I'm gonna update soon

Lots of news to tell!

Chilli for four, for two

As another busy but enjoyable weekend passes us by, we are getting to the run to Christmas.
I've not done any shopping yet, I can't be doing with people running about like its Zombie Apolcalypse™. My plan is to think of everything I need to buy from real life shops and swoop on it with crackjack timing. If my calculations are correct I should get all my chores done and back home in 1hr 45mins, thats more than enough xmas shopping for me.

Todays recipe is adapted from a Jamie Oliver book, its well tested, cheap and easy.

Chilli Con Carni

1 Onion
1 Clove of garlic
2 Red chillis, seeds and all
Oil
1lb Minced beef
1 Heaped tsp hot chilli powder
1 Heaped tsp ground cumin
2 tbs tomato puree/sundried tomato paste
1 Tin of chopped tomatoes
1 Tin of red kidney beans (rinsed)
1/2 Tin of Water
Salt and pepper
1/2 A cinnamon stick

Fry the onion in the oil for 4-5 mins then add the garlic and chilli
Add the dry spices and fry for 1 min
Add the mince and brown
Add the tomatoes, water, tomato puree, cinnamon and season
Simmer for 45 mins then add the beans for a further 15 or until its reduced

Serves 2-4 with rice, soured cream, chopped coriander, lime wedges and chilli spoon.

Verdict

7/10 Nice and I have a meal or 2 in the freezer.

You can double or triple this recipe for feeding large crowds with baked potatoes and guacamole
Test a chillis heat by biting off the very tip
Two chillis gives this a medium heat, add more or less if you like
Dont fry things in expensive oil use a flavourless one like sunflower or groundnut (not vegatable)
You can use minced steak if your feeling flush
Use an empty tin can to keep your stirring spoon in (thanks whoever told me that)
Boil your (rinsed if basmati) rice in plenty of salted water for no more than 11 mins, drain and fluff up with a fork while pouring over boiling water from the kettle.

Enjoy your week kids!

Vegas 2006 status - Its a long road

Steak and Chips

Monday night is steak night for me, sometimes I'll make an effort to serve it different ways. Not tonight though.

Steak Sandwich

1 Ciabatta, baguette or other nice bread
1 Steak - rump, ribeye or sirloin
1 handful of rocket or watercress
Extra Virgin olive oil
Juice of 1/2 a Lemon
Djion mustard
Salt and pepper

Drizzle the bread with oil and warm in the oven
Heat a grill pan or frying pan until smoking hot
Flatten out your steak and trim a bit of the fat off
Season the steak
Cook the steak to your liking (2-3 mins each side for medium rare)
Squeeze the lemon over the steak and leave to rest on a plate
Half the bread, drizzle the oil over the bottom half, top with the leaves
Put the steak on top and spread with mustard
Pour the steak juices from the plate onto the top piece of bread and place on top

Serves 1 with a cold lager

Verdict

8/10 I got quite a nice steak from Tomo the butcher on the market which makes the difference.
Only takes 10 mins before you can apply it to your face.

If you havn't tried a quality steak, cooked correctly and rare. Do yourself a favour.
Always leave your steak to rest for the time it takes to smoke a fag.
Don't season your steak until your ready to cook it. The salt draws the moisture out.
Don't even think about using a George Fornby grilling machine, my spare room gets hotter.
You don't have to listen to me.

In other events this last weekend saw me getting out drunk by a girl on Friday (it was the weed I swear) and going to Gullies on Saturday which I gave a rating on the Hendometer scale of 2 ice pops out of 5.

Vegas 2006 Status - On Ice

Vegas 2006 is about me increasing my poker bankroll enough to live in vegas for a month, entering some of the big tournaments and going on many many adventures. I plan to use a laptop to play online poker when I'm there to keep my bills paid. If I last a month I'll come back to Grimsby and rent my flat out and set off on another adventure. Me + wireless internet + the world = Fortune and Glory.

Also look out for Repossession of Flat Status 2007

King of Mince

Ah mince, where would I be without you?
This was tea tonight (any excuse to open a bottle of wine). This is my cheaper version of spag bol sauce but tasty none the less. The secret is in the long cooking - Italian style.

Spag bol

1 Large onion
2 cloves of garlic
Olive oil
1 stick of celery
1lb Minced beef
1/2lb Minced pork
1 Large jar of passata
Tomato puree
1 Glass of red wine
Bay leaves
Salt and pepper
Pasta
Pamersan cheese

Fry the onion, celery and garlic in the oil for 3-4 mins until soft.
Add the mince and fry until brown
Add the wine and bubble it till you can't smell the alcohol
Add the tomatoes, puree, bay leaves and season well
Reduce the heat and simmer for a good 1-2 hours
Serve with pasta and grated cheese

Serves 4-6 with a green salad and garlic bread

Verdict

7/10 Tasted nice and easy to do. You can drink the rest of the bottle of wine while its simmering so it gets an extra point.

Tip - Always use the best quality ingredients you can afford
Tip - Don't use that shit pamersan powder, buy a block and it'll keep wrapped in foil for ages
Tip - Cook your pasta, al dente in plenty of boiling, salted water (they say the water should be as salty as the mediterranean)
Tip - Bay leaves - count them in, count them out!

Sausage Casserole

I stopped the Atkins diet at the weekend and come tonight i'd run out of food. A quick rummage around the cuboards and freezer I came up with this:

Sausage Casserole

1 Onion
1 Clove of garlic
Groundnut oil
6 Sausages - cut into chunks
1 Tin of tomatoes
1 Pinch of chilli flakes
1/3 Pint of Chicken Stock
1 Tin of butter beans
Salt and pepper
1 Large potato - cut into chunks and parboiled for 5- 6 mins

Fry the onion and garlic in the oil for 3-4 mins, then add the sausages. Fry until brown.
Add tomatoes, chilli, stock, beans, potatoes and season.
Simmer for 10 - 15 mins until thickened.
Serves 2 with veg (sprouting broccoli in my case)

Verdict

Weak 3/10. There was not enough sauce as I used to many pototoes but it tasted nice enough. It didnt look that appetising either. OK for storecupboard tastic.

Tip - Always warm your plates when serving leafy greens. Otherwise they go cold quickly.
Tip - You should always warm your plates!

Work, Satan and Magic

Sorry for lack of updates, I guess I haven't had anything intresting to say lately. I've been too busy trying to dig myself out my poker grave - which thankfully I nearly have.
I'm still working for the council in the cash office where I have absolutely nothing to do all day except serve about 50 customers, read and browse the interweb.

Apparently people are taking the piss out of using the net at work and they may freeze it but fuck them I’m only a shit temp and should be out of here well before Xmas.
My current favourite websites to look at a work are proxify.org, gizmodo.com, bbc.co.uk (best site ever), fark.com, and ebay.

I’ve just finished reading Mr Nice by Howard Marks, which kinda makes me want to become a drug smuggler. 1000 pills for £250, pick up in Hull and sell in 100’s in Town for £1500 sounds easy enough to start off with. Now I'm just skimming Potter IV before we go and see it on Friday.

Last weekend a few of us went to Skidbrooke Church about 2am for a bit of an adventure. For those of you who don't know Skidbrooke is an abandoned church which besides rumored to be haunted and a site for devil worshipping in the 80's, is actually a really cool building.
We lit a bomfire in the middle which looked amazing from 200 yards away, did a Ouija board which yet again didn't work. We're planning another trip on 6/6/06 if anyone is up for it!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/lincolnshire/3405919.stm

In other news I've been looking at Magic cards again, after going to the GP in Nottingham last month sorta rekindled it a bit. It could be the fact that I saw a few people I'd not seen for ages or that I had some really good games ( I sometimes forget its a game, not a way to make money). Theres an extended PTQ in Donny on sunday too...

Vegas 2006 status - Back on the trail

Desert Island Dinner

At the weekend, we were discussing what our favorite 3 course meal would be.
People had different tastes and ideas what they liked to eat. Would there be a difference if it was a choice between what you loved to eat and what you would eat as your last meal on death row?
These are my choices:

Starter - Seafood platter
Main - Osso Bucco and risotto milanese
Pudding - Rubarb crumble and fake custard

Death Row (cause you never know)

2 Double Cheeseburger's, 2 Bigmac's, chips, 2 Peanut butter sandwiches, 2lb bag of pick and mix, chocolate pudding and chocolate custard

What does that tell me about myself?

Add your's to the comments if you so wish.

Vegas 2006 Status - Taken a nose dive