Where's My Damn Assistant?

Raviolis

2011-12-06T15:15:00.000-08:00

Homemade ravioli:

Make the dough:
3C/375g Flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Eggs
1/4C/50ml olive oil
1/2C/120ml water
Flour for dusting

In a medium size mixing bowl, crack eggs and beat with a fork. Add water, oil and salt and mix together.
Add 1 cup of flour blend with fork until mixed. Repeat mixing in one cup of flour at a time. Knead together until the dough is firm but not sticky. Dust large surface with flour to roll out your dough with a rolling pin. Roll pasta dough until thin and translucent. Dust lightly with flour. Use the ravioli maker or press as a template to cut out strips for both the top and bottom of ravioli. You should get 4 rectangular strips each about 12" x 4".

Make ravioli's and fill what ever your little heart desires but here is a suggestion:

Images were made using a mixture of equal parts: 1/2 cup of ricotta cheese, 3 cheese Italian, cheddar cheese and sausage. Mix in 2 eggs, salt and pepper to taste. After ravioli's are cooked, top with marinara sauce and parmesean cheese. Try variations of fillings including meats, pumpkin, squash, pesto, artichoke hearts, spinach, and mushrooms.

1. Place one strip of dough over the frame.
2. Press dough into frame with the indented tray.
3. Fill pouches as desired. Place a second strip of pasta dough over strip with filling and press strips together with your fingers.
4. Seal by running a rolling pin over the top of the dough covered frame, gently at first and then increase pressure until the zig-zag edges of the frame are visible through the pasta.
5. Remove ravioli from frame by tapping on counter.
6. Trim out squares using a ravioli wheel or knife.
Remove excess dough and re-roll. Repeat procedure until dough and filling are used.
Place ravioli on a heavily floured cookie sheet and let dry for 1 hour.
Turn over and let dry another hour. (Ravioli may be frozen at this point). Thaw before cooking. Cook ravioli 8 minutes or until tender (cooking time will vary with thickness of dough). Drain. Serve with tomato sauce or sage butter sauce depending on your filling.

Really nothing to it, if a lazy sod like me can do it, you can to. Now Pierogies that's a whole other story I'll fill you in next week.

Tales of a Female Nomad

2009-09-15T22:55:00.000-07:00

If you have ever wanted to chuck it all and just take off with a back pack this would be a great book to read before making the decision to go. If your not brave enough to do it you can live through the author Rita Golden Gelman's words. Descriptive and well written without being preachy. What I really liked about her writing was her honesty about herself and mistakes or rather missed steps along the way. She describes going into other cultures as an observer, not a judge, or with intentions of changing anything about them. This book successfully does the same. Presents the situations as she sees them. Loved the chapter that starts off with her getting into shape, visualizing her lean new body and then "oh no, sorry didn't do any of that". Working out that is! You mean I'm not the only one that does that and doesn't follow through! If you do decide to take off remember I think Rita is blessed and very lucky in the friendships she made along the way.

Or how about a random reading challenge

2009-09-09T21:10:00.000-07:00

http://www.caribousmom.com/2009/07/22/random-reading-challenge/
I will use my books listed as lay in wait. I have numbered them and I'm off to random.org to see what's next. How cool is that!
And the first book up is #5 The Lace Reader!

Book Reading Challenge

2009-09-09T20:31:00.000-07:00

Between now and end of year 2009 read 5 books, your choice in the following (my choices, so far, subject to change on a whim):
1. A book featuring and animal
(From Baghdad, With Love: A Marine, the War, and a Dog Named Lava)
2. An adult fantasy book (The Name of The Wind)
3. A young adult or juvenile fiction (Forest of Hands and Teeth)
4. A non fiction book on an obscure topic (Collapse) Fall of Society's. I saw Jared Diamond on a talk show and was enthralled couldn't get enough and wish the interview was longer so I'm looking forward to reading this and I've been putting it off (don't know why) for too long!
5. A book about plants, garden or food....not sure yet but I'm sure it will be about food!!!

http://dogeardiary.blogspot.com/2009/07/dogear-reading-challenge.html

God, Guns and Rock-n-Roll, Ted Nugent

2009-09-06T23:55:00.000-07:00

I wish I could have a sense of humor about these types of books but there is always going to be the left and the right and when both sides have spokes persons who take their arguments to the extreme no wonder nothing gets accomplished. I actually wanted to throw this book out the window (unfortunately someone lent it to me) and not because I'm anti-gun or liberal. My real disgust came with his remark that "Joe Perry came out for an afternoon ballistic celebration as we successfully made up for our failure to be a part of WWII or other official global shootouts". Really? He's not trying to put himself in the same category as those man and woman who have defended our freedom is he? With an afternoon of target practice? His good points on family and learning to use guns correctly and our right to bare arms gets lost long lists of ammo and his repeated statement of "what do I know I'm just a guitar player?" He calls victims of tragic crimes "whimps" for not fighting back... did he miss out on the basic principles of humanity - to protect those who can't help themselves. Compassion? Thank God not everyone in the world is like you Ted. Don't waste your time reading this it's nothing you haven't heard before and what you haven't heard is just Ted bragging which may have had more weight if he didn't dodge the draft. Its got nothing to do with God or Rock-n-Roll mostly its just a long list of weaponry, ammo and name dropping.

Crazy Horse And Custer

2009-09-06T23:42:00.001-07:00

An epic of a book comparing the parallel lives of the two men. Stephan E. Ambrose does a great job not getting diverted in the various directions his subjects could have taken him on. Keeps a clear path to when the two warriors actually meet. I really enjoyed this history lesson and feel the author did great research and kept his opinions to a minimum letting the actions of the characters speak for themselves. Lots of references included to keep one busy for a long time in studying this period of time. I'm branching of to read some more about the journalist Henry M. Stanley who made an appearance on the plains.

Seeing Redd

2009-08-23T13:18:00.000-07:00

I'm half way through this book and now it's safe to say I think "The Looking Glass Wars" has run its course with me...I'm ready to move on to something else. I hate to leave anything unfinished though so I will finish it. Hopefully today. It's not that it's bad...it's ok...I've liked parts of it...I just can't take much more of the sound effects. Kerboosh! what the heck is that? If the first book didn't have enough I think this second book is saturated. Or actually maybe it's just like when you buy a new red car, all of a sudden you notice all the other red cars. Clunk! Clung! Clang! Fthap!
Did finish it and to be honest the last third was pretty good, enjoyable, light reading.
Isn't the artwork fantastic though? But I'm confused... Credits say:
Cover Design: Christian Funfhausen (this guy just said..."put the title here, center the logo, put red in the middle right?)
Cover Art: Vance Kovacs (is this the guy that actually painted the great portrait of Redd?)
Logo Design: Christina Craemer (she designed the logo with the diamonds and clubs right?)
and they copyright goes to......

The Looking Glass Wars

2009-08-19T20:41:00.001-07:00

The subtitle to this book caught my eye "Fantasy just declared war on reality." How could I pass it up? I enjoyed this book and I'm not a huge fan of the classic "Alice in Wonderland" so if you don't like it when people mess around with the classic's this may not be for you. Personally I loved the characters redone in a brilliant new way. Fantasy game players will love it, I think. The artwork is fantastic. I've heard a movie is coming so along with Tim Burton's remake, just like we went through a series of pirate themes, we'll have a year of Alyss and Alice. All the classic characters are here but with a new twist. My only dislike is when writers pronounce sound noises. Then I start to feel like I'm reading a preschool book. Ok yes, this was in the young adult section but I think even "young adults" would give you a scowling look of utter contempt if you did this to them. Like I said I made the mistake of entering the http://www.cardsoldierwars.com website and if you don't have ooodels of time to devote to this game don't do it. The work the developers have put into the cardsoldierwars.com is amazing especially considering you play for free. From what I understand it's not complete yet - still more to come. There is no shortage of very helpful gamers on the site to help you along (tell "RedKnight", Mishski says hello) and being as in depth as it is you'll need it. I'm going to wean myself off while I continue on to read the sequel "Seeing Redd" it's just taking up way to much time. I just want to get inside a portal...
Oh yeah back to the book...it's an easy read, quick, no complex words you'll need a dictionary for. The writing is more like a quick screenplay. Just a little light entertainment with a dark twist and lots of Pop! Zzzz! and Krrrrrkkkkchsss! Hissszzzzll! Krrrch! Zzzzssszz! Enough already please just say "crackled and smoldered".

Made a mistake

2009-08-12T18:02:00.000-07:00

Reading "The Looking Glass Wars" and made the mistake of logging in to their interactive website noted in the back of the book. http://www.cardsoldierwars.com (Yes, I looked at the back pages before I got there.) Will review all later but right now I'm busy collecting loot, shards, comics and maps! Made friends with a sixteen year old game player. This might not be legal given my "natural highlights" age.

If you had to recommend just one book....

2009-08-05T21:55:00.000-07:00

A friend lent me her pride and joy James Irving's "A Prayer for Owen Meany" as she said her favorite book of all time. This got me to wondering...of all the countless books I've read...some memorable...some...well? I'm sorry can't remember them...if you had to recommend one book to someone as a must read. What book would it be?

For me its "Alive" by Piers Paul Read. I read this book back when I was in the sixth grade. I think of it as my graduating book from the young adult section to adult section of the book store. "Alive" got me forever hooked on reading. Period. Thirty years later I still think about it. Have never forgotten it. A book about cannibalism? No for me it wasn't about that at all. The fact that it was a true story of survivors, a rugby team, friends and families, after a plane crash in the Andes with human spirit and endurance I couldn't even imagine made a huge impact on my young mind. If your not a reader the movie didn't disappoint and actually followed the book closely and intensely. Including the actual crash at the beginning. A must read that I think will leave you wondering what choices you would make given the same situation.

Green City In The Sun

2009-08-05T20:21:00.000-07:00

I've read a lot of reviews saying this book reminded people of "The Poisonwood Bible" but for me it felt and reminded me of "Gone With the Wind" in an African setting. Spread of three generations from the 1920's to the early 60's. Beginning with the settlement of a British family in Kenya. Mix in a medicine woman, lots of tragedies, the Kenya landscape is a character in itself and a bit of history to boot. The Mau Mau uprising really caught my attention. Great characters too! When I say great characters I mean they come with their flaws fully intact! Its a long story but with something always happening it keeps you going. Now I'm looking to a quick read. I do this usually after a long epic story. I picked up "The Looking Glass Wars" and I'm only on page 104 and I've already gone and picked up the next book in the series "Seeing Redd" so you know it's probably going to be a good review!

Self Appointed Policeman of the Condo Unit

2009-07-22T00:18:00.000-07:00

It never fails. I lived in apartments for years now I'm in a condominium complex and there is always one creepy old guy (maybe there are women too, but for me its been strings of old men) in these places who decides to appoint himself the king, policeman, security patrol, ambassador of the whole place. And he's EVERYWHERE. At all times of the day. It's almost 1 o'clock in the morning and I bet if I take my garbage out there he'll be there - lurking around the corner. Waiting to pop out.

"Good evening, taking the garbage out?"
"No I'm taking it back in now that I get past you"

I told my friend at the last place I lived at "sometimes I look out the door to see if the coast is clear before I step out"
Even when I think it is, I get half way across the parking lot and pop there he is.

"Morning, going out on this beautiful day are you?"
"No going back home now" somehow leaving my home empty knowing your lurking around just doesn't feel right.

I can see why people become agoraphobic.
What is with these guys? Its freaking me out!

Doomsday Book, Connie Willis

2009-07-21T21:01:00.000-07:00

I love, love, love a bit of fiction with history and Doomsday Book with time travel from the twentieth century to 1348 The Middle Ages, the time of the black plague, sounded right up my alley. Bells ring you in and out of the changes from past to present and it takes a good author to pull this off because by the end of the book I wanted to yell "Someone shut off the damn bells!". Really enjoyed this book and when it really got going around the middle I stayed up way past my bedtime reading. You know...just one more chapter. Great characters. At times I got frustrated with the colleagues, educated no less, who just don't cooperate and thought that was a little far fetched until I remembered my own work place. In a future that was able to time travel they seemed a little behind the times on the communications/electronics side but then when I thought about it Connie Willis released this in 1992 and even then I don't think we ever thought everyone in 10 years would be walking around with phone stuck to their ears. I think not having all the future gadgetry elaborated on allowed the human spirit to shine through. Which it does. I have a feeling I will be thinking about this book for a long while!

Cook Yourself Thin

2009-07-20T18:07:00.000-07:00

So far I'm loving this cookbook. Even if you have a library of cookbooks add this one to it. Everything I have made so far has been delicious. The Portobello Mushroom Benedict, Quiche and Turkey Mini Meatloaves are favorites! I'm just a home cook too - no professional classes here - so they are quite easy to accomplish. I have to admit my Mushroom Benedict doesn't look as great as their photo in the book but heck it still tasted great! The photography in the book is beautiful! I can't imagine buying a cookbook without color photos! There is an excellent Calorie Swap Chart and its not recommending you swap a bar of Chocolate for a piece of celery but rather a Chocolate/Cranberry Biscotti they give you the recipe for. Or instead of French Fries see their recipe for Sweet Potato Fries. Instead of a Mojito a Seabreeze. I can do that. Realistic right?
Also includes things to keep in your pantry guide which will come in handy at the grocery store when I walk around in circles, clueless with so many choices. Calories burned activity chart and calorie count chart. Not that you haven't seen this before but I like its all included in the book, in one place, with did I mention some fantastic recipes with the servings/calories listed. I haven't made one recipe yet that tasted like diet food or that I would not make again and for friends and family.
If I don't drop a dress size like they say it won't be their fault!

In Between Eating and Reading

2009-07-19T14:28:00.000-07:00

In Between Eating and Reading you discover your toilet has a small leak. Here is my instructions after struggling for half a Saturday night. I am in no way a plumber or a do it yourself kinda gal but with a limited budget you have no choice but to roll up your sleeves and give it a shot. This in now way is a how to or a fix all for your problems but just a few tips that may help. Tips that were not included in the instructions I got from the internet or the back of the screw and gasket packet at Home Depot. My leak was coming from the back bolt that screws the water tank to the toilet. Internet solution the gaskets are blown. Remove tank replace screws and gaskets.
Since two bolts were dry I determined I would not remove the whole tank and just the one leaky bolt and gasket. You may want to call a friend for this.
1.Flush tank and turn off water at wall so that the tank does not fill again. Water will still remain in the tank. After trying to get it all out with a sponge as they recommend I decided to unscrew the bolt and hold a mason jar to collect the fast draining water. Be prepared to sacrifice a few towels. Four on my last count.
2. Remove old bolt and gasket by putting one hand down into the tank with a flat head screwdriver to hold the screw in place will you use the other hand to go under the tank and unscrew bolt with pliers. Are you picturing this?
3.Follow the instructions to put the new bolt in. The bolts in the package are not put together the way they are supposed to be applied to the said toilet. Diagram on the back should be. Bolt, Washer, gasket (gasket always against the porcelain), thread down to connect to toilet. I found warming up the gasket so it formed to the bowl helped create a better seal. They are stiff when they come out of the packet and leaked worse the first time around. Yes this is the edited version of 3 hours, 4 tries later.
5. Put on the gasket, washer, nut underside. Once again hold down the bolt on inside the tank with flat end screwdriver and wrap other hand around under tank tighten the bolt on with pliers.
6. Holding down the screw on the inside of tank stops you from screwing the bolt from the top into the nut which could warp your gasket.
7. Turn water back on and hope for the best, check for leaks, and take about a week to get your water pressure just right.
Back to my book!

Recipe review

2009-07-19T14:19:00.000-07:00

Ok I'm hooked. First recipe I tried from Cook Yourself Thin was a success. Smash hit. I think the potato crust they recommend far exceeds any pastry crust you could make. So if it makes this lighter I'm all for it! Hard to believe it does, but there you go, that is what they claim. I did however use an extra egg and cut the skim milk back from 1 cup to 1/2 cup. That may throw their 210 calorie count off a little but hopefully not by much. This does hold up well in the fridge though and great for taking to work for lunch. The hard part about eating right for me...is stopping at one piece when it tastes this good!

Trying to find the right diet

2009-07-19T12:23:00.000-07:00

Over the past 5 years I've tried several ways of losing weight.
Nutrisystem: $400 later and five years later I still have packets of pancake mix I will probably never use. Just can't seem to wrap my head around 3 square meals and snacks. I like food but I hate schedules.
No carb diet: Useless when carbs are my favorite foods, I don't think complete deprivation is the answer.
Eat one day, fast the next. Don't think I have to explain why this isn't working for me.
Working three jobs. Now this worked but after 10 months I was exhausted, nerves frayed, bordering on a breakdown but I was slim! After going back to the normal life of one job gained all the weight back plus some more in about 1 month. AHHHHH.
Working out more. It never fails I get bored! Burnt out and look to my couch and a good book for comfort. So I will review some books here for you.
Beading. Yes beading. I thought maybe this would replace my need for my hands to dip into a bag of potato chips. But instead I find myself taking breaks to snack.
Walking journal. This seemed to be working for about a week until I seem to get in my typical lazy funk and now the journal is sitting under my side table and hasn't updated because there is nothing to update. Maybe this will replace it!
Now I have purchased the Cook Yourself Thin cookbook. Review to come. Oh please help me!
I know I have to exercise, wish me luck.