The 100% Relationship Rule.... Friday Stromboli....

It's Friday, midday and you're thinking of what the rest of the evening will look like for you. Happy hour? Quick date? Maybe just a date with your bed, by yourself of course, after all this is NOT a gentleman's magazine. While some would go for spending untold amounts of cash in the new trendy spot just to be seen. I would much rather do something quiet, less expensive, more intimate and much more memorable like invite a friend over for drinks and a fun and easy to make meal.

While both Steak & Fish are excellent choices, I would opt to go with something fun, remembering it's a Friday night so I'm thinking pizza, no I think Stromboli would be a sexier and more unexpected choice. 

I am certainly not an expert on relationships as I have had more than my share of pitfalls in that arena. One of the things that I have come to realize is that relationships be they friendships or those of a romantic nature require 100%. Ahhheemmn (clearing my throat to drop the math)! 

1st let's agree that complete or whole is 100% and then we can go from there. Having agreed with that notion let's take it a step farther and further more agree that no two people give the same percentage at the same time. Allow me to bloviate. Upon meeting a person there are clear lines drawn as to who is the aggressor and who is playing it coy , which is not only fine but probably necessary.  In romantic relationships this period would be referred to as the "courting" period, I call it the period in which someone (normally the guy) is pouring upwards of 60 to 70% of "fuel" into the "tank" of interest. While the other person does their part to give the remaining 40 to 30% that is required to reach the agreed upon 100%. 

In my younger and less experienced days I used to think that 100% required that much from both willing parties in order to have relationship success. What I found is that 200% means that both of us are separating ourselves not only from the rest of the world, but from the appropriate balance that we needed in order mature in other areas such as work, school and our own separate personal interests or those things that made us unique and attracted to each other in the first place. 

Now here's the trick about the 100% rule: it requires 100% at all times, no excuses. It also requires that when circumstances dictate for a change in roles, that your partner is willing to give their part in your place. In other words when life overwhelms that 60% giver the 40% giver has to be willing to give 60 to your 40.  In most situations that I am familiar with, when the dominant giver (aka sucker) somehow stops being able to give the 80% that they are used to the passive giver (aka taker) tends to give even less than the 20% that they were known for. I get it though, feelings of "change in the air" can cause most to head for the hills. I can tell you that I have had plenty of friends complaining about the change in their significant others and the first question that I ask is "are you doing to part to make up for their shortcomings?" and while plenty have said yes I secretly wonder how many of us really do try to make up for what's lacking once the balance of power has changed hands? But imagine if you just stick the tough times out, imagine further that instead of cowering in the wake of the power shift that you actually gave more than your usual amount.  I guess the truth is in us all but it does require that we are honest with ourselves in order to grow and have healthy and nurturing relationships. As for me I try to take stock in all of my relationships and hold myself accountable when I fall short but understanding when others fall short. After all the only heart I know is my own so it is impossible for me to know what motivates someone else. I can only hope that they have my best interest in play as it comes to our relationship.

On the menu today: Friday Stromboli.........

For the Stromboli we will need the following:

• Pizza Dough (pre-made Whole Foods) (1 each)
• Flour (1/4 cup)
• Pepperoni (6 oz)
• Italian Sausage (4 oz)
• Olive Oil (1 Tbs)
• Sliced Mushrooms (2 oz)
• Julienned Onions (1/2 cup)
• Minced Garlic (1 Tbs)
• Tomato Sauce (1 cup)
• Oregano (3 sprigs)
• Basil (1/4 bunch)
• Mozzarella Cheese (8 oz)

Start off by leaving the pizza out at room temperature for 30 minutes and preheating the oven to 425. Next cook the mushrooms and onions in the olive oil and then add the sausage allow it to cook thoroughly. Add the oregano and some of the basil and finally the tomato sauce. Set the mixture aside for later use. Prepare the dough by placing flour on the table first and then placing the dough down and flattening with a rolling pin, bottle or by hand. Continue to flatten until it look similar to the picture below.  Next, add the ingredients that were set aside and wrap the dough around the ingredients, tucking it in at the bottom. Cut slits in the top as seen below and place on a cookie sheet and in the oven for 12 - 15 minutes. 

IHop, I Used To Love H.E.R. A Letter To IHOP, I mean Hip Hop.... Steak & Eggs

Steak & Eggs With SmokeHouse Potatoes

"Yes, yes y'all and you don't stop. To the beat y'all and you don't stop. And to the knife Parsimony is   the sure shot! Come On"

"I hit this spot when I was 10 years old , and what I loved the most it had so much soul!
Food for the soul when I was just a shorty. I knew throughout my life it would be there for me! On the regular, after clubs or skipping church this spot seemed secular. Didn't cost a lot pancakes and eggs served fresh for yah!"

"Now it's just a spot for late night gansta' dining. After smoking blunts and getting drunk, line wrapped around the corner so they whining. Stressing how hardcore and real it is, but it was good to go before they catered solely to the kids. I ate there not just to say I did it. But I'm committed, while so many others hit it. That spot's just not the same letting all these foodies do her. It even seems they open some new SPOTS in the sewer. But I'mma get back in it hoping that shit stop. Cause the SPOT,  I'm talking bout is IHOP!"

I remember when I heard Common Sense's "I Used To Love H.E.R." for the first time. I also remember the day that I found out what a difference listening to lyrics really can make in the music that you choose. When I listened to this song in particular I felt like finally there was a measure of decipherable intelligence in hip hop that spoke to me and for me. I know, I know that there were many other intelligent rap songs that came before this one, like "The Message" from the Sugar Hill Gang but these songs spoke the raw truth as seen through that person's eyes. "Broken glass everywhere, people pissing on the stairs you know they just don't care!" no metaphor at all just the raw truth. While the rawness of the Message and other songs like it was great, I grew up in the suburbs of DC, Fort Washington Md. There was no broken glass anywhere unless we hit a baseball through a window. As far as pissing on the stairs, ha, maybe in Fort Washington Park b/c you couldn't make it to the bathroom across the way on the Fourth Of July. But Common's song was just what I needed to validate my love of Hip Hop. I'm not saying that Rap wasn't intelligent until then, of course it was but until this song it was spoken in a language that I just couldn't grasp so there was no way I could endear myself to it until that point. Now on to the IHOP or food portion of this week's entry......

Common - I Used To Love H.E.R. 

When I first went to IHOP I was smitten. But then again why wouldn't I be? Pancakes, whipped cream, flavored syrup, OMG I loved the blueberry syrup. As a matter of fact they used to serve a very mean Liver & Onions with bacon and rice. To say I loved it is and understatement. Somewhere along the way either my taste buds or IHOP had changed and not for the better. When I was in high school and college it was the late night spot not only to coat your stomach from the copious amounts of alcohol consumed at the club a few minutes prior to, but it served as our very own FaceBook, Youtube, Instagram and Ghetto Hot Mess all rolled in to one. You could see couples making out, drug deals, cat fights and pistol whippings on a regular basis from 2-5 a.m. any day of the week there. There was always some sort of Spike-Lee-movie-type conflict that would go in part a little something like this: College Kids come in to eat, local yocals (drug dealers) take exception to the "Mission Mens" being there and having the audacity to breathe their air and hilarity (sometimes violence) ensued. Maybe that's what changed my taste? In the words of Sweet Brown "Who's got time for that, Sweet Jesus? " The funny thing was/is more and more IHOPs pop up in the most questionable places. It's almost as if "chalked outlines"and "yellow tape" are a precursor to an IHOP coming near you! There also seems as if somewhere along the line IHOP went all kid friendly and started re-naming some of their more classic dishes so comically that you were required to wear a Groucho Marx fake nose and glasses combo in order to pick it from a menu as an adult. Really???? Rooty Tooty Fresh & Fruity??? Man just give me some dayum pancakes and put the F#$%ing fruit on the side like I like. The heck with the childish names cause I damn sure ain't donning the fake nose and glasses just to avoid judgement and yes I am going to see "Wreck  -It Ralph"sans kid as I don't have any....... I'm not sure of what your experiences where but these were mine. To be fair it's been a while since I went to one but my homemade breakfast is better than theirs anyway so I'll just share my breakfast recipes with you........

On the menu today: Steak & Eggs With Smoke House Potatoes....

For the Potatoes we will need:

• Red Potatoes (6-12 ea)
• Sweet Onions (1 ea)
• Garlic (1 Tbs)
• Oregano (2 Tbs)
• Thick Cut Applewood Smoked Bacon (4 pieces)
• Salt & Pepper (TT)

Start by dicing the onions, potatoes, bacon and garlic and mincing the herbs. Place the bacon in a heated saute allowing to slightly crisp-en and then adding the onions and finally the potatoes. Once the potatoes start to brown add the herbs and garlic and seasonings before placing in an oven preheated to 400 for 10-20 minutes or until tender. Stir the potatoes a few times throughout the cooking process.  

For the Steak we will need:

• Skirt or Sirloin (1/2 PP)
• Olive Oil (1 Tbs)
• Salt & Pepper (1 tsp)

Season the steak with oil salt and pepper and sear on each side before placing in an oven preheated to 425 for no longer than 10 minutes depending on the temperature you want your meat cook to.

For the Eggs we will need:

• Eggs (2 PP) 
• Olive Oil (1 tsp)
• Salt & Pepper (TT)
• Thyme (1 Tbs)

Heat a saute pan with oil and break the eggs in the pan, add herbs then season and scramble. Should be cooked in less than 2 minutes..... 

Silver Linings Meal Plan.. Potatoes Lyonnaise, Drunken Mussels Linguine & Spicy Bayou Chicken Linguine .

Creamy Drunken Mussels Linguine, Shallots & Spinach 

Spicy Bayou Linguine With Cipolline Onions, & Asparagus 

Is there a silver lining for everything? I mean, is there really a way to see the positive in every circumstance, tragedy, and challenge that comes your way? The easy answer is Yes but is that what We really think? I doubt it greatly! In my lifetime I have had more than my share of pitfalls but here I am. While I owe my resilience to a great many things and people, for this article I will only hit on a certain group of philosophies that have helped me not only through the tough times but have given great perspective on my place in the world in all times.

I have never in my lifetime felt sorry for a single soul! Sounds like I'm cruel but pay close attention to the explanation and you will see my point. There's a huge difference between feeling sorry for and having empathy for a person. If I am able to place myself in someone else's shoes I can truly have empathy for things that they are going through and maybe even the things that have brought them to that exact station in life at that time. Feeling sorry for someone to me means something entirely different. It carries the weight or idea that I am in a better station in life and therefore can look down on and have pity for them. I ascertain that feeling sorry for pushes my heart further away from ever really identifying anyone else's situation or hardship and therefore places me in more of a judgmental position than that of understanding or helpfulness.

Good & Evil are each a part of a condition, the human condition. As humans we are capable of incredible feats, look at the Golden Gate Bridge, watch Pay It Forward, listen to Mozart. There's no limit to the good that we have shared with the world. At the same time think of the tragedies that have happened as a result of a particular person or ideal. The one thing that each situation has at the core is the human aspect. I have always maintained that as humans we are just as capable of doing evil as we are good. I am always amazed when I hear people de-humanize an act as if some monster was just let loose in the hills and here we are (the civilized human/non-monsters) left to wonder how or why. In my heart and on the surface I believe that if we understand one truth it would be that there are no monsters just us humans that are capable of doing monstrous things. As humans there seems to be a need to separate ourselves from the savages in an effort to make us feel different from them. The real question is who in the hell am I to deem someone else as savage and myself as other than or noble.

Winning is not about the score on the scoreboard but actually about your own personal perspective. When I was young I was undersized for my age, a real pip-squeak of sorts. As a result I had more than a lion's share of being picked on for a while. One day this kid that was much bigger than me smacked me on the back of my neck really hard. Before I could even process what had happened I hit him in his stomach and knocked him out cold. Sure my neck hurt, I thought to myself, but did he really deserve death (I really thought I had killed him)? While the teacher came over to see if the boy was ok, the teacher's aid came over to console me because she had seen the whole thing and knew that I felt really bad about the situation. What I found out was that my conscience would not allow me to settle with over reactions. Even if retribution was warranted was it worth it. When I know that I have done the wrong thing or something against my moral code it eats me up inside. I actually win situations by being true to myself, sometimes that means speaking up, other times it means walking away. It can even mean confrontation but in a productive way.

I won't spoil the movie by telling you much about it but if you've seen it then you should know that I have touched on plenty from it already. The only thing that I will add is that a 5 out of 10 is an excellent score when placed in a perspective that makes it so. The tie in is this;  I don't expect you to master a recipe on the blog in one take but feel good about the fact you are trying something new and tapping into your creative spot and know that you will get better once your perspective changes.........


On the menu today : Potatoes Lyonnaise, Creamy Drunken Mussels Linguine w/ Roasted Shallots & Spinach, Mushrooms  & Spicy Bayou Chicken Linguine..

• Yukon Gold Potatoes (10 each)
• Yellow Onions (2 each)
• Garlic (1 Tbs)
• Olive Oil (1 Tbs)
• Butter (1 tsp)
• Salt & Pepper (T T)

Start off by slicing the potatoes thin. Julienne the onions and mince the garlic. Preheat an oven to 425 and place the oil and butter in a saute pan before adding the potatoes in a singled and circular fashion being sure that they are overlapping. Season liberally and place in the oven for 30 minutes or until done. Once done simply place a large plate down over the pan and flip as shown below. 

Drunken Mussels Linguine 

For the Drunken Mussels we will need the following:

• Steamed and Shelled Mussels (1-2 lbs)
• Tomatoes (2 ea)
• Shallots (3 ea)
• Garlic (2 Tbs)
• Spinach (13 oz)
• Heavy Cream (1 cup)
• White Wine (1/2 cup)
• Olive Oil (2 Tbs)
• Salt & Pepper (TT) 
• Parsley (1 tsp)
• Linguine (12 Oz)
• Parmigiano Reggiano (garnish)

You can purchase steamed mussels in most grocery stores so it shouldn't be a problem. Start by adding the wine to a pot and cooking down to half. Next add the cream and again reduce to half. Now start julienning the shallots and garlic and then cook the pasta, once done set aside. In a heated saute pan, cook the shallots until brown and then add the spinach. Add the garlic last and cook until the spinach is wilted. Add the mussels and combine with the cooked linguine then set aside. Finally dice and seed the tomatoes and combine all of the ingredients. Add salt and pepper as needed and garnish with the Parmigiano Cheese.  

For the Spicy Bayou Chicken Linguine we need the following:

• Chicken Breast (1-2 ea)
• Linguine (12 oz)
• Heavy Cream (1.5 Cup)
• Tarragon (3 Tbs) 
• Garlic (1 Tbs)
• Asparagus (12 each)
• Tomatoes (4 each)
• Oyster Mushrooms (8 oz)
• Salt & Pepper (TT)
• Cipolline Onions (8 each)
• Olive Oil (2 Tbs)
• Chili Flakes (TT)

Start off by roasting the onions in an oven preheated to 400 for 20 minutes. I found that leaving the onions un-peeled made for a better taste and softer mouthfeel. Next  grill the chicken breast and cook until done. Allow the chicken to cool, then slice and refrigerate for later use. Next cook the linguine add the chicken and lightly oil and refrigerate for later use. Cut the asparagus and mushrooms and then saute until browned adding the garlic last and cooking until caramelized before finally adding the diced tomatoes. Add the cream and reduce to half then add the chili flakes. Combine with the chicken, pasta and other ingredients and serve adding salt and pepper as needed. 

Spicy Bayou Chicken Linguine W/ Cipolline Onions 

Breaking In is Hard to Do....Joanie's "N'Awlins" Style Oysters.......

Joanie's "N'Awlin's" Style Oyster's 

When I started my blog on the last day of April 2012 I had no real idea of what I would talk about or cook for that matter. I knew that I had a voice and wanted to express it. I also knew that I love to cook and wanted to show some of my dishes and share some of the things that make me uniquely me. Finally, I knew that I had lived a colorful life, have an opinion on EVERYTHING, and love to talk and tell stories. What I found was that if I could somehow bring these things together it might make for an interesting blog.

What I found out is that blogging is a lifestyle all its' own. You really have to treat it like a living thing, soulmate and a baby. In the beginning I would wake up and think only of what I would cook and which stories I would share but, as time went on life happened. No longer could I think only of the blog, I had other things to concern myself. The blog, however, brought me new life and there was no way I was going to let it wither away and die. I used to write a new entry 3 times a week, (2 Food and 1 Silent Sunday) that had to change with new demands of my life. Now I post when I can, which is 1 to 3 times in a month. 

When I first started my FaceBook page http://www.facebook.com/TheOtherParsimoniousChef , 
I sent out messages to each friend that I had in hopes that they would Like my page.  My figuring was; if I have 800 friends I could surely conjure up 600 Likes easily. To this day I have 161 Likes, far short of the 800 or so friends that I have. At first I took personally that more of my FaceBook friends had not embraced my baby (Page) with that vaunted Like button, and then an Aha moment.  Life happens.... If it can happen for me then why should it be any different for everyone else, FB friends included?  I suddenly realized that it wasn't personal but perhaps just more situational. I have FB friends that Like every food picture that I post and still have no clue that I have a blog (even though it's attached above each and every picture that I post). I also have folks that ask me to email recipes to them that are already on the blog, talk about pampered huh?!?  Not really! To be honest some of them have no idea what a blog is let alone why they would go to it to find a recipe. 

As a writer it's my job to engage my readers on topics that may garner interest enough to find followers. As a service provider it's also my job to provide interesting and relevant material in order to keep my followers wanting for more. As a grown man it's my job to understand that life happens and no matter what you've got to keep plugging away and the results that you desire will come. Just be sure not to burn any bridges especially if you plan on traveling to and fro..... I have a bunch of friends that have started new businesses and are trying to promote on FB and other social media, undoubtedly they will face some of the same frustrations that I have. My advice to each of you is simply this, be yourself, be honest, be understanding, and above all else be patient. People are reluctant to try new things even if they are from a familiar source, it's ok just be ready for them when they finally do come around. I've seen a few posts on FB warning folks not to look them up for help once they make it because they have not extended themselves to help them out in the lean times. To that I say this, if you are working from your heart you will be seen, recognized and celebrated in all of the ways you can dream of. It's a principle of the universe. You do in deed get back what you put out.........

That being said I would love to introduce you to a dear friend of mine that happens to have an incredible album that was released 12-12-12 "The Book Of Emotion",Teronze Harris. I won't attempt to limit his abilities by placing a label on his musical style(s) instead I'll just ask that you click on the link below and take a listen.

Reverbnation.com - Teronze "The Book Of Emotion"



His Album is available for purchase by clicking any of the following links.........

Itunes Link


Google Music


Amazon Link

                      Teronze Harris - The Book Of Emotion 

On the menu today : Joanie's "N'Awlins" Style Char-Grilled Oysters.

For this you will need the following: 

• Oyster's on the Half Shell (4-6 pp) *Costco sells them frozen and in the half shell. 36 count
• Garlic (2 Tbs) 
• Parsley (2 tsp)
• Lemon Juice (1 Tbs)
• Cayenne Pepper (1 tsp)
• Butter (1.5 Stick)
• Coarse Salt  & Pepper (T T)
• Pecorino Romano Cheese (1/4 cup)

This is a recipe that my sister Joanie shared with me a Saturday or 2 ago when I came over (late as usual) for dinner. She handed me the Oysters,  had her husband Enoch light the grill and then gave me the recipe. They came out as good as I have ever had, I might even prefer grilled to raw now, which is saying a lot!!!!! Thanks Bones.......... 

Start off by lighting your charcoal grill and heating until the coals are glowing. Season the clams liberally with salt and pepper and add directly to the grill as seen below, cooking until done. Should take between 7-12 minutes depending on your grill heat. Yes Charcoal does matter as it imparts flavor and add to the taste of this dish. Gas will work but I'd add a smoking wood such as applewood or cherrywood to help out. 

While the Oysters are on the grill make the dressing by adding the minced garlic, parsley and grated cheese to the melted butter, cayenne pepper, lemon juice and whisk together. Pour over the Grilled Oysters and sprinkle with more cheese , placing it in an oven to melt and place directly on a platter to serve. Enjoy with a Hurricane, it's "N'Awlins" right? 

Grilled Oysters 

The Death Of Jim & John! Or, I Wonder If Ray Was Going Through a Mid-Life Crisis In His Twenties. Grilled Double Cut Pork Rack with Asian Kale SaladPork

Drunken Grilled Pork Chops

Asian Kale Salad

I grew up a very imaginative and precocious little boy and my closest friend was my little sister Joanie. We used to play a game called Jim & John, a "Soap Opera" of sorts. All we would do is go around in our imaginary cars and make up imaginary adult situations like going to the job daily or going out to meet our cool friend Ray (more on him later) for evening cocktails. Whatever the situation we would "act this play out" for hours at a time and have a ball doing so.

Now on to Ray! If Jim and John were 23-25ish then Ray had to be about 25-27ish. Where Jim & John were average Joe's that happened to be brothers and seemed to lead a humble but meaningful life, those characters we played seemed to be bogged down with minutia. Ray on the other hand was the coolest guy ever.. This dude drove a hot red Corvette convertible, played all the right jams (AWB, EWF, Lenny White, Roy Ayers, and of course Led Zep), had a fly job (he was a executive of some sort), made bank, ran the ladies, took flack from no-one and was normally played by my older very cool sister Cheryl.. There were a few times that myself or Joanie would play him out of necessity but we normally left him out of preferring instead to wait until Cheryl was free and wanted to be bothered to join us. I do remember however, when we would get bored with each other (Jim & John) we would turn to each other and say: "I wonder what our cool friend Ray is up to?" Enter Ray, inject automatic cool... Man this dude was smooth.....

Funny thing happened along the way! We just stopped playing Jim & John, they just up and went away. No last show, no cancellation notice not even the obligatory re-union show with all of the drama of the camera soliloquy dimin' on how Ray was a show off, or Ray talking about how sick and tired he was of bringing all of the cool to these to corny cats Jim & John. Funny thing about growing up is you seem to outgrow childish things , dreams and fantasies, which is not only expected but fine. I just hope that we can all keep a childish sense of humor and wonder, I think it might just keep us more tolerant of the changes that we go through and of our differences no matter what those things may be or look like.

I imagine by now those characters are all in their 60's, having seen the world, experienced a lifetime of ups and downs. Ray I'm sure is dating a 23 year old and lives in the south of France, while Jim & John undoubtedly broke out of their shells to become providers with large families and probably live somewhere in the suburbs. I'm also sure that they have kept in touch from time to time, post cards, Xmas cards and other things that would bind them. Whatever it is they didn't really need us to continue their relationships they just need us to remember them fondly and think of how they helped bored kids to stay out of trouble and even gave those kids life lessons and principles that are still inherent in each of us to this day. If I am cool, it's due to Ray!(Cheryl) If I am a bit nerdy then I guess that's Jim or John (me or Joanie).

Crawford Kids circa mid 70's by the Garb right??? 

One day a few weeks back I talked to Joanie about Jim and John and we cracked up about all of the memories we had about it. It was funny because I was sure that I was the only one that remembered it and I had even considered that I imagined the whole thing. As we talked, my sister Cheryl said"y'all remember Ray?" I was floored, surely Ray was too cool to remember corny ass Jim and John or could it be that Jim & John had the same effect on Ray? Well, just a thought. I love the way I grew up, big shout out to Fort Washington, Md....................

Drunken Double Cut Chop With Asian Kale

On the menu today: Double-Cut Grilled Pork Rack & Asian Kale Salad

Juicy Chop

For the Pork we will need the following:

• Double-Cut Pork Chops  (1 pp)
• Garlic (1 Tbs)
• Dijon Mustard (1 Tbs)
• Wray & Nephew Over Proof Rum (1 Cup)
• Olive Oil (1 Tbs)
• Rice Vinegar (1 tsp)
• Soy Sauce (1 Tbs)
• Brown Sugar (1 tsp)

If you buy the rack of pork connected (still intact) cut the chops double the normal size or about 4 inches thick. Take the other ingredients and combine them to make the marinade. Allow the chops to marinate for no longer than 45 minutes. *I am no fan of allowing things to marinate to the point of overwhelming the natural taste. Remember after all,  you bought the pork because it was pork. 

Preheat the oven to 425. Once the pork is done marinating dry off one side thoroughly with a paper towel and season with coarse salt before placing in a heated and oiled skillet. Allow the chop to stay in the pan undisturbed for 3-5 minutes before flipping and placing directly in the oven and cooking for 7-10 minutes or to your desired internal temperature (doneness). I eat mine a bit more than medium rare but that's just me.

Spicy Asian Kale Salad

For the Asian Kale Salad we will need the following:

• Kale (2-3 bunches)
• Carrots (2 each)
• Shallots (5 each)
• Apples (1 each)
• Soy Sauce (2 tsp)
• Olive Oil (2 Tbs)
• Sesame Seeds (1 Tbs)
• Rice Vinegar (1 tsp)
• Salt & Pepper (T T)
• Wasabi Powder (1 Tbs)

Spicy Kale

Start making the dressing by adding the soy sauce, olive oil, vinegar, wasabi powder, sesame seeds, and salt & pepper to taste. Cut the kale into ribbons or strips, julienne the apples, grate the carrots once peeled and julienne the shallots. Toss with the dressing as you would any other salad, adding a sprinkle of sesame seeds for garnish before serving.

*Look for the Jim & John Series to come soon.

Dance Like Nobody's Watching.......Spice Roasted Mackerel, Herbed Rice, Heirloom Salad & Warm Tomato-Olive Ragout.

Spice-Roasted Mackerel 

I look down at the thermometer in the car. Damn, it's 102 degrees outside and the A.C. is on the fritz so it's about 120 in my ride.  I've just gotten off from a long and frustrating day at work and here I am in a bucket, stuck in traffic on 580 headed home so that I can shake off the day. "Man, I love MF Doom but he's just not cutting it today!", I say to myself.  The graveyard of cars in front of and behind me makes me fully aware that it might be an hour before I make it to the next 10 feet. I glance into the car of my neighbor in frustration (the dime-peice stuck in traffic in the lane next to me.), "Damn, she looks familiar as hell to me!", I think almost out loud.  She glances back and gives a quizzical smile. "I got it, Esperanza Spalding! I think I have her CD on shuffle, I think to myself.  Isn't she playing at Yoshi's in Oakland tonight? Wait a minute, is that her I just saw? Blaring in the background,"This songs' the one!" I bob my head to the music and then it happens. Esperanza gets out in traffic and starts to sing along with the CD I'm playing. Car by car like the flu on a plane, the infection starts to spread, it seems like the entire highway has become a dancehall for me and all of my "situational" friends. Man I can't believe this feeling.........

This is a recurring fantasy that I have at least once a month and one day I am sure that it will happen, unrehearsed and quite organic but until that time I can dream!

Radio Song - Esperanza Spalding

The other day I got some news that I was not too pleased about, as a matter of fact I can say that I was ready to "kill the messenger" so to speak! I came home and decided to take a bath to unwind and think and in the process watch the Radio Song video, which got me to thinking about the priorities in my life.  I had a clear vision for what I wanted to do and somehow due to things, I have been off track. This was just the push I needed to get me back in tune with my calling. If I have said it once, I've said it a million times, Be inspired by everything!!!!! Man Am I inspired once again. Some folks renew their marriage vows, I continue to renew my life mission vows.

At the end of the day, it's the quiet moments that afford me the time to dream, the dream feeds the urge to be creative, the creativity gives me the confidence to move forward and finally the confidence puts my butt in action!!!!

Mackerel 

On the Menu today: Spice Roasted Mackerel, Herbed Rice, Heirloom Salad & Warm Tomato-Olive Ragout.

For this meal we will need the following:

• Mackerel (4 lbs feeds 3-4)
• Garlic (6 cloves)
• Olive Oil (1 Tbs)
• Chili Pepper Flakes (2 Tbs)
• Kumquat (15 each)
• Fresh Herbs (Oregano, Thyme, Tarragon)
• Fennel Bulb (1 each)
• Aluminum Foil (Enough to encase the fish)

Spice Roasted Mackerel 

Have your local fish monger scale and gut the fish then stuff the fish with the garlic, fennel bulb, sliced Kumquats  and herbs. Brush the fish with olive oil then add the salt pepper and chili flakes. Now wrap the fish completely in aluminum foil and place in an oven preheated to 425 degrees for 20-40 minutes depending on the size of the fish. Once done peel off the aluminum foil and serve on a platter. Garnish with a fresh salad and sliced kumquats (as seen below).

For the Warm Tomato & Olive Ragout we need the following:

• Roma Tomatoes (12 each)
• Fennel Bulb (1 each)
• Assorted and Pitted Olives (10 of each)
• Garlic (3 bulbs)
• Kumquats (10 each)
• Tarragon (1 bunch)
• Olive Oil (1 Tbs)
• Salt & Pepper (T T)

Oil the bottom of a cast iron skillet or saute pan then slice the tomatoes, julienne the fennel bulb and cut the olives and kumquats into 1/4 length-wise. Place in the pan by adding the 3/4 of the tomatoes in a shingled fashion then layering with olives, kumquat, julienned fennel and garlic. Repeat until the pan is full before adding the tarragon leaves and seasoning with salt & pepper. Place in an oven preheated to 350 for 45 minutes. Once done sprinkle with olive oil serve.

Warm Olive-Tomato Ragout 

Close-Up 

Moist