Amethysts Again, Surgery.

I bought some lilac nail polish from Avon - it's gel polish but I am not quite sure what is supposed to be special about that. Anyway,
today, Monday, I went to exercise class with purple shorts, purple nails and doing my dripping with amethysts thing again. People seemed to think it was fun to do and complemented me. Oddly enough the weights I use in the class are also purple, didn't think of that until later. Actually this one shown is darker than the one I bought but I can't find a picture of it and I'm too lazy to get up and take a picture. These were the earrings which are my birthday present. Amethysts don't seem to come out that well for me on here. I guess I need proper lighting or something.

I tried phoning the surgeon this afternoon as I have not heard anything about my carotid artery treatment. There was nobody answering the phone so then I called my family doctor, guess what, there was nobody answering the phone, so finally I emailed the surgeon. Maybe I will get some kind of response. I am not a happy camper. Turns out that one of my friends from the exercise class (actually she is also an Avon customer) is waiting for similar surgery and she had an episode last September. This is ridiculous especially as she has 50% blockages in both carotid arteries. It would seem they don't think these problems are as serious as we do. This is one of the drawbacks of our health system, having to wait. Mainly, I believe, because a lot of the doctors decide to head south where their potential earnings are higher with the result that the remaining surgeons are overworked. I would assure you, however, heart problems get seen to instantly.

This recipe from Food & Wine looks great but I don't think I will be making them although I do love dumplings. It's the kind of thing Matt used to make but he basically never cooks any more. There is a slideshow of how to make  them. Slideshow: How to Make Dumplings

Lamb Gyro Dumplings with Tzatziki

Contributed by Mike Sheerin

• SERVINGS: Makes 30

In his superdelicious mash-up of cuisines, Chicago chef Mike Sheerin packs a flavorful Greek gyro–inspired lamb filling into dumplings, steams them and serves them with tzatziki.

Ingredients

1. 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
2. 1/2 English cucumber, grated on a box grater and squeezed dry
3. 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest plus 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4. 1 tablespoon chopped dill, plus more for garnish
5. 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
6. Kosher salt
7. Pepper
8. 1 pound ground lamb
9. 1 tablespoon canola oil
10. 2 teaspoons onion powder
11. 1 teaspoon garlic powder
12. 1 teaspoon dried mint
13. 1 teaspoon dried oregano
14. 1 garlic clove, minced
15. 30 small round gyoza (wonton) wrappers

1. In a medium bowl, whisk the yogurt with the cucumber, lemon zest, lemon juice, the 1 tablespoon of chopped dill and the cayenne. Season the tzatziki with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, about 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the lamb with the oil, onion powder, garlic powder, mint, oregano, garlic, 2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper and mix well.
3. On a work surface, brush the rims of 5 gyoza wrappers with water and spoon 1 tablespoon of the filling into the center of each. Fold the wrappers over to form half-moons. Seal the edges, pressing out any air, and crimp decoratively. Transfer the dumplings to a parchment paper–lined baking sheet; keep them covered with a moist paper towel. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling.
4. Fill a wok or large skillet with 2 inches of water and bring to a boil. Working in batches, arrange the dumplings in a double-tiered bamboo steamer lined with parchment paper. Set the steamer over the boiling water, cover and steam the dumplings until the filling is cooked through and firm, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer the dumplings to a platter and garnish with chopped dill. Serve with the tzatziki.

Make Ahead

The uncooked dumplings can be frozen on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a single layer, then transferred to an airtight container and frozen for up to 1 month. 

Have a great day