Thursday, November 30, 2017

Neuro Plasticity. Exercises, Balcony,

I have just been watching an incredible programme by a Toronto Doctor, Dr. Norman Doidge, who was basically saying the brain is not a machine and it is NOT hardwired but it can heal itself and it is possible to stimulate such healing. There are now many people in the field and they have done a lot of work with autistic kids and there were several cases when we saw the child when autism was at its worst and then watched some of the treatments and later saw the older version of the same child with incredible differences. This neuro plasticity of the brain can be stimulated by many things which was explained during the programme. But, and this is the thing which most interested me, they consider stimulating such neuro plasticity will help dementia and Alzheimer's. Dr. Doidge has written two books, The Brain's Way of Healing and the Brain that Changes Itself, one of which I have ordered from the library in ebook form (only one they have). It seems to me that it is necessary to work with a doctor/therapist who will assist in making the patients interested in the necessary steps to heal themselves. Diet and exercise are necessary adjuncts too. Particularly the foods of the Orient as opposed to the foods we stuff ourselves with in the west. I am hoping Birgit of BB Creations managed to catch the programme as well.

Being particularly stupid, I went to exercise class this afternoon, 45 minutes, and then went bowling for an hour or two. My legs were a tad tired at the end of this. However, Matt won't come to exercise class (which, I might add, is free) so I feel the more often we can go bowling, the better it is.

Can't believe it's the first of December tomorrow. This year really seems to have shot by. I have been told that the balcony workers will be out of here by the end of the week (never to come back as far as I know) but our balcony door is still firmly shut. Are we going to get it opened this week? I sincerely hope so as I will be an extremely unhappy camper if we don't.

Seems like now I have decided to make more use of Turmeric, so has everyone else.

Turmeric Pork Chops with Green Onion Rice

Tumeric is the trending seasoning of the year. Its subtle flavor notes bring out the best in this simple pork chop recipe. We love that the side dish recipe allows you to dress up precooked brown rice by adding fresh lime juice and cilantro. You'll love the pork chop, but it may be the rice side dish that you make again and again, as it pairs perfectly with a variety of dishes, ranging from Spanish to Asian.
Opt for bone-in pork chops for this recipe to get the full depth of flavor the recipe promises.

4 (6-oz.) bone-in pork chops
1 large garlic clove, halved
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided
1/2 tsp black pepper, divided
3 Tbs olive oil, divided
1 Tbs fish sauce
2 tsp oyster sauce
1 tsp tomato paste
1 bunch green onions
2 (8.8-oz.) packages precooked brown rice (such as Uncle Ben's)
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves 1 lime, cut into 4 wedges

1. Heat a grill pan over medium-high. Rub pork with cut sides of garlic; discard garlic. Sprinkle pork with turmeric, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Combine 2 tablespoons oil, fish sauce, oyster sauce, and tomato paste. Brush both sides of pork with half of oil mixture. Add pork to pan; grill 4 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Transfer to a plate; brush both sides of pork with remaining oil mixture. Keep warm.

2. Add onions to grill pan over medium-high; grill 2 minutes. Coarsely chop onions.

3. Heat rice according to package directions. Combine green onions, rice, remaining 1 tablespoon oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Serve rice with pork. Sprinkle with cilantro; serve with lime wedges.

Servings: 4

Author: Adam Hickman
Source: Cooking Light

Have a great day
 

Wednesday, November 29, 2017

Our Tuesday

Phew, busy day. After dropping off the monitor we stopped for gas on the way to the restaurant and paid $1.24 a litre, expensive, then I was totally annoyed that when we came back a few hours later, the same gas bar was charging $1.18 (I'm rounding up).i.e. 6 cents less. Grrr.

Had a very enjoyable lunch with our friend whom we haven't seen for a while. Then dropped into Costco and bought some chicken breasts and pork loins. I really like the meat there. I just wish I could pay with my Visa. Apparently these days they will accept Master Card but we don't have one and are unlikely to get one. One credit card is enough thank you. Talking of that, we get cash back every November. The cashback disappeared last Friday from our information on line and should have been deposited into our account.  No sign of it to date. I phoned them and they said it was on my next statement but I would not see it on line because I wasn't paperless (still get statements 'cos Matt can't use a computer). He said I would see it on the statement next week. What nonsense. If it didn't show up on line, my online accounts would be inaccurate. Another Grrrr.

After Costco I realised I had forgotten the shopping list so we had to go home and get it. Another grrrr. Although it did mean I could put the meat in the fridge. Headed to the grocers and bought up the store. I discovered they were now selling Kinchi so, of course I had to buy some to try. Hope it's good.  Didn't mention that I had some kelp salad at lunch (had it once before) and I loved it. Wondered if I could buy it round here and discovered I could at a Vietnamese store which I have been to a few times in the past. It really is delicious. Of course I don't know what is in the salad at the Mandarin. Looking on line, looks like it might be cooked and then dressed with a sweet and spicy sauce.  From what I am reading Kelp is the new Kale. Must say I like it better. Will have to look up some recipes.

Having been told that Eastern foods and spices are enabling them to fight off any kind of dementia problems, I am endeavouring to add more things like turmeric and cumin to the foods we eat. This soup fits the bill. I used to boil chickens like this to make stock anyway using the meat from the chicken to turn it into something else. I have always loved Chicken Noodle Soups. They don't say how many scallions but I would think 4 or 5 would suffice.

Turmeric-Ginger Chicken Soup

Chicken noodle soup never gets old. If you don’t have udon for this recipe, use rice noodles or regular old spaghetti. A small knob of fresh turmeric can replace the dried type.

1 3 ½–4-pound chicken
2 medium onions, unpeeled, quartered
2 heads of garlic, halved crosswise
1 4-inch piece ginger, unpeeled, thinly sliced
3 dried bay leaves
1 Tbs ground turmeric
2 tsp black peppercorns
2 tsp coriander seeds
Kosher salt
12 oz carrots (about 4 medium), peeled, cut into ½-inch pieces on a diagonal
8 oz dried udon noodles
scallions, very thinly sliced
Chili oil (for serving)

1. Place chicken, onions, garlic, ginger, bay leaves, turmeric, peppercorns, coriander seeds, and several pinches of salt in a large pot. Pour in cold water to cover and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and gently simmer until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of breast registers 155°, 30–35 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate and let cool slightly; keep stock simmering. Remove skin from chicken; discard. Pull meat from bones and shred into bite-size pieces; set aside. Return bones and carcass to stock. Increase heat and bring stock to a boil; cook until reduced by about one-third, 15–20 minutes. Season with more salt if needed.

2. Strain stock into a large saucepan; discard solids. Add carrots, bring to a simmer, and cook until carrots are tender, about 5 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, cook noodles in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente; drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking.

4. Divide noodles among bowls. Add shredded chicken meat to stock and cook just until heated through; season stock with more salt if needed. Ladle over noodles. Top soup with scallions and drizzle with chili oil.

Servings: 4

Author: Claire Saffitz
Source: Bon Appétit

Have a great day
 

Tuesday, November 28, 2017

Cyber Monday, Bowling, Our Tuesday,

It was Cyber Monday, right? So what are clothing stores, Avon and other such, doing, offering me bargains. Don't they know what cyber means? I also had a recipe for Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie in my mail today. No, please. Give it another name. The name has been screwed around with enough, Shepherd's Pie was originally made with lamb and Cottage Pie with beef. You cannot have a Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie, sorry.

Bowling for Matt and I was basically a disaster. My average went down 2 points which shows you had badly I bowled. I thought of blaming my back which has been aching more since we did decorating at the weekend, but that would be dishonest, it was not aching when I bowled. One of our missing team turned up. Apparently he and his wife had both had a bad bout of flu as had their grandson, and yes, they do get flu shots??? Anyway, he bowled like a demon and got some good scores but we still didn't take a single point off the opposing team. Bet I bowl well on Thursday! I was really disgusted with myself today.

Busy day today. First take Matt's monitor bank, then join a friend for lunch at Mandarin, then a quick visit to Costco and finally our weekly grocery shopping.

This looks a pretty easy recipe to do and if you have any still kicking around, you could use turkey of course. The only think I would change would be regular mayonnaise. I don't eat low fat anything, I either eat the regular or I don't eat it at all.

Chicken and Bacon Roll Ups

Made hearty with shredded chicken, these easy sandwiches can be endlessly adapted to suit any taste.

1/2 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
1 tsp minced fresh tarragon
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
4 (2.8-ounce) whole wheat flatbreads
2 cups shredded romaine lettuce
2 cups chopped tomato (about 2 medium)
4 center-cut bacon slices, cooked and drained
2 cups shredded skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken breast

Combine reduced-fat mayonnaise, minced tarragon, and fresh lemon juice in a small bowl. Spread 2 tablespoons mayonnaise mixture over each flatbread. Top each with 1/2 cup shredded romaine lettuce, 1/2 cup chopped tomato, 1 bacon slice, crumbled, and 1/2 cup chicken. Roll up.

Servings: 4

Source: Cooking Light

Have a great day
 

Monday, November 27, 2017

Decorations, Bowling, Cooking and Shopping. Monitor.

I said to a friend that I had never had a real tree but thinking about it, I must have done as a kid in the 40s and 50s because I don't suppose there were such things as synthetic trees. I have used a synthetic for years but I only just found out that we are not allowed to have a real tree in this apartment building. Just as well I do, I never knew there was a rule about it. So, ours is now up and decorated and lots of other stuff is spread around but what a lot of work. Every year we swear we won't bother next year and then when it comes down to it, we kill ourselves decorating once more. I haven't totally finished, had enough for one day.

Of course this is Monday's blog so we will be off to the bowling alley. I do hope the rest of our team will be there. Never found out what happened last week. I know our team sank quite a bit in the standings. Emailing with a friend in England recently she tells me her husband lawn bowls in summer and one of the most popular games around is 9-pin bowling!!! I had never heard of that but googling I gather it is very popular all over Europe. I thought it was 10 pin there like in the US.  It's popular here too of course but 5 pin is a very Canadian game and, IMHOP, much better.

We enjoyed the Pho so much the other week that we decided I should make it again soon although I have just remembered we are going to the Mandarin on Tuesday. So it won't be at the beginning of this week. I want to get into Costco soon too, need a couple of things. It's close by the Mandarin so maybe we'll go then. I complained before about having to walk so far to the meat counters. Then we go regular grocery shopping on Tuesday afternoon anyway. Oh well, I'll live I think.

Forgot, Tuesday Matt will be delighted to get rid of his Cardiac Event Monitor which keeps falling off his belt, especially when bowling. He has been keeping it in his pocket which seems to work a bit better but he will be so glad not to have to wear it any more.

Not sure of the origin of this recipe but it is in my recipe programme. I chose a picture which I figured looked like the salad although I don't think there are any tomatoes in it, not sure why not.

Grecian Pork Tenderloin Salad

1 lb pork tenderloin
1 tsp chopped fresh oregano
1- 1/2 tsp red wine vinegar
1- 1/2 tsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
1- 1/2 cup peeled, sliced cucumber, divided
1 Tbs fresh dillweed
1 8 oz carton plain nonfat yogurt
veg cooking spray
4 cups tightly packed torn Romaine
1/2 cup thinly sliced onion separated into rings
1/2 cup thinly sliced radishes
2 Tbs crumbled feta
2 tsp chopped fresh mint
2 med ripe tomatoes in 8 wedges each
1 med green bell pepper, 12 rings
8 pitted whole ripe olives

1. Trim fat from pork. Combine oregano, vinegar, oil and garlic in a large ziplock. Add pork, seal bag, marinate in fridge for a minimum of 30 mins, turning in bag occasionally.

2. In a processor put 1/2 cup cucumber, dill and yogurt. Process about 10 secs until smooth, scraping sides of bowl. Set aside.

3. Remove pork from the bag, reserving marinade. Coat grill rack with spray and place meat over med hot coals. Cover and cook 30 mins turning occasionally. and basting with marinade.  Thinly slice pork and set aside.

4. Divide lettuce among 4 plates. Top each with 1/4 of the remaining cucumber, onion and next 6 ingredients (radishes to end). Divide pork evenly. Top each plate with 1/4 of the yogurt dressing. Serve immediately.

Servings: 4

Have a great day
 

Saturday, November 25, 2017

Saturday Recipe

It occurred to me that one of my favourite recipes was designed for leftover turkey and ham. I normally use chicken as I don't often have turkey - in fact I frequently buy a rotisserie chicken, have some for supper and the next day turn it into my Leftover recipe. The original was from Paul Hollywood famous from The Great British Baking Show. For him this was a pie filling but as I have never been all that enamoured of pastry, I altered it slightly and don't  make it into a pie. I nearly always have some in the freezer these days. Of course it you wanted to turn it back into a pie, there is nothing to stop you. Either way, it's delicious. I should add that I don't use single cream. Maybe I should change the recipe.

Leftover Filling only


1 1/2 ounces butter
1 lge carrot, chopped
2 large leeks, washed and roughly sliced
finely grated zest and juice of 1 orange
3 tbs medium sherry
3 Tbs plain flour
2 cups chicken stock (or 1 cup left over gravy and 1 cup stock)
1 heaped tsp wholegrain mustard
3/4 cup single cream
1 1/2 lbs left over turkey meat, cut into bite size pieces, or chicken
1/2 lb left over ham, cut into bite size pieces (optional)
2 Tbs tarragon, roughly chopped
salt and white pepper

 For the filling, melt the butter in a large frying pan over a medium heat and add the leeks to the pan with the orange juice, zest and sherry. Cover and cook gently for 6 minutes, stirring occasionally until the leeks are just tender. Remove the lid and increase the heat, reduce the liquid until you are left with a few spoons of the buttery liquid. Sprinkle the flour over the leeks and stir to mix evenly. Gradually add the stock, simmer for 5 minutes until the sauce has thickened slightly. Add the mustard, turkey and ham and stir. Finally add the tarragon and cream. Season to taste with a little white pepper and salt.

Have a great weekend
 

Friday, November 24, 2017

Brilliant Book, Thanksgiving Day, Bowling,

I almost forgot this blog because I am reading the most absorbing book. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime by Mark Haddon. It is an incredible story written from the perspective of an autistic boy of 15 years  who is also a savant, and is, in my mind, the most incredible piece of writing. It has been made into a play and is running in a Toronto theatre at the moment. I want everyone to read it. Mark Haddon has done a lot of work with autistic kids so he understands how they think. I could really believe that this book had been written by someone with autism. Brilliant. I am having trouble putting it down. The book was published in the States in 2003. It is set in the UK.

Some of the stuff happening today, US Thanksgiving, is ridiculous. On GMA this morning they were suggesting alternate desserts and also saying you could cook a turkey breast if you like. What I wondered was, how were you going to obtain a turkey breast on Thanksgiving Day unless you had grocery stores open near you!!! Or suddenly change what dessert you were going to prepare assuming you had those ingredients in your kitchen. Helpful hints on cooking the bird itself would be useful, but not changing your menu on THE day.

While many of you were slogging away in the kitchen, we, of course, went bowling. One 200 game one mediocre game, a little over my average. Matt had a bad day I'm afraid. It really is a weird game, how can you throw lots of Strikes and Spares in one game and then have trouble finding the middle in the next.

This sounded like a pretty good recipe to me and made me wish I had some turkey.

Grilled Turkey and Brie Sandwich with Cranberry Chutney

A grilled, roast turkey sandwich with cranberry chutney and ooey gooey melted brie.

2 slices bread
1 serving roast turkey, sliced
2 Tbs cranberry sauce or cranberry chutney
4 oz brie, sliced
1 Tbs butter, room temperature

1. Assemble the sandwich and grill over medium heat until golden brown and the cheese has melted, about 2-4 minutes per side.

Servings: 1

Author: Kevin Lynch
Source: Closet Kitchen

Have a great day
 

Thursday, November 23, 2017

5 Messiahs, Oxygen, Cartoon,

Whilst at the optometrist's yesterday, I picked up a National Geographic and was astounded to read an article about 5 men who believe they are the Messiah come again. They have disciples who follow them, some in large numbers. These guys are both black and white. Spread around the world. What hubris. Do look at the article if only for the pictures, the first of which is priceless I think. This one from Siberia who's name is Vissariaon, does look somewhat Christlike I must agree, but...... looks ain't everything.

Another snippet of information I picked up from How To Geek the other day was that although everybody is worried about trees and the lack of oxygen because they are being cut down, apparently 70% of the world's oxygen actually comes from marine plants. Not that anyone is advocating cutting down trees of course.  Most of the oxygen emanates from phytoplankton. How about this for a coincidence. I wrote this on Wednesday morning having originally read about the oxygen on How to Geek. Watching Nature, PBS TV on Wednesday night, they covered the phytoplankton and their importance in oxygen production. They say the phytoplankton produce 50% of the earth's oxygen. I like the 70% figure best but don't know who is accurate. I googled and this is what I found "Prochlorococcus and other ocean phytoplankton are responsible for 70 percent of Earth's oxygen production. However, some scientists believe that phytoplankton levels have declined by 40 percent since 1950 due to the warming of the ocean. Ocean temperature impacts the number of phytoplankton in the ocean." and who says global warming isn't crucially important?

Talking of the optometrist's, they have all kinds of fun pictures of cartoon animals in glasses. I took one picture of my favourite. Don't think the colours are quite right, but gives you an idea.

Finally, I wish all my American friends a fabulous Thanksgiving. I am not posting a recipe today as most people won't be terribly interested today.



Have a great day
 

Wednesday, November 22, 2017

Thanksgiving Travel, Optometry, Roadworks, Balconies.

Keep hearing reports on the radio and TV telling how many Americans are travelling this week to get home for the holidays or wherever they are planning to spend Thanksgiving. Flights are packed as are the roads. However, as I said to Matt, I don't think I would want to risk flying anywhere at the moment - too many terrorists around for my liking. Hope I'm wrong.

We saw our optometrist today, annual check up, and no change, no problems. In fact, I have had a somewhat wonky eye (right) for 20 or more years and I told him I thought there was a slight improvement. He said I was right. Hey, wouldn't it be wonderful to get 20/20 sight in that eye again. Not likely to happen though, but any improvement is welcome.

The road works are getting worse at the moment. Don't they know winter is here and outside work won't be possible soon. Everywhere we go there are road workers - nearly always just chatting when we see them!!!

Talking of workers, not much seems to have been going on with the balconies. They have moved one hoist to the front (visitors) parking lot and just parked it there. They have the other one on the ground outside our window but for 2 days as far as we know, nothing has happened anywhere. Yesterday we did have a smattering of snow on the ground in the morning but it had disappeared by mid morning. Maybe they are just waiting for the inspector.

The picture of these shallots made me hunt out the recipe because they looked so delicious. They recommend them as a side for the Thanksgiving Turkey.

Glazed Shallots

1 ¼ lbs (about 36) small shallots, peeled
½ cup white wine
1 cup homemade or low-sodium chicken stock
1 Tbs sugar
1 tsp kosher salt
3 Tbs unsalted butter
A few grinds black pepper

1. In a skillet just large enough to hold the shallots in a single layer, combine the shallots, wine, stock, sugar, salt and 2 tablespoons of the butter. Place over high heat, bring to a boil, lower to a simmer and cook, uncovered, until the liquid evaporates and the shallots are very tender, about 10 to 15 minutes.

2. Raise heat to medium high and cook, shaking the pan frequently, until the shallots begin to brown and are coated with a thick syrup. Remove from heat and add the final tablespoon of butter, shaking the pan until it is melted and incorporated. Serve immediately.

Author: MOLLY O'NEILL
Source: New York Times

Have a great day
 

Tuesday, November 21, 2017

Piglet and Pooh, Bananas, Bowling, Medical,

I don't use Facebook a lot these days but happened to go in tonight. I came across a cartoon which I thought was funny. There appear to be two or three of these cartoons. Piglet and Pooh talking about the current US President. I was going to show the cartoon here but changed my mind as I didn't wish to be offensive.

This week, I tried the recommended way of keeping bananas by wrapping them tightly in plastic and putting them in the fridge. I think it was Helen Venn who suggested it. It worked beautifully so that is what we will be doing from now on. Thank you.

Bowling was pretty disastrous today. Two of our team didn't turn up, nor did they bowl ahead which is very unusual of them. They didn't phone the alley or anything so I am wondering what happened. I had one good game as did Matt but the other team of 5 bowlers beat us although one game they only beat us by 13 pins. Oh well, I can't see us climbing back up very far for the rest of the season.

Tuesday it's our annual visit to the optometrist - don't anticipate any problems or changes. Wednesday back to the doctor's with Matt's skin cancers which do seem to be clearing up OK. He is still wearing the Cardiac Event Monitor, it seems to be clocking up events even though Matt hasn't felt anything in the way of dizziness or anything else - he says. Has to wear it for one more week.

If you want something ooey gooey and decadently sinful for the holidays, how about this dessert? It comes from Closet Kitchen where there are quite a few different pictures of this delicious looking treat.

Pecan Pie Cheesecake with Pecan Caramel Sauce

A pecan pie topped with a cheesecake topped with a pecan caramel sauce!

FOR THE CRUST:
1 3/4 cups vanilla wafer crumbs (or graham cracker crumbs)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

FOR THE PECAN PIE FILLING:
1 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup maple syrup (or corn syrup)
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
1 1/2 cups pecans, toasted and chopped

FOR THE CHEESECAKE FILLING:
3 (8 ounce) bricks cream cheese, softened
1 cup brown sugar
3 large eggs
1/2 cup heavy/whipping cream
2 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

FOR THE PECAN CARAMEL TOPPING:
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup toasted pecans, chopped

FOR THE CRUST:

 Mix the crumbs, butter and sugar and press into the bottom of a 8-10 inch spring form pan.

FOR THE PECAN PIE FILLING:

Bring the brown sugar, maple syrup, butter, eggs, vanilla and pecans to a boils and simmer until it thickens, about 5 minutes, before pouring into the crust in the springform pan.

FOR THE CHEESECAKE FILLING:

Beat the cream cheese, sugar, eggs, cream and vanilla until smooth before pouring on top of the pecan pie filling in the springform pan, wrap the bottom of the pan in foil, place in a larger pan with a small amount of hot water and bake in a preheated 350F/180C oven until set, about 60 minutes. (It is recommended that you let the cheesecake cool completely on the counter and then chill it in the fridge overnight, but it's also amazing while still warm from the oven!)

FOR THE PECAN CARAMEL TOPPING:

Heat the butter and sugar in a small sauce pan over medium heat until bubbling, let it bubble for 3 minutes, carefully add the heavy cream, mix until smooth and add the cinnamon and pecans and let cool before pouring on the cooled cheesecake

Servings: 12

Author: Kevin Lynch
Source: Closet Kitchen

Have a great day
 

Monday, November 20, 2017

Alzheimer's Disease and Dolphins, Pho Ga, Snow,

How very sad. I find Alzheimer's is the most pernicious and terrible disease, particularly as there appears to be nothing that can be done. They have now discovered that Dolphins can also get Alzheimer's Disease. I had always believed it was man's curse, but apparently not. Care2 was the first source I read but I later verified it on Google. I have discovered that there are particular areas in India and other parts of the world where they are not prone to the disease and it is attributed to the various herbs and spices they use together with the fact that they eat little or no beef.

Sunday I made Pho Ga which I posted a few days ago. I realised that although it lists peas on the recipe it doesn't tell you what to do with them. I added them at the same time as the carrots. I was assured it was both different and delicious. Matt has never eaten Pho in a Vietnamese restaurant. I have always been put off making it before because of the "boiling beef bones" part prior to doing the rest. The Campbell's carton of Pho makes an excellent start to the dish. One thing I personally found, the raw carrot shavings were a tad tough for me although Matt didn't find them so. Also, the rice noodles said pour hot water from the tap and soak for 25-30 minutes. The hot water from our taps is almost boiling, but they were slightly soft but not enough so I shoved them in the microwave, water and all for 4 minutes total and they came out perfect.

More odd weather on Sunday, we had snow flakes for a while, but they were coming down so slowly you could count them. They never settled on the ground, not enough of them.

I just came across this recipe in my cookbook software. As an Englishwoman I have made many Yorkshire Puddings or what North America calls Popovers, but never with cheese. They sound pretty good.

Roquefort Popovers

Popovers and blue cheese are naturals in their own right with beef, but when combined into one, the results are incredible. This recipe is not complicated but it must be made and served at the last minute to ensure the best results. If you are not a fan of blue cheese, try using a crumbly goat cheese in its place.

Vegetable oil, shortening, or lard for the pans
1 1/2 cups whole milk
6 oz Roquefort cheese, crumbled
1 tsp salt
Freshly ground black pepper
9 oz (2 cups) all-purpose flour
6 large eggs

1. Set the oven rack to its lowest position in the oven. Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Generously grease 12 popover tins (preferably nonstick) with oil, shortening, or lard (butter won't work).

2. In a small saucepan, warm the milk and cheese over medium-low heat until the cheese is melted. Remove from the heat and whisk in the salt and pepper. (You can also melt the cheese in the milk in a glass measuring cup in the microwave on low power for 1 min.)

3. Put the flour in a medium bowl. Whisk in the milk mixture until just combined; it's fine if the batter is a bit lumpy. Add the eggs one at a time to the batter, whisking well after each addition. Pour the batter into the prepared tins and bake on the lowest shelf for 20 min. at 400 degrees F. Don't open the oven, but reduce the temperature to 350 ddegrees F and continue to bake another 15 min. until the popovers are browned and fully puffed. Remove the popovers from the oven and immediately take them out of the tin to keep them from getting soggy. Poke each popover with a knife to release steam. Serve immediately or reheat just before serving.

Servings: 6
Yield: 12 popovers

Source: Fine Cooking - Issue No. 30

Have a great day
 

Saturday, November 18, 2017

Saturday Recipe

Jacques Pépin is one of my favourite chefs and I was looking through my cookbook tonight and came across this recipe. I luuuurve smoked salmon any which way, and this sounds delicious. Bit late this week, but next week I shall plan to have this I think. I just discovered that in 2015 I posted a similar recipe by Wolfgang Puck, another of my favourite chefs.

Smoked Salmon Pizza

1 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
2 naan flatbreads or other style of flatbread you prefer (I used garlic naan)
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tsp bottled horseradish, drained (I used 3 tsps)
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion (I did a quick pickle of my red onions--see note below)
8 oz sliced smoked salmon
2 Tbs drained capers
freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves (I subbed in coarsely chopped fresh tarragon)

1. Preheat oven to 400°F or heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Brush baking sheet or grill pan with oil and turn the naan in the oil to lightly coat both sides. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the bread is crusty and brown, or crisp in the pan 3-4 minutes per side or until nicely browned. Let cool to lukewarm.

2. Mix the sour cream and horseradish in a small bowl. Spread on the bread and sprinkle half of the onion over the sour cream mixture. Arrange the smoked salmon slices on top. Sprinkle the capers over the salmon and add the remaining onion and some freshly ground black pepper. Finally sprinkle with the cilantro (tarragon) leaves. Cut the pizza into wedges or slices and serve.

3. Quick Pickled Red Onions: This recipe had a lot of red onion in it and I was concerned that if left raw, they would overpower the other flavors. I did a quick pickle with about 1/2 cup water, 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, 1/4 cup rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon sugar and 1 teaspoon salt shaken together in a jar with a very thinly sliced red onion. I left it to sit about 45 minutes before using on the pizza. I also drained the onions for the pizza and patted them dry with paper towels. It took the bite out perfectly. Since I had plenty of leftover onion, I added some to my salad and used a bit of the pickling liquid, mixed with an equal amount of olive oil as dressing.

Servings: 4

Author: More Fast Food My Way by Jacques Pépin

Have a great weekend
 

Friday, November 17, 2017

Bowling. Weather, Jeopardy, Movie,

Started with a really good game today but went off somewhat in the second two. Oh well. I asked for my money back but the guys just laughed. Then went to pick up some raspberries as I want to make a Pavlova. Haven't done so in a week or two. We both enjoy them.

When we got home, I got out of the car at the front door (to check the mail) and immediately it started to hail. By the time I got my hood up it had turned to rain. Weird. Never seen that happen as far as I remember. It doesn't seem that cold at the moment unless the wind is blowing which it was part of the afternoon.

Watching the Jeopardy Tournament of Champions, down to the finals now and we like all three of the contestants so don't really know whom to root for. All three of them are very good of course. Tomorrow we will find out the winner. Mind you even the lowest gets $25,000 so they all do well out of it.  One thing I was very impressed about, all the contestants for the last two weeks as well as Alex Trebek, have been wearing a ribbon in tribute to the Champion Cindy Stowell who died of cancer shortly after winning 6 games on the show.

Tonight there wasn't much on TV and looking for something to watch I discovered I had The Santa Clause 2 which I had forgotten about. Decided to watch it and also to buy the first Santa Clause movie too. To me that was the best one. Second one is OK, third one I didn't think too much of.

Turkey Day will be here any time soon and so here are some extra turkeys to have at your dinner table. Of course they leave it to you to choose a suitable chocolate cupcake. I could almost wish I was celebrating Thanksgiving next week.

Kit Kat Turkey Cupcakes

42 chocolate cupcakes*
2-1/2 cups chocolate frosting (ready to spread or homemade)
ROYAL ICING (recipe follows)
42 (about 1-1/2 tablespoons) HERSHEY'S SPECIAL DARK Chocolate Chips or HERSHEY'S Semi-
Sweet Chocolate Chips
42 regular-sized marshmallows
32 (1.5 oz. each) KIT KAT Bars
1/2 cup REESE'S PIECES Candies
HERSHEY'S Syrup (optional)

 DIRECTIONS

For each turkey you will need:

1 frosted cupcake,

1 marshmallow,

1 chocolate chip,

3 KIT KAT Bar sections and

3 REESE'S PIECES Candies.

Bake and frost cupcakes, reserving about 1 tablespoon frosting. Prepare ROYAL ICING.

To create turkey's beak, attach chocolate chip to the side of white marshmallow with icing. Pipe or dab chocolate frosting onto marshmallow for the turkey's eyes.

To create the tail feathers, break KIT KAT Bars along the natural breaking points. Attach on REESE'S PIECES Candy to the end of each bar section with icing.

Assemble the turkey by inserting three "tail feathers" into cupcake with the candy piece at the top. Set the marshmallow head in front of the feathers, pressing gently into the icing. For a fun twist, serve cupcakes with a side of syrup for gravy.

ROYAL ICING:
Stir together 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon powdered sugar, 1-1/2 teaspoons warm water and 3/4 teaspoon pasteurized dried egg whites (meringue powder). Beat until spreadable. Add additional water, 1/2 teaspoon at a time, to get desired consistency. Tint with food color, if desired. Cover icing with damp paper towel to keep icing from drying out. About 1/4 cup icing.

The ROYAL ICING recipe is enough to make 42 turkey cupcakes. Smaller amounts of cupcakes can be made, but you will have leftover icing.


Source: Hershey's

Have a great day
 

Thursday, November 16, 2017

Battle of the Mac and Cheese, Partial Cooking Day.

Having one-upped Bryan of A Beer for the Shower about Macaroni Cheese, we then got a recipe from Denise Hammond of Life in Retirement and I figure she one-upped the pair of us with her Lobster Macaroni and Cheese. I have always been a lobster lover - I  used to say "show me a lobster and I will follow you anywhere". Don't get to eat it much any more as it is so expensive. Denise says she started using fake lobster in her dish (they actually make that from Pollock) and nobody noticed.

My planned big cooking day didn't really work. I had bought a couple of artichokes for me so cooked them whilst I ate breakfast. I then spent most of the morning making the Moroccan Style Stuffed Peppers but for some reason I was feeling unwell most of the day, combination dizziness, faintness, etc. (yes I think I know why and nothing serious but unpleasant). So really didn't feel up to making the Pho as well. Matt did a couple of things for me - he usually dries dishes for me which helps a lot. I went down to exercise class but couldn't take a lot of advantage from it today. Had two of the peppers for supper and shortly before, I decided to make the Chinese Braised Red Cabbage dish as well. Thursday, of course, is bowling - hope there are no chatterboxes. There shouldn't be. Not on a Thursday.

Having bought a load of chicken thighs to make Pho Ga, I have more thighs than I need. Conveniently I came across this recipe today.

Chimichurri Chicken Thighs with Potatoes

An herb and chile-packed chimichurri sauce makes this meat-and-potatoes main vibrant and exciting. Double the mixture, and spoon over grilled steak or fish on another night. Use your microwave to jumpstart the potatoes, then crisp them up in the drippings from the cooked chicken thighs for maximum flavor. Fresno chiles have a medium heat, just slightly more mild than a jalapeño. You can use either here, or substitute a generous pinch of crushed red pepper in the chimichurri. Skinless, boneless thighs can vary widely in size. Shop by weight rather than count,
cutting larger thighs in half if needed.

2 Tbs water
12 oz fingerling potatoes, halved
5 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil, divided
8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs (about 1 1/2 lb.)
1 tsp kosher salt, divided
3/4 tsp black pepper, divided
1 red Fresno chile, halved crosswise
1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1 Tbs chopped shallots
2 garlic cloves

1. Place 2 tablespoons water and potatoes in a microwave-safe bowl; cover and microwave at HIGH 4 minutes or until almost tender.

2. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high. Sprinkle chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Add chicken to pan; cook 5 minutes on each side. Remove from pan; keep warm.

3. Cut half of chile into thin slices; finely chop remaining half. Add potatoes and chile slices to drippings in pan; cook 4 minutes. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper.

4. Place chopped chile, parsley, cilantro, shallots, and garlic in a mini food processor; pulse to combine. Add remaining 3 tablespoons oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, and juice; process until smooth. Serve with chicken and potatoes.

Servings: 4
Yield: 2 thighs, 1/2 cup potato mixture, and 2 tbsp. cilantro mixture

 Source: Cooking Light

Have a great day
 

Wednesday, November 15, 2017

Busy Day.

Started this morning with a visit to Regional Cardiology Services  to pick up a Cardiac Event Monitor for Matt. Not at all what I was expecting him to have. This is just a small device attached to parts of his chest which he has to operate if he feels dizzy or anything. The monitor might also record an event on its own. I was expecting him to have one of those BP monitors which inflate a cuff every half hour to take one's blood pressure. He has to wear this for two weeks (except when he showers of course) and they give you a bunch of sticky things to adhere the diodes after showering etc.  What I did find interesting, there was no charge. Matt has been given a 24 hour monitor before and had to pay $50 for it and I had to pay $60 for the one I had.  In both cases they were from specialists!!

Came home and had lunch and decided to go bowl - better for me because I normally go to exercise class on Wednesday. Unfortunately, we hit a group of very noisy male bowlers which didn't make Grumpy very happy at all. Admittedly even I found them a bit off putting at times. Whilst we were there another couple came in and just played one game. Young, but he never stopped talking the whole time he was there. Even when she was bowling he was following her up and down the alley and talking the whole time, he didn't stop when he bowled either. We decided if it was a first date she would probably not go for a second. I would have told him to go sit down whilst I bowled, but more difficult to do when you are young I suppose.

Next, having played 3 games (we played an extra one because the noisy group had left) we went to the grocery store to do our weekly shop. The grocers is still there, but only just! I bought a load of the stuff needed for the Chicken Pho I posted yesterday. Wednesday I plan to cook it as well as make some Moroccan Stuffed Peppers which we really like.  By the time I had put the shopping away and wrapped some of our bananas in plastic and put them in the fridge, I was knackered.

I discovered, talking to the Building Manager who really does know everything, that some of the balconies did not pass inspection which is why they are working on them and why they haven't finished our balcony - or had it inspected or whatever remains to be done. He aslo said they had to be out of here in 2 weeks. Not sure why.

Macaroni and cheese seems to be one of the staples of North American households. Bryan of A Beer for the Shower was telling me of a somewhat opulent version he makes and then I came across this recipe from our local liquor board. If you are reading this Bryan, I am practicing a bit of one-upmanship. LOL.

Four-Cheese Macaroni with Curry Crunch

A touch of spicy curry flavour is a surprisingly terrific match for cheesy pasta. Try the four cheeses below or use up bits of cheese lingering in your refrigerator. In either case, be sure to include the goat cheese for luscious creaminess. For variety, stir in sliced mushrooms or chopped broccoli.

CURRY CRUMBS
3 Tbs (45 mL) butter
1 cup (250 mL) finely diced onion
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 Tbs (15 mL) curry powder
4 cups (1 L) fresh bread crumbs

MACARONI
3 cups (750 mL) macaroni or ditali
1 cup (250 mL) shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup (250 mL) shredded provolone cheese
1 cup (250 mL) shredded friulano or Gouda cheese
½ cup (125 mL) crumbled mild creamy chèvre
½ cup (125 mL) all-purpose flour
1 ½ tsp (7 mL) salt
4 cups (1 L) 3.8% whole or 2% milk
1 large sprig thyme or ½ tsp (2 mL) dried thyme
1 bay leaf
½ tsp (2 mL) freshly ground black pepper
4 or 5 green onions, thinly sliced

1. For curry crumbs, heat butter in a large frying pan over medium heat until bubbly. Add onion; cook for 2 minutes. Stir in garlic and curry; cook, stirring frequently, for 1 to 2 minutes or until fragrant. Remove from heat. Stir in bread crumbs; set aside.

2. For macaroni, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain, rinse under cold water and drain again. Set aside.

3. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).

4. Toss cheeses with flour and salt in a bowl. Set aside. Heat milk with thyme and bay leaf in a large saucepan over medium heat. When milk is just starting to bubble, stir in cheese mixture by handfuls. Heat, stirring frequently, for 8 to 10 minutes, until sauce just begins to bubble and is thickened. Remove bay leaf and thyme stem; stir in pepper and green onions. Stir in pasta until coated.

5. Coat a 16-cup (4 L) baking dish with cooking spray for easy cleanup. Turn pasta mixture into dish. Smooth top and sprinkle evenly with curry crumbs. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a knife inserted into the centre feels hot when removed. (If crumbs are getting too brown, loosely lay a piece of foil overtop.) Serve immediately.

6. Cover and refrigerate leftovers for up to 2 days. Reheat, loosely covered, in microwave on medium power until hot.

Servings: 8

Source: LCBO


Have a great day
 

Tuesday, November 14, 2017

Ancient Shark, Bowling,

Incredible scientific news - they have discovered an ancient cretaceous period shark (80 million years old) swimming off the coast of Portugal. The shark has 300 teeth and is named the Chlamydoselachus anguineus and seems to be called the frilled shark. Reading the article it seems one was found off the cost of Japan at some point in time. The link is to a fairly short article and is interesting. They say it is a very simple creature and unevolved and lives on food such as octopus and squid. 

Bowling was fairly good today, my first game was lousy but the other two games were good with a 200 at the last. Not sure if we took 4 or 5 points but best we have done in a while. 

This recipe comes from Campbell Soups. Seems like it would be a good one. Especially as the pho is already made for you.

Pho Ga (Chicken Pho) with Crispy Shallots

This simple Vietnamese soup is comfort food at its best. The hot and cool flavours are all in perfect harmony.


1 Tbs (15 mL) vegetable oil
3 shallots, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 stalk lemongrass, cut into 1-inch pieces and smashed
1 piece ginger
1 tsp (5 mL) sugar
1 Tbs (15 mL) fish sauce
1 carton CAMPBELL’S® Ready To Use Pho Broth
1 lb (454 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs
8 oz (226 g) dried rice noodles
1 carrot, cut into ribbons with a vegetable peeler
1 cup (250 mL) frozen peas, thawed
1/4 cup (60 mL) each, fresh mint leaves and cilantro sprigs
1 small red chili pepper, thinly sliced
1 lime, cut into wedges

1. In small non-stick skillet heat oil on medium heat; cook shallots and garlic until caramelized and golden brown, about 8 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan combine lemongrass, ginger, sugar, fish sauce and Pho broth. Cover with a lid and bring to a very gentle simmer. Add chicken and continue to simmer very gently for about 15 minutes

3. Cook the noodles according to the package instructions. Rinse well under cold water to prevent sticking and divide between 4 bowls.

4. Remove the cooked chicken from the soup and slice. Arrange over noodles with cooked shallots and carrots.

5. Strain soup through sieve into a large measuring cup. Pour over noodles in bowls. Top each with mint, cilantro and chilies. Serve with lime wedges.

Servings: 4

Tips

Substitute the peas for shelled edamame or frozen broccoli

Have a great day
 

Monday, November 13, 2017

Bananas, TV, Balconies.

When we shop, we buy a whole bunch of bananas. Friday morning I walked into the kitchen and noticed a dark puddle under the basket where they were. One at least had split open and was totally liquid and 6 more felt as though they were about to do the same thing. Never known bananas do that before. Had to chuck them out and get some more. Yukky. They replaced the rotten ones for me.

Sunday I watched The Durrell's in Corfu and Poldark. First time I watched the Durrell's I didn't think much of it but it has grown on me.

Fingers crossed we will get our balcony door unlocked this week. Also that they will do the windows again but I am not holding out much hope for that.

Having bought a red cabbage on Tuesday, I decided to cook some of it on Saturday. I was making Pork Tenderloin Diablo which I posted a while back and decided this would go well. What I didn't realise was how difficult the red cabbage would be to cut into. I ended up cutting slices off the whole and then chopping them to size. The end result was, however, delicious. I did not, of course, use a whole head of cabbage. I used about a quarter and that was more than enough for us for two meals.

Chinese Braised Red Cabbage

Add a zing to your red cabbage with this great accompaniment to cold meats at Christmas

1 large red cabbage, finely shredded
3 red chillies, halved, deseeded and chopped
large piece fresh root ginger, peeled and finely sliced
4 star anise
4 garlic cloves, chopped
75 ml rice wine vinegar
2 Tbs soy sauce
50 g caster sugar
4 spring onions, finely sliced
toasted sesame seeds
1 Tbs sesame oil

1. Tip all the ingredients, except the spring onions, sesame seeds and oil, into a large pan with a lid, and bring to a simmer. Cook over a low heat for 25-30 mins until all the liquid has evaporated and continue to cook, stirring regularly, until the juices become really sticky and glaze the cabbage.

2. Stir through half the spring onions and sesame seeds and pile into a bowl. Serve scattered with rest of the spring onions and sesame seeds and drizzled with the sesame oil.

Servings: 4

Source: BBC Good Food

Have a great day

Saturday, November 11, 2017

Saturday Recipe


Friday morning the ground was white. Thought they said flurries.

Every so often - not sure if it's once a week or less - I get an email with a wine recommendation from our liquor board. They include a recipe - this is the current one. Triangoli are triangle shaped Ravioli. What was the wine you ask? La Linda Private Selection Old Vines Malbec.

Lamb Triangoli with Brown Butter and Parmesan

Browned butter adds nutty flavour and is about as simple as a sauce can get, having only one ingredient! This recipe makes numerous triangoli (and enough brown butter for four to six appetizer portions), however they freeze well for months and are very versatile as either an appetizer or main course. Or try frying the triangles in hot oil for crispy nibbles to serve with drinks (see TIP).

1 Tbs (15 mL) olive oil
1 large leek, cleaned and thinly sliced (white and light green portion only)
½ cup (125 mL) finely diced sweet red pepper or shredded carrot
1 large clove garlic, minced
¾ tsp (4 mL) freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp (5 mL) salt
½ cup (125 mL) frozen petit pois peas
1 lb (500 g) lean ground lamb or pork
½ cup (125 mL) toasted sliced or slivered almonds
½ cup (125 mL) diced dried apricots
2 pkgs (each 450 g) frozen egg roll wrappers, defrosted
1 egg white, lightly beaten
1/3 cup (80 mL) unsalted butter
¼ cup (60 mL) grated Parmesan
1 to 2 Tbs (15 to 30 mL) finely chopped parsley or green onion

1. Heat oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat until hot. Add leek, red pepper and garlic; sauté 5 minutes or until softened. Stir in black pepper and salt; turn into a metal bowl. Stir in frozen peas; set mixture aside.

2. Place hot pan back on burner; increase heat to medium-high. Using your hands, finely crumble lamb into hot pan; use a spatula to further break up lamb into small pieces. Cook, stirring frequently until meat loses its pink colour; remove from heat. Drain by turning into a sieve over a small metal bowl; place bowl and liquid in freezer for a few minutes or until fat congeals. Remove and discard fat.

3. Add lamb, pan juices, almonds and apricots to vegetable mixture. Stir until well combined.

4. Place about 2 tbsp (30 mL) of mixture in centre of wrapper. Moisten wrapper edges well with egg using a small brush or index finger; fold 1 point over to the opposite point, forming a triangle. Beginning at matched point, firmly press edges together working back towards the 2 points, eliminating as much air as possible from the pocket. Firmly press edges together again.

5. Place triangoli as assembled slightly apart on large tray lined with wax paper, adding additional sheets of waxed paper as needed. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed. (To freeze, place in freezer uncovered for 1 to 2 hours. Then transfer to heavy plastic bags, and seal airtight.)

6. Place butter in a small stainless-steel saucepan over medium-low heat. Let butter melt and start to bubble. Then stirring often, allow it to continue to bubble, stirring frequently for 3 to 5 minutes or until it develops golden brown flecks. Pour into a heatproof dish to stop browning; set aside in a warm place.

7. Bring salted water to a boil in a large rondeau saucepan or pasta pot. Meanwhile check seal on triangoli; use wetted fingers to firmly press closed any gaps in edges. Drop several triangoli into the water; gently boil for 4 to 5 minutes or until pasta is cooked. If cooking from frozen, add a couple of minutes to the cooking time. Drain; repeat in batches as needed.

8. Arrange 2 to 3 triangoli on each warmed plate; drizzle with a bit of browned butter. Scatter with grated Parmesan and parsley. Serve immediately, passing a black pepper grinder overtop.

Yield: approximately 36 triangoli

Tips
Deep-fry triangoli as a finger food (no sauce). Heat 3 inches (8 cm) of oil in a wide pan over medium-high heat until oil measures 350° to 375°F (180° to 190°C) on a thermometer. Using a slotted spoon, lower 3 to 4 triangoli into hot oil, turning after 1 to 2 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp. Drain on paper towel; serve right away. Frozen triangoli can be cooked right from the freezer.

Author: Marilyn Bentz-Crowley


Have a great weekend.
 

Friday, November 10, 2017

Did You Know? Anna and the King of Siam.

I subscribe to How To Geek and every so often they come up with some information I find particularly fascinating.
In 1972, a young Serbian flight attendant, Vesna Vulović, fell 33,330 feet (10,160 meters) when JAT Flight 367 was ripped apart by a terrorist bomb. Although she suffered multiple broken bones, spent ten days in a coma, and was temporarily paralyzed from the waist down as she recovered from her injuries, she went on to live into her sixties. She holds the Guinness world record for surviving the highest fall without a parachute.

We watched Anna and the King of Siam this evening, I have seen it before, it was made in 1946 in black and white with Rex Harrison playing the King and Irene Dunne as Anna. I had forgotten how good it was. Although I have always loved the musical, The King and I, it was somewhat unrealistic and the early film conveys many years of Anna living in Siam and also covers the death of her young son. I read the book as a teenager and over the years have improved my knowledge by reading her own memoirs (a very Victorian lady) where her views of the Siamese people were somewhat prejudiced but typical of that era. I remember the first time I saw this older version of the story I was somewhat shocked seeing Rex Harrison as the King but he actually did an excellent job. Seeing it tonight I hadn't realised how much of the old film had been used for The King and I. Funny this is in colour but the movie was not.

My first game today at bowling was pretty lousy, however the other two were reasonably good. I hope I will be better on Monday, when it counts.

When I was in the Dominican Republic, I couldn't get enough of Fried Plantains. I tried to make them at home but it didn't work. From this recipe it would appear I should have flattened them. Having come across this recipe I thought I would share it.

Tostones (Fried Plantains)

"A Puerto Rican side, usually served with rice and beans in our family."

2 cups vegetable oil for frying
3 plantains, peeled and sliced into 1-inch pieces
salt to taste
garlic powder to taste

1. Heat the oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Place a few plantain slices in the oil, and cook until lightly golden in color, about three minutes. Drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining slices.

2. While the plantain slices are still warm, place them one at a time between two sheets of wax paper, and flatten by hand to 1/4 inch thick. Return flattened slices to the skillet, and continue frying until golden brown. Drain on paper towels, and season with salt and garlic powder.


Author: Melanie
Source: AllRecipes

Have a great day

Thursday, November 9, 2017

Doctor, Bowling, Balcony Work. Killer Hurricanes.

Our principal activity for Wednesday was going to the doctor's. Matt needed his skin cancer checked and I had X-rays on my back to talk about. However, I also asked her about Matt's dizziness and told her of him falling twice in the last couple of weeks. Said I had checked blood pressure and blood sugars but she decided he needed to go on a BP halter for a while to see what was happening. As for me, she wanted me to go for an MRI to see if I needed an operation on my back for a stenosis or something.  I basically said no thanks. It would cause unending complications in our lives for me to go into hospital for back surgery.

After that, went to the bowling alley for a couple of games. I won one and Matt the other. Bit of shopping, visit to the library and back home. Met a guy in the lobby who knows everything and he told me that they would do another cleaning job on our windows and that I should look for the guy in the Yellow Vest as he was the one who unlocked the windows. Inspector I presume. He also told me the construction guys are supposed to be out of here by next Wednesday. We shall see whether he really does know everything. Forgot to mention, I had gone down to exercise class first but we got a message that an emergency had occurred and there would be no class. No idea what that was about.

Started watching Killer Hurricanes but didn't find it nearly as interesting as the Killer Floods programme last week. Way too many charts and statistics. But it does seem that way back when, there were storms far worse than anything we have experienced in modern times although with global warming, etc. it may be that the severity will increase. Glad I live where I live.

Talking to Stephen Tremp yesterday, I promised to find the recipe for crab cakes which I got from the Beaufort Maritime Museum in North Carolina. I always liked these because they really tasted of crab. I haven't made them since I left NC though. My access to crab is limited to canned and it isn't that
flavourful anyway. Well I guess living on the coast we got spoiled. It occurs to me that one could use Panko instead of the breadcrumbs. I just double checked, the ones from the other day were not vastly different but did contain green peppers which would really affect the flavour, personally I want to taste the crab. JoAnne was one of the people running  the class which a friend and I went to. Lasted a few weeks I recall.

JoAnne's Crab Cakes

2 cup crab meat
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
pinch cayenne
2 eggs beaten
fine bread crumbs
1 Tbs mayonnaise
4 Tbs margarine or butter

Melt margarine in  fry pan. Mix crab meat with seasonings, eggs and mayonnaise. Add bread crumbs to thicken to a soft moulding consistency. Spoon in to pan and sauté until lightly browned on both sides. Drain on paper towels. Serve.

Have a great day