angelskates's Blog

I love lobster.  Boiled, steamed, broiled, baked, casseroled, I don't care.  I will eat it. 

Slipper lobster, spiney lobster, Maine lobster; I love them all.  My favorite is fresh Maine lobster.  The meat from the tail of course, is sweet and succulent.  And the claw meat is even sweeter and so tender.  Then there are the knuckles.. a little harder to get to but just as rewarding.

And that Maine specialty, the lobster roll is without a doubt the queen of sandwiches.  The delicate lobster meat tossed with a little mayonaise and maybe a little celery minced finely and served in a fresh roll.  Yummmmm

Although, nothing beats hot, fresh lobster meat dripping with butter and lemon juice.  It is so simple and so very good.

Truly a feast from the sea.

A few months ago I could not have answered that question.  I had never heard of it.  Now I know.  It has been a journey of learning... the hard way..lol.

One was recommended to me and I joined it.  It was fun.  How did it work.  You bought "ventures" and surfed some sites every day and each week you were paid a small rebate on the advertising ventures that you had purchased.  You got advertising for your blogs and traffic for your sites and a little money each week.  It was fun... and then one day.. it was over.  All the money gone... not more rebates each week.  The owner had gotten angry and whatever happened happened and everyone was out their money.  How rude.  I though... hmmm ... never again...

So... for a while I was missing that money every week... and the community of friends.  Our chat rooms and forums were now full of angry people.  

One day I was surfing the net and I found a really lovely site with beautiful graphics.  You can check them out here.  I explored it.  I joined it.  I found new friends and a new forum.  Don't you know.. it was another rev share.  But.. the owner is really nice and hard working and determined that everyone will make a little money each week and there are only a few sites you have to surf to be active.  And the ad packs you buy are shells and pebbles... lovely images.  And it is fun.  

I have met some really nice people and every week I make a little money.  I am happy

I wrote this last year.  I thought somehow it would help.  It has not really.  I still am haunted by that day.  I feel less safe now then did last year. 

I was right.  Our world is not the same.  It is in turmoil.  There is so much conflict.... everywhere and I feel it growing closer.

Wishing all you in Thailand A Wonderful, Happy, Magical Water Festival Day.  I splash you all in joy.

What is this festival?  I just read a wonderful description of it.  Celebrated each year around April 13 to the 15th it is a day when families come together.  

Elders are honored by all and the day is spent together.  There are many community activities that sound wonderful.  Much feasting and the giving of free food.  Monks are cared for and Budda's are bathed. 

Apparently, everyone carries around buckets of water to splash each other as an expression of joy and happiness. 

It sounds like such a positive holiday.  We should all celebrate our families, our communities, our Gods, our elders and our happiness much more often. 

So to you all I wish a Wonderful, Magical, Happy Water Festival.

Angel

Ok... so I am standing looking at this package of stew meat... very lean trimmed beef stew meat... although you could make it with chicken, turkey, pork or bison or buffaloe... or even ostrich meat... but it is best with one of the red meats...  I am looking at it and thinking I don't really want to make stew... and I don't have all the veggies I like in stew... In fact, I hardly have any veggies... an onion... a nice Mayan sweet onion a bit on the large size, half a head of garlic... and a frozen bag of quartered baby artichoke... hmmmm a can of diced tomatoes...  Perfect... Beef and Artichoke Soup....

Trim the visible fat from the meat.  I used about three pounds of beef chunks for a really meaty soup. 

Then brown the onions and meat... really well in a little olive oil... sprinkle on a small amount of  salt and pepper or use a bit of grill seasoning..  it has lots of good spices and goes well with beef...  brown all sides of the beef very well....  Then add three cloves of thinly sliced garlic.

Add a cup of red wine... Merlot works really well and de-glaze the pan with it..  scrape up all the fond... those yummy little brown bits... and stir them into the wine.  

Add a quart of chicken stock and the can of diced tomatoes with their juice and bring to a low boil and stir. 

Lower  the heat, cover the pot and simmer until the meat is tender...  this will take somewhere between and one and two hours... 

Add the frozen artichokes, cover and simmer another 20 minutes or until the artichokes are tender. 

The soup is done...  

You can serve it several different ways....  

1.   With a crusty bread or buscetta 

2    With a small pasta like shells or orchetta... something that will fit well on a spoon.

3.  With barley, wild rice, or quinoa....

Use your imagination.

It is a luscious, hearty soup with a rustic appearance and that wonderful artichoke accent on the meat.

Enjoy,

Angel