SUPPER SUNDAY: 1/30/11

It's no secret that I've been trying to incorporate more healthy food into my diet, so scallops is a no-brainer. The other morning my TV was on mute while I got ready for work, but I saw a segment where they were cooking scallops, and making pasta out of it. I decided to look it up, later, and give it a try. Here is Geoffrey Zakarian's recipe.

These instructions come directly from the website, with my tips in parentheses. 

Ingredients

• 2 pounds Japanese buckwheat soba noodles (I had to go to a local Japanese market to find it, but I think Whole Foods has it.)
• 6 ounces guanciale or pancetta, diced small (Trader Joe's has it already diced!)
• 4 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated
• 2 egg yolks
• 1/4 cup heavy cream (I used lowfat milk, instead)
• 1 ounces chives, minced
• 1 clove garlic, crushed in its skin ( I used three)
• 1 pound bay scallops (Trader Joe's has frozen scallops. If you don't live by the sea, frozen is better than "fresh".)
• 1 tablespoon good olive oil
• Sea salt
• Cracked black pepper

Preparation

Here is how to make this dish in the style of Geoffrey Zakarian’s new Manhattan restaurant, The Lambs Club:

• In a large pot of salted water, cook the soba noodles for 8 minutes or just until tender. (8 minutes was too much for me, I'd recommend checking after 5 minutes.)
• In a small bowl combine the egg yolks and grated Parmesan cheese. Reserve.
• Meanwhile, in a medium saute pan, heat the olive oil and add the guanciale or pancetta and cook until crispy. Drain all but 1 tablespoon of the rendered fat and add the crushed garlic to release its fragrance. Season the bay scallops with sea salt and saute in the pan with the crispy pancetta until golden on both sides, about 3 minutes. Remove the scallops from the pan and drain on paper towels. Add the heavy cream and cook 2 minutes or until the sauce coats the back of a spoon. 
• Drain the soba noodles and add to the sauce. Add the cooked bay scallops. Turn off the heat and add the egg yolk and Parmesan mixture. Toss well to combine. The heat will cook the egg yolk. Season with the chives.

Yield: 6 portions

I will definitely use this recipe again, but without the scallops. As it turns out, I don't like them. I could see this recipe working really well with chicken or tofu, so I'll probably use that instead. Also, while the Tilapia I cooked a few weeks back did not leave a fishy odor in my kitchen, the scallops left a gnarly stench all over my house, that lasted a couple of days, despite my excessive scented candle lighting. 

I served the pasta with a "bento box" (not really like a bento box, at all) from Trader Joe's, and a boiled egg. For dessert, we had strawberry mochi ice cream balls.

...and I almost forgot! When I was at the Japanese Market, I found these awesome egg molds. You boil a egg. While it's still hot, you peel it and put it in one of these super cute molds, and let it cool in ice water. Once it's cool, you have a cute little boiled egg! Okay, to be honest, it's a little creepy... but, I like it!

I hope you all had a really great Sunday, whether it involved supper or not.

Love, Cynthia

SNAP SATURDAY: 1/29/11

"I love to watch the light you spread into the room. See how it dances, from you, to me, to you." -Eisley

This hipstamatic "snap" I took back in October reminds me of being a kid. Also, Eisley's new album, "The Valley" comes out March 1st. I'm pretty excited.

Here is a reeeeeaaaaaaally good video of Eisley.

FESS UP! FRIDAY: 1/28/11

1. I forgot about my blog, again.

2. I have an unexplainable crush on Dr. Oz.

3. I have an explainable and platonic girl crush on Olivia Wilde, and Olivia Dunham.

4. I cannot resist mint chip ice cream. 

5. I love Nicholas Cage.

6. I cried while watching "Beauty and the Beast" tonight. 

7. I know 50% of Eisley's new album by heart, and it doesn't come out until March 1st.

8. I thought that tomorrow was Superbowl Sunday, until just now.

9. I still haven't gotten my dad a present for his birthday... which was two weeks ago... not even a card.

10. I thought "all intents and purposes" was "all intensive purposes" for a long time. *hangs head*

It feels good to come clean. 

Good night.

THRIFTY THURSDAY: 1/27/2011

I am not a professional thrifter. I have friends that can run into a Goodwill store and leave with a new wardrobe for ten dollars. I'm not that good, but over the past few (okay, several) years I have found some gems that are worth much more than the pennies I paid.

Exhibit A
The boots to the left are Town & Country, circa I don't know when. They are the perfect "cowboy boots" that don't look like a costume.  I got them at the Goodwill in San Luis Obispo, CA for five dollars. The booties to the right were about eight dollars (a bit high for a thrift store). They are some no-name brand, made in Brazil, from some thrift store in Orange County... I can't remember the name.

On to Exhibit B

Pardon the cat face. This blazer and striped tee are from Woodland, CA. The jacket was $1.75, and the shirt was $0.75. Add skinny jeans, a red belt, heels, and a top knot, and you get grade A hipster-wear. Suck it, Urban Outfitters!

Exhibit C is less hipster, more sexy grandma.

Man, I wish you could see this baby sparkle. It's so much fun to wear. The beaded fringe really finishes off the whole "look-at-me-or-else" vibe. I think this sweater was $2.95

This is a picture of my dog, Merlin. But, it's also a picture of a thrift find. You see that lace on the arm of the sofa? That is actually a lace blouse I got for a couple bucks. It's super comfy, and looks really nice under pretty much any jacket or cardigan. Mostly, I just wanted to post a picture of my dog, because he is the presh.

Lastly,  (I lost track of what "exhibit" we were on) here is a necklace I found at an antique shop in Montana. It has matching earrings, and I love it. I can't remember how much I paid for it, though. As a bonus, you can see one of my baby pictures in the background. Wook at dat widdle facey wacey.

Do you have any noteworthy thrift finds? Perhaps you have a blog dedicated to thrifting? Share it in the comment section! Do it!

Good evening, fine folks!

WHAT I WORE WEDNESDAY: 1/26/11

I didn't feel like taking a picture of myself, so here is a crappy drawing. (sharpie and color pencil). The dress cost me $19.00, and I wear it all the time. This drawing makes it look like a tunic. In the real world, it's a bit longer, and more A-line. I didn't draw it, but the print on the dress is a really sweet purple floral. The patterned tights I got from either Target or H&M, I can't remember. The shoes are some no-name brand, and I love them. They are these super tall wedge lace-up bootie things. I wore my hair down with bangs, and too-much blush, as usual. 

Sorry for the crappy drawing, but by the time I remembered what day it was, I was already in my pajamas...haha. 

I have work at 4:30am, so it's off to bed for me. Sweet dreams. :)

TRY IT OUT TUESDAY: 1/25/11

Starbucks VIA vs. Nescafe

First of all, I am really into coffee. I am not, however, above instant coffee. I've been using Starbucks VIA, and here's why. It's fancy, it's supposedly better than other instants, and most importantly: I get it for free.

Still, there will most likely come a day when I will cease to receive free weekly rations of coffee. In preparation for that day, I decided to answer this age old question: How much better is the expensive stuff?

So begins the battle. Our players are: Starbucks VIA Columbia, and Nescafe's Hazelnut.

Sight test: The VIA is darker. That is the only difference. 

Dissolving test: The Nescafe dissolves much more easily into the tbsp of cold half and half I used.

Aroma test: The Nescafe's aroma evoked a sense of comfort, whereas the VIA's aroma evoked a sense of urgency. Based on smell, the VIA would be better to wake up with.

Taste test: The VIA was much bolder. It had that distinct acidic quality that Latin American coffees tend to have. The downside was that it also had that distinct bitter aftertaste, that comes with coffee that isn't super fresh. The Nescafe was weak, but much smoother to drink. It's major downside was it's lack of "POW!"

Other factors:

Cost: VIA =  83 cents a pack. Nescafe = 15 cents a pack

Ingredients: VIA has one ingredient: coffee. Nescafe has multiple ingredients, including caramel color, added flavors, and a preservative.

So, who is the overall winner? It's really tough to decide. I love the fact that VIA has no added ingredients, but I hate the fact that it costs ten dollars for a twelve-pack. It's ridiculous. My main takeaway from this is that I should just take the time to brew my own coffee.

Still, there must be a victor, and the victor is: drumroll... NESCAFE! 

Congratulations, Nescafe! Your inexpensive nature has won over the tightwad in me.

What is your opinion on instant coffee?

MADE IT! MONDAY 1/24/11

"The Scheming Seamstress"

pastel and ink

One day I'll have to write a book of fairy tales to accompany these strange little doodles.

SUPPER SUNDAY 1/16/11

Tilapia with Wild Rice and Broccolini

I bought 3 fillets of Tilapia at Trader Joe's, along with some rice pilaf, and broccolini. I already had some organic, cold pressed, extra virgin olive oil, really high quality balsamic vinegar, onions, garlic, and chicken stock. Those are the only ingredients I used.

Step 1: Get rice going.

Saute some onions and garlic in a deep pan over medium/high heat with a couple tbsps of olive oil. Once the onions start to caramelize, de-glaze the pan with a little balsamic vinegar, and pour two and a half cups of chicken stock in the pan. Bring the stock to a boil, and add 1 cup of the rice pilaf. (Mine had brown rice and barley). Once the stock is boiling again, reduce the heat to low, and simmer, covered,  for 35 minutes. 

Step 2: Prepare broccolini and fillets, and read.

Put the broccolini in a steamer with salted water. Cover it with a lid. Drizzle the tilapia fillets with olive oil, and salt and pepper. Cover a pan with foil, and place the seasoned fillets on the pan. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Now that you are prepared to start the steaming and baking as soon as you're ready, read something while you stir the rice occasionally.

Step 3: Finish up.

As soon as the rice is done simmering, stir in some ground flax seed, remove from heat and let it sit for a 10 minutes, covered. Turn the heat on high for the broccolini. Stick the fillets in the oven for 6 minutes on one side, then flip and cook for another 3-5 minutes. The fish should be opaque, but not brown. The biggest mistake people make when preparing fish is overcooking it. Once the fish is done, the rice and broccolini should be ready, too. 

Step 4: Serve.

I like to assemble the plates, rather than crowding the table with "family style"  bowls and plates. For drinks, I served iced tea. If you like wine, I recommend a nice dry Sauvignon Blanc. This meal is meant to be balanced and healthy, so skip the bread rolls. The rice is plenty for carbs.

The nutrition:

A four ounce fillet of tilapia is about 120 calories, and 22g of protein.

Broccolini is like broccoli. It's chock full of nutrients, and is best when slightly cooked.

The rice pilaf is a great alternative to bread or plain white rice. We all know brown rice is better than white, but did you know how awesome barley was? It helps lower cholesterol, and regulate blood sugar. Ground flax seeds provide the omega-3's that help reduce signs of aging, both inside and out. Omega-3's are also good for the brain.

I should have taken the time to get a better picture of the finished product. It was truly delicious and satisfying. 

SNAP SATURDAY 1/15/11

Here is a snap of my cat, Daisy. She looks like an evil cat here. In reality, she is the sweetest.

FESS UP! FRIDAY 1/14/11

So... I have to wake up early sometimes for my part time job at Starbucks; 3:30am, to be exact.

During those wee hours, strange things can happen.

Confession:

About a month ago, I was excited because I was going to be early to work. I pulled into the parking lot and noticed that, for once, I was the first person there. I sat there, glowing, until I realized the person I was supposed to open with was now 15 minutes late. Perfect, I thought. The one time I can actually afford to be late, and I am early. It was at that moment I received a call from my co worker. "Where are you?" said she. It was also at that moment I realized I was at the wrong Starbucks. I was at the Starbucks I had worked at previously. As I started my car, I thought about telling the truth, but decided to go with something more believable. "I couldn't find my keys, sorry, I'm on my way."

So, yes, I'm not only an idiot, but a liar.

THRIFTY THURSDAY 1/13/11

Stop buying things.

Appreciate what you already have.

Rediscover your favorite clothes.

Get rid of what you don't love.

Clean out your closet.

I did, a few weeks ago, and I found a cardigan my mom bought me over ten years ago. I still love it. It's from Abercrombie & Fitch (late 90's) and I wore that sweater at least once a week when I got it. I remember seeing "Topanga" from Boy Meets World wear it on one episode, and I got really excited. I got just excited when I rediscovered it. I put it on and fell in love again with it's classic cuts, deep navy blue color, simple and subtle embroidery. I remembered that it looks good with pretty much anything: over a tee, over a collared shirt, over a polo, over a tank, over a dress, buttoned, unbuttoned... aaaaahhhh.

Being thrifty is not always about finding a good bargain. Sometimes, it's about appreciating what you already have.

WHAT I WORE WEDNESDAY 1/12/11

This striped sweater is so comfy. The jeans are pretty basic; just dark cropped skinnies with absolutely no detail. For the feet: socks and russet suede clogs. I'm breaking so many fashion rules right now, but I don't care. For my hair today, I was lazy, so I made a severe side part, and pulled all of my hair into a low pony-tail. I used a bobby pin to keep my bangs off my face. I probably should have worn make-up today, but I didn't, so you'll see a nice gleam on my forehead. 

Pretty boring outfit, but it suited my lazy mood.

Good night.

TRY IT OUT TUESDAY: 1/11/11

I tried something today.

It was simple. I tried to do something nice.

I bought food, and I made dinner for my mom and dad.

I did all of the work, including the dishes and counter cleaning. 

I didn't complain once.

The outcome: Success. I feel good, my parents feel good, and life is good.

If you're curious as to what I made for dinner, check back on SUPPER SUNDAY.

MADE IT MONDAY: 1/10/11

Keeping a daily blog is harder than I had anticipated. While I have several art and music projects I am working on, I didn't actually complete anything this week, so I don't have much to show for my "Made it" Monday post.

I do have this recording from my iPhone, from a couple months ago. I wrote some lyrics, and came up with a basic song structure, and tested it out real quick. That is what this recording is from. It's nothing special, but I did make it.

What is it about? It's about being upset, and using someone or something to help deal with it, and trying to find different methods of coping, ultimately finding out there is no quick fix. "A story is just a ghost until it's wrote" means: just because you found the cure, doesn't mean you're cured. You have to do the work. I'm not sure if that makes any sense, but it does to me, or at least it did. 

I don't know, writing songs is weird. You think it's about something when you're writing it, then you realize it's about something else. A few weeks later it's not about anything. Way down the line you realize it is in fact about something. It's like I wrote myself a letter, that I can only understand in the future. It's pretty sci-fi.

 

I realize it's hard to understand the lyrics, so here they are (more or less):

"Scanning screens, consuming things that ought not to be seen
Catacombs of coincidences, sit behind our neighbors’ fences
Able-bodied men and women, plow the earth to avoid famine
While freemason families sit back and think up similes.

I stumble down to slumber town and wait there for you
I never had a pleasant thought, if not involving you
And you and you and you and you and all I ever say is you
If I am here and you are there then every road leads straight to you.

It’s great and greatly overrated, the news has be exasperated,
I've read pages, and pages, and pages of
A sleepy scandal from the south, from a mindless dirty mouth it
Enters endoscopically, bounces left to right within me.

I stumble down to slumber town and pretend I’m with you
I never had a pleasant dream that didn’t involve you
And you and you and you and you and all I ever do is for you
If I am here and you are there, why can’t I be anywhere with you, and you and you and you.

Cynically sitting down amidst my many mopes
Digitally discovering different ways to cope
Generally, they are only different forms of hope
But hope is not an antidote, a story’s just a ghost until it’s wrote."

 

Now... go make something, you little brats! 

XOXO

PS: I'm sure I will regret posting this in T-minus 30 seconds.

SUNDAY SUPPER: January 9, 2011

I suppose I should post a recipe for something truly gourmet, and elaborate. In fact, my actual "sunday supper" was gourmet and elaborate. (Baked ham, scalloped potatoes, steamed asparagus and sparkling cider. yum.)

This is my blog, though, and I'll post whatever I want. Today, I want to post one of my favorite things ever.It's something both of my grandmothers used to make me when I was a kid. I call it "egg in a basket." I'm sure everyone does this, regardless of what it's called, but I still want to pay tribute to what is possibly the most genius meal ever.

Ingredients: one egg, one piece of bread, salt, pepper.

Make a hole in the middle of the bread.

Put the bread in a non stick or "pammed"/buttered pan or, on medium/high heat.

Drop an egg into the bread hole.

Salt and Pepper to taste, and flip.

Salt and Pepper to taste, and eat.

Put a little jam on the extra toast if you want.

Why is this so genius? First off, it's low calorie. As it turns out, being relatively thin is a good thing. Some of us are relatively... well, not thin. This is a great meal for those looking to get or stay thin.

bread: 100 caloreis

egg: 90 calories

tbsp sugar free blackberry jam: 10 calories

TOTAL: 200 calories

Also, it's quick. Like, under 5 minutes. You think I'm lying? Time it.

Oh yeah, it's cheap too. I don't think I need to break the price points down for you. Even the pan can be cheap. The pan I use cost me three dollars, from IKEA.

So, like I said, this isn't really supper... but it makes an excellent breakfast, or lunch... or dinner. Play with it: Use egg white only, use fancy bread, melt some cheese on it, use other herbs, use butter or olive oil, use cookie cutters to make differently shaped holes.

Keep in mind, that while this "meal" is balanced, it does not include any fruits or vegetables. I usually eat some on the side. :)

I hope you all had an excellent weekend, and I promise to bring more exciting recipes in the future.

SNAP SATURDAY: January 8, 2011

Paul Bowles, an author (among many other professions) wrote letters to his mother in 1931. He recently released two of them to be published, and I read them. It was so touching, to me, the amount of love he poured into those letters. It's not that they were sentimental, they were simply well written. Anyways, he referred to some photographs he sent her as "snaps". I don't know why, but I found that delightful. He also referred to "the talkies", which are the movies that came after silent films. Language: is it not the most beautiful phenomenon?

The above picture is from my family's late December trip to Tahoe City, CA. As we were leaving my mom was staring up into the sky, and told me to take a picture of the trees and the sky. "This would make a great picture, I think." I think she was right.

"Fess up!" Friday. January 7, 2001

"Fess up!" Friday is my weekly confessional. I will confess at least one thing that I am ashamed of.

#1: I once turned a guy down when he asked me out, with the excuse: "don't you think I'm a bit out of your league?" In my defense, I thought that meant "you're too old for me". 

It was my junior year of highschool, and I was taking a painting class at the local community college. I can't remember his name, now, but I became friends with him. Towards the end of the semester, he asked me out, and that's when I said it. I really thought it meant "I'm too young, you're too old, I'm only sixteen...", but he knew what it meant, and walked away, visibly hurt. He must have told our other class friends, because they all started ignoring me, and gave me dirty looks. Later, when I learned the actual meaning of the phrase, I felt terrible. 

Here's hoping he stopped hitting on highschool aged girls, and has found a meaningful relationship with someone who understands basic expressions.

"Thrifty" Thursday: January 6, 2011

For my first Thrifty Thursday, here are a few tips for saving money.

Drink actual coffee, not froof. It's less than half the price.

Don't buy books at full price. Go to used book stores.

Make your own food when you can.

Skip the gym membership. The sidewalk is free, and there are plenty of free workout classes on TV.

Never go grocery shopping hungry.

Never go clothes shopping angry.

Have any useful suggestions? Comment, and share the knowledge. :)

"What I Wore" Wednesday January 5,2011

Dress and cardigan from F21, boots are Rodarte for Target, and I can't remember where I got the tights, but you can't see them anyways. 

Stripes with floral patterns have been my favorite thing to wear this fall/winter.

"Try it out" Tuesday January, 4, 2011

So, as you may have figured out, I'm going to try and post once a day. Every day of the week has a theme. Yesterday was "Made it" Monday, and today is "Try it out" Tuesday. In the future, I'm hoping people will suggest things for me to try, and I will document it. So, start sending me ideas!

For today, I had to come up with my own thing to test out. So... I got some inspiration (okay, that's a lie, I got the whole idea) from Michelle Phan. I had a hard time believing it would actually work... but if it did, then I could save a bunch of money.

Home-made pore strips

1tbsp milk + 1tbsp unflavored gelatin + 10 seconds in the microwave.

Sounds pretty easy... we'll see.

...

Tried It.

I got a 4 pack of Knox gelatin for $1.99
I went home and did exactly what Michelle Phan did.

The result? Fail. I would like to blame this on the fact that I have no blackheads... but that would be lying. I've used those Biore strips plenty of times, and I know what should have come out of my face, and it didn't. I'm mad, too, because I was going to have this awesome elaborate post with pictures and everything, but there was nothing to show!

So, i think I'm going to wait a few days, and try again, but this time with slightly more milk. I'm also going to wait longer before peeling. If I get better results, I'll let you know.

Conclusion: It's probably better to just buy the stupid Biore strips.

...

So, what should I test out next? Give me something fun to experiment. It could be anything, from a new product, a strange cooking method... or maybe I could wear something that is supposedly "in style" and test peoples reactions. Leave me a suggestion as a comment, or send me a message.

"Made it" Monday: January 3, 2011

This is my first "'Made it' Monday" post, and I'm hoping to do this every Monday. I will try and post something I made, whether it be a craft, a song, a short story, a drawing/painting... anything that I made during the past week. My hope is that it will force me to make stuff regularly, and that it will inspire others to make stuff. Since I've made a lot of stuff recently, it was hard to choose what to use for my first post. I decided to post something that could actually be useful to other people. So, here goes... "testing, testing, one-two..."

Do your presents lack presence? (Yes, I did just make that pun.) 

This holiday season, I made these poof bows for all of my presents. I like them because they are cheap, easy to make, and match every present, every time. The best part, though, is that they use up those leftover strips of wrapping paper that I can never find a present small enough for.