Checklist can help cheer away the winter blues - TEAM Resources

When the Christmas decorations, with all their color, are put away, our surroundings seem dull. At this time of year the nights are long and the daylight hours short. January is cold and winter well entrenched. If you feel like you’d like to be cheered from the winter blues, consider the following:

Take time to look at the beautiful, clean, white of winter, with the snow and frost all about.
The summer Sears catalogue and seed catalogues are arriving so spring must be around the corner.

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Food can play a flavourful role in fun summer activities

Recipes – popsicles are made with lactose-free milk and yogurt so are perfect for those who can’t tolerate milk, while everyoneelse will also enjoy them

Daylight hours are starting to lengthen, which means less darkness.
The seasons provide variety and spice to our lives. I can’t imagine living where the seasons are all the same, with the same temperature, same clothes, same activities, and the same scenery in spring, summer, fall and winter.
Winter can be a time to enjoy the many sports this season offers.
Not being able to be out and about as much provides time to make plans for the upcoming year, or a chance to be at home where it is warm and cozy with a good book, a craft or whatever you like to do.
Add variety to your life by trying new foods and recipes.
Winter for many of us is the best time to travel, while the growing season is at a standstill.

If you plan to travel, the government of Canada has an information service available by telephone or e-mail. For example: A passport is required for travel overseas. Passport information is available at www.ppt.gc.ca. I Declare (www.ccra-adrc.gc.ca) gives details about personal exemptions for which returning residents may qualify.

The Canadian Transportation Agency’s air travel complaints commissioner handles unresolved passenger complaints against air carriers. Information and complaint forms are available at www.cta.gc.ca. Bon Voyage, But … gives safe travel advice and the list of telephone numbers and addresses of Canadian missions around the world. It is also available at www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca by clicking on travel, then on publications.

Travel reports for 223 destinations worldwide offer up-to-date information on visa requirements, safety, security and health issues. They are available under travel and then travel reports at www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca.

The general telephone number for the over 130 government of Canada services is 800-622-6232 and the website www.canada.gc.ca.

Solanberry

Additional letters and information have arrived regarding the solanberry plant. In the Dec. 7 Western Producer, information was gleaned from several letters regarding solanberries for S.H. of Carragana, Sask. The following two letters add more insight.

Dear S.H. – Once you have them growing you will always have them and they seem to grow anywhere. They are an annual plant and bear a lot of berries. They make beautiful jam. The fruit tastes horrible off the vine. The fruit seems to make a nicer jam after it has had a light frost on it.

They don’t start to volunteer in the garden until about the second week of June and grow quickly. They transplant well and grow in a sunny location or partial shade. The Dominion Seed Catalogue had a tame variety of seed a few years ago known as garden huckleberries. I tried them but went back to the old variety of wild ones as I felt they had more flavor than the tame variety.

When my mother made the jam, her proportions were one cup sugar to one pound berries and one for the pot and let it cook slowly until it thickened, stirring often. It’s best not to hurry it up when cooking. – B.S., North Battleford, Sask.

Dear S.H. – When I was a child our hired girl brought seeds to our place. I remember my mother making jam or jelly from them. Every once in awhile I still find a plant growing in the garden, even though they have been hoed out. Last year I did have a plant and put a stake by it to mark it and watch it grow. I just wanted to taste the fruit again to see if it in fact was that old plant, and it was. I did not keep any seed, but I will watch for some to grow again this year and will keep seed from it.

Once you have it, you really would not get rid of it, ever, as this is many years since one has grown to seed here. – K.L., Laird, Sask.

Chinese noodle and mushroom soup

Soup is great on cold winter days. A favorite of many, especially my grandchildren, is instant noodle soup. This homemade recipe can be made with any thin, cooked noodles. Cook your own noodles or buy them in a cooked, dried form. The oriental-style instant noodles can also be used but discard the seasoning packets because they are high in salt. This recipe can be used as a base and add whatever vegetables or cooked meat you have on hand.

1 tbsp. vegetable oil 15 mL
2 cups sliced mushrooms 500 mL
1 tsp. minced garlic 5 mL

4 cups chicken or vegetable stock 1 L
2 cups fresh chow mein noodles or 2 packets oriental instant noodles 500 mL (3 oz./85 g each)
2 tbsp. sherry or rice wine 30 mL
1 tsp. sesame oil 5 mL
dash hot pepper sauce or hot chili oil
1/2 cup green onions 125 mL

In a saucepan, heat oil over medium heat, then cook mushrooms and garlic for two minutes.
Add stock and two cups (500 mL) water; bring to boil.
Add noodles, sherry, lemon juice or rice vinegar, sesame oil and hot pepper sauce.
Reduce heat, cover and simmer for three minutes.
Stir in green onions.

Makes four 11/4 cups (300 mL) servings.

Source: Lighthearted Everyday Cooking by Anne Lindsay, Macmillan of Canada, l991.

Prize-winning cake

Brenna Ekstrand, of Rosetown, Sask., entered her family’s favorite chocolate cake recipe in the Fry’s Cocoa Recipe of the Century Contest. The $2,000 prize helped the family attend a wedding in the United States last fall. As in past generations, when the cake was eaten at family gatherings, this cake was important again in bringing the family together.

3 cups all-purpose flour 750 mL
2 cups granulated sugar 500 mL
1/2 cup cocoa 125 mL
2 teaspoons baking soda10 mL
1 teaspoon salt 5 mL
1/2 cup vegetable oil 125 mL
2 tablespoons white vinegar 30 mL
2 teaspoons vanilla 10 mL
2 cups cold water 500 mL

Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C).
Using a fork, blend flour with sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt.
Make three wells in the dry ingredients.
Pour oil in one hole, vinegar in another and vanilla in the third.
Pour cold water over top and mix until well combined.
Put into a lightly greased 9 x 13 inch (22 x33 cm) cake pan and bake on centre rack at 350 F (180 C) for 45 minutes or until it smells good.
Insert a toothpick to test for doneness.

Makes 12 servings.