1 dressed duckling, brined overnight in salt water,
2 large white onions, sliced
4 large oranges (reserve ½ orange, juice 3½)
1 tbs orange zest
2 tbs orange liqueur
½ cup chicken broth
kosher salt, pepper, crushed red pepper flakes
1 head of garlic, peeled
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 sprigs fresh lavender
1 sprig fresh sage

Remove duck from broth.  Trim fat pad from main cavity, and set it aside.  Pat duck dry, rub with olive oil, salt, and pepper.  Stuff cavity with ½ white onion (sliced), garlic, ½ orange (sliced), and herbs.  Set stuffed duck aside.

In a gorgeous, cobalt blue Le Creuset dutch oven, render the duck fat slowly over medium heat.  If the fat is not available, just use olive oil.  Saute remaining onions in the duck fat.  Add orange zest and stir until fragrant.  Add orange juice, liqueur, broth, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.  Stir to combine, and simmer until reduced by about half.

Wiggle the duck into the orange liquid and onions.  Spoon some of the mixture on top of the duck.

Cover tightly and cook at 350ºF for 1.5 hour until the bird reaches an internal temperature of about 150ºF.  Remove lid, crank heat to 500ºF and brown for approximately 15 minutes. The final temperature should be around 170ºF before resting.  Remove from heat, cover, and allow to sit for around 10 minutes before carving.

I'm serving this with seared brussel sprouts and basmati rice.

I come home from my long, wonderful stay in Japan, and I am not in the slightest mood of getting back in the swing of, having to cook every meal in order to have a decent one, so we get carry out.  It wasn't bad.  We got my favorite Lebanese food, from the Lebanese (Anita's) restaurant 2 blocks away from us.  Since you can't find Lebanese food that easily in Japan, I was craving it!
But the next day I go to our local Japanese market, because of the empty bachelor fridge my husband left for me, it was actually depressing.  There is a limit to what you can buy, since they only import 2 options of one thing, and the look of the fish in the cases not that great.  Is this because we are in the Mid-West and have to have everything shipped frozen, or packed in ice?  Before I left for Japan, this was the most fresh place to buy fish.  Doesn't look anything like what I had in Japan.  Now it doesn't seem that great.  My mouth has been spoiled.

Being by the ocean, eating fresh caught fish is like eating something from heaven, compared to the once frozen, possibly was caught last week, kind of fish you can buy here...  I pretended that I didn't know it wasn't that fresh, and thought maybe I can trick myself into thinking the Sashimi here would be good, so I got some tuna, some salmon, and some yellow tail to take home to have sushi hand rolls that evening.
I also had to stop at the market for some veggies.  I expect Whole Foods to have the best ingredient I can find, since you dish out a bit more to shop there.  So I'm looking, looking, looking...  It's summer, where are the fresh good lookin' veggies?
When you shop for veggies in Japan, the super markets are loaded with great looking veggies that are in season.  When I say good looking, I really mean good looking!  The carrots are all the same size, amazingly orange, the strawberries are all the same size in each packet, and are bright red.  Nothing at all close to being wilted or even bruised!  Almost too good looking that I feel guilty cutting it up to use it.
Then back to my real world in the U.S., where the carrots are mostly crooked and for some reason split down the middle, the banana is either green or bruised, and anything with leaves, you can't use the first 5 layers because they are crushed.
I know it just sounds like I'm just complaining, and I'm just some kind of Japan lover, WHICH I am..., but it's true!  You really have to see it to believe it.  Even the meat is so much better!  Beautifully marbled and so fantastic that you don't have to worry about eating Organic.  They don't use hormones to grow the cows!!  You can also have pork & chicken rare, and not worry about getting salmonella poisoning.  Now that is amazing.  Even the cheap meat at the supermarket is GOOD!!
Anyway, back to my dinner that night.  Disappointing. My lovely sushi dinner that I expected, turned out that I couldn't cheat myself.  What am I going to do...

I know what exactly is going to happen.  I am going to be disappointed for a little while, then the whole denial thing kicks into my brain, and things I eat here start tasting better again.  Maybe it's the same chemical that is dispersed after you give birth, so that you forget about the pain you go through during child birth so that you would actually consider having another child.  OK, maybe I'm exaggerating but I'm still a bit disappointed in what I'm getting...

Next weekend, I am planning on going to the farmers market, hoping for something better.  Also my friend has told me of a local organic farmer that will sell a whole pig for a fantastic price!  She also has mentioned how delicious the eggs are too.  I would love to try some.

So here is my future menu for my organic pig & eggs.

Niku-jaga (Pork and Potato's)

• Half a pound of pork belly meat cubed. (This is hard to find in regular grocery stores here so having my own pig butchered gives me this opportunity. You can also find pigs belly meat at most Korean or Japanese Markets frozen)
• 1 knob ginger sliced
• 3 Yukon Gold potato's
• 1 or 2 carrots
• 1 large Vidal Onion sliced
• 1 block of Konnyaku (Konjac)
• 4 hard boiled eggs peeled.
• 4 Tbsp of Sake (cooking rice wine)
• 3 Tbsp Soy Sauce
• 2 Tbsp Mirin (or half honey, half white wine)
• 1/2 to 1 Tbsp of Sugar (depending on how sweet you like it) Start out with 1/2 and add more to taste)

Cut all ingredients into bite size pieces and soak the potatoes in water for about 10 min.  Heat up you Le Creuset pot and melt a small knob of butter. Brown the pork on both sides, add enough water to cover the pork and boil for 10 min.  When done, dump water and rinse off the pork.
Put another small knob of butter in the pot and fry up the ginger on medium low heat until fragrant, about a minute.  Put the carrots, potato's, in the pot and add the pork, eggs, and Konnyaku on top of that and finally cover with the onions.  In a small bowl add the Sake, Soy Sauce, Mirin, & Sugar and put in microwave for 1 min and dissolve sugar.  Pour sauce over the pot with the pork, cover and simmer on medium low for 15 ~ 20 min. Stir and finish cooking with no lid until all veggies are cooked through.

Enjoy with rice & Miso soup or even Udon Noodles.

For the first time since living with my parents (which was forever ago), I have actually cozied up my living space... making it look and feel like my own.  Totally unlike before when I lived like a gypsy who wouldn't sign a lease or hang my hat because I had one foot out the door... regardless of whether or not I actually did.  I have framed and hung artwork, purchased a Jonathan Adler throw pillow and invested in my new bff - the Le Creuset grill.  But don't get the wrong idea here...I have no interest in being Martha Stewart or Donna Reed for that matter.  Nor could I be if I lost my sense of self decided to. 

Regardless, I appreciate this Whole Meal Bread Making Demo Video... and as long as you are into 80's style belly-tanks, break-dancing and hair-band sex appeal, you will appreciate it too.  Bon Appetite!

via MailboxTees

You should be able to have a party with friends and relatives present, where the aunties don't raise their eyebrows at your mates behaviour.

It might be best to have the party at lunch time, and get home by 4.30pm. If you go out in the evening, you might still be home before 10.30pm.

If you don't wake up til 7am on The Big Day, you might think "Wow, a sleep in". This would never have happened at 25 would it?

If you're expecting your kid to play nice through the party, you'll probably want to give him plenty of outdoors time and attention before hand. Unfortunately this might tucker him out, but not guarantee a decent nap. Grandma may have to take him for A Walk.

Your friends have figured out by now that a good speech makes people laugh, and doesn't make anyone wish they could pop out to the loo til you're finished. Your friends may make such a lovely speech that you forget everything you were going to say.

It's probably a good sign if your friends and relations have given you things that are either drinkable, or stylish, or practical.

No the pumpkin wasn't a present, but the bubbles were. French bubbles make a very very very nice accompaniment to Sunday night cooking with brand new French cast iron. There are also quite a few more Australian wines in my cupboard than there were last week, and I have homemade bikkies, and flash wine glasses and a gorgeous brooch and pendant. I am very very very spoiled, the grey coat above? Also a present.

Finally, if you leave the house headed for your party with your camera in your handbag (congratulating yourself for remembering to bring it) don't be surprised if you still forget to actually take photos. You wont be the first person. At least one person has done this recently on her birthday.

http://www.federationqigong.com/

On to the next hurdle, "Going through Security".

Take off the shoes, take off the jackets, take out the 2 lap tops and put them on separate trays, fold the stroller down, take out both of the 7.5 by 8 baggies with our 3.4 ounces or less liquids, and the other zip lock bag for the toddler with all of her 2 packs of 8 oz Organic Milk and 1 pack of 8 oz Soy Dream + 2 fruit cups (which may be allowed on board but must be declared to the TSA at the security checkpoint for screening.), have toddler put stuffed animal to be screened as well.
We got our bag on rollers checked because of our camera, but everything else went surprisingly smooth.

Before getting on the flight I get a mocha and a bagel and take my echinacea. The flight from Detroit to Newark was very rocky. I got air sick for the very first time in 31 years of traveling. I'm regretting the Mocha I decided to get before I got on the plane. Thank GOD it was a short flight.

Newark Air Port is HUGE. We got out, started to walk, John calling T-Mobile to tell them to unlock our phones for the ???teen time before we leave the country and end up not having a phone. Yes, they can unlock your phone and you can buy a pre-paid SIM card in the other country and use your PHONE!! (I do recommend you on doing this maybe a month ahead of time to avoid what we went through. We just found out that Japanese cel phones don't use sim cards though... So can't use the phone anyway for other countries that do have sim cards.)
Any who, we had to walk a bit and then catch the little People Mover to go to the next terminal, where our plane was taking off from. We had to go through security again. (ugh) This time the TSA stopped me and told me that I couldn't bring in that much milk. I told him that I knew that you could bring that amount for my Toddler as long as I declared it, do to the information on their web site, he let us go. And he thought I had no clue... (But just in case they give you a hard time, make sure you bring a print out of the airline carry on restrictions so that you have proof.)

It was about 11 am, so we decided to get some subs before we board onto our 13 hour flight. As some of you may know, I thought we were only going to get a lunch on this 13 hour flight so I thought about eating and packing as much food as I can before I got onto this plane... Turns out I was a bit wrong.
During this 13 hour flight we got lunch, a snack of pretzels, dinner, breakfast and even ice cream. I've always hated food on the plane, especially the meat and fish are gross! So I called ahead of time and ordered a special needs meal for Zu and myself. We are vegetarian for this flight and Zu, because of her chronic constipation, is Vegan. Our meal turned out to be surprisingly good, but one of the bad things was, is that they only got Zu's special needs order, and not mine... (sob) That's okay though, Zu ended up sleeping through the Palak Paneer dinner, which was pretty good, except for the fact that Continental doesn't know what Vegan means, or they don't know that Paneer is cheese. And during lunch, she wanted the chicken nugget like patty that was in my Chicken sandwich, that the flight attendant said, "Sorry for not having your Vegetarian meal, but we have chicken or fish, would you like that instead?" Vegetarian…, chicken…? fish…? I had no idea those were vegetables. Well, I went for the, vegetarian meal substitute, Chicken and Zu liked it. Breakfast was a more curry like dish. Zu was sleeping so I ate it for her. Apparently all vegetarians are Indian, or Indian lovers to have some sort of curry in all 3 meals of the day. Oh, did I forget to mention that the veggie burger served for lunch had a hint of curry and coriander to it?

So in honor of my pretty good Vegan (Indian) flight menu, here's a recipe for the Continental Vegan.

Chicken Tomato Curry:

• 400g of Boneless Skinless Chicken Thigh Meat
• 1 onion
• 1~2 carrots
• 1 can of black beans (drained)
• 1~2 knobs of garlic (minced)
• 1 knob of ginger (grated)
• 2 tbsp butter
• 3 tbsp curry powder
• 1 large can of crushed tomato
• 1 cube of chicken bullon
• 1/4 tsp galam masala (if available)
• 1 tbsp oregano
• 1 tbsp basil
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 a lemon
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• a dollop of plain yogurt for garnishment

In a large Le Creuset pot (or large pot with lid), on medium heat, brown the chicken with 1 tbsp of the butter. To the same pan, add the vegetables with the rest of the butter and saute until tender. Add all other ingredients except the yogurt and mix well. Cover and turn heat down to simmer. Cook for about an hour. That's all! Serve with a dollop of yogurt or sour cream and eat it with your favorite Nan or rice.

Not sleeping yet...

Paris, 3 et 4 mai 2008
Les éditions Le Souffle d’Or fêtent leurs 25 ans
en partenariat avec www.generation-tao.com
et le traiteur bio Grain de Vie www.graindevie.fr

Lieu :
Centre d'Arts Corporels - Génération Tao
144 bd de la Vilette - 75019 Paris
(métro Colonel Fabien ou Jaurès)
La priorité sera donnée à la pratique, au vécu et aux rencontres.
Tourneront en continu, dans la bonne humeur :
- des ateliers de techniques de développement personnel, pratiques énergétiques, avec des auteurs du Souffle d'Or et des enseignants du centre Génération Tao.
- des démonstrations d'arts martiaux chinois
- des ateliers et expériences musicales avec des relaxologues, des compositeurs de musiques de relaxation, des musiciens
- des démonstrations de jeux de développement personnel
- des tables rondes
- des rencontres informelles avec Yves Michel et son équipe, les auteurs et l'équipe de Génération Tao

et deux événements musicaux exceptionnels :
un concert le samedi 3 mai avec TOULOULOU et YVES MESNIL
un événement de clôture dimanche 4 mai qui nous est offert par DAVID HYKES ww.presenceharmonique.org

3 belles salles sont à notre disposition.
Tenue souple et décontractée conseillée !
Librairie sur place, dédicaces auteurs.

First up, PULLED PORK!!

But first, I'm making homemade granola (on a baking sheet though, not in the dutch oven). All I eat lately is granola and yogurt, and fresh granola has changed my life!

3 cups oats
1 cup slivered almonds, 1 cup cashews. I chopped them in the food processor a bit to make them smaller.
1 cup sweetened coconut
2 tablespoons ground flax seed
1/4 rounded cup brown sugar

mix that all really well in a bowl.

1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup REAL maple syrup.
2 tablespoons molasses

Mix in a cup until well blended. Pour over dry mixture and toss until everything is evenly coated. Spread out onto 2 flat baking pans and bake at 250F for 1 hour, give or take, stirring every 15 minutes to ensure even browning.

After it's done baking and it's a lovely golden brown color, toss it in a huge bowl and mix in dried cranberries and golden raisings. About 1 1/2 cups total dried fruit.