Counter

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Easter, fun and sun

Spring has passed us by and Summer has landed.  Sunburned and sweaty, I am not the happy camper I should be because it is, frankly, too hot!  80 degrees is too too warm, considering the temperature less than one week ago was in the low 40's.  My tulips are melting.

Easter was fun because we got to hang outside with the kids and play games.

We went from Winter to Summer and have completely stepped over the beautiful Spring weather that we sometimes enjoy.  I mean what the?  Global warming perhaps.

Monday, April 18, 2011

Good luck in your new career dinner

My daughter is going off to New York for her new career/job.  Since she will be over 5 hours away and we are going to miss her like crazy, I decided to surprise her with a fab farewell dinner.

On the menu for Tuesday, April 19, 2011:
  Shrimp cocktail with homemade cocktail sauce

  Prime rib roast marinated in red wine and garlic, served with homemade creamy horseradish sauce
  Grilled mushrooms and onions in a garlic/parsley olive oil and red wine sauce
  Mashed potatoes
   Fresh steamed asparagus spears in a light brown butter

Dessert:
Fudge Chocolate cake with ganache frosting and fresh sliced strawberries with whip cream.


Sounds pretty delicious to me!


Pics will be posted tomorrow.

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes, you don't.

The world has gone mad, Almond Joy flavored coffee creamer, Cinnabon flavored coffee creamer, and the best; chocolate covered potato chip ice cream.

I am convinced there is a higher power when I saw these items at my Shop Rite tonight.  I purchased all three of these products and I can say without a doubt, I cannot wait to try them!

I also purchased coffee called, Eye Opener, because it is a blend of Colombian, Central American with zesty French Roast beans.  It sounds and smells wonderful.  I have it ready to brew for tomorrow morning.

I love going to the supermarket by myself so I can explore and really look at the items, you know not just get what I  need and get out.

How about Snickers candy bar flavored coffee creamer or Twix?  Yes, it's not the healthiest of products, but life is short enough without depriving yourself of goodies.

At my shopping trip tonight, I observed an elderly couple shopping, they were in front of me at various spots throughout the store, so I eavesdropped a little.  I love seeing what people are buying and what they are talking about to each other.  The elderly lady was talking to her husband about her losing weight and how it was working out for her.  This couple was about 80 years old and not at all overweight.
I just wanted to tell her, "Hey, forget about it, just enjoy yourself, and forget calorie counting!"  Then I thought, "Man I still have to worry about my weight when I am 80?"  What the?  Is there no justice in the world?

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Haggis, fortune cookies, chop suey

Haggis is from Scotland and some people call it the Scottish equivalent  of scrapple.  Frankly, I say no. Scrapple is a mixture of ground pork shoulder, mixed with cornmeal and spices.


Haggis is a dish containing sheep's 'pluck' (heartliver and lungs), minced with onionoatmealsuetspices, and salt, mixed with stock, and traditionally simmered in the animal's stomach for approximately three hours. Most modern commercial haggis is prepared in a casing rather than an actual stomach.


OK they both look kind of nasty, but at least scrapple doesn't have livers, lungs, and suet.   Do you know what suet is??


Fortune cookies were first made in California as an added sweet surprise at the end of a Chinese meal.


Chop Suey is leftover Chinese food.  In China, when there were lots of leftover meats, noodles, and vegetables, they would throw into a wok and TA DA-a meal.  In Chinatown in California, Americans people wanted Chop Suey as there mainstay of Chinese cuisine, not the traditional Chinese fare such as dumplings, won ton soup, etc. So Chop Suey was at that time the most sought after Chinese food by locals, not Chinese folk.  The other advantage of Chop Suey: very affordable take out!

Monday, April 4, 2011

FEEDBACK needed: Haggis, chop suey, and fortune cookies?

There is one great advantage to watching the Food Network show, Chopped, learning about foods you never heard of!

Haggis in a can.  The name brings gross thoughts to my mind.  Any kind of meat in a can is gross.

I found out what haggis was while watching the show, and I can assure you, I will NOT be purchasing, cooking, or eating that, unless it was the only food on earth.

One chef on the show thought it was from England, but the chef from England confirmed haggis was from Scotland.   Notice, haggis is NOT from America, which means it tastes nasty.

Any thoughts on what you think haggis is, without looking it up on the web?

What is chop suey and where did it come from?  How about fortune cookies?  Thoughts, comments welcome. 

I will post the answers and some pictures when I get some feedback.  Thank you.  This here is haggis: