So two weekends ago, Hubby, Baby1, Baby2, and I were heading home from a visit to Philly. Baby2 started fussing, so I thought I'd hop into the back seat of our A3 to see if mom's company could cheer him up a bit. As I squeezed between his car seat and Bab1's booster seat and held his hand, I started thinking.
Hubby is tall, so we've been talking about getting a bigger traveling car, given that in our A3 when we have both kids in the back seat, there's no room for him to be able to push his seat far back and allow his legs to stretch a bit. From the outside, however, a result of us getting a larger vehicle easily parallels a common pattern I see with many parents: pop out a kid, get an SUV.
Here's where my brain started to roll through a series of questions and social commentary: do most parents get an SUV because they actually need one, or do they get one because, well, just about everyone else has gotten one when they had a child? Is the SUV the beginning of the 21st century's equivalent of the (so sexy, whoo!) mommacar minivan? And leading into another question, do they get one because they have more crap to schlep, or do they get one and then schlep more crap (have more space, get more shit)? Do SUV's really give that much more safety, given that the more people get bigger vehicles, the bigger vehicles get, until we are all driving the equivalent of mobile homes?
So while I held Baby2's tiny little hand, I took a mental inventory of the crap we schlep in our trunk on a road trip. What's necessary: clothing, toiletries. What's desired: travel bed, stroller. All these items add up to pack our trunk to the hilt. Besides the fact that some of the children's items really are designed to be miniature humvee's to keep the chiropractic industry going strong, this stuff takes up quite a bit of space (I mean really, that plastic car seat - you really think the extra 4" of curved plastic on each side is going to protect your baby that well if you get T-boned?). But when I really started thinking about it, carrying around all this stuff on our trips really is more a means of convenience than one of necessity. Which brings me back to my original question:
What the hell do parents need an SUV for?
Have we reached the point where our basic surroundings are not enough entertainment for our kids, that we need to schlep 10 more pieces of entertainment that they can use for all of 5 minutes before announcing that they're *surprise* bored out of their minds? Have we become slaves to convenience, to pack these mobile living rooms (complete with DVD player, forget about actually talking with your kids the way our parents used to talk or sing with us) to the hilt with more crap than we could use in the course of a weekend? Are we spiraling out of control while chanting "Bigger, Bigger, More, More"? Last I checked, these SUV's were great for people who were big, or if you were navigating mountainous regions on a regular basis, or if you were actually transporting the Lakers. But most of the time, all I see is the SUV's carrying the equivalent occupant load of what can be handled in a stationwagon. Cynicism reinforced.
Side food note - pomegranates are piled high in our local supermarket. I love them, and so does Baby1. Before heading into the depths of dark winter, it's just beautiful to enjoy these little red gems. In my real, stationary living room.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Cake experimentation
There haven't been too many new dishes of recent. Baby2, however, has started eating a bit of food - Japanese pumpkin to start. The first time I tried feeding him was 2 weeks ago - he would have none of it (what the hell is this crap you're putting my my mouth Mom!). Quite in contrast to Baby1, who just took to eating solid food immediately. This past week, I tried again, and he was definitely a lot more receptive to the food I was feeding him. Bobbleheading his way to try to aim and get his mouth around the spoon, once he did manage to get his mouth on the spoon he lapped up the pumpkin that was on there. Granted, half of it would end up back on his lip or chin, but hey, he's trying.
Despite lack of experimentation with new dishes, I have been experimenting with my base cake recipe. This, as I thumb my nose at Hubby's statement that baking was a science, something not to be futzed. Last weekend, I baked my go-to cake recipe with a couple of variations:
Replace 3T of the 1c flour with 3T of corn starch (typical replacement ratio for 1c of AP flour to yield cake flour)
Added 1/2t of baking soda to dry mixture
Use of both lemon and vanilla extract
The result was stupendous. The cake texture - it was delicately moist with a fine crumb. I topped with my version of buttercream frosting (about 1/2c whipping cream + 3T melted butter + 1/2t vanilla extract + 1/4c sugar) - the frosting came out lovely and fluffy, and remained so 4 days later under cover. To get more density and shape, I may increase the quantity of butter next time. This frosting formula, however, will be perfect for when I'm going to make some strawberry shortcake.
Another variation was substituting about 1/4cup of the flour with cocoa to make chocolate cake. Again - fairly successful, though the chocolate flavor didn't come through so strongly - I may need to add more cocoa in lieu of the flour next time. I also made another attempt at my chocolate ganache frosting, this time with a formula of 1/2 square of Ghiradelli + 2T butter + 2T cocoa + 1c heavy whipping cream. It looked to curdle at first, but upon beating more, it fluffed up and tasted wonderful. It still doesn't have the subtle chocolate flavor (still fairly smoky from the cocoa) of the cocoa frosting I remember from long ago, but it was still quite tasty. Baby1 ate the entirety of her slice of cake - AND the frosting. Quite a change from when she would eat only the frosting.
Another variation was substituting about 1/4cup of the flour with cocoa to make chocolate cake. Again - fairly successful, though the chocolate flavor didn't come through so strongly - I may need to add more cocoa in lieu of the flour next time. I also made another attempt at my chocolate ganache frosting, this time with a formula of 1/2 square of Ghiradelli + 2T butter + 2T cocoa + 1c heavy whipping cream. It looked to curdle at first, but upon beating more, it fluffed up and tasted wonderful. It still doesn't have the subtle chocolate flavor (still fairly smoky from the cocoa) of the cocoa frosting I remember from long ago, but it was still quite tasty. Baby1 ate the entirety of her slice of cake - AND the frosting. Quite a change from when she would eat only the frosting.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Cake + experiment #1
I made a cake two nights ago, using the same recipe I use for cupcakes/muffins. Added a touch more sugar than just a heaping half cup, and a touch more baking powder than just the 1.5 teaspoons, and vanilla for flavorant. The result was a slightly less-dense cake, but I may have to resort to using cake flour in the end in order to get that true fluffy cake texture.
Two days later, I have half a cake left. I decided this evening to try to make chocolate ganache to top what cake we have left. Chocolate ganache... this is an experiment I've been thinking of doing and trying to do since I was able to bake my first cake. The inspiration? The cocoa cake my parents used to get for my birthdays when we lived in Taiwan, some 33 years ago. Just thinking about the cake, I can almost taste the frosting. Light, slight hint of chocolate (not too much though), smooth, fluffy. I want to say that it may have had some butter in the mix as well, since I seem to recall the frosting being slightly greasy. My palate has a long memory.
So tonight I took on this endeavor. 4 squares of Ghirardelli dark (72% cacao), about 1/2 cup of sugar, and about 1/4 cup of cocoa powder - all into a glass bowl on top of a small pot of boiling water (my makeshift double boiler). I took care to not allow steam to get into the chocolate mixture, lest the result be a goopety gop (a high-brow technical cooking term). I started stirring the mixture in the double boiler, and once the chocolate melted and was mixed through the other dry ingredients, I added about 1 cup of heavy whipping cream. Vigorously whipped this mixture above the hot water for about 10 minutes, and then set the mixture into the fridge to chill and set a bit.
I just brought the mixture back out. It took a little more stirring to break up and soften the mass. Taste - not bad, but too much chocolate. The dark 72% cacao definitely came through quite strongly. I'll still top the remaining half of the cake with this experiment, but this attempt completely missed the target. I'll try again, with less chocolate next time, and more air in the whipping.
Two days later, I have half a cake left. I decided this evening to try to make chocolate ganache to top what cake we have left. Chocolate ganache... this is an experiment I've been thinking of doing and trying to do since I was able to bake my first cake. The inspiration? The cocoa cake my parents used to get for my birthdays when we lived in Taiwan, some 33 years ago. Just thinking about the cake, I can almost taste the frosting. Light, slight hint of chocolate (not too much though), smooth, fluffy. I want to say that it may have had some butter in the mix as well, since I seem to recall the frosting being slightly greasy. My palate has a long memory.
So tonight I took on this endeavor. 4 squares of Ghirardelli dark (72% cacao), about 1/2 cup of sugar, and about 1/4 cup of cocoa powder - all into a glass bowl on top of a small pot of boiling water (my makeshift double boiler). I took care to not allow steam to get into the chocolate mixture, lest the result be a goopety gop (a high-brow technical cooking term). I started stirring the mixture in the double boiler, and once the chocolate melted and was mixed through the other dry ingredients, I added about 1 cup of heavy whipping cream. Vigorously whipped this mixture above the hot water for about 10 minutes, and then set the mixture into the fridge to chill and set a bit.
I just brought the mixture back out. It took a little more stirring to break up and soften the mass. Taste - not bad, but too much chocolate. The dark 72% cacao definitely came through quite strongly. I'll still top the remaining half of the cake with this experiment, but this attempt completely missed the target. I'll try again, with less chocolate next time, and more air in the whipping.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Mozzarella in the kitchen
I finally got over the mental block of the task of making mozzarella and undertook the endeavor this morning. Easy easy process, but I'll have to refine the method - the mozzarella isn't the best texture I've had. Less stretching next time...
This is what I used, as a variation of the recipe offered on Chowhound.com:
Ingredients:
1/2 gallon pasteurized milk *NOT ULTRA-PASTEURIZED
1.5 t citric acid dissolved in 1/4c water (I used bottled water)
1/4t liquid vegetable rennet dissolved in 5t water (again, bottled water)
2T kosher salt
Equipment:
instant-read thermometer
1 large stock pot (enamel-coated steel)
2 large stainless steel or glass bowls
1 large slotted spoon
1 fine-mesh strainer (preferably one with a little lip to allow it to rest on top of one of the SS bowls)
1c measuring cup
cutting board
knife
2 large wooden spoons
2 pairs of thick rubber gloves, or what I used was double-layered pair of disposable surgical gloves
1. Bring milk to 55 degreesF, and stirred in the citric acid mixture.
2. Bring the milk to about 88 degreesF (takes about 5 minutes max), and stir in the rennet mixture.
3. Continue stirring until the milk begins to separate, into curds and whey (childhood rhyme comes to mind). Once it begins to separate, let the mixture continue to cook undisturbed until the mixture reaches 100 degreesF (1-2 minutes). Turn off the heat, and let mixture sit undisturbed until the curds pull away from the sides, about 5 minutes. When this process is ready, the whey should be almost clear.
4. Remove curds from the whey (KEEP THE WHEY!) with a slotted spoon, and let the curds drain over one of the two SS bowls in the wire-mesh strainer. Press gently with the slotted spoon, but don't press out too much water - otherwise, you'll end up with really tough curds.
5. Measure out 4c of the whey, and discard the rest. Bring the whey with the salt to boil in the pot to about 180 degreesF.
6. While the whey boils, slice the curds into thin strips. Lay strips in one of the empty SS bowls.
7. Fill other SS bowl with filtered/distilled water. This is the storing water for your mozzarella, so please consider using the most filtered water possible.
8. Pour hot whey over curd strips.
9. Donning the gloves, take care as you pull the curd strips out of the hot whey. Holding the strips with the ends in your hands, begin pulling the curd strips, then fold. Hold new ends, stretch, and fold. Repeat this stretching/folding until the surface of the curd mass is shiny. Do not overwork the curds, otherwise the mozzarella will be fairly tough.
10. If the curds get too hard to stretch, dip back into the hot whey to soften before reworking the curds.
11.
And now to make the little balls of mozzarella: pinch a little ball from the end of the curd mass, and drop the ball into the bowl of water. Repeat until you've divided the curd mass into little balls of mozzarella.
To store the mozzarella, I plan to store them in a covered glass bowl. The mozzarella I made this morning was a little tough and quite irregularly sized. I probably overworked the curd strips when stretching/folding. I'll also need to give my pinching method some practice. Given that this process was fairly easy, I'll most likely be making more mozzarella soon and will try lending the process a gentler hand.
This is what I used, as a variation of the recipe offered on Chowhound.com:
Ingredients:
1/2 gallon pasteurized milk *NOT ULTRA-PASTEURIZED
1.5 t citric acid dissolved in 1/4c water (I used bottled water)
1/4t liquid vegetable rennet dissolved in 5t water (again, bottled water)
2T kosher salt
Equipment:
instant-read thermometer
1 large stock pot (enamel-coated steel)
2 large stainless steel or glass bowls
1 large slotted spoon
1 fine-mesh strainer (preferably one with a little lip to allow it to rest on top of one of the SS bowls)
1c measuring cup
cutting board
knife
2 large wooden spoons
2 pairs of thick rubber gloves, or what I used was double-layered pair of disposable surgical gloves
1. Bring milk to 55 degreesF, and stirred in the citric acid mixture.
2. Bring the milk to about 88 degreesF (takes about 5 minutes max), and stir in the rennet mixture.
3. Continue stirring until the milk begins to separate, into curds and whey (childhood rhyme comes to mind). Once it begins to separate, let the mixture continue to cook undisturbed until the mixture reaches 100 degreesF (1-2 minutes). Turn off the heat, and let mixture sit undisturbed until the curds pull away from the sides, about 5 minutes. When this process is ready, the whey should be almost clear.
4. Remove curds from the whey (KEEP THE WHEY!) with a slotted spoon, and let the curds drain over one of the two SS bowls in the wire-mesh strainer. Press gently with the slotted spoon, but don't press out too much water - otherwise, you'll end up with really tough curds.
5. Measure out 4c of the whey, and discard the rest. Bring the whey with the salt to boil in the pot to about 180 degreesF.
6. While the whey boils, slice the curds into thin strips. Lay strips in one of the empty SS bowls.
7. Fill other SS bowl with filtered/distilled water. This is the storing water for your mozzarella, so please consider using the most filtered water possible.
8. Pour hot whey over curd strips.
9. Donning the gloves, take care as you pull the curd strips out of the hot whey. Holding the strips with the ends in your hands, begin pulling the curd strips, then fold. Hold new ends, stretch, and fold. Repeat this stretching/folding until the surface of the curd mass is shiny. Do not overwork the curds, otherwise the mozzarella will be fairly tough.
10. If the curds get too hard to stretch, dip back into the hot whey to soften before reworking the curds.
11.
And now to make the little balls of mozzarella: pinch a little ball from the end of the curd mass, and drop the ball into the bowl of water. Repeat until you've divided the curd mass into little balls of mozzarella.To store the mozzarella, I plan to store them in a covered glass bowl. The mozzarella I made this morning was a little tough and quite irregularly sized. I probably overworked the curd strips when stretching/folding. I'll also need to give my pinching method some practice. Given that this process was fairly easy, I'll most likely be making more mozzarella soon and will try lending the process a gentler hand.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
From a child's mouth, truth
As Baby1 grows her vocabulary and those descriptive terms to tell us how she feels about this and that, she has also been able to give me feedback about the food I'm cooking. On a couple of occasions, I'd ask her if she wanted to try more of this or that, and she'd reply, "Mmm, no, I am OK." That's code for "I don't like that dish so much." On other occasions, she has told me, "Mommy, this is yummy." That's code for, well, damn mommy, this is yummy.
So she has said, of my pasta sauce, stir fried chicken with black bean sauce, pasta alfredo, vegetable curries, chicken with spicy coconut sauce, several different curries, ground beef roasted in pumpkin, chicken soup, roasted chicken, chicken salad, and, occasionally, even salmon (I gotta admit, I'm not the best salmon cook, and often it comes out overcooked and too dry). But whenever she encounters spicy foods, she still gives me that bewildered whisper "spicy!" I've gotta work on those taste buds of hers, and get them used to spicy food. But, in the mean time, we're giving her definition to the different senses on her tongue - for flavors of sweet, spicy, salty, sour, bitter. Umami... I may have wait for a scrunch of her forehead with tasting something or other one of these nights, and be able to tell her the story of umami.
So she has said, of my pasta sauce, stir fried chicken with black bean sauce, pasta alfredo, vegetable curries, chicken with spicy coconut sauce, several different curries, ground beef roasted in pumpkin, chicken soup, roasted chicken, chicken salad, and, occasionally, even salmon (I gotta admit, I'm not the best salmon cook, and often it comes out overcooked and too dry). But whenever she encounters spicy foods, she still gives me that bewildered whisper "spicy!" I've gotta work on those taste buds of hers, and get them used to spicy food. But, in the mean time, we're giving her definition to the different senses on her tongue - for flavors of sweet, spicy, salty, sour, bitter. Umami... I may have wait for a scrunch of her forehead with tasting something or other one of these nights, and be able to tell her the story of umami.
Still, no matter what success or failure was served at the table the night before, every night she sits at our table, eagerly anticipating dinner. Or, better yet, she has always wanted to see what is cooking on the stove and in the oven, even before she was able to walk. And it's at these moments that I find utmost joy, at her curiosity and her anticipation for our food, and she hasn't yet fallen into those childhood patterns of picky eating or distractions by play. Maybe part of the reason is that I've engaged her in my cooking, asking what she thought of one dish or another, and I'd reason with her the next go-around of the same dish, adjusting some flavor based on feedback from before. It has become a fantastic game for us, this cooking thing, and besides the fact that my cooking is often accompanied by an instantaneous unloading of all items in the lower drawers of our kitchen all over the floor, preparing our evening dinners is actually quite enjoyable.
Saturday, October 03, 2009
Worn worn worn
Wake. Feed. Change. Pack. Work. Lunch. Work. Rush. Cook. Feed. Change. Sleep.
Repeat.
That unfortunately, is what my life has seemingly boiled down to these days. There is the occasional variety, but for some odd reason it seems that we're getting closer and closer to that suburbia Brave New World roboticism than we had in the past, unable to break the usual hum-drum of daily life for fear of even slightly throwing things off balance. I don't know if it's because we have two kids now, and paired when with two adults, we can't offset the human:human ratio.
Which then brings me to this question: those people whom we've seen hermit themselves and completely adjust their schedules to accommodate their children when they had one child, what are they like now with 2, or more? How far have they changed from who they were before children, or how much closer have they gotten to who they originally were? Or perhaps, have they become clones of their parents instead?
Who knows. But I'm keeping a keen eye on how much of my life really shifts in having kids, and keeping aware of my growing theory that mid-life crisis happens to those who change themselves or their habits too much from how they lived for much of their life. I mean, it's all balance, right - too much one way, you snap back like a rubber band, back to equilibrium. It's the human inertia.
In the mean time, to cater to my growing inertia, here's a cupcake/muffin recipe that I loved at first sight. Super easy - you only need a 1/2 teaspoon and 1/2 cup to do the mixes.
Makes 12 cupcakes.
1 c flour
1 1/2 t baking powder
pinch salt
3 eggs, room temperature
1 stick butter, room temperature
(for cupcakes) heaping 1/2 c of superfine sugar (or just take regular sugar through a food processor)
(for muffins) leveled 1/2 c of sugar
(for cupcakes) 1/2 t vanilla
1/4 c milk
Preheat oven to 350. Prep cupcake cups.
Mix dry ingredients together in a small mixing bowl.
Cream butter and sugar.
Mix in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
Mix in vanilla.
Then, alternating milk and dry mix, add each to the sugar mixture, starting and ending with the milk.
Then, for muffins - you can add ingredients to your liking. I've added banana, bacon/cheese/jalapeno, and lemon/poppy seeds in the past. I haven't yet tried blueberries or apples, but I will.
Divide mix into cupcake cups, about 2/3 full.
Bake 18-20 minutes.
Repeat.
That unfortunately, is what my life has seemingly boiled down to these days. There is the occasional variety, but for some odd reason it seems that we're getting closer and closer to that suburbia Brave New World roboticism than we had in the past, unable to break the usual hum-drum of daily life for fear of even slightly throwing things off balance. I don't know if it's because we have two kids now, and paired when with two adults, we can't offset the human:human ratio.
Which then brings me to this question: those people whom we've seen hermit themselves and completely adjust their schedules to accommodate their children when they had one child, what are they like now with 2, or more? How far have they changed from who they were before children, or how much closer have they gotten to who they originally were? Or perhaps, have they become clones of their parents instead?
Who knows. But I'm keeping a keen eye on how much of my life really shifts in having kids, and keeping aware of my growing theory that mid-life crisis happens to those who change themselves or their habits too much from how they lived for much of their life. I mean, it's all balance, right - too much one way, you snap back like a rubber band, back to equilibrium. It's the human inertia.
In the mean time, to cater to my growing inertia, here's a cupcake/muffin recipe that I loved at first sight. Super easy - you only need a 1/2 teaspoon and 1/2 cup to do the mixes.
Makes 12 cupcakes.
1 c flour
1 1/2 t baking powder
pinch salt
3 eggs, room temperature
1 stick butter, room temperature
(for cupcakes) heaping 1/2 c of superfine sugar (or just take regular sugar through a food processor)
(for muffins) leveled 1/2 c of sugar
(for cupcakes) 1/2 t vanilla
1/4 c milk
Preheat oven to 350. Prep cupcake cups.
Mix dry ingredients together in a small mixing bowl.
Cream butter and sugar.
Mix in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
Mix in vanilla.
Then, alternating milk and dry mix, add each to the sugar mixture, starting and ending with the milk.
Then, for muffins - you can add ingredients to your liking. I've added banana, bacon/cheese/jalapeno, and lemon/poppy seeds in the past. I haven't yet tried blueberries or apples, but I will.
Divide mix into cupcake cups, about 2/3 full.
Bake 18-20 minutes.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
We all have a casserole
Today while I was standing there using my freezer as the most expensive air conditioning system known while I tried to move the synapses in my brain closer to each other to figure out a dinner plan, I decided to make a roulade for dinner. It's easy, fast, tasty, and makes use of several left-over items in the fridge. And then it dawned on me - we all have some sort of casserole in our cooking repertoire. Mine just happens to be a roulade. It's my go-to dish when I'm at a loss for what to make for dinner.
Tonight's roulade made use of several items - marinara sauce I made on Friday, butternut squash from a puff-wrapped cod last night, fresh carrots (shredded), rice (still had to cook it), and cheese. While this new dish may not be of new ingredients, it's a new interpretation of existing parts.
Tonight's roulade
- 1 Chicken breast - pounded thin (1/4")
- 1 Carrot, shredded
- 1/2c cooked butternut squash (diced)
- 3T butter
- Cheese (I used cheddar this time)
- 1/2c Rice
- 1c Marinara sauce
1. Preheat oven to 400F degrees. Prep a baking platter (just foil on a baking tray was all I used tonight).
2. Butterfly and pound chicken breast thin, and season both sides with salt and pepper
3. Layer onto the pounded chicken breast shredded carrot, butternut squash, cheese, and rice (in that order). The butter, I dotted amidst the butternut squash. The rice, I laid just in the middle of the roulade roll.
4. Roll from end to end, taking care not to squish everything out as you push the roll along. Use toothpicks to hold roll together if necessary.
5. Transfer roulade to the baking platter. Pour on marinara sauce evenly over roulade.
6. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven immediately after baking, and let rest outside of oven for 5 minutes.
7. Slice and serve.
Tonight's roulade made use of several items - marinara sauce I made on Friday, butternut squash from a puff-wrapped cod last night, fresh carrots (shredded), rice (still had to cook it), and cheese. While this new dish may not be of new ingredients, it's a new interpretation of existing parts.
Tonight's roulade
- 1 Chicken breast - pounded thin (1/4")
- 1 Carrot, shredded
- 1/2c cooked butternut squash (diced)
- 3T butter
- Cheese (I used cheddar this time)
- 1/2c Rice
- 1c Marinara sauce
1. Preheat oven to 400F degrees. Prep a baking platter (just foil on a baking tray was all I used tonight).
2. Butterfly and pound chicken breast thin, and season both sides with salt and pepper
3. Layer onto the pounded chicken breast shredded carrot, butternut squash, cheese, and rice (in that order). The butter, I dotted amidst the butternut squash. The rice, I laid just in the middle of the roulade roll.
4. Roll from end to end, taking care not to squish everything out as you push the roll along. Use toothpicks to hold roll together if necessary.
5. Transfer roulade to the baking platter. Pour on marinara sauce evenly over roulade.
6. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven immediately after baking, and let rest outside of oven for 5 minutes.
7. Slice and serve.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Duh
Why didn't I think of this idea earlier? I was about to throw out some slices of lemon I had used for a lemon infusion earlier yesterday, and decided to try something. It worked:
1. Lemon - slice or wedge to sizes to fit into your water bottle.
2. If slices - curl on itself into a roll so it could fit into the mouth of your water bottle. Shove curled-up slices into an ice cube tray to hold them in their shape. If using wedges, lay out wedges side by side on a single cookie sheet.
3. Freeze. Then, when they're frozen solid, throw them into your water bottle for cold lemon-infused water on the go. What slices or wedges you don't use, bag them and freeze them for later use.
This may be just too obvious to some, but this idea finally dawned on me when I decided to throw some frozen strawberries into Baby1's water bottle earlier today for her outing to the playground. In Mid-Atlantic heat.
1. Lemon - slice or wedge to sizes to fit into your water bottle.
2. If slices - curl on itself into a roll so it could fit into the mouth of your water bottle. Shove curled-up slices into an ice cube tray to hold them in their shape. If using wedges, lay out wedges side by side on a single cookie sheet.
3. Freeze. Then, when they're frozen solid, throw them into your water bottle for cold lemon-infused water on the go. What slices or wedges you don't use, bag them and freeze them for later use.
This may be just too obvious to some, but this idea finally dawned on me when I decided to throw some frozen strawberries into Baby1's water bottle earlier today for her outing to the playground. In Mid-Atlantic heat.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Reflection on priorities
As my maternity leave comes to a close, I look back with bittersweetness at the past couple of months. I've gotten a chance to hang out more with Baby1, and learn a little more about her as she absorbs information around her faster than a sponge around water. I also got the opportunity to learn about the new human in my life. When I've been able to think for a moment, I realize some subtle and not so subtle friction in childrearing.
Just thinking about the times when I have reached the end of my patience, especially with Baby1, I've made one discovery that I hope will help inform how I approach Baby1 in the future. When I've hit the wall with her, it has been an issue of misaligned priorities. Those times when safety is an issue, there is absolutely no question: I admonish her and make her realize that running across the street or not stopping her Carl Lewis sprint when I tell her to do so is completely out of the question. Other times, however - have they simply because I've lost touch with my childhood and am failing to see the world through her eyes?
With so many books (and just seen how very many there are!) out there written about an litany of institutionalized agendas for raising our children, are we adults just as lost about how to raise children as we are simply not in touch with the real child we once were? Just about all the books read of trying to understand the children through our eyes, but how many are written about trying to understand us through their eyes? We push our children, to adhere to our conditions, to conform to our adult world. We shape them to personify our hopes and our dreams where we've failed. We make them into puppets of our world, miniaturized caricatures of our idols. We force on them a structure that would, in scale, rival a single-handed maneuvering of the Middle East-Israeli conflict.
And just when we think they couldn't possibly perfect themselves enough to our standards, we complain that they're growing up way too fast. Seemingly, we say this more and more with each generation. Could it be that, notwithstanding extreme external factors (inordinate amount of TV, violence in the home, health issues, etc.), we're creating self-fulfilling prophecies? We could blame parents working too much and not spending enough time with the kids; overcommercialism everywhere we turn; too much exposure of kids to sex, drugs, and rock and roll too early in life; any of a litany of pop culture surrounding us today. But could it be as simple as that adults have just lost touch with the real child they once were - and that if we were to reexamine life through the eyes of our earliest childhood, that we would once again be able to be more attuned to their needs and thoughts? That if we actually bent who we were, not to what some book tells us to do, but to something that we knew at one point in our life, that we would be able to also align ourselves and better understand our children?
I don't know... but for the time being, I'm using this strategy to better understand Baby1. We'll have to see over time whether or not my idea bears weight. In the mean time, my kitchen as still be churning out food, though at times not as creative as I would like. I'm still using what I have in our freezer and fridge. Of most recent note, I baked up a pheasant that's been in our freezer for a while - S/P all over and in the cavity, tucked butter under the skin, and stuffed it with half a lemon and an onion. Roasting in the same pan as the mire poix were celery, onions, and carrots.
I baked the pheasant, and then used the roasting juices to make my port wine and blackberry sauce. Very simply - port wine, S/P, blackberries, roasting juices. Brought the mixture to a simmer, and turned the heat to low to reduce by about a half. The pheasant was, surprisingly, not terribly gamey, and the sauce paired perfectly. However, the pheasant was still somewhat dry. I'll have to continue testing the baking temperatures and times to get just the right balance for juicy meat and done-ness.
Just thinking about the times when I have reached the end of my patience, especially with Baby1, I've made one discovery that I hope will help inform how I approach Baby1 in the future. When I've hit the wall with her, it has been an issue of misaligned priorities. Those times when safety is an issue, there is absolutely no question: I admonish her and make her realize that running across the street or not stopping her Carl Lewis sprint when I tell her to do so is completely out of the question. Other times, however - have they simply because I've lost touch with my childhood and am failing to see the world through her eyes?
With so many books (and just seen how very many there are!) out there written about an litany of institutionalized agendas for raising our children, are we adults just as lost about how to raise children as we are simply not in touch with the real child we once were? Just about all the books read of trying to understand the children through our eyes, but how many are written about trying to understand us through their eyes? We push our children, to adhere to our conditions, to conform to our adult world. We shape them to personify our hopes and our dreams where we've failed. We make them into puppets of our world, miniaturized caricatures of our idols. We force on them a structure that would, in scale, rival a single-handed maneuvering of the Middle East-Israeli conflict.
And just when we think they couldn't possibly perfect themselves enough to our standards, we complain that they're growing up way too fast. Seemingly, we say this more and more with each generation. Could it be that, notwithstanding extreme external factors (inordinate amount of TV, violence in the home, health issues, etc.), we're creating self-fulfilling prophecies? We could blame parents working too much and not spending enough time with the kids; overcommercialism everywhere we turn; too much exposure of kids to sex, drugs, and rock and roll too early in life; any of a litany of pop culture surrounding us today. But could it be as simple as that adults have just lost touch with the real child they once were - and that if we were to reexamine life through the eyes of our earliest childhood, that we would once again be able to be more attuned to their needs and thoughts? That if we actually bent who we were, not to what some book tells us to do, but to something that we knew at one point in our life, that we would be able to also align ourselves and better understand our children?
I don't know... but for the time being, I'm using this strategy to better understand Baby1. We'll have to see over time whether or not my idea bears weight. In the mean time, my kitchen as still be churning out food, though at times not as creative as I would like. I'm still using what I have in our freezer and fridge. Of most recent note, I baked up a pheasant that's been in our freezer for a while - S/P all over and in the cavity, tucked butter under the skin, and stuffed it with half a lemon and an onion. Roasting in the same pan as the mire poix were celery, onions, and carrots.
I baked the pheasant, and then used the roasting juices to make my port wine and blackberry sauce. Very simply - port wine, S/P, blackberries, roasting juices. Brought the mixture to a simmer, and turned the heat to low to reduce by about a half. The pheasant was, surprisingly, not terribly gamey, and the sauce paired perfectly. However, the pheasant was still somewhat dry. I'll have to continue testing the baking temperatures and times to get just the right balance for juicy meat and done-ness.
Sunday, August 02, 2009
I'll take breathing room for $150, please
Post successful baguette endeavor, Hubby and I headed out for a dinner solo last night at our local Siroc restaurant, downtown DC. Probably our best sampling of Italian food in DC, this restaurant was the site of our last dinner prior to Baby2 joining us. And, apropos, it is the place of our first dinner solo post-Baby2. We had a fantastic time.
What worries me, though, is the fact that the restaurant, while fantastic, doesn't seem to be packed any time that we're there. We ended up closing the restaurant again, the service was top-notch, the food was fantastic. These are the kinds of things I worry about - we find a good place, serving good food, and then next thing I know the place is closed because people are too used to having some washed-up version of real food. Our total bill wasn't cheap - $150 - but it was so worth it.
So this morning, I baked my savory scones that I had prepped yesterday, post baguette. Great success - filled with bacon, garlic cheddar, scallions. Chilling the scones overnight in the fridge definitely did the trick, as the scones were so flaky and soft, they practically melted in my mouth. I've posted the recipe before, so I won't post it again. I am so making more this afternoon.
What worries me, though, is the fact that the restaurant, while fantastic, doesn't seem to be packed any time that we're there. We ended up closing the restaurant again, the service was top-notch, the food was fantastic. These are the kinds of things I worry about - we find a good place, serving good food, and then next thing I know the place is closed because people are too used to having some washed-up version of real food. Our total bill wasn't cheap - $150 - but it was so worth it.
So this morning, I baked my savory scones that I had prepped yesterday, post baguette. Great success - filled with bacon, garlic cheddar, scallions. Chilling the scones overnight in the fridge definitely did the trick, as the scones were so flaky and soft, they practically melted in my mouth. I've posted the recipe before, so I won't post it again. I am so making more this afternoon.
Saturday, August 01, 2009
Cartoons with the usual cast of personalities
Baby1 has just embarked on a brand new journey: the joy (or lack thereof) of television. With Baby2 taking some of our time, and at times just needing a bit of quiet from simultaneous screaming from both kids, Hubby and I have decided that yes, we'll try a bit of television therapy with Baby1, just so that we could get, oh, 5 minutes of peace or attempts at establishing peace in this house. In comes Noggin.
We've been watching the Backyardigans and Ni-Hao Kai-lan. Backyardigans because she picked up Uniqua one day at a Target, and instantly recognized her again on the show when one of her cousins had a DVD of of the Backyardigans at Papa's house. Ni-Hao Kai-lan because, well, it would be good for her to learn Chinese at some point, even if it is through a TV show. Both shows, she has actually paid some steady attention to them, which is a relief for us whenever we're hitting a point of decibel limit in the house. But the characters...
Backyardigans. Whose great idea was it to have the white hippo be high-ranked character in each of the episodes? Who made her queen? And Uniqua has a decidedly African-American voice - so why is she singled out as being so unique? And never mind the "mystery" episode, when the moose, also of an African American voice, was the butler and Uniqua was the "strange out-of-towner" character. As for the penguin and the kangaroo - well, they're almost the only two not-extraordinary characters on the show.
And Ni-Hao Kai-lan. Hubby came to the realization yesterday morning that the tiger has ADD, the koala has low self-esteem issues (as well as an unhealthy obsession with pandas - do I detect a "I wish I were" kind of self-value view by the koala?), the monkey is just too small to have personality, the grandfather has to be senile to be hanging out with this motley crew, and Kai-lan is on some sort of prescription medication (we presume for delusional schizophrenia - damn, her pupils are seriously dilated). And how much her high-pitched voice carries her cheerleader personality...
Let's just say I miss the days of Bugs and Tom/Jerry, when cartoons were a little less complex, characters a little more straight-forward, and situations a little more clear-cut. This cast of characters... if they're a reflection of the characters we have in every-day life, of the broad spectrum of personalities we see each day, we're in trouble.
At the least, amidst this entry of new personalities into our house and daily life, and amidst my loss of hearing via the kids, I'm taking on a new recipe for a baguette, care of DK's Bread bible. Simple, clear-cut, and I split the recipe in two by overnighting the rising period in the fridge. I finally got the sponge step looking more like the way it should, and I read something in a book that made too much sense to me - don't use a metallic bowl for making bread, as it will impart an off-flavor to the yeast and to the bread.
Baguette
1 2/3 c lukewarm water
2 1/2 t yeast
500g flour
1 1/2t salt
- Sprinkle the yeast in 1 1/4 c of the water in a non-metallic bowl (try glass or ceramic), and let sit for 5 minutes. Mix to dissolve.
- Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl, and make a well in the middle. Pour in the yeast mixture.
- Stir just enough of the flour into the yeast mixture with a wooden spoon to yield a sticky paste (sponge). Cover with a dishcloth and let rest for 20 minutes, or until sponge has doubled in volume.
- Stir the rest of the flour into the sponge, mixing the remainder of the water only if necessary, one Tablespoon at a time. Don't mix in too much water! (this is where my process screwed up, and I had to mix in more flour to dry the mix... we'll have to see how it comes out)
- Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and knead until elastic and smooth, about 10 minutes.
- Form dough into a smooth ball, and place in a non-metallic bowl. Cover with dishcloth and let rise until doubled in volume, about 1.5 hours. This is where I did the overnight refrigerator rising method: place dough in a non-metallic bowl, and brush the surface with olive oil. Cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let rise in the fridge overnight (min. 8 hours).
- Remove cover, punch down, cover bowl with dish towel and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes. Repeat punch-down and rise. (Both rises I executed with a dish towel. I did not use the plastic wrap cover for either rise, as there was considerable condensation on the plastic wrap this morning.)
- Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Flour your baking surface (I'm using a baking stone).
- Divide dough into two parts, and shape accordingly (3-fold letter shape, followed by half-fold, then elongate). Transfer dough onto baking surface, and cover with dish cloth to let proof, about 50 minutes.
- Give the top of shaped loaves 4 slashes. Finish the surface with either an egg wash or a salt-water wash (I'm going to give it a salt-water wash to see how it comes out).
- Bake 20-25 minutes, steaming of oven is optional.
As I write this, I'm waiting for the loaf to go through its second rise. We'll see how it comes out. But, the overall recipe is very simple indeed, and the DK Bread bible is really wonderful in illustrating the exact look and methods involved in baking bread. I've tried other recipes, often more complicated and not as clearly explained... so we shall see...
>>UPDATE AS OF 5:30PM
Success! The baguette, even with an overnight rise, came out great. Crust was great, though a little thicker than I like (I like the crisp thin crust, but this tasted authentic), and inside was generally uniform with some larger (1/2") air bubbles here and there. Flavor was right on - it was my using metal bowls in the past that lent the bread the weird flavors. I am so using this recipe again.
We've been watching the Backyardigans and Ni-Hao Kai-lan. Backyardigans because she picked up Uniqua one day at a Target, and instantly recognized her again on the show when one of her cousins had a DVD of of the Backyardigans at Papa's house. Ni-Hao Kai-lan because, well, it would be good for her to learn Chinese at some point, even if it is through a TV show. Both shows, she has actually paid some steady attention to them, which is a relief for us whenever we're hitting a point of decibel limit in the house. But the characters...
Backyardigans. Whose great idea was it to have the white hippo be high-ranked character in each of the episodes? Who made her queen? And Uniqua has a decidedly African-American voice - so why is she singled out as being so unique? And never mind the "mystery" episode, when the moose, also of an African American voice, was the butler and Uniqua was the "strange out-of-towner" character. As for the penguin and the kangaroo - well, they're almost the only two not-extraordinary characters on the show.
And Ni-Hao Kai-lan. Hubby came to the realization yesterday morning that the tiger has ADD, the koala has low self-esteem issues (as well as an unhealthy obsession with pandas - do I detect a "I wish I were" kind of self-value view by the koala?), the monkey is just too small to have personality, the grandfather has to be senile to be hanging out with this motley crew, and Kai-lan is on some sort of prescription medication (we presume for delusional schizophrenia - damn, her pupils are seriously dilated). And how much her high-pitched voice carries her cheerleader personality...
Let's just say I miss the days of Bugs and Tom/Jerry, when cartoons were a little less complex, characters a little more straight-forward, and situations a little more clear-cut. This cast of characters... if they're a reflection of the characters we have in every-day life, of the broad spectrum of personalities we see each day, we're in trouble.
At the least, amidst this entry of new personalities into our house and daily life, and amidst my loss of hearing via the kids, I'm taking on a new recipe for a baguette, care of DK's Bread bible. Simple, clear-cut, and I split the recipe in two by overnighting the rising period in the fridge. I finally got the sponge step looking more like the way it should, and I read something in a book that made too much sense to me - don't use a metallic bowl for making bread, as it will impart an off-flavor to the yeast and to the bread.
Baguette
1 2/3 c lukewarm water
2 1/2 t yeast
500g flour
1 1/2t salt
- Sprinkle the yeast in 1 1/4 c of the water in a non-metallic bowl (try glass or ceramic), and let sit for 5 minutes. Mix to dissolve.
- Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl, and make a well in the middle. Pour in the yeast mixture.
- Stir just enough of the flour into the yeast mixture with a wooden spoon to yield a sticky paste (sponge). Cover with a dishcloth and let rest for 20 minutes, or until sponge has doubled in volume.
- Stir the rest of the flour into the sponge, mixing the remainder of the water only if necessary, one Tablespoon at a time. Don't mix in too much water! (this is where my process screwed up, and I had to mix in more flour to dry the mix... we'll have to see how it comes out)
- Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and knead until elastic and smooth, about 10 minutes.
- Form dough into a smooth ball, and place in a non-metallic bowl. Cover with dishcloth and let rise until doubled in volume, about 1.5 hours. This is where I did the overnight refrigerator rising method: place dough in a non-metallic bowl, and brush the surface with olive oil. Cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let rise in the fridge overnight (min. 8 hours).
- Remove cover, punch down, cover bowl with dish towel and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes. Repeat punch-down and rise. (Both rises I executed with a dish towel. I did not use the plastic wrap cover for either rise, as there was considerable condensation on the plastic wrap this morning.)
- Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Flour your baking surface (I'm using a baking stone).
- Divide dough into two parts, and shape accordingly (3-fold letter shape, followed by half-fold, then elongate). Transfer dough onto baking surface, and cover with dish cloth to let proof, about 50 minutes.
- Give the top of shaped loaves 4 slashes. Finish the surface with either an egg wash or a salt-water wash (I'm going to give it a salt-water wash to see how it comes out).
- Bake 20-25 minutes, steaming of oven is optional.
As I write this, I'm waiting for the loaf to go through its second rise. We'll see how it comes out. But, the overall recipe is very simple indeed, and the DK Bread bible is really wonderful in illustrating the exact look and methods involved in baking bread. I've tried other recipes, often more complicated and not as clearly explained... so we shall see...
>>UPDATE AS OF 5:30PM
Success! The baguette, even with an overnight rise, came out great. Crust was great, though a little thicker than I like (I like the crisp thin crust, but this tasted authentic), and inside was generally uniform with some larger (1/2") air bubbles here and there. Flavor was right on - it was my using metal bowls in the past that lent the bread the weird flavors. I am so using this recipe again.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Sometimes, you just have to relent
We can't do a gourmet meal each day. Today, we had burgers and fries - and it's still just as tasty. I did supplement with cuts of fresh tomatoes, and unfortunately Baby1 was so tired from all our activity today she didn't even last through the meal - but at the least, she did eat the tomatoes.
I am, however, genuinely torn when it comes to the costs of some of our meals. I'm torn - not because I don't want to save money in this dire economy, but because I want us to save money in our foodstuffs but I still want to make sure that I put quality and variety on our table. Saving grace is definitely the fact that we don't eat much processed foods, and that we shop primarily along the perimeter - but for a growing family, the food bills do add up over time. My regular purchases: milk, eggs, flour, fruits, vegetables, and a variety of meats. Secondary purchases: cereal, crackers, sugar, juice, water. You'd think this wouldn't add to too much, but boy it really does add up. Then, we also have the take-out orders we place every so often when I can't muster enough energy to cook after a long day (and when I don't want to eat what we already have) - and all of a sudden, our food bills grow exponentially.
So I'm puttin ghtis in writing: I'm going to make a truly concerted effort, during these last few weeks of my maternity leave, to really focus on cooking the foods we have, and to get really well-versed in being able to throw together a good meal, and a series of good meals with variety, from just the items we have in our fridge and freezer. No random ordering out, no cheating with take-out. At the least, while our other costs may be growing while our pocketbooks are shrinking, I can really learn how to use and enjoy what I already have.
And... try to keep up editing this blog on a regular basis.
I am, however, genuinely torn when it comes to the costs of some of our meals. I'm torn - not because I don't want to save money in this dire economy, but because I want us to save money in our foodstuffs but I still want to make sure that I put quality and variety on our table. Saving grace is definitely the fact that we don't eat much processed foods, and that we shop primarily along the perimeter - but for a growing family, the food bills do add up over time. My regular purchases: milk, eggs, flour, fruits, vegetables, and a variety of meats. Secondary purchases: cereal, crackers, sugar, juice, water. You'd think this wouldn't add to too much, but boy it really does add up. Then, we also have the take-out orders we place every so often when I can't muster enough energy to cook after a long day (and when I don't want to eat what we already have) - and all of a sudden, our food bills grow exponentially.
So I'm puttin ghtis in writing: I'm going to make a truly concerted effort, during these last few weeks of my maternity leave, to really focus on cooking the foods we have, and to get really well-versed in being able to throw together a good meal, and a series of good meals with variety, from just the items we have in our fridge and freezer. No random ordering out, no cheating with take-out. At the least, while our other costs may be growing while our pocketbooks are shrinking, I can really learn how to use and enjoy what I already have.
And... try to keep up editing this blog on a regular basis.
Friday, July 24, 2009
Gear
Besides the fact that Hubby and I continually find faults with just about every piece of baby/toddler equipment out there (great stroller, just want it to be able to handle having a toddler as well as a baby; great bottle idea, but the nib leaks like Niagara Falls; what a beautiful snack ball, if only the lid would work the way it's supposed to and not break 2 weeks after we start using it), as I am trekking again through the swamps of navigating care for a newborn, I am going through all our old gear again. Same complaints with some of our basic gear:
1. Bibs. Whose brilliant idea was it to have the rough side of the velcro backs face up, where it can scratch baby's neck? Of course, in the ideal world, the velcro would be facing out at the back of the neck, thus negating the scratchy velcro problem. But what baby actually keeps a bib in place enough to keep that scratchy face facing outward?
2. Pacifiers. The pacifiers should have been made with the cover plate (the hard piece at the end of the chewy nib) curved away from the face. All you need after baby sucks on that thing is to have the footprint of this place engraved on its face.
3. Footed onesies. Keeps those feet warm. Also generates planned obsolescence, as babies grow like weeds and what fit last week won't fit this week.
4. Single-side-access onesies. Parents, you know what I'm talking about. There's nothing quite like folding up your baby in half in order to get their foot into the unaccessible leg of these long-zip onesies.
5. Onesies without lap shoulders or shoulder snaps. OK, so maybe my baby has an extraordinarily large head, but why make tops without adjustable openings for the head? Poor thing looks like he's going through the birthing process each time I try to pull one of these stupid shirts over his head - and he cries like he's going through the process again each time.
These are just the start... as I go through more gear, I'm sure I'll find more material for whining.
1. Bibs. Whose brilliant idea was it to have the rough side of the velcro backs face up, where it can scratch baby's neck? Of course, in the ideal world, the velcro would be facing out at the back of the neck, thus negating the scratchy velcro problem. But what baby actually keeps a bib in place enough to keep that scratchy face facing outward?
2. Pacifiers. The pacifiers should have been made with the cover plate (the hard piece at the end of the chewy nib) curved away from the face. All you need after baby sucks on that thing is to have the footprint of this place engraved on its face.
3. Footed onesies. Keeps those feet warm. Also generates planned obsolescence, as babies grow like weeds and what fit last week won't fit this week.
4. Single-side-access onesies. Parents, you know what I'm talking about. There's nothing quite like folding up your baby in half in order to get their foot into the unaccessible leg of these long-zip onesies.
5. Onesies without lap shoulders or shoulder snaps. OK, so maybe my baby has an extraordinarily large head, but why make tops without adjustable openings for the head? Poor thing looks like he's going through the birthing process each time I try to pull one of these stupid shirts over his head - and he cries like he's going through the process again each time.
These are just the start... as I go through more gear, I'm sure I'll find more material for whining.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Childhood toys, refound
Outside of cooking, another one of my pasttimes has been hunting down some toys from childhood that I remember. Recently, at our local community center, during playgroup, Baby1 picked up a little block that I remembered from when I was a little child in Taiwan, but the blocks didn't have a label on them for me to discern what they were. Well, a recent hunt and after asking countless other parents about what these blocks were, I spoke with one of the local moms to find that she too knew what I was talking about. These blocks, they have these nubbies all over them, and they connect with one another via these nubbies.
Do you know what I'm talking about?
Well, she suggested taking a look at Parents Magazine toys, and sure enough, I found them: Bristle Blocks! Here's a link via Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Krinkles-in-Case-113-pieces/dp/B000HDH02Q.
As soon as I found it, I knew this was what I've been searching for, up and down all over the place. I am so getting a box of these for Baby1, and eventually, when he's ready, Baby2.
Do you know what I'm talking about?
Well, she suggested taking a look at Parents Magazine toys, and sure enough, I found them: Bristle Blocks! Here's a link via Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Krinkles-in-Case-113-pieces/dp/B000HDH02Q.
As soon as I found it, I knew this was what I've been searching for, up and down all over the place. I am so getting a box of these for Baby1, and eventually, when he's ready, Baby2.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Bagels... to go
I heard about a great place to get bagels, this Capital Bagel Bakery just south of where I live, and I figured I'd take Baby1, Baby2, and Nanny with me on an excursion to check out the place. We stopped first for lunch (Nanny's first jaunt with sushi!) at a place next door, Golden Dragon, where I get my Chinese delivery all the time. Afterwards, seeing that Nanny didn't venture too far to gobbling up the sushi, I figured, let's check out the bagel place, to pick up some bagels to take home with us, in case she is hungry but didn't want to be impolite and tell me that she doesn't like sushi.
Well.
So I order my baker's dozen ($9.12, tax included), and this tall woman comes up in line behind me, places her order, and she begins her departure. She seemed quite well in a rush - aren't we all. I stop with Baby1, who is completely enraptured by a 10-month old baby boy at a nearby booth, to admire said 10-month old, whose mother was gracious enough to allow Baby1 to humor her curiosity about the little guy and who very patiently answers Baby1's questions about all the accoutrement in his car seat (binkies, toys, blankets). We converse for a little bit, and I thank her for letting Baby1 get so close to him, and we then begin our departure. Enter tall woman.
She was still behind us, even after our conversation and exploration of 10-month-old baby boy, and with a brusk "excuse me" rushes past me. Baby1 is in front of me, and as toddlers are prone to do, she started running, then stumbled and fell. Tall woman steps over her, curses under her breath, and rushes her way out the door. I'm more than just a little annoyed.
Now mind you, if she were dressed like she had a full-time job, instead of in shorts and a t-shirt, I might say, hmm, been there, done that, definitely had something to rush off to, I can empathize. Instead, though, she seemed quite annoyed that anyone outside of herself was there, so the only conclusions I can deduce are these:
1. She doesn't like children.
2. She doesn't want children.
3. She obviously doesn't have children.
4. I'm in Virginia - is this racism that's biting at my heels?
Maybe this is self-centered. Maybe in my insular world the women I've been exposed to have been so gracious with my children, that I just assume that all women would regard other little children with open arms and understand when a toddler falls (and just about all I've encountered have then reached out, regardless of all the stuff they have in their hands, to help out with any child that takes a stumble). Or who knows... maybe one of the immediate reactions I have above is a truth. Or, if this is a balance against the better experiences I've had to date with my children, then it goes to reveal that balance does happen in this world, for good and bad.
So the bagels - I've got them in a paper bag right now, but will give them a try. Sounded like they are pretty good against the NY variety - we shall see.
Well.
So I order my baker's dozen ($9.12, tax included), and this tall woman comes up in line behind me, places her order, and she begins her departure. She seemed quite well in a rush - aren't we all. I stop with Baby1, who is completely enraptured by a 10-month old baby boy at a nearby booth, to admire said 10-month old, whose mother was gracious enough to allow Baby1 to humor her curiosity about the little guy and who very patiently answers Baby1's questions about all the accoutrement in his car seat (binkies, toys, blankets). We converse for a little bit, and I thank her for letting Baby1 get so close to him, and we then begin our departure. Enter tall woman.
She was still behind us, even after our conversation and exploration of 10-month-old baby boy, and with a brusk "excuse me" rushes past me. Baby1 is in front of me, and as toddlers are prone to do, she started running, then stumbled and fell. Tall woman steps over her, curses under her breath, and rushes her way out the door. I'm more than just a little annoyed.
Now mind you, if she were dressed like she had a full-time job, instead of in shorts and a t-shirt, I might say, hmm, been there, done that, definitely had something to rush off to, I can empathize. Instead, though, she seemed quite annoyed that anyone outside of herself was there, so the only conclusions I can deduce are these:
1. She doesn't like children.
2. She doesn't want children.
3. She obviously doesn't have children.
4. I'm in Virginia - is this racism that's biting at my heels?
Maybe this is self-centered. Maybe in my insular world the women I've been exposed to have been so gracious with my children, that I just assume that all women would regard other little children with open arms and understand when a toddler falls (and just about all I've encountered have then reached out, regardless of all the stuff they have in their hands, to help out with any child that takes a stumble). Or who knows... maybe one of the immediate reactions I have above is a truth. Or, if this is a balance against the better experiences I've had to date with my children, then it goes to reveal that balance does happen in this world, for good and bad.
So the bagels - I've got them in a paper bag right now, but will give them a try. Sounded like they are pretty good against the NY variety - we shall see.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Fading memory
It goes without saying for any new mom that somehow our memory deteriorates almost immediately after having said newborn, as we are instantly thrown into reactionary instead of proactive mode. So that's where I find myself these days - unable to keep short term memory for extended period of time (not to mention, being around Baby1 all day gives me a newfound encyclopedia of toddler language and loss of adult language) - that is, until I'm nursing. Then all of a sudden, when I don't have a hand to do anything, I remember all kinds of stuff that I need to do or get, and no way of recording my recalled memory. Maybe I should just attach my crackberry to Baby2, and then whenever I pick up Baby2, I can record my memory at a touch of a button without having to remember to grab said crackberry.
So as if I'm not thrown into a tailspin already with two little ones in tow, I am now nursing a sore throat. Not much except Jello feels good on my sore throat, and there's no way I can rest it as Baby1 insists on an unending string of "what's that what's that what's that what's that what's that what's that" all day long. But, I did get to making a 6-strand challah today... haven't yet tried it, but if my throat feels all right tomorrow, I may try a slice. Substituted about 2oz of the 16.75oz AP flour with wheat flour - we'll see how it turned out!
So as if I'm not thrown into a tailspin already with two little ones in tow, I am now nursing a sore throat. Not much except Jello feels good on my sore throat, and there's no way I can rest it as Baby1 insists on an unending string of "what's that what's that what's that what's that what's that what's that" all day long. But, I did get to making a 6-strand challah today... haven't yet tried it, but if my throat feels all right tomorrow, I may try a slice. Substituted about 2oz of the 16.75oz AP flour with wheat flour - we'll see how it turned out!
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Watermelon granita
Our wonderful friends Bondrew came over tonight for dinner, to catch up and check in. On the menu - a bounty of vegetables from their community garden, steaks, and tapioca pudding. From our side, I tried making a 5-minute berry cobbler (eek, not good - flipped a wheat pie crust on top of berries/sugar/butter) and a watermelon granita. I'll provide the watermelon granita recipe here for the fact that it succeeded and it was super easy. This made an excellent palate cleanser.
Watermelon Granita
- watermelon (4 parts)
- triple sec or cointreau (1 part)
1. Puree watermelon in blender.
2. Add cointreau to watermelon, and blend with 2 short pulses.
3. Pour into large flat pan (enough to allow watermelon mixture to attain 1" depth).
4. Freeze for 4 hours, with a fork scraping 2 hours into freezing time.
5. Serve.
Watermelon Granita
- watermelon (4 parts)
- triple sec or cointreau (1 part)
1. Puree watermelon in blender.
2. Add cointreau to watermelon, and blend with 2 short pulses.
3. Pour into large flat pan (enough to allow watermelon mixture to attain 1" depth).
4. Freeze for 4 hours, with a fork scraping 2 hours into freezing time.
5. Serve.
How do I grow a third hand?
Ever step into the kitchen, and suddenly in the midst of cooking this that and the other thing realize that you were missing the most important tool - a third hand? Try cooking with just 1 hand - you'll get that same feeling. I'm on a search now, for recipes that can allow me to cook with just one hand, as often times I end up having to carry Baby2 in one of my arms while I'm cooking and prepping to keep him calm (Baby1 just pulls up a stool to observe everything happening on the countertop). And it's not easy - he has little to no head control, and those neck muscles aren't exactly lean and tuned either, so I sometimes really, REALLY need that third hand.
Well, all the meats are diced, sliced, and ground, in individual packets in the freezer. Dad has brought enough food to stock our fridge and our freezers (sometimes to my dismay as I actually do like to cook, and a packed fridge doesn't allow me to cook anything for storing). Veggie drawers are also stocked. From the outside, it would look like I've got it made...
Except, of course, for said third hand. And more prep time.
So I'm on that search for easy recipes, but preferably not casseroles. So far, I've been tackling only those "fresh" recipes, that use some raw ingredients and simpler cooked ingredients. But complexity is not easy when I have one hand occupied... and I'm craving roux and gumbo. Oh help.
Well, all the meats are diced, sliced, and ground, in individual packets in the freezer. Dad has brought enough food to stock our fridge and our freezers (sometimes to my dismay as I actually do like to cook, and a packed fridge doesn't allow me to cook anything for storing). Veggie drawers are also stocked. From the outside, it would look like I've got it made...
Except, of course, for said third hand. And more prep time.
So I'm on that search for easy recipes, but preferably not casseroles. So far, I've been tackling only those "fresh" recipes, that use some raw ingredients and simpler cooked ingredients. But complexity is not easy when I have one hand occupied... and I'm craving roux and gumbo. Oh help.
Thursday, July 09, 2009
Strange dynamics
Our wonderful Nanny has been taking care of Baby1 since last September - and she is continuing with caring now also for Baby2. Now what's strange, is that I had anticipated the transition to go smoothly, but the dynamic has really changed since I've been home on maternity leave. I adore her, and yet, when she starts cooing over Baby2, or when I watch as she takes care of Baby1, I really have to hold myself back from correcting her every move.
Like I should be surprised - it is, after all, a mother's protective intuition. But, we are transitioning, and we have this summer to do it. If anything, she's wonderful with Baby1 (though I'd like for her to really push educational boundaries and help Baby1 learn more beyond what she can do in the playground) and completely dotes on Baby2. What more could a mother ask for?
So cookingwise, I'm actually still able to do quite a bit of cooking. I've made a variety of dishes, done several different cuisines. We're rationing our stored food that people and we have made for this postpartum period for those days when cooking is not an option (i.e., when I've hit my limit of kidhood or the kids are out of control). Most recently, I made my first batch of tabouleh - super easy!
Equal parts bulgar wheat and boiling water (I used 1 c each)
1 tomato, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
1 bunch parsley, finely chopped
juice of 1/2 lemon
olive oil
S/P
Pour boiling water over bulgar wheat. Let sit for 1 hour.
Chop veggies and parsley.
Mix all vegetables and bulgar wheat together.
Squeeze lemon juice on top, and drizzle with olive oil.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
We'll have this taboulleh tonight, alongside some bread and hummus (with ground beef). I really should get off the pre-preg "Daddy diet" I've continued postpartum, and get on board with getting myself back in shape!
Like I should be surprised - it is, after all, a mother's protective intuition. But, we are transitioning, and we have this summer to do it. If anything, she's wonderful with Baby1 (though I'd like for her to really push educational boundaries and help Baby1 learn more beyond what she can do in the playground) and completely dotes on Baby2. What more could a mother ask for?
So cookingwise, I'm actually still able to do quite a bit of cooking. I've made a variety of dishes, done several different cuisines. We're rationing our stored food that people and we have made for this postpartum period for those days when cooking is not an option (i.e., when I've hit my limit of kidhood or the kids are out of control). Most recently, I made my first batch of tabouleh - super easy!
Equal parts bulgar wheat and boiling water (I used 1 c each)
1 tomato, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
1 bunch parsley, finely chopped
juice of 1/2 lemon
olive oil
S/P
Pour boiling water over bulgar wheat. Let sit for 1 hour.
Chop veggies and parsley.
Mix all vegetables and bulgar wheat together.
Squeeze lemon juice on top, and drizzle with olive oil.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
We'll have this taboulleh tonight, alongside some bread and hummus (with ground beef). I really should get off the pre-preg "Daddy diet" I've continued postpartum, and get on board with getting myself back in shape!
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
New platform
If the last time around, I found myself in a new MO from having 1 child, this time around - I'm really finding myself looking with new perspective at cooking, with 2 children. With a 1-month old Baby2 in tow, though this time around it's not as all-so-new as with Baby1, adjusting to having two kids pulling at my attention is an experience all in its own. I'm still cooking, though I'm finding juggling not as easy as with just 1 - and, on top of it all, I had gotten used to having Baby1 as a toddler, curious about my cooking, and eager to help, and had forgotten all about how difficult it is to juggle having a newborn in my arms while I'm trying to navigate slicing and dicing this that and the other thing.
So knowing what we went through the first time around with Baby1, we requested some special bechamel wheat lasagna from our good friends Bondrew, and we have them stored away for those days when I can not get around to cooking. This summer being my maternity leave, I'm taking advantage of spending time with Baby1 during the day, and trying to navigate still cooking in the evening - so we are carefully rationing out the lovely bechamel lasagna for just those days when I'm full out of steam. And my cooking experiences so far this summer have yielded the following results:
1. Pre-cut meats are a must.
2. Keep the produce drawers well stocked
3. Fruits are excellent as desserts and snacks
4. Premake sauces as a time-saver.
So item 4 was my most recent discovery. Dad had come to visit and brought a take-out left-over to share with us, but he ramped it up by adding tofu to make a new dish in larger quantities. The leftover was this hyper-spicy beef and vegetable dish. We had some for lunch while he was here, and then I most recently used the leftover of the leftover again by adding more tofu and making Ma-Po Tofu. It got my brain gears going: if I had some basic spice mixes and sauces stocked (which I already do), it makes cooking that much easier, especially on nights when I don't have the brainpower to think up something new. So I already have stocked a marinara sauce, a soy/ginger pork or chicken braise, and Puerto Rican sofrito. All these items, I have frozen (par-frozen, hand smushed, then refrozen so that it comes in smaller pieces in my ziploc bags) for longer storage and easy access.
Not the most original idea. But, that being said, I'm not going out to buy a bunch of preprocessed sauces and premixed spices with chemicals I can't pronounce - I'm making my own sauces and spice mixes. Therein is the difference.
What else in my freezer? My previous discoveries of pre-cut meats, preseasoned meats (Middle-Eastern, Italian, Chinese, and Indian seasonings), basic broths, and preseasoned whole chicken. I'm going to run with this for a while, to see how well we can live off of these pre-prepped ingredients to create a variety of dishes. In the mean time, I'm also going to think up additional sauces and mixes to stash away. If all else, at least I have some marinades ready to go for anything we'd like to cook.
So knowing what we went through the first time around with Baby1, we requested some special bechamel wheat lasagna from our good friends Bondrew, and we have them stored away for those days when I can not get around to cooking. This summer being my maternity leave, I'm taking advantage of spending time with Baby1 during the day, and trying to navigate still cooking in the evening - so we are carefully rationing out the lovely bechamel lasagna for just those days when I'm full out of steam. And my cooking experiences so far this summer have yielded the following results:
1. Pre-cut meats are a must.
2. Keep the produce drawers well stocked
3. Fruits are excellent as desserts and snacks
4. Premake sauces as a time-saver.
So item 4 was my most recent discovery. Dad had come to visit and brought a take-out left-over to share with us, but he ramped it up by adding tofu to make a new dish in larger quantities. The leftover was this hyper-spicy beef and vegetable dish. We had some for lunch while he was here, and then I most recently used the leftover of the leftover again by adding more tofu and making Ma-Po Tofu. It got my brain gears going: if I had some basic spice mixes and sauces stocked (which I already do), it makes cooking that much easier, especially on nights when I don't have the brainpower to think up something new. So I already have stocked a marinara sauce, a soy/ginger pork or chicken braise, and Puerto Rican sofrito. All these items, I have frozen (par-frozen, hand smushed, then refrozen so that it comes in smaller pieces in my ziploc bags) for longer storage and easy access.
Not the most original idea. But, that being said, I'm not going out to buy a bunch of preprocessed sauces and premixed spices with chemicals I can't pronounce - I'm making my own sauces and spice mixes. Therein is the difference.
What else in my freezer? My previous discoveries of pre-cut meats, preseasoned meats (Middle-Eastern, Italian, Chinese, and Indian seasonings), basic broths, and preseasoned whole chicken. I'm going to run with this for a while, to see how well we can live off of these pre-prepped ingredients to create a variety of dishes. In the mean time, I'm also going to think up additional sauces and mixes to stash away. If all else, at least I have some marinades ready to go for anything we'd like to cook.
Monday, February 02, 2009
Reinterpreted Puerto Rican dinner, with past recipe from Chinese Dinner
Had a birthday party this past weekend to celbrate Father in Law's 70th birthday party, and in line with his heritage, we celebrated with Puerto Rican food. But, I did put my own twist on the standard dishes to personalize the meal for our party of 12.
Baby, she was really impressive. In her well-learned party hostess mode, she even stayed up with us until 1am, though she did immediately crash out on my shoulder (she never does that anymore, so I'm happily obliging holding her in my arms while she's asleep!). Next morning, contrary to what I've heard about kids, she slept in until 10am, affording Hubby and me a good chance to get some good sleep as well after our cooking and party efforts.
So here we go on the recipes. The first is a follow-up request from our Chinese dinner in the autumn.
Simmered pork
Bone-in pork (if I recall correctly, I used pork tenderloin cut into small pieces, and also threw in some pork leg for the skin)
Soy sauce
Sugar
Ginger (2 pieces)
2 star anise
Water
- Marinate pork pieces in a mixture of soy and sugar, approximately a 1:2 ratio of soy to sugar for approximately 1 hour. Make enough of the marinade to just coat the pork pieces.
- Cut 2 pieces of ginger, about 1"x2" pieces.
- In a large pot, place marinated pork in enough of the soy/sugar mixture (same ratio as above) to cover pork to about 1/2 of depth of pork. Fill the pot with enough water to cover the pork by approximately 1", add ginger and star anise, and simmer for 3 hours on low heat. The liquid should be reduced by about half.
- I finished the dish with a pinch of salt and white pepper when I turned off the heat, and let the pork rest in the stewing liquid for about 15 minutes.
- Serve just by itself or over rice. The pork leg, I just cut the skin off the leg and served a small sliver with each serving of pork.
Tostones with vanilla foam and caviar
Plantains, cut into 1" thick pieces and soaked in saltwater for a minimum of 2 hours
Kosher salt
Oil for deep frying
Heavy whipping cream
1 vanilla bean
- Cut and soak plantains in salt water.
- In the mean time, cut open vanilla bean and scrape out seeds into whipping cream. Whip cream until stiff peaks form.
- Heat oil in deep pan. Toss in 1 layer of plantains for a first fry until they're yellow (about 3 minutes per side).
- Press plantains after frying soaking to 1/4" thickness. Deep fry again until crispy.
- Sprinkle on kosher salt.
(this recipe and the way we made the tostones seems true to tradition, but yields really oily tostones. I may try it on my own without the double frying method some time and see how the results come out)
Serve tostones with vanilla infused whipped cream and caviar.
Red Snapper Ceviche
Red bell pepper
Yellow bell pepper
Green bell pepper
Orange bell pepper
Daikon radish
Red onion
Red snapper (about 2 lb)
Lime juice
Salt/pepper
Just-ripe mango (should still be quite firm)
- Dice bell peppers, daikon radish, and red onion (1/4" dice).
- Marinate red snapper in lime juice for 1/2 hour, until opaque.
- Drain lime juice from red snapper, and mix red snapper with vegetable mixture and another (approximately) 2 tablespoons of lime juice.
- Sprinkle on some salt and pepper, and mix well. Serve with a side of diced mangos.
Plantain cups with bean mixture
- Plantains, pressed into a cup shape and deep fried.
- Fill with salad of lentils and bell peppers, tossed with olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
(I'll have to find the actual recipe for this dish)
Spanish rice
Sofrito (green bell pepper, yellow onion, cilantro, garlic (2:2:1:1 ratio), shedded and cooked with olive oil, diced salted pork, and oregano for 2 hours, then chilled (for immediate use) and/or frozen (to store))
Chorizo, cut into small dice
Rice mixture of choice (I used long grain white rice, wheatberry, quinoa, and barley)
Tumeric
Nutmeg
Pinch of saffron threads
- Start rice in rice cooker by simmering sofrito and chorizo.
- Toss in rice and stir to coat well.
- Sprinkle in tumeric and nutmeg (not much, just a couple of sprinkles).
- Stir in saffron threads.
- Cook rice until done.
Black Beans
Dry black beans
Water
Garlic, crushed
Salt pork, diced
Salt/pepper
- Soak dry black beans overnight in crushed garlic and enough water to cover beans by 1/2"
- Saute salt pork in a saute pan until oil is pulled out of pork.
- Stir in black beans and soaking water, and add enough water to cover beans by 1".
- Simmer on low until beans are cooked through but still holding their shape. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Pork roulade with sofrito
Pork tenderloin
Sofrito
Asparagus
Carrot peels
Cilantro leaves
Salt
Pepper
Bacon
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Pound tenderloin to 1/4" thickness.
- Layer on a thin coating of sofrito.
- Lay asparagus at the starting end of the tenderloin, parallel to the rolling direction for the roulade.
- Lay carrot peels parallel to the rolling direction of the tenderloin over the remaining width of the tenderloin.
- Spread cilantro leaves over the full width of the tenderloin.
- Roll tenderloin tightly, starting at the end with the asparagus. Continue rolling until the seam is fully under the roulade.
- Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and wrap roulade with bacon.
- Lay roulade on foil on baking sheet, and partially wrap roulade in a foil cup, leaving top open. Cover the top loosely with foil (tuck top foil into bottom foil "cup") and bake covered with foil for 1/2 hour. Remove top foil and fold up sides of cup to surround roulade tightly. Bake roulade for an additional 1/2 hour.
- Slice into 1/2" thick pieces and and serve.
Pina Colada ice cream (Tres Leches)
Vanilla ice cream
Marachino cherries, drained
Crushed pineapple, drained
Coconut milk
Shredded coconut
- Let vanilla ice cream thaw until consistency of custard.
- Divide vanilla ice cream into three portions.
- Use immersion blender for each of the three flavors. Blend marachino cherries into one portion, crushed pineapple into another, and coconut milk and shredded coconut into the third.
- Set in freezable containers and freeze for 2 hours.
- Take out all three flavors, and mix each well. Refreeze for an additional 3 hours.
Baby, she was really impressive. In her well-learned party hostess mode, she even stayed up with us until 1am, though she did immediately crash out on my shoulder (she never does that anymore, so I'm happily obliging holding her in my arms while she's asleep!). Next morning, contrary to what I've heard about kids, she slept in until 10am, affording Hubby and me a good chance to get some good sleep as well after our cooking and party efforts.
So here we go on the recipes. The first is a follow-up request from our Chinese dinner in the autumn.
Simmered pork
Bone-in pork (if I recall correctly, I used pork tenderloin cut into small pieces, and also threw in some pork leg for the skin)
Soy sauce
Sugar
Ginger (2 pieces)
2 star anise
Water
- Marinate pork pieces in a mixture of soy and sugar, approximately a 1:2 ratio of soy to sugar for approximately 1 hour. Make enough of the marinade to just coat the pork pieces.
- Cut 2 pieces of ginger, about 1"x2" pieces.
- In a large pot, place marinated pork in enough of the soy/sugar mixture (same ratio as above) to cover pork to about 1/2 of depth of pork. Fill the pot with enough water to cover the pork by approximately 1", add ginger and star anise, and simmer for 3 hours on low heat. The liquid should be reduced by about half.
- I finished the dish with a pinch of salt and white pepper when I turned off the heat, and let the pork rest in the stewing liquid for about 15 minutes.
- Serve just by itself or over rice. The pork leg, I just cut the skin off the leg and served a small sliver with each serving of pork.
Tostones with vanilla foam and caviar
Plantains, cut into 1" thick pieces and soaked in saltwater for a minimum of 2 hours
Kosher salt
Oil for deep frying
Heavy whipping cream
1 vanilla bean
- Cut and soak plantains in salt water.
- In the mean time, cut open vanilla bean and scrape out seeds into whipping cream. Whip cream until stiff peaks form.
- Heat oil in deep pan. Toss in 1 layer of plantains for a first fry until they're yellow (about 3 minutes per side).
- Press plantains after frying soaking to 1/4" thickness. Deep fry again until crispy.
- Sprinkle on kosher salt.
(this recipe and the way we made the tostones seems true to tradition, but yields really oily tostones. I may try it on my own without the double frying method some time and see how the results come out)
Serve tostones with vanilla infused whipped cream and caviar.
Red Snapper Ceviche
Red bell pepper
Yellow bell pepper
Green bell pepper
Orange bell pepper
Daikon radish
Red onion
Red snapper (about 2 lb)
Lime juice
Salt/pepper
Just-ripe mango (should still be quite firm)
- Dice bell peppers, daikon radish, and red onion (1/4" dice).
- Marinate red snapper in lime juice for 1/2 hour, until opaque.
- Drain lime juice from red snapper, and mix red snapper with vegetable mixture and another (approximately) 2 tablespoons of lime juice.
- Sprinkle on some salt and pepper, and mix well. Serve with a side of diced mangos.
Plantain cups with bean mixture
- Plantains, pressed into a cup shape and deep fried.
- Fill with salad of lentils and bell peppers, tossed with olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
(I'll have to find the actual recipe for this dish)
Spanish rice
Sofrito (green bell pepper, yellow onion, cilantro, garlic (2:2:1:1 ratio), shedded and cooked with olive oil, diced salted pork, and oregano for 2 hours, then chilled (for immediate use) and/or frozen (to store))
Chorizo, cut into small dice
Rice mixture of choice (I used long grain white rice, wheatberry, quinoa, and barley)
Tumeric
Nutmeg
Pinch of saffron threads
- Start rice in rice cooker by simmering sofrito and chorizo.
- Toss in rice and stir to coat well.
- Sprinkle in tumeric and nutmeg (not much, just a couple of sprinkles).
- Stir in saffron threads.
- Cook rice until done.
Black Beans
Dry black beans
Water
Garlic, crushed
Salt pork, diced
Salt/pepper
- Soak dry black beans overnight in crushed garlic and enough water to cover beans by 1/2"
- Saute salt pork in a saute pan until oil is pulled out of pork.
- Stir in black beans and soaking water, and add enough water to cover beans by 1".
- Simmer on low until beans are cooked through but still holding their shape. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Pork roulade with sofrito
Pork tenderloin
Sofrito
Asparagus
Carrot peels
Cilantro leaves
Salt
Pepper
Bacon
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Pound tenderloin to 1/4" thickness.
- Layer on a thin coating of sofrito.
- Lay asparagus at the starting end of the tenderloin, parallel to the rolling direction for the roulade.
- Lay carrot peels parallel to the rolling direction of the tenderloin over the remaining width of the tenderloin.
- Spread cilantro leaves over the full width of the tenderloin.
- Roll tenderloin tightly, starting at the end with the asparagus. Continue rolling until the seam is fully under the roulade.
- Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and wrap roulade with bacon.
- Lay roulade on foil on baking sheet, and partially wrap roulade in a foil cup, leaving top open. Cover the top loosely with foil (tuck top foil into bottom foil "cup") and bake covered with foil for 1/2 hour. Remove top foil and fold up sides of cup to surround roulade tightly. Bake roulade for an additional 1/2 hour.
- Slice into 1/2" thick pieces and and serve.
Pina Colada ice cream (Tres Leches)
Vanilla ice cream
Marachino cherries, drained
Crushed pineapple, drained
Coconut milk
Shredded coconut
- Let vanilla ice cream thaw until consistency of custard.
- Divide vanilla ice cream into three portions.
- Use immersion blender for each of the three flavors. Blend marachino cherries into one portion, crushed pineapple into another, and coconut milk and shredded coconut into the third.
- Set in freezable containers and freeze for 2 hours.
- Take out all three flavors, and mix each well. Refreeze for an additional 3 hours.
Monday, January 05, 2009
Oy Veh! I threw out my back!
This, I should have seen coming. Queasiness aside, I have been pushing the limits of my abilities to lift and carry too many things for too long during the pregnancy, and this morning, I threw out my back. I just lifted Baby's little pink piggy stool, carried it to our coffee table, set it down, stood up, and felt this shooting pain in my lower back, enough to make me feel immediately lightheaded and needing to sit down immediately. Baby watched the whole thing happen, and in my panicked voice, I asked her to run upstairs to get Hubby, as my yells for him seemed to not garner a response as he was spending time in the bathroom. Well, surprisingly, Baby understood, enough to go scurrying up the stairs, even shutting the gate behind her, and then, I think she just went into our room but didn't know how, or remembered, to ask for Daddy. Luckily, Mark did hear one of my yells from downstairs, and came running down with her in his arms. She did, however, understand - she repeatedly pointed to my back, tapped it a couple of times, said "Mommy boo boo, mommy boo boo!" Yes, it really was too cute, my little EMT.
So, cookingwise... tonight, definitely was not one of those nights. Settled for take-out Italian, though I enjoyed it immensely. Watched as my beloved Eagles annihilated the Vikings (GO EAGLES!!), and then tried to get up from the chair to go send Baby off to bed. But, in recent weeks, I have been cooking. The scale says it. Put on 5 pounds in the past 4 weeks, thanks in part to my weekend saunters in the baking recipes (cakes, cookies, cakes, cookies, breads, cookies).
and now the meals...
New Year's Eve Dinner: Dinner of Pairs
Caramelized challah with creme fraiche and caviar (Baby licked off all the creme fraiche and caviar, that EMT with impeccable taste!) - did orange and black caviar.
Salmon-Cucumber roll (smoke salmon and cucumber, first try at rolling a non-rice-based sushi roll)
Chicken Orzo salad (cooked orzo in a mix of 1:4 balsamic to water, mixed in fresh cut green peppers and chives, S/P, dash of balsamic to finish)
Lobster with Asparagus thread salad (garnished with some fennel. Very simple - steamed lobster tails, cut up meat, serve simply with blanched asparagus and raw shaved fennel, then squeeze lemon and olive oil on top of all)
Lobster bisque (now this one was fun!)
Shallots
Olive oil
Garlic
Flour
Lobster shells (can be pre-steamed, as I used the left-over shells from the salad lobster)
1 stick butter
1 container half and half (or 2 containers, depending on how many shells you're using and how much steaming liquid you have left from steaming the lobsters)
S/P
Chives
Squeeze of lemon
- Saute shallots and garlic in olive oil until fragrant - sprinkle in a bit of flour to thicken to crumbles the mix of flavorants. Season with S/P as desired.
- Throw in shells. Mix to get some flavor out of the shells into the oil.
- Add 1 stick butter, mix well into shells and flavorants until melted.
- Add steaming liquid and half and half. Bring just to simmer and keep on low until serving time (bubbles should just break the surface, but NO ROLLING BOIL! Otherwise, the half and half will separate and curdle).
- Finish with S/P, chives, and lemon juice to taste.
- Strain all through a sieve, and serve hot.
this recipe, Baby asked for 2nds... then 3rds... It came out really well!
Salmon with hollandaise sauce.
Now this one, the salmon was relatively easy to make - just poached it in white wine and garlic.
Hollandaise, however, was my first take...
4 egg yolks
1 stick butter
3 T lemon
S/P to taste
Whisk vigorously all but S/P in top of double boiler - or do what I did, makeshift: put a SS bowl on top of a pot of water, but make sure bottom of bowl does not touch water (don't ask me why... I don't know, but this worked). Whisk vigorously... and you'll see the mixture start to heat, but no boiling! Keep whisking until everything is smooth, and season to taste. You can serve the hollandaise with everything - salmon, eggs, asparagus, bread. I threw in some parsley and chives to further flavor the sauce, but it came out well either way.
And then, we finished with dear Bondrew's black (chocolate) and red (red velvet) cupcakes with cream cheese frosting, to continue the color/main ingredient matching theme of the dinner.
The dinner dragged through a bit on the later end of things, and not all dishes made it to the table in a timely manner (not like our 12 course deconstructed Chinese dinner we had a couple of months ago), but we did enjoy the saunter of the evening. And we finished with a flavoring of Puerto Rican rum. The beverages, our dear friends Bondrew helped stage all the pairings, and we enjoyed quite a wonderful assortment of reds and whites, sparking and still, with all the dishes.
Until the next dinner!
So, cookingwise... tonight, definitely was not one of those nights. Settled for take-out Italian, though I enjoyed it immensely. Watched as my beloved Eagles annihilated the Vikings (GO EAGLES!!), and then tried to get up from the chair to go send Baby off to bed. But, in recent weeks, I have been cooking. The scale says it. Put on 5 pounds in the past 4 weeks, thanks in part to my weekend saunters in the baking recipes (cakes, cookies, cakes, cookies, breads, cookies).
and now the meals...
New Year's Eve Dinner: Dinner of Pairs
Caramelized challah with creme fraiche and caviar (Baby licked off all the creme fraiche and caviar, that EMT with impeccable taste!) - did orange and black caviar.
Salmon-Cucumber roll (smoke salmon and cucumber, first try at rolling a non-rice-based sushi roll)
Chicken Orzo salad (cooked orzo in a mix of 1:4 balsamic to water, mixed in fresh cut green peppers and chives, S/P, dash of balsamic to finish)
Lobster with Asparagus thread salad (garnished with some fennel. Very simple - steamed lobster tails, cut up meat, serve simply with blanched asparagus and raw shaved fennel, then squeeze lemon and olive oil on top of all)
Lobster bisque (now this one was fun!)
Shallots
Olive oil
Garlic
Flour
Lobster shells (can be pre-steamed, as I used the left-over shells from the salad lobster)
1 stick butter
1 container half and half (or 2 containers, depending on how many shells you're using and how much steaming liquid you have left from steaming the lobsters)
S/P
Chives
Squeeze of lemon
- Saute shallots and garlic in olive oil until fragrant - sprinkle in a bit of flour to thicken to crumbles the mix of flavorants. Season with S/P as desired.
- Throw in shells. Mix to get some flavor out of the shells into the oil.
- Add 1 stick butter, mix well into shells and flavorants until melted.
- Add steaming liquid and half and half. Bring just to simmer and keep on low until serving time (bubbles should just break the surface, but NO ROLLING BOIL! Otherwise, the half and half will separate and curdle).
- Finish with S/P, chives, and lemon juice to taste.
- Strain all through a sieve, and serve hot.
this recipe, Baby asked for 2nds... then 3rds... It came out really well!
Salmon with hollandaise sauce.
Now this one, the salmon was relatively easy to make - just poached it in white wine and garlic.
Hollandaise, however, was my first take...
4 egg yolks
1 stick butter
3 T lemon
S/P to taste
Whisk vigorously all but S/P in top of double boiler - or do what I did, makeshift: put a SS bowl on top of a pot of water, but make sure bottom of bowl does not touch water (don't ask me why... I don't know, but this worked). Whisk vigorously... and you'll see the mixture start to heat, but no boiling! Keep whisking until everything is smooth, and season to taste. You can serve the hollandaise with everything - salmon, eggs, asparagus, bread. I threw in some parsley and chives to further flavor the sauce, but it came out well either way.
And then, we finished with dear Bondrew's black (chocolate) and red (red velvet) cupcakes with cream cheese frosting, to continue the color/main ingredient matching theme of the dinner.
The dinner dragged through a bit on the later end of things, and not all dishes made it to the table in a timely manner (not like our 12 course deconstructed Chinese dinner we had a couple of months ago), but we did enjoy the saunter of the evening. And we finished with a flavoring of Puerto Rican rum. The beverages, our dear friends Bondrew helped stage all the pairings, and we enjoyed quite a wonderful assortment of reds and whites, sparking and still, with all the dishes.
Until the next dinner!
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