Medical, Bunnies, Age,

Having been up at the crack of dawn, for me anyway, we went, by cab, to the hospital where I was quickly ushered into the Nuclear Imaging Dept. After they had pumped me full of gas then given me an injection and taken lots of pictures of my lungs, I was allowed to put my coat back on and eventually a doctor came to see me to tell me that my lungs had no blood clots. I didn't think so, one of the few parts of my body that does seem to work.

Got some more shopping again this afternoon including our Lindt Gold Bunnies for Easter. (Don't tell anyone, we have already eaten one each). I ought to get us some lamb for Easter. Will have to check into it. One thing our grocery doesn't do well. However, the store "up the road" where I bought my smoked haddock has a good butchers, they might have lamb. Costco has great lamb of course, but those stores are too huge for me these days, couldn't walk that far any more. 

Funny, went into the liquor store and when we came out, a guy opened his car window and commented about it being no fun getting old, he then said he was 86. I told him he had us beat. That reminds me, one of the volunteers told me they had a female volunteer working in the hospital who was 106!!!! Now that's incredible. Mind you it seems age is just a number these days. When I was a kid, people my age were positively ancient - which they were - pretty decrepit bunch as I recall. Mind you some of them are anyway today.

Somehow we got Granny Smith Apples the other day by mistake so I wanted a pork and apples recipe. This is the one I found. I plan to cook it for Saturday.

Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Apples and Onions

1 large pork tenderloin (about 14 ounces)
3 Tbs olive oil, divided
2 Tbs whole grain Dijon mustard
2 tsp fennel seeds
1 large onion, sliced
2 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1/2 cup dry white wine or apple cider

1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Season pork with salt and pepper.

2. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large nonstick ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork and sear until all sides are brown, turning occasionally, about 5 minutes. Transfer pork to plate. Cool slightly. Spread mustard over top and sides of pork; press fennel seeds into mustard. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to skillet. Add onion slices and apples; sauté over medium heat until golden, about 5 minutes. Spread evenly in skillet and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place pork atop apple-onion mixture.

3. Transfer skillet to oven and roast until apple-onion mixture is soft and brown and meat thermometer inserted into center of pork registers 150°F, about 15 minutes. Transfer pork to platter and tent with foil. Let stand 5 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, pour white wine over apple-onion mixture in skillet. Stir mixture over high heat until slightly reduced, about 2 minutes. Cut pork on diagonal into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Spoon apple-onion mixture onto plates. Top with pork and serve

Servings: 4

Source: BON APPÉTIT

Have a great day
 

Rabbiting On, Fireworks.

Matt actually had two pretty good games at bowling on Thursday, the first game wasn't much good, but he made up for it afterwards. Meanwhile I didn't bowl so good. It really is an up and down game. You can knock 'em dead one minute and fall flat on your rear end the next. Would you guess our bowling days are our two favourite days of the week? If we could afford it I think we would bowl most days although I would miss my exercise classes which are fun and where I get to chat with friends who live in the same building. Most of the are a lot older than me which makes me feel good.

I started using a different Avon cream this morning which is supposed to be a new and extra good cream for sun tan protection plus moisturizing and reducing wrinkles. I got Matt to take a picture of my face so I can see if it is doing anything in a week or two. The close ups he took are absolutely horrid. I was quite sure I didn't have that many wrinkles, was I wrong. I guess when I look in the mirror I am wearing rose coloured glasses or something. Quite a shock. Mind you when people say I don't look my age, how old do people my age look? And no, I am not sharing the pictures with you. The one on this page is quite good enough LOL. It is relatively recent.

Several bloggers have been complaining about fireworks lately. In the news today there are stories of at least two top athletes who have damaged their hands so badly with fireworks that they may not be able to fulfill their contracts. Don't people know how dangerous they are apart from the nuisance factor? I remember many years ago, in England, a guy who was in charge of letting of fireworks at the yacht club, ended up being chased by a rocket. We all though it was funny at the time, but if it had hit him, he could have been badly injured.

This is a unusual recipe which appealed to me. It says for 24 but I am thinking the recipe can be suitably reduced. The marinade wouldn't need to be reduced of course.

Pepper Steaks in Wonton Cups 

 

Author: Michele @ Flavor Mosaic

Serves: 24

Ingredients

Marinade:

• 4 teaspoons soy sauce
• 4 tablespoons Hoisin sauce
• 4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoon sherry
• 2 teaspoon cornstarch
• 2 teaspoon sesame oil
• 2 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

Wonton Cups

• 24 wonton wrappers
• Salt to taste
• cooking spray
• olive oil

Pepper Beef:

• 2 pounds (16 ounces) sirloin steak, sliced
• 2 ½ tablespoons grapeseed oil
• 2 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger (or 1 teaspoon ground ginger)
• 1 green bell pepper, deseeded and cut into pieces
• 1 red bell pepper, deseeded and cut into pieces
• ½ onion, sliced
• 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
• chopped green onions for garnish
• 
  

Instructions

1. Place all the marinade ingredients in a large zipped top plastic bag. Add the steak and marinate about 8 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.
2. To make the wonton cups, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Spray two muffin tin pans with cooking spray. Brush each side of the wonton wrappers with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt. Place one wonton wrapper in each muffin tin. Each wrapper will overlap itself in the muffin tin and stick out over the top. Bake in a preheated oven for about 8 to 10 minutes until golden brown and crisp.
3. To make the pepper steak, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a skillet or wok over medium high heat.
4. Stir-fry the steak until is brown on the outside but pink on the inside. Remove and set aside.
5. Heat the remaining oil in a wok or skillet over medium high heat. Cook the garlic and the ginger for about a minute, and then add the green bell pepper, red bell pepper, onion, and black pepper. Stir-fry for about 5 minutes until the onions are translucent and both onions and peppers are softened.
6. Transfer the steak back into the wok or skillet. Stir-fry until the steak is cooked through and the center of the meat is no longer pink, about 2 minutes. Serve immediately with steamed rice.

Have a great day
 

Solar Impulse Plane, Age.

Sadly, due to bad weather conditions, the solar impulse plane had to land in Japan so that the Pacific crossing has been aborted. This is another shot of the plane, the wings are absolutely huge.

Matt keeps saying it’s not use and pointing out the drawbacks. He has never been remotely interested in future technology. He would have belittled the Wright brothers too I think. I think it’s a fantastic idea.

I don't care how old one is, it always makes you feel good to be told you don't look your age. I just popped upstairs in our building to give someone a copy of the obituary of a friend of theirs, we got chatting, and she said I was so much younger. When she realised I was only about 3 1/2 years younger than her she was flabbergasted and couldn't understand how I didn't have lots of wrinkles etc. It made me feel really good. It set me up in my self esteem. Now I will be going around with a swollen head for a day or two. Several people find it odd that I am as familiar with a computer as I am which again surprises me. I know others of my age and older who are pretty handy with computers. Come to think of it, I know another woman of more or less the same age as I am who doesn't look wrinkled either. I wonder if it's anything to do with the creams we use or just the luck of the draw. I tend to think the luck of the draw.

I had understood that a Mexican Mole always involved chocolate. Having checked with my favourite Mexican dragon I find that this is not so. That being said, here is a recipe for Asparagus Mole. This recipe did not come with a picture.


Asparagus-Mole

Recipe courtesy of Charles Maes, Owner of Canby Asparagus

Yield:about 1 1/2 cups
 
Ingredients
1 pound cut, trimmed asparagus
1 small garlic clove, minced
2 teaspoons lime juice
1/4 cup fresh (or canned) chopped jalapeno chilies
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cumin
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
1/2 cup seeded and chopped tomato


Directions
Cook asparagus in small amount of water until tender. Drain well and shock in ice water. In a food processor, process asparagus and next 5 ingredients until smooth (about 30 seconds). Scrape bowl frequently. Remove from food processor and stir in onion and tomato. Chill thoroughly before serving with tortilla chips, cut vegetables, chicken or seafood.

Have a great day
 

Churchills, Age.

No, this isn’t the same post. However, thinking about Winston, I started remembering the TV show I saw in Britain in 1969 called The First Churchills, I mentioned this yesterday, and I later discovered that the series had been shown by PBS in North America and they had the DVDs for sale. I have a birthday coming up so I bought them for Matt to give me. I told him later LOL. I think there are 4 DVDs. Funnily enough I was watching this series when I first met Matt. It really was a fantastic series and John Churchill was a fantastic man. He earned his fame and was duly rewarded by Queen Anne who was a great friend for many years – she made him Duke of Marlborough and the family still retains the title. Winston was grandson to the 7th Duke. There is still a Duke, the 11th is 88 right now. Sadly his son has had a battle with heroin. I should also mention that the Churchill family is also related to the Spencer family from which Princess Diana came which makes them relatives of Prince William and Prince George.

One of my commenters yesterday, Pinky Poinker a blogging friend from Australia, talking about Churchill, mentioned her dad was born in 1935. Boy did I feel old, my husband was born in 1935. I guess a number of my cyber friends are young enough to have been my kids. When I was a kid, people of our age were considered really ancient and a lot of them had already kicked the bucket before even reaching their 70s. What a difference today when you see people of 101 dancing on TV and 90 year olds doing Olympic training, or bowling regularly, etc.

I like lima beans. They are the nearest things here to broad beans which are/were very popular in England when I lived there. Not sure why they are not available here. Used to be one of my favourites.

Lima Bean Spread with Cumin and Herbs

From EatingWell:  August/September 2005, November 1997, The EatingWell Diabetes Cookbook (2005)

Humble limas are transformed into a sensational Mediterranean spread that is vibrant with a mix of fresh herbs and spices. You can substitute frozen edamame beans for the limas in Step 1; cook according to package directions.


About 1 1 /2 cups

Ingredients

• 1 10-ounce package frozen lima beans
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed and peeled
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

Preparation

1. Bring a large saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil. Add lima beans, garlic and crushed red pepper; cook until the beans are tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool in the liquid.
2. Drain the beans and garlic. Transfer to a food processor. Add oil, lemon juice, cumin, salt and pepper; process until smooth. Scrape into a bowl, stir in mint, cilantro and dill
3. Make ahead tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 6 months.

Have a great day