Too much rain

First we get none to speak of until Jan. and now it won't stop. How tiny our efforts seem to build when they are put to close to the edge of the cliff. Ocean views end and buildings tumble into the sea as the waves just keep on pounding. There are roads with standing water,poorly designed, all over the place and going through them is like swimming. I watched a guy hydroplane into the cement meridian in the fast lane of 101 on Sunday. Yesterday the whole road was closed.

Well it could be a blizzard in the Sierra's which I'm glad I'm not driving in. I'd like to ski once the roads are clear though.

Time to head to the Caribbean to dive in Belize. Then there is Haiti. I can't believe the cruise ships continue to dock and use the beaches. I don't care if they own them. Giving water and food for the relief efforts is not enough. Give a boat as a hospital.

Yes I understand about profit.

I can't imagine how that infrastructure will be rebuilt. Move the people, clear the rubble, bring in materials and rebuild. They didn't have water or sanitary systems before.

It's like Afghanistan ans Iraq.

I haven't heard from Chris, oh well, onward...On the other hand, I met a man who is Jordanian, almost 60, in Noah's on Sunday. He invited me to lunch on Monday. He wanted to dose me with middle eastern cooking. Unfortunately the place was closed, so we looked in the market next store bought a few spices , had lunch at a buffet, which I rarely do and I went home and he on to call on customers this Martin Luther King Day. I'm meeting another man for a drink this Friday. He works for the electric company so it may be touch and go. There is a computer engineer with his PHD from Argentina, which is exotic, 31 and intriguing; one Bob's age,Jerry, a young, fit 65, that I've seen 2x; one 51, Mark, Italian I saw this morning; some in their 40's and occasionally a 20 something. I DO appreciate the energy and resilience of youth.:-)Thank you Kevin and James and they keep calling. I ran across Dominick a very sexy 50 from Oakland. He is petite but lovely.
So I run on as though a smorgasbord has presented itself and perhaps it has. Especially after so long without much socializastion I decided at Thanksgiving to work on it. I have a full pipeline as they say in sales and am enjoying the search, culling and whatever else.

It's amusing to run through the variety of options.

I took my laptop in to the Geek squad and since that have had 2 offers from guys to look at it. This time it was DOA and did not come to life when they pushed the button.

I thought it just neened 2 or 8 GB of memory since I had only 256k left. I upgraded my transmission rate at Atand T but that matters not if it won't load in less than 3.5 hrs and constantly crashes.

It's been over 3.5 yrs. I may have to bite it and shell out the sheckles for another. The phones have more memory now than my computer.

A 30 something came over with his think pad on Mon. and I couldn't believe how fast everything opened and loaded, .. In my house

SOUP

Aunt Peggy's Curried Butternut Squash Soup4 TBS butter
2 cups finely chopped yellow onions
5 tsp curry powder
2 med. butternut squash (3lbs.)
2 apples peeled, diced, and cored
3 cups of chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
1 cup apple juice
salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter in pot. Add chopped onions and curry powder. Cook, covered over low heat for about 25 minutes until onions are tender. Peel and dice squash (or use pre-cut frozen squash). when onions are tender, pour in the broth, add the squash and apples, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer partially covered until squash and apples are very tender. At this point use an immersion blender (or transfer to a blender in batches) to puree the soup. Return to the pot and add the apple juice until soup is of desired consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper and heat thoroughly. Freezes well. I also like it with a scoop of sour cream or crumbled feta on top.

Ideally the freezer should never be out of some chicken stock, neatly parcelled and labelled, the sort that has simmered for hours and is full of jellied goodness. But we all know that is not always possible, and so, here´s a way to make chicken soup that will give you a steaming bowlful in thirty minutes or so.

Buy some chicken, preferably on the bone.Chop leeks and carrots, onion perhaps, celery if you like (I do), potato if you don´t want pasta later. Chop them small. This might seem counter productive if you´re in a hurry, but the smaller you chop the quicker they cook. Sweat them in a bit of oil, then add water and some good bouillon powder. I have some Marigold I brought over from the UK, but plain old Knorr is quite ok, really. And yes, I know it´s just flavoured salt, but what do you think is in those nice looking cartons of broth? Stock cubes and water, my friends, marked up to make us all look like idiots.

So, stock cube, water. Now the chicken bits. If it´s breast, then you don´t want to give it much time, but thighs or drumsticks can take twenty minutes´ slow simmer very well, by which time the vegetables will have cooked to an agreeably soft texture. At the end, throw in a handful of tiny pasta and take out the chicken. Let it rest a little and tear the meat, put it back in the pot, and taste. You´ll probably need salt, possibly some lemon juice to perk it up, definitely a dash of sherry to enliven it, a small cube of butter because it´s always a good idea, and a sprinkling of parsley to make it look good.

A bowl of this won´t keep you on your feet for a day´s skiing, but it´s just the thing for a blustery January evening.

prefer Clam chowder of Vietnamese Lemongrass, coconut soup, but this will do unless you can find Hot and Sour or Crab and Corn.:-)

Haiiti

3 million people that are in Haiti right now and that desperately need our help. If you can find it in your heart to donate even a little bit (yes, once again, every little bit helps) these are some of the legit organizations that are offering relief…

* Text YELE to 501501 to contribute $5 to Yele Haiti.

* Text HAITI to 90999 to contribute to the Red Cross.

* Call Red Cross 1-800-435-7669 to make your donation to the Red Cross.

* Paypal Donation through Hope for Haiti

* Donate to Doctors Without Borders.

* In Canada, donations can be made by text message to the Salvation Army’s Haiti Earthquake Disaster Relief relief fund. Donors can text the world “HAITI” to 45678 from any Rogers Wireless or Bell Mobility phone to contribute $5.00 to The Salvation Army.

I know how lean finances are for ALL of us right now... but even a small donation will help. If you can't donate money, donate some of your time and help spread the word to others on how they can help. Every little bit helps!

Make soup the rain is coming..................................

shopping

the holidays bring

Healthier Sour Cream & Onion Dip

Inspiration:
Good Housekeeping


Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup(s) plain fat-free yogurt
2 tablespoon(s) extra virgin olive oil
2 medium (6- to 8-ounce) yellow onions, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon(s) sugar

salt

Pepper
1/3 cup(s) reduced-fat sour cream
Snipped chives, for garnish

Instructions:

Line medium sieve set over deep bowl with basket-style coffee filter or paper towel. Spoon yogurt into filter; cover and refrigerate 25 minutes. Discard liquid in bowl.
Meanwhile, in 12-inch skillet, heat oil on medium until hot. Add onions, sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Cook 15 to 17 minutes or until dark golden brown, stirring onions occasionally.
Line plate with double thickness of paper towels. With slotted spoon, transfer onions to plate to drain further and cool. (Onions will crisp slightly as they cool, and a few pieces may stick to paper towel.)
In medium bowl, combine sour cream, strained yogurt, and onions. Stir well. Cover, and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 3 days. (Dip is best when refrigerated for a day; flavors develop more fully.) Garnish with chives and serve with fresh veggie

Then:

Savory Spicy Sweet

The Easiest Chicken Chili

Ingredients:

4 cans white beans, drained and rinsed
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of fat
8 ounces Pepper jack cheese, cut into 2-inch cubes
2 cups salsa
Optional garnishes: shredded cheese, sour cream, avocado, sliced green onions, crushed tortilla chips, extra salsa, tabasco

Instructions:

Combine the beans, cheese, and salsa in a crockpot. Nestle the chicken breasts into the mixture, and cook on low 6-8 hours.

Remove chicken breasts, shred with a fork, and return to crockpot. Stir to combine, and serve with desired garnishes.

Notes:
I thought that a little more tomato would be good. I'd consider replacing one can of beans with one big can of stewed tomatoes or additional salsa, and I'd maybe add a little cumin. Last year, my New Year's Resolution was to improve my yeast breads. I did pretty well with that and am enjoying homemade pizza and bread rather often.

This year's New Year's Resolution: take lunch to work more often. This will not be difficult to do, as I rarely brought lunch last year. It is too tempting to go out for pho with friends or swing by one of the sandwich places near my office. Now, I have a refrigerator in my office, and I am going to try to bring some sort of pasta/rice/couscous salad every week with some greens for a good midday meal 3-4 days a week. The remainder of the days-- I'll likely be having pho :)


Ingredients:

1/4 cup sesame seeds
1 (16 ounce) package bow tie or similar-shaped pasta
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup light soy sauce
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
3 tablespoons white sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 cups shredded, cooked chicken breast meat

1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/3 cup chopped green onion
1 can baby corn, sliced
1/4 diced red bell pepper

1/2 cup julienned carrot
1 cup blanched and sliced snow peas


Instructions:

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add sesame seeds, and cook stirring frequently until lightly toasted. Remove from heat, and set aside.
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente. Drain pasta, and rinse under cold water until cool. Transfer to a large bowl.
In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine vegetable oil, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, sugar, sesame seeds, ginger, and pepper. Shake well.
Pour sesame dressing over pasta, and toss to coat evenly. Gently mix in chicken, cilantro, green onions, and other vegetables.

Notes:

I made the chicken mixture and kept the pasta separate. The chicken tasted even better after the flavors melded overnight. Each morning, I prepared a to-go pyrex dish with the chicken mixture on the bottom, with pasta and baby spinach leaves sitting on top. This way the pasta didn't soak up all the dressing. I then mixed it right before lunch.

Change up the type and amount of vegetables to your liking. Water chestnuts may be an option if you care for them. I blanched the snow peas in the pot of boiling water, removed them, then boiled the pasta.

For the shredded chicken, I poached two bone-in chicken breasts using The Kitchn's method.

After I took the photo I realized I forgot the sesame seeds and had to re-mix--whoops. It looks even better with all the toasted sesame seeds!

Baked Rigatoni with Ricotta and Collard Greens

Ingredients:

1 (16-ounce) package rigatoni or penne pasta
1/4 cup butter
1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound collard greens, washed, drained, and chopped
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1 cup ricotta cheese
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions:

Prepare pasta according to directions. Drain and set aside. Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly grease a 13- x 9-inch baking dish.

Heat butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat; sauté onion 5 minutes or until just brown. Add garlic, and cook about 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium-low, and add greens; cover and cook 15 to 20 minutes or until greens are tender, stirring occasionally.

Sprinkle greens with flour. Cook uncovered, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Gradually add milk, stirring well. Cook 5 minutes, stirring often, until thickened and smooth. Remove from heat; stir in cooked pasta, mozzarella, and next 5 ingredients. Place into prepared dish, and sprinkle evenly with Parmesan.

Bake at 350° for 15 to 20 minutes.


Notes:
I love cooked collards in pasta, and they hold their shape so much better than cooked spinach, which can become mushy. This would be a nice dish for vegetarians, but if you're an omnivore who eats pork, I'd probably suggest Linguine and Collard Greens with Bacon first. :)

Ingredients:

2 thin fresh ginger slices
1 teaspoon apricot jam
1/4 ounce fresh lemon juice
Ice
2 ounces Irish whiskey
1/2 ounce Grand Marnier
1 lemon twist

Original Instructions:

In a cocktail shaker, muddle the ginger with the jam and lemon juice. Add ice and the whiskey and Grand Marnier; shake well. Strain into an ice-filled rocks glass. Garnish with the lemon twist.

Lindsay's Method:

Put all ingredients in a blender; blend, strain, and serve over ice.

Ingredients and Instructions:

Bacon-Balsamic Deviled Eggs

Savory Deviled Eggs


Notes:
These were a HUGE hit! I was of course expecting the bacon recipe to be the favorite, but surprisingly the dill eggs were even more popular. I made 24 deviled egg halves for 8 people, and I should have made more. These will be something I'll make often.

onion dip healthier

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup(s) plain fat-free yogurt
2 tablespoon(s) extra virgin olive oil
2 medium (6- to 8-ounce) yellow onions, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon(s) sugar

salt

Pepper
1/3 cup(s) reduced-fat sour cream
Snipped chives, for garnish

Instructions:

Line medium sieve set over deep bowl with basket-style coffee filter or paper towel. Spoon yogurt into filter; cover and refrigerate 25 minutes. Discard liquid in bowl.
Meanwhile, in 12-inch skillet, heat oil on medium until hot. Add onions, sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Cook 15 to 17 minutes or until dark golden brown, stirring onions occasionally.
Line plate with double thickness of paper towels. With slotted spoon, transfer onions to plate to drain further and cool. (Onions will crisp slightly as they cool, and a few pieces may stick to paper towel.)
In medium bowl, combine sour cream, strained yogurt, and onions. Stir well. Cover, and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 3 days. (Dip is best when refrigerated for a day; flavors develop more fully.) Garnish with chives and serve with fresh veggie crudités.

Ellen's Eclair Ring

Inspiration:
My sister Ellen made this for us over the holidays using the recipe of a family friend.


Ingredients:

Dough
1 cup water
1/2 cup butter
1 cup flour

4 eggs
Filling

2 3-oz packages instant French vanilla pudding
1 9-oz Cool Whip
1 t vanilla
2.5 cups milk
Topping

2 squares semi-sweet chocolate (melted)
2 T butter
2 T milk
1 c powdered sugar
1 t vanilla

Instructions:

Make dough-- heat butter and water to rolling boil. Stir in flour at once over low heat. Beat until ball is formed, and take off heat. Beat in eggs one at a time with mixer. Spoon onto a cool pizza pan to form circular shape with a hole in the middle. Bake at 400 degrees for 45-50 minutes. Cool away from drafts.
When cool, split horizontally and fill with filling. Place top layer on filling and spread with topping.


The Easiest Chicken Chili

Inspiration:
The last week of regular season NFL football
and
Pink Parsley's recipe


Ingredients:

4 cans white beans, drained and rinsed
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of fat
8 ounces Pepper jack cheese, cut into 2-inch cubes
2 cups salsa
Optional garnishes: shredded cheese, sour cream, avocado, sliced green onions, crushed tortilla chips, extra salsa, tabasco


Instructions:

Combine the beans, cheese, and salsa in a crockpot. Nestle the chicken breasts into the mixture, and cook on low 6-8 hours.

Remove chicken breasts, shred with a fork, and return to crockpot. Stir to combine, and serve with desired garnishes.

Notes:
I thought that a little more tomato would be good. I'd consider replacing one can of beans with one big can of stewed tomatoes or additional salsa, and I'd maybe add a little cumin. Tim was completely satisfied with the recipe as written. It's so easy, I think he can make it next time!

Sesame chicken salad

Ingredients:

1/4 cup sesame seeds
1 (16 ounce) package bow tie or similar-shaped pasta
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup light soy sauce
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
3 tablespoons white sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 cups shredded, cooked chicken breast meat

1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/3 cup chopped green onion
1 can baby corn, sliced
1/4 diced red bell pepper

1/2 cup julienned carrot
1 cup blanched and sliced snow peas


Instructions:

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add sesame seeds, and cook stirring frequently until lightly toasted. Remove from heat, and set aside.
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente. Drain pasta, and rinse under cold water until cool. Transfer to a large bowl.
In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine vegetable oil, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, sugar, sesame seeds, ginger, and pepper. Shake well.
Pour sesame dressing over pasta, and toss to coat evenly. Gently mix in chicken, cilantro, green onions, and other vegetables.

Notes:

I made the chicken mixture and kept the pasta separate. The chicken tasted even better after the flavors melded overnight. Each morning, I prepared a to-go pyrex dish with the chicken mixture on the bottom, with pasta and baby spinach leaves sitting on top. This way the pasta didn't soak up all the dressing. I then mixed it right before lunch.

Change up the type and amount of vegetables to your liking. Water chestnuts may be an option if you care for them. I blanched the snow peas in the pot of boiling water, removed them, then boiled the pasta.

For the shredded chicken, I poached two bone-in chicken breasts using The Kitchn's method.

After I took the photo I realized I forgot the sesame seeds and had to re-mix--whoops. It looks even better with all the sesame seeds.

Happy New Year!

Chris sent me this from Wales

I had a date we had a drink and appetizer then decide to part. I was home by 8:30. He was a bit Young and came from almost 50 miles away,
When I heard him say he couldn't come down often and didn't realize what he was saying.

The last guy I also met at Red Lobster I could tell I was too big for his tastes too, but he was polite and bought me a cup of tea then shook my hand.

If I had just asked him in the lobby if he wanted to part company, because I could tell that fast, he would have been too polite to be as abrupt.

This dating is hard


I have another date on Fri. and had another on Thursday that was more successful.

Since me had a blue moon, the 2nd full moon in a month which is rare, I would have liked to take a sleeping bag and chair up to Mt. Hamilton and watched the heavens,

Chris should be home from his trekking in Wales too. He wanted to bring wine and a movie and come over for a hug.

Eclair Ring

Inspiration:
My sister Ellen made this for us over the holidays using the recipe of a family friend.


Ingredients:

Dough
1 cup water
1/2 cup butter
1 cup flour

4 eggs
Filling

2 3-oz packages instant French vanilla pudding
1 9-oz Cool Whip
1 t vanilla
2.5 cups milk
Topping

2 squares semi-sweet chocolate (melted)
2 T butter
2 T milk
1 c powdered sugar
1 t vanilla

Instructions:

Make dough-- heat butter and water to rolling boil. Stir in flour at once over low heat. Beat until ball is formed, and take off heat. Beat in eggs one at a time with mixer. Spoon onto a cool pizza pan to form circular shape with a hole in the middle. Bake at 400 degrees for 45-50 minutes. Cool away from drafts.
When cool, split horizontally and fill with filling. Place top layer on filling and spread with topping.

Notes: This is an impressive dessert for parties, and it isn't too hard to make. (Easy for me to say... I didn't make it this time!)

I'd love to figure out a way to make a vanilla custard filling that doesn't use pudding mix or Cool Whip. I'll be working on it, but if you figure it out, let me know!

Ellen and I were also discussing adding fresh raspberries to the filling, which would be a nice addition.