Cramps, Bowling. Sleeping, Exercise Class

For some reason I spent Wednesday night jumping in and out of bed with cramps of one kind or another. Then going to the kitchen for tonic or pickle juice or something. I figure I ended up with about 3 hours sleep. I got up, had breakfast, phoned the person who organises the travel league plus lunch at Red Lobster, and then went back to bed.

One thing, turns out the bowling alley have now organised a team for us from Monday on. Only trouble is, I have a cardiologist appointment at 10:15 but should get back in time, fingers crossed. Can always have lunch at the alley.

I ended up sleeping a fair chunk of the afternoon as well. I think I must have made up for my disturbed night. I have had a few cramp twinges today so I do hope I won't have a rotten night again.

I plan to go to exercise class in the afternoon assuming all is well. Our regular instructor is off to Ireland so I don't know how long she will be away.

This is a recipe I have had for years. It is quite delicious but I haven't cooked it for years either, no idea why.

Chicken Breasts in Island Aromas

1- 1/2 tsp olive oil
1/4 cup finely chopped scallions (4 bulbs)
2 Tbs finely chopped shallots (2 shallots)
2 Tbs chopped fresh mint
1/2 tsp fennel seeds, ground
1/2 tsp powdered ginger
2/3 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup dry sherry
1- 1/2 tsp sugar
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tsp grated orange zest
1 tsp grated lemon zest
salt and pepper to taste
2 sprigs Rosemary
1/2 cup dry white wine

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. In a small pan heat oil over med heat. Add scallions, shallots, 1 tbs mint; saute until softened, 2 - 3 mins. Stir in fennel and ginger. Add orange juice, lemon juice, sherry and 1 tsp sugar; bring to a boil. Simmer until reduced by half, 5 - 10 mins. Set aside

2. Place the defatted, trimmed, chicken skinned side down on board. Make a horizontal slit on thinner, long edge, cutting nearly through to opposite side. Open each breast to form two flaps and sprinkle with zests. Season. Pat closed and place between plastic wrap. Pound to flatten slightly.

3. Place rosemary sprigs on bottom of a baking dish, put chicken on top, season. Pour wine and warm citrus sauce over. Bake uncovered 25 - 30 mins until chicken not pink inside. Transfer to platter and keep warm.  Discard rosemary.

4. Pour sauce into pan, boil, reduce by half. Taste and adjust seasonings. Spoon over chicken and sprinkle with remaining mint.

Servings: 4

Source: Eating Well

Have a great day
 

Tutenkhamun, Bowling,

Those of you who know me, know I don't watch much TV. Jeopardy is my favourite and that's about

it on a regular basis. This week I seem to have been glued to Public Television. Stories of the dangers of Victorian homes, stories about the Queen and more about the weather and climate changes of our world. Thursday night was the same. They had an excellent programme from the ITV channel in England called Tutenkhamun. It started at 8 and went through til 11 with slight programme breaks - not long at all. I was fascinated from start to finish. It was basically all about Howard Carter who found the Royal Tomb and of Lord Carnarvon who was his sponsor. It was all about the vicissitudes they went through before actually discovering the tomb and then even more after having discovered it. Everyone believed Carter was wrong and that the area where he was digging had been gone through thoroughly and that there was nothing else to be discovered. He proved them wrong. It didn't help that the Egyptians were very anti British, sometimes violently, at  the time with, I might say, very good reason. There was one scene at the end of World War I where someone was complaining about Carter to the army and saying he spoke like the locals, dressed like the locals and even ate his meals with them. He was therefore presumed to be unstable and the army let him go. To us this seems incredible. Anyway, if you ever get a chance to see this production, I can highly recommend it. A movie but excellently done IMHOP  - there was a romance between Lord Carnarvon's daughter and Carter. Who knows if that happened or not. I just did a bit of research and the author apparently believes, from many sources, that they did have a romantic relationship but the Carnarvons emphatically deny it, well they would wouldn't they?

We went bowling this afternoon, played two games and Matt beat me both times. Horrifying. When we got home I spoke to our neighbour who arranges the coffee klatches and I have printed up business cards with invitation/reminders to everyone to try and attract more people to the group.

So now I am late for my bed.

This is a delicious recipe which I haven't made in a long time, not sure why.

Chicken Breasts in Island Aromas

1- 1/2 tsp olive oil
1/4 cup finely chopped scallions (4 bulbs)
2 Tbs finely chopped shallots (2 shallots)
2 Tbs chopped fresh mint
1/2 tsp fennel seeds, ground
1/2 tsp powdered ginger
2/3 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup dry sherry
1- 1/2 tsp sugar
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tsp grated orange zest
1 tsp grated lemon zest
salt and pepper to taste
2 sprigs Rosemary
1/2 cup dry white wine

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. In a small pan heat oil over med heat. Add scallions, shallots, 1 tbs mint; sauté until softened, 2 - 3 mins. Stir in fennel and ginger. Add orange juice, lemon juice, sherry and 1 tsp sugar; bring to a boil. Simmer until reduced by half, 5 - 10 mins. Set aside

2. Place the defatted, trimmed, chicken skinned side down on board. Make a horizontal slit on thinner, long edge, cutting nearly through to opposite side. Open each breast to form two flaps and sprinkle with zests. Season. Pat closed and place between plastic wrap. Pound to flatten slightly.

3. Place rosemary sprigs on bottom of a baking dish, put chicken on top, season. Pour wine and warm citrus sauce over. Bake uncovered 25 - 30 mins until chicken not pink inside. Transfer to platter and keep warm.  Discard rosemary.

4. Pour sauce into pan, boil, reduce by half. Taste and adjust seasonings. Spoon over chicken and sprinkle with remaining mint.

Servings: 4

Source: Eating Well

Have a great day
 

Yawn,

I'm pretty tired today/night so not really going to write much. Would you believe we even came home before we had bowled all three games! I didn't sleep too well last night so that is the reason. Even though I had a nap this afternoon, I still feel tired so hopefully tomorrow will be better.

We actually got some rain today, quite a bit but not for very long. The grass round here looks brown although the trees seem to be doing OK. It is still pretty hot here (not sure about now after the storm) in fact yesterday, with the humidex,  it went up to 45°C. When we left the bowling alley to get into the car, I think I could have cooked supper in the car.. Today it wasn't nearly as bad.

This is a dish by Eating Well which a friend cooked for us years ago. Absolutely delicious but I have never cooked it myself, I don't know why.


Chicken Breasts in Island Aromas

1- 1/2 tsp olive oil
1/4 cup finely chopped scallions (4 bulbs)
2 Tbs finely chopped shallots (2 shallots)
2 Tbs chopped fresh mint
1/2 tsp fennel seeds, ground
1/2 tsp powdered ginger
2/3 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup dry sherry
1- 1/2 tsp sugar
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tsp grated orange zest
1 tsp grated lemon zest
salt and pepper to taste
2 sprigs Rosemary
1/2 cup dry white wine

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. In a small pan heat oil over med heat. Add scallions, shallots, 1 tbs mint; saute until softened, 2 - 3 mins. Stir in fennel and ginger. Add orange juice, lemon juice, sherry and 1 tsp sugar; bring to a boil. Simmer until reduced by half, 5 - 10 mins. Set aside

2. Place the defatted, trimmed, chicken skinned side down on board. Make a horizontal slit on thinner, long edge, cutting nearly through to opposite side. Open each breast to form two flaps and sprinkle with zests. Season. Pat closed and place between plastic wrap. Pound to flatten slightly.

3. Place rosemary sprigs on bottom of a baking dish, put chicken on top, season. Pour wine and warm citrus sauce over. Bake uncovered 25 - 30 mins until chicken not pink inside. Transfer to platter and keep warm.  Discard rosemary.

4. Pour sauce into pan, boil, reduce by half. Taste and adjust seasonings. Spoon over chicken and sprinkle with remaining mint.

Servings: 4

Have a great day