Tuesday, March 24, 2009
I can Really Relate to This, can You?
Alright all you Facebook addicts, does this apply to you, maybe it is time to re-evaluate how we spend our time.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Two Years Ago Today
Well it was two years ago today that we had to put our dog down because his kidneys had failed and the arthritis in his hips was so bad that it took him a long time to get up after he had been laying down for a while.
I have wanted to get another dog to replace him for a long time but Kathleen was not ready and then we started our remodel and the house has been torn up for the last year and a half and we are probably at the point where we have been without a dog long enough that we probably will not be getting another one.
If Kathleen were to have another dog she would want a small dog, I on the other hand would want a dog around the size of a Golden Retriever, Vizsla or Standard Poodle. Even a Goldendoodle or a Labradoodle would work for me as they like the Standard Poodle do not shed as they have hair instead of fur.
So since we probably will never agree on the size of dog we probably will not be getting one. In a way it makes it easier to just pick up and go some where with out having to worry about finding a place for the dog or even if we go someplace in town having to hurry back to let the dog out.
Well, this has been a hectic day, Alyssa had to take Hayden to the hospital as he had a sliver in one of his fingers. I just tried calling and there was no answer so they still must be at the hospital.
Then Chucky took Snickers to the vet to get his shots and he had an allergic reaction to the shot. So we took off to meet Chucky at the vets and before we got there Chucky called my cell and said that he was at our house.
When we left dinner had just finished cooking so I invited Chucky to wait for us to return and he could have dinner with us. So last night we had Alyssa and her children for dinner and tonight we had Chucky eating with us; almost like old times.
Kathleen and I have been working at doing Spring Cleaning and have just about gone through the living room, dining room and kitchen sorting things out and rearranging the furniture.
I made a trip to Goodwill yesterday and dropped off the SUV full of stuff and we already have started on another box to take next week. We have decided that rather than wait until we have a full load we will just make more trips so that we can get the stuff out of the house.
Well, Chucky is still here, so I will post this and go visit some more.
I have wanted to get another dog to replace him for a long time but Kathleen was not ready and then we started our remodel and the house has been torn up for the last year and a half and we are probably at the point where we have been without a dog long enough that we probably will not be getting another one.
If Kathleen were to have another dog she would want a small dog, I on the other hand would want a dog around the size of a Golden Retriever, Vizsla or Standard Poodle. Even a Goldendoodle or a Labradoodle would work for me as they like the Standard Poodle do not shed as they have hair instead of fur.
So since we probably will never agree on the size of dog we probably will not be getting one. In a way it makes it easier to just pick up and go some where with out having to worry about finding a place for the dog or even if we go someplace in town having to hurry back to let the dog out.
Well, this has been a hectic day, Alyssa had to take Hayden to the hospital as he had a sliver in one of his fingers. I just tried calling and there was no answer so they still must be at the hospital.
Then Chucky took Snickers to the vet to get his shots and he had an allergic reaction to the shot. So we took off to meet Chucky at the vets and before we got there Chucky called my cell and said that he was at our house.
When we left dinner had just finished cooking so I invited Chucky to wait for us to return and he could have dinner with us. So last night we had Alyssa and her children for dinner and tonight we had Chucky eating with us; almost like old times.
Kathleen and I have been working at doing Spring Cleaning and have just about gone through the living room, dining room and kitchen sorting things out and rearranging the furniture.
I made a trip to Goodwill yesterday and dropped off the SUV full of stuff and we already have started on another box to take next week. We have decided that rather than wait until we have a full load we will just make more trips so that we can get the stuff out of the house.
Well, Chucky is still here, so I will post this and go visit some more.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Happy St. Patrick's Day (Tomorrow)
I thought that I would post a couple "Irish" recipes for tomorrow if you are brave enough to try them.
For breakfast try Irish soda bread~
Ingredients:
* 3 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 cup whole wheat flour
* 1/4 cup granulated sugar
* 2 tsp. baking soda
* 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
* 1 large egg
* 2 cups low-fat buttermilk
* 1/2 cup raisins or other dried fruit of your choice
Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. Stir flours, sugar, baking soda and salt together in a mixing bowl.
3. Whisk egg and buttermilk together in a small bowl. Add to the flour mixture, stirring until just blended. Stir in the raisins.
4. Turn out onto a lightly-floured surface and knead several times, then form a loaf.
5. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Cut an X on the top of the loaf. Bake 30-50 minutes or until bread sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. (Yes, the cooking time varies widely. Check it at 30 minutes and again every 5 minutes to avoid over baking it.)
corned beef hash~
Ingredients:
* 3 cups peeled and diced potatoes
* 1 Tbsp. canola oil
* 1 small onion, diced
* 2 cups shredded corned beef (either leftover cooked corned beef or deli corned beef)
* 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce (can be eliminated if desired)
* 1/2 cup half and half (can substitute evaporated or powered mild if desired)
* 1/2 tsp. freshly-ground black pepper
Preparation:
1. Place potatoes in a heavy saucepan and cover with enough water so that there is 1 inch of water above the potatoes.
2. Bring to a boil, and cook, uncovered until fork-tender, about 6 minutes. Drain.
3. Heat oil in a large (12-inch) nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until softened, about 2-3 minutes.
4. Add potatoes. Let potatoes cook about 2 minutes until browned on the bottom.
5. Flip the potatoes and add the remaining ingredients. Cook until all the liquid evaporates.
Serve with Poached Eggs on top.
For lunch try Colcannon ~
Ingredients:
* 3 pounds russet potatoes
* 1 Tbsp. olive oil
* 1 small onion, diced
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 3 cups shredded cabbage (or kale)
* kosher salt and pepper to taste
* 1/4 cup butter, divided
* 1/3 cup half and half
* 2 slices pre-cooked bacon, warmed according to package directions and crumbled
Preparation:
1. Peel and dice potatoes. Place in a large pot and cover with water by one inch. Bring to a boil, covered, over high heat.
2. Remove cover, reduce heat to medium, and allow potatoes to cook 12-15 minutes, until tender when pierced with a fork.
3. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add onion and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, about 3 minutes.
4. Add cabbage, season with salt and pepper, and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.
5. Drain potatoes and return to pot. Season with salt and pepper. Add two tablespoons of the butter and the half and half. Mash.
6. Fold in the cabbage mixture and the bacon. Top with the remaining butter.
Green Smoothie ~
Ingredients:
* 2 cups firmly-packed fresh kale
* 1 cup frozen unsweetened pineapple chunks
* 1-1/2 cups pineapple-coconut juice or plain pineapple juice
* 1/2 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt
Preparation:
1. Place kale in a Vita Mix Blender or regular blender.
2. Add remaining ingredients. Puree until smooth.
Makes 2 servings.
For Dinner try Corned Beef and Cabbage done in a Crock Pot ~
Ingredients:
* 1 2- to 3-pound corned beef brisket
* 1 medium onion, sliced
* zest of 1 orange
* 3 Tbsp. brown sugar
* 1/4 cup coarse-grain or Dijon mustard
* 1 cup apple juice
* 1 medium head cabbage, cut into 8 wedges
Preparation:
1. Trim corned beef of excess fat (or have the butcher at your supermarket do this for you).
2. Place sliced onions in the bottom of the Crock pot stoneware. Lay corned beef on top.
3. Sprinkle orange zest and brown sugar over corned beef. Spread mustard over top. Pour juice over corned beef.
4. Cover and cook on low 8 hours or high 4 hours.
5. Add cabbage and stir to coat with pan juices. Cook another 1-2 hours.
Serve over Roasted Potatoes ~
Ingredients:
* 2 pounds new potatoes
* 1 tsp. garlic powder (not garlic salt)
* 1 tsp. sea salt (or kosher salt)
* 1/4 cup olive oil
* 1/2 tsp. dried parsley
Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Wash potatoes and cut into 3/4-inch chunks. Remember, the more even the chunks, the more even the potatoes will cook. Also, the smaller the chunks the faster the potatoes will cook.
3. Place potatoes in a 9 x 13 baking dish. Sprinkle garlic powder and salt evenly over potatoes. Drizzle with olive oil. Toss with your hands to make sure potatoes are evenly coated.
4. Bake 20 minutes. Stir. Bake another 15-20 minutes, until potatoes are golden brown.
For dessert try Watergate Salad ~
Ingredients:
* 1 20 oz. can crushed pineapple
* 1 3.5 oz. package pistachio pudding and pie filling
* 2 cups miniature marshmallows
* 1/2 cup chopped pecans
* 1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut
* 2 cups frozen whipped topping (such as Cool Whip), thawed
Preparation:
1. Drain the pineapple, reserving 1/4 cup of the juice.
2. Place the pineapple and reserved juice in a large bowl. Add the pudding mixes, miniature marshmallows, pecans and coconut. Stir well.
3. Gently fold in the whipped topping until the mixture is well-combined, but not soupy. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Makes 8 servings.
Note: This recipe can be made up to a day in advance.
Or you might want to try:
Chocolate Brownies with Mint and Fudge Frosting ~
Ingredients:
* 2 oz. unsweetened chocolate
* 1/2 cup butter
* 2 large eggs
* 1 cup sugar
* 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
* For Filling:
* 3 Tbsp. butter, softened to room temperature
* 1 cup powdered sugar
* 2 Tbsp. milk
* 1 tsp. peppermint extract
* 2-3 drops green food coloring (optional)
* For Glaze:
* 1/4 cup butter
* 6 oz. semisweet chocolate
Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8- or 9-inch square baking pan.
2. Melt chocolate and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat and let cool a few minutes.
3. In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs and sugar until creamy. Beat in the flour.
4. Stir in the chocolate mixture. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 22-25 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
5. Let brownies cool completely, at least 1 hour.
6. Prepare filling: Beat butter and sugar together with an electric mixer.
7. Add milk and peppermint extract, beating until smooth. Add food coloring if using.
8. Spread filling over cooled brownies. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour.
9. For glaze: Heat butter and chocolate in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until smooth. Pour over mint layer, spreading out evenly.
10. Refrigerate until firm.
Makes 9 brownies.
For breakfast try Irish soda bread~
Ingredients:
* 3 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 cup whole wheat flour
* 1/4 cup granulated sugar
* 2 tsp. baking soda
* 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
* 1 large egg
* 2 cups low-fat buttermilk
* 1/2 cup raisins or other dried fruit of your choice
Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. Stir flours, sugar, baking soda and salt together in a mixing bowl.
3. Whisk egg and buttermilk together in a small bowl. Add to the flour mixture, stirring until just blended. Stir in the raisins.
4. Turn out onto a lightly-floured surface and knead several times, then form a loaf.
5. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Cut an X on the top of the loaf. Bake 30-50 minutes or until bread sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. (Yes, the cooking time varies widely. Check it at 30 minutes and again every 5 minutes to avoid over baking it.)
corned beef hash~
Ingredients:
* 3 cups peeled and diced potatoes
* 1 Tbsp. canola oil
* 1 small onion, diced
* 2 cups shredded corned beef (either leftover cooked corned beef or deli corned beef)
* 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce (can be eliminated if desired)
* 1/2 cup half and half (can substitute evaporated or powered mild if desired)
* 1/2 tsp. freshly-ground black pepper
Preparation:
1. Place potatoes in a heavy saucepan and cover with enough water so that there is 1 inch of water above the potatoes.
2. Bring to a boil, and cook, uncovered until fork-tender, about 6 minutes. Drain.
3. Heat oil in a large (12-inch) nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until softened, about 2-3 minutes.
4. Add potatoes. Let potatoes cook about 2 minutes until browned on the bottom.
5. Flip the potatoes and add the remaining ingredients. Cook until all the liquid evaporates.
Serve with Poached Eggs on top.
For lunch try Colcannon ~
Ingredients:
* 3 pounds russet potatoes
* 1 Tbsp. olive oil
* 1 small onion, diced
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 3 cups shredded cabbage (or kale)
* kosher salt and pepper to taste
* 1/4 cup butter, divided
* 1/3 cup half and half
* 2 slices pre-cooked bacon, warmed according to package directions and crumbled
Preparation:
1. Peel and dice potatoes. Place in a large pot and cover with water by one inch. Bring to a boil, covered, over high heat.
2. Remove cover, reduce heat to medium, and allow potatoes to cook 12-15 minutes, until tender when pierced with a fork.
3. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add onion and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, about 3 minutes.
4. Add cabbage, season with salt and pepper, and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.
5. Drain potatoes and return to pot. Season with salt and pepper. Add two tablespoons of the butter and the half and half. Mash.
6. Fold in the cabbage mixture and the bacon. Top with the remaining butter.
Green Smoothie ~
Ingredients:
* 2 cups firmly-packed fresh kale
* 1 cup frozen unsweetened pineapple chunks
* 1-1/2 cups pineapple-coconut juice or plain pineapple juice
* 1/2 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt
Preparation:
1. Place kale in a Vita Mix Blender or regular blender.
2. Add remaining ingredients. Puree until smooth.
Makes 2 servings.
For Dinner try Corned Beef and Cabbage done in a Crock Pot ~
Ingredients:
* 1 2- to 3-pound corned beef brisket
* 1 medium onion, sliced
* zest of 1 orange
* 3 Tbsp. brown sugar
* 1/4 cup coarse-grain or Dijon mustard
* 1 cup apple juice
* 1 medium head cabbage, cut into 8 wedges
Preparation:
1. Trim corned beef of excess fat (or have the butcher at your supermarket do this for you).
2. Place sliced onions in the bottom of the Crock pot stoneware. Lay corned beef on top.
3. Sprinkle orange zest and brown sugar over corned beef. Spread mustard over top. Pour juice over corned beef.
4. Cover and cook on low 8 hours or high 4 hours.
5. Add cabbage and stir to coat with pan juices. Cook another 1-2 hours.
Serve over Roasted Potatoes ~
Ingredients:
* 2 pounds new potatoes
* 1 tsp. garlic powder (not garlic salt)
* 1 tsp. sea salt (or kosher salt)
* 1/4 cup olive oil
* 1/2 tsp. dried parsley
Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Wash potatoes and cut into 3/4-inch chunks. Remember, the more even the chunks, the more even the potatoes will cook. Also, the smaller the chunks the faster the potatoes will cook.
3. Place potatoes in a 9 x 13 baking dish. Sprinkle garlic powder and salt evenly over potatoes. Drizzle with olive oil. Toss with your hands to make sure potatoes are evenly coated.
4. Bake 20 minutes. Stir. Bake another 15-20 minutes, until potatoes are golden brown.
For dessert try Watergate Salad ~
Ingredients:
* 1 20 oz. can crushed pineapple
* 1 3.5 oz. package pistachio pudding and pie filling
* 2 cups miniature marshmallows
* 1/2 cup chopped pecans
* 1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut
* 2 cups frozen whipped topping (such as Cool Whip), thawed
Preparation:
1. Drain the pineapple, reserving 1/4 cup of the juice.
2. Place the pineapple and reserved juice in a large bowl. Add the pudding mixes, miniature marshmallows, pecans and coconut. Stir well.
3. Gently fold in the whipped topping until the mixture is well-combined, but not soupy. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Makes 8 servings.
Note: This recipe can be made up to a day in advance.
Or you might want to try:
Chocolate Brownies with Mint and Fudge Frosting ~
Ingredients:
* 2 oz. unsweetened chocolate
* 1/2 cup butter
* 2 large eggs
* 1 cup sugar
* 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
* For Filling:
* 3 Tbsp. butter, softened to room temperature
* 1 cup powdered sugar
* 2 Tbsp. milk
* 1 tsp. peppermint extract
* 2-3 drops green food coloring (optional)
* For Glaze:
* 1/4 cup butter
* 6 oz. semisweet chocolate
Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8- or 9-inch square baking pan.
2. Melt chocolate and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat and let cool a few minutes.
3. In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs and sugar until creamy. Beat in the flour.
4. Stir in the chocolate mixture. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 22-25 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
5. Let brownies cool completely, at least 1 hour.
6. Prepare filling: Beat butter and sugar together with an electric mixer.
7. Add milk and peppermint extract, beating until smooth. Add food coloring if using.
8. Spread filling over cooled brownies. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour.
9. For glaze: Heat butter and chocolate in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until smooth. Pour over mint layer, spreading out evenly.
10. Refrigerate until firm.
Makes 9 brownies.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Fabulous Food Friday - Seafood Cioppino
Since this is Friday I thought that I would post a good seafood dish. With this recipe you can add or subtract just about anything per your particular taste.
Ingredients:
1 lb. of Linguini
3 tablespoons of virgin olive oil
1 medium sweet onion, chopped
5 cloves of crushed garlic (use a little less if you do not like garlic)
1 cup of fresh chopped basil
2 tablespoons of fresh chopped oregano
2 teaspoons of sugar
1/2 cup of a good dry red wine
4 cups of fresh diced tomatoes
1 pound of chopped clams
1 pound of chopped scallops
½ pound of chopped squid
1 pound of cubed fresh salmon
1 pound of cubed cod, or halibut (you could use both if you like and I do)
24 mussels out of the shell (pre-cooked although I have had them still in the shell)
8 crab legs (shelled would be nice or provide a shell cracker; or you could substitute a pound of crab meat)
24 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 cup of fresh grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste (I do not like to use much salt)
Preparation:
1.Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil with a pinch of salt and a tablespoon of olive oil, add soy protein pasta and cook 8 -10 minutes.
2.Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, heat the olive oil for 3 minutes on medium-high, then add the onion and cook for 2 minutes. Reduce the heat and add the garlic, basil, oregano and sugar and cook for 4 minutes. Add the red wine, diced tomato and salt and pepper. Stir until blended, cover and cook on low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3.Add clams, salmon and halibut or cod or both, crab, scallops and squid. Cover and cook on medium heat for 7 minutes, then add the shrimp and mussels and continue cooking, uncovered, for 3 minutes. Check and add water if needed; check the seasoning. Add salt or pepper to taste.
4.Drain the pasta, and place on plate. Top the pasta with seafood sauce and grated Parmesan.
This should serve about 8 people.
Cioppino is a fish stew derived from the various regional fish soups and stews of Italian cuisine. Cioppino is traditionally made from fish, clams, shrimp, scallops, squid, mussels and fresh tomatoes in a wine sauce, served over spaghetti and toasted buttered bread.
Ingredients:
1 lb. of Linguini
3 tablespoons of virgin olive oil
1 medium sweet onion, chopped
5 cloves of crushed garlic (use a little less if you do not like garlic)
1 cup of fresh chopped basil
2 tablespoons of fresh chopped oregano
2 teaspoons of sugar
1/2 cup of a good dry red wine
4 cups of fresh diced tomatoes
1 pound of chopped clams
1 pound of chopped scallops
½ pound of chopped squid
1 pound of cubed fresh salmon
1 pound of cubed cod, or halibut (you could use both if you like and I do)
24 mussels out of the shell (pre-cooked although I have had them still in the shell)
8 crab legs (shelled would be nice or provide a shell cracker; or you could substitute a pound of crab meat)
24 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 cup of fresh grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste (I do not like to use much salt)
Preparation:
1.Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil with a pinch of salt and a tablespoon of olive oil, add soy protein pasta and cook 8 -10 minutes.
2.Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, heat the olive oil for 3 minutes on medium-high, then add the onion and cook for 2 minutes. Reduce the heat and add the garlic, basil, oregano and sugar and cook for 4 minutes. Add the red wine, diced tomato and salt and pepper. Stir until blended, cover and cook on low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3.Add clams, salmon and halibut or cod or both, crab, scallops and squid. Cover and cook on medium heat for 7 minutes, then add the shrimp and mussels and continue cooking, uncovered, for 3 minutes. Check and add water if needed; check the seasoning. Add salt or pepper to taste.
4.Drain the pasta, and place on plate. Top the pasta with seafood sauce and grated Parmesan.
This should serve about 8 people.
Cioppino is a fish stew derived from the various regional fish soups and stews of Italian cuisine. Cioppino is traditionally made from fish, clams, shrimp, scallops, squid, mussels and fresh tomatoes in a wine sauce, served over spaghetti and toasted buttered bread.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)