a day at the beach

Coney Island

The Fourth

I think the 4th of July should be changed to Independence day and we should celebrate it the first saturday of July that way there is always the three day weekend, people have friday off or monday whichever and it is consisitent. This middle of the week thing is confusing. We dont ever do much and this year was no different. We had lunch at La Caridad. This place gets mentioned in Sienfeld but I first went back in 1982 and have been many times since, I used to work at 76th and Broadway so during that time I went more than ususal, it has expanded and then contracted but the avocado salad is still the same goodness. Watched movies and made mole chicken, then we saw the fire works from the window and TV.

I will post a recipe with actual measurements isnt that different for me, I usually say "do a little of this and a little of that and voila you can eat"

Chicken in Mole Sauce
Ingredients:
1 Chipotle Chile -- Dried 1/4 cup Shortening 2 tablespoons Red Chiles -- Ground 2 cups Chicken Broth 4 Flour Tortillas -- cut in strips 1/4 cup Tomato Sauce 1/4 cup Onion -- Chopped 1 tablespoon Raisins 1 tablespoon Almonds -- Chopped 1 tablespoon Sesame Seed 1 tablespoon Pumpkin Seeds -- Shelled 1 tablespoon Peanut Butter 1 1/2 teaspoon Sugar 1 1/2 teaspoon Oregano -- Ground 1 1/2 teaspoon Cocoa Powder 1/2 teaspoon Anise Seed 1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon -- ground 1/4 teaspoon Cloves -- Ground 1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg -- Ground 1/4 teaspoon Allspice -- Ground 1/4 teaspoon Ginger -- Ground 1/4 teaspoon Cumin -- Ground, OR 1/2 teaspoon Cumin Seed 1 cup Chicken Broth 8 Chicken Breast Halves, or thighs or whole chicken cut up its up to you.

Directions:
Cover chile with warm water. Let stand until softened, about 1 hour. Drain and finely chop. Heat shortening in 3-quart saucepan over medium heat until hot. Cook and stir ground red chiles in shortening until brown (add about 1/4 t water to prevent scorching if necessary); cool. Stir in 2 cups of chicken broth. Stir in remaining ingredients except the remaining 1 cup of broth and chicken. Heat to boiling; reduce the heat and cover. Simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally; cool. Place a small amount of the sauce into a blender container. Cover and blend on high speed until smooth. Repeat with the remaining sauce. Heat 1 cup of the sauce and the remaining chicken broth in a 12-inch skillet; reduce the heat. Place the chicken, skin sides up, in a single layer in the skillet. Cover and simmer until done, about 1 hour. Remove chicken to serving dish and keep warm. Measure the cooking liquid. In skillet combine 1 cup of the cooking liquid with the remaining sauce and heat to boiling, stirring constantly, and pour over the chicken.

Quickie

I like to get those breads that are in the refrigerated section of the store you know like the french breads or the italian that are dough like and then you bake them yourself for that fresh made freshness and I use them as hot dog buns. I bake the bread and grill or boil the dogs, when all is ready I take the handle from a wooden spoon and ream out a hot dogs length of the center of the bread. You then fill it with mustard or whatever and then put the dog in the slot. It is great because it holds up well to travel and since we are going swimming today we need travel food.

Lazy Hazy

Summer days are here and I finally snapped out of that Nahuatl trance I was in. Geez just one more mention of anything ending in ote or ate and I was going to lose it. Everyday we start out with a fresh juice of some kind and lately it is carrot beets and celery. Who cares what people say about how healthy it is or how it eliminates toxins or what ever cancer preventing properties this sh%$ is good. If you are not used to it it rips right through you if you get my drift, so if you plan on drinking fresh juices like this be prepared.



Slabs of beef tenderloin and coconut prawns with a dipping sauce of reduced orange and ginger.



Rodrigo and Gabriela at Summer Stage



More mushrooms, these are called Alcohol Inkys or Coprinus. I dont eat these, although they are edible, because they react to alcohol for up to two days later and the symptoms are not that concrete at least for me anyway, but they are darn cute.



And just some basic hanging around.