Have you ever had the experience of legitimately putting something off because something else was massively more pressing, but when the Very Pressing Thing was over, feeling too overwhelmed by the Put-Off Thing to resume? Well, that’s what’s been happening around these parts:
Very Pressing Thing 1: California Bar Exam. Brutal. Hope I never have to do it again. Won’t know until November 20 at 6 pm. Only sort of counting down.
Very Pressing Thing 2: Moving. I am no longer a San Francisco resident – Chris and I now live a bit south of the city, in the absolutely wonderful City of San Mateo.
Very Pressing Thing 3: Starting my first real job. I am now a real, honest-to-goodness lawyer (not an attorney – I won’t be until I’m admitted by the State Bar of California), working for a non-profit. Long hours, great people, important work. Good stuff.
Put-Off Thing: Um, that would be this blog. Sorry, guys. The good news is that I’ve stored up lots of blog fodder! The bad news is that I haven’t written any of it down, so it’s anyone’s guess how much of it I’ll remember. (You can’t win ‘em all, right?)
So first thing’s first. I have lots of people and things to thank for getting me through (and putting up with my crabbiness and generally doing me lots of favors during) my excruciating 2 1/2 months of bar prep, moving, and starting work, but the two things of interest here are:
Thing of Interest 1: Toast with Cream Cheese, Fried Egg, Tomato, and Basil (or Rosemary)
Mmmmmmmmm
I am only a recent convert to the way of the cream cheese, so this tasty little morsel was especially exciting for me. However, Lily is a long-time cream cheese lover, and we both practically lived on this for a couple of weeks toward the end, so I have a firm faith in its universal appeal. Yummy. Quick. Proteinous.
Thing of Interest 2: Lady Eleanor Entrelac Stole
Lily had the brilliant idea of a bar-study knit-along – something not too boring, but brainless enough to knit on during bar lectures, and something that would take the whole summer to complete. With the help of the good people on the Ravelry forums, we settled on the Lady Eleanor Entrelac Stole (Ravelry link) from Scarf Style. Lily got tired of hers pretty quickly, but it turned out to be the perfect summer project for me. I’m still plugging away on it, since I’m using fingering-weight yarn and size 3 needles, but the end is in sight! I think it’ll be the perfect thing to wrap around my shoulders in my sometimes very chilly office.
I’ve got more to tell you, but it’ll have to wait for now. I’ll be back!
*Thanks to Lily for the inspiration for this post
As it turns out, studying for the bar exam is time consuming and energy-sucking. Who’d have thought?* All this frantic memorization of contracts/torts/criminal procedure/etc. leaves me not much time for the good stuff. Case in point: knitting. Therefore, meet my new best friend.
The garter stitch dishcloth.
I’m still plugging along on a couple of other projects, but I badly needed something portable and entirely mindless to keep my hands busy during the 4- (and occasionally 
hour lectures I’m attending everyday. My friend Lily, who is also currently studying for the bar exam, suggested a bar-study knit-along, but we haven’t had a spare moment to come up with a good project.** In a moment of desperation, I grabbed one of my many, many balls of worsted-weight cotton and some size-6 needles and cast on, and I haven’t stopped since.
I’m not totally sure what I’m going to do with the resulting mountain of dishcloths, since my own kitchen drawers are already stuffed with them.
Anyone need a dishcloth?
* Just in case anyone’s confused, I am being facetious. Obviously I knew approximately what I was getting into. It’s just a bit more… frenetic than I’d anticipated. You can’t really appreciate the madness until you’ve seen the assignment schedule – not a single day off between mid-May and the end of July.
** Lily is coming to visit this weekend, and we’ve already planned a trip to Imagiknit. Hopefully, my next “Brainless Bar Study Knitting” post will be a little more interesting.
Lawyerly Disclaimer: There is nothing spectacular about these crepes. I post this recipe not because it is shocking and innovative, nor because I am a crepe expert. It is not, and I am not. In fact, I’m not particularly good at making crepes. I say again: there is nothing spectacular about these crepes. Except one thing.
Um, please excuse the messy stove. It's been a busy week. It's clean now.
Chris likes them. This is nothing short of a HUGE culinary victory for me, as Chris is (to put it mildly) very picky, and would usually rather have frozen mac and cheese for dinner than anything else. There are some things I’ve made that he’ll tolerate, and some that he thinks are “alright.” But mostly, cooking for Chris has been an unequivocal failure. (Yes, I realize that including the word “mostly” before the word “unequivocal” makes it no longer unequivocal, but bear with me. I’m going for effect here.)
And the last thing in the world I expected him to respond to with a “Hey! This is really good!” was crepes. See, he usually doesn’t like them. (Are you surprised?) He thinks that they’re girly food, and that they’re too eggy. It was only by tempting him with the mozzarella filling that I was able to manipulate him into trying a bite. And he liked it.
Color me floored.
Pizza Crepes (adapted from Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything Vegetarian)
My apologies for the lack of quantities for the filling – it all just depends on how stuffed you want your crepes, and what sorts of things you like.
Makes 8ish crepes (Though this will vary depending on how thick you make yours. One crepe, alongside a salad, was plenty for dinner for me.)
Also, if you’re not too concerned with making “perfect” crepes, these are remarkably quick and easy to make.
For the crepes:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
Pinch of salt
1 1/4 cups milk (I used plain soymilk, because that’s what I had, and it was perfectly tasty.)
2 eggs
2 Tbs butter
Cooking spray
For the filling:
Grated mozzarella cheese
Pizza sauce, marinara sauce, or pesto sauce (I cheated and used pasta sauce from a jar.)
Black olives, sliced
Whatever other toppings you like on pizza
Prepare the crepes
- Whisk together all ingredients (Except, obviously, the cooking spray.) until smooth and pourable – you want it a bit thinner than pancake batter. You can add more milk or water if it’s too thick.
- Let the batter sit in the fridge for a while, if possible – you could even let it sit there overnight. (Hint: I’ve got leftover batter from last night that I’m planning to use with grilled peaches and maybe a little brown butter today – yum!)
- Heat an 8-10 inch nonstick skillet over medium-ish heat – careful here, because if the pan is too hot, you won’t be able to get the batter to spread thin enough before it starts cooking. Not that that’s a huge problem – you’ll just have more of a savory pancake than a really thin crepe. And what’s wrong with that?
- Spray pan with cooking spray (repeat this before each crepe), and pour about 2/3 -3/4 cup of batter into the middle of the pan. This makes a thicker crepe than what you’d get at a creperie, but I think it holds up better to the substantial filling. Swirl the pan around until the batter forms just a thin layer.
- Wait a minute or two, or until the top of the crepe looks dry. Then lift up one edge with a spatula in one hand and the fingers of the other hand, and flip it over. It’s really not that scary. Cook the second side for maybe a minute – you don’t want it crispy. Note: Mark Bittman says that everyone, even professional chefs, mess up the first crepe. Think of it as a cooking snack.
- While it’s still in the pan, spread a couple tablespoons of sauce on the bottom half of the crepe. Top with as much cheese as looks satisfactory, followed by the other toppings of your choice. I like to finish with a sprinkle of oregano, garlic powder, and salt, just for pizazz.
- Gently lift the top half of the crepe and fold it over the half with the filling. Then, using your fingers and the spatula, fold it in half again, so that it forms a wedge shape.
- Eat. And remember that even if it looks ugly, it’s darn tasty.
P.S. – For sweet crepes, you can either add a little sugar (1 Tbs for the whole recipe) to the batter, or just use it as-is. May I recommend Nutella and sliced bananas for filling?
I obviously did not take this picture - thanks to my parents for coming armed with cameras!
I graduated! For the first time since I was 4 years old (2 1/2 if you count preschool), I am not a student. The experience is somewhat disorienting – I’m elated, exhausted, nostalgic, and terrified.
I’ve been told that to be called an attorney, I must first pass the bar – but to be called a lawyer, I only need graduate from law school.
I’m a lawyer.
Woah.
Let’s get something straight: I don’t like snakes. I didn’t grow up with them, rarely see them, and while I know and appreciate that they keep us from being overrun by rodents, they pretty much freak me out. I don’t even like seeing one on on the computer or TV screen.
I’m visiting my sister right now, the one who lives on an organic farm in Southern California, and wildlife is sort of a fact of life here. Birds, bees, and yes, snakes – though I’ve been lucky enough to have never seen one on my visits. That all changed this morning, though, when I discovered an enormous coachwhip snake (which I’ve been assured are not dangerous) slithering across the patio. My brother-in-law, Bo, and my three-year-old nephew thought it would be an excellent idea to catch the thing and hold it in a terrarium to show visitors – I cowered inside while they wrestled it into the tank.
The snake sat in the terrarium for a couple of hours, after which Bo and his dad decided it should probably go free. They carried it out to the driveway, while I followed anxiously asking them to make sure it didn’t go into my car, which was parked out front. They both laughed, said there’s no way that would ever happen, and told me I shouldn’t worry. They released the snake, which sped off – guess where?
That’s right. Straight up into the undercarriage of my car.
And now it won’t come out.
I promised a second post of Yosemite photography a while ago, but things sort of got lost in the shuffle of finals. Better late than never, though, I suppose. Sadly, these are not super awesome images, but the point of the photography portion of this blog is learning, right? So bear with me.
In the spring, when the falls are full of water, they create so much mist that when the sun is at the right angle, there’s a rainbow. Every morning. Like clockwork. I really can’t think of a better way to start a day in Yosemite than with a walk to the Lower Yosemite Fall to see the rainbow – but be warned: this year, it was freezing. Literally. See the mist frozen on the tree branches?
This image is just kind of boring. I feel like it needs something to spice it up – an interesting foreground, warmer light, something. I’m just not sure how I could have accomplished that. A foreground is tricky here, since to see the rainbow you have to stand on the bridge just below the base of the fall – not very conducive to interesting foregrounds. Anyone have any thoughts about ways I could have made this scene pop?
Like Yosemite Fall, Bridalveil also creates a rainbow at this time of year – only this one’s in the late afternoon. You can see it first at Tunnel View, beginning with an orange glow down at the base of the fall, and gradually moving upward. Then, later, you can see it from the parking lot at the base of the trail to Bridalveil Fall.
This shot was taken from Tunnel View. Like the image before it, this one seems to fall sort of flat. An interesting foreground would have been much more possible here than at Lower Yosemite Fall, if I’d had time to find it. Unfortunately, we arrived when the rainbow had already traveled halfway up the fall, and I didn’t have time to consider my options. Poor planning – oops.
The rainbow is pretty cool though, isn’t it?
Please excuse the lighting in these photos. It was dark outside, and, well, my kitchen lighting is the pits.
Mark Bittman is my personal culinary hero, for taking foods that I thought were too complicated to bother with at home and making them simple enough for a casual weeknight dinner. Case in point: dal. I love dal, but all of the recipes I’ve seen are full of spices I’d never heard of and that I’d have to visit an Indian grocery to buy. Now, I’m sure those recipes make wonderful dals, and I really should get acquainted with a local Indian market anyway, but since I’m just finishing law school and am about to start studying for the bar I think I can safely say that that ain’t gonna happen anytime soon.
Enter Mark Bittman and my new bible: How to Cook Everything Vegetarian. Everything that his recipe for “Simplest Dal” called for I had in my kitchen, except for the dried ancho chiles – and I just substituted crushed red pepper with very satisfactory results.
This stuff is seriously yummy.
The paratha (flaky Indian-style flatbread) are also easy, and they’re really fun to make. And they’re super tasty with the dal.
See? I told you they were fun to make.
Simplest Dal (from Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything Vegetarian)
The original recipe says this serves 4, but as a main course with paratha, it was just more than enough for 2 of us.
(The original recipe calls for an optional 2 Tbs cold butter or peanut oil to be stirred in just before serving – I didn’t notice a flavor difference after adding butter, and I’d rather save the calories, but add it if you must.)
1 cup dried red lentils (you can use yellow split peas, if you prefer)
2 Tbs minced or finely grated fresh ginger (I actually never peel mine. And you know what? I’ve never noticed a difference.)
1 Tbs minced or finely grated garlic
4 cardamom pods (confession: I actually hijacked some from a nice loose tea I had on hand.)
1 Tbs mustard seeds
2 cloves
1 tsp cracked black pepper
1 ancho or other mild dried chili (or crushed red pepper, to taste)
Salt
Several chopped tomatoes (optional, but very tasty)
Chopped fresh cilantro for garnish
- Combine all ingredients except cilantro and salt in a saucepan, and cover with about an inch of water (If you’re using a very wide pan, use less. But it’s not very scientific.)
- Cook over medium-ish heat at a steady simmer for about half an hour, salting to taste as it cooks
- During the last few minutes of cooking, add the tomatoes if you’re using them.
- Remove the cloves and cardamom pods, and adjust seasoning to taste. Garnish with cilantro.
- Eat. Try not to get it all over your face when you’re licking the bowl clean. (Am I the only one who has that problem?)
Paratha (Flaky Indian-Style Flatbread) (adapted from Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything Vegetarian)
Makes 8-12 parathas
Warning: You will need a rolling pin or rolling pin-esque device (I’ve used a tall glass on its side). But do not be frightened! Use just a little flour to keep it from sticking, and it’s really very easy. This dough isn’t sticky at all.
Also, these are best served fresh, so if you don’t think you’ll eat them all, you can freeze half the dough (see below) for a week-ish. I defrosted mine for about 5 minutes in the microwave with excellent results. However, if you do have leftovers, they’re fine the next day. Just wrap them in waxed paper and leave them on the kitchen counter.
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
4-ish Tbs melted butter or neutral oil
- Stir together both flours and salt
- Add about 3/4 cup of water, stirring with a wooden spoon. When the mixture gets too difficult to stir, roll up your sleeves and use your hands. If it’s too dry, add a little more water (just a bit at a time) until it’s slightly sticky and forms a ball. If it’s too wet (it probably won’t be), add a tablespoon of flour at a time until it’s the right consistency.
- Shape dough into a ball (you might want to get your hands a little floury first), and let it sit for at least 20 minutes and up to several hours. At this point, I froze half the batch for later with no trouble.
- Pinch off pieces of dough – this recipe should make 8 to 12 parathas. On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece into roughly a 4-inch circle. Brush with melted butter or oil.
- Roll up the disk “like a cigar,” and then roll it into a coil, a la Princess Leia’s hair. Or cinnamon buns.
- Line a plate or basket with a clean dish towel to wrap the finished parathas in – this will keep them hot and fresh-tasting.
- Put a griddle or cast-iron pan (you could probably use nonstick, but I haven’t tried that, so no guarantees) over medium heat. When it’s hot, on a lightly floured surface roll one of the Princess Leia coils into a thin circle – maybe 5 or 6 inches in diameter. Throw it into the pan for 3-5 minutes, until it’s lightly browned. Brush the top side with oil or butter, and then flip it over to brown the second side for a few minutes.
- Repeat for all parathas.
I managed to make it through the first week spending only $17.60 – I’m under budget! (And more than half of that was a box of firelogs I split with my roommate – a one-time expense now that the weather is seasonal again.) Things have gotten slightly more challenging, as my roommate and I have decided to cancel our weekly box of veggies. Now, all food will have to come out of my $20. Wish me luck!
(Also, wish me luck on my last final exam EVER, which I take this afternoon.)
My sister’s home is an organic avocado and orange farm in Southern California, where she lives with my brother-in-law and their three-year-old son. She lives with boys – everything is Tonka trucks and soccer balls, blue, gray, or dirt-colored.
Not this blanket.
This blanket is girly. It’s lacy, pretty, and purple. No Tonka trucks in sight.
I think it’s just what the doctor ordered.
I’m about to graduate from law school, and will spend the next several months studying for the bar – sans paycheck. Therefore, I am (in no uncertain terms) broke. After weeks of denying how poor I’ll be this summer, and after much silent and not-so-silent whining (“But I want to buy the pretty yarn!”), I’m bringing you the $20 Per Week Challenge of 2009.
The Rules:
- Spend no more (and preferably less) than $20 every week
- $20 includes food, transportation, personal expenses, and entertainment.
- Exempt from the $20 limit are monthly bills, like internet and electricity – but I’m trying to keep the PG&E bill down anyway, ’cause that’s just a good idea.
This is particularly challenging since I live in an extremely expensive city – gas is frequently more expensive in San Francisco than in any other place in the country, and even a round-trip bus ticket is $3.
However, a couple of things make it less challenging for me – first, my roommate and I subscribe to a CSA (that’s Community Supported Agriculture), and split a small box of the fruits and veggies of our choice every week. That gets paid for monthly, so it’s exempt from the $20 limit. At least for now. Also, check out my pantry:
That pile all the way to the right? It's baking supplies that won't fit on the shelves.
Well stocked, right? For months now, I’ve had a pantry stuffed with canned goods (beans, tomatoes, olives), whole grains (polenta, quinoa, popcorn, brown rice, oats, pasta) and baking supplies (sugars, nuts, every kind of flour you can imagine), plus random stuff like nori and Nutella. And instead of using what I’ve got on hand, I’ll go out and buy whatever I need to make whatever interesting recipe I’ve run across that day. No more. Using what I’ve got on hand, plus a few extra ingredients bought with my $20, is both more frugal and more healthy. I think once I seriously deplete my pantry items, I’m allowed a frugal shopping trip not subject to the weekly limit, but we’ll see. Also, I may wind up making the rules more strict, if it seems like this will be too easy.
This week so far:
Since Thursday, when my challenge started, I’ve spent $10.30 – $9.30 for a box of firelogs split with my roommate, ’cause it’s rainy outside and cold in our apartment, and $1 to a guy on the street. (He put my situation in perspective.) I know I have to take the bus to school on Tuesday morning for a final, which will cost $1.50 if I decide to walk the several miles home afterward. (Unexpected benefit – walking to save bus fare might actually help me lose some of the pounds I’ve put on eating so much good food!) I’m budgeting $3 just in case. I’ll report back at the end of the week!
