Goin' to the Candidates Debate

Actually I am there already. I am online and semi-live blogging the Candidates Forum for the three candidates who are running for Mayor of Cheverly. As most you know, my dear readers, I ran for a seat on the Town Council last year, but was not elected. The three candidates are Michael Callahan, current Ward 1 Council Member, Tom Foley, and Micah Watson, current Ward 2 Council Member.

The debate opened with a testimonial for outgoing Mayor Julia Moseley, who is retiring. Debate moderator Aimee Olivio went over the rules and then turned it over to Mike Callahan who gave his opening statement. Callahan stressed his fiscal responsibility and his devotion to Keep Cheverly Great - a statement that many of the residents have said to him is most important to them.

Callahan was followed by Dr. Tom Foley, who gave his opening statement. Foley's primary issue is the Town's fund balance, which has increased dramatically over the past several years, during which time, both Callahan and Watson have been on the Council. Foley wants to reduce taxes and offer a tax credit to residents and allow the fund balance to be reduced somewhat.

The final candidate to speak was Micah Watson. He stressed his career in public service and his efforts on the Town Council and his love for Cheverly.

Of the three candidates, Callahan and Foley offered the most passionate statements about what Cheverly means to them.

The first question went to Dr. Foley and was focused on what attributes and knowledge he would bring to the office of Mayor. The same question was asked of the other two candidates. Dr. Foley mentioned his outsider status and his understanding of the Town's financial structure. Mr. Watson talked about the relationships he has forged in Cheverly. Mr. Callahan talked about his twenty five years in Cheverly and his career managing a 20 million dollar revenue stream.

After a question to the three candidates about peace, there was a short break while another set of bleachers was pulled down to accommodate the large number of people who are in attendance.

The next question concerned public service experience. Mr. Callahan responded by emphasizing his work in the private sector. The responses turned (based a lot on Mr. Callahan's response) to coalition building.

The next question was about public use of public buildings. Dr. Foley is concerned about groups that might be shut out of using public buildings. Mr. Watson echoed the comments and would support a wider policy of using public buildings. Mr. Callahan also agreed but cautioned about the possibility of increased costs to allow greater use of the buildings.

The next question was about the current Town Attorney and what role the Town Attorney would have in the decision making process and if he would consider making a change. Mr. Watson would look at all of the issues before making a decision about retaining him. Mr. Callahan would "absolutely retain" the current Town Attorney. Dr. Foley also believes he would retain the current Town Attorney.

This was followed by a question about Code Enforcement and what would the Town would do about abandoned properties in the Town. Mr. Callahan was first to respond and hopes the Code Enforcement Officer would occasionally get out on foot to see what is going on in the town. Secondly, he believes the Town is doing a good job on abandoned properties but that each house should be handled on a case by case basis. Dr. Foley agreed with Mr. Callahan that abandoned properties should be dealt with on a timely basis and fully resolved. Mr. Watson responded first to the abandoned properties and also responded to the Code Enforcement issue. He believes it should be a more proactive response.

The next question concerned the infamous "booms" that occasionally rock Cheverly. Dr. Foley responded first and believes that a reward should be offered, which might prompt an employee of the alleged boom maker to turn his boss in. Mr. Watson then discussed his efforts to try and stop the booms, one of those efforts was the placement of a camera on top of a local fire house to see if the origin of the booms could be isolated. Mr. Callahan broadened his response to talk about noise in general, mentioning the issue of helicopters landing at the hospital and the road noise from Route 50.

The next question asked the candidates to identify a problem in Cheverly and how they would deal with it. Mr. Watson responded first and identified communication as a larger problem and also mentioned Public Safety and infrastructure in the Town. Mr. Callahan's response focused on the need for greater economic development on the borders of Cheverly. Dr. Foley turned his response around by focusing on what does work in Cheverly, namely the head of Public Works, the Town Administrator, and the Chief of Police. He wants to see more people getting involved and building a larger sense of community.

This was followed by a question regarding bridging the gap that is believed to exist between the police and the residents of the Town. Mr. Callahan responded that one of Cheverly's greatest assets is Chief Robshaw but Callahan also acknowledged the youth of Cheverly's force and hopes the force will interact more with the youth of Chevelry. Dr. Foley would like to see more, if not all, of the police force to live in Cheverly. Mr. Watson acknowledges there is a gap, but was not entirely clear about how to resolve that, other than to echo Mr. Callahan's comments about the strengths of the current police chief. He would "rule nothing out" in listening to ideas about how to best connect the force to its residents.

The next question was about activities for teens in Cheverly and what the mayor could do to resolve issues that can come up with teens with too much time on their hands. Dr. Foley responded first, getting a laugh by saying that "teenagers are always a problem." He would like to see more organized activities. Mr. Watson wants to come up with programs to engage teenagers, but did not offer any concrete proposals on what could be done. Mr. Callahan discussed a proposal the Council has on the books to find opportunities for teenagers. He further remarked about the existing services (Cheverly Soccer Club, the Boys and Girls Club), which many residents are now aware are available.

The next question was about Tax Increment Funding (TIF) and how it would impact the Pointe at Cheverly. Mr. Watson responded first and used part of his time to explain how TIF works and then expressed his support for the Pointe at Cheverly and hopes the Council and future mayor be more forward leaning in their fiscal planning. Mr. Callahan agreed the Council had supported the TIF program for the Pointe at Cheverly but countered that he believes the plan may not have gone far enough and more investigation and communication should be undertaken before proceeding further. Dr. Foley talked about a meeting he had with Mr. Callahan about TIF and the Pointe but wasn't convinced that it was the right move for Cheverly and wished it had not gone forward. For the first time in the evening, additional time was given to the candidates to respond to this issue.

The next question was how the Mayor would administrate the Town Council and make meetings more efficient and build consensus for agreement on the issues they are running on. Mr. Callahan responded first and hopes that Council members would be more prepared for meetings and that possibly consensus could even be reached beforehand. Dr. Foley would "run a stricter ship" and noted that Cheverly is a "weak mayor" system and the role of the mayor is limited to what they can actually do. Mr. Watson also noted his desire to have meetings run more efficiently and hopes the Council would agree with much of the issues he is campaigning on.

This was followed by a question regarding the development of Tuxedo Road on the edge of Cheverly. Dr. Foley was not aware of the plan but pledged to learn about it and would work the issue if elected Mayor. Mr. Watson discussed a plan that has been around for several years and hopes that it would move forward sooner rather than later. Mr. Callahan is afraid the plan has stalled and would want to talk to each of the businesses along Tuxedo Road and see what their goals are and how Cheverly can help.

The next question involved a planned addition to the Town Hall building and what their position was on the previous plan and would they support an expansion. Mr. Watson responded first, slightly dodging the question, saying the planned expansion predated his time on Council and never took a position. He would talk with residents about any planned expansion before doing anything. Mr. Callahan turned the question around and discussed the reconfiguration of the Town Hall space and wait and see if the residents really want and demand an expansion. Dr. Foley concurred with Mr. Callahan.

The next question regarding pedestrian and bicycle access to the Cheverly Metro Station. Mr. Callahan elicited a laugh from the audience by saying the bridge over Route 50 could be blown up and start over. The existing bridge is not pedestrian or bicycle friendly and all issues need to be explored to resolve the issues. Again, Dr. Foley concurred with Mr. Callahan. Mr. Watson recounted the need for better transportation solutions and additional infrastructure to deal with the intersection.

At this point, moderator Aimee Olivio announced there were still a number of questions unanswered and she wanted to reduce the time of responses to one minute. The first question in this new period concerned sound barriers on Route 50. Dr. Foley was not aware of any plan and both Mr. Watson and Mr. Callahan called for increased lobbying and pressure on state agencies to see if the noise levels could be abated.

This was followed by a question regarding trash and littering following pickup by Town sanitation. Mr. Watson would like to see better communication and a better sense of neighborliness to make residents aware. Mr. Callahan would like to see an anti-littering campaign and more facilities for improved walking about the Town of Cheverly. Dr. Foley would like to see an aggressive anti-littering campaign and perhaps the placement of trash cans around the Town.

Next question was about fully loaded trucks cutting through Cheverly Avenue. All three would like to see this curbed and would involve the police to enforce it.

Next question was about the Town of Cheverly's financial support of the Cheverly Prom. Dr. Foley would like to see the event only funded through ticket sales. Mr. Watson would like to see the event be self-supporting but does not object to the Town's support. Mr. Callahan believes that Cheverly should support it fully, because Cheverly Day and the Cheverly Prom is our time to promote the Town.

This was followed by a question regarding instant runoff elections if a candidate does not achieve a majority. All three candidates agreed the idea had merit and bears further investigation.

The next question was about securing grants for the Town. All three men believe that grants should be pursued but they all should be clearly targeted to needs in the town.

The next question (for which the candidates were given additional time to respond) dealt with animal issues, specifically a dog park in Cheverly and the problem of feral cats. Dr. Foley addressed the feral cat issue and would like to see a town-wide TNR (trap - neuter - release) program. Mr. Watson also believes in a TNR program and would like to see a dog park in Cheverly, but the idea has not come to fruition. Mr. Callahan also would like to see a dog park in Cheverly, but it needs to be on the right parcel of land and not infringe of neighbors rights. Mr. Callahan also spoke to the larger animal rights issues (chickens, bees) and wants to see additional dialogs.

The final question before closing statement asked the three candidates to outline their vision for Cheverly. Mr. Watson spoke first and offered his record of experience of building alliances and consensus. Mr. Callahan talked of "alliances being what I live by." From his experience in the private sector and his tenure on Town Council, he has constantly sought to build alliances and partnerships to make things happen. Dr. Foley admitted that he would have to start fresh, making new alliances to get things done for Cheverly.

Moderator Aimee Olivio concluded the debate to thank everyone for coming and for the great questions. She then turned it over to closing statements, starting with Mr. Watson. He offered his five promises for Cheverly if he is elected. Dr. Foley gets a bump for mentioning "What is Past is Prologue" and notes the quote in inscribed on the National Archives, but discussed that he would come in as Mayor and hope to streamline the processes of the Town. He concluded with a statement about speed cameras and chastised the Mayor and Council (including Mr. Watson and Mr. Callahan) about using a loophole in the state law to create a revenue stream for Cheverly, which will also serve to augment the already inflated fund balance. Finally, Mr. Callahan used his time to in part, respond to Dr. Foley's allegations and to discuss budget issues and that the next Mayor will need to focus on continuing to protect the financial health of Cheverly.

Following some closing announcements, light refreshments were served and an offer to mix with the candidates.

CAKE! CAKE!

I have been jonesing for cake of late. Mrs. BA was kind enough to make a great cake for Easter, which had slivered almonds and raspberry filling and some really good icing. It hit the spot. This past weekend we had a visit from friends who brought more cake, and it was good. In fact, I think I will have another piece before heading up for bed.

You can console yourself with this recipe for "St. Louis Gooey Butter Cake" courtesy of the Amateur Gourmet.

St. Louis Gooey Butter Cake
via Smitten Kitchen via Melissa Clark

For the cake:

• 3 tablespoons milk at room temperature
• 1 3/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 large egg
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  

For the topping:

• 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon light corn syrup
• 2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  

Confectioners’ sugar, for sprinkling.

Make the cake dough: In a small bowl, mix milk with 2 tablespoons warm water. Add yeast and whisk gently until it dissolves. Mixture should foam slightly.

Using an electric mixer with paddle attachment, cream butter, sugar and salt. Scrape down sides of bowl and beat in the egg. Alternately add flour and the milk mixture, scraping down sides of bowl between each addition. Deb suggests switching to a dough hook at this point (which I did) to beat dough on medium speed until it forms a smooth mass and pulls away from sides of bowl, 7 to 10 minutes.

Press, stretch and nudge dough into an ungreased (Deb says to grease it, so I did with cooking spray) 9-by 13-inch baking dish (Deb suggests a glass baking dish) at least 2 inches deep.

Cover dish with plastic wrap or clean tea towel, put in a warm place, and allow to rise until doubled, 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

Make the gooey topping:
Heat oven to 350 degrees. To prepare topping, in a small bowl, whisk corn syrup with 2 tablespoons water and the vanilla. Using an electric mixer with paddle attachment, cream butter, sugar and salt until light and fluffy, 5 to 7 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl and beat in the egg. Alternately add flour and corn syrup mixture, scraping down sides of bowl between each addition.

Spoon topping in large dollops over risen cake and use an offset spatula to gently spread it in an even layer.

Bake for 30 to 45 minutes (start checking at 30 minutes); cake will rise and fall in waves and have a golden brown top, but will still be liquid in center when done. (I took it out when the sides didn't jiggle but the middle did.)

Allow to cool in pan before sprinkling with confectioners’ sugar for serving.

Pizza Night is Friday / Pizza Recipe on Monday

Friday night is usually pizza night at the Brave Astronaut launch pad. Because we can, we usually order in. But I might be inclined to start making my own pizza dough as this recipe is silly easy.

From the Washington Post:

This simple technique by Jim Lahey of Co. pizza restaurant and Sullivan Street Bakery in New York is based on his famous no-knead bread. It makes for a very sticky, loose dough that seems as if it won't be easy to work with, but it's very forgiving and performs well with the broiler method featured in the related pizza recipes.

MAKE AHEAD: After the dough rests, it can be refrigerated or frozen. Let it come to room temperature before dividing it into balls and letting it rise, then baking. Or the balls can be transferred to individual freezer-safe plastic food storage bags along with a drizzle of olive oil; refrigerate for several days or freeze for several months. Defrost at room temperature and let it rise before baking.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups bread flour, plus more as needed and for the work surface
• 1/4 teaspoon instant (dry) yeast, such as SAF brand
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 cups water
  

Directions:
Combine the flour, yeast and salt in a large bowl. Add the water and stir until blended. The dough will be very sticky. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rest for 12 to 24 hours in a warm spot (about 70 degrees).

Lightly flour a work surface. Place the dough on it; sprinkle the top of the dough with flour. Fold the dough over on itself once or twice, using a dough scraper if necessary and sprinkling with more flour if needed, then cover the dough loosely with plastic wrap and let it rest for 15 minutes.

Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces (about 4 ounces each). Shape each one into a ball, again sprinkling with flour as needed. Generously sprinkle a clean cotton towel with flour and cover the dough balls with it. Let them rise for 2 hours before stretching or tossing into shape, topping and baking.

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

April is a grand month.

On Monday afternoon, I kept the streak alive by attending the Washington Nationals home opener. So far, I have not missed one. I also attended the first game for the Nationals ever, when they debuted on the road in 2005 (against Philadelphia). For those keeping track (it was a topic of discussion on Monday):

• April 14, 2005 - RFK Stadium - vs. the Arizona Diamondbacks (W, 5-3) - George W. Bush threw out the ceremonial first pitch.
• April 11, 2006 - RFK Stadium - vs. the New York Mets (L, 7-1)
  
• April 2, 2007 - RFK Stadium - vs. the Florida Marlins (L, 9-2) - Dick Cheney threw out the ceremonial first pitch.
• March 30, 2008 - Nationals Park - vs. the Atlanta Braves (W, 3-2) - George W. Bush threw out the ceremonial first pitch.
• April 13, 2009 - Nationals Park - vs. the Philadelphia Phillies (L, 9-8) - DC Mayor Adrian Fenty threw out the ceremonial first pitch.
• April 5, 2010 - Nationals Park - vs. the Philadelphia Phillies (L, 11-1) - President Barack Obama threw out the ceremonial first pitch.

There is nothing quite like Opening Day. A sort of hope springs eternal moment, which for the Nationals lasted all of about one inning. But they did manage their first win this evening. My American League team, the World Champion New York Yankees, took two out of three from the Red Sox, so it's been a good week there. Tomorrow night, I will sit down with my fellow "owners" in my fantasy baseball league to fill out our rosters for our teams. I have a list and hope to get some players that might just get me to finish in the money this year.

April is also the month when the first major of the year is played in golf. The Cathedral of Golf, also known as Augusta National, hosts The Masters. This year has particular significance of a particular golfer you know as Tiger, but lets just call "Cheetah." The Masters is the one tournament I try to see as much of as I can - the scenery, the course, the players - it is the very best. Tonight, the clubhouse leader is Fred "Boom-Boom" Couples, followed by 60 year-old Tom Watson and Phil "Lefty" Mickelson, along with a few others. And that "Cheetah" guy? He's tied for 7th and, you heard it here first, he will not win this tournament. I mean I would like it if he never won a major again, but unfortunately that's not likely to happen - but I don't think he should be out there yet.

Finally, April is the month when hockey season comes to a close. As a resident of Washington DC, I am very impressed with the play and performance of the Washington Capitals and I root for them, provided they are not playing against my team of choice, the New York Rangers. Now this presents a difficult situation, for if (and at this point it's not a done deal by any sorts) the Rangers make the playoffs, they will likely face the Capitals in the first round. The Rangers will play a home-and-home series with the Flyers, who are immediately above them in the standings. If the Rangers can win both those games, they likely make it. It must be noted that ADR will likely implement his policy of not speaking to me for the duration of the series, which was a little unnerving last year, but this year I'm ready for it. For the record, I am rooting for the Rangers until the season ends. When and if the playoffs arrive for them, I will see what happens. Last year my position was that I wouldn't root actively for the Rangers. I will probably do the same this year, because the disappointment the Rangers hand out is not worth it.

On Monday, I have a dentist appointment. After it, I will squeeze in my first nine holes of the season. And who knows, it could be a "Cinderella story, outta nowhere, a former greenskeeper, now about to become the Masters champion."

Swedish Meatballs

The local IKEA is a good place to go with kids, especially in the [now finally-ending-never-thought-it-would] wintertime. You can set up children in a variety of places to play (although LBA will tell you the only thing worth doing is watching the TV that plays movies near the cafe, sigh). You can then feed them for only a few dollars. One of the staples of the IKEA cafe are the Swedish meatballs.

My mother would occasionally make meatballs growing up, calling them Swedish meatballs, but really just meatballs served in a beef broth over egg noodles. And there was not one thing wrong with that. My MIL makes a pretty good meatball as well, and serves hers inside a really good red sauce.

Cheverly Chef Scott whipped up a case of Swedish meatballs for Oscar night a few weeks back. Here's his take.

Swedish Meatballs, oven-baked
from Anne's Food

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 yellow onion, very finely diced
• 1-2 small cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 egg
• salt
• white pepper
• 1/8 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp ground ginger
• 1/8 tsp cardamom
• 1/8 tsp allspice
  

Mix everything to an even mix, and form small, round balls.

Put in a large roasting pan, and bake for about 20 minutes at 350°F. Shake the pan a few times to ensure an even surface on your meatballs.

When my meatballs were done at this point, I took the pan out of the oven and shook them. And this is going to sound nasty, but stick with me; they were coated with coagulated proteins. And that's not the name of a new punk band! No, the fat and liquid in the beef cooked out in the oven and stuck to the meatballs. I took a slotted spoon and picked each one out and gave it a shake, the proteins rolled off and they were all set. I put the meatballs in a bowl and poured off all the fat and proteins. My meatballs lacked some color, so I put them back in the pan and did give them a quick fry over high heat to get some deep browning carmelization on them. This also gave me the opportunity to leave some bits and nibbles in the pan for the pan sauce.

When I had some good color on the meatballs, I removed them, back to a bowl and started on a pan sauce. I tossed in 1 TB of butter and 3 finely diced shallots. Season with salt and pepper and allow to simmer and saute for 2-4 minutes, until the shallots are tender. Add 1 TB of flour and stir to blend into the butter and shallots. Cook for 1 minute. Add 1 cup beef broth. Stir to incorporate and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Add 1 TB of sour cream or heavy cream. Stir. Add the meatballs and 1 heaping TB of chopped parsley. Stir to coat. Serve with rice, potatoes, noodles or on their own.

These were easy. Fairly fast. But not 100% what I was hoping for. A few things to try the next time I try these..

1. Use a blend of ground meats; beef & pork, maybe a blend from the store of beef, pork, veal. Something to supplement and improve the flavor of the beef.
2. I think the two types of cooking over cooked the meatballs. First in the oven, then on the stove top to get some color. I'm not sure if I should do them again in the oven for 10 minutes, then the stove top for a few minutes? They were cooked through in the oven, the extra time on the stove top forced out any remaining moisture creating a very dry meatball and the extra heat toughened them up. Or, maybe I can put a rack on my pan and cook the meatballs that way, so the fat and proteins drip away, and allowing for more of a roasted version, allowing for carmelization and browning.
3. Even though the onions and garlic cook in the meatballs, I would saute them for a few minutes before mixing with the ground meat. Raw onions and garlic don't play well with my belly and they revisit me often, over the next few hours.
4. And finally, double the gravy!
   

A Call I Already Answered

Just in case you were wondering, I am not running for Governor of New York State. Not right now anyway. But in a previous era, before I became an archivist, I was a teacher. I was one of those rare few who went off to college knowing what they wanted to be. I started my teaching career in the district where I went to school, which was a bit of a surreal experience.

One of my best teaching stories was when I was student teaching and was talking about the French and Indian War. To illustrate how the British forces scaled the cliffs from the St. Lawrence River to attack Quebec, I went from the floor, to a chair, and then stood on a desk, while I talked about the battle. When I announced that General Wolfe is killed during the heat of the battle on the Plains of Abraham, I jumped off the desk.

The following year, I served as a chaperon on a school trip with some of these same students to Quebec. As we toured the city and stopped at the Plains of Abraham, I had several students come up to me (mind you a year later, now), saying, "This is what you were talking about, wasn't it?" I nearly wept with joy.

While my teaching career never really panned out, I always enjoy watching movies about teaching. Just the other day I tuned in and watched "Stand and Deliver," starring Edward James Olmos as Jaime Escalante. I was sad to see that Escalante lost a battle with cancer this week. He was one of those teachers that I always wanted to be.

In no particular order, along with Stand and Deliver, a few of my favorite teaching movies are:

• Dead Poets Society
• Lean on Me - for a time, I taught in an inner city high school, though not quite like Mr. Clark's school
• Mr. Holland's Opus - possibly my favorite
  

A Call to Serve

I have always enjoyed politics. I have run for elected office in several of the professional organizations to which I belong, and last spring, I ran for a seat on the Town Council. My father always tells me that I would make a really good politician.

Frequent readers may have noticed that I have been sporadically posting here and have renewed my efforts to try and post more here. This a partial explanation for today's post. One of the reasons I have not been posting here is that I have been busy with a lot of other stuff.

I was approached by the New York State Democratic Party to see if I would consider a run for the governorship of the Empire State. As you may know, the incumbent governor of New York has had his share of problems and will not be running for a term of his own. The current Attorney General of New York, Andrew Cuomo, is expected to announce that he will seek the office of Governor of New York.

However, the party has decided to look elsewhere for a fresh, new face. When I lived in New York, one of the positions I held was working at the Rockefeller Archive Center, processing the papers of Nelson A. Rockefeller, Governor of New York from 1958-1973. The party came to me and asked me what it would take to embark on this fool's errand.

I informed them that I would certainly need to move back to New York and establish residency. Not a problem, they said, for as an alumni of the State University of Albany, they would set aside a full floor in one of the dorm towers for me to live with my family.

Further, I explained that I had no war chest of funds to mount a serious challenge for AG Cuomo, who had better name recognition and the added advantage of his father's name and record to run on. Evidently when questioned about this, AG Cuomo agreed that I would make the better candidate in the current political climate and he would agree to run with me as my Lt. Governor.

I decided that I could put them off no longer. So, today, on this First Day of April, I am pleased to announce my candidacy for Governor of New York State. Will you join me?

Sweet, Drunk Chicken

Here at the Brave Astronaut launchpad, we are always on the lookout for things to do with chicken. It is a staple (although LBA has developed an addiction for sausage sandwiches, which are easy, but get monotonous at times) and appears on the table with some frequency. It is also one of those things that we can all eat (and not have to have something else for the smaller, pickier appetited-ones).

Cheverly Chef Scott (once again) posted a recipe for Pineapple Rum Chicken (pineapple is also a big favorite of the boys and usually in the house). It is served over rice, which is also a good staple for the boys. He got the recipe from Rachel Ray, but I won't hold that against him - even if she is too darn perky sometimes. Enjoy!

This might even be a recipe where these might get used. If you have kids, you'll want to click on the link - you might even want a set for yourself (seen in the Food Section blog of the NYT).

Pineapple Rum Chicken
original recipe by Rachel Ray

• 1 whole pineapple, peeled, cored and diced into 1/2 inch pieces
• 3 TB Olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup spiced rum
• 1 TB freshly grated ginger
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 4 chicken breasts
• 1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
• 2 TB cilantro, chopped
• Salt/Pepper
  

Season the chicken and saute in 1/2 the olive oil until browned and cooked through. Remove to a plate. Rinse your pan.

Heat the remaining olive oil until shimmering and hot. Add the onions, garlic, pinch of salt and pepper and red pepper flakes. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the onions start to become translucent. At that point, add the pineapple and ginger and up to 1/2 cup of reserved pineapple juice. Stir to incorporate. Remove the pan away from the stove and add the rum. Carefully return the pan to the stove. Depending on how much liquid is in the pan before the rum, the pan may flambe! Stir gently and cautiously. Let the liquor cook for one minute. Add the chicken stock and simmer until reduced by half.

While simmering, cut the chicken breasts into slices or 1 inch pieces. Return to the pan with the pineapple and sauce and cook until warmed through. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the parsley and cilantro. Toss. Serve over rice.

Mr. Jefferson Stands Alone AND He Does Not Dance

Of all the Presidents we have had, it's possible that Thomas Jefferson is my favorite. And the Jefferson Memorial is one of my favorite places here in DC. It is why I decided to propose to Mrs. BA on the steps of the Memorial. On that particular night, we walked around the Memorial, as we had done on several occasions. We took note of a sign posted by the Park Service listing a number of things that one could not do on the grounds. I remarked to Mrs. BA, "I wonder what they will think of this" and proceeded to get down on one knee and propose.

I was reminded of that (not that I really need reminding of that great night) not long ago when I read this article from the Washington Post (and also on We Love DC). It would appear that a woman was overcome with Jefferson aura and began to dance inside the rotunda of the Memorial. She was directed to stop and when she did not comply, she was charged with demonstrating without a permit. While the charges were later dropped, she filed a lawsuit wherein she accused the National Park Service of violating her rights to free expression. A judge threw that case out (the gist of the links in this paragraph).

In the "thick with irony" category, it seems weird for a woman to be charged with opposing restrictions in a place dedicated to the man who wrote those freedoms down on paper. But, oh well.

It has been 70 years since the laying of the cornerstone of the Memorial in East Potomac Park. There was a very good article in the Washington Post Magazine (imagine that - a good article in the Post Magazine!?). The article reveals something about the Memorial that I would have preferred not to know as it might restrict my visits to the inside. Under the dome is evidently home to hundreds of spiders.

Remembering Mom

Mom with LBA on his baptism and
her 75th birthday, March 2005

Today would have been my mother's 80th birthday. She was an OK cook, very basic, not very adventurous. There was the occasional flair (veal birds), or the joke, as in the time she made my siblings fried scallops and tater tots and mixed them together to get them to eat the scallops. It wasn't until I left home and learned that vegetables could have texture and that they didn't come from a can or the freezer and were even sometimes still green.

I've posted a number of recipes from my mother's kitchen and her cooking style has influenced my own food preparation. My father occasionally turned up in the kitchen as well, but he was the more adventurous cook, tending to cook without recipes and see what turned out. My brother and I are more like that, while my two sisters tend to stick to the book (or recipe card).

One recipe that my father liked were his mother's roasted potatoes. My grandmother cooked them in a big pot (usually with a roast) and when finishing them would shake them in the pot drippings and they would get all crispy and become roasted delicious nuggets. She took the secret to her grave with her - as my mother could never seem to get it right. My brother alleges that he can make them (as can my Aunt, but she's my grandmother's daughter) - so maybe it's a blood thing.

I found this recipe which proposes "Perfect Roasted Potatoes." It is a recipe that closely models my grandmother's one. I believe that in the afterlife, you get your own place and you get to have anyone you want over for dinner or coffee, or whatever. So, I am sure that my mother has been hosting people non-stop in the four years since she left us, including my grandmother. And I bet she's figured out the roasted potatoes thing. I love you, Mom. I miss you.

Pascale's Perfect Roasted Potatoes

• 1.2 kilos (2 1/2 pounds) potatoes (waxy or floury -- both types will work equally well)
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or duck fat
• sea salt
  

Serves 4 generously.

Preheat the oven to 210°C (410°F).

If your potatoes are smooth-skinned, scrub them well and peel them in alternative stripes so that strips of skin remain. If, on the other hand, the skin of your potatoes is rugged and grainy, peel it off completely (no need to scrub) then rinse the potatoes well in cold water.

Cut the potatoes into even chunks, about the size of a bite. Place them in a saucepan large enough to accommodate them, cover with cold water, and add a teaspoon coarse salt. Set over high heat, cover, bring to a low boil, then lower the heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes.

As soon as the water boils, pour the fat into a rimmed baking sheet, and place the sheet in the oven, so the fat and baking sheet will heat up.

After the 5 minutes of boiling, drain the potatoes -- they will not be cooked at that point -- and return them to the saucepan. Place a lid on the saucepan. Holding the lid firmly shut with both hands (the saucepan will be hot, so wear oven mitts or use dish towels), shake the saucepan vigorously for a few seconds, until the surface of the potato chunks is fuzzy; this will help the formation of a crust.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven, pour the potatoes onto the sheet, sprinkle with sea salt, and stir well to coat with the fat.

Return to the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, flipping the potatoes halfway through, until cooked through (when you insert the tip of a knife in one of the pieces, it should meet no resistance), crusty, and golden. If you want a little more color on them, you can switch to grill mode for the final few minutes.

Serve immediately.

God, I Need a Drink

Mrs. BA has been immersed for the past several months in an endeavor that will come to a head tomorrow night - an auction to benefit the daycare where both of our sons attend. She has lost many nights sleep and if she developed an ulcer, I wouldn't be surprised. But regardless of whatever it has done to her, I am proud of her (I love her, too) and I am absolutely positive that tomorrow night is going to be an awesome event.

Tomorrow night, we will head off to the event to enjoy the fruits of her labors. I will be sure to have a little bit to drink (but I will do so in moderation - I've had some difficulty with that recently). Mrs. BA doesn't drink - it's not that she doesn't like it, she just doesn't. It has always been to my benefit - as I have had a built-in designated driver. And tomorrow night will be even better - as our children will be cared for by my MIL, at her home, not ours. So we can sleep in on Sunday.

Sitting in my Google Reader for some time was this article from The Atlantic (July/August 2009 issue) on how colleges and universities (and high schools) might choose to "Teach Drinking" and perhaps amend the "you must be 21 to drink" laws. I remember turning 21 - I went out at midnight to buy beer. I didn't get carded. It was a huge letdown.

I have often maintained that college life is not reality. The drinking is everywhere and I am a little ashamed to admit that I did not do as well in college partly because of that. But then again, I did a fair amount of my drinking before I turned 21. Would this have helped? Maybe.

John McCardell, the author of the article, maintains:

"Clearly, state laws mandating a minimum drinking age of 21 haven’t eliminated drinking by young adults—they’ve simply driven it underground, where life and health are at greater risk."

McCardell's point is that drinking by underage teens has not been squashed by the federal drinking age. But would the states have a better shot at it?

"They might license 18-year-olds—adults in the eyes of the law—to drink, provided they’ve completed high school, attended an alcohol-education course (that consists of more than temperance lectures and scare tactics), and kept a clean record. They might even mandate alcohol education at a young age. And they might also adopt zero-tolerance laws for drunk drivers of all ages, and require ignition interlocks on their cars. Such initiatives, modeled on driver’s education, might finally reverse the trend of consumption by young people at ever earlier ages."

Then again, who else saw Foxes in high school health class? Wasn't that an attempt to keep us from drinking? Yeah, that didn't work either.

Hi, Remember Me?

This blog was becoming a recipe only blog. I have been away too long. But [some things I have been thinking about and just not getting around to blogging about],

• Like my beard, which I have been growing since the February snowstorms, I'm still here and would like to stay around for a while (I hope to have photos soon)
• Like Punxsutawney Phil, I have emerged from winter slumber (although I would have liked one more good snow storm - and wouldn't be surprised if it snowed this weekend, as it would have been my mother's 80th birthday)
• Like a good American in the Decennial Census, I am ready to be counted (hey make some notes in the margin of the form, the government is keeping the paper!)
• Like David Paterson (D-NY), I'm not resigning (although he really should)
  
• Like Tiger Woods, I am going to try and return to your "public eye" (but I haven't been doing any of the stuff he has).
• Like the New York Yankees, I would like to get out on the field and defend that World Series title right away.
• Unlike the Washington Nationals, I will attempt to show up for some baseball games (although I am likely going to miss Opening Day for the first time - I'll be in the dentist chair)
  
• Like the New York Rangers, I am making a last push to make the season last a little longer (you want me to keep blogging, yes?)
• Unlike Alexander Ovechkin, I will not be sitting on the sidelines for the rest of the week (sorry ADR and OC)
• Like Versus, I am back [on DirecTV as they have settled their squabble] (although I am switching to FIOS at the end of this week - I could no longer ignore the siren call of the multi-room DVR)
  
• Like the Smithsonian, I will not be accepting O. J.'s suit - but I will spend this year working on organizing the family archives and scanning some pictures

So dear reader, are you still with me? Come on back. I'll do my best to keep you entertained.

Remember, if it's Green Don't Eat It

Wednesday is St. Patrick's Day. People all over will dive into green beer, green bagels and other items that are not normally green. My sister, whose birthday is also St. Patrick's Day can tell you of years of traumatic birthday parties, where she suffered with green cakes. My father (100% French) will surely seek out corned beef and cabbage, for reasons that continue to baffle me.

But if you wish to partake, here's a recipe from the Costco Connection magazine (March 2010) for an Irish Stew.

Irish Stew

• 2 lbs. lamb or beef stew meat
• 1 1/2 lbs. potatoes
• 5 medium onions
• Chopped parsley and thyme to taste
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 1/2 cups water

Trim the meat and cut into fairly large pieces. Peel and slice the potatoes and onions. Put layers of meat, potatoes, onions and herbs and seasoning into a pot, finishing with a layer of potatoes.

Pour the water over the meat and vegetables, and bring to a boil. Simmer gently for about 2 hours or bake in a slow oven at 300 degrees F. Check during cooking, adding more liquid if necessary. Makes 4 servings.

Tips: Lamb is traditionally used in Irish stew, but beef stew meat is a tasty option. Carrots and pearl barley can be added for extra color and interest. A good Irish stew should be thick and creamy, not swimming in juice.

[Recipe is courtesy of Discover Ireland]

Carmelized Apple Skillet Cake

I'll never turn down a good apple tart / skillet cake. But my wife's apple cake still takes the cake, so to speak. This recipe comes from the Amateur Gourmet.

Caramelized-Apple Skillet Cake
from Karen DeMasco's "The Craft of Baking"

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sugar
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, very soft
• 2 tart baking apples, such as Mutsu or Granny Smith
• 3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs, separated
• 3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons coarse yellow cornmeal or fine polenta
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/3 cup whole milk
  

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

In an 8-inch ovenproof skillet, preferably cast iron, combine 1/4 cup of the sugar with 2 tablespoons water, stirring to make sure all of the sugar is damp.

Cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar turns a golden brown caramel, about 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in 2 tablespoons of the butter.

Peel, core, and using a mandoline or a sharp knife, cut the apples crosswise into 1/8-inch thick rings. Tightly shingle all of the apple rings over the caramel, starting around the outside of the skillet and working toward the center, overlapping the slices.

[Note from Adam: that step may've been where I messed up, I only had one apple. But would that have made the cake less likely to detach?]

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the remaining 3/4 cup sugar, the remaining 6 tablespoons butter, and the vanilla. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in the egg yolks, one at a time.

In another bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. In three additions, add the flour mixture, alternating with the milk, to the butter mixture. Using a rubber spatula, scrape the batter into a large bowl.

Clean and dry the bowl of the electric mixer well. Add the egg whites and, using the whisk attachment on medium speed, beat to soft peaks, about 4 minutes. In three additions, fold the whites into the batter.

Spread the batter evenly over the apples in the skillet.

Bake, rotating the skillet halfway through, until the cake is golden brown and firm to the touch, 45 to 50 minutes. Place the skillet on a wire rack and let it cool just until the cake is warm, about 30 minutes. Then run a knife around the edge of the cake and invert it onto a plate. Serve warm or at room temperature.

The cake is best eaten the day it is baked but can be kept at room temperature, wrapped in plastic wrap, for up to 2 days.

The Best Meatloaf Ever?

Meatloaf for me is a reminder of my youth. As I have said before, my mother's meatloaf was a very easy concoction of meat, bread crumbs, ketchup, some onion mashed all together and then a few bacon slices on top. It's always better as sandwiches the next day - cold, on white bread, with mayonnaise. Stop that - it's really good.

I've made my mother's meatloaf before and the kids seem to enjoy it. Here's a recipe that I found recently, which might need to make an appearance (from the Amateur Gourmet).

Damon’s Favorite Meatloaf
by Chef Damon Wise
serves 6

• 1 ¾ lbs ground beef
• ¾ lbs ground pork
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ cup dark soffrito [Note: cook red onions, carrots and celery in lots of olive oil on low heat until it's all a deep, golden brown: 45 minutes to 1 hour. Whatever you don't use, you can keep in olive oil and use in soups, dressings, sandwiches, etc.]
• ½ cup toasted bread crumbs, soaked in milk
• 1 ½ shiitake mushrooms, sautéed
• 1/3 cup parmesan cheese
• 2 t soy sauce or tamari
• 2 T dry mustard
• 2 t fresh oregano, chopped
• 2 large eggs
  

GLAZE

• 2 cup ketchup
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• 2 T Dijon mustard
• 2 T honey
• 2 T smoked paprika
• 1 tsp cayenne
  

350° for 45 minutes ( 160° internally )

Peanut Butter Balls

Thanks to Scott (again!) for posting this recipe on his blog - Peanut Butter Balls. It of course, reminded me of those vintage commercials (I mean, really, who walks around with a jar of peanut butter?!)

Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Balls

• 2 cups Peanut Butter (I prefer Skippy Extra Crunchy)
• 1/2 cup Butter, room temperature
• 1 TB Brown Sugar
• 1 cup Crisp Rice Cereal, crushed
• 2 1/2 cups Powdered Sugar
• 2 cups Milk Chocolate-Chips or Blocks
• 1 TB Shortening (or maybe food grade paraffin wax?)
  

Mix the peanut butter, butter and brown sugar until well blended. Add the crushed rice cereal, blend well. Mix sugar until smooth.

Scoop peanut butter mixture into small-ish balls, no bigger than an inch wide. Roll into balls. Insert a toothpick into each one and place in the fridge to firm up. 30 minutes to an hour.

Melt chocolate and shortening in a double boiler or in the microwave until smooth. Keep warm, but off of the heat.

Using the toothpick and a spoon, dip and cover each ball with chocolate. Allow excess to drip off; place on a wax paper covered sheet. Place in the fridge to chill and allow the chocolate to fully set. When chocolate is firm, cover with wax paper and plastic wrap to keep fresh.

EGGS! EGGS!

SoBA has a thing for eggs. He will eat four at a time. The other morning when it was my morning to sleep in - I could hear the insistent cries (the title of the post) of SoBA's breakfast order. On Sunday morning, while we continued to dig out, I decided to make my father's scrambled eggs (and bacon, of course) to celebrate Valentine's Day with Mrs. BA.

My father's scrambled eggs involve butter (about a tablespoon per egg) and cream (or at least whole milk). We had cream on this particular morning. The key to my father's eggs (or so he says) is making sure the eggs are warm - he puts them in a bowl with some warm water for a bit, before cracking them, whisking them and then adding the butter, cream, and some salt and pepper.

Now instead of pouring them in a frying pan, my father cooks his scrambled eggs in a saucepan. They require constant stirring with a wooden spoon (scraping the cooking egg off the bottom of the saucepan). When the eggs begin to gel, take them off the heat and continue stirring. The eggs are best served a little undercooked so they are soft and very tasty.

Some time ago I spotted this post from the Amateur Gourmet. Now if I owned a cappuccino maker, I would so make the eggs this way. I think they would be very tasty.

Snopocalypse / Snomageddon / Snoverkill

Has anyone noticed there's a little snow outside . . . still? The Brave Astronaut launchpad was the site of an impromptu playdate yesterday - I had managed to make it to the store on Monday to lay in some additional supplies for the next round of winter weather. So we had about sixteen people in the house, fairly evenly split between kids and adults. Mrs. BA had made white chicken chili on Sunday and I made brownies. Tonight on the menu is a hearty beef stew to combat the blowing and drifting snow outside.

In the middle of all this snow, when I first saw this, I really thought it was an Onion headline. But no. From the Hill Newspaper:

Sen. Jim DeMint twitters: D.C. snow will continue "until Al Gore cries uncle"

So here we are. Those of us who work for the federal government are enjoying our third snow day in a row. I'm going out on a limb here and saying that I don't think we are working tomorrow either. My main contention has always been that if Metro is not running (or only running underground), the federal government really cannot open. Public schools around the area have already thrown in the towel, closing for the rest of the week. And Monday is President's Day holiday, though many have announced that students will go to class that day to make up the abundance of snow days that have been needed this season.

I'm beginning to feel a bit feral - it's getting to be a lot like Little House on the Prairie (the Blizzard episode, of course). And I've been out of the house. The children may turn on us, especially if we lose the media options.

I love a good Carrot Cake

There's a rumor afoot that we will whip up some White Bean Chicken Chili for tonight to ward off the snow and cold. But perhaps this could make an appearance as well.

And OSG, no raisins.

From the Amateur Gourmet.

Three Layer Carrot Cake
recipe by Edna Lewis & Scott Peacock
from "The Gift of Southern Cooking"

Ingredients:
For the cake-

• 2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted after measuring
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 Tablespoon ground Ceylon cinnamon
• 1 Tablespoon cocoa powder
• 1 cup light-brown sugar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/4 cups peanut oil
• 4 eggs
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups finely grated carrots
• 1 1/2 cups not-too-finely chopped pecans
• Three 9-inch cake pans, lightly buttered and floured [I used Pam and also a parchment paper round, which I also sprayed and floured, just to be safe]
  

For the frosting-

• 12 Tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled
• 24 ounces cream cheese, chilled
• 1 1/2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
  

Preheat the oven to 350.

Put the flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon and cocoa in a mixing bowl and whisk together to blend.

Put the sugars in a large mixing bowl and whisk in the peanut oil.

Then whisk in the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla.

When fully blended, add the flour mixture all at once, and mix just until smooth. Stir in the grated carrots and the pecans.

Divide the batter evenly between the three cake pans.

Drop each pan sharply onto the counter from a height of about 6 inches to remove any air pockets. Bake for 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the center of the layers springs back gently when touched. [It took me more like 30 - 35 minutes; I figured it was better they were a little more cooked than undercooked, so the cake wouldn't fall apart.]

Remove from the oven, and place on cooling racks until completely cooled, then unmold.

To make the frosting: Cut the butter into 2-inch pieces, and put in the mixing bowl of an electric mixture. Mix on medium speed just until the butter begins to become malleable, about 3 - 4 minutes. Add the cream cheese in pieces and mix until thoroughly blended. Slowly add the confectioners' sugar and vanilla, and mix until blended. Increase mixer speed slightly, and continue mixing for 2 - 3 minutes, until the frosting becomes light and fluffy. Remove from the mixer and fold in the pecans.

To assemble the cake: Place one of the cake layers, bottom side up, on a cake plate or pedestal. Spoon approximately a quarter of the frosting onto the layer, and spread it over evenly. Place a second layer, bottom side down, on top of the first, and spread with an equal amount of frosting. Place the final layer, bottom side down, on top of the others, and frost the top and sides with the remaining frosting. Store in a cool but not refrigerated area until serving.

It's Snomageddon!

So here we are. Sunday night and the temperatures are down in the single digits. It likely due to the HUGE amount of snow cover out there. For those of you who may not have heard, we got a little snow over the weekend. It started on Friday afternoon and started to pile up all through Saturday. By the time it was all done there was about 24" of the white stuff on the front lawn.

I spent most of today digging out the cars from the driveway and shoveling the walk. Based on the amounts, I did not shovel off the deck or the side walk. Plus it would seem there is more snow on the way (see the prognosticators at Capital Weather Gang for more info) for Tuesday into Wednesday.

For the record, I could have gone to work tomorrow if the situation presented itself. But the Federal Government has announced that it will be closed tomorrow. This gives us another snow day (after the Snowpocalypse on December 19) for Snowmageddon in this winter of snowy weather. Remember my mother always used to say that the first time snow sticks on the street is how many storms you will have. The December storm was the first time. By my count, this storm was #4, with more this week and possibly (hey, don't kill the messenger) again next weekend.

In other news, they played the Super Bowl tonight. The ads were okay, but for once, I really enjoyed the game. Congratulations to the Saints! I am sure the French Quarter is rocking tonight.

So to all my DC federal friends, enjoy the snow day tomorrow. Let's see what the rest of the week brings.

LOST is Found - Tonight

The final season of Lost returns tonight. Here's a little something to get you ready for the season premiere. Borrowing from 24, here is the Crash of Flight 815. In. Real. Time. Cool!

French Onion Soup

Tomorrow is Groundhog Day and also Candlemas Day. So be sure to fire up those crepe pans and make some yummy goodness to ward off poverty.

To ward off the February chill, I might need to make some of this. After looking over the recipe, I might weep, it looks so good. Thanks Scott!

French Onion Soup

• 10 large onions (combination of red and sweet)
• 4 TB unsalted butter
• Salt/Pepper
• 2 cups dry white wine
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup unfiltered apple cider
• Fresh thyme, Bay leaf and Parsley wrapped in cheese cloth for a Bouquet Garni
• Fresh Bread cut into 1/2-1 inch pieces
• 1-2 cups grated Gruyere cheese
  

Preheat the oven to 350, place the roasting pan in the oven while you prep the onions.

Slice onions in half from end to end, the slice each half, in half, finely slice into thin slices. When the onions are sliced, remove the roasting pan from the oven and add the butter. The butter will melt, add onions and stir to coat with the butter. Season with salt and pepper.

Place onions in the oven for 30 minutes. Remove and stir. Return to the oven for one hour. Check about half way through the cooking time. After an hour, stir and return to the oven for another 30-60 minutes until the onions have reduced and taken on a dark, rich color.

Place the roasting pan over two burners on your stove top. Over high heat, add the wine. Stir to incorporate, bring to a boil and reduce by half. Add the broth and cider. Scrap up any bits of onion stuck to the pan. Pour all of the onions and broth into a large pot.

Place pot of low heat and add the Bouquet Garni, bring a low simmer, cover and cook for 20-30 minutes. Adjust seasoning as needed.

To serve, pour soup into oven safe bowls. Top with bread croutons and grated cheese. Place under a broiler until golden brown and delicious. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve hot.

A Friday List - Movie Trailers

As many of you know, Friday nights at the Brave Astronaut Launch Pad is Movie Night for LBA. Tonight however, I am at Ford's Theatre, watching the new production of "The Rivalry," depicting the relationship between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas, which grew as a result of their famous Lincoln-Douglas debates. The play opened on January 22 and is on a short run, closing February 13. I am not sure what's on the agenda for screening at the Launch Pad.

One of the best parts of going to the movies for me are the trailers that precede the feature presentation. It's an opportunity for me to see what films are coming out that I might get to see one day. (I should take this opportunity to give the shout-out to my MIL, who came into town last weekend - took LBA to see "The Princess and the Frog," brought dinner for all of us, and then babysat so Mrs. BA and I could get out to the movies. We saw "Up in the Air" and it was really good.

Some time ago (this has been sitting in my Google Reader star list for several months), IFC came out with a list of the Top 50 Trailers. Something I learned from the article? Trailers are called such because they use to follow the feature presentation. Who knew?

Here's the list. Discuss. I do tend toward the older films as so many of the modern films try to have a huge "impact" on the moviegoer (perhaps due in part to our limited attention spans). I also dislike those trailers that reveal the big jokes from the movie - so that when you finally see the movie, it is very anti-climactic. I'm sure there is something to be said here that the majority of the trailers that make this "Tops" list, are mysteries or thrillers.

50. Night of the Iguana (1964)

49. Anatomy of a Murder (1959)

48. The Man Who Wasn't There (2001)

47. Magnolia (1999)

46. Watchmen (2009)

45. The Manchurian Candidate (1962)

44. The Big Sleep (1946)

43. Eyes Wide Shut (1999)

42. Little Children (2006)

41. Maximum Overdrive (1986)

40. South Park: Bigger Longer & Uncut (1999)

39. Zabriskie Point (1970)

38. Face/Off (1997)

37. The Strangers (2008)

36. Spider-Man (2001)

35. The Lord of the Rings (2001-2003)

34. The Minus Man (1999)

33. Where the Wild Things Are (2009)

32. The Matrix (1999)

31. Corruption (1968)

30. Femme Fatale (2002)

29. Point Blank (1967)

28. The Bishop's Wife (1947)

27. A Night at the Opera (1935)

26. Speed (1994)

25. Real Life (1979)

24. Schindler's List (1993)

23. Red Eye (2005)

22. Sin City (2005)

21. Strange Days (1995)

20. She's Gotta Have It (1986)

19. Unbreakable (2000)

18. Sleeper (1973)

17. Charade (1963)

16. GoldenEye (1995)

15. Pulp Fiction (1994)

14. Garden State (2005)

13. Mr. Sardonicus (1961)

12. Independence Day (1996)

11. The Blair Witch Project (1999)

10. The Shining (1980)

9. Mission: Impossible (1996)

8. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)

7. Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)

6. Citizen Kane (1941)

5. Comedian (2002)

4. Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

3. Cloverfield (2008)

2. Psycho (1960)

1. Alien (1979)

Mashed Potatoes to Die For (They might kill you)

I love mashed potatoes, but even these might be a little much for me. These came up in a discussion over potatoes at Thanksgiving.

Mamaw's Mashed Potatoes (a.k.a. Code Blue Potatoes)
Serves 8-10

Chronicle Food & Wine intern Rachael Daylong made these for a staff lunch one day, and they were such a hit that we wanted them every week - despite what we knew had to be a huge amount of fat. Daylong says these potatoes, which can be partly made ahead, are a staple at every family gathering. The recipe comes from her grandmother, Ann Kurtz.

• 5 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 8 ounces sour cream, softened
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup heavy cream, at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon garlic salt
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste
• Paprika, for garnish (optional)
  

Instructions: Place potato chunks in heavily salted water and bring to a boil. Simmer until tender, about 10 minutes; drain.

Transfer potatoes to the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl. Add cream cheese, sour cream, butter, heavy cream, garlic salt, and pepper. Whip on medium speed with the whip attachment on a stand mixer or with a handheld beater for 3 minutes, or until smooth and no large lumps remain. Taste and adjust seasoning with pepper. At this point the potatoes may be refrigerated up to 3 days; bring to room temperature before continuing with recipe.

Preheat oven to 350°. Transfer the potato mixture to a 2 1/2- to 3-quart baking dish or a 9- by 13-inch pan. Sprinkle with paprika. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes, or until the top is crisp and just beginning to brown and the potatoes are hot all the way through.

Per serving: 343 calories, 3 g protein, 5 g carbohydrate, 36 g fat (22 g saturated), 101 mg cholesterol, 630 mg sodium, 0 g fiber.

From the San Francisco Chronicle

One Year Later - A Loud Message

One year ago, I trudged out into the cold frosty morning here in Washington, DC to be a part of history, at the inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States. While I was unable to get to my appointed station, I got home and watched the bulk of it on television (where it was warmer and there were donuts).

Yesterday evening, in a loud scream from the American electorate, specifically those in the Bay State, a message was sent to President Obama, "we're in trouble, and now, so are you." There is a lot of finger pointing going around today as to what happened, but congratulations to Scott Brown, the Senator-elect from Massachusetts. Although don't be surprised if some of the men listed below drop by and visit with you to make sure it all goes well. There have been some titanic figures in the Class I Senate seat from Massachusetts, and they may just want to make sure you are up to the task. Let's hope so.

On this day in 1961, people gathered for another historic inauguration, the first Catholic President of the United States, John F. Kennedy, who had also held the historic Senate seat that was delivered to Scott Brown last night, when he defeated Attorney General Martha Coakley. He was young, telegenic, and he delivered a stirring, moving address. (If you are interested, you can follow @JFK_1960, as the JFK Library commemorates the fiftieth anniversary of Kennedy's pursuit of the Democratic nomination for president. Here are some excerpts of JFK's inaugural address, which have some messages on how the President and the Congress might be able to proceed from this point.

"We observe today not a victory of party but a celebration of freedom - symbolizing an end as well as a beginning - signifying renewal as well as change."

"The world is very different now . . . And yet the same revolutionary beliefs for which our forebears fought are still at issue around the globe - the belief that the rights of man come not from the generosity of the state but from the hand of God."

"Let the word go forth from this time and place, to friend and foe alike, that the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans - born in this century, tempered by war, disciplined by a hard and bitter peace, proud of our ancient heritage - and unwilling to witness or permit the slow undoing of those human rights to which this nation has always been committed, and to which we are committed today at home and around the world."

"This much we pledge - and more."

"To those old allies whose cultural and spiritual origins we share, we pledge the loyalty of faithful friends. United there is little we cannot do in a host of cooperative ventures. Divided there is little we can do - for we dare not meet a powerful challenge at odds and split asunder."

"So let us begin anew - remembering on both sides that civility is not a sign of weakness, and sincerity is always subject to proof. Let us never negotiate out of fear. But let us never fear to negotiate."

"Let both sides explore what problems unite us instead of belaboring those problems which divide us."

"All this will not be finished in the first one hundred days. Nor will it be finished in the first one thousand days, nor in the life of this Administration, nor even perhaps in our lifetime on this planet. But let us begin."

"And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country."

United States Senators from Massachusetts (Class I):

• Tristram Dalton, 1789-1791
• George Cabot, 1791-1796
• Benjamin Goodhue, 1796-1800
• Jonathan Mason, 1800-1803
• John Quincy Adams, 1803-1808
• James Lloyd, 1808-1813
  
• Christopher Gore, 1813-1816
• Eli P. Ashmun, 1816-1818
• Prentiss Mellen, 1818-1820
• Elijah H. Mills, 1820-1827
• Daniel Webster, 1827-1841
• Rufus Choate, 1841-1845
  
• Daniel Webster, 1845-1850
• Robert C. Winthrop, 1850-1851
• Robert Rantoul, Jr, 1851
• Charles Sumner, 1851-1874
• William B. Washburn, 1874-1875
• Henry L. Dawes, 1875-1893
• Henry Cabot Lodge, 1894-1924
• William M. Butler, 1924-1926
• David I. Walsh, 1926-1947
• Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr., 1947-1953
• John F. Kennedy, 1953-1960
• Benjamin A. Smith, 1960-1962
• Edward M. Kennedy, 1962-2009
• Paul G. Kirk, 2009-2010
• Scott Brown (Senator-elect), 2010-
  

Wild Mushroom Risotto

Today is the first Federal holiday of 2010, set aside to remember Martin Luther King, Jr.

Perhaps this recipe might show up on the table for the first Federal Holiday Playdate of 2010? Who knows. This recipe looks easy enough. From We Love DC.

Wild Mushroom Risotto
Serves 3
Time, including prep: about 1 hour

Ingredients:

• 1 8 oz. package of mushrooms (Shiitake, Cremini or Portobello for the low budget version. Chanterelles, Black Trumpets, Porcini, and Blue Foot Chanterelles for the whole-paycheck variety), roughly chopped into bite-sized pieces
• 2 sprigs of fresh thyme, whole
• 1/2 c. onion, finely diced
• 8 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 c. arborio rice
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 cloves garlic, finely diced
• 1/2 bottle of white wine, preferably pinot
• 5 c. chicken stock, warmed (or use water)
• 1 c. fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 1/2 c. parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 stick of butter, cut into tablespoon portions
  

Procedure

• Don’t forget, stir frequently to cook evenly . . . And do all of the prep work in advance. It’s worth it to be able to focus on continually stirring.
• In a shallow pan, heat 4 tbsp. of olive oil over medium to medium-high heat. Add mushrooms when hot. (If adding more than one kind of mushroom, add the densest mushrooms first.) Saute them until lightly browned.
• Add the additional 4 tbsp. olive oil to the pan with the onions.
• Once the onions are translucent, add the arborio rice to the pan to toast. At the same time, throw in the thyme, salt, and 2 cloves of garlic.
• Once the rice begins to become slightly golden, add white wine (or water) to cover. Cook the rice down so that the alcohol flavor is gone.
  
• When the pan starts to look dry and you “hear it asking for more liquid,” add 1/2 c chicken stock or water. Continue stirring, listening to your pan, and adding more liquid.
• When the rice is not chewy or mushy, but still a little crunchy, remove it from the heat. Make sure you still have a little liquid left and you aren’t in the “dry” stage of the process.
• Remove the thyme sprigs. It’s okay if you can’t find them all.
  
• Off the heat, add the parsley, cheese, and butter. Stir rapidly, and like crazy, to emulsify the butter into the rice. You will see your rice start to come together at this point and to look like cheesy, yummy risotto.
• Throw in the extra clove of garlic, too.
• You did it!
  

I Aint Afraid of No Ghost.

It's another lazy Saturday here at the Brave Astronaut launchpad. Mrs. BA went off this morning to do some work at the Library of Congress, leaving me to look after LBA and SoBA. I am still attempting to shake something off (perhaps its a reaction to my H1N1 vaccine or just the fact that I haven't slept well in about three days) but I soldiered on. The weather was somewhat cooperative and the gang headed out into the backyard to play. Just about every ball in the inventory was thrown out into the backyard by SoBA (footballs, baseballs, soccer balls, all of them). We were soon joined by the neighbor children (AKA the "Hooligans"). The soccer ball saw some use as did the baseball and bat. I nearly took a line drive off my head, hit by LBA. How long till Pitchers and Catchers report?

We came inside to have some lunch and unfortunately only SoBA got to have naptime (though I could have so closed my eyes for a bit). LBA and I adjourned to the TV room to follow our normal SoBA naptime ritual - the movie. Last night's movie night featured "Dorothy" AKA The Wizard of Oz, and today, LBA requested Ghostbusters. Because "I'm five now and big boys like scary movies - so I won't be scared."

We've watched Ghostbusters before (it's also a favorite of J in PA and Special K, when they have come to visit). Evidently we are not alone in loving Ghostbusters. The film, which just turned 25, is being pushed as better than Star Wars and its ilk. I don't know if I would go that far, but that's what this article by a British journalist maintains in the Times Online (seen first on kottke, last June). In September, kottke also raised the question that perhaps 1984 was by far one of the greatest years ever for film.

Kottke includes a partial list (just look):

• Beverly Hills Cop
• Ghostbusters
• Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
• Footloose
• Purple Rain
• Revenge of the Nerds
• Red Dawn
• The Terminator
• Sixteen Candles
• This Is Spinal Tap
  

Getting Away from it All in Books

We've started visiting the local library with LBA and SoBA. Well Mrs. BA has (I have yet to be inside yet). This is unusual for me as I used to work in the local public library and growing up was always in the summer reading program and usually on a first name basis with the children's librarian (but Mrs. Flukinger was always Mrs. Flukinger, even after I started working there. And then again, I also ran afoul of the school librarians on more than one occasion. And I used to tell people that during my undergraduate days, I was more apt to be anywhere but in the library. Of course, now I am an archivist, which for many people is hard to tell the difference between us and librarians.

LBA enjoys the library and SoBA also enjoys getting a pile of new reading material. SoBA likes to bring you books to read to him, though very often he moves on to a new title before you finish the first one. And the word "WHY?" has made it into his vocabulary as in, "I can't read that to you right now, I getting dinner together." "WHY!" This is often spoken as he pulls you into the other room to sit and read to him.

One book that I recall reading growing up was My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George. What pre-teen didn't dream of the day when you would run off into the woods to live by yourself for a while. The story was recently profiled in the Washington Post Magazine, where the author actually did it. Later the Post ran an online chat with the author of the article and Ms. George, who still lives in New York State, where the book is set.

I enjoyed working at the library growing up. It was a good time and it gave me access to books that I might not have read otherwise. I started reading non-fiction because I wanted to not because I had to from working there. The first non-fiction book I read? Fatal Vision, by Joe McGinnis - the story about Jeffrey MacDonald and the murder of his family at Fort Bragg.

I'm currently plowing through the new Stephen King book, Under the Dome, which was a birthday gift from Mrs. BA. At over 1,000 pages, I was afraid it would take me some time to get through it. However, it's really good Stephen King and I am already halfway through. I just have to be careful when reading it in bed. For if I fall asleep while reading it, I might break my nose when the book falls on my face.

Some time ago, kottke (of course), profiled a new architectural design, bookcase stairs. Created for the apartment dweller, it allows the voracious reader more storage for their books. I usually put my extras on Half.com along with a fair number of books that I am attempting to move from the family collection, but I still keep a good deal of books. For which I use Library Thing to keep track.

Chocolate Marble Cake

Never go to the grocery store hungry. It should be a law. Because, while it may be a rule, it's one that easily gets broken. Not long ago, I went to the grocery store with SoBA and we were both hungry at the checkout. That's when we spotted the Entemann's Marble Pound Cake single serving at the "impulse buy display." So I bought one. And we ate it. And it was good.

Later this week, many of my co-workers will gather to celebrate my friend and colleague (and sometime commenter here), NJM, who will start a new job a week from today. Mrs. BA has promised to make a cake, maybe not the marble cake below, but perhaps this one.

So here's a recipe for Chocolate Marble cake. But would it be good as pound cake bought while hungry at the grocery store?

Chocolate Marble Cake

For the cake:

• 100 grams (3 1/2 ounces) good-quality bittersweet chocolate
• 4 eggs
• 220 grams (1 cup plus 2 tablespoons) sugar (I use a blond unrefined cane sugar)
• 120 ml (1/2 cup) yogurt or buttermilk, or whipping cream
• 220 grams (7 3/4 ounces, about 1 2/3 cups) flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 120 grams (1/2 cup plus 1 teaspoon) butter, melted and cooled (I use semi-salted, add a good pinch of salt if you use unsalted)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (possibly homemade)
• 1 tablespoon cacao nibs (optional)
  

For the syrup:

• 40 ml (1/6 cup) water
• 1 tablespoon cacao liqueur or liqueur/brandy of your choice (optional)
• 15 grams (1 rounded tablespoon) sugar
  

Makes one loaf.

Preheat the oven to 165°C (330°F); you can use the preheating oven to melt the butter, as described here. Use a little of the melted butter to grease a loaf pan. Mine is 9 x 26 cm (3 1/2 by 10 1/4 inches), but one that's 5 by 9 inches (12.7 x 22.8 cm) would be fine; it just needs to be about 1.6 liters (7 cups) in capacity.

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave, and set aside. Combine the flour with the baking powder and set aside.

Prepare the two batters side by side: in the first mixing bowl, beat 2 of the eggs with half of the sugar. Add in half the yogurt and whisk to combine. In a second mixing bowl, beat the 2 remaining eggs with the rest of the sugar, and whisk in the rest of the yogurt.

Fold half of the flour mixture into the first batter, then incorporate half of the melted butter and the vanilla, without overmixing. Fold the remaining flour mixture into the second batter, then add the rest of the butter and the melted chocolate.

In the prepared pan, pour a third of the vanilla batter. Add in half of the chocolate batter, and sprinkle with half the cacao nibs if using. Add another third of the vanilla batter, then the rest of the chocolate batter. Sprinkle with the remaining cacao nibs, and top with the remaining vanilla batter.

Here is a visual illustration of the layering of the batters (V stands for the vanilla batter, C for the chocolate batter, and dots for the cacao nibs):

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVV
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
VVVVVVVVVVVVVVV
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
VVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.

While the cake bakes, place the syrup ingredients in a small pan over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer, then remove from heat and set aside.

When the cake is baked, use a pastry brush to soak it with the syrup, until you've used it all up. Let rest for 30 minutes, then unmold and let cool on a rack. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.

The End of Christmas

We had another light snowfall here yesterday and the frigid temperatures have returned with a vengeance. Until the weather warms up a little bit, the outdoor lights stay on and up on the house. But I spent much of today putting away the Christmas decorations and taking down the trees. Mrs. BA and I keep a Christmas tree in our bedroom. At the end of its tenure, it goes out the window. Fewer needles to clean up that way.

I promised a "Loot List" so everyone can see what a good person the Brave Astronaut must have been this year. Everyone at the launchpad must have been on the good list this year, because we all did well in the presents department.

The boys got a bevy of gifts from Mrs. BA and I and their aunts, uncles, and grandparents. Perhaps the best gift received by SoBA was the Cozy Coupe. When presented with it on Christmas Eve, he was beside himself with joy. I think he would have slept in it, if we gave him that option. LBA received the Star Wars trilogy on DVD, as he has shown an interest in seeing the movies. We had borrowed a VHS tape of the first movie (by the way, I only recognize Star Wars, the Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi, as the only movies worth watching) from our neighbor (although "he is too old to begin the training" - but "there is another"). This gift dovetailed nicely with a present from his aunt, a semi-official Stormtroopers helmet and blaster gun. He too, might have slept in it, given the opportunity. Both boys also used some Christmas money at FAO Schwarz in New York City, during our trip there after Christmas.

I received several great gifts:

• From Mr. and Mrs. OSG - a T-shirt that reads "The Only Thing We Have to Fear, Is Fear Itself -- and Spiders" For those of you who know me well, it is possibly the best T-shirt ever.
• Several long sleeve T-shirts for sleeping in (and a new pair of sleep pants). It has been rather cold (as I mentioned) and I have been keeping the heat down.
• A Scrabble Page-A-Day Calendar, which has made its way to my desk at work and gives me a break for a few minutes each day. We'll see if it improves my Lexulous games on Facebook (where I'm sure it's your turn, if you're playing a game with me).
• For my birthday a few days before Christmas, I received the new Stephen King book, Under the Dome. The book runs more than 1000 pages and I was sure it would take me months to get through. But it's so good, that I am already on page 375 and reading 20 pages or so a night.
• Mrs. BA and I received a nice popcorn bowl and a six-month Netflix gift subscription, which will be a nice addition to our TV watching in the coming months.
• I received a few sweaters, which will be nice for the same reasons the long-sleeve T-shirts are.
• A few books, including the Onion's Front Pages and Rules for my Unborn Son (signed by the author), the blog of which I found last year and love reading.
• A generous Lowe's Gift Card from my MIL, which may or may not become a new door for the basement.

Mrs. BA and I had a "Gift of the Magi" moment this year. We were in need of a new cooking thermometer (she also needed a new kitchen scale, which she got). I really wanted to get another digital instant read one, but couldn't find one I liked). I found one that was good - and so did she. So we now have two. But still no digital one.

Mrs. BA also looked for a new wallet for me, as I had asked for one. I has some specific ideas as to what I wanted, and she was unable to find one. So I ordered one for myself after Christmas. Like the thermometer, it's not the best one out there, but it will do for now.

So how'd you do? Get everything you want?

So here we are - 2010

It's a new year. 2010. A new decade . . . although Mrs. BA debates that point, but that's a different story. Looking back over my recent posts, I see that I have somewhat neglected Order from Chaos. I have several draft posts which need a little more fleshing out and several Monday recipes ready to go so there has been some content out there. Would you all miss me if I stopped blogging? This would be the point where you go and leave a comment and say yes. Placate me.

I am going to try and be better about my time management this year. My day is fairly well structured in its unstructuredness. The Brave Astronaut clan starts its day with Mrs. BA in the shower and me getting breakfast for LBA and SoBA. On many mornings - and I/we had a conversation with LBA just last night about this - instead of "good morning" from LBA when he pitter-pats into our room in the morning, we often get, "Can I watch a show?" Perhaps LBA's New Years Resolution will be less TV, he just doesn't know it yet. Some mornings we also get a request for "I want Mommy to give me breakfast," meaning I'm in the shower first. But however it shakes out, we all try to be out of the house by 8:00. That's the goal. (Yesterday our day started much earlier, but I'd rather not relive that anytime soon.) Of course, if we are running late and I help Mrs. BA and the boys get on their way and I haven't showered yet, I often fall victim to "The West Wing," which is on Bravo each morning. Though I can time it that I can get my shower done during one of the interminable commercial breaks.

Once at work, I have more than enough to keep me busy. My goal this year is to be more productive and so far I am doing pretty well in that regard. My To Do List is rather lengthy, but I'm working the problems. I would like to say that I plan to build a lunchtime visit to the Fitness Center back into my work day, but for now, that is not in the cards.

The evenings involve getting dinner together for the family, as I am the one who is home first. On some occasions, I can manage to get dinner for the boys together and Mrs. BA and I will forage later after they are in bed. That would be another New Years Resolution, plan and execute more family dinners. It's one of my most favorite times of the day. I like us all sitting around together. LBA is at the age where he has a lot to say and much of it is amusing and I like talking with him about his day. SoBA is close to talking and he has many words and expressions to convey what it is he needs or wants.

Next, the boys get baths (most nights) and then it's off to bed. I often get SoBA, who is the easier of the two to get to bed (it's getting him to stay there all night, but that's a different story), which involves a story or two, perhaps part of a show on TV, and then he willingly goes off to bed. While still in a crib, the big boy bed is coming, I think, this summer. LBA gets a few stories, after a show, and then goes to bed. By this time it is close to 9:00 and there is still a lot to accomplish, let alone things that I (or Mrs. BA) would like to do.

The siren call of the computers often get the best of us and we are often working (or playing on Facebook - in my case) on our laptops, while watching something on TV. However, there are a number of archival projects that I would like to accomplish this year. I have started working on the family archives of late and next up will be a rather extensive project to gain intellectual control of the Brave Astronaut photo collection. Anybody have a scanner I can borrow?

There are of course any number of things that could be accomplished around the house. We have been there a little over two years now and I guess it's time to start dealing with some routine maintenance. I'd like to do a little painting and I would really love a new shed. Spring cleaning may get interesting at the launchpad.

None of the above are excuses for my neglecting the blog. But it is a bit of a declaration as to why I might not be here as much as I would like over the next few months. But don't worry, I won't be far. And there's always recipe Mondays so you know I'm still around. I have a post (still in my head as of today) that I will put out this weekend as Christmas comes to an end at the Brave Astronaut launchpad (watch for the Loot List!) and a number of draft posts, which I mentioned earlier, which I hope to get ready to roll out soon. And then there's all those starred items in my Google Reader . . . why is it that I can't be afflicted with insomnia again?

The Brave Astronaut Christmas / Holiday cards went out late this year. If you were not a recipient of the "official" card this year, please accept my sincere wishes to you and yours that you had a great holiday and that 2010 holds for you nothing but health and happiness.

Eat With Caution

Here's a recipe that is sure to please, but not if you've decided to start a diet for the New Year. Courtesy (as it has been many times before) of Special Cheverly Chef, Scott.

White Cheese & Sausage Pasta
from Culinary in the Desert

I made this for dinner last night. It was good! Gut bomb good! Spicy from the sausage. Ridiculously creamy and gooey from the cheese and bechamel sauce. Stupid Good. I more or less followed the recipe; even though I didn't have it in front of me, so some of the quantities were off and I ad libbed a bit. Added some shredded white cheddar cheese (1/2 cup) as well as the mozzarella and parm.

Instead of using another baking dish, I made sure to boil the pasta in an oven-proof pot. After I drained the pasta, I dumped it back in the pot and poured the sausage/sauce mixture over, stirred and baked. Saved us a little extra clean up. I used a half pound of spicy ground pork sausage, not turkey sausage. I don't think it matters much. But use the spicy if you like some good heat. If not, use regular, but add a little red pepper flake. You want some heat to cut through all the creamy, cheesey goodness.

• 4 cups dry rigatoni or any other short tube-shaped pasta
• 8 ounces hot Italian turkey sausage, casings removed
• 2 TB butter
• 3 TB all-purpose flour
• 2 cups milk
• 3 ounces fresh grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 4 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
  

Preheat oven to 400.

In a large pot of boiling salted water, add pasta and cook according to package directions. Drain.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat, add sausage - cook until browned, stirring to crumble. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.

Add butter to the same skillet and allow to melt over medium heat - whisk in flour and allow to cook, whisking, for a minute or two. Gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Cook, stirring, until thick, about 8 minutes - remove from heat.

In a large bowl, toss together the sauce, cooked sausage Parmesan, crushed red pepper and salt. Scoop the mixture into a 7" x 11" baking dish coated with nonstick spray. Scatter the top with mozzarella. Bake until bubbly and the top is lightly browned, about 20 minutes.

Rot Poast

The Brave Astronaut clan is visiting with family today, possibly celebrating with a trip to NYC. We shared a lovely Christmas dinner with C in DC and her family last Friday, with roast beef and all the trimmings. We did not have Pot Roast. Growing up, Pot Roast made an occasional appearance on the table. On one occasion, my father christened it as Rot Poast. We didn't have it that often after that. I might even give this a try. The recipe comes from the Amateur Gourmet.

Lazy Sunday Pot Roast with Caraway and Green Apples
by John "Doc" Willoughby (& his grandmother)
from "How To Cook Meat"

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbs vegetable oil
• 1 4 to 5 lb boneless cross-rib pot roast or other chuck roast
• 2 medium onions thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup cider vinegar
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 Tbs Caraway seeds
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup fresh marjoram (or 2 Tbs dried)
• 2 to 2 1/2 cups beef stock
• 4 Granny Smith apples quartered, cored and peeled

1. Preheat oven to 300.

2. In a Dutch oven, heat oil on high heat until very hot. Pat meat dry and season with lots of salt and pepper. Brown well, 8 to 10 minutes a side. [Note: this is the MOST important step. This is where all the flavor comes from, so really let it get brown like this, ok? Promise?]

3. Remove meat to a plate. Pour off fat or add as needed so there are appx. 2 Tbs in the Dutch oven. Add onions and saute until translucent, 7 to 9 minutes:

4. Add vinegar, bring to boil, scrape up brown bits. Add the bay leaves, the Caraway seeds, the sugar, and the marjoram. Place the meat back in and add enough beef stock to come up the sides of the meat halfway. Bring to a simmer, skim off fat, cover and put in the oven for 2 hours and 15 minutes.

5. At this point, add the apples to the pot. 15 minutes later, the apples will be done. Remove them from the pot and start checking the meat for doneness. Continue cooking, with lid on, until fork tender--15 to 30 minutes more.

6. When finished, remove meat from the pot, cover with foil, and let it rest ten minutes. Skim fat from the liquid and taste: for more flavor, boil it until it coats a spoon. [I did this, and it makes the sauce taste great.]

7. Slice meat and serve with the apples, the liquid and the onions. Enjoy!