Emily 4 Little Chef!

We have big news in our house!  Our daughter, Emily, is one of ten semi-finalists in the "Little Chef" contest for the Marilyn Denis Show, sponsored by The Little Potato Co.  About a month ago, she told me that she had seen an ad for the contest in the Co-op grocery store and the grand prize was a trip to Paris! I always have CTV on in the morning and as soon as she said it, I remembered that I had heard the commercial many times so I thought it was time to investigate further.  It turned out that she fell within the age limits and just had to submit a video cooking a dish using the potatoes from The Little Potato Co.  Well, we knew she could do that!  And so, Emily's quest to become the "Little Chef" began!

We brainstormed an idea and together developed a brand new recipe for the contest!  This special dish had to make the little potatoes the star, be easy enough for an 8 year old to prepare, demonstrate several cooking techniques, be varied to suit a variety of kids' tastes, and look awesome on the plate.  And so Emily's "Smashed Little Potato Nachos" were born and since I just recently tried to write the recipe down, I think it looks something like the one below!

Last week, we received word that her video submission was chosen as one of the top 10 submissions in the country and she was a semi-finalist!  Canadians are asked to vote daily from now until November 29 for their favourite little chef, and I would recommend that you have a look at all the videos, because they are really great.  And if you like Emily's the best, she would LOVE to have your support!  The voting will be taken into consideration when the top 2 finalists are chosen and those lucky kids will go to Toronto in December for a cook-off on the Marilyn Denis Show!  Emily is really hoping to be one of those finalists for many reasons, one of them being she will get to meet Chef Michael Bonacini who will help choose the big winner!  If a trip to Toronto isn't big enough news for an 8 year old, the grand prize truly is a culinary adventure in Paris!  (France, NOT Ontario!!)  I am being completely truthful when I say that about a year ago she became obsessed with going to Paris.  I suggested earlier this year that maybe if we saved up, we could go for her 16th birthday.  I figured it was a safe offer since I'm sure she'll either forget by then, or I'll be so uncool in 8 years that she won't want to travel with me anymore.  

But who knows?  Maybe Paris isn't that far out of reach after all!

To view the Little Chef videos, please visit:

The Marilyn Denis Show - Little Chef

Whatever happens, thank you to The Little Potato Co., The Marilyn Denis Show, and CTV Bell Media for the incredible adventure she has had so far!  And to her fans, thank you so much for the votes!  We are so grateful for your support!

Smashed Little Potato Nachos

4 C. Little Potato Co. potatoes

1 C. ground pork or turkey

1 avocado, diced

1 C. shredded cheese

1/2 C. salsa

1/2 C. sour cream or greek yogourt

1/4 C. chives, chopped

1 C. arugula

1 Tbsp. olive oil

Bring potatoes to a simmer in a pot of salted water.  Cook until fork tender, approximately 10-15 minutes.  Drain and let cool.  Fry pork or turkey in a large non-stick pan over medium heat.  Remove meat but leave juices in the pan.  Place each potato between sheets of wax paper and smash lightly with palm of hand.  Over medium heat, heat fat and olive oil, and then add potatoes to fry on each side until golden.  Remove to serving platter and top with additional ingredients.  

"Boom. Done. Pretty!"

MasterChef Canada Kitchen Ninjas

Everyone has been patiently waiting for more MasterChef Canada stories so I will get back to it.  I feel like I am running out of things that I can say but I know haven’t discussed the best part of all that you don’t get to see on television.  As I have said before, I was most curious to see how things are done as I am very much a “behind the scenes” type thinker and I have found it very interesting what the viewer doesn’t notice or think about as they get wrapped up in a television show.  
Have you thought about this…who cleans up all that cooking mess??  Shhh….we have kitchen ninjas.  Of course, they are not called that.  That was the affectionate name I christened them with, but they are the most amazing group of individuals on the planet.  When a cook is over, they swoop in (or ninja in, if you would), cleaning at the speed of light.  Drawers of utensils are swapped out for fully stocked ones, dirty dishes and garbage are whisked from the station, stainless steel is polished, and then they are gone…as quickly as they came in.  And should a camera need to point in their direction, they would quickly drop out of sight, behind the counter.  I think aside from watching the other home cooks work, watching the kitchen ninjas was the very best part.  

MasterChef Canada home cooks are not even allowed to clean up.  Trust me, I tried.  Everyone who knows me well, knows that I am the kitchen tidier and counter washer.  But in that magical place, it was forbidden.  I remember thinking that everyone was making one heck of a big mess for culinary to have to clean up and I vowed to keep my station tidy.  But, naturally, in the chaos of a 60 minute cook, I made one heck of a mess myself and sheepishly walked away as the ninjas took over the clean up.  Later in the day, after my initial audition cook, I snagged one of them and apologized profusely at the mess I left behind. He laughed at me, of course, but I did feel better reassuring him that I don’t normally create a hurricane around me when I cook.  Leaving the MasterChef Kitchen, there were only two things that I would have given anything to take with me:  my apron (yes, we truly had to leave them behind) and my ninjas.  I wish both things were hanging out in my kitchen right now.

The View from Corral A

A quick web search defines a corral as  "a pen for livestock, especially cattle or horses”.  In the case of race day, that is fairly accurate except instead of “livestock”, we have “runners”.  Some races, like Queen City Marathon do not officially “corral” runners although we are encouraged to position ourselves in the area marked with our anticipated finish time.  This is really important for safety reasons, as we do not want a slower runner being at the front of the pack and getting trampled by those looking to qualify for the Boston Marathon!  Also, I think it is beneficial psychologically to be able to pass runners once the race begins, than to be passed yourself!  

runDisney does corral their runners, which means we have to submit a “proof of time” from a previous race if we want to be positioned in an early start corral.  Our race bibs are marked with our corral assignments and amazing volunteers help runners enter their fenced off positions.  This ensures that the fastest runners are far out of the way before the others start.  runDisney does an excellent job of this and treats every corral like they are the very first runners of the race with fireworks or confetti, or any of the magical things Disney likes to throw at us.

When I signed up for my first runDisney race, I didn’t have a proof of time to submit so I was assigned to Corral G (7th corral to be released).  By the time race day came, I had ran Queen City Marathon and was able to submit that time at the package pick up.  I was moved up to Corral B (2nd corral to be released).  This meant runDisney was considering me fast and that scared me quite a bit.  However, I raced an even faster time that night and earned a Corral A start for the Disneyland Half Marathon and 10K.  Now, that is pressure!  Disney was expecting me to lead the pack of 16,000 runners!  
Although I didn’t feel capable of such a task, I did keep my corral assignment because I believe there are several advantages to being in an earlier corral in a runDisney race.  Most importantly is the luxury of space.  There are not as many runners trying to squeeze into the narrower corridors of the theme parks, and if you do come across a character you would like to have your photo taken with, there probably isn’t going to be a lineup!  This is because there are not that many runners ahead of you, and also because the runners in Corral A tend to be a bit more competitive and likely aren’t there to meet Malificent, if you know what I mean.  Another advantage of an earlier corral is that you are not waiting to start the race as long so there isn't additional fatigue and nerves of waiting.  And, of course, you are done the race all that much sooner and can get on to more fun things, like the theme parks!  In the case of Wine & Dine Half Marathon, I was riding Test Track back to back and drinking wine in France long before EPCOT started to thicken with runners.  Lastly, it is pretty cool to be right at the start line when the race officially begins.  

In the case of Wine & Dine Half Marathon, where the above photo was taken, Mickey and Minnie came out on stage to start the race.  I was so excited to see them (well, who wouldn’t be??) that when the announcer started congratulating a woman in the crowd who had just completed the Ironman the previous weekend, I wasn’t really listening.  And when Mickey and Minnie started waving in my direction (looking for the Iron “Woman”),  I started jumping up and waving to get their attention!!  Soon the crowd was cheering in my direction, assuming I was the athlete.  I quickly realized my mistake and shrunk as small as I could.  That was embarrassing.  But hey, imagine the psychological lift I gave all those runners when the passed me on the course!!

In conclusion, this is my running advice to you: take the earliest corral that is assigned to you and that you feel you can compete in.  I believe an early start will give you a small advantage.  I know that I will be corralled early at the Walt Disney World Marathon and although I know I will not feel worthy of it when the time comes, I will take it...and keep to the edge so everyone can get around me as needed!  See you at the start line!  I will be the one waving madly at Mickey!

Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend

We are now one week away from Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend and although I am not lucky enough to get to participate this year, I thought I would give you a recap of last year’s event.  It also might help to explain why I love RunDisney events so much and how I have managed to get myself suckered into the biggest race of the year.  After I ran the Wine & Dine Half Marathon in November, 2013, my mind immediately went to “Dumbo Double Dare” because I felt like if I went back for a RunDisney race, I would have to "up" my game and I didn’t think I was crazy enough to "up" it to the full marathon.  So, when registration opened for the Disneyland Half Marathon, I immediately pulled the trigger.  And being a spoiled Disney Vacation Club member, I got to register early and secured a coveted spot in the Dumbo Double Dare (10K race on Saturday plus Half Marathon on Sunday).

Disneyland Half Marathon runs Labour Day Weekend so my grain-farmer husband couldn’t come, but because the kids were still out of school, I felt guilty about the thought of going to Disneyland without them.  I also liked the idea of us all having a RunDisney medal around our necks.  I knew I could complete the races while they waited in the hotel room, but I got to worrying that if something did happen to me on the course, they may be quite traumatized having to fly my body home!  So, we asked Grandma to come along.  I was particularly impressed when she also decided to participate in the 5K.  In the end, someone from our household ran in each of the events that weekend:  Our 7 year old daughter ran the 400m Kids Race, our 12 year old son ran the 5K, and I ran the 10K and Half Marathon.  So we have a lot of experience with the Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend! 

We decided to splurge by staying at the Disneyland Hotel.  We usually stay at a Good Neighbour Hotel at Disneyland but in the case of a race weekend, the Disneyland Hotel was a far superior choice.  The Fitness Expo is right there, and we were able to attend it several times.  It was great to be able to pop in to hear a speaker, grab a Clif Shot Gel that I forgot to bring from home, or have an injury taped up.  The hotel is also located right by the start and finish lines so it was just a quick walk.  You really can’t beat the convenience of Disneyland Hotel so I would recommend it to everyone heading down for a race weekend.  And when I say we “splurged”, I booked through GET Travel which is the travel operator for RunDisney and the rate was excellent and so well worth the money.  We also purchased our park tickets through GET Travel and got an amazing deal! 

The 5K event was Friday morning and shortly after it sold out, I regretted not signing myself up for it, but it was Grandma and Matthew who participated in this one.  It was great for Emily and I to be able to see them start, and finish, the race.  I was really proud of them both.  It is worth noting that the 5K events get all the bells and whistles of the bigger races.  RunDisney does an amazing job of making every distance so special and it is heartwarming to see every age and athletic ability be rewarded at the end for their hard work.  

Saturday morning I ran the 10K which was a lot of fun because you get to go through the theme parks, without having to run a terribly long distance.  The kids races happened later on in the morning and I really wanted to be at the end so I could see Emily finish.  I waited in the corral with her hoping she would let me escape to the finish line to see her cross, but she wanted me to run the 400m with her.  So I did: in my flip flops, with my camera and 10K medal around my neck, carrying a coffee.  She beat me fair and square.  I could not catch her.  I was so so proud of all my runners that weekend and was so glad I brought them with me.

Sunday morning delivered the Half Marathon.  My biggest fear through the whole weekend was that after all the expense involved in traveling, all the miles put into training, and with all those medals on the line, for some reason I would not be able to complete the Half Marathon.  I wasn’t afraid of giving up.  I was afraid of being unconscious and having to be removed from the course.  So please, if you ever find me unconscious on a RunDisney course, don’t remove me!!  I will come around…eventually!  Once again, we got to run through our beloved theme parks and although I would love to tell you all about it, I really remember very little.  I can still see the World of Color Fountains which were dancing for us, and I remember running through Radiator Springs and down Route 66.  Coming through the Sleeping Beauty's Castle is clear, as is New Orleans Square, which is possibly my favourite location in all of Disneyland.  But otherwise, the visions are cloudy.  I didn’t stop for any characters, although the Villains really tempted me as I love a good Villain (or bad Villain, depending on how you look at it).  It really is amazing to run through the backstage areas and around the virtually empty theme parks that you love so much.  There are cast members and volunteers lining the course and waving with Mickey hands.  It is the best and makes me tear up just thinking about it.

By the time runners get out into the streets of Anaheim, the view isn’t as exciting, but you’re getting pretty numb to it all so it doesn’t matter that much!  Race organizers did their best setting us up for fun along the route.  There is a huge car show, which provided lots of encouraging spectators, and of course the run around Honda Center and through Angels Stadium is pretty cool.  Another runner I was visiting with at the start of the race told me that a tip to the Half Marathon is to make it to Honda Center before the sun comes up so you aren’t running into it.  I can’t say for sure if that’s a legitimate concern, as I did get around Honda Center in time and didn’t have any trouble with the sun, but others may want to consider it.

As I neared Disneyland Resort, I realized two things.  First of all, my time was so much better than I anticipated that I thought Grandma might not get the kids to the finish line in time to see me.  Secondly, I realized that if I kept it up, we could be in Disneyland before rope drop, thus guaranteeing Emily a coveted spot in the Anna and Elsa Meet and Greet line!!  So, it was the thought of her getting to meet those girls that made me keep up my record-breaking pace.  Coming up that last stretch of Disneyland Way, in front of the Disneyland Hotel where the family was going to be waiting for me, I started to scan the crowd to see if they were there.  Fortunately, Grandma is tall and I spotted them right away.  They had made it!  And no sooner did I pass them, I could see the finish line, the most beautiful thing you will ever see, and the thing you have been imagining for so many months.  One step across that line and I had earned four medals in two days, and achieved a personal record of 1:43:43, a record I have no intention of ever beating because there is nowhere else I would rather run a personal best than at Disneyland.  

We did make it into Disneyland before park opening to get ourselves into the Frozen Meet and Greet line.  And do you know what?  Not only did Emily get to meet Anna and Elsa, but I did too!  And like any good Princess, they really liked my bling!  We walked around Disneyland all day long with our medals on and I drew a lot of attention as four medals clanked against each other.  People would stop and turn to see what the noise was and their faces would light up when they realized what I had accomplished, and soon there was a whole park full of us clanking along.  By the end of the day I had a terrible headache from all the noise, but I would not take them off.  I had worked too hard.

There is truly nothing like a RunDisney race and I guess that's why I am in the trouble I am now, training for the full marathon just 136 days away.  In the meantime, I want to send my very best wishes to everyone running in any of the Disneyland Half Marathon races this year!  I want you to know that you CAN do it, I WILL be thinking of all of you, and I WILL be following along via social media to see how you are doing.  But most of all, I send to each and every one of you, the three most important things: 

FAITH, TRUST, and PIXIE DUST!

Taste - It  Food Tours

My Mom had the great idea that for my birthday she would take me on one of the Taste It Food Tours which originated last summer in Moose Jaw and have since expanded to Regina, Saskatoon, and Cypress Hills.  So, last week we took the Queen City Downtown Tour and although I do not claim to be qualified to do a "review", as I am fairly content anytime anyone brings me food, I thought I would share our experience anyway.  Let me begin by saying that this was not the original date we had booked, but Mom got a stomach virus the day of the tour and we were graciously allowed to change our date.  It turns out that the original day also brought terrible weather, and monsoon conditions around the time of the tour, and we later found out they wisely rebooked all the guests.  For these reasons, I was impressed from the start with the customer service we received.  The Queen City Downtown tour meets every second Tuesday throughout the summer in Victoria Park, and the day we attended was a beautiful evening, although very hot!  We had four stops on the tour, which lasted approximately 3 hours in total.  Of the four stops, I had been to three of them before, but I don't get out very much so I don't frequent any of them.

Hotel Saskatchewan Radisson Plaza

The Hotel was our first stop on the tour, and one of my favourite places in the city, although it is currently under much needed renovations.  The lounge and tea room are now behind a wall which decreases the grandeur of the lobby, but all in all was not terribly imposing.  There was a lot of noise going on but that is just something we will have to put up with for a little while.  I know the Hotel will be better for it in the end!  We were seated at an elegant table in the dining room and received a glass of Ravenswood Zinfandel which was lovely.  We were served a plate which had a perfect portion size, great flavours, and the classy finesse that one would expect from the Hotel.  We were told the Chef would come out and explain the dish which I appreciated as he was the only Chef who did speak to us, however we were all shocked by the young man who emerged.  Unfortunately, I was at the far end of the table, and could not read his name, but I am pretty sure I have pyjamas older than him.  The dish was described as (something to the effect of): arugula with white balsamic vinaigrette, crostini with foie butter, sliced AAA beef, truffled mushrooms, and fried onions.  It was absolutely delicious and an elegant start to the evening.

Beer Bros.

From there we walked the couple of blocks to Beer Bros. where we were seated in a private room.  We were given a small, although adequate, glass of beer and it was described as a cross with a pear cider.  No one at the table claimed to be able to taste any pear notes, but I know I am NOT a beer connoisseur, so perhaps they were in there somewhere.  As many know, the Beer Bros. and Willow on Wascana restaurants share partners and the quality and class of the Willow definitely translates to the more "pub-like" atmosphere of Beer Bros.  This was upscale "bar food" and we were served a pair of house-made beerogies, cabbage roll sausage, garlic smashed potatoes, and a demi glace.  Again, these are my quick-jotted notes of what the wait staff explained, so I could be wrong on any of these details.  It was a generous portion and I started to think that perhaps I would get very full on this tour.  I love the idea of the beerogies to make use of whatever ingredients may be on hand and in season, and my understanding is they make various kinds.  They were really delicious with a nice thin dough, and make me consider rolling my perogie dough out more.  I believe my favourite element, out of the four restaurants, were the smashed potatoes.  I don't get overly excited over potatoes, but these were awesome!  The presentation of the dish was very nice and overall Beer Bros. was a very impressive stop and I am anxious to get back there!

Victoria's Tavern

It was another couple of blocks walk to Vic's.  I know we were all appreciating the walk breaks.  Of the four spots we visited, I think Victoria's Tavern had the best "theme" and I can't describe it, so just go and see it for yourself.  We were seated in the vault private room which is a very cool, but small, space.  This was great for a while and we got a terrific group picture, but it got very hot in there very quickly.  We were provided a very tall glass of their house lager.  When someone mentioned how much larger it was than the Beer Bros. glass, the waitress responded "Well, we're NOT Beer Bros!" which cracked us all up.  I appreciate the generosity of the glass, but really didn't need two beer in a row.  I would have much preferred a cocktail, and to their credit we were offered a soda or coffee to replace the beer, but no additional liquor.  Therefore I sucked it up and drank the beer.  I will always take the free booze.  Vic's is known for their grilled cheese and we were all served their sandwich of the day which was made with in-house fresh mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, basil and served on fresh focaccia.  It was excellent.  Honestly, it could have been half the size it was at this point of the tour, but I can appreciate them wanting to give everyone a generous portion.  However, the weird part was that all the sandwiches came out with different side dishes (lager chips, french fries, tossed salad, caesar salad), and we were asked to just call dibs the one we wanted.  This is okay with your family or very good friends, but for a group of people who have just met, it was a bit awkward determining who wanted to eat what.  By the time the meal came out, the vault was really hot and uncomfortable (and I don't complain about heat very often).  In general, I'm sure this is probably a prized private room and just didn't work out for a group of ten on such a hot day.  Everyone was happy to get out of there and by this time, the longer walk to the last stop was much appreciated.

Fireside Bistro

Although we definitely needed the exercise, it seemed kind of strange that Fireside was so far away when the other locations were so close together.  Thankfully, it was very cool, roomy, and a comfortable last stop.  We arrived to a glass of Kahlua, Bailey's and Milk.  Cue angels singing!  It was very refreshing and a welcome change after the beer.  We were served a S'mores Cheesecake.  The cake itself was really good and the plating was fine although I am still unsure about that grape.  It still kind of bothers me...like it should have been a berry, but they ran out of berries.  But all in all, I don't complain about cheesecake, so it was a great ending!

As usual, I have gone on too long so I will conclude here as quickly as I can.  At $89 per person, it is a hefty price point, however I believe it was worth it (or course, it was a gift so I didn't actually pay for it).  It was a substantial amount of food, included four alcoholic beverages, and when else do you get to go to four restaurants in one evening?  It would normally take me a full year to hit all of them.  The restaurants worked well around a guest food allergy (even though the rescheduling of the original date led to some confusion and therefore last minute accommodations).  I believe that at all four restaurants we received a representative meal to showcase that location and the tours are a great way to get to experience different locations, for tourists and locals alike.  I should note that the menu offerings change nightly so if you are on the Queen City Downtown Tour, you will not necessarily end up with the dishes and beverages described above.

My only "criticism" about the tour itself is that I think I would have liked a bit more information, but I am a nerd that way.  Our tour guide did give us some history about the city and restaurants, but there was a decent amount of time after we were seated, and before our food came, that there could have been more details from either our tour guide, or preferably a Chef or staff person of the restaurant.  Our group got along very well, and made great conversation, and perhaps our tour guide was watching for that and would have interjected more information if there was a lull.  And it's very possible that most people would rather just sit and drink their beer than be bombarded with history, so I'm not sure others would consider this a criticism.

I would love to do all three tours in Regina (Cathedral and Wascana are the others) so will plan to do another one next summer and I think the Taste It Tours would be a great way to experience the other cities as well.  Most tours run until the end of September so there is still time for you to book yourself on one this year!  Thanks so much to Mom for the treat and to the staff at Taste It Food Tours as well as the Hotel Saskatchewan Radisson Plaza, Beer Bros., Victoria's Tavern, and Fireside Bistro for a lovely night out in the Queen City!

Queen City Marathon Preview

We are now exactly a month away from the Queen City Marathon.  Does this thought terrify anyone else, or are you all just way more prepared than I am?  Last month, I had a bit extra time around Regina one day and decided I would take a run/walk around the new half marathon course.  So, I parked at Conexus Arts Centre and embarked on the route with map in hand.  I also had points plotted out where I could bail on the idea and get back to my car in a fairly timely manner.  I was successful in completing the whole route (albeit at a snail’s pace), despite the city NOT shutting traffic down for my journey.  I guess I didn’t put my request in in time.

I had a few thoughts of the new course that I’d like to share with you as we get closer to race day.  Keep in mind, this is with regards to the half marathon, not the full, because I am not THAT crazy.  Wait, I AM that crazy…just not until January.  I am really excited about it and I can see why organizers were able to add so many more bibs because the route is much wider than it was before (for example, there are no narrow pathways through Wascana Park).  I think this wide course is going to be very comfortable and we will see some really good times come from it as there will be less “jockeying” around other runners.  So, this is really great news!  

I love the loop through Downtown Regina and overall we are going to run past some really great Regina landmarks: Conexus Arts Centre, Wascana and Victoria Parks, the Downtown Plaza, Legislative Building (scrims and all), Science Centre, etc.  I am also super excited about the ease of access and parking that we are going to find at Conexus Arts Centre!  In fact, it will be so easy that I think spectators will be able to see their runner off, drive to another route location, and drive back in time to see them finish (without any fear of losing a prized parking space).  Speaking of Conexus, I have tried to obtain insider information about what may replace the Pasta Party Saturday night but have been unsuccessful.  I hope we will have an event of some sort since, as I have mentioned previously, a lot of useful information can be gained by listening to the speakers.

I am very excited for the people who live along Quinn Drive. as they are going to have one heck of an exciting parade to watch Sunday morning.  I wish I lived in one of those houses so I could sit on the lawn, drink coffee, and cheer as people run by.  I am counting on that street to have the great, inspirational signs which we all look forward to, so it’s all on you, Quinn Drive!  Speaking of spectators, I think a great spot to watch will be around Candy Cane Park.  Runners will make a pass on either side of it so spectators would get to see their runner twice in that area, and then could still drive back to the finish line!

My 8 year old girl has decided she would like to run the 3K again but my 13 year old boy has decided he is far too lazy.  Unfortunately, I missed both of their runs last year as I was at MasterChef Canada during QCM weekend.  I love that the mini-marathon is now on Saturday so that I will get to run with her (or I will coerce someone else into running with her and will relax around the finish line).  If you’re looking for me, I will also be volunteering during parcel pickup on Friday from 11:00 to 5:00 so please come by and say “Hello”!  In the meantime, take care and best of luck to everyone as the days tick down!

Food Day Canada

There are only 16 of us on the planet who know the feeling of coming face to face with this amazing pantry.  It is a moment I will never forget.  I had several thoughts and feelings at the time, and although "scared" should have been the first one, I felt pride.  I think as Canadians we are all moved by the flag, and as foodies, what is better than the flag made out of food?!?  Absolutely nothing!  My second thought was "Who the heck did all that??"  It was absolutely incredible.  And when we were told to run to it and grab our ingredients, I thought "Oh no, I am NOT wrecking that masterpiece!!"  But it was inevitable, and after just a few moments of admiring its beauty, it was torn apart by the MasterChef Canada Season 2 home cooks.

I was reminded of this image this past weekend, as people all across the country celebrated "Food Day Canada" by shopping locally, dining at their favourite restaurant, cooking with home-grown ingredients, and sharing their love of their regional foods via social media.  Tweets flew from coast to coast and it was really fun to play along and see how Canadians were celebrating.  Everyone was so proud of their regions and traditions which also reminded me of all the friends I made at MasterChef Canada and how cooks from various provinces held different sets of skills and familiarity with ingredients.

Food Day Canada really got me thinking about the amazing ingredients that we have right around us.  In Saskatchewan, we are known for grain, but when you think about it, there is very little that we do NOT have here.  We are a little shy on seafood, I will admit that, but we have beautiful fresh water fish!  Many of us have gardens and the ability to grow an array of our own produce.  For anything we cannot grow, we probably know a farmer who can, or the local farmers markets have no shortage of talented producers and artisans.  Our Regina Farmers Market is an absolute gem and has been bursting with growth over the last several years.  Every time I attend, I am blown away by the quality of the selections, passion of the vendors, and the masses of people out to shop healthy, local ingredients, grab an amazing bite to eat, or just stroll around and listen to music and visit with friends.

All in all, I think Canadians do a great job of celebrating their food throughout the year, but it was terrific to have one day set aside to really stop and think about it.  The power of social media was very evident as we were able to connect across the country and I am happy that so many people were able to get together with friends and eat amazing food.  I was truly blessed to get to spend it with Regina's very top chefs and some incredible cooks at arguably the most beautiful location in the city.  It was a practically perfect Food Day.  Until next year, keep supporting local producers when you can, cook with all the incredible ingredients Canada has to offer, and share your recipes and food stories with your family and friends.  Let's make Canadian Cuisine and Food Culture bigger and better than ever!

but not a real green dress, that’s cruel

Friday, I will return to the location where I disrobed my MasterChef Canada green dress, never to wear it again.  So I thought it was as good a time as any to tell you more about it.  

When I was invited to Toronto, I was asked to think about my “Signature Style”.  Anyone who knows me in real life knows I do not have a style, other than yoga pants from Costco and sweatshirts from Disney World.  So this was difficult.  After my dull outfit choice at my Calgary audition, I knew that I needed something colourful and although pink is probably the colour that I would prefer, I decided to try and represent Saskatchewan.  And there is no better colour to do that, than green.  Rider Green.  I only have one shirt in that colour, and that is reserved for the one time a year I may attend a Rider game so I was wondering if a dress could even be found in it.  Apparently, it can.  

And then I had a completely genius idea…Hillberg & Berk Sparkle Ball earrings!  Of course!  Everyone in Saskatchewan would know exactly what those earrings were, and who I was representing.  So, I bought a few pairs to match whatever I may have to wear on the show.  I still wear them every day…with my yoga pants and Mickey shirts.  I love my Hillberg & Berk, but I hate the green dress, for many reasons:

For any of you who move on to do reality TV, pay attention to this paragraph.  If you wear a dress (as opposed to a skirt and blouse), it is much harder for the sound technicians to put on your microphone battery pack, which goes on a belt around your waist.  Translation: to put on your battery pack, your dress has to go up over your head so the sound guys can access that area! And in my case, this occurred every day, in a parking lot outside a warehouse in Mississauga, Ontario, surrounded by dozens of people.  If that is not enough, during a long day of shooting, the battery pack is changed every few hours so they do not lose audio during a cook or interview, etc.  In summary: dress over head, several times a day, middle of a parking lot.

What you likely don’t realize is even though on television it appears that everything happens in one day, it does not.  And therefore, we had to wear the same thing multiple days in a row.  To top that off, we were told NOT to wash our clothes in the hotel laundry room because if a machine were to wreck a garment, we would have big continuity problems.  That made sense to me, but after a couple of days, you kind of get to wondering what you smell like.  My genius roommate, Debra, ran out at one point and bought a bottle of Febreze so every night we would spray our outfits, and I think we managed pretty well.  After we taped all the top 50 auditions, I assumed we were done with those outfits, but when we were told to put them on again the next day of shooting, I couldn’t take it any more and decided to hand wash the dress in the hotel room sink.  That had to be safe, right?  It took all of about 5 seconds for the water to turn Rider Green and I knew a pale green dress would not be what wardrobe would want to see the next day, so that dress got pulled out of the sink very, very quickly.

I mentioned that I am returning to the place where I took it off for the final time so here is one last secret for you.  While shooting, if there is a chance you will be eliminated on that day, you pack your bags and all your luggage goes to set.  So, if you are eliminated, you go directly to the airport.  There is no going back to the hotel to change.  And so, when I was eliminated from the “competition”, I was sent to the airport in that green dress.  Anticipating this, I had packed a change of clothes in my carry-on bag and as soon as I got checked in at the airport, I went directly to the bathroom to change.  I would have hated to look crazy going through security after all.  I’m sure my television makeup was suspicious enough.  I don't know why I didn't just leave it in the bathroom garbage actually.  I had full intentions to burn it when I got home, but it does hang in a closet in the basement because I thought the day may come again that someone would want to see it.  Certainly not me…but maybe one of the children.

Wascana Wanderings

This past week was my annual “Week of Awesomeness in Regina” where the kids are at camp so I get to do what I want to do around the city, and it always includes lots of time in Wascana Centre.  In past years, I have also gone to the movies by myself and enjoyed ice cream at Milky Way without any children chattering in my ear.  Unfortunately, my pants are entirely too tight this year to be rewarded with any Milky Way.  However, I did get a few good runs in around Wascana which is always a treat for me as I’m used to running between crops, with nothing particularly interesting to look at (but don't tell the farmers their crops are not interesting to look at...I've learned this the hard way).  I love seeing every age and level of athletic ability in the park, appreciate the challenge of playing sprinkler roulette, and my mind is allowed to wander in a whole new set of ways...

Does anyone else think the geese may be pooping less now that we can’t feed them bread crumbs?  I spend a lot of time trying not to step in droppings (yes, it is a hopeless battle) and I feel like perhaps there is a bit less of it out there this year.  I think the geese may be generally in the way less this year as well.  Perhaps because they’re not looking for bread.  Or, are there just less geese because they are peeved about not getting the bread that I was saving for them all winter??  Maybe they have moved to another park.  That one goose who decides he/she does not want to move out of my way is still there though.  What it doesn’t know is that I play “chicken” with large farm implements, so I am not afraid to steamroll it.  

I noticed that not everyone runs clockwise.  Why is this?  Isn’t everyone crazy like me?  Or are they just backwards crazy?  In any case, clockwise is the way to go!  However, I do like to meet the "counter-clockwise people" and see who’s out for a stroll.  Last year, I swore I saw Mr. Dressup and then I had an extra jump in my step trying to quickly make my way around to meet him again for a better look.  Never saw him again…of course.

I often find myself cursing the people who walk right down the middle of the path so you can’t get around them, but this week I noticed myself right in the middle as well.  I realized that I am prone to run down the middle the more tired I get, to avoid rolling right into the lake.  So, my apologies in advance if you have to take the grass to get around me because I’m weaving and staggering.  

All in all, I love Wascana Centre…just love it!  You are so lucky to have such a gem, Regina, and I hope that everyone takes advantage of it this summer!  Just hold onto your keys.  Because when you drop them in the park, it’s really, really NOT fun to try and track them down.  Trust me on this one.

Saskatoon Berry Butter Tart Bars

 I have become known for working with Saskatoon Berries (aren’t we all on the Prairies?).  I can’t even imagine how many pounds I went through testing recipes in the last year.  I considered them my lucky charm during MasterChef Canada as I used them in both of my successful audition dishes, as well as the “Signature Dish” I pitched to them in my original application.  Come to think of it, the first time I didn’t use Saskatoons was the dish I was eliminated on!  And here we are, on the Eve of their reappearance at the Regina Farmer’s Market, and I suspect orchards and markets throughout the Prairies!  Everyone shout with me, 

“The Saskatoons are here!!  The Saskatoons are here!!”

In celebration, I have created for you a new recipe to highlight our beloved berry:  Saskatoon Berry Butter Tart Bars.

Elbows up, everyone!  It’s Saskatoon Berry time!!

The Buttery Base

2 C. flour

3/4 C. icing sugar

1 C. butter

Mix together until smooth and press into a greased 9 x 13 inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes until slightly golden along the edges.

The Buttery Berry Topping

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 C. corn syrup

1 tsp. lemon juice

3/4 tsp. vanilla

1/3 C. brown sugar

1 Tbsp. flour

3 Tbsp. melted butter

2 C. Saskatoon Berries

Whisk together eggs, corn syrup, lemon juice, and vanilla.  In a separate bowl, mix together the sugar, flour and butter, and then add into egg mixture and mix well.  Fold in the Saskatoons.  Pour mixture over top of the crust, evening out the berries.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes until topping is set and lightly golden.  Let cool (as long as you can...it’s hard to wait) and then slice into 24 bars.

MasterChef Canada Audition  Secrets

MasterChef Canada Season 3 Auditions are now happening across the country.  These are the auditions that you do NOT see on TV which take place in various cities throughout the summer, and by which the Top 50 home cooks are chosen.  I have a few friends auditioning this weekend so thought I would pass along some of the things I learned from my own audition last summer.  I am pretty sure I did not sign a confidentiality clause on this portion of the process, but if this blog post is suddenly deleted, you will know I was wrong.  

1.  Wear something that makes you stand out.  I wore black and grey which I immediately regretted.  How boring is that?  So, I immediately pledged that if I made it through to Toronto, I would wear a bright colour, and hence the birth of that (also regrettable) green dress!  More on the dress in a later blog post...I have much, much to say about it!
2. Think about your “story”.  What makes you interesting?  There is nothing interesting about me so I still cannot figure why I was chosen.  Actually, no, I am pretty sure I know why I was chosen (see point #7).  Keep in mind, this is television!!  They need memorable, engaging personalities and fascinating stories (a comeback story or personal triumph is particularly good!).  So think about what your story is and what is engaging about you and your life.  And if you are boring like me, but really want to be on television (unlike me), dig deep and “embellish” a little bit ;)
3. Be prepared to tell them (a hundred times over) what your food dream is.  This was hard for me as my real food dream is “To be able to eat whatever I want and not gain any weight” but this did not seem to be the answer they were looking for!  I didn’t want to say the standard “I want to open my own restaurant!!” and then have the entire town waiting for it to happen!  I have had my own food truck since before food trucks were cool called “My Car Going to the Field at Harvest Time” so I couldn’t say that either.  So be prepared for this one…know what your food dream is.  And if you don’t have one…dig deep and “embellish” a little bit ;)
4. You need to present a dish and a professional chef will be judging it.  He or she will also be asking you questions about the ingredients and processes you used.  I was listening in on this questioning and quickly learned that the correct answers to the following questions are:  “Did you make this mayonnaise yourself?” YES “Did you make this bread?” YES “Where did you get this produce?” THE FARMER’S MARKET “Where did you source the beef?” MY LOCAL BUTCHER  Another thing that really seemed to trip applicants up is the preparation of seafoods and other high risk foods.  It can be hours from the time you cook your dish to when the chef tastes it, so you need to make sure everything is prepared and held properly, or he or she may not take the risk of tasting it.
5. Think about what you call your dish.  Mine had an ice cream component but when I got there, I realized that I had no idea how long it would be sitting at room temperature.  I quickly listed that portion of the dish as “Popcorn Cream” to be on the safe side.  Truthfully, by the time the chef and producers got around to me, it was nothing more than a cream with a slightly firm centre, so that was a very smart decision.  I think I would have been challenged on it had I called it an "ice cream".  
6. Everyone plates their dishes at the same time.  Last year, and I was told it happened the same way for Season 1, applicants were then seen in alphabetical order by first name.  So, that may help you prepare for how long you will be there.  I think with my “D” name I was about 13th in the process.  If your name is Xavier, your food is going to be sitting for potentially a few hours at room temperature.  So keep that in mind too.  All in all, there were about 35 of us who auditioned on the first of two days in Calgary.  I am proud to say that only myself and Kenya emerged from that audition day and were invited to Toronto.
7. So, how did I do it?  Honestly, I think my biggest edge came from being from this Province.  And maybe that is my chronic lack of confidence talking, but the show needs someone to represent the various demographics and geographic regions so I know they were looking for someone from Saskatchewan.  Maybe there weren’t many applicants from here?  I will never know.  But that is my biggest piece of advice to the Saskatchewan applicants:  Do NOT sell yourselves short!  They are looking for one of us (or more) and you may have a better shot than many from the bigger centres with a larger pool of applicants.  So get out there and cook your heart out, sell your story and food dream, and let’s have someone from Saskatchewan win Season 3!!  

195 Days of Self-Doubt & Fear

The big day has come…the first day of training for the Walt Disney World Marathon!! (I can’t decide if the exclamation points should be in there or not)  I have been holding on to my post-race “snack” from my last RunDisney race for this day, so even though it expired in December, I’m going to crack into that to try and get myself motivated!  I already feel nauseous over the whole thing, so surely it can’t get any worse.

The training program is 28 weeks long, which also means the Marathon is 195 days away.  The good news is, my mystery injury has improved a little bit.  So now when I run, instead of looking like a kill-deer faking an injury to lure a predator away from her nest, I just look like an old lady who is far too out of shape to be running.  I consider this a win!  The bad news is, I have very little confidence in myself that I can do this.  Quite frankly, I’m not sure I will be ready for the Queen City HALF Marathon in September.  

Looking through the training program, I will try to do as many real “races” as possible if they coincide with my training days.  For example, the Estevan Police Half Marathon falls on October 4 and I am scheduled for a 15 mile run that weekend anyway, so I will do that.  It is always a little easier to run during a formal race, that just around my route as I described in an earlier post.  Of course, how I’m going to run past the BBQ tent at the end of the Estevan race to run another 2 miles and meet my training goal, I have no idea.   I am fairly confident in being able to get my mileage in until the first part of November.  And then I’m going to have some trouble.  In November and December I have a couple of big runs on the schedule and I am NOT doing those on the treadmill.  I am seriously considering showing up on the doorstep of some warmer-weathered friends on these days and asking them to point me in the direction of a running trail.  Seriously considering it…so if this idea scares you, you might not want to answer the door.  But ideally, if I can get some kind of guarantee that we won’t have snow in Saskatchewan until Christmas Day, I’ll be all good!  That isn't too much to ask, is it?

In the meantime, the training starts out very slow, so I should be able to keep up for the first few weeks.  I have just submitted my proof of time to RunDisney and based on that, they have calculated my anticipated 26.2 mile finish time as 3 hours, 39 minutes. Oh that Mickey, he always did like a good laugh!

Raspberry Lemon Chiffon Cake with Lemon Curd & Buttercream Icing

A few weeks ago, I was asked to bake a cake for a birthday party for a group of ladies.  Instead of deciding to make a time-tested favourite, I thought I’d create something brand new.  What is wrong with me?  The worst part of it was I was not at the party to see how it turned out!  I had so much anxiety over how it cut and presented and how the flavours and textures worked together, if at all.  And even though I had great feedback, I couldn’t trust its success until I recreated it for myself.  So, I made another, licked the plate clean, and decided I should share the recipe and process with you!

Lemon Chiffon Cake

7 eggs, separated 

2 C. flour

1 1/2 C. sugar

1 Tbsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

3/4 C. water

1/2 C. canola oil

4 tsp. grated lemon peel

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. cream of tartar

Let egg whites come to room temperature.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.  In another bowl, whisk the yolks, water, oil, lemon peel and vanilla.  Add to dry ingredients and mix until blended.  Add cream of tartar to egg whites and beat on medium speed until soft peaks form.  Gently fold into batter.

Grease and flour three round cake pans.  Line the bottom of each pan with a circle of parchment paper if you want a guaranteed “no fail” turnout of the cakes!  Gently spoon the batter evenly between the round pans and bake for approximately 25 minutes.  When lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean, remove to a cooling rack and let cool for about 10 minutes.  Run a knife around the outside of each pan to make sure the cake is loose, invert the pans to remove the cakes, and cool completely.  If you are like me, you prefer to do as much as possible ahead of time, so at this point you can wrap the cakes and freeze until ready to fill and decorate!

Note: If you are reading this and thinking, "There is no way I am separating those eggs and dirtying 2 bowls so I won't bother.", just use the eggs whole.  It won't be quite the same texture, but ALL cake is awesome in my opinion, so if it's going to stop you from making the cake, just do it the easy way!

Lemon Curd Filling

(between the bottom and middle layers) 

A friend of mine developed this great lemon curd recipe which I have made quite a bit lately as the husband and kids love lemon.  It was actually the inspiration for this whole cake!  See Culinary Cool for the recipe.

Raspberry Filling

(between the middle and top layers)

There is really no recipe here.  All I did was mash up approximately one cup of raspberries with a bit of jelly that I had on hand (I think it was actually crap apple jelly). Of course, if you had raspberry jelly or jam, that would make even more sense!  You could just put a jam layer here too, but I wanted to bring in some fresh berries, in a very quick and easy way!  And if you prefer, use blueberries or saskatoons, or whatever you love and have on hand!

Lemon Buttercream Icing

1/2 C. Crisco vegetable shortening

1/2 C. butter

1 tsp. vanilla extract

4 C. icing sugar

2 Tbsp. lemon juice

In a large bowl beat shortening, butter, and vanilla until light and fluffy.  On medium speed, add sugar one cup at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.  Gradually add the lemon juice until icing reaches a spreadable, smooth consistency.  

For each filling layer, pipe a large bead of buttercream around the circumference of the circle to hold the filling in place.  Fill with curd or berries and top with the next cake round.  The rest of the buttercream is used to ice the top and sides of cake.  Garnish with fresh raspberries and you are done!

How to Train in  Saskatchewan

Thousands of years from now, when school children are learning about Saskatchewan Mythology, I will be referred to as "Deanna, the Goddess of Wind", because apparently I control its direction with my running.  As in, whichever direction I am going, the wind will shift so that I am running directly into it.  Of course, when you train running into the wind, it helps when you travel away for a race because you may not have that weather factor to contend with.  Although Saskatchewan is flat so I don't get any experience with hill training until it's too late.  So, it all evens out in the end.

Okay, so we've discussed the wind.  Next thing you need to think about when running out in the country at this time of year are the sprayers.  There is nothing worse than running down a road and seeing a high clearance sprayer coming at you, booms down.  If this should occur, take a quick survey of the wind.  Is it coming directly at you?  Well, of course it is.  So the trick is to plan your breaths so that you take one deep one just before the cloud of spray hits you so you can hold your breath until it dissipates.  This takes some practice.  Lucky for me, I usually hold my breath when I run so I'm pretty good at this.  It gets a little trickier when the spray planes come out as they can sneak up on you pretty fast.  I usually step outside in the morning and listen for planes.  If there seems to be one around, I'll have another cup of coffee or dawdle a bit longer because they move pretty fast and they're not usually around very long.  But the principles are the same...you hear/see a plane coming at you, check the wind, time your breath, and hold.  And you're going to have a shower when you get home anyway, so you'll be fine!

Pictured here is my run route.  It's a 5 mile lap which brings me past our house so if I am making more than one lap, I can stop at the bathroom.  I run clockwise, because I am OCD.  Inevitably I will play a game of "chicken" with some piece of farm equipment around the red square marker.  It's usually the same person.  No matter the time of day, he's always moving something (you know who you are).  So, in Saskatchewan, you also have to watch out for the farm implements.  And my apologies for all of you who come up behind me because we all know I can't hear you coming and am usually in the middle of the road.  I know for sure that this is how I'll die, and I'm okay with that.  I do try and wear a colour that will stand out.  Last year I was on a bright yellow kick, and was fairly proud of myself for being so visible until I realized the crops were blooming and I was running between canola fields.

Proof-reading this, I realize it's a bloody miracle I have survived this long.  The farmers probably have a pool on who will get me first.  And I'm okay with that too.

The Simplicity of Sourdough

I bake some kind of bread every couple of days.  There is nothing like having fresh bread with dinner and it often steals the show.  A few years ago, I began a sourdough starter, which is what I often dip into to make up a quick couple of loaves.  My starter is on the verge of needing to be divided again, so I thought I might entice you to want to try it yourself (and take it off my hands!).  If you live across the miles, and cannot grab some of mine, you can easily make it yourself.  Keep it on hand to have quick, easy fresh bread any day of the week.

Making the Starter

1 package of traditional yeast

2 C. warm water

2 C. all-purpose flour

In a large, non-metallic bowl, mix together all ingredients and cover loosely.  Leave in a warm place to ferment, 4-8 days.  When mixture is bubbly and has a sour smell, it is ready to use.  Transfer to a storage container and keep it in the fridge (I use Becel margarine tubs...I know, fancy!).

Using the Starter

When you are ready to bake, bring the starter to room temperature.  I usually put it on the counter the night before, but a couple of hours at room temperature will work just fine.  You will notice that a light brown liquid may have accumulated on top (this is good news!) so just mix your starter up before you use it so it has a uniform consistency.  When you use some of your starter in a recipe, you will have to replenish it (just replace what you used with equal parts flour and water).  For example, in the following recipe, I use 1 1/4 C. of starter.  So, stir back into the starter 1 1/4. flour, 1 1/4. water, and a pinch of sugar.  Stir until incorporated and leave it on the counter for about an hour until it starts to bubble a bit.  Then, back into the fridge it goes until you need it again!  Sourdough starters improve with age so think of the great wedding gift you can give your children one day!! (not to mention how excited the grandchildren will be on their wedding days!)  There are tons of different uses for starters, but my "go to" bread recipe is as follows:

Sourdough Bread Recipe

1 1/4 C. sourdough starter

1/2 C. warm water

1 Tbsp. vegetable oil (I use canola because my canola-growing husband says I have to)

3 C. all-purpose flour

1 Tbsp. white sugar

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. quick-rise yeast

Now, here's the really tricky part.  Put everything into a bowl and mix it together.  I'm not even joking.  You can throw it in a bread-maker or the bowl of a stand-mixer and just let it go.  You could  mix it by hand but I am WAY too lazy for that, so I never have.  Mix until the dough comes together and then knead it until smooth and elastic (5-10 minutes).  Put dough into a large greased bowl, cover lightly with a clean towel and let rise for about an hour in a warm spot (I put mine in the oven with the light on).  It will rise beautifully...I guarantee it!  Punch dough down, and form into two loaves as pictured above, or you can make smaller loaves, buns, round, long, whatever you like!  I have been known to make loaves in the shape of Mickey Mouse, turkeys, Easter Bunnies, or trademarked logos that could get me in trouble (see below).  Whatever you choose, let rise for another hour on a lightly greased baking sheet or stone.  Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes and then just try and wait for those babies to cool down enough before you slice into them.  That's the hardest part of the whole process!

I Don't Think I Can Do This

I tell you what...I don’t know if I can do this.  I am so out of shape and am nursing some kind of injury where my whole right leg and back hurts with any kind of jarring motion.  I do not want to offend anyone with this comment, but I run like an amputee.  Actually no, most amputees run better than me!!  I keep telling myself not to panic…I have a whole 220 days until the Walt Disney World Marathon.  But then I remember that I’m signed up for the Queen City Half Marathon and that is only 101 days away!  This is a very, very scary situation.  The good news is, I am treating the QCM as a “training” run for the full marathon.  It’s not my "big" race, so I’m not looking for a great time, I just want to finish it.  Which, at this point, is going to be questionable.    

This week the fabulous people at QCM released their new routes so I have looked at the Half Marathon course a bit.  I love that we are going to spend so much time around Wascana Park, and a spin through downtown Regina will be a treat.  I thought perhaps we could have made a run past Milky Way, but I likely wouldn’t have gotten myself going again after that, so it’s probably for the best.

The only bad thing about not going east of Ring Road is that I always found the spectators over there had the best signs.  So the rest of Regina is going to need to step it up!  We NEED those signs!  My favourite one of all time was “You can’t quit!  You’re not the Pope!!”  It’s funny how something like that can pull you through just a little bit longer.  

My annual “Deanna’s Week of Awesomeness in Regina” is coming up at the beginning of July.  This is the week out of the year that the kids are in day camps so I spend my time doing what I want to do in the city.  I’ll get to the Farmer’s Market, go somewhere new for lunch, and go to a movie all by myself!  It is absolute heaven!  

I will walk the new Half Marathon route sometime that week and may have more to say about it after that.  All in all, I think it looks great!  I am also very excited to have everything based in the Conexus Arts Centre area.  It's easy to access and has great parking and awesome food so I’m already looking forward to post-race refreshments!  Why does everything always come back to food??  That really may explain a lot of my problems!!

For all you thinking, "I could never do that", trust me I thought that too (and still am at this very moment), but there is a distance for everybody!  Registration is still open at www.runqcm.com.  If running or walking is truly not your thing, there's room for volunteers (I'm signed up for that too!) and if nothing else, start thinking up witty and distracting signage to cheer on the runners.  Believe me, I will be watching for them!