Quote Sundays
9 hours ago
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Sunday, March 1, 2009
A Lazy Sunday in Boston
I have to say, this lazy Sunday makes me wish I were in Salem today!
Homemade chocolate-chip cookies. Check.
Puppy snuggled up on the coach. Check.
My sister's life appears to not be too shabby. Oh, and she's now officially a college graduate and now on her way to becoming the best school teacher to hit the Massachusetts school system!
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
stuffy noses
I have been eating soup since I woke up this morning, compulsively alternating between the broth and EmergenC in hopes of shaking what has become a very pesky cold--as of now, nothing has worked. I can breathe out of one nostril (my left) and feel like there is a headache gathering in the bridge of my nose. For someone who has not been sick all winter, this is no good.
Since my soup came out so well, and soups are shockingly easy, I thought I'd share.
Saute diced onions, celery, carrots shitake mushrooms, diced potato (approx. 1 cup of each depending on how many leftovers you want), and three gloves of garlic (whole) in a some olive oil inside of the pot you're planning to make your soup in. After the veggies have softened a little, add one can of whole peeled tomatoes that you have diced along with the juice from the can and your choice of beans (I added chickpeas) along with a few (4) bay leaves and some cayenne pepper and let simmer for about 15 minutes. Then add as much water as you'd like (as I love broth I added a ton of water to the veggie mixture). Allow the water to simmer for awhile and add some bouillon or vegetable paste (an alternative to bouillon that is similar to miso paste) to taste.
If you want you can add some little soup pastas or simply eat and of course, sprinkle with Parmesan Cheese!
The best part of this soup is that I keep added more water and vegetable paste so that I can continue drinking more and more broth! You can also add really whatever veggies you want but I found that this combination is particularly tasty and the mushrooms add a nice meaty texture.
Since my soup came out so well, and soups are shockingly easy, I thought I'd share.
Saute diced onions, celery, carrots shitake mushrooms, diced potato (approx. 1 cup of each depending on how many leftovers you want), and three gloves of garlic (whole) in a some olive oil inside of the pot you're planning to make your soup in. After the veggies have softened a little, add one can of whole peeled tomatoes that you have diced along with the juice from the can and your choice of beans (I added chickpeas) along with a few (4) bay leaves and some cayenne pepper and let simmer for about 15 minutes. Then add as much water as you'd like (as I love broth I added a ton of water to the veggie mixture). Allow the water to simmer for awhile and add some bouillon or vegetable paste (an alternative to bouillon that is similar to miso paste) to taste.
If you want you can add some little soup pastas or simply eat and of course, sprinkle with Parmesan Cheese!
The best part of this soup is that I keep added more water and vegetable paste so that I can continue drinking more and more broth! You can also add really whatever veggies you want but I found that this combination is particularly tasty and the mushrooms add a nice meaty texture.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
A Little Girl (Short Story Part II)
“So we really don’t know what to do about him,” Carl sighed itching his left eyebrow and dragging his hands through his balding hair, “I mean, we got this alarm system installed last week.” He stopped talking as he watched Bridget approaching them, deliberately walking on the grass weaving in and out of the lanterns next to the cobblestone path leading to his front door. Bridget walked confidently with her shoulders back and shawl clinging to her stomach protruding outward. As she ran toward her father, she bent her head down and towards the ground; a bull charging ahead.
Her father was discussing alarm systems with Carl as he watched his daughter moving towards him. He smiled at the spectacle she made with her outfit, “the bag lady” he and his wife called her. Bridget, after being read colorful books about fairies and gnomes, had taken to hiding food in her pockets during dinner and hiding it in her bedroom for the gnomes and fairies living between the cracks of her walls.
“Hey, Bridgie,” Carl said, “I heard you had a birthday last week! I bet you had a lot of fun,” he patted her head absently. Carl spoke with a tone that made her feel younger than she was. Bridget used her well-practiced tactic for people who annoyed her, simply imagining that she couldn’t understand a word that they utter. Bridget began climbing up her father’s leg, securing herself around his waist.
“So, the alarm,” Carl resumed picking at his fingernails and scrunching his nose.
“Daddy, GO. GO!!!!” Bridget started giggling in anticipation of a ride around the yard. IN the excitement of the upcoming moment, Bridget let out a cackle. This cackling was a result of asthma. Laugher hysterical and uncontrollable would result in heavy wheezing at the end of each inhalation.
“Honey, Carl is speaking to me, you have to patient. Okay, calm down. Ten breaths. Slowly. One, Two, Three…Good job, you finish counting.”
Carl watched Bridget count the remainder of breaths on her chubby fingers painted in bright pink.
“So I set off the alarm this morning on my way out. Adam went crazy. We finally calmed him down a little while ago…”
“Daddy, look there’s another doorbell,” Bridget said pointing a finger to Carl’s right on the inside of the door.
“That’s what I wanted to show you. Adam terrified of the sound of the alarm and they installed the speakers incorrectly. That button sets of alarm speakers inside of the house, not outside.”
In that one little plastic white button Bridget saw nirvana. Her father was holding her at a height otherwise impossible for her to reach, he was her step-ladder. The opportunity was a mere arm length’s away. Her grin exposed two missing front teeth and a dimple on the apple of her cheek.
Bridget took her sticky hand to her dad’s bald spot and began tapping it arbitrarily. As her father leaned against the door, Bridget lifted her finger off of her dad’s head. She could see the red jungle gym that Adam never let her play on inside. She saw Adam leaving his room wearing a black Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle tee-shirt, the elastic ankles of his black sweatpants were mid-calf, lapping over high white socks. She watched as he looked down the stairs. Holding his blankie in his right hand, he moved it to his face, wiping his nose with it. The satin ‘A’ flashed at her. She inhaled a raspy breath and reached her pointed finger towards the shiny white button. She pushed it in slightly as her father absently shifted her to his other arm. In the millisecond before the sirens went off both her dad and Carl looked at her with her chubby arm outstretched. In this momentary silence that followed she wondered whether anything would actually happen. (to be cont.)
Her father was discussing alarm systems with Carl as he watched his daughter moving towards him. He smiled at the spectacle she made with her outfit, “the bag lady” he and his wife called her. Bridget, after being read colorful books about fairies and gnomes, had taken to hiding food in her pockets during dinner and hiding it in her bedroom for the gnomes and fairies living between the cracks of her walls.
“Hey, Bridgie,” Carl said, “I heard you had a birthday last week! I bet you had a lot of fun,” he patted her head absently. Carl spoke with a tone that made her feel younger than she was. Bridget used her well-practiced tactic for people who annoyed her, simply imagining that she couldn’t understand a word that they utter. Bridget began climbing up her father’s leg, securing herself around his waist.
“So, the alarm,” Carl resumed picking at his fingernails and scrunching his nose.
“Daddy, GO. GO!!!!” Bridget started giggling in anticipation of a ride around the yard. IN the excitement of the upcoming moment, Bridget let out a cackle. This cackling was a result of asthma. Laugher hysterical and uncontrollable would result in heavy wheezing at the end of each inhalation.
“Honey, Carl is speaking to me, you have to patient. Okay, calm down. Ten breaths. Slowly. One, Two, Three…Good job, you finish counting.”
Carl watched Bridget count the remainder of breaths on her chubby fingers painted in bright pink.
“So I set off the alarm this morning on my way out. Adam went crazy. We finally calmed him down a little while ago…”
“Daddy, look there’s another doorbell,” Bridget said pointing a finger to Carl’s right on the inside of the door.
“That’s what I wanted to show you. Adam terrified of the sound of the alarm and they installed the speakers incorrectly. That button sets of alarm speakers inside of the house, not outside.”
In that one little plastic white button Bridget saw nirvana. Her father was holding her at a height otherwise impossible for her to reach, he was her step-ladder. The opportunity was a mere arm length’s away. Her grin exposed two missing front teeth and a dimple on the apple of her cheek.
Bridget took her sticky hand to her dad’s bald spot and began tapping it arbitrarily. As her father leaned against the door, Bridget lifted her finger off of her dad’s head. She could see the red jungle gym that Adam never let her play on inside. She saw Adam leaving his room wearing a black Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle tee-shirt, the elastic ankles of his black sweatpants were mid-calf, lapping over high white socks. She watched as he looked down the stairs. Holding his blankie in his right hand, he moved it to his face, wiping his nose with it. The satin ‘A’ flashed at her. She inhaled a raspy breath and reached her pointed finger towards the shiny white button. She pushed it in slightly as her father absently shifted her to his other arm. In the millisecond before the sirens went off both her dad and Carl looked at her with her chubby arm outstretched. In this momentary silence that followed she wondered whether anything would actually happen. (to be cont.)
Rabini
Rabini:
Cut stems, trim and clean one bunch rabini (rabe). Steam 4-6 minutes until bright green. Set aside hot & dry.
In frying pan add olive oil, saute 4-6 large sliced cloves of garlic. When golden add 1/2 lemon juice and rabe. Be careful of splatter. Toss in pan with coarse Kosher salt / sea salt. Slide everything in platter and serve with crusty bread.
15 minutes tops
Butter Beans!
Butter Beans
Finely chopped red bell pepper, green bell pepper, white onion, garlic, celery, pitted Kalmata olives, green olives add juice of fresh lemon, salt, cracked black pepper, olive oil and a tablespoon of wine vinegar.
Drain and add two cans butter beans and one can black beans or beans of your choice. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit 1 hour in fridge. So good!
15 minutes tops
Finely chopped red bell pepper, green bell pepper, white onion, garlic, celery, pitted Kalmata olives, green olives add juice of fresh lemon, salt, cracked black pepper, olive oil and a tablespoon of wine vinegar.
Drain and add two cans butter beans and one can black beans or beans of your choice. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit 1 hour in fridge. So good!
15 minutes tops
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Things You May Not Need but Will Most Likely Love: Avocado Slicer
Most of the products for my kitchen are gifts from my parents who are both avid cooks. And while I would have never necessarily thought of many of the items I have been given, my parents have turned me into a product junky.An avocado slicer, may seem unnecessary, but gives you uniform, pretty and neat slices and really scoops everything out of the avocado skin. I personally, put avocado on just about anything I can get away with. Grilled cheese, cottage cheese, salads, soups, etc...so I thought that this was just a dandy little device especially because when I slice an avocado the slices are not nearly as thin and perfect and the slices below look!
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