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Ideas, insights and inspiration for busy people on the go Friday, March 11, 2005 |
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Editor’s Scribbles
With the weather this hot and humid, I’m running out of things to eat. For starters, I’m not that crazy about food. I mean, I’m not someone who would travel to the ends of the earth in search of good food. I know many people who would. But not me. What, an Asian who isn’t food-crazy?!! I can hear some of you thinking out loud LOL.
Don’t get me wrong. I love good food, I’m just not prepared to chase it down. I find restaurant food much too high-sodium and high-everything-else-that-shouldn’t-be-there. So I’d rather cook up a storm in my own kitchen where I can control what goes into my food. Occasionally I’m even persuaded to sell my homebakes.
Well, I’ve spent most of this week looking to TV cooking shows for inspiration. Got a few ideas in mind now. But if all else fails, I’ll just fall back on the versatile ol’ roast chicken.
Everybody loves a great roast. I don’t know of anyone who doesn’t. In fact, I sometimes roast drumsticks for my adult students to take home after our English classes. It’s a nice way to wrap up a weekend class. Some of my students would gobble it all down before they even reach home. Amazing LOL!
Is all this talk making you hungry? Make your own mouth-watering feast of roast chicken this weekend. Good luck and have fun. Ciao for now.
Kit Editor/Publisher Website: http://MinuteChaser.Go-GetGlobal.com Email: chaser@go-getglobal.com
Modern Living 6 Ways to Beat Procrastination at Work
by Peter Murphy The assignment that your boss gave you several days ago still isn't done. The assignment is a report that your boss needs to take to an important meeting, and you may get a big promotion if the meeting goes OK. You've had plenty of time to get it done, but still just don't do it even though your future career could be in jeopardy. What's wrong with you? You are one of the millions who procrastinate. You feel inadequate, guilty, depressed and have low self-esteem. Procrastination means avoiding doing tasks, which need to be done - sometimes doing them at the last minute or sometimes never doing them at all. The reasons for procrastinating are as numerous as the excuses one can make for not completing tasks. A few of these reasons are listed below: 1. If you are a poor manager of your time and have trouble identifying your objectives, you most likely are overwhelmed by your tasks. You try in vain to prioritize them, and failing at that you've even been known to secretly throw a few written requests into the trash, and later claiming you never got them. You are a procrastinator. 2. You find it hard to concentrate. You may think about what you're going to cook for dinner or you daydream about your next golf game. So you put off getting the job done; you sit and think about it but take no action. 3. You may be easily distracted by outside influences such as ringing telephones, other folk's conversations, and may even spend time performing "no-brainer" tasks such as sharpening pencils, shuffling papers, or make endless trips to the restroom or coffee bar. 4. Your self-esteem is very low. You have a negative image of yourself and believe that you're an underachiever who can't succeed at much of anything. You also may be bored with the task at hand and lack enthusiasm. But listen up - you CAN break the procrastination habit at work as well as in every other area of your life. Here are a few suggestions: 1. Go on; admit that you have some fears and anxieties about your ability to get the job done! It's a perfectly normal feeling, and once you face your problems with concentration, time management, and the inability to make a decision, you can take steps to change them. 2. Instead of brooding about your problem areas, identify your strong points, set your goals and priorities and develop a "can do" attitude. 3. Use time wisely. The value you place on yourself and your work has a direct bearing on your ability to do your work in a timely, consistent manner. 4. Set priorities and perform each job accordingly. Tackle the jobs you dislike aggressively; it's best to get them done and out of the way. Consider breaking large assignments into smaller segments (if time allows). 5. Take a couple of minutes frequently to stand, stretch or move about to energize both your body and your brain. If possible, get some fresh air during breaks and your lunch hour. 6. Take the initiative to change your work environment if it causes distractions. Placing a barrier such as a tall plant in front of your desk will block the view of co-workers passing by. Make sure you have the information and supplies at hand to avoid the temptation to wander away from your work area. A few changes in your attitude and work habits will make a dramatic difference in the way you perform your work. ----- About the author: Peter Murphy is a peak performance expert. He recently produced a very popular free report that reveals how to crush procrastination and sustain lasting motivation. Apply now because it is available for a limited time only at: http://www.getmotivatedstaymotivated.com/special.htm
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Offpeak Hours Food Story: Roast Chicken
By Charlie Burke It's frequently said that the test of a good cook - or restaurant- is the ability to cook really good roast chicken. I've always found this somewhat amusing, because the process is really not that difficult, and, once mastered, produces reliably good results. I suppose the converse is true: if unable to produce a crisp juicy roast chicken, then one cannot be considered an accomplished cook. Properly done, roast chicken is as appropriate for entertaining as it is for an informal family meal, and many fine restaurants are unable to remove it from their menus because of its popularity. As in all cooking, attention to a few important details makes all the difference. First, the size and quality of the chicken is basic. Choose fresh locally raised (preferably free range) chicken as a first choice; kosher or naturally raised commercial chickens are the next best option. Many "roasters" sold now are 5 -6 pounds, which are somewhat large for high heat roasting. I prefer 2 ½ - 3 pound chickens, cooking two if we're feeding guests. If not using kosher chickens, consider salting or brining before cooking. Salting the chicken skin and cavity with 1 teaspoon of salt per pound for 24 - 48 hours results in tender, moist meat, as does brining for 12 - 24 hours (add 1 cup kosher salt/ gallon of water, submerge chicken and keep in refrigerator). Bring the chicken to room temperature, rinse and pat dry before cooking. If you do not have time for salting or brining, simply salt and pepper the dried chicken before cooking. Adding fat or oil to the skin is unnecessary, but wiping the skin with lemon juice promotes browning and crisping of the skin. We usually add a lemon sliced in half and several garlic cloves or shallots to the cavity, along with herbs such as sage, rosemary or tarragon. The basic recipe stays the same and permits many variations limited only by your imagination. I remember cooking a recipe of Jasper Whites' which called for coating the chicken with Chinese 5 spice powder and enjoying a unique and delicious meal. You also have the option of placing potatoes, carrots or your favorite vegetables in the pan with the chicken which, served with a mixed salad, makes a complete meal. This is high heat cooking and the temperature rises very quickly at the end of cooking, so close attention is required then. Since cooking continues after the pan is removed from the oven, try to remove it 5 degrees or so below optimal temperature (180 degrees in thick portion of the thigh). If you do not have a thermometer, the juices at the thigh joint should be barely pink when the skin is slit; with sitting for 10 to 15 minutes they should become clear. For 2 -3 servings: 1 2 ½ - 3 pound chicken 4-5 garlic cloves or shallots, unpeeled 1 lemon cut in half Freshly ground black pepper Fresh herbs, such as rosemary, sage or tarragon (optional) Chicken stock, water or wine (approximately one cup) for deglazing pan Preheat oven to 475 - 500 degrees (use the lower temperature if your oven is likely to smoke; ovens vary so ideally the temperature should be checked with an oven thermometer). Rinse chicken and pat dry. Salt and pepper skin (omit salt in brined or salted chicken). Place lemon, garlic or shallots and herbs inside cavity; do not truss chicken. Preheat an oven proof roasting pan over stove top (use the Check at 20 minutes; skin should be browning and blistering Cooking time should be 45 - 50 minutes (temperature over 175 degrees in thick thigh meat or juices nearly clear). Remove from oven and place chicken onto a platter to rest for 10 - 15 minutes (lift from pan by placing wooden spoons into each cavity; try to tilt large cavity toward roasting pan to drain juices into pan). Spoon or drain fat from roasting pan, place pan over medium heat and add 1 cup of deglazing liquid, scraping up the browned bits and boiling until slightly thickened. Carve chicken* and serve with pan juices. The meat should be juicy and the skin well crisped. After doing this a couple times you will hardly need a recipe and will be able to serve it confidently to family and guests. A medium red wine or even good Beaujolais would go well with this chicken, as would a full bodied chardonnay. *Chop up the carcass, cover with water and simmer for a couple hours with a carrot, celery stalk, onion, pepper corns and bay leaf for a great stock to use for soup or sauces. ----- About the author: An organic farmer and avid cook, writer Charlie Burke is the vice president of the New Hampshire Farmer's Market Association (www.nhfma.org). His column & recipes appear weekly in The Heart of New England's newsletter... get a free subscription by sending a blank email to: heartofnewengland-subscribe@yahoogroups.com or visit www.TheHeartofNewEngland.com
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