This and That

Hey there!  Happy 2012, peeps.  I hope your year is starting off swimmingly.  Ours actually is, which is good considering that I spent most of the last two days of 2011 being an emotional, horomonal sissypants.  (My hypothesis is that the boy was going through a massive growth spurt, which made me uncomfortable, gigantic, and brought with it a surge of horomones that left me a sobbing mess.  If you have proof that that's not what happened, then I don't want to hear it because it's the only way I can explain myself without admitting to be a complete psychopath.)

So we've got some catching up to do, don't we?

1.  Mitch is still the cutest dog who's ever lived.  He's been polishing off the last of the homemade dog treats that we made in Virginia for all of his dog friends and cousins, which means that Matt and I have been finding little cheesy flax-seeded biscuits buried in blankets and couch cushions all around the house.  Right now he is barking at sassing me because Matt is watching football and Mitch hates football.  He'd rather go lie in his dirt spot, which is currently a mud spot because it's raining.  Seems fitting, since I just made our bed up with all white linens.

2.  I love this commercial with my entire heart and soul.



3.  I also love these Asian Turkey Meatballs with my entire heart and soul.

4.  Matt is a crazy ellipting fool.  Did you know that?  Did you know that after he implemented a self-improvement plan a year and a half ago he's been the incredible shrinking Matt?  And that every time we see someone we haven't seen in a while they say something along the lines of, "Oh, wow, Matt!   You look great!  What is your secret?  Amazing!  Oh, hi, Mandy."  It's extra fun now, you know, now that he's knocked me up and I'm getting fatter by the second.

5.  Oh em gee!  I totes forgot to tell you that my former almost fiance Matty Fraker who owns the cupcakery in Richmond, Frostings, was on Cupcake Wars tonight.  It replays on Tuesday at 8 p.m., so if you have the chance you should totally watch it.  Shoot yeah, Matty!



6.  Have you watched Downton Abbey?  If you haven't, you totally should.  It's pretty and smart and a little bit soap opera-y but not stupid.  AND, it's on Netflix Instant, so you have no excuse not to watch it.  There are only 7 episodes in the first season (oh, silly British television's short seasons), but season 2 begins again soon.  Plus, it has the handsome Matthew Crowley who is handsome and has a nice accent and looks good in a tuxedo and is also handsome.

7.  Not really doing any New Year's resolutions this year because I'm a little busy gestating a human, and all I really want to do is get through the year without being a psycho.  So that's my resolution: not to be a psycho. Shecky says that saying not to be a psycho is too definite and possibly unattainable, so I should actually make the resolution to be less of a psycho.  Either way.  My goal is for the crazy to be on the decline.  How's about that?

8.  Our New Year's Eve was pretty lame, even by our homebody standards.  Matt had to work, and I was in such a foul mood that I went shopping with a scowl on my face, so I went to Publix and bought a no sugar added reduced fat cheesecake (which was surprisingly good) and some sugar-free Jello (can you tell I have a glucose test fast approaching?).  I ate half of the cheesecake (it was a little one), and still felt like an angry troll, so I decided to take a nap around 9:00, in the hopes that I would wake up a better person.  Surprisingly, it worked.  I woke up when my neighbors started setting off fireworks at midnight, ate a bowl of booze-less Jello, and Matt and I watched Downton Abbey (seriously, go watch it now).  So the 2011 part of New Year's Eve sucked, but the 2012 part was pretty nice.

So that's what's going on here.  Was crazy, am not crazy now, hope not to be crazy in the future.  Dogs are cute and cheesecake is delicious.

How is your 2012 shaping up?

This and That

1.  Put the white couch cover on and I'm completely in love.  Also pretty enamored with my new Savannah toille pillow.  Maybe having the white cover will inspire me to be better about keeping the floors clean?  Oh, and I still can't decide which color to dye the other one.  Oh, and if this one looks a little dingy it's because it's the one from the as-is bin and I just haven't washed it.  Probably going to get some kind of weird communicable disease or something, but I was tired of doing laundry.

2.  Yesterday was a day dedicated to doing nothing except eating, watching Parks & Recreation, and assigning a Hogwarts house to everyone we know.  In short, if you are awesome, you go to Gryffindor.  If you are kind of awesome, but more nerdy than awesome, then you go to Ravenclaw.  If you are dumb, you go to Hufflepuff.  And if we don't like you, you go to Slytherin.  And just to make sure that our assessments are accurate, I just took an online quiz, and I'm totes Gryffindor.  Duh.

3.  I think there should be a "correct pronoun usage" challenge on the Real World/Road Rules Challenge.  Also, CT is hot.  Crazy, maybe has rabies, but hot nonetheless.  Matt thinks I have bad taste and that CT eats his young.  Have we talked about this before?

That cut above his eye is probably from fighting a helicopter or trying to bite the head off of a rhinoceros.

4.  Mitch is still the cutest dog on the planet.  I think he's a little mad at us right now, though, because we have yet to buy him his own lake house and boat.

5.  I can't watch that Sarah MacLaughlin commercial (that's on right now, but I'm averting my eyes) with all of the dogs and cats because it makes me cry like a baby and then I just want to buy a farm and just adopt dogs and cats and be crazy.

6.  Made Spicy Pork Stew for dinner the other night, because apparently I'm on a spicy pork kick, and because it's actually one of the most healthy things we make, besides, you know, lettuce and ice cube popsicles.  The original recipe came from some diabetes website, and Cassie says that I should just call it diabetes stew, which would set really low expectations, and then when people eat it they'll be amazed at how good it is.  (Kind of like the movie Hot Tub Time Machine.) It's really good.  It's even better with this cornbread.

7.  If you haven't checked it out already, go to Cassie's bee-log and learn how to make mayonnaise by watching her vee-log.  I hate mayonnaise, but I kind of want to make it and then make some fancy chicken salad or something.

8.  Are you on Pinterest yet?  Come play with me on Pinterest, already!

9.  I took a shower this morning (amazing, I know), and my hair is still wet 14 hours later.  Oh, delightful Savannah humidity.

10.  I think that if I don't watch my favorite HBO movie, It's Complicated, RIGHT THIS SECOND, the universe might implode.

Hope your Friday is the bee's knees!

Brrr! Time for Pasta Stew!

Well, I didn't get murdered by the Craigslist dryer repairman.  Turns out he was actually a dryer repairman, which is good for us because not only did I not get murdered, but we also have a working dryer again.  Phew!

But today is just a gloomy day of crap so far!  It's really frustrating when it seems that everyone else in the world is off of school and/or work, and you're not.  The brightest spot in my day so far has been this bean and pasta stew (or pasta e fagioli if we want to get all fancypants).**  Yum!  (By the way, Matt says that this just looks like a bowl of slop.  I say that it looks like a bowl of delicious slop.)

If you're snowed in, or if you're not, and if you're a fan of beans and pasta and tastiness, then you might want to give it a try.  Not too bad for you, cheap to make, and pretty easy.

Bean and Pasta Stew  (adapted from this recipe)
serves 8-10


3 cans northern beans
5 slices bacon, diced (or substitute 1 tablespoon olive oil for vegetarian version)
2 large yellow onions, sliced thin
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 bay leaf
1/2 pound pasta
5 thyme sprigs
3 teaspoons salt
1-2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
10 ounces baby spinach
pine nuts (optional)


In a heavy stock pot or dutch oven, fry the bacon over medium heat. Once all the fat has rendered, remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and reserve. Pour off all put one tablespoon of bacon fat. Cook the onions slowly with 1/2 teaspoon of salt until they caramelize and turn golden brown, 20-30 minutes. Add the celery and cook just until the celery is softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Remove half of the onion mixture and reserve with the bacon. Deglaze the pan with one cup of water, scraping up any brown residue that has formed on the bottom of the pan.

Drain the beans and pour them into the pot with the remaining onions. Add the bay leaf and enough water to cover the beans and onions by one inch. Simmer for 15 minutes.

Return the pot to the stove top and set over medium-high heat. Add the bacon, reserved onions, whole thyme sprigs, remaining salt, crushed red pepper, and pasta. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is al dente. Add more water if necessary.

Add the spinach to the pot and stir until it is wilted. Remove the bay leaf and the thyme stems. Taste and add more salt and pepper if desired. Add pine nuts if desired.


This stew will keep for one week refrigerated.

Get cozy.  And stay that way.

**UPDATE.  Today took a huge turn for the better when we took a family snuggle nap that I didn't wake up from until 8:30.  When I finally peeled my body from the bed, I had a message on my phone announcing that tomorrow we will have a two-hour delay at school!  In the five and a half years that I've worked in this school system, we've never once gotten a delay or a day off for wintery weather.  I am currently beside myself with joy.**

Top 15 Recipes of 2010

I have been a worthless human being today.

I still haven't changed out of my pajamas, and my back hurts from lying on the couch for so long.  I'd love to be able to say that I'm sick (even though I don't actually want to be sick) or that I have some other good reason for being such a disgusting fatbody today, but I don't.  Just laziness.

What makes it even worse is that today is Matt's super long day at work, and my laziness draws a stark contrast to his grueling day.  If I were Matt, I'd be hating me right now. 

Maybe I'll bake him cookies. 

Or pour him a glass of bourbon when he walks in the door.

(Sorry, we're the last two people on the planet to get into Mad Men, and we've been watching several episodes a night.  Boy, that Don sure is dapper!)

Anyway, one of the only things I have done today (other than watch 16 and Pregnant on On Demand--which is much more base than just watching it when it comes on tv.  I had to seek out 16 and Pregnant to watch it, and I did, and that makes me a horrible person.) is read other people's blogs, and many of them have been doing these "best of 2010" things.  I actually kind of hate those posts, but I kind of love them, too. 

So, I've gone back and forth about whether I should do one, but now since I can basically either do this post or get off my ass and get on the elliptical machine, I'm going to do the post.  Ellipting is hard.

Okay, so these are my fifteen favorite new recipes from 2010. 

First up, appetizers.  My favorite appetizers from 2010 are: (click on the link to get the recipe)

Redipulous!  This stuff is stupid good, and I'm almost afraid to make it because it's so good and I would eat all of it by myself.  I think I'm going to try to make a healthier version so that I can eat the whole thing by myself and not feel as guilty.

Bacon Jam.  I know I've gone on and on about this lately, but it really is just so good.  Just remember to follow the directions.  And eat it on some fancy bread.

Okay, now for some entrees.

P Cubed.  It's just wonderful.  Matt hates peas and this is still one of his favorite meals. And don't skip the lemon; you'll regret it.

Kung Pao Chicken.  It was always our favorite thing to order when we ate Chinese, and now we can make it at home!  So good, and actually not all that bad for you.

Smitten Kitchen's Chicken Meatballs.  I will make these until the day I die.  Also not terrible for you.  (Oh, and did you know that you can grind chicken in a food processor?  I didn't.  Cassie told me, and it's super fast and easy.)

Ginger Pork Stir Fry.  Mmmmmmmmm.  It seems like pork tenderloin is always on sale, and this stuff is crazy tasty.  Add vegetables to your liking.

Guinness Steak.  This one's a grilling recipe, so you may be waiting until spring or summer to make it, but it's delicious, and it's simple, and you get to drink the other three Guinness beers.  Win, win, win.  (I actually hate beer, so Matt gets to drink the beer.)

Pioneer Woman's Chicken Pineapple Quesadillas.  So good.  So good.  I--I just love them so much!

Bitten Word's Lemon Rosemary Chicken.  Mmmmmmmm.

And now for the desserts.  Last year was all about cupcakes for me.  This year I changed gears a little and went bananas for ice cream making.  There's still some baking, but it's mostly frozen treats.  Just go buy yourself an ice cream maker and be an ice cream making pen-pal with me already.

Mandy's Famous Pumpkin Cheesecake Ice Cream.  You'll just die, but in a good way.

Mandy's Famous Raspberry Sorbet.  It's the best, and it's beautiful, and it's good for you.

Vanilla Bean Cupcakes from Annie's Eats.  My favorite vanilla cupcake.  Also Mitch's favorite vanilla cupcake.

Blackberry Pie Bars.  (Or cherry, or raspberry, or whatever fruit you'd like.)  It's Cheryl from Back in the Day Bakery's recipe, so you know they're delicious.  Make them to share, and people will love you.

Banana Puddin' Ice Cream.  Goes over very well with Southerners.  Use twice as many Nilla Wafers.  Mmmmmmmm.

And, finally, Thomas Jefferson's Vanilla Ice Cream.  TJ's just good at everything, wasn't he?  This ice cream has the best texture, and rich flavor.  It's a little bit of a labor of love, but it's worth it.

So, there you have it.  That took way more time than I thought it would, and now I must peel my body off of this couch before I order myself a pair of pajama jeans.  (They're the hot new fashion sensation, you know.)

Magic Meatballs

[source]

I realize the ol' blog has been pretty food heavy lately.  There are a few reasons for this.  First, I am obsessed with food.  You know that statistic about how men think about sex every eight seconds?  Well, I think about food at least that often.  When I'm not thinking about food, I'm sleeping, or thinking about Matt--and the next thing we'll cook together. 

Second, this is a really uneventful time of year for us.  It's not bad, but it's not terribly interesting.  My days consist of getting up way too early, arriving at school twenty minutes later (which actually can be eventful, but I'm not supposed to blog about school), coming home and eating too much, napping, talking to Matt, making dinner, ellipting, and watching television.  I know, I know, it's pretty glamorous.

Finally, Mitch hasn't been blogging much because all he ever wants to do anymore is lie in his dirt spot in the back yard.  He does this for hours a day.  It's really weird.  Also, I'm kind of wishing that he'd choose a more tidy place to lie than a DIRT SPOT, you know, since he sleeps in the bed with us and all.  (Is this an excuse to buy more sheets??)

And the weekends have been pretty quiet, too, since I spend much of my time trying to catch up with stuff around the house: laundry, house cleaning, reorganizing, etc.  Sometimes I'll take on small projects.  This weekend, for example, I was determined to use the meat grinder attachment that I received when I got my KitchenAid mixer.  I've had it for almost two years, and been intimidated by the meat grinder the whole time.  We had some boneless chicken thighs in the freezer, and Matt is grossed out by chicken thighs, so I decided that I would grind them up and make meatballs.

Oh, and remember that my KitchenAid is really old--from the sixties or possibly seventies.  So the attachments are old, too.  My meat grinder attachment is slightly newer than this one.  It looks kind of like a medieval torture device [for chicken].

So I set out to grinding.  It seemed like a good idea at the time (Kind of like how that one time it seemed like a good idea to let Chloe's stroller roll down the hill while I ran beside it.  Sorry about the fall and the busted up face, Sister.  My bad.). 

Now, I'm not squeamish or easily grossed out, but grinding this chicken made me want to puke all over the kitchen.  Not only did I have to squish the chicken down this little hole, but the chicken, as it came out, kept making this wet, lip-smacking, disgusting spitty sound.  It was as though Halloween had come early and I was grinding up human brains.  I'm not really sure why the meat grinding was such a disgusting disaster--perhaps I should have found myself some directions or made sure the blades were sharpened--but I do know that I was about two chicken thighs away from becoming a vegetarian.  I took pictures, but I'll spare you.  Just picture a human brain being pressed through a screen and you'll get the picture.

Anyway, I was thoroughly disgusted by the whole meat grinding endeavor, and didn't even know if I would want to eat the meat because the very thought of it made me squirm.  But then I found this recipe, and decided that it was high time to buck up, to get back up on the horse if you will.

I'm so glad I did.

These meatballs were so good!  Sure, it's a little deceiving to call them chicken meatballs when they have 1/4 lb. of pancetta in them, but I don't care.  I think that the step that really made them incredible was where we broke up Italian bread and soaked the pieces in milk before adding them to the meatball mixture.  The Smitten Kitchen lady, Deb, said that the greatest thing about the meatballs was how they tasted cheesy, even though there was no cheese in them.  She was right.  So, basically, we need to rename these Magic Meatballs.  (Next up: making celery taste like cookies.)

[source]

I stole her picture because I forgot to take my own, and because hers is really pretty.

Moral of the story: make yourself some Magic Meatballs, but buy the chicken already ground.

Magic Meatballs (Baked Chicken Meatballs from Smitten Kitchen)

Serves 4, or more as appetizers or sliders

3 slices Italian bread, torn into small bits (1 cup)
1/3 cup milk
3 ounces sliced pancetta, finely chopped (you can swap in Canadian Bacon if you can’t find pancetta)
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 small garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 large egg
1 pound ground chicken
2 tablespoons tomato paste, divided*
3 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

Directions
Preheat oven to 400°F with a rack in the upper third of the oven. Soak bread in milk in a small bowl until softened, about four minutes.
Cook pancetta, onion, and garlic in one tablespoon oil with 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper in a large skillet over medium heat until onion is softened, about 6 minutes. (Alternately, as in “I thought of this after the fact”, I’d bet you could render the pancetta for a couple minutes and cook the onions and garlic in that fat, rather than olive oil.) Cool slightly.
Squeeze bread to remove excess milk, then discard milk. Lightly beat egg in a large bowl, then combine with chicken, 1 tablespoon tomato paste, pancetta mixture, bread, and parsley. Form 12 meatballs and arrange in another 4-sided sheet pan (I used a 9×13 roasting dish).
Stir together remaining tablespoons of tomato paste and oil and brush over meatballs (the paste/oil does not mix in any cohesive manner, but just smoosh it on and run with it) , then bake in upper third of oven until meatballs are just cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes (though mine took a good 5 minutes longer).
*Smitten Kitchen lady accidentally added a heaping tablespoon of the tomato paste into the meatball mixture the first time she made it, and ended up liking it better than without it. She’d use the tomato paste on top too. It’s good both places.

This and That

1.  Went to the Battle of the Bands on Sunday with Cris.  Since there were going to be camera crews there filming for the sequel to Drumline (a movie that I made Matt go with me to see in the theater years ago), and since we share a love for marching bands, we were super pumped to go.  I have to admit, though, that it was only kind of fun.  The bands played to only one side of the stadium the entire time (not our side), and we were sitting in the glaring sun.  At times, I felt like my face would burst into flames.  There were a few awesome moments, though.  Like this kid:

And these guys, who were billed as the "Five Hottest Guys on Earth."  You can be the judge of that.

2.  Matt can't wait to see this movie.  He's bananas for keeping Christ in Christmas.



3.  There's some alpha dog shit happening in our house.

4.  I'm basically a professional fantasy football player.  I'm 2-0 in my league, and I keep telling Matt that he could stand to learn from me.  East Dillion Lions all the way, baby!

5.  Can we start a petition to get Amber from Teen Mom sterilized?

6.  I have this new strategy to keep myself from being such a fatass: eating from smaller bowls.  Sure, sometimes that means that I eat two bowls of delicious food (like tonight's Kung Pao Chicken).  But sometimes I don't, and the plan is that this will lead me to eating smaller portions (i.e., not the amount of food that four humans would eat per day).  Am I still allowed to fill the bowl to be super full?

7.  Matt and I are [tentatively] planning to head north Halloween weekend to visit with family and friends and to attend Jon Stewart's Rally to Restore Sanity.  Who wants to join?

8.  So, I wear heels to school almost every day.  And I have to walk around our campus a lot, and I'm always in some kind of hurry because I just want to get back to my classroom and my uber comfortable chair.  Time and again, I'll have someone poke their head around a corner or out a classroom door and tell me that they knew it was me coming because of the sound of the heels.  I don't really know what to make of this.  All I can figure is that I must have the least feminine, least delicate walk of all time.  Basically, I'm girl Shrek on heels.  Either that, or I'm aggressive and determined.  Let's go with the latter.  Or some combination of the two.  I give up.

Happy hump day!

Steak Marinated in Soy, Ginger and Lime with Red Onion Toasts

So, this is one of the recipes we tried for Operation: Cook New Stuff.  It's from Jonathan Waxman's cookbook, A Great American Cook: Recipes from the Home Kitchen of One of Our Most Influential American Chefs.  When we watched Top Chef Masters this summer, Waxman was always our favorite, and it seemed that his cooking style would suit us well.  He was the simple guy.

Simple compared to the other Top Chef Masters.  (Kind of like how Maci is the "smart one" on Teen Mom.)  In the cookbook, Waxman explains that this recipe--a recipe that is far more involved and sophisticated than anything we ever make--is his take on fast food.  Now, our take on fast food is something like a spicy chicken go-wrap from Wendy's.  Or if we want to get fancy with our take on fast food we'll go to Chick-Fil-A and get a deluxe spicy chicken sandwich.  This recipe: not fast food.  But it's delicious and really fun to make, so we can give ol' Waxman a pass on that one.

Another perk about this recipe is that it uses relatively simple and inexpensive ingredients.  For the entire meal, we probably spent $15 (for four servings).  Even more exciting was that we learned where the broiler is on our oven.  (Yeah, we've lived here for three years and always wondered why that drawer that most people use for pots and pans would get so hot.  Sometimes I can't believe that the State of Georgia lets me teach children.) 

We intentionally cooked this meal last night because last night was Top Chef night, so it allowed us to eat amazing food and feel fancy.  And fancy we felt!** If you have a chance, or if you're trying to impress somebody, make this steak.  (Also, my picture doesn't even come close to doing it justice.  Those purpley things are the shallots that had been simmering in red wine and butter--ugly but awesome.  And those little red onion toasts?  Well, I could eat about a million and a half of those.) 

Jonathan Waxman's Steak Marinated with Soy, Ginger and Lime with Red Onion Toasts

Ingredients


2 pounds skirt or hanger steak
1 2-inch piece fresh ginger
1 lime
1⁄4 cup soy sauce
3 garlic cloves
1 cup dry red wine
3 shallots
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 red onion
4 slices sourdough bread
 
Preparation


Pat the steak dry with paper towels and place it in a nonreactive baking pan.

Peel and grate the ginger. Juice the lime. In a small bowl, mix the ginger with the lime juice and soy sauce. Smash 2 of the garlic cloves and add them to the marinade. Pour the mixture over the steak, cover, and marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

Remove the steak from the marinade and place on a platter. Discard the garlic and ginger and reserve the marinade.

Bring the red wine to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Chop the shallots and add them to the wine. Boil to reduce the wine to 1/4 cup. Stir in the butter and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Meanwhile, heat the broiler. Slice the onion into 1/4-inch-thick rounds and place on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with the reserved marinade and broil the onion until tender and dark brown, about 10 minutes; be careful not to burn it. Transfer to a plate and set aside. Leave the broiler on.

Place the steak on the broiler pan and broil, turning once, just until medium-rare, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board and cover loosely to keep warm.


Toast the bread on both sides under the broiler.

Meanwhile, reheat the sauce over low heat. Split the remaining garlic clove in half and rub the slices of toast with the garlic. Place a slice of toast on each plate. Divide the onion among the toasts. Slice the steak and place on the plates. Top the steak with the red wine sauce and serve.

4 servings

**I should note, too, that it was Matt who did most of the work cooking this meal, mostly because I am incapable of following directions and he is so anal about following directions that he measures the water and uses a timer when he makes ramen noodles.  I chopped, he cooked.

Kung Pao Chicken

Matt likes his chicken spicy.

Matt likes spicy chicken.

Matt likes to tell Mandy, too, that he likes his chicken spicy, always speaking of himself in the third person.

Matt watched too much Seinfeld.



George and Matt both have an affinity for Kung Pao.  And after Matt shared Kung Pao with Mandy years ago, Mandy began to like her chicken spicy.  (That whole sentence sounds dirty.  Mandy assures you that it is not.)

Matt and Mandy have been working to learn how to cook good Asian food at home, and the other night they tackled Kung Pao.  Matt and Mandy agree that there are three primary benefits to cooking Chinese food at home.

1. It's healthier.
2. It's cheaper.
3. It doesn't make you feel like shit afterward.

It's not the prettiest meal that's ever been, but Mandy and Matt agreed that it tasted very good, and that it was pretty easy to make. 

Here's the recipe.

Kung Pao Chicken (adapted from this recipe)

Ingredients

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into chunks

2 tablespoons rice wine

2 tablespoons soy sauce (Matt and Mandy use the lower sodium one)

2 tablespoons sesame oil, divided
2 tablespoons cornstarch, dissolved in 2 tablespoons water
1 ounce hot chile paste
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
2 teaspoons brown sugar
4 green onions, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 (8 ounce) can water chestnuts (Matt and Mandy skipped these because they don't like the crunch.)
4 ounces chopped peanuts

Directions

1.To Make Marinade: Combine 1 tablespoon wine, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon cornstarch/water mixture and mix together. Place chicken pieces in a glass dish or bowl and add marinade. Toss to coat. Cover dish and place in refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
2.To Make Sauce: In a small bowl combine 1 tablespoon wine, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon oil, 1 tablespoon cornstarch/water mixture, chili paste, vinegar and sugar. Mix together and add green onion, garlic, water chestnuts and peanuts. In a medium skillet, heat sauce slowly until aromatic.
3.Meanwhile, remove chicken from marinade and saute in a large skillet until meat is white and juices run clear. When sauce is aromatic, add sauteed chicken to it and let simmer together until sauce thickens.

*Note.  Matt doubled the sauce, which Mandy would recommend.

I Love All Five of Those Guys!

After being on vacation and eating out for nearly every meal, I pledged not to eat out for a week.  (Originally, I said that I'd never eat out again, but we all know that was not very realistic.)  And I didn't.  And it was great.  I ate actual vegetables and hummus and food that contained real nutrients and everything.  I'm still far from svelte, but I was feelin' good. 

And I was keeping that up today, eating a healthy breakfast.

And sharing it with Mitch, who loves granola bars.

But it didn't quite hit the spot, and I found myself craving food that is not so good for me.  But I put it out of my mind.  I listened to Mitch Hedberg's Do You Believe in Gosh and took a nap on the couch with Mitchell Pancake Hedberg E.F. the dog.  A couple of hours later, Matt was standing over me, rubbing his belly, and saying he had an idea.

It was the same idea I had had earlier.

So we succumbed.

And it was delicious.

Mandy's Famous Peach Sorbet

Now, I'm not sure if this is more of a sorbet or a granita, so we could be looking at Mandy's Famous Peach Granita here.  Does anyone know?

One of the best things about living in Georgia is the peaches.  (Oh, you thought I was going to say "boastful ignorance"?  No, that's actually one of the worst things about living in Georgia.)  Duh, right?  I know, I know.  But seriously, the peaches are out of control.  And there's this little florist/produce stand not far from our house that Ann told me about where they sell the best peaches for $1/pound.  Mmmmmmmmmmmm.  Last year we tried grilling peaches (um, delicious!), and this year I'm making frozen peach treats.

This is what I made yesterday.  I'm trying to cut down on the amount of sugar that I put in these desserts, while still making something tasty and refreshing.  Since these peaches were already so sweet and packed with flavor, I put in only a tiny bit of sugar.  Success!  It's a little sweet and a little tart, and it's light and refreshing--perfect for these hot, hot, hot summer days.

Mandy's Famous Peach Sorbet/Granita

6-8 peaches, peeled and sliced
1-2 teaspoons of sugar
juice from one lemon

1.  Combine all ingredients in a bowl.  Allow to sit for 30-60 minutes to juicify.  (Isn't there a word for that?)
2. Puree ingredients in a food processor.
3.  Put in ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions. 
4.  Place sorbet/granita in freezer to solidify.

Mandy's Famous Blackberry Sorbet

I'm at it again.  I guess that without the internet, there's just not that much to do around the house other than to make sorbet.  That, and I'm addicted to frozen treats.

This one's good.  I personally like the raspberry a little better, but that's because I like raspberries more than I like blackberries. 

And what's even more fun is that the blackberries are such a deep red color that they look like blood, and I like to pretend that I'm eating humans a la Tara and Eggs in season two of True Blood.

So here it is.

 Mandy's Famous Blackberry Sorbet (famous because I invented the recipe, which I almost never do, because I lack originality.  I think it's because my parents sent me to Baptist school when I was a kid.)

 Ingredients

24 ounces of blackberries (I used fresh, but you could use frozen if you let them thaw first)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
Juice from 3 lemons

1. In a small saucepan, boil the half cup of water. When the water is boiling, add the half cup of sugar and stir until it is completely dissolved. Remove from heat.



2. Meanwhile, puree blackberries and lemon juice in a food processor.


3. In a large bowl, combine the blackberry puree with the simple syrup. Chill in refrigerator for 2-4 hours.


4. Place mixture in ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer's instructions.


5. You can enjoy the sorbet immediately, or freeze it to achieve a more solid texture.
 
Happy Friday eating to you!