My Inner-Geek

Enter Fall...

2008-10-01T19:48:00.005-05:00

I signed up to participate in the VeganMoFo...the Vegan Month of Food. It's not a competition. I always have friends asking me to post more frequently and I thought this could drive me to blog a bit more. Reading vegan adventures has always been a favorite pass time and I'm looking forward to daily inspiration.

Since my last post, Finn has grown several inches. He's also requiring a bit more exercise...We have found a great rhythm/schedule. 5:45 am - we're 0ut the door, across the bridge to the Soldier Field, the sledding hill, and a nice dose of furry friend chase. In the evening, B or lil' bro head out with us for about an hour and a half. If you have a puppy or are thinking of getting a puppy, my best advise is EXERCISE! I do not run with Finn or rid my bike with him. He gets to burn off his pent up energy on his own. Visits to the 12st Street Beach are on the top of his favorites list. He's become an excellent swimmer but seems to enjoy diving into the sand after a toy over retrieving from the lake. I will try and capture a movie of this activity, he's extremely silly.

Being settled into a schedule, I've gotten back into the kitchen. Before I get into the photo frenzy that typically occurs when I make something I find delicious, I'd like to discuss the difficulties of pleasing the vegan/non-vegan couple.

Perhaps because my veganism did not sprout from a strong moral belief against eating meat/ dairy (not that it's not present at all) but from a conviction of eating simply, more basic, and as low as possible on the food chain that I occasionally have a difficult time coming up with the week's menu. I strive to eat lower on the food chain because I've noticed that my body feel better, acts better, stays healthy when I practice veganism.

I would be perfectly happy eating a baked potato and brussel sprouts or a big juicy salad with what ever veggies were in the fridge, every night. B doesn't share this ability to eat same-same all the time, although, he can eat ham sandwiches, eggs, and grilled cheeses every day of the week for lunch. I guess it's up to me to provide the variation in the evening. The pressure to provide variation can be overwhelming.

I try and make at least one "meat thing" for B per week. The rest he's subject to the vegan diet, but he's picky! I haven't reached a point or become confident enough in my abilities to invent things off the cuff with the beautiful bounty I pick up from the market. No, I have to be planned...Case in point, I visited the Green City Market on Saturday. Yeah! First day of apples! I wandered around the market, two times (!) before I decided which vendor to purchase apples from. General produce for the week? Forget it! Because I didn't have a menu plan, I was completely useless. I felt like an ADD child in the biggest toy store, completely overwhelmed and I shut down. Too many ideas flying around in my head! I did, however, decide to buy some staples that I know I always need: shallots, onions, and garlic. Oh yeah, I also bought an eggplant. So random...

So my journey will continue. I will always be in search of interesting, low food chain meals that are different enough from one another that B will not get bored. I try and remind him of the nutritional value of everything that he eats...that doesn't really work on a 32 year old. I'm not saying he doesn't appreciate and even enjoy most of what I make. But I can tell he's thinking..."vegetables, again"...

So...my problem...I own 7 vegan cookbooks and 8 vegetarian cookbooks (I don't really look that those much anymore, everything seems derive it's flavor from cheese). The top two Vegan Cookbooks I own currently are the Voluptuous Vegan and The Artful Vegan. The reason I choose to pick up these two books over the other is variety and my "taste record." The VV has not failed me yet. Yes, the dishes are sometimes very time consuming, but if you love to create, what's the problem. The AV hasn't always hit it out of the park for B. I believe that taking high production recipes to the home doesn't always work. AV is also very involved and almost always calls for extremely random ingredients. Both books give terrific plating/presentation ideas which I can transfer to other meals easily. The AV has amazing photographs, the VV doesn't have any but I've gotten over it.

The other 5 books sitting on my shelf pose this problem: they all have very boring, generic, "fake-y," recipes. Boring: the recipes are not very inventive...yeah, I could think of not putting cheese on my pizza. Generic: who hasn't thought of marinating portobello mushrooms and grilling them? or blanched some beans then tossed them on a hot skillet with some garlic? "Fake-y": one thing B hates more than anything about vegan/vegetarian cooking-serving something that is posing as something else. I have to agree with him. I no longer call my tofu creamy toppings "sour creme" but what they really are, whipped tofu with blah blah blah (I put a lot of different things with my whipped tofu). So, using tons of seitan is completely out of the picture. Yes, I use tempeh and tofu, more often tempeh. But I don't think of it as a meat substitute. I think of it as a cube of rice type stuff that adds a nice crunch to dishes because I love marinated tempeh that's been baked.

I do enjoy the occasional Bocca Burger and in training for the Chicago Marathon a couple of years ago I was all about the Tofurkey Sausage. But I don't really see the need for all the protein in that form in my diet.

Although I'm not done and I could ramble for another hour, I'm sort of, actually completely, under the weather and I can no longer swallow so back to bed. I just wanted to be sure I posted on the first day of the VeganMoFo!

Over Two Months Gone By...

2008-06-29T19:06:00.009-05:00

How many times do I start a post with..."Where should I start?" or "It's been a while..." So, no excuses (I feel like I have a baby on my hands and it occupies the majority of my time so it's not really an excuse, it's a reality, right?).

Finn is growing like crazy. He is 6 months old today! Yesterday, B & my lil' bro, F. & his lil' bro golfed 36 holes so I had a full-Finnegan day. We started out the beautiful Saturday morning by heading to 12th Street Beach, right next to the Planetarium at 5:55 am. Yes, wicked early for a Saturday. What a find! Dogs can be at any beach when the beach is closed...not great for my tan, but fantastic for my puppy! We played with a tennis ball & Finn frolicked in the water. We met 4 retrievers who were NUTS about swimming. Finn observed carefully but he is still trepidacious about "swimming-swimming". He typically swim-swims two times to get a ball. We are careful to throw the ball close to shore to build his confidence in the water. The other dogs we saw charged into the water and started swimming out to sea, without a ball being thrown! The owners all have 2 ball with them so they can "steer" their dogs when they get too far out. Enjoy a couple of photos of the Birthday Boy!

The photos in the water were taken in Michigan at my parents house the weekend following Mother's Day, hence the waders, the water was more than chilly. It was Finn's first time in the water. The first photo is a snapshot of what we call "Hog Dog". In subsequent visits to the beach, he looked like Tigger from Winnie the Pooh bounding through the water, almost like he thought he should be able to walk on top of the water. The last picture is Finn at 5 months or so. He's now about 50 pounds. I'll post a picture from this week...we'll be seeing Brooklyn, LR's puppy-Finn & Brooks are BFF.

While at my parents, we prepared a fancy Mother's Day Brunch. Crab Cakes with Mixed Greens, French Toast, Asparagus Fritatta with a Salsa thing, and Fruit Salad. Oh, I forgot to mention B & lil' bro's favorite, Maple Glazed Bacon.

I was commissioned to sew two aprons for Mother's Day for a friend which was such an honor. Of course, I was completely paranoid that first, she wouldn't like them, and second the recipients wouldn't like them. They must have liked them because the younger sister asked for one for her birthday! It starts small, right? LR is my model below.

B's cousin recently got married and I was invited to the Bridal Shower before hand. Here's the Bride-to-Be in a cute Brown & Orange Bistro I made.

I will leave you with my Appreciation Dinner from last night. Finn is going through a little phase...separation anxiety. Lil' bro has helped me out TREMENDOUSLY, getting a 6:45 am Saturday phone call, begging him to get in a cab asap and rescue Finn as the neighbors called the front desk to complain...taking a cab directly from the airport after a 2-week business trip so we could enjoy the Cubs/Sox game at Wrigley where they SWEPT the boys in black. Our friend, F. has also puppy-sat on a Saturday night. He couldn't even go out to get take out from downstairs! He put Finn in his kennel and by the time he was halfway down the hall, the crying/screaming/barking was too much for him. He called and asked for delivery! I wanted to give my puppy-sitters a well deserved meal...I don't think the Chicken was great but they seemed to enjoy everything. For your viewing pleasure:

We had Pommes Frites with Roasted Garlic Rosemary Aioli (the vegan version, of course).

The Vegetable Platter makes me miss catering...isn't it gorgeous? I made my new favorite Herbed Farm Dip to go along with the bounty. Another Vegan find. I also discovered that blanching the carrot boards & the pea pods makes them even tastier.

Appetizer time needed some meat for the boys so meat disks it was! Chorizo meatballs and Bratwurst. The boys were ecstatic!

And the main course, Garlic & Lemon Roasted Chicken with Bacon. Plating this also made me sad my profession isn't in food anymore.

What's an appreciation dinner without dessert? How do Chocolate Cupcakes with Strawberry Ganache & Buttercream sound? Yeah, I thought so...the table was quite for a while when it was time for the sweet treats. They honestly, are the best cupcakes I ever made. Would you like to purchase some? :)

The Indian Feast

2008-04-14T22:40:00.004-05:00

As promised...

Pictured clockwise from left to right starting at the top: Coconut Rice with Almonds, Spicy Dahl with Tomatoes, Spinach Dahl, Dhal with Coconut, and Pullao with Peas. All recipes are from Curried Favors by Maya Kaimal MacMillan, an old roomie favorite inherited from L as I now claim full ownership as it has been in my possession for over one full year. In my limited opinion and exposure to true Indian cuisine, this is a great book. Everything I've made has been a success.

My favorites of the night have to be the Coconut Rice and the Spicy Dahl with Tomatoes (featured in a previous post). Both are very simple and also cheap!

Spicy Dhal with Tomatoes
What you need:
1 C yellow split peas
2 1/2 C water
1/4 t. tumeric

1/4 t. cumin seeds
1/4 t. mustard seeds
1/4 t. crushed red pepper
2 T. veg oil
1 C. chopped onion
1 t. minced garlic
2-3 green chilies (serrano, Thai, or jalapeno), split lenghtwise but I mince them

1 C. chopped tomatoes, in the winter, I use canned and drain them

1 t. sald

2 T. cilantro, I used a little bit of parsley as I didn't have cilantro

What to do:
1. in a med saucepan, bring dhal, water, and turmeric to a boil; reduce heat, cover and let simmer 30-45 minutes until peas mash easily with the back of a wooden spoon

2. while peas cook, heat cumin seeds, mustard seeds, and crushed red pepper in oil over medium-high heat until mustard seeds begin to pop. reduce heat to med, add onion, garlic, and chilies. cook until onion is soft.

3. add tomatoes and stir until soft. they should keep their shape.

4. mash the peas with spoon until they are roughly broken up. add tomato and spice mixture, stir in salad, and bring to a boil. add more water if needed to keep a pour-able consistancy.

5. remove from heat and garnish with greens

I also made my lil' bro homemade Chicken Noodle Soup. We thought he had strep, which might still be the case, but now has been diagnosed with Mono as well. I hope you enjoy it!

i

Start Where I'm At

2008-04-13T10:33:00.006-05:00

There's a lot to share:

We got a puppy! A 12-week old Viszla boy named Count Finnegan's Wake. B and I had a difficult time with the name, I can't imagine what it will be like if we have kids!

The past few years, B wanted a dog. (I'm not including myself because there really hasn't been a moment I didn't want one.) We've been back and forth on the breed, sometimes a Doberman, sometimes a Rotweiler. Each breed we mentioned had at least one characteristic in common, LARGE. We visited the Dog Show at the McCormick Place in late January to check out the breeds and speak with handlers/breeders/owners to get a better sense as to what dog would fit our lifestyle best. Reading and researching online only goes so far.

We met a few breeders/owners of a few of the dogs we thought we were interested in. The Swiss Mountain Dog, the Mastif, Rotweilers, and the Weimeriner. We quickly realized our size limitations due to our apartment. We also realized some of the personality quirks wouldn't fit us very well. I didn't want a dog with a piddle problem for 11 months. B didn't want to clean massive amounts of slobber from everything. The list goes on.

Our last visit was with Jeff Engelsman, owner/breeder of JNEK Viszlas. Forty-five minutes into questioning, I was hooked and wanted to take one home immediately. Viszlas are the pointing Hungarian cousins of the Weimeriner. A little smaller and with a beautiful auburn coat, Jeff described the tempermant in comparison to their German cousins as "they like to sip some wine and listen to the violin." This made perfect sense to us. German's bred their dogs to have a very specific tempermant. Hungarians have almost an altogether different disposition. We went with the wine drinkers...

Work has been very busy and now with home being a "crazy den," I haven't been cooking. I know, right?!?! So sad! I decided to prepare dinner for my in-laws as a HUGE THANK YOU for housing/supporting us getting settled into the area and as a Birthday Dinner for T, B's mother. Of course, I forgot to take pictures of the entree and my dessert pic was too fuzzy, but here's the first course...

Pictured above is a Cucumber Citrus Salad tossed with a light vinegarette. I paired this with Champagne which was supposed to pick up on the Citrus flavors. It was delightful.

The main course was inspired by a French Bistro in Chicago were we had in a drink one Friday evening. Friday's the Bistro features Bouillabaisse. The smell was intoxicating! I wanted to replicate the Fresh Stew in my home while veganizing it. The Voluptuous Vegan happened to have a Provencal Stew served with Roasted Potato Batons, Cous Cous, and Rosemary Aioli. The Potatoes are a new favorite in the house and with the Aioli, they are unbelievable. I also prepared Beef Tenderloin for the carnivores at the table. I encrusted it with a garlic, shallot, and herb paste in the morning and roasted it in a glass dish just before we ate. The trick was to be sure every herb used in the stew made it into the paste for the tenderloin. I think it must have worked out, everyone's plates were clean! Oh yeah, I served dinner with a Rhone, Corzes-Hermitage, it was fantastic! I'm now on a mission to drink more French Wines. Care to join me? :)

For dessert, I picked up a lovely Muscato d'Asti to pair with my Pear Strudel. I screwed up the glaze drizzle thing by letting it boil just a little too long, but it still was pretty tasty. B didn't like it because it looked like apple pie but didn't taste like it at all. It was light and lovely. Also from the VV.

This week I've vowed to B and I will in fact prepare dinner. On deck is:

Sunday-Indian Feast (well, a poor man's feast) 3 kinds of Dahl and 2 kinds of Rice. I figure it makes a easy leftover lunch for B.

Monday-Mixed Greens Salad with Tuna for B and Chickpeas for me. Dessert might be in order on Monday...hot fudge anyone?

Tuesday-Roasted Vegetable Salad. We'll see how this goes over.

Wednesday-Light Hearted Penne. Welcome spring with this cinchy pasta sauce...1 carton grape tomatoes, a couple of scallions, 1 clove of garlic, s & p, and some olive oil in the food processor. Light, zippy, and healthy!

Thursday-Soy Glazed Salmon with Rice and some sort of green vegetable. Can be seen in a previous post on Inner-Geek.

Friday is open for now. By then, I just want a Dirty Martini with extra jumbo olives or a hearty Bloody Mary .

LR-I pinky swear to post pics of the food this week!

I'll leave you with a few pics of puppy and products...

Mix-n-Match Photos

2007-11-18T18:20:00.000-06:00

(The following photos are not in chronological order.)

My youngest niece, Macaroon (my nickname for her, don't be silly) turned three on Monday. Since B and I moved back, I've been able to spend quality time with her. One of our favorite shared activities is baking. We've made cookies and brownies a couple times. She has plans to come over to our loft to bake a cake and have a tea party (her tea set is glass so I have to be very careful with it). Living out of town for so long, B and I never have celebrated a kid birthday so I didn't know what was expected in the way of gift-giving. I always try and give gifts that represent something from the relationship I share with the person.

I was inspired to sew Macaroon her first apron. She loves 'girly' things and helping in the kitchen. I thought it might be a good match. My favorite aspect of creating/making something for someone else is I think about them the whole time. Every step, stitch, row, or morsel, I've thought about how special the recipient is to me. LR informed me that Macaroon hasn't taken the apron off.

Macaroon loves pink. I'm not sure how much she really knows about Hello Kitty, but she loves almost anything related to the pink items featuring the cute cat. LR did a fantastic job on the cake. The ribbon is bubble tape, the eyes and nose are jelly beans, and the cake is a perfect hue of pink with a subtle flavor of strawberries. Macaroon opened the fridge door to look for Kitty and exclaimed "I love it!"

Spicy Cider Martini garnished with a slice of apple and cinnamon. Master Mixologist in the making...

B and I hosted a dinner party, well, only the dinner part. Our friends were accommodating and allowed us to prepare dinner at their house. We had a great time. I forgot my camera, so no entree pics. Just what was left of one of the best apple pies I've ever made. I'm salivating just looking at that crust!

My latest bag...I'm calling it a Hipster Oversized Bag. If you're interested, let me know. I'm willing to part with this one.

Positives: I used canvas to line the bag. It keeps the bag from flopping all over. I like the beading. Lastly, I like how I was able to adapt and overcome my running out of orange velvet.

Negatives: Yikes. It's huge. The bow might eat my head!

Homemade Ravioli x2

2007-11-06T06:27:00.000-06:00

Saturday was my kind of day. Sleep in a little, hit Whole Foods Market, bake while listening to This American Life, and creating a delicious meal (even if it took 7 hours.).

Here we have two recipes combined as I was nervous our guests (soon to be parents M & R). The bottom is a Garlic White Bean Sauce topped with two kinds of homemade ravioli (they're not pretty because I did everything by hand). The orange is a Chili Dough stuffed with Pumpkin, Pecan, & Sage. On the bottom of the picture we have Herbed Dough stuffed with Poricni Mushrooms & Tofu Ricotta. The whole thing is drizzled with a Walnut Pesto. I roasted some red peppers as a garnish. I loved every minute of the day and every bite of the food.

We also had Apple, Fennel, & Squash Soup along with an extremely decadent Le Bete Noir (the little beast-a flourless chocolate cake). I hope they enjoyed it as much as I did. Recipes to follow.

Bears & Birthdays

2007-11-04T08:20:00.000-06:00

Turning 30 is a milestone, right? I didn't have a huge party or have a mini-meltdown (or mega-meltdown for that matter). I went to work! Yes, that's right, I landed a job. I'm working as the Conference & Catering Coordinator for a top 4 Accounting Firm. So far, pretty okay. More on that as it develops.

I did however celebrate my birthday over the past three weeks. My parents were in town for my dad's 'milestone' birthday. We toured the Chicago River on an Architectural Tour and had dinner at The Chicago Firehouse.

I also made a delicious birthday dessert of which I have no pictures but I'm sure you'll be alright with a description. Homemade Dark Chocolate Hot Fudge drizzled on top of Coffee Infused Pound Cake with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream and freshly whipped Whip Cream. Yeah, it was good, even B loved it, and he's not a sweets fan.

One of Chicago's 'claim to fames' is the used to be tallest building in the world, the Sears Tower. It's literally impossible to convey it's massiveness with a picture. The tower in front, 311 South Wacker, is completely concrete and as you can see from the shadow cast upon the Sears Tower, much shorter. I wish I could remember all the details we were told on our tour...

Boeing, the world's leading aerospace company is housed in this modern building. Most interested fact I remember from the tour: Underneath this monster of a building is Union Station (where all the trains go). Companies could purchase the airspace above the tracks since this is prime real estate in the city. All the buildings in this area are supported by huge columns that straddle the tracks. Boeing's airspace is partly over the main hub of activity and found part of their "air" unusable. Until some engineering genius came up with the idea to hang this part of the building from giant trusses (see the top of the photograph). They put columns underneath the building to keep people from freaking out. I swear, that's what our guide said.

The tower of the Tribune Building. It's very beautiful. Don't you wish we built buildings like this today?

So that was Dad's birthday celebration (with a little bit of mine mixed in).

My sister-in-law, (from now on just know, I have a brother, we'll call him Semaj. the rest of my siblings-in-law will from this point forward be refered to as brothers and sisters. the whole 'in-law' thing gets to be a mouthful.) LR's birthday is two days before mine. We've always wanted to celebrate together, this year being the first of many to come ( I hope). We had a nice dinner at Opera and went out for drinks. Then the best part...we got to sit in the fourth row at the Bears v Lions game! My enjoyment of football has grown over the past five years (that's how long we've been married, can you make a connection?) I would go again in a heartbeat!

Of course, being both such foodies, LR and I had to plan some tailgating food. I made a delicious chili and topped it with onions and chips. It's amazing how perfectly Bloody Mary's, Mimosas, & Chili go together at 7:00 am.

Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting & Berries.....I really shouldn't eat cream cheese anything, but little birthday treat never hurt anyone! Oh, and a little lesson from this one, if a recipe calls for a 10 inch cake pan, don't use an 8 inch, you'll have a nice free form cake on the bottom of your oven. Sorry B!

This was pretty exciting. I'm shocked at how giddy I was (still am) about it.

LR and I decided it would add a nice element to the field if there was a female who did the penalty announcements. She would be fully clothed, nothing obscene or overtly sexy about it, just a female. I'd like to volunteer to be the first one. I'll start at Solider Field. GO BEARS!!!!!

I missed the shot, but Devon Hester did a little flying-kick-move-dance during "Crank That (Soulja Boy)". He's hot.

The boy's seats are up here. LR's husband, E has season tickets. They look like they're not great, but the view is spectacular. Watching the plays unfold from here is better than TV.

I'm in no position to critique sports, but listening to AM radio shows makes me feel like-if all these assistant coaches in the Chicagoland area think they know what they're talking about, maybe I can contribute too. So our defense is not what it should be, at all. What's up with 54? Nice post-game interview buddy. My favorite player is on the end. Peanut Tillman.
Oh, and the offense? Don't even get me started!

We do look like sisters....love you LR!

Ouch! Someone's about to get SACKED!

Seriously, why do Rally Caps only apply to baseball games? The Bears needed some major rallying. Come on, people, don't laugh, join!

Crafty Returns

2007-10-25T15:07:00.000-05:00

Living the life of the unemployed has its peaks and valleys. Peak: I get to be crafty again! Valley: I don't have money to purchase the crafty supplies.

Number 5’s catering staff motto, "adapt & overcome", rings true in my current situation. I am using every yarn, thread, and scrap that I have. In the next few projects, I will have cleaned out the sewing box & most of the knitting box! B will be ecstatic.

Two skeins have been in my knitting collection for over a year. At one time they were to become a shawl-scarf thing, but the needles I used were too big & it ended up looking like a spiders web (not in a good way). Last winter they became a fisherman’s stocking cap, but the directions I had were vague as to how to “sew it up the back” & the hat was going to be too small, even for my tiny pin-head. I have loved this pattern for a very long time & who doesn’t need a winter white scarf? Apparently me, because this is number 3 in the winter white collection. I’m planning a hat & mittens in the same pattern. Yeah, we’ll see….

Having been in the catering business for the past year had taken its toll on my time & desire to create in the kitchen. Summer was booked with 4 weddings (2 of which were out in the middle of nowhere & required UBER amounts of setup), 5 rehearsal dinners, & several bridal showers. There were weeks where I didn't see B until Sunday morning when I finally rolled out of bed, my mind still occupied by the multiple lists of the previous event.

Even before the craziness of the summer events ensued, I was taking three graduate classes two nights a week in Cortland, a 45 minute trip from Binghamton, all while working consistently 45+ hours a week. Needless to say, elaborate vegan dishes were not streaming out of the kitchen. Popcorn became the staple entreé I could manage. (B's family historically eats popcorn for dinner on Sunday nights. I have always loved popcorn & therefore easily adopted not only the Sunday night practice, but the Tuesday & Wednesday night observance too.)

Now I'm back in full force! My freezer is brimming with frozen soups & marinara. I made a couple of B's favorites since settling in: pot roast, homemade mac & cheese, lasagna, apple pie...I am happy to be back on the scene.

Basic Marinara

Based on Recipe taken from Cooking Light October 2007

The plan for this simple sauce was to make a ton, freeze it, & feed Brad when he doesn’t know what to eat. Being the 4th or 5th Marinara I’ve ever made, I don’t have much to judge it on - It was tasty.

A Few T.	Olive Oil
3 med.	Yellow Onion, finely chopped
???	Any Fresh Veggies on hand that your family will eat!
1 T.	Sugar or Honey
6 cloves	Garlic, minced
2 t.	Kosher Salt
2 t.	Dried Basil
1.5 t.	Dried Oregano
1 t.	Dried Thyme
1 t.	Black Pepper
.5 t.	Fennel Seeds
2 T.	Balsamic Vinegar
2 c.	Vegetable Stock (or meat-style stock/broth)
3 (28 oz.) cans	Crushed Tomatoes (pref. no salt variety)

1. heat oil in lg. dutch oven over med. heat
2. in a mortar & pestle, crush the fennel seeds with the salt
3. add onion until softened slightly (approx. 5 min). add fresh veggies of your choice until slightly softened
4. add sugar/honey-fennel seeds. stir constantly, cook until very fragrant (1-2 min)
5. stir in vinegar (30 sec). add stock & tomatoes. cook over low heat until sauce thickens
*Sauce Thickening Tips: simmer means only a few bubbles at a time, stir once in a while so the top layer gets pushed down also lifting solids from the bottom to prevent scorching, look for thickness just shy of tomato paste-add H₂O if it’s too thick.

Escarole, Three Bean, & Roasted Garlic Soup

From Cooking Light October 2007

This was a very tasty soup. It made it into the MIG Cookbook, it was that good. I’m also trying to keep a limit on the number of magazines our apartment contains so every recipe from a magazine that is particularly good, into the cookbook & into the recycling.

1 whole head	Garlic
1 can	Great Northern Beans, rinsed, drained, & divided
1.5 t.	Fresh Sage, chopped (omitted)
1 T.	Olive Oil
1 lb.	Escarole, chopped
4 c.	Vegetable Stock (or meat stock if preferred)
2 c.	Marinara from above
1 t.	Black Pepper
1 can	Kidney Beans, rinsed & drained
1 can	Pink Beans, rinsed & drained
6 T.	Parmesan Cheese (omitted)

1. in a 350° oven, bake garlic wrapped in foil for about 45 min, or until squishy
2. once cooled slightly, squeeze out garlic & mash to combine with .5 c. of GN beans (if using sage, mix in after garlic & beans are of a pastelike consistency
3. heat oil over med. heat in large pot & add escarole until wilted
4. add everything except the garlic paste and lest simmer until the greens are as tender as desired (about 20-30 min. or so)
5. stir in garlic paste & let rest unheated for 10 min.
6. some non-lactose intolerant people can add the cheese

Meat Lovers Lasagna

Adapted from The Domestic Goddess

B thought it was the best lasagna I’ve ever made him. I used the marinara from the freezer & added a few things. The sauce smelled just like pizza! We were amazed by this.

1 lb.	Ground Beef, extra lean
2	Beef Sausages, thinly sliced
1 T.	Olive Oil
1 med.	Onion, diced
2 cloves	Garlic, minced
1 pkg.	Button Mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 med.	Zucchini, thinly sliced
3 med.	Carrots, v. thinly sliced
1 sm.	Broccoli, finely chopped
.5	Red Pepper, finely chopped
.5	Green Pepper, finely chopped
3 c.	Marinara Sauce
.5 can	Tomato Paste
	S & P
1 t.	Chili Powder
1 t.	Paprika
.25 t.	Cayenne
.5 c.	Red Wine
250 g.	Ricotta
250 g.	Cottage Cheese
100 g.	Shredded Parmesan
1	Egg, beaten
2 T.	Flat-Leaf Parsley, minced
600 g.	Mozzarella Cheese (used shredded but will try sliced)
	Noodles

1. brown ground beef & sausages. set aside. sauté onion, garlic, & mushrooms until onion is translucent. add the rest of your veggies until softened. spice it up with chili powder, paprika, cayenne, s & p. add tomato paste, wine, beef, & sausages. simmer over low heat until all veggies are softened.
2. cook the noods in salted water. rinse with cool H₂O & set aside.
3. preheat oven to 375°. mix ricotta, cottage, parmesan cheeses together with the beaten egg. add parsley, s & p.
4. the layering: sauce, ricotta mixture, mozzarella, pasta. repeat: sauce, ricotta, mozz, pasta. last layer: sauce, mozz (3 sauce, 3 mozz, 2 of everything else)
5. cover with foil & bake for 30 min. remove foil & continue to bake until bubbly & cheese begins to brown. be sure to let it sit for 10 min before serving.

1 yr. Post the Post

2007-10-22T09:55:00.000-05:00

Should I bother to explain? Over the course of the next few posts, the reasons for absence slowly be unveiled. Please be patient.

The News: B & I moved to Chicago! We recently settled into a cozy loft on Michigan Avenue-amazing views, close to the lake, transportation, restaurants, shops, my brother, B's entire family, friends, etc.

I received a job offer from a catering company in the suburb of Wheaton, which I accepted. We decided on where to live, based on this job. It seemed almost perfect...a little bit of sales, event management, & office management. The drawback to the job: the commute. It wasn't going to be perfect, but I was willing to train/drive for the experience I was about the gain.

The day before I was to begin I got a devastating call. They had reconsidered my position, didn't think I would last long, thought I would hate the commute...so I am currently looking for a job.

But check out our digs! Let's take a tour.

The long hallway flanked by our "art" leads to the main room.

The kitchen is much smaller than Binghamton's kitchen but I'm loving the "upgrades." We put up a storage system. B & I can make a pretty good team.

The bedroom gets plenty of sunlight with this partial wall. The bathroom is nondescript.

And the selling point of the condo was the office nook in the back for B. We only have two closets-hence the store looking thing in our bedroom. Eventually it will be covered with some sort of apparatus.

The view is spectacular! We get to look out onto one of the most beautiful bodies of water every day.
Soldier Field: GO BEARS!

A little harbor.

The Last Month

2006-09-26T18:31:00.000-05:00

I guess summer is finally over. I've been giving tennis lessons, training for the Chicago Marathon, working a TON, and trying to live a semi-normal life. Cooking has not been a part of daily life here in Binghamton. I've decided to make a change...back to normal...whatever that is/was.

The final long training run is to take place this Saturday. I'm planning on running to Pennsylvania again. I have grown to love the solitary route through the hilly country roads with only my thoughts. After that I have 2 more weekend runs. What will life be like with out these planned out Saturdays? I know B will be happy.

This is the new fall beginning of blogging. More great news to come...

State of Emergency...Declaration of National Disaster

2006-07-02T08:12:00.000-05:00

This is the Washington Street Foot Bridge which crosses the Susquehanna River. I run across this bridge almost every day. I remember the very first time I visited this bridge. It was early April. The water was quite clear. I vividly recall looking down and seeing every rock, stone, and even a bike. If I had to estimate, I'd say it was about 2 feet deep at that point.

As you can see, the water is rushing over the bridge. There were points when the bridge was under so much strain it was swaying back and forth.

This picture was taken from the only open bridge, the State Street Bridge.

The Exchange Street Bridge. I use this bridge to get to Number 5 each morning. It's still closed. Again, the photo was taken from the State Street Bridge.

The wall in this photo is the flood wall, it's 25 fee high. On the right is a small park and Conklin Aveune which is under water. In the picture below you can see that the water was about one foot from breeching the flood wall. I've never seen a non-rapids river move as quickly as the Susquehanna on the day of the flood.

The river has climbed the trees. It's not a great way to see how quickly things are moving, but you can get the drift.

These next few pictures are of Conklin Avenue. It's just minor compared to the flooding of some homes and businesses in the area.

This is a shot looking from Conklin Ave. up to Pennsylvania Aveune. B & I walked around the way to where the water ends. The next few pictures are taken from that area.

Still from the State Street Bridge, another shot of the Flood Wall. You can see the signe designating this point as an official drainage spot. Just to the right there is a section that can be lifted out. I'm not sure what was intended to drain...the river or any flooding on the street?

This is from that area near Penn. Ave. You can see the Washington Street Bridge and the flood wall which isn't as tall here because it's further away from the river.

Above and below are examples of the river overflowing it's walls. You can see the Wash. Bridge in the background above.

Below are photos taken from the Main Street Bridge which crosses the Chenango River. The first is of the River Walk that usually runs along the entire River in downtown Binghamton. You can just see the stairs that take you down to the board walk.

Does This Happen to You?

2006-06-15T19:28:00.000-05:00

I'm pretty healthy when compared to other Americans. I work out, I eat pretty darn well, my drinking only occurs occasionally, I get a good night's rest regularly, I don't smoke, I always (well, started a year ago) wear SPF 45...so why oh why do I suffer such terrible PMS?

That Cookie Avalanche has disappeared...I can't make up my mind between sweet and salty...I've even dipped into B's potato chips.

I don't get sick...cold, flu, occasional intenstinal things, but for the most part, not sick. My little antibodies are strong as a whip. I rarely even suffer from allergies anymore. So why why why! do I have to have crazy hormonal imbalances?

Is there anything I can do?

It's Not Much...but It's an Update.

2006-06-13T20:40:00.000-05:00

I've been extremely busy.

Number 5 is a very busy place. Catering by Number 5 has a lot of organization that needs to be done. I enjoy doing what I'm doing, I just wish I had more hours in the day.

All this work and I'm training for a marathon. YIKES! I've played with running in the mornings...I've done this before, in LA for the marathon, with about a thousand other people. It's a different story when you're on your own.

B is now joining me at the gym (I know that some of you are gasping for breath right now). So we go together and do our seperate things. We're still working out the logistics the workouts since mine are about 2.5 times the length of his. Again, more hours please.

And cooking...although I'm still enjoying Vegan Fare, I don't do the elaborate meal preparation much anymore. Check out my MWM:)

Midweek Munchies: What YOUR NAME is contributing for the week

B did the shopping. What a great guy.

1 cucumber*
1 box grape tomatoes*
2 Smart Waters
1 Soy Delicious Cookie Avalanche
1 bag baby spinach*
3 Pink Lady Apples
1 Cantalope
1 bag Newman's Own Pretzels
Annies Green Goddess Dressing
1 box strawberries
1 bag frozen raspberries
fresh salsa(wow, I'm lazy)
1 container Illy Espresso
1 pkg. whole wheat english muffins

Links to other Midweek Munchies
(If you participate, leave your link in the comments and I'll post it below; or, you can post in the comments)

Click here for the Midweek Munchies code
Click here for Harmonia's blog

Trackbacks, pings, and comment links are accepted and encouraged!
Technorati Tag: Midweek Munchies

A special thanks to Running2Ks and Rift for all of their help with coding, graphics, and encouragement for this project.

PURPOSE of Midweek Munchies: Put together by a small group of Veg Women, we hope to spread the word about healthy vegetarianism while obtaining idea starters for meals, recipes, learn about new products, and meet other female veg*n bloggers. Visiting and commenting on other participants lists are encouraged but not required. Have fun and Go Veg!

One aspect of working that I like is that my food is very regular. I eat breakfast at the same time every day. I have a snack of watermelon mid-morning (if I have time to remember to eat it). Lunch is a crispy cold salad. Afternoon snack is an apple or raw almonds or almonds/pretzels. I am very successful in my weightloss efforts on such a regular diet.

Lately, dinner has been boring. B is now eating protein shakes at every meal. This is combined with simple stuff like burgers or something on the grill. I've been eating PB & J on my english muffins, toasted of course.

Not exciting...but it's an update.

We Haven't Been Starving...

2006-05-20T18:40:00.000-05:00

I wanted to post a couple of meals we've eaten. I love seeing other people's food and hope you enjoy looking at mine. I hope you drool a little too!

A bed of Spicy Dhal and Tomatoes with Chickpea and Mushroom Curry topped with Basmati Rice.

Summer Pepper Stir-Fry

Tofu and Mushrooms

Chinese Dinner

Sunday Night Pizzas
(our new tradition)

B's Pizza-he's from Chicago and therefore uber-picky about his pie. Biggest compliment ever: "this is the best non-chicago pizza I've ever had."
I'm patting myself on the back.

My Veggie Cheeseless Pizza with Soy Sausage (a first for me)

Random News

2006-05-20T16:14:00.000-05:00

My brother and I decided to commit to running in the La Salle Bank Chicago Marathon on October 22, 2006. It will be my third and James' first. Training separately will be a little difficult...long runs with no one to talk to can get slightly boring. Even the trusty iPod does't always keep you going.

I'm so excited!

B's youngest brother is getting married this summer. It's the last of the boys to get married so it's highly anticipated. As I am not in this one, I needed a dress to wear. I have a couple of LBDs...they are from 2001 and 2002 when I was about 10-15 pounds lighter and made of matte jersey--not the best adult-body friendly material. So I wanted something classy and sassy and something with a little more structure.

Here's the story: I tried on 5 dresses about a month ago at Kaufmann's (soon to be Macy's-and not soon enough!). The very first dress I put on was perfect. Very flattering, classic looking, structured, and it made me look tallish without the help of 3 inch heels.

I put all the dresses back thinking I was going to be in Boston--shop there--and I could try the Pink Bag (local boutique with the only true fashionable apparel in the area).

Last week, I went to the Pink Bag and tried on 8 dresses. The last one was divine. I felt sexy, sassy, yet classic and grown-up. The only problem--double the price of dress 1 at Kaufmann's. So, home I go.

That night I decided to hop over to Kaufmann's and just see if they have anything new. Not really. And, my dress--no where to be seen! YIKES! So I take a tour of the section and happen upon the 50% off rack. There it was...my dress...only one...and it was my size! I bought it. But, I'm still pining away over dress 2 and dress 1 has the receipt stapled to the tags, just waiting to be returned. I'm crossing my fingers that dress 2 will go on sale and will be waiting for me in a couple of weeks.

But for now...ta da! I'm planning red shoes with red beads and earings.

A Verbal Purge

2006-05-15T08:58:00.000-05:00

Last inspiration: April 30. I ran 10 miles the day before. Then the craziness began...

So many great things have happened to people I'm close to in the past couple of weeks. S and Jo had a beautiful and healthy baby, L defended her dissertation and passed (I knew you would!), B finished his coursework (forever, cross your fingers), A landed a high school teaching position at a fantastic private school, B's sister-in-law to be and brother both secured jobs for their first years out of college, and then there's me...

I'm not trying to have a pity party for myself. But, there are times in one's life when you realize you haven't accomplished much that matters.

I spent a whirlwind weekend in Cambridge with L and J. We had lots to accomplish in a short amount of time seeing as I couldn't stay as long as we originally planned. J has an internship in Hong Kong for the summer and needed an entire work-appropriate wardrobe. I was called in as chief consultant and enjoyed every minute of suit/pant/shirt/tie shopping. I am good at assisting wary shoppers but that doesn't seem to count for much in the real world.

In Cambridge, we went to a couple of parties that were given by and for the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy students. I'm constantly surrounded by grad school types who are in philosophy or literature and I don't typically feel like I'm missing the PhD boat. But this time, I had no way to really relate to diplomatic want-to-be's. (I didn't spell 'wannabes' because I wanted to be a little more respectful. These people are in no way, shape, or form 'posers' trying to get into the loop of politics, they are the real thing.)

When you get into that kind of situation, two veins of thought surface: 1) I don't care what these people are talking about. They are deeply involved in their small subculture and seem to have blinders on to other things. I wouldn't want to be a part of their subculture anyway. YAWN! OR 2) Oh my goodness, I haven't done anything important in my life. I have nothing interesting to say. All I do is workout, sew, cook, blog, talk on the phone(obviously about nothing important), and sleep. What am I doing with my life?

I went with number two. I tried really hard to stick with my initial number one, but my insecurities just kept creeping back.

Looking back on what I might have accomplished in the past...I did successfully finish teaching in a couple of terrible middle schools in LA. Thankfully, I had Jo with me for every step the final two years. We went through a ton of crap together and there would have been even more tears(and less vodka and denim-thank you sister!) if I had done it alone.

So I've been a teacher in a rough school. So what.

If I force myself to "snap out of it" and look at my feelings of inadequacy from a practical view, I tell myself--go back to school with the rest/best of them and get a higher degree. But, I'd have to be passionate enough about a subject I can actually take classes in to even begin to imagine writing papers again. So far, I'm not feelin' it about any "practical" Mater's degree subjects.

Oh yeah, I ran two marathons. But how is that helping the world?

I'm feeling a little better about this since I've written it down. I know that someone out there who will read this has felt the same way, maybe not about the same things, but the same insecurities.

In this tornado of self-deprecating thought, I was looking for a job in a very stagnate job market. A former teacher doesn't get looked at as having quality office skills. Let me assure you, I do. Teachers, if they're good, can multitask like a crazy person, sans all the shouting at invisible people. They've got skills that no CEO can imagine having--communication, the ability to change directions in the middle of a planned out presentation/lesson, dealing with crazy incidences calmly with 30 kids under foot(being on lock down, fights in the classroom, I could go on), making a zillion photocopies in the short "planning period" they get. I'm telling you, teachers can do it all but hardly get the respect they deserve.

I'm really rambling.

So I got a call. Number 5, it's one of the area's top restaurants (just what I've heard, I haven't eaten there). I was called in for an interview. My application had the "catering staff" box checked which caught the interest of the owner, Jim. We met for 45 minutes and I was actually bold enough to tell him that I didn't want to carry a tray and serve, I wanted to plan and organize the events catered by the restaurant. The office is in a state of flux and he might be in need of someone to do sales and marketing, he'd let me know. Great, that line again.

Now I know. I'm hired. I've been working since Tuesday. I don't want to go into particulars but as of now I am working on the marketing aspect of the catering business. In the next few months, I'll be getting more involved in selling and planning events.

The verdict: so far, so great. :) I'm meeting with the printers tomorrow to finalize the brochure I made and also to get my very own business cards. I'm pretty stoked.

There's a drawback...I'm working :( Goodbye 3 hour Ballys visits, goodbye daytime tv, goodbye-that's not too time consuming to cook, goodbye going to the movies with B at noon. It had to end sometime...

Copycat

2006-04-30T07:34:00.000-05:00

I have seen and read about Sloppy Lennies for a while and decided to try them out. I was dubious of the recipe because I purchased the McDougall book (12 Days to Dynamic Health, I believe) in a moment of "i need to lose 10lbs immediately" and was sorely disappointed. I browsed a couple of different recipes for the red little guys and came up with my own version.

The result...fantastic! I have been planning on preparing SL since Wednesday but hadn't purchased the crusty bread to pair with it. After the dish was put together and simmering, I quickly jetted to Wegman's for crusty bread. I came across two delightful little sourdoughs packaged together. It was fate.

Here's where the copycat thing rears it's ugly head. Leslie of Eat Peace Please had her first Bread Bowl recently and used it for her Sloppy Lennies. I couldn't resist with these two precious individually sized sourdoughs. I really do have original ideas...sometimes.

Sloppy Lennies

1 med onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

saute in a bit of canola oil

2 c veg stock (or water, I used veg stock)
1 c red lentils, rinsed
14 oz tomato sauce
1-2 T tamari

add liquid to deglaze pan. stir in lentils and sauce. let come to a simmer.

1 jalapeno
1 red pepper
2 carrots, processed in food processor
2 handfuls of kale, processed in food processor

add in the rest of the veggies. bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to simmer for 30 minutes. serve with crusty bread. yummy.

Just the Beginning

2006-04-28T12:26:00.000-05:00

Being a self-critical perfectionist, I'm not 100% thrilled with the results of my first purse. But, I realize it's a learning process and I can't wait to tackle the next one! Here it is...

Lasagna Roll-Ups in a Bed of Bechamel Sauce

2006-04-27T09:13:00.000-05:00

So, here they are. Eight adorable little Lasagna Roll-Ups in a bed of vegan bechamel sauce. The ones covered in cheese are B's, mine are naked.

This dish was inspired by Food Network's Everyday Italian. Although I watch this show, almost religiously, it's only for inspiration. The dishes, however fattening De Laurentiis makes them, look tasty and I love the challenge of preparing a veganized version of something traditionally very not vegan.

The filling for B's is just as on the link above, I just halved the recipe and added some fresh basil.

The flavor of my roll-ups was fantastic! (B loved his too, but I can't acurately describe their flavor.) The woodsy-nuttieness of the nutmeg paired with the marinara was complex and comforting. I plan on using the Bechamel Sauce again. It was thick, creamy, and had a soothing affect on me (which I needed, funny story to follow).

Vegan Bechamel Sauce
2 T. Earth Balance
4 t. flour
1 1/4 c. soymilk (vanilla flavored)
1/4 c. raw cashews
salt
pepper
nutmeg

1. blend soymilk, cashews, salt, and pepper in a food processor/blender until smooth.
2. melt EB over med-low heat. whisk in flour. whisk while bubbling for about three minutes to aviod a "floury" flavor.
3. whisk in the cashew milk and allow to simmer for another 3 minutes until thick and creamy, whisking occasionally.
4. pour into the bottom of baking dish

Vegan Roll-Up Filling-the "cheese" part
1/2 lb. extra-firm tofu
1 1/2 T. evoo
1 T. lemon juice
1 clove garlic
1 heaping t. yellow miso
pepper
fresh basil

1. simmer tofu in a bath of simmering salted water for about 5 min.
2. in a food processor, combine everything else
3. remove tofu from the salty bath and pat dry. place in a shallow baking dish and cover with the miso mixture. using a fork or potato masher and mash tofu until liquid is absorbed and tofu looks like curds.
4. bake at 350 for about twenty minutes, or until the tofu begins to brown.

Lastly: combine half a package of frozen spinach, about 6 thinly sliced baby bellas, and the "cheese". Roll it up and bake!

The final verdict: I loved it. B loved it. Next time, the naked roll-ups will get a little more marinara or I will reserve some Bechamel and mix it in with the "cheese" for a creamier and thicker consistency.

And now for why I needed something soothing....

It all began in high school (imagine you are seeing wavy lines and going back in time to a dream). I was driving with my boyfriend to Norton Pines late one Friday night to drop off my tennis racquet to be restrung-big tennis tournament the next day if I remember correctly. The weather was unpleasant: drizzling, cold, and windy. As we were chatting away and I was driving very responsibly, I noticed an object in the road. It looked to be a trash can, which could be completely plausible, with the wind whipping as it was. I came to a complete stop. Boyfriend asks: what are you doing? I say, now noticing that NOTHING is THERE, I thought there was something in the road. Needless to say, that's the year I found out I needed glasses.

Now to Tuesday night in Binghamton, New York.

We've been in our place for about 9 months now. It's old and the floors talk a lot. At first, I was uber-sensitive to the strange sounds and I always thought someone was in our house. In the fall when it was really windy and the creaking and groaning was at its peak, I would often get up to check if the doors were locked. But, Tuesday night was completely different.

I awoke at 3:32 am. There was a sound. It sounded like Ocho using his claws to go to town on either my sewing stuff (lazy me didn't pick it all up) or on my yoga mat. I looked beside me, there was Ocho. I turned over to face B and could see out the slightly ajar bedroom door. There it was...what looked like a person's head. They kept peeking around the corner. The head would move to the left and get a little larger, then disappear, back to the right. I kept blinking and squinting, trying to decipher what I was seeing. Then, it moved again, and this time there was more than a head, a body.

It was at this point my imagination was completely unleashed and I hit B and began screaming that there was someone in our house. My next screams were to tell this crazy person to get out of our house. B vaulted himself from a dead sleep out of bed and into the scariness of the darkened house. I stayed in bed, drenched in the sweat of fear.

B grabbed the first thing he could find to use as weapon on the intruder, the iron (good thing I was lazy and left my sewing stuff out). I hear B enter each room, the wooden floors not allowing him to tip toe silently. This should have been my first clue that there was no one in our house. A person can't walk around without the moans of the floorboards.

He came back to bed, set the iron down, and gently comforted me in my frantic state of distress. Over and over he told me that there was no one here. Then, another noise. This time we both heard it. Iron back in hand, B turned on all the lights in the house. Nothing. I still couldn't even get up to go to the bathroom. Somehow, I fell back to sleep.

Now we can laugh about it, but I haven't been that frightened in a long time. My eye doctor has told me that I'll always have more difficulty seeing at night. Does that include seeing things that aren't really there?

2006-04-26T14:43:00.000-05:00

A Veg*n Meme

What wonderful foods did you bring home from the grocery store?

Midweek Munchies: What Ann is contributing for the week

shredded mozarella-for B
Tofutti Cream Cheese
Tofurky Italian Sausage
Ricotta-for B
Earth Balance
1 lb extra firm tofu*
4 boxes frozen chopped spinach* (on sale, stocked up)
Newman's Own Round Pretzels
Silk-vanilla
Penne-multigrain, we'll see...
lasagna noodles
marinara
agave nectar(they finally had it!!!!)*
pinapple juice*
fresh mint*
kale
2 mangoes*
cut seedless watermelon
basil
fresh strawberries*
bananas
raw cashews*

Links to other Midweek Munchies
(If you participate, leave your link in the comments and I'll post it below; or, you can post in the comments)

Click here for the Midweek Munchies code
Click here for Harmonia's blog

Trackbacks, pings, and comment links are accepted and encouraged!
Technorati Tag: Midweek Munchies

A special thanks to Running2Ks and Rift for all of their help with coding, graphics, and encouragement for this project.

Here's the plan:

1. spinach lasagna roll-ups in vegan bechamel sauce(half with cheese for B, half with tofu for me)
2. penne with spinach sauce
3. sloppy lennies
4. pizza

Pictures to follow soon...

Demo Bag-It's a HIT!

2006-04-25T20:01:00.000-05:00

It's a lunch bag! When I was making it, I kept thinking how my mother carries an ancient(I'm putting it nicely) canvas bag made for her by a student's mom. The last time I saw it there were multiple war wounds along with several peculiar stains. She gets snaps for her eco-friendly approach to the typical "brown-bag-lunch", but I can't imagine it's all that appetizing to eat out of it everyday. As I was sewing away I decided to do give my mother the lunch bag for her last hurrahs as an elementary school teacher.

I announced the completion of the demo to B from the other room and proudly walked into his office with my treasure hung carefully over my shoulder. His first words: are you sure you're going to be able to give that away? He knows me too well. I timidly said: sure, I can give it to my mom. She really needs it. But in my heart of hearts, I didn't know if I could actually part with the darling little thing.

I spoke with my mother last night. I forgot she upgraded to a thermal lunch box--watch out 21st century! She said she would love to carry my bag to school but she's all set and that I should really keep it as an example to show people. Thanks mom, you know me too well too!

With the demo quite successfully completed, I began on my very first purse. I wanted to show you the front panel, beaded last night during the eventful Cubbie game.

And for kicks, a couple different pics of that adorable little lunch bag!

Sewing and Smoothies

2006-04-24T08:05:00.000-05:00

I wanted to share the tasty concoction I made on Sunday morning. This is an apple smoothie. It was a very non-traditional smoothie, one that didn't receive rave reviews upon presentation. I thought it was excellent and can't wait to have another.

Apple Smoothie
1 frozen banana
6 oz. vanilla soy yogurt (Silk)
3/4 pink lady apple, diced
2 apple juice ice cubes
pinch cinnamon
apple juice

1. blend banana-cinnamon in blender
2. add apple juice to achieve the perfect consistancy
3. garnish with a couple of scrapes of nutmeg and another pinch of cinnamon
(I used the apple skin too, more fiber!)

I went to JoAnn's yesterday (the coupon was burning a hole in my wallet!) to scope out the scrap fabric situation. I found 2 PERFECT fabrics for purses. I hauled out the Husqvarna Viking and began making a demo lunch bag using Apron #1 and #2 scraps. So far, so good.

Mid(end of)week Munchies

2006-04-22T20:28:00.000-05:00

I have been faithfully logging on to Eat Peace Please everyday and decided I would try my hand at this Midweek Munchies thing. Being so new to the world of blogging, I'm not sure about different aspects of this medium...who can I link to? is it okay to link to people who have no clue who I am and probably wouldn't be interested in my blog? can I use other people's blog ideas like Midweek Munchies? So, I'm just blazing ahead without a lot of answers.

A Veg*n Meme

What wonderful foods did you bring home from the grocery store?

Midweek Munchies: What Ann is contributing for the week

B and I had a very exciting Friday night...we went to Wegman's(it's slightly better than a Friday night Target trip and I must share with everyone that most of the people we saw in Wegman's were couples who seemed to also have nothing better to do on a Friday night). I'm all about smoothies at the moment so I wanted to stock up on some smoothie supplies.

1 bag frozen strawberries
1 bag frozen raspberries
1 bag frozen blackberries
1 bag frozen peaches
1 pint raspberry sorbet
1 pint lemon sorbet
1 pint chocolate sorbet
pinapple juice concentrate
orange juice concentrate
3 mini cartons chocolate silk
1 carton vanilla silk
2 pkgs silken tofu
apple juice
pinapple juice
orange juice
silk yogurts: vanilla, blueberry, & raspberry
bunch of bananas
fresh watermelon
fresh pinapple
3 limes
Negra Modelo
coffee

The last three items aren't exactly for the smoothies.

Links to other Midweek Munchies
(If you participate, leave your link in the comments and I'll post it below; or, you can post in the comments)

Click here for the Midweek Munchies code
Click here for Harmonia's blog

Trackbacks, pings, and comment links are accepted and encouraged!
Technorati Tag: Midweek Munchies

A special thanks to Running2Ks and Rift for all of their help with coding, graphics, and encouragement for this project.

Sewing Project #2 is Unveiled!

2006-04-21T15:05:00.000-05:00

So, I'm finally posting the latest creation! It's just been so lovely outside, check the feet, that I'm enjoying the sunshine rather than the glow from my laptop.

This apron is slightly longer than the first. I love the colors. Check out the reverse side!
I also wanted to mention that I've added a link on My Inner-Geek. You can click on the flickr link to see some of my other crafty creations. But, this is still a work in progess, so pardon the "not-so-much-togetherness" of the page. Thanks!

Saturday Supper

2006-04-16T10:16:00.000-05:00

The weather is beautiful! Therefore, I'm not inside as frequently and I haven't posted in a while. Too busy running, fixing up the yard, washing the car, and in the middle of all that...trying to find a job. I've decided to bite the proverbial "bullet" and apply for a New York teaching certificate. I need to give teaching another try. Oh, and my great friend A just gave me a link to a teacher-headhunter service to help find private schools to work in. I'm up for anything now...this headhunter might even be useful if we end up in Germany for a year, they have placement services in Europe!

Now for the tasty concoction I made for us last night! I've become slightly more aware of how much I'm spending at the market so pasta seems to be beginning to make an appearance on our plates more frequently. Last night I made my own version of Puttanesca, a spicy tomato sauce that was traditionally prepared by the "ladies" of the bordellos. In researching this recipe, I realized I need to make 2 very drastic modifications: 1)no black olives-B can't stand them 2)no sardines--I'm trying to be a better vegan and I don't think B would eat it if he found out they were in the dish. I modified Emeril's recipe and added a little of my own veggie-friendly touch. The result was FANTASTIC!

Vegan Pasta Puttanesca
olive oil
1 c finely chopped onion
6 cloves garlic, minced
28 oz can whole tomatoes
3-4 fresh tomatoes, diced
2 T tomato paste
1 t red pepper flakes
1-2 t dried basil
1-2 t dried oregano
2 T capers
2 T sundried tomatoes, chopped
1 bunch fresh arugula, chopped
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste

1. in lg pot or skillet, heat olive oil over med/high heat. add onion and saute until soft & lightly carmelized (about 6 min).
2. add garlic, cook about 2 min.
3. add tomatoes-sundried tomatoes.
4. bring to a boil, cover, and simmer over low heat for about 45 min.
5. season with salt & pepper. add arugula.
6. toss in 1 lb pasta (we had penne)

Sewing Project #1--Complete

2006-04-09T09:37:00.000-05:00

I mentioned that 'the greatest parents ever' bought a Husqvarna Viking sewing machine for me while they were visiting in the previous post. Since this purchase, I have not left the house. I'm in love....or is it obsession?

I orginally thought I would begin making bags/purses. J and I have the sweet little purses from c.c.bolsi that I wanted to begin to try and replicate. But, I was bit by a different bug, the apron bug. Here is apron #1.

It might look cute but I know where the problems are. That's why I'm working on apron #2! and I'm slowly working out all the kinks. Look for apron #2 soon.

Cupcakes and Parents

2006-04-08T08:09:00.000-05:00

I'm posting these pictures a little late (sorry L). My parents have been in town so I've been pre-occupied. Also, the best parents in the world bought me the sewing machine I've been drooling over for a couple of months. That probably better explains my tardiness in posting. But think of all the great pictures of craftiness yet to come!

I used cupcake recipes from Chocklyit's blog. I wouldn't have even imagined making cupcakes until I saw her blog and began to salivate. She is amazing in the baking department. When B turned 30 I made 3 different kinds of cupcakes based on recipes from Chocklyit's blog. They were all tasty but I had some difficulty in the decorating/frosting department, probably because I'm a perfectionist.

When I heard my parents were going to visit I got busy planning a special dinner and of course, some special cupcakes. I decided to make Roasted Leg of Lamb. WOW! It was really good. I didn't take pictures of the dinner because I had a re-re moment and it completely slipped my mind. I promise, J and S, that I will remember to take pictures of all the fun and tasty food I make so you can get dinner ideas!

Anyway, here are my cupcake results. The verdict from the mouths of the parents, delicious!

Here are all the cupcakes living together peacefully before frosting.

L and I have discussed (at length) the problem
of "cupcake collapse." The cupcakes baked in the special nut and candy containers acutally domed beautifully! The regular baking cups were just flat. I think part of my problem was the need for new baking powder. Buy new stuff people, it really does make a difference. Here are my "perfect ones." Needless to say, no one could eat them. They are too pretty.

I made chocolate cupcakes with mint buttercream frosting and sweet little mint green pastilles.

Lastly, I made vanilla cupcakes (just the plain cake was awesome) with mint flavored whipped cream filling and raspberry mousse on top. They are pretty cute.

Beating the Monday Blues

2006-04-03T18:39:00.000-05:00

Thank you again, The Voluptuous Vegan! I have not made an even moderately tasting meal from this cookbook, everything has been outstanding. (Okay, that's a little overstated. I should say that 98% of the recipes I've made have been tremendous.)

Staying true to my "spring-y inspiration," I prepared Chickpea Crepes with Grilled Spring Vegetables, Tofu"Cheese," and Spinach-Basil Sauce. The synopsis:

I was a little intimidated by crepes before beginning, but they were a snap. The chickpea flour was not overpowering and the chives added a little "herbiness."

The grilled veggies were awesome: asparagus, zucchini, red bell pepper, scallions, and artichokes. The artichokes won't be making further apperances in my kitchen.

The spinach-basil sauce was out of this world! I'm using that as my "go-to" pesto from now on.

The tofu "cheese" was not called that tonight as B wouldn't have even tried it because it's "something posing as something else." The tofu was great, it had a slight cinnamon taste, was nice and moist, and will be a great topping for salad or putting on a sandwich.

Doesn't it look delicious!

Spinach-Basil Sauce (The Voluptuous Vegan)

3/4 lb fresh spinach
4 T EVOO
1 med. onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic
1 c fresh basil leaves
1 scallion, chopped 1-in. pieces
1 t yellow barley miso
1 jalapeno, stem removed, halved
1/2 c water
2 T pine nuts (I used walnuts)
1 t sea salt
2 T fresh lemon juice

prep spinach-cut off bottom few inches of stems and wash. with just water, cook in large pot or skillet over med. heat, tossing with tongs frequently to wilt leaves. transfer to blender.
heat 2 T EVOO in saute pan. add onions and garlic, cook over med/low heat until softened and beginning to brown. add to blender.
add basil, scallions, miso, jalapeno, water, nuts, remaining 2 T EVOO, and salt to blender. blend until smooth. (you don't NEED the remaining 2 T EVOO, I didn't use it)
add lemon juice no more than 1 hr. before serving. heat sauce gently until warm. add water to make thinner if needed.

Spring Sunday

2006-04-02T18:43:00.000-05:00

Binghamton is experiencing it's spring-y weather, finally. The feeling of spring is, for me, incomparable. I love it. I feel rejuvinated. Thoughts of change, growth, re-dedication are ever present as the sun warms my skin, the sound of birds fills the house, and the scent of growing green things is in the air. I was inspired to cook something with a light and spring-like feel tonight. Food Network's Barefoot Contessa got me craving salmon and veggies.

Doesn't it look yummy?

Salmon Marinade
2 T dijon mustard
3 T soy sauce
5 T extra virgin olive oil
3-4 cloves garlic, minced

Directions
1. make marinade
2. cut salmon into nice size servings
3. in glass dish, cover the fish with half of the marinade
4. cover with foil and put in the fridge for at least 2 hours
5. heat grill or grill pan to med. high heat.
6. cook salmon 5 min on each side
7. drizzle reserve marinade on cooked fish and allow to sit for 5-10 minutes

I served the salmon with Jasmine rice which was jazzed up with freshly chopped parsley and scallions. I also served sugar snap peas and asparagus sauted in EVOO with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. The salad on the side is romaine, spinach, parsely, and sweet grape tomatoes with a simple dressing of dijon mustard, EVOO, and lemon juice.

B was in heaven.

This is what I choose to eat most of the time (the brussel sprouts are sometimes swapped out for broccoli or spinach). I just love baked potatoes!

My parents are coming to upstate New York for a short visit this week. Cleaning time is here! I'm also planning a terrific dinner for Wednesday night, topped off with 2 kinds of cupcakes!

Menu Planning...the great Sunday Morning Adventure.

2006-03-25T14:47:00.000-06:00

After yoga and a short puzzle of Sudoku, I'm ready to sit down and make some serious decisions. I usually need a grapefruit, cup of coffee, and a mug full of water for this task.

The week's menu is something that is frequently and occasionally, a heatedly debated topic in my house. My husband, B, is not vegan, although he puts up with and even enjoys (from time to time) my inventive creations. When asked to participate in the weekly-menu-planning-tradition, he frequently requests "big meat" or "something good." The "big meat" is translatable, but the "something good?" I like to think that what I've planned to prepare IS something good. I take the time to pour over my cookbooks/various websites, write out a list, and then go to Wegman's. "Of course I think it's something good." Why would I take so much time to plan, prepare, and make something that is "fair to midland?"

So far, my list contains a ton of spices I need to replenish and only two meals worth of food! I'm all out of inspiration. We're going to have Curried Potato and Spinach Soup from the Candle Cafe Cookbook. When making soups for dinner, I have to make sure they are hearty enough so I don't hear, "I'm going to KFC" an hour later. Also, I'm planning on making a dish that I refer to as New Hampshire Black Beans. Our friends, Caleb and Nikki made this for us when we were visiting them in New Hampshire and I fell in love. The heat of the dish is provided by pepperoncini and cherry peppers which is mellowed by fresh orange juice. We eat this dish with tortilla chips and guacamole.

I'm planning on the staples: Silk yogurt, bananas, apples, oranges, salad goodies. But other than that, I'm tapped out! This is partially because it's about to be spring and I'm not feeling the hearty-filling winter dishes I have been making. The lack of inspiriation also comes from the "I'm on a diet" thing. I'm completely content to eat baked potatoes and steamed veggies for dinner every night. B isn't down with this idea. We'll see how the cooking spirit moves me later in the week.

Why "My Inner-Geek?"

2006-03-25T08:07:00.000-06:00

One of my closest friends L and I have had an ongoing debate regarding how to best keep/organize/utilize our personal recipes. For years, I've had this ugly little recipe box that reads "Kind hearts are the garden, kind thoughts are the roots" and it's uber-country looking. Of course, the recipe cards match the box (what's a recipe box without matchy-matchy cards?) and the dividers are not very useful to me.

I typically cook vegan fare so I had no use for the "Meats" category or the "Poultry/Fish/Eggs" section. Which brings a question to mind, if one regularly eats Poultry or Fish or Eggs, why are they lumped together? Wouldn't you have a ton of recipes for chicken that would need there own home? And, don't most casseroles (at least the ones in the midwest) have chicken in them? So, should they go in the "Poultry/Fish/Eggs" section or the "Casserole" section (it has that section too)? Then there's the section for "Microwave Recipes". I've never made an entire meal using just the microwave, unless you consider reheating leftovers preparing a meal. And to add to my disdain of The Box, I had random index cards and notes stuck in here and there with random recipes from friends or jotted down off the internet. I really don't like irregularity--hence, my inner-geek.

So, L and I went back and forth and used up all her daytime minutes over how to best keep recipes. There were several avenues to take: 1) a computer program 2) a 3-ringed binder 3) a little book you make yourself 4) random scrap papers shoved into a nasty-old ziplock bag 5) a Recipe Box. Here's a glimpse as to how the debate went...

1) Computer Program
the good: less kitchen clutter, very organized, searchable in various ways (ingredient search, time search), create shopping lists
the not-so good: must print each time a recipe is used, someone has to type everything in or make sure it's cut/pasted correctly, computer's are not 100% reliable

the commentary: I am all about less kitchen clutter and I love the idea of searching my entire database using one ingredient. However, I can't imagine printing out a recipe multiple times a year--that's a lot of paper. And then, what do you do with it once it's printed? Pitch it? I tend to like the look of a hand-written recipe (that's really strange, I know). And besides, my computer is not 100% reliable (thank you Ocho and a glass of water). L is also about less kitchen clutter but seemed to have the same questions about how to get the recipe from the computer to the kitchen. She tends to have a 'scrap paper' problem. So, on to the next idea.

2) 3-Ringed Binder
*there are a couple of 3-ringed binder ideas we discussed:
a) little plastic castles, I mean, little plastic sleeves that can hold the recipe cards (if you happen to find some non-offensive variety
b) just 3-hole punch 81/2 x 11 paper that you've printed or written the recipe on
the good: I think this idea could be nice but L and I were at odds regarding the indexing. It could be fun to have all different little recipe cards through out your binder.
the not so good: I don't want a huge binder sitting in my kitchen, it's just not very recipe-y.

3) Little Book
the good: total control over the index, how many lines to write one, categories, etc. it can be made as cute and practical as you desire
the not so good: time consuming to make, forced to make decisions that you'll have to live with for along time

the commentary: Although I know what I don't like about all the other recipe keeping options, I'm not totally sold on how I do want to arrange and categorize my recipes. L's sister keeps a recipe book similar to this option. From what I can gather, it has an index at the front and she writes in the name and page number of each recipe recorded. L thinks this is too much work. I love the cute/practical factor. L's not necessarily into the cute of cute/practical.

4) Random Scrap Papers Shoved into a Nasty-Old Ziplock Bag
the good: not time-consuming, preserve the moment/time period of when the recipe was recorded, cheap
the not so good: it looks like something that should be thrown away, takes FOREVER to find anything, you get distracted with the preserved moments/time periods and begin to reminisce-not cook

the commentary: I'm not a fan.

5) The Box
the good: keeps with tradition of recipe storage, doesn't take up too much space
the not so good: most 'boxes' aren't cute/fun, the cards may be to small for a particular recipe, the cards are always going to be matchy-matchy (they won't be produced forever, you know), bad food-type categories, I really could keep going here...

the commentary: L wants to use a little wooden box J made for her. She gave me her recipes (random scrap papers shoved in a nasty-old ziplock bag) to organize and put on cards. I haven't gotten around to this project yet b/c I'm not on board with the whole Box idea. L gave me the recipes at Thanksgiving, she has only asked for 1 so far and it's now the end of March. Hmmm.

Now I've made my informed decision:

I went with the cute/practical book. It's not perfect, I'm totally willing to admit that. I decided to categorize my recipes in 10 different ways. I made 11 different templates, one for each category plus an extra one for my last section--an informational area to include measurement equivalencies and the like. The content page lists each section and its corresponding color.

I tend to over-do a lot of what I do. It's not that I really believe I'm all that Geeky, but most of my friends think I'm a little over the top. That's why I called my recipe book A Testament to My Inner-Geek.