A Shared Mile

Not really a recipe (fair warning) - or - Quail egg raviolone with saffron sauce

2012-01-23T20:48:00.000-08:00

Ahhhhh, finally the last installment of the dinner party...this post has been haunting me for nearly a year now. To be honest I am not quite sure why my posting slowed down so much and then vanished for almost a year. I have put a lot of thought into it and I think that part of it was all the change going on. It was hard to keep up on things that needed to get done let alone feel inspired to blog.

In case you don't take my work on the "a lot of changes part":

Finished Grad School (but I still owe my adviser a publishable manuscript) Aug. 2010.
Moved to California Sept. 2010.
Got engaged Oct. 2010.
Moved to a town home with a year long lease November 2010.
Finally got a job offer at Christmas and started a new job Jan. 2011.
Started to plan wedding and instantly felt overwhelmed Feb. 2011.
Started looking for a home to buy and instantly felt overwhelmed March 2011.
Realized I hated my job and entered a professional identity crisis (seriously, I am a biologist and started looking into nurse practitioner programs among other career choices including pubic relations, interior design, cooking school, and getting knocked up) April - August 2011.
Mr. Man and I put at least four offers in on homes for which we were outbid-every time. Felt like we were living in a 2004 time warp May-Sept 2011.
Continued to plan wedding(s!) that requires large quantities of negotiating between ourselves, our families, and piles of money Feb- November 5, 2011.
Applied for and was offered dream job August 2011.
Finally bid on and had an offer accepted on a home September 2011.
Started new job September 2011.
Got sick as I have ever been in my life and was out of commission for two weeks - the timing of which happened to coincide with our move to the new home, was two weeks after I had started said dream job, and finally got better one week before said marriage for which there was still gobs of planning because I am the biggest procrastinator in the world. October 2011.
Moved into new home October 2011.
Got married November 6, 2011.
Went on amazing honeymoon.
Returned home to finally unpack.

Phew. You have no idea how amazing the last month has been. Our house is finally starting to look like a home and our time is becoming our own again rather than being taken over by open houses, home tours, wedding planning, unpacking, and home projects.

It has been such a relief to finally feel like I can exhale and everything won't fall apart. Like I can sit for an afternoon and I won't suddenly be sinking in to do list that is too large to overcome. This past period of time has had some really great times and some not so great times. But it has brought me to the place I am in.

Now that things are calm, I finally have the chance to be still and take in all that has happened to bring me to the place I am at now. I feel so damn lucky I almost don't want to say it out loud for fear of jinxing it. Or even mistakenly making someone feel bad for gloating too much. But, I have to remind myself that I worked very hard to get to this place, where I get to live the daily grind and be appreciative of what it has to offer me. The way life rolls, I know this apple cart will soon be upset. I am okay with that. It's the typical up and down. For the moment though, I will enjoy the view and take the time to do the things I love. Like try to perfect my pasta making skills.

********* Below is the original post for this non-recipe recipe. I started it around April of last year.   I just decided to keep it.*****

I think the reason that I have felt overwhelmed by this post is that it involves making fresh pasta. We have made it five or six times now and it has turned out edible 4/6 times and just right once or twice. I don't really feel like I have too much insight here. Making pasta is just one of those things that takes a lot of trials to perfect. And the learning curve is definitely not directional. The first time we made pasta it was perfect. The third time it was inedible.

So rather than stress myself out and try to master pasta making before I post this I am just going to direct you to another blog post that I think covers the subject just the way I would want to. So head on over and make some pasta, then come back here and make this raviolone cause it was plate licking good.

This recipe was originally inspired by Dale on this past season of Top Chef. In one of the episodes he made a soup with an egg filled wonton. After searching around the internets I found a recipe by Salty Seattle that inspired me and this sauce too. Credit must be paid where credit is due.

This is a non-recipe recipe. To make this you want to follow the pasta making recipe from that first link up there....then use Salty Seattle to get an idea for filling (get creative here- I used some fresh thyme and parsley along with some caramelized shallot) and how to crack those cute little quail eggs. Then head over to that last link for the sauce. Honestly this dish is really rich. You could probably get away with either just the egg or the sauce. But, if you have the patience go with both - you and your guests will literally be licking the plates. If you don't skip the egg and keep the sauce. Okay, so there is your non-recipe recipe. Enjoy!

Tidbits

2011-04-06T11:01:00.000-07:00

Some days you just have a bunch of random stuff to put out there. This is one of those days.

********

I have a real corporate-like-Dilbert job now. I have never worked for a big corporation before. It has it's benefits and drawbacks. I am not sure how I feel about it yet

********

Every week we have "casual Friday" at work. Last Friday, while standing in my closet and staring blankly at my work clothes, I got a little too excited when I realized it was causal Friday and I could wear jeans. I know sometimes life is all about the "little things," but I think I need a little more excitement in my life if causal Friday is a highlight of the day.

********

Over the holidays I wrote a rant about some rather rude travelers and put it out there that this behavior needed to stop. I recently just got back from some cross-country travel with the airlines, and while it was not as bad as over the holidays I see that some very special members of the public at large are refusing to change. So allow me to get back on my soap box and repeat myself:

For one, PLEASE get up out of your seat when the person next to you needs to get up. Making me crawl over you is awkward for both of us. And no, picking your feet up and putting them on your seat DOES NOT HELP.

Also, I just want to let you know that I am probably going to be taken down by the secret airplane marshal guy the next time I see someone CLIPPING their FINGERNAILS on a plane or other public place (except then it would be me getting taken down by the police). Seriously, I cannot sit by idly and let this happen. I will be forced to attack if this behavior continues. There aren't many things in this world that gross me out. So, kudos for finding one. Now, please stop.

********

Despite our best efforts, I have recently come to terms with the fact that my dog is a menace to society. I still love him to pieces.

********

Planning a wedding is even less fun than you would think. I understand the draw to eloping now. Just imagine a few people on a beach...no wait...scratch that. Mr. Man would die from sun exposure. Make that just a few people under a veranda overlooking some majestic view. Or maybe on the pirate ship in Vegas.I totally get it. In the end all the planning will be worth it I am sure....(repeat until it is true).

********

We just booked our honeymoon to Italy using miles. Soooo excited about the trip. Two weeks of eating and drinking our way through Italy sounds like the perfect way to start a marriage.

********

Spring time in California kicks the ass of spring time in the Pacific Northwest. And yes, I am gloating. And yes, its STILL better even though we had a record breaking 21 days of rain here in March.

********

Springtime veggies, like asparagus, popping up in the farmers market are one of the little things that ARE totally worth getting excited about. Finding some yummy little ones yesterday at the lunch time farmers market was the highlight of my day.

********

Ummmmm...this is embarrassing because I don't have any kids to blame it on...but I have pink eye. WTF?

********

Thanks for listening! Feel free to vent, tell me about acceptable and not acceptable highlights of your day, the weather, and anything else on your mind. It's not a conversation without ya! (Plus, without you it's just me talking to myself and that is weird :) )

Getting culinary jealousy -or- Dinner party part 2, Creamy grits with crispy mushrooms and kale

2011-04-03T17:05:00.000-07:00

Sometimes it can be a little sad out here in the culinary world if you are a vegetarian. Sometimes a new craze is sweeping all the food magazines, blogs, and restaurants and there is just no way to participate if you are a vegetarian. For instance all things pig are way in right now. I think it may be on it's last leg with its time in the spotlight, but it's still in the forefront.

Other times, it's an ingredient, spice, or style of cooking that I can participate in, even if I have to adjust it somewhat. One such dish is shrimp and grits. I think that the southern influence on cooking is starting to pop up here and there, especially in some fancier restaurants. Southern cooking in general is hard for a vegetarian.

I see shrimp 'n grits on the menu in lots of places and I want to order it, but you know, minus the shrimp, and then it just doesn't seem worth it. I like grits for just about any meal aside from breakfast, and I have been wanting to try out a hearty, vegetarian version of these grits for sometime now.

I hardly ever toot my horn around here, but these grits were GD good. The girls had two more courses to get through in the dinner and they still went back for seconds. If that isn't the best compliment a dish can get than I don't know what is.

The combination of the creamy grits, sauteed mushrooms, topped with crispy kale chips (partly inspired by my ingrained sense that there must be something green in every meal - thank you mamacita) - all sitting in a little bit of broth are just what I needed to get over my grit craze jealously.

Creamy Grits with Crispy Mushrooms and Kale in a Veggie Broth

makes 6 servings

I used a fancy mushroom for my dinner party. For this dish I think it is better to buy a smaller amount of a more flavorful mushroom than use more of regular button mushrooms. But, using button mushrooms would taste good too. I also call for white pepper here (my new fav obsession) since it matches the grits, but the black pepper pretty much tastes the same.

For the grits:
4 cups milk (any percent or non-fat is fine)

1 cup quick-cooking grits

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 tsp. white pepper

1/8-1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

1/4-1/2-tsp. tarragon

salt to taste

6 oz. cream or mascarpone cheese

For the Kale:

1 large bunch kale, cut into chip size pieces, large stems removed

1 Tbs. olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

For the mushrooms:

1 Tbs. olive oil
2 LARGE handfuls oyster (or any other kind of mushrooms), cut into large pieces

1 large shallot, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

Go ahead and chop the kale, mushrooms, shallot, and garlic...this will make this dish come together much easier.

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

Mix the kale, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a bowl until coated. Place the kale in a single layer on a baking sheet. Once the oven reaches 300 degrees bake the kale for approximately 20 minutes or until they are crispy. Remove and set aside.

While the kale is baking, start to make the rest of the meal. First heat up your broth. Once it is warm keep it on a low heat to keep it warm.

For the mushrooms heat up 1 Tbs. olive oil over medium high heat in a saute pan. Once it is hot put the shallots in and cook for a minute or two, then add the mushrooms. Stir the mushrooms every minute or two until they start to brown and then add the garlic. Cook until everything is a golden brown and then cover and remove from the heat (or turn the heat down to low when they are almost done to keep them warm until the grits are ready).

Then put the milk and spices for the grits into a medium saucepan over medium heat. Sir it constantly to prevent it from burning. When the milk is just about to reach a simmer add the grits and stir until the grits are cooked, about five minutes. Add the cheese and turn off the heat. Stir until the cheese has melted and is well mixed in.

To serve put a ladle or two of grits into a bowl. Then add a ladle of broth. Next top with the mushrooms and then the kale (avoid getting the kale in the broth to keep them crispy as long as possible.

The things I do when Mr. Man is out of town - or - Dinner party part one, The most amazing watermelon radish salad ever

2011-02-16T21:59:00.000-08:00

Okay, let us first start off with the claim I just made - that this is best radish salad ever. It really is. I hope that you won't judge it by the pictures. I know that my photos can't compete with the likes of some of the great food blogs out there, but I need you to trust me on this one and eat this salad.

I made this salad as part of a dinner party that I hosted for some girlfriends. Mr. Man is out of town right now and although I always miss him terribly, I like to take advantage and do all the things I don't do when he is home. I think everyone has a list like this.

My list goes a little something like this:

Leave my dirty clothes on the bathroom floor.

Not eat complete meals...just snack directly from the refrigerator.

Crawl into bed with my computer at 7 pm.

Eat Brussels sprouts in large quantities (I did not know until just now that Brussels is capitalized and has an s on the end. My love affair with Brussels is so new and I have so much to learn).

Turn the heat way up high.

Watch Glee without commentary.

Eat sweet and savory foods....which is one of the inspirations of this salad.

This salad was also inspired by watermelon radishes. They are hot pink on the inside and light green on the outside. Such a welcome hint of color in the drab wintertime and as we all know (at least those of us who are dedicated to The Birdcage) one must have one tiny hint of color!

Anyway, this salad was a great way to start an amazing dinner party with some new and old friends back here in the Bay Area. It was a night filled with such good company that it spilled over into the food I was making and made it taste amazing. The next day I was filled with a warm cozy vibe from the night before and the feeling that I was starting to rebuild my community here. I hope this salad tastes as good for you as it did for me.

Sweet and Savory Watermelon Radish Salad

serves 6

One other note on watermelon radishes. They are much more mild and less bitter than regular radishes. If you are not normally a fan, give these a try and omit the regular radishes. Also, you can substitute sour cream in place of the creme fraiche if you don't have it or don't want to splurge. In place of the pepitas you could substitute pine nuts, slivered almonds, pecans, etc.

For the Salad:

1-2 large watermelon radishes, thinly sliced

a handful of regular radishes, thinly sliced

3 heads endives, halved, hearts removed, and sliced lengthwise

6 tsp. creme fraiche

For the Honeyed Pepitas:

1/2 cup raw pepitas

2-3 Tbs. honey

1 Tbs. sea salt, the bigger the salt pieces the better

parchment paper

For the Vinaigrette:

juice from half a lemon

1/4 cup grapeseed or other light oil

sea salt, to taste

white pepper, to taste (you can use black too, but I think that this salad looks prettier with the white since it blends in)

First prepare the pepitas. Put the pepitas in a frying pan over medium heat. Toast them for a minute then add the honey and continue to toast them in the pan for another three or four minutes until the pepitas are golden. Once they are done spread them out on parchment paper, sprinkle with the sea salt, and allow them to cool.

Before you plate the salads, go ahead and make the vinaigrette by mixing together all the ingredients and set aside.

To prepare the salad, first divide the endives evenly among six plates. Then divide the regular radishes among the plates, followed by the watermelon radishes. Top with the honeyed pepitas and finally a dollop of the creme fraiche.

Dress the salads just before you serve them. The vinaigrette causes the colors from the watermelon radish to leech from them and run.

I am the worst procrastinaor ever -or- Shaker Lemon Pie

2011-02-14T20:45:00.000-08:00

I have mentioned it once or twice before here on this shared mile of ours. I am a card carrying member of the procrastinator's club.

In general, I consider myself to be a really efficient procrastinator.

Oh, what's that you say? You don't quite understand how procrastination can help you to be a much more productive person?

Well, let me direct you to a little essay that I once found on the internet. You know, the place where you should believe everything that you read.

The first time I read it, I was so excited that someone had finally explained, in words, why I was somehow able to be one of the worst procrastinators ever and still maintain a good gpa at an academically difficult college. Most people would think that a procrastinator would tank at a school that required hundreds of pages or reading, papers to write, and exams to take every week. Technically, I should have tanked. But, somehow I always managed. It wasn't always pretty, but it always worked out. I never missed a deadline.

So when I read this essay, it was like I had found my own personal manifesto.

Basically, the theory is that to be a productive procrastinator you must always have a long list of tasks to accomplish going at all times. The key is to have seemingly important tasks at the top of the list. Tasks that you can procrastinate while you do all the other tasks on your list. It's genius, really.

Anyway, you are probably starting to wonder how Shaker lemon pie plays into all this procrastination talk. Well, I made this pie last year and have been meaning to write and post this recipe ever since. Not last year December, mind you. Last year, about this time, last year.

I have had it at the top of my to do list for a very long time. I think about it all the time and it nags at me. I have no idea why it has taken me this long to get around to posting about it, but it did. I have gotten a lot of other things done in that time, including other blog posts. It is hard to explain this logic myself, just go read the essay.

Anyway, this recipe is from the book Tartine. It is from a very famous bakery in San Francisco. A bakery I never went to in my four years in the city. It is one of those places where the line extends for blocks while people wait for tables or to place orders to take home. I am sure it is worth the wait, but honestly I am way too hungry and cranky in the morning to go wait in a long line for food. So, I was really excited when they came out with their cookbook.

Every recipe in this book looks amazing. It ranges from easy recipes such as deluxe double chocolate cookies to extremely complex like their holiday buche du noel. I have made several recipes from this book. And I have to be honest, most of them seem like they are leaving out a secret ingredient or secret step. I made a banana date bread that was just meh, brownies that turned out terrible, twice. And finally, this Shaker lemon pie, which I also had to make twice to get it right.

Granted, some of this may be because I am not a professional baker, but I sort of feel like cookbooks made for at home cooks shouldn't be hard to figure out. They should be written so that someone who is not professionally trained can figure it out.

Also, to be fair, I really liked this Shaker lemon pie, once I got it right (the first time the entirety of the filling oozed out of the tart pan and into the stove setting off multiple fire alarms. Fun.). I know it sounds crazy after everything I just wrote but I still love this book. Maybe it is more of a love-hate relationship we have. But, I still have many recipes left in this book that I want to have some baking adventures with.

To sum it up, I loved the pie. So I am writing about it here for you. You can make your own judgment.

Shaker Lemon Pie

adapted from Tartine

This pie is just right for me, but its not for traditionalists and will most likely be met with mixed reviews if you serve it to a crowd. The main offense the nay-sayers took with this pie is that it is mad up of thinly sliced lemons, peel and all. They just couldn't seem to let that go. Some would say it has a toothsome quality, but I really really hate that word for some reason. I hear nails on a chalkboard every time it's uttered. Shudder. Also, if you use Meyer lemons than you don't have to let them sit for three hours the way you do with other lemons.

2 lemons, sliced as thinly as possible

2 cups sugar, plus more to sprinkle on top

4 large eggs, plus one yolk for the egg wash

1/4 tsp. salt

1 Tbs. heavy cream or water

One recipe pie crust (a good one is here)

A 10-inch tart pan or a shallow pie dish

First slice the lemons as thin as you possibly can. Get rid of the seeds as you come to them. If you have a mandolin, this would be the perfect time to use. However, I don't own one, so don't let the slicing scare you off. Just be patient.

Place the lemon slices in a non-reactive bowl. This is anything that is stainless steel or glass. Add in the sugar and stir until all the lemons are covered. Let it sit on the counter for at least three hours if you are using anything other than Meyer lemons.

Once your lemons are ready preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (its winter time, so I think you should turn it on sooner than you need to so you can warm the place up a bit) and put one of the racks on the lower third of the oven.

Then beat four eggs and the salt together and then mix them in with the lemons. Then line your pan with one pie crust round and leave about an inch of over hang and pour the mixture into the pan.

Make the egg wash by beating together the egg yolk and the heavy cream or water. Brush the rim of the pie crust to help the top to stick on. lay the second pie crust round over the top.

Crimp the edges of the pie crust together and ensure that there is good seal between the top and the bottom. Brush the top with the rest of the egg wash and sprinkle with some sugar.

Chill the pie in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper and place the pie on it. Cut a few slits in the top of the pie for vents and bake it for about 40 minutes. It will be a golden brown and the filling with be bubbling when it is done.

Allow the pie to cool completely before serving so the insides can set a bit and not run out everywhere.

Tartine also recommends that you serve this with whipped cream. I don't think it needs it, but far be it for me to tell you not to eat whipped cream!

Getting sassy at the airport

2010-12-23T13:48:00.000-08:00

An open letter to my fellow holiday travelers:

I am not going to dwell on this first one, but I just want to let you know that you do not have to wait for an invitation to step up to an open kiosk and check in. This system has been in place for quite some time now. There is not a human for every screen. You are in charge of your own destiny here. When you see an open screen, step right up. Check yourself in. If you wait for someone to invite you to the kiosk it is going to be awhile and will be the same result. You still have to check yourself in and wait for one of the actual humans to come around and take your bag. Okay, so I dwelled a bit more than I meant to.

Onward!

Secondly, I just want to state the obvious and remind you that traveling during the holidays is crazy making. It is going to be crowded, loud, and all around uncomfortable for the next day or so until you reach your final destination. Giving your bag a much-needed seat for an actual human in a crowded airport is not going to change this fact. I know that you want to treat your bag to the very best, because it does such a good job of carrying all of your crap around, but please do not wait for someone to ask you that seat is taken by an actual person before you to move it. See all those people sitting on the floor? My guess is that they would rather be in a chair!

So, all you other reasonably respectful people out there, let’s band together. When looking for a seat, purposefully choose one that is occupied by a bag. Mwah ha ha. Evil plan hatched. Please note that none of this applies if you are in an empty-ish waiting area. Then by all means give your bag its very own seat.

Also, this year is the first time that I noticed so many people traveling with their pets. It was like a giant dog park, rather than an airport. I think that is great. I always with I could take Porter when we travel. I just have a few notes ( I promise to step down from this soapbox, ahem, blog soon). For those of you traveling with “service” dogs, great job getting around the system. I commend you for doing what I am not ballsy enough to do.

But, at least pretend to have a real service dog. Attempt to maintain your dog’s attention and make it look like a service dog and not your semi-well behaved pet. Or maybe have your loved one push you around in a wheel chair. Something other than stating so loudly that any passerby can hear that you are doing this because they leave you no other choice when traveling with a large dog. Oh, and p.s. there is another choice. Boarding. Just sayin’.

One more note on the subject of dogs. I love doggies. They are great. Travel with them to your hearts content. But, if you happen to be traveling with a dog that cannot stop barking, please do us all a favor and get some tranquilizers from your vet. Your pet is obviously stressed and so are we. It is really a win-win.

Okay, so that is all I have from the strange land of airport travel three days before Christmas. Take care of yourselves out there, and those around you too. Stranger or not.

(stepping down now)

Stuff I wish I made this Holiday Season

2010-12-19T18:33:00.000-08:00

Things have been busy this last part of 2010. To be honest, neither Mr. Man or I have been in the holiday spirit. Some years are just like that. Life makes things too busy to care about hosting the best holiday party, cooking dozens of cookies, and decorating your home. And that's okay. These things are supposed to be fun, and when you are so busy that they feel like a chore, then you shouldn't feel bad about giving them up for year.

This year I have been living my holiday cheer vicariously through the blog world and thinking about all the things I want to do next year. 2011 is going to be a very tasty and crafty holiday season!

I always dream of giving away baskets of homemade goodies. This year is the first year that I have ever canned anything. There were some successes and some failures. Now that it is the end of the year, all that is left to give that is worthy of it's recipients are some blackberry and/or raspberry jam for dear old mom and dad. Sigh. Maybe next year I will get around to making:

Cocoa Molasses Toffee

Peppermint Hot Fudge Sauce

Olive Oil Granola

Salted Butter Caramels

Homemade Vanilla Extract

Each year, I usually love to try out a new cookie or two that might make it into the family repertoire of holiday cookies that come out of the recipe box every year. Maybe next year one of these will be added to the ranks of chocolate oatmeal, magic cookie bars, rum balls, and Russian tea cakes to name a few. A couple of these recipes are from the Momofuku Pastry Chef of recent fame. If you haven't heard of her yet (or David Chang the savory chef/ owner of the Momofuku dynasty) just know that they are the current culinary rock stars.

Honey Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

Compost Cookies

Blueberries and Cream Cookies

Naan Berenji - Persian Rice Flour Cookies

I had my first macaron (not to be confused here with a marcaroon, the pile of coconut goodness) the other day at Thomas Keller's Bouchon Bakery. I thought I hated them. But, a friend who had been there before bought a bunch of different things for us to try. I figured if there were ever a time to try a macaron it would probably be at the famed bakery of Thomas Keller. It turns out I love them. All these years I had been mistaking these tiny little nuggets of flavor to be the same as meringue cookies (which I still hate). A whole macaron world has opened for me. The food world is currently obsessing about them too so there are lots of recipes out there. They seem ridiculously hard to make, but I want to try anyway. The flavor combinations are endless and inspiring. A few of the many I think would be fun to try:

Honey and Vanilla

Coconut, White Chocolate and Mango

Red Hot Devil

Strawberry and Red Wine

I also love to think about and plan holiday dinner parties here and at home with the family. Just like Thanksgiving it seems like a great time to bust out new recipes that require lots of time and/or lots of fat. So, another thing on this list of stuff I wish I did this holiday season: Cook up a storm. Here is just a sampling of some of what I have been salivating over out there in foodie blog land.

Sweet Corn Spoonbread

Bunuelos/ Sephardic Donuts

Puff Pastry

Cauliflower Sformato

For many years Mamacita and I had made a tradition of searching for the perfect bread pudding recipe, trying out a new one every year. Finally, two years ago we found The One. From what I remember it was an Emeril recipe for a tropical style bread pudding. Pineapple, coconut, and rum sauce. The perfect bread pudding storm. I remember the following year after discovering said recipe, I was all set to make it again and Mamacita was on the search for a new recipe. Apparently, we both had different versions of this tradition. I thought we were searching for The One. She thought the tradition was to try a new recipe every year. I have done some searching am not sure exactly which recipe we used, but here are some ideas for this and other bread puddings. If I can find it when I am at Mamacita's, I'll try to post it.

Peaches and Cream Bread Pudding with Amaretto Sauce

Nuevo Cubano Bread Pudding (this might be the one I just ranted about)

Bourbon Bread Pudding

Banana Bread Pudding

Umm Ali (Egyptian Style Bread Pudding)

I could go on and on and on with the bread puddings. And don't even get me started on the savory bread puddings!

Sooo....these are just some of the things that I would like to do next year. I welcome any suggestions of favorites you may have or things you want to try to accomplish this year or next!

Back on the blog again baby -or- Butternut squash gratin with Ginger parsnip puree

2010-12-17T11:55:00.000-08:00

Oh dear. Its been awhile.

A lot has happened since I last wrote. Unfortunately, not very much from the list I last wrote about. Would any of you notice if I went back and edited it to say things like graduate a quarter earlier than I was planning, move to California, or search for gainful employment? Oh, and become engaged to Mr. Man. :) Cause that is a list I totally would have rocked.

So, that is essentially what I have been up to lately. I will write about them more as time goes on.

I am excited to be getting this first post written to end the long silence I have had. The longer I went without writing, the harder it was to sit down and write about all the things that have happened and the meals that have accompanied those events. Overwhelming.

Luckily, I have some really great friends and family who keep telling me to get my bum back on the internets. So here I am. And of course I have a hearty winter recipe for you. Any excuse to turn on the oven is always welcome in my kitchen. And so are you (us sharing a mile and all).

Butternut Squash Gratin and Ginger Parsnip Puree
serves 4
adapted from Vegetarian Food for Friends

This recipe is perfectly paired. Individually the gratin and the puree are just okay. Together, on the same fork both are elevated to party in your mouth status. That is what I love about this book. Many of the recipes are listed with side dishes that pair perfectly and make you look like a flavor genius to your guests. This recipe in particular also deserves a fresh, crunchy salad alongside it to break up the heaviness of the winter foods.

For the gratin:
4 lbs. butternut squash or pumpkin, peeled seeded and cut into large chunks
1 Tbs. olive oil
4 Tbs. unsalted butter, cut into pieces
12 oz. corn (drained if canned, thawed if frozen, not on the cob, if fresh and if you can get fresh corn in the dead of winter)
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
2 cloves garlic, grated on a micro-plane (or chopped)
leaves from 2 sprigs of thyme
salt and pepper to taste

For the gratin topping:
3 cups bread crumbs
4 oz. goat cheese, crumbled
3 Tbs. olive oil

For the ginger parsnip puree:
1.5 lbs parsnips, peeled and chopped
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 tsp. powdered ginger (make it 1.5 tsp if you want a more gingery taste rather than essence of ginger)
1 1/4 cups heavy cream (I think that this recipe would work fine with even fat free milk...just add less to begin with and add as you see fit to get the right consistency of the puree. I happened to have some from thanksgiving so I went for the recommended dosage of fat. Sorry about all the ingredient notes in this post. Stopping now.)
salt and pepper (use white pepper if you have it. Okay, now I'm really done)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Put all of the ingredients for the gratin (not including the gratin topping ingredients) into an ovenproof glass baking dish and mix together. In a separate bowl stir together the ingredients for the gratin topping then pour it over the gratin. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 40 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes until the crumb topping is a golden brown.

While this dish is baking start to prepare the ginger parsnip puree. Put the chopped parsnips, salt, white pepper (or regular will work too, I just like the way white pepper doesn't show in this dish), and ginger on a baking dish and mix together. Make sure all the parsnips are in a single layer and bake them in the same 400 degree F oven for 20 minutes.

When the parsnips are done transfer them to a food processor along with the cream and blend until smooth. Adjust to taste with the salt and pepper. Put the puree in a covered ovenproof dish and put it back in the oven for up to 20 minutes. I left mine in for this long and it started to brown along the edges and gave it a bit more of a deeper, developed taste.

My first 29th birthday

2010-04-02T11:00:00.000-07:00

I recently turned (gulp) 29. There is a lot attached to that number. Well, at least there is a lot attached to it if you are me. I think any milestone in life causes one to reflect a bit. And having a blog allows you to do it publicly. You have been warned.

For me, it is not necessarily that I feel like 30 is old. It is more this general sense that there was more that I should have done in my 20's. It's your decade to be wild and free. I feel like I should have backpacked across Asia or Europe by now. Taken a long-term volunteer opportunity in some foreign country. Taken more risks in general. Already finished grad school and be ready to settle into a real job.

It's not to say that I haven't taken risks. I packed all of my things into a 1991 Toyota Corolla and moved myself all the way from West Virginia to San Francisco when I was 22 (Crap. 22. That sounds so youthful. And feels so very long ago.). I moved to Spain for a semester and lived with a Spanish host family. I worked at a field station in a National Park and stalked nesting birds by day and lived with 8 other interns by night. I know I have done things.

I guess that what it comes down to, and maybe we all feel this way just a little, is that there is a certain amount of risk that you have to let go of as you get older. You get things in return. Relationships. Stable paychecks (hopefully soon). A dog. And these things are amazing. They are. I wouldn't trade them for the world. I just think that I need a way to keep some of the young and free me around too. I might want one more than the other, but the whimsical side of me will never quite let go of the other stuff.

I am a Pisces after all. The symbol for Pisces are two fish swimming in opposite directions, signifying shifting emotional currents, conflicting desires. Yeah, I might own an astrology book. I will always want multiple, conflicting things. To be clear I need to tell you that even if I weren't in grad school on the path I am on am now, I probably wouldn't be volunteering in Latin America or traveling through Thailand with my backpack right now. Because, if I were really going to do those things, I probably would have done them by now. Not to mention that my back problems prohibit me from carrying anything on my back and the thought of staying in a hostel with a bunch of other kids sounds more like work than fun.

Part of me feels like I have been holed up in graduate school for a few years now and have let go a little too much of some of those things that make being young fun. Some of them I will never get back, like being able to survive a night out on the town and doing it all over again the next day. But some of it I can. And you know how I love a list.

This is sort of a quasi-bucket list. A list of the things I want to do every year or so, rather than a list of things I want to do before I die.

1. Do one thing to remind myself that I am alive.

Awhile back a very good family friend was showing us her new tattoo. She and her husband had just gotten one on their vacation. Neither of them were really the type to get a tattoo. Not to mention that I had sort of just assumed that if you hadn't gotten a tattoo by a certain age than you probably never would. On previous vacations she had gotten her naval pierced or hair braided. She said something casually as she was showing us her new tat. "You have to do something every once in awhile to remind yourself that you are alive." That stuck with my teenage mind and continues to. You don't have to do anything crazy like jump off a bridge. Just do something unexpected. Something other people wouldn't expect from you. Something you wouldn't normally expect from yourself.

2. Have an adventure.

Travel. Plan a crazy day doing random things in the city. Take weekend vacay. Learn to sail. Go backpacking. Just to name a few.

3. Make new friends.

I have made a lot of friends. The problem is we all seem to be a bit transient in our locations. The friends I have made in the various stages of my life have all dispersed all over the place. It makes for some great reunions, but can make it difficult when you just want to get together with some girlfriends for dinner. Making new friends is exciting. It keeps you young...and busy. Besides I was a Girl Scout for twelve years and sung the song, "Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver and the other's gold," about a million times, in a round. It is permanently burned in my brain.

4. Volunteer.

When I was in high school I was a part of just about every club (total nerd). I volunteered and did fundraising events for various groups. It was a lot of fun and I got to do something worthwhile for others at the same time. I have been really wrapped up in my own grad school adventures lately that this part of my life has fallen by the wayside. The first thing that I am doing is walking with my Mom in the Susan. G. Komen 3-day (60 miles!) walk for breast cancer research and community support programs. I am so excited for this event and all the work it will take to raise the money beforehand.

5. Do one thing that only young people do.

You know, like "Road Trip!" Or maybe "Road Trip to some totally crowded concert on a lawn!"

6. Have outside interests.

School and my future career path started to take over a lot of my time and brain power. And I don't like it. I sort of decided that I needed something in my life to work on that was a bit more of a creative outlet for me. More fun and less work. That is where this blog came from. I want to continue to write here, but to also work on some other creative things that I have been meaning to get around to. Like finishing duvet covers I promised for people or learning how to knit.

7. Do one thing that totally scares me every year.

This is a little like number one, but number one isn't meant to scare you. This is. You can take it literally or figuratively. Some things I have on this list are a hot air balloon ride, training on a trapeze (really), or maybe just doing something intimidating like going to a hip hop class.

8. Spend more time in the great outdoors.

This one is pretty self explanatory. But, you know, camping, hiking, and the like. It just resets you a bit, yes?

Okay, I think that is the whole list for now. I reserve the right to add to it at my discretion though. I promise not to take anything off of it. And I will try to keep track and we can have an update for my second 29th birthday next year. You should keep me posted on your progress too :)

I would love to hear about anything you might want to put on a list like this for yourself.

It's official

2010-03-09T17:33:00.000-08:00

Please contact the Guinness Book of World Records. We have the longest puppy ever.

He just turned five months old. Good grief, Charlie Brown.

It's genetic -or- Three ways to preserve honeybell oranges

2010-03-08T11:00:00.000-08:00

There have been several posts about citrus on this little site 'o mine. It is starting to verge on obsession. But, I can't help it you see. It is in my genes. I have a tendency to over-express my citrus gene.

Okay, enough nerdy gene stuff. Seriously though, my obsession is inherited. As evidenced by this large box of honeybells my Dad sent to me. It was such a delightful surprise to open this box.

You see, my grandparents grew honeybells in their orange grove. They used to send us large boxes of them every year. For those of you that have never had a honeybell before let me first tell you that these are the sweetest, juiciest oranges ever. They are a hybrid of grapefruits and tangerines. Usually, they are seedless, unless the bees pollinate them with some other fruit pollen that the growers wish they wouldn't use.

My Dad juiced almost every one and served it to us for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and afternoon snacks until it ran out. We ate some too, but honestly, in this family we like our orange juice so thick that you have to chew it, so it was practically the same thing. Just less messy.

The oranges my Dad sent were from a commercial grower. They were good, but not nearly as good as the ones my grandparents grew. After all, theirs went literally from the tree to my doorstep as fast as the mail could carry them. Plus, the frost that hit Florida this year might have had something to do with it.

Nonetheless, they were the best oranges I had this year. Their juicing ability astounded me once again. Most honeybells yield about a cup of juice each! With this large box Mr. Man and I ate some, juiced some, and still had plenty left over.

I decided to use the honeybells as my first experimental trip into canning land. It is something that has always seemed so involved in the past that I have never tried it before. Mamacita and my grandmother did plenty of canning when I was a young child, but I was too young to remember.

This year, we got a many gifts from friends for the holidays of homemade canned chutneys, jams, and sauces. I felt so rich having them in my cupboard that it inspired me. Making my grandparent's favorite oranges last just a little bit longer seemed like a great way to get started.

Honeybell Oranges Preserved Three Ways
all recipes adapted from The Joys of Jams, Jellies, and other Sweet Preserves by Linda Ziedrich

This book is the only one I own on canning so I can't really review it based on comparison. However, I can tell you that it has a very straightforward approach. If you have never canned before than you definitely need to read the "Preserver's Primer" at the beginning of the book before getting started. The recipes do not repeat the process of actually canning the preserves over and over again, so reading this first will save you the trouble later.

Honeybell Orange Slices in Syrup
makes three half-pints

These were so different from anything normally associated with oranges or how they are to be eaten that I had to try it. The result is a surprisingly intriguing blend of spicy sweet and bitter. I think that they would be good eaten alone, or chopped up and served over ice cream or a plain cake, like pound cake.

3 large oranges
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup honey
3 Tbs. strained lemon juice
2 cinnamon stick
9 cloves
9 allspice berries

To sterilize your jars just throw them in a boiling water bath before you get started. They should be done, dry, and cooled before the oranges are ready. Also, if you are good at timing, you can just throw them in your dishwasher. It gets hot in there.

If the oranges you have were purchased at the store and were not labeled organic than the waxy layer needs to be removed. Put the oranges in a colander in the sink and pour boiling hot water over them and scrum them well.

To slice the oranges first cut a thin slice from the top and bottom on the oranges so you can see the orange sections. Them begin to cut out the orange sections along the membranes, cutting through both the flesh and peel. Put the oranges into a sauce pan (anything but iron or aluminum) and cover them with water. Place the pan over high heat and bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat and allow the oranges to simmer for 40 minutes, or until they are slightly tender. Then drain the oranges and set them aside.

Put the sugar, honey, honey, lemon juice, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice into the same type of I saucepan (you know, the nonreactive one that isn't made of stainless steel or iron). This recipe calls for you to put the spices into a spice bag...but this sounds like more work than it is worth to me. I just removed them by hand at the end.

Put the pan over a medium heat, and mix the ingredients together until it comes to a simmer. Then add the oranges and simmer for another hour, or until the slices are very tender.

Remove the spices, or the spice bag.

Pack the orange slices vertically, peels out into the jars and add a slice to the center. This part is really just for effect. It does look pretty, and I am glad that I did it, but it does require a wee bit of patience. If you don't care how it looks just throw those suckers in there. Cover the slices with the syrup. Wipe the rim of the jar and them add the lids. be sure to not screw the ring on too tightly.

Process the jars in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. There are some rules here for you first time canners. One is that you don't want your jar to sit on the bottom of the pan. You need a rack in there. I jerry-rigged (* Is this even the way that word is written? It has just occurred to me that I have never written it) one using the little thing I put in my pans to steam veggies. Also, grab yourself some tongs to put the jars in the water bath and to take them out. You want to try to keep them upright.

Once the jars are done you will want to cool them for a bit on a towel. After they have cooled check to see that the seal has been suctioned down (the fun button to press is no longer there). If they are not sealed then put them back in the boiling water bath and repeat the process.

Honeybell Orange Curd
makes about a pint

I love me some lemon curd. I had never had orange curd before, but now I love me some orange curd. I think you will too.

2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1/2 cup strained orange juice
3 Tbs. strained lemon juice
6 Tbs butter, softened
1 cup sugar
Grated zest of one orange (optional)

Beat the eggs and yolks in a bowl until they are smooth, then add in the orange and lemon juice and beat again

This recipe calls for this part to be done in a double boiler. But I don't have one and I have made a mess more than once trying to jerry-rig one (twice! in one post!), so I usually forgo the use of this equipment. In the case if lemon or orange curd it doesn't really seem to matter as long as you keep an eye on the heat and stir it constantly.

Melt the butter in a pan over medium low heat. Stir in the sugar, then the egg-juice mixture. Continue stirring until the curd thickens, about five minutes or so. One great thing about this book is that Linda gives you lots of tests, which is great for first-times. In this case, the curd is done when you can draw a path on the back of the spoon with your finger (careful, its hot!) or a thermometer reads 160 degrees F. Stir in the optional zest.

Pour the hot curd into one or more jars and put the lids on tightly. The curd will keep in the fridge for a week or so and in the freezer for at least a couple of months.

Honeybell Orange Jelly Made with Homemade Orange Pectin

This is by far the most complicated of the canning I did. Mostly, because it requires you to make orange pectin first. And also, because I have a bad habit of not reading recipes before I plan to make something. I am often caught with my proverbial pants down. The orange pectin requires about 18 hours in all. I did not realize that the first time I tried to make it. Doh. But, I did eventually set aside time to make it. The thought that by making the jelly I used the juices and the membranes and the pith was very exciting to me. I love things that let you use the whole fruit. Had I been more zealous I would have also made candied orange peels to really use the whole thing. Anyway, back to the jelly.

Homemade Orange Pectin

Number or oranges depends on the size, but about 5 or 6
1/4 cup lemon juice
4 cups water

Cut the oranges in half. Squeeze the juice out and save it for the jelly. Discard the seeds.
Scrape out the inside of the oranges so you get all of the membranes and some of the white pith. Keep doing this until you have enough to firmly pack into 2 cups. In a blender blend the orange insides along with the lemon juice and 2 cups water. Let it stand at room temperature for four hours. Then add another 2 cups of water and blend. Then allow it to rest again at room temperature for 12 hours.

Then bring the whole mixture to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Strain the mixture through a colander, and them through a jelly bag. Surprise, surprise, I don't have a jelly bag. I skipped it. It didn't matter.

Freeze the juice in one cup portions if you are not going to use them right away.

Vanilla-Honeybell Orange Jelly
makes about two half-pints

1 cup strained fresh orange juice
1 cup homemade orange pectin (see above)
2 Tbs. strained lemon juice
1 1/2 cups sugar
Vanilla bean, sliced lengthwise (optional)

Put all of the ingredients into a non-reactive pan over medium heat. Stir the mixture until the sugar dissolves and then raise the heat to medium high. Boil the jelly until it passes the spoon test (dribbles slowly off the edge of your spoon) or it reaches 220 degrees F.

Remove the vanilla bean. Put the jelly into the jars, wipe the rims, and tighten the rings. Follow the same procedure for the boiling water bath as for the orange slices. One you remove the jars leave them undisturbed for two days. Apparently, it can be slow to set. If if does not set after this time go back and retrace your steps. It might require you to cook it again if you did not get it to the right temperature or did not use enough sugar.

I can't think of a clever title -or- Blue cornmeal spoon bread

2010-01-29T10:06:00.000-08:00

I love a meal that can be translated into many different dishes as leftovers with minimal effort. During busy and stressful weeks it is nice to have something in the refrigerator that you can pull out and dress up in any way you like and have a meal in minutes.

I have made a lot of polenta and cornbread in my day. But never spoon bread, even though just a glance in the direction of a spoon bread recipe makes my mouth water. I mean, fluffy, melt in your mouth cornbread? And I get to eat it with a spoon? Sign me up!

There is an alarming amount of blue cornmeal in my pantry considering the only thing I ever make with it are gluten-free crackers. I have always wanted to experiment with and substitute it for regular, yellow cornmeal, but I have been afraid. Afraid of what exactly? I don't know. Just afraid.

However, after being inspired by another blogger who made a whole cake out of blue cornmeal I became determined to get over my fear. And so, I decided to marry the two ideas when I came across a recipe for spoon bread in my new cookbook by Mollie Katzen, Vegetable Heaven, that Mamacita got me for the holidays.

And it was good. I don't know what I have been so afraid of (that the yellow cornmeal zealots would come and picket at my house?, that the Bureau of Proper Cornmeal Usage would investigate me?). Honestly, I think I was just afraid I would somehow ruin it. Which, the way things have been going in my kitchen lately, should not really be something I am afraid of anymore.

So, I say go forth fellow food lovers and substitute blue cornmeal for yellow! Let it be known: It is both beautiful and delicious.

Blue Cornmeal Spoon Bread
serves 6
adapted from Vegetable Heaven

Like I mentioned earlier, one of the best things about this dish is the ease with which you can change it up in minutes. I served mine with cheddar, salsa, and avocado, but the options are limitless. It would be amazing next to enchiladas, covered in fresh fruit and creme fraiche, mushroom gravy, next to a salad, or, well, you get the idea. Get creative with it.

3 cups milk (full-fat, fat free, soy are all fine)
1 cup blue cornmeal (use white or yellow, if you must)
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 cup minced scallions (both white and green parts)
1 tsp. red pepper flakes, or to taste
4 large eggs
1/2 cup grated extra sharp cheddar cheese
oil or butter to grease the baking dish

Grease an 8x8 inch baking dish. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Place the milk in a medium sized sauce pan and bring it to a boil over medium heat.

While the milk is heating up chop the scallions, grate the cheese, and set them aside. Scramble the eggs in a separate bowl and set them aside as well.

Once your milk has just started to boil begin to add the cornmeal slowly while whisking constantly. Continue to cook the mixture, while stirring constantly for another five minutes then remove it from the heat.

Immediately add the scallions, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes and stir. Them add the eggs while stirring (to prevent them from cooking). Lastly, add the cheese and stir one last time.

Place the whole mixture into the baking dish. Bake for approximately 30 minutes. The center will be firm when it is done.

Serve hot with your choice of toppings.

I love that pretty blue!

Porter & Me (& Mr. Man)

2010-01-22T11:50:00.000-08:00

You know the movie Marley & Me? Well, if you don't, no worries because you don't need to have seen the movie to get my point here.

In the movie Owen Wilson's character gets a puppy for his wife, Jennifer Aniston. The reasoning behind this decision for Owen (we are on a first name basis) was to make his wife forget about wanting to make babies for a little while longer. When I first saw this movie I remember thinking that this was a crock of sh**, written by some man somewhere who hasn't a clue about anything. How typical, right? I mean, in this movie a man is trying to manipulate a woman into not wanting children. What woman would fall for that?

Now we have a puppy. Let me be clear that this puppy was not gotten as a substitute for or manipulative move to prevent the wanting of children. We just wanted a dog. Enter Porter.

Before we got Porter I had no immediate plans for children. They were just a twinkle in my eye for some very far off almost unimaginable time. After getting Porter I now realize that the movie was totally right. Sorry future hypothetical children. Porter has effectively squashed that twinkle. No more twinkles for a very long time.

Puppies are a lot of work. It can so worth it to have them and so frustrating all in one moment. To say the least, they are a huge time suck. And they are only a fraction of the work of a small child. Whether or not Owen was trying to manipulate his wife is of no importance. It's just the way it is. Getting a puppy makes you want to rethink the whole children thing.

See where I am going with this? Yup, you guessed it. Puppies should be given to teenagers to prevent teen pregnancy.

Making up the new diet craze -or- Everything Free Almond Cookies

2010-01-19T09:48:00.000-08:00

In case you haven't figured it out already, I am a vegetarian. Not the "preachy" kind. Just the "I don't eat meat and as long as you don't give me a hard time about my food choices I will respect your food choices too" kind.

As such I don't make much of a big deal about it. I don't ask people to make concessions when I am around. However, I do appreciate more than the average person when someone keeps me in mind when planning a meal. I don't need to be able to eat the entire menu, just one thing is nice.

Therefore, I take special care to try to remember my friends with certain food allergies when inviting them over. Of course, I can't make everything-free (you know wheat, dairy, gluten, soy, the list goes on) entire menu's all the time (I am not that talented of a chef). But, I do like to keep them in mind. I know it makes all the difference to me when people keep me in mind so I like to return the favor. Good karma and all.

Plus, I like a challenge. And baking gluten and dairy free is a challenge (at least for me...the friend I had in mind when preparing these has become quite good at this task).

This is another recipe from Veganonmicon. I find that it lends itself quite well to the non-dairy aspects and I can substitute the rest to make it gluten free. The only flaw in this master plan I have developed is that I often forget that neither B or I are vegan, so technically I could use eggs. Something I have found to be very helpful when trying to hold flour together. However, I am usually done by the time I remember this. Hence these cookies are also vegan and therefore what I am now calling everything-free (dairy, gluten, and egg). If you are allergic to rice or soy I am sorry. Obviously, there is some fine print included in the new "everything free," patent pending, craze.

Almond Cookies
Makes 20-24 cookies
adapted from Veganomicon

These cookies are surprisingly moist, crumbly, and delicious. I had to make some substitutions to the original recipe. Rice flour for regular, agave syrup for brown rice syrup, extra vanilla in place of almond extract, and some proportions to get the right consistency in order to meet the everything free qualifications and the ingredients on hand. Just wanted to let you know in case you want to stay true to the original recipe.

2 1/2 cup brown rice flour
3/4 cup almond meal or ground almonds
1 1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup canola, vegetable, or peanut oil or a mixture
1/4 cup agave nectar
1/4 cup rice or soy milk
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp. almond extract
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract or use 2 tsp. if you do not have almond extract
1 tsp. toasted sesame oil
1/3 cup sliced, blanched almonds

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease two baking sheets.

In a medium sized bowl sift or whisk together the flour, almond meal, baking soda, and salt. In a larger bowl beat together the oil, agave nectar, soy or rice milk, sugar, extracts, and sesame oil. Slowly add the flour mixture to the wet mixture and stir until a firm dough forms. Add more flour and almond meal if the consistency of the dough is too watery.

Spread the almond in a thing layer onto a plate, cutting board or counter top. take approximately two tablespoons of dough and roll it into a ball in you hands. Place the ball onto the almond and flatten it out. Veganomicon has made the amazing discovery that a flat-bottomed one cup measuring cup works terrifically for this. You should write them a letter of thanks. Then place the cookie, almond slice side up onto the baking sheet.

Once you baking sheets are full place them in the oven to bake for 12-15 minutes. The cookies should be slightly golden/brown on the edges when they are done. Allow the cookies to cook for a few minutes on the cookies sheets (but just a few, they are hard to get off if you let them sit there for too long, trust me) and then place them onto a wire rack to finish cooking. If you are having trouble getting them off the sheet without breaking allow them to cook for another minute and then try again.

The puppy ate my blog

2010-01-15T07:36:00.001-08:00

So, you might or might not have noticed a very long silence around here. I have had a tendency lately to be making up excuses for why I am not writing here as much as I would like to. And today I have a treat for you. A brand new excuse. It is by far the cutest excuse yet.

World, meet Porter. Porter, meet the world. You two are going to be getting to know each other a lot better.

Of course that was the first day we had him when he was just over 7 weeks old. He is a just a little bit bigger now that he is a whole 15 weeks. He has lost some of that scrunched up puppy look for a much more sleek (in a very manly way, of course) look.

So, that is my excuse for being absentee. My puppy has eaten my blog, my brain, my sanity, my sleep, and my pants.

He has been a lot of work and a lot of fun to have in our lives. And you can bet, there will be some good blog posts coming up about him. And of course, there will be some foodie posts as well...as soon as Porter gives me my brain back that is. There has been a series of mishaps in the culinary area of my life.

And just in case you haven't had your daily dose of cute yet. Here is a video of our new addition for your viewing pleasure.

Gingerbread house making party

2009-12-02T11:01:00.000-08:00

I must admit, I have been in the Christmas spirit this year since long before the holiday advertising began. I have been waiting for the appropriate date to come around so that I could properly express my holiday glee and start making merriment all over the place. I always love thanksgiving, in fact it is one of my favorite holidays. It usually trumps December holidays in my book. But, this year I couldn't wait for Thanksgiving to come so that I could start to decorate the house, send holiday greeting cards, drink eggnog, and of course, finally host my gingerbread house-making party.

I have been wanting to host this part since I saw the article in a December 2006 issue of Martha Stewart Living. I can't say that I always follow through with things in a prompt manner, but I always get around to them.

Anyway, the party. It was a small group of women who got together with me to attempt to emulate the perfection of Martha. I should note here that we actually made gingerbread cottages...not really houses. Much easier becuase you get to use graham crackers.

I provided the basics, the crackers, frosting (glue), a few different types of candies and of course tea ,to give us creative energy. My guests were all asked to bring a bag of candy for decorating as well.

While ours did not turn out quite like Martha's (We are pretty sure there was some foul play involving glue guns on her end. We needed massive amounts of frosting to keep our walls together and she somehow got away without it oozing all over the place) they were all awesome in their own right. It was fun to see everyone's creations come to life.

From a skiing Santa,

to a candy laden house fit for Hansel and Gretel,

to our entire village full of homes and creatures,

we all had a great time figuring out how to make these little cottages.

Would you like to make these yourself?

Here's how:

Each cottage requires four sheets of graham cracker. Make sure you buy the widest ones (it turns out there is some inconsistencies between graham cracker brands- who knew?)

To make the frosting:
Combine 1 lbs. confectioner's sugar, 5 Tbs. egg white powder, and 1/3 cup of water. Stir it all together until no lumps are left. We doubled this recipe and it was just the right amount for four people to make a couple houses each, some village creatures, and to have a few homes fall apart.

Place some frosting into a sandwich sized ziplock baggie and cut the smallest possible hole from one corner. You will use this to dispense the icing.

Some pointers:
Go ahead and decorate your walls first. Letting them dry flat will keep your candy from slipping down the wall.

Once your walls are decorated start putting the house together, walls first, then roof. Use a stout spice jar placed in the middle of the house to help you hold it up.

The most important part of keeping your house together is to be patient. Use the icing as your glue and them hold the pieces in place until they are relatively stable on their own before adding the next piece.

I can't wait to make more of these. Everyone took their creations home and now my village looks more like a lonely cottage in the middle of nowhere with a random gummy bird.

Next round will involve some almond sliced, dark licorice, pretzels and lump candy (beautiful rock candy from the Asian mart...seriously says lump candy on the package).

Thanks Martha!

The citrus obsession continues -or- Grapefruit cocktail with mascarpone cheese and toasted almonds

2009-11-29T11:16:00.000-08:00

Oh Citrus! I just can't seem to contain my excitement as the citrus season returns. I hope you like citrus as much as I do because the citrus train isn't going to leave the A Shared Mile station until this spring. The corniness, however, is a year round event. Sorry.

This dessert is yet another from Peter Berley's Fresh Food Fast. Along with citrus this book is another staple in my life. And so, I share another recipe. This time, it's a dessert featuring grapefruit that is delicious but not overwhelmingly rich or sweet. Doesn't get much better than that.

The only problem I have with this dessert is that I don't have stemless wine glasses to serve it in. Honestly, I find it sort of strange and weird to eat out of wine glasses. I don't know why.

Grapefruit Cocktail with Mascarpone and Toasted Almonds
serves 4
adapted from Fresh Food Fast

This and the other dessert I have posted from this book both called for Demerara brown sugar which are raw and light brown sugar crystals. For this recipe especially I think it is well worth the effort if you can find it in your hometown or online.

5 large grapefruits
2/3 cup honey
1 vanilla bean, cut in half and pulp scraped from the middle
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 Tbs. unsalted butter
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1 cup mascarpone cheese
1/4 cup brown sugar (preferably Demerara)

Cut four of the grapefruits in half along their "equator" (you know, the way you cut it if you are going to eat it with a spoon) and remove the segments with a small paring knife. Work over a bowl to collect the juices as you cut. Divide the grapefruit segments evenly among four wine glasses (preferably stemless if you are like me) with a slotted spoon.

Squeeze the juice from the membranes and skin of the segmented grapefruits until you have two cups. If you don't reach two cups then use the fifth grapefruit to get the two cups of juice you will need.

Combine the grapefruit juice, honey, vanilla pod and pulp, and rosemary in a small saucepan over high heat. Give it a quick stir and bring the mixture to a boil. Allow it to boil until it has reduced by half, about 10 to 12 minutes.

Once it has reduced, strain the mixture into a glass measuring cup (easier to pour later) and allow it to cool in the refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes.

While your syrup is cooling melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the butter has melted add the almonds. Continue to cook the almonds while stirring constantly until they have browned evenly, about three to five minutes. Once they are done browning transfer them to a plate to stop the cooking and to allow them to cool.

Once the syrup and almonds are done, divide the syrup evenly among the four glasses. Then dollop each with approximately 1/4 cup mascarpone cheese, sprinkle with a quarter of the almonds, and then sprinkle with 1 Tbs. Demerara sugar.

Serve immediately.

My dirty little kitchen secret -or- Jicama and avocado salad with a Spicy citrus Vinaigrette

2009-11-23T08:37:00.000-08:00

I have a confession to make. I can't make a salad dressing to save my life. Sure, I can mix a little balsamic vinegar with olive oil and add some spices, but a true blue salad dressing maker I am not. I have never been able to just "whip something up" for my greens. I always need a recipe. It is strange really, because I consider myself to be a decent cook when it comes to opening the refrigerator and formulating a dinner plan from what I see.

I have always been jealous of friends who can make a dressing without even stopping to pause and think. I am that person who will spontaneously cook a meal for friends without breaking a sweat or cracking open a cookbook and then just as the meal is ready will sheepishly ask one of my guest "Ummm...can you make the salad dressing?"

My friends and family have been putting up with this for years. They deserve a medal for all the work they have put into fixing awful dressings I have made. I am trying to learn. I am trying to get better. I really like salad of all varieties, after all. But alas, the only way to not ruin a dressing is for me to follow a recipe. A recipe like this one, in fact.

This is another recipe from Veganomicon. I figure what better way to learn the art of salad dressing than from a vegan. I am totally stereo-typing here, but I figure they must eat a lot of salad.

Jicama And Avocado Salad with a Spicy Citrus Vinaigrette
serves 6-8 (but is easy to reduce for less people)
adapted from Veganomicon

This salad has a really tropical feel to it. It is cool, crisp and refreshing. A great start to or break from the heavier foods we tend to eat during the winter. Plus, citrus season is upon us and you all know how much I love citrus.

This recipe calls for watercress instead of field greens. Someone once told me some gross things about watercress and I haven't been able to eat them since. I won't share them here...I don't want to ruin watercress for you too.

For the salad:
1 large jicama, peeled and shredded (at least 6 c.)
enough field greens for four servings
1 avocado, sliced
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 c. roasted (salted or unsalted - your choice) peanut

For the dressing:
1/4 c. rice wine vinegar
1/2 c. fresh orange juice
2 Tbs. lime juice
2 Tbs. peanut oil
2 Tbs. hot chile oil
2 Tbs. soy sauce
3 Tbs. sugar
1 tsp. sesame oil

Squeeze the orange juice right into a measuring cup (trying to save you extra dishes here) then add the rest of the ingredients for the dressing and mix vigorously.. Let it sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes so the sugar can dissolve.

While the dressing rests, prepare the vegetables for the salad. Place the field greens into four bowls or salad plates for serving. Cut the avocado and red onion and set aside. Peel and shred the jicama into a larger bowl.

Once the dressing is ready, give it a quick stir and then pour all but 1/3 c. of the dressing onto the jicama, then divide the remaining 1/3 c. between the four salad plates.

Place a pile of jicama (about a cup) over the field greens for each serving. Then add the red onions, avocado, and peanuts.

Side note: I forgot the peanuts. So you will just have to imagine them in the picture above. I think the peanuts add a lot to the flavor.

Learning to love a northwest winter -or- Cassoulet with biscuit topping

2009-11-19T08:30:00.000-08:00

I am happy to report that things are getting back to normal around here. Teaching and trying to move forward on my thesis keeps me busy during the day, but only during normal work hours. And now that the conference is over I have felt the stress just melt away over the past week. Of course, the prospect of meeting Mr. Man's parents this weekend is adding that stress right back to my neck and shoulders. But that is a different story.

One thing that I have enjoyed over the last week or two has been catching up with friends a bit. In the winter time there is little to do around here besides eat and drink. In an effort to embrace winter this year I am really trying to look at the positive features the season has to offer. Eating good food and drinking spirits with my friends is something I can get behind. Obviously, I only have friends who love food as much as I do.

Last night I had a dear friend over for dinner. She and I cozied up on in our warm living room and stuffed ourselves silly with this cassoulet.

It was delicious. Hearty enough to fill my hibernation-mode belly. And it allowed me to turn on the oven and warm the place up a bit.

This recipe comes from my one and only Vegan cookbook. Veganomicon is not the type of book I would normally buy. There are virtually no pictures in it. And to quote the wonderful Alice once again, "How can one possibly read a book with no pictures in it?" I usually stray away from cookbooks without the beautiful photographs of food that I covet and drool over. However, I think that is because most cookbooks rarely have much to offer in the way of conversation with the authors.

Veganomicon has all sorts of great recipes with some of the best descriptions I have seen in a cookbook. It is very conversational and makes you feel as if you are hanging out with the authors themselves while they share their favorite recipes with you. This book made me laugh out loud more than once. How often can you say that about a cookbook?

Cassoulet with biscuit topping
Serves 4
adapted from Veganomicon

I pretty much made this recipe ver batum from the book. With the exception of the leeks, most of the ingredients are all things I normally have on hand any given day so there wasn't much need to substitute. Also, this book is always straightforward in it's methods and descriptions. Why mess with success? Cliche? Yes. True? Another yes.

Another note. Spring for the fresh thyme at the super market. You won't regret it.

For the stew:
2 Yukon gold potatoes, cut into half inch dice
2 leeks, thinly sliced
1 small onion, diced
1 1/2 c. carrots, peeled and cut into a half inch dice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 c. frozen peas
1 (15-oz) can navy beans drained and rinsed (can substitute cannelli)
3 c. vegetable broth
3 Tbs. cornstarch
2 Tbs. olive oil
1-2 Tbs. fresh thyme, chopped (I don't think you can use too much here)
salt and pepper to taste

For the Biscuits:
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 c. plain soy milk
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
1/4 c. nonhydrogenated vegetable shortening (I used Earth Balance brand)

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. You could wait to do this until later...but, I always like an excuse to turn it on in the winter.

Wash and chop the potatoes into a half inch dice. Place them into a small pot and fill with water until they are covered. Place the pot over high heat with a lid. Allow the potatoes to cook in boiling water for about ten minutes or until the potatoes are just tender enough to pierce them with a fork. Once they are done drain them immediately and set aside.

While the potatoes are cooking go ahead and chop the rest of the vegetables.

If you have time before the potatoes are done (otherwise, wait and do this while your vegetables are cooking int he next step) go ahead and mix the soy milk and vinegar together and set aside (just do it right in the measuring cup) and set it aside. Them mix the dry ingredients for the biscuits together in a bowl (the flour, baking powder, salt) and set aside.

Whisk the vegetable broth and cornstarch together until it completely dissolves.

Heat the oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Saute the leeks, onions, and carrots for about 10 minutes, or until they begin to brown. Then add in the garlic, thyme, pepper, and salt and cook for another minute. Then add in the drained potatoes, frozen peas, and vegetable broth mixture. Turn the heat up a bit to bring the stew to a simmer and then lower the heat again. Continue to cook it at a simmer for about another seven minutes, stirring occasionally. Do not cook it for longer than seven minutes. If you are not ready with the biscuits (I wasn't) just turn off the heat until you are ready.

While the stew cooks (or after, for me) work on the biscuits. First, cut the shortening into small pieces and add it to the flour mixture. Using a fork or your fingers work the shortening into the flour until it forms large crumbs (you don't want to overwork it). Then drizzle the soy milk mixture into the flour mixture and stir. Just stir it lightly with a fork, it's fine if there are still a few dry pockets.

Wash and dry your hands. Sprinkle a little bit of flour onto the ball of dough and gently knead it about 10 times, right in the bowl. if the dough is sticking to you hands just sprinkle a little bit more flour onto it.

Set the biscuits aside and check on the stew if you haven't already turned it off. The stew will be slightly thickened when it is done. Add the beans and turn off the heat if you haven't already.

Roll the dough into balls that are about the size of a golf balls, flatten them slightly and place them on top of the stew until the dough is gone.

Place the whole pan into the oven and bake for about 15 minutes or until the biscuits are just beginning to brown.

Bits from the past few busy weeks

2009-11-12T09:04:00.000-08:00

I thought that a good way to ease back into this whole blogging on a regular basis thing would be to just give you a list of some of the things that I have been up to the last few weeks and some of the things I have learned. When I think about writing multiple posts about these things it becomes overwhelming, and would probably bore you. But, a list. Now that is something I can get behind.

1. Anyone interested in time warps, loss of time, time travel, etc. should do some research with speakers at conferences. Seriously, giving a talk at a conference is like losing time. I lost 12 minutes last week. I got up to the podium started talking and did not regain consciousness until my last slide. Seriously, I could have stood up there and talked about cheese for 12 minutes. I really have no idea. My colleagues and lab mates said that I did a good job. But, they have to say nice things. Either that or they really like cheese.

2. Thank heavens that high wasted skirts have come back into style! I packed two options for "professional" looking outfits for the week. A pair of pants and a skirt from my professional past. The pants dug into my skin so deep I would have needed to donate a kidney to fit into them. So they were out. The skirt didn't fit quite like it used to either. It is now a very stylish high wasted skirt rather than the normal hip-hugging kind. No one noticed though (at least not to my face). I just tried to rock it like that was the way the skirt was made.

3. I hate airlines. Who else is with me? Does anyone else feel like they are being taken advantage of for wanting to visit family anytime even remotely close to the December holidays?

4. I feel recharged. Three of my college friends came to visit last weekend. Sometimes, I need to be reminded that I am not just the graduate student drone I sometimes feel like. Sometimes, I need to be reminded that I am not as adult as I sometimes act. These girls always bring out my crazysexycool side. Thanks.

5. This college reunion of the "Lounge Girls" was different than others we have had. It was the first time that none of us were single. Not only that, but the first time that we were all together with our boys. It was really fun to hang out as a big couple-y group. It all felt very adult. And it forced us to be a little more adult than we normally are. Usually when we get together our time is filled with a series of inside jokes, quotes from fav movies (Birdcage!), and some really intense dance parties (both inside and outside of the home). This time we had to make more of an effort to communicate on a level understandable to others, you know, like adults. It was totally worth it.

6.I really enjoyed getting to know my friends as part of a couple. It was so nice to see that they had all chosen their mates so well. No drama all weekend. So, awesome.

7. I was really happy for my friends to get to know Mr. Man and vice versa. Like a very wise TV character once said, nothing is better than the sound of your friends laughing at something your boyfriend said. Thank you, Carrie Bradshaw for your awesome wisdom.

Okay, I am missing lots but it is time to head off to school. I will try not to be too drone like though. I am still sparkling with the energy brought from my friends.

Overwhelmed and underprepared -or- Roasted grapes in wine sauce

2009-10-29T11:26:00.000-07:00

I know that I have been using the overwhelmed card a lot lately. I swear, as soon as I am done presenting at a conference next week I will go back to being busy but prepared for life instead of the constant state of overwhelmed and unprepared that I have been living in the last few weeks.

In the meantime, I am cooking with whatever we have on hand (rather than making meticulous grocery lists based on the things I want to make in the coming week) and cooking simple. Sometimes this turns out to be just delicious.

I have already told you about Peter Berley's book Fresh Food Fast. And I am working with a recipe from it again today. It is my go to book. The recipes in the book always inspire me and lend themselves well to substitutions.

The desserts in this book are one of my favorite parts. They are all decadent in their own right, but none of them require an entire day spent baking and assembling.

Roasted Grapes in a Wine Sauce
serves 4
adapted from Fresh Food Fast

Berley's original recipe calls for red grapes and a dry red wine. I used black seedless grapes (they were 2 dollars cheaper a pound than white or red at the market) and white wine (all of the reds we had were "nice wines" and I didn't dare open a bottle of those without Mr. Man home to enjoy the rest of the bottle with me). I have fallen in love with this recipe due to it's ease, the way it made my house smell, and it's ability to be made with any grape/wine combo. I think that next time around I am going to try out a white grape/white wine combo. Also, I served this over ice cream, but I think it would be divine over a pound or olive oil cake with maybe a little creme fraiche on top.

1 lbs. seedless grapes, cut in half
2 Tbs. unsalted butter
2 Tbs. Dememera sugar (brown sugar will work just fine also)
1/4 cup dry white or red wine
ice cream or cake for serving

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F.

While the oven is preheating place the butter in the pan (a baking dish big enough so that the grapes can roast in one layer) and put the pan in the oven. While the butter melts cut the grapes. Once the butter has melted remove the pan from the oven and add the grapes and the sugar and stir.

Roast for 20 minutes. Then add the wine, stir, and continue roasting for another 10 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let it sit for just a couple of minutes.

Then serve over ice cream or cake or eat by the spoonful from the pan (which I definitely did not do).

A way to make it through winter - or - Broccoli cheddar soup

2009-10-15T19:15:00.000-07:00

Winter is here and one thing is for sure- I am not wearing nearly enough layers.

I call it winter because the only discernible difference in the Pacific Northwest between fall and winter is the amount of daylight we get. Don't get me wrong, the evergreens we get to keep through the winter are ray of much needed color here in the winter time. But, a beautiful multi-colored fall full of crisp sunny days, complete with cozy scarves it is not. No leaves turning colors, sunny days are a always a few months away, and those beauteous scarves are just going to get soaked in the rain.

As I have mentioned before, winter is not really my favorite season. But, there are a few redeeming qualities. Soup is one of them. Winter squash, Christmas, Hanukkah, Sweater dresses, boots, and baking are a few of the others.

The first official soup of winter this year is a sort of comfort soup. When I think of the broccoli soup of my youth it is always thick and cheezy and the only thing on the diner menu I can eat (along with grilled cheese of course). This soup reminds me of those diner soups but with a little more flair. It has beautiful specks of red pepper and carrot that make it prettier and tastier.

We ate this soup with some olive bread crostini we got from a place called the Bread Farm. Mr. Man had seen an article awhile back about a small town north of us. Said article suggested this town as a day trip and offered a variety of things to do complete with a suggested schedule. We set out for said charming town.

Turns out it was more of a street. A street with a great cheese shop and bakeries, but a street nonetheless. We only lasted about an hour. But, it was fun to be adventurous. And truth be told our day probably would have lasted longer had we found the park with the suggested hike and made it into the evening hours for live music. Here is the link if you are interested:http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/outdoors/2009833419_nwwedison10.html?cmpid=2628

Broccoli and Cheddar Soup
serves 4
adapted from A beautiful Bowl of Soup

I used a low sodium broth for this soup. For most soups I like to be able to control the level of salt. I think this is particularly important for this soup because the cheddar can be so salty. Also, I have stated that the celery seed is optional because I don't like celery or it's flavor, but you might not agree with that assessment. So, you can add it if you want. I won't judge you. Not much, anyway.

3 Tbs. unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 small onion, finely chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
2 Tbs. unbleached all-purpose flour
2 cups vegetable stock
1 1/2 cups broccoli florets, chopped a bit (so they are bite-sized)
1 small to medium russet potato, peeled and finely chopped
1/4 tsp. celery seed (optional)
2 cups milk
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (the sharper the better)
1/4 tsp. dry mustard
salt and pepper to taste

Melt the butter in a large heavy pan (use a Dutch oven if you've got one) over medium heat. Once the butter is melted add the garlic, onions, bell pepper, and carrot. Continue to cook it over medium heat for about 10 minutes or until the veggies are tender.

Go ahead and measure out two cups of vegetable stock. To thicken the soup, add in the four and stir constantly for about two minutes. Then add the vegetable stock slowly while whisking continuously. One the mixture is smooth add the broccoli, potato, and celery seeds.

Raise the heat to high and bring the soup to a boil. Then reduce the heat again, cover, and let it simmer. Stir occasionally. The vegetables should become tender in about 10 to 15 minutes depending on how large you chopped them. Once they have reached the tenderness you like to eat, stir in the milk.

When the soup has become warm again, add the cheese and stir slowly. Add the dry mustard. Add salt and pepper to taste (I used about a quarter teaspoon of each).

This soup goes great with crostini or crusty bread. I swear. I am not just trying to justify the long drive I went on last this past weekend.

So easy I can even do it with a brain full of mush -or- Baked Yams

2009-10-09T11:29:00.000-07:00

Man, things have been out of control busy and it will not stop until Nov. 3.

I have had a lot on my plate lately (figuratively speaking of course...because there have been no recipe posts of late). Field work down in Cali. Preparing for my first conference presentation. And the biggest time suck of all has been teaching this quarter.

I feel like I am just treading water right now. We all have days, weeks, months like this. Some months I am light on work others I am working non-stop. In the end it all balances out. It is just the nature of certain lines of work.

When I am super busy I need to be fed well. But, unfortunately there is little time to cook and even less time to plan out "quick" meals. And even more annoyingly, when I do have a few minutes to spare between getting home and feeding myself my brain is mush and unable to process the decisions that need to be made to turn what I see in the refrigerator into dinner.

In these situations it is good to have a few tricks up your sleeve. Something you can make and have lots of leftovers. Something you can make even if your brain has turned to mush.

One such staple my whole life has been Baked Yams. Mamacita makes 'em darn good. People are always asking her how she get's them to be so moist, so luscious, so delicious. And really, there isn't much to it. It is just a matter of baking them in the right manner. She makes them all the time and that is fine as long as you are willing to the listen to the obligatory run of jokes all ending with "Because I yam what I yam!"

Many a times I am presented with dry, pasty baked yams. And there is really no excuse, because now you have seen this post. Now you know the secret. Delicious yams are just around the corner for you and for me.

Baked Yams
serves 1 to infinity

For this recipe it is easiest if you choose yams that are similar in length and girth. That way they all bake at the same rate and you can take them all out at the same time.

1 to as many as you can fit in your oven yams of similar thickness and size
1 piece of foil for each yam (about a square foot or so)

Heat your oven to 400 degrees F. Poke the yam with a fork 3-6 times all over. Wrap the yam in the foil so it is completely covered at least twice. Make sure that the seams where you fold the end of the fold over are on the same side as the edge of the foil.

Place the yams in the middle of the over directly on the rack, seam side up. If you are worried about their juices spilling over, place a cookie sheet below them. Bake for about 45 minutes to an hour. They will be a little squishy to the touch when they are done.

All dressed up with no place to go

2009-10-07T11:08:00.000-07:00

Hi there. I am sure that you have noticed some changes here at A Shared Mile. These are the changes I was talking about a few weeks ago.

What do you think? The links at the top need a little love from me (as in need me to write something for them) so check back often for those as they are updated.

I really like this design and I hope you do too. Delicious Design Studio did a great job. Especially considering that I gave them instructions like "I want it to look like hand drawn black and white doodles but with color. And can you include things like ingredients or shopping list items, a ginkgo leaf, and an octopus?" Basically, no direction at all.

But, they came up with what you see anyway. And I love it. It has some of my favorite things. Color, doodles, a representative of my favorite phylum (ginkophyta), one of my favorite invertebrates, and of course lots of food references (because honestly, where would we all be without food?). Also, scroll down to the bottom of the page for some more graphics. I especially love that little fish on the bottom left. It reminds me of a lumpsucker, one of the most adorable fishies EVER.

And in case you haven't met the cutest fish ever, allow me to explain why they are so cute. They have no real fin and use adhesive to stick themselves to leaves and rocks and stuff. So, when they get dislodged you see their little stubby fins working overtime as the current carries them around. It is cute, trust me. Go to your local aquarium and demand that they get these guys immediately.

So, stay tuned for more recipes, stories from the field, and other ramblings from your truly.

I'm Part Wicked

2009-09-29T08:34:00.000-07:00

Mr. Man and I recently saw the musical Wicked. I had been wanting to see it ever since it was in San Francisco for pre-Broadway shows a few years back. I have always kicked myself for not forking over the cash to go see it while I had the chance. So, when it came post-Broadway to my corner of the northwest I knew I didn't want to miss the chance.

This musical was really great. As far as staging goes, it was not one of the best productions I have ever seen, but it doesn't matter because the music and the story line are so strong it can carry your attention and imagination on it's own. It doesn't need all the choreographed numbers that are usually my favorite part of a musical.

For those of you that don't know, Wicked is based on a book of the same title by Gregory Maguire. Maguire writes about the Land of Oz (you know, as in Dorothy and the yellow brick road) except that this is the back story. This is the story of how the wicked witch became wicked and the good witch became good. Except it is better and more complicated than that one sentence can describe. Much like life and our own stories we can not be simply described by either good or evil for it is never that simple.

I have seen a lot of musicals thanks to a special theater here in the northwest that allows myself and Mr. Man to purchase cheap season tickets in an effort to get young people through the door- and addicted. There have been some really great musicals. Most make me want to leap and sing and dance all the way to the car. They all make me want to be a Broadway star in my next life (I am letting you know this now, so you know where to look for me). However, none has left an impression on me as great as Wicked.

You see, in Wicked, Maguire weaves the tale of two young women in school who will eventually become known as the good witch of the north and the wicked witch of the west. Without giving too much away, the plot unfolds and we see that while their future names are entirely black and white neither one of them is entirely good or evil. The witches are named as such more as a product of their own upbringing tied with public perception and meddling from politicos instead of any real definition of who they are.

I think Wicked made such a great impression on me because it somehow tapped into beliefs I maintain for myself. Like many, I believe we are all products of our upbringing and that we should struggle to fight our natural desire to look at things with our own light rather than the torches of the mob. Isn't it funny that we are all much nicer people when we have to deal with people on a personal, face to face basis, but when we are part of a group or anonymous we lash out judgments and harsh words for people for whom we do not know or understand? But I digress, I am going off on a tangent here. A post for another day.

My point here, and I do have one, is that not even my belief that people are a product of their own upbringing is black and white. Because eventually we all have to take responsibility for ourselves and our actions. Eventually, we all have to lift ourselves up. In this life nothing worth having is handed to you whether you are rich or poor. My other point here is that this is a hard thing to explain.

The other day I was downtown and just as we passed a couple of men on the street yelling at passers by about something having to do with America sucking and jihad and 9/11 and us deserving it all (I can't really be sure about this...living in a city for the past 6 years has made me really good at tuning out random shouters on the street). I didn't really think twice about it except that I saw a father with his three year old. And the young sprout was asking his father about these men. And the father (I assume, perhaps it was just a well-meaning uncle) went on to explain that these men were spewing hate because they were really just very unhappy people who had hard lives.

Naturally, the three year old had a lot more questions because this was not really an explanation a three year old could understand. But, the light changed and we all crossed the street going our separate ways. I tried not to, but I rolled my eyes while simultaneously smiling to this explanation. The answer he gave was black and white. It made excuses. It was part right. It was part wrong. Of course this is just my opinion. And I am always part right and part wrong too.

You see? Hard to explain. And yet, there needs to be a way to explain them. And there isn't a lot out there as far as I can tell. On another related tangent, Harry Potter. Once upon a time, I used to love the idea of Snape. What a great lesson. Snape was a product of his upbringing. But he wasn't entirely good or evil. It forced us to all think about Snape's character. (What? You didn't have long conversations with your friends or maybe just yourself about the many facets of Snape?) And I thought, "What a great lesson for kids reading this book! Harry may not like Snape, but he isn't evil. He defies perception."

And I continued to think this, right up until book number five. And I was pissed. Seriously. I stewed for days (fine, years obviously because I am ranting about it here). I love the Harry Potter series and I will sing its praises from the highest hilltops and read them to my future, hypothetical children. But, I really think that Rowling missed an opportunity.

What I am trying to say here is that through Wicked, Maguire has captured the gray area of these beliefs perfectly. A fairy tale with a moral I can get behind. Rise above your circumstances (even if you have to do it on a broomstick). Look behind the curtain. Get to know a person so they fall into that gray area. And eventually, you will have to take a stand for what you believe in, so be prepared.

Not all who wander are lost...but this post certainly is

2009-09-23T14:25:00.000-07:00

I have been trying to think of a tag line for this blog. You know like a hook for a song, but it will make me less money.

I have been trying to think of something that would tie this whole she-bang together. I once read somewhere that your blog should have a clear focus. Readers should be able to stop by and figure out what you write about in a couple seconds flat.

My problem is that this blogs' subjects are as winding and wandering as my path in life. I have tried to come up with a solution to this. I have thought about having separate blogs. But truthfully, I like having one place to collect recipes, ramblings, and tidbits of life. So, I thought that a clever tag line would really solve this whole problem quite well. You know, wrapping up every topic I have blogged about in a few short words. Totally the obvious choice, right? (Again, I need that sarcasm font, like immediately.)

So far the best this I have come up with is "A Shared Mile: Blogging about the good food and the humorous aspects of life...just don't shoot your cocktail out your nose."

Classy, right? I really like how I tried to have a very whimsical, romantic blog title and then have de-classed it by adding something about food and drinks coming out of your nose when you laugh too hard.

I'm a genius, I know.

This post is the haute-est thing EVAH!

2009-09-21T09:20:00.001-07:00

Once upon time you may remember that I asked my dear friend Prince William to watch over all of you. He wrote about tapeworms in china, trips to doctors who are obsessed keeping it up, and the eccentricities of his father.

I love all of those posts.

In one he linked to a picture and referenced haute couture. I now get ever increasing hits every day from people linking to that blog post from people using Google image searches. I seriously have no idea why my blog is related to this image at all, when all Will did was link to it. I guess I have yet to understand the workings of the Internet at large.

No one ever sticks around. I mean, this blog is really the furthest thing from haute couture. But, it makes me feel as if I should give these relative droves of people something haute.

I just don't know what, seeing as how I am no slave to fashion. Unless you count my small obsession with Project Runway.

So far, my only real idea involves puns on the word haute. As in, "It's getting haute in here, so take off all your couture." Or maybe "Is haute in here? Or am I just overdressed in this couture?" Or perhaps "Is that just an over-embellishment on your pocket or are you just happy to see me?"

Damnit. That last one didn't even use haute as a pun, it just made fun of haute couture. See? I need help!

Does anyone have any real suggestions?

Like a slumber party, but for adults -or- Recipes for an entire dinner party

2009-09-17T13:00:00.000-07:00

I miss the slumber parties of my youth. I was the kid who had slumber parties all the way through high school. After the boys left, the girls and I would stay up all night long talking about the boys who had just been there, daring each other to do stupid things, and laughing until it hurt all night log.

No one really has slumber parties as an adult. At least not the kind I am thinking of. I don't blame us though. The older we get the less willing we are to sleep on someones hard wood floor for fun. Our backs just can't handle it and we need more sleep than we used to in order to be sane the following day.

So, as adults we have to dress up the slumber party. We have to have dinner parties from time to time that are free from the Y chromosome carrying half of our species. I wanted to have my Northwest friends over for dinner and drinks and I wanted it to be the type of event where all they had to do was show up. I didn't want to ask anything of them. I just wanted them to come over, be my guest, and hang with me.

I didn't quite make it through to the entire menu I had planned. I was on my feet the whole day, so much so that my feet were sore and swollen like a pregnant ladies by the time I went to bed. One item didn't turn out servable at all. I spent the morning shopping and the rest of the day cooking. I had one of the best days ever.

For me, it does not get much better than spending the morning at the farmers market, the entire day cooking, and finishing up just in time to laugh uncontrollably for an entire evening with some of the best women around.

This was the menu:

Drinks
Cantaloupe and Pineapple Sage coolers
Hibiscus Gin and Tonics

Appetizers
Goat cheeses on crackers with pickled sweet peppers
Caramelized onion salsa and tortilla chips
Fresh cherry tomatoes

Main course
Nopales and vegetable tacos
Grilled corn on the cob

Dessert
Honey caramel peach pie

It was all delicious (with the exception of a failed experiment with a new avocado soup...no need to ever mention it again). I do wish I could send a plate your way. Instead I will just have to share some recipes and photos with you. There are a lot of recipes here...so feel free to just scroll through and look at the pictures.

Hibiscus gin and tonics
makes 2

This was adapted from a recipe for hibiscus juice from Gourmet. I just couldn't resist turning it into something more sinful than juice. I used pineapple sage simple syrup to make the drinks last night, because it was what I had on hand. However, any simple syrup will do. I made these in a shaker, but if you don't have one, just halve the recipe and make it right in the glass.

2 shots gin
~1 cup hibiscus juice (recipe follows)
2 Tbs. pineapple sage simple syrup (recipe below)
Tonic water
straws (not optional, in my opinion)

Fill two pint glasses and shaker to the top with ice. Place gin, simple syrup, and hibiscus juice into the shaker and shake vigorously for a few seconds. Divide the mixture between the two pint glasses then finish each one off with about a quarter cup of tonic water. Throw the straw in and give it a quick stir.

Hibiscus juice

2 oz. dried hibiscus flowers
8 cups water

Soak the hibiscus flowers in water for at least four hours in 3 c. water. To get the most flavor out of the flowers soak them for at least 8 hours, or overnight. Once they are done soaking strain the flowers out and pour the liquid into a pitcher. Add the remaining water. If you are just going to serve this as a juice, go ahead and add a cup of sugar as well and stir.

Cantaloupe and pineapple sage coolers
makes two

My pineapple sage plant is an overachiever. I haven't been sure what else to do with it this summer other than use it in simple syrup for making drinks. There could be worse fates. You can of course just omit the pineapple sage if you are without, or substitute mint or even ginger. I made these in a shaker, but if you don't have one, just halve the recipe and make it right in the glass.

2 shots vodka
2 Tbs. pineapple sage simple syrup (recipe follows)
~1 cup cantaloupe juice (recipe follows)
club soda to top off
straws (seriously, a must)

Fill two pint sized glasses and the shaker to the top with ice. Pour the vodka, simple syrup, an cantaloupe juice into the shaker and shake vigorously for a few seconds. Divide the mixture evenly among the pint glasses then top each one off with about a quarter cup of club soda each. Throw the straw in and give it a quick stir.

Cantaloupe juice
adapted from Gourmet

1 cantaloupe (at least 4 lbs)
half a lime
1 1/2 ccups water

Cut a ripe cantaloupe into larch chunks and discard the skin. Blend the cantaloupe and 1 1/2 cups of water in batches in a blender.
Line a colander with a kitchen towel (not terrycloth) and place it over a large bowl. Pour the cantaloupe puree into the colander and allow it to sit for at least an hour. After an hour pick up the edges of the towel with one hand and use the other to squeeze out any remaining juice. Then squeeze in the lime juice.

Pineapple sage simple syrup
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
3 sprigs of pineapple sage (or mint or peeled ginger)

Place all ingredients in a sauce pan and cook over medium heat. Continue to stir until all of the sugar dissolves and it has just begun to boil. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Simple syrup will keep for about 10 days in your refrigerator.

Quick pickled peppers
adapted from Bon Appetit

This pickling recipe is from Orangette's column in the magazine Bon Appetit. The colors of the peppers were so beautiful, I had to make them myself. The original recipe calls for shallots, fresh thyme, and white wine vinegar. I had none of those, but my guests loved them anyway. The seven of us at the entire jar in about an hour flat.

1 lbs sweet peppers, sliced into rounds about 1/4 '' thick
2 cups white vinegar of some sort (white distilled, white balsamic, or white wine)
1/2 cup sugar
1 medium onion (yellow or white) halved and thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 Tbs. Herbes de Provence
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
pinch of sea salt

Put the sliced peppers and onions into a large bowl. Place everything but the onion and sweet peppers into a sauce pan and cook over medium heat stirring occasionally. Bring it to a boil and once the sugar has dissolved completely, pour it over the sweet peppers and onion. Cover and let it stand for five minutes. Then remove the cover and let it stand until it reaches room temperature. Once it reaches room temperature squish the entire mixture into a quart sized jar and refrigerate it for at least four hours. The peppers should keep for up to 10 days in the refrigerator.

Serve with crackers and cheese.

Nopales and vegetable tacos
serves 6

These tacos are great for a dinner party because they come together quickly and your guests will be impressed by your use of cactus. Nopales, or cactus paddles, can be found at Mexican and specialty super markets. The corn that I served with dinner I just covered in butter, salt, and pepper and cooked on a cast iron grill pan.

For the tacos:
4 nopales, or cactus paddles
2 medium sized white or yellow onions, halved and sliced thickly
3 zucchini
salt and pepper to taste
4 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
18 corn tortillas

For the toppings:
10 oz. queso fresco, crumbled
2 avocados, thinly sliced
Caramelized onion salsa (recipe follows)
4 green onions, thinly sliced
one large handful cilantro leaves
sour cream
2 limes, cut into wedges

To prepare the nopales, rinse, and then hold with one hand by their bottom and use your other hand to run a knife down it to remove any needles and other rough spots. then slice it horizontally into half inch thick slices.
Put two Tbs. of extra virgin olive oil in two medium sized saute pans over medium -high heat. Put the nopales in one pan and the onions in the other pan and season both pans with salt and pepper to taste. After five minutes add the zucchini to the onions and continue to saute both the nopales and the vegetables until they are cooked through and beginning to brown, about another ten minutes.

While the vegetables are finishing up cook the tortillas. If you have a gas burning stove turn on a burner to medium-high heat and place a tortilla directly on a burner. Use tongs to turn it over after about 10 seconds (or when it starts to brown) and let it cook on the other side for the same amount of time. When you remove it from the burner place the tortilla on a plate under a kitchen towel to keep it warm. If you have an electric stove, heat a frying pan with 1 Tbs. vegetable or canola oil. Once the oil is hot place a tortilla into the pan and cook it until it begins to brown, then flip it to cook the other side.

Serve the tacos buffet style with all the tacos, fillings, and toppings laid out for your guest to pick and choose.

Caramelized onion salsa

3 medium sized tomatoes, quartered
2 medium yellow or white onions, halved and sliced
3 cloves garlic, sliced
2 jalapenos, sliced
handful of cilantro leaves
half of a lime
salt to taste
3 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil

Heat the olive oil over medium low heat Once the oil is hot add the onions and a pinch of salt. Continue to cook slowly, and stir occasionally. After about 15 minutes the onions will have turned a golden translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another two minutes.

Place the saute along with all the other ingredients, with the exception of the lime and salt, into a food processor and blend until there are no large chunks left. Taste the salsa and add salt to taste and squeeze in the lime juice. Blend quickly and taste one more time for salt.

Store in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve it for a few days.

Honey Caramel Peach Pie
adapted from Gourmet

This pie was really good. It was not overly sweet like many pies are. For perhaps an even more decadent version head over to Sassy Radish for a Bourbon version. Also, if you are willing to head to the farmers market the day of, you can get some really good deals on over-ripe peaches that are perfect for pie making.

3 lb ripe peaches
2 Tbs. cornstarch
1 1/2 Tbs. unbleached, all-purpose flour
half of a lemon
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup plus 1 Tbs. sugar
1/4 cup honey
2 Tbs. water
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon whole milk
1 recipe pastry dough (follow link)(for how to do it with out a processor and good pictures of what it should look like at each step head over here to smitten kitchen)

Place a large pot of water over high heat and bring it to a boil. Then make a large bowl of ice water and put it next to the stove. Rinse and cut an X in bottom of each peach. Once the water is boiling place the peaches in batches into the boiling water and remove with tongs or a slotted spoon after 15 seconds and place in ice bath (to stop the cooking). This will blanch them and make it easier to remove the skins. If you don't mid the skins, you can skip this step.

Toss the peaches along with cornstarch, flour, cinnamon, and salt as well as squeexing the half lemon to juice it, in a large bowl.

Place a foil-lined large baking sheet (with edges) in lower third of oven and preheat oven to 425°F.

To make the caramel, place a 1/2 cup of the sugar, honey, and water in a small to medium sized heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until it has reached a boil and the sugar has dissolved. Continue to boil the mixture without stirring, but instead swirling the pan occasionally so that the caramel colors evenly. After about five minutes, the caramel will be dark amber in color. Remove the pan from heat and add the butter, swirling pan until butter is melted. Pour evenly over the peaches and toss (caramel may harden slightly but don't worry, because it will melt again in the heat of the oven).

Keep the pie dough in the refrigerator and remove them one at a time for pie assembly. Roll out 1 piece of dough into a 13-inch round on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin. Fold it into quarters and lift it into a greased, 9-inch pie pan and then unfold it again. Roll out the second piece of dough into an 11-inch round on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin.

Transfer the peach pie filling to the pie pan and then place the second piece of dough on top. Trim the edges of the bottom and top pieces of dough and pinch the edges together by hand, or with a fork. Brush the top with the milk, then sprinkle with the remaining Tbsp sugar (the sugar is optional). Cut 6 steam vents in top crust with a knife.

Place the pie on the baking sheet you put in the oven earlier and bake for 20 minutes. Then reduce the oven temperature to 375°F and continue to bake the pie until the crust is golden-brown and the filling is bubbling, about another 50 minutes.

Cool pie to room temperature, approximately 3 to 4 hours

An open letter to Kanye West and others who use similar phrases

2009-09-15T10:19:00.000-07:00

Dear Kanye (and world),

If you have to say "No offense, but ..." then you are about to say something offensive.

If you have to say "I'm not racist, but..." then you are about to say something racist.

If you have to say "I don't mean to disrespect you, but..." then you are about to say something disrespectful.

And finally if you have to say "I really like you Taylor, but..." and you are on national television, on a stage at a public event with your colleagues, then you are about to do something really stupid.

Correctly identifying that what you are about say is offensive does not give you extra credit. It does not excuse you from the consequences of what you are about to say. In fact, it is worse, because you know what you are about to say wrong and you do it anyway.

Sorry if this letter offends you Kanye, I don't mean any disrespect.

That's my jam

2009-09-10T09:10:00.000-07:00

This song is my new jam. I have it on a continuous loop on my ipod right now. It is my inspiration at the gym. I can't help but make my feet go faster when it plays.

Jessie James is a little like Christina Aguilera, but country. This song is probably meant for teenagers and is full of cliche's like "don't matter what you wearin', it's about the way you wear it. " I can't help but to love it.

It is definitely part country. You know, the genre that everyone writes off in what seems to be the default for music preferences on personal profiles. As in " Music: I love everything, except country." I dare you not to tap your feet to this song.

It makes me want to go out and buy some cowboy boots and go two-steppin' ...or at least go faster on the elliptical at the gym.

Not a morning person, doesn't even begin to cover it

2009-09-09T10:11:00.000-07:00

Well, as some of you have noticed, I have not exactly been on top of posting since I returned to the northwest last week. I had a valid excuse while home in the WV, no Internet or powered computer. Now I am just acting lame.

I would like to say that I have been too busy to write, but that would not be the complete truth, which is different from a lie, mind you.

I have been busy. School has been busy. Life has been busy. My time to write is in the morning before I make my way to the gym and then on to school. And to be honest, that seriously cuts into my leisurely morning that I like to have.

I am not a morning person. So, really there is not a perfect weekday morning. For me, the closest thing is to roll out of bed after Mr. Man gets out of the shower. I am super groggy so I can't really conversate yet. He seems to respect this and tries not to talk to me or get in my way. I appreciate that.

I like to pull on some pj's and stumble downstairs to make breakfast. Usually, it is a fried egg sandwich. I make it so much that I have it down to a timed science and can do it with my eyes closed. Which is good, because I usually do. While I eat, my coffee brews in my favorite French Press, so it is ready when I am done with my food.

Then, I like to take my coffee and sit down with a magazine or at my computer to read all of my favorite blog posts and visit the websites of friends who don't know we are friends (all those people over there, on the right).

By the time I am done, I start to feel the nag to start my day. The coffee has awoken the voices inside my head telling me to go to the gym to lose the boyfriend weight (the weight you gain from dating, and therefore eating like, a boy). They tell me to get my rear to school and get some work done already. They tell me I have had enough personal time so I had better get a move on. And so I forgo the blog post. Another morning gone by. Another day without a post.

As you can see, I really have no time at all for writing (there should be a font for sarcasm).

But, I love this blog. And I love all of you for stopping by from time to time. So, I will be better. I will take the time to write again in the mornings. I just need to make it my routine again after all this time away doing field work and visiting family.

Luckily, I have some extra motivation. There are some changes comin' round here real soon. So do drop by later this week with your morning cup of caffeine and spend some time sipping and reading. I think you are going to like what you see.

"Take me home country roads..."

2009-08-26T10:12:00.000-07:00

I am in Appalachia now. And as GG pointed out from my last blog, WV is not part of the Midwest. I have spent a lot of time explaining that WV is not part of the Midwest and no, I do not know anyone in Richmond, because I am not from Virgina or western Virginia I am from the separate STATE of West Virginia.

Phew. That always gets me riled up. I am not sure why I used Midwest instead of Appalachia...other than my subconscious wanting to ascribe a bad experience to the Midwest instead of Appalachia.

Anyway, I am back home in the WV right now. 30 points to the first person to name the artist and song title this posts title is from.

I forgot my computer charger so posts will be few and far between...but I will be back with you next week.

Take care everyone.

Casser-ol-me-o -OR- Summer squash and carrot casserole

2009-08-20T18:39:00.000-07:00

Oh my. Do I love to make and eat casseroles. I seriously get pleasure out of making anything that goes into a baking dish.

I think one of the reasons I like casseroles so much is because they fall into the same category of soups and stir-fry's. You know, the "everything but the kitchen sink, I don't need no recipe" type of cooking.

I don't know if most of you think casseroles fall into this category or not, but they easily can. You just need to know the basics. Or at least what I consider to be the basics. Well, what I consider to be the basics for a vegetable based casserole!

First, survey the fridge for vegetables. I always start by sauteing an onion and few cloves of garlic. Once the onions have softened I add 3-4 cups of other vegetables and cook for a few more minutes. Anything will work really, squash, mushrooms, carrots (grated), peppers. You name it, you can put it in.

Next you just need to make sure you have some sort glue to hold it all together. I typically choose eggs and cheese. In general, I use one scrambled egg, a quarter to half cup of ricotta cheese, cottage cheese, or mashed up tofu and a half to full cup of shredded cheese. Mix all these together then add in your sauteed veggies.

The last must-have for a casserole (at least in my world) are bread crumbs. Look around on the Internet and people put in everything from wonder white bread slices to rye bread to week old baguettes. Okay, so maybe I am the only one who uses week old, rock hard baguettes. If you are using bread that is rock hard just cut it up into large chunks and soak it in some water, then squeeze out the excess water, and tear it up into small bits. No matter what type of bread crumbs you use, you want to use about a cup of them, and to mix it into the bowl with the glue and veggies.

Next you just press this whole mess into a greased baking dish (what size really just depends on how much you made). The finishing touches for me include about a quarter cup of shredded cheese on top and more bread or cracker crumbs (not so sure the water logged bread crumbs would work here.

Throw it all in the oven at 400 degrees F for about an hour, or until it starts to turn brown along all the edge and the top.

So there you go. You too can now be a casserole making fool!

Oh, you still want a recipe you say because this is like supposed to be a food blog you say?

I would be happy to oblige you dear readers. Coincidentally, I just happened to make a pretty darn good casserole last night.

Summer Squash and Carrot Casserole
serves 4

This recipe is really basic, like most casseroles. It is a really good way to use up all that squash some of you seem to be complaining about. And it tastes darn good. I don't include any salt in this recipe because I think the cheeses are plenty salty on their own.

1 Tbs. butter or olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, sliced
2 zucchini or yellow squash, quartered and diced
3 carrots, grated
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 egg, scrambled
1/4 c. cottage cheese
1 c. cheddar cheese, grated
1/4 of a baguette, torn or cut into small pieces
1/4 c. Parmesan, grated (optional)
6 crackers (optional)
butter or oil to grease the baking dish

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a 9x9 inch baking dish with butter or olive oil.

Saute the onion and garlic in the tablespoon of butter or olive oil for a few minutes, until they just start to turn translucent. Then add the pepper and cumin and cook for another minute. Then add in the squash and carrots and cook for about another five minutes, remove it from the heat, and allow it to cool for a couple of minutes.

While your vegetables are sauteing scramble the egg and the cottage cheese together in a large bowl. Once your vegetable mixture has cooled a bit add it to the bowl and stir it until the egg and cheese mixture covers everything. Then add in your bread crumbs and shredded cheese and stir it again.

Pour the whole thing into a casserole dish and even out the top with a spoon. Then sprinkle the Parmesan and crackers (crushed by hand) over the top.

Place it in the oven and bake it for about an hour, until the top and sides are brown.

It turns out I am getting old

2009-08-18T22:00:00.000-07:00

I missed my 10 year high school reunion this past weekend. I totally would have gone if it had been in the vicinity of where I live now, but it wasn't. People keep looking at me incredulously when I tell them I missed it. However, while I know I would have had a good time, I don't feel like I missed out on too much.

I had a great time in high school. I get very nostalgic when I think of it. I just didn't feel the need to spend lots of money to go back for it. Hard to explain, I guess.

Instead of going to the reunion, I went to a Mariners/Yankees game. I had forgotten that Nick Swisher played Right Field for the Yankees. He and I graduated in the same class from my small-town high school. I took advantage of the situation and probably said one too many times "Yah, Nick and I both had to miss the reunion so we could be at this game. HAHAHAHA."

The only problem with incessantly broadcasting this close association with Swisher to those around me was that we were in row two right behind where the Yankees came in and out of the dugout. Therefore, people kept asking me why I didn't say hi. Or why he didn't say hi. Responding with "Uhhh, yeah...we didn't like know each other, " seriously took away the cool factor I had created for myself for "knowing" Swisher back in the day.

To add insult to injury the girl sitting right in front of us had someone on the Yankee team throw her a ball. We all looked at her like WTF? She turned around shrugged her shoulders and said "I went to high school with him." I kid you not. Everyone, looked at me like "How come Swisher isn't throwing you balls!?!?!" Thanks a lot nerdy past self for not knowing Swisher and ruining my own personal high school reunion celebrations!

Anyway, I have been unpacking a bit and came across all of my old journals that I kept from the time I was in third grade. I thought I would share my entry from my high school graduation. It was a really great day. I can still remember the feeling of total excitement, hope, and nervousness all rolled into one.

6-5-99

Dear Diary,

Well, I will start with graduation. During the ceremony all I could think about was how I wanted to bottle every emotion, every thought, every moment to open it up and remember it always.

It was probably one of, no, the only time that all 478 of us were equals. No one was better than anyone else, no one felt inferior. All 478 of us in our funny hats and robes were one. We were united to celebrate together.

In a way I sort of felt like I was in the movie "Can't Hardly Wait." We were wearing sunglasses against instruction. Someone passed around a program with had a cartoon on it about us getting stoned after wards. We tossed around beach balls, one of which was an inflatable penis.

There were some bad speeches, some good ones, and a great one - Emily. She did a kick ass job. It definitely felt good to have one of my best friends in the world up there speaking.

I have so much more to say, but I'm falling asleep so I will leave you with this:

"It's something unpredictable but in the end it's right, I hope you had the time of your life."*

"Every new beginning comes from some other beginnings end"

"Time for you to go out to the places you will be from."

* 13 points each to the person who can list the correct artist and song these quotes come from.

Once you have already made the mess -or- Lemon cake with lemon curd and blueberry filling

2009-08-13T17:33:00.000-07:00

There have been a lot of birthdays this week. And we all know what that means...your parents sure did know how to pass the time in the cold winter months!

At school we exchange birthdays so everyone is responsible for bringing treats for us all once a year. This week it was my turn. I had already made a huge mess in the kitchen the night before while making the cake and dinner for Mr. Man's birthday, so I figured it was the perfect time to bake something else. I mean, once the kitchen is dirty, there really isn't any excuse NOT to bake.

Plus, Seattle has pooped out on the summer's grand finale most people get and it has been raining. So, baking in 100 degree heat is not an excuse either.

I have been wanting to make this cake from an old Martha Steward Living magazine. It is in a big binder of recipes that I painstaking cut out of old cooking magazines, pasted together in traditional cooking categories, slipped into plastic coverings, and put into a three ring binder.

It took a lot of time and a lot of wine. Uhhh....yeah, that is how I deal with breakups. Projects combined with a little alcohol therapy thankyouverymuch. Anyway, it is full of recipes and this is one of them. It was worth the work and the wait.

Lemon Cake with Lemon Curd and Blueberries
adapted from Martha Stewart Living
serves 10 (supposedly)

This cake requires a bit of extra work than your traditional cake. The extra work results in a very fluffy cake that is light and airy and perfect for a warm summer day. If you don't have the time you can substitute any white cake and just make the lemon curd. You can also make the a day in advance. Martha calls for canola oil but, I didn't have any. I used melted butter in place of the oil and it worked fine. Just make sure you add it last so it doesn't have time to solidify. In addition, make sure your eggs are room temperature. There is no way they will whip up into stiff peaks unless they are. It isn't the end of the world for this recipe, but your cake won't be as light and fluffy.

For the cake:
1 1/2 c. cake flour plus more for dusting
1 Tbs. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. plus 2 Tbs. sugar
1/2 c. milk (skim, whole, whatever)
1/3 c. melted unsalted butter or canola oil
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
4 large eggs, whites separated from yolks
1 tsp. lemon juice
zest from half a lemon
1 Tbs. confectioners sugar
butter for coating pans

For the lemon curd:
The yolks from the above four eggs
zest of half a lemon
1/2 c. lemon juice
1 1/3 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 c. water

1 1/3 cups blueberries (about a pint), lightly crushed by hand

For the cake:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Coat two round pans (8-9 inch round) in butter. Then lightly dust the pans with flour and set them aside.

Stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside. I like to do this with a wire whisk.

In a separate bowl whisk together a quarter cup of the sugar, the milk, the vanilla, 1 tsp. lemon juice, zest from half a lemon, and the oil and set aside. If you are using butter just whisk together all the other ingredients and wait to melt and add the butter until after you have completed the next step.

Beat the egg whites in a separate bowl on medium-high speed until they are foamy. Then begin to slowly add the rest of the sugar (quarter cup plus 2 Tbs.) and continue to beat the mixture until it is able to form stiff peaks when you lift the beaters out.

If you are using butter go ahead and melt it and stir it in. Then add about half of the flour mixture to the milk/butter mixture and whisk it until it is smooth. Then slowly fold in the rest of the flour and egg whites alternating between the two.

Split the batter between the two pans and bake for about 18 minutes, or until a knife or toothpick comes out clean from the center.

Let the pans cook on a wire rack for about 10 minutes and then turn the cakes out onto the rack and let them cool completely.

For the curd:

Put the egg yolks into a heat proof bowl and set aside.

In a saucepan whisk together the lemon zest from half a lemon, sugar, cornstarch, salt, water, and lemon juice until the sugar and cornstarch have dissolved.

Place the pan over medium-high heat and bring the mixture to a boil, whisking constantly. Cook for two minutes then reduce the heat to a low-medium setting.

Gradually mix about a third of the lemon mixture into the bowl with the egg yolks. You want to do this slowly so that they eggs won't cook. Then pour the entire egg yolk mixture back into the pan, return it to the heat and continue to cook for another 2-3 minutes, while whisking constantly.

Once it is thick, remove it from the heat, stir in the vanilla, pour it into a bowl, and cover it with saran wrap immediately. Allow the curd to cool for at least an hour.

To assemble:

Stir the hand crushed blueberries into the chilled lemon curd.

Cut each cake in half using a bread knife.

Assemble the cake on the plate you intend to serve it on by placing one piece on top of the other, putting about a third of the curd in between. Make sure you use a bottom half for the bottom and a top half for the top!

Once this is done put the confectioners sugar into a small wire mesh strainer. Lightly tap the sides as you move over the top of the cake to lightly dust it.

Happy 30th Birthday to Mr. Man -or- Chocolate Rum Cheesecake

2009-08-12T09:56:00.000-07:00

"You only live once, so do it."

These are the only words written by Anna Thomas in The Vegetarian Epicure Book Two to describe the chocolate rum cheesecake. They are also pretty good words for a 30th birthday. It is a milestone. A reminder to take life and live it. To do things that scare us. To do things that make us happy. To take risks for ourselves. To eat cheesecake. And this cheesecake is definitely the one you want to eat.

Yesterday was Mr. Man's 30th birthday. I know that when I turn 30 I am probably going to be a mess. Who am I kidding? I am mess every year I on my birthday. I really do not enjoy getting older. I will soon be taking off to Never Never Land for people in their 20's. Whoops, this isn't supposed to be about me.

What I was getting at is that Mr. Man seems to be handling it pretty well. And so, even though it is a day later, I want to wish him happy birthday again and let him know how much I love him. Thank you for being a part of my life.

You can all now go vomit after that display of gushy emotion. I'll give you a moment and meet you right back here.

Mamacita has been making this cheescake for special occasions for quite some time now. The recipe below reflects her changes over the years to the original. It is quite good. So dream up some reason to make it. You only live once, you know.

Chocolate Rum Cheesecake
adapted from Vegetarian Epicure by Anna Thomas
serves 12-14

I like to really taste the rum, so I use more than Anna Thomas calls for. I use a half cup. Use less if you don't really like to taste the alcohol. Or if you are using really good quality highly flavorful rum, you might want to use less than half a cup too. Oh, who am I kidding? If you have really good rum laying around you probably want to taste it. Use the half cup. Take a risk.

1 1/2 packages graham crackers (about 15), crushed
1/4-1/2 c. almonds, pecans, or walnuts, finely ground or chopped (optional, but if you don't include them, reduce the butter)
1 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2 c. plus 3 Tbs. sugar
1.2 c. plus 2 Tbs. butter, softened to room temperature
1 1/2 lbs. cream cheese (3 packages), softened to room temperature
3 eggs
1/2 lbs. semi-sweet chocolate
3 Tbs. heavy cream
2 c. sour cream
1/4-1/2 c. dark rum
3/4 tsp. vanilla or almond extract
1 c. confectioners' sugar
1 c. fresh fruit such as strawberries, blackberries, or raspberries

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

Mash the graham cracker by hand (using a potato masher) or give them a quick whirl in your food processor until most of the crackers are a fine dust. Grind the almonds or other nut in a coffee grinder and then mix them in with the graham crackers in a medium sized bowl. Add in 3 Tbs. of sugar, 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, and 1/2 tsp. nutmeg and mix well. Then add in the butter and mix it together with your hands. Once it is well blended press it lightly into the bottom of a cheese cake pan and set it aside.

Put the cream cheese into a large bowl and beat it with an electric mixer until it is fluffy. Then slowly add in the rest of the sugar, 2 c. and the three eggs. Continue to mix at a medium high speed until the mixture is smooth and no clumps of cream cheese remain. Set this aside.

Put the chocolate into a small saucepan along with the heavy cream and heat it, while stirring continuously, over low heat. Once the chocolate has completely melted add it into the cream cheese mixture and beat it well. Them add the sour cream and beat again. Them add the rum, vanilla or almond extract, and cinnamon and give it one more whirl under the mixer for a few minutes.

Pour the entire thing into the cheesecake pan and bake it in the oven for 55 minutes to an hour.

While the cake bakes go ahead and mix the remaining cup of sour cream with the cup of confectioners sugar and set it aside (just not in the refrigerator). Also, go ahead and rinse your berries. Cut them in half, if you are using strawberries.

Once it is done, allow the cake to cool completely, either on the counter or in the refrigerator (if you are impatient like me). Once it is cool, carefully remove the sides of the pan.

You can easily remove any tough, over-cooked parts along the top outer edge (and eat them) and smooth the top so it is flat if you like. I didn't bother with the smoothing part. You will be adding the sour cream mixture over the top next anyway so that kind of evens it out for you.

Once you have the sour cream mixture spread over the top, but not the sides of the cake, go ahead and arrange your fruit on the top in any manner you see fit.

Enjoy. And don't feel guilty about it.

Experiment complete. Results indicate positive correlation between Mr. Man, Errin, and camping.

2009-08-10T17:39:00.000-07:00

Phew! I am finally back from a camping trip sandwiched between two trips to California to conduct field work. I can finally breath. I am sorry I left all of you for so long. I missed you, did you miss me?

Oh, you didn't notice I was gone? Well, don't I feel sheepish for making such a big deal of that apology and assuming that you have been pining away for me for the last three weeks!

Seriously though, I have missed being on A Shared Mile and I have lots to tell you about.

As you know, when I last posted I mentioned a camping trip in Montana. Glacier National Park to be specific. I had no idea the magnitude of the beauty I was about to witness. It was breathtaking. Mountains, crystal clear lakes, flowers blooming everywhere, and most importantly, I did not get eaten by a bear.

We had a great time and Mr. Man camped for the most nights in a row consecutively and loved every minute of it (almost).

I wish that I had taken more pictures. There were so many flowers and views I wish I could share with you. Instead, you will just have to go there and see if for yourself. You can thank me later for the push to do it.

We had really good weather (especially compared to the heat wave the northwest got while we were gone) with the exception of the first night. When we arrived we rushed to the very first campground.

We knew the torrential downpour/thunderstorm we had just driven through was on its way. We had pretty much gotten the poles in the ground by the time the rain started to really get going. And by "get going" I mean it felt like someone had a shower head turned on to the "massage" setting.

We ran around trying to get the fly on tent and our bed inside with minimal wetness. Then we realized the tent was leaking faster than we could have bail it. So, we Magyvered the shit out of that thing and pulled the tarp out from underneath and strapped it down over the top of the tent and secured it with bungees, straps, and sticks. Yeah, we might have looked like we were in a homeless encampment, but we were relatively dry that night.

The rest of trip we spent taking a nine mile hike (note: the hiking guide lists the one way mileage, not round trip),

cooking delicious food over our camp stove by day and our fire by night (remind me to tell you about the burritos),

being visited by our neighbor, Deer

and hanging out by some of the most beautiful lakes ever.

Off to the land of mountain men...

2009-07-25T23:25:00.000-07:00

I'll be back in a week after some TLC with the mountains in Montana this week. And with Mr. Man.

I'll miss you!

This way-too-long post made ME blush

2009-07-24T11:33:00.000-07:00

This is going to be one of those posts where you are going to say "Oh no she di-nt!" Or "Oh my, this is soooo inappropriate." Or "I am sooo glad my relative didn't write this!"

Today we are talking about waxing. More specifically, waxing your uh, how shall we say...hoo ha, down there, va-jay-jay. You get the idea. So, grandparents and gay men just move along, move along. Nothing to see here.

I am writing about this because anytime a girlfriend finds out I get my bikini area (yah, that's a nicer way to say than anything in my list, but where's the fun that?) waxed she immediately wants to know EVERYTHING. So, many questions out there. And there are some answers, but it is hard because you want to get this type of information from someone you trust. If you trust me, read on. If not, you can move along with my grandparents and the gay men to some other benign post, like this one or this one.

I have been around the proverbial waxing block. I have had the Midwest, the Russian, the random salon, the northwest, and most disturbingly, the self-wax experience. So, I think I have some insight here.

Also if you are curious about the difference between a Brazilian and a regular bikini wax go here for a more tactful explanation than I could ever give you. It describes it well, but does not point out that the Brazilian includes your backside too. I had to include this extra tidbit because I once tried to explain what was going to happen to a friend during her first Brazilian and I forgot to point that out. Yah, she was a little surprised. I don't want to make the same mistake with you.

The home wax

The first time I ever waxed anything, I decided to start with my bikini area and do it on my own. I am cheap like that. Even though it was a few years ago, I remember the few times I tried self waxing vividly. I have a couple of friends that manage to self wax. In fact, I have gotten lots of advice and have tried to wax everything from my legs to my toes to my bikini area. They have all been disastrous. Basically, I am a huge wimp. Every strip requires me to give myself a little pep talk before I rip the strip off. It takes a few minutes, many false starts, and heavy breathing. The worst thing you can do when you are waxing yourself is to anticipate and to pull the strip off without any real gusto. I can't seem to get either of these skills down, so it is way more painful for me to self wax than to just pay a professional to do it.

I thought about doing it again as a sort of how -to was yourself post for ya'll. But, I just can't drink like I used to. However, if you insist on trying this, I recommend making sure you coat your skin in baby powder first and you start with some of those strips that you warm between your hands, like Parissa. It is great for beginners.

The Russian

Well, let's jut get the obvious out of the way first. She's Russian. I found her on Yelp back when I lived in San Francisco, and she is fabulous. She was a nurse back in Russia so she is privy to all those concerns you might have about cleanliness or what have you. We got to know each other a bit over time, Irina and myself, and that made the experience much more pleasant. But, make no mistake, she is Russian.

This is a no frills sort of wax, especially if you are getting a Brazilian. There is no courtesy towel or ho-humming over your precious insecurities. I think part of this is because she used to be a nurse. It's just not that big of a deal to her. So, for the Russian wax be prepared for her to be like, looking and stuff. That woman is committed to getting every last hair. Every one. Take a minute to really examine where you have hair down there. Go ahead, I'll wait. Yah. She's gonna get all those. No one out there does a thorough of a job as Irina. I would recommend her to anyone living in the bay area. This is where you can find her.

The Random Salon

I once went as a walk-in with no recommendation to a new place in my neighborhood when I lived in SF. This is by no means a way to get a bikini wax as I learned the hard way. I went because I was feeling a bit broke, didn't want the full Brazilian, and Irina was a little on the spendy side (for good reason, as it turned out). The most memorable part about this wax was that I was on a tall table and the woman waxing me was a VERY short woman. Uhhhh, I don't think I have to paint much more of a picture for you to see why this was awkward for me. Also, the quality of wax makes a difference as I learned, because a poor quality of wax or waxing job leads to a lot of ingrown hairs.

The Midwest

I was home once, back in West Virgina, for a summer right before I started graduate school. I was about to leave for a last hurrah vacation to Hawaii and I hadn't had a proper bikini wax in quite some time. I was a little wary, but I found what I thought was the best option. First of all, there were two things that should have warned me what sort of experience I was in for. One, the hard wax was pink. Two, there was not just a choice of regular or bikini wax. There was a whole host of choices I had never heard of, including things called the Sphinx. Basically, this woman had carved out a name for everything in between a regular bikini wax and taking it all off. Very confusing. Usually, you just tell your esthetician how much you want her to leave and then she does it.

Also, this woman was the complete opposite of Irina. She went through great lengths (mostly by telling you where to put the towel and your hand) in order to not actually see any part of your...uhhh....you know. That sort of weirded me out. Plus, it left me wondering how she would actually do a real Brazilian should anyone be willing to pay her exorbitant prices. Or maybe she just charges a lot to keep people from ever coming in for one.

The northwest

This is the best one yet. Fortuitous, since I live in the northwest. Susan owns the business herself. I have been seeing her for almost two years now. She is a real gem out here in waxing land. She is really an expert at not only doing a wonderful job, but creating a setting that is warm and inviting. Susan is one of those people who really makes you feel comfortable and you come to think of as your friend. Perhaps, the one friend that only sees you when you have your pants off, but a friend nonetheless. Susan is also wonderful because her prices are really reasonable, making it affordable to those of us that are apparently going to be students for forever to visit her often. I would recommend her to anyone within driving distance. Here is her website.

The plight of the field biologist

2009-07-22T10:10:00.000-07:00

I had hoped to be joyfully reporting on all the progress I am making down here in the Sacramento Delta. I had hoped to be posting pictures with all the cage building, clam numbering, and cage placement, but I forgot my camera cord.

Also, I seem to have not only been very optimistic about what we could accomplish during a low tide, but to have also angered the wind Gods. The answer my friend, is sure as hell not blowing in the wind. The wind is ruining my project! It is making what is already a very short window of opportunity to work in the marsh, even shorter. It is blowing all the water back into the marsh making the low tide hardly discernible.

To give you an idea, I had hoped to collect 216 clams on Monday and place them in 45 cages Tuesday. We collected 108 clams, most of which are probably going to be too big for my study, and placed 20 of the clams in 10 cages yesterday. I am usually good at rolling with the punches when I am conducting field work down here in the Delta.

The problem is that I have a very limited time frame to conduct experiments and collect data using methods that I have never done before. They are all made up in my own little head. So, it is impossible to know just how long most of the work will take and how the weather will, or in this case will not, cooperate.

Usually I am off, but not by so much that I am not able to pull out my handy dandy Plan B (sometimes we even get to Plan X). However, this time around the tides and winds are conspiring to make it so difficult to work out there that it doesn't matter how many plans I make or how many alternative methods I come up with, there simply isn't enough time. We are operating in a two hour time frame, at most. Monday it was more like an hour. And part of that time has to be spent actually wading into the sampling area.

Okay, are you confused yet? Why am I putting clams in cages, you are wondering? Why is she complaining again, you ask?

Or maybe you are on pins and needles with this field biologist soap opera of mine. Perhaps you are wondering, will she collect and cage enough clams to get the proper statistical analysis? Will the wind ever die down?

If it's the latter, stay tuned to see how our heroine fares in the rugged landscape of Liberty Island and her plight to research the invasive Asian clam against all odds.

Doppelganger?

2009-07-18T09:53:00.000-07:00

Mr. Man swears that this girl is my doppelganger. Skip ahead to the 45 second mark to check out the coffee girl.

I think Mr. Man sees the similarity because I often give him that incredulous look.

I would like my head back, please

2009-07-09T15:29:00.000-07:00

First, allow me to apologize for being a bit on the absent side this past week. It isn't because I am hiding from you, I promise.

My thoughts have been overtaken by power analysis, estimates of variance, field travel coordination, building clam cages, and marking clams. There is almost no room left in my head for anything else. Seriously, I have tried to cook a few things this past week, and had a couple of disasters.

One was the Squash Gratin over at 101 Cookbooks. S made it on her blog and I thought I might try it out too. I wanted to make it easier to cook, so rather than listening to my intuition and substituting the potato's, which had to be sliced paper thin, with something like white beans, I kept them in. I know better, I am no Iron Chef when it comes to knife skills. I made a few other substitutions and adjustments, and the gratin did taste good, but it took forever to make. And I wouldn't do that to you.

I have tried a few other culinary experiments to no avail, such as an eggplant gazpacho. The recipe called for a ridiculous amount of lemon juice, and I once again brushed my intuition to the side and put it all in. It overpowered the whole soup. Imagine a eggplant, tomato, and tahini flavored lemon. Disgusting.

Just now, I burned a grilled cheese sandwich while I was in the kitchen. This morning the lid wasn't tight enough on the coffee pot and it brewed onto the counter top. I almost licked it off, then convinced myself to wait the extra five minutes to make more. Close call on that one. I can't be held responsible for decisions made BC (before coffee).

Basically, I have only had use of 10% of my brain. Oh wait, haven't researchers told us that we only use 10% of our brain on average? Crap, that means I am only getting about .01%. The rest is consumed by math and experimental design.

I guess that this post is just one really long excuse for my absence here this past week. I seriously do not have enough brain power to conduct normal activities. The simplest things you can do in the kitchen are to read a recipe beforehand to make sure you want to invest whatever time it requires and to follow your intuition and think about whether or not every step makes sense for you.

Actually, that is a lie. The simplest thing you can do in the kitchen is make a grilled cheese and I can't even get that right.

Vishy-swishy, gitchy-gitchy, or if you can pronounce it better than I can, Carrot Vichyssoise

2009-07-06T09:41:00.000-07:00

I know I promised you some great fourth of July foods. But, as it turns out, fourth of July food is really quite simple. Especially when the weather is amazing and you want to be outside rather than heating up your house by turning on the stove.

I ended up just making a giant bowl of guacamole, cutting up a watermelon, and making some veggie skewers (Mr. Man's fabulous idea) to grill over at a friends' BBQ. All delicious but nothing that really requires a recipe. I don't even have any pictures of the event like most blogs have.

However, I will offer you these helpful tidbits regarding the skewers. If you are using wood skewers, be sure to soak them for at least 20 minutes before you make them, otherwise they will just incinerate. Also, we marinated some tofu that had already been fried (found at our local asian mart) and they were the best. Even, if you can't buy it pre-made like this, I highly recommend marinating and frying it up before you skewer it, on your own. Made a world of difference.

So, instead of a BBQ recipe I have a soup that I made yesterday. I had to ask Mamacita how to pronounce it and I already forget. So, don't feel bad. If someone asks you what it is, just say it's an easy summer soup that you can most likely make without having to make a special trip to the grocery store. Fine, that is silly. Just call it cold carrot soup. Better?

I am always on the look-out for cold summer soups. There just can't be enough of them in my opinion. They are so refreshing and tend to be quite simple. I found this soup in Paulette Mitchell's book "A Beautiful Bowl of Soup." I bought the book so I could try out this recipe and a couple of others that caught my eye. Now that I have the book in hand, and have had time to flip through it, I want to make them all.

This soup is quite easy. I made it in the morning, let it cool all day, and then served it with little baguette sandwiches.
Carrot vichyssoise with a Balsamic reduction
adapted from "A Beautiful Bowl of Soup"
serves 4

This recipe originally called for leeks and russet potatoes. I used a regular ole onion, gold potatoes, and added in garlic. Just use whatever variety of onion and potato you have on hand. I think that shallots would be really good in this soup in place of the onion. Also, you can use whatever milk product you choose in this recipe as Mitchell points out (she calls for half and half in the original), just make sure the it's not sweetened if you use soy milk. I happened to have a little fat-free half and half and some fat-free milk and it tasted plenty creamy.

3 cups vegetable stock
3 small potatoes, diced (about 2 1/4 c.)
1 small onion, diced
1-2 cloves garlic, sliced
3 carrots, sliced into coins (about 1 1/4 c.)
1 c. milk product (half and half, milk, soy milk, whatever)
salt and pepper, to taste

Place the stock, potatoes, onion, garlic, and carrots into a saucepan and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and continue to cook, covered for approximately 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Then puree the soup either using a blender or hand-held blender. Once this is done whisk in the milk product. Add the salt and pepper to taste and then chill for at least four hours.

Balsamic reduction

This was the first time I have ever made a reduction. Allow me to pass along some lessons I learned. First of all, definitely do not substitute pomegranate molasses because you are too lazy to go to the store. Just omit the molasses if you don't have any. Also, it is better to under-reduce rather than over-reduce. Otherwise you will wind up with a "reduction" that is more the consistency of hard candy or some weird derivative thereof. Also, if you just don't feel like dealing with any of this, just drizzle some balsamic vinegar over the soup straight from the bottle. Oh, and if you are using super-high quality balsamic, omit the molasses, it is there to make it taste expensive. Okay, I think that is enough notes on this reduction that takes two ingredients (or one).

1/2 c. balsamic vinegar
1 Tbs. molasses

Combine both the vinegar and molasses in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring it to a simmer and continue to cook it, stirring occasionally, until the mixture has reduced by half. This should take about 5-8 minutes. Just keep an eye on it and the reduction will turn out just fine.

Remove from heat, and chill until you are ready to drizzle it over the soup just before serving.

Some bits, because it's Friday and I am too tired to think up one coherant post

2009-07-03T11:35:00.000-07:00

This week has had some ups and downs. Thankfully, it's Friday and I get to relax all weekend and not think about school. HAHAHA. Not really, I do have some work to accomplish this weekend. At least I will get some fireworks between days though.

------

I completed my committee meeting without any feeling of completely blowing it. In fact, I even got a positive comment from my most difficult committee member. She said something about the presentation being clear and well organized. This is the best compliment I have gotten on my thesis research and my work at grad school in general so far. Hmmm, I wonder why so many of us (and by us, I mean the people in my particular program) get a little more than burned out and dissatisfied? Yah, I don't know either.

------

Is it just me, or does Jillian, from The Bachelorette, look a little more than tipsy every time she does her little date recaps at the end of the night?

------

Just yesterday I sat down at my computer and had a moment of total self-pity thinking that no one was reading. Traffic has tapered off, rather than picked up. Just as I was about to give myself another pep talk I got a comment on my cookie post. It was my first real comment from someone I didn't know. I was probably more excited than one person should be. I was also excited because by her leaving a comment, I found her blog, and it's great. Go take a peak.

------

Also, I have been reading a book called "My So-called Freelance Life." I have to admit that I have been more than entertaining the idea of becoming a freelance writer. I have lots of ideas of things to write. I also know that I need like, a back-up. One of which is to be my own little environmental consulting firm. I actually have experience in this field, which is more than I can say about freelance writing. Either way Michelle Goodman's book is a very helpful how-to guide to setting up shop for yourself. This is not my reason, for rambling about it though. My point is that I wrote to her on her website, even though I still feel like a stalker when I leave comments. And she wrote back! She was very nice and invited me to attend an event for freelancers in my area. I feel like this is the start of something. And I am excited. More excited about a future potential career than I have been in a long time.

------

I applied for a teaching assistant position at school for the fall. I found out this week that I got the position and I am elated. I really like teaching, at least I think I do, and am looking forward to doing it again. I have to admit though, I am also excited because I think it might make for some good blog posts.

------

I plan to cook up something yummy for the fourth tomorrow so hopefully, the next post will be, you know, like, not lame.

Laziness is delicious -or Za'atar spiced grilled zucchini and faux aioli sandwiches

2009-07-02T09:56:00.000-07:00

Around this time of year some of you start complaining about how much squash you have. I was hoping to be one of them too. But, my garden is suffering a bit. I ruined it. But, let's not dwell on that shall we?

There is plenty of squash popping up at the farmers market to keep me satisfecho. And there is still plenty of time for eating it and trying new recipes before you get so tired of it you just want to throw it straight into the compost.

I think I mentioned the stove-top grilling pan for the tofu a few weeks back. This pan is a new found summer favorite for me. I love the perfect dark black lines it leaves, the way it makes everything crispy on the inside and crunchy on the outside, and most of all I love how gosh darn easy it is.

This recipe calls for za'atar spice. If you are curious about it you can read about it over here at Wikipedia. Basically, it is a middle eastern spice mixture with any range of spices, but most commonly it has marjoram, thyme, oregano, sesame seeds, and salt. It is delicious. Usually, I mix it with olive oil and bake it on some bread with goat cheese and tomato's. But, this time I had zucchini to eat and was too lazy to think up some sort of marinade or spice mixture. So, I threw in some za'atar spice and grilled away. Sometimes, laziness is delicious.

Za'atar spiced grilled zucchini sandwiches with caramelized onions and Faux aioli
serves 2-3

Two zucchinis, sliced on the diagonal or lengthwise if you're handy with the knives
2 Tbs. olive or canola oil
2-4 Tbs. za'atar spice
other sandwich fixin's ( I used lettuce, tomato, and cucumber)
3 Pita's, cut in half and toasted just before assembly
2 medium onions, halved and thinly sliced
1 Tbs. butter

Heat up your grilling pan to a med-high heat. Heat the butter in a non-stick frying pan over low heat. While it heats up, mix together the zucchini slices, oil, and za'atar spice and slice your onions.

Once the butter has melted, but not started to turn brown, add the onions and continue to cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes. You will know they are done when they are translucent, light brown, and have a very sugary taste to them rather than the typical pungent, biting taste of onions.

While your onions are cooking, place zucchini slices onto the grilling pan and let them grill until the black lines form on the bottom. About 5-8 minutes. Then flip them to until the black lines form on the other side. It will take less time on the second side. Remove them from the pan and let them cool on either a paper towel or wire rack while you cook the rest.

Faux Aioli

I looked up a lot of recipes online. While many of them are surely better they all took more time and effort than I was willing to spend. This recipe uses Nasoya because that is what I have here (and I hate mayonnaise) but I am sure regular mayonnaise or whatever mayonnaise substitute you have will work fine.

1/4 c. Nasoya
1 small clove garlic, pressed through a garlic press or finely minced
1 squeeze of half a lemon 1-2 Tbs. olive oil

Mix together the first three ingredients. Then add the olive oil and mix it up. Nasoya has a tendency to be a bit lumpy, but this will make it smooth. If you are using real mayonnaise, give it a taste before you add the olive oil to see if it needs to be thinned a bit.

Once you are done with the zucchini and faux aioli, toast your pitas, then make those sammies! I also ate some sweet potato fries on the side, cause otherwise this would be way too healthy.

Before grilling.

During.

After. Yum.

P.S. I will look for places you can find za'atar online if you don't have a middle eastern market in your home town. Or, perhaps I will look for and experiment with some recipes to make it at home.

How I tried to put my committee in a sugar coma so they wouldn't ask questions -or- Lemon/Lime cream cheese meltaways

2009-06-30T10:55:00.000-07:00

Whew! Was that the longest title ever or what?

I just made myself a ridiculously strong cup of coffee this morning, so maybe that has something to do with my overzealous title.

Anyway, I am free! Well, sort of. I am done with my second committee meeting at least. I still have mountains of things to accomplish between now and when I leave for the field in three weeks, but the stressful, try not to look stupid in front of my committee members part, is over.

My school has this little tradition where we students are supposed to provide snacks and coffee for our committee meetings. I would do it anyway, but the fact that it is expected sort of annoys me. Luckily for my committee stress makes me eat, which makes me bake. I had been wanting to re-try this Cooking Light recipe with limes anyway.

For those of you who have never had meltaways before they are sort of like crumbly sugar cookies. They have the weirdest mix of ingredients ever. In fact, if there were some way for me to give you this recipe without letting you see the list of ingredients I would. So, don't be scared off when you see it.

The real star of these cookies is the glaze. It is a snap to make and comes together like magic. I am not a sugar freak the way some people are, but I couldn't stop eating the glaze. I ate so much glaze that I passed out on the kitchen floor in a sugar coma until Mr. Man found me in the morning covered in dried sugar. It was really embarrassing, to say the least.

Lemon and Lime Cream Cheese Meltaways
adapted from Cooking Light

These cookies do not taste good warm. They also taste way better with the glaze, than without. So, be strong and try to not eat any before they are completely done. But, by all means placate yourself with the glaze. Also, you can use 1/3 less fat cream cheese if you like. Next time, I am going to try upping the cream cheese in place of butter. Let me know how it turns out if you try it.

1 1/4 c. unbleached, all-purpose flour
1/2 c. cornstarch
1/8 tsp. salt
1 c. powdered sugar
1/2 c. butter, room temperature
1/4 c. cream cheese
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375°.

Mix together the flour, cornstarch, and salt in a medium bowl. Mix 1 cup powdered sugar, butter, cheese, and vanilla together in a large bowl with a mixer until the it becomes light and fluffy. This should take about 3-5 minutes.

Then add the flour mixture and stir, with a spoon, until just combined, no longer. The dough be very crumbly. Take about a tablespoon of dough in your hands and roll it together. It is okay if they are not perfect balls, you don't want to compress or overwork the dough.

Place the balls about 2 inches apart on baking sheets. If you don't have enough space to bake them all at once, go ahead and roll out the rest of the dough anyway, it gets more difficult to work with as it sits.

Bake at 375° for 10 minutes or until the bottom is light brown. They won't look done on the tops, take them out anyway.

Let them cool for five minutes on your cookie sheet. Cooking Light tells you to then move them to a rack and let them finish cooling there. I do not have a well equipped kitchen, so I just put mine on a plate. They didn't seem to mind.

After they have finished cooling, glaze them. Just dunk the tops of the cookies into the glaze and allow them to dry for at least half an hour.

Lemon or Lime Glaze
I made both for this one batch of cookies. I just cut the two ingredients listed below in half.

1/4 c. Lemon or Lime juice
zest of one lemon or lime
1 3/4 c. powdered sugar
Mix together with a wire whisk.

The crumbly batter.

Thanks for indulging me!

2009-06-28T09:35:00.000-07:00

Patience is a virtue. Luckily for you, I am not very virtuous.

I am feeling impatient today. I want this darn committee meeting to be over with. I want to be done fighting with statistical programs, MS Word, Excel, and Power Point. Please, make the insanity stop!

And because I am feeling impatient I am going to bombard you with Chuck Yates' numbers 5 through 1. To those of you that were hoping to savor it over the next five days, sorry. Just settle in with a cup of coffee, or whatever your caffinated beverage of choice is, and prepare yourselves for the longest. post. ever. Sorry again for that.

------
Number 5 through 1
------

Number Five: Remember that other people want you to take them just as seriously as you want them to take you. If you’re not willing to do that much for them, it’s gonna be hard for you to convince them that they should do it for you. If you don’t understand your opponent’s position well enough to make your own persuasive defense of it, at a minimum that probably means you haven’t been paying attention, but it’s also likely that you can’t defend your own position either, at least not in a way that would persuade someone who is paying attention.

It’s true: there are a lot of positions on the other side that’re really hard to take seriously. Some of ‘em are based on arguments, and actually do make sense on their own terms, but a lot of ‘em are just plain prejudice or thoughtlessness trying to look like they make sense. And when that’s the case, it’s usually not all that difficult to figure it out.

But to do that, you have to take that other position on its own terms, and understand it in the way it makes sense to the person who believes it. Bigotry and bad faith will betray themselves through their own garbled logic, every time. All you have to do is invite them to make sense on their own terms.

The thing is, people generally mean well. People generally don’t wake up one morning and say, “I think I’ll go out and do something monstrous today.” People’s motives tend to be noble, but the actions that arise from those motives are sometimes monstrous.

When what we do is 180 out from what we think, that’s usually because we don’t understand why we think what we think. And just as we must understand the link between the what and the why in our own behavior, so must we also look for that link in the behavior of others, especially those we disagree with.

There’s no self-evident obligation to take sophistry or hypocrisy seriously, but for the sake of our own integrity we need to make sure it is sophistry or hypocrisy before we reject it. Want your opponent to honor your sincerity? Start by honoring his.

Number Four: Take care of yourself. Hold it in your heart that taking care of yourself is not the same thing as being selfish. If you don’t take care of yourself, you’ll be useless to yourself, and then you’ll be useless to other people too. Put your own oxygen mask on first, as they say on the airplane. Treasure yourself, and treat yourself as if you’re irreplaceable. You are.

Back in the counter-culture, we used to go around telling each other to “keep the faith,” and “tell it like it is.” Do that. Keep faith with yourself, keep faith with others, and be honest, not just about what you think, but also about how you feel — especially about how you feel. Emotional honesty is the most important kind of all. And it’s one of the best ways I know of to take care of yourself.

And there’s this one other thing that’s absolutely essential if you want to do your best job of taking care of yourself: nev-ver take yourself too seriously. Be serious about your work. By all means be serious about your play. But don’t be too serious about yourself. Don’t worry. It’s not that difficult to tell when you are. Don LaFontaine will make sure you know. (Some of you may know that we lost Don last year. Not a huge tragedy, in world-historical terms, but I’ll miss him. Moment of silence for Don LaFontaine.)

What — you think you don’t know who I’m talking about? Of course you do: “They went to college to improve their minds. They didn’t know what was waiting for them beyond commencement. Based on a true story.” Yeah, you know who I mean. Sometimes Don’s voice-overs made the trailers even better than the flick. Now they’ve got all those other guys out there trying to sound like Don, but they can’t do it the way he could, and here’s why that matters.

If you start hearing Don LaFontaine voice-overs in your own life, that’s your cue to get up, walk out of the theater, stand in the sunlight, count to ten, and then start looking for a different movie. One thing we all know is that movies with Don LaFontaine voice-overs usually don’t have happy endings. So if you’re in one of those movies, you’re taking yourself way too seriously and you need to lighten up. Don will let you know.

And one other thing: make a point, at least once a year, to go out to the woods and spend some time living life at the speed of trees.

Number Three: Remember that most of the time, most of it isn’t going to make much sense to you. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t make sense. Most of us spend a lot of time and energy trying to make the math come out even. The trouble
is, the only place where the math comes out even is in math. That’s the only place where you can count on one and one to make two. Out here in the 3-D world, one and one sometimes make one. Sometimes they make three. Or four, or five, or you name it.

Sometimes one and one make zero. That’s what happened in Rwanda. That’s what happened in what we used to call Yugoslavia. That’s what’s happening right now in Palestine. Places like those, nobody wins, and everybody loses, and the math never comes out even, and one and one always make zero.

What works best for me is to let the math come out however it comes out, and then try to figure out what I’m gonna do about that. If I refuse to deal with math unless it comes out even, I’ve already ruled out a lot of alternative courses of action that might actually get me somewhere. My wife Deb, the best teacher on the planet, who taught me most of the good stuff I know about teaching, used to have a poster in her classroom that said simply, “You can’t control which way the wind blows, but
you can adjust your sails.”

The fact is, all we’re ever likely to get from expecting everything to make perfect sense to us is a lot of disappointment, confusion, and frustration. Better just let go of that. Let the math do what it does, and do your best to work with what you get. A poet named Max Ehrmann once put it like this: “You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars. You have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.” (16)

In other words, be modest about the limits of your knowledge, your understanding, your agency. Focus on the business you have in hand, start by taking it as you find it, and do your best to make sense of that. The rest will take care of itself.

Number Two: Keep your scriptures handy. We all need scriptures. We all have ‘em, even if some of ‘em don’t look like what most people think of when they think of scriptures. What’s good about scriptures is that they put us in touch with the wisdom of others who’ve gone a lot farther down the road than we have, people who know where the pot holes are. And the short cuts. And the rest areas.

Among the scriptures I keep handy are the Four Noble Truths of Buddhism, the marvelous mysteries of Daoism, the Beatitudes from the Sermon on the Mount, Robert Fulghum’s little masterpiece, “All I Really Needed to Know I Learned in Kindergarten,” (17) and the lyrics to a whole boatload of songs that have helped me make sense of the senselessness over the years.

The scripture I rely on most frequently is very simple, and goes like this: “God, grant me serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.” (18) Serenity, courage, wisdom. Things I can change, things I can’t. What does that include?

Well, I can change my clothes. I can change channels. I can change my mind. As some of you know, I can change my major... lotsa times. But the only thing I know I can change, that will make a real difference in how I interact with the world around me, is my attitude, and for that, I’ll take all the help I can get.

The point is that scriptures — or prayers, if you like — don’t act on the world around us. They’re not magic. They act on us to help us interact with the world more effectively. That’s where their power comes from. They keep us in focus. They help us remember what we believe. There’s a nice explanation of this in one of the episodes of Joss Whedon’s Firefly series: River Tam is complaining to Shepherd Book that his Bible doesn’t make any sense. Shepherd Book says, “It’s not about making sense. It’s about believing in something and letting that belief be real enough to change your life. It’s about faith. You don’t fix faith, River. It fixes you.” (19)

So keep your scriptures handy. They’ll help you stay in touch with your faith, and your faith is the bridge that reaches from inside your most private places to connect you with the wide world of possibility all around you. Not just your faith in god (though I’m sure that’s where it’s at for many of you) but your faith in the possible — your ability to believe that even the impossible can happen — and your ability to let yourself and your world be transformed by that belief.

Ask Mahatma. Ask Martin. Ask Barack. They’ll tell you how important this kind of faith is.

Three things, Paul told the Corinthians, there are three things that last forever, and this faith I’m talking about is the first one. The second one is hope, that “active pursuit of the not yet,” that “celebratory defiance of despair” that we heard about from the man who stood up here last year. (20) (Thanks, James, for covering that so nicely.)

And the third one is love. They work together — faith, hope, and love — each one woven through the other two into a fabric that never tears, never wears out, and always gives warmth and shelter. That’s guaranteed, right here in the warranty — as long as you keep all three together in a single fabric, and put it on for the first time every day.

But love, Paul said, love is the main thing, the biggest of all the big deals.

And that’s why this top ten list ends where it does.

Number One: Love. We’re here to take care of each other, and love is the energy that makes it possible for us to do that. So here I am, telling you to love. Love yourselves. Love each other. Love this magical mysterious heart-breaker of a world we live in. Love it for what it can become. But love it for what it is too.

If you choose love, you create a center of gravity for yourself that will help you stay balanced no matter what happens. You create a sacred place at the core of your being, a place where there will always be holiness. They’re always telling us god is love, right? This is part of what they mean. And this is what I mean when I say love is god.

The ability to choose love is what sets us apart from all the other critters. Sure, it matters that we walk upright, that we have these amazing opposable thumbs, this really cool stereoscopic vision, this massive brain. And we can talk, and write, and sing, and even deliver baccalaureate messages.

But what really matters is that we have the ability to choose love. And I do — choose love. I love every last one of you. Oh, yeah, I know — you don’t see how I can mean that, because you know I’m no good with names. I warned you about that on the first day of class, remember? Before long, I’ll start forgetting your names, one by one. Give me enough time and I may forget ‘em all. But I also
told you then — and I hope you remember this part too — I will never forget you. You’ll be right here in my heart, and right here in my head, for as long as there’s life in this body.

So, Paul told the Corinthians that love is the main thing, the biggest of all the big deals. John, Paul, George, and Ringo took it one step further. They told all of us it’s not just the main thing; it’s the only thing. It’s all we need. You know how it goes:

There’s nothing you can do that can’t be done.
Nothing you can sing that can’t be sung.
Nothing you can say but you can learn how to play the game. It’s easy.
There’s nothing you can know that isn’t known.
Nothing you can see that isn’t shown.
Nowhere you can be that isn’t where you’re meant to be. It’s easy.
(OK, this is the part where you help me out...)
All you need is love. All you need is love. All you need is love, love.
Love is all you need. (21)

You knew that was coming sooner or later, right? You didn’t actually think you could ask someone from my generation to stand up here and give this message without quoting those guys at least once, did you?

So there it is — there’s your Top Ten List for today. If you were paying attention, you figured out pretty quickly that it’s got more than ten things on it, and I just made it look like a top ten list by jamming some of ‘em together. There’ll always be more than ten good things to put on a top ten list.

You know, stuff like: pay attention; never let injustice go unchallenged, but remember it’s a long drop from the moral high ground, and a mighty hard landing if you fall; bake cookies, and eat ‘em with milk; never stop learning; always make time to goof off; step to the beat of your own drummer,(22) but be careful not to march through someone else’s parade; start over every day. Stuff like that. And, oh, yeah, make top ten lists.

Of course, your list will be different from mine. It’ll have different stuff on it, and you’ll rank that stuff differently. But on my list, love is always gonna be number one. Everything else unfolds from it. Everything else, sooner or later, leads back to it. Keep it in the same safe place where you keep that critical self-awareness I talked about back there, and don’t leave home without it.

Now, as you all know already, this afternoon you’re gonna line up over here and walk across this stage one by one, and Greg is gonna holler out your names, and Doug is gonna give each one of you your official Got ‘Er Done Certificate. What you may not know yet is that the whole world is waiting for you right there. Right there.

So here’s what I want you to do, when you encounter the world out there: I want you to walk right up to it, put your arms around it, kiss it on the mouth, and tell it Earlham sent you.

Class of 2009, it’s time to rock and roll.

16. Max Ehrmann, Desiderata, 1926, At www.poetseers.org/the_great_poets/misc/desid.
17. Robert Fulghum, All I Really Needed to Know I Learned in Kindergarten, New York: Ivy Books, 1989.
18. Attributed to Reinhold Niebuhr, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serenity_Prayer.
19. Ben Edlund, Firefly: Jaynestown, Air date: 10/18/2002.
20. James Logan, “A (Not So) Simple Word of (Audacious) Hope,” Baccalaureate Address, Earlham College, May 3, 2008, 6, 9.
21. John Lennon, All You Need Is Love, Northern Songs, Ltd., BMI, 1967.
22. Henry David Thoreau, Walden, or Life in the Woods, New York: Signet, 1999, 258.

The address, in its entirety, can be found here.

Number 6, I hear ya

2009-06-27T10:27:00.000-07:00

Number six really speaks to me. You see, I am one of those liberal types. In fact, I am probably more liberal than most people would think. But, here's my secret. Most super-liberal people annoy the hell out me. As much as the staunch right-wingers do. It is just tiring to speak to people who think they have a lease on the truth. They refuse to see where other sides are coming from. And because of that, we can never move forward together. We are stuck in this polarized climate. And let me tell ya, it's cold out there in the polar ice caps with the penguins, whales, and polar bears (Sorry, couldn't help the bad pun).

And so, I present the next installment of Chuck Yates' baccalaureate address. If you are left wondering what happened to numbers 10 through 8, just scroll on down or click on the label below (Chuck Yates' baccalaureate address).

------

Number Six: Know what you think, but more important, know why you think it. What you believe is nobody’s business but your own, but the rub — as Hamlet would say (10) — is that belief guides behavior, so knowing why you think what you think is a precondition for knowing why you do what you do. And the best way to keep track of all that is to pay attention to the language you use to talk about it.

You have to be careful with language. George Orwell knew this. That’s what 1984 (11) is all about. The way he saw it, you can use language carefully, or you can cop out by, “... throwing your mind open and letting the ready-made phrases come crowding in. They will construct your sentences for you... think your thoughts for you... concealing your meaning even from yourself.”(12)Thucydides knew this too. He was the one who warned us about how, in times of turmoil and uncertainty, even the meanings of everyday words suddenly start changing to suit the needs of the moment. (13) Remember Freedom Fries?

In other words, if you don’t control your language, your language will control you. Pay attention to what you’re not thinking about — that stuff that “goes without saying” because “everybody knows” it. And pay attention to those “ready-made phrases.” They can highjack both your intelligence and your common sense and make it easy to act without thinking, which is a really good way to end up doing really terrible things.

OK, what “ready-made phrases”? Well, Orwell mostly means cliches and colloquialisms, but if they’d had bumper stickers when he was writing, I’ll bet he’d have included them too. You know, things like “think globally, act locally.” We all get warm fuzzies from that one, right? Be careful: it means more than it says. After all, it’s also the marketing strategy of the Coca Cola Company, and it doesn’t stop there.

If you’re the United Fruit Company, for example, “think globally, act locally” turns out to mean “get the Marines to help you overthrow a legally empowered head of state who thinks the people of his own country should get the profits from sales of fruit produced on their land with their labor.” If you’re the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company — the one we know as BP — it means pretty much the same thing, except this time it’s oil instead of fruit, and it’s a prime minister instead of a president, and of course it’s the CIA instead of the Marines. Think about this the next time you peel a banana, or stick that nozzle into your gas tank.

“But that’s not what I mean,” you’ll say. And of course you’re right. It’s not what you mean, but here’s the lesson: if you get into the habit of thinking globally and acting locally, and feeling all puffed up and righteous about it, without actually thinking about why you’re acting the way you are, and how that’s actually connected to what you think you believe, people may eventually get so bent out of shape about the impact of your behavior on their lives that they’ll start doing things like flying airplanes into buildings.

And then you’ll stand there feeling all hurt and confused, trying to figure out what went wrong (14 )and why they hate you.(15) There are less complicated ways to miss the point and make a complete fool of yourself, and that’s still not all. Those nineteen guys in those four airplanes? They were also thinking globally and acting locally. Talk about bumper stickers gone bad. But this is why Orwell was so worried about those “ready made phrases” and these are the sorts of things that can happen when you stop controlling your language and it starts controlling you.

So, don’t rush out as soon as we’re done here and scrape all the bumper stickers off your car. But don’t forget that their elegant simplicity conceals risky complexity. And here’s the point: unexamined beliefs work the same way bumper stickers do — they make us feel all righteous and right, saturated with pure goodness, and full of god’s own justice and mercy, and then we start seeing simplicity when we’re looking at complexity.

Nothing is ever that simple. There’s always more than one layer. You already know this. The belief we embrace — the simplicity we see — is just the layer on top. Peel it off, find out what’s underneath it, and don’t stop peeling until you’re sure you have a good idea how many layers there are, and what they are, and what lies underneath all of ‘em.

That’s what people have in mind when they talk about critical thinking. That’s what critical self-awareness is. And the same thing is true of critical self-awareness that Karl Malden used to tell us about American Express traveler’s checks: don’t leave home without it.

10. Shakespeare, loc. cit., Act III, Scene 1, Line 64.
11. George Orwell, 1984, New York: Signet Classics, 1961.
12. George Orwell, “Politics and the English Language,” 1946, in Andras Szanto, ed., What Orwell Didn’t Know, Propaganda and the New Face of American Politics, New York: Public Affairs, 2007, 216.
13. Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War, trans. Rex Warner, New York and London: Penguin Books, 1972, 242- 43.
14. Bernard Lewis, What Went Wrong? New York: Perennial, 2002.
15. Fareed Zakaria, “Why They Hate Us,” Newsweek, October 15, 2001.

"I'm starting with the man in the mirror" -or- Number 7

2009-06-26T08:16:00.000-07:00

It's a sad day for this person. For this person who literally wanted to be Michael Jackson when she grew up. I don't mean I wanted to be just like him, I mean I wanted to be him. I was very young. I don't think I quite grasped the concept of boys and girls, let alone the subtle difference between being someone and wanting to be like them when you grow up. Either way, I should thank my lucky stars that my three-year old self did not get her wish. Because, well, it would be weird considering how things turned out for old MJ. But, I still worship his music. Always have, always will.

I thought the quote from Micheal's song was appropriate given Chuck Yates' number 7. Fifteen points to the first person who names the song (Come on, someone has got to want to play. No one has played in so long!)

------
Number 7
------

Number Seven: “To thine own self be true.” (8) So says Polonius to his son Laertes in Hamlet. Of course, if you know the play, you also know that poor Polonius didn’t follow his own advice. His walk didn’t match his talk, and he walked himself into a fatal compromise. You can pay a pretty high price for not being true to yourself.

The trouble is, it’s not always easy to keep faith with yourself either, because what Lincoln said is also true: “You can fool all of the people some of the time, and some of the people all of the time...” (9) So no matter how pure your heart may be, you will be tempted to try fooling someone, sooner or later. And then you’ll find out that there’s always gonna be that one person you just flat can’t fool.

You know who I’m talking about — that person looking back at you from the mirror. No matter how good your groove may be, if it’s not straight and narrow, that person in the mirror will know. One day you’ll look in the glass and there you’ll be, looking back at yourself, shaking your head, and saying “Chuck warned you about me, remember?”

On the other hand, if you can look that person right in the eye, every time, you can be pretty confident that your walk and your talk are going in the same direction, and you’re not gonna end up like Polonius, unceremoniously run through by the Prince of Denmark while trying to eavesdrop from behind a curtain in the queen’s bedchamber.

In any case, do the best you can, because that way, no matter what happens, you’ll always know that you tried. And that person in the mirror will know too. But do it with the awareness that your best ain’t always gonna cut it. And when you do mess things up, be the first one to step up, and own up, and do what you can to fix what you broke.

And forgive — always forgive. Forgiveness is not about letting the other person off the hook; it’s not about the other person at all. It’s about you, about the kind of person you want to be, about how you define yourself as a moral agent.

You may have noticed that pretty much all of the high stakes moral choices work this way. Human rights, animal rights, non-violence, capital punishment, Pro-Choice or Pro-Life, you name it — the Truth may be Out There, but as far as I know, Mulder and Scully haven’t found it yet. Until someone does find it, and we actually do have an external moral standard that we can all accept, without getting all tangled up about whose god is God or whose law is The Law, or whose truth is The Truth, I think we’re gonna be stuck with asking ourselves “what kind of person do I want to be.”

So forgive others when they step on your feet. Remember, they probably didn’t do it on purpose. And forgive yourself when you trip over your own feet and fall flat on your face. You sure didn’t do that on purpose, so don’t beat yourself up over it. Just start paying more attention to where you put your feet.

8. William Shakespeare, The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, Act I, Scene 3, Line 78, in G. Blakemore Evans et al, eds. The Riverside Shakespeare, Sixth Edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1974, 1147.
9. Attributed to Abraham Lincoln, At www.quotationspage.com/quote/27074.html.

Number 8

2009-06-25T09:16:00.000-07:00

Geez, its barely nine a.m. out here on the west coast and mamacita is already bugging me for number 8. So, without further ado, here is Chuck Yates' number 8. Enjoy.

------

Number Eight: Ask for directions. You might as well get used to the idea that you’re gonna get lost now and then — maybe a lot, maybe only a little. How much doesn’t matter. It will happen. And it’s a fact — one I can verify from having done it more times than I can count — that getting lost on purpose and then finding your own way back home is one of the best character building activities there is. It builds confidence too, and a kind of self-knowledge you can’t get any other way.

So don’t be afraid of getting lost.

But it’s also a fact that getting lost and finding the way home can take a lot of time, and we don’t always have the time to spare. So ask for directions. Get one of the locals to tell you how to get where you want to go. There’s no shame in not knowing the way. We were all born not knowing the way, and we’ve all had to figure it out one trip at a time. Remember what I said a minute ago about getting good at being clueless.

No, the shame — the embarrassment — doesn’t come from being lost; it comes from not letting others help us get un-lost. John Donne was right, after all: none of us is an island.(7) We’re all adrift on the same big sea, in the same little boat, and it’s just plain stupid not to help each other paddle.

7. John Donne, Meditation 17, 1624, in The Norton Anthology of English Literature, Fifth Edition, New York: W.W.
Norton, 1962, Vol. 1, 1107.

Number 9

2009-06-24T10:24:00.000-07:00

A continuation of Chuck Yates' baccalaureate address. If your confused just scroll down and bit and read yesterday's post.

------

Number Nine: Get to know the locals. We do a lot of huffing and puffing around here about being at home in the world, engaging with the world, making a difference in the world. If we mean it, then it’s obvious that, wherever we may go in our search for opportunities to make a difference, our chances of getting it done are gonna be a lot better if we’re good at being at home with, and engaging with, the people we find around us.

Remember: they live here; they know how the system works here; they know who the movers and shakers are, and how to get ‘em to move and shake the way you want ‘em to. Maybe you plan to settle, or maybe you’re just passing through. Either way, the locals are your neighbors. The locals are your community. The locals are your lifeline. Be at home with ‘em, and they’ll be your shelter and support. Get crossways with ‘em and they will make your life miserable.

And they know their way around the place too, which brings us to —

-------

I want to graduate every year!

2009-06-23T14:34:00.000-07:00

I went to Earlham College, class of 2003. It was four of the most challenging, amazing years in my life. Earlham is truly special place. It is a place where the students and professors are on a never ending journey in search of learning, truth, and goodness. These are mighty cheesy words I am writing about this college you have never heard of, but they are true, and there is no other way to describe this place.

I could go on and on. And I will, over time, bit by bit. Today, I want to share with you one of the things I have done every year since 2003. I read the baccalaureate address. Earlham is different from most higher learning institutions. We do not invite speakers from outside to come in for our final day as undergraduates. Instead, we elect one of our faculty member to speak. It is an intimate experience, even if you have never had that particular professor before. It is a small campus, and you know who they are, and have heard stories. One day I will post a link to the baccalaureate address one of my favorite professors gave during my graduation (just have to figure out how in the hellinsky to do that). It is something I always go back to read whenever I need to be reminded of Earlham or what my mission out here in the big bad world is.

Every year, at this time, graduations are happening all over, and a nostalgic warm breeze flows over me. I relish the feeling and the memories of my own graduations that come rushing back. Kids looking at their yearbooks next to me on the bus, undergrads talking about the real world, ceremonies and parties are happening everywhere. Every year, at this time, I head back to the old Earlham website and read the baccalaureate address for this year's graduating class.

For the class of 2009 (holy bejeezus, time is flying by) Chuck Yates spoke. I never took a class from him, but he was one of those professors who had his formative years during the 60's and 70's. He co-taught a class about the Vietnam war, which he fought in. He was one of those teachers that you see in the movies. Think Robin Williams in Dead Poet's Society.

He wrote a top ten list for his speech. Some of the baccalaureate speeches resonate with me more than others. This one is going to stay on my hard drive for some time. Since I am utterly busy preparing for my committee meeting next week I thought you might enjoy reading it too. One day at a time.

------
Here is number 10. I edited out part of the first introductory part. After day 10 I will post the link if you want to read it all together.

------

Today is all about you guys, and I’m honored to be the one who gets to stand up here and fuss over you in public. One last chance to mess with your heads. Heh heh heh. So the question is, what can I say to a bunch of EC grads, to let them know what a big deal it is that they are EC grads, and to send them out the front gate with their heads up and their hearts open?

Well, I’m not sure I know the answer to that one, but what you get today is a Top Ten List. Chuck’s top ten secrets to a long, happy, useful, productive, and meaningful life.

Now don’t get excited. This is not gonna be the Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything. (4) If that’s what you want, you need to go find Arthur Dent and Ford Prefect and Zaphod Beeblebrox. I don’t claim to have the last word on any of this stuff.

The main thing you learn as you make your way through the process of becoming what we laughingly refer to as a grownup is that, even if there are rules about how to do this life thing, they’re not written down anywhere. There’s no owner’s manual, no operating instructions, no how-to books.

I’m as clueless after six decades as I was after six years. The real difference between grownups and kids is that the grownups have had more practice at making it look like they know what they’re doing, and growing up is mostly just a process of getting good at being clueless and getting your thing done anyway. (This is especially true of tenured white male professors.)

So what I have for you today is just a few odds and ends — insights and observations that’ve stuck with me as I made my way down the line. They’ve been useful to me. I hope at least some of ‘em will be useful to you too. Chuck’s top ten secrets to a long, happy, useful, productive, and meaningful life.

It’s what you’ve been getting from me all along, so here’s one last dose for the road.

Number Ten: Figure out what you like to do and then find someone who’ll pay you to do it. “But won’t it stop being fun if it’s just a job?” you ask. Well, sure, if it’s just a job. Anything you do for a living can fossilize into mindless routine, if you let it. That’s one of the main reasons why people have hobbies, and why a lot of people seem more passionate about their pastimes than about their professions. It’s those “lives of quiet desperation” Thoreau was talking about. (5)

But if you start off with something you’re already passionate about, and keep challenging yourself — every day — to stay passionate about it, you may be one of those lucky folk whose work gives them the same gratification most folks get only from a hobby. And then — then you’re getting paid to do your hobby. It doesn’t get any better. Look at me. I’m living proof, and if I can make it work, anyone can.

But don’t go where the money is good; go where the work is good, where the good comes from the difference the work makes in your life and the lives of others. And keep your focus where it needs to be. Remember what I learned from my dad years ago: the fishing is always good, but only if you’re out there for the fishing. Sometimes the catching is good, sometimes it’s bad, and sometimes it’s really bad, so if catching is what you’re there for, you’re gonna be unhappy a lot of the time. But forget about the catching, and keep your focus on the fishing, and the fishing will always be good.

And pay attention to that “every day” thing too. That’s the thread that holds all these beads together. Every day. You Have To Start Over Every Day. You only get to live one day at a time anyway. Live each one as if it’s the only one you’ve got — it is. That’s not hooey. Deal with it.

Today is not the first day of the rest of your life. It is your life. As a little known songwriter said once, back in the ‘70s, “the movin’ and the livin’ are the same.”(6) Today is all you’ve got, and you only get one chance at it. Be Here Now, and make it as good as you can.

Sources:

4. Douglas Adams, Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, in The Ultimate Hitchhiker’s Guide, New York: Wings Books, 1996, 119-20.
5. Henry David Thoreau, Walden, or Life in the Woods, New York: Signet, 1999,
6. Charles L. Yates, The Movin’ and the Livin’, Golden Hollow Publishing, BMI, 1978.

Another pointless post, brought to you by Procrastination LLC

2009-06-22T13:33:00.000-07:00

Some Mondays are worse than others.

This Monday, I decided to work from home. Even though I still haven't bought a new desk for myself, unpacked any desk necessities, or bought new ink for my printer. But, I wanted to work on my proposal and I actually work well from home. Plus, I rationalize that all the time I save on commuting is extra time to read blogs and make lunch.

So, I set up my computer on the dining room table and even found my printer. Then I headed to Target for ink. I thought to write down the kinds of ink that are compatible with my printer and went on my way. They had the right color ink, but not the black one. I asked the Target man for help and he said that this lower number would be fine. That it is still okay for my printer, just not high quality for photos and stuff. I bought both of them, along with a couple of other items I needed, and paid the requisite one hundred bucks.

Has anyone else ever noticed that no matter what you go to target for, you spend a hundred bucks? Toiletries? One hundred bucks. Household cleaners, socks, belated mothers day card? One hundred smakaroos. Printer cartridges, post-its, eyebrow clippers (don't ask), and ear buds? One hundred big ones. I am not quite sure how they do it, but it is impossible to leave without spending one hundred dollars (I couldn't think of another euphemism for dollars that time). If anyone gets their hands on how to make people fork over that kind of cash, let me know and we can go into business together.

Anyway, I got home and set up the printer and wouldn't you know it, the color cartridge works just fine, but not the black. The black of course is really all that I needed in the first place. So, I have now spent the last hour figuring out how to print out my proposal and the arsenal of comments and changes that my adviser gave me in color only. Totally annoying. And I know, I could have spent the last hour returning the cartridge to target and going to another home office store for the right one. But, what can I say? I'm stubborn like that. Maybe reading my proposal in blue will be fun!?! Was it any more fun to read this in blue? Yah, I didn't think so either.

Please tell me you are sprouting! -or- Eggs 'n sprouts

2009-06-19T08:54:00.000-07:00

I never liked sprouts. Never. They were always so dry and flavorless. To be frank, I always thought they were one of those things that only people who eat for nourishment, not for enjoying the food itself. Because honestly, it tastes like cardboard. I kept trying them. Kept thinking that I must be missing something. I really wanted to like them.

But, those were the days of store bought sprouts. Then, one magical day Mamacita started to sprout. Let me clarify. She, herself did not begin to sprout. She, herself began to grow sprouts. Glad we cleared that up. Anyway, just when I thought I had lost all hope. Just when I was downright refusing to even try them, she made me some fried eggs 'n sprouts. Sounds weird and oh so simple. They just go together. Trust me. Now, I myself am sprouting. And it tastes good. And it is fun. I mean, when else do you get the satisfaction of watching seeds turn into this in less than a week?:

Eggs 'n Sprouts
serves one

I go through phases. Sometimes I like just the whites, sometimes the whole eggs. The choice is yours. Also, I know that many chefs are probably going to turn their noses up when they see that I suggest using garlic powder here. Try it before you knock it.

1 Tbs butter
2 eggs
one handful sprouts such as clover or alfalfa
pinch of garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste

Melt the butter in a non-stick pan. Add the sprouts when the butter has melted and allow them to cook for a few minutes. Once they have begun to wilt a bit add in your eggs, whole or whites only or whatever floats your boat. Sprinkle the garlic powder, salt, and pepper over them and then continue to cook them how you normally cook your fried eggs.

Serve over toast for the maximum flavor party in your mouth.

In search of perfection -or- Asparagus and blue cheese soup with Parmesan crackers

2009-06-16T20:18:00.000-07:00

Ahhh, the end of spring. The subtle change of Seattle temperatures, the fading of the rain, daffodils turn to tulips turn to lilies, and I eat massive amounts of rhubarb and asparagus before they disappear.

There are certain recipes for which I am always on the prowl. One of these is asparagus soup. It is one of my favorite vegetables. It always feels very elegant to me, not to mention that it tastes so darn good.

Last summer I had one of the best asparagus soups ever. I was in Hawaii with Mr. Man having an amazing time. Our last night on the island of Oahu we went to the Orchid Restaurant at the Halekulani Hotel which, coincidentally serves the best tropical drinks I have ever had (it probably doesn't hurt that the bar is on the beach with Diamond Head off in the distance with traditional hula dancers and musicians performing just a few feet in front of you...and my handsome Mr. Man contributed to the good time too).

The bar area is called House Without a Key. Don't you just love that name? Makes me want to sit back with a refreshing drink and daydream. Which is exactly what you do there.

Anyway, back to the soup. At the Orchid that evening, we had an asparagus and blue cheese soup that was incredible. I have been dreaming of it ever since. The soup I made tonight, was pretty darn good. It is really close. I will keep trying, but in the mean time consider this to be my final draft.

Asparagus and Blue Cheese Soup with Parmesan Crackers
serves 4-6

This version involves making a roux which adds a deep flavor and thickens the soup. It may seem annoying to do, but I think it really adds another layer to the soup. Making a roux is one of those things that people are always a little afraid of, but really aren't all that difficult. It just involves a little patience and a watchful eye.

2 lbs. asparagus, hard ends snapped, the chop the top parts
1 C. onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled and mashed
4 C. vegetable stock
4 tbs. butter
4 tbs. flour
2 C. milk
1 C. yogurt, plus extra for serving
2 tbs. lemon juice
1/4 lbs. good quality blue cheese, crumbled
salt and pepper to taste
one handful fresh herbs such as oregano, chives, or basil, coarsely chopped (optional)

1 C. shredded Parmesan for the crackers

Place the asparagus, onion, garlic and 2 cups of the stock in a large pot and bring it to a boil. Remove from heat when the asparagus is still bright green, but a bit tender, about 3-5 minutes. Then puree it all in a blender or food processor until very smooth.

In another large saucepan heat the butter over low heat. Once it has completely melted add the flour one tablespoon at a time. Stir after each addition until it is completely mixed in. After you have added all the flour continue to stir and cook over a med-low heat until it becomes golden in color. Then add the remaining two cups of stock by slowly pouring it in while you stir constantly. Don't give up on the stirring! Otherwise your roux will become lumpy. Not a reason to throw the soup out, but not the reason you went through all the trouble to make this soup!

Once you have added all the stock pour the puree in and mix thoroughly. Then add the milk and stir again. Place the yogurt and lemon juice into a separate container and add some of the soup to it and mix that up too. This will prevent it from being lumpy. Once you have mixed it all up pour it back in the soup and, yup, you guessed it, mix it up again. Then add the blue cheese and continue to stir until it melts. While you do this go ahead and taste it and add whatever extra salt and pepper you think it needs.

Parmesan Crackers
Heat a non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Place small pinches of the Parmesan into the pan and cook them until they turn a golden brown all over. Allow them to cool on a paper towel while you cook the other batches.

Serve the soup with a dollop of yogurt, Parmesan cracker, and fresh herbs.

Fine lotions on sale at Rash

2009-06-15T21:33:00.000-07:00

Have you ever heard of the Athlete's Foot store? It just dawned on me today how completely wrong that name is. It would be like naming a soap and lotion store "Rash."

I mean, who let that one slip by? Am I behind on the times? Have the rest of you already realized how ridiculous that name is for an athletic shoe store?