The Blind FYI

If you ever decide to put custom wood blinds in your home.  Be sure that you include extra louvers.  ALWAYS... if they are the large 1.5 inch blinds that is only one extra per inch.  Meaning that if you are doing this yourself not having them installed add at least one inch to the window length.  I would add two, giving me two extras per window.  If you are having them installed by a company. (crazy I know but that is actually cheaper in Houston than doing it yourself)  Have them give you at least two extra per window.  WHY?? Well here is why..  

 I went to raise the blinds and the cords were behind this louver, snapped it fast.

Sorry I didn't think about blogging this until it was done.  So no broken blind photo.  But right here is where it happened.

The only way to tell which one it was .. is it is the one with no dust.. :-)  I pulled the blind down and did the repair on the floor.  I did not cut the bottom rope, I took a pair of tweezers and pulled the knot from the plastic piece and unknotted it.  I did not want to shorten these or the lifting cord.

Here is how to fix the problem.  FIRST take the blind down.  Several reasons, but most important is that you can loose the cords up into the feeding mechanism, if that happens you are done.  I have tried with no avail to re-feed cord through that maze of craziness, it is next to impossible.   You may need help getting them down, these bad boys weigh a TON.  At the bottom of each blind is a cap along each raising rope/cord line.  It is a simple pop those  little plastic caps off(I used a flat head screw driver and gentle shoved it against the plastic between the wood, making sure to not damage either item), once the cap is off pull the line threw the blinds to the louver just above the broken one.  Pull the broken louver out from the side, pull one of the extras from the bottom.  Slip it in place just above the thin guide lines (the louvers rest on those).  Now feed the lines one at a time back threw the louvers, do not get them wrapped around the guide lines.  This does take a moment to do.  When you get to the bottom replace the plastic caps and you are done. Ta dah.. all fixed and good as new.  Well maybe if they were dust free.  Totally saved me $350 bucks.

Happy blind recovery.

Lobster Bisque

Okay, so Gary asked for Lobster Bisque for his birthday.  I am a just a tad bit late.  A couple of weeks.  I have never attempted lobster bisque before.  I did TONS of research.  I love lobster bisque but I don't like lobster meat.  I dig out the meat and give it to Gary when we go out.  At $25 a bowl we don't do that much.  I find that I over eat the soup and bread - then I am starving before bedtime.  So what did I have to lose.  I made the decision that I did NOT want to mess with live lobster.  For several reasons, one I don't have a large enough pan, and probably the most important reason I didn't want to listen to them scream while I cooked them alive.  So I purchased three whole cooked lobsters.  They were $6 each precooked.

I then removed all the meat, you only get about 1/2 to 2/3 cup of meat from each lobster.  You really don't get much.

I then decided I was going to make as much broth as I could get.  So I simmered down the shells for stock.  I filled the stock pot with all the shells and covered them with water.  I simmered this for about two hours.

I did tons of research and combined recipes. Here is what I settled on.

1/2 stick of real butter
3 cups of chopped carrots
3 cups of chopped celery

saute them on med heat until almost golden brown. not cooked you are going after flavor here.
While these were cooking I fished the shells from my lobster broth.  I strained it several times to make sure I had no little shells at all.  The veggies don't have to be pretty you are going to blend these.

when they are close to done add
3 cups of chopped onions cook until onions are brown on the edges
last add the garlic.. this cooks fast watch it
8 cloves of fresh smashed garlic (used my garlic press)

Now in the stock pot place
Golden brown veggies
1  6oz can of tomato paste
3 cups of the lobster broth
2 dried bay leaves
3 large fresh basil leaves
1/2 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp dried thyme

Simmer until veggies are cooked about 15-20 mins, don't boil just a steady simmer. While that is going make your roux. This smells AMAZING...

In the saute pan melt the other 1/2 stick of butter
 a heavy 1/2 cup of flour almost 3/4 cup (heaping 1/2)
make a light to medium brown roux
then add
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup white wine
1/4 cup sherry
1/2 of  .0141 oz package of saffron
Honestly I would leave this out the next time or just add a pinch this is a very strong flavor.

Lobster stock...  I had 12 cups of lobster broth so I figured my spices and veggies off that.

I know nothing about these types of booze so I just grabbed mid grade. 

When your veggies are done remove them from the stock pan, put them in a bowl.  Dig out the bay leaves. I don't have a fancy food press/grinder. So I just ran them threw the blender.  I could not find my immersion stick blender or I would have used that.  Add the veggie mix, cream roux, and all the lobster stock back into the stock pot.  Heat to a simmer.  Take about 10 minutes.  This is your bisque.

Now I put the lobster meat in a small pan and spooned enough bisque over the meat to make four bowls.  I heated this until the meat was hot, just took minutes.  I added shrimp to the rest.  I would try crab meat the next time.  VERY good.. But tons of work.. Just a special occasion thing for me.

Happy cooking.