Monday, November 18, 2013

My November Guest

My November Guest

My Sorrow, when she's here with me,
Thinks these dark days of autumn rain
Are beautiful as days can be;
She loves the bare, the withered tree;
She walks the sodden pasture lane.

Her pleasure will not let me stay.
She talks and I am fain to list:
She's glad the birds are gone away,
She's glad her simple worsted grey
Is silver now with clinging mist.

The desolate, deserted trees,
The faded earth, the heavy sky,
The beauties she so truly sees,
She thinks I have no eye for these,
And vexes me for reason why.

Not yesterday I learned to know
The love of bare November days
Before the coming of the snow,
But it were vain to tell her so,
And they are better for her praise
-Robert Frost
I started a puzzle on the kitchen table. Now it's a rush to finish it before Thanksgiving. I think I'm going to make some Thanksgiving dishes this week and test to see if they're good. I need to go to the grocery, but I don't want to take 10 minutes to dry my hair, and I don't want to go with wet hair. 
Several of the job descriptions I've come across for technical writers requires a writing sample.  And so I thought I should write, even though I now think technical writing wouldn't be for me. Ugh, I wish I could find a job doing something I remotely care about. I applied to another stupid oil and gas job, SIGH. I need a real job. I considered applying to Barnes and Noble but then I read the description and it involves too much people. Besides, Barnes and Noble is my favorite public place to go and I wouldn't want to ruin that by working there. 
Typing is so much fun. It was funny, one time we talked to Ainsley about learning to type. Of course she made a big deal about how she didn't want to learn and it's not necessary to learn how to type. If typing is not mandatory in school nowadays it should be. It is most definitely necessary. Can you imagine being in the corporate world and staring down at your fingers and finger typing each letter? Man, that's a good way to make yourself look incompetent. It really doesn't take too much effort to learn how to touch type. Force yourself not to look down and over time it'll come. I learned the lazy way. My mom showed me where to put my hands, and over time I naturally became better and better at typing and now I don't look down. I'm still not a master though. I always use the left hand shift key. Which makes capital 'a's difficult. 
Speaking of job descriptions, I was filling out an application for a receptionist job at a university, and the sentence asking me to describe how good I am at paying attention to detail wasn't a real sentence. So I pointed out the mistake as my answer. 
I think it is true that writing every day is important for writers. But blogging is like writing in a diary. Does that even count? It's not fiction, it's not a political commentary, it requires no research or thought or good adjectives. (See? I didn't even try to think of a better adjective than 'good'.) I dunno, I guess it's better than nothing but I don't think it does the best job of growing you as a writer. However, the act of writing could spark an idea for a poem or something else. 
This entire blog post is completely not worth re-reading. It's like a bunch of Facebook statuses strung into paragraphs. I'm thirsty. I already had coffee and I don't want water, but I don't like orange juice. Maybe I'll make hot cider. Hm that gives me an idea, stream of consciousness writing. But hopefully about something more interesting than my base thirst needs. I don't really like that style though. A simply put, wise thought is so much more interesting. 
"In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: It goes on."
I just don't see the use in this diary form of writing. Except for self contemplation. Maybe I should write short stories. Mmm cider and puzzle. 
Ttyl.

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Sunday, June 17, 2012

Succulents and Langford

I  stopped by Whole Foods last week to pick something up and noticed the cutest succulents display out front. They had signs labeling where the plants were from around Texas and the littlest ones were only 2 for $5. 





I brought Kris back with me on the weekend and we picked out the most adorable ones to take home. Then we went to Target to find a cheap glass display vase. The ones we picked out were actually  candle holders, but work perfectly as vases. We got one big one and one small one, but as I was getting it out of the car the big one smashed :( So we still need to find a permanent home for some of the little ones.



Small vase that didn't break




Aren't they adorable??


My little succulents


We also picked up some gorgeous soft pink peonies. Or 'ponies' as Kris calls them.


Peonies

Peonies :)


Here are the bigger succulents Kris and I picked out.



If you look closely, it looks like the big one is flowering.


I just love this one!




These are the little guys that need a home. For now they are on a pretty bronze tray we also found at Target.


My favorite is the second from the left.




 We also finally bought some candles to go in our new Pottery Barn candle holders, so now I can show you!


I had a PB rewards coupon I used to get these, cause they're not cheap. But I think they're so beautiful framing the tv in the living room, don't you?


If we had an entryway wall into the living room, I think I would have put them there, or on either side of a fireplace.  I also considered putting them on either sides of the bed, but we'll see them more out here.


I put some fake battery powered candles in them, and they work pretty well. I need to get some AAAs for them and turn them on at night.






Langford Market is my new favorite store. The first time I went in one it was in Austin, when I was waiting outside to get into Taverna on 2nd street, my favorite Italian place in Austin. 


I couldn't get Kris to be dragged in there, so I went myself, and tried on every dress in the place. It's so affordable! It's the perfect, cute, affordable clothes for someone my age, and it's the only store I know of that offers something like that. 


I was very happy to find they have a store in Rice Village in Houston, and I've been twice already. 




This is the dress I bought in Austin. I love the detailing on the front.


I bought this top right before we went to the Houston Beer Fest downtown. I wanted something really flowy and cool because we were going to be outside in the June heat. This was the perfect top for the occasion!






 This dress I almost passed over, but the super nice sales lady suggested I try it because she liked it so much. I did, and she was right, it looks great on! I really like the slit in the front that opens to the waist, with a light lining underneath.





I love love this jacket. Partly because it is just my style, slightly sailor-y with the gold double breasted buttons, but also because it was half the price something like that would have been at any of the other stores I shop at. 




I'm a sucker for lace. I wore this out last night to Brasserie 19, an amazingly good french restaurant on West Gray that apparently attracts the Houston elite and their trophy wives. Interesting place to eat. 

I can't wait to go back to Langford. I need to pace myself or they're going to end up owning a large portion of my paycheck.







Thursday, June 14, 2012

June

June started out by sipping kumkwat mojitos...



One of Kris' beautiful mojitos



We had to celebrate father's day early because Ainsley will be at summer camp for 2 weeks. 
She picked out his favorite flowers and a card. He also got a wonderful surprise performance of L.O.V.E., which he loved. She's such a great singer.

Kris' father's day gifts

My favorite thing on the weekend is to have a new cooking project. Kris really loves Starbucks' banana bread, so I decided to make it. I've already made it twice it's so good.

Borrowed from Food.com.

Starbucks Banana Bread

Ingredients:


  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 egg
  • 1 1/8 cups sugar
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 tablespoons buttermilk
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 ripe medium-large bananas, mashed


  • You can also add 1/2 cup walnuts, but we left those out.

    1. Preheat oven to 325. Grease a 9x5x3 loaf pan and dust with flour.




    2. Blend the flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.



    3. Mix the egg, sugar, and vegetable oil until combined.





    4. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture and when blended, add the buttermilk, vanilla, and mashed bananas; mix well.



    5. Bake for 45-60 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

    I baked it for about 50 minutes and then tested it with a knife. It was still very gooey. I ended up cooking it for about 1hr 20 minutes total before it was cooked through.

    After 50 minutes. Not done.

    Looks so yummy, but not ready yet

    Ah, finally!

    Mmmm banana bread
    It was a huge success. Kris even said one day that the Starbucks bread doesn't taste good anymore, now that he's had mine. Whoops.

    Thursday, June 7, 2012

    Gargantuan Green Grape

    My new Gargantuan Green Grape nail polish from OPI in matte.


    Thursday, May 24, 2012

    Recent Recipes


    These are my recent recipes that I try to remember to take pictures of as I'm cooking, with my critiques and comments. I like to do something new almost every day, at least as long as Kris doesn't get sick of my recipe experimenting.

    Chicken Scallion Rice bowl

    I modified this recipe from Food Network a bit because I don't really like fish sauce, I didn't have mirin, and I couldn't find jicama in the store.

    Ingredients:
    6 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
    2 cups water
    2 tablespoons mirin (substitute dry sherry)
    1 tablespoon fish sauce (substitute soy sauce)
    1 bunch scallions (about 6) (I used some of the ones I'm growing by the window!)
    4 ounces shiitake mushrooms, caps thinly sliced, stems reserved
    1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
    6 garlic cloves, sliced
    1 small bunch basil, plus basil leaves, for serving
    1 large chicken breast (about 12 ounces)
    1/2 to 1 red jalapeno, thinly sliced (seeds and ribs removed for less heat, if desired)
    1 cup frozen shelled edamame, thawed
    3 ounces (1 cup) julienned jicama (I left this out)
    2 cups hot cooked brown rice
    Kosher salt


    Combine the broth, water, sherry, and soy sauce in a large saucepan ( I used a wok. That thing always comes in handy). 

    Cut all but one scallion into 1-inch pieces and add to the broth with the mushroom stems, ginger, garlic and bunch basil. 


    Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and continue to simmer until reduced by half, about 45 minutes. (I think 45 minutes may be too long. By 30 minutes my broth was already too reduced. Taste along the way to make sure it's not getting too salty.)  


    Remove the solids from the broth using a strainer or slotted spoon and discard.

    Add the chicken, sliced mushroom caps, and jalapeno to the broth; adjust heat to keep the broth at a gentle simmer and cook 12 to 14 minutes or until the chicken is just cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and slice into 1-inch pieces. 

    Remove the broth from the heat; Stir in the edamame, jicama, and sliced chicken. Season to taste with salt. 
    Scoop 1/2 cup of the cooked rice in each bowl and ladle some of the soup over it. Slice the reserved scallion on an angle and sprinkle over each bowl along with the basil leaves. 
    (I didn't remember to take pictures of the finished product because I was scarfing it down, but I recommend this dish! Try adding your own flavors or veggies!)
     


    Tilapia Masala
    Adapted from Food Network

    Ingredients:
    1 cup basmati rice, rinsed (Who has time to rinse rice? I didn't rinse)
    Kosher salt
    1/2 cup frozen peas (I had peas and carrots)
    3/4 cup plain yogurt (I used greek yogurt, yummm)
    1 small clove garlic, chopped
    1 1-inch piece ginger, peeled and chopped
    1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
    1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
    1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
    4 6-ounce tilapia fillets (I only used 2)
    2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 

    Preheat the broiler.  -I moved this to the beginning, because they had it right before 'put the fish in the broiler' which is very inconvenient when you could have had the thing preheating this whole time.
    Cook the rice per instructions, stir in the peas and set aside.

    Puree 1/2 cup yogurt, the garlic, ginger, lime juice, cumin, cayenne and 3/4 teaspoon salt in a food processor. 

    You'll note that I didn't finish reading the instructions and put it all in the blender. Much messier this way.


    This is not a food processor

    Transfer all but 3 tablespoons (don't forget to reserve some!) of the mixture to a large bowl. Pierce the fish a few times with a fork and season with salt; add to the bowl and toss. Marinate 15 minutes.


    Marinating fish
    Place the fish on a broiler pan (It helps with cleanup to line with foil first); top with the marinade and butter. Broil until opaque, 6 to 8 minutes. 

    Mix the remaining 1/4 cup yogurt and salt to taste with the yogurt mixture (I hope you didn't forget to save some. I didn't forget and was very proud of myself). Serve the fish and rice with the yogurt sauce.

    Tada! A bit spicy, Indian flavored fish and rice. I'm not a spice fan, but the yogurt cooled your mouth and made it delicious. Will make again!
    Beautiful fish

    Alpine Mushroom Pasta

    Sounds piney.  Spoiler: It's not.


    Adapted from Eating Well

    Ingredients: 
    8 ounces whole-wheat fettuccine (I made enough for 2)
    6 cups shredded Savoy cabbage, (about 1 small head) (I just chopped enough for 2)
    2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
    4 medium portobello mushroom caps, gills removed, thinly sliced (I used shiitake)
    1 small onion, chopped
    3 cloves garlic, minced
    3/4 cup dry white wine
    2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
    1 teaspoon salt
    1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
    1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
    1 cup diced smoked cheese, such as smoked mozzarella, Cheddar or gouda (I used mozzarella)
    2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage, or 3/4 teaspoon dried (I used fresh from our garden, of course)

    Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta for 4 minutes. Add cabbage and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the pasta and cabbage are tender, about 4 minutes more. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid and drain the pasta and cabbage.

    I had fresh pasta that cooks in 2 minutes, so I cooked the cabbage first, then cooked the pasta, then forgot and drained all the water.

    Boiling cabbage


    Onion and mushrooms
    Meanwhile, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms, onion and garlic and cook, stirring often, until the mushrooms are tender and beginning to release their liquid, about 5 minutes.

    I hate 'meanwhile's in recipes. Because by the time you get to 'meanwhile', you've already taken that time to have another sip of your cocktail and to try to catch what's going on on American Idol.


    Cooking my mushrooms
    Whisk wine and flour in a small bowl. Add to the pan along with salt and pepper; cook, stirring, until the mixture thickens, about 1 minute. (Or about the time it takes to frantically cut your tomatoes that you forgot to cut.) 

    Add tomatoes and cook until just beginning to break down, about 1 minute more. (Or about the time it takes to frantically dice the cheese you forgot to dice.)


    Added the wine
    Diced the cheese
    Return the pasta and cabbage to the pot.  
    This went badly. The pot was still hot, so when the pasta hit it it went 'hissssssssss' and smelled like burning. Don't do it like that.

    Add the mushroom sauce, the reserved cooking liquid, cheese and sage; gently toss to combine.
    I'm not sure about this part. I used some water since I threw out my cooking liquid, and I probably missed something, but the added liquid makes the whole thing runny and doesn't seem to add anything good. Next time I'd leave it out.

    Stir it all together

    The cheese melted nicely, though it seemed a bit odd thrown in there. On the website it says the dish is Italian, influenced by Austria and Switzerland. I suppose they just took a good Italian dish and threw in some cabbage to make it their own. I suspect it would be just as successful without the cabbage. 

    Overall it was ok, though not so visually appealing. It tasted mainly of sage and mushrooms, and could definitely stand to be punched up with some spice.


    Alpine mushroom pasta

    Yet another Food Network recipe- they're just so darn good!

    Orange Sherbert Recipe, from Alton Brown

    I like Alton Brown. And I like him even more now that I've started watching The Next Food Network Star. He's so smart, and knows food. And looks like a nerd. I'm rooting for his team.
    This is his orange sherbert recipe, and it does not disappoint. It tastes better than any orange sherbert you've had.

    This is the first time I've ever made ice cream. Last weekend, Kris, Ainsley and I were at a festival in the Heights where there was a silent auction. I saw the basket with the ice cream maker and multicolored ice cream towels and squealed at it, so Kris put down his name. The next day we got a call that we had bought an ice cream maker. 

    Never silent auction while drinking.

    Ingredients: 
    7 ounces sugar
    1 1/2 tablespoons finely grated orange zest
    1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
    2 cups freshly squeezed orange juice, approximately 2 to 3 pounds oranges (or buy the delicious, fresh squeezed orange juice from HEB like I did)
    1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
    1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    1 1/2 cups very cold whole milk

    Ice cream maker!
    In a food processor combine all of the ingredients except the milk and process until the sugar is dissolved, approximately 1 minute. So easy! 
    Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl and whisk in the milk. People use 'whisk' too easily. I get out my whisk when I could have just as well used a fork and now I've got my whisk all dirty for nothing. 
    Cover the bowl and place in the refrigerator until the mixture reaches 40 degrees F or below, approximately 1 hour. I just realized it said 'cover the bowl'. Skipped that part.

    The waiting part is the most difficult. I suggest having your cocktail in front of the season finale of American Idol and loudly proclaiming your choice for the winner, jumping up and down when they win, spilling your cocktail, and cleaning it up with that cleaning spray you bought. Oh look, the mixture is already ready.
    Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and process until it is the consistency of soft serve ice cream.
    My sherbet!
    It probably would have been prettier if I had used the ice cream scoops we won, but we were too anxious to eat it for that. So keep in mind it tastes a LOT better than it looks. Kris finished off the quart that night.


    Chicken Piccata with Pasta and Mushrooms

    from Eating Well

    Ingredients:
    6 ounces whole-wheat angel hair pasta
    1/3 cup all-purpose flour, divided
    2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
    1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
    1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
    4 chicken cutlets
    3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
    1 10-ounce package mushrooms, sliced
    3 large cloves garlic, minced
    1/2 cup white wine
    2 tablespoons lemon juice
    1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
    2 tablespoons capers, rinsed
    2 teaspoons butter

    Cook the pasta.
    Pasta
    Meanwhile, (there's that meanwhile again... I'm not organized enough for meanwhile) whisk 5 teaspoons flour and broth in a small bowl until smooth. 

    Place the remaining flour in a shallow dish. (Or just sprinkle it right on the chicken.) Season chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper and dredge both sides in the flour. 

    Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. (If you have an electric stove like mine, put it on 'medium', smell it burn, curse the stove, turn it to 'low', grudgingly turn it back up to 'medium low', while muttering insults at said stupid stove.
    Add the chicken and cook until browned and no longer pink in the middle, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate; cover and keep warm. (Keep warm? Now I have to turn the oven on and put them on an oven safe plate? Why couldn't we have been doing this during a 'meanwhile'?)


    Chicken cutlets

    Cutting up my veggies
    Heat the remaining 1 teaspoon oil in the pan over medium-high heat.(Unless your stove only has 'way too hot' and 'way too cool' settings, in which case alternate between 'too hot' and 'too cool' until you get close to the desired temperature, at which point your mushrooms are almost overdone.) Add mushrooms and cook, stirring, until they release their juices and begin to brown, about 5 minutes.


    Cooking the mushrooms


    Transfer to a plate. (Again? I'm starting to think we could've just used 2 pans...) Add garlic and wine to the pan and cook until reduced by half, 1 to 2 minutes.

    Stir in the reserved broth-flour mixture, lemon juice and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring, until the sauce is thickened, about 5 minutes.



    Stir in parsley, capers, butter and the reserved mushrooms. Measure out 1/2 cup of the mushroom sauce. 
    Toss the pasta in the pan with the remaining sauce. Serve the pasta topped with the chicken and the reserved sauce. I just left all the sauce in the pan and stirred in the pasta. Janet: The Lazy Cook strikes again.


    The chicken piccata was a success. It's a really good, easy to make dish with yummy flavors of lemon and caper. I did think it was a tad heavy on the lemon, both the lemon and wine added acidity, so it ended up being a little too much. I might experiment with adding less lemon juice next time.

    Chicken piccata with mushrooms