Saturday, March 16, 2019

A St. Patrick's Day Prayer

Blessed St. Patrick's Day!
From 'St. Patrick's Breastplate Prayer':



I bind unto myself the Name,
The strong Name of the Trinity;
By invocation of the same.
The Three in One, and One in Three,
Of Whom all nature hath creation,
Eternal Father, Spirit, Word:
Praise to the Lord of my salvation,
Salvation is of Christ the Lord. Amen.


Friday, March 15, 2019

Char-Broil Grilling for the Family: 300 Delicious Recipes to Satisfy Every Member of the Family

The publisher, Fox Chapel, was kind enough to send me this cookbook.  It's a BIG 344 page heavy paperback with full-color photos on every page.

And just in time for grilling season!

Char-Broil Grilling for the Family: 300 Delicious Recipes to Satisfy Every Member of the Family (Creative Homeowner) Easy-to-Follow Recipes, Backyard-Tested Techniques, and Tips to Get Kids Involved
Get everybody outside for a fun family grilling fiesta!

*300 easy-to-follow recipes for lip-smacking appetizers, meat, veggies and more to have epic family cookouts

*47 recipes for The Big Easy(R) Oil-Less Turkey Fryer in an included bonus section, for extra juicy meat and crispy skin

*Backyard-tested grilling, barbecuing, brining, and smoking techniques

*Favorite techniques for the juiciest steaks, roasts, ribs, chops, wings, shrimp, kabobs, and more

*Tips on getting kids involved with simple, safe child-friendly tasks that they can do to help

Packed with recipes from America's favorite grill brand since 1948, Char-Broil(R) Grilling for the Family is the definitive cookbook and how-to guide for memorable outdoor meals.

Use this big book to prepare delicious grilled and barbecued appetizers, snacks, breakfast, main courses, salads, vegetables, sides—even desserts! You'll discover 300 mouth-watering recipes here for perfect hamburgers, drumsticks, kebabs, chops, fajitas, wings, sliders, deep-fried turkey, fish, pork, venison, and more—all with easy step-by-step instructions and color photos. Recipes for marinades, sauces, and rubs are included to give your meals that extra kick of flavor.

A special bonus section dedicated to cooking with The Big Easy(R) includes 47 recipes using your Oil-Less Turkey Fryer for chicken, prime rib, ham, shrimp, roasts, and—of course—turkey! An introductory FAQ to using and maintaining The Big Easy(R) is also included (but be sure to read the Product Guide that arrived with your fryer).


Breakfasts, vegetarian choices, healthy options that don't skimp on taste, recipes for new and interesting proteins like ostrich and bison alongside long-time favorites like seafood and beef—it's all here. We even made sure to include kid-friendly grilling choices that are appetizing to youthful tastes, so your next grilling day will be one that the whole tribe will enjoy!




You can pre-order this beauty here:  https://smile.amazon.com/Char-Broil-Grilling-Family-Easy-Follow/dp/1580118321/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=2QI76OWACL2LF&keywords=grilling+for+the+family&qid=1552672787&s=gateway&sprefix=Grilling+for+the+%2Caps%2C210&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1

Tuesday, March 12, 2019

THE NEXT CULINARY BUZZWORD: HAWAIJ

HERE’S ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE TWO-FACED YEMENI KITCHEN STAPLE

Clifton, NJ, JAN 30, 2019 – Foodie pop quiz: What spice has one unusual name, is spelled at least five different ways, can be either savory or sweet but never both, and could hold healthful powers? The answer is HAWAIJ.

Hawaij – pronounced ha-WHY-idge – is an ancient spice mixture found in every Yemenite’s household, and you’ll probably be hearing more about it before too long. That’s because people are discovering delicious ways to incorporate this exotic blend into everything from coffee and desserts to stews and condiments.

There are actually two distinct varieties of hawaij, each with its own flavor profile. One is traditionally used in coffees and the other is usually used to season soups. Yemeni immigrants brought these blends to Israel, and today hawaij (alternately spelled hawaj, hawaij, hawayji, or hawayej) is a staple of Israeli cuisine.

 Pereg Natural Foods (pereg-gourmet.com), a leading producer of premium, all-natural spices and spice blends, invites home cooks to explore hawaij and imagine how it can transform everyday menu items into something new and extraordinary.

Pereg Hawaij Blend for Soup is an aromatic mixture of cumin, turmeric, black pepper, cardamom, and cloves.

*Use it instead of bouillon cubes or consommé powder to season meat-based or vegetable soups.
*Try it as a rub for lamb, grilled chicken or fish.
*Add a healthy pinch to slow-cooker stews.
*Toss it with some olive oil on vegetables to roast – it’s great with potatoes, broccoli, kale, carrots, or beets.
*Mix it with a fruity olive oil for a quick salad dressing or as a delicate dipping sauce for crusty bread.
*Spice up chicken with a coat of Hawaij and Pereg Fine Panko Japanese-style bread.

Pereg Hawaij Blend for Coffee is a homey mixture of ginger, cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon.

*Add a warm and earthy layer of depth to any coffee, tea, or even hot cocoa.
*Boost up your batter – replace traditional spices with hawaij in your favorite pancakes, waffles, muffins, breads, cakes, and other baked desserts.
*Turn an ordinary smoothie into an intriguing treat.
*Sprinkle on baked apples or poached pears.
*Infuse into rice pudding.

Healthy Hawaij – Hawaij’s components pack a powerhouse of healthful properties. WebMD and a multitude of other experts cite cardamom, cinnamon, cumin, ginger, and turmeric as outstanding sources of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other beneficial nutrients. 

So when you boost the flavor of your favorite dish with hawaij, you might also be fighting inflammation, aiding digestion, lowering blood sugar, fending off free radicals, and perhaps even preventing cancer and Alzheimer’s!

YUMMY STUFF!

Thursday, March 7, 2019

The Latest on Dom

These were Dom's latest numbers 2/27 at Tulane.   The second set is from Slidell Cancer Center on 2/7.  The numbers in parentheses are from November 2018.

WBC:  7.3   6.5  (8.3 three months ago)

RBC:   4.1   3.9   (3.71)

HTC:    38.7    39.4  (36.3)

PLATELETS:   170   154  (188)

KAPPA Light Chains:   10,5   11.4  (16.5)

LAMBDA Light Chains:   176.5   119.9  (36.4)

RATIO:   0.6    0.10  (0.45)

M-Spike:    1.7   1.3  (Not Observed)

Dr. Safah at the Tulane Cancer Center in NOLA saw us last Wednesday.  She took blood.  Had us follow up today with our Slidell Oncologist.

He's ordering a full body CT Scan with no contrast and a bone marrow biopsy.  Hopefully next week.

Dom is a hurtin' little cowboy.  Ribs, back, shoulder, neck.  You name it.

So... after the CT results come in, they've decided to put Dom on DARZALEX.  It's not chemo.  It's an IMMUNOTHERAPY.

I joined a Facebook Group for Darzalex support, and the members have been SUPER helpful.  Most of them rave about the drug! 

So, we're feeling very positive.

The docs are laying the groundwork for insurance, then full-speed-ahead. 

Thanks for the continued prayers and good vibes, gang.