Deep-fried goodness

"They are my favorite food in the whole wide world... I could live on french fries."

Michelle Obama, speaking of food indulgences in The New York Times.

I have got to love this woman. She chooses to eat well and exercises regularly, yet can not resist an occasional side order of goodness. Her French fries are my lemon doughnuts.

The White House gardens

Marian Burros describes the vegetable garden about to take shape on the South Lawn, a stone's throw from the new children's swing set:

"The Obamas will feed their love of Mexican food with cilantro, tomatilloes and hot peppers. Lettuces will include red romaine, green oak leaf, butterhead, red leaf and galactic. There will be spinach, chard, collards and black kale. For desserts, there will be a patch of berries. And herbs will include some more unusual varieties, like anise hyssop and Thai basil. A White House carpenter who is a beekeeper will tend two hives for honey.

"Total cost for the seeds, mulch, etc., is $200."

The White House has this shot:




Though vegetable gardening is not something I aspire to do, it is something I can admire. More so given the national profile here. Imagine the possibilities on this patch of public land.

Irish eats

I must have a bit of Irish (ingenuity) in me after all.

Bored with the usual corned beef and cabbage, I decide to try a sort of stew. I use lamb, which I love but do not cook often enough. I use broth for further flavor. And I use parsley for that requisite splash of green.

For dessert, of course, there is Baileys Irish Cream on (or in) anything.

Irish Lamb Stew

2 lbs. boneless lamb, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp. olive oil
3 medium yellow onions, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
3 to 4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
3 to 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 bay leaf
3 to 4 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1/4 cup packed fresh parsley leaves, chopped

Salt and pepper the boneless lamb. In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil until just smoking. Brown the meat. Remove pieces to a plate lined with paper towels to soak up the fat. Set aside. Pour out most of the fat from the pot.

Saute the onions and carrots in the Dutch oven for 3 to 5 minutes over medium-high heat, scraping up any browned bits, until the onions are translucent. Return the boneless lamb to the pot.

Add enough broth to cover the vegetables and meat, about 3 cups. Add the thyme and bay leaf. Put the lid on. Bring to a boil then simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Add the potatoes and cook another 20 to 30 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and stir in the parsley. Makes 8 servings.