New Furniture and Meals

Saturday morning I went to a craft day at church. It was great fun. I painted wooden Christmas trees and stamped a snowman design onto tiles to create coasters. But by far, the highlight was the basket. I weaved my own basket! It took 2-3 hours. It was really fun. There were a few difficult, tedious parts, but overall it was surprisingly easy and enjoyable. I'm so proud of my little basket!

We got a dining room set this weekend. Our kitchen table is the perfect size for two people, but rather uncomfortable with more than that. So we've been search for a nice dining table that wouldn't break the bank. We found this set on Craigslist. It was at an excellent price and in good condition. It's solid wood, North-Carolina-made furniture. I don't know if we'll keep it forever, but I really like the simple, traditional lines of the table. It's also really nice to have a hutch and some extra drawers with the buffet table. The only downside is that the chairs need to be re-upholstered. I think I'd prefer to get some slip covers.

I've also made a number of really good meals.

Red Curry with Chicken and Eggplants
This is a recipe I adapted from one on http://www.recipezaar.com/, but is, at least partially, mine. It's different from the other curry with chicken and eggplants posted below.

1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 onion, sliced
6 thai eggplants, cut into eighths (these are small, round, green eggplants - about the size of a plum)
1 (14 oz) can chicken broth
2 T red curry paste
1 (14 oz) can coconut milk
1 lb chicken, poached and shredded

Stir-fry red bell pepper and onion in a little olive oil over medium heat until both vegetables are soft. Add eggplants and cook until those are soft. Add chicken broth and curry paste. Bring to a boil and simmer about 5-10 minutes. Add chicken and coconut milk. Simmer another 5 minutes or so and serve with rice.

Double-Tomato Pasta from Health magazine

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup sliced red onion
2 lbs seeded tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
8 ounces farfalle pasta (bow-tie pasta)
1/3 cup sun-dried tomato, packed without oil, sliced
1 cup grated fresh parmesan cheese, divided (about 4 ounces)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; add onion. Cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add tomatoes, salt, black pepper, and red pepper. Reduce heat and simmer 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain into a sieve over a bowl; add sun-dried tomatoes to reserved pasta water. Let stand 10 minutes; drain. Combine pasta and sun-dried tomatoes.
Combine pasta mixture and plum-tomato mixture in a large bowl; stir in 3/4 cup cheese and parsley. Divide pasta evenly among 4 bowls; garnish each with 2 tablespoons Parmesan.

Curried Bean Salad - A truly fabulous recipe from http://www.101cookbooks.com/

2 (15 ounce) cans beans
1 cup cooked black lentils (I find some already cooked lentils at Trader Joe's)
1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced into crescents
3/4 cup celery, chopped
1 garlic clove>
1/2 teaspoon of fine-grain sea salt
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
1-2 teaspoon freshly grated gingerroot
1/2 lemon, juice of
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped

Wash and pick over the lentils. Place them in a large saucepan and cover with water using 2-3x the quantity of lentils. Bring to a boil, scale back the heat a bit and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until lentils are tender but not splitting apart. Salt to taste at this point. Remove from heat and drain any remaining liquid.
In a large bowl toss the beans, black lentils, red onion, and celery. Make the curry vinaigrette by mashing the garlic clove with the salt into a thick paste. In a bowl or jar whisk together this garlic paste, the curry powder, fresh ginger, lemon juice, and olive oil. Whisk well, taste, and add adjust flavors/salt if needed. Pour about half of the dressing over the beans and give it all a toss. Add more dressing a bit at a time until it is to your liking. Taste, make sure the salad has enough salt.

Cilantro Noodle Bowl - Another tasty recipe from the always dependable http://www.101cookbooks.com/

8 ounces dried soba noodles
2-3 cups broccoli florets, chopped
1 lemon, zest of
2 cups fresh cilantro, chopped
2 large garlic cloves
1/4 teaspoon cayenne powder
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
14 ounces firm or extra firm tofu

Cook the soba in a big pot of rapidly boiling salted water just until tender - but about 20 seconds before the pasta is done cooking add the broccoli to the pot. Cook it until barely done. Now drain and rinse under cold running water. Sprinkle with lemon zest and set aside.
Make the dressing by combining the cilantro, garlic, cayenne, salt, and olive oil. Blend in a food processor or chop by hand. Taste, adjust for more salt if needed and set aside.
Drain the tofu, pat it dry, and cut it into rectangles roughly the size of your thumb (1/2 inch thick and 1 inch long). Cook the tofu in a dry nonstick (or well-seasoned) skillet over medium-high heat for a few minutes, until the pieces are browned on one side. Toss gently once or twice, then continue cooking for another minute or so, until the tofu is firm, golden, and bouncy. Remove from skillet, let cool a bit and if desired cut into matchsticks (as seen in the photo), sometimes I don't bother and use larger pieces instead.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the soba, broccoli, and a couple big splashes of the cilantro dressing. Toss until well combined. Add the tofu and gently toss again, add more dressing and a couple pinches of salt if needed. Turn out onto platter and crown with a couple pinches of cayenne and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Mango Pork Stir-Fry - A good recipe from Taste of Home magazine (my lovely mother-in-law was kind enough to give me a subscription to the magazine)

2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup chicken broth
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 small head bok choy
1 lb pork tenderloin, cut into thin strips
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon minced fresh gingerroot
1/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
4 green onions, thinly sliced (I omitted)
1 medium mango, peeled and cubed
1 teaspoon sesame oil

In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch, broth, and soy sauce until smooth; set aside.
Cut off and discard root end of bok choy, leaving stalks with leaves.
Cut enough leaves into 1-inch slices to measure 2 cups. Cut enough stalks into 1/2-inch pieces to measure 2 cups. Save remaining bok choy for another use.
In a large skillet, stir-fry pork in 1 tablespoon oil for 3-4 minutes or until no longer pink. Remove and keep warm.
Stir-fry bok choy stalks in remaining oil for 2 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, and bok choy leaves; stir-fry 2 minutes. Add water and pepper flakes if desired; cook 2 minutes longer or until bok choy is crisp-tender.
Stir cornstarch mixture and add to the pan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Add the green onions, mango, and reserved pork; heat through. Stir in seame oil. Serve with rice.

Snickerdoodles - This recipe is a variation on the Simple Sugar Cookies recipe from the King Arthur Flour Baker's Companion.

1/2 cup vegetable shortening
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup buttermilk or sour milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/8-1/4 teaspoon nutmeg or cinnamon, to taste
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, beat together the shortening and sugar until smooth. Add the buttermilk and vanilla, again beating until well combined.
Add the nutmeg/cinnamon, flour, baking soda, and salt to the wet ingredients and beat until the mixture forms a cohesive dough.
Place about 1/2 cup cinnamon-sugar (1 teaspoon cinnamon mixed with 1/2 cup sugar) in a shallow bowl.
Gather 1 tablespoon of dough and roll it into a ball. Place the ball in the bowl or bag of cinnamon sugar. When you've got five or six dough balls in the sugar, gently shake them until they're completely coated. Place them on a lightly greased or parchment-lined cookie sheet, leaving about 1.5 inches between them. Using the bottom of a glass, flatten each cookie until it's about 1/2-inch thick.
Bake the snickerdoodles for 12 minutes. Remove the cookies from the oven and cool them on a wire rack.

When the Husband's Away, the Dog Will Play

Scott is working nights this week. He worked a 24 hour shift on Sunday and is working from 5 pm to 6 am Monday through Friday. And then on Saturday Sept. 20, he will work another 24 hour shift.

It's a little odd to be on my own for the week. But I'm taking advantage of it. I've been watching DVDs at night and playing with Snowbird. And, of course, cooking! I made a tasty curry Monday night and a really good pasta salad with fresh tomatoes. I will post recipes and pictures soon.

Scott made me swear up and down that Snowbird would not be sleeping in the bed while he was gone. So I, the obedient wife, e-mailed him these photos last night:

Holiday Weekend

Snowbird and I dancing. Not one of my better fashion moments, but Snowbird didn't mind.

It's been a nice long weekend here. Friday night, we went to another anesthesia party. Scott is lucky that his fellow CA2 residents are all so nice. The party was held at the condo of one of the girls which was by the law school and had a fabulous view of the river and the University. All the girls were dressed so elegantly and I felt rather drab in my t-shirt and shorts. This spurred me on to improve my wardrobe a bit - try to look more feminine and stylish. This desire to be better dressed occurs to me every so often, but usually my inner tight-wad cools it off quickly. I bought two new shirts this weekend, but didn't want to buy much more since it will soon be too cold to wear all the stylish summer clothes.

Saturday we went to the state fair. It's always so much fun. I enjoy looking at all the exhibits and animals, but I'm not much of a ride-person. Mostly, the state fair is about eating. We tried many tasty and unhealthy snacks. A once-a-year opportunity to stuff yourself with fried foods on a stick. I was impressed with the deep fried snickers bar. And the Twisted Sisters make fabulous sausage on a stick. But, of course, Sweet Martha's cookies are always the best for me.

Sunday was church. My Sunbeams class was assigned to give a presentation during primary. Essentially, I did the presentation, with some help from the kids. It was on baptism. I bought some cheap foam letters spelling baptism at Joann's and had each kid hold up the letter - that was their participation. The rest of the presentation was pretty boring. I think all the kids were looking forward to it ending (as was I)...but it was certainly better than it could have been. I would like to spend more time planning more activities for my Sunbeams, but the time never seems to be there (or, I never seem to make the time).

Today, Monday, was a shopping day. I went to Ikea in the morning and bought Scott a bedside table. After more than a year of marriage, I finally decided that a cardboard bedside table wasn't good enough. Then I went to the Mall of America. I thought it would be packed due to the holiday and the Republican Convention. But it really wasn't busy at all. It did occur to me that the last time I was at the MOA was the day after Thanksgiving - I seem to pick holidays to go to the big mall. It's so big though that it's able to handle crowds well. After the mall, I went to the gym then came home and mowed the lawn. Scott was hard at work today finishing the deck. He also finished reading October Sky by Homer Hickam, one of my favorite books. I've been trying to get him to read it for months and I'm so glad that he loved it as much as I did.

Here are some recent meals:

Fresh Tomato Sauce with Pasta, recipe by Lynn Rosetto Kasper
1 clove garlic, split
3 pounds richly flavored tomatoes (if possible, one-third cherry type, one-third mellow-tasting, and one-third low-acid), unpeeled, unseeded, cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 generous pinches hot red pepper flakes
1/3 cup good tasting extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 pound spaghetti, or linguine - I used rigatoni
6 quarts boiling salted water
1/8 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper, or to taste
3 tight-packed tablespoons fresh basil leaves, torn
1 cup fresh-grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (optional)

1. Vigorously rub a pasta serving bowl with the garlic and discard the clove. Add the tomatoes, red pepper, oil, and the salt. Gently combine. Let stand at room temperature from 30 minutes to 3 hours.
2. When ready to eat, cook the pasta in fiercely boiling salted water, stirring often, until tender yet firm to the bite. Drain in a colander and turn it into the pasta bowl. Quickly add the black pepper and basil, and toss everything together. Taste the pasta for seasoning and serve. If you like, pass cheese at the table.

Eggplant with Hot Garlic Sauce from http://www.recipezaar.com/

4-6 Chinese eggplants or Japanese eggplants (these are long and slender-Chinese groceries will have them)
5 tablespoons peanut oil or corn oil (I used a lot less)
2 teaspoons chopped fresh ginger
2 tablespoons chopped fresh garlic (I use 4-6 cloves)
1 tablespoon hot bean paste (available from Chinese groceries)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup chicken stock or water
1 chopped scallion (I omitted)
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds, for-garnish

Cut eggplant 1/2-inch wide by 2-inch long strips.
Saute 1/2 the eggplant in 1/2 the oil in a non-stick pan/wok, until soft.
When browned and soft, remove from pan about 5 minutes.
Then repeat with rest of eggplant or sautee in 2 pans.
On low heat, cook garlic, ginger, and hot bean paste for a minute, then add sugar, soy sauce and stock/water.
Return eggplant to the pan and cook for about five minutes until garlic is soft and a sauce forms. If sauce is too thin, thicken with 1t corn starch mixed with 2t water.
Fold sesame oil.
Top with green onions and sesame seeds.
Serve hot or cold with white rice

Leftovers - I added a 1/2 pound of ground chicken to the leftover eggplant to create an extra meal. It was delicious - even better than the original.


Sweet Potato and Black Bean Burrito from Moosewood Low-Fat Cookbook

5 cups peeled cubed sweet potatoes
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons canola oil or other vegetable oil or broth
3 1/2 cups diced onions
4 garlic cloves, minced (or pressed)
1 tablespoon minced fresh green chili pepper
4 teaspoons ground cumin
4 teaspoons ground coriander
4 1/2 cups cooked black beans (three 15-ounce cans, drained)
2/3 cup chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
8 (10 inch) flour tortillas (I used whole wheat)
fresh salsa

Preheat the oven to 350*.
Place the sweet potatoes in a medium saucepan with the salt and water to cover.
Cover and bring to a boil, then simmer until tender, about 10 minutes.
Drain and set aside.
While the sweet potatoes are cooking, warm the oil in a medium skillet or saucepan and add the onions, garlic, and chile.
Cover and cook on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions are tender, about 7 minutes.
Add the cumin and coriander and cook for 2 to 3 minutes longer, stirring frequently.
Remove from the heat and set aside.
In a food processor, combine the black beans, cilantro, lemon juice, salt, and cooked sweet potatoes and puree until smooth (or mash the ingredients in a large bowl by hand).
Transfer the sweet potato mixture to a large mixing bowl and mix in the cooked onions and spices.
Lightly oil a large baking dish.
Spoon about 2/3 to 3/4 cup of the filling in the center of each tortilla, roll it up, and place it, seam side down, in the baking dish.
Cover tightly with foil and bake for about 30 minutes, until piping hot.
Serve topped with salsa.

Blueberry Crisp from Betty Crocker cookbook

5 cups blueberries
1/4 cup sugar
3 T flour
1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup coconut

Mix blueberries, sugar, and flour and put in 2 qt baking dish
Mix flour, brown sugar, and oats. Cut in butter. Stir in coconut. Crumble over blueberries.
Bake 30-35 minutes at 375*.