Peaches and dream

Remember when mom made me the half of peach, heated slightly in a skillet, with gargonzola cheese, drizzle of honey, sprinkled with granola? I do. I wish she was here to do that again. ❤️

Break from reality

I love 1930-40 movies. And I have immersed myself into watching them on YouTube. It is like wrapping myself in a warm, comforatble blanket. Maybe reality is bringing me down more than I realize. Sometimes they are silent and many of them are very blurry and poor quality. I can connect my iPad to the TV to watch it on a full screen. 

I am getting really good at making shrimp, clam spaghetti! It is so quick. The most time consuming thing is chopping the onions. I use a can of chopped clams with juice. I also add some of the pasta water. I do not use tomatoes or whole clams. I use a blackened spice to spice up the shrimp. Don't overcook, I time them a 3 minutes each side. I also use red pepper flakes and a little sugar, like my mom did. I am also still eating my pickled cucumbers with my lunch, which are very thin and delicious. Also baked potatoes are my fall-back when I don't feel like anything else. I have a couple of cooked all the time.

A few of the channels I follow are: 

 Some great choices on Scott Lord Mystery Film - The mysteries of the 1930’s and 1940’s, including those filmed by Chesterfield, Republic, Mascot, Majestic and Monogram Studios, with Boris Karloff as Mr. Wong, Philo Vance, Arthur Wontner as Sherlock Holmes, and the adventure serials, including those with Bela Lugosi. 

MurderMysteries PizzaFlix is a passion project created by two film industry professionals with 50 years combined experience. We control one of the largest, privately-held broadcast-quality film & TV libraries of its kind. These films are the foundation for our channel, an educational platform for the preservation and discovery of the Golden Age of Hollywood and Television.  

Silver Screen Society has the Charlie Chan Movies channel.  

Timeless Classic Movies

These creations are adorable, by Studio Roof. Their Instagram. Studio ROOF started with our life as parents of three. It was observing the creative and colourful outcomes between us and our children that originated our first products. That reaffirmed our belief that imagination and playfulness are not only connected to childhood but are a key element that pervades every aspect of life, at all ages.

 

I love the ease and looseness of Polisih Teresa Wilbik's illustration. Just delightful.

I could happily take a real break from reality in Oaxaca, Hotel Pug Seal. This project covers the two floors of the central courtyard of a historic building located in the center of Oaxaca, covering 570 square meters of fresco painting. Art by Rafael Uriega. His Instragram. I love the free-form shapes and beautiful color palatte.

Ciao amici amanti del cibo e viaggiatori del mondo

Have been watching Chef Gino D'Acampo, Our Taste on YouTube on his discovering Italy series. It is very interesting and making me very hungry for olive oil (and balsamic). He is showing some great recipes. My only criticism of him is he needs to tone down his teeth, I need sunglasses to watch him.

 

 Oldest olive tree in the world is located in Crete

7 centuries-old olive trees in Italy 

This is the oldest olive tree in Lazio and stands right next to the town cemetery. It is estimated that this tree is around 3.000 years old and, before an accident that removed a part of the trunk, had a circumference of 12.5 metres. A tradition is linked to this olive tree: it is customary for young local couples to have their photos taken in front of it dressed in wedding attire as a good omen for future life. 

The best olive oils we love to keep in our kitchens. 

\ Another thing he introduced was The Trulli of Alberobello. The trulli , limestone dwellings found in the southern region of Puglia, are remarkable examples of drywall (mortarless) construction, a prehistoric building technique still in use in this region. The trulli are made of roughly worked limestone boulders collected from neighbouring fields. Characteristically, they feature pyramidal, domed or conical roofs built up of corbelled limestone slabs. Very interesting.

The Duomo of Milan, took almost six centuries to build this spectacular duomo—Italy’s largest Gothic cathedral and the third-largest church in the world. It boasts 135 marble spires, 135 gargoyles, and more than 3,400 statues, which you can admire up close from its rooftop. (Look out for Madonnina, the golden statue of Mary that stands atop the cathedral’s highest spire.) The inside is just as impressive: you’ll find 52 marble columns, magnificent stained glass windows, and stunning altars designed by famed Renaissance architect and artist Pellegrino Tibaldi.

Pampered, massaged cows gives the best ingredients for mozzarella. 

Cabbage rolls

I adore this video. Mom used to make cabbage rolls for us.... I don't think they were this elaborate. But she makes it look so easy. 

I love their farm, the animals, the birds, the roosters ... everything about it. 

Livin' large

 

I want a chocolate croissant, I bought some at Trader Joe's.

 

This guy is hysterical. He makes a lot of rue with a ton of butter. I ran to Trader Joe's and decided I was going to make French Onion Soup. I have never made the rue before, but I tried it this time. 

This is simple version. I saute my onions a little darker than this. I also always add a little bit of sugar.

 

I also made the liver pate. Cooking liver can really be disgusting. But I forced myself through it. It taste okay. 

Also cut up my radishes and daikon and pickled them.

Light lunch

Butter Lettuce Salad With Cashew Dressing

Beet and Goat Cheese Napoleons

 

 

 

 

  Zucchini and carrots roses tart

Zucchini Lasagna Cups

Low Fat Vegetable Dip Recipe with Herbs

Spicy Crab Cucumber Cups

Goat Cheese Appetizer with Honey, Fig & Pistachios

 

 

 

 

3-Ingredient Mini Stuffed Peppers Recipe

Holy YE!

I let two Daikon radishes and a jalapeno die in the vegetable drawer ... BUT I had one more and some carrots and make Pickled Carrots and Daikon Radish. I cut my in larger sticks. I had so much I had to double the recipe. 

Trying to clean out vegetable drawer. I think something with olive oil leak and made a big mess in there. While I was cooking I listen to Kayne West on this interview. He is crazy. Period. He thinkd he is GOD, he had made that statement. He talk mumbo-jumbo and his followers call him a genius. He talks like a bi-polar person off his meds, which is exactly what he is. He is a dangerous idiot put on a pedastal because of his wealth, his connection with that other disgusting family.

So, if what he is saying about his relationships with Balenciaga, then he is NOT a very good business man.

It all makes me sick that this is what is the topic of our country, what kids are looking up to. 

Maltese dishes

I forgot about a couple of my favorite Maltese dishes. Maltese Pastizzi, a pastry with ricotto cheese and curried smashed peas. 

What is the origin of the Maltese pastizzi?

Can't find them in Seattle. I might have to try and make some. The other that was mentioned in this video is Maltese Rabbit. OMG. My mom made this all the time and it was the best. Lots of gravy with peas, and you sop it up with great bread. I remember she added red wine. Yum 

 

10 classic Maltese dishes. 

 

AUTHENTIC MALTESE CHOCOLATE BAR COLLECTION  

Malta Chocolate 

I want to find some of these - Top 5 Red Wine’s Malta

Maltese sandwich

I was standing over a bowl full of tomatoes from my neighbor and the Maltese sandwich popped into my head. I am not really a tomato eater but my mom would make these sandwiches for me almost every day and I loved them. I really did think they were "a thing" but googled it anyway, not thinking there would be anything online. I thought it was my mom just made up. 

Mine were not made with Tuna. As I remember it, just a really good bread, smeared with lots of tomatoes, sprinkled a little salt and capers, drizzled with olive oil. Now, reading the recipe, I do remember the  tomato paste.

Ingredients: 

1 fresh small ciabatta 

1 can of tuna in oil (not in brine)

a good squeeze of tomato paste to cover the ciabatta 

a handful of rucola

some olive oil to drizzle

pepper for flavour 

Method: 

Slice the ciabatta in half with a bread knife and cut through so you have 2 halves. With a knife spread the kunserva on the bread enough to cover the bread half well and so you can taste the tomato paste clearly. Open up your can of tuna and drain half the oil from it. Carefully divide the tuna flakes over the bread with a fork. Drizzle over some extra olive oil and season with pepper. Add on the rucola and place the top of the ciabatta back on top of the tuna and rucola. 

 

ħobż biż-żejt is one of the most known and popular of Maltese dishes. Very tasty and easy to make, it is ideal ideal for picnics or an afternoon snack by the sea after a refreshing swim. The main ingredients are also very easy to find in pretty much any supermarket or grocery store around the corner. And if you cannot find the ingredients, the shop attendant will be happy to help you find them. The traditional ħobż biż-żejt is made up out of fresh Maltese bread, layered with fresh tomatoes or tomato paste (called ‘Kunserva’ in Maltese), olive oil, salt and pepper. Other ingredients are added to taste and can vary widely. When I ate this for the first time, I had only Tuna added on, other times capers, olives, green peppers and fresh anchovy were added on as well. I might have one later today!

What's for dinner?

I have started shopping at our local Safeway more because their produce looks better and has far better prices than QFC, where I normally shop. Mushrooms are much cheaper. Cucumbers 99 cents each. A bunch of radishes - $1.49.

I happened upon Milk Street's Mushroom and Cheese Quesadillas recipe last night and it sounded so good. That I am making it tonight.

4 tablespoons lard OR neutral oil, divided 

1 medium white onion, chopped 

1 pound mixed mushrooms, such as cremini, oyster, portobello or shiitakes (stemmed), roughly chopped

Kosher salt and ground black pepper 

2 medium garlic cloves, minced 

1 chipotle chili in adobo sauce, finely chopped 

3 ounces queso Oaxaca OR mozzarella cheese OR muenster cheese, shredded (¾ cup) 

1/3 cup lightly packed fresh cilantro, chopped 

Eight 4- to 5-inch flour tortillas 

Also this recipe - Caramelized Onion and Mushroom Quesadilla with jalapeño-cilantro relish and avocado

 Also found one with Mushrooms and Black Beans, might be worth trying.

 PS. it was delicious. I over stuffed the mushrooms but it was very filling

What's Eating Dan?

Asparagus is such a widely popular vegetable, that even the oldest surviving cookbook features a recipe for it. Dan chats about how it's grown, how to prepare it, and the absolute best ways to cook it.

 Perfect Roasted Asparagus, (from COOKIE + kate) PS ... always a little balsamic vinegar drizzle ;) 

 Cream of Asparagus Soup  

Asparagus Grilled Cheese with Brown Butter and Dijon

 

 

Falafel

I am certainly going to try this recipe, Baked Falafel found on A Couple Cooks. NO frying! Mom would make falafel all the time. And to go with ... Hummus Bowls