Vse so lepe. Na kratek, srednji ali celo dolgi rok.

Jole v eni svoji pesmi poje: »Sve su žene ljepe, svaka nešto ima.« Se strinjam z njim. Skoraj popolnoma se strinjam. Bolj zanimivo pa je to, kaj je tisto kar imajo? Zakaj nas ene privlačijo takoj, ene po dolgem času, ene pa nikoli? Zakaj nas navdušenje do nekaterih mineva, medtem ko smo v druge vedno bolj zagledani?

Odgovori na ta vprašanja so seveda zelo relativni in predvsem zelo subjektivni. Pa vseeno. Razpravljajmo malo o tem oziroma jaz bom predstavil svoje misli o tem.

Torej:

1. skupina: Tiste, ki nas privlačijo v trenutku. Privlačijo nas dejansko samo in izključno zaradi svojega videza. Oziroma tista prva stvar, ki nas prevzame je videz. Nekatere se brez lepote (ali če rečemo drugače ravno zaradi neke »nadpovprečne« lepote) izkažejo kot »avše,« spet druge so tudi iz drugih zornih kotov zanimive. Vendar o teh malo več v eni od naslednjih skupin. Torej povprečna predstavnica prve skupine je lahko zanimiva samo za kratek čas…
2. skupina: Tiste, ki nas pritegnejo že ob prvem stiku zaradi svoje neke »energije.« Pod to energijo razumem jaz pač to, da so komunikativne, da niso (pre)obremenjene s svojim izgledom, da so pozitivne, da se znajo pogovarjati o čem drugem kot o razprodajah in o tračih…. Take, ki spadajo v to skupino so vsaj po mojem mnenju dokaj redke. V tem primeru oziroma skupini gre gotovo za predstavnice, ki bi lahko bile oziroma so zanimive vsaj na srednji rok, lahko pa rečemo kar na dolgi rok. Srednji rok omenjam v bistvu zato, ker se pač lahko vsakomur zgodi, da ga ta energija »prevara« in torej realna slika ni takšna kot jo najprej dobimo oziroma si jo naredimo. Ali je razlog naša napačna slika ali njeno pretvarjanje (ali morda kaj drugega)… To pa je vprašanje.
3. skupina: Tiste, ki nam na »prvo žogo« telesno oziroma vizualno niso zanimive. OK, ni nujno, da so nam »grde« (čeprav grdih žensk ni, so samo bolj in manj lepe), ampak pač na njih ni nič »posebnega.« Vendar s časom, ki preteče, ko to osebo vedno bolje spoznavamo začutimo že omenjeno energijo. Takrat na enkrat opazimo, da ima dotična oseba tudi čudovit nasmeh ali kaj drugega…
4. Podobna slika, le obratna. Torej na prvo žogo ni neke energije (je pa vizualna privlačnost), čez čas pa spremenimo tudi mnenje o njeni energiji… Ugotovimo torej, da ni avša oziroma da ni »ljepa bez duše.«

Ti dve skupini (3. in 4.) so že na zelo dobri poti, da postanejo zanimive na daljši oziroma dolgi rok.

5. skupina: Predstavnice te skupine so zagotovo zanimive na dolgi rok. Dejansko jim uspe nas prevzeti že na začetku tako z njihovo lepoto kot tudi pametjo (ali energijo). Seveda tudi tukaj obstaja riziko, da je prvi vtis oz prvotno mnenje zaradi takih in drugačnih vzrokov napačno.
6. skupina: Predstavnice 5. skupine s tem dodatkom, da se vse dobro kar nas prevzema na začetku s časom samo še stopnjuje… Ženske katere bi bile za vženit? :)
7. skupina: Da ne pozabim omenit še teh. To so pač tiste, ki so nam anti že od samega začetka. To, da so nam anti sicer še dolgo ne pomeni, da so res slabe, ampak pač nekateri so ustvarjeni drug za drugega, spet drugi pa se ne bodo imeli nikoli radi. V bistvu zato, ker je tista »energija« tako šibka ali celo negativna, da nas ne motivira dovolj, da bi želeli to osebo bolje spoznati in morda skozi čas spremeniti svoje mnenje.

A Hearty "Get over the Holiday-Binge" Salad Nicoise

I love the festive season, but I'm glad it's over. I feel as if I've consumed my body weight in butter. In my family the holidays have become less about giving and receiving gifts and more about coming together to eat vast quantities of food. Between the shortbread and the gingerbread, the mashed potatoes and the scalloped potatoes, the finger-food and the snack food, the ham and the turkey, I'm amazed that I made it out alive. 
The holidays lead most of us down the path of over-indulgence. "Just one more slice…Christmas comes but once a year. Seconds? Why not! Another drink? It is New Year's Eve after all." Like many of you out there I'm planning on changing my eating habits for the better now that the holidays are over. 
If you're like me and you're not quite ready to start a hard-core diet the following recipe for Salad Nicoise is just the thing. The plate full of vegetables will appease your guilty conscience, while the thick, creamy dressing will soothe any residual desire for one last indulgence. The following recipe for this simple and unusual adaptation of the great French classic was inspired by Bonnie Stern's recipe in Cooking with Bonnie Stern. 

Creamy Salad Nicoise: 
Salad: ½ pound - fresh green beans, topped and tailed; 2 - small new potatoes, cut into bite-size pieces; 1 -small head lettuce (any leafy variety); 2 - tomatoes cut into wedges; 2 - hard-boiled eggs, quartered; ¼ cup - seedless black olives, whole or chopped optional; 1 - green onion, finely chopped optional 
Tuna and Dressing: 1 - can of tuna; 1 tablespoon plus ¼ cup - mayonnaise; 1 tablespoon plus ¼ cup - sour cream; ½ tin - anchovy fillets (about 4) optional; ½ tablespoon - capers; 1 teaspoon - Dijon mustard; 1 tablespoon - fresh parsley; 1 - green onion, coarsely chopped; 2-4 tablespoons - milk
1. Bring a pot of salted water to boil. Add beans. Cover and simmer until beans are just crisp- tender, about 4 minutes. Remove from the water with a slotted spoon and rinse under cold water to cool. 
2. Add the potatoes to the boiling water. Cover and simmer until the potatoes are just tender through, about 12 minutes. Drain and season with salt pepper while still warm. Set aside to cool slightly. 
3. While the potatoes are cooling prepare the tuna and the dressing. In a small bowl combine approximately two-thirds of the can of tuna with 1 tablespoon each of sour cream and mayonnaise. Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.
4. In a food processor pulse the remaining tuna with the rest of the dressing ingredients except the milk. Once the ingredients are well combined, use the milk to thin the dressing. Be sure to taste the mixture before adjusting the seasoning as the capers and anchovies are very salty. 
5. Arrange the lettuce on individual plates and drizzle with a few spoonfuls of dressing. On top of the lettuce arrange the green beans, potatoes, tomatoes and eggs and drizzle with the remaining dressing. Divide the tuna mixture among the servings, mounding it in the centre of each plate. Sprinkle with black olives and green onion. 
Serves 2 as a substantial entree or 4 as a starter or side-salad. This recipe can also be easily doubled and arranged on one large platter for a buffet. 
Note: If you do not have a food processor, you can mash the dressing ingredients together in a bowl with a fork. While not as smooth, the results are still delicious!

Home Businesses, Preschoolers, and Chaos

I am a man under siege. As I type this, two small, ferret-like creatures are apparently trying to scratch their way under my office door. They are persistent, only stopping long enough to squabble. They are loud. And they call me ‘'Dad.’'

Looking around, I often wonder how I found myself caring for two preschoolers and running a semi-established home business. More often, I simply wonder how I do it. My wife says she couldn't, and I believe her. She's a college teacher, dedicated to her career and loving it. However, put her in my position (as she was forced to be after two C-sections) and within a few weeks she starts digging escape holes out of the house with spoons.

So here I am, running an on-line business that requires quiet, and acting as a combination Dad/Disciplinarian/Lion-Tamer for two children who could exhaust the hyper-manic. In my prouder moments I see myself as Super-Dad, battling diapers with one hand, stirring soup with the other and typing freelance articles with my feet. More often than not, this blissful vision is interrupted by the alarm clock.

More realistically, the house is a battleground of chaos. I have but two rules: don't interrupt my work unless someone is bleeding, and let's get this cleaned up before your mother get home.

The last is less of a rule and more of a tacit agreement I negotiated with the kids. They can level the house around my ears, just as long as when Mom gets home, she can walk the floors without fear.

During the day I run a gauntlet of toddler traps just to get a drink of water. Out of the office, step on a hard yellow plastic representation of Pikachu. Up the stairs, nudge the tricycle out of the way and almost tumble over one of our cats as she hurtles to safety. Across the hall into the kitchen, dodge my daughter as she leaps out dressed in her mother's flannel nightshirt and my slippers. Into the kitchen. Remove my son from the fridge where he's eating sour cream with a spoon. Lecture on appropriate snacks, but praise use of spoon because--hey! last time he didn't have one. Gulp down glass of water. Repeat process back downstairs only to hear a loud crash and screaming. Return upstairs. Repeat as necessary, all the while intoning the mantra of the stay-at-home dad:

‘'They'll be in school full-time soon.’'

Leafy Green Lowdown

Leafy green vegetables have always been considered healthy, and rightly so. They are low in fat, low in sodium, and low in calories. Most are good sources of fiber and a wide variety of vitamins and minerals.

More recently, we have begun to realize that ''good for you'' does not translate as ''yucky.'' A trip to any modern supermarket will reveal an increased variety of fresh greens, including prepackaged mixed green salads and a number of intriguing and colorful alternatives.

Lettuce
There are innumerable different kinds of lettuce: butter, green leaf, red leaf, and romaine are just the tip of the iceberg. Iceberg lettuce actually has less nutritional value than celery, but with a comparable calorie count it certainly won't do you any harm. As a rule of thumb, the darker the leaf, the more vitamins therein.

Spinach
Spinach’ s long history goes from Iran circa 400 AD to American pop icon Popeye, and then, fortunately, to a new breed of food preparers who realize that it’s better when not guzzled from a can. This delicious, incredibly healthful and flexible green, can be eaten raw or cooked, and goes well in everything from a salad to lasagna. Its impressive statistics show that a serving provides 90% of your recommended daily allowance of vitamin A and 35% of vitamin C, in addition to fiber, calcium, magnesium and folate--and it's especially important as a source of iron.

Cabbage
Cabbage has somewhat of an image problem due to its participation in a number of questionable enterprises such as sauerkraut, kim chee, and the infamous coleslaw. Cabbage contains small amounts of calcium, iron, and protein, and is rich in Vitamin C. Bok choy, or Chinese cabbage, is especially rich in calcium.

Collard Greens
A nutritional superstar, collards contain vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, C, folacin, potassium, and calcium. Generally they are boiled with ham or bacon, vinegar, and peppers, and can take hours to prepare. Turnip and mustard greens also fall into this category and are usually prepared the same way, or even cooked as a medley.

Chard
Chard is perhaps the most strikingly attractive of the greens, with large dark green leaves and a poppy red stem that extends up and branches out into a network of scarlet veins and arteries along the leaf. The leaves can be treated like spinach, although they have a more distinctive sourish and salty flavor, and the stems can be prepared similarly to asparagus. Nutritionally, chard is very similar to spinach.

Kale
Kale is an extra-hardy member of the cabbage family and an excellent source of Vitamins A, B, and C. It also contains calcium, iron, and phosphorus. Kale is bluish green, with leaves that curl tightly. After a long simmer it is quite flavorful but not too strong.

Dandelion Greens
A perennial favorite amongst the grindingly poor, this member of the sunflower family has a slightly bitter taste. The greens can be eaten raw or steamed and served with vinegar or lemon juice. They are a significant source of thiamin, riboflavin, calcium and potassium, and contain a whopping 120% of your recommended daily allowance of vitamin A.

Seafood Risotto with Saffron and Dill recipe

One of the first truly fancy restaurants that I ever went to was in London. It was a tiny place with impeccable service and an ever-changing seasonal menu. I had a beautiful saffron risotto there once, gloriously blonde, flecked with fresh dill and studded with fresh seafood. I especially loved how the shrimps had been halved lengthwise resulting in perfect bite-size pieces that turned into curlicues when cooked. I dreamed so often about this dish, I had to experiment at home. After years of fine-tuning, the following recipe is an excellent reproduction.

Don't be afraid of risotto. Yes, you have to stir constantly, but don't be a slave to it. As long as you're paying attention nothing terrible will happen, even if you don't stir for a few minutes here and there. Saffron is available in most grocery and bulk stores and is definitely expensive, but it's used very sparingly and imparts a wonderful depth of flavour and colour to the dish. Gently crush it between your fingers before adding it to the liquid. The longer you let the saffron steep in the broth and cream, the more brilliantly yellow your risotto will be.

Serves 2 as a main course or 4 as a side dish
Generous pinch saffron threads
1 cup table cream
3 cups stock (fish, chicken or vegetable)
½ pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined and halved lengthwise
¼ pound bay scallops
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
½ cup finely chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 cup Arborio rice
¼ cup fresh dill, chopped fine
¼ cup grated Parmesan
salt & pepper
1. Combine the broth, cream and saffron in a saucepan and heat until warm. Keep at a bare simmer.
2. In a small bowl, combine the shrimp and scallops with 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice and salt and pepper. Set aside.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil and the butter in a large skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, and cook for 1 minutes more.
4. Add the rice stirring to until each grain is coated with the butter and oil. Add approximately 1 cup of the broth mixture and cook, stirring until the liquid has been absorbed. Continue cooking and adding broth mixture, about 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly and letting each addition be absorbed before adding the next. Cook until the rice is tender but firm in the centre, about 20 minutes total.
5. Place a large skillet over high heat to prepare for cooking the seafood.
6. Stir into the risotto the chopped fresh dill, the remaining tablespoon of lemon juice and the Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Add 1 teaspoon of oil to the hot skillet. Add the shrimp and scallop mixture and sauté for 3 minutes until the shrimp have turned pink.
8. Top the risotto with the seafood and garnish with sprigs of dill and wedges of lemon. Serve immediately.

The smell of cinnamon

There is nothing like the smell of cinnamon to transform a kitchen into a cozy sanctuary. My mother used to make cinnamon rolls on Saturdays and my sisters and I would gobble them up while watching early-morning cartoons. I've long tinkered with her original recipe and the one below is a combination sticky-bun and pinwheel-style cinnamon roll.
Unlike most recipes for cinnamon rolls, this is a "quick" bread, meaning that yeast is not used to help the dough rise. The baking powder is the only leavening ingredient, therefore it is extremely important not to overwork the dough. When you add the wet ingredients to the dry, be sure to stir until they are just combined. Also, as always, be very careful not to burn yourself when handling any kind of caramel mixture.

Dough:
2 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
3 ½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup melted butter
½ cup milk
2 tablespoons sugar

Caramel Cinnamon Filling:
¼ stick butter
2 tablespoons corn syrup
½ cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla

Dough:
1. In a large bowl sift together 1 cup of flour, baking soda and salt. Stir to combine the dry ingredients well.
2. In a small bowl or measuring cup combine the melted butter and sugar, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Add the milk.
3. Add the butter mixture to the dry ingredients all at once, stirring until the dough is just combined in a soft, sticky dough.
4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of flour and knead lightly about 5 times or until just smooth. Cover dough and let rest for 10 minutes.

Filling:
1. In a heavy saucepan combine the butter and corn syrup over medium heat. When the butter has melted add half of the brown sugar and stir constantly until the sugar begins to dissolve and the mixture is bubbling.
2. Add the remaining sugar and continue to stir until all of the sugar has melted and the mixture has turned a dark caramel colour. Stir in the cinnamon and vanilla. The mixture will sputter and darken further. Set the mixture aside to cool and thicken slightly.
3. Preheat the oven to 350 F. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out into a 12x17 inch rectangle approximately ¼ inch thick. Evenly spread the caramel cinnamon mixture over the entire surface of the dough.
4. Starting from a long side, carefully roll the dough into a 17 inch log with the seam on the bottom.
5. Using a serrated knife carefully trim the rough ends. Slice the log into 12 pieces and place in a greased 9x9 inch pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Remove from the oven and carefully invert onto a large plate. Serve warm.
For a faster treat you can make these the way that my mother does. Once you have rolled out the dough, spread with a thin layer of softened butter, sprinkle liberally with brown sugar and cinnamon. Roll and bake as instructed above, no need to invert the pan.