You may have noticed that one of the items on my 1001/101 list is to "rename the blog" (#48). I've had this niggling feeling for quite a while that "Yogademia" didn't really encompass everything I needed to express. So I've moved over to The Prosecco Life, and I hope you'll join me over there! Thanks for all your love and support, and please continue reading in the new and improved venue!
To subscribe, just click here.
See you soon!
Friday, July 25, 2008
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Second 1001/101 Goal Achieved: #76 See a free event in Central Park
NEW YORK, New York
This week, the free Naumberg Orchestral Concerts series in Central Park offered up Flamenco San Juan in the Naumberg bandshell at the top of the Mall and just below the 72nd Street cutoff. It was spectacularly compelling - the throaty singing, the passionate strumming, the fiery dancing! The entire audience was completely mesmerized. I sat in the crowd and sipped my split of bubbly, watching the dancers' shadows follow their movements. Their colossal silhouettes were outlined by the pink and orange glow of the lights shading up the Pantheon-esque coffered ceiling of the bandshell. It was entirely cinematic, and no photograph would have done it justice. A completely perfect way to achieve #76.
Split of California champagne: $7.99
Flamenco concert: $0
Cool breezes to break the day's stifling heat: $0
Achieving another goal on your 1001/101 list in an utterly beautiful way: priceless
This week, the free Naumberg Orchestral Concerts series in Central Park offered up Flamenco San Juan in the Naumberg bandshell at the top of the Mall and just below the 72nd Street cutoff. It was spectacularly compelling - the throaty singing, the passionate strumming, the fiery dancing! The entire audience was completely mesmerized. I sat in the crowd and sipped my split of bubbly, watching the dancers' shadows follow their movements. Their colossal silhouettes were outlined by the pink and orange glow of the lights shading up the Pantheon-esque coffered ceiling of the bandshell. It was entirely cinematic, and no photograph would have done it justice. A completely perfect way to achieve #76.
Split of California champagne: $7.99
Flamenco concert: $0
Cool breezes to break the day's stifling heat: $0
Achieving another goal on your 1001/101 list in an utterly beautiful way: priceless
Monday, July 21, 2008
Creative Dining for One: Chocolate Red Rice Pudding
NEW YORK, New York
Remember that red rice I keep talking about? I made far too much of it last week, and it gets pretty tough when cold. The best things to do with leftover rice are to make fried rice and rice pudding. Since I had already made the savoury, it was time for the sweet.
Chocolate Red Rice Pudding
1.5 cups leftover cooked red rice
3.5 cups milk, I used 2%
1/4-1/3 cup sugar, or to taste
generous 1/4 cup chocolate shavings (didn't have chocolate chips, but I'm sure that would work too)
Dump all ingredients in saucepan on high heat. Stirring occasionally, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low so the mixture simmers. Simmer, covered, stirring occasionally for about 45 minutes or until most of the milk is absorbed and the pudding is creamy. Serve hot or cold, plain or topped with berries.
****************
This was really, really delicious. The red rice made it seem even more chocolatey than regular chocolate rice pudding since the color was closer to that lovely chocolate brown. I used some really nice unsweetened drinking chocolate that I'm trying to finish off for the chocolate, and I would strongly recommend this because it kept things from being too sweet. If you used chocolate chips, decreasing the amount of sugar used would probably be a good idea given their inherent sweetness. All in all, making this pudding was stupidly easy. The only thing you have to remember is to not let the milk boil in an attempt to make it evaporate more quickly - slow and steady wins the rice.
(Sorry about that - I couldn't help myself.)
***************
If you're wondering why I'm writing so much about cooking lately, there are three reasons: heat, frugality and availability. It has been above 90 every day in New York for the last several days, and being outside just drains me, so I stay in. Since living in New York is so very expensive, it is far easier - and much more fun and creative - to cook at home than to go out, as tempting as that is. Besides, once I get to Beijing this fall, there will be no cooking whatsoever, so I'm trying to take full advantage of having my own kitchen for a little while.
Remember that red rice I keep talking about? I made far too much of it last week, and it gets pretty tough when cold. The best things to do with leftover rice are to make fried rice and rice pudding. Since I had already made the savoury, it was time for the sweet.
Chocolate Red Rice Pudding
1.5 cups leftover cooked red rice
3.5 cups milk, I used 2%
1/4-1/3 cup sugar, or to taste
generous 1/4 cup chocolate shavings (didn't have chocolate chips, but I'm sure that would work too)
Dump all ingredients in saucepan on high heat. Stirring occasionally, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low so the mixture simmers. Simmer, covered, stirring occasionally for about 45 minutes or until most of the milk is absorbed and the pudding is creamy. Serve hot or cold, plain or topped with berries.
****************
This was really, really delicious. The red rice made it seem even more chocolatey than regular chocolate rice pudding since the color was closer to that lovely chocolate brown. I used some really nice unsweetened drinking chocolate that I'm trying to finish off for the chocolate, and I would strongly recommend this because it kept things from being too sweet. If you used chocolate chips, decreasing the amount of sugar used would probably be a good idea given their inherent sweetness. All in all, making this pudding was stupidly easy. The only thing you have to remember is to not let the milk boil in an attempt to make it evaporate more quickly - slow and steady wins the rice.
(Sorry about that - I couldn't help myself.)
***************
If you're wondering why I'm writing so much about cooking lately, there are three reasons: heat, frugality and availability. It has been above 90 every day in New York for the last several days, and being outside just drains me, so I stay in. Since living in New York is so very expensive, it is far easier - and much more fun and creative - to cook at home than to go out, as tempting as that is. Besides, once I get to Beijing this fall, there will be no cooking whatsoever, so I'm trying to take full advantage of having my own kitchen for a little while.
First Attempt at #14: Learn to roast a chicken
NEW YORK, New York
At $2.29 per pound at the closest grocer, whole chickens are the cheapest game in town right now. So it seemed like a good time to start learning how to roast a chicken and make some more headway on my 1001/101 list.
Why roast a whole chicken? For some reason, it intimidates me. I can rock a holiday turkey without thinking twice about it thanks to that marvel known as the electronic meat thermometer. But chickens seemed somehow quirkier and more difficult to do really well. It's easy to make a mediocre roast chicken; harder to do a truly delicious and memorable bird.
It also seemed like the perfect dish both for bachelorettes like myself and for dinner parties. As a single girl, you roast one chicken and come out with cooked meat at the ready for the remainder of the week to make curry, top salads, pack a picnic, and so on. For a dinner party, it feeds several people, scents the kitchen divinely, and makes a good impression when carried to the table on a serving plate surrounded by roast potatoes and brussels sprouts. Plus, you can make stock from the carcass.
But first, a little clarification. When I say, "Learn to roast a chicken," I don't mean to just throw a chicken in the oven and be done with it. I mean, roast enough chickens to determine the right combination of heat, flavor and time to create a juicy, flavorsome bird with a nice crispy skin that works every single time and can be done off the top of my head. There are so many possible suggestions for temperature settings on the web! So many ideas for rubs, pastes, stuffings, and so on! Where does a girl start?
In the spirit of creative dining for one, she starts with whatever is about to go off in the fridge: in this case, scallions. I hacked them up into 1.5 inch pieces, coarsely chopped two cloves of garlic and cut two lemons into eighths. After prepping my chicken (wash, pat dry with paper towels, don't forget to remove the giblets) and settling it in the pan, I stuffed it with a handful of the scallions, garlic and lemons, and scattered the rest around the chicken. A generous sprinkle of herbes de provence, a light coating of olive oil on the skin, a squeeze of lemon, and in it went.
Since I'm well-practiced in roasting turkeys, I decided to take my cues from that process. First I preheated the oven to 400, put the bird in, then turned it down to 350. This allows the skin to get a little crispy and brown without requiring that you actually brown the bird in a skillet before heaving it into the pan. Then, just baste occasionally with pan juices and roast until the juices run clear, which took a little more than an hour. I then let it sit for about 15 minutes for the juices to redistribute.
It turned out pretty well. Toothsome and juicy, cooked perfectly throughout. But it wasn't as flavorful as I would have hoped, and the skin wasn't as brown or crispy as I would have liked. How to fix this? For crispier skin, next time I'll try leaving the oven at 400 for 10-15 minutes before turning it down, or perhaps leaving at 400 throughout, which some recipes advocated. For more flavor, I'll put cloves of garlic and whatever herbs under the skin on top of the meat, same as for a turkey. But right now, I have a lovely large foil package of roasted chicken in my fridge, which is extremely satisfying considering I did it on my own and for the first time.
If anyone has particular suggestions for combinations of flavors and cooking methods that work well, I'd love to hear them!
At $2.29 per pound at the closest grocer, whole chickens are the cheapest game in town right now. So it seemed like a good time to start learning how to roast a chicken and make some more headway on my 1001/101 list.
Why roast a whole chicken? For some reason, it intimidates me. I can rock a holiday turkey without thinking twice about it thanks to that marvel known as the electronic meat thermometer. But chickens seemed somehow quirkier and more difficult to do really well. It's easy to make a mediocre roast chicken; harder to do a truly delicious and memorable bird.
It also seemed like the perfect dish both for bachelorettes like myself and for dinner parties. As a single girl, you roast one chicken and come out with cooked meat at the ready for the remainder of the week to make curry, top salads, pack a picnic, and so on. For a dinner party, it feeds several people, scents the kitchen divinely, and makes a good impression when carried to the table on a serving plate surrounded by roast potatoes and brussels sprouts. Plus, you can make stock from the carcass.
But first, a little clarification. When I say, "Learn to roast a chicken," I don't mean to just throw a chicken in the oven and be done with it. I mean, roast enough chickens to determine the right combination of heat, flavor and time to create a juicy, flavorsome bird with a nice crispy skin that works every single time and can be done off the top of my head. There are so many possible suggestions for temperature settings on the web! So many ideas for rubs, pastes, stuffings, and so on! Where does a girl start?
In the spirit of creative dining for one, she starts with whatever is about to go off in the fridge: in this case, scallions. I hacked them up into 1.5 inch pieces, coarsely chopped two cloves of garlic and cut two lemons into eighths. After prepping my chicken (wash, pat dry with paper towels, don't forget to remove the giblets) and settling it in the pan, I stuffed it with a handful of the scallions, garlic and lemons, and scattered the rest around the chicken. A generous sprinkle of herbes de provence, a light coating of olive oil on the skin, a squeeze of lemon, and in it went.
Since I'm well-practiced in roasting turkeys, I decided to take my cues from that process. First I preheated the oven to 400, put the bird in, then turned it down to 350. This allows the skin to get a little crispy and brown without requiring that you actually brown the bird in a skillet before heaving it into the pan. Then, just baste occasionally with pan juices and roast until the juices run clear, which took a little more than an hour. I then let it sit for about 15 minutes for the juices to redistribute.
It turned out pretty well. Toothsome and juicy, cooked perfectly throughout. But it wasn't as flavorful as I would have hoped, and the skin wasn't as brown or crispy as I would have liked. How to fix this? For crispier skin, next time I'll try leaving the oven at 400 for 10-15 minutes before turning it down, or perhaps leaving at 400 throughout, which some recipes advocated. For more flavor, I'll put cloves of garlic and whatever herbs under the skin on top of the meat, same as for a turkey. But right now, I have a lovely large foil package of roasted chicken in my fridge, which is extremely satisfying considering I did it on my own and for the first time.
If anyone has particular suggestions for combinations of flavors and cooking methods that work well, I'd love to hear them!
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Creative Dining for One: French Omelette with Herbs and Goat Cheese
NEW YORK, New York
When you just can't be bothered to cook but you know you need a proper meal, the best thing to make is an omelette. Served with a simple green salad, a slice of fresh buttered bread and a glass of wine, it makes a light and balanced meal. Lest you think that omelettes are intimidating, just watch Julia Child:
I tried it today just to prove to myself that it could actually happen in thirty seconds or less. In the space of one commercial break during the Mad Men season one marathon on AMC, an entire fresh meal came together! I added herbes de provence and goat cheese for a bit of filling just before turning it out of the pan, and it worked perfectly. Follow Julia's recipe (high heat, hot nonstick pan, butter, two eggs, shake and flip) and you will do just fine. If you want an actual recipe to follow, this recipe for a Classic French Omelette will give you the step-by-step instructions. Bon appetit!
When you just can't be bothered to cook but you know you need a proper meal, the best thing to make is an omelette. Served with a simple green salad, a slice of fresh buttered bread and a glass of wine, it makes a light and balanced meal. Lest you think that omelettes are intimidating, just watch Julia Child:
I tried it today just to prove to myself that it could actually happen in thirty seconds or less. In the space of one commercial break during the Mad Men season one marathon on AMC, an entire fresh meal came together! I added herbes de provence and goat cheese for a bit of filling just before turning it out of the pan, and it worked perfectly. Follow Julia's recipe (high heat, hot nonstick pan, butter, two eggs, shake and flip) and you will do just fine. If you want an actual recipe to follow, this recipe for a Classic French Omelette will give you the step-by-step instructions. Bon appetit!
First 1001/101 Goal Achieved: #11 Tour a Cheese Cave
NEW YORK, New York
Word of the day: affinage (noun), French - the art of aging and maturing cheese. One who is professionally trained in affinage is known as an affineur.
As a confirmed Dairy Diva and Cheese Fanatic, touring a cheese cave was absolutely going to be one of the things I achieved on my 1001/101 list. But instead of waiting to travel to France, I found I could do it a little closer to home: Murray's Cheese in Greenwich Village opens up its legendary cave once a month for tours. For $10, you get a 45-minute tour plus two tastings, and they had water and snacks out for us before the tour as well. It's cheaper than a movie ticket, which is currently $12 in Manhattan.
There are different caves with different environments based on the type of cheese and its type of rind. There was an entire cave with nothing but goat cheese! If you are in New York or traveling there on Murray's Cave Days, you should definitely sign up for one of the tours.
And now, mesdames et messiurs, le fromage...
Left: goat cheeses becoming all ripe and wonderful in their own dedicated cave
Center: an 85lb. wheel of parmesan, approximately $1500
Right: Stinky, wonderful washed-rind cheeses
Left: The cutest cheese in the cave
Right: Our tasting platter, with Grayson, a stinky cow's milk cheese from Virginia in front, and Monte Enebro, a soft goat's milk cheese from Spain at the back
But this photo really sums up the experience:
This is Constant Bliss, from Vermont - of course there would be a cheese named for happiness!
The requisite $100 for completion has now been stashed away in celebration. One thing down, 100 left to go!
Word of the day: affinage (noun), French - the art of aging and maturing cheese. One who is professionally trained in affinage is known as an affineur.
As a confirmed Dairy Diva and Cheese Fanatic, touring a cheese cave was absolutely going to be one of the things I achieved on my 1001/101 list. But instead of waiting to travel to France, I found I could do it a little closer to home: Murray's Cheese in Greenwich Village opens up its legendary cave once a month for tours. For $10, you get a 45-minute tour plus two tastings, and they had water and snacks out for us before the tour as well. It's cheaper than a movie ticket, which is currently $12 in Manhattan.
There are different caves with different environments based on the type of cheese and its type of rind. There was an entire cave with nothing but goat cheese! If you are in New York or traveling there on Murray's Cave Days, you should definitely sign up for one of the tours.
And now, mesdames et messiurs, le fromage...
Left: goat cheeses becoming all ripe and wonderful in their own dedicated cave
Center: an 85lb. wheel of parmesan, approximately $1500
Right: Stinky, wonderful washed-rind cheeses
Left: The cutest cheese in the cave
Right: Our tasting platter, with Grayson, a stinky cow's milk cheese from Virginia in front, and Monte Enebro, a soft goat's milk cheese from Spain at the back
But this photo really sums up the experience:
This is Constant Bliss, from Vermont - of course there would be a cheese named for happiness!
The requisite $100 for completion has now been stashed away in celebration. One thing down, 100 left to go!
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Defining the life you want
NEW YORK, New York
Hip Tranquil Chick's most recent post is about defining your life as art. She raises a very interesting point about how to do so:
"What do you want to see — colors, players, life-defining moments, milestones? Let your canvas unfold into images that make your heart sing. If you don’t like what you see, how can you begin making small changes to make certain pieces of your life more prominently displayed and to lessen any parts that are overshadowing?"
Even a quick glance through the Master List of 1001/101 projects makes it clear that the participants want to change their lives from the one they have into the one they want. The list of 101 things that someone creates is all about committing to change, and making that list begins to define the life a particular person wants in very concrete terms.
What also needs to be defined are sense responses you want for your life: views, flavors, scents, sounds, and textures. In preparing for my monthly at-home spa night (#31 on the list), this idea was brought into sharp relief. Whether a professional spa or a home spa, anyone who goes into the experience hopes to come out softer, smoother, fresher, prettier. We hope to improve the texture of our skin, brighten the colors of our nails, calm our minds and our muscles. But any activity or treatment we choose reflects the life and body we hope to enjoy on a regular basis.
It isn't simply that we want to have clearer skin or softer hair; it is also about the sensual experience of the spa. Candles, music, flavored water, bath products, even the robe that you wear all suggest elements of your own personal definition. This is especially true of an at-home spa experience, when you can decide exactly what you want or need. Do you want scented or unscented candles, pillars or tea lights? Do you want flavored water, tea, or a glass of wine? A gentle yoga practice, a nap or a movie? Oil-absorbing clay mask or skin-soothing creamy mask? To some degree it may seem to be just what your body needs, but that is also part of the definition because your body is defining for you the changes that are necessary to bring it into its ideal state.
When we make up the goals we want to accomplish in the next 1001 days, we don't say, "Scent my home with lavender every Friday" or "Wear only silky pajamas to bed for a month." Somehow, the sense element often seems to be left out of the lists, replaced by specific goals to improve our lives and ourselves. Changing the sense elements around will also help with that, and making a tiny intentional decision about creating a particular sense response - whether with fresh flowers, a ripe peach, or just the color of the polish on your toenails - brings your definition of the life you want into sharper focus.
Hip Tranquil Chick's most recent post is about defining your life as art. She raises a very interesting point about how to do so:
"What do you want to see — colors, players, life-defining moments, milestones? Let your canvas unfold into images that make your heart sing. If you don’t like what you see, how can you begin making small changes to make certain pieces of your life more prominently displayed and to lessen any parts that are overshadowing?"
Even a quick glance through the Master List of 1001/101 projects makes it clear that the participants want to change their lives from the one they have into the one they want. The list of 101 things that someone creates is all about committing to change, and making that list begins to define the life a particular person wants in very concrete terms.
What also needs to be defined are sense responses you want for your life: views, flavors, scents, sounds, and textures. In preparing for my monthly at-home spa night (#31 on the list), this idea was brought into sharp relief. Whether a professional spa or a home spa, anyone who goes into the experience hopes to come out softer, smoother, fresher, prettier. We hope to improve the texture of our skin, brighten the colors of our nails, calm our minds and our muscles. But any activity or treatment we choose reflects the life and body we hope to enjoy on a regular basis.
It isn't simply that we want to have clearer skin or softer hair; it is also about the sensual experience of the spa. Candles, music, flavored water, bath products, even the robe that you wear all suggest elements of your own personal definition. This is especially true of an at-home spa experience, when you can decide exactly what you want or need. Do you want scented or unscented candles, pillars or tea lights? Do you want flavored water, tea, or a glass of wine? A gentle yoga practice, a nap or a movie? Oil-absorbing clay mask or skin-soothing creamy mask? To some degree it may seem to be just what your body needs, but that is also part of the definition because your body is defining for you the changes that are necessary to bring it into its ideal state.
When we make up the goals we want to accomplish in the next 1001 days, we don't say, "Scent my home with lavender every Friday" or "Wear only silky pajamas to bed for a month." Somehow, the sense element often seems to be left out of the lists, replaced by specific goals to improve our lives and ourselves. Changing the sense elements around will also help with that, and making a tiny intentional decision about creating a particular sense response - whether with fresh flowers, a ripe peach, or just the color of the polish on your toenails - brings your definition of the life you want into sharper focus.
Friday, July 18, 2008
Yogademia Essentials: Effortless Yogurt Mask
NEW YORK, New York
Lacking a mask for my at-home spa night, I decided to try a yogurt mask. Talk about idiot-proof: simply take one or two tablespoons of plain yogurt, smear over you face, let sit for 15 minutes, then rinse off with warm water. Plain yogurt is good for all skin types, but you can add a squeeze of citrus juice for oily skin or squirt of honey for dry skin.
Bottom line: Scoop, stir, smear, sit, splash.
This was incredible - my skin feels amazingly soft and smooth, even more so than it does after exfoliating with Modern Friction. It even looks slightly glowy, and the tone seems more even as well. The ultimate facial mask, costing mere pennies, has apparently been hiding in the refrigerator behind the guise of standard cooking staple. Try it - I promise you will not be disappointed.
Lacking a mask for my at-home spa night, I decided to try a yogurt mask. Talk about idiot-proof: simply take one or two tablespoons of plain yogurt, smear over you face, let sit for 15 minutes, then rinse off with warm water. Plain yogurt is good for all skin types, but you can add a squeeze of citrus juice for oily skin or squirt of honey for dry skin.
Bottom line: Scoop, stir, smear, sit, splash.
This was incredible - my skin feels amazingly soft and smooth, even more so than it does after exfoliating with Modern Friction. It even looks slightly glowy, and the tone seems more even as well. The ultimate facial mask, costing mere pennies, has apparently been hiding in the refrigerator behind the guise of standard cooking staple. Try it - I promise you will not be disappointed.
1001/101 #14: Learn to roast a chicken
NEW YORK, New York
This little video by my culinary hero Julia Child about roasting a chicken is quite possibly the funniest introduction ever to the different types of chickens available for cooking.
If it wasn't a no-spend day, I'd run out right now and buy a roaster to try making tonight.
This little video by my culinary hero Julia Child about roasting a chicken is quite possibly the funniest introduction ever to the different types of chickens available for cooking.
If it wasn't a no-spend day, I'd run out right now and buy a roaster to try making tonight.
1001/101 Tally: Week 1
NEW YORK, New York
At the end of my first week of the 1001/101 project, the tally is as follows:
Missed:
#36: Drink one cup of green tea every day (one day)
#38: Listen to one French-language podcast daily (three days)
Achieved:
#29: Floss once every day
#39: Write in journal twice a week
#40: Choose Happiness consciously every day
To keep myself honest, Choosing Happiness is specifically defined on my tally spreadsheet in various ways for any given day.
#51: Post to blog at least three times weekly
#52: Take at least two photos each week
Left: Jeff Koons, Balloon Dog (Yellow), sculpture garden on the roof of the Met
Right: Belvedere Castle through the trees, Central Park,
#91: Practice yoga twice weekly
My second practice this week was Yoga Today's class on Supported Head and Shoulderstand, which is also a stepping stone for #30: Learn to do and hold a headstand.
#95: Run twice a week
#97: Work on my dissertation for 30 minutes each non-holiday weekday
I didn't work on it for the two weekdays while Freya was here because we declared that a staycation. In other words, I was officially on holiday and therefore didn't actually miss any days.
Anticipated for the upcoming week 7/18-7/24:
#11: Tour a Cheese Cave
Scheduled for Saturday morning at the monthly Cave Day at Murray's Cheese Shop!
#31: Have an at-home spa evening
Probably tonight, since it's time for a new coat of nail polish.
#76: See a free event in Central Park
I did go with Tennessee to half of the free New York Philharmonic concert in Central Park on Tuesday, but could barely hear anything (i.e. Beethoven's Symphony No. 4), so that doesn't seem like it counted. Instead, this coming Tuesday I'll be going to one of the Naumberg concerts in the bandshell to see and hear a flamenco performance!
#82: Have 10 no-spend days per month
The first of those has to happen today in order to achieve all ten.
Musings on what I learned from all this will be in my next post!
At the end of my first week of the 1001/101 project, the tally is as follows:
Missed:
#36: Drink one cup of green tea every day (one day)
#38: Listen to one French-language podcast daily (three days)
Achieved:
#29: Floss once every day
#39: Write in journal twice a week
#40: Choose Happiness consciously every day
To keep myself honest, Choosing Happiness is specifically defined on my tally spreadsheet in various ways for any given day.
#51: Post to blog at least three times weekly
#52: Take at least two photos each week
Left: Jeff Koons, Balloon Dog (Yellow), sculpture garden on the roof of the Met
Right: Belvedere Castle through the trees, Central Park,
#91: Practice yoga twice weekly
My second practice this week was Yoga Today's class on Supported Head and Shoulderstand, which is also a stepping stone for #30: Learn to do and hold a headstand.
#95: Run twice a week
#97: Work on my dissertation for 30 minutes each non-holiday weekday
I didn't work on it for the two weekdays while Freya was here because we declared that a staycation. In other words, I was officially on holiday and therefore didn't actually miss any days.
Anticipated for the upcoming week 7/18-7/24:
#11: Tour a Cheese Cave
Scheduled for Saturday morning at the monthly Cave Day at Murray's Cheese Shop!
#31: Have an at-home spa evening
Probably tonight, since it's time for a new coat of nail polish.
#76: See a free event in Central Park
I did go with Tennessee to half of the free New York Philharmonic concert in Central Park on Tuesday, but could barely hear anything (i.e. Beethoven's Symphony No. 4), so that doesn't seem like it counted. Instead, this coming Tuesday I'll be going to one of the Naumberg concerts in the bandshell to see and hear a flamenco performance!
#82: Have 10 no-spend days per month
The first of those has to happen today in order to achieve all ten.
Musings on what I learned from all this will be in my next post!
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Creative Dining: Savory Red Rice with Pecans and Goat Cheese
NEW YORK, New York
I found Camargue red rice at TJMaxx a few weeks ago, and used it in the Sweet Plum Rice I made for the first Creative Dining for One installment. It is very toothsome, and has a nice nutty flavor, which makes it much more filling than plain, brown or basmati rice. As such, it has a little too much body for a side dish, but as the base for a vegetarian main dish it is absolutely ideal.
1 scallion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 cup cooked red rice
handful of pecans
goat cheese
Heat olive oil in small skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering, then turn heat down to medium-low and add scallion and garlic. Stir-fry gently until softened and shiny but still brightly colored - be careful not to turn the heat up too high and burn the garlic! Add the rice, and stir gently over the heat to mix well. Add the pecans, mix gently to heat through. Serve topped with bits of goat cheese.
*If you were feeling ambitious or needed a good wrist-strengthener, you could toast the pecans in a dry skillet before cooking the scallions and garlic.
*If you wanted to do more of a fried rice-type version with higher protein or are allergic to nuts, after stir-frying the scallion and garlic, you could stir a beaten egg into the pan and scramble it gently with the vegetables. Break up the curds of egg into smallish bits with your spatula and make sure it's cooked through before stirring in the rice.
I found Camargue red rice at TJMaxx a few weeks ago, and used it in the Sweet Plum Rice I made for the first Creative Dining for One installment. It is very toothsome, and has a nice nutty flavor, which makes it much more filling than plain, brown or basmati rice. As such, it has a little too much body for a side dish, but as the base for a vegetarian main dish it is absolutely ideal.
1 scallion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 cup cooked red rice
handful of pecans
goat cheese
Heat olive oil in small skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering, then turn heat down to medium-low and add scallion and garlic. Stir-fry gently until softened and shiny but still brightly colored - be careful not to turn the heat up too high and burn the garlic! Add the rice, and stir gently over the heat to mix well. Add the pecans, mix gently to heat through. Serve topped with bits of goat cheese.
*If you were feeling ambitious or needed a good wrist-strengthener, you could toast the pecans in a dry skillet before cooking the scallions and garlic.
*If you wanted to do more of a fried rice-type version with higher protein or are allergic to nuts, after stir-frying the scallion and garlic, you could stir a beaten egg into the pan and scramble it gently with the vegetables. Break up the curds of egg into smallish bits with your spatula and make sure it's cooked through before stirring in the rice.
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