Christmas Syndrome, Bowling, Figs, Weather, Tapas,

This morning I was quite convinced I had Christmas syndrome, I was constantly blowing my nose and sneezing. It was horrible. However, it dissipated once I left the apartment and doesn't seem to have returned, fingers crossed.

I am delighted to report that I bowled well today and my average went up 2 points, woo hoo. I am so pleased. Matt's average stayed the same. He says every week he isn't going to bowl again but luckily forgets it and happily goes with me once more. There were just the two of us on our team as our team mates have deserted us and are swanning around in Cuba. Lucky so and sos. They did do bowl aheads though and our team took all 7 points today, first time in our history this year. We will not reach the top, but it would be nice to get off the bottom. Trouble is, we started so late as a team so that didn't give us a good beginning.

We were discussing figs the other day because I had posted a recipe with figs. I finally remembered to check my local grocery and much to my surprise, they do have fresh black figs (what's the difference?) I contemplated ordering some, but not this week. I did, however, order some chestnuts, ready to eat, being lazy, although they are really tastier when you cook them yourself. Trouble is, it's such a pain preparing them to cook. I can't remember if I have tried cooking them in the air fryer but I think they would work very well. Maybe I should google that.

As you know, my car was outside all night and all day today so as it was raining cats and dogs as well as a few frogs and lizards, it got a good wash. Needed it once again because of all the dust in the underground parking garage. I don't ever remember having such a problem with dust down there before. Ever since they "cleaned" the place, it has been dirtier than I can recall. Anyway, right now it is nice and clean. Saved me a couple of bucks. It just occurred to me, do you know the origin of raining cats and dogs? Apparently cats and dogs used to sleep on the roof tops of thatched cottages and when it rained, often the thatch gave way so the animals fell into the dwellings. There you just learned something new, I hope, LOL. I might say, by the way, it is past 11 p.m. and no longer raining but the wind is howling round the building instead.

One of the things I miss never going to Spain any more and envy Mark Koopmans his access to, is Tapas. Any bar worth it's salt has tapas of one kind or another, some more of a culinary delight than others. I remember going on Tapas runs with my parents, trying out the offerings at different cafeterias or bars. We often used to have various shrimp or prawns which we would peel and eat dropping the shells on the floor, quite acceptable, all the floors were tiles and they were hosed down at the end of the day. But the variety of tapas is fantastic and when I saw this recipe, I just had to save it and share it with you. Almonds are a favourite in Spain and they have a terrific variety of uses for them.

Flat Breads with Shrimp and Romesco Sauce

At Mas Rabell, the private restaurant where the Torres family entertains, chef Sergi Millet cooks

homey, regional food like romesco sauce, a slightly smoky puree of roasted red peppers, garlic and almonds. The versatile sauce is often served with fish or vegetables, but here Millet spreads it on rounds of soft homemade flat bread and tops it with sautéed shrimp.

FLAT BREADS
2 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup minced onion
1/4 cup warm water
1 1/2 tsp sugar
1 1/4-ounce envelope active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup dry white wine

ROMESCO SAUCE
1 medium red bell pepper
1 cup salted roasted almonds, chopped (4 ounces)
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 Tbs chopped parsley
1 large garlic clove, chopped
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt

SHRIMP
2 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
24 medium shrimp (about 3/4 pound), shelled and deveined
Salt and freshly ground pepper

1. In a small skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and cook over moderate heat until softened, 5 minutes. Let cool to room temperature.

2. In a small bowl, mix the water with the sugar and yeast. Let stand until foamy, 5 minutes. In a food processor fitted with the plastic dough blade, blend the flour and salt. Add the sautéed onion, wine and yeast mixture and process until a ball forms. On a lightly floured work surface, knead the dough briefly until smooth. Transfer it to a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a sheet of plastic wrap and let stand in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

3. Preheat the oven to 375°. Punch down the dough. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough to a 12-inch round about 2/3 inch thick. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 15 minutes. Using a 2-inch round biscuit cutter, stamp out 30 rounds and transfer them to a large baking sheet. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until just cooked through and pale.

4. Roast the pepper directly over a gas flame or under a preheated broiler until blackened all over. Transfer to a plate and let cool. Peel; discard the stem and seeds. Coarsely chop the pepper.

5. In a food processor, process the roasted pepper with the almonds, vinegar, parsley and garlic to a paste. With the machine on, slowly blend in the olive oil. Transfer the sauce to a bowl and season with salt.

6. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the shrimp, season with salt and pepper and cook over moderately high heat until white throughout, about 2 minutes per side.

7. Spread a teaspoon of romesco sauce on each flat bread and top with a shrimp; serve.

Yield: about 30 hors d'oeuvres

Source: Food and Wine

Have a great day

Gift, Panama Canal, Collapsing Bridges, Allergies,

I ordered a Christmas present in August was beginning to thing I had been conned or something, but I had a UPS email today saying it would arrive tomorrow, Thursday. Fingers crossed. I was planning to go bowling, but I think staying in for the parcel might be more important. Or is it, the UPS store is just round  the corner if  they deliver when we aren't here. Will make my decision later.

I was surprised to get an email from ladydog this morning (Wednesday) as I thought she was on her way to the Panama Canal but turns out they were in Fort Lauderdale where they were waiting to board their ship in the afternoon. My geography not being as good as it should be, I did some searching and located where they were and where they were going. I then watched a 5 minute (speeded up) video of a ship going through the canal and learned things I didn't know. I thought it was just one set of locks, silly me. In fact they lift the ships 84 ft., that is a hell of a distance


A few years ago there was a camera there and you could watch ships - frame by frame - going through one of the locks but that doesn't seem to be available any more, pity, thought I could watch her ship. Matt said I woudn't be able to see her though LOL. I replied I could always get her to wave.

We were just watching a frightening programme about bridges collapsing, starting with a bridge in Genoa, Italy, which collapsed last year. I am so glad we don't travel any more, I would be terrified to cross any of these bridges. There were 2 young men talking about Genoa. They were on the bridge, one of them had his car drop 100 ft and the other was found hanging inside his vehicle under the bridge in the air. Lucky to be alive. However, there have been lots of bridge collapses over the years and they are working to find out why. - is it old age or faulty design. A lot of the bridges are around 50 years old. Made me think about that huge bridge that crosses the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland. Goes on for miles. That bridge is terrifying without any thought of it collapsing. Searching for information, I just found a video about that bridge and the fact that some people are too scared to drive across it. They have to go with a guy who makes a business of ferrying people across. I have to include that video too.


So, I would not cross it again, no matter what. I did start thinking of British bridges I know that have spanned the Thames for hundreds of years. Although there are newer bridges there which they are worried about.

I have been sniffing and snuffling as well as sneezing a lot lately. Checking with the bowling alley owner, who regularly suffers from allergies, he is doing the same, so something is affect me which is unusual. Was just having a sneezing fit writing this. Don't usually have this problem.

Didn't go to the Mandarin, miserable day and I was tired.

I just found this recipe which I might try on Friday evening for supper. I didn't know what Kirby cucumbers were, but having Googled, I think I would stick to English cucumbers anyway. I always have one of those in house. I would also cook the rice in the Instant Pot too.

Salmon Rice Bowl with Ginger-Lime Sauce

In Vietnam, palate-cleansing ginger is typically served with rich foods like duck. Here, a pungent

ginger dipping sauce is paired with salmon, which is loaded with omega-3 fatty acids.

1 3/4 cups water
1 1/4 cups long-grain rice, rinsed
2 Tbs minced, peeled fresh ginger
3 1/2 Tbs sugar
1 Thai red chile, chopped
10 small garlic cloves,
2 chopped
2 Tbs fresh lime juice
2 Tbs Asian fish sauce
2 kirby cucumbers (10 ounces), cut into thin strips
2 Tbs vegetable oil
4 6-ounce skinless salmon fillets
Salt and freshly ground pepper

1. In a medium saucepan, bring 1 1/2 cups of the water and the rice to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low and cook the rice for 12 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let stand for 5 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a mortar, pound the ginger with the sugar, chile and chopped garlic to a coarse paste. Transfer the paste to a bowl and stir in the remaining 1/4 cup of water, the lime juice and the fish sauce. Add the cucumbers.

3. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet. Season the salmon with salt and pepper. Add the salmon to the skillet and cook over moderately high heat until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Add the whole garlic cloves. Turn the salmon and cook over moderate heat until opaque throughout, about 4 minutes.

4. Mound the rice in bowls. Top with the salmon, garlic cloves and ginger-lime sauce with cucumber strips and serve. Pass any extra sauce at the table.

Servings: 4

Source: Food & Wine



Have a great day
 

Furniture, Oscar Dresses and Kisses, Cruise Ships

I kind of wish I had never bought furniture from the estate of a woman in the building. I got a very good deal, but as I said, the lounger was obviously the cat’s chair and for some reason I got allergies up the kazoo from  it. I now have a company in cleaning the chair and the sofa (just in case) which is almost doubling the price we paid for the stuff. However, having bought it, what can you do? Even had I known it was the cat’s chair, I wouldn’t have worried as I have never been allergic to either cats or any other animal, as far as I am aware, but I sure reacted to the chair, I have had a miserable few days of it until I figured what was causing it. I thought I had a cold at first, and we never get colds. Matt did have one, but now I am wondering if he too had a reaction to the chair and we didn’t realise it. After all, it was only me sitting on it. I have also been on antihistamines so I am considerably dopey at the moment as well. A friend on Facebook said it was a case of buyer beware, but I wouldn’t have taken any notice other than cursing the cat hair. I have owned cats or dogs all my life. Guess I won’t be doing so again. This also meant I missed bowling again. Not only that but I didn’t have a dry seat to watch TV or even read a book last night. My chair still isn’t too dry, but he really did scrub it, so once it is dry it should be safe for me.

On TV yesterday morning, there were lots of comments on the apparel of all the film stars at the Oscars, there were hundreds of tweets on the night about the apparent malfunction of Jennifer Lopez’s wardrobe although someone in the know said it couldn’t happen because there were cups in the dress top to prevent it. Although really, its silly when you think about it, you can show every part of your book except the nipple, that is then considered rude. Illogical or what? It really was a very lovely dress and she is one of the few who could have worn it. My favourite dress was that worn by Penelope Cruz, it was simple but elegant.  I also particularly liked Gwyneth Paltroe’s ensemble which included a coat. Someone commented it was cold enough on the red carpet to require one. It did tickle me to hear the interviewers saying to the stars “who are you wearing?”. I know what they meant, but funny way of phrasing it I thought. Dunno about you, but I’m damned if I would stand outside the theatre for hours just to get a glimpse of all the famous people. I wasn’t too fussed about seeing it on TV, in fact I missed a lot of it, but to stand in the cold for ages, no I thank you not even on the promise of a kiss from George Clooney. Well I figure if he kisses Billy Crystal he wouldn’t mind giving me a kiss too LOL. If you didn’t watch the programme, you missed it, very funny.

There is another Italian cruise ship in trouble its had a fire in the engine room and is now drifting in the waters off Somalia where pirates are known to operate. Checking it out I came across this article detailing 5 cruise ship accidents. The one of South Africa was described as being neglected with a hole in one of the bulkheads, etc. and the captain and crew jumped ship and left it to the entertainment staff to evacuate the ship!!!! The picture shown is, to me, incredible, the Costa Concordia which the skipper ran aground, but the people in the foreground are totally blasé about it. I think people have to be very careful about going on cruises (have friends who are on one next week, hope they will be OK) and check the history of the company. One thing to check is where the ships are registered. Just because a ship is ostensibly from Italy, France, etc. doesn’t mean its registered there. Many ships fly under a flag of convenience from Liberia where standards are not generally as high, so if you know a ship is registered in Liberia, I would tend to avoid booking it. I learned this from my father many years ago. That’s not to say all ships under a flag of convenience are substandard. Nor that all the accidents occur to ships registered in Liberia. It is just one of the things to look out for.

By the way, for supper last night we tried the classic Hellman’s Parmesan Crusted chicken recipe, it wasn’t bad. Sure was simple enough to do. We think we would flatten the chicken next time though; tenderise it a bit.

Not sure how you can call it a meatloaf when there isn’t any meat in it, but even though I am not pro meatloaves anyway, I think I might enjoy this one.

Mushroom Meatloaf

WebMD Recipe from EatingWell.com

The addition of richly flavored dried mushrooms and the whole-grain goodness of bulgur increases the vitamins and minerals and decreases the saturated fat of this meatloaf. The loaf is free-form, rather than baked in a loaf pan, which means more delicious, browned crust. This recipe is large enough to feed a big group or, even better, have leftovers for a cold sandwich the next day.

Servings: 10

Recipe Ingredients:

1. 1 cup dried mushrooms, such as shiitake, porcini or chanterelle
2. 1 cup bulgur
3. 1 cup boiling water
4. 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
5. 1 small onion, chopped
6. 1 stalk celery, chopped
7. 2 cloves garlic, minced
8. 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
9. 1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
10. 1/2 cup nonfat evaporated milk
11. 1/2 cup ketchup
12. 1 large egg
13. 2 large egg whites
14. 1 1/2 pounds 90%-lean ground beef
15. 1 cup fine dry breadcrumbs
16. 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
17. 2 teaspoons dried thyme
18. 1/2 teaspoon salt

Recipe Steps:

1. Place mushrooms in a small bowl and cover with warm water; let stand for 30 minutes. Combine bulgur with the boiling water in another small bowl and let soak until the bulgur is tender and the water has been absorbed, about 30 minutes. Remove the mushrooms from the liquid; trim stems and coarsely chop caps.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.
3. Heat oil in a small skillet over medium-low heat and add onion, celery and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add Worcestershire and cook for 3 minutes, scraping the pan well as the mixture becomes sticky. Add tomatoes, evaporated milk and ketchup; stir to combine. Continue cooking until the mixture is very thick, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool.
4. Whisk egg and egg whites in a large bowl. Add beef, breadcrumbs, the soaked bulgur, the mushrooms and the tomato mixture. Stir in parsley, thyme and salt. Mix gently but thoroughly with your hands.
5. Mound the meatloaf mixture into a free-form loaf on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until the internal temperature reaches 165°F, 50 to 60 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Have a great day

Deep Freeze and Allergies

Talking about the big chill in the US, this morning on GMA there was a story about zoo animals. Turtles who have to be rescued because they get into a stupor in the cold, butterflies picked up in their hundreds and taken inside other animals given different ways of combatting the weather. I liked the story of a lion who has a rock which is 75°F so comfy for him to lie on. There is a video clip here http://abcnews.go.com/gma/weekend if you would like to see it.

There was another story about a young skater (12 yrs old) who is allergic to practically every food but who nevertheless perseveres with her skating. She is even allergic to places which have been touched by food so her mother has to clean things she might touch at the rink. You will find the story at the same link as above. It reminded me of my first husband, John, who was also allergic to everything when he was a baby. His mother had to bathe him in olive oil because he was allergic to water. By the time I got to know him, his allergies were a lot better, but nevertheless it was asthma which killed him in later life.

Since Matt developed a kidney infection I have been discovering friends who have had the same problem and in most cases more severe. I hope Matt's will be cured by the antibiotics he is on. He is becoming less like a zombie now as he was on some pills which really knocked him out. At least he is 'here' most of the time now.

Below is one of the soups Emeril Lagasse prepared on Good Morning America yesterday. It is still not on their website, but I found it elsewhere. Soup is good any time, and particularly so when its cold.

Emeril's Broccoli and Gruyere Cheese Soup From chef and author Emeril Lagasse Fall and winter mean soups are especially welcome. Emeril Lagasse brings you some of his favorite soups on Good Morning America. Ingredients 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 cup onions, chopped 1/2 cup carrots, cut into rounds 1/2 cup celery, chopped Salt Cayenne pepper 3 cups broccoli florets 2 quarts water Freshly ground black pepper 1 cup heavy cream 2 cups Gruyere cheese, grated Creole seasoning (Essence) Directions In a large saucepan, over medium heat, heat the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the onions, carrots and celery. Season with salt and cayenne pepper. Saute for 5 minutes, or until they begin to soften. Add broccoli and saute for 3 minutes. Add water and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Bring the soup to a boil, reduce heat and cover. Simmer for 30 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Remove the cover, add the cream, and simmer 10 minutes. With a hand-held blender, puree the soup. Add 1 1/2 cups of the gruyere cheese. Stir until the cheese is melted. Check for seasoning. To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with a little of the remaining Gruyere cheese and Creole seasoning. Great with with crusty bread.

Have a great day

Health, Snow.

I am still feeling sorry for myself. This allergy stuff comes and goes. I keep thinking it has disappeared and boom, its back full fledged again. For instance, we went bowling yesterday, and all the time in the alley I was fine although I was well loaded with Kleenex in case. The minute I left, it started again. Same thing this morning, I seemed OK until I started moving around to make breakfast, off I went again. I am supposed to do my volunteering stint this aft at CDA, not sure I will make it. A friend suggested I wore a mask. Maybe I should. I keep forgetting to phone the doc about a flu shot for us too. I am not keen on those because I get such a sore arm after but it doesn't seem to worry Matt. Just phoned and they won't be til next month with the first clinic on November 6 apparently. I have said before, I am not convinced of the efficacy of a flu shot as they cannot know what is coming down the line only what was around last time. However, the docs all recommend it for people over 65 so who am I to question it. I am aghast, horrified, gobstruck, etc. etc. they are talking snow already. Snoooooow!!!! I can't believe it, when we first emigrated to Canada everyone assured us snow didn't start til November 15. Hullo, its only October 21 at the moment. Out west they have already had a fair dollop of the white stuff and Buffalo, just south of us, is definitely supposed to get some, but us, in the Banana belt, surely not. Buffalo is affected by lake effect show see Wikipedia for an explanation which I have talked about before. But its supposed to be milder on this side of the water. It is a fact that the leaves on the trees have decided to come down in a big hurry the last couple of days. I am so glad we don't have to rake leaves, we had enough of raking in North Carolina although that was mostly pine straw. This morning I am turning to my Three and Four Ingredient Cookbook by Jenny White and Joanna Farrow. This is a great little book and full of easy to prepare meals. Red Onion and Olive Pissaladière For a taste of the Mediterranean, try this French-style pizza - it makes a delicious and easy snack. Cook the sliced red onions slowly until they are caramelized and sweet becore piling them onto the pastry cases. To prepare the recipe in advance, pile the cooled onions on to the pastry round and chill the pissaladière until you are ready to bake it. 1 1/4 lb small red onions thinly sliced 1 1/4 lb puff pastry, thawed if frozen 3/4 C small pitted black olives 5 Tbs extra virgin olive oil Preheat the oven to 220 C. Heat the oil in a large heavy frying pan and cook the onions gently, sirring frequently for 15-20 minutes until they are soft and golden. Season to taste. Roll out the pastry thinly on a floured surface. Cut into a 13 in. round and transfer to a slightly dampened baking sheet Spread the onions over the pastry in an even layer to within 1/2 in. of the edge. Sprinkle the olives on top. Bake the tart for 20-25 mins. until the pastry is risen and deep golden. Cut into wedges and serve warm. Have a great day.

Calais, Allergies, Book

I was looking at some pictures on my bedroom wall the other day - you know how you suddenly "see" things which have been there for ever. They are of scenes painted in Paris, France and I was remembering how I bought them. We were in Calais, France at the time and wandering around a market and fairground when I saw them and decided to buy. I had to have them framed and whilst we were waiting I remember riding a chairoplane (I don't suppose there are such things these days, way too tame); the friends I was with were all trying to scare the Bejasus out of me by grabbing my chair from behind. I certainly wouldn't ride on one today, I would be scared the thing would break. The prints were from paintings by, I believe, a fairly well known French artist. Strangely enough, I saw one of them on the wall of a bedroom in a scene in our favourite English comedy "As Time Goes By" and I saw another of them in something else from the UK recently, don't remember what it was. This is one of the pictures and as you can see, I couldn't manage to take it without the flash, it came out black, and with the flash you lose some of the river. But you can see what the picture is about. Well, what a lousy day Sunday turned out to be. As I said, we were going out for a dim sum lunch. About 6 a.m. I started sneezing and snuffling and by the time I got up I had a full blown allergy attack and was feeling pretty rough. At 10 I had a phone call from the friends that we were going with and they were in the same boat. So, no dim sum this weekend. I was told by someone, many years ago, that Ontario was the allergy capital of the world. These days I believe it. I never used to have allergy attacks like this, I used to feel superior to those who did and think it was nonsense. Did I ever get my punishment for that. I forgot to mention I am reading the rest of Marcus Herniman's Trilogy, the one I am reading now is The Treason of Dortrean and it is a good book. It is even signed "To Jo from Marcus" which is really nice to have. I was annoyed I couldn't read last night, but my eyes were streaming so badly I couldn't see. I am still suffering a bit today, but not nearly as much as I was. I thought I might not be able to bowl, but I should be OK by the afternoon. Because I thought we were going out for lunch, I just threw a few things in the crockpot for supper. Lots of veg and some stewing beef with appropriate seasonings. It wasn't bad, Matt enjoyed it, by then I would have enjoyed a plate of carboard as much. Here is another recipe from my Hot and Spicy Cookbook. We get catfish in this part of the world, if you don't get it where you live, I have no doubt you could substitute with other fish. Fried Catfish Fillets with Piquant Sauce Spicty fillets of catfish are fried in a herby batter and served with a wonderfully tasty sauce to create this excellent supper dish. Serves 4 1 egg 1/4 C olive oil squeeze of lemon juice 1/2 tsp. chopped fresh dill 4 catfish fillets (cod or haddock would be good) 1/2 C flour 2 Tbs butter salt and freshly ground black pepper For the sauce: 1 egg yolk 2 Tbs Dijon mustard 2 Tbs white wine vinegar 2 tsp paprika 1 1/4 C olive oil 2 Tbs prepared horseradish 1/2 tsp chopped garlic 1 celery stick, chopped 2 Tbs tomato ketchup 1/2 tsp ground black pepper 1/2 tsp salt. For the sauce, combine the egg yolk, mustard, vinegar and paprika in a mixing bowl. Add the oil in a thin stream, beating vigorously with a wire whisk to blnd in. When the mixture is smooth and thick, beat in all the other sauce ingredients. Cover and chill until ready to serve. Combine the egg, 1 tbs olive oil, the lemon juice, dill and a little salt and pepper in a shallow dish. Beat until well combined. Dip both sides of the fish in the egg and herb mixture, then coat lightly with flour, shaking off any excess. Heat the butter with the remaining olive oil in a large heavy based frying pan. Add the fish and fry until they are golden brown on both sides and cooked, for about 8-10 minutes. To test they are done, insert the point of a sharp knife into the fish - the flesh should be opaque in the centre. Serve the fried fish hot, accompanied by the piquant sauce in a dish. Have a great day.