Wednesday, November 30, 2011

dinner : Vegan Vednesday.

Or is that Wegan Wednesday ??
 This is so good I am going to post
 the exact same picture twice
Stand by curried chick peas
( Yes, I need to expand my vegan recipe box )
BUT
I took my time making it tonight, slow
toast all the spices, tomato, coconut, chilies..
brown rice
and
'Two color slow roasted beets with greens!
( best darn thing EVER !! )

Morning in Mendon

Up, showered out out early to take Dahn to the airport
where I forgot to take a photo. I did though take one of the 
old guys that hand out in our corner store every morning.
All that is missing is a pot bellied stove....

 Stopped by the mother ship
 Warm, muddy late November
 made for a very happy Koda

 It rained last night, both inside and outside my house,
and this beautiful sunny dry day will pass with 
no contractor Lestat

dinner ( last night )

crispy pork
sweet potato
green beans

Monday, November 28, 2011

Heritage Minute: Canada Gay Marriage



This is not a " pro marriage " video.. no reason for them to have that. It is a CANADIAN HISTORY VIDEO! triple LOVE LOVE LOVE !!! ( and ya'll KNOW how I feel about Mounties !!!  )

black like me

So, Andrew this week goes off on why your taste in music sucks, and his does not.



Not a straight person in the US knows who Kylie even is, and she is Madonna in the rest of the world...


Today a reader tells him why: We don't like pop because we're black ... sort of. At least culturally. Think of the major American-born music forms:

Jazz? Comes from the blues.

Rock n' roll? Just rhythm n' blues, played by white kids. From the blues.

Country? Yup ...

... originally "country blues," to distinguish it from "city blues." Eventually became a new thing, with guitars from Hawaii, fiddles from Ireland, etc. Jimmy Rodgers, Asa Carter, Johnny Cash - all learned from black guys how to play their music.

Bluegrass? Good god, man, where's the banjo from?!

The first American popular music was minstrelsy, literally white guys "blacking up" to play "plantation songs."

We don't like pop because it has no blues in it, no gospel, no CHURCH. It sounds flaky and unserious. It doesn't speak to that part of our souls named "Africa." So we sit patiently through "Maxwell's Silver Hammer," waiting eagerly for "Back in the USSR" ...

BCS... the end is nigh



1 LSU (12-0)
2 Alabama (11-1)
3 Oklahoma State (10-1)
4 Stanford (11-1)
5 Virginia Tech (11-1)
6 Houston (12-0)
7 Boise State (10-1)
8 Arkansas (10-2)
9 Oregon (10-2)
10 Oklahoma (9-2)
11 Kansas State (9-2)
12 South Carolina (10-2)
13 Michigan State (10-2)
14 Georgia (10-2)
15 Wisconsin (10-2)
16 Michigan (10-2)
17 Baylor (8-3)
18 TCU (9-2)
19 Nebraska (9-3)
20 Clemson (9-3) ( how the mighty fallen...)
21 Penn State (9-3)
22 Texas (7-4)
23 West Virginia (8-3)
24 Southern Miss (10-2)
25 Missouri (7-5) ( soon to be SEC, and I had to google their colors... " ain't fitin, just ain't fitin" )


SEC RULES!

Although, UGA did DROP a position post beating Tech and Sparty having a good weekend, all roads lead to Atlanta!

S.B.S.w/gygo

( Small Business Saturday, while getting your gay on )
Direct borrow from JMG :
In support of Small Business Saturday, the President today treated his kids to an armful of items from Dupont Circle's gay-friendly Kramer Books. Part of the bookstore is a brunch spot packed with gay men on most weekends.

This is only, ( I bet ) really funny to me


AND I have adopted Mika as my own personal Jesus.

Sunday, November 27, 2011

LATE November ?

Back on the trail!


Walking in just a sweat shirt, and swimming, this late in the season. Please weather gods, keep it like this for one more month for us to get to Atlanta.

Saturday, November 26, 2011

FOOTBALL !!!

The last weekend of the regular season may have been the best!

Odd sleep last night, made for being up very early, got the pre-pregameday, and the pre game day, followed by: GAMEDAY!
From the loveliest village on the plain.
SEC! SEC! SEC!

First game of the day, was the best as THE BULLDOGS 
made sure all was right in the universe, 
spanking our in state rival GA TECH
31 - 17
How very VERY different the season ends than it began...
WHAT?!?, we never ever doubted him!
 Plenty of folks at the game, giving us the mood and feel
 ( Tech was rude!  )
As I've said a few times, I LOVE GAMES HERE !
The PERFECT way to start off the day.

Next up was the always passionate
 IRON BOWL

As good as college football gets, and when you get to watch a classic rivalry like this without a dog in the hunt, it is just fun to watch. AU lost, but they had a couple of plays that gave them hope....
Rounding out the night with the what?
 Low Country Boil Bowl?
The SEC OWNS both Georgia and South Carolina.
Looks like the National Championship Game will be two SEC teams.
and FLORIDA lost!
So, a very nice day, next up :
THE SEC PLAY- OFF

Friday, November 25, 2011

It's time.

THE DAY AFTER

The best sandwich all year long!

pie update

Hmmmm.... the flavor was very intense, sort of pumpkin pie turned up to eleven. Everyone really seemed to like it. Pretty sure I would not go to all the trouble of making the crust again, but for the one day a year you eat pumpkin pie, it was worth it.

THANKSGIVING '12 !!

We gathered together to ask the Lord's blessings.
A rare bright and sunny, almost warm, windows open
Thanksgiving
here in upstate New York.
Family and Friends gathered at 
Dahn and David's for the big day.
Koda and Kiara were most excited!
Fried and Roasted Turkey
gravy
Sweet Potatoes 
Dressing
Green Beans
Corn Pie
Cauliflower
very roasted BrusselSprouts
cranberry sauce
( we went through FOUR cans!! ) 
rolls/bread
Many more photos :

The evening joyously degenerated culminated in a .... drum circle.

Many thanks to the many hands 
that gave us such a most lovely holiday!

Thursday, November 24, 2011

stay home, watch football, enjoy your family..

Let the folks who work in stores have a day off....

'Twas the Night Before......


Neil and I were surfing around the other night and stopped on the show America's Test Kitchen, where they were doing Thanksgiving. Now, I had been lamenting all week about the lack of Thanksgiving related media/tv/movies, so we watched. The two folks, who as a rule I really enjoy just would not shut up about this pumpkin pie. So, brave or foolish Kyle set his mind on it

Crust
* 1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (6 1/4 ounces)
* 1/2 teaspoon table salt
* 1 tablespoon sugar
* 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) cold unsalted butter , cut into 1/4-inch slices
* 1/4 cup vegetable shortening , cold, cut into two pieces
* 2 tablespoons vodka , cold (see note)
* 2 tablespoons cold water

Filling
* 1 cup heavy cream
* 1 cup whole milk
* 3 large eggs plus 2 large yolks
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree
* 1 cup drained candied yams from 15-ounce can (see note)
* 3/4 cup sugar
* 1/4 cup maple syrup
* 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 1 teaspoon table salt

Instructions

* 1. For the Crust: Process 3/4 cup flour, salt, and sugar in food processor until combined, about two 1-second pulses. Add butter and shortening and process until homogenous dough just starts to collect in uneven clumps, about 10 seconds; dough will resemble cottage cheese curds with some very small pieces of butter remaining, but there should be no uncoated flour. Scrape bowl with rubber spatula and redistribute dough evenly around processor blade. Add remaining 1/2 cup flour and pulse until mixture is evenly distributed around bowl and mass of dough has been broken up, 4 to 6 quick pulses. Empty mixture into medium bowl.
* 2. Sprinkle vodka and water over mixture. With rubber spatula, use folding motion to mix, pressing down on dough until dough is slightly tacky and sticks together. Flatten dough into 4-inch disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 45 minutes or up to 2 days.
* 3. Adjust oven rack to lowest position, place rimmed baking sheet on rack, and heat oven to 400 degrees. Remove dough from refrigerator and roll out on generously floured (up to 1/4 cup) work surface to 12-inch circle about 1/8 inch thick. Roll dough loosely around rolling pin and unroll into pie plate, leaving at least 1-inch overhang on each side. Working around circumference, ease dough into plate by gently lifting edge of dough with one hand while pressing into plate bottom with other hand. Refrigerate 15 minutes.
* 4. Trim overhang to 1/2 inch beyond lip of pie plate. Fold overhang under itself; folded edge should be flush with edge of pie plate. Using thumb and forefinger, flute edge of dough. Refrigerate dough-lined plate until firm, about 15 minutes.
* 5. Remove pie pan from refrigerator, line crust with foil, and fill with pie weights or pennies. Bake on rimmed baking sheet 15 minutes. Remove foil and weights, rotate plate, and bake 5 to 10 additional minutes until crust is golden brown and crisp. Remove pie plate and baking sheet from oven.
* 6. For the Filling: While pie shell is baking, whisk cream, milk, eggs, yolks, and vanilla together in medium bowl. Combine pumpkin puree, yams, sugar, maple syrup, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in large heavy-bottomed saucepan; bring to sputtering simmer over medium heat, 5 to 7 minutes. Continue to simmer pumpkin mixture, stirring constantly and mashing yams against sides of pot, until thick and shiny, 10 to 15 minutes.
* 7. Remove pan from heat and whisk in cream mixture until fully incorporated. Strain mixture through fine-mesh strainer set over medium bowl, using back of ladle or spatula to press solids through strainer. Rewhisk mixture and transfer to warm prebaked pie shell. Return pie plate with baking sheet to oven and bake pie for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 300 degrees and continue baking until edges of pie are set (instant-read thermometer inserted in center registers 175 degrees), 20 to 35 minutes longer. Transfer pie to wire rack and cool to room temperature, 2 to 3 hours. Cut into wedges and serve.
Let's start off with 
I AM NOT A BAKER.
so , step one of making these pies:

 2oz Absolut Mandarin
1oz lime juice
1oz cranberry juice,
shake until very cold and frothy
 repeat as needed
 Here is everything you need, and its mostly things that you have around, not being the baker, I did have to buy some unbleached flower and regular table salt.
This may be the very first pie crust that I have ever made, I got my mise en place all ready. I needed to make two pies, but was afraid to just double everything, so I just did it twice. Dump everything into the food processor for just a few seconds...
 It does not form a ball of anything, just  sort of breaks down in the fat.. you mix it, bring it to a ball/disc in the bowl with the water and vodka! ( who knew!!!  ) I forgot to take a photo of the raw dough, but its very flaked with butter
 One of the dough balls rolled out really easy, one did not...( a coming theme )
Blind baked, with PENNIES! something else I learned tonight, pennies , not beans
 Again, sort of dump and go, all the wet, just like the recipe says... of the two the one in the larger pan did much better, more room to reduce or something...
 you mix the custard with the the cooked pumpkin, and bake

One set up very nicely, one , all these hours later is still sort of puddingy in the middle, I will let yall know how they taste! 

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Maggie Gallagher is not Susan Lovell, nor is this 1984



I so love it when your enemies become simple joke fodder!

Random facebook quote : " So glad #5 on the Gay Agenda, "Trick Maggie Gallagher into a horrific 80's bi-level 'do," was accomplished in time for the holidays!" ( NOT that Susan's was horrific, it was modfabulous! )

feel the love

a tad early....

HAPPY EARLY 
B-DAY 
to NEIL !

Mitt Romney For Obama 2012

HOW BOUT THIS DOG !!

The de-evoloution of the English Bulldog, 
as Uga himself takes center state in the 
NYT MAGAZINE:


  • A) UGA I, 1956-66
  • B)  UGAIII, 1972-1981
  • C) UGAV.1990-1999
  • D) UGAVIII, 2010-2011

STOP THE PRESSES!

KATE
 BUYS 
GROCERIES !!

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Daily Koda

I know Atlanta was at a record 77º today, I don't know if we hit a record, but I was all over town and down the trail in shirtsleeves. A lovely day all around.. Miss K is still a wild dog on the trail, just over excited about everything. " LEAF! ".....

over the river ( meat is murder )

and through the woods

Wegman's has a wide varity of turkeys, 
from your blah blah organic free range ( $$$ ) to your
19¢ ( of 39, something..) a pound with 25 dollar order

to Grandmother's house we go....

 Royal Staffordshire
 Wood and Sons

Johnson Brothers Wild Turkey - Brown
Johnson Brothers Woodland Wild Turkeys
Wood and Sons, Enoch Turkey-blue multi
and my favorite:
Johnson Brothers Barnyard King