Margarita

There was a time when we ate out quite a bit.  I'm not really a mixed drink person, but once upon a time, I used to order a Margarita here and there.  

Anyway, I decided the other day that I would learn to make a homemade Margarita.  I've done some research And here it is!


You'll need fresh squeeze lime juice, tequila, simple syrup and Triple Sec. 


If you want to rim the glass with margarita salt, you'll need that too. 


Make the simple syrup by heating 1 c. water and adding 1 c. sugar.  Desolve the sugar in the water and cool.  Put it in the refrigerator.  Do this ahead. 

Put the glasses in the freezer for a little while to get them very cold.  The filtered water dispenser on my frig door has a crushed ice setting.  I crushed some ice before I started and put that in the freezer as well. 

Now.  To assemble the drinks.  Take one glass from the freezer.  Dip it into the lime juice, then the margarita salt.  Pour a little of the crushed ice into the glass.

I don't usually measure in ounces and my recipe is in ounces.   I searched my kitchen for a measuring cup in ounces prior to starting.  That would be the middle set of numbers.





  

For each glass, 3 ounces tequila, 2 ounces lime juice, 1 ounce simple syrup and 1 t. triple sec.  Pour into the glass and make another. 

Just to be clear here:  3 ounces of tequila is a lot for this light weight.  So...

It was delicious, and I recommend the recipe.

But remember to be careful.

The Show Is The Thing.

I'm a behind the camera sort of person.  That's okay.  Not everyone belongs on the stage.

His sister is always practicing for the "show." 

I remember her talking about this for over a year.  She likes to be the center of attention.

Others are preparing for the show also.  

The Barbies have put on their best and have come out to watch.

Others want to see the show.

Jessica and Scooby Doo are waiting.  They've become good friends. 

Show biz people.  I mean really!  This one kind of worries me.  

Remember to practice for the show. 

Guacamole and Avocados

I just thought you'd like to know.  Avocado is good for you.

• It has been shown to inhibit prostate cancer.  I don't have one, but a love people who do.
• It has been shown to prevent breast cancer.  That's a good thing.
• There are some benefits for heart health, lower cholestrol, reduction of stroke risk.

• It has antioxidants.  That's good for you, although I can't tell you why.

Are you ready to eat Avocados yet?

As I've mentioned, I come from farmers.  My Grandparents actively worked a farm during my childhood in the central Willamette Valley, Oregon.  They don't grow avocados where I grew up.  I remember a vacation when I was a kid with my parents and Grandparents in California.  I think this was a trip to Disneyland. 

We were driving around looking at things and came upon avocado trees.  We stopped, of course.  The farmer offered for us to pick up the fallen fruits for some very low cost.  My family loved a bargain.  They got a paper sack and picked up a bunch of them.  We took them back to the motel room and ate them. 

My grandmother salted avocados, along with tomatoes, and watermelon.  I remember her standing there with a spoon and a salt shaker shoveling avocado into her mouth.  It's just a wonder we aren't completely fat!  I come from a family of eaters.  

So here is how I make Guacamole.

2 avocados, peel and pit removed, mashed well with a fork 

1 t. salt

The juice of 1/2 lemon for 2 small avocados or the juice of 1 lemon for 2 large avocados

about 1/4 of a Japapeno pepper, seeds removed, finely chopped (That's not much.  You probably want more, so go ahead and add more.)

1 T. Olive oil

Mix well.  Get out the chips.

Makes me happy!  How about you?

Darn!  Now I want a Margarita.  Remember to check back later, if you dare.

Winter, Little Helper, and Ground Beef Enchilada Casserole

I'm just a little over Winter and there is a lot to go.  I'm dreaming of leaves on the Japanese Maple. 

And warm sunny afternoons in my own little piece of paradise.

And no jokes today.  Nothing seems funny.

But get over it.  Here is Papa at work in his office.  And Brilliant Baby is a big help at Autocad.  Doesn't he look like he'll grow up to be a mechanical engineer?  Or maybe he could get a degree in business and help on my end.  Either way, your choice, Baby.  I see in your soul every day.   I'm thinking you'll be a man who builds things. Step Grand Daughter can be our Operations Manager in about 20 years.  One can hope. Or Dream.

After work, we come home and are tired.  It's late and we need a fast dinner.  Tonight we are having Ground Beef Enchilada Casserole and Guacamole.  

1 lb ground beef

2 t. minced dried onion 

1 t. salt

1T. Chili Powder

1/4 t. garlic powder

1/2 c. water

4 10 " Don Pauncho corn tortillas, cut into strips like lasagna noodles

1 1/4 c. salsa

1 1/2 c. Tillamook sour cream 

1 can Santiam corn, drained

1 1/2 c. medium Tillamook cheddar cheese, grated. 

Brown the meat in a skillet and drain out any remain liquid.  Add the next 5 ingredients.  Stir and simmer briefly.

Did you know Don Pancho is an Oregon company and is manufactured in Salem?  Look for them in a store near you. Cut them into strips like lasagna noodles.

The casserole is assembled in layers.  Start with the meat, a scoop in the bottom of the dish.

Approximately 1/4 or 1/5 of each ingredient is layered into the casserole then repeat until all ingredients are added.

A layer of the tortilla strips, then start over. 

Fill the casserole dish with all ingredients alternating layers as you wish. 

Bake it at 350 for about 25 minute or until it is hot and bubbly. 

Oh, and the guacamole was good, too.  More about that tomorrow. And I seem to be feeling a little better.  Hope you are too.   

Meat, Mom and Mayham

1.  If you are interested in local meat from a good source in the Vancouver, Portland area, let me know.  It would mean taking at least 1/2 a cow, but the quality is good and you can go look the cow in the eyeballs, if you want to.  Let me know if you have questions about how this works.  I'm getting some experience I'd be happy to share.

2.  This is my Mom and Sister.  I've blogged some about my mom being in an assisted living facility and us moving her when we found she was not receiving the care we had hoped.  I'm pleased to report that she is mentally clearer than I've seen her in a while and I think it is because she is getting her basic needs met better.  I asked the administrator what percentage of the people in her facility have family involved in their care.  She said 50%.  She said she has clients with family close by who never come see them.  She has one client with a restraining order against her own child.  And one client whose child has taken her money and house and is currently being investigated for it.  She has clients whose children have "grudges."  Heck, I've more than one grudge.  Who cares?  That doesn't mean I'm not going to take as good of care of my mother as possible.  Love You, Mama.  As you get older, take care of your parents.  I'm Serious, People! 

3.  Step Grand Daughter's favorite thing is a lavender and pink unicorn pillow pet. 

The unicorn's name is Polly.  Polly is a female unicorn.  I asked her what the unicorn does with her horn.  I thought she'd say "do magic" or something.  She said Polly "pokes bad people" with her horn, but her horn is "soft."  Not sure what to make of that.  Any ideas?

   

Don't get creeped out by this.  Brilliant Baby's favorite thing is a talking Elmo.

His other favorite thing is Sister's favorite thing. 

I'm pretty sure that choking a unicorn is bad luck, Right?

Remember to be nice and get along.  This is really important, People! 

Italian Sausage Calzone

First of all, I'm sure you are interested in how the cat is doing. Under some sort of shady dealings, the Barbies have been evicted from their house and Ms. Cali has taken possession.  The Barbies currently reside at Hotel Storage Box and are seeking legal advice.  More to come on that. 

Italian Sausage Calzone

I've made this many times, but not recently.  It isn't exactly a recipe as much as a procedure which you can modify to your taste.  Start with your favorite pizza dough or try this one. 

Activate 1 package of yeast with 1 cup warm water and stir to combine.  I had Step Grand Daughter smell it.  I thought she would like it.  My two favorite smells in the world are activated yeast and fresh dill.  She declared that the yeast smelled "disgusting," and I already know I'm weird, so she's probably right. And I must admit, it doesn't look very attractive.

In a large mixing bowl, 3 c. AP flour, 1/2 t. salt, 2 T. Olive oil.  Add the activated yeast mixture.  

Stir the dough to combine.  Mix or knead till smooth.  May need a little more flour. 

Let rise in a greased bowl until doubled.  If you have a warm house, it may rise on the counter.  I grew up in a cold house.  My mother raised dough by turning her oven to the lowest setting until it came to temp.  Then she turned off the oven and put the dough in it to rise with the oven turned off.  

My new oven has a dough proofing setting which I hadn't yet used.  I decided to use it.  Too hot.  The old fashioned way is better, as usual. 

Turn the raised dough onto a floured board.  Punch it down, then cut it in 4 pieces.  

The filling is just 1/2 an onion finely diced, 1 red pepper finely diced.  A little olive oil.  Cook the vegetables down until they are nice and soft and shiny. 

Remove them to a pie place and cook 1 pound of mild Italian sausage.  Use spicier stuff if you want.  I'm thinking the kiddos might like this better.  Once the meat is cooked, add the vegetables back.  

To assemble, roll each piece of dough to a round.  Add a fourth of the filling, 1/4 c. or more of your favorite canned pizza sauce and 1/2 c. Tillamook Italian cheese, which is a blend of mozzarella and Parmesan.  Again, season this more if you want.

Fold over and crimp with a fork.  Sprinkle with a little flour if it gets sticky. 

Paint the top with a lot of beaten egg.  I'm a believer painting the egg wash thickly.

Put them all on a well greased or well sprayed metal pan.  Bake at 475 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes or until browned.

I made double this.  Whatever we don't eat, will be lunch or leftovers.

Remember to smell the yeast and experience whatever life brings you.  If you like it, do it again.  If not, you had the experience.

Linked with Whatcha Making Wednesday at Scrap Addicts and Hearth and Soul at girlchef.com

Asian Pacific Cod

They are gone, so it's just us for tonight.  They'll be back after dinner.  The Pacific Cod looked good at the store.  At $6.99, not a bad price.  I bought .631 lbs.  The total price for fish for the two of us - $4.41 ($2.20 per serving.) 

My marinade

1 1/2 T. rice vinegar

1/2 c. soy sauce

1/2 c. white wine

1 clove garlic, minced

1 T. fresh ginger, peeled and shredded (Put the left over in a baggy and back in the freezer)

1 T. local honey

Here is the garlic I've been buying at Diane's Produce.  Diane says it was grown locally, which is nice.  It's not beautiful or white and it's hard as a rock.  But it tastes awesome.  Thank's Diane. 

I've been buying local honey from Diane also.  Honey House Farms in Battleground.  I want honey bees.  There's room at our business property.  But I can't have them for the same reason I can't have a few chickens.  (1)  Taking care of a 110 pound golden retriever is about all the responsibility I can take, and (2) I can't buy cut flowers because I feel bad when they die, and they are going to die.  The first chicken to die or the first bad honey year and I'd be sad and I'm trying hard not to be sad. 

I don't think marinading fish for very long is needed. Maybe a total of an hour, 1/2 hr on both sides.  The flesh starts to darken.  

Heat good oil in a skillet.  Put the fish into the skillet.  Then pour the marinade in with it.  I guess the cooking method here is more like poaching.  Just a few minutes on both sides until the fish is just opaque all the way through. 

I'll eat anything raw, any sushi they make, oyster shooters on the beach pried open with a screw driver.  You name it; I'm an adventurous eater.  But when I go to cook fish, I cook it through.  Just saying.  That's where I'm at.

After the fish is out of the pan, bring the heat up to a boil, reduce heat to a steady simmer and simmer the sauce a few minutes. 

White rice on the plate.  Spoon a little of the sauce over the rice.  The fish on top.  A little more sauce over that.  Husband says it's delicious.  A salad to round it out.  I'm into blue cheese right now.  Husband is into Paul Newman's Oil and Vinegar.

Remember to have fun.  And are they back yet?  Please come back. 

Linked with Full Plate Thursday at Miz Helen's Country Cottage  http://mizhelenscountrycottage.blogspot.com/2011/01/full-plate-thursday-1-20-11.html