Publishers, Junk for Cash. Madagascar.

The angio I had the other day has left me totally lethargic and in a very “can’t be bothered” mood. I was looking for a picture which showed how I felt, but I came up with the one above which I thought was funny. I haven’t really been following the blogs I normally read with enthusiasm, I certainly haven’t been doing much otherwise, I have not even been very interested in the food I ate despite having strawberries and cream two nights running. I don’t think I will be bowling today either, it is a little too soon for the access point and its seal to take the stress. Yeah I know, I ‘m wingeing.

That said, I finally caught up with Glenda Larke’s latest blog and I cannot believe that an author who has already published 10 wonderful books cannot find a publisher for her latest works. See her blog at Tropic Temper, this page. What is the matter with these publishers, I can’t understand why they haven’t yet accepted her latest work. I have read a lot about self-publishing lately, maybe Glenda too will have to go down this road although I hope it won’t be necessary. Right now, I am waiting with bated breath for the last novel in her Watergiver’s Trilogy it is due in August and I and many others are biting our fingernails waiting for the finish of this wonderful story. Stormlord’s Exile, I have had it on pre-order from Amazon.com for a while now to be sure I don’t have to wait too long. This is the cover from the US and English publishers, as usual, I consider the Australian cover is a much better job.

They had a segment on GMA today about clearing out junk drawers and making money by selling stuff on eBay or Craig’s list. One of the items they were selling were old VHS tapes. I tried that with old Disney movies and didn’t get one enquiry. You can also sell old cell phones and chargers, CDs you haven’t played for 4 years or more and the list goes on. I guess I should make more effort to sell some of the things we have. We have dozens of CDs we have only played once and are never likely to play again – from the days when you could buy 12 and pay for 1. No electronic gadgets though, they seemed to fetch the most money.

This is an excerpt from a newsletter I get from World Wildlife Fund.

615 Species Discovered in Madagascar

Madame Berthe's mouse lemur © Louise Jaspar/WWF Madagascar

Split from the African continent over 160 million years ago, Madagascar developed its own distinct ecosystems and extraordinary wildlife. Most of its reptiles, plants and land mammals exist naturally nowhere else on Earth. From 1999 to 2010, 615 new species were discovered in this island country, reinforcing Madagascar’s standing as one of the Earth’s richest tropical habitats. View the photo gallery of these recently discovered species and find out why it's critical to protect the country's ecosystems.

I find this kind of thing absolutely fascinating, particularly as one tends to believe that we have found all the species there are already. I reported once before on incredible discoveries in another part of the world.

Here is a pretty simple recipe which I picked up from Recipe du Jour. I always love beans of any kind and they are so very good for you.

Mother's White Beans

3/4 cup chopped onion 1/3 cup chopped carrot 1 clove garlic, pressed or minced 1/3 cup (2 oz.) coarsely chopped cooked ham 2/3 cup chicken or vegetable broth 2 cans (15 oz. each) white beans (small whites or cannellini) Chopped parsley

In a 1 1/2- to 2-quart pan, combine onion, carrot, garlic, cooked ham, and broth. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover and simmer over medium heat until the carrot is soft to bite, about 10 minutes. Stir in beans and simmer, covered, over low heat until beans are hot, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and serve. Makes 4 servings

Have a great day

LOLCats, The Weekend, Books.

This is especially for sinlaw Mike.

Well, the weekend has rolled round once again. Unfortunately, once you are retired, weekends don’t mean much any more. It does mean things like no mail, people don’t email as much and so on, but otherwise its very much the same as any other day of the week. The one thing Saturday means to us – we tend to have a special dinner with wine, having decided to cut down week day drinking, Saturday is the day we enjoy on of the special wines we keep in stock. As yet, I don’t know what we will be having for supper, and therefore I don’t know which wine either. We have a couple of fillet steaks in the freezer and I am toying with making a Steak Diane with them, haven’t had that in years, one of those dishes that kind of went out of fashion, don’t know why, used to be one of my favourites. Ve shall see.

I told you that I was doing a re-read of Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time series and that unfortunately my library didn’t have book 8, The Path of Daggers, someone hadn’t returned it and it was a month overdue. Nor would they consider replacing for 6 months so I finally went to Amazon, both .com and .ca and found a copy for 7¢. All of this I wrote before, what I didn’t write was that when it arrived, it was in pristine condition and guess what, it was shipped from England. I had no idea. Having ordered it from Amazon.ca I naturally assumed it would be sent from somewhere in Canada. I can neither believe the price I got it for, with shipping, but that wasn’t very much, nor the fact that it came from the UK.

Steak Diane

From Chef John J. Vyhnanek

This classic restaurant show-stopping dish is usually prepared and flamed at the table but you can easily make it at home. Tender filet mignon steaks with a rich cream sauce are perfect for a romantic dinner with your loved one.

Ingredients:

• 4 (3 ounces each) center cut beef tenderloin medallions, trimmed of all fat and pounded to 1/2 inch thick, chilled
• 1-1/2 ounces clarified butter
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons shallots, chopped fine
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup mushroom caps, sliced 1/8 inch thick
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice, fresh squeezed
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme leaves, fresh if possible
• 2 ounces heavy cream
• 1 ounce brandy
• 1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
• 1 tablespoon chives, chopped
• Salt, about 1/2 teaspoon or to taste
• Ground black pepper, fresh ground, 1/8 teaspoon or to taste

Preparation:

In a small 8- to 10-inch sauté pan, heat 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat for 1 minute. Add the tenderloin steaks, sprinkle with a little salt and pepper, increase heat to medium-high and sauté exactly 2 minutes on each side. Remove them to a plate and chill in a refrigerator for 5 minutes. Preheat a large (12-inch) sauté pan over medium heat for 1 minute. Add clarified butter, then add the Worcestershire sauce to the butter. Place the shallots, garlic, and mushrooms in the center of the pan with the tenderloin steaks around the edges. With a spoon, stir and toss the mushroom mixture. After 2 minutes add the lemon juice and season the ingredients with salt and fresh ground black pepper. Turn the filet mignon steaks and add the thyme, chopped parsley and dried mustard powder. Cook the steaks to the doneness you like. Leave them in the pan and add the heavy cream and chives. Tilt the pan slightly, and pour the brandy into the front edge of the pan, turn the heat to high and let the flame (or if electric, light with a match) catch the brandy's vapors and ignite it. Swirl slightly, turn off the heat and let the flame go out. Place filet mignon medallions on plates and top with the sauce from the pan. Note: You may want to slightly undercook the filet mignon steaks prior to adding the cream and brandy so that the reduction process of making the sauce doesn't overcook them. Yield: 2 servings

Have a great weekend

Thanksgiving,

Happy Thanksgiving to all my US readers. Don't stuff yourselves too much on the turkey today. I saw President Obama pardoning one turkey yesterday, I had forgotten they did that. Funny. Apparently it is now being shipped to a zoo or something. Lucky bird. A friend who was born in the States was wondering how many turkeys had applied for witness protection. We won't be eating turkey today unfortunately, I do so enjoy it, but we will be going to the My Thai for lunch as I mentioned and finishing the day with hot pot for supper. That was very good last night I am pleased to say. Today is also the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade which is mostly giant balloons. Not my favourite parade, but kids love it. I heard one little guy on TV say he was looking forward to seeing Spiderman. Our local Santa Parade took place on November 14. I have never seen it. Even when I worked at a funeral home which was right on the route, I never watched either the Santa or the Oktoberfest Parade. Being a part timer, if I was there at all, it was because there was work for me to do, so I never had time. I could actually still go there and watch even though I don't work there any more, however, I don't bother. Neither of us much like doing things when there are crowds of people. There are lots of places to get tips for cooking turkeys today including Good Morning America. The morning's funny was apparently someone asked how to get a cat out of the turkey cavity!!! Can't imagine it can you? I used to really enjoy Thanksgiving in the States, they do make such a big thing of it. Plus we had lots and lots of friends to share it with. see more Lolcats and funny pictures Just thought a Lolcat picture would be good this morning. To get away from Thanksgiving recipes, I thought this one from the Crisco newsletter sounded pretty good. Onion Cheese Pie Makes: 8 servings CRUST 1 recipe Classic Crisco® Pie Crust (or any other bought pastry crust) FILLING 1 tbsp (15mL) Crisco Canola or Vegetable Oil 4 cups (1L) thinly sliced onions (approx. 2 large onions) 8 oz/2 ½ cups (250g/625mL) white cheddar cheese 2 eggs, lightly beaten 1 tsp (5mL) salt 1. Crust: prepare Single Classic Crisco Pie Crust as per package directions. 2. Filling: Heat oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Add onions and cook until tender, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool for 15 minutes. 3. Preheat oven to 400ºF (200ºC). 4. Roll dough on a lightly floured surface to fit a 9” (23cm) pie plate, leaving a ¾” (2cm) overhang. Fold edge under. Flute dough as desired. 5. Spread alternate layers of cheese and onions in uncooked pie shell starting and ending with the cheese. 6. Combine eggs, salt & pepper in a small bowl. Gently pour over the top. 7. Bake in preheated oven 30 minutes or until filling is firm. TIPS: • Pies are not just for dessert. Here is a delicious savory pie. Serve it for brunch, lunch or dinner with a salad. • Onions can be cooked up to 1 day ahead and refrigerated until ready to use. • Serve with soup or salad. Have a great day.

Spelling Bee, Twitter, Susan Boyle.

We watched the Spelling Bee finals last night, they really are incredible these young kids. However, there were some words I didn't figure should be included, Neufchatel and Caerphilly which are both cheeses and Reykjavik which is apparently not just the name of the capital but a word derived from it. We found a lot of the earlier words to be comparatively easy too and they didn't seem to have too much trouble either. I was also interested to see how many of the young competitors were of obviously Indian descent. I don't Twitter although it appears that more and more people do. However, someone is using the author, George R.R. Martin's name and twittering with it. George emphatically denies being on Twitter see here and it must be very annoying for him when someone uses his name. I have been enjoying his books over the years and am awaiting the next in series with baited breath. Oops, searching for info I have just discovered that there is a new book in his Songs of Ice and Fire series which I haven't yet read, A Dance with Dragons. Also just read an article about Susan Boyle, the singer from Britain's Got Talent, sounds like she is reacting to the pressure of fame and perhaps not handling it too well. She even packed her bags and considered going home. I can't say I blame her - media pressure killed a princess!! There seems to be some doubt about whether she will win as there are two other acts which are very good. One a young boy singer and another a father and son act. I had to share this with you, it was in Karen Miller's blog this morning and I thought it was so funny. In one of my ezines I receive, Desserts du Jour, they had a dessert yesterday which really caught my eye and I will be trying for my very next dinner party. Orange Meringue Puddings 2 Tbs unsalted butter Zest of 1 orange 2 cups fresh orange juice 1/3 cup plus 1/2 cup sugar 1/4 cup cornstarch 1/4 tsp salt 3 large egg yolks 3 egg whites 1 Preheat oven to 425F. In a medium saucepan over low heat melt 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, then whisk in the zest of 1 orange, 2 cups fresh orange juice, 1/3 cup sugar, 1/4 cup corn-starch, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 3 large egg yolks. Bring to a simmer over medium heat; cook, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 2 minutes. Pour into 4 ramekins or custard cups. 2 In a bowl, beat 3 egg whites and 1/2 cup sugar until the sugar dissolves and stiff, glossy peaks form. Spread the meringue over the puddings. Bake until the meringue is browned, about 10 minutes. Set the puddings in a pan of ice water to cool, then refrigerate 1 hour or until cold. Servings: 4 Don't they sound delicious? Right, I am off to make what Matt, so rudely, calls meat pies. Tourtières sounds so much better. Have a great day.

Lolcats, Pet Doors, The Link

see more Lolcats and funny pictures I couldn't resist adding this. Karen Miller (Karen's Musings see link this page) often adds Lolcat pictures to her site and I was looking at some of them on the website and thought this was hilarious. I was talking about the dangers of Doggie Doors the other day, I must admit I hadn't thought of this one. A woman in Maryland came home one day to find she had a visitor on her couch curled up next to her Beagle. What a gorgeous little critter. Have you heard about Ida The Link? She is a 47 million yr. old primate fossil which was discovered in Germany and, incredibly, has opposable thumbs which is something not seen on later specimens. If you would like to read more about her click here to see the GMA article. Another incredible thing is that she has fingernails, not claws. They figure she broke her wrist and was unable to climb trees and that is why she died. Absolutely fascinating. Watched Giada di Laurentiis on TV yesterday, she cooked some good stuff as usual, but one which really appealed to me, was a tomato tart. She made it with Heirloom Tomatoes which she says are the best, like old fashioned tomatoes with a wonderful flavour. Now I am going to be on a hunt to see if anyone in our area grows Heirloom tomatoes. If not, I will use the best I can find, but I will probably season the tomatoes before I use them and if necessary add a sprinkling of sugar to improve the taste. Heirloom Tomato and Basil Tart Crust: 1 (9-inch) refrigerated pie crust (recommended: Pillsbury) Basil Pesto (see below) 2 med (12 ounces) heirloom or 4 plum tomatoes, cut into 1/8-inch thick slices 2 Tbs thinly sliced fresh basil leaves Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling Kosher salt Freshly ground pepper 1 Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Place the pie crust on an ungreased baking sheet and bake for 7 minutes until lightly golden. Cool for 20 minutes. 2 Using a spatula, spread the pesto over the cooled crust. Arrange the tomato slices on top of the pesto and garnish with the sliced basil. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Cut the tart into wedges and serve. Servings: 4 Cooking time: 7 minutes Source: Giada Di Laurentiis Cook's Notes: To toast pine nuts, place on a baking sheet in a single layer and bake for 8 to 10 minutes in a preheated 350 degree F oven until lightly browned. For those of you who do not have a basil pesto recipe, here is the one I use, you will see above that Giada tells you how to toast pine nuts, my recipe tells you a different method - either method is perfectly acceptable. Classic Basil Pesto 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided 1/4 cup pine nuts toasted 2 cups fresh basil leaves 2 cloves garlic 1/2 tsp salt 3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese 1 In a small skillet set over medium-low heat, toss the pine nuts with about 1 tbsp of olive oil, stirring constantly just until they begin to turn golden, about five minutes. Be careful not to let the pine nuts burn. 2 Transfer the toasted pine nuts to the container of a food processor or blender and add the remaining olive oil, basil leaves, garlic and salt. Blend until almost (but not entirely) smooth, scraping down the sides of the container once or twice so that it blends evenly. 3 Add the parmesan cheese and process just to mix. Have a great day.