Administrativia

Just Desserts: Double Peanut Butter Bars

2010-12-06T16:04:00.001-06:00

This recipe takes the simple peanut butter cookie and "raises the bar"... with three layers:

Peanut Butter Cookie on the bottom

Rich peanut butter icing in the middle

Topped with a chocolate shell

Delicious and decadent!

For the cookie base:

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 9x13 glass baking dish.

1 1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon dark molasses
1/2 cup creamy peanut buter
1/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 egg
1 1/4 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Prepare peanut butter cookie dough (per normal recipe) but do not refrigerate. Instead, spread dough evenly on the bottom of the prepared baking dish.

Bake for about 15-18 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

For the middle layer:

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar

In a small bowl, beat the butter, peanut butter, milk, vanilla and powdered sugar until smooth and fluffy. Spread evenly over the cookie base.

For the top layer:

1/4 cup butter
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

In a microwavable pyrex measuring cup, melt butter & chocolate on high -- about 30 seconds (depending on the oven, you may need to stir it and microwave for an additional 30 seconds.) Stir until very smooth. Allow to cool and thicken, stirring continually. Pour over the top and spread to cover evenly.

Refrigerate to set the top layer. Cut into 1" squares and serve!

Just Desserts: Peanut Butter Cookies

2010-12-06T15:44:00.000-06:00

1 1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon dark molasses
1/2 cup creamy peanut buter
1/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 egg
1 1/4 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Mix sugar, molasses, peanut butter, shortening, butter & egg in a large bowl. Stir in flour, baking soda, baking powder & salt.

Cover & refrigerate until firm.

Preheat oven to 375F.

Roll dough into 1 1/4" balls. Place on parchment-lined cookie sheet -- about 3 inches apart. Flatten in criss-cross pattern with a fork.

Bake 9-10 minutes or until light golden brown. Allow to cool before removing from the cookie sheet.

Entertaining Recipes: Pepper, Pear, Pecan & Gorganzola Puffs

2010-11-26T14:53:00.001-06:00

This is an easy to prep and serve recipe using crescent roll dough and a few fresh and pre-prepared ingredients.

2-3 cups chopped pears
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup gorganzola cheese
1/2 pound dates
3 tablespoons apricot jalepeno jam
2 tablespoons water
1 can large crescent rolls
Large-grain sea salt

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a food processor, combine pecans, dates and gorganzola. Pulse for a rough chop and mix.

In another bowl, combine pears and 2 tablespoons apricot jalepeno jam. Fold in cheese mixture.

On a flat surface, roll out 1/2 of the crescent roll pastry. Drop fruit & cheese mixture in 1 tablespoon portions evenly across the dough. Place the remaining dough across the top and cut into ravioli-like squares. Pinch edges of each square to seal. Arrange on baking sheet and score tops of each square to vent.

In a small bowl, mix remaining jam and water to make a wash. Brush top of each square with apricot wash. Sprinkle with sea salt.

Bake for 8-10 minutes until pastry is golden brown.

Breads: Irish Soda Bread with Raisins

2010-11-09T18:04:00.000-06:00

3 cups all-purpose flour (+ 2 tablespoons for the board)
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons butter (chilled & diced)
3 tablespoons rolled oats (not instant)
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 cup raisins

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, soda & salt. Cut in the butter and mix well. Continue to mix, adding the raisins, oats and milk until you have a soft moist dough.

Transfer to a well-floured surface. Knead dough into about a 7-8" round that is about 1" thick.

Place the round on the baking sheet and slice a cross into the top -- about 1/4" deep.

Bake for 45-50 minutes until nicely browned and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Soup's On: Tomato Basil Bisque

2010-11-03T09:00:00.002-05:00

3 tablespoons butter
1 large yellow onion, diced
1/2 rib celery, diced
3 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon minced garlic
4 cups diced tomatoes
4 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
4 cups tomato puree (2 16-oz cans)
2 cups beef stock (1 16-oz can)
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Dash black pepper

Melt butter in a large stockpot. Dice onion and celery and add to pot. Saute until the onion is transparent. Sprinkle flour over onions one tablespoon at a time, stirring in each one thoroughly with a large spoon until paste forms. Add garlic, diced tomatoes and basil, and stir. Stir in tomato puree and beef stock slowly, then whipping cream. Add bay leaf and simmer on low for about an hour. Remove bay leaf before serving.

Just Desserts: Pumpkin Cake

2010-11-02T09:00:00.001-05:00

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 tablespoons dark molasses
2 large eggs
1 cup fresh or canned pure pumpkin (about 1/2 of a 15 ounce can)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup whole milk

Preheat oven to 350°F and place rack in center of oven. Butter and flour a bundt cake or other tube cake pan.

In a bowl, sift together flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and spices. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter, sugar and molasses until light & fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Add pumpkin and mix well.

Next, add in flour -- about 1/2 cup at a time -- alternating with milk. Beat mixture on medium to high speed until batter is fluffy and stiff.

Spread batter evenly in the cake pan. Place in center of the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes. Cool for 10-15 minutes before inverting onto your cake plate.

(Note: this is a very moisture-rich cake... if you sprinkle with powdered sugar as shown in the photos, the sugar will dissolve into the cake fairly quickly -- so do it just prior to service.)

Soups On: Easy Tomato Florentine Soup

2010-09-26T16:12:00.001-05:00

Note: I lightened this recipe up by substituting 2 tablespoons cream cheese instead of a can of milk.

Onions, carrot & spinach -- heat until just wilted.

The finished product. Total prep & cook time is about 20 minutes.

1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped carrot
1/2 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon butter
1 - 1/2 cups tightly packed fresh chopped spinach, divided
2 tablespoons cream cheese
1 can (10 3/4 oz) tomato soup
1 can of water
salt
black pepper

In your soup pot, melt butter over medium heat Add onions, carrot & garlic. Mix in 1 cup spinach. Stir until spinach is just wilted.

Add the cream cheese -- stirring to melt the cheese and coat the mixture. Add tomato soup and continue to stir. Add 1 can of water, remaining spinach, salt and pepper.

Cover and allow to simmer about 10 minutes -- stirring occasionally. (The cream cheese will melt entirely.)

Nutrition: A 1/2 cup serving is ~180 calories.

Serving suggestions: perfect with a salad or even a grilled-cheese sandwich!

Side Dish Sunday: Golden Baked Onions

2010-09-19T09:00:00.023-05:00

1/2 cup butter
6 medium yellow onions, sliced (Vidalia preferred)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup milk
2 cups Swiss cheese, grated
Salt
Pepper
3 - 4 thick slices of sour dough or french bread

Preheat oven to 350F.

Grease a 2-quart shallow baking dish.

Melt butter in a large skillet. Add onions and cook until tender and translucent, stirring frequently. Transfer onion to prepared baking dish, reserving some of the melted butter. Combine soup, milk, salt & pepper in a mixing bowl. Pour over onions. Sprinkle with grated cheese. Take bread slices and dip in reserved butter. Arrange slices, butter-side up, over onion mixture to cover completely. Bake about 30 minutes until bread is browned. Serve hot.

About that new DNC "brand"...

2010-09-18T11:37:00.000-05:00

I couldn't quite put my finger on why the new DNC logo looked so familiar... when I realized that I passed it everyday on my way to work.

Setting aside that I find the Dem's minimalist approach to their new look boring to the point of unappealing, I wonder how long before there's a trademark dispute. Just the sort of cable-kibble that can gin itself into a story-of-the-week among "news" organizations that value process and horse-race "commentary" over substative reporting.

Recipe Rewind: Spicy Chicken Tenders Redux

2010-09-17T09:00:00.002-05:00

8 boneless, skinless chicken tenders
1 cup crushed tortilla chips
1 cup crushed kettle-cooked jalepeno flavor potato chips
1/4 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons light ranch dressing
1 tablespoon olive oil

Preheat oven to 400F.

Grease a 9x13 baking dish.

In one small bowl, mix crushed chips. In another bowl, mix sour cream, ranch dressing and olive oil.

Coat each chicken tender with sour cream mixture, then dredge through chips and place in baking dish. When all the tenders are in place, take remaining crushed chips and mix with remaining sour cream mixture. With a fork or spoon, spread onto the tops of the tenders to fill in any gaps.

Bake for 15-20 minutes until cooked thoroughly. Remove from oven and let stand for a few minutes to set.

Serve with salad.

(Each tender = ~150 calories)

New Category: WTF?!

2010-09-15T15:44:00.000-05:00

As ably demonstrated by this screen shot from ABC News.com and the top story about a gay Saudi diplomat seeking asylum... and wherein the reader is given additional "related" stories such as "9/11 Planners: Where are they now?".

WTF?!

Soups On: Brie Soup

2010-09-09T11:08:00.000-05:00

1/2 pound mushrooms, clean & sliced
3/4 cup. sherry
4 cups heavy cream
1/2 pound Brie cheese
2 tablespoons butter
4 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons corn starch
3/4 cup chopped green onions
Salt & pepper

Slice some of the Brie and reserve for croutons. Cube remaining cheese to get it ready for the pot.

In a large pot, saute mushrooms in butter. Deglaze pan with about 1/4 cup of the sherry. Add chicken stock and cream. Bring to a boil. Combine remaining sherry with corn starch and add to soup. Continue to boil, stirring continously -- season to taste with a couple of pinches of salt & pepper. Reduce heat. Add green onions. Add cubed Brie to soup in small batches, stirring continously.

Portion to individual bowls, top with croutons and sliced Brie. Place in hot oven to brown the croutons and cheese.

Just Desserts: Dark & White Chocolate Chip Blondies

2010-08-24T09:00:00.000-05:00

This is a riff on my basic blondie recipe, with a few minor changes.

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pan
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup packed dark-brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup mini-semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Butter 9x13" cake pan.

In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt.

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars until pale and fluffy. Add cinnamon. Mix in eggs and vanilla. Add flour mixture and mix on low until combined. (You may need to add 1-2 tablespoons of water if the batter is too thick.)

With a wooden spoon, mix in the chocolate chips.

Spread batter into baking dish. Bake until a cake tester inserted into center comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool in dish 40 minutes. Slice into squares while still slightly warm.

Serving suggestion: Top with a scoop or two of Bluebell Homemade Vanilla ice scream.

The Winds of Change Are Blowing...

2010-08-16T16:56:00.000-05:00

It's been quite a tumultuous couple of weeks -- what with a Federal Judge striking down Proposition 8 in a damning legal opinion and then refusing to stay the order on appeal (at least after 8/19)... and while we don't quite know where and when it will all end, if marriage is opened up for same-sex couples, the consequences seemed pretty clear to everyone:

None of which, of course, did anything to stop this summer's madcap NOM mystery tour -- or hate-fest 2010... the final "they shoot horses" leg of which limped into Washington, D.C. this past weekend. By all accounts, the final stop lived up to the stellar failure of the rest of the bus ride. Pro-equality folks outnumbered the "Slaggies" -- with words of hope, love and acceptance rising above the din of bigotry and hate.

To quote our young hero, Will Phillips, "My generation will be the change you fear most in the world.”

It's been a while -- regular posting will commence immediately...

2010-08-16T16:28:00.001-05:00

I've been taking it easy on the blogging side of things over the past few months, but am starting to get back into the swing of things...

For one thing, the recipes will resume in two weeks -- I've been trying out several new ones and experimenting with various dishes that I think most folks will like. (For example, I found a new place to get spices that carries quality ground peppers -- from jalepeno powder to New Mexico ancho chili and chipoltle powder which I'm looking forward to using.)

I'm also toying with doing a weekly recap from my FaceBook filings -- just to see what the world looked like Twitter-style.

But since it's so hot outside, I invite you to enjoy some old favorites from the refrigerated / frozen dessert files:

Astros Win!

2010-07-11T14:39:00.001-05:00

In more ways than one...

Yesterday, in addition to beating the Saint Louis Cardinals, it was "Pride in the Park" day at Minute Maid -- celebrating Houston's rich diversity and the LGBT community. This is the first year that such an event has been planned and held in conjunction with a pro sports team in Houston -- the now defunct Houston Comets being the exception.

Ticket sales through the Houston Astros "Pride" web page benefitted local LGBT organizations. At last count, more than 1200 tickets were sold through that site, making the event one of the largest events of its type in the country.

Mayor Annise Parker threw out the opening pitch and the Bayou City Chorale sang the national anthem.

All in all, a great day... and another example of why Houston is a great place to call home.

Just Saying...

2010-07-09T12:55:00.000-05:00

Recipe Friday: Southwest Chicken Croquettes (Oven-baked)

2010-06-18T09:00:00.003-05:00

1 lb cooked white meat chicken (16 oz can)
1 cup cooked white or brown rice
1 egg, beaten
1 ear fresh corn (or 1 cup frozen kernel corn)
1 cup black beans, cooked & rinsed
1 cup shredded monterrey jack or pepper jack cheese
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 poblano pepper, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon taco seasoning
1/2 tablespoon tomato powder
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups crushed kettle-cooked jalepeno potato chips
2 tablespoons melted butter

Cut corn kernels from the cob.

In a skillet, heat olive oil. Add onions, garlic, bell & poblano pepper. Stir in black beans and corn. Heat through until onions are translucent. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a food processor, add cheese, egg, cilantro, chicken, rice, taco seasoning & tomato powder. Lightly pulse to shred the chicken and mix other ingredients.

Transfer chicken mixture to a large mixing bowl. Fold in vegetable mixture. Mix well.

Shape chicken mixture into patties. Bread the patties using the crushed potato chips and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Refrigerate for about 20 minutes to allow the croquettes to rest.

Preheat oven to 350F.

Drizzle butter over croquettes. Bake for 30 minutes until golden brown.

Serve warm with a dollop of sour cream and/or picante sauce.

This recipe makes 8-10 croquettes.

Ensalate: Spinach & Strawberry Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing

2010-06-17T09:00:00.002-05:00

For the salad:

3 cups fresh baby spinach
4 cups strawberrys, sliced
1/4 cup toasted almond slivers

For the dressing:

1/3 cup white vinegar
3/4 cups sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 small onion
1 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 tablespoons poppy seeds

In a food processor, combine vinegar, sugar, salt, mustard and onion. After the ingredients are well blended, slowly add in oil. Add poppy seeds and mix well.

Toss the spinach and dressing in a chilled salad bowl. Add strawberrys and toss lightly. Top with almond slivers and serve.

More Crazy from the Birther Queen...

2010-06-14T17:14:00.001-05:00

After a while, isn't it just cruel exploitation to keep putting her in front of the camera?

(Guess it will be a while before I post a pancake recipe.)

Memorial Day Weekend

2010-05-28T12:49:00.000-05:00

As we all get set to enjoy an extended weekend, let's not forget the sacrifice of those that made it possible.

Chicken & Sun-dried Tomato Sauce over Gemelli

2010-05-21T09:00:00.002-05:00

1 (1-pound) package gemelli or other penne pasta -- about 2 cups, uncooked
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup coarsely chopped sun-dried tomatoes (not oil packed)
1 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped green onions
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/3 cup dry red wine
1 pound skinless boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups milk
2 tablespoons cornstarch

Prepare pasta according to package.

In small bowl, microwave chicken stock until hot. Add tomatoes and let stand 15 minutes.

In large skillet, over medium heat, cook mushrooms, onions and garlic in wine until mushrooms 2-3 minutes until tender. Remove mixture from skillet. In same skillet, over medium-high heat, brown chicken and basil in oil. Add tomato and mushroom mixtures and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simer covered 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir together milk and cornstarch. Add to chicken. Continue to stir and cook until thickened and bubbly.

Serve over hot pasta.

Dippity Do Da: Sun-dried Tomato & Bean Dip

2010-05-19T09:00:00.002-05:00

1 can (15 to 19 ounce) kidney beans, drained
1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons water
1/3 cup fresh basil leaves

In food processor with knife blade attached, finely chop tomatoes with 1 tablespoon oil from the package. Add beans, cheese, water, and blend until smooth. Add basil leaves, pulse just until combined.

Tweaking the nipple of hypocrites in power can be dangerous...

2010-05-17T16:50:00.000-05:00

Recipe Rewind: Zucchini Fritters

2010-05-16T09:00:00.005-05:00

Original recipe here.

Updated recipe:

2 medium zucchini, grated
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup chopped onion (yellow or white)
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup flour
2 tablespoons milk
4 tablespoons olive oil
salt & pepper

In a large mixing bowl, grate the zucchini using the large holes of your box grater. Pour lime juice over the grated zucchini -- tossing so it's mixed well. Cover and let stand in the refrigerator for about 1 hour.

Add chopped onion, beaten eggs, milk and flour. Mix well.

Heat your griddle or non-stick frying pan with 1 tablespoon of oil. Gently drop 2 tablespoons of zucchini mixture on to the hot surface -- space the fritters about 1-2" apart so you have room to flip them. Flip after about 3 minutes and allow to cook for another 2-3 minutes. Add more oil as needed with subsequent batches.

Transfer cooked fritters to a paper towel-lined plate. Serve warm.

(Reheat any leftovers on a parchment-lined cookie sheet in the oven @ about 350F.)

Dippity Do Da: Summer Salsa

2010-05-12T12:00:00.000-05:00

1/4 cup fresh cilantro
1 serrano chile, ribs and seeds discarded (use 2 for medium, 3 for hot)
1 small clove garlic
1/2 small white onion, cut in quarters
6 plum tomatoes, cored and cut into quarters (1 pound total)
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Salt

In a food processor, with knife blade attached, pulse cilantro, chile, and garlic until very finely chopped. Transfer mixture to large bowl.

Place onion in food processor; pulse until finely chopped. Transfer to fine-mesh sieve; rinse with cold water and drain. Transfer to bowl with cilantro.

Place tomatoes in food processor and pulse until chopped. Add to bowl with chiles and onion. Add lime juice and 1/4 teaspoon salt, and stir until well mixed.

Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate up to 6 hours.

Another one bites the dust...

2010-05-11T16:33:00.000-05:00

Another week, another hyper-closeted Roy Cohn wannabe graces us with their hypocrisy.

Unfortunately, even his resignation from NARTH will do little to stop that nasty organization from continuing to ruin peoples' lives. As we've seen in the past, they'll simply scrub this guy's name from the "research" and continue to peddle it under the next homophobe to pop up.

Of course, I happen to think this guy has a tragic case of "gay face"... and probably some skeletons in his closet as well. It wouldn't be surprising in the least.

Brian Brown -- NOM's Poster Boy and probable closet case

Recipe Rewind: Frittata with Roast Chicken & Orzo

2010-05-07T14:54:00.001-05:00

Always popular, this was the main course for Mother's Day in our household.

Original recipe post here.

Updated:

3/4 cup orzo pasta
6 eggs
1/2 cup whole milk ricotta
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 cups (more or less) chopped rotissery chicken -- use light & dark meat for best flavor
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup chopped baby spinach
1/3 cup diced roasted red bell peppers
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Bring a small pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the orzo and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta.

In a large bowl combine the eggs, ricotta, and cream and stir until the eggs are beaten and the ingredients are combined. Add the cooked orzo, chicken, scallions, spinach, red bell peppers, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.

Pour the mixture into a 1 1/2-quart baking dish. Bake for 30-35 minutes. (Do a knife test to check if the fritatta is cooked through. If not, up the cooking temp to 450°F for another 5-8 minutes.)

Turn on the broiler. Place the pan under the broiler until golden on top, about 5 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let set for 5 minutes.

Since they don't seem to be responding to anything else...

2010-05-06T13:16:00.000-05:00

Translation:
Democrats -- if you don't repeal DADT and pass ENDA now, the gays and their money are goners.

Got that Mr. Fierce Advocate?

Mayor Annise Parker: Out & Equal Houston Trailblazer

2010-04-30T12:38:00.000-05:00

Last night I had the privilege of presenting the 2010 Out & Equal Houston Trailblazer Award to Mayor Annise Parker. The Trailblazer Award is presented to a person, group or company that has demonstrated commitment to LGBT workplace equality and inclusion.

In presenting the award, I noted that

"... a 'trailblazer' in not just someone who gets there first. There are plenty of examples of people being first and doing nothing more. A true trailblazer is someone who helps the next person get there as well...

One of the more remarkable things that happened during last year's campaign was the conversation that it engendered. People from all parts of the political spectrum were actually talking about whether or not a person's sexual orientation had any bearing on their ability to do their job.

We all know how the election turned out. Voters chose competency and honesty over ignorance and the political low road.

The conversation may have started in Houston, but simply looking at reaction in the national and international press, it has grown well beyond our city's borders -- something that we, as citizens, can be very proud of."

Just Desserts: Pull-apart Apple Biscuits

2010-04-07T13:42:00.000-05:00

1 can (21 oz.) Comstock Apple Fruit Filling
2 packages refrigerated biscuits
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 Tbsp. powdered sugar
1 Tbsp. milk

Preheat oven to 400° F. Lightly grease a 10” tube pan.

In food processor, chop fruit filling by pulsing several times. Flatten each biscuit into a 5-6” circle. Spoon about 2 tablespoons fruit filling onto each biscuit and seal edges to form a ball.

In a small bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon. Roll each biscuit ball in sugar mixture. Make 2 rings of biscuits in tube pan and sprinkle with remaining sugar mixture.

Bake for 55 minutes, covering biscuits with foil after 20 minutes.

Cool on wire rack 5 minutes; loosen biscuits from edge of pan and remove from pan. In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar and milk -- blend well. Drizzle over warm biscuits.

Side Dish Sunday: Potato Kugel

2010-04-04T11:30:00.001-05:00

Passover may have already come & gone this year, but one of my favorite dishes works for any Sunday (or Sabbath).

4 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 large eggs + 1 large egg white
1/4 cup packed fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped, plus additional sprigs for garnish
3 pounds all-purpose potatoes

Preheat oven to 400°F. Brush shallow 2-quart ceramic or glass baking dish with 1 tablespoon olive oil.

In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil on medium until hot. Add onion and cook until golden brown and tender, stirring occasionally -- about 8 or 9 minutes. Meanwhile, in large bowl, combine eggs, egg white, parsley, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper until eggs are blended. Add thyme to skillet and cook 1 minute, stirring. Remove skillet from heat.

Peel potatoes and grate in food processor with grating attachment or on the large holes of a box grater. Add potatoes to egg mixture, then add onions. Stir until well blended. Transfer potato mixture to prepared dish and spread in even layer. Brush top of potatoes with remaining olive oil.

Bake 60 to 70 minutes or until browned on top and tip of small sharp knife pierces easily through potato mixture. Cool in pan 10 to 15 minutes. Garnish with thyme sprigs; serve warm.

(To make ahead, cool completely, cover with foil, and refrigerate up to overnight. Reheat, covered, in 400 °F oven about 30 minutes or until warm.)

Soup's On: Brie Soup

2010-03-27T09:00:00.001-05:00

1 cup sliced mushrooms
3/4 cup sherry
4 cups heavy cream
1/2 pound Brie cheese
2 tablespoons butter
4 cups chicken stock
1/2 tablespoon corn starch
1 cup sliced green onions
Salt & Black Pepper to taste
Croutons (see below)
Fresh parsley

In your soup pot, saute mushrooms in butter. Deglaze with 1/4 cup sherry. Add chicken stock and cream. Bring to a boil. Combine remaining sherry with cornstarch and add to soup. Let soup return to a boil. Adjust seasonings and add green onions. Reduce heat.

Slice some of the Brie for topping. Chop the remaining in to small chunks and stir into soup. Let simmer on low heat while preparing croutons.

Placed thin baguette slices on a baking sheet. Brush with butter. Top with sliced Brie and toast in a hot oven prior to serving.

When ready to serve, pour soup into serving bowls. Place crouton on top, sprinkle with fresh parsley.

Recipe Friday: Enchilada Casserole

2010-03-26T11:24:00.000-05:00

12-16 corn tortillas (16 smaller tortillas works best)
2 1/2 cups shredded longhorn cheddar
1 (10 oz.) package frozen spinach, thawed
1/4 cup milk
1 1/2 cups sour cream (low fat is ok)
2 small cans chopped green chiles
2 pounds ground round or lean ground beef
1 can whole tomatoes
1 medium onion, chopped (white or yellow)
1 can golden mushroom soup
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup butter, melted
salt & pepper to taste

In a large skillet, brown the meat. Drain. Stir in the tomatoes, spinach, onion and salt & pepper. Remove from heat.

In a large bowl, combine soup, sour cream, garlic powder and milk.

Take half of the tortillas and dip in the melted butter. Arrange at the bottom of a 13 x9 casserole dish. Spoon in the of the meat mixture, scatter chiles across the top and about 1 cup of cheese. Dip remaining tortillas in butter and arrange on top of the meat mixture. Layer soup and sour cream mixture on top. Cover and refrigerate overnight (or at least 4 hours).

About 1 hour before serving, preheat oven to 325°F. Top with remaining cheese and bake for ~45 minutes.

Recipe Rewind: Chicken Souffle Sandwiches

2010-03-23T16:36:00.000-05:00

Less of a sandwich and more of a casserole, this makes a fairly light meal -- I recommend serving with a salad and a cup of tomato soup.

Note: I've updated the recipe with tips and additional ingredients.

Now, why didn't I think of this?

2010-03-23T12:33:00.001-05:00

But now that I've seen it (doh!), I'll be following suit!

Basics: Irish Soda Bread

2010-03-18T16:22:00.000-05:00

This is a very easy bread to make -- great for beginners and a nice crowd pleaser when you don't want to serve the store-bought stuff.

3 cups all-purpose flour (whole wheat flour can be substituted)
2 tablespoons granulated white sugar
2 tablespoons rolled oats (not instant)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups buttermilk

Preheat oven to 375°ree;F and place the rack in the center of the oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, sugar, oats, baking soda, and salt. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add most of the buttermilk. Using yours hands, or a wooden spoon, mix (adding more buttermilk if necessary) until you have a soft moist dough.

Transfer to a lightly floured surface and gently knead the dough into a 7" round that is about 1" thick. Place the round on your prepared baking sheet and then, with a sharp knife, cut a 1/4" deep "X" across the top of the bread.

Bake for about 40 - 50 minutes or until nicely browned and a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean. (Test by tapping the bottom of the bread - it should sound hollow.) Remove from oven.

Recipe List: Desserts - Puddings, No-Bake & Freezer

2010-03-18T15:54:00.000-05:00

Puddings

Rum Raisin Bread Pudding

No-Bake / Freezer

Recipe List: Breads, Muffins & Rolls

2010-03-18T15:52:00.002-05:00

Breads, Muffins & Rolls

Recipe List: Desserts -- Brownies, Cookies & Squares

2010-03-18T15:50:00.001-05:00

Brownies, Cookies & Squares

Recipe Lists: Desserts - Cheesecakes, Pies, Cobblers & Crisps

2010-03-18T15:21:00.000-05:00

Cheesecakes, Pies, Cobblers & Crisps

Recipe List: Desserts -- Cakes

2010-03-18T15:17:00.001-05:00

Cakes

The next few posts...

2010-03-18T15:11:00.000-05:00

Back to blogging (versus just doing the FaceBook thing). Having taken a look at the old blog after a bit of an absence, I realized that I needed to break up the dessert lists by category just to simplify things going forward.

So the next few posts will be housekeeping posts to create the new lists for the navigation -- I wish Blogger let you have some straight HTML pages as part of your blog, but then again: IT'S FREE.

Scenes from the 2010 AIDS Walk Houston

2010-03-18T15:04:00.001-05:00

Beautiful day, great weather, and lots of people out for the Walk...

Why the light blog posting...

2010-02-25T00:53:00.001-06:00

And lack of pithy political commentary...

Working
Family issues -- especially dealing with a sibling that has, over the last month:

Gone missing while ostensibly moving back to Houston
Totalled his car after being found and brought back
Been diagnosed (finally) with HIV
Working with the parental units to get this all under control, while

Working
Getting the local regional affiliate of Out & Equal up and running among other things...

I know my generation is supposed to be able to easily compartmentalize and multi-task, but it's been a rather trying last four weeks....

Oh -- and did I mention getting our company team organized for the 2010 AIDS Walk Houston?

I guess I can do more than one thing a time -- biting commentary on all things political (and the usual errata) will start up again in March.

In the mean time, please click over to one of the better blogs I read: Joe.My.God . Although we've never met in person, I have something of an affinity for his point of view.

Recipe Friday: Spinach Zucchini Fritatta

2010-02-19T12:36:00.000-06:00

8 large eggs
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 cup chopped fresh spinach
1/3 cup diced roasted red bell peppers
2-3 tablespoons cup extra virgin olive oil
1 small zucchini sliced into thin rounds
1/4 cup fresh grated parmesan, divided

Preheat oven to 375°F.

In a small skillet, heat olive oil on medium-high heat. Add zucchini slices, stirring so slices are coated. Lightly brown zucchini, about 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat and drain excess oil.

In a large bowl combine the eggs, ricotta, and sour cream and stir until the eggs are beaten and the ingredients are combined. Stir in spinach, basil, thyme and peppers and mix well. Fold in zucchini and half of parmesan cheese.

Pour the mixture into a 1 1/2-quart baking dish. Top with remaining parmesan. Bake for 25 minutes.

Turn on the broiler. Place the pan under the broiler until golden on top, about 5 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let set for 5 minutes.

Soup's On: Velvet Cheese Soup

2010-02-13T09:00:00.013-06:00

1/4 pound butter
1/2 cup finely chopped carrots
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/3 cup flour
4 cups chicken broth, divided
2 cups milk
3 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 teaspoon dijon-style mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
6 slices bacon, cooked & crumbled

In a large saucepan, melt butter. Saute carrots, onion and celery until soft but not brown -- about 10 minutes. Add flour. Continue to cook, stirring until blended, for another 2 minutes. Slowly add 3 cups of chicken broth --whisking until mixture comes to a boil and thickens. Remove from heat.

In a food processor, blend until smooth. Return to a clean saucepan.

Stir in remaining chicken broth and milk. Stir in mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Add cheese in small batches. Simmer over low heat until cheese is melted and soup is hot. Do not boil.

Serve with bacon crumbles.

Note: you can make this as a broccoli-cheese soup by cooking a package of frozen, chopped broccoli according to package directions -- just add it in at the food processor stage.

Recipe Friday: Lemon & Sage Chicken

2010-02-12T09:00:00.001-06:00

4 medium boneless,skinless chicken-breast halves
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/3 cup white wine
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
2 tablespoon emon juice
2 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage
1 tablespoon butter

Place chicken-breast halves between 2 sheets of plastic wrap. Pound breasts with a mallet to an even 1/2" thickness. Season lightly with salt & pepper.

In a skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add breasts and cook 6 to 7 minutes turning once. Chicken should be browned on both sides & have lost the pink color throughout. Transfer breasts to a plate and cover to keep warm.

To the skillet, add chicken broth and white wine. Reduce by half (2 minutes on medium-high). Stir in lemon peel, lemon juice, parsley, sage, and any juices from chicken on plate. Remove skillet from heat and stir in butter.

Return chicken breasts to skillet, coat with sauce. Serve.

Side Dish Sunday: Baby Carrots & Grapes in Honey Mint Sauce

2010-02-07T13:12:00.000-06:00

1 1/2 pounds baby carrots, peeled & trimmed
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
4 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon freshlly chopped mint leaves
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup green seedless grapes (if not in season, substitute 1/2 cup golden raisins)

Boil carrots in water with salt & sugar until tender. Drain.

In a sauce pan, melt butter. Mix in honey, lemon juice and mint leaves. Add carrots and grapes, stirring until well coated. Serve hot.

Recipe List: Desserts

2010-02-06T12:00:00.000-06:00

Cakes

Brownies, Cookies & Squares

Pies, Cobblers & Crisps

Breads

Puddings

Rum Raisin Bread Pudding

No-Bake / Freezer

Recipe Friday: Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Sherry Cream Sauce

2010-02-05T13:22:00.001-06:00

2 boneless pork tenderloins (1 1/2 lbs)
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
2/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
1 head garlic, peeled and lightly crushed
3/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup fresh thyme sprigs

Combine marinade ingredients in a 1 1/2 quart dish. Add pork -- covering completely. Cover dish and marinate in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Drain.

Grill pork over coals, turning, 20-25 minutes or until inner temperature reaches 155°F. Transfer to cutting board and let stand 5 minutes. Cut diagonally.

Sherry Cream Sauce:

3/4 cup dry Fino sherry
1/1/2 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon shallot, chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream

In a sauce pan, combine sherry and shallots. Bring to a boil and reduce by half. Add broth and continue to reduce to about 1/2 cup. Reduce heat to simmer. Add cream, continue to simmer -- stirring well. Strain and pour over pork.

Side Dish Sunday: Three Cheese Tetrazzini Casserole

2010-01-31T13:55:00.000-06:00

2 tablespoons butter
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 8oz. package cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup green onions, sliced
8 oz. spaghetti (cooked & drained)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon salt
1 15oz. can tomato sauce
1 cup cottage cheese
1/4 cup chopped green peppers
1/4 cup fresh Parmesan cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 325°F.

Saute onion and mushrooms in melted butter until tender. Add salt, pepper and tomato sauce. Simmer for about 10 minutes and remove from heat.

In a mixing bowl, beat together cream cheese, cottage cheese and sour cream. Add peppers, green onions and spaghetti. Spread pasta mixture in the bottom of a greased 3 quart casserole dish. Pour tomato & mushroom sauce over the top. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Bake for 30 minutes. Serve.

Recipe Friday: Easy Cranberry Chicken Breasts

2010-01-30T13:14:00.000-06:00

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 can whole berry cranberry sauce
1 cup French or Catalina salad dressing
1 package onion soup mix

First make the marinade: mix cranberry sauce, salad dressing and soup mix. Marinate chicken breasts in about 3/4 of the marinade for 2-3 hours, reserving the rest of the marinade.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Arrange chicken breasts in the bottom of a lightly greased casserole dish. Top with remaining marinade. Bake for 1 hour.

Serve with wild rice.

Just Desserts: Crustless Custard Pie

2010-01-26T18:14:00.002-06:00

4 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
4 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
dash nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Lightly grease a 9" pie pan.

Beat eggs with sugar until fluffy. Add flour, milk and vanilla. Pour into pie pan. Sprinkle with nutmeg.

Bake for about 1 hour, until firm. (Flour will settle to make the crust.) Cool on a wire rack.

Top with whipped cream and seasonal berries to serve.

Note: You can use gluten-free flour for this recipe, but up the vanilla and sugar slightly.

A different view: Why "Citzens United v. FEC" is not the end of democracy

2010-01-24T14:10:00.002-06:00

There have been quite a few folks clanging the alarm bells about last week's landmark Supreme Court decision in "Citizens United v. FEC".

I agree with the 'landmark' designation -- as it is certainly unusual for the Court to overturn more than a century of precedent and until-then-considered closed case law. For that reason, the decision deserves scrutiny -- especially given the seemingly overt political nature of the decision.

Tea leaves aside, I reject some of the more dire predictions and chicken-little responses from various talking heads and bloggers.

I happen to believe that there are ways of governing corporate behavior that can be used to prevent the potential abuse people are afraid of -- regulation that will withstand additional judicial scrutiny:

Require full electronic exposure of corporate shareholders with more than $1 worth of shares -- this is information that is already available to the corporation (it has to be for annual shareholder meetings and votes).
Require shareholder concurrence on political giving.
Require quarterly reporting of all political contributions as part of SEC filings and shareholder reports.
Ban corporations with foreign owners from political giving.
Require the FEC to post reports on political giving in electronic format within 15 days of the end of each month -- format has to be compatible for easy download and retrieval by the public.
Make the FEC more of a watchdog in terms of activity reporting -- this includes regular contributions to Senate, House and other elections under their jurisdiction.

There have also been some in the LGBT community that have bemoaned this decision as a further dimunition of LGBT power in political campaigns -- because more GOP donations (e.g., Corporations) means less chances of retaining a Democratic majority.

Ruby-Sachs at Huffington Post does this:

As an LGBT person in the United States, more Republican donations should be a scary thing. Money equals advertising time and advertising often translates directly into votes. Rarely does a candidate suffer from too much funding in an election. More Republicans in office means more opposition to equality measures (despite what your favorite Log Cabin Republican might tell you).

Here I have to disagree on a couple of points -- first, the current Democratic majority in Congress seems unwilling to push forward on LGBT civil rights regardless... and we certainly haven't seen any real leadership from Mr. Timid in Chief. Second, the DNC and company are now at a perceived disadvantage in fundraising -- I say perceived because there is no real emperical evidence yet. That puts the LGBT community back into play as major donors. "Don't Ask - Don't Give" is just a start.

We have to demand movement on ENDA, DADT, DOMA, etc. prior to opening the gAyTM back up. Put simply: pass our bills now or no money in the mid-terms.

Side Dish Sunday: Spinach Noodles in Sour Cream & Parmesan

2010-01-24T13:38:00.000-06:00

This is a quick & easy side dish that works well with chicken...

16 oz. #7 spinach linguini noodles
1 egg, beaten
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1 cup grated parmesan / reggiano cheese

Prepare linguini according to package instructions. Drain and return to pot.

Mix sour cream and egg, fold into noodles. Add cheese and mix well.

Serves 8.

Recipe Friday: Chicken Mignon with Sesame Noodles

2010-01-22T16:00:00.000-06:00

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast
8 strips bacon
1/2 package spaghetti noodles (16 oz.)
1/8 cup soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoons pure sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon hot chilli sauce
1/2 tablespoon canola oil
2 tablespoon hot water
1-2 spring onions, sliced thinly (optional)

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Roll the chicken breast halves into a circle, ensuring you have a smooth top, you may need to manipulate and tuck the chicken. Wrap tightly with a strip of bacon and secure with a tootpick or two. Repeat with remaining chicken and bacon.

In a skillet, brown chicken over a medium heat for 2 - 3 minutes on each side. Transfer to an oven tray or baking dish and bake 10 - 15 minutes or until cooked through.

Meanwhile, cook spaghetti according to packet directions. Drain and set aside.

In a bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, sugar, garlic, vinegar, sesame oil, chilli sauce, canola oil and water.

Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat. Combine sauce and noodles in pan. Toss for 2 - 4 minutes until noodles are completely coated. Remove from heat and toss in the spring onions.

Remove toothpicks from chicken and plate on bed of noodles.

Just Desserts: Crustless Cranberry Pie

2010-01-19T17:43:00.000-06:00

1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups cranberries (if frozen, allow to partially thaw)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon almond extract

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Grease one 9" pie pan.

Combine flour, sugar, and salt. Stir in the cranberries and the walnuts and toss to coat. Stir in the butter, beaten eggs, and almond extract.

Evenly spread the batter in pie pan.

Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Soup's On: Chilled Cream of Vidalia Onion Soup

2010-01-16T09:00:00.026-06:00

1/4 pound sliced bacon, chopped to 1/2" pieces
1/2 cup unsalted butter
3 pounds vidalia onions, peeled and sliced thin
8 cloves garlic, peeled
2 cups dry white wine
4 cups chicken stock
1 bay leaf
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon thyme
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon tabasco
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup sliced scallions
2 cups croutons

In a large Dutch oven cooked bacon slowly until crisp. Remove bacon with slotted spoon and drain - reserve for garnish. Add butter, onions and garlic to bacon renderings. Cover and cook on low heat, stirring often until onions are translucent, about 10 to 15 minutes. Add wine, chicken stock, bay leaf -- bring to boil and simmer for 30 minutes. Strain mixture preserving both liquids and solids. Discard bay leaf and and purée the solids in a blender. Recombine purée and broth and chill.

Just prior to serving whisk in sour cream and heavy cream. Season with lemon juice, pepper, Tabasco, salt and nutmeg. Serve in chilled bowls garnished with bacon, scallions and croutons.

Blog Updates - New Features

2010-01-15T13:26:00.002-06:00

As promised, I've added the ability to share any of these blog posts via social networking sites like FaceBook, Digg, etc. -- and now you can tweet them as well.

As I dig through sites like http://www.bloggerplugins.org/ , I'm finding more things to potentially add -- but want to make sure that the site loads quickly.

If you experience problems with the site load or any of the other widgets, please leave a comment.

Recipe Friday: Yucatan Chicken with Peach-Avocado Salsa

2010-01-15T09:00:00.037-06:00

For the chicken:

6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 1/2 tablespoons garlic pepper seasoning
1 each, juiced orange and limie
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
lime slices (garnish)
Peach-Avocado Salsa (recipe follows)

Place chicken in shallow glass dish; rub all sides with garlic pepper seasoning. Pour orange & lime juice over chicken and drizzle with oil. Crush oregano with fingers and sprinkle over chicken. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes, turning once. Remove chicken from marinade and place in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute, turning, 12 minutes or until lightly browned & cooked through. A fork should be able to be inserted easily.

Serve topped with salsa & garnished with lime slices.

Peach-Avocado Salsa:

1 each, peeled, pitted & diced peach and small avocado
1 tomato, peeled, seeded & diced
1/4 cup diced jicama
3 tablespoons chopped red onion
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons freshed chopped cilantro
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons lime juice

Mix diced fruit, onion, jicama and cilantro in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk pepper flakes, lime juice and oil. Pour into peach-avocado mixture, stirring gently.

Note: if you don't have a commercially prepared garlic pepper seasoning mix 1 tablespoon coarse black pepper, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes.

Just Desserts: Basic Blondies

2010-01-12T09:00:00.013-06:00

Many people think of "blondies" as "brownies without the chocolate" -- but that's just not the case. This is a great basic bar cookie that you can easily make your own by adding additional ingredients that you like -- Most people "dress up" their blondies with other ingredients like semi-sweet chocolate chips, butterscotch chips or white chocolate chips / chunks -- and depending on the region include some sort of chopped nuts like pecans or almond slivers.

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pan
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups packed light-brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Butter 9x13" cake pan. Line pan parchment paper, allowing 2-inch overhang. Butter the parchment.

In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt.

In the mixing bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until pale and fluffy. Mix in eggs and vanilla. Add flour mixture and mix on low until just combined.

Spread batter into baking dish. Bake until a cake tester inserted into center comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool in dish 40 minutes. Lift out, and let cool completely on wire rack.

Blast from the Past: Annise Parker's Council Run in 1995

2010-01-11T17:37:00.001-06:00

I will admit to being something of a packrat... so when I do start to clean out things, I never really know what sort of "treasure" I might find.

I found the January 20-26, 1995 issue of "This Week in Texas" with then Council member aspirant (now Houston Mayor) Parker. There was a special election that year to fill the vacant seat created by Sheila Jackson-Lee's election to Congress. Echoing what she would say in her future campaigns, "Potholes and street resurfacing and things like that really don't have a gay agenda..."

What struck me as I leafed through the pages was how much has changed in the 15 intervening years.

In 1995, about half of the non-bar advertisements were for 1-900 chat lines... the Internet was still a few years from coming into its own. The majority of the other advertisements were for "viatical services" -- brokers who were buying up the insurance policies of people diagnosed with HIV.

A particularly macbre (from today's vantage) ad stated:

"If you're terminally ill, no one should make you fill like you have too long to live...

Yet in the past, if your life expectancy was greater than two years, the chances of selling your life insurance policy weren't too great. Until now."

Given that the magazine would run between 15-20 obits a week by this point, viatical services were just a part of life. When the TWiT came out on Fridays, there was always a rush to find out who's passing you might have missed. But as these viatical ads were starting to show, life expectancies were beginning to lengthen -- and the "cocktail" was just a few short years away. Thankfully, these services largely went bankrupt by the end of the decade -- because they were no longer needed or actuarily sound.

Tucked away on page 19 was a full-page ad for the world premier of a new opera by the Houston Grand Opera -- namely the HGO production of "HARVEY MILK".

Kind of fitting that in the intervening years between premiering an opera based on the "life and tragic death of a modern-day hero", Houston would find its way to electing Mayor Parker.

Note: I'm working on transcribing the article and will post it tomorow as an update.

Side Dish Sunday: Duchess Potatoes

2010-01-10T09:00:00.016-06:00

2 cups hot mashed potatoes
2 tablespoons butter, divided
1 beaten egg yolk
salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 450F.

To the potatoes add 1 tablespoon butter, egg yolk, salt & pepper to taste. Using a serving spoon, push mounds of potato mixture onto parchment-lined baking sheet. Melt remaining butter and drizzle across potatoes.

Bake for 10-12 minutes.

Soups On: Baked Potato Soup

2010-01-09T09:00:00.020-06:00

4 large baking potatoes
2/3 cups butter
2/3 cup flour
6 cups milk (not skim)
4 green onions, chopped
1 cup sour cream
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
2 cups bacon crumbles (10 slices, cooked crisp)
Salt & pepper to taste

Bake potatoes until cooked through. Chop into small squares -- leaving the skins on is optional.

In soup pot, melt butter. Slowly blend in the flour to make a roux. Add milk, whisking constantly. When milk is very hot, whisk in the potatoes. Add green onions, sour cream and bacon. Do not boil.

Continue to stir, adding cheese gradually until all is melted. Salt & pepper to taste. Serve.

Recipe Friday: Wild Rice and Shrimp Casserole

2010-01-08T09:00:00.011-06:00

1 can cream of mushroom soup
2 tablespoons chopped white or yellow onion
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 cups cooked wild rice
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 pound uncooked shrimp
2 tablespoons chopped green pepper
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup cubed cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a large bowl, mix all ingredients together. Pour into a greased 1 1/2 quart casserole dish.

Bake for 30-35 minutes.

Just Desserts: Chocolate Praline Pie

2010-01-05T09:00:00.013-06:00

1 9" unbaked pastry shell
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup margerine, melted
1 cup pecans, chopped
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 oz. praline liqueur

Preheat oven to 350F.

Combine sugar and corn starch. Gradually add to eggs, mixing well. Stir in melted margerine, then add praline liqueur. Add pecans and chocolate chips. Pour into unbaked pie shell.

Bake for 50 minutes. Cool.

Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream with an additional tablespoon of praline liqueur drizzled over all.

The scene across town...

2010-01-04T09:24:00.001-06:00

The virulent anti-gay, anti-semitic WBC nuts descended on Houston to protest our city's election of Mayor Parker... they chose (for some reason known only to their wacked-out minds) the Holocaust Museum of Houston as their primary protest site.

Here's a clip from a friend and co-worker of the results...

h/t etee2k

Celebrate Victory! -- A Party to Welcome the New Mayor of Houston, Annise Parker!

2010-01-03T22:00:00.002-06:00

Remarks by newly sworn-in Mayor Annise Parker to GLBT community supporters on Sunday evening.

More than 500 people from the community packed the ballroom at the Four Seasons hotel to "Celebrate Victory! -- A Party to Welcome the New Mayor of Houston, Annise Parker!"

Among the event co-hosts:

Equality Texas
Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund
HATCH
Houston Area Stonewall Democrats
Houston GLBT Community Center
Houston GLBT Political Caucus
Houston Transgender Unity Committee (HTUC)
Houston Stonewall Young Democrats (HSYD)
Human Rights Campaign (HRC)
Impact Houston
Lambda Legal
Out & Equal Houston
Pride Houston
Seniors Preparing for Rainbow Years (SPRY)

Attendees included veteran GLBT activist Ray Hill, Harris County's first openly gay judge, Judge Steven Kirkland, former Mayor Kathy Whitmire, and a host of others.

As Ray Hill said in introducing our Mayor, "We did not elect Houston's first lesbian Mayor. We gave our best to the people of Houston to be our Mayor."

Recipe List: Soup's On!

2010-01-03T14:27:00.004-06:00

Soups

Stews / Chili

Chili with Beans

Side Dish Sunday: Roasted Vidalia Onion Flowers

2010-01-03T09:00:00.001-06:00

6 large Vidalia onions (~3.5 lbs)
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup finely chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Butter a shallow baking dish that's large enough to let the onions open.

With a sharp knife, trim the root and end of each onion carefully so it is still intact. Stand each onion on its rood end, cut parallel vertical slices at 1/4" intervals from the top -- into but not through the onion -- stopping at about 1/2" above the root. It's best to do one slice, then rotate the onion by 90 degrees to give yourself quarter guides. Once sliced, arrange onions root-end down in the baking dish. Drizzle with butter and lightly dust with salt and pepper.

Bake 1 hour. Sprinkle with pecans, baste with pan drippings and return to oven to bake for about 30 minutes more.

Soup's On: Shrimp & Corn Bisque

2010-01-02T13:06:00.000-06:00

4 tablespoons butter
1 small yellow onion, chopped
3 ribs celery, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 1/2 quarts chicken stock
4 1/2 tablespoons flour
1/2 pound shrimp, raw (if large, then cut into bite-size pieces)
1 cup kernel corn (fresh or frozen)
1/2 cup heavy cream
Salt & pepper to taste

Melt buttter in a sauce pot over medium heat. Add onion, celery and garlic. Saute the vegetables until slightly soft then add flour, stirring well. Pour the chicken stock into the sauce pot gradually while whisking. (At this point, the soup should be slightly thick.) Add shrimp and corn kernels. Simmer until the shrimp is cooked, then, add cream. Season to taste.

Administrativia 2010 -- What's in store

2010-01-02T12:59:00.000-06:00

Since I started this blog back in 2008, I had no idea that:

I would publish over 600 posts,
I would post over 240 recipes,
People (other than some of my FaceBook friends) would be interested in reading them, and
Blogging is still rather fun

To keep things interesting going forward, I'm going to be continuing regular recipe features:

Recipe Fridays
Side-dish Sundays
Just Desserts (Tuesdays)
Dippity-Do Da & Entertaining Recipes (random)

And adding:

Soup's On -- a new section of soups & stews, including some slow-cooker / crock-pot favorites
Recipe Rewind -- repeating some of the standards already published, but with some additional notes and flourishes

Working within the limits of what one can do in Blogger, I'll also be cleaning up the recipe lists to make them a better index and more navigable. I'll also see what I can do to make it easier to pass things along via FaceBook, Twitter and other social media.

Beyond that, I'll still be posting thoughts and musings on politics, photography and whatever else happens to catch my eye -- on the Internet or "in real life". Look for a few surprises along the way.

Feedback and questions are always welcome -- that's what the ratings buttons and comment boxes are for.

A little whimsy...

2010-01-02T10:00:00.010-06:00

A bit of whimsical muscial mashup from the Disney / Pixar movie, "Up" -- which I highly recommend.

Recipe Friday: "Black-eyed Peas of Texas" Casserole

2010-01-01T00:01:00.001-06:00

It's New Years Day -- and in keeping with the Southern tradition of eating black-eyed peas to bring you fortune & luck throughout the year, this handy & easy casserole fills the bill... good for the Super Bowl parties as well since this recipe serves 10-12.

2 pounds lean ground beef
1 large yellow or white onion, chopped
1 large can (15-16 oz.) jalepeno black-eyed peas
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can (10 oz.) hot enchilada sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder
3 cups grated cheddar cheese, divided
1 bag (10 1/2 oz.) tortilla chips, divided

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Brown beef in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, black-eyed peas, soups, enchilada sauce and garlic; stir.

Grease a 13x9x2 baking dish. Layer 1/4 of the chips in the bottom of the baking dish. Top with about 1/4 of the meat mixture, followed by 1/4 of the grated cheese. Repeat layers.

Bake for about 35 minutes

Happy New Year -- Welcome to 2010!

2010-01-01T00:00:00.000-06:00

Looking back...

2009-12-31T19:12:00.000-06:00

It being "the thing to do" on New Years Eve, here are some of the things that came to my mind about the last decade:

Houston & the Weather

Tropical Storm Allison flooded Houston causing more than $5.5 B in damage and 41 deaths -- as usual, the story was overlooked by the national media because a) it was happening in Houston and b) they were manically covering the Timothy McVeigh execution countdown. Were it not for 9/11, Allison would have been the largest disaster of 2001.
Hurricane Katrina devasted the central Gulf Coast, flooding New Orleans with water and Houston with evacuees. While the nation watched the Bush Administration fail in its duties, Mayor Bill White and the people of Houston stepped into the void -- providing shelter and a path forward for countless "new" Houstonians.
Hurricane Rita taught us that our own hurricane plans were inadequate.
Hurricane Gustav taught us how quickly a major storm could develop.
Hurricane Ike showed how resilient our city has grown -- and how much more needs to be done to harden our electrical infrastructure and support systems. Notably, all the major news outlets were here for the initial hit -- even Anderson Cooper arrived on scene... but they quickly left when there were no bodies floating down the streets and the aftermath was entirely un-Katrina-like (despite having more than 2 millions people without power for more than a week.) The exception was MSNBC, which actuall stayed with the story and let people know how devasted the coastal region had been.

Houston & Business

The decade's opening story had to be Enron -- the fall of the guys who were too smart (or thought they were). When it turned out that the company's entire existence was as some sort of Potemkin Village, there was little sympathy for former Enron employees who should have know, should have seen and should have stopped the shennanigans. In an ironic twist, Enron -- which engineered a California energy crisis -- wound up selling its real estate holdings to California-based Chevron... whose offices now fill both original buildings downtown and will soon add a third tower following the demolition of the old YMCA in 2010.
Oil prices started the decade at ~$25/BBL, but that soon ballooned due to global demand -- peaking at $145/BBL before declining back into the $50-80 range. This spurred increased investment in drilling -- with large finds opening up in the Gulf of Mexico, notably the Jack Field which initial estimates doubled proved reserves in the U.S.. Recent ultra-deep water finds like Tiber, Big Foot, Tahiti show that the resources are there -- if the technology will let you get to them.

Houston and LGBT Civil Rights

When a Sherriffs deputy busted into the apartment and found John Lawrence and Tyrone Garner engaged in consensual sex, the stage was set for challenging 21.06 -- the section of Texas criminal law that made "sodomy" between persons of the same sex a crime. The case made its way to the Supreme Court where the Texas law (and the remaining statutes in other states) was overturned. Lawrence v. Texas -- along with Griswold v. Connecticut and several other milestone cases -- will be part of the arguments in front of the federal courts as California's Proposition 8 is challenged on the basis of equal treatment under the law.
Anti-gay forces in the city managed to force a referendum to change the city charter -- basically outlawing the city from providing domestic partnership benefits to city employees and explicitly forbidding the city from including sexual orientation in any non-discrimination standards for employment, procurement, etc. -- maybe in 2010, this mean-spirited provision will be ripe for repeal.
Over the decade, the city's only openly gay Council member, Annise Parker was elected to the post of City Controller -- and easily re-elected twice more. Another openly gay Council member -- Sue Loveall -- was elected as well.
As the decade came to a close, Houston saw a blossoming of new LGBT organizations along with a revival of others, notably HATCH, Montrose Counseling Center, Human Rights Campaign, and Out & Equal Houston.
A fitting end-note was the election of Annise Parker to be the next Mayor of Houston.

Here's looking forward to a better decade as the "naughty aughties" fades into memory.

Just Desserts: Fresh Apple Fritters

2009-12-29T09:00:00.006-06:00

This is a family favorite recipe from the Stephenson's Farms Old Apple Farm Restaurant recipe book. An iconic landmark restaurant in Kansas City -- along side the apple & peach orchards (and strawberry farms) -- I'm sad to say closed shop in 2007. The recipe booklet I have is from 1987 but was first published in 1967. It has several favorites of mine that I will post here from time to time.

1 cup milk
1 egg, beaten
4 tablespoons margerine
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 orange, rind and juice
1 cup apples (chopped fine)
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla

Beat egg. In a mixing bowl, combine the milk, egg, sugar and melted margerine. Add the orange juice, rind and chopped apples (skins can be left on) and vanilla. Sift together flour, salt, baking powder. Stir into milk mixture with a spoon until blended. Do not overmix. Preheat oil in a skillet to 350°F. Drop off end of tablespoon into hot oil. Fry to a golden brown. Turn so they brown even. [Remove from oil and let drain on a paper towel.] Allow to cool. Roll in powdered sugar. Serve with salads or eat as dessert.

The Year in Review... courtesy JibJab

2009-12-28T11:08:00.002-06:00

Side Dish Sunday: French Onion Casserole

2009-12-27T09:00:00.002-06:00

3 medium sweet onions
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 tablespoons butter
2 cups shredded Swiss cheese, divided
1 can (5 oz.) evaporated milk
2 teaspoons soy sauce
6 slices (1/2" thick) french bread

Preheat oven to 375° F.

Slice onions crosswise; cut each of the slices in half. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook onions and mushrooms, stirring continuously, until tender. Spoon mixture into a lightly greased 2 quart baking dish. Sprinkle with 1 cup of Swiss cheese.

Combine soup, milk and soy sauce. Pour on top of cheese. Top with bread slices and sprinkle with remaining cheese and parsley.

Cover & refrigerate for 4-8 hours. Remove from refrigerator at least 30 minutes prior to cooking and let stand at room temperature.

Bake covered for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 15-20 additional minutes prior to serving.

Six to Eight Black Men: A Christmas Reading by David Sedaris

2009-12-25T09:38:00.000-06:00

Part 1 of 3

Part 2 of 3

Part 3 of 3

Merry Christmas -- however you celebrate it!

Recipe Friday: Turkey & Cheese Quiche

2009-12-25T09:00:00.004-06:00

Need a non-traditional dish to help get rid of the turkey left-overs? Try this variation on a simple quiche.

1 large pie shell (deep dish 9")
6 large eggs
1 cup light cream or whole milk
1 pound chopped cooked turkey
1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
dash black pepper

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs then add cream (or milk), cheese, onion, turkey, garlic powder and pepper. Stir well until turkey and cheese are well coated. Pour into the pie shell -- use a fork to make sure the ingredients are evenly distributed.

Bake for ~35-45 minutes -- the quiche should be golden brown.

Garnish with a little left-over cranberry sauce & serve!

The Known Universe

2009-12-24T12:22:00.001-06:00

From the American Museum of Natural History...

Dragon

2009-12-22T18:03:00.001-06:00

This is a test of the Dragon for iPhone software to see whether or not this is actually something I couldn't use to blog while I'm on the go versus trying to test everything out on my little iPhone screen

The view from down under...

2009-12-21T12:52:00.001-06:00

As noted on Pam's House Blend, while the House version of Health Care Reform (HCR) eliminates the perverse tax penalty for GLBT-families who's employers provide them the same benefits as their heterosexual counterparts, the just-passed Senate version does not.

No doubt, the Obama folks will ignore any efforts to rectify this -- after all, teh gay is icky and controversial...

Playing around with new templates...

2009-12-19T21:21:00.000-06:00

I found a template generator -- Artisteer -- and am learning the product so I can change up the look & feel beyond what you get with the standard Blogger templates.

So, if you happen by over the next few weeks and notice everything changing -- call it a learning curve -- especially as I try and figure out how to enable some of the tools like LinkedWithin that seem to only come back sporadically. (I'm thinking a conflict with the CSS, but can't be sure.)

Recipe Friday: Beefy Biscuit Casserole

2009-12-18T09:00:00.001-06:00

1 1/4 pounds lean ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green chile pepper
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1 (10 ounce) can refrigerated buttermilk biscuit dough
1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
1/2 cup sour cream
1 egg, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 375º F.

In a large skillet, brown the ground beef, onion and green chile pepper; drain. Stir in tomato sauce, chili powder ,and garlic salt. Simmer while preparing the biscuits.

Separate biscuit dough into 10 biscuits. Pull each biscuit into 2 layers. Press 10 biscuit halves on the bottom of a 9-inch pie dish to form bottom crust. Reserve the other 10 biscuit halves for the top layer.

Remove meat mixture from heat, and stir in 1/2 cup shredded cheese, sour cream, and egg; mix well. Spoon over bottom crust. Arrange remaining biscuit halves to form top crust, and spoon remaining cheese evenly over the top.

Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until biscuits are a deep golden brown color.

Blue Cheese & Rosemary Gougères

2009-12-15T15:25:00.000-06:00

Gougères are fancy-titled puff pastries -- pâte à choux -- that utilize the high moisture content of the dough to create steam during baking instead of a rising agent to create the 'puff'... this recipe makes about 60 1" puffs or 2 & 1/2 dozen 2" puffs.

1-1/2 cups water
1/2 cup butter, cut into pieces
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
5 eggs
1-1/2 cups crumbled blue cheese
4 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard
1 tablespoon rosemary, finely chopped
1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Line two baking sheets with parchment; set aside.

In a small saucepan, heat the water, butter and salt over a medium flame until the butter melts. Do not boil.

When the butter is melted, dump in the flour all at once and stir vigorously until the dough pulls away from the sides of the pan, and then for one additional minute.

Cook and stir until mixture forms a ball. Remove from heat. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Cool for 5 minutes.

Beat the eggs in one at a time with a wooden spoon. When eggs are completely incorporated, stir in blue cheese, mustard, white pepper, and the cayenne pepper until well mixed.

Pipe batter in 1-inch mounds about 11/2 inches apart onto the prepared baking sheets. (Or use 2 teaspoons batter for each puff.)

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until puffed and golden brown. Serve warm.

Houston makes history again...

2009-12-13T11:56:00.000-06:00

Although Mayor-elect Parker is not Houston's first gay mayor (see Hoffienze & the Chutes leather bar back-room bust in the late 70's), she is the second female mayor, first openly gay mayor and the first mayor-elect in a generation that beat out the back-room selected candidate of the business-elites.

It was a campaign that, for many of us, is a sign of the ascendency of Houston's LGBT power base - and a hopeful sign for things to come.

Recipe Friday: Chili with Beans

2009-12-11T09:00:00.002-06:00

This is a basic chili recipe that we've made in my family for, well, years... it's something of a midwestern staple.

1 1/2 pound lean ground beef
1 cup chopped yellow onion
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
3 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 cans (16 oz.) red beans, drained
3 small cans (8 oz.) tomato sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt

In a large pot, season the ground beef with the chili powder. Brown the meat on medium high heat until most of the pink is gone. Add the onion, peppers and garlic while continuing to cook the meat through.

Reduce heat to medium and add red beans. Stir in the tomato sauce. Let simmer for about 5 minutes, then add the salt.

Reduce heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes or until ready to serve -- stirring occasionally.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream, grated sharp cheddar cheese & your favorite saltines.

Just Desserts: Coffee-Cup Chocolate Cake

2009-12-08T09:00:00.000-06:00

The portion size on this is enough for 2 -- but why share?!

4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons vegetable oil (or butter, melted)
3 tablespoons chocolate chips
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large microwave-safe coffee mug

Add dry ingredients to the coffee mug and mix well with a fork. Add the egg and mix thoroughly. Add milk and oil and continue to mix well. Fold in the chocolate chips and vanilla extract beat until well mixed.

Microwave for about for 3 minutes on high (assuming a 1000 watt oven -- lower the time if your oven is higher wattage.)

The cake will rise like a souffle. Carefully remove from the microwave (use a pot-holder!) and let cool for few minutes before serving.

Works well directly from the coffee cup or tip it out onto a plate and serve with a scoop of ice cream.

Side Dish Sunday: Mashed Potato Soufflé

2009-12-06T09:00:00.000-06:00

4 tablespoons of chopped onion
3 tablespoons of melted butter
1 cup of milk
2 tablespoons of flour
Salt and pepper
2 eggs separated
3 cups of leftover mashed potatoes
Paprika
Chopped chives (garnish)

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

In a small skillet, brown the onion in butter, add flour and then milk over medium heat. In a medium mixing bowl, add potatoes, milk & onion mixture and egg yolks. Mix well.

In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until frothy and peaks begin to form. Gently fold into potato mixture. Pour into a greased baking dish or casserole. Bake for 25 - 30 minutes.

Sprinkle top with paprika and chopped chives for garnish prior to serving.

Portia de Rossi Explains Marriage

2009-12-05T11:33:00.004-06:00

And of course, Elizabeth Hasselbeck makes a bizzare statement while Sherri Shepard looks uncomfortable -- not because of the blond idiots question, but because she's anti-gay marriage and knows she can't even sound as incoherent on the subject as Hasslebeck.

Post #600: A Snow Day in Houston

2009-12-04T17:19:00.002-06:00

Today was a rare day -- a snow day -- in Houston... and this makes my 600th post since starting my blog in December of 2007.

Recipe Friday: Monte Cristo Sandwich Bake

2009-12-04T09:00:00.003-06:00

For those that like the taste of a Monte Cristo, but don't want the hassle of battering up sandwiches before grilling, this is an easy substitute.

12 slices bread
2 tablespoons butter
8-10 oz deli-thin sliced ham
8-10 oz. deli-thin sliced turkey (or chicken)
12 slices Swiss or Gruyere cheese
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
dash salt
1/4 cup confectioners sugar (powder sugar)
1/4 cup strawberry preserves

Preheat oven to 350F.

Butter one side of four slices of bread and place butter-side down on the bottom of an 8x8 glass baking dish.

Evenly layer the ham over the bread.

Lightly spread mustard on four more bread slices and place on top of ham layer. Add turkey and cheese and top with the rest of the bread. Press the sandwiches down slightly and pre-cut diagonally.

Beat eggs with milk and salt. Pour over sandwiches and allow to soak into bread. Place in oven and bake for about 45 minutes -- top should be golden brown.

Dust with powdered sugar and add dollops of strawberry preserves when serving.

Dippity Do Da: Roasted Red Pepper & Blue Cheese Dip

2009-12-02T09:00:00.000-06:00

2 tablespoons roasted red pepper, drained, finely chopped
1/2 cup blue cheese, crumbled
8 oz. (1 package) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 tablespoons chopped green onions
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

In a medium mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and beat on medium speed until well-mixed. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Serve with vegetable crudités or crackers.

Today is World AIDS Day.

2009-12-01T15:02:00.003-06:00

Despite all the advances in science, the HIV bug still manages to elude a vaccine. Let's hope we don't have to wait another 20 years worth of World AIDS Days before a cure is found.

Just Desserts: Orange Nut Bread

2009-11-30T15:00:00.000-06:00

2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup orange juice
3/4 cups vegetable or canola oil
grated peel of 1 orange
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl. Beat eggs in a large mixing bowl. Add milk, orange juice, vegetable oil and orange peel. Add flour mixture to the egg mixture, mix well. Stir in chopped pecans.

Pour in a greased 9" loaf pan. Bake for 40-50 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

Can be served as is, or with a simple powder sugar glaze made with orange juice instead of water or milk.

A smattering of good news, inspiration and other stories for Thanksgiving...

2009-11-25T22:49:00.003-06:00

The search for the 'God particle' is back on, now that the Large Hadron Collider is back online... and astronauts made the final spacewalk for the Shuttle Atlantis (unless there is a change in the program and additional flights are added)...

Israel is making noises about being serious partners in the Middle East peace process...

The boy in Florida who was set on fire in a dispute over a video game is recovering -- and we wish him well.

Lion club triplets debut at the Ohio Zoo.

Those of us in the States will have to wait until December for last weekend's latest Dr. Who adventure (and even longer for the next installment when The Master returns).

TCU continues its quest for the first perfect season in 70 years... here's hoping that A&M beats UT on Thursday... it's about the only time you'll hear me rooting for the Aggies.

And most of the U.S. pauses on Thursday to reflect and give thanks... (and watch football and get ready for Black Friday). Here's to the leftovers...

Catholic "Charities" vs. Civil Liberties

2009-11-13T18:40:00.002-06:00

It never ceases to amaze me that so-called "charities" are willing to shaft the constiuencies that they serve just because they -- as recipients of public monies -- are not allowed to discriminate.

If you want to narrowly focus your charitable activities based on your religious or other convictions, you are free to do so: just don't take government money. It's that simple.