Allan Gardens

Maggie joined me on an impromptu visit to Allan Gardens. It was the first time for both of us.

There were several benches inside the gardens to sit back and relax. This bench was in the Palm House.

The gardens are very peaceful. Here's Maggie looking at a small indoor waterfall.

The status in this photo is of Leda and the Swan.

Maggie really liked the colour of this flower, since it matched her headband.

Maggie is pointing to a pile of turtles (there were literally five on top of each other). A few more were swimming in the pond with some fish.

This was probably the most unique flower Maggie spotted at the gardens.

Maggie spent most of her time in the Cacti House. We have some mini cacti at home, so when she saw how big they could get, she got excited.

If you ever visit Allan Gardens, let us know what you think!

Goooooaaaaalllll!

The Quatchis and I watched the World Cup finals at my parents' place this afternoon. It was an intense match!

We hope you enjoyed it wherever you are!

Classic Corn Muffins

My family and I had southern BBQ last week. Ever since, I've been craving homemade corn bread. If you're counting calories, this recipe isn't for you. If you're looking for classic corn bread, in muffin form, that's sweet and crumbly, read on!

Corn Muffins

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup sugar

1 cup medium cornmeal

2 tablespoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 cups whole milk

1/2 pound unsalted butter, melted and cooled

2 extra-large eggs

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix the flour, sugar, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, combine the milk, melted butter, and eggs. With the mixer on the lowest speed, pour the wet ingredients into the dry ones and stir until they are just blended. Spoon the batter into the paper liners, filling each one to the top.

Bake for 30 minutes, until the tops are crisp and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool slightly and remove from the pan.

Source: Ina Garten on the Food Network

Q opted to use less sugar than the recipe called for, and ended up making 15 large muffins instead of the usual dozen. The muffins tasted great right out of the oven. Serve them warm if you can!

Mini and the Fishies

Today, the Mins and I took some friends from Hong Kong to the aquarium. We were thankful we bought timed tickets in advance. The place was very, very, very busy!

The first tank we encountered was full of fish! It was fun to watch them swim in schools.

The Mins enjoyed meeting this eel-like characters. They look like grumpy old men, eh?

These fish were really active because it was feeding time.

One of the highlights of the aquarium was going through a tunnel. The fish, sharks, and stingrays were swimming all around us.

Look up, Mins! There's a sawfish!

The jelly exhibit was much more colourful than I expected. They were in all shapes and sizes. Some were even upside down! The Mins liked these ones the best.

It wasn't until we left the aquarium did we realize we missed a bunch of sharks, seahorses, and turtles. So take your time and enjoy! Even if you're from Toronto, it's well worth the visit.