Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Heres the Minos Sandwich for Mezzetta's contest


Mezzetta | Make That Sandwich Contest | Make That Sandwich Entry Confirmation

Ingredients:

for the greek patty:
3/4 pound of ground lamb
3/4 pound of ground beef
1/2 tsp. ground pepper
1 1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/2 c. Japanese-style bread crumbs
4-6 oz. feta cheese crumbles
2 tbsp. Mezzetta Extra Virgin Olive Oil

for the tzanziki sauce:
1 1/2 c. Greek-style yogurt
1 c. diced cucumber
2 tsp, chopped fresh mint leaves (or 1 tsp. dried)
2 garlic cloves, chopped finely
1 1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 tbsp. lemon juice

and other toppings:
Mezzetta Deli-Sliced Golden Greek Peperoncinis
leaf lettuce
sliced onions
tomato slices

for the bread:
Greek Cheese and Olive Quick Bread (my recipe for this bread is adapted from: http://cheese.food.com/recipe/greek-cheese-and-olive-quick-bread-86008#ixzz1O0EYMsCL)
4 cups self-rising flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 c. Greek-style yogurt
3/4 c. butter, melted (1 1/2 sticks)
5 eggs
8 oz. feta, crumbled or cut into tiny pieces
1/2 c. Mezzetta Organic Pitted Kalmata Olives, chopped
2 tbsp. Mezzetta extra virgin olive oil
sesame seed

or any crusty deli bread, or pocketless pita bread, slightly toasted



Directions:

for the bread (start with the bread if you are going with the homemade version, or make ahead):
1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Grease a baking sheet with Mezzetta's Extra Virgin olive oil.
3. Beat eggs, yogurt and baking powder together.
4. Add butter and eggs to mixture and beat well.
5. Add feta cheese, olives and flour and knead mixture until dough easily comes off hands Add olive oil.
6. Separate dough into 6 equal portions.
7. Shape into 6 balls and place on oiled baking sheet
8. Press down with palm, to flatten slightly. (A bit of Mezzetta's EVO is helpful to keep the dough from sticking to your hands.)
9. Sprinkle generously with sesame seeds and press again lightly to make them stick.
10. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until cheese breads sound hollow when tapped on bottom.
11. Cool on a wire rack. Once these loaves are cooled, cut them to make buns.

While the bread is baking, make the tzanziki sauce:

1. In a small mixing bowl, combine the greek-style yogurt, cucumber, mint, garlic, salt and lemon juice.
2. Place into refrigerator to keep cool and marry the spices.

Next, the meat of the sandwich:

1. With a fork, mix ground lamb and beef, pepper, salt and other spices, egg, bread crumbs, feta cheese, lemon juice. Using your hands could soften the fat in the meat too much, and make a tough burger. Once the ingredients seem well-blended, divide into six portions, and shape into rounded patties, about 3/4 of inch thick.
2. These burgers can be grilled or prepared in a skillet. If grilling, rub the patties with the olive oil, and cook 8-10 min. per side. For the skillet method, heat olive oil to medium, then add patties, frying each side about 8-10 minutes.
3. Place hot patties on bread, top with onions, lettuce, tomatoes, pepperoncini, and tzanziki.  Serve hot, and get ready for accolades!

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Coffee may make us healthier!! I knew it!!

The Money Shot


Coffee is officially off the vice list as new studies show health benefits for ailments ranging from cancer to Parkinson's disease.


I am not, by nature, a morning person. So ever since the age of 20, I have been a proud member of Coffee Achievers of the World--people whose daily intake of Morning Joe is an essential factor in getting the brain and body kick-started in the morning (or mid-afternoon, or before a college all-nighter). Getting a cup of coffee in the morning is such a high priority for me, in fact, that when I climbed a mountain high in the Himalayan mountains, I took a zip-lock bag of Coffee Singles along with me. I could handle yaks, glaciers, and whatever other ...read more.

http://www.theatlantic.com/life/archive/2011/05/guiltless-coffee-the-drink-may-actually-make-us-healthier/239028/

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Roadside Reports of Post-Rapture Illumination 05/22 by roadsidemagic | Blog Talk Radio

Roadside Reports of Post-Rapture Illumination 05/22 by roadsidemagic | Blog Talk Radio


Grendl and Chatty Daddy are up late again--too much coffee?? Never!! Join us in our conversation and share your post-Rapture looting stories.

This is so good with my a.m. cappacino! Gogol Bordello

Watch this all the way through and sip your favorite coffee along with it.  Tasty, and did you ever think to hear a rock and roll fiddler?  Great stuff.

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Dandelion Fritters

These are a yummy sweet treat to go with a coffee break, or served as a dessert with a lemony cream cheese dip!

Dandelion Fritters

Saturday, May 14, 2011

The signs are in the coffee. Roadside Radio reports...http:/... on Twitpic

The signs are in the coffee. Roadside Radio reports...http:/... on Twitpic


Internet Radio Offers a Diversity of Information and Music



The rapid technological progress over the years has brought us on the threshold of a new era where we can consider listening to online radio stations. There is nothing to deny the far reaching aspects of the web and the increase in number of the net users worldwide is a proof to that. Live radio is conceptually a continuous streaming of audio that is broadcasted over the web.


 Radio broadcasting over the internet is generally referred to as webcasting. There are various modes of radio webcasting and users have the opportunities to access live radio mostly free of cost and on some occasions on the basis of some fixed subscriptions. Online radio stations allow users to access their favorites regardless of time and place only at the expense of a proper net connection that is compatible of streaming. Since the internet radio services are accessible globally, radio lovers do not need to worry about staying connected to their favorite radio stations even while travelling abroad. Internet radio services offer almost all formats like news, sports, various genres of music etc which is perhaps far ahead of the scope of the traditional radio stations. In most of the cases, online radio stations are coupled with consequent traditional radio network.Online radio stations are simply based on the method of delivering audio programming from one computer to other computers over any network via digital means. Online radio stations broadcast live radio which is essentially a combination of telecast of the traditional radio stations along with content from the internet-only stations. Internet radio would not have been possible without the discovery of the streaming technology in the mid nineties due to some serious technological advancement. Earlier, instead of accessing live radio, users had todownload a particular audio file in order to listen to it. But subsequently, with the invention of the streaming technologies, radio listeners can afford to listen to any particular audio in real time. Streaming generally consists of both live material as well as archived clips of audio contents recorded earlier. In order to stream any audio, some software must be there which is capable of encoding the data transmitted from the radio stations. Listening to radio over online radio stations is therefore quite sensational from the point of view that neither any additional hardware is required nor any alternative appliance is required. Only a single appliance can serve both the purposes of computing as well as listening to live radio.
Online radio stations generally follow some interactive programming wherein users can include images, animations, and even videos unlike the traditional radio stations. The number of users listening to live radio on a particular channel can be easily traced by estimating the number of visitors of that particular page on a particular day which can produce some great information for evaluation of the popularity of that channel. The potential of the web to reach global audiences can be applied by the radio stations for not only reaching audiences worldwide, but also giving advertisements some cutting edges through graphics, bannersFree Reprint Articles, pop-ups etc. The facilities that the radio listeners can enjoy while listening to live radio over online radio stations are beyond the limits of the traditional radio stations. Therefore the traditional radio stations might get obliterated in near future owing to the increase in the number of net users.
Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR


Henry Williams is the contributing writer of Radioandtv-connectdirector.com. He is specialized in writing articles about online radio stations.

Roadside Radio Online Radio by roadsidemagic | Blog Talk Radio

Roadside Radio Online Radio by roadsidemagic | Blog Talk Radio

The signs are in the coffee. Roadside Radio reports...http:/... on Twitpic

The signs are in the coffee. Roadside Radio reports...http:/... on Twitpic

The rapid technological progress over the years has brought us on the threshold of a new era where we can consider listening to online radio stations. There is nothing to deny the far reaching aspects of the web and the increase in number of the net users worldwide is a proof to that. Live radio is conceptually a continuous streaming of audio that is broadcasted over the web.

Live radio is conceptually a continuous streaming of audio that is broadcasted over the web. Radio broadcasting over the internet is generally referred to as webcasting. There are various modes of radio webcasting and users have the opportunities to access live radio mostly free of cost and on some occasions on the basis of some fixed subscriptions. Online radio stations allow users to access their favorites regardless of time and place only at the expense of a proper net connection that is compatible of streaming. Since the internet radio services are accessible globally, radio lovers do not need to worry about staying connected to their favorite radio stations even while travelling abroad. Internet radio services offer almost all formats like news, sports, various genres of music etc which is perhaps far ahead of the scope of the traditional radio stations. In most of the cases, online radio stations are coupled with consequent traditional radio network.

Online radio stations are simply based on the method of delivering audio programming from one computer to other computers over any network via digital means. Online radio stations broadcast live radio which is essentially a combination of telecast of the traditional radio stations along with content from the internet-only stations. Internet radio would not have been possible without the discovery of the streaming technology in the mid nineties due to some serious technological advancement. Earlier, instead of accessing live radio, users had todownload a particular audio file in order to listen to it. But subsequently, with the invention of the streaming technologies, radio listeners can afford to listen to any particular audio in real time. Streaming generally consists of both live material as well as archived clips of audio contents recorded earlier. In order to stream any audio, some software must be there which is capable of encoding the data transmitted from the radio stations. Listening to radio over online radio stations is therefore quite sensational from the point of view that neither any additional hardware is required nor any alternative appliance is required. Only a single appliance can serve both the purposes of computing as well as listening to live radio.

Online radio stations generally follow some interactive programming wherein users can include images, animations, and even videos unlike the traditional radio stations. The number of users listening to live radio on a particular channel can be easily traced by estimating the number of visitors of that particular page on a particular day which can produce some great information for evaluation of the popularity of that channel. The potential of the web to reach global audiences can be applied by the radio stations for not only reaching audiences worldwide, but also giving advertisements some cutting edges through graphics, bannersFree Reprint Articles, pop-ups etc. The facilities that the radio listeners can enjoy while listening to live radio over online radio stations are beyond the limits of the traditional radio stations. Therefore the traditional radio stations might get obliterated in near future owing to the increase in the number of net users.

Article Tags: Online Radio Stations, Traditional Radio Stations, Radio Listeners, Live Radio, Online Radio,Radio Stations, Internet Radio, Traditional Radio

Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR


Henry Williams is the contributing writer of Radioandtv-connectdirector.com. He is specialized in writing articles about online radio stations.

Thursday, May 5, 2011

Coffee & Dating.. Choosing Your Poison (or Dating Agency vs. Intuitive Research)

Dating Agencies and Social Sites
vs. 
Intuitive Research and Spiritual Guidance
by Grendl, psychic tarot

 

 

In today's super busy world, overrun by media, technology and entertainment, it is sometimes easier to seek a partner through social circles and dating agencies.  However you should also consider looking inside yourself for more understanding of who you are, what your ultimate goals are, and how you can meet your true destiny.  Many singles are interested in making real partnerships, and longer lasting relationship connections, but because of past experiences, may not really as open to making a connection as they think they are.  An intuitive and knowledgeable interpreter of the Tarot cards can show a Questioner what past events may still be obstacles in the present, and how to overcome these past events, which can cause repetitive actions that can never attain their highest goals.

In today's world, we are saturated with work, and onerous schedules, creating less time to socialize and meet new people in situations that allow all the mental, physical, emotional and spiritual energies to be engaged in unison.  A survey conducted in 2006 estimated that the number of singles in the United States alone is at a staggering 92 million!  The mind boggles at the ballooning population of singles the world over. 

I am not suggesting for a moment that there is anything negative about choosing to remain single; indeed, there are clubs in the US and in other parts of the world that actually celebrate singlehood. But the point is this: a lot of people would much rather celebrate friendship, companionship and being in a partnership with someone than live out their existence all alone. That is the reason many loners seek out dating agencies and the services they have to offer, pre-screening and analyzing members so that their suggested matches meet the expectations.   Another large portion of singles reach out to social networks online, such as Facebook, seeking someone who can fulfill their dreams in a relationship. Getting to know them in this manner allows some sense of security.

There are many successful relationships that have developed via the electronic highway, and long distance romances that have fruited into togetherness and marriage.  On the other hand, there are many more that never really germinate into a two-sided affair.  There are so many individuals that are afraid of real commitment, because of past relationship traumas that may still be clouding their emotional environment, and possibly even their physical space such as in the case of divorced parents with joint custody.  Finding reliable relationship advice can go along way in helping to define what is actually needed for an individual to create and maintain the lasting partnership they are seeking. That kind of advice is not on the menu at most dating agencies, and here is where more intuitive research can bridge the gaps .

Most dating agencies, especially the reputed ones, have a high success rate, and offer many tools to help their members find truly compatible partners.  However there are a great many people that are skeptical of joining a match service. For starters, registering with an agency can feel  'artificial' and 'unnatural' to them. But it is very much in our human nature to seek companionship and social interaction. Before taking a plunge into the unknown with a match-making group, do make a point to research the membership, and above all, be honest in your presentation of who you are. Taking the time to check the successes of the agency you choose can build your own confidence in making the connection you seek.  And of course, one should be aware that there are a few companies out there that are taking advantage of the huge market evolving out of the singles population, and not really providing a lot of expertise in regards to what makes people compatible  A really good dating agency will size you up and if you are the shy type, will even offer to counsel you on how to build relationships. Some provide chat forums and events like balls and dinners allowing you to mix and mingle till you find your potential date. You'll be surprised to learn how many people get paired off at the conclusion of such events.

But once you are in the relationship, who do you turn to for advice?  Intuitive research, like Tarot readings or Angel oracles, can help...In my field of work, I find that those seeking answers from me regarding their relationship often get advised by the cards as to which actions to take, how to deal with emotional aspects, and how to create more positive focus on the situation at hand.

Consider looking deeper at the relationship you have with yourself, and let the intuitive and spiritual perspectives that the Tarot has to offer open you to new potential for your future.  You can make an appointment with me for private readings through my web pages, Grend's Tarot Parlor.

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Coffee with Grendl. Tarot and Your Questions Answered

I have spent the last 20 years reading and interpreting the Tarot cards to answer questions about romance and love, work and career, and general life path choices for men and women all over the planet.  I have been working towards creating my own site so I can continue to do the work I love-- helping others find new perspectives towards their life, and the motivation to forge their personal destinies.  When I am able to open someone's eyes to a new, better reality, I am also fulfilled in my destiny.  I do my best to offer encouragement towards following one's dreams, compassion in times of great stress and, hopefully, a clearer understanding of the power each of us has to make our lives happy and fulfilling.  I have been fortunate in my gift of accuracy, especially in being able to determine the timing of significant events that people inquire upon.  

Over the years, I have intensely studied the cards, their history, and the thousands of interpretations that have been applied to them.  Using astrology, Elements, numerology, Egyptian writings, Hebraic Texts, chakra energy, Spiritual Guides, shamanism, and a multitude of ancient and modern spiritual books, as well as modern and contemporary philosophical and psychological references, I have been able to develop my abilities of interpretation.  I have meditated on the Tarot, using their teachings as a guide for my own life path.  The cards have aided me in creating transformative rituals and magical works of art. The archetypes of the Tarot are mysterious, pulling long lost wisdom from the intuitive depths, and illuminating our deepest desires and hidden fears.  Carl Jung understood the cards from that psychological aspect, and his writings on the subject of Tarot and using those for psychotherapy have added layers to the effectiveness of my interpretations and readings for others.

Many come to me with very simple questions, and I am able to get them the simple answers they have sought.  However, most times the solutions are more complicated, and I feel I have to stretch the Inquirer, so that they can see how their expectations may lead to disappointments.  Obviously, the answers are not always what is expected by one who is inquiring, and it can be a challenge to help that person see that, though the answer is not what was expected, it is the right answer.  I have had some leave a session angry, but interestingly, in response to the timing of an event I read from their cards, they have come back to me, claiming that I was accurate, even though it was not the way they wanted things to go.  The spiritual and intuitive path I follow also influences my readings, drawing out the spiritual tasks that an Inquirer may not be aware are necessary for them to attain their desires.

My method of interpretation demands that the Inquirer be attentive to each card, and its definition in their reading, as well as to the information I am trying to convey so that they understand their answer on material and spiritual levels.  I approach each question openly, and in a  non-judgmental way, and offer solutions in the same manner.  

Life is a journey, and time changes the roads on which we all travel.  I believe that Tarot card readings can help us map out our path to attain our goals, to navigate the crossroads and obstacles we all come upon, and give us clear signs that point us in the direction of our true destiny.


My new homesite on the web is under construction, and as soon as it is published, I will let you know.

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Roadside Radio presents Mantra Lattes 04/16 by roadsidemagic | Blog Talk Radio

Roadside Radio presents Mantra Lattes 04/16 by roadsidemagic | Blog Talk Radio

Music with the Morning Latte

This morning we have had several extremely rich lattes with double shots of the creamiest crema ever... like overflowing the coffee pot.  Look at that:



Getting the grind right is a good first step towards getting the essence of the bean in such an airy state.  Equally important is how you pack the ground coffee into the filter.  And of course the perfect soundtrack for making cappuccinos this morning is the immigrant punk music of Gogol Bordello.  Here's a serving for your ears!


Roadside lattes and gypsy punk music.... I'm lovin' the start of my day!

Friday, April 8, 2011

Coffee & Climate Initiative Announcement




I've been looking for more stories about coffee in the news lately.  One big issue out of Germany comes from a press release announcing the desire to form a Coffee & Climate Initiative, which would build an alliance of coffee producers, a group called International Coffee Partners and the two other founding members are the foundation Fondazione Giuseppe e Pericle Lavazza Onlus (Italy) and, on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit.  The vision of the partnership is to enable all coffee farmers worldwide to effectively respond to climate change. By bridging climate change science and proven farming methods, comprehensible and hands-on tools are developed and provided to the producers.  See the whole press release here.  








In another direction, I wanted to announce my next show on blogtalkradio.com, coming up this Saturday night/Sunday morning in the Central Standard Time zone.  We will be featuring the Roadside Radio Kitchen Jams, and discussing mine-bending topics around the Krups espresso machine.  I've posted some great crema shots from our Krups here too.

Sunday, April 3, 2011

$100 a cup in London...Kopi Luwak

Amazing coffee beans that can cost up to $400 per pound are being produced with the aid of the civet (called a luwak in its native land), a polecat-like animal of Asian origin.  The origins of Kopi Luwak in Indonesia go back to the Dutch occupancy of Indonesia, where the rich landowners did not allow the native workers to have any of their precious coffee beans.  Coffee has its powerful draw as we all know, and the workers had to find a way to get some beans for themselves.  The solution came from the forest critters that fed on the crops of coffee... The red outer fruit that the cats love to eat was digested, but the bean remained whole, altered by its journey through the digestive track, fermented in a way that man could not replicate, and done is a significantly less amount of processing time.    The civet droppings were collected and cleaned, then roasted and ground by the Indonesian workers, and discovered that the resulting flavor of the brew was superior to a regular roasted coffee bean.

The demand for these beans has grown 50%  in the past year, and does not seem to be slowing its growth.  One producer explained in an interview that he was going to triple his civet poplulation, from about 50 animals to 150, in order to try to keep up with the demand.  It has been reported that several London coffee houses offer Kopi Luwak for what is equivalent to $100 USD.  And at the source, one cup of the brew is nearly $9--where the average worker only makes $2 per day, it is still a huge price to pay.


Saturday, April 2, 2011

Roadside Radio | Internet Radio | Blog Talk Radio

Roadside Radio | Internet Radio | Blog Talk Radio: "Join Team Barista Talk radio with an open format, discussing simple ways to expand your life with fun, food, family and cultural exploration of our world."

Friday, April 1, 2011

Is that my espresso or did you just change the oil in your car?

by Maria Atchison


I have a Krups grinder similar to this, but in stainless steel finish.  A perfect grind for your brew pot takes a count to 8 or 9 seconds, and for the espresso  mentioned in the title of today's post, keep grinding till you get to 17.  After putting the ground beans into your filter, tamp it compactly to allow your machine to extract the most authentic crema.  This morning my crema was 3/4 of an inch on the two shots I extracted from my Krups espresso machine.  


After frothing my milk, which is thick and the perfect texture to create beautiful designs in my espresso, I often let some random design form, and then check out my book, Fortune in a Coffee Cup by Sophia, to see if there are any divine messages I should receive.  This morning the marbling in my froth was very eagle-like, which when located at the top of the cup indicates that I "will soar with the eagle" and that I should know that what I say and do will always lead me to my desires.


My husband had an eye looking out at him from his foamy bean beverage, and this is said to indicate that his charming nature will allow him to accomplish long term goals, ones that will be seen by many eyes. 




This little book is a dictionary for the gypsy art of reading grounds, and telling fortunes, similar to reading tea leaves.  It is a fun way to add some meaning to your coffee experience.  I have enjoyed expanding my own world and being open to intuitive vibrations.  Currently, I'm working on a fun idea that invites the coffee drinker to draw a latte design from a deck randomly for a fortune, like a fortune cookie.  

Thursday, March 31, 2011

The Benefit Of Owning A Coffee Grinder

Every coffee lover out there loves fresh ground coffee, no matter what kind it is. There's just something special and wonderful about freshly ground coffee that brings a smile as that first whiff floats through the house or coffee shop. In order to enjoy the specialflavor of fresh ground coffee, one usually has to own some sort of coffee grinder. Gone are the days of the tiny little box with the turning wheel on top. Today, a coffee grinder can cost hundred of dollars, if not more.
A great tasting cup of coffee is produced from whole coffee that's ground within a few minutes of brewing, and it doesn't matter what kind of coffee bean is used, whether it's an exotic blend or French Vanilla or a Columbian blend. Whole coffee beans can be caffeinated or decaffeinated. The reason why coffee tastes so much better when it's just been through a coffee grinder, is that within two minutes, or so the experts claim, the coffee beans begin to oxidize, which is referred to in coffee circles as 'staling', which is what changes the flavor. Most experts agree that the sooner you brew your coffee after you put it through a coffee grinder, the better your coffee will taste.
How do you grind coffee? There are different types of coffee grinder models out there, some with a blade and some with a burr. A coffee grinder fitted with a blade is less expensive than a burr coffee grinder. A fan-shaped blade spins to grind the coffee beans. However, with a blade coffee grinder, grains are inconsistent unless you grind the coffee to a finer texture, which is fine if you're making an automatic drip coffee maker.
If you want espresso, this method doesn't work out too well. A burr coffee grinder is the best, as it crushes the coffee beans in a consistent manner that allows for a uniform grind. Of course, a burr coffee grinder can be either an electric style or a hand-cranked style. Both work equally well, though of course the electric coffee grinder will take less time. Still, the hand-cranked coffee grinder is ideal for those who like to take the time to enjoy handling the coffee and savor the aroma while grinding. A hand-crank coffee grinder is also portable, which makes it ideal for taking along on camping trips or when RV'ing.
A burr style coffee grinder can cost someone anywhere from $75 to $400, depending on how fancy you want to get. It doesn't really matter what kind of coffee grinder you purchase as long as it does the job it's supposed to do. You don't have to spend a fortune for a good cup of coffee when a bit of patience will get you the same results. Many people enjoy grinding their own coffee, and whether you own a blade or a burr coffee grinder, you're going to enjoy a better cup of coffee no matter which style you use.




About the Author

Still looking for the perfect coffee? Try visiting http://www.AllCoffeeSite.com, a website that specializes in providing coffee advice, tips and resources to including information on the coffee grinder.

Note:  I use a Krups and love it... reasonably priced and built to last.