Reflections of a bike ride

Reflections of a bike ride:

-Watch for low hanging branches (damn people, trim that sh*t)
-Don't water your garden in your slippers and undies (yes- you are hiding behind a hose, yes- people can still see you)
-Sadly, there are more people sleeping in the woods than you think (drop off a case of water to the homeless shelter next week)
-Don't water your garden in your slippers and undies (yes- you are hiding behind a hose, yes- people can still see you)
-I can ride REALLY FAST (when  dog is chasing me)
-When you are going sooo slow that a runner passes you - smile and say, "Whew, I've gone eighty miles today!"  (You don't have to mention that most of it was in a car)
-Be prepared to be interviewed (and weighed) by the kids when you get home.  I asked, "Did I win the Gold?"  "No, but you qualified for a kiss."  Ah, that's better than Gold.

 

Shrimp and Scallop Perfection

Shrimp and Scallops Quick and Easy

Dry vs. Wet?  Once you've cooked dry scallops, you'll never go wet again!  Wet scallops have been soaked in chemical preservatives that increase the shelf life, weight, and price per pound of your scallops.  So you pay more, get less, and the scallops are older.  Furthermore, it is harder to sear wet scallops because there is soooo much more moisture.  Failure to sear results in a rubbery, tasteless scallop. When purchasing scallops always ask if they are wet or dry!  Dry scallops are usually shucked on the boat and frozen immediately.  The color often varies.  If all your scallops are the exact same color and very white, there is a good chance they're wet.

I started with one pound dry scallops and one pound of pealed, deveined shrimp.  

*DO NOT Over stuff your pan!  It will steam your shrimp and scallops and make them chewy!

I cook the shrimp first.  Keeping it simple.  Large cast iron skillet, medium high heat, and a drizzle of olive oil.  Cook on each side 2-3 minutes, just until pink add a dash of salt and pepper...do not over cook!  Toss them in a bowl and squeeze with a wedge of lemon.  Cover loosely with a paper towel.  Set aside.  

 Time to throw on the scallops.  By now the pan is hot!  Turn the heat down and add another drizzle of olive oil.  Add the scallops.  Don't over crowd the pan!  The hot pan will give a nice, quick sear.  If the scallops aren't searing, slowly increase the heat.  Cook  3-4 minutes on each side...do not over cook!  Add one tablespoon unsalted sweet cream butter one minute before removing from heat. 

I served mine on mixed greens with tomatoes and avocado on the side.  A generous squeeze of lemon to top it off!  Delicious and nutritious!  

Left overs for lunch tomorrow.

Eating our way through the irish countryside and city

Tasty morsels of Ireland

My parents, a cousin of mine, and myself recently traveled to Ireland.  The last thing I thought I would get excited about was the food.  I'm not a meat a potatoes kind of girl, and it is well known that the Irish like their meat and potatoes.  An early morning walk on the day of our arrival should have been a clue...fresh milk and eggs delivered to the steps of businesses and residences in the city of Dublin.  Yes.  Fresh.  That was the theme in Ireland.  All meat and fish was traceable (required by law) so you knew if your scallops were from Clew Bay or your beef from Cavan.

Probably the best burger you will find in Ireland is located in an unpretentious, little food court in Dublin.  Byrne's Handcrafted Burgers (for four generations) Located @ Epicurean Food Hall, Lr. Liffey St, Dublin 1 Dublin, Ireland.  I didn't take a pic, but should have.  I had a burger with goat cheese and fried onions.  Served with hand cut chips (fries).  It was a generous plate of yummy goodness!

 The  weather was cooler than we expected for the end of April, averaging 45-50 degrees during the day.  I'm not a coffee drinker, so that meant lots of hot chocolate.  I don't usually get too excited about hot chocolate...but hot chocolate in Ireland is something to get excited about!  I ordered it at least twice each day.  They use real milk and real chocolate and most places serve it with these adorable little white and pink marshmellows.  My favorite was served at  Bewley's Grafton Street Cafe.  They are renowned for their coffee and tea.  We had a terrific lunch with tuna on a baguette and a gorgeous spring salad on the side.  Again with the "fresh" theme!

Our West coast excursion found us hungry with limited options, in the quaint village of Cong.  Yes, where the movie The Quiet Man, starring John Wayne, was filmed in 1952.  We had a bite to eat (and then some) at The Crowe's Nest, a cozy local pub.  I had the fish and chips with a side of mushy peas.  Mushy peas.  They were mushed up peas, doctored with some sort of illegal magic, that tasted fantastic. 


It took me a couple days to find a super bakery in Dublin, that opened by 7am.  It was so worth it to keep looking.   Keoghs Cafe doesn't have its own website, but location information is listed at this link.  OMG.  Pastries, scones, light sandwiches.  Great way to start the day or to stop by for a snack anytime of day.

Another of our favorite restaurants was Elephant and Castle (they also have a location in New York City).  Make reservations because they are always busy...and with good reason.  The food is AMAZING!  Upscale without being too fussy or over the top.  Located in the popular Temple Bar area.  Get a seat by the window and feast on an early or  late evening meal.



Please leave a comment and let me know if you've tried any of my favorite eateries or point me in the direction some you've enjoyed while visiting the Emerald Isle.  Slainte!

Weed eater love

Weed eater love, sort of
Perfect day for yard work!  My husband was weed eating when I decided to butt in and share my latest landscaping plans.  He stood there, all manly, listening to my plans.  I found myself getting distracted by the sunglasses, ear protection, and heavy equipment. 


Me, "I want to try that."
He, "No."
Me, "What if you die?  I won't be able to run the weed eater?"
He, "Good point."
Me, "Can you start it for me?"
He, "What if I die?  Who's going to start it for you?"
Me, "Good point."

So, I learned to use the weed eater. Oh why did I wait so long!   I weed eat with reckless abandon!  A weed eater can be used as an edger, weeder, and in a moment of desperation, an arachnid dismembering device. I unearthed a very, very healthy black widow and several 'expecting' wolf spiders. I'm afraid of spiders (and kangaroos, but we'll get to that another time).  I try to stay out of their way and encourage them to do the same.
  
Exhausted, I took a rest on the road next to where we were working.  My peaceful solitude was broken by snickering and clicks.  I pealed one eye open and strained to see, without moving my head.  What do I see:  camera and attitude.  Next thing I know, pics of me laying on the road covered in dirt, with one shoe off, a disheveled sun hat, and a shovel in hand are being emailed to family. 

Caption 1:  "Watch out, the neighborhood has a new speed bump...and it's a big one."  Caption 2:  "If I had known yard work would kill her, I would have given her the shovel  sooner."  
Caption 3:  "Yard work is a bitch...oh, no, that's just my wife." 

Lucky for him I was too tired to object.  Looking forward to weed eating again!

Paper towels

I may be wrong, but you're still an idiot

Don't you hate it when you drag your tired legs upstairs to get something, decide you're so tired when you get to the top, that you should sit and rest (by 'rest' I mean check in on Pinterest).  After about fifteen minutes, sometimes it takes awhile to recover, you head back downstairs and realize you forgot what you went up for.  

Damn, no paper towels.  I'm in the middle of cleaning the kitchen.  Improvise...let's see here... ah, yes.  Those nasty dish cloths my husband bought me.  I know, the nerve, buying "me" dish cloths (that's another post).  I say nasty because I'm a mild germaphobe and the thought of wiping, rinsing, and reusing the same cloth grosses me out.  But I feel sooo tired.  Damn those wash cloths.  They're inside that drawer, laughing at me.  I can hear them.  I can do this.  Hhhmm.  Interesting.  Wow, I used the fluffy little guy for everything.  It was great!  

Shoot.  Now I have to admit to my husband - he was right.  The problem is, I'm like an old dog, I don't like new tricks, unless there are treats involved, in which case I usually reconsider.  When Eric comes home with some new gadget or thingy (and he does frequently) a fairly predictable string of sentences spew out of  my mouth (yes, I sometimes spew): "What did you get that for?  We don't need that!  I don't even like that.  That's ridiculous. You must think we're made of money.  And the Grande Finale...(drum roll, please) You're an Idiot!" I can actually get that all out in one breath.  Don't try this at home, I'm a professional.  I've had lots of practice.  Trust me.


Fortunately, I am not afraid to admit when my husband is right.  It happens more than I like to admit.  Confusing, huh?  Stay with me people.  I'm not afraid to admit it, I just don't like to admit it.  I admit it, sometimes I'm a small person.  But am I really a small person if I admit I'm sometimes a small person?  OMG, I digress (a lot).  I could go on with this...but I'll spare you the visual on my neuroses. I try to limit those to one per post and germaphobia got here first.  


So, I like my fluffy little bundle of goodness.  Mine will not be laying around moist and icky, but I will be using them more often.  All this brings me to my next question; who stores paper towels upstairs in the linen closet anyway?  Eric must have started that tradition, because that is not a logical place to store paper towels.  Maybe he is an idiot after all.  Ha, not really.  Gotta go...have to holler for Eric to throw down some paper towels and thank him for the lovely dish cloths <wink>.