sevenwires

[recipe] Coconut Peanut Chocolate Bar

2011-09-01T19:55:00.000-07:00

Crust

- 1 1/2 cup Graham cracker cookies, finely crushed

- 1/2 cup salted butter, melted

- 1/4 cup condensed milk

Topping

- 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut

- 1 cup mini chocolate chip

- 1 1/4 cup peanut, chopped

- 1/4 cup condensed milk

Directions

- Combine all crust ingredients.
- Pressed into PAM'd 7 x 11 glass pan

- Combine all topping ingredients. Adjust to taste depending on how sweet you want your bars to be.
- Press into the pan also
- Bake 325 F for 25 min
- Let cool and then sprinkle more shredded coconut on top to make it look pretty
- Let cool completely before cutting

Notes:

- Fine to use roasted and salted peanuts. Pulse in food processor until chopped
- Flaked coconut will probably work fine too - But shreded coconut looks prettier as final decoration
- 1 1/2 cup is about 18 squares of Graham crackers

[recipe] Mini Chocolate Pies in Graham Cracker Shells

2011-07-31T23:25:00.000-07:00

Crust

- 10 Graham Cracker, finely crushed

- 1/4 cup white sugar

- 1/4 cup butter, melted/softened

Filling

- 1/2 cup Marshmallow creme

- 1/4 cup chocolate, melted

- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Servings: Makes about 12 mini pies

Directions

- Combine all crust ingredients together, and press into mini-muffin cups with cup liners

- Bake for 8 minutes at 350F

- Some pies may puff up after baking. Press them flat again.

- Combine all filling ingredients together, and spoon into each mini shell

- Bake for 2 minutes at 350F

Serve: Warm or at room temperature

Store: At room temperature

Variations:

- Can top with crushed peanuts. Shredded coconut will probably work great.

- Don't top with powdered sugar. Will get absorbed by filling and looks bad.

- Should try adding in some additional Marshmallow creme at the very end to create marbled effect.

Notes:

- Can combine ingredients in a shallow mixing bowl with just a spoon. Nice little arm workout and that

- Recipe can be eye-balled, and crust and filling can be adjust to taste

- Regular salted butter works fine in this trial. Key is not to overmelt. If butter melted to clear then re-start with new butter

- Melt butter and chocolate in microwave. Key is to use 10 to 15 seconds at low power and stir in between as ingredients warm up and not overmelt. Total time of course depends on amount and coldness of ingredients.

- Used Honey Graham Cracker in this trial and crushed it using food processor. Very easy.

[recipe] Mini Oreo Balls

2011-07-31T23:22:00.000-07:00

Balls:

- 1 ounce cream cheese, softened

- 6 Oreo cookies, finely crushed

Servings: About 15 half-inch balls.

Directions:

- Gradually combine cookies into cheese

- Shape into balls

- Freeze for 10 minutes and then roll in coating of your choice

Variation:

- Melted chocolate coating is more work, but tastes great
- Powered chocolate coating is very but not as tasty
- Can also coat with melted white chocolate

- Mint Oreo cookies would probably be awesome

- Can decorate with sprinkles, icing, nuts, mint candy pieces, lots of possibilities
- Can make bigger or smaller balls

Serve: Cold or room temperature

Store: In refrigerator

[recipe] Mini Pecan Tarts

2011-07-31T23:20:00.000-07:00

Crust

- 4 oz cream cheese
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
- 1 cup flour

Filling
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 1/4 cup pecan, finely crushed

Serving: 24 mini-muffin sized tarts

Directions:
- Combine crust ingredients: cream cheese and butter first, then sift in the flour
- Once the dough is formed, cover in plastic-wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour
- While dough is chilling, prepare filling by combining all ingredients: Beat egg and vanilla together slightly, and then combine in all sugar, and then add in pecan. Adjust to taste as needed.
- To assemble pies, spray mini-muffin pan with non-stick spray. Divide dough into 24 balls. Press each ball flat into 3-inch circles, and push into each mini-muffin cup (no liner). Then spoon filling into each cup. Filling will expand so fill just below full.
- Bake 25 min at 350F or until golden brown
- Cool on wired rack

Serve: Warm or room temperature

Store: Cold or Room temperature

Variation:
- Can decorate with powdered sugar, or drizzled melted chocolate
- Probably also great with cool whip or ice cream
- Also works great with graham cracker crust
- Original recipe called for packed brown sugar, but since I ran out I added in granulated cane sugar, and it was just fine
- Add freshly ground nutmeg to the filling for a little extra kick

Notes:
- To combine ingredients, can just use spoon in mixing bowls
- Salted butter was fine. Took butter from fridge and just slices into thin pieces to make it easy to combine.
- Leave cream cheese at room temperature for 15 min to make it easier to combine.
- To flatten dough, it's fastest to just press dough flat in your palm. No need to form exact circles.
- I toasted the pecans before I crushed it. Not sure if that helped but certainly didn't hurt.

[outing] Temecula - Day 2

2010-04-19T01:30:00.000-07:00

2010.04.17 - Temecula
Who: Day 1 Group + Ray, Linda

- Sitting in the back of the trunk
- Captain Dan
- The infamous glass floor at Monte de Oro
- "Really? I had the halibut and scallops last night?"
- "Really? We talked about going to Dublin in May?"
- 3 bottles of Champagne on the balloon
- Posing with the balloon burner
- "I thought maybe she was pregnant?"
- "I didn't throw up!"
- 85C bakery's mochi egg custard tarts
- Sleeping for 12 hours

[outing] Temecula - Day 1

2010-04-19T01:26:00.000-07:00

2010.04.16 - Temecula
Where: Churon Winery, Temecula CA
Who: Alan, Maureen, James, Becca, Us

- Denied a Double Down at KFC
- Free fries at Jack in the Box
- Churon's 2005 Golden Nectar
- Becca: "These tin roof things decapitated an old lady in the last typhoon"
- Fighting with the 4 ladies for taxi
- Waiting forever at South Coast for taxi back

[outing] First Friday in Venice

2010-04-03T01:40:00.000-07:00

2010.04.02 - First Friday Venice
Who: Jessica, Steve, Melissa, Alan, Maureen, Us

- The Otheroom
- India Jones (and the dog who wanted pierre's dinner)
- World Cafe
- Gallery Bar (and the round of patron)
- Hal's Bar and Grill
- Liquor Store (Twice)
- Nom Nom
- Buttermilk
- Grilled Cheese (and the double cheese sandwiche that we were eating for days after)
- Jess's Place

[recipe] Pureed Carrot Soup

2010-01-01T23:45:00.000-08:00

Fun with blender tonight.

- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoon salted butter
- 1 yellow onion
- 4 celery stalks
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 lb baby carrots
- 4 cups chicken stock (a standard-sized box)
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 tablespoon of spices. Some combination of curry, cumin, chili powder would work
- 2 tablespoon red wine vinegar (or other acids like lemon juice)

-- ---------------------------------
- Sautee all chopped vegetables in oil and butter. About 5 min
- Add chicken stock, milk, spices. Cook for about 20 min or until carrot is tender.
- Blend the veggies and stock in a couple of batches until smooth
- Transfer back to pot and stir in red wine vinegar and more spices to taste

[recipe] Enoki mushroom sauteed

2009-12-21T19:17:00.000-08:00

Just made this:

- Enoki mushrooms, sauteed with
- Salted butter
- Togarashi
- Hawaiian coarse salt

[trip] Cabo San Lucas

2009-11-20T00:14:00.000-08:00

Thursday 11.12
- All nighter before the trip
- Smith's blue popsicle
- VIP lounge!
- Cocktail of the day: Sea of Love
- "Either I'm drunk or this is damn good rib eye"
- "Room service? Yes please bring me a dozen coronas"

Friday 11.13
- Eggs, bacon, sausage, more eggs
- Dirty Banana
- Endless mahi mahi cerviche
- "Another three orders or sashimi flowers please"
- Behold the amazing power of the portable DVD player

Saturday 11.14
- What's Day Glo?
- Fruity Graham = Honeydew, Mint, Rum, Ice, Blended
- Having the nice italian restaurant all to ourselves
- International Dance night: If we go up there we have to do a shot every 10 minutes
- Saw IIIII

Sunday 11.15
- Pirates Night!
- "Honey I just lost my dinner"
- "Halo Seniorita. Please do not leave candles lit in your room. It is a fire hazard"
- "I guess this is yes?" "I guess so!"

Monday 11.16
- "May I offer you moral compensation?"

[trip] New York City

2009-10-26T20:03:00.000-07:00

Thursday 10/22
- Argh! Last and only name on the upgrade list!

Friday 10/23
- All day conference calls ...
- Chocolate and Wine bar
- Ippudo
- 3 hours wait? There's better be unicorn coming out of these ramen bowls
- Crazy amazing pork buns
- Sizzling rice
- Happy birthday Waney
- Momofuku Milk bar. Cornflake marshmallow chocolate chip cookies (And pierre thought I was crazy for trying to bake with cornflake)
- "Wait I thought you know you said you know how to play big2"

Saturday 10/24
- Chelsea Market
- Lobster rolls and string quartet
- Highline
- Hogs and Heifers
- "If you want to disappear into the couch, remember to wear this shirt"
- Mandoo Bar. Mini boiled mandoos definitely the way to go
- Mad for Chicken genius cheese ramen
- Hun, do you have my camera?
- Hun, focus! walk!

Sunday 10/26
- Who's not so chirpy today ...
- Argh! Last and only name on the upgrade list! Again!
- Business class ice cream sundae and chocolate chip cookie

[util] Install Foxit Reader Plugin for Google Chrome Browser

2009-10-11T12:53:00.000-07:00

Adobe Reader must have paid a great deal of money to be so in bed with Google Chrome. Fixed that today by manually installing the Foxit Reader plugin into Chrome, so that you can read PDF files inside Chrome tab using Foxit.

1. Chrome Plugins folder -- Go to where your Chrome is installed (you can right click on the chrome shortcut to find out), but typically it's C:\Documents and Settings\[USER]\Local Settings\Application Data\Google\Chrome\Application\ -- Make sure you have a subdirectory called "Plugins". If that's not there, create it.

2. Foxit Reader Plugin --- Make sure you have Foxit Reader 3.1 or higher installed, and also the Plugin installed -- Do this by going to "Help" ... "Check for Updates Now". If you see "Reader" or "Service Module .. Plugin" -- Select those to update.

3. Copy npFoxitReaderPlugin.dll "C:\Program Files\Foxit Software\Foxit Reader\plugins\" to "C:\Documents and Settings\[USER]\Local Settings\Application Data\Google\Chrome\Application\Plugins"

4. From the command prompt, run

regsvr32 "C:\Program Files\Foxit Software\Foxit Reader\plugins\FoxitReaderOCX.ocx"

with admin rights.

5. Re-start Chrome and try to read an online PDF file

6. Uninstall Adobe Reader, and reclaim 200MB+. Your computer will thank you.

[util] Tab Switching Keyboard Shortcuts

2009-10-10T21:55:00.000-07:00

The Acer Netbook doesn't have trackpoint, so these are my new favorite keyword shortcuts to switch between worksheets and tabs:

Excel -- Ctrl+PageDown / Ctrl+PageUp

Web Browser (Internet Explorer / FireFox / Chrome / Opera) -- Ctrl+PageDown / Ctrl+PageUp OR Ctrl+Tab / Ctrl+Shift+Tab

[code] User Agent / Browser Simulator in Ruby

2009-09-05T19:50:00.000-07:00

Totally forgot that I wrote this early last year -- Test / simulate header response, redirect, and other behavior with user agent for various browsers, crawlers, and robots.

require 'httpclient'
require 'uri'
require 'net/smtp'

# Pick your user agent
targetUserAgent = 'Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows+NT 5.1)'
#targetUserAgent = 'Googlebot/2.1+(+http://www.googlebot.com/bot.html)'
#targetUserAgent = 'Mozilla/5.0+(compatible;+Yahoo!+Slurp;+http://help.yahoo.com/help/us/ysearch/slurp)'
#targetUserAgent = 'msnbot/1.0+(+http://search.msn.com/msnbot.htm)'

# Pick your URL
targetURL = 'http://sevenwires.blogspot.com/'

begin
  client = HTTPClient.new(nil, targetUserAgent, "")
  response = client.head(URI.parse(targetURL))
  
  # Print the entire header message
  print "\n===== HEADER =====\n"
  print response.dump 
  
  # Print some summary
  print "===== SUMMARY =====\n"
  print "URL = #{targetURL}\n"
  print "UserAgent = #{targetUserAgent}\n"
  print "Response Code = #{response.header.response_status_code} \n"

rescue 
  print "Failed to connect to the page\n"

end

[outing] Bottega Louie and Seven Grand

2009-08-30T10:21:00.000-07:00

Where: Bottega Louie and Seven Grand
When: Friday 2009 Sep 28th
Who: Ray, Linda, Lisa, David, Nancy, Leonard, Fannie, us

- Level One vodka over a singular big rock. Alton Brown would be pleased.
- Can you please bring the chairs ...
- You waited for an hour and a half? two free pizzas on the house
- Everyone ate the pizza margherita. All pizza bianco for me.
- Burrata. 'nuff said
- Didn't know pork chop can taste this good
- Portabella mushroom fries!
- "Just one nightcap"
- The wall of Makers Mark

[web] Twitter

2009-08-22T12:51:00.000-07:00

Google Alert now finding references to the "type upside down" page in twitter, like this one: http://twitter.com/gcorneil/status/2663333003

Google appears to be crawling the RSS feed (http://twitter.com/statuses/user_timeline/10869332.rss), since URL of individual status does not appear on a user's homepage.

Twitter is a growing SEO factor

[code] How to encode URL in Excel

2009-07-13T21:53:00.000-07:00

1. (from your worksheet) Tools ... Macros ... Visual Basic Editor
2. (from VB Editor) Insert ... Module
3. (in module window) Paste in the URLEncode function below and save
4. Close VB Editor to return to worksheet, and use URLEncode like any other formulas. For example =URLEncode(B1)


Function URLEncode(ByVal Text As String) As String
  Dim i As Integer
  Dim acode As Integer
  Dim char As String
  URLEncode = Text
  For i = Len(URLEncode) To 1 Step -1
    acode = Asc(Mid$(URLEncode, i, 1))
    Select Case acode
      Case 48 To 57, 65 To 90, 97 To 122
        ' don't touch alphanumeric chars
      Case 32
        ' replace space with "+"
        Mid$(URLEncode, i, 1) = "+"
      Case Else
        ' replace punctuation chars with "%hex"
        URLEncode = Left$(URLEncode, i-1) & "%" & Hex$(acode) & Mid$(URLEncode, i+1)
    End Select
  Next
End Function

From http://www.devx.com/vb2themax/Tip/19160

[outing] July 4th Newport Beach

2009-07-12T17:48:00.000-07:00

- Fuzz Fest!
- We are going to the war zone? Don't you mean the fun zone?
- Uh, where's the hand brake?
- 34th street. Bob. Cops. Mooning.
- Drunkun Man in Bunny Suit
- The girl who grabbed the jager
- "All for one. One for all"
- "When we get back, you don't know me"
- Razor ride to Jared and Christa's

[web] Tweetmeme

2009-07-05T14:01:00.000-07:00

Google Alert dragged this new SEO reference today: http://tweetmeme.com/domain/www.sevenwires.com

[trip] New York City

2009-06-21T23:14:00.000-07:00

Who: Jessica, Dave, Janet, Patrick, Steve, Mike, Nick, Johnny, Ivan, Us

Thursday:
- "Hun, can you please call the front desk tell them [fill in blank]"
- Sushi Twist: What's his name? Ivan [i-ven]! Another order of white tuna sashimi kudasai!
- Bar Fly: Fisher getting those 3's and tanking Dave's chances. Mind Eraser. Patron. Jack.
--------
Friday:
- 24 oz of Bud Light Lime after an entire day of conference calls
- Socarrat: Paella. Chorizo. Mini sunny-side up quail eggs.
- Billy's: Cream cheese frosting
- Slainte: NY Mets losing the game when outfielder goofed catching A Rod's high fly ball
- De Santos: Making our own VIP lounge in the basement
- Pegu Club: Cheapest tequila shot is $14, and I don't recognize any bottles on the shelf
- "If you do 25 chin ups I'll buy you pizzas"
- Joe's Pizza: "can't charge you for this slice. it's too small"
- "You are getting up at what time to go surfing?"
--------
Saturday:
- Shake Shack: Er, where's our chocolate shake? Oh just take this one.
- Big Apple BBQ Festival: The Pit, Salt Lick, Free Snapple
- Fun with Old Navy mannequins
- Pierre enjoying Pay Less
- Karaoke One 7: $5 for large bottles of sake? O.M.G. Partying with Nick (The TSA Bomb Specialist) and his peeps.
- Shake Shack, again. Apparently we bought burgers.
- Champaign and chocolates
- Star Lounge Chelsea
- Enjoying watching traffic jam on 7th and 34th at 1am.
--------
Sunday:
- "Where's my shirt? my phone? my wallet? my camera?"
- "I am try to telling you that the lock is messed up and I can't get out of our room"
- Caracas Arepa Bar: Faves: Fried green plantains topped with Mojito Mayo and lemon and white cheese. Pulled pork arepa with spicy mango and tomato sauce.
- Porchetta: Yes, our trip ended up with yet a final pork dish

[trip] Napa

2009-05-31T02:47:00.000-07:00

Who: Christine, Tamera, Justin, Pierre, Me

Friday
- Dinner with Danny, Charlotte, Harry and Gavin
- Marriott Courtyard at Oyster Pointe. Midnight beer.
-------
Saturday
- 1801 First: Suite 3 Bella Fresia. Gorgeous gas fireplace and tub.
- OMG these chocolate chip cookies are crack cocainne
- Delicious port in the sitting room
- The warm pool at Exertec
- Hendry's: Tasting at the wine lab. Each of the wine barrel probably was ... $20k?
- Oxbow Market and oysters at Hog Island
- The Elements: Foi Gras, Burrata Cheese, Seared Scallop with Egglant salsa, two really large steaks
- "This wine is corked"
- "Do-do-do-do-do-do this water is hot!.... zzzzzzzzzzz"
-------
Sunday
- Damn those mini chocolate croissants
- Waking up at 6am to the beautiful smell of the kitchen
- Charming Sonoma square
- Lunch at ?
- Shot of espresso over soft-served ice cream ad ED Kithen
- "Half-shot!"
- Afternoon hor deurves, cheese, and wine
- Dinner at Tamera's - Amazing Pallella with chorizo, chicken, shrimp, and clams
- And let's not forget the manchego cheese with quince
- Pierre's magical power to keep the rubber duck lit with his forehead
- Poker - The Musical!
-------
Monday
- Melt-in-your-mouth blueberry scones
- Delicious Strata with ham, egg, and cheese
- Whestones: Jamey and Michelle host the perfect tasting picnic
- Charbay: "Port is fortified with brandy and is twice as strong as regular wine? No wonder!"
- Bounty Hunter: Really? we are going to have dinner after all these bbq ribs?
- Long walk around Napa downtown
- Bottega: Michael Chirello? Chimichango? Chilerelleno? Do another impression of him!
- Wow, star-lined limo
- Yes, really, Bilco's Billiard was closed at 11pm
-------
Tuesday
- Crepes with banana compote
- Artesa: Absolutely gorgeous view of Napa rolling hills
- So relieves to see that the four bottles of wines stayed intact!

[outing] A Sunday Afternoon Brunch

2009-05-19T02:48:00.000-07:00

Sunday May 18th

- Marie's spicy and sticky baby back ribs
- Pierre's slow-braised beef ribs
- Mike and Shelbey's apple cake and raisins and walnut
- John and Jamie's hummus and mozzarella
- Top Valu carnita tacos
- Ray and Linda's strawberry and raspberry pies
- Pork and shrimp shu mai
- Savory crepe with pastrami and asparagus
- Sweet crepe with banana and nutella
- Pierre's sangria
- Alan and Maureen's Hornitos, Coronas, and Pyramids
- Josh and April's spinach salad with craberry, candied walnuts, and feta
- Josh and April's blueberry scones and zucchini bread

[outing] Hipcooks Dim Sum

2009-04-26T23:43:00.001-07:00

- Holy trinity: garlic, ginger, peppers
- "Wow, you can blend chicken?"
- Steamed shrimp wontons
- Steamed lettuce wrapped chicken
- Scallion crepe with balsamic shitake
- Rice paper wrapped seared beef with snow peas, spinach, and hoisin
- Spicy cashews with thai long green beans
- Cha-Siu pork puff pastry (and meat balls)
- Seared scallop with green beans on yakisoba
- Fried dates and walnut wontons with powdered sugar
- Instructor: Allison

[recipe] Ham, Red Bell Pepper, Enoki, Basil

2009-04-26T23:16:00.001-07:00

- Saute red bell pepper, then enoki mushrooms, salt, pepper
- In a separate pan, brown cubed ham, then mix in basil
- Mix everything together

[outing] An Easter Sunday Brunch

2009-04-14T23:47:00.001-07:00

- Marie's Artichoke and Cheese Empanadas
- Ray's Spicy Juicy Lucy
- April's Banana Bread
- Pierre's Chinese Sausage and Shitake Mushroom Frittata (Flip! Flip! Flip!)
- My Spicy Italian Sausage with Carrots and Onion on Puff Pastry Squares
- My Duncan Hines carrot cake
- Roberto and Jameson
- Rita and Todd's Tulip
- Jose therapy for Marie