new idea

So I'm back with a little experiment that I worked on last night. It's small - about the size of a business card and I made it with one of my blocks and some polymer clay that I had here. I love the texture and I'm tempted to add a little bit of something to make that stand out a little more but I'm also loving that it's monotone. We'll see if I let it stay or ruin it trying to do something else to it.

What is the purpose of this little clay thing (notice how I have a problem naming what I make!)? I don't know. I just thought about it the other day and had to give it a try.

Thank you for all your 'feel better' wishes. I think they worked! So much so, that we went bowling with a friend and her kids yesterday. I'll publicly admit that in the first round (there was six of us - two adults and four kids) the youngest of us all, my daughter little C, beat everyone! Now isn't that just pathetic of the two adults present! Granted, half of us (2 adults and oldest child) used a lane with no bumper thingy and the other half of the group (the 3 younger kids) did use it. But still! Anyway it was fun.

As promised, here are a couple of recipes for making plantain...

Fried plantain using green plantain (aka - tostones or patacones)
Ingredients:
- 2 plantains (they need to be green - important!)
- Canola oil (enough for the plantain to be deep fried)
- Salt, add to taste

In a deep pan or deep fryer (preferable!) heat the oil. Peel and cut the plantains into one inch rounds. Place them in the hot oil and cook for about 3 minutes while turning. They'll turn yellowish in color as they fry. Remove from oil and place each round on a cutting board and smash it with the bottom of something flat. I used a wooden spoon. You'll see that they kind of puff out and get deformed - don't worry. When you fry them again those edges get crunchy! Yum! Put them back in the hot oil for about 3 minutes turning until golden brown on both sides. Remove from oil and pat dry with a paper towel. Add salt to taste.


Fried Sweet Plantains (aka - maduros)
Ingredients:
- 2 plantains (they need to be very ripe - yellow toward ugly looking black)
- Canola oil (enough for the plantain to be deep fried)

In a deep pan or deep fryer, heat the oil. Peel the plantains and slice them diagonally lengthwise. Slices should be 1/2 inch thick. Place them in the hot oil and cook for about 4 minutes turning until golden brown on both sides. Remove from oil and pat dry with a paper towel.

Typically we have them as a side dish (it sort of replaces a starch) or as an appetizer.

BTW I realized that I'm not very good about writing recipes so I can't take credit for the above. I got them from this site and edited them to what I did. There are another couple of recipes there that I've done in a similar fashion and are excellent too (the barbecue without the beef and the baked plantain). I've never tried or heard about any of the others.

I hope these are clear and that you give them a try. Have fun and enjoy the weekend!