Monday, February 21, 2011

Big Old Texas... caviar

Last year I hosted a Texas BBQ for some Twitter fans of the awesome show Friday Night Lights. On this day, a bunch of us discovered we ♥ Texas caviar. I made it again recently and a few of you asked that I share the recipe.

I've pretty much stuck to the recipe found on Chow with a few alterations. The Homesick Texan has another version with Tabasco in the dressing which sounds delish too. You must give her potato salad a go too. It was so yummy.

Back to the Texas caviar...

INGREDIENTS


For the dressing:
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 medium garlic clove, finely chopped
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons canola oil

The dressing is pretty easy and I've stuck to it as all the ingredient are easy to come by here in Australia.

For the actual salad:
2 medium cobs white corn, shucked. I don't know what white corn is. I just bought standard corn from the market and threw it in the oven with husk still on. Supermarkets sometimes sell them with part of the husk removed. I recommend wrapping in foil before cooking. I've also cooked this on the BBQ.
1 (425g) can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed.I haven't found these canned but you can find them dried at both Tully's and South Melbourne Market (other places I'm sure). I use about a 1-1 1/2 cups of dried black eyed peas and let them soak over night. I also cooked them in boiling water until tender then drained and cooled.
2 Pickled JalapeƱos, stems removed and finely chopped (sometimes I leave out if none available)
1 medium Roma tomato, seeded and cut into small dice. I use a bit extra cos I like tomato. Plus I leave the seeds too (Texans must be getting peeved at my improvisations :P)
3/4 cup red bell pepper, seeded, white pith removed, and cut into small dice
1/2 cup white onion, small dice (I've been using Spanish onion as I prefer it)
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro/coriander

INSTRUCTIONS
For the dressing:
The recipe instructions state to: "Combine vinegar, garlic, salt, cumin, and pepper in a large nonreactive bowl. While whisking constantly, slowly add oil in a thin stream until completely incorporated; set aside." While I have made this several times, this is the first time I've actually noticed this. Hehehe recipe schmecipe. Just mix it.

For the salad:
Heat the oven to 230°C and arrange a rack in the middle. Roast corn until knife tender and golden brown in spots, about 25 minutes (remember you can cook this on BBQ too). Remove to a cutting board until cool enough to handle, about 2 minutes, then slice kernels off the cobs; set aside.
Add black-eyed peas, jalapeƱos, tomato, bell pepper, onion, and reserved corn to the bowl with the dressing and stir until well coated. I get my hands in here and mix it the salad and make sure everything is well coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. 

When I made this recently, I served it with a marinated butterfly chook which we BBQ'd. This is a great little salad for summer BBQ's - colourful, delicious and easy to make. 

Thanks to Chow for sharing their delights and hopefully not caring if I butcher it slightly.  

Enjoy!
GB

Thursday, February 10, 2011

How am I doing?


 Last month I set out some goals for the year so I thought I'd share an update:
  • Who knew the exercise goal would be the one I'd stick to the most? I do love taking my Peggy out for a spin especially along the bay. I've consistently stuck to 2-3 rides per week and have racked up 134.99km in January. w00t! w00t!
  • Not so good with Meatless Mondays. I've done it once. Managed to squeeze one in on January 31. I'm not limiting this to Monday to make it easier. My downfall is rushing off to get sushi for a late lunch and forgetting about it. Might need a post-it note at work.
  • Haven't signed up for any tap, hula hoop or circus classes yet but I'm in talks with the lovely Star about being my circus accomplice. Hoop classes are currently booked out so I have been giving them a bit of a whirl at home. I must, I must, I must decrease my gut ..that's how it goes, right? :P
  • Currently reading Barrie Cassidy's The Party Thieves. Nearly done.
  • While I haven't signed up to any cooking classes yet I have mastered my seared tuna and soba noodles dish. This is Highly recommended for a hot day! I also made some Donna Hay yummies - chicken and lemongrass skewers and a ginger beef noodle with chilli broth. Sooo damn good.
  • Now my biggest disappointment so far was not making it a whole month without a parking fine. It was Friday 28, I had a meeting at 10 that started at 11. Then another impromptu meeting followed and BAMM! I got done again. Big fat *facepalm* *sigh* *cry* *weep* 
In summary: 1 parking fine, 2 noodle dishes, 134.99 km and a book half read.

Wish me luck for this month.

Cheers,
GB xx

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Fresh Start : New goals

2011 is in full swing. Back to work and steadily moving closer to February. Before we hit middle of the month, I thought I'd share my new year's resolutions.

I don't usually make them however last year I set myself a goal career wise and nailed it. I'm a little inspired by that success to set more goals this year; some are fun, some are health related and others are simply things that interest me and keep me inspired, happy and stress-free.

Twenty-eleven to-do list:

  1. Exercise 2-3 times a week. I'm a slacker so this may be a little hard but I'm hoping my awesome Xmas present from Mr Bug, my new bike Peggy (see pic) will help make this easier.
  2. Participate in Meatless Mondays (environmental reason as well as trying to curb my gluttony)
  3. Dust off the tap shoes and enroll in another tap course with Miss Jane.
  4. Learn how to kick a hula hoop from my knees to my hips with another round of hula hooping classes. Very hard and causes bruising but I will master it *shakes fist*
  5. Fly through the air with the greatest of ease and sign up for a trapeze/aerial course (there must be carnies in my bloodline - only explanation).
  6. Read 6 books this year. I would love for this to be 12 a year but I must be realistic that torrents take up my reading time :P
  7.  I am generally crap at cooking Asian cuisine and I want this sorted. While I will never be a Poh, I'd love to master some Malaysian dishes or kick-arse Indian curries.
  8. Save some $$$. If I can learn to exercise more, I can learn how to save. Never too late to learn.
  9. I want to buy 1 piece of art this year. Not stressed if I don't but I would like to beautify my home and support a local artist in the process.
  10. Work wise; I want to achieve at least 1 campaign or professional achievement that I can be proud of.
  11. Travel somewhere. That itch needs to be scratched again.
  12. Cut back on parking fines. Unfortunately there is limited parking at my work and I've been stung with 5 parking fines in 6 weeks. I don't need to explain why this must change.
  13. Blog more.
Lucky 13. Let's hope it's my lucky number :)

Chat soon
Maryann xx

Sunday, October 31, 2010

Final day Frocktober

It's done! It's over! I've made it to the end of Frocktober wearing dresses and skirts every single day. Yay!! I don't have the final tally but I'm pretty certain, I've raised over $500 for the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation. Thank you to all who supported me this last month.

Today's outfit is a bit of a schamozzle to end on. I headed down to the Peninsula to spend some quality time with Mr Bug and grabbed this dress without realising how much colder the weather was going to be. And didn't bring a jacket either *facepalm*


So I'm ending with a green wrap dress, brown slip dress and brown boots. Basically I look like a lacy tree ... a girly camouflage perhaps :P

If you would like to make a donation for my efforts and help find an early detection test, pretty please do so. You can make donations via PayPal using my rego #680068. Visit www.frocktober.org, go to the 'donate' page and include my registration number (680068) in the message section. If paying via direct debit, enter my registration number (680068) in the 'reference' field from your internet banking service. Frocktober bank details are listed below:

Account name: Frocktober Inc
BSB: 633000
Account number: 134323187

Thanks again for your support and I will update with total tally as soon as I know.

Cheers
Maryann xx

The Social Network

 

I don't normally review films but this one has got me thinking. I enjoyed the Social Network - the snappy dialogue, the structure of the storytelling, the performances. All were pretty impressive. But did it live up to the hype and 5-star reviews? Um .. well no. It was good but it wasn't brilliant!

While I am spending far too much time thinking about the film, it is more other people's reaction that has got me rattled. Is everyone just Fincher/Sorkin fanboys/girls and loving it because it's expected? What's going on? Someone please explain it to me...

Some of Sorkin's creative liberties bugged me - where is Zuckerberg's long term girlfriend? Guess you can't have a misogynist villain if he's in a long term relationship with an intelligent woman. Starting to believe people's criticisms of Sorkin not being able to write female characters. I just don't buy Zuckerberg as an arsehole or even wanna-be arsehole as the film suggests. 

Also where was the emotion? I didn't think the relationship between Zuckerberg and Eduardo was explored enough to set up the emotional betrayal. When Eduardo states in a meeting they were best friends (his only friend), my reaction was really? Oh I thought he was the investor buddy rather than BFFs.
    To me this film was a good look into the world of business; the importance of sound contacts, absolute need to review contracts and seek alternative counsel. It also demonstrated the importance of serendipity coupled with smarts and hard work. Whether you're an entrepreneur, actor or even just a regular Joe Schmo, sometimes being at the right place at the right time, is just as important as the hard work and intelligence it takes to get there.


    I confess I'm now a bit of a Zuckerberg fangirl. I watched this fascinating interview with him at Startup School. You should check it out, especially when he talks about adapting Facebook to the cultural and legal needs of each country and how he's going about getting Facebook into China. To be honest I found this more interesting and eye opening than the film.


    On a side note, I checked out Mark Zuckerberg's Facebook profile and got a real kick to find out we share a mutual friend. So I guess the failings of the film is that I find the real Zuckerberg more captivating.

    Chat later when I post my final Frocktober outfit.

    Cheers
    Maryann xx

    Saturday, October 30, 2010

    Penultimate Frocktober

    Second last day of Frocktober and we've had constant rain today. All day!! I had a lovely lunch with my friend Irena who showed support for Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation by frocking up too! I wish I got a pic of the two of us in our dresses. *facepalm*

    Instead I took a pic with my favourite puppy Bea. Awwww!. After lunch I braved the wet roads and downpour to spend some quality time with Mr Bug on the Peninsula. I'm always greeted by the warmest reception by this naughty dog so I had to snap her giving me cuddles.


    Today's outfit is a summer dress and op shop find cardigan to deal with the warmer weather. The boots were essential to deal with the puddles.

    Tomorrow is the last day of Frocktober. So get your donations in please :)

    You can make donations via PayPal using my rego #680068. Visit www.frocktober.org, go to the 'donate' page and include my registration number (680068) in the message section. If paying via direct debit, enter my registration number (680068) in the 'reference' field from your internet banking service. Frocktober bank details are listed below:

    Account name: Frocktober Inc
    BSB: 633000
    Account number: 134323187

    Look forward to tomorrow.

    Cheers
    Maryann xx

    Friday, October 29, 2010

    Halloween Frocktober

    I've resurrected Miss Dead USA for a Halloween fancy dress at work. I really wanted to wear this dress at some point this month so I'm super excited.


    My work is running a competition. The costume with the most Likes/Comments wins a prize. Please head over to The Online Circle's Facebook and vote for me. I promise to thank you in my acceptance speech.

    Happy frockin' Halloween

    Cheers
    Maryann