Grab Bag

Carnitas Of Pork Belly

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Pork Belly  in any form or shape, what’s not to love   🙂
For today’s early lunch,  I prepared these simple yet mouthwatering, great looking  carnitas. (I have been up since 4.00am, so 10.30am  seemed like a good time for a good meal). I enjoyed them with flour tortillas,  guacamole,  salsa mexicana,  sour cream and a cold  “Negra Modelo“. Now, after posting this, a ” Siesta ” in the back of the house under the cool mist of the lake fountain, Bella chasing geckos, I’ll be having a few more negra modelos and a bit of a nap.  Aaaaaa…….Life is Good !
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Carnitas Of Pork Belly

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Ingredients :

Pork belly,   cut into cubes
Tomatoes,
Onions,   diced
Bell peppers,   diced
Garlic,   paste
Chicken stock,   substitute with other stock if preferred
Cayenne pepper,
Cumin,   crashed
Smoked paprika,
Chili powder,
Kosher salt,
Lard,   to saute ( same as you use to make your tortillas)

Method :

Saute pork until golden brown, add onions and most of the peppers, saute until translucent. Add garlic and cumin, saute until fragrant. Add most of your tomatoes, stock and seasoning and simmer until pork is very soft and falls apart under pressure. Now add the remaining peppers and tomatoes for eye appeal (color) when serving . Simmer for two more minutes, remove from heat. At this point you can either pull the meat apart or serve in cubes as is.
Serving suggestions:  See pictures.

Bon Appetit !   Life is Good !

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Late Night Snack: Romaine, Tomatoes, Eggs & Seafood

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What  a great, tasty snack last night at 1.00 am.
Just about three minutes of preparation,
but a great, very enjoyable meal  🙂
If you use canned food, just make sure it is of
very good quality, a few extra $ will make a
big difference in taste, texture and appearance.

I used a simple Dijon mustard vinaigrette,
grape tomatoes, hard-boiled eggs, romaine
lettuce, octopus, mussels, sesame grissini
and sprinkled some Chili flakes on top.
Voila ! Good eat’n !
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Bon Appetit !  Life is Good !
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Insalata di Ciliegie

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I love  these little mozzarella balls dressed with a nicely aged balsamic vinegar, a good amount of garlic, salt, black pepper and good quality olive oil. In this version of a classic antipasti dish, I have replaced the traditional olives with cucumbers and the basil with scallions and added grape tomatoes and finely diced onions. To me, this gives a more vibrant and fresh, crispy texture and taste. However, add whatever tickles your fancy, such as marinated peppers, pearl onions, different mushrooms, etc, or even as I sometimes do, good quality canned anchovies.
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Bon Appetit !  Life is Good !
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Foie De Veau “Berlinoise”

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Kalbs Leber “Berliner Art”, Sauted Veal Liver “Berlin Style”,
with Brussel sprouts and potato gnocchi in asiago cream.
I know, I know- Offal again . But, I just love that stuff   🙂
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Ingredient’s :
Liver:
Veal liver,  trimmed, thinly sliced
Coating mixture,   flour, cornmeal, cayenne pepper, kosher salt
Oil to saute,
Butter to saute,

Gnocchi:
Russet potatoes,   cooked, peeled, mashed
A/P flour,   sifted
Eggs,  whole, whisked
Heavy cream,
Tomato sauce,   very small amount
Asiago cheese,   grated
Kosher salt,
Cayenne pepper,
Butter,   to saute

Brussel Sprouts:
Brussel sprouts,   outer leaves removed, halved, blanched
Onions,   fine brunoise
Bacon,   fine julienne
Roasted garlic paste,
Kosher salt,
Cayenne pepper,
nutmeg,   grated
Butter,   to saute

Garnish:
Onions,   finely sliced
Fiji apples,   sliced, cored
Oil,   to saute
Butter,   to saute

Method :

Liver:
Dredge liver in coating mixture, shake off excess. Saute in hot oil until golden brown, discard oil. Add butter and saute on both sides until butter  is foamy. remove to absorbent paper.

Gnocchi:
Add egg, seasoning and flour to potatoes, mix lightly until smooth. Shape into gnocchi. Cook a sample. If too soft, add flour. If too dense, add egg. Cook in boiling water until gnocchi float. Remove with slotted spoon into strainer. Saute in melted butter, add heavy cream, a small amount of tomato sauce and seasoning. Reduce until texture is creamy, remove from heat and add grated cheese.

Brussel Sprouts:
Saute bacon until fat has rendered and bacon is crispy. Add onions and saute until onions are translucent. Add butter, Brussel sprouts, garlic and seasoning. Saute until sprouts are heated through.

Garnish:
Dredge onions and apples in coating mixture, shake off excess.  Saute in hot oil until golden brown, discard oil. Add butter and saute until butter  is foamy. Remove to absorbent paper.
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Serving suggestion:  See pictures.

Bon Appetit !   Life is Good !
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And, On A Lighter Note ………

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And,  on a lighter note :
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.broccoli on my ass
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Q: What’s the difference between pea soup and roast beef?
A: Anyone can roast beef.

Why Chocolate Is Better Than Sex ?

— You can GET chocolate.
— Chocolate satisfies even when it’s gone soft.
— You can safely have chocolate while you are driving.
— You can have chocolate in in public.
— If you bite the nuts, the chocolate won’t mind.
— The word “commitment” doesn’t scare off chocolate.
— You don’t get hairs in your mouth with chocolate.
— No need to fake your enjoyment of chocolate.
— Chocolate doesn’t make you pregnant.
— You can have chocolate at any time of the month.
— You are never too young or too old for chocolate.
— Size doesn’t matter — though more is still better.

Q: Two potatoes are walking down the street. One of them is a prostitute. How can you tell which one is the prostitute?
A: It’s the one stamped “Idaho.”

Q: What animal rotates at least 200 times after it dies?
A: Rotisserie chicken.

Two eggs were kissing on a bed when the female egg said, “I have to go change. I’ll be back in a minute.”
Five minutes later, the the female egg walked out in a slinky ‘egg’lige, rubbing her hands up and down her smooth, oval-shaped body.
Instantly, the male egg slapped his hands on the top of his head, covering it completely.
“What are you doing?,” the female egg asked.
He replied, “The last time I was this hard, someone cracked me on the head with a spoon.”

couple goes to Mexico City on vacation and eats at a famous local restaurant. The waiter tells them they have a delicious special every Sunday, so the couple orders the special.
With great fanfare, the waiter brings out a large silver serving platter with two huge steaming rounds of meat, juices dripping. It smells delicious and tastes even better.
The couple is delighted with their meal, and the husband asks the waiter what fabulous meat was in the dish. “Senor,” he explains, “each Saturday night, we have the bullfights, and that was the bull’s balls you ate.”
The couple is a bit taken aback by what they have just eaten, but it was delicious, so they get over it.
Six months later, the couple returns to Mexico City and decides to go to the same restaurant. Feeling adventuresome, they order the same dish.
Once again, with great fanfare, the waiter brings out the huge silver serving dish and places it on the table. But this time, there are two tiny pieces of meat, barely enough for one.
The man says, “Excuse me, but the last time we were here and ordered this dish, it was huge, more than enough for two. Why is this portion so small?”
The waiter smiles and replies, “Well, you see, senor, sometimes the bull wins!”

Q: What does a good steak have in common with good sex?
A: They’re both very rare.

Q: Hear about the new sushi bar that caters exclusively to lawyers?
A: It’s called Sosumi.

Cannibal Son: Mom, I don’t like my brother anymore.
Cannibal Mother: You shut up and eat!

At work, a blonde notices her that cubicle mate has a thermos.
She asks him what it’s for, and he responds, “It keeps hot things hot, and cold things cold.”
The blonde immediately buys one. The next day, she goes to work and proudly displays it.
Her cube mate asks, “What do you have in it?”
The blonde says, “Soup and ice cream.”

Things  never said by Southerners :

— Duct tape won’t fix that.

— Come to think of it, I’ll have a Heineken.

— We don’t keep firearms in the house.

— You can’t feed that to the dog.

— The kids can’t ride in the back of the pickup — it’s just not safe.

— Honey, did you mail that donation to Greenpeace?

— We’re vegetarians.

— Do you think my gut is too big?

— Honey, we don’t need another dog.

— Who’s Richard Petty?

— We could just share a small bag of pork rinds

.– Too many deer heads detract from the decor

.– I just couldn’t find a thing at Wal-Mart today

.– Is there anything in this restaurant that’s NOT fried?

— The tires on that truck are too big.

— I’ve got it all on the C drive.

— There’s too much sugar in this tea.

— Checkmate.

— I believe you cooked those greens too long

A  truck driver stopped at a roadside diner for lunch and ordered a cheeseburger, coffee and a slice of apple pie. As he was about to eat, three bikers walked in.
One grabbed the trucker’s cheeseburger and took a huge bite from it. The second one drank the trucker’s coffee, and the third wolfed down his apple pie. The truck driver didn’t say a word as he paid the waitress and left.
As the waitress walked up, one of the motorcyclists growled, “He ain’t much of a man, is he?”
“He’s not much of a driver, either,” the waitress replied. “He just backed his 18-wheeler over three motorcycles.”

Q: What’s the difference between beer nuts and deer nuts?
A: Beer nuts are a $1.39, and deer nuts are under a buck.

Americans hate France. You don’t know French people. It’s mostly based on a story you heard about a friend’s friends who went to Paris, who had a waiter, who had B.O., who was very rude to them because they sent back their steak tartar because it was too rare.
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we are screwed

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Well Friend’s there you have it.
But, at least there is good food to help us get over it  🙂

Life is (still) Good !
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Sauted Shirloin Steak, Guacamole, Scotch Bonnet & Garlic Compound Butter

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A good bread to soak up the juices from a nice cut of meat.
Sadly, an old practice which seemingly got lost some time ago, maybe even never experienced by folk’s who don’t deem it to be fancy enough for their (sophisticated ?) eating habits 😦
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Guacamole Recipe : CLICK HERE

Scotch Bonnet & Garlic Compound Butter Recipe :  CLICK HERE

Marinade  steaks overnight in  soy sauce, garlic powder, dijon mustard and cayenne pepper . Next day, wipe off excess marinade, season with kosher salt and saute in peanut oil to your preferred temperature. While steaks are cooking, spread butter and roasted garlic puree onto sourdough bread and toast until golden brown. To serve, top bread with steak and Scotch Bonnet & Garlic Compound Butter.
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Bon Appetit !   Live is Good !
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Guacamole

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Guacamole  
Ingredient’s :

Avocado,   diced
Lime,   juiced
Fresh chilis,    diced
Cilantro,   coarsely chopped
Garlic,   paste
Salt,

Method :

Mix all ingredients until guacamole has the texture you desire.
The more you stir, the more the avocado breaks down and the
guacamole becomes smoother, less chunky.

Bon Appetit !   Life is Good !
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Note: For a  slightly different version, add diced totatoes.
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Garlic Noodles & Pickled Cucumbers

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Hardly  can you prepare a more simple, tasty and satisfying meal then this one.
On top of that, it is fast and easy to prepare and light on the wallet.
What’s not to love about that ? 🙂
The recipe I used today included only the seasonings in the photo on this page.
The version at the link below is a bit more complex. I love both versions equally.

Bon Appetit !   Life is Good !

P.S.
Long noodles (longevity noodles)are a symbol of good luck.
Let’s hope they work for 2013 🙂
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Recipe for   “GARLIC NOODLES ”   Here

Recipe for   “CHINESE CUCUMBER SALAD”   Here

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2012 in review

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2012 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

19,000 people fit into the new Barclays Center to see Jay-Z perform. This blog was viewed about 74,000 times in 2012. If it were a concert at the Barclays Center, it would take about 4 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.

Click here to see the complete report.

“Breakfast Of Champions # 15 ” – Scrambled Eggs…..

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Don’t  you just hate it when you go to bed real late because you don’t have to work the next day and you look forward to sleeping-in in the morning, just to have your sweet dreams shattered by your inner alarm clock  at your regular get-up time (3.30am).  Why does my inner alarm clock not work when I forget to set my electronic alarm or when there is a power-out during the night ???  Anyway, since I was up and was going to watch a movie  ( Amour, by Michael Haneke ), a good breakfast was in order :

” Scrambled egg’s with naan, greek yogurt, Argentinian chorizo and sauted grape tomatoes, corn and peppers in herbed  garlic butter

Good start for the last day of 2012   🙂

Have a great day !   Live is Good !

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P.S.
Make sure you cook your eggs in the rendered chorizo fat after sauteing the sausages.
They’ll  loose a bit of their bright color but they gain so much flavor  🙂
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