You know how sometimes you are just too hungry? And then at the last minute you things that sound delicious to a meal, a grocery cart, or your tab without really thinking them over? I do. Today was a big day. I was going to successfully make mac and cheese NOT from a box. No big deal. Even though I am from Wisco and even though I love cheese and even though I do pretty decent in the kitchen mac and cheese has always been a bit out of reach. But, thanks to the world's best cookbook (thank you, America's Test Kitchen) I had big plans for homemade macaroni today. But, by the time dinner finally rolled around I was TOO hungry. And so was Joe. And so at the last minute we added to the menu. It's not like we just found something else in the fridge either. I actually went to the store. Why? Because what goes better with homemade mac and cheese than homemade garlic cheese bread? Really intelligent move by these two.
Massive amounts of cheese and pasta and bread later I'm not going to say that it was a good idea. But I will say it was delicious. That mac and cheese may have changed my life forever. And I found a recipe for wonderful cheesy bread, which probably seems ridiculous but I've never been able to get that store bought garlic thing going... So here is what I did... I sauteed up some garlic in a little butter until it was golden, then added a bit more butter off of the heat and stirred to melt it (maybe 1/2 stick for a whole baguette) along with some salt and pepper. I smeared it on a halved baguette and then wrapped the baguette up (put back together) in foil. I baked it for 10 minutes at 400 degrees, removed the foil and opened the "sandwich" back up, put it back in the oven for another ten minutes and then sprinkled it with cheese, threw the boiler on and waited until it was bubbly and brownish. And can I tell you? DELCIOUS.
Also, for breakfast/brunch today I had these delicious pancakes from the blog I obsess over, everybody likes sandwiches. I'm not kidding when I say that these were the best pancakes ever. Make them with cultured buttermilk and whole milk yogurt and call it a day. Oh, and the apples? WONDERFUL.
08 March 2010
08 June 2009
Moved
Yesterday we moved. What does this mean to my stomach? A whole new kitchen. A NEW KITCHEN. Of course, not really new.
My old kitchen was new. Brand new. It had a ceramic stove top and a giant self cleaning oven. A huge refrigerator that made ice cubes, a giant dishwasher. Stainless steel everything. Granite countertops. I hated it. It had no personality (well, maybe sort of stuck up) and no history and I was always worried I was going to break something. Not to mention my habit of burning/melting things on that sci-fi stove top. (Burned and/or melted: two spatulas, three cutting boards, silicon oven mitt, one cotton towel, 1/4 of my food processor, tea pot, and many, many dishes of food that I thought I had set on a cool burner but was actually not only hot, but still on). Well, live and learn: I need burners.
My new kitchen is not new. My stove is about a foot and half wide. It has coil burners (thank god). The burner heat is controlled by push buttons, like the kind on an old blender, and only has 5 settings. It says GE and it means it (think curly blue letters embossed on a silver background). The oven is also itty bitty and is definitely not self cleaning. The counters are pink. Well, maybe not pink but sort of rosy. And they have a bowling alley print on them. You know what I mean- think neon boomerangs. Needless to say, my new kitchen is bomb-ass awesome.
But I haven't told you the best part. The best part is- we have a table. A KITCHEN TABLE. Where I can sit and eat dinner and breakfast at a normal height. No more cowering over my coffee table trying to keep the cats tails out of my food. No more eating in front of the TV (even if it is off, it still seems wrong). And it also means I can really sit and enjoy a meal. I can take my time. I can appreciate the work I put into and the work others put into getting it to me. I can take a minute and just look at my food. I can eat the way eating is meant to be.
I love my new kitchen- I'm getting hungry just thinking about it.
My old kitchen was new. Brand new. It had a ceramic stove top and a giant self cleaning oven. A huge refrigerator that made ice cubes, a giant dishwasher. Stainless steel everything. Granite countertops. I hated it. It had no personality (well, maybe sort of stuck up) and no history and I was always worried I was going to break something. Not to mention my habit of burning/melting things on that sci-fi stove top. (Burned and/or melted: two spatulas, three cutting boards, silicon oven mitt, one cotton towel, 1/4 of my food processor, tea pot, and many, many dishes of food that I thought I had set on a cool burner but was actually not only hot, but still on). Well, live and learn: I need burners.
My new kitchen is not new. My stove is about a foot and half wide. It has coil burners (thank god). The burner heat is controlled by push buttons, like the kind on an old blender, and only has 5 settings. It says GE and it means it (think curly blue letters embossed on a silver background). The oven is also itty bitty and is definitely not self cleaning. The counters are pink. Well, maybe not pink but sort of rosy. And they have a bowling alley print on them. You know what I mean- think neon boomerangs. Needless to say, my new kitchen is bomb-ass awesome.
But I haven't told you the best part. The best part is- we have a table. A KITCHEN TABLE. Where I can sit and eat dinner and breakfast at a normal height. No more cowering over my coffee table trying to keep the cats tails out of my food. No more eating in front of the TV (even if it is off, it still seems wrong). And it also means I can really sit and enjoy a meal. I can take my time. I can appreciate the work I put into and the work others put into getting it to me. I can take a minute and just look at my food. I can eat the way eating is meant to be.
I love my new kitchen- I'm getting hungry just thinking about it.
02 June 2009
really?: a realization
Ok, Bastyr cafeteria. It is SO ON! I moved half of my stuff and none of my food into my new apartment and you weren't there for me this morning when I was ACTUALLY CRAVING OATMEAL and had no option for food but you. So I had almonds for breakfast. I love almonds. But if I am going to have almonds for breakfast I need something else too. Like yogurt or a scone. OR OATMEAL. But today, of all days, you were closed. Until 11am. Really?
Which brings me to an interesting point in my "I'll let my stomach make all my food decisions" experiment. My stomach does not have a brain. It craves one thing and one thing only. But what happens when life intervenes? When the school I go to is building new dorms and shuts the water off for four unexpected hours on the one day I am actually craving something the cafeteria always has? Or when it's finals week and I don't have time to cook? Or I am moving and I only have 5 giant stock pots and plastic glasses to cook and eat with? Or when I'm just too tired to make what I am craving? What happens when my brain doesn't give my stomach what it wants?
I'll tell you what happens. I default. I default to comfort foods that I am not craving. Occasionally I default in ways that I am OK with: yogurt and granola, muesli, or nuts; raisin bran with almond milk, peanut butter and toast, the easy, relatively healthy classics. But more often than not I default to frozen pizza, bread and cheese, goldfish crackers, or macaroni. And while I am OK with any of these choices once in a while, when my brain is forcing them on my stomach they don't work. They don't sit well, they make me tired, I feel crappy and greasy and gross.
So, in a stark contrast to my original plan, today I have decided to give my brain control. Not for every food choice I will make. But for what it is good at: planning. So, later today, I am giving my brain a free trip to the grocery store. What will come of it? I guess we'll just have to wait and see... (but I'm guessing there will be a list)
Which brings me to an interesting point in my "I'll let my stomach make all my food decisions" experiment. My stomach does not have a brain. It craves one thing and one thing only. But what happens when life intervenes? When the school I go to is building new dorms and shuts the water off for four unexpected hours on the one day I am actually craving something the cafeteria always has? Or when it's finals week and I don't have time to cook? Or I am moving and I only have 5 giant stock pots and plastic glasses to cook and eat with? Or when I'm just too tired to make what I am craving? What happens when my brain doesn't give my stomach what it wants?
I'll tell you what happens. I default. I default to comfort foods that I am not craving. Occasionally I default in ways that I am OK with: yogurt and granola, muesli, or nuts; raisin bran with almond milk, peanut butter and toast, the easy, relatively healthy classics. But more often than not I default to frozen pizza, bread and cheese, goldfish crackers, or macaroni. And while I am OK with any of these choices once in a while, when my brain is forcing them on my stomach they don't work. They don't sit well, they make me tired, I feel crappy and greasy and gross.
So, in a stark contrast to my original plan, today I have decided to give my brain control. Not for every food choice I will make. But for what it is good at: planning. So, later today, I am giving my brain a free trip to the grocery store. What will come of it? I guess we'll just have to wait and see... (but I'm guessing there will be a list)
31 May 2009
Moving
I'm moving. Not far, but you know, you don't need to move far to have to pack up all of your things and clean out your cupboards. And cleaning out my cupboards is where I came across a realization. I have erratic eating tendencies. I will get SO EXCITED about something, something food related, and then be OVER IT. Immediately. Also, sometimes I make bad choices. So, in the graveyard that is my cupboard, a review of what I found:
For tonight, a frozen pizza. Pre-sliced (an accident, actually, but great since I already packed all kitchen appliances).
-not one, not two, not three, but four half eaten Milton's crackers boxes
-two nearly full boxes of whole wheat pasta boxes (GROSS)
-seven tiny bags of grains (arborio rice, brown rice, buckwheat, toasted buckwheat, couscous, quinoa, and 10 grain cereal) (I try to hard)
-sesame seeds (seemingly normal, but I bought them when we moved in to our place a year ago, and they are still unopened... and I packed them to bring to our next place- hey, you never know)
-three bottles of rancid oil (one vegetable, one oil, one sesame)
-two dried packets of macaroni and cheese cheese- leftover from homemade macaroni and cheese night, for super macaroni and cheese, someday in the future
-cardamom- a seasoning we bought for reasons I can't remember
-Molly McButter- It's not mine, I swear! I brought it home as a joke for Joe, who actually loves it
-two two gallon ziplock baggies of beer bottle caps for a craft project to be determined in the distant future
-three free cat food samples, thanks Kelly!
-powdered miso soup packets, from before I discovered the real stuff
-a bag of the best tortilla chips ever- so good, in fact, that I didn't want to waste eating them without guacamole. Guacamole that I never made.
-two nearly empty bags of parmesan goldfish crackers. Why, oh why, didn't I eat the last seven crackers? Who saves seven goldfish crackers?
-two containers of baking soda AND two containers of baking powder
For tonight, a frozen pizza. Pre-sliced (an accident, actually, but great since I already packed all kitchen appliances).
26 May 2009
It's hot
I'm not complaining. I'm not. It has beautiful and wonderful and warm for a week. It feels like summer and I never want it to stop. Ever. But when it is this hot I don't really feel like eating much. Yesterday at work I couldn't stop talking about how much I wanted to shower, and I was told I was talking about showers like I used to talk about cheese. That made me sad.
In fact, the only food craving of interest I have had this week has been cottage cheese. Which is weird because I always hated cottage cheese. But not very interesting.
So instead of telling you about the delicious nature of cottage cheese (the tiny curds of sweet cheese, the tangy... cottage?) I'm going to go outside and get some sun. Let's hope my stomach gets back on track...
In fact, the only food craving of interest I have had this week has been cottage cheese. Which is weird because I always hated cottage cheese. But not very interesting.
So instead of telling you about the delicious nature of cottage cheese (the tiny curds of sweet cheese, the tangy... cottage?) I'm going to go outside and get some sun. Let's hope my stomach gets back on track...
19 May 2009
Intestines
Intestines are a wonderful thing. I know they seem gross, and in war movies they are always popping out of people, and they make and hold poop, but regardless, intestines are a wonderful thing. Let's explore the delightful little coils.
There are two kinds of intestines: small and large. The small intestine is composed of three parts but, who cares? The small intestine takes all the crazy acidic broken down food from the stomach and breaks it down into tiny compounds that we can actually absorb. And use. Things like energy and vitamins and minerals. PRETTY IMPORTANT.
Of course, the large intestine plays a role too. The large intestine is, let me say, AWESOME. Not just for what it is, but also for what it holds. The large intestine is home to BILLIONS AND BILLIONS of bacteria. Not impressed? What if I told you those bacteria weighed MORE THAN TWO POUNDS!!! TWO POUNDS!!! And these bacteria do wild things. They digest food that the small intestine didn't. And not just that, they digest these waste products into THINGS WE CAN USE. And these things may protect against colon cancer. They also ward off the bad guys- they even secrete anti bacterial compounds that target "bad bacteria." Now that is just NUTS.
Then, when the intestines are done, poop is made. I love poop because it is funny and it also makes you think. Today I learned that the majority of poop is water and dead bacteria. WHAT??? That's wacky. And sweet.
Ok, it seems unlikely that you are still reading. But if you are, you probably understand why intestines are oh so great. And you probably also understand why I'm curious what my intestines want me to eat. I've been trying to tune in down there and find out what's going on. So far, no luck, so I think I'll just guess.
My intestines dream day:
Breakfast:
Yogurt (with millions of new bacteria friends)
Granola (to move my food through me at an optimal speed)
Lunch:
Chili with lots of beans (fiber, fiber, fiber. gives my intestines a good scrubin and makes sure everything is moving- but not too fast)
Salad (I really think that my intestines wish my stomach wanted more salads, just like may brain does)
Snack:
Aged cheese plate (more bacteria friends, plus I think my intestines probably like cheese as much as the rest of me) (and because I think my intestines really like to snack)
Dinner:
Roasted veggies including sunchokes (fiber, plus inulin which is food specifically for my bacterial friends)
Berries and more berries (we all like berries. All of me and and my bacteria friends)
Well, I hope you enjoyed this journey into my feelings on intestines and what life would be like if my intestines ruled the world. Or at least my plate.
I would also like to say that I'm sure some of you are thinking, "hey it's funny that Christie love's intestines so much, because her favorite foods are traditionally made from intestines, which is gross." I really don't have anything to say to that. As much as I love intestines, I do have a hard time wanting to eat them. But instead of dwelling on it, I have chosen to recognize the discrepancy, and move on.
There are two kinds of intestines: small and large. The small intestine is composed of three parts but, who cares? The small intestine takes all the crazy acidic broken down food from the stomach and breaks it down into tiny compounds that we can actually absorb. And use. Things like energy and vitamins and minerals. PRETTY IMPORTANT.
Of course, the large intestine plays a role too. The large intestine is, let me say, AWESOME. Not just for what it is, but also for what it holds. The large intestine is home to BILLIONS AND BILLIONS of bacteria. Not impressed? What if I told you those bacteria weighed MORE THAN TWO POUNDS!!! TWO POUNDS!!! And these bacteria do wild things. They digest food that the small intestine didn't. And not just that, they digest these waste products into THINGS WE CAN USE. And these things may protect against colon cancer. They also ward off the bad guys- they even secrete anti bacterial compounds that target "bad bacteria." Now that is just NUTS.
Then, when the intestines are done, poop is made. I love poop because it is funny and it also makes you think. Today I learned that the majority of poop is water and dead bacteria. WHAT??? That's wacky. And sweet.
Ok, it seems unlikely that you are still reading. But if you are, you probably understand why intestines are oh so great. And you probably also understand why I'm curious what my intestines want me to eat. I've been trying to tune in down there and find out what's going on. So far, no luck, so I think I'll just guess.
My intestines dream day:
Breakfast:
Yogurt (with millions of new bacteria friends)
Granola (to move my food through me at an optimal speed)
Lunch:
Chili with lots of beans (fiber, fiber, fiber. gives my intestines a good scrubin and makes sure everything is moving- but not too fast)
Salad (I really think that my intestines wish my stomach wanted more salads, just like may brain does)
Snack:
Aged cheese plate (more bacteria friends, plus I think my intestines probably like cheese as much as the rest of me) (and because I think my intestines really like to snack)
Dinner:
Roasted veggies including sunchokes (fiber, plus inulin which is food specifically for my bacterial friends)
Berries and more berries (we all like berries. All of me and and my bacteria friends)
Well, I hope you enjoyed this journey into my feelings on intestines and what life would be like if my intestines ruled the world. Or at least my plate.
I would also like to say that I'm sure some of you are thinking, "hey it's funny that Christie love's intestines so much, because her favorite foods are traditionally made from intestines, which is gross." I really don't have anything to say to that. As much as I love intestines, I do have a hard time wanting to eat them. But instead of dwelling on it, I have chosen to recognize the discrepancy, and move on.
17 May 2009
voodoo magic
Today I practiced voodoo magic. Ok, not really. But when you go to a weird hippie school that practices some strange homeopathic remedies, people assume everything you do is voodoo. When really, only some of the things I do are voodoo, and not the ones you'd expect. Moving on...
This morning Joe was coughing and I thought, "this is it! my excuse!" For what you ask? To use the mystery powers of garlic to prevent sickness. Yes garlic! Last week on Tuesday we learned all about the mystical nature of garlic and how if you are getting sick, you have nothing to lose from eating a few cloves of garlic. The enchanted little globes let loose a barrage of newts eyes and salamander tails and they fight and fight and fight all of the evil beings in your body and you get well. Or something. Whatever it is, garlic something awesome. It is antibiotic, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory. And hopefully, it will save me from the mild cough Joe had this morning.
My favorite part of this potion (garlic) is that to prepare it you use... THE MICROWAVE. So, to prepare this nectar of the gods simply peel the garlic, stab it with a fork and nuke it for 20 seconds. Then eat. I spread it on toasted homemade bread with a bit of butter. Just like the witches of yesteryear.
This morning Joe was coughing and I thought, "this is it! my excuse!" For what you ask? To use the mystery powers of garlic to prevent sickness. Yes garlic! Last week on Tuesday we learned all about the mystical nature of garlic and how if you are getting sick, you have nothing to lose from eating a few cloves of garlic. The enchanted little globes let loose a barrage of newts eyes and salamander tails and they fight and fight and fight all of the evil beings in your body and you get well. Or something. Whatever it is, garlic something awesome. It is antibiotic, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory. And hopefully, it will save me from the mild cough Joe had this morning.
My favorite part of this potion (garlic) is that to prepare it you use... THE MICROWAVE. So, to prepare this nectar of the gods simply peel the garlic, stab it with a fork and nuke it for 20 seconds. Then eat. I spread it on toasted homemade bread with a bit of butter. Just like the witches of yesteryear.
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