new things

Fact 1: rory got a new lens on his camera (our camera) and he recently purchased final cut pro

Fact 2: i love to cook.  you, obviously, know this already

Fact 3: i'm an actress (maybe you didn't know this.)

Fact 4: I've wanted to make a cooking thing/video/project ... something

If we mix all these facts together we come up with a video of me that rory made!  it was fun to do.  being our first one, i think there's places we could improve for next time.  i'm hoping there will be a next time. also - i hope you enjoy the video and seeing me in my kitchen. :)  really, it all comes down to making food for people you love.  that love comes through and you can taste it.

Here's the original recipe I was using for the pasta.  The ingredients in GREEN i didn't use, if I used a replacement it's in bold inside of ( ) next to what was supposed to be in the dish.

Greek Spinach-Salad Pasta with Feta, Olives, Artichokes, Tomatoes and Pepperoncini

Recipe adapted from "The Fresh & Green Table" by Susie Middleton (Chronicle Books)

Makes 4 to 6 servings, ~45 minutes

ingredients
¼ cup mild extra-virginolive oil
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon white balsamic vinegar
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped (about 2 teaspoons)
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon (about 2 teaspoons)

1 teaspoon black olive tapenade

1 teaspoon honey (raw honey)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 small red onion, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
1 can (14 ounces) artichoke hearts, drained and quartered lengthwise

8 ounces small grape tomatoes, halved (about 1¾ cups) (2 medium tomatoes, chopped)

½ cup pitted kalamata olives, quartered lengthwise

4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh oregano, divided (dried oregano)

½ pound dried gemelli or other curly pasta

5 loosely packed cups baby spinach (a big bunch of arugula)

⅓ cup chopped toasted walnuts
12 small whole pepperoncini, drained

 

directions
1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the olive oil with the vinegar, garlic, lemon zest, honey, ½ teaspoon salt and several grinds of black pepper. Add the onion, artichoke hearts, tomatoes, feta and 1 tablespoon of the oregano and toss well. Let sit for 20 minutes.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain well in a colander but do not rinse.
3. Transfer the warm pasta to the mixing bowl and season with ¼ teaspoon salt. Add the spinach, the remaining tablespoon oregano, walnuts and pepperoncini and toss well. (The feta will loosen up and coat the pasta.) Season with additional salt and pepper, if desired. Serve immediately.

For the fish, you can see i just gave it an egg bath, dipped it in bread crumbs and pan fried it w. a little salt and pepper.

Here's my kale salad...obviously be a little more careful then I was on the slicing of the cheese...i used to massage this salad by hand and get reeeaaal messy, then my friend kirstin suggested doing it in a ziploc bag - GENIUS!

Kale Salad

ingredients
1/2 bag chopped kale
a few glugs of extra virgin olive oil
juice of one lemon
salt & pepper
a few slices of parmesan (you can use crumbled feta or goat cheese if you'd like)


directions
1. put the kale in a ziploc bag. add the olive oil, salt, pepper and juice of the lemon.
2. seal the bag - get all the air out of there.  massage the crap out of that kale - for like 10 minutes.
3. let the kale sit until you're ready to eat, once you're ready to eat slice some parmesan over the whole salad and serve.

lookie lookie

Say hello to my little friend....

DEEE cember

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Do you like to try to guess your gifts ahead of time?

I do. :( I feel bad about it. I try to put it out of my head but I do try to guess...even if I don't tell you I think I know what I am getting...I try guess what it is the person is giving me. I'll admit it, along a similar line, I have fantasies about my fiance coming home and surprising me just to hang out. He's on the road a lot so I think that this is a way that I express my missing him. I create these elaborate things in my brain and hope they happen...even though I know that they won't it still makes me really excited. 


Monday, December 5, 2011
What was the first gift you ever made another person?


The first gift I made had to have been born of my father genius to do what all children should do on Mother's Day - make brunch! I'm sure that was the first "gift" I made. I also have a tendency to make my family cards. One year I even made a work of art for my family. They each had a similar drawing of a building from from France, then I found quote approprite to each member of the family and painted it on the canvas. Not terribly creative but I think everyone liked them.


Tuesday, December 2, 2011
What was the most disappointing gift you received as a child?


I don't remember every having a gift disappoint me. Especially as a child, they were presents. And no - this was not a cop out.


Monday, December 1, 2011
What was the first tangible gift you remember receiving?

The first tangible gift I remember getting, hmm. Wow, my brain initially told me to tell you about my little yellow chair I received on like my 4th  birthday but I can’t remember actually “receiving” it, you know? I don’t remember opening the box.  I know I said “just what I’ve always wanted” because I’ve been told, at that birthday party, that was my response to everything. We had just moved to Scottsdale, AZ, I had no friends my parents knew a handful of adults so they invited them over to our house so that I could have a birthday party.  Everyone played along and brought gifts and I was ecstatic, hence the “just what I’ve always wanted” response to everything…I mean, I was four and had a houseful of adults looking at me as I opened ever gift there was. And, I’m sure after the first time, someone laughed and I loved the response so I kept doing it.  Attention hog much, NO WAY.

That was my gut reaction but when I thought about it, the first gift I remember holding in my hands and feeling that overwhelming feeling a child gets when they open a gift they never knew they wanted but it was the best thing ever.  I think it was like 1987 and I was 6 or something and my dad’s parents had come up to CT to celebrate Christmas.  My family had a tradition of opening one gift of our choice on Christmas eve, I think we’ve since dispelled that tradition as this 30yr old didn’t do it last year, or the year before for that matter. Anyway, it was the night before Christmas and all through the house, everyone was waiting for me to pick a gift...because it takes FOREVER it has to be the right gift. Finally I settled on the gift from my grandparents, it wasn't too light and it wasn't too heavy, you could hear something moving around in tissue paper. Not LITERALLY moving around, I was shaking it a little. I opened the box, there was no wrapping paper, just a dark green box with a white ribbon. I opened the box and slowly pulled back the white tissue paper to reveal a beautiful china doll. She was gorgeous, she had pale skin, lightly pinked cheeks and lips and a plain dress. I loved her and hugged her. I was so happy. She was so delicate. That't it.

Homemade Vanilla Extract

I just decided to make whisky vanilla extract.  I used two big Madagascar vanilla pods split in two then a cup of Irish whisky and popped it all in a jar.  Shook it once or twice and stored it under my sink, I'll be back in a week to check on it but it's supposed to take a month or so...so, we'll see.

Ever made home vanilla extract?Better luck with vodka or bourbon?


xo

on a whim

I decided to make granola.  I looked at a few different recipes from sites I love (shutterbean & big girls small kitchen) and made an easy bastardized version of their granolas.  It smells great.  I hope it tastes good and that I can wait until tomorrow morning to eat it.  I really think this is the kind of thing you can put anything crunchy in. Walnuts? Pumpkin seeds? Other fun crunchy grains? Whatever.


Fall is the time for baking, so get on it.  I recommend some explosions in the sky blasting in the background and, this might sound dumb, but as you mix an bake have an intention.  Are you making this to help you be smarter about what you eat?  Is it because you love your partner and want to make the something yummy?  Is it for that friend of yours that is going through a rough patch?  Whatever it is (it could even just to celebrate you - we don't do it often enough) just think it while you work.  You'll end up putting so much love into something so simple you will be able to taste it. Enjoy!

Tuesday Granola
bastardized from here and here


Ingredients
3 C rolled oats
1/2 C slivered almonds
1/2 C raw sunflower seeds
1/2 C (+ more) mix of raisins, dried blueberries, cranberries, and cherries (what, what trader joes!)
1/2 C raw millet
1/2 C honey
1/2 T cinnamon
1/2 C canola oil (you can probably use olive oil to give it a more savory quality)
salt to taste


Preheat the oven to 350. Mix all of your dry ingredients in a big bowl. Once mixed add the honey and the oil to coat.  Spread out on a rimmed baking sheet, set your timer for 10 minutes and bake.  Take out and stir around, then do this 2 more times.  Once your granola is a nice even toasted brown color, you're done.  Let cool completely before putting into air tight containers. While its cooling - continue to stir it around to keep it all broken up. (The other recipes said they made about 6 cups...I think thats what I got?!)


xo

Long Month

Where did August go and what do i have to prove that it was busy?! Not much.  

Rory's sisters came into town, it was awesome.  We ate awesome food, took an amazing road trip to San Francisco and drove back down the Highway 1, taking our time.  It was so nice.  We stopped in Santa Cruz and picked up some cheese, bread, wine, honey and an apple or two.  Then we stopped at a roadside farm stand and picked up a few pints of strawberries.  When we were about 15 min away from the Hearst Castle we pulled off the road, walked out to the edge of the cliff and sat down and had a picnic.  We sat and talked and ate and looked at the ocean for about an hour. It was great, I think the best part of the journey.

I've cooked a few meals with my girlfriend Janell.  We've made salads full of summer veggies, talpia, steak, corn and there's been a lot of brie and baguettes with a side of wine. :)  I've started exercising more and I've made a point of having at least one day off from all of my many jobs. I think I might be turning a new corner here in LA.  I miss acting. I miss the creative process.  So...I have to make it for myself. I have to just do...even if that means no time to myself and no days off, I just have to do. 

What exactly does this all mean? I'm not 100% sure but I do know that I will have to take baby steps, one bit at a time. Mini goals nothing too terrifying.  Being terrified is what has stopped me in the first place. I know I need to do my research. I need to finish making my reel again - I have new things to add. I have to move forward. On anything. 

Well. There's August. Now comes September.  I might do the NaBPoMo (right?) again.  The theme for September is Return. Seems fitting.  (Oh yeah - and I have to start thinking about planning a wedding!)


How was your August? Did you survive the heat, the earthquake back east, Hurricane Irene? Fill me in.
xo

Oh Ira Glass

I don't know if I ever told you, but back when I lived in NYC (that seems like such a trite statement) the girls of Bushwick Shakes and I met Ira Glass. At a bar.  

We were there before going to a party and we were multi-tasking - drinking and having a company meeting.  We were drinking white wine, had our moleskins out and were sitting in the back of The West Side Tavern.  We were chatting about shows and marketing and new ideas, I don't even remember seeing a table of 4 sit down next to us.  Next thing I know, there's this really tall man in thick rimmed glasses with a thick head of dark hair towering over my friend Tiffany and I.  He squats down next to us so that he could be eye level with us and says, "I'm sorry to interrupt you ladies, but what are you doing working at a bar?"  We then launch into the whole "we're an all female Shakespeare company working on our next show (and as I write this, it must have been Julius Caesar, eh hem, in which I played Cassius...Awesome good time).  He asks a bunch of questions, was really nice and friendly and an all around cool guy.  He asks what our names are, we tell him, he says, "I'm Ira."  Cool, great, see you later...and back to his table he went.

I never put two and two together until later, he was still sitting next to us, we were still working and he was literally 10 feet behind me when at the bar Lexi and I are ordering another glass of wine and I say (outloud) "Holy shit....that's Ira Glass. Like NPR Ira Glass." Lexi was shocked that a) I didn't know immediatly and b) that I was actually saying these things that he might hear.  Hello nerd alter!  I cannot tell you how excited I was.

I will never know if he heard me but I do know that when I get home, I went online and figured out how to get in touch with him.  I drafted an email re-intorducing myself and the company and said that we would love to have him and his team come to the show.  I sent a press release, everything.  I was even in touch with one of his production guys who said they were trying to figure out if they'd be in NYC during the run of our show. 

Alas, he wasn't able to come to the show...but he at least knew I was in one and I got to meet him.  I also found this today and its a good reminder.

simplicity

It's been an emotional roller coaster recently.  

I haven't felt like doing much of anything.  My running isn't helping and I've even been bored in the kitchen. That's no good...that's supposed to be my place of solace and it hasn't been.  I've let my dishes pile up, I've eaten more bread and cheese than I should.  Sigh.  These are just the ebbs and flows of life, I guess.  

I did stumble upon a few things tonight.  A marinade that's great for pork or chicken and doesn't take too long to settle into the meat....ew, that can kinda sound gross.  Whatever.  It's easy.  You need, a ziplock bag, whatever meat you are using and here's how it goes: Put your meat into the ziplock, pour in a healthy dose of olive oil, salt and pepper, a good pour of low sodium soy sauce, about a tablespoon of honey and a big spoonful of chile sauce...found next to the Saracha at the grocery store, same brand but in a smaller bottle w. a green top...seal and let sit in the fridge for an hour (or more, I did three b.c I was doing stuff) and then broil your meat until done.  Or if you have a grill, I bet it would be great grilled.

I also stumbled upon this and it made me smile, so I leave you with it and hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

may my heart always be open to little
birds who are the secrets of living
whatever they sing is better than to know
and if men should not hear them men are old
   
may my mind stroll about hungry
and fearless and thirsty and supple
and even if it's sunday may i be wrong
for whenever men are right they are not young
   
and may myself do nothing usefully
and love yourself so more than truly
there's never been quite such a fool who could fail
pulling all the sky over him with one smile

- e.e. cummings

things to remember

50 WAYS TO COPE WITH STRESS

Get up 15 minutes earlier. Prepare for the morning the night before. Don’t rely on your memory ... write things down. Repair things that don’t work properly. MAKE DUPLICATE KEYS. SAY “NO” MORE OFTEN. Set priorities in your life. Avoid negative people. Always make copies of important papers. ASK FOR HELP WITH JOBS YOU DISLIKE. Break large tasks into bite sized portions. Look at problems as challenges. Smile more.  Be prepared for rain.  SCHEDULE A PLAY TIME INTO EVERY DAY. Avoid tight fitting clothes. Take a bubble bath.  Believe in you. Visualize yourself winning.  Develop a sense of humor. Stop thinking tomorrow will be better today. Have goals for yourself. SAY HELLO TO A STRANGER. Look up at the stars. PRACTISE BREATHING SLOWLY. DO BRAND NEW THINGS. Stop a bad habit.  TAKE STOCK OF YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS. Do it today. Strive for excellence, NOT perfection. LOOK AT A WORK OF ART. Maintain your weight. Plant a tree. Stand up and stretch. Always have a plan B.  Learn a new doodle. Learn to meet your own needs.  BECOME A BETTER LISTENER. Know your limits and let others know them too.  THROW A PAPER AIRPLANE. Exercise every day. Get to work early. Clean out one closet.  Take a different route to work.  LEAVE WORK EARLY (WITH PERMISSION).  Remember you always have options. Quit trying to “fix” other people.  GET ENOUGH SLEEP. Praise other people. RELAX, TAKE EACH DAY AT A TIME ... YOU HAVE THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.

got this from cup of jo and she found it here. easy enough, right.

project in mind...

Hey you.  You who read my blog. :) I have a project brewing in my brain and I'd love a little help.  Is there something you want to learn how to cook?  Or do you have a go to meal that delicious and satisfying that you make after a hard days work?  If you're willing to share, I'd love to know about it!!