>Tomato and Spinach Swirly Two-Toned Sandwich Bread

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This is a simple technique I’ve used for years to give bread a dramatic look when sliced. I made this for our Christmas eve dinner at my sisters house. The way to make it is quite simple: lay two different raw bread doughs on top of each other and roll them up. When it ferments and rises the dough fuses itself together but at the same time remains separate. But one key factor is that both doughs have to be of about the same consistency so they ferment and rise at the same rate…if one dough were wet and one dry they would rise differently and break apart as they baked (I can tell you this through personal experience). That said, you can use virtually any bread recipe you like so long as they are similar in consistency (if you need a recipe click here, here, here, here, or here). Anyhow, it goes something like this:

Place two bowls side-by-side, and first make a sponge, then the dough (for more explanation on this–with pics and recipes–click the above links).

After the doughs have risen once or twice cut them into appropriate sizes and weights to fit your pans, then cut each in half again. Lay one piece of each separate dough on top of each other and roll them up.

Place the dough into bread pans (or bake them free-form if you like) and allow them to rise; afterwords. bake them in a preheated oven. Simple and interesting…not to mention delicious.


My Favorite Stir-Fry (Recipe and Photos)

This is a variation of a recipe I published in Artvoice a couple years ago and it’s one of my favorite stir-fry recipes…it’s simple to prepare and is close to flavor of a dish you may order at a Chinese restaurant. But when you make it at home you can control the salt and sugar amounts (not to mention save a little cash), and serve it with brown rice like I did. The classic and main ingredients for this recipe are broccoli and bean curd, but you could easily substitute chicken, pork, or beef…though if you’d like to make it completely vegetarian or vegan keep the bean curd and simply use vegetable broth instead of the chicken broth. Anyhow, here’s a few pictures; the recipe follows. To see the original article in Artvoice (about broccoli) with info and additional recipes, click here.

Broccoli & Bean Curd with Ginger, Garlic, & Hot Peppers
Yield: 4 servings

4 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
4 heads broccoli, cut into florets
12 ounces firm tofu, sliced into
1-inch pieces
1 cup vegetable oil (for frying)
1 small onion, sliced
1 red bell pepper, julienned
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 teaspoon crushed hot pepper
1-1/2 cups chicken broth

In a small bowl combine the soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and cornstarch. Mix to dissolve the cornstarch and set aside. Par-cook the broccoli in boiling water, then drain it and cool it under cold running water.

Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Carefully add the tofu and cook it on both sides until golden brown. Remove the tofu and transfer to absorbent paper. Carefully pour most of the oil into a separate pan (or other safe container), leaving just enough oil to stir fry in. Heat the pan and add the onion and bell pepper. Sauté the vegetables until they begin to caramelize. Add the garlic, ginger, and hot peppers. Sauté for another minute or two.

Stir in the chicken broth; bring it to a boil, then stir in the soy-cornstarch mixture. Bring it to a simmer, then add the broccoli and bean curd. Stir and toss it to evenly coat it with sauce. Continue to heat the pan just until the broccoli is heated throughout.

>My Favorite Stir-Fry (Recipe and Photos)

>

This is a variation of a recipe I published in Artvoice a couple years ago and it’s one of my favorite stir-fry recipes…it’s simple to prepare and is close to flavor of a dish you may order at a Chinese restaurant. But when you make it at home you can control the salt and sugar amounts (not to mention save a little cash), and serve it with brown rice like I did. The classic and main ingredients for this recipe are broccoli and bean curd, but you could easily substitute chicken, pork, or beef…though if you’d like to make it completely vegetarian or vegan keep the bean curd and simply use vegetable broth instead of the chicken broth. Anyhow, here’s a few pictures; the recipe follows. To see the original article in Artvoice (about broccoli) with info and additional recipes, click here.

Broccoli & Bean Curd with Ginger, Garlic, & Hot Peppers
Yield: 4 servings

4 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
4 heads broccoli, cut into florets
12 ounces firm tofu, sliced into
1-inch pieces
1 cup vegetable oil (for frying)
1 small onion, sliced
1 red bell pepper, julienned
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 teaspoon crushed hot pepper
1-1/2 cups chicken broth

In a small bowl combine the soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and cornstarch. Mix to dissolve the cornstarch and set aside. Par-cook the broccoli in boiling water, then drain it and cool it under cold running water.

Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Carefully add the tofu and cook it on both sides until golden brown. Remove the tofu and transfer to absorbent paper. Carefully pour most of the oil into a separate pan (or other safe container), leaving just enough oil to stir fry in. Heat the pan and add the onion and bell pepper. Sauté the vegetables until they begin to caramelize. Add the garlic, ginger, and hot peppers. Sauté for another minute or two.

Stir in the chicken broth; bring it to a boil, then stir in the soy-cornstarch mixture. Bring it to a simmer, then add the broccoli and bean curd. Stir and toss it to evenly coat it with sauce. Continue to heat the pan just until the broccoli is heated throughout.

A Christmas Vow by Sri Yogananda

 Image found here.

“I will prepare for the coming of the Omnipresent baby Christ by cleaning the cradle of my consciousness, now rusty with selfishness, indifference, and sense attachments; and by polishing it with deep, daily, divine meditation, introspection, and discrimination. I will remodel the cradle with the dazzling soul-qualities of brotherly love, humbleness, faith, desire for God-realization, will power, self-control, renunciation, and unselfishness, that I may fittingly celebrate the birth of the Divine Child.”
Paramahansa Yogananda

I find the above passage both moving and beautiful…quite an aspiration for an average bloke like me. I first came across it about five years ago when I picked up the little book, Metaphysical Meditations. If we all thought about Christmas like this the world may be a different place.

 To learn more about Paramahansa Yogananda, click here.

Merry Christmas!

>A Christmas Vow by Sri Yogananda

>

 Image found here.

“I will prepare for the coming of the Omnipresent baby Christ by cleaning the cradle of my consciousness, now rusty with selfishness, indifference, and sense attachments; and by polishing it with deep, daily, divine meditation, introspection, and discrimination. I will remodel the cradle with the dazzling soul-qualities of brotherly love, humbleness, faith, desire for God-realization, will power, self-control, renunciation, and unselfishness, that I may fittingly celebrate the birth of the Divine Child.”
Paramahansa Yogananda

I find the above passage both moving and beautiful…quite an aspiration for an average bloke like me. I first came across it about five years ago when I picked up the little book, Metaphysical Meditations. If we all thought about Christmas like this the world may be a different place.

 To learn more about Paramahansa Yogananda, click here.

Merry Christmas!

Things That Can Be Carried On A Bike (#254)…and my "city-boy triathlon"

Two plastic soda crates.
Ingredients for dinner and a few other food items.
4.4 kg of dog food.
A set of Christmas tree lights.
4 large envelopes.
3 rolls of wrapping paper.
3 small Christmas presents.
3 rolls of Scotch tape.
A gym bag full of wet clothes.

This past week I seemed to drive my truck more than my bike (which always makes me a little agitated and annoyed)…not so much because of the weather (though it has been cold) but because of many small and unspecific circumstances. At any rate, I had the day off and was determined to do all my errands by bike, which I did but it ended up being a lot of physical exercise (which I felt I needed). Anyhow, at one point I had to laugh to myself as I felt I was on some sort of a city-boy triathlon; this is what comprised it: about seven miles total riding on a 55 lb. bike (including stopping at 4 stores, a bank, and a health club), 40 laps in a pool (a little over a half mile), then splitting and hauling a small pile of firewood using an axe with a semi-broken handle. I’m exhausted (but in a good way).

>Things That Can Be Carried On A Bike (#254)…and my "city-boy triathlon"

>

Two plastic soda crates.
Ingredients for dinner and a few other food items.
4.4 kg of dog food.
A set of Christmas tree lights.
4 large envelopes.
3 rolls of wrapping paper.
3 small Christmas presents.
3 rolls of Scotch tape.
A gym bag full of wet clothes.

This past week I seemed to drive my truck more than my bike (which always makes me a little agitated and annoyed)…not so much because of the weather (though it has been cold) but because of many small and unspecific circumstances. At any rate, I had the day off and was determined to do all my errands by bike, which I did but it ended up being a lot of physical exercise (which I felt I needed). Anyhow, at one point I had to laugh to myself as I felt I was on some sort of a city-boy triathlon; this is what comprised it: about seven miles total riding on a 55 lb. bike (including stopping at 4 stores, a bank, and a health club), 40 laps in a pool (a little over a half mile), then splitting and hauling a small pile of firewood using an axe with a semi-broken handle. I’m exhausted (but in a good way).

I’m Glad to be Less-Than-Average

 Image found here.

While fixing dinner yesterday and listening to NPR the commentator stated that with slightly higher gas prices this year the “average American household will spend $305 on gas this month.”

What?

Maybe I heard that wrong. But I didn’t (click here).

As I’ve stated many, many times (did I mention many) I am far from car-free, but I am car-lite, sometimes lighter than other times. And in a sentence: I still do own a gas-powered vehicle and sometimes I drive it more than I like. But $305 a month on gas for the average American household, can that be accurate? That’s like a minor mortgage payment. It took my teenage son to tell me that $305 in gas at around $3 per gallon is 100 gallons of gas a month…that is a lot of gas. The variable here is “average American household;” what does that mean?

I am in no way bragging because every person’s life and needs are different, but at best guess (I don’t keep track) I spend between $20-$40 on gas a month.

My only thought (OK it’s not my only thought but one of many) is what is going to happen after peak oil. To be honest it scares me a little, not for the price of gas but for many other reasons. At any rate, I am very glad to be way below average.

>I’m Glad to be Less-Than-Average

>

 Image found here.

While fixing dinner yesterday and listening to NPR the commentator stated that with slightly higher gas prices this year the “average American household will spend $305 on gas this month.”

What?

Maybe I heard that wrong. But I didn’t (click here).

As I’ve stated many, many times (did I mention many) I am far from car-free, but I am car-lite, sometimes lighter than other times. And in a sentence: I still do own a gas-powered vehicle and sometimes I drive it more than I like. But $305 a month on gas for the average American household, can that be accurate? That’s like a minor mortgage payment. It took my teenage son to tell me that $305 in gas at around $3 per gallon is 100 gallons of gas a month…that is a lot of gas. The variable here is “average American household;” what does that mean?

I am in no way bragging because every person’s life and needs are different, but at best guess (I don’t keep track) I spend between $20-$40 on gas a month.

My only thought (OK it’s not my only thought but one of many) is what is going to happen after peak oil. To be honest it scares me a little, not for the price of gas but for many other reasons. At any rate, I am very glad to be way below average.

Happy Winter Solstice

In the event you missed the lunar eclipse yesterday (like I did because of cloud cover) here’s a sped up view of it…something like 4 hours condensed into 26 seconds. Amazing!

And if you are interested in reading about some of the Pagan origins of Christianity and the relevance of the Winter Solstice within it, click here.

Snowy

Hmmm…I didn’t know we were supposed to get snow tonight. But I just glanced out the window and it was coming down heavy. I stepped outside onto the front porch to snap this photo. It was beautiful; the sight and sound of it coming down. It’s as if everything is slightly muffled in the city. According to the news much of the US and Europe is getting heavy snow this year. Thankfully I only have a short commute to work in the morning (.75 mile / 1.2 km), but for farther distances, to do errands and such, the heavy snow does make it difficult to bike in. As I’ve said before, I am not so much concerned about falling off the bike myself as I am getting knocked off by a car driver. I’d be interested to hear how other cyclists are dealing with the snow this year. At any rate, looks like it will be an interesting ride to work in the morning. 

>Snowy

>

Hmmm…I didn’t know we were supposed to get snow tonight. But I just glanced out the window and it was coming down heavy. I stepped outside onto the front porch to snap this photo. It was beautiful; the sight and sound of it coming down. It’s as if everything is slightly muffled in the city. According to the news much of the US and Europe is getting heavy snow this year. Thankfully I only have a short commute to work in the morning (.75 mile / 1.2 km), but for farther distances, to do errands and such, the heavy snow does make it difficult to bike in. As I’ve said before, I am not so much concerned about falling off the bike myself as I am getting knocked off by a car driver. I’d be interested to hear how other cyclists are dealing with the snow this year. At any rate, looks like it will be an interesting ride to work in the morning. 

Spinach and Turkey Meatballs Braised in Red Wine and Tomato

This is something I made for my son and I for dinner last night, and like all–or at least most–of the recipes on this blog, it is both simple and delicious. It’s a basic recipe for meatballs and tomato sauce with a twist. In place of the usual beef or pork I used turkey, and I also added a mixture of pureed spinach and egg. And besides tomato sauce (which I had in the freezer from last year’s tomatoes), I also added a fair amount of red wine. These meatballs are so delicious (and did I mention simple to make?) they could be eaten on their own or over rice; we ate ours over buttered whole wheat macaroni. To see yet another variation on this dish where I made it using codfish, click here. Anyhow, here’s how to make them:

Puree fresh spinach with a couple eggs, and also a small onion and a couple cloves of garlic. Combine it in a bowl along with ground turkey, Parmesan cheese, hot pepper flakes, basil, kosher salt, and breadcrumbs. Mix it together and shape it into balls.

Heat some olive oil in a skillet and add the meatballs. Cook them until they begin to brown and a red wine. Allow the wine to cook for a minute or so and then add tomato sauce. Cook the meatballs for about 30 minutes, until thoroughly cooks and  the flavors are well married.

Just before serving you can add a pat of butter or splash of cream to the pan, but I didn’t as the sauce from fresh tomatoes was rich enough for my taste. I’ll sum up the flavor with in one word (sound actually)…mmmm….