Braisin' Hussy

2009-06-24T10:13:00.000-07:00

Well, since my last post, I started a job, hated a job, and ended a job. June was a busy month. I haven't really been cooking much, apart from the occasional Rather Boring Pantry Pasta. I made a scrambled egg on toast this morning. That was delicious. I don't eat enough breakfast. Looking at the front page of the blog, I kind of want to make the Smoked Ham Hocks and Cranberry Beans again. It's not really a summer dish, though.

I biked 15 miles yesterday. I feel good about that.

2009-05-15T11:18:00.000-07:00

I had an interview in Menlo Park this morning (it went okay), and afterward I took the opportunity (since I'm not often in Menlo these days) to check out the new Penzey's Spices store that opened last year. It was pretty sweet! I had a coupon for a free jar of ground black pepper, which I used mostly to get a free spice jar. I figure I'll use what I can over the next month or two, pitch the rest, and then fill it up with something else. I have many spices sitting in plastic bags.

Ryan and Jon bought me a jar of Mexican vanilla extract from Penzey's a few years ago. It was, bar none, the best vanilla I've ever tasted/smelled/used. They stopped carrying it a while back, I guess because the crop had shrunk or something. So I was all a-woe and went back to Madagascar/Tahitian vanilla. BUT! Apparently, although they don't say they carry it in their catalogs or on their website, they DO have it in their physical stores! I was so incredibly excited to see it (almost as much as that time I was at Baja Fresh and they had switched from Pepsi to Coke products). So I ended up buying the Mexican vanilla, some chili powder, the Pasta Sprinkle I like, and the free pepper.

The store's really cute, too. Go visit!

2009-05-07T10:47:00.001-07:00

I was making some tomato sauce a few weeks ago, and I needed some red wine. Looking through our wine... document box, I discovered that ALL our wine is incredibly old (for a household of people who don't really care about that sort of thing). I used the newest bottle, which was a 2003 Ridge California Zinfandel York Creek. I only needed about a half cup for the sauce. The rest of the bottle was quite delicious.

My folks were over on Tuesday, and I told them about our old wines. I pulled out the oldest one, which was a 1997 Robert Mondavi Chardonnay. My mom boggled and told me I shouldn't keep white wines that long, and that it'd be a miracle if it hadn't turned to vinegar by this point. (A miracle it would be indeed, because we have never kept our wines properly [as evidenced by the document box storage]. Hell, we kept them out in the garage back in the old house, where they were subjected to a rather large swing of temperature.) But it wasn't vinegar! It was still pretty tasty! And I'm not really a fan of white wines.

So I thought I'd make a list of the wines we have. I don't know if any of these are good- I'm pretty sure most of them are gifts that we just never opened. A rather surprising amount of dessert wines.

1997 Monastero di Coriano Vin Santo - this was a gift from my parents
1999 Benziger McNab Ranch Merlot - this was probably a gift from my parents, since they know I like merlot
2000 Robert Mondavi Moscato d'Oro - pretty sure both the Mondavi bottles we had were inherited from Jeremy, who gave us all his wine&booze once he was tired of moving all the bottles around
2000 Beringer Gamay Beaujolais
2001 Beaulieu Vineyard BV Coastal Signature Series Merlot - once again, pretty sure this was a gift to me
2001 Victor Hugo Petite Sirah
2001 Byington Alliage Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon
2003 Schmitt Sohne Riesling
2005 Bonny Doon Moscato d'Asti
2006 Imagery Petite Syrah Port - birthday present this year from my parents, it's delicious with really dark chocolate

2009-04-30T23:10:00.000-07:00

Parsley Salad

Zest of 1 large lemon
Juice of 1 large lemon
1 small shallot, minced
1 tsp honey
1 tsp dijon mustard
2 Tbsp sesame oil
6 Tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
3 bunches Italian parsley, leaves only
3 Tbsp sesame seeds, toasted

Whisk first 8 ingredients together in a large bowl. Add parsley and toss to combine. Sprinkle sesame seeds over top. Chill for 1-4 hours.

2009-04-01T11:07:00.000-07:00

Rather Boring Pantry Pasta

This is a photo of the variation using the vinaigrette.

I fail at my resolution to post once a month. March was a bad month all around, really. Lost my job. My credit card number was stolen. Exploded my computer. Good damn times.

D:<

2009-02-14T16:28:00.000-08:00

Smoked Ham Hocks and Cranberry Beans

(om nom nom)

2009-02-12T16:52:00.001-08:00

Rather Boring Pantry Pasta

3-4 oz. some kind of pasta (I prefer shapes)
3-4 Tbsp olive oil
1-2 tsp red pepper flakes (diced jalapeno pepper is also good if you're out)
~6 pieces of salami or pepperoni, quartered or sixthed
1/4 onion/2-3 green onions/1-2 shallots, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 tsp assorted dried herbs- parsley, basil, oregano, thyme, etc. (Penzey's Pasta Sprinkle is nice)
Salt and pepper, to taste
Parmesan cheese (optional- I have occasionally used shredded cheddar cheese)

Bring water to a boil and cook pasta. While this is going on, prep the rest of the ingredients. Drain the pasta and leave in the colander while you make the sauce. (I use the same pot I used to boil the pasta- it's only like 2 quarts, so it's not really a pain to clean.) Put the pot/pan over medium-high heat and add the oil and red pepper flakes. Stir/swirl around for about a minute. Add the salami/pepperoni and cook another minute. Add onion and stir until soft, 2-3 minutes. Add garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Toss in the herbs. Add the cooked pasta back to the pan and toss to combine. Turn off heat, taste for seasoning and adjust with salt/pepper. Empty into bowl and add cheese.

Variations
3-4 Tbsp of toasted nuts can be added when you put in the herbs. They can be used in place of the salami/pepperoni if you're a vegetarian.
2-3 Tbsp vinaigrette. I'll do this if I have leftover salad dressing. I added it instead of the dried herbs. Dump it in and let it reduce a little.

2009-02-12T16:18:00.000-08:00

Slightly More Interesting But Still Rather Boring Pasta

3-4 oz. pasta
1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp olive oil
1-2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4-1/2 cup white wine (just finishing up a bottle, don't really know how much was in there)
2-3 Tbsp herbed cheese spread (some Boursin I had leftover after a party)
2 Tbsp cream or milk
Salt and pepper, to taste
Parmesan cheese

Boil water and cook pasta. Drain and keep in the colander while preparing sauce. Melt the butter with the oil, add red pepper flakes and onion, cook until soft. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add white wine and turn heat to high. Reduce to 2-3 Tbsp. Off heat, add cheese spread and cream and stir to melt/integrate into the sauce. Add pasta back to pan and stir to combine. Adjust seasoning, dump into bowl and serve with parmesan.

2009-02-02T09:31:00.001-08:00

I took a picture of this dish, which I'll post when I get home. Delicious, although I'm not very good at dismantling ham hocks. If you cook the time-intensive beans, ham hocks, and onions in tandem, you can have this dish done in a morning. I overbrowned the onions a bit, but all that really did was make them more delicious. I did have to up the salt in the dish to compensate for their resulting sweetness.

2009-02-02T09:29:00.000-08:00

Smoked Ham Hocks & Cranberry Beans
San Francisco Chronicle

1 lb dried cranberry beans, or other white bean like cannellinis
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs fresh savory + 1 tablespoon minced
2 tsp kosher salt
2-3 lbs smoked ham hocks
1.5 cups Onion Confit (see recipe below)
5 Tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp minced fresh thyme

In a large saucepan, combine the beans, 8 cups water, bay leaf and sprigs of savory. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer until the beans are just becoming tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Add salt and continue to simmer beans until tender, adding more water if necessary, 1 to 1 1/2 additional hours. Set aside to cool in the cooking liquid. (You should have at least 3 cups of cooking liquid.)

In a large saucepan, cover the ham hocks with cold water by 3 inches. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer until the meat is nearly falling from the bone, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Remove the hocks, and when cool enough to handle, remove the meat and skin. Tear or cut the meat into bite-size or larger pieces. Mince enough of the skin to make 3 tablespoons. Set aside. Discard the bones and save the remaining skin for another use.

In a Dutch oven (or similarly sized vessel) heat 1/4 cup of the Onion Confit over medium heat until it is soft, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the tomato paste, pepper and about 1 cup of the bean cooking liquid. Stir, blending the sauce. Reduce the heat to medium, and add the beans, another 1 1/2 cups of the cooking liquid, the meat and minced skin, the thyme, minced savory, and salt and pepper to taste, and the remaining Onion Confit. Fold together with a wooden spoon, being careful not to mash the beans. Simmer until thickened and hot, about 10 minutes.

Serve alone or over rice.

2009-02-02T09:28:00.000-08:00

Onion Confit
San Francisco Chronicle

Makes about 4 cups- more than double the amount needed for the ham hocks. Halve, or use the extra to garnish pretty much any savory dish.

4 Tbsp butter
4 pounds yellow or red onion, cut into slices about 1/4 inch thick (about 7 cups)
2 fresh or dried bay leaves
2 Tbsp fresh thyme
1 Tbsp chopped fresh savory
1 Tbsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Heat oven to 400.

Cut the butter into several chunks and put on a large baking sheet or roasting pan. Place in the oven to melt, 4 to 5 minutes.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven and spread the onions on it. The layer of onions should be about 1 inch deep. If the layer is too thin, the onions will fry. Tuck the bay leaves into the onions, then sprinkle the onions with thyme, savory and pepper. Drizzle the olive oil evenly over the top.

Put the baking sheet in the oven and cook the onions, stirring every 10 or 15 minutes, until they have turned a light golden brown and have reduced in volume by nearly half, 1 to 1 1/4 hours.

Remove from the oven and let cool. Transfer to 1 or more clean, dry jars and cover tightly. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

2009-01-07T11:48:00.000-08:00

Butter Thin Cookies
Penzey's Spices

1 stick butter
2/3 Cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
pecan halves or candied cherry halves, optional

Preheat oven to 350. Cream butter, sugar, and vanilla together. Add the egg and beat until the batter is light and fluffy. Gently mix in the flour, salt, and baking powder to make a soft dough. Drop by the scant (barely full) teaspoon, 2 inches apart, on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for about 8 minutes at 350. Remove the cookies right away, or they will stick. If desired, top with pecan halves or candied cherries immediately after removing the cookies from the pan.

Tips:
Make sure to leave enough space between cookies, as they spread a lot. If your oven racks are not perfectly level, the cookies will end up in all sorts of bizarre shapes. (I had to use a wad of foil to get my cookie sheets level.) Use a thin, flexible spatula to remove the cookies from the pans, as they do not rise much and can be a tad difficult to remove from the pan. Using parchment paper and/or a cookie sheet that has no rim makes it easier.

2008-12-18T09:34:00.000-08:00

Warm-Spiced Pecans with Rum Glaze
Cook's Illustrated

2 cups raw pecan halves (8 ounces)
2 Tbsp granulated sugar
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/8 tsp ground allspice
1 Tbsp rum, preferably dark
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp unsalted butter

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line rimmed cookie sheet with parchment paper and spread pecans in even layer; toast 4 minutes, rotate pan, and continue to toast until fragrant and color deepens slightly, about 4 minutes longer. Transfer cookie sheet with nuts to wire rack.

For the spice mix: While nuts are toasting, stir together sugar, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice in medium bowl; set aside.

For the glaze: Bring rum, vanilla, brown sugar, and butter to boil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat, whisking constantly. Stir in toasted pecans and cook, stirring constantly with wooden spoon, until nuts are shiny and almost all liquid has evaporated, 1-2 minutes.

Transfer glazed pecans to bowl with spice mix; toss well to coat. Return glazed and spiced pecans to parchment-lined cookie sheet to cool. Store in an airtight container for up to a week.

2008-05-17T12:23:00.000-07:00

Penne Pasta Salad
from Carolyn Anzia

1 lb. penne pasta
1 garlic clove, quartered
1 tsp salt
1 cup loosely packed fresh parsley
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp sugar (honey might be nice as a substitute)
3/4 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 cup olive oil
1 red onion, chopped
2/3 cup dried currant
2/3 cup toasted pine nuts

Cook the pasta al dente. Drain, rinse under cold water, and drain again well. (Note: while the pasta is cooking, make the dressing.)

In a food processor, blend garlic and salt to a paste. Add the parsley and mince. Blend in lemon juice, vinegar, curr powder, sugar, cumin, and pepper.

Gradually add oil through the feed tube in a steady stream.

Pour the dressing over the pasta. Add onions, currants, and pine nuts, and toss until mixed. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

2007-09-19T09:39:00.000-07:00

Basil Ice Cream

1 cup cream
2 cups milk
4 egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar, divided
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
Pinch of salt

Heat the cream, milk, basil, and 1/4 cup sugar to boiling in the microwave. Strain out the basil and place it in a blender or food processor along with 1/4 cup of the liquid. Puree until smooth, then stir back into the dairy mixture.

Whisk the egg yolks and remaining 1/2 cup of sugar together until smooth and lighter in color. Whisking constantly, drizzle the hot milk/cream/sugar/basil mixture into the egg/sugar. Once combined, transfer the mixture to a pot and place over medium-low heat. Stir or whisk constantly until it reaches 170F or has thickened to the nappe stage (coats the back of a spoon), then remove promptly from the heat. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any curdled egg bits.

(The method I use to avoid all chances of curdling is to mix the eggs and sugar in a large metal bowl, and then after mixing in the milk/cream, place the bowl over a pot of simmering water and whisking. This longer, but you won't have to strain it afterwards. Also, you can be somewhat less paranoid about the constant whisking of the mixture- this cooking method is gentler than direct heat.)

Stir in the salt. Cool for at least four hours (or overnight).

Freeze in an ice cream maker, following the manufacturer's instructions. Transfer to freezer to let harden.

2007-08-20T11:45:00.000-07:00

Roast Chicken with Fatty Rice
disgusting but wonderful

1 4-lb. chicken, neck and innards removed
4 Tbsp butter, softened
1 Tbsp fresh sage, chopped
1 Tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1.25 to 1.5 cups rice (see note at the bottom)
1 10.5-oz. can french onion soup + 1 can water (or an equivalent amount of homemade onion soup)
Vegetable oil
Salt and pepper

In a large container or pot, combine 1 1/2 quarts of cold tap water and 1/2 cup kosher salt (1/4 cup table salt). Stir to dissolve. Submerge chicken in brine and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Remove chicken from brine and dry well with paper towels. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 450. Prepare the roasting rack by spraying it with nonstick cooking spray.

In a food processor or mortar and pestle, (or just in a bowl with a fork) combine butter, herbs, and minced garlic into a paste. Loosen the skin over the breast and thigh on each side of the chicken. Spread three-quarters of the paste under the skin. Tie the drumsticks together with kitchen twine and tuck wings behind back. Oil the skin lightly and season with pepper. Set chicken breast-side down on prepared rack in roasting pan and roast for 15 minutes.

Mix together the soup and water with the remaining tablespoon of herb butter. After the first fifteen minutes of roasting, scatter the rice and liquid in the bottom of the roasting pan. Continue roasting for another 15 minutes.

Remove roasting pan from oven and decrease temperature to 375. Rotate chicken breast-side up on the rack, stir the rice, and return to the oven for approimately another 30 mintues, or until the breast meat is 160 and the thigh meat is 175 on an instant-read thermometer.

Let chicken rest for about ten minutes before carving. Transfer the rice to a serving bowl.

(Note: I think these proportions are about right. The last time I made it, I only used a cup of rice, and had way too much liquid/fat left over at the end. I think in the range of 1.25-1.5 cups will work correctly.)

2007-08-14T10:23:00.001-07:00

New recipes! The reason behind this ice cream extravaganza is that I bought a half gallon of cream last week. (Also, it's summer.) It is SO MUCH CREAM. I've made three batches of ice cream, and I still have four cups left.

The first batch I made was the bourbon and brown sugar ice cream. I had been planning on making a relatively simple, non-cooked ice cream involving chocolate chips and Reese's Pieces, but when I started getting my ingredients together, I found that we had no white sugar. The local minimart had already closed, and I forgot that I had a neighbor who would totally have given me a cup had I asked, so I went on the internets to see if I could use brown sugar. Answer: yes, but it'd have to be a cooked custard-style ice cream. Glad I did, because the texture in this batch was so wonderful. The bourbon was kind of a last minute add, but I think it tastes great.

The cardamom-honey ice cream I had made once before, and since I was seeing Lydia on Friday, I decided to make it again. I changed the recipe a bit from the first time (different cooking method, different dairy ratios, fewer yolks, etc.), and it turned out better. The ice cream hung together better. My problem with it before was that it turned out too soft. I made another change for the recipe (but not in my batch), which was to cut the cardamom down by half. I just don't think you really need two tablespoons. That's a TON of cardamom. I'd like to see if I can made this better by maybe using the seeds inside whole cardamom pods instead of ground cardamom. The texture currently is a little too grainy (the sieve can't catch all the particles), and I'd like it to be smoother.

I was inspired by the strawberry-sage ice cream recipe over at Ice Cream Ireland, but after talking with my friend Eddie, he put the idea in my head of the classic strawberry-black pepper-balsamic vinegar combination. Well, I didn't end up putting the balsamic directly into the ice cream (although I am thinking that either a balsamic reduction or some straight good balsamic vinegar drizzled over the top would be PURE WIN), but the resulting ice cream was very tasty. It was my first time doing a fruit ice cream, and I'm not entirely sure I froze it correctly. (Are the strawberries supposed to freeze solid? I guess so. I mean, the water content in them would really dictate that happening.) I also think that just a black pepper, or maybe a black pepper and vanilla ice cream would be lovely. Since the peppercorns were just broken and not ground, they were easily strained out, and the resulting texture on the ice cream base was much better than in the cardamom-honey.

YAY ICE CREAM.

2007-08-14T10:13:00.000-07:00

Strawberry and Black Pepper Ice Cream

1 pint fresh strawberries, washed and hulled
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp sugar
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup 1% milk
3/4 cup sugar
4 egg yolks
tiny pinch of salt
2 Tbsp whole black peppercorns, roughly crushed with a mortar and pestle (not ground)

Place the strawberries, lemon juice, and 1 Tbsp sugar in a food processor. Pulse five to ten times (1-second pulses) until they're fairly uniform in size but NOT a puree. (You want chunks.) Set aside.

Mix the sugar and yolks together until light in texture and smooth. Combine the milk and cream and bring to a simmer (either on the stove or in the microwave). Whisking constantly, drizzle the hot milk/cream into the egg/sugar to temper it. Once combined, transfer the mixture to a pot and place over medium-low heat. Stir or whisk constantly until it reaches 170F or has thickened to the nappe stage (coats the back of a spoon), then remove promptly from the heat. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any curdled egg bits.

(The method I use to avoid all chances of curdling is to mix the eggs and sugar in a large metal bowl, and then after mixing in the milk/cream, place the bowl over a pot of simmering water and whisking. This longer, but you won't have to strain it afterwards. Also, you can be somewhat less paranoid about the constant whisking of the mixture- this cooking method is gentler than direct heat.)

Stir in the pepper and salt. Cool for at least four hours (or overnight).

Strain to remove the pepper. Freeze in an ice cream maker, following the manufacturer's instructions. During the last five minutes, add the strawberries. Transfer to freezer to let harden.

2007-08-13T13:12:00.000-07:00

Cardamom and Honey Ice Cream
Adapted from Ice Cream Ireland's recipe

1.5 cups 1% milk
1.5 cups heavy cream
1 cup sugar
4 egg yolks
1 Tbsp ground cardamom
3 Tbsp honey (I use a wildflower honey from Utah, it's got an assertive flavor)
tiny pinch of salt

Mix the sugar and yolks together until light in texture and smooth. Combine the milk and cream and bring to a simmer (either on the stove or in the microwave). Whisking constantly, drizzle the hot milk/cream into the egg/sugar to temper it. Once combined, transfer the mixture to a pot and place over medium-low heat. Stir or whisk constantly until it reaches 170F or has thickened to the nappe stage (coats the back of a spoon), then remove promptly from the heat. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any curdled egg bits.

(The method I use to avoid all chances of curdling is to mix the eggs and sugar in a large metal bowl, and then after mixing in the milk/cream, place the bowl over a pot of simmering water and whisking. This longer, but you won't have to strain it afterwards. Also, you can be somewhat less paranoid about the constant whisking of the mixture- this cooking method is gentler than direct heat.)

Stir in the cardamom, honey, and salt. Cool for at least four hours (or overnight).

Strain to remove some of the cardamom (you won't be able to get all of it out). Freeze in an ice cream maker, following the manufacturer's instructions. Transfer to freezer to let harden.

2007-08-10T10:35:00.000-07:00

Bourbon and Brown Sugar Ice Cream

1.5 cup 1% milk
1.5 cup heavy cream
1 cup brown sugar, packed
4 egg yolks
1.5 tsp vanilla extract
Tiny pinch of salt
2 Tbsp bourbon

Mix the sugar and yolks together until light in texture and smooth. Combine the milk and cream and bring to a simmer (either on the stove or in the microwave). Whisking constantly, drizzle the hot milk/cream into the egg/sugar to temper it. Once combined, transfer the mixture to a pot and place over medium-low heat. Stir or whisk constantly until it reaches 170F or has thickened to the nappe stage (coats the back of a spoon), then remove promptly from the heat. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any curdled egg bits.

(The method I use to avoid all chances of curdling is to mix the eggs and sugar in a large metal bowl, and then after mixing in the milk/cream, place the bowl over a pot of simmering water and whisking. This longer, but you won't have to strain it afterwards. Also, you can be somewhat less paranoid about the constant whisking of the mixture- this cooking method is gentler than direct heat.)

Stir in the vanilla and salt. Cool for at least four hours (I just stick in in the fridge overnight).

Stir in the bourbon. Freeze in an ice cream maker, following the manufacturer's instructions. Transfer to freezer to let harden.

2007-08-06T10:44:00.000-07:00

The convention season is over! I have moved domiciles yet again! I should get back to blogging.

2007-06-13T22:43:00.000-07:00

Man, today was hot. Biking home from work was all manner of sticky and sweaty. And I don't know what it was, but I'm thinking there must've been, like, an 18-wheeler FULL of durian that tipped over somewhere. If you've ever smelled it, you know what I mean. Whoo boy!

Even with the stench, a lot of people were out walking. There was a pretty good breeze going, so I could understand that. (Certainly didn't help that the same wind was blowing the stomach-turning smell of durian around.) People sure weren't moving very quickly, though. Just kind of lumbering up and down the streets.

The roads were surprisingly empty. I was expecting more people to commute home via their air-conditioned cars, to tell the truth. I still managed to hit almost every single light on my way home. I guess people were jealous that I had wheels or something, because they kept getting too close when I was stopped. Unfriendly lot down here in the South Bay. No, "Hi! Nice day. Pretty warm. Huh, what's that rotting flesh smell?" Just a lot of "Urghhhhhhh blerghhhhhhhhh." And "Glrghhhhh brawn." Well, I am looking pretty ripped. Been almost three months since I started the bike commute, after all.

Got home, took a shower, nuked a burrito, and waited for the guys to come over for D&D. Oh, there's the doorbell now.

...

Wait, what?!

...

NO!

(This horribly written bit of fiction is brought to you by Blog Like It's the End of the World.)

2007-06-11T09:09:00.000-07:00

My apologies for being absent from the blog. Between sewing and moving (yes, again), I haven't had time to really do anything of interest. I'll be free in August.

2007-05-16T11:02:00.000-07:00

Mother's Day was on Sunday, and as has come to be expected, Jon and I made brunch for the moms. Jon made French toast and a strawberry/balsamic salad, and I made quiche. Nathan didn't seem to like it, but everybody else did. I used a prepackaged crust- the horror! It was an organic, whole-wheat crust I got from Whole Foods. And it came in a pan. I'm so lazy. But honestly, my crust skills would not pay any bills (no matter how tiny). Quiche is really easy apart from the crust!

I also made a failure this weekend. While looking at quiche recipes in an old edition of The Joy of Cooking, there was on the same page a recipe for "Nut, Bread, and Cheese Loaf." (I think that was the name.) I had all the ingredients, and it looked pretty simple. It looked like it'd be meatloaf sans meat. (Wheatloaf?) Anyway, it tasted all right, but the texture and the overall look of the whole thing was disgusting. I attempted to cut it into slices, but it fell apart, and I was left with an unappetizing tan/grey pile. It kind of looked like I had thrown up on the plate and was attempting to eat it again. Lovely thought, isn't it? I threw it out yesterday, after trying to eat it for lunch.

Good times. D&D tonight.

2007-05-11T09:48:00.000-07:00

It's pathetic when all I have to offer is drinks, isn't it? Well, I'll have a new recipe after this weekend. Mother's Day brunch and all that, you know. The Gin Daisy I tried last Sunday. I was flipping through Jer's copy of the Williams-Sonoma Bar Guide, looking for something we had all the ingredients for. This seemed simple. It's quite nice. Stronger than I thought it would be.

Rob and I were at Target, and we saw some wine cooler-type things made with chai tea. We thought that was kind of a good idea, but that we could make it better (and chepaer). We made the Irish Chai last night. It's perhaps not quite as thick as it should be- Rob suggested that maybe the milk should be frothed. That would probably work, but it adds extra complications for those of us who don't have one of those little frothy wand things.