Hungarian Goulash Made Easy

What's for dinner?  Well at my house, it's a stick to your ribs meat and potatoes meal, which I first saw on a cooking show, than tweaked and spiced to my liking. Simple, delicious and addicting!

Hungarian Goulash

Ingredients:

3½- to 4 pounds chuck roast, trimmed of fat, and cut into 1-inch cubes

1/3 cup dried sweet paprika

3 large red peppers, steamed in the microwave for 6-8 minutes until tender (You will use them to make 1 cup of paste.)

1/4 – 1/3 cup crushed tomatoes

3 teaspoons white vinegar

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 large onions, diced (about 6 cups)

4 large carrots, scraped and sliced (about 2 cups)

1 bay leaf

1 cup water with 1 large beef bouillon cube

Salt and black pepper

1) Sprinkle the beef with 1 teaspoon salt and let it sit for 15 minutes.  Then sear the meat until golden brown.  Set aside. [Hungarians throw the meat in raw.] 

2) In a food processor, mix the paprika, steamed red peppers, crushed tomatoes, and 2 teaspoons of vinegar until smooth.  Set aside.

3) Combine the olive oil, onions, and 1 teaspoon salt in a large Dutch oven.  Cover and cook 8-10 minutes until the onions are tender, stirring occasionally.

4) Now stir in the paprika paste.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions just begin to stick to the bottom of the pot; takes about 2 minutes.

5) Add the beef, carrots, and bay leaf.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Make sure all ingredients are mixed well.  Cover the Dutch oven and transfer into a heated kitchen oven.  You will cook this for 2 ½-3 hours at 350 degrees F.

6) Check every 30 minutes and as necessary, add water flavored with one beef bullion cube.  You want a finished sauce that is not runny, or dry.

7) Continue to cook until the beef is tender when poked with a fork.  You should have a rich, thickish sauce.

Optional:  I chop 4 cloves of garlic and cook them along with the onions.  I also add parsley and a dash of cheyenne pepper and nutmeg to the dish before putting it in the oven.  I have also been known to throw in peas [last 10 minutes].  I like color and one pot cooking.

Serve the goulash over potatoes, noodles or rice.  My carbohydrate of choice is usually potatoes.  Top with a teaspoon of vinegar.  Enjoy!


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Happy Saint Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is named after several early Christian martyrs.  One of them died, or was buried on February 14th according to different accounts.  The occasion became associated with romantic love during the Middle Ages through the writings of Geoffrey Chaucer.  In a poem depicting the courtship of Richard II and Anne of Bohemia, Chaucer used the images of love birds – who mate for life – as well as, Cupid and Venus.  He also choose St. Valentine as the patron for that marriage.  And so he began the tradition of composing poetry on Valentine's Day.

Other traditions followed, gifts of candy, flowers, jewelry and romantic dinners. Enjoy the day! arrrh♥

“For this was on Seynt Valentynes day,

Whan every fowle cometh theere to chese his make [mate].”

Chaucer, The Parliament of Fowles, 1380

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M.C. Hammer Presents The ZAGGmate iPad Case

Years ago I met M.C. Hammer at MTV, where I worked at the time. Hammer is the nicest man -- polite, friendly and outgoing. After he finished his “Behind The Music” interview, we rode the elevator down 23 floors to the lobby, and M.C. was charming.

On that day I was dressed in black cotton velveteen trousers, with white accents.
Hammer said: “I really like your white socks, dear.”
I replied: “Thank you, M.C.  I've always loved the look of spats.”
Smiling, M.C. Hammer said: “Me too!”
Sweet memory. He is such a people-person!

M.C. Hammer & Stephanie

As the public knows, M.C. Hammer made a lot of money with his music and lost it all. He spent his fortune on family, friends and people-in-need, as well as, lived a lavish lifestyle. What is less known is, M.C. survived bankruptcy to release more albums and become a music manager of other recording artists. Today he's a rapper, entertainer, preacher, long-time family man [married to Stephanie for 25 years] and a successful entrepreneur. As it turns out, M.C. Hammer was an early technogeek and is now an internet mogul.

One of the gadgets he promotes, the ZAGGmate Case, is a (genius!) ipad accessory. It's a strong, thin aluminum case that converts into a bluetooth, wireless keyboard. Used as a protective case, you can drop your ipad without damaging it. Remove your ipad, and the case becomes a stand with an innovative hinge. Prop the ipad up to type on a real keyboard. Now you can send emails, write blog posts, take notes, or use text editing applications with ease, like you do on a laptop.

Place the ipad on the keyboard in portrait and landscape modes. The ZAGGmate runs on a rechargeable battery that lasts for months. It weighs 12.8 ounces. How cool is this case!  Costs: $100 (new).

Update: When I wrote the blog the ZAGGmate iPad Case was new and innovative, and now competitives have developed simiar key board covers too. Choice benefits the consumer!

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Did Your Grandma Wear An Apron?

Loretta G., who is a reader, mother and herself, a savvy shopper, sent me a nostalgic passage called “Grandma's Apron.”  It reminded me that both my grandma and mom wore aprons in the kitchen, while I rarely bother, despite the fact that I own a very nice blue and white stripped one.  And not surprisingly, my apron is still in mint condition.  When I put it on, I do feel more like a serious cook.  

Once, while helping my mother bake cookies, she asked why I didn't wear an apron.  At the time, she probably got an eye-roll.  Now I think I know the reason.  It's because we've become a t-shirt and blue jeans society, and these are easy clothes to clean in a washer and dryer.  But let's go back a generation (or two) to reminisce about a time when life was more rustic and less convenient:

Grandma's Apron (Original poem written by Tina Trivett)

The principal use of Grandma's apron was to protect the dress underneath because she only had a few. Aprons required less material, making them easier to wash.

And along with that, it served as a potholder for removing hot pans from the oven.

It was wonderful for drying children's tears, and on occasion was used for cleaning out dirty ears.

From the chicken coop, the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks, and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven.

When company came, aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids.

And when the weather was cold, Grandma wrapped it around her arms.

Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow, bent over the hot wood stove.

Chips and kindling wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron.

From the garden, it carried all sorts of vegetables. After the peas had been shelled, it carried out the hulls. In the fall, the apron was used to bring in apples that had fallen from the trees.

When unexpected company drove up the road, it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds.

When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out onto the porch, waved her apron, and the men folk knew it was time to come in from the fields to dinner.

It will be a long time before someone invents something to replace that old-time apron, which served so many purposes.

Remember: Grandma set her hot baked apple pies on the window sill to cool. Her granddaughters set theirs on the window sill to thaw.  They would go crazy trying to figure out how many germs were on that apron.  I don't think I ever caught anything from an apron, but love.

Times change.  My grandma wore her apron around the property, my mother around the house, and me hardly at all.  How about you?


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The Coziness Of Ugg

Uggs.  You either love 'em or hate 'em.  I own two pairs of boots, the ultra short suede, which are mid-shin length, and a smooth leather pair -- a style extending up to the knee.  So without a doubt, I fall into the love camp.    In winter, my Uggs keep my feet toasty, warm, even on the coldest, Arctic-bone-chilling day.  And they are so comfortable.  Some people don't like their look, but there's a good reason for their popularity.  I think they are practical, versatile and adorable.  Wear them with jeans, leggings and certain skirts to look pulled together and casual smart.

As everyone knows, Uggs are made from sheepskins.  The boots have fleece tanned to the leather on the inside.  The fleece draws away moisture, keeping air circulated and your feet at body temperature.  This is why people, who wear Uggs in the summer, don't feel overheated.  

Both pairs of my Ugg boots have sturdy, long lasting rubber soles.  Each is several years old, and what makes them such a terrific value is, they show almost no signs of wear.  They are so well insulated that you can wear them without socks in cold weather, though doctors don't recommend it.  Personally, I wear socks.  Also when the footbed of your boots wear out, there's no need to replace your entire boot.  Replace the insoles for $14, and you are good to go. [$14 price available at Zappos.]

Nowadays, Uggs come in a large variety of styles and colors.  From sandals to shoes to boots, there is choice galore!  The problem I'm having is wearing out the Uggs I already own ... but getting my money's worth on quality winter boots is a situation I will just have to live with ... thanks to the land Down Under.

Pricey Jimmi Choo Ugg boots

Here are some sites for great deals on Uggs:

Zappos.com [banner to the right]

Official UGG Site

Crazy Boots

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Health Care Reform, A Doctor Weighs In

Dr. Carl N. Steeg is a retired pediatric cardiologist.  During his career, he was the Director of Pediatric Cardiology at Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine.  Politically, he is a moderate who tends to vote on issues, not parties.  At the ballot box he has voted for Democrats and Republicans alike and has supported both liberal and conservative issues, after carefully weighing the pros and cons.  Since he has spent years as an academic, as well as, seeing patients, I wanted to get his views on our changing health care system.  Here is our interview:

Q:  Why do you think health care needed an overhaul?

A:  Basic health care is a right, not a privilege. It's [now] a system built on capital and competition.  This has some advantages, but not necessarily for the greater good.  People should be as secure in their right to health care, as they are in the right for clean water, protection and security.

Q:  As a doctor, do you support the recent changes in health care?

A:  Basically I do, because it tends to move us to a universal (or single-payer, if you will, system which insures coverage for all).  The question remains at what financial sacrifice?

Q:  President Obama had to compromise to get his legislation passed.  What do you think of his plan?

A:  It moves medicine in the correct direction.  There will always be compromises.  After all, it's all politics, isn’t it?  The compromises deal primarily with financial issues, not with the basic concepts of universal coverage.

Q:  Will “Obamacare” help people?

A:  I hope so, and I believe it will.  Should there be some negative aspects, or loopholes that come to pass in which the status of certain people may actually get worse, then Obama must lead in efforts to correct these loopholes.

Q:  Can the U.S. afford President Obama's plan?

A:  I don’t know.  In my readings I haven't come up with an answer as to whether it will cost more, less, or about the same in the long run.  The question should not be can we afford it.  The question is, where are the country’s priorities.  We as a country must understand that nothing is free.  The ultimate question is, what in the way of taxes are we willing to pay in order to achieve health care reform.

Q:  Do you think the government can run a complicated system like health care efficiently?

A:  No, the country cannot run complicated systems well.  I don’t know who can run complicated systems well – computers can, maybe.  But does universal health care have to be so complicated?  There are ways to make it less complicated and more available.

Q: Explain how.

A:  The delivery of medical care can be handled by nurse practitioners for many issues that do not require the services of a doctor.  This lowers costs and makes basic care more available.  As far as less complicated, when dealing with medical providers today, you often deal with multiple insurance carriers -- who must communicate with each other.  It would be less complicated to deal with one or two.

Q: Do you see a single-payer system as inevitable?
There is little doubt in my mind that we are in the agonizing process of moving towards universal health care, such as exists almost everywhere in the world.  People want to be free of the fear of non-affordable health care, and this need will, by the demand of the people, eventually come to pass.  We Americans, imbued with our historical fear of big government, and ever historically dedicated to what we believe are our “individual rights,” will have to change.  We, as a society, will not be in a position, in the near future, where, rights such as health care will be relegated to each individual’s responsibility without thinking of the effects on our whole society.  It would cause a two-tiered system which, as medicine becomes ever more costly, shouldn't exist.

Q:  I think some Americans worry about health care moving towards a system resembling socialism.  How do you respond to these fears?

A:  Of course we already have it in the form of Medicare, don't we?  It's interesting that we provide finances for the care of all Americans over a certain age, whatever their financial status, but not for all Americans yet to reach that age.  Socialized medicine is OK after 65, but not before 65.  Weird.

Q: Having spent your career as a doctor, give us some final thoughts on what you believe we face in improving health care:

A:  [Like other industrialized countries] medical care should be available for everyone equally.  It is one of the "rights" in "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness," and it should be a guarantee that a caring society grants to its members.  But we have to come to the realization that there are many tricky turns -- financial, philosophical, and ethical -- in our road to getting there.

Thank you, Carl, for your unique perspective.  Healthcare is already universal, in the sense that it hits everyone as a need, a concern and a big expense.

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The Oscar Nominations 2011

The nominations for this years Academy Awards were announced this morning.  Below are the major categories, i.e. the ones we care about.  I'm going to go out on a limb and highlight who I want to win.  Not who I think will win, but who I would vote for, if I had a ballot.  This year there are many fine films and brilliant performances, making the choice of winner all the more difficult.  What an honor to get a nod in such a tight race.  Best of luck to all the nominees. Let's have some fun.  Who do you think deserves to take Oscar home on Sunday, February 27th? Here are my picks:

Best Picture

The Kids Are All Right      True Grit

Inception                               Winter's Bone

The Social Network            Toy Story 3

The King’s Speech               127 Hours

The Fighter                            Black Swan

Best Director

David Fincher, The Social Network

Tom Hooper, The King’s Speech

Joel and Ethan Coen, True Grit

Darren Aronofsky, Black Swan

David O. Russell, The Fighter

Best Actor

Colin Firth, The King’s Speech

James Franco, 127 Hours

Jeff Bridges, True Grit

Jesse Eisenberg, The Social Network

Javier Bardem, Biutiful

Best Actress

Annette Bening, The Kids Are All Right

Jennifer Lawrence, Winter’s Bone She is spot on!  Can't decide this one. Ok Jennifer.

Natalie Portman, Black Swan

Michelle Williams, Blue Valentine

Nicole Kidman, Rabbit Hole

Best Supporting Actor

Christian Bale, The Fighter

Geoffrey Rush, The King’s Speech Adore him. This may be the toughest category!

Mark Ruffalo, The Kids Are All Right Love him!

John Hawkes, Winter’s Bone

Jeremy Renner, The Town

Best Supporting Actress

Helena Bonham Carter, The King’s Speech

Melissa Leo, The Fighter

Hailee Steinfeld, True Grit  13 year old HS played 14 year old Mattie Ross -- going on 40.  She is in nearly every scene and carries the film.  This young actress doesn't sound or act anything like her character.

Amy Adams, The Fighter  Love her!

Jackie Weaver, Animal Kingdom

Best Original Screenplay

Inception

The King's Speech

The Kids Are All Right

The Fighter
AAnother Year  Love Mike Leigh! 

Best Adapted Screenplay

The Social Network

True Grit

127 Hours

Toy Story 3

Winter’s Bone

BBest Cinematography

Black Swan

Inception

The King’s Speech

The Social Network

True Grit

Best Film Editing

Black Swan

The Fighter

The King’s Speech

127 Hours

The Social Network

Original Song  The suspense of this award is seeing who shows up to sing the songs.  No one cares who wins, except the winner.

Coming Home from Country Strong

I See the Light from Tangled

If I Rise from 127 Hours

We Belong Together from Toy Story 3

Listen up media: Often film critics tell us who will win an Oscar.  Cowards.  C'mon.  Be Brave.  Put yourself out.  Tell us who should win and why.  You're film critics for goodness' sake.

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A Stop At Henri Bendel's NARS Counter

712 Fifth Avenue, New York

Recently, I got a call from NARS at Henri Bendel's to come in for a makeover.  Unlike e.v.e.r. before, I looked natural and dare I say, like a professional model or actress when all made-up.  I know it wasn't just my imagination because as I circulated the floor afterwards, strangers took the initiative of telling me how pretty I looked, and this doesn't normally happen to me.  Gee whiz, could I stir such flattery every day?  Realistically?  Nooo, not if I have to do my own makeup.

I don't know what possessed me to accept the invitation as I rarely do such things, but it turned out to be a great experience all around, and I learned a few tricks of the makeup trade.  My appointment was at a slow time of the day, and the cosmetologist spent an hour on my face!  At the end of the hour I wore 31 products -- 5 different items on my lips alone -- so I should have looked my very best!  Fortunately, I had a makeup artist who was very talented and conscientious too.  That makes a difference.  Gissel ... herself, lovely and sweet ... from Seville, could make a baked potato look gorgeous.

There is one consideration though.  When a professional spends so much time making you up, you feel pressure to buy something, and NARS is an expensive line.  But, I knew this going in and went anyway in order to learn something new.  And, I have a pretty good idea what cosmetics to spend my money on.

In general, you need to spend more on makeup when top ingredients and rich pigments count.  The colors will last all day, and not fade off your face.  You can save on moisterizers and cleansers that are nearly the same despite price points.  There's no need to pay more for skin care, or products when cheaper versions exist to give you similar results.  According to many experts, here's how to break it down:

Spend on:

Anti-Aging serums – Stay informed on the best ingredients and latest technologies for your face.

Foundation – I don't wear, or buy it.  But the consensus is to spend if you use foundation everyday, since it determines how the rest of your makeup looks.

Concealer – For under eye dark circles, we are well acquainted!

Powder

Blush

Save on:

Body scrubs and exfoliators – Try exfoliating with table salt while showering.  It works.

Bronzers – I don't use it, but then again, I don't usually walk around with the sculptured, high cheek bones that Gissel defined for me.

Mascara – Another item I usually skip. I have long lashes and don't want to look like a raccoon at the end of the night.

Eyeliners - like 
Eyebrow pencils – Don't mind if I do once in a while.

Spend and Save on:

Lipsticks and lip glosses – You need some lipsticks with good pigments that will stay on your lips for hours, plus some fun, trendy shades you don't mind reapplying.

Eyeshadow – Ditto.  I don't usually wear this either.

Skin and face moisturizers – Some of the drug store brands – like Booths No. 7, Olay and L'Oréal – are bargains, containing effective ingredients.  Unless you have an allergy, you can use these.  Spending more on eye cream makes sense because the skin around the eyes is more sensitive.

Gissel taught me (1) to try different looks and not be married to just one; (2) celebrities aren't born beautiful; it takes lots of products to look good and; (3) having a skilled professional share tips and show you how to better apply makeup is a wonderful opportunity.

Just decide how much you will spend before you go, and stick to your budget!

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