Friday, February 29, 2008

Taking up space

Because how often can one post on a leap year?
I do have a friend that looks a bit older than I that turned 12 this year! Happy birthday Steve.
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Thursday, February 28, 2008

Another reason why I <3 the internets

People like Laylita have a blog!

One thing that being able to say from an Anthropological perspective is that when one moves to a different country and has to acculturate that the hardest change is the food. The new country often doesn't have the same fruits or vegetables, the cheeses are different... and you miss those tastes from another place, a place where one was comfortable... well, they linger in the mind, thankfully giving plenty of happy memories. Needless to say, growing up in Ecuador and going to University there provided me with a well rounded appreciation for Ecuadorian food!

I am so in love with her blog, it features tastes and colors and I think it may be the presentation of the plates she photographs so beautifully... but I am thrilled that I have access to both the English and Spanish version (as at my first glance noticed they are slightly different).

Thank you Laylita, it is a treasure to see recipes to some things I never prepared, variations on things I did (but in a different way) and the knowledge that I can get naranjilla somewhere, if I look hard enough (I miss juice made from that and tomate de arbol).
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Wednesday, February 27, 2008

FFOF #19

I managed to do it again!

#1. Do you ever use scissors to cut any foods? Which? Raw or cooked?

Yes; meats, cherry tomatoes, something else I am sure; raw AND cooked but I would wash them well in between.

#2. Popcorn. Homemade, microwave, bagged, hot, cold. How do you like it?

Homemade, hot with salt and real butter or cold in a bowl of milk

#3. Sushi. Love it or hate it?

I like it.

#4. Share a dessert recipe.

My favorite flan.

1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup water
1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
6 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 tbsp cornstarch
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Caramel:
Combine sugar and water in a saucepan, cook over low heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Increase heat to medium-high and boil(no stirring), until caramel is a medium brown color. Pour the caramel into mold.
Flan:
Combine the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, cream cheese, 2 tbsp. sugar, cornstarch, eggs and vanilla until smooth. Put into the mold. Place in a large roasting pan. Pour HOT water in the roasting pan until it is about 1 inch deep. Bake for 1 hour or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Allow to cool for about 30 minutes. Chill for several hours or overnight.

To unmold you can 1) run a sharp knife around the rims and gently shake to loosen or 2) place in a bath of hot water for a few seconds until sides loosen. Invert onto a plate.
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video post test

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Gratuitous Squink posting.

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Today

I am tired.
The kind of tired that happens after you cry real long and hard.
Not sure why.
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Saturday, February 23, 2008

I am a bit tired after helping give away almost 40 free mammograms to women who are uninsured or underinsured.


365/39 - after helping give away almost 40 free mammograms to women who are uninsured or underinsured., originally uploaded by Blair Necessities.

But it is a good tired.

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Thursday, February 21, 2008

365/37 - feeling a little like the Mona Lisa


365/37 - feeling a little like the Mona Lisa, originally uploaded by Blair Necessities.

if she were sick and on some strong medications for cough, alive in the current era, had her in-laws living with her, a cute little boy... and were a goofy white hispanic girl that likes to pretend to play "insert official title here" on TV.
Oh, and she approves this message.

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Monday, February 18, 2008

because I am a follower

a) Pick up the nearest book of 123 pages or more.

b) Find page 123.

c) Find the first 5 sentences and read them.

d) Post the next 3 sentences.

Light colored the sky and her body was as a dough of constantly changing tints. She took me. My body quivered as though feverish, then I fell.
Depending on how one counts sentences I could also add this very next one:

And it was a very long way.

Little Mountain by Elias Khoury - the latest in my quest to read myself around the world.

This book was a surprise, I have not read much literature from Arabic or Middle Eastern authors... the foreword was educational and very helpful in reading the novel and being able to understand some of the form in at least a cultural context.

This managed to get the sexiest part of the book, the rest is about the horrors in Beirut in the late 60's and 70's from the point of view of a fighter, a civil servant and an intellectual (he narrates the above section).

I am now looking for the next country... any ideas?
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Saturday, February 16, 2008

another FFOF

Because, if I don't do this now, I never will.

FFOF questions #18

#1. Steak. Plain, steak sauce, hot sauce, ketchup or something else?

Plain, with salt and pepper.

#2. Water. Flavored, plain, carbonated. How do you like it?

Plain, cold and lots of ice.

#3. What’s your favorite kind of waffle?

I like plain waffles, with butter and corn syrup poured on top

#4. If you could have any one new small appliance for your kitchen what would it be and why?

I think I would like a food saver, because I just like the idea of them.
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FFOF

The other responses are up, I do have to say that as I read the list I thought; "I like that too, and that one, and that sounds yummy...".
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Sunday, February 10, 2008

so, where did I miss this?

My non-existent parenting handbook failed to inform me that a three year old can get night terrors... it has been a surprise, each and every time.
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Saturday, February 09, 2008

Four Foods on Friday #17 questions with my answers

#1. What’s your favorite potato chip?

Salt and vinegar

#2. Do you use butter, margarine, both or neither?

both, prefer butter.

#3. What’s your favorite mixed alcoholic (or virgin) drink?

amaretto sour

#4. What’s your favorite vegetable and how do you prepare it?

I like broccoli; lightly steamed (still a bit crunchy) with butter (not margarine) and/or edamame in the pod with sea salt.
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Tuesday, February 05, 2008

A very special gift


365/21 - a very special gift, originally uploaded by Blair Necessities.

My husband is not a citizen (yes, he is legally here), in order to open a dialog about American politics I offered him my vote... I would vote his choice.
It was a tough thing for me, I have never missed an election, and in a way I feel like I missed this one... in the end however, he chose a primary candidate I could live with.
I am honored that he took it so seriously, that it was something we talked about and thought about. In some ways, giving him this little thing that he could not yet do, brought us closer together.
I have respected the American right to vote since before my very first election (which was way back in 80's).
I gave him my sticker. I am thrilled he wears it proudly.

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Monday, February 04, 2008

Reading around the world in 8 or so years

So, I have decided to join Tonya in her quest to read herself around the world.

So, here is my list (I have read a few from her "already read" list, so in order to facilitate things, I copied that from her):

Ecuador - Living Poor

Austria - A Death In Vienna

Ireland - Angela's Ashes and The Celtic Riddle

Russia - A Day in the life of Ivan Denisovich

The United States - As I Lay Dying or Angle of Repose

China - Snow Flower and the Secret Fan

Australia - Mutant Message Down Under

Republic of Lebanon - Little Mountain

Brazil - A Death in Brazil: A Book of Omissions


Have a great suggestion or two? Leave a comment!

The working list of countries (from wikipedia):

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

  • Flag of Haiti Haiti – Republic of Haiti
  • Flag of Honduras Honduras – Republic of Honduras
  • Flag of Hong Kong Hong Kong – Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (Area of special sovereignty)
  • Flag of Hungary Hungary – Republic of Hungary

I

J

K

L

  • Flag of Laos Laos – Lao People's Democratic Republic
  • Flag of Latvia Latvia – Republic of Latvia
  • Flag of Lesotho Lesotho – Kingdom of Lesotho
  • Flag of Liberia Liberia – Republic of Liberia
  • Flag of Libya Libya – Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
  • Flag of Liechtenstein Liechtenstein – Principality of Liechtenstein
  • Flag of Lithuania Lithuania – Republic of Lithuania
  • Flag of Luxembourg Luxembourg – Grand Duchy of Luxembourg

M

N

O

  • Flag of Oman Oman – Sultanate of Oman

P

Q

  • Flag of Qatar Qatar – State of Qatar

R

S

T

U

V

W

Y

  • Flag of Yemen Yemen – Republic of Yemen

Z

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