Chicken Confit

This recipe almost didn't get made, because it is one of those recipes you tear out of the paper because it sounds so lovely and elegant, and then every time you come across the clipping it just sounds too fancy and complicated, but there's something about it that makes you hang on to the clipping...repeat as needed. But one day I got up the energy, and decided it was Chicken Confit Day.

What is confit, you may ask? (I definitely had to ask.) "In the savory kitchen, it historically refers to a meat submerged in flavorful rendered fat and cooked slowly until very tender. Confit has recently been expanded to include interpretations such as slowly cooking meat, fish or vegetables in a flavorful oil such as olive oil (which may or may not be infused with secondary flavors)." I got this helpful info from CD Kitchen, which is a great place to go for cooking info, along with some pretty cool recipes (right now they have a recipe up for something called "Death by Garlic Penne." I guess if you gotta go, that's as good a way as any.)

But I digress. So, in this case chicken confit turned out to mean heating up a LOT of olive oil with garlic, shallots, rosemary, thyme and red pepper flakes, and then slowly cooking boneless chicken cutlets in the oil until they are tender. In the meantime you make a simple dressing out of minced anchovies, garlic, parmesan cheese and lemon juice (think Caesar salad-taste) that gets drizzled over the chicken, and I served the whole thing over Bibb lettuce.

I found this recipe in the New York Times and the original link is below, but I did adapt the cooking method here. Their approach was to heat the oil up, drop in the chicken, turn it off and let the chicken cook in the off-the-heat oil. I found that this method did not cook the chicken completely, so MY approach was to leave the heat on medium. But with that change, this recipe makes a very interesting, different and delicious chicken dish.

CHICKEN CONFIT, adapted from The New York Times

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken cutlets

Kosher salt to taste

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

3 cups extra virgin olive oil, more if needed

4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

2 shallots, thinly sliced

3 rosemary sprigs

1/2 bunch thyme

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

5 anchovy fillets

3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, more to taste

Salad greens, for serving.

1. Season chicken well with salt and pepper. In a very large skillet or stock pot with a lid, heat oil over medium-high heat with half the garlic and all the shallots, rosemary, thyme and crushed red pepper flakes until there are small bubbles on surface and around garlic.

2. Carefully slip in the chicken cutlets, making sure they are submerged in oil (add more oil if necessary.) Cover skillet or pot and turn heat to medium.

3 Cook chicken for 10 minutes. Make a small cut into middle of a cutlet. If chicken is not done, return to pot for another 2 minutes and check again. When cooked through, drain chicken on paper towels; remove cooked garlic, shallots, herbs and red pepper flakes from oil and discard, reserving oil itself for dressing.

4. Prepare dressing by mincing anchovies and remaining garlic and mixing them together with a large pinch of salt until you get a rough paste. Put paste in bowl and whisk in the parmesan, lemon juice and another pinch of salt and pepper. Slowly drizzle in 7 tablespoons olive oil from pan. Taste and add more lemon juice or salt, or both, if needed.

5. Serve chicken over a bed of greens drizzled with anchovy dressing.

Yields: 4 servings.

Click here for printable recipe

We Have A Winner!

Miss Lisa is the winner of the Laurendy Home 400th Post Giveaway!! Congrats Lisa!

Look for Mercury in the Sky until April 10

This week until April 10th Mercury will be seen in the evening sky with Venus right after sunset. From the article:

Mercury, the solar system’s most elusive planet, will be easier to see for the next two weeks.Astronomers say that Mercury and Venus will appear unusually close together between now and April 10. Because Venus is one of the brightest objects in the night sky it can be used as a pointer to find the hard-to-see Mercury.Just look in the lower western sky about an hour after sunset. Find Venus and look down and to the right for Mercury.They will appear closest together on April 3 and 4, but Venus is really on the other side of the sun.Mercury is the solar system’s smallest planet and it looks pink. Miami Space Transit Planetarium director Jack Horkheimer calls Mercury the pinkie of the planets.
LINK.

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• See Venus and Mercury Shine in Celestial Dance (space.com)

Why?

AGGGH! Squirrel!

*part of "A 'Why?' A Day, While I'm Away"*

Making the Faux Stained Glass Window -or- The Days of Hearts and Roses

Sometimes success lies less in the final destination, and more in the journey to get there. I think I can safely say this faux stained glass window project is a good example of the voyage being more prized than the ultimate arrival.

As readers of my earlier post might remember, I was hoping to create an inexpensive "stained glass look" window to hang in my kitchen and go along with my kaleidoscope of Fiesta dishes.

I was aiming for a sort of Arts & Crafts Period meets Alice in Wonderland feel. This was my initial design....
Using an old window I got at Construction Junction for $1.06, I added the pattern in stick-on leading I'd picked up discounted at Michaels a while ago...
The pattern progressed (if a little bit crooked here and there, but hey, it's Wonderland, it's allowed to be wonky)....
And finally, it was all transferred. Not perfect, but you can see where I was going with it, anyway.Now it came to filling it in. I used a couple of different types of glass paint, including Gallery Glass brand, made specifically for these sorts of windows. Unfortunately, the directions on how to go about it indicated "Follow the directions on the pattern." Y'know, the pattern I didn't have because I made my own pattern.

So initially, I was painting the color on with brushes. And that made things really streaky. In fact, you can't see just how streaky it was in this photo...
But here in the light-- yipes!
I liked how fluid the roses and hearts turned out, but that was a different type of glass paint, and that brand didn't come in the colors I needed. So I decided to try sallying forth by squeezing the paint on thickly-- as I did the hearts, the background paint, too.

I was a little like icing a very large, very cheerfully-colored, but very untasty cake...
And as it dried, the paint began to change color rather dramatically. I found myself just a bit mesmerized by the way it crept across the window from block to block getting darker... darker....
So now it hangs in my kitchen. I think it still could dry a little more-- it tends to smooth out slightly the more it's dry...
But the whole thing does have a rather textured appearance I hadn't planned on, anyway. Better than streaky, but not quite as placid and smooth as I'd hoped...
Still, it catches the light nicely...

I think in terms of Lessons Learned, I would experiment a little more with different types of glass paint, and understand their surprising behaviors, before embarking on a full-fledged project like this.

Anyway, I enjoyed the process. Honestly, what's nicer than a quiet weekend afternoon listening to a favorite film and surrounded by a whole rainbow of craftable colors?

May the rest of your week be shiny, too!

Making the Faux Stained Glass Window -or- The Days of Hearts and Roses

Sometimes success lies less in the final destination, and more in the journey to get there. I think I can safely say this faux stained glass window project is a good example of the voyage being more prized than the ultimate arrival.

As readers of my earlier post might remember, I was hoping to create an inexpensive "stained glass look" window to hang in my kitchen and go along with my kaleidoscope of Fiesta dishes.

I was aiming for a sort of Arts & Crafts Period meets Alice in Wonderland feel. This was my initial design....
Using an old window I got at Construction Junction for $1.06, I added the pattern in stick-on leading I'd picked up discounted at Michaels a while ago...
The pattern progressed (if a little bit crooked here and there, but hey, it's Wonderland, it's allowed to be wonky)....
And finally, it was all transferred. Not perfect, but you can see where I was going with it, anyway.Now it came to filling it in. I used a couple of different types of glass paint, including Gallery Glass brand, made specifically for these sorts of windows. Unfortunately, the directions on how to go about it indicated "Follow the directions on the pattern." Y'know, the pattern I didn't have because I made my own pattern.

So initially, I was painting the color on with brushes. And that made things really streaky. In fact, you can't see just how streaky it was in this photo...
But here in the light-- yipes!
I liked how fluid the roses and hearts turned out, but that was a different type of glass paint, and that brand didn't come in the colors I needed. So I decided to try sallying forth by squeezing the paint on thickly-- as I did the hearts, the background paint, too.

I was a little like icing a very large, very cheerfully-colored, but very untasty cake...
And as it dried, the paint began to change color rather dramatically. I found myself just a bit mesmerized by the way it crept across the window from block to block getting darker... darker....
So now it hangs in my kitchen. I think it still could dry a little more-- it tends to smooth out slightly the more it's dry...
But the whole thing does have a rather textured appearance I hadn't planned on, anyway. Better than streaky, but not quite as placid and smooth as I'd hoped...
Still, it catches the light nicely...

I think in terms of Lessons Learned, I would experiment a little more with different types of glass paint, and understand their surprising behaviors, before embarking on a full-fledged project like this.

Anyway, I enjoyed the process. Honestly, what's nicer than a quiet weekend afternoon listening to a favorite film and surrounded by a whole rainbow of craftable colors?

May the rest of your week be shiny, too!

ume body chain.

ume body chain by armor jewelry. [via notcot.]

ume body chain.

ume body chain by armor jewelry. [via notcot.]

Up On the Roof!

I have blogged about science fiction from the medical point of view and how it is hard to watch some shows with my spouse and in-laws who happen to be doctors and sometimes roar with laughter at the medical mistakes made in the shows, sometimes I have to go to another room if I want to watch a show in peace! I mentioned I like the television show ER with all the mistakes, and I also adore Becker , which I am told is more medically accurate, and now I like Nurse Jackie as quirky as that show is, it makes me laugh. So why the title of my post? The last episode of Nurse Jackie I watched, she sang the song "Up on the Roof" to her daughter and I was so delighted by that because I had not heard that song in so long. It reminded me of how I get on the roof to use my telescope or binoculars to view the night sky in peace because it gives me the best view. Anyway, I took the long way around to say I love the song and I do get up on my roof to stargaze, and I like the new show Nurse Jackie (which I am told has loads of medical mistakes) but is very humorous.

Why?

Ya know, cause like your paper plates need a classy place to hang. . .

*part of "A 'Why?' A Day, While I'm Away"*

Tomato Gorgonzola Soup

This soup is the single best way I know to use up that piece of blue cheese that you bought for something else but still have a little piece of. The Southern husband and I are currently trying to train ourselves to use up all of whatever ingredients we bring home...so if we bring home a half pound of Swiss cheese, for example, and we don't use it all up in the cheese fondue that we had the other night, we figure out what we can make next that calls for Swiss cheese. (You will hear more about our adventures in Swiss cheese in the days to come, assuming all goes well).

So after I made shrimp in gorgonzola sauce a little while ago, I still had a little hunk of the gorgonzola left. Just enough to make this scrumptious soup, which has chunks of chopped tomato in it and gets its creamy goodness not only from the gorgonzola but also from a little cream cheese and heavy cream and milk tossed in as well. I know...but if you are going to make homemade soup, you might as well go for the gusto, right?

The only TINY drawback to this recipe is that in order to use up the gorgonzola, I had to buy a largish container of tomato juice (another key ingredient) because apparently they do not sell smallish containers of tomato juice. So there it is in my fridge. Sitting there. Mocking me.

Anybody got any good recipes that call for tomato juice, or do I need to buy more gorgonzola and start the cycle anew?

TOMATO GORGONZOLA SOUP, adapted from Allrecipes

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 minced cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
• 4 ounces softened cream cheese
• 1/4 heavy cream
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1 1/2 cups tomato juice
• 2 teaspoons dried basil
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

1. Heat oil in medium pot over medium heat. Add garlic and stir for 2 minutes.

2. Add cheeses, cream and milk and heat until cheeses are melted and mixture is simmering

3. Stir in tomatoes with their liquid, tomato juice, basil, sugar and pepper to taste. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring often, and serve.

Click here for printable recipe

Two New Trek Books

I enjoy reading the Star Trek novels especially since no new series have been made in a while. There are plenty of books to choose from and used book stores are my favorite place to pick them up. From Trek Today:

Star Trek: Unspoken Truth, written by Margaret Wander Bonanno and due out at the end of the month, tells the story of Lieutenant Saavik, left behind on Vulcan while the crew of the Enterprise is forced to return to Earth to be court-martialed for stealing the Enterprise and destroying it while on a mission to retrieve Spock’s body and katra.

That sounds good, I cannot wait for that one. More:

The second book, announced on Christopher L. Bennett’s website, has a working title of Star Trek: DTI (Department of Temporal Investigations.) The DTI was introduced in the Deep Space Nine Trials and Tribble-ations episode, when agents Lucsly and Dulmar paid Captain Sisko a visit after Sisko and crew’s visit to the past.“I’m able to announce my new Star Trek project now, and it’s my most offbeat one yet,” said Bennett. “The working title is Star Trek: DTI, with a more specific title to be settled on later.

I hope they keep writing books or make another television series or both, why not?!

Link.

Why?

This is what happens when plastic lawn geese and yard gnomes have one night stands. . .

*part of "A 'Why?' A Day, While I'm Away"*

ice house detroit.

ice house detroit by photographer gregory holm and architect matthew radune. this project encased a foreclosed and abandoned house in ice to highlight the crisis situation in detroit.

ice house detroit.

ice house detroit by photographer gregory holm and architect matthew radune. this project encased a foreclosed and abandoned house in ice to highlight the crisis situation in detroit.

Spaghetti with Garlic Bread Crumb Wine Sauce

This is one of my favorite pasta recipes ever, and every time I make this one the Southern husband and I look at each other and say, why don't we make this more often? But absence makes the heart grow fonder, and I am VERY fond of how this looks, tastes, and is so very easy to throw together at the end of a long day.

And even better, odds are you have everything you need to make it at the spur of the moment. Any long strand pasta will do, although I think good old spaghetti works best. Bread for the bread crumbs -- any kind you have on hand. Butter. White wine. Fresh parsley. Parmesan cheese and fresh ground pepper. All stuff I highly recommend having in your kitchen at all times...and if you don't, I recommend going out to get whatever is missing JUST to make this delicious little dish, which is great on its own or as a side dish for grilled chicken or fish.

The sauce is made by melting up butter, garlic, white wine and a little salt. Meantime, you make the breadcrumbs by whirling whatever bread you have on hand in the food processor, adding a little butter and white wine, laying it all out on a cookie sheet and toasting it in the oven. Don't worry if your crumbs are a little mushy before they are toasted, I promise they will cook up to be golden and crispy, and you will have to have a stern talk with yourself about snacking on them before they go in the sauce.

Then all you have to do is cook the pasta and toss it with the sauce, some parsley and grated parmesan and those perfect little crumbs. Save some of the crumbs to sprinkle on top and give the whole thing a good grinding of black pepper. Comfort Food Extraordinaire.

SPAGHETTI WITH GARLIC BREAD CRUMB WINE SAUCE

• 1 cup fresh bread crumbs (2 slices bread chopped in food processor)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons melted butter
• 2 tablespoons white wine
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 pound spaghetti
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• fresh ground pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350 and line a cookie sheet with foil.

2. Mix bread crumbs, melted butter and 2 tablespoons wine with salt in small bowl and spread in one layer on cookie sheet. (Don't worry if it's mushy).

3. Bake about 12 minutes or until golden.

4. Meanwhile, cook pasta until al dente.

5. Meanwhile again, heat butter, garlic, 1 tablespoon water and one teaspoon salt in small skillet for about 3 minutes until butter is melted and garlic is starting to turn golden. Stir in wine and simmer two minutes.

6. Toss together pasta, wine sauce, crumbs, parsley and cheese. Serve immediately.

Click here for printable recipe

Watching Paint Dry

I know I'd told a few of you good folks who'd asked how the stained glass window project was going, that I'd have some photos for you of the finished project today.

I like to think that I am merely "Overly Optimistic" and not, in fact, "A Big Fat Liar." But I know that sort of thing can be subject to opinion.

Anyway, I expect to have that post up in a day or two. You see, I have been very, very busy.... watching paint dry.

It was enough to make me laugh, actually, as I was trying to focus on a movie, but my eyes kept darting to the stained glass project on the floor of that room. "I am literally watching paint dry. What is wrong with me?"

The way the glass paint works is it gets considerably darker as it dries. And it seems to creep from its edges to various inner sectors over the course of hours.

So here's been me for the last six hours: "Is it darker there? It's a little darker, I think. Should I try to stand it up and take pictures? No, it's not that dark, it could still run. Should I touch it? No, I'd put a big fingerprint in it. Is it ready now?.... now?.... NOW?!"

I was beginning to even annoy myself.

Of course, I'm sure the moment I turn my back on it, it'll be dry as a bone. It's like those watched pots. Can't trust any of 'em.

See you soon, friends! And (hopefully) with a shiny new project to share.

Watching Paint Dry

I know I'd told a few of you good folks who'd asked how the stained glass window project was going, that I'd have some photos for you of the finished project today.

I like to think that I am merely "Overly Optimistic" and not, in fact, "A Big Fat Liar." But I know that sort of thing can be subject to opinion.

Anyway, I expect to have that post up in a day or two. You see, I have been very, very busy.... watching paint dry.

It was enough to make me laugh, actually, as I was trying to focus on a movie, but my eyes kept darting to the stained glass project on the floor of that room. "I am literally watching paint dry. What is wrong with me?"

The way the glass paint works is it gets considerably darker as it dries. And it seems to creep from its edges to various inner sectors over the course of hours.

So here's been me for the last six hours: "Is it darker there? It's a little darker, I think. Should I try to stand it up and take pictures? No, it's not that dark, it could still run. Should I touch it? No, I'd put a big fingerprint in it. Is it ready now?.... now?.... NOW?!"

I was beginning to even annoy myself.

Of course, I'm sure the moment I turn my back on it, it'll be dry as a bone. It's like those watched pots. Can't trust any of 'em.

See you soon, friends! And (hopefully) with a shiny new project to share.

Why?

I've got six words for you: artificial rose faux topiary accent light

*part of "A 'Why?' A Day, While I'm Away"*

Stephen Hawking to give rare public lecture!

This is so cool, Stephen Hawking will be giving a public lecture in April, from the article:

Renowned physicist Stephen Hawking returns to Aggieland next month to present a rare public lecture, and officials in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Texas A&M University encourage Brazos Valley residents and members of the campus community to take advantage of a major opportunity to experience one of the most brilliant scientific minds of all time.Hawking, the world-renowned Cambridge University theoretical physicist famous for his theories on black holes and best-selling books about the universe, will detail more than 35 years of breakthrough research on black holes - which aren't as black as previously thought - in his lecture, "Out of a Black Hole," scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday (April 5) in Rudder Auditorium on the Texas A&M campus.

I love that episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation with Data and Stephen Hawking, it is so fun to see that scene! Here is a link to the lecture.

Bathroom Dreams

I've been dreaming of the perfect half bath recently -


Super simple fixtures, white subway tile, and fun wallpaper. . . sure beats a pipe sticking out of the ground. . .

Eagle Eye (2008)

I just watched the movie Eagle Eye(2008) which is a fast paced hi-tech movie that seems like Hal 9000 from a Space Odyssey meets Cellular the movie. It has a lot of gadgets, running, following directions, twists and turns, and overall fun but not too deep of a plot. If you want pure entertainment then this movie is perfect: get the popcorn, the soda and relax on the sofa after a hard day at work!

new site, new sale!

its been a harrowing week leading up to relaunching the our website. we didn't do that much to the site but it was a tremendous amount of work and so, so stressful. our new site it up, not perfect, but up and we're pretty pleased. in addition to the new site, we've also added 8mm and 10mm thick felt and added a new color of 3mm felt. oh, and did i mention we're having a sale? now through april 10th take 15% off all our products by using discount code SPRING! at checkout.

new site, new sale!

its been a harrowing week leading up to relaunching the our website. we didn't do that much to the site but it was a tremendous amount of work and so, so stressful. our new site it up, not perfect, but up and we're pretty pleased. in addition to the new site, we've also added 8mm and 10mm thick felt and added a new color of 3mm felt. oh, and did i mention we're having a sale? now through april 10th take 15% off all our products by using discount code SPRING! at checkout.