Nailed To My Name: December 2011

Saturday 31 December 2011

Lamb Chops - Presentation

I'm out of cherry tomatoes and Parsley :(

This is what it all looks like when pulled together.

Bon appétit!

I don't eat meat, being a vegetarian but... I sure remember how good these taste :)

Happy New Year Everyone

Glazed Carrots

Never boil your vegetables. You lose vitamins when you do.

Get yourself a Professional set of pots and pans where you'll be supplied with a bain-marie and steamer, as depicted below: where the pot containing the carrots, once covered, goes on top on the one containing water (which will boil and cook your veggies via steam, allowing your veggies to retain all their vitamins)

If you must boil your veggies, keep the water to make a soup or a base with it. That way, you optimize you nutrient intake :)

Ok... On to Glazed Carrots:

Steam your carrots until tender.

Then, in a frying pan, add a dab of butter.

Once the butter melts, add a bit of brown sugar and grate in a wee bit of nutmeg and some fresh cinnamon (not too much! Cinnamon is an overpowering spice - Just as if you were adding salt when you really shouldn't. Follow me? *grin)

Add in your carrots. Swirl these around in the pan, until the melted brown sugar glazes them all. Serve!

Glaze your carrots at the very last minute when preparing a meal so your carrots are still hot when you serve them as a side dish.

That's it! - Enjoy!

Lamb Chops

Prep time: 5 mins
Cooking time: ~1 - 1.5hrs @ 325
Meal for 2 Men: 6 lambchops

Take 2 baking potatoes, slice thinly and put at bottom of pan.

Put lamb chops on top of potatoes.

Take a whole garlic bulb. Chop finely. Add on top of lamb chops.

Take lemon. Chop finely, INCLUDING zest. Add on top of lamb chops.

Surround with fresh, organic baby spinach.

Add a touch of oil (I use only Extra-virgin Olive Oil).

Add Red wine (as much as you want. I never measure stuff. I cook by instinct)

Sprinkle with oregano.

Cover and forgetaboutit for about an hour. Time your oven for an hour at first. Check. If not yet done. Add another 15 mins, and so on.

I never time my oven. Food tells my nose when it's ready. Like I said, I cook by instinct :)

Serve with a fresh garden salad and some veggies of your choice.

Oh and... Don't forget the candles for your table and a good bottle of red wine.

Enjoy! :)

Friday 30 December 2011

Lemon/Rosemary Potatoes

Easy and quick!

Take two large baking potatoes

Brush them well. (I keep the skin on: extra vitamins)

Slice thinly.

Put at bottom of an oven pan.

Take left over lemons you saved. (We saved some used up ones from last night's oysters and today's Fettine Pannatte) Chop these finely, including zest! Add on top of potatoes.

Next, take a whole garlic bulb. Chop finely. Add on top of potatoes.

Then, take 1/2 a jalapeño pepper. Chop finely. Add to potatoes.

Sprinkle with oil (I always uae extra-virgin Olive Oil).

Add Rosemary.

Put in oven, at 350-375, depending on your stove.

Preparation: 5 minutes - I chop fast, my Dad was a French Chef and he taught me how to use knives - and not just for cooking, so don't piss me off - LOL!! }:)

Cooking time: About 30 minutes

Enjoy! :)

Fettine Pannatte

I was out of cherry tomatoes and parsley so I decorated this plate with capers and peperoncini peppers.

This Italian dish is served ONLY during the Holidays in my household, because it is a fried food - Something I don't want my Husband to feast on too often. It's a dish my Husband and his Twin look forward to all year.

"Fettine Pannatte" (Breaded veal scallops.)

Very easy to make.
(For 5 scallops)

STEP 1

Take three plates

Plate 1. Beat 1 egg, add spices of choice. I only add pepper and lemon juice (to replace salt)

Plate 2. Add romano cheese with oregano

Plate 3. Add homemade breadcrumbs (store-bought ones have nasty chemicals)

STEP 2

Take scallops out, one by one and tenderize these by smashing/flattening them as much as possible, using a tenderizing hammer.

STEP 3

Put 1/4 inch of oil of choice in pan (I use extra-virgin olive oil). Set fire to high. (Do not leave unattended)

STEP 4

Take each scallop and dip it in plates 1, 2, then 3 and then drop in pan when oil is hot enough.

Turn over ONLY ONCE in pan until golden. (They cook quickly so don't get distracted)

STEP 5

Put cooked scallops in a plate, on top of scott towels, to absorb/take as much oil away from the scallops as possible.

Sponge these off gently with scott towel before placing them in presentation plateau.

Serve with Lemons and anything else that is tangy; cherry tomatoes, hot peppers, capers, whatever!

Enjoy! :)

Happy Holidays!

Thursday 29 December 2011

Hmmm... Oysters!

I just polished off this plate of Malpeque oysters. That's riiight, all by myself, mouhaha!! :)

Who's jealous? :)

Smoked Salmon Entrée

RECIPES FROM MY KITCHEN

All recipes below are made from scratch (and they don't necessarily take that much longer to prepare either. Invest in your Family's health: Forget about canned & pre-fabbed crap), with fresh, ORGANIC condiments.

Also, DECORATE each meal's plate however you can (I'll try to show you how with each recipe but your own imagination should be used as it's YOUR Love that'll make the difference in the meals you prepare). Also (important!): add candles to the Dinner table EVERY night as every day you are alive should be celebrated.

The recipes below are coming soon as I've a chance to populate these categories... Should be ready before New Year's Eve, schedule allowing

THINGS YOU'LL NEED TO HAVE IN YOUR KITCHEN AT ALL TIMES

(Note: to grow your own herbs, remember to NEVER water them outright as you would a houseplant. Instead, spray them with water, daily. Use a fine mist setting on spray bottle)

• A GOOD Knife (Invest here!)
• A Pro Set of Pots & Pans (Seriously)
• Baker's Unsweetened Chocolate
• Basil (a spice Fresh)
• Bread Crumbs (Homemade)
• Candles (important, for EVERY Dinner)
• Chives (a spice/herb Fresh)
• Cilantro (a spice Fresh/Frozen)
• Cinnamon (Fresh)
• Cranberries (Fresh/Dried)
• Cumin (a spice)
• Curcuma (a spice)
• Dill (a spice Fresh/Frozen)
• Estragon (a spice Fresh/Frozen)
• Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
• Feta (Goat) Cheese
• Figs (Fresh/Dried)
• Flax Seeds
• Garlic (Fresh only, no pre-cut crap)
• Harrissa (Arabic hot pepper cream)
• Hot Sauce (Chinese)
• Lemons (Fresh)
• Mandarines
• Nutmeg (Fresh)
• Orange Water ( Find in Arabic stores)
• Oregano (a spice Fresh/Dried)
• Paprika (a spice)
• Parsley (a spice Fresh)
• Pepper (a spice: not pre-ground)
• Pine Nuts
• 4-Pepper (a spice: not pre-ground)
• Raisins (Dried)
• Romano Cheese
• Sesame Seeds
• Slivered Almonds
• Sun-dried Tomatoes
• Vanilla buds (Fresh)

DOUGHS

• Bread

• Foccaccia (Italian)

• Pasta

• Pizza

HORS-D'OEUVRES

• Brie aux noix et canneberges (French)

• Carrot Salad (Moroccan)

• Chick Pea Salad (Moroccan)

• Devilled Eggs (Canadian)

• Mango Salad

• Oven-Roasted Peppers

• Penguin Eggs (Decorative: made with hard boiled eggs [body], toothpicks, black olives, [head and wings], carrots [feet and nose] sitting atop Blue Jello and crushed ice)

• Shrimp Cocktail, with hot dip, served individually, in tiny 1 ounce cups, on a platter.

• Smoked Salmon
In a plate, put, in order;
One or two lettuce leaves
Smoked salmon
Red onion
Capers
Powder with fresh-cut chives
A drop of extra-virgin Olive Oil
Fresh Pepper
Serve

• Veggie Platter, with sour cream dip

FISH / SEAFOOD

• Aneth Cod (French)

• Moules Belges (Belgian)

• Morrocan Salmon (Morrocan)

• Vanilla/Pepper Tilapia (French)

MEATS

Beef

• Babouskas (Greek) stuffed eggplants

• Chili con carne (Mexican)

• Christmas Balls (Italian) Stuffed Olives

• Palette (Quebecois)

• Tacos (Thought I'd forget those, you Taco Ogre? LOL!!)

Lamb

• Lamb Chops (Greek)

Veal

• Fettine Pannate (Italian)

• Osso Bucco (Italian)

POULTRY

Chicken

• Chicken Cacciatore (Italian)

• Coq Au Vin (French)

• Lemon/Rosemary Chicken (Greek)

• Olive Chicken (Morrocan)

• Peanut Butter Chicken (African)

Duck

• Canard à l'Orange (French)

BREAKFAST

• Apple/Sour Cream Pancakes (French)

• Crèpes Suzette (French)

• French Toasts (French)

• Orange Water Pancakes (Morrocan)

• V-Eggs (Vic's Breakfast)

SIDE DISHES

• Basmatti Rice (with a panoply of ways to prepare/present it)

• Carrot Salad (Morrocan)

• Garlic Peas (Italian)

• Glazed Carrots

• Lemon Potatoes (Greek)

• Mango Salad

• Spinach & Mushroom Salad

• Sweet Potatoes with nutmeg & cinnamon

SOUPS & POTAGES (ALL FROM SCRATCH)

• Beef Barley Soup

• Carrot/Potatoe Soup - a type of Parmentier

• Crème de broccoli

• Crème de champignons

• Chicken Soup

DESSERTS (ALL FROM SCRATCH)

• Apple Pie

• Banana Flambé

• Choux à la crème (French) Cream Puffs

• Fruit Salad

• Gallopita (Greek)

• Sorbets (Lemon, Lime, Orange, etc)

HOMEMADE BABY FOOD (Natural, no chemicals or preservatives)

HOMEMADE CANNING/NATURAL PRESERVES INSTRUCTIONS

• Jams

• Ketchups

• Tomato Sauce

OTHER CONDIMENTS

• Homemade Mayonnaise

• Various sauces

(More, much more, to come soon)

Sent from my iPhone

Tuesday 27 December 2011

Example of Will Power/Dream Realization

I once worked for a company where, at the end of a dimly lit, narrow hallway, one always met with a closed door, that of the company VP's office.

Asking around, I found out this man had closed his office door one day, a few years before I started working there, and he'd isolated himself in there since and, his being an important figure in the company, no one there dared disturb him.

My open-door/open-jacket management philosophy had met its match in this Man and so, each morning, I'd go from office to office, down the long hallway and say good morning to everyone and, each time, I'd knock on the VP's office door, say good morning and then ask him: "Should I leave this door opened or closed?" upon leaving.

Everyone in the office thought me to be out of my mind, out for Professional Suicide, at the time. Many, meaning well and having my best interests at heart, had repeatedly suggested I stop this behaviour.

However, I've never been one to give up and, once my mind's set on something, I bite down on it ad mordicus until it yields to MY Will and so, unruffled, I continued.

This went on for well over a year, EVERY DAY until, one morning (possibly due to sheer exasperation with me - LOL!!) the VP told me to leave his door opened.

The following day, as well as all those which then followed, a light punched through the previously dark, narrow hallway as the door at the end of it, the door to the VP's office, an office with large windows, remained opened.

Said VP and I having become and remained great, lifelong friends since, confided something to me one day, years later:

The day he'd initially shut his office door was the day following the night he'd lost a Son to Suicide.

Moral of this Real-Life example?

Hang on tight to your dreams/ideas, these could well come to benefit more than just your own person someday :)

Go get'em!

Sent from my iPhone

Thursday 22 December 2011

"Ice on Fire"

(For Vic, with Love and Butterfly kisses. I know you won't like this song because it's dark but it's only dark because it pertains to 'something' I told you about. I'm anything if not combative my Love, so don't worry. I'm a Warrior. I'll punch through this Darkness... Someday. I love you, Baby. Your name is my Courage. Your Love, my Strength!)

I'm Tantric, Love
And this means that
Just as your Touch
Is amplified
So is the Void
I feel inside
When I'm away from you

(Hook)
You see...
I'm Ice on Fire
Hmm, yeah
I'm Ice on Fire
I'm Ice on fire
In Love's Asylum
Crying out, in
The Eye of Silence
I'm Ice on fire
Ooh yeah
I'm Ice on fire
I'm Ice on fire

I can't make light
Of Darkness, Love
Its Cold just burns
A hole in me
Emptiness fills
Me to the rim
Sweetheart, I need your Touch

(Bridge)
Running through Time's
Cold Corridors
I weaved Love
Out of Dust
Hidden in my
Heart's Labyrinths
Without you,
I got lost
Enflamed while frozen
For so long
I can now
Barely move
Your Love's The Key
Come, rescue me
Unlock my
Dungeon's Door

(Hook)
You see...
I'm Ice on Fire
Hmm, yeah
I'm Ice on Fire
I'm Ice on fire
In Love's Asylum
Crying out, in
The Eye of Silence
I'm Ice on fire
Ooh yeah
I'm Ice on fire
I'm Ice on fire

Loneliness finds
A friend in me
Illusions come
To serve me tea
I fear for my
Own Sanity
Rescue me with your Kiss

(Hook)
You see...
I'm Ice on Fire
Hmm, yeah
I'm Ice on Fire
I'm Ice on fire
In Love's Asylum
Crying out, in
The Eye of Silence
I'm Ice on fire
Ooh yeah
I'm Ice on fire
I'm Ice on fire

x¡x - x¡x - x¡x

Sent from my iPhone

Friday 16 December 2011

MMA FAVOURITES

MMA/UFC FAVOURITES

BRUCE LEE
The guy we all wanted to become and yes, even me (even if I'm a girl, when I spar, this is who 'I see' me to be: Bruce Lee!! - I actually 'hear' him in my head whenever I fight. Well... Not 'HEAR' him but... You kwim - Hooowaaah!! - LOL!!)

I actually 'dance' around as Bruce does here, whenever sparring/boxing. It makes my Husband smile at me as if I was just an ant and, considering his size, I am... Just an ant - LOL!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8voT8m_BzfU&feature=youtube_gdata_player

I can't begin to tell you how many times I hurt myself trying to imitate Bruce here with nunchakus - Boiiing! Thud!! Ow, ow, ow, OWWW!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KN9SNgWWUFs&feature=youtube_gdata_player

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ic2k2P_FG0&feature=youtube_gdata_player

JACKIE CHAN
I adore Jackie Chan!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8p0g80fUf4Y&feature=youtube_gdata_player

STEVEN SEAGAL
This man is 'God'!

BB (Randori) Part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyyFlHhtWoI&feature=youtube_gdata_player

BB (Randori) Part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YziUvBqX-zI&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Randori
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5dDwzwb3-8&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQKtarTgPWU&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1V4j7BEcIc&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Part 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HidUiYbtNO0&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Part4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tim7tB7CQTk&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Part 5
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70XrqjNpbZ0&feature=youtube_gdata_player