Ciro

Irrationality. Irrationality is the reaching of a decision or conclusion that is not the best decision or conclusion that could have been reached in the light of the evidence, given the time constraints that apply. Lately, I keep thinking that man irrationality is not all bad after all. Sometimes, I find my-self saying" ho! God, how could I have done that" But then turns out to be that I made a good decision. Could it be that sometime our irrationality is not other than our subconscious decision to take under control, and guide us, in a way that our conscious mind is not able to do any more? sounds too crazy? CD.

Indian Mating Season Two Indians and a Tennessee Hillbilly were walking through the woods. All of a sudden one of the Indians ran up a hill to the mouth of a small cave. "Wooooo! Wooooo! Wooooo!"he called into the cave and listened closely until he heard an answering, "Wooooo! Wooooo! Woooooo! He then tore off his clothes and ran into the cave. The Hillbilly was puzzled and asked the remaining Indian what it was all about. "Was the other Indian crazy or what?" The Indian replied "No, It is our custom during mating season when Indian men see cave, they holler 'Wooooo! Wooooo! Wooooo!' into the opening. If they get an answer back, it means there's a beautiful woman in there waiting for us." Just then they came upon another cave. The second Indian ran up to the cave, stopped, and hollered, "Wooooo! Wooooo! Wooooo!" Immediately, there was the answer. "Wooooo! Wooooo! Wooooo!"from deep inside. He also tore off his clothes and ran into the opening. The Hillbilly wandered around in the woods alone for a while, and then spied a third large cave. As he looked in amazement at the size of the huge opening, he was thinking, "Hoo, man! Look at the size of this cave! It is bigger than those the Indians found. There must be some really big, fine women in this cave!" He stood in front of the opening and hollered with all his might "Wooooo! Wooooo! Wooooo!" Like the others, he then heard an answering call, "WOOOOOOOOO, WOOOOOOOOO WOOOOOOOOO!" With a gleam in his eye and a smile on his face, he raced into the cave, tearing off his clothes as he ran. The following day, the headline of the local newspaper read.... (Get ready, this will kill ya), NAKED HILLBILLY RUN OVER BY TRAIN

Braciole (Stuffed Meat Rolls in Tomato Sauce) Servings: 6 Ingredients 2 lb beef fillet, cut into thin slices 1 bunch parseley roughly chopped 4oz raisins 4oz pine nuts 2oz extra virgin olive oil 2 garlic cloves, crushed 4 oz dry white wine 2 lb Tomatoes in the can remember to puree' 2 tbsp Basil , fresh, chopped Method 1. Place each slice of beef between two sheets of plastic wrap and flatten them out with a meat mallet until fairly thin. 2. Place the parsley, raisins and pine nuts in the middle of each beef slice, and roll the meat up into a roll around the filling. Secure each roll with string to hold everything in place. 3. Heat a large frying pan with the olive oil. Toss in the garlic and sear the rolls until the meat turns golden brown on all sides. Remove from the pan and keep the meat warm. 4. Pour in the wine (which will lift-up any sediment from the bottom of the pan), and boil down for around a minute before tipping in the tomato purée and replacing the meat rolls. Simmer the casserole for about an hour, until the meat is tender. Sprinkle with ripped basil leaves before serving. Note At my restaurant I serve braciole with side pasta. You can cook some ziti pasta and add some of the braciole sauce on top. Pairing wine: Lacrima di Cristo rosso. Ciao! Ciro. Kat, you can bypass the wine part!

Kat, I am sorry for not re-reading my recipes before I post them. I promise, it will not happen again 8-[ Btw, no, you don't change the amount of the chicken stock when the wine is omitted. Demiglase: Literally means “half-glazed’ A mixture of equal proportions of brown stock and brown sauce that has been reduced by half. Demiglase is one of the grand sauce Brown stock: An amber liquid produced by simmering browned bones and meat (usually beef or veal) with vegetables and aromatics Brown sauce: A sauce made from a brown stock and aromatic and thickened by roux. Roux: A thick sauce containing equal parts of flour and fat (usually butter) used to thicken liquids. Deglaze: To use a liquid , such as wine, water , or stock, to dissolve food particles and /or caramelized drippings left in the pan after roasting or sautéing .

Chicken Marsala =P~ 4 boneless chicken breast halves without skin 1/2 cup all-purpose flour salt to taste pepper to taste 1 tablespoons butter or margarine 3 tablespoons olive oil 8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced (1/2 to 1 cup sliced) 1/2 cup Marsala wine ¼ teaspoon crushed rosemary Optional some demi-glaze 1 cup chicken stock PREPARATION: Pound chicken to 1/4" thickness between 2 sheets of plastic wrap. Combine flour, salt, pepper and mix well. Heat oil and butter in a heavy non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Dredge the chicken in seasoned flour mixture. Cook the chicken until lightly browned on first side (about 2 minutes). Turn the chicken and add mushrooms around the chicken pieces. Cook for about 2 minutes more until lightly browned. Add the mushrooms stir for a minute then add the marsala and cook for a minute or two or until the marsala evaporates completely to almost dry, add the chicken stock,( 1 tea spoon home made demi glaze optional) cover, and simmer until the chicken is not pink inside , usually after 3 to 5 minutes. At the last minute or two of the cooking time add the rosemary, and season to taste. If you want to serve it with pasta double the volume of the liquids. Kat , skip the marsala wine for your recipe, and add the vanilla (alcohol free ) extract to the end of the cooking time, maybe a tea spoon, add it to the sauce stir add some parmigiano cheese and serve all at once. =D>

Peter, she was being sarcastic I am sure. Helen Mirren is a communist. CD

I think that when Barbara was young, she was much tougher than that. BTW, my favorite part of the movie is when Barbara fights in the hotel room with NB about him being in love with Ayn. Julie is great there.

Phil writes:Michael, I often have not liked your writing in the past. Especially when you have tried to write on Solo on technical topics, philosophical debates in Objectivism, I have been unable to follow you. Phil are you saying that you can write better than Michael? Why don't you tell him that he is good, and that's all. I hope you can follow what I wrote here.

Ellen, if I a have not cofused you with a different Ellen, it was on NB forum, during a time you were preparing a convention, or something, on Carl Jung? :-k

Ciro, how do you substitute that little bit of dry white wine to make it MSK friendly? Kat, the closest thing that taste like marsala wine is Vanilla. Try to use few drops of vanilla extract when you make the chicken marsala. The little quantity of alcohol will evaporate during cooking anyway. CD

A man had just settled into his seat next to the window on the plane when another man sat down in the aisle seat and put his black Labrador Retriever in the middle seat next to the man. The first man looks very quizzically at the dog and asks why the dog is allowed on the plane. The second man explained that he is a DEA agent and that the dog is a "sniffing dog". His name is Sniffer and he's the best there is. I'll show you once we get airborne, when I put him to work." The plane takes off, and once it has leveled out, the agent says: "Watch this." He tells Sniffer to "search". Sniffer jumps down, walks along the aisle, and finally sits very purposefully next to a woman for a several seconds. Sniffer then returns to its seat and puts one paw on the agent's arm. The agent says, "Good boy", and he turns to the man and says: "That woman is in possession of marijuana, so I'm making a note of her seat number and the authorities will apprehend her when we land." "Say, that's pretty neat" replies the first man. Once again, the agent sends Sniffer to search the aisles. The Lab sniffs about, sits down beside a man for a few seconds, returns to its seat, and this time, he places TWO paws on the agent's arm. The agent says, "That man is carrying cocaine, so again, I'm making a note of his seat number for the police." "I like it!" says his seat mate. The agent then told Sniffer to "search" again. Sniffer walked up and down the aisles for a little while, sat down for a moment, and then came racing back to the agent, jumped into the middle seat and proceeded to poop all over the place. The first man is really grossed out by this behavior and can't figure out how or why a well-trained dog would act like that, so he asks the agent "What's going on?" The agent nervously replied, "He just found a bomb!"

LMAO

Yes, of course Mikee, and also a good wine, but I thought that was superfluous to write it down since I run the kitchen here.

Jody, older women love to be called bitches, they definitly love dirty language!! lololololololol You have to surprise her, shock her. If you don't have the courage to tell her, write her a note, tell her what you want, and when you make love to her be on top, they don't like to be on top. If they are over 45 don't turn that damn light on!!! Remember to use a blow drier to make you genital part as hot as possible before you go to bad. Older woman hate the cold. Tell her how horny you friend’s wife is because her husband is weak and tired because he works all the time, or because his wife doesn’t know that he is half gay. I wonder what Barbara or kat would think of me #-o for writing this post!! Dr Ciruth.

When you have a young wife, all you have to do is to eat more spinach, and to keep her pregnant that's all. If you are an objectivist, and have a young wife, just screw up her mind, make her stupid, tell her that you are John Galt and she is Dagny. And when you feel like beating her up, have some rough sex. lolololololol

I guess Dagny loved to be contended between two men. Just like Kira, and Dominique! lol CD.

Baking fish in parchment paper of foil creates a moist result. The steam formed within the package creates an aroma capable of stimulating the appetite like no other way of cooking fish. : Serves 4 : 4 Skinless Salmon Fillets, About 6-8oz 2 Tomatoes, Finely Chopped seeded if possibile 1 medium size shallot Diced 6 Black Olives, Chopped 2 Tablespoons Fresh Parsley and basil mixed, Chopped 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil 1 Teaspoon Balsamic Vinegar Salt & Pepper Parchment Paper Or Tin Foil Preheat the oven to 400 degree F. Mix together the tomatoes, parsley, olives, onion, vinegar, and olive oil in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Cut 4 pieces of parchment or alluminum foil about 12-13 inches square. Grease the foils with butter and place a salmon fillet on each one. Next divide the tomato mixture evenly on top of each fillet. Fold the parchment or foil over the fish, and seal well on each side by folding the edges over several times. Place the packages ona baking sheet, and bake for 15 minutes Cooking Tip: When you pull the salmon out the oven, wait 5 minutes before you open the cartoccio! Buon Appetito!

Michael:Lanza did that? I don’t know. Yes! he did, Michael. He is magic!! BTW. Great article Michael. Ciro.

Honoring the self is my favorite book written by Nathaniel Branden.

I am sorry for deleting my post, it didn't make sense what I wrote! I should stick with italian wine. French wine sucks!!

The reason that wine is stored in wood barrel is because wood was an alternative to clay, and not because wine tested better in wood barrel . With wood, wine makers were able to create bigger containers, and thus more wine storage. When wine makers started to use Rearden’s metal, they had less worries about wine spoilage and a better control in delivering a perfect wine. The oak thing, I think, is only a popular believe. NB. I am talking exclusively of wines produced in large quantity , and not of wine produced by small wine makers whose methods of making wine is an art taught from generations to generations. My motto is; don’t drink the label, drink the wine! CD.

Breast of chicken with tarragon and mustard sauce Ingredients: oil 4 skinned boneless chicken breast halves 4 shallots, thinly sliced 1/3 cup dry white wine 2-3 tablespoons fresh tarragon leaves 2 cups chicken stock 3/4 cup whipping cream or crème fraiche 2-3 tablespoons Dijon or tarragon mustard Begin by preheating the oven to a temperature of 350F Then, in a roasting pan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil and fry the chicken breasts for 5 minutes on each side or until they reach a state of golden-brown. Move the chicken breasts to the oven, and cook for an additional 5-10 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan and pay attention to keeping it warm. Remove excess fat and place the roasting pan on the stove top Now add the shallots and fry until soft and slightly browned. Add the wine and reduce until almost dry Add the chicken stock and simmer for approximately 5-10 minutes. Using a clean saucepan, strain the sauce, add the cream, and allow it to simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the mustard and season by using salt and pepper Chop the tarragon and sprinkle a bit of it into the sauce at the last minute to prevent discoloring. Finally, before serving the chicken, pour the sauce over it Buon appetito! Ciro D'Agostino =D>

CHICKEN ALFREDO 4 boneless/skinless chicken breasts 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature (or 2 of olive oil for sauteeing the chicken and 2 of butter for the sauce) 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano (Parmesan), at room temperature 1 1/4 cup heavy cream or Half and Half (or 1/2 of each) salt and freshly ground pepper (use white pepper if you have it) a pinch of grated nutmeg SET the pasta water to boil. In a large skillet, sauté the chicken in 2 tablespoons of butter or good olive oil until lightly browned. Set aside in a warm place. COOK the pasta. Remember to reserve some of the cooking water to moisten your chicken Alfredo if it is too dry. ADD the heavy cream, 2 tablespoons of butter and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese to the same pan. Keep cooking on low-medium heat, stirring occasionally until the mixture reduces slightly and thickens. ADD pinch of nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste. Stir. ADD the cooked chicken and mix again. Taste for salt. Add a TBSP or two of the pasta cooking water if too dry. ADD the cooked and well-drained pasta to the sauce. Mix well with a wooden spoon. TURN into a warmed serving bowl, or directly onto warmed plates. Kat, I hope this will help. Ciao.CD

Michael, I told you never to tell others about this! Next time, I swear, I am going to pee on your shoe. lolololol dulcis in fundo! lol

Yes, Kat. Chicken Alfredo is very easy to make. Coat the chicken breast on both sides with flour. In a medium size skillet put some olive oil, or some butter. When the oil is hot, cook the chicken on both sides. When the chicken is done put it aside; deglaze the skillet with some white wine. Let the wine evaporate completely until the skillet is almost dry. Put the chicken back into the skillet and add the heavy cream. When the cream comes to boil, whisk 1 table spoon butter into the sauce with a pinch of flour. When the sauce turns nice and thick season to taste and put it aside. Cook the fettuccine, usually for 4 minutes if you use barilla egg noodles fettuccine. In a large size plate put the chicken with the pasta, cover with the cream, some Parmigiano, white pepper, and serve all at once. For each chicken breast figure out one cup of cream. You can deglaze the skillet with some chicken stock -in case you don’t want to use wine. Ciao.