Balconies

And so it begins. They have fenced off the area around our wing and have begun building the bases for the gantry to stand on. This is five floors below us. They dug a trench and then a rounded section. They filled it all with gravel and have put a frame in the rounded section. Not sure why unless the ground is not flat enough. The grass was beginning to come back, joke. Because a pottery frog vibrated off our toilet tank due to the drilling across the wing, I asked our neighbour if she had had any problems, someone had suggested taking down pictures etc. She said she hadn't had any problems with pictures or even with a small pot pourri pot which stands on her toilet tank. So I guess I won't take our pictures down after all. It would be a great nuisance we have such a lot of them. We had to take them all down when we had bed bugs. Most, in the living/dining areas, are from our son-in-law Mike. See link this page.

I am not sure how much blogging I will be doing once they start. Neighbour said they went out to breakfast a lot. Also, if it turns out to be a hot August, we won't want to be in the apartment anyway. Not sure what we will do mind you. Obviously a couple of afternoons we will be at the bowling alley, but that doesn't take care of many hours.

I love Kimchi and have thought about making it for a while, but all the recipes I have seen appear to be rather complicated. However, this one looks easy peasy so think I might have a go at it. I first got to like Kimchi because when we lived in North Carolina, we were very close to Camp Lejeune - a Marine base. There were lots of Korean wives and hence lots of Kimchi.

Kimchi

Cabbage soaked in the flavors of garlic, ginger, soya sauce, vinegar and chilli flakes. Here's for you Kimchi Salad recipe, a Korean favorite.

1 kg cabbage
1 Tbs salt
2 Tbs spring onions-chopped fine
1 Tbs garlic-chopped fine
1 Tbs ginger-chopped fine
1 cup soya sauce
1 1/2 tsp sugar
1 cup white vinegar
1 Tbs chilli flakes
Sesame (til) oil

1. Chop cabbage, place in a glass or steel bowl and sprinkle salt over it, and mix well. Leave thus for 3-4 hours, till a little wilted. Squeeze a few times till cabbage has softened. Mix in the rest of the ingredients except the oil and transfer into sterilized jars. Seal and leave for 24 hours, before using. To serve garnish with some sesame oil

Servings: 6

Author: Chef: Niru Gupta

Have a great day

Saturday Recipe

Whoops, I forgot to post this.

Our LCBO - liquor board - sends me email recommendations for wines and usually include a recipe. This is the recipe I got this week. I think it will be pretty spicy (hot). Actually the sauce has just reminded me - when we were in Portugal, at a restaurant, I ordered Chicken Chimichurri and was told it was very hot. When I got it, I was somewhat disappointed and said so, so they brought me out a sauce boat with more Chimichurri and that was as hot as Hades.

Churrasco Beefsteak with Chimichurri Sauce

4 New York sirloin steaks, at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and slivered
2 cloves garlic, slivered
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 Tbs (25 mL) olive oil

Chimichurri Sauce
2 Tbs (30 mL) chopped garlic, approx. 6 cloves
2 bunches Italian parsley, leaves only
¼ cup (60 mL) lemon juice
½ tsp (2 mL) chili flakes
½ cup (125 mL) olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C).

2. Make slits about a quarter-way through in each steak in 7 or 8 places. Stuff a sliver of jalapeño and garlic into each slit, and season with salt and pepper.

3. Heat oil an ovenproof skillet over high heat. Add meat and sear 1 minute per side or until golden. Place skillet in oven for 6 to 8 minutes for medium-rare. Remove from oven and either serve whole or cut into slices. Serve with Chimichurri Sauce (recipe follows).

4. Purée garlic cloves in a food processor by dropping them down the feeder tube while the processor is running. Add parsley, lemon juice and chili flakes, and process until chunky. With machine running, pour oil slowly down the feeder tube. The mixture will be chunky. Taste and add salt and pepper as desired.

5. Makes about 1½ cups (375 mL)

Servings: 4

Have a great weekend
 

Book, Bowling, Zoos and Safari Parks, Balconies,

I am now well into The English Assassin by Daniel Silva which was the first of his books I could get hold of. I am enjoying the book very much thanks to Denise Hammond of My Life in Retirement. I have ordered a couple more of his books from the library. If you like spies and thrillers you would like these too.

Thursday afternoon Matt got his own back for last week and thrashed me over three games. I couldn't bowl worth a damn although I bowled quite well on Wednesday.



The TV was on in the bowling alley and I saw an announcement that this was the

Basil standing and Onyx

last summer to visit the Panda exhibition in Toronto zoo. Presumably they are going back to China at the end of the year. I would love to go but it is such a vast zoo, I understand, that I could never manage to walk around and last time I asked,, they didn't have motorized carts one could drive around in. Grocery stores do, why not zoos. They do have wheelchairs but that means someone has to push you. I was telling the grandson at the alley about the Pandas and he was unaware that they were only on loan. He said he

Basil and I

had been looking into visiting the African Lion Safari (not very far from here) but that it was close on $40 these days. We used to go there a lot when we first came to Canada and then after we returned from the States, Matt took on part time security work for something to do and was stationed at the Safari Park for a while. At night of course, but he did get to see a lot of the animals and it was during this period that they allowed Matt and I to visit the cheetah orphans that they were "socialising" and we went into the cages with them. Like big pussy cats even though one nipped me in the bum. They were less than a year old.

I've just discovered that, according to Avon, it is National Lipstick Day on the 29th!!! Needless to say they have a special on lipsticks. Never heard of this, have you?

They are tearing up roads near us, we pass by on the way to the bowling alley. Both Wednesday and Thursday there didn't seem to be anybody working there. Very odd. Torn up half of a very busy road and then have abandoned it.  Which reminds me, the construction crew have now fenced off the area below us which presumably means they are planning to start on our balconies any time. They have dug a trench underneath our tier and I have no idea why. They don't seem to have done that anywhere else. Of course this means that I will be moaning and groaning about the noise and everything else - dreading it. Our balcony door will be sealed shut until they have finished. We have two tiny little windows which won't let in a lot of air. The guy who installed our new a/c said it would be OK to run it in the evening when they had gone, but not, of course, whilst they are drilling out all the walls.

I thought these sounded rather tasty although I haven't a clue what Peppadew peppers are, in or out of brine. Will have to do some googling. I have included a link.

Chicken Spiedie Skewers with Italian Dressing

Central New York State is known for sandwiches stuffed with juicy skewered meat marinated in Italian dressing; these are tasty enough to serve straight up, but we wouldn’t stop you from putting

them on soft Italian bread, either.

1 garlic clove, finely grated
5 Tbs white wine vinegar
2 Tbs chopped Peppadew peppers in brine
1 Tbs mayonnaise
1 Tbs sugar
1 ½ tsp dried oregano
½ cup olive oil, plus more
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
1 ½ lbs skinless, boneless chicken thighs (about 6)
1 large sweet onion, sliced ½ inch thick
2 beefsteak tomatoes (about 1 pound), sliced ¼ inch thick
Oregano leaves and lemon wedges (for serving)

Six to nine 8-inch metal skewers, or wooden skewers soaked 30 minutes in water


Whisk garlic, vinegar, peppers, mayonnaise, sugar, dried oregano, and ½ cup oil in a medium bowl; season with salt and pepper. Transfer half of dressing to a small bowl; cover and chill until ready to serve.

Cut chicken thighs lengthwise into long strips, about 1"–1½" wide (you should get 2–3 pieces per thigh). Combine chicken and remaining dressing in a large resealable plastic bag. Seal bag, pressing out any air. Turn to coat and chill at least 20 minutes and up to 1 day.

Prepare a grill for medium-high heat; oil grate. Remove chicken from dressing; discard dressing. Thread 2 pieces of chicken onto each skewer. Season chicken lightly with salt and grill, turning occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through, 8–10 minutes.

Meanwhile, drizzle onion with oil; season with salt. Grill until browned on both sides but still firm in center, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a large bowl and add tomatoes and a couple splashes of reserved dressing. Toss to coat; season salad with salt and pepper. Top salad and chicken with oregano leaves.

Serve chicken with salad, reserved dressing, and lemon wedges for squeezing over.

Servings: 4

Author: Chris Morocco
Source: Bon Appétit

Have a great day
 

Spanish Omelette? Bowling

For supper on Tuesday night having soul searched all day, I ended up cooking my version of what my mother used to call Spanish Omelettes. I have no idea why nor where she got the recipe. But that's what I knew them as. Originally the filling contained potatoes (precooked) but I don't often include those because a) we usually don't have any around, and b) they are extra calories. However, the filling is thinly sliced onions and finely chopped or minced garlic sautéed in olive oil until soft then add tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. I also add a teaspoonful of Tapenade to give it extra flavour. These are omelettes Matt and I both really enjoy and they only take half an hour to put on the table. I use two eggs for each omelette and fry it in a little butter. When it's almost ready, I add the filling and fold it onto a hot plate. No this is not my omelette, but seems to have similar fillings, never thought about taking a pic of one I made. I also keep one pan exclusively for omelettes. Oops, I see I am getting repetitive, I have written about Spanish Omelettes at least twice before over the years.

Whoopee, we are still in second place after bowling today (Wednesday) and now only  points behind the lead team. Two of our team are hoping to get to 1st place, the other two don't care that much. Matt is more concerned with whether he beats me or everyone which he did do on one game at least today.

I received a Pinterest email today (why I don't know, don't use it) all about Pavlovas some of them really look good I must say. Obviously I couldn't resist a chocolate Pavlova.

Layered Chocolate Hazelnut Pavlova

CHOCOLATE MERINGUE
6 egg whites, room temperature
pinch of slat
1 1/2 cup icing sugar
1 tsp lemon juice or vinegar
2 tsp cornstarch
2 Tbs cocoa powder

CHOCOLATE GANACHE
100 g semi-sweet or dark chocolate
200 ml whipping cream
pinch of salt

WHIPPED HAZELNUT CREAM
1/2 liter whipping cream, chilled
3 Tbs hazelnut paste (can easily be made at home by mixing hazelnuts in a food processor until you get a smooth paste)

TOPPINGS
50 g hazelnuts, chopped
crispy chocolate balls or any other decoration
whole hazelnuts

1. Chocolate meringue:

2. Preheat the oven to 150°C. Draw two 18 cm circles on a baking paper and place it on a baking tray.

3. Beat egg whites and a pinch of salt until stiff but not dry. Then add icing sugar a tablespoon at a time. At the end add the lemon juice or vinegar and cornstarch. Beat gently until thick and glossy.

4. Add cocoa powder and fold it in gently, keeping some streaks of dark brown.

5. Spread the meringue evenly into the two circles.

6. Move into the oven and reduce the temperature to 120°C. Bake for about 90 minutes. It should look crisp on top and feel dry, but when you press it you should feel soft in the centre.

7. Turn the oven off, open the door slightly and leave in the oven to cool overnight.

8. Chocolate Ganache: Heat the whipping cream over medium heat until it starts forming small bubbles on the side, but doesn't boil. Remove from heat and add chocolate and a pinch of salt. Whisk until you get a smooth cream. Let cool at room temperature, then keep in the fridge before assembling the cake.

9. Whipped Hazelnut Cream: Whip the cream until it's almost stif, but not buttery, then add the hazelnut paste and gently whip just a little more.

10. Assembly: Place one meringue on a cake stand, gently add half of the ganache on top, add half of the whiped hazelnut cream and half of the chopped hazelnuts.

11. Continue with another layer of meringue, ganache (save a couple of tablespoons for decoration), whipped cream and chopped hazelnuts.

12. Place whole hazelnuts, crispy chocolate balls and drizzle with the rest of the ganache.

13. Refrigerate before serving.

Yield: Yields about 8 pieces of 18 cm cake

Source: Use Your Noodles

Author Notes
Some instructions for the perfect meringue:

Make sure your equipment is dry before making the meringue. Moisture stops egg white from aerating.

Make pavlova on a dry day. Moisture makes pavlova sticky.

Adding lemon juice and cornstarch will help pavlova keep its form.

Add sugar gradually to the egg whites and be sure to beat the egg whites to the stiff point, but don't over beat them, just until the sugar has dissolved. Test if the sugar has dissolved by rubbing a little of the mixture between your fingers. You shouldn't feel any grains. When you transfer it to the baking paper the mixture should hold its shape.

After baking keep in in the oven with doors ajar until it completely cools down to room temperature.

It's better to over dry than under dry your meringue. If you are not sure if it is done, better dry it a little more. Soggy meringue is unusable, but a little bit too dry is not such a problem. Assemble the cake and after a day in the fridge it will become crunchy.


Have a great day
 

Exercise Classes, Book.

I can't believe that Monday afternoon I was sitting around here with nothing much to do and complaining about a long, boring, afternoon, and I had completely forgotten my exercise class. I didn't, in fact, remember it til I woke up on Tuesday morning. What an idiot. I enjoy seeing the other participants as well as doing the actual exercises (to the best of my ability these days).

Assassin's Fate is now finished. It was a sad/happy ending and caused me a few tears. It really has been a wonderful series. Robin Hobb has been writing these books for 20 years. I suppose she could write more about other characters, but I get the feeling this world is now finished. That also is sad. If you have never read any of Robin Hobb's novels, I highly recommend them.

Viveka of My Guilty Pleasures was recently in Portugal and described a dessert she ate called Abade de Priscos. It sounded and looked so good, I Googled and found a recipe along with a story about the Portuguese Abbot of Priscos who was a whizz in the kitchen. Viveka also mentioned this abbot. The photograph of the dessert was on Viveka's blog take with her trust camera, Oscar.

Abade de Priscos Pudding

400 g / 14 oz sugar and another 200 g / 7 oz to make caramel
One small wine glass of Port wine
50 g / 1.8 oz fresh lard/bacon
15 egg yolks
1 lemon peel
50 ml water
1 cinnamon stick

1. Start by making the caramel, placing the 200 g of sugar in a small pan and moderate heat until it becomes a golden, uniform caramel. Once ready, you should spread the caramel on all the sides of a pudding mould.

2. In a second pan add the water, remaining sugar, lemon peel, cinnamon stick and lard cut into thin strips. You should put it to a boil at high temperature until it reaches about 103C / 217F degrees.

3. Take the syrup off of the stove and let it cool down for a while. Add it to the egg yolks mixed with the Port wine.

4. Pour it into the pudding mould. Place the mould in a water bath and and cook for 1 hour in a preheated to 250C/480F.

5. After cooking, allow it to cool down completely before you remove it from the mould.

Source: Cooking Lisbon


Have a great day
 

Silver, Library Book,

I have been putting off cleaning silver for a while so it looked more like we have copper displayed! However, made up my mind to it and did it Monday morning. I have discovered I can do it sitting down at the sink so that saved me a lot of back discomfort. Now it is all nice and sparkly clean again. Now if I had a butler...... I could, of course, put it all away but I do like to see it when it is all clean and lovely.

Ended up getting bogged down in a library book, the last of the Fitz and the Fool books by Robin Hobb, Assassin's Fate. It is a huge book and not the easiest read I have ever tried. I am enjoying it, but like I say, it's a huge book 847 pages and not large type or anything so a lot of reading. I have two more library books to read although I think I have plenty of time. I have read every one of the books in this series - there are a heck of a lot of them in different trilogies. Basically a lot of dragons too.

This looked like another nice summer dessert recipe. It tells you how to make the cookie crumb pie crust, but I would be inclined to buy a ready made one for ease.

Nutella Chocolate and Caramel Ice Cream Pie

1-1/2 cup chocolate wafer cookie crumbs
1/3 cup of butter
1 Tbs sugar
4 cups vanilla ice cream, softened slightly
1/3 cup Nutella, softened
2-3 Tbsp caramel sauce ( I use store bought)
½ cup chopped semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Butter a 9-inch pie shell and set aside.

2. Combine cookie crumbs, melted butter and sugar in a bowl until blended and moist. Press into bottom and up sides of pie shell. Bake for 12 minutes. Remove and place baked shell in freezer to chill.

3. Add 2 cups softened vanilla ice cream to chilled pie shell and smooth out top. Sprinkle caramel sauce over ice cream. Return to freezer for 30 minutes.

4. Stir softened Nutella into 2 cups of remaining softened vanilla ice cream (I usually place the Nutella in the microwave and cook on high for 20-30 seconds. Not until it's fully liquid, just smooth enough to stir easily). Spread over chilled pie, and smooth surface. Drizzle with melted chocolate and return to the freezer to fully set for 6 hours.

Tips
when ready to serve, bring the pie out of the freezer for 5-10 minutes in order to slice easily

Author: Lor
Source: Eatineatout.ca

Have a great day
 

British TV, Pavlovas, Online Grocery,

A few weeks ago I started trying to watch a series about the Bronte sisters. Don't remember what it was called, but it was heavily flavoured with Yorkshire accents and I had trouble understanding it. Saturday night I started watching a new show, The Coroner, also flavoured with English accents, albeit less strong, but I still had trouble hearing/understanding everything they said. I know I have been away from the UK for over 40 years, but even so, if I have trouble understanding what's going on, what must it be like for someone who has never been to England? Realism is all very well, but.... If you are going to sell these programmes abroad, it seems to me that the audiences should be able to understand what the heck is going on.

Saturday was a cooking day for me. I wanted to make Leftover Chicken and Ham Casserole, we really enjoy that. Also I was marinading flank steak for Korean Beef Bulgogi for supper plus making yet another Pavolva, with raspberries this time. I looked up macerating for the berries and found that it is not just done with sugar but one can also use Balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, or a liquor. I decided to use a drop of brandy which I couldn't taste. Not enough I guess. Didn't really fancy Balsamic, mine is not the best quality which can be used for ice cream apparently. I did think of Port but opted for the brandy. I must say we are enjoying these Pavolvas and it is a superb summer dessert. I was wondering what fruit one could use in the winter although these days strawberries are available from somewhere or other all year. Not sure what they taste like but they could be macerated of course to make them taste better. For all I know, the meringue shells may not be available in the winter anyway. I discovered, by the way, that they come from Scotland. Surprising. I have also found out through Denise of My Life in Retirement, that Amazon do the individual ones, and that they come from the UK. Probably Scotland as well.

I just discovered one can order from my grocery store online and then pick up the order. I tried looking at it but talk about slow. Plus, they talk about waiving the pickup fee for the first time, but don't say what the pickup fee is. Might play with it some more tomorrow but I think it is too cumbersome.

This should be a pretty easy dish to prepare and not take much effort in the summer heat.

Easy Skillet Chicken and Broccoli Divan

1 Tbs (15 mL) butter or margarine
3 cups (750 mL) hot cooked broccoli florets
2 cups (500 mL) cubed, boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked
1 can CAMPBELL’S® Condensed Low Fat Cream of Broccoli Soup
1/3 cup (80 mL) low fat (1%) milk
1/2 cup (125 mL) light Cheddar cheese, shredded
2 Tbs (30 mL) toasted dry bread crumbs (optional)

1. In 10-inch (25 cm) skillet,melt butter over medium-high heat; cook broccoli and chicken,stirring,for 3 minutes. Combine soup with milk; pour over broccoli and chicken. Bring to simmer.

2. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle cheese over chicken mixture. Remove from heat,cover and let stand for 2 minutes or until cheese is melted. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs if desired.

Servings: 4

Tips
From the variety of readily available salad greens,such as romaine,leaf lettuce and spinach,and wholesome multigrain breads,it is easy to round out meals with very little prep time.

Source: Campbell's Soups

Have a great day
 

Saturday Recipe

The object of this recipe is to avoid using a stove and heating up the kitchen and such. I must say it looks, and sounds, quite delightful.

Fig Caprese Salad

It's not about the number of steps or ingredients in a dish. If you shop smart, buying peak-season produce and quality protein, you don't have to do much at all (like with this easy salad recipe). Read

more about fruit caprese salad ideas here.

8 oz buffalo mozzarella or fresh mozzarella
8 oz ripe fresh figs, cut into quarters
Torn basil leaves (for serving)
Coarsely ground black pepper
Flaky sea salt
Olive oil (for drizzling)

1. Tear mozzarella into medium pieces and arrange on a platter. Tuck figs around cheese and scatter basil over top. Season with pepper and lots of salt. Drizzle generously with oil.

Servings: 4

Author: Adam Rapoport
Source: Bon Appétit

Have a great weekend
 

OJ Simpson, Bowling, Supper,

So, Mr. Simpson got parole. He will be release later this year, October I think. What really surprised me - it was on TV. Why on earth would they have it on TV? How many other prisoners have had their parole hearings televised? I think it was ridiculous. I got brief glimpses of the programme when I went into the bar to get coffee at the alley this afternoon. He has aged considerably plus got fat in the face. It occurred to me that the young man who is working with his dad and granddad, would probably know nothing about it. I think he is about 24. I thought he had been in prison longer but I just read 8 years.

Had to leave bowling early again today, no, not noisy kids, but aching legs on my part. They were particularly bad today. It comes and goes. Matt beat me in both games that we did play. Maybe that's
why I quite LOL. I was talking to a group of women who came from the next town, Cambridge. Their alley has now closed down, the owner is building a high rise, or has sold it so someone can build it, and they were casing the joint to check the road trip and the alley. Some of the people are going to Brantford which is a long way from Cambridge, much further than Kitchener. I told them how much we liked the owners (grandfather, son, grandson). I then told the grandfather that he owed me because I had lied through my teeth telling the women what a nice family they were LOL In fact they are a delightful family. I do so hope they don't decide to sell up for a high rise, they assured me they wouldn't. We have two 5 pin alleys in town now, and no others in the vicinity.

For supper tonight I made a huge cole slaw with a recipe I got from a friend year's ago. It is my favourite cole slaw - good and crispy. I do hate the soggy versions. We had the last of the Jalapeño burgers I bought from our grocery store a few weeks ago. I think I may well by some more of those, they were good.

This recipe so brings to mind my sojourn in North Carolina that I just had to share it. I cannot recall how many times I have fed on such a pot full of delicious food. I am sure it is not exclusive to NC though.

Low-Country Boil

One pot is all you need for this easy Low-Country boil. We added green beans to the classic combination of potatoes, corn, shrimp and sausage to boost the veggie servings for a healthier crowd-pleasing meal. Dump the whole potful out on newspaper and serve with melted butter for dipping and

crusty bread to round it all off!

6 quarts water
4 tsp Old Bay seasoning
1 Tbs mustard seeds
1 Tbs coriander seeds
2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp dill seed
1 tsp allspice berries
2 bay leaves
1 lb baby red potatoes
8 oz kielbasa sausage, cut crosswise into 8 pieces
24 unpeeled raw shrimp (21-25 count; see Tip)
1 lb green beans, trimmed
4 ears corn, husked and cut in half
2 cups frozen pearl onions
½ cup melted unsalted butter or ghee

1. Combine water, Old Bay, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, cayenne, dill seed, allspice and bay leaves in a large stockpot. Bring to a boil. Add potatoes and sausage and boil until the potatoes are almost tender, 18 to 20 minutes. Add shrimp, green beans, corn and onions and boil until the shrimp are pink and the vegetables are tender-crisp, 5 to 6 minutes more. Drain and serve with butter (or ghee) for dipping.

Servings: 8

Tips
For sustainably raised shrimp, look for shrimp that's certified by an independent agency, such as the Marine Stewardship Council. If you can't find it, choose wild-caught shrimp from North America—it's more likely to be sustainably caught.

Source: Eating Well
Author: Devon O'Brien


Have a great day

Big Pacific, Bowling,

Just saw the last episode of Big Pacific which showed how the camermen managed to get their shots. One section they were on an island littered - literally - with vipers. I wouldn't have been on that island for any money at all. Sorry to see the series end, it was very good.

Not a lot to talk about today. Although we none of us bowled that well today, our team is now in second place much to our surprise. Be nice if we could get to first place and stay there. Only got a few more games before the end of the summer season. Keeping our fingers crossed. I have certainly never been on a team that came in first so it would be a real thrill for me and for the rest of our team. So please keep your fingers crossed for us.

I always like rice dishes and this one looks good. It may be a lot of work but the spice mix can be made well ahead. I don't keep fenugreek and only ground versions of some of the pods mentioned but such things are all available these days..

Bariis Iskukaris (Somali-Style Rice)

Somali-style rice, when prepared for festive occasions, can be a satisfying meal on its own: The rice is cooked in a rich stock and often jeweled with pieces of meat and vegetables. This version of the dish comes from Ayaan and Idyl Mohallim, twin sisters who make their own xawaash, an aromatic spice mixture that is layered with fenugreek and turmeric. The finished rice is also generously seasoned with saffron, as well as softened peppers and raisins. At Thanksgiving, the rice is a versatile side with roast turkey and vegetables, and the day after, it's a great base for leftovers. You could easily use a vegetable stock in place of a meat stock for a vegetarian version, and add more

vegetables to the topping. The Mohallim sisters, on occasion, add blanched green beans to the mix.

FOR THE RICE:
4 cups Basmati rice
½ cup olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cinnamon sticks
5 whole green cardamom pods
10 whole cloves
2 tsp xawaash spice mix (see below)
8 cups chicken stock
1 tsp saffron threads, finely chopped
1 cup raisins
Salt

FOR THE XAWAASH (SOMALI SPICE MIX):
1 Tbs cumin seeds
1 Tbs coriander seeds
2 tsp dried whole sage
1 tsp black peppercorns
1 tsp fenugreek seeds
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 ¼ tsp ground ginger
8 green cardamom pods
10 whole cloves
¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/3 cinnamon stick

FOR THE TOPPING:
2 Tbs olive oil
1 red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
¼ cup raisins
1 red bell pepper, cored and thinly sliced
Salt

1. Soak rice in cold water 30 to 45 minutes, then drain.

2. Meanwhile, prepare the xawaash: Combine all the spices in a spice grinder and finely grind. Set aside.

3. Prepare the topping: Heat olive oil in a wide, deep pot over medium-high heat and add the onions, stirring occasionally until translucent. Add raisins and allow to soften, about 2 minutes, then add red bell pepper and cook until softened, about 5 to 7 minutes. Season with salt and set aside on a paper towel.

4. In the same pot, make the rice: Heat 1/2 cup oil. Add onions and sauté, stirring frequently, until softened, 6 to 8 minutes. Add garlic, cinnamon sticks, cardamom, cloves and xawaash and cook, stirring, 1 minute.

5. Stir in stock and rice. Bring to boil, then cover and cook on low heat 20 minutes. Stir in saffron and raisins and season to taste with salt. Cover, turn off heat and steam for 5 more minutes. Transfer to a serving platter, using a large spoon to pile rice in a heap onto a platter. Sprinkle topping over rice and serve.

Servings: 16

Source: The New York Times

Have a great day
 

Artificial Intelligence, Speech Habits, The Photo Ark,

Elon Musk, a man for whom I have enormous respect, is warning us all about the dangers of Artificial Intelligence saying it'sthe biggest risk we face as a civilization. Although novels, Isaac Asimov issued similar warnings with his stories. Look at 2001 with the AI there. Just because they are fiction does not mean it couldn't happen. Through AI people would lose jobs and in the end it would be the AIs which make critical decisions for the human race. If any were left that is. If Elon Musk thinks we are running into problems, the world should listen.

As I told you, last night we went for supper at the Red Lobster. One of the waitresses was chatting to a couple behind me and her conversation was littered with the word 'like" There are so many people who cannot talk without constantly using that word. For others it is the constant use of "you know". Why oh why doesn't someone tell them about what they are doing? It is dreadful to listen to, particularly when it happens on the media.

Creatures of the Photo Ark - photographer Joel Satore: this was a programme we watched on PBS on Tuesday night. Joel Sartore travels the world photographing rare animals which are on the brink of extinction and the collection is retained at his local zoo. This particular programme was a visit to Florida Keys and Madagascar. in Florida he particularly 'visited' the key deer which are a rare animal and only live in the Keys. 120 of them are killed on the roads every year. In Madagascar he photographed the most amazing chameleons some quite tiny and one as small as his thumbnail. Also lots of different lemurs.

It always annoys me when recipes call shrimp scampi. Scampi is a different type of shellfish albeit very similar but tasting different.

Grilled Shrimp Scampi

Best shrimp on the grill I have ever made! I served with lemon spaghetti and had grilled asparagus on the side. The intense garlic flavor really complimented the lemony flavor of the pasta

1/4 cup light olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 Tbs chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup minced garlic
ground black pepper
1/4 tsp  crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/2 lbs shrimp

1. In a medium, non-reactive bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, parsley, garlic, black pepper and crushed red pepper.

2. Set aside.

3. Thread thawed shrimp onto skewers and cover with marinade for 30 minutes.

4. Preheat grill for high heat.

5. Grill, brushing occasionally with extra marinade, for about 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until done.

Servings: 4

Author: Chippie1
Source: Food



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CSC, Red Lobster,

I have just completed a questionnaire for the group who run our exercise classes, Community Support Connections. They also do Meals on Wheels and many other services. I didn't know they also sell frozen meals. Interesting, might look into that and see if they are edible!!! Would give me a break now and then. I have a nasty suspicion they would not appeal to us although they sound alright on paper. Same with the Meals on Wheels, I have a list of sample menus which also sound OK, but.... not that I am planning to have them of course. Thankfully I can still manage to cook. Our tastes would be pretty hard to satisfy I think. I may be doing them an injustice of course.

Matt had his senior driving test, well really an acuity or cognitive test, they don't have to drive or anything. Then we went to get/order his new license. No idea how long that will take but they gave him a temp license well into October!!! It was all a tad stressful so I decided I was going to go on strike and we went out to supper at the Red Lobster. It just so happens they are having a crab fest at the moment so guess what I chose? There were Snow Crab legs and Dungeness Crab legs. Prefer the Dungeness, more meat. Together with a corn on the cob which was good too. I thoroughly enjoyed every mouthful. Matt had stuffed mushrooms and then had my favourite their chocolate wave cake. I had a taster but that was all. I was even good and only ate one of their biscuits.

I really like the looks of this recipe and think these would be very "moreish" but will probably never make it as I do not have a stand mixer and the thought of vigorously stirring with a wooden spoon does not appeal. I could have done it once, but not these days.

Pão De Queijo (Brazilian Cheese Bread)

Pão de queijo, which means “cheese bread” in Portuguese, is a delightful snack from Brazil made with tapioca flour (meaning it's gluten-free) and cheese. Our recipe calls for both Parmesan, which adds a sharp and salty flavor, and farmer's cheese, which is creamy and milky. You definitely want

both!

½ cup whole milk
¼ cup ( ½ stick) unsalted butter
1 ½ tsp kosher salt
2 cups tapioca flour
2 large eggs
5 oz fresh farmer's cheese, crumbled (about 1 cup)
2 oz crumbled Parmesan (about ½ cup)

1. Arrange a rack in center of oven; preheat to 425°. Heat milk, butter, salt, and ¼ cup water in a large saucepan over medium-high, stirring occasionally, until butter is melted and mixture begins to boil, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and add flour; vigorously stir with a wooden spoon until dough is dry and shaggy, about 10 seconds. Transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a large bowl. Let cool 5 minutes.

2. Beat mixture on low speed just until dough starts to come together, about 30 seconds (alternatively, vigorously stir with a wooden spoon). Add eggs, one at a time, and continue to beat on low speed until incorporated (dough will look broken at first, then come together). Continue to beat on low speed until dough is smooth, sticky, and somewhat stretchy; do not overbeat or dough will lose its stretch. Add farmer cheese and Parmesan and beat on low speed until evenly distributed.

3. Using a 1?-oz. ice cream scoop, portion dough and transfer to a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet, spacing about 2" apart (alternatively, form dough into ping pong ball-sized pieces with your hands).

4. Bake 5 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 350° and continue to bake until pão are very light brown, with some darker brown speckles all over (that’s the cheese), and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom, 20-25 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

Yield: MAKES ABOUT 18

Author: Rick Martinez
Source: Bon Appétit

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30,000 Elephants a Year, This 'n' that,

I have an idea I stated that 3,000 elephants a year are being slaughtered. I goofed. it is 30,000 a year. Soon we will not have any elephants. I corrected my figure after receiving an appeal from the National Geographic. They together with the World Wildlife Fund and others are trying desperately to stop this terrible massacre of elephants, rhinos and other African wildlife. If you can donate to this worthy cause, I beg you to do so. If we lose this wildlife our world will be a poorer place for all of us. Donate today to fund efforts to protect elephants, the critical habitats they need, and threatened wildlife around the world. 
This link will connect you to the National Geographic site. Or you can donate to the World Wildlife Fund.

Having got our new wall unit air conditioner, we had both forgotten that the extract the moisture from the air and drip it outside. This means if you don't use a bucket the balcony below gets dripped on. Mind you, below us the balconies are unusable as they have no walls. Anyway, had to grab our one and only bucket to deal with the dripping. More or less everything which was on the balcony is in our storage area so the bucket we used to use is well tucked away. Will have to move it when they start taking our balcony apart anyway.

Writing this, we are in the middle of one hell of a thunderstorm, one crack of thunder right overhead nearly made me jump out of my skin. Lots and lots of rain.

I was looking for a recipe for scallops. I came across one I liked and then discovered it was for 12 people and didn't look adaptable. Then I came across this one which sounded pretty good. Haven't made it yet, maybe next week.

Seared Scallops with Mustard Vermouth Sauce

20 fresh large scallops, small side muscle removed
3-4 tbsp grape seed oil (or canola)
Sprinkled sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 oz vodka
¼ cup vermouth
¼ cup 35% whipping cream
2 Tbs Dijon mustard
2 green onions, thinly sliced

1. Thoroughly dry the scallops by laying and folding them within a double layer of paper towel.

2. Pre-heat a heavy-duty skillet over high heat then add oil. When it is almost smoking, season the scallops with salt and pepper and sear them briefly, 1-2 minutes per side, so they are golden on the outside, and still tender inside.

3. Remove them from the pan and pour in vodka to de-glaze, allowing it to flame. When flame subsides, add the vermouth, mustard and cream and reduce to a sauce like consistency. Whisk in the green onions serve immediately.


Author: Michael Smith
Source: Food Network

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Saturday Recipe

Cucumber is such a refreshing food. I was all prepared to suggest using English cucumbers when I saw that was what was being used in this recipe. Funnily enough the meat in the picture looks just like the Pork Tenderloin Diablo I posted (and cooked) a few weeks ago.

Cucumber, Carrot and Orange Salad

1 large navel orange
2 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbs rice vinegar
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
1/4 cup cilantro leaves
1 English cucumber, shaved into ribbons with a vegetable peeler (about 2 cups)
1 large carrot, shaved into ribbons with a vegetable peeler (about 1 cup)

1. Peel and section orange; squeeze membranes over a bowl to extract juice. Add oil, vinegar, salt, and cayenne pepper to juice, stirring with a whisk. Add orange sections, red onion, cilantro, cucumber, and carrot; toss gently to combine.

Servings: 4

Tips
To get wide, even strips from all sides, slightly rotate the cucumber and carrot after you remove each ribbon with a vegetable peeler. Thinly slice the slender cores and add to the salad for more crunch.

Source: Cooking Light

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Air Conditioner, Bowling, Bastille Day,

Hooray, we have air. Mind you it's almost like winter out there, but we have air if we want it. We are now as poor as church mice but we have air and of course brakes etc. on the car.. He had one heck of a job removing the old one and another heck of a job getting the new one into the sleeve, but eventually he managed it. Was supposed to have someone with him but who knows what happened to him. This picture basically shows you how they work. The sleeve is part of the apartment and the unit slides (joke) in. Mind you, if we ever decide to move, I have a feeling we won't be able to take the unit with us.

After lunch, we went bowling as usual. We ended up with lots of noisy kids. Never known the place to be so bad. We played two games and Matt groused all through them. So we went home. Pity, I was bowling really well. The young man in charge today, said he enjoys kids and gets on well with them, good for him. There was one couple, the youngest kid was kicking his brother and his brother ended up howling his eyes out. That same howler was making enough noise for 6 kids, didn't seem able to speak below a shout. Not only that, there were a whole bunch of women having a pot luck and then bowling. One of the winter leagues I think. In themselves not particularly noisy but it all added to the general noise level. Great for business, not for us.

Today is July 14 or in France Bastille Day le quatorze Juillet. a day of national celebration. I can't believe they invited Mr. Trump to join them even though he has run down France quite a lot. However, I guess he is the President.

Some people wouldn't go near this recipe because of the prunes, but although I haven't yet tried it, I think the combination would be excellent and give a good flavour to the pork.

Pork Tenderloin With Shallots and Prunes

Porc aux pruneaux, which is a classic, is by no means fancy, and it is always much more old-fashioned bistro or grandmotherly than high end. Simply put, it is a pork roast with red-wine-soused prunes. Hardly elegant, although it doesn’t have to be heavy either. In France, countless versions of the dish are made in neighborhood joints and at home. Sometimes a large loin or shoulder roast is used, sometimes pan-fried chops. Here we use a lightly brined pork tenderloin, adding stewed shallots to the sauce for depth and texture, and a touch of ginger for brightness. While the roast is in the oven, the shallots simmer with the wine and prunes for the sauce. The dark red sauce (rather

unctuous really) is both sweet and tart, with a boozy hint of Madeira. It strikes a Middle European chord somewhere deep within. Serve with sweet potatoes or garnet yams roasted in their skins.

FOR THE BRINED PORK:
3 Tbs kosher salt
3 Tbs brown sugar
¼ tsp allspice berries, crushed
¼ tsp black peppercorns, crushed
2 bay leaves
Few thyme branches
1 pork tenderloin, trimmed, about 1 pound

FOR THE SAUCE AND ROAST:
4 oz pitted prunes, about 16 large
½ cup dry red wine
½ tsp grated ginger
½ tsp grated orange zest
1 Tbs olive oil
1 Tbs butter
3 to 4 large shallots, finely diced, about 1/3 cup
½ tsp chopped fresh thyme
Salt and pepper
1 ½ cups chicken broth
1 Tbs Madeira or port, optional
2 tsp potato starch dissolved in 2 tablespoons cold water.

1. To brine the pork: Dissolve the salt and brown sugar in 2 cups cold water in a glass or stainless steel bowl large enough to hold the tenderloin. Add the allspice, peppercorns, bay leaves and thyme. Submerge the meat, cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours (overnight is better). Before cooking, remove the tenderloin, pat dry and bring to room temperature. Heat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. To make the sauce and roast: Simmer the prunes in the red wine until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat, stir in the ginger and orange zest, and steep for 10 minutes

3. Heat the olive oil in a heavy stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat. Lightly brown the tenderloin, about 3 minutes per side. (Turn off heat and use the same pan to make the sauce.) Transfer the tenderloin to a small roasting pan. Roast uncovered for about 15 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer registers 140 degrees. Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing. (Residual heat will cause the meat to continue to cook a bit while resting.)

4. To finish the sauce, melt the butter in the reserved skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and thyme, and season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes, until softened, stirring with a wooden spoon. Scrape up any browned bits to enrich the sauce. Add chicken broth, turn up the heat, and simmer 2 minutes. Stir in the prunes and wine, and simmer for another 2 minutes. Add the Madeira if using. Taste and correct the seasoning, then add the potato starch mixture and cook for another minute to thicken. Spoon sauce and prunes over the sliced tenderloin.

Servings: 4

Source: The New York Times

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Dolmas, Recipe Emails, BB Creations, Elephants,

Wednesday, Denise of My Life in Retirement posted pictures of grapes and leaves. In the comments people we  talking about stuffed vine leaves. Dolmas in Greece. It reminded me of many years ago when Matt was working in a young offenders prison in the UK and one of his inmates was a Greek Cypriot. One day his mother visited and brought a whole casserole dish of Dolmas for her son and because her son liked Matt, he offered some to him who thoroughly enjoyed them. He was full of praises for them when he came home and I was jealous. A week or so later she visited again and brought a large casserole dish of them especially for Matt. They were delicious. We have made them ourselves a number of times but Matt always used to roll them, my fingers just don't work on something like that. I am not good on the fiddly stuff.

I was thinking last night about the emails I get which offer me "the best 36 chicken recipes" or "16 ways to cook fish" etc. etc. I mostly ignore them. If I want to plough through lots of recipe for something I can do it through Google, but mostly I don't. Please, present me with one or even two recipes a day, and that's quite enough thank you. Got one today for dozens of ways of cooking pork chops. Grrr.

I was delighted to see that Birgit of BB Creations tried the curried shrimp recipe I posted a few days ago. She said it was very good. She also said some very nice things about me. Thanks Birgit.

Just watching a programme about elephants, had to leave, getting to stressful. There is a group of orphans being led by a very young matriarch - 16 I think. All 7 of their adults were killed by poachers. One elephant is killed every 15 minutes. I could kill the poachers with no hesitation, it really upsets me.

Of course I had to include a recipe for Dolmas didn't I? Including a link to the website from which I copied the recipe. This has some good pictures of how to actually make the dolmas.

Dolmas

Dolmas or dolmades are very versatile; they can be eaten cold or warm. Traditionally dolmas containing meat are eaten warm with a yogurt sauce that is lightly flavored with garlic. Rice filled dolmas are served cold with a drizzling of lemon juice and olive oil. Dolmas usually have a combination of spices that are both savory and aromatic, a culinary practice of Arab origins.

8 oz grape leaves 1 jar, preserved grape leaves
1 1/2 cups rice
1 Tbs olive oil
1 onion medium, diced
2 Tbs pine nuts
1/4 cup currants dried
1/4 tsp allspice
1 Tbs mint fresh, chopped
1/2 cup parsley fresh, chopped
3/4 cup water
Sauce
2/3 cup olive oil
1 tsp sugar
4 Tbs lemon juice, fresh squeezed

1. To make the sauce: Mix olive oil, sugar and lemon.

2. In a bowl place cooked rice, currants, mint, parsley, and allspice. Mix well.

3. In a small skillet saute the onions and pine nuts in the olive oil until onions are translucent. Remove from skillet and add to rice mixture. Mix well.

4. Rinse grape leaves and pat dry.

5. Place leaf flat on a large cutting board.

6. Place a heaping teaspoon of the rice mixture near the bottom of the leaf.

7. Fold the bottom of the leaf over the rice, and bring the sides inwards following the guide you created.

8. Roll tightly to form a cigar shape.

9. Place seam side down in a skillet lined with the grape leaves.

10. Pour olive oil sauce mixture and water over the dolmas, and weigh down with a plate.

11. Cover and cook on low for about 40 minutes.

12. Allow dolmas to cool in the pan.

13. Transfer to a serving platter and refrigerate for about 2 hours before serving.

Yield: 40

Author: Analida's Ethnic Spoon

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Wildlife Art, Car Repair, A/C

Facebook does have its uses. Today it brought this video of our son-in-law's art and I thought you might like to see it. I warn you it is quite a long video but really worth looking at. They are mostly done in acrylics but there are some oils. There is a link on this blog to his current art.



I told you it had to be Mercury Retrograde. We now have an expensive car bill to deal with. It ended up Matt came home having left the car to be repaired. This meant that our usual Tuesday afternoon shop had to be abandoned. I complained the garage that we would starve. He thought that was funny. The A/C is now supposed to be installed on Thursday. The tech apologised but as he said, it was out of his control.

This really appeals to me, I like the idea of mini meals in muffin tins, but have never tried it, here is one I might have a go at. For those of you who don't like lamb, I assume you could sub beef instead but that will be such a shame. Obviously the two unusual items, ras al hanout and Aleppo Pepper are an essential item to make this an African spiced dish.

African Spiced Lamb and Spaghetti Squash Mini Lasagnas

Lamb and Squash

1 small spaghetti squash
5 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 onion, minced
1 lb ground lamb
10 dried apricots, finely chopped
2 tsp ras el hanout
8 oz tomatoes (I used fresh, but a can and juices would work well too)
1 cup chicken broth
1 Tbs peanut butter
1/2 cup sliced almonds

Coconut Bechamel and Garnish

1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup flour
1 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup chicken broth
Fresh feta
Aleppo Pepper
Cilantro, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 375º. Stab squash all over with a knife or fork and microwave on high for 8 minutes, flipping halfway through. It should be soft to the touch (but touch it with a towel, it will be hot!). Let it rest while you cook the lamb. Heat 1 T oil in a pan over medium heat and sautée onion with a pinch of salt until beginning to brown. Add 1/2 of garlic and stir until aromatic. Remove to a bowl. Add 1 T oil and cook lamb until cooked through. Add spice mix and hearty pinch of salt and stir to combine. Add onions, tomatoes, apricots and broth, cover and simmer until tomatoes have broken down and liquid starts to thicken (about 5 minutes). Stir in peanut butter until mixture has thickened. Cut squash in half, remove seeds and gently shred with a fork. Heat a pan and toast almonds until brown. Remove. Melt 1 T butter and cook squash for a few minutes. Add remaining garlic and cook until squash begins to brown and liquid has evaporated. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Heat coconut oil in a pot and stir in flour cooking for a few minutes. Whisk in coconut milk and broth and continue stirring until thickened, but smooth. Salt to taste. Oil muffin tins. Place a won ton wrapper in each so that the corners go up the sides. Place a spoon of squash, then lamb, then Béchamel into each. Place another won ton wrapper on top rotated 90º and push gently in the center. Sprinkle almonds, then squash, lamb, sauce again. Bake in oven 15 minutes or until edges are browned, rotating halfway through. Sprinkle with cilantro and aleppo pepper and, if you wish, feta

Yield: 12 mini lasagnas

Source: savorthis

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A/C, Produce, Cornish Hens,

Well, we didn't get our new A/C on Monday. For some reason the unit hadn't 'been released' from somewhere in Cambridge (next town) so they didn't get it before we had to leave for our doctor's appointment. Thought that might be quick, but my appointment was 2:30 and I finally got in shortly after 3. I was a tad p*ssed. Well, I guess we both were. So once again we were up early for no reason. I'm hoping to hear from the A/C people early in the morning.

Monday lunchtime saw me finishing off the last fresh asparagus of the season. Now I have to wait a whole year again. Mind you, I froze quite a lot, plus I bought three jars of pickled asparagus. I also have lots of honey from the farm too. I would love to get corn from them but unfortunately Matt doesn't enjoy corn so it isn't worth going all that way for two cobs of corn. Corn is something which needs to be eaten the day it is picked. I can buy it fairly fresh in my local grocery store once the season starts and I make do with that. I do enjoy it but not as much as if it had been picked that morning.

For some reason I have never cooked Cornish Hens, don't know why, I have always enjoyed them. I remember the first time I ever ate them was in North Carolina where a neighbour cooked them for my birthday dinner one year and that's got to be in the 80's. He made some kind of bread stuffing, never did get his recipe, and it was delicious. Never came across them in England, not sure why. I thought this recipe sounded pretty good and thought I might try it one of these days.

Herb-Roasted Cornish Hens with Root Vegetables

2 1- to 1-1/2- pounds Cornish game hens
4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch lengths
4 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into 2-inch lengths
2 small turnips, peeled and cut into wedges
1 medium onion, cut into wedges
3 Tbs olive oil or cooking oil
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tsp dried rosemary, crushed
2 tsp dried oregano, crushed
1/2 tsp salt

1. Skewer neck skin of hens to back; tie legs to tail. Twist wings under back. Place hens, breast up, on a rack in a large shallow roasting pan. Place carrots, parsnips, turnips, and onions around hens in pan. Combine oil, garlic, rosemary, oregano, and salt; brush onto hens and vegetables.

2. Roast, uncovered, in a 375°F oven for 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours or until hens are no longer pink and the drumsticks move easily in their sockets.(Internal temperature should be 180° F with an instant-read thermometer.) During roasting, turn vegetables occasionally. Transfer hens from roasting pan to serving platter. Cover and keep warm. Remove rack from roasting pan. Stir vegetables. Increase oven temperature to 450°F. Continue roasting vegetables for 15 to 20 minutes more or until tender and browned.

3. To serve, using a slotted spoon, spoon vegetables around hens on platter. Makes 4 servings.

Servings: 4

Source: Better Homes and Gardens®.

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