Day 203

I love lamb. It's probably my favorite meat.
And I usually like it just charred and pink off the grill with salt and pepper.
Here's a lovely sauce for those who need a bit more.....

LAMB WITH PARSLEY SAUTE
Grill your rack of Lamb until pink inside
Make this sauce:
Saute 1 Shallot in a splash of Oil
Add 1/2 bunch fresh chopped Italian parsley
1/3 cup fresh chopped Mint
Some grated Lemon Peel
1/2 cup coarsely chopped Walnuts
squeeze of Lemon Juice
A little water may be added if it's too thick
season with Salt and Pepper
Divide among plates
Place two or three perfectly cooked lamb chops on the plate and serve.
Heaven

Day 202

Believe in success and achievement.

Have immunity to all harm and false suggestions.

Be blessed with advancement, prosperity and a triumphant life.

Overcome all vexations and difficulties.

Realize you are divinely guided and live in the joyous expectancy of the best

and the best will come to you.

Day 201

ORANGE FLANK STEAK

Place 1 Flank steak in a Ziploc bag

Add the juice and zest of 1 Orange

1 tablespoon Soy Sauce

1 tablespoon Olive Oil

1 clove minced Garlic

1 sprig of fresh Rosemary

Marinate for at least 30 minutes

Grill steak 1 or 2 minutes on both side - do not over cook!

Let stand 5 minutes covered with foil

Slice on the diagonal

Devour

Great for frajitas

Day 200

Be the best in whatever endeavor you undertake.

Work hard, long, smart.

Be dedicated, loyal, concerned, caring, detailed, meticulous and enthusiastic.

Be quick, but don't hurry.

John Wooden

Day 199

INDIAN CHOPS
Place 1 teaspoon each of
Fennel seeds
Cumin seeds
8 Peppercorns
in a coffee grinder and rough grind
rub onto surface of Chops
heat oil on high in cast iron skillet
cook till seared on each side
and center just looses its pinkness

Day 198

All that I give is given to myself.

Have gratitude for everyone and everything.

Don't be so hard on yourself.

If I have distrustful thoughts then I'm teaching myself that I'm untrustworthy.

Be good at not judging others and equally as good at not judging yourself.

Love should go everywhere.

Diane Vaughn

Day 197

Our new best friend from Canada

CARAMEL SAUCE BY CHUCK HUGHES

1 cup Water

2 cups Sugar
1 cup Whipping Cream
Pinch coarse Salt
Dash ground Cayenne pepper
Put the water and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat
Bring the mixture to a bare boil to dissolve the sugar
and then jack up the heat to a full rolling boil
and let it boil away for 20 to 30 minutes
or until brownish
Do not touch it
As soon as the sugar is medium brown in color
whisk in the cream (carefully, it can splatter)
The sugar will clump, but gradually be mixed in to the 'syrup'
Continue to boil until thicker
It will thicken even more as it cools
Season with salt and cayenne pepper
Serve warm on top of a brownie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream
or anything else your heart desires

Day 196

The winner is the one who is willing to get out on the field and play the game.
Whatever your life is asking you to do,
get out on the field of your life today and play full out.
You will find that right in this day, are some miracles just waiting to happen.
Vince Lombardi

Dreams are renewable.
No matter what our age or condition,
there are still untapped possibilities within us
and new beauty waiting to be born.
Dr. Dale Turner

Day 195

CHUTNEY CHICKEN SALAD

Toast 1/4 cup Raisins

over medium heat till puffy

Place in bowl

Snip thru 1/4 cup Chutney with scissors

Place in bowl

Add 1/4 cup Sour Cream or Yogurt

1 1/2 cups cooked Rice, warm or cold

1 1/2 cups shredded Chicken or Turkey

1/4 cup coarsely chopped sesame honey Cashews

(almonds or honey peanuts may be substituted)

1/2 teaspoon Chinese Five Spice

(or curry powder)

1/4 teaspoon Tumeric

Pinch of Sugar

Shake of Cinnamon

Pinch of Salt

Zest of 1/2 Lime and the juice

Mix and season to taste

Form bowl with Butter Lettuce leaves

Scoop salad onto lettuce

Sprinkle with more raisins or nuts or parsley

or even banana slices and a lime wedge

Day 194

You may never know what results come from your actions,
but if you do nothing, there will be no results.
Gandhi

A musician must make music,
an artist must paint,
a poet must write
if he is ultimately to be at peace with himself.
What one can be, one must be.
Abraham Maslov

Saying yes and no clearly builds confidence
and rids us of the misconception that we are powerless.
Marsha Sinetar

Day 193

SAVORY SANDWICH

Take a Croissant or a Hawaiian Bread roll
Fill with
thinly sliced Brie and Apple
Spoon on a bit of Chutney
Top off with a handful of Watercress

Day 193

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful,
committed citizens can change the world.
Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.
Margaret Mead

Too many people spend money they haven't earned,
to buy things they don't want,
to impress people they don't like.
Will Smith

We cannot discover new oceans
until we have the courage to lose sight of the shore.
Muriel Chan

Day 192

To our new golf hero who intends to fill this jug with Guinness!

DARREN CLARKE'S CLARET JUG CHICKEN SALAD
Place into large bowl:
One head of Romaine torn or cut into little bits
About 2 cups of roasted Chicken, shredded
1/4 cup each Pignoli Nuts and Sunflower Seeds
1 hard boiled Egg, chopped
Zest of 1/2 a  Lime
Dressing:
Whisk together
Juice of one large Lime
One Garlic clove, minced
About 1/2 cup Mayonnaise
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Sprig or two of fresh Thyme
Salt and Pepper
Dash of Cayenne
Toss everything together
Serves two golf fans

Day 191

I believe a leaf of grass is no less than the journey -
work of the stars,
And the pismire is equally perfect, and a grain
of sand, and the egg of the wren,
And the tree-toad is a chef -d'oeuvre for the highest,
And the running blackberry would adorn the
parlors of heaven,
And the narrowest hinge in my hand puts to scorn
all machinery,
And the cow crunching with depress'd head
surpasses and statue,
And a mouse is miracle enough to stagger sextillions
of infidels.

Song of Myself
Walt Whitman

Day 190

On our last trip to the British Virgin Islands,
we stayed at the Sugarmill Plantation on the island of Tortola before setting sail.
This is their very simple and perfect Caesar salad dressing.

CARIBBEAN CAESAR DRESSING
Squeeze the juice out of two Limes into bowl.
Add about 1/2 cup Mayonnaise
and 1/2 up freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
That's it.
You may add salt and pepper and a minced clove of garlic.
Or not.
You will be shocked on how delicious and simple this is.

Day 189

You may never know what results come from your actions,
but if you do nothing, there will be no results.
Gandhi

The winner is the one who is willing
to get out on the field and play the game.
Whatever your life is asking you to do,
get out on the field of your life today and play full out.
You will find that right in this day,
are some miracles just waiting to happen.
Vince Lombardi

Dreams are renewable.
 No matter what our age or condition,
 there are still untapped possibilities
within us and new beauty waiting to be born.
Dr. Dale Turner

Day 188

CASHEW CRUSTED PORK

1/4 cup Cashews (sesame honey are nice)

1/4 Panko bread crumbs

few shakes Red Pepper flakess

Salt and Pepper

zest 1/2 Orange

small Garlic clove

put all the above in a mini processor and pulse

until well blended

take 2 inch thick Pork loin chops

cut in half

and pound till 1/4 inch thick

put 1/4 cup Flour on plate

place one Egg in pie plate and beat

coat the 4 pork cutlets in flour, then egg

then dredge in the crumb mixture

in pan heat splash of Oil with 2 tablespoons of Butter

saute on medium high the cutlets until golden brown

on both sides and just a hint of pink in the center

Serve as is

or maybe with some braised Fennel on the side

and a relish

of the Orange (or a red grapefruit)

some Zest

the Fruit segments and Zest of one Lime

dash of Red Pepper flakes

splash of olive Oil

Salt and (white) Pepper

Day 187

Zen Thinking

Don't worry.... it only seems kinky the first time.

The journey of a thousand miles

begins with a broken fan belt and a leaky tire.

Don't be irreplaceable.

If you can't be replaced, you can't be promoted.

If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you.

Duct tape is like the Force.

It has a light side and a dark side, and it holds the universe together.

Day 186

From that delightful minimalist Mark Bittman

PORK FENNEL BURGER

1 Fennel bulb, trimmed and cut into chunks

3 - 4 cloves minced Garlic

about 2 pounds boneless Pork (with some fat) cut into 1 inch cubes

1 tablespoon Fennel seeds

1 tablespoon Caraway seeds

(toast in warm dry pan to release aroma)

Salt and Pepper

(I was seedless, so used 1/4 cup Cashews with sesame (Trader Joe's))

shake of Cayenne and Turmeric

Put fennel into food processor and pulse till just chopped

place into a bowl

put meat into processor with garlic salt and pepper

And pulse till just chopped

Don't over process

Mix everything together

make patties

Grill 5 minutes each side

Garnish with peeled Orange slices,

chopped Olives, chopped Parsley, chopped roasted Red Pepper

and even a thin Fennel slice

Day 185

Begin somewhere,
you cannot build a reputation on what you intend to do.
Liz Smith

It takes no more effort to expect the best,
than to fear the worst.
It's healthier, more productive, and a lot more fun.
Philip E. Humbert

It had long since come to my attention
that people of accomplishment rarely sat back
and let things happen to them.
They went out and happened to things.
Elinor Smith

Day 184

ROASTED SESAME CHICKEN
place 6-8 small Chicken legs
in a Ziploc bag
mix together 1/2 cup Balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup Honey
1/4 cup Soy sauce
1/2 cup Brown sugar
and 3-4 cloves smashed Garlic
1 teaspoon fresh chopped Rosemary
pour over chicken
let marinate 2 hours or more
Place in baking pan
350 for 30 - 35 minutes
until a rich dark color
Place chicken on platter
Pour sauce over
(if it's too runny you may reduce it a bit by boiling)
Sprinkle with toasted Sesame seeds
and a bit of chopped Parsley

Day 183

Food is the most primitive form of comfort.

A goal is a dream with a deadline.
Harvey Mackay

When you get into a tight place and everything goes against you,
till it seems as though you could not hang on a minute longer,
never give up then,
for it is just the place and time
that the tide will turn.
Harriet Beecher Stowe

Day 182

STUFFED FIGS WITH GOAT CHEESE AND PROSCIUTTO
12 Figs, ripe but not too soft
6 ounces soft Goat cheese, room temperature
6 slices Prosciutto, sliced in half length-wise
4 large Rosemary sprigs, cut in thirds, plus extra for garnish
Extra-virgin olive Oil
Runny Honey
Sea Salt and freshly ground black Pepper
Preheat oven to 350 F. (180 C.)
Cut the figs crosswise from the top, halfway down the fruit
  Gently separate the quarters to create an opening 
Scoop 1-2 teaspoons goat cheese into the opening, without overstuffing
  Wrap each fig with prosciutto slice
Pierce the prosciutto and fig with a rosemary skewer to hold in place
 Arrange figs in a baking pan
Gently brush with olive oil
Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper (the prosciutto will also add salt)
Bake in oven until prosciutto begins to crispen
nd cheese is tinged brown, about 25 minutes
  Remove from the oven
Carefully remove and discard baked rosemary sprigs
Arrange figs on serving platter
or individual plates with fresh arugula (optional) 
Drizzle each fig with honey 
Garnish with fresh rosemary leaves
Serve immediately

Day 181

A big blanket makes a person sleep late.

If you want breakfast in bed, sleep in the kitchen.

Don't be afraid of the space between your dreams and reality.

If you can dream it, you can make it so.
Belva Davis

Luck is when preparedness meets opportunity.
Earl Nightingale

Day 180

2 hearty servings...

compliments of Nigella Lawson

PEA AND PESTO SOUP

3 cups Water

3 cups frozen Peas

2 Scallions

1 teaspoon Salt

1/2 Lime juice

Bubble the above ingredients together

for a moment or two

Remove scallions

Put into a blender with

4 tablespoons fresh Pesto

Blitz carefully

Serve

Just for fun
I tried this with spinach instead of the peas
left out the lime juice and scallions
and added some fresh mozzarella for creaminess

I think it's a great base for adding chopped chicken or pork
and any other yummies you may have floating around in your frig