As a follow-up to the classic movie post...
This also sounds about right. What famous leader are you?
Thursday, November 1, 2007
What Classic Movie Are You?
I feel this is pretty accurate. I am calm, cool, and collected. I let things go with the flow and stay calm in tense situations. What classic movie are you?
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Anti-What?
I saw this image on another blog and thought it was too funny to pass up.
I will be trying to make some time to blog more often again, if anyone cares. But be prepared as I will unleash the politics to go along with the cooking stuff.
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Blogging Break
I am taking a break from blogging for a while (if you didn't already notice.)
Maybe one day I will start again, and will start blogging about political issues and such. But for now I am bowing out for a while.
Maybe one day I will start again, and will start blogging about political issues and such. But for now I am bowing out for a while.
Friday, August 24, 2007
BREAKFAST "BREAD PUDDING"
This is a variation on a breakfast gravy that I like to make. You can use ground beef or ground pork (or a mixture of both.) Try it and let me know what you think.
INGREDIENTS
1 lb. ground beef or pork
4 tbsp. butter
4 tbsp. flour
3 c. milk (warmed to room temperature in the microwave)
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 cube beef bullion
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. white pepper
1 tsp. course ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 can Pilsbury Grands Butter Tastin' biscuits
DIRECTIONS
1. Brown the ground meat and drain, set aside.
2. Prepare biscuits according to directions on can.
3. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add flour and wisk until creamy. Stir and continue to cook about 2-3 minutes until the mixture starts turning a very light brown.
Slowly wisk in the milk, to create a smooth sauce (adding too much milk too fast will results in lumps.)
4. Add Worcestershire sauce, bullion cube (crumble into a powder before adding), onion powder, white and black pepper, and nutmeg.
5. Add drained meat to the gravy and cook over medium-high heat until boiling.
6. Remove from heat (gravy will thicken as it starts to cool.)
SERVING
Tear a biscuit into small pieces in a bowl. Top with the gravy mixture and mix thoroughly.
*You can also serve this great gravy over the tops of a biscuit or toast, but then it's not quite a "bread pudding", is it?
INGREDIENTS
1 lb. ground beef or pork
4 tbsp. butter
4 tbsp. flour
3 c. milk (warmed to room temperature in the microwave)
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 cube beef bullion
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. white pepper
1 tsp. course ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 can Pilsbury Grands Butter Tastin' biscuits
DIRECTIONS
1. Brown the ground meat and drain, set aside.
2. Prepare biscuits according to directions on can.
3. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add flour and wisk until creamy. Stir and continue to cook about 2-3 minutes until the mixture starts turning a very light brown.
Slowly wisk in the milk, to create a smooth sauce (adding too much milk too fast will results in lumps.)
4. Add Worcestershire sauce, bullion cube (crumble into a powder before adding), onion powder, white and black pepper, and nutmeg.
5. Add drained meat to the gravy and cook over medium-high heat until boiling.
6. Remove from heat (gravy will thicken as it starts to cool.)
SERVING
Tear a biscuit into small pieces in a bowl. Top with the gravy mixture and mix thoroughly.
*You can also serve this great gravy over the tops of a biscuit or toast, but then it's not quite a "bread pudding", is it?
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
ORANGE CHICKEN
The following recipe is from Cook's Illustrated. I made this for dinner last week and turned out really good. I highly recommend this one (thus my posting of the recipe.)
ORANGE FLAVORED CHICKEN
INGREDIENTS
See Illustrations Below: Secrets to Great Orange Chicken
1. FOR THE MARINADE AND SAUCE: Place chicken in 1-gallon zipper-lock bag; set aside. Combine chicken broth, orange juice, grated zest, vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, garlic, ginger, and cayenne in large saucepan (with at least 3-quart capacity); whisk until sugar is fully dissolved. Measure out 3/4 cup mixture and pour into bag with chicken; press out as much air as possible and seal bag, making sure that all pieces are coated with marinade. Refrigerate 30 to 60 minutes, but no longer. 2. Bring remaining mixture in saucepan to boil over high heat. In small bowl, stir together cornstarch and cold water; whisk cornstarch mixture into sauce. Simmer sauce, stirring occasionally, until thick and translucent, about 1 minute. Off heat, stir in orange peel and chiles (sauce should measure 1 1/2 cups); set sauce aside.3. FOR THE COATING: Place egg whites in pie plate; using fork, beat until frothy. In second pie plate, whisk cornstarch, cayenne, and baking soda until combined. Drain chicken in colander or large mesh strainer; thoroughly pat chicken dry with paper towels. Place half of chicken pieces in egg whites and turn to coat; transfer pieces to cornstarch mixture and coat thoroughly. Place dredged chicken pieces on wire rack set over baking sheet; repeat with remaining chicken.4. TO FRY THE CHICKEN: Heat oil in 11- to 12-inch Dutch oven or straight-sided sauté pan with at least 3-quart capacity over high heat until oil registers 350 degrees on instant-read or deep-fry thermometer. Carefully place half of chicken in oil one piece at a time; fry until golden brown, about 5 minutes, turning each piece with tongs halfway through cooking. Transfer chicken to large plate lined with paper towels. Return oil to 350 degrees and repeat with remaining chicken. 5. TO SERVE: Reheat sauce over medium heat until simmering, about 2 minutes. Add chicken and gently toss until evenly coated and heated through. Serve immediately.
STEP BY STEP: Secrets to Great Orange Chicken
ORANGE FLAVORED CHICKEN
We prefer the flavor and texture of thigh meat for this recipe, though an equal amount of boneless skinless chicken breasts can be used. It is easiest to grate the orange zest and remove the strips of orange peel before juicing the oranges; use a sharp vegetable peeler to remove the strips. For extra spiciness, increase the cayenne added to the sauce to 1/2 teaspoon. The whole dried chiles are added for appearance, not for flavor, and can be omitted. To fry the chicken, use a Dutch oven or a straight-sided sauté pan (with at least 3-quart capacity); do not use a 12-inch skillet with sloped sides, as it will be too small to contain the oil once the chicken is added. White rice and steamed broccoli are good accompaniments.
INGREDIENTS
 |
See Illustrations Below: Secrets to Great Orange Chicken
1. FOR THE MARINADE AND SAUCE: Place chicken in 1-gallon zipper-lock bag; set aside. Combine chicken broth, orange juice, grated zest, vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, garlic, ginger, and cayenne in large saucepan (with at least 3-quart capacity); whisk until sugar is fully dissolved. Measure out 3/4 cup mixture and pour into bag with chicken; press out as much air as possible and seal bag, making sure that all pieces are coated with marinade. Refrigerate 30 to 60 minutes, but no longer. 2. Bring remaining mixture in saucepan to boil over high heat. In small bowl, stir together cornstarch and cold water; whisk cornstarch mixture into sauce. Simmer sauce, stirring occasionally, until thick and translucent, about 1 minute. Off heat, stir in orange peel and chiles (sauce should measure 1 1/2 cups); set sauce aside.3. FOR THE COATING: Place egg whites in pie plate; using fork, beat until frothy. In second pie plate, whisk cornstarch, cayenne, and baking soda until combined. Drain chicken in colander or large mesh strainer; thoroughly pat chicken dry with paper towels. Place half of chicken pieces in egg whites and turn to coat; transfer pieces to cornstarch mixture and coat thoroughly. Place dredged chicken pieces on wire rack set over baking sheet; repeat with remaining chicken.4. TO FRY THE CHICKEN: Heat oil in 11- to 12-inch Dutch oven or straight-sided sauté pan with at least 3-quart capacity over high heat until oil registers 350 degrees on instant-read or deep-fry thermometer. Carefully place half of chicken in oil one piece at a time; fry until golden brown, about 5 minutes, turning each piece with tongs halfway through cooking. Transfer chicken to large plate lined with paper towels. Return oil to 350 degrees and repeat with remaining chicken. 5. TO SERVE: Reheat sauce over medium heat until simmering, about 2 minutes. Add chicken and gently toss until evenly coated and heated through. Serve immediately.
STEP BY STEP: Secrets to Great Orange Chicken
| | |
 | |
 1. Soy-orange marinade keeps chicken juicy. |  2. Patting marinated chicken dry helps chicken adhere. |
 3. Beaten egg white acts as "glue," securing coating to chicken. |  4. Cornstarch and baking soda coating fries up golden and crisp. |
 5. Frying in peanut oil produces chicken with fresh, clean flavor. | |
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
SKILLET-BARBECUED PORK CHOPS
I recently started subscribing to Cooks Illustrated magazine. It is awesome! It is made by the people who do the TV show America's Test Kitchen. All the recipes are tested by using several methods of cooking and seasonings, and the best results are used in the recipes. I have tried several recipes so far and all of them have been great. Here is one for pork chops that my wife really enjoys.
****************
INGREDIENTS
1. FOR THE PORK CHOPS: Dissolve salt in 2 quarts water in large bowl or container. Submerge chops in brine, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. FOR THE SPICE RUB: Combine ingredients in small bowl. Measure 2 teaspoons mixture into medium bowl and set aside for sauce. Transfer remaining spice rub to pie plate or large plate.
3. FOR THE SAUCE: Whisk ingredients in bowl with reserved spice mixture; set aside.
4. TO COOK CHOPS: Remove chops from brine and pat dry with paper towels. Coat both sides of chops with spice rub, pressing gently so rub adheres. Pat chops to remove excess rub; discard excess rub.
5. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch heavy-bottomed nonstick skillet over medium heat until just smoking. Place chops in skillet in pinwheel formation; cook until charred in spots, 5 to 8 minutes. Flip chops and continue to cook until second side is browned and charred and center of chop registers 130 degrees on instant-read thermometer, 4 to 8 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and transfer chops to clean plate or baking sheet. Lightly brush top side of each chop with 2 teaspoons sauce.
6. Wipe out pan with paper towels and return to medium heat. Add remaining teaspoon oil and heat until just smoking. Add chops to pan, sauce-side down, and cook without moving until sauce has caramelized and charred in spots, about 1 minute. While cooking, lightly brush top side of each chop with 2 teaspoons sauce. Turn chops and cook until second side is charred and caramelized and center of chops registers 140 degrees on instant-read thermometer, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes.
7. Transfer chops back to plate or baking sheet, tent with foil, and let rest 5 minutes. Internal temperature should rise to about 145 degrees. Meanwhile, add remaining sauce to pan and cook, scraping pan bottom, until thickened to ketchup-like consistency and reduced to 2/3 cup, about 3 minutes. Brush each chop with 1 tablespoon reduced sauce and serve immediately, passing remaining sauce at table.
****************
We prefer natural to enhanced pork (pork that has been injected with a salt solution to increase moistness and flavor) for this recipe, though enhanced pork can be used. If using enhanced pork, skip the brining in step 1 and add 1/2 teaspoon salt to the spice rub. Grate the onion on the large holes of a box grater. In step 5, check your chops after 3 minutes. If you don't hear a definite sizzle and the chops have not started to brown on the underside, increase the heat to medium-high and continue cooking as directed (follow indicated temperatures for remainder of recipe).
INGREDIENTS
|
1. FOR THE PORK CHOPS: Dissolve salt in 2 quarts water in large bowl or container. Submerge chops in brine, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. FOR THE SPICE RUB: Combine ingredients in small bowl. Measure 2 teaspoons mixture into medium bowl and set aside for sauce. Transfer remaining spice rub to pie plate or large plate.
3. FOR THE SAUCE: Whisk ingredients in bowl with reserved spice mixture; set aside.
4. TO COOK CHOPS: Remove chops from brine and pat dry with paper towels. Coat both sides of chops with spice rub, pressing gently so rub adheres. Pat chops to remove excess rub; discard excess rub.
5. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch heavy-bottomed nonstick skillet over medium heat until just smoking. Place chops in skillet in pinwheel formation; cook until charred in spots, 5 to 8 minutes. Flip chops and continue to cook until second side is browned and charred and center of chop registers 130 degrees on instant-read thermometer, 4 to 8 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and transfer chops to clean plate or baking sheet. Lightly brush top side of each chop with 2 teaspoons sauce.
6. Wipe out pan with paper towels and return to medium heat. Add remaining teaspoon oil and heat until just smoking. Add chops to pan, sauce-side down, and cook without moving until sauce has caramelized and charred in spots, about 1 minute. While cooking, lightly brush top side of each chop with 2 teaspoons sauce. Turn chops and cook until second side is charred and caramelized and center of chops registers 140 degrees on instant-read thermometer, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes.
7. Transfer chops back to plate or baking sheet, tent with foil, and let rest 5 minutes. Internal temperature should rise to about 145 degrees. Meanwhile, add remaining sauce to pan and cook, scraping pan bottom, until thickened to ketchup-like consistency and reduced to 2/3 cup, about 3 minutes. Brush each chop with 1 tablespoon reduced sauce and serve immediately, passing remaining sauce at table.
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
PERFECT STEAKS
Here are tips for making the perfect steak. Following it is a recipe for a gorgonzola butter that is awesome when served on grilled steaks.
First, buy BLACK ANGUS steaks (I prefer Ribeye or NY Strip, my wife prefers Tenderloin) Black Angus is always $2 to $3 more per pound, but I just prefer it over CHOICE beef. PRIME BEEF would be even better (but not by much in my opinion), but the cost is prohibitive.
Second, and really the most important is the cooking process itself..... Most people aren't very patient when it comes to grilling. For the very best from your grill (other than Brats or dogs) you need to follow these steps.....
1) Let your grill get VERY hot (maximum settings if using a gas grill), then using an old rag or t-shirt wipe the grates with a heavy oil (I use olive oil) before starting the grilling itself.
2) Do NOT pre-salt any meat - this will pull all of the moisture to the surface and out of the steak, chop or whatever (unless you let it stand for over 60 minutes.) Wipe the surface of the steaks with olive oil and used some McCormick's Steak seasoning and some fresh ground black pepper.
You can get creative here and do almost anything - just NO salt.
3) Once you put the steak or chop on the grill, close the lid and forget about it. Most people ruin the steaks right here by trying to turn them too soon. All you do is "tear" the surface of the meat (leaving bits and pieces stuck to the grill) and boom.... there goes all the juice of the meat. You want to "SEAR" the surface of the meat by keeping it inside the meat. Depending on the thickness, and how hot your grill is, you should probably leave them on the first side from between 3 to upwards of 6 minutes. A great way to tell when they are ready to turn is they will start to "sweat" a bit on the surface. Now, I don't mean that all of the internal juice is coming to the surface... they just start to look a bit "glassy." Once you get used to it, you can also tell by temperature by just touching them.
4) Turn the steaks or chops and again FORGET about them. You are doing the same thing to this side.... searing the outside to hold in the natural juice and flavor. Once again, most "grillers" want to keep flipping or turning stuff when it's on the grill.... DON'T! You tear the surface and lose juice and flavor. Anyway, about the same amount of time on this side and you will be right at Medium Rare. (again, depending on thickness or grill temp) For Medium, turn them once again laying them perpendicular to how you had them before and go about another minute or two and so on all the way to well done, where you would turn them a fourth time for the last couple of minutes. Even well done (brown all the way through) steaks done carefully, will be juicy, tender and flavor full.
5) Be sure to let the steaks 'rest' after removing them from the grill - at least 10 minutes. This allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat. You can place a dollop of the following recipe on the steaks while they 'rest' for AWESOME flavor!
Throw all ingredients into the food processor and "whip" until well blended.
A little (or a LOT ) brushed on the steak right after placing on the serving plate is just unbelievable. We also like to substitute this for butter on our baked potatoes when having our steaks.
Yummy! You really should try it!
First, buy BLACK ANGUS steaks (I prefer Ribeye or NY Strip, my wife prefers Tenderloin) Black Angus is always $2 to $3 more per pound, but I just prefer it over CHOICE beef. PRIME BEEF would be even better (but not by much in my opinion), but the cost is prohibitive.
Second, and really the most important is the cooking process itself..... Most people aren't very patient when it comes to grilling. For the very best from your grill (other than Brats or dogs) you need to follow these steps.....
1) Let your grill get VERY hot (maximum settings if using a gas grill), then using an old rag or t-shirt wipe the grates with a heavy oil (I use olive oil) before starting the grilling itself.
2) Do NOT pre-salt any meat - this will pull all of the moisture to the surface and out of the steak, chop or whatever (unless you let it stand for over 60 minutes.) Wipe the surface of the steaks with olive oil and used some McCormick's Steak seasoning and some fresh ground black pepper.
You can get creative here and do almost anything - just NO salt.
3) Once you put the steak or chop on the grill, close the lid and forget about it. Most people ruin the steaks right here by trying to turn them too soon. All you do is "tear" the surface of the meat (leaving bits and pieces stuck to the grill) and boom.... there goes all the juice of the meat. You want to "SEAR" the surface of the meat by keeping it inside the meat. Depending on the thickness, and how hot your grill is, you should probably leave them on the first side from between 3 to upwards of 6 minutes. A great way to tell when they are ready to turn is they will start to "sweat" a bit on the surface. Now, I don't mean that all of the internal juice is coming to the surface... they just start to look a bit "glassy." Once you get used to it, you can also tell by temperature by just touching them.
4) Turn the steaks or chops and again FORGET about them. You are doing the same thing to this side.... searing the outside to hold in the natural juice and flavor. Once again, most "grillers" want to keep flipping or turning stuff when it's on the grill.... DON'T! You tear the surface and lose juice and flavor. Anyway, about the same amount of time on this side and you will be right at Medium Rare. (again, depending on thickness or grill temp) For Medium, turn them once again laying them perpendicular to how you had them before and go about another minute or two and so on all the way to well done, where you would turn them a fourth time for the last couple of minutes. Even well done (brown all the way through) steaks done carefully, will be juicy, tender and flavor full.
5) Be sure to let the steaks 'rest' after removing them from the grill - at least 10 minutes. This allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat. You can place a dollop of the following recipe on the steaks while they 'rest' for AWESOME flavor!
Gorgonzola Butter (for steaks)
INGREDIENTS:
1 Stick REAL butter
1/4 lb. GORGONZOLA cheese
1 or 2 shallots
1 TBS. FRESH parsley
DIRECTIONS:
Throw all ingredients into the food processor and "whip" until well blended.
A little (or a LOT ) brushed on the steak right after placing on the serving plate is just unbelievable. We also like to substitute this for butter on our baked potatoes when having our steaks.
Yummy! You really should try it!
Sunday, July 22, 2007
DEJA VU
Have you ever experienced Deja Vu? I do occasionally, but I have had a real interesting experience the past 24 hours. I think what may have initiated it was an old PC game that I downloaded and started to play yesterday morning (Saturday.)
The other day I was thinking about some cool old games I used to play on the PC and started looking for some online to download (abandonware, etc.) I saw the game Blade Runner and downloaded it the other day. I wasn't sure if it would even play on my Vista-based PC, but I tried it. It installed fine and I fired it up. Well, that started bringing back memories of playing this game. As I played it, I would here dialog from the game and it sounded very familiar. It got to a point that I felt like I was having Deja Vu.
Well, even after I stopped playing the game, I kept having Deja Vu-like feelings. All day long and even in the evening at work. Not constantly, but it would happen for extended periods (anywhere from 2 minutes at a time to 30 minutes at a time.) It was very weird, but really cool. It felt almost surreal. It was mainly based on things I heard or thoughts I had... not necessarily entire events or even being able to predict what would happen next. Almost every thought I had felt like a Deja Vu experience.
I decided to look up some information about Deja Vu online. It appears there is not a lot of research conducted on it, but may be related to certain brain activity. Some descriptions seem to point to déjà senti aswhat I experienced:
Have any of you ever had extended Deja Vu experiences in a 24 hour period?
The other day I was thinking about some cool old games I used to play on the PC and started looking for some online to download (abandonware, etc.) I saw the game Blade Runner and downloaded it the other day. I wasn't sure if it would even play on my Vista-based PC, but I tried it. It installed fine and I fired it up. Well, that started bringing back memories of playing this game. As I played it, I would here dialog from the game and it sounded very familiar. It got to a point that I felt like I was having Deja Vu.
Well, even after I stopped playing the game, I kept having Deja Vu-like feelings. All day long and even in the evening at work. Not constantly, but it would happen for extended periods (anywhere from 2 minutes at a time to 30 minutes at a time.) It was very weird, but really cool. It felt almost surreal. It was mainly based on things I heard or thoughts I had... not necessarily entire events or even being able to predict what would happen next. Almost every thought I had felt like a Deja Vu experience.
I decided to look up some information about Deja Vu online. It appears there is not a lot of research conducted on it, but may be related to certain brain activity. Some descriptions seem to point to déjà senti aswhat I experienced:
This phenomenon specifies something 'already felt.' Unlike the implied precognition of déjà vécu, déjà senti is primarily or even exclusively a mental happening, has no precognitive aspects, and rarely if ever remains in the afflicted person's memory afterwards.
Dr. John Hughlings Jackson recorded the words of one of his patients who suffered from temporal lobe or psychomotor epilepsy in an 1889 paper:
| “ | What is occupying the attention is what has occupied it before, and indeed has been familiar, but has been for a time forgotten, and now is recovered with a slight sense of satisfaction as if it had been sought for. ... At the same time, or ... more accurately in immediate sequence, I am dimly aware that the recollection is fictitious and my state abnormal. The recollection is always started by another person's voice, or by my own verbalized thought, or by what I am reading and mentally verbalize; and I think that during the abnormal state I generally verbalize some such phrase of simple recognition as 'Oh yes – I see', 'Of course – I remember', but a minute or two later I can recollect neither the words nor the verbalized thought which gave rise to the recollection. I only find strongly that they resemble what I have felt before under similar abnormal conditions. | ” |
As with Dr. Jackson's patient, some temporal-lobe epileptics may experience this phenomenon.
Further research point to other things it could be (but I certainly hope not) including: simple partial seizures, meningitis, brain tumors, and other frightening things. I hope it's just a minor imbalance or old long-term memories mixing with short-term memories or something.Have any of you ever had extended Deja Vu experiences in a 24 hour period?
WARM CHOCOLATE TART
I made this recipe for a get-together in my neighborhood. It is very good and very rich. Be sure to use high quality chocolate for the best results.
I used Scharffen Berger chocolate in my recipe. I actually used 3 oz of semisweet and 1 oz of bittersweet. It turned out great!
Warm Chocolate “Tarts”
4 oz. bittersweet or semi sweet chocolate (not unsweetened), chopped
1 1/2-oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped
3 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 c + 2 t all purpose flour
1-1/2 T unsweetened cocoa powder
10 T (1 1/4 sticks) butter
3/4 t baking powder
1/2 c + 2 T sugar (use extra fine)
Vanilla ice cream or sweetened whipped cream, optional
Lightly butter (or pam) six 1-cup soufflè dishes. Melt both chocolates in the top of a double boiler over barely simmering water, stirring until smooth. Add butter and sugar and stir until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Transfer to a large bowl. Add eggs, then flour, cocoa and baking powder. Using an electric mixer, beat until mixture thickens to mousse consistency, about 8 minutes. Divide mixture among prepared dishes. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze at least 3 hours. (Can be prepared up to 3 days ahead.)
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 375°F. Peel plastic wrap off dishes. Bake (do not thaw first) until edges are set and centers are still moist and shiny, about 11 minutes; do not overbake. Cool 10 minutes. Invert 1 dish onto each plate. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream, if desired.
**********
Pay attention to the cooking instructions - the insides come out like pudding and the edges like cake. And I make sure to run a knife around the edge of the souffle dishes before inverting, plus giving the plate and souffle dish a firm shake to release it on to the plate. And I've typically liked the whipped cream more than the ice cream with this particular recipe.
I used Scharffen Berger chocolate in my recipe. I actually used 3 oz of semisweet and 1 oz of bittersweet. It turned out great!
Monday, July 9, 2007
Saturday, June 30, 2007
CHICKEN SALAD
Last night I made a chicken salad for us to have for lunch today (it needs to rest several hours for the flavors to come through.) It was very good and I wanted to post the recipe here for any of you to try.
BigTex's Chicken Salad
INGREDIENTS:
1 whole rotisserie chicken
1 apple, chopped (Granny Smith or Golden Delicious)
1/2 cup currants
1/2 cup Finely chopped sweet red peppers
1/2 cup Finely chopped green bell peppers
1/2 cup sliced almonds - salted and toasted
1/2 cup Diced celery
1/4 cup Finely chopped sweet yellow onion
1/4 cup Chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp dried dill (or 1/8 cup fresh chopped dill)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp Lawry's seasoned salt
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
Approx. 1 cup Helman's Real Mayonnaise (NO Miracle Whip!)
DIRECTIONS:
Toast the almonds (lightly salted) on a cookie sheet in a 250 degree oven.
Chop your veggies and apple and put them into a large mixing bowl.
Add the toasted almonds, pull meat from the chicken bones, discard skin and shred or break up the chicken by hand into the bowl.
Add mayonnaise, a little at a time until you get your desired consistency.
Next add the garlic powder, seasoned salt, dill, currants, and ground black pepper and mix well.
Cover bowl and refrigerate for several hours to allow salad to "rest" and the flavors blend.
I like to serve this on a croissant with tomato slices and leaf lettuce.
BigTex's Chicken Salad
INGREDIENTS:
1 whole rotisserie chicken
1 apple, chopped (Granny Smith or Golden Delicious)
1/2 cup currants
1/2 cup Finely chopped sweet red peppers
1/2 cup Finely chopped green bell peppers
1/2 cup sliced almonds - salted and toasted
1/2 cup Diced celery
1/4 cup Finely chopped sweet yellow onion
1/4 cup Chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp dried dill (or 1/8 cup fresh chopped dill)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp Lawry's seasoned salt
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
Approx. 1 cup Helman's Real Mayonnaise (NO Miracle Whip!)
DIRECTIONS:
Toast the almonds (lightly salted) on a cookie sheet in a 250 degree oven.
Chop your veggies and apple and put them into a large mixing bowl.
Add the toasted almonds, pull meat from the chicken bones, discard skin and shred or break up the chicken by hand into the bowl.
Add mayonnaise, a little at a time until you get your desired consistency.
Next add the garlic powder, seasoned salt, dill, currants, and ground black pepper and mix well.
Cover bowl and refrigerate for several hours to allow salad to "rest" and the flavors blend.
I like to serve this on a croissant with tomato slices and leaf lettuce.
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
FOOD SAVED MY LIFE
You always read about stories of how food causes heart problems, cholesterol issues, high blood pressure, cancer, and other bad things. This is a true story that explains how food actually saved my life.
I spent six years in the United States Air Force. The first three years I was an Air-Launched Missile Systems technician. In civilians terms: I tested the electronics and mechanics of air-launched nuclear delivery vehicles. I was stationed at Griffiss AFB in upstate New York and never had any temporary duty assignments to other places (TDYs) - so it was pretty boring stuff.
Then I cross-trained to a new career field - Satellite and Wideband Communications technician. After graduating from my technical training school (Honor Graduate) , I was assigned to a Combat Communications unit based at Tinker AFB in Oklahoma City, OK. This meant I was TDY eligible and I received my share of world-wide travel. Half of the time I was at my base in Oklahoma and the other half I was out of the country. I traveled to Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Bahrain, and Columbia on various communications assignments.
While spending 3 months in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia during Operation Desert Shield in 1995, my life was spared thanks to my love for food. One day we had some trouble with a Troposphere-Scatter Support Radio (TSSR) communications link. The distant end of the link was the problem. The distant end of the radio link was at the Saudi National Guard building. It was nearing lunch time and our team leader wanted to pack up our tools and drive to the building to look at the radio transmitter/receiver. I and another fellow technician wanted to stay and eat our lunch first at the cafeteria at our base before we left. Our sergeant wanted to go fix the radio and grab lunch at the snack bar there at the Guard building - as it was right next to where we had to go to repair the radio. We pleaded to stay and eat at the cafeteria because they had a better variety of hot meals and the food was much better than what was available at the snack bar over there at the Guard building. Luckily, we won and we stayed to eat at the cafeteria on Riyadh Air Base.
After we finished our lunch and started packing up the vehicle to drive over to the Guard building we heard and felt something strange. It sounded very loud- like one of the KC-135 tanker aircraft engines in afterburner mode (those things are freaking loud.) But we also felt the earth rumbling beneath us. We looked at each other and tried to figure out what happened. Shortly thereafter, we received a call on the walkie-talkie radio asking our whereabouts and if we were all accounted for. We went through the procedure and we knew something bad had happened. We were then informed that a bomb had exploded at the National Guard building, just outside the snack bar area. You can read the actual story here. If we had driven to the Guard building to work on our radio (which was in the room next to the snack bar), I feel we would have been killed by the blast - as it exploded just outside the room where we were going.
Now I never pass up a meal (and you can tell by looking at me.) It is my way of giving praise to food - and my stomach - for saving my life.
I spent six years in the United States Air Force. The first three years I was an Air-Launched Missile Systems technician. In civilians terms: I tested the electronics and mechanics of air-launched nuclear delivery vehicles. I was stationed at Griffiss AFB in upstate New York and never had any temporary duty assignments to other places (TDYs) - so it was pretty boring stuff.
Then I cross-trained to a new career field - Satellite and Wideband Communications technician. After graduating from my technical training school (Honor Graduate) , I was assigned to a Combat Communications unit based at Tinker AFB in Oklahoma City, OK. This meant I was TDY eligible and I received my share of world-wide travel. Half of the time I was at my base in Oklahoma and the other half I was out of the country. I traveled to Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Bahrain, and Columbia on various communications assignments.
While spending 3 months in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia during Operation Desert Shield in 1995, my life was spared thanks to my love for food. One day we had some trouble with a Troposphere-Scatter Support Radio (TSSR) communications link. The distant end of the link was the problem. The distant end of the radio link was at the Saudi National Guard building. It was nearing lunch time and our team leader wanted to pack up our tools and drive to the building to look at the radio transmitter/receiver. I and another fellow technician wanted to stay and eat our lunch first at the cafeteria at our base before we left. Our sergeant wanted to go fix the radio and grab lunch at the snack bar there at the Guard building - as it was right next to where we had to go to repair the radio. We pleaded to stay and eat at the cafeteria because they had a better variety of hot meals and the food was much better than what was available at the snack bar over there at the Guard building. Luckily, we won and we stayed to eat at the cafeteria on Riyadh Air Base.
After we finished our lunch and started packing up the vehicle to drive over to the Guard building we heard and felt something strange. It sounded very loud- like one of the KC-135 tanker aircraft engines in afterburner mode (those things are freaking loud.) But we also felt the earth rumbling beneath us. We looked at each other and tried to figure out what happened. Shortly thereafter, we received a call on the walkie-talkie radio asking our whereabouts and if we were all accounted for. We went through the procedure and we knew something bad had happened. We were then informed that a bomb had exploded at the National Guard building, just outside the snack bar area. You can read the actual story here. If we had driven to the Guard building to work on our radio (which was in the room next to the snack bar), I feel we would have been killed by the blast - as it exploded just outside the room where we were going.
Now I never pass up a meal (and you can tell by looking at me.) It is my way of giving praise to food - and my stomach - for saving my life.
Monday, June 25, 2007
iPhone
iWant an iPhone!
Of course, I would want to try it out first to see how I would like it. But I think Apple has really got something there with their new product. The thing I don't like about most SmartPhones is that they aren't great at everything they do. They are an OK phone, an OK (to horrible) web browser, an OK camera, etc. From what I have seen so far, it appears the iPhone has improved to good in all areas.
I won't pay retail price for the iPhone, so I will have to wait a year or two until the deals are pretty good. Maybe by then there will be so many great phones in the market that the iPhone will have dropped in price. Then I might be able to get one.
BTW: I am accepting donations for the BigTex iPhone Phund. :)
Of course, I would want to try it out first to see how I would like it. But I think Apple has really got something there with their new product. The thing I don't like about most SmartPhones is that they aren't great at everything they do. They are an OK phone, an OK (to horrible) web browser, an OK camera, etc. From what I have seen so far, it appears the iPhone has improved to good in all areas.
I won't pay retail price for the iPhone, so I will have to wait a year or two until the deals are pretty good. Maybe by then there will be so many great phones in the market that the iPhone will have dropped in price. Then I might be able to get one.
BTW: I am accepting donations for the BigTex iPhone Phund. :)
Sunday, June 24, 2007
8 THINGS
I was tagged by Fiery Ewok, so here I go:
8 random things about me
1. All right, here are the rules.
2. We have to post these rules before we give you the facts.
3. Players start with eight random facts/habits about themselves.
4. People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their eight things and post these rules.
5. At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.
Don't forget to leave them a comment telling them they're tagged, and to read your
blog.
1. I have never had a broken bone in my body.
2. I still have my appendix, tonsils, and wisdom teeth. I remember a dental hygienist stating, when preparing to clean my teeth, "Wow... you have a lot of teeth!"
3. I hate when anyone is mad or upset with me. I like to make people happy and it really gets to me if I make someone upset or mad at me.
4. I think I have a mild case of ADD and OCD.
5. One of the things I like most is a good back rub or back scratching. I guess it is because I can't reach it myself.
6. I have never taken any type of drugs other than prescription medication or alcohol.
7. I have never had any surgeries. I have never stayed overnight in a hospital (when I was the patient.)
8. Food saved my life. Long story... I will create a new post for the explanation.
Well, it appears that all of you that I know in the blog world have already been tagged. So if you are reading this and have not been tagged, consider yourself tagged!
8 random things about me
1. All right, here are the rules.
2. We have to post these rules before we give you the facts.
3. Players start with eight random facts/habits about themselves.
4. People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their eight things and post these rules.
5. At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.
Don't forget to leave them a comment telling them they're tagged, and to read your
blog.
1. I have never had a broken bone in my body.
2. I still have my appendix, tonsils, and wisdom teeth. I remember a dental hygienist stating, when preparing to clean my teeth, "Wow... you have a lot of teeth!"
3. I hate when anyone is mad or upset with me. I like to make people happy and it really gets to me if I make someone upset or mad at me.
4. I think I have a mild case of ADD and OCD.
5. One of the things I like most is a good back rub or back scratching. I guess it is because I can't reach it myself.
6. I have never taken any type of drugs other than prescription medication or alcohol.
7. I have never had any surgeries. I have never stayed overnight in a hospital (when I was the patient.)
8. Food saved my life. Long story... I will create a new post for the explanation.
Well, it appears that all of you that I know in the blog world have already been tagged. So if you are reading this and have not been tagged, consider yourself tagged!
FATHER'S DAY SCARE
I should have known that this was not going to be the greatest Father's Day ever for me when I woke up to the excruciating pain of a Charley Horse (calf muscle cramp.) Wow those thing HURT! So I lay there in bed writhing in pain while I try to massage my left calf muscle. I then tried to stretch and "walk it off" - does that ever work?! It doesn't for me. It is now 1am the next morning and I still have soreness in my calf muscle.
My wife got up and made homemade waffles for my Father's Day breakfast. My wife makes some pretty good waffles, so I was looking forward to my luck turning around. She had also went out in the rain to get the Sunday morning newspaper from the driveway so I could read it while eating my breakfast- very sweet.
My son then informed me that my Father's Day present from him (he is 7 years old) is that I would be taking him to the movies to see the new Fantastic Four movie. Actually, that is a good present, because I usually don't get a lot of quality time with him lately due to us having to attend to my baby daughter so often. We found a theater showing the movie early - 10am - which is what I needed due to the fact that I usually take a nap during the day to prepare for my first night back at work (12 hour night shifts really drain you...especially the first night of the work week.) We had 20 minutes to make it to the theater- and it was pouring rain outside. We loaded up in the minivan and trekked to the cinema. We made it into the theater just as the last preview was playing and got a good seat (as there were not many people at the early showing.)
We really enjoyed the movie. I never read the Fantastic Four comic books, but I have been pretty impressed with the movies they have made. I personally liked Spiderman 3 better, but I like the fact that the Fantastic Four movies seem to be geared more to the younger child than the Spiderman series (ie Spiderman 3 was PG-13, Fantastic Four was PG.) SO we headed back home when the movie was over. The rain had stopped so it made the trip home easy.
We arrived home around 12:30pm and I planned on taking a nap at around 1pm. I took the baby from my wife while she took a break from the baby activities. Baby was asleep as I took her from my wife and I was careful to try not to wake her, as she needed her rest. She had her 4 month checkup Friday and had been running a fever afterwards- results of the shots she received. She woke up and seemed really dazed and out of it. She usually is bright-eyed when she wakes up. So I started to look into her eyes and she seemed rather unresponsive. I thought that maybe she would just fall asleep again, maybe she wasn't quite awake yet. I noticed she was having trouble breathing with the pacifier in her mouth- I could hear a gurgling sound of sinus drainage. I asked my son to go grab the 'blue bulb' so I could suck out the snot in her nose. When I tried to clear her nose, it didn't get very much. The drainage must have been way back there or in the back of her throat. So I removed her pacifier and was horrified to see her lips were a bluish color. I called my wife over and removed the blanket from around her and noticed her arms were cold and splotchy- no color and almost a purple-ish color. And she was unresponsive and 'dazed'.
We immediately loaded up in the minivan and headed towards the after hours and weekend child care center. I told my wife to call the doctor while we were driving. She explained what was happening and they said to call 911. We called and the 911 operator asked where we were and directed us to the nearest fire station, where a police officer and EMTs were waiting for us. By the time we arrived there, she was getting some color back in her lips and skin, but was still somewhat unresponsive. They thought it could have been a seizure (my wife has epilepsy) but were not sure and recommended further testing. They offered to take her to the hospital in the ambulance, but she was stable and all they would do is monitor her on the way. They recommended we go to the Cook's Children's clinic with her, because they could not drop her at the clinic in the ambulance- they would HAVE to go to the hospital if they used the ambulance. So we proceeded to take her to the Children's clinic.
By the time we arrive, she was pretty much back to normal and was even smiling. They ran some tests (blood, urine, etc.) We found out it was a urinary tact infection- which is somewhat rare in babies of her age. They gave her a prescription for antibiotic and told us we could continue to give her Tylenol to keep her fever down. The doctor explained that the infection seemed to have cause a spike in her temperature, which- due to the way the human body functions at that age- sent most of her blood to her torso area. That explains the pale skin and pale lips. The fact that she was so unresponsive was because she was in a mild state of shock. The doctor said she should be feeling better in 24-36 hours and we need to call her primary doctor's office in the morning to schedule more testing. They need to run and ultrasound and dye check to make sure her kidneys and urinary system is functioning properly.
So that was a big scare for us on Father's Day- one to remember. Hopefully the antibiotic will clear up the issue, and we hope nothing else is wrong internally. We have an appointment scheduled for next Friday for the further testing. Well wishes and warm fuzzy thoughts are appreciated.
My wife got up and made homemade waffles for my Father's Day breakfast. My wife makes some pretty good waffles, so I was looking forward to my luck turning around. She had also went out in the rain to get the Sunday morning newspaper from the driveway so I could read it while eating my breakfast- very sweet.
My son then informed me that my Father's Day present from him (he is 7 years old) is that I would be taking him to the movies to see the new Fantastic Four movie. Actually, that is a good present, because I usually don't get a lot of quality time with him lately due to us having to attend to my baby daughter so often. We found a theater showing the movie early - 10am - which is what I needed due to the fact that I usually take a nap during the day to prepare for my first night back at work (12 hour night shifts really drain you...especially the first night of the work week.) We had 20 minutes to make it to the theater- and it was pouring rain outside. We loaded up in the minivan and trekked to the cinema. We made it into the theater just as the last preview was playing and got a good seat (as there were not many people at the early showing.)
We really enjoyed the movie. I never read the Fantastic Four comic books, but I have been pretty impressed with the movies they have made. I personally liked Spiderman 3 better, but I like the fact that the Fantastic Four movies seem to be geared more to the younger child than the Spiderman series (ie Spiderman 3 was PG-13, Fantastic Four was PG.) SO we headed back home when the movie was over. The rain had stopped so it made the trip home easy.
We arrived home around 12:30pm and I planned on taking a nap at around 1pm. I took the baby from my wife while she took a break from the baby activities. Baby was asleep as I took her from my wife and I was careful to try not to wake her, as she needed her rest. She had her 4 month checkup Friday and had been running a fever afterwards- results of the shots she received. She woke up and seemed really dazed and out of it. She usually is bright-eyed when she wakes up. So I started to look into her eyes and she seemed rather unresponsive. I thought that maybe she would just fall asleep again, maybe she wasn't quite awake yet. I noticed she was having trouble breathing with the pacifier in her mouth- I could hear a gurgling sound of sinus drainage. I asked my son to go grab the 'blue bulb' so I could suck out the snot in her nose. When I tried to clear her nose, it didn't get very much. The drainage must have been way back there or in the back of her throat. So I removed her pacifier and was horrified to see her lips were a bluish color. I called my wife over and removed the blanket from around her and noticed her arms were cold and splotchy- no color and almost a purple-ish color. And she was unresponsive and 'dazed'.
We immediately loaded up in the minivan and headed towards the after hours and weekend child care center. I told my wife to call the doctor while we were driving. She explained what was happening and they said to call 911. We called and the 911 operator asked where we were and directed us to the nearest fire station, where a police officer and EMTs were waiting for us. By the time we arrived there, she was getting some color back in her lips and skin, but was still somewhat unresponsive. They thought it could have been a seizure (my wife has epilepsy) but were not sure and recommended further testing. They offered to take her to the hospital in the ambulance, but she was stable and all they would do is monitor her on the way. They recommended we go to the Cook's Children's clinic with her, because they could not drop her at the clinic in the ambulance- they would HAVE to go to the hospital if they used the ambulance. So we proceeded to take her to the Children's clinic.
By the time we arrive, she was pretty much back to normal and was even smiling. They ran some tests (blood, urine, etc.) We found out it was a urinary tact infection- which is somewhat rare in babies of her age. They gave her a prescription for antibiotic and told us we could continue to give her Tylenol to keep her fever down. The doctor explained that the infection seemed to have cause a spike in her temperature, which- due to the way the human body functions at that age- sent most of her blood to her torso area. That explains the pale skin and pale lips. The fact that she was so unresponsive was because she was in a mild state of shock. The doctor said she should be feeling better in 24-36 hours and we need to call her primary doctor's office in the morning to schedule more testing. They need to run and ultrasound and dye check to make sure her kidneys and urinary system is functioning properly.
So that was a big scare for us on Father's Day- one to remember. Hopefully the antibiotic will clear up the issue, and we hope nothing else is wrong internally. We have an appointment scheduled for next Friday for the further testing. Well wishes and warm fuzzy thoughts are appreciated.
COLBERT REPORT
I just recently started watching this show and The Daily Show with Jon Stewart- both on Comedy Central on Monday through Thursday nights. Stephen Colbert is freaking hilarious! One of my favorite parts on one the shows recently:
Stephen Colbert: Speaking of immigration, folks, everyone’s talking about this new immigration bill. And I think it is just a mess. Look at this thing. [Colbert slams down huge stack of paper on his desk] Do they get paid by the pound? If they’d let me write this bill, here’s what it would have looked like. [Colbert holds up Post-It note that reads ‘GET OUT’]”
I was laughing so hard when I saw that- I was gasping for air. I can't believe I had been missing out on this show before. So now it goes on the list of all the shows that I record with the DVR. But this is one of the shows that I definitely watch before the evil DVR has to make room for other recordings.
There was also a great part of last night's show- an interview with Rep. Adam Smith of Washington State’s Ninth District. Colbert ask him if he knows about any new classified technologies. “I can’t discuss it. If I told you that this doesn’t exist, then you ask me what does exist, then I’d be stuck.” The biggest twist came when Colbert asked Smith about serving as chair of the Terrorism Unconventional Threats and Capabilities Subcommittee on the House Armed Services Committee. Colbert wanted to know if Smith could confirm or deny the existence of any classified technologies, to which Smith said no.
Colbert: “What about shrink rays?
Smith: “I can’t tell you.”
Colbert: “You will not confirm or deny the existence of military shrink rays.”
Smith: “I will not.”
Colbert did an end-around on Smith.
Colbert: “What about this? You supported legislation to allow time travel between the United States and Cuba. Why?”
Smith: “I supported legislation to allow TRAVEL between the United States and Cuba.”
Colbert: “Are you opposing time travel?”
Smith: “I’m saying time travel, as we know it right now, is not possible.”
Colbert: “So you’re willing to admit the United States does not have time travel.”
Smith paused, knowing he had just been sucked in.
“You’re good,” Smith said smiling and pointing at Colbert.
Colbert is awesome!
Saturday, June 23, 2007
THANK YOU, BLOGGING FRIENDS
This is a special thanks to all of you fellow bloggers who expressed your concern for some issues that I have been going through recently. Your concern for a 'virtual friend' is flattering and I appreciate all the well wishes and warm fuzzies sent my way. Thanks again!
AWESOME ITALIAN DINNER
I love to cook. I wish I could afford to go to a culinary academy and work in the food industry. But, in the meantime, I like to try new recipes and learn new ways to cook and prepare food. I decided I would start posting some recipes and blog about cooking sometimes- because it is one of my passions.
I collected the following recipes from various places on the internet. These are my favorites for a great Italian dinner for a dinner party, family, or just that special someone.
*************************
Chicken Parmesan
INGREDIENTS:
Four Large Chicken Breast halves pounded fairly flat (about 1/4")
Four Thick slices of PROVOLONE Cheese (about 1/8" or so)
1/2 cup Seasoned Flour (parsley, basil, salt, pepper)
1 cup or so Seasoned Bread Crumbs (parsley, basil, salt, pepper)
2 Eggs beaten with 1/4 tsp. water
1 cup Grated Romano Cheese
1 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
Fresh Chopped Parsley
Fresh Ground Black Pepper
1 Jar Prego Traditional pasta sauce (I like to add 1-2 tbsp sugar to the sauce)
Olive Oil
***NOTE: on the Jar of pasta sauce- if you use another type, be sure it is a MARINARA type red sauce, NOT one with meat added... ***
DIRECTIONS:
NOTE: Once breaded, the chicken breasts will need time to rest and dry out a bit.... plan on an hour at least.
In separate bowls, have your egg wash, seasoned flour, and bread crumbs ready. By the way: you know the Parmesan and Romano cheese you have "sitting there"? Throw a hand full into the egg wash and the seasoned bread crumbs and mix well.
Rinse flattened chicken breasts and dredge in seasoned flour. Lay on a bakers rack.
Dip floured breast into egg wash and cheese mixture, coat thoroughly.
Immediately transfer breast to bread crumb/cheese mixture. Turn and pat until well coated and lay breast on bakers rack.
Repeat until all breasts are coated and resting on racks to dry out.
When ready to cook:
Put your red sauce in a sauce pan and begin to warm it up (this is where I add some sugar to the sauce.)
Turn oven on low.
Heat a large sauté pan on medium high and add Olive oil to cover bottom of pan. When the oil is fragrant, sauté one or two breasts at a time- do NOT over crowd. You will only need about three or four minutes per side (if that) to get a nice golden brown. Be careful not to over cook! When done, transfer breast to serving platter and place in a warm oven. Repeat until all breasts are cooked.
Spoon some of the sauce over the breasts and add sliced provolone cheese over the top of the sauce. Sprinkle with your Parmesan/Romano cheese mixture and place under the broiler.
Take the remaining sauce and spread on plates where the Chicken Parmesan will rest. Pull the breasts out from under the broiler just as the provolone melts and the Parmesan/ Romano starts to brown. With a metal spatula, transfer each breast and lay on top of the sauce you have already placed on the plate.
Sprinkle with FRESH chopped Parsley.
********************************
Italian Sugar Snap Peas
I usually use the frozen sugar snap peas since they are rarely in season. Doing them this way.... you will hardly notice.
INGREDIENTS:
1 Bag (12oz.?) Sugar Snap Peas
2Tbs. water
2Tbs. Unsalted (sweet cream) butter
1Tbs. Granulated Sugar
1Tbs. Dried Sweet Basil
1Tbs. FRESH chopped Parsley
DIRECTIONS:
Over very low heat melt butter. Add all other ingredients and toss to mix. Cover and turn off heat. When starting to cook the Chicken Parmesan, turn on heat to medium low and leave covered. When you plate the Chicken, the snap peas will be ready- toss a couple of times to coat evenly and serve.
*******************************
Herbed Garlic Bread
INGREDIENTS:
1 stick butter (1/2 cup), at room temperature
2 garlic cloves, mashed to a paste with a pinch of salt and extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped parsley leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 loaf crusty baguette
Extra-virgin olive oil
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
For the bread, stir together the butter, mashed garlic, and herbs in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper. Tear open the loaf of bread lengthwise, spread the herb-garlic mixture over both halves and sprinkle with a little olive oil. Bake for 15 minutes.
SPEAKERS
I am a bit of a Home Theater freak. I grew up loving movies. I would go to the theater to see EVERY new movie released in the summer during my high school and early college days. Sometimes I would see a movie twice the same day if I really liked it. I remember seeing The Goonies, Ferris Buellers' Day Off, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Back to the Future and Top Gun twice the same day.
A few years ago we decided to build a new house in
We found a wonderful community in the Keller/North Fort Worth area to build in. We easily decided on a two story home with a large kitchen, game room, and my media room. I was so excited that I would finally have my own little 'movie theater' in my own home! We actually sold our
We are not rich people, so I had to do some exhaustive research to find the best bang-for-your-buck speakers, front projector, screen, A/V receiver, DVD player, and home theater seating.
While researching the speakers, I ended up finding one of the best companies I have ever dealt with. AV123 is that company. Mark Schifter is the owner and is one hell of a guy. I met him at a get-together in the DFW area for AV123 stuff while still gathering data for my purchase. I also met a bunch of great people on the forums at the site. After hearing some speakers from his company at many peoples houses, I was totally blown away! I had never heard clarity like these speakers produced. They were able to get plenty loud, but were not fatiguing at all. I was very impressed with the hardware AND the man who started it all.
So I was sold and found a home theater package on the B-stock page of their website (they are an internet-only company.) I ended up with a pair of Onix Rockets: RS750 Signatures for my fronts, RS200 "Bigfoot" for my center channel, and RS 300 Dipoles for the rear channel. I actually ordered and received them several weeks before our closing on the house- so they sat in my storage area at the apartment while chomping at the bit for the house to be complete. The day we closed on the house, I immediately took my new 'babies' to the media room. They came double boxed and the Macassar Ebony finish was awesome. They came packed with a pair of cotton gloves to handle them with (no fingerprints on the speakers, please!) These were all works of art in themselves. You could set them in a room without even hooking them up to a source and still get oohs and awes from people- they look THAT good!
I hooked up my Rockets to my new A/V receiver and ran the built in auto-correction for my room. I listened to Alanis Morrissette's Acoustic version of Jagged Little Pill. WOW! I could close my eyes and imagine Alanis standing there in my media room with me. I could actually hear the pick strumming the notes of the guitar, rather than just hear the guitar. I could hear fingers moving along the strings as chords changed. I could hear the breath, the start of the note sang, and the exhale of the note (I am no audiophile, so I don't know how to describe this sound.) I heard so many things that I had NEVER heard before on this CD. It was simply amazing.
I was equally impressed once I had the projector and DVD hooked up and running. This was the first time I had a sound system that did not have to be adjusted during explosions and/or dialogue. With my old JBLs, Polks, and Bose I had to turn up when people were speaking, then turn the volume down with explosive action scenes. The "Bigfoot" easily handled all the dialogue with no problems and it sounded so natural- not 'tinny' at all. I feel that my sound system is much better than any of the theaters I have been to. Now I actually prefer to wait until a movie is on DVD rather than go out to the theater to see it. I just wish other movie distributors would do like Mark Cuban and release the DVD the same day the movie is released at the theater.
So if anyone out there is looking for a great set of speakers for their home theater, listening room, or just want an excellent set of speakers- go to AV123 and try ANY of the speakers. They all sound awesome. You can't go wrong (and if you aren't satisfied, just send them back within 30 days to get your money back.) It's a no-brainer.
Unfortunately, my son and hid friend were playing in the media room the other night (he had been told several times NOT to play in the media room) and I heard a loud crashing sound. After yelling upstairs to make sure everyone was OK, my son said yes but was crying. I asked him what was wrong and he kept saying he was sorry. I asked why he was sorry and he said, "We broke your speakers." Oh no! I felt so bad for my son because he knew he was going to be in major trouble. I came upstairs and ensured no one was injured (those are heavy speakers.) I looked and the front corner of the right RS750 piano black top was destroyed. It had fallen over into the "Bigfoot" and made a nasty spot on the back corner of the center channel's piano black top. The "Bigfoot" had then fallen over and put a small hole in the wall where the other corner of the speaker had been introduced to Mr. Wall.
I set the speakers back in place and checked for any other damage. It appears everything else is OK with them when listening immediately following the incident. But I still need to do some extensive critical listening to be sure that it is cosmetic damage only. I was very upset, but I am so glad that my son and his friend were not hurt in the process. Also, I let him off easy because he was very honest about what happened. Now I just need to find out how to get the speakers repaired or at least patched up a bit.
BACK IN BUSINESS
Well, I am back!
I had to start all over since I had accidentally deleted this blog, so I am in the process of getting everything back in order. I will repost a few old entries that I had saved, and then start anew.
I had to start all over since I had accidentally deleted this blog, so I am in the process of getting everything back in order. I will repost a few old entries that I had saved, and then start anew.
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