Out on a Date!

Nikki and I went out on a date to Le Frolic. We left Winnie at the Bailey's house for3 hours for the first time. She was fine and had lots of fun. We haven't been on a date in 9 months or so, although we have gone out to restaurants with Winnie. It was very nice. We ordered a bottle of Italian red and had an appetizer, an antipasti platter, dessert and coffee. We even had a $50 gift certificate from Social Services.

The Italian antipasti platter is one of our favourites in town. Lots of tasty finger food - olives, pickled and roasted vegetables, olives, blue cheese, hard Italian cheese, proscuitto, salami, mushrooms, crusty bread, etc... Very fun to eat together.

Nikki heading to the restaurant. We've been getting a lot of snow lately although it isn't too cold yet. -8 C or so.


My dessert, a peanut butter cheesecake. It was very good, like a gourmet Reese's Pieces ice cream sandwich. Very soft and rich.


Nikki's dessert, the Chocolate Fondant. It was the most expensive dessert on the menu but it wasn't that good. Quite dry and plain, actually. No better than a lightly cooked brownie from a mix. It needed a dollop of ice cream or at least, whipped cream, to be any good. The waitress asked how she liked it and when Nikki said it was so-so, the waitress didn't charge us for it, which is a nice gesture.

Some Recent Pictures

Last Monday we had a bonfire with the Cubs. Lots of stories, songs, games, etc... It was cool but warmer than lately, about 0 degrees.

Two of the Cubs at the bonfire (one might be familiar to some of you)


The Cubs at the bonfire


Here's our dinner from tonight. Onions, carrots, cabbage, bamboo, chilis, mushrooms, bean sprouts, BBQ chicken and Shanghai-style noodles in hoisin sauce. Very tasty.


Here's some family pictures. Speaking of family, Social Services is threatening to dump some emergency foster kids on us very shortly but just for the weekend. I'm glad we're back to fostering a bit but it is very stressful and nerve-wracking waiting. Also, we are billeting a Katimavik volunteer for a week to give them a taste of Yellowknife culture.

Morning in the Naphan household


Winnie eating some green beans made by Natasha


Going for the grapes


Getting some help picking up the grapes


(We're aware that grapes aren't the safest food but she really likes them and she just gums them a bit)

Ratatouille

Last week we made a lovely dish called ratatouille, baked vegetables, basically. Here I am frying the onion and prepare the other vegetables: peppers, eggplant, zucchini.




Frying the vegetables in olive oil, readying the diced tomatoes


Adding the herbs


Putting the cooked vegetables into a baking pan and covering with breadcrumbs and cheese

Parfait!

Food - Spiced Kebabs

Tonight's dinner was a winner. Spiced kebabs grilled on the BBQ with a tomato-onion-olive salad and homemade hummus. We tucked them into into mini-pitas for quite the treat.

New Life

Our new life without kids is going pretty well. I get to bike to work everyday which is very satisfying and fun. We are eating a lot better, too.

Tonight's dinner was an arugula salad with herbs, cashews, asparagus and goat's cheese, along with grilled Great Slave whitefish with a chili-lime vinaigrette.


Playing with Winnie on the couch