how can i produce an image with a semi-transparent border?

Posted by david on 28. April 2009 21:41

this technique works:

!-- Outer Div -->

div style="width:300px;height:200px;background:url(http://www.mandarindesign.com/images/calla.jpg) repeat;border:1px solid white;">

!-- Opacity Border -->

   <div style="width:280px;height:180px;border:10px solid white;filter:alpha (opacity=50);-moz-opacity:.50;opacity:.50;-khtml-opacity: 0.5;">

   </div>

!-- End Outer Div --> 

</div>

baked potatoes & steak with chimichurri sauce

Posted by david on 1. April 2009 08:42

the definitive nuked&baked potato recipe

For this recipe, look for evenly sized russet potatoes with firm, unblemished skin. You can substitute sweet potatoes or yams for the potatoes. If you don’t want to use the microwave, place the potatoes directly on the middle rack of a 350-degree oven and bake until tender, about 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Ingredients

2 medium russet potatoes (1 pound), scrubbed and dried

Butter (for serving)

Table salt and ground black pepper (for serving)

Instructions

1. 1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Poke several holes in each potato with tines of fork and microwave potatoes on high until slightly soft to the touch, 6 to 12 minutes, turning them over halfway through.

2. 2. Carefully transfer potatoes to oven and cook directly on hot oven rack until skewer glides easily through flesh, about 20 minutes.

3. 3. Remove potatoes from oven and make dotted X on top of each potato with tines of fork. Press in at ends of each potato to push flesh up and out. Serve immediately with butter, salt, and pepper.

[1]

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Chimichurri sauce

Ingredients

3/4 c washed, dried, and chopped fresh parsley ( i used italian flat this time )

1/2 c evoo

1/4 c lemon juice

2 tbs finely chopped garlic

2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Instructions

Put the parsley in a bowl and whisk in the oil, along with the lemon juice, garlic, red pepper, and salt. Taste and adjust; let sauce rest at room temp for an hour or two. Several hours if possible.

[2]

the chimichurri topped a petite sirloin which I found in the freezer … kinda tough, but tasty.  Skillet cooked.

1. http://www.cooksillustrated.com/recipes/detail.asp?docid=8505

2. Bittman, Mark. The Minimalist Cooks Dinner. NY: Broadway, 2001.