This recipe (copied mindlessly from the Jewish Food Mailing List's archive) actually sounds good to me. I think that means I have a tastebud malfunction. LOL!
Six-Layer Bombay Cheese Ball
Serves: 3-4
8 oz. cream cheese softened
4 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/3 cup mango chutney (available in specialty shops)
2 tablespoons flaked coconut, unsweetened
1/4 cup toasted pecans or almonds
1 tablespoon finely chopped scallions
1-1/2 tablespoons currants or raisins
Combine cream cheese, cheddar and curry and beat by hand until smooth. Shape into a 5-1/2″ diameter disc, 1″ high. Chill until firm (45 minutes). Spread chutney on top. Sprinkle coconut, nuts, scallions and currents.
Thursday, December 29, 2005
Friday, December 16, 2005
The death of good radio
Today's broadcast of Air America Radio's "Morning Sedition" was its last. Marc Maron, the delightfully neurotic and totally angry leftie host has been canned by an increasingly sold-out network and is returning to Los Angeles where, at least, he won't have to deal with snow. I hope the cats make the trip okay and at least he'll be reunited with his wife.
Words cannot express my sorrow. I mean, I was totally addicted to "X-Files" but didn't cry in the end. I didn't even cry when the guys from the Lone Gunman died about three or four episodes before the end. (And what, they died just so they could do a cameo as ghosts in the last episode? What a waste...) For the last fifteen minutes of today's "Morning Sedition" I was in tears, blubbering away over a radio show I had to wake up two hours early in order to hear. What's that all about? Must have been good radio.
Anyhow, before I forget, here is my final recipe posted on the "Morning Sedition" blog. From now on they'll be here, at the Morning Seditionists blogand sometimes in Jim Earl's dream book. (I confess I'm having some trouble picturing Earl as a 14 year old girl but it wasn't like he had a choice in what the software calls it...)
Death by Chocolate
Ingredients
24 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
2 quarters unsalted butter
2/3 cups heavy cream
6 whole extra large eggs
Steps
Melt 2 sticks of butter and 16 oz. of chocolate in a double boiler. Warm 6 eggs in hot water. Coat a 9" spring form pan with butter. Make it watertight with foil. Beat the eggs whole until they are fluffy (like a meringue) Slowly fold the melted butter and chocolate in to the eggs. Place the mixture in the springform pan. Place the pan in a larger pan partly filled with warm water. Bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 5 minutes. Cover with foil and bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for another 10 minutes. Pour on topping. Refrigerate. Serve.
Chocolate Topping for Death By Chocolate
Scald 2/3 cups of heavy cream in a saucepan. Remove from heat. Add 6oz. of finely chopped semi-sweet chocolate immediately. Cover and let stand for five minutes. Stir until smooth. Test the topping by stirring. It is ready when a drop "mounds" before disappearing into the rest. If it is too think - thin with warm liquor. If it is too thin, add more chocolate, re-heat and test it again.
Words cannot express my sorrow. I mean, I was totally addicted to "X-Files" but didn't cry in the end. I didn't even cry when the guys from the Lone Gunman died about three or four episodes before the end. (And what, they died just so they could do a cameo as ghosts in the last episode? What a waste...) For the last fifteen minutes of today's "Morning Sedition" I was in tears, blubbering away over a radio show I had to wake up two hours early in order to hear. What's that all about? Must have been good radio.
Anyhow, before I forget, here is my final recipe posted on the "Morning Sedition" blog. From now on they'll be here, at the Morning Seditionists blogand sometimes in Jim Earl's dream book. (I confess I'm having some trouble picturing Earl as a 14 year old girl but it wasn't like he had a choice in what the software calls it...)
Death by Chocolate
Ingredients
24 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
2 quarters unsalted butter
2/3 cups heavy cream
6 whole extra large eggs
Steps
Melt 2 sticks of butter and 16 oz. of chocolate in a double boiler. Warm 6 eggs in hot water. Coat a 9" spring form pan with butter. Make it watertight with foil. Beat the eggs whole until they are fluffy (like a meringue) Slowly fold the melted butter and chocolate in to the eggs. Place the mixture in the springform pan. Place the pan in a larger pan partly filled with warm water. Bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 5 minutes. Cover with foil and bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for another 10 minutes. Pour on topping. Refrigerate. Serve.
Chocolate Topping for Death By Chocolate
Scald 2/3 cups of heavy cream in a saucepan. Remove from heat. Add 6oz. of finely chopped semi-sweet chocolate immediately. Cover and let stand for five minutes. Stir until smooth. Test the topping by stirring. It is ready when a drop "mounds" before disappearing into the rest. If it is too think - thin with warm liquor. If it is too thin, add more chocolate, re-heat and test it again.
Tuesday, December 13, 2005
So you thought J. Edgar Hoover was dead?
This story from Reuters via Yahoo scares the bejeebers outta me. And those how know me can tell you I have firmly attached bejeebers. And every one of them is having a Viet Nam era flashback right now.
If Jonathan Sofer, formerly (and for all I know currently) of Albany, NY is out there and reads this, please, dude, get in touch with me. We can get on the phone and chat with the ghost of J. Edgar just like in the old days when it wasn't a ghost. And my father won't be yelling at me to cut it the hell out anymore.
I was never so foolish as to dismiss the possibility of this going on. But these people know how to keep a secret. And this is the stuff NBC was able to find out about. Imagine what's still hidden.
Pentagon may be spying on anti-war activists - NBC
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The
Pentagon has a secret database that indicates the U.S. military may be collecting information on Americans who oppose the
Iraq war and may be also monitoring peace demonstrations, NBC reported on Tuesday.
The database, obtained by the network, lists 1,500 "suspicious incidents" across the United States over a 10-month period and includes four dozen anti-war meetings or protests, some aimed at military recruiting, NBC's Nightly News said.
The network said the document was the first inside look at how the Pentagon has stepped up intelligence collection in the United States since the September 11, 2001, attacks.
The report quoted what it said was a secret briefing document as concluding: "We have noted increased communication between protest groups using the Internet," but not a "significant connection" between incidents.
Americans have been wary of any monitoring of anti-war activities since the Vietnam era when it was learned that the Pentagon spied on anti-war and civil rights groups and individuals. Congress held hearings in the 1970s and recommended strict limits on military spying inside the United States.
A Pentagon spokesman declined to comment on the NBC report about the database. However, he said: "The
Department of Defense uses counterintelligence and law enforcement information properly collected by law enforcement agencies.
"The use of this information is subject to strict limitations, particularly the information must be related to missions relating to protection of DoD installations, interests and personnel," he added.
The Pentagon has already acknowledged the existence of a counterintelligence program known as the "Threat and Local Observation Notice" (TALON) reporting system.
This system, the Pentagon said, is designed to gather "non-validated threat information and security anomalies indicative of possible terrorist pre-attack activity."
If Jonathan Sofer, formerly (and for all I know currently) of Albany, NY is out there and reads this, please, dude, get in touch with me. We can get on the phone and chat with the ghost of J. Edgar just like in the old days when it wasn't a ghost. And my father won't be yelling at me to cut it the hell out anymore.
I was never so foolish as to dismiss the possibility of this going on. But these people know how to keep a secret. And this is the stuff NBC was able to find out about. Imagine what's still hidden.
Pentagon may be spying on anti-war activists - NBC
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The
Pentagon has a secret database that indicates the U.S. military may be collecting information on Americans who oppose the
Iraq war and may be also monitoring peace demonstrations, NBC reported on Tuesday.
The database, obtained by the network, lists 1,500 "suspicious incidents" across the United States over a 10-month period and includes four dozen anti-war meetings or protests, some aimed at military recruiting, NBC's Nightly News said.
The network said the document was the first inside look at how the Pentagon has stepped up intelligence collection in the United States since the September 11, 2001, attacks.
The report quoted what it said was a secret briefing document as concluding: "We have noted increased communication between protest groups using the Internet," but not a "significant connection" between incidents.
Americans have been wary of any monitoring of anti-war activities since the Vietnam era when it was learned that the Pentagon spied on anti-war and civil rights groups and individuals. Congress held hearings in the 1970s and recommended strict limits on military spying inside the United States.
A Pentagon spokesman declined to comment on the NBC report about the database. However, he said: "The
Department of Defense uses counterintelligence and law enforcement information properly collected by law enforcement agencies.
"The use of this information is subject to strict limitations, particularly the information must be related to missions relating to protection of DoD installations, interests and personnel," he added.
The Pentagon has already acknowledged the existence of a counterintelligence program known as the "Threat and Local Observation Notice" (TALON) reporting system.
This system, the Pentagon said, is designed to gather "non-validated threat information and security anomalies indicative of possible terrorist pre-attack activity."
Thursday, December 08, 2005
The worst recipe.....EVER
I don't make these things up. I don't have to.
This one is from Kraft Foods' website. No link. I can't bring myself to link to it.
Braunschweiger Bagel Topper
4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) OSCAR MAYER Braunschweiger
1/4 cup MIRACLE WHIP Dressing
1/4 cup TACO BELL HOME ORIGINALS Thick 'N Chunky Salsa
1 tsp. GREY POUPON Dijon Mustard
3 cinnamon-raisin bagels (3 inch), halved, toasted
2 medium Gala apples, sliced
MIX braunschweiger, dressing, salsa and mustard until well blended.
SPREAD bagel halves evenly with the braunschweiger mixture.
TOP with the apple slices.
Do check out Jim Earl's website, though, as it's why I went looking for this recipe.
This one is from Kraft Foods' website. No link. I can't bring myself to link to it.
Braunschweiger Bagel Topper
4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) OSCAR MAYER Braunschweiger
1/4 cup MIRACLE WHIP Dressing
1/4 cup TACO BELL HOME ORIGINALS Thick 'N Chunky Salsa
1 tsp. GREY POUPON Dijon Mustard
3 cinnamon-raisin bagels (3 inch), halved, toasted
2 medium Gala apples, sliced
MIX braunschweiger, dressing, salsa and mustard until well blended.
SPREAD bagel halves evenly with the braunschweiger mixture.
TOP with the apple slices.
Do check out Jim Earl's website, though, as it's why I went looking for this recipe.
Wednesday, December 07, 2005
I am *SO* declaring War on Christmas
One of my co-workers came in today in high dudgeon (look it up...) because some school had accidentally sent out some stuff that says "Merry Christmas" and they had to recall the stuff and reprint it and this pisses off my co-worker because Christmas is the season and if it weren't for Christmas there wouldn't even be a season and...
You get the idea. She doesn't like "Happy Holidays" because it fails to acknowledge Christmas and if it weren't for Christmas etc. etc.
When I said, "Well, gosh, how about I reply to your 'Merry Christmas' with 'Happy Solstice?'" at the same time an unexpected ally, a Jehovah's Witness, said, "How about how I feel, since Christmas is a man-made holiday that I don't celebrate?" The co-worker looked shocked and unconvinced. She said that she didn't think I'd say "Happy Solstice" since I know it's not HER holiday, and that she would try to be more careful about wishing me a "Merry Christmas" in the future (I knew I'd have to throw in the "Happy Hanukkah" thing eventually and explaining that there is no relation between Hanukkah and anything else relative to the winter holiday season, but so far I've avoided that confusion...) I asked how a sales clerk is supposed to know that I don't celebrate Christmas but she managed to change the subject to avoid further conflict, which was a good idea.
And now in our lobby they've got Christmas music blaring. Have I mentioned that it all sounds like muzak? Well, it all sounds like muzak. Even if I didn't find the bulk of Christmas music boring if not bad, the muzak-ness of commercial Christmas music (and this shit is tinny to boot) makes my head and chest hurt.
So, tell O'Loofahly. I'm on a rampage. I'm declaring war on Christmas. IT MUST BE STAMPED OUT!
I've got nothing against Christmas. I've got nothing against most Christians. I've got lots to hold against stupidity and deliberate obtuseness. And against muzak.
There, I feel so much better now.
Here's a new recipe. I don't recommend it for eating. I recommend it for Jim Earl. What a guy! He's my dream guy. My hero. A god. Okay, a very funny fellow whose contributions to "Morning Sedition" are going to be sorely missed.
Crunchy Spam Bites
Servings: 6
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients
2 cups sweetened corn cereal
20 butter flavored crackers
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 can SPAM® Classic (12 oz.) or SPAM® Oven Roasted Turkey
1 egg, beaten
For Cheese Dip:
3 ounces processed cheese
1/4 cup ranch salad dressing
1/4 cup sour cream
Directions
Heat oven to 425°F. In a work bowl of a food processor, crush cereal and crackers. Stir in garlic and onion powder. Using a butter knife, slice SPAM® into one-fourth to one-half-inch slices. Using your favorite cookie cutter, cut SPAM® into shapes. Dip SPAM® into cereal mixture, then into beaten egg and again into the cereal mixture to coat. Place SPAM® on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake 15 minute, turning after eight minutes. Meanwhile, for cheese dip, melt processed cheese in a microwave-safe dish. Stir in dressing and sour cream until smooth. Serve SPAM® bites with cheese dip for dipping.
You get the idea. She doesn't like "Happy Holidays" because it fails to acknowledge Christmas and if it weren't for Christmas etc. etc.
When I said, "Well, gosh, how about I reply to your 'Merry Christmas' with 'Happy Solstice?'" at the same time an unexpected ally, a Jehovah's Witness, said, "How about how I feel, since Christmas is a man-made holiday that I don't celebrate?" The co-worker looked shocked and unconvinced. She said that she didn't think I'd say "Happy Solstice" since I know it's not HER holiday, and that she would try to be more careful about wishing me a "Merry Christmas" in the future (I knew I'd have to throw in the "Happy Hanukkah" thing eventually and explaining that there is no relation between Hanukkah and anything else relative to the winter holiday season, but so far I've avoided that confusion...) I asked how a sales clerk is supposed to know that I don't celebrate Christmas but she managed to change the subject to avoid further conflict, which was a good idea.
And now in our lobby they've got Christmas music blaring. Have I mentioned that it all sounds like muzak? Well, it all sounds like muzak. Even if I didn't find the bulk of Christmas music boring if not bad, the muzak-ness of commercial Christmas music (and this shit is tinny to boot) makes my head and chest hurt.
So, tell O'Loofahly. I'm on a rampage. I'm declaring war on Christmas. IT MUST BE STAMPED OUT!
I've got nothing against Christmas. I've got nothing against most Christians. I've got lots to hold against stupidity and deliberate obtuseness. And against muzak.
There, I feel so much better now.
Here's a new recipe. I don't recommend it for eating. I recommend it for Jim Earl. What a guy! He's my dream guy. My hero. A god. Okay, a very funny fellow whose contributions to "Morning Sedition" are going to be sorely missed.
Crunchy Spam Bites
Servings: 6
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients
2 cups sweetened corn cereal
20 butter flavored crackers
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 can SPAM® Classic (12 oz.) or SPAM® Oven Roasted Turkey
1 egg, beaten
For Cheese Dip:
3 ounces processed cheese
1/4 cup ranch salad dressing
1/4 cup sour cream
Directions
Heat oven to 425°F. In a work bowl of a food processor, crush cereal and crackers. Stir in garlic and onion powder. Using a butter knife, slice SPAM® into one-fourth to one-half-inch slices. Using your favorite cookie cutter, cut SPAM® into shapes. Dip SPAM® into cereal mixture, then into beaten egg and again into the cereal mixture to coat. Place SPAM® on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake 15 minute, turning after eight minutes. Meanwhile, for cheese dip, melt processed cheese in a microwave-safe dish. Stir in dressing and sour cream until smooth. Serve SPAM® bites with cheese dip for dipping.
Sunday, December 04, 2005
Welcome to Ms. Gyspy's World
This is what I get for waiting too long to register for a blog. I don't get to be "gypsy." I have to settle for a name Rhiannon hasn't called me in months...nay...years. But it's all good. I kind of like "gyspy."
I'm going to be moving my "vegetarian recipe of the day" (which has turned into the "semi-regular, mostly vegetarian recipe of the timeframe in fashion at the moment") from the soon-to-be defunct and widely mourned "Morning Sedition" blog to here and also to P.J. Sauter's excellent blog . I'll also post random political rantings here and also at my Live Journal blog.
And now I'm off to develop some political rantings. Here's a recipe, gleaned from the Pagantable mailing list to tide you all over until I get one going. (I'll fix all those links later...)
Baked Brie With Caramelized Onions
17 ounces brie -- chilled
1 sheet frozen puff pastry -- thawed
3 tablespoons butter
3 large onions -- sliced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 cloves garlic -- minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon sugar
1 egg yolk
Prepare caramelized onions: Melt butter in large skillet over medium high heat. Add onions, saute until just tender. Add thyme, reduce heat to medium and cook until onions are golden, stirring often. Add garlic and saute two minutes. Add 1/4 cup wine, stir until almost all liquid has evaporated. Sprinkle sugar over onions and saute until soft and brown. Add remaining wine and stir until liquid evaporates. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
On lightly floured board, roll out pastry to 1/8 inch thickness. Transfer to a baking sheet.
Halve Brie horizontally. Place one half of Brie, cut side up, in middle of pastry. Top with caramelized onions. Cover with other half of Brie, cutside down.
Draw pastry up around Brie, holding corners. Tuck edges in and twist corners together to form bundle. Beat egg yolk with 1 teaspoon water and brush on pastry, avoiding edges.
Bake at 425 degrees F for 20 minutes or until golden and puffed. Let Brie stand in pan on rack for 20 minutes for runny cheese or 40 minutes for thicker cheese.
I'm going to be moving my "vegetarian recipe of the day" (which has turned into the "semi-regular, mostly vegetarian recipe of the timeframe in fashion at the moment") from the soon-to-be defunct and widely mourned "Morning Sedition" blog to here and also to P.J. Sauter's excellent blog . I'll also post random political rantings here and also at my Live Journal blog.
And now I'm off to develop some political rantings. Here's a recipe, gleaned from the Pagantable mailing list to tide you all over until I get one going. (I'll fix all those links later...)
Baked Brie With Caramelized Onions
17 ounces brie -- chilled
1 sheet frozen puff pastry -- thawed
3 tablespoons butter
3 large onions -- sliced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 cloves garlic -- minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon sugar
1 egg yolk
Prepare caramelized onions: Melt butter in large skillet over medium high heat. Add onions, saute until just tender. Add thyme, reduce heat to medium and cook until onions are golden, stirring often. Add garlic and saute two minutes. Add 1/4 cup wine, stir until almost all liquid has evaporated. Sprinkle sugar over onions and saute until soft and brown. Add remaining wine and stir until liquid evaporates. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
On lightly floured board, roll out pastry to 1/8 inch thickness. Transfer to a baking sheet.
Halve Brie horizontally. Place one half of Brie, cut side up, in middle of pastry. Top with caramelized onions. Cover with other half of Brie, cutside down.
Draw pastry up around Brie, holding corners. Tuck edges in and twist corners together to form bundle. Beat egg yolk with 1 teaspoon water and brush on pastry, avoiding edges.
Bake at 425 degrees F for 20 minutes or until golden and puffed. Let Brie stand in pan on rack for 20 minutes for runny cheese or 40 minutes for thicker cheese.
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