Root Vegetable Stew In Six Steps

STEP I: Assemble Ingredients

This is a "found" stew made with things in my pantry and fridge.  Most are shown here.

~ Pancetta
~ Onion
~ Carrot
~ Potato
~ Turnip
~ Celery
~ Oregano
~ Black Pepper
~ Salt
~ Cinnamon
~ Chicken Broth
~ Pappardello Pasta
~ a pre made Alfredo Sauce (Giant Brand)

 STEP II: Establish the Base

In an ample skillet, start with the frying of Pancetta to create a fat-base and cook until lightly browned on a mid-high temp (6.5-7.5).

You are frying the fat out without any other liquid, otherwise it will not render.

Once this process has created a liquid base of fat, add the onion (well-diced), along with oregano and black pepper.

Reduce the temp and monitor as it continues to cook.  As necessary, add some chicken broth to keep the mixture cooking in a moist environment.

STEP III: Add the Root Veggies!

I had three root veggies on hand: Carrots, Golden Yukon Potatoes, and Turnips.  I cut them each into different sizes, but all bite-sized.

Place them into the skillet on top of the base, then stir them up to mix the flavors and coat the root veggies in the fat "oils" from the base.  Simmer covered for 30 minutes, and add some more chicken broth to keep the moisture up.

STEP IV: Add the Greens

In this case, it's just Celery.  Although, I had thought about including a bag of frozen Peas, too.

Once added cover again and cook for another 20 minutes or so.  You can also add some more oregano and black pepper if you like at this point.


STEP V: The Cream Sauce

At this point, I added in the Alfredo Sauce along with some cinnamon and stirred the whole mix up again and allowed to continue cook on low until it came back to a boil.  About 10 minutes.

STEP VI: The Eating!

On a bed of Pappardello pasta, arrange a generous sampling of the stew.  It's so delicious!

Dear Romeo #1

Dear Romeo, 

Do dogs suffer from heat exhaustion?

Signed, 
Sincerely Clueless

Dear SinClue,

It's funny that you should ask this question. Just this very night my guy got a phone call from our dear friend, Auntie Takako. She had encountered a dog suffering from this very thing and needed some ice stat. We helped her, of course, and she went on to offer help to the poor dog.

Dogs are mammals--just like people. We require both food and water, and when it's hot we need more water--just like people. Some dogs have a greater risk than others, and we count on our human pack members to know us well enough to understand our weaknesses and the risks.

Common situations that can set the stage for heat exhaustion and possibly heat stroke for us dogs include:

~ Being left in a hot car
~ Exercising strenuously in hot weather
~ Being confined to surfaces like asphalt and concrete with only sun exposure

Brachycephalic breeds are at a greater risk, too! My cousins whom you call bulldogs, pugs and pekingese, for example.

BOTTOMLINE: 1) If you wouldn't be comfortable doing it, we wouldn't be, either! and 2) Don't play around, if we become distressed in hot weather, do SOMETHING quickly. We need water, we need to be cooled down, we need to see a vet.

Pura Vida,
Romeo Federico Ash

Red Soup Sunday

With fresh beets from the Farmer's Market (and freshly baked bread!) Sunday was a Red Soup day.

The basic ingredients:

Make a broth with water, beef stock, salt, black pepper, diced onions, garlic and a dollop of olive oil.  Then add:

Fresh Beets
Carrots
Purple Cabbage
Jalapeño Peppers
Red Peppers
Diced stewed tomatoes in whatever spice combo you like!  RoTel can increase the picante factor, or you can buy them with oregano, or basil or whatever.  The end result is wonderful.

Chicken With Pineapple Bits

From my Facebook community and the offering of Meeyah Reckur.  I only added the red and green pepper.

Pineapple Chicken Bits
Ingredients:
1/2 kilo Chicken breast
1 cup pineapple tidbits
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon cornstarch dissolve in 1/4 cup water
3 cloves garlic
1 onion
salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:
1.Saute the garlic and onion then add the chicken and saute until the pinkish color is gone.
2. Add the soy sauce then simmer for a minute.
3. Add the water and bring to a boil, then add the pineapple, salt and pepper to taste, simmer for few minutes until cooked.
4. Add the dissolved corn starch then simmer for a minute and turn off the heat.
5. Serve hot with rice.

Little - "d" Democracy Works!

Looks like we are going to get a sidewalk in my neighborhood sooner than finally expected and after an interminable long wait after some neighbors held it up because of other issues.  But that's democracy for you, sometimes it is a pissing contest!

More Adventures With Romeo!

Things we see on our walks down to Sligo Creek!

 There are fish in the creek!

 And deer in the fields along it's path!

 Jewelweed is beautiful.

 So are some caterpillars...

I love the creek!

Pride Birthdays and Memorials for the Week ~ July 7th to July 13th

Today's Atlas: Afghanistan

What did Today's Atlas by Rand McNally teach me about Afghanistan back in 1972?

#1: It taught me where it was, and some basic facts.

#2: It gave me a map with some idea about the natural resources and economic activities.

#3: It showed me images that left me with the impression that Afghanistan was a backward nation, but placed a high priority on modernity and was a place where women and children mattered.

 CAPTION: These handsome youngsters are children of Afghan nomads.

 CAPTION: A teacher holds these Afghan children spellbound.  Oil has made it possible for many Middle Eastern lands to improve schools.

CAPTION: This modern Afghan girl, no longer veiled and in traditional Moslem garb, is learning to become a surveyor so that she can join the work force that is pushing ahead the road improvement program in Afghanistan.

#4: It gave me the idea that Afghanistan wasn't that different for European nations, especially those with mountains and snow.

CAPTION: Kabul, capital and chief marketplace of Afghanistan, lies on a high, mountain-edged plateau.

Today's Atlas: O, CANADA!

Given it's own volume, the drawings for Canada span the 12 provinces.

And what do you notice about the way Canada is portrayed to the world in 1972, by the editorial board of Rand McNally Atlas?

Today's Atlas (1972) National Drawings

Golly, I would love to meet the artist behind these!  Here are 70 of the drawings for your delight.

Some are easy to figure out. I bet you can find Australia, Monaco, China, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Peru, the Vatican City, Japan, South Africa, and Israel. 

But can you fine Finland? Libya? Mexico? Uruguay? Iceland? Tanzania? Italy? Cuba? or Syria?

No matter, you have to agree that they are beautiful.

The Love Of Learning, Imagery & Design

When I was a kid, my mom loved the serial book buys. It began before I was even born when she purchased a set of encyclopedias one volume at a time and proudly displayed them like a trophy kill on a shelf in our living room. As a kid, we shopped in the only grocery store in town, Krogers. And they teamed up with Random House to sell various books on topics bound in volumes sold over a number of weeks and months. We purchased the Encyclopedia of the United States, the Encyclopedia of American History, the Charlie Brown dictionary (10 volumes), the young person's encyclopedia of knowledge, AND my favorite, the Rand McNally Illustrated Atlas of Today's World. That would have been the world as it was in 1972. And now it's just the most precious 12 volumes I own and a fascinated window on world history.

Each nation got an introductory page something like this one for Paraguay. And many got these amazing little ink drawings. I FUCKING LOVE THEM! Like the illustrations in dictionaries--I just love them.

Am I just a freak? Anyone else remember these things?

Sabroso Pastel del Pastor

Again, in 6 Steps...

STEP I: Assemble Ingredients

Pancetta, frozen corn, oregano, cayenne pepper, Ground meat (beef, pork and veal mix), black beans, onion, taco seasonings, red pepper, green pepper, jalapeño pepper, instant potatoes, milk, butter, Mexican style taco blend cheese.

This recipe, like a traditional Shepherd's Pie, is built in layers.

STEP II: Middle Layer

Fry the pancetta and then add in the corn with oregano and cayenne pepper, mixing and sauté for about ten minutes to mix and heat well through.

STEP III: Bottom Layer

In the same skillet, brown the ground meat along with the chopped onion. 

Once, browned, add in the beans with juice and the taco seasoning.  Mix thoroughly and cover.  Turn down heat and simmer for 15 minutes, then remove from the heat.

STEP IV: Top Layer

Chop the peppers and then in a sauce pan at the milk, water and butter called for on the directions for the instant potatoes.  After the butter is melted, but before the  liquid boils, add the chopped peppers.   Stir until boiling begins.  Remove from heat and stir in the mixture of potato flakes and a handful of the shredded Mexican taco blend cheese.  Cover and let set for about 5 minutes.

STEP V: Assemble the Layers

  

First layer: ground meat, beans and onions.

Second layer: corn and pancetta.

  

Third layer: potatoes and peppers

Top it with additional cheese.

STEP VI: Bake 30 minutes @ 350˚.

Happy Fourth of July!

My Snake or Mother-in-Law's Tongue plant is blooming again for the seventh year in a row.  To me, it's like sparklers only more interesting and amazing.

I rescued this baby from a dumpster back in 1991.

And there is my other baby, Romeo!  It's his first Fourth of July in the United States, and he is oblivious to all of the booming and banging clearly audible all around us here in the suburbs of Washington, D.C.  He's just happy for the freedom to sleep.

Is it any wonder that I love him so much!?

My Top Ten Picks For Favorite Dog Breeds

#1 ~ mongrel.  a. k. a. my sweet boy rescued from the streets of San José, Costa Rica.  As my father would have described him--a Henz 57.  I call him by his name: Romeo.

The rest of the entries are simply in alphabetical order.  I've bolded the ones I've owned over the years.

#2 ~ Akita

#3 ~ Beagle

#4 ~ Chihuahua

#5 ~ Doberman Pincher (no clipped ears!!!)

#6 ~ French Bulldog

#7 ~ Miniature Grey Hound

#8 ~ Rottweiler

#9 ~ Schipperke

#10 ~ Standard Poodle