What crazy weather we're having

Conditions at 6:00 - clear starry skies and 1* (but no snow)
Expected later - 4* and mix of sun and cloud

Yesterday the weather was all over the map.  At times the sun was shining, at other times, it was snowing and blowing like a mini blizzard. If you didn't like the weather you were having, all you had to do was drive 1/4 km down the road and it would change. At one point, I had to go to Stratford to pick up a lady. As I crossed the bridge, on the north side it was very dark and gray and snowing so hard you could barely see the water in the river. On the south side of the bridge, it was clear with bright sunshine. I've never seen anything like it. When I picked Peggy up, and we were traveling back, we passed through blowing snow 3 times and sunshine twice.    Then last night as I came through Stratford on my way home, the ground was covered in snow. By the time I got to Fort Augustus there was nothing on the ground but some accumulated on Brenda's car and a little was falling and the ground was quite wet. By the time I got home, there was no precipitation of any kind and the road was bone dry.  I expected it would be this way by the time I got home from class, but that was not the case.  So I'll enjoy it as long as I can because I know it will soon be here!

It was a very busy day yesterday, and I felt like I never stopped.  I think I'd have been half way to Toronto had I been going in a straight line.  But by the time I get to Brenda's on Tuesday nights, I can relax. Our class went well again last night. They are such a great group.  We started by cutting up a chicken, then prepped the veggies for our stir fry.  We had an assortment - peppers, zucchini, broccoli, carrots, onions, mushrooms, and bok choy.  We made two different sauces - a clear sauce and a sweet and sour sauce. Both were quite good. While we stir fried the rice was cooking. We didn't cook the peas, as I find it is enough to just put them in after thawing.  Then they aren't over cooked. If you're a vegetarian, you could easily replace the chicken stock with veggie stock.

Alton Brown's Rice Pilaf

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 onion, minced
• 1/2 red bell pepper, minced
• 2 pinches kosher salt
• 2 cups long grain rice
• 2 3/4 cups chicken broth
• 2 strips orange zest
• Pinch of saffron strands, steeped in 1/4 cup hot water
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed
• Golden raisins and pistachios for garnish

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a heavy, wide, lidded pan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Add onion, red pepper, and kosher salt. Sweat the onions and peppers until aromatic, stirring constantly. Add the rice and stir to coat. Continue stirring until rice smells nutty. Add chicken broth, orange zest, saffron and water, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Stir once, then cover pan with moistened dish towel (or tea towel). Place lid on pan and fold towel corners over lid. Bake for 15 minutes. Then rest at room temperature for 10 to 20 minutes without removing the cover. Meanwhile, simmer peas in salted water until heated through or heat in a microwave. Remove lid from rice and turn out onto a platter. Add peas and fluff with a large fork. Add raisins and pistachios.