tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26828006596180569112024-03-13T17:27:57.538-07:00The Nucleic DuoRNA and DNAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04049618566555050414noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2682800659618056911.post-79300204762440113622011-10-25T20:44:00.000-07:002011-10-25T20:44:59.417-07:00Fancy French Fish (Ooo La La!)Instead of the usual dinner out on the town, I stayed in Saturday night to indulge in some all-to-rare home cooking. I normally tend to gravitate toward fail-safe stir fry, curry and pasta dishes, but this night I wanted something to try on something with a little more flair.<br />
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So I dug through my cupboard and pulled out the "International Cookbook" 2005 edition, a delicious collaboration between the <a href="http://www.unk.edu/">University of Nebraska-Kearney</a>, International Student Association and <a href="http://www.morriscookbooks.com/">Morris Press Cookbooks</a>. Thumbing through many exotic dishes from around the world, the one that ultimately stood out was "Terrine de Saumon Aux Epinards - Riz Spécial," translated as Salmon and Spinach Terrine - Special Rice, contributed by Julien Champarou of France. Not only did it look scrumptious to eat, it also struck me as possibly easy to make, with most of the ingredients already in my kitchen. I was a little nervous that the souffle salmon wraps would fall apart or suddenly burst into flames when I took them out of the oven, but it turns out that evening I was a certified Julia Child with this recipe. The eggs mixture was fluffy, the salmon was tender and the dish was rich and satisfying. So with due thanks and credit to Julien, here is the my two-serving modification of the "Terrine de Saumon." Bon Appetit!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Z9o-I4C8eGl_9-9TKiYzTg8LpXap-IQDFL8zB9TB6BxI6kOvUBMLl2yM7qyt1CVlH0BNu7XVBwbgL0cxh1q77de5rpKdO14yY-DV0aC_-SIZF5hlVLfJ4EeRUkJx4tG7wkSGGj8mDQ_b/s1600/salmon.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Z9o-I4C8eGl_9-9TKiYzTg8LpXap-IQDFL8zB9TB6BxI6kOvUBMLl2yM7qyt1CVlH0BNu7XVBwbgL0cxh1q77de5rpKdO14yY-DV0aC_-SIZF5hlVLfJ4EeRUkJx4tG7wkSGGj8mDQ_b/s320/salmon.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Ingredients (measurements are approximate):<br />
1/4 bag fresh baby spinach <br />
2 salmon tail fillets, about 1/3 pound each. <br />
1/4 cup sour cream<br />
1 egg<br />
2 strips of bacon <br />
Nutmeg<br />
Salt<br />
Pepper<br />
2 tablespoons butter<br />
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Grease the inside of two 7-ounce oven-safe ramekins or souffle dishes. Preheat oven to 410 F. Melt the butter in a saucepan and saute the fresh spinach until wilted. Drain liquid and set cooked spinach aside in a small mixing bowl. Cook bacon, cut into small bits and add to the spinach. Take the skin off the salmon fillets and place the wide part in each of the greased ramekins, with the narrow end hanging over the edge. Add the sour cream and egg to the spinach and bacon in the bowl and mix well with a fork. Add dashes of salt, pepper and nutmeg to the mix. Spoon the spinach/sour cream/egg mixture over the salmon, and fold the tails over the top of the mix. Bake at 410 F for 10-15 minutes. Serve with rice or other side of your choice.<br />
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RNARNA and DNAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04049618566555050414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2682800659618056911.post-44256883629034773192011-10-18T16:26:00.000-07:002011-10-18T18:59:17.541-07:00Happy National Chocolate Cupcake Day!Today is National Chocolate Cupcake Day. How do I know? An old schoolmate of mine who operates the <a href="http://www.themcdf.com/">Madison County Dessert Factory</a> in Winterset, Iowa, announced it on Facebook, and after a quick online search, I can verify it is indeed true. I also can verify that National Lemon Cupcake Day lands on Dec. 15 (my calendar is marked!). So to celebrate National Chocolate Cupcake Day, I swung by the <a href="http://www.rollingpinbakeshop.com/">Rolling Pin Bakeshop</a>, which has a nice assortment and is situated conveniently down the road, and selected the most attractive chocolate cupcake in their case - the chocolate buttercream-laden Raspberry Fudge Cupcake. Here is a picture of the beauty, which is now in my tummy:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaoMo_7eWNoRo8W-L4tE8aZ62XLDf5X1IbmdPt4JkGNQdANlZLiwGu2rkTtwwb8HYiaiokkQlQHplWRrTyWefYAiu9RBm_OC1R9EKqfmgj202bKMmZ6P_3SYg3GQ7k9_oRGlUrLA3vKip_/s1600/chococupcakezoom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaoMo_7eWNoRo8W-L4tE8aZ62XLDf5X1IbmdPt4JkGNQdANlZLiwGu2rkTtwwb8HYiaiokkQlQHplWRrTyWefYAiu9RBm_OC1R9EKqfmgj202bKMmZ6P_3SYg3GQ7k9_oRGlUrLA3vKip_/s320/chococupcakezoom.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
The guy at the counter said it is a miniature version of the bakeshop's Raspberry Fudge Dark Chocolate Cake, which I'm sure is equally delicious.<br />
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I also realized this is a good excuse to post a couple other random cupcake pictures I happen to have on file. These are not all chocolate cupcakes, but they are celebrating the holiday just the same.<br />
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Here is Pat eating a maple bacon cupcake after a recent brunch outing at <a href="http://daisycafeandcupcakery.com/default.aspx">Daisy Cafe and Cupcakery</a>.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLgDOzUj2yY51nKubgrKCYlGcXs0lS2mNRIt_cnYTLr0n5m3KAzMFiisIkIacRwEGs5NQjemeb9bL6NbVIJ353dTR5n6OtCzzS3GYGtemT4TU-E6L0dKxwGDo1pRhGUoLaJiM4U0HpiEAD/s1600/patbaconcupcake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLgDOzUj2yY51nKubgrKCYlGcXs0lS2mNRIt_cnYTLr0n5m3KAzMFiisIkIacRwEGs5NQjemeb9bL6NbVIJ353dTR5n6OtCzzS3GYGtemT4TU-E6L0dKxwGDo1pRhGUoLaJiM4U0HpiEAD/s320/patbaconcupcake.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
Doesn't he look happy? Additionally, I found this photo of a Solidarity Cupcake - also from <a href="http://daisycafeandcupcakery.com/default.aspx">Daisy Cafe and Cupcakery</a>, that my co-worker brought me earlier this year around the time of the <a href="http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt-and-politics/article_9f189108-4cbc-11e0-b9b8-001cc4c002e0.html">Madison protests against Gov. Scott Walker</a> removing unions' collective bargaining rights:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuzbAKr2slKSf4xBnypP6_JaZAB6YDb4kSNl0pzuKLA6CNn0YYy_QZ7JT4YqmvwLN8-k3lAW2KjoIqyI2Hch5fzqu8fsg_mhjam1Douct57VeV8ILJBglVihIRWNszgAS6ubqH1xYMHB5x/s1600/SolidarityCupcake2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuzbAKr2slKSf4xBnypP6_JaZAB6YDb4kSNl0pzuKLA6CNn0YYy_QZ7JT4YqmvwLN8-k3lAW2KjoIqyI2Hch5fzqu8fsg_mhjam1Douct57VeV8ILJBglVihIRWNszgAS6ubqH1xYMHB5x/s320/SolidarityCupcake2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
How can you not celebrate the cupcake? Looking forward to Dec. 15!RNA and DNAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04049618566555050414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2682800659618056911.post-85689211164288478632011-10-11T21:37:00.000-07:002011-10-11T21:45:49.420-07:00Sal's Tomato PiesPizza is pizza is pizza, but sometimes you come across one so artistic, delicious and inspiring that it wakes you from your 10-month vacation from blogging so you can tell your friends, "You gotta try THIS tomato pie!!!"<br />
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Sal's No. 4 was such a pie. Salvatore's Tomato Pies in Sun Prairie has been open only a week at 503 W. Main Street, a spot that formerly housed a notoriously bad sandwich shop and shares a front entrance with the local check and go. Sal's was a pleasant surprise. The inside is painted in warm hues and decorated with portraits of angry-looking women and pastoral landscapes. A play corner keeps the kiddos busy while you wait for your carry-out, and there are several tables for dining in. The tomato pies are made "the authentic Italian immigrant way" and feature an old family recipe from Trenton, N.J., with the ingredients sourced as locally as possible. This is a fresh and tasty combination.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9EDyRiLkRqg9FVEvjAqVVjXjPHgfEzQdT8fFTjEfR3ZX6FXtGnrB0i-JeQx0Z5tA2r0OrUoFgKdBJsms6fxIn_vehvXONQPJQSWnrIdqFWxS4qsDY_QlUdgt5AhgFGEbJEguNEAwBLp5d/s1600/Four+pizza.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9EDyRiLkRqg9FVEvjAqVVjXjPHgfEzQdT8fFTjEfR3ZX6FXtGnrB0i-JeQx0Z5tA2r0OrUoFgKdBJsms6fxIn_vehvXONQPJQSWnrIdqFWxS4qsDY_QlUdgt5AhgFGEbJEguNEAwBLp5d/s320/Four+pizza.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
My cell phone snapshot above does not capture the true beauty of the pie as it was first presented to us, with a spontaneous swirl of tomato sauce and speckled with locally-made Italian sausage, caramelized shallots, fresh basil, fire roasted sweet red peppers and French chévre (goat cheese). If I wasn't so hungry, I'd have been tempted to shellac it and hang it over my fireplace. Below is a better picture borrowed from Salvatore's Tomato Pies' <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Salvatores-Tomato-Pies/163122650429455?sk=wall">Facebook page</a>.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL_AFAVWqNpTP4FDGpMozFIscRzW6T3ZCBi1odOSF__MToltv3rHfNLwwDzgUacYXnaATD-UGq7rc6BipzFV7LH5cIJcHvVNEmbLViqgvyWhAMjd1KTWczJetnGRjhA8hOQW7-FkDPSXB7/s1600/tomatopie" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL_AFAVWqNpTP4FDGpMozFIscRzW6T3ZCBi1odOSF__MToltv3rHfNLwwDzgUacYXnaATD-UGq7rc6BipzFV7LH5cIJcHvVNEmbLViqgvyWhAMjd1KTWczJetnGRjhA8hOQW7-FkDPSXB7/s320/tomatopie" width="320" /></a></div><br />
The menu so far is limited to eight tomato pies, three appetizers and a selection of canned beverages, but our choice of pie still was a tough one. The No. 4's crust, cheese, sausage and sauce all were delicious, though a bit more sauce and meat would balance out the substantial crust. For my next visit, I am looking for a fellow appreciator of strong cheese to help me polish off the No. 6: Bacon & Blue - with aged gorgonzola cheese, applewood smoked bacon, fresh broccoli and mozzarella.<br />
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RNARNA and DNAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04049618566555050414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2682800659618056911.post-38753833289442486742011-04-09T19:25:00.000-07:002011-04-09T19:25:27.983-07:00BibimbapIt's a lazy Saturday afternoon and I have way too many vegetables in my fridge. What to do about it...Oh I know, make the traditional Korean comfort dish, BiBimBap!<br />
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BiBimBap is basically a bunch of leftover prepp'd vegetables over rice, with a little beef & a fried egg on top & spicy red pepper paste poured all over it. (In restaurants, they usually give you a squeeze bottle of it with your order!) Korean households (or restaurants) love making this because it's so easy and it tastes delicious. Vegetables that are commonly used are carrots, zucchini, spinach, shiitake mushrooms, and sprouts, but you can use anything! It's often served in a sizzling stone bowl, which causes the rice to heat up and form a crispy layer on the bottom. Then, you can mix it around, and if the bowl is hot enough, another crispy layer forms! Also, sometimes the egg is not cooked, so you can cook it by mixing it around! Just be careful not to burn the rice. Here's a few pictures:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://molyna.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/800px-korean-food-bibimbap-02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://molyna.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/800px-korean-food-bibimbap-02.jpg" width="320" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://kimjh125.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/bibimbap1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://kimjh125.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/bibimbap1.jpg" /></a></div><br />
They both look delicious, don't they? The first one is served in the traditional stone bowl; the second one not. The egg is not fried in either of them. They include the traditional vegetables along with fernbrake (the dark brown stuff), lettuce, cucumber, a few types of kimchi, and others. <br />
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Welllll, I had plenty of vegetables but none of them were prepped, sadly. So it was not as easy to make as it is supposed to be. But that's okay; I had all afternoon! <br />
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2 medium carrots<br />
1 yellow zucchini<br />
1 bunch Chinese spinach<br />
1 bunch pickled banana blossoms <br />
1 cup bean sprouts<br />
1 cup napa kimchi<br />
fresh garlic<br />
anchovy sauce<br />
sunflower oil<br />
sesame oil, to taste<br />
1/3 lb. ground lamb<br />
brown rice<br />
black rice<br />
beans<br />
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Directions: Soak the rice and beans overnight, then drain, rinse, cover with water and place in the rice cooker.<br />
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While the rice is cooking, properly wash and scrub the fresh vegetables. Julienne the carrots and zucchini. Slice the banana blossoms. Crush the garlic. Bring 1 cup of water to a boil. Immerse the carrots in the water until slightly tender (about 1 minute); remove. Immerse the zucchini in the water for about 30 seconds; remove. Immerse the spinach in the water for about 30 seconds; remove. Put 1 tbsp sunflower oil in the skillet; add 1 tbsp fish sauce and stir-fry the bean sprouts for about a minute and the banana blossoms and garlic for about a minute. Set aside all the cooked vegetables.<br />
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Use the vegetable water to stir-fry the ground lamb (or any other meat you wish, or you may make it completely vegetarian). Set aside.<br />
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When the rice is finished, put in a round bowl and mix with sesame oil. I didn't have a sizzling bowl, so I just used a regular bowl and it worked fine. Then, arrange the vegetables and meat in a circular pattern. Also include the napa kimchi. When you are finished, fry an egg and put it in the center. The result:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_2cZegwKeyehfK24qQf8ykHYgNFBynH5pT5jm2NH28UizHnzfyg0UXvueHhQFCcNb4vkZHpUGDm9cvVuEY556xDBpWk8DLucrNMsV72HId2Ny4tMx9gh-ra81YXjRit7kAoeFbkBbK_IE/s1600/bibimbap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_2cZegwKeyehfK24qQf8ykHYgNFBynH5pT5jm2NH28UizHnzfyg0UXvueHhQFCcNb4vkZHpUGDm9cvVuEY556xDBpWk8DLucrNMsV72HId2Ny4tMx9gh-ra81YXjRit7kAoeFbkBbK_IE/s400/bibimbap.jpg" width="300" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">BiBimBap: So Good. </div><br />
Voila! Besides tasting good, one of the things I love about this dish is how colorful it is; everything is represented. Even the rice (which you can't see) ended up being a deep purple because of the black rice used. The vegetables are, clockwise starting at around 9:00: yellow zucchini, red napa kimchi, white banana blossoms, orange carrots, ground lamb, white bean sprouts, and green Chinese spinach. And, of course, the fried egg in the middle. I used banana blossoms here, which are almost never found in BiBimBap, but one of the great things about this dish is it works with just about any vegetable. It's also not commonly made with lamb (almost 100% of the time it's either made with beef or vegetarian; in rare instances chicken or a seafood mix), but again, the spirit of this dish is to use up what you have. I also didn't have the red pepper paste, which would have made it even better (so a trip to Galleria Korean market is in store) but I guess that just means I'll have to make it again soon! :-)<br />
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DNARNA and DNAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04049618566555050414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2682800659618056911.post-73519599667530172422011-01-13T23:00:00.000-08:002011-01-13T23:00:46.822-08:00Quick DinnerHello there. DNA is still around! These days I'm taking classes and applying for grad school and all that jazz (it never seems to stop) but, taking a break to Blogger!<br />
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After getting back from my 6-8:15 class, I don't feel like making a big elaborate dinner. Something I can whip together in half an hour sounds mighty good. So voila! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsNdpJhuBPgypoEa7dYufbC7_DW2khmpwp9DasUZs9kX77OrVgkEEpcnyYCIWtF3dlsKCUyzrpH8ZhH_H4402bu99iE1KST2VkyaQU6STaoFFY-RKC8r8bc_qbT7uuGGqJv6-DGx3W1hTq/s1600/dinner1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsNdpJhuBPgypoEa7dYufbC7_DW2khmpwp9DasUZs9kX77OrVgkEEpcnyYCIWtF3dlsKCUyzrpH8ZhH_H4402bu99iE1KST2VkyaQU6STaoFFY-RKC8r8bc_qbT7uuGGqJv6-DGx3W1hTq/s320/dinner1.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Quick Dinner.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Yeppers. Not very much cooking required. I picked up some salmon sashimi from Marukai on the way back (discounted prepped sushi and sashimi from 7:30-close, gotta love that), and figured I'd just make some brown rice & sprinkle some egg-and-bonito furikake over it and throw in some kimchi (There's regular napa kimchi, chive kimchi, and then not really kimchi but Japanese pickled plums. A single serving of rice takes about half an hour, but it didn't take that long to throw the rest of it together so I made my new favorite soup:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Q86bfn_MlspxbZEjIaN1fB3zaTcKIfbUsF9okp17rogn7h_FDjW7hyphenhyphenXGQ0rvqAL2DS0c9hnQ97u4_UioAfYPGfM_MHeU8zvUCjwFbGnzGVuan3Zdjm79tMCnN0a44pQEB8M7MP4JL-m9/s1600/dinner2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Q86bfn_MlspxbZEjIaN1fB3zaTcKIfbUsF9okp17rogn7h_FDjW7hyphenhyphenXGQ0rvqAL2DS0c9hnQ97u4_UioAfYPGfM_MHeU8zvUCjwFbGnzGVuan3Zdjm79tMCnN0a44pQEB8M7MP4JL-m9/s320/dinner2.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New favorite soup.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">That's daikon, carrot, and burdock simmered for about half an hour with some miso paste thrown in for good measure. And just for the heck of it, I decided to bust out the iced jasmine tea I also got a Marukai ($2.49, uber-sale!)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It probably wasn't a good idea to have kimchi with the salmon sashimi (although I know some Korean restaurants serve sashimi as hwe dup bap, with the obligatory sides of course), because this particular salmon was a little bland...and not that great of a consistency. Ehh, I guess that's what I get for getting cheap sashimi. (Which sadly, is one of those items that 'cheap' should never precede...but I went against my own advice this time. 'Cheap' is usually fine before, say, fruits and vegetables.) Sorry, Marukai..</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Still though, not bad! The soup was pretty darn good & kimchi is never a bad thing. <br />
Anyway, I have about half a pack of leftover sashimi, but I think I'm just going to sear it tomorrow morning & cover it in furikake.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'll try not to disappear for a few months again, because I have some exciting posts coming up later this month: another year has passed, and that means my top tunes of 2010! Top 10 albums & Top 100 singles are done and will be up pretty soon, and depending on how feisty I get, I may do a Top something-or-other worst of the year. Haha. But best of all, another live Top 50 countdown is in the works, so stay tuned!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">DNA </div>RNA and DNAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04049618566555050414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2682800659618056911.post-21789999659030265282011-01-09T14:27:00.000-08:002011-01-09T18:02:17.032-08:00Adventures with Bread Machine, part I<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheOgCLQPD_NGDTsrnP7yjfVFt6EQQpf0CjSYiN0ELhXdYD_BrW5FJ6DoFxsC9yeEFXqfTjfXpkK90lIC3e0F6JXVQytpvG9dDD_YCq67z4FqRah3LblNVKkYHi4NoN3FkjL9wuLqA7YhZj/s1600/machine_open.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheOgCLQPD_NGDTsrnP7yjfVFt6EQQpf0CjSYiN0ELhXdYD_BrW5FJ6DoFxsC9yeEFXqfTjfXpkK90lIC3e0F6JXVQytpvG9dDD_YCq67z4FqRah3LblNVKkYHi4NoN3FkjL9wuLqA7YhZj/s320/machine_open.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Friday after work, I picked up a behemoth but practically new-in-the-box Sunbeam Breadmaker 5891 from St. Vinnie's. Since the thrift shop has a two-day window for returns on appliances, fresh-baked bread was on the menu this weekend. <br />
<br />
The Sunbeam came with a book of 12 recipes, so I decided to start with the supposedly no-fail "Homestyle White Bread, 1.5-Pound Loaf." I made a quick grocery run for butter, nonfat dry milk powder, bread flour and bread machine yeast, and by about 9:30 p.m. I was ready to take my bread machine for its first test drive.<br />
<br />
The process couldn't have been easier. Add ingredients to bread pan. Put in machine. Close lid. Push button. Made me wish Sunbeam also offered a Meringuepiemaker or a Soufflemaker.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjctuBupG0XWVpfaylLtekT3-A-LOSN1zGZVk02UJ8vAc1X4tJL3Ln0DpibO81j8rc1FgsOHgqjGzO0DTf2gNnsEYVDPUYYPx2nZ-VAoQBTW8oWyDBlRuRKu0AE_vuTWQAhoH5eKCkwDoNK/s1600/pulling+kneader.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjctuBupG0XWVpfaylLtekT3-A-LOSN1zGZVk02UJ8vAc1X4tJL3Ln0DpibO81j8rc1FgsOHgqjGzO0DTf2gNnsEYVDPUYYPx2nZ-VAoQBTW8oWyDBlRuRKu0AE_vuTWQAhoH5eKCkwDoNK/s320/pulling+kneader.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">I watched the kneading blade maneuver the dough around the pan through the clear window on top, and was impressed as the dough started to rise. As the three-hour timer reached its last hour, I checked on the baking process. Bummer - the top had fallen and there was a giant smushy crater in the middle of my bread. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br class="webkit-block-placeholder" /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">After the baking completed, I crossed my fingers and removed the pan. As I shook the bread out, I was relieved that the bread had risen after all, though the top looked like the collapsed Metrodome after a large snowfall. Also, the kneading blade had embedded itself inside the bread, but the people at Sunbeam fortunately had thought of this and provided a hook-like device to surgically remove this non-edible piece of metal from the bread.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div>I cut my first slice, which looked a little like a cat with pointy ears framing the part that had collapsed on top. However, the inside looked great - no dense layers or air bubbles, just warm, fluffy bread. Win! Next time I think I'll try different grains, seeds, nuts or dried fruit.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSL0ifJzqnvHxQBCczKqSHc-snr8sgiCC04iQmRCF4UZ6NpOoExbB9K0qALOmLfrCcuoOxltPe1QlNtiuKoLEteGxKDg5A-v_iOoBoLmrgtcp4Nl_ZIifVkgRZq4y7G5LuGEayJwPNGowN/s1600/breadface.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSL0ifJzqnvHxQBCczKqSHc-snr8sgiCC04iQmRCF4UZ6NpOoExbB9K0qALOmLfrCcuoOxltPe1QlNtiuKoLEteGxKDg5A-v_iOoBoLmrgtcp4Nl_ZIifVkgRZq4y7G5LuGEayJwPNGowN/s320/breadface.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
RNARNA and DNAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04049618566555050414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2682800659618056911.post-26527644213011221902010-12-03T22:16:00.000-08:002010-12-04T07:25:03.930-08:00Creative Designs by Leftover TurkeyLast weekend I drove to Nebraska to visit my parents, and my mom whipped up a delicious traditional Thanksgiving turkey with the obligatory stuffing, gravy and homemade cranberry sauce. I returned to Wisconsin with half jars of gravy and cranberry sauce, a few servings of stuffing and half of the bird all jammed into my lunch-box cooler. After days of reliving that wonderful Thanksgiving meal via leftovers, everything was gone except the turkey - which somehow seemed to have expanded beyond the capacity of its jumbo-sized Ziplock bag. Time to get creative.<br />
<br />
Solution? Tetrazzini!!! <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqDRm5KE5tv6gyfMuqWr7Cmx74Xri0Kg7Mtc_XUJDy6R1X-h8tApglo1vr-Cv0mg2vPnA7m9x1GJqconq8_gge1-NalKu0QHOx7d0lyNNlOVPeV5QHE4PzexsMFa9ktm0-Od6d25GZQJDn/s1600/Tetrazzini.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqDRm5KE5tv6gyfMuqWr7Cmx74Xri0Kg7Mtc_XUJDy6R1X-h8tApglo1vr-Cv0mg2vPnA7m9x1GJqconq8_gge1-NalKu0QHOx7d0lyNNlOVPeV5QHE4PzexsMFa9ktm0-Od6d25GZQJDn/s320/Tetrazzini.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
The name sounds Italian, but this Tetrazzini is a good ol' toss-and-bake, down-to-earth Midwestern gal's hotdish. It may not be too photogenic, but it's warm, filling and reheat-friendly. Here is the recipe, open to interpretation:<br />
<br />
2 cups leftover turkey, shredded or cubed<br />
1 package cooked Amish-style egg noodles<br />
1 can cream of chicken soup<br />
1 1/2 cups milk<br />
1 cup mixed vegetables, fresh or frozen<br />
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar<br />
1/4-1/2 cup bread crumbs<br />
<br />
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Saute the vegetables. Mix together turkey, cooked noodles, soup, milk and vegetables in a deep baking dish. Top mixture with cheese and bread crumbs. Bake for about 30 minutes.<br />
<br />
Turned out great. Tasted like a richer, heartier chicken noodle soup without the soup.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuOYqIeNezgnXD4QYbIV8bZWKFnmm4GCtS6s3GTZkAg1FfeyY6gb6kQmSfgktD6CpUXQOh-xKvVM02dlTK1HIEC5wzUrZ8-kHzVPKt2WZczTtPpyagSQ67YMzKGTOaWNN2oEaWdXqVLzH4/s1600/tetrazzini2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuOYqIeNezgnXD4QYbIV8bZWKFnmm4GCtS6s3GTZkAg1FfeyY6gb6kQmSfgktD6CpUXQOh-xKvVM02dlTK1HIEC5wzUrZ8-kHzVPKt2WZczTtPpyagSQ67YMzKGTOaWNN2oEaWdXqVLzH4/s320/tetrazzini2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
However, I still have several pounds of turkey left in the freezer. More recipe ideas to come ...<br />
<br />
RNARNA and DNAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04049618566555050414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2682800659618056911.post-8488198675859967432010-10-24T21:09:00.000-07:002010-10-24T21:14:35.712-07:00Restaurant Find: Fiesta Cancun<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3xVi88gRBA9SthlAZBGLU_bw7ZAeSGqDwAP37c-HMUfxRMCY5zlvmDF__YtiixKCT-7kjH8d2YTb6ZXnHLgj-gl4FhSiXo-wKvsDcmHVk3Lan2Yed-8kVhvQnpM8AJSmaztLeWztedwCB/s1600/FiestaCancun1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3xVi88gRBA9SthlAZBGLU_bw7ZAeSGqDwAP37c-HMUfxRMCY5zlvmDF__YtiixKCT-7kjH8d2YTb6ZXnHLgj-gl4FhSiXo-wKvsDcmHVk3Lan2Yed-8kVhvQnpM8AJSmaztLeWztedwCB/s320/FiestaCancun1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from our booth</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br class="webkit-block-placeholder" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Some of the best Mexican food I've found hides in unexpected corners, such as the food stand in the back of a supermercado tucked behind a tattoo parlor. I tend to avoid chains, or restaurants that advertise "Authentic Mexican Restaurant." But this weekend I found good food also can hide behind generic neon palm trees. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br class="webkit-block-placeholder" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Fiesta Cancun: Authentic Mexican Restaurant is not exactly a hole-in-the-wall taqueria. According to the menu, there are seven Fiesta Cancuns across Wisconsin and Illinois. The Madison branch, which opened earlier this year, occupies the space formerly known as Delitalia in Oakbridge Commons on Mineral Point Road. The bare-bones deli has been transformed into a cozy Mexican villa, with brick-lined window arches, tile awnings and colorful scenes painted above the booths. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br class="webkit-block-placeholder" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We were drawn in by a coupon for two dinners and two drinks for $20, which seemed like an incredible deal until we saw the menu prices. Most entrees were around $7-$8, with no single platter more than $12. We ordered two Lime Margaritas on the rocks (reg. $3.75 a piece), one Carne Asada ($9.75) and one Camarones Al Mojo de Ajo ($10.75). </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br class="webkit-block-placeholder" /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHCGe5v6L-6ED0XMRSK2tfT4nFcJrrKoYj3bkSGJa9BGmVzuqU2_rNaam8zQ2EYpqL216qggvAnCyFZdN0FikBUHelQDswI41xt1xSyVxcOhqJnC3eGasAe0LzFWJAhcrpd3e8HdZHj8Xo/s1600/FiestaCancun2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHCGe5v6L-6ED0XMRSK2tfT4nFcJrrKoYj3bkSGJa9BGmVzuqU2_rNaam8zQ2EYpqL216qggvAnCyFZdN0FikBUHelQDswI41xt1xSyVxcOhqJnC3eGasAe0LzFWJAhcrpd3e8HdZHj8Xo/s320/FiestaCancun2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carne Asada with chips and Margarita</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br class="webkit-block-placeholder" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The Carne Asada consisted of two cuts of rib eye steak, served with a sliced avocado salad, corn tortillas, rice and beans. The Camarones were shrimp and onions sauteed in garlic butter and served with the same sides. The steak was cooked well through, but still flavorful and tender. The shrimp were large and plentiful. What impressed me most was how pure the presentation was of these dishes - they didn't rely on excessive seasoning or loads of queso sauce. And they were anything but bland. The Margaritas also were tasty, well-mixed and served with a fresh slice of lime. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br class="webkit-block-placeholder" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Service was equally polished. The hostess was friendly, the server was attentive and the food was prompt. My only complaint of the entire experience was that the booth seats remained as squishy as they were during Delitalia's tenure. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br class="webkit-block-placeholder" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I will be back. Maybe to try the Flan, baked fresh daily, or the Banana Burrito. And definitely for $2 Margarita Mondays. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br class="webkit-block-placeholder" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">RNA</div>RNA and DNAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04049618566555050414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2682800659618056911.post-60819498453154751502010-10-07T12:11:00.000-07:002010-10-07T12:12:33.280-07:00David Gray & Ray LaMontagne @ The Greek Theater, Berkeley CA, Sept. 10Thanks to KFOG, I was able to see my 3rd favorite solo artist of all time (at the current moment) in concert, David Gray! (For those who are wondering, right behind Peter Gabriel & Josh Joplin, although Josh Joplin is debatable as he goes in & out of groups. So D. Gray could be my second favorite!)<br />
<br />
To win tickets, I had to be the first caller to answer the question, "What is the name of David Gray's latest album?" Piece of cake for me, but not the first six or so people who called! Obviously I deserved the tickets more than them. :P<br />
<br />
The concert was billed as David Gray & Ray LaMontagne, with Tift Merritt as the opener.<br />
<div class="post" id="msg_127928"></div><div class="post" id="msg_127928">At 7:00 sharp Tift Merritt came on. She looked & sounded like pretty generic Americana. She wasn't bad but I couldn't get into her music. She only stayed on for about 20 minutes, though.<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3df5STDve4xN-8yodvz6nu3jrHQzvAQqQoRM2MIHRSuN-M8xWUWA6DlJKWWLWETQFSrzIgL6cUgrO-jueSPJT6PTQToQLYUx2Sk-ijKEuTxY1QjQrVIVZWOyNhfYV9zamljZaArTamH4/s1600/R+La.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3df5STDve4xN-8yodvz6nu3jrHQzvAQqQoRM2MIHRSuN-M8xWUWA6DlJKWWLWETQFSrzIgL6cUgrO-jueSPJT6PTQToQLYUx2Sk-ijKEuTxY1QjQrVIVZWOyNhfYV9zamljZaArTamH4/s320/R+La.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="post" id="msg_127928"> </div><div class="post" id="msg_127928">Next up was Ray LaMontagne. I've never been a fan of him, but I must say no complaints about his performance! I thought his band (the Pariah Dogs) had very good chemistry & he did make singing and playing the guitar seem effortless. I did appreciate the music more seeing him live. The songwriting on the other hand...I still could not get into his stream of consciousness, half-baked lyrics. It's as if they're incomplete (and, to a degree, so's his music). I can see how that can be appealing, though & do see why many seem to like him. Still not a fan, though.</div><div class="post" id="msg_127928"><br />
</div><div class="post" id="msg_127928"></div><div class="post" id="msg_127928"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNZiFoogO-4WuXgVVtewPDa1cw4AzuJdanWgHq4ZZgl2paK4x82tmvt9Hv7CpjtWEX6niggyeO3TflUHEyh-gJvi1Hq72vk_LXj1ai_FPIlvHM_3wehzWTvO4_PqwFSJlYJjUJIfnNjrw/s1600/David+Gray.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNZiFoogO-4WuXgVVtewPDa1cw4AzuJdanWgHq4ZZgl2paK4x82tmvt9Hv7CpjtWEX6niggyeO3TflUHEyh-gJvi1Hq72vk_LXj1ai_FPIlvHM_3wehzWTvO4_PqwFSJlYJjUJIfnNjrw/s320/David+Gray.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="post" id="msg_127928"><br />
David Gray was a rock star. Band of 6 dudes wearing fancy suits, playing cool-looking instruments, well done lighting, and jumping all over the place. (He did try too hard to rock out to the first few songs though, esp. 'Sail Away' <img alt="Roll Eyes" border="0" src="http://10at10club.com/forum/Smileys/default/rolleyes.gif" /> ) Still sounded great, though. In fact, he didn't play a lot of his recent stuff, or anything off of the new B-sides release "Foundling" which was fine with me. It seemed to be more of a greatest-hits type gig, saving the best three for last (pre-encore): Be Mine, Babylon, & Please Forgive Me. "Be Mine" was spectacular and confirmed my thoughts that, while not my favorite single by him (I'd rank it middle-of-the-pack) it really should have been his biggest hit; unfortunately ATO totally bungled the order of release of singles with from "A New Day at Midnight" (which, to my disappointment, was underrepresented at this show) He did the same thing with "Babylon" as last time I saw him, which was make the audience yell "if you want it, come & get it" before playing. He ended the show (pre-encore) with "Please Forgive Me" & an additional (and much appropriately-placed) spotlight was on the drummer.<br />
<br />
Set list: (Didn't write down & look up Tift Merritt's, hope nobody's too disappointed about that <img alt="Wink" border="0" src="http://10at10club.com/forum/Smileys/default/wink.gif" /> ) <br />
<br />
Ray LaMontagne:<br />
1. For the Summer<br />
2. New York City's Killing Me<br />
3. Forever My Friend<br />
4. Let It Be Me<br />
5. Beg Steal or Borrow<br />
6. Repo Man<br />
7. Jolene<br />
8. Old Before Your Time<br />
9. Hold You In My Arms<br />
10. God Willin' & the Creek Don't Rise<br />
11. Like Rock N Roll<br />
12. Henry Nearly Killed Me (It's a Shame)<br />
Encore:<br />
13. Trouble<br />
14. You Are the Best Thing</div><div class="post" id="msg_127928"><br />
(This was actually the one thing that bothered me about his set - he has 5 singles, he played 4 of them, but two were the two encore songs. IMO it's not good form to play your songs that everyone knows as the encore songs, unless you have enough to fill your set pre-encore with them. )<br />
<br />
David Gray:<br />
1. Draw the Line<br />
2. Fugitive<br />
3. Sail Away<br />
4. The One I Love<br />
5. Now and Always<br />
6. Say Hello Wave Goodbye<br />
7. This Year's Love<br />
8. Jackdaw<br />
9. Be Mine<br />
10. Babylon<br />
11. Please Forgive Me<br />
Encore:<br />
12. Shine<br />
13. Nemesis<br />
14. All I Want is You (w/ Ray LaMontagne, U2 cover)<br />
</div><div class="post" id="msg_127928">DNA </div><img align="right" alt="" id="modify_button_127928" onclick="modify_msg('127928', 'db6124c9435726ae7a2ddbb09a966898')" src="http://10at10club.com/forum/Themes/default/images/icons/modify_inline.gif" style="cursor: pointer;" />RNA and DNAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04049618566555050414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2682800659618056911.post-55386799218021579872010-10-04T19:17:00.000-07:002010-10-04T19:17:10.678-07:00Brie and Pear Sandwich<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimhADlkUwsEFbODa0aOtixzmP3AedNhXoY6PfeogndBtnnXUCGo13cflqGt3PpREOvTuIo4gnMTOtXDx0tpAf7NsNLiXU0skhlQgNLtkJI9Tu2WZAJBhyphenhyphenBNTvshjHYcKIdQX8yamRTckk/s1600/BriePear.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimhADlkUwsEFbODa0aOtixzmP3AedNhXoY6PfeogndBtnnXUCGo13cflqGt3PpREOvTuIo4gnMTOtXDx0tpAf7NsNLiXU0skhlQgNLtkJI9Tu2WZAJBhyphenhyphenBNTvshjHYcKIdQX8yamRTckk/s320/BriePear.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Today I acquired couple pounds of Reny Picot Brie from work (a positive start to the week), so naturally it was cheese for dinner!<br />
<br />
When I was 11, my brother and I would melt cheese and eat it plain with a spoon until our mom, fed up with scrubbing the crusted remains from the bowl, put a permanent moratorium on this practice. While gooey melted oily shredded cheddar was really quite spectacular in fifth grade, the Brie I took home tonight deserved a slightly more grown-up, sophisticated treatment.<br />
<br />
Brie, a soft French-style cheese with a tender white (and delicious) rind, works great with contrasting textures and flavors, but its delicate taste easily can be overpowered. So I paired this cheese with sweet and subtle pairs and raisins, both sauteed in a dash of cinnamon, and added some crunchy walnuts. I piled these atop baby greens and multi-grain toast, and for a bit of zest sprinkled it with a mixture of ginger and white wine vinegar. Voilà!<br />
<br />
RNARNA and DNAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04049618566555050414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2682800659618056911.post-43223382366574871022010-09-16T20:25:00.000-07:002010-09-16T20:28:10.258-07:00Crab House, Santa Clara Koreatown<h1 class="title entry-title"><span class="in_place_editor_field" id="topic_title_734668_in_place_editor" title="Click to edit">Yes, it's very possible to have good halibut once in your lifetime...</span> <script type="text/javascript">
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</script> </h1><div class="post_body" hasbox="2" id="post_5919826_content"><span hasbox="2" id="post_content_5919826_in_place_editor" style="background-color: transparent;" title="null"> </span><br />
<div hasbox="2"><span hasbox="2" id="post_content_5919826_in_place_editor" style="background-color: transparent;" title="null">Crab House is a Korean restaurant located in the Kyopo Plaza strip mall. I've been by here many times, but never bothered to stop in because it didn't look too promising -- the sign was fading and I've never seen anybody inside. I've also read hit-or-miss reviews of this place and have not heard too many good things about their crab dishes. Their bulgolgi and kalbi (beef) are supposed to be better, but I'm in no rush to go to a place called "Crab House" to get bulgogi.</span></div><div hasbox="2"><span hasbox="2" id="post_content_5919826_in_place_editor" style="background-color: transparent;" title="null"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span hasbox="2" id="post_content_5919826_in_place_editor" style="background-color: transparent;" title="null"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicZU6I7YeGK6iQoZWlxMAdBnOiXj4Cx7C1LG9h-TcZAGnvN25AapKDUbysUwle_pYOPFVolWbwwfHLYrKFqhrSneEOWMg7tyi6iomhkUvGWOqQgXBBnOGM4nfcfznH1nxObB-vnwQqrH4/s1600/Crabhouse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicZU6I7YeGK6iQoZWlxMAdBnOiXj4Cx7C1LG9h-TcZAGnvN25AapKDUbysUwle_pYOPFVolWbwwfHLYrKFqhrSneEOWMg7tyi6iomhkUvGWOqQgXBBnOGM4nfcfznH1nxObB-vnwQqrH4/s400/Crabhouse.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div hasbox="2"><span hasbox="2" id="post_content_5919826_in_place_editor" style="background-color: transparent;" title="null"> </span></div><div hasbox="2"><span hasbox="2" id="post_content_5919826_in_place_editor" style="background-color: transparent;" title="null">I finally stopped in for lunch to see what it was about. It turns out it's a seafood specialty restaurant, and there's a small seafood mart attached next door with fish in tanks. There were two people sitting there (I'm guessing they are husband and wife, probably the owners) and when I walked in the husband promptly went to the kitchen and the wife took my order. </span></div><div hasbox="2"><span hasbox="2" id="post_content_5919826_in_place_editor" style="background-color: transparent;" title="null"><br />
</span></div><div hasbox="2"><span hasbox="2" id="post_content_5919826_in_place_editor" style="background-color: transparent;" title="null">I ordered the spicy halibut soup. In the soup department they also have spicy cod soup, cod roe soup, and some two-person casseroles (crab), then stir fried beef/pork/octopus dishes, a few types of steamed fish (halibut, anglerfish), raw marinated crab, and live sashimi - halibut, sea cucumber, sea pineapple (which I rarely see) and live octopus (Yes, the type that you see on the food channel that can suffocate you if you don't chew thoroughly before swallowing. BEWARE!!!).</span></div><div hasbox="2"><span hasbox="2" id="post_content_5919826_in_place_editor" style="background-color: transparent;" title="null"><br />
</span></div><span hasbox="2" id="post_content_5919826_in_place_editor" style="background-color: transparent;" title="null">Everything arrived at once - the rice (which is white rice, although a longer grain than most Korean restaurants use, with a few sprinkles of black rice), soup, and 8 side dishes. The side dishes were above average -- the marinated tofu, which used a extra firm/pressed type, was stellar, as were the sweet potatoes. The seaweed was very good, they had crisp onions and peppers to balance out the wakame. As was the raw cabbage salad which had a light dressing. They also had mung sprouts, soy sprouts, daikon strips, of course napa. She was happy to bring out seconds!</span><br />
<span hasbox="2" id="post_content_5919826_in_place_editor" style="background-color: transparent;" title="null"><br />
The halibut soup was the best part though. I ordered it medium spicy and it was balanced perfectly -- a hint of the correct spice with every spoon of the rich seafood flavored broth but not overkill. I could probably handle the next step up. The halibut was amazing, there were three decent sized pieces and it was unlike any halibut I've had before. While this type of fish can be painfully bland (especially considering how much it usually goes for) here it had a rich buttery taste and consistency, even in the soup. It wasn't drown out by the spice as I feared it would & it was nice and soft (although it did get tougher near the end as it sat in the hot bowl, so I recommend finishing them up before too long.) My usual one complaint about Korean soups is that they don't have enough fat, but no complaints with this halibut soup.</span><br />
<br />
<span hasbox="2" id="post_content_5919826_in_place_editor" style="background-color: transparent;" title="null"> </span><br />
<div hasbox="2"><span hasbox="2" id="post_content_5919826_in_place_editor" style="background-color: transparent;" title="null">The waitress explained that they use Korean Halibut, which is more of an oily fish than regular halibut. She said their specialty is the halibut sashimi, where they chop up a live halibut and serve it fresh, with a small side of spicy halibut soup. Methinks they should change the name of 'Halibut House,' though that doesn't have quite the same ring. ;) Service was very prompt (of course I was the only one in the restaurant) friendly and gracious.</span><br />
<span hasbox="2" id="post_content_5919826_in_place_editor" style="background-color: transparent;" title="null"> </span><span hasbox="2" id="post_content_5919826_in_place_editor" style="background-color: transparent;" title="null"> </span><br />
<span hasbox="2" id="post_content_5919826_in_place_editor" style="background-color: transparent;" title="null">Crab House now has a place on my K-food rotation, and next on my list are the halibut sashimi and cod roe soup. Not the live octopus though -- I'll leave that to a more adventurous soul!</span></div><div hasbox="2"><br />
<span hasbox="2" id="post_content_5919826_in_place_editor" style="background-color: transparent;" title="null">DNA </span></div><span hasbox="2" id="post_content_5919826_in_place_editor" style="background-color: transparent;" title="null"></span></div>RNA and DNAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04049618566555050414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2682800659618056911.post-80260686852150034142010-08-31T19:51:00.000-07:002010-11-05T11:22:21.607-07:00Dancing with the ... well, you know<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFoXu3YmTUnSD7Z6hfkWrP5dIkb7GpDrFmkzqiY7Aqk21o5JAlBFFi-mYC2Sj1hsiHm6prLUX1KPwZv7LjDwHkUlnYqzgSg1kn6L-lc4e__baaqZyAH6OAXKyeIa_tICFNRUHW-MtYspI/s1600/dancing-with-stars205.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFoXu3YmTUnSD7Z6hfkWrP5dIkb7GpDrFmkzqiY7Aqk21o5JAlBFFi-mYC2Sj1hsiHm6prLUX1KPwZv7LjDwHkUlnYqzgSg1kn6L-lc4e__baaqZyAH6OAXKyeIa_tICFNRUHW-MtYspI/s320/dancing-with-stars205.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tom Bergeron and former host (future contestant?) Samantha Harris<br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">picture from </span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">ABC, </span></i></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">realitytvmagazine.sheknows.com)</span></i></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Last night Tom Bergeron and Brooke Burke crashed the Bachelor Pad to announce the much anticipated cast of "Dancing with the Stars: Season 11." My reaction to this cast was fairly similar to that of past casts - "I remember her." "Who the hell is he?" "Well that one's unexpected!"<br />
<br />
Shock of the night was Bristol Palin. But maybe not that surprising given she recently announced her latest flip-flopping over a certain ex via tabloid magazine. I am, I admit, looking forward to watching her and Jersey Shore's The Situation. It would be even better if they could somehow be dance partners, because "The Situation with Bristol Palin" finally could take on a new and (arguably) more positive meaning for all involved.<br />
<br />
The rest of the cast, however, was somewhat of a disappointment. I have little interest in sports legends or socialites, and you almost expect David Hasselhoff to eventually show up in all qualifying reality TV gigs. That said, here is the cast I want for Season 12: The Dancing Dream Team!!!<br />
<br />
Ladies:<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Janet Jackson -</span> The performer who coined the "wardrobe malfunction" could comfortably fly under FCC radar in a show that features regular and often intentional tearing-offs of shirts, pants and skirts.<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Tonya Harding -</span> Kristi! Evan! Apolo! Skaters always do well. Plus Tonya has a reputation that makes for good ratings, and DWTS has a reputation for redeeming fallen stars. It's a win-win, just keep all hammers off set.<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Charo -</span> While I am of the generation that recalls this spunky Spaniard most from Geico commercials and "The Surreal Life," older viewers who remember her Vegas shows and "The Love Boat" would round out her fan base. And you can bet your cuchi-cuchi she'd tear up the Latin numbers.<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Samantha Harris - </span>If ex-contestant Brooke Burke can become a host, why can't ex-host Samantha Harris become a contestant? I do miss her off-the-mark commentary and awkward pregnant pauses.<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Donald Trump's Wife - </span>I can't remember her name. I'm guessing most others can't, either, which is a perfect reason for her to join the cast. Plus, doesn't every season include an ex-model?<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Jessica Rabbit - </span>It's about time this show gave equal opportunity to animated stars who have passed their heyday. They could even upgrade her to CGI. The male viewers will multiply exponentially.<br />
<br />
Men:<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Mel Gibson - </span>When talking about stars who need a chance to redeem themselves, Mel wins the mirrorball trophy. Plus, doesn't every cast need a villain?<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Sanjaya -</span> His big hair and likable charm were totally wasted on "American Idol." DWTS doesn't ask for talent, just hard work and some flair. We think Sanjaya and his faux-hawk would deliver both.<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Jesse Ventura - </span>The show has had politicians, pro-wrestlers and actors, but never all three rolled into one independent dancer. You could bet his performances would include pink feather boas and some unforgettable speeches.<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Kevin Federline - </span>His career as a back-up dancer would give him an unfair advantage, but that didn't stop the pussycat. K-Fed also could use this opportunity to get back into shape and the spotlight.<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Jared the Subway Guy - </span>Though his "star" power has been more consistent than most contestants, it has faded a bit and dancing could give him that extra boost. Also, great product placement potential. <br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Bob from Sesame Street: </span>The sentimental old guy favorite for sure. I already have his fox trot to "Rubber Duckie" choreographed in my head. Solid tens, and a standing ovation!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGXN5sNdSH4-usdBeoL4qXylahg7c2p9OlqKFODGfGpEmiw-TTttITGp7G8daGiFMq7cI50Bp8E8Wrk4TUP10tMRZ42HiyVDR4ZAU4wEMQejIosrdJexoq38X8Paj_h-kH7FinWvy7GZQ/s1600/bob.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGXN5sNdSH4-usdBeoL4qXylahg7c2p9OlqKFODGfGpEmiw-TTttITGp7G8daGiFMq7cI50Bp8E8Wrk4TUP10tMRZ42HiyVDR4ZAU4wEMQejIosrdJexoq38X8Paj_h-kH7FinWvy7GZQ/s320/bob.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">RNA gets cozy with C.M. and Bob</td></tr>
</tbody></table>RNARNA and DNAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04049618566555050414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2682800659618056911.post-22229457351986202522010-08-23T20:27:00.000-07:002010-08-23T20:27:50.025-07:00Movie Review: Toy Story 3Well...I'm not a huge movie guy, but when there's a movie that's so big you can't ignore it, a sequel in a series you've appreciated that promises dazzling, mind-blowing animation, and a movie that 99% of verified movie critics give a resounding thumbs-up, I just have to see the magnificence that everyone's talking about!<br />
<br />
And the result...none of them know what they're talking about.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPMDx5cRKZgNGoAoQCksFIMIrx9v3r2YYMyaKm0Kd3jmL95P4-Clrz7rilhx3K2HfD9h9RuKQyqMUy3EumD9YcED5XV9phs6sbQ9YVbWlgo7aJBB9zISm0qX05pW6DynpWMYMS_w1v_q4/s1600/Toystory3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPMDx5cRKZgNGoAoQCksFIMIrx9v3r2YYMyaKm0Kd3jmL95P4-Clrz7rilhx3K2HfD9h9RuKQyqMUy3EumD9YcED5XV9phs6sbQ9YVbWlgo7aJBB9zISm0qX05pW6DynpWMYMS_w1v_q4/s320/Toystory3.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Complete garbage.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Yes, that movie is, sadly, Toy Story 3. Now, if you're about to be a hater hear me out: I'm not just saying this to go 'against the grain'! I honest-to-goodness thought this was one of the most awful movies of the past year and if you read this review you'll know exactly why.<br />
<br />
First, to get it out of the way, yes, the animation was brilliant. It was even better than in I and II (and it better well have been, given those were 15 and 11 years ago -- wow, I can't believe it's been that long.) But unfortunately, the story was just as ridiculous as the animation was good.\<br />
<br />
A quick synopsis and character overview: Andy, owner of the toys, goes to college, and all of his toys end up being accidentally donated to Sunnyside nursery. The same usual suspects are here (Woody, Buzz Lightyear, and a bunch of other irrelevant but just as boring looking toys) and we also meet Barbie (one of his sister's old toys). At Sunnyside we are introduced to Ken (of course), a bear named Lotso, some disturbing looking baby, and a bunch more irrelevant toys. Oh yeah, then there's Bonnie, an arbitrarily introduced generic little girl who for some reason becomes very important to the story. <b>Warning: below may contain spoilers! </b> (But by now, who <i>hasn</i>'t seen Toy Story 3?)<br />
<br />
So my first of two major gripes is the inconsistencies.<br />
<br />
<ul><li>In I and II, the toys always <b>always </b>re-arranged themselves to be in exactly the same place as where they were left. But not quite here. The toys get (accidentally) thrown out by his mom, and of course they bring themselves back. But it's unclear how Andy knows that they got back to his house from the dumpster, especially since his mom admitted to throwing them away. </li>
<li> Woody writes a note telling him to donate all of the toys to Bonnie -- and he himself jumps into the box without Andy finding out until he hands the box to Bonnie. That makes the idea of 'toys having adventures when nobody is around but always end up exactly as they were left' null and void.</li>
<li>The toys go through all the trouble of trying to get back to Andy, always talk about how they're they're 'for Andy' no matter what, and then at the last moment they actively get donated to Bonnie. Bonnie already has her own set of toys. Not to mention they're gonna have the same problem of not being played with anymore in about 10 years when Bonnie grows up</li>
</ul><br />
Secondly, a huge chunk of Toy Story 3 should not have been in a G-rated movie, especially one about kids toys. Not that I'm (that much of) a puritan, but daaaamn, in the context of everything the following things just plain disturbed me:<br />
<ul><li>When Barbie meets Ken, Ken invites her to spend the night in his dream house and the rest of the toys cheer her on. This is such like the rest of a sorrority cheering her sister on when they think she's about to "score."</li>
<li>Barbie tells Ken, "nice ascot." For all I care, she might as well have just said "nice @$$" since that's what every <10 year old (and >10 year old, for that matter) is going to think she meant. (However, despite these two caveats, Barbie/Ken was the most well-done character dynamic in the movie.)</li>
<li>Lotso Bear is full-time sociopath. This is too mature of a theme to introduce to kids. And everything having to do with Lotso was just plain flawed.</li>
<li>The other toys keep on reminding Lotso, "<i>you </i>got replaced" (with emphasis on you.) Yes, he's being a jerk to them but if they are trying at all to get him to be on their side, rubbing it in isn't going to help at all.</li>
<li>After Lotso tries to kill Woody & Company, Woody saves him from being burned to a fiery death. This goes beyond "turning the other cheek"; if someone has it out for you and tries to kill you, you do NOT save them! That's irresponsible and dangerous.</li>
<li>Speaking of fiery deaths, the movie shows Woody & company as well in a big scary flaming pit of garbage, showing our heroes about to meet their demise via incineration as well. Way too intense and totally inappropriate considering the target audience. </li>
</ul>And there are still a few minor gripes that need not be left unsaid:<br />
<ul><li>Woody puts on the totally overused "generic arrogant wannabe superhero" persona when Bonnie's other toys are asking him how he escaped.</li>
<li> The little kids of Sunnyside are being portrayed as savages when banging the toys against the ground.</li>
<li>The toy baby (Lotso's assistant) looks like something out of a horror movie and then turns good at the end.</li>
</ul>There were a few good parts though:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYFG6Qc8-lip4HOxK6TbDP8r_D4dAz3xe0n41Q0w0VGR9ZPK6h6uxycCo-MFIITEuIAFu5R6ncLzQFV3xs_26YdSmgtLP89VPQiq_JWHjlAfGBWDQyTpbO_Uypd96KNHcjUWstHaJqFFI/s1600/BArbie+Ken.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYFG6Qc8-lip4HOxK6TbDP8r_D4dAz3xe0n41Q0w0VGR9ZPK6h6uxycCo-MFIITEuIAFu5R6ncLzQFV3xs_26YdSmgtLP89VPQiq_JWHjlAfGBWDQyTpbO_Uypd96KNHcjUWstHaJqFFI/s320/BArbie+Ken.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A valiant effort, but in the end couldn't save Toy Story 3 from itself.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><ul><li>Barbie and Ken, as mentioned earlier, was very well done. Barbie's typical heroineesque, Ken is villainesque, but their love for each other trumps evil, helps the toys rescue each other, and turns Ken good, for good.</li>
<li>When Bonnie's toys realize Woody already has an owner who cares for him as Bonnie cares for her toys, they understand how important it is to help reunite Woody with his owner. Too bad Woody blows it.</li>
<li>Bonnie, being younger, has a 'hip'per set of toys, complete with Totoro and peas in a pod.</li>
</ul>All in all, <b>C-</b>. Astounding animation (just short of being 'flawless' as Andy's mom is drawn to look the same age as Andy) and a plot and story slightly more bad than the animation was good. Better luck next time, if there is one.<br />
<br />
DNARNA and DNAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04049618566555050414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2682800659618056911.post-48336957243151261642010-08-23T16:35:00.000-07:002010-08-23T16:40:37.273-07:00Berry Kefir SmoothieWhen the Midwest summers get so hot and muggy that tomatoes turn to salsa and evaporate straight off the vine, I forget the chips and head straight for the blender. Smoothie, mmmm! A couple of my favorites are piña colada and chocolate peanut butter, but today I opted for a shameless knockoff of McDonald's Mixed Berry Fruit & Yogurt Smoothie. I must say, the Magic Bullet reigned supreme.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqbRTXKSRMeGaQEpg60BMvS0VLLegjJ2lXfeIo3oFirLhiB-YrPCJ-pkDRoEo_iIv-JOvGEG5vsHgFKd5GgvJkQdUTZwEY5utXHYCmBseR3wsDD4Z9uEwNwmdqtZk0epoJTa0EzTz9Q1U/s1600/berrysmoothie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqbRTXKSRMeGaQEpg60BMvS0VLLegjJ2lXfeIo3oFirLhiB-YrPCJ-pkDRoEo_iIv-JOvGEG5vsHgFKd5GgvJkQdUTZwEY5utXHYCmBseR3wsDD4Z9uEwNwmdqtZk0epoJTa0EzTz9Q1U/s320/berrysmoothie.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<br />
My recipe is as follows, give or take:<br />
1 frozen chunk of raspberries<br />
1 handful of frozen blueberries<br />
BANANA!<br />
a few freezer-burned strawberries<br />
plain kefir (or yogurt) to fill the spaces<br />
milk to cut the thickness<br />
honey to cut the tartness<br />
nutmeg for the heck of it<br />
<br />
Add all ingredients, in no particular order, to bullet or blender. Blend in 10-second intervals until no chunks remain. Taste, add more honey, blend again.<br />
<br />
Credits: Many thanks to Mom for the raspberries and blueberries, and to Pat for the Magic Bullet.<br />
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RNARNA and DNAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04049618566555050414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2682800659618056911.post-10840255745698028862010-08-10T13:14:00.000-07:002010-08-10T13:14:12.152-07:00Restaurant Review: CheonJoo YoungYang DolSot, Santa Clara CAGreetings and salutations, DNA here! What better to kick of my first post in this journal with a review of my favorite type of restaurant, Korean! I'm not sure when Korean cuisine became my favorite. But there's so much to like about it. The fresh, distinct flavors, the dishes served in piping hot stone pots, and best of all, the numerous side dishes! The other day I was realizing I hadn't had Korean food in awhile, and needed to remedy that, so I went to my go-to Korean restaurant in the South Bay...CheonJoo YoungYang DolSot!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmVZNKKcACXW3CyCCVlDZycCPEhtJlcreXryJwIIj6RTmpQ4pXsvYWofCPQkISt02mu4rfu7MoBd7RVzuVdOpg3qZzUeF2zFzpct4qVKunnSLopvnYpENsG2MZ-0LWAFzfgCvZ3AbwzmM/s1600/Cheon+Joo+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmVZNKKcACXW3CyCCVlDZycCPEhtJlcreXryJwIIj6RTmpQ4pXsvYWofCPQkISt02mu4rfu7MoBd7RVzuVdOpg3qZzUeF2zFzpct4qVKunnSLopvnYpENsG2MZ-0LWAFzfgCvZ3AbwzmM/s320/Cheon+Joo+1.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Wow, that's quite a name, isn't it. Starting from the end and going backwards, DolSot = the big piping hot stone bowls they serve your entree in, usually you can get a BiBimBap served in this, rice topped with vegetables, beef, and a fried egg, with the rice at the bottom and sides of the pot getting crispy. (And this place does the best DolSot BiBimBop ever. The rice gets crispy, then you mix it around, and ANOTHER layer of crispy rice forms! Mmm-mmm-good.) YoungYang = some sort of healthy preparation with ginseng, jujubes, and other herbs and berries like that. Together, "YoungYang DolSot" is their specialty (which I actually haven't tried yet) - it's a broiled mackerel served with a DolSot of rice, ginseng, jujube, oysters, and other deliciousness. Perhaps next time! Finally, I don't know what CheonJoo is, so I'm just guessing it's the name of the restaurant or owners or something.<br />
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My apologies for the only picture being the front of the restaurant and no food. I didn't realize I was going to write a review of this place, so I didn't take pictures. Next time! In any case I hope my descriptions will dazzle you. Anyway, the very nice Korean waitress greeted me and said "long time no see!" I think it's been just over a month since I've been there, but it probably is the longest gap without going there, at least since I discovered the restaurant. And this includes when I was still living in SF. I have a long history with this place. Well not really, more like seven months, but still, considering I've just been in San Jose for about two and a half, that's long. Next to my favorite supermarket (Galleria), this place looked pretty promising so I went in. I had to ask the dreaded question, "is there MSG?" The waitress (the same one mentioned earlier in this paragraph, who's been there every time since) assured me, "no. Don't worry!" Awesome. Even more awesome was I saw on the menu they have "whole grain brown rice," although it's $1 more, I don't mind because it really is 100% whole grain and legumes. Not a mix of brown rice and white rice. As avoiding unnecessary refined carbs is very important to me (it should be for you, too!) this place gets extra points for that. They have a pretty big menu and everything I've ordered has been good. Not knock-your-socks-off-fancy-restaurant-good, but definitely better-than-average-good and at extremely reasonable prices, everything is $7.99-$13.99. (Except for the 2+ people casserole dishes.) I've brought Mom and Dad here a few times, and they liked it too! <br />
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So anyway, I was really craving dogani tang. Tang = soup, but what is dogani? In a nutshell, cartilage. Yep, ox knee cartilage soup. So I ordered that and, of course, brown rice. At $13.99, it's one of their more expensive dishes, but this dish ain't exactly cheap anywhere and it stuffs you. Soon, they brought me seven small plates of deliciousness - the side dishes! At CheonJoo they rotate them up, and it can be hit-or-miss depending on my preference, but this time it was hit after hit after hit! They had two of my favorite three - the rape flower (broccoli florets), and, of course, straight-up napa cabbage kimchi that they make in house. (The third is shiitake mushrooms. Maybe they'll have it next time!) Soooo good! Others were bean sprouts, soynuts, spicy daikon, daikon in soy sauce, and one other which I forget. The only one I wasn't bowled over by was the spicy daikon, but I fnished it anyway. Then she brought my brown rice and...<br />
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DOGANI DISH! (Their version of dogani tang.) It's not exactly a soup like the standard preparation is, but it's rather just thick tender slices of ox knee and feet cartilage in a shallow broth, topped with chopped up fresh jalapenos. And it hit the spot. The dogani was the most tender I've had anywhere, barely chewy it almost melts in your mouth. It's chock-full of minerals like magnesium and zinc. Anyway, here's a picture of dogani tang I found on the web:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-bQkJx51Zc9UUNFevLxtjdwLHE1wCcAvzZLVPd5FFUjwViLno3SZoy3Ca3yP-DKRqdgZ58VaisX8TGYIv93GtXMrdClRRzJ5sQYuXxuZ9OWclPzKYrGUyv1MjqlhzA24_IlpqJH86bYE/s1600/Dogani.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-bQkJx51Zc9UUNFevLxtjdwLHE1wCcAvzZLVPd5FFUjwViLno3SZoy3Ca3yP-DKRqdgZ58VaisX8TGYIv93GtXMrdClRRzJ5sQYuXxuZ9OWclPzKYrGUyv1MjqlhzA24_IlpqJH86bYE/s320/Dogani.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Which I believe does it <i>quite </i>justice. There are restaurants in Korea and LA (and in Santa Clara too, for that matter) that specialize in this. Although, I say the version at CheonJoo is as good as any of them. Second time I've ordered it and not the last. Come visit me in San Jose, and I'll take you to eat Dogani!<br />
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DNARNA and DNAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04049618566555050414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2682800659618056911.post-22425285012853415122010-08-07T11:45:00.000-07:002010-08-07T11:45:25.073-07:00Saturday Salad: Caprese<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Qhubt3AVUMac-dBDgn46D8sts2NteJwgzMDnbi_Kd1LOYshyZilqGHW2w4zNR4spJ9bsrRqgBMbTETrdCCQoCidFnW0_xM9bTIP3R9DD7NP7ExA1nvpZfHV5OpYSZ5LtX1dTJigP4U0/s1600/Caprese.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Qhubt3AVUMac-dBDgn46D8sts2NteJwgzMDnbi_Kd1LOYshyZilqGHW2w4zNR4spJ9bsrRqgBMbTETrdCCQoCidFnW0_xM9bTIP3R9DD7NP7ExA1nvpZfHV5OpYSZ5LtX1dTJigP4U0/s320/Caprese.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br class="webkit-block-placeholder" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Saturday mornings I like to trip down to the <a href="http://www.dcfm.org/">Dane County Farmers' Market </a> on Madison's Capitol Square. Usual routine: strawberry-rhubarb turnover (if they're not sold out!) from Pilgrim's Pantry, Magic Coffee from Cafe Soleil, one time around the square to browse, and a second time 'round to buy. This morning I snagged my turnover and headed across Pinckney St. to grab that iced brown sugar concoction I was craving, only to find the storefront was Under Construction and the cafe was gone. After settling for a sub-par iced coconut latte from elsewhere, I discovered that Cafe Soleil in fact had moved just up Pinckney St. to the old U.S. Bank building and was serving Magic Coffee on the outside patio. How did I miss this? I restrained from spending another $4 on coffee and kicked myself the entire drive home. Good thing my Suzuki is an automatic.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br class="webkit-block-placeholder" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The market find of the morning was the fullest, greenest, largest bunch of basil I have ever seen for only $1. Therefore, lunch today consisted of one of my favorite summer meals, caprese salad: mixed greens, leaves from one stem of basil, garden tomatoes, and whole milk fresh Mozzarella. A light vinaigrette would have been perfect, but I only had goddess dressing, which kind of covered up the salad's natural flavors but wasn't too bad. For some character, I garnished the caprese with crunchy lentil and potato curls from Trader Joe's. What a photogenic salad.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br class="webkit-block-placeholder" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">RNA </div>RNA and DNAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04049618566555050414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2682800659618056911.post-63627483702779401502010-08-04T21:10:00.000-07:002010-08-04T21:10:18.865-07:00Welcome to our nucleic homeGlad you found us! The Nucleic Duo consists of sister and brother bloggers RNA and DNA (our real initials) and our thoughts on music, movies, munchies, monkeys and more. We're still in the design phase, but we should have some really deep thoughts up soon. Stay tuned!RNA and DNAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04049618566555050414noreply@blogger.com0