The "S" Word

Superbowl Sunday.  Packers vs. Steelers.  Whoop-de-doo.

You'll notice I did not punctuate that with an exclamation point. 

That's because I could care less about football.  I don't want to hear any grief about it, either - that's just the way it is.  I know many of you ladies out there LOVE the game (more power to you), but not me.  The same holds true for baseball, as evidenced by the fact I once gave away my ticket to a World Series game because I had no interest in going.  To this day, Henry is still in disbelief over that one.

I would admit to the fact that I watch the Superbowl  for the ads alone, but then you will think I am shallow, so I'll just keep quiet and tell you that what I really like about Superbowl Sunday is cooking for it.  What are you making this Sunday?  Guacamole?  Chili?

Fortunately for Henry, we've been invited to watch it with a group of friends, so he will have the luxury of being around people who actually like football.  And yes, chili is on the menu and no, I don't have to make it.  Instead, I'm working on what to serve alongside it.

Cornbread is an obvious choice and yes, I went there, baking up three separate batches of it today.  I'll post those results shortly.  But I also wanted to push the envelope a bit and come up with something a little less traditional.  That translated into Savory Cheese Biscotti.

These are crunchy, savory little bites that go well with chili but would be equally good as an appetizer with a nice glass of wine (or two).  You can make them several days ahead or you could even shape the dough and freeze it unbaked.  No need to thaw before baking, either.  It can go straight from freezer to oven.  How forgiving is that?

SAVORY CHEESE BISCOTTI (adapted from "The Minimalist" Mark Bittman)

2 1/4 cups all-purpose, unbleached flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon heavy cream
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Set aside.

Mix dry ingredients in a medium bowl.  Place eggs in the bowl of a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and beat until thick and creamy, about 5 minutes.  Change to the paddle attachment and blend in grated cheddar.  Add dry ingredients and blend just to combine.  Turn out onto a floured surface and knead briefly until mixture comes together.

Divide dough in half and shape each into a 10-by-3-inch log.  Flatten tops and even out sides.  Chill for at least 30 minutes before baking.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350-degrees.  Brush logs with the egg/cream mixture then sprinkle the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano evenly over the top of each log.  Bake for 30 minutes until just lightly browned, but not baked completely.  Remove from oven and cool 30 minutes.

Slice logs into 1/2-inch slices.  Place slices on the baking sheet and return to the oven.  Bake until firm and lightly browned, about 15-20 minutes.  Cool on a rack before serving.

Yield:  3 1/2 to 4 dozen pieces

I'm writing this right now and I know there is a bag of these tightly sealed up, stored in my pantry, just waiting for Sunday.  Think anybody will miss just one???????

FRIED YAM

Ingredients:

Yam ....... 200 gms.

Garlic ..... 1 small pod

Ginger .... 1 small piece

Curry leaves .. 2-3 sprigs

Coriander leaves .. handful

Green chillies ..... 2

Salt ..... to taste

Turmeric powder... 1/4 tsp.

Coriander powder ... 1 tsp.

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

Tamarind juice ......... 4-5 tbsps.

Oil

Method:

1. Peel and cut the yam into thin slices. Boil it in a pan adding water.

Drain and let it cool

2. Coarsely grind the curry leaves, coriander leaves, ginger , garlic and the green chillies.

3. Add the tamarind juice and the dry masalas and salt to taste.

4. Coat the yam with the prepared masala and marinate for 2-3 hours.

5. Shallow fry the slices using very little oil.

This goes well as a side dish with dal chawal.

San Diego Bay

... taken yesterday with my Droid 2.

Roast Chicken with Broccoli and Cheese Crumble and Pan Roasted Baby Potatoes

Last night on this blog, I included a small section about how to easily find healthy recipes to suit your personal tastes. Purely off the top of my head, the three food ingredients which I used in the example were chicken, broccoli and cheese. A couple of hours after publishing the post, it occured to me that I should provide my own option to suit the example. So, today we have my healthy eating option incorporating chicken, broccoli and cheese...

Ingredients per Person

1 chicken breast quarter portion
1/2 small head of broccoli
8 to 10 small new potatoes
1 slice of bread
2 oz cheddar cheese (or other hard cheese)
1/2 tsp dried sage
Salt and black pepper
Butter for greasing baking dish

Method

The potatoes have to be firstly cooked by boiling. They should be washed and added to a pot of cold water, placed on a high heat until the water boils and the heat reduced to achieve a simmer for half an hour. The potatoes should then be drained and added to a pot or bowl of cold water to cool. The expansion/contraction process helps to make the skin later easier to remove.

The chicken portion should be baked in the oven on a baking tray. The oven should be preheated to 400F/200C/Gas Mark 6 and the chicken put in for half an hour to cook and then the oven turned up to full for five to ten minutes to crisp the skin. It is imperative to check that the chicken is fully cooked after this time. The easiest way to do this is to pierce the thickest part of the flesh with a skewer and then press down over the hole you have made to ensure the juices run clear and that there is no trace of red, or even pink. Cover the tray with tinfoil and set it aside for the chicken to rest.

The broccoli should be split in to florets and added to a pot of boiling, slightly salted water for ten minutes. While the broccoli is simmering, the bread and cheese should be grated and mixed with the sage and some black pepper in a bowl.

The broccoli should be drained and added to a small oven proof dish, lightly greased with butter. The crumble mixture should be spread evenly over the top and the dish placed under a hot overhead grill for around five minutes.

The potatoes should peel easily simply by rubbing them with the ball of your thumb. They should then be deep fried for around five minutes until beautifully golden and drained on kitchen paper.

The broccoli and cheese crumble should be removed from under the grill and carefully slipped out of the dish with a fish slice on to a plate. The chicken and roasted baby potatoes can then be served alongside.

This Is Totally Cool

... and part of an inside joke we have at work.

Snowy Day

Today is my fourth day off work for ice and snow. The streets are just too messy to drive on. You know it's bad if Plano ISD is closing for it's fourth day. I'm ready to go back to work and see my kids, I'm really missing them. The dogs and I are huddled under the covers trying to stay warm. Later this morning I might attempt to go to the gym and workout. I need to burn some calories!

Here's a peak of what our backyard looks like this morning.



The snow looks beautiful in our backyard.



Here's my sweet Madison after she played in the snow this morning.

Stay warm if you're covered in snow!

Elections Were Held In The Confederacy, Too

As we rush to embrace democracy in Egypt, it's worth noting that the results of democracy are only as good as the society practicing it. If, for example, your society believes that Sharia Law should play a key role in politics, you might end up with something quite different than the liberal, enlightened democracy we all crave here in the West.

According to the survey, majorities in Pakistan, Egypt, Jordan and Nigeria would favor changing current laws to allow stoning as a punishment for adultery, hand amputation for theft and death for those who convert from Islam to another religion. About 85% of Pakistani Muslims said they would support a law segregating men and women in the workplace.

Muslims in Indonesia, Egypt, Nigeria and Jordan were among the most enthusiastic, with more than three-quarters of poll respondents in those countries reporting positive views of Islam's influence in politics: either that Islam had a large role in politics, and that was a good thing, or that it played a small role, and that was bad.

Infidels beware.

Cracker Jack Day!

On the drive home last weekend, I noticed some antique stores and flea markets.

Having no males from my family in the car with me, I knew I had to seize the day.

Each state  we have lived in has such a unique cultural identity.  

Often its pronounced.  

Or, its a little more subtle.  

In Texas, its pronounced.  

Definitely pronounced.  

I stumbled across this antique store... 

With a sign out front like "Whoa Here", how could I possibly resist.  

Armadillos.  Interesting.  As I stood staring at them, strangely, they began growing on me. Weird. I do love discovering new things.

Is pink in your color palette?

So many bloggers show their incredible, unique, awesome finds from forays like today's.

Could this piece count?  

Is there a design spot for this statement?

Oh silly, silly me... I decided to continue on inside of the shop.

Oh my!  Oh my! 

Cracker Jack incredible!

I began panting hard with giddiness. 

The shop was FILLED with Mexican Talavera pottery.

I LOVE Talavera pottery from Mexico.

Wow.

I so enjoy discovering new places each state has to offer.

It was truly like finding the toy at the bottom of the box of cracker jacks!

I patted the tin armadillo as I trotted out with these beautiful finds.  

They are now mine!

Blue and White Talavera pottery from Mexico

FISH CUTLETS

Ingredients:

Fish - 250 gms
Refined Flour - 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Onion finely cut - 2 tbsp
Greenchillies finely cut - 1 tbsp
Coriander Leaves - 1 tbsp
Red Chilli Powder - 1 tsp
Coriander Powder - 2 tsp
Garam Masala - 2-3 tsp
Juice of 1 lemon

Method:
1. Boil the fish in a little water with salt and turmeric powder for about 15 minutes.
2. Remove, drain & allow to cool.
3. Remove all the bones from the fish and mash the flesh.
4. Add salt, flour, garam masala, red chilli pdr, coriander powder, onions, green chillies, coriander leaves, juice of 1 lemon and knead well so that all the ingredients mix evenly.
5. Make small lemon sized balls and flatten them slightly.
6. Deep fry on medium flame until golden brown and serve hot.