A Life, Lived

Photo Hunt - Tame

This week's Photo Hunt theme is 'hair'.

A few years ago while in Colorado we visited Rocky Mountain National Park. While out hiking we came upon these critters. They seemed pretty tame.

Legal . . .?

Owning a Cat is Good for your Health

Cat lovers, rejoice: Your furry, four-legged friend is actually good for your health, according to scientists.

Not only is your feline a great snuggle buddy, but they actually have the potential to reduce their human's stress levels and chances of heart disease and stroke.

Cats can also help boost your immunity, as exposure to pet dander and fur can result in increased resistance to allergens and decrease your risk for asthma.

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But, just as you wouldn't with a dog, don't let your kitty lick your face.

 

 

A Brand Spanking New Day

Leave it to Berkeley Breathed, creator of Bloom County, to put into words the struggles of so many people to come to terms with last week's election.

Travel Tuesday - Ephesus

A few weeks ago I was searching for a particular pic for a photo hunt and came across our pics from our cruise of the Greek islands. Even though Ephesus is not one of the Greek islands it was a port of call on the cruise . . .

Ephesus is an ancient city in Turkey’s Central Aegean region, near modern-day Selçuk. Its excavated remains reflect centuries of history, from classical Greece to the Roman Empire – when it was the Mediterranean’s main commercial center – to the spread of Christianity. Southwest of Selçuk stands the House of the Virgin Mary, a pilgrimage site believed to be where Mary spent the last years of her life.

Garlic Sweet Potato Mash

This was one of those recipes where you step away and think 'well now, where have you been all of my life?'

Generally sweet potatoes are served on the sweet side. Don't flame me, I mean with plenty of sugar added. I am not a huge fan of that but would certainly have seconds of this more savoury version.

Our CSA delivery has plenty of sweet potatoes and we are always hunting for ways to use them up. Particularly since they are so healthy for you compared to a regular spud. These orange tubers are one of the top food sources of vitamin A, which helps protect your peepers. It also contains vitamins C and B-6, fiber, copper and potassium.

Two things about this recipe were particularly happy - the taste and the ease of preparation.

Enjoy!

Garlic Sweet Potato Mash

2 lbs (4 medium) sweet potatoes, peeled & cubed
1 tbsp butter
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 cup 1% milk
2 tbsp light sour cream
salt and fresh cracked ground pepper, to taste

In a large pot boil sweet potatoes in salted water until tender, drain in a colander.

Meanwhile, melt butter and sauté garlic until lightly golden. Return potatoes to the pan, add milk and sour cream; mash until smooth and creamy. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.

Schnitzel with Creamy Dill Sauce

Schnitzel is traditionally served with a lemon slice for flavoring, but I am a condiment junky and have long been convinced everything tastes better with sauce.   As such, schnitzel can be made infinitely more delectable by pairing it with a brightly flavored sauce.  I've had it with a mushroom sauce or a paprika sauce but this dill sauce was a new combination for me. E loved it and thought that the dill sauce highlighted the traditional lemon flavor often paired with schnitzel, but also adds the amazing  flavor of dill weed.

This recipe was originally posted on  Simply Recipes.

Word of caution - do NOT try to use low-fat sour cream in the recipe. Low-fat sour cream does not cook well. It will curdle and ruin your sauce.

Schnitzel with Creamy Dill Sauce

4 boneless pork chops (1 pound total), 1/2 inch thick
1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 egg, beaten
2 Tbsp milk
3/4 cup fine dry bread crumbs
1 teaspoon paprika
3 Tbsp canola oil, grapeseed oil, or olive oil
3/4 cup chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon dried dill or 2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sour cream (full fat)

Use a meat hammer to pound the pork cutlets to 1/4-1/8 inch thickness. Cut small slits around the edges of the cutlets to prevent curling.

Set out 3 shallow bowls. One with a mixture of the flour, seasoned salt, and pepper. The second with the egg and milk whisked together. The third with a mixture of the bread crumbs (or panko) and paprika.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet on medium high heat. Dredge the cutlets first in the seasoned flour, then dip the cutlets in the egg mixture, and then into the mixture of bread crumbs and paprika.

Working in batches, sauté the cutlets for 3-4 minutes on each side. Remove the cutlets from the skillet and cover with foil or place in a warm oven to keep warm.

Add the chicken stock into the skillet to deglaze the pan, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen the brown bits. In a small bowl mix the dill and salt into the sour cream. Stir the sour cream mixture into the chicken stock. Heat and stir until mixture thickens (do not let boil).

Serve the cutlets with the sauce, and lemon slices if you like.

Photo Hunt - Hair

This week's Photo Hunt theme is 'hair'.

Hmmm - this seems like a slap in the face for those of us who are folically challenged!

I am countering with a VERY old pic . . . back when I actually had a full head of hair.

Rememberance Day

Thinking of my grandfather today who fought in WW1. He was a sapper or engineer whose job it was to ensure a steady supply of materials to the front lines. I remember the stories he told us as kids - tunneling into the ridge to build a protected rail line during the battle of Vimy Ridge, the gas mask he used to pull out and let us try on, the coin he received after it tipped him off that the guy he was talking to at a bar in Paris might be a German spy, the letters from a mysterious woman he left at home (who was definitely NOT my grandma). As an adult I now realize the things he never spoke of.

Thankful for all who have served to keep our country safe and provide peacekeeping services in countries in turmoil.

An Election Day Tussle

A friend of mine on FB posted a 'we need to come together' sort of post. It caused great upset with my friends who are very worried about a Trump Presidency.

I posted and tried to explain how people were feeling. I said I feared for women and minorities. Her daughter took it upon herself to respond with a hateful diatribe against me. This was my response:

With all due respect, no one said they felt sorry for anyone. No one was saying anything about the media. I am not an idiot, although your dismissive comments appear to suggest that I am. I read, I listen and I form opinions based upon what I see.

If you actually took the time to read what I said it was 'I fear'. I AM afraid for the future. You can dismiss my fears (and you sure did) but it does not make them go away. Your comment was essentially a huge f-you to how many people are thinking today. Thanks for that, your words say more about you than me.

Frankly your complete disrespect for what people are actually feeling speaks volumes. You actually have legitimized people's worries. You have proven in words that people who DO think differently than you have reason to be concerned for the future. The things you dismiss so easily and suggest to be whining are things that people value, respect, and live and breath. Your callous disregard is what gives rise to people's honest beliefs and fears. You may not agree with them, fine, that is your right. You do not have the ability to ignore them or dismiss them.

If the US you describe is 'your country' then it is not the US the world has come to know and respect. The US you describe is cold and mean spirited. I am happy that I have come to know a different US filled with people who share multiple views and are accepting of those views.

Guess what, you do not own the US. 300 million plus people do. You can not take it back and make it what YOU want. The very thought is embarrassing. To suggest that the 25 % of registered voters are anything close to resembling a silent majority is laughable.

If this is 'your country' then you are welcome to it. I want no part of it.