Glassblackberry

2011-12-29T13:30:00.001-08:00

I have gained weight being lazy. The truth is before I did the Biggest Loser contest in spring, I was pretty content with where I was. However now that I'm (nearly) back there again, I'm not as satisfied. I had a taste of being thin, and I liked it. I'm not going to beat myself up over it, I'm still healthy and active, and still feel beautiful, but if I had one resolution this year, it would to be consistent with my workout regime.

Three days of running in a row is an honest start.

Tis the Season

2011-12-26T07:55:00.000-08:00

What a whirlwind December, no a whirlwind year. Christmas sort of just crept up on me this season. With no plans to go home, it would have been rather easy to pretend the holiday wasn't happening at all, but then I'm not one to keep quiet about these things. So I decorated a tree (albeit a tiny one I could carry down NW 23rd on my own two feet.) I placed it near my balcony door, right by my bed where I could sleep next to the lights every night, or turn them off in a sleepy daze when I wanted total darkness.

Then I threw a little dinner party. I kept thinking of the dinner party Holly and I threw in Brussels, and I wanted something of the sort here. I don't know why we do not do this more often. We all love to cook. We all LOVE to eat. I think I am so used to the restaurant world all working different nights, I've just adapted the mentality that if I'm not working, my friends are. Dinner parties are a nine to fiver's luxury. However, it turns out many of my friends are off on Monday nights (my one night off a week.) I stayed up late the Saturday and Sunday nights prior, cooking up a storm, enjoying myself immensely. I made my own ricotta, infusing it with nutmeg and a hint of cinnamon. I took the time to make a good bolognese (one of my favorite things to cook) with ground veal and pork. Then end result was lasagna. It was so wonderful to cook at my pace, for pure joy and to feed people I love. My closest Portland friends were there, along with Holly and Paul who came down from Tacoma. It was a lovely evening. Too many cooks in one kitchen? Hell, no we ate a lot of delicious things panning the spectrum of salty to sweet. We drank plenty. In between games, stories and a white elephant the laughter was extensive.

Sparkling lemondrop punch

I worked til a little after 11 on Christmas Eve. Then I went out and celebrated a co-workers birthday. That was a fantastic way to start the holiday festivities. It was a group of co-workers I don't usually spend a lot of time with, and it was nice to branch out a bit. I had blast!

Then I went home and broke down my duck, and began curing the legs and thighs to confit. For those of you who are not yet familiar with confit (And I pity you, I really do.) it usually means to cook in fat. It was originally a preservation method, the French word by its name means preservation. (Just as confections are sweets that are meant to last awhile.) Confited meats are first cured with salt, and then slowly cooked in a fat of some kind. Pork fat, duck fat, or even olive oil. I had a server at SP tell us that the idea of being "cooked in fat" is a turn-off to some people. Did we have a better way of explaining it? We may have raised our eyebrows with a "WTF?" stare. They just don't know better. The result isn't greasy. Instead it is like a slow braise(technically poached), constantly being basted in deliciousness. Back in the day, they would store confit airtight, covered in the fat it was cooked in to keep on hand for awhile. Today, with any restaurant I've worked in, the confit tends to turnover quickly. We do it for the results, not the preservation method. The result is a tender, rich, melt-in-your-mouth protein, usually on the salty side, just waiting to pair with a starch of your choice... if you can wait that long.

Late on Christmas Eve I cured my legs and thighs predominantly with kampot peppercorns that Nitiya brought from Cambodia. They have an intense smell. the darkness and depth of pungency you expect from black peppercorns, but with a hint of hay or country that mirrors white peppercorns. I have a bit left for experimenting. I also started some duck/chicken stock for the next day.

I would be lying if I said I didn't miss having my family around when I woke up Christmas morning. All four of my parents and my siblings were on my mind with the many Christmases we spent together. However, I was congested and had quite the cough, so maybe in the long run being alone did me some good. After a few interruptions, I slept til 12:30. (This has never happened on a Christmas morning.) I needed the sleep. I indulged(!!!) in cinnamon rolls and coffee, and got ready to head to Faby and Jackson's.

We had a lovely evening. It was just the three of us. Even Buddy, Jackson's sometimes vicious cat, was in high-spirits Our meal was incredible... Probably the best Christmas dinner I've ever had, but then, I love my duck. Their apartment smelled amazing the whole time with the stock reducing to a jus consistency, and the confit slowly going in the oven. Meanwhile we watched Christmas movies. Faby made some roasted veggies, and Jackson took care of the potato puree. When the confit was done I seared the breasts.

The duck breast was red and tender. The confit was salty and delicious. It all sat on a bed of roasted carrots, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, criminis and potato puree with the duck/chicken jus. I couldn't help but clean my plate.

Merry Christmas.

2011-11-22T11:38:00.001-08:00

Nov 18th: I am thankful to have my sister a bit closer than this time last year. It is wonderful to be able to text her anything and everything, and call whenever I want to chat. I am so excited to see what new places her career takes her to.

Nov 19th: My aunt as a child to her grandmother, "How old do you think you'll live to be?" "one hundred... And that's enough for me." My great grandmother died this morning at 100 years old. I am so thankful for the beautiful life she lived, and all the family she helped bring into this world.

Nov 20th: I am thankful my back is healing. I swam because that is better on the body than running. It felt so good to get some exercise after two weeks of pain. I'm waiting til Thanksgiving to run again, but bring on the Turkey Trotz

Nov 21st: After Dorio I got called into fratelli. I am thankful for the hours, and super thankful that I got to spend some time with nitiya afterwards, hearing Cambodia stories, and updating her on life.

2011-11-17T11:40:00.001-08:00

11/14: I am thankful to go into Dorio and see some smiling faces every Monday.

11/15: I am very thankful for my Grandpa who passed away this morning. I have so many memories of visiting Grandma and Grandpa in Idaho. They would take us fishing at many lakes, or out to show us around their huge garden. He was a culinary genius, and didn't know it. He was the first person I remember watching salt tomatoes. I stared in wonder as he sat across from me sprinkling salt on garden fresh tomatoes as a kid. Did tomatoes need salt? Yes! Grandpa won that one. He played the organ, was a devout Christian, and very savvy with computers. He was a father of six, and Grandpa to many. My stepdad was his eldest, and we felt like we were with family on day one. I feel terrible I have not seen him in so many years. I need to try to see my beautiful Grandma soon. I am the luckiest girl to have so many grandparents I love.

11/16: My resume right now: Line cook, first and foremost. Pastry chef: two days a week. Server/bartender: one day a week. I am thankful to be multi-faceted. Losing Fratelli lunches was a blessing in disguise. They asked me to do their pastries a couple days a week. I will be making ends meet only working 50-55 hours a week. I am making considerably less, so I will have to be frugal. (I'll miss spoiling everybody for Christmas this year.) But now I'll have four mornings off a week!

11/17: I am thankful I slept- well last night. Hoping to kick this back pain to the curb!

2011-11-13T15:13:00.001-08:00

I am thankful I have had the pleasure of working with these lovely people. Yesterday was my last night working with Natalie and Rita. Two more weeks until they relocate to NOLA. Three months until Fabs, Kyley and I go visit.

2011-11-12T15:32:00.001-08:00

11/11/11: I am thankful for all the men and women in the service. My thoughts are especially with my cousin Amy who is away this holiday season on behalf of our country. Amy used to want to be a cop when we were kids. She's not a cop, but she is a wonder woman.I thought about her and my stepdad a lot yesterday.

11/12/11: I am thankful I still have three jobs. :)

2011-11-10T15:53:00.001-08:00

Just like last year on this day, I am going to say that today I am thankful for one of my best friends, the birthday girl Nitiya. This year Nitiya and I have spent more time together running than drinking, and I am so thankful to have somebody to hold me accountable to a running schedule. We have done two half marathons together this year, and we're knocking out one more in a month. She is lucky enough to currently be in Cambodi traveling with family. I'm really happy for her, but can't wait to chat her up when she is home. Too much is going on here....

9

2011-11-09T22:34:00.001-08:00

Today I am thankful for emotions. Without them life would be vapid, and it is better to feel pain than feel nothing. I am currently a mess of emotions, and I'm happy to say the good are somehow outweighing the bad. It is amazing what intrigue and wonder can do.

2011-11-08T07:54:00.001-08:00

Pumpkin scone, coffee, the Tuesday Oregonian (my favorite day's crossword puzzle, plus it has the fabulous Food Day inclusion.) Winning!

Today I am thankful for Planned Parenthood and the health care they provide for so many women. Not having insurance can be a scary thing, and their support over the years at least puts my mind at ease for some major things.

Autumn Leaves

2011-11-07T16:54:00.001-08:00

I am thankful for the beautiful fall weather that has graced Portland so far this year. We are half way through the season, and it has been such a lovely autumn. There have been enough blue skied days to not feel sun deprived, and enough gloomy, grey days to still feel like home. (I am putting all three new pairs of boots to good use.)

Autumn brings out the romantic in me. Spring and summer somehow get all the credit for romance with "spring fling" and "summer love." Even Bambi became twitterpated when the flowers bloomed. Don't get me wrong I've had my share of lustful summer days, but I'm inclined to think that spring fever comes more from the sudden proliferation of bare legs than any true romance. Getting a guy who wants you in a summer dress? Easy. Getting a man to want you in jeans and your much abused Boundary Bay Brewery hoodie from college? Now that's love. (Or at least closer to it.)

Blame the approaching holiday season, all the time spent indoors, the cold, or the braising (Pot roast for one? I don't think so.) but fall is the time I wish I had somebody around. Summer is go go go, and too hot to really cuddle anyway, but right now? Snuggle up. "Baby it's Cold Outside."

2011-11-06T14:39:00.001-08:00

I am thankful for whoever invented the french press. On my quiet mornings off the ritual of brewing and drinking a strong pot of coffee in solitude, thoughts running wild , is simply good for my spirit. Of course my favorite coffee moments are those shared with somebody else.

2011-11-05T15:17:00.001-07:00

Today I am thankful I am a line cook. I learn how to be better at my job every day. I love how it challenges and pushes me, and I'm thrilled to see the progress in myself and know I am way more confident now than I ever have been. I thrive off of the days that are nonstop battles, testing my skills, revealing all I still have to learn. I am thankful for kitchen camaraderie. The core of a kitchen is like a family. I can't imagine doing anything else. I'll admit there are times I cannot wait to be done with the day, but I'm always eager to go back for more. I have goals and I intend on reaching them.

2011-11-04T15:09:00.001-07:00

I am thankful that I am strong and resilient. I will jump over all hurdles set before me. Sometimes it takes more persistence and practice, but I will not let my passion and hope falter. However in this season of thanks, let a season of frugalness also begin.

2011-11-03T14:41:00.001-07:00

I am thankful for this view, and a little peaceful downtime between jobs to spend at home today.

2011-11-02T23:19:00.001-07:00

I am thankful I am fit. Today I ran four miles in 35:15. That is possibly my fastest four miles ever. My goal is to be able to maintain a nine minute mile pace for 13.1 miles by Race for the Roses in April.

Thankful Again

2011-11-01T23:45:00.001-07:00

Right now I am thankful for hand-me-down furniture: My mattress from Nitiya sits on a bed frame from Faby, and my tea and book rest on a hutch from Natalie. Everybody thinks their bed is the best, but mine is pretty grand. (The mirror in the background has actually made me laugh out loud in the morning. Post-Halloween makeup was pretty epic.) Time to get back to that book.

I've Had My Eye on You.

2011-10-03T17:16:00.001-07:00

Hello You Sexy Thing,

I can't wait to beat, whip and let's not forget grind some meat (once I get that attachment) with you. We will have a long and happy future of work and pleasure. Now how to take your virginity?

(Dear Friends, Please forgive me if I become an obsessive baker... At least there will be treats.)

Four Highlights of the Week

2011-09-17T15:22:00.001-07:00

Successfully running eight miles when I doubted I could run five with Nitiya followed by some Nikki and Darby time. I finally got my first sunburn of the summer... right before our fall-like weather kicked in.

Monday night down time: There was wine, a ribeye, almondcake with raspberries and cleaning, laundry and lots of How I Met Your Mother.

Training on sautee... On a Friday night. There were definitely a couple blunders but I loved the station. It has such rythym and flow to it.

The arrival of a second pair of crocs. No more hauling smelly kitchen shoes in between jobs!

Once Upon a Dream

2011-08-31T00:59:00.001-07:00

I had a dream I was in love. It was simultaneously too fast and passionate yet innocent and sweet. It was in the early stages and I barely knew him (could it even be called love then?) Yet more than anything I longed to be with him. There was certainly a physical pull, but there was also a more meaningful emotional connection foreign to me. Alien feelings drove me. Who was this fellow? He was kind, wise, funny and handsome... He adored me. He was nobody I know and I can't really describe him now. He was tall and I felt safe in his arms with my head on his chest. He was a mere figment of my psyche but he had me waking up wearing a smile.

On that note goodnight.

"All By Myself"

2011-08-20T00:57:00.000-07:00

Sometimes it pays to be alone: more for you.

I stopped at City Market this past sunny Monday afternoon and assembled a bouquet. I played with the colors and height of the various flowers that caught my eye, trying out those I was drawn to for affect. I selected some for keeps, and put others back until I had the perfect vibrant summer bundle. Inside the store my flowers were wrapped up, and I sashayed down 21^st Ave, cradling my purchase proudly.

As I turned up towards 23^rd, an older man stopped me, “You didn’t buy flowers for yourself did you?” “No,” I replied honestly, smiling. The flowers were for Faby, who graciously invited me over for dinner and told me to bring nothing. I had to bring something. Faby loves flowers as much as I do. (I miss being roommates and being able to surprise her with flowers in her room.) I continued on my way pondering his comment. This particular bouquet was for a friend, but I’ve bought flowers for myself in the past. A little color pouring out of a vase just adds a little sumpin’ sumpin’ to any environment. I’m not going to deny myself that occasional joy waiting for someone else (whether friend or non-existent lover) to give me flowers. I will buy myself flowers as I see fit, thank you.

Sometimes a girl has to eat alone too. Monday nights are currently my only nights off. I normally have no problem filling my free time catching up with the friends I love, and on most evenings I prefer to to stay busy and get out and do things. When I left Dorio after my six hour lunch shift a couple weeks ago I craved solitude and wanted to do absolutely nothing. First came hunger. Then I realized I longed to be fed. Really fed. I wanted a meal that would feed my spirit and body and inspire and excite me, but I also did not feel like cooking. After debating the practicality of the decision for quite some time, meddling over finances and contemplating just wandering down to the store to pick up a baguette and olives, I decided on splurging at Le Pigeon. I had wanted to go there for years, and plans to go with various friends never came to fruition. Why not just go? I put on a dress and a smidge of make-up and headed towards the Burnside bridge. It was one of those glorious Portland summer days that made me so thankful I live here. I stopped mid-bridge to take in the beauty of the view. The mountains, the cityscape, the other bridges, the dirty, yet beautiful river, the people walking, biking or running along Waterfront Park (reminding me of how much I myself miss running)… Why would I live anywhere else?

Sweetbreads at Le Pigeon with savory bread pudding. So good, but I was way to full for dessert!

When I got to Le Pigeon I was immediately seated at the chef’s counter. I began my meal with a glass of sparkling rose, giving an inner silent toast to myself and the moment. I had not done anything so frivolous solo since my trip to Europe five months ago. Conversation and someone to share dessert with were admittedly missed during the meal, and several friends were on my mind. (Many received text messages following my meal.) However when my entrée came, there was admittedly a guilty level of pleasure and satisfaction of just being able to enjoy my sweetbreads slowly and almost silently as I took down and savored every single luscious bite, pausing only to take sips of my Cotes du Ferez. I relished in the fact that it felt good to spoil myself just for the sake of pleasure.

...................................................................................

A couple of weekends ago I walked past the Armory, exhausted and worn after a long work week. An excited group of well-dressed people were clustered together, lighting sparklers around the corner from the main entrance, loud in their enthusiasm and energy. Their attire and the glow of the sparklers quickly led me to realize they were wedding guests waiting for the bride and groom, and I stopped briefly and watched. They created an aisle as the smiling, happy couple walked between them, groom leading his bride through the glittering illumination, taking their farewell. I cried sweet tears, mind sprinting through thoughts: the pure loveliness and joy of that moment, how I’m a sap for crying at some strangers’ wedding (Really, Erin? You don’t even know them?!?), how I want that someday, but finally, how I might be “just me” for awhile. Maybe forever. I’m better off embracing it. I’m so thankful for my friends, but here’s to being content when I am alone.

This week I did not have to buy myself flowers. I scored left-behind sunflowers from Ryan, and they are now occupying the left-behind desk I also adopted. Thank you, Ryan!

Breakfast for one: Watermelon Jalapeno Smoothie

2 cups watermelon

1 jalapeno, seeded

1 cup Greek yogurt

A squeeze of lemon or lime juice if you have it

Ice if you want it

Enough water to puree

Blend above ingredients until frothy and smooth. This is my newest breakfast obsession. It normally makes a blender full and I have no problem drinking all of it. Sometimes it is the perfect balance of sweet and spicy. Sometimes I leave my apartment with lips that have that bee stung look. Either way it is delicious. (And peppers are good for your heart and metabolism and watermelon is all kinds of wonderful.)

I Miss You.

2011-08-19T15:53:00.000-07:00

I have been working on a lovely post which seems to continue the theme of the year: being content while alone. I saved it to my thumb drive, and tried opening it and a few photos at the library, but for some reason none of the files are there. (It shows the used space, just no files.)

I'll try writing Monday. For now let it be said: I am exhausted. My whole body hurts. I am busy. I eat well. I play when I can. I haven't been gyming as often as I would like. I love, love, love my apartment. I am quite happy.

A few plans for the future include Ladies Brunch Picnic on Sunday, Mom time on Monday, Dad's 50th Birthday in September in Portland, and going home for Thanksgiving!

Change Will Do You Good.

2011-07-14T10:48:00.000-07:00

Sometimes you plan for change. Yesterday I went to get my hair done with full intentions of putting vibrant red streaks in my perfectly natural hair. I planned the change, wanted something edgy, less conservative. Yet what I got was six streaks so subtle you would never know unless you were looking for it. Maybe edge is just not my thing. Maybe I will try another salon in three months.

Other moments in life change just kind of throws itself at you. Roommates move out. Jobs come and go. I got a dream-come-true job offer last week. I will be starting at Fratelli in a couple of weeks. I'll be a lunch time line cook, and get to help with menu changes and specials. It will be a lot of work, but I'm excited to see what skills the job hones in me. Though I left Fratelli two years ago, I never stopped loving the place and people, and I can't wait to be back there... as a full-time cook. I'm keeping one serving shift a week at Dorio to help out Taki, but otherwise I will be in a kitchen sixty to seventy hours a week really throwing myself into my career.

And a picture just because. My coppa: six months in the making! It is less spicy than I envisioned, but delicious nonetheless... and quite simply a sexy piece of meat.

Storwicks

2011-06-18T13:37:00.000-07:00

2006 50th Anniversary Celebration

I started to feel homesick in May. Really, uncharacteristically homesick. It was the most severe longing I felt to be home since I first moved away to Bellingham in 2003. I missed my family. I missed coffee time with my mom, and listening to baseball with my dad. I missed the freedom of being able to visit at leisure. I texted my dad a plea, "You should plan a family reunion." He replied shortly and invited me to the ocean. I checked the dates. Wednesday, Thursday, my usual days off at Southpark. I just had to get them off from Dorio. My boss was very gracious in accommodating my request. The weekend was mine.

This year both my Grandma and Grandpa Storwick turn eighty. Grandpa reached it first on the 17th of June, and my Grandma will follow later in October. We celebrated Grandpa's birthday with a family trip to Ocean Shores. The family time and feeling the sand under my feet were so satiating for the soul.

I think Holly and I both look a lot like our mom, but we are also very clearly Storwicks. Line us up next to our aunts and uncles and grandparents, and you see definite similarities running through the tree. Noses, eyes. My height and hips and frame are all Storwick. I regrettably failed at getting good family photos this weekend, but I took definite comfort in being surrounded by loved ones I kind of look like. Then there is Storwick humor. It originates with Grandpa, and he pulls it off better, more brilliantly than all of us. He does not have to be loud or crass to get the whole family laughing. It is his timing, his wit, his amused expressions. He is the king of one-liners. He brought a bottle of Beam to the gathering on day one, and was unimpressed when my aunt tried to replace it with Jack on day two. When someone mentioned how we didn't have a cake, his reply was "Cake doesn't go well with beer." That's eighty for you.

Storwick gatherings seem to always involve fire. Pyros, much? My dad is the fire master, but Holly and I took charge this time, and got the thing going with doubtful family members watching from inside, tossing around words of "wind", "wet" and "no kindling." It took us awhile, but eventually the wood was burning strong, and we rejoiced in our success. My dad and our two cousins joined us, and soon are hair and sweatshirts were drowned in that thick, familiar smell of smoke and we were roasting marshmallows watching the sunset, telling stories and laughing. My dad also nervously asked if anybody had tattoos yet. I had to tell him no, but someday....

I took the train home on Thursday night. It was peaceful, and beautiful, making the travel home almost as therapeutic as the time away.

Train shot returning to Portland

I came home to big news. Faby is moving out with Jackson. I will be living alone a bit sooner than I intended. Our lease is month to month, so I'm under no obligation to stay put, but I have done a lot of searching, trying to get a grasp of what is available and out there, and this place is just hard to beat. I'm a little intimidated by the idea of having so much space to myself. I foresee garage sell hunting for furniture in the near future. My budget will obviously be much tighter, but it is affordable.

My first exciting purchase for the place that will soon be my own was a tiny gas grill for the balcony since Faby will soon be taking hers. It was kind of an impulsive, on-sale purchase. I carried it home feeling rather triumphant in having a grill of my own, only to be defeated by not having tools of my own to put it together. I had plans to host Kyley and Brittney over for a grilled dinner, so I went and bought charcoal, and nervously got the charcoal grill up and running by myself (sans lighter fluid, mind you!) Small steps for Erin.

Dinner was delightful. Girl time is always nice with the right company, and I felt proud to be working the charcoal grill without a man around. Silly, huh? I marinated chicken legs and thighs in rice vinegar, soy sauce, chili paste, garlic, orange marmalade, and ginger for a couple of hours. We sat on the balcony as the chicken cooked enjoying the beautiful almost-summer evening, drinking (my favortie white wine) Friulano. When the chicken was almost done cooking I glazed it with a similar sauce subbing in sriracha and omitting the garlic and ginger. I made a saba noodle salad to go with it. The best part of the salad were the garlic spears I still had from a few weeks ago. Faby joined us when she got off, and then we pulled out Kyley's perfect cheesecake. We talked work and boys and work and family, and soon it was much later than we all realized and time to call the night to an end. I was admittedly a sleepy head.

Twitterpated

2011-06-02T19:47:00.000-07:00

It doesn't feel like spring. This city that I love has so far had its coldest spring in history. I have spent more days bundled up in my pea coat and a scarf than donning flip flops and a sundress. My umbrella travels with me more than my sunglasses.

And yet, spring is here. I've seen the bright cherry blossoms with my own two eyes. Asparagus is in abundance at work. There have even been a few sunny days, which playfully taunt us with hope for summer. Portland is the most beautiful place when the sun finally breaks through.

These are further proof. Pretty garlic spears and morels.

Spring forth.

I am continuing to embrace the practice of cooking "real" meals for myself. Meals that do not involve a Fred Meyer rotisserie chicken and a baguette, or a bag of popcorn. Tonight for dinner I had seared duck breast with potatoes, garlic spears, and morels. I roasted the potatoes, seared the duck, blanched the garlic spears, and then sauteed the potatoes (in the duck fat), garlic spears, and the morels. Gourmet for one, but a lot cheaper than fine dining out for one. I poured a little wild fennel vinegar on my plate. The fennel flavor is very mild and a bit lost but the acidity was nonetheless a nice touch.

Duck is still perhaps my favorite meat. I probably could have taken it a hair farther. It was very rare, but I was anxious, and the skin was crispy, and I was ready. The spring downpour stopped, so I ate my dinner out on the balcony. The juicy duck... the bites of morel... the al dente garlic spears.

The only problem is that duck makes me wanna............................. Humans are greedy, no? One pleasure only makes a girl want another. There's a reason a cigarette after sex is cliche. Perhaps I shouldn't be announcing this to the world, but duck is a weakness for me. Like foie gras, and morels, and sweetbreads, and whiskey, and really good chocolate cake.... or really good chocolate anything. I've already been accused recently of being "feisty." So why fan the flame?

I guess dessert will have to suffice.

Tres Leches Cake

2011-05-02T00:56:00.000-07:00

Tres Leches: It's cake saturated with pure goodness.

When you combine two households, even when they are the households of two mid-twenties, unmarried women, you are bound to have an excess of things. In the case of Faby and I, two cooks, we have an excess of things in our pantry cupboard. There is a full shelf devoted to tea, enough grains and pasta to feed a family of eight for awhile, and a plethora of baking ingredients, notably several cans of condensed milk and evaporated milk.

When I found this recipe about a month ago, I decided it would be a perfect way to clear out some of the things in our pantry. I had not even eaten tres leches to my knowledge before, but round one turned out great. I added some of my own fireworks. Hello, brandy! A little fresh grated nutmeg. A few dashes of cardamom. I was immediately a fan of the recipe. It's rich and creamy, but not too sweet. It's good alone, but even better with a little Kahlua whipped cream and strawberries. It did need a bit of tweaking for round two (they suggested a 9x13 pan, and it was way too small for that pan-size when I made it the first time.)

Adapted from Food and Wine, April 2011

Cake:
1 1/2 c AP flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
l/4 tsp ground cardamom

Tres leches:
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
one 12 oz can evaporated milk
1 cinnamon stick (I used Mexican cinnamon- find it near other Mexican spices)
2 whole cloves
one 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
fresh grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
2 oz (a full shot glass) brandy, optional but highly recommended.... Kahlua or a citrus liqueur such as grand marnier would probably be delicious too

The cake itself is easy to make. You beat the eggs, sugar and vanilla for about ten minutes until light and fluffy. Meanwhile, combine dry ingredients. Add half of the dry ingredients, incorporate, the milk, incorporate, and then the remaining dry ingredients. When everything is incorporated you bake it in a buttered 9x9 pan for about 25 minutes. Watch it- I dropped the heat for the last five. It was starting to get too much color. When your cake is out of the oven and cooling start the tres leches sauce. Heat the evaporated milk with the cream, and infuse the cinnamon stick, cloves and nutmeg. Stirring occasionally, bring it to a boil, and reduce to a simmer for a few minutes. Then combine with the condensed milk, vanilla, ground cinnamon and brandy. Let cool for about twenty minutes. By that time the cake should have cooled for about half an hour.

Boring, much?

Then you do the unthinkable. You violate the cake with a fork, stabbing it again and again all over until there are holes everywhere in what you just so carefully baked. Then slowly, you drizzle the tres leches all over the cake, allowing it to seep in before adding more. There will be about three cups of milk mixture to be absorbed in the cake. All of it will hold if you give the cake time to soak up everything like a sponge. Then you cover the cake with plastic-wrap and stick it in the fridge for at least four hours. This cake is meant to be served cold. When possible, enjoy on a sunny day.

This week was awesome. I had two perfect, albeit busy nights off. We had a beautiful day today and Chino and Katie hosted a BBQ to fundraise for the Oregon Humane Society. I brought my cake and got to wear a sundress for the first time this year. I was a happy girl. On Saturday I Found out I'm in fifth place in the BL competition(!!!!) The final weigh in is Tuesday. I'm hoping to clean up, but I'm so proud regardless.

Winston was skeptical and indifferent of me, until he decided my bangles were cool.

Castagna's Tasting Menu, April 22nd, 2011

2011-04-23T13:51:00.000-07:00

Delectable perfection.

Purple carrot leather, violet, hibiscus

Rye cracker, herbed cheese, pernod fennel

Sunchoke chip, yogurt

Maple guanciale

Cured cod, smoked mussel jus, cream, young pine

Rhubarb, licorice, scallops

Cured beef tongue, pickled mustard seeds

Anenome mushrooms, nettle, pine nut

Halibut cheeks, garlic, seaweed

Squab, birchwood, chips of fruit,

Pork, scallops

lemon sherbert with wildflower merengue

Rhubarb, toasted oats, mastic, flowers

Sunchoke with grapes and sunflower butter

Chocolate hazelnut truffle

Happy Birthday, Jack!

I need to see the full menu again. I missed some of the details. It was definitely the best meal of my life. The pairings were incredible...

Rolla Coasta!

2011-04-22T01:59:00.000-07:00

This week I was up. I am pretty sure it was a fluke; I was mostly-well behaved last week. There was one night of indulgence, but I danced for hours that night and didn't drink much so I don't think it could have did that much damage.

This week however, I'm certainly doing damage. Hello hormones, and Faby decided to bake cupcakes galore. Bad timing. Ok, so I've only had two (one yesterday and one today). And they were spectacular... but there were bites of this and that, a piece of spanakopita, a cheeseless chilli relleno and then I baked a birthday cake. I don't think I'll eat the cake itself, but I had to taste every process of the step.

Beets!

Good chocolate

Mix beets and melted chocolate with eggs, buttermilk, flour, brown sugar

The cake making process was a bit of a disaster. I made a devil's food cake, following the recipe from the Mother's Best cookbook by Lisa Shroeder of Mother's Bistro. The recipe was fun to make as it followed the traditional method of including beets. The cake batter was rich and it came out moist... almost too moist for what I wanted. I wanted lots 'o layers so I torted my two cakes into four. I'll probably do the recipe again and just do the two layers. The bourbon caramel pastry cream I attempted did not have enough caramel flavor. That's a long story, but I'll be playing with that recipe later. I'm stubborn. This one for now is just a bourbon pastry cream. Then for the frosting I made a hazelnut ganache with dark chocolate and hazelnut butter. The hazelnut flavor is too subtle for how much hazelnut butter I used. I should have just used Frangelico, but I didn't want to make the cake too boozey with the pastry cream I was already including. Don't get me wrong, the ganache is delicious. The chocolate is so good, and there is a hint of hazelnut, but I wanted more of that flavor. Lesson learned. Sometimes you have to experiment!... At least it all came out pretty. Cake, bourbon pastry cream, cake, hazelnut ganache, cake, bourbon pastry cream, cake, hazelnut ganache, and a roasted hazelnut mask which really does make everything more lovely. If you don't like the way something looks, mask it! Plus the hazelnut coating will give it more of that hazelnut flavor I wanted.

My dinner was healthy. Steamed artichoke with a Calabrian pepper, garlic yogurt sauce. I used Chobani yogurt- my absolute favorite.... and with 18 grams of protein and only 100 calories per cup, it is a creamy, satisfactory, guilt-free treat. I microplaned garlic, and chopped up a few peppers, added a bit of salt and pepper and let it sit- so good on rye crackers and with the artichoke. I will be making this again. Maybe next time I'll add fresh herbs and lemon... mmm.

Tomorrow will most definitely be a splurge. I'm having my second meal at Castagna. I ate there with Jack for his birthday a year ago, and the five perfect courses were the best meal of my life. Those morels....wow. He invited me back this year to celebrate his 31st, only this time we are doing the tasting menu... several courses... with pairings. I'm so excited. I will post a long list of raves later. :)

After his birthday dinner I have ten days to give it my best effort. Saturday will also mark a week of not-running, so I'm going to try to give running a try again. I roll out my IT band on a regular basis. It hurt like hell the first time around, but feels a lot better now. I've been swimming, biking, stretching, weight-training and even giving the elliptical a shot... I haven't noticed much hip pain, so hopefully I'll be ready after a week to pick up running again. I miss it. It has been admittedly nice to add more variety to my work-out routine. I'm sure my body is better for it.

Still Losing...

2011-04-14T21:50:00.000-07:00

New necklace from Brittney!

Europe/Turning 26 put me up a few pounds. I was in 22nd place when I weighed in two weeks ago. With a revival in dedicated exercise and healthy eating, the pounds have been dropping off since then. Last week I was in thirteenth place at about six percent weight loss. This week I am now down a little over nine percent from my starting weight. I'm not sure what my current ranking is, but I should be somewhere in the top ten, and if I keep up the work I still have potential to place in the top three. There are three more weeks left.

My hip still isn't 100% so I have been taking it easy in the running realm. I ran my fastest mile ever after the half-marathon: 8:15, and had been working at building up my endurance at that pace, but when hip pain continued I decided I should ease up a bit. I have been making a habit of stretching out my IT band, and even started swimming. For the record I am absolutely horrible at athletic swimming. I don't have the breathing down. I catch myself becoming so focused on my arm strokes that I forget to use my legs like the strong propellers they are. I am extremely self-conscious every time I get in the pool that the others in the pool vicinity are judging my every move. (And then I tell myself at least I am the one swimming, they are hot tubbing or sweating in the sauna. So far I have had an empty pool to myself.) It exhausts me, but it feels good, and I know it is doing my body some good.

My diet has been mostly-good. I splurge a bit. I made a feast last week of lean mustard-rubbed pork tenderloin and roasted vegetables for Kyley, Faby, and Jackson and baked a tres leches cake to follow of which I had the tiniest portion. I drink more soda than I normally do- Diet Cherry Dr. Pepper, yes please. It feels special without the calories of an alcoholic beverage. Jack took me to Broder for a belated birthday brunch last weekend, and I enjoyed every bite I had of those aebelskivers and lemon curd as usual. Normally however, I am eating fruit and more fruit, salads and lean proteins, and on the go meal replacement bars. I still eat a lot. I just eat a lot of tiny, health-conscious meals.

Tonight was my first night off since the pork tenderloin last Tuesday, so I baked and cooked yet again. My good friend is doing the vegan thing for a bit, just to see if she can, so I decided I'd support her and make some vegan blueberry muffins, and a vegan soup which I will deliver to her tomorrow. I followed this blueberry muffin recipe- mostly because I thought it was ironic I was making them exactly one year later. I nearly followed it to a T, except I doubled the streusel and added a pinch of salt to both the muffin batter and the streusel, and a smidge of cardamom. They turned out surprisingly wonderful! My "testing" of a fresh-baked one lead to me eating a whole one instead of throwing most out as I intended. Splurge of the week, much? The streusel would definitely benefit from real butter, but I did not miss dairy in the muffins themselves at all. They are super fluffy and light.

Then for dinner I started a soup with only a vague idea of what I wanted. It kept evolving, and eventually became a hearty, protein-rich, albeit vegan, white bean and quinoa tortilla stew. I sweat bell pepper, onion, carrot, celery, and garlic, added four arbol chilies and four tortillas, and kept cooking. Then I added a little veg stock and pureed everything with my immersion blender. I added more veg stock, half a head of julienned green cabbage, a whole habanero, chili powder, dried Mexican oregano and plenty of salt. After it simmered for awhile I added about a cup of chopped fingerling potatoes, then quinoa, and finally some leftover frozen corn I had and a can of cannelini beans. I ended up adding a bit of coriander towards the end, and some fresh lime juice. I garnished it with avocado and cherry tomatoes. Pretty fabulous for no meat.

Half-Marathon

2011-04-04T20:18:00.000-07:00

The Race for the Roses Half-Marathon that Nititya and I have been training for the past few months finally came on Sunday. I woke up early (5AM!), ate a Chobani for breakfast, and strove to get amped up for the race I had sort of dropped the ball on for the past couple weeks. With a twelve miler behind me, I had confidence I would finish, but knew it would probably be a strenuous and painful battle.

I had no idea. I have been slightly battling hip pain since the day after the Shamrock Run. It was relatively mild during all my runs, but never a major problem. Early on in the half-marathon it began to be a nuisance. Nitiya quickly got ahead of me, and remained a good distance ahead for most of the race. Despite the pain I was excited. It was a beautiful day for a race. The sky was bright blue, and the cherry blossoms lining the waterfront were in full pink bloom, bringing a smile to my face. About midway through the hip pain peaked, the horrible pain causing a slight limp to my stride, and I really wanted to quit and start walking, but I convinced myself to keep running. I felt like I was running super slow, but at least I was still running. Eventually the pain lessened. Once nine miles was done, I knew I could finish. It was only four more...

And I finished. I managed to catch up with Nitiya right at the end. My time was 2 hours, 9 minutes and 23 seconds. I ran faster than I realized. Ten minute miles were my "high" goal. I thought I would end up running about ten and a halfs and with the hip pain during the run I thought I was moving much, much slower. I was very pleased when I saw the time crossing the finish-line. I had done it and done it well.

Nitiya and I went to Beast for a celebration brunch afterwards. The food (and mimosas) were truly outstanding. I really cannot complain about a thing. Unfortunately I forgot my camera in the rush to make our reservation. I loved the first course, a rhubarb clafoutis. (clah-foo-tees? my French pronunciation is not the best) It was served warm with whipped cream, slightly sweet yet tangy, lemony and eggy. I love that egg-rich custard flavor I had never heard of such a thing before, but I definitely plan on experimenting with many of them after this Biggest Loser thing is over with. The second course was a lamb hash with a poached egg, brussel sprouts, mushrooms, ramps and a truffled hollandaise with a shave of truffle on top. Then we had a cheese and charcuterie tasting with zippy, stalky arugula. Dessert was a dense chocolate "truffle" cake topped with molasses buttermilk ice cream. Our four courses were plated for us by a red lipstick wearing, white shirt falling off her shoulder, black bra-strap revealing sous chef. I can't argue with the food, but it's hard for me to take that seriously. Femininity is the main gimmick at Beast. So different from my restaurant world...

And the Party Don't Stop

2011-03-30T09:01:00.000-07:00

My vacation might have ended last week, but the celebrations only continued. Thursday was semi-back-to-reality. Jet-lagged, I woke up way earlier than necessary to be at Dorio for a short shift, so I opted to go for an 8 mile run. My body felt every step afterwards. I was being punished for my time off over vacation, and I pondered over the possibility of attempting a twelve that weekend with the half-marathon only a week away. I worked a few hours afterwards, and came home sleep again. I made plans to do laundry, and unpack, but instead I took a six hour nap. Whoops.

Friday was my birthday and Greek Independence Day and Dorio's one year annivesary celebration. Faby, Elliot, C.J. and I kicked off the day with a wholesome breakfast of cinnamon rolls and Kettleman's bagels. The lunch shift was rockin'. Then we closed to set up for the night, and I took a break to go home and change. I walked into my room distracted by lingering vacation thoughts, so it took me a second to realize why everything looked a bit different. I have the greatest roommates.

Dorio has never been so busy. We had a lot of our regulars come out to celebrate. Ouzo was flowing. Around ten Taki started DJing. I stopped working and started celebrating around 11:30 when he played Journey. Nitiya and Kiley both came out. We danced, danced, danced and drank, drank, drank.

Saturday I was hungover, and went back to work at Southpark. It was fabulous to see everybody, and felt great to be cooking again. I checked on my coppa, and it is getting covered in good mold and should be done in a month or so.

Sunday: Day of rest? Try day of the looming twelve mile run. Nitiya and I met at 11AM in our usual spot. It was wet. It was long. I had bad puddle judgement, and one foot was soaked. My muscles were taunting me the whole time for being relatively lazy the past two weeks, but around the eighth mile I knew I had the rest in me. Around 1PM we finished, and headed to Stumptown for our ritual of post-run lattes. I worked Sunday night, and went to bed early and slept solid.

Monday: Five delicious courses prepared by Jackson. He slaved all day while Faby and I worked at Dorio. We drank Rosso di Montalcino to start. When entrees were in the works, Fabs and I switched to Argyle sparkling brut. That wine is incredible. When it first touches your mouth it is tangy and a bit dry. As you swallow it transitions to pure, luscious honey. Then it transitions once more and finishes tart. The confit pork belly with a poached egg and frisee were outstanding too. For dessert we had berries with aged balsamic, chocolate mint, and whipped cream. Absolutely delightful. Chocolate mint is incredible.

Tuesday: Nitiya and I went to Fratelli for dinner. We ate in the dining room which I have not done in years. We kicked it off with a St. Germain, prosecco, and lemon cocktail, and noshed on bruschetta and antipasti to get our appetites wet. Ah, shaved beef bruschetta, how I have missed you! For the second course we shared lentil soup with a scallop, and gnocchi with skirt steak, ramps and a cilantro sauce. The gnocchi was outstanding, as usual. I loved the sauce with the steak, alongside the delicate, fluffy pillows of gnocchi. For my entree I had braised boar with spaetzl which was perfect with the sangiovese we were drinking that evening. Dessert was a delectable, lemony mascarpone cheesecake with a pine nut cookie crust. We decided midway thru that vin santo was in order. We continued the celebrating, played some (bad) pool, and had a blast and lots of laughs.

I tasted the sauce before I took the picture.

I will not be surprised when I weigh in for the Biggest Loser challenge at work today and I have gained ten pounds in two weeks. We still have a month to go. Time to put the celebrations to a temporary halt, and see what I can do. (Except Sunday: We're celebrating with brunch after the half-marathon.)

Days 7 and 8

2011-03-26T12:30:00.000-07:00

The road to the right leads to Holly's place

The last two full days of my vacation were a whirlwind of relaxation and low-key socializing. Breakfast with mimosas kicked off Monday morning. Then Tomek and I wandered around Brussels for awhile, first stopping in Place Jordane to sit outside on the sunny spring day for a beer, then grabbing pastries at a local shop, and eventually heading back to Place Jordane for my last Belgian frites of the trip at Maison Antoine. They alledgedly have the best fries in Brussels, and tiny window service restaurant is located right down the street from Holly's apartment. They are fried twice in beef fat, and the mayonaisse optinonally served with them is delicately lemony and pairs perfectly with the salty crispy fries. Then Holly met up with us, we went grocery shopping, and I made chicken mole for dinner so we could enjoy some of the fresh tortillas I had brought over from the states. It was mellow in comparison to the night before, but what we all needed. Then we went to the Delirium Pub which boasts 2004 brews... The night is now full of stories which are probably best told in person.

Gourmandisse... probably my favorite pastry in Brussels other than waffles

On Tuesday Tomek left us for his office in Ghent. Holly went to class. I held down the fort alone. We had an invitation to rib night at one of her friends, and we were supposed to make potato salad, so I found my way to a couple grocery stores to buy supplies for the evening, and went home for lunch, raiding the fridge of leftovers, and getting the potatoes for the salad cooking. When Holly returned we rushed to Grand Place to buy chocolate for gifts to bring home. Shopping for chocolate in Belgium is a lot like shopping for jewelry. The cases are extravagant and very neatly arranged. The clerks pull out gloves, lay out a towel or tray to place the chocolate on, and as you select them, rearrange them tenderly into the box of your choice. Holly and I tried a violet-filled truffle at a little shop called Pierre Aedent that was absolutely to die for, along with macaroons at another shop. Then we went home, finished the salad, and boarded the metro to go to the last dinner party of the trip. After the party which included lots of laughs, janevier shooting, and good company, it was time to pack and prepare for waking up at 6AM to catch my flight home.

Day 6: Two Markets, a Parade, and a Dinner Party

2011-03-24T16:45:00.000-07:00

Sunday might have been my favorite day of the trip. Holly and I had arranged well before I arrived in Brussels to host some of her friends for dinner at her place, and I was very excited to have the opportunity to cook for people. Dinner parties don't happen for me in Portland. Even when I have a night off, most of my friends are working, so it'd be about impossible for me to get a group of fifteen people together to enjoy a slow-cooked meal. I came with a plan: pastitsio, or rather a pastitsio-inspired dish. Pastitsio is one of my favorite things to eat, and it is generally a crowd pleaser and convenient for large numbers. I brought the pasta over from Portland so I would not have to hunt for that in Brussels. What I did not count on was a lack of equipment. Holly had one pot, and when I asked for something to bake the pastitsio in, she suggested a broiler-pan. Not going to cut it. After some pillaging through friend's kitchens we had two pots and sufficient bakeware.

We purchased canned tomato product from the store first thing since the few stores that are open on Sundays in Brussel close early, and then stopped at the tiny market in Place Jordane near Holly's apartment to visit a Greek vendor for breakfast. The vendor asked us what we wanted in French, so Holly took-over the ordering. She pointed to a spiral shaped pastry, and he asked us which one. My minimal Greek came in handy because I answered, "Spanaki." The vendor switched to English on us so when we ordered two dolmathes, he had a hard time explaining the sauce to us. "Avgolemeno?", I asked casually. "Yes! You speak Greek?" "No, I work in a Greek restaurant." Somewhere between the three languages we came home with a beautiful breakfast, which we enjoyed before heading out to a larger market for more dinner supplies.

The market was incredible. The first thing I noticed was the tantalizing aroma of waffles filling the air, so I naturally had one. They are so simple, but so perfect. The second thing I noticed was the size of the market. It was incredible, albeit on the verge of overwhelming. I have never seen anything like it. There was tons of produce, some scattered meat stands, the most beautiful cases of cheese, and boulangeries. Clothes, luggage, and toiletries dominated another side of the market. It went on what seemed like forever, and was full of people. Shoppers clustered to get the best deal. The vendors shouted, hoping euros would flow their way and their product would move. Some stood on tables with a pineapple in one hand, a knife in the other, slicing off fresh samples quickly and smoothly and handing them down to eager, outstretched hands. Holly and I gathered what supplies we could. We left with meat, fennel, celery, lettuce, a peppered pecorino romano, two long baguettes snapped in half to fit in a bag, olives- oh the olives!- , mandarins, and cherry tomatoes.

We headed home and rushed out the door to go support one of her friends in a parade. I warned her we would have to leave by 4:25 to get dinner done in time- people were coming at seven. The parade started later than we realized. It was a small community parade, very colorful and lively. The crowd and participants all seemed very proud. We hung out with her friends and were having so much fun that we didn't leave until after 5:30. I was worried the whole time. Holly kept insisting people would not mind waiting for food. Nonetheless, when we reached her apartment I got to work immediately. It was quite the process with the equipment I had, but long story short dinner was an hour late but fabulous, and the partying began right on time. We asked people to bring wine, dessert or appetizers. One person brought appetizers. Another brought dessert. Everybody else brought beverages. Needless to say we had a blast.

Leanne was super fun, a big help and eager to learn. :)

I could only fit one in the oven at a time.

Lovely.

It ended up being quite the party. I got to meet more of Holly's friends, and Tomek came to meet us from Poland. Everybody had a wonderful time and ate plenty. There was not a single bite of pastitsio left. :)

Amsterdam... Days 4 and 5

2011-03-21T12:27:00.000-07:00

Holly and I left on yet another early morning excursion on Friday the 18th towards Amsterdam. Our first problem upon arriving in the city was to find the "bed and breakfast" where we were staying. We hoped we could walk there on foot, but studied maps at Central Station with no luck, and eventually decided to take the public transportation suggested to us by the host. Both of us were exhausted after a wild night and decided we would nap briefly and then go for a run and then hit the city. We were immediately charmed by the city, and by the height of Dutch men. Two single sisters, there were a lot of (discreet?) double takes and second glances. We found the bed and breakfast site, and rang a buzzard. No answer. We waited, rang again. Nothing. Holly called the number she had for the host and left a voice message. We opted to kill time by wandering the city and hopefully finding some lunch. We spent hours just exploring and man watching, but in our weariness not really doing much. We did manage to eat and buy some cheese and bread to nosh on for dinner. Our host called to let us know he would be home, and we headed that way.

She found our lodging for the night on a bed and breakfast website. The location and host had good reviews, so she signed us up. We walked up several flight of stairs to find a tightly cluttered apartment, full to the brim of books, posters, plants, colorful fabrics hanging from the walls and the smell on incense. I could have easily been in SE Portland. We received a tour of the apartment. The room where we would be staying, which didn't have a lock on it, but "no one has ever asked for it," a shared living room where he would be sleeping, a kitchen, and a tiny room with a twin bed where the man did "healings for those who wanted it." A quick scan of the apartment revealed flyers for sexual therapy, and books on kamma sutra. Not sure if the man was a sex therapist or a spiritual guru. I was a little weirded out by the arrangement, but quickly reasoned that Holly and I could combined kick major ass if necessary, so I gave it a shot. It all turned out okay.

Ah... The Black Keys. It was an amazing show, and I watched it through an open window with shutters of tall men on either side. We drank Heineken in honor of our location, but opted to keep it mellow the rest of the night.

Saturday we woke up early and went for an hour run in a park close to where we were staying. The sky was brilliant blue, and it was a perfect day to run, and explore the city afterwards. The city showed us its best. It was brisk, but it certainly felt like spring all day. We found The Pancake Bakery for Breakfast which was absolutely delightful, stumbled upon a market where I found an appelkruimel, which has been my favorite pastry of the trip thus far, save for the ever-so-lovely Belgian waffle. Then we went to the Van Gogh Museum which fortunate enough had a special Picasso exhibit. Even Holly enjoyed herself. We did a Dutch lunch/dinner, which was absolutely amazing, and then headed back to Brussels.

Appelkruimel... UH-mazing

Brandy raisin pancake for Holly... she left with a buzz.

Day 3: Brugue and St. Paddy's Day

2011-03-20T01:43:00.000-07:00

Adorably sweet Brugue

Holly and I woke up early to catch a train to Brugue from Brussels. We gave ourselves enough time to visit the closest bakery, Au Vautel for breakfast: a chocolate croissant, salmon quiche, two coffees, and hearty loaf of bread to make sandwhiches ran under 12Euro. I could live here.

Brugue, as dark and grey as the Pacific Northwest on a typical winter day, was still charming. The streets are enchanting paths, surround by tiny clustered houses, many painted with bright colored shutters. It is a very tiny town that draws many tourists for its picturesque streets, architecure and canals, but never seemed overly crowded. It was definitely a change of pace for these two city girls despite our speed for trying to cram in a lot in a short time.

We began with a tour of the Half Moon Brewery to make my roommate proud, then proceeded to wander around the town checking out this and that.

It included a trip to Church of Our Lady which boasts a statue by Michelangelo, one of the few outside of Italy.

We also stopped in at a bakery for a snack and coffee.I had a delicious rice cake. It was creamy, incredibly eggy custard, reduced thick enough to be in cake form.

We made it back to Brussels late so my run and Holly's soccer game were skipped for showers. Holly's friends began to trickle in for dinner, and we made Rubens and one of Holly's friends made Irish soda bread that was absolutely divine. I had a blast with Holly's school friends. I felt at ease immediately and they were all very fun. Dinner was a success.

We did Irish Carbombs, starting with only the tiny airplane bottle of Jameson I had. I got dolled up and we went to the Wild Goose, and Irish pub not far from Holly's place... The dancing was fun and the men were flattering. What's not to like?

I left before Holly to catch a couple hours of sleep before our trip to Amsterdam... but that's another story.

Vacation: Days One and Two

2011-03-16T20:41:00.000-07:00

I am in Brussels. Two days of my vacation have already flown by, but it seemed more like one long, wonderful, perfect but exhausting day.

I clocked off from work around 8:30PM on Monday night. I ate my go-to beet salad, gave a lot of hugs to friends, went home, and finished packing. Then I went to the gym and ran a short 4 miler on the treadmill, feeling my 15k from the day before every step of the way. I came home, showered, and slept for an hour and a half. Then I woke up, fought with my heavy suitcase to get out the door, and ran down the hill to the first airport MAX of the morning at 3:50AM. Checking- in and security were easy, except having to rearrange my luggage since it was 14 pounds too heavy, but I was able to move stuff over to my carry-on and have it work out.

I couldn't get comfortable enough to sleep on the first flight, but it seemed to pass by quickly enough and I was in Atlanta in no time. I had three hours to spare in ATL, so I had lunch and drinks in the international concourse at a restaurant called One Flew South. My next plane was half-empty, and in between the few drinks, exhaustion, and more space of my own, I was able to sleep in spurts off and on, shifting constantly to get as close to comfortable as possible, but for much of the flight I was just counting down to seeing Holly, and eventually we were served breakfast, and watching an episode of The Office, and flying into a sunrise over Europe. I landed a little after 7AM her time.

We did a lot of walking from the start. The day was partially sunny and beautiful, but surprisingly windy. She took me to a bakery almost immediately I ate a foie gras terrine sandwhich for only 4Euro, and split an eclair with Holly. We bought a kilo of corned beef from a charming Irish man for St. Patricks' Day reubens. The deli was incredible. I napped for a little under two hours in the afternoon, and then we set out walking again to find Grand Place.

Along the way we found a beer shop and I was able to find some new sours to bring home for friends. Unfortunately I forgot my camera for the second half of the day, but we will be returning there Monday. It's so incredibly beautiful. I also had my first Belgian waffle. The carts feel the surrounding air with their delightful aroma. We ordered them plain. It was lightly sweetened with a crisp, caramel like coating that melted in your mouth. I will need more. Near Grand Place I had my first Belgian beer, a brown ale, and Holly and I man-watched. My oh my. Europe does a few things right.

We ate dinner at a little Italian restaurant, one of Holly's favorite in Brussels, with tiny, clustered wooden tables. We ordered a pizza and spaghetti, unsure of what kind of spaghetti we were getting, but curious. We split a perfect pizza, the kind I strive to make at work. It overwhelmed the plate, was cracker thin, and stiff as a board, but surprisingly cheesy, topped with salami and spinach. Shortly after the pizza arrived we had spaghetti with clams. It was simple, lightly fragrant with the aroma and abundance of the whitest clams I have seen, tossed with a bit of tomato, zucchini, and parsley. We demolished our food, sipping off a bottle of Valpoliciella. Then exhausted, we walked home but, opted to go out for a bit since it was my first night. We went to a charming pub near her apartment where the owners dog wandered close to the bar greeting patrons and had cherry lambics. One was all we needed. We both wore out fast and got to bed early.

I woke wide awake in the middle of the night, probably because my time is still off. I figured it would be a good opportunity to post a few pictures, and then I'm going to try to get more sleep in. Tomorrow: St. Patrick's Day, a day trip to Brugue, a run for me and soccer for Holly, making reubens at her flat and going out with her friends. I promise better pictures later.

Antsy? Who, me?

2011-03-09T20:25:00.000-08:00

I am leaving for Brussels in six days. My plan is not to sleep on Monday night, and catch the earliest MAX to the airport. After one four and a half hour flight, a three and a half hour layover in Atlanta, and another nine and a half hour flight (when I'll sleep), I will be with Holly around 7:20 AM her time. In Europe. I have always been a bit of a Europhile- since spending two years living in Germany in the tiny village Falkenstein with a ruined castle casting its shadows down off the hill which we lived at the bottom of. Plus I love flying, and I LOVE my sister. All of this waiting and now it is finally almost here. It consumes most of my thoughts. It's a real vacation! I truly have not even had two consecutive full days off since August. I'm not complaining; I'd take financial stability over weekends anyday, but still... I'm pretty damn excited.

Spinach with warm roasted sunchokes, blood oranges, champagne vinegar and pecorino

It will be here soon. In the meantime, I'm still being (mostly) healthy. Yogurt, and beet salads with oranges, arugula, and almonds have been my favorites lately. I eat a ton of fruit. I am always craving it. I have definitely splurged too.

There have been birthday parties, Godfather viewing nights complete with Italian feasts, my first on-tap Pliny, a Mafia fritter from Voodoo (banana fritter with chocolate and peanut butter chips) I could be doing better, but I have lost 10 pounds in the first five weeks, which is pretty alright with me. I'm going to try to be more strict the rest of this week up to the trip, and after I return. I was in fourth place of the 69 participants after three weeks. My results have not been as good the past two weeks, but I still think there is potential for me to place. I certainly feel more fit.

Running is going well. Nit and I did our first ten-miler on Sunday and I averaged ten minute miles. We are doing the tedious, mostly up-hill Shamrock Run 15k on Sunday. I will no doubt be slow. My goal is to simply run it all. The Shamrock Run is full this year at 30,500 participants in all the races, so there will be good energy, and though my thighs will burn for a week to follow, it should be fun.

I started packing already. I'm looking at a full weekend. Doubles Thurs and Friday. Brunch on Saturday with Darby and Nikki. More work. Shamrock run on Sunday followed by work and another double on Monday.... this week is going to fly by!

Health-Kick

2011-02-07T20:53:00.000-08:00

My work is having a corporate-wide Biggest Loser competition. There are prizes. Cash prizes. First place receives a trip to Vegas. Lounging by a pool in the hot sun for two days? Yes please. The mere possibility was enough motivation to get me on board. Working on my feet all day and using my own two legs as my primary transportation around the city already allows me to eat whatever and not gain weight... and I eat a lot. So I figure with all the running I have been doing lately and a few diet adjustments, I will drop a few pounds, be healthier, and I might have a chance at placing in this thing.

Prior to last Tuesday I tried to get all of my favorite "junk food" cravings out of the way, and prepared to say adios to them for three months. (Three months minus the time I am in Europe because I plan on eating anything and everything I want while I'm there. I also plan on walking a lot, still running, and dancing my heart out several nights.) I'm staying away from sugar and fried foods, and simply trying to eat the most nutritionally dense food possible. I'm eating whole grain carbs, lean proteins, and lots of fruits and veggies. I've been avoiding extra fat for the most part. I don't dress my salads, but add in an orange for juiciness, or a squeeze of lemon. I'm sure I will bend on things. Plain dark chocolate will be a go-to dessert, and it's a safe bet I'll want a piece of bread once in awhile. I'm not going to beat myself up over it when that time rolls around, but so far I am doing really well. I'm quite stubborn when I set my mind to something. Sun. Hot sun. Pool. Las Vegas, baby.

I splurged on dinner tonight: Seared ahi tuna with sauteed spinach, sunchokes, garlic and Calabrian chilies, and topped with fresh grated horseradish root. I've been eating mostly small meals scattered over the course of the day, and consequently my body is in a frequent state of hunger. This meal was definitely a large one that filled me up and was pretty delicious too. I bought the ahi today fresh from City Market, where I also found the sunchokes and chilies. I don't eat a lot of sunchokes, but I absolutely love their earthiness. I need to buy them more. They are high in iron and calcium. I kept mine slightly crunchy, and they were great tossed in with the spinach, garlic, lemon juice and chilies. The heat of the chilies and the pungency of the horseradish cleared my sinuses and made the meal. Parsley would have been nice, but it slipped my mind at the store. If this is what healthy tastes like, I'm down.

I already feel better even if it is just a trick of the mind in acknowledging my efforts. Running is going well. My second eight-miler was easier on the body than my first, and I cut my time down by five minutes. I still have two months of training before the half-marathon, and I know I'll have it in the bag.

Self-Indulgence

2011-01-29T21:18:00.000-08:00

Wow.

I just ate one of the best meals of my life.

Seared duck breast over farro and heirloom carrots with a radicchio salad. The duck was seasoned with salt and ground pink peppercorns. The farro and heirloom carrots were cooked with shallots, garlic, thyme and olive oil. The radicchio was tossed with sherry vinegar, olive oil and pecorino romano.

I drank it with Vino Nobile.

The food was delicious, but what made the meal so satisfying was that I took the time to make it for myself, and just for me. I do not like cooking for one. It's not that I get tired of cooking and don't enjoy cooking at home because I will gladly do it when other people are around, but I very rarely cook a meal when it is just me to feed. If I do cook something for myself, it is usually something very simple... pasta... soups, et cetera. If that. It is so much easier to go out, or grab a rotisserie chicken and some spinach... or just cheese and a baguette.

I recently read more of M.F.K Fisher's writing, and she inspired me to want to spoil myself a little more in my relationship with food. I am single. I am quite content being single, and do not foresee that changing anytime soon. Sometimes my roommates or other friends are around to cook for, and I love those nights, but quite often it is only me. I have money to buy food, and a few tricks of the trade to put to use. I know my own palate more than anybody. What's stopping me from embracing all of those things and feeding myself well?

This was certainly the most beautiful meal I ever made for "just me." Frank playing in the background, I enjoyed every bite. There will definitely be more playing with food and self-indulgent nights to come. If nothing else I have the other half of the duck breast waiting for me in the freezer.

Okay, it's Saturday night. I have a kitchen to clean, and some getting dressed up and going out to do. Taki is DJing tonight, and I have yet to see him live.

The World is More Lovely

2011-01-24T23:27:00.000-08:00

Tonight I did my taxes. I owe. I'm a little bitter. Insert long rant here. I was not expecting a refund, but now they want more?

C'est la vie.

I relieved my stress by making a batch of madeleines. They have been overdue since I bought the pan to make them in December. They are so beautiful with their scalloped edges, delicate and classic. They are easy to make. There are minimal ingredients and the mixer does all the work. Making them and enjoying the light, fluffy, buttery cakes fresh out of the oven cheered me up. The first round was a little dark, but still delicious. I knocked a minute off the baking time for round two and voila! Perfectly golden on the scalloped side, nicely rounded on the other.

I know it will all be okay in the long run. I cannot pay the tax man in cookies, but at least these babies are cheap to make.

Sweet Potato Red Curry

2011-01-24T00:56:00.000-08:00

I started craving this in the middle of last week. I'm not sure where the craving stemmed from, possibly from lingering memories of fried sweet potato curry wontons a friend made me years ago. I once recreated those for a few Minters. They are absolutely delicious, but there is no telling why I randomly wanted those flavors again.... The craving was relentless through my work week and I knew I would have to make it happen on my next day off.

Day off? I can count the full days off I have had since Labor Day: Labor Day, the Sunday after Labor Day, October 30th, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day. I am so used to my overlapping schedule that I honestly don't mind. I forget most of the world has weekends, and I am quite content to stay busy. Still when I saw I randomly had a whole Saturday free, I was excited and began to plan away. It was quite the day off. The sun was somehow shining and the city vibrant. I savored my coffee and woke up slowly at home, had pho for breakfast, went grocery shopping, and came home to make my curry paste. Then I went on a short run. Afterwards I finished cooking dinner, and Darby came over to eat. We followed dinner with my first Blazer's game and trip to the Rose Garden. I even got dressed up for the occasion. It was wonderful.

Making curry gave me an opportunity to use my mortar and pestle. It's actually a Oaxacan mocolajete, pig shaped and all, which was a gift from Holly. There is a deep, visceral connection with food when you use your hands to make it. It requires love; for the food, the craft, the people you are serving it to. I'm not completely against store bought curry pastes. There are good ones out there. I considered using one for this, but since I had all that time, I went for it. It was so satisfying to start out with my mise en placed paste ingredients in front of me, chopped, but too plentiful to fit in the mortar at one time, and slowly beat it down to a paste. I took about a third of them and began pounding the vegetables. Stone to vegetable to stone. The action immediately fragranted my kitchen as the vegetables began to break down. Chilies. Lemongrass. Ginger. Garlic. Shallot. Then I added more, and kept grinding. Soon the aromatics were consolidated, and they would all fit, but it was still chunky. I kept working. It was one of those rare, blue skied winter days in Portland, so I even carried my project out to the balcony for some fresh air. Just shy of an hour later, I had a bright red paste, not as smooth as store bought, but perfectly delectable.

Still chunky... keep going

For the Red Curry Paste:

8 guajillo chilies, stems and seeds removed, soaked in water for about half an hour

1 shallot, minced

5 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 stick of lemongrass grated

approx 2 T grated ginger
kosher salt

I also added the following spices while everything was cooking:
2 tsp tumeric
1 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp cumin
black pepper

Other ingredients:
3 large sweet potatoes
1 green bell pepper
2 cups snow peas
lime juice
carrots, cilantro, green onion and pumpkin seeds for garnish
sambal olek chili paste, to taste

I combined three large sweet potatoes, the curry paste, two cans of coconut milk and the spices and brought them to a low simmer on the stove. Store-bought curry paste could easily be substituted and spices added to taste. I moved everything to the oven at 350 to keep the coconut milk from scorching. I cooked it until the sweet potatoes were tender. When they were finished I steamed the bell peppers and at the last minute the snow peas, and then combined all the vegetables with the curry. I thinned it out with a little water. I added a small handful of pumpkin seeds we happened to have on hand, and a good amount of sambal to make it spicier. The curry was super flavorful already, but I wanted some heat. :)

Darby and I ate the curry over quinoa for protein. I was very happy with results. It was spicy, very aromatic, and slightly sweet. The dish was rich in texture with the softness of the sweet potatoes, crunch of the peas and pumpkin seeds, and pop of the quinoa. Our bellies were full and satiated before we ventured off towards the MAX for the Blazers game. I will definitely make this again.

The Blazers won. I got Darby time, and I even had leftovers. It was the perfect day off.

Grandma's Date Drops and a 100th Birthday!

2011-01-17T01:47:00.000-08:00

This recipe is one of those gems I will never let go of. I know it from my grandma. She used to make Date Drops every Christmas. Apparently they originally come from her mother, my great-grandmother, Grandma Peltier who just turned one hundred years old on January 10th. They are a bit of a grown-up cookie. They are chewy from the copious amounts of dates and walnuts, and moderately sweet. Their simplicity is perfection alongisde a hot cup of coffee anytime of day. Sometimes several a day. They are without a doubt my favorite cookie. I copied down this recipe years ago just to make sure I had it, but this was my first time actually making them. Until this past Christmas Grandma always made them. She even sent them in the mail when I couldn't make it home. I meant to make them the week of Christmas, but that week had me consumed....

I guess I could make them anytime of year, but... some things are worth waiting for. The dough alone fragranted the kitchen while it was mixing in the Kitchen Aid. I had my first one warm, fresh out of the oven, and I knew I nailed it. The next morning when I had two with coffee at work my mood was soaring with pleasure and memories. These Christmas cookies came late this year, but they came just in time for my mom and Aunt Cathi (who love Date Drops as much as I do) to be in town for a very special event...

Today we celebrated the one hundred years of my Grandma Peltier. We had a birthday party, and family reunion in Tigard where she lived with my great-grandfather before he passed away in 1997 for several years. Prior to my time they had a farm, with mostly walnut trees. I have pleasant memories of visiting my great-grandparents as a child. Grandma Peltier was always vibrant. I believe I remember a beautiful, full-bodied laugh. While Grandpa's accent was never really noticeable to me, hers was there, and it made her all the more lovely. She would always cook us elaborate lunches. Cozy comfort foods like pot roast, with rich, dark gravy. The last time I saw her was in 2003, and she was just beginning to lose her memory. Today she does not know who I am, nor who most of my mother's generation, her immediate grand-children are. She still knows her own daughters. She seems to have a hard time focusing on things, but is intrigued and joyful.

I got to give my mom and aunt their Date Drop fix prior to the party today in lieu of breakfast. They were pleased. The party was lovely. My grandma and great-aunts were very emotional about having their families together to celebrate and honor their mother. There were a lot of tears when Grandma Peltier arrived, first smiling, and then crying her own tears of happiness to see her three daughters, and somewhat pround to be one hundred herself. It was nice to re-meet some of the extended family I do not know at all, and I loved catching up with the family I used to see all the time in Lakewood too... Lord knows I miss them all the time!

Five generations starting with the lady in the middle!

Date Drops

1 1/2 C dark brown sugar

1 C butter

3 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 C chopped walnuts

1 Lb chopped dates

3 C flour + 3Tbsp

4 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

Combine 3 C flour, baking powder and salt together. Mix dates and walnuts with the remaining 3 T flour. Cream butter, vanilla and eggs one at a time. Add most of the flour mixture gradually. Add dates and nuts and then the remaining flour mixture. Drop heaping spoonfuls of dough on cookie sheets and bake in a 350 degree oven for 14 minutes.

I bet they would be marvelous with spices added too, but I cannot bring myself to tamper with them... Maybe somebody else should. ;)

Here Goes

2011-01-15T14:42:00.000-08:00

I'm training for a half-marathon.

There, I said it. No turning back now. The goal came kind of randomly. My friend Nitiya asked me back in November if I would run one with her. I didn't pause before I said, "Sure, that could be fun." This was right after a gym dry spell. For me it is so much harder to stay motivated about working out when I'm happy. Life is good, and I don't feel like I need to lose more weight. I would take a few more pounds, but I'm overall content. So I needed something to motivate me to work out, for the sake of health. By November I had started going again, but not five days a week like in summer. So all November and December I just tried to get pumped about working out again. Some weeks were better than others; I didn't make it in once the week of Christmas. I did some walking and some short runs, and was overall just mediocre about going.

The week after Christmas was go time. I made it in four days, and got in my first four and five milers in months. The following week was better... five days.

This week was our first week of following a twelve week training guideline. I spent four more days at the gym, and finished the week off with a SIX mile run today with Nitiya. It was my first outside run in almost a year. It was very, wet. We ran on water. I finished just slower than an hour, which I'll gladly take. It felt great to be outside and made it surprisingly easy. I didn't hit a wall like I do on treadmills, and the rain, was very refreshing. Afterwards, on shaky legs, we went to Stumptown to escape the rain for a bit and warm up.

Now my shoes are by the radiator, and I'm in dry sweats. There is brown rice with chilies cooking on the stove... and leftover chicken and salsa to go with. I am terribly hungry.

We're doing the Race for the Roses here in Portland on April 3rd! I'm in need of songs to add to my running playlist if anybody has suggestions. :)

Food Memories

2011-01-12T00:30:00.000-08:00

"Intrigued and Curious Child"

It was our annual Family Christmas. It might have been 1990. Our family was smaller then. This was pre-several family divorces and a second wave of younger cousins to come. My grandma only had six grandchildren then. Now she has eleven and two great-grandchildren. My cousins Kelly, Justin, Tiffany and I huddled together. Earlier that night we had probably done a coloring contest. I probably lost. I never won those... except maybe one year I did, but I don't think so. Then we were ushered by our parents into my grandmother's kitchen. We waited by the little everyday table that still sits in her kitchen today. The table I'd eat bowls of mixed cereals at with my Grandma when I spent the night. The table where as an adult I now sit at for a few brief moments with coffee in hand, chatting away until my Grandma pulls me outside to the patio where she can smoke and I can still drink coffee for hours.

Family Christmas 1987. I do not remember this one.

During this particular Christmas gathering, we waited around because dinner was ready. Always the fan of eating, I was anxious for dinner. We were all eager for what came after dinner: presents. We discussed the meal that night. Lasagna. I knew my three-closest cousins didn't like lasagna, and I was informed why. The spinach. What I could not understand is why they did not like spinach. "It's good! Try it! You'll like it." Simple child logic. My cousins were not amused and they did not budge. I think their argument was equally straight-forward. "Mush...slime... gross" might have been words they used. (My parents had many parental strengths. One of them was exposing my sister and I to vegetables, which they loved themselves. Holly and I have always liked them in result.) Oh well. More lasagna and spinach for me. I'm not sure what my cousins ate that night.

They probably ate bread. My favorite bread my Grandma used to make was a french bread baked with butter and Johnny's Salad Elegance. I don't know exactly when that particular bread topping appeared in my life. It might not have been at that exact Christmas, but then it very well could have been. Whenever it was, I was young, but I had reason enough to recognize that I liked the saltiness and the flavors. It was more colorful than the plain garlic bread we usually had. I asked my Grandma what it was. I think I asked her a few more times when I saw her in the months to come until I retained it. I (believe) I asked my mom to buy it. It might have been Dad. Finally Mom or Dad bought it and we had it at home.

There it was. Johnny's Salad Elegance. In our cupboard. Up high. One or the other of my parents were probably not far off, but they were not in the kitchen. I loved it. I wanted it on bread. I wanted to smell it.... That's it!!!!... I pulled it down from the cupboard. I cannot imagine I was tall enough to reach it, so there must have been a stool or chair handy. I sprinkled it in my hand. Then I took the spice mix and stuck it up my nostril(or was it both?). I breathed. I immediately realized the results were not what I wanted. I couldn't really smell it. It wasn't working.

Fail.

I think I then went to blow my nose. No harm done. The only thing I've put up my nose since is saline solution.

Hot Five

2011-01-06T18:47:00.000-08:00

1. Coconut water: It is so refreshing. I like it on the hotline at work. I like it before bed. I like it in the morning. Lightly sweet. Not high in calories. It is almost wetter than water. I had to cut myself off when it started to put a dent in my budget. No lies.

2. Cara Cara Oranges: They are pink oranges! They taste slightly tangier than your average naval orange with almost a hint of grapefruit. They are beautiful in salads.

3. Sparkling Wine: Sometimes you just need to celebrate life. Domaine Ste Michelle's sparkling wines are budget friendly and delicious. They are made in the champagne style. The Brut is very apple forward, but not too sweet. The effervescence is delightfully refreshing as it sashays around your mouth. Pre-Christmas I opened a bottle and had a baking party making spritz cookies and danced around the kitchen. The Brut Rose tastes a bit more citrusy to me and is an ever-so-soft pink.

4. Tutto Calabria Peppers: They are Italian chilis marinated in olive oil, sunflower oil and vinegar, spicy and slightly sweet. We get the hot long chili peppers at work sometimes. They are addicting straight. I eat them like popcorn on the line... and like Sriracha they are delicious in almost anything you want to add kick to... pizza, pasta, soup, et cetera. (Tomato sauce+calabrian peppers+garlic+calamari+shrimp+pasta=amazing, FYI.)

5. Petite Fromage: Many stores that have a specialty cheese department also have a bin of petite cheese portions, "aka" scrap cheeses. When cheeses run $15-$25 a pound it is nice to feel a little gourmet or try something new without having to commit to a large amount, and they are perfectly portioned for just one person. All I need are a few olives from the olive bar, a baguette, and maybe some wine and I'll have a fabulous "me" night.

12 Year Comte, Romao (rosemary) mitica, Shaft Blue

Dear Santa

2010-12-27T00:21:00.000-08:00

Dear Santa,

Thank you. I feel spoiled this year. Despite some not-so-well-behaved, but fun nights, (Ahem, sapphire party and Halloween) it seems I made it to your nice list. I had a perfect Christmas.

I did not get to see everybody I would have liked to see, but I hosted Christmas for my mom, Jonathan and Pumpkin. It was wonderful to host (My humble little cozy home felt like such a home!), and fabulous to be with some of my family. I had not seen them in over four months, and I had zero family last Christmas. We had a relaxed Christmas.

Pumpkin slept with me on Christmas Eve, so I woke up to her sweet-self on Christmas, ready to go outside. I took her on a walk, up to Washington Park. She seemed at home in the city. She's such a princess. Then I went home to wake up Mom and Jonathan. I made coffee right away. We opened our presents with lots of smiles. We went to see Harry Potter which I loved. Then we came home and listened to a lot of music, and I started dinner. I kept it simple with prime rib, yorkshire pudding, baked potatoes and broccoli. I almost didn't do the yorkshire pudding, but I'm so glad I went for it. It's the easiest side dish ever...and so delicious. Then Mom and I played Boggle. My mom can still beat me at Boggle, but I only lost by four points. She's solid competition. We went to bed fairly early, all exhausted from the week.

Yorkshire Pudding in your face

I think I have Mom's smile.

Such a bad picture for both of us, but I love it.

Jackson opening the Pliny hoodie I gave him

roommates ready for Christmas!

I think I made a lot of people happy with presents I gave, and it felt great to be able to afford to give for a change. I was equally blessed with boots, a digital scale (that I've wanted for years) a beautiful pashmina, ITunes gift cards, and more... but honestly family and dinner were the best part of the day... and Harry. Harry was wicked.

I'll be even better next year.

Yours truly,
Erin

2010 Soundtrack

2010-12-20T01:20:00.000-08:00

The following are songs I associate with 2010. Many of them are the lowest examples of my musical taste, but they nonetheless collectively made me smile and picked-me-up many, many times this year...

1. Don't Stop Believing by Journey: I associate this with Natalie and Faby and the Frat crowd... but this song will be best remembered for when I blasted it at Dorio, and Mama, the cute eighty year old Greek woman who frequents Dorio, started dancing in her chair, waving her arms, cheering and yelling.
2. Breakin' Up by Rilo Kiley: for an obvious reason. I listened to this song a lot in May, but I listened to it prior to May too. I listened to it until "Ah it feels good to be free" felt true.
3. Tik Tok by Ke$ha: Best remembered for the SP boys/men dancing in the the kitchen. This song is nuts... but yet it feels good.
4. Everlasting Light by The Black Keys: It's sweet, and it's proof I'm still deep down a romantic instead of merely jaded and skeptical.
5. Break Your Heart by Taio Cruz: I am ashamed to admit this is my anthem for the latter half of the  year. I feel invincible, but I know I'll have to allow myself to be vulnerable again someday.
6. Poison by Bel Biv Devoe: danced to it at 80s night in April, and it's been stuck in my head since then. It's a confidence booster.
7. Your Love by The Outfield: This song is just about having fun... selfish, unemotional fun.
8. Escape Me by DJ Tiesto ft CC Sheffield: I just love it. Love, love, love it. If I had to pick one song for the year. This would be it.
9. California Gurrls by Katy Perry: Ah summertime. Work. Strawberry cello lemonades. Summer dresses. Work.
10. I Gotta Feeling by The Black Eyed Peas: I've always loved the BEP. I like the way this song progresses, and I listened to it before many nights out this year.

11. I Can't Go For That by Daryl Hall and John Oates: We have it on the Dorio playlist and it always picks me up. The video is super 80s.

12: Single Ladies by Beyonce: This song didn't impress me when it was first released a couple of years ago, but somehow I appreciate it more now... I think it was the S&TC movie. "Did I mention I don't pay him any attention?"

Lucky Charm

2010-12-16T00:36:00.000-08:00

I woke up today feeling ready. Ready for what, I cannot exactly pinpoint. A new season. A new year. Simply continuing on with life, and moving forward. I'm ready for whatever snowballs life throws at me, and equally alert and pumped to throw a few back of my own.

Let it snow...

It didn't snow today, but look what I found on my walk home.

"I don't wanna tonight..."

2010-11-28T23:48:00.000-08:00

Nov 24th: Today I am thankful for my sister. She's wiser than she realizes; she inspires me. A quote from her today: "It's hard trying to make the beauty of something visible to people that choose to remain blind to it." More than anything it makes me want to surround myself with others who seek out beauty and joy... in everyday life, the small things, the extraordinary things... People who do more than live, but thrive. I'm athrive. Are you?

Nov 25th: I am thankful for my dear friend Darby, and her family and friends (and the two dogs) we celebrated Thanksgiving with. Darby and I were the young'ins at the dinner, and I was a stranger to most, but I never once felt out of place. I'm less of a shy Erin now, and they liked me. I even got invited back for next year. We laughed a lot, ate a lot, and drank more bottles of wine than I could count (over several hours). Discussion was everywhere: Obama, the restaurant industry, tassles hanging off one's rear end, copping a feel during a workout, Pride and Prejudice, travel, the height I prefer my men, and local wineries. It was honestly one of the sweetest Thanksgivings I remember, and a perfect holiday. My contributions to the whole shebang were two desserts and heirloom carrots with beets. The turkey was incredible. They barbecued it on the Weber, stuffed it with an assortment of aromatics, and the result was juicy, lightly smokey and very flavorful. Darby and I left full and happy... and I think I will go back next year. :)

Nov 26th: Today I'm thankful Darbs and I avoided Black Friday, slept in, and overdosed on Sex and the City before I had to be at work... Sometimes a girl needs a S&TC marathon.

Nov 27th: Today I just love this song. I lost track of how many times I listened to it. I love the beat, the energy, and sometimes the vocalist reminds me of the B-52s. It just makes me smile on many levels. Also, it makes me want to dance.

Nov 28th: My feet needed some love today, so I talked Faby into going to get pedicures. I feel kind of silly since it's freezing out and my toes will be unexposed for quite some time, but it was so nice. I am thankful for sparkly red toes, but even more thankful for the foot massage the man gave me.

It's a Family Tradition... Egg Nog Pie

2010-11-25T13:34:00.000-08:00

Several years ago Vicki started making egg nog pies for Thanksgiving and Christmas. They were an instant hit, and shortly it became tradition. Every family has pumpkin pie, but mine has egg nog pie. That is the first of many reasons why my family is superior to yours. ;) Don't get me wrong; I love pumpkin pie. It's even more American than apple pie. However, this easy-to-make pie is a creamy, custardy cloud, delicately fragranted with vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. There is nothing light or unindulgent about it, and it has full potential to push you over the edge at the end of a meal, but it's worth leaving that extra room in your feasting belly for.

This is the first time I ever made egg nog pie. Somebody else in my family always takes care of it, usually Vicki. However this year my work schedule has me staying in Portland for Thanksgiving, missing my family, and craving egg nog pie. It reminds me of a few people I wish I could see today....Vicki, who nails this pie everytime... My Grandpa Kalahan, with his big, dark, but bright and twinkling eyes, who loves eating this pie... My sister, who is a believer of all things nog. Finally it reminds me of my nieces, Una and Isa, who call egg nog pie, "Christmas Pie." That's how magical it is.

I was a little nervous about self-tackling something so traditional in my family. I toyed with the idea of adding bourbon into the whip cream, but decided I'm an egg nog pie purist and I just wanted it normal. I think I tackled it, but no other family is around to give the thumbs up. My crust needs improvement, but the custard ended up tasting just like home.

Egg Nog Pie

2 tsp knox gelatin
2 T warm water

2 c milk
1 c sugar
4 T cornstarch
1/2 tsp salt
6 egg yolks
2 tsp vanilla

1 pint heavy whipping cream
1 prebaked 9 inch deep dish pie shell

Scald milk, reserving some cool on the side to make a slurry of cornstarch. Meanwhile, whisk egg yolks and vanilla and bloom gelatin with warm water without allowing it to completely set. When milk is scalded, add sugar, salt and slowly incorporate your cornstarch/milk slurry and gelatin. Stir over medium until the mixture thickens to a gravy like consistancy. When it becomes thick, temper in your eggs by first adding a small part of the hot mixture into the eggs little by little and then combining the now warm eggs back into the milk in the pot. This helps to prevent lumps. Return to cooking over medium heat, stirring constantly until you have a thick custard. It should be pudding like. Allow to cool in fridge, and stir occasionally. Whip cream. Sweeten and add extra vanilla to taste. When custard is cooled, fold whipped cream into custard and pour into pie crust. Garnish with a dusting of nutmeg and cinnamon.

Happy Thanksgiving! :)

Autumn Kiss

2010-11-23T23:57:00.000-08:00

Nov 20th: I am thankful for my family everyday. Today I started wrapping my first Christmas presents in anticipation of the upcoming holiday, and Vicki sent me her eggnog pie recipe for Thanksgiving... so my family was on my mind a lot. My mom and my little brother offered to make the commute down to see me on Christmas Day. I'm so excited to play hostess to family on a holiday for the first time, and to be with some of my family for Christmas. Last year was depressing. Hopefully I'll have the opportunity to see everybody else soon too.

Nov 21st: I am so very thankful for music. My IPod (with help from everything from Vivaldi to Ella to Muse) gets me smiling on my walks to work and keeps me pumped while working out. My computer (and Pandora!) are my go-to for background music while cooking and cleaning or just chilling out. When I'm comfortable around the other people in the room (or alone) I sing... a lot. I believe there should be a soundtrack to life. I miss playing music. I haven't been able to claim being a musician for years, but the right live music can still bring me to tears.

Nov 22nd: I'm thankful I have recently learned a smidge about bartending. This is a cocktail I developed for Dorio. It's actually not very original; it's essentially a cosmo with a few seasonal twists. It is sultry, a pretty amber-pink, and delicous.

Autumn Kiss
2 oz Absolut Kurrant
2 oz cranberry juice
1 oz Grand Marnier
few drops spiced simple syrup (simple syrup infused with clove, cinnamon, and orange zest)
squeeze of lemon

Shake all ingredients with ice. Strain into a martini glass, and serve up with an orange twist. Think happy thoughts.

Another Round of Thanks

2010-11-20T15:28:00.000-08:00

Nov 14th: I am thankful that Faby decided to make breakfast today... and bake banana bread.

Nov 15th: I am thankful that the seafood risotto is back on the menu at SP, better than ever. The dish is a fragrant risotto with scallops, clams, mussels, calamari, shrimp, sofrito puree, and topped with bright orange, pop-in-your-mouth roe. Sooooooo good. It got me through day two of my new amped-up workout plan.

Nov 16th: "Soup, bread, champagne, and we're sitting on the floor." I am thankful that is how we roll. I went on an "on a mission" shopping spree that was fruitless. On the way home I stopped at the store for soup ingredients, and ended up picking up a spontaneous bottle of not-really-champagne bubbly from Washington. It just sounded refreshing. I got home shortly before Faby, and started my kale and linguica soup. We popped the bottle when she got home, and an hour or so later were were eating and drinking, watching Glee.

Nov 17th: Pitter pat, tut, tut, tut, tu-tu-tut... I am thankful for the rain. Hot, summer days will always be my favorite, but there is something soothing about the rain.

Nov 18th: Fall fashion is great... and sushi... at Yokos... with friends. There was lots of eating, inappropriate jokes, and laughter... especially when the sake in a box came out.

Nov 19th: I was having a blah day... Not a bad day, just not great. Luckily for me I when I walked into work tonight I was informed I got to work on the hotline. I love it back there. There is so much to learn, and the lead line cook gave me a lot of constructive feedback and pointers- things I just wouldn't think about. It's wonderful watching the pros around me; they move with such rhythm and flow... While I was meticulously striving to place fish neatly and garnish gently, and it was still not coming out perfect like I'd like, they plated so quickly and smoothly. I felt like I was getting the flow down, but I'm looking forward to another shot next week. Plus after a day of shivering and freezing, it was nice to be hot and sweaty for a change. I'm sure I'll feel differently about the heat when it's ninety degrees outside next summer...

Nov 20th: Today I'm thankful for the Portland Farmer's Market. It's a tradition of mine to go the week before Thanksgiving when I can. This year, I'll be a guest of some family friends of Darby's, and I'm bringing roasted root vegetables from Prairie Creek Farms and desserts. I've loved their heirloom carrots and beets for years.(More on the desserts to come) I had breakfast from the Pine Street Biscuit stand. What is there not to like about a flaky biscuit, spicy gravy, and juicy fried chicken with thick bacon?

"If I'm flying solo at least I'm flying free..."

2010-11-13T12:48:00.000-08:00

Nov 11th: I'm thankful to be single. It recently occurred to me that it has been over six months now. At risk of sounding too much like Elizabeth Gilbert, somewhere the pain subsided leaving a stronger, braver woman. What is there left to fear? The courage has helped me step out of my shell, now more outgoing and vivacious. I feel happier, and more on top of life than ever. I think in my next relationship, I'll be a firecracker ready to challenge insecurities and build something solid. Meanwhile I'm honestly content alone if that takes months or years to come to fruition...

On another note, I found myself very thankful for soup today as well. Tired from a late night celebrating Nitiya's birthday, and slightly sick, this spicy, aromatic tom yum noodle was what my body needed. Galangal root, lemon grass, peanuts, green onions, chilies, shrimp and squid. "Oh yeah!"

Nov 12: I'm super thankful for Faby and CJ. They are two more of my favorite people in Portland. I think they have to put up with my silliness more than anybody else, because they see me while still tired before the coffee kicks in. We laugh more than is probably productive, and squabble like siblings, but we can always rock through some busy Friday lunches. When we work together at Dorio, we try to eat a family breakfast. It had been a couple of weeks since our schedules worked out, allocating time for a solid breakfast, so this past Friday I got to work a half-hour early so we could go big:

Truffled, soft-scrambled eggs with gruyere, garlic and arugula, roasted potatoes, bacon and toast. The only problem was the big meal left at least me slightly drowsy, but that was nothing more coffee could not fix before the rush.

Nov 13th: I'm thankful for the fall and winter fruit season. Breakfast today was an Asian pear, half a pomegranate worth of ruby colored, tangy seeds and the best toast I've had in months.

Happy Birthday Nitiya!!!

2010-11-10T00:20:00.000-08:00

Bombay Sapphire Party, August 2010

Today I'm very thankful for my friend Nitiya. She's gorgeous, intelligent, and fun, and that's just the beginning.

I was very, very green when I first walked into the doors of Fratelli a little over three years ago... on multiple levels. It took me awhile to forgo my shyness and start melding with my new co-workers, but since Nit and I clicked, we've had way more fun than is healthy, and she quickly became one of my favorite people in Portland.

Photo Booth with Alexis, May 2009

She calls me Ern. She is one of the best listeners I know. I can tell her anything without being judged for it, and for that she knows more of the scandalous details of my life than anybody. We have spent countless times at Touche, sipping gin and tonics, blabbing away life's stories, laughing loud, and prattling on. She has consoled me through the good, the bad, and the ugly with wisdom and objectivity. When I'm sad, she's a solid rock that lifts me up and keeps me going.... She is a huge nerd like me. We have our own separate, unique areas of interests but we do share a mutual love for food and drink. I don't think there is anybody whose affection for all of the following things is on par with or greater than my own: Valpolicella, foie gras, manhattans, PBR/High Life, pho, cephalopods, chicken liver mousse, duck... duck... pork!, anything Paul Klitsie cooks... et cetera. She introduced me to dim sum, and got me to try my first chicken feet. When I really, really need to dance, she can usually be persuaded. We look goooood in dresses and heels. She is somebody I can rock out to the Spice Girls with. We'd get our dance on pre-crew chow, to the rolling eyes of the kitchen staff. She gets all the Disney references. I fell asleep on her couch watching The Jungle Book once. I have a lion sticker on my phone that Nitiya gave me. It makes me smile. She is better at crossword puzzles than I am, but will still let me play. She has firecracker wit. She has a bigger aversion to milk than anybody else I know, but will still makes a mean tatte (yes, Tatte) when the occasion arrives. I miss B-Dubbing for her... a lot. She let me be her date to Chino and Katie's wedding even though she could have taken a very sexy man. She also has fabulous taste in people. We heart many of the same. Her opinion can make or break a fellow's potential in my life. It's a proven fact.

I'm pretty sure her only flaw is not liking Billy Joel, but I can forgive her for that... I love her too much.

Nitiya, Alexis and I at Chino and Katie's wedding, August '09

Halloween 2010

Mmm

2010-11-09T10:08:00.000-08:00

Nov 8th: I am thankful that I woke up early today. Weird, huh? It gave me sufficient time to walk to the Pearl for coffee and blue cornmeal pancakes before work. It was a crisp, fall morning, and I woke up on the walk to Brett Dennen and Billy Joel.

I am not so thankful for Daylight Savings Time. Dark at 5... ugh.

Nov 9th: Today I'm thankful for coffee. When I work, I begin many days with quad-shot nonfat cinnamon (the spice, not the sweet flavoring) lattes. Sometimes they also include honey. They get me through my doubles.

These are beet and goat cheese ravs that I made for fun at work Sunday evening. I tossed them in a sauce of roasted fennel, shallots, a little reduced veg stock, parm, mint and argula. I wish I would have played with plating more, but I was pretty hungry by the time I finished them. They were delicious, but pretty rich and sweet to sit down and eat the entire thing. I think a spicer sauce, or maybe something with meat would have been better. Braised beef and a little horseradish kept coming to mind... I'm trying to practice using mint as a savory herb more, but I didn't like it here as much. Maybe tarragon would have been better. Either way, it's always great to get to make some pasta... and to just experiment.

Sunday Mornings

2010-11-07T12:56:00.000-08:00

Today I'm thankful for Sunday mornings. Last year, I worked doubles every Sunday. I cooked brunch at one job and then went to SP for round two. Ever since Dorio became Dorio I've had a set morning schedule (Monday thru Friday!) so now I have the luxury of my cherished Sunday mornings.

Sunday mornings almost always mean sleeping in (generally waking up in my bed which I love.) There is also always, though the type and environment changes, an abundant amount of coffee consumed. Other than those two things, the day's activities vary from brunch or dim sum out with friends, cooking at home with the roommates, reading, gym time and grocery shopping, watching Seahawks football...

Today there is coffee and a rather large load of laundry to do. Then I should probably clean my room because it is a disaster. love doing laundry, but getting clothes put away is a neverending struggle for me.

Thankful

2010-11-06T14:33:00.000-07:00

Nov 1st: I am thankful for taxis. They get me where I need to be.... or want to be. They are safe.

Nov 2nd: I'm grateful for my gym membership. I'm not as good about going as when I first joined, but I still feel good. I love leaving sweaty, pumped, and ready to take over the world.

Nov 3rd: I deposited a two-week old paycheck. Sooooooooo thankful and proud of myself that I am financially secure.

Nov 4th: My mouth is thankful for beets, and I am happy that I have a job where I can learn and people who are willing to teach.

Nov 5th: I am thankful for a new friend in Kyley,and my Southpark brothers.... who could collectively, perhaps individually, destroy any man I wanted.

Nov 6th: Today I am thankful for autumn... and to live in Portland.

Hello, Lover!

2010-10-23T14:18:00.000-07:00

Rather, hello autumn!

Summer was an emotional winter. Bleak. Grey. Colder than normal. Hopeful, but waiting for life to spring forth. Don't get me wrong; it certainly had its happy moments. There were a few weeks of heat and sundresses, lots of flip-flop wearing, well-pedicured toes, glasses of white wine, flirting on patios and porches, BBQing on the balcony, and my friends are truly wonderful and kept me smiling on a daily basis

Faby and I post Indulge 2010

If summer was winter, fall is spring. I do not know what hit me in September. Closure? Confidence? Peace? Work was going well. I just felt good. And it was an independent, self-reliant, joy. Every hot-second romantic possibility fizzled and faded, but I still could not hold back my smiles. I worked hard to play hard, and we got a bit of a late summer.

October rolled around, and now it finally feels like fall. It's dark and gloomy; the air is damp and the the early morning chill pierces my skin on my walks to work. Still, I'm quite content. Portland in autumn suits me well. Fall foliage lines the roads. Colorful scarves wrapped loose around the neck and boots covering my toes keep me warm and feeling cuddly. Magical hot toddys, the return of pumpkins, and an occasional self-indulgant beautiful bouquet are other treats...

One perk to October is that my lovely roommate, Faby, has left our night time job to work full-time at Dorio. I'm super excited for this career opportunity for her, and equally overjoyed that I'll have somebody to cook for on my nights off from time to time. I've written about how I hate cooking for one. It leads to me going out a lot, which don't get me wrong certainly can be fun and delicious... but it gets expensive, and truthfully, I miss cooking for friends and family. This solo meal of roasted duck from Fenouil last week had me walking home on clouds, with a permagrin, okay being alone, but kind of wanting to be kissed and touched...... It was that fabulous.

Not too shabby. I had this past Monday night off. It was cold, and cold makes me want to braise things. I melded over ideas of stews, chili,and beef and pork all day. I finally set myself on braised pork with pappardelle, crimini mushrooms and currants. This dish is inspired by something Fratelli once had on the menu, and I've played around with it and done it a few different ways, but I think this was my best effort yet. I braised pork shoulder for a few hours in chicken stock and water with onion, garlic, rosemary, and a few arbol chilis. I added the mushrooms and currants towards the end. Tangy, wilted chard that I cooked down in champagne vinegar and tossed in at the end really set it off. It was warm and balanced, but the best part was having Faby home to share it with her. We drank wine, ate happily, and discussed the many things two twenty-something girlfriends have to blab about.

My Sister Left Me... So I Baked Her a Cake

2010-09-09T21:14:00.000-07:00

When I baked my first cake from scratch in culinary school over two years ago, there was intrigue, and my darling sister wanted me to bake her a carrot cake. When I made a carrot cake for a man I then barely knew a year ago, there was jealous outrage, but my sister still wanted me to bake her a carrot cake. Countless times in between my sister has reminded me that she wanted a carrot cake. When my sister planned her final visit to Portland before embarking on the trip of a lifetime, there was some planning, and I knew I had to bake her a carrot cake... not to mention give her the ultimate Portland trip.

Saturday morning I grated the carrots, creamed the batter, and plopped the baby in the oven. It was the perfect day to bake, a little grey out, and not too hot, inviting the comfort of spices and heat. Unfortunately our gas oven decided to malfunction that day. My apartment manager came inquiring to the door that he could smell gas outside. He took a look at the oven, told me I could finish what I was doing, and applauded me for baking, unaware that it was no foreign task, but suggested I open a window, and I continued... determined to give Holly her cake. Whether by coincidence or from the gas, I became a little nauseated during the hour the cake took to bake, but I perservered, and the cake came out marveously.

I worked Saturday night. The plan was to have Holly meet me there after close, and then go salsa dancing in Beaverton with some of my Mexican co-workers. I was anxious to see her the whole shift. We have not lived together in years, and we didn't get along as well during childhood and adolesence, but today she is my favorite person and my best friend. I miss her constantly, and she's only a couple hours north in Tacoma. Holly has acquired a love for salsa dancing, and cumbia, and apparantly it is hard to come by in Brussels, so I was hoping to give her a taste of something she loved before she relocates.

Salsa dancing was unreal. The club was unlike anywhere I had ever been, and Holly and I were two of very few gringas there. I thought I was a pretty good dancer, but it turns out no matter who tried to show me how to properly step to cumbia, I couldn't keep up. My smile was plastered on; I had so much fun. I danced all night long, but no matter how hard I tried I was left sweaty, and exhausted, but unable to dance cumbia. "Don't worry!" Holly told me, "It took me a month!" She now fits right in. I watched her at ease and natural, and tried my best. Merengue, with its hip-focused moves, came a bit easer to me... a bit. At one point Holly, my roommate Faby and I escaped the heat of the club for a quick taco break at an outside taco truck. We shared tacos of lengua, carnitas and asada. They pulled drinks at the normal time, but the dancing continued. We got home around 4AM.

The next morning I got out of bed a little before Holly. I started the coffee, and pulled the carrot cake out of the fridge, cutting off pieces for Holly, Faby and I so they could come up to room temp. I don't know how many cups of coffee I've shared with my sister. It's one of my favorite things to do with her. Chit chat and coffee. She loved her cake, rejoiced in the coconut. It put smiles on all of us and sustained our appetites until we reached our lunchtime destination of the Oregon Flea Market.

The Oregon Flea Market is deep in SE. This was my first trip there, and it was definitely the best Mexican food I've ever had in Portland. Even Faby and Holly were content. I started with a giant fruit come of mango and coconut, sprinkled with chili and lime. At lunch I had cecina which was served with rice, beans, and handmade tortillas. Holly also let me try her milanesa, a mouth-watering, lightly-floured, thinly-sliced beef. We also had delicious, smoky salsa at hand and a side of cilantro and onions came at request. I washed all of that down with a large cup of horchata. We all left full and satisifed. I'll be going back.

I worked again that night, but Holly came and anctually dined at the restaurant. She had a lot of food that weekend! Labor day included more cake, our staff employee BBQ for lunch, followed by an Imperial IPA festival (I love Portland), and last, but not least, in the epic food weekend with my sister, a group trip to Pho Oregon, for some noodle slurping and spicy broth sipping.

When we got back to my place, I brewed a fresh pot of coffee to give my sister a pick-me-up before she hit the road, and packed up the remainder of the cake. I didn't think I would cry saying goodbye, and I almost made it... Almost... until we reached the back exit of my building and I realized:

"The next year of my life will be spent apart from my sister." The next time I'll see her I'll be in Brussels. Visiting her.

Carrot Cake:

2 1/2 C grated carrots
1 C walnuts

2 C AP flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp cardamom

2 tsp vanilla

4 eggs

1 1/2 c sugar

1 cup oil

1/2 c crushed pineapple

one handful shredded coconut, plus more for masking cake

Bake at 350. I torted the cake and filled with cream cheese and apricot Jam. Classic cream cheese frosting. Masked with coconut... Holly loves coconut!

Solo Dolce

2010-09-01T20:28:00.000-07:00

The joy of cooking for one? Not my thing. I'd rather cook for two or more any day. Rarely can I muster the drive and ambition to stop and cook a meal when it's just me. It's just not worth it. I think it would be different if I was home more. I used to love cooking large pots of soup, or pasta dishes to feed me for a week, but now that I'm at a restaurant cooking for or serving others sixty hours a week, my leftovers go bad before I can get to them.

Desserts for one? As bad as I am lately at cooking for myself, I am worse at taking time into making something sweet just for me. Baked goods are meant to be shared, and bars of chocolate are too convenient. However tonight I found myself sans company, craving something sweet, and with a little time to spare. Thus... this happened.

Peach crisp for one. One peach, a little brown sugar a lot of cinnamon and a smidge of cardamom. Topped with a generous streusel topping (This girl loves her streusel) of flour, butter, and yet more cinnamon. Prep time about three minutes. Baked in a buttered four inch round springform til the crust was golden.

Topped with vanilla bean ice cream. Enjoyed on the balcony at dusk by one happy, albeit indulgent woman with a hot americano.

Not too shabby.

Porkerdoodles

2009-05-23T16:08:00.001-07:00

Ah... the things that come to you while you're stuck over the stove making a large batch of roux. Your thoughts wander and suddenly, you're making bacon cookies. This is so very Portland. I think anywhere else people might be shocked by such an idea, but here people don't even raise an eyebrow, and if they do, it's because of their excitement and eagerness to put it in their mouths. Portlanders love their pork.

I adapted my snickerdoodle recipe, and when I say mine, I mean the one I've grown up using all my life at my Dad and Vicki's which is from Betty Crocker's cookie book (with the one substitution of using koser salt instead of iodized... for obvious reasons.) That recipe itself is perfect. For these mouthfuls of bacony, mapley heaven, I subbed some of the butter with bacon fat... mmm... and nixed white sugar in lieu of brown sugar and maple syrup... real, genuine, from maple trees maple syrup, mind you. Don't F it up with anything less than the genuine. The maple syrup made the dough more moist, so I couldn't roll this into balls and dip in sugar or anything as with traditional snickerdoodles, and the end result was a drop cookie method glazed with maple.... but they are still rather delicious. ;) I wish I had pictures.

Porkerdoodles
yields about 4 dozen cookies , 400 degree oven

3/4 cup butter, unsalted
4 strips of thick cut bacon (I used Fletcher's), julienned (Which will be rendered into 1/3 cup of bacon fat.)
1 1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup maple syrup, plus some for glazing
2 eggs
2 3/4 cups AP flour
2 tsp cream of tarter
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp kosher salt

Method: Over medium-low heat, render the bacon fat from the julienned bacon. It should yield about 1/3 of fat. If not... start with extra bacon. The bacon should be mostly cooked, but not crispy. It will continue to cook in the oven, so it's crucial not to overdue it from the start. Allow the bacon fat to cool to a semi-solid state at room temperature. Cream the bacon fat, butter, brown sugar and maple syrup. Add the eggs. Mix the dry ingredients together and incorporate into the creamed ingredients. Scoop the cookies onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Press a few bacon strips onto the top of each cookie.

Bake in a 400 degree oven for about 10 minutes. Remove. Allow to slightly cool and then using a pastry brush, brush on maple syrup to lightly glaze. Allow the cookies to cool on a rack.

The cookies are best the day of as you're probably going to want to refrigerate them if not eaten that day. If you do refrigerate them, for the love of God, please make sure you bring them up to room temp before eating them.

Pumpkin Coffee Cake

2009-01-30T12:49:00.001-08:00

This blog makes it look like I'm in a flavor rut. I do love pumpkin spice anything. I can't help it. It's an "it's fricken cold outside and I want something cozy!" thing.

Cake:
2 c AP flour
1 c sugar (the first time I made it I used white, but added a 1/4 c of maple syrup, the second time around I used brown)... I think I preferred the sweetness the first time.
1/2 c pumpkin puree
1/2 c sweetened flake coconut
1 T baking powder
1 tsp kosher salt
6 T butter
1 cup milk
1 egg
1 T cinnamon
1 tsp cardamom
1/2 tsp ginger

Streusel:
1 cup oats
1 cup flour
1 c chopped pecans
1 T cinnamon
1/2 c brown sugar
1 stick (8T) butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x9x2 in pan.

Creaming method for cake: Cream butter and sugar. Combine flour, baking powder and kosher salt. Add flour mixture to creaming mixture, alternating with egg and milk. Add pumpkin, coconut and spices.

Combine all streusel ingredients with fingers until crumbly.

Put half of cake batter into pan. Layer with about a third of streusel. Add the rest of the cake and top with the remainder of the streusel. Bake for about 55-65 minutes depending on preference. At 55 minutes, the cake comes out slightly gooey and almost pumpkin pie like... yum.

Serve with your favorite coffee. :)

Pumpkin Chai White Chocolate Cheesecake

2008-12-08T15:28:00.000-08:00

That's a mouthful, but it's one you want in your mouth.

I first made this cheesecake for a friend's birthday. However, when I informed my sister of it she DEMANDED I bring her some, so I made another for Turkey day.

The pumpkin and chai came from my fall giddiness. The white chocolate came from having some leftover chocolate in my baking cupboard. You don't necessarily taste white chocolate (because white chocolate is pretty lame in the taste factor), but it does balance nicely. The crust is a graham cracker pecan crust which I seasoned with nutmeg. The pecans are definitely key.

Cheesecake base

24 oz, cream cheese (3 8 0z containers)

1 C sugar

2 T AP flour

3 eggs

Pumpkin chai filling:

1 cup(ish) pumpkin puree

2 oz heavy whipping cream

2 bags black tea

cardamom

clove

ginger

cinnamon

nutmeg

kosher salt

White chocolate: 3 oz white chocolate

Crust: approximate amounts...

1 3/4 c graham, crushed

1/2 c pecans toasted

3/4 cup butter

nutmeg

Steep the black tea in the heavy cream with spices. Cardamom should be the dominant spice because it is what gives it that signature chai flavor. Strain in a fine sieve. Add pumpkin and infused cream to a little more than half of the cheesecake mixture with a pinch of kosher salt. Adjust spices to taste.

Melt 3 0z white chocolate in double boiler and add to remaining cheesecake mixture.

You can either swirl the two mixtures together, or layer them. Both work out well. Bake in a 325 degree oven for 30-40 minutes until the cake is set.

Fettucini alla Puttanesca with Braised Pork Shoulder

2008-05-25T21:40:00.000-07:00

Dinner tonight was everything I wanted for an overcast day. Savory. In your face flavor. Major comfort food. I am still camera-less, so I have no photos to share with you, but it was also beautiful.

The name puttanesca actually comes from the Italian word for whore, puttana. It is thought of as "sauce a whore would make." (For those of you who are S&TC fans, it's the dish Charlotte chose to serve at Miranda's baby shower.) It is a modern dish, not appearing until the mid twentieth century. It is thought to have stemmed from the fact that Italian whores were not allowed to go to the markets as frequently as other women and had to make food from ingredients that would be on hand. It is a tomato based sauce that also includes capers, olives, anchovy, garlic, and dried peppers.

It does not usually contain pork or other meat outside of fish, but what can I say, I was craving some braised meat (Hello, comfort food!), and the flavors certainly compliment. I also, for once, omitted the spice tonight, and left out the dried pepper. But perhaps tomorrow I will add it to the leftovers, because it is quite nice with the heat.

Braising is one of my favorite cooking methods. You can take inexpensive, tough cuts of meat, and turn them into delicious tender, melt in your mouth bites of yum. Pot roasts, beef stew, lamb shanks, dark poultry, whatever. To braise meat you first brown the meat on both sides. Then you typically sweat aromatic vegetables and spices. (onions, shallots, carrots, celery, garlic, et cetera). Deglaze with a liquid of some sort (wine, stock, vinegar, juice) by adding a small amount so that the sediment from the bottom of the pan is removed. Then you add the rest of the liquid that will be the basis of your sauce. (generally stock, demi-glace, which is half brown sauce and half stock, but it could be almost anything.) You can also add additional vegetables, herbs and spices. Return the meat to the pan. Cover baby up. Put it in the oven. (usually around 400). Cook until the meet is tender. Remove the meat. Add any other remaining ingredients to the sauce. If you need to thicken the sauce, you can gradually add a cold roux (half flour, half butter) while the liquid is hot. Season the sauce. Serve meat with the sauce.

To make the puttanesca I browned the pork. Then I sweat shallots, and when they were almost done, I added garlic to avoid burning. I deglazed with red wine. Mmm. Then to my pot I added one large can of diced tomotos and one large can of tomato sauce. Thyme. Basil. Oregano. Return pork to pot. Oven. When the meat was tender, I removed it, and added about 4 ounces of kalamata olives, maybe a few tablespoons of capers, a small squeeze of anchovy paste. (You don't need it to taste fishy. It's kind of like cesar. It should not be in your face anchovy.) More red wine. It did not need extra salt because capers, anchovies and olives are all quite salty. I shredded the pork and added it back to the sauce. Mmmmmm.

I served myself a big beautiful plate with Hodgson Mills Fettucini noodles, which are organic, full of fiber and have flax seed give you Omega 3s. Topped, of course with a bit of shaved Parmesan. I ate what I could, but it did not take much to fill me up. Now I have leftovers. Darn. :)

Normally I would have paired this meal with a spicy hearty red, but I was alone and am fighting a sore throat so I opted out. This recipe would also be delicious with beef. You could also omit the anchovy and meat and have it be vegetarian. (Not to mention cut the time way down because there would be no braising time.)

Photos!

2008-03-05T13:21:00.000-08:00

These are overdue, but here is what I've been up to lately! :)

Christmas Dinner: which included ham, multi-colored carrots, rainbow chard, butternut squash soup, beets and mashed potatoes!

Overdue

2008-02-01T16:38:00.000-08:00

It's been awhile since I've posted. I do have a legitimate excuse; my computer is not functioning. I hope to take care of that soon, but in the meantime, here are some of the things I have learned/done and will hopefully be writing/posting pictures of soon.

tamales
Chrismas dinner
all sort of things meat related in my meat and seafood class. My frenched rack of lamb was apparantly perfect, and my partner and I tied for first in the Burger Throw Down. We therw a thin apple slice on the burger, followed by bacon, and smoked cheddar cheese (which I smoked), grilled onions, and BBQ sauce. Yum.
Baguettes, batards and boules (various shapes of bread)... and more bread. Lots of bread!
Lots of chocolate work

I also need to write about my trip to Poland... I love the culinary aspect of traveling.

Peruvian Food

2007-11-07T13:10:00.000-08:00

I love Spanish and Latin American cultures. After studying Spanish for a bazillion years, I should speak a lot better than I do, but now my number one goal is just not to lose it. So now I am in Spanish club at school... where we pick a country, gather recipes, and cook that food once a month. There is some Spanish spoken (though not enough- I need to be more brave!), and we get to explore new foods from that country.

Lately I am all about exploring new foods. I believe being open-minded as a chef will be really important long term, and I need to know what is out there. So I've pushing aside my thoughts on certain foods and trying new things. Actually, new meats, mostly. In the last few weeks I have tried (for the first time ever) lamb, shark, and crawfish. I've also eaten duck which I'm sure I've had before, probably without knowing it. The thing is, I loved all of it, and my food horizons have expanded.

For Peruvian food I tried lots of new things. First there was ceviche, or cebiche as they would spell it in Peru. It is fish actually cooked by the enzymes of an acid such as lime juice. So it's not raw, but there was no heat applied. I loved it. It had tons of the flavors I enjoy. We served it with sweet potatoes and corn.Secondly, I tried yucca, both in a pastry form and fried with Huacaina. Huacaina was like the ultimate cheese sauce. I'm thinking it's a must at the next superbowl party. You can find recipes for it online. Just make sure you pronounce it Wah-caina, okay? The H is always silent in Spanish. ;) The pastries were also delicious.
Finally I also had grilled beef heart skewers. Before you judge me too much, almost all beef jerky is made out of the heart, so you know, you've probably eaten it too.

My contribution to the day was a Seafood Chowder or Chupe de Camarones :) It included shrimp and crawfish (thus me trying crawfish for the first time), and it was delicious! Obviously if you're not a seafood fan, you would not feel the same way, but I am... and it got rave reviews from the Chefs at school too. (Our teachers- they're all chefs.) Not that I can really get much credit for it since I just followed a recipe. It is a very traditional dish. You can definitely pick up on the Spanish influences in it too.

Chupe de Camarones
Shrimp, 1.5 lbs
crayfish, 1 lb
bay leaves, 2
water, 2 cups
olive oil, 1 oz
garlic, minced, 4 cloves
onion, diced, 6 oz
celery, diced, 4.5 oz
salt 1/2 tsp
pepper 1/2 tsp
cumin, 1/2 tsp
oregano, dried, 1/2 tsp
pepper flakes, 1/2 tsp
tomato puree, 12 oz
fish stock, 4 cups (I used shrimp base plus water instead and left the salt out of the recipe)
potatoes, peeled, medium dice (1/2 in), 1 lb
rice, 4 3/4 oz
corn, 1 cup
milk, whole, 2 cups
queso fresco, 8 oz

1. Peel and devein shrimp, reserving shells. Rinse shrimp and slice into two or three pieces. Peel and chop crayfish into shrimp sized pieces.
2.Boil shells with water and bay leaves for 10 minutes, strain broth and set aside.
3. Heat 1/2 oz oil in large pot over medium heat.
4. Saute onions, garlic, and celery for 1 or 2 minutes. Add seasonings, stirring until onions are wilted but not browned.
5. Add tomatoe puree, reserved stock, and fish stock. Bring to a boil.
6. Add rice and potatoes. Lower heat and simmer. If using fresh corn, add when potatoes are halfway done. If using frozen corn, add when potatoes are almost tender.
7. When potatoes are cooked, add milk and grated or crumbled cheese.
8. Heat remaining oil in sautee pan. Saute shrimp and crayfish for one minute, then add to chowder. Correct seasonings.I admit, I wasn't feeling the visual appeal of the dish, but it was pretty delicious, and I'd definitely recommend it for any seafood fans. :)

Some Like it Hot

2007-10-31T10:46:00.000-07:00

My dinner on Monday night was inspired by thai chili peppers from Tracy's garden. I originally planned on making pad thai, but decided to do something a bit different. I'm trying to try new things (both in cooking and just eating) and get out of my comfort zone. So I pulled together some different ingredients and ventured onward. It's similar to pad thai, but no peanut sauce, and I used coconut. The noodles are a lot drier without the sauce than pad thai, but there is so much flavor it works. You could add extra oils or sauces to taste. (I used soy. You could do peanut sauce to make it more pad thai. Sesame or even hoisin would also be good.)

Spicy Coconut Thai Noodles
1 lb thai rice noodles
8 thai chili peppers (I'd say this dish was like a 3 out of 4 stars.), finely chopped
1 cup shredded coconut
3 T shredded fresh ginger
6 green onions, chopped about an inch in length
10 snow peas, cut into thirds
2 c chopped broccoli, steamed
Mine needed more vegetables. I meant to have a red bell pepper, but somehow I ended up with none, so it was lacking in the extra color. I also wish I had carrots on hand. Additional would also be good... pineapple? Yum. Soy sauce to taste- A fair amount is needed since this is the only sauce in the dish, but not too much because you should be tasting all the other ingredients.
Cilantro

Saute all the vegetables (peppers included) and the coconut minus the broccoli in canola or vegetable oil about 1 T. Meanwhile, cook noodles as directed. Usually you boil water. Turn the burner off, then add the noodles for a few minutes. Then you rinse them in cold water. When the coconut is toasted and the vegetables are tender, add the noodles with a bit more oil to slightly fry them. Top with cilantro to preference and enjoy. I love cilantro; some people don't. I think the flavor combo of the chili pepper, ginger, coconut and cilantro is amazing.See- it needed more color! Still tasted good though. :) Next time I'm definitely getting some red peppers!

8 cosas en la cocina

2007-10-29T22:56:00.000-07:00

I was tagged by my friend Autumn to play this game. It's kind of fun!

1. My little basket of fruit. It came from my mom. She bought it when I was in the fourth grade at a prune festival in California. I always loved it.2. Coffee stand- self explanatory but I could not survive without it.
3. Roses from Jamie- a new one and an old one from our first anniversary. The new one came in its own tube of water, so they can be together.
4. Mushroom Powder: A funny gift Jamie's mom gave me to help sneak mushrooms into food knowing that I hate them. She thought it might help me overcome cooking with them. :) I haven't been brave enough to try yet.
5. Seahawks plasticwear- for the true Seahawks fan.
6. My coffee clock. I embrace my addictions.7. My Mexican Food sign. I love it.... the food and the sign. :)
8. A bread bowl my family had forever. It says bread in different languages, and I forbid my stepdad from ever giving it away to anybody but me, so he gave it to me when I graduated for my new apartment.

A Little Color

2007-10-27T14:34:00.000-07:00

My last two entries have lacked photos.

First off, a little potato discussion. Potatoes originate in South America, and there are thousands of different kinds of potatoes, but due to industrialization, we have a very limited selection of those types. Now in Farmers' Markets and some grocery stores you can find a mix of those rare types they call Rainbow Potatoes. I definitely just expected color on the outside, but they are colored so vividly on the inside too! I figured the red ones were your standard red potato, but inside they are almost fuchsia. How pretty. :) The dark at first struck me as black, but up close they are more of a deep deep purple.

Now to the tale of the gingerbread house for dessert club. Mine is still a work in progress, but it is looking better than its beginning. To start with, I overcooked my windows so the ones that had a stained glass effect turned into one solid color. I also had the parts of the house wrong, so although I intended for a skylight to go onto my roof, I ended up with three of them. I even made one of my sides backwards... so it is pretty much safe to say I'm no gingerbread house expert. I was able to cover it up with fondant though and still have fun with it. I have three more sides to go, and will probably make another house or two next week. Hopefully those turn out better!

And just because I loved my walk home.

French Onion Soup

2007-10-27T08:12:00.000-07:00

I love French Onion Soup when it is done right. About a year and a half ago it was something I craved all the time. My cravings when I have them, usually last a couple of months, and I can't get enough of them during that time. Hmm, maybe that explains the weight gain of a year and a half ago too? Other things I have had strong cravings for over the past year or so are sushi and salsa- not together. I justget on a kick, and then I can't get off of it. The only thing I constantly crave is Mexican food. I always will. It's just... mmm.

I have tried making French Onion Soup a couple of times before, but wasn't completely satisfied with the flavors.... good, but not just right. I tried again last night, and I think I hit it on the button. It is really easy to make too, you just have to be patient. :) And, would you believe I forgot to take a picture?

Ingredients (for about four servings)
3 lbs of yellow onions (sweets are probably better, but this is what I had.) I used the small ones, and cut them into 1/8 in strips- or julienne! ;)
1 stick of butter- yeah I know, but that's a lot of onions to saute down and I don't care, butter is the best
1/2 cup cooking sherry
5 sprigs or so of fresh thyme
2 tsp dried rosemary, chopped
6 cups of water with beef base added to it. Stock would also be good. I try to avoid boullion. It's too salty.
salt and garlic to taste

Topping
Gruyere Cheese, about 6 ounces Gruyere, a type of swiss to me is perfection with this soup. You can substitute if you wish.
A hearty rosemary bread, toasted on both sides You could definitely use another crusty bread.

First you saute your onions down in the butter slowly. You want them to caramelize and be nicely browned, but they shouldn't be burnt looking whatsover. I did not once turn my pot above medium, and it took about an hour to obtain the results I wanted. Again, the only hard part about this recipe is being patient. The rest is easy. I think this is where I messed up before.

Then you add your water and beef base, or stock if you choose. Add the thyme sprigs whole, chopped dried rosemary, and salt and garlic if you choose. Allow to heat throughly so the flavors absorb. Remove the thyme.

Then ladle your soup into oven safe bowls. Add a slice of toast to each, and then an even amount of cheese to each soup. Broil until the cheese is bubbly, and then enjoy!

Jamie and I were really happy to have a warm bowl of goodness with all the cold weather lately. It's such a filling soup too. And the cheese, bread, onion combo is fantastic.

Today I am off to bread club at school!

Culinary School Update and a Lesson in Nutrition

2007-10-25T13:05:00.001-07:00

Wow. I haven't written in awhile. I need to do some creative cooking. It's hard when I only have a few nights a week off, and it seems those have even been busy lately. Eating out, at friends, et cetera...

In the school realm, I got an A in my first class, and am on to nutrition. Getting an A is not so hard if you're willing to put in the work for it. It just takes passion and practice. The grading scale is pretty steep (95 or above is an A, 88-94.9 is a B, 75-87.9 is a C, and it just goes down from there.) Instead of writing tons as in college, I practiced cutting. I would be willing to guess I butchered at least 100 potatoes learning how to make good large dice and sufficient chateaus. Chateaus are seven-sided football shaped cuts about 2 1/2 in in length. They are a large tourne if you are familiar with that expression at all. Mine still need practice, but I did well enough. The potatoes were definitely the hard part. I also struggled with chiffonade (turning greens into grass like clippings) because the as we learned in class you have to be quick or your spinach would turn into mush. Slow cutting allows for too much moisture to be realized from the spinach. And cutting super fast is beyond me. I bought a pound of spinach to practice with the night before I had to be signed off, and a trick occurred to me on the way home. Instead of doing the whole thing in its entirety at a super quick speed, as long as I make each individual cut quickly, it works. I do a quick cut, reposition for the next cut, and another quick cut. Voila! I was signed off and he told me it was very good. :)

Anyway, that class ended well, sanitation was also easy, and now I am taking nutrition. I have to say, I am fascinated by nutrition. I like learning anything that can make me healthier, and with science, we are learning so much more about nutrition as time goes on. So far we have studied basic needs, and vegetarianism, and we have also covered in great detail- fiber.

Some things I have learned: (Sorry for the health lesson, but it does interest me)
Calories and daily needs. Every gram of carbohydrate or protein equals 4 calories. Every gram of fat is 9 calories, and every gram of alcohol is 7. (High considering that gram of alcohol provides no nutrients!) They are the only things we eat that we absorb calories from. (sugar falls under carbs, just in case you missed that.) We should get 50-60% of our daily calories from carbs, 10-15% from protein, and less than 30% from fat.

Fiber: Is important, and we should eat 20-35 g a day, but most Americans only get 10 grams a day. Fiber is only found in plant sources, and since many Americans eat too much other stuff, they get insufficient amount of fiber. Fiber is the richest in whole foods. The apple with the peel for instance is a good source, or brown rice which has way more substance to it over its sad and pathetic white rice counterpart. Seriously, don't eat white rice. Think unprocessed. Most people associate fiber with cleaning you out, which is true, but it doesn't just push things through. Soluble fiber absorbs water to help you feel full, which is why fiber rich foods leave you feeling satisfied for longer. Fiber also helps to absorb fats and cholesterol and take them out of your body. So if you get sufficient fiber on a regular basis, you should have lower cholesterol. Otherwise they would be left clogging your system. And much to popular belief too much fiber can actually cause constipation. If you are currently only eating ten grams of fiber like the average American, the chances are your insides are weak. (like any other muscle they too can atrophy without exercise) If you decide to jump to thirty grams tomorrow, you will have a difficult time. The best thing to do is increase slowly.

Vegetarianism: Can definitely be a good thing. There is good evidence to show a lower risk of heart disease and obesity, especially in vegans because animal products are the highest in fat. Vegetarians all know alternative sources of protein, but that does not mean they are getting enough protein, nor all of the necessary amino acids found in different types of protein. (To figure out the amount of protein you need divide your weight in pounds by 2.2 to convert it to kg. Then multiply that by .8 to equal the grams of protein you need.) Meat and quinoa* are the only two things of that contain complete amino acids. However, by pairing foods together, such as rice and beans which both contain some, you can get all of the amino acids necessary. *Quinoa for those of you who don't know is a pseudo grain that is delicious as a salad base, and can be substituted for rice in many dishes. It has its roots in South America, and quite frankly, I think everybody should learn to love it. :)

New Meaning to Slicing and Dicing

2007-10-05T16:10:00.000-07:00

My first complete week of school is over. On Wednesday at school, we received our knife kits. That was definitely like Christmas. We recieved a HUGE kit (the size of a small suitcase) full of miscellaneous tools, not just knives. The knives themselves are Messermeister, a great brand, and beautiful. I'm sort of afraid to damage them, but they are so fun to cut with... though very sharp! I On the second day of working with the knives I gave myself two paper thin cuts by just barely grazing my finger against one.

Class: I have been chopping things up for most of my life. I sort of figured I knew how to do the basics. I knew I needed to work on consistancy though. I "diced" things" but they were sometimes various shapes, though generally close to the same size. I would also cut what I thought was julienne strips of carrots, peppers, et cetera, and while those were generally fairly uniform, I found out this week I was not at all doing things right.

Starting with a "dice": A technical culinary dice is actually a cube. There are three sizes, S-L. A small is a 1/4 in cube, medium is a 1/2 in cube and large is a 3/4 inch... cube... with perfect six sides all the same size and four corners.

Then there's the Julienne... which I thought was a thin strip. However, it's not just a thin strip. In my school's case (there is a shorter version accepted by the ACF), it is a 1/8 inch by 1/8 in by 2 1/2 in strip. The ends look 1/8 in squares. You can then cut that into the "brunoise" which is a 1/8 in cube. Check out my tiny julienne and brunoise. :)

Now obviously, in the case of your vegetables like bell peppers and onions, you're not going to get the square ends on julienne, or the square shaped dice. It's just important that the length and width are the right dimensions. But with more solid vegetables like carrots and potatoes, it definitely works, but it's not easy. Some cuts are easier than others. So far I have been signed off on the julienne carrot, brunoise carrot, med dice potato, small dice potato, julienne green pepper, julienne onion, and medium dice onion. I have also learned the proper way to zest citrus... which is definitely really easy once shown the method.

I have other cuts I still need to be signed off on that I have not devoted time into during class or that I have tried and just need more practice. Basically we have to be signed off as proficient on 17 all-together in another week and a half. I'll write more on those later...

Clubs: We have fun clubs! Catering Club, Bread Club, Dessert Club, Farm to Table Club and Spanish Club are all ones that I want to join. I'm not sure if I'll have time for all of them because a lot of them have lots of activities going on.

So far, I have been to the Dessert Club and Catering Club. The Catering one was just for a meeting, planning events coming up. For Dessert Club we are working on building gingerbread villages to be showcased at the Pioneer Square mall in downtown Portland in December. My first day, I played with fondant and made a little Christmas tree and penguins. I'm not the greatest artist, but it was still pretty fun!The second day, I started a gingerbread house complete with glass windows made out of melted candy... We are going to be learning how to make our own candy for the village and doing a lot more houses and fondant pieces to go with it. I'll report progress on the way.

P.S. I have to iron my uniform for school everyday. My apartment is so small; look at my poor kitchen with a counter top ironing board. haha

Pumpkin Crisp

2007-10-03T06:15:00.000-07:00

The other day I was craving a hamburger. At our old house, this was never a problem. When we moved into our teeny tiny apartment with a small balcony, we opted to leave our grill in the hands of a friend. Now I'm down with the George Foreman in some occasions, but not so much with burgers. I like them to have that extra grill flavor! So to fix my craving (My cravings always have to be fixed... or I get a bit crazy, seriously.) J and I opted to go to the Market St. McMennamins. It turned out to be a pretty good deal. They have a $3.50 hamburger and fries happy hour special. You just can't beat that. Craving fixed.

Also on the seasonal menu was a Pumpkin Crisp.... "Ooh," I thought, "That sounds yummy." I tried to order it, but much to my dismay they had yet to start serving the brand-new idem. Sad. I could just taste the pumpkiny goodness and I was definitely hankering to try pumpkin crisp.

Jamie and I left the pub and went directly to the grocery store, conveniently located two city blocks away from the restaurant. I picked up some essentials my new place was still lacking: flour and brown sugar, and some things I intended to use for the crisp: a large can of pumpkin and oats.

I had never made a pumpkin crisp before, and I didn't bother to look up a recipe, so it was kind of a fun experiment. Luckily one that worked out well! I have made pumpkin pies before so I have an idea of how I like the spices... spicy! I also used dark brown sugar for extra oomph. For this I knew that I didn't want it to be as smooth as a pumpkin pie, but have some serious density to it, so I used only one can of evaporated milk. I also put in some oats for more fill. For the crust- again, I have a basic enough concept of making crusts like these... so I made up a recipe... I wanted crunch in my crisp! I added cinnamon to that too for more spice. There is a reason, after all "pumpkin spice" blah blah blah is so popular.

Pumpkin Filling:
1 large can of pumpkin (28 oz)
1 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup of oats
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground clove
1/2 tsp ginger
4 eggs
1 can of sweetened condensed milk

Crisp Crust
2 cups oats
1 cup AP flour
1/2 c brown sugar
1 stick butter
1/4 c water
1 tsp cinnamon

The recipe is simple to make. Blend the filling. Crumble the crust on top. Bake on 350 for about an hour, until the filling comes out clean with a knife. :) Cool for at least an hour and a half before eating for best results. We served ours kind of warm with a bit of ice cream, and it was pretty delicious.

Culinary School, Day One

2007-10-01T22:49:00.000-07:00

My alarm clock went off at five. After a month of having the luxury of sleeping in (generally until 9 or 10! wow!!!), I rubbed my eyes and slowly made my way to the kitchen for... what else? A homemade quad shot latte with a splash of hazelnut. I knew I would need it to keep me going. Coffee in hand, I pulled together a bowl of the Kashi cereal I love, and ate breakfast, exhausted but eager.

Then I began to dress. For school we wear a complete chefs uniform. Chef's jacket, a cravat (chef's tie), a commis hat (for apprentices), and checkered pants. Then there's the steel toed (yes, steel toed!) shoes. They don't want knives running a muck into your toes, I suppose. When in kitchen classes we also have to wear a white apron and two side towels.

I admit a huge sense of pride and childlike enthusiasm getting dressed today. It's pretty cool. I'm not a chef yet, but I feel like I'm on the right path.

I am doing the Associates of Occupational Studies- Culinary Arts Program at WCI. That means students earn a degree and their our Gen Ed courses. Luckily for me since I already have a BA, I should be able to skip a lot of those. So I get to start off with culinary classes. Next on the agenda is Nutrition, that is normally scheduled with a class I shouldn't have to take, so I should get some free time. (Study time- nutrition fascinates me, and I want to do well with that!)

For the first three weeks I'm taking Introduction to Culinary Skills I and Sanitation. The Sanitation portion is pretty self-explanatory. Culinary Skills I will entail lots of cutting and learning to be precise with knives. We get our chef kits (knives included) on Wednesday, which I am very excited about!

Pizza.... Mmmm

2007-09-28T10:24:00.000-07:00

Jamie and I both had last night off. With my current job situation, that only happens three days a week. I relished the opportunity to cook for the two of us, and decided to try something I have not done before. Homemade pizza... from the crust up.

For me, the crust was the fun part. I have not touched yeast since my junior maybe sophomore year of high school when I took a cooking class. My mission was a semolina pizza dough. I followed this recipe, except I used only semolina flour and substituted all the white flour with semolina as well. It's healthier for you! I enjoyed the experience. The dough was extremely sticky, and a bit hard to work with, so while I intended to hand knead it, I ended up popping it into the Kitchen Aid for it to do its magic. Getting it from the Kitchen Aid (still sticky) to a bowl to sit and rise in was interesting enough. I was really proud to see the progress go from this to this. "Yay, I did it!" "Come see, Jamie, come see!"

Mission Accomplished. At this point the dough was much easier to use, but I pulled out some anti-stick white flour for backup. I divided the dough in two, stretched the first out, gave it fun edges, and turned that one into a Margharita pizza with sauce, fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, basil, oregano, and garlic. The second one became spicier with jalapeños, green onions and a Mexican blend of cheeses, still all on red sauce.

The pizza was so delicious. Jamie was happy to learn his girlfriend could add completely homemade pizza to her repertoire. I was very pleased with the flavor and texture of the pizza crust. I had a bit extra dough, so I turned that into a breadstick with rosemary and cheeses. Yum.

We ate our pizza on our new couch that arrived that morning. Hooray. Here's a picture of Puddy, my Persian attention lover, cozying up. :)

Sacrebleu!

2007-09-27T11:30:00.000-07:00

Even the French are turning to pre-made cuisine in their restaurants. Being that I am about to attend a culinary school that teaches French methods, I found this article to be very interesting.

Carne con salsa de chiles?

2007-09-24T15:59:00.000-07:00

Meat with chili sauce. I am not really sure what you would call this dish, but I'm sure it has some other Spanish or TexMex name.... similar to Chili Colorado I suppose. I was actually inspired by a recipe called Carne Adovada from Sunset Magazine. That one sounds delicious too, but I went in a different direction.

I made this recipe for Jamie and Aunt Tracy, a couple of days before she left on an excursion to Nepal. It's probably a safe bet that she won't be eating flavors like these for the next month! Tracy conveniently brought a bottle of red Argentinian wine that accompanied the dish very well. The meal was delicious, tender beef smothered in red chili sauce and folded into small corn tortillas. I served it with a brown rice medley to which I added a can of chopped tomatoes and chilies, and some green beans for a serving veggies- it's always good to eat tasty and healthy. We added the sauce to our rice, and some of us to our green beans too! We followed it with warm lava cake, jazzed up with about a quarter cup of amaretto and topped with vanilla ice cream. Darby joined us for dessert, and it was a lovely evening of food and good conversation. We also snuck in an episode of The Office. :)

I made the beef and sauce similar to how I would make a classic beef stew, which is another fav of mine. I started with stew meat and onions, added broth and spices, and thickened it like I thicken my stew: good ol' cornstarch. I skipped the vegetables, but added lots of flavor with these babies:

Dried red peppers. The process of using them made the dish a bit more exciting and fun to create, but also more messy. First, I tore off the ends and shook off any of the really loose seeds. I soaked them for awhile, and then blended them up with about half the water I soaked them in.
Isn't it pretty? Alright not so much; it's a messy job. It did however produce a very useful chili paste. I added that to my stew starter with some spices, onion and garlic and ¡Que bonísima comida!

Carne con salsa de chiles:2 pounds of beef, chopped for stew (I definitely could have used more here, and would suggest three to four pounds, but I was only feeding three people. In result, I had an extra saucy meat, good for pouring over rice.)32 ounces (4 cups) of vegetable broth
1 package of dried red chilies, stems trimmed, soaked, and blended into a paste
1 onion
1 bulb of garlic
2 T cumin
2 tsp Thyme
2 bay leaves
salt to taste
5 T cornstarch
oil

The cooking process is pretty basic. Saute the onions until mostly transluscent. Add the beef and garlic and continue to saute until beef is slightly browned. Add broth and remaining spices and ingredients, excluding the cornstarch. Simmer until beef is tender, at least an hour is preferred. Then mix the cornstarch up with one cup of water, and add the cornstarch mixture to the pot gradually to thicken the stew.

Variations: Use more meat, or use a different kind of meat. This would go really well with chicken also. I also want to try substituting a pot roast until it is very tender and shredding the beef.

Or you could actually eat it like a stew, and add more vegetables. I had a different purpose and intended for just meat and sauce to be put into tortillas, but the base would be good for some extra vegetables... corn, tomatoes, potatoes, beans, carrots, peppers... all that jazz.

I forgot to take a picture us dishing it up into our tortillas, but you can probably imagine. Tender bites of beef, smothered in a warm, red sauce, folded into a tasty corn tortilla, topped with a small amount of cheese... Not your average taco, amigo.

Southwestern Butternut Squash Soup

2007-09-20T18:33:00.001-07:00

Fall seemed to tie in perfectly with the day I decided to make this soup. The weather in Portland went from sunny and beautiful when I bought the squash, to overcast and rainy. Portland has since seen more sun, but Jamie and I were both grateful for the warm and cozy soup when I pulled it together.

This recipe is really easy. It is southwestern solely because of the spices I used, but you could definitely take it any direction you want. I would suggest substituting thyme and marjoram and bay leafs for something more classic, or even garlic, basil and oregano for an Italian feel.

Southwestern Butternut Squash Soup
1 butternut squash, peeled and seeds removed, cut into chunks
5 small carrots (mine were from the farmers market- so naturally sized! You could substitute)
1 onion
2 T cumin
2 T chili powder
8 c vegetable broth
olive oil
salt to taste
pepper

Saute squash, onion and carrots in oil until onions are slightly translucent for about twenty minutes. Add seasonings, and broth. Simmer until squash and carrots becomes tender. Blend in a blender or by using a hand blender so that soup becomes smooth.

I topped this soup with some crunched up tortilla chips and a couple teaspoons of cheese. Other versions would be great with a crusty bread. :)

I Love Portland.

2007-09-17T15:02:00.000-07:00

Things are going pretty well here in the City of Roses. Jamie and I are still trying to get settled in our new apartment, but we have made progress and it feels like home. I love the location. We are nestled amongst trees and fountains really close to PSU. I'm about a mile from the culinary school, and 2 miles from my new job- that's right, I'm employed now at a very nice Italian restaurant as a busser. Water pourer and so much more. :)

One of my favorite things about this city, and I'm quickly discovering more and more to love, is the farmers market. Jamie and visited it (it's only like five blocks away from us- even closer than in Bellingham!) our first Saturday here, and we plan to go every Saturday we are in town. It's HUGE! I'm in the middle of reading a book: Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. It is all about a family's commitment to eat only local foods for a year. Local for them meant within their county- which is pretty impressive! I'm not about to go on a strictly local diet- there are foods I enjoy too much (coffee, tropical fruits, olive oil, I could go on and on) to give up. However, I have learned a lot from the book so far, and it has inspired me to make a commitment to eating as much local food as possible, and the farmers market is a very good place to start. ie, why waste my money buying tomatoes from California or in some cases Chili when I can get beautiful heirloom tomatoes fresh off a farm?! The farmer's market is a good place to do what I can.

Jamie with the flowers from our first weekend! I like flowers, but I've been instructed by my mother to not spend anymore money on things that are just to look at when I should be buying food. She's probably right.

Restaurant eating in Portland has also be marvelous. There are a lot of restaurants to choose from, and while now we are trying to save eating out for special occasions (when friends come to visit!) we have had our share of it so far. I'm not going to spend too much time writing about each individual place, but here are some suggestions:

Great Breakfast: Byway's Cafe- on the 1200 Block of NW Glisan. Jamie had fabulous amaretto french toast- it was enough for two breakfasts! I had the best corned beef hash. Ever.

Pretty Latin food: Oba! 12th and Glisan. We went with a large group. It's $$, but worth it. They have the most extravagant presentation, and everything was delicious!

Sushi: Yoko's on SE Gladstone
We went there are first move in weekend actually, but check it out! My favorite was the thai roll. Cilanto plus peanut sauce and broccoli= yum!

Sports Bar: The Cheerful Tortoise on SW 6th and Hall (3 blocks away from us!) They have over 43 plasma TVs and some good happy hour deals... plus wireless internet. We have come up here frequently while lacking our own cable and internet, and I just finished a delicious bull of tortilla soup. It's a chunky version, different than mine, but very tasty. Plus there are 43 tvs!

I have a couple new recipes to post soon. :)

Figalicious

2007-08-15T18:09:00.000-07:00

Tonight's cooking adventure was inspired by these babies.

Fresh figs from Chris's grandmother. This was my first encounter with fresh figs, so I did not know what to expect at all. I picked up the squishy fruit, looked at it with question and asked Chris how to eat it.
"You just bite into it."
I examined the strange looking green things curiously."Skin and all?" I asked. I admit, I was a little doubtful. They don't exactly look like a big juicy apple you can't wait to bite into.
"Yep." Okay then. I bit into it. I was a little surprised to bite into an ultra-squishy center that was not the most pleasant thing to look at, but immediately fond of the sweet, plum-like flavor.
I began to wonder what I could do with them, and my mind ran to this recipe from Cooking Light. It's for caramelized pears with blue cheese and a gastrique sauce and I tried it out (and loved it) last fall. I definitely recommend it for a unique dessert. It hit me that something similar would probably go really well with these fig things...

I did some research online and found ideas of ways to cook them. I found this recipe via Emeril that suited what I was going for. Lucky for me I also have a nice sized stock of fresh Rosemary on hand via Aunt Tracy. Yum! I read how he did it earlier in the day, but did things a bit differently adding some ginger (because it was so good with the blue cheese and pears with the last recipe), skipping the honey, and just following the cooking thoughts that made sense to me as I didn't have the recipe in front of me at the time.

4 figs
rosemary (one sprig)
about eight thin slices of ginger
olive oil
Gorgonzola

1. Slice down figs 3/4 way into quarters
2. Stuff each with fresh rosemary, and ginger
3. Coat outside of each lightly with olive oil
4. Bake at 350 until slightly browned.
5. Fill each fig with cheese and close shut to allow it to slightly melt, and serve.

I loved all the flavors. Ginger+ rosemary+ goronzola all with the sweetness of the fig was delicious. In retrospect, I might use ginger shavings instead of the slice- Jamie had one spicy bite in particular!

Oh, and figs are healthy for you too! They are a great source of fiber and potassium, so you can really benefit from your dessert. Check out the info here, and go try some figs. :) Come on, be adventurous.

Minestrone Soup

2007-08-09T11:51:00.000-07:00

For August in Washington, this week has been rather drizzly and cold. I miss the sunshine and hot days, but luckily for me, I have also missed homemade soup. Minestrone is one of my favorites as it's healthy, filling, and delicious. Obviously you can add/remove veggies to your preference. I also like it with green beans, summer squash or yellow zucchini, and potatoes. I have made this before with dried basil, but decided to go fresh this time and it made a world of a difference.

This recipe makes a large pot, but that's just how I make soup. :) It keeps well frozen too, but I would suggest adding a bit of water when reheating.
1 small white onion, chopped
1/2 head cabbage, chopped finely
2 zucchinis sliced lengthwise and cut into quarters
1 head of broccoli, chopped
4 sticks of celery, chopped
3 cans of beans (white or kidney)
1 large can of crushed tomatoes
2 oz fresh basil, chopped
3 T salt
3 T garlic powder
3 T chili powder
2T dried oregano
16 cups of water
2 c vegetable broth
pasta of choice, about 12 oz- 1 pound (I used tri-colored shell pasta.)

1. Saute chopped onion in oil until it becomes translucent.
2. For a speedy method, add the cabbage and saute for 10 minutes with the onion and oil. Otherwise, just add with remaining vegetables all together.
3. Add vegetables, broth, water, and herbs/spices.
4. Allow to simmer until the vegetables are tender. It's better not to boil so to keep the clarity.
5. When vegetables are tender, at pasta... and simmer until done

I served with a crusty Italian bread, and topped with shredded Parmesan. Yum.

Easy Pita Pizza

2007-08-06T20:20:00.000-07:00

This meal was superquick and easy to prepare during a busy night... seriously like 15 minutes. I had some leftover chicken I needed to use, but a short time to use it in between running and pre-funking for going out. Funny how running and pre-funking go together, eh? Jamie was craving pizza... So I opted for my favorite chicken pizza, BBQ chicken pizza.

Now the first instant pizza crust most people go for is either a pre-made crust (expensive and rather thick) or english muffins (okay when you're a kid, but as an adult, meh...) I turn to whole wheat pitas. They are rather healthy considering they are whole wheat, under $2 for a package of 4, and they are thin, without being wafer thin. They fill you up without being too much.

Thursday night's dinner was a BBQ chicken version, but you can do them any way you want. I enjoy spinach sometimes too. Pick your favorite sauce and toppings, cheese if you choose and bake.... Or you can brush a light coat of garlic and olive oil, and toss in the broiler for some quick pita bread. No matter which way you choose, it's quick and tasty.

BBQ Chicken Pita
3 T of BBQ sauce per pita (add more if you like it saucy!)
leftover chicken meat, pulled into chunks (I used about half of a leftover breast for two)
approx. 1/6 of an onion (red would be best)
chopped cilantro to taste
Cheese (I used a convenient Mexican blend, but Monterey Jack would be good)

Spread the bbq sauce on the pita. Add the cheese and other toppings. Bake for around 10 minutes, or until crust is slightly topping and cheese is melted. Voila!

Tortilla Soup

2007-08-02T15:03:00.000-07:00

I copied this from my personal blog... I had put it up a year ago because a lot of people asked for it. It's not a personal recipe, but I think it's a good one. I've tried it with chicken since, and it was delicious. I kind of feel like making it. :)

From Last Year:

I'm sharing this with ya'll straight from my spa cookbook. It's easy to make, perhaps a little time consuming, but it's a healthier, but just as delicious version of one of my favorite things, Tortilla Soup. Try it to kick up a meal for yourself. The recipe as is serves six, but I cut it in half, and it fed me dinner last night plus a VERY filling lunch.

Corn Tortilla Soup
4 corn tortillas, cut into small pieces (Make sure you use corn- there is no substitutions here because they have their own unique flavor!)
1 corn tortilla, halved and cut into strips
3 tsp olive oil
1 small white onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 T chili powder
1 T ground cumin
1 tsp thyme
2 tsp salt
3 tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/2 cup canned tomato puree
8 cups Chicken Stock or Vegetable broth
1/4 cub chopped cilantro

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the small pieces of the 4 tortillas on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Place the strips of the remaining tortilla into a separate baking pan and brush with one tsp olive oil, bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until crisp, tossing once during the baking time.

Meanwhile, heat the 2 tsp olive oil in a large pot set over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic and 4 toasted tortillas; saute stirring for 3 to 4 minutes... onions should be soft and sort of translucent. Stir in seasonings and tomatoes; cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tomatoe puree and stock or broth and simmer uncovered for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally until the soup thickens and flavors blend. Remove from the heat and let cool for 15 minutes.

Transfer the soup to a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Return soup to the pot, stir in cilantro and heat through.... Serve and garnish with the crispy tortilla strips... Yum.

My Way:
I made a vegetarian version and thus used the vegetable broth... but the chicken would definitely be tasty if you're not opposed to eating meat, and I think it would also be good with an addition of shredded chicken, maybe two or three breasts... You would also want to add extra spices for the meet to absorb.

I didn't have cumin because I recently ran out, so I added some taco seasoning (which contains cumin and chili powder and a bunch of other stuff) and added extra chili powder too. Chilies are the main ingredient for most enchilada sauces, and it's possible to make enchilada sauce with mostly just chili powder and not fresh ones, so if you can take the heat, it can't hurt... I actually don't ever measure spices, because I spice to taste, so play around and see what you like.

I also didn't have puree: canned sauce worked great.

I garnished with only sliced avocado. Avocados are full of a healthy fat... unlike saturated fat from cheese (not that I don't love my cheese) but if you want to turn a healthy recipe to one with more fat, add some calcium... I'd recommend Monterrey jack or pepper jack.

Lemon Veggie Farfalle

2007-08-02T11:46:00.000-07:00

Farfalle- or bow tie pasta (the actual name comes from the Italian word for butterfly interestingly enough) is perfect served with a light sauce and vegetables. For this recipe, I was inspired by the chicken giardino dish at the Olive Garden because I love the veggie/bow-tie combo. Delish!

This dish was pretty basic, and there are probably a million variations you could do. As far as the veggies go, I included broccoli, red peppers, and artichoke hearts... but I would have loved to include asparagus ($3.99 a pound- ouch!) zucchini (Jamie's not a fan), and snow peas (I figured- next time). Really if you're a fan of the vegetable, it can be included. As far as the pasta goes- I think a rigatoni or penne would do nicely for a substitute... but so would a dozen others. :) Chicken was also on my mind at the time, but with all the traveling of the weekend, I had enough protein to last me through Monday, so I passed on it this time. I would also like to try adding a some prosciutto sometime.

Ingredients:
one box of bow-tie pasta
one red pepper, julienned and halved
two heads of broccoli, chopped
one can of artichoke hearts
8 cloves of garlic, pressed
juice from one to two lemons
canola oil
olive oil
butter (optional)
basil
garlic powder
lemon-pepper seasoning
sea salt

Preparations:
1. Steam the veggies while cooking the pasta as directed.
2. Meanwhile, saute the fresh garlic with a small squeeze of the lemon juice and a small amount of canola oil (I used canola because olive tends to heat too rapidly, and wouldn't you know it so does garlic- so this way, it's not as easy to overcook- though it could still happen!
3. Once the pasta is done, drain, and toss in a light coat of olive oil.
4. Toss the veggies in with the garlic. Saute briefly, just to allow the flavors to absorb.
5. Add veggies to pasta and lemon juice.
6. Add seasonings, and butter to preference. I added more garlic because I thought it needed it, but if you're not a fan, pass. Because garlic powder is so fine, it distributes more evenly for this type of dish. (There isn't any simmering involved to distribute the fresh garlic) The lemon-pepper seasoning is a must- I'm a big fan of a Spice Islands grinder version. It's vary handy, but if you have the time, go for lemon zest and fresh ground black pepper. The basil was a last minute decision, but it just needed something extra, and it worked out great. Toss throughly with the pasta.

I served with shaved parmesan. It was the perfect consistency for the dish, and definitely balances out with the flavors well. Plus it's appealing to the eye.

On sea salt- I bought some recently at Trader Joe's, and since then, I use it for most of my cooking. I like the larger crystals; it's just prettier, and somehow it makes it harder to over-salt things. Plus the flavor is bueno.

Overall I was pleased with the dish, and I'll definitely try other variations in the future. Jamie also tried it cold, and loved it. :)