i was making my grocery list last night and saw that tilapia was on sale. i haven't had much seafood lately, so i added tilapia to my list. then, of course, i had to think about how i was going to prepare said tilapia. these fish cakes are a favorite of mine, but i wanted to try something different. off to the recipe binders i went.
this broiled tilapia recipe seemed easy enough, especially since i had everything on hand except the fish and a lime. yes, i used the whole teaspoon of cayenne pepper. i didn't measure the black pepper so it was probably less than the 1/2 teaspoon called for in the recipe. the fish definitely has a bit of a kick but nothing too overpowering. there's some leftover so it'll be interesting to see if the spices mellow out or get stronger over time. i'd make this again, maybe subbing chili powder for some of the cayenne pepper.
Friday, May 17, 2019
Sunday, April 21, 2019
recipe review: honey-glazed brussels sprouts
o hai! i've been on a meal prep kick the past couple of weeks or so because i needed to reset a bit after the decadence of new orleans and baconfest. i didn't really make anything new, though - my focus was on making sure i had plenty of fruit and/or vegetable options around for meals so i could up my intake. i ate salads for lunch almost every work day for 2 weeks. good thing i love salads. and green beans. and spinach. and broccoli.
while planning this week's grocery store trip, i saw that brussels sprouts were on sale. i knew i had almost everything else i needed to try this recipe out, so i decided to make it this weekend. i used red wine vinegar because that's what i had on hand. i opted for 1/4 tsp. of cayenne pepper because i don't have crushed red pepper flakes and also because i am still a bit of a wuss when it comes to spicy food. i zested most of a lemon so i don't know if that's more or less than the teaspoon called for in the recipe.
i thought the glaze would have been a bit thicker than it turned out to be, but i like the flavor combination. i'd try them again, maybe with some pre-trimmed and washed brussels sprouts instead.
while planning this week's grocery store trip, i saw that brussels sprouts were on sale. i knew i had almost everything else i needed to try this recipe out, so i decided to make it this weekend. i used red wine vinegar because that's what i had on hand. i opted for 1/4 tsp. of cayenne pepper because i don't have crushed red pepper flakes and also because i am still a bit of a wuss when it comes to spicy food. i zested most of a lemon so i don't know if that's more or less than the teaspoon called for in the recipe.
i thought the glaze would have been a bit thicker than it turned out to be, but i like the flavor combination. i'd try them again, maybe with some pre-trimmed and washed brussels sprouts instead.
Monday, March 11, 2019
recipe reviews: roasted garlic and herb pork cacciatore and sauteed brussels sprouts with sausage and pickled red onion
i have 2 dinner options ready for me this week: roasted garlic & herb pork cacciatore and sautéed brussels sprouts with sausage and pickled red onion.
i saw a pic of the cacciatore on instagram and mentally filed it away. while i was working on my grocery list last week, i saw that there was a sale on the pork fillets and decided it was a sign to try this out. i used 8 cloves of garlic because, well, y'all know me. i also used the jarred marinara option and added a 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne in lieu of the crushed red pepper flakes. i have a 4-quart slow cooker and i have to say that things looked a bit tight once all of the ingredients were added, but it worked. i had a serving over some garlic brown rice and was a happy girl.
i knew i had a package of italian sausage in the freezer, so it was just a matter of buying the brussels sprouts (which were on sale!) and the red onion. i skipped the parsley and would likely skip the pickled onions next time, since they didn't really add any flavor as far as i was concerned. let the record show that i am still trying out recipes for brussels sprouts even though prepping them can be a pain.
i saw a pic of the cacciatore on instagram and mentally filed it away. while i was working on my grocery list last week, i saw that there was a sale on the pork fillets and decided it was a sign to try this out. i used 8 cloves of garlic because, well, y'all know me. i also used the jarred marinara option and added a 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne in lieu of the crushed red pepper flakes. i have a 4-quart slow cooker and i have to say that things looked a bit tight once all of the ingredients were added, but it worked. i had a serving over some garlic brown rice and was a happy girl.
i knew i had a package of italian sausage in the freezer, so it was just a matter of buying the brussels sprouts (which were on sale!) and the red onion. i skipped the parsley and would likely skip the pickled onions next time, since they didn't really add any flavor as far as i was concerned. let the record show that i am still trying out recipes for brussels sprouts even though prepping them can be a pain.
Tuesday, February 12, 2019
recipe review: cajun bayou stew
i had some birthday rewards from the folks at savory spice shop that i needed to use, so i decided to add their cajun bayou stew mix to my order.
i had a pack of andouille sausage in the freezer already, so it was just a matter of buying the vegetables and lemon called for on the package to be ready for meal prep. since the sausage was raw, i browned the links for a few minutes in a separate skillet and then sliced them to add to the stew.
the directions called for the stew to simmer for 20-25 minutes or until the lentils were softened and most of the liquid had been absorbed. i checked after 25 minutes and there was still plenty of liquid left, so i added another 10 minutes of cooking time. the stew was still a bit on the soupy side after that, but i figured things would set up a bit as the stew cooled.
i had a serving for lunch today and thought it was pretty good, even though the consistency still isn't exactly what i had in mind. i put a serving in the freezer and will probably add another serving or two to the freezer depending on how the week plays out, so it'll be interesting to see how this plays out later when i thaw it out.
i had a pack of andouille sausage in the freezer already, so it was just a matter of buying the vegetables and lemon called for on the package to be ready for meal prep. since the sausage was raw, i browned the links for a few minutes in a separate skillet and then sliced them to add to the stew.
the directions called for the stew to simmer for 20-25 minutes or until the lentils were softened and most of the liquid had been absorbed. i checked after 25 minutes and there was still plenty of liquid left, so i added another 10 minutes of cooking time. the stew was still a bit on the soupy side after that, but i figured things would set up a bit as the stew cooled.
i had a serving for lunch today and thought it was pretty good, even though the consistency still isn't exactly what i had in mind. i put a serving in the freezer and will probably add another serving or two to the freezer depending on how the week plays out, so it'll be interesting to see how this plays out later when i thaw it out.
Monday, February 11, 2019
recipe review: lemon chicken thighs
i tend to stock up on chicken when it's on sale, which comes in handy when i decide to try out a recipe. this time it was for lemon chicken thighs.
i need to make this again because there were a couple of things that i'd like to tweak or fix. the skin didn't really get as crispy as i would've like, so i want to adjust the cooking time and maybe use a different burner on the stove to see if that makes a difference. i didn't have any aleppo-style pepper, so i figured i'd mix some cayenne pepper and chili powder together. i misread the measurements, though, and wound up using a 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne and a full teaspoon of chili powder. i didn't realize this error until i started eating and found myself wondering why the chicken seemed spicier than i thought it would.
there's some leftover vinaigrette in the fridge that i may try to use for a marinade for some boneless pork chops i have in the freezer. or maybe i'll make some veggies and use the vinaigrette with that.
i need to make this again because there were a couple of things that i'd like to tweak or fix. the skin didn't really get as crispy as i would've like, so i want to adjust the cooking time and maybe use a different burner on the stove to see if that makes a difference. i didn't have any aleppo-style pepper, so i figured i'd mix some cayenne pepper and chili powder together. i misread the measurements, though, and wound up using a 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne and a full teaspoon of chili powder. i didn't realize this error until i started eating and found myself wondering why the chicken seemed spicier than i thought it would.
there's some leftover vinaigrette in the fridge that i may try to use for a marinade for some boneless pork chops i have in the freezer. or maybe i'll make some veggies and use the vinaigrette with that.
Tuesday, February 05, 2019
thoughts on the nfl 100 commercial
i wasn't expecting an ad for the nfl to be my favorite commercial from sunday, but here we are, although i did shriek with delight during the stella artois spot when the dude showed up.
some thoughts, in no particular order, now that i've watched the ad at least a half dozen times today:
some thoughts, in no particular order, now that i've watched the ad at least a half dozen times today:
- marshawn lynch is still bereft of fucks to give and i still love him for it. also i have totally looked at a cake the way he did. sorry not sorry.
- mike singletary!
- barry and his spin move will never not be awesome.
- ed reed can and will intercept your face. i want the jacket he was wearing.
- fuck tom brady always and forever, amen.
recipe reviews: oven baked chicken tenders & roast sausage and fennel with orange
i was all set to do some meal prep this past weekend, but then i came home thursday night to a note saying not to use my kitchen sink because the drain pipe was frozen. as of saturday night, i was told that progress had been made and that i could use the sink "sparingly." i already had plans for sunday, so i decided to make meal prep monday a thing, which worked out because i had the day off.
i'd bought a package of boneless skinless chicken breasts during a previous shopping trip, so i already had everything i needed to make these chicken tenders. i was only making one batch (see step 5), so i halved the amounts for the egg wash, flour mixture, and panko. i didn't make the sauce because i already had honey mustard in the fridge. i thought these came out ok, but would consider adding more paprika (i used a little more than 1/2 teaspoon) and/or some other seasonings.
since i loved them so much the 1st time i made them, and since green beans were on sale, i made a double batch of these soft green beans. i may need to start buying those bags of pre-trimmed green beans as a time saver if this keeps up.
i also decided to try this recipe for roast sausage and fennel with orange. i had a pack of italian sausages in the freezer, so all i needed to buy were the fennel, onion, and orange. i used dried rosemary because i wasn't going to buy a package of fresh rosemary only to use 3 sprigs. the fennel bulbs i bought had very little fronds, which was fine with me because i'm not a big fan of fennel fronds anyway. the recipe calls for cutting the orange into supremes, which was more effort than i was willing to expend. i juiced the orange into a bowl and followed the rest of the directions for adding the vinegar. i don't know if i'd be in a rush to make this again, but i do like the idea of roasting the sausage with fennel and onion, and possibly adding some sort of garlic to the equation.
i'd bought a package of boneless skinless chicken breasts during a previous shopping trip, so i already had everything i needed to make these chicken tenders. i was only making one batch (see step 5), so i halved the amounts for the egg wash, flour mixture, and panko. i didn't make the sauce because i already had honey mustard in the fridge. i thought these came out ok, but would consider adding more paprika (i used a little more than 1/2 teaspoon) and/or some other seasonings.
since i loved them so much the 1st time i made them, and since green beans were on sale, i made a double batch of these soft green beans. i may need to start buying those bags of pre-trimmed green beans as a time saver if this keeps up.
i also decided to try this recipe for roast sausage and fennel with orange. i had a pack of italian sausages in the freezer, so all i needed to buy were the fennel, onion, and orange. i used dried rosemary because i wasn't going to buy a package of fresh rosemary only to use 3 sprigs. the fennel bulbs i bought had very little fronds, which was fine with me because i'm not a big fan of fennel fronds anyway. the recipe calls for cutting the orange into supremes, which was more effort than i was willing to expend. i juiced the orange into a bowl and followed the rest of the directions for adding the vinegar. i don't know if i'd be in a rush to make this again, but i do like the idea of roasting the sausage with fennel and onion, and possibly adding some sort of garlic to the equation.
Sunday, January 27, 2019
recipe review: maple-glazed pork tenderloin
i read a cook's illustrated cookbook a few weeks ago and while i was filing away the recipes i wanted to try, i came across this one for a maple-glazed pork tenderloin. i already had all of the ingredients and decided to make it on friday as part of my meal prep.
unfortunately, i can't find a direct link to the recipe, so i'll include the ingredients and directions here.
ingredients
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon maple syrup (i used some of the bourbon barrel-aged maple syrup i got for christmas)
2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
1 tablespoon bourbon
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
salt and pepper
pinch cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon sugar
1 12-ounce pork tenderloin, trimmed (the tenderloin i had was a little larger, so i adjusted the cook time accordingly)
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
directions
1. adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. stir 1/3 cup maple syrup, mustard, bourbon, vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and cayenne pepper together in a small bowl.
2. combine cornstarch, sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in shallow dish. pat tenderloin dry with paper towels, then roll in cornstarch mixture until evenly coated on all sides; thoroughly pat off excess cornstarch mixture.
3. heat oil in a 10-inch ovensafe nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. brown tenderloin well on all sides, 6-8 minutes; transfer to plate.
4. pour off fat from skillet and return to medium heat. add syrup mixture to now-empty skillet, bring to simmer, scraping up any browned bits, and cook until reduced to 1/3 cup, 30 seconds to 1 minute. return browned tenderloin to skillet and turn to coat with glaze. transfer skillet to oven and roast tenderloin until meat registers 145 degrees, 8-12 minutes.
5. remove skillet from oven. transfer tenderloin to cutting board, tent loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest for 10 minutes.
6. meanwhile, transfer glaze left in skillet to small bowl and stir in remaining 1 tablespoon maple syrup. brush tenderloin with 1 tablespoon glaze, then slice 1/4 inch thick. serve pork, passing remaining glaze separately.
i wasn't serving the tenderloin right away, so i took the meat out of the skillet and added the tablespoon of maple syrup directly to the skillet. i returned the tenderloin to the skillet, coated it with the glaze, then let it rest. i sliced the tenderloin and poured the glaze over the slices before putting everything away.
i had a quick bite of this and thought the flavors were ok. we'll see what happens when i dive in after a day or two of the flavors coming together.
unfortunately, i can't find a direct link to the recipe, so i'll include the ingredients and directions here.
ingredients
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon maple syrup (i used some of the bourbon barrel-aged maple syrup i got for christmas)
2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
1 tablespoon bourbon
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
salt and pepper
pinch cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon sugar
1 12-ounce pork tenderloin, trimmed (the tenderloin i had was a little larger, so i adjusted the cook time accordingly)
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
directions
1. adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. stir 1/3 cup maple syrup, mustard, bourbon, vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and cayenne pepper together in a small bowl.
2. combine cornstarch, sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in shallow dish. pat tenderloin dry with paper towels, then roll in cornstarch mixture until evenly coated on all sides; thoroughly pat off excess cornstarch mixture.
3. heat oil in a 10-inch ovensafe nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. brown tenderloin well on all sides, 6-8 minutes; transfer to plate.
4. pour off fat from skillet and return to medium heat. add syrup mixture to now-empty skillet, bring to simmer, scraping up any browned bits, and cook until reduced to 1/3 cup, 30 seconds to 1 minute. return browned tenderloin to skillet and turn to coat with glaze. transfer skillet to oven and roast tenderloin until meat registers 145 degrees, 8-12 minutes.
5. remove skillet from oven. transfer tenderloin to cutting board, tent loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest for 10 minutes.
6. meanwhile, transfer glaze left in skillet to small bowl and stir in remaining 1 tablespoon maple syrup. brush tenderloin with 1 tablespoon glaze, then slice 1/4 inch thick. serve pork, passing remaining glaze separately.
i wasn't serving the tenderloin right away, so i took the meat out of the skillet and added the tablespoon of maple syrup directly to the skillet. i returned the tenderloin to the skillet, coated it with the glaze, then let it rest. i sliced the tenderloin and poured the glaze over the slices before putting everything away.
i had a quick bite of this and thought the flavors were ok. we'll see what happens when i dive in after a day or two of the flavors coming together.
Monday, January 21, 2019
recipe review: soft green beans
saw this soft green beans recipe in the latest issue of eating well and decided to try it out as part of my meal prep.
i used 1 large yellow onion and a little less than 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper. me being me, i used 3-4 cloves of garlic that i minced instead of slicing. omg y'all. the aroma of onions, garlic, and cayenne was amazing before i even added the broth and the green beans. i decided not to reduce the liquid that remained after the cooking time, since there wasn't much left and i wanted to keep the beans moist for future servings.
i would totally make this again. it kinda reminded me of the green beans i ate when i was a kid - tender if not damn near overcooked, but still delicious.
i used 1 large yellow onion and a little less than 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper. me being me, i used 3-4 cloves of garlic that i minced instead of slicing. omg y'all. the aroma of onions, garlic, and cayenne was amazing before i even added the broth and the green beans. i decided not to reduce the liquid that remained after the cooking time, since there wasn't much left and i wanted to keep the beans moist for future servings.
i would totally make this again. it kinda reminded me of the green beans i ate when i was a kid - tender if not damn near overcooked, but still delicious.
Friday, January 04, 2019
10 ingredients to always have on hand
read this week's "i love lists" post from shutterbean and came across someone's 10 ingredients that they always have on hand. i found it interesting because there are definitely staples that i keep around almost all of the time. here's my list, in no particular order:
- rice: i'm sitting at my kitchen table and i can spy at least 2 microwavable bowls of brown rice and a couple other rice pouches as i type this. sometimes i'll decide to make a stir-fry or fried rice and it's nice to not have to worry about cooking a fresh batch of rice.
- eggs: there are always eggs in my fridge. i'm making a variation of these frittatas as part of my meal prep for next week. on the rare occasions when i bake, i'm already set because i have eggs on hand. i don't fry foods that often, but when i do? i have eggs ready for an egg wash.
- bacon: come on. you had to have seen this one coming. if there's not bacon in the fridge, there's definitely some in the freezer, and if i'm completely out, it means i haven't gone to the store yet to re-up. that, or i've been sick and you should probably send someone to check on me.
- frozen vegetables: i'm particularly happy about this one at the moment, given that the produce sections have been cleaned out due to new year's resolutions and the holiday's impact on delivery schedules.
- wine and/or whiskey: this should be another no-brainer. i cook with liquor in the sense that i will pour myself a drink (or three) while i'm cooking.
- frozen chicken, turkey, and/or pork: i am my father's daughter, which means i will almost always have some sort of meat-based protein that i can thaw for the next day or a round of meal prep. jewel had pork tenderloins on sale for buy 1, get 2 free, so now i have 3 pork tenderloins in the freezer.
- cheese: i use cheese sticks as work snacks and occasional "oh god i need to eat something before i pass out" snacks. there's usually cheese slices and/or shredded cheese around as well.
- chocolate: i keep a bowl of individually wrapped dove promises on the table for those times when i want something sweet but don't necessarily want dessert.
- garlic: 2 forms of garlic, actually, if we're counting garlic powder and fresh garlic. if you've read my recipe reviews, then you know i am a proud member of #teamgarlic.
- various condiments: soy sauce (for the aforementioned fried rice and stir-fries). bbq sauce. mustard(s) - there's probably at least 3-4 different types around here right now. mayo. jams/jellies/preserves. worcestershire sauce. maple syrup.
honorable mentions go out to olive oil, various vinegars (cider, red wine, balsamic, etc.), and the assorted spices in the cabinet.
Friday, December 21, 2018
recipe review: sheet pan pork with fennel and apples
i was filing recipes away the other day and came across this one. i had some honeycrisp apples on the table and i knew i had a pork tenderloin in the freezer, so i decided to add fennel and an orange to my shopping list.
i skipped the fennel fronds because i made this to have for dinner later this weekend and didn't think they'd reheat well. i took a couple bites of pork and apple and the flavors seem pretty good, so we'll see what happens.
i skipped the fennel fronds because i made this to have for dinner later this weekend and didn't think they'd reheat well. i took a couple bites of pork and apple and the flavors seem pretty good, so we'll see what happens.
Saturday, December 01, 2018
#alldecembereverything, 2018 edition
it's the most wonderful time of the year! i didn't do much last year for my birthday because my brain was still broken after moving (again). i'm already looking forward to making up for that this year.
here's a list of things i'll be doing throughout the next month or so. i've provided links where possible. join me or, if none of these work out, let's plan to hang out soon.
wednesday, december 5: sip & shop with bourbon women chicago at binny's lincoln park. this has become one of my favorite ways to kick off my birthday month. $10 gets you lots of bourbon samples, and you'll get to hang with me and some of my fellow bourbon women members.
thursday, december 6: elmwood blues' 65th birthday. yes, that elmwood blues. leave it to the fine folks at nisei lounge to come up with more reasons for me to give them my money.
sunday, december 9: bears vs. rams on sunday night football. will probably watch this at nisei.
tuesday, december 11: authors on the lake with rick bayless at theater on the lake.
monday, december 17: happy birthday to me! i'll be back at nisei that evening accepting birthday drinks and other salutations. candy cane malört is back, so it's entirely possible i'll be drinking that if i haven't already at some point that weekend.
thursday, december 20: official launch party for two lane gems, vol. 2. if you've enjoyed theresa's adventures as the local tourist, then you'll probably dig her latest book.
i'll try to post updates if any of these plans change. hope to see you at some point this month!
here's a list of things i'll be doing throughout the next month or so. i've provided links where possible. join me or, if none of these work out, let's plan to hang out soon.
wednesday, december 5: sip & shop with bourbon women chicago at binny's lincoln park. this has become one of my favorite ways to kick off my birthday month. $10 gets you lots of bourbon samples, and you'll get to hang with me and some of my fellow bourbon women members.
thursday, december 6: elmwood blues' 65th birthday. yes, that elmwood blues. leave it to the fine folks at nisei lounge to come up with more reasons for me to give them my money.
sunday, december 9: bears vs. rams on sunday night football. will probably watch this at nisei.
tuesday, december 11: authors on the lake with rick bayless at theater on the lake.
monday, december 17: happy birthday to me! i'll be back at nisei that evening accepting birthday drinks and other salutations. candy cane malört is back, so it's entirely possible i'll be drinking that if i haven't already at some point that weekend.
thursday, december 20: official launch party for two lane gems, vol. 2. if you've enjoyed theresa's adventures as the local tourist, then you'll probably dig her latest book.
i'll try to post updates if any of these plans change. hope to see you at some point this month!
Thursday, November 22, 2018
and for these things (and so many others), we give thanks
i woke up earlier this morning and went to grab a ginger ale from the fridge. the fridge is pretty full right now because i decided to order most of my thanksgiving meal and picked everything up yesterday. anyway - grabbed the ginger ale, saw the current state of the fridge, and almost wept in gratitude. not just for the food, mind you, but for...well, everything.
i remember thanksgiving 2011 when i was staying with bff as part of my couchsurfing tour after being evicted and before my stint as a quasi-nanny in the burbs. hell, i remember last thanksgiving and prepping to move the week after and being so exhausted that i couldn't have left the house that day even if i wanted to, which i didn't because of said exhaustion.
look at me now. i'm in my own space with no plans to move anytime soon. i'm going to have some food and then go out to drink with some friends because i'm not exhausted and i actually feel like being social. it's been a helluva year and i'm thankful to still be around and present enough to acknowledge this despite the ongoing dumpster fire clusterfuck surrounding us.
here's to food and friends and chosen family and all the other things that bring you joy. happy happy gobble gobble!
i remember thanksgiving 2011 when i was staying with bff as part of my couchsurfing tour after being evicted and before my stint as a quasi-nanny in the burbs. hell, i remember last thanksgiving and prepping to move the week after and being so exhausted that i couldn't have left the house that day even if i wanted to, which i didn't because of said exhaustion.
look at me now. i'm in my own space with no plans to move anytime soon. i'm going to have some food and then go out to drink with some friends because i'm not exhausted and i actually feel like being social. it's been a helluva year and i'm thankful to still be around and present enough to acknowledge this despite the ongoing dumpster fire clusterfuck surrounding us.
here's to food and friends and chosen family and all the other things that bring you joy. happy happy gobble gobble!
Wednesday, October 31, 2018
recipe reviews: slow cooker italian lamb stew, spinach and garlic mashed potatoes, country cabbage with smoked bacon, and sweet & spicy pork tenderloin
i'd worn myself out and was super excited about staying in this past saturday night so i could relax a bit. relax i did, in between doing laundry and washing my hair and working on meal prep and whatnot.
this batch of recipes was borne out of my desire to make chili, preferably in the crockpot. i looked through my recipes and didn't see any slow cooker chili recipes that jumped out at me, so i broadened my search to include soups or stews that i could make in the crockpot. in that search, i kept finding other recipes that i wanted to make even as i'd wanted to focus on crockpot stews/soups. when the search ended, i had more than a dozen recipes set aside. no way was i going to grocery shop for that many recipes at once, let alone try to cook that many in one weekend when i knew i had prior engagements.
slow cooker italian lamb stew: i rarely cook with lamb. it's not that i don't enjoy lamb (obviously, since i chose this recipe) - i just don't work with it that often. i decided to go to whole foods so i could ask the butcher for their input on buying stew meat vs. other lamb parts that they could cut up for me. whole foods was out of lamb, so i wound up buying a pre-wrapped package of "lamb stew" at mariano's. i had plenty of red wine on hand, and used pinot meunier because it was a screw top bottle and i knew i wouldn't drink any of it that night (because scotch). i cooked this on high for 4 hours and the lamb was fork-tender at the end of that cooking time. i bought basil pesto and kept forgetting to use it, so i guess that's a reason to make this again. i want to try it with maybe a different cut of lamb to see if there's a difference.
spinach and garlic mashed potatoes: red potatoes were on sale at jewel for 10 cents each. i was already buying spinach for the lamb stew, so this made sense to me. i make baked potatoes in the microwave, but had never considered prepping mashed potatoes in the microwave. the potatoes came out a bit gummier than i would have liked, but i can't really pinpoint why. i'd make these again, maybe adjusting the buttermilk or using regular milk.
country cabbage and smoked bacon: cabbage was on sale and i keep bacon on hand, so this was another easy decision. i used a whole red cabbage with about 5-6 slices of bacon. i eyeballed the salt and added pepper (not in the original recipe). i want to try it again with green cabbage.
sweet and spicy pork tenderloin: i had a pork tenderloin in the freezer and i liked the idea of making this in the crockpot. i used a 4-quart crockpot and the tenderloin came out fine. i used somewhere between 1/8 and 1/4 tsp of cayenne pepper. i ate it with brown rice and was perfectly happy.
this batch of recipes was borne out of my desire to make chili, preferably in the crockpot. i looked through my recipes and didn't see any slow cooker chili recipes that jumped out at me, so i broadened my search to include soups or stews that i could make in the crockpot. in that search, i kept finding other recipes that i wanted to make even as i'd wanted to focus on crockpot stews/soups. when the search ended, i had more than a dozen recipes set aside. no way was i going to grocery shop for that many recipes at once, let alone try to cook that many in one weekend when i knew i had prior engagements.
slow cooker italian lamb stew: i rarely cook with lamb. it's not that i don't enjoy lamb (obviously, since i chose this recipe) - i just don't work with it that often. i decided to go to whole foods so i could ask the butcher for their input on buying stew meat vs. other lamb parts that they could cut up for me. whole foods was out of lamb, so i wound up buying a pre-wrapped package of "lamb stew" at mariano's. i had plenty of red wine on hand, and used pinot meunier because it was a screw top bottle and i knew i wouldn't drink any of it that night (because scotch). i cooked this on high for 4 hours and the lamb was fork-tender at the end of that cooking time. i bought basil pesto and kept forgetting to use it, so i guess that's a reason to make this again. i want to try it with maybe a different cut of lamb to see if there's a difference.
spinach and garlic mashed potatoes: red potatoes were on sale at jewel for 10 cents each. i was already buying spinach for the lamb stew, so this made sense to me. i make baked potatoes in the microwave, but had never considered prepping mashed potatoes in the microwave. the potatoes came out a bit gummier than i would have liked, but i can't really pinpoint why. i'd make these again, maybe adjusting the buttermilk or using regular milk.
country cabbage and smoked bacon: cabbage was on sale and i keep bacon on hand, so this was another easy decision. i used a whole red cabbage with about 5-6 slices of bacon. i eyeballed the salt and added pepper (not in the original recipe). i want to try it again with green cabbage.
sweet and spicy pork tenderloin: i had a pork tenderloin in the freezer and i liked the idea of making this in the crockpot. i used a 4-quart crockpot and the tenderloin came out fine. i used somewhere between 1/8 and 1/4 tsp of cayenne pepper. i ate it with brown rice and was perfectly happy.
Saturday, October 27, 2018
on: finding god in myself and loving her fiercely
the world continues to be a constant cycle of clusterfucks. i saw the news about the pittsburgh synagogue massacre as i was on my way to the northwestern game and had to make an active decision to not dwell on it because i knew i probably wouldn't be able to keep it together. i still haven't read more than a few brief pieces about it because, well, i know me and i know that i can't really process all of it yet. it still breaks my heart and my spirit when places of refuge are violated.
then i saw the news about ntozake shange's death. i'm not exaggerating when i say that "for colored girls who have considered suicide when the rainbow is enuf" has had a tremendous impact on me. i think i first discovered "for colored girls" my freshman year at northwestern. by sophomore year, i'd auditioned for a role in a production being staged by the african-american theatre ensemble (aate) on campus. i didn't get it, but still managed to be involved by helping out with publicity. i can't remember if it was junior or senior year (or possibly both) when aate's coffeehouse/staged reading series included excerpts from "for colored girls." we didn't need scripts during rehearsals because we all had copies of the book.
what i do remember are some of the conversations i had with other black female undergrads as we red and re-read and memorized and identified with the words and themes in shange's work. it kinda knocked us out that something that was originally produced before many of us were born still resonated so deeply. that we could see ourselves so clearly. that we could, as shange's characters did, find god in ourselves and love her fiercely.
i can't tell you the number of times i've riffed on the title of "for colored girls." how many times i've gone back to read the choreopoem. how eager i was when shange released new work. hell, the only tyler perry movie i have ever watched was his adaptation of "for colored girls," because i was hoping that shange's words would transcend whatever trepidation i had about perry's artistic abilities. (narrator: this did not happen.)
suffice it to say that the news of shange's death hit me hard. i hope she knew how influential she was to oh so many of us.
thank you for singing a black girl's song, ntozake. we love you fiercely. rest well.
then i saw the news about ntozake shange's death. i'm not exaggerating when i say that "for colored girls who have considered suicide when the rainbow is enuf" has had a tremendous impact on me. i think i first discovered "for colored girls" my freshman year at northwestern. by sophomore year, i'd auditioned for a role in a production being staged by the african-american theatre ensemble (aate) on campus. i didn't get it, but still managed to be involved by helping out with publicity. i can't remember if it was junior or senior year (or possibly both) when aate's coffeehouse/staged reading series included excerpts from "for colored girls." we didn't need scripts during rehearsals because we all had copies of the book.
what i do remember are some of the conversations i had with other black female undergrads as we red and re-read and memorized and identified with the words and themes in shange's work. it kinda knocked us out that something that was originally produced before many of us were born still resonated so deeply. that we could see ourselves so clearly. that we could, as shange's characters did, find god in ourselves and love her fiercely.
i can't tell you the number of times i've riffed on the title of "for colored girls." how many times i've gone back to read the choreopoem. how eager i was when shange released new work. hell, the only tyler perry movie i have ever watched was his adaptation of "for colored girls," because i was hoping that shange's words would transcend whatever trepidation i had about perry's artistic abilities. (narrator: this did not happen.)
suffice it to say that the news of shange's death hit me hard. i hope she knew how influential she was to oh so many of us.
thank you for singing a black girl's song, ntozake. we love you fiercely. rest well.
Tuesday, October 09, 2018
on: saying goodbye to the end of an era
bishop tears is dead. 1st c. will never be the same. carol and her sisters lost their father. carol has now lost her father and her husband in a nine-year span.
i tweeted a mini thread when bishop died. i don't think i can say it any better than i did there.
i still can't believe he's gone. i'm glad he's no longer suffering or in pain, but it's still kinda mind-boggling to me that i won't see or hear him live and in person again.
i don't know what's next for the church. i really don't know what's next for carol. i'm hoping to find a way to show my support for her based on what she wants/needs and not what i or anyone else might think is best. sometimes it's hard to get out of my own way and my own head.
if i haven't already thanked you for your condolences/thoughts/prayers/etc., please accept my thanks now. i appreciate it, and you, more than i can say.
i tweeted a mini thread when bishop died. i don't think i can say it any better than i did there.
i still can't believe he's gone. i'm glad he's no longer suffering or in pain, but it's still kinda mind-boggling to me that i won't see or hear him live and in person again.
i don't know what's next for the church. i really don't know what's next for carol. i'm hoping to find a way to show my support for her based on what she wants/needs and not what i or anyone else might think is best. sometimes it's hard to get out of my own way and my own head.
if i haven't already thanked you for your condolences/thoughts/prayers/etc., please accept my thanks now. i appreciate it, and you, more than i can say.
Monday, October 08, 2018
recipe review: apples fried with bacon
i saw this recipe online last week and instantly decided to make it. it helped that i had a majority of the ingredients on hand already and only needed to pick up a lemon.
i used 4 fuji apples (the apples were on the small side) and 4 slices of bacon, along with a teaspoon of dried sage. i don't have an apple corer, so i quartered the apples first and then cut the core out of each piece. i had a couple of servings yesterday and tonight with dinner and there may be another serving left, so i'm not so sure about the "serves 4 to 6" part.
i'd try it again with gala apples and fresh sage if i happen to have some on hand.
i used 4 fuji apples (the apples were on the small side) and 4 slices of bacon, along with a teaspoon of dried sage. i don't have an apple corer, so i quartered the apples first and then cut the core out of each piece. i had a couple of servings yesterday and tonight with dinner and there may be another serving left, so i'm not so sure about the "serves 4 to 6" part.
i'd try it again with gala apples and fresh sage if i happen to have some on hand.
Wednesday, September 19, 2018
recipe review: chicken and arugula pasta salad
i was flipping through my binders full of women recipes, filing away ones i'd printed recently and pulling out ones that sounded interesting in that moment. one of them was for this pasta salad that i thought would be great for lunches.
i bought a box of regular (read: not whole wheat) rotini and a package of perdue short cuts, since jewel was out of shredded rotisserie chicken and i wasn't in the mood to buy a whole rotisserie chicken just for this recipe. i bought a tomato from the farmers market and, while i was there, stopped in to see my preferred cheese vendors. they were out of brie but had just enough camembert to approximate what i needed here. i added sea salt to the boiling water for the pasta because i'm not a big fan of unsalted pasta.
when i make this again, i think i'd steep the shallot and garlic (used 2 cloves, btw) a little longer than 5 minutes because the shallot was still a bit too raw/bitter for my taste, even as the week progressed.
i bought a box of regular (read: not whole wheat) rotini and a package of perdue short cuts, since jewel was out of shredded rotisserie chicken and i wasn't in the mood to buy a whole rotisserie chicken just for this recipe. i bought a tomato from the farmers market and, while i was there, stopped in to see my preferred cheese vendors. they were out of brie but had just enough camembert to approximate what i needed here. i added sea salt to the boiling water for the pasta because i'm not a big fan of unsalted pasta.
when i make this again, i think i'd steep the shallot and garlic (used 2 cloves, btw) a little longer than 5 minutes because the shallot was still a bit too raw/bitter for my taste, even as the week progressed.
Monday, September 10, 2018
recipe review and other randomness
i tried a recipe for slow cooker bacon-braised greens yesterday. i was all set to link it here for review purposes, but i copied the recipe from a cookbook and of course i don't remember which cookbook it was, so it's damn near impossible for me to find it now. in sum: cook some chopped bacon (i used 4 slices of regular bacon; the recipe calls for 2 thick-cut slices) in a skillet until crispy, then add the bacon and its rendered fat to a slow cooker. i used a 16oz bag of stemmed and chopped collard greens that i sorted and rinsed (the recipe also suggests kale or mustard greens if you're into that). add the greens and 1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt to the slow cooker. the recipe calls for 1 tablespoon of hot sauce but since i don't actually use hot sauce, i went with about 3/4 teaspoon of a sriracha seasoning blend that i had on hand.
stir everything together and cook on low for 3-4 hours. the recipe is for a 5- to 8-quart slow cooker. my crock pot is 4 quarts, so i set the timer for 4 hours on low. probably could've gotten away with 3.5 hours. very little moisture left behind and a few of the greens got a little charred/crispy. not complaining, though.
also, frontera's carnitas cooking sauce is my new jam when pork country-style ribs are on sale. i've tried it twice, both in the slow cooker, and it's delicious.
as for the other randomness...i applied for a potential promotion at work and have been trying not to freak out about it. my boss and i have an understanding - while i'm happy in my current role, i would use this year to at least start scanning the internal landscape to see if anything caught my eye. worst case is that i don't get this potential promotion and things proceed as usual, which is actually fine except for those days when i want to punch everyone in the face.
my friends had a baby and kept the news off of social media until a week after the baby's birth. i can't stop gushing over the pictures and now i can stop worrying about accidentally referring to the pregnancy online. it's funny because this isn't the first time i've had to keep the news of a friend's pregnancy to myself. your secrets are safe with me!
i went out saturday night to listen/dance to house music for the first time in what felt like forever. i'm still laughing at the woman who came up to me and said i had to dance with her because her husband went to pee. also amused by the older guy who, once he confirmed that i did indeed know what song was playing, asked me to dance with him not once, but twice. he said he was 50 years old and i realized that i am totally going to be that 50 y.o. dancing to house music with very few fucks to give. i can't wait.
it's not all puppies and rainbows, sadly. quasi-landlord's sister is seriously ill. carol's father (aka 1st c.'s pastor...now pastor emeritus) is fading. i'm trying to be as supportive as i can without taking on all of the emotional energy that comes with these things, which is a challenge. part of me keeps thinking about how they're going to cope with everything after all of the goodbyes have been said and it's heartbreaking. hell, just writing about it is making me teary. it sucks.
and yeah, the world is still on fire and the current administration is still awful. no idea how the mayoral election is going to play out, but i have a few thoughts and none of them are all that pleasant.
but there's music, and books, and good food, and booze, and friends, and all of the other things that make me glad that i'm still around. hopefully y'all have some things of your own that keep you going. if not, let's go exploring! or just sit around and drink. that also works. big fan of that one, actually.
stir everything together and cook on low for 3-4 hours. the recipe is for a 5- to 8-quart slow cooker. my crock pot is 4 quarts, so i set the timer for 4 hours on low. probably could've gotten away with 3.5 hours. very little moisture left behind and a few of the greens got a little charred/crispy. not complaining, though.
also, frontera's carnitas cooking sauce is my new jam when pork country-style ribs are on sale. i've tried it twice, both in the slow cooker, and it's delicious.
as for the other randomness...i applied for a potential promotion at work and have been trying not to freak out about it. my boss and i have an understanding - while i'm happy in my current role, i would use this year to at least start scanning the internal landscape to see if anything caught my eye. worst case is that i don't get this potential promotion and things proceed as usual, which is actually fine except for those days when i want to punch everyone in the face.
my friends had a baby and kept the news off of social media until a week after the baby's birth. i can't stop gushing over the pictures and now i can stop worrying about accidentally referring to the pregnancy online. it's funny because this isn't the first time i've had to keep the news of a friend's pregnancy to myself. your secrets are safe with me!
i went out saturday night to listen/dance to house music for the first time in what felt like forever. i'm still laughing at the woman who came up to me and said i had to dance with her because her husband went to pee. also amused by the older guy who, once he confirmed that i did indeed know what song was playing, asked me to dance with him not once, but twice. he said he was 50 years old and i realized that i am totally going to be that 50 y.o. dancing to house music with very few fucks to give. i can't wait.
it's not all puppies and rainbows, sadly. quasi-landlord's sister is seriously ill. carol's father (aka 1st c.'s pastor...now pastor emeritus) is fading. i'm trying to be as supportive as i can without taking on all of the emotional energy that comes with these things, which is a challenge. part of me keeps thinking about how they're going to cope with everything after all of the goodbyes have been said and it's heartbreaking. hell, just writing about it is making me teary. it sucks.
and yeah, the world is still on fire and the current administration is still awful. no idea how the mayoral election is going to play out, but i have a few thoughts and none of them are all that pleasant.
but there's music, and books, and good food, and booze, and friends, and all of the other things that make me glad that i'm still around. hopefully y'all have some things of your own that keep you going. if not, let's go exploring! or just sit around and drink. that also works. big fan of that one, actually.
Monday, August 13, 2018
recipe review: pasta with chicken sausage, corn, leeks, and mushrooms
the only ingredient i had on hand for this recipe was the italian chicken sausage. i bought corn and mushrooms at the farmers market, since fresh corn is still in season and i figured why not? i used farfalle pasta since jewel didn't have casarecce and a quick google search in the pasta aisle said that farfalle could be an acceptable substitute.
i used 5 ears of corn since the vendor i bought them from was running a "buy 4, get 1 free" type of special. i also added garlic powder at some point because i realized that this recipe didn't call for any type of garlic and i wasn't willing to rely on the sausage alone to provide garlic flavor. farfalle takes a bit longer to cook than casarecce, so i adjusted the pasta cooking time accordingly.
i'm of the opinion that the "active time" in this recipe assumes that you've already prepped the corn, mushrooms, and leeks. i'm sure the cleaning and chopping of those ingredients took 20 minutes on their own. also, the recipe isn't really clear about when to add the cooked pasta - i added the pasta and then stirred in the butter, lemon zest, and reserved pasta water.
i'd probably make this again with frozen corn and possibly fresh garlic instead of garlic powder. garlic makes almost everything better. i could probably use italian pork or turkey sausages as well, as long as they're cooked in advance so i don't add to the total recipe time.
i used 5 ears of corn since the vendor i bought them from was running a "buy 4, get 1 free" type of special. i also added garlic powder at some point because i realized that this recipe didn't call for any type of garlic and i wasn't willing to rely on the sausage alone to provide garlic flavor. farfalle takes a bit longer to cook than casarecce, so i adjusted the pasta cooking time accordingly.
i'm of the opinion that the "active time" in this recipe assumes that you've already prepped the corn, mushrooms, and leeks. i'm sure the cleaning and chopping of those ingredients took 20 minutes on their own. also, the recipe isn't really clear about when to add the cooked pasta - i added the pasta and then stirred in the butter, lemon zest, and reserved pasta water.
i'd probably make this again with frozen corn and possibly fresh garlic instead of garlic powder. garlic makes almost everything better. i could probably use italian pork or turkey sausages as well, as long as they're cooked in advance so i don't add to the total recipe time.
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