tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40992293964182178292024-03-12T19:41:23.119-07:00DES(S)ERT LIFEcacti and tumbleweeds and food and crafts.Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06817414226322667548noreply@blogger.comBlogger58125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4099229396418217829.post-47298444231663015852012-05-18T21:51:00.000-07:002012-05-18T21:51:08.048-07:00A Story About Pancakes (not the cat)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Confession time: Until yesterday, I had never made a pancake, by myself, from start to finish.<br />
<br />
It wasn't that I didn't know how. I mean, theoretically, I understood the concept. I could read a recipe. Perhaps the finer details of the execution were lacking, but I'm a clever girl—I'm sure I could figure it out. But the need never arose, given that it is my lot in life to fall in with a man who makes a mean pancake without any help from yours truly.<br />
<br />
Also, I'm not a huge fan of pancakes. (Pancakes, maybe. On those few instances when he's behaving.) Along with tuna on toast, pancakes were something we ate when the adult in charge of my dinner did not feel like cooking. We had breakfast for dinner so often that the charm of the inverted meals wore thin.<br />
<br />
Now, that is fine! Sometimes I don't feel like cooking, either! Why do you think we keep a supply of Annie's bunny pastas on hand? But, for whatever reason, I am generally opposed to eating breakfast (read: pancakes) for dinner. I have come to re-embrace them as a tasty breakfast food, especially since The Husband makes delicious chocolate chip pancakes and we always have a lot of maple syrup to work through (maple syrup, along with beer, wine, and cheese, is something I frequently smuggle back to the desert after trips to WNY; strangely, Arizona doesn't have a lot of maple trees).<br />
<br />
On a recent-ish trip back home, we visited our local pancake-and-turkey purveyor, where I became enchanted with a crow statue (sadly, not for sale) and the idea of buckwheat pancakes. But not the namby-pamby kind that only makes passing reference to buckwheat—no, I wanted hearty, nutty, earthy cakes, dagnabbit. And rather than topping them with maple syrup—although it is delicious—I had a fridge full of berries purchased during a sale-and-heat-induced frenzy that desperately needed to be eaten before they sprouted fuzz and melted.<br />
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Here's what I ended up with:<br />
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A tasty quadruple-decker pancake tower, full of various stewed fruits. The sweetness in both the cakes and fruits is subtle, with the slight tang of the berries helping cut the dense flavor of the buckwheat.<br />
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From top to bottom, we have: maple–bourbon blackberries, mesquite honey and vanilla raspberries, lemon–poppyseed blueberries, and fig balsamic strawberries with black pepper.<br />
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I can't say for certain that these were better than the bunny-shaped pancakes I used to get as a kid. But they were pretty dang good.<br />
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[Food considerations: Vegetarian, but not vegan. Gluten-free if you use only buckwheat flour. Contains dairy and eggs.]<br />
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<br />
<b>MAKE THEM!</b><br />
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<u>The berries</u><br />
<br />
You can use any variety of berry you'd like, and can add whatever flavors/sweeteners/etc. you think work well together. They come together pretty quickly; you're not making jam, here, so there's no need to cook it for very long. You only want to simmer the fruits until they have broken down slightly and have made a little syrup. Generally speaking, I ended up with half pints of the blackberries and blueberries and full pints of the strawberries and raspberries.<br />
<br />
Here is the basic formula, with additions specified for each berry.<br />
<br />
Put about 1 c. of washed berries into a medium pan, on medium heat, and stir frequently until the juices start to be released (you can add a tiny amount of water to help this along). Add the sweetener, then cover and let simmer, stirring occasionally, until the berries start to break down and the juice covers the bottom of the pan. Depending on the berry (blackberries and blueberries particularly), you may need to mash a few of the fruits with the spoon to encourage their tasty destruction. Keep an eye on them while they're cooking, and once they've reached the state of chunkiness you like best, uncover and continue simmering, stirring more frequently, until the juice has reduced a bit and you have a sticky, unctuous syrup. Once it's to your liking, remove from the heat and pour into a jar.<br />
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<i>Specifics</i><br />
<br />
Maple–bourbon blackberries: For sweetener, use 3 or 4 tbsp. of maple syrup. Once you remove the pan from the heat, stir in a scant tbsp. of bourbon before storing.<br />
<br />
Mesquite honey and vanilla raspberries: For sweetener, add 2 tbsp. of mesquite honey, if you can get it (any honey will work, though). Before covering to simmer, add a vanilla pod.<br />
<br />
Lemon–poppyseed blueberries: For sweetener, use 2 dessert spoons of caster sugar; add a zest of one lemon and 2 pinches of blue poppyseeds with the sugar. When you uncover the berries for the final simmer, add the juice of half a lemon.<br />
<br />
Fig balsamic and black pepper strawberries: For sweetener, use 2 dessert spoons of turbinado sugar. Partway through the covered simmer, add 1 tbsp. of fig balsamic vinegar (regular balsamic is fine, too). Stir in a couple of grinds of black pepper (probably about 1 or 2 tsp.) once you remove the fruit from the heat.<br />
<br />
<br />
<u>The pancakes</u> (I ended up with six 3-inch and seven 4-inch cakes [sizes are rough estimates])<br />
<br />
In a large bowl, sift together 3/4 c. buckwheat flour,
1/4 c. sprouted spelt flour (AP or other standard flours are fine,
too), 2 tbsp. sugar, 3/8 tsp. salt, and 3/4 tsp. baking soda. Melt 2
tbsp. of unsalted butter and stir in. In a measuring cup or small bowl,
mix together 1/2 c. plain yogurt, 1/2 c. + a slurp of milk, and 1 egg; add to the dry ingredients, stirring as you go. You want a thickish, but still fluid, batter, so add more milk if it seems too dry.<br />
<br />
While you're making the batter, heat up a heavy pan or griddle (I used a small, cast-iron stovetop griddle) over medium heat; you want it ready for the batter as soon as it's mixed. Add a little knob of butter, swirling it about the cover the pan. Using a small ladle or measuring cup (a 1/8 c. was a good size for my wee cakes), pour the batter onto the griddle, trying to keep it in a neat circle but being accepting when this doesn't happen. Cook until bubbles begin to pop through in the middle of the cake, about 4–5 minutes. Flip and cook for another minute or so, until lightly browned; serve immediately (if not building miniature Leaning Towers of Pancake) or place on a baking sheet in a warm oven until ready.</div>Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06817414226322667548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4099229396418217829.post-88541424673863807912012-05-17T23:14:00.000-07:002012-05-20T17:47:20.700-07:00It's a Chard-Knock Life<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
When planning a garden, you should always be sure to plant for your particular climate, so that you aren't left frantically harvesting all your greens just as the temperatures begin to settle in for a long stretch of triple-digit highs. Now we probably jumped the gun a bit, as it was only hovering around the high 90s during our reaping time, but not only were we working against an unforgiving sun, we were also battling wasps.<br />
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Yes, wasps.<br />
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<a href="http://india.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/16/an-online-guide-to-indias-political-cartoons/"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK2wWYbJ7FljBMpblju-GZJnAFRpTTs-8074weTdPrELNBv4DI7GkV4GFlRygo9-O8eD2DswQ7ZfaXTbqd389Q4orybTE5cpZfrdlPmjaSTOB6hMkd5wD82mJzp-dzNCYUGmKvo6uY3pdn/s400/funny-graphs-so-much-evil-in-such-a-little-thing.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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Did you know that they were big fans of vegetables? I assumed they lived off of spite and terror and the tears of the innocent (well, <a href="http://www.bioone.org/doi/abs/10.2317/JKES0811.17.1?journalCode=kent">some do</a>) and ruined picnics and sugar. But no! They also eat greens.<br />
<br />
The wretched buggers were laying waste to our chard and undoubtedly scaring off the friendly bees who only wanted buzz around politely and pollinate things. Also, they made harvesting much more dangerous for The Husband, who is frightfully allergic to stings and yet never seems to have his anti-sting medications on his person. So we hosed down the garden to try to scare them away, then quickly made off with all the chard (and cavolo nero, for good measure) we could before they caught on. And while this did leave me feeling pretty pleased for having pulled one over on the striped menace, it also left us with copious amounts of greenery that demanded my attention.<br />
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(It also left us with a lot of rat tail radish that needs pickling or something.)<br />
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First up was a garlicky cavolo nero pasta with thinly sliced squashes and crispy beans. I love crispy beans. In fact, I ate a lot of them before they even made it to the pasta. Fortunately, I have come to anticipate issues like these and adjust my amounts accordingly.<br />
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For the chard, I ended up making two different batches of chard cakes, which are tasty in both large cake form (with some quinoa and tzatziki)<br />
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and in smaller crispy-bit form on top of a salad of shaved pattypan squash and fennel with mozzarella.<br />
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Of course, it feels like we've barely put a dent in our greens collection, so more green-centric food will be forthcoming. Can't let the hornets feel like they won, now can we?<br />
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[Food considerations: The cavolo nero pasta is vegetarian, vegan if you omit the cheese and use an eggless pasta, and gluten-free if you use gluten-free pasta. The chard cakes are vegetarian, and can be made gluten-free by using gluten-free breadcrumbs, though rice flour would probably work just as well. My version of pasta contains eggs, as do the chard cakes; the chard cakes also include dairy. Both should be soy-free.]<br />
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<br />
<b>SO YOU WANT IN ON THIS, HUH?</b><br />
<br />
<u>Garlicky cavolo nero with crispy beans and squash </u><br />
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If you'll be making your own pasta, go ahead and get the dough started. My recipe is <a href="http://aw80d.blogspot.com/2011/08/southern-europe-pasta-italy.html">here</a> (my God, the sister blog is ignored). Cover and let it rest while you make everything else (it should sit for at least 30 minutes, but can easily sit longer—just make sure it's covered, or else it'll dry out).<br />
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To make crispy beans: Cook a meaty bean of your choice (I used borlotti and followed my normal method of pressure cooker + dried chipotle). Try to get a good bean type for this, as the beans must be able to stand on their own to work well (as my frequent snacking whilst cooking can attest). Aside from borlotti, any cranberry-esque bean will work, as will any bean that holds its shape.<br />
<br />
Finely slice two or three cloves of garlic. In a shallow saute pan, heat up some oil (I used a mix of grapeseed and roasted garlic olive oil). When hot, add the garlic, mix briefly, and then add the beans. Stir until everything is well coated, season with a large pinch of salt, then let cook on a medium-high heat, mixing occasionally, so that the beans fry and their skins begin to crack. Once the beans get crispy and chewy, remove from the heat (keep the little burnt garlic chips, too, as they are amazing).<br />
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Wipe most of the oil from the pan, then return to the stove.<br />
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For the greens, remove the woody stems as needed (ours was still but a young'un, so I left most of it alone). Wash the leaves, though you don't need to be too fussy about drying them. Thinly slice about a dozen cloves of garlic; seriously, it can take it, so just BE BRAVE. TRUST THE GARLIC.<br />
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Add some olive oil to the pan and, just like the crispy beans, add the garlic once the oil is hot. Let the garlic saute for about a minute, then add the cavolo nero. Stir well, until all the leaves are glossy from the oil, then cover and let cook until just tender (you still want a bit of bite to the stems). Salt to taste, give a final stir, then remove to a bowl.<br />
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If you're rocking the homemade pasta, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t21DFnu00Dc&ob=av3e">roll out</a> and cut your noodles to your preferred shape. If using pre-made pasta, start cooking it now. You will want the pasta to be ready right when the zucchini (see next step) is done, so don't start cooking the squash until just before the pasta is al dente.<br />
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Using a mandoline (or excellent knife skills, if you have them), thinly slice a small zucchini lengthwise, then julienne the squash into strips about the width of fettucine. Heat up a tiny bit of olive oil in your saute pan and add a pinch of Aleppo pepper. Let the pepper flavor the oil, then throw in the strips of zucchini. Cook them very briefly, just enough to warm through, then add the cooked cavolo nero, stir about, and then add the drained pasta. Stir madly, mixing everything together as much as possible (this may not be easy), then move the pan off the heat. Squeeze half a lemon (or more, depending on your taste) over everything, along with a few turns of the pepper grinder. Plate the pasta and sprinkle as many beans as you can stand over the top, along with some Parmesan cheese.<br />
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<u>Chard cakes</u><br />
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I basically took these almost directly from <span style="font-size: small;"><span id="btAsinTitle">Ottolenghi's <i>Plenty</i>, which is a pretty fantastic cookbook for us vegetarian types. I give you my highly abridged notes on this recipe, plus my tweaks.</span></span><br />
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***<br />
1 ¼ lbs chard <br />
1/3 c pine nuts [We did not have any pine nuts, so I used finely chopped walnuts]<br />
1 tbsp olive oil<br />
4 oz kashkaval cheese, coarsely grated [I don't even remember what this is. I used a roughly equal amount of crumbled goat feta in one batch, and 3 tbsp of garlic and pepper farmers' cheese from my <a href="http://superstitionfarm.com/">fabulous local dairy</a> in the other]<br />
1 egg<br />
6 tbsp dried white breadcrumbs<br />
¼ tsp salt<br />
[2 tbsp cooked quinoa]<br />
<br />
Cut stalks from chard. Bring large pan of water to boil, add stalks, and simmer for 4 minutes. Add leaves, stir, and continue simmering for 3 minutes. Drain chard and allow to cool down slightly. Squeeze as much water out as possible. Be quite forceful. Chop leaves and stalks and put into mixing bowl. <br />
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In small frying pan, fry pine nuts [walnuts] in tbsp of oil until light brown (about 1 minute). Add nuts and oil to chard, followed by cheese, egg, breadcrumbs, s&p [and quinoa]. If mix is too soft and sticky, add more crumbs. <br />
<br />
Heat oil in frying pan. Shape chard mix into eight patties 2 inches in diameter and 5/8 inch thick. Fry for 3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Transfer to paper towels to absorb oil.<br />
*** <br />
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The original recipe suggests that you serve this with a sorrel sauce, but sorrel isn't exactly in season anymore, so I made a quick tzatziki sauce with 1/2 c. plain yogurt, the juice of half a lemon, a dash or two of red wine vinegar, salt, a clove's worth of crushed garlic, and a large pinch each of dried dill and mint. Mix thoroughly, then cover and let sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes (longer if possible). Plate up on a bed of quinoa and drizzle over the tzatziki to your liking. <br />
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The salad was mandolined pattypan squash and fennel, tossed in a lemon juice/olive oil/salt dressing with a dollop of leftover tzatziki mixed in for good measure. The chard was haphazardly pinched into little ball-like lumps and fried in a tiny bit of oil until brown all over (it managed to not dry out too much while in the fridge, but if it does, just add a bit of water until it sticks together). Quarters of little ciliegine mozzarella balls are a nice touch, and I imagine that goat cheese would be splendid, too.<br />
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Excellent uses for a glut of greens, even if you didn't have to rescue them from the clutches of the family Vespidae.</div>Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06817414226322667548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4099229396418217829.post-84313098534752114162012-05-06T17:53:00.000-07:002012-05-06T17:53:34.793-07:00It's Hip to be (Granny) Square<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
If you look at the top of the page, you might notice that the subheading for this humble blog contains the word "crafts." You might also notice that this blog isn't terrible crafty; indeed, the last time I wrote anything about craft things was back in February. This isn't necessarily because I'm not a crafty lady—I have lots of ideas, though a certain Pannekuchen G. Guhlers (shown below being "helpful") does complicate the execution phase of any crafty endeavor.<br />
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However, our trip back east meant that I got to be around cats for whom yarn is not the functional equivalent of high-grade heroin, and so I could actually crochet without having to stop every few stitches to retrieve the yarn from a twitchy kitten.<br />
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Here's what I have so far.<br />
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Yes, it's granny square season here in PHX, and might I just say that I'm terribly pleased with myself for not having lost any of them during my transcontinental flight. The end goal for all these bits and bobs is a blanket for a certain granny I know who's had a rough go of things lately. Fortunately, like many grannies, she is not good with computers (or any technology beyond the touchtone phone, which she only begrudgingly owns because there were no rotary telephones at the store the day she needed to buy one), so there's not much danger of the jig going irreversibly up by posting here.<br />
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I'm using <a href="http://attic24.typepad.com/weblog/summer-garden-granny-square.html">this granny square pattern</a>, though the actual final configuration of said squares is still TBD. I'm not really thinking beyond the current round when I'm plotting this out, which hopefully will not be my undoing when I near the finish line and only then discover that I am short on not-insignificant amounts of yarn/squares/time/sanity. <br />
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I do, however, really like the piecemeal quality of making blankets this way. I generally prefer some level of instant gratification in most things that I do, which makes large-scale projects like blankets difficult for me to stick with if I have a hard time seeing any quantifiable progress. While the ever-increasing number of squares is starting to get daunting, the system I've been using means that I can easily see where I'm at, how far I have to go, and how far I've come; the simplicity of the squares and the ease with which they come together also does a lot to make me feel super productive from a minimal amount of work. I mean, look at all these squares!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-H0hvSmRJGHhkjOFQkH1rXl3EDbGr2xcwaDL6U8AiE-xPw8HZSmPuydKoneW01_s2MjPx23oK-UXfEpw81QCsysqXPl2qiMs5_tdd7ZknzOA1J9UPUblBiEpIbuO4m1vjj5HRGBJCAHv3/s1600/IMG_1278.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-H0hvSmRJGHhkjOFQkH1rXl3EDbGr2xcwaDL6U8AiE-xPw8HZSmPuydKoneW01_s2MjPx23oK-UXfEpw81QCsysqXPl2qiMs5_tdd7ZknzOA1J9UPUblBiEpIbuO4m1vjj5HRGBJCAHv3/s400/IMG_1278.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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That's a tower of fiber you can be proud of, right? Never mind that it's only a fraction of the squares that I need, and this isn't even the longest round. Making my way through this project has been a lot like pondering our cat: appearance is everything and first impressions are positive, but if you start to think about it too much, there's really not much there. Low expectations all around!<br />
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I've also been stepping out of my comfort zone, colorwise, on this one.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhanwgk-6ZLqIIjUOT7hKVyUC0H5cQYtnEMEqk4XtZtUjgZoF3ms4Y2_B7HUB_AqhgchBAOGLOsXnMrlCxOUNm5x9V9jhEDkFdGt4cl_XGgpnjyAOQKtIIRUsOFGpnTZPndCR7IRNURJAI6/s1600/IMG_1279.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhanwgk-6ZLqIIjUOT7hKVyUC0H5cQYtnEMEqk4XtZtUjgZoF3ms4Y2_B7HUB_AqhgchBAOGLOsXnMrlCxOUNm5x9V9jhEDkFdGt4cl_XGgpnjyAOQKtIIRUsOFGpnTZPndCR7IRNURJAI6/s400/IMG_1279.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I recognize that perhaps this yarn stash isn't all that impressive, but coming from someone whose favorite color is grey (a point that The Husband finds endlessly mockable), this is progress. Also, my grandmother has specifically requested that anything made for her be in the "old lady" style, which suggested to me that neon sparkly yarn was out. I'm not completely sure what "old lady" necessarily entails, but I like to think that I've found an acceptable elderlyish balance.</div>Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06817414226322667548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4099229396418217829.post-45106841597610400552012-05-05T23:39:00.001-07:002012-05-05T23:41:01.850-07:00The Circle of Life, Re-ducks<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b>POSSIBLE GOOD NEWS ALERT. </b><br />
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Ok, so I'm not 100% sure about this, BUT!<br />
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Today on our way out to run some errands, The Husband and I noticed a couple of wee mourning doves hanging out on the sidewalk. They looked a lot like the handsome little critters shown <a href="http://lifeinthedessert.blogspot.com/2012/05/circle-of-life-redux.html">here</a>. Now, I can't guarantee that they were my chicklets, and I'm still calling a certain cat of ours a birderer, and I really wish the parent doves would stop plaintively cooing outside of our bedroom window, but I think I'll sleep a little better tonight knowing that maybe, just maybe, my micropoultry are doing just fine.<br />
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Godspeed, little dovelets. I'll leave the planter up in case you want to visit.</div>Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06817414226322667548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4099229396418217829.post-21514839097017174932012-05-04T18:06:00.002-07:002012-05-05T15:31:32.447-07:00The Circle of Life, Redux<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I just recently returned from a lovely trip back home, where I spent most of my time either teaching my niece bad habits like sticking your tongue out for pictures or attempting to save the family's cats from said niece's grabby little toddler hands, which just so happen to be perfectly sized for pulling tails. Upon our return to the desert, we have been greeted by both good and bad news.<br />
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First, the good news: my micropoultry done growed up!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMtGRqDAjBa0_cOF-obSBsrD6vgSDXrTibcDYHeNHUQ-Tnqa6uLJmQy1f5Qlse6w0pLvFqlhx-Uic0Bd_8o7tx_AVYCNqmj-VELq0vg9GnvR21ikQzxFaJubnOxUWi-nRcCu16uk9CQPs4/s1600/IMG_1263.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMtGRqDAjBa0_cOF-obSBsrD6vgSDXrTibcDYHeNHUQ-Tnqa6uLJmQy1f5Qlse6w0pLvFqlhx-Uic0Bd_8o7tx_AVYCNqmj-VELq0vg9GnvR21ikQzxFaJubnOxUWi-nRcCu16uk9CQPs4/s400/IMG_1263.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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Yes, what was once just eggs and then featherless blobs has turned into two proper chicklets.<br />
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Now, the bad news: the chicklets are gone.<br />
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The optimist in me points out that they were pretty close to fledging time, and they obviously couldn't stay forever. But then the realist in me points out that a certain cat was caught pawing at the window just before the birds vanished. And that the adult doves have been sitting in the planter and puttering around and making really sad sounds. So I've taken to calling the cat a birderer (a bird murderer) and feeling generally bummed about the whole affair, especially because it was my fault he was in the bedroom unattended.<br />
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Ok, now, before I get too depressed thinking about this, back to the good news: The Husband is on an extended chemo break! We returned from our trip back east to promptly wake at the crack of dawn to make the drive down to the TUX (thank goodness for time changes) and were told by the oncologist that, given the good results from the most recent scans/procedures, it made most sense to keep The Husband off of chemo until a followup scan next month. That's right: six weeks of not having to drive to TUX and not being drugged up make for GOOD TIMES.<br />
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To mark the occasion, we had celebratory taco and beer night and cracked open a couple of the many beers that The Husband and I had been squirreling away for when he could drink again.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Guy6binbWuoAlM7kJo2ZDWC9_5hdolLxf678i_Plyg1oEiIMsBLjCjQoh0-wDw-2oVxHtZTMtSf2F4cxUZbR1M47xa91GGwLpbxFosNg7zqfHtJGN8hScACYyK7EUXlftKCtLtnQlXZa/s1600/IMG_1274.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Guy6binbWuoAlM7kJo2ZDWC9_5hdolLxf678i_Plyg1oEiIMsBLjCjQoh0-wDw-2oVxHtZTMtSf2F4cxUZbR1M47xa91GGwLpbxFosNg7zqfHtJGN8hScACYyK7EUXlftKCtLtnQlXZa/s400/IMG_1274.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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Because these were celebratory tacos, they naturally had to be fancier than our usual tacos. I jazzed them up with some pickled watermelon radishes and some sauteed mushrooms and homegrown chard and what were probably the best beans I've ever made. Recipes below!<br />
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And speaking of homegrown, check out our garden!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_u3LaND9KlXjvG_3a7yctee2BHrKXy4DFq4oYwdGePLeFX3e69W-EBRN5VflKcluqEWvzVcbjljOyMMGjje1vd8CiD-t_3n9TsaCWmSrqNXqYvdXFUJ30jmrT07pXNskj3cYsXhEXnNj7/s1600/IMG_1264.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_u3LaND9KlXjvG_3a7yctee2BHrKXy4DFq4oYwdGePLeFX3e69W-EBRN5VflKcluqEWvzVcbjljOyMMGjje1vd8CiD-t_3n9TsaCWmSrqNXqYvdXFUJ30jmrT07pXNskj3cYsXhEXnNj7/s400/IMG_1264.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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I am seriously pleased with the little fella. There have certainly been problems, mostly in the bean category (I think there might have been some watering issues). But the chard, cavolo nero, and cilantro are already harvestable, there are tomatoes on the vine (and my two little from-seed plants are chugging along), and the radishes have gone blooming mad. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibmuMbiV1YpEZKBHs6xijKV3tTuiIVWUSSkOJgEndVogwNfVMgz8qpIK9maCQptbzzjEh1npRTx3SJC6dvqpkXGtQuXGcWaDytaVMeMbqdaCLUzbYb6xJ0clv7s2b9-3xYKlmrvSBdkZqy/s1600/IMG_1265.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibmuMbiV1YpEZKBHs6xijKV3tTuiIVWUSSkOJgEndVogwNfVMgz8qpIK9maCQptbzzjEh1npRTx3SJC6dvqpkXGtQuXGcWaDytaVMeMbqdaCLUzbYb6xJ0clv7s2b9-3xYKlmrvSBdkZqy/s400/IMG_1265.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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Check out those sweet pods on the radish plants. Little did I know that each plant makes about one bazillion pods, and we have seven or eight plants, so by my math we'll have about eleventy gazillion radishes to eat.<br />
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All in all, I consider this a win.<br />
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*EDIT: The Husband insists that I also inform you all that I added some corn (canned, because I'm one of those weirdos who eats the remainder of the corn straight from the can while everything else is cooking) to the beans near the end. And that the chard went into an onion-pepper-chard saute (thinly sliced up one red onion, half a jar of roasted red peppers, and some chard or other green, heat up in a pan with a little oil and Aleppo pepper, add adobo seasoning and a little cumin powder to taste, and cook until tender).<br />
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<b>RECIPES!</b><br />
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<u>Quick pickled radishes</u><br />
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Thinly slice (a mandoline is probably your best bet) a couple of radishes (I used watermelon radishes, but any would work). In a bowl with some semblance of a cover, mix up 1/2 c. white wine vinegar, 1/4 c. sugar, and a pinch of salt. Add the radishes, making sure they are submerged, and leave to sit for at least 30 minutes.<br />
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<u>Lazy sauteed mushrooms</u><br />
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Thinly slice up a portobello mushroom. In a frying pan, heat up a little oil, then add the mushroom and let cook on medium for about one minute. Add a couple of shakes of adobo seasoning (I use <a href="http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penzeys/p-penzeysadobo.html">this blend)</a> or your preferred fajita/taco spices and several glugs of Worcestershire sauce or vegetarian substitute. Let simmer until the mushrooms are soft and most of the liquid has evaporated (note that the mushrooms will release A LOT of liquid, so keep them uncovered).<br />
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<u>Possibly my best beans ever.</u> (For tacos, I prefer black beans over pinto, but any good meaty bean should work.)<br />
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If you're smart, soak about 1 cup of your preferred bean overnight. Drain, then put in a pressure cooker. Add to the beans 1 or 2 dried chipotle peppers, 3 or 4 bay leaves, and 1 tsp. each of cumin seeds and fennel seeds. Cook according to your pressure cooker's directions until just done. Once cooked, throw in a stick of cinnamon and let it infuse with the hot beans for about 1 hour, then remove. Drain out the beans, reserving the cooking liquid and the chipotle.<br />
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In a saute pan, heat up some chocolate olive oil (I get mine from an<a href="http://queencreekolivemill.com/"> awesome AZ mill</a>). De-stem and de-seed the now reconstituted chipotle, chop finely, then add to the pan. Mix well, and once the chile has cooked for 30 seconds or so, add in the beans. Mix in a large pinch each of Mexican oregano and epazote, then salt to taste (it can take a lot, so be generous). Stir in about 1/2 c. of the cooking liquid and let simmer on low for 30 minutes to 1 hour, adding liquid as necessary to keep the beans from drying out. I prefer my final bean product to be on the dry side, so I let most of the liquid cook off before serving, but if you like a soupier bean, then add the bean juice accordingly.</div>Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06817414226322667548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4099229396418217829.post-25490973873908802502012-04-10T14:57:00.001-07:002012-04-10T14:57:58.419-07:00The Circle of Life<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Since moving to the desert, I've become enamored with the idea of homesteading. Maybe it's the pioneer mindset creeping in, or maybe it's because I (intermittently) work from home and thus have too much time on my hands. Of course, living in an apartment and not having a yard and being inherently lazy all complicate matters somewhat, but a girl can dream, right?<br />
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Recently, I decided to finally have a go at growing some vegetables, which I mentioned <a href="http://lifeinthedessert.blogspot.com/2012/01/its-alive.html">here</a>. When The Husband and I lived in Massachusetts, we had some modest success growing tomatoes and a few greens on our balcony, and that was under less-than-optimal lighting conditions. Here in the Valley of the Sun, the place is lousy with solar radiation, so I figured we had a fighting chance. Initial impressions were positive, and we finally found a good use for that pesky west-facing window in our living room.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWDTJeQZbTlYsEEh2rsz0WlsMmXX1WeSTiiiv9N3jMksC9DKcn2rVDRIK8TcBk21fk5W1JPDJ-G2KnqpTsoq7NMW8UfE67wUKS-nnSg294Ra3a2EPzZGE1NgWCul79e3tl_CfWkfXG5vvm/s1600/IMG_0949.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWDTJeQZbTlYsEEh2rsz0WlsMmXX1WeSTiiiv9N3jMksC9DKcn2rVDRIK8TcBk21fk5W1JPDJ-G2KnqpTsoq7NMW8UfE67wUKS-nnSg294Ra3a2EPzZGE1NgWCul79e3tl_CfWkfXG5vvm/s400/IMG_0949.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
I fussed over all my little sproutlings, turning them regularly and attempting to protect them from the cat (there were some casualties, sadly, with the most prominent being my trashcan potatoes). After a few more weeks of care and love, here's where I was at:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmKAh2nn3-M9qQqhChVjdk9LKdIFQCtVsb6TJErCsP_S6nADdaSfchcWGvwrDvT9h6bzbLI3uPmt1I8yqG5iu1QiVtUNumLRezFqn4299aAEuJuW1U5GWDrUVCT1GsGwIfocnA3Z7HyTCc/s1600/IMG_1141.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmKAh2nn3-M9qQqhChVjdk9LKdIFQCtVsb6TJErCsP_S6nADdaSfchcWGvwrDvT9h6bzbLI3uPmt1I8yqG5iu1QiVtUNumLRezFqn4299aAEuJuW1U5GWDrUVCT1GsGwIfocnA3Z7HyTCc/s400/IMG_1141.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Now, the sharp-eyed and clever among you might notice that the second photo seems to have far fewer plants. And you would be correct. In a fit of gnat infestation-induced madness, I tore most everything out. I loved my plants, but the near-constant barrage of tiny insects became too much. When you have to change your cat's water dish every day because there are dozens of dead bugs in it, something has to give. Mostly, it was the beans and peas that had to go, as they were harboring the highest concentrations of fungus gnats (and they take up a ton of space to boot). While I miss all the greenery, it's been really quite nice not having tiny winged creatures flying into our noses anymore. <br />
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Happily, the gardening gods were smiling, as I managed to upgrade from window planters to this:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6PO6jOmAb2sZyj74-6SsWBGrMY-DAmZT0RQiJZGJRJVPbEDESwKWqrVNPze1QTy1aWluPXDpRidgeAYl5xOSyaV1_o26Kdaf5lBYZwmgVmba1b_ZBrAIowdrYzuE1v4tgYXhQ1df41jMh/s1600/IMG_1139.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6PO6jOmAb2sZyj74-6SsWBGrMY-DAmZT0RQiJZGJRJVPbEDESwKWqrVNPze1QTy1aWluPXDpRidgeAYl5xOSyaV1_o26Kdaf5lBYZwmgVmba1b_ZBrAIowdrYzuE1v4tgYXhQ1df41jMh/s400/IMG_1139.JPG" width="300" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Yes, The Husband and I are the proud stewards of our own little community plot! Things are looking a little bare right now, but with any luck, <i>something</i> edible will come of this! And hopefully I will remember that there is a beehive over by the mulch and not almost run into it again.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Also, we're raising poultry!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Well, micropoultry.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">OK, FINE: some mourning doves have taken up residence in my lettuces. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1-4rOxSxvjTW7LE2DLQYzmy518WuGMR5j5tYBJjtCirhJ9AdB6aCbuZNgIZIMDZtsQ5iilom1_WaJVGX2A4EblisisxudwDoWXm_5s4vpMaNVOt3dE2ArRUgF7b3ev7gKcomju66iLcWe/s1600/IMG_3322.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1-4rOxSxvjTW7LE2DLQYzmy518WuGMR5j5tYBJjtCirhJ9AdB6aCbuZNgIZIMDZtsQ5iilom1_WaJVGX2A4EblisisxudwDoWXm_5s4vpMaNVOt3dE2ArRUgF7b3ev7gKcomju66iLcWe/s400/IMG_3322.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>Yes, a pair of mourning doves has settled into one of my windowsill planters and set up shop. On the day I planned on harvesting all the lettuce (because it's already getting too warm), I found this:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5UWvCnsK9JF1l1xPgDsiIMvodUSqidQrWFuyzlt7x-kUULLTAwM_IhbwVT91I13hZjU3bEn2AIAyaPi9It3PH3lSy42NlgKiFwoRNGw0SNLvetwrT0PO_zPUSMLHlkdVvQuSnIAkSLZS9/s1600/IMG_1132.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5UWvCnsK9JF1l1xPgDsiIMvodUSqidQrWFuyzlt7x-kUULLTAwM_IhbwVT91I13hZjU3bEn2AIAyaPi9It3PH3lSy42NlgKiFwoRNGw0SNLvetwrT0PO_zPUSMLHlkdVvQuSnIAkSLZS9/s400/IMG_1132.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
There is now a second egg, and after some confusion on the part of the parents, there has been a bird brooding the tiny egglets constantly for the past few days. Of course, this means that my lettuce and arugula are no more, which is sad because they made for some tasty salads.<br />
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Oh, well. My new feathered friends seem to be enjoying it more than I did anyway.</div>Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06817414226322667548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4099229396418217829.post-8359277497479738162012-04-08T21:25:00.002-07:002012-04-09T00:53:59.970-07:00Getting Back Into the Swing of Things<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Hey, everyone! Remember this blog? It's been awhile, eh? After that <a href="http://lifeinthedessert.blogspot.com/2012/02/poopstrong.html">last post</a>, things got a little crazy. Well, a lot crazy, actually. But in a good, affirming-my-faith-in-humanity sort of way. Which is why I feel like I need to say the following:<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">THANK YOU.</span></b><br />
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To anyone and everyone who spread the word, or donated, or bought something, I thank you from the bottom of my cold little heart. The support has been nothing short of amazing, and the prospect of being sans-insurance is far less daunting. We're not 100% there yet, with the new chemo and additional scans/procedures, but it's nice to be able to focus on things like life and getting better without trying to calculate how much plasma one can sell per week before anemia sets in and/or the phlebotomists get suspicious. <br />
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And for those of you who haven't caught the Poopstrong fever (only cure: <strike>more cowbell</strike> poop jokes), here's the <a href="http://www.poopstrong.org/">website</a>. You can also like us on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Poop-Strong/309483725766042">Facebook</a> or follow us on <a href="https://twitter.com/#%21/Poop_Strong">Twitter</a> for updates and general shenanigans. I've even added links to the right side of the blog, so you can always see what we're up to!<br />
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So, apart from fulfilling <a href="http://store.poopstrong.org/products">t-shirt orders</a>, what have I been doing with myself lately? Well, I've been traveling and stalking waterbirds...<br />
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and saving the occasional rogue snapping turtle.<br />
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There have been visits to the ocean<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGHY7LwGv8cRa0aTQQcPWFT3gl5NX5MfJgL7FULnD_c7HoQtWkBaWhGHEvyXt4DMzyziGT4jsdA9EYE0xMV1pYgKhBVtif8A6psYWQWtkQW37TxuKAZDmY0e-PPPA_Df1SuK7QiLszkA_S/s1600/IMG_1024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGHY7LwGv8cRa0aTQQcPWFT3gl5NX5MfJgL7FULnD_c7HoQtWkBaWhGHEvyXt4DMzyziGT4jsdA9EYE0xMV1pYgKhBVtif8A6psYWQWtkQW37TxuKAZDmY0e-PPPA_Df1SuK7QiLszkA_S/s400/IMG_1024.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
and day-drinking excursions.<br />
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I've also started cooking again. Mostly beans, like this vaguely Eastern Europeany black-eyed pea and cabbage saute (that I stuffed in a pita, because why not?):<br />
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and this lemony fried lima bean and chard salad.<br />
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There has been a resurgence of crafting, as well as some developments in the field of urban homesteading (or, in my case, urban fauxsteading). I've decided that I need both a sewing machine and a bike. I sprained my ankle. I got to stay two doors down from Snooki's place in Jersey City. And I should really get around to posting that tasty sweet potato and peanut soup recipe to the <a href="http://aw80d.blogspot.com/">sister blog</a>.<br />
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Oh, and the cat fell asleep in my armpit once.<br />
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SO MUCH STUFF. So stay tuned!</div>Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06817414226322667548noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4099229396418217829.post-77858967784570109522012-02-17T13:26:00.000-07:002012-02-17T13:26:34.401-07:00#poopstrong<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">As some of you lovely readers know, there have been goings-on here in PHX regarding The Husband. I've generally been beating around the issue, mostly because it's not something I enjoy spending a lot of time thinking or talking about. One of the wonderful things about this little corner of the Internet that I carved out for myself was that I <i>didn't</i> have to talk about it; I could use this space to focus on the things I enjoy, the fun things in life that I wanted to share with all 10 of you who read this. This little blog was my refuge from the storm, in a way—a little binary-coded spot where I could ramble on about scones and cats and other lovely frivolous things.<br />
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However, sometimes Real Life manages to sneak in anyway. I mentioned the happenings in passing, mostly because I felt an obligation to explain my random and sustained absences. At that same time, though, I realized that as much as I didn't want to talk about it, sometimes I needed to. Pretending as though nothing is wrong gets tiring, even when it comes to infrequent postings on a little crafty blog.<br />
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So, rather than pretend any longer, here you go: The Husband has cancer. Specifically, stage IV colon cancer, which he was diagnosed with this time last year, just two months after his 30th birthday. And that The Husband is the man behind <b><a href="http://www.poopstrong.org/">Poop Strong</a></b>, which seems to be blowing up a portion of the Internet.<br />
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It has been a long and strange ride since then. He's undergone two major surgeries and multiple chemo treatments. We've made more of the four-hour roundtrip drives between PHX and Tucson (where he gets treatment) than I care to count. It's been scary, exhausting, frustrating, lonely, and disorienting.<br />
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However, things have also been inspiring and uplifting and happy. We've been incredibly fortunate in so many respects: The Husband (whose real name is Arijit) has been receiving excellent care; his youth and relative health have made tolerating the intensive chemo much easier; we have wonderful friends and family, who have been amazingly supportive throughout everything; and we're both stubborn and unwilling to back down. Because of all this, we've been able to generally keep living life as usual, and that's not something that every family facing cancer can say.<br />
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We've also been lucky in that we have insurance coverage, through Arizona State University (where Arijit is a PhD student in their School of Sustainability). However, in just a year, he has maxed out on his insurance, which has a lifetime cap of $300,000 in benefits. As such, we are now responsible for all expenses relating to this treatment. Thankfully, this should just be a temporary situation, as Arijit should be re-insured in August (either through the new ASU student health plan that is being negotiated now, or by purchasing insurance through the Pre-Existing Condition program offered via the Affordable Care Act). <br />
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Until then, though, we need to pay for Arijit's care out-of-pocket. We've been working with the Patient Advocate at the University of Arizona Cancer Center to get his medications at reduced cost and get some of his treatment costs written off, but we estimate that six months of treatment—assuming that nothing changes—will cost at least $100,000.<br />
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Strangely enough, we don't have $100,000.<br />
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To help offset the costs of treatment, we've started up <a href="http://www.poopstrong.org/">Poop Strong</a>, a site dedicated to raising money and keeping Arijit on track to get better. We're accepting donations; selling hilarious, poop-and-colon-related apparel; and generally raising awareness of the awesomeness of my husband and the tragedy of our healthcare system. If you're so inclined, stop by, read more of The Husband's story, and give if you can. Even if you can't donate, which we entirely understand, please help spread the word: the more people we reach, the more likely we are to hit our goal. If you're on Facebook, like us <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Poop-Strong/309483725766042">here</a> and you'll get access to the incredibly lame poop jokes I post as the inspiration strikes.<br />
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Thanks for reading, and for your support. We now return to your regularly-scheduled inanity.<br />
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</div>Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06817414226322667548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4099229396418217829.post-24888943245925335722012-02-13T00:11:00.000-07:002012-02-13T00:11:54.491-07:00Uzbekibekibekistan<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Holy cats and kittens, y'all—there's brand new excitement over at ye olde sister blog! If you're at all interested in Central Asian cuisine—or, more accurately, my ramblings about Things I Learn on the Internet about former member-states of the USSR and the foods said people may or may not eat—<a href="http://aw80d.blogspot.com/2012/02/middle-east-central-asia-chickpea-salad.html">check it out</a>! Vaguely Uzbek(?) chickpea salad with tubers of various sorts! Plus, random facts about Uzbekistan you can use to impress your friends, subjugate your enemies, and seduce any attractive persons in your life. Happy early Valentine's Day, everyone!</div>Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06817414226322667548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4099229396418217829.post-9955553933156355462012-02-12T21:44:00.001-07:002012-02-12T22:05:10.496-07:00Productivity and Other Resolutions<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">As part of that time-honored tradition of hurling yourself towards Self Improvement in celebration of yet another successful revolution of the Sun by the Earth, I too have resolved. Specifically, I resolved to be more productive, which encompasses things like increasing my vegetable consumption and reading actual books again and maybe not spending so much dang time on the Internet randomly clicking links, how 'bout it?<br />
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Of course, as with most resolutions, I was really on top of this one for about two weeks, at which point I got sick and all of my energy and drive and wherewithal just sort of...dissolved. Other things, like treatment and money and general, low-level fretting, took precedence, and I let myself get swept away by it all. <br />
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Enter a much-needed vacation to Flagstaff, where I could lounge around by a fireplace drinking hot chocolate and eating brownies, where I could have adventures if I was feeling sprightly or just curl up under a blanket with a book if I was feeling hermitty. Buoyed by a week of various sorts of energizing relaxation, I feel ready to take on the world. Or at least ready to write the world a strongly worded letter informing it of my intentions to take it on. Progress, either way.<br />
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So, here I am, poised at the edge of tomorrow with a happycat in my lap, resolve for resolutions in my heart, and too much chana dal in my stomach (many thanks to The Husband for that last one). In this spirit of new years and renewal and life, allow me to present to you my wee bean:<br />
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Actually, there are two wee beans! And several flowers that promise additional wee beans! And none of the other plants have died yet! And all the beets and carrots and onions have sprouted, but the seeds seem to have migrated to the side of the planter, so they'll probably end up all misshapen but WHATEVER, things are growing! Mysteries of life and all that.<br />
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While in Flag, I also got the chance to get cracking on some new crafts, specifically double-ended crochet. Thus far, I'm not sure there's much to it other than making variations on a rectangular theme, but more investigations are in order. Just like I need to look into Tunisian crochet and knitting and kumihimo and needlefelting with wool and needlefelting <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Crafting-Cat-Hair-Cute-Handicrafts/dp/1594745250">WITH CAT FUR</a> (and yes, I do have a bag of cat hair sitting around somewhere), as well as find our iron so I can start up on the lovely sashiko kits that my lovely friends at <a href="http://sakepuppets.wordpress.com/">Sake Puppets</a> sent me!<br />
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It'll be like NCIS: PHX in here: New Craft Investigation Service [in] Phoenix, that is! (Ba-doom tish.)<br />
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Yes, friends, I'm cooking up all sort of crafty shenanigans, and productivity is on the menu. Along with <a href="http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x5ikz1_space-ghost-coast-to-coast-flip-mod_people">beans and murder</a>.<br />
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Also, I've made things! Actual finished projects that I can see and touch and feel superior about, until I remember the long list of things I haven't made and am promptly shamed back into humility.<br />
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Project the first was a blanket, a gift that was only 3.5 months late. Originally, it was to be a surprise "hooray you survived your 10-hour surgery" present for The Husband, but it's oddly difficult to work on a surprise gift when you're sitting next to the recipient, in a hospital, for 12 hours a day. Or when you live together and your apartment isn't very big and certain Husbands keep conveniently "forgetting" that I'm Secret Crafting and no you can't come out here I DON'T CARE IF YOU NEED TO USE THE BATHROOM YOU SHOULD HAVE GONE EARLIER. As usual, the yarn-addled cat was super helpful. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvX5TsILwrgODLcP-Ji_TfhY4tSstnvGgYXx73kVX4scxWW9oKvBnu-nWNiQFG1fM2e6-F6hidFmEjWBtv12U6qd6OYnnmysGgRYSEYAt9-MXNVsXw5Mre7ielp1LsN-ZcOzXb1dDU73Ls/s1600/IMG_2133.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvX5TsILwrgODLcP-Ji_TfhY4tSstnvGgYXx73kVX4scxWW9oKvBnu-nWNiQFG1fM2e6-F6hidFmEjWBtv12U6qd6OYnnmysGgRYSEYAt9-MXNVsXw5Mre7ielp1LsN-ZcOzXb1dDU73Ls/s400/IMG_2133.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
"Blanket" may be a bit optimistic, given the wonky dimensions (blast you, too-small hook), but after much anger and injured fingers from rage blocking, it's become an acceptable lapghan. Also, go Buckeyes, O–H–I–O, we are terribly unconcerned with the state of Michigan in its entirety, something something etc.<br />
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Project number two was also for The Husband, because I am kind and benevolent like that.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTSgoHPgccseSDEJpyRBx9wGFvrhD8HISyYPWjf2bnEwQjgaMNh88PEcs5B5agvaC9mmWKzXkH7gj_Sx2qOmCHNW9bq5stsyt-QG8ZtG7Ofg58wT_QxYJ46FWL4yoi5Ic9gP_4yxvsHSPN/s1600/IMG_2193.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTSgoHPgccseSDEJpyRBx9wGFvrhD8HISyYPWjf2bnEwQjgaMNh88PEcs5B5agvaC9mmWKzXkH7gj_Sx2qOmCHNW9bq5stsyt-QG8ZtG7Ofg58wT_QxYJ46FWL4yoi5Ic9gP_4yxvsHSPN/s400/IMG_2193.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
It's a hammerhead shark. Feasting upon a head. You know how they do.<br />
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Although I think the eyes make it look downright sluggy, I'm generally pleased. Not sure how many bright orange sharks are out there, but evolution is a magical thing, and while I don't quite see the need for an orange shark, given that the ocean is not orange and the whole part of predator coloration is to blend in with the surroundings, far it be for me to say that sharks can't be orange if they so wish. I, for one, would not argue with sharks, as they have been around far longer than I and are also possessed of many rows of teeth.<br />
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Des(s)ert Life: Livin' every week like it's Shark Week.</div>Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06817414226322667548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4099229396418217829.post-26381918445118410992012-01-22T17:53:00.000-07:002012-01-22T17:53:27.806-07:00It's Alive!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">I've been lazy on the cooking front, what with my first cold of 2012 knocking me out of commission for several days and The Husband's bi-weekly pump-induced Bed Rest keeping me busy, but there have been some exciting developments on the vegetable front.<br />
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We have seedlings!<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Yes, things are actually growing! The lettuces are peeking out, as are the tiny wild rocket sprouts next to them.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8iYqgJ9iNliTuZLr5DW7lexb24yh689y1I2MIv-gbEOSLtjWa1XphV_WTjhp_gDJ4EmMB49oqOYocNS7qFP1jSFVELc8nOVoGDHSs8vB-kohW4oMI562xmaOAS6xQlfXpcZBu4Of5uKLD/s1600/IMG_2154.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8iYqgJ9iNliTuZLr5DW7lexb24yh689y1I2MIv-gbEOSLtjWa1XphV_WTjhp_gDJ4EmMB49oqOYocNS7qFP1jSFVELc8nOVoGDHSs8vB-kohW4oMI562xmaOAS6xQlfXpcZBu4Of5uKLD/s400/IMG_2154.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> </div><br />
The pepper cress has officially gone doolally, which meant I was able to harvest some to add to my scrambled eggs and toast this morning. I felt so pioneering!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhws11hDiOenhBUbgIE0LhAadsJxAqCR9VOeVEqqccWqu1bpS2CjxHMRbgT8yGVVrNC8Q9c66Jl6-Ck_bTJFzYb8O__jVwiNLXM4AZwiOmU2QHmstZQLwQ4whtZPw9RAIiXmkIteKMlDZrB/s1600/IMG_2149.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhws11hDiOenhBUbgIE0LhAadsJxAqCR9VOeVEqqccWqu1bpS2CjxHMRbgT8yGVVrNC8Q9c66Jl6-Ck_bTJFzYb8O__jVwiNLXM4AZwiOmU2QHmstZQLwQ4whtZPw9RAIiXmkIteKMlDZrB/s400/IMG_2149.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br />
The interior beans are holding strong; I just have to figure out how to train them to climb up the fake trellis I constructed out of cooling racks and picture wire.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoJhnqenpklfgfZcwa06SKhZL3ljzMmLTGhh2__5OJIKL96ggiY4vzra0DC3e-HFnEP1XRZmTv3NNzatLjaD4PgEIUq2sjVW20zHwz3eJ17-yQ4ZDHuwrTBX44uV7YDeL86P7GIbG_siLm/s1600/IMG_2165.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoJhnqenpklfgfZcwa06SKhZL3ljzMmLTGhh2__5OJIKL96ggiY4vzra0DC3e-HFnEP1XRZmTv3NNzatLjaD4PgEIUq2sjVW20zHwz3eJ17-yQ4ZDHuwrTBX44uV7YDeL86P7GIbG_siLm/s400/IMG_2165.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
The tomatoes are also making a strong showing. I'm still not sure how I'm going to manage these post-transplantation, but I'll cross that tasty bridge (we're on a bridge, Charlie!) when I get there. First, though, I have to keep the cat from eating them. He's already beheaded at least one tomato sproutling (along with a bean stalk). We contemplated getting him some cat grass, but we don't really want to encourage him to throw up all over the place (even more so than usual). <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3HM6MRywcHS4cGsaa4m8Vl9wX-GTVDa6S7-n6jo-_M3uFOkPJ4t95wvFzQyjtkwyG7xRB-F3k5TBfsn9SymoAwmJJ2nfY-Bj1724LV3rRU-eYqCZRiP7qxn7vvtSj-sdA3Sd1BeJ6yv6A/s1600/IMG_2166.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3HM6MRywcHS4cGsaa4m8Vl9wX-GTVDa6S7-n6jo-_M3uFOkPJ4t95wvFzQyjtkwyG7xRB-F3k5TBfsn9SymoAwmJJ2nfY-Bj1724LV3rRU-eYqCZRiP7qxn7vvtSj-sdA3Sd1BeJ6yv6A/s400/IMG_2166.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
After much fretting and ruining of heating pads, the some of the peppers have finally woken up, too.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5w7mmEaZ-WWCn2PDs9D-cnnU33e9gqnF6AoWZRPQrdznkTLzyoXgx7j26Q5wLIvt2mVCGx7bG6RMWhjDlk40ax5z_dN-TNnlTtjM5NUrHyBwUjK4XDCM5MuxPZQNobZi_TuW1PJfuPLPX/s1600/IMG_2164.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5w7mmEaZ-WWCn2PDs9D-cnnU33e9gqnF6AoWZRPQrdznkTLzyoXgx7j26Q5wLIvt2mVCGx7bG6RMWhjDlk40ax5z_dN-TNnlTtjM5NUrHyBwUjK4XDCM5MuxPZQNobZi_TuW1PJfuPLPX/s400/IMG_2164.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br />
Overall, this little experiment in self-sufficiency is progressing nicely. The cooking greens (cavolo nero, Swiss chard, kale) have all finally sprouted, as have the beets and peas and rat-tail radishes (the vines of which can apparently grow to several feet tall, so that is requires some frantic, not-yet-figured-out modifications). <br />
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I'm also growing some potatoes in an old trash can. It actually appears to maybe be working, against all sense of reason and propriety. <br />
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Well, <i>something</i> is growing in there. Let's hope it's just potatoes.<br />
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And not Cthulhu.</div>Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06817414226322667548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4099229396418217829.post-61727515358646411092012-01-10T14:04:00.003-07:002012-01-10T14:08:04.632-07:00Googling.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">The Husband wishes that I point this out, so here goes: Apparently, the most common search terms that bring people to this humble blog (apart from "life in the dessert"), are "philip glass el diablo," which is the second most-popular result on Google and takes you to <a href="http://lifeinthedessert.blogspot.com/2010/11/phillip-glass-only-wishes-he-was-el.html">this</a> post.<br />
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For those of you who are now brought to this post: Welcome! The Husband would like you to know that he really likes Philip Glass. I sometimes confuse Philip Glass with Sufjan Stevens (musically, not visually—they look very different), but I am getting much better at that. Also, we saw his (Philip's, not Sufjan's) opera <i>Satyagraha</i> a little while ago and it was very good. Especially if you watch it in a movie theater while eating quesadillas (me) and wearing sweatpants (The Husband). I got a little sleepy during Act III, but I blame the quesadillas.<br />
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Also, for those of you looking for the actual exchange from <i>The Simpsons</i> (season 14, episode 18, <i>Dude, Where's My Ranch</i>, which is coincidentally where I first learned about Level 5 vegans), here you go:<br />
<dl><dd><b>David Byrne</b>: </dd><dd><i>Excuse me, I've been researching indigenous music of Springfield and couldn't help but overhear your delightfully cruel hate song.</i> </dd></dl><dl><dd><b>Carl</b>: </dd><dd><i>David Byrne?</i> </dd></dl><dl><dd><b>Moe</b>: </dd><dd><i>Singer, artist, director, composer, Talking Head.</i> </dd></dl><dl><dd><b>David Byrne</b>: </dd><dd><i>And I used to wrestle under the name </i>El Diablo<i>.</i> </dd></dl><dl><dd><b>Lenny</b>: </dd><dd><i>I thought that was Phillip Glass.</i> </dd></dl><dl><dd><b>David Byrne</b>: </dd><dd><i>Yeah, he wishes.</i> </dd><dd></dd></dl></div>Everybody hates Ned Flanders! And now you know why I don't eat anything that casts a shadow.</div>Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06817414226322667548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4099229396418217829.post-32253542839380027782012-01-10T13:46:00.003-07:002012-01-13T10:33:09.668-07:002012: The Year of the Vegetable<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">...or at least the Year of the Carrot.<br />
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Yes, gentle readers, I have started off 2012 on an orange foot, having become enamored of a roast carrot salad that I have made —no joke— at least four times since the new year began, and I plan on making it again tonight. Each time I've tweaked things slightly, but at its heart lies delicious, delicious carrots. The Husband can tell you about how, after I first cooked these carrots, I wouldn't stop raving about them. "They are the BEST carrots I've ever made," I'd swoon. "Seriously: THE GREATEST." I'd bring them up randomly, in conversations that had nothing to do with carrots or vegetables or food; The Husband would mention some depressing article he'd read, or start talking about something sports-related, and I'd chime in with "Remember those awesome carrots I made? Man. Good stuff." I even started babbling about them to one of the vendors at the farmers' market, who seemed both intrigued and frightened. When I eventually got around to making this salad for The Husband, he declared it to the best thing he's ever eaten, apparently supplanting the <a href="http://lifeinthedessert.blogspot.com/2011/12/triumphantly-wee-pepper-return.html">wee stuffed peppers</a> of yesteryear.<br />
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The funny thing about this newfound infatuation is that I don't even like carrots. I keep buying them because they are Good For Me, but then I usually just panic and never use them. Apart from the odd grating in a salad, I can't eat them raw, and I can make only so much mirepoix for soup before life goes from souper to...OK, all I can come up with here is some variant of "pooper," which is too cheap a joke even for me, so feel free to substitute your own, invariably better, play on words, unless you are 11-years old, The Husband, or one of The Husband's friends, in which case, YOU'RE WELCOME that I sullied this fine blog with a lame poop joke.<br />
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The basic idea for these carrots comes from Jamie Oliver, whose method for cooking all manner of root vegetables (parboiling, then roasting) I have adopted wholeheartedly. It also takes advantage of Arizona's glorious citrus season, which is currently kicking into gear and which I adore — as much I as love snow and cold weather, there is something sublime about walking home from the farmers' market, while enjoying 60º temperatures and a just-picked orange, in the middle of January. Oh, PHX: you would be so much better if you were properly inhabitable for more than four months of the year!<br />
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To make the basic version of this salad, get yourself some good carrots; I like the short, stubby, pale orange ones that probably have a fancy name that I do not know, but any carrot would work (this cooking method also lends itself well to beets and I imagine things like parsnips and turnips as well). Try to use carrots that are all roughly the same size, or cut them into equal-ish pieces, so that everything cooks more evenly. Boil your carrots in some salted water until tender, probably 10 minutes or so, depending on size. While the carrots are cooking, preheat the oven to 400ºF.<br />
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Also while the carrots are cooking, get started on making the carrot dressing. In a mortar and pestle (or food processor), bash up a large pinch each of cumin seeds and black mustard seeds, along with a small pinch of salt and pinch of Aleppo pepper (or any dried chile) to taste. Once those are finely ground, add a clove of garlic and a tablespoon of fresh thyme leaves, then mix up into a paste. Pour in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil and a tablespoonish of vinegar (a light one, like white balsamic) and stir up. Once the carrots are done, drain and dump into a large bowl. While the carrots are still hot, pour in the dressing and mix, making sure all the carrots get nicely coated, then put everything into one side of a baking dish (making sure to get all of the flavorful dressing in as well). In the other half of the tray, place a halved grapefruit, orange, or other sweetish citrus, then bang the whole thing into the oven to roast. This should take another 10 minutes, but you know you're golden when the carrots start to brown and caramelize a bit.<br />
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While the carrots are in the oven, gather up the rest of the salad parts, which include:<br />
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<ul style="text-align: left;"><li>one handful of washed and drained arugula leaves</li>
<li>one-half an avocado, coarsely diced</li>
<li>two small slices of baguette (or other good, crusty bread) toasted/grilled and rubbed with a cut garlic clove, then torn into pieces</li>
</ul><br />
Once the carrots are done, leave them to cool and (carefully!) juice the roasted grapefruit/orange/whatever. To the juice, add about an equal amount of olive oil and a tablespoon of fruity honey, then mix. (This will make FAR more dressing than you need, but it keeps well in the fridge in a closed container and is excellent on regular salads.) Lightly dress the arugula, to taste, then place at the bottom of a bowl. Add the avocado and carrots, and top with the garlic bread crisps. Mix up, add more dressing if you like, and enjoy!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8w9ZA5xGOe9Id4Y5RRzvLrL_kkcJvWl2iVndsej-cdMAESLc_MhOmYH07__RblAKihzvgNzztW2H65cv5YOI59VmGsiJKgkKxdHLZGVd0jh0-KrWoqJ5CzzKgA3D7Gu6ShKvzO9N16fxe/s1600/IMG_2116.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8w9ZA5xGOe9Id4Y5RRzvLrL_kkcJvWl2iVndsej-cdMAESLc_MhOmYH07__RblAKihzvgNzztW2H65cv5YOI59VmGsiJKgkKxdHLZGVd0jh0-KrWoqJ5CzzKgA3D7Gu6ShKvzO9N16fxe/s400/IMG_2116.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Later iterations benefited from the addition of goat cheese, toasted pepitas, pomegranate seeds, matchsticked black radishes, crispy cranberry beans, and/or red/black quinoa. The main thing to keep in mind, here, is texture: the carrots and avocado will all have a very similar mouthfeel, so to keep things from getting too mushy, be sure to balance them out with toothsome foods, like the crispy bread or crunchy vegetables.<br />
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Also, I suppose 2012 could legitimately be considered Year of the Vegetable, because it is the year that I finally got around to attempting to grow some vegetables of my own. The Door to Nowhere in our bedroom is guarded by a metal railing, from which I have hung several planters that may, Providence willing, become food.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhghHVKV_6BoD0HGc2eH-xPo17GaKdxQf-WHQbcfS4oshUk92lkLXliFpjf5iFLXtW0UYMjINfGrpvCyzt_cHIrvuntvkMrTuVmuNvNPELMEsHtA859G0gM5RyKmwjVa8DrfA3hH9B6v3Y7/s1600/IMG_2118.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhghHVKV_6BoD0HGc2eH-xPo17GaKdxQf-WHQbcfS4oshUk92lkLXliFpjf5iFLXtW0UYMjINfGrpvCyzt_cHIrvuntvkMrTuVmuNvNPELMEsHtA859G0gM5RyKmwjVa8DrfA3hH9B6v3Y7/s400/IMG_2118.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br />
I am only marginally optimistic about this, given the constraints of location and sunshine (our windows face the inner courtyard, which blocks a fair amount of sun: good at helping keep the apartment cool in the summer, but not-so-good for germinating seedlings), but we shall see what happens.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiarVOfRTMoXTrt0HsM2O7XR_4kK2DIKlni29QZWxBMbi5GtwiaqE010o2Wi4riYQTHWdq_KxvOzjKGT9gcwLC3SjxrvMI5noRMGy89QxcizywJstpw8jCehP_cZdja_CDOf2m9GyB2Oblj/s1600/IMG_2121.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiarVOfRTMoXTrt0HsM2O7XR_4kK2DIKlni29QZWxBMbi5GtwiaqE010o2Wi4riYQTHWdq_KxvOzjKGT9gcwLC3SjxrvMI5noRMGy89QxcizywJstpw8jCehP_cZdja_CDOf2m9GyB2Oblj/s400/IMG_2121.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
If nothing else, it gave me a good reason to go to Home Depot, which I love because all the tools and things make me feel super productive and like I could make anything. Which would be true, if I actually had space for such things.<br />
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Like a house. Not a one-bedroom apartment that I don't own and can't actually make changes to.<br />
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And with that, I leave you with the brilliant observation of Mr. Mitchell Hedberg:<br />
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<i>I went to the Home Depot the other day, which was unnecessary... I need to go to the Apartment Depot, which is just a big warehouse with people standing around saying "hey, we ain't gotta fix shit!"</i><br />
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Renters, unite!<i> </i><br />
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</i><br />
<i>(Note: the faint red handprints along the side of the Door to Nowhere are not blood, nor were they left by ghosts of murdered children who haunt our apartment. I hope.)</i></div>Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06817414226322667548noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4099229396418217829.post-51301575973473048982011-12-11T22:46:00.000-07:002011-12-11T22:46:30.414-07:00Wee Peppers: An Update<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">I just learned that the wee peppers, so lovingly discussed <a href="http://lifeinthedessert.blogspot.com/2011/12/triumphantly-wee-pepper-return.html">here</a>, are actually called <a href="http://www.seedsavers.org/Details.aspx?itemNo=873">Mini Bell peppers</a>. Most places suggest that they are good for stuffing, which I guess validates me? Or maybe it was just the oversized chickpeas that were not good for stuffing? MYSTERIES. Where's Robert Stack when you need him? <br />
<br />
I'm sticking with wee peppers, though, because it's more delightful. WEE!</div>Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06817414226322667548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4099229396418217829.post-30936168561646315642011-12-08T22:13:00.002-07:002011-12-11T22:37:28.444-07:00Triumphantly, Wee (Pepper) Return.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Today was a grown-up day, which meant that I made tea when I woke up this morning. I realize that doesn't sound like much, but when you work from home and are sort of lazy and are maybe suffering from shin splints, it definitely counts. (Let it be known that I also did some work and learned about pediatric GERD and had some delicious beet pizza [beetza?] for lunch, so I am on some sort of roll). This is obviously all part of my (half-hearted) attempt to get back onto some type of schedule, so as to round out 2011 on a productive bang.<br />
<br />
Fortunately, given how anyone would clearly be exhausted after such a day as this, our fridge is replete with tasty leftovers. After several months of not-cooking and fail-cooking (how I messed up fried rice is still a mystery), it has been gratifying to discover that I can still make proper meals. Perhaps my cooking mojo just went into hiding in October because it too was angry at the 100º+ fall days? And wanted to punish me for dragging it out to the desert by making me go out to eat all the time? Oh, cooking mojo, we need to work on your intimidation skills.<br />
<br />
Tasty dinner #1 was a pumpkin soup, which is described <a href="http://aw80d.blogspot.com/2011/12/north-america-caribbean-jerked-pumpkin.html">here</a>. Tasty dinner #2, which The Husband declared to be The Best Meal EVARRR and I declared to be proof of The Husband's obsession with hyperbole, was wee stuffed peppers, called wee peppers because the peppers were indeed wee.<br />
<br />
Pros of wee peppers:<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Adorable</li>
<li>Probably cook quicker?</li>
<li>You can eat like twice as many and feel like a giant</li>
<li>Seriously: SO CUTE</li>
<li>Juggling purposes?</li>
</ul><br />
Cons of wee peppers:<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Impossible to stuff </li>
</ul><br />
Of course, the cons of my plan were not immediately apparent when I giddily purchased the wee peppers at the farmers' market, and actually did not become apparent until I was already well into making the stuffing and thus could not turn back. Luckily, I am the sensible sort, which means I just pretended that I hadn't made this realization and just assumed things would work out in the end.<br />
<br />
To make wee stuffed peppers, you must first acquire wee peppers. Mine were red and yellow and hidden amongst the huge beets and parsnips. I suppose you could use regular-sized peppers IF YOU MUST, but then they are no longer wee and is it really worth it anymore? (Probably.)<br />
<br />
Slice these bad boys in half, lengthwise, and remove the seeds and membrane. Season the cavities with a little bit of salt and set aside. You can probably also preheat your oven to 400ºF, if your oven isn't incompetent like mine.<br />
<br />
For the stuffing, cook yourself a couple of handfuls of dried chickpeas with a good slurp of olive oil and a dried chipotle pepper. Mince 10 or so cloves of garlic and, once the beans are done, drain, reserving the cooking liquid. Heat some oil in a saute pan; when hot, add the garlic and 1 T fresh rosemary. Once the garlic is fragrant, add the chickpeas and cook, stirring occasionally, until the they are brown and crispy. While the chickpeas are sauteing, cook up some grains (I used 1/2 c. of a Middle Eastern couscous/quinoa blend, cooked in the bean broth). Mix in one roughly chopped tomato and some diced feta, add the grain blend, then season to taste (depending on the saltiness of the feta). Remove from the heat, because you don't really want the tomatoes to cook or the feta to melt.<br />
<br />
By the way, I think the feta is key, and might just be what made this so good. There isn't much going on with the stuffing, flavorwise, apart from garlic and rosemary, so a good cheese is necessary. I fulfilled my bourgeois quota with some local peppercorn goat-milk feta, which was salty and smooth and fantastic. If you aren't lucky enough to get a hold of fancy cheese, it might be worthwhile to add more rosemary, or maybe lemon, to the stuffing, to perk up the flavors a bit.<br />
<br />
Attempt to stuff the wee peppers. Discover that the chickpeas are pretty much the same size as the wee cavities. Make a giant mess. Have a lot of stuffing left over. Gingerly balance the overloaded peppers into a lightly oiled baking dish, cover with aluminum foil, and bake at 400ºF for about 15 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle on some shredded parmesan, discover that the shreds of cheese are longer than the wee peppers, make a giant mess. Return the dish to the oven for an additional 5 or so minutes, until the peppers start to dehydrate a little and get a bit of color on them. I served the wee peppers on a bed of the some extra stuffing, topped with a dollop of avocado-yogurt sauce (mash one avocado; add a heaped dessert spoon of plain yogurt, a squeeze of lemon, a generous pinch of salt, and some ground black pepper; mix well until smooth). A sprinkle of toasted pepitas are fun, especially if you just have some lying around from a soup adventure.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhox3lJduy9yUBvEcpgje7pSVwuJOOszOXL6YzjKbd9SxM09bTVI1O12DUPeb-iKemv4RO2KxH0sOWmqzLkogJyZnHxil1hCtZhPxm3StQyfnqa6C3_3MvhTXVsCz9g1_4jKIl2bU76b5JI/s1600/IMG_2106.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhox3lJduy9yUBvEcpgje7pSVwuJOOszOXL6YzjKbd9SxM09bTVI1O12DUPeb-iKemv4RO2KxH0sOWmqzLkogJyZnHxil1hCtZhPxm3StQyfnqa6C3_3MvhTXVsCz9g1_4jKIl2bU76b5JI/s400/IMG_2106.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
The peppers keep pretty well and can easily be reheated in a toaster oven or similar (though they can get mighty soft, so keep an eye on them). The extra stuffing also keeps, but the feta chunks will melt when heated up; not a huge loss, but I found the large bites of feta to be appealing, so I might keep that separate in the future. The avocado sauce, however, turns brown and unpleasant with a quickness, so only make what you need (1/2 avocado worked well for roughly 8 wee halves).<br />
<br />
Also, because it has been awhile, here's a photo of our little idiot. Yes, he really sleeps like that.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjassJ9reqv4uQthArUHOxMGq5MS0FpQtt4v-H_H-NKiLv8K-subknRfctowWC-tMhm3xHuFVuNxkA-FN58S_cE7ow12DiDAncb198gus_ufyn6OcB3af2TZgSXqkxD798Z9NNJIeWcKOEi/s1600/Photo+32.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjassJ9reqv4uQthArUHOxMGq5MS0FpQtt4v-H_H-NKiLv8K-subknRfctowWC-tMhm3xHuFVuNxkA-FN58S_cE7ow12DiDAncb198gus_ufyn6OcB3af2TZgSXqkxD798Z9NNJIeWcKOEi/s400/Photo+32.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></div>Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06817414226322667548noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4099229396418217829.post-52306762424486212202011-09-24T23:45:00.000-07:002011-09-24T23:45:29.754-07:00Blogwhoring<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Just a little note to say that there are two—yes, TWO—new(ish) posts up at AW80D: <a href="http://aw80d.blogspot.com/2011/09/british-isles-yorkshire-gingerbread.html">Yorkshire Gingerbread</a> and <a href="http://aw80d.blogspot.com/2011/09/east-asia-kitsune-udon-japan.html">Kitsune Udon</a>.<br />
<br />
Also, my kitchen REALLY smells like pickles. But I'm a little afraid to look at them.<br />
<br />
Also also, the other night I had pig's blood sauce. Verdict: salty.<br />
<br />
Also also also, here's a shot of the blogging process. Now you know why I'm as productive as I am.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXECS31KW7J1-lJ9igr0XmjKrxCvWj2XApjHhhFRYsblEEHKaWs7ee3aAUHGbJHDr3otdhA5MdN5VnuhSkQbQ_QbZxKB8AsUoU7TOjQRm_G4k7rLSQHBBq_EHVz0O6h7OP0hIp6sO98cn8/s1600/IMG_0548.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXECS31KW7J1-lJ9igr0XmjKrxCvWj2XApjHhhFRYsblEEHKaWs7ee3aAUHGbJHDr3otdhA5MdN5VnuhSkQbQ_QbZxKB8AsUoU7TOjQRm_G4k7rLSQHBBq_EHVz0O6h7OP0hIp6sO98cn8/s1600/IMG_0548.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
</div>Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06817414226322667548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4099229396418217829.post-5201542176338040752011-09-20T22:55:00.003-07:002011-09-20T23:04:14.472-07:00Pickles and Peaches and Pancakes! Oh My.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Finally got to go to the PHX Farmers' Market yesterday <i>[This was actually several days ago at this point, but bear with me. --Ed.] [Who is this Ed person and why is he commenting on my blog? --Heather]</i>, which was one of the things I had missed the most during our extended stay in the TUX (along with sleeping in my own bed and not having to furiously disinfect my hands all the time). It was a strange sensation to be shopping when the giant industrial air conditioners weren't completely necessary, and the Market is even starting to get interesting again, having moved beyond the point where all greens spontaneously combust and the only things that properly grow are chiles and sadness berries.<br />
<br />
I'd been itching for some time now to attempt some pickles. Not just any pickles: lacto-fermented pickles. I've become entranced with the idea of idle wild yeasts being harnessed to make my food for me, even if my last two attempts at employing the lazy buggers (for <a href="http://lifeinthedessert.blogspot.com/2010/11/in-pickle-of-jam.html">sauerkraut</a>) failed miserably and less-miserably, though saltier, respectively. However, while strolling through the misters, I happened upon some absolutely darling little cucumbers—all short and squat and knobbly, they were just crying out to be purchased and experimented upon and changed from humble cucumbers into Herculean specimens of pickled perfection. (Or explode. Something.)<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">The first rule of pickling is that <strike>you do not talk about pickling</strike> you need the right equipment. I am fortunate enough to have borrowed (stolen) a small earthenware crock from my parents' attic, because I am also fortunate enough to have a stepfather whose first wife collected things like earthenware crocks. If you do not have an earthenware crock, I would suggest checking your attic; if you don't have a stepfather whose first wife collected such things, I would suggest asking your mother to get cracking and informing her that there is no dishonor in marrying for pickles.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I rinsed off my cucumbers and popped them into the crock, along with a few dill fronds and some bashed-up cloves of garlic. Cover with a brine made from 2 T. salt per quart of water, then use a weight to ensure that everything stays submerged. If you have concerns that small creatures (such as an incredibly dim kitten) will fall in and drown and ruin your pickles, you can tie some cloth around the crock for safety's sake.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx7qEsmgTZK-jolUJLrVMmbQ7APlt2w5hP7zbro9vrMnARtaCDJf3VJGuuNVrakOhgRuq8jpXf6A3KCIZDiyVF7jwBZQDCOy0rMQeE3aamM3NeANcF-dyfBGQzQz86Z6uCRijE5R3TWpUO/s1600/IMG_2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx7qEsmgTZK-jolUJLrVMmbQ7APlt2w5hP7zbro9vrMnARtaCDJf3VJGuuNVrakOhgRuq8jpXf6A3KCIZDiyVF7jwBZQDCOy0rMQeE3aamM3NeANcF-dyfBGQzQz86Z6uCRijE5R3TWpUO/s400/IMG_2015.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ms. H's home for wayward gherkins.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">According to my <i>Lost Art of Real Cooking</i>, these little beauties need to sit for about 25 days to reach their full pickle potential. They also shouldn't be exposed to temperatures much above 80º for too long, else they will catch pickle Ebola and melt from the inside out. Hopefully a dark corner of the pantry and a marginally-functioning air-conditioner will keep the wee yeasties in line.</div><br />
[NOTE: The following peach section is dedicated to The Husband. I'm pretty sure he'll figure out why.]<br />
<br />
Also, on my wanderings through the Market, I kept getting distracted by the abundance of peaches. One peachmonger told me a tale of a lady from Georgia who doubted the ambrosial qualities of his peaches, but once she sampled his wares, she was so smitten that she promptly bought up a couple dozen. Of course, I had to purchase some—she was from GEORGIA, people! Those folks know peaches.<br />
<br />
But here's the thing—I don't even like peaches. I mean, I like them well enough, I suppose, but I'm firmly on Team Nectarine (playing mostly in the underripe division, much to the mocking delight of The Husband). Anyway, they somehow ended up in my bag, and while I can usually rely on The Husband to deal with things like this, he is still learning how to eat again, which leaves me with <strike>millions of</strike> six ripe-right-now-I-mean-REALLY-ripe peaches and a total lack of interest in traditional methods of peach consumption (i.e., taking a bite and making an ungodly mess with all the juice going all over the place or having them put into a can by a man in a factory downtown).<br />
<br />
Racking my magnificent brain, I came up with a solution (at least until I am tricked into buying the damn things again next week): peach salsa! I chopped up a couple of peaches, along with several itty-bitty grape tomatoes and half a red onion, then mixed it all up with some salt, lemon juice, and aleppo pepper.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFbooTsDtDTh3RyHmfHVyR9y6wVbQPBuhCHCwdT3uXSLc1SOf6Z9-qkC2tGP3zLwqiNY0T7aI82rdiJpS8AogsUH9n4Pmy5LMPqPO1kUJ1SkH_y3ojC6bZd-yDE0e8gyzXZbCNAgXLrqjC/s1600/IMG_2021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFbooTsDtDTh3RyHmfHVyR9y6wVbQPBuhCHCwdT3uXSLc1SOf6Z9-qkC2tGP3zLwqiNY0T7aI82rdiJpS8AogsUH9n4Pmy5LMPqPO1kUJ1SkH_y3ojC6bZd-yDE0e8gyzXZbCNAgXLrqjC/s400/IMG_2021.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If I had my little way, I'd eat peaches everyday. (No.)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
I think it all would have worked a little better with slightly less-ripe peaches, but it's bright and summery and now I have fewer peaches taunting me (though their voices, I can hear them still), so all is well.<br />
<br />
As for Pancakes, he is very happy to have us home and is thoroughly enjoying sleeping on my laptop while I try to do work. Here he is looking vacant, per usual:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhW-F3TCU-l5_eA0kYD6pgpYO6E_CWrsrHzu_X2SZZ5XspT3N8m7oX8dDtQYJOOC1ikfZKno_psTmI-kuJplbaExwvUHWWQSTn28vyXr922OfcLVOFN3X06f86jXUtONwmfbdr0-BjahXK/s1600/IMG_0488.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhW-F3TCU-l5_eA0kYD6pgpYO6E_CWrsrHzu_X2SZZ5XspT3N8m7oX8dDtQYJOOC1ikfZKno_psTmI-kuJplbaExwvUHWWQSTn28vyXr922OfcLVOFN3X06f86jXUtONwmfbdr0-BjahXK/s400/IMG_0488.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
and here he's being a VERY HELPFUL CAT while I'm trying to crochet.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgna4ir_auaFIr2bGzOfklGmZI6qldMLVDsehrg1mjRkaqqgG3BeTv-jmI0l80I17V-WC_aUEiv1fqY9SOLtw9cqL_f1U_JIn2lt5FRUZy4L8XHLK679we-wQg3uaVOhgSBzPT_LwcUFB5k/s1600/IMG_0494.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgna4ir_auaFIr2bGzOfklGmZI6qldMLVDsehrg1mjRkaqqgG3BeTv-jmI0l80I17V-WC_aUEiv1fqY9SOLtw9cqL_f1U_JIn2lt5FRUZy4L8XHLK679we-wQg3uaVOhgSBzPT_LwcUFB5k/s400/IMG_0494.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
SO. HELPFUL. Thank goodness he was around, or else that yarn might have caused quite the ruckus.<br />
<br />
PEACHES UPDATE: I've apparently decided that right now would be a fantastic time to come down with my first illness since moving to the desert, which is turning out to be a poor decision on my part. Anyway, given that The Husband is in no position to take care of me, and that actually cooking something for reals seemed way too much effort, I ended up making myself a wee fried egg sandwich to tide me over between bouts of ice cream (which is about the only thing I feel like eating when my head feels like it is chock full of damp sheep). I toasted up some fancy bread, and while the egg was frying, spread on some goat cheese and smashed avocado and added some arugula. Next went my horribly-misshapen sunny-side-up egg (I am no good with eggs), a sprinkle of smoked sea salt, a crack or two of fresh black pepper, and a few heaping dollops of peach salsa. The Husband called me bourgeois, but I was content to control the means of production for this sandwich because at least I was well-fed.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCMN0f37o14PcCZ_DoWdkNL0Cvyxkvyygnnop9ssJ_ESxuj1mcQOIv5m5oP0mMw4CNEzaU-EJO1bDgTAWUKUcJuVs_22-nzfOi5UaFLjJNMrUV-rjCBtXRBeOm-e-E-pdzvBXvAFWkBzd4/s1600/IMG_2030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCMN0f37o14PcCZ_DoWdkNL0Cvyxkvyygnnop9ssJ_ESxuj1mcQOIv5m5oP0mMw4CNEzaU-EJO1bDgTAWUKUcJuVs_22-nzfOi5UaFLjJNMrUV-rjCBtXRBeOm-e-E-pdzvBXvAFWkBzd4/s400/IMG_2030.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
PICKLE UPDATE: My kitchen smells like dill and garlic. Good sign? </div>Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06817414226322667548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4099229396418217829.post-4686934268505549752011-09-10T00:00:00.000-07:002011-09-10T00:00:54.127-07:00Scroungin', or Cooking While Housesitting and Also Really Tired<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Remember how I said I was back? That might have been a lie. I am once again in the TUX, spending my days in hospitals and my nights in either hospitals or hotels.<br />
<br />
Things hospitals are good for:<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Quasi-experimental surgery</li>
<li>Drugs on demand</li>
<li>Socks with the little grippy things on the feet</li>
<li>Warm blankets </li>
<li>Attractive surgeons</li>
</ul><br />
Things hospitals are not good for:<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;"><li> Sleeping</li>
<li>Not contracting diseases</li>
<li>Eating</li>
<li>Olympic-caliber bobsledding</li>
</ul><br />
So, I've spent the majority of the last couple of weeks subsisting off of the World Class Dining Service (sic) that the hospital provides (though, to be fair, the options for visitors are much better than the options for patients) and essentially catnapping on foldout couches in between vitals checks and overeager resident visits that occur through the wee hours of the morning. Happily, things are looking good to not be in TUX for much longer and maybe we'll actually get to stick around PHX for more than a night or two and enjoy the double-digit(!) temperatures that are forecasted.<br />
<br />
However, before this villainous return visit, I at least was housesitting and actually had the chance to cook for myself on the rare occasions I left the hospital before it was dark. You know how success is 99% perspiration? Well, these dishes were 99% desperation, combined with whatever I could loot from the fridge (supplemented with some purchased vegetables once I figured out where the Whole Foods was) and jerry-rigged cooking contraptions (because it wasn't until about a week in that I figured out where the lids were). And maybe a smidgen of pure terror at what a diet of pop, Sun chips, and mac & cheese was doing to my digestive system.<br />
<br />
Dish the first was a vaguely Mediterraneanish salad composed almost entirely of things I managed to steal from the lovely people who were letting me squat in their house. I fried up some chickpeas and broccoli with some garlic, then added little rings of thinly-sliced sweet peppers, halved cherry tomatoes, and a squeeze of lemon. Mix this in with some couscous blend and some surprisingly-good feta cheese, and while it won't win you any roses at the county fair, it will soothe a cafeteria-ravaged stomach.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi97V2-0CnUpLuYqvF81jVLqFPDOhCHYCUMUC7t4b3ynEQcQDF3t4Br9Cst_NNHdJgfvnsAQnZeGC_HSOE6SNXPBVLgytpoIG9c_PZl696LKckTbJteKsW-gImgCZQOuMAonreLDe827wow/s1600/IMG_0503.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi97V2-0CnUpLuYqvF81jVLqFPDOhCHYCUMUC7t4b3ynEQcQDF3t4Br9Cst_NNHdJgfvnsAQnZeGC_HSOE6SNXPBVLgytpoIG9c_PZl696LKckTbJteKsW-gImgCZQOuMAonreLDe827wow/s400/IMG_0503.JPG" width="400" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The second dish was a bit more exciting, mostly because I got to go real grocery shopping for the first time in weeks and got to spend my evening cooking instead of sitting in the surgical ward AND I saw my first-ever coyote on the drive home. This time, undoubtedly inspired by the Asian noodle salad that The Husband so kindly wrote up for me, I sauteed up some garlic, broccoli, peppers (notice a food-trend?) and onion in a little oil and soy sauce, then added some bok choy and spinach and let them cook until wilted. I cheated a little and made some Trader Joe's miso soup mix (about a cup) and poured that in to simmer for a few minutes. The veg were served over udon noodles and topped with some sliced scallions (you may also note some roasted Brussels sprouts, but they were added to reduce the number of dinner plates and simplify transporting dinner from the main house to the <i>casita</i>, and they were very tasty on their own, just drizzled in olive oil and a generous sprinkling of salt and roasted in a toaster over until tender, then blasted under the broiler to brown up, though some of them did soak up a little of the miso broth, and they were also pretty fantastic, but Brussels sprouts are pretty amazing and maybe one of my favorite vegetables, so they're kind of hard to ruin). I was endlessly pleased with myself after this one, though I may just be incredibly easily heartened by not-takeout at this point.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaEtW-bHNgbymQkZa_oxgczme91bsRSLBUPPyZxRMgUGpFixo9DT61Ke8cNR1MByl63F4y6g9EQEcmDTAppnBq9KG6yfK424XyFjK4Mm-gk5oE11beAxWs5mWu5whuvVrjHdeRjAqA_dly/s1600/IMG_0511.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaEtW-bHNgbymQkZa_oxgczme91bsRSLBUPPyZxRMgUGpFixo9DT61Ke8cNR1MByl63F4y6g9EQEcmDTAppnBq9KG6yfK424XyFjK4Mm-gk5oE11beAxWs5mWu5whuvVrjHdeRjAqA_dly/s400/IMG_0511.JPG" width="400" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Hopefully, we will be hitting the long, dusty interstate back to PHX (for good!) tomorrow, which means a resumption of normal life and good food and relaxing days (only briefly interrupted by panic over the manuscript deadlines I have hovering about my head, but at least I've learned that there are four stages to sepsis progression and that you can't be an ethical nurse unless you can explain Kantian deontology).<span style="font-family: Times !msorm; font-size: 11.0pt !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Karen Rich" 20110121T1618;"> </span></span></span> </div></div>Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06817414226322667548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4099229396418217829.post-11694162861445797942011-09-03T19:52:00.002-07:002011-09-03T19:52:42.874-07:00Touched by his Noodley Appendage<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><i>(So, my little trip is over, and I do have some glorious food stories, but need to dig out the photos and actually get around to writing things up. What can I say: being home is distracting. Until then, enjoy another guest post from The Husband—Asian noodle salad, served cold, which seems terribly appropriate given the recent multiple days of excessive heat warnings in the PHX.)</i><br />
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Here’s another one for y’all as you battle the frightening heat… <br />
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Once the summer hits here in Phoenix, it’s sometimes hard to convince oneself that turning on the stove or using the oven could possibly be a good idea. When you’re already living in an oven, turning up the heat is a recipe for sadness. <br />
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Yet your options at dinner can seem rather limited when you decide to completely eschew the stove/oven. Unless you’re a raw foodist, after all, finding true sustenance without cooking is a challenge. And while my Indian roots sometimes tell me I should go for hot (temperature) and hot (spiciness) food, in order to sweat and cool myself down, my better judgment sometimes jumps in and contradicts that logic, instead suggesting that consuming cold things can be cooling and refreshing. Well, it doesn’t have to be either/or. In these hyper-partisan, divisive times, you can instead choose to be a uniter, not a divider, to take the middle road between raw and cooked, and between hot and cold. <br />
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I speak, my friends, of salad. No, not a wimpy substance-free side salad. Rather, a salad with a variety of vegetables, with protein, with cooked elements, with fire and kick and oomph and pizzazz. And most importantly, the ability to cool you down on a hot day. <br />
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Wifey has written before on the gloriousness of salad, so there’s no need to repeat her wise words here. Instead, I give you a how-to guide to making a wonderfully delicious, (mostly southeast and east) Asian-inspired salad — a hybrid of sorts that achieves our two goals of minimizing use of heat-producing devices and also cools you upon eating it. <br />
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Now, before we continue, I must admit that I’m not so good with recipes — be it following them (Ravi Shankar never gets guff for improvising, so stop sippin’ on the Haterade, you recipe-obsessed fools; live it up a little) or providing others with instructions for making something I’ve put together in my own kitchen. This post falls a bit into the first category and a bit into the second. I think I probably pulled inspiration from three or four different Asian noodle salad recipes I perused at some point or another, and then I just decided to wing it from there and make some (many?) additions of my own. And now that it falls upon me to recount precisely what I did, I’m going to leave you instead with some generic instructions that pretty much ensure you’ll only get vaguely close to my original creation. Though that’s the fun of cooking, right? You get to experiment and do things your own way and come up with something that you want to eat. <br />
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With those caveats aside, let’s discuss making a delicious salad. Really, there are three crucial parts: some starchy noodle or carbohydrate-rich base accompanied by a protein to provide substance, a plethora of fresh vegetables to provide crunch and texture and a nice mélange of flavors, and finally a dressing which offers a way to tie everything together with a nice acidic bite and spicy finish. <br />
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For this salad, I started with some rice noodles — Trader Joe’s Thai rice sticks, to be specific, though really any Asian rice or bean thread noodles would suffice. Fortunately, cooking up noodles in boiling water doesn’t take too long, nor are you required to stand by the hot stove and observe as they cook, which is an important consideration if you’re trying to stay cool. Once the noodles have cooked, immediately run cold water over them as they drain, both to keep them from cooking further and also to get them to a cooler temperature. (I actually kept the cooked noodles in a bowl with ice, to make sure they were chilled and didn’t dry out.) While the noodles cook, sauté (in a small amount of grapeseed oil, along with a dash of teriyaki sauce, minced garlic, and some pepper flakes) some thinly sliced tofu. Again, not too much supervision required here — just flip the tofu over when it has browned. And once you’ve done that, you’re done with the cooking element. Set aside the tofu, and we’re ready to move on to the cooling and the crunching. <br />
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For the veggies, I went a bit crazy and threw together whatever we happened to have in the fridge; in this case, the list included: purslane, amaranth, cucumber, broccolini, a broccoli/cabbage/carrot slaw mix, and jalapeno. <br />
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The dressing was originally supposed to be a relatively simply mix of rice vinegar, sugar and lime juice, but quickly got out of control once I realized all the different bottles and jars we had in the pantry and on the fridge door. So I ended up trying to find a tasty balance between rice vinegar, brown sugar, and freshly squeezed lime juice, along with tamari soy sauce, mirin, sweet chili sauce, ground chili paste, teriyaki sauce, minced garlic, thinly-sliced shallots, and a nice bit of ginger. After some very precise kitchen science, I came up with the perfect ratio between those various items. <br />
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And finally, for garnish, I used a lot of basil and mint leaves, along with a couple slices of lime, and also a sprinkling of thinly sliced green onions and chives. <br />
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When all was said and done, it looked something like this.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXx0wRA4P7DAcgc3yJVltDSQyB7sHrwZIlaX0qNtUsnTE1EdkjgPEHwEOwmtRcbALbkqLDmqh_dxVPYovnff139-JeKaW5d2BVgahDfvy7OX0QXise89UnoQPUhbkro17Z6vSYew-UsDU/s1600/IMG_1932.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXx0wRA4P7DAcgc3yJVltDSQyB7sHrwZIlaX0qNtUsnTE1EdkjgPEHwEOwmtRcbALbkqLDmqh_dxVPYovnff139-JeKaW5d2BVgahDfvy7OX0QXise89UnoQPUhbkro17Z6vSYew-UsDU/s400/IMG_1932.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
A nice balance of cooling and spiciness, and some definite deliciousness was achieved.</div>Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06817414226322667548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4099229396418217829.post-76860703723135248722011-08-21T21:30:00.001-07:002012-04-08T22:36:18.649-07:00Satellite Affiliate Blogging<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">I am taking this humble blog on the road! Yes, I am coming at you today not from the PHX, but from the TUX, where I am housesitting for the next twoish weeks. Given the unfamiliar kitchen and my complete inability to find anything therein, the food blogging might be a little light-in-its-loafers, but there are always tamales to be talked about, and I plan on getting my fill. And perhaps this break from PHX will inspire me to get my craft on? WHO KNOWS?<br />
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This trip to the TUX strangely coincides with the beginning of The Husband's liquid diet, which is convenient in terms of cooking-in-a-strange-new-place situations (hurrah for leftovers!). Said leftovers were the remnants of the butter and cheese overload that took place last week, one meant to gird The Husband's loins with as many calories as possible to sustain his not-terribly husky frame.<br />
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Dish one was bubble and squeak, which has been lovingly detailed <a href="http://aw80d.blogspot.com/2011/07/british-isles-bubble-and-squeak-england.html">here</a>; there was a slight switching of the pitch up, as I used Brussels sprouts and kale in place of the cabbage and spinach. It was a fair bit heartier than the original (which is saying something, given the original's ingredients), and I think I actually prefer it this way. The sprouts and kale are just so much more flavorful than cabbage and spinach, and they also crisp up much better under the broiler.<br />
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Dish two in the pantheon of foods that are good but not good for your arteries was vegetable lasagna made with homemade noodles (see here for basic recipe). The general layering strategy here went noodle; thinly-sliced zucchini; ricotta, herbs de provance farmers cheese, and amaranth blend; sliced provolone; noodle; herbed tomato slices; broccolini; shredded mozzarella and Parmesan blend; noodle; basil; provolone; mozzarella; noodle; and finally, fire-roasted tomato sauce. Put all this fantasticness in a baking pan, cover with aluminum foil, and bake for 20 minutes at 375ºF. Once it's all good and bubbly, remove the foil, add some shredded cheese (mozz and parm are always good, but don't be afraid to mix it up) and bake until nice and brown, another 20 minutes or so. Let it sit and cool for 15 minutes, then enjoy!<br />
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Both dishes heat up pretty well, though the lasagna is a bit on the dry side—intentionally so, given the small amount of sauce I tend to use—so just make sure to cover it with a paper towel when microwaving. If you're feeling healthy, a wee salad comprised of things you find rummaging through the fridge is a nice touch, but really, don't kid yourself. Apart from not eating it, there's little that can transform this orgy of butter and cheese into something that's good for you.<br />
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In lieu of cheesy, buttery photography, here's what the view looked like today<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuMjpwNX6Zj29Sp5x3HWs_bjbKFgV5Nj3v5CubpAgXTilHfr_4UXMOT5asrGIG6bFpQE2aKWLQfSD7SwY1POnsv_eIIRhB28ys224EybKz_91ncWHAvYYby4JC0-nHjSR9OX8I3CdDBwU0/s1600/IMG_0472.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuMjpwNX6Zj29Sp5x3HWs_bjbKFgV5Nj3v5CubpAgXTilHfr_4UXMOT5asrGIG6bFpQE2aKWLQfSD7SwY1POnsv_eIIRhB28ys224EybKz_91ncWHAvYYby4JC0-nHjSR9OX8I3CdDBwU0/s400/IMG_0472.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
and tonight.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilJFypXS8P1UsLbqdBFyVbzRzL5tqEdp6pxxKp9AiGp_s-Ln8X6w-67qegyHJOxtih9197Wx-ua3WCUxn1OXMaceA-OvET1RWJBMfPIV10F5zrJSwRdl9IOVW_obymhVi09D8tGrSHMWxB/s1600/IMG_0479.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilJFypXS8P1UsLbqdBFyVbzRzL5tqEdp6pxxKp9AiGp_s-Ln8X6w-67qegyHJOxtih9197Wx-ua3WCUxn1OXMaceA-OvET1RWJBMfPIV10F5zrJSwRdl9IOVW_obymhVi09D8tGrSHMWxB/s400/IMG_0479.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Plus sub-100ºF temperatures in August? I could get used to this.</div>Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06817414226322667548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4099229396418217829.post-54452133561612949442011-08-15T11:07:00.000-07:002011-08-15T11:07:03.990-07:00Ice Ice Coffee<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><i>(It's guest post time here in the desert! The Husband has decided to get into blogging, now [check out his music blogthing <a href="http://hereisyoursongoftheday.tumblr.com/">here</a> if you're one of those snobby music types who makes fun of the musical choices of others—YES, I ENJOY RICK ASTLEY UN-IRONICALLY, WHAT OF IT?], and even though I still haven't been able to get him to write that <a href="http://lifeinthedessert.blogspot.com/2010/10/apparently-all-caps-is-not-acceptable.html">chili post</a>, he's deigned to share his thoughts on a few food-related adventures. First up: coffee, the consumption of which I don't personally understand, but hey—different strokes for different folks [or, for those of you lovely readers who are lizards: different drinks for different skinks].)</i><br />
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Hey, look at me: I’m stone-cold guest-blogging up in this joint. Thanks, Wifey, for letting me overtake your blog with a post about, yes, making coffee. Ok, enough dillydallying, let’s get on with it…</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Life in the desert can be hot. Really hot.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">But friends, I come here not to complain about 110+ degree days accompanied with dire warnings of dangerous heat indices. Rather, I come to help you. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">When the temperature is halfway between boiling and spontaneous combustion, it takes a bit of a toll on anything bold enough to venture outdoors to face the elements. Your body heats up very quickly and you soon find yourself sapped of energy—all in all, not a particularly pleasant way to start the day. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">However, you are not destined to suffer. For there is a way to partially combat the melting. A very simple way. A way that will not only save your body, but also your wallet.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">What is this magical solution</i>, you ask?</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Coffee. Yes, coffee. Iced coffee. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Wow, you’re the greatest guest blogger ever</i>. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">That was a really revolutionary idea there. It’s not like anyone’s ever thought of that before.</i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Hey, now. Let’s not get too snarky. Ok, sure, there’s nothing too special about what I’ve just told you. You can get iced coffee at any decent coffee shop come summertime. But that is not what I speak of. While your neighborhood coffee shop may indeed provide you with a beverage filled with caffeine, sugar, and coldness, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">you can do so much better</b>.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Most coffee shops brew up hot coffee at something close to double-strength, chill it in the refrigerator, then pour it over ice when a customer comes in and asks for an iced coffee. Well, that’s bunk. Though that iced coffee may succeed in giving you your caffeine/sugar/coldness fix, why settle for that mediocre product? And why pay two dollars or more for a cup mostly filled with ice—ice that serves to continually dilute your beverage as it melts away?</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Allow me to let you in on a little secret mathematical equation handed down to me on golden tablets by The Jeebus: cold-brewed coffee + ice cubes made of coffee = WIN. That’s just a stone-cold fact. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">In addition to being delicious and refreshing, the advantage of cold-brewing your coffee is that it tastes less acidic, and the flavor profile is far more robust. You’ll notice fruity and floral notes that you didn’t even know were there.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Well then, time to get on with it and tell you how it’s done. Like with all fine foods, it’s all about the ingredients. In this case, some nice freshly roasted beans. (My Phoenician Phriends: if you get your coffee beans from anyone other than Cartel or Fair Trade, you’re doing it wrong.) Also, it’s about doing some advance planning; cold-brewing means you need to start the coffee-making the night before.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Take your beans and grind them as you would normally. Put them into your French Press at twice the amount you would use for hot coffee, add water, and give it all a swirl. Throw it in the fridge overnight, and then plunge your grounds the following morning. In the meantime, you’ve hopefully already made frozen coffee cubes, which now reside in the ice tray in your freezer. Pour your overnight-chilled coffee into a mug, and add your ice cubes made of coffee. Now here’s the final step, taking your very good iced coffee to the realm of Total Awesomeness: cream. No, not milk. Nope, not half-and-half. And sure as hell not that non-dairy creamer crap with carrageenan and corn syrup solids; that’s just nasty. Straight up cream is how we roll. (Cream rules everything around me. C.R.E.A.M. That’s recursion, y’all!) Heavy cream. Not the slightly de-fatted light whipping cream. I’m talking the full fat (i.e., full of deliciousness) stuff. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Voila, you’re done. And now you can laugh at those suckas paying for watered-down cold coffee at Starbucks.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">(In addition to deliciousness that cures your lethargy and cools you down, there are ancillary benefits of making this delightful concoction. Since you’re making your coffee at home, you’re saving cash monies. And since you’re pretty much making this the night before, you’re saving valuable time in the morning — thereby allowing yourself to get a couple extra minutes of precious, precious beauty rest. These are two very important considerations for those of us who are: (a) cheap, and (b) unwilling to get out of bed in the morning.)<a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=4099229396418217829" name="_GoBack"></a></div> <i><br />
</i></div>Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06817414226322667548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4099229396418217829.post-7868539813141608252011-08-14T12:52:00.000-07:002011-08-14T12:52:04.089-07:00Souper Duper<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">My newest post is up at AW80D: <a href="http://aw80d.blogspot.com/2011/08/western-europe-gazpacho-spain.html">gazpacho</a>! Perfect for those lazy summer nights when it's hotter than a catamount in a parka shop on the surface of Mercury. <br />
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Or something.</div>Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06817414226322667548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4099229396418217829.post-85660274323371116372011-08-14T11:37:00.001-07:002011-08-14T11:42:21.231-07:00Tiny Plates<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">We were invited to a small plates dinner party the other day, which necessitated the making of small plates. Given that The Husband and I rarely partake in any food-related adventure that could charitably be described as “small,” this complicated matters slightly. In the end, we just decided to make regular plates, only less of them, to varying degrees of success. (Actually, the only non-success was the eggplant ravioli, which fell apart in the pan and generally caused trouble. I readily admit that I only half-remembered the recipe, and also skipped some steps in the made-up version of the recipe that exists solely in my mind, so maybe this isn’t much of a surprise.)<br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">As for the more successful plates, The Husband made his glorious hummus, and I whipped up some herbed goat cheese and ricotta-covered figs (which made use of the basil-goat cheese-ricotta blend from the disappointing eggplant failure). I also made the following bean recipe, which I was really quite pleased with. It’s based on a dish from a restaurant in DC that was a regular date-night fixture when The Husband and I were wooing (being wooed? flinging woo?); given that said restaurant is also a tapas bar, it seemed like as good a place as any to nick a recipe for a small plates party. We originally served it plain, but I discovered today that it goes well in a pita pocket with some tomato, pickled peppers, and feta cheese (some leftover homemade hummus is probably a good thing, too). </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The original dish called for gigante beans, which given our track record, we strangely do not have. I substituted Christmas lima beans, which aren’t as creamy as gigante beans, but are faintly nutty and, I think, preferable to your bog-standard limas, and they worked well. Given that I used hoighty-toighty heirloom beans, I cannot comment on the feasibility of using canned or frozen lima beans; I would think that, as long as they could hold their shape and still have a bit of bite to them, they would be fine. I don’t know that baby limas would work as well, though—you want a hearty bean that brooks no guff and tolerates little-to-no sass.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">To start, cook one cup of dried Christmas lima beans (or bean of your choosing) in whatever method you prefer (I advocate the pressure cooker, as always, because I am incapable of forethought in these matters) until tender. While the beans are cooking, thinly slice eight or nine cloves of garlic (or even 10 or 11—be brave with your garlic, and you can sleep soundly knowing that you are safe from vampires) and chop up a good handful of fresh dill.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">When the beans are good and ready, heat up a good couple of sloshes of olive oil in a sauté pan. (Note: When cooking with olive oil, don’t use some fancypants, expensive oil, because the heat will ruin it; I always keep a bottle of mild, moderately-priced Italian extra-virgin olive oil on hand for the few occasions where we are either using (a) a lot of olive oil [see hummus] or (2) cooking with olive oil.) Be generous; you want these beans to be slick. When the oil is ready, add the garlic and stir, cooking just until the garlic is fragrant, then add the beans and stir to coat. Once the beans are glistening, add three-quarters of the dill, along with a good, large pinch of salt, and stir. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low, and let simmer for five or so minutes. Taste for additional salt (beans can take a good amount), and add the remaining dill. Mix together and serve. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Depending on the flavorfulness of your cooking oil, you might want to drizzle some good olive oil over top, to get that lovely grassiness (which goes so well with the nuttiness of the beans). For a slightly more substantial take, a dollop or two of yogurt (or labneh) mixed through would certainly be welcome, but there’s really no need to gussy this up; your beans are beautiful just as they are.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Also, on the same day I learned that these beans go well in a pita, I learned that Pancakes does not like being near a pool. Have you ever seen a cat hyperventilate? It's disconcerting. However, high on the list of things Pancakes does like is his new tunnel. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWdXkVTg2MB3iwMIj8c5c9VdpRDUSQSsgEJFYhW7fvwgyU_XvuMKEzBR1oqXzzPj1jw2ElIDIrDYiRwpZimcUkB4vH4Ncd22YeIssAkAtL2g3-UIvmM3ET13BeynBIWm5cqgZBt0kRZhW6/s1600/IMG_1906.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWdXkVTg2MB3iwMIj8c5c9VdpRDUSQSsgEJFYhW7fvwgyU_XvuMKEzBR1oqXzzPj1jw2ElIDIrDYiRwpZimcUkB4vH4Ncd22YeIssAkAtL2g3-UIvmM3ET13BeynBIWm5cqgZBt0kRZhW6/s400/IMG_1906.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I'm starting to regret giving him yet another place from which to launch guerrilla attacks at my ankles, though.</div></div>Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06817414226322667548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4099229396418217829.post-57894066054266024722011-08-09T16:28:00.000-07:002011-08-09T16:28:39.019-07:00Everybody Gets Beans!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">I am in love with heirloom beans. Having grown up severely bean-disadvantaged (kidney beans and chickpeas being the only beans my family recognized), I have overcompensated in my adulthood by purchasing <a href="http://lifeinthedessert.blogspot.com/2010/10/beans-and-grains-anonymous.html">massive quantities</a> of beans of many styles and stripes. Of course, as with any infatuation, I still want more, but have managed to convince myself that I can acquire more beans only when the current stock has run out.<br />
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However, in spite of our heroic attempts, the bean situation remains largely unchanged. This could be on account of villiany, but it's mostly because I've been unsure of the best way to deal with them. Beans are frequently a <i>part</i> of the total dish, but very rarely <i>are</i> the total dish, and so using the heirloom beans in curries or chilis or tacos seemed almost like we'd be missing out on the things that make the fancy beans so fancy. I needed some way to let the very beany essence of the beans shine through.<br />
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That's where this recipe comes in. It's based on Jamie Oliver's <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/jamie-oliver/humble-home-cooked-beans-recipe/index.html">Humble Beans</a>, with a few tweaks.<br />
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First, get your beans. You want meaty beans for this dish, ones that plump up and are full of flavor. I used six different varieties: Ojo de cabra, Rio Zape, Cattle, Anasazi, Roman, and Borlotti. If you also plan on being absurd and using multiple bean types, be sure to confirm that they have the same cooking time. This isn't a huge deal if you like some of the beans mushy, but if you're looking for the beans to retain some kind of structural integrity, this is important information.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTdkhUxl8cyxvgsigFDE8y933JVrYjqfJSXS_gbgiApVXI70r4zIebRep6CG5ZNv1f-3WqSbIDRd9cdV0cENko20qw-XtqarHuEvMEAOQDu1_8POP5f_1KdqDccdHdQCADh2sBT0fa1lkL/s1600/IMG_1925.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTdkhUxl8cyxvgsigFDE8y933JVrYjqfJSXS_gbgiApVXI70r4zIebRep6CG5ZNv1f-3WqSbIDRd9cdV0cENko20qw-XtqarHuEvMEAOQDu1_8POP5f_1KdqDccdHdQCADh2sBT0fa1lkL/s400/IMG_1925.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
All told, I started with approximately one cup of mixed bean. Into the pressure cooker they should go, along with a dried chipotle morita, three or four bay leaves, and a slurp of olive oil. Cook until tender (these will simmer for a bit later, so if they are just a wee bit crunchy, don't panic) and set aside, reserving the cooking liquor.<br />
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Next, in a large saute pan, heat a tablespoon or two of grapeseed (or other neutral) oil and, when hot, add a couple of good pinches of black mustard seeds. After they've been allowed to sputter for 10 or so seconds, add some diced onion (around half a small one) and five or six cherry tomatoes, quartered. Stir until the tomatoes begin to disintegrate and the onions go translucent, then mix in several cloves of garlic (finely chopped). Once the garlic is fragrant, maybe 20 seconds, pour in the beans, along with 1/4 c. of the cooking liquid. Stir in a pinch of thyme and rosemary (for a smidgen of earthiness) and let all this goodness simmer together for 10 minutes or so, adding more cooking liquid (or water) as needed to keep everything from getting too dry.<br />
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Once all the flavors have melded, add a couple of sloshes of cider vinegar (the exact amount depends on how tangy you want it to be) and a couple of big pinches of salt (they can take it). Taste, re-salt or vinegar as needed, then mix in a drizzle of good olive oil to make everything shiny and luscious. These not-so-humble-anymore beans get on with a good hunk of crusty bread like a house on fire, though fresh tortillas or pita will also do in a pinch. I've made this a couple of times now, and I like to keep some on hand for a quick and hearty snack. It may look like cat food, but listen here, meow—it's good stuff.</div>Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06817414226322667548noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4099229396418217829.post-31577910576483542022011-08-03T19:55:00.000-07:002011-08-03T19:55:32.880-07:00Another One!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">There's a <a href="http://aw80d.blogspot.com/2011/08/southern-europe-pasta-italy.html">new post</a> up at <b>Around the World in 80 Dishes</b>, this time talkin' 'bout pasta. Check it out!<br />
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Also, I promise I am not neglectin' this 'umble blog. There are a few posts knockin' about this ol' noggin'—it's just that I am partakin' of GOOD's <a href="http://www.good.is/post/the-good-30-day-challenge-unplug-at-8/">30-day no-Internet-after-8pm challenge</a>, and since most of my bloggin' took place post-8 o' clock, I've been tryin' to adjust to daytime bloggerel. <br />
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Soon!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRQr_98L1xmiqK5hyphenhyphenuatLvdZwYKkIJa0VPIwtFO0rENDJq8ESk-xaolhXI-Q5cFWGRfFFIOulTI-yQlJP8ZZyWzHAD-CYk3PUK0dPKpJ8kJsXKkoOlBe_jBhmDZEL0FIVaiKJmAy1inGzT/s1600/soon" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRQr_98L1xmiqK5hyphenhyphenuatLvdZwYKkIJa0VPIwtFO0rENDJq8ESk-xaolhXI-Q5cFWGRfFFIOulTI-yQlJP8ZZyWzHAD-CYk3PUK0dPKpJ8kJsXKkoOlBe_jBhmDZEL0FIVaiKJmAy1inGzT/s1600/soon" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">via ICanHasCheezburger.com</td></tr>
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(Also, I have no idea where all those extra apostrophes came from.)</div>Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06817414226322667548noreply@blogger.com0