Ok, what are we doing today.

Patrick and I are working

I'm grading exams, then going to feed critters, then grading more exams, then going out to a great little Mexican restaurant for dinner with friends.

It's my first Saturday off in a couple months, so it's finish the garden day. Then, in about two weeks, I can plant them all in an hour. Upon return from Bonaire I'll have three foot tall tomatoes.

I'm heading out the door to the gym.
Then rousing Guy outta bed when I get home - the Botanic Gardens is having it's annual Spring plant sale starting today ---- WooHoo!!!
THEN.... we're going to buy tickets to see Crosby, Stills, Nash in June
THEN.... we're coming home to hang with the kids and play in the yard

the bad weather the experts called for never really materialized - just a lot of wind (hence the necessary yardwork) - hopefully that will hold true for the rest of the day.

The sunrise has been really nice - not a cloud in the sky.

I have just gotten downtown and am officially on the clock!! I was 15 mins. late, my boss is gonna be mmmmmmad!!! Oh well....
I'm ready for a day of fun and excitement!! C'mon Retail Gods, bring it on!!

Good luck P.S.

Tara, when you are ready to start your fish-fry, let me know.

Less than 45 mins. and cha-ching!! So far, so good!!
There's an art show in town, but not downtown. I don't know if this will help or hinder my day.

Keep it up P.S. Retail is a bit@*.

I brought work home to do this weekend. Does that count? I have to type up three long quality audits, and verify a long list of tag#'s vs lot #'s that a vendor appears to have messed up. sigh. Very boring .. but won't get it done if I try to do it all at work, too many immediate have to dos that get in the way at work. hmmmmmmm June 28th June 28th June 28th helps to keep me sane :-)

Denise, you are in the correct mind set.
6/28............

Just back from the gym and putting together a grocery list.
I've got fennel and leeks already..... what to put with it????

PS- keeping fingers and toes crossed for a good $$ day - you too Jerry.
Denise - I hope you can take your work out to a garden patio or someplace nice to type

Just for you Tara.

SNAPPER FILLETS PROVENCAL STYLE

2 tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. finely chopped garlic
1 c. finely chopped garlic
1 c. finely chopped leeks
2 c. peeled & chopped fresh plum tomatoes
1/2 c. chopped fennel
1 tsp. turmeric
Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste
1/2 c. dry white wine
1/2 c. fish broth or bottled clam juice
1 bay leaf
4 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 tsp. dried
1/8 tsp. Tabasco
4 snapper fillets with skin on (about 6 oz. each)
2 tbsp. Ricard or anise-flavored liquor
2 tbsp. fresh basil or parsley, chopped

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a saucepan and add the garlic, leeks, tomatoes, fennel and turmeric. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, over medium heat about 3 minutes. Add the wine, broth, bay leaf, thyme and Tabasco. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
2. In a large skillet add the remaining tablespoon of oil, arrange the fillets of fish in one layer. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the leek-tomato mixture evenly over the fish fillets. Sprinkle the Ricard, cover and simmer for about 5 minutes or until cooked. Sprinkle with basil and discard bay leaf before serving. Yield 4 servings.


SAFFRON RICE:

1 tbsp. olive oil
1/4 c. finely chopped onions
1 tsp. finely chopped garlic
1 c. converted rice or parboiled rice
1/4 c. almond slivers
1/2 tsp. saffron stems
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 c. water
Salt & freshly ground white pepper to taste

1. Heat the oil in a saucepan and add the onions and garlic. Cook, stirring, until the onions are wilted. Add the rice, almonds, saffron, thyme, bay leaf, water, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, stirring. Cover tightly and simmer for 17 minutes.
2. Discard the thyme and bay leaf. With a fork toss the rice lightly. Keep the rice covered in a warm place until it is served. Yields 4 servings.

I can smell it from here!

MMMMMmmmmm. Fish for dinner tonight!!!

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, its DOG DAY here, I'm taking the four-legged hairball up in the Hills to see if the ice is off the lake yet.

As soon as I get the laundry, dishes and vaccummin' done.

Our lake is no longer hard!

Didn't mean to go awol, just took the little Ms. for a quick walk around the circle. If only her body could keep up with her attitude!!

Jerry, you've got me with everything but the fish... remember I'm learning to like fish....
doing the skin on thing is way outside of my comfort box What if I didn't have the skin on???? This definitely sounds like the perfect dinner for tonight - and cooking outside to tease the neighbors with the aroma

btw- thanks for the input!!!

One can remove the skin after cooking.
Hell, have Guy do it for you!

Okay Jerry I'm a gonna do it!!! Thanks for the recipe and push!!!

Off to the fish-mongers
Have a great day everyone!

Good luck!

Hey I see I have to post a bit today even though I am busy working that darn Jerry is right on my tail!!

Ohhh Hi Jerry dear

96 to go dear lady.

I just spoke with Tom and he said BTS is really crowded today.. and apparently lat night his room was moved to the underpass of Rt 3 NJ he wondered how that Happened.. I told him it was just him used to the woods..

Tom likes trees.
(94)

Looks like we've got a horse race!

So... the fish recipe has both:

2 tsp of finely chopped garlic
and then
1 CUP of finely chopped garlic?

I'd be ok with that, but Tedward is one of those people who's skin breaks out in flames when he gets close to garlic (or into bright sunlight).

I've never made a dish with an entire cup of garlic before. Are you sure this isn't a typo??

Yep, I was working too!! down in a cellar, and the weather was lovely outside

but nothing better than relaxing & watching the BT webcams to de-stress

Hmm let us know how yummy your fish dish was Tara it reads very yummy

Umm yes mz I hope that is a typo with the cup of garlic

Thanks for picking up on that.

Should be 1/4 c.

I tipeing may not be much goods.

(Message edited by bonaire9 on March 29, 2008)

Well, let me tell ya. I got up at 7:00, enjoyed the dawn, had coffee and then had to hop in the shower for a Dr. appt at 8:30 - just a blood draw and a weight check and BP check. Which, I'm 150, which is well below the average range for my height so I felt good, and my BP was 120/78, so I'm glad. And I'm glad the tech could find a useable vein in my left arm, and she drew 6 vials. My doc wants to REALLY know how I'm doing all the time. He did put me on b12 shots, gotta give myself one as a matter of fact. I don't jab, I just hold it tight till it breaks thru. I can do shots. I'm slightly anemic. Don't know why, but it could be because of many things.

Then off right after to the commissary, takes 2 carts. Got home about 1:30, put it all up, cleaned everything up, vacuumed, fluffed all the pillows and made the bed, and it's now 3:49.

My work on Saturday is home work and self work.

Now, I have 3 trips to book. It's Okay. Quite a few hours till sunset or time to cook.

And the wine is just waiting on me.

Me go homme now, byby.
(92)

If someone has Tara's home phone, PLEASE call her and inform her that it's 1/4 cup, not 1 cup.

I thank you.

(91)

bye Jerry, cya tomorrow... after work !!

I've sent Tara an e-mail too, maybe she has a tone that sounds when new e-mails are received!

Phew Kathy, your day was definitely more intense than mine.

Enjoy the wine

(90)

Yipppeeeeeeeeee I am done the work I took home. So boring, glad it is done. We have a big quality audit for our certification coming up in early May and I am swamped with fixing things in our system that people just let fall between the cracks. They don't do their jobs and suddenly I get 'volunteered' to clean it all up. ha! Oh well, that's why I get paid I guess. Sunny sunny day out there, reflecting off the slowly melting snow.

Can't wait to get out there for fresh air.

I want to be with everybody tomorrow at the dive show :-( But I just couldn't convince Teddy to drive 5 hrs each way.

You can tell I am happy I am finished my work - suddenly so chatty !

I just called her cell phone, and left a message...hopefully she'll check that!! Maybe they REALLY like garlic & won't notice!!LOL

Hi everyone, sounds like good times all around, and I missed the karaoke! Shameful

oh...
(504)

nope,
(505) LOL

Hm. I just googled "Snapper Fillets Provencal Style" and came up with 1 CUP GARLIC, just as originally written.

Poor Tedward.

I just checked as well, 1 c is correct. I made that dish some time last fall, and I made a note that it was garlic overkill!!!!! I have not made that dish using less yet. But I will as even with a garlic kick it was very good.

You all are just great!!! What a family we have here... all the worry about my over-dosing on garlic

The day didn't go exactly as planned... never made it to the Botanic Gardens but we had such a nice time. Guy wanted to hit the book store first so downtown we went. It had been a while since we wandered State Street and we just enjoyed the day. Then we ran into friends and had a few margaritas and hefferwiezen. It was my friend who just got the good news about her tumor ~ she is one of 8 Italian children and a lot of her family was in town to celebrate a bday (15 in staying in one house and many others scattered about town). Anyway, when the Campanelli's get together it's a party in itself - they are such a hoot. After that we hit the fish market to snap up the snapper and headed home.
I wondered about the garlic too so I consulted the Goddess (Ms. Julia C) and she said (in my best JC voice) "Provencal always means with tomatoes, garlic and olive oil..." I only had one head of garlic though and wasn't up to going back out.... it came out to just over 1/2C I'd say.
Bottom line - the dish was wonderful! Oh but! I tried two places and both only had filets without the skin. I should have gone down to the Saturday Morning Harbor Market --- get it straight off the boats. Next weekend I'll do that It was really great, especially considering how late it was when we finally ate but neither of us felt badly.

Thanks for all of your help! My first venture into Fishdom was a success and now I am ready to try more.

Good for you Tara.

Next we do Monkey brains with Jellow.

HaHa!!! I think we'll have to save that one for a personal lesson from you!! Name the date and I'll set up the outdoor kitchen

Tara, some day

Big thing with fish is not to over cook. It's so easy to over cook.