As I was on my to Mares's house to celebrate our mutual good news (see blog Today was a good day), when I was struck by a strange sight. Where I should have seen the rear view mirror of the person in front of me, I saw people moving. Fortunately we had come to a stop light and I was able to determine it was one of the DVD players for the kids in the back seat. My thought was, "Oh great! another distraction!" Not for the driver of the DVD, but to the drivers behind them watching the movie!!! As many of you know Vegas is a bright and noisy place. Flashing lights everywhere!!! It scares me to drive on the strip...too many distractions. This got me to musing about other interesting drivers I have been behind. Ofcourse just about everyone has been behind a driver on the cell phone. HANG UP AND DRIVE!!! or get a hands free gizmo. How about drivers eating while driving? Okay raise your hand if you're guilty of doing this. Ah, come on! I'm guilty of EWD Eating While Driving! See? Don't you feel better for admitting it? The blinker that indicates a turn is imminent for miles and miles and miles...you get the picture Okay, so far these are pretty much the norm, am I right? How many of you have been behind a woman putting on her make up while driving? A guy reading the newspaper while driving? I once was behind this lady form Idaho in a drive thru for my bank. I stayed a decent space behind her, and waited patiently. She finished her transaction and started to pull forward. Just as I was about to let off the brake, her back up lights come on and she reversed. I stop again and wait while she does another transaction!!!! She starts to pull forward. I stayed put. Guess what? You got it! She reversed again!!! Well, after this 3rd transaction I waited until she had gone far enough forward so I could pull right up to the window. I'm sorry but she had mashed potatoes for brains!!! Another time on a busy Bay Area freeway was a little old woman who had sparks flying from her right rear rim, and she was somehow managing to go about 50 miles an hour!!!! I swear!!! Myself and other tried to get her attention to tell her, but she didn't look around. Finally 2 Hi-trolls (sorry, Highway Patrol) boxed her and guided her off the freeway. I swear this true! Oh! and let's not forget music changes; radio, cd, mp3...whatever. Anyone have an amusing "Cars I have had the misfortune to be behind" story to share?
Hello one and all! You may have noticed that I have posted several recipes. I'll be honest and admit I haven't tried them as yet, and some will never done by me for personal taste reasons. I put them out there for others who may like them or want to try something new. If you try one, let me know how it was. I literally have 100's of recipes. If you need one I just may have it...ask and if I have it I will post it! Happy Noshing!
Appetizer: Hot and Sour Soup 1/4 cup dried tree ears mushrooms, measured after soaking 2 medium-sized dried Chinese black mushrooms 6 to 8 dried tiger-lily buds (golden needles) 16 ounces bean curd, well drained 1/2 cup canned bamboo shoots, drained 4 cups chicken broth 1 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon soy sauce 4 ounces ground pork, cut into thin slices about 2 inches long 1/4 teaspoon white pepper 2 - 3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar, according to taste 1 Tbsp. rice wine or dry sherry 2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 3 tablespoons water 1 egg, beaten 2 teaspoons sesame-seed oil 1 green onion, sliced
Cover the mushrooms in a small bowl with warm water. (If you cannot find these specific types of mushrooms, use an equal amount of whatever dried mushrooms you can find) Let them soak for 30 minutes to soften. Strain mushroom liquid and reserve. Cut the mushrooms into 1/4-inch slices and set aside.
Slice bean curd and bamboo shoots into 1/4 inch slices and set aside.
Place the chicken broth in a large pot. Add the salt, soy sauce, mushroom liquid, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and ground pork. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer soup for 3 minutes. Add the white pepper, red wine vinegar, rice wine or sherry and bean curd. Return soup to a boil. Stir the cornstarch mixture and then add to soup. Slowly add the beaten egg a little at a time while stirring. Remove the soup from the heat. Add the sesame-seed oil and sprinkle soup with green onions to serve.
The Skinny: Use fat free chicken broth and egg substitute.
Thinly slice the chicken breasts. Saute chicken and garlic in oil for 2 minutes. Add vegetables and stir fry for 3 minutes. Add 1/2 cup broth and cover and cook for 3 more minutes. Meanwhile, mix remaining 1/2 cup broth, soy sauce, dry sherry, hoisin sauce, ginger, oyster sauce and cornstarch together. Add mixture to vegetables and cook for another 3 minutes. Serve over crisp noodles with Chinese hot mustard and extra soy sauce on the side.
The Skinny: Use fat free chicken broth and low fat noodles.
Dessert: Baked Apples 6 - 8 Red Delicious apples 2 lemons, cut in half 4 Tbsp. honey 2 tsp. ground cinnamon Vanilla ice cream
Cut a slice about 1/2 inch thick off the top of each apple and set aside. Carefully trim the bottom of each apple so it will sit up straight. Core and seed the apples from the cut in the top of the apple. Do not core all the way through the apple, leave some apple at the bottom of each apple to create a vessel inside each apple. Squeeze equal amounts of the lemon juice inside each apple. Spoon equal amounts of the honey into each apple and sprinkle with the cinnamon. Cover each apple with its lid and bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 35 minutes or until tender. Place apples on serving plate, remove the lids and fill with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
The Skinny: Use fat free frozen yogurt in place of ice cream.
This was inspired by sunniegirl's bolg about her pet and how she came by it(kudos to sunniegirl!!)and by a recent event that happened to me. There are millions of unwanted and abandoned animals out in the world. Please spay or neuter your pet to help prevent the overpopulation. You may think that spay or neuter may be cruel, after all in the wild there is no spay or neuter...but...in the long run your pet will be happier and healthier for this sugerical procedure, and live longer. Sometime last week I was taking Rhue for outsidegopotty, when I was approached by what I will assume are neighbors in my apartment complex asking if I liked cats and did I want one? I explained that I already had a houseful and therefore could not. Well, I guess they watched where I went after Rhue was done because Wednesday night I found a cat on my doorstep (in a carrier..a cardboard one). *sigh* Well it turns out the cat is female, spayed and de-clawed, and not very happy about her circumstances. Which went with Goofy's not being happy about her presence. I isolated her in the spare bathroom and hoped for the best, but everytime I went in to check on her she let out a screech, which then caused Goofy to go bonkers and try to attack her. Well, I left her alone for the rest of the night and tried again in the morning. No change. Well, I spent most of yesterday morning calling around to find a shelter that would take her. There were only 4 places I could call and 3 were past full kittens that had been dumped like garbage on their doorsteps (see tirade above about spay and neuter). One place actually suggested that I let her loose outside to fend for herself!!!! I was agast!!! I had told them she was de-clawed..she had no way to defend herself against the feral cats running around the complex!!! Well, I did manage to find a shelter that would take her. The biggest question they has was why would anyone dump a cat on my doorstep? I guess they thought she was really mine and I just wanted to get rid of her. I explained about being approached earlier. For all I know or care they thought I was lying. Oh well. I have done my part and then some over the years. Nearly every pet I or my family has had either found us or was "given" to us. For a few years it seemed there was a sign that only cats and dogs could see that read "Sick? Pregnant? Dying? Come to this house and they will care for you", and we would and did. Got to tell ya, it was heartbreaking to take in a stray only to have it die, sometimes literally in your arms. Atleast they didn't die alone, scared, or hungry. Several pets were "we're moving can you pet sit?" can we say "SUCKER!!" ?, but it was better than having them abandoned or put to sleep. In addition to spay or neuter, think very carefully before getting a pet. Get a book or 2 or 3 and read up on that particular animal to make sure that animal is right for you. I got 5 books on ferrets before I got one. The key parts to read up on are how long the animal lives, dietary requirements, etc. People go out and get a parrot, Macaws mainly, and fail to realize that these birds are literally a life long commitment as they live 50-90 years. And people, if at anytime you decide you no longer want your pet or can no longer take care of it, try to find a new home for it and if all else fails take it to a shelter. PLEASE DO NOT just toss it out like so much garbage. Most pets who are tossed out of their homes die a slow painful death from starvation, get run over or are killed in a fight or as food for another animal. I am a firm believer that how we treat animals is a direct reflection on how we treat our fellow humans. Okay, I'm getting off the soapbox now. Any comments from the Peanut Gallery??
Barbequed Mushrooms with Avocado Serves: 4 person(s) Preparation Time: 15 mins Cooking Time: 12 mins Yield: 4 x mushrooms
A mushroom dish perfect for brunch or an alfresco lunch!
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp olive oil 3 cloves garlic, crushed 2 small red chilis, finely chopped 2 Tbsp thyme leaves 4 large flat mushrooms, stalks removed 1 salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 4 slices pancetta 1 small avocado, flesh mashed 2 Tbsp lowfat sour cream
Directions:
Preheat a barbeque plate or char-grill on medium-high heat. Combine oil, garlic, chilis and thyme in a small container. Brush over both sides of each mushroom. Season mushrooms with salt and pepper. Set aside for 5 minutes.
Place pancetta onto barbeque plate or char-grill and cook for 1 to 2 minutes on each side or until golden. Remove and set aside.
Place mushrooms flat-side down onto barbeque plate or char-grill and cook 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until just tender.
Meanwhile, combine avocado, sour cream and salt and pepper in a small bowl. Mix well.
Place mushrooms onto serving plates. Top with avocado mixture and pancetta. Serve immediately.
Variations: If available, nonfat sour cream can be used to further reduce total fat.
Cocoa Yogurt Berry Surprise Serves: 1 person(s) Preparation Time: 10 mins Cooking Time: 0 mins
This rich, dark-chocolate, berry treat is not only delectable, but is also a good lowfat, low-calorie source of flavonoids.
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder 1/2 cup plain lowfat yogurt 1 tsp sugar 1 tsp pure vanilla extract 1/2 cup mixed berries, fresh or frozen (if frozen, allow to thaw)
Directions:
Mix the cocoa powder with the yogurt. Stir well until smooth. Add sugar and vanilla, and stir into the cocoa yogurt mixture. Lightly stir in berries. Serve.
Grilled Salmon with Avocado and Bean Salad Serves: 4 person(s) Preparation Time: 10 mins Cooking Time: 20 mins Yield: 4 x small fillets
A unique and delicious way to serve fish.
Ingredients:
7 oz green beans, fresh or frozen 12 small baby red gourmet potatoes 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced 0.40 tsp wholegrain (natural) mustard 1 Tbsp olive oil 4 oz avocado, peeled and sliced 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice 4 small salmon fillets (about 4 oz each, raw) 1 pinch freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
Boil or steam beans until bright green and tender crisp. Refresh under cold running water. Drain well. In a separate saucepan bring water to boil; place potatoes in boiling water. Cook until tender. Drain. Add parsley. Keep lid on saucepan.
Preheat grill on medium-high. Place the beans and onion in a medium bowl. Add mustard and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Add avocado slices, sprinkle lemon juice over and toss gently to combine.
Spray the salmon fillets with cooking spray and season with pepper. Cook on preheated grill for 1 to 2 minutes on each side, or until cooked to your liking.
Divide the bean salad among serving plates and top with the salmon. Serve with boiled potatoes.
Cut the spareribs into small pieces (your butcher at the local grocery store will probably do this for you free of charge). Mix spareribs together with cornstarch, rice wine or sherry and curry powder. You can marinate the ribs for a couple of hours to make the taste stronger. Remove ribs from the marinade and deep fry in hot oil for about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Pour out all but just a coating of the oil from the pan/fryer in which you cooked the ribs. Over medium heat, add the onion and garlic and saute for a few minutes. Then add sugar, soy sauce, peppers, sesame seed oil and tomato paste and stir to make a smooth paste. Add the spareribs to the paste, mix well to coat the ribs and then serve. You can add some more soy sauce and sesame seed oil to increase the amount of sauce. You could also add some of the rice wine or sherry for the same purpose.
The Skinny: You could use your favorite sugar substitute but there really isn't much sugar in this recipe. You could also cook the ribs in the oven instead of frying them.
Main Course: Chicken Succotash Pie 3 cups cooked chicken, chopped 1 can (10 and 3/4 ounces) cream of celery soup, undiluted 1 can (10 and 3/4 ounces cream of chicken soup, undiluted 1 jar (6 oz.) sliced mushrooms, drained 1 cup frozen lima beans, defrosted 1 cup frozen corn, defrosted 2 tsp. lemon juice 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce Salt and pepper to taste 3/4 cup to 1 cup of chicken broth 3 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and sliced 1/3 cup butter 2 and 1/2 cups self-rising flour 1 and 1/2 cups milk
Preheat oven to 435 degrees. In a large bowl, combine chicken, celery soup, chicken soup, mushrooms, lima beans, corn, lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce. Add about 1 cup of chicken broth or just enough to make the mixture nice and creamy. Pour into a greased 13 x 9-inch baking dish (substitute a 3-quart casserole dish). Place egg slices on top of the chicken mixture. In another bowl, mix butter with the flour and blend in milk and salt and pepper. Spoon dough evenly over mixture in baking dish. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes or until crust is nicely browned.
The Skinny: Use fat free chicken broth and low fat milk. You can also leave out the eggs.
Dessert: Chocolate Buttermilk Pie 3 ounces chocolate 1 9-inch prepared pie shell 3 eggs 3 egg yolks 1 and 1/2 cups buttermilk 4 Tbsp. butter, melted Juice of 1 lemon Zest of 1 lemon 1 tsp. vanilla extract 1/2 cups brown sugar 1 and 1/2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
Bake pie shell in 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes. Allow to cool. Melt chocolate in a double broiler. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly, then spread chocolate evenly around surface of pie shell. Whisk together eggs, egg yolks, buttermilk, butter, lemon juice and zest and vanilla. Combine sugar and flour together and slowly add to the egg and buttermilk mixture. Pour mixture into a saucepan and cook over medium heat for about 5 to 7 minutes or until thickened. Pour mixture into pie shell and bake for about 30 minutes at 350 degrees. The custard will set up while cooking and should firm up as it cools.
The Skinny: Whew....that's quite a few eggs. Use egg substitute or a combination of some real eggs and some substitute. Use your favorite sugar substitute.
