Hello, all.
I decided to try a different look for my blog.
A face lift, if you will.
After all, it's been a year.
What doth ye think?
I'm liking it.
It's a cleaner look, I think.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
My Very Own Alinea.
A couple of hours ago, Dixie started barking her head off,
so I went to the window to see who or what was outside.
Fed-Ex.
I was curious as to what they were bringing,
since I didn't recall ordering anything recently.
Then I saw the Amazon.com logo
and I remembered.
With shaking hands, I carefully opened the box.
And there it was.
Monday, September 29, 2008
Mr. & Mrs. Hawthorne Enjoy A Delicious Repast.
After my last post about Ranch Dressing,
I had fond memories of a salad I used to make
which had Ranch dressing in it.
I think it was called 7-layer salad.
First, I had to call Xmaskatie for all the ingredients
since generally I can't remember more than 3 items in a list.
Sad, I know.
I had fond memories of a salad I used to make
which had Ranch dressing in it.
I think it was called 7-layer salad.
First, I had to call Xmaskatie for all the ingredients
since generally I can't remember more than 3 items in a list.
Sad, I know.
frozen green peas
iceberg lettuce
cheddar cheese
carrots
red onion
bacon
Ranch dressing
(I dropped them in boiling water for a few seconds, then drained.)
Now, if I catch anybody using CANNED peas,
I will come to your house and seriously HURT you..
Gotta love them chemicals.
When you think you've poured on enough ranch dressing, stop,
then pour on some more.
I haven't made this for a long time.
I'm glad I remembered it,
because it is so good.
Next up: Parmesan cups.
and place over cups.
Press down while pliable to try to make cups.
This needs to be done very quickly.
If you can't do it this first time,
place the parmesan cups in the microwave and nuke for about 50 seconds.
Then you can move the parmesan around to get a better shaped cup.
The Dressing:
(This is sourwood honey
- the good stuff - from the Blue Ridge Mountains.),
orange, lemon, salt, and pepper.
Grated lemon zest and orange zest.
Salt and pepper.
Lots of flavors and textures.
Crispy parmesan, crunchy, toasty almonds,
cool, fresh cucumber, sweet oranges.
Crispy parmesan, crunchy, toasty almonds,
cool, fresh cucumber, sweet oranges.
What a light, fresh "leave-'em-wantin-'some more" salad this was.
Next, our entree:
Next, our entree:
Labels:
Green Pea Salad,
Parmesan Cups,
Seven layer salad
Homemade Ranch Dressing.
Now, I like Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing as much as the next person.
Perhaps more.
But gosh, have you ever looked at the ingredient list?
Maltodextrin.
(Maltodextrin is a sweet polysaccharide used as a food additive.
A polysaccharide is a complex carbohydrate.)
Buttermilk.
Salt.
Monosodium glutamate.
(MSG is a sodium salt used as a food additive and marketed as a flavor enhancer.)
Dried garlic.
Dried onion.
Lactic acid.
(I read the Wikipedia article on lactic acid and still don't know what it is. Only that it's found primarily in sour milk products, like yogurts and cottage cheeses.)
Calcium lactate.
(Calcium lactate is a white crystalline salt made by
the action of lactic acid on calcium carbonate.
Hmmm, OK.)
Citric acid.
(Citric acid is a weak organic acid and natural preservative used
to add an acidic or sour taste to foods and soft drinks.)
Spices.
(Damn. Those unidentifiable spices.)
Artificial flavor.
(Crap. Has there been anything real yet?)
Xanthum gum.
(Xanthum gum is a dry ingredient, stable at high temperatures and easily dissolved in liquids.
And here's a lovely description of xanthum gum:
Xanthan Gum is basically a slime secreted by bacteria that is then used in commercial food preparation. You will see it described slightly more appealingly as "a natural carbohydrate derived from corn syrup".
A bacteria called "Xanthonomonas campestris" is added to corn syrup, where it is allowed to ferment. The colonies of bacteria secrete a "polysaccharide" slime. The mixture of bacteria, secretion and corn syrup is then washed in alcohol to put it into solution, then dried and ground. The resultant powder is called Xanthum Gum. Though the bacteria are yellowish, the gum comes out with no colour.
Can I just say, YUMMMMM?
Calcium stearate.
(Calcium stearate is a non-toxic stabilizer and lubricant.)
Carboxymethylcellulose.
(CMC is used in food science as a viscosity modifier or thickener and to stabilize emulsions, for example, in ice creams.)
Guar gum.
(Guar gum is a natural food thickener, the ground endosperm of guar beans.)
Guar gum is a water-soluble fiber that acts as a bulk forming laxative, and as such, it is claimed to be effective in promoting regular bowel movements and relieve constipation and chronic related functional bowel ailments; such as diverticulosis, Crohn's disease, colitis and irritable bowel syndrome, among others. The increased mass in the intestines stimulates the movement of waste and toxins from the system, which is particularly helpful for good colon health, because it speeds the removal of waste and bacteria from the bowel and colon. In addition, because it is soluble, it is also able to absorb toxic substances (bacteria) that cause infective diarrhea.
Again, a big YUMMMMMM to that.
That was the last ingredient on the list.
The last notation was this:
NO PRESERVATIVES.
All I can say is, "WHEW!"
Rosie wipes brow.
So, as much as I love Hidden Valley Ranch dressing,
I decided to ... well, you know ...
MAKE MY OWN RANCH DRESSING.
Mix all together.
You all know what Hidden Valley Ranch dressing tastes like.
(Heh ... You just didn't know what was in it.)
Like I said, I like HV Ranch.
Better living through chemicals and all.
But golly, my ranch dressing was fresh tasting.
Vibrant.
Herby.
With a definite "come and eat me" flirtation
and a defineably prohibitive
"don't eat those crappy chemicals in that package of powder"
admonition.
Just plain good eats.
I can't wait for a salad tomorrow to pour this on.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Ticky Visits!
Ticky is coming to visit today,
so I'm trying to prepare foods
I think she would like.
I know she likes shrimp,
and my shrimp spring rolls yesterday were so good,
I decided to make them again.
But mine taste better.
Top right is cucumber.
Bottom right is celery.
Shrimp spring rolls are done.
Refrigerate.
Next up, barbecue sauce.
When I talked to Ticky last night,
I asked her was there anything she didn't like.
Yes, shellfish.
What do you like?
Velveeta and shrimp.
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