“Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.”
- Winston Churchill
Monday, January 31, 2011
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Tasty Tuesday: Parmesan Crusted Chicken Breasts with Tomato and Basil and Potatoes with Peppers and Onions
Ingredients
1 1/2 to 2 pounds fingerling potatoes or red skin baby potatoes
1 small red bell pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips
1 Italian mild green pepper, cubanelle, seeded and thinly sliced
1 medium yellow skinned onion, thinly sliced
4 large cloves garlic, cracked away from skin
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Coarse salt and pepper
2 cups shredded Parmesan, available in tubs near deli -- make sure to get shredded cheese, not grated
4 (6 to 8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 plum Roma tomatoes or small, vine ripe tomatoes, seeded and chopped
15 to 20 leaves fresh basil, pile leaves, roll then thinly slice -- chiffonade
Directions
Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.
Cut fingerling potatoes into halves or quarters, depending on thickness of fingerlings -- thin, small fingerlings may also be left hole, larger potatoes should be quartered to speed cooking process. If you are using small red potatoes, halve or quarter them in the same way.
Cover a large cookie sheet with foil. Place potatoes on cookie sheet. Combine with peppers and onions, garlic and crushed red pepper flakes. Coat the potatoes, peppers and onions with extra-virgin olive oil just enough to coat vegetables in a thin layer, 2 to 3 tablespoons. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Place potatoes in the oven and roast 20 to 22 minutes, until potatoes are just tender and peppers and onions are crisp at edges. Toss mixture with tongs, turning the potatoes after 15 minutes. When the potatoes are cooked, transfer them to a serving dish and peel the foil off the cookie sheet and discard for super-quick clean up!
While potatoes cook, prepare chicken. Roll out a 2-foot piece of waxed paper or foil near the stove top. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat -- your pan must be very hot when the chicken is added. Pile the shredded cheese on the work surface created with the waxed paper or foil. Season your chicken breasts with black pepper but no salt; the cheese will add enough salt to the taste of the dish. Press the breasts firmly into the cheese. Coat both sides of breasts with as much cheese as possible. Add 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil to the skillet, 1 turn of the pan. Set breasts into the skillet and cook 7 minutes on each side, until cheese forms an even, golden casing around the tender chicken breasts.
While chicken cooks, combine chopped tomatoes with basil in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper, to your taste.
Drain off any excess oil from chicken as you remove it from the skillet. Top chicken with big spoonfuls of raw sauce and serve with potatoes, peppers and onions.
1 1/2 to 2 pounds fingerling potatoes or red skin baby potatoes
1 small red bell pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips
1 Italian mild green pepper, cubanelle, seeded and thinly sliced
1 medium yellow skinned onion, thinly sliced
4 large cloves garlic, cracked away from skin
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Coarse salt and pepper
2 cups shredded Parmesan, available in tubs near deli -- make sure to get shredded cheese, not grated
4 (6 to 8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 plum Roma tomatoes or small, vine ripe tomatoes, seeded and chopped
15 to 20 leaves fresh basil, pile leaves, roll then thinly slice -- chiffonade
Directions
Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.
Cut fingerling potatoes into halves or quarters, depending on thickness of fingerlings -- thin, small fingerlings may also be left hole, larger potatoes should be quartered to speed cooking process. If you are using small red potatoes, halve or quarter them in the same way.
Cover a large cookie sheet with foil. Place potatoes on cookie sheet. Combine with peppers and onions, garlic and crushed red pepper flakes. Coat the potatoes, peppers and onions with extra-virgin olive oil just enough to coat vegetables in a thin layer, 2 to 3 tablespoons. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Place potatoes in the oven and roast 20 to 22 minutes, until potatoes are just tender and peppers and onions are crisp at edges. Toss mixture with tongs, turning the potatoes after 15 minutes. When the potatoes are cooked, transfer them to a serving dish and peel the foil off the cookie sheet and discard for super-quick clean up!
While potatoes cook, prepare chicken. Roll out a 2-foot piece of waxed paper or foil near the stove top. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat -- your pan must be very hot when the chicken is added. Pile the shredded cheese on the work surface created with the waxed paper or foil. Season your chicken breasts with black pepper but no salt; the cheese will add enough salt to the taste of the dish. Press the breasts firmly into the cheese. Coat both sides of breasts with as much cheese as possible. Add 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil to the skillet, 1 turn of the pan. Set breasts into the skillet and cook 7 minutes on each side, until cheese forms an even, golden casing around the tender chicken breasts.
While chicken cooks, combine chopped tomatoes with basil in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper, to your taste.
Drain off any excess oil from chicken as you remove it from the skillet. Top chicken with big spoonfuls of raw sauce and serve with potatoes, peppers and onions.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Motivational Monday
We are all inventors, each sailing out on a voyage of discovery, guided each by a private chart, of which there is no duplicate. The world is all gates, all opportunities.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Thursday, January 13, 2011
IMPORTANT NOTICE: Time Warner Repair Project
Dear Residents:
Time Warner Cable will be conducting a repair project to their cable lines in order to improve service to the surrounding area. This work will require digging 2 large squares of the parking lot space between Bld. 9 and Bld.12. They anticipate having minimal impact on the open space parking in this area, aiming to only affect the spaces between those two buildings along the fence line. However, should they not be able to achieve their desired results within the proposed scope of work, they may have to dig a wider space and therefore possibly impact a larger parking area than originally anticipated. I have communicated with Time Warner to please do everything they can to ensure our residents are only minimally affected by their project, and that it be completed as swiftly as possible.
The Time Warner project will begin on Monday, January 17, 2011 and they plan to finish by Friday, January 21, 2011. They will then have an asphalt & sealcoat company come out on Monday, January 24, 2011 to complete repair to the parking lot surface.
Work will begin each scheduled day at 9:00 a.m. and stop at 5:00 p.m. This project will be weather-sensitive, so we will make sure to communicate any adjustments to the schedule should changes occur.
Though we don’t anticipate parking in carports & garages to be affected, we remind you to please ensure you do not block any other garages, carports, exists or vehicles during this temporary project. We will not be held responsible for any vehicles requiring towing in order to complete the project or vehicles parked in an unauthorized location. Vehicles towed will be at owner’s expense.
We understand this project may be a temporary inconvenience, but Time Warner Cable has assured us this is the only way they can successfully complete the needed repair. We thank you in advance for your efforts and patience during this process. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at 210.764.0404.
Sincerely,
Leslie White
Community Director
Time Warner Cable will be conducting a repair project to their cable lines in order to improve service to the surrounding area. This work will require digging 2 large squares of the parking lot space between Bld. 9 and Bld.12. They anticipate having minimal impact on the open space parking in this area, aiming to only affect the spaces between those two buildings along the fence line. However, should they not be able to achieve their desired results within the proposed scope of work, they may have to dig a wider space and therefore possibly impact a larger parking area than originally anticipated. I have communicated with Time Warner to please do everything they can to ensure our residents are only minimally affected by their project, and that it be completed as swiftly as possible.
The Time Warner project will begin on Monday, January 17, 2011 and they plan to finish by Friday, January 21, 2011. They will then have an asphalt & sealcoat company come out on Monday, January 24, 2011 to complete repair to the parking lot surface.
Work will begin each scheduled day at 9:00 a.m. and stop at 5:00 p.m. This project will be weather-sensitive, so we will make sure to communicate any adjustments to the schedule should changes occur.
Though we don’t anticipate parking in carports & garages to be affected, we remind you to please ensure you do not block any other garages, carports, exists or vehicles during this temporary project. We will not be held responsible for any vehicles requiring towing in order to complete the project or vehicles parked in an unauthorized location. Vehicles towed will be at owner’s expense.
We understand this project may be a temporary inconvenience, but Time Warner Cable has assured us this is the only way they can successfully complete the needed repair. We thank you in advance for your efforts and patience during this process. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at 210.764.0404.
Sincerely,
Leslie White
Community Director
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Tasty Tuesday : Mac & Cheese
Mac & Cheese
2002 Barefoot Contessa Family Style
Prep Time: 20 min
Cook Time: 35 min
Serves: 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients
Vegetable oil
Kosher salt
1 pound elbow macaroni or cavatappi (see Note)
1 quart milk
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
12 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated (4 cups)
8 ounces extra-sharp cheddar, grated (2 cups)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
3/4 pound fresh tomatoes (4 small)
1 1/2 cups fresh white bread crumbs (5 slices, crusts removed)
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Drizzle oil into a large pot of boiling salted water. Add the macaroni and cook according to the directions on the package, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain well. Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don't boil it. Melt 6 tablespoons of butter in a large (4-quart) pot and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. While whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or two more, until thickened and smooth. Off the heat, add the Gruyere, cheddar, 1 tablespoon salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add the cooked macaroni and stir well. Pour into a 3-quart baking dish. Slice the tomatoes and arrange on top. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, combine them with the fresh bread crumbs, and sprinkle on the top. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top.
Note: To make ahead, put the macaroni and cheese in the baking dish, cover, and refrigerate until ready to bake. Put the tomatoes and bread crumbs on top and bake for about 40 to 50 minutes.
2002 Barefoot Contessa Family Style
Prep Time: 20 min
Cook Time: 35 min
Serves: 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients
Vegetable oil
Kosher salt
1 pound elbow macaroni or cavatappi (see Note)
1 quart milk
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
12 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated (4 cups)
8 ounces extra-sharp cheddar, grated (2 cups)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
3/4 pound fresh tomatoes (4 small)
1 1/2 cups fresh white bread crumbs (5 slices, crusts removed)
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Drizzle oil into a large pot of boiling salted water. Add the macaroni and cook according to the directions on the package, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain well. Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don't boil it. Melt 6 tablespoons of butter in a large (4-quart) pot and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. While whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or two more, until thickened and smooth. Off the heat, add the Gruyere, cheddar, 1 tablespoon salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add the cooked macaroni and stir well. Pour into a 3-quart baking dish. Slice the tomatoes and arrange on top. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, combine them with the fresh bread crumbs, and sprinkle on the top. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top.
Note: To make ahead, put the macaroni and cheese in the baking dish, cover, and refrigerate until ready to bake. Put the tomatoes and bread crumbs on top and bake for about 40 to 50 minutes.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Motivational Monday 1.10.11
No one can make you feel inferior without your consent. -Eleanor Roosevelt
Friday, January 7, 2011
Weekend Movie Releases for 1.07.11
Country Strong
Soon after a rising young singer-songwriter gets involved with a fallen, emotionally unstable country star, the pair embarks on a career resurrection tour helmed by her husband/manager and featuring a beauty-queen-turned-singer. Between concerts, romantic entanglements and old demons threaten to derail them all.
Starring: Gwyneth Paltrow, Tim McGraw, Garrett Hedlund, Leighton Meester, Marshall Chapman
Season of the Witch
A medieval knight undertakes a mission pitting him against a devious witch and making him the last hope for the world against an ancient and dark force. His faith broken by years of battle as a crusader, Behmen returns to central Europe to find his homeland decimated by the Black Plague. While searching for food and supplies at the Palace at Marburg, Behmen and his trusted companion, Felson are apprehended and ordered by the dying Cardinal to deliver a young peasant girl - believed to be the witch responsible for the Plague - to a remote abbey where her powers can be destroyed. Behmen agrees to the assignment but only if the peasant girl is granted a fair trial. As he and five others set off on this dangerous journey, they realize with mounting dread that the cunning girl is no ordinary human, and that their mission will pit them against an evil that even in these dark times they never could have imagined.
Starring: Nicolas Cage, Ron Perlman, Stephen Campbell Moore, Claire Foy, Ulrich Thomsen
Soon after a rising young singer-songwriter gets involved with a fallen, emotionally unstable country star, the pair embarks on a career resurrection tour helmed by her husband/manager and featuring a beauty-queen-turned-singer. Between concerts, romantic entanglements and old demons threaten to derail them all.
Starring: Gwyneth Paltrow, Tim McGraw, Garrett Hedlund, Leighton Meester, Marshall Chapman
Season of the Witch
A medieval knight undertakes a mission pitting him against a devious witch and making him the last hope for the world against an ancient and dark force. His faith broken by years of battle as a crusader, Behmen returns to central Europe to find his homeland decimated by the Black Plague. While searching for food and supplies at the Palace at Marburg, Behmen and his trusted companion, Felson are apprehended and ordered by the dying Cardinal to deliver a young peasant girl - believed to be the witch responsible for the Plague - to a remote abbey where her powers can be destroyed. Behmen agrees to the assignment but only if the peasant girl is granted a fair trial. As he and five others set off on this dangerous journey, they realize with mounting dread that the cunning girl is no ordinary human, and that their mission will pit them against an evil that even in these dark times they never could have imagined.
Starring: Nicolas Cage, Ron Perlman, Stephen Campbell Moore, Claire Foy, Ulrich Thomsen
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Wacky Wednesday : 01/05/2011
Be the first to email us (walkersranch@cwsapartments.com) the correct answer to the day's trivia question and you'll win $25.00 toward your next month's rent!
This 1936 movie, based on a story by H. G. Wells, rewrote history for the next century, predicting a world war in 1940 (they were off by a year), a plague called the 'wandering sickness' in 1966 (it didn't happen) and a new world order, based in Basra, Iraq, in 1970 (also didn't happen). What film is this?
This 1936 movie, based on a story by H. G. Wells, rewrote history for the next century, predicting a world war in 1940 (they were off by a year), a plague called the 'wandering sickness' in 1966 (it didn't happen) and a new world order, based in Basra, Iraq, in 1970 (also didn't happen). What film is this?
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Slow-Cooker Brisket Sandwiches
Slow-Cooker Brisket Sandwiches
Ingredients
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 5-to-6-pound first-cut or flat-cut brisket, cut into 3 pieces
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
4 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
1 12-ounce bottle stout beer
4 stalks celery, cut into large pieces
2/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup tomato paste
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/3 cup dijon mustard
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon paprika
2 brioche or other rolls, split open and toasted
Coleslaw, for serving
Directions
Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the brisket with salt and pepper, then brown on all sides, about 10 minutes, adding the garlic in the last 2 minutes. Transfer the meat and garlic to a 5-to-6-quart slow cooker. Pour the beer into the skillet and simmer 30 seconds, scraping up the browned bits from the pan; add the beer mixture to the slow cooker.
Nestle the celery around the meat and add the brown sugar, tomato paste, vinegar, mustard, soy sauce, bay leaves and paprika. Stir, then cover and cook on low 8 hours or on high 6 hours. Transfer the meat to a cutting board and let rest 10 minutes, then thinly slice.
Serve on brioche halves with coleslaw; drizzle with the cooking liquid.
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