Your Foodie Lesson for the Day

Enjoy and learn.

Pho vs. Faux from Brian wilcox on Vimeo.

Happy Holidays!

I am WELL late with recipe recaps (including this past weekend's pre-Thanksgiving free for all), but rather than taking up your time, dear reader, I'd prefer to share some holiday well wishes instead.

So happy Thanksgiving - try not to OD on tryptophan!

xoxo,
Adj

WWMD: What would Macguyver do? (aka: How to get by without a corckscrew)

If you tend to forget small items on trips or just prefer to avoid the extra-special patdown by TSA security hands, you might find the following article by thedailymeal.com especially useful. Each tip links to a video demonstrating the particular cork extraction technique.

(More recipes to come soon, just hang in there.)

5 Creative Ways to Open Wine Without a Corkscrew

Who needs a corkscrew? These resourceful folks give new meaning to "I need a glass of wine now."

Enlarge Image +

Nov 12, 2010 @ 6:08 PM
Posted by Maryse Chevriere, Editor

You wouldn't let a little thing like not having a corkscrew stop you from enjoying that bottle of wine you just bought, right? Seriously, if MacGyver can light a fuse without a match or build a bomb out of a fire extinguisher, there has to be some kind of creative alternative to the corkscrew.

As it turns out, we found five. Watch these videos to see what lengths people will go to to open a bottle wine in a pinch. If necessity isn't the mother of invention, the desire for a glass of wine certainly is.

With a shoe

This concept seems to be fairly widespread among the corkscrew-less wine drinking community. Looks like a few things are key here. One, you have to remove the foil from the top of the bottle first. Two, pick a shoe with a thick sole, and determine the best way to maintain a solid grip on the bottle and the shoe simoultaneously. Three, try and stop before the cork comes completely out so you don't spill any wine.

With a tree

This basically applies the same principles as the shoe methodology (so does the phone book technique for that matter). Hey, if you're out camping or at a picnic, this trick could come in very handy.

With a screw, screwdriver, and a hammer

You might call this the engineer's approach to opening a bottle of wine without a corkscrew. Fast, efficient, and no mess. You can find several videos of people attempting the feat with just a screw or screwdriver, but the real innovation here is using the back of the hammer.

With a pen and an apron

A lot of sources will recommend simply pushing the cork down into the bottle—either with your thumb, the end of a wooden spoon, or even a pen with a string attached. The technique works, but this method gets extra bonus points for coming up with a way to fish the cork out.

With a chef's knive

Proceed with caution when it comes to this last demo. A little dubious and definitely dangerous, it's the only one that actually breaks the bottle. Still, it gets the job done.

Funny Sports Headlines for the Nerd Set

Fun fact about me: I love rugby. AND I love books.

So, it tickles me to no end that there's a Holmes-ian villain causing waves in the international rugby circuit. Enjoy...

Moriarty cleared of cheating

15th November 2010 17:09

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Cleared: Paul Moriarty

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Teams

• Newcastle

Also see

• Can you get today's Missing Men?
• See the stills from Saturday

Newcastle coach Paul Moriarty has been cleared of cheating over an incident in which he appeared to have fabricated an injury to prop Tim Ryan.

In last month's match against Northampton, the Falcons withdrew Kieran Brookes after he took a blow to the ribs.

In a half-time interview, Moriarty seemed suggest this was a temporary replacement and that Brooks would return at some point in the second half after a rest to replace an injured player.

Ryan, who had missed training in the preceding week because of a back injury, was duly withdrawn six minutes into the second period to be replaced by Brookes.

RFU disciplinary officer Jeff Blackett said today: "An inference could be drawn from Moriarty's statement to the media that Newcastle had planned to give Brookes a break and then fabricate an injury to Ryan so that he could return to the game after a rest.

Were that to be the case it would have been cheating.

"However, I am satisfied that there was no intention to cheat.

"Ryan had been injured during the week and although passed fit to play it was clear at half-time that he would not last the rest of the match.

"There is no requirement in the regulations for a medical examination of a player removed for injury, so it is impossible to gainsay Newcastle's evidence that Ryan was injured.

"It is also clear that when Brookes was replaced he understood that he would not return - this is supported by the evidence that he was given a post-match recovery drink and did not warm up with other unused replacements.

"Newcastle only decided that he might have to go back on when it became apparent that Ryan was injured and could not continue."

A Moment of Levity

This is pretty much sums up what I feel like when facing a empty dinner plate after a 12 hour day...

The End.

(Much thanks to the Oatmeal for the laughs!)

Our Quick Brush with Internet Fame: 2 Quick Uses for Leftover Kale

Check it out: Tony and yours truly were featured on the blog of our favorite e-retailer, ex-boyfriend collection. We sent in a photo from the Rally and they sent us some interview questions to answer.

We divulged details such as pop culture guilty pleasures and regrettable fashion decisions. If you'd like to read the whole thing or just check out the site, you can read the interview here.

This weekend has otherwise been fairly low key. Tony and I took a day trip to Annapolis to check out the city. (It's very lovely. Kind of like Charleston.) We also navigated some of the more abandoned parts of Baltimore in an effort to avoid traffic exiting Sunday's Raven's game .
It was an experience, to say the least. I'm not sure where Baltimore stumbled, but it's having a hell of a time getting back on its feet. It says something when the blighted areas are being reclaimed by nature.

After returning home, we decided to toast our luck and good fortune with a nice wine and some blackberry pie from Dangerously Delicious.

The rest of the week was a series of attempts to make use of some leftover kale Tony had prepared. Not a man known for his portion control, my husband made a LOT of sauteed kale. And then left it up to me to prepare the rest.

Turns out it's not too tricky to come up with some recipes that can handle the slightly bitter crisp of a kale leaf. First off: Poor Gal's Stir Fry.

Quickly followed by Kale and Mushroom Sausage Pizza with Swiss
See? Easy-peezy. The recipes below are pretty generic (I'm not the best at measuring when I'm cooking off-the-cuff), so feel free to personalize and adjust as you see fit!

This weekend, I get to indulge my inner nerd at a live taping of RadioLab in DC. I'm going to know all about symmetry by the end of the night. Woo hoo!

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Poor Gal's Stir Fry

INGREDIENTS:
2 tbsp grated ginger
2 -3 garlic cloves, minced
2 - 3 cups sugar snap peas or snow peas
1 1/2 cups cooked kale, chopped
1/2 lb lean ground beef or 1 box firm tofu
2 1/2 tsp canola oil
1 tsp sriracha sauce (more to taste)
1 tbsp black bean paste

1. Place a wok or large pan over high heat. After pan has heated, brown the meat or tofu (add a few tsp of canola oil to the pan if using tofu), adding the sriracha sauce when the meat is done cooking. Remove the meat and wipe out the pan/wok with a paper towel.

2. Add the canola oil to the pan. When the oil starts to shimmer, add the garlic and ginger and saute for about 20 - 30 seconds, making sure not to burn either ingredient. Add the veggies and continue to saute over high heat for 3 - 5 minutes, until the snap/snow peas are sauteed (remember: crisp, not soggy.) Mix in the black bean paste. Add extra sriracha sauce if you're a fan of heat.

3. Add in the cooked meat/tofu and mix until the whole meal is heated through. Remove from heat. Serve over rice.

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Kale and Mushroom Sausage Pizza with Swiss

INGREDIENTS:
1 pizza crust(pre-made brand of your choosing)
1 cup cooked kale, chopped
EITHER: 2 links mushroom sausage, thinly sliced (I used Aidells)
or
1/2 cup chopped baby bellas and 2 links andouille/mild sausage, thinly sliced
1/2 cup swiss cheese, grated
olive oil to brush
salt
red pepper flakes

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

2. Brush the pizza shell with olive oil. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Evenly spread the toppings, putting down the kale first, followed by the sausage, then the cheese. Dust with a pinch of red pepper flakes (more to taste).

3. Lower the oven temp to 425 degrees. If you have a pizza stone, feel free to use it. Otherwise, place the pizza on the lower rack and cook for 7 - 10 minutes. Let the pie cool before devouring it.

Signage: Poster Favs from the Rally to Restore Sanity

This past weekend Tony and I (and my sisters and brother-in-law) braved the traffic, the crowds, and the Red Line to take part in the Rally for Sanity on the national Mall. It was pretty epic: epically crowded, epically entertaining, and epically inspiring. There's not much to tell that hasn't been covered by most major media outlets, so instead I'm just posting a few of my favorite shots from the day.

p.s. Favorite overheard quote: "You've got something you want to say to me?? Well, why don't we discuss it over a cup of coffee!!!"

Happy ralliers in our ex-boyfriend finest.

The view of the crowds from 7th and G Streets.

The first of many signs. And more crowds, of course.

A shout-out to one of my favorite Far Side bits.


The wisdom of Yoda.

I did, too!

I was actually trying to get a photo of Jamie and Adam from Mythbusters, but the sign is good, too.

Way to represent, New Zealand!

So the whole thing actually reads: "I found Jesus. (He was hiding from your AK 47s.)" Way to
time a photo, guy in sunglasses.

I'm not sure who this guy was, but he and 3 others were dressed up like aliens seeking equal rights.

"Scary" baby.

Best sign at the event.