Fresh snow is not exactly uncommon in the Sierras, but we always got full enjoyment, and so did the boys:
And of course the gremlins loved it...
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Monday, February 7, 2011
Katie, the Wheaton Terrier
Katie is a soft-coated Wheaton Terrier. She is a joy to visit. She is a perfect mid-sized dog - active but not constantly in need of exercise. She's fantastic around kids
Best of all, Wheatons shed very little and require little grooming - just a nice daily brushing. They're hypoallergenic, so your sensitive friends can be around them without getting all watery-eyed.
Katie is so lovable - she is, like most Wheatons, always excited to see you.
But, my new favorite breed is still the Tibetan Mastiff.
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| Katie the Wheaton Terrier |
Best of all, Wheatons shed very little and require little grooming - just a nice daily brushing. They're hypoallergenic, so your sensitive friends can be around them without getting all watery-eyed.
Katie is so lovable - she is, like most Wheatons, always excited to see you.
But, my new favorite breed is still the Tibetan Mastiff.
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| Cute little Mastiff puppy |
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| Grows into a very very big monster of a doggie |
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Egyptians take rioting to a whole new level
I don't think even the Egyptians understand what is going on in Egypt. The rioters are now fighting among themselves. Much like French truck drivers, British college students, anti-abortion protesters and of course the Watts rioters, the Egyptian people aren't doing themselves any favors in terms of public relations.
This screenshot from Fox News says it all - throwing rocks and swinging sticks at each other:
This screenshot from Fox News says it all - throwing rocks and swinging sticks at each other:
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| Egyptian rioters have begun fighting each other |
You know things are getting ugly when one faction does the Egyptian equivalent of going nuclear - they bring out the camel cavalry:
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| Watch out - here comes the cavalry! |
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Oven-roasted brisket
A delicious way to recreate Texas dining. And the only difficult part is getting out of bed early to get it started.
Plan 8 to 12 hours from start to finish. I roasted mine for a full ten. The only way to do this is low and slow. If you cook your brisket too quickly, it will be tough, dry and fatty.
This is your reward for patience:
Start with a good cut of brisket from a local butcher - really, don't trust your big chain grocery store. This is a quarter brisket. It served eight. Make sure they do not remove the thin layer of fat that covers one whole side -- it's essential to cooking it properly.
Put that sucker in a glass baking dish and firmly massage a ton of dry spice rub into the brisket. I used a mix of:
This is extremely important: Make sure your brisket is placed in the pan with the fatty side on top. It will slowly melt away and keep the brisket moist and juicy as it does.
Your beautiful brisket should look like this, begging to be slowly roasted:
We're going to use a simple kitchen oven. Smoking or grilling is a whole different ball game. Set it to 250 degrees. Cover the brisket with aluminum foil and put it in the oven to begin its slow journey to succulent deliciosity.
Now we must prepare a mop. So-called because the traditional way to apply it to a huge piece of meat slowly roasting is with a tool resembling a mop. I use a simple spray bottle (similar to Windex or 409) that I got from Home Depot for 59 cents.
I use a simple mop vinegar, smoke extract and brown sugar. This time I also added some leftover home-made beef broth for extra flavor, just because it was in the fridge.
Spray the brisket with the mop generously every 20-30 minutes. It's OK if a little liquid starts to accumulate in the bottom of the dish.
Plan on cooking for 8-10 hours. Once the internal temperature reaches 185 degrees (get a meat thermometer, darnit!), turn your oven down to 225 - it's done, but you can let it sit for up to 2 more hours before serving.
I served mine with fresh green beans and homemade peanut-garlic coleslaw:
Plan 8 to 12 hours from start to finish. I roasted mine for a full ten. The only way to do this is low and slow. If you cook your brisket too quickly, it will be tough, dry and fatty.
This is your reward for patience:
Start with a good cut of brisket from a local butcher - really, don't trust your big chain grocery store. This is a quarter brisket. It served eight. Make sure they do not remove the thin layer of fat that covers one whole side -- it's essential to cooking it properly.
 |
| Unprepared brisket - note the layer of fat on the top |
- Salt
- Paprika
- Garlic powder
- Mrs. Dash
- Dried oregano
- Cumin
This is extremely important: Make sure your brisket is placed in the pan with the fatty side on top. It will slowly melt away and keep the brisket moist and juicy as it does.
Your beautiful brisket should look like this, begging to be slowly roasted:
We're going to use a simple kitchen oven. Smoking or grilling is a whole different ball game. Set it to 250 degrees. Cover the brisket with aluminum foil and put it in the oven to begin its slow journey to succulent deliciosity.
Now we must prepare a mop. So-called because the traditional way to apply it to a huge piece of meat slowly roasting is with a tool resembling a mop. I use a simple spray bottle (similar to Windex or 409) that I got from Home Depot for 59 cents.
 |
| Vinegar, smoke extract and brown sugar go in my mop |
Spray the brisket with the mop generously every 20-30 minutes. It's OK if a little liquid starts to accumulate in the bottom of the dish.
Plan on cooking for 8-10 hours. Once the internal temperature reaches 185 degrees (get a meat thermometer, darnit!), turn your oven down to 225 - it's done, but you can let it sit for up to 2 more hours before serving.
I served mine with fresh green beans and homemade peanut-garlic coleslaw:
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| Oven roasted brisket with peanut-garlic coleslaw and fresh green beans |
Polar Bears
My sweetie has a fascination with Polar Bears. She thinks they're all cute and cuddly. She's right, they are... right up until they bite your arm off. This is for her:
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| Polar bear cub on dry land |
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| Momma cuddles her polar bear cubs |
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| Learning to walk |
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| Momma polar bears are very protective |
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| Mother bears love to cuddle their cubs |
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| Puppies aren't the only ones who sleep like this |
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Garlic-peanut coleslaw
Yesterday was slow-roasted Texas-style brisket day. While it was slowly (very, very slowly) cooking, I prepared a few side dishes. One of those was my signature garlic-peanut coleslaw.
Coleslaw is remarkably simple, so I had to complicate things. I started by preparing a home-made aioli. It's like a mayonaise, but with taste and texture that puts it in a different class altogether.
Aioli requires you to be meticulous in two areas.
First - food safety is paramount. Raw eggs are involved, which raises the possibility of salmonella. Pasteurized-in-the-shell eggs are the safest. I use locally grown organic eggs (safer than the big factories) and avoid contact between the yolk/white and the outside of the shell.
Second - the blending process is delicate. I put two eggs, tons of crushed garlic, chopped parsely, a pinch of salt and a tablespoon of lemon juice in the food processor. I set it blending for a few minutes, then very slowly drizzle in olive oil until the mixture starts to firm up to the consistency of a thick pudding.
Then I prepared the other ingredients - finely grated carrot, chopped peanuts and lots of shredded fresh savoy cabbage.
Mix, chill, serve and enjoy!
Next - the brisket emerges.
 |
| Garlic-peanut coleslaw |
Coleslaw is remarkably simple, so I had to complicate things. I started by preparing a home-made aioli. It's like a mayonaise, but with taste and texture that puts it in a different class altogether.
Aioli requires you to be meticulous in two areas.
First - food safety is paramount. Raw eggs are involved, which raises the possibility of salmonella. Pasteurized-in-the-shell eggs are the safest. I use locally grown organic eggs (safer than the big factories) and avoid contact between the yolk/white and the outside of the shell.
Second - the blending process is delicate. I put two eggs, tons of crushed garlic, chopped parsely, a pinch of salt and a tablespoon of lemon juice in the food processor. I set it blending for a few minutes, then very slowly drizzle in olive oil until the mixture starts to firm up to the consistency of a thick pudding.
Then I prepared the other ingredients - finely grated carrot, chopped peanuts and lots of shredded fresh savoy cabbage.
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| Cabbage, carrot, peanuts and garlic-parsley aoli |
Mix, chill, serve and enjoy!
Next - the brisket emerges.
Stinging Nettles
Yesterday we went for a short walk at the Shipley Nature Center - an urban oasis packed with native vegetation and wildlife.
Crazy Girl spotted a rare insect. She was very, very excited. After much studying, I identified it as ladybugus onleafus.
Being a guy, I wanted to pick it up and show it to her up close. I failed to identify the leaf it was on as belonging to the stinging nettle plant, known in the scientific community as ohmygod thathurtsthathurtsthathurts.
One millisecond, and the lightest of brushes against the back of my hand was all it took. I felt like I had stuck my hand into a roaring fire. Large welts immediately raised, and it burned and itched all afternoon.
While researching possible treatments to ease the discomfort, I learned that in England, there is an annual stinging nettle eating contest. Yes, eating. I can't even fathom the idea.
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| Early signs of spring |
Crazy Girl spotted a rare insect. She was very, very excited. After much studying, I identified it as ladybugus onleafus.
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| The elusive ladybugus onleafus |
Being a guy, I wanted to pick it up and show it to her up close. I failed to identify the leaf it was on as belonging to the stinging nettle plant, known in the scientific community as ohmygod thathurtsthathurtsthathurts.
 |
| Ouch - The stinging nettle |
One millisecond, and the lightest of brushes against the back of my hand was all it took. I felt like I had stuck my hand into a roaring fire. Large welts immediately raised, and it burned and itched all afternoon.
While researching possible treatments to ease the discomfort, I learned that in England, there is an annual stinging nettle eating contest. Yes, eating. I can't even fathom the idea.
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