Pickles, Bowling, Asparagus

I mentioned people being a few pickles short of a jar the other day, I have found more from that category. On GMA weekend today, they were talking about two disgusting idiots who filmed themselves in Domino's kitchens sticking cheese in their nostrils, etc. and then posted it on YouTube. Surprisingly they were fired!!!! How stupid can you get? First doing something revolting like that, secondly filming it and thirdly posting it on the net, what did they think would happen? The report said it wasn't the first time something like this had occurred. Maybe restaurants should test the IQs of the people they hire before they let them lose in the kitchens. One note at the end of the segment, cooking kills most of the germs, yeuch. I have heard, over the years, of kitchen staff doing all kinds of stuff to get revenge on unpleasant customers, but none of them have ever been stupid enough to be filmed doing it. I am hoping the weather will improve today, yesterday it was sitting on the balcony with the sunshine, right now it is very dull so we have our fingers crossed. By the way, I bowled up a storm yesterday, I was so pleased with myself. I got a 570 triple which is very good for me and I also won the Friday group's female Bowler of the Year. Funnily enough Matt won for the men although he didn't play as well as I did yesterday. It was one of those days when I almost couldn't bowl wrong. The women bowled better than the men yesterday anyway. I normally don't know this, but keeping the statistics for the Bowler of the Year, it was obvious. We cooked some of our purple, brown, asparagus last night and surprise, surprise, it turned green with cooking. It didn't taste any different either so what's the point? I remember many years ago a friend grew some "Black" runner beans and they too, when cooked, went green. I just read that it has a fruitier flavour, well ours sure didn't. What a pity it doesn't retail the colour which would make it culinarily more interesting to serve. Anyway, less than a month now til Barrie's Asparagus Farm will be selling the luscious, fresh green spears. I've been drooling in anticipation since last year. I just picked up this recipe from a regular email I receive. This dish came from Eating Well again and I thought it looked good. We are going to be going through a few days this week where I have to "avoid" red meat so new chicken dishes hold a lot of interest. Chicken with Sugar Snap Peas & Spring Herbs Source: © EatingWell Magazine Quick-cooking chicken cutlets are paired with an elegant but easy light sauce. This dish can be made without the sprouted beans, but is especially delicious with them. Make it a meal: serve over pan-seared rounds of prepared, store-bought polenta and open a bottle of sauvignon blanc. INGREDIENTS 1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1/2 teaspoon salt Freshly ground pepper to taste 2 teaspoons plus 1 tablespoon flour, divided 1 pound thin-sliced chicken breast cutlets 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 8 ounces sugar snap peas, cut in half (2 cups) 1 14-ounce can quartered artichoke hearts, rinsed 1/4 cup sprouted beans, optional (see Ingredient note) 3 tablespoons minced fresh herbs, such as chives, tarragon or dill 2 teaspoons champagne vinegar or white-wine vinegar Tip: Sprouted beans, not to be confused with bean sprouts, are beans that have just barely sprouted—they look like a bean with a tiny fiber attached (rather than the more fleshy-looking sprouts commonly used in Asian cooking). Eat raw in salads or add to cooked dishes; they're an excellent source of fiber and protein. Look for them in the produce section near other sprouts. DIRECTIONS Whisk broth, mustard, salt, pepper and 2 teaspoons flour in a small bowl until smooth. Sprinkle both sides of the chicken with the remaining 1 tablespoon flour. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken in two batches, adjusting heat as necessary to prevent burning, until golden, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate; tent with foil to keep warm. Increase heat to high; stir the broth mixture and add to the skillet along with snap peas, artichoke hearts and sprouted beans. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook until the snap peas are tender-crisp, about 3 minutes. Return the chicken to the pan, nestling it into the vegetables, and simmer until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in herbs and vinegar. Have a great weekend.