverted sombrero.

In formal settings margaritas are served in a cocktail glass, while in informal settings, particularly with ice, margaritas may be served in an old-fashioned glass.

Besides Cointreau, other orange-flavoured liqueurs that might be used include Grand Marnier, Gran Gala, other brands of triple sec, or blue curaçao (for the blue margarita).

Alternate fruits and juice, such as mango, peach, strawberry, banana, melon, or raspberry, can also be used in a margarita. 

It’s traditional to prepare the glass in this way:

Place salt in a smal bowl.

Rub the rim of the glasses with a lime slice.

Dip the rim of the glasses in the salt.

Set aside.

                        Margarita, as in Esquire magazine, December 1953

Pour over crushed ice

1 ounce tequila

Dash of Triple Sec

Juice of 1/2 lime or lemon

Stir and carefully pour into prepared glass.

                        Margarita ll

Pour into a blender or shaker with crushed ice

7 ounces tequila     

4 ounces Cointreau    

3 ounces lime juice 

Blend or shake very well until smooth.

Carefully pour into the glasses, taking care not to dislodge any salt.

Garnish with 

a lime slice

About the moon and sky next week…

According to the Farmers Almanac:

February 22 – February’s Full Snow Moon at 1:20 p.m. Learn how it got its name in this short Farmers’ Almanac video.

On February 22 Jupiter shines as a brilliant silvery “star” in Leo low in the eastern sky as evening twilight is ending. Jupiter will arrive at opposition to the Sun on March 8th and thereafter will now appear to climb higher in the evening sky. 

This giant planet is ready for telescopic observing by 9:30 p.m., roughly one-third of the way up from the horizon.  It reaches its highest position in the south around 1 a.m. and is heading toward its setting in the west after sunrise.

February 23 – Look to the east in the evening and see Jupiter sitting just 2° to the upper left of a nearly-full Moon.  Usually when the Moon is this bright, it will overwhelm most stars that are this close to it, but not Jupiter.  

Please don’t call the local radio station to say you’ve seen a UFO!

February 29 –  Castor and Pollux, the brightest stars of Gemini are nearly overhead at around 9 p.m.

Anna Sultana’s Magic Cookie Bars - Harvest Moon, Super Blood Moon & Total Lunar Eclipse!

A few days ago I suggested buying a box of crushed graham cracker crumbs to make Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars.

I mentioned that you’ll use them.

Got an email asking where else the crumbs can be used.

I understand… the bills came in from summer vacation trips and back-to-school purchases.

You want to know these crumbs won't just sit on the shelf and gather dust.

Okay…. the graham cracker crumbs can also be used in the following recipes: 

Carmela Soprano's New Jersey Cheesecake

Carmela Soprano's Tortoni

Sweetened Condensed Milk Cheesecake 

Sweetened Condensed Milk Pie with Fruit Cocktail 

Ma also had another recipe that uses crumbs which she had discovered by mistake.

Pop’s mistake, not her mistake.

She had asked Pop to pick up a few things from the local A & P.

Just some prepackaged and canned stuff.

How much trouble could he get into looking for that kind of stuff?

She wasn’t asking him to pick through the fresh produce.

Pop went to the store and got directions for where the canned milk was kept.

He went to the aisle and looked around.

Then he knew he was in trouble.

Ma’s list had made perfect sense to her.

She had written “2 cans milk”.

By that she meant two cans of evaporated milk.

Did you see Michael Keaton in the 1983 movie Mr. Mom?

Do you remember when he asked the deli lady for some cheese and ham?

What could've been simpler?

Remember Keaton's expression and mounting panic when he was listening to the clerk as she rattled off all the different kinds of cheese and ham?

I guess his wife had written the same kind of list.

Well, 20 years before Mr. Mom came out Pop had the same kind of problem.

Ma had written what was to her a clear list.

Pop could read her writing.

The list was pretty straight forward.

Who knew there was more than one kind of canned milk?

This was in the 60s.

Pop couldn’t whip out a cellphone to ask for further instructions.

He grabbed a can of evaporated milk and a can of sweetened condensed milk.

Pop was a glass half full kind of guy.

One of them had to be the right can of milk, right?

Ma just gave him The Look when she saw the sweetened condensed milk.

It wasn’t worth a fight or a second trip to the store just to exchange it. 

Ma was also curious about the recipe that was on the label.

So she put the can in the cupboard.

After a few weeks she gave the recipe a try.

She used what she had and, after adding a few of her special touches, a new family favourite was born.

Hints:

Want less crust?

Use

1 1/2 Cups graham cracker crumbs

1/2 Cup butter or margarine, melted

The can of sweetened condensed milk I’m using in this recipe is 300 mL.

That’s 10 ounces or 1 1/4 Cups.

You can use either regular or low fat sweetened condensed milk.

If your store carries a sweetened condensed milk that comes in a different sized can, that's not a problem.

Just measure what you need or adjust your dry ingredients to keep in proportion.

Ma would use what she had - sometimes more chocolate if she was short on nuts.

It’s a forgiving recipe.

The original recipe called for pecans.

Ma usually used chopped walnuts.

Peanuts are good, too.

The original recipe called for semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Ma used other kinds of chocolate, too.

I remember one Christmas when she used only white chocolate and added a layer of chopped maraschino cherries on top.

They were quite pretty for the holidays!

The temperature given is for a metal pan. 

Bake at 325º F if you’re using a glass pan.

                        Magic Cookie Bars

Line a 9" x 13" pan with aluminum foil 

Have a generous overhang so you can lift it out of the pan.

Preheat oven to 350º F

In a medium bowl combine

2 Cups graham wafer crumbs

3/4 Cup butter, melted

Spread in prepared pan.

Pour evenly over the crumb crust

1 can sweetened condensed milk

Sprinkle over the milk covered crumbs

1 1/3 Cups chopped nuts (optional)

1 Cup butterscotch chips (optional)

1 1/3 Cups chocolate chips

1 1/3 Cups flaked coconut

Press down firmly.

Bake 30 minutes, until lightly browned.

Let cool 5 minutes in the pans.

Remove from the pan.

Cool thoroughly and cut into bars.

Store covered at room temperature.

About the moon this weekend…

According to the Farmers Almanac:

On September 27 we’ll see a Full Harvest Moon!

The Moon is also at its closest point to Earth.  It's only 221,870 miles from Earth.

The absolute closest that the Moon can come is 221,400 miles from Earth. 

This makes this full Moon an official super moon.  
It will look up to 14% larger and be up to 30% brighter than a normal full Moon.

It’s called the Full Corn Moon or Full Harvest Moon because it marked when corn was supposed to be harvested by Native Americans. Corn, pumpkins, squash, beans, and wild rice, the chief Indian staples, are now ready for gathering.

Learn why it’s called the Harvest Moon.

In two years out of three, the Harvest Moon comes in September.  But in some years it occurs in October. 

Farmers can work late into the night by the light of this Moon. Usually the full Moon rises an average of 50 minutes later each night, but for the few nights around the Harvest Moon, the Moon seems to rise at nearly the same time each night: just 25 to 30 minutes later across the U.S., and only 10 to 20 minutes later for much of Canada and Europe. 

On September 27 there will also be a total lunar eclipse!

A lunar eclipse is when the Moon passes into the Earth’s shadow. The total lunar eclipse is visible from most of North America (except Alaska and northernmost Canada) after sunset on September 27.

Living the High Life by Margaret Ullrich - Highball Recipe

Last August I posted about our quest for a Queen-sized bed.

We had searched and tested mattresses in two countries.

You’d think, after all that trouble, that we’d have found the perfect bed.

You’d be wrong.

The queen-sized, soy-based, gel-plus memory foam mattress from Sears was just fine for about two months.

Then Paul’s shoulders and hips started to hurt again.

Since Sears has a one year return policy for their mattresses we were back to testing their mattresses.

Finally Paul decided on a tempur-pedic mattress and box spring set.  

The Concord.

Yes, we were buying a mattress set and not the airplane.

Kathryn was very helpful and, within minutes, had sorted out all our paper work.

We were given a large plastic bag to wrap the mattress.

We knew the routine.

On January 18 our bagged and sealed mattress was to be exchanged for the Concord.

I’ve got to admit that Sear’s service was prompt.

We had been told to expect the delivery between noon and six p. m.

At 11:30 a. m. we received a phone call.

They’d be here within ten minutes.

No problem - we’re home 24/7.

The young men who came were the same pair who had delivered the Zed bed.

They had also removed our old set, which we had bought from Eaton's, probably a few years before our young movers had been born.

By now we were buddies.

As they removed the Zed they said there had been problems with that model.

As bedding professionals, they approved of our replacement.

Which made me feel much better.

The set even came with a welcome kit!

They did have a bit of a chuckle while they installed the new bedding.

Some comments about our needing a step ladder, or maybe a stool.

The Zed was basically a slab of foam that was eight inches high.

Perfect for me, since I am about five feet tall.

I could easily sit on it, and getting in and out was no problem.

Since Paul was the one with the comfort issues, I had let him test out the mattresses.

What was fine for him would be okay by me.

Yes, well he’s over six feet tall.

The bed is comfortable.

But I feel like the girl in the Princess and the Pea fairy tale.

The mattress and box spring combined are twenty-one inches high.
Add the frame and it's another nine inches, for a total of thirty inches.

I have to take a flying leap to get into bed.

And it takes a few minutes for my feet to touch ground when I carefully slide over the side to get out of bed.

Well, nothing’s perfect.

I miss the days when we could camp and sleep on the ground.  

Oh, well, that was another century.

We’re zipping along in the twenty-first century.

Time for a nice simple drink, like a Highball.

A little history…

Highball may refer to the fact that these drinks are served in tall glasses.

Or it might refer to the dining cars of trains powered by steam locomotives.

When the engine got up to speed the ball showed that the boiler pressure was at its high level, known as "highballing".

Whatever, it’s a nice simple drink.

                        Highball

Pour over ice cubes in a highball glass

1 1/2 ounces whiskey, scotch, brandy, rum, gin, vodka or creme de menthe

Add favourite mix and stir.

Initially the highball was made with Scotch whisky and carbonated water, known in the UK as a "Scotch and soda".

Other highballs include the gin and tonic, Seven and Seven, and Cuba Libre. 

Here’s a list of other Highball recipes.

Happy Highballing!!!

About Tuesday’s new moon in Aquarius…

According to the folks at astrology.com:

The new Moon on January 20 is also a super Moon (Close to Earth)!  

The very next day Mercury goes retrograde amid this calm, cool, and collected constellation. With the planet of communication rolling backwards for the ensuing three weeks, expect to feel the opposite of calm! 

Social media and technology are in for some major confusion during this time, so be certain to back up your data.

Interesting… 

When I posted about getting the bed it was also a Super Moon. 

It was a full moon in Aquarius which is the best lunation of the year for sexual experimentation.

No idea what this moon is supposed to do for our sex life.

Thanks to the extra height, I’m getting more exercise.

Eaton’s original Red Velvet Cake by Margaret Ullrich

When I was the mom of a preschooler back in 1984 I had a dream for my future.

This goal crystallized for me in a moment of crisis.

I was in Winnipeg's downtown Eaton's, on the third floor.

Yes, the third floor where the crystal and fine china were on display.

I had to pay a cashier and had let go of my son’s hand.

In less than a heartbeat he was racing toward the crystal and fine china department.

Of course he wouldn’t be running to anything cheap.

I ran and grabbed him just as he reached out to a crystal goblet.

Financial disaster averted.

And I had a moment, like Scarlet O’Hara had a moment, in Gone With the Wind.

You know, the moment she had at Tara just after she barfed after eating a raw carrot.

When she swore, “As God is my witness, I’ll never be hungry again.”

Believe me, I was swearing, too, but my food goal was more specific.

I was dreaming of a future when I could go to Eaton’s without hauling a child in tow.

When I could browse through the crystal without picturing a major financial disaster.

A time when I could casually stroll into the Grill Room, and order a lovely adult meal.

When I could leisurely enjoy a well prepared lunch, topped off with Red Velvet Cake.

A time that has gone with the wind, literally.

Eaton’s is gone.

It was torn down over a decade ago.

The MTS Centre is in its place.

Last week Pink performed there.

I know Pink’s received the Billboard 2013 Woman of the Year Award.

I know she puts on a really good show.

It’s just that watching Pink is not what I pictured enjoying as a senior.

Eaton’s is a memory from my past.

Luckily I still have the recipe for Eaton’s original Red Velvet Cake.

     
                                     Red Velvet Cake

Preheat oven to 350º

Grease well 3 9-inch round pans or 1 9x13-inch pan

Sift 

2 1/2 Cups cake flour

Make a paste of

2 ounces red food colouring

2 Tablespoons cocoa

1 teaspoon salt

In a bowl cream

1/2 Cup shortening

Add gradually

1 1/2 Cups white sugar

Beat until light and fluffy.

Add one at a time

2 large eggs

Beat after each addition.

Add cocoa / food colouring mixture.

Mix

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 Cup buttermilk

Combine

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 Tablespoon vinegar

Add to the buttermilk.

Add flour alternately with buttermilk mixture to the shortening,

3 dry and 2 liquid additions, stirring just enough to blend.

Mix until smooth and pour into prepared pan.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until done.

Cool cake thoroughly before frosting.

While the cake is baking, prepare

Frosting

In a saucepan place

5 Tablespoons flour

Add gradually

1 Cup milk

Mix until smooth.

Cook at medium heat until thickened.  

Remove from heat.

While the sauce is cooling, in a medium bowl cream together

1 Cup butter

1 Cup confectioners’ sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Beat until light and fluffy.

Add cooled flour mixture to the butter / sugar mixture a spoonful at a time, 

beating well after each addition.

Spread frosting over the cooled cake.

Enjoy with Earl Grey Tea in your best china cup.

Spice Blends: Fajita, Chili, Taco Seasoning Mixes - Margaret Ullrich

Years and years ago a local department store named Eaton's had an annual event.

It was meant to bring a bit of warmth to our Winnipeg winters.

They called it Eaton Uncrates The Sun.

Every year, usually in February when we were truly good and sick of winter, the managers would pick a sunny spot and try to recreate it, complete with decorations, food and cooking demonstrations.

One year they picked Mexico.

For a nickel we could try a tiny taco.  Wow!!

This was before we could find burritos in our frozen food section.

It was quite an adventure, tasting our first tacos.

For a few hours we had escaped the cold.

Okay… it didn't take much back in the 1970s and 80s.

There are packets of mixes to turn a pound of ground beef into something Mexican.

But really you can make your own for a lot less.

Chili powder, cumin, oregano.

Crushed dried red pepper, dry minced garlic, and dry minced onion.

Easy to find in the spice department.

And easy to combine.

So do it.

Fajita Seasoning Mix

4 Tablespoons chili powder

2 Tablespoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons ground oregano

1 teaspoon garlic

1 teaspoon salt

Makes a scant 1/2 Cup

Chili Seasoning Mix

2 Tablespoons flour

4 Tablespoons dry minced onion

1 Tablespoon chili powder

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon crushed dried red pepper

1 teaspoon dry minced garlic

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon ground cumin

Makes 1/2 Cup

Taco Seasoning Mix

1 teaspoon cornstarch

4 teaspoons dry minced onion 

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon crushed dried red pepper

1 teaspoon dry minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon ground cumin

Makes 1/2 Cup