Stop And Smell....

...the Desmodium glabellum.

Peach 'n Pear Cobbler

with Linden blossom tea.

What I'm Reading #87

Arrived this week from a friend.  I'm a lucky man!

Ohio Wildflowers

Got this lovely postcard from a friend.

Kitty Design World!

Pride Birthdays and Memorials for the Week ~ August 30th to September 5th

Penne Pasta Bake

Super easy: Penne Pasta combined with cooked ground meat (beef, pork & veal), onion, button mushrooms and zucchini in a marinara sauce; topped with mozzarella cheese and then baked at 325 for 30 minutes.

Our Two Horse Race!

Random Quote #207

Summer on the Trail

In the Park with Romeo, our daily exploration.

Pride Birthdays and Memorials for the Week ~ August 23rd to August 29th

Happy Birthday Hawaii Statehood

Pizza Roll Mystery

What I'm Reading #86

An odd and comprehensive treatise on the art of preserving food through various forms of fermentation.  Wonderful ideas, interesting histories, and a wide range of possibilities all squeezed into a little book of little consequence.  It's pure magic in the waiting.

Random Quote #206

Earth Stamp: Animal Rescue

Chicken Marsala

CHICKEN MARSALA RECIPE

(makes 4 servings)

Ingredients

2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

salt and flour to taste

1/3 cup flour

1/2 cup olive oil

8 ounces mushrooms sliced and cleaned

1 clove garlic, minced

2 teaspoons shallots, minced

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup sweet Marsala wine

1/4 cup chicken stock

1/4 cup dry white wine

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon small capers

Optional: Parsley and chopped carrots for garnish

Directions

1. Split chicken breasts through the middle to make 2 pieces. Wrap in plastic and pound each one flat until they are about a quarter-inch thick.

2. Season with salt and pepper on both sides of each piece of chicken.

3. Put flour on a plate and dredge chicken both sides in the flour. Keep flour on plate.

4. Heat oil over medium-heat. When the oil is hot, fry each piece of chicken for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden brown.

5. Remove chicken and place on a serviing platter covered with foil.

6. 1 tablespoon butter to the pan. Add mushrooms and cook until golden brown (about 8 minutes). Set aside.

7. Add remaining 1 tablespoon butter to the pan, then add shallots and garlic. Cook until soft (about 1 minute)

8. Pour flour from plate into pan. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.

9. Add marsala, white wine, lemon juice, and chicken stock, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen any of the brown bits (fond).

10. Cook until sauce is slightly reduced (about 2 minutes). Return the chicken and mushrooms to the skillet, and cook another 2 minutes or until heated through.

11. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with capers and parsley. Serve hot.

12. Enjoy!

Close Shave

Every man knows that buy razors is both a ridiculous hassle and ridiculously expensive.  I've been hearing about alternatives for some time now.  Just over a week ago I settled on Shave Club.  Here are the results...

 the mail carrier delivered the box on Friday.

My new razor had arrived!

I shaved with it for the first time today...  Smooth as butter.  Initial impression?  100% satisfaction.

A closer look at the enclosed "handbook" reveals...

 A witty sense of humor!

 This is my model.

 They reinvest their proceeds...very cool.

If only you could use me as your inspiration for joining....

Beef Stew In An Iron Skillet

In my big iron skillet I melt a tbsp of butter and then over medium heat brown a package of lean stew meat from my favorite kosher butcher (made a special trip this morning). Add 1 large onion cut into wedges, 5 medium sized carrots, 2 stalks of celery, 4 yukon golden potatoes, 8 oz. of button mushrooms halved, and 3 good-sized garlic cloves minced, a spritz of salt, several grinds of fresh black pepper, a pinch of caraway seeds, a can of zesty diced tomatoes and green peppers with the liquid. Cover and simmer on low for 30 minutes while setting the oven to 275˚. Still covered place in oven for 2 hours. It doesn't get any easier than this!

Another Walk At The National Arboretum

Best Wishes to President Carter

After learning of President Carter's cancer diagnosis I was crest fallen.  Then I saw this meme on the internet and sent it to him with this following note.

Dear President Carter:

After learning of your recent diagnosis of cancer, I saw this meme on Facebook.

You were the first president I ever voted for. It was 1980, and I have never grown to be more proud of a single vote that I have cast since. It taught me that my right to vote my conscience was more important and more essential than the outcome of a particular election.

Ergo, reading your words here brought me up short. With all due respect President Carter, you're wrong. I can see all of these things. I see them in YOU.

I have no doubt that you will traverse this current challenge with the same humility and truth. Please, know that I am standing with you, sending you all the compassion and love and HOPE I can muster.

With a heart filled with gratitude for your service,

Pride Birthdays and Memorials for the Week ~ August 16th to August 22nd

Cajun Shrimp

My take on this Cajun Shrimp recipe!

 Seemed like a lot of liquids....

 Took over 30 minutes to reduce to the recipe's photo image.

Very delicious!