Dinner: 15/11/2007

Since it is difficult to find rabbit meat without guidance, I made a chicken version of the recipe to cater to my French country cooking craving. The subtle taste of the chicken is well complimented by the mixed herbs, the white wine and the chicken stock. The shallots add sweetness and texture to the sauce. It is very nice and easy to cook. Just take a bit of time though

Poulet aux herbes de Provence

Ingredients:
1 4lb chicken cut into 8 pieces
2 shallots
4 cloves garlic
250ml dry white wine
4 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp herbs de Provence or Mediterranean herbs
1 tbsp flour
250ml chicken stock
sprigs of thyme

Instruction:
(Marinade)
1. Finely chop garlic cloves and shallots. Combine white wine, 2tbsp oil, shallots, half the garlic and herbes de Provence in the shallow non-metallic dish.

2. Add the chicken in the marinade, cover and marinate in the refridgerator for 2-3 hours. Meanwhile, prepare the potatoes…

(Cook the chicken)
3. Transfer chicken from the marinade to a large plate, reserve marinade. Season chicken with salt and pepper.

4. Heat half the olive oil in the casserole. Add the chicken and cook over medium heat until browned. Sprinkle them with flour . Turn the chicken and cook until the flour is absorbed (2-3mins)

5. Pour in reserved marinade and stock, stir to mix with the chicken. Cover and cook until sauce thickens.

6. Transfer chicken with the sauce into a shallow baking dish (pyrex?), cover and bake, stirring occassionally until the chicken become golden (20 mins each side)

Serve hot with baked sliced Potatoes and garnish with fresh thyme leaves.
Makes 4 servings.

Dinner: 14/11/2007

I originally planned for Ceasar’s salad with home made sauce. However, the activities of the day made me so tired I cancelled it and just mixed things up. Here are rolled slices of ham and eggs on fresh salad. I made French Vinaigrette by mixing olive oil, cider vinegar, bit of mustard, honey and garlic. Even if it looks odd, dinner still taste good

relatively fixed…

The little girl and myself had cold and fever since the start of this week (Monday) with temperatures reaching 39 to 40 degrees. I think it was due to fatigue but then, I always get this sick EVERY winter. It is the only thing I complain about here in Europe. Anyway, we are almost fixed with the cold left and just a bit of temperature from time to time.

Hopefully next week, we will be better if not then we should get our bloodtests done

Under the weather

Oh dear, moaning me again… no not really.

my sore throat that took away my voice have a blasted timing – it got worse last night and today as well as tomorrow, I have job interviews. This is annoying, hubby thinks it is OK to whisper to my interviewers. That should make  a funny sight.

I have medicines for it but you can’t really expect them to work overnight, that would be a miracle.

Coca Cola Addiction

I know it seems unreal to blame our dear and favourite softdrink. But I have finally realised after the second experience of feverish withdrawal that indeed I am addicted to coca-cola.

How did this come about? I can’t really remember what happenned to the first withdrawal attack but this one is still fresh in memory. The last time I drank my can of Coke was on April 24th, after this I was drinking water and fruit juice to show an example to my son. I felt fine at first until last April 29 when I suddenly felt really cold, shivering, all my muscles ache and tense. At this time I already have a cold and sore throat like my husband. This usually end with me having a horrible sore throat and a runny nose. But my temperature-less shivering continued and I at the time I just thought it a fever. So I took in paracetamol and pain reliever every 4 hours so I can function properly. And to a usually healthy me – I am astonished that the “fever” did not go away. I cannot even forgive myself for “almost” forgetting to pick my son up from school. The teacher has to call me – I was in bed shivering! I am glad the medicines started working when I finally met the teacher and apologised. Every night from the 30th of April I would wear my thickest ski-coat to bed and cover myself with blanket to sleep much to my husbands annoyance until the medicines take effect. I continued to take medicine and feel horrible until last night when I saw my last can of Coke and drank it at dinner. I was then ready to take my medicine (the 4hours should have expired already) when I noticed that I stopped feeling cold and the unusual muscle tensions and aches have gone. After the horrible week – I was able to sleep soundly at last! Thanks to my last can of Coca Cola.

I am planning to visit my doctor today to discuss this and so he can give me proper medication to my sore throat. After which I am planning to do this experiment again. By drinking a couple of cokes and leaving one. To see how long it will make me feel good before the shivering and painful feelings come back in force. I intend to record this and also I am planning to request a complete blood and sugar tests so I know where I stand medical wise.

I hate feeling dependent to a product or a substance. I am proud to admit I never tried drugs and any substance in my life. I do not even smoke. It must be why I am so confused to think the signs of withdrawal as simple fever.

The reason why I like drinking Coke and not rival Pepsi is because of past experience where inside the Pepsi bottle there was cockroach egg and one Pepsi can tasted like slimy spit. That was a long time ago and I am hopeful they improved their facilities.

Lets see what happens next….