FOODIE FRIDAY- A CHIP

A bad bad thing has happened to me. I found a good Dill Pickle chip. I have been on an eating better kick for the last few months and it has certainly done my body some good but I seem to have hit a plateau. I actually don’t mind plateaus, I mind backtracking. I really can’t complain. This morning I stopped by Dominick’s on my way to work to raid the salad bar and thought I might want something more than a mere salad. By the deli there were many chips, I love a salty snack. Then I saw Dill Pickle flavored chips and I got excited.

Let me tell you a little about the Dill Pickle chip. When I first saw them I thought it was so incredibly disgusting that I had to try it. I believe this happened sometime during the mid 90s. Old Dutch (a very popular brand over in good old Minnesota) was the maker and I couldn’t wait to eat the nastiness that I was sure would come out of the bag. Why I was excited to eat nasty food I do not know, but I was. However, the chip was far from disgusting. In fact it was quite possibly the most delicious chip I had ever tasted. It was a regular potato chip and was dusted with these dill pickle flavored specks, similar to what you might see on a sour cream and onion chip. I was hooked.

When I went off to college I had my mom send me a bag of Dill Pickle chips in a care package. It got completely pulverized. Friend and I ate the entire crumbly bag in about 30 seconds. She had been wary but they were a hit with her too. Over the years there have been a few other attempts at dill pickle chips. Lays has one but there are no flecks on it and, therefore, I feel it doesn’t have the charm. It tastes a little too much like a salt and vinegar chip to me, like they just dunked them in pickle juice. Lays are also notoriously greasy.

The bag I saw today was of the Kettle Classics brand. A kettle cooked chip is generally a good thing so I figured even if the pickling wasn’t right on I would still enjoy the chip. When I opened the bag (it was actually the hardest to open chip bag I have come across in a long time) I was greeted with crunchy kettle chips, pickle flakes, and a light pickle taste on the chip itself. I bit into it with anticipation and I was disgusted. The chip was so damn good. I’ll have to stop myself from eating them all the time. I haven’t had a dill pickle chip craving in years because there haven’t been any good ones to crave. It may all fall apart. For shame.

And now for something completely different. I watched Sweeny Todd the Demon Barber of Fleet Street last night. It was absolutely wonderful. I loved the whole look of the film and was thoroughly entertained. Unless you hate incredibly bloody and stylized musicals I suggest that you watch it as soon as possible.


1. Well they say that birds do it/ Bees do it/ Time the freak Money B gets to it

2. If the music make you move/ Cause you can dig the groove/ Groove on/ Groove on

3. Went down to the mountain I was drinking some wine/ Looked up in the heaven lord I saw a mighty sign

4. What’s the matter/ Why don’t you answer/ What’s the matter with me

5. Tie yourself to me/ No one else knows you’re not rid of me/ No you’re not rid of me. Rid of Me, PJ Harvey. Identified by Brooke.

FOODIE FRIDAY- CHEESY PASTA AND YUMMY BEANS

I have actually been cooking a fair amount this week. I’ll share what I think was the most successful meal. As far as the pasta goes, for something in a cheese sauce it keeps very well. I know because I have been eating it at lunch more a good chunk of the week. For an even better reheating I put a little in a mini ramekin and covered it with parmesan to get a nice baked thing going for dinner one night. It certainly isn’t the most healthy of dishes but in small amounts it fit into my not eating horribly plans quite well and, like I said, lasted a really long time. Since the smoked gouda has such a strong flavor I didn’t need as much as I would for other cheese sauces I have made.

Sauce
3tbsp butter
3tbsp flour
1 grated shallot
1 clove garlic pressed
3oz smoked gouda
3 cups skim milk
5oz frozen spinach cooked and drained
2 packets boca ground burger (I could have done without this but Tony wanted it and it added a nice boost of protein so it wasn’t a bad addition)
Salt and pepper to taste

It’s just your typical cheese sauce preparation and would go well with any pasta but I used whole wheat rotini.

Melt the butter, add the shallot and garlic, stir in the flour, let it cook together for a min or so, add the milk, stir until the flour mixture is dissolved, add the cheese, add the boca meat, spinach, and seasonings, let it thicken.

So go with it I made the most delicious bean dish I have had in quite a long time. They complimented each other very well

1 can small white beans
1 can whole tomatoes each tomato cut in thirds
1 zucchini
3tbsp fresh basil
1tbsp lemon zest
Juice form ½ lemon
2 shallot diced
1 clove garlic pressed
.5 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Saute shallot and garlic in the olive oil, add everything except the basil, let cook about 5-7 min or until zucchini is soft, add 2tbsp basil and adjust seasoning if needed, let cook for a few more minutes, serve with a light dusting of freshly grated parmesan and the rest of the basil as garnish

Tony isn’t usually excited about eating beans. He'll do it but without enthusiasm. He was LOVING these

1. You had all of them on your side/ Didn’t you/ Didn’t you/ You believed in all your lies/ Didn’t you/ Didn’t you. Ruiner, NIN. Identified by Brooke.

2. The fat is in the fire/ A fryer made of chicken wire/ Gettin sick and tired of a friggin liar

3. Three hits to the heart son/ And it's poetry in motion/ One can send you down the river/ Three's a strange way to be delivered. Three Hits. Identified by Citizen of the World

4. You are a splendid butterfly/ It is your wings that make you beautiful/ And I could make you fly away/ But I could never make you stay

5. You can't hide/ Behind your social graces/ Don't try/To be all touchy feely. As Is, Ani. Identified by Brooke.

IN THE LAND OF THE LIVING

Well I am back in the land of the living and still have no idea why I was out. I can’t say I feel 100% because I would be lying but I have made it through half of a workday and I am pretty sure that I will make it through the rest just fine. If I am still feeling off in the head by mid-week I’m calling the dr. again.

Needless to say things have been pretty uneventful since my last post. My bloodwork was perfect. I guess that is good to know but since I felt imperfect I was kind of hoping for some validation and tangible illness. I did run a fever on Friday, which was my first measurable symptom and I was very excited about that. I watched a bunch of movies, many of which helped to confirm that I was not feeling well. Can I just say how much I LOVED The Gameplan! Yes, that is the movie where The Rock is a football player and his unknown daughter appears on his doorstep. Man did it ever make me cry. Then again, every movie makes me cry. I can’t really remember the last movie I watched that didn’t get me a little choked up.

I did manage to go to the grocery store on Sunday and made a delicious fruit salad. Even though it isn’t Friday I feel like sharing food stuffs cause it’s all I got.

• 1 container strawberries, halved (obviously Monica was not coming over)
• 1 container blueberries
• 2 pluots chopped
• 2 nectarines chopped
• 3 kiwi chopped
• 2 banana chopped

It would have been great just like that but during my time confined to my bed I saw this lady, whose name I never remember but she is the Healthy eating lady with short dark hair and blue eyes, make the best looking fruit salad dressing ever so I had to have a fruit salad. I now want to put this dressing on everything because I haven’t had anything so yummy in a long time

• 2 tbsp honey
• Zest of one lime
• Juice of one lime

Stir and put on EVERYTHING
Awesome

1. Identity/ Identity is the crisis you can’t see/ Identity/ Identity

2. Did I/ See a moment/ With you/ In a half-lit world

3. Ghost, ghost I know you live within me/ Feel as you fly/ In thunderclouds above the city/ Into one that I

4. I’m tired of wasting gas living above the planet/ Mister show me the way to earth/ The boys from quadrant 44 with their vicious metal hounds don’t come round here no more.

5. Downtown/ We’ll drown/ We’re in our never splendor/ Flowers/ Showers/ Whose got the new boy gender

GOOEY GOODNESS

Apparently I said I was going to write a post about sandwiches today. In all honesty, who doesn’t love a good sandwich? I firmly believe that the sandwich is one of the more perfect foods out there. In fact, one of my first, and favorite, posts was about sandwiches.

I’ll call this sandwich Gooey Goodness because I like things that start with the same letter yet describe the product. It is important to be catchy.

• Four thin slices of sourdough or other delicious bread with a nice crust
• 1 large cap Portabella mushroom
• ½ Zucchini
• 2 slices Red onion
• 1 Roma Tomato
• Sprouts
• Brie cheese
• ½ tbsp butter

1. sauté the mushroom and zucchini in a tiny dab of butter until cooked
2. Put the rest of the butter in a pan and melt
3. Rub the bread, on both sides, in the butter
4. Put a layer of Brie on two slices of bread and cover with mushroom and zucchini then cover with other slice of bread
5. Press together with spatula
6. Cook over medium/low heat covered for a few minutes and flip
7. Repeat process until bread is nice and golden and cheese is gooey
8. Remove from heat
9. Open sandwiches and top with onion, tomato, and sprouts (in that order so as to avoid slippage, a successful sandwich is all in the layers)
10. Close sandwich and enjoy the gooey goodness

I suppose a Panini press would also work in this situation but who has one of those? Not I. I had a green apple with this sandwich and it was delightful. Green apples are so good with Brie. As I was typing I think a super thin layer of Dijon mustard may have complimented this sandwich as well. MMM Sandwich.

1. I love you/ Completely/ Please I don't want you to go/ Though you are not content here with me and you feel you must go

2 You've got a bad reputation/ That's the word out on the town/ It gives a certain fascination/ But it can only bring you down

3. They got a committee to get me off the block. Cause I say my rhymes loud and I say them non stop

4. On the corner/ We talk away/ Everybody’s older these days

5. I’ll light the fire/ You place the flowers in the vase that you bought/ Today. Our House, CSNY. Identified by Mom.

WEEPY WEEKEND

Apparently my post on Friday was my 300th post. Neat. I totally had no idea.

I had every intention of going to Jamie’s to watch the Super Bowl. Then I slept really late and felt pretty lazy when I woke up. Then I looked and saw it was going to snow at some point during the game. I decided to stay home. I really had no interest in the game either so it made the decision a little easier. Regardless, I am kind of a bad friend. Sorry. Instead of Super Bowl, Tony and I watched The Karate Kid. I had actually never seen the entire movie and we thoroughly enjoyed it. I also made some of the most delicious sandwiches ever but you’ll have to wait until Friday to hear all about them.

Speaking of movies I watches this weekend, I really have to recommend The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters to everyone. It is a documentary that chronicles the epic battle between Billy Mitchell and Steve Weibe. Who are they you ask? They are the best Donkey Kong players around, duh. Although I had heard wonderful things about the movie I was a little skeptical about the entertainment value of a documentary about guys playing old school video games. Why? I have no idea. It was brilliant. There were shady dealings, bitter rivalries, and aloof masters of the joystick throughout. Even if you don’t care a thing about Donkey Kong or, like me, have never made it past the first board (or maybe second but apparently most people never make it past the third) you will enjoy this movie. Get it get it get it.

We also watched Pride. I can’t get enough of movies about sports that are “based on a true story” when there is racism involved it is even better. Pride is the one about the Black swim team from Philly. There were only two references to the whole “Black people can’t swim thing,” which I thought was interesting in some way. I never thought I would be typing this statement but here it goes, Bernie Mac was brilliant! He was just hilarious and delightful and made the movie. Terrence Howard wasn’t too bad himself but that is more expected. I mean did you see Hustle and Flow? He was so awesomely dirty. Like any movie about underdogs and racism it got me teary and Tony laughed at me. Whatever, The King of Kong made me a little teary as well. So did The Karate Kid. I just cry. I ain’t ashamed. Whatever.

1. I love you/ Completely/ Please I don't want you to go/ Though you are not content here with me and you feel you must go

2. Coming out the slums/ It's the hoodlums/ I'm pulling my gat out on all you bums

3. You've got a bad reputation/ That's the word out on the town/ It gives a certain fascination/ But it can only bring you down

4. I’d like to be/ Under the sea/ In an octopus’s garden/ In the shade. Octopus's Garden. The Beatles. Identified by Jenn.

5. Wow/ You sure got to climb a lot of steps to get to this capital building here in Washington/ Hey/ Who’s that sad little scrap of paper?/ You really want to know? I'm Just A Bill, Schoolhouse Rock. Identified by Janeylynne.

GARBANZO CURRYISH DISH

Seems like over a month since I pulled a Foodie Friday. I guess part of that is because I have been eating staples for some time now. Even though I have been cooking almost nightly nothing has been particularly new. While this recipe is a lot like my lentil, potato, and cauliflower dish I think it is different enough (kinda) that I can post it. It sure was delicious.

• 1 big ole can garbanzo beans
• 2 potatoes peeled and cubed
• 8oz fresh spinach chopped
• 3 large tomatoes sliced and halved
• 1 red onion thinly sliced
• 1 serrano pepper thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp capers
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1tbsp vegetable oil
• Lots of cumin and curry powder
• A dash of nutmeg
• Salt and pepper to taste

HERE ARE THE STEPS

1. Put a big old pot of water on to boil
   
2. Heat the oil in a large and deep pan and sauté the onion
3. After about 4 minutes add the serrano and garlic and let cook for a little while
4. Add the capers, tomatoes, spinach, and spices cover the pan and let simmer for about 10 minutes stirring occasionally
5. Add the potatoes to the now boiling water and let them get nice and soft
6. Once the tomatoes reduce and make a nice sauce add the garbanzo beans and the potato.
7. Give it a nice stir and let everything cook together for about five minutes.
8. Serve with flour or corn tortilla with the dish because it is somewhat Indian like and tortillas are somewhat naan like (I know this is a stretch) and I thought it would be good. I was right.

Enjoy.

People guessed all the songs from yesterday, cause they were all pretty awesome, so here is a new group.

1. I love you/ Completely/ Please I don't want you to go/ Thought are not content here with me and you feel you must go
2. Coming out the slums/ It's the hoodlums/ I'm pulling my gat out on all you bums
3. I'm trying to tell you something 'bout my life/ Maybe give me insight between black and white/and the best thing you ever done for me/ Is to help me take my life less seriously. Closer To Fine, The Indigo Girls. Identified jointly by Mom and Jason. How Cute.
   
4. Isn't she lovely/ Isn't she wonderful/ Isn't she pretty/ less than one minute old. Isn't She Lovely, Stevie Wonder. Identified by Mom.
   
5. You've got a bad reputation/ That's the word out on the town/ It gives a certain fascination/ But it can only bring you down
   

DANG THAT LOOKS GOOD

I gave my first Financial Fitness workshop today and it went just swimmingly. I had seven people initially sign up and Brenda got three emails saying people canceled but three came so I was happy. I hear we have a 50% show rate anyway so I was only expecting three. I had some very minor technical glitches but nothing that disrupted the presentation as a whole.

Glitch 1. To get the presentations on the computer that hooks up to the projector you have to email them to yourself then download them onto that computer. I did this with no problem. However, I neglected to close out my email when I was done. Therefore, every time I got a new email during the presentation a window would pop up that said “you have new mail”. It would go away after a few seconds but it was slightly embarrassing.

Glitch 2. Not only did I not close out my email, I didn’t close out anything. Therefore, when I needed to go to a website during the presentation, I had to sift through all these mucky windows to get there. I thought it made me look a little technically incompetent. I also flubbed the should be seamless transition back into the slide show.

Glitch 3. This is actually not a glitch, I just thought it was. There is a remote thing by the computer that I assumed you were supposed to operate your presentation with. I couldn’t’ make it work so I operated the presentation by mouse. I guess that is just how it works.

Needless to say those errors are really minor. On a scale of 1-5 I received one 4 and two 5s for the presentation and two people said they planned to take action on what was discussed so that is a good thing. I was even able to answer all questions. Tomorrow’s presentation may be another story. While the material is easier only three people signed up. We’ll see what happens.

Although I haven’t had a Foodie Friday in some time, I thought now may be a good time for some foodie stuff. Why? Because Mom sent pictures from Christmas and that means you can see the Christmas Pizza. Yes, my family eats pizza for Christmas dinner. We never had a tradition and one year my sister said she wanted pizza and fudge. It stuck. Shoshana and her friend Will handled the crust, cheese grating (mozzarella, romano, provolone), and ingredient chopping while I made the sauces and picked ingredients. This year we made some beautiful pizzas.


Pesto
3 cups fresh basil
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 clove garlic
1 1/2 cup + (or so) olive oil (add more if needed)
Squirt of lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste (All this stuff is really to taste)

Toppings
Artichoke hearts
Spinach
Feta
Onion
Fresh Basil

The lemon juice was a totally new thing to my pesto making but it really hit the spot. I tasted it and thought it needed citrus but wasn’t sure but Shoshana suggested it and I knew she was right. It was delicious.


Red Sauce
1 big can of whole tomatoes drained
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup fresh basil
Dash sugar
Salt and pepper to taste

Toppings
Mushrooms
Onion
Fresh Garlic
Fresh Basil

I think we ended up adding some of the drained out tomato juice to the sauce for volume but you can’t blend it all together, then you don’t get the nice chunky quality.

1. When the Witch Doctor Life/ throws his silent bones/ some are crowned kings/ while others lose their thrones

2. Hot Cha where are you/ Everybody’s eyes are closed/ I can’t see why I miss you so/ So Hot Cha where are you. Hot Cha, They Might Be Giants. Identified by Monica

3. Little bag of bones been out all night/ Little bag of bones been out all night/ Can you hear him scratching at the screen door. Kitty, The Presidents of the United States of America, Identified by Jason.

4. On a rooftop in Brooklyn/ One in the morning. Watching the lights flash/ In Manhattan

5. Look on yonder misty mountain/ See the young monk meditating/ Rhododendron forest/ Over dusty hills I ask you. Epistle to Dippy, Donovan. Identified by Monica

FOODIE FRIDAY: SOUP AND SALAD

I made this dish on Wednesday and it was totally yummy. I haven’t made soup in ages although I used to have this awesome lentil and potato soup recipe that has disappeared along with the recipe notebook I had in college. It is too bad, that thing was great. It disappeared sometime at Addison apartment. I am not sure when but one day I went to grab it and the thing was gone.

Anyway, I made a new soup and it was pretty easy to make. The only difficult part was straining it and I am sure there are gadgets out there much better than my mesh colander for straining soup. Or maybe not and it is just a pain to do. If I had a bowl the same size as the colander it would have been much easier. The soup will serve 3-4 while the salad will serve 2

Pear and Goat Cheese Salad with pesto vinaigrette
-4cups salad greens of your choosing, ideally something with a little bitterness
-1 pear halved and cored
-2tbsp herbed goat cheese (or regular if you like)
-2tbsp slivered almonds (I made more than needed because they taste good)
-8 radishes sliced into thin rounds
-Tsp garlic powder
-Salt and pepper to taste
Dressing
-1tbsp pesto
-3tbsp balsamic vinegar

-Preheat oven to 350
-Place almonds on a baking sheet and dust with spices
-Toast for 7 min (give or take) stirring occasionally
-Put 1tbsp goat cheese in the cored out section of the pears
-Place stuffed pear in center of 2 cups of salad greens
-Sprinkle radishes and 1tbsp almonds over salad
-Dress lightly with the pesto vinaigrette

Potato, leek, and cauliflower soup with asparagus and thyme
-4 spears asparagus chopped into bite sized rounds
-½ head cauliflower chopped but not all that fine
-1 potato peeled and sliced
-2 medium leeks sliced into thin rounds (only the white and light green parts)
-2tbsp butter
-3.5cups vegetable broth
-2 cloves garlic pressed
-10 small sprigs fresh thyme
-Salt and pepper to taste
-2tbsp freshly grated parmesan cheese
-½ cup room temperature nonfat yogurt
-4 pieces thinly (1/2in) sliced ciabatta bread

-Put 1.5tbsp butter in a soup pot and melt
-Sauté leeks about 2 min
-Add garlic and sauté 1min
-Add cauliflower, potato, 6 sprigs thyme, and a dash each of salt and pepper and sauté 5 min
-Remove sprigs of thyme and discard
-Add vegetable broth and simmer 20 min or until cauliflower and potato are soft
-Pour mixture into a blender or food processor and liquefy
-Pour blended soup through a thin colander to strain out most of the pulp. It will take a while if you have a colander that fits nicely over the top of a big bowl it will be nice and easy
-Heat oven to 350
-Rub bread in the seasonings left in the baking sheet from the almonds and then cover one side with parmesan
-Bake 5-8 min until crisp and cheese is melted and browned
-Put the rest of the butter into the pan and melt
-Sauté asparagus rounds until slightly soft but still keep a nice crispness about 7 min
-Once the soup is strained add the yogurt and whisk until smooth
-Add asparagus rounds
-If needed heat over med-low heat but do not bring to a boil
-Garnish with 2 slices of ciabatta bread and the remaining thyme sprigs

Enjoy

1. If this world were mine/ I would place at your feet/ all that I own/ You’ve been so good to me. If This World Were Mine, Luthur. Identified by Urban Chick

2. I prayed to/ Heaven today/ Bring its hammer down on me/ And pound you out of my head/ I can’t think with you in there

3. I spend the afternoon in cars/ I sit in traffic jams for hours/ Don’t push me I am not ok

4. Pistol shots/ Gun shots/ pistol shots/ Gun shots/ Bullets from a revolver/ bullets from a gun/ Bullets through the atmosphere/ here they come. Sapphire Bullets of Pure Love, TheyMight Be Giants. Identified by, Monica

5. So they say I was sometimes cruel/ I don’t know if I would say that too/ Oh I/ I don’t know about that

SPINACH AND MUSHROOM ENCHILADAS

It has been a long time since I have done a proper Foodie Friday but since Monica asked me for the recipe for these incredibly delicious enchiladas I made on Wednesday to celebrate the Top Chef finale. I thoughttoday was a perfect time for a foodie resurrection. Some of you may be saying, “Wait, she has written about enchiladas before.” and you would be correct. These are not the same enchiladas though so it is ok. However, you could use the enchilada sauce recipe from the above post and be totally awesome. The reason these babies are so great is the food processor that Tony’s mom got me for my birthday. Coating the cheese in the spinach makes for the creamiest delicious fluffy filling around.

-1lb or so of fresh spinach
-1/2 small jalapeño pepper
-2 cloves garlic pressed
-½ tbsp butter
-½ white onion
-2 limes
-2tbsp cilantro
-12 small tortillas (flour or corn)
-10oz Chihuahua cheese
-1lb mushrooms sliced thickly
-2 cans enchilada sauce (I think they are about 5oz each I used red but green would also be quite tasty (or you can make some))

-Preheat oven to 450

-Place the spinach, half of the jalapeño, 1 clove garlic, half the onion, juice from one lime, and half the cilantro in a food processor. Blend until it is the consistency of pesto, it shouldn’t take long.

-Grate 7oz of cheese into a large bowl and then toss with all but about 1/4cup of the spinach mixture so the cheese is nicely coated.

-Melt butter in a large sauté pan, when hot add the rest of the onion. I sliced it into long strips and that worked very well, let cook briefly and then add the second clove of garlic, let it cook for about a minute and then add the mushrooms and the other half of the jalapeño diced let cook until mushrooms are nice and tender. Douse the entire mixture with juice of ½ lime

-Heat tortillas until soft about 40 sec in the microwave

-Coat a deep baking pan with one can of enchilada sauce

-Place about 1/8 cup of the spinach and cheese mixture on each tortilla then spoon about a tbsp of the mushroom mixture on top spreading evenly.

-Roll the tortillas and place them in the pan

-Cover with the other can of enchilada sauce and the remaining cheese

-Bake about 20 minutes

-Serve with about a tbsp of the spinach mixture drizzled over the enchilada or on the side of the plate, garnish with a small lime wedge from the ½ lime you have left over and the remaining cilantro can be sprinkled playfully over the enchiladas.

Enjoy

1. You’ve got style/ That’s what other girls say/ Satin sheets/ and luxuries so fine. Dress You Up, Madonna. Identified by Urban Chick

2. The times we had/ Oh when wind would blow with rain and snow/ Were not all bad

3. I wanna bathe in milk/ Eat grapes/ Robert DiNero sit on my face

4. She came she came to meet a man/ she found an angel/ Coocoo coocoo Barabajagal was his name oh. Barabajagal, Donovan. Identified by Monica

5. Let's have bizarre celebrations/ Let’s forget who forget what forget where. Wraith Pinned To The Mist and Other Games, Of Montreal. Identified by Identified by Monica

FOODIE FRIDAY- PORTOBELLO STEAK

I think my readers must think I live only for the mushroom. This is not true. I have merely cooked some rather delicious mushrooms lately. Without further ado, I give you Portobello Steak.

Marinade:
-¾ cups olive oil
-1/8 cup soy sauce
-1 tbsp red wine vinegar
-Juice of one lemon
-3 cloves garlic thickly chopped
-Many sprigs of rosemary
-Enough water to cover the mushrooms

However many large Portobello caps you need (1 per person)

-Soak mushrooms in marinade overnight
-Grill or cook in a sauté pan over med-high head
-Serve with steak sauce on the side.
Enjoy

I served this with the Spaghetti Squash Pomodoro from last week to have a very filling meal that, according to sparkpeople.com consisted of about 167 calories, 26g carbs, 6g fat, and 5g protein (1 mushroom, 1tbsp steak sauce, and 1.5 cups squash).

Funny text message of the day:
“You say funny things when you sleep. Like you had your eyes open and talked nonsense for like thirty seconds”

1. You snake/ You crawled/ Between my legs/ Said want it all/ It’s yours you bet. Snake, PJ Harvey. Identified by Brooke.

2. And I tell you everything/ And hope that you won’t tell on me/ Not give you anything/ And know that you won’t tell on me

3. So here it is/ Fuck it/ Friends or no friends/ I’ve had enough bullshit to last me clear to the end

4. Speak Low/ When you speak love/ Oh Summer day withers away too soon/ Too soon. Speak Low, Identified by Mom. This version happened to be Billie Holiday.

5. Good feeling won’t you stay with me/ Just a little longer/ Always seems like you’re leaving/ when I need you here just a little longer. Good Feeling, Violent Femmes. Identified by Brooke.

SPAGHETTI SQUASH POMODORO

This is probably the simplest and easiest to prepare meal ever to grace the pages of Foodie Friday. It also happens to be incredibly delicious and incredibly low in calories.

-1 Spaghetti Squash
-2 roma tomatoes diced
-1tbsp olive oil
-2 cloves garlic pressed
-1tsp dried oregano
-¼ cup fresh basil, chopped
-Salt and pepper
-Parmesan or mozzarella cheese if desired

-Poke 5-7 holes in the squash making sure you have holes on all sides, otherwise it will explode slightly

-Put squash on a plate and place in the microwave. Microwave for about 4min per pound f squash or until skin is nice and supple. Let squash cool for at least five minutes before cutting.

-Put tomato in a bowl. Add oregano and garlic. Add a dash of salt and a smidge of pepper shake it around

-When the squash has cooled heat oil in a large saucepan over low heat

-Cut squash in half and remove the seeds. Then scrape a fork through the squash flesh lengthwise to produce long spaghetti-like strands you can scrape right up to the edge with these things.

-Toss squash with tomato mixture

-Dump it all in the pan and cook for about one minute stirring frequently

-Garnish with fresh basil and some parmesan or mozzarella cheese if so desired

-Enjoy

1. What if the show didn’t go on/ What if we all got jobs and got to bed before dawn/ What if Old Joe had to retire/ What if all the stagehands were let go or fired.

2. You’ve taken the fun/ Out of everything/ Making me run/ When I don’t want to think

3. Every night/ Out for love/ Get my strength from the man above/ God of pistol/ God of steel/ God is here behind my wheel

4. I said oh/ I got this feeling and it's deep in my body/ it gives me wiggles and it makes my rump shake/ I said oh

5. I can’t believe that I’m writing this down and/ I can’t believe I’ve got you in a song/ I don’t want to be a whining girl/ Rather not be in your world.

FOODIE FRIDAY- STUFFED MUSHROOMS

It has been a few weeks since a proper Foodie Friday and I felt it was time to bring out one of my staples that I surprisingly haven’t posted yet. I’m talking stuffed mushrooms.

-1 container large mushrooms, (you can do it with the regular ones but that is a lot of stuffing action) washed, stems removed and diced
-1tbsp olive oil
-1 stalk celery diced
-1 medium onion diced
-2 cloves garlic diced
-1tsp rosemary
-¼ cup bleu cheese crumbled (can be made without or with more, brie also tastes mighty good in these)
-3tbps vegetable stock for stuffing and ½ cup for cooking in
-¼ cup (if I remember correctly but I could be totally wrong) cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs

-Preheat oven to 375
-Heat oil over medium heat in a large saucepan
-Add onion and cook about 5 minutes
-Add celery and garlic cook about one minute
-Add mushroom stems and rosemary, cook until tender, about 5 minutes
-Stir in bleu cheese and cook about 1 min until well blended
-Add bread crumbs and cook for about 1 min
-Add 3tbsp vegetable stock and stir until ingredients make a nice paste type substance (you may need to add more crumbs or stock as this is all from memory and I haven’t made them in over a year)
-Spoon filling into mushroom caps placed in a large baking pan
-Pour stock into baking pan making sure the bottoms of the mushrooms are well covered
-Put in oven and cook for about 15-20 minutes
-Baste with stock a few times during the cooking process to make sure they are nice and juicy
Enjoy

I spend a lot of time on this blog talking about my work. Sometimes I don’t feel I do a very good job of explaining what it is that I do. Basically I teach a Customer Service Certification course at a workforce development focused non-profit and manage a contract for the state making sure our files are in order. However, my class and contract are part of a much bigger whole. It is an important whole and it doesn't get talked about very much on here. A prospective film person did a pro bono video for us and I figured I wanted to share.


1. Down in the cellar in the Boho zone/ I went looking for some sweet inspiration/ Oh well, just another hard time and with Negro affectations

2. I just wanna fuck bad bitches/ all them nights I never had bitches/ Now I’m all up in that ass bitches/ Mad at your boyfriend ain’t you

3. Well showing how it used to be/ So hard/ This hard /Used to get those kicks for free/ But now I’m towing the line

4. Oh we could rock/ Or we could bomb/ Or we could try/ Like super hard.

5. I know what you want/ The magpies have come/ If you know me so well then tell me which hand I use. Yes, Anastasia. Tori Amos. Identified by Brooke.

CAN I GET A GRADUATION?

I have nothing delicious to write about on this particular Friday although I did just consume a delectable albeit overpriced quesadilla at Macy’s. In defense of it’s over pricedness it came with a salad, but not much of a salad. Yet, once I was done, the deliciousness of the marinated mushrooms, poblanos roasted with onions and Chihuahua cheese made me feel better about the price. It was essentially worth it. Yum.

Last night I had a very strange dream. I was back at school and it was the day before graduation. There were instances of stress-filled debauchery everywhere you could turn. People were breaking down, hooking up, and throwing up around every corner. A large portion of the dream took place in the public restroom. There weren’t many public restrooms at school and certainly not any of this size. The way the doors were arranged made no sense. One stall opened into the next, people talked while handling their business, gender separation was out the window, and dogs were abundant. It was a strange bathroom.

One of the oddest things about graduation was that people from both my High School and College were there. A few people that I never went to school with at all were there. Regardless of that fact, we were all graduating. The weirdest thing was that I had no idea what we were graduating from. Even though the dream took place at a school I don’t think it was a school graduation. I remember shady snippets of the earlier parts of the dream and they were more focused on parties and celebrations of achievements but not scholastic ones. Maybe we were graduating from life?

I miss graduations. I miss having a set end date by which time you will have exhibited your knowledge of a particular subject or subjects and that learning will be recognized. People that come to see you will be proud and will shake your hand. They will be there for you and your achievements. You are the center of attention at graduation. I don’t care if you graduate last in your class there are always some who don’t graduate at all. With graduation, even being the worst is something to celebrate. Not so with life.

In the greater experience that is life, your achievements are rarely recognized. Or, if they are, only a select group of people care. Instead your achievements are expected and seen as part of growing-up. If you get a promotion or a new job people might give you a pat on the back and maybe a piece of cake but the same outpour of support, excitement, and adoration just isn’t there. Instead people are jealous. They wonder why it is you and not them that gets the cake. They wish you well on your journey while they contemplate taking your stapler. You know you have the good one.

I guess if I want that overwhelming positive feeling of achievement while embracing and saying good-bye to a stage of life I better get my butt back to school. Even so, I know it won’t be the same. For adults things are just different. Everyone has their own agenda and even when it comes to education they do it differently. I’m never going to live in a dorm again. I’m never going to another school dance. I’m not going to participate in any of those activities that bring people together because I can’t. If I could I don’t even know if I would want to. I’m done with that.

So what was my dream telling me? Was it saying I am ready for a change? Was my mind telling me that I have reached the point where this stage of life can teach me no more and I have to move on? Was it just a really random dream that was made up of all the other dreams I had over the course of a long night that got jumbled together between the tones of the alarm and meant nothing? I may never know. I just know it made me feel warm and cozy and part of something old on it’s way to becoming something new.

1. I think I’ll walk to the moon/ I don’t think I’ll be back soon/ I’ll take some water and time/ And I’ll be fine/ Yes, I’ll be fine

2. There lived a certain man in Russia long ago/ He was big and strong in his eyes a flaming glow/ Most people looked at him with terror and with fear/ But to Moscow chicks he was such a lovely dear. Rasputin, Boney M. Identified by The Doc. Who is incredibly cool for knowing this insane mess.

3. Stop the bus/ I want to be lonely/ When seconds pass slowly and years go flying by/ You gotta stop the bus/ And get off here.

2. Canyon girl/ ‘neath imaginary skies is beckoning/ in a fictional world/ I fear I got no business being in

5. Well I’m coming through your window/ I see your family there/ Well I’m the midnight creeper/ When I go creepin’ ya’ll better beware

MINI RANT AND EGGPLANT ROLLS

In looking at the articles Mom posted in the comment section in response to my post yesterday I got even more pissed off. This time my anger is directed at the media. I understand that it is the job of the media to print stories that are going to be of interest to people and that will elicit an emotional response. It is also their responsibility to make the facts clear. I wasn’t the only person who read that this beating happened at a Juneteenth celebration, not outside an apartment building near where the festivities were winding down. I am not the only person who interpreted the story the way I did because of how it was written. Don’t get me wrong, most of the things I said yesterday still apply. However, to suggest that this event was in the midst of the celebration is misleading and causes improper associations. Any responsible journalist would know that. Ok, rant done, let me talk about food.

On Tuesday I made these delectable Eggplant rolls. What a fantastic dish. The recipe made four rolls and I had a lot of extra filling leftover which I used (along with some remaining pesto) to make an awesome pasta dish. I suppose you could stuff the rolls more than I did but then they wouldn’t be as cute. You can also lay the extra filling out on the plate so it appears to delicately spill out of the roll and garnish with a few ribbons of fresh basil. Anything works. One roll and some extra filling was perfect for a meal.

-2 medium sized eggplants with the insides scooped out within about ¼ inch of the outside. Dice the insides
-1 ¾ cup small white beans or cannelini beans (the recipe I used called for kidney beans, which I used, but I think the white beans would be better)
-½ anise bulb diced (the recipe called for a fennel bulb but they didn’t have them at my store and although this is a different flavor I thought it would meld well with the dish and I was right)
-Few tbsp olive oil for various things
-5tbsp or so of pesto- if you are the type to make your own you already know how to do it and if you are not just buy some
-1 zucchini diced
-5 small tomatoes deseeded and diced
-3 cloves garlic pressed
-12 very thinly sliced pieces of Swiss cheese (cheese slicer thin not knife thin)
-Salt and pepper to taste
-12 toothpicks

-Preheat oven to 425
-Brush eggplant skins lightly with olive oil and bake for 40 min
-Heat a tbsp of olive oil in a LARGE sauté pan
-Add diced eggplant and pressed garlic and sauté for about one minute
-Add the tomatoes and sauté for about 25 min stirring often until eggplant is nice and soft. If eggplant stats to stick add a tiny bit of water to the pan but the tomatoes should keep things nice and mushy
-Remove eggplant mixture from pan and, while still hot, add anise and sauté one minute
-Add zucchini and beans to the pan and sauté for about 5 min.
-Add eggplant mixture to pan and cook to meld the flavors until the skins are done add salt and pepper to taste if needed
-Place about 1tbsp of pesto in each eggplant skin and spread it around
-Take three Swiss slices and line the skins with them
-Put a bunch of the filling mixture into each skin
-Fold the skin up like a taco and fasten together with three toothpicks
-Brush the outsides of the rolls with the remaining pesto
-Place rolls in a lightly oiled or buttered pan and bake for 15 min until the pesto is slightly crisp
Enjoy!

1. Well my name is Young MC and I’m cold rockin’ the house/ I came up into the place and now I’m turning it out.

2. My baby’s always dancing/ And it wouldn't be a bad thing/ But I don't get no loving/ And that's no lie.

3. The creator of what’s now cliché/ Had some funny words to say/ all you little things are incomplete/ Why did he speak of us that way.

4. Just before our love got lost you said/ I am as constant as the northern star and I said/ Constantly in the darkness/ Where’s that at/ If you need me I'll be in the bar.

5. Your mom is so fat/ How fat is she/ Your mama is so big and fat that she can get busy with/ 22 burritos when times are rough/ I seen her in the back of Taco Bell with hand cuffs. Yo Mama, Pharcyde. Identified by Monica

MANICOTTI VERDE

For Foodie Fridays I typically put up recipes that I have either made up or modified. Today is not the case. This meal was simply delicious and the only thing I changed was using some fresh herbs for the dried. I typically double (or so) the amounts when using fresh herbs compared to dried. So here it is, the Moosewood Low-fat Vegetarian Cookbook’s (this is an awesome cookbook to have) Manicotti Verde in red wine sauce. This recipe should serve 4+. It has 492 calories (not bad for dinner), 26g protein, 12g fat, and 70g carbs. I love it when they give you that info in a cookbook! They also say you can subsititute 8 whole wheat tortillas for the lb of manicotti but I haven't tasted that so it's up to you.

Filling
-1tbsp olive oil
-2 large garlic cloves pressed
-5 ½ cups chipped leeks (white and green parts)
-3 tbsp water
-20oz fresh spinach chopped
-1 tsp dried basil
-½ cup low-fat mozzarella
-1/3 cup grated parmesan
-1 ½ cup non-fat ricotta
-½ tsp sage
-1lb manicotti shells
-Salt and pepper to taste

Sauce
-2tsp olive oil
-1 med onion chopped
-2 med garlic cloves pressed
-1/4tsp salt
-2tsp ground fennel
-1tsp dried oregano
-1tsp dried basil
-1/3 cup red wine
-3 cups undrained canned tomato (28oz can)
-Salt and pepper to taste

-Boil pot of water for manicotti cook pasta al dente according to directions

While pot is boiling prepare sauce
-In saucepan warm olive oil
-Add onions garlic and salt sauté on very low heat for 5-7min
-Add fennel oregano and cook for another min
-Pour in wine and bring to boil
-While boiling, whirl tomatoes in blender until just pureed and add to pan
-Cover and simmer 20min

-Heat olive oil in large pot over medium heat
-Add garlic leeks and water, cover and stir occasionally for about 10min
-Add spinach and basil cook covered 5min stir a few times until spinach wilts
-Uncover and cook a little longer to get rid of moisture, drain if necessary
-Add cheeses, sage and salt and pepper

-Fill manicotti with cheese and vegetable mixture and place in lightly oiled 9x12 pan
-Pour half of sauce over pasta and cover with foil
-Cook 30min at 350
-Add remaining sauce after serving

Stairway To Heaven, Led Zeppelin- Although I grew up on classic rock, Led Zepplin was one of those bands that wasn’t really around for me. I first heard this song at my 8th grade lock-in when a friend sang it at karaoke. I though it was so pretty. Then I got older and cared less and less. It’s still great to hear every once in a while though.

The Chalet Lines, Belle and Sebastian- This is a little mellow for my Belle and Sebastian tastes but it will do. Even not my favorite Belle and Sebastian is better than a lot of music.

You Come Through, PJ Harvey- This is great. It’s mellow PJ but she knows how to do mellow very well. Sometimes I wish she would be mellow more often.

POTATO SALAD DOES NOT REQUIRE MAYO

This is a great variation on the traditional potato salad, which I tend to find alternately delicious and disgusting depending on how much I can ignore the mayo factor and if I can notice any boiled egg pieces in it. Eggs and mayo are generally foul although I can occasionally make an exception for mayo like on the Davanni’s Veggie Hoagie but that is about it. This recipe makes quite a bit of salad, which I like because it gives me lunches for days at work. Feel free to half the recipe.

-2lb small red potatoes
-½ lb fresh green beans cut into 1-inch pieces
-12 artichoke hearts chopped (not marinated)
-2tbsp pitted and chopped kalamata olives (I love these babies but they can easily be omitted if you don’t)
Marinade
-¼ cup chopped shallots
-1 small clove garlic pressed
-4tbsp olive oil
-4tbsp white wine vinegar
-2tsp fresh thyme chopped
-1tsp fresh rosemary chopped
-2tbsp chopped Italian parsley (but any kind will do)
-Salt and pepper to taste

-Place potatoes in a saucepan cover with water and bring to a boil. Cook potatoes about 20 minutes or until very tender, add the beans and cook for about 2 minutes but if you want to add them raw later that is also just fine
-While the potatoes are cooking make your marinade by mixing all the delicious ingredients together
-Add artichoke and olive to potato and green beans, coat with marinade
-Cover and chill for at least one hour before serving
Enjoy

I have been all about making delicious salads lately. It has been so hot and sometimes salad is the only thing I can think to eat. Unfortunately, it means I have to keep going to the grocery store to get fresh ingredients. Blah.

I am real excited for the weekend. Looks like the old gang is going to get together and hit up blues fest. It isn’t that we really like the blues all that much, we just like sitting outside in the sun for no reason. Maybe having some snacks, maybe sneaking some sips, maybe playing some cards. Audra is back in town and she is the best for going to sit outside and do nothing. Everyone else is great too. Just not always up for sitting and doing nothing. Then again, I’m not always up for sitting and doing nothing either. Regardless, I missed her these past few outdoor free stuff seasons. It’s going to be like old times. I might even have some ridiculous ruckus to blog about when Monday rolls around. Oh yeah.

1. I’ll do anything/ For my sweet sixteen/ And I’d do anything/ For little runaway child

2. Though you may not drive/ A great big Cadillac/ Gangsta whitewalls/ TV antennas in the back. Be Thankful, not by Curtis Mayfield or Massive Attack (who is it??). Partly identified by Ern

3. Growing up it was just me and my mom against the world/ And all my sympathies were with her/ When I was a little girl. Angry Anymore, Ani DiFranco. Identified by Brooke.

4. Oh baby baby how was I supposed to know/ That something wasn't right, yeah/ Oh baby baby I shouldn't have let you go/ And now you're out of sight. Baby One More Time, Marilyn Manson (although it easily could have been Travis or Brittney). Identified by Monica

5. When you're down and troubled/ And you need some loving care/ And nothing, nothing is going right. You've Got A Friend. Song identified by Monica and artist correctly identified by Mom, although Monica could have been right too.

LENTIL SALAD WITH MINT, RED PEPPER, AND FETA

Junior year of college I switched to a reduced meal plan. I still had a few meals from the school but most were going to be home cooked. It was the thing to do since I had a kitchen and Brooke was off campus and Jaclyn’s dorm was accessible by car or bus so I couldn’t eat with them. I didn’t have too many other friends that I would actually want to eat with. What a loser. So I got a mini fridge for my room (because no one should leave their food accessible to the crazies I lived with that year) and made food that would last a long time.

When reading Danielle’s Meatless Monday post, I was reminded of this salad that sustained me for many many many meals that year. Maybe I had it for too many meals because I haven’t had it in ages but it is so incredibly delicious that I wonder why. Maybe the reason is that somewhere along the way I lost my recipe notebook. Jaclyn’s favorite lentil rosemary and potato soup is lost forever. I bet I could recreate it though, any maybe I should.

Anyway, here is lentil salad with mint, red pepper, and feta. It is yet another very garlicky recipe so those of you who don’t like garlic can leave any or all of it out but it does taste good in there. If you are going to leave some out I would suggest the pressed garlic in the dressing because the cloves that get cooked with the lentils will become very subtle and mild. This would be a great dish to bring to all those BBQs you are planning on going to this weekend.

-1 cup dry lentils
-3 bay leaves
-4 whole garlic cloves, peeled and bruised
-1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
-4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
-4 tbsp red wine vinegar
-Juice of 1/2 lemon
-2 garlic cloves, pressed
-1tsp ground cumin
-salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
-1 small red onion, diced
-1 large red bell pepper, seeded and diced
-3 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
-½ cup feta cheese crumbled
-¼ cup Kalamata olives pitted and diced

-Pick over the lentils so you don’t eat any rocks. Wash the lentils and place in a large saucepan with the bay leaves, bruised garlic, and oregano.
-Cover with water by a few inches. Bring to boil, turn down the heat and simmer, uncovered for about 30 minutes, or until tender. The garlic should be mushy at this point so when you toss the salad it will mush in nicely and leave a mild garlic flavorMix
-Drain, remove bay leaves, and cool for about 30 minutes.
-While cooling, place olive oil, vinegar, pressed garlic, lmon juice, and cumin in a small bowl.
-Toss the vinaigrette with the lentils, onions, red pepper
-Let sit for 20 minutes.
-Taste and season as needed with additional spices if needed
-Add mint, feta, and olives. Stir together.
-Serve as is or over a bed of baby spinach or your favorite greens.
Enjoy

This salad keeps very well. I would usually make a double serving and eat it for an entire week.

1. They call me the wild rose/ But my name was Eliza Day/ Why they call me it I do not know/ For my name was Eliza Day. Where The Wild Roses Grow, Nick Cave. Identified by Jamie.

2. Cecelia/ You’re breaking my heart/ You’re shaking my confidence daily. Cecilia, Simon and Garfunkel. Identified by Mom.

3. Do you feel like a chain store/ practically floored/ One of many zeros/ Kicked around bored. Coffee and TV, Blur. Identified by Jamie.

4. Wish you gave me your number/ Wish I could call you today/ Just to hear a voice/ I got a long way to go/ I'm getting further away

5. Long Long Long Long time ago/ Before the wind before the snow/ lived a man lived a man I know/ Lived a freak of nature named Sir Psycho. Sir Psycho Sexy, Red Hot CHili Peppers. Identified by Danielle

RAMEN IS A BIT OF A REACH

Before I get started

Happy Birthday Mom-
I love you so much and am so glad to have you as my Mommy. You're the best.

Now back to the task at hand. I know that a ramen recipe is bogu as far as true foodieness goes. However, this was the most delicious bowl of ramen I have ever had and I wanted to share it with you all. It may be able to be improved upon as Monica has discovered that cooking ramen in V-8 is delicious. I didn’t have any V-8 so I couldn’t find out.

Sapporo Ichiban Ramen is essential to this recipe. Mainly because it is one of the only vegetarian ramens out there but also because everyone (that I have asked) agrees that as far as ramen goes, this one is the most delicious.

1 package Sapporo Ichiban original flavor Ramen
Juice of ½ lemon
2tbsp scallion diced
4 oyster mushrooms sliced
1tbsp chili powder
3 dashes cayenne
1 dash garlic powder
1-2tsp Sriracha hot sauce

Put all the stuff in the pot while the water boils. Cook ramen 3 minutes. Add seasoning packet. Enjoy.

As an added bonus, I saw this bit about a ramen noodle shop on my cousin’s myspace page. It just fit so well with Foodie Friday that how could I not include it.

Oh and the Ugly Betty season finale was awesome. Monica is right, depending on what angle you look at her from she looks just like both of us. Super scary. One of my clients told me the other day that I looked just like Ugly Betty. I told him, “thanks seeing how she is all ugly and stuff,” he replied that he didn’t mean it that way and thought we both were cute. I told him it was ok. I think she is cute too, it’s just that no one likes to be told they look like someone whose name is Ugly.

The Egg, Quasi- This reminds me of this movie I saw in Imax called The Egg when I was young. It was very basic computer animation but nothing I have ever seen worked so well with the Imax effect as that movie did. I followed that egg hither and yon through trains tracks and the ocean. I wish I could do it again.

Marriage, Divorce, and Motels, Lenny Bruce- When you listen to this stuff and realize all the mess Lenny Bruce was in for his comedy, you really get an appreciation for how much more we will put up with from comedians these days.

A Peak You Reach, Badly Drawn Boy- Listening to Badly Drawn Boy makes me miss Monica. Good thing I am off to meet her for lunch. Cheerio.

FRIDGE TACOS

There was a serious dearth of food in my fridge as well as money in my wallet. What oh what was a girl to eat? Not to mention that Tony and I were hungry and wanted something incredibly delicious.

Things in Natalie’s Fridge: half a red pepper, mushrooms, spinach, scallions, cheddar, dressings and condiments

Things in Natalie’s Freezer: corn, lima beans, grouper fillets (that Tony has decided are nasty and will probably remain there forever), a lone veggie burger, pita

Things in Natalie’s Cupboard: Flour, vegetable shortening, old mashed potato flakes, half a serving of Honey Bunches of Oats, vanilla protein powder

What would you have done?

I made vegetable tacos

Tortillas- The recipe goes like this-
-2cups flour
-¼ cup vegetable shortening (I use less because they came out a little oily the first time I suggest around 1/6 cup)
-1tsp salt
-¾ cup hot water.
Mix together until doughy. Knead for 4-6 min, roll into 8 wee balls and let rise for 20 min. Roll wee balls out into flat rounds (I have been using cups does anyone have a spare rolling pin). Heat skillet over medium-high heat and carefully place tortilla in the pan. When it starts to get a little puffy (5-10 sec) flip it and cook another 5 secs on the other side. MMMM fresh tortillas.

Filling- Heat 1tbsp vegetable oil with cayenne pepper and chili powder. Throw in 1 clove garlic diced, add mushrooms, spinach, and frozen corn. Cook till spinach is wilted and corn is done. Dice red pepper, slice some scallion rounds (now that I think about it, they would have been really good inside the tortilla dough) grate some cheddar. Sprinkle on some El Tapito.

Enjoy

I don’t know if everyone out there has been watching Planet Earth or not but everyone should. That show is brilliant. I have also found a video that will make me eternally happy. It is a snipped from the Jungles episode. The episode began with various Birds of Paradise doing their mating things. This bird is my new best friend. Enjoy.

INTERVIEW PART 2 AND A HIDDEN FOODIE FRIDAY

Part two in the interview game comes from Johnny Yen. His questions required some serious thought.

1. You’ve been asked re-record your favorite album with whoever you want, living or dead. What album is it and who would you choose?
This was by far the hardest question. My favorite Album would have to be something so completely cohesive and wonderful that most of the newer albums wouldn’t do. I then had to think if I would want the album done by a band with a completely different style, which would be cool but could possibly suck or if I wanted to go with a similar artist that would potentially end up sounding too much like the original. I am still not sure if I have made the right decision. For the album I chose “Blonde on Blonde” because it’s pretty much perfect and although I love listening to Bob Dylan, many people don’t and therefore miss out on the wonderment. I thought about “Electric Ladyland” or “Abbey Road” but I don’t think anyone doesn’t like listening to Jimi or The Beatles. I was incredibly close to having Belle and Sebastian redo the album but then realized that, while I adore their music, I am not the hugest fan of their covers. I also thought very seriously about choosing Camera Obscura but I thought the female touch might be a little too strange for me I didn’t want to pick them just to be different. Therefore, Of Montreal will be covering Blonde on Blonde.

2. A scientist develops a machine that will allow you to be transported into the past and live for a year in any time you want. What timeframe do you choose and why?
This was by far the easiest question of the bunch, I’m going to be a total cheeseball and say 1969 because I want more than anything to go to Woodstock and roll around in the hippie filled love mud.

Chicago has built five new schools. You’ve been asked to name them. What five names do you choose and why?
I’m going to assume that they are going to be five themed charter schools because it makes my answers more fun.

The Robert Heinlein High School of Scientific Humanism- I probably chose this because I just finished rereading Stranger in a Strange Land. This school would have a science focus but also be concerned with philosophy and how to apply science to the betterment of humankind.

X Elementary- This school would be focused on radical social movements, not only African-American as the name may suggest, and would teach children the importance of speaking out for their communities.

You Are Different; So Are We High- The name comes from the brochure Sarah Lawrence sent out to prospective students. While the high school would have to have a few more required classes than Sarah Lawrence did, students would be able to plan their curriculums and classes would be taught in the conference style.

We Know Trades and Will Make Lots Of Money High School- This school will focus on getting people into the trades. It is hard to get the proper information on how to enter these lucrative fields and such a school would directly funnel low-income students who may not plan for college into high paying careers.

Natalie’s Elementary School of Stuff- I had to name one after me. This school would incorporate teaching styles from Open, Montessori, and traditional schools into one cohesive wonder of education and learning.

4. If you could have a dinner with five people, living or dead, who would it be and what dinner and drinks would you serve?
Being an incredible book nerd I’m going to go with five authors. So that I can contribute to the discussion I’ll have to pick people whose body of work I am pretty familiar with. I’ll take Dostoyevsky (and somehow he will magically speak English), Tom Robbins, Saul Bellow, Toni Morrison, and Ralph Ellison. I thought about inviting Kurt Vonnegut but since I couldn’t also invite Monica because I am selfish and that would mean one less author I figured it would be better not to include him than to ruin a great friendship. Obviously these people have very different writing styles but all of them write about the turmoil of being human. I think it would be a fantastic discussion. I would need to serve a large meal with many courses so that we can sit and talk. I find Mexican food delicious and easy to make in large amounts so that is what we will eat. We’ll have some fine Vodka to drink with various mixers. I know Vodka isn’t usually paired with Mexican food but we have to do something to make Dostoyevsky feel a little more at home.

Appetizer- Yucca Frita, I have never made it but man that stuff is delicious and it can’t be that hard to fry yucca.

Salad- (Here comes Foodie Friday) Nopalitos salad with cilantro lime vinaigrette (this recipe makes about four salads)
-Two hearts of romaine sliced in thin strips
-Two Scallions (the green part) sliced into .5 inch tubes
-Four thinly sliced radishes
-Two cups nopalitos (pickled prickly pear cactus)
-¼ cup crumbled queso fresco
Dressing-
-3tbsp lime juice
-3tbsp olive oil
-3tbsp balsamic vinegar
-1 clove garlic
-1 small jalapeno (chopped a little)
-2 tbsp cilantro
-Pinch of salt
-Grind of pepper
Place ingredients in food processor or blender and whir it up.

Soup- Gazpacho recipe from Mom

Main Course- Tacos (I made delicious and very rustic tortillas this week which was incredibly fun and easy and would be a great dinner party food) with homemade salsa and guacamole. I would cook some black beans and get Tony to prepare some meat

Dessert- Ben and Jerry’s Stephen Colbert’s Americone Dream Ice Cream.

5. Like my wife, you grew up in Minneapolis-St. Paul, and now live in Chicago. What are the pros/cons of living in each place?
Minneapolis (I did NOT grow up in St. Paul) is a wonderful place to grow up. It has a small town feel although there is enough to do so that you aren’t relegated to the two small town young person entertainments, driving around and getting drunk (not that we didn’t do plenty of that). The lakes are beautiful and you can swim in them without feeling disgusting. Chicago has some parks and obviously a huge lake but nothing to compare with the looking for fossils along the banks of the Mississippi and the general greenery. Unfortunately, the people there think they live in a much bigger city than they actually live in and that can cause some inflated assumptions about how great and cosmopolitan Minneapolis actually is. As you get older, there isn’t as much to do and you need to stretch your legs. Chicago’s hyper-segregation is the hands down worst thing about this city. Minneapolis seems to be more segregated by class than race, although the two often go hand in hand. However, the museums, theater, and shopping in Chicago leave Minneapolis far behind (not that there aren’t great places to do those things in Minneapolis, don’t get all naming places Mom). Chicago is a true big city, and if you want that type of environment it is the place to be. If you want the attractions of a big city, albeit on a smaller scale, and the ease of small town granola crunching life, Minneapolis is the place to be.

I still have two slots open if anyone else is game.

Bucktown, Smif-N-Wessun- I have nothing to say good or bad about this. It is relatively standard sounding mid 90s decent rap.

The Chronic (Intro), Dr. Dre- THis always takes me back to the summer of 92 watching MTV videos with shoshana while the parents are at work. This wasn't on the TV but it just gets me ready for all the wonders of The Chronic to take me back.

You Shook Me All Night Long, Tori Amos- Tori is another one of those artists whose covers I am not particularly fond of. Purple Rain is pretty good though. I thought about having her cover a great album but iknow exactly what it would sound like so no. However, if anyone wants to buy me a present I hear she is about to come out with a new album.