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Saturday, November 7, 2009

What is the Inner Music in Your Life?



Photo from StumbleUpon, no attribution available

From Denny: This quote from Albert Einstein is telling of his inner joy dancing throughout his life. Have you tapped into your inner music lately? Take a moment and really listen inwardly for your quiet song.

Has your song changed since you were a child? My song is delightfully the same and there were those times when listening to it is what kept me going when faced with harsh outer reality. Staying connected kept me balanced. Take a moment to regain your own balance by listening to your inner song; relax, melt into it and validate yourself with beauty.

Quote

* If I were not a physicist, I would probably be a musician. I often think in music. I live my daydreams in music. I see my life in terms of music. — Albert Einstein


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*** For more quotes and photos like these, please visit Beautiful Illustrated Quotations, go here.

Thursday, November 5, 2009

How Kindness Develops Your Strength - and Power to Attract Love



From Denny: Kindness is often a hard sell in an aggressive Western society like America and parts of Europe. Kindness has been derided as a weakness, especially by the Republicans and other conservative fundamentalist cultures worldwide who consider kindness undesirable.

The conservatives in America claim to hold to Christian principles and "What Would Jesus Do?" T-shirts, forgetting the whole point of Jesus was about kindness. Jesus was also humanity's strongest person ever to walk this Earth! He is known for his profound teachings that span the centuries.

Quote

Kindness in words creates confidence
Kindness in thinking creates profoundness
Kindness in giving creates love.

Lao-tzu, Chinese philiospher


*** Thanks for visiting and come back often! :)

*** For more quotes like this, please visit Beautiful Illustrated Quotations, go here.

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

6 Ironic Grinners! Cheeky Quote Day at The Social Poets - 4 Nov 2009



Ironic funny quotes comin' at ya, hard and fast! :)

From Denny: Found a lot of witty quotes for the Cheeky Quote Day! segment over at The Social Poets today! They will definitely get you thinking while you are laughing, a real two-fer to keep the brain cells in stellar fitness shape. :)

Witty quotes also make great writing prompts as they expose your mind to thinking about a subject from a different angle. Construct your own writing exercises for your blog or journal. Riffing off of quotes really does a lot to improve your writing. Give it a try and see for yourself!



Here are a few funny quotes for your tasty mind candy today (while you are detoxing from your Halloween candy high):

Quotes

* All my best thoughts were stolen by the ancients. - Ralph Waldo Emerson

* Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored. - Aldous Huxley

* The sinning is the best part of repentance. - Arab Proverb

* Do not do unto others as you would that they should do unto you. Their tastes may not be the same. - G.B. Shaw, "Maxims for Revolutionists," 1898

* It's pretty hard to be efficient without being obnoxious. - Kin Hubbard

* Is a stolen copyright a copywrong? – Anonymous

*** Thanks for visiting, much appreciated and come back often for a grin!

*** To get to Ironic Grinners - Cheeky Quote Day! 4 Nov 2009 - go here.

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Lighter Than Air Almond Macaroon Cookies



From Denny: When you want something a little sweet but without all the extreme sport calories, often macaroons are just the ticket. My favorites are either coconut, chocolate or almond; there is just nothing like using almond paste in a recipe, awesome!

This recipe comes from a famous institution of a restaurant in Atlanta, Georgia: Nikolai's Roof. We had a lot of wonderful times at this restaurant. These cookies are a snap to make and would make lovely gifts for the holidays for friends and family or to serve at your gatherings!

From the Atlanta Journal-Constitution: These cookies are a fixture on Nikolai's Roof's dessert menu and are a snap to re-create at home. Almond paste can be found in a tube or a can in the baking section of grocery stores. These cookies can also be dropped by teaspoon, but using a piping bag speeds the prep and guarantees perfect circles. Try them out for the holidays.

Hands on time: 10 minutes
Total time: 22 minutes
Serves: 50

Ingredients:

8 ounces almond paste
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups 10X confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 egg whites

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix almond paste, both sugars, flour and egg whites until well-blended and smooth. Pipe one-inch rounds onto a paper-lined pan using a plain piping tip fitted in a pastry bag. With damp fingertips, press down any peaks. Bake until lightly golden, about 10 to 12 minutes. Allow to cool on pans before removing from paper.

Nutrition:

Per serving:
43 calories (percent of calories from fat, 26), 1 gram protein, 8 grams carbohydrates, no fiber, 1 gram fat, no cholesterol, 3 milligrams sodium.

*** Thanks for visiting and come back often!

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Video and Recipe: Malaysian Rib Spring Rolls

From Denny: This video was originally run for the Fourth of July season, yet good food is good any time of the year. Right now, tail-gaters for the football season are looking for the unusual take on barbecue ribs and this recipe just jumped out at me to post. As an American kid who spent time in Asia, I grew to love Asian cooking and this chef just captures such wonderful flavors in this recipe you just have to try it! Chef Halston's recipe is both unusual and innovative.





Finger-licking good! Malaysian rib spring rolls, a mouthwatering Asian-themed dish

Malyasian rib spring rolls with maple and tuong basil sauces

From: Chef Andre David Halston

INGREDIENTS

Malyasian short ribs

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 pounds Sterling Silver beef short ritbs 1-bone
• 2 tablespoons porcini mushroom seasoning (Market Salamander brand)
• 1 teaspoon black pepper, milled
• 1 cup garlic cloves
• 2 tablespoons ginger, peeled and rough-chopped
• 8 full-length stems fresh rosemary
• 1 cup port wine
• Beef stock (enough to cover by 3/4)

Crisp spring rolls filling

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons garlic fresh chopped, fine
• 1 medium carrot
• 2 ounces leek, white and green julienne
• 1/2 pound Napa cabbage, shredded
• 1 tablespoon ginger, fresh peeled, very fine dice
• 1 tablespoon porcini seasoning
• 1 teaspoon sea salt, granulated fine
• 1 teaspoon black,peppe, milled
• 2 pounds short rib meat (shredded by hand)

Malaysian peanut slaw mix

• 3 full leaves white cabbage, fine shredded
• 3 full leaves Napa cabbage, fine shredded
• 1 full leaf red cabbage, fine shredded
• 2 leaves baby arugula leaves shredded
• 25 sticks carrots, peeled matchstick

Crisp spring rolls rolling

• 10 spring roll wrappers
• 1/2 cup egg whites (lightly whisked)
• 2 ounces short beef
• 1 ounce vegetable mix

Lite soy dipping sauce

• 1/2 cup lite corn syrup
• 1/2 cup soy sauce, light
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup green onions, sliced 1/4-inch
• 1 teaspoon mustard powder
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1/4 cup brown organic sugar
• 1 teaspoon ginger powder
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar, seasoned Marukan

Peanut dressing

• 1/2 cup rice vinegar, seasoned
• 1/2 cup peanut butter, creamy
• 1/2 cup soy sauce, lite
• 1/4 cup sesame oil
• 3/4 cup olive oil
• 4 ounces cilantro, fresh leaves, no stems
• 1/3 cup sugar, organic white
• 1 tablespoon mustard, ground dry
• 1 teaspoon ginger, dry powder
• 1 tablespoon Malaysian chili sauce
• 1 teaspoon black pepper, milled fine

DIRECTIONS

Malaysian short ribs


Preheat oven to 250 degrees; you need the oven for 4 hours.

In a pan over high heat, warm the pan for 1 minute. Evenly sprinkle the meat with porcini mushroom seasoning.

Add the oil to the pan. Evenly cover the bottom of the pan with pieces of short ribs. Cook to a nutty brown color on one side; turn over, add the garlic cloves and ginger and cook to nutty brown. Add wine and bring to a boil. Add the beef stock and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat. Cover with a lid and place into the oven. Set the timer for 4 hours.

After cooking, place the pot uncovered into the refrigerator; when cool, remove the meat from the bone.

Spring rolls filling

In a saute pan over medium heat, warm the pan for 1 minute; add the oil and warm the pan for 30 seconds. Add the garlic, carrots, leek, cabbage and ginger; evenly sprinkle the vegetables with the porcini seasoning and sea salt; saute until the vegetables have softened, about 2 minutes. Spread the ingredients on a sheet pan; place uncovered in the refrigerator until cool.

Malaysian peanut slaw mix

Place all items into a bowl and evenly mix.

Crisp spring rolls wrap

Place the wrapper onto a clean sanitized area of a table with one point of the wrapper pointing toward you. Evenly brush the wrapper with the egg whites. Place the beef about 1 inch away from the point in a log shape. Place the vegetables on top of the beef. Place the point over the meat and veg. Mix, squeezing the mix tightly. Roll 1 time. Fold each edge tightly over the top and lightly press to seal. Continue to roll in a small log shape.

Lite soy dipping sauce

In a pot over medium heat add all ingredients; whisk for 1 minute and bring to a boil. Cook for 4 minutes exactly, whisking every minute, and remove. Pour the sauce into a glass or plastic container; refrigerate until cool.

Malaysian peanut dressing

Place the peanut butter in a plastic container. Place your Bermixer into a plastic container, add the vinegar, start the mixer. Add the soy sauce, sesame oil, olive oil, cilantro and mix for a few minutes. Add the sugar, mustard, ginger, chili sauce and pepper; mix for 2 minutes. Cover with a lid and refrigerate.
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