20070422

clearing printer queue

Before I forget... Super annoying problem of documents stuck in printer queue is solved this way:

net stop spooler
del c:\windows\system32\spool\PRINTERS\*
net start spooler

20060721

Test picture upload

test more

This is another blog entry

Publishing test

This is a test of Word 2007 blogging feature

20060712


20060710 color coordinated bicycles

It is Milano, what would you expect? You can't ride a green bicycle with a blue chain or anything like that, can you? I wouldn't dare!

20051208

The Adventures of Teapot the Cat: rsstroom reader - toilet paper printer!

20051203

there was nothing in refrigerator...

... well, almost.
  • one yesterday's baked potatoe
  • handful of spinach
  • teaspoon of that Moroccan sauce we didn't know what to do with ("Harissa")
  • quarter teaspuoon ground cumin (optional)
  • grated soft cheese (smoked "Hunter's")

microwave for 2 minutes. serve instead of Nachos...

20051122

Light Field Photography with a Hand-Held Plenoptic Camera

20051120

beef short ribs

6lb short ribs
2tbs mixed peppercorns, coarsely pounded
salt (2tbs for meat, 1tbs in vegetables)
coriander seeds (optional; same or more as pepper)
vegetable oil (I used canola)
4 onions (finely chopped)
40 cloves garlic
6 turnips (or more… ; cuit in large pieces; 1/8 is about right for small ones)
2 tomatoes (diced)
3 cups red wine
6 cups beef stock
1 cup parsley

source recipe is in a book which I would reference if I remembered the name. something like "how to cook meat". it actually had 1/2 cup pepper for 4lb ribs which sounded scary so I put less pepper. with this amount it wasn't spicy at all.

All the ingredients barely fit in the 6 liter casserole so there is less stock, just as much as could fit. For my casserole I should take 4lb ribs and consider more turnips. Also try doing onions and tomatoes in food processor. maybe even garlic. they aren't recognizable in the sauce anyway.

Steps
1. cut the ingredients
2. preheat oven to 300F
3. heat oil in a pan. hotter is better.
4. mix pepper, salt and coriander. pat on the meat
5. fry meat on the pan on all sides; in batches if necessary. don't hurry to turn over, let it get nice and brown at least on a side or two
6. remove the meat
7. fry onions(1o min), garlic (2 min), add turnips and tomatoes (2 min)
8. add wine, simmer for 10 min
9. add meat, fill with stock so that the meat is covered
10. 2 hours in the oven (recipe said 1.5, I did 3, came out delicious. readiness test - stick a fork in the meat and pull; if meat holds to the fork it is not ready)
11. take out the meat and turnips and reduce the sauce - let it simmer until it is thick (I had time for it but I don't quite get this step. in particular it is hard to fish out the turnips - that is why it should be cut large; also making onions and tomatoes into puree could make this easier)
12. mix the parsley with the meat.
13. Serve with the sauce; good with mashed potatoes

20051112

salad with bologna, green cheese, cranberry and mayonaise

two interesting dishes came out today.

first, having about half an hour to do something for dinner (with a deadline - going to a movie, Chicken Little, which BTW sucked), with pelmeni already boiling, I wanted to do something for Julia who refused a real dinner (pelmeni qualifies as real here). salad sounded good so I opened "happy days with the naked chef" and the fridge. none of Oliver's salads were possible, nor any of his dressings. some things sounded tasty though.

here is what went into the salad:

  • a 5oz box of mixed organic "fresh herb salad" (found in the fridge next to baby spinach, to the right)
  • about apple and a half, cut in olive-size pieces (levtover from yesterday's kids snack). looks like golden delicious
  • all green cheese I could find - 60 grams or so (more wouldn't spoil it)
  • no salt or anything (I wonder now, why not pepper?)

now the dressing which is the interesting part. a couple of Oliver's dressings are the starting point. I think it is Pesto meet "mama stamberg cranberry relish":

  • a small handful of cranbery (1/2 cup)
  • 3 booolks of olive oil
  • just a bit of balsamic vinegar (I added more later to taste)
  • some pine nuts (2 table spoons or so)
  • sugar powder (1 table spoon)
  • a clove of garlic (here is where Pesto comes in; I didn't have any basil, you bet it would be here)

mix all of the above in a blender. mix with the salad and serve. autunno meet thanksgiving meet cheese-and-figs salad (no figs on the tree in november...)

mmmmmmmmmmmm!!!!

... 8 hours later (2am) I enetertain myself after going out. Julia takes it easy (sleeping). I enjoy my flew-from-tokyo-this-week jet lag and enertain myself. I am not beyond drinking a shot of vodka alone. with a good salad in particular.

Olivie is what I was looking for in my fridge - but it's gone. what do I have? nice salad (not much left, mostly the applies and a bit of cheese...), but where is the mayo? the meat?

add to whatever is left from the above:

  • cut bologna (whatever looks like the right amount for Olivie)
  • peas (what I have here is some fried peas, gess what - lunch leftovers too. with shrimp which I choose not leave alone)
  • myonaise (to taste; my taste is "generously")done. i think it a. tastes great with a shot of vodka. nazdorovie!

I think I am on to something. it needs more work. but looks cool (pink and green;). and tastes yummy. goes great with vodka. wait a minute, I have some left.....

20051012


20051009 pumpkins

test

20051008

test

this is a test

20051006

hi
this message should not be part of the title.
it is a comment and is shown conditionally Posted by Picasa

20051005

test 4. this picture has a title

water

waterfall fragment near bathing stone Posted by Picasa
test 3. text after picture Posted by Picasa
test 1. text before picture  Posted by Picasa

20051004


this is a test Posted by Picasa

20050902


Alex (me)

20050728


почему дву благородным донам не присесть на пенек?

20050619


Nikita - June 16, 2005

20050605


Port side of Mallory Todd

flower

20050520


Dome

20050519


blue

(a picture from a while ago, as you can tell by the kids... The hair is now white, not as crazy this time ;)

20050506

Chicken Tikka Masala: " Ingredients
Part I.
2 lbs. boneless chicken breast
1/4 cup yogurt
3 t. minced ginger
3 t. crushed garlic
1/4 t. white pepper
1/4 t. cumin powder
1/4 t. mace
1/4 t. nutmeg
1/4 t. green cardamom powder
1/4 t. chili powder
1/4 t. turmeric
3 T. lemon juice
4 T. vegetable oil
Melted margarine (for basting)
Part II.
5 oz. tomato paste
10 oz. tomato puree
2 lbs. tomatoes, chopped
2 t. ginger paste
2 t. garlic paste
2 t. green chilies
1 T. red chili powder
2 t. cloves
8 green cardamoms
salt to taste
3 T. butter
2/3 cup cream
1 t. fenugreek
2 t. ginger, julienned
honey to taste

Method
Whisk all of the ingredients in Part I together in a large bowl. Add the chicken breast, cut into 2 inch cubes. Marinate overnight in the refrigerator. Preheat oven to 350�F. Bake the chicken for 8 minutes, basting with margarine twice. Drain excess marinade and bake for another 2 minutes.
While doing this, make the sauce in Part II. Deseed and chop green chilies. Put tomatoes, tomato paste and tomato puree in a pot and add approximately 4-1/4 cups of water. Add ginger and garlic paste, green chilies, red chili powder, cloves, cardamoms, and salt. Cook over low heat until reduced to a thick sauce. Strain through a strainer and bring to a boil. Add butter and cream. Stir. If the sauce tastes sour, add honey to taste. Add fenugreek and ginger juliennes, stir, and serve with the chicken."

... Posted by Hello

Geneva Posted by Hello

3 pictures Posted by Hello

monblanc3 Posted by Hello

montblanc Posted by Hello

another test Posted by Hello

test upload Posted by Hello

20050316

20050215


This is a test of online gallery using blogger+hello Posted by Hello

20050206


Lynx mixer screen shot (now it works!) - 2/6/2005 Posted by Hello

20050205


Lynx mixer screen shot Posted by Hello

20050201


Christmas in Mexico (Troncones, near Ixtapa) Posted by Hello

20040821

20031011

20030912

Starting a Blog. This ought to be a good place to keep stuff I want to find in the future...