All you other Kids with the Pumped up Kicks

So, follow this conversation:  NBC show Whitney-- "I think they called all the writers into a room and said 'I want you to write a male character named Whitney'' -- "Like Ally Mcbeal--'no, a man."-- What ever happened her anyway?" --"She married Harrison Ford; they live on Richard Branson's Island, they had to build an additional island for a runway for their four jets."--Jesus.--"I'm kidding, you know they did that to Manhattan, they reclaimed the land."--Damn, I was just thinking of the Wall street protests and was ready to damn Harrison Ford to hell.  (pause)  All those other kids with the pumped up kicks . . . "You're really gonna put that sound back in my head?"

What's this: Pumped Up Kids

Have a great weekend.

Salad with Garlic Anchovy Salad Dressing

  What you Need:


2 oz. can Anchovies
12 garlic cloves, mashed.
1 egg.
1/4 C onion, chopped.
1/2 C Parmesan, grated
1 1/2 tsp black pepper
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1/2 C olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste



*Place all ingredients, except oil, in food processor.  Slowly add oil while processing.  Salt and pepper to taste.

I got this recipe on the back of a box of anchovies.

Total time: 10 minutes
Drink:  H2o
T.V.  NBC Thursday

Holy Crap, This is a good meal!

I feel like I've neglected my vegetarian friends lately, so this is for you and your soft teeth. I really like curry, but after a while, one gets sick of coconut based Thai meals.  So, after some exploring I've discovered meals that 1) use no coconut milk or 2) are not dominated by it. This is a guaranteed meal, brothers and sisters.  It is incredibly tasty and it has some chickpea protein to keep those choppers inside that delicious mouth of yours.

This meal has a lot of canned elements to it, don't let that dissuade you.

What you Need: 
Rice, cooked.
1 C onion, chopped
1 Tbsp ginger, minced.
1 garlic clove, minced.
then . . .
2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp ground red pepper
1 1/2 tsp ground mustard
then . . .
1 can coconut milk
1 Tbsp jalapeno, chopped,; seeded.
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp tumeric
2 cans chick peas, drain and washed
1 (28 oz) can of diced tomatoes, undrained.
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
and finally . . .
3 Tbsp. cilantro, chopped.

Tomato Chickpea Curry

Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in LARGE skillet.
Add first three ingredients; cook 5 minutes.
Add next three ingredients; cook 2 minutes , stirring frequently.  (see pic)
Add next 6 ingredients; bring to a boil.
Then simmer 35 minutes, uncovered.

photos by: DMG

Remove from heat and add cilantro.
Serve over Rice, that you should have cooked 45 minutes ago..

*This meal is really good.

Total time: 55 minutes
Drink: KJ Cabernet 2008 (a gift).
Music: REM

Night of Comet

First, let me say "こんにちは" to my reader from Hong Kong, "訪問をありがとう."  

Tonight's recipe is a surprisingly easy and texturally pleasing recipe.  Shiitake mushrooms are the Chaucer of fungus.   Usually when I think of flank steak I think of marination and let's be honest-- who has the time right now?  Even the sauce on this one is deceptive, it's more of a side.  However, an additional veggie would have made this meal even better, unlike the movie Night of Comet, which just becomes  classier every 10 years I watch it.  The movie works on so many levels, yet, I digress.  Enjoy!

What you Need: 

Steak:

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 one lb flank steak

Sauce:

1/2 C onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

2 C shiitake mushroom, stemmed; thinly sliced.

1 C beef broth

1/3 C dry white wine

1 Tbsp balsamic Vinegar

1/2 C green onions, minced

Flank Steak with Shittake Mushroom Sauce

photos by DMG

Preheat broiler.

Sprinkle salt and pepper evenly over steak and broil 5-6 minutes each side.

!After cooking, tent foil over it to allow further cooking.  Do not cut!

 To prepare Sauce . . . 

*Add onions and garlic to heated pan, coated with cooking spray.  Saute 2 minutes.

*Add mushrooms.  Saute 4 minutes.

*Add all liquids and bring to a boil, cooked 6 minutes until reduced to about 1 1/4 C.

*Add green onion.  Cook 1 minute. 

Cut steak diagonally in 1/4 inch slices.  Viola! 

Total times: 20 minutes 

Drink: Babbling Blonde

Movie: Night of the Comet.

Fought with kitchen knives and skewers

Bah Bah Bah ba Bah.  My therapist said not to see you no more. . . What's up cats?  I hope your weekend was as awesome as mine was.   Actually, I was sick and you can count my misery by the crudded tissues littering the nothugs house.

Anyway, I needed something spicy and peanuty to get my through.  True story: a Netherlander looked at me in disgust when she discovered  I ate peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.  I told her she was spitting on the American flag.  Then she described the Netherlander equivalent to a peanut butter and banana sandwich.  To wit:  Bread, white Dutch cheese, bananas and ketchup grilled like a panini.  I love living in this time.  This is another guaranteed meal--eat it with rice because it is spicy!

What you Need:
bamboo skewers, soaked
12 oz. chicken tenders, cut
4 C brown rice
Cilantro

Peanut Sauce:
1/2 C H2o
1/3 C rice vinegar
1/3 C creamy Peanut Butter
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp sugar
4 cloves garlic, peeled
1/4 tsp red pepper




Spicy Peanut Chicken on a Stick

Cook the Rice first!
Sauce:  Combine all ingredients and blend until smooth.
Transfer to small pan and cook, stirring over meduim heat until thickened.  Do not boil!

Then . . .
Add half of sauce to chicken in storage bag and refrigerate 30 minutes.

And . . .
Thread chicken onto skewers.  Preheat Broiler.  Then broil 2-3 minutes each side.


Lay it out on the plate and add cilantro and remaining reheated peanut sauce.  Delicious!

Total Time: 10 minutes plus refrigeration.
Drink:  Pomegranate juice
Music:  James

Sweets, babies.

Franz Kafka wrote "At one time the whole town took a lively interest in the hunger artist; from day to day of his fast the excitement mounted."(A Hunger Artist)  So let's eats some brownies.  The chocolate kind, eh?

It's the end of the week, brothers and sisters.  Friday is the Equinox. Burn some sage and kiss someone.

What You Need: 

Non stick cooking spray
1/2 C flour
3 T unsweetend coca powder
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/3 C cream cheese, softened
1 C sugar
3 1/2 oz semisweet chocolate, melted
5 tsp vegetable oil
1/4 C egg
2 tsp vanilla abstract
1/2 C raspberries and 1/2 C walnuts, chopped

Homemade Brownies

Preheat oven to 350.
Coat 8x8 square baking pan with spray.
In meduim bowl stir flour, cocoa, and baking powder together.

In another bowl, beat together cream cheese and sugar until creamy.  Beat in melted chocolate and oil.  Gradually beat in egg and vanilla.
On low speed, beat in flour mixture until smooth.  Fold in raspberries and walnuts and spoon into pan.
Bake for 35 minutes.  Cool.


Go ahead and let these sit over night--they're much better that way.  Have a good one, folks.

Total time: 45 minutes
Drink:  Milk, from a cows teat
Music:  Bonnie Prince Billy

Drink Up Baby, Stay up all Night

For the final installment of "How to throw a party for 10$ a Person" I offer thee Sangria's.  I don't see how you could possibly go wrong with anything Spanish.  Unless of course you consider history and politics, but every one makes mistakes and--more importantly-- it's never fair to cast the shady eye of bigotry over all when just a few hold the power.

The guests of the party would tell you we got pretty drunk.  As with any Sangria--there are many-- this requires over night soaking.

What you Need: 

2 boxes Red Wine (Shiraz)
2 oranges, 2 lemons
1 apple
1/4 C sugar
1/4 Brandy
Club Soda

In case you were wondering: Sangria means
blood in Spanish.


Party Sangria

Slice up fruit.
Press fruit into sugar.
Mix Wine, fruit and
Brandy in a large cauldron.
Transfer to plastic or glass
containers and refrigerate
over night.
*We served drinks from a nice pitcher.

Pour ice into wine glass (to stretch drink out) add sangria and a splash of club soda.   

Total Time: 30 minutes plus over nite
Music:  Little Dragon

How to throw a party for $10 a person--Sides.

First, allow me to say "привет" to my viewer from Russia, "спасибо!" 

You have to have enough sides to pull off a party.  We baked up some pita bread for hummus; bought some crackers for Millers Mild and Sweet Mustard sauce and used our stores of yet ripe green tomatoes to fry up so Southern goodness.


The Equinox falls twice a year.  Translated from Latin it means equal night.  This Friday, the 23rd the day and night will be roughly the same duration.  And then after, until the Spring, the days will be shorter, colder and utter Bullocks.

What You Need: 
Green tomatoes
*It turns out it doesn't nesc.
matter how close to ripeness the 
green fruit are.  The firmer, the more easily they hold together. (ed.)
Zucchini
2 eggs and 1/2 C milk
1/2 C cornmeal
1/2 C breadcrumbs
2 t salt and 1/4 t. black pepper
Flour
Cooking Oil


Fried Green Tomatoes and Zucchini

Heat oil.  (do not burn)
Whisk together: 2 eggs and 1/2c milk – set aside
Mix together: 1/2c cornmeal, 1/2c breadcrumbs,
2t salt and ¼ black pepper –set aside
Slice Tomatoes and Zucchini
* I cut zucchini into fingers
Coat all sides evenly with flour.
Dredge through egg/milk mixture.

Coat all sides with cornmeal/breadcrumb mixture.
Fry in ½” oil in batches. Flip once to brown both sides.


Total Time: 15 minutes
Music:  Luis Santana
Drink:  Sangria