Rainy Day Garlic



Rainy days make some people antsy but I always find them to be a great time to catch up on projects that I've been meaning to get around to doing...like this one for pickling garlic. I love pickled garlic and bookmarked this recipe last year after I attended a Master Canner's seminar with some friends but I never got around to making it...well, what better time than a rainy leap day to get it done?

And speaking of garlic, if you haven't read Ruth Reichl's Garlic & Sapphires yet...get to it. Reichl used to be the food critic for the NYT and then was the editor-in-chief for Gourmet magazine. She's such an eloquent writer and one of my favorite authors. If you love food memoirs, you'll love her books. Also check out: Tender at the Bone and Comfort Me with Apples, which talks about her childhood. You can find her books at your local bookstore or library.


Spicy Pickled Garlic  (recipe from Pinch My Salt)

Ingredients

Approximately 1 1/2 cups peeled garlic cloves (4 – 5 heads of garlic)

3 dried chilies

2 cups white wine vinegar

2 scant teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

special equipment: 3 sterilized half-pint jars with lids


Instructions

- Fill jars with garlic cloves and add one dried chili to each jar.

- In a small saucepan, combine vinegars, sugar, and salt.

- Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar and salt.

- Fill jars with hot liquid and screw lids onto the jars. Let cool to room temperature then refrigerate.

- Garlic should be ready to eat in about 3-4 weeks and will keep in the refrigerator for about 4 months.

Priceline may surpass Expedia to become the largest Online Travel Agency

A report by PhoCusWright says Expedia might soon lose its standing as the world's top online travel agency to fast-charging Priceline. The study says Priceline could knock Expedia out of the No. 1 slot by year-end.
Priceline has picked up speed the past several years from its successful penetration of Western Europe's travel market, where it's gaining consumers in Britain, Germany, France and other countries, says Carroll Rheem, PhoCusWright's research director.

"The real impact wouldn't be until 2013," Rheem said.

Priceline's been outpacing Expedia in global gross bookings since Q2 2010. It passed Expedia in international revenue last year, Rheem says. Read More

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Infographic: The evolution of online travel

 When many of us think of online travel agencies , we associate it with the automation and convenience online booking systems that allows us to plan thousands of miles of journeys from the convenience of our laptops.

We also imagine it as a relatively new phenomenon that emerged a few years ago, probably less than 5 years ago because that's when we started using them.

The truth is that automated booking systems have been with us since 1946 and American airlines, pioneers in commercial aviation, were also pioneers in developing the first electronic and automated booking systems.

The first Global Distribution System was built in 1976  in the UK.Today, GDS are at the centre of distribution of travel products be they flights, hotel bookings, car hire and other travel products. The first online travel website of note was Lonely Planet which was founded in 1995. The first online travel agency was definitely Expedia, founded ,in 1996 by Microsoft. These and much more rich facts are available in this well designed and informative infographic! Open the Infographic in a new tab for larger view:


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Roasted Broccoli with Sriracha & Honey


Recently, I had a few hours to kill at an appointment and started watching Sons of Anarchy on my Kindle Fire (via Netflix streaming). I was instantly hooked and have been obsessively devouring episodes whenever I have a few moments to sit down and watch some TV. The show is extremely well written and has a great cast, not to mention Charlie Hunnam who plays Jax Teller is pretty easy on the eyes. Anyhow, the other night I had a free evening and wanted to make a simple and quick dinner so I could catch up on a few episodes. I figured the dish should be something hot but sweet (like Jax...just kidding) and decided to try out this recipe by food blogger Rosemarried for Roasted Broccoli with Sriracha and Honey. I liked that it used things that I already had in my fridge and in my pantry. I just left out the green onions and subbed in cashews for the almonds and it turned out to be the perfect "TV dinner."


(Jax Teller, played by Charlie Hunnam)


Roasted Broccoli with Sriracha and Honey (adapted from recipe by Rosemarried)

Instructions

1 small crown of broccoli, cut into bite size florets

2 tablespoons sesame oil

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon Sriracha

1 tablespoon honey

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 cup roasted, unsalted cashews


Instructions

- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

- Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

- In a bowl, combine: soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, Sriracha and black pepper. Pour this sauce over the broccoli florets and toss to coat.

- Place coated broccoli florets in an even layer across the baking sheet.

- Roast for about 8-10 minutes, until broccoli is tender.

- Transfer broccoli from the baking sheet to a bowl. Toss with roasted cashews. Taste and adjusting seasonings if necessary.

-Serve immediately while still warm.  (I like it over steamed white rice or with a fried egg.)

River City Food Bank's Empty Bowls Event

(Photo: Source)


Mark your calendars for March 5 and 6th. Remember that cool event that I blogged about last year that I attended with my friend Gretchen where we got to taste delicious soups made by some of the best restaurants in town, choose a beautiful handmade bowl to take home and the money went to a great cause? Well, that was the River City Food Bank's Empty Bowl's event. This is it's ninth year running and it's gotten so big it's moving from the Masonic Center, where it was held last year, over to the Convention Center. Their goal is to raise $125,000 to provide emergency 3-day food supplies to the increasing numbers of families and seniors who need help getting by and with your help they may be able to do it. So talk to your friends, families, and coworkers and make plans to purchase your tickets soon as it's sure to be a popular event. There's a dinner on Monday night (the 5th) and two lunch seatings on Tuesday (the 6th) for you to choose from.

Here's the specifics:

When: Supper: Monday, March 5, 5:30-7:30 p.m., $60 per person or Luncheon: Tuesday, March 6, 11:00 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. seatings, $30 per person

Where: Sacramento Convention Center, 1400 J Street  Sacramento, CA 95814
Tickets: Tickets are now on sale online as well as two retail locations: The Cathedral Bookshop at 2620 Capitol Avenue, and the Avid Reader at the Tower, 1600 Broadway

Soup Sponsors: Classique Catering, Vizcaya, Michelangelo’s, CafĂ© Bernardo, R15, Scott’s Seafood Grill & Bar, Lucca Restaurant & Bar, The Broiler Steakhouse, Greek Village Inn, Grange Restaurant & Bar.

Ticket includes:

· A beautiful handmade bowl of your own choosing, a reminder of the many empty bowls in our community.
· Delicious soup supper or luncheon featuring soups created by Sacramento’s best chefs as well as dessert.
· At the soup supper, wine and hors d’oeuvres in addition to gourmet soups.

Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches

Originally posted May 22, 2009.  Photo and text updated Feb 27, 2012.


Do you think it's possible to be addicted to Buffalo Chicken Wings? My husband and I host Community Group in our home every Wednesday evening, which just so happens to be cheap wing night at a local pub.  Steve ends up going out with friends after Community Group almost every Wednesday because he can't get enough Buffalo Chicken wings.  While I have to stay home because our kids are sleeping, he does bring me home some, so it's win win.  Much to my husband's excitement, a few years ago I turned his pub favorite into this easy dinner entree.  

Another win.
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Serves 4

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and Pepper
Paprika
Chili powder

Sauce:
1/2 cup hot sauce (We like "Frank's"....you can also find "Buffalo Wing Sauce" and skip the butter)
2 tbsp butter

Ranch dressing or blue cheese dressing
4 buns
Lettuce


Season chicken with salt, pepper, chili powder, and paprika. Drizzle a frying pan with oil and heat over medium-high heat. Once hot put the chicken in and cook for about 5 minutes. The chicken will get nice and brown. Flip over and cook about 5 minutes on the other side, or until chicken is cooked through.

While the chicken is cooking, place the hot sauce and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once the chicken is done cooking, place in sauce and stir to completely cover chicken in sauce.

If you like you can toast your buns, cut side up under the broiler for 1-2 minutes until browned.  Serve chicken on a bun with lettuce and drizzle with ranch or blue cheese dressing.


Click here for a printable version of Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches
__________________________________________________________________________________

THE RESULTS?
Love it. Love it. Love it.  'Nuff said.

To make these sandwiches kid friendly, I skip putting their chicken in the buffalo sauce and just stick with the ranch dressing and lettuce on a bun.  Ranch is pretty much their favorite condiment ever, so they love it.

Meal Ideas:

  • Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches + Carrots and Celery Sticks with Dip
  • Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches + Fries + Salad
  • Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches + Twice Baked Potatoes
Leftover Ideas:
  • Take leftover buffalo chicken breasts and chop up.  Place over a salad with thinly sliced carrots, celery, green onions, and either ranch or blue cheese dressing.

Dubai International Airport affected by landing congestion

More aircraft are having to circulate and burn fuel above Dubai International at peak times as slot congestion rises according to a report by the Business Traveller Magazine.

Full report below:

The practice - well known to passengers travelling to London Heathrow and other key hubs - has spread to the Gulf's leading airport as it grapples with capacity constraints amid increasing growth. The airport handled 50.98 million passengers last year, up 8% on 2010.

One pilot said: "It's becoming a bigger problem. When you're flying an A380 around for half an hour waiting to land, that's a considerable add-on cost."

Emirates declined to comment.

Helen Woodrow, Dubai Airport's Head of Aeronautical Strategy, said there has been a rapid rise in demand for airspace capacity in the past five years, which has led to congestion at Dubai International Airport during peak periods.

Evenings and early mornings tend to be the busiest times as flights criss-cross from Asia and Europe, although many flights operate in the middle of the night.

"We are aware of this and are tackling the issue at multiple levels," she said.

"In the near term, changes to standard arrival and departure routes are currently pending regulatory approval. These changes are designed to enhance the efficiency with which flights to and from Dubai and our neighbouring airports are able to be handled by air traffic control."
Dubai International Airport
She added there are several further phases of airspace development planned over the coming years which will focus not only on changing processes, but also on using emerging technologies such as 'performance based navigation'.

In the meantime, Dubai Airports is engaging with various stakeholder to ensure air routes are decongested, bottlenecks are reduced and latent airspace capacity - much of UAE airspace is reserved for military use - is unlocked.

"Unfortunately not all of the fixes required are under our control. Dubai Airports is actively participating in several national and regional forums with our industry partners such as CANSO (Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation), the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority and Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, to work across borders to optimise the region’s airspace structure," she said.

Peak periods, by their very nature, are highly desirable by airlines who typically prefer to retain these slots.
But should the situation deteriorate then the 'plan B' option of switching more flights to Dubai World Central could be accelerated.

"We do anticipate slot constraints at Dubai will make Dubai World Central an increasingly attractive option for general aviation and cargo airlines in future," she said.

Planes circle for up to 55 hours a day over Heathrow, burning 190 tonnes of fuel and releasing 600 tonnes of carbon dioxide.

Around 60% of arrivals at the airport are held in four holding stacks, according to figures released by air traffic control service Nats.

Post Courtesy

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Virgin Atlantic Increases Ghana Service

Virgin Atlantic is to add two additional frequencies to its existing London Heathrow-Accra route from March 26.
The carrier will move to a five times-weekly service, citing growth of over 50 per cent in premium economy and Upper Class bookings on the route over the last six months.

The new flights will operate on Wednesday and Saturday, adding to existing services on Thursday, Friday and Sunday.

Virgin launched flights to Ghana in May 2010, competing with British Airways on the Heathrow-Accra route

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Red Rabbit

2718 J Street, Sacramento, CA 95816. (916) 706-2275.
http://www.theredrabbit.net

You know when you hear about a new place that's going to open up in town and there's hype for months and months? You start to anticipate something pretty fabulous and formulate some lofty expectations, then you go visit and that bubble gets burst? Well, fortunately Red Rabbit lived up to the hype and sure didn't burst my bubble last Thursday night. I had plans to get together with my friend, Michelle, for a bite to eat and some girltalk- I suggested checking out Red Rabbit. Since it was a Thursday night and Red Rabbit's located in the Grid, I figured I better make a reservation just in case it was busy. When I checked out their webpage, their reservation system caught my eye- there was no OpenTable or any other fancy-schmancy system in place, it was just an old school "send us an email and we'll get back to you" or call. So I dropped them an email and within a few minutes, I received an email back from Matt Nurge at the Red Rabbit with the words, "Done!" For me, there was something refreshing in the simplicity of their system.

Our reservations were for 6pm, so it was still relatively quiet when I got there. I was greeted immediately by a friendly gentleman upon walking through the door and directed to where my friend was sitting. Michelle had already ordered the Krakow, one of their hand-crafted cocktails (made with Zubrowka, apple butter, lemon and ginger beer). I perused the drink list- there were some great California brews on draft and local wines (like Berryessa Gap) on there...but after chatting with our waiter, James, I decided to try a cocktail first- an Army Navy. Made with gin, lemon and orgeat...this cocktail was delicious, a great choice if you like citrus. Michelle was kind enough to allow me to take a sip of her drink which was amazing- it tasted like a baked apple with a hint of ginger and cinnamon (in fact it was so tasty, I too ordered a Krakow on our next round). Whoever was bartending that night did a great job on our cocktails, they tasted smooth and sweet yet were strong as hell. Perfect. My only suggestion would be- those drinks need to come a little faster, there was some serious lag time on our beverages. Our server was wonderful on keeping us posted on their progress (without us asking), but the long wait was noticeable each time we ordered.

For our eats, we started with the "farm-animal lollipops" which consisted of three meatballs (beef, lamb and one of chicken wrapped in bacon) paired with a sauce- a rich marinara, a spicy mint chimichurri and an onion aioli. All three meatballs were perfectly cooked and the sauces were flavorful. I did think they could have done without the gimmicky wooden sticks and perhaps added another meatball (or two) to make it worth the $8 price tag.


For our dinners, Michelle went with the ramen and I, after much hemming and hawing, opted for the lamb bocadillas. I was a bit curious on what Michelle's take on the ramen would be; after all, ramen in a non-Asian restaurant? I was a bit skeptical. Turned out she loved it. She commented that the broth was quite flavorful and the shiitakes, fried shrimp and green onions were the perfect accompaniment to the steamy noodle dish. For my main course, I ordered the lamb bocadillos...(how can you resist saying bocadillos? It's such a cute word- bocadillos-bocadillos-bocadillos!) The dish came with two perfectly cooked mini-lamb sliders topped with some lip-smacking chimichurri and gooey Manchego cheese. I quickly laid waste to both sliders; however, the limp fries that came with them didn't do much for me. Someone in the cocina needs to learn how to crisp those suckers up- a pretty easy thing to fix.



You'd think the top button on my jeans would be ready to pop by now, but I had consumed something sour, something spicy and something savory...and now I was craving something sweet. Michelle and I decided to go all out and order TWO desserts. We ordered the mini-brioche doughnuts and a plate of the croquettes. The  former were served in a set of three, warm and on a plate sprinkled with confectioner's sugar. They were nice...but the latter- the croquettes. Holy balls! They were good. The croquettes were three crispy deep-fried little balls filled with a luscious melted dark chocolate ganache, served with a scoop of ice cream mixed with pralines. Talk about a sexy dessert, your eyes'll roll back in your head once you taste these.

The owners of Red Rabbit have done a terrific job of revitalizing the old Red Lotus location. They've created a restaurant that looks modern yet not overly trendy. The exposed brickwork, intimate lighting and cushy booths create a comfortable environment that works well for both the dining and the bar crowd and I'm sure the two patios- in the front and the back- will be a big hit in the spring (we Sacramentans love our outdoor dining). The randomness of the menu choices ensures that there's something that appeals to everyone and the prices are actually reasonable. Service throughout our meal was attentive and pleasant, I liked that the manager would stop by and check on tables periodically. It seemed like they were really trying to put forth the effort to make sure guests were happy and any hiccups were quickly addressed.

When I looked around during dinner, I saw an array of diners- the after work business suits, the local Midtown tatted bar crowd, families with children, hipsters, couples on dates...all happily eating under the same roof. It looks like in the short time that it's been open, Red Rabbit has perhaps stumbled on the perfect recipe for creating a friendly neighborhood gathering place. I hope they hold fast to that particular recipe as they continue to evolve their menu and restaurant.

Isthisyourluggage.com: Is this your Lost Luggage?

So how has IsthisYourLuggage.com fared on three years after the launch? Not quite good.  So far  the website, has only a few luggage photos for unclaimed baggage. The website was founded in 2009 by Luna Laboo as a hobby to help passengers trace their lost luggage.

The website features photographs of luggage by the photographer who purchases the luggage from auction houses selling unclaimed baggage and puts their images on the internet in an effort to find the real owners.
Is this your Luggage?

The venture/hobby started on a high note but soon fizzled out though it could be good business given that over one million luggage are lost every year for good with passengers being paid a small compensation fee. Most of these passengers will never see the luggage again but a third party luggage retrieval service could offer them a ray of hope.

Given that the luggage normally cost between $20-$100 at baggage auction houses this could be a profitable venture if only you could trace the luggage owner and give them a second a chance to retrieve their baggage at a small fee slightly above the auction price plus shipping fee. So far, IsThisYourLuggage.com has only 7 bags displayed and it seems to have run out of steam some time ago although I still think with adequate funding, angel investments, it could ease the heartbreak of lost baggage.

On her hobby the founder Luna Laboo says in an interview, "It’s a little odd but not as odd as stamp collecting. Just a little harder to find storage space."

Get some luggage tips
Good Flight Sleep Article at Magellan's

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The Unclaimed Bagage Centre in Alabama, where some of your lost luggage end up in

Unclaimed Baggage Centre(UCB): A retail shopping adventure in unclaimed baggage

Ever wondered what happens to all your valuables in your baggage after making all the futile frantic calls and waiting for three months to no avail? The airline will in many cases compensate you for the loss, so what happens after the compensation? As has been discussed in previous three posts this week that are all about baggage handling, some of the unclaimed baggage will go to auction houses, some will end up in the hands of airline employees while some airlines will simply shred the luggage and discard it. Often airline employees will help themselves to a few valuables like jewellery, expensive watches, laptops and other valuables before confining the rest of it to the shredder.
Some of the goodies at the Unclaimed Baggage Centre
However, in Alabama, in the United States , a family has created a thriving business out of unclaimed baggage by building the Unclaimed Baggage Centre(UCB). Since 1970, the Owens family has created a booming business out of buying luggage that the airlines cannot reconnect passengers and reselling the baggage contents-house slippers to diamond jewelry to harpoons — at a discount.

Unclaimed Baggage: What the travelers leave behind
Many curious people from all over the world, including African countries like Kenya and South Africa, come to the Unclaimed Baggage Centre in Alabama to mull what unlucky travelers have lost.Over the last 42 years, the business has grown from a rented house to a 40,000 square foot facility that draws in nearly a million visitors every year!
The Owens Family has built a successful business from Unclaimed Baggage since 1970
 Besides the bargains and the gawking factor, the Owenses attribute their success to their almost spiritual mission. “We take these misfit toys and put them back into society in a purposeful manner,” says director of marketing Brenda Cantrell.

What happens to unclaimed baggage in Kenya, Uganda, South Africa, Egypt and other countries in Africa?


Get some tips on lost luggage
Good Flight Sleep Article at Magellan's

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Lost or Delayed Baggage Compensation, how does your airline treat you?

The issue of compensation for delayed baggage delivery or lost baggage is a hot issue for travelers and airlines.  Many travelers often feel, deservedly so, that they should be paid compensation for an airline's mistakes that range from the mishandling of baggage, pilferage, damaged luggage or even lost baggage. But the reality is always much harsher and getting compensation is a difficult process. Airlines will only compensate travelers for damaged or lost luggage but will not compensate you for the stress and inconvenience caused by the delayed delivery of the luggage.

When it comes to baggage compensation claims, airlines normally behave like insurance companies. They will put utmost efforts to reduce their liabilities, including heaping the blame on you for loss of your baggage.

Get some tips on lost luggage
Good Flight Sleep Article at Magellan's

Baggage Claims for Delayed Luggage Delivery
Some airlines clearly state on their websites the amount of compensation that they will give to passengers in the event of delayed delivery of baggage. An example is Scandinavian airlines or Virgin Atlantic who clearly state on their website that they will provide compensation of  £50 or up to  £50 subject to the passenger providing evidence of expenditure as a result of the delayed baggage delivery.  £50 is a very small compensation especially if you're going for a business meeting and the delay necessitates that you purchase personal items afresh to cater for your needs during the duration that the baggage is lost. For most airlines, no compensation will be due to you as long as your baggage arrives in one piece, even a month later!
Lost baggage
 The Montreal Convention sets out airlines' liabilities for passengers and their baggage and applies to international travel only although some countries are now enacting laws to cater for baggage mishandling on domestic flights. According to Montreal Convention for Destroyed, Lost or Delayed Baggage, the passengers do have rights when these woes have been caused by the airline or as a result of the airline's inadequacies.

To make claims for damaged baggage,  ensure you report the claim for the damage within seven days of the receipt of the baggage. Many airlines have outlined procedures for filing these reports on their websites.
For delayed baggage claims, if the airline admits liability for the delay of the checked baggage and the baggage does not arrive within  21 days, then you are entitled to enforce your rights under the Montreal convention and demand compensation. Ensure that you file a complaint within 21 days from the date you received the baggage from the airline. There is however no liability for unchecked baggage, so the loss of your carry-on luggage is not covered under the Montreal convention.

For lost baggage, the various international treaties, Warsaw Convention, Hague Protocol, Montreal Protocol No 4 and IATA Inter-carrier Agreements do not specify any reporting time frame requirements thus giving airlines a window to enact rules that in many cases will limit their liabilities in case of lost luggage.


How much Compensation are you entitled to?
So how much are you entitled to? For claims of mishandled baggage, passengers are entitled to maximum of 1000 Special Drawing Rights which with the current exchange rates, amounts to a maximum of $643 irrespective of the contents of your baggage.

Normally, every case of a lost bag is evaluated individually and airlines will demand receipts for the contents of the baggage to back up your luggage claims which is normally not practical since we cannot have receipts for all the items that we travel with! In the absence of receipts, airlines will compensate you at their discretion(normally far below the actual value of lost items) or not compensate you at all. Compensation, if it happens, often does not reflect the value of items lost with your baggage. Airlines often ask for a list of items that were in the bag and original receipts as proof of their value like insurance companies would do during a claims settlement. Like insurance companies, their offer for compensation often does not match a claim in full because they have reduced payments on the grounds of depreciation of the value of the items in the bag.
The issue of baggage claims is  still a grey area in international law and airlines will continue to interpret international laws in their favour and passengers will continue going through agony caused by incompetence of negligence o the airlines.

To be on the safe side, take a few precautions top increase the chance of tracing your luggage or getting a compensation from your airline where your baggage is irretrievably lost. The following book provides tips on
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Meal Plan 50 - Family Favorites



Click here to get a printable version of this week's meal plan with recipes

Grocery List:
The grocery list is color coordinated by meal so you can easily pick and choose which meals you would like to make. Either print and use the grocery list as is and make all the meals I have planned, or easily cross off the meals and corresponding ingredients you would rather not make.

Click here to get a printable version of this week's grocery list



Here's some of our very favorite recipes, compiled into one week.  I made sure to prep ahead when possible to cut down on time spent later, and put the easiest meal at the end of the week for when I'm tired and don't much feel like cooking.  I only plan 5 meals for the week to account for leftovers, eating out, or macgyvering dinner out of the leftover bits in my fridge/pantry at the end of the week.

Happy eating!

Day 1: Won Ton Soup with Asian Salad
Our family loves this soup so much.  You'll need to allot yourself 30 minutes or so to assemble all the won tons, but the soup is a cinch after that.  You'll also be making double what you need, so you can save the rest in the fridge for tomorrow nights salad.

Mmmm....crispy won tons in a salad?  Sign me up!  This salad is crispy, crunchy, sweet and sour, and sure to please.  Toss some chicken breasts covered in BBQ sauce in the oven to cook, while the chicken for the salad is cooking and set aside for dinner on Day 4.

Day 3: Vindaloo-Korma Curry over Rice
My Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala and Slow Cooker Butter Chicken recipes have been getting all the Pinterest lovin', but this curry is one of my absolute FAVORITES. It's spicy and sweet with fantastic flavor.  While I've never tried it before, I'm sure it would adapt well to being tossed in the slow cooker once the chicken, onions, garlic and ginger have been cooked.

The chicken has already been cooked for you another night, so you need only bake the tortillas, prepare the salsa and assemble.  Easy easy!

The hoisin cashew beef is quick and easy to pull together.  If you made double the rice on Day 3 then that part is done for you too!  Just pile rice and meat into lettuce cups and enjoy an easy and delicious meal.


I never add dessert to my meal plan, but this one is so fast it's nice to treat the family.

For more great meal plans, check out my complete list of meal plans.

This Hope Prevails


Did you know my husband is an amazing musician?  At all times, he's got a bunch of music projects on the go, always creating and making beautiful music.  When we were buying a house, we had to look for one that would easily house a music studio and we ended up finding one with a detached garage; a total mancave.  It's entirely his for making music.  

All that to say, he's released a couple albums recently.  They are completely FREE to download so check them out:

  • This Hope Prevails - is a five song worship EP.  My husband Steve creates electronic beats, so it's not typical worship music.  

  • Sad, Beautiful, Modern Things - a post-rock project that he wrote with two other guys while in the mountains for 5 days.  Think "Explosions in the Sky" or "Sigur Ros".



(Thanks for reading and letting me take a little detour from food ;) )

Travel: What happens to lost your luggage

While some airlines will auction your unclaimed luggage for "charity causes", your luggage may in many cases end up in the hands of airline employees who will help themselves to the loot after a fruitless search.

Your luggage could also end up on eBay. To learn more about what happens to your lost luggage and the process airlines undergo to try and retrace the luggage, read What happens to your luggage at the airport. At New Zealand's Christchurch International Airport, they have a much simpler and crude solution to the lost luggage without any form of identification. They simply destroy it, as captured by an AirAsia passenger below:

 For tips on taking care of your luggage, you can visit here and purchase some valuable travel resources:
Good Flight Sleep Article at Magellan's


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What happens to lost luggage at the airport?

When traveling by air, passengers check in their luggage with the assurance that they will meet their luggage when they arrive at their destination. But for some passengers, this always ends in a lot of headaches where it takes days or even weeks to trace your luggage as pieces of luggage may end in a different destination entirely. In some cases, the luggage is lost for good, never to be seen again. This is especially so in airports where luggage theft is common or instances where the luggage does contain any form of identification. So what happens to this lost luggage?

Many airlines will try the utmost best to reunite the passengers with their luggage although this can be a very difficult task at  times. The first step that an airline will take to try and trace your luggage is look for any obvious contact details attached or inside the luggage. So the airline employees will open the luggage and check it through for any form of identification among your items. If no obvious contact details such as names, business cards, IDs, dairies are found in your luggage, most airlines will then turn to the World Tracer System to assist in the recovery of the bags. At this time, you have probably reached your destination and tired of making frantic calls to your airline for luggage inquiries. If you've flown with a reputable airline with a professional service, then there is no needs to worry at this time. Your luggage could still be traced, it could have flown to the wrong airport on the other side of the world. The World Tracer System integrates data from multiple airlines globally to try and match bags with their owners. From the moment you report that your luggage is missing, 100 days will be spent trying to trace your lost items. The system will look to match tag numbers with baggage type, colour and brand within the database, and when a match is made, the item will be forwarded on a "rush tag" to the nearest airport to you, and delivered directly to your contact address, be it your home or hotel. This is a happy ending to a terrible ordeal that happens in most cases but in some cases, the luggage just disappear into thin air and are not traceable even after three months of searching.

A small percentage of luggage is normally not reunited with their owners even after the 100 day period. These sadly are normally auctioned off by airlines in theory but in many cases, they end up with airline employees who divide the loot. So if you have ever wondered where you nice uncle working at the airport gets all these exotic presents, then now you know.

For professional airlines, lost luggage always end up in auction houses where the proceeds from the auctions are supposedly used to fund charitable causes but this is normally a small and secret part of airline operations and not many airlines will reveal the causes they fund with the proceeds from the lost luggage from some unlucky traveler.

Some airlines will remove high value items like laptops,  expensive suits and watches and sell them separately while the vast contents of the luggage are normally packed and sold as a package.In many cases, bidders have no idea what they are getting into when they place bids for bags but many will join the bid for the thrill of it. The practice is quite popular in some countries that bidders don't even care what they will lay their hands on in the auction. Many bidders resell the items on portals like eBay while some keep them as souvenir.

It's normally assumed that by the time your luggage enters an auction house, the airline has exhausted all options to retrace your luggage over the 100 day period but it has been revealed that many airlines do a very shoddy job in the process Some of the people who buy lost luggage at auction houses have been known to find contact details and other forms of identification in the luggage meaning some airlines are not very diligent in tracing the luggage owner. It also not known where the proceeds from luggage auctions go to, or what causes it funds. In some cases, airline workers have reported some unscrupulous airlines that rush luggage to auction houses before the 100 day period has even elapsed, meaning the search is aborted early and not given due consideration.

It is clear there's no guarantee that your luggage will arrive with you in your destination and tragically enough, there's no guarantee that it will be traced and brought back to you should it get lost during your flight. You can increase your chances of tracing your luggage by making sure your contact details are clearly visible both outside and inside the case. Failing that, you can take a chance by visiting auction houses where lost luggage, your invaluable possession,  is auctioned to strangers who will in turn sell it in bits and pieces to anonymous people on eBay! In many cases, airline employees will help themselves to your valuables.

You might not stop your luggage from getting lost but there are few precautions you can take to ensure you get a soft landing in case you lose your luggage during your travel:

  • Buy Travel Insurance: You can get better settlements from reputable travel insurers like TravelGuard .
  • Use Secure Identity tag on your bags: One of the main reasons you might lose your luggage is because the airline's  identity stickers fall off. Buy Quality Luggage Tags here or ease of identification.
  • Good Flight Sleep Article at Magellan's
  • Don't pack your bags too tightly: Bags stuffed full of clothing and other personal items are more likely to break and be damaged as they move through the airline's baggage handling system.

How does your favorite airline handle lost luggage? Ensure you make inquiries next time you travel!

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Of Peanut Butter Bars, Comb Overs & Audrey Hepburn



A bit off topic but we watched the semi-finale episode of Top Chef Wednesday night...I'm trying hard to get excited about someone winning but I haven't really been feeling any of the contestants this season. Although Paul's overgrown shaggy comb over hairdo in the latter part of the season is driving Mr.S. ABSOLUTELY bonkers which has been cracking me up. I mean, it bothers him so much that he's actually been yelling at the TV about it. It's hilarious (usually I'm the one who yells at the TV during Top Chef). How about you guys---do you have a fav contestant this season?

Well these peanut butter bars probably won't land you on Top Chef but they are really good. I recently made them to take over to my friend Melanie's for our Audrey Hepburn movie watching day. I made way too many and took a few of the leftovers over to Mr.S.'s for the kidlets to share, the treats didn't last very long. Ever watch Battle Royale? Yeah, it looked like a scene from that.


Peanut Butter Bars (recipe from Ezra Pound Cake)

Ingredients

Bottom Layer:

1 egg

1 cup sugar

1 cup peanut butter, creamy or crunchy

1 teaspoon vanilla extract


Peanut Butter Filling:

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1 cup confectioner's sugar

1 tablespoon milk

pinch of salt


Chocolate Glaze:

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/4 cup unsalted butter


Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.

2. For the Bottom Layer: Combine all of the ingredients for the bottom layer in a large bowl until a soft dough forms. Press dough evenly in the bottom of your prepared baking dish. Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely on a wire rack, at least 1 hour.

3. For the Peanut Butter Filling: Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and peanut butter until smooth. Alternate adding the confectioner’s sugar and milk. Spread mixture evenly over cooled bottom layer.

4. For the Chocolate Glaze: Measure the chocolate chips and 1/4 cup butter into a microwave-safe bowl or glass measuring cup, and microwave on high for 30 seconds. Stir. If the chocolate chips haven’t completely melted, microwave and stir in 10 second increments, just until the glaze is smooth. (Don’t burn the chocolate!) Spread the glaze over the peanut butter filling.

5. Refrigerate the bars for 30 minutes, or until chocolate glaze is set.

FastJet: Sir Stelios Plans West African Venture

15 Jets to link six West African countries to Accra Ghana, future expansion into the rest of Africa to create an "African EasyJet"

Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou is planning to launch his new airline venture in west Africa in the coming months with up to 15 jets in what may eventually become an African version of EasyJet, the UK low-cost carrier he founded.

Sir Stelios is poised to report the results of a feasibility study run by his EasyGroup management team for Rubicon, a cash shell which raised £9m in a December placing to fund the launch of the airline, to be called Fastjet.

FastJet: West African Venture
The study is expected to recommend that Fastjet link about six west African countries to Accra, the Ghanaian capital. Two people familiar with the study said that up to 15 aircraft could be leased initially. If successful, Fastjet will eventually expand across Africa, they added, to become the first pan-African low-cost carrier.

“There’s a very serious plan to make Rubicon into a very serious low-cost carrier,” said David Lenigas, a Rubicon board member and chairman of Lonrho, the pan-African conglomerate.

“One of the attractions is that west Africa is very poorly served other than with national carriers that don’t have the proper models to do regional low-cost service,” said Geoffrey White, Lonrho chief executive and also a Rubicon board member. “The initial assumption could look to have 5m passengers a year passing through Ghana.”

Lonrho owns a 12.7 per cent stake in Rubicon and also runs Fly540, a low-cost airline that operates regionally in east Africa and domestically in Ghana and Angola.

“There’s probably going to be an association with Fly540 in Ghana and it will make the whole thing bigger and a whole lot better,” said Mr Lenigas.

Rob Burnham, chairman of Rubicon, said there was space for collaboration with Fly540 but cautioned against suggestions of a reverse takeover on grounds that the airline did not have a jet fleet. “That doesn’t fit with our long-term plans, but Fly540 does operate in Ghana and it does have some infrastructure that could be of use for us in launching this.”

On speculation that Fastjet could rapidly expand throughout the whole of Africa, Sir Stelios tried to damp down expectations. “The concept works best on short flights of about one to two hours,” he told the Financial Times. “This company has to learn how to walk before it can run.”

Sir Stelios said that he has not yet decided whether he will invest directly in Rubicon. Earlier reports suggested that Sir Stelios was planning on making a $500m investment in Fastjet.

In December, Rubicon received exclusive branding rights for Fastjet from EasyGroup for 12 months in exchange for a payment of £480,000, a 5 per cent stake in the company and further royalty fees.

A day ahead of a much anticipated showdown over bonus pay with EasyJet executives, Sir Stelios said that Fastjet would not violate the terms of his non-compete agreements with EasyJet. “Even if it is still in force, it has a very narrow restriction in time and geography,” he added. 

Source Financial Times

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Sky Team launches Go Africa Pass

Global airline alliance SkyTeam has launched a new Go Africa Pass, providing cost savings and flexibility on flights operated by Kenya Airways within Africa. Kenya Airways flies to 45 destinations in 36 countries in Africa.

The pass is available to business and leisure travelers flying with any of SkyTeam’s 15 member airlines on an intercontinental round-trip to Africa or a Go Round the World ticket.

SkyTeam Go Africa Pass
 Customers purchasing a Go Africa Pass can opt from a minimum of three to a maximum of 16 flight coupons. Fares are calculated based on the number of miles flown non-stop, offering discounts of up to 75 per cent off standard fares, depending on the itinerary.

Coupons have no minimum stay, open-jaw itineraries are permitted and passengers can stop in each city multiple times. According to the SkyTeam alliance, this gives passengers complete flexibility to plan their trips. The Go Africa Pass is available for sale, for travel starting on or after March 1.

“With continued demand for travel to and within Africa, SkyTeam’s Go Africa Pass complements our already comprehensive network of flights from key global cities to major African destinations,” said Jerome d’Anglejan, SkyTeam’s director of sales. “The Go Africa Pass enables passengers to explore Africa’s full potential by increasing their travel options throughout the continent.”

Kenya Airways operates flights to Nairobi from Hong Kong and Guangzhou in the Greater China Region, as well as from cities in Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

Other SkyTeam airlines with services to Africa include Air France, Alitalia, KLM and Delta Air Lines. Korean Air will start services to Nairobi in June. Future members Saudi Arabian Airlines and MEA also fly to Africa.

SkyTeam’s Go Africa Pass is one of a number of travel passes created by the alliance to offer flexible, economical travel to its global passengers. SkyTeam passes include Go Round the World, Go China, and Go Europe. Customers can contact their local SkyTeam airline, reservation center or travel agent for details and bookings.

The Go Africa Pass, market by Kenya Airways, must be issued in connection with a SkyTeam round trip, open jaw, or round-the-world ticket originating outside Africa with a destination in Africa. These tickets can include frequent-flyer reward tickets.

Reservations for all flights must be completed before departure. Fares per coupon are based on the distance flown. The infant fare is 10 per cent of the regular and for children aged 2 to 11, the child fare is 75 per cent  of the fare.

Travel must be completed within the validity of the intercontinental /round-the-world ticket. There is no limit on stop-overs. All bookings are in economy class.

Rebooking and revalidation is not permitted for the first flight. For subsequent flights, rebooking/ and revalidation is permitted free of charge. There is a no-show charge of US$50. Voluntary re-routing is permitted for a fee of US$50 plus any fare difference and no refund applies.

Other SkyTeam Passes include Go Asia, Go America, Go Europe, Go China, Go Italy, Go Mexico

Details of Sky Team Go Africa Pass

Discover the incredible diversity that Africa has to offer while enjoying complete flexibility in your travels.
Whether for business or pleasure, traveling in Africa will be an unforgettable experience. From spotting the 'Big 5' in the most magnificent wildlife parks, hiking on Mount Kilimanjaro, trying couscous in a Moroccan Kasbah, or enjoying a 'Braai' on a South African beach; the continent is waiting for you to discover its charm.
And one easy, economical ticket can get you there. The Go Africa Pass offers you a choice of 45 destinations throughout Africa, giving you plenty of choice when planning your itinerary.

Travel at Your Own Pace
To be eligible to purchase the SkyTeam Go Africa travel pass, all you need to do is buy an international ticket to Africa on any SkyTeam airline that services the continent. Another starting point can be the Round the World Pass, which you can purchase from any of SkyTeam’s 15 member airlines. Then, simply book your first flight within Africa on Kenya Airways at least 3 days before your international departure. SkyTeam Go Africa allows you to go at your own pace travel whenever you are ready for your next discovery.

Terms and Conditions 

Carrier: Marketed and operated by Kenya Airways.
Eligibility: Must be issued in connection with a SkyTeam round trip/open jaw/round-the-world ticket originating outside Africa with a destination in Africa, including frequent flyer reward tickets.
Number of coupons: min 3, max 16 coupons.
Reservation: Reservations for all flights must be completed before departure.
Ticketing: Ticketing time limit applies.
Fares: Fares per coupon are based on the distance flown.
Infants and children’s fares: Infant 10% of the fare, Child 2-11, 75% of the fare.
Maximum stay: Travel must be completed within the validity of the intercontinental /round-the-world ticket.
Stopovers: No limit. 
Class of service: Economy class.
Changes: 1st flight - Rebooking/revalidation not permitted. Subsequent flights: Rebooking/revalidation permitted free of charge, no show charge of USD50 applies. Voluntary rerouting permitted at USD50 plus any fare difference, no refund applies.
Baggage allowance: Rules of operating carrier apply.
Frequent Flyer: Terms and conditions of respective programs apply.

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Cookbook Review: Quick Fix Meals


I picked this cookbook off the shelf at my Dad's place last Spring.  I had accepted a full-time teaching position and knew that my life was about to get a WHOLE lot busier, but wasn't quite sure how to work in the dinner thing.  I read through this entire cookbook as if it was a manual.  I marked and bookmarked recipes to try, wrote down her strategies like Meal Kits, Morphing It (making one large recipe and then two to three subsequent recipes) and Dinner Express (less than 30 minutes) and even got ideas for how to adapt my own recipes into these strategies.  Since it was Spring when I was reading through it, I wanted to wait until the Fall when I was working full-time to really test out the recipes.  Do the strategies work?  Do the recipes taste good?  Can I get dinner on the table after working all day, picking the kids up from daycare and coming home exhausted?

Here's what I loved about this cookbook:

The ideas are fantastic and they do work.  I would spend an hour or two in the kitchen on Sunday afternoon while my kids napped, prepping meals, making "meal kits" and knocking a few recipes off the list.  When the week came, I was prepared.  Dinner was ready in 5 minutes with very little prep from this exhausted mom.  At first I was quite snobby towards the idea of pre-cooking then reheating pasta and the like, but it's really not horrible like I thought.  It actually tastes totally fine, and the time saved is awesome, like Angel Hair with Creamy Turkey Sausage and Wild Mushroom Sauce.  This dish was creamy and flavorful and the whole family liked it.  I tossed my pre-cooked pasta with the heated up sauce and dinner was on the table in no time.  In the same afternoon I made Baked Ziti with Turkey Sausage.  This was a casserole that I cooked and pre-assembled.  Later in the week, I came home and tossed it in the oven, quickly made a salad and then put my feet up while dinner baked.  

I also love that Miller thought outside the box in terms of what types of meals could be "morphed".  It's pretty typical to have a standard roast chicken recipe with subsequent shredded chicken quesadillas, chicken noodle soup, etc, but Miller's creativity is inspiring.  She morphs things like Herbed Fish Cakes, Roasted Salmon, Oven-Fried Chicken, Chicken Cacciatore and these Smoked Cheddar Stuffed Burgers.  These tasted great the first night and only took a few more minutes to prepare double what I needed, but then I was able to make Vegetable Beef Soup (called Vegetable-Beef Stew with Yukon Gold Potatoes in the book) and Spaghetti and "Meatballs" later in the week.  Neither "morphed" recipe had me overly excited...until I tasted them.  They were simple, good, comforting meals that my family loved.  

I was also happy to see that Coconut-Lime Chicken with Chiles from the Dinner Express chapter, actually took 20 minutes to make like it said it would.  Sometimes, chefs have a different idea of what can be prepared in 30 minutes than the average home cook does.  

Robin Miller is very experimental in her flavor combinations, which I love. Her recipes aren't typical and she is very cross-cultural.  Her un-typical recipes choices leads to some pretty amazing and exciting flavor combinations like Apricot-Jalapeno Chicken with Sesame Noodles.  The sauce for the chicken is made of pureed pickled jalapenos, apricot preserves and cilantro, and served over soba noodles that have been tossed with sesame oil, green onions and minced pickled ginger.  I would have NEVER thought to put all those things together, and yet it created this spicy sweet sticky chicken and all the flavors melded beautifully (this recipe for Honey-Jalapeno Chicken from her show on Food Network is very similar, except she swapped a fresh jalapeno for 1/2 cup pickled jalapeno, honey for apricot preserves and a rotisserie chicken for the chicken breasts....if you want to try it).  

She has a whole chapter on Simple Sides which is nice.  It's easy to do something like a pot of rice or a bagged salad as a side dish, but I liked that her ideas were still quick and simple, yet exciting. One of my favorite dishes I tried from this cookbook was her recipe for Teriyaki Bok Choy with Cashews.  I have a new favorite Asian side dish!  It's a simple saute of bok choy with sesame oil, a pinch of red pepper flakes and a bit of teriyaki sauce.  Finished off in 5 minutes with a sprinkling of cashews.  Dead easy and yet different than what I would normally do.

Other things to love about this cookbook: she has desserts!  This ridiculously easy Frozen Lime Pie I was able to make on the busiest night of the week and proudly serve dessert to my guests. I even had a couple people ask for the recipe!  Her Raspberry Banana Bread was also fantastic and I had it mixed up and in the loaf pan before the oven had even preheated.  Miller is also a nutritionist so I trust that her recipes aren't full of fat or calories.  
The raspberry-banana bread actually doesn't even have a drop of oil or butter in it and very little sugar, yet still turned out (and tasted) wonderful.  She likes to swap chicken broth for oil, which is okay sometimes (but not so great in salad dressings). 

Okay.  Some of the things I didn't love:

In a few cases, Miller is rewriting and offering up the same recipe over and over again.  Chicken Salad with Peanut-Lime Vinaigrette (pg 90) is almost exactly the same as Thai Chicken Salad with Peanuts and Lime (pg 106).  Roasted Salmon with Sweet 'n' Hot Mustard Glaze (pg 68; which we loved by the way) and Tarragon Salmon with Sweet 'n' Hot Mustard Sauce (pg 184) and Sweet Mustard Glazed Salmon Fillets (pg 185) were basically (as you can imagine) the same recipe.  She swaps tarragon for dill, or cumin and brown sugar for honey, thats it.  As a reader/purchaser of this book, I feel a little ripped off.  The book boasts "200 simple, delicious recipes", but if you rewrite the same recipe over and over it's more like, what....195 recipes? 192?  In both cases, it could have been one recipe with a note saying "swapping dill for tarragon is a great substitution" or "try brown sugar and cumin next time instead of honey".  

As much as I loved her creativity in the "Morph It" section, one of the flaws is the INSANE prices you would pay for the ingredients.  Red Wine and Black Pepper Glazed Filet Mignon requires you to buy FOURTEEN filet mignon steaks to then turn into Artichoke Steak Melts with Smoked Provolen and Basil Mayo, Steak Soft Tacos with Asparagus Spiked Guacamole and Steak & Marinated Vegetable Salad over Acini de Pepe.  Don't get me wrong, the recipes sound fabulous, I could just NEVER afford to buy those ingredients for 4 nights worth of meals.  Maybe this is a silly critique, since this book is not an "eat cheap" or "cook affordably" cookbook, it's about saving time in the kitchen.  And in her defence, she does save the home cook time in the kitchen and she helps us do a tasty job doing it.

In the end, I actually loved this cookbook more than I thought I would.  I'd had some flops before, having tried some of Miller's recipes from the Food Network website, and wasn't so sure she could convince me that this cookbook was both useful AND delicious. But she proved me wrong.  I might just have to steal this book a little longer from my Dad.

Spring Is In The Air : Roasted Lemon Salsa



Can you believe we're in the middle of February, Sacramento? The daffodils in my courtyard are blooming like crazy and it was so sunny outside that I opened all the windows in the cottage yesterday. In fact the weather was so springlike that Mr.S. and I decided to do a little outdoor grilling last night. He grilled up some fresh black cod from Oto's and I whipped up some tangy roasted Meyer lemon salsa to put on top of it. Have you ever had black cod before? If not, give it a try. We love it, it's really mild not fishy tasting at all and the texture is velvety. We paired it with sauteed mushrooms (hen-of-the-woods, oyster and shimeji in olive oil and garlic) and some roasted romanesco (we can't get enough of this stuff). An easy and healthy dinner.

Roasted Lemon Salsa ("Cooking One on One: Private Lessons in Simple, Contemporary Food From a Master Teacher," by John Ash)

Ingredients

2 large lemons (about 1/2 pound), scrubbed*

2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup finely chopped shallots or scallion (white part only)

1 tablespoon sugar, or to taste

2 teaspoons kosher or sea salt, or to taste

Freshly ground pepper

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, or to taste


Instructions

- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

- Cut the lemons in half and pick out the seeds. Lightly coat the lemons with a tablespoon of the oil. Place the lemons cut side down in a baking dish and roast uncovered for 25 minutes. Remove, cool and cut the lemons into 1/4-inch dice.

- In a bowl, combine the lemons, the remaining olive oil, shallots, sugar and salt and stir gently. Cover and set aside for at least 3 hours so the flavors can marry and mellow. Initially, the lemons may seem a little harsh or bitter but as they sit the flavor changes markedly. Taste it a couple of times throughout the rest period and you'll see. Adjust the seasonings with additional salt, pepper and lemon juice. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to a week.

*NOTE: Commercially grown citrus is coated with a wax that gives it a nice shine and also helps extend its shelf life -- fruits don't dry out as quickly when waxed. Although it's "food-grade" wax, none of us needs to consume it. The best way to remove it is to use a mild detergent solution and a clean pot-scrubber sponge. Rinse thoroughly, of course.

Raspberry Banana Bread


I've got a week off school and I was looking for a baking project. Something to go well with my morning coffee.  My freezer was stuffed full and bunches of black bananas were threatening to fall out every time I opened the door.  I figured it was time for banana bread.  I was coerced (pretty easily I might add) into making Robin Miller's banana bread with raspberries in it, since it is not a combination I usually hear of. There's walnuts in banana bread, or chocolate chips...I've even seen the internet stuffing their banana bread with peanut butter and topping it with Reese peanut butter cups!  But the idea of sweet-tart pink berries studding my bread was exactly what I wanted.  

I streamlined the recipe slightly by cutting out the step where you mix all the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl.  It works out just fine.  You'll have the batter mixed up and ready to go, even before your oven is preheated.

Recipe from Quick Fix Meals
__________________________________________________________________________________

Serves 8


4 large overripe bananas
1/4 cup milk
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries (not in syrup; don't bother to thaw)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Coat an 8-inch loaf pan with cooking spray or a bit of cooking oil.

In a large bowl, peel then mash the bananas until mushy.  Add the milk, egg and vanilla and mix until well blended.  

Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and mix until just blended.  Fold in the raspberries (don't overstir, or they'll start to break up and turn the batter pink).  Pour the batter into the prepared pan.  

Baked until a knife inserted near the center comes out almost clean (little bits clinging to the knife mean the bread's still moist), about one hour (mine needed an extra 10 minutes).  Let cool in the pan, set on a wire rack for 10 minutes.  Remove the bread from the pan and let cool completely before slicing.


__________________________________________________________________________________

RESULTS?
I have to admit, I didn't think this bread was going to work.  Once I had it all mixed up I realized "she doesn't add any oil!" But I needn't have worried....this bread is SOOOO delicious.  It had a nice outer crust and moist insides.  The raspberries are perfect.  I want to make my banana bread like this always.  

Miller suggests swapping out the raspberries for blueberries or strawberries if you prefer.  She also says the bread freezes well.  Make a double batch and once cool, wrap one loaf in plastic wrap, then in aluminum foil and freeze for up to 3 months.  Thaw completely at room temperature before slicing.