Men Are Just Happier People -- What do you expect from such simple creatures?
Your last name stays put.
The garage is all yours.
Wedding plans take care of themselves.
Chocolate is just another snack.
You can be President.
You can never be pregnant.
You can wear a white T-shirt to a water park.
You can wear NO shirt to a water park.
Car mechanics tell you the truth.
The world is your urinal.
You never have to drive to another Petrol station lavatory because this one is just too icky.
You don't have to stop and think of which way to turn a nut on a bolt.
Same work, more pay.
Wrinkles add character.
Wedding dress £2500.
Morning suit rental-£125.
People never stare at your chest when you're talking to them.
New shoes don't cut, blister, or mangle your feet.
One mood all the time.
Phone conversations are over in 30 seconds flat.
You know stuff about tanks.
A five-day vacation requires only one suitcase.
You can open all your own jars.
You get extra credit for the slightest act of thoughtfulness.
If someone forgets to invite you, he or she can still be your friend.
Your underwear is £4.95 for a three-pack.
Three pairs of shoes are more than enough.
You almost never have strap problems in public.
You are unable to see wrinkles in your clothes.
Everything on your face stays its original color.
The same hairstyle lasts for years, maybe decades.
You only have to shave your face and neck.
You can play with toys all your life.
One wallet and one pair of shoes -- one color for all seasons.
You can wear shorts no matter how your legs look.
You can 'do' your nails with a pocket knife.
You have freedom of choice concerning growing a moustache.
You can do Christmas shopping for 25 relatives on December 24 in 25 minutes.
No wonder men are happier.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Boeuf Bourguignon - My Crock Pot Version
***Boeuf Bourguignon - My Crock Pot Version***
Ingredients:
1 pkg of Hickory Smoked Bacon (the fattier the better)
2 tbsp olive oil (or cooking oil)
3 lb beef chuck roast (or other good stewing meat)
2 cup of baby carrots (or equivalent of sliced carrot, or frozen carrots chopped, etc)
1 sliced onion (can use 1/2 bag of frozen chopped onions also)
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
3 cups full-bodied, young red wine , such as a Chianti (I just buy cheap red wine, it is being cooked anyway, so don't waste your $ on expensive stuff. Save the good stuff to DRINK with the meal!)
2 to 3 cups brown beef stock or canned beef bouillon (I use Better Than Bouillon)
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
2 cloves mashed garlic
1/2 tsp. thyme
2 large bay leaves
18 to 24 small white onions (Pearl onions are best!) , brown-braised in stock
1 pound quartered fresh mushrooms , sautéed in butter -
Tools needed:
1 Crock pot (large one)
1 large saucepan
1 bowl
Paper Towels
1 Mug
-
Directions:
1) Defrost the beef first.
2) Cube the beef into 2 inch pieces - dry the pieces with a paper towel
3) Cut the bacon into 1 inch pieces
4) Boil bacon in water for 10 minutes, drain and dry with paper towels, place in bowl.
5) Sauté the bacon in the oil over moderate heat for 2 to 3 minutes to brown lightly. Remove and place bacon pieces in the crock pot with a slotted spoon.
6) Reheat oil. Sauté the beef, a few pieces at a time, in the hot oil and bacon fat until nicely browned on all sides. Add it to the bacon.
7) In the same fat, brown the sliced vegetables (or frozen veggies will cook and brown also), use slotted spoon to move browned vegetables to the crock pot
8) Heat 1 cup water in coffee mug for 2 mins, stir in a very generous tablespoon of Beef "Better than Bouillon", once mixed pour into crock pot. Repeat until you have at least 2 cups in the crock pot.
9) Pour Red wine into crock pot.
10) Add Tomato Paste, salt, pepper, garlic, thyme, and bay leaves to the crock pot.
11) Set Crock Pot on Medium or cook for at least 4 hours. If you like you can set it to cook more slowly for 8-10 hours. The point is that you want the beef to be fork-tender. You may stir the crock pot mixture occaisionally to ensure nothing is burning on the bottom. The mixture should be simmering, but not boiling.
12) Towards the end of the crock-pot timeframe... use the bacon fat oil mixture and brown the pearl onions and mushrooms.
13) Add the onions and mushrooms to the crock pot. Let it cook for another 30 mins if possible.
14) Serve hot in bowls. :)
--
Variations:
Sometimes I get lazy, so I use the Mirepoix - pre-chopped, frozen veggies (it has celery, onion, carrot in it). Whatever works for you.
Also, for a thicker mushroom flavor, you can add a few spoonfuls of cream of mushroom soup to the crock pot.
Ingredients:
1 pkg of Hickory Smoked Bacon (the fattier the better)
2 tbsp olive oil (or cooking oil)
3 lb beef chuck roast (or other good stewing meat)
2 cup of baby carrots (or equivalent of sliced carrot, or frozen carrots chopped, etc)
1 sliced onion (can use 1/2 bag of frozen chopped onions also)
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
3 cups full-bodied, young red wine , such as a Chianti (I just buy cheap red wine, it is being cooked anyway, so don't waste your $ on expensive stuff. Save the good stuff to DRINK with the meal!)
2 to 3 cups brown beef stock or canned beef bouillon (I use Better Than Bouillon)
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
2 cloves mashed garlic
1/2 tsp. thyme
2 large bay leaves
18 to 24 small white onions (Pearl onions are best!) , brown-braised in stock
1 pound quartered fresh mushrooms , sautéed in butter -
Tools needed:
1 Crock pot (large one)
1 large saucepan
1 bowl
Paper Towels
1 Mug
-
Directions:
1) Defrost the beef first.
2) Cube the beef into 2 inch pieces - dry the pieces with a paper towel
3) Cut the bacon into 1 inch pieces
4) Boil bacon in water for 10 minutes, drain and dry with paper towels, place in bowl.
5) Sauté the bacon in the oil over moderate heat for 2 to 3 minutes to brown lightly. Remove and place bacon pieces in the crock pot with a slotted spoon.
6) Reheat oil. Sauté the beef, a few pieces at a time, in the hot oil and bacon fat until nicely browned on all sides. Add it to the bacon.
7) In the same fat, brown the sliced vegetables (or frozen veggies will cook and brown also), use slotted spoon to move browned vegetables to the crock pot
8) Heat 1 cup water in coffee mug for 2 mins, stir in a very generous tablespoon of Beef "Better than Bouillon", once mixed pour into crock pot. Repeat until you have at least 2 cups in the crock pot.
9) Pour Red wine into crock pot.
10) Add Tomato Paste, salt, pepper, garlic, thyme, and bay leaves to the crock pot.
11) Set Crock Pot on Medium or cook for at least 4 hours. If you like you can set it to cook more slowly for 8-10 hours. The point is that you want the beef to be fork-tender. You may stir the crock pot mixture occaisionally to ensure nothing is burning on the bottom. The mixture should be simmering, but not boiling.
12) Towards the end of the crock-pot timeframe... use the bacon fat oil mixture and brown the pearl onions and mushrooms.
13) Add the onions and mushrooms to the crock pot. Let it cook for another 30 mins if possible.
14) Serve hot in bowls. :)
--
Variations:
Sometimes I get lazy, so I use the Mirepoix - pre-chopped, frozen veggies (it has celery, onion, carrot in it). Whatever works for you.
Also, for a thicker mushroom flavor, you can add a few spoonfuls of cream of mushroom soup to the crock pot.
Baklava - my way
Baklava1 package frozen Filo Dough (btw if you ever find Gluten-Free Filo -Phyllo, Fillo, etc- Dough CALL ME!)
4 sticks salted cream butter ( warning: do NOT use margarine you'll ruin this recipe!)
1 large bag of walnuts (typically 1 pound or more)
1 jar of Ground Cinnamon (spice rack)
1 tbsp Honey (I like clover honey, but any honey is fine)
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp Lemon Juice
Jar of Whole Cloves-
TOOLS NEEDED:Small Saucepan
Basting Brush
Nut Chopper (or food processor if you have it)
Rectangular Pan (9x13 is best)
* For the pan, metal or glass, it works either way but Metal pans crisps the baklava better in my opinion. I use a 9x13 inch metal pan. Make sure it's a pan that you do not mind getting scratched a bit with a knife. It's just one of those things that is going to happen with this recipe so be prepared.
-
Directions:
1) Defrost the Filo Dough in the fridge. it should be kept cool until you are ready to work with it. I usually put mine in the fridge the day before I do this recipe.
2) Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
3) Pulverize the Walnuts so they are chopped very finely. I prefer to dump my walnuts into a food processor and let it do the work. I used to chop the nuts myself with a slap-chopper thing, but it takes a LOT of effort to get the pieces small enough that way and then you are tired before you even started this recipe. no thanks!
4) Melt the butter into a liquid. I start with 2 sticks of butter and melt it in my pyrex measuring cup in the microwave. Later on you may need 2 more sticks of butter, depends on the size of your pan.
5) Coat the bottom of the pan with a layer of liquid butter. Use a basting brush if that helps.
6) Put a double-layer of Filo Dough on top of the butter.
NOTES for handling Filo Dough:
Unroll the defrosted filo dough, and carefully peel off 2 layers (together). I find that the dough is easier to work with when it is 2 sheets thick - so when I say a "layer" I mean 2 sheets of filo dough makes 1 layer. A single sheet is too fragile and hard to work with.
ALSO: The dough will most likely be too large for your pan, so you have several options here. you can lay the dough flat on the bottom of the pan starting with a corner, and then fold-over the overlapping dough - then alternate which side of the pan gets the excess dough each layer. OR in my case, I found if I just cut the whole pile of dough in half, it fits the pan exactly. Whichever works for you.
NOTE: The dough is delicate, so be careful not to tear it. Also, it will start to dry out while you work, so if you get interrupted a lot, you need a way to keep the other layers of the dough humid (not wet, but humid). I recommend wetting a paper towel, then wringing the excess water from it (so it's damp but not wet) ,and then laying that on top of the dough pile. You can also use a damp kitchen towel (a clean one).7) Baste some butter on top of the filo dough layer that is in the pan (so it is lightly coated)
8) Sprinkle approximately 1 tbsp walnuts on top of the butter. Just a nice sprinkled layer, do not worry about covering every inch, but an even layer of sprinkled nuts is what you are going for.
9) Sprinkle a layer of cinnamon on top of the nuts.
10) Top this with another layer of Filo Dough
11) Baste this layer with some butter, sprinkle on some walnuts, sprinkle on the cinnamon, add another layer of Filo dough,
12) repeat this layering method until you have roughly 4 sheets of Filo Dough left.
13) Butter a layer, then add filo dough again, but no nuts or cinnamon. Basically the top 2 layers should be just dough and butter.
14) using a small sharp knife, carefully score the dough into Diamond shapes (cut about 1/2-way down, but not to the bottom of the pan). You may have some triangle shapes on the corners and edges of the pan, and that's fine.
15) Pour any leftover butter mixture (should not be more than 1/4 cup ideally) over the top of the baklava and let is seep into the cracks of the cuts you made.
16) press a single clove, into the center of each piece of baklava
17) Put pan of baklava into the oven, and set the timer for 45 minutes.
18) Now we need to make the "syrup" for the baklava. In a small saucepan with medium heat, add water and brown sugar. Stir slowly until sugar dissolves into the water.
19) Add the lemon juice and honey to the saucepan, stir slowly. Simmer the syrup mixture on low heat while the baklava is cooking. Do not bring to a boil, just keep it warm. Stir occaisionally to make sure the bottom isn't burning.
20) After the timer goes off, check the baklava. Depending on your oven, it may take more time. Keep cooking until the baklava is lightly brown on the top, and is crispy to the touch (I just touch it with my finger to see if it's crispy enough)
20) Pull the baklava out of the oven, and let it cool at room temperature for 10-20 minutes.
21) Using the small knife, re-cut the baklava, but this time cut all the way down to the bottom of the pan.
22) Pour the syrup mixture on top of the baklava.
23) Let the baklava syrup cool in the pan for bit, then you can serve it!
24) If you are making this in advance, that's fine as Baklava will keep well at room temperature, however, do not cover it until the syrup has cooled, otherwise the baklava may get soggy from the humidity of the steamy syrup.
25) If your baklava gets a bit soggy and you want to re-crisp it, you can put it back in the oven at 325 degrees for 5-10 minutes, but be careful not to burn it. This will also dry it out a little bit, and sometimes you may want to add a little more syrup to it after this. No problem, it's a versatile dish, but just make sure to balance your re-heating and re-syrup-ing, so it's not overly sticky.
26) Pairs very well with Coffee, espresso, and/or a dry red wine.
-
Variations:
Nuts: You may use Almonds or Pistachios, I suppose one could try Pecans, but they are a softer nut and I am not so sure it would taste right. Baklava should be crispy-ish.
Spices: You can use a mix of Cinnamon and Nutmeg if you like. I haven't tried any other spices, please let me know if you do and you have success with this.
Syrup: I've heard (but not tried this) some people use Cardamom and Rosewater for the syrup. I do not know the measurements, but I'm sure it is a possibility. Please let me know if you try this. I would be interested in tasting it.
Sweetener: You can also use white sugar or cane sugar or agave syrup instead of brown sugar, but I find the flavor of the brown sugar is one I like better.
Gluten-Free: I have tried making this with Rice Paper instead of Filo Dough, HOWEVER... rice paper has to be wet or damp in order for it to be flexible enough for this recipe. The problem with that, is after it comes out of the oven crispy... it does not keep for longer than 1 day. It WILL get soggy eventually, and once it got moldy - gross. So, just be aware, if you use the rice paper method, you need to EAT it the same day you make it. No leftovers. Ok?
Also Rice Paper is usually round, so I ended up using a pie/pan for the baklava as opposed to a rectangular one.
4 sticks salted cream butter ( warning: do NOT use margarine you'll ruin this recipe!)
1 large bag of walnuts (typically 1 pound or more)
1 jar of Ground Cinnamon (spice rack)
1 tbsp Honey (I like clover honey, but any honey is fine)
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp Lemon Juice
Jar of Whole Cloves-
TOOLS NEEDED:Small Saucepan
Basting Brush
Nut Chopper (or food processor if you have it)
Rectangular Pan (9x13 is best)
* For the pan, metal or glass, it works either way but Metal pans crisps the baklava better in my opinion. I use a 9x13 inch metal pan. Make sure it's a pan that you do not mind getting scratched a bit with a knife. It's just one of those things that is going to happen with this recipe so be prepared.
-
Directions:
1) Defrost the Filo Dough in the fridge. it should be kept cool until you are ready to work with it. I usually put mine in the fridge the day before I do this recipe.
2) Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
3) Pulverize the Walnuts so they are chopped very finely. I prefer to dump my walnuts into a food processor and let it do the work. I used to chop the nuts myself with a slap-chopper thing, but it takes a LOT of effort to get the pieces small enough that way and then you are tired before you even started this recipe. no thanks!
4) Melt the butter into a liquid. I start with 2 sticks of butter and melt it in my pyrex measuring cup in the microwave. Later on you may need 2 more sticks of butter, depends on the size of your pan.
5) Coat the bottom of the pan with a layer of liquid butter. Use a basting brush if that helps.
6) Put a double-layer of Filo Dough on top of the butter.
NOTES for handling Filo Dough:
Unroll the defrosted filo dough, and carefully peel off 2 layers (together). I find that the dough is easier to work with when it is 2 sheets thick - so when I say a "layer" I mean 2 sheets of filo dough makes 1 layer. A single sheet is too fragile and hard to work with.
ALSO: The dough will most likely be too large for your pan, so you have several options here. you can lay the dough flat on the bottom of the pan starting with a corner, and then fold-over the overlapping dough - then alternate which side of the pan gets the excess dough each layer. OR in my case, I found if I just cut the whole pile of dough in half, it fits the pan exactly. Whichever works for you.
NOTE: The dough is delicate, so be careful not to tear it. Also, it will start to dry out while you work, so if you get interrupted a lot, you need a way to keep the other layers of the dough humid (not wet, but humid). I recommend wetting a paper towel, then wringing the excess water from it (so it's damp but not wet) ,and then laying that on top of the dough pile. You can also use a damp kitchen towel (a clean one).7) Baste some butter on top of the filo dough layer that is in the pan (so it is lightly coated)
8) Sprinkle approximately 1 tbsp walnuts on top of the butter. Just a nice sprinkled layer, do not worry about covering every inch, but an even layer of sprinkled nuts is what you are going for.
9) Sprinkle a layer of cinnamon on top of the nuts.
10) Top this with another layer of Filo Dough
11) Baste this layer with some butter, sprinkle on some walnuts, sprinkle on the cinnamon, add another layer of Filo dough,
12) repeat this layering method until you have roughly 4 sheets of Filo Dough left.
13) Butter a layer, then add filo dough again, but no nuts or cinnamon. Basically the top 2 layers should be just dough and butter.
14) using a small sharp knife, carefully score the dough into Diamond shapes (cut about 1/2-way down, but not to the bottom of the pan). You may have some triangle shapes on the corners and edges of the pan, and that's fine.
15) Pour any leftover butter mixture (should not be more than 1/4 cup ideally) over the top of the baklava and let is seep into the cracks of the cuts you made.
16) press a single clove, into the center of each piece of baklava
17) Put pan of baklava into the oven, and set the timer for 45 minutes.
18) Now we need to make the "syrup" for the baklava. In a small saucepan with medium heat, add water and brown sugar. Stir slowly until sugar dissolves into the water.
19) Add the lemon juice and honey to the saucepan, stir slowly. Simmer the syrup mixture on low heat while the baklava is cooking. Do not bring to a boil, just keep it warm. Stir occaisionally to make sure the bottom isn't burning.
20) After the timer goes off, check the baklava. Depending on your oven, it may take more time. Keep cooking until the baklava is lightly brown on the top, and is crispy to the touch (I just touch it with my finger to see if it's crispy enough)
20) Pull the baklava out of the oven, and let it cool at room temperature for 10-20 minutes.
21) Using the small knife, re-cut the baklava, but this time cut all the way down to the bottom of the pan.
22) Pour the syrup mixture on top of the baklava.
23) Let the baklava syrup cool in the pan for bit, then you can serve it!
24) If you are making this in advance, that's fine as Baklava will keep well at room temperature, however, do not cover it until the syrup has cooled, otherwise the baklava may get soggy from the humidity of the steamy syrup.
25) If your baklava gets a bit soggy and you want to re-crisp it, you can put it back in the oven at 325 degrees for 5-10 minutes, but be careful not to burn it. This will also dry it out a little bit, and sometimes you may want to add a little more syrup to it after this. No problem, it's a versatile dish, but just make sure to balance your re-heating and re-syrup-ing, so it's not overly sticky.
26) Pairs very well with Coffee, espresso, and/or a dry red wine.
-
Variations:
Nuts: You may use Almonds or Pistachios, I suppose one could try Pecans, but they are a softer nut and I am not so sure it would taste right. Baklava should be crispy-ish.
Spices: You can use a mix of Cinnamon and Nutmeg if you like. I haven't tried any other spices, please let me know if you do and you have success with this.
Syrup: I've heard (but not tried this) some people use Cardamom and Rosewater for the syrup. I do not know the measurements, but I'm sure it is a possibility. Please let me know if you try this. I would be interested in tasting it.
Sweetener: You can also use white sugar or cane sugar or agave syrup instead of brown sugar, but I find the flavor of the brown sugar is one I like better.
Gluten-Free: I have tried making this with Rice Paper instead of Filo Dough, HOWEVER... rice paper has to be wet or damp in order for it to be flexible enough for this recipe. The problem with that, is after it comes out of the oven crispy... it does not keep for longer than 1 day. It WILL get soggy eventually, and once it got moldy - gross. So, just be aware, if you use the rice paper method, you need to EAT it the same day you make it. No leftovers. Ok?
Also Rice Paper is usually round, so I ended up using a pie/pan for the baklava as opposed to a rectangular one.
****** HAPPY BAKING! *****
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