Mugwump's Fish World

Other topics and Interests => THE LOUNGE => Topic started by: wsantia1 on December 29, 2020, 11:32:41 AM

Title: Cold and Breezy Tuesday
Post by: wsantia1 on December 29, 2020, 11:32:41 AM
Good morning everyone. I woke up to a cold 24 degrees here but now that the sun is out we are up to a breezy 39 degrees which is just short of our projected high of 40F.

I jumped on my water changes today. I felt guilty about not doing them yesterday but now that they are done I feel good that the fish are in good shape until the new year.

I need to go out and get some food in this house. The ham Liz mentioned the other day sounds good for the New Year.

I have some frozen mac & cheese left over from Thanksgiving and I can make some blackeyed peas and rice to go along with everything.

Have a great day everybody.
Title: Re: Cold and Breezy Tuesday
Post by: LizStreithorst on December 29, 2020, 12:45:17 PM
Poor you, Willie.  It's 70 and sunny here.  Granted, this is unusual weather for the coming new year,  I went hunting for MTS early this morning.  I can't believe how many big fat SOB's I found in the gravel, and that with at least 3 Assassin Snails in the 100 gallon tank.  Anyone have any they want to sell?  Apparently I need more.  At any rate I tossed them all on the fish room floor and got great satisfaction from crunching them under foot.

I lured Miss Chickie out of doors again today.  She'll go out for treats and scratch around a bit, but when she's found all her treats she comes back in.  It won't be warm like this forever and she grows every day.  I want to teach her to be comfortable outside during the day while it's warm but it's not gonna happen.  I'm afraid I'm going to have a big chicken in the house until Spring.

I am stunned by how good my Betta tanks look.  The dwarf sword I was worried about is coming back but I had to pull off all the dead leaves on my anubias.  They came right off with no resistance.  Barb, you told me something once before when I thought I'd killed all my plants in the 125.  It wasn't as bad as I thought, but you told me that as long as the rhizome of an a

I don't remember the ham recipe I mentioned, Willie.  But if you want to make something easy and tasty thry what I'm having today.   I'm using one of the huge Arroz con pollo.  I use this recipe:

Mexican seasonings! A classic chicken and rice dish you'll make over and over again!
INGREDIENTS
For the chicken
▢6 chicken thighs (either skin-on or skinless, whichever you prefer)
▢3 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
▢2 tablespoons white wine vinegar (or lime juice)
▢1 tablespoon chili powder
▢1 teaspoon onion powder
▢1 teaspoon garlic powder
▢1 teaspoon ground coriander
▢1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
▢1/2 teaspoon dried oregano (Mexican oregano preferred)
▢1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
For the rice
▢1 small yellow onion, diced
▢1 green bell pepper, diced
▢2 teaspoons minced garlic (about 4 cloves)
▢1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice, rinsed and drained
▢3 1/4 cups water (or chicken broth)
▢1 tablespoon tomato paste
▢1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
▢1 cup frozen green peas
▢chopped cilantro and lime wedges, for garnish
INSTRUCTIONS
In a large freezer bag (or bowl), add chicken, 3 tablespoons olive oil, white wine vinegar, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, ground coriander, salt, oregano and cumin. Seal the bag and toss until everything is completely coated with the marinade. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, up to overnight.
Heat a large saute pan/deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the chicken thighs to the pan skin-side down and cook for about 6 minutes per side, until skin is is crispy and golden.
Transfer the chicken onto a plate and cook the remaining chicken the same way. The chicken won't be fully cooked yet – that's okay. It will continue cooking with the rice later.
In the same pan using the oil that's already in there, add the diced onions and bell peppers. Cook for 5 minutes until onions have softened and are translucent.
Add the garlic and rice. Saute for 1 minute until garlic is fragrant and rice begins to brown slightly.
Add the water, tomato paste and salt, Stir together to combine until the tomato paste has fully dissolved.
Add the browned chicken thighs to the pan skin-side up and bring the water to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 20-25 minutes until the rice is fully cooked through and the chicken registers an internal temperature of 165°F.
Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the cooked chicken pieces to a clean plate. Add the frozen peas to the rice and fluff them in using a fork. The rice will be hot enough to thaw the peas out completely.
Serve the arroz con pollo immediately with a garnish of chopped cilantro and lime wedges.
ISABEL'S TIPS:

Title: Re: Cold and Breezy Tuesday
Post by: Ron Sower on December 29, 2020, 03:04:58 PM
...it's supposed to be 58 today but the carport thermometer is showing 60 already...anyway I brought my rocks i needed to glue into the utility room to work on them...don't want the low temperature to affect the way the glues/epoxies cure out... Cleaned out an HOB on the 24g in the game room...will do wc on it in a little bit... a friend picked up a pea puffer for me today and brought it to m on her way home...nice of her...it's so small I'm not going to put it in the 125 right away like I planned...I'll put it in a guppy tank that has a ton of flat snails too...when a bit larger it will go on into the 125...

...meanwhile Miss Lucy and Barb have gone to Hobby Lobby in search of who-knows-what! :D :D :D
Title: Re: Cold and Breezy Tuesday
Post by: wsantia1 on December 30, 2020, 06:05:48 AM
Quote from: LizStreithorst on December 29, 2020, 12:45:17 PM
Poor you, Willie.  It's 70 and sunny here.  Granted, this is unusual weather for the coming new year,  I went hunting for MTS early this morning.  I can't believe how many big fat SOB's I found in the gravel, and that with at least 3 Assassin Snails in the 100 gallon tank.  Anyone have any they want to sell?  Apparently I need more.  At any rate I tossed them all on the fish room floor and got great satisfaction from crunching them under foot.

I lured Miss Chickie out of doors again today.  She'll go out for treats and scratch around a bit, but when she's found all her treats she comes back in.  It won't be warm like this forever and she grows every day.  I want to teach her to be comfortable outside during the day while it's warm but it's not gonna happen.  I'm afraid I'm going to have a big chicken in the house until Spring.

I am stunned by how good my Betta tanks look.  The dwarf sword I was worried about is coming back but I had to pull off all the dead leaves on my anubias.  They came right off with no resistance.  Barb, you told me something once before when I thought I'd killed all my plants in the 125.  It wasn't as bad as I thought, but you told me that as long as the rhizome of an a

I don't remember the ham recipe I mentioned, Willie.  But if you want to make something easy and tasty thry what I'm having today.   I'm using one of the huge Arroz con pollo.  I use this recipe:

Mexican seasonings! A classic chicken and rice dish you'll make over and over again!
INGREDIENTS
For the chicken
▢6 chicken thighs (either skin-on or skinless, whichever you prefer)
▢3 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
▢2 tablespoons white wine vinegar (or lime juice)
▢1 tablespoon chili powder
▢1 teaspoon onion powder
▢1 teaspoon garlic powder
▢1 teaspoon ground coriander
▢1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
▢1/2 teaspoon dried oregano (Mexican oregano preferred)
▢1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
For the rice
▢1 small yellow onion, diced
▢1 green bell pepper, diced
▢2 teaspoons minced garlic (about 4 cloves)
▢1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice, rinsed and drained
▢3 1/4 cups water (or chicken broth)
▢1 tablespoon tomato paste
▢1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
▢1 cup frozen green peas
▢chopped cilantro and lime wedges, for garnish
INSTRUCTIONS
In a large freezer bag (or bowl), add chicken, 3 tablespoons olive oil, white wine vinegar, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, ground coriander, salt, oregano and cumin. Seal the bag and toss until everything is completely coated with the marinade. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, up to overnight.
Heat a large saute pan/deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the chicken thighs to the pan skin-side down and cook for about 6 minutes per side, until skin is is crispy and golden.
Transfer the chicken onto a plate and cook the remaining chicken the same way. The chicken won't be fully cooked yet – that's okay. It will continue cooking with the rice later.
In the same pan using the oil that's already in there, add the diced onions and bell peppers. Cook for 5 minutes until onions have softened and are translucent.
Add the garlic and rice. Saute for 1 minute until garlic is fragrant and rice begins to brown slightly.
Add the water, tomato paste and salt, Stir together to combine until the tomato paste has fully dissolved.
Add the browned chicken thighs to the pan skin-side up and bring the water to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 20-25 minutes until the rice is fully cooked through and the chicken registers an internal temperature of 165°F.
Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the cooked chicken pieces to a clean plate. Add the frozen peas to the rice and fluff them in using a fork. The rice will be hot enough to thaw the peas out completely.
Serve the arroz con pollo immediately with a garnish of chopped cilantro and lime wedges.
ISABEL'S TIPS:

Thanks for the recipe Liz. I copied it and printed it out so I can make it sometime soon.  |^| |^| |^|