Lobster Dinner!

Lobster is one of my favourite things to eat but I only get to eat it a few times when we visit Mike's family because they're not very fresh where we are and they're ridiculously expensive. Well, our local grocery store had them on sale for a very reasonable price and they just received a huge shipment in from Nova Scotia the day we went to get them, so it doesn't get much fresher than that (here anyway). So, we indulged a bit...

There's no need to be afraid of lobsters. If you pick them up by the center of the body and hold on tight, they can't get you. They're also very easy to cook. The trickiest part about them is eating them without getting too messy, but don't worry too much about that. Clothes can be put in the washing machine, kitchens can be wiped down and, well, you can have a shower! There are many different ways to cook a lobster, but we boil ours, so the following recipe will explain how to boil a lobster.

Lobster

INGREDIENTS

2 lobsters (about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds each) - The smaller the lobster, the sweeter and tastier the meat will be

STEPS

• Half fill a large pot with hot water and bring it to a boil on the stove. Once boiling, put the lobsters directly into the water being careful not to splash hot water on yourself.

• Place the lid back on top of the pot . Once the water returns to a boil, allow the lobsters to cook for another 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prepare the rest of the meal. In our case, we set the table, make a salad and pour some beer :)
• Oh, we also make garlic butter. In a small bowl (per person), mince a clove of garlic, add 1 tablespoon of butter and microwave until the butter has melted.

• While we patiently wait for the lobsters to cook, the kitties also wait patiently. They know that they always get a little treat when we have lobster. Generally just a few scraps of claw or knuckle meat. They love it!

• When the lobsters are cooked, they will turn bright orange.

• Carefully remove them from the pot using a slotted spoon and place them on a plate.

• Using kitchen scissors, cut off the elastic bands that are holding the pincers shut. Then flip the lobster on its back and insert the tip of the scissors into the thin shell just below the tail fins. Cut the shell all the way up to the belly to make it easier to remove the tail meat.

• Then, flip them back over and get out the crackers, tear those bad boys apart and dip the meat into the garlic butter. Don't forget to put lots of paper towel on the table. You're going to need it!
• Oh, and don't forget to call the kitties for their share!

• Note, this recipe can be adjusted for more lobsters. You can easily do 4 lobsters in a large pot but you may need to add a bit more water. Cooking time remains the same.

Holiday Feasting!

We're back from spending a good part of the holiday season with family in the Maritimes. What did we do? Well, we did some cross country skiing, enjoyed each other's company, played lots of games and, of course, we ate a lot food!

Here's some of the food that we enjoyed for our Christmas dinner. The wonderful, organic turkey was done by my father-in-law. He also made the stuffing which is a recipe that came from my side of the family. My mother-in-law made the cranberry sauce. It's the best cranberry sauce I've had and I'm still trying to get her to give me the recipe! Maybe if we ask her nicely, she'll provide a guest post for us all...hint** hint**

Here's a picture of the scrumptious stuffing that I talked about earlier. The recipe will follow...

The rest of Christmas dinner involved some sweet potatoes and mashed potatoes along with some really tasty gravy. Mmmm!

And, of course, who can forget dessert?!

This wonderful yule log came from Gourmandises Avenue in Eastern Passage, Nova Scotia.

They make fantastic, professional French pastries and chocolates. They also do wedding cakes.

It was a chocolate yule log with a raspberry filling and it was absolutely delicious.

Great food, great family...that's what the holiday season is all about.

Oh, and it's not over yet...this week, we visit my family.

Now, as promised, here's the stuffing recipe:

Turkey Stuffing

INGREDIENTS

1 loaf French or Italian bread, chopped

2 cups mashed potatoes

1 package (500 grams) sausage meat (we use Maple Leaf uncooked sausage meat)

1/2 cup melted butter

1/2 cup chopped parsley

1 large onion, diced

1 teaspoon dried thyme (if using fresh thyme, use about 1 tablespoon or the leaves of 6 sprigs)

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

STEPS

• Place all ingredients into a very large bowl and mix together with hands until well blended. Insert stuffing into the neck cavity and the chest cavity of the bird. Extra stuffing may be baked in a casserole dish while the turkey is cooking.