Kale and Brussels Sprout Salad

I had some nice looking brussels sprouts in the refrigerator and wanted to try them raw in a salad.

I found this recipe on Epicurious.com.   It is a simple salad of kale, sliced brussels sprouts, a lemony vinaigrette, toasted almonds and shredded Pecorino cheese.  

I substituted Parmesan for Pecorino and added dried cranberries.  

This salad assembles quickly and is a hearty, healthy addition to a meal.  Just add some simply grilled fish, poultry or meat and maybe a loaf of crusty bread.  

Even brussels sprout haters will like this salad.  This slices of raw sprouts are less strong in flavor than cooked sprouts.  I found a package of baby kale at the market which needed no prep work and had a milder flavor than mature kale.  

Meet Hue: Personal Wireless Lighting

Would you like to use your smartphone as a remote control for your lighting?  You can with hue, the smart light bulb system from Phillips.

hue by Phillips  Starter pack $199. available at Apple stores

This system is so simple to install.  Just plug the "bridge" into your router.  Then screw in a light bulb.  Download the hue app and you are all set.  It took no angst and less than  3 minutes to install and be ready to use hue.  Name each bulb (master bedroom, living room 1, living room 2 etc) and then you can control each bulb separately or individually.  You can select degree of brightness, color of light and set timers.  

So what can hue do?

How about a gradual wake up to a slowly brightening light rather than a jarring alarm clock?

Hue can do that.

Want your lights to be on when you get home from work?

No problem.

For security when you are away, have light go on in different room at various times.  You can do that with your iphone while relaxing on the beach.

Choose a setting for a task and select the degree of brightness.  

Would you like to recreate a light or hue from a photo?

Just move the numbered bulb over the color you would like to recreate and 

voilà, there it is.

A more concrete example...

a green color light.

The bridge included in the starter kit can control up to 50 hue bulbs.  Each bulb uses 80% less energy than a traditional bulb.  

I really was drawn to the hue system for the security factor of being able to vary light in different rooms in the house while I am away.  I am enjoying controlling task lighting.  It is easy to create romantic, flattering.  I've only had the system for about 24 hours but it is fun and easy and there is no end to the lighting moods to create.  

Apple Sidecar Cocktail

Happy Weekend

I thought a winter cocktail would be a great idea for today.

Apple Sidecar

This variation of a Sidecar cocktail uses Calvados which is apple brandy.  A traditional Sidecar calls for brandy, cognac, armagnac or bourbon.  The other Sidecar ingredients remain the same, Cointreau (or Triple Sec) and lemon juice.  A sugared rim is a nice contrast to the sour lemon in the drink.  

1 1/2 oz Calvados

1 oz Cointreau or Triple Sec

1 oz lemon juice

Shake with ice and strain into a sugar rimmed martini glass or coupe.

The Sidecar was created in Paris during World War I.  Calvados is distilled from fermented apple cider.  It is a drink from Normandy, France and pairs well with pork and mussels.  

image

I think an Apple Sidecar would be a lovely drink with comte cheese and walnuts.  If the setting is in front of a fireplace on a chilly evening...all the better.  

Have a lovely weekend.

Helpful Hint

I've had these annoying drip marks on window of my oven door for about a year.  The cleaning cycle of the oven didn't take care of it nor did wiping the window.  The drip was between two panes of glass.  I gave up, UNTIL I saw the solution in Real Simple magazine.

Take the oven door off the hinges.  You will see an opening at the bottom of the door. 

You can see in this photo that I slid a spatula through the opening and between the panes of glass.

Cover a spatula with a damp cloth and insert between the glass panes and rub until marks disappear.  You can see that I have removed part of the marks.

The door is back on the hinges and the window is free of the greasy streaks.  I'm happy.

Winter Dry Skin Arsenal

I've got winter hands, dry and rough.  But, I also have a cure.

Shea Butter Hand Cream $28

This L'Occitane hand cream is a wonderful treatment for hands that are suffering from the cold weather and dry, indoor heat.  Shea butter is combined with almond extracts, coconut oil, and honey for a soothing and effective formula that is not greasy.  This hand cream leaves my hands soft and feeling better immediately.  It has a light fragrance that is pleasing and not overwhelming.
Keep a tube in your purse and another in the kitchen.  Apply often.

Meringue Cookies

 Are you still eating Christmas cookies?  Are you ready for something lighter? Crispier? 

How about meringue cookies?  

Made with egg whites, sugar, air, and some embellishments, these cookies are crispy and light and have very few calories.  

I added cocoa powder, shredded coconut, sliced almonds and some finely chopped bittersweet chocolate to my whipped egg whites for these yummy cookies.  The two bite cookies probably have about 20 calories each.  With no flour or dairy, these treats are perfect for those with gluten or lactose issues.  

Meringue by Jackson and Gardner

I found this book, Meringue, on a sale table the other day as I was wandering around a store.  It has loads of information about making meringue desserts of all descriptions.  

And how cute is that miniature cake stand and cover?  I picked that up on sale at Target.  It is the perfect size for small cookies or about 4 cupcakes.  

Here is the recipe that I used for the cookies.

3 large egg whites, room temperature

1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

3/4 cup superfine sugar

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup shredded coconut

1/2 cup sliced almonds

1/2 cup finely chopped bittersweet chocolate

Preheat oven to 200degrees F

In the bowl of electric mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat egg whites and cream of tartar, increasing speed to medium-high until soft peaks form.  Add superfine sugar about a tablespoon at a time, beating on high until meringue has stiff, glossy peaks.  Mix in cocoa powder and vanilla and then other ingredients.  

Drop by well-rounded teaspoons onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, about 1 inch apart.  Bake for 90 minutes.  Turn off heat and leave meringues in the oven for 1   additional hour to crisp.  Cool completely before removing from baking sheets.

Monday Musings

Happy Monday everyone.  I hope you feel rested and relaxed from the weekend.  My weekend was a nice mix of entertainment and exertion.  

Hubby and I saw Anna Karenina with some friends.  Have you seen the movie?  We both read the book and thought the theatrical (literally) adaptation was creative and engaging.  Reading reviews of the movie, you'll have to decide for yourself.  At the very least, it was visual eye-candy. 

While boxing the Christmas decorations, hubby asked if there weren't some things we could get rid of in the basement.  I immediately handed him 3 boxes of his things to "edit and delete", which he did.  That lead to a frenzy of sorting, tossing and re-boxing for giveaway.  I decided I could live without my kindergarten report card and old newspaper clippings.  Hubby pitched his military paperwork and old house construction receipts.  We decided that it was time to get rid of the toys we were holding on to from our children.  If we have grandchildren, I don't want them putting those decades old toys in their mouths!!

I made some comfort food for the weekend.  Sunday night was creamy polenta and beef ragu based on this recipe.  I also made chicken chili, another hearty meal for a cold night.  

Tomorrow I'll share a new baking book and cookie recipe.  

Have a great start to your week.