Ingredients
Focaccia Bread, sliced lengthwise
Sliced turkey
Mayo
Dill seed
Roasted red peppers
Artichoke hearts, from a jar
Cheese, any kind including parmesean
Tools
Pizza stone
Steps
Open up the bread so you have your two slices to work with.
Spread a thin layer of mayo on the inside surfaces of the sandwich. I don't like mayo, but in my experiments with sammys I've found that these, especially when toasted, need that little something extra. Plus, the herbs stick better to mayo than the bread alone.
Sprinkle the dill lightly on the mayo.
Pile on a turkey slice, a roasted red pepper, artichoke hearts, with cheese on top (for maximum meltage).
Place on pizza stone in preheated oven at 300-350 until the cheese is melted, 5+ minutes depending on your oven.
Remove from oven and eat. Serve with a dill pickle.
You could also toast this in a toaster oven, or lightly butter the outsides of the bread and grill it on a griddle. I used my pizza stone because it is one of my favorite kitchen tools.
Read the previous entry for sloppy sap (e:kara,51)
Kara's Journal
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03/30/2006 18:07 #24963
Kara's Turkey Dill SandwichCategory: food
03/30/2006 08:26 #24962
Sloppy SapCategory: food
J came up with the name, and we won't know the results for another few weeks. As with any alcoholic beverage, this recipe is intended for use and consumption by those of legal drinking age. There's my disclaimer, obey as you will. Currently, we have 2 buckets of the sloppy sap and 1 gallon of hard cider fermenting, 3 6-packs of hard cider bottled and aging, and I can't even guess how many bottles of stout, ale and cider are downstairs.
Brewing is an art. I'd recommend starting with something cheaper, like apple juice for hard cider. The initial equipment costs can be a little steep, especially if you buy the ready-made kits. Niagara Traditions Home Brew
has a great selection of equipment and supplies, with knowledgable staff.
Ingredients
5 gallons of maple sap that has been put through a reverse osmosis machine.
[This part confuses me, but basically, the sap we used is 6-7% sugar; what comes out of a tree is 1-2%. You can figure this out using a hydrometer. If you've done any brewing, you know what this means. As a reference, Grade A maple syrup is 65% sugar; that's a lot of boiling.] Our source was Wendell's, down near Springville. If you called around to local maple places south of the southtowns, you could probably find a supplier.
Liquid yeast, available from brew supply stores - enough for the 5 gallons. This needs to come to room temperature before being used. The one I used had 40-60 BILLION yeast cells!
Tools
Bleach (for sterilizing equipment)
A bucket with lid that seals tightly, with hole in the top for the airlock; preferably, this bucket will have a spigot, for easy bottling once the fermentation process has finished.
Towels, for when you spill.
A bathtub or super-giant bucket.
A large spoon (for stirring).
Rubber gloves
Steps
Sterilize the equipment with a light bleach solution - this means all of it - gloves, spoons, and the bathtub. Using a bathtub is the absolute easiest way to do it. A kitchen sink just doesn't have enough space.
From there, dump the maple sap *carefully* into the bucket. Reserve a few cup's worth.
Make sure the yeast is at room temperature, following the package's directions.
Rinse out the bag with some of the reserved sap, so that you get as much of the yeast as possible.
Stir the whole mixture with the spoon. Add the top to the bucket (with the airlock). Leave it sit for . . . awhile. We're going to try it after a week to see if any additional sugar needs to be added.
Leave questions in the comments; I'll have to forward them on to the expert.
Brewing is an art. I'd recommend starting with something cheaper, like apple juice for hard cider. The initial equipment costs can be a little steep, especially if you buy the ready-made kits. Niagara Traditions Home Brew
has a great selection of equipment and supplies, with knowledgable staff.Ingredients
5 gallons of maple sap that has been put through a reverse osmosis machine.
[This part confuses me, but basically, the sap we used is 6-7% sugar; what comes out of a tree is 1-2%. You can figure this out using a hydrometer. If you've done any brewing, you know what this means. As a reference, Grade A maple syrup is 65% sugar; that's a lot of boiling.] Our source was Wendell's, down near Springville. If you called around to local maple places south of the southtowns, you could probably find a supplier.
Liquid yeast, available from brew supply stores - enough for the 5 gallons. This needs to come to room temperature before being used. The one I used had 40-60 BILLION yeast cells!
Tools
Bleach (for sterilizing equipment)
A bucket with lid that seals tightly, with hole in the top for the airlock; preferably, this bucket will have a spigot, for easy bottling once the fermentation process has finished.
Towels, for when you spill.
A bathtub or super-giant bucket.
A large spoon (for stirring).
Rubber gloves
Steps
Sterilize the equipment with a light bleach solution - this means all of it - gloves, spoons, and the bathtub. Using a bathtub is the absolute easiest way to do it. A kitchen sink just doesn't have enough space.
From there, dump the maple sap *carefully* into the bucket. Reserve a few cup's worth.
Make sure the yeast is at room temperature, following the package's directions.
Rinse out the bag with some of the reserved sap, so that you get as much of the yeast as possible.
Stir the whole mixture with the spoon. Add the top to the bucket (with the airlock). Leave it sit for . . . awhile. We're going to try it after a week to see if any additional sugar needs to be added.
Leave questions in the comments; I'll have to forward them on to the expert.
03/29/2006 19:19 #24961
Observations on todayCategory: potpourri
If you're an epileptic, or are otherwise prone to seizures, you SHOULDN'T BE ALLOWED BEHIND THE WHEEL OF A CAR. I was going to pick up some brewing supplies this evening, and as I pulled out I saw the aftermath of a car accident, with the guy who caused it in the driver's seat in the midst of a seizure. There were three or four people there on cell phones (calling 911) already, and the girlfriend who was with him seemed calm - like it had happened before. That's ridiculous. He could had killed someone while driving, instead of just denting a fender. That person, and whoever knew this and didn't speak up when he tried to drive, is a menace.
In several weeks, we will have many, many gallons of maple syrup mead. I don't know the specifics yet, but it will involve several buckets, a bit of bleach, 40-60 million yeast cells, and sweet, sweet maple goodness.
Today, I bought purple shoes. I may only buy purple shoes from now on, and it was the best $7 I spent all month.
My dog enjoys her three b's: her bear, her bone, and her 'bee (frisbee). Is there any interest in joining Abby for a birthday party? I'm thinking some sunny, April evening (her birthday's on the 19th), (friendly, non-biting) dogs and their owners could join us for an evening of homemade doggie treats and tennis balls.
this evening, and as I pulled out I saw the aftermath of a car accident, with the guy who caused it in the driver's seat in the midst of a seizure. There were three or four people there on cell phones (calling 911) already, and the girlfriend who was with him seemed calm - like it had happened before. That's ridiculous. He could had killed someone while driving, instead of just denting a fender. That person, and whoever knew this and didn't speak up when he tried to drive, is a menace.In several weeks, we will have many, many gallons of maple syrup mead. I don't know the specifics yet, but it will involve several buckets, a bit of bleach, 40-60 million yeast cells, and sweet, sweet maple goodness.
Today, I bought purple shoes. I may only buy purple shoes from now on, and it was the best $7 I spent all month.
My dog enjoys her three b's: her bear, her bone, and her 'bee (frisbee). Is there any interest in joining Abby for a birthday party? I'm thinking some sunny, April evening (her birthday's on the 19th), (friendly, non-biting) dogs and their owners could join us for an evening of homemade doggie treats and tennis balls.
03/28/2006 08:06 #24960
Weekend Road TripCategory: travel
We rented a Ford Explorer, and after 900 miles at about 14.5 miles per gallon, we got our shiny boat back to Buffalo. Seeing that type of mileage astonished me, and it hurt my tree-hugging sensabilities to see how much gas we went through. I'm glad we have our tiny Saturns that get over twice that rate.
The boat is a Catalina 22, and I need to call today about finding a slip for the summer. Otherwise, simple jaunts out on Lake Erie will require a truck rental and an hour+ of driving, in addition to setting up the mast, the motor and dozens of other little chores.
Unlike our last sailboat (RIP), this Catalina comes with a roller furling (sp), portapotty, lots of other awesome features, and everything is labelled. We even have the original manuals for everything, down to the trailer's brakes.
This was the best purchase of the weekend. The second-best purchase was white cherry blossom spray and lotion . Ever since they discontinued the Flowering Herb line, I've had no reason to go into Bath and Body Works. I remember when they brought Flowering Herb back for a few weeks one summer, I called all the BBW's in Buffalo and found a few left at McKinley Mall; I promptly left work and bought them all. This new product comes close to matching the fruit-flower combination that the Flowering Herb scent that I loved so much.
The boat is a Catalina 22, and I need to call today about finding a slip for the summer. Otherwise, simple jaunts out on Lake Erie will require a truck rental and an hour+ of driving, in addition to setting up the mast, the motor and dozens of other little chores.
Unlike our last sailboat (RIP), this Catalina comes with a roller furling (sp), portapotty, lots of other awesome features, and everything is labelled. We even have the original manuals for everything, down to the trailer's brakes.
This was the best purchase of the weekend. The second-best purchase was white cherry blossom spray and lotion
. Ever since they discontinued the Flowering Herb line, I've had no reason to go into Bath and Body Works. I remember when they brought Flowering Herb back for a few weeks one summer, I called all the BBW's in Buffalo and found a few left at McKinley Mall; I promptly left work and bought them all. This new product comes close to matching the fruit-flower combination that the Flowering Herb scent that I loved so much.03/23/2006 18:41 #24959
Kara's Sausage SoupCategory: food
I've had a headache all afternoon, and now that I'm home (with minimal chores to do) I'm feeling queasy and generally unwell.
Unlike most people, when I feel sick, I don't lose my appetite. Unless I'm sick enough that I'm unable to keep food in my stomach, I generally eat as normal. Even when I can't keep food down, I'll still try to eat. Stupidly.
Here's my recipe for a sausage soup, guaranteed to cure what ails you.
Ingredients
olive oil
2 links of sausage - the big, Italian kind that you get at the deli counter. I used one link of mild and one of hot.
1 red onion, chopped.
1-2 carrots, chopped.
4 cups water
beef bouillion
1/2 can, diced green chiles
1/2 c. barley (raw)
salt
pepper
oregano
Steps
Remove the sausage casing. In a big stockpot, add a bit of OO and saute the sausage until it's cooked and crumbly.
Add the chopped onions and carrots. I chop all my veggies in big chopping frenzies on occasional weekends, and store them flat in freezer bags, breaking off what I need when I make these delicious soups. This cuts down on the time it takes to cook.
Add the chiles. You can use whatever chopped veggies you'd like.
Season with salt and pepper. I've been using some fine grain sea salt, because I am cultivating some food snobbery.
Add 4 cups water, more if you're using more veggies, less if you're using fewer veggies.
Add the boullion based on how much water you're adding.
Add the barley; if you're using less water, use less than 1/2 cup of the barley.
Add a big dash of oregano or your favorite green seasoning.
Simmer for 25-30 minutes. Make sure the barley is cooked through and not crunchy.
Serve with crusty bread.
I checked on my best girl She's doing pretty well.
Unlike most people, when I feel sick, I don't lose my appetite. Unless I'm sick enough that I'm unable to keep food in my stomach, I generally eat as normal. Even when I can't keep food down, I'll still try to eat. Stupidly.
Here's my recipe for a sausage soup, guaranteed to cure what ails you.
Ingredients
olive oil
2 links of sausage - the big, Italian kind that you get at the deli counter. I used one link of mild and one of hot.
1 red onion, chopped.
1-2 carrots, chopped.
4 cups water
beef bouillion
1/2 can, diced green chiles
1/2 c. barley (raw)
salt
pepper
oregano
Steps
Remove the sausage casing. In a big stockpot, add a bit of OO and saute the sausage until it's cooked and crumbly.
Add the chopped onions and carrots. I chop all my veggies in big chopping frenzies on occasional weekends, and store them flat in freezer bags, breaking off what I need when I make these delicious soups. This cuts down on the time it takes to cook.
Add the chiles. You can use whatever chopped veggies you'd like.
Season with salt and pepper. I've been using some fine grain sea salt, because I am cultivating some food snobbery.
Add 4 cups water, more if you're using more veggies, less if you're using fewer veggies.
Add the boullion based on how much water you're adding.
Add the barley; if you're using less water, use less than 1/2 cup of the barley.
Add a big dash of oregano or your favorite green seasoning.
Simmer for 25-30 minutes. Make sure the barley is cooked through and not crunchy.
Serve with crusty bread.
I checked on my best girl
She's doing pretty well.
My childhood best friend developed epilepsy in her teenage years. She was not allowed to drive a car for twelve months following each episode. Much to her frustration, she would always have a seizure every 10-11 months, so she didn't get her driver's license until she was about 23, which was the first time she was seizure-free long enough.
She drives normally now, I think-- I don't think she's had a seizure in about five years.
Housemate of mine brewed mead at home, which was interesting, but it tasted like ass. I am very interested in this, how you say, maple syrup variant on the recipe. Do keep us posted. :)
Yeah yeah! Spill it! I want the recipe. (e:dragonlady7) 's family is from the capital region and they get bitchin' fresh maple syrup.
Interestingly, even though the history of alcoholic drinks is only a couple weeks shorter than the history of fruit juices, the role of yeast in fermentation was only discovered by Louis Pasteur in the 1800s. In fact, the use of yeast in beer was forbidden by omission from the long-standing German Purity Law of 1516 [wikipedia]Reinheitsgebot[/wikipedia], which says the only ingredients that may be present in your beer are water, malt, and hops. [The law was amended to allow yeast, and eventually repealed in 1988.]
- Z
The key to brewing beer is to have just the right yeast in there for fermentation. Random bacteria (or yeast) can produce random crap and spoil the beer.
Therefore, you have to painstakingly make sure that each and every utensil used in the process is sterilized, and only the chosen yeast gets to mate with the sugary goodness to produce alcohol (and CO2, the fizz).
Amazingly, beer brewing is 5000 years old. (e:PMT), once you have your mansion, setup a brewery in the basement!
I am so glad it is not an ingredient. Can you document the process some more, so we can find out how to make it. I love maple syrup. In fact I drink it staright from the jug all the time.
A light bleach solution sterilizes the buckets in which the mead ferments. As the mixtures sits for several weeks ,or perhaps months in this case, things can get nasty if the equipment isn't pristinely clean.
"In several weeks, we will have many, many gallons of maple syrup mead. I don't know the specifics yet, but it will involve several buckets, a bit of bleach, 40-60 million yeast cells, and sweet, sweet maple goodness."
Oh shiiiiiiiiit! But what's the bleach for?
- Z