Button mushrooms with dried porcini mushrooms are a great taste combo

Hi R

I'm back!  Where have I been?  Publishing and marketing the book "Mosman Meanders & foreshore flavours", following up with a "Balmoral Picnic" e-book, new grandchildren etc...  How did life get to be so busy?

 

You are moving to a new season of course, and mushrooms of all varieties, transcend seasons and cuisines. 

C 

ps - My newest grandson is an absolute dreamboat!

 

Porcini Mushrooms
 

These delicious, earthy mushrooms are a favourite in French and Italian cooking. They have a smooth texture and a pungent, woodsy flavor.

Dried mushrooms have a more concentrated flavour than fresh. Always soak dried mushrooms in very hot water for 20 minutes or until soft before using. Delicious in soups, stews, sauces and with pastas, meat and poultry, along with the liquid used for reconstituting the mushrooms.
Both fresh and dried mushrooms contain unique compounds that are believed to boost your immune defence.






Dried porcini mushrooms combine well with fresh mushrooms
to make a tasty side dish or  dip.
 

 

 

 

 

 Porcini mushroom sauce / dip

I head garlic
60g / 2 oz dried chopped porcini mushrooms
250g / 8 oz  button mushrooms - chopped
1 bay leaf
sprig thyme
1/4 cup  extra virgin olive oil
1/4  cup sherry vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper
Salt
Handful flat leaf parsley  - chopped


Preheat oven  to 180 degrees C/ 355 degrees F
Baked garlic - Cut top third of garlic head away to expose the flesh.  Wrap garlic head in oiled foil and bake for 30-45 minutes until tender. Squeeze out the flesh of the garlic and set aside.
Meanwhile, pour boiling water over porcini mushrooms and leave  for 30 minutes. Lift porcini mushrooms from liquid and squeeze.  Reserve liquid.
Put porcini and other mushrooms into a flameproof dish with rest of ingredients (excluding garlic) and cook for 30 mins until tender.
Remove bay leaf and thyme.  Add garlic, mushrooms and all juices then process to achieve a coarse puree, or leave whole to serve as a side dish. Add parsley and season to taste. Serve with crusty bread or as a sauce to accompany meat or chicken.

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Asian herb salad ideal for christmas lunches



With a wonderfully wild freshness due to the overuse of
delicate herbs, this is a definite Clara favourite.

Hi there lovers of Asian Salad
Asian herb salad got the tick with key players at the birthday party so I am going to repeat it for Christmas Day.  It went perfectly with the first course of BBQ chicken skewers served Asian style. See link below
The wonderfully wild freshness is achieved by massive overuse of delicate herbs along with an Asian dressing.
Clara

Ingredients
250g / 8 oz rocket (arugula) leaves - (trimmed of excess stems (substitute any peppery lettuce)
125g / 4oz each of mint, basil, cilentro leaves (leaves picked from stems, washed and spun dry)
30g / 1 oz chervil if available
2/3 cup canned bamboo shoots - (preferably already cut into matchstick)
Dressing
2 shallots, peeled, halved, and finely sliced
l tbsp rice vinegar (or white wine vinegar)
l tsp sugar
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 tbsp mirin
sea salt and pepper

For the dressing, mix the shallots, rice vinegar, and sugar together in
a small bowl and set aside.
Trim any excess stems from the arugula, and pick the herb leaves from
their stems. Rinse and spin dry the arugula and herbs. Cut the bamboo
shoots into matchsticks.
To make the dressing, whisk the olive oil, sesame oil, mirin, sea salt, and
pepper together in a large bowl. Stir in the shallot mixture, then taste
and adjust the flavors.
Very lightly toss the arugula, bamboo shoots, and herbs in the dressing,
and serve, with chopsticks.

Link for chicken skewers belowhttp://fitinyourjeanscuisine.blogspot.com/2010/10/skewers-capture-finger-food.html

The Rules - JEAN SCENE - BECAUSE WE THINK YOU SHOULD - FIT IN YOUR JEANS

Hi R
I know you are enjoying  http://fitinyourjeanscuisine.blogspot.com fresh and healthy, tasty;  and  thought it would be good to share your expertise re how to wear your jeans so you look absolutely fabulous.

There's nothing like a great fitting pair of jeans and yet they can be hard to find unless you know the rules.   With the expert help of Renotta, www.shopatnextdoor.com who could write a book about styles, length, what shoes and tops to wear with what  etc........ and Lynee Follow That Girl , here is the answer.  "We have over 1300 pairs of jeans in our store and an all-consuming passion to find the perfect pair for everyone who walks through our door." We all look forward to answering your questions about jeans or healthy tasty food, because that is our passion.
Clara

JEAN SCENE BECAUSE WE THINK YOU SHOULD FIT IN YOUR JEANS

To What Length Should You Go? Adapted from 'Jean Scene' www.shopatnextdoor.com
and Follow That Girl the latest from Lynee

We could write a book about the length of jeans. Suffice it to say most jeans are too long and need to be shortened. If you're a jeanophile, you know that the original hem needs to be reattached. There's nothing worse than jeans looking like your mom chopped them off for you or shrunk them in the dryer. At 'Shop at Nextdoor', Milwaukee USA, we have perfected the art of reattaching the original hem so when you purchase your jeans, we'll shorten them for a small fee. But since you may not live here, here are a few hints you can apply.    

Firstly, you need someone in the know re the 'New York' method of shortening jeans so your best bet would be your specialist jeans store or boutique.

The next decision is how long should they be? That's where we come in. Having shortened over ten thousand pairs, we feel we have something to say about it. For starters we're just going to deal with bootcut, flare, and trouser jeans. We'll leave the skinnies and leggings for next time. We all know we want to look fabulously tall and lean in our jeans even if we're not. So here's our rule of thumb: if your shoes show, your jeans are too short. You want your jeans to just skim the ground, about 1/4" short of dragging. It gives you that long continuous line even if it's an illusion for most of us.

The next thing you need to deal with is what shoes you will be wearing. Unfortunately, you can't wear one pair of jeans with flats, comfy heels, and killer spikes. We're good, but we're not magicians. You have to pick one height shoe and go with it. And yes, it means you have to have more than one pair of designer jeans. We'll say it again, there's nothing like a great fitting pair of jeans. And there's nothing worse than a pair of jeans that are too short!

Renotta (jeanophile)
Renee (fashion blogger)

Click on 'comment' at bottom of page to have your say or email clara@babyboomerconnections.com.au www.babyboomerconnections.com.au

Leafy green vegetables - the 'little black dress' of the vegetable world.

Hi R
Back on track with green leaves which we need to eat heaps of since we are grazers.

Leafy green vegetables are like the 'little black dress' of the vegetable world. They go with just about everything and they’re appropriate for every occasion.  Green leaves are perhaps the most anti-ageing of all foods and since I am passionate about my greens, once I start on them I seem to need to give all the good news. (below)
Hope you and Roberto are eating plenty of fresh green leaves.
Clara

Obviously, the best way to eat greens is uncooked, fresh from the garden, with Spinach or Rocket being my favourites because of their versatility. They can be stir fried in a little olive oil, wilted by steaming for a very short time, but I love them when added to cooked vegetables, at the last minute for extra colour and super nutrition.

'Eat More Green Leaves' because we are grazers

Sichuan Style Spinach or Green Leaves
30g peanut oil
20 black peppercorns
4 dried red chillies
2 garlic cloves
2 bunches English spinach
Sea salt
30ml chinese wine
Dash sesame oil
Heat oil over medium heat, add groundpeppercorns and chilli until fragrant. Remove, add garlic, then wine, salt, spinach and cook until wilted and liquid nearly evaporated. Add seasoning, and chilli.



It was common for our ancient ancestors to eat up to six pounds of leaves per day, ie a grocery bag full of greens each and every day? Calorie for calorie, they are perhaps the most concentrated source of nutrition of any food. They are a rich source of minerals (including iron, calcium, potassium, and magnesium) and vitamins, including vitamins K, C, E, and many of the B vitamins. They also provide a variety of phytonutrients including beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin, which protect our cells from damage and our eyes from age-related problems, can help prevent age-related cognitive decline and may also reduce your risk of skin canceramong many other effects. Dark green leaves even contain small amounts of Omega-3 fats.
Almost Carb-Free, with the carbs that are there packed in layers of fibre, which make them very slow to digest.


Perhaps the star of these nutrients is Vitamin K. A cup of most cooked greens provides at least nine times the minimum recommended intake of Vitamin K, and even a couple of cups of dark salad greens usually provide the minimum all on their own. Recent research has provided evidence that this vitamin may be even more important functions.
Vitamin K
•Regulates blood clotting
•Helps protect bones from osteoporosis
•May be a key regulator of inflammation, and may help protect us from inflammatory diseases including arthritis.
Fat-soluble vitamin, so make sure to put dressing on your salad, or cook your greens with oil.
Quick-cooking Greens
These greens can either be eaten raw or lightly cooked. Six cups of raw greens become approximately one cup of cooked greens and take only a few minutes to cook. Spinach, Chard, Rocket, Beet Greens, Dandelion greens, Sorrel and Cabbage belong in this category.
Greens should be dry or almost dry, after washing; store in a bag with as much of the air pushed out as you easily can. I like to put a barely damp paper towel in for just the right amount of moisture. Then, put them in the vegetable drawer of your fridge.



Click on 'comment' at bottom of page to have your say or email clara@babyboomerconnections.com.au www.babyboomerconnections.com.au

Spring Training or Time to Belly Up to the Bar

It's that time of the year again when we all have to face the naked truth. Young or old, male or female, we have to come out of our winter hibernation. The great unveiling! We've had five long months of cover up with big parkas, bulky sweaters, stretchy skinny jeans and Uggs. Ugg! Now we look forward to exposed arms and legs, form fitting clothes and feet in flip flops. I'm no different than anyone, maybe just a bit older and hopefully wiser. I admit I'm perusing the isles for the best tan in a bottle, hauling out all my exercise tapes and weights and cranking up the old tread mill. I have always exercised in some form. In my twenties I was a modern dancer. As I moved into my thirties, Jane Fonda taught us all to "feel the burn". Then there were the years of jumping rope, step routines, weight lifting,  running, cross country skiing, stationary biking, you name it, I've done it. If I could give you one bit of advice it would be, be kind to your body, walk don't run, stretch a lot and relax. But I know that's lost on deaf ears. So look forward to some stiff hips and creaky knees. I've had to really temper what I do these days, and fitting exercise into my schedule still remains a challenge. I admit I let things slide over the winter, but I'm back at it. I've decided one thing, I'm going to walk before I talk, jog before I blog and stretch before I sit and knit. I've also decided to approach this spring's training in realistic moderation. I plan to feel a "little burn" rather than a big burn out. One of my favorite exercise routines is called The 

Bar Method. I like it because it requires no equipment, only some hand weights and a chair, and it reminds me of my days in dance. It's a great exercise to alternate with walking. I modify some of the stretches to fit my body, but for the most part I can get through the whole session. As for my exercise gear, well that's not a pretty picture as I'm in the privacy of my own home and most likely in my pajamas. But I have discovered a tee that really makes me feel great to wear after I'm done! It's called a Skinny Tee and it is just that. We started carrying them at Nextdoor and can't keep them in stock. They're really snug and stretchy, nice and long and don't roll up. You look and feel a size smaller. I'm all for that. They're also much better priced than other similar brands. You can wear them as an undergarment now and as a top later as things warm up. We have them in stock in some nice neutral colors with bright colors on the way. Don't get me wrong, they are not a substitute for exercise but you will get a lift wearing one!

For those of you who like to get out of the house to exercise and live in our area I highly recommend our friends at the Movement Center in Pewaukee. Another great place is Peak Performance in Hartland, where you can take their Skinny Jean Challenge.

shopatnextdoor for skinny tees


For some great "skinny" recipes check out Granny C's blog and website, Fit In Your Jeans Cuisine!

R