Hot Dish!

Pictures Make Posting Easy!

2010-09-16T16:06:00.000-07:00

So, I really stink at blogging lately. Perhaps you've noticed? (echo. . .echo. . .echo) I guess I am probably all alone here now so I will entertain myself by posting some pictures of our loft. It's completely unrelated to food but I seem to have run out of steam on that front.

I like how the cheap IKEA rugs that we duct taped together resemble grass. Oh outside world, how I've missed you!

I probably don't have to tell you what room this is, though the giant metal beams maaaay be confusing.

I really need some storage solutions here. That shelf over there to the right (that I found in an alley) doesn't provide nearly enough room. I hope to find a totally awesome set of lockers on Craigslist someday that I can paint a super bright color. In the meantime suggestions are welcome. As you can see we still need a hood for our stove, and I am using the space that should hold a built in microwave to store dishes. (classy!)

Do something awesome

2010-05-01T21:20:00.000-07:00

Do something good, and get something great in return. Please check this link out.

A Chilly Night

2009-11-18T21:42:00.000-08:00

Fall has finally come to Long Beach. I have been extra busy with work lately so I haven't actually experienced the outside world this week but it certainly looks chilly out there. Really any excuse will do to make the hearty, cold weather, stick to your hips, foods that I adore. Chili is one of my favorites and since I usually have all the ingredients on hand I indulge in this hefty dish more often that I wish to admit. Here is the version that I made yesterday. The recipe yields 10 generous servings but it freezes beautifully, and really doesn't chili always taste better as leftovers?

Chili with Beans

2 lbs lean hamburger

2 onions, diced

6 cloves of garlic, chopped fine

1/2 cup chili powder

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp cumin

2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 (12 oz) bottle of beer

2 (15oz) cans pinto beans, drained

2 (15oz) cans kidney beans, drained

1 28oz can of crushed tomatoes

1 28oz can of diced tomatoes

1 or 2 dried ancho chiles*

1 tsp brown sugar

Brown the ground beef with the onion in a large dutch oven. If you have not used a lean ground beef drain off most of the fat. Add the chopped garlic and cook until softened. Then add your spices all at once and cook stirring constantly for 1 minute. Immediately add the beer, beans and tomatoes. Soak the dried ancho chile in hot water for 5 minutes. Allow all of the water to drain out of the chile then deseed, mince and add it to the pot. Cook chili for an hour. Sometimes I add another beer to the chili when it is 3/4 of the way done, it makes for a thinner chili but it tastes delightfully of beer. I like to serve this chili on its own, on top of cooked pasta, or with chips and cheese. It would be a challenge to serve it in a way that is not delightful, it's just that good!

*I am also quite fond of chipotle chiles in adobo but I only ever use 1-2 of them and it seems wasteful to open the can unless I have something in mind for the rest of the chiles. (Other than putting the them in tupperware, letting them sit in the fridge for a week and then throwing them out.) Dried chiles are an inexpensive way to keep delicious chiles on hand.

Green Beans FTW

2009-11-17T21:14:00.000-08:00

I had intended to bring you the recipe for the mandarin and olive sauced salmon that is peeking out from the back of the plate here. The green beans were just an afterthought, something I threw together with what happened to be in the fridge. Thanksgiving is approaching and I had in mind updating that infamous "Green Bean Casserole" but had not much hope for it's success. Fortunately, I hadn't eaten all my veggies yet when hubby and I declared that the green beans had stolen the show. I was able to snap this very unflattering picture before I scarfed them down. I know that these beans are not going to win any beauty contests, but delicious as they are I know I will being seeing them again. If you give this recipe a try (you totally should) I highly recommend making garlic mashed potatoes too.

Mushroomy Beans

2 Tblsp butter

1/3 cup chopped onion

5 baby bella mushrooms, sliced

2 cups of green beans, trimmed

1/2 cup beef broth

1 TBLSP sour cream

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium low heat. Add onions and cook for a few minutes. Add the mushrooms, salt and pepper to the pan and cook until the onions are softened and brown, low and slow. Add the green beans and broth to the pan. Bring to a boil, lower heat, cover and simmer until beans are cooked through. Remove cover, stir in sour cream and cook long enough to warm through. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.

It's On!

2009-11-05T13:02:00.000-08:00

I know that I've blathered on and on about soups here before. Really how can I get so excited about veggies and stock? I just love that you can take a pathetic looking remains of your vegetable bin and make something so utterly desirable with them.
I make at least two giant pots of soup a week around here and we eat every bit of it. Many soup recipes begin with a similar base, (onion, garlic, celery, and carrots) so why not do all of the chopping at once? While this is a fantastic way to cut down on cooking times, eating your way through an entire pot of soup can be a chore rather than the pleasure that a meal should be. My solution? I divvy it up in single serving containers and place in the freezer as soon as it cools. On workout nights when I am too tired to cook, we each get to pick our own "frozen dinner". A fully stocked soup supply also means that it only takes a few minutes to pack up lunch for my husband. Frozen soup, a salad, a piece of fruit and he is out the door.

Here are some of my freezable favorites. All recipes are easily doubled or tripled.

Sausage Lentil Soup

Curried Carrot Soup (also good with a can of coconut milk thrown in at the end)

Mushroom Barley Soup

Roasted Garlic and Tomato Soup

Creamy Broccoli Soup

2009-10-02T13:34:00.000-07:00

You know what is a major time suck? Moving! Especially when that move also involves buying a home. Why do I bring this up? I am hoping that this information will help excuse me from not blogging for four months. Are you buying it? No? Well let me just move on to telling you about my new place.

Choosing to live in southern california had doomed me to rent forever. Then the economy tanked and prices here in long beach took a hearty dive. That is when my husband and I found the bank owned 2,000 square foot loft that we are now living in. Imagine a parking garage. Polished concrete floors, rough concrete ceilings, exposed pipe and conduit. Got that visual? Add a couch and coffee table and you are imaging our loft. It's definitely a unique space to call home but I know that with a couple of years and unholy amounts of cash it will be amazing. Thus far it has proven itself to be bike friendly, an awesome roller rink, and a downright delightful party pad.

Dental Hell

2009-06-30T10:21:00.000-07:00

The following is an unpaid advertisement and in no way reflects the principals of this blogger.

This is a real advert that has been living on my fridge ever since it arrived in the mail a month ago. I just can't get over the fact that someone thought this would lure you in to their office. Since I have been blissfully overloaded with work, this is the most interesting item in the kitchen right now. Enjoy.

Corn Party!

2009-05-16T21:18:00.000-07:00

Natalie Dee

Clearly I am blogging too infrequently. Here we are at another theme party and scarcely a post has passed between them. The corn party is this weekend. I decided to make Caramel Corn, for the most part because TWO servings of corn would be involved, syrup and kernels. Part of the build up to the celebration is thinking of the corniest Facebook updates possible. Since I am awfully fond of writing lyrics, I did more than was necessary. Can you name all of the bands?

I'm bringing corny back. Them mother shuckers don't know how to act. Let me make up for the maize you lack. Yeah!

Alllll I can say is that my life's a corny grain. I like watching the kernels gather maiize. And aaalll I can do is just pour some ghee for two and peek a bushel view but it's not grain. (It's not grain)

We'll make corn like a pair of black kernels! You free me from the cob You shucked the kernels out of me. Oh well, those ugly days, they made us so sick. We are just kernels now, we've learned the salt and butter trick.

The corn it sleeps alone tonight after, the cobs turn out their lights. And send the kernels swerving into the corniest evening. And I am finally seeing that I was the one worth shucking.

Well this is a corny all about chow my life got flipped turned upside down I'd like to take some butter and salt right there, I'll tell you how I became the corn of popped air.

We are the corn we are the niblets. We are the ones to make a buttery day so lets all dig in. There's a EAR we're shucking We're cobbing all our liiiiives. It's true corn will make a buttery stain falling on your tee.

Lasagna

2009-05-15T23:57:00.000-07:00

Though my love of cheese is well established here, I must confess that what makes this lasagna so special is the sauce. Saucing your lasagna can be a tricky business. Add too much and the whole thing turns into a soupy sloppy mess, add too little and you've shortchanged the most flavorful component of your dinner. The compromise? Set aside a hearty portion of sauce to serve alongside your lasagna.

Lasagna

1 lb hot italian sausage

1 large yellow onion chopped fine

8 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 cup red wine

2 tsp dried oregano

1 1/2 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

3 (28oz cans) crushed tomatoes

1 TBLSP sugar

2 eggs

1 cup parmesan

15oz ricotta cheese

1/3 cup chopped fresh basil

2lbs mozzarella, sliced

1 lb barilla lasagna noodles (The kind that do not need to be cooked before the lasagna build.)

Remove sausage from it's casings and crumble into a large dutch oven. Use the back of a spoon to break apart sausage as you brown it over medium heat. When sausage has browned nicely remove it from the pan using a slotted spoon. Eyeball the pan, if it looks as if there is less than 1/3 cup oil left from the sausages add olive oil, or if there is more than 1/3 cup remove some of the sausage drippings. Add onions to pan and cook until translucent. Add garlic to the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes making certain that garlic does not brown. Add sausage back to the pan, along with 1 cup of red wine. Cook over medium heat, until wine has reduced in volume by half. (About 10 minutes) Add the oregano, thyme, dried basil, salt, pepper, tomatoes and sugar to the pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally for 30 minutes. Taste the sauce and add more salt if needed. Set sauce aside.

In a medium bowl mix the eggs with the parmesan. Once combined, stir in the ricotta, then gently fold in the basil.

Lightly grease a 9 x 13 pan* with olive oil. Coat the bottom of the pan with 1/2 cup sauce. Layer pasta, ricotta, mozzarella slices, and sauce in pan repeating until all the ricotta is gone. Create one final layer of pasta, (Coat this one lightly but completely with sauce. Any pasta that is not covered won't cook properly.) You should have quite a bit of sauce left over. Set this aside to serve with the completed lasagna) Top with a final layer of mozzarella slices and bake at 400 degrees for 1 hour.

*If you'd like, you can make two smaller lasagnas rather than one big one. After you have cooked both lasagnas, cool one, wrap it well in foil and place in a freezer bag. The lasagna should stay fresh for 3-4 months in the freezer. Don't forget to freeze some sauce as well! To serve, defrost the lasagna completely in the fridge and then bake at 400 degrees for one hour.

Best Day Ever

2009-04-24T13:31:00.000-07:00

My husband's album was released on iTunes today! I can't tell you how excited I am. So many hours went into the making of this cd. Even though I have heard every note about a billion times, I still love every bit of it. It's THAT good. Check it out here. If you don't have iTunes you can also listen to a few songs at RollonRed.com. OR just hit the big pink button. You'd be crazy not to!

Big Three Oh

A Cheesy Post

2009-04-21T21:04:00.001-07:00

Cheese and I? We're BFFs. Despite the fact that I am mildly lactose intolerant I make a point of including this delightful dairy bomb in every meal. I've always thought of myself as the sort of person who could never get enough cheese. I was wrong, I was beaten by a formidable foe known simply as "The Cheese Party".*
My husband travels often and the timing of his last trip couldn't have been more fortuitous, he landed at 4pm on the day of the notorious event, his suitcase packed with french cheese. The overhead bin on a transcontinental flight is not the ideal way to store perishable food so by the time we hit the party we were rocking some interesting odors. Fortunately, our friends are blessed with adventurous palates and the cheese was sampled by nearly everyone. I just couldn't do it. I love trying new things but when massive amounts of bacteria may be involved I have a really tough time forcing myself to dive in. Fortunately there were plenty of other cheese temptresses to distract me from that foul odored fare. In fact, by party's end I could not eat another piece. I even skipped my usual midnight quesadilla! I was not about to let our friendship die so first thing next AM I reunited with my favored friend, fromage. It was a rough road back, but we are besties again.

The recipe that I made for the cheese party, Baked Goat Cheese with Caramelized Onions, Garlic, and Mission Figs can be found here. I served from a crock pot so the goat cheese stayed warm and soft throughout the party. (As soon as the goat cheese cools it can be difficult to spread.) The addition of the caramelized onions and figs transform each bite with a delightful mix of salty, tangy, and sweet flavors. And at the end of a lazy Sunday, the leftovers make a lovely light dinner served with a green salad.

*Brought to you by the makers of The Potato Party

Hey look, a HOT DISH!

2009-04-16T20:25:00.000-07:00

If you consider that my blog title is "Hot Dish" it really is incredible that it has taken me so long to post one! To be honest, the name does not refer to a midwestern style baked casserole, it is a nod to my obsession with consuming my food while it is still blazing hot. Seriously, at times I take my food right off the stove and heat it in the microwave. Especially pasta, I can't ever seem to get that stuff hot enough. Don't worry, my hubby points out how ridiculous this is on a daily basis.

I awoke to a frigid house yesterday, one of those chills that follows you around till you beat it into submission. The heater can only do so much damage so I decided to bring the oven into play. The Final Score? Eviedee 1 Cold Ass Apartment 0

This is extremely hearty fare, the sort of thing that warms you from the inside out. The kale makes it vaguely healthy and the cheese makes it all go down nice. I would consider adding a bit more cider to the dish next time. That lovely vinegar kick got a bit lost amongst the other more assertive flavors. The original recipe can be found here. Below is the version I made.

Potato, Kale and Kielbasa Casserole

4 large baking potatoes, peeled and cut into large, evenly sized chunks

1/4 cup butter

3/4 cup chicken broth

4 Tblsp cider vinegar

2 lbs kale course stems discarded and leaves washed

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar

1lb smoked turkey kielbasa, sliced

2 large onions, sliced lengthwise and sliced thin crosswise

Bring a medium sized pot of water to boil. Add kale to pot and cook until crisp-tender. (20 minutes). While the kale is cooking, cover potatoes with cold water in a large pot. Bring water to boil and cook until tender, drain and mash with butter, 1/2 cup of broth, vinegar, and generous amounts of salt and pepper. When kale is done cooking, drain, refresh under cold water and press out excess water. Add kale and one cup of the cheese to potato mixture and spread the mixture in a buttered 13 by 9 inch baking dish.

Cook the kielbasa in a large skillet over medium heat. When nicely browned, spread over potato kielbasa mixture. Cook onions in the fat left in the skillet until golden. Sread cooked onions over kielbasa. Top the whole shebang with the remaining shredded cheese and broth. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes.

Domino is Dead

2009-04-15T14:55:00.000-07:00

Damn.

When Budget Living folded I was given a subscription to Redbook. Now I will be receiving issues of Glamour which "like Domino is geared towards smart, style savvy women like you, with inspiration and tips on fashion, hair & beauty, health & diet, and sex & relationships." Uh, hello? I actually read the magazine, I have back issues, you can't expect me to believe that is a description of Domino!

Meatfest!

2009-03-01T21:47:00.000-08:00

I can't take any credit for this fabulous looking meal. My friend Mary (also known as the Merry Baker) has been living here in Southern California for the past three months. The poor girl's dwelling boasted beach access but no kitchen, so Mary asked if she could use mine. What she had in mind was a meal that she dubbed "Meatfest". With title like that, how could I deny her request?

We began the day with a trip to the farmers market. She wandered through the stalls until she found veggies to her liking. It was early spring so we wound up with a mix of root vegetables and some wee, tender asparagus. Since our fest was thus far lacking in meat, we made a trip to Costco for warehouse worthy steaks. The results were simple, savory, and sublime fare that I won't soon forget.

I dropped Mary off at the airport this week to wing her way back to Boston. Though I'll miss our talks and trips to Tall Mouse the most, Meatfest 09 is definitely reason to think fondly of my recently departed dear friend.

Spudnuts!

2009-02-22T21:49:00.000-08:00

I love a good theme party. Most of all, I love it when someone takes an obscure theme as far as it will go. My new party hero in this realm is an old friend from high school. We recently reconnected and she is the one who blessed me with an invitation to the Potato Party. Everyone brought a dish celebrating all things potato and the night ended with an impromptu jam session that included a ukulele, a guitar, and a stand up base. While the Potato Rag was a treat for the ears, what kept me happily entertained was filling my mouth with all things potato! Mashed potato bar, McDonalds french fries, gnochhi, tots, and for dessert my contribution of Spudnuts. If you haven't had them before I highly suggest seeking out these light and airy doughnuts whose ingredients include mashed potatoes. I found a fantastic version of the recipe here. The party inspired me to do more than just load up on carbs, it inspired me to paint too. You'll find the results in my new etsy shop, UnicornChow. For the next few weeks I am offering free shipping when you purchase two paintings. Rock on Spudnuts!

It's So Hard

2009-02-11T17:03:00.000-08:00

My husband and friend collaborated on this Ocarina video. If you like it, kindly click on the video to rate it on YouTube, we are trying to win a prize. In this economy, we need to follow through on every zany scheme that we can come up with. During the filming I ended up with orange energy drink in my hair. Please, don't let my sacrifice go to waste.

Update. . . . WE WON!!! Thanks so much to anyone who took the time to watch the video! I am planning to buy a rad bike with my share. Any suggestions for a quality retro styled bike with gears and an aluminum frame would be greatly appreciated!

Making Lemons, blah blah blah.

2009-02-05T15:45:00.001-08:00

Occasionally, being unprepared can be a wonderful thing. This is not the way I work best, but it does force you to try new combinations and to look at the items in your cupboard with new eyes. (In my case, eyes that are bulging out with horror, hopelessly seeking a solution). Anyhoo, last Sunday I had offered to bring a lemon meringue pie to a Superbowl party. Unfortunately, I left my preparations to the last minute. I was confident that I had a whole slew of lemons at my disposal but was shocked* to find that their numbers had dwindled to just two. As I ~~desperately dug through the fruit bowl~~ calmly considered my options, I discovered that I also had limes and oranges on hand. In the interest of half heartedly keeping my word, I decided to make a Citrus Meringue Pie.

At first glance, this looks like a typical Lemon Meringue Pie. Once you pierce that fluffy meringue cap, bright flecks of green lime and orange zest will let you know that this is no ordinary pie. It has a not too sweet, delightfully sour filling that takes these three fruits and makes them in to one citrus superfruit explosion! While they add lovely flavor, those bits of colorful zest also make this a pie best served in an environment where you can explain their presence. If left unattended on a buffet, people may begin to talk. You don't want to be known as "That lady who brought the pie with the weird bits in it". Save this for people with open minds, open mouths, and an appreciation for all things sour.

*You're thinking, "Is this the sort of situation that would really shock someone?" I spend most of my time alone at home with my two cats these days, it was the most shocking thing that happened all week.

Citrus Meringue Pie (Adapted from Betty Crocker's New Cookbook)

Your favorite pie crust, baked

3 egg yolks

1 1/4 cups sugar

1/3 cup plus 2 TBLSP cornstarch

1 1/2 cup water

3 TBLSP butter

1/2 tsp meyer lemon zest

1/2 tsp lime zest

1 tsp orange zest

Enough citrus juice to make a generous 1/2 cup. I used mostly meyer lemon juice and a few tablespoons each of the lime and orange. If you use more orange juice than lemon you'll probably want to add less sugar.

Meringue

3 egg whites

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

6 TBLSP sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Beat egg yolks in a s

mall bowl. Mix sugar and cornstarch together in a saucepan, gradually stir in water. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and boils. Boil and stir 1 minute. Immediately stir half of the hot mixture into the egg yolks; stir back into hot mixture in the sauce pan. Boil and stir for 1 minute; remove from heat.

Stir in butter, citrus zest, and citrus juice. Pour mixture into pie crust.

Prepare Meringue. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar on medium speed with an electric mixer until foamy. Beat in sugar, 1 TBLSP at a time, continue beating until mixture is stiff and glossy. Beat vanilla into meringue.

Spoon meringue onto hot pie filling. Carefully spread meringue to the the edge and seal to crust to prevent shrinking.

Bake 8-12 minutes, until meringue is light brown. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate.

Well, it has been a while!

2009-01-19T11:25:00.000-08:00

When I was working a 9-5 with ample free time, it was easy to keep up with you. I hated my job so blogging was a way to keep me thinking about my life at home. Now that I am home nearly 24/7, I am having trouble finding the motivation to reach out to the real world. That is a shame because sharing and reading what my fellow bloggers had to say used to be the most enjoyable part of my working day. I am going to say right here and now, (because I think that it will keep me honest) that I will blog more often starting TODAY. So enough of regrets and promises, on to the food!

This dressing is really a bastardized version of an Ina Garten recipe. If you are familiar with the Barefoot Contessa then you know that her foods are so wonderful because they are so full of fat. Since I have also resolved to eat better until I lose that extra ass I gained over the holidays I could not possibly make the recipe as written. I am a fan of thin dressings so I found my lightened up version to be just right.

Thin Blue Cheese Dressing

4 ounces danish blue cheese, crumbled

1 cup mayonnaise

1 cup nonfat milk

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon fresh chopped tarragon

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Place all ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth. Use to thinly coat your salad, because even with the nonfat milk there is still lots of fat in there!

Totally Cheating

2008-12-21T15:05:00.000-08:00

Instead of a real post, I invite you to watch this commercial that I can't stop watching. If you need me I will be at the pastry shop, twirling about in my pink dress.

2008-10-15T10:11:00.000-07:00

Oatmeal, is there any more warming breakfast treat? I like mine with raisins, an apple, brown sugar, walnuts, and a bit of cold milk. How do you top your oats? No really, I want to know! A girl can only eat the same thing a certain number of days in a row.

2008-10-10T23:58:00.000-07:00

Working from home is awesome. Never having a final end to your workday can be problematic at times but there are definite advantages. Here's a fine example, never having to request time off for vacation. My husband travels a bit in his line of work and now that I am my own boss I can follow him wherever he goes. Two months ago I accompanied my hubby to Vancouver for a few days. It was just enough time to indulge in some fabulous seafood, decadent poutine, a trip up Grouse Mountain for zip lining, and a bike ride through Stanley Park. All were wonderful but the finest hour of our adventure was our trip to . . . . .BLOOD ALLEY.

The Salt Tasting Room was originally recommended to me by the ever kind Kickpleat. When this recommendation was seconded by our waiter at another restaurant in the area we knew that we had to make the meal happen. Blood Alley appears to be home to the area's most industrious heroin users. I've been to Hell's Kitchen. I've walked the mean streets of LA,* but I have never seen anything like what I saw one day in Vancouver when I had a mean hankering for high quality meat and cheese. Do you ever have nightmares where zombies walking the earth? Do you wallow in despair each time you wonder how you will ever outsmart our flesh eating friends? If so, I DO NOT recommend traveling the area of Vancouver immediately surrounding Blood Alley. Our waiter warned that we would see people shooting heroin on the streets and we did. We very bravely walked towards that black banner with it's whimsical chalk line of a salt shaker feeling like very brave Americans indeed! It was very disappointing to have our bravado marred by the fact that the restaurant was packed with families. Small children, grandmothers, anyone who may be considered weak and incapable of consuming raw eggs had made the same trek that we had and survived. The menu at the Salt Tasting Room is quite simple, meats and cheeses of exceptional quality, perfectly presented and paired with wine. There are also soups and sandwiches served but I did not make the trek down Blood Alley to eat the sort of fare that I could find elsewhere! What I learned at that table was that what seems risky in the food world quite often reveals itself to be a very worthwhile adventure. Later this month we are taking another vacation, this one purely for pleasure. We will be traveling with friends to China. I expect to have many wonderful food experiences to share in just a few weeks. Wish me luck!

My Lame Life

2008-08-29T08:45:00.000-07:00

Soooo does everyone dream of being immortalized in comic form? I am lucky enough to be friends with Jessie of Bob's Lame Life*. When I shared the offspring of the "Dough that Wouldn't Die" with her, (4lbs of dough makes an AWFUL lot of cookies) the sugar and butter fueled that brilliant brain of hers and she produced this strip. I was surprised to see that the blasphemy comes through even when I have been reduced to my comic essence.

*Also, check out Speaking in Tongues. Harry Potter geeks unite!

Lunch

2008-08-28T12:23:00.000-07:00

This pasta was the perfect fast weekday meal for me. Perhaps you would enjoy it too?

Zucchini Pasta

2 Tblsp olive oil
2 zucchinis, sliced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cups cooked pasta
2 Tblsp chopped basil
2 Tblsp chopped cilantro
2 Tblsp butter
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
Heat oil in a large high sided pan over medium heat. Add zucchinis and cook until the skins turn bright green, and the flesh turns slightly translucent. Add garlic and cook until it has slightly softened. Turn heat to low and add the butter, herbs, and pasta, tossing gently to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste. Divide pasta between two plates and top with parmesan.

Root Beer Pulled Pork

2008-08-25T17:33:00.000-07:00

You probably know that a crock pot is a dandy way to cook pulled pork. Did you know that adding root beer to that crock pot lends the meat an intriguing sweetness? I was looking for a combination odd enough to satisfy a friend who has been known to combine ANY food or drink available when at the grill. "Chocolate shrimp anyone? How about a Dr. Pepper burger?"
A google search revealed an appropriately strange concoction, Root Beer Pulled Pork. I simply cooked a few pounds of pork tenderloin on low with a bottle of root beer for 7 hours. When the meat was sufficiently tender I shredded it, and mixed it with BBQ sauce. Since I was feeling very lazy that day I used my favorite bottled sauce. (Oh the SHAME!) To make up for my shortcomings in the sauce department and because I really wanted the root beer flavor to make its presence known I decided to top my sandwiches with Root Beer and Onion Jam. These sandwiches are a sweet, savory, and satisfying way to let your supper scream summer.

Root Beer and Onion Jam
1 sweet yellow onion, peeled and sliced
2 Tablespoons butter
1/4 cup root beer

Cook onions in butter over low heat until soft. Add the root beer and let the onions cook down to one beautifully brown sweet sticky mess.

TALES. . . . . OF. . . . . GLUTTONY

2008-07-28T19:40:00.000-07:00

Did you know that a stove top cast iron skillet is a terrific way to heat leftover pizza when it is too hot to turn on the oven? Crispy crust, melty cheese? Yes please!

Should you choose to tackle the task of making the Greatest Cookies Known to Mankind you should ABSOLUTELY place a portion of the dough in an easily accessible container. Could you resist diving in to a 4 lb chunk of chocolate chip cookie dough for 3 whole days? If so, you are a superior human.

When did Breyers become so craptacular? My ice cream choices are now limited to Ben and Jerry's or homemade.

Tune in next week when I forsake my beloved fats for fiber. (OR eat my weight in chocolate chip cookies and sausages, I haven't decided yet.)

Lets Chew the Fat

2008-07-20T17:22:00.000-07:00

Perhaps I am the only one who does this? I can justify ingesting any sort of fat if it is surrounded by enough vegetables. It's as if the vitamins and fiber paralyze my brain so that I am no longer able to calculate calories. I have been known to eat pizza or vegetable tempura till every last greasy scrap has been scarfed. And now, though I feel my seat growing more comfortable with each slurp, I am about to finish off an entire pot of tomato basil bisque. Goodbye skinny jeans, but hellloooo Lycopene!

Tomato Basil Bisque
olive oil
2 carrots, sliced
1/2 sweet yellow onion, chopped
28oz can of whole, peeled tomatoes
4 cups of chicken stock
rind from a chunk of Romano cheese (optional)
1/4 cup basil leaves, chopped
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup Romano cheese
1 Tblsp brandy

Saute the onion and carrots over medium heat in a large dutch oven with a few tablespoons of olive oil until the vegetables are soft. Add the chicken stock, tomatoes, and rind. Simmer over low heat for about 30 minutes. Remove the cheese rind and stir in chopped basil. Blend the soup in batches, making certain to fill the blender less than halfway each time. Return soup to the pot and stir in the cream, Romano cheese, brandy and salt and pepper to taste. Heat until the cheese has melted. Enjoy!

Three is a crowd (OF DELICIOUSNESS)

2008-07-09T21:49:00.000-07:00

Why are steaks so often packaged in groups of three? With just a happy couple and a happy couple of cats residing in this house such packaging leaves me with leftovers every time. Should you find yourself in a similar situation, the following recipe stretches a single steak into a delightful dinner for two.

Steak Salad with Ginger Dressing and Fresh Mango
6 oz tri-tip or steak, grilled
7 oz butter lettuce, rinsed and torn into pieces
Ginger Dressing
1 medium mango, diced

Thinly slice beef across the grain. Toss lettuce with fresh herb dressing, begin with a small portion of dressing and slowly add more, tossing until each leaf is lightly coated. Divide salad evenly between plates and top each portion with beef and diced mango.

Ginger Dressing
1 tsp freshly grated ginger
1/4 tsp lime zest
1/8 cup lime juice
1/8 cup orange juice
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1/2 cup oil (choose a neutral flavored one, like canola)
1 tsp fresh minced basil
1 tsp fresh minced cilantro
1 tsp fresh minced mint
Place all ingredients in an empty jar or other lidded container and shake until well mixed.

In a Pickle

2008-07-03T23:18:00.000-07:00

Phew! With the temperature shooting up like hot soup in a blender it is certainly time to reevaluate my kitchen routine. No hot dishes will be coming out of this kitchen, I plan to make a mockery of my blog name till September. I have been very busy pretending that I do not have a stove, but homemade pickles were promised at tomorrow's fourth festivities so it was time that I reacquainted myself with the heat beast. Refrigerator Pickles are not the difficult project they seem, but do require a bit of time for the brine to work it's magic. Last Sunday when I should have been diligently scouring the local farmers market for worthy specimens I was filling my belly with sausages and gravy. (A decision I would absolutely make again!) As I finally found my way to my local grocer, I had hopes of finding a grand display of summer vegetables, bright as any baubles in a jeweler's case.

While the cauliflower looked too tired to make the trek to deliciousness, the presence of peppery radishes set my nose twitching as eagerly as a rabbit's. I distinctly remembered seeing a recipe for pickling radishes SOMEwhere so I was certain that they would be a hit. I like to peek in on my pickles throughout the week but as each day passed those radishes began to look less like food and more like cadaver flesh. At this point, their disturbingly soft texture and eerily pink pickling liquid make them completely unappetizing to any living, breathing human being. My only hope is that there will be zombies at tomorrow's celebration. Wish me luck!

Caca-Raca*

2008-06-11T17:23:00.000-07:00

Mother nature is a finicky bitch. One day she showers us with clouds and rainbows and the next she is as withered and dry and as old raisin. It can be tough to decide what to make for dinner these days. Do I stock up on hearty cuts of meat that require a long braising or will it be too hot to even turn on the oven? Thankfully with my new flexible schedule there isn't any need to plan ahead. Fresh potted herbs and a pantry packed with basics like olives and capers helps to make impromptu meal planning a breeze.

I struggled with what to call this. Is the topping a sauce, salsa or relish? The closest I could come to describing it properly would be to call it Chicken with Chimichurri, though the ingredients are not at all traditional. Refreshing, yet satisfying, it doesn't matter much what you call it so long as it's invited to dinner.

Lemon Thyme Chicken
1 tsp thyme, minced
1/2 tsp lemon zest, minced
juice from 1 lemon
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 Chicken Breasts (There is enough marinade here for 4 chicken breasts, should you want to get a jump start on tomorrow's dinner.)
Mix the first seven ingredients together in a flat glass or ceramic dish. Add the chicken, turning it to coat with the marinade. Marinate for 30 minutes to 4 hours, turning chicken occasionally. Grill over medium heat for 7-10 minutes on each side.

Fresh Topping
3 tsp fresh basil, chopped
1 tsp fresh oregano, chopped
1/4 cup diced yellow bell pepper
6 kalamata olives, minced
2 tsp capers
1 Tblsp red wine vinegar
2 Tblsp Oil
salt and pepper to taste
Mix all ingredients together. Serve over Lemon Thyme Chicken.
Serves two

*In Spain this is the sound a chicken makes. I love the idea that even our animals know the unique language of their homeland.

The Beginning at the End

2008-06-10T06:54:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a great day. My husband (my saintly, incredibly sexy husband) agreed to let me quit my job. The job that I hate, and makes me hate myself a little more with each passing day. (Did I mention how amazingly handsome this man of mine is?) Now when I tell you what I did for a living you will likely scoff. I did, when the person who previously held my position tried to tell me how awful it was.

I was a receptionist. I sat in a comfortable chair, in a perfectly temperature controlled office and ate a free lunch every day. And every day I had to fight the urge to run screaming out the door. (I can be a touch melodramatic at times.) Don't let the title receptionist fool you, I was a living, breathing spam filter. I sent out packets of material that no one wanted to read, (screw you, environment) was lied to, and told lies all day long. "YES Mr. Johnson is STILL in a meeting" (and even if he wasn't he wouldn't want to hear about your incredibly important business opportunity) Lying is an activity I never engage in during the course of my personal life, I despise that it is part of my job. Correction, WAS part of my job.

Yesterday, rather than battling a steady stream of BS I edited a wedding video. I am fortunate to be working with this guy. Mike is incredibly talented, patient, and possibly the most easy going person on the planet. If you have any sort of upcoming video needs and are in southern California I highly recommend contacting him. Well, I had better go to work. I need not change out of my pajamas but I do have to switch to the computer that is 3 feet behind me. I am not sure how long the commute will take, the cats have been rather rowdy this morning and I may be delayed.

Nookie

2008-05-29T11:04:00.000-07:00

My favorite version of "decorating" is to take any plain jane object and. . . . .

add some pattern to it. Wham-O! Instant visual gratification.

This is a super easy project but for those of you who like a bit of guidance when it comes to crafts, (I do too) here is a mini tutorial. I took some leftover wrapping paper, pressed it into the nook, then traced the outline of the inside. I imagine that newspaper would work just fine too but it always make me sneeze. I used the pattern to trace the shape on to this lovely paper. (Purchased on clearance woot-woot.) I cut out the shape and attached it to the wall with double sided tape. The single detail that needs special care is to be certain that you trace your pattern onto the correct side of the paper. This arch may look symmetrical but if you try to hang paper on the right side that has been traced with the left side of the pattern you will quickly see how unique each curve is.

let's all heave great sighs for crappy knives*

2008-05-16T12:34:00.000-07:00

Were I able to invite all of you into my kitchen there is one place that I would be ashamed to show you. Is it my secret stash of processed foods?
No, I would freely share my macaroni and preserved cheese with you. That little blue box instantly returns me to adolescence, whenever I have the rare desire to revisit it.

Would I shrink from showing you the wretched mess that I call my recipe box?

Now you see it. . . . . .

Now you don't!

Though I have every intention of fixing this mess it is not the most horrifying thing to be found behind closed doors. That title rests here, with my pathetic excuse for cutlery.

Though I would have rather blocked the drawer with one hand and wildly gestured towards towards the take out menus with the other, I have allowed my friend Mary access to the bowels of blades. Mary kindly refrained from saying anything, she didn't need to. Her eyes said plenty as the tomato that she was attempting to chop sunk and slithered under the dull weight of my inferior knife. Why am I revealing my secret shame? Well thanks to some encouragement by my grandfather I have finally purchased a decent chef knife. It's not one of those ultra pricey drool worthy brands, but it is perfectly suited to a bargain hunter such as myself. This knife fits my hand perfectly and minces herbs like they were made that way. Bruised basil will no longer be my signature garnish! I hesitate to name names, knowing the backlash that it can cause but I must share it for my fellow cheap-ass foodies. The Victorinox was recommended by Fine Cooking magazine and there are plenty of others who have nice things to say about it too. This experience makes me wonder in what other ways my spendthrift nature is self sabotaging. How has retail therapy improved your cooking?

*Thanks for the snappy title Jessie!

Greens that made me Blue

2008-05-07T11:44:00.000-07:00

Is there anything worse than making some sort of public declaration and then immediately changing your mind about the whole thing? Well here is an amended announcement, "I plan to eat a reasonable and well balanced diet of my own choosing". The doctor prescribed diet made me feel like hell. I expected the first few days to be a blur of headaches and woe, my mistake was assuming that I would feel better at some point. Even though my body felt starved for calories, I felt no desire for food. Feeling sickened by the thought of eating was a completely foreign experience for me. The single desire I did have was for forbidden food. (If not for the many witnesses I would have devoured my dear friend's birthday cake, candles to cardboard.) My ultimate motivation to ditch the diet was the fact that my muscles weren't healing from the strain of my Krav class. I foolishly attempted to do 60 push ups on Monday, by Friday the pain in my arms was keeping me up at night. I feel much better when I eat my usual way so that's what I plan to do. Let me see, that's two post filled with complaints and no actual food. I owe you guys some serious sustenance.

On the bright side, look at this totally awesome polished stone apple that my grandma gave me. Isn't she the best?

So long and thanks for all the fruits

2008-04-24T21:03:00.000-07:00

My doctor thinks that I may be hypoglycemic. Anyone who has witnessed my mood magically improve during the course of a meal will be inclined to agree with him. Looking through the startlingly familiar symptom list felt like the dawning of a bold new era of wisdom and reason. (I may be moody and weak but it is not my fault!) Looking at my sad list of permitted foods made me long for the age of ignorance. I have a sneaking suspicion that my meal plan has been in use since 1954, the foods listed certainly would not be out of place in diet books from that era. Saltines and Carnation Instant Nonfat Milk? Well that sounds like a JIM DANDY bedtime snack! Mom knows to start each day off right with eggs and extra helpings of bacon.

Give up sweets? NOT a problem! I rarely eat them anyway! Alcohol too? Well I do enjoy a good cocktail but giving that up will certainly help with my waistline. NO COFFEE? ONLY ONE PIECE OF FRUIT A DAY?! MY GOD MAN ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL ME?! Ahem, there go those mood swings again.

At least I can eat beans! I love beans, so filling and full of protein.......... AND CARBS? Damn.
I know that there are far worse fates to befall a foodie. Please permit this bit of tantrum throwing while I figure out how best to fill my belly. Even better, share your best diet tips with this undereducated carb-o-holic.

Link Dump

2008-03-25T14:30:00.000-07:00

I have received no formal training in the culinary arts. I can see you shaking your heads in disbelief. "No, not our Eviedee!" The many missteps documented here at Hot-Dish have likely made you well aware of this fact. What you may not be aware of is how much I rely on our dear friend, The Internet. Whenever I am unsure of a particular method or cooking technique there is an ample (though questionable) supply of information at my fingertips. What I love about food blogs in particular is that all of this information is served with a good dose of humour and humanity. Here are some of my recent favorites. Perhaps they will interest you as well?

How To
Perfectly Poach an Egg
Chop an Onion
Grow Your Own Alfalfa Sprouts
Make Biscuits
Make a Pie Crust (the secret ingredient is NOT love, it's vodka)

The wonderful world of bacon
Candied Bacon
Candied Bacon Ice Cream
Bacon Cups

Bacon Brittle

Healthy Snacks (These recipes will come in handy when you begin to feel guilty about eating all that bacon.)
Lemony Garlic Green Beans
Kale Chips
Microwave Potato Chips
Microwave Popcorn without Trans fats
Chili Garlic Edamame
Lentil Crunchies
Refrigerator Pickles

Chili Mac Makes a Comeback

2008-03-04T17:44:00.000-08:00

Served with a concealing blanket of cheese and sour cream I was able to convince TWO beer swigging, kale hating men to eat this chili mac. It is an edible deception, decadent in appearance, vegetle in nature. Adding a bottle of beer to nearly any meal will make it more appealing to the man in my life. Micah even once suggested that a bottle of brew might enhance a woeful alfredo. It was with him in mind that I took opener to bottle and transformed this chili from ho-hum to so-yum.

Vegetarian Chili Mac
1 Tblsp oil
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
12 oz bottle of Corona
15oz can black beans, drained
15 oz can kidney beans, drained
14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes with green chilies
2 chipotle peppers, seeds scraped out and diced (The kind that come in a can of adobo sauce)
1 bunch kale, stems removed and cut into squares
1/2 Box Barilla Plus elbow macaroni
shredded cheese
sour cream

Heat oil in a large dutch oven. Add onion and carrot, then cook over medium heat stirring occasionally until softened. Add garlic, spices, and tomato paste and cook for one minute stirring often. Add half of the beer and scrape up any browned bits that may have accumulated on the bottom of the pot. Now add the beans, tomatoes, and peppers. Cook uncovered for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add kale and rest of beer to pot, put a lid on it and cook until kale is tender. Place desired amounts of macaroni and chili in a bowl. Top with a sprinkle of cheese and a dollop of sour cream.

Bananarama

2008-02-27T16:06:00.000-08:00

Without fail, I will return from the store each week with too many bananas. In my head our home is filled chewing chimps and banana cream pies, the rotting fruit on my kitchen counter would indicate otherwise. Since I hate to waste food we eat a LOT of banana bread in the hot dish household. My standard recipe boasts a delightfully crisp top that gives way to a perfectly moist interior, "ripe" with the flavor of bananas. Sounds fantastic, right? Well it is, but after 100 loaves even bread perfection grows stale. To my husbands dismay I tend to tinker with the recipe, changing the type of flour or fat, adding what ever fruits may be keeping my bananas company on the counter. Oh how hopefully I served this latest incarnation, praying that it would free me from my husbands unwavering devotion to The Standard, the bread by which all others are judged. My husband declared it a flop. I fear that I may deem his taste buds a flop! Should I take advice from a man who puts this much butter on his bread? I think not.

Don't judge us. Judge our bread!

The Reining Champ

The Contender
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp. Baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 cup chopped nuts
1/2 cup shredded coconut

Heat oven to 350. Grease the bottoms only of two loaf pans. Beat butter and sugar together in a large bowl. Stir in eggs until well blended. Add bananas, milk, and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Stir in flours, baking soda, and salt until just moistened. Stir in the nuts and coconut. Pour into pans. Sprinkle tops of bread with sugar and bake for about an hour.

Jambalaya

2008-02-20T14:30:00.000-08:00

The weather outside is woefully wet. Though I am fortunate enough to have a job that keeps me indoors, today's chills seem to warrant more warmth than brick and steel will allow. Rather than trudging through my day, I would like nothing more than to go home and curl up in a big pot of Jambalaya. Nestle in with the rice and bells and let the spices redden my cheeks like a warming rouge. Breathe in the steaming broth of my seasoned sauna and decorate my toes with celery curls. Instead I've got to stand up, pick the tomatoes out of my hair and face the clouds and chaos. Is it just me? Would your world look better today from under the lid of a pot?

Jambalaya

olive oil
2 andouille sausages, sliced
1 raw chicken breast, sliced
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp thyme
2 tomatoes, diced
8 oz tomato sauce
1 quart chicken broth
2/3 cup basmati rice

Saute the chicken and sausages in few Tblsp of olive oil in a dutch oven until lightly browned and cooked through. Scoop all those lovely browned bits of flesh out of the oil and set aside. Add oil to pot if necessary (you should have about 2 Tblsp) and saute onion, celery, and bell pepper until softened. Add garlic paprika, cayenne, and thyme and cook, stirring constantly for one minute. Add broth to pot, slowly scraping up all the delightful brown bits from the bottom. Then add tomatoes, sauce, and rice and bring to boil over medium high heat. Once your Jambalaya is merrily bubbling away put a lid on it a lower the heat to a gentle simmer. Cook for 20-30 minutes, until your rice is soft enough for sweet dreams.

Apples, Toasted

2008-02-16T11:23:00.000-08:00

This crisp has an admittedly high ratio of topping to fruit. Topped with ice cream, it tastes like a heavenly apple, oatmeal ice cream sandwich. Really the apples are just there to make you feel better about eating a boozy ice cream sandwich for breakfast. Can you think of a better way to start to a holiday weekend? If so, please share!

Apple Crisp
3 Braeburn Apples, peeled and sliced
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 TBLSP Bourbon
1/8 cup brown sugar

1/4 butter, softened
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 flour
1/4 cup walnuts
1/2 cup oats
1/2 tsp vanilla
pinch nutmeg
pinch salt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine apples, cinnamon, bourbon, and brown sugar in a bowl. Toss gently to combine, then pour into a 9 inch pie plate or a gratin dish.
Next, mix together the rest of the ingredients in your empty apple bowl. Use clean hands to crumble the topping over the apples. Bake for thirty minutes. Allow to cool a bit then serve with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Pasta in the Way a Whore Would Make It

2008-02-07T17:46:00.000-08:00

There are varying opinions why Pasta Puttanesca is known as the food of italian whores. What can be agreed upon is that sweetly roasted tomatoes, salty olives, spicy red pepper and pungent garlic make this saucy little dish is a taste worth trying.
My version of Puttanesca practically cooks itself. There is a wee bit of chopping involved but I consider that time with my cutting board my daily therapy session. Though this recipe is not as saucy as an italian whore there is only one change that I would make. My plate was sadly sans capers and those briny little balls were sorely missed. Please enjoy! (Just don't tell your mother, it would kill her.)

Practically Puttanesca
Serves 2
1 dry pint of cherry tomatoes, cut into fourths
6 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 small tin of anchovies, minced
1/4 cup of capers (I forgot to add this, it would have made my pasta perfect)
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp dried basil
2 Tblsp Olive Oil
6 oz thin spaghetti
1/3 cup kalamata olives, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup chopped parsley

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place your tomatoes, garlic, anchovies, capers, pepper flakes, and basil in a 9 inch glass pie plate tossing gently to combine. Drizzle with the two Tblsp of olive oil and pop the whole mess in the oven for thirty minutes. While your sauce cooks put a large pot of salty water on to boil cook pasta according to package directions. Toss cooked pasta and sauce in a large bowl with the kalmata olives and parsley. Serve by red candlelight.

Things That Look Like Brains

2008-02-04T17:19:00.000-08:00

Is there anything in that sad little skull of yours?
Between the bounty of beers consumed during yesterday's football festivities and the many viral wonders traveling my office, my grey matter is feeling a bit blue. As I whizzed by my freeway offramp this morning I knew that this would not be a day for deep thoughts and the operation of complex machinery. Today's play is backtracking and laying low. If your brain has been on strike too I have this advice. Eat some soup. Take a nap. You will feel better, I promise.

Mushroom Barley Soup
olive oil or butter
1 onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 anchovy fillets, miced (you could substitute a bit of soy for this if anchovies creep you out)
8 oz crimini mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup pearl barley
6 cups broth (I used beef broth but should you have some chicken or vegetable stock lying around that would be a wonderful substitute, in which case sub stock for water)
1 cup water
1/2 cup white wine
2 sprigs thyme
handful of chopped parsley

Heat a few tablespoons of oil over medium low heat. Add onion and celery to the pan and cook until translucent. Add garlic, anchovy, mushrooms, and barley to pan and cook until mushrooms are nicely browned. Add liquids and thyme to pan. Once soup begins to boil, lower heat, cover and simmer for about 30 minutes. When the barley is tender but chewy your soup is done. Stir in parsley and serve.*
*Use a bowl, not a plate. These decisions can be so difficult.

Giving Jessie Her Due

2008-01-24T15:54:00.000-08:00

Everyone should have a friend like Jessie. The kind of friend who will come over to your house and build IKEA furniture just because, "it amuses" her. I was doing nothing with the pieces of a medicine cabinet before she decided to build it for me. Thanks Jessie!

2008-01-17T20:45:00.000-08:00

When I first found this medicine cabinet at my local IKEA I knew that it was destined to serve a greater purpose than the ho hum holding of cotton swabs and pills. A cupboard this attractive need not be stuck in the bathroom at a party.

In fact, when invited to the living room this wooden character becomes the belle of the bash!

Emboldened by my successful decorating dare I decided to take it one step further and add custom styled bar ware.

First I found glassware of a suitable size. (And at a bargain to boot!)

Then, I marked off sections of tape that were slightly smaller than the height of my glasses.

Like the orange polish? Take note, this is what happens to your judgment when you get a manicure while at a bar.

I (unfortunately) chose to take a shortcut and use spray paint instead of etching the glass. Guess which paint has NOT been proven food safe by the FDA? Damn.

These glasses will be for decorative purposes only but I couldn't resist showing you my original vision. Have I created something completely useless? Ideas are welcome.

Soup in a Hurry, Rescued by Curry.

2008-01-14T16:54:00.000-08:00

On any given night you may find a typical "He Said She Said" argument happening in the Hot Dish household. Because I make all meals that do not involve our fine friend the microwave, "she" is the clear winner of any dinner dilemma. The great question is, "Does a Bowl of Soup a Supper Make?". I say yes. In my single days I certainly relied on that nifty thrifty meal many times, soup is as gentle on your wallet as it is your waistline. My husband however, is made for heartier fare. He likes to chew his supper not sip it. There are very few soups that will break down this barrier, THIS is one of them. Curried Carrot Soup is bold in color and flavor, but it is the peace at dinnertime that I truly savour.

Curried Carrot Soup
2 Tblsp olive oil
1 onion chopped
3 cloves garlic
1 Tblsp curry powder*
3lbs of Carrots, peeled and chopped
8 cups chicken broth
Heavy Cream

Heat oil in a large heavy bottomed pot. Add onions to pan and cook over medium heat until translucent. Add garlic and curry, cook for one minute stirring often. Add carrots and broth to pan. Cook over medium high heat until mixture comes to a low boil, cover pan and lower heat. Simmer soup for 30 minutes or until carrots are fork tender. Puree soup with your handy dandy immersion blender. Top each bowl of soup with a drizzle of cream.

*If you like your flavors to whisper rather than shout I would reduce this amount.

It's "Pie" Time You Had Some.

2008-01-07T17:36:00.000-08:00

Oh sun, when will you return and save me from these craptastic photos?

After choking down a slice of pizza from one of those national chains I decided that I could not bear another day without a slice of homemade pizza. (Try our new cardboard crust, it's radically devoid of flavor!!)
My plan (and pie) came together perfectly. Not only was I able to snag the very last bulb of fennel from the store, this pleasing pizza enabled a few festive leftovers to make a graceful exit from my fridge. I used whole wheat dough which worked quite nicely with the assertive flavors that topped it. I generally don't like to pressure you into a dish dear reader but if this sounds like your kind of pie you should definitely give it a try. No bib needed for this feisty feast, even sans sauce your satisfaction will be complete.

Sausage Pizza with Fennel, Onion and Peppers.

1 ball o pizza dough, enough to make one 12 inch round pizza

8 oz Sausage (true confession time, I used Jimmy Dean Sage Sausage)

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 red onion, sliced

1/2 yellow bell pepper sliced

1 bulb fennel, sliced

Olive oil, if needed

8 oz mozzarella, shredded

1/4 shredded Parmesan

Heat oven to 425 degrees.
Coat a cookie sheet lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with cornmeal. Roll (or toss) your pizza dough into a nice circle. Cook sausage in a medium fry pan until nearly cooked through. Add garlic and pepper flakes to sausage and cook until nicely browned. Set sausage aside. To that same pan add enough oil to the drippings to equal 1 TBLSP. Add the onions, peppers and fennel and cook over medium heat until lightly browned and soft.
Sprinkle sausage evenly over dough and top with mozzarella, Parmesan, and onion/pepper/fennel mixture. Pop the pizza into the oven and cook 16-20 minutes. Your pizza is done when the cheese melts and bubbles and the dough is cooked through.

Ham and Peas that Please

2007-12-28T12:31:00.000-08:00

Is this the flying spaghetti monster of legend? NO, dear friends this un-picturesque pasta is my answer to the questionable contents of my refrigerator. Christmas brings many things that I am oh-so-thankful for but leftovers may trump them all. My hubby would have been content to eat the ham straight off the bone with nothing to accompany it with some spicy mustard but I could NOT leave well enough alone. There is no better way to rid myself of a stressful day than to escape to the steaming innards of my kitchen and chop, chop, chop my troubles away. Halfway through the creation of this sauce, I stopped to taste it. I was CERTAIN that I had ruined dinner. My hubby urged me to press on, and I am so thankful he did. A generous dollop of ricotta brings all the ingredients together and makes them sing. A delicious little medley of salty, creamy, and sweet, it may look like hell but the taste is a treat.

Frying Spaghetti Monster

2 TBLSP butter
2 TBLSP olive oil
1 onion, chopped (good-BYE thankless job)
3 cloves of garlic, chopped (good -BYE traffic!)
1/2 cup white wine

1/4 cup cream
2 cups diced ham *(heeellooo delicious)
1 cup peas
1 TBLSP brandy
1/2 cup ricotta
cooked pasta for four
1/2 cup of the water that the pasta cooked in

Heat butter and oil over medium heat in a large shallow fry pan. Add chopped onion and and garlic, cook until both are soft and translucent. Add wine to the pan and cook until it has reduced in volume by at least half. Now add the cream, ham, peas, and brandy to the pan and simmer until slightly reduced and thickened. Add the drained pasta, ricotta and as much pasta water needed to make the sauce creamy. Toss until the pasta has become acquainted with the sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Merry Christmas!

2007-12-24T14:13:00.000-08:00

Dear Christmas,
Thank you for bells and birds and trees.

For candy canes, and banners and glee.

Thanks for the cookies, cheese, and chocolate I ate,

thank you Christmas for friends good and great.
Beth who saved this Penguin from a sorrowful fate,

and MaryAnn who made this book, that girl can create!

My wishes are many and merry though they are late!

Elves' Belles

2007-12-24T13:11:00.000-08:00

Dearest Jennifer,
I have so much to thank you for, your friendship, your humor, your willingness to share your crafty wisdom. I fear that I have been too focused lately on the darling skirt you made for ~~my tree~~ me.
Merry Christmas friend, may the gifts you receive be as fabulous as you are!

A Christmas (Party) Story

2007-12-23T08:44:00.000-08:00

The scene opens on a crowded bowling alley. A girl approaches her lane, cheeks reddened from well drinks, eyes narrowed with concentration. She throws the ball down the lane, it immediately veers to the left as she is incapable of keeping her hips and shoulders still. Those hips swing out with each toss as she tries again and again to pummel the pins with the willing weight of her ball. Finally, after 8 frames and lots of instruction she manages to knock over a few pins. She leaps towards her opponents, giddy with her small victory

and falls straight to the ground.

That's the story of why I have been burdened with crutches these past 2 weeks. I wish that it had happened in a more impressive way (like, why couldn't I have done it in FIGHT CLASS?!) but at least I only sprained my ankle.

Despite my injury (and with A LOT of help!) hubby and I threw a very successful version of our annual Santa Conquers the Martians party last Saturday.

Buttons for the swag bags. I am always surprised by how many people choose "nice". Perhaps they think a fat man in a red suit is going to burst in at any moment and hand them their due. CHOOSE WISELY, my friends.

Mmmmm pills as food.

A big thanks to all those friends who helped make our Martian party more merry!

Flash in the Pan

2007-11-30T16:39:00.000-08:00

It all began with the salmon. When I saw that chunk of smoked flesh I knew that I had to have it. Then, I read in Fine Cooking that champagne will lose it's fine fizzy qualities after a few weeks in the fridge. With Mimosas on the brain I began to scour the internet for a feast that would be ready in a flash. It wasn't long till my eyes locked on a recipe for Smoked Salmon Hash. Later, cozied up on the couch with my plate of hash in one hand and a mimosa in the other, I felt indescribably light, though I was well on my way to being woefully full.

I made a few small changes to the original recipe. Here is my tested and approved version.

Smoked Salmon Hash
Serves 2

3 Tblsp butter
3/4 lb frozen hash brown potatoes
4 ounces smoked salmon, cut into large chunks
1/2 cups finely chopped red onion
1 1/2 Tblsp drained capers
1 1/2 Tblsp sour cream
1 Tblsp prepared horseradish
1 Tblsp Dijon mustard
1 bag baby spinach
4 fried eggs

Melt 2 Tblsp butter in a large, heavy pan over medium heat. Add the hash browns in an even layer and cook, covered for 10-12 minutes. While the browns cook, mix salmon, 1/4 cup onion, capers, sour cream, horseradish, and mustard together in a small bowl. Melt 1 Tblsp butter in another large fry pan, and add the remaining 1/4 cup chopped onion to it. Cook over medium heat until onion is soft and lightly browned. Add spinach to pan and cook until wilted. Add salt and pepper to taste. When your hash browns are their named color turn them over and add the smoked salmon mixture to the pan. Cook over medium heat until warm. Load up your plate with spinach, hash, and fried eggs. (A bit of toast will be nice too.)

Happy Thanksgiving!

2007-11-21T16:46:00.000-08:00

It's a Vicious Cycle

2007-11-16T16:48:00.000-08:00

Stay up all night crafting.

Fortify your brain with a midday espresso to keep your head separated from your desk.

Stay up all night crafting.

A few months ago (heck it was probably a year ago) my good friend Mary asked me what I thought about "The Ghetto Latte". Apparently, there are folks who will go into their local espresso shop, request an iced espresso then add complimentary sweetener and milk, creating a full blown iced latte for the tiny cost of an espresso shot. I worked for many years as a barista but had never thought to employ this method myself. When adulthood arrived with a certain intolerance for all things dairy my love of lattes wavered. No matter how sweetly I asked, no matter how much I tipped, I could never, ever get anyone to make my drink with as little milk as I'd like. (Don't even put any in, just SHOW it the milk.) So now, I am the living life the ghetto latte way and loving it. For once I am not being guided by the cheap-o in me but the control freak. What do you think? Am I being terribly tacky or perfectly prudent? I am just relieved that I no longer have to inflict my complicated drink order on those poor abused baristas. I know the pain of the dry cappuccino, the small blended drink with six shots of espresso, I am happy to keep my drink drama to myself.

Micah, enjoying a professionally produced latte.

Richard Simmon's Shorts Look Like Women's

2007-11-12T21:59:00.000-08:00

Persimmons are fruit that I have often enjoyed but never purchased. This gem must be often planted and little loved to have friends and neighbors replenish my supply year after year. (It seems to be a family affliction, Mom I learned it by watching you!) Though I never actively seek them out I am always quite pleased when persimmons make their way into my kitchen. One by one I allow them to ripen and tuck them into the freezer until the delightful day I have been given an ample enough supply to make cookies. The recipe was my mother's but at a young age I must have claimed it as my own. Perhaps it was seeing the childish strokes that once qualified as my handwriting but as I measured and stirred last night I began to bend the rules. I did NOT bother to level off the flour. Rather than allowing them to come to room temperature, my eggs went straight from the fridge into the bowl. And you know what? The cookies were delicious. I thought that those sunny childhood memories were distorting my senses, until I handed one to my hubby. A cookie hater by nature I assumed that he would take one bite and then hand me the remainder. He-ate-the-entire-thing! Delightfully soft and fragrant with lovely crunch and chew from fresh walnuts and raisins these cookies may make a persimmon lover out of you. (Hopefully not too many of you, I'd like to keep my free supplies coming!)

Persimmon Cookies
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup persimmon pulp
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp each, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and salt
1 cup raisins
1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter and sugar together. Stir in persimmon pulp, egg, and vanilla. Mix flour and spices together in a separate bowl then mix them in with everything else. Stir in raisins and walnuts. Drop large tablespoons of the dough on a buttered cookie sheet and bake for 12 minutes. These cookies stay moist and delicious for days in a tightly sealed container.

You know that you want one

2007-11-08T11:23:00.000-08:00

If you've lusted over her crafts from afar (as I have) then you will be happy to know that The Felt Mouse is now selling her potholders on Etsy. The proceeds will benefit PanCan "a national patient advocacy organization for the pancreatic cancer community", so order as many as you'd like with guilt-free abandon!

Smokey Lentil Soup

2007-11-06T17:18:00.000-08:00

As the countdown to holiday feasting begins I am finding it difficult to keep my calorie intake at a non-binging level. That leftover Halloween candy on my desk is certainly not helping matters. (I swear that I had M&M's sitting right here, I can't POSSIBLY have eaten the entire bag, can I? Oh yes, there is the empty wrapper.) I am beginning to view that darling little ceramic pumpkin with it's swirling vortex of temptation as the devil cast in stone and sugar. I've decided that I desperately need an ally around, a dining option that is deceptively sinful. High in fiber yet full of rich smokey flavor this soup is a foul weather friend to anyone in need of comfort, not calories.

Smokey Lentil Soup

8 oz smoked sausage, sliced (there are a surprising number low fat options out there)
2 carrots, chopped
2 stalks of celery, chopped
1 sweet onion, chopped
2 TBLSP fresh sage, chopped
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 bay leaf
2 cloves minced garlic
1 lb dry lentils, rinsed and picked over
8-10 cups broth (chicken or veggie)
sambal oleek

Cook sausage over medium heat in a large dutch oven. When it has browned nicely remove the sausage. If your sausages were oily remove all but 1TBLSP of the oil. If your sausages were lean add enough olive oil to the pan to equal 1 TBLSP. Add carrots, celery, and onion to the pan and cook over medium heat until they've softened. (I didn't try this, but I think that a can of diced tomatoes would be an excellent addition at this stage.) Add sage and paprika to the pan, heat for 1 minute, stirring often. Now add bay leaf, lentils, and broth to the pan. Bring the mixture to a boil, then cover pan and lower the heat to a gentle simmer. Cook lentils for 30 minutes or until they've softened. Add salt, pepper and sambal oleek* to taste.

*Begin with just a tsp or two per pot, sambal oleek is quite hot.

Hot Sundaes

2007-11-02T16:43:00.000-07:00

Remember that very special episode of Saved By the Bell when Jessie was pulled into the dangerous world of caffiene pill consumption? By the end she was singing "I'm so excited" over and over with that manic look in her drugged out eyes? Well, that's how I feel right now! November is here and I have reasons to cheer! Tis the season for scarves hard won by hours spent looping and hooking. My husband always gives me such a questioning look when I crochet but who is now cozy warm and who is stuck with a cold neck? (Sucker) So many movies to see! (First up, Lars and the Real Girl, and The Darjeeling Limited.) Tomorrow will include the Murakami exhibit at the MOCA, a trip to the fabric district, and good times with friends. As the show stopping topper for this sundae of excitement, my hubby surprised me with tickets to see Aimee Mann and Ben Gibbard at the end of the month. The music builds, I've swallowed the pills. I'M SO EXCITED.

Witches, Come and Get Some*

2007-10-31T00:09:00.000-07:00

Twas the night of the dead and all through the house, each creature was stirring, be they spider, fowl, or louse.The pumpkins were lined by the chimney with care, in hopes that the darkness soon would appear. Red and Wolfie lay all snug in their bed, with visions of persimmons dancing in their heads.
Hope that your holiday is frightfully fun!

*Any Reggie fans out there?

Project Runaway

2007-10-30T15:49:00.000-07:00

For someone who takes great pride in being creative with my surroundings I am surprisingly content to live in a rental. For years I longed to become a homeowner.........until the day I signed the papers to an albatross of my own. Saturday morning as a homeowner meant one thing, a trip to the hardware store. As I walked the aisles desperately searching for the obscure nail or wire required I felt utterly overwhelmed by a very distinct smell. The odor of obligation. The stinging stench of encumbrance. Now that I have returned to the ranks of renters, the smell of paint does not bring telltale tinge of tedium to the air. Rather than endless walls that require painting, the presence of stain and sawdust now bring to mind simple and satisfying projects like this.

A $15 thrifted table goes glam with a coat of orange paint.

Have you ever priced chalkboards? I had decided that was one bit of kitchen decor I would have to live without until hubby and I came up with this solution, a piece of paneling coated with chalkboard paint. The frame and tray are decorative mouldings applied with glue.

Now it's your turn to share! What projects are you working on?

Risky Business

2007-10-23T22:19:00.000-07:00

Trying a new recipe is always a risk. For someone never thinks about food the risk is scarcely worth mentioning. For someone who waits all day for dinner trying a new dish is the equivalent of leaping off a small cliff without knowing if there is water or land below. I adore trying new foods but it is difficult for me to turn away from a favorite for the sake of finding fresh fare. I first attempted this recipe as a teen and it has helped me win the heart (and dish washing assistance) of many roommates. When I can't stomach another feast of failure I turn to the familiar. Linguine with Clam Sauce, it's tried, it's true, I wrote it down just for you.*

Linguine with Clam Sauce

Serves 2

1 Tablespoon butter

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

6 cloves garlic

1/4 tsp dried basil

2 cans chopped clams*

1/2 cup white wine

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Linguini for 2, cooked according to package directions

1/4 cups grated Romano cheese

Combine oil, butter, garlic and basil in a large skillet. Heat on low until garlic has softened. (Be careful not to burn the garlic, keep that heat LOW.) Add clams (including their juices) and wine and simmer over a medium heat until mixture has thickened and reduced to your liking, stirring occasionally. This process usually takes 15-20 minutes. Add cilantro and heat until cilantro has wilted slightly, about 1 minute. Add salt and pepper to taste. Divide pasta and sauce between two plates, top with cheese and serve.

*Not enough cheese in the post? Try the pasta!

**I know that there are some who would wince at the thought of sullying a sauce with canned clams. If cans offend you, please don't try this dish.

Are you a Colbertocrat?

2007-10-18T14:33:00.000-07:00

Last year my hubby started a online petition encouraging Stephen Colbert to run for president. Now that Stephen has announced his intention to do so the petition is rapidly filling up with signatures. Join in the fun at Colbertocrat.com.

Pumpkins are so much fun

2007-10-17T17:35:00.000-07:00

I usually buy my pumpkins at the grocery store. Not my usual grocery store, the one waaay down the road that has shockingly cheap packets of lunch meat stacked in the non refrigerated aisles. This is the store that I am now fortunate enough to only frequent during pumpkin season.
This year, thanks to a suggestion by the Felt Mouse, my pumpkin buying experience was surprisingly stank and toxin free, you might even call it "magical". When pondering the perfect way end an evening of barbecue and booze last Friday, Jen uttered two simple words that filled our men's hearts with loathing and sent mine racing with desire. Pumpkin Patch.

Here is Jen looking wickedly cute as some kind of hybrid scarecrow/crafter. All pictures posted here are courtesy of The Felt Mouse family. Thanks Jen!

Hey kids! Tokinghost says "Trick or huh? What?" "Dude your face looks like a pumpkin!" "Oh wait that is a pumpkin"
We wandered around admiring the painted displays.

Until I found, "the one".

Well, the pumpkin may have been perfect but the price was not. We settled for an equally charming but less expensive option. (I'm sorry pumpkin, my love was so true!) Happy Hunting to all of you in blogland, may your displays be kitchy and your pumpkins plump as the full moon.

The Roast of G. Tomato

2007-10-03T23:19:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I was fortunate enough to attend a "cooking party". The invite suggested that I bring the ingredients for a favorite recipe of mine and be prepared to eat a feast! A small group of girls gathered in the kitchen and set to work. I was so surprised at how smoothly everything went, from the sharing of chopping boards to the timing of the oh so coveted oven. A day devoting to dining was a much needed reminder of why I love to cook. Watching spare ingredients transform from mundane to magnificent is a marvelous thing. I resolved to set aside time to cook this week, however full my schedule may be.
A sale on tomatoes at the market and a chill in the air made Roasted Garlic Tomato Soup the obvious choice for my quest in the kitchen. As the clock approached midnight I began to question the sanity of my decision. All doubts were washed away when the first drop of garlicky goodness graced my tongue. Today I am bleary eyed but not dreary, I know that another bowl full of bright and warm flavors will sing me through the day.

Roasted Garlic Tomato Soup

3lbs tomatoes, quartered

2 carrots cut in chunks

7 cloves unpeeled garlic

2 Tablespoons olive oil

3 cups chicken broth

2 sprigs of fresh thyme

1 Tablespoon brandy

1/3 cup half and half

grated Parmesan or grilled cheese sandwich, for serving

Place tomatoes, carrots and garlic in a large baking dish. Drizzle oil over the veggies, sprinkle generously with salt and pepper and roast at 400 degrees for an hour. Squeeze the garlic cloves until they are released from their papery prisons. Then, in a large soup pot bring the tomato mixture, garlic, chicken broth, and thyme sprigs to a low boil, lower heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes. Remove thyme stems from the pot and either use an immersion blender or standard blender to create your desired soup consistency. (At this point the soup can be strained. If you happen to like a slightly chunky soup or, if you are ridiculously lazy feel free to skip that step and move right along to the next one, there's booze involved!)

Return soup to pot. Add brandy, cream, salt and pepper to taste. Cook over a medium flame until just heated through, then serve.

Twenty-nein

2007-09-24T16:48:00.000-07:00

I am 29 today. Since I passed 25 I have approached each birthday with an increasingly volatile mix of mania and dread. I have every hope that this year will magically transform me into the sort of woman who can gracefully enter my thirties. Wish me luck, I'll need it.

Falling All Over Again

2007-09-20T17:19:00.001-07:00

If you've known me for more than six months it is clear that I count each season as a favorite. I celebrate the change as much as the season itself. Even though temperatures are still warm here in sunny California the calendar says September and I shall honor it. I will accept golden sun rather than leaves and celebrate with homemade soups a plenty!

I was given an enormous bolt of black and white polka dot fabric, so naturally I've added decorative curtains to any nook that will have them. (Apparently preparing my cleaning products for the long cold winter ahead!)

One late August night Hubby and I drove (and drove and drove) down the scenic coast to Malibu where we picked up this golden hued beauty. As the Ditty Bops sang about the moon which shone down (from not so high) overhead and the cool breezes blew, we grew further from summer by the mile.
Now that the table's amber grain is topped with plates of pears I can feel certain that fall has arrived. (No matter WHAT my thermometer may say!) What are you favorite ways to usher Autumn in? Please share, I'd be much obliged!

Barely Risotto

2007-09-15T22:26:00.000-07:00

Oh to be a consistent cook. One of those talented geniuses that spew forth greatness from every orifice in a sparkly multi-colored swirl that smells like lilacs and tastes like salt water taffy.

As one who likes to blog about food I would hope that each entrance into the kitchen would result in sustenance worth sharing. Only the truly wonderful or terrible will do. It is so disappointing to make a dish that I am barely capable of mustering enough excitement to eat, much less make you poor folks read about.

Barley Risotto, it's filled with nutrients! Wow that's something my body needs anyway!

Barley Risotto will sustain you for several hours provided you can choke enough down! Just watch television while you eat it, it will help distract you!

Today's lesson: Barley plus broth does not equal risotto

Beach Blanket Bingo

2007-09-06T11:23:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday Micah and I were honored to co host a swell party with Jen (The Felt Mouse) and her hubby. Jen and BT are the craftiest couple that I know. The day before the party I stopped by to see what was shakin and they were still coming up with amazing ideas and projects.
I was ASTOUNDED to see my hubby step right up and master this bit of machinery. I guess when we become carnies he will finally start pulling his weight in the kitchen. ;)

This photo opportunity sat and the entrance welcoming everyone to the party. I painted the figures and Jen and Brent made it awesome by cutting out the top and adding the lovely banner and fabric.

Everybody Hula!

Jen and her fabulous cakes The Boardwalk
It will be a surprise to no one but myself that my pictures are all food related. (Who's a little piggy? I AM!) I did not take pictures of my favorite features of the night, the great "projector in the sky" that thrilled us all with campy beach movies or the hand built Tiki bar where I had my first flaming drink. I DID get a picture of the candy bar.
No trip to the beach would be complete without a souvenir bag of candy and Jen made certain that our guests had that opportunity fill one up with these darling buckets of sweets. It was a truly wonderful time. Big thanks to all who were able to come and super thanks to Jen and BT for letting us participate.

Seven Year Slaw

2007-08-22T15:38:00.000-07:00

Some foods are born troublemakers. I didn't expect to turn out a picture perfect pie crust on my first try. Even after years of baking experience I count each perfect crust as a gift. Cole Slaw is another dish to be distrusted. How can such a simple recipe with so few ingredients leave me so distressed? Well readers, I shall no longer suffer the of shame of so so slaw. It has taken me 7 years, this past week I finally found the secrets to slaw success.
This is one instance where the pre prepped stuff in the bag is not just the easiest option it’s also the best. If you take the time to shred your own cabbage the slaw will suffer, not sing. In the past I have always chosen recipes that do not require a "rest" in the fridge. I've got places to go, things to eat! Now that I know how essential this step is I will never skip it again. When you first toss everything together, it won’t “work”. Your dressing will appear to be too thick and there will not be enough to coat all that cabbage. Keep tossing till it’s mostly mixed, place that mess in the fridge and it will be magically transformed within the hour.

Good, Ol Fashioned Slaw
1 bag shredded cabbage
2 green onions, sliced
1 cup mayo
3 TBSP cider vinegar
1-2 TBSP sugar
small handful of cilantro rinsed and chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Empty your bag o shreds in pretty bowl. Whisk together the remaining ingredients in a separate bowl then toss with the cabbage. Taste a spoonful of salad to see if you have a salty/sweet/vinegar ratio that will please your palate. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to chill for one hour in the fridge.

Ate

2007-08-14T22:38:00.000-07:00

My husband and I met in the 7th grade. He was the son of a weatherman who knew how to keep his cool. (His legs cool, in hot pink shorty shorts!) I was the quiet girl with the bad perm who was always dishing out the desserts. What I couldn't say with words I said with marshmallow squares, it was love at first bite.

Hubby and I celebrated our EIGHTH wedding anniversary this weekend. (Can you believe it?!) No, we haven't been dating since the seventh grade but we were high school sweethearts. We separated at the end of senior year. We each experienced our share of heartthrobs and heartaches over the next few years and it was so great for us, in the long run, to have that time apart. Now, I can't imagine my life without him. My husband is the funniest man in the universe. Not only can he make me laugh in any situation, he offers me constant creative encouragement. He even forgives me when I accidentally call him "kitty" (Kitty, Sweetie, you can see how I would make the mistake, right? right?) And, this weekend, when my suggestion for the perfect Saturday morning breakfast to celebrate our wedded bliss was "Chick-fil-A" he was happy to make the drive. Happy Anniversary Sweetheart, I love you more than food itself!

Thank You, Long Overdue

2007-08-06T22:58:00.000-07:00

This post is pure thanks to Mary Ann. Above is the bounty I found on my doorstep a few weeks ago. Usually when I return home from vacation there is nothing waiting for me but piles of laundry and a dirty house. It was so lovely to have gifts too! Last week when my brain was weighted with work, the sweetly crafted tags that you sent made it all feel lighter. Thanks Mary Ann!

Where the Heck I Have Been

2007-07-23T16:35:00.000-07:00

I've been busier than a belly in bollywood! I finally found a new job. Not only is my new job close to home, I actually will be working the same hours as my hubby. I will no longer have to dote from afar! I have visions of nightly barbecues, picnics on the beach, and a million other delights. For the next two weeks however, you will find me nose against grindstone. (I started my new job today, but only gave my two week notice last Friday, I'm a genius!)

Don't expect to see any new recipes out of this busy cook, here is my dinnertime companion.Oh Smokey, it's YOU who has a hold on me!

Things That Go Crunch In The Night

2007-07-11T21:43:00.000-07:00

After all the cupcakes, poutine and burgers I've consumed lately, I knew that I would do whatever it took to get my grip on some green Sunday night, even if I had to paw through the neighbor's garden with my bare hands! (I didn't actually raid my neighbors garden, fortunately for him, Vons is open till midnight.) It is absolutely INDECENT how much I adore shopping for summer produce. Every bin seems as though it must be mismarked, each item is so cheap and abundant. As I make my way through the aisles I have to restrain myself from filling the basket to the very top. (Come now Eviedee, we must leave room for the milk!) Here is what I made with my hearty haul.

So Good to be Home Slaw

First prepare these ingredients and toss them together in a bowl

1 head of cabbage shredded (or if you are super fly like me 1/2 red and 1/2 green)

3 carrots, grated

2 green onions, sliced

1 chicken breast, poached and shredded(you could also do one of those rotisserie chickens but the lone bird that you find left in the case at midnight will be a foul creature)

small handful of chopped mint and cilantro

Then, in your blender or food processor mix together

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup seasoned rice vinegar

1 Tblsp. soy sauce

2 Tblsp. sesame oil

1-2 tsp. sambal oelek

1 tsp grated ginger

The juice of a single lime

Pour the dressing over the salad and mix gently. Fill a large bowl with slaw and as you chew, allow each mouthful to remind you that the best place to be on a hot summer night is your very own kitchen.

That's the Way the Cookie Crumbles

2007-07-11T01:01:00.000-07:00

So, that whole live blogging the vacation didn't work out. I've been back since Sunday night and I haven't even posted day four yet. I would have, but that post was "eaten" by Micah's laptop (a.k.a. I lost the data due to total incompetence). So, as usual I will just have to reconstruct those hazy memories with pictures.

I remember something about a cave, and my flashlight not working, and how much I HATE caves. (Well, perhaps it's for the best that you don't have to hear about THAT in greater detail.) Then there was Seattle and the most amazing firework display that I have ever witnessed. (My impression was that it was legal to launch large fireworks from your front lawn. There was a constant "show" happening all along the horizon. Wrong! )

I will never forget my visit to Daiso. There were many hours and dollars spent there. (Even Hubby was entertained!) I actually felt weak and began to grow blind from staring at all the cuteness.
Vancouver was wonderful! First, we ate our way through a two tiered tower of stunningly fresh seafood. After a bit of rest, we were ravenous again. This time we came face to food with the incredibly decadent Poutine served up at Crave. (Very special thanks to Kickpleat for suggesting the place!) After a lovely lunch we wandered through the park and were thankful for the great fortune of being alive on the most beautiful of days and in the most beautiful of places.

Day Three How To Spot an Ewok

2007-07-05T11:16:00.000-07:00

Step One: Drive around in circles for hours and hours.

Step Two: Despite your low blood sugar levels eat nothing but sugar free candies

Step Three: Soak in a natural spring whose heat causes you to feel quite dizzy

Step Four: Take a hike in the beautiful Oregon woods, you will see these very special creatures peeking out from behind the trees.

Day Two-The Sickening

2007-07-04T10:33:00.000-07:00

Does this sound like A Good Idea to you? First, you wake up ridiculously early (8am) and stumble down to river docks to board a jet boat. You are whisked away to a shack where you eat a very large breakfast. Next you top the whole thing off with a bottle (or two) of champagne. Finally, you hop back into a jet boat which begins to perform maneuvers that you would not think possible in a craft of it's size. You make your way down the river rapidly speeding up and spinning in wild 360 degree turns that send large waves of river water raining down on you. By the second hour of our second day of vacation I was already drunk, nauseous, and stinking, soaking wet. What to do next? Why, eat of course!
It may not seem like A Good Idea in light of the previous excursion but it really, truly was. Perhaps this is the champagne talking but I think that the Rogue Creamery is the best thing that has ever happened to me. (Sorry Sweetheart!) Hubby and I sampled all sorts of cheeses, finally choosing the smoked blue as provisions for the road ahead. Portland was calling to us!
We arrived at the dinner hour, checked into the Kennedy Hotel and headed over to Doug Fir Lounge. I had heard good things and bad so we decided to see for ourselves. The “seeing” wound up being the most satisfying portion of our meal. The ambiance was lovely but Hubby and I were less than impressed with the food. Our dinner choice was not regretful, had we not endured Kashi coated trout we would have missed out on a fantastic musical experience. After dinner we headed down to the bar below the restaurant to check out the Portland Cello Project. I will never again be satisfied with hearing any less than eight cellos play at the same time. The cellists were awesome and perfectly in concert with the audience who were ACTUALLY paying attention to the musical act. I have not seen such an attentive audience in my entire life. The only sound the room besides those coming from the stage was a gentle shake shake from the barkeep. The creativity and enthusiasm radiating from the room are the very things that continuously draw us to Portland, we will certainly be back soon.

Vacation

2007-07-02T10:40:00.000-07:00

A really great vacation winds up as an overall feeling of well being and a spectacular blur of random images my head. Rarely do I end a trip with memories specific enough to articulate. People ask, "Where did you go, what did you do?" and all that I can offer them is a blank stare and a smile. I have started to bring a camera along these days so that I have photographic evidence to fit the pieces back together when I return. This blog is also going to help me with that. When asked I can just say, "read my blog, it's all there!" I won't be posting daily, I thought that I could manage that simple task, but look it's day three already!

Day One:
Got in car. Drove twelve hours. Thanked the heavens for XM Radio.

I will post more as my faulty brain and Wi-Fi allow.

Summer Lovin'

2007-06-28T13:41:00.000-07:00

Summer has (finally) arrived in the Muzio household! I hauled it home from the market in bags bursting nature's abundance. It had been staring at me with it's big baleful eyes and I could no longer resist, whatever my husband may say. This weekend, summer reigned supreme. I consumed it in great dripping mouthfuls over the kitchen sink. It arrived in the form of friends bearing good cheer and drink. It streamed in through the windows wrapping everything in glowing orange and pink.
I fell in love with my grill again. No matter what I threw her way, steak, veggies, even salsa she transformed into something special, worthy of the season. As the long rays of the sun began to heat our home, we escaped to the shaded flowering retreat of the backyard, hauling buckets of beer and chips.
Saturday we will participate in that ultimate emblem of the season, the road trip. We will be driving up to to Vancouver, seeking summer all the way. If you have any suggestions of things to see or eat kindly leave a comment, it would really make my day!

Pop Quiz!

2007-06-22T09:40:00.000-07:00

Panda Hat!A. Halloween Costume
B. Motivation to go snowboarding (Cause it will be cold and I'll "need" to wear it.)
C. Yet another opportunity to post embarrassing pictures of myself on the Internet.

D.All of the above and more! (At the movies. At a bake sale!)

Bugerlicious

2007-06-21T19:36:00.000-07:00

E-X-C-E-S-S, that's the way you spell success!

2007-06-17T12:17:00.000-07:00

You know that feeling you have at the end of a particularly large meal? You push back your chair, convinced that one more bite of food will push you from satisfied to sick. Then, as you wait for the bill to come you realize that you've eaten just a bit too much? What might you do after such a meal? Go home and collapse on the couch? Take a brisk walk around the neighborhood to burn off a few of those excess calories? Would you ever consider driving to another restaurant? This past Saturday night that's just what we did. Some may call it unabashed gluttony, Jen called it a "Progressive Dinner". The idea was to visit restaurants who bank their entire reputation on one dish. It was a terrific idea, eat one course, drive, enjoy another course. It went horribly awry at Alondra Hot Wings and I really have only myself to blame.
"Hot sauce and ranch dressing "blasted" fries? Yes please! Your fried zucchini is the best in town? Bring it on! We certainly can't leave without trying at least two varieties of your famous wings!"
It was only our second stop and I ordered enough food for entire meal. As we pulled up to our third stop, Henry Moffett's Chicken Pies the mood was decidedly grim. We had set out to accomplish something and by god, we were going to do it, come hell or mile high biscuit! Being seated to order a meal when you are enormously full of food is an unsettling experience. We made it through, thanks to some hefty to go boxes. (Fun fact: Biscuits with honey are ALWAYS delicious. Move over Jello, over-eaters have a new go to dessert!) We ended our marathon meal at the Muzio's. At Jen's insistence, we all sampled the goods I had hauled home from The Frosted Cupcakery . These cupcakes seem innocently delicious, but to me they are the final high hurdle in the race to excess. As the smell of brewing coffee filled the air, it mingled with the scent of frosting and finally..........victory.

Banana Bender

2007-06-14T23:48:00.000-07:00

When TWO of your favorite foodies post the same banana bread recipe, it's time to shake on into the kitchen and bake! Though I was disappointed with my results at first, I found this bread strangely addicting. Girls, have you stumbled upon a recipe for crack?

First taste.
Meh. A little too eggy, my standard recipe is MUCH better.

Yummm, a chocolate chunk. That helps.

The aroma of cinnamon is really quite irresistible, I'll just have one more bite.

Well, I didn't want it to go to waste. Maybe I better have one more piece to make certain that I don't like it.

Merry about Berries

2007-06-10T23:52:00.000-07:00

When my husband first flew the nest his mother took the time to write the recipes for all of his favorite meals in a book. I don't believe that he ever thought to actually use it, to him it was merely a sweet gesture. I am the cook in our family and when this book hit my hands years later I knew what magic I held. When I let it be known that he would be enjoying Cornmeal Pancakes with Blueberry Sauce this past Saturday, Hubby immediately expressed his joy in the form of a rap.

That sounds delicious,
off the hook nutritious.
That fly Eviedee sure knows her dishes.

Cornmeal Pancakes
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 cup boiling water
2 Tblsp butter
1 cup flour
2 Tblsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
3 tsp molasses
1 cup milk
Mix together the cornmeal, water, and butter. Beat in the remaining ingredients and let stand for 10 minutes. Cook the pancakes for a few minutes on each side in a greased griddle, over medium high heat, until light brown. Serve with blueberry sauce
Blueberry Sauce
1/3 cup sugar
1 Tblsp cornstarch
2 cups blueberries
2 Tblsp lemon juice
1/3 cup water

Combine the sugar and cornstarch in a pot. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cook over a medium high heat, stirring until thick.

Week..........er MONTH in Review

2007-06-06T02:06:00.000-07:00

I haven't been organized enough to copycat the ever enjoyable Week in Review postings but here are some picture highlights from my month of May.
1. A car collaboration between hubby and I. It did not pass tech inspection before the race due to the fact that it is outfitted with a rocket underneath.
2. Enjoying a walk on the beach
3. Fresh herbs for the kitchen. I can't keep the ones in small pots alive very long. Any green thumbs out there have any suggestions?
4. Getting ready to Etsy!
5. Food, of course!
6. More food, of course!

Totally random additional thought, you know that you are head over heels in love with a band when at the end of your hour long commute home, you feel the urge to keep driving. Rilo Kiley to you I will always be true.

Why I Should Never Shop Online

2007-05-31T23:21:00.000-07:00

Why bother reading and understanding measurements provided by online vendors? I assume that all objects are created in a magical candy land where unicorns ride roller coasters everything is the size I imagine it to be.

Exhibit A: This herb growing tater pot is too tiny to provide enough mint for a single mojito. Why will I keep it? It's just so small and cute!

Exhibit B:

Go ahead and crack wise, my purse is a ridiculous size, yet not large enough to hide my shame.

Hello Garlic My Old Friend

2007-05-22T23:23:00.000-07:00

Micah was off to St. Louis this week. When asked what I would do while he was away, garlic and onions were all that came dancing into my head. I knew that I would be a bit lonely, but no one to talk to meant that I had no reason to open my mouth, and many opportunities to shove it full of garlic. Here is what I whipped up, a consolation prize, brimming with lemon and brine.

So Long Sweetheart Salad

Juice from two lemons (about 7 Tblsp)

3-5 cloves of garlic peeled and minced

3/4 cup olive oil

1 1/2 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp basil

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 cup english cucumber, diced

1/4 cup diced red onion

1/4 cup kalamata olives, sliced

1 can of beans* rinsed and drained

3 cups cooked whole wheat rotini pasta

crumbled feta

Whisk together lemon juice, garlic, herbs, and salt in a pretty bowl. Whisk in the olive oil. Add all other ingredients except feta and toss gently to combine. Season to taste with pepper and more salt if needed. ** Top each serving with feta before enjoying.

*Beans too?! My aren't I a dainty lady!

** Remember, your many tears may be salty enough

Adult Classes

2007-05-20T12:38:00.000-07:00

On my way home from work the other day I noticed a bright new banner hanging on a street corner which proclaimed, "Adult Classes Here". I was immediately intrigued. While I managed to get married and find gainful employment there are many important "adult" skills that I have yet to learn. My mind raced with delightful possibilities.

Adult lesson #1: I can finally learn to be unafraid of the dark. This will save me oodles of cash on my electric bill, not to mention the time I will save each night when I don't have to enter each empty room shouting "Now let me just put this gun away Mr. Norris, then I'll help you trim your beard".

Adult Lesson #2 Grown ups agree, animals DO NOT understand a word you say. Instead of wasting time each day talking to Kitty and Mr. Mo I can consider my retirement options! Yippee!

Adult Lesson #3 Refrain from using words like "yippee!" and "hooray!". Adults say things like "indubitably" and "I must consult my portfolio".

Wait a minute......being an adult is starting to sound like a real snooze. I wonder if they offer superhero classes? Now THAT sounds like a good time!

A Place to Rest your Bread

2007-05-16T20:30:00.000-07:00

If you live in a temperate climate I can think of no better way to store bread than the ever useful cake plate. Even the humble hot dog bun looks lovely when housed in one of these delightful domes. Unfortunately, during the hottest summer months I am forced to choose between bread's two enemies, mold and stale. I usually choose stale. My bread's summer home is the refrigerator, where it longs for cool spring days and scenic counter views.
So Jack, don't keep your bread in a sack, a cake plate is it's fair weather friend!

I Have a Blog?

2007-05-15T23:32:00.000-07:00

Well, it's been nearly two weeks since my last post. What can I say? I try to only bore you with the dullest details of my life and there has been far too much excitement around here lately! Here's what we've been up to.
Hubby enjoyed a "work" trip to Spain. (Poor dear had to drive fun cars and eat tapas without me!)
I had the privilege of enjoying high tea at the Hotel Bel Air with my mother in law.
I ate my first quail egg. (I had quite recently added it to my list of "must try" list of foods, soft-shell crabs you're next!)
Finally, Hubby and I had an impromptu BBQ/Housewarming last weekend. Few friends were able to make it due to the fact that invitations were issued only hours before. The last thing that I expected was for anyone to bring a present but I really should have known better. Here is the gift that my lovely new friend The Felt Mouse came up with on the fly.

Every item is color and theme coordinated, from the picnic checkered ribbon to the adorable tag.
There is an old girl scout song that says "Make new friends, but keep the old, one is silver but the other's gold." Forgive me girls, but a witty friend with a stash of vintage cookbooks is priceless.

Office Beauty

2007-05-02T21:19:00.000-07:00

Despite the fact that my workday does not begin until 2pm, I have difficulty arriving on time. I have never developed the nerve to drive and apply makeup so a good portion of my beauty routine must be completed at the office. Unfortunately, I am also expected to work at my job. (Dreadfully unfair isn't it?) Though I may think that the care that is required to maintain my girlish charm qualifies as "work", my boss would not agree. Here are a few ways to discretely sneak pampering time into your workday.

1. Always, always keep a small mirror at your desk. Not only is it handy for applying lip gloss but it will also help prevent embarrassing moments after lunch, when that black bean and spinach salad is working it's magic on your smile.
2. Use downtime to mentally rearrange your wardrobe. Bonus, if you think about this hard enough you'll get that crease between your eyes, an indicator of concentration that makes you look as if you are working!
3. Did your cat fall asleep in the laundry basket again? Slip your hand inside of a shipping packing sleeve to remove unwanted cat hair from your clothing. (This is great for those days where you run out of clean clothing so you just throw on all the black items that you can find in the back of your closet, desperately hoping that dark denim skirt that you wore in the 8th grade will look fabulous with that black bikini top and ebony sweater.)
4. If there is an opportunity to leave the workplace to get coffee for the boss, buy supplies ect., ALWAYS volunteer. Especially if the errand is within walking distance. Not only does that quick stroll count as your exercise for the day, you will also have an opportunity for mobile tanning! It's a good thing you've got that bikini top on!

Now it's your turn! Name your favorite way to cram a little beauty in your day.

Oodles of Googles

2007-05-01T19:47:00.000-07:00

This post is like microwave popcorn. There's nothing of substance here but hopefully, it's tasty enough for you to stick around for another serving. Following the lead of two of my favorite bloggers, here is what is found when I googled the phrase "Evie needs".

Evie needs a skilled gunslinger to escort her to Texas.
(Carrotz, I'm looking at you! Yeehaw!)

Evie needs to stop swearing
(But...Swearing makes you cool! Right? Like smoking?)

Evie needs a 12 step program

Evie needs to drink
(I am feeling so conflicted!)

Evie needs her own sitcom. She is FUNNY!!!
(Damn right she is! Oops, there I go with the swearing again.)

Evie needs to be the only kitty in your home
(Any takers?)

Evie needs to learn that the can (and the loud noises it produces) can't hurt her

Evie needs to buck her ideas up and actually make something of her life
(I'm trying, but I am just so frightened by the can! Flush flush, all day long!)

Evie needs to stop with the sports metaphors
(I don't know enough about sports to even attempt a metaphor. Craig, can you help me out?)

Evie needs to get her wand and everything

Evie needs her annual well-bird check

Evie needs toiletries for both Women and. Men
(There's something I've been meaning to tell you guys......)

Evie needs to lay down for another nap
(Bye!)

Just Delicious

2007-04-28T12:53:00.000-07:00

Here is a friendly little dessert that is happy to cozy up with peaches, plums, or nectarines. And when summer's fruits have gone astray, apples and pears taste peachy keen. Quicker than cobbler, tasty as pastry, it's......well I don't have a name for this dish. Let's just call it delicious!

Delicious (Serves 2)*
Adapted from many nights alone in the kitchen 1998
2 Tblsp butter
1 piece of fruit cut into thin slices
2 Tbsp booze (Rum or brandy work dandy!)
1 Tblsp brown sugar (You may need more, if you like things super sweet)
handful of chopped nuts
ice cream or cake

Melt butter in small saucepan over medium low heat. Add fruit and booze to the pan and cook 5-10 minutes until the fruit is as soft as you'd like it. Stir in sugar and nuts and let everything cook into one sweet syrupy mess. Serve over ice cream or cake. Enjoy!

*Can be eaten by one person in one sitting but it takes dedication of spoon and spirit.

Chicken Noodle Soup with Risotto on the Side

2007-04-24T22:30:00.000-07:00

Every so often I realize that there is a dish that I have somehow escaped making during my 28 years upon this earth. A dish that I SHOULD know how to make but just don't. As I huddled in bed this morning trying to imagine what sort of culinary delights would ease my sore throat and stuffy head I knew that today was the day I would learn to make chicken noodle soup from scratch. World, here is my confession, I Eviedee lover of all things braised, baked, and broiled have never made my own stock. Something about picking apart the carcass of a dead bird always struck me as something better suited for a 10th grade Biology class than my kitchen. Today I took the plunge. Even though my husbands unfortunate first words to me were "Isn't it weird, that thing used to be an ugly little chicken?!", I just kept on pickin! Though I was disappointed with the flavor of today's chicken soup, I did learn some things that will hopefully help me with the soup of the future. Fortunately, I had more success with the Risotto. I am not sure what the humble risotto can do for my sickness or my soul but I love what it does for my taste buds.

Risotto
(adapted from Fine Cooking Magazine May-02)

1 medium onion, finely chopped
6 Tblsp unsalted butter
2 cups arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
6-8 cups hot chicken broth
large pinch saffron threads
1 cup grated Parmesan
salt and pepper to taste

In a large saucepan cook the onion in 2 Tblsp butter until soft. Stir in rice, and cook until very lightly toasted, about 3 minutes. Stir in wine. Add two cups of broth and the saffron to the pan. Turn the heat to high until the broth comes to a simmer and then adjust the heat to maintain a steady simmer. Cook until most of the liquid has been absorbed, stirring every minute or two. Add another cup of hot broth and keep cooking, stirring, and adding broth until rice is al dente.* When the rice is ready, stir in the cheese. Add a little more broth to give the risotto the consistency that you desire. Off the heat, stir in the butter. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

*This process should take about 20 minutes unless SOMEONE (me) accidentally turns off the heat at some point in which case this whole process will be mysteriously slow until the heat is turned on again.

Cutting Back

2007-04-13T17:17:00.000-07:00

But not voluntarily! As time goes by my list of things that I consider to be "a necessity" grows and grows. I remember a time when I thought of internet service as something that I could do without. Oh how times have changed! Now I find that I can't write unless I am all alone, in my pajamas, sitting at the computer with a kitty sleeping on my lap. If all those things are not in place I am totally unable to string complete sentences together. Things are coming together at our apartment but we are still sans internet! Thanks to my work computer I have been able to sneak peeks at other blogs but when it comes to writing something here I just stare at the screen blankly till my break is over. Hopefully all of our tech issues will be shorted out shortly. I would like to think that I am the kind of girl who can cut back and do without but I am starting to wonder......

Home Sweet

2007-04-03T14:19:00.000-07:00

Our former apartment was, shall we say...cozy. My husband and I could hold a conversation in our quiet voices from opposite end of the house. I loved our little place but and times it felt like I tight skin that I was itching to get out of. It is truly saying something that even with our stacks of moving boxes mounded everywhere our new home still feels open and comfortable. It must be the high ceilings. Some part of my brain craves empty space and here I have it in spades. Double the square footage, double the fun! (Double the cleaning time? I'm hoping that the extra space will mean a lower concentration of cat hair per square foot, we'll see how that works out.)

I have zero excuses for not stepping to the stove in this kitchen. There is plenty of counter space, a dishwasher, and (get this!) the fridge is in here too!

Mmmm, Filling!

2007-03-22T21:37:00.000-07:00

Hey kids remember granola? It's good for you, and yummy too. Why not try a bowl of creamy yogurt and honey topped with this toothsome treat?
Honey Bear can't believe how delicious it is!
This weekend will be filled with packing and moving, so hubby and I will need all the granola filled energy we can muster. See you next week from our fabulous new digs!

Pillows and Fabric and Frame Oh My!

2007-03-14T13:32:00.000-07:00

The 60 minutes I spend in fight class each week make every minute I spend outside the classroom seem more enjoyable. After an hour of attempting to spar with dudes who are twice my height and body weight even the most meaningless of tasks become moments of pure bliss. "Well I know that I am just sitting here on the couch but man it feels good to not be getting punched in the stomach! Sure, I am just walking down the street BUT NO ONE IS TRYING TO KICK ME IN THE FACE! It's awesome!" This is the same "putting it all into perspective" feeling I got when I felt the thunk of a freshly delivered box against my front door as I opened it this morning. How could I let anything get me down when there was an entire package of swap happiness at my feet?
About a month ago the ever-generous Mary Ann came up with a challenge. Mary Ann would exchange a yard of fabric with a blogger, they would each make something fabulous with the fabric they received and then mail the project back. Now here's the crazy part, Mary Ann agreed to do this for 11 people! Aak! Well of course you would assume that Mary Ann would HAVE to do a terrible job. I mean, 11 projects? In a month? Well friends, I was SO wrong.
These totally awesome would-buy-them-in-a-store-and-pay-scads-of-money-for-them-any-day pillows are the prize sent to me for my measly yard of fabric. The stitching is straight and perfect. The design is flawless, and once again Mary Ann has left me with my jaw on the floor because she is so awesome. She also made an ADORABLE wee pouch lined with felt and a lovely frame that holds the final scrap of fabric.

NOW I understand the catch! At the bottom of this treasure trove was a yard of fabric. After seeing the greatness that flows from the hands of Mary Ann I am to make a project worthy of her? Hmmmmm... I will have to ponder my sewing options VERY carefully.

Sew Frustrating!

2007-03-14T00:24:00.000-07:00

This is the current state of my sewing machine. It died midstitch. I am pretty sure that the problem is the little electric gizmo that you push with your foot to control the speed of the machine. Does anyone know
A. What on earth I am talking about?
B. Where on earth to obtain this gizmo?
C. Whhhhyyyyyyyyyyyyy?!!

Sew Delicious!

2007-03-12T00:42:00.000-07:00

For the past month my kitchen related adventures have gone from this blissful state

To this

Rather than cooking I have been spending my free time pondering the complexities of my sewing machine. It all began with completing six aprons for a friend. Then, the gals at work got in on the act and I made six more. Thanks to a recent trip to the fabric district you can be certain that the madness won't end there. Yesterday, in addition to aprons, I had a desire to whip up some fine fare for my hubby. What a girl needs at a time like this is a true workhorse of a recipe, one that requires minimal preparation. A dish that will merrily cook away while you sort and stitch. This recipe is not healthy, nor is it company fare, but my darling husband and I are quite fond of it.

Chicken Cheese Rolls

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Using a meat mallet, pound four chicken breasts flat. Spread each breast with 1 tablespoon butter and 3 tablespoons chive cream cheese. Roll up chicken and wrap each little parcel with two pieces of turkey bacon. Place the chicken in a glass pie pan and bake for 40 minutes. Then, broil for 5 minutes until the bacon is brown and crisp. Serve rolls over rice to soak up the savory butter goodness.

A Carrot

2007-03-09T22:04:00.000-08:00

Here's a handy "Hubby Helper" he can't miss! If you can't be at home, make your presence known. Put an end to mealtime confusion with a helpful sign.

Turn and Face the Strange

2007-03-05T20:57:00.000-08:00

Ch ch changes! SO my husband recently left the realm of the free lance journalists to become a working slag. In order to prevent him from spending his days and nights sitting in traffic we have decided to move. Every time I looked for a new apartment I felt as though I was choosing my new lifestyle. Will our neighbor's constant bickering become the new soundtrack for our lives? Will I have to spend my weekends elbows deep in dirty dishes and laundry or will I have the appliances to deal with them easily. (And I don't mean a hammer, chainsaw and a dumpster!) Is it too much to ask for a dishwasher AND parking AND laundry hookups AND stylish surroundings? Apparently yes it was.
What we DID find was a totally fabulous apartment with oodles of old school charm and a reasonable price. All we need now is a dishwasher on wheels to be ready for total domestic bliss.

Better off Mislead

2007-03-05T00:56:00.000-08:00

ONE of the reasons that I was in such a stormy state last Friday was that a potential landlord had taken our credit check money and then re listed the desired duplex at a higher rate. I was fully prepared to hop on a bicycle and in the style of Better off Dead, hound him till he handed over our scratch. Then I realized that while the loss of the fifty was irritating, what really upset me was losing the home. I had already planned the next six months of our lives there in my head. I know that I should remain emotionally detached from a place until I find out that we are ACTUALLY going to live there but yeah, that doesn't really work for me. I need to feel an emotional pull to a place in order to commit to it. If I don't give a crap about a place then I don't want to live there. Just looking at pictures of properties online and seeing the same damn white box topped with a popcorn ceiling makes me feel a little panicked. I can feel the walls closing in on me, like the whole thing is going to suffocate me with it's dirty beige carpet and vertical blinds.
Just one week later I realize that what seemed to be a burden was actually a boon! I am thanking my lucky stars that we didn't end up in either of our recent might-have-rents.
I have found The Perfect Apartment.
A place that proves that yes, you can live well in Long Beach for less than a trillion dollars. Wish me luck as I attempt to secure the home of my day dreams.