Computer Crazy?

There was a time in our lives as baby boomers when the most high tech thing we owned or knew how to operate was a touch telephone or a basic Texas Instrument calculator. Boy I remember the first calculator I ever owned was this little hand-held job with red number display. I could have sworn it looked like a Star Trek Tricorder from the 1960’s television show! So cool!

I was simply tech ignorant, but almost all of us were back then. In the 1980’s the big advance for everybody was cable TV. Oh my, how much ESPN and VH1 did I watch! But you see that was all we had really. I didn’t own a PC until about 1992 – those of you who got one of the first I am sure remember that amber screen and DOS. Those first IBM clones cost thousands of dollars, of course. We bought ours used.

I bring all this up because I realized this morning how computer-saturated our lives have become; our cars, home environment systems, televisions and of course these darned cell-phones. I got up to the chiming of my iPhone, answered a text message from a friend and inquiries about my health and well-being over a social network, checked my emails, then grabbed my iPad and picked up where I left off last night reading the latest Walter Moseley e-thriller while making coffee.

Later, I started my 2004 Ford truck and drove in air-conditioned and computer-tuned comfort to Costco, shopped for household items and answered yet another text while in the check-out line. Oh I forgot, the items I purchased were scanned into a hand-held by a store employee. Still later, after I returned home, I tossed a load of laundry into our computerized, LCD-screened washer-dryer units, woke up my new fire-breathing laptop and while waiting for some soup to warm on my electric range (there is a computer in there too), I answered yet another text from my mother-in-law about her iPhone and began to draft this document, which as you are reading it, has been successfully uploaded – with a graphic – to a server that stores this blog page. I do all this in environmentally computer-controlled comfort, where it is a pleasant 76 degrees in my house and a scorching 110 outdoors.

I’m prompted to write this because of a problem today with our cable service. Several channels are not working and this was called to my attention by my mom in law, who has the same service. She called again and asked me if Fox-TV was frozen. I hadn’t been watching television at the time so I fired up that flat-screen and, yes, a whole bunch of stations are frozen in place! Obviously someone is having computer-driven issues and it is affecting all of us today. Well, at least those of us who have Comcast!

As a post-script her television stations were now all available but every station was broadcasting in Spanish. Oops, somebody flipped the wrong computer on!

Chicago-Style Italian Beef Sandwiches with Optional Giardiniera

Chicago has a unique beef sandwich that is sold at several local restaurants, including the famous Al's on the near west side of town. There are variations, but I found this recipe that I think is fairly close. There are a lot of ingredients and several steps involved, but the results are worth it. We have made this several times and really love it. The meat needs to be sliced very thin; if you have a meat slicer or electric carving knife that will do the job!



1 4-lb sirloin tip round

salt and pepper to taste

1-1/2 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried thyme

3 tbsp olive oil

6 cloves garlic

2 large red bell peppers, cored and sliced into 1-inch strips

2 large green bell peppers, cored and cut into 1-inch strips

2 medium yellow onions, sliced

2 cups low sodium beef stock

1-1/2 cup low sodium chicken stock

1/2 cup dry white wine

2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

salt and pepper to taste

4-6 individual Italian poor boy rolls, sliced length wise but not cut all the way through



Season the meat with salt, pepper, oregano and thyme. Place on a rack in a roasting pan in a preheated 375 degree oven for about 2 hours, or until the meat is 130 degrees in the center. Remove and allow to cool. Deglaze the roasting pan with a little water and pour the juices in a 6-qt pot.



Slice the cooled meat very thinly across the grain and set aside. Heat a large nonstick frying pan and add the oil, garlic, red and green peppers and onions. Saute for 5 minutes and add to the pot. You might have to do this in batches.



Place the sliced meat and any meat juices that may have accumulated during cooling into the pot with the sauteed vegetables. Add the beef stock, chicken stock, wine and parsley, and season with salt and pepper. Cover tightly and simmer gently for 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring the pot a couple of times while cooking.



Turn off the heat and allow the pot to rest 15 minutes, covered. Dip each roll in the broth until it is saturated and heavy. Fill the roll with plenty of simmered beef and vegetables. For optional heat, add a spoonful of the Giardiniera mix shown below, which can be purchased prepared in the Italian section of many grocery stores, or you can do it yourself ahead of time! Serve with a salad and cold beer!



Giardiniera



Giardiniera is commonly made with sliced serrano peppers, bell peppers, olives, celery, pimentos, carrots, and cauliflower, and sometimes crushed red pepper flakes, all marinated in olive oil and vinegar.

Shrimp Piquant and Perfect Steamed Rice

A number of years ago I used to watch Justin Wilson's Louisiana cooking shows almost as fervently as I did Jeff Smith's The Frugal Gourmet on PBS-owned WTTW in Chicago on Saturdays. I have used many of Justin's recipes over the years, but this shrimp recipe was a keeper and is quick to cook, with some prep time!

You will need to start with a basic roux; 1/4 cup of peanut oil and about 1/4 c of flour. Some people use clarified unsalted butter in place of the oil, or a combination of oil and butter. Heat the oil and add the flour a little at a time, stirring until it is smooth. If you want a thicker roux add more flour. Continue to cook and stir until the roux is a dark brown and add the following, vegetables first:

1 c onions, chopped
1 c green pepper, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 small can tomato sauce
1/2 c water (**if you have the shrimp shells you can boil them and drain this water into the preparation in place of plain water for even more flavor**)
1/2 c white wine
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp bitters
dash salt and black pepper (you can use cayenne for more heat)
1 tsp hot sauce
2-3 lbs of shelled, deveined shrimp
Sliced green onion for garnish

Saute the vegetables in the roux until the onions are clear, stirring regularly. Add the liquids, season and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and add the shrimp. Cook until the shrimp are pink and remove from the heat, covered. Serve this immediately over steamed rice (see below) with your favorite glass of white wine for an awesome feast for the taste buds!

Perfect Steamed Rice

No need to buy a rice cooker! This is a fool proof method and does not make a gooey mess!

3/4 cup long-grain white rice
1/1/4 cup water

If you need more you can double these portions. What you are looking for is to cover the rice in about an inch or water, or one finger digit. Put the dry rice in strainer and rinse until the water runs clear underneath. Drain well and put in a heavy lidded pot with the measured water. Bring to a boil. Continue boiling until most of the surface liquid has evaporated, about 15 minutes. The rice should have small indentations, like craters. At this point turn the heat down as low as you can and cover with the lid another 15 minutes. No need to "fluff" it. Just turn off the heat and let set about 5 minutes before serving.

Navy Educator Recruiting Week

I was fortunate to be part of a group educators this past week invited by the US Navy to tour their San Diego base and facilities to learn about the Navy's message and deliver it to our students as a post-high school option. I have learned so much that I was not aware of as I visited Special Warfare units (SEALS-SWCC), saw aircraft repair capabilities, training facilities, housing, and toured a sub and missile destroyer.

Along the way I gained a new found appreciation for our men and women in uniform. The level of training and commitment to continuous educations, the steps they take to keep us safe, and their pure dedication to their country, the flag and the uniform make me proud to be an American and I rest easy at night knowing that out there these young people are fighting to keep us safe.

The message that I am bringing back is that the Navy is a wonderful place for the right young man or woman, and could be a highly rewarding career. I am also bringing back the message that finishing high school is reinforced now by all the armed services. You just can't drop out now, get a GED and go into the service. You'll have to take 15 credits at a junior college before you are accepted if you choose that route, so you may as well get your diploma.

Apart from that, so many opportunities in computer technology, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, aviation, construction, medical and so many other fields, including music! And of course for the mentally tough there are the SEALS and SWCC teams, those small unit anti-terrorist and special warfare groups that get so much attention in the media and film.

I am thankful for this paid-for week, and I will do my part to spread the word to my students.

Drunken Rib-Eye Steak

Since I am on the subject of beef recipes done in the manner of the Frugal Gourmet; i.e., prepared with care and using ordinary ingredients, here is a favorite of mine that is easy to prepare using a good bourbon (come on, I know you have that laying around somewhere!). The steaks will need to marinade at least 4 hours, but will cook quickly.

2-4 rib-eye steaks
2/3 cup bourbon whiskey
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup brown sugar
3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
3 tbsp soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp Liquid Smoke
1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Place steaks in a large resealable plastic bag and pour the marinade over. Push out excess air and seal. Let set in refrigerate a minimum of 4 hours. 8 would be better and overnight best. Discard the marinade and place steaks on a prepared medium high outdoor grill. Grill each side 2-3 minutes for medium, making a quarter turn about half way for great grill marks. Turn once and repeat procedure. Remove and let rest 5 minutes. Serve with baked beans and grilled corn for a genuine Western meal.

Pot Roast And Dill Pickles

This is a recipe I learned years ago from Jeff Smith's The Frugal Gourmet television show of public station WTTW-11 in Chicago. At first glance, thinking about the concept of round roast and pickles you might say "what?". But it works, it really does!

Back in those days when Linda and I were first married we were always looking for ways to stretch our grocery dollars (that hasn't changed!). Jeff Smith's television series in the early 1980's was necessarily not about cooking cheap. It was more about being economical with your food products, use what you had in the house and take care with what you prepare.

Bottom round is an inexpensive cut of beef. Meaning it's lean and not well-marbled. It can be tough and fibrous if not cooked properly. So we began using this recipe to prepare it, learned from Chef Smith:

3 lbs bottom or top round roast
2 tbsp peanut oil
1 large yellow onion. chopped
1 cup chopped mushrooms
salt and black pepper
1 bay leaf
1/4 c low sodium beef stock
3 dill pickles, chopped
1 c sour cream
parsley sprigs

Season the roast with salt and pepper to taste. pour oil in hot pan, swirl to coat and brown the roast. Place the roast in a covered casserole and add all of the remaining ingredients except the sour cream. Cover and simmer for 2 hours, or until the meat is tender. Add the sour cream and simmer for 30 minutes more. Remove meat from pan and let rest for 5 minutes. Slice and and serve with the rich sauce on top. Garnish with the parsley.

Thoughts After a Dental Visit

http://abkldesigns.com

I marvel at priorities of young people. When I was a teenager I wanted to save my money from the odd jobs I worked to buy a car. That I never made that goal didn’t bother me too much because I suppose I was not as materialistic as most guys my age. By the time I could get a car my priorities had changed.

My parents were self-employed musicians and as such, we had no medical insurance. Frankly we could not afford doctors and dentists. The one medical emergency I had as a child was appendicitis, which sent me to the public hospital in Chicago, then called Cook County Hospital. By the time I was admitted (I was 9 years old) I was near delirious with fever and pain. The memories of that day I still recall as some sort of phantasmagorical nightmare. But I survived.

By the time I reached high school my teeth had fallen victim to lack of proper care more than anything else. I was in pain throughout high school from persistent toothaches, impactions, broken teeth, and gum disease. So having a car and nice clothes and all the other things kids in my generation prized was really secondary to getting my mouth fixed. The problem persisted all the way through undergraduate school.

That my first job out of college wasn’t music teaching turned out to be a Godsend. When I couldn’t land a gig (heavy competition in the Chicago area) I took a job at Illinois Bell Telephone as a long distance operator. I had benefits from the first day, so you know exactly where I went – I found a dentist. I lost some teeth, had many more filled, or root canals and had bridgework and crowns done – the harvest of 21 years of neglect.

That work has held up all these years. I bring it up because on my trip to my new dentist yesterday (my initial visit to a new doctor – I changed from my old dentist because his new hygienist rubs me the wrong way) took one look at my mouth and said “You have had some work done, haven’t you?” But aside from that observation everything else was good.

So back to young folks’ priorities; obviously things have changed drastically from the time I was a teenager-young adult, but only in the type of things kids want. There are so many things now that can hold the attention of young people. In addition to the ubiquitous car and clothes, there are video game systems, cell phones, computers, social networks. So much! Kids get jobs and the money goes towards all of these activities. It’s a whole new world!

On The Field Sports Demonstrations

Last night young phenom Bryce Harper, the Washington National's number one draft pick from 2010 and projected to hit the big leagues next year caused a bit of a stir in the sports world. He hit a homerun in a minor league game, stared at the ball as it made it's way into the stands, and then loped lazily around the bases. Apparently the pitcher who had just given it up the shot took a little umbrage at this "showing up", as baseball players call it, and yelled something to Harper as he rounded third base. Harper responded by blowing him a kiss - all caught of course on video and soon after went viral.

Well so what? Reggie Jackson routinely stood at homeplate and admired his homers; so did Barry Bonds. In today's game, Dwight Howard of the Phillies and Prince Fielder of the Brewers have their own routines after they think they have slugged one. And there are other demonstrations in baseball too, just like there are in all the other major sports. Check out the bearded one's act - Brian Wilson of the San Francisco Giants - after he has recorded a save.

Why is obvious. The videos are all over the planet in minutes and talking heads on TV and radio endlessly analyze them and talk about them for an entire sports news cycle. It's just part of modern sports and the dance it does with media, which now includes blogs such as this, Twitter and Facebook.

In baseball I really don't get too bent out of shape by these histrionics. First of all, it's just a game and baseball in particular has a way of policing itself. Batters who show up pitchers might find a ball in their ribs the next time they face them. or maybe in their ear. Not too smart for Mr. Harper; he still has to see that team 9 more times this year. He'd better be prepared to get plunked.

Why don't pitchers throw at guys like Howard or Fielder? Well there is a self-policing factor there too; those guys are dangerous hitters who can wreck a game with one swing of the bat. You don't want to give them any more motivation then they already have.

As for Bryce Harper, well the jury is still out on him. Hall of Fame third baseman Mike Schmidt. one of the most feared hitters of his time, said it best this morning when asked; Harper better plan on hitting a lot more homers in his career if he doesn't want to see reprisals for his homerun act.

June 6, 1944 And What It Means To Me

On a cool, dreary morning, June 6, 1944, the Allied armies, 180,000 strong, began landings in France on the Normandy coast. The men were wet, sea sick, cold and scared but all wanted to end the reign of evil fostered upon Europe by Hitler's Germany and come home to their loved ones. More than 7,000 would not this day and many times that would die in the next 11 months, but the die was cast and Nazi Germany would not survive.

But on this day there was hell to pay on earth. The Germans had spent 4 years building Festung Europa; concrete works, gun emplacements, beach obstacles, flooded landing areas and mines all along the coast of France. The German commander, Feld Marschall Erwin Rommel, had pledged to meet the Allied attack at the beach and drive it into the sea before it could gain a toe hold.

The fighting was fierce all along the Allied front but was especially terrible in the American sector at Omaha beach, assigned to the US veteran 1st and green 29th Divisions. Because of high bluffs overlooking the beach, the Germans were able to pre-sight the entire beachfront in that sector with interlocking fire and support from their feared 88's. Indeed the first waves of soldiers on this beach were almost all killed or wounded within minutes, including the famed Bedford Boys, a large contingent of men in the 1st Division from Bedford, Virginia.

Yet our indomitable American Spirit could not be suppressed even under these ghastly and tragic circumstances. Somehow, these men gathered up the steel to climb out of the sea, now red with American blood, blow holes in the blocked causeways along the beach, and pierce the Nazi defenses in a morning. By the afternoon of the 6th, 70,000 men were on the beachhead and the flood of Allied strength, led by the Americans, could not be contained.

To be sure there were weeks of bloody, brutal fighting in Normandy yet to unfold, with horrendous losses on both sides. The British were bled nearly white around the key coastal town of Caen, and the US Army was not ready for the intricate defenses the Germans had prepared of the Normandy hedgerows in their sector, known as bocage. But we endured, and so began the beginning of the end for Nazi Germany.

My personal experience World War II is very limited. I am a baby-boomer, born in the mid-50's in the midst of the Cold War. My father served in the army but because of poor eyesight, was not drafted until 1945. He and the rest of the draftees were discharged in 1946.

One of his brothers however, served in the 101st Airborne Division, which was part of the D-Day assault. It jumped into Normandy at mid-night of the 6th behind Omaha beach; it's job was to create roadblocks for German reinforcements rushing to the front. Uncle John survived the battle but was a changed and disturbed man when he returned home, haunted for the rest of his life by images and memories he carried to his grave, untold. Today we would call it Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. Back then it was unacknowledged and untreated.

So what does all this mean to me? I am a student of history. I have made a special personal effort to study and to understand the degree of devotion and sacrifice servicemen and women have made to our country. I appreciate that I enjoy civil liberties the world has never seen before, ensured by the blood and toil of all who came before me. I am proud and humble to be an American at the same time.

But we are not perfect. Our government, acting in what it believes are our best interests, has not always done the right thing. And we pay for those mistakes every day in blood, treasure and world standing. Yet, America, despite all of our deep-seated racial and equality issues, our flawed politics and our short-sightedness is still great. To all of our haters, what would the world have been like without us? Who would have stood effectively up against those who sought to dominate and enslave the world? And who continues to serve as a check against those who would choose to do great harm and injustice to their neighbors? Look in the mirror. It's us.

"Mutha" BBQ Sauce

This sauce requires a lot of ingredients and can be served chunky style or you can puree it and make it smooth should you desire, but it just might be the only BBQ sauce that you will use this summer! It will make about six or seven cups. It is rich! You can reduce or eliminate the oil if you are looking to reduce your fat intake (I usually cut the oil back to a tablespoon).

1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup minced onion
1/2 cup minced green pepper
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
pinch kosher salt
2 tbsp minced garlic
1 can (28 oz.) tomato sauce
2 cups ketchup
1 cup water
3/4 cup worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup cayenne pepper or Tabasco sauce
1/4 cup spicy brown mustard
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1 tbsp Liquid Smoke

In a large saucepan, pour in the oil. Set over medium high heat. Toss in the onions, green peppers and jalapeno and give them a stir. Season with a pinch of salt and cook until soft, but do not burn. Add the garlic and cook one minute.

Add the rest of the ingredients EXCEPT the Liquid Smoke. Bring to a boil, then lower heat so the sauce simmers. Simmer for 10 minutes. Swirl in the Liquid Smoke and let the sauce cool. It will be chunky at this point. If you desire a smooth sauce, run the sauce in batches through a blender. Pour into glass Mason jars or other glass container and cover tightly. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use. Makes 6-7 cups of excellent sauce. It also makes great gifts and will keep for weeks!

Round Steak Recipe

Round steak is an inexpensive (read lean) cut of beef that is not well-marbled, which means that it can be tough if under cooked. I have used a slow cooker to prepare this cut before but I have never really been much satisfied with those results. I found this recipe at one of my favorite sites, www.allrecipes.com. You can find so much help in the kitchen there. I have done this one before and it is great and easy to prepare too. Here is the recipe as it appears on the site.

Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 1 Hour 15 Minutes

Ready In: 1 Hour 25 Minutes

Servings: 6

Beef eye of round steaks are simmered in a red wine sauce until tender enough to cut with a fork. This is said to be one of former President Ford's favorite recipes.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 large onions, sliced
12 (4 ounce) beef eye of round
steaks
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/4 cup all-purpose flour for
coating
1 cup beef consomme
1 cup Burgundy wine
1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions; cook and stir until lightly browned and tender, about 5 minutes. Remove the onions from the skillet using a slotted spoon and set aside in a bowl. Season the steaks with thyme and seasoned salt, then dust them lightly with flour. Fry the steaks in the skillet over medium-high heat until browned on each side, about 5 minutes per side.

2. Pour the red wine and beef consomme in with the beef. Return the cooked onions to the pan. Cook over medium-high heat until the aroma of wine dissipates, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour. Serve steaks with the sauce and a garnish of fresh parsley.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2011 Allrecipes.com

My Musical Inspirations

I've talked about my inspirations as a young boy to become a music teacher. That all sprang from being raised in a musical family and being exposed to a good high school band director who pointed me in the right direction with his droll personality.

Obviously my mother was the primary influence. I will write at length about this great lady who sacrificed so much for her family at another time; suffice it to say that her self-taught musicianship - still the most amazing that I have ever experienced to date - was a prime influence. She knew thousands of songs and could play anything on piano after hearing it but once, including the correct chords. That she was self-taught and used the "wrong" fingering made no difference. She had astounding "chops."

So how was it that I ended up playing trombone? My mom played piano and my dad was a bass player (he was one of the first to use an electric bass in the Chicago area). Actually I started out in the grade school band on the cornet, under Isaac McKay. I played cornet/trumpet all through elementary school and junior high.

When I reached high school I was converted to baritone horn by Mr. Novalich because that was what his band needed. I thought it was a cool horn, the parts were great and I really digged the tone. So I didn't object.

Then, along came Maynard Ferguson. In the mid-70's he was a real presence among high school brass players; we all were buying his LP's and listening to his albums. I'd heard MacArthur Park in the 1960's and knew that its release was unusual as a 15 minute song sung on the radio by Richard Harris.



The song was like a lightning rod experience; the arrangement was fresh to me, Maynard's soaring trumpet was awe-inspiring and then the trombone solo, I learned later by Randy Purcell, cemented for me that I should be playing trombone. But there were other influences as well as I think back and I should mention them; Earth, Wind and Fire, Tower of Power, Bill Chase, and Woody Herman and his Young Thundering Herd.

I petitioned Mr. Novalich to let me switch to trombone. He would not give in - completely. He let me play it in jazz band, but I continued to play baritone for the duration of my high school career in his concert band. I went to all-city as a baritone player, but I knew that was not destined to be my musical future.

By college I had switched full time to trombone and studied under Mark McDunn at DePaul University. Jim Pankow of the band Chicago had also studied with him, as well as the great jazz trumpeter Orbert Davis. And then there was me; I'm sure I was a lesser talent in comparison to those musicians, but I held my own!

Reflecting back now, I consider those high school years halcyon days, in which the sounds were fresh, the experiences new and the emotions live and real. Try as I could it was very hard to recapture the newness of it all later. College was hard work, high school was fun. But I can remember quite clearly the influences that shaped my future. For that I am grateful!