Good Morning.
As previously mentioned, my seventeen-year-old vacuum cleaner died a couple of weeks ago and my son and his wife gave me an early birthday present of a new one. I'm not fond of vacuuming, but this new cleaner makes the chore quite tolerable.
I've owned every kind of vacuum in America. I grew up with one that was shaped like a baked potato and rolled around on little wheels, but it was cumbersome and had to be lugged up and down the stairs. I once purchased an obscenely expensive machine that was supposed to extract anything from any surface, but it was meant for people with a genius IQ and was heavy enough to cause physical injury. For those of you unfamiliar with costochondritis, it's a painful inflammation of the cartilage surrounding the ribs, and I know that my first episode with it that sent me to the ER thinking I was having a heart attack was the result of hauling that silly vacuum around the house.
After that cleaner I bought lighter machines, but they were also awkward and frustrating. And then there's the matter of the bags that resist being installed with a reassuring click. My machine that recently expired used a bag that could be purchased only at a store that specialized in vacuum cleaners, and this was not convenient for a person who hates to shop for anything except garlic and olive oil.
So now comes this new cleaner that weighs only ten pounds. It had directions I could actually follow and all I had to do was
attach the handle that I did with a dinner knife because I couldn't find my flat head screw driver. It has a plastic canister instead of a bag so I can see when it's getting full. I push a button and hold the thing over the garbage can to release the dust and debris, snap it back in place, and move onto another room. It's quieter than my previous machines although the dog isn't
impressed.
And now three recipes that use garlic and olive oil.
Penne with Shrimp, Spinach, and Tomatoes
12 oz. penne pasta
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 pound raw medium shrimp, peeled, and deveined
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
3 garlic cloves, minced
5 Roma tomatoes, cut into wedges
6 tbsp. fresh basil, chopped
2 tbsp. lemon juice
6 oz. fresh baby spinach. stems removed
Cook the penne in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Spoon 1 cup of the liquid into a bowl and set aside. Drain the pasta in a colander, return to pot, and cover to keep warm. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle peeled, deveined shrimp with salt and pepper and place in the skillet with the minced garlic. Saute for about 2 minutes. Add the tomato wedges, 4 tablespoons of basil, and lemon juice, and saute until shrimp are cooked, another 3 minutes but no more. Add the spinach to the pasta you kept warm and toss until the spinach wilts. Add the shrimp and tomato mixture to the pasta and toss until well combined. Add enough of the pasta liquid you saved to just moisten. Taste and add more salt and pepper if desired. Place your masterpiece in a large bowl and garnish with the remaining 2 tablespoons of chopped basil.
Should take care of 6 people.
Chicken with Broccoli and Garlic
2 tsp. olive oil
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, uncooked and cut into one-inch pieces
1 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
3 or 4 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups fresh broccoli florets - get rid of the clunky stalks or use them elsewhere
1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 tbsp. cornstarch
2 cups white or brown rice, cooked according to package directions
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Place chicken pieces on a plate and sprinkle with thyme, salt, and pepper. Place minced garlic in the skillet and saute for about a minute. Now add the chicken and cook until golden brown, stirring
frequently for about three minutes. Add the broccoli florets, cover the skillet, and cook for about two minutes. Add 1 cup of the chicken broth, cover, and simmer for about five minutes. In a small bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in the rest of the chicken broth, stir well, and add to the skillet. Simmer until thickened, stirring constantly for about a minute. Serve over rice
to 4 people. Fresh asparagus, cut into inch-long pieces, is an excellent substitute for the broccoli.
Garlic Lamb Chops
6 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup olive oil
The juice of half a lemon
2 tbsp. fresh rosemary, pulled off the stem and crushed
Dash of kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
8 center-cut lamb chops
Pre-heat your broiler. In a shallow bowl, combine the garlic, rosemary, salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Mix well. Put the olive oil in a shallow bowl or on a plate and coat the lamb chops in it, then carefully shake off the excess. Now coat them in the garlic mixture. Place the chops on a broiler pan and broil 3 inches from the heat for 12 to 15 minutes, turning once. Remove and let rest for a few minutes. Serves 4 people 2 chops each.
I once knew someone who refused to eat lamb because he spent a summer during high school shearing sheep. This makes no sense. You don't eat wool, for heaven's sake. The sensible thing is to wear a sweater and have the chops or at least decline to eat them because you're a vegetarian.
Best regards,
Elisabeth
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