Holiday Gift Giveaway Hop - Two $5 Amazon.com e-cards

I am very excited to be participating in the Holiday Gift Giveaway Hop hosted by Simply Stacie. Thanks for stopping by my blog and entering! This giveaway is for US residents only!

So what is up for grabs? Not one, but two $5 amazon.com e-gift cards! I will be choosing two winners, so you have double the chance at wining! Since this is an e-gift card, upon wining, you will receive the code through e-mail to use at checkout when ordering on amazon.com! Here is how to enter!

Main Entry:
Follow Golden Reflections publicly on Google Friend Connect and include your e-mail in your comment. (1 comment, 1 entry).

Extra Entries:
Follow Golden Reflections on twitter. Please include your twitter account name. (1 comment, 1 entry)
Grab my button and place it on your blog. Please include a link to your blog. (2 comments, 2 entries)
Vote for Golden Reflections on Picket Fence Blogs. (1 comment, 1 entry)

All entries will be verified before two winners are selected. In the event that one person wins both cards, another winner will be randomly selected by random.org Winners will be sent an e-mail and have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is selected. This giveaway closes on December 5 at 11:59pm EST.

Thanks for entering and good luck!

Be sure to check out the rest of the Gift Giveaway Hop!

Christmas Cards

These are my attempt to make my own Christmas Cards this year. I can't take too much credit, considering they came as a pack, however I did come up with the compositions. Scrapbooking and paper crafts really are such a fun thing to dabble in. The creative juices are endless, and I find that the more I dabble, the better I get. Anyhoo...this was a fun project, I just hope the receivers enjoy them as much

as I did in making them.

GWAR JI BHAJI (Sindhi)

Ingredients:
Gawar (cluster beans) ..... 1/4 kg

Anardana ..................... 1 tbsp (crushed)

Coriander powder ......... 1 tsp

Cumin powder .............. 1 tsp

Red chilli powder ......... 1/4 tsp

Turmeric powder ........ 1/4 tsp

Garlic ....................... 6-7 cloves

Green chillies ........... 1-2

Salt .......................... to taste

Oil ............. 2 tbsps.

Method:

1. Cut the gawar into small pieces. Boil it adding salt and a pinch of baking powder to retain the green colour. Drain the water and set aside.

2. In a pan heat the oil and add the crushed garlic and green chillies. Stir fry and add the dry spice powder and crushed anardana.

3. Stir in the boiled gawar and mix well.

Turkey Enchiladas with Chipotle Crema Sauce

 

 

You know what they say about too much of a good thing…after three nights of roast turkey and turkey leftovers, I’m approaching that point.  That’s not to say that I’m quite ready to abandon turkey, but I’m ready to give a break to the roasted, savory flavors of my Thanksgiving meal and traditional leftover recipes.  I love a Thanksgiving dinner and the traditional sides, as do I love day-after Turkey Tetrazzini.  This year, I also made Turkey pot pies. But, now, I’m ready to kick things up a notch.  This menu planning swerve takes us south of the border, or at least up to the border, with a Tex-Mex flair.  In the choice of enchiladas, the comfort food angle of the weekend turkey eating marathon remains.  Indeed, how much more comfort can you get than from cream and cheese?  The difference now is Mexican crema and Monterrey Jack cheese.  But to really interest the palette, to get a little salsa in our step, to get our mariachis moving, we go with chipotle peppers and adobo sauce.  Chipotle peppers are fun, they’re hip, and they even supply a smoky flavor that can continue a Thanksgiving theme.  Enchiladas are fun and easy to make.  So Feliz Day After Thanksgiving!  Serves 4.

    

Ingredients:

½ cup olive oil

1 large yellow onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 cups water

1 chipotle chili, seeded and diced, along with 1 tsp of adobo sauce

1 cup Mexican crema

1 can diced tomatoes, drained

2 cups cooked turkey, cut into ½ inch pieces

salt/pepper

8 six inch corn tortillas

1 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese

    

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.  In a medium saute pan over medium-high heat, add 1 tbsp oil.  When hot, add half of the onions and soften a few minutes.  Add 1 clove minced garlic and carefully add the water.  Boil a few minutes to thicken slightly.  Lower the heat to warm and stir in the crema and ½ to all of the chipotle chili and adobo sauce, depending on desired level of heat.  Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large saute pan over medium heat.  Add the other half of the onions and cook to soften, about 5 minutes.  Add 1 clove minced garlic and salt and pepper as desired for taste.  Add the tomatoes, turkey and ½ cup of the crema sauce.  Stir the turkey mixture and cook a few minutes to warm through.  Lower the heat to warm.  In a medium saute pan, heat the remaining oil over medium heat.  For each tortilla, add one at a time to the oil and cook for 10 seconds.  Turn over the tortilla and cook another 10 seconds.  Then dredge the tortilla through the crema pan, coating each side lightly.  Lay the tortilla in a 9 x 12 inch baking dish.  Spoon several tbsp of the chicken mixture and a tbsp of the shredded cheese into the tortilla, fold the tortilla sides on top of each other and then roll the enchilada over so that the overlapping edges are on the bottom.  Slide the enchilada over to the edge of the dish.  Repeat with the remaining tortillas.  Sprinkle the rest of the cheese over the enchiladas and then spoon out the remaining crema sauce on top of the enchiladas.  Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and starting to brown.  Serve after allowing to cool slightly.
     

Time left for love (Shout out louds)

Yesterday I discovereda new bunch of stencils near the cafe where we always go. I'm a big fan of this kind of street art, and it's good to discover new things around here!

(more here)

I should do a guide with all the grafittis I've found around Barcelona, because I'm always taking pictures of the good ones for me... maybe I'm doing it one of these days.

Today it's been rainig almost all day, so I've stayed at home, writting some articles for Miau Magazine and making some accesories. while I was drinking hot tea... I love hot tea when it rains!

And this is what I was wearing yesterday, almost all was vintage:

 Shirt - Vintage

Skirt - vintage

Boots - Aces of London

Orange scarf - Vintage

This orange scarf is really really old, I think it's from the begining of the past century. It was from the grandmother of my uncle's partner... really old!

And one thing more. Now's official, I'm doing some photojournalism for Vice Magazine. Yesterday they published my first picture, you can see it here! I hope they would publish me lots of pictures!!

What are you doing this week? We've got the Shopping Night Out on Thursday!

Your Euro Debt Pr0n Post of the Day

Bloomberg.

Nov. 30 (Bloomberg) -- Spain’s banks may struggle to refinance about 85 billion euros ($111 billion) in debt next year as costs surge on concern continental Europe’s fourth- biggest economy may need an Irish-style bailout.

“There’s a universal dumping of Spain going on,” said Andrea Williams, who helps manage about 623 million pounds ($968 million), including shares in Banco Santander SA, at Royal London Asset Management. “The fear is that Portugal, Spain and Italy are now in line after what happened in Ireland.”

Freight train.

Pelatihan Tataboga di Sekolah Masak & Akademi Perhotelan - Tristar Culinary Academy

BKM Kroman Makmur Kursus Tahu Crispy

Setelah Badan Keswadayaan Masyarakat (BKM) Suramadu, Kelurahan Tambak Wedi, Surabaya belajar kuliner bersama Sekolah Masak -  Tristar Culinary Institute (TCI), sekarang giliran BKM Kroman Makmur Gresik ikut kursus memasak di dapur TCI Jl Raya Jemursari 234 Surabaya, Sabtu (20/11) siang.
Melalui Kelompok Swadaya Masyarakat (KSM) Bangkit Usaha yang ditunjuk BKM Kroman Makmur, 15 orang warga Kelurahan Kroman Gresik mengikuti kursus masak Tahu Crispy dan Jamur Crispy.

15 warga penerima manfaat program pelatihan memasak ini mampak antusias mendengarkan instruksi dari Mbak Siska yang dibantu tiga asistennya, yakni Prasetyo, Ninin P dan Shinta. Mereka kompak memahami pengenalan bahan hingga tata cara memasak tahu dan jamur crispy yang lezat dan renyah, resep yang diajarkan adalah resep untuk usaha - jualan.
Selain itu, instruktur Tristar Culinary Academy juga membekali peserta bagaimana membuat mayonnaise, saos keju, saos BBQ dan saos pizza, agar nantinya tahu crispy dan jamur crispy yang dijajakan punya banyak pilihan rasa, sehingga nantinya dapat mengundang selera pembeli untuk memesan racikan ibu-ibu peserta pelatihan.

    

 

                                                          

”Kami dari tim Tristar Cooking School all out mendampingi ibu-ibu dari BKM Kroman Makmur Gresik  meracik tahu crispy dan jamur crispy yang layak dibuat secara komersial, tapi sehat bila dikonsumsi anak-anak maupun orang dewasa. Selain lezat rasanya juga renyah lho tahu maupun jamur crispy-nya,” tutur Siska sambil mencicipi hasil ramuannya. Kerenyahan nya juga tahan lama, tidak mudah melempem, karena pada ramuan tepung, ditambahkan tepung Crispioca. Ditemui di sela-sela acara pelatihan, fasilitator kelurahan (faskel) yang mendampingi peserta kursus, Renie Sulistiyowati menjelaskan, pihaknya bersama ketua panitia Sdr. Irwan Sholichul Baktiyar (yang juga ketua KSM Bangkit Usaha, sengaja belajar kursus ini dengan Sekolah Koki Tristar Culinary Institue karena institusi ini cukup dikenal masyakarat terutama sebagai lembaga kursus yang professional.Nah, bertitik tolak dari realitas ini, pihaknya mengajak ibu-ibu untuk belajar masak yakni membikin tahu crispy dan jamur crispy yang belakangan lagi ”in” di kalangan anak-anak maupun remaja untuk makanan ringan (snack). Selain itu, ia juga berharap 15 peserta kursus ini menjadi pioneer di daerahnya, karena mereka kelak dapat menularkan ilmunya kepada ibu-ibu yang lain.Pasalnya, BKM Kroman Makmur dibantu 5 KSM lainnya di Kelurahan Karoman punya agenda enam bulan ke depan, ilmu membuat tahu dan jamur crispy ini bisa ditularkan kepada orang lain. Selain itu, 15 peserta ini diharapkan menjadi contoh dalam menumbuhkan usaha kecil mandiri. Sehingga, dari usaha kecil mandiri itu mereka menambahkan penghasilan untuk meningkatkan kesejahteraan keluarganya masing-masing serta membuka lapangan kerja baru.

Untuk modal usaha, BKM Kroman Makmur menyiapkan pinjaman bergulir dari Bantuan Langsung Masyarakat-Program Nasional Pemberdayaan Masyarakat-Mandiri Perkotaan (BLM-PNPM-MP) Tahap II @ Rp 500.000 kepada ibu-ibu yang punya niat membuka usaha tahu crispy dan jamur crispy.Dana BLM-PNPM-MP Tahap II tersebut selain dialokasikan untuk membekali warga penerima manfaat (lewat kursus memasak), juga disalurkan dalam program perbaikan infrastruktur seperti bedah rumah, program pavingisasi dan kegiatan sosial lainnya. ”Khusus untuk kursus memasak bersama Sekolah Masak & Akademi Perhotelan Tristar, BKM Kroman Makmur mengalokasikan biaya kursus pembuatan tahu crispy dan jamur crispy Rp 250.000 perorang,” terang Renie.   Semoga niat tulus membuahkan hasil, sehingga lahir ibu-ibu mandiri yang tangguh dalam berusaha dan menciptakan lapangan kerja baru yang menguntungkan. (aha) 

Peluang Usaha Jamur & Tahu Krispi dengan Saus Mayo Aneka Rasa.
Kursus Wira Usaha Jamur Crispy, Tahu Krispi & Mayonnaise Aneka Rasa.
Pelatihan Bisnis Usaha Kecil - Cara membuat Makanan Ringan Krispi.
Diajarkan Cara Membuat Tahu Crispy & Jamur Krispi. Peserta juga Belajar membuat Mayonaise aneka rasa, mulai dari bahan dasar minyak & kuning telur yang diemulsikan dengan sempurna.
Resep dengan timbangan tepat untuk Usaha.
 Setelah mengikuti pelatihan ini, peserta pelatihan bisa memulai usaha dibidang penjualan Tahu & Jamur Crispy.
Pendaftaran Kursus:
Tristar Culinary Institute.
Flexi: 031-81639992 - 83109709.
Sekolah Kuliner & Akademi Perhotelan.
Program pendidikan Kuiner & Perhotelan D1. D2 & D3 (berizasah Amd yang diakui pemerintah)
Jln. Raya Jemursari 234 Surabaya.
Telp: 031 8433224-25.
HP: 0817321024. Esia:031-91938824
Kampus Baru:
Jln. Raya Tenggilis no. 68. Surabaya.
Sekolah Kuliner Pencetak Chef.
Sistem Studi: Praktek Setiap Hari.
http://www.tristarculinaryinstitute.com/

Kursus Kuliner Privat & Kolektif  dengan metode peserta praktek langsung membuat produk makanan (Hands On).
Kursus Cara Memulai Usaha Cafe, Resto & Catering.
Belajar Bisnis Kuliner di Sekolah Masak
Fun Kitchen @ Tristar.
Program Ekskul Kuliner & Handicraft untuk sekolah SD - SMP - SMA.
Info: Info: Flexi: 031-83109709. Esia: 031 91938824. Hp: 0817321024.

TERSEDIA KURSUS PRIVAT “CAKE, ROTI, MASAKAN, DAN MINUMAN ALA
CAFE ATAU SESUAI PERMINTAAN”

Kursus Kue: Aneka Brownies Kukus & Oven : Black Forest Steam Brownies, Pandan Steam Brownies, Chocolate Brownies, Cheese Brownies.

Kursus Aneka Minuman (Alchoholic) : Diajarkan meracik dan menyajikan minuman Before Dinner Cocktail : Blody Marry, Cosmopolitan, Margarita, Martini After Dinner Cocktail : Chocolate Bunny, Mud Slide, Black Russian, Chocolate Martini.

Kursus Kue: Aneka Puff Pastry : Soujisbrooth, Apple & Raisin Puff, Cream Horn (Cum-cum). Diajarkan cara memberi lapisan, membentuknya, serta membuat isiannya.

Siomay Bandung, Batagor, Otak-Otak Tengiri Bakar, diajarkan membuat Saus Kacang

Aneka Kue Kering : Nastar, Kastengel, Putri Salju, Lidah Kucing Mocha Keju

Noodle Making : Dasar Pembuatan Mie Basah, Mie kering, Mie Sayur, Pangsit Mie Lengkap, Pangsit Goreng Renyah.

Martabak, Terang Bulan dan Terang Bulan Mini. Peserta langsung praktek

Pelatihan Tataboga: Japanese Food : Chicken Teriyaki, Sushi, Tempura, Chawan Mushi.

Kursus Kue: Traditional Chinese Pastry : Lotus, Jasio Pia, Moon Cake


Pelatihan Cara Membuat: Bebek Peking : Diajarkan mulai dari kulit bebek menjadi crispy, Kulit Lumpia, Daging bebek juga diolah lagi. Peserta langsung praktek

Bandeng Tanduri (bandeng tanpa duri), diajarkan cara mencabut duri bandeng. Bandeng Goreng Crispy, Pepes Bandeng Tanduri, Otak-Otak Bandeng


Pelatihan Cara Membuat: Roti Unyil : Diajarkan 10 macam variasi bentuk dan isi Roti Unyil.

Aneka Ayam : Ayam Kremes diajarkan membuat kremesannya, Ayam Tulang Lunak, Ayam Crispy. Diajarkan membuat sambal ayam kremes dan tulang lunak, serta diajarkan cara memproduksi tepung Fried Chicken resep industri yg crispy tahan sampai 3 jam.

Pelatihan Cara Membuat: Cheese Cake : Blueberry Cheese Cake, Tiramisu Cheese Cake, Chocolate Cheese Cake
Bebakaran Ikan : Ikan Bakar Saus Padang, Ikan Bakar Rica-Rica, Ikan Bakar Saus Pedas.


Pelatihan Cara Membuat: Aneka Pie : Pie Buah/Fruit Tartlet, Pie Lemon, Quiche Lorraine (Smoke Beef)

Siokee, Siobak, Jasio. Peserta Langsung Praktek. Dijamin Renyah


Pelatihan Cara Membuat: Aneka Kue Lapis : Lapis Legit, Moscovish, Lapis Mocha. Peserta langsung praktek.

Aneka Nasi Goreng: Nasi Goreng Tom Yam, Nasi Goreng XO, Nasi Goreng Seafood, Nasi Goreng Jawa

Aneka Roti : Roti Tawar, Hot Dog, Burger, diajarkan juga membuat daging burgernya.
Hokben : Egg Chicken Roll, Breaded Chicken Ball, Ekkado, Toreno Teba (Sayap Ayam)

Aneka Pizza : Supreme Pizza, Italian Pizza, Meat Lover. Diajarkan mulai dari pembuatan roti, Concasse, dan toppingnya. Peserta langsung Praktek
Aneka Steak : Demi Glaze, Beef Rib with BBQ Sauce, Tenderloin with Black Pepper Sauce, Chicken Steak with Mushroom Sauce, Mashed Potato. Peserta langsung praktek.

Bebek goreng ungkep, Ayam Kalasan, Ayam goreng ala Pemuda. Diajarkan membuat Sambalnya.

Es Puter : Rasa Nangka, Kacang Hijau, Kopyor/Degan. Peserta Langsung Praktek.

Aneka Bakso : Bakso Halus, Bakso Kasar, Siomay, Tahu. Diajarkan membuat kuah & sambalnya.

Kursus Kue: Pie Susu (Madam Pie) : Rasa Original, Coklat, Strawberry

Tahu Crispy, Crispy Jamur, Kentang Goreng, diajarkan membuat mayonaise: rasa BBQ, Pizza dan Cheese.

Kue Kering : Choco Chip, Conflake Cookies, Butter Cookies, Choco Claudy

Aneka Mie : I Fu Mie Seafood, Lo Mie, Mie Ayam Jamur, Mie Pangsit Ujung Pandang

Aneka Pudding : Puding Agar Kombinasi, Mocha Sponge Pudding, Watermelon Pudding

Steak Kampung : Demiglaze, Crispy Chicken Steak mushroom, Tenderloin Steak, Chicken Buffalo + Vegetable

Kursus Kue: Aneka Cup Cakes : Green Tea Cup Cake, Chocolate Orange Cup Cake, Mocha Almond Cup Cake. Dihias dengan Cream, Coklat dan Plastic Icing.

Empal Gepuk, Ayam Goreng Lengkuas, Bebek Goreng Kremes, diajarkan membuat kremesan dan sambalnya.


Pelatihan Cara Membuat: Aneka Donut : Topping Glazur, Barliner, Chocolate Nut, Cornflake.


Pelatihan Cara Membuat: Ice Cream Hard: Coklat, Vanilla, Strawberry, Ice Cream Yoghurt. Diajarkan membuat Yoghurtnya

Aneka Seafood: Kepiting Telor Asin, Kerang Batik saus XO, Cumi Crispy saus Tar-Tar, BBQ Udang saus Oriental

Kursus Kue: Special Cake : Opera Cake, Tiramisu, Capucinno Maker Cake

Fried Chicken Crispy & Keriting tahan 3 jam. Diajarkan juga cara memproduksi tepung ayamnya. Chicken Karage, Chicken Katzu, Chicken Strip & Saos sambal botol.


Aneka Cup Cakes : Green Tea Cup Cake, Chocolate Orange Cup Cake, Mocha Almond Cup Cake. Dihias dengan Cream, Coklat dan Plastic Icing.

Kursus Kue: Aneka Muffin : Chocolate, Cheese, Blueberry


Pelatihan Cara Membuat: Yong Tahu, Siomay, Bakwan Goreng Mekar. Peserta Langsung Praktek.

Pelatihan Cara Membuat: Aneka Kue Lapis : Lapis Surabaya ( Spiku ), Lapis Mandarin, Lapis Prune. Peserta langsung praktek.

Tahu Crispy, Crispy Jamur, Kentang Goreng, diajarkan membuat mayonaise: rasa BBQ, Pizza dan Cheese.


Pelatihan Cara Membuat Roti Manis : Mocha Bun, Meat The Cheese, Mushroom Pizza, Taiwan Polo.


Pelatihan Cara Membuat Dim Sum: Hakau, Kaki Ayam, Siomay, Lumpia Kulit Tahu.


Pelatihan Cara Membuat: Aneka Chocolate Praline & Truffle : Rum & Raisin Praline, Orange Cream Praline, Rice Bubble Truffle, Coconut Truffle


Pelatihan Cara Membuat Aneka Salad : Salad Buah, Salad Bar, Shrimp Cocktail, German Potato Salad. Diajarkan membuat mayonaise dan Dressingnya.

Kursus Aneka Roll Tart : Mayo Sausage Roll, Pandan Vla, Tiger Roll. Peserta Praktek Langsung, diajarkan mulai dari cara pembuatan, teknik menggulung rolltart hingga tidak retak.


Pelatihan Cara Membuat: Ote-Ote Porong, Bolang-Baling, Cakwe Udang dan Ayam

Kursus Aneka Bapau : Ayam, Tausa, Kacang Tanah, Kacang Hijau. Diajarkan membuat adonan bapau, adonan isi, dan cara membentuknya.

cooking time ^ayam bumbu saus tiram^

holla sunshine...

sometimes i feel cooking is one of my passion in my life.. hahahaha #lebay..
for the first time i will share one of my best cooking in my sweet kitchen. yes ^ayam bumbu saus tiram^ itu adalah nama masakan yang tertera diatas!! yes i did it girls!! hope u believe that ya!!
buat GIRLS yang pengen buat juga gw bakal share bahan ma caranya...

bahan-bahan:

^ dada ayam filet                    300 gram
^ tepung serbaguna "sajiku"    1 sachet ukuran sedang
^ bawang merah                     5 siung
^ bawang putih                       2 siung
^ bawang bombay                  1 uk. sedang
^ tomat                                   1 buah uk. sedang
^ cabai merah                         5
^ cabai ijo                               5
^ kecap manis                         secukupnya
^ kecap saus tiram                  secukupnya
^ garam dan penyedap           secukupnya
^ minyak goreng                    200 ml
^ minyak goreng untuk menumis secukupnya

cara membuat:
1. - berishkan ayam filet lalu potong dadu ukuran sedang
    - siapkan tepung sajiku serba guna lalu gulingkan ayam dadu di atas tepung
    - panaskan minyak untuk menggoreng ayam yang sudah di beri tepung hingga warna kuning keemasan
      angkat lalu tiriskan

2. -iris bawang merah, bawang putih, bawang bombay, tomat, cabai merah dan cabai ijo stelah selesai
    - panaskan minyak untuk menumis..
    - setelah minyak cukup panas masukkan irisan bawang dan sebagainya beri garam secukupnya
     aduk hingga layu dan sedap lalu beri kecap manis dan saus tiram aduk hingga warna bercampur
     lalu tambahkan penyedap secukupnya setelah itu masukkan ayam yang sudah digoreng tadi lalu
     aduk hingga rata.... and VOILA ayam bumbu saus tiram ready!!!

My Wish

Dear Santa, I would really like a baby Gelino for Christmas. If that's asking too much, I'll take a new iphone and call it good.

A Tiny Take On Wikileaks

Wikileaks is like a high school girl's very personal diary falling out of her backpack at school. In no time at all, everyone is pouring through it to see what she wrote about them. Every tiny criticism is blown out of proportion and the girl has to go into full-time damage control mode.

Elsewhere, Dean isn't impressed by the whole thing while Secular Apostate is less sanguine.

WORLD'S HEALTHIEST FOODS...add them to your daily diet!

Menu Plan Monday

It's Menu Plan Monday again? This past week was so crazy with Thanksgiving. We ended up driving to 3 different locations with a concert thrown in, in the middle of all of that! I am so glad to be back home and somewhat back to normal! The only big thing we have this coming weekend is our annual holiday dinner at church, which should be a lot of fun!

So here is my menu for this week!

Monday - Tomato soup
Tuesday - Sun-dried tomato pasta salad with capers
Wednesday - Curry Tofu on Rice
Thursday - Sloppy Joes with griller crumbles
Friday - Baked fish with lima beans
Sabbath - Italian Potatoes with sandwiches
Sunday - Holiday dinner @ church

Have a great week!

This post is linked to Menu Plan Monday on Orgjunkie.com

Lemon, Rosemary and Thyme Roast Chicken with Roast Potatoes

Roast chicken is a magnificent dinner dish at any time of year but especially on a cold, snowy night. The problem I often find with roast chicken, however, is that too many people over-complicate the roasting process. There is often too much emphasis placed on how to season the chicken, how and whether to stuff it and even how often to baste it. The preparation method I have used for this lemon, rosemary and thyme roasted chicken truly could not be much simpler and I hope to convince you that roasting a chicken need not be much more complicated than would have been boiling the egg from which it once hatched...

When roasting this chicken, I used simply the following:

1 4lb free range, organic chicken
1 whole, fresh lemon
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 tsp dried thyme

While the oven preheated to 375F/190C/Gas mark 5, I submerged the lemon in a pot of boiling water, where I let it simmer for ten minutes. I put the rosemary and thyme on a dessert spoon, which I then carefully inserted in to the cavity of the chicken and gently shook it around, to disperse the herbs as evenly as possible. After ten minutes, I removed the lemon from the water with a fork and held it in place on a chopping board in this way while I carefully pierced it several times with another fork. I then put it in to the cavity of the chicken and the chicken on to a non-stick baking/roasting tray. Heating the lemon in this way has the effect of causing the juices to escape and steam heat the chicken from the outset of the cooking process. I then put the tray in to the oven - no salt, no butter, no oil - for twenty minutes per pound and twenty minutes over, in this instance one hour and forty minutes. I did not baste the chicken, nor open the oven at all while it was cooking.

The roast potatoes which I served with the chicken were roasted in the fat of the chicken but do require to be cooked beforehand. They are small, new potatoes, so I added them (washed but unpeeled) to some cold, salted water as soon as the chicken was in the oven and brought the water to a boil. I then reduced the heat to allow them to simmer for half an hour. They were then drained and submersed in cold water until a few minutes before the chicken was ready. This process serves to expand and then contract the flesh, leaving the skins easily removable by hand. This takes seconds per potato as it literally just slips off the flesh by rubbing it with your thumb and should be done immediately prior to removing the chicken from the oven, otherwise the potato flesh will start to go black.

When the chicken is removed from the oven, it must be left to rest. If you are not using the chicken fat to roast potatoes, simply leave the chicken in the roasting tray and cover that with foil. If you are using the tray and fat to roast your potatoes, transfer the chicken to a heated dish, cover it with foil for fifteen minutes and leave it alone. Add the potatoes to the fat, swirl them around and stick the tray back in to the oven for around fifteen minutes.

When the chicken has rested, you may wish to carve it in a traditional sense. I prefer not to, especially with such a small bird. I like to separate it in to breast fillets, legs and thighs and wings. I do this with a sharp carving knife by cutting through the skin and flesh and the leg/thigh and wing joints before pulling them free and serving them as a choice of chunky and enjoyable chicken pieces. The way I do this is pretty similar to the way in which I butcher a whole chicken.

The skinned potatoes will take about fifteen to twenty minutes to cook in the chicken fat, which is perfect timing for carving (in whatever form) and serving your chicken. The peas are frozen and were simply added to boiling water for a few minutes before being drained and served immediately.

Cheezburger of the Day

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Turkey Pancetta Pot Pies

   

   

What to do with leftover Thanksgiving turkey is a problem I like to have - so much so that I bring it on myself.  I am one of those people (are there others like me?) who actually buys a bird a few pounds larger than I need just so that I have extra meat for leftovers.  I’m not talking about making sandwiches later Thanksgiving evening.  I’m talking about multiple meals in following days.  In recent years, I have made a Turkey Tetrazzini the day after Thanksgiving (see Cook to Grow, Nov ‘09).  This casserole with slivered almonds and parmesan provides a salty, nutty, toasted taste to turkey leftovers.  This year I added this Turkey Pancetta Pot Pie recipe for Saturday night.  Pot pie of course is one of the great comfort foods.  The recipe, originally from Giada di Laurentiis, adds the earthy, savory flavor of unsmoked pork to the mix.  This weekend, I used prosciutto instead of pancetta because that is what I had on hand.  I also saved time by using a premade pie crust instead of making a homemade crust.  After all, part of the comfort of the rest of the Thanksgiving weekend is no longer slaving in the kitchen.  Serves 4.  Next up, Turkey Enchiladas with a Chipotle Crema Sauce…

   

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil

4 oz diced pancetta

1 tbsp butter

1 shallot, chopped

2 medium carrots, diced

1 1/2 tbsp dried thyme

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

¼ cup flour

2 ¾ cups low-sodium chicken broth

¼ cup cream

3 cups roasted turkey breast meat, cut into 1/2” pieces

1 cup frozen peas

1 sheet premade pie crust, thawed in refrigerator

   

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.  In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat.  Add the pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 8 minutes.  Remove the pancetta to a plate lined with paper towels and add the butter to the pan.  Add the shallots, carrots and thyme.  Add the salt and pepper and cook until softened, about 6 minutes.  Stir in the flour to make a roux and cook one minute.  Add the chicken broth and whisk to remove the lumps.  Turn up the heat to high and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally until the mixture thickens, about 3 minutes.  Add the cooked pancetta, cream, turkey and peas and simmer a few minutes to heat through.  Ladle the mixture into ramekins.  Roll out the pie crust dough and with a round cutter or knife cut circles a little larger than the dishes.  Lay each on top of the filling in each dish and press down the edges slightly.  Cut a slit in the top of each to allow steam to escape.  Bake in the oven until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbling, about 25 minutes.  Remove, allow to cool slightly and serve.

   

Link of the Day

The Wall Street Journal has created a fantastic multimedia explanation of the European Debt Crisis' results. Check it out.

Gettin' Into The Spirit

We had a very relaxing holiday week(end). Nathan had W-Sun off that lucky bastard.

Well I guess I did too, except for a little work here and there. After Thanksgiving was

over my neighbors immediately started putting Christmas lights up on their house, and it

pretty much inspired me to get going on it too. 

We aren't putting a Christmas tree up this year, or lights on the house because we won't be here for

the majority of December, so why bother. I did put up the wreath inside, and decorated a bit. I didn't have a fireplace growing up so this is especially my favorite part to decorate. Here's some photos...note that our Christmas tree this year is 1ft. compared to last years 12ft. haha. Sad I know.

Keep in Mind, This Is Just the Beginning

Ireland is saved!* Now on to Portugal and Spain!

Nov. 29 (Bloomberg) -- The cost of insuring against default on Portuguese and Spanish government debt soared to record high levels as an aid package for Ireland failed to reassure investors the region’s debt crisis will be contained.

Credit-default swaps on Portugal jumped 36.5 basis points to 538.5, and contracts on Spain climbed 24.25 to 347, according to CMA...

“The market seems to think it’s inevitable Portugal requests assistance next -- perhaps in January? -- and then after that Spain will be scrutinized with a fine tooth comb over the coming months,” said Jim Reid, head of fundamental strategy at Deutsche Bank AG in London.

Just like the mammoth marital fight that occurs when you and your spouse come to the realization that having 5-digit balances on 6 different credit cards plus a mortgage plus two auto loans means that you're practically bankrupt, this is the part with all the yelling and jumping up and down. Once the screaming has stopped, the bills have to be paid. The real change will occur once priorities are reassessed and you have to live within your means while struggling to pay down those monstrous debts.

* - Well, at least until they realize they can't pay back a $113B loan.

1st day exam and plans after it

yo!
Umm. I just finished my first paper today! It went well. Terima kasih buat Ibu for specially pray for me. =)
1 down, 4 more to go! Semoga semuanya lancar2, Insya Allah.
Allah SWT bless me!
 Hmm. What else?
Hari ini baru beli 10 boxes polaroid films. (Haha borong ni?)
Buat persiapan liburan nanti. But I think I should add more, for post-exam planning! Weee. Habis2 duit aja. Mahal sih. Di indo aja 100 ribu per box, tapi berhubung ini murah jadi yaudah, ambil aja deh since its okay with mom, i go ahead! (Mom always best!)

Cant wait for exam to finish, go play in Pavillion and eat eat and Sunway Lagoon dan balik Indo! Yeeeyy. Miss mommy already though.
Okay. Bye2. See u after exam.
p/s : whoever read this, please pray for me in my exam and I hope God will bless you 10 times more than your willingness! Amin.

ONE LOVELY BLOG AWARD - 3

I am really honoured to receive "ONE LOVELY BLOG" Award from Kurinji. She has a lovely Blog - KURINJI KATHAMBAM, where she not only shares delicious recipes but also Craft and Kolam (Rangoli) designs. Do visit her blog. http://kurinjikathambam.blogspot.com/

I am changing the image of the award and sharing it with some of my friends whose names are listed below. I am a frequent visitor on their blogs.

Dear Friends, this Award is for all of you.

1. Nithu (Nithu's Kitchen)
http://www.nithubala.com/

2.Umm Mymoonah-Ayeesha (Taste of pearl City)
http://tasteofpearlcity.blogspot.com/

3.Akheela (Torview)
http://torviewtoronto.blogspot.com/

4.Soumya (Soumya's Kitchen)
http://traditional-indian-cooking.blogspot.com/

5.Pushpa (Taste as you cook)
http://simplehomefood.com/

6.Prathima Rao (Prats Corner)
http://prathimarao.blogspot.com/

7.Suja Sugathan (Kitchen Corner-Try it)
http://kichencorner.blogspot.com/

8.Roshan (Roshan's Cucina)
http://roshanscucina.blogspot.com/

9.Tahemeem (Tahemeem's Blog)
http://tahemeemshaik.blogspot.com/

10.Bikramjit Singh Mann (Me and My Random Thoughts)
http://mann-bikram.blogspot.com/

11.Punam (Dreamz Forever)
http://punamjr.blogspot.com/

12.Vinita (Doting on Doilies)
http://dotingondoilies.blogspot.com/

The Best Thing I Ever Ate

Sounds like a good title for a show. Guess the folks at the Food Network knew what they were doing when they came up with this one. I hold that opinion because I just happened to catch a random episode of it recently (while I was doing all of that endless Thanksgiving prep) and saw the segment where the “Sweet and Salty Brownie” from Baked was featured.

Sweet and Salty Brownie? Woohoo, right up my alley! I immediately jumped online to find the source of this. I had to get my hands on that recipe.

The geniuses of this creation are Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito who own the renowned Baked in Brooklyn (Red Hook) and another one in my beloved Charleston S.C. I couldn’t wait for Amazon to deliver their two cookbooks to me, so I ran out to my local (sadly, big box) bookstore and bought them right then and there. Sometimes it’s all about immediate gratification, yes?

As you know, I have a pretty extensive cookbook collection and have sworn off buying any new ones. Well, until these two came along: “Baked – New Frontiers in Baking” and “Baked Explorations.” So much for my resolve. I picked up the latter (because it had the brownie recipe in it) and began reading. I will tell you right now that I haven’t been so inspired by a cookbook in a very long time. It made me want to start baking on the spot. You can be sure I will be baking my way through this thing and screw the calories!

Of course, I started with those brownies. Oh. My. God. They are (as advertised) sweet and salty but also intensely chocolate-y, smooth, unctuous, crunchy with salt and altogether orgasmic. Yep. They are that good.  Seriously.

SWEET AND SALTY BROWNIE (from BAKED)

For the caramel filling:
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
½ cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon fleur de sel
¼ cup sour cream

In a medium saucepan, combine sugar and corn syrup with ¼ cup water, stirring them together carefully so you don’t splash the sides of the pan. Cook over high heat until an instant-read thermometer reads 350-degrees or mixture is dark amber in color. Keep a close eye as it can burn in an instant. Remove from heat and slowly add the cream. Be careful as it will bubble up then add fleur de sel. Whisk in the sour cream and set aside to cool.

For the brownie:
1 ¼ cups all purpose, unbleached flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons dark unsweetened cocoa (preferably Valrhona)
11 oz. bittersweet chocolate (60 – 72%), coarsely chopped
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
5 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Line a 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan with heavy duty foil to overhang sides. Grease or butter well.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and cocoa.

In a large pan over very low heat, add chocolate and butter and stir until melted and combined. Add both sugars and whisk until combined. Remove heat and let cool then whisk in eggs, one by one. Add vanilla and stir until just combined. Do not overbeat or your brownies will be cakey.

Sprinkle the flour mixture over chocolate. Use a spatula to fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Do not overmix.

For the assembly:
1 ½ teaspoons fleur de sel
1 teaspoon coarse sugar (I used Turbinado)

Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan and smooth top with an offset spatula. Drizzle the cooled caramel sauce over and use an offset spatula to smooth it over the batter, taking care that it doesn’t come into contact with the edges of the pan or it will burn. Scoop the remaining batter over the caramel layer and smooth gently to cover caramel.

Bake for 30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking. Do not overbake. You can test by sticking a toothpick into the center of the pan. If it comes out with a few moist crumbs, it is done.

Remove brownies from the oven and sprinkle with the fleur de sel and coarse sugar.

Cool completely (I would recommend refrigerating overnight) then remove from pan and cut into squares.

Store in refrigerator. These will keep for up to a week, which is not a good thing if you are trying to count your calories. They will be calling your name every time you open that refrigerator door. Trust me, I know about that.

This brings up an interesting question, though.  What is the best thing you ever ate?  Could you limit it to just one thing?  For me, I'm thinking it might be the first risotto I ever had while sitting outside at a lovely cafe in Venice a million years ago.  Oh, but what about the "Coffee and Doughnuts" at the French Laundry?  Or the fois gras, right out of the wood-burning oven at my friend's farm up in North Georgia?  Or the crudo tasting at Esca in NYC?  Or even the bread pudding in my own kitchen ... or these brownies?

Food for thought...