Sunday, April 29, 2012

MICKEY AVALON




Last night I went to a Mickey Avalon Concert at the Scout Bar in Houston. I have been a fan of Mickey Avalon since I was introduced to his music by Nada G with "Bitchin Kitchen".

Alot of things have been said about Mickey Avalon and here are my two cents to add. Mickey is a fabulously talented writer and performer. What makes him different from the usual rockstar type is he is a genuinely wonderful person. He thanks his fans at every opportunity, he truly is grateful for the love and support of his fans. He loves what he does, and makes it a point to give a great show.

When I met with him backstage, he was so polite and accommodating. He has a fabulous sense of humor and he really will give you the shirt off his back.

Even the people who put the show on with him were extremely nice and genuine people.

I don't usually go to concerts, but when I do its only for Mickey Avalon.

I love ya Mickey....Hope you sell a million records today

PS: You need to go up $10 on everything you sell and charge for the free stuff. You are worth it.

Saturday, April 28, 2012

GOOD NEWS FROM THE KITCHEN


Good News From The Kitchen

This woman is 51 yrs old.
She is TV health guru Gillian McKeith, advocating a holistic approach to nutrition and health, and promoting exercise, a vegetarian diet which is high in organic fruits and vegetables. She recommends detox diets, colonic irrigation, and supplements.
 

This woman is also 51. She is Nigella Lawson... a TV cook, who eats meat, butter, chocolate and desserts ..... and, she washes it all down with wine!

I REST MY CASE. 

Thursday, April 26, 2012

live like a dog: Live simply.
Love generously.
Care deeply.
Speak kindly.
Remember, if a dog was the teacher you
would learn things like: When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.
Allow the experience of fresh air and the
wind in your face to be pure ecstasy.
Take naps.
Stretch before rising.
Run, romp, and play daily.
Thrive on attention and let people touch you.
Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.
On warm days, stop to lie on your back
on the grass.
On hot days, drink lots of water and lie
under a shady tree.
When you're happy, dance around and
wag your entire body.
Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.
Be loyal.
Never pretend to be something you're not.
If what you want lies buried, dig until you
find it.

When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by, and nuzzle them gently.
ENJOY EVERY MOMENT OF EVERY DAY





Wednesday, April 18, 2012

GALVESTON COUNTY FAIR AND RODEO



Just a few candid shots of us at the Fair, Rodeo and parade

BORSCHT GARDEN

While in Seattle we drove out for the Tulip Festival. They had a bad snowstorm and freeze and a long winter so not one tulip was to be seen. Although I did see several fields of daffodils. We stopped at several road side farmers markets and I picked up Russian seedling potatoes, yellow onions beets and rainbow chard. I thought it would be a nice gift to plant a Borscht garden for my husband who is a very good Russian cook and makes fabulous Borscht.


SOUR DOUGH PIZZA CRUST RECIPE

Sourdough Pizza Crust

  • 1 cup sourdough starter
  • 1/2 cup hot tap water
  • 2 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
  • 1 teaspoon Himalayan pink salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon instant yeast


 

Sourdough Pizza Crust: King Arthur Flour

We used this for a fire grilled pizza done on the Kamado Komodo Grill at 700 degrees for 6 mins

Directions:

I added all the ingredients into my bread machine. I let it run thru the knead and first and second rises (1hr 40 mins), before I rolled out the dough onto floured parchment paper.

Prebake the rolled crust for approx 6 mins on the grills pizza stone. Keep it on the parchment so it doesn't stick.

Add toppings and cook an additional 6 mins.

**********




 My herb pizza, olive oil, truffle oil, truffle salt,
oregano,basil, rosemary and sage from the garden
and Parmesan

 My husbands Meat Pizza Sausage and Pepperoni and Canadian Bacon


SOUR DOUGH STARTER




  •   2 cups warm water
  • 1 tablespoon of sugar or honey (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon or packet active dry yeast
  • 2 cups All-Purpose Flour

  • Pour the water into a two-quart glass or ceramic jar or bowl, add and dissolve the sugar or honey and the yeast in that order. Stir in the flour gradually. Cover the jar and place it somewhere warm.
    The mixture will begin to bubble and brew almost immediately. Let it work anywhere from 2 to 5 days, stirring it about once a day as it will separate. When the bubbling has subsided and a yeasty, sour aromas has developed, stir your starter once more and refrigerate it until you are ready to use it.

    The starter should have the consistency of pancake batter.
    The clear amber liquid that floats to the surface of your sourdough starter contains 12% to 14% alcohol. When yeast is in contact with air, it produces carbon dioxide; when it’s not, it produces alcohol. When you blend the alcohol back into the starter, it helps produce the unique flavor you find in good sourdough breads. (The alcohol itself dissipates during the baking process.) For milder flavor, you can pour off some of the alcohol if you wish, although this will thicken the starter, requiring a bit more liquid to return it to its “pancake batter” consistency.

     Sourdough Essentials from King Arthur Flour

    ***************

    My husband and I wanted to try our hand at making a sour dough fire grilled pizza. I quickly learned this wasnt something we could accomplish in one night. I began my sour dough starter and about 8 days later used it to make the pizza dough .(that recipe will be in next post)

    BUNNY IN THE BASKET ON EASTER SUNDAY




    This is Rosie, my Easter Bunny.
    She is very tame and social and has such a personality.
    She really has added a joy to the family.

    Monday, April 16, 2012

    PIKE MARKET--SEATTLE TRIP 2012




    I  love shopping at the Pike Market when we visit Seattle. It is definitely one of my favorite places. This trip  I found Moon Valley Organics lotion bars and lip treatments. They are made with all natural ingredients and they work. I went back and bought  more so I would have replacements when I use up the first batch, I am that confident these will be products I use daily. I also purchased Lavender Sea salt, Lavender sachets and Body Butter. I also purchased the beautiful Pepper and Garlic wreaths. They are so colorful and vibrant I buy several as gifts and to replace the one I keep in my own kitchen. Generally I am not into handcrafted jewelry but I came across a leather banded bracelet with polished brass and Peruvian etchings that spoke to me and became mine. I also found a bright yellow apron and market tote with colorful veggies and the Pikes Market Emblem on them that made me happy and now reside in my kitchen.
    When I walk into the market and I see Beautiful artisan cheeses, wonderful baked gourmet crackers, smoked salmon pate, fresh seafood, meats, veggies, fruits and  I can't help but be inspired. I am so glad we had a few dinner parties to go too so I could bring and try these wonderful things.

    marketlavender.com
    moonvalleyorganics.com

    FAIRMONT OLYMPIC HOTEL ROOFTOP HONEY


    In Seattle, The Fairmont Olympic Hotel installed five rooftop hives
    that are home to a half million honeybees once they reach full capacity in
    2012. Executive Chef Gavin Stephenson spearheaded the hotel’s bee program with
    Ballard Bee Company’s Corky Luster as a project consultant. With a hive
    typically yielding 30 to 40 pounds, it’s likely the hotel will have over 150
    pounds of honey to use by next year, with the hotel’s signature honey featured
    on the menu in The Georgian restaurant by 2012.

    In Seattle, Executive Chef Gavin Stephenson added: “Bee programs are
    relatively new to Seattle so we are thrilled to be one of the leaders in this
    charge, alongside Ballard Bee Company. Our culinary team is excited to taste the
    first batch. Apparently the honey’s flavour is quite unpredictable at first –
    bees travel up to six miles from their hive and bring back an array of different
    nectars which is why ‘urban honey’ is so interesting and complex.”
    Beekeeping has definitely taken off amongst the Fairmont family with honeybee
    programs already in place at 13 properties

    Asparagus Soup with Poached Eggs



    Asparagus Soup with Poached Eggs

    Ingredients:

    2 Tbs. olive oil

    1 large leek, white and light green portions, halved
    lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise

    Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
    1 tsp. minced garlic
    1 tsp. Hungarian paprika, plus more for sprinkling
    1 1/2 lb. asparagus, ends trimmed, spears cut into 1-inch
    pieces
    2 Tbs. chicken or vegetable stock concentrate
    3 cups water
    1 cup baby spinach leaves
    6 poached eggs

    Fresh tarragon leaves, flat-leaf parsley leaves and chopped
    chives for garnish
    Directions:
    In a heavy soup pot over high heat, warm the olive oil for 5 minutes. Add the
    leek, season with salt and pepper and cook, stir occasionally, for 10 minutes.
    Add the garlic and the 1 tsp. paprika and cook, stir occasionally, for 2
    minutes. Add the asparagus, stock concentrate and water and cook, stir
    occasionally, until the asparagus is tender, about 15 minutes.Place the
    spinach on top of the soup mixture and cook for 1 minute. Using an immersion
    blender ,blend on the highest setting until the soup is smooth.Season
    the poached eggs with salt and pepper and lightly sprinkle with paprika. Pour
    the soup into 6 warmed bowls and top each with 1 poached egg. Garnish with
    tarragon, parsley and chives and serve immediately. Serves
    6.
    Williams-Sonoma Kitchen.
    *****
    Cooks Notes:
    I made this as the soup course for my family Easter Dinner. It was fabulous. The only changes I made were: I used fennel leaf instead of leeks, I used 2 cans of asparagus pieces with juice, instead of fresh and I used vegetable broth instead of water. I also made it ahead of time and froze it- It kept very well. I defrosted it the night before , put it in the crockpot to heat for Easter Dinner.

    Kathy's Perfect Roof Top Lemon Drop Martini Recipe


    Kathy's Perfect Roof Top Lemon Drop Martini Recipe
    1 1/2 oz triple sec
    1 1/2 oz Peach Schnapps
    1 tsp lemon drop sugar (minty sugar)
    4 tsp honey
    1.5 oz freshly squeezed
    lemon juice

    Garnish
    Mint sprig and Lemon twist
    Mix the Grey Goose vodka, triple
    sec,honey, sugar and lemon juice in a mixing cup whisk til everything is
    dissolved and blended then add to a cocktail shaker half filled with ice cubes.
    Shake till chilled. Pour strained liquor into a sugar-rimmed martini glass and
    garnish with a twisted peel of lemon and a mint sprig. *Sugaring the rim
    of the glass: actually wetting your finger rubbing it on the rim of the glass
    and then dipping the rim in sugar worked best.
    * I got my Lemon drop sugar from ABC catalog, but I
    think you can get it at Spec's and World Market also. The sugar is bright
    yellow, very fine and has a mildly lemony-minty taste.
    *******
    While staying at the FAIRMONT OLYMPIC HOTEL IN Seattle, my husband and I
    would have Roof Top Lemondrops as a nightcap. Its called Rooftop as the hotel
    has a bee skeep on it roof and it produces its own honey for use in the
    restaurant, and in the bar for cocktails. They also sell honey to the Pike
    Brewery for the making of some of their honey ales. This is one way the hotel is
    being Eco friendly and keeping Seattle sustainable.

    I fell in love with the Lemondrops and the Honey Bee's and wanted to
    perfect the recipe.