Save a Turtle for Me !

Turtles are pretty cool, and I like the fact that people are trying to save the Sea Turtle.

I also like to eat turtles--the candy variety.

In one of my last posts,  I gave the recipe for toffee, with chocolate on both sides, which is really, really good.

Sometimes though, I make candy turtles. You know the caramel, pecan, and chocolate kind--you've probably eaten one or two.

I make my own salted caramel sauce to put on ice cream, so it is easy to boil it a little longer to make a thicker consistency as in caramel chews. The link <above> to make caramel on David Lebovitz's site is very informative. The consistency needs to be the same as what is put on caramel apples.  If you don't want to make your own caramel from scratch, you can buy the ones in bags in the candy aisle of the grocery store.  Unwrap them, and heat them so they are melted and soft (usually done in a double boiler).

The recipe I use to make the caramel sauce is below.  ***At step four,  after adding the cream, cook it longer so it will become thicker for chewy caramel.  This may take 5 minutes or more....you may have to try it a few times for the right consistency.  Drop a little on a cold plate, then roll in your fingers and take a bite.

Click here for recipe

To put together the turtles, have ready,  roasted salted pecans, warmed caramel, and warmed chocolate.  When I say warmed I mean it should be thin and fluid, but as it cools down it will harden a bit.

Arrange a parchment paper on a cookie sheet.  Place a teaspoonful of caramel on the paper,  then place 3 pecans into the soft caramel so they overhang on the outside, next, put a swirl of melted chocolate on top of the pecans making sure to center it so that the edges of the pecans are still showing.   Place as many as will fit onto the size of the baking pan, or as many as you can make with your caramel and chocolate.  I make small batches of 10 to 15, but you can decide what you want.

Let the turtles cool and solidify to the point where they can be picked up.  Store them in a covered tin or in a sealed plastic bag.  These can be frozen, or refrigerated, to be used later.  They will have to come to room temperature to be eaten. 

they should look like these when you are done

Sometimes, when I want more chocolate, I start with chocolate on the bottom, then add the caramel, pecans, and chocolate.  The end product is about 2 inches in diameter, big enough to get 2-3 small bites out of each one.

The turtles are easy to make and will impress your friends....if you don't devour them all yourself.


Hope your day is bright and cheery like mine,

I have lots of snow now but the sun is shining brightly. (and my snow removal crew has been here too!)

Mem

Un Petit Morceau

When just a small bit of sugar is needed.....try this.




Put some dried prunes and pecans in the food processor until chopped up.  Roll the mixture into small balls and then refrigerate overnight.  The next day,  melt some dark chocolate in the microwave just till warm.  Now dip the prune and nut balls in the chocolate and place on parchment paper to harden off. 

Store these in a cool place. 


Then.......eat one whenever you have a craving for something sweet.

 

Of course,  you can use any dried fruit and nut for these simple treats.  I put a pistachio on the tops of these.

Enjoy

Mem 

To Meat, or not to Meat....that is

A while back I watched a cooking show where the main dish was seitan....now I was in the dark to what it was....do you know?

I had to do some searching to learn that it is a meat pretender made from wheat gluten.  Apparently it can be found in the vegan aisle of the grocery store.  I've never seen it and I do shop that area.  You can make your own with very little trouble.

I get so curious, I just have to try these things for myself.

I found some recipes online, as well as a box of Vital Wheat Gluten on the shelf next to the sacks of flour at my local food store.  It was really easy to mix the wheat gluten with the seasoned liquid, then knead it for a couple of minutes, and shape it into some patties.  Then, I boiled it in water for 30 minutes, and it was done.  I got 6 patties from the small box.  I put them separately into plastic baggies to freeze for later meals.

The box bought at the store for about $3.00......all protein and no fat

After formed into patties, these needed to simmer in liquid for 30 minutes.

I ate all of them as if they were hamburger patties, although they can be sliced and chopped to use as a meat substitute in stews or stir fries.  To cook as a hamburger patty, I defrosted them and browned them on both sides in a skillet containing a little olive oil.  They were great!  The mouth-feel and chew seemed like real hamburger meat.

My seitan patty on a piece of bread with lettuce and other condiments

I realize many of you will not want to try these, but I'm just throwing it out there anyway.  I made a second batch later on, but baked the raw mixture instead of boiling it.  The last few minutes of baking I brushed the "meat" with a prepared barbeque sauce...this was also good.

***If you are gluten intolerant, this is definitely not for you.


Good online sites to gather information.  I got my first recipe on how to mix the dry powdered wheat gluten from this one.

The second batch I baked,  I used this site.

I haven't tried this burger recipe by Oprah yet but will soon....it looks fabulous.


If you want to get off the ground beef,  try some seitan.

Happy experimenting.....

Mem

Almond Toffee

For many years I have made almond toffee for my family and friends, but this year I didn't for some reason.  

A couple of days before Christmas, I got a request for my recipe for the toffee, so that person could make it as a gift for her friends. She said mine was the best.....wasn't that nice of her to say so. 

My recipe comes from an old Dinah Shore Cookbook, and is fairly simple to do. I like it because it has the fewest of ingredients, and doesn't call for any corn syrup.

My friend, T, made it without any problems.  She was pleased with her results.

If you care to try, the recipe is below: Be forewarned, once you know how to make it yourself, you will find all sorts of reasons to make another batch.


1 pound butter
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 cups whole unblanched almonds
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips  (Ghirardelli)
1 1/2 cups chopped almonds, lightly toasted

In a large, deep saucepan melt butter over medium heat. Stir in sugar and water. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until sugar dissolves and mixture starts to boil.  Boil, stirring syrup until it changes to golden caramel color,  10-12 minutes.  Add whole almonds, increase heat to high, and cook until almonds pop, about 2 minutes.  Pour into a well-greased 15x10x1 inch jelly roll pan and cool.
Melt chocolate in the microwave -No more than 1 minute! -  spread on the top of toffee then sprinkle on half of the chopped nuts right away while the chocolate is still soft.  You will have to wait a few hours or overnight to flip the toffee over in order to spread more melted chocolate on the second side.  Add the chopped nuts on top of the soft chocolate.

I let my toffee boil longer to get a darker color.....but it can burn very fast so you have to keep stirring and watch carefully!!!    

TAKE GOOD CARE AND DO NOT GET ANY ON YOUR SKIN-----this is very HOT!!!!!

I use a wooden spoon.  After you pour it out of the pan, soak the pan in water, and the spoon, it will all melt away without any scrubbing.

Only use real butter,  white sugar, and I add a little salt.  From start to finish it takes approx. 25 minutes until you pour the hot toffee onto the pan.

Good cooking!

Mem






 

Happy birthday....

If my Mom were still with us, she would celebrate her 96th birthday today.

She died 10 years ago,  not long after celebrating her 86th birthday.  It's hard to believe that 10 years have passed....she is very missed. 

She was a fun mom.  She participated fully in her children's lives in so many ways that enriched our lives. Her love of sports got us involved in softball, golf, tennis, football, swimming and skiing.  Mom was good at anything she did....a champion bowler, winning lots of trophies in her hometown league. 

There wasn't anything she wouldn't do for her own children, and all the neighbor kids too.  She flooded our backyard in the winter so we could ice skate, she built a three-ring circus in our big garage so we kids could perform for a crowd, this included grandstands, and a trapeze in the rafters. Mom was probably the best Den Mother for my brothers and their friends, doing projects to earn them many badges. 

Our birthdays, Christmas', and other holidays were approached with enthusiasm, and uniqueness.  I don't know anyone who had a Christmas like the ones my Mom created.  They were truly magical.  She was a good cook and tried to always be creative when making our birthday cakes....long before the fancy cakes we see now days. 

It was at her insistence that we bought a summer cottage so we could have beautiful warm weather fun every year.  She made sure the money could be found to buy speedboats, sailboats, canoe, fishing boat, diving boards, and any other article needed to have fun.  If we were going to be on a lake, then we would learn how to do it all.  Her house was always open to our friends and extended family members. 

Mom was a giver, and wanted to help others in any way that she could.  She often did without so a friend or a relative could have what they needed.  I know some of the things she did for others, but I'll probably never know all that she did. 

On top of all of this, she was very intelligent....not much got past her.  She fought for her rights and the rights of others when she felt they were being impinged upon....she would put together a well reasoned argument which often times changed the minds of her opponents. 

So....this is my Mom.....miss you!

Mem

Not sure....yet

I tried to get back to writing awhile ago, but was informed I had used up all my free memory, or something.................I guess I posted too many photos....I don't know the rules......

so I've not yet made up my mind if I want to pay the monthly fee to continue.

I still enjoy reading others' blogs and making comments.

There's not much to post right now anyway....cold, gray skies, snow....we all know what that's like.
Actually, we've hardly had any snow, just a little dusting a couple of times so far. Anyhow.... I prefer snow to rain, it's so much prettier and more fun when going outside.  My snow removal crew is not making much money yet, but I'm sure that will change before the the winter ends. 

Here's wishing you a wonderful  2013!


Mem

*** I just posted this and it went through.....huh?   Maybe a new year makes the difference, don't really know.  I'll have to continue and wait to see what happens.

Pumpkins, Treats, and Critters good and bad

Well, here we are in the middle of October with the cooler temps, rain, and pumpkins gracing every corner.

I always feel so sorry for the neighbors who get their pumpkins on the porch steps before all the others, why?, because they usually get them smashed right away.  I used to think what a waste, until I saw the squirrels feasting on the mushy pulp....btw, we have way. too. many. squirrels. this year! I have been harboring some really nasty thoughts about them which include guns, poison, and traps.  I have read that I'm not alone in my thoughts, the squirrels mated in abundance last winter due to the very mild temps, so some areas are being overrun by these bushy tailed rats. 

The Bad Critters:

Anyway, enough about squirrels.  Oh wait, did I say that I have the small red type living under my deck, also a few chipmunks, and a rabbit?  After my dog died from old age, she was such a sweetie, the local varmints have taken up residence.  Of course it doesn't help that all my neighbors have dogs to protect their yards leaving mine the most exposed.  A few years ago, I had a family of skunks and a family of foxes who all wintered under my deck...it must be nice there, perhaps I can pipe in some music too.  I called the local "critter removal" guy and he successfully trapped them and relocated them far, far away (I'm hoping!)....at least they haven't  returned yet.

The Good Critters:

Here's a photo of my dog, the big Lab.  The Border Collie belonged to my daughter, but she stayed with me for a long time.    (As I recall, my daughter stayed with me a long time too.)   Someday, I'll post some stories about my animals.

This is a photo of a photo so it's not so clear.  Weren't they just simply the most adorable girls?!

Two of the BEST dogs in the world.  Gone but never forgotten.

Okay, so when I saw the,  thrice run over by the neighborhood teen driver, squashed pumpkin pulp that the squirrel was eating, I got my pail and shovel and scooped up a  bit for myself..."that critter can't have it all",  I said to personne/no one.

Here's what I made:    Pumpkin Bars

These bars have a graham/nut crust with a soft custard-like pumpkin filling.  I decided to do without the extra calories of a nut and streusel topping, and just sprinkled a little powdered sugar when it had cooled down.  If you like moist food, then you'll love these.

 Click here, where another person has already done the searching on the web for you,  highlighting many varieties of pumpkin treats....this will save lots of time, and give you some good ideas.  My bar was basically the #1 on the list but without the topping.  Next time, I'm going to make the #14 on the list, it sounds sooooo yummy.  Hmm, pumpkin AND chocolate.

Good luck in finding your own local source for mashed pumpkin....it might be right outside your door!

Mem



P.S.  I hope you realize by now that I didn't take the squirrel's food.  :-)

Return to simple

"sans greed"



I love Paris and I love great food...

I am fortunate to be able to partake in both....

My first cookbooks were those of Julia Child, where I began to learn to cook and bake.  It wasn't quite like the movie Julie and Julia, but I did a lot of reading and trying.  I had my successes and failures, but I was learning. One of my near misses burned the nylon stocking off my legs!! As I was turning out the creme brule on to a plate, the hot syrup splattered all over my legs.  The dessert survived and I served it to my dinner guests without delay. I didn't tell a soul, but I did excuse myself to go wash off the sticky substance. I guessed that Julia Child would be able to relate to me on that!!

 I learned through the years that keeping it simple was the key.  Simple is all about fresh, top quality, and clean tastes. I try to avoid any processed foods, if at all possible.

I skip the aisles in the middle of our grocery stores....just walk the perimeter for the fresh fruits, meats and fish, and the dairy.  You can be in and out very fast.  Of course for a variety of tastes, the pantry will need to be stocked with spices.  But if you don't have those spices, a hot potato with a good butter melting on top is still super, as Joel Robuchon states in the video below. 

All this is leading up to the video linked below.  The bistro/brasserie is alive and well in Paris.

Great food is available and at reasonable prices.  The food is simple, well executed, inventive and delicious....what more can one ask for.  The up-and-coming chefs are committed to the food and the more casual dining experience, they aren't looking to make a fortune or open many fancy restaurants around the world....we should all be able to go out and find great food, and don't forget the wine. 

I think this Anthony Bourdain episode is one of my favorites, if you haven't seen it before give it a try.  It's 42 minutes of mouth-watering enticement.


I've gotta get myself back to Paris soon!  I'm making my list.....
 

Mem

See it through to the end

Thanks to some of you who still frequent this spot, even tho' I have not.......I've got to do better.


Do you use your food, bones, scraps right down to the last little bit?  I bet some of you are great at not wasting anything.  I'm always trying to improve....

I frequently buy rotisserie chickens when shopping for my meals,  but until recently, I threw away the bones/carcass.  What a waste!  I really love homemade broth/stock for cooking, so now I freeze them until I have enough to make a quart or more.  Of course it's very easy, at least, I keep it easy.

Here's all you need to do.

Put all the chicken bones in a pot and fill it up with water just to the top of the bones.  I add some onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste.  Then, bring it to a boil.  Next, turn the heat down so the water will simmer.  Simmer it for one hour.   That's it!!!

Pour the stock through a strainer.   Put the stock into a container to freeze for whenever you may need it.  The bones from one rotisserie chicken will make about one quart/litre of broth.

 

Here is the strained stock/broth.  It's nice and brown because I throw in the roasted skin of the chicken and any juices that were in the take-home sack.

I don't stop with chicken.....I also make fish broth.

I buy a lot of shrimp...mmmm, yum, I love shrimp.

I cook the shrimp for my dinner quickly in a frying pan with a little seasoned butter and olive oil.  As I eat the shrimp, I save all the shells in a freezer bag in the freezer until I have enough for making about 2 cups of stock.  You can save as much as you want, it won't matter.

Make the stock the same as above for the chicken.   Just add water/wine to the shells plus seasoning, simmer for 45-60 minutes, strain, and freeze. 

** If you want a stronger tasting broth, boil away more of the water.  Make it taste to your liking.

I have about 12-15 shrimp shells in 2-3 cups of water when I started.

At the finish of 45 minutes, I have about 2 cups of broth.

The fish broth above was especially flavorful because I added about 1 tablespoon of my compound butter mixture "Cafe de Paris".

I am planning to make a fish stew using the broth to cook pieces of salmon, cod, and more shrimp.  It will be great with a big hunk of crusty French bread on an upcoming cold evening.

Happy cooking!

Mem

Who was that?

Most of you are too young to remember the masked man and his sidekick,  but when trouble happened, they were sure to save the day!


I count on a couple of modern day heros to help me when I run into problems...well, actually, they are pretty large corporations who have taken my side to solve sticky situations.  It's certainly nice to have them working for me!

Who are they?

Amazon, the giant,  and Apple,  the techie.


A number of years ago, after buying a MacBook on Amazon, plus buying a two yr. warranty, the battery would no longer charge.  My warranty hadn't expired yet but the warranty company wouldn't cover batteries, so I called Apple.  They sent me a new one free of charge ($120).  All I had to do was send my defective one back to them....no problem with that!  Hooray....for Apple!!

However,  when I put in the new battery it wouldn't charge either....hmmmm, must be some other problem....so I called the warranty company again and told them that I still had a problem with my laptop.  They sent me a box to ship it to them, and then told me to check their website for details and that they thought it would be a week to fix and get back.  I checked on the progress every day,  BUT, there was no progress, or updates!  What the #@$%^!

Two weeks later,  I call them and ask what is going on???

They give me the run-around.  I ask for the manager, and he puts me on hold for 20 minutes!  His final word was he had no idea when the laptop would be fixed because the part was on back order.  .........Sure, go ahead and blame the other guy.....

Now I'm really frustrated......so I hang up on him and call Amazon, where I had gotten the warranty in the first place.  (The warranty company was not with Amazon.)

I tell the Amazon person my story,  and that I want my laptop back NOW!  He's very nice and says he'll look into the matter straight away....good.  Just one hour later, he calls me back to say that my laptop will be fixed that very evening, and I'll receive it, by Fedex, the next morning before 10 a.m.   Yea!!!!  My hero.....Amazon!  I did get it before 10!!!  It worked, too.  End of that story.


Another rescue by Amazon, in a round about way.

I buy lots of stuff from the giant....I trust they'll do right by me.

Two summers ago, I bought a weedeater/trimmer.  It had a rechargeable battery pack.  I liked this trimmer and used it mainly to edge my lawn.  It worked well.

This summer I tried to recharge the battery, but, no can do!!  A red flashing light tells me that the battery is defective.....how can this fail so soon??  I've only used the recharging device 3 or 4 times.  I go to Amazon to see what a new battery will cost....$70!....Wow......then, I decide to read some of the 143 reviews on the product.  Long story short,  there are many unhappy customers with defective battery packs.  I'm so glad Amazon printed those comments, that'll give me ammo for getting a free replacement, I hope.

Well,  I phoned the maker of the trimmer, this morning.  I explained about my battery pack being defective (not charging), and how I saw, after checking on Amazon, that I was part of a large group of dissatisfied customers.  The customer service person first asked for the serial number of this product, then quickly took my name and address and said I should receive a new (free) battery pack within 6-10 days!  Very nice, indeed....I think it didn't hurt to throw the Amazon name into the conversation, either.

Thanks, again, big giant, just like the Masked Man, there to save my day!


"Who was that masked man?"

"Why,     that was,     the Lone Ranger." 

  (riding into the sunset, you hear)

   "Hi-O, Silver!"


Those were great episodes....and still are!

Mem

Comfy Cozy

Things are a-changing.....

Nights are getting cooler.....

Time to seek some comfy cozy.....


My nights have gotten cool, maybe even downright cold.  No frost yet, but pretty darn close the other night.  Brave as I am, I didn't turn on the heat.  "Grin and bear it", I said to myself.  It will get much colder before long,  this is just a little blip on the thermostat.

I did, however, reach for my duvet, it was so warm and comfy.  I even started wearing my fleece-lined slippers again after the long summer's break. 

My food thoughts, too, are now turning to comfy dishes, like the ones that simmer-and-stew for hours in the hot oven.  My mother made pot roasts that were to die for,  and Goulash that cooked for hours with tomatoes, meat and onions.  Her Mac n Cheese was like no others', and we ate it with butter melted on top and a sprinkle of sugar. And, how could I forget Mom's Ham and Escalloped Potatoes!

Sooooooo.........

When I read Chez Richard's blog the other day, I was all set to fix his recipe for Creamed Chicken. (Click on his blog title to see the recipe)  I had most of the ingredients so it would be easy to do for the weekend meals....just needed to purchase chicken thighs.  I used half-n-half and thickened the sauce with some corn starch/cold water mixture.  You could also use heavy cream, or sour cream, or a combination of both.

After making it all in an enameled cast iron pot,  I transferred it to a larger casserole dish for keeping in the fridge.

The potatoes, carrots and onions are in there but hiding under the chicken thighs.

I will add, and stick under the broiler, the grated cheese for the top, if I feel like having some, each time I eat a portion, that way the cheese will be freshly browned, and crispy. 

Also, I had some mushrooms that I was going to add to this dish but decided to serve them on the side instead. 

****I found the original recipe at Gourmet Magazine website,  click here.
As you can see from their photo,  I made a lot more sauce.  I guess I added more broth and half-n-half.  I do like sauce!!  Their photo also shows what the broiled cheese on top will look like.

Guess what?

I got so hungry writing the above....and it was lunch time....that I dished up a serving.  As it turned out, I didn't make too much sauce, it just looked that way when the whole recipe was grouped together in one casserole.  I added the cheese on the top and put it under the broiler element for a few minutes.  Ta-da!  What a superbly gratifying meal.

I love these cast iron serving dishes....the food stays hot until the last bite.

Don't you think this looks like a perfectly marvelous repas?

Hope your tummy feels warm and satisfyingly comfy......bon week-end!

        Now for some Football,

                      Mem

On Again, Off Again

Ups and Downs

             Warm, then cool

                                                It's September!



I'm always happy to see September roll around...even though I'm confused as to what to eat, or drink, or wear.

One day it's hot,

then it's cold,

then it's hot again.

The Change of Seasons is good, at least for me it is, it's the transitions that create some problems.  I can't put away the shorts yet for good.  I might have to turn the heat on one night, then the AC next.  When should I call to have the sprinkler system shut down? If there's another hot spell, the lawn will dry out.  Even though I'm still getting vegetables from the garden out back,  I'm feeling the need to make a stew or a big pot of hot soup.


                   Too                    much               back              and                forth!



Once the Season truly arrives,  I guess you could say of me,  I look forward to new beginnings.  I get tired of the 'usual' and I am ready for the next thing in line.

Some people just like to stick with one temperature, and can't abide the others.  My cousin, Gail, is like that.  She prefers the hot and humid all the months of the year.  She's surely not alone.

There are drawbacks to living with 4 Seasons;  I have to be prepared for all of them.

You know:    lawn mowers  and   snow blowers

                                                   parkas    and    shorts

                                                                   flip-flops    and    boots

                                    * the list is long -----   I'm certain you get the picture so I won't go on-----


In spite of the long list,  I still live for the changes.  I feel more alive and energized.

Yea!    Something new!

I don't look back with sadness;  I look to see what's coming, with a smile of anticipation.




My garden is changing,  one flower dies but another one blooms.....I'm ready for that.

The tall stalks of the Obedience Plant now have pretty pink flowers....they wait until Fall to get showy.

I'll have to pull these out soon.

The mums are just beginning to bloom.

The grass has recovered from the dry, hot summer,  but the basil is close to its end.

I had some bad spots in the lawn in the front yard, so I spent yesterday afternoon raking, reseeding, and watering.

I'm looking forward to some new bright green grass shoots pushing upwards in a few days.


Happy Autumn to all!  

Mem

Whoosh, whoosh...

Do you know that sound?


Hello everyone,

 Well today is one of those transition days,  beautiful sunshine but cool in the morning.

As I was lying in bed,  I heard this whooshing noise which was very unusual.  I haven't heard it in a long time... finally, it got the best of me, so with my p-jays on, I went outside with my camera to figure out what was out there,  above my house...

Before I saw anything,  but still hearing the noise,   I saw my neighbors all come out of their houses and start looking around too...

I looked up in the sky through the trees and  saw a great big hot air balloon.... ahh, so that was the noise...

Every September,  one of the real estate companies here in town--- I think it's Remax--- has a big weekend of hot air ballooning,

I tried my best to get several pictures but the trees surrounding my yard were just too high.  I did get one that,  through the trees, you can see the pretty colors of the balloon.

As I stood outside in my pajamas,  I saw and heard several more coming by overhead.  I couldn't get a really good picture, mainly because they were heading east and the sun was coming in that direction.  As you can see, the morning is beautiful!

It got by my house.... but I snapped this just before it disappeared behind those trees.

++++Trying something new:

I'm using the app "Dragon" to dictate my message.  Then when done, I email it to myself, copy it, and paste it in my blog.  It works great and I don't have to type--- I really don't like to type.

I've been using this app for quite awhile now for sending emails...at first it wasn't so good but it's gotten better over time.


Have a great weekend!

Mem

P.S.   Go MSU,  beat  ND!!  (game tonight on ABC)


 I grew up 8 miles from Notre Dame's campus, but went to Michigan State during the 60's.  ND students, after losing to MSU, attacked our band members and destroyed many prized instruments...

......also it was the Ara Parseghian era, when he went for the "tie"....some of the sports fans may remember this or heard about it.  I always cheer for the team that's playing against ND....it doesn't matter who they are!

Read here for all the reporting after the game.

Click on this to read a great recap of MSU's football history.   I went to the  Jan. 1966  Rose Bowl Game.

Can't wait...

Today is the DAY


Is anyone waiting for the new iPhone to debut, like I am?

                               I know it's crazy and materialistic but I can't help myself...



I had the iPhone original #1 in 2007,  then skipped the next two,  but upgraded to the

iPhone 4, then passed on the 4s because it wasn't offering much in new features.... BUT...

now I really want to get the iPhone 5.



I hate that the launch is at Pacific Time (10 am),  that just means I have to wait all morning my time, Eastern Standard Time.  The rumors are rampant...like always...so I just want to know, NOW!

After the announcement,  the WAIT begins.....you know....put in the order as soon as possible....sometimes, they can't handle the onslaught of callers.....then, more waiting.

           Even MORE waiting, as it takes time to fill the orders, like at least 2 weeks minimum.

                                     ENOUGH!   I can't take much more of this....


                                                             By the way,

                                      have I said how much I like the  iPhone?


+++  I just read that they are expecting 75% of iPhone users to upgrade to the iPhone 5.....wow....can they handle that amount?             $$$$$$$ for Apple, Inc.

+++  Did you know that the iPhone alone is bigger than all of Microsoft....now that blew my mind.


                   Well,  I just had to get this out, it's helping me pass the time while I wait.

                                                       
                                                      Will you be getting the 5?

                                                                       Mem

Prune

Most people don't like prunes, but this Prune I'm sure everyone would love.


Prune, the restaurant, in NYC,  is fabulous.  The owner/chef is Gabrielle Hamilton of recent fame for her best selling book,  Blood, Bones and Butter.  The book is predominately about her life as far as food has influenced her.  She's a good writer and has had an interesting life.

She opened the restaurant in 1999 and it has remained at the same location with continued great food and a loyal following.  I ate lunch there a week and a half ago...it was very good.  I chose  a pea dish as my first course which was made with 3 kinds of peas in a little bit of a vegetable stock topped with a sliver of honeycomb. YUM! It was all about the freshness of the peas with the honey highlighting their natural sweetness.  My main dish was a perfectly braised brisket in tomato sauce with crispy fries that were tossed with parsley and Parmesan cheese. That was superb.  The meat was cooked just right, so tender without falling apart or dry, and sliced very thinly. 

the peas were freshness at their finest

this was fabulous...very tender and tasty

ready to begin

Gabrielle is known for the way she prepares sweetbreads. I love sweetbreads but they were not on the menu when I was there.  Click here for a video of the chef.

More videos   This one is with Anthony Bourdain.  This is the 2nd of 3 videos he did with her. I found these on YouTube.

Here's a long interview with Gabrielle about the book.


If you want a delicious meal,  make a trip to Prune.  If you are looking for a good read,  find the book.
 I recommend both!


Enjoy!

Mem

NYC Trip

I'm finding it very hard to get back to writing....but promised myself to get on with it.



A few years ago, my roommate from college and I got reunited with each other, it had been 40+ years since we had last touched base.  We're both pretty much the same, so all went well.

She was the first person I had gone to NYC with....we went there for a week just before we were to start our sophomore year at MSU...now many years later, we return for a week of fun each August.

We meet at the hotel I found online, each of us flying in from different cities in the U.S.  I got there an hour before her, and to my delighted surprise, was informed that our room was upgraded to a suite!  Wow...and no extra costs.  We loved our previous room because it was so big,  even had a fully equipped kitchen and located in a quiet area on E. 56th St. at Park. 

The new room/suite was every bit as nice as the other one, but now we had 2 bathrooms and a huge living room.  I'm not sure why we got upgraded, but I liked that we were.

Living Room

Entrance Hall

Living Room

This year we saw just two Broadway plays,  Newsies  and  Peter and the Star Catchers.  Last year we tried to get in 4 plays, and we did, but it was a bit much in a week's visit.  Last year we saw, Memphis,  Jersey Boys, War Horse,  and  Sister Act...all were terrific. 

My friend is a singer and voice-over talent with her own kids' theater school in SF.  She trained the boy who is the voice of Buzz Lightyear in Toy Story.  (He's now a grown man who lives in NYC.)  We might have lunched with him, but he was out of town.  Each year we lunch with another one of her former students who is acting in plays and still looking for her big break.  I hope it comes sooner than later for her.....she's a super nice young lady...best of luck to you, Rebecca!

We do the 'usual' things while there...plays, shopping, art museums, and eating at new (to us) good restaurants.  This year's places didn't disappoint! hint: one of them was the winner of the James Beard Award in 2011 and the owner/chef has a best selling book on the booklists.  I'll go into some of them in later posts.

The 'out of the usual' thing we did this year was to go to an "open mic" place so Judy could sing...she does this often in SF.  I wasn't sure about it at first, but the whole scene was lots of fun.  We met many super people from all over, and the ones who got up to sing were terrific.  No doubt, we'll return next year.

I love NYC. 


Mem

Just tryin'

I enjoy fooling around with new apps. for my iPhone...

White peonies with white border.

Colors at the lake.

Elizabeth and Tracy

*****taken with the apps Camera+ and  Collage (for grouping and borders)

Hydrangeas with white border.

My flowers with white border.

White border

Kai

Milo

Well known attractions of Paris

"Keep on" exploring and learning .... it's fun!

                                        Thanks for dropping by... hope you had a nice relaxing weekend.

Mem

Raisin Rolls

As I was toiling lazing away doing nothing but trying to stay cool in this scorching heat wave, I suddenly got the bright idea to make raisin rolls (which wasn't so bright after all since I had to turn the oven on and make the house hotter).   I didn't want cinnamon rolls, just homemade rolls with raisins.

I usually throw a bunch of ingredients into a bowl relying on my vast knowledge of recipes, but this time I went to the web to look for one---just for an approximation of quantities. While looking, I found an interesting site by a cook who spoke of a certain method I had never heard of....hmmm,  I didn't do that this time but maybe I'll try it at a later date.  Here's the site with this new method.

Anybody ever heard of the "tangzhong" method for light and soft bread?

Luckily, my rolls turned out very well without using that method.

Here's my recipe:

Proof a packet of regular yeast in a bowl with a teaspoon of sugar and 1/4 cup warm water.

While the yeast is proofing, soak about 1 cup of raisins in water.  (Before using, drain them.)

When the yeast is foaming about 15 minutes later,  stir in 1 egg, 1/4 cup of water, 5 tablespoons of melted butter (use real butter),  3-5 teaspoons sugar,  1/2 cup half&half, and a 1/2 teaspoon salt.  Mix well.

To this wet mixture add  2 1/2 cups of flour.  Mix well, then knead it for a minute or two.  Shape it into a ball and put it back into the bowl with  plastic wrap on top to double in size.  (30+minutes) The rising time was very fast for me because my kitchen was quite warm.

After it has doubled,  punch it down and let it double in size again. (30+mins.)

After doubling for the second time,  turn it out on a well floured counter to knead for a couple of minutes more.

Roll it out so it's about 6 x 10 inches,  drop the raisins on top and press them into the soft dough.  Then fold the dough like folding a business letter in thirds.  Then roll that folded dough out again but not so much. It should be about 4x8 inches and pretty thick. Now, cut the dough into 6 equal pieces.  When rolling the dough with the rolling pin, don't roll so much that you push out the air bubbles.

Roll each piece just a very little with the rolling pin,  then with your fingers, roll the piece up into a small jelly roll and place it into a buttered round baking tin.  Make sure the open end is facing down in the tin.  Place all 6 rolled pieces into the pan (there will be empty space around each piece). It will look like the spokes of a wheel.

Place the plastic wrap on the top and let the rolls rise until almost double in size.  Meanwhile, turn the oven on to preheat at 350 degrees.

Before baking, swab the tops of the risen rolls with an egg beaten together with 1 tablespoon of water.

Bake for 25-30 minutes.  My oven runs on the hot side, so it might take 35 minutes in your oven.

Let them cool before eating.


I ate one after it had cooled and it was very soft and yummy.  I put the remaining 5 in a zip lock bag in the fridge to eat at a later date.  They could be frozen, too.

The next day I sliced one of the rolls from the fridge and put it in the toaster to warm it.  Quite delicious it was with a good helping of butter and raspberry jam.



This first picture was taken after I had just dabbed the tops with the egg mixture.  They have already risen to almost twice their size,  now they're ready to pop into the oven.

These next two pictures were taken right after coming from the oven.

The texture and taste of these rolls remind me of a good brioche or a braided Challah.  It has a little sweetness to it, plus it is buttery in flavor. 


Pictures of the slices, not toasted and toasted, the next day.

As you can see, I like a little bread with my butter!

If you don't want rolls, you could just roll the entire dough jelly roll style and put it into a loaf pan for a big loaf of bread...your choice.

Here's hoping you're having a good week!

Mem

P.S.   The hot weather continues in my corner of the world, each day is at least 92 degrees with yesterday and today reaching 98 degrees...and still no rain to perk up the grass and flowers...

...at this point, we could really use a long steady rain to soak into the parched earth.

****I'm keeping myself perked up with plenty of fresh produce and ice cold glasses of rosé.****

Summer's Pleasures

This is the time for taking a slow walk around the garden.


I love to be up early in the morning with a cup of coffee in my hand strolling from flower to flower, admiring Nature at it's finest.  The other hand held my camera for all these gorgeous images.  There are lots....I got snap-happy...! 

                                             It's a nice place for the birds and butterflies as well.


 I hope you enjoyed a little bit of my backyard.

Have a wonderful weekend...if it's hot, stay hydrated with plenty of skin protection.

Mem