Is it Spring yet?

Well, no.  Even though our temps came close to 60-degrees today, snow and freezing temperatures are predicted for tomorrow.  Are you kidding?

I'm tired of oven roasts, braises, soups, stews and root vegetables. Mind you, I like all that stuff, but I am ready for a change.  Spring salmon, asparagus, rhubarb, baby vidalias, strawberries ... bring 'em on!!!

Such was my mood today when I perused Whole Paycheck Foods in search of dinner for tonight. 

I wasn't very PC about what I bought.  I came home with King salmon (wild, but previously frozen) and zucchini (from Chile - ouch).  Uh, Liz -- aren't you a proponent of food that is local and sustainable?  What were you thinking?

What I was thinking was cedar-planked salmon and my favorite no-brainer baked zucchini.  Come on folks, it's Monday night.  Cut me a break here!

So that was dinner.  Along with some leftover penne with pesto that we ordered from http://www.zifty.com/ last night when I was too tired to cook after our drive home from Durham.  Tonight may have been one of those Monday-night-we-have-to-slop-the-hogs dinners, but it wasn't bad.  In fact, it was quite good.  Try it yourself when salmon and zucchini are actually in season.

CEDAR-PLANKED SALMON

1 cedar plank (available here at Whole Foods)
Salmon fillets, skinned and boned
Extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Soak plank in water for at least 30 minutes, more if possible.  (I soaked mine for 2 hours)

Brush salmon with olive oil, then season generously with salt and pepper.

Preheat grill to high heat.  Place soaked plank over coals, close lid and wait for 5 minutes or just until smoke starts to form.  Place salmon on plank, close grill lid and cook for 5 minutes.

Remove plank to an ovenproof baking sheet and let sit for a minute or two for smoke to subside before you bring it into your house.  (Otherwise, your smoke alarm will go off and the fire trucks will show up.  Trust me, I know about this).

Note:  this is even better if you serve it with grilled lemons and limes.  Just cut the desired number into halves, brush with olive oil and grill briefly (about 5 minutes over hot coals).  They emerge juicy, fragrant and perfect with your salmon.





ZUCCHINI SO GOOD EVEN YOUR KIDS WILL EAT IT

6 zucchini, halved lengthwise then sliced into 1/4-inch half moons
1 red onion, halved and thinly sliced

2 teaspoons dried oregano
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 28-oz. can diced San Marzano tomatoes, drained
1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
2 T. extra-virgin olive oil (optional)

Preheat oven to 350-degrees.

Grease a 13x9 inch baking pan with olive oil or baking spray.  Place half of zucchini in pan then layer over half of the sliced onion.  Crumble 1 teaspoon of the oregano over and season well with salt and pepper.  Scatter half of the tomatoes over and sprinkle with half of the cheese.  Repeat layers.

If you want to add some extra flavor and calories, drizzle with the olive oil.  (I don't).  Bake for 45 minutes or until bubbling and top is lightly browned.

Serves 6-8.

Of course, if you are me, you will enjoy it with your salmon and then you will eat it the next day for breakfast.  But hey -- that's just me!

Perkembangan Bayi bulan 12

Akhirnya mencapai satu tahun :)

Bagaimana aku tumbuh:

• Aku sebenarnya bisa berjalan, tapi aku lebih memilih merangkak, karena itu lebih cepat.
• Selagi berjalan, mungkin aku akan melakukan hal lain, seperti melambai kepadamu atau membawa selimut kesayanganku.
• Aku berdiri dengan mengangkat tubuhku dari posisi jongkok.
• Jika ada kesempatan, aku bisa memanjat dan menuruni tangga.
• Aku bahkan bisa memanjat keluar dari boks bermain atau boks bayiku.
• Aku bisa membuka tutup botol dengan tanganku.
• Aku bisa memegang suatu benda dengan salah satu tanganku, sedang tanganku yang lain melakukan hal lain.
• Aku menggunakan jari telunjukku untuk menunjuk sesuatu.
• Aku belajar berpakaian sendiri, namun aku belum terlalu pandai melakukannya.
• Aku bersikeras untuk makan sendiri, tanpa disuapi orang lain.

Bagaimana aku berbicara:

• Aku mengulang beberapa kata yang aku tahu, karena itu latihan yang baik.
• Aku mengocehkan ungkapan yang menyerupai kalimat pendek.
• Aku menggunakan kata2ku sendiri untuk menggambarkan benda2 atau orang2.

Bagaimana aku berespon:

• Aku mempercayai orang2 yang aku kenal baik.
• Aku menirukan orang2, bahkan ketika mereka tidak ada disekitarku.
• Aku masih merasa takut bila berada dekat orang asing atau di tempat asing.
• Aku tahu dengan jelas mana yang kusuka dan mana yang tidak kusuka.

Bagaimana aku mengerti:

• Sekarang aku bisa mengingat lebih banyak hal, karena daya ingatku semakin kuat.
• Aku mencari mainanku dan aku ingat dimana aku terakhir melihatnya.
• Aku dapat menyelesaikan masalah dengan mencoba-coba terlebih dahulu.
• Aku dapat mengikuti instruksi sederhana dan memahami banyak hal yang kau katakan kepadaku.
• Aku mempunyai orang kesayangan dan juga mainan kesayangan.

Bagaimana perasaanku:

• Aku mulai memiliki rasa humor, dan menurutku beberapa hal itu lucu.
• Aku masih tidak suka bila harus berpisah darimu. Aku merasa lega bila engkau kembali.
• Aku merasa aman dan senang makan bersama keluarga.
• Aku dapat merasakan dan menunjukkan kasih sayang kepada orang yang kusayangi dan juga mainan kesayanganku.

Bagaimana kau dapat membantuku belajar:

• Menarilah denganku! Aku senang mendengarkan musik.
• Berikan aku sekumpulan mainan untuk kumainkan.
• Bacakan sesuatu untukku.
• Berikan aku instruksi sederhana untuk aku lakukan. Aku senang melakukan sesuatu untukmu.
• Berikanlah aku banyak2 pelukan dan kecupan.
  

Dare to Dream Promo 1 - 31 March 2010

Saatnya mendaftar menjadi Consultant Oriflame!

daftar hanya 9.900 (normal RP 39.900) dengan melakukan order pertama minimal Rp 175.000

dan dapatkan hadiah WP senilai Rp 897.000Bagaimana mewujudkan karir impian Anda?

• mendaftar sebagai Consultant Oriflame hanya Rp 29.900 (normal RP 39.900)
• lakukan order BP pertama Anda minimal Rp 175.000 dan dapatkan pengembalian Rp 20.000
• Anda pun bergabung di Oriflame dengan hanya membayar Rp 9.900!

BONUS WP (Welcome Program)
WP-1

Lakukan order 75 bp dalam waktu 30 hari sejak member baru bergabung,

dapatkan gratis produk Oriflame Beauty Urban Shield Foundation senilai Rp. 99.000,-

(normal hadiah WP-1 adalah Rp. 75.000,-)

WP-2

Lakukan order 100 bp dalam waktu 30 hari sejak member baru lolos kualifikasi WP-1,

dapatkan gratis Twist Eye and Lip Pallete senilai Rp. 299.000,-

(normal hadiah WP-2 adalah Rp. 100.000,-)

WP-3

Lakukan order 125 bp dalam waktu 30 hari sejak member baru lolos kualifikasi WP-2,

dapatkan gratis Enigma Dare to Dream Silver Bag senilai Rp. 499.000,-

(normal hadiah WP-3 adalah Rp. 150.000,-)
Gabung sekarang juga ke group-ku kalo ingin jadi Cantik & punya penghasilan tambahan :) Isi FORM ini yaa.

Positive Tension

Maybe you don't know, but I'm really interested in grafitti art and how you paint it. Maybe next month I'm taking a course about it; I always wanted to learn how to do a great work and if I can afford it, it would be my oportunity!
When I was living at Granada, I ised to follow the works of El niño de las Pinturas, one of the big ones from Spain. I really love his work!

(read more)

Today, Esther gave me this lovely pair of socks from Tutu Anna; she didn't use them so now they're mine! I don't know with wich clothes from my wardrobe they could match... and that's what I love most!!

They're light blue x pink polka dots, but in the picture looks like white.

Anyway, Laia, Esther and I spent the evening together (check Laia's journal for a very funny couple of pics more), and while we were taking a coffee, we painted some funny drawings... 

 

Laia and I made by Esther

Laia made by me.

Don't ask me why, but yes... this is Marilyn Manson wearing nice underwear, and you can see Esther crying, Laia reading a Vogue and me just making fun about it, so hilarious!

Esther, she was really cute!

 

And me with my pirate dress... oh, check my socks!

Dress - Criminal Damage

T-shirt - Oysho

Socks - Claire's (Alice in Wonderland's collection)

Boots - Aces of London

So tomorrow I'm making the expo at my class, finally! I'm so happy about it!

Have a nice Tuesday!

Jonathon Sawyer eats everybody else’s lunch

March 1

Thanks to a groundswell of Jonathon Sawyer fans, the executive chef of The Greenhouse Tavern in Cleveland dominated in last week’s poll, in which I asked you to cast your own vote among semifinalists in the James Beard Foundation Rising Star Chef awards.

Indeed, the young chap, who I must say made a breathtakingly delicious clam chowder at an IFEC event I attended awhile back, took 43 percent of all of the votes.

He was followed by Kevin Gillespie of Woodfire Grill in Atlanta, with 14 percent of the votes, and Sonja Finn of Dinette in Pittsburgh, with 10 percent.

Rounding out the list of five who would make it onto the short list of finalists if the Beard Award judges vote the way Food Writer’s Diary readers did are Sue Zemanick of Gautreau’s in New Orleans, who got 5 percent of the votes, and Timothy Hollingsworth of The French Laundry, who got 4 percent.

Now, was this a plot on the part of Greenhouse Tavern patrons, or possibly workers, to stuff the ballot e-box for Jonathon? Almost certainly — my readership from Ohio jumped significantly last week.

But other restaurants could have done the same thing. They did not.

A total of 85 people participated in the poll. Full results can be found below.

Now on to what I think is the other important James Beard Foundation chefs and restaurant award — best new restaurant.

The other awards are nice to win, but they tend to include a revolving door of favorites, replaced after a time by the protégés of the favorites. But best new restaurant you can only win once. Voting has begun. Click on a button on the long column on the upper right hand part of this page.

Poll results:
Who would you pick from the James Beard Foundation's list of semi-finalists as rising star chef?

Jonathon Sawyer, The Greenhouse Tavern, Cleveland: 37 (43%)

Kevin Gillespie, Woodfire Grill, Atlanta: 12 (14%)

Sonja Finn, Dinette, Pittsburgh: 9 (10%)

Sue Zemanick, Gautreau's, New Orleans: 5 (5%)

Timothy Hollingsworth, The French Laundry, Yountville, Calif.: 4 (4%)

Will Gilson, Garden at the Cellar, Cambridge, Mass.: 3 (3%)

Johnny Monis, Komi, Washington, D.C. 3: (3%)

Sam Gorenstein, BLT Steak at the Betsy Hotel, Miami Beach, Fla.: 2 (2%)

Charles “Chip” Roman, Blackfish, Conshohocken, Pa.: 2 (2%)

Gabriel Rucker, Le Pigeon, Portland, Ore.: 2 (2%)

James Rugile, Venue Bistro, Denver 2: (2%)

Josh Adams, June, Peoria Heights, Ill.: 1 (1%)

Justin Basye, Stella Sola, Houston: 1 (1%)

Casey Lane, The Tasting Kitchen, Venice, Calif.: 1 (1%)

Grégory Pugin, Veritas, New York City: 1 (1%)

Justin Aprahamian, Sanford, Milwaukee: 0 (0%)

Benjamin Bailly, Petrossian, West Hollywood, Calif.: 0 (0%)

Vanessa Garcia, Restaurant Charlie at the Palazzo, Las Vegas: 0 (0%)

David Gilberg, Koo Zee Doo, Philadelphia: 0 (0%)

Carly Groben, Proof, Des Moines, Iowa: 0 (0%)

Colin Hazama, Kauai Grill at the St. Regis Princeville, Kaua‘i, Hawaii: 0 (0%)

Perry Hoffman, Etoile Restaurant at Domaine Chandon, Yountville, Calif.: 0 (0%)

Matthew Lightner, Castagna, Portland, Ore. 0: (0%)

Joshua Smith, A Mano, New Orleans: 0 (0%)

Lee Styer, Fond, Philadelphia: 0 (0%)

Sameh Wadi, Saffron Restaurant & Lounge, Minneapolis: 0 (0%)

Cooking 2 Sweet BBQ Chicken

1 Maret 2010, senin

Udah dari sabtu beli ayam, tapi blom sempet bkin, coz sibuk kesono sini, biasa dah mumpung hubby libur, jadi kesempatan jalan. Hari Minggunya, ga sempet bikin juga, coz seharian pergi ke mertua. Hari ini kesempatan bikin dah. Pagi pagi uda nyiapin saosnya, lumurin ayamnya, gw tinggal skitar 1 jam an biar saosnya meresap, trus tinggal di oven deh. Gampang n praktis banget.

Ini gw catetin lagi bahannya..direvisi dari resep asli, soalnya gw cuman bikin 1 kg an doang ayamnya.
Bahan
120 ml saos tomat
100 gr gula coklat, sori ga pny gula coklat, jd pake gula biasa
1 sdm saos inggris
1 sdm mirin
garam lada
1 kg chicken sayap

cara
- campur soas tomat, gula, saos inggris, mirin, garam lada, aduk rata
- panaskan oven 230 drajat, alasin dengan aluminium foil
- cmpur ayam dengan saos
- letakkan ayam, panggang mpe kecoklatan, bolak balik kira2 40 mnit.

Hasilnya lumayan enak, tapi hubby bilang kemanisan..huaaaaaaaaaaaa....'kawatta aji' yang artinya, rasanya lain dari pada yang laen...na lho...ga tau dah. Tapi kalo gw bilang si lumayan enak, anak2 juga bisa makan.